Artslim, weight, life, health management.

 
 
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I worked out very hard for an hour at the gym, yesterday, I used the treadmill for intervals of brisque walking and jogging for 20 minutes before and after a weight resistance workout on the machines, then mat, bench and balance ball workouts followed by a good stretching routine at the end. I pushed myself to the limit, I would have worked my muscles as hard as I had during the Extreme Measures, trainer directed work outs I did last Thursday and Friday but without the exhaustion where I could not perform at my best. I preferred working out on my own, self-paced, allowing myself to take breaks when I needed them, rather than trying to keep up with a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 and again being yelled, by the trainer.  As a brief experience, I benefited by attending Extreme measures, as an eight-week course, it is too much for someone without an athletic background at my age.  I will use all I have learned and make sure my training sessions are harder and broader in variety and I build on the aspects of the Extreme Measures program that worked for me.

I have learned a lot from the Extreme Measures participation. I have learned that I can do more than I thought possible, in my training, but I have learned that I prefer to be self motivated and I can push myself and I prefer to maintain my own independence of judgment of what I can do and what am not yet ready to do. Maybe it is time for me to accept, I am not a good candidate for a group class. I can and do best as my own fitness trainer. I felt a lightening of weight off my shoulders knowing I am gaining enough knowledge of a wide variety of fitness training to be able to plan challenging work out programs to increase my fitness, myself, even for when I will be travelling and not have the convenience of a gym. I also feel  the mild burn of warm, well worked, shoulder and upper back muscles, lol J telling me I had a great increase in my fitness level, workout J.

I came home in time to catch the news on TV; they were talking about a new diet, whereby you swallow this $250. Capsule and go on a ridiculously low 500-calorie diet  

phentomine reviews. Phentermine is an amphetamine grade weight loss pill.

Do you know I used to take these, amphetamine grade weight loss pills, back when they sold over the counter without a prescription, when I was in my twenties and early thirties? Most women used these three a day diet pills to suppress appetite, and speed metabolism back then. Taking amphetamines in the seventies was a normal thing to do. I started taking them when given them by a nurse when I was working long 12 hour night duty nursing shifts, in the premature baby ward and sitting feeding a baby it would at times be a struggle to stay awake and I was told to , ‘take one of these, we all do’, to keep awake on the job.  I also had some serious health problems during my twenties, I was having TIA’s (mini stokes), leading up to having a massive stroke when I was 32. I have no idea now, it is so long ago and if taking amphetamine based diet pills were related to those occurrences.  I blame the sheer exhaustion of being a young mum trying to work 60 hours a week at night (and probably I would have been taking these acceptable at the time amphetamines), and caring for my children during the day, plus a lot of stress, for my serious health decline in my early and mid adult life.

 Following the news report about this, burn fat pill and diet, a doctor was interviewed and he said, with obvious annoyance showing in his voice, ‘When will people stop looking for the latest diet to buy and just get off their backsides, walk around the block and eat healthy’. Lol, I LOVED that comment and felt so good because I now live life that way and I will forever be grateful that I have been time and again, given  another chance to regain my health, following setbacks.

Never again will I knowingly abuse my body with the extremes of workaholism or deprivation dieting.

 I am loving my new striving for a balance of being active, building my strength and enjoying  healthy well balance portion controlled meals along with not being obsessed with what the bathroom scales tell me but listening to how fit my body feels and enjoying life immensely J

 
 
 
The introductions to the  Extreme Measures, group and trainers was over and , we were told to grab a drink bottle from a box, and fill it, I took the opportunity to duck into the ladies, lol, this 63 year old bladder of mine, could let me down if I’m taken too far away from a toilet for too long. Never been caught out yet in public and sure do not want extreme measures to end with extreme embarrassment. 

I took off after the group who were now all outside in the darkening late twilight.  We all walked a little away from the road until we had reached a sealed trail alongside the Goulburn River,  we are to run from a particular point until we reached a gate at the end, and then to turn and run back and we would be timed. At least I think that is what was said, I part hear, part lip read and part guess and follow what the crowd is doing and lol, look confused and ask people a lot what was being said, and that’s ‘the drift’, I got.

Someone broke from the start  and began running, I almost started with them but saw the others hadn’t so I waited until the group took off and I was right in there behind the first starters, not the first to start, not the last and I held my place for longer than I thought would have been possible.  The trainers had looked at me with concern before I ran, said ‘I could walk’. It was obvious I was the oldest person there. I had already said I has had heart lung problems without elaborating that I had scared lungs, or pulmonary fibrosis, (once), somehow  I have miraculously recovered most of my lung function and I told them I do sprint and alternate short sprints and walking and I would be fine doing this.  Sixty seconds is about the longest I can sprint in one go, I told them then. I’m usually back to 45 seconds then I can manage a few 30 second sprints, all this in a 30 minute walk, and that’s been my best effort so far and as I’ve said, I slacked off, in the last few months, totally, I’ve only been doing my weight work outs and core strengthening exercises.

I was out of breath early in the run but loved that I was keeping up with the group.  I was feeling so proud that I, who had never been able to run as a child and who once had damaged lungs, was not only running but also running with a group, and keeping pace, early into the run. I began to slip behind after a while, it surprised me I even kept pace as long as I did I finally slowed down to a walk and thought, ‘what is the sound’?  Exhilaration, I am feeling as I hear the sound of runners behind me, I cannot believe it, I am ahead of some runners, not last. I kept on walking, still catching my breath, the first runner caught up to me, and I broke into a run with her, advanced on her, slowed down, she caught up, then a man caught up and I stepped up the running pace, ‘don’t tell me I am actually out running a MAN?  Lol. I was exhilarated and I made a real effort to stop him from overtaking me. He did overtake me, then he slowed pace to a walk and I overtook him again, lol, then he overtook me, we had a little friendly battle it out together, well back behind the leaders though and the lady behind me was no more within ear shot and I think from the sound, there were others behind her. 

As I reached the gate, a trainer was there yelling out encouragement and I quicken my pace at what was a walk now. The man was just ahead of me and I maintained my lead over the group behind and there was no way I could catch any leaders so the competition was off now so I fast pace walked, huffing and puffing a bit but remembering to breath properly and I wasn’t over exerting or trying too hard now.  The finish line came into view, I could see someone standing there looking at me with a stop watch in hand so I burst into a run and sprinted as hard as I could to the end.

 

Can I just say, that is the proudest I have felt about my physical performance and the best I have ever performed in a race in my life (OK it was not a race), and to think I not only was not the last one to finish, and I overtook younger women.  I did overhear someone behind me say ‘of course I have an ankle injury’, and I thought to myself, my right ankle hurt the entire duration of the race and both my feet are arthritic from having been smashed in a car crash decades ago, lol, but I did it and never let on I was hurting. I was  proud of myself.

8.35 minutes to run/walk one kilometres, lol, not exactly John Landy’s four minute mile, or a marathon effort but for me, with my past medical history, a stroke at 32 and PE at 44, and all the rest of the health guff, I just ran for longer than I’ve ever done in my life.

We went back to the training room, refilled our water bottles, and paired up.

I teamed up with one of the men, the man I had had the fun of trying to run past. J. In most of the exercises I think I performed well, my weight workouts and core training Spiderman exercises I have been doing for about 6 weeks now helped me perform a lot better at these exercises then the run as they did not require the same amount of lung expansion as running requires.  

Each of our partners was to count how many repetitions we each did in the fitness assessment exercises and how many at what intensity level.  We started with how many push ups we could do in one minute.

I do not recall the full sequence or all the fitness assessment tests, there were step-ups, I performed equally to some of the younger women and out stepped my male partner. There were backward press-ups (not sure the correct name), using your hands to raise and lower your body and I fell in a total heap doing that one.  'Must strengthen those arms more' I am thinking.

Then the final one, an exercise, I think was called, called the hover. We were to take up a push up pose and hold it as long as we could.  I started well but in just a short time, I wanted to drop. We were to call out and say when we ‘dropped’ and how long we had held the position would be written down.  I so wanted to drop but I refused to be the first to drop.  I am thinking lol, ‘this is like on the Biggest Looser challenges’, I think.  I kept holding somehow, someone had to drop before me, I would hang on if pig headed determination would get me there.

Finally one two, then three women in front of me, dropped to the ground and called out, and their times were recorded, and hey, I am still holding my pose. I might as well try to outlast some others, J.  Holding, holding, please let a few more drop, I would love to outlast half of them, J, what a thing of pride, drop, drop, drop, drop, they are gradually going down,  can’t see everyone but I think I’m in the final half of the group, hang on Kathy.  The instructor calls out to me, ‘can you feel it hurting’, and lol, I actually laugh and call back. ‘I sure can’.  Then no one is dropping, I call out, ‘do we get a lollypop if we are the last one holding’, and the instructor calls back, ‘lol, Not in my class you do not’. Still no one goes down. Then one or two, I can’t see to my side, too much effort hanging on,...’I’m down’, getting heaps of praise from the trainer, ‘well done Kathy J’.

I look up, there is only a few young women holding, then only two. The two remaining women holding the hover pose, are young and fit looking they were not giving way. The instructor tells them to both go for an extra degree of difficulty into the move, up onto their toes, they both make the movement change and one drops in 30 seconds the other follows a few seconds later, J, the session is over.  I am feeling EXHILLARATED, as I have not felt for ages.  I remember I arrived, barely holding back tears, worried about my man who is sick and chocked up with a lump in my throat, not feeling like I could do a single exercise and here I was, so proud, so very proud of what I had just achieved. J.

The trainer said, you would hurt in the morning after that last one. Lol, I believe her.  I think the push up assessment hurt more than the hover, I tried so hard. Nothing I will not recover in two days.  Oh hang one, lol, tomorrow night is the first exercise session,lol, OMG,” what was it that we did tonight, J, if the exercise session is tomorrow night.”

I was keen to blog this while I remembered it all.

 I made and ate a healthy avocado salad and drank a glass of skim milk for early supper when I arrived home. this was my third meal for the day as we had eaten the meat meal and vgetables meal as a late lunch. I am not going to ruin that effort by overeating on top of it

Day one and I know I can keep up with half the class, I will be on the borderline I suspect of the half who do not make it past half way and those who compete the course.  I know i will try, very hard, as I am very eager to improve my fitness and trim down some more and I know I need the emotional release.
 
 
I arrived at the gym fto begin my first Extreme Measures course, 30 minutes early, feeling rather fragile due to my husband’s continuing ill health and his being referred to see a surgeon for further investigatory tests.  I knew that if I had not paid my fees before tonight I would not have gone tonight.  Bu being early I did have a chance to explain the first two trainers to arrive, that ‘I was, feeling fragile’ and that I would have to have the phone on and duck out during the session  as I was expecting a phone call from my husband’s doctor.  They were OK with that and said ‘the sessions were informal’.

We were handed a folder that gave the times and the dates of the sessions and I moved from the back of the room where I had originally set myself up to hide the fact I had been crying earlier that evening , to the front of the room so I could hear better.  It became obvious to me that I would need to ask several times, ‘what to do, what was happening’, as I was reminded that I do not have good hearing in-group situations.

The instructors handed the participants each a form to fill in about nutrition with questions about, how we ate, I knew that all, my answers were ‘spot on perfect’.  I always have breakfast, rarely eat take away, prepare a meal from scratch every day, eat  six or more vegetables a day, wholegrain bread, skim milk and draw the size of the portion of meat you eat, on the paper.  I drew the size of the palm of my hand but I knew that sometimes I was exceeding this amount. The truth being told to me, if not  on the form.

Then there were many body image questions, ‘yes, I am proud of my body, yes I believe my family like the way I look.’

Then there were questions about exercise and that is where I could see that I have not been doing enough aerobic exercise, ‘how many times do I exercise each week enough to raise a sweat and get slightly out of breath. UMmmm....’3 to 5 times’ I wrote down, knowing that a year ago it was 7 times a week and now to say I broke into a sweat would be more because it was a hot day than through any genuine effort of mine.  I knew that food quantity, not quality and lack f aerobic exercise on a regular basis, ever since I slacked off back in August when I got the flu and Reg followed close on my heals by becoming ill, set my exercise sessions back considerably.  Firstly I was not well enough, and then I was out of the habit and then , I never wanted to leave my sick man alone long enough to go on walk runs, so Ii stopped doing them.

I looked up and the room was full, I counted 13 people and 3 group leaders out the front. The third Extreme Measures group leader, our accredited dietician, said she would be doing the course with us as a participant and would be available for one on one session with us and for special nutrition group nights. Me being who I am, I had already checked out her qualifications, I know that this woman was one I was most eager to use fully our opportunities of one to one sessions. I wanted her to know  my nutrition needs and to listen to her advice as soon as I had the opportunity, so that if there was any way I could improve my nutrition to assist me and my own personal needs, I was eager to learn.

The members of the group then arranged our chairs into a circle and we were to introduce ourselves. The introductions were detailed, more than a ‘hello I am Kathy’ sort of intro, it was health, reason to attend extreme measures attendance before and goals for attending extreme measures. I am thinking, ‘health’, where do I start, what to tell what do I leave out; they do not have 10 hours. Shish.What is important.   My turn came, I swallowed, “  My name is Kathy ~ ‘Three years ago, recovering from serious injuries, broken feet, crushed leg, painful to simply stand, morbidly obese from years of inactivity due to ill health and injury and comfort eating, I was told I needed a heart lung transplant or I would die. I told them to give the transplant to a younger person not someone turning 60  I made a commitment to get healthier,  knowing my husband had front lobe degeneration and would need a carer, I set about exercising, swimming at first then I stepped through the pain barrier and started walking, and now, (I stood up and jumped), and every one smiled, and I halved the amount I was eating, I didn’t have to change what I ate, I already ate healthy. 

I went from a size 22 to 24 to my current (I pointed to my top) size 12, (pointed to my hips), size 14, but I have been stuck on the devils number 88.8 for over two years and cannot budge. The devils no is 888 not 666, I said, and laughed. I then picked up the apron of fat that now hands low on my belly and around over my hip and a wobbled it under my clothes, ad i said, I still have a long way to go, and i cannot do it on my own, and that is why I am here. ~ Oh and I waffle too much. “

Phew... glad that is over. I did say too much

I didn’t even hear what the rest of the group said about themselves, I think I was feeling a little embarrassed that i had said so much.

I do recall the fist people in the group telling quite a bit of information about themselves, health, injuries, work, and I had felt I needed to say what I did.

I know one of the men in the group, made me laugh, instead of saying he was back for another session, he called himself, ‘a repeat offender’J.

I turned out that only I and one other person was in the extreme measures course for the first time.   I knew that the previous extreme measures courses had been six weeks long and a couple of the previous participants voiced concern at the extra two weeks and the additional $100. cost for these two weeks as they said, they had been very tired by the end of 6 weeks.  I also heard from listening to this introduction that 50% of the participants in the previous extreme measures sessions drop out by mid way through. One of these participants was back again after having dropped out the previous session due to injuries and she and was striving to become slimmer in time for her wedding in April.  Some participants said they were here ‘for the challenge’, some related the extreme Measures to doing, ‘evening boot camp’ and said they were doing it instead of doing boot camp because the early evening time slot was superior to them than the thought of getting out of bed to exercise at dawn in the boot camp. 

The trainers spoke only briefly about weight loss and it became evident that weight loss was not a priority. Fitness was the objective of the Extreme Measures and if the participants were overweight, the trainers would be looking for centimetres lost and reminding us that muscle weighs heavier than fat. They said one of the participants last time lost 35 cm but only 25 gram over six weeks (I think were the statistics).  They said that weighing in would be optional, they did it but they did not want to see people ‘doing their heads in’, and becoming discourages over the results on the scales when we would all be building muscle as we were going to be worked, very hard.

They said it would be fun, they would make it fun, but we were going to be pushed (according to our ability), and we would be encouraged to work hard.

The main trainer said she wants to speak to me more about my past injuries and I have of course filled in a form which states that I have osteoporosis and mild blood pressure and I also handed in a doctors certificate saying I am approved to do this course and I’ve made it clear, I will work to my own abilities and be listening to my body.