Nutrition and exercise!

[mysterygal]

It's one of the good things about London - despite the pollution, everything is very close together, I rarely get the underground, and to be honest, the air is probably as bad down there.

I think it must be all that walking in the London air, but since I changed jobs 3 months ago, my skin has been very greasy and zitty. I have read up on it, and I think maybe the harsh stuff I use to counteract the grease might be having the opposite effect! So after reading that "Anti Ageing" thread, I'm going to try a vintage face-cleansing routine of cold cream to get the London grime off, and see if it makes my skin better or worse!

I have found that skin can be kind of particular about what you use on it...it sounds like what you're using is a little harsh for it, which will for sure bring about irritation, I would start with something that says, made for sensitive skin, since from your avatar, it looks like your skin is on the fair side. From there, you can always build up to tougher stuff Good luck and welcome to the lounge!

 

[CherryRed]

I have had a bad knee for the past 16yrs so my weight tends to fluctuate. I was at my worst weight over the holidays. We got a tredmill in February since walking is the only exersise I can do with out hurting my knee. I have only lost 6lbs so far. But I can see a little tone difference since I am doing a weight lifting routine too. I wish I could loose it faster since I want to make and buy vintage clothes and I refuse to do it untill I am smaller, I'm about a size 14 right now, but have been as small as a 10 wen I was in my early 20's. I would be happy to be a 12 and have good muscle tone. The weight seems so much harder to loose since I had my son. It all gravitated to my stomach and waist.
I rarely eat fish, just not a fan, but I don't eat sugar, and I cook mainly from scratch, chicken, veggies, etc. I avoid all processed foods unless I am too tired to cook and we get a pizza. But no meat on it for me.

 

[Paisley]

Good for you, CherryRed! You should be proud of improving yourself. Don't be hard on yourself for losing "only" six pounds. When a person lifts weights, it builds muscle, which puts on good weight. So you've likely lost more than six pounds of fat.

Since you are already lifting weights and doing aerobic exercise, and you say you want to get in shape faster, may I recommend Body for Life. I've been on it for two and a half years and love it. It's made me really fit and I'm never hungry. The author, Bill Phillips, has a very encouraging tone. It gets results pretty quickly, too.

I hope this doesn't sound impertinent, but have you looked into all possibilities to help your knee, including supplements and acupressure/acupuncture? I know people who find glucosamine/chondroiten helpful for their joints, as well as people who have found relief with acupuncture.

 

[ITG]

I started Weight Watchers about 2 weeks ago and have lost 4 pounds in the first week. I"m not one who loses weight easily either. About 4 years ago, I lost 20 lbs. doing Weight WAtchers but then got back into my old eating habits and put the weight back on a year later.

In terms of skin care, my boyfriend's brother was telling me today that he was using Proactive on his skin and his zits have cleared up. I use Melaleuca products on my face and when I can remember I have been trying a Pond's skin care moisturizer.

 

[CherryRed]

Good for you, CherryRed! You should be proud of improving yourself. Don't be hard on yourself for losing "only" six pounds. When a person lifts weights, it builds muscle, which puts on good weight. So you've likely lost more than six pounds of fat.

Since you are already lifting weights and doing aerobic exercise, and you say you want to get in shape faster, may I recommend Body for Life. I've been on it for two and a half years and love it. It's made me really fit and I'm never hungry. The author, Bill Phillips, has a very encouraging tone. It gets results pretty quickly, too.

I hope this doesn't sound impertinent, but have you looked into all possibilities to help your knee, including supplements and acupressure/acupuncture? I know people who find glucosamine/chondroiten helpful for their joints, as well as people who have found relief with acupuncture.

Hi Paisly,
Thanks for the encouragement. I bookmarked that link. It looks good.
As far as my knee, I have been taking a glucosamine/chondroiten tablet religously for about a year now. It has helped quite it a bit. It has gotten rid of the contant click I had whenever my knee would bend. It has given me the ability to exersise again, so I am trying to strenghthen it now, so it slips less.
Thanks so much for your post!!

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

I have found that skin can be kind of particular about what you use on it...it sounds like what you're using is a little harsh for it, which will for sure bring about irritation, I would start with something that says, made for sensitive skin, since from your avatar, it looks like your skin is on the fair side. From there, you can always build up to tougher stuff Good luck and welcome to the lounge!

I missed this! Thanks for the advice, I am trying out some more creamier creams, and so far my skin has been on the greasy and small zitty side... No major breakout though. I think my bad skin is a hormonal thing - when I tried to come off the pill 2 years ago I has a severe, skin-scarring, several month-long breakout that only died off after I went back on it, and my skin has never been the same since. Literally I never had a zit as a teenager apart from the odd one or two.

It's so upsetting, I wish I knew what to do or eat to get rid of them...after all, those starlets we all admire so much had such perfect peachy skin...in the days before photoshop!

 

[rubyredlocks]

I'm terrible about my eating habits and exercise.
Up til about 30 years of age I could not keep weight on. I was about 5'1 and weighed 85 pounds,just couldn't get past that no matter how much I ate.

Well,about a few years ago that all changed and the pounds are adding up.
I've gained too much in my waistline and midriff,and have noticed a huge decrease in my energy.
I'm still small,but could stand to lose 5 to 10 pounds and shape up a bit.
I don't ever want to go back to being super skinny,even with the added weight I look better now.
Unfortunately,with all those years of not having to watch what I eat it seems my willpower is non-existent.
I've been "meaning to" change my habits for a bit over a year and have yet to start.

My question ladies: is where do you get your motivation?

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

My question ladies: is where do you get your motivation?

RESULTS motivate! Yes, you have to just suck it up for about 2 weeks and not see results, but after 14 days (well, 12 days, you can have a cheating day once a week) of eating healthy - lots of veggies and lean protein, and hey, quit drinking for a month if you drink and working out - you will feel much better!

If you have the money, hire a trainer for a month at your gym and they will force you to motivate.

 

[Caledonia]

Good for you, CherryRed! You should be proud of improving yourself. Don't be hard on yourself for losing "only" six pounds. When a person lifts weights, it builds muscle, which puts on good weight. So you've likely lost more than six pounds of fat.

Since you are already lifting weights and doing aerobic exercise, and you say you want to get in shape faster, may I recommend Body for Life. I've been on it for two and a half years and love it. It's made me really fit and I'm never hungry. The author, Bill Phillips, has a very encouraging tone. It gets results pretty quickly, too.

I hope this doesn't sound impertinent, but have you looked into all possibilities to help your knee, including supplements and acupressure/acupuncture? I know people who find glucosamine/chondroiten helpful for their joints, as well as people who have found relief with acupuncture.

Hi. If it helps anybody with knee problems, I found out last month that I have a moving kneecap which means the quadricep is stronger on the outside than the inside and therefore pulling the kneecap out of its place. So it bumps against the side of the femur and tibia. Ouch. I've been doing general knee strengthening exercises and got back in the gym again, plus loads of stretching for all leg muscles and tendons. I've seen a dramatic improvement in just 3 weeks. Started taking Glucosamine as a joint backup. I researched tonnes on knees as well as seeing a physio, and knee pain can go without specific diagnosis for years in most people, when a good strengthening programme can really help, even if its the onset of arthritis. Apart from that I walk between 25-30 miles a week over and above general life, work out with weights every other day, and on the non-weight days concentrate on core and stretching, and now my knees. Vegetarian and love salad, but still got to really watch how much I pack in there!

 

[mysterygal]

also with losing weight or getting back in shape, it always helps to have a partner that has the same goals as you do. It creates accountability and both can be an encouragement to the other

 

[Viola]

I've recently upped my walking to 25 miles a week. I also garden, walk the dog, and am starting to work on my flexibility. I'm hoping to start Tae Kwon Do classes by the end of the summer - I used to do karate and miss it a lot. But walking is free and TKD isn't so we'll see how it goes.

My motivation is twofold 1) vanity, and 2) the absolutely horrendous diabetes rate on both sides of my family.

The only diet that really works for me is high protein/low carbs, so I'm trying to figure out how to do that long-term, since I love pasta.

 

[humblestumble]

I''ve just started working out again. I'm doing pilates and cardio along with trying to watch my eating. They did a lot of calisthenics back in the 50s and so on, and pilates is a mixture of that, strength training and yoga. It's working really well! I'm on a roll this time, so I dont think I'll stop. It's fun and awesome to see results so fast. I feel stronger and feel better about myself.

I dont have that perfect figure yet, but I look good in my 50s inspired swimsuit

I still eat what I want, just smaller portions. I don't want to punish myself like alot of people do.

 

[ITG]

My question ladies: is where do you get your motivation?

Well, for me I've been wanting to lose weight but haven't been able to do it on my own. My boyfriend has been saying for some time we both need to lose weight and I totally agree, so I ponied up and joined Weight Watchers knowing that is the only thing that for certain works form me (I had lost about 20 pounds on it several years back). I've now lost about 8-9 pounds.

 

[rubyredlocks]

Congrats ITG-success definitely has to be the best motivator.

 

[mysterygal]

For me it is vanity as well...which is why this week I'm making another go at getting toned up! The sun is back out which is a reminder that it's not too long before me and the family are going out boating...which also mean LOTS of time being in a swim suit!

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Like ITG, I am doing Weight Watchers, and have been for about 2-3 months now. Up to 24 pounds lost so far...still a ways to go.

hmmm Motivation includes:

Health
Not wanting to enter middle age fat
Vintage dresses

 

[Etienne]

WOW! Congratulations, MissNeecerie and ITG!! Keep us the good work (and reward yourselves with some new vintage treasure!):eusa_clap You're motivating ME!

 

[rubyredlocks]

Congrats to you MissNeecerie as well!
My mother joined weight watchers last year and has lost 85 pounds so far.I really think the key that they stress is lifestyle change and healthy habits.
Seeing my mother's confidence building,how much better she feels,and that Marilyn Monroe figure emerging is my motivation.

My only problem is I can't stand anything that feels too regimented.(spelling?)
So my game plan is to look to my youth and let playtime be my form of exercise and somewhat inspire my eating habits.I just bought a bike,jump rope,and hula hoop. I'm going to start dancing more.
As a child,I was very picky,liked everything plain,would only eat veggies that could be served raw(i.e.carrots,cucumbers),didn't want anything to touch my sweet potatoes (prefered those over white),the only sweets I liked was jello,would not eat the yellow part of the egg,lived on chicken and turkey but only the white meat.

My mother always said if she had eaten exactly what she prepared me,she would have never had a weight problem.
However,my taste buds changed and now I can say there isn't many foods I don't like.

 

[mysterygal]

dancing is actually great exercise! There's more muscles getting a work out than you might think When practicing swing lessons, I can really feel it in my legs, hips and stomach...the great part of it is that it's so much fun
Another trick I've learned is not to eat anything past 7pm...if you're hungry a cup of herbal tea usually does the trick

 

[ITG]

My only problem is I can't stand anything that feels too regimented.(spelling?)

I'm the same way, which is one reason WW has worked for me. It still allows me to eat much of what I want (although there are some foods I choose now to not eat due to their point value). I could never do the Atkin's diet. I love bread (carbs) too much.