Video Fitness Forum  

Go Back   Video Fitness Forum > Video Fitness Reader Forum > General Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 01-08-21, 04:03 PM  
kat999
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Ohio
I don't think one has to get fully discouraged or think this is just how life is once we enter our mid-40s. I'm 45, and I gained 20 pounds of pandemic weight in 2020. I am in perimenopause but still have cycles, and I have fibroids, which have kind of messed up my hormones. I put myself on a very strict regime in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and then an even stricter one in the new year, and this week I lost three pounds. A HUGE component of it is exercise-based, but I will admit that the other component is related to d*et, which I know is verboten here. I will also say that I have tried MFP off and on over the years and if you really do stick with it, it does work. I think at times I have had a false sense of security by logging workouts in it, and that's a bad idea, because you really shouldn't be essentially eating back your expended calories.

Here are the non-d*et things I'm doing that are helping:

- Doing two different workouts, back-to-back, nearly first thing in the morning with only coffee in my system. This isn't as crazy as it sounds and only takes me between 60 and 90 minutes, depending on what I'm doing that day. I rotate between FIRM Express, Ellen Barrett, Jillian Michaels, Jane Fonda, classic and later FIRM workouts, Leslie Sansone, and Jessica Smith. Today, for example, I doubled up with one FIRM Express disc and Ellen Barrett's Yogini workout. 65 minutes total, I did some modifying as needed, and it left me very energized.

- Even with the above, I also have a step goal, and often workouts alone will not cause me to reach it, so I take walking/jogging breaks during my day or finish up after dinner (often with a walking video). Every week, I'm increasing my daily goal. Two weeks ago, my goal was 10K, the following week was 11K, and this week it's 12K. I've hit it every day this week so far and most days the previous two weeks as well. I also fit in some steps doing passive activities, like waiting for my coffee to brew, putting away laundry, brushing my teeth, doing my makeup, cooking, etc. You'd be surprised how much still standing we do when we COULD be moving. Like, there's no point in me just standing in front of my coffee maker for three minutes. That's 600 steps I could get in!

- I work from home right now, due to the pandemic, and while I do have work meetings every week, I have nothing before noon. Last year, this meant I was sleeping in every day, getting up at 11, and throwing myself together in time for my meetings, then working out in the late afternoon and staying up (just lounging around) until after midnight. No more. I now get up at 7 am, have some coffee, get my workout outfit on immediately, and I'm in my home gym no later than 8 am. On the weekends, I let myself sleep until 8, but that's it. I'm not even going to bed any earlier, however, so this allows me to register a HUGE active calorie burn merely by being awake more hours. In fact, that sleeping in was probably a symptom of depression and not actually necessary. I'm still getting a good 7-9 hours of sleep, and it's far less interrupted, because I'm more tired by the time I go to bed and being more active during the day.

So that's basically it: getting more active time in per day in multiple ways. As I said, there are other things I'm doing, which I'm happy to share in PM or something, and I do think it's the other key to this, but I just wanted to say that I don't think anyone needs to just assume there is no way to hitting a goal weight once you hit a certain age. Is it HARDER? Oh, yes, indeed. Is it IMPOSSIBLE? Absolutely not. With all of that said, weight is also just a number, and I simply want to lose a bit because at my current weight I do feel some joint and muscle aches, and I need to ensure that I keep my fibroids and blood pressure in check. I firmly support and believe that you can be healthy at any size, and that it's important not to let these things become negative fixations. OTOH, don't let failure to lose weight define, discourage, or depress you.
__________________
peace.tranquility.calmness.serenity
kat999 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-08-21, 08:12 PM  
txhsmom
VF Supporter
 
txhsmom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: TX Panhandle
Negin,

I think Donna covered it pretty well. I did all of Pahla's 2020 Weight Loss series and other than 2 or 3 workouts (out of 31) that had walking and jogging intervals, there was no impact involved. At 64, I found it all very do-able. As a way of comparison, I do sometimes find Jessica's workouts to be hmm, challenging. So far in the 2021 Weight Loss series, I haven't seen any walking/jogging intervals.

And ditto as far as any exercise can cause anyone a problem. For me, it's Pahla's arm circles that she does in her warmups (and cooldowns). After about 40 days of that, I realized that I do not need to be doing that many arm circles every day. Now I just do them at about quarter speed or skip them entirely. It used to bother me to do that, but I've come to accept that sometimes I just have to modify.

Carol

Quote:
Originally Posted by donnamp View Post
Hi Negin,

Pahla's new stuff for weight loss does not include any running or jumping. Her Body Sculpting program includes a "Sunday Runday" that has intervals of walking and running -but you could totally just do all walking or substitute some other cardio activity for that day - an outdoor walk, another cardio video, a bike ride, etc. In one of her recent videos she does mention that she hasn't done high impact since 2019, and i think that is about right from what I could tell.

As for the other exercises - like drinky birds and such - inevitably, no matter what instructor or type of program you follow, there will always be some move that just doesn't work for your body and for those you do just have to become ok with substituting. There is no need to injure yourself to get stronger, in fact, injuring yourself is the way you will not get stronger. As Pahla says "there are no exercise police" - she is very encouraging of modifications and making things work for you. She does offer suggestions - for instance if you can't do squats/lunges she says to substitute a kicking move instead. For drinky birds - essentially one-legged deadlifts, you can always do two legged deadlifts or if deadlifts are a no-no you can always do bridges. The bottom line is, unless you design your own program or work with a trainer to personally design one for you, there will almost always be an exercise that doesn't work for you.

It has taken me awhile to come to terms with this but now, if something doesn't work for me I just do a different exercise, or go slower with it, etc.

Hope this helps!

Donna
txhsmom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-08-21, 08:30 PM  
fanofladyvols
 
fanofladyvols's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Modify City, State of Fierce
Quote:
Originally Posted by donnamp View Post

The bottom line is, unless you design your own program or work with a trainer to personally design one for you, there will almost always be an exercise that doesn't work for you.

It has taken me awhile to come to terms with this but now, if something doesn't work for me I just do a different exercise, or go slower with it, etc.
Totally agree, Donna. But it also took me awhile to get there. I do it without hesitation now!

But what on earth is a drinking bird??
__________________
Don't just work hard, work smart....Pat Head Summitt

Never give up on your body!-- Miranda Esmonde-White

Word/Guiding Principle for 2024: Embrace: embrace my faith, my family, my friends, myself, the process, the progress, the hard work, the strength program I choose, the recovery methods and rest I need, my life, the good times, and the memories of good people.
fanofladyvols is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-08-21, 08:31 PM  
bee
VF Supporter
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Quote:
Originally Posted by fanofladyvols View Post
Totally agree, Donna. But it also took me awhile to get there. I do it without hesitation now!

But what on earth is a drinking bird??
I think other people call them "good mornings"
__________________
I am @summitbee on instagram.
bee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-08-21, 09:17 PM  
txhsmom
VF Supporter
 
txhsmom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: TX Panhandle
Quote:
Originally Posted by fanofladyvols View Post
Totally agree, Donna. But it also took me awhile to get there. I do it without hesitation now!

But what on earth is a drinking bird??
It's a one legged move where you tilt forward on your standing leg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWTw...l=BronwynSpira

Tough balance work. I hate them.

Carol
txhsmom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-08-21, 09:25 PM  
fanofladyvols
 
fanofladyvols's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Modify City, State of Fierce
Quote:
Originally Posted by txhsmom View Post
It's a one legged move where you tilt forward on your standing leg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWTw...l=BronwynSpira

Tough balance work. I hate them.

Carol
Ahh, thanks...very similar to single leg deadlift..and yes those look tough esp. holding it.
__________________
Don't just work hard, work smart....Pat Head Summitt

Never give up on your body!-- Miranda Esmonde-White

Word/Guiding Principle for 2024: Embrace: embrace my faith, my family, my friends, myself, the process, the progress, the hard work, the strength program I choose, the recovery methods and rest I need, my life, the good times, and the memories of good people.
fanofladyvols is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-21, 11:35 AM  
Leonana
 
Leonana's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Arizona
Quote:
Originally Posted by txhsmom View Post
Negin,

I think Donna covered it pretty well. I did all of Pahla's 2020 Weight Loss series and other than 2 or 3 workouts (out of 31) that had walking and jogging intervals, there was no impact involved. At 64, I found it all very do-able. As a way of comparison, I do sometimes find Jessica's workouts to be hmm, challenging. So far in the 2021 Weight Loss series, I haven't seen any walking/jogging intervals.

And ditto as far as any exercise can cause anyone a problem. For me, it's Pahla's arm circles that she does in her warmups (and cooldowns). After about 40 days of that, I realized that I do not need to be doing that many arm circles every day. Now I just do them at about quarter speed or skip them entirely. It used to bother me to do that, but I've come to accept that sometimes I just have to modify.

Carol
I wonder if that’s what caused my shoulder strain. I did a couple of workouts with Pahla and developed some shoulder strain, so I stopped using her workouts.

With Jessica Smith, it’s ab work on the floor, it tweaks my lower back. So, I substitute for those moves.
__________________
Sherry
Leonana is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-21, 01:43 PM  
donnamp
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Maryland, USA
I think the only time I have injured myself w/ Pahla B is when I have added on lots of other stuff b/c I didn't think it was "enough" to do one of her moderate workouts.

I do have to be careful with the drinky birds (Pahla has her own unique names for things, LOL!) and deadlifts - I have to go slow and really watch my form.

I also have to modify some of her standing core work from time to time - triangles, which I think is a move used in Kbell work is one that I need to be careful with - sometimes I need to drop the weights and do that move w/out weights. Sometimes I need to be careful w/ standing twists - and will sometimes need to drop weight for that, too.

One of the hardest things and something I still struggle with is believing that these shorter moderate workouts are enough - and if I start to talk myself into thinking they are not - that is likely when I will get hurt b/c I will start adding on more and more stuff...overload.

Donna
donnamp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-21, 03:15 PM  
Negin
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Quote:
Originally Posted by donnamp View Post
In one of her recent videos she does mention that she hasn't done high impact since 2019, and i think that is about right from what I could tell.
The bottom line is, unless you design your own program or work with a trainer to personally design one for you, there will almost always be an exercise that doesn't work for you.
Donna, thank you so much for your helpful reply.

Quote:
Originally Posted by txhsmom View Post
For me, it's Pahla's arm circles that she does in her warmups (and cooldowns). After about 40 days of that, I realized that I do not need to be doing that many arm circles every day. Now I just do them at about quarter speed or skip them entirely. It used to bother me to do that, but I've come to accept that sometimes I just have to modify.
Carol, thank you also. I need to remind myself to listen to my body.

Quote:
Originally Posted by donnamp View Post
I think the only time I have injured myself w/ Pahla B is when I have added on lots of other stuff b/c I didn't think it was "enough" to do one of her moderate workouts.
One of the hardest things and something I still struggle with is believing that these shorter moderate workouts are enough - and if I start to talk myself into thinking they are not - that is likely when I will get hurt b/c I will start adding on more and more stuff...overload.
Donna, yes, I need to save your entire post, since I suffer from this also. I often feel that I need to be doing more. I have far too many workout options and I love them all. I have been chasing the diet and exercise pony for most of my adult life. I need to calm down and just focus on Pahla's Weight Loss Challenge - for 31 days, or maybe for 62, since she suggests doing last year's as well if one wishes (in her e-book). One thing at a time. Phew!
__________________
"Look at everything always as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time: Thus is your time on earth filled with glory." - Betty Smith, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"
Negin is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-21, 07:36 PM  
momofcha
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Illinois
I’m intrigued with how many people stuck with her workouts? I know with certainty that i over-exercise. But my issue is not that I’m beat up - i just can’t lose weight. My other issue? I LOVE to work out. Love it. I look forward to it every day. I have taken a few principles from Debra Atkinson in two strength days/week with two rest days (from weights) in between. I add in barre3 because they’re fun.

I don’t know if I could only do Pahla B and my 2 days of strength and be happy. I would love to lose my thyroid/menopause weight though.....that would make me happy
__________________
Sue


"I'm just one workout away from a good mood." ~ Valerie Waters
momofcha is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
diabetes, pahla bowers, rotation, rotations, success stories, successful weight loss, system, systems, weight loss

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:40 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
© 2009 Video Fitness