Fitting In Fitness

Perhaps the Easiest Exercise to Fit Into Our Lives

2016-10-11T10:24:00.002-07:00

Have not had time to post here for quite a while.

Was Pinning, (related to a blog I try to make money from), when I came across this:

Stomach Vacuum Exercise post, which has a couple of videos in it too.

I noticed, just looking at the picture at the top of the post , just how easy this would be to fit into my life, at least standing & sitting...

I did occur to me that I have found my self doing this, especially in the winter, whilst walking our dog, which involves a lot of standing around...

What if I made the effort to do this regularly;

While walking the dog
Doing the dishes
Standing
Sitting or
Laying otherwise still

Figured I would give this a try and post it here for others to see if it fits into their lives too.

Enjoy!

10/11/16
Anne

How Do We Measure Fitness?

2014-07-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

Here in the past, I used my measurements in addition to my occasional comments about how well I was feeling.

The fact that I used measurements, to make it realer to others and knowing that some people consider fat vs muscle mass, seemed one way to measure fitness.

I think Amber Rogers taking issue with this whole BMI issue, which you can read in Yahoo Shine’s Fitness Blogger Takes BMI Standards to Task post, is quite valid.

So How Should We Measure Fitness?

In my case, I wonder in terms of how I am communicating it here.
I hold with how I Feel, but what does that mean to us when we read about other people’s experiences?

What do You think?

7/10/14
Anne

Reebok On Sale with a 24% Discount TODAY

2014-04-28T08:32:00.001-07:00

And A Weight Lifting Question…

Today only, or until 11:59 PM, EST today, 4/28/14, we can enjoy the Reebok Outlet 24 Hour Sale: 24% Off Already Discounted Items event!

Women’s Active Wear in Reebok’s Outlet

I am finding, Mens, Boys, Girls and Women’s Clothing, Shoes and Accessories in their just freshly stocked, (from an email from Reebok), Outlet. Here is a look at the starting prices there on Women's:

Tank tops starting at $9.97
Shorts $12.97
Tees $14.97
Sports Bras $18.97
Seamless Capris $26.97
Sneakers $41.97

A Weight Lifting Curls Question

During a very hectic spring so far, I have tried to find, on line, a simple quick look at what exactly: “Curls in Four Directions”
are, exercise wise.
While I have, for the most part, being doing, now up to 8 different types of curls;

4 with 11 pound hand weights
4 with 5 pound hand weights
And of course those hand grips things, (see previous recent posts)

I am still not entirely sure this is what the surgeon meant by
Curls in Four Directions…

Anyone out there who knows, or could direct me to a site, and / or URL, that shows this Please send it to me in comments here!

Thanks!

4/28/14
Anne

Answer to the Hand Grips Q and Others

2014-03-30T05:30:00.003-07:00

At least regarding my own “fitness goals” for a spell.

The Surgeon who did my heart surgery last summer wants me to work up to:
3 sets of 15 reps each, every other day

Hand grips, mentioned in the last post here
And Weight lifting Curls in four directions

Always pushing to do a bit more reps, and increasing weight as possible.

Why this Resistance and Weight Lifting Regime

This is in an effort to force the body, particularly my right arm, to create new arteries, blood vessels, around its main artery.

That artery seems to have healed, mostly closed, (My layman’s view of the pictures from tests, Sonogram types).

What I have done so far

I have tried using my Total Gym’s Arm exercises, which is going well so far.
However:

I would rather do my best to duplicate exactly what the surgeon told me to do
Even so, my weight lifting, ( who has studied and used free weights, and I have never done this), friend says the ones I am doing on the Total Gym are working the same muscles!
Also, as the only place I can keep this set up is our attic room
I can use, (borrowing her), free weights to use down stairs and / or outside come summer
I am aiming to return to using my Total Gym for Ab, Leg and add in Core, Back and Chest exercises, until it is too hot in the attic
Using my friends free weights to do the curls the surgeon wants me to do

Seems like a great way to avoid surgery so this is what I will be working on in months to come!

I am just thrilled one can do this to, even perhaps, avoid surgery to correct a complication of a previous heart surgery.

I think this is fantastic and will post the results of returning to the Total Gym workouts for all but that, and the results of the curls and hand grips exercises here.

Best wishes!

3/30/14
Anne

A Hand Grip Exercise Question for You

2014-03-19T10:30:00.003-07:00

By way of hoping to avoid another surgery to correct complications of a previously mentioned here surgery, I am using this style, and the stress ball style, hand grips.

Does anyone know how often one uses these Daily, or Every Other Day?

I would appreciate the input.

My own tendency is to overdo exercising.
Naturally, I have already done that.

What is ideal usage for such things?

Thanks!

3/19/14
Anne

When You Cannot Exercise, Put it in Perspective

2014-03-01T08:41:00.000-08:00

Having just resumed exercise lately, I am a bit peeved that I, and many others at home, have a cold or flu. Try as I might, by Friday I could not exercise after work. My other, main problem involves a, going on 4 months, solve of a complication of a heart surgery I had last summer.

One of My Favorite Perspective songs

Combine minor present time problems with long term major problems, (such as above-mentioned medical problem), and I like, especially the last line of this fun song to help me observe the big picture, so to speak…

Then again, I am a big fan of the Animaniacs anyway.

Back to the Kneeling Plank Press Question

Having gotten no answers from my question of last month,
I tried to better duplicate what I see in the pictures of the Kneeling Plank Press card.

Numerous cards, with an exercise each, came with my Total Gym.

What that turned out to be was,
moving my knees to the end of the print,
rather than the inner edge of the end cushion,
where I had originally positioned myself.

Then I did 2 sets of squat type leg exercises.

Two sets of 25 each,
which may be too much to start with.

So the tops of my thighs were still kind of sore,
and I did not know if it was too may squat style exercises,
or still not doing the Kneeling Plank Press exercise right…
or maybe just the flu at this point, could be that too…

The Plan, for When I Resume Workouts

So I am going to leave off the squat exercises for a bit when I resume exercising
Do the Kneeling Plank Press exercises with my knees in the above mentioned, more like the picture on its card, place.

This should show me if I’m getting it right yet.

If so, I will carry on with the Kneeling Plank Presses,
and resume the squat exercises,
but start off with 3 sets of 10,
as I had been doing all other exercises.
Rather than the 2 sets of 25 each I had originally started those leg squat exercises with.

Well it is A plan anyway…

Stay Healthy!
Or if like me;
Get then Stay Healthy!

3/1/14
Anne

A Total Gym Workouts Question

2014-02-06T09:17:00.000-08:00

Any Users of Total Gyms! I have a Kneeling Plank Press Question:

I just started doing these again
and noticed The muscles on the outer sides of my knees and up a bit, (like 4 inches up)
Seem to be getting the brunt of this workout.

Am I doing it right if this is going on?

Please let me know if you can!

Thanks!

2/6/14
Anne

5 Workouts 1 inch Off My Waist

2014-02-01T10:39:00.000-08:00

Possibly more like 4 total gym workouts, as I did the 1st measurement on 1/20/14 and the 2nd on 1/29/14, having done only 4 total gym ab crunch workouts in between! I was only doing the workout you can see Christie Brinkely do with Total Gym’s Ab Crunch attachment at the end of this video, except I have it set at the top level.

I have been doing 3 sets of 10 each during each workout and have only gotten in 4 workouts between the above-mentioned dates!

Measurements for Comparison

Granted I am not doing any leg exercises, and a few arm exercises, with a resistance band thing, and the Total Gym ab crunch attachment exercises above…

1/20/14: Bust: 42 Waist: 34.5 Hips 39
1/31/14: Bust: 41.25 Waist: 33.5 Hips 39

Brief Update about My Health

Back in November, having seemingly, but not quite totally, recovered from the heart surgery I had in late July of 2013, I learned that I had a blood vessel compromised.

This is in the area which I was told was perhaps nerve damage, among other possibilities in the months prior to being told it is actually a compromised blood vessel…

Just recently I went about, and am still in the process of finding out the way to fix this.
I am essentially one more CAT scan and a meeting with a vascular surgeon away, (or two weeks in this case), from finding out how to handle this.

In the meantime, I am OK, but fitness is not a big priority.

Still I am enjoying working out lately! I am especially enjoying feeling of being firmer and stronger in my core, abs and right upper chest where this compromised blood vessel apparently is.

Hope to be off to a better year soon, and actually believe I already am!

Hope you all are having a better 2014 too!

2/1/14
Anne

Spring Break for Your Feet

2013-12-29T09:52:00.000-08:00

That line is from a review, (yoopergirl66, A Touch of Spring review), of Reebok’s new Skyscape shoes! She also tells us they feel like walking around barefoot, but protected by foam wrapping your feet in comfort. She also says they and clean up well, better than mesh shoes and a quite a relief from the heavy boot of winter!

Reebok Skyscape Shoes

Besides this black with pink accents they are also available with fuchsia and pale purple with a white accents too in sizes 5 – 12 for $65. This is the women’s style.

This is just a picture of this style. Use the Skyscape link in the first sentence to go straight to them at Reebok. So far, I am not finding a men’s or children’s version of this walking shoe style.

What are Reebok Skyscape Shoes

Reebok says you ‘You will forget you have them on’. Why is that? Skyscape shoes surround your feet in 360 degree foam and super plush comfort.

It’s made of materials and soft molding process used to create lingerie, which provides all around comfort and creates a shoe so lightweight that it only weighs 5.0 ounces!

This makes Skyscape shoes so incredibly comfortable and they are even machine washable!

For support Skyscape's Runaround features Skysculpt and Skyspring technologies to help support the foot and provide all day comfort.

Skysculpt is a lace-to-toe molded silhouette and unique design architecture borrow technologies derived from the world of intimate apparel, so you can move seamlessly from morning to night.

Skyspring is another unique design architecture, (which Reebok is not elaborating on apparently), made to help support our feet and provide all day comfort.

This, pictured above, is the Runabout model of Reebok’s Skyscape. It is an early release and an online exclusive.

You can click on this style’s picture above to go straight to them at Reebok. Check out their other colors and excellent reviews to find out if this comfort shoe style is for you!

FYI Reebok Quality

Reebok still has my favorite, their Reebok Women's Black Freestyle Hi Shoe, now comes in other colors now as well. Mine of many years now, are finally dying. Well the soles are leaving the bottoms of them…

I am undecided, but it is nice to know that, if I like Freestyle Hi sneakers are still there too!

I like to buy a shoe or sneaker, wear it near daily and for so many years that I actually forget how long I have had them.

And they are not even dead yet!

That is what I get from Reebok and why I recommend them!

12/29/13

Anne

Smart Shirt!

2013-12-19T09:55:00.000-08:00

Tired of figuring out your workout based on your breathing, pulse and heart rate after a workout to plan your next one?

Apparently Fitness Shirt, a wearable sports monitor, paired with a smart phone app, will be available in sometime in 2014 to allow for seamless training adjustments, during your work out, rather than after the fact! You can read about how demonstrated at a 2013 Medica trade fair, using an exercise bicycle here.

It is hoped that this monitoring shirt will both help us maximize our exercise performance and make exercise safer! Possibly, this could also be used improve safety for fire fighters and other rescue teams.

Having their cardiac activity and breathing monitored in critical situations would give a better indication of which teams are in danger of exhaustion and need assistance or evacuation.

Meanwhile, Under Armour Armour39 chest monitor is available. Apparently, this is not sufficient from a medical point of view.

I thought this was interesting.

Do you?

I figure might never need one.

If you are reluctant to work out due to a tendency to over do it, especially if you had heart problems…

This might help!
12/19/13
Anne

Richard Simmons’ Assistance with Fitness Awareness Rejected?

2013-12-13T10:33:00.000-08:00

This AM, I was browsing The Little Lime Dress when I was surprised by this Richard Simmons REJECTED By The Obamas To Help With Fitness Awareness!

Surprising because he’s been promoting Fitness for over 30 years, so wouldn’t his assistance be quite valuable?

Shouldn’t we all be great shape, like he seems to be? Looks good for someone who turned 65 last summer!

This is from his Facebook page here, in case you want info on event mentioned above!

Why I like Richard Simmons

While I never read his books, used his exercise routines or any of that, as a public figure I think he is tops because:

His sheer stick-to-it-ness
and writing books with titles like Never-Say-Diet
and Never Give Up

For me, the titles by them selves are excellent advice. Admittedly I am very anti-diet...

He has been enjoying great success while helping others meet their health and fitness goals for decades.

Amazing what some people will turn down!

12/13/13
Anne

Check out Nerd Fitness!

2013-12-03T10:20:00.000-08:00

I figure it will take me until at least next week to resume walking an hour a day several times a week. See bottom of post for my excuse de jour.

Meanwhile, check out this great workout and fitness info I run across thanks to Tinu A. Paul posting this link to 25 Killer Websites that Make You Cleverer on G+!

Nerd Fitness

Steve, of Nerd Fitness, has both free, (That is the 15 Mistakes Newbies Make When Trying to Get Healthy book) and for $39, $ back guaranteed, info books regarding fitness, strength training and running. All written for Nerds, Desk jockeys and average people of all types who want to get healthy and fit!

He also has free to read blog posts. I highly recommend reading his: Worst Fitness Advice Ever post just for the hilarity! Here is a picture from that Blog post

Who here has not stood in front of this, or similar, magazine rack?

For what it is worth, these training books are so much more than that.

They include: Videos
Exel Spread Sheets
Free, for 6 months, Updates
Workouts

See, for nerds! Also the guarantee is for a year apparently.

Where Nerd Fitness Comes From

Steve tells us he spent 6 years sucking at getting healthy, made every mistake known to man, got Zero results and finally, upon graduating from college, learned the right way and started to see positive changes!

Here is one of my favorite quotes from his About page:

”I’m a nerd, I like fitness…so why not combine the two and turn life into one giant video game?”

That thought led to the creation of Nerd Fitness.

He tells us he is Not a Fitness Expert: Apparently he is merely sharing his hard earned How To with Us!

What else is at Nerd Fitness

What, besides the idea, and perhaps means to back some of that up,
of helping turn life into a giant video game
whilst getting healthy?

You wanted more?

OK:

The other blog posts,
and Free, if you sign up for the blog updates, Newbie Mistakes book mentioned above.
Apps and Programs! to help you eat better and exercise more,
the same link will bring you to reasonably price workout / Battle Gear, for both men and women, oh and hats!

I would check them out as pictured on real people, rather than real models, here!

There is likely more but then, I have spent most of the day pursuing Nerd Fitness, and should try to get a bit more done.

Check it out!

Will I be at Least Signing up for the Blog Updates

Not yet.

I have my handy link to their site here at this blog.
I will visit it often, to:

Scope out new to me reads at Nerd Fitness
& critique the living daylights out of my own writing here before I do that.

OK, you can tell the latter is a lie!

I will likely run out of stuff I have not read there, and will have to sign up of the free updates just to read the Newbie Mistakes book!

My Current Excuse, (s)

Well it is not really an excuse:

Last week I had an infection, (nothing serious), and ended up on a sulfur type antibiotic.

NEVER, EVER take a Sulfur drug and Have Your Flue Shot the Same Day.

Unless you really enjoy being violent retching, in which case, well, that apparently does it.

That is what I was doing last Monday evening, and in fact,

I believe owing to this dread duo, the Tuesday and Wednesday of last week remain a bit of a blur too… Oh yeah, and I ended up with lightheaded, (wee, tiny blood pressure last week),

Since you are supposed to avoid direct sunlight, (garlic, silver, you know...),
while on sulfur drugs, (says so near its side effects info), between the two

walking likely be ok soon, because my last does was yesterday!

Except

Now I am loosing much of my work week to driving some friends around, (to work and back), who are sans car for a spell this week.

So I am goofing off writing excuses instead of working?

Well, sort of, I guess maybe.

Enjoy!

12/3/13

Anne

New Total Gym Product

2013-11-22T07:35:00.000-08:00

While I have been away from exercising lately Total Gym, (which I hope to enjoy in the near future, but am still too chicken to ask my cardiologist), has come out with a new product.

Total Gym’s New FIT Gym

I feel I own my Total Gym a lot of credit for the feeling well-being I got using it. You can still get that model at Total Gym, which looks like this one here, for much less!
You can browse that using this Purchase a Total Gym® XLS today link!
Meanwhile, this Total Gym blog has this excellent video showing their new product line!

What Comes With the FIT Total Gym

This new one apparently comes with things I would have had to pay extra for, but the sales person arranged a package deal anyway. I am not complaining.

It comes with the one product I got the most out of with the least amount of effort each week:

The Ab Crunch accessory!

I believe I looked a lot better, but I felt so much better, and I lost a reoccurring backache too!

It also comes with:

The up graded Squat Stand! I used mine a lot, but the older one is squeaky, yet good!
A Two-Piece Wing attachment, for wider range of motion,
And their Leg Pull Accessory with detachable Bracket

I have no experience with the latter two accessories, YET!

Just letting you know, and perhaps trying to get up the nerve to ask my cardiologist about when I can resume…

Hope you have an excellent weekend!

11/22/13
Anne

A Brief Update of sorts…

2013-11-19T09:41:00.003-08:00

Well as it turns out I had the afore-mentioned heart surgery within days of my last post here.

While I was recovering well, with a few possibly nerve damage, but getting better, whatever it is.

Still I had not felt quite myself until about the beginning of November.

Almost immediately I began to at least resume walking an hour 3 times a week.

This just as immediately got shelved as I also had plenty of other things, like work, to catch up after all that time off.

I saw my cardiologist last week and it did not seem to be the right time to ask if I could resume more than just round the house regular activities yet…
Presumably, I will resume at least walking in the near future, once I am better caught up at work.

Even so, I hope to find some sort of fitness regime I can fit in, as I feel I am getting a bit pudgy…

Hope you are having a better year!

Anne
11/19/13

An Explanation, & what works, even whist waiting heart surgery

2013-06-27T03:28:00.003-07:00

Back on May 22nd, feeling kind of pudgy, I found myself with a 35.5 inch waist and back to 33 inch under-bust.

Likely a good thing my efforts to find 32 band size bras, with shorter straps, where none too successful. I could have replaced all my 34s with them by now… and decided there was no need to depress myself with measuring the rest.

After talking to my heart surgeon, on 6/11/13, I started walking.

For 3 days a week:

1st week: My first was 30 minutes,
the next day 45 and
by Friday of that week I walked one hour.
2nd week:
1 hour day for 3 days last week.

Yesterday, this week so far, an hour & now I have a 32 inch waist and 31.5 inch under-bust!

Now all this walking has been, so far, to get ready to get off the lung machine after my lung surgery this coming Friday the 28.

So I have been taking care to go up hill, as steep as I can find and manage.
The hills around where I live ranged from approx. 15 – 30 degrees to approx. and 45 – 60 degrees.

I started on the former and, since about last Thursday, have been concentrating on the later.

I really push myself because of the concern about getting off the lung machine.

However, I do have the advantage of living in a tree conscious town.
So I enjoy lots of tree cover on my walks.
This is great because it is already too hot for most hats, and I might as well apply sunscreen to my eyes and glasses once the temperatures get over 70!
I sweat a lot!

So some time after this heart surgery, I hope to be fully recovered enough to:

Resume walking
Then
Resume using my Total Gym

At these points I will also resume writing about these things here.
Wishing you a great summer!
Anne Hunter

These Flues, Colds preceded by Other Problems

2013-01-26T06:01:00.000-08:00

Or: What happened these last few weeks

Back on 1/4/13 I started to write:

Finally a Normal Day’s workout at our new home

At the end of Sept 2012 we moved in with friends. The best, well only place my Total Gym fit, under a day bed, was in a family room. This room gets used, parts of most days by all members of the household. During the holidays that room had to be cleaned, decorated and set up for entertaining guests.

Now we are back to business as usual. Finally! During that time I also finally figured out when would be the best time to drag my Total Gym out from under the day bed, set it up and use it!

And I did!

On Friday Jan 4^th and Tue Jan 8^th

Then:

Not too slowly

Members of our household got the flue

By 1/15 it was my teenage daughter’s turn

& by the 16^th it was mine.

And this flue apparently comes in:

Without fever, vomiting or even diarrhea

As well as with one, or all, of the above

It is not easy to recover from and only one of us did not get his flue shot

So be aware, your flu shot might not cover this one

Then, just this week, just feeling like myself again,

I get the 1^st head cold of some magnitude I have had in about 20 years!

Now feeling myself again, I hope to resume exercise.

As it stands, I have not been exercising regularly since mid to late Sept of 2012, and I never diet, apart from trying to eat high fiber, because I am over 50 and it is supposed to be good for our arteries…

I know my mid-section looks a bit flabby, but my clothes are still pleasantly loose.

For long lasting results, I doubt I could ask for better!

Hopefully I can have a normal, in all respects, week soon and

Resume my workouts

And this log of how that is going!

Have a better year than I have had of late!

Anne

1/26/13

Finally Resumed Exercise Yesterday

2012-12-17T01:41:00.002-08:00

Some weeks ago I brought my Total Gym to where I am actually living and stashed it under a day bed in the living room. Unlike my previous home, there is no way I can leave it set up most of the time, nipping in to get in a set of 10, 15 or 50 of a given exercise in between this and that thing several days a week.

Turns out, it really is not that hard to drag it out, set it up and just blow through one of my typical days of exercises, in just a few minutes!

Now I know the ones I have planned for today, Chest, back and core exercises, will not go quite as quickly. I need something like rest or recovery time between sets of back and chest exercises…

Still I am greatly relieved to resume! I think it will work for me, even with having to set it up and put it away each time after all!

Oh, I had my doubts, but it appears to be quit doable.

Update and Outlet Priced Total Gyms with Extra 10% Off!

2012-12-14T02:45:00.002-08:00

Here it is, a month and a day after my last post and this is what I have found: While I did get my Total Gym moved to where I am living, I have not used it, or even walked the dog, or gone ice skating since that. This Fri. AM I found that:

My measurements are exactly the same as the last post.
Except my belly button, (3.5 Inches! Yikes!), gut, (1/2 inch), and my hips, (3/4 inch), are a bit larger
I can see, without measuring, that my upper arms and tummy are flabby
If I could leave it up, I would have been using my Total Gym by now
That is just me, its not hard to drag out from under the day bed, but it is in a more public part of the house, and I am a tad shy…

Still, when you consider that I have not exercised since mid-September, having my waist and bust area measurements remain the same is nice! REAL NICE!!

What else I have found is this special offer from Total Gym: Save an additional 10% off at the Total Gym® Outlet Center. Discount automatic at checkout. Now currently, (12/14/12 AM at least), they have Outlet Total Gyms starting at $400.

That is before you take off the additional 10% off you’d get by using that link above!

If you read, just some of my notes, and the posts that back them up, to your right and in this blog in general it might help you figure out if Total Gym is worth trying for you!

If so, Outlet prices with an additional discount is a nice way to try it!

Even so, you can always go with their standard Try it for a month for $1, with Free Shipping offer!

What Happened since my last post here, in July

2012-11-13T11:13:00.000-08:00

I have not written here since mid-July for numerous reasons. I, believe, (and will look into my records regarding this) I stopped exercising about mid-September.

At first, I simply had not had the time to post any updates. Then, around, if not on, Sept. 25th, we moved.

This took more time than I would have thought. True hurricane Sandy did not help matters much; this meant nothing much happened with regard to finishing moving for yet another week…

As it happens, I still have not moved my Total Gym to where I actually live now, yet. I have been waiting for gas rationing to end, (in NJ), and I believe that was supposed to happen today.

If so, I hope to go get it this weekend and resume using it. Prior to the hurricane, and gas rationing, I was simply too busy.

I did intend to do some kind of exercise, but week after week this failed to happen.
Seems I am spoiled rotten by my Total Gym
Rather than work something out for the time being, I am just not fitting fitness in at all
Bad Human!

Back on October 26, about a month after I stopped using my Total Gym I did take a stop one Friday am to take my measurements.

So here they are, roughly, compared to when I started last year in Oct of 2011:

10/5/11: Waist 39 inches Gut 44 inches
10/26/12: Bust 41.5 Under-bust 31.5 Waist 33 belly button 35 Gut 38.5 Hips 37.75

After most of a year of sporadic use of Total Gym ending in 1 month of no exercise at all.

So here it is, November 13, I am still not exercising.

My loose pants are still too loose to wear without a belt.

It would seem inches lost using one’s Total Gym take their time coming back!

While that is great, I hope I have resumed exercising by this time next week!

I felt stronger, more able and springer when I was exercising regularly, and I want that back. SOON!
Anne Hunter

Is this what they call a Plateau

2012-07-26T13:27:00.000-07:00

In weight loss or strength training vocabulary?

Below are the differences between the last two Friday Morning measurements.

I have been exercising mostly 4 or 5 days a week for the last 3 weeks, pretty consistent, for me anyway…

Plus I have as much as doubled my reps, and put at least one exercise, if not two, up another level…

However.. not much consistent change or reduction of inches, except perhaps my bust and underbust a bit.

7/13/12: Bust 42 Underbust 32.25 Waist 33 Belly Button 34.5 Gut 39.25 Hips 38

7/20/12: Bust 41.5 Underbust 31.5 Waist 33 Belly Button 35.5, Gut 39 Hips 38

Perhaps this is a “Plateau”

I am going to look around and see if I can find anyone I can trust about exercise to ask:

So I increase my repetition of these exercises to get continued steady loss of inches?

Is a steady loss of inches possible?

If so, must one “Diet”?

Should I make the move from beginner to intermediate on the exercises where these levels are possible.

Well I did find a Total Gym blog I put in my new Blog List in the right column.
They have this Prevent Fitness Plateaus with Total Gym Training DVD page.

Now all I have to do is fit in the time to read it, and apply what I read!

Anne Hunter

What I learned, so far, Using My Total Gym for Strength Training

2012-07-16T16:28:00.000-07:00

I have been using my Total Gym, first very sporadically, and now with more consistency, to meet my, very general, health and fitness goals.

My main goals are to:

To Feel Stronger, more Energetic
Develope, or maintain, Bone Density
Looking better, as in losing weight, shaping up, would not hurt one bit either

As the Total Gym is a Strength Training device that uses your own weight, and the incline of its sliding board, by lifting weights.

Here is what I have learned, so far:

1. Consistency is possible!

For me the big breakthrough for achieving consistency in my exercises was:

Leave it set up all day or night, whenever you aim to exercise
Then do the exercises you plan when ever you have to waist a bit
Do not give up if you only get the exercise once or twice on a given week, just do your best to do more the next week.

2. Never do the same exercises two days in a row. Even if you feel ok when you are doing them, you might well end up like I did, feeling like you had been hit by a truck, by the third day.

Besides, there is no reason to!

I have not counted the numerous exercises this home gym comes with, but I can tell you there are plenty for various parts of your body.

So far, since my above mentioned faux pas, have tried to not only do:

example Ab exercises, every other day, Back and Chest exercises on days I am not working my Abs.

However:

I have been doing alternating Leg exercises each day I workout

Also,

tomorrow I will try to do a different Ab Exercise that I have not been doing on Ab Exercise day.

We’ll see how this goes…

3. For Women

If you start doing back, chest, compound as well as possibly arm and shoulder, ( I am not really sure about those two), exercises regularly with a Total Gym:

Check your bra band and strap adjustment almost right away, and often!
If you bra band starts creeping up your back, during your normal activities, not just exercise, it might be too big already. Try smaller band size bras if you notice this happening.
If your straps can go up a bit, try to move them past the part were the hardware of the adjustment slide is out of contact with the bony part of you shoulders as soon as you can. The skin there does not enjoy protracted contact with hardware!

I think that is it. With these simple rules and the exercises I have mentioned in my Friday Inches off Achieve and various posts I have gone from a woman with:

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

To my current

7/13/12 Bust 42 Underbust 32.25 Waist 33 Belly Button 34.5 Gut 39.25 Hips 38

The reason there are these additional Underbust and belly button measurements is that at the beginning, I had nearly no waist to speak of, and as it became longer, I added those. I added the hip measurement out of curiosity.

Anyway, it has taken a while to get any sort of consistency at all, and for me I can be happy with a three day a week workout because it is better than noting and worth the effort.

I think the Total Gym is great because I can just do a few exercises while I am waiting for a pot of water to boil, a page to load, our security program to do its updates, and soon each days exercises are done!

Then you can always break it down and stow it under the bed at the end of the day, or night!

When you consider you can try the Total Gym for just a buck, it is worth it to:

Plan a chunk of time when things will have a steady schedule at home, like after summer vacations
And Give it a try!

Currently this link takes you to discount models you can try for a buck, and yes, the shipping is free.
Total Gym® Official Store Endorsed by Chuck Norris & Christie Brinkley. Take our 30 Day In-Home Trial for only $1 and get FREE Shipping!
The shipping is fast too, at least it was when I brought mine last spring! Try it and enjoy feeling and looking better soon!
Anne Hunter

Taking it a little easier this week, a 1.25 inch loss this week

2012-07-13T10:48:00.001-07:00

I say that, but believe some of this could just be water weight…

I try to take care to measure 1^st thing Friday am when I awake, before I start drinking water or tea, but today, I forgot it was Friday…

Here is this Friday’s Perspective:

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

7/6/12: Bust 42 Under-bust 32 Waist 33 Belly Button 35.5 Gut 38.5 Hips 38.5

7/13/12 Bust 42 Under-bust 32.25 Waist 33 Belly Button 34.5 Gut 39.25 Hips 38

Just 3 days of exercise, possibly to day and tomorrow, but that remains to be seen.

I am not exercising on the weekends at all lately so…

Even so, it seemed to have lost:

1 inch at the belly button
.5 at my hips
gaining .25 at the underbust.

Water Weight or not, I have Lost Enough to have to Replace Apparel

My three pairs of light cotton shorts, as they are now falling off me, unless I wear a shapewear style tank top…Which I am not apt to do when it is hot enough to wear shorts.

So far I have turned 2 pairs of jeans I have not been wearing into cutoffs!

However, I will need more…

Also, I have been wearing a 34 inch bra band size. Lately I have been steadily shorting the straps with their adjustments. The adjustment hardware is right up to the top of the cups.

Even with all the sweat, (we do not have central air), my bras are starting to creep up my back..,

Besides, the underbust measurement has been nearer to 32 than 34 for a while now.

Hopefully that will wait until fall…

It is worth it though, just because I feel so much better!

Sure I still get tired, but a feel less dragged down throughout the day, like I am standing all the way up. It also feels like, if I had a chance, I could ice skate or something I really feel like doing, for hours on end. Perhaps that is why it is called Strength Training?

It great to feel more energetic and stronger while doing mostly work and chores!
Anne Hunter

Exercised 4+ times this week, bit of fat intake reduction

2012-07-06T12:19:00.000-07:00

a bit better results!

This week this post is in lieu of the Friday Inches Off Report, (to your right), becuse I cannot seem to access that page to give it this update today.

7/6/12: Bust 42 Under bust 32 Waist 33 Belly Button 35.5 Gut 38.5 Hips 38.5
6/29/12: Bust 41.75 Under bust 32 Waist 35 Belly Button 34.75 Gut 39 Hips 38.5

However, I may have dieted sort of, a bit, this week. It being too hot for me to figure out what to eat that was light and cool enough; I took to eating cereal, with skim milk, 2xs a day and chicken chunks for supper, with duck sauce, and pepper!

So perhaps, for me anyway, who was just previously eating bologna and cheese sandwiches for breakfast and lunch, perhaps that is dieting…You can read about my typical diet here if you want to.

I consider the bust fluctuation negligible Getting the waist, belly button, and especially gut measurements down are my main concerns.

I did the Ab and Leg exercises Monday, Wednesday and going through them today, Friday.

I did the other Leg, Back, Chest, Core and Compound ones Tuesday and Thursday.
I finally got the back ones up to 2Xs in one week!
For future health reasons, for me, this is another big concern, or at least could be.
I did add a few more repetitions of some of the exercises, and went up a level setting of my Total Gym on others.

I hope to have this blog more organized in the near future.
However, as it is, I am having quite a time of it fitting everything else in.
I will try!
Anne Hunter

How little has changed, with just 3 days of up to 7 exercises a week

2012-06-26T06:26:00.000-07:00

So last week, again I only managed to exercise 3 days, two ab and leg days and one leg, back and chest days and if you look at the Friday Inches Off report, (link to your right), for 6/22 there is little change. What change there was may be water weight for all I know…

It appears that somehow, I will have to squeeze in a fourth day of exercise a week to enjoy much more improvement.

On the bright side: Perhaps this means once I get to the shape I want to be in, 3 days a week of 6 and 7 exercises a week might be enough to maintain it! Or not. Remains to be seen.

Speaking of Seen; I notice my upper arms are flabby, and I do not like it. Will have to work in some arm exercises too…

So here it is Tuesday, time to resume exercise, with the usual Way too much to do other wise and a lack of motivation…

Nothing to do but get on with it!

I guess that is going to happen to all of us from time to time…

How little it took to loose 3.75 inches between this and last Friday AM

2012-06-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

If you check out the 6/15 Inches Off Friday report, whose link is to your right, you can see that I lost 3 inches off my bust, .25 inches off my underbust and .75 inches off my gut. However, I gained .25 back on the hips.

Considering I only exercised three time this week, this if great!

I did my, now standard, 3 Abs,3 Leg Exercises, Tue. and Thur. However, I did up to reps from 30 to 40 on the Kneeling Plank Presses, Twist Squats and Toe out Squats.

So far, not counting today or tomorrow, and I doubt both at this point, I only got around to doing the newer Legs, Core, Chest and Back exercises on Wed.

My diet changed a bit:

From

peanut butter and honey sandwiches
and pizza
Plenty of Bacon this Sunday morning

Bologna and cheese sandwiches, on whole wheat
with skim milk

Like most weeks for me include

a Wendy’s Double Baconator, at least one a week
chicken nuggets, Weaver frozen, with duck sauce, at least two times a week.

See, I really do not adjust my diet to loose weight!

It’s working! I now have more pants that fit nicely, and tops. Looks like I will have to buy smaller bras though, which is fine with me. Maybe not my budget at just this moment, but I am ok with it anyway.