Better Body Goals-Accountability Thread

[AniaR]

Yeah doctors just keep saying keep working out. Toning my belly is low on their priority lok

[Rogue Siren]

Have you tried planking?


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[Mermaid Nessie]

Consider yourself lucky that your country gives you free food at school at all :P

I don't get free food. I pay almost $3000 a semester for food.

[Mermaid Nessie]

Aww that's hard. Do you have a dorm kitchen or something? I bailed on the meal hall in my 2nd year and lived off of frozen veggies and anything I could cook in 2 pots and a frying pan. I also had a hot plate–which was illegal in my dorm but I used it anyway. A couple of friends got together with me and we would do dinner nights a couple times a week, rotating who got to cook, and car-pooled to the grocery store.

No dorm kitchen and hot plates are completely banned. There's no place to even safely use a hot plate even if I wanted to bend the rules.

[Rivertee]

Sorry it's been a while Firstly thank you mers for your support ^.^ I've still not lost any more weight but I haven't gained any either so hurrah!

Secondly Raina what has always worked for me (even now it's helping) is the crunch cheating movements. Basically I lay on a big ball and roll my body with it (usually while chasing my 2 year old around) but it works those tummy muscles and tightens the little pouches. I'm no longer fat and flabby I'm just chubby and round lol. I think it'll be easy on your back and if you only do a little a day it shouldn't irritate anything. Just a thought ^.^

Coradin you look amazingly well in that photo but I understand the discomfort of feeling bloaty. Just a little nutrition tip I learned in college, salad with JUST vinegar before and after exercising. No cheese, or meats just veggies and like an apple cider vinegar. Usually works for me when I swim.

Thanks again guys looking forward to everyone's changes in the new year!

[Mermaid Kelda]

I don't get free food. I pay almost $3000 a semester for food.
Ah, yes, but we pay $3000 and have to survive on 2 minute noodles and pizza coupons :P

Student life tends to suck in most countries. I guess we can be thankful that we get to go to school at all!

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Nessie, that sucks. I guess the best you may be able to do is organize something to try to get healthier food options in the dining halls. Not a quick fix though. And there's only so much you can cook in a coffee pot, and most of that is not very healthy anyway.

Raina, I don't know if this is helpful, and I don't know much about your health issues and what specifically it means to you— you know about that– but could it be possible that you may have over-trained your abs a bit and they're not able to properly recover? I know I overtrained in climbing, and didn't have enough recovery time between sessions, so my muscles just kept getting broken down, but not built back up. That can still leave muscle, but it doesn't feel toned. It sounds like with what you have to deal with, there would be a very delicate balance between recovery and losing muscle. And the symptoms of over-training are very much like symptoms you'd already have from other things, so it would be hard to tell.

If it's something like your body has just adjusted to the exercise you're getting, then it's good that you're doing yoga too. That might be enough to switch things up and get your body out of being energy efficient, if that makes sense.

[Coradion]

A lot of these are good points that everyone made about fitness. I've found with the majority of the people I've trained that the biggest barrier they have to overcome are their personal excuses. I don't let my acrobatics students say "I can't" unless there is a true medical reason making them physically incapable like a torn muscle. You can always try. If you are not mixing cardio with resistance training you are unlikely to look toned. Cardio means an hour and fifteen minute minimum three times a week. You must have an elevated heart rate if you want it to count, walking, hula hooping, etc is not good cardio and you don't start real weight loss until the 45 min mark.

[Coradion]

You need resistance training too, I was a competitive swimmer for thirteen years spending thirty plus hours in the pool every week year round. I was in great cardio shape but I was obese. It wasn't until I started doing resistance training with acrobatics that I actually lost the weight which has been like seventy pounds over the last five years. You have to be self accountable, if you are not committed to it, you won't see the results you want. This thread is about saying what we will do to make the changes that will help us get the fitness we want.

[-Annwyn-]

Raina, have you considered archery, or social dancing?

[AniaR]

I'm not really making excuses at all, I'm giving context. I do have medical reason why I can't reach the same level other people can. It's a fact, that I have accepted. but I am still trying to work around it the best I can. Hence why I am asking people for suggestions of new things to try since clearly my usual routine is no longer effective in the slightest. I'll take the suggestion for cardio but I was given the 30 minute mark by my doctor, physio therapist, and personal trainer. 30 minutes a day of cardio is also what's recommended by the canadian health board as a standard. I certainly do try to push past it as frequently as I can and while still doing 30 minutes I've managed to lose close to 20lbs now. Im not so concerned about losing weight. I hit my target goal, and I am maintaining it. It's healthy within my BMI as well. 30 minutes is the minimum I do for working cardio machines every second day. That doesn't include the 2 hours of rigorous non-mermaid swimming ever week, or the 1-5 hours of mermaid swimming per week. Trying to train through illness isn't quite the same as training through being uncomfortable, or training through expected levels of pain etc. Pushing myself too hard could mean a week unable to walk. It's a delicate balance. It's not an excuse, it's a reality. I don't have these grand expectations of being ripped. But if I can prevent this from getting worse and even slightly improve it from what it is now it'll make me feel a lot better about myself in terms of both looks, but also knowing I am doing everything I can to sustain the muscle.


Raina, I don't know if this is helpful, and I don't know much about your health issues and what specifically it means to you— you know about that– but could it be possible that you may have over-trained your abs a bit and they're not able to properly recover? I know I overtrained in climbing, and didn't have enough recovery time between sessions, so my muscles just kept getting broken down, but not built back up. That can still leave muscle, but it doesn't feel toned. It sounds like with what you have to deal with, there would be a very delicate balance between recovery and losing muscle. And the symptoms of over-training are very much like symptoms you'd already have from other things, so it would be hard to tell.

If it's something like your body has just adjusted to the exercise you're getting, then it's good that you're doing yoga too. That might be enough to switch things up and get your body out of being energy efficient, if that makes sense.

That's an interesting point I haven't thought of. A lot of what i'm reading online says "abs start in the kitchen." but seriously if I cut out anymore foods I'll have nothing left to eat lol. I know I can't do some magical movement that will work it all. I seem to be getting the sides really well just not the front. I had the overtraining issue when I was re learning how to walk and my legs weren't building any muscle. And my activity level has gone up in the past 2 months so you know that's actually a really smart point. I was sitting a lot before too cuz I was writing the book and doing a lot of admin stuff for the company. Now I'm spending most of the day moving, lifting, and on my feet or in the water. I'll admit I am not sleeping well too. It never even occurred to me all that could play a role. D'oh!


Have you tried planking?

Yes. I am terrible at it. But I try everyday anyway hahaha. I seem to do better in the yoga environment than at home for some reason. I think because they're so good at distracting you with guided imagery lol. But yes I do work hard to try and get better at planks. I just suck at them... for now ;) I know you can do a plank crunch and I am hoping once I can plank a little longer to try that.


I'm curious what other people's go to machines, methods, and movements are for their abs? Do you try all those fancy ab machines at the gym? Do crunches and variations? Weight balls? Or the workout balls like suggested? I've read about cable rotation too and I've watched a few video clips of it but not sure about getting the technique right. Anyone try that? (I had good success with a lot of cable related workout back when I had a personal trainer, but they were always making sure I wasn't compensating too much with my hips)

[AniaR]

Raina, have you considered archery, or social dancing? Part of dyspraxia is terrible coordination so in an effort to improve it I did actually try dancing! I took Argentinian tango with Sean. And spent 3 years in the first level hahahaha. Suffice to say I am a terrible dancer. I enjoyed the social aspect of it but I'll admit after 3 years it started making me feel really bad I couldn't advance. I have thought about trying zumba (I know, sounds so cliched) but I've seen there are good beginner classes and the movements seem pretty simple and more like aerobics. Now that I had that pop into my head I'm curious what others think of it? It might be a good way to help add extra cardio and maybe improve the motor stuff end of things...

[-Annwyn-]

Part of dyspraxia is terrible coordination so in an effort to improve it I did actually try dancing! I took Argentinian tango with Sean. And spent 3 years in the first level hahahaha. Suffice to say I am a terrible dancer. I enjoyed the social aspect of it but I'll admit after 3 years it started making me feel really bad I couldn't advance. I have thought about trying zumba (I know, sounds so cliched) but I've seen there are good beginner classes and the movements seem pretty simple and more like aerobics. Now that I had that pop into my head I'm curious what others think of it? It might be a good way to help add extra cardio and maybe improve the motor stuff end of things...


Zumba is lots of fun, but IMHO Jazzercise is funner :3

[-Annwyn-]

I also have friends who do Kyudo (Japanese Zen Archery).
If you like meditation, keeping fit and looking pretty badass while you do it, I highly recommend it (martial arts are great!) ....oh look there's a group in Halifax...fancy that.... https://www.facebook.com/pages/Halifax-Meditation-Kyudo-Group-Kozan-Iba/112693682167301

[AniaR]

that looks so neat thanks!!! Might help me improve hand eye coordination which is also something I struggle with as part of dyspraxia (if you cant tell by the constant typos lol)

[PearlieMae]

Check at your pool, there's a water Zumba class art mine and its awesome!

[AniaR]

Haha see some things seem so obvious after the fact lol

[Coradion]

Pick something and commit to it. Talking doesn't tone.

[AniaR]

Yeah think I'm done with this thread. I was coming for ideas and techniques so thanks to everyone who gave me that. Didn't realize I had to come in already knowing what would be a good idea and state it is what I'm committing to. Don't really see responses like that to other people. Insanity is quoted as being defined as doing the same behavior over and over while expecting a different result. That's what I'm stuck in with my fitness. So hence asking for ideas. You can't even give me a few hours to gain some ideas and replies before accusing me of making excuses and not commiting. Not an attitude I appreciate.

Now thanks to Jaffa, annwyn and Pearlie I have some new things to try and perhaps after trying them I will commit to the one that seems best fit to me and my needs. A few people with similar issues saw my post here and messaged me on fb some ideas for getting through the wall too. So thanks folks. Good luck on your fitness journey too

[Mermaid Harmony]

25994 A picture of before when I worked out a couple times a week and swam
25992 Last summer when I was working out a little
25993 A few months ago
I have a couple other photos I was trying to upload to show a better before and after. This Spring I decided to start going more hardcore I started a weight lifting class twice a week and zumba a couple times a week, this fall I started lifting 4 times a week with mermaid storm. My arms have both lost an inch, I've lost an inch on my waist, and everything else has toned up, I also started watching what I eat, although anyone who knows me, knows I love bagels, but I'm super stoked with my new progress and am gonna keep working to keep toning up. Raina, I don't have your same problem, but spot treating never helped me, but doing lifting and and cardio helped everything tone up including my abs. :-) I guess I should also mention that I lost 6 pounds as well, I'll post a picture soon of my new semi abs :-) Yay obliques! Although they never look as good in pictures as they are in real lie :-/

[Mermaid Jaffa]

You're welcome Raina and good luck in your exercise endeavours, hope you find the right one for you!

My attempts at row boat exercise turned into sit ups after I watched somebody else on the row boat machine, I was so daunted... They has muscles and everything! Scrawny me has nothing so I chickened out and do sit ups at home!

Coradion, not everyone is in the same level of health and fitness as YOU. To say that one is not trying hard enough isn't fair. Though we all try our best, sometimes the results we get are not what we hoped for or it takes much longer to achieve.

[Merman Arion]

Hi guys,
I haven't posted here much since a while :)
For anyone still doubting the butt/squat challenge, it works if you really commit to the rules. The motivation is the key and so is the patience. You won't get results in a day or two, more like in the following months. As for me, I like where it's going. Here is the progress pictures of my butt, if it's too offensive for you, I will take them down.


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[Mer-Crazy]

Dat ass :O Love your work Arion <3

[Merman Arion]

Pick something and commit to it. Talking doesn't tone.

@Coradion

NOT COOL man. You better shup up when you can not say something nice.
My advice is to stop giving attitude when Raina is involved. That's personal attacking as you never said anything like that to anyone but to her.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Ohhh... Its that sexy young man's butt again!

[Coradion]

You're welcome Raina and good luck in your exercise endeavours, hope you find the right one for you!

My attempts at row boat exercise turned into sit ups after I watched somebody else on the row boat machine, I was so daunted... They has muscles and everything! Scrawny me has nothing so I chickened out and do sit ups at home!

Coradion, not everyone is in the same level of health and fitness as YOU. To say that one is not trying hard enough isn't fair. Though we all try our best, sometimes the results we get are not what we hoped for or it takes much longer to achieve.


I think I need to share a bit more about why I made this thread.

I was obese. I hated my body, I hated myself for letting myself get to where I was. As a gay teenager being that fat was hell. Trying to figure yourself out when people cut you down non-stop is awful. I always tried to find a reason to justify it. Stuff like Hawai'ians in general store fat better than other ethnic groups so I would say it until I believed it. It was a hard many year long experience before I came to realize that while I may have genetic predispositions towards being heavy, my body is under my control and nobody but me can change it. It wasn't easy, sometimes it hurt, I had to give up a lot to get to where I am now, but every time I stepped on the scale and it was just a bit lighter it meant the world to me.

I made this thread to really support those people who are making those gains a little bit at a time. Like Dottie's progress posts make me so proud and I've never even met her. Progress pictures are so awesome because it's your way of seeing the difference you make for yourself all those times you choose a healthier option, be it saying no to a dessert or committing to a workout instead of switching on Netflix. I understand that not everyone is at my level of fitness and I still have a long way to go on my own journey. I can still give myself more. I know I sometimes cheat at my workouts or don't go as often as I should. I know that if I cut out alcohol and refined sugars from my diet I'll get to my goals even faster, but hell sometimes I want wine and a cookie.

What I'm saying is that as someone who teaches introductory acrobatics classes twice a week. I see a lot of the "I'm trying my best, I'm not able to do the workout because of reason X." That type of mentality is the death of progress and at least where I work it has to be nipped in the butt or all parties involved won't be happy. As a trainer I am supposed to push my students, being at a certain level of discomfort when you workout is where you make gains. The studio I work at has multiple dietitians, personal trainers, and instructors of various circus arts. None of us or our intermediate and advanced students got to where we are fitness-wise by dipping our toes in the water. If you want the to see changes you have to make them happen and a lot of the time it won't be comfortable, it won't be easy, and for some people it is going to be unfairly harder because you may be working with natural disadvantages. I acknowledge this, but I also know based on my own experiences and the journeys of my students that it is doable if you not just want it but work for it.

Here's some of my fitness journey.



2008 I was still obese at 250 pounds. I'd been hovering around the 247 pound mark for a couple months, the day I hit 250 I knew I had to change.


https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/1923257_1208337332952_385646_n.jpg?oh=32ec41109371 c3ca25cf524e765057bf&oe=554211D2&__gda__=1430418489_34b2a3e896a91af28253d53e194ea99 5



2009-2010 I started changing my diet, cut out dairy and most sweets although I did drink kind of a lot. I started Chinese pole acrobatics this year and dropped to about 215 pounds. This is still overweight for my height. Yes, I know BMI is flawed but it was still the benchmark I made for myself. "Normal" weight for my height is roughly 184 pounds.

https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/30124_1499248605552_7470352_n.jpg?oh=a44ffe3b5bdbc 079bb5ec05cfff58846&oe=55060E50



2011 I was only working out sporadically. I hit a plateau at about 195-200 pounds. Still overweight.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/299583_2512284570818_1817967713_n.jpg?oh=bff116b4a 41ec6c0ccf0741c1480639c&oe=5544D7B3&__gda__=1430364026_148c1b6dd3d0b7ba23ffc6dba0d98be f




2013 I actually gained weight and was at about 205 pounds at the start of the year.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/1512689_10153608308995142_1044134673_n.jpg?oh=3e29 c7262872e917ebd4d0112c4188b0&oe=5506FAFF&__gda__=1426819872_c4b62f9d27f6ea69076fbabff65dbfa 4



2014 I got serious about my body again and realized despite having lost about 50 pounds I wasn't where I wanted to be. A friend opened up a new acro studio and I started kicking my ass in gear. Any free afternoon, night, or morning I had I walked three miles to the studio and worked out until I was happy, then walked home. I dropped to 170 pounds at one point.

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While I have actually gained weight again and am around 185 I am much more toned and my weight gain is muscle primarily in my upper body. I am in the studio a minimum of three times a week and do two to four hours of working out each time. My days in between are my rest and recovery.

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[Coradion]

@Coradion

NOT COOL man. You better shup up when you can not say something nice.
My advice is to stop giving attitude when Raina is involved. That's personal attacking as you never said anything like that to anyone but to her.

@Arion, Raina is on my ignore list and has been for over a year. I choose to keep her posts hidden.

[OceanWhisper]

25994 A picture of before when I worked out a couple times a week and swam
25992 Last summer when I was working out a little
25993 A few months ago
I have a couple other photos I was trying to upload to show a better before and after. This Spring I decided to start going more hardcore I started a weight lifting class twice a week and zumba a couple times a week, this fall I started lifting 4 times a week with mermaid storm. My arms have both lost an inch, I've lost an inch on my waist, and everything else has toned up, I also started watching what I eat, although anyone who knows me, knows I love bagels, but I'm super stoked with my new progress and am gonna keep working to keep toning up. Raina, I don't have your same problem, but spot treating never helped me, but doing lifting and and cardio helped everything tone up including my abs. :-) I guess I should also mention that I lost 6 pounds as well, I'll post a picture soon of my new semi abs :-) Yay obliques! Although they never look as good in pictures as they are in real lie :-/

Awesome Harmony!! :)

[Coradion]

Awesome Harmony!! :)


Right!? I've been friends with Harmony since she first got a tail and she's changed a lot. That is definitely a hot piece of tail.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Oh. So its my way or the highway huh?

Raina asked for help not a lecture.

[Mermaid Kelda]

I think Raina made it very clear just how hard she was trying. It's depressing to try and try and try and not get any results. She posted here asking for help and ideas and help with achieving her goals other than just "try harder lol".

[AniaR]

Thanks guys. I am proud of you harmony you look great!

I am missing a key component. Its not an excuse it is reality. If I was missing a leg but wanting to run and asking for help getting around it you wouldn't say try harder. If cardio gave me asthma attacks and I was asking for alternatives you wouldn't say try harder.

I can't really try harder. All I can do is try different, and try more efficiently. I will always be sick there are no cures for my illnesses. But that doesn't mean I can't try the best I can anyway right?

I think for me what is frustrating is that what always worked is suddenly not and I'm not sure why. And like I said doctors are more concerned about the bigger picture and could care less if my abs go mushy lol

Thanks for the support and advice. Annwyn I contacted that archery group and they were super nice!!! Sounds like something right up my ally. I'm going to check them out in the new year. Thanks for that. Pearlie I found an aqua zumba class I'm just trying to find a way to budget for the cost. Thanks for that idea too.

Ill keep you posted on my progress in my prof mer thread from now on I think ;) I may not be trying to lose weight but my body and fitness has been a long struggle with many ups and downs. It wasn't that long ago I had to relearn how to walk. I used to tell myself if I could live through that I could live through anything. ;)

[Merman Arion]

I used to do archery when I was younger. It's super fun! I would do it again if I had the time but I prefer to work on my swimming skills. [emoji6]


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[Coradion]

Oh. So its my way or the highway huh?

Raina asked for help not a lecture.

Nope, it's I didn't even read her post. People can and will do whatever they want, and I can only share what worked for me.

[CowgirlMermaid]

Nope, it's I didn't even read her post. People can and will do whatever they want, and I can only share what worked for me.

That's even more rude than your very first comment that you placed.
Not reading what sameone says and still replying with a strory like you know everything?
That's not cool!

(First and last comment in this fuss)

[Mermaid Lunette]

I figured what he meant by "didn't read her posts" and "she's on my ignore list" actually meant he wasn't talking to her at all? And was addressing the group as a whole? (But I am a third party so only he can explain what he did or did not mean.)

[Mermaid Kelda]

Yeah, I'm inclined to agree here, looking back at the posts. It's likely it was very poorly-timed responses by Coradion, who couldn't actually see Raina's posts because he has all her posts blocked. He may have skimmed what he could see of her posts from what other people had quoted, and then posted general posts that weren't 100% topical in terms of the conversation but seemed callous when applied to Raina's posts.

I do hope this was a misunderstanding. They happen so often and I hate when bad blood rises because of it. :(

[Rivertee]

Curiosity how does Archery help?

[Mermaid Kelda]

Archery is all about core body strength. Working with recurve bows helps a lot with resistance training, is a sort of weight lifting in itself, and really works your core because you have to stand still while pulling and holding pounds and pounds of weight before loosing the arrow. As opposed to compound bows where you pull it a certain distance and then the bow itself holds the string for you, sort of. Though that can be good too, so if you need to work up your strength you can rest for a little.

Plus throughout the whole thing you have to be calm and centred. It's like meditation crossed with weight lifting, haha.

[PhaylennMurúch]

Raina, have you thought about some prenatal/postnatal workout DVDs? They're really good about working with your core gently and building up from having nothing (10 months of stretching those muscles is brutal) and having no sense of balance.


Sent from my Shellphone using Tapatalk

[Mermaid Harmony]

As someone who likes and respects both Coradion and Raina, I know that Coradion feels very strongly about taking action when you want to see results and the way he got fit was constantly pushing himself, not everyone is like that, or feels motivated that way. I think with the quoted bubbles he did read, made it seem more about her illness than of fitness, as she was posting for new ideas and not the progress part. Coradion types succinctly which can come off harsh at times, but I know his motive for this thread is for people to keep working for their results. Raina did good by asking for help, I think things just got a little carried away quickly. and yes Coradion has her ignored so he can't actually read her posts, only what people quote in bubbles. Both are awesome people in my mind and let's get back to workout thoughts, and maybe we can do a weekly rate yourself thing, you write your ups and downs, like i worked out x times, I tried something new...on the other hand had 4 bottles of wine...etc. I think everyone is doing great in their fitness, and it takes a while, and everyone is on different journeys, as mermaids we can get passionate very quickly, maybe because sometimes we are judged harshly in the 'real world' let's give some time to breathe, these two haven't really gotten along, but let's chat about weights, sky dancing, swimming, and work outs. Let's please not turn into Tumblr (although I understand why fences of offence went up so quickly). Did everyone take their recommended dose of glitter this morning?

[AniaR]

He quoted my posts by directly referencing points I made eg the amount of time I spend on cardio. And despite having me on his ignore lists he posts in threads I've started all the time lol so not really but oh well. I don't care what he thinks of me its all cool ;) all he has to do to read my threads is click "show spoiler". It's pretty obvious when you look at his post history what he thinks of me, it's not limited to the fitness thread. -_- I was just disappointed because I was actually looking for some ideas. Fitness forums are full of people going on and on about how you have yo keep trying. I got that, thanks. lol now can you give me some actual tips please? Thanks! (p.s thanks for people actually giving me tips ;) )

[AniaR]

Archery is all about core body strength. Working with recurve bows helps a lot with resistance training, is a sort of weight lifting in itself, and really works your core because you have to stand still while pulling and holding pounds and pounds of weight before loosing the arrow. As opposed to compound bows where you pull it a certain distance and then the bow itself holds the string for you, sort of. Though that can be good too, so if you need to work up your strength you can rest for a little.

Plus throughout the whole thing you have to be calm and centred. It's like meditation crossed with weight lifting, haha.

Honestly hand eye coordination is hard for me so i think this would help it too :) I am really excited to try it out in the new year.

[Merley]

Most of the time I just lurk on this thread since I have been beyond lazy lately and don't have much to contribute other than cries that I've gained weight due to said laziness, but I have to agree with Harmony. I don't really think Coradion was trying to single anyone out, even if it appears that way. As someone who also knows him personally I know he has a lot of will power and tries to instill that 'no excuses' type of behavior into others--not because he's trying to bring anyone down, but rather the opposite. He's so sure that people have the power within themselves to change if they work hard because he did it himself and continues to persevere every day he works closer to his goal. I would have to agree with him as far as pushing your limits goes. When I was in what I'd consider good shape I had gotten myself unaddicted to junk food (something that isn't true presently and is a hard cycle to break once you've been eating poorly for awhile), I was also chugging lots of water every day; another feat that seems impossible right now as I hate drinking water as opposed to soda or some other tasty yet terrible for you soft drinks, but mostly during that time I was a full time student taking morning classes and night classes while walking about 10 miles a day when I got out after at 8. I don't even recognize that person now, physically or mentally. I just can't get into that mindset right now. My motivation isn't anywhere near where it used to be, though finally getting my Merbellas is going to change that..once the holidays are over and I indulge in some good ol' fashioned over eating. :)

Regardless, everyone is different and what works for one person might not work for someone else as we all have different body types, individual strengths and weaknesses, workout preferences, as well as things we enjoy and don't enjoy doing in terms of exercise. Sometimes we get overly ambitious, at least that's what happened to me--two different times now--and our workout routines become too much to maintain over time and we fall out of the routine.

Earlier this year I went to the gym at least 5 days a week for 3 hours and was taking pole classes with Coradion, which I admit was excessive, but at the time I was all about it. But as time went on with moving, being short on transportation and being further away from the places where I'd work out (no parking, etc.) it became more difficult to keep to it. Even though I've gained a considerable amount of weight since my gym rat days (20 lbs, ye gods!) I know I have the power to take my life back and get control over my body. But it isn't easy to do. Like most things in life, the hardest part is showing up, then committing. For the most part once I get to the gym, I accept I'm there and I'll do my workout, but the hardest part is actually getting myself to go there when I can be at home watching Netflix or taking a nap. What once worked in the past might not work in the present and vice versa. I know at least for me, that I have to find a new balanced workout regimen, one I can realistically upkeep if I plan to see results and adjusting my poor eating habits is definitely part of that list.

No one is saying to push yourself to the point where your health suffers, especially if you have a preexisting medical condition that interferes with your workouts, but rather to make them count no matter what you do. I think Coradion's response might have come off a little callous, but that's just because he has a lot of will power so he believes everyone else can do the same. I know I also do that sometimes. I believe that because I can do something, anyone else can, mostly because I think I'm not that special. So if I can do it, why couldn't someone else?

In response to your desire for possible solutions Raina, working out might only be part of the solution, as someone who says you've already cut out many foods from your diet maybe upping how much water you drink might be helpful. Although I'd venture to guess you already drink plenty of it. Just a suggestion. It certainly made a huge difference as far as improved aesthetic results (clearer skin, more muscle tone) and overall health (I was hydrated and feeling really good) when I was drinking a lot of water.

I hope people in the future won't take so much offense to Coradion's commitment to fitness. He only wants to see people be the best they can be so they can reach the point where they feel good about themselves. He understands that, and as a former and almost current fat kid, I get that too. I know he has nothing but love for everyone here. He's a stand up guy and a kickass merman with more dedication than the average mer. <3

[SeaGlass Siren]

WELL back on topic, hubby says my thighs are getting thinner... my tuna belly on the otherhand.....

[Mermaid Jaffa]

WELL back on topic, hubby says my thighs are getting thinner... my tuna belly on the otherhand.....
My tuna belly is bigger than yours.

[SeaGlass Siren]

We both might have to start wearing corsets.

[Miyu]

Okay, so I have a question: What cardio exercises are good for someone who has asthma? You say it needs to be well over an hour of cardio workout, but what cardio should I do if I have both asthma and a heart condition, along with bad knees (thanks to genetics)? Not trying to make excuses, but instead trying to find actual things I can actually do without sending me to the hospital. I really do want to work out but don't fancy passing out after 20 min of cardio.

I have no equipment, absolutely no access to gym, and it's dangerous to run on my road because there are logging rucks barrelling around corners at all hours of the day/night. I'm looking for things I can do at home with zero money spent. If I can find some decent exercises I can handle I'll do them all the time.

Does hardcore hooping for long periods of time work if it's getting your heart rate up? I have a polypro hoop, so it's much lighter and it gets my heart rate up faster than a "regular" adult hoop.


Arion, you are my complete inspiration for the squats challenge. May I ask which program in particular you use? How long do you hold your squats? Right now I've been just doing squat-till-i-drop, then doing other exercises, and coming back several times throughout the day to do more squats. A lot of the squat challenges start off with too few squats for me, but then I squat on a regular basis doing everyday things anyways.

I've gotten much better about turning down food. I've started to get out of the mentality that I should eat everything in front of me because I could starve - I spent too long wondering where my next meal was coming from; now I thankfully have food stamps so I always have quality food around. As for desserts... Yeah I love candy and cake, but I buy it a lot less now and have turned to making my own frozen pumpkin/peanut butter greek yogurt and soy-nog chia pudding; I use healthy sweeteners such as natural maple syrup and local honey; I buy things organically whenever I can. I probably should Really watching my diet has helped immensely. Maybe I'll dig out my old photos for comparison. In the meantime, however, I'm still on the hunt for a decent workout that won't literally kill me.

[SeaMansa]

Oooh, so I learned something new and awesome today. I had no idea archery was, well, good for the bod :P my college is going to be offering an archery course next year or so I was told. I know we used to have it in the past but I think they took it away after..."incidents" >> If they bring it back DEFINETLY signing up for it.

[AniaR]

Okay, so I have a question: What cardio exercises are good for someone who has asthma? You say it needs to be well over an hour of cardio workout, but what cardio should I do if I have both asthma and a heart condition, along with bad knees (thanks to genetics)? Not trying to make excuses, but instead trying to find actual things I can actually do without sending me to the hospital. I really do want to work out but don't fancy passing out after 20 min of cardio. I don't have asthma but my lungs are stunted and make cardio difficult. What I was able to do is have my doc assess my cardio limit! I did the whole simpson regime (think x files episode, lol!) wore electrodes on a treadmill for 10 minutes. They tested my breath beforehand, during, and after, tested my heart rate, and my blood pressure. So they helped me determine the window I had to stay within before I would end up with breathing difficulties. Honest to goodness while I can do 30 minutes now, 3 years ago their recommendation was only 10! And each year I've been assessed by my team to go up by 10. I find now I can go 30-45 minutes, occasionally I can do 60. But sometimes I have to put pressure on my throat to keep from coughing. Not the same as asthma but it def gave me a lot of insight. I also find swimming a good cardio and I've read it's good for asthma because the air you breathe in is so moist it cuts back on inflammation in the lungs and throat.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

We both might have to start wearing corsets.

Do they make them in super tuna size?

[Miyu]

Sadly, I also have problems with breathing in the pool air, because of the chlorine content! -_-; It triggers my asthma and it takes so long to calm down long enough to dive beneath the surface much... Working on that issue, because I'm not going to let that stop me - indoor pools are the only swimming available around here a good portion of the year, so I'll take it where I can get it!

I'm hoping the underwater MP3 player will help calm me mentally, since I know a lot of my asthma+swimming problems is related to mental issues - anxiety or something. I'm also working on acquiring nicotine-free vape "juice" - I found a few places that use mostly soothing botanicals, certified organic, because I have this theory that I could help treat my asthma with some nice herbal vapor, which is mostly going to be moist air with whatever "flavour" I choose... Some of these also contain propylene glycol, which is an ingredient in inhalers, which I suspect will also aid in the opening of my airways.

When I schedule my doctor's appointment, I'll have to see if they can do these tests on me - nothing's been done about my asthma/heart condition since I was 17, when they found out about it, and they weren't very helpful at all. I don't like feeling held back physically when everyone around me thinks I'm in good shape!

[Mermaid Harmony]

I know this is off topic, but I love corsets, I love looking at them, wearing them, etc. I just bought this cool steampunk red one and I"m in love with it.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Okay, so I have a question: What cardio exercises are good for someone who has asthma? You say it needs to be well over an hour of cardio workout, but what cardio should I do if I have both asthma and a heart condition, along with bad knees (thanks to genetics)? Not trying to make excuses, but instead trying to find actual things I can actually do without sending me to the hospital. I really do want to work out but don't fancy passing out after 20 min of cardio.

I have no equipment, absolutely no access to gym, and it's dangerous to run on my road because there are logging rucks barrelling around corners at all hours of the day/night. I'm looking for things I can do at home with zero money spent. If I can find some decent exercises I can handle I'll do them all the time.

Does hardcore hooping for long periods of time work if it's getting your heart rate up? I have a polypro hoop, so it's much lighter and it gets my heart rate up faster than a "regular" adult hoop.


Arion, you are my complete inspiration for the squats challenge. May I ask which program in particular you use? How long do you hold your squats? Right now I've been just doing squat-till-i-drop, then doing other exercises, and coming back several times throughout the day to do more squats. A lot of the squat challenges start off with too few squats for me, but then I squat on a regular basis doing everyday things anyways.

I've gotten much better about turning down food. I've started to get out of the mentality that I should eat everything in front of me because I could starve - I spent too long wondering where my next meal was coming from; now I thankfully have food stamps so I always have quality food around. As for desserts... Yeah I love candy and cake, but I buy it a lot less now and have turned to making my own frozen pumpkin/peanut butter greek yogurt and soy-nog chia pudding; I use healthy sweeteners such as natural maple syrup and local honey; I buy things organically whenever I can. I probably should Really watching my diet has helped immensely. Maybe I'll dig out my old photos for comparison. In the meantime, however, I'm still on the hunt for a decent workout that won't literally kill me.


Yes, hooping counts. If your heart rate is up, it counts. Anyone who says hooping isn't real exercise hasn't been doing it right. For asthma, and for gaining endurance for long cardio workouts, I found that HIIT (high intensity interval training) has been the best discovery for me. If you're not familiar, you go as hard as you can for a short, regular burst, like 30 seconds or one minute, then you recover—go at a moderate pace to catch your breath and lower your heart rate a bit— for 1-2 minutes. Repeat that up to 20 minutes, sometimes 30. It is intense.

Benefits:
1) Your body is confused about whether to be efficient in burning calories, or to go ahead and burn them. It decides to go ahead and keep burning them, and over a very long period of time, hours after your workout.
2) This will boost your metabolism overall, since you'll be burning more calories longer.
3) It will build strength and endurance. You wouldn't think so, but it does.
4) You can pretty much make any activity from weight-lifting, to yoga, swimming, running, and hooping a HIIT activity.

You don't want to do only HIIT. You want either a rest day after or you want to alternate with longer periods of moderate cardio where you just keep your heart rate up for 30+ minutes. It isn't necessary for most people to do cardio for an hour and a half. If you add some HIIT, you're working smarter and not having to go to cardio extremes for the same results. Every body is different, so exact times will vary per body.

When I started losing weight, I was running (with asthma) and the most amount came off when I was inadvertently doing HIIT. I could only run so far before I had to walk, then push it again and repeat.

When I got comfortable and was only running for distance and time, my weight loss stopped. The only difference was the activity I was doing. Upping my speed or distance did nothing to change it. Alternating between hard and moderate made the difference.

If you go on youtube and search for HIIT workouts, you'll find LOTS. I'm sure there's some hooping stuff too.

[AniaR]

Great tips!!!

[Mermaid Harmony]

Hooping seriously...kills me. I can't do it (i'm not very good (yet)) but when I do I feel it. Also, poi spinning is a good workout for your arms, body without getting your breath going hard, but helps hand eye cordination, and your arms will look awesome, I started doing it and I love it, and now I do fire staff spinning and soon fire poi!

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Great tips!!!
Thanks! I hope what helped me will help someone else.


Hooping seriously...kills me. I can't do it (i'm not very good (yet)) but when I do I feel it. Also, poi spinning is a good workout for your arms, body without getting your breath going hard, but helps hand eye cordination, and your arms will look awesome, I started doing it and I love it, and now I do fire staff spinning and soon fire poi!
Fire spinning is amazing. I would totally set myself on fire though. But I want an LED hoop! Or one that looks like it shoots electricity, like a tesla coil. Hmmm. That would be epic.

[Rivertee]

Archery is all about core body strength. Working with recurve bows helps a lot with resistance training, is a sort of weight lifting in itself, and really works your core because you have to stand still while pulling and holding pounds and pounds of weight before loosing the arrow. As opposed to compound bows where you pull it a certain distance and then the bow itself holds the string for you, sort of. Though that can be good too, so if you need to work up your strength you can rest for a little.

Plus throughout the whole thing you have to be calm and centred. It's like meditation crossed with weight lifting, haha.
Oh cool, I just started archery in my Dagorhir group so this.is exciting news thank you

[Merley]

Hooping seriously...kills me. I can't do it (i'm not very good (yet)) but when I do I feel it. Also, poi spinning is a good workout for your arms, body without getting your breath going hard, but helps hand eye cordination, and your arms will look awesome, I started doing it and I love it, and now I do fire staff spinning and soon fire poi!

I can teach you how to hoop :) That's what I do at work. But I do a weird kind of dance hooping though where most hoopers specialize in tricks. I can move around with it and keep it up forever. Spin it down past my knees and back up to my waist. Let me tell you if you do that for an hour or so straight you get pretty tired even if you don't have a weighted hoop.

[Mermaid Harmony]

Merely, I would love that.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Speaking of hooping, I JUST FIGURED OUT HOW TO CHEST HOOP! It's taken me months, and I'm bad at it, but at least I can do it now!

I'm stupid happy about this. Way more happy than with elevators or any other trick I've learned.

[SeaGlass Siren]

@jaffa, yes actually you can get one custom made to your size!
@harmony, did you see the mermaid corset organic armor did for me?? I think you'll love it

[malinghi]

In response to some recent posts that became a bit heated, I just want to remind everyone that if you disagree with someone, be sure to do it respectively.

Remember that harassment is extremely subjective, so if you think something you're going to post could possibly be interpreted as harassment, please play it safe so that we don't need to intervene.

[Miyu]

Thanks for all the info! I think I'll look into some suitable HIIT workouts and add in some other exercises on the "off days" - probably from the hooping.org bikini-body hooping challenge a few years back. Hooping seems to be decent cardio, especially as I get all crazy and "interpretive dance"-y when I'm hooping (I get really into music, okay? I'm the person dancing and singing through the aisles of stores).

I love making hoops :) I've been hooping for years and am not so good with the "tricks" aspect of hoopdance, I kind of... dance with my hoop as a partner? I don't know how to explain it, but it's not "normal" hoopdance, so not likely I'd ever get hired for a show. As for LED hoops, have you guys seen the FutureHoop at moodhoops.com? That is pretty much my dream hoop right now :drool: I also make/spin poi when I can, I usually end up selling whatever poi I make so I don't have a pair right now (I need to remedy that, because it is amazing for my arms).

[-Annwyn-]

Thanks guys. I am proud of you harmony you look great!

I am missing a key component. Its not an excuse it is reality. If I was missing a leg but wanting to run and asking for help getting around it you wouldn't say try harder. If cardio gave me asthma attacks and I was asking for alternatives you wouldn't say try harder.

I can't really try harder. All I can do is try different, and try more efficiently. I will always be sick there are no cures for my illnesses. But that doesn't mean I can't try the best I can anyway right?

I think for me what is frustrating is that what always worked is suddenly not and I'm not sure why. And like I said doctors are more concerned about the bigger picture and could care less if my abs go mushy lol

Thanks for the support and advice. Annwyn I contacted that archery group and they were super nice!!! Sounds like something right up my ally. I'm going to check them out in the new year. Thanks for that. Pearlie I found an aqua zumba class I'm just trying to find a way to budget for the cost. Thanks for that idea too.

Ill keep you posted on my progress in my prof mer thread from now on I think ;) I may not be trying to lose weight but my body and fitness has been a long struggle with many ups and downs. It wasn't that long ago I had to relearn how to walk. I used to tell myself if I could live through that I could live through anything. ;)

My pleasure :) It looks like a really nice dojo, too.

As for me, I'm getting back into fencing after a 5 year break, and it's hurtin'.

[Sammyantha171]

Yes, hooping counts. If your heart rate is up, it counts. Anyone who says hooping isn't real exercise hasn't been doing it right. For asthma, and for gaining endurance for long cardio workouts, I found that HIIT (high intensity interval training) has been the best discovery for me. If you're not familiar, you go as hard as you can for a short, regular burst, like 30 seconds or one minute, then you recover—go at a moderate pace to catch your breath and lower your heart rate a bit— for 1-2 minutes. Repeat that up to 20 minutes, sometimes 30. It is intense.


I never even considered doing HIIT with my hoops before. I'm going to have to try this out for my next workout, this should make everything so much more fun!
Thanks for the idea. :)

[SeaGlass Siren]

Started my second pack of birth controls. Now I reaaaallly feel like shit. I'm gonna ask the doc if I can go back to not taking anything.

[Coradion]

Started my second pack of birth controls. Now I reaaaallly feel like shit. I'm gonna ask the doc if I can go back to not taking anything.

Have you tried papaya or papaya milk? If you just want something that helps with cramping and pain it's supposed to reduce pain a lot.

[SeaGlass Siren]

I haven't, but I'll try it out

[AniaR]

Started my second pack of birth controls. Now I reaaaallly feel like shit. I'm gonna ask the doc if I can go back to not taking anything.

If your main reason for taking birth control is terrible cramps you may have early stage endometriosis. Mine started out like that and gradually over the years got worse and worse. I bounced around from birth control to birth control in the past 10 years and suffered through horrendous side effects. I truley believe most men and many women have no clue how hard birth control can be on your body! doctors do not cover all the side effects when you talk to them and different BC pills can have debilitating affects on different people.

I always felt when I was on BC my weight wouldn't budge and there's a lot of science that backs that up. It can also mess up your digestion, give you cravings, and you can be on the same BC for years and have no problems and then suddenly have problems.

If cramps are the main issue and are horrible without BC, no homeopathic remedy will help if you're at the point that BC is the only reliable means you have of controlling it. It;s hard to get assessed for endo here in Canada :( but it's so incredibly common that they think 80% of women who have bad cramps actually have some form of endo- even if it's only low grade! More and more studies are suggesting it's running rampant. And a huge amount of women who have fertility issues (the majority) have endo and most dont even know it.

I would suggest asking your doc about "visanne". After 10 years of trying to find something with low side effects, that stopped pain, and didn't make me gain a shit load of weight and ruin my body... this has been my miracle drug. It's an endo drug. it's NOT BC it's specifically intended to stop pain in that area. However, it does work similar to BC in that you can't get pregnant while on it. You take it everyday, so you dont get periods while you take it. If you have a good doctor they make let you try it for 3 months. If you feel healthier than ever before, and have no pain at all- chances are you've been battling endo and not knowing it. It honestly changed my life. The only downside is that it's expensive. I don't have insurance so 3 months is over 200$ but if you have insurance you can get it for a fraction of that or maybe your doc will let you have samples. It's easier to go that route than to have a doc check you for actual endo. On average it takes women 8-10 years to figure out if they have or not because the testing measures are either all or nothing. Meaning, do nothing, or let's open you up in surgery and see! It doesnt show up on scans, but you can physically see it in a person's body.

I feel like women don't talk openly enough about how this stuff affects our fitness and our life in general. So we all think everyone else is just magically coping and doing fine. lol when studies show the majority of us aren't. You know in some parts of the world women with bad cramps get 1-2 days a month of menstrual leave from work? like sick leave?

If you wanna talk more about the possibility of endo send me a PM. Mermaid Bonnie has it too and look at the great shape she was able to get into once she figured it out and got the right meds for her! We can talk about your symptoms and see. There are also some really reliable books for that type of pain in general with reliable information that's FDA approved. I know it can be tempting to reach for homeopathic remedies but when you're at the point you're in that much pain, it's not going to do anything for you. They work for people who have the odd bad period maybe once or 2 times a year. Not people who dread every month because of the pain they know they will be experiencing!

[SeaGlass Siren]

Oh I wasn't taking it for my cramps, I'm taking so I don't have kids :P my periods are fine lol!
Now I just noticed that I specifically cramp on occasion when on the first week of birth control.

[AniaR]

well I'll leave my post up because Im sure other girls here struggle with it. There's other options beyond the pill if the side effects are driving you crazy!

[Coradion]

Oh I wasn't taking it for my cramps, I'm taking so I don't have kids :P my periods are fine lol!
Now I just noticed that I specifically cramp on occasion when on the first week of birth control.


Oooh, yeah papaya will not help with that :P it can relieve pain though. Green papaya can be poulticed and saran wrapped to your stomach and you can drink papaya milk, but yeah those kid things. Not gonna do much for that.

[Mermaid Kelda]

Oh I wasn't taking it for my cramps, I'm taking so I don't have kids :P my periods are fine lol!
Now I just noticed that I specifically cramp on occasion when on the first week of birth control.
What's Canada's health care like? Can you just get your bits removed?

[SeaGlass Siren]

Depending which company you work for you gt almost free Health care :P I don't plan on having my lady bits removed tho. That's some invasive surgery :| (but this ain't the thread for that lol unless it does count as a better body goal 0-0)

Since I've been sick a lot (non stop coughing) my abs have been forming. But it hurts so badly.
So I guess my new goal now is to try to feel better rather than look better. That'll come aafter

[Coradion]

Depending which company you work for you gt almost free Health care :P I don't plan on having my lady bits removed tho. That's some invasive surgery :| (but this ain't the thread for that lol unless it does count as a better body goal 0-0)

Since I've been sick a lot (non stop coughing) my abs have been forming. But it hurts so badly.
So I guess my new goal now is to try to feel better rather than look better. That'll come aafter


Swimming can be good for your sinuses, especially warm pools or barium salt/ocean pools.

[SeaGlass Siren]

Not sick anymore ! Yay!
But I did get thin from all the soup I've been having. Hubby said my butt doesn't feel big anymore and my love handles shrunk so much I could feel my hipbone. 0-0

@coradion I'll keep the salt pool in mind the next time I get sick. I just wish I knew where thy would be in Toronto

[Coradion]

Not sick anymore ! Yay!
But I did get thin from all the soup I've been having. Hubby said my butt doesn't feel big anymore and my love handles shrunk so much I could feel my hipbone. 0-0

@coradion I'll keep the salt pool in mind the next time I get sick. I just wish I knew where thy would be in Toronto

Barium salt is an alternative to Chlorine. A lot of pools use it now, just call around.

[Coradion]

Ugh, gotta hit a studio today. I refuse to gain holiday weight.

[Aziara]

Oooh, yeah papaya will not help with that :P it can relieve pain though. Green papaya can be poulticed and saran wrapped to your stomach and you can drink papaya milk, but yeah those kid things. Not gonna do much for that.

Another thing that works wonders is rubbing castor oil across your abdomen and putting a heating pad on top. I swear, castor oil is anesthetic in disguise, lol. Also works great on sore muscles, for when you overdo your workouts.

[PhaylennMurúch]

I managed to not gain over the holidays. So psyched!


Sent from my Shellphone using Tapatalk

[Vrindavana Starfish]

I managed to not gain over the holidays. So psyched!


Sent from my Shellphone using Tapatalk

This is a feat to be congratulated!
I believe I did too. I'm not sure since I'm purposely avoiding the scale so as to be better in tune with my body and not my mind. But, I made cinnamon buns with orange cream cheese frosting (used half the sugar the recipe called for and they were still crazy sweet), so I may have gained a pound from those :P

[Miyu]

I gained no weight, because I actually ended up eating less than usual, due to family taking over the house and cooking food I can't bear to eat. I may have lost weight, but I'm having trouble telling because I am so stressed I'm having trouble um... "eliminating" fully.

Anyways, I found out that if I hardcore workout to songs, some of those songs will forever be "workout" songs in my head: Hearing one of these songs last night sent me into an impromptu exercise routine! It felt amazing having instant motivation like that, and to one of my favorite songs!

[SeaGlass Siren]

that happens to me too! i hear a song i always dance/ work out to and then boom on the spot dance/ work out routine. in public.

[Rivertee]

Weighed myself today at the store I lost 10 more pounds and this afternoon my doctor was proud at ow healthy my body was looking. Blood sugar, glucose levela, etc.

[Coradion]

I'm so mad at myself. Went to my parents' place to stay for the holidays and there's so much food and it's too cold to be as active as I usually am. I think I've gained weight and it's pissing me off. I need to run.

[Rivertee]

I'm so mad at myself. Went to my parents' place to stay for the holidays and there's so much food and it's too cold to be as active as I usually am. I think I've gained weight and it's pissing me off. I need to run.
Believe it or not simple mermaid stretches can burn a lot of calories and can be done indoors :) Stay positive you can make up for it.

[Coradion]

Believe it or not simple mermaid stretches can burn a lot of calories and can be done indoors :) Stay positive you can make up for it.

I'm not terribly worried, I'm not in bad shape I'm just not where I want to be right now. I always make myself make up for it. I don't like to live in a body I dislike, from today on I'll switch back to my competition diet and do a minimum of four times a week hour and a half plus elevated heart rate conditioning workouts. Food is nice, but I like a nice body more.

[Coradion]

Let's revive this thread, progress check in!

[Coradion]

33258

[SeaGlass Siren]

Holy mother!!

[Azurin Luna]

Oh! nom nom :D

On FB they have a few challenges for October which I joined, the better belly and butt challenges. I hope to keep it up and continue afterwards too, because I really need to get in shape..

[Merman Arion]

Current shape now. Picture made in August 2015.

I'm gonna work on losing some back fat and gaining volume on my chest, thighs and butt areas.

I will let you know on the progress ;)

33275

[Vrindavana Starfish]

I'm back in rock climbing after 2 months off, and I'm getting killed by what used to be my warm-ups. Oh well. I'm still super strong, just out of climbing shape. I was doing Pilates during that time off.

[Coradion]

Keep it up everyone! Let's see those transformations!

[Keiris]

I am easing into my busy season so if I can maintain my shape I'll be happy. If I could gain a little more muscle I'd be ECSTATIC!

[Coradion]

I know the struggle, maintaining can be hard.

[Mermaid Lilium]

Well I kinda have something I can share here.

All year I've been working in an office, barely walking anywhere and it was driving me up the wall.

So my friend ended up challenging me to do the steptember challenge with him and I accepted and did it! We had to do 10k steps a day for four weeks. It was to raise money for scope.

For many the challenge isn't a big deal but I was having to do 8k or so all in one burst after work. It would take me like 2 hours. I'm slow, very overweight and unfit.

But I did it, and I personally raised £87gbp so like $150.

And I didn't loose any weight or any inches x_X and now I've stopped, I've fallen ill with a cold/flu that's turning into a cough, so my plan of transitioning into doing yoga or pilates to carry on being active hasn't happened :(

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

[Coradion]

Well I kinda have something I can share here.

All year I've been working in an office, barely walking anywhere and it was driving me up the wall.

So my friend ended up challenging me to do the steptember challenge with him and I accepted and did it! We had to do 10k steps a day for four weeks. It was to raise money for scope.

For many the challenge isn't a big deal but I was having to do 8k or so all in one burst after work. It would take me like 2 hours. I'm slow, very overweight and unfit.

But I did it, and I personally raised £87gbp so like $150.

And I didn't loose any weight or any inches x_X and now I've stopped, I've fallen ill with a cold/flu that's turning into a cough, so my plan of transitioning into doing yoga or pilates to carry on being active hasn't happened :(

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

Good start! What will really help is elevated heart rate cardio, walking is good and all but if you want more results with weight loss you should try 15 minutes a day of anything that makes your heart beat faster. If you want a really simple change too try not eating after 8pm, that can actually make a big difference in fat retention.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Good start! What will really help is elevated heart rate cardio, walking is good and all but if you want more results with weight loss you should try 15 minutes a day of anything that makes your heart beat faster. If you want a really simple change too try not eating after 8pm, that can actually make a big difference in fat retention.
^^
What he said. You don't have to work out for 2 hours and go for distance or time. If you're just starting to get into shape and wanting to lose weight, a couple of minutes of cardio will get you fit faster than walking for 2 hours every day for a month. I've said it before, I'm a big fan of HIIT cardio, 2-3 times a week (no more) and then regular cardio or strength training the rest of the time, with at least 1 rest day a week.

For strength training, you can do something like yoga or pilates (my favorite) which uses your body weight, or you can use weights. I've added some weights to my pilates workouts.

I don't think I posted it on here, but my weight keeps coming back to a certain range. If I get it below, it takes so much work and I can't maintain it. So about 2 months ago I made a deal with my body. I would stop trying to "lose weight." If my body wants to weigh this much, I'm not going to fight it anymore, but I am going to change its composition. If this is where my body wants to be in terms of pounds, then it will be muscle, and not fat. So, I've increased my Pilates and weight training, and I'm getting super strong. Because of the exercise I do, my muscles are building, but they're lean and not super bulky. I'm weighing the same, but I can see changes in my body that are awesome. Probably, the increase in muscle and metabolism will actually bring my weight down in the end, but that's still not my end goal. I'm no longer concerned with the numbers on the scale. I'm not even concerned with the size clothing I end up wearing, as long as I've reached the level of fitness that is my goal.

I'm now at a point where I'm adding more cardio back into my routine but not sacrificing weight training. In fact, I'm making my weight training a cardio workout as well with higher reps and HIIT format. I swear my stomach is smaller, and I may not end up with the loose skin I feared. Also, my butt is starting to look bootylicious, and that's a great thing! :D

I've spent so many years obsessed with reaching a weight goal, and even when I was 3 lbs away, I still didn't feel anywhere close to what I really wanted for my body. Clearly, a weight goal is no longer the way for me to go any more. I just want to be strong, fit, and healthy.

[Coradion]

Congrats on your successes! :)

I had to learn to give up on a weight goal cause if anything I've gained 20 pounds in the last two years but it's muscle and I'm definitely the most fit and "thinnest" I've ever been. I don't think people always take muscle weight into account when they start getting more fit (I sure didn't think about it).

[Mermaid Lilium]

I might actually be signing up with a gym (it has a pool and they are fine with me using my tail in it)


The world is officially ending :')

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

[RomanLaveau]

33376
still got some ways to go on the upper body, but my partner in Crime is helping me with that! However, I ordered my tail since my lower half is where I want it to be (soccer for 17 years helped) and if my butt got bigger it would look so unproportional! If anyone wants or needs some advice, I could definitely help you out! YAY for body goals ��

[theMerFanc]

So I wanna join in on this thread. I started being interested in tail swimming because of the exercise. I am currently at 183ish pounds and while I would like to get down to 160s, I really care less about the number and more about how I feel. I have really bad joints, horrible eat patterns and and I feel depressed a lot. I do martial arts and have for about two and a half years but it actually hasn't improved my weight at all and I actually weigh more now then I used to.

Anyway, because of my bad joints and whatnot, there are a lot of exercise things I can't do and I don't have access to a pool for actually training in the water. So for now I am working on my abbs and core, mostly doing crunches and supermans and the like. I also meditate and do Yoga in a hope to loose weight.

Sooooo anywho, I am here to actually make myself do the things otherwise I won't do the things XD

[RomanLaveau]

So I wanna join in on this thread. I started being interested in tail swimming because of the exercise. I am currently at 183ish pounds and while I would like to get down to 160s, I really care less about the number and more about how I feel. I have really bad joints, horrible eat patterns and and I feel depressed a lot. I do martial arts and have for about two and a half years but it actually hasn't improved my weight at all and I actually weigh more now then I used to.

Anyway, because of my bad joints and whatnot, there are a lot of exercise things I can't do and I don't have access to a pool for actually training in the water. So for now I am working on my abbs and core, mostly doing crunches and supermans and the like. I also meditate and do Yoga in a hope to loose weight.

Sooooo anywho, I am here to actually make myself do the things otherwise I won't do the things XD

well if you are working on your core and abs, you might want to change your eating patterns. There are ways to take care of the feeling depressed and fixing your bad eating habits! There are a lot of snacks that you can eat (I love snacks and sweet stuff) in between meals that won't really affect your weight loss and you can have set amount of meals that you eat each day. You just have to make a plan, and stick with it. And just having that plan and knowing you are bettering yourself will also help with the depression. A better diet and your yoga and the activities that you do will give you more energy during the day better sleep which in turn helps with how you feel about yourself (I'm assuming the depression is teaming from how you feel about yourself, I could be wrong lol)

[theMerFanc]

well if you are working on your core and abs, you might want to change your eating patterns. There are ways to take care of the feeling depressed and fixing your bad eating habits! There are a lot of snacks that you can eat (I love snacks and sweet stuff) in between meals that won't really affect your weight loss and you can have set amount of meals that you eat each day. You just have to make a plan, and stick with it. And just having that plan and knowing you are bettering yourself will also help with the depression. A better diet and your yoga and the activities that you do will give you more energy during the day better sleep which in turn helps with how you feel about yourself (I'm assuming the depression is teaming from how you feel about yourself, I could be wrong lol)

My biggest issue with eating is that I am unemployed and have $5 in my bank right now so I really can only eat what we have in the apartment which I don't get much of a say in. I am trying to drink a lot more water every day though to help differentiate between hungry and thirsty as well as to boost my metabolism. I'm pretty sure most of my depression stems from current issues with my schooling and the fact that despite months of trying I can't get a job and I am desperate for funds.

[RomanLaveau]

My biggest issue with eating is that I am unemployed and have $5 in my bank right now so I really can only eat what we have in the apartment which I don't get much of a say in. I am trying to drink a lot more water every day though to help differentiate between hungry and thirsty as well as to boost my metabolism. I'm pretty sure most of my depression stems from current issues with my schooling and the fact that despite months of trying I can't get a job and I am desperate for funds.
oh I feel you on the frustration of schooling, well I hope you can get a job so you can get where you want to be.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Just ran 3 1/2 miles at a medium pace. A little peanut granola with yogurt for a post workout snack. Rock climbing tonight. Was feeling blah earlier today, feel much better after the workout. Yay endorphins!

[Coradion]

Yep! Workout high is the best!

[Coradion]

Getting there! 33926

[Keiris]

Looking GREAT Coradion!

[Merman Arion]

Looking GREAT Coradion!

http://reactiongif.org/wp-content/uploads/GIF/2014/08/GIF-angry-jealous-mad-u-mad-GIF.gif

https://janeaustenrunsmylife.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/tumblr_mzrtqjx8551rqbv0uo2_500.gif?w=474&h=250

[SeaGlass Siren]

LOL

[Merman Arion]

https://media.giphy.com/media/UARp21iFRVsha/giphy.gif

[SeaGlass Siren]

WELL NOW THEY KNOW!!!
LET IT GO! LET IT GO! DONT HOLD IT BACK ANYMORE!

[Keiris]

Hahahaha! Do you really think I'm that fickle? Noone has buns like Arion!

[RomanLaveau]

Hahahaha! Do you really think I'm that fickle? Noone has buns like Arion!
Yay for big butts

[Keiris]

[QUOTE=RomanLaveau;222423]Yay for big butts[/QUOTE

Roman, I bet you're blessed too! ;)

[RomanLaveau]

Roman, I bet you're blessed too! ;)
oh stop it, you've clearly been blessed by the gods and goddesses of the sea! Haha

[Coradion]

Looking GREAT Coradion!

Thank you :) I really appreciate it. Maybe one day I want be a solitary merman.

[PearlieMae]

I sense a disturbance in the force.

(This sounds like it's heading to the drama thread!)

[SeaGlass Siren]

Pearlie!! XD!!!

[PearlieMae]

Can't help but daydream about an oiled-up, nearly naked, jousting match. :blush:

[SeaGlass Siren]

Oh myyyy

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Can't help but daydream about an oiled-up, nearly naked, jousting match. :blush:
:lol::clap:

[Coradion]

How many participants at once?

[PearlieMae]

All the lances! :cheerleader: cage match!

[Coradion]

I actually have a video somewhere of when one of my dancer friends got in a wrestling match with me while I was in tail at the beach.

[PearlieMae]

:fallover:

[Coradion]

Gym is working :D

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[Vrindavana Starfish]

Since it's the holiday season, I thought I'd check in. How's everyone doing?

My husband and I are doing something new this Christmas. We may be making it a new tradition. While everyone is going to be feasting on all the holiday stuff, we're giving ourselves the gift of healthy bodies and a head start on the new year. We'll be doing the Master Cleanse over the holiday, since we have time off from work to not be around other people and take it easy. I'm really looking forward to it. We've talked about doing this once a year.

I'm also back into climbing 3 times a week, and cardio 2 times, not including daily pilates workouts. On the weekends, we usually do a hike. We just climbed up a mountain yesterday just because.

[Mermaid Strega]

Hi all! I'm trying to reach a goal of 125. I'm pretty much done having kids and since starting to wean my daughter I've found myself actually losing weight for the first time in basically four years. Even with the holidays, I've maintained this loss. I'm not exercising besides swimming multiple times a week. I'm focusing solely on diet. I'm currently sitting at 139-142, with my first goal being 135. I'm sooooo close! I've dropped two pants sizes and around 10 lbs. :3

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Hi all! I'm trying to reach a goal of 125. I'm pretty much done having kids and since starting to wean my daughter I've found myself actually losing weight for the first time in basically four years. Even with the holidays, I've maintained this loss. I'm not exercising besides swimming multiple times a week. I'm focusing solely on diet. I'm currently sitting at 139-142, with my first goal being 135. I'm sooooo close! I've dropped two pants sizes and around 10 lbs. :3
Congrats! :D

[Mermaid Strega]

It looks like tapatalk ate part of my previous post. It seems more self centered. Id meant to tell you that it's Awsome your hubs is doing the cleanse with you! Have you done it before?

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I got a job delivering newspapers, so I'll have the added benefit of "long walks per day", to help build up my cardio.
Hope to drop down another clothes size.

Currently, I'm still the fat end of a size 12, or a 12-14 in some clothes brand. Even though I HAVE dropped half a size from swimming exercise for the past year and a half.

And have cut down on unhealthy foods and snacks, and eating more veg, fruit and meat 2-3 times a week.

I feel stronger and more healthier too. Previously, couldn't walk uphill without being winded, now I do just fine.

[Mermaid Alea]

Hi I have been lurking on this topic and I figured I would finally post...

So I don't need to lose weight because I am 115 pounds, but I definitely need to eat healthier and exercise more.

As far as eating goes I eat fast food on the weekends which I know isn't good. My normal lunch consists of ramen which I am sure is not the healthiest. I am finicky about eating leftovers and I rarely eat them, which is of course bad (they smell and taste weird to me). I really need to learn how to eat healthy!!!

I definitely want more arm muscle and maybe see a little more definition in my abs but nothing too extreme.

My boyfriend plays basketball for a few hours usually on Sunday nights, so I go play with him sometimes. I will have to start going with him more regularly. I also really want my boyfriend to be my workout partner because he needs to get in shape.

The problem is just going through with it instead of just saying, "Hey we should work out together!"

I have also been considering taking up yoga, but I have horrible flexibility. I have gotten a bit more flexible, but not a whole bunch. I still find it difficult to touch my toes. My boyfriends friend became a yoga instructor at our college so maybe we can go to his house and learn how to do yoga. I realllly want to learn how to do the peacock pose in yoga.

I like how good my body feels after eating healthy and especially after exercising. I just need to get into the routine and I am horrible at doing that...I guess that is why it will be so great if I can get my boyfriend to workout with me...Then we can be accountability partners.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

It looks like tapatalk ate part of my previous post. It seems more self centered. Id meant to tell you that it's Awsome your hubs is doing the cleanse with you! Have you done it before?
Yes, I've done it for 5 days several years ago, and my husband did the whole 10 days years ago too. I'm doing at least 10 days this time, might go for 15 depending on how I'm feeling.


Hi I have been lurking on this topic and I figured I would finally post...

So I don't need to lose weight because I am 115 pounds, but I definitely need to eat healthier and exercise more.

As far as eating goes I eat fast food on the weekends which I know isn't good. My normal lunch consists of ramen which I am sure is not the healthiest. I am finicky about eating leftovers and I rarely eat them, which is of course bad (they smell and taste weird to me). I really need to learn how to eat healthy!!!

I definitely want more arm muscle and maybe see a little more definition in my abs but nothing too extreme.

My boyfriend plays basketball for a few hours usually on Sunday nights, so I go play with him sometimes. I will have to start going with him more regularly. I also really want my boyfriend to be my workout partner because he needs to get in shape.

The problem is just going through with it instead of just saying, "Hey we should work out together!"

I have also been considering taking up yoga, but I have horrible flexibility. I have gotten a bit more flexible, but not a whole bunch. I still find it difficult to touch my toes. My boyfriends friend became a yoga instructor at our college so maybe we can go to his house and learn how to do yoga. I realllly want to learn how to do the peacock pose in yoga.

I like how good my body feels after eating healthy and especially after exercising. I just need to get into the routine and I am horrible at doing that...I guess that is why it will be so great if I can get my boyfriend to workout with me...Then we can be accountability partners.

Gaining flexibility is the easiest thing to accomplish - you just work at it a little each day. Tiny improvements build up over time and before you know it, you'll be all bendy. :) Some people are naturally more flexible than others to begin with, but the truth is, flexible people are flexible because they stretch and do flexi things. Non-flexible people are not because they don't. Being flexible is not a requirement to start yoga, it's something you gain from it. :) Go for it!

[Mermaid Strega]

^all of this. Just make small changes. Trying to do too much too fast won't stick and you'll get burnt out. I read somewhere that you need 30 days to make a new habit.

For me, I found myself too hungry and gaining more weight working out everyday. I did the 30 day shred from the time my daughter was 4 months until September. I quit that, focused solely on diet and swimming and have lost about 10-ish pounds I think that way.

My first goal was cutting out soda and sugared drinks other than coffee. Second was adding more water. Now I'm working on cutting out junk food and portion control.

I was 148 before I had my daughter, nearly 154 this summer, and after a year I'm at about 142 (it varies a bt daily). I really believe focusing on diet was the key for me.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

The intensity of my workouts varies from week to week. The last 3 weeks, I was doing double workouts - pilates in the morning, climbing or elliptical in the evening. This week, I just felt worn out, so I only did the evening workouts. I find I do well when I mix it up a little like this. That way I don't overtrain.

Yesterday, I bought some hoop dance dvd's and a new travel hoop from Hoopnotica.com. I've been hooping for 2 years and I've improved from youtube tutorials, but not as much as I want. My "local" hooping meet ups are too far from me to be worth the drive, so I invested in some video classes. Hoopnotica is having a huge sale. I got 4 dvd's and a hoop for less than I'd pay for just one of their hoops, shipping included. I've been wanting to buy from them for a long time, but they were too expensive. If you're interested in hooping, now's a good time to check them out.

[Kelby The Mermaid]

I wany to get down to at least 150 again. I want to lose 20 to 25lbs and get rid of my budda belly (I usually am around 150lbs but now i am 170ish which is the heaviest i'be ever been) i've started doing crunches, 100 a day as well as various core work outs. Seeing as our indoor pool is gonna be fixed I csn actually get in daily and work out

Sent from my SPH-L300 using Tapatalk

[Merman Arion]

As promised, here is a picture of my current shape.
I will tell more on the transformation tomorrow because it's 3 am in France and I'm tired ;)

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone :group hug:

Love ya all :mermaid kiss:

34807

[Mermaid Wesley]

Very nice! Keep up the good work!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PearlieMae]

:swoon:

[MermaidSasha]

Hello everyone :D

So I'm really happy that this thread exists! Weight wise I'm right where I need to be. I'm trying to work on toning some more and building some muscle. This past year I've started attending multiple classes at a local fitness studio. I do dance class 2/3 times a week. And a mini boot camp type of class 1-2 times a week(which means I'm finally getting a butt lol) . I've really been enjoying getting fit. I could definitely work on eating healthier so if anyone had any tips, advice, or meal ideas I'd really love to hear them!

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Day 3 of the Master Cleanse going well. It's about to get real though.

[Keiris]

As promised, here is a picture of my current shape.
I will tell more on the transformation tomorrow because it's 3 am in France and I'm tired ;)

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone :group hug:

Love ya all :mermaid kiss:

34807

:swoon: AAHHHHH...What a nice gift. There truly IS a Santa Claus!!!!

[Shisir-Shihab]

There have any wiser for a new comer???

[RomanLaveau]

Soon in a few days I will be on my way to Florida for a Professional Soccer Combine and then up the coast to start dance rehearsals for the show I'm in; sooooo I've been training hard so my body will definitely be ready, a lot of it has been on my legs and I caught a glimpse of my butt in my spandex and loved it sooooooo I decided to take a pic like one of my MerHero's, Arion!

34900

[MermaidSasha]

Why can't I have a butt that nice. Lol.

What type of dance rehearsals if you don't mind me asking?

[RomanLaveau]

Why can't I have a butt that nice. Lol.

What type of dance rehearsals if you don't mind me asking?
haha No I don't lol it will be Hip Hop, Contemporary, Lyrical, and Clogging! :)

[MermaidSasha]

haha No I don't lol it will be Hip Hop, Contemporary, Lyrical, and Clogging! :)

That's awesome :D

[Vrindavana Starfish]

haha No I don't lol it will be Hip Hop, Contemporary, Lyrical, and Clogging! :)

Omg I was a clogger! Yay! Then I became a ballerina. From one end of the spectrum to the other!

[Mermaid Jaffa]

If I did what Roman does, there will be serious butt spillage!!!:lol::$

[Vrindavana Starfish]

If I did what Roman does, there will be serious butt spillage!!!:lol::$

Only until it melts off. Dance is serious exercise.

[MermaidSasha]

Only until it melts off. Dance is serious exercise.

It is indeed lol. Thanks to a combination of fitness and dance classes I actually am starting to have a butt lol. I'm super happy about it lol :lol:

[Mermaid Jaffa]

You'd need those special sticky rollers to put me back in place.

[Mermaid Leira]

Gym is working :D

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34075

Darling you look fantastic!!! good on you1 P.S. Is this tail a creation of your own? it's lovely :) xx

[AniaR]

I've started a new fitness journey and made a blog about it: http://rainamermaid.weebly.com/blog/rainas-fitness-journey-part-1

[Vrindavana Starfish]

I've started a new fitness journey and made a blog about it: http://rainamermaid.weebly.com/blog/rainas-fitness-journey-part-1

1) 5lbs for certain arm exercises can feel like 100lbs. 5 lbs is great!
2) Side planks are hard. I've been doing them for a while and I still fall over sometimes. You'll get there.
3) Stretching is an epic pain in the beginning, but once you get past the initial discomfort and your muscles realize, "oh, we're doing this now? ok," then it actually hurts worse when you don't stretch. You'll start to crave the stretching. Even in your hips!
4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgdA7LiW6TE That's my first ever pull up in my life. Still 20 lbs overweight when I did it. It took a summer of training, but here's proof that it's possible. ;) Believe it.

Sounds like you finally found someone who understands what you need and is taking you seriously. I'm psyched for you!

[AniaR]

thank you!!!

[Vrindavana Starfish]

I've decided yoga is too good for me to not make it a regular part of my life. My climbing gym membership also covers all their yoga classes, so I'm going to be taking yoga a couple of times a week. I like yoga, it's ok, and I'm never sorry I've done it after a class. But it's hard to get me to do it in the first place because it's not ballet or climbing. So I'm hoping actually going to a class will motivate me more to do it. I'm excited to be even more bendy and strong. Yoga people can sometimes get on my nerves though, especially in this area.

[MermaidSasha]

Just added yoga to my list of fitness. I've taken two classes so far and I'm loving it. I always leave yoga class feeling very relaxed. I've noticed like a tiny smidge of improvement in some of my flexibility. I know its nothing major but it made me smile :D

That now makes 5 days of the week I'm at class lol. Belly dance, BootCamp, and Yoga :) And I've started an at home ab workout as well as a hula hoop. Really glad I made the decision to start getting in shape. It's been a year since I took my first class(belly dance) and I'm glad to say that I've stuck with it since then and even added additional classes since then.

[shimmygoddess]

Raina, I liked your blog post. My weight has creeped up over the last couple of years and I try to exercise but its the eating healthy that gets me. I love bread and sugar. LOL. I feel like when I turned 40, my body and brain changed and I am even more self conscious then ever. I am hoping to get back in shape this year too and get back to my normal size. Def. going to follow this thread. I love planks and would do them everyday but lately I am so lazy and unmotivated I just want to sit and watch tv.

[Coradion]

Any new updates from people's body journeys?

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I'm doing a short 4 week course in Customer Service, the trainer and another student have been teaching us, the class, how to do short meditation sessions. We do the session before the trainer starts teaching. Its been really good. Always feel relaxed during the class, and when we have to do presentations, I don't feel so nervous!

From what I've experienced so far, it looks like something I could do by myself at home too.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

I'm back on counting calories and making sure I get at least 30 min of exercise a day (that's on an active rest day.) The weight is coming off. I'm eating LOTS of fresh vegetables, mostly steamed, and have for the most part been eating vegan. I was vegetarian to begin with, but except for Chipotles once a week, I've replaced cheese with almond cheeses, and found cream cheese made out of tofu. As for exercise, my strength training is rock climbing and yoga, and hooping and elliptical for cardio. I've added way more cardio. And yoga has become a regular thing for me.

I'm going to Ireland this summer, and one of my goals is to be able to wear leggings on the plane and not feel like a sausage, so I can be comfortable on the long flight. It sounds like such a small goal, but it's a very tangible thing that encompasses so many other things. Like, feeling comfortable in my clothes, knowing I feel and look healthy, and not being self-conscious.

[MermaidSasha]

Well, I've still been taking the fitness classes. I've added a Zumba/bootcamp workout to my schedule and its been a lot of fun! The yoga is going great as well. Oh and I finally have a butt!!!! :D I was able to get through the whole squat portion of class tonight without stopping. I was very proud of myself lol. (lunges are a different story though).

[Coradion]

This is a good video if anyone has struggled with dieting.

https://www.ted.com/talks/sandra_aamodt_why_dieting_doesn_t_usually_work?lan guage=en


https://www.ted.com/talks/sandra_aamodt_why_dieting_doesn_t_usually_work?lan guage=en

[Coradion]

My back and shoulder muscles are finally coming in!




https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t35.0-12/12837599_584679881701529_2000290769_o.jpg?oh=2ab8c d30c5b204dcbbc1845ee6c80281&oe=56E109E8

[Keiris]

That's a great pic, Coradion!

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Just started working out with the hubby (who is a total body builder) and have begun doing yoga daily/every other day. It's surprising just how much of my flexibility I retained from when I was younger!

[Coradion]

I've been on a cutting diet, cut out the majority of the carbs but have been eating all day. I get so hangry every 2-3 hours but it's been working. I stalk a ton of male models and acrobats on IG so whenever I feel unmotivated I end up creeping them and being like "...yeah... I guess I'll go to the gym and do those extra sets"

[swimmingsammi95]

May I hop back on this thread?

UlaBeAmazed!!

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Losing weight slowly. Agonizingly slowly. But it's very healthy and the slower you lose, the better chance you have at keeping it off. I'm loving yoga, and my climbing is finally getting better. I'm seeing definition in my back again, and my legs and belly are slimming down. Loving the new recipes I've been making with LOTS of fresh veggies and rice or potatoes and some kind of vegetarian protein. They're so filing and so low calorie and very nutritious. So, I'm feeling great, if a little impatient. :)

[swimmingsammi95]

I'm working on losing a bit before my Faire starts. I've lost about 2 pounds so far as of last Tuesday, I haven't checked yet this week. I didn't work out as much but I've been trying to just make healthier food choices. I lost 1.5 inches around my tummy in that week so let's see what I can do before the first of May! http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160329/b1f7f23c0d7fd15330a80bb37318e4e4.jpg

UlaBeAmazed!!

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Ok, I'm pretty convinced I have metabolic damage. My calories were really low, but I'm really short, so I thought I was ok. I was losing weight slowly, and then it stopped, and then I started gaining weight when I wasn't doing anything differently. That, and a whole bunch of other things are telling me that I have metabolic damage. So, I'm increasing my calories and my strength training, and cutting back on the cardio. I'm just focusing on getting strong and giving my body what it needs to build muscle and get healthy, not on losing weight. That will happen.

[MermaidSasha]

I'm working on losing a bit before my Faire starts. I've lost about 2 pounds so far as of last Tuesday, I haven't checked yet this week. I didn't work out as much but I've been trying to just make healthier food choices. I lost 1.5 inches around my tummy in that week so let's see what I can do before the first of May! http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160329/b1f7f23c0d7fd15330a80bb37318e4e4.jpg

UlaBeAmazed!!

Woot! any amount lost is always a cause for celebration! Keep it up. Also, I noticed you are in Oklahoma too? Are you talking about the Muskogee Renaissance Faire? I'd love to meet more mers in my area! :D

[swimmingsammi95]

Woot! any amount lost is always a cause for celebration! Keep it up. Also, I noticed you are in Oklahoma too? Are you talking about the Muskogee Renaissance Faire? I'd love to meet more mers in my area! :D
I am! I'm there this weekend both days!

UlaBeAmazed!!

[MermaidSasha]

Yay! So glad to see another mer in my state! There are more of us than I thought lol I recently got my best friend into mermaiding lol. We just missed you apparently. We were only able to go one weekend and it was this last weekend. We both really want to work as mermaids at the Renaissance Faire :D Maybe we will see you next year!

Someone needs to plan a meet up for all of us here in Oklahoma lol.

[Mary Marine]

I'm actually writing this while at the gym on the recumbent bike.

So about mid May I joined a gym for the first time! After coming home from a wedding and seeing the weight I gained I finally decided enough was enough. Normally weight gain depresses me but this time it was like a switch was flipped. So here I am six weeks later and 4 lbs lighter. It's slow weight loss but it's staying off. My endurance is definitely increasing and I'm able to work out at a faster pace with a lower heart rate. Once my cardio is better I'm going to add in some strength training and flexibility too. My official goal is to lower my awful cholesterol and go from a size 14 to a 10 or 8, but unofficially I want to cosplay as Catwoman. I'm not confident enough to be a fluffy kitty in a skin tight catsuit you know?

[Vrindavana Starfish]

I'm actually writing this while at the gym on the recumbent bike.

So about mid May I joined a gym for the first time! After coming home from a wedding and seeing the weight I gained I finally decided enough was enough. Normally weight gain depresses me but this time it was like a switch was flipped. So here I am six weeks later and 4 lbs lighter. It's slow weight loss but it's staying off. My endurance is definitely increasing and I'm able to work out at a faster pace with a lower heart rate. Once my cardio is better I'm going to add in some strength training and flexibility too. My official goal is to lower my awful cholesterol and go from a size 14 to a 10 or 8, but unofficially I want to cosplay as Catwoman. I'm not confident enough to be a fluffy kitty in a skin tight catsuit you know?

When I was 8 I had to "go on a major diet" - aka completely change my horrible, standard American diet - because my cholesterol was so high. If I have any tips to share with you, it's legumes. Chickpeas rule! They help reduce the bad cholesterol, and the more fresh fruit and veggies you put into your diet, the less room for the junk foods. Also, don't know if you're a meat-eater, but if you are, switching out some of your meals for vegetarian options will go a long way too. Good luck! I was able to get my cholesterol way down and haven't had a problem since.

[Sheira Seastar]

I'd like to lose 15-20lbs. I am 124lbs right now, but I am 4'11" and it's all fat that I carry in my stomach and thighs.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Has anyone here used intermittent fasting as part of their plan? I'm currently fasting for 16 hours a day with an 8 hour eating window. Basically, skipping breakfast and having lunch after my workout. Some things I've noticed - the hunger I feel now is actual hunger, not psychological hunger. Also, I don't freak out from it now. And when I eat, I feel satisfied and full, whereas when I was just cutting calories but eating every few hours, I was hungry ALL THE TIME without any relief. And my energy is through the roof now too. It's helping me to actually eat intuitively, which was impossible for me before (because I was never not hungry.) This is my first week with this schedule, and i'm not having a difficult time with it at all.

* Side note for those not familiar with intermittent fasting - I'm not starving myself. I eat an appropriate amount of calories per day, I just do it over a much shorter time period.

[Mermaid Salty]

Hey Vrindavana Starfish, I've not tried it myself but my work colleague is on the 5:2 fasting diet and has kept it up for 2+ years. He said the weight came off slowly but surely (he was fit already - a cyclist) but is easily maintainable, has improved his health in many other ways and fits into a modern lifestyle. That's the key really though isn't it? Dieting really isn't ever a solution, just a temporary fix. I feel like lifestyle changes are the 'secret'.

I've always struggled with body image, even though I look back on photos of myself as a teen and wonder why the hell I hated my body so badly.

Now though, I am 17kg heavier but love myself 100x times more. In 2012 I started going regularly to a gym. Sometimes 3+ hours a day BUT the gym I went to had this amazing range of classes - all kinds of yoga, pilates, cardio, trampoline classes! it was the bomb and I mixed it up regularly and never had an injury despite never having exercised that vigorously and consistently before.

I 'lost' 20kg on the scale (when I started I was at my heaviest) in three months without altering my eating at all. Actually, if anything I was eating WAY more than I used to - sometimes I'd have to wake up in the middle of the night to eat a banana. Consistent exercise dramatically changed my metabolism, but when I stopped, almost everything went back to the way it was.

I've started exercising regularly again for a minimum of an hour a day and I've noticed some major things:
The first time I started a regime, it HURT. Exercise is painful. I feel like people either forget or don't want to remind you because motivation is a hard thing WITHOUT the added bonus of pain.. My muscles hurt during and after a workout. My face burned and my lungs burned and I could barely get through 45 minutes of cardio. It took about a month for exercise to stop being painful

(*When I say pain, I mean muscle soreness, exertion pain etc - NOT injury. I was at a gym that focussed very much on proper form and injury prevention)

Fast forward to day, my first week back was painful. Three days in I could barely turn over in bed because my abs were on fire. Three weeks in - the pain is gone. I can exert myself to my fullest in classes, finish them without a having to leave the room and compose myself, and am only experiencing the muscle satisfaction/tiredness/soreness you get after a great workout.

I suppose my point is, for anyone starting something new, it is hard and it can mean pain, but I am still seeing benefits from exercise I did in 2012!! Going back this time, I've accelerated through those hard stages so much more quickly and it is very exciting and motivating.

I'm thinking of getting some ankle and wrist weights to strap on during workouts - I've only ever used a monofin that encompasses the ankle but my Finfolk will have a monofin in it that does not support the ankle. Has anyone got tips for strengthening feet and ankles?

[Mermaid Lanier]

My body fits society's standards perfectly, save perhaps being a little too boney and skinny. But in spite of having a great look, I'm not very healthy.

I eat well; my family eats herbivore, and we just sneak in a little cheese here and there. ;) But I do almost no workout. I've decided that I would stop trying (and failing) at push-ups and focus on what I can do to bolster confidence. Squats, sit-ups, core, stretching, and lots of swimming and archery. I would love to be more muscular, so I'm building towards that. I want to do things that I can do at home, though, because there isn't always an affordable gym where we move. Nerd Fitness has been a lifesaver with Steve's "hotel workout."

As for feet and ankle strengthening, I googled it. (Such research skill.) I walk on my toes and heels when possible, stretch out my toes, try to lift each toe individually... any other tips?

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I did a course last summer... Whatever I had build up within my core is gone and I have to start again from scratch. And I had to get new prescription goggles because the old ones gave me headaches (my eyesight changed, bifocals now). Its like starting all over again and rediscovering things, even I haven't been doing my weekly swims. Curse those school swimming carnivals taking up the whole pool!

A bit sad I had to put aside the new monofin I got from ebay, for now. But also very happy because I'm thinking up all kinds of tail designs for it!

Back to my Finis Foil again... On the brighter side, I did make a new fish suit to swim in cos my current one is getting faded and saggy.

I've also cut out cholesterol foods and started eating healthy. Whenever I have the craving for pork crackling, I have an apple or orange or whatever fruit is in the fridge!

Slowly taking small steps to get back into it again.

[MermaidJeanette]

Does anyone know I good one for abs? I don't mind my arm, leg, butt or other thing only my stomach. I've had since I was born these 2 love handles that I want gone. Any good exercises that can be done in like 10-15 min

[MermaidSasha]

Honestly, I've been doing pilates and its help shrink my "mom pooch" You could find all sorts of pilates videos on youtube. I've been doing the Windsor pilates- like the one you used to be able to buy the DVD of lol xD seriously though it has worked ^.^

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Butt squats.

[Mermaid Kalahari]

Hey everyone :)

I am a Certified Strenth and Conditioning Specialist. I am more than happy to try and answer anyone's questions if you have any/want tips/exercises/etc. feel free to shoot me a message :)

Never give up!!

[scobiedoo]

While we have many individuals here who are larger and love themselves the way they are, which is great. I know there are some of us who would like better bodies. I've been working my way down from being not just fat, but obese since high school. According to my BMI I was obese, I was also in great cardio shape, but that's not how I wanted to look and that's not who I wanted to be. So I changed my workout routines, and have lost 75 pounds. I was 245 and am now 170. I still have a lot of way to go though. So for anyone else who has specific goals about fitness in mind this thread is for us. Post where you are now, where you want to be, and how you are going to do it. This is not a thread for discussing why it's okay to be the way you are, I get it. I really do, but I think I can be better and I'm not going to strive for what I WANT to be.

My goal is to lose another 10-15 pounds/tone up. I want a better chest, I've been doing push-ups daily. Each day I add another 20 to my total for the day. I'm at 180, I need to lose some weight to have a better stomach and really have my abs show, so I'm running 4 times a week.

What are your goals?

Dunno why you stopped comparing results. I was really impressed by yours. Unfortunately, I cannot boast mine. My biceps volume is the same as it was last year. Despite all my attempts.

[carlmarx]

Hi there, my goal is to gain a couple of lbs this year and increase the size of my arms and chest. My fitness coach wants me to compete in a bar lifting champ, but I am not sure. I asked him about the need to buy injectable steroids (https://etalaze.biz/injectable-steroids) and he said he needed to analyze this and check my health parameters first. So I hope he clears the purchase and my things will go faster.

[zonnenmart]

When I think of dietary supplements, I think we must be really careful about them. I prefer reading detailed information and drawing my own conclusions. For instance, I found an article about Fulvic Ionic Minerals (https://www.optimallyorganic.com/products/water-extracted-fulvic-acid-x350) and even though I've been kinda obsessed with finding natural ways to improve my health lately, I still would like to know about all the pros and cons. Now I see many things more thoroughly. One example is that not all products are equally useful. So you'd better read this article too.

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