Posts by Maria Johnson32

@redbison8/">@@redbison8, maybe try working out every other day or something. I guess doing it every single day might be overkill... which just makes it more likely you'll quit, even if you don't have much on your plate right now.

From what I've seen, hitting the gym twice a week does absolutely nothing for MY weight loss. It’s like I’m not even trying. If I go three times a week, sure, I might tone up a tiny bit, but I'm not seeing any actual weight drop.

Honestly, I think I'd probably need to pull off some intense workout five times a week just to see the scale move, and just thinking about committing to that much stuff makes me feel sick. 🙂 Even if the sex was great, that would still be too much work, let alone a full gym routine.

Thanks for the recipe!

I’m pretty much a total newbie to this whole diet thing, so little recipes like this are actually a huge help. To be honest, I haven't even really gotten started yet 🙂 I still haven't quite figured out what I'm supposed to eat before or after a workout, but I'll get there, I guess. Today is my first day at Gold's Gym, so we'll probably just pester the trainer with questions all day. 🙂

Of course they're gaining weight from a calorie surplus, what else would it be?

@I guess I've finally come to realize that ironharbor45 is right—you've got to slow down and accept that this is a marathon, not a sprint.

Looking at my stats, I think it’s going to take a massive amount of work to get rid of this. I just have to stay consistent and not quit, even on the bad days or when things aren't going my way.

When a craving hits, I usually just grab a carrot. They’ve actually started tasting sweet lately, now that my taste buds have finally recovered. Other times, I'll just boil an egg. Or maybe a green salad with a small can of tuna. Sometimes I mix yogurt with some fruit and freeze it; it's a decent substitute for ice cream. It isn't really ice cream, but it gets me through. Popcorn doesn't seem like a great idea—I feel like I could finish a whole bag in one sitting. Plus, all those carbs would probably spike my insulin, and mine is already high enough as it is.

Yeah, I get the whole thing with the cookies and chips 🙂 I'll probably burn the box just to stay safe, then wonder why I've gained ten pounds 🙂))

But honestly, I think you’re right—you have to look at this as a marathon, not a sprint, like I'm actually planning to live to be a hundred. It finally hit me that I don't HAVE TO be in terrible shape by the time I'm 60 or 70, which used to feel like just an inevitable part of life. I used to think you couldn't stay thin after 30 and that just "settling" was normal. Then I spent some time diving into self-analysis, therapy, whatever, and that was a complete waste of time 🙂 I really thought it would help me lose weight or uncover some "deep-seated beliefs."

Anyway, I don't know if I actually figured anything out. I wouldn't say I did; I mostly just talked myself back into common sense I already had 🙂 We'll see how it goes. I always start things with a burst of euphoria, but it usually wears off pretty fast

Today's little "test" was hilarious. This lady was smoking right next to me, complaining about how she just can't do it anymore... basically suggesting we both give up... and I've finally reached a stage in my life where I can just think... please, leave me alone... you give up, but I won't :-) :-) :-)

The one upside to me actually trying to stay active over the last few years is that I’ve finally learned how to listen to my body. If I hit a wall, I just stop. I don't force a workout or anything. I’m not sick, I haven't caught some random bug, so I guess that's a pretty good sign that everything is working fine.

As for food, I agree—we all know exactly what we should and shouldn't be eating. And honestly, if you train the wrong way, you're either going to end up injured or just build weird muscle that looks ridiculous.

I’ve basically decided that getting fit and dropping some weight is my main priority for the next three months, for better or worse. I don't have little kids running around, so I can do whatever I want. Everyone else will just have to deal with my new schedule. 🙂

@ironharbor45/">@@ironharbor45, so by "rest day" you mean a day where I don't work out at all, rather than a day where I just do light cardio to recover, am I getting that right?

Fair point. I'll start adding workouts on the weekends, then we'll see if there's even any room left to squeeze anything else in. I'm pretty resilient, though—lots of walking and some hiking in my time—but I can't seem to shed the fat because I eat way too much, especially sweets. Bad habit. I stress-eat. But that’s going to change. 🙂 My legs are really muscular, and honestly, I think I might have overdone it with those specific exercises. 🙂 Hopefully my trainer can help me out. 🙂

@nimblebison8/">@@nimblebison8, congrats on the results. It's obvious you had the right approach since you dropped the weight and then built muscle. So, the scale goes up now, right? I think giving yourself two months to just "get used to the lifestyle" was smart; people always underestimate how long it takes to actually adjust. For me, I used to reward myself with chocolate after every intense workout for the first month and a half. 🙂 Sounds stupid, I know, but psychologists say it works, and for me, it did. Once I got into the rhythm, I started eating less chocolate and eventually cut it out entirely, while the exercise stuck. 🙂 You just have to think long-term... with kids and a job, you're doing great! 🙂

I get that cardio is everything, even just a walk through Central Park, but I moved past that stage a long time ago. I already have the habit down, so I don't think it'll be as hard as it used to be. I just want to give it my all and get maximum results in the shortest time possible. It doesn't have to be three months; it could be six, and maybe the stabilization will take a year or more... isn't bad, I guess. But all that "take it slow" and "easy does it" talk hasn't worked for me for twenty years. 🙂

I was actually at the gym today for some baseline testing. There were five other women there, and I heard this guy behind me whisper, "Look at her, she's the heaviest one here but definitely the strongest." It's living proof that carrying extra weight doesn't mean you're physically incapable, even if that's usually the assumption. I was actually happy about it; made me feel like I haven't totally lost it.

Anyway, reading your replies has helped motivate me—I'm almost looking forward to working out! 🙂 If nimblebison8 can manage it with a little baby at home, I can too. 🙂)

Auntie is on the move! :-)))

I have a practical question. I'm 45, and a friend bought me a 3-month circuit training package at the gym. It's twice a week with a trainer, and I start in two weeks. It’ll be Tuesdays and Thursdays for an hour each session. I assume it’ll help build muscle mass, which I definitely need.

But since my actual goal is to lose FAT, I'm wondering if I can squeeze in some solo cardio sessions between Tuesday and Thursday, and if so, which days would work best?

I've read that those "rest" days between workouts are pretty crucial, so I'm not sure if cardio counts as rest from weight training, or if I should just take every other day off—whatever I'm doing—just to let my muscles recover.

I'm pushing 50, and I've realized I want to age healthily. My goal is to drop this fat I've been carrying for half my life, ease the pressure on my bones and spine, and lower my risk for cancer and whatever else. I've convinced myself that if I shed most of this fat and maybe mess around with some autophagy, my body will basically "reset."

What do you think—would doing cardio three times a week alongside the two circuit sessions be overkill?

Don't tell me it's too ambitious; I just want to know if it's too much for the muscles.

I've decided to sacrifice three months of my life. I'll isolate myself from everything except work just to hit my target—which is losing 45 pounds so I can eventually just maintain it and live a normal, healthy life. I was inspired by some guy at the gym who pulled it off in about six months; he got ripped and everything, and now he doesn't even show up anymore. He’s just living his life. He has a bike and rides around, but he put in those six months and solved the problem. That's my plan. 🙂

Diet is key, obviously. I get that.

ironharbor45 said:Since I’ve got a family and a job that eats up way too much of my time, I get why people ask. I work out for my health; I'm often tired, but I'm persistent.
I hit the gym Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. If I’m feeling under the weather, I might skip one. If I’m absolutely exhausted or just slammed with work, I’ll do a shorter or lighter session. Being disciplined and not quitting easily is everything to me. My wife thinks I'm crazy sometimes for heading out to the park after a full day at the office in the dark. The payoff is that I’m healthy and at an ideal weight at 45. How I look isn't really the point, though it helps, I guess. :-)
I’ve only been doing this for a year and a half, but I think it’s fair to say that working out 3 or 4 times a week has become a lifestyle.
That’s consistency for me. No quitting, no backing down. If it's raining, I use the stationary bike in the room. If I'm dead tired, I still put in at least thirty minutes. It gets repetitive and a bit boring sometimes, but I have a goal. I also constantly come up with new routines or exercises just to break the monotony.
Even Schwarz said there are 24 hours in a day, and it's not true that there isn't someone who can find one hour to exercise. He's probably right...

I like what was written above. I tend to think along those same lines. I'm always busy with something; that's just how I was raised, and it works for me. Though, I've had phases where I did nothing at all.

What I've realized lately is that when you make working out a priority, you actually do it. Other things just fall away—the less important stuff, like pointless coffee dates with friends. At one point, I was obsessed with power walking three times a week with a club. That kept me consistent at first; it was paid for, and a friend kept me motivated. Eventually, I just got hooked. The result was that I went regardless of the weather—rain, sun, ice, snow... mindless coffee hangouts were either dropped or moved to the Santa Monica Pier, or Central Park, or just the riverbank... eventually, the group started showing up to the pier just for coffee. :-)

I’m thinking about just wiping the C drive and doing a clean install of Windows 10 using my license.

How do I format the C partition specifically? I’d rather not deal with stacking upgrades and different OS versions on top of each other. :-)

I have a Microsoft account, so I can reinstall Windows as many times as I want. I’ve got the key written down, but I suspect it might just recognize me through my account anyway.