Finally Dedicated to a Fitness Plan
So after Magic's many failed attempts at getting healthy and losing weight (mainly due to my past lack of motivation and bad influence), we have finally decided to start a diet and exercise plan together. We began last week Monday (November 7). I'm finally motivated to get rid of this extra weight I put on after losing a regular work/school schedule once I started online school and lost my job. We also both want to look sexy on our wedding day and feel better about ourselves. 
We joined the best gym in Grand Rapids, the YMCA (Luckily I was accepted for a discounted rate). Our fitness plan involves Mon/Wed/Fri weight training, focusing on 2 areas each day, and Tues/Thurs/Sat we do 30-60 minutes of cardio. Andrew typically likes to run or cycle, and I like to use the elliptical. We may also do spinning sometimes.
We are still fine-tuning our diet, and calculating what we want to eat. For breakfast, I eat Special K red berries cereal and Stoneyfield blueberry yogurt, for snacks I will eat light string cheese (surprisingly healthy!), an apple, or nuts. Lunch and dinner tend to be similar, usually eating a chicken breast and veggies (in forms of stir fry, grilled, or other concoctions I come up with), and sometimes rice, but usually only the extra carbs for lunch, and not with dinner. I have also made stuffed peppers, chili, etc. for some meals. Trying to cook with lean protein (chicken, ground sirloin, turkey, etc.), low carbs, and fresh vegetables.
Current weight: 175
Pant Size: 11/12
Goal weight: 130 (may go lower once I achieve this)
Goal pant size: 6
(was this size and weight just 2 years ago!)
I'll try to get Andrew to contribute here too.
We joined the best gym in Grand Rapids, the YMCA (Luckily I was accepted for a discounted rate). Our fitness plan involves Mon/Wed/Fri weight training, focusing on 2 areas each day, and Tues/Thurs/Sat we do 30-60 minutes of cardio. Andrew typically likes to run or cycle, and I like to use the elliptical. We may also do spinning sometimes.
We are still fine-tuning our diet, and calculating what we want to eat. For breakfast, I eat Special K red berries cereal and Stoneyfield blueberry yogurt, for snacks I will eat light string cheese (surprisingly healthy!), an apple, or nuts. Lunch and dinner tend to be similar, usually eating a chicken breast and veggies (in forms of stir fry, grilled, or other concoctions I come up with), and sometimes rice, but usually only the extra carbs for lunch, and not with dinner. I have also made stuffed peppers, chili, etc. for some meals. Trying to cook with lean protein (chicken, ground sirloin, turkey, etc.), low carbs, and fresh vegetables.
Current weight: 175
Pant Size: 11/12
Goal weight: 130 (may go lower once I achieve this)
Goal pant size: 6
(was this size and weight just 2 years ago!)
I'll try to get Andrew to contribute here too.
0
Comments
The same goes for all yogurts EXCEPT for very specific brands of Greek yogurt.
When you need carbs, you need to keep it simple: fibrous vegetables, no more than 1 piece of fruit per day, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, Barilla PLUS wheat pasta cooked al dente, quinoa, 2% milk, 2% cottage cheese and bulgur.
Andrew and I were surprised to find out that Barilla PLUS has less carbs than whole wheat pasta, and really any pasta. I prefer the taste and texture to others... but pasta has so many carbs... limiting ourselves to 100 carbs per day. I'll have to try out my roommate's quinoa. Never tried it before.
2. See 1.
Add Splenda to suit.
I've heard good things about the Greek yogurt from Trader Joes, it's just too far away from me to bother going to. I can get the Chobani at Target in big tubs right next door.
I haven't looked at the nutrition facts on that. I would recommend just going to the store and getting whatever brand has the least amount of sugar in it, which of course means avoiding anything but the plain stuff.
Also, trying to get Eli on board for planning stuff like this is like pulling teeth.
Good luck!
"Why plan? Just eat less and move more. What? Just do it. I dunno."
FTFY
I approve of this plan.
Clearly dancing/singing is a superior form of cardio - Bed Intruder the pounds away!
DONE
Tried some of this stuff. Added honey, vanilla, berries, granola, etc... still tasted a little like sour cream. Not sure it's worth the hassle. Might shop around more. Not really worth trying to eat something I don't like at all. There are other alternatives, and I can just not eat yogurt for breakfast.
Also, I've been reconsidering my weight lifting plan, and how my exercise routine is planned out. Should I be doing the same weight lifting routines as Andrew? Should I have a different focus, since I am a woman? I want to get lean, and haven't lost much weight yet. I am looking better, but no actual loss of weight. I may have to do some research on women's fitness. Any recommendations?
The only differences between women and men when it comes to fitness is their testosterone levels, which prevents bulkiness, and their genetics, which usually removes fat last from the hips and legs, rather than the gut in men.
As far as controlling the bar is concerned: It's a matter of form. If the weight doesn't feel stable, you need to focus on holding and moving the bar correctly, or you need to reduce the weight. Either way, it sounds like your minor muscles aren't sufficiently developed or being recruited properly.
I will disagree with this slightly- if you're losing inches but not weight yet it doesn't mean that you're doing something wrong, but that you may be converting fat to muscle. Since muscle weighs more than fat your actual scale number may not change. If the scale doesn't change for an extended period of time or you aren't losing inches then you're doing it wrong, but I know that when I started working out there was a solid month where I lost no weight at all but I dropped by body fat % by a solid amount.
Thanks...forwarded link to wifey...
Meghann joined a smaller gym, not far from my current gym, which is cheaper, and they also offer classes. I signed up for a free trial to see if it would be something I am interested in first. We tried Zumba last week Wednesday, and had a blast! Finally, cardio and core-building, I enjoy! The teacher is a riot, and the dance moves are so much fun. So far, I have gone there on Wednesday and Friday last week (all one hour sessions), and Monday (she also teaches the Zumba classes at my current gym), and again today. I love it!
And since weighing myself last Wednesday versus today... drum roll... I lost 3 pounds in a week! I weighed 170 last week, and today I'm at 167.
Super excited for this new adventure! I highly recommend anyone to try Zumba (man or woman, old or young). It is so much fun, and such a great workout. My calves are killing me...
Having fun while working out is an absolute must. I hate running, I really do. I manage to love it by listening to loud music, or by playing mental games. I'm the type that will create a rivalry in my head against the people around me, and I MUST perform to defeat them. Stupid as it sounds, it works every time.