h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Dunno why, but I don't feel like waiting till 5 minutes to Midnight to start my entry today.

I also don't feel like going back to the gym. The new dog, Scooter, is small, but hard to walk. He is very aggressive toward other dogs and pulls terribly no matter what I do. He won't wear a Gentle Leader (which goes around the nose and always kept Shel from pulling too much) at all. I got a different kind of anti-pulling harness but he doesn't notice it. He pulls like it wasn't on at all. And walking him never seemed to make any difference in his behaviour at home, as in, he was never tired out by walking or anything, so I stopped walking him. It was just too much of a PITA. He gets plenty of exercise chasing his ball.

So after 10 years of keeping in shape (what kind of shape, I won't mention. I'll just say, round is a shape, right?) by walking a every day I no longer walk a dog. I had been planning on joining a gym for months and since my insurance pays for a gym, I had no excuse not to anymore. I joined a gym nearby which is open 24 hours. Not that I need access at odd hours but when I was at Curves (for Women) they closed from noon to 3pm and that was always when I wanted to go.

Curves had some other issues too. It was mostly older women some of which were friendly with each other and liked to talk politics during their workouts. This being a heavily Republican area, they talked like Republicans which was awfully hard to take. I'd rather not talk while I'm working out or be subject to other people's politics. The workout there is on a circuit where you do a minute on each machine then move to the next one when their recording tells you to move. Some of the old ladies took so long to move from one machine to another I was always on top of them. It would drive me nuts. So I quit going there a couple of years ago. At the time my insurance didn't pay for it anyway and I decided to save the money.

With the new dog not being walkable, I decided to join a new gym. I was very motivated for the first several weeks. I went almost every day for those weeks. But It never seemed to make any difference. I never lost any weight. I don't loose weight. I only seem to gain it, or on occasion stay static. I haven't been to the gym since my brother's been in town because we were busy getting ready for the holiday and, jeez, I don't know what we were doing, but it took up all of our time, so I didn't make it to the gym.

Now it is the day after Thanksgiving, my brother has gone back to Colorado, and I have no motivation whatsoever to go back to the gym. I have to visit my mother today which will take up my time. It was my dad's day to go today, but he's tired and wants me to go, so I will. I doubt I will make it to the gym today. Maybe I'll get it together and go tomorrow. It will probably be crowded with people trying to work off their T-giving excesses, but that's OK. There are plenty of machines there.

[Amy P]

I'm trying to exercise more and, as I abhor gyms, the dog is really benefitting! His walk time has doubled for the time being, until the weather puts a damper on it (literally!).

But I'm lucky, he doesn't really pull and I can let him off on the field up the road.

Can you promise yourself some kind of treat to have after each gym visit as a motivation? Apparently this works for some people. Although I'm more likely to look at myself in the mirror and say "sod the gym, let's skip straight to the treat"!

Seriously, though, you do sound a bit down, so I hope you're feeling more upbeat soon

Deb

Hello HBJ, hmmm,exercise is great and necessary for a whole of reasons but in terms of losing weight the effects can be minimal.
So if losing weight is your driving motivation for exercise it might be an idea to change that as it may not set up the postitive loop you are hoping to achieve.
There are many good reasons to exercise, for health in general in the short and long term, for physical fitness, it has a positive impact on mental well being. Many people find when they are physically fitter that has a positive impact on their dietry intake and over the long term it is good for weight maintainance. Also great for body tone
So perhaps shift you focus for reasons to exercise to these rather than weight loss.

My fitness level are at all time low at the moment,as is my motivation, would having a buddy help? I am not planning to join to a gym but I would like to get on the Wi Fit and out on the bike and for longer walks. No offense taken if wouldn't help you, or you just prefer not to take me up the offer for whatever reason, it is just an idea, maybe

Deb, thanks. It's nice you can let your dog off leash close by.

I did manage to go to the gym today. My treat for going to the gym is the satisfaction that I've done it! But really, I can't think of any treat that wouldn't defeat the purpose of going to the gym. I'll have to think about that.

Peanut, you're right about exercise not being that great in and of itself for losing weight. I did start out with the goal of simply improving my health, but not necessarily losing weight. I sometimes lose track of that goal. I would be happy to have a long distance work out buddy. That would be fun!

Maybe I could join in too, once I can breathe again, that is? Strictly Wii Fit or one of the EA Sports Active games, though (probably Wii Fit to start--the others are better, but I've let my fitness slip too far again).

You're welcome to join as far as I'm concerned! Not sure where to post it. Maybe I'll start a thread under my messages? or should I make it a guide entry? or we could do it on this thread here. I'm very indecisive lately.

Maybe we could revive A481754. It needs updating and modernising. I ought to remove that table. (Would removing the table mean you eat less?)

As for exercise not being beneficial to losing weight: I am so glad to hear that. OTOH, if you're walking the dog, you're not raiding the fridge.

Firstly, well done for going to the gym.

I made a start and got the batteries for the Wii fit board but I am now determined to get on ot it today!

Yay and the more the merrier I say Amy

I don't mind how it is organised, on this thread or another, or an A page. I think I had envisoned something quite informal.

Just somewhere to share our experiences, offer some encouragement when needed and to join in the joy when someone has hit a personal target of some kind, if they are into setting targets.

Also it is social. On of things I really like about NaMo is that it can sometimes be an ice breaker and you get the opportunity to talk to people that you might not otherwise have met

I don't think the focus should be on weight loss, although if that is an aspect of what someone wants to achieve then I am more than happy to be supportive with that as well

I shall fess up now, that I am a skinny bint, in terms of weight, if I have to work on anything it is keeping it on, sorry. I am though a very unfit skinny bint with some very bad habits and I would like to make some life style changes

Reviving that page sounds like a good idea. I thought I might be reinventing the wheel by starting up a new page. I don't know how hard it would be to update that page, though. I'm not much good with guideML myself.

I agree w/ Peanut, tho on maybe not making it so centered on weight loss. Maybe It could be about support for sticking with whatever exercise or health habits people are trying to achieve. I do like the testimonials on the existing A page.