All right! That's it!

T

thundercat

Active Member
I'm such a hypocrite. On The Firm forum I recently posted a topic called "Being Happy With Yourself". I stated that I was satisfied with the way I looked and that I didn't need to achieve what is thought to be the "perfect" body.

I'm such a LIAR!

I guess I meant it at the time, but I'm bigger than I've ever been right now and it's getting on my nerves. I'm 5'10" and 178 lbs. or so. My size is a 14. My diet sucks at the moment and the sad thing is I KNOW how to eat right and see results. I guess I'm just too lazy to do it.

What makes things really hard is that I've been blessed (or maybe cursed) with a huge appetite. I LOVE FOOD. :9 It's sad. Sometimes if I'm eating something that's really good it makes my toes curl. Can anyone relate? When I was a newborn baby my mom could hear me screaming in the nursery because I wanted to eat. I'd drive babysitters crazy because I wouldn't stop crying until my mom, the milk machine, came home. Not much has changed.

But I'm determined this time. I want to get down to a size 8 (a 10 if I look too anorexic). It's time to go to the store and get some figure friendly items and high protein stuff. Wish me luck! Here I go! I'm going to need a miracle, I think.
 
Is there anyone here who DOESN'T love food?

I moan when I eat. My family remembers every special dinner we've ever had and can relate oral histories of the New Years when we had scallops in garlic butter or the birthday we went to such-and-such a restaurant. When we call each other, we ask "what are you eating?".

For years, I was active enough that I could pretty much burn off the majority of my indulgances. However, at age 37 and after my second child, I had to face the reality of my slowing metabolism, less active (but still tiring lifestyle) and maternal poundage.

I wasn't looking for the perfect body, but I sure hated breaking a sweat just from carrying my toddler up the stairs!

Anyway - you don't need a miracle, but you do need a plan and committment to change your eating habits. It's difficult to accept that you can't eat the way you really want, but you have to decide that you'd rather be a healthy weight *more* than you want to eat less nutritious choices.

I've finally shed my "maternal poundage" but I realize it will be a lifelong journey to keep up good eating habits that won't cause them to return. I do pine for the days of scarfing down buckets of KFC and pans of brownies - but I do NOT pine for the days of toting around extra flesh, so for me the trade-off is obvious!

Good luck, I don't think it's at all hypocritical to reject the idea of the perfect, cover girl body while still trying to achieve a healthy weight, or size that you are comfortable with. You have your own sense of what's "perfect" for you.

Sophie
 
YOU CAN DO IT!

You don't need a miracle, just Cathe (even though I consider her a miracle) and a little discipline. I, too, LOVE to eat and live with an butter, bacon, cookie eating machine. I know all too well about being lazy and wanting to eat everything in sight.

Just try to take it day by day and do your best. We are here to root you on! Maybe you could plan one day a week to indulge. It's just a suggestion, but honestly, sometimes that really helps to keep everything in check during the week. Just knowing I can have those treats once in a while keeps me hanging in there.

Good luck. Stay focused and praise yourself often!
 
You don't need a miracle, just the right mindset and can do attitude. Deciding your going to do something is half the battle and you've already done that. Don't concentrate on what you can't eat, just on what you can. No one plan works for everyone, so you need to find what works for you!!! Go get um!!! You CAN do it!!!! I lost 35 lbs two years ago and have kept it off. If I can do anyone can!!!!!
 
RE: I have to add my opinion here

Actually it's not an opinion, just an obsevation about the "perfect body." For about 10 years I stived for the "cover girl" look. You know what I mean, very thin, very beautiful, and everything always looks terrific on you. I only did cardio and wanted my bones(collar bone, ribs, and hip bones) to show. Although I love to eat I forced myself not to. I was tired all the time and I still forced myself to exercise. Of course after I exercised I napped. Eventually I was diagnosed with borderline anorexia. Then one day a friend(and my boss) showed me some issues of Oxygen magazine. As I looked at these strong beautiful women, I realized that that was healthy and in my opinion beautiful. I ordered my first tape with weight lifting, Karen Voight's Strong-n-Smooth Moves. I throughly enjoyed(and still do) this tape. I quickly outgrew it though and began looking for more of a challenge. That's when I found Cathe!! My first tape from her was BodyMax. I took one look at her and thought that SHE should be in Oxygen!! She'd be a perfect feature article!! But I digress, suddenly my idea of perfect body changed. I wanted MUSCLE and ENDURANCE and VITALITY!!! Cathe has not let me down either. While I changed my eating habits to more high quality protein, lower fat and more complex carbohydrates, I still love to eat!! And believe me I do slip up(alot)! I guess my point is, is that this is a neverending journey, it's an exciting journey!! I love my muscle!! I want my curves to show now!! Not be curveless! Embrace your new eating and exercise habits, but remember, there are bound to be roadblocks on this neverending journey. Just find the detour signs. Perfect as is beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Figure out what you think is perfect, not the media, and strive for it!! You can do it, be patient and love life and food and exercise! Soon, your perfect body will emerge. I'm still working on mine, but I truly love the path that it is taking!! Good Luck!! Thanks for letting me express myself!!
 
RE: I have to add my opinion here

Hi Aimee,
Wow! Your post really made my day. I am so glad that you have found a healthier lifestyle. Your story is so inspirational.
You have always been an inspiration to me anyway just because you continue to exercise even after 3 kids. Most people would have gave up a long time ago. I can't imagine working exercise into that kind of schedule. I have almost given up even after just one child. But I will keep trying. You have helped to inspire me.
Thanks again.
Lisa
 
RE: I have to add my opinion here

I know exactly what you mean! I would hate to see myself turn into one of those poor girls who look at Jennifer Aniston (not sure of the spelling)and then look at themselves and start crying. :'(
 
RE: I have to add my opinion here

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Oct-18-00 AT 11:45AM (Est)[/font][p]I loved reading Aimee's post too, because it says it all - trying to achieve health, energy, and vitality instead of a body that acts as a clothes hanger! For those of us with kids, it's also a great motivator to have the energy to play with them and enjoy an active lifestyle with them. I love the fact that I can pop my 30 lb daughter in a backpack and hike up and down the hills near my home and it doesn't kill me!

thundercat - I also wanted to clarify from my last post that though my eating habits have changed for the better, it hasn't taken away my love of food. I love it just as much as I ever did, but now I appreciate the texture and flavours of healthful, nutritious, fresh foods as opposed to craving deep fried and sugary things (well, at least not ALL the time anymore, LOL!) In fact it's been an adventure trying out new recipes and foods and incorporating them into my diet, which has become more varied and interesting. So, I hope I didn't leave the impression that giving up my bad food habits meant giving up my love of food! I just try to be more sensible now and be more in tune with whether I'm eating out of hunger, boredom, or whatever.

I wish you well and agree that as Aimee said, your own perfect body will emerge!

Sophie
 
RE: Oh, you guys!!

I just read what you all had to say and I want to say thank you!! I hope that my (condensed) life story can help somebody. Thank you all again for the wonderful things you said about my post! Keep up the good work everybody!!


Aimee
 
Hey Thundercat

I understand you completely! I'm also 5'10" and weigh 176 lbs. I can say that I'm somewhat satisfied with my body. I gain a few pounds at a time and now it is at a critical point. I want to take some off, approximately 10 lbs but I'll be satisfied if I can get 5 to go away! I don't think I'll ever be smaller than I size 10 and when I was an 8, people wondered if I was sick (I looked gaunt and tired). I exercise and have started strength training and still I gain. Just keep reminding yourself, like I try to that you are awesome and fit. I can now do all but the last sections of Cathe's tapes on an 8" step and for me this is a big deal. Remember, you are awesome and fit!! :D

Marcia
 
RE: Hey Thundercat

I'd love to get up to an 8" step. I was able to get half-way through Step Fit on 8, but then got so wasted I had to finish by just doing the moves on the floor. How does Cathe do it? She's not even very tall and she uses 8". The equivalent for us taller gals would be something ridiculous! 12" maybe? YIKES! :-wow
 
RE: Hey Thundercat, that 8" step....

I'm not sure that would necessarily be true about taller gals needing a taller step. Smaller people need to expend less power to propel themselves vertically than taller people do, so as long as knee alignment isn't a problem, I don't think it's necessarily more difficult for them to work at the same step height as a taller person.

Bear with me here...
I remember in high school, our physics class was doing a segment on horsepower, and the lab involved various students propelling themselves up a flight of stairs, timing the run, and using body weight to calculate the horsepower involved. I had the fastest time, but to my surprise generated only moderate horsepower, because (at the time) I was the lightest person in the class. People who weighed more, actually expended more power and effort going up the same flight of stairs.

My point is, you are probably expending an equivalent amount of effort as a shorter person doing the same thing on the same size step. So, continue to be proud of yourself!

Sophie
 
RE: Hey Thundercat, that 8" step....

I love that reasoning! I'll buy it!! Because seeing Cathe bounce around on an 8" step, I get depressed sometimes because I would think in would be easier for me to step up.

And to you Thundercat, I'm not completely at 8" yet. For me the trick was really making at effort with MIS. I noticed that my cardio has improved tremendously from weight training. I guess the better leg muscles make it easier to propel myself or something. Sophie, you are the physics expert... is that right!?

Marcia
 
RE: Hey Thundercat, that 8" step....

Well, shows you what I know. I never took physics. The farthest I got was Earth Science. Let's just say I wanted to take as little as possible in order to graduate. (Typical musician.)

But I digress! I like the reasoning, too! It makes me feel less like a big wuss. And I totally agree about the strength training. Before I found Cathe, I had the attitude that cardio was overrated. :eek: But I do feel you gotta put equal effort into both.
 
RE: Hey Thundercat, that 8" step....

You guys, I have been telling myself the same thing all along, that I should be able to do a higher step height because I am tall (5'9")and was kinda getting bummed out because Im in the hr range on the lowest step height, so now I feel SO much better reading these posts and seeing others feel the same way and that whole physics explanation, so THANKS!!!!!!!!
 
I can relate!!

This is my first post in forever, because I just dusted off my workout videos for the first time in over a month. (That might not sound so drastic, but I was doing really well - working out every day, ya know?) I bought the new eight pack, and I have only done three of the new videos, once! (PLEASE DON'T STONE ME - I KNOW HOW BAD THAT SOUNDS!) Especially after waiting so long for them...I just didn't feel motivated, I let it slide and have noticed that the pants/clothes I'd been wearing, biding my time until the weight came off - well, now they're getting pretty tight. I don't necessarily have the same style of eating - but isn't this bad enough!! I'm just glad I logged on today, I have to believe that I'll do better, I'll get motivated again - and isn't that all we can really ask for?
 
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