just want to look good in cruise clothes!

[ladymacwilly]

HCS,

 

Great to hear back from you!

 

Try all the healthy stuff, dress how you feel sexy , and have a truly wonderful time!!!

[Nliedel]

Trying to take off a lot of weight in a short time will result in your body burning protein, you don't want that.

 

Eat a little less and do some exercise. A dress size is only ten pounds, that's it. Ten. You can lose ten pounds.

 

Recent studies indicate that water is no more hydrating than diet soda. The only issue with diet soda is sodium, which can lead you to retain water. I mix my diet soda up with water.

 

Cut out the white stuff. Bread, sugar etc. Have a treat a day or you will feel deprived.

[mountainmare]

HCS-

Sounds like you are on the right track.

Don't feel like you have to do an hour tape, just do something. I'm retired and I don't feel like doing an hour tape everyday, but I do fit in 30 min of something, then the rest of the exercise is in 15min or so spurts.

Since you already know some pilates, try some yoga--just 15-20 min in the morning or evening will do wonders, you'll be surprised how much strength it take to stand on one foot for a count of 10 seconds, or hold a gentle stretch for a slow count. Like pilates yoga strengthens your core.

Congrats on your graduation, you are so lucky to be getting ready for a cruise!!!

[meluvtogocruise]

Herecomesthesun,

 

Very happy to hear that you have dropped the diet soda from your life.

 

There is NOTHING good about it. I am a former diet coker. I suffered for years with joint pain and thought I had some kind of immune disease.

 

I cut out all diet sodas and anything with aspartame. After a few months I started to feel better and now I am virtually pain-free.

 

I don't drink much besides water, tea and some decaf coffee. When I need something sweet to drink I will either make a fruit juice spritzer (1/4 cup of juice to one cup of ice water and some cubes) or I will indulge in a very small glass of regular soda. I always count the calories I drink.

 

Remember, there will always be a vacation, a wedding, a Christmas party etc. on the calendar. Good nutrition and excercise allows us to live one day at a time the best way we know how. God Bless!

 

mel:)

[sharonella]

But doesn't any liquid do the same thing? I know that it's important to stay hydrated, but I'm wondering if water in the form of diet soda works just as well.

 

There's a lot of debate out there about whether water is any different than other liquids for hydrating & there are some that will argue there's no difference.

 

I agree that there is water content in these other beverages, but with their added sugars (or artificial sweeteners), plus artificial flavors & colors, which are non-nutritive & require flushing from our systems - how can they be the same as plain water? (And unless you're an athlete - go easy on the sports drinks too!)

 

Ladymacwilly brought up an excellent point - if you wouldn't bathe in it, why would you consider it the same to drink? Don't get me wrong - I drink tea occasionally & usually have 2 diet cokes per day, but it's not the same as water. If I don't have at least 32 oz (1 quart) of water a day (on top of whatever else I drink), I can feel it - I feel all draggy & tired. In the past, I would have just had another diet soda with caffeine, but I find the same amount of plain old water does the trick instead!

 

Oh yes - I came across this over the weekend that I already knew but forgot to pass on in my previous email - if you're getting enough water, when you go to the bathroom, it'll be a pale yellow, like lemonade. The darker it is, the more water you need to drink!

 

Herecomesthesun - welcome back! Like the others have said - you don't need an hour of exercise at day to reap the benefits - just do as much as you can, of whatever you can, when you can! Keep us posted on your progress!

 

Sha

[Mrs Lewdawg]

Wow- there is a lot of info and opinions here so I'll add what I know. I am 42 and have been working out 3 times a week since January. I have come to know that the scale is NOT the best gauge of your progress. I started out at 135, which I felt was WAYYY more than I needed to weigh at only 5'3. And I was feeling bulgy in all the wrong places, etc. Typical over-40 problems for a formerly normal-sized, well-proportioned person. Middle-age can wreck everything!

 

Well, now it is a few months later and by doing cardio and weights 3 times a week for 45 min to an hour, my measurements have gone from 37-32-39 to 39-27-38 and my weight has not changed much- I'm down to 130 or so. The tape measure and how clothes fit is so much more important. My face has lost the old-looking fat pockets, too. I will wear a swimsuit proudly in June on my cruise. My calves are HUGE!

 

My prescription, especially for those over-40--- work out 3 times a week for about an hour, and drinking water is key- VERY key. You'll be able to eat whatever you want - just remain aware of fat-laden crap and empty calorie junk food.

 

Even those who have only 4 to 6 weeks to go can make a huge dent in their "body-sculpting" projects with some time and energy commitment.

 

Good luck to everyone who is trying-- and may the force be with you!

[sharonella]

.......

 

Off topic - sorry!

 

Nliedel - is that a new picture? I love it!

 

Sha

[sharonella]

Wow- there is a lot of info and opinions here so I'll add what I know. I am 42 and have been working out 3 times a week since January. I have come to know that the scale is NOT the best gauge of your progress. I started out at 135, which I felt was WAYYY more than I needed to weigh at only 5'3. And I was feeling bulgy in all the wrong places, etc. Typical over-40 problems for a formerly normal-sized, well-proportioned person. Middle-age can wreck everything!

 

Well, now it is a few months later and by doing cardio and weights 3 times a week for 45 min to an hour, my measurements have gone from 37-32-39 to 39-27-38 and my weight has not changed much- I'm down to 130 or so. The tape measure and how clothes fit is so much more important. My face has lost the old-looking fat pockets, too. I will wear a swimsuit proudly in June on my cruise. My calves are HUGE!

 

My prescription, especially for those over-40--- work out 3 times a week for about an hour, and drinking water is key- VERY key. You'll be able to eat whatever you want - just remain aware of fat-laden crap and empty calorie junk food.

 

Even those who have only 4 to 6 weeks to go can make a huge dent in their "body-sculpting" projects with some time and energy commitment.

 

Good luck to everyone who is trying-- and may the force be with you!

 

Congrats Mrs L!

 

You're a perfect example of how the number on the scale is not the true indicator of fitness! Way to go!

 

BTW - I have the "fat calves" too! I've lost 60lbs & lots of inches everywhere, except only 1/2" on each calf! Bleah!

 

Sha

[Mrs Lewdawg]

sharonella- But I think calves are good when they're big! I want to add another inch or 2 to mine.

 

:)

 

Congrats on your extreme body make-over. Yay!

[sharonella]

My calves are still about 16" at the widest point. My BF's mom has calves that look like sticks (her words) & would love to have some of mine! :rolleyes:

 

Until I get closer to my next goal of 140-145, I don't expect them to be going down much, either. I've always had disproportionately large calves (at least since puberty). Buying boots that go up the calf are an impossibility for me!

 

Sha

[meluvtogocruise]

Mrs. Lewdawg,

 

It's interesting to me that you felt out of shape at 135#. I myself am 5-3-l/2" tall and my goal right now is 145#. I was through a fitness program that recommended my goal weight to be 155#.

 

I'm not sure what the difference is, however I know that when I have weighed 145# in the past my dress size was between an 8 and a 10.

 

That is where I like it to be. I'm interested in what size you are presently wearing at 135. Just wondering.

 

Sorry for going this far off the subject.

 

mel:)

[Mrs Lewdawg]

This is interesting and may prove my point: 145 lbs. is probably a GREAT and perfectly acceptable weight for our height. At 135, I was FEELING heavy but it turns out I wasn't "heavy", I was just out of shape. I weigh about the same now and have significantly different measurements.

 

At the beginning of the year I was wearing 8's and 10's that were quite uncomfortable and looked "lumpy". I had a LOT of back fat! I am now wearing mostly size 6's that fit really nice. In the past I wore a size 6 at 110-115 lbs. Hmmmm, that's a 20-25 lb difference! I was a "fat" 110 or 115, eh?! Had I toned up, I would have been a 2, I bet. But I was young and going by the numbers on the scale alone...

 

I think the numbers on the scale matter very little. I would not care if I weighed 160 right now and wore a 10 as long as I was toned, proportioned, had the frame to carry it and my clothes looked good on me.

[ladymacwilly]

That's it Lewdog! It's all about proportion!

 

My "ideal" weight, (As a professional model), was 117 lbs and I'm 5'9". I could tell instantly if I gained 4 lbs and opted for water over sodas...no problem! Then...I turned 40, (finally figuring out "ideal" weight is a relative term") Funny thing is how the men in my life...actually kinda like curves...:confused:

 

I don't weigh myself anymore...I go for tone, strength AND proportion. And dress appropriately for my age and body. Nothing like a 40 something year old trying to wear something like an 18 year old. (The ex! but that's another story):cool:

 

Same thing goes for our original poster. Hey, she's young, vibrant, and may be carrying a few pounds. Doesn't mean she has to cover up like some "old lady" on her cruise...(OK, 40 something is NOT old...but you get my drift) :D

 

CONFIDENCE! My 'lil sister! I'll never forget when they asked Stephani Powers what her "next" dream-boat would look like. They quizzed her, "Someone tall ,dark and handsome...a muscular blonde...?"

 

Her answer, "Someone who feels good in his own skin!" Is that classic or what?

 

Works excellently both ways. :rolleyes:

[sharonella]

I hope herecomesthesun is really connecting with what we're saying here.

 

What I wouldn't give to be able to go back & have known this stuff & acted on it when I was 18! My focus was always on the number on the scale, because we didn't really know any better!

 

I think I would have had a much better outlook on life & lots more confidence in myself - because I would have been healthier & my focus would have been more on health (as it finally is now) rather than the scale. All my diets in the past ended up failing in the long run because I would eat 1200 calories or less a day :eek: , with no real increase in physical activity. (Maybe a few sit ups & leg lifts to "spot reduce" :rolleyes: , but no cardio!) I would be tired all the time, because my metabolism was at ZERO.

 

OK - enough for now - I think she gets the point! :o

Sha

[ladymacwilly]

I hope so.

 

I thought that was really good advice from the lot of us....:rolleyes:

[herecomesthesun]

I *did* get what all of you were saying, and I appreciate your advice very much. I realize that the best way to be a healthy weight for your whole life is to exercise moderately and regularly, and to eat small portions of balanced, healthy meals. I also know I should not focus on how much I weigh but more how healthy I am. Again, thanks to all of you for imparting this wisdom!

 

I was not looking for a quick fix, but perhaps a few hints on how to make a difference in a few weeks. I have been exercising every day and have noticed a difference in my clothes. I feel like very frequent exercise is the key to feeling a bit slimmer on my cruise.

[sharonella]

Congratulations for learning what took me 32 yrs to learn!! It's SO nice to hear you've made some progress in how your clothes fit in just 3 wks! It's GREAT!

 

I was so afraid we had scared you away with our fitness "lectures"!:p

 

Keep in touch!

 

Sha

[Mrs Lewdawg]

Well, it all worked out great! I just returned from the Carnival Victory and all my cruise clothing that was a bit tight in February was fabulous this time! I even wore a black one-piece swimsuit with very little support in it. It was great to have no upper-arm juggle and no back-fat this time and not have to try to squish it all in with a "slim suit"- you know the ones that guarantee to take off 2 inches from your waist and make you feel like an over-stuffed sausage? LOL

 

I worked out on the ship 3 times on this 4-night cruise and ate anything I wanted. We took the stairs EVERY time except one ride in the glass atrium elevator for fun.

 

I did not gain an ounce! I plan to be even more fit for my December cruise on the Sensation. Still working out 3 times a week with weights, machines and cardio. Hubby is, too. He looks HOT (and I'm hittin' that!) LOL

 

How is everyone doing fitting into their cruise clothing?

[sweetpea-2]

I am about 20 pounds overweight, and thought I would lose some weight before the cruise. However, it is about six weeks away and I have not lost any weight. In six weeks, I would have to really sacrifice to go down even one size.

 

If anyone has any tips about quick (yet safe) weight loss, those are definitely welcomed, but what I am really asking for is any tips to appearing slimmer in skimpy summer clothes and bathing suits. My major problem areas are my tummy, lovehandles and thighs. I am 18 and want to dress accordingly, so I'm not going to be all covered up. What's the best way to "smooth out"? Thanks!!

 

about the only thing that works for me is to cut out the bad carbs....like sweets, breads, pasta...... ;)