omg - yes, Beth, where did your banner go? Did it fall off?
Get that back on, girl.
Hi Jen and everyone!
I am a runner! I will be repeating that over and over when I go out for my 25 min. run today! Thanks for your encouragment and experience in getting faster.
I have tried to focus on just completing the run times but sometimes I think I am just so slow and I need to speed it up but I am afraid if I try to push it I'll either injure myself (that is what happened the last time I tried this program and I quite and it took me this long to get back into it) or it'll become too difficult and I'll burn myself out. So I am trying to be consistent and enjoy the journey and not worry about the results. I think I read that you do WW. I want to lose 15 lbs maybe even more if I can but I don't want to do it like I have in the past by going on a starvation, I just can't bring myself to do any of those again, but I am finding as I get older that it is so much harder to lose weight!
Yes, great Vicki, now you know that you've injured yourself in the past or burned out and so you can pace yourself. It is harder to lose but it's all the more important. They came out with a study yesterday that women don't gain muscle mass (or was it bone?) by working out once they get past a certain age. So the message was - do your strength training now!
At least you are running!!
Heck, I'm still on the couch part of the program.
You ARE a runner!
Not pushing your speed at this point in your training makes a lot of sense to me. Where are you racing to anyway? And speed is but one small part of the results: fitness, health, stamina, happiness also count!
Yes, I have done WW. I am not actively doing it now (although hopefully some of the teachings are now ingrained in me). I think it's a great program, as it emphasizes healthy eating, exercise, food journaling and lifestyle changes rather than just diets. Plus, going to meetings leads to accountability (but there's an online version as well if that's more appealing to you). I believe lots of programs work if you stick to them. WW is one good option.
At least you are still part of the program!
Where did your banner go Beth? Visualize and it will happen!
As for me, I made it to the gym for 2 miles on the elliptical and 60 minutes of strength training.
Great, Jen!! How fast do you do your 2 miles, meaning how long did that take you?
I had my trainer day today, so we did about 50 min of strength training and then I did 30 min on the xtrainer. I feel soooo good. This used to be grueling for me to do.
"emphasizes healthy eating, exercise, food journaling and lifestyle changes rather than just diets. Plus, going to meetings leads to accountability"
I totally agree these are the cornerstones to a good weight control program.
What my trainer/nutritionist/coach has taught me over a year's period is how to eat in the real world and still lose and how exercise has a direct relationship to weight (believe it or not, I once thought I could lose w/o exercise - unfortunately, I did - but of course I didn't keep it off). He also shows me how you handle stress in your life relates to your weight.
I think the bottom line is whatever works for you personally is great and we'll support you. Use or don't use a scale, or tape measure, or don't monitor your loss at all.
I still feel that you know what's right for you at any given time, if you listen to your body. Here's an interesting article about maintenance.
"Keeping off the pounds you worked hard to lose may not be as difficult as you'd expect, particularly if you follow six weight loss strategies.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that roughly 20% of overweight people who lose at least 10% of their initial body weight are able to maintain the loss for at least a year.
"There is a general perception that almost no one succeeds in long-term maintenance of weight loss," notes the study, led by Rena Wing. "However, research has shown that 20% of overweight individuals are successful at long-term weight loss."
The investigators looked at the weight loss strategies of more than 4,000 members of the National Weight Control Registry in the United States, who lost an average of 33 kilograms and maintained the loss for more than five years.
Among the successful bulge battlers, there were six common approaches to weight loss maintenance:
engaging in high levels of physical activity
eating a low-calorie, low-fat diet
eating breakfast regularly
monitoring their own weight
maintaining a consistent eating pattern
not "falling off the wagon"
Be physically active
Both men and women reported that being active helped them maintain their weight loss, with men burning off 3,293 calories a week through physical activity and women trimming 2,545 calories. Popular activities cited included walking, cycling, weightlifting, and aerobics.
Eat a low-calorie, low-fat diet
Weight loss winners said they consumed an average of 1,381 calories per day and only a quarter of those calories came from fat. Moreover, they went out for meals less than three times per week and less than one of those meals was at a fast food restaurant.
Breakfast every day
Starting off the day with breakfast has been shown to boost your metabolism, helping you avoid the temptation of eating late in the day and consuming more calories. More than 75% of the registry members reported eating breakfast every day.
Keep tabs on your weight
Nearly half of the registry members who successfully shed pounds said they weighed themselves regularly. Regular trips to the scale helped to keep tabs on any weight fluctuations and indicate the need to correct them.
Eat well on weekdays and weekends
Most of the participants reported eating the same way, both during the week and on weekends. However, nearly four in ten were stricter at adhering to their diet during the week. The researchers concluded those who were more consistent about eating patterns had better success at maintaining their weight loss.
Don't be deterred by gaining an extra pound or two
It was common for the participants to gain an extra pound or two along the way. But those who ensured those pounds didn't add up quickly were the best at keeping the weight off.
The researchers write that the "National Weight Control Registry members provide evidence that long-term weight loss maintenance is possible and help identify the specific approaches associated with long-term success."
Gotta get out and enjoy life. 
