Getting fit and staying healthy!

[Jenee]

It's bathing suit season again

I thought this might be a good place to exchange ideas about getting and staying healthy- swap work-out tips, recipes, support each other, etc. I personally don't enjoy going to the gym much, so if anyone has a more creative way of staying in shape, share it pllleeeaaaassseee!

One thing my sister does is to substitute this stuff called 'egg beaters' for real eggs when she cooks. No idea what it is, but it is apparently healthier.

[Lila the Flirt]

 

Swim Jen! Swim!

Swimming is my exercise. That and riding horses but I haven't ridden in a while. In fact, I haven't swam in a while too so I guess erm, just eat less? 

[Jenee]

How does riding horses keep you fit? Pardon my ignorance, but doesn't the horse do all the work!?

[Lila the Flirt]

  Well yes but one has to be in proper posture whilst riding and that's hard work!

I guess staying fit whilst riding is an afterthought. One can't ride with a potbelly - the poor horse!


Okay well never mind. Don't listen to me. I'm just 

[Jenee]

The poor horse indeed!!

[Orchid]

How does riding horses keep you fit? Pardon my ignorance, but doesn't the horse do all the work!?

  Touché!

It does keep you fit though ...rising trots help tone the butt and thighs and cantering at high speed does offer a mild to moderate cardio workout (i.e. you get out of breath ). Like Lila said, it helps with posture and helps strengthen and stabilise the core. Failing that, just groom the beast. It tones the upper arms a treat!

I'm a bit of a fitness fanatic. I run everyday, do lunges, squats and tae bo. But I think the best way to keep fit is on a trampoline. It's fun yet it targets all the best places - especially your abs! All that said, I haven't worked out properly in a while. Since I've been recovering from that spell of ill health I've been limited to how much I can physically do before I get tired, so I need to get back on track soon. Can't wait to start running properly again.

Has anyone tried those MBT toning trainers? I was thinking of getting a pair but I'm not sure how effective they are.

[Jenee]

Not sure I've heard of those Orchid. Can you describe them? (perhaps we just don't have them here)

I would never have thought of using a trampoline! I do wish I had a larger backyard, because that sounds like a lot of fun!!

I've been trying to get my hands on a Mediterranean cookbook as I've heard good things about Med cuisine and its health properties. But there are so many different ones out there, I'm not sure what to buy. Ideas anyone?

[Lila the Flirt]

Really! The trampoline? I thought that was just all fun

Yoga is great - heard lots of amazing things with yoga, I can't do it though. I simply cannot keep still.

What about spinning?

[Jenee]

I tried yoga once. I thought it was terribly boring!!

[Gwendolyn]

I'd never have thought of a trampoline either, but it sounds like fun.  Also fun are weighted hula hoops.  I bought a length of PVC tubing from a nursery/gardening store, filled it with water and taped it together, and it works really well.  Still though, my usual routine consists of running with 2 lb weights (not in a gym... hate running like a mouse to nowhere) and swimming, and I'm a NYC Ballet Workout devotee.  It's unbelievable.

I've heard really good things about Mediterranean diets too.  Following the Mediterranean food pyramid is supposed to be a lot better for your heart.  Unfortunately, I don't know of any good cookbooks that are worth the purchase price.  The Culinaria series (Italy and Spain especially) are good books, but hardly worth the hefty price tag.  I'd try browsing the web for good recipes.  I like epicurious.com and foodnetwork.com.

[ice queen]

Exercise 5 times a week for 30 minutes (cardio at the gym or jogging/walking) burns 1500 calories/wk, helps you lose about 5 lbs in 2 wks; if you also cut out sugars and foods high in fat. Eat 3 meals a day (a large breakfast, small lunch, and large dinner). Do not eat after 8pm. Stay away from any kind of carbonated soft drinks (unless they are diet/sugar free), drink lots of water, try to stay away from foods with lots of carbs (i.e. breads), eat lots of veggies and fruits, eat SLOW and try to do half-portions. Those are all my tips!

[Orchid]

Not sure I've heard of those Orchid. Can you describe them? (perhaps we just don't have them here)

This is them: http://www.swissmasai.co.uk/ ...they're super ugly but claim to work wonders on toning, calorie loss, posture and core stability. I bought a pair yesterday. They aren't exactly cheap at £159 but I'm willing to give them a go. I'd rather be "unknowingly" working out my abs, butt and thighs while popping to the shops, walking around and grabbing a coffee than wearing ordinary shoes and "wasting" my time

Re: the med diet. There are lots of books available, but i don't know of any particuarly great ones. But it's all about basic fresh ingredients isn't it? So olive oils, fresh herbs, roasted and raw vegetables, fruits, dairy; that sort of thing. I suppose it's nutritionally healthy but it seems quite high carb with all the fruits, vege's, pasta, breads, dairy etc.  I'm more of a high protein, low carb eater. You'll have to let me know how you get on with it Jenee.

Really! The trampoline? I thought that was just all fun

  ....it's actually pretty effective. I'm converted. My abs are very toned, but ten minutes on the trampoline and I'm aching the next morning. More so than after a run or targeted ab work. And it does WONDERS for keeping the butt firm and perky ...I read that 10 minutes on a trampoline is equivalent to 30 minutes jogging at a quick pace.

...and I'm a NYC Ballet Workout devotee.  It's unbelievable.

Me too! Your the only person I know that does it!  It was daunting when I first started (my god, was it daunting ) but it yields amazing results. I've never been so flexible as the past two years since I''ve been doing it! Have you invested in the dance pumps as well Gwendolyn?

[Jenee]

Exercise 5 times a week for 30 minutes (cardio at the gym or jogging/walking) burns 1500 calories/wk, helps you lose about 5 lbs in 2 wks; if you also cut out sugars and foods high in fat. Eat 3 meals a day (a large breakfast, small lunch, and large dinner). Do not eat after 8pm. Stay away from any kind of carbonated soft drinks (unless they are diet/sugar free), drink lots of water, try to stay away from foods with lots of carbs (i.e. breads), eat lots of veggies and fruits, eat SLOW and try to do half-portions. Those are all my tips!

Oh, that all sounds like torture!


What is this Ballet thing? I took ballet for a year or two in high school and l loved it (plus I was in great shape!)

Orchid- those are the strangest shoes I've ever seen!

[ice queen]

It may be torture, but once you get in a routine, its a piece of cake! Take baby steps at first, don't try it all at once. I guarantee you will see results! 

[Jenee]

But I loooove passstttaaa and brreeeaaadddd and I generally don't dine until about 8pm in the evening and I'm totally NOT a runner.... I think I'll stick to the trampoline

[Lila the Flirt]

I think I'll give the trampoline a shot too. It's fun and keeps you fit. There is no better way!


Ick! Damn ugly shoes Orchid!

[Orchid]

Orchid- those are the strangest shoes I've ever seen!

Ick! Damn ugly shoes Orchid!

you two make me laugh. Well, I did warn you they were ugly (you didn't have to click on the link and look ), but sometimes you have to make compromises for a great bod and at least they'll keep my butt perky  

[sillyjobug]

I have to disagree with sprint. Unless you do your major workout in the evening, then a large dinner is the last thing you should be having. Moderate breakfast, large lunch (so you can burn off those calories during the course of your day) and a small dinner. That's actually the more common way of eating in Europe, especially the Med (at least that's what they claim), and it's much healthier. Since most people aren't hugely active after dinner, a large dinner will just sit there are become fat. But a large lunch you can burn the calories over the course of a normal, reasonably active day.

And also, there's no reason to cut out anything from your diet. You just need the right proportions of protein, fat, carbs, etc. It's something like a 2:1:1 ratio of protein:fat:carbs that's best I believe.

Now, if only I could follow all this fitness advice that I know so well....

But I AM getting a trampoline. I had such fun playing on one this past weekend, and to learn it's viable exercise... wonderful!

[ice queen]

You don't have to cut out carbs completely, just try to stay away from foods that are high in carbs. Same goes for foods that are high in fat. I'm just going from my own personal experience. Everyone is different and should follow what best suits their lifestyle. I do not claim to be any sort of expert in fitness and health, but I do read a lot and know what works for me.

Here's an article about eating a large breakfast (which works for me as it keeps me full and gives me energy throughout the day).

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/17/health/webmd/main4188250.shtml

And as to the large dinner - I do 30 minutes cardio right after work before I eat dinner.

Tip #5
Exerise, exercise, exercise! Exercise increases your metabolism and burning off excess fat. When is the best time to exercise? Our metabolism slows down about 8 hours after we wake up, so 30 minutes of exercise in the evening, before dinner will increase your metabolism for about two to three more hours just when it was starting to slow down. This produces a significant increase in fat burned off, even after the exercise is over.

http://www.healthyweightforum.org/eng/weight_loss_tips/

[sillyjobug]

Fair enough, sprint. Like I said, it depends on the individual's inclinations to exercise. If you're going to work out around dinner time, then a large-ish (but still well-balanced) dinner is fine. I feel like most people don't do that, though. Of course, I totally blew off my own advice today by eating a bowl a Special K for breakfast and no lunch, but oh well...that's what life's like at my job. But I'll have a yummy sandwich and salad for dinner, so that'll be fine.

[Jenee]

I usually work out after work, so around 4-4:30ish PM... so perhaps a larger dinner wouldn't be such a huge problem, but I'd probably get in shape faster if I just had a light snack mid-afternoon and then a normal sized dinner. To be honest, I'm not so much worried about the amount of food that I eat, because I don't eat much, but I eat a lot of junk. My boyfriend is trying to cook healthier meals, but he still uses a lot of heavy cream and salt and stuff. But it tastes soooooo gooooood

[sillyjobug]

I am trying so hard not to snack right now but I'm SOOOOO hungry. My own fault, of course, for not eating at lunch, but god they serve such crap at the camp I work at. I'm flabbergasted that nobody else ever complains, but I guess none of them can cook like I can. Honestly, they should've hired me as the chef rather than a counselor. At least we'd be eating well.

[sillyjobug]

Okay, now I'm in a foul mood. Somehow I've gained ten pounds, at least according to my scale. That doesn't even seem possibly. Can someone even gain ten pounds in a months? It seems like that would require a LOT more junk food than I've been eating lately. In fact... I've been eating better than I have in years. How could I gain weight? I eat reasonably healthily, and not too much. My job IS exercise.  I should have lost weight, not gained it. UGH! I hate my life.

[Stix Chix]

^its probably just water weight.  i've heard of models and wrestlers who sit in sweat rooms for hours to lose weight before matches or photoshoots.  apparently it all comes back once you drink anything.  also depending on the "time of the month" you weigh yourself you can get all sort of weird results.


does anyone have any really tasty yet healthy recipes to share?  

[flour]

If you upped the amount of exercise you have been doing then some of the weight gain could be attributed to muscle gain. Muscle=heavier than fat