Weight Watchers

[jmd1983]

Welcome Sweetheartscene! And well done on your progress so far. Keep up the good work and you'll be that beach babe in no time!

I had the shock of my life on Monday. I see the midwife every 4 weeks and so far had gained about half a kilo or so at every visit. A total of 4 kilos which I thought for almost 6 months was really pretty good.

But all this came to an end on Monday when I was told I had gained more than 3 kilos since my last visit! :shock: Yes yes, I know, it's all part of the deal and it just means the baby is growing. But oh my....it requires a whole different mindset after years of wanting the scales to show the smallest amount possible. Still a whole 3 months to go and am terrified of ending up like a beached whale by month 9!

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

Welcome Sweetheartscene! And well done on your progress so far. Keep up the good work and you'll be that beach babe in no time!

I had the shock of my life on Monday. I see the midwife every 4 weeks and so far had gained about half a kilo or so at every visit. A total of 4 kilos which I thought for almost 6 months was really pretty good.

But all this came to an end on Monday when I was told I had gained more than 3 kilos since my last visit! :shock: Yes yes, I know, it's all part of the deal and it just means the baby is growing. But oh my....it requires a whole different mindset after years of wanting the scales to show the smallest amount possible. Still a whole 3 months to go and am terrified of ending up like a beached whale by month 9!

Woohoo, I see that baby is getting plentyful of CALCIUM, will have strong bones And whats wrong with whales, I think they are awesome and beautiful mammals!

Welcome back BettyBoop! Enjoy your WW project and you will achieve your goals :) But dont try to lose too quickly

Most people successfully lose weight with most diets but nearly all, after completing their diet, puts the weight back on with a vengeance. Its because the diet adopted is just simply not maintainable, and the harsher ones are are actually very bad for the health in many different ways. What is also overlooked is that many diets make you lose water (or worse muscle) in weight but NOT in body fat which should have been the main goal.

So try adapt a healthy balanced eating lifestyle that you can be comfortable maintaining for life and as you lose more weight, the lower the calories you need to lead a healthy life. For losing body fat (please try get that terminology ingrained girls, "lose body fat", NOT lose weight), a small caloric deficit is the healthiest way to do it, complemented with sufficient exercising.

When I finish my diploma (2 weeks more), I will elaborate more on all this and resume the progress chart (hope you are all gearing up for that, so don't go slacking!). Remember, losing weight is 70% on what you eat. 30% on exercises.

Right now, gotta get some homework done...so far I have had about 4 exams and 5 practicals. I failed 2 exams and 1 practical was incomplete. But I can retake those at the end and should pass them (what am I saying...WILL pass them! think positive!) because I gained more knowledge since then. Have to admit this course got me so damn stressed initially but stress is unhealthy (did you know stress also makes you put on weight?!? yep, its all to do with neurological chemical reactions in the body, blah bah...). So I chilled and adapted and just went with the flow taking the approach that every knew thing I learn is worth a bar of gold (you didnt I think I was gonna say a bar of chocolate?).

keep up the good work girls...and you invisible boys.

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

1 more week to go for my diploma course to finish and it will be progress chart time :)

So, how is everyone getting on?

Remembering your goals, any of you reached it?

There are 5 key elements to Fat Loss:

1: Cardio Vascular Fitness (walking, running, or any activity thet raises your heart rate for a period of time and improves your utilisation of oxygen circulation)
2: Strength training (via resistance exercises, need this not for bulking up but to make you stronger and fitter for your CV activities)
3: Balanced NUTRITIONAL diet (This accounts for 70% of your fat loss)
4: POSITIVE MINDSET

I have discussed the above 4 elements several times before but there is a 5th element, and a powerful one that will make all the difference. The great news is, those of us that read this thread regularly/occassionally or even taking part in the Progress Chart are already implementing this 5th element and that is Social Group Support.

Without it, achieving your goals would be more difficult, not impossible of course if you have tremendous self will power. Do you any of you think I would have got this far without my beautiful friends on this thread? NO, I wouldnt, no doubt about it. I would have progressed but certainly not as much, I think.

This thread or similar support groups is the powerful leverage we need to drive in 5th gear towards our goals. The positive environment, sharing of knowledge between us, encouragement and motivation, even competition really really drives us and charges up our willpower. But most of all, if we declare our goals publically, like those of us on the fmuk progress chart, we give ourselves an even bigger boost as we then have that "cant back down now"...actually that's not the best way of putting it but eh, you know what I mean! Look at the last Progress Chart, and see what tremendous progress we made since we all started it.

Cant wait for us to resume that, really sorry I had it on hold for last 6 weeks but hope you all understood why! I have a new goal, its a big one, and it will be in April. Not telling you yet though, wanna hear everyone else's first, or at least your progress

Hope you all having a great weekend!

[weliveandbreathewords]

Random I know! But seeing the Weight Watchers post hovering at the top of my unread posts made me remember to take my weightwatchers things back to coventry with me! found a meeting in the central library on friday at noon, doesnt interfere with my lectures either :)
thanks for the subtle reminder aha

[Diane65]

OMG I'm dreading getting on the scales as once again my social life has been a bit busy entertaining the student over the last week involved lots of eating BUT I'm ready to get back on the straight and narrow; I have just got a knitted dress for the winter and seem to have developed 2 lumps on my hips (or the dress makes them more obvious) which need removing (I think its since I've been wearing fitflops and Sketchers Shape Ups it has toned up my thighs and buttocks but now have an extra lump higher up - sorry if anyone is eating their dinner as it's not a pleasant thought)
Can't wait to find out MrGlass's plans for April:
My guesses are
1) You're getting married
2) You're going to be a trainer to the stars
3) You're going to have a career change
4) Your cricket team is going professional
Or something really wild and exciting

Well done on all your hard work and dedication on studying for your diploma, I take my hat off to you

Well done Betty Boop, welcome sweetheartscene and rawr_xoxo that's brilliant going to the meeting.

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

Diane, you're in Holland right now, arent you? great place for walks and cycling, huh?

Unfortunately, my next goal is nothing as exciting as the 4 you listed, wished I didnt hype it up now I entered the Paris Marathon in April, that was all but its a goal I'm happy with, its the real full marathon just like the London Marathon (was too late to enter that one) and I am setting an ambitious (very ambitious) target of running it in 3hrs30min. Odds are against me but hey I'll try.

In response to your guesses:

1) Getting Married...'fraid Kate Winslet rejected me, remember
2) I am, the stars are you
3) Actually thats probably true! In one or 2 weeks I will become fully qualified PT Trainer with GP Referral! But I am yet to plan what I do with this career wise...I'm meeting my old PT trainer next week and guess what, he's pitched to me about working with him! I wonder if he really means it because I would be really excited to.
4) Well, professional binging more likely I'm afraid!

Well, I hope everyone is making good progress and if not, time to get back on it I too have had a relapse while on my course, I have put on 0.5% body fat!

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

OK, so my course has now finshed but I have some portfolios, 1 exam retake and 2 practical retakes to do within the next week. So its not quite over for me yet. I did pass everything else though and at least I am a certified level 2 gym instructor but still yet to obtain that level 3 PT diploma. Its been crazy but a lot of fun too, made some new friends along the way who were sharing the same crazy journey.

So I find this thread delegated to page 2, I dont suppose that means you are all on a relapse with your fat loss/fitness journey, heh? lol.

So ok, girls and wizards (ie the boys who makes themselves invisible, very clever I must say), the FMUK Fitness Progress Chart (notice the name change!) returns. All I need from all of you participating (and you are ALL invited) is:

1. Your goal (eg, lose 10lbs in 8 weeks, fit into a dress size 8 in 10 weeks for a wedding...etc)
2. progress made since last weigh in. You do not have to disclose your actual weight if you dont want to, just your progress weight loss will suffice) If you just joining in, then if you dont mind giving your start weight, BMI, Body Fat %, you can do so.
3. What physical activities/exercises you intend to do to achieve your target
4. What your nutritional diet will be (remember 70% of losing body fat comes down to what you eat)

I'll make recommendations and suggestions for you on exercises and diet for you. In fact if you want me to set a program guideline for you, I'd be happy to. We all here want you to achieve your goals as much as you do...remember that! We all support each other here.

To get an idea of what our progress chart has been about, just click on page 74....crickey, I didnt realise its been that long since the last one. I had to stop because of my diploma course so sorry about that. So just to remind everyone, we measure our progress every 2 weeks. Either by Body fat (MOST RECOMMENDED), BMI, or simply weight. Look on the chart and you'll get the idea. If by now some of you have reached your goals, set a new one! Even if you are at the ideal weight, you may want to add muscle tone, or get fitter to run a long distance event, goals are endless. Even staying fit is a goal itself, its all too easy to have a relapse so keep yourself in check

Well you can pm me or post here your stats/goals. Or just let us know how you doing if you dont want to take part in the progress chart :)

[weliveandbreathewords]

Question Can someone trying to MAINTAIN their weight join? i.e, me?

I was 11st 12, but im now 8st 12, and hope to stay around that level, hopefully for the entirity of uni x)

Unfortunately as I discovered on monday, my free gym membership gym is like a tin of sardines :/ only managed 10 mins on the cross trainer and 20 mins on a bike, there were queues for everything else....thinking of taking up jogging? like every morning or night? but im not a running person, so how would i gradually work my way into it? :S

and something ive asked every PT at every gym ive been too, yet nothing seems to work
how do i tone my stomach? D:

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

Hey rawr, what a brilliant achievement losing 3 stones. Well done you! And of course you can join in our progress chart for just "staying the same weight" But well done also for setting yourself further goals.

Toning your stomach? By that, I suspect you mean you'd like nice definition on your tummy area, and your abs to show. It comes down to one simple thing, lose some more body fat. You see you may have great looking abs already but it is covered in layers of fat. Reduce the fat, you improve the definition of your stomach. So the answer is not "more crunches" as many would think. The answer lies in what you eat. Thats why your PTs could never help you directly because you obviously have to do this part YOURSELF! So what should you eat? Well, its more about what you should NOT eat! Cut out the junk food now...say goodbye to them! You have come so far, already, so this is your next step up on your fitness journey! Cut out as many processed food as you can. You can still have great tasting meals without that crap. You can eating the same quantity of food as you have been consuming but make it cleaner food, organic and unrefined as possible. Example, eat wholemeal bread, not white bread. I'll make a post another time giving a list of unrefined food later. Split your meals into 5 smaller meals a day. This will increase your metabolism rate. You could reduce your calorie deficit a bit too as long as you dont feel starved, never go hungry. Drink lots of water too.

But you should also do resistance exercise on your whole core and body to maintain a nice definition on your whole body and health. Change your program every 4 weeks so that the body does not adapt to the same routines to give your body a schock to the system. If you would like me to recommend you a program, let me know.

Damn, your gym sounds so overcrowded. Probably not the most encouraging environment and working out should be fun, not a fustration. Could you perhaps find time to go when its not so crowded? If not, then you can do your exercises in your halls of residence or with a friend in the park even. You can do exercises using your own body weight and a suitable bench. But for variable resistance exercises, there are exercise bands which you can b*y for a tenner or so, and its prety much all you need for all body resistance workouts!

For cardio, have a go and take up running if you open to trying new activities. One year ago, I was like you and thought running sounded boring, I mean just running, aimlesly in one spot on a treadmill or in circles around a park, where's the fun in that?!?...but once I started, well there was no stopping me and now I'm running long distances and absolutely addicted to it! You just have to give it a go and might start enjoy it as I did. The most effective type of running to burn lots of fat is by doing interval training or fartlek training. Yeah the second one had me rolling in fits too, I have no idea why its called that! These type of running saves you more time, and raises your fat burning metabolism tenfold. So Interval training involves running at alternate intensities. Example: 2mins running at 50-60% MHR (you maximum heart rate) followed by a 30 second sprint (upto 90% MHR) then back down to 50-60% and repeat in cycles. Fartlek training is similar except you sprint and run at different intensities randomly.

Also does your uni do studio classes like body pump, circuit training etc? You can try those too.

Maybe grab your room mate, to run with you. Then you can both motivate each other. You can also motivate yourself by using mobile phone running apps like Runkeeper for Iphone and Android phones which track all your runs and notify you on your running speed through your headphones. I use it all the time and record all my runs which then get posted on the web in real time and have a group of friends on there to motivate each other. Here's mine for example:

http://runkeeper.com/user/RunTejRun/activity/18977996

As you are at Uni, there must be plenty of Student Union sports societies, maybe join in a racket sport society like badminton, squash, tennis. These kind of sports are terrific for burning fat and also great for socialising in a healthy way, plus you might even become pretty good and play in the uni teams.

Hope these tips help!

[weliveandbreathewords]

My uni does do some classes but like most other things, theyre packaed, and surprisingly the gym is still quite bad during the day, I went at 1 once and still had to wait for machines :S
Me and my flatmates were going to start badminton as i love playing it, and ive got my own rackets and everything prepared, but when it came to actually joining the society/team and regularly playing, it turns out its £10 PER session, so that quickly went out the window :/
I would like to start running but im not that good at it now lol,I was thinking maybe running up and down the stairs in my apartment since im on the top floor, that could be interesting x) id probably get a few freaked looks too...
Id love a program or something that actually works! :)
Only one of my PTs said my abs could be a body fat problem, but even then he didnt suggest anything to combat the problem, I do live mostly by the WW point system still, and my bread and the ready meals I get are still WW
If I could cook meals every night I would cause it tastes so much better! and I love the satisfaction I get from it, but sometimes when my workload is heavy(Ive got 5 projects in fr next week, 3 I havent finished yet) I cant really afford to make a meal, so the processed meals come out
and I am trying to incorporate the 8 glasses of water a day into my diet
I managed 4 yesterday, which is an achievement for me shamefully :o