Better Body Goals-Accountability Thread

[SeaGlass Siren]

The first person to notice firmer thighs ? My boyfriend

[deepblue]

That must have been very satisfying- when the only person other than you who gets to see or touch them very closely notices, it really tells you you're getting somewhere.

I'm just excited at the idea of dating again. I know that I am not going to until I'm comfortable with my own body again. Before pregnancy, I never had a lack of confidence there. Dating was never difficult, and I've never wanted for it if I wanted it, but damn- I've been single a long time, and I can't wait to feel like I look as good as I know I deserve to. I think a fitter body shows anyone looking that 'this person gives a damn about their health and knows they're worth it'- and I love that.

[Mermaid Varshana]

Get'em, siren

[Mermaid Dottie]

So, yesterday at my mom's, I had 2 different people tell me I'm losing weight. Pretty nice of them, considering I still weigh 192 out of 210.

[SeaGlass Siren]

Well keep this in mind: muscle weighs more than fat. Fat is fat but muscle is lean.

Blue, you can do it

Kakarotte, thanks my mom is the seco person to point out my "leg fat isn't sagging" LOL

[SeaGlass Siren]

I think a fitter body shows anyone looking that 'this person gives a damn about their health and knows they're worth it'- and I love that.

Also I so totally concur with this statement.

[deepblue]

I was thinking about the idea of muscle weighing more than fat, and how many people misunderstand this and say, "A pound equals a pound no matter what each pound is of." I think all of us here totally get that it's a matter of a pound of muscle taking less space than a pound of fat, but I thought I'd post this anyway because it's a great explanation.

Q: Does muscle really weigh more than fat?

A: Muscle does not weigh more than fat, any more than lead weighs more than feathers. A pound is a pound is a pound. Where the misunderstanding often comes in is that muscle is much more dense than fat, so that, by volume, it seems to weigh more. That is, a pound of muscle occupies less space than a pound of fat. In addition, because a pound of muscle burns more fat than a pound of fat, even at rest, by increasing your lean muscle tissue mass, you're helping your body burn more calories.

But back to your question. If you only have a small amount of weight to lose, then you may feel like the weight training is not helping you move down on the scale. In fact, the number may even go up, but you will look thinner. This is due to an increase in lean body mass (muscle, bone, blood volume) and a decrease in body fat. In other words, even if the scale doesn't change much, you will probably see a difference in how your clothes fit.

On the other hand, if you have a lot of weight to lose, you will also experience an increase in lean body mass and loss of body fat. But the results on the scale will probably be more dramatic.

Found here.


AND this is one of many reasons I don't own a scale. I don't weigh myself unless I'm at the doctor.

[Mermaidmechanic]

So, since my career depends on me to be physically fit, I've found quite a few tricks to stay as such. Now, keep in mind I have hypothyroidism (which if you aren't aware, it affects your metabolism in a way that causes lethargy and significant weight gain) yet no one would know from looking at me. I'm lean with very visible definition in my stomach and arms with very little time spent working out. How do I obtain this? Well, a large part of what you look like is diet. Eat well, count calories. It really works. Also, juicing! If you don't own a juicer, you should totally get one! Nothing makes you feel better about yourself and more refreshed than a mason jar full of fresh made juice. I do a juice diet one week out of the month where all I ingest is water and juice (plus the pulp left over from the juicer if my tummy feels hungry and some canned pure pumpkin). It does wonders for your figure and its good for you. Then I break my one week diet with a nice juicy steak. I can post pictures of my current shape if anyone is curious (I'm on a down trend right now as I've just moved cross country from CA to FL... drove with a pup and a parrot in my car! Hello fast food and no real physical activity for the past week) but i'm still in great shape. I've also been known to make diet plans for fellow service members in danger of the dreaded "taping" that goes along with our physical fitness standard qualifications. So, for those of you looking to shed pounds fast, diet is key! Should anyone want, I can even help with tasty recipes (including juice recipes!).

[Mermaid Varshana]

How is your physical fitness measured for work? There are lots of people who are thin, have tone, but aren't actually fit even though they look it. Leanness and physical fitness are not one in the same. If you don't exercise much, you will probably not be as fit as someone who does or get the same benefits (increased strength, cardiovascular fitness and bone density) as someone who works out. That's a huge reason to exercise. I've never had a broken bone, can bench 125, and have a blood pressure of 85/56.

[Mermaidmechanic]

It's easier to be in shape if you're happy with how you look, rather than the person who looks in the mirror and can only see what they don't like about themselves. But with the work thing, we have weight standards and are taped frequently. If you can't pass the tape and weight standards, you're on the fast track out of the military. Also, I found that my run time significantly improved after I started drinking juice frequently and my stamina is way up. I will say that despite not working out frequently, I am stronger than the average female, but I can easily claim it is due to my active lifestyle and the demanding work I due. I'm just saying that if you have an active hobby that you do frequently and eat healthy, you shouldn't have to waste hours of your life every week working out to be happy with how you look. Find something that you like rather then something you dread and along with a good diet you'll look and feel better. I don't bother memorizing stats about how much I lift or what my blood pressure is. I'm strong enough to carry a Fairbanks Morse piston from the pier to the engine room, install all 24 injection pumps without missing a beat in less than 30 min, torque a bolt down to 300 FT LBS without a cheater, and that's all that matters at the end of the day.

[deepblue]

It's easier to be in shape if you're happy with how you look, rather than the person who looks in the mirror and can only see what they don't like about themselves.

But that leaves out the many people who aren't happy with how they look for really good reasons, and use that as motivation to get started on a change for the better.

Looking in the mirror and not being happy with how your body looks doesn't mean you're a person who sees only what they don't like. I think most people are in places between - not liking everything you see is a great motivator, and watching your own progress as you get fitter comes with a great sense of accomplishment.

I can't look in the mirror and be happy with a neglected, out of shape body and I won't pretend to. I won't pretend like I am not the only one responsible for my own happiness and how I feel about my body. It's under my control, and how fortunate are those of us who can say that? Very, esp since much of my life I couldn't have said that.

What's important is that people approach it in a healthy manner. It's sad that wanting to get healthy and fit has become something people view with suspicion.

[SeaGlass Siren]

:clap clap clap flap flap flap:

Bravo. Beautifully put

[Mermaid Saphira]

for the most part im happy with my body shape when I slip into a dress... but when I wear bathing suits my fat just spills everywhere..

You took the words right out of my mouth. And that, right there, is the explantation as to why I never wear anything, but a dress :P


Five months from now my family is planning on a trip to the Bahamas and I would really like to get in better shape before I slip into a swimsuit there. I'd also like to feel a little better. I'm 5 foot 3, short in my opinion, and 120 pounds. I use to weigh 165, but I'm still not where I want to be. If anything, I simply want to lose and few pounds and tone up a little. I've been doing pilates this past week and, while I'm not losing any weight, I do feel more toned. This is the swimsuit I got to motivate myself ^-^

[Mermaid Varshana]

Don't get me wrong. Diet and active hobbies are super important. That's why I changed my diet....and, surprise! Weightlifting and rollerblading are my active hobbies I have heard good things about juicing too. I was so proud of myself when i did arm curls with 35lb dumbells, and when i did leg presses with 375. Along with what deepblue said - BRAVO!!! btw - unless they were blessed with übermensch genes, people naturally start losing muscle mass as they age, which means their diet has to get stricter and stricter to keep up with a changing metabolism. We dont have to lose muscle as we get into our 40's though! Working out prevents muscle loss. It's like....even if you like your job, your home, and your car, you sometimes have to do things you don't necessarily enjoy doing to keep those things. I HATE dead lifts and side lifts. But they make my back stronger and give me killer abs.

BTW, if you're doing all that stuff on the job, Mermaidmechanic, you're not actually hardly working out any more than a person whose job is a moving guy. I'm sure the physical stuff you do on the job accounts for much of your tone Changing your diet gave your muscles more bioavailable nutrients to grow. The results would probably be a bit different if you had a desk job. You are right in that DIET, DIET,DIET is the measuring stick for getting the body you want. A normal person can do 500 crunches every other day, but if they're eating a bunch of processed food , they're going to whine about how their abs are hiding under their flab.

[Mermaid Varshana]

Five months from now my family is planning on a trip to the Bahamas and I would really like to get in better shape before I slip into a swimsuit there. I'd also like to feel a little better. I'm 5 foot 3, short in my opinion, and 120 pounds. I use to weigh 165, but I'm still not where I want to be. If anything, I simply want to lose and few pounds and tone up a little. I've been doing pilates this past week and, while I'm not losing any weight, I do feel more toned. This is the swimsuit I got to motivate myself ^-^

It's so pretty!!!! Don't worry about not losing weight. I'm the same weight almost when I was a size 14, but I'm a 6-8 now. To a degree, the scale is a load of BS, and most women lie about their weight anyway.

check out this amazing site. It gives you a more realistic vision of how you actually look at your height and weight without body dysmorphia getting in the way. http://www.mybodygallery.com/

[Mermaid Saphira]

^ Oh, that site is kind of interesting. I tried to find my body type "twin", but I don't look like any of them O_o


Anywho, I forgot to mention..have any of you tried Blogilates? It's the workout routines I've been doing, her beginner calender is alittle challenging, but totally worth it + I just love her cheery, motivational attitude

[Mermaid Saphira]

Oh! I found one! My body is closest to this girl. http://www.mybodygallery.com/photos-....htm?StartAt=1

[Mermaid Syrena]

Saphira- I think the link to your picture that you posted is broken!
If your body is anything like the picture at the bodygallery that you posted, though... then I think that's amazing! I'm around the same stats (height, weight) as you- and I would LOVE to have a body shape like that. My boyfriend says my body's curvy, but I think that THAT body in the picture is my perfect definition of curvy, and it's beautiful! You should be proud.

[Mermaid Saphira]

^ You're makin' me blush :3. Does the link work now?

[Mermaid Syrena]

It does-- and I think you have a gorgeous hourglass body! You could totally rock that swimsuit already, IMO.