Fitting In Fitness

Then I spent a Week Sick

2012-05-26T16:06:00.004-07:00

Exercise and at least 2 good meals a day beats lack of appetite for weight loss!

I have not exercised since last Wed. the 16^th, had been on antibiotics from last Friday until this Friday am. While one of the side effects I got was lack of appetite, I did not exercise, except walk the dog, usually once a day, I gained a bit back.

I pretty much had two snacks a day with my antibiotics.

It is plain to see that less food is not the way to weight loss.

I normally eat 2 satisfying meals.

Lately my own spaghetti meat sauce on Italian bread, with mozzarella is one typical daily meal, when I am well.

I had been aiming to exercise most days, but was doing well with every other day exercise.

Quite often, a 2^nd meal of the day tended to be take out…

Still, I was loosing nicely!

Last week, while sick I was having:

Crackers and milk

Potatoes chips and mild

One of those once a day

Lots of water through out

I think I had a peanut butter and honey sandwich or two…

The weight, well inches, gain was not significant.

However, I did eat much less.

In fact today is the first day I actually ate 2 meals! Finally felt like myself again!

I hope to resume exercise on Tuesday, after this holiday weekend.

I just looked today and Total Gym is giving away the Ab Crunch exercise attachment I do most of my regular exercises on, with a free Workout DVD!

They currently have Total Gyms starting at $400 in their Outlet store, under Product on the left side of their blue horizontal menu bar.

You will find a text to Total Gym in the right column.

Just saying.

Adding Different Exercises, Instead of Overdoing Ab Crunches

2012-05-16T04:23:00.004-07:00

With Good Results!

Two weeks ago I did ab crunch exercises every day, whilst adding leg exercises two times that week and while the results were results were excellent but..

I could tell by the way I felt by the end of the week, (like I had been hit by a truck!), that this regime could not, or should not be maintained.

A friend suggested stretching before and after each exercise. True, I do not stretch much at all, except often when walking our dog. He stops a lot. Then I bend all the way down from the waist, (I know I am not going to be lifting so..), as I pet him and tell him what a good dog he is.

I did not really think stretching was the problem.

Last week I did the 3 each Ab and Leg exercises, every other day only. I felt fine and lost 2.25 inches in one week !

This week I am experimenting with adding several, to start, Core, shoulder and / or chest and back exercises on those off Ab and Leg exercise days.

I will post the results on Friday, or close to it, as usual.

The up shot is. Total Gym is weight lifting.

Results may be splendid, but do not do the same exercises two days in a row.

Besides there are so many to choose from anyway!

Cut back exercise and lost 2.25 inches on bust, waist and hips

2012-05-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

If you check out the 5/11/12 Inches Off Friday post you can see what I actually did, very little, on my Total Gym this week to get down to a 32.5 inch waist, and 39.5 inch hips, Gut remains the same and lost a bit other wise.

For only managing to exercise two times this week, this is quite nice!

For what it is worth, Today, (just had to look), Using the Total Gym Official Store link to your right I found:

As Always, Free one month trail for A Buck
60% Off and
23% Off and
one for $600!

Just saying. In past months I have enjoyed what it did to get rid of my back ache. Now I am enjoying being in better shape and loose clothes!

Response to Tommy Lee’s comment of 4/16/12

2012-05-08T07:16:00.001-07:00

Sorry about the delay on this. Tommy Lee wanted an explanation about part of my 2/17/12 post: Lost ½ inch off waist, ¼ inch off gut!

Tommy, what I meant was that in addition to using my Total Gym, I also starting using a, (I think they are called), resistance band, at my desk.

I was doing something like this one pictured here, but with a simpler band, like the one I pictured in the above-mentioned post.

I hope that clears things up!

Lost 2.5 inches since mid-February and my prominent double chin this week

2012-05-04T03:04:00.000-07:00

I have only in recent weeks began to really work at it!

For the previous two weeks, I had only managed some ab crunches 2 and 3 days a week.

Then this week I ramped it up a bit by:

Adding one more ab exercise3 leg exercises
Both two times this week
Did the usual sets of ab crunch exercises, but every day Sunday through Thursday
One day I did 50 ab crunches and 5 sets of 5 oblique ab exercises on Tuesday when I added the leg exercises.

Comparison Mid February and Today

2/2012: Bust 43, waist 33.5 tapering to 36, gut 40.5 hips 40 inches!

5/2012: Bust 44, waist 35.5, no tapering to speak of gut 42.75 hips 41 inches

Plus, the day after I added the leg, and one more ab, exercises

I noticed my prominent double chin was gone!

I am pretty excited about that. I did not know whether it being there was an age or weight thing…

YES!

I will try to find videos of the Total Gym leg exercises and ab exercise I added to my routine to post here.

Finally Resumed Exercise, and have lost 1.5 inches!

2012-04-24T06:29:00.000-07:00

Since last Wednesday, with a longer waistline!!

No time to write later last week, but as it stands:

I just did:

30 each ac crunch exercises, with my Total Gym set on level 6
15, 10 none and 15 oblique crunches, each side on

Wed, Thur. Friday and Sunday, 4/18- 19 - 20 and 22

I started:

36 inch waist and 42.5 inch gut and am down to a

35.5-inch waist and a 41.5-inch gut

My eating habits are their usual bad.

The longer waistline is especially encouraging!

One morning, my waist actually measured 35 inches and a few inches down 36.5.

It used to be one smallest part, bulging directly, rather than gradually, up to my gut thickness, with not appreciable length of waist in-between!

Got to go, get in a few reps and get back to the rest of what needs to be done here.

This is encouraging!

Aiming to resumed exercise nest week

2012-04-13T11:53:00.000-07:00

Do we all say that from tine to time?

It looks like things are settling down in our household.
Teddy dog, who injured a toe nail is off antibiotics
and one of our kitties will be off his, owing to a nasty bite he got out side, will be off his shortly.

Soon School will resume for my daughter
by then my eating habits will have stabilized.

Distracted by events, I have gone from roughly 7 packets of ring dings a week to 1.
I have cut out potato chips, and lunch meats all together, these days. I do not know how long that will last.

I can say I am down to a 36-inch waist without exercising, out side of walking Teddy dog.

As I intended to make a valid test of:

Shaping up using the Total Gym

to the extent I could fit it into each week
Without Dieting

I will give it until next week to restart the whole

Do my best to fit in some each day
and Inches Off Friday report

To see what it really does, with what little I can fit in, fitness wise.

If I do not resume exercise soon, my back will tell me about it!

I do know I can count on a few ab exercises on it several times a week to keep my back feeling good. That I know already.
Can I really, EVER fit in enough to loose, then keep off inches?
We shall see!

2-inch gain after about a month of slacking

2012-03-31T09:58:00.000-07:00

That is on just my waist, GULP!

Well there you go. Now the question is, how fast can I get back to a 35.5-inch waist, and then smaller?

Sadly, my slacking off from exercise came about at the same time I decided:

I would do, abs, then abs and core exercises every other day
Leg, then add, chest and shoulder, exercises on those other days

Well I still believe it is a sound plan
Let us see if I can just get around to it!

Greetings from the If it Can go Wrong, It Will Life

2012-03-21T08:44:00.000-07:00

Well I have not managed to fit in any kind of exercise lately, except walking our Teddy pup.

He just had his winter coat cut off, (Picture the dog in the picture to your right, with 4 times as much fur). It takes a few days for him to recover. He gets timid. So we have not been walking much either.

Exactly as the title suggests, that is how it has been around here lately.

Fortunately for me, a friend of ours tuned me on to Gabriel Iglesias!

You can check out a bit of his comedy here!

If you are down, and even if you are not and just appreciate a good laugh, like exercise, his comedy is worth fitting into your week, or if you can do it, day!

Well hopefully things will get better soon, and I can resume exercise and writing about it.
If not, my back is going to kill me!

Fitness Simplified, Thank you Kasper V. Chistensen

2012-03-07T05:26:00.000-08:00

Thank you Kasper for your kind comment to my Ab Crunch Exercises I Refer to in Inches Off Friday post. Though I seriously doubt you need much of the info provided here!

If you have the Passion and a Burning Desire for Fitness yet lack the knowledge

You really should check out Kasper’s

Free and PROVEN Fitness Simplified plan at Fortius Fitness!

Kasper’s web site tells us Fortius if from Latin meaning Stronger. Not just physically stronger, but also stronger in terms of;

Moral Endurance
Steadfastness
Dedication
and Discipline

If you are up to a Free, and Proven

5 part course, including video, text and questioners

If you grave doubts about a fitness plan you are currently following, check out his Body Building and Fitness Strategies, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.

Even I, who am only trying to fit fitness into my, already over packed with obligations life, will be scoping out his site for info I can apply to my own fits and starts, just fitting it in where and when I can exercise, (cannot call this a program), effort.

If you have ever been remotely interested in diet and exercise, Kasper’s Fortius Fitness site is worth at least a good browse. You will no doubt learn something!

Thank you for the nice comment Kasper. I am glad it led me to your informative site!

Roadblocks to Exercise, great and small

2012-02-27T12:04:00.000-08:00

Helps to remember I have still lost 3 inches off my waist and 1 inch off my gut since October of last year doing these few exercises in a fits-and-starts fashion.

Well sometimes things come up.
Sometimes we let things overwhelm us.

Some weeks it is both, which is what I had last week.

In an ordinary week, I would have tried to adhere to these guidelines I came up with in the last few months:
Try to Exercise

When you are cold
Before Breakfast
When the browser, or program, of your choice is not responding
Before opening an email, or otherwise hearing from one in your life who tends to be upsetting

As last week went, few of those guidelines would have gotten in a 10 reps of ab, oblique exercises, or plank presses. Well, OK, I did manage a few, but too few to mention.

No. There was driving other people to the doctor, to work and their car’s garage, and other things of that ilk all week.

Some weeks are going to be like that.
Will just have to get back to it ASAP!

Still not quitting!

Lost ½ off Waist and ¼ inch off Gut

2012-02-17T03:54:00.000-08:00

Which may seem meager except
Especially if you compare them to my original, back in Oct 2011, actual Inches Off in one week

Except:
This time I am concentrating on consistently working this into my life.

I have managed consistency! For 10 days at least!

Reasons I think I can maintain this and why just a ¾ inch loss is just fine

Total Gym is weight lifting, I am:

1st making a point of not doing the same exercises two days in a row.

Granted I am not quite able to Fit In different ones on the in-between days,
but am aiming to.

2nd Doing my best to not overwhelm myself, so as to keep this up for the long run

IF I consider my eating habits:

I lost over 3 inches off my waist, 1 off my gut, since starting this in October.
I am not killing myself trying
I sure do not diet!
That I am just beginning to get consistent

Actually, considering:

The way I eat, or rather what I eat
It is miraculous that I have not ballooned up to 200 pounds
With all the ill heath issues that can come with that at my age!

Also, if I loose just a ½ inch off my waist
And a ¼ inch off my gut
Every 10 days

I should be in pretty good shape by summer!

SO this is what I have been doing, with great consistency, these last 10 days.

1st, I got a separate agenda, desk calendar just for exercise. These notes did not really fit into my normal one. It also made it impossible to add more exercise, and its notes.

2nd In addition to my Total Gym workouts, such as they are so far, I have started using a resistance rubber band thing for arm exercises at my desk.
Mine looks like this, but is relatively small for arms, chest and back I guess…with grips instead of ankle cuffs, but the same basic round of rubber band.

I picked it up somewhere, maybe the Sports Authority, years ago.

This is perfect for when you have a few moments of waiting for something to load when you are at the computer!

So the upshot of this is

I did:
All at level 6 on my Total Gym, because I will not take time to change the level
Every Other Day

30, in sets of 10, plain Ab Crunches, using the attachment
First just 5 each, but worked up to: 30, each side, sets of 10, Oblique Ab Crunches, using the attachment. This is especially grueling, at first, at level 6
30, in sets of 10, actual Plank Presses

I also did 30, in sets of 10 each, arm exercises I either made up or are recalling, (likely a combo of these two things), with my above-mentioned resistance band.

If I can find a picture for this, I will post it here.

So I did these things and lost 3/4 inch from my waist and gut!

More importantly, I think I hit on something I can do no matter what.
Those were a rough set of 10 days

My favorite Aunt died
My current hopes for my love life did a roller coaster maneuver
Plus Technical difficulties throughout….

Though it all it helped to feel physically stronger and more energetic!
Worth the effort!

Why I let myself Stop Exercising and Why I Will Not Stop This Time

2012-02-10T04:42:00.000-08:00

I did mention I would explain why I stopped exercising, and the Inches Off Friday report.

Mostly Upset:

1st, Problems with my child
Then, a member of our household in and out of the hospital with new needs…
It was all very time consuming.
However the real Stop, and the real reason to continue and not quit is:

If you are in good shape, and currently exercising, you will have more energy to deal with whatever life throws you.

Yeah, I stopped again, but resumed in earnest just yesterday. The above is what I am going to tell myself to keep going.

The Total Gym does make resuming easier than if I had to go to some gym outside the house too!

Currently you can use this link to Check out Total Gym®'s Daily Offer today!

You can also note the savings code in their A New Year Means a New You...Save 10% Off Total Gym Home Models (Total Gym 2000, 3000, and XLS) using code 11001 + Free Shipping! link and get the most for your money!

I have never been a fan of the “A New You” verbiage, wherever it crops up. However I do believe that your Total Gym, providing you use it regularly, will to a great asset for the same old you.

Additionally, I noticed it pays to take care of yourself. You just cannot count on anyone else to do that.
You will feel better for it!

With even the sketchiest use of your Total Gym, you will certainly feel a whole lot better a whole lot sooner than anything else I have tried!

Oh Yeah, I have tried a few other at home, and out side of home, exercise equipment types and gyms.

The Urban Rebounder was fun, but scary to do with our kitties coming a bit too close, too often.

Most were not fun.

Only the Total Gym:

made my body in general feel stronger and springier the very next day!
The Total Gym also got rid of my late in the day lower back pain!
Within days of using it.

It is nice to feel more energetic
Very nice to not be in pain at the end of the day too!
It is well worth its price!

Ab Crunch Exercises I refer to in Inches Off Friday

2012-01-29T05:21:00.000-08:00

As Promised, I am trying to find a better way to show the exercises I refer to in my Inches Off Friday report.

This video shows the Ab Crunch, with the Ab Crunch Attachment, exercises I refer to:

See. This is nice and easy at lower levels, a bit gruling, if you are, like me, out of shape, at higher levels.
I do mine at level 6 now in 3 sets of 10, or 2 sets of 15. That is only the easy ones though.

If I have more time, (If you know where we can get more time please comment to this post and let me know!)
I will play around, and possible use of of these, even at lower levels!
The nice and easy lower levels look FUN!
Gliding Right Along!

A Sneaker Style Price Comparison

2012-01-12T08:07:00.000-08:00

Best Price Zappos
If you need both footwear and a handbag, a possible excellent deal at ShoeBuy might be the place to shop, today

After wearing them out side the house on nearly all occasions since at least 5/5/11 my Reebok Easy Tone Freestyle Hi top sneakers really need to be replaced. They actually are still quite comfy, but the very worn out Easy Tone soles now make a racquet when I walk in them.

Having decided to get my old favorite Reebok Freestyle Hi sneakers to replace them, I found: They cost $64.98, and this week’s, (changes tomorrow), Reebok deal is 30% off running shoes. This is not a running shoe.

I found them at Zappos, Free Shipping, for just $51.99! If you click on this picture, that is where it will take you. Or this text link, if you are using script blocker,
Reebok Lifestyle - Freestyle Hi (Black) - Footwear. They are called Reebok Lifestyle in some places, not others?

I checked Zappos, using their Athletic Shoes text link to the right,

after I purchased them from Shoebuy, using the $5 discount link in the right column here.

This style does not qualify for the $5 discount.

They did cost just $58.54 and like Zappos, Shoe Buy gives us Free Shipping, so I was happy.

Just because I am looking, after the fact, I notice they have this nice discount link too:
10% Off Any Purchase at Shoebuy.com plus Free Shipping. Enter 'SHOEBUY' to redeem at checkout.

The reason I offer that is, Just in case a style you might be considering qualifies,
With my order confirmation, I got a link for
$10 Off, buy just using the link in my Shoe Buy Order Confirmation , at
Bagsbuy.com!

I do not know if every one who orders from Shoe Buy gets one.
I can tell you I am not on their mailing list, for what ever that is worth.

I kind of do want a different bag for spring, and my daughter still wants the one I am using….

It pays to shop around!

Watch, Irony in my life being what it is, Reebok’s deal of the week tomorrow will turn out to be some great % off Classic styles!

I will soon be resuming my Total Gym Workouts and the Inches Off Fridays Reports will soon follow!

Either that or my back will kill me instead.
Yep, early evening back pain is the true inspiration behind my fitness efforts!
The trick I guess, would be to get the exercise in before the pain starts!
I am aiming to try just that!

60% Off You Total Gym

2011-11-26T03:20:00.000-08:00

Well I have not been able to exercise lately, and I know I have to resume soon, because those favorite jeans will not fit, again.

I have every confidence that when I do resume again, those jeans will fit within the week using my Total Gym. See the earlier dates of the Inches Off Friday report to your right to find out where that confidence comes from!

I checked, and found if you use this link below today you can get your total Gym at 60% Off!

Fitness is fun again with Total Gym® - Lose weight & get into the BEST shape of your life. Try the 30 day trial for only $1.

You can even try it for just a buck.

If you can fit just a little bit of time each week into this fitness plan, you will learn that this is a buck, or your gym at 60% Off, well spent!

Try it and enjoy the results!

Meanwhile, I will keep working on a more orderly life where fitness fits in a bit better than of late...

30% and 25% Off Resistance Toning Apparel

2011-10-28T06:18:00.000-07:00

Well I believe Reebok’s Easy Tone apparel offers resistance Toning and their rocker style footwear aims to tone too.

I do not know if it does, I just like my Easy Tone flip flops and sneakers because they are comfy and holding up well and I wear both every day.

This coming week you can use the code in this Take an extra 30% off already reduced toning products, including footwear & apparel at Reebok.com! Use code TAKE30. Valid 10/28-11/3. link to save!
I see they have Easy Tone Capri, sneakers, their tank style long bra and double layer T-shirts toning styles on sale already!

Meanwhile, until 10/31, you can get 25% off

Sha ToBu: Get Fit Shaping and Toning Leggings, posture Tees and Tops and calorie burning shapers and tights!

You can get 25% off just about anything else there too, as this discount has few exclusions! It is at the bottom of this post.

About Sha ToBu

Here is their hype, from a page at Figleaves, an online intimates store. Click on it to view in a readable size.

And Figleaves does not seem to carry any at this time.

Now, granted Her Room does not have the leggings, tops and Ts that interest me by Sha ToBu,
but they do have ‘calorie burning shapers, hose and tights, all on sale at $27 To $45,
and they have 3 reviews across these 5 styles, 2 uncomfortable and 1 recommends, with five stars!
If you click on this shaper, it will take you to all three styles at Her Room

Now I know tanks and Ts do not fit like tights, hose and shapewear, but the leggings are $78, still $68.50 at 25% Off!
However, they do have a Inner Cash and Keys pocket!
I wish all clothing had pockets!

The Tanks and Ts are $66 and $54, not a typo, the tanks area pricier than the Ts, (?).

It looks as if Bare Necessities just starting having reviews, as these styles have none yet. At those prices, even at 25% off, I sure would like to get someone who has tried these styles opinion!

As usual, and the reason I can wear, also pricey Lytess Leggings, (SO COMFY), today, I had to check eBay stores for these.

Here is what I found:
If you click on this: Sha ToBu New With Tags link you can find their calorie burning tights and shapers starting at $15 and $20, at Buy it Now prices, you can check them out at the Auction Only tab in eBay’s pages at the left over these styles, where they might end up costing less. I do not bid, but the staring price today is .99 cents.

They do have the leggings, and a top, for the same price as Bare Necessities does, today anyway…

I doubt I can justify such an expense in my budget, so if you do try the tops or leggings, by Sha ToBu, or Reebok, I would sure appreciate your comment here about them!

Anyway, the Bare Necessities discount is handy for plenty of undies and swimwear steals! Enjoy!

Did little, Ate my usual poorly, Lost a Half Inch Anyway

2011-10-14T03:53:00.000-07:00

30% Off Fitness wear and Great Sale Prices at Reebok!

While I only managed to exercise twice this week, and ate cake, deli sandwiches and pizza, my norm, I was surprised to loose a half inch off my waist anyway.

Especially so because my inadvertent exercise plan, (suddenly I was walking our Teddy dog, 2 hours every day), has changed from one hour a day, to the current mostly 0 hours a day!

We go to the dog park now.
He is getting much better a hanging out with other dogs, even running around a bit.
This is a dog who did not acknowledge other dogs, except to snap at them, when we adopted him 2 years ago.
I am quite happy for him, expanding his doggy universe like that.

I am racking up muddy clothes at a much higher rate, but that is just fine.

However, we walk less and less together in the last two months.
Walking with Teddy dog was the bases for my Inadvertant Exercise Plan and I must admit, I am concerned about gaining the weight I lost on it back.

On Sale with a Discount Fitness Wear!

I am still enjoying my Reebok Easy Tone booties, or high top sneakers. I believe they are no longer in stock, and my Easy Tone flip flops, the latter mostly around the house.

So far, all footwear for walking aside, I do not really wear workout wear, just what I happen to have on at when I get a chance to exercise.

If you do need good sneakers and / or workout wear, Reebok, whose link you will find in the right column has new discounts each Friday.

This week you will find 30% off code which says good on their entire collection!

Also, except for their Easy Tone Long Bra racer back top, and a sneaker style, all the Easy Tone sneakers and apparel are on sale!

It is a great time to stock up on their flip flops, now just $25, and I assure you, very comfy and durable!

You can step on any Lego with Easy Tone flip flops and come away with your feet just fine!

I finally started exercising, because my favorite jeans were much too tight

2011-10-07T04:50:00.000-07:00

Then I lost 2.5 inches in 2 days!

What ever it takes right?
Well with actual fall weather finally arriving, I found that my favorite jeans were too tight. Yes, I wear loose, lightweight cotton and linen shorts all summer!

Surprise and ouch, that did it! I have a fine collection of Baby Phat jeans I am not replacing!

I kind of thought I gained weight this summer and was not too surprised to find my jeans were comfy no more.

So I lost 2.5 inches in 2 days doing sets of 10 and 5 exercises at good breaking points through out the day using my Total Gym, to your right, and the pants are comfy again!

I am not stopping there!

I want to feel better all the time and will be adding more exercises next week.

You can check out my progress on my new The Friday Inches Off Report page, to the right just below our Teddy dog, each Friday to view the results and what I did to get them.

Health Reasons

I do come from a family where even the men’s backs decalcify.

It is not good.

The Total Gym is a weight lifting machine using our own weight on a slant board.

If weight lifting is suppose to promote bone density I should do it.
If my back decalcifies anyway, hopefully a good muscular structure will keep my back in alignment longer.

It feels great to feel stronger already
My back feels better!
My pain in my hips is gone!

I do not really want to be over weight the rest of my life!

The Friday Inches Off Report

2011-10-07T04:18:00.000-07:00

Perspective: Starting point, 10/5/11, Waist 39 inches Gut 44 inches

5/25/12

I ended up sick and on antibiotics between last Thursday, 5/17, pm and ended my antibiotics just Friday, 5/25 am.

I exercised, not at all since last Wednesday.

I did not eat much.

Still, inches are a bit up:

5/25/12 Bust 42.5, waist 33, tapering to 36.5 then belly button 38, gut 40, hips 39

From the previous week:

Bust 42.5, waist 32.25, tapering though 34 inches between belly button, which ins now 36, Gut 40 and hips 39

Well, it is a set back.

I am writing this on Saturday, the 26^th and it was only this afternoon that I began to feel normal again.

I do not normally get side effect from medications, but it appears I did this time.

I plan to resume my exercise next week, likely Tuesday, 5/29.

5/21/12

Lost 4 more inches pretty much doing the 3 each Ab and Leg exercises

Maintained the Ab and Leg exercises I was doing, One Day added some core and shoulder exercises, then got sick…

I am still not well enough to resume exercise, and will keep this brief:

5/18/12: Bust 42.5, waist 32.25, tapering though 34 inches between belly button, which ins now 36, Gut 40 and hips 39

5/11/12: Bust 42.5, waist 32.25 tapering through 36 a bit lower to a 37 inch at belly button, gut 40.5 hips, 39.5

I did the same, 3 each, Ab and Leg exercises I mentioned before, every other day.

One day, aiming to do work in some core, back, chest, shoulders and arm exercises, I tired a few core, shoulder and chest exercises.

Sadly, I only got to do this one day last week.

I hope that I will be able to continue this real soon. I am really happy about getting my mid-section down to a 34 inch, with a 36 belly button and am just as pleased, perhaps even more so, with loosing a half inch each off my gut and hips!

These exercises are proving to be well worth the little time it takes to do then!

5/11/12

Cut back exercise and lost 2.25 inches on bust, waist and hips

This week I only did get to exercise two days, Tuesday and Thursday

Here are the results compared to last week!

5/11/12: Bust 42.5 waist 32.25 tapering through 36 a bit lower to a 37 inch at belly button, gut 40.5 hips 39.5 inches

5/4/12: Bust 43 waist 33.5 tapering to 36 gut 40.5 hips 40 inches

I just did 30 of the a fore mentioned

Ab Crunches
Oblique Ab Crunches, both using Total Gym’s Ab Crunch attachment
30 Kneeling Plank Presses

And the Leg exercises I mentioned last week

30 Sprinter Starts
30Toe Out Squats
30 Twist Squats

That is 30 each, just Tuesday and Thursday, mostly in three sets of 10 each.

Looks like the Gut is going to be the tough one to get down.

Back feels good

Eating about the same, which is to say, still not working fruits and more vegetables, less take out food into the diet…

Still thrilled with the results!

5/4/12

Lost .5 inch off waist, 2 inched off bust and hips, and prominent double chin GONE!!

Lost .5 off my waist, gut stayed the same and bust and hips, which I have not measured in a while, down to43 and 40 inches! Additionally, the hard to measure prominent double chin, GONE!!!

So today it is:

Bust 43, waist 33.5 tapering to 36, gut 40.5 hips 40 inches!

Compared to 2/17/12:

Bust 44, waist 35.5, no tapering at that point, just bulge gut 42.75 hips 41 inches

I added one more ab exercise and 3 leg exercises, both two times this week. Also did the usual sets of ab crunch exercises Sunday through Thursday, so far. Although I did 50 ab crunches and 5 sets of 5 oblique ab exercises on Tuesday when I added the leg exercises.

Resumed II

Waist 34 inch tapering down to 36 inches and 40.5 inch Gut

from a more recently, 4/24/12

Waist 35.5 waist tapering down to a 41.5 inch Gut

All I did, using the Ab Crunch attachment on my Total Gym was

Fit In

Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday

30 ab exercise, at level 6

And 15 oblique ab exercises, at level 6

I did this in 3 sets of 10, beginner ad crunch and 5 each, and each side, oblique ab crunches throughout the day.

Those exercises ones shown in the video on my Ab Crunch Exercises I Refer to post.

It is pretty inspiring, to me anyway.

I hope that I can maintain at least this level of exercise this time!

2/17/12
Bust 44, Waist 35.5, Gut 42.75, Hips 41
Consistency Achieved, for 10, some terrible, days!
See the 2/17/12: Lost ½ off Waist and ¼ inch off Gut post for details!

1/29/12
Inches Off Friday Resumed!

Lost an Inch and A Backache!

Tue. 1/17/12 I measured
Bust 45, Waist 37, Gut 43, Hips 41
Actually Resumed Exercise, a major change since fall, on
Sat. 1/21/12
Fri. 1/27/12 Bust 44, Waist 36, Gut 43, Hips 41

I will go into the details of why I stopped exercising from 10/2011 until 1/2012 in a post I will link to this one, fairly soon.

I resumed motivated mostly by a steadily increasing backache.
In this regard, I am thrilled at my progress thus far!

Major Changes in my Total Gym Exercise Plan, thus far:

A. I was doing my Ab crunch attachment exercises with my Total Gym set at Level 5.
Owing to my basic laziness, with regard to my personal care,
& the rearranging of the room I leave mine set up in,
I now have it set at Level 6.

B. I notice I am not doing Plank Presses
Perhaps this is why I am not loosing much in the way of inches

C. As it is much harder to do Oblique Ab exercises at level 6, rather than 5, I have only just, very tentatively, started to do them

Here is a banner, in which a Total Gym appears to be set at Level 4 or 5

The difference between level 5 and 6 made littlie difference to me, doing beginner ab exercise, with Ab Crunch attachment.

This is just a picture, not a link, of the Ab Crunch attachment used at a more reasonable level!

Doing the Oblique Crunch exercise, for me the difference between level 5 and 6 was ENORMOUS.

Also
I thought I was dong Core Extensions, and looking,
Back at what I did in the fall
and the Kneeling Plank Press card
I find that the not quite right version of a Core Extension I though I was sort of doing, at level 6, was really a combination of a Kneeling Plank Press and a Core Extension…
This post I am just going to call this a Poor Core Extension.

I am going to look into a better way to show you what I mean by these exercises.

This is what I did, exercise wise on my Total Gym what resulted in
No Backache and 1 inch off my waist:

Sat. 1/21/12
It being a Saturday, and a lazy one at that, I played around with the exercises a little:

All at Level 6; I am usually too lazy / busy to easily adjust the levels. However, this about what I can FIT IN. So….

30 Poor Core Extensions at level 6
30 Surfer Exercises at Level 3
Both of these among the Core, or Total Body, Exercises

20 Beginner Ab Crunches, with attachment, at level 6
Played around with mostly back and chest exercises at lower levels

Then I got down to what was really going to happen during most of the week:

All at Level 6:
Mon. 1/23: 30 Ab Crunches, with attachment
30 Poor Core Extensions
5 each side, Oblique Ab Crunches, with attachment

Wed. 1/25: 30 Ab Crunches
30 Poor Core Extensions

OH Yeah, I resolved, over the weekend to at least not do the same exercises two days in a row.
No surprise at All when I:

Thur. 1/26: 30 Ab Crunches, with attachment
30 Poor Core Extensions
5 each side, Oblique Ab Crunches, with attachment

By Wed:

I still had the Backache, yet I

felt stronger
am standing taller
moving more gracefully
dancing in front of the stove whilst cooking
stepping with enthusiasm rather than just dragging around with the our Teddy Dog on walks

By Thursday, No Backache!

This pretty much ensures I will keep up my exercise program this time.

There are plenty of

Ab
BackCore, or Total Body
Arm
Chest
Legs
Shoulders

exercises you can do with the Total Gym, just the way it comes. I just wanted to try the attachment too.
More later, and will work on a better way to show these exercises here.

The Total Did Not Get Around to Fitness Week
ate more than my usual junk food too, maintained OK!

10/28/11

Starting

Wed. 10/5/11 Waist 39 inches, Gut 44

Fri. 10/7/11 Waist 37 inches, Gut 43.5 Hips 42.5

Fri 10/14/11 Bust 45, Waist 36.5, Gut 43.5 Hips 42.5

Fri 10/21/11 Bust 44.5.Waist 36.5, Gut 43.75, Hips 42.75

Fri 10/28/11 Bust 44, Waist 37, Gut 43.5, Hips 42.5

10/28/11

The Total Slack Off Week

Bet you could see this coming. Ever get caught up in a, in my case long overdue, project at work, and every thing else has to wait? Well that is what happened this week.

Still, I ate almost the same amount of Yodels, some Ice Cream, Twice as much to Mc Donalds and Pizza! When you do not have time to cook, it’s Fast Food time, right?

Well this happens to all of us, and a gain of an inch at my waist, and a loose of .75 between my bust and hips, (?), means: Not too discouraging, I guess some of this could be water weight, or something.

The main thing is I am not at the disturbing 39 inch waist I started with. I will not return there either!

I aim to have real inch loss to report here next Friday!

However, I doubt I will be cutting out the Yodels, or the fast food and pizza, entirely, anytime soon.

10/21/11

Must be the maintaining minimum

Small dietary changes, Very little exercise

My diet is very easy going, I try, and usually fail, to add healthy foods to the deli food and deserts I enjoy. Last week I merely worked in a high fiber cereal once, and beans, once.

This week I only managed:

Sun.
One set each of:
15 Beginner Ab Crunches
15 each, right and left side, Oblique Crunches
15 Kneeling Plank Press

Mon.
One set each of:
10 Beginner Ab Crunches
10 each, right and left side, Oblique Crunches
10 Kneeling Plank Press

Well this week I started out pretty lamely and just got more run down during the week.

I have noticed that if I do not do at least one set before breakfast, I will not likely get around to any at all on that same day.

It is clear that real gains, in this case losses, will likely only be had if I
Exercise, at least one set, before breakfast
If I am only going to get to this 2 days a week, I must work in at least 3 sets of no less than 10 each on those days.
Will give it a try next week!

10/14/11
Not bad considering that I only managed:

With my Total Gym set on Level 5:

Sun.
One set each of:
10 Beginner Ab Crunches
10 each, right and left side, Oblique Crunches
15 of What Total Gym, card #59, (the Total Gym comes with cards showing an exercise on each), Kneeling Plank Press

Mon.
One set each of:
10 Beginner Ab Crunches
10 each, right and left side, Oblique Crunches
15 Kneeling Plank Press

After that I did not get around to exercising the rest of the week.
I still have not modified my diet in any way.

Given the slacking off I was especially surprised to find a loss of ½ an inch at my waist!

I was not expecting gain, but not loss either. What Can I say, except : A much-needed pleasant surprise!

I was also surprised because my original Inadvertant Exercise Plan has gone from 2 one hour walks a day to mostly hanging out at the dog park.

Great for the pup
not so great with regard tome keeping in shape.

After all, it was inadvertent to start with so this is ok.

Even with so little exercise this week I noticed
I am keeping better posture,
I am feeling springy and dancing around a bit

While doing just ab exercises, strange but there it is.

I added my bust measurements to the stats at the top of this page because I fully intend to start chest, core and back exercises in the near future.

I may also modify my diet to eat healthier than my normal deli sandwiches, pizza, Yodels and cake.

Lost 2.5 inches in 2 days!

Starting
Wed. 10/5/11 waist 39 inches, Gut 44
Fri. 10/7/11 waist 37 inches, Gut 43.5 Hips 42.5

Lost 2 inches off my waist and a 1/2 inch off my gut.
What I did:
Using the Ab Crunch attachment on my Total Gym
With it set at level 5, 6 being its steepest incline.
Wed.
Did 3 sets of 10 each Beginner Ab Crunches, throughout the day.
Did 2 sets of 5 each, right and left side, Oblique Crunches throughout the day.

Thur.
Using the Ab Crunch attachment of my Total Gym
Did 3 sets of 10 each Beginner Ab Crunches, throughout the day.
Did 3 sets of 5 each, right and left side, Oblique Crunches throughout the day.

Using my Total Gym with its ‘toe bar’, (I think that is what it is called)
Did 3 sets of 10 throughout the day
Kneeling Plank Press, # 59, an abs exercise, in the cards that came with my Total Gym
These are so easy I could have done 10 each of my waking hours!

I ate a fair amount of fatty and somewhat sugary foods, so dieting did not enter into it.
I did these sets at good breaking points during the day, when I had just a couple of minutes.

Next week I plan to add 3 more Total Gym exercises. Ones I found out I enjoyed and made my back feel immediately better, when I first got my Total Gym!

Fitting in Fitness? Not Quite Yet, but

2011-09-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

40% Off Reebok Resistance apparel that is already on Sale!

While the war at home continues, (battle of the wits and patience between my daughter and her schooling needs), by the end of the day I have found no energy to resume exercise.

I just noticed in my email today, 40% Off Easy Tone Toning Apparel! I could have fit that in, except for a trip to the veterinarian for our Teddy dog. He is ok! However, Vets trips are costly.

Just in case you can, here are the details: Save 40% on entire stock of toning apparel* + free shipping & returns at Reebok.com! Enter code TONING40 at checkout. Valid 9/23-9/30/11

Yes! I could have fit wearing resistance apparel in! Since the last time I looked they added a new layered look women’s T and a men’s T shirt to their Easy Tone Resistance apparel!

Yep!
I would have been happy to wear a T shirt like that.

Even Better: All the Easy Tone Apparel styles are On Sale, starting at $40, and that is before the 40% discount code is applied

Better good news, Teddy dog appears to be fine! Personally, I think he is just stressed out about the friction at home of late.

From all I can tell, my daughter is running out of reasons to avoid study, so we should have a steady schedule for us all soon.

Then I can get back to fitting in fitness!
But first, Study!

Fitting in Fitness goes from improbable to impossible, or does it?

2011-09-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

Well it has been quite a while and my schedule has gone from tight to tighter. As have my jeans. As I suspected I must have added a few pounds this summer.

No, we did not get flooded out, but we did have to evacuate because of the hurricane mentioned in the previous post. We were very luck, our local rive stopped 2 block down from us.

Then I spent the rest of the summer trying very hard to get ready for the school year. A neat trick as I have to home school my, “I will do nothing but play” daughter. As another parent I know put it, ‘So now you have 2 non-paying jobs and 1 paying’. So true, and yet the day is still only 24 hours long…

I you need sneakers for your kids, you might want to take advantage of this great money saving offer below:
Buy any footwear item and get 25% off your 2nd pair* at Reebok.com using code FOOTWEAR at checkout. Hurry, valid 9/16 - 9/22!
Reebok has footwear for men, women, boys and girls. I wear their sneakers out walking no less than 2 hours every day and sometimes, like most of the summer, they are the most comfy thing about some walks. Thanks to my excise coach Teddy, above to your right, my jeans still fit at least. Thanks to my Reeboks my neglected feet at least feel great!

Is it Time to Give Up on Getting around to Further Exercise, I Think Not

There was part of our first school week here at home when I had my doubts.
I simply lack the energy to face
One
More
Thing
To Do
Today
Then I realized that no matter how hard it is to get started, the immediate loss of aches and pains that I had experienced when I have used my Total Gym, even just that little bit, about 2 to 3 times a week, this past spring would make it worth it.

Those aches and pains do not in anyway help with my jobs, paid or otherwise and they have been slowly increasing since I last exercised, beyond walking, with our Teddy dog that is.

I even just left my Total Gym set up, in an effort to make it easier.
However, I still have not gotten to it,
My daughter uses it daily!

So I am not going to give up on getting around to exercising myself, any more than I would give up on my child’s education!

It could only make things easier, once I get started, again.

Now I gave you my tip about Reebok’s discount.
Anyone out there know how to get your child to be a more willing student?
Please send me your info on that in a comment to this blog.
I would be quite thankful for any signs, hints or clues as to how to do that!

$50 Easy Tone Reebok Sneakers

2011-08-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

Next Week, Hurricane permitting, The Restart of Total Gym Workouts and Results!

Reebok has deals of the week each Friday and this week you will find 6 pairs of their Easy Tone Reeinspire sneaker styles on sale at $49.99, down from $99.99! My daughter, (whose feet are bigger than mine), loved hers, until she killed them.

As it turns out, if you use them to stop your bicycle, this sneaker style lasts 1 month, approx., stopping an 100 lb. child, (?), well an 11 year old…

These sneakers receive numerous high ratings from other reviewers and this black color below is available in women’s sizes 5 to 11 at this wonderful price!

Note the code in this Extra 20% Already Reduced EasyTone Reeinspire. Use code INSPIRE20 at checkout and they are only $39.99 down from $99.99! Valid 8/26-9/1 link, then take it, or click on the sneaker below to start browsing Reebok!

I would check the other colors for size availability, but I am short on time and energy and should be moving toward a state of hurricane readiness while I am at it too…

Other fine Reebok deals this weekend are:
Back to School Special - 25% Off all Kids Footwear* + Free Shipping & Returns using code SCHOOL at Reebok! Hurry, valid 8/1-8/31 only

Handy so long as your child does not abuse apparel as mine does!

If you are an NFL fan, you can Get your NFL Fan Gear from Reebok. The official outfitter of the NFL!
I typed NFL into their search engine and found, 223 items, 5 pages of:

jerseys
hats
sneakers
polo shirts
tees
vintage fleece hoodies, (look warm)
I can hardly believe it Faded Logo tees

Pages 4 and 5

Women’s tees
Hoodies
Youth and Girls jerseys

I know nothing about this sort of thing, but

Resuming soon, Total Gym, usage and results log

This time I am trying to take it slow and small and have managed to use our Total Gym twice this week! This evening should be the next time!

This time I am being just sticking to

4 ab exercises
in 2 sets of 10
at no more than every other day
at height level #5.

I am still not getting consecutive 4 hours of sleep each night.
So, I am still drop dead tired, but this tiny dose of exercise, so far, is pretty easy to confront.

My abs are feeling much better, as in firmer, already!

If noting else, it is a real moral booster!

Assuming I can keep this up, I will post results early next week!

I did work out, just the brief set of ab exercises

on Sunday
was still too sore by Tue
but I tired, Did them again on Wednesday

Today, Friday, I do not feel sore at all!
Will no doubt resume this evening.
Actually, it feels like by next week I will work in some back exercises
perhaps for those non-ab exercise days!

So just for the heck of it, I click on this link today and they have a 60% Off their Best Selling model I got us, their Total Gym XLS! You can still try it for a buck and it is still Free Shipping!
Total Gym® Official Store - Endorsed by Chuck Norris & Christie Brinkley. FREE Shipping + 10% OFF with Promo Code: 11001
I got the Ab Crunch attachment with mine and 3 out of 4 of those above mentioned exercises are with that attachment.

Yep!
Looks like, and more to the point FEELS LIKE (!!), if we do not get flooded out this weekend, I will be writing up my progress here weekly on the Total Gym starting next week!
Hope you have a better weekend than I anticipate!

Go To SLEEP

2011-07-19T02:31:00.000-07:00

RE: Due to 2 health problems, I stopped working out

My arm was killing me!

Having gone to the doctor, and just like when your car does that thing, or makes a noise for you, yet not your mechanic, that AM of my appointment, my arm felt much better.

Not too surprisingly, the doctor found nothing wrong with it either. I chalked it up to a spell of sleeping on the couch, (a very No Support couch), for a week while my daughter had a problem getting back to sleep, and we ended up sleeping in the living room.

Endless Fatigue

After being scolded by my doctor’s staff, they had to go to get my file from the basement, as I had not come for even a check up, in 3 years!

Had the checkup 4 weeks ago, and the test results follow up just this past Friday and the only reason I might be tired all the time is:

You Should get about 8 Hours Sleep!

It is not as if I never heard of that before. When I was approaching my 20th birthday, many years ago, two friends or mine were laying odds against me making it to 20, because I only slept 4 hours a night.

I have read numerous dire warnings about what lack of sleep can do to your body over the years:

Here’s a bit from a current one:
Are You Living in Sleep Debt?
Starting on page 99 of the August 2011 issue of Glamour Magazine:

That article is unique, compared to my past reading on the subject. It actually breaks down what you are risking based on amount of sleep loss:

Loose 30 minutes to 1 Hour

(they note this is what most Americans do)
Your metabolism slows and hormonal changes increase your appetite and cravings.

Loose 1 to 2 Hours

Bad moods, anxious, stressed and / or depressed
After a couple of nights of this, memory and attention span worsen

Loose 3 to 4 Hours

This is where health problems begin
Curiously also where I have lived for decades, (no less than 3),
Heart rate and blood pressure spike
Your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar becomes impaired

So having read, for me, once again, all that

Yes, I feel fortunate indeed to not have high blood pressure and diabetes after treating my body to decades of sleep deprivation.

No. In my case I believe it is having my traditional 4 consecutive hours of sleep disrupted at length now, that has cause me to feel like I am crashing every couple of hours.

Forget exercise, I am not even getting many chores done each week!

Therefore, I must rectify the situation within our household:
The school year is over and my daughter slowly changed her sleep schedule.
Moreover, I, of all people, naturally have a hard time insisting she go to sleep.
If I cannot do this, and stay there for approximately 8 hours a night, how can I ask her to do so?

Though once she gets there, she does sleep up to 8 hours.

Not only that, out in the dark and early with our dog between 1 and 2am, I could not help but notice, many other households with lights on, windows open, people talking.
People in backyards still up and socializing and out on the streets.

Well it is summer, and the coolest part of the day is, well several hours before sunrise.

I am just plain exhausted all the time, and the our Teddy dog is eating more, walking a bit more, but not much. His sleep schedule is mess up too.

So given all that, I am not sure how I will go about making this work, in our home.

Obviously, I have to handle this soon!

I do not think Fitness, beyond walking our dog, and chores, can be worked in until I get at least my former 4 consecutive hours of sleep.

Discount on Reebok’s Easy Tone Reeinspire styles, Already On Sale!

2011-07-17T06:09:00.000-07:00

Reebok has numerous sales and discounts! Their quality is still tops, and I am relying on their footwear and enjoying it daily!

Check out this excellent EasyTone Reeinspire - 60% off plus Free Shipping at Reebok.com! Only $40 when you use code EASYTONE at checkout. Hurry, ends 7/18 deal!

Not only that, it seems all their Easy Tone Reeinspire styles are on sale at $20 Off. In addition, they have some in wide width too!

I had these sneakers below briefly, and then my daughter took them. She did graciously allow me to try them on for sizing purposes!

Good thing she did, if you have a small heel, as I do, you may want to go with the Hi tops style, like I did below, or try a half size smaller, which I have not tried yet..

She loved them, but sadly used them to brake her bike, until she put a hole in the top of the toes..
Well she is a child and its live an learn sometimes…Otherwise she was very happy with the comfort and fit of these sneakers, and has learned to trust her bicycle’s brakes.

I wear these two styles every day, with confidence and pleasure, and they happen to be on sale!

Sadly, neither of these are front their Reeinspire line, so they will not qualify for the discount, but they are both on sale at $20 Off!

My experience with EasyTone Freestyle Hi sneakers

I can say that even though it is summer hot and humid, this is what I rely on when walking our Teddy dog, 2 hours every day, at least! Yep! The comfort is worth the heat, which actually seems not much hotter than any other sneakers I have worn to do this for the past 2 summers.

After wearing negative sole sneakers for years, then stretching my Achilles’ tendon, (No sneaker’s fault, but rather that I stupidly followed my dog directly up a steep hill one day.), I needed to get away from that.

I am enjoying the way my foot feels like it is wearing a soft sole moccasin, yet the middle Easy Tone inset in the sole makes the softer, less calloused, middle part of the soles of my feet feel protected.

This is important because there is no small amount of broken glass, and some gravel occasionally, where our dog and I walk.

Also, compared to the Reeinspire style above, and this EasyTone flip flops below, one can walk quietly in these EasyTone Freestyle Hi sneakers. That is not the case with the above sneakers or these flip flops below.

My experience with EasyTone Flip Flops

Like the Reeinspire sneakers at the top of this post, the flip flops have a much heavier sole all around than the Hi style sneakers in between. I wear them around the house and am protected from the cruelest of toys left on the floor, (Lego blocks, a hard plastic Swiper the Fox, which comes to rest with it’s quite pointed snout up in the air.. stuff like that.

Having said that:
I am often awake when all other members of the household, including cats and our dog are asleep, and have yet to wake anyone up. Still I am aware of the sound these make when I walk.

These flip-flops are holding up well, and feel just fine no matter how hot it has gotten, when wearing them with sweaty feet!

I would buy them again, and will likely get a pair for my daughter, or to replace mine once she swipes them, again.

This style is also on sale at $20 Off!

Reeboks sales and discounts seem to change before each weekend. You can always use their banner in the right column here to check out their current deals.

The above style represent my experience with their footwear this year, so far.

I used to, (back in the 80s and 90s), wear their Classic leather sneakers and Free Style Hi tops and am thrilled to tell you, they still have them!

To find the classics, simply look under the word Classics in their left column menu!