I don't really know where to begin except that I signed up for the forums only a few days ago. I thought I had made up my mind to "get serious" about losing weight, but I'm already having a hard time. I think I'm having a harder time than before I said, "Ok... time to get serious."

Yesterday, I agreed to go out for a burger and fries. Oops! I wish I hadn't... but I enjoyed every last bit of it. So I'm mad at myself for slipping up. I had well over my daily calorie allowance and the 1.5 hours I spent playing Frisbee and walking don't count for much after that.

Today I started well and I intend to end well. No Pain, No Loss. Right?


Breakfast:
1 breakfast shake (tastes like a creamsicle, yum!)

• Nature's Plus Ultra Energy mix (Low GI index protein mix)
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 packet Emer'gen C
• 2 teaspoons fiber supplement
• 1 cup ice

Total = 331 calories, 5.5 grams fat, 32 carbs, 31 protein

Lunch:
3 biscuits Post Shredded Wheat
1 cup 2% milk

Total = 361 calories, 5.5 grams fat, 67 carbs, 16 protein

Snack:
2 cups frozen broccoli (about 1.5 cups cooked)
small amount shredded cheddar

Total = 104 calories, 6 grams fat, 9 carbs, 9 protein


I think fish is on the menu tonight. Its great grilling weather... Oh what I'd give for a beer with dinner! I'll have water instead.

Okay so you had a slip up day don't let it get you down. You started out good this morning and now you just need to keep up the good work. Keep a positive additude about this whole thing. Everyone has slip up days take it in stride and move on. Exercise a few minutes more than usual to help make yourself feel better about it!

Writing in this diary and getting the suppor you need will help bunches too! Good luck and keep us posted on how you are doing!! I will praise every ounce you lose and help you through all those days you have no motivation!

I just read your newcomer post and it's so funny because I was just blabbering around here the other day that I'm pear-shaped too. Good luck and I like how organized you are. Keep it up and keep posting and I'm sure you'll find it is way informative and helpful Welcome!

You are off to a great start, with the help and support of the members here you WILL make your goal

I did it!

I finished off today's eating with:

7oz Alaskan Salmon (seasoned and grilled)
2 cups fresh baby spinach (thats really not much...)
1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
2 bell peppers (one red, one yellow, grilled in tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil, horseradish mustard, and a pinch of brown sugar)
1/2 cup mushrooms (sauteed in lite soy sauce, chopped vidalia onion, minced garlic, & just a touch of olive oil)


Total = 573 calories, 24 grams of fat, 32 carbs, 50 protein (oops! a bit much on the protein today) Yum it was a feast! I know it was probably more food than I needed...


Also today I had a Triple Grande Iced Non-Fat One-pump-vanilla caramel macchiato, easy on the caramel.

Total for that = 130 calories, 1 gram fat, 21 carbs, 8 protein. The ladies at starbucks know exactly how I like it... they're so sweet to me.

Total for today = 1480 total calories, 42 grams fat, 162 carbs, 126 protein (hahaha way too much protein!) and about 48oz of water. I fell short on water today but overall did fairly well.

Workouts came out to be about a 347 calorie loss. Probably a little more than I needed... Oops, oh well.

Anyone know any great exercises to firm up the muscles particularly on in inner thigh? Its a trouble area for me and I'd really like to shape it up.



I'm back on the horse.

before I start sugesting exercises for your inner thigh, what sort of fitness equiment do you have access to?

Whoo-hoo for the great start!!! I think you are doing awesome! Are you looking to tone up the muscle on your inner thighs? You could try some pilates. I went out and bought a couple of dvds and have been doing them for about 3 months now and I can see a real difference in my thigh muscles. I don't do the dvds as often as I should but they have made a difference. I also think walking is a good way to work out those thigh muscles. But those are just my opinions and I am sure others on here have their own ideas on how to go about it!

Have another good day today!!

I don't access to much for exercise equipment. I've been thinking of paying for a gym membership (24 hour fitness I think is the name) but I'm not so sure of that yet. I don't live as close to one as I'd like.

What I have:
- Stationary bike (the seat hurts my bum, so it doesn't get used as often as I'd like. A friend just told me I might be able to just replace the seat with something more comfy).
- Pilates stretch/resistance bands (they look like giant open ended rubber bands and I use them for upper-body strength training).
- Jump rope (bought this one a few days ago for $2. Best cheap equipment I've ever bought).
- My feet
- A pedometer

I know there are a lot of squat/lunge/push-off movements I can do with the pilates bands.. however my knees just don't want to play along. I injured one knee fairly badly about 7 years ago and its just never been cooperative since then. Now they both disagree loudly and painfully whenever I do a lot of squatting movements.

I also have a question about different steps while walking. I've noticed that if I take shorter steps like I'm almost marching, but keep the pace up, I can get my heart rate up fairly well. It also feels like I'm using different muscles than the normal walk. So is there a stride that uses the inner thigh muscles? I feel a good stretch there if I take long strides with a solid push-off, but it doesn't feel like I'm really using them.

I'm open to any ideas!

Bad knee huh... That kinda sucks for exercise. My knees suck to but the one pilates dvd i have you do all the exercise laying down on your side and so it doesn't put alot of stress on your knees and it really gives a great workout. Look into one like that and it would really help!

Cable Hip Adduction

this exercise is done using a cable but it may be posible to do this with one of your resistance bands if you can anchor one end safely.

Thigh Exercise Menu is a good list of assorted thigh exercises all with animated examples of each. most need some form of equipment but if money is tight dumbels can be improvised by filling plastic containers with handles (eg 2 litre milk bottles) with sand to equal the weight you want to use.

If you use the stationary bike 4 or 5 days in a row, the discomfort should ease eventually. I promise. One of those things you just have to get used to.

The stationary bike should use your inner thighs and you can get a seat that is cushiony and put it on top of your seat ..or you may want to try to tilt your seat up in the front and down in the back

females especially need seats to tip upwards in the front and downwards in the back, because it pushes you back onto the cushion onto your butt ...lol
I bike ... so thats what they had to do to my cycle ... they didn't even charge me ... now I know how to adjust it on my own ...

but Usually stationary bikes cant be repositioned ... my mom bought a seat that was for bikes (look in the walmart bike section) and find a bike cushion you can put on top of your seat


BUT lukewarm is right ..just something you have to get used to ...you will feel a little numbness and pain the more you do it ... the longer ...

and the distance between your pedal and your hip should be the same distance between your ankle and your hip ...you should be stretching your legs all the way down when you pedal at the extension ...

good luck
always
natalie jo
as far as ..food ..excellent diet!

Time for the Food Diary:

Breakfast:
1.5 cups (one tall glass) Chocolate Soy Milk with added fiber supplement.

Total = 230 calories, 6 grams fat, 35 carbs, 9 protein (and a bunch of fiber!)

Snack:
1 banana
4 raw almonds

Total = 137 calories, 3 grams fat, 29 carbs, 2 protein

Lunch:
Tuna Sandwich -

• 2oz Solid White Albacore in water (drained)
• 2 slices Whole wheat with flax bread (sadly it has high fructose corn syrup in it... I ran out of my bread)
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1/2 tbsp stoneground horseradish mustard

1 Mug Jasmine Green Tea
1/2 cup leftover grilled peppers from dinner last night

Total = 339 calories, 6 grams fat, 44 carbs, 24 protein

Dinner: Dinner was a challenge since I wasn't just making food for myself. The pasta dish won tonight and I had to come up with a tasty, but low cal solution. I think I did just fine.

2oz Linguine
1/2 Cup Sauce

• Sweet Vidalia Onion
• Chopped Spinach
• Extra lean beef
• Fresh garlic, minced
• Extra virgin olive oil (I'm resisting 'EVOO')
• Minced olives
• Classico Spicy Tomato & Basil Sauce (Shortcut!)
• Herb seasionings

]
1 Mug Jasmine Green Tea

Total = 337 calories, 6.6 grams fat, 55 carbs, 13.8 protein

Todays Totals = 1037 calories, 23 grams fat, 162 carbs, 50 protein

I think I'm going to eat a slice of melon to make up for the remaining calories today. I don't want to drop too far below 1300. Slow loss is fine by me! Jasmine Green Tea and Cantaloupe for desert. Maybe a couple almonds too. Yum!

Thanks for the bike info. I'll look for a cover the next time I'm near wal-mart. I hate that the seat isn't adjustable except for height... but hey.. I didn't get the best bike on the market.

I also checked out Trusylver's links for some good ideas. Yea, I think I can rig my stretch bands on all sorts of things around the house. I have an odd half-wall between my dining area and lower den that's made of wrought iron.. should work just fine. Its super sturdy (I know 'cause I took a dive over it to land on the lower couch! Weeee!)

Should my butt feel... bruised? The seat leaves me feeling bruised so no matter what I sit on, my poor bum hurts afterwards. I've had this bike for a long time now, and I don't remember it hurting like this when I was 30lbs heavier. Oh well... time to saddle up and ride the bike anyway.

Chocolate soymilk is tempting......

My butt was actually bruised. haha. It fades though and I swear that my lower body looks incredibly different after even 3 weeks of consistent cycling. Some people wear padded cycling shorts even, in addition to padded seats. But I figured that the quicker I got used to riding the regular seat, the better.