FITting In

[Mermaid Cherish]

Now I know there's a related thread to this (just looked it up), but it seems a bit old. The last time any one posted was last year. I'm also on MFP (My Fitness Pal), if you want to look me up. I'm Mermaid Bex (on there, still don't have a mer name; my real name is Rebecca).

My weight loss journey began 40 days ago and I have lost 18 pounds so far. I'm hoping to have lost at least 20 by Friday morning, before I go to the gym. Because then I can say, "I lost 20 pounds on my own before I achieved my gym membership!" It's taken a while to get in the door because I've been waiting for scholarship money to help me start attending. I plan on going VERY regularly and swimming EVERY day I can. Even as I shed the pounds, I want to become an accomplished swimmer and water "breather". (In other words, I'll be working on my mermaiding skills long before I get my first tail. My own personal reward for hitting the mighty 100 pound mark.)

On my own, I enjoy Wii fitness games such as Wii Fit Plus and Zumba (which I just started getting, so I'm not too good at it yet). I also walk 2.5-5 miles a day. Trying to a.) maintain 5 miles a day and b.) RUN!!! I want to get more out of my exercise and have been trying to work my way up to running at least a 5k, long term. Short term, a mile would be awesome.

So I'm wondering what some of your fitness goals are and how far you are to achieving them. Also, is any one here an actual personal trainer in real life? Are you enjoying it? I've been thinking about becoming a trainer (fitness & nutrition) when I reach my goals of being ultimately fit. I want to have an established routine and actually be a normal weight, rather then obese.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Drop down a size or two so I don't look like a blob on my sofa.

[Mermaid Cherish]

And how's that coming for you, Jaffa? Are you dropping sizes? Or haven't you gotten started yet?

[IllynReaver]

I've had plans to drop down a size or two. Mostly so I can fit into clothes I really want to wear again.

[Seraphina Suds]

My mertender and I are working on getting fit together. She wants to be able to be strong enough to lift mermaids and I want to be a weight that won't break her back I've lost 20lbs so far and am hoping to lose as much as possible by spring so I can treat myself to a new tail.

I don't have a problem with being a bigger mermaid and I've had a lot of aspiring mers tell me that they had the confidence to start swimming after seeing me do it. But I want to be strong. I try to get to the gym at least 3 times a week and have those same Wii games that you do. I looove Zumba!

Also, one of my good friends is a trainer and he really loves it. The only complaint he seems to have is that work is inconsistent. That might just be a location issue, however.

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[Mermaid Jaffa]

And how's that coming for you, Jaffa? Are you dropping sizes? Or haven't you gotten started yet?

I've dropped down a pants size. All of my size 12 clothes are now fairly baggy, but I'm too lazy (and broke) to buy new ones or a belt...

[MermaidStormy]

Congrats on what you have lost currently I class myself as a big mermaid and I'm not ashamed of it but recently I have been working with a dietitian and exercise expert to help me along the way I've only lost 5 kilos at the moment but I only started a couple of weeks ago now, I believe I am heading in the right direction and my goal is to get to at least 70 where currently I am 85. I just want to get to a weight I am happy with

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Another reason is health. My family has a history of heart disease. We Chinese also eat a lot of fatty foods, things fried in oil etc. I don't want to end up like them with heart attacks at early age. Some may think its too late, now in my early 40s but at least it does me some good. As my colds don't last for months, now it last for a few days and I'm all better again. So getting fit and healthy, and staying positive is what keeps me going. Granted I can't lift 10 kilo bags of rice, but my lungs feel stronger and I'm not passing out when walking uphill, and that's a plus. It has taken months and months of practice with fin and tails, but at least now I can look forward a much happier person than an always sick and unwell one.

[KayNS]

I guess I'll chime in too. I'd like to lose the 40 - 50 lbs that have crept on over the past several years. I was previously sucessful with Weight Watchers, but not so much lately. I recently saw a dietician who gave me lots of good advice. I just need to get off my butt and put it in action. I belly dance regularly, and I'm hoping to swim more especially now that I have a tail! After swimming in a pool last night with it, I now understand first hand how much of a workout it is!

[Merman Chatfish]

I just got home from a bike ride and weight myself. I have lost 10 lbs this summer.

If anyone uses a fitbit, run keeper, or Azumio PM me and I will give you my email address and we can be friends.

[Mermaid Cherish]

I have a Misfit, but it fell out of the watch band one night, to my chagrin. Now I have to find it!

Update: I'm still working towards my goals. It has been only 65 days, but I am already 29 pounds lighter. This past week I have been stressing because I injured my ankle last week, already had to be careful with the opposite foot, and my right knee is twice beaten (from bad falls) and seriously bruised. So I just swam until I got tired; about 3 hours every day. Untrained, not competition, generally light swimming. And I lost 5 freaking pounds! Not possible! I was hoping to maintain (rather then gain), I didn't expect to lose on such a crappy exercise regimen this week! I'm going to continue swimming until I'm done from now on.

I'm also eating properly, guys. I eat nutritious, balanced meals early in the day. I check into My Fitness Pal, if any one wants to join me there. As for Zumba, I've managed to do it... in the water! Also joined a Belly Dancing class, also in the water. There's supposed to be a local Belly Dancing class. I'll check that out when I'm back on dry land again. I managed to get into my local Y and have been attending 5 days a week for the last 3 weeks. The first of which, the pool was closed for maintenance! Now, I guess, I'm making up for it, eh?

Jaffa, I come from a pretty unhealthy American heritage myself. We are vegetarians, but we were eating things like burgers (minus the meat), fries, chips and dip, ice cream, brownies, etc when I was a child. I just thought it was normal to be unhealthy. Now I'm out to change all that and, hopefully, teach others how exciting a healthy lifestyle can be.

I've dropped off some clothing sizes myself. Today I'm wearing my favorite jeans I had, at one point, been unable to fit into and a shirt that would have shown my midriff in the past. A sad thought is that I won't fit in either for long. I still have a lot to lose and am dropping quickly. (Lots of energy and time on my hands!) I don't plan on buying a ton of clothes on my way down. Luckily, I have a friend who can keep me in clothes on my journey. I'm going to have to buy a lot of bathing suits, though, which I intend to buy a size too small and shrink into. The one I'm wearing now is already getting pretty bad. I noticed the skirt on it is acting like a dress yesterday! And people wondered why I wanted to be a loser before I get my first tail. Note: Just because I don't have a tail, doesn't mean I don't mermaid. I've been practicing A LOT. I hope to take a class in the spring.

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[Mermaid Jaffa]

Critter, yea, that is also why I started to make my own swimsuits. Being a half size or an in between regular clothes size, its so hard to find clothes and swimsuits that fit properly! I haven't bought any new land clothes yet. You know, like you have it for several years and the fabric finally feels nice n soft! Even my denim jeans feels really really comfy! My recent swimsuit shopping experience showed me that size 12 is too big, and the size 10 is too small... On that day, I resolved never to buy another swimsuit again!

[Mermaid Cherish]

I may have to have my MIL take in my current swimming suit. She's a certified seamstress. I might have her helping me with my first tail next year too.

Edited to Add:

And try fitting into a land size large-xl and in bathing suits you're a size 2-3 xl. I'm coming out of double x on land and I'm tripple in the water?! Really?! Size measurements in bathing suits are NOT made realistically.

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[KayNS]

My main struggle is eating well. I struggle so much with this. I have a TON of information on how to eat well and even had a consultation with a dietician to make sure I had the right information. My problem is actually DOING the work! I don't know why I hate preparing food so much! Argh!
Hope this is an ok place for me to vent about that.

I feel like I've heard it all before, but I'm welcome to suggestions of how you eat well. Might help others as well. :-)

[Vrindavana Starfish]

I'll join. Last year I was so close to my goal weight, got a new job, things got stressy, and I gained 10+ lbs. I'd been calorie counting and everything. Currently, I'm finding that counting calories - while it was very helpful in exposing areas where I could make substitutions in my cooking - was making me food-obsessed and stressing me out. All I could think about was when I could eat next, and that's not how I want to live.

I'm a gluten-free vegetarian, and I eat very clean. I've been focused on smaller portion sizes. For workouts, I swim, usually only once a week. I also rock climb and just got back into that after a 2 month break due to injuries. I also do Pilates every day, hooping and ballet as much as I can. I don't really run anymore because it started to really hurt my knees, but when the weather gets cooler, I'll be hiking again.

My current goal is not to focus on pounds lost. I'm trying to gain muscle. My body keeps returning to this weight range, so I'm not going to fight that, but I am going to change it's composition. So I want to gain muscle, get really strong, and that should have the effect of lowering my weight too if I maintain healthy portion sizes.

[suzanne86]

I'm 5 ft. 9 in. (1.75 m) tall, and weigh 140 lb. (63.5 kg), and work out at the pool 3 to 4 times each week, doing 2700-3500 yards per workout (2.4-3.2 km)--I only work out with the tail on 1 out of those 3 to 4 days. I try to eat vegetarian for 2 of my 3 meals each day. So far I have been able to keep my weight constant--no weight loss, no weight gain.

[Mermaid Cherish]

Kay, I'm learning to eat vegan myself. I was raised vegetarian. As for motivation, sounds like you are. You just need to step up to the plate, make small changes to your diet at a time, and don't beat up on yourself for making bad decisions. Look at it as the challenge it is and read this article. It explains motivation quite well.

https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-se...er-motivation/

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[Cerulean]

Right now my only goal is to go back to the gym at all or start doing my personal crunches routine again. I haven't been doing anything fitness related for a few months and my tummy muscles have suffered the consequences. Until now my schedule left me too fatigued and unmotivated to deal with extra exercise but things should be opening up soon so hopefully I'll be able to get back into it.

[KayNS]

Kay, I'm learning to eat vegan myself. I was raised vegetarian. As for motivation, sounds like you are. You just need to step up to the plate, make small changes to your diet at a time, and don't beat up on yourself for making bad decisions. Look at it as the challenge it is and read this article. It explains motivation quite well.

https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-se...er-motivation/

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Thanks for sharing that! That article really spoke to me.

[Mermaid Cherish]

When I read it recently, I loved it! I totally agree with the key point. Before I read this, I had finally realized each circumstance in life is just a challenge to be overcome and started to live accordingly. If I make a mistake, I just dust myself off and try again. It takes practice to live a healthy lifestyle. You simply have to be PATIENT with yourself. I so agree with the article. They do such a great job of explaining positive self talk!

I'm excited! I managed to get signed up with a nutrition course at the Y just a couple days ago and my Dr lifted restrictions on my exercise due to an injury yesterday after my health exam. Yay! Tried HIIT today. Bad idea! Advanced class, beginner fitness enthusiast. Boo! Going to try some other classes instead.

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