Donald - I know I have said it before... you continue to amaze me! How long did it take you to get to this level? Keep it going strong! Great motivation for me to reach for the stars...you are one of them!

run4life--good job thinking your breakfast out as you were thinking "what would I eat Primal?" I know, all those tasty breakfast staples we grew up with are not approved.  I'm on day 4 and still can't imagine ditching those foods for life...  Just focusing on this month.  I can do this for a month.  Then we'll see when July comes.  i can't wait to get to the point where I actually DON'T want those things....  Is that actually possible?

laura--i'm too see it as my duty to turn hubby's mood around.  I get angry when I can't!  then i get really stubborn and insist on fixing the problem, even if my attempt to make him happy has made him even more angry.  It turns into an ugly loop.

Opti - I cannot wait to hear/ read your posts one month out. I am sure you will be saying the cravings are gone

...then perhaps I will follow along more completely. I am going do more reading...it is the busy season right now for home and family...gotta slow that down and gotta ensure that does not become the excuse on why I cannot...either cannot start...or cannot stay with a program.

Don't give up on the hub and I know you are not. Small steps...planting small seeds. I am sure he is watching...even if it is out of the corner of his eye...he does sound so much like me...knowing what should be done and perhaps trying to see what little seed of willpower is present to even get started.

Loving the wisdom you are spreading here and elsewhere!!!

run4--i've seen people say their cravings go away...  then a few months later they went back to their conventional way of eating for a little bit.  So I'm curious, if the cravings went away at one point, did they come back? were they experimenting to see what it'd be like to have 'just a little'? Peer pressure?  celebrating something?   hmm, I might bring this topic up at some point in the future if I find it happening to me.  

So far I don't have a craving, but if I think about the food long enough, I can see one coming around the corner.  So I shut my mind off to it, and think about Primal recipes I want to try, or how I can't wait to get to the farmer's market.

Even though I live in a big city, the farmers markets are only open Tues, Thurs, Sat, maybe sunday.  Limited hours.  i usually work on most of those days, so it's hard to predict when I can go.  And then the stuff you buy only lasts for about 4 days :(

i plan on going to one tomorrow, and my husband said MAYBE he would go with me!!!  But he's said this 3x and still hasn't accompanied me.  So I won't get my hopes up, as I really don't like to be disappointed.

He also hasn't been eating peanuts for days now.  He's been grabbing almonds instead :)  I noticed and told him how peanuts and cashews aren't technically nuts.  And how i'm going to buy more macadamia nuts, and he got excited!  woohoo!  Now I just hope macadamias don't take up my whole grocery budget :)

in the past, my food took up most of the budget, whereas his food was just Swanson's frozen dinners, tater tots, ALL processed boxed stuff.  So his food was cheap and affordable.  I wasn't prepared to buy healthy food for TWO people.

howdy folks,

flat out at work so just dont have time to post:-(

run4life... i started november 2010, weighed in at over 330 pounds, dont kno who wmuch cos the scale only went to 330 pounds. started off just walking, then did 2 body for life challenges back to back(1 week off inbetween) then started doing Crossfit, did 3 classes a week for a few months then moved to 5 classes a week (now doing6) and have been doing CF for just over a year.

the main thing i suppose is consistency, in 2 challenges i only missed 2 workouts, and one of them was when we were moving house so i got in a good workout that day i promise, and with Crossfit i have missed 1 week being sick, 2 workouts being out of town, but one of those days i did a CF style workout in the hotel room, and recently i missed a workout, just fatigued with work and needed sleep. other than that i do all my workouts(except a thursday) 1st thing in the morning, so i set the alarm, wake up get dressed and go. that way no excuses, no reason not to go.

the other thing is that i seriously LOVE doing the workouts, i wake up and thing awww no, i'm actually excited to get in there and do the freaky stuff. i mean handstands.... how many 44 year old males with a huge belly and weight issues even think of doing a handstand???? i just love that.

so its easier to do when you get a kick out of it. even when it kicks your backside, its a really good happy feeling. well for me anyway.

going to Cf tonight.

workout is deadlifts for strength 4 x 3 reps, i want to try do 3 lifts at 160kg, have done 150kg before x 3. 160 is a bit outside my comfort zone.

then the workout

Burpees

power snatch (42.5kg)

10 of each, then 9, then 8 etc till 1

so 55 reps of each

i HATE burpees

but i love power snatch, soooo will be interesting.

cheers folks

off to a meeting. hold thumbs could be a goodie.

cheers

Awesome story Donald - hey one more thing...would you consider yourself always strong but just heavy in weight or did you have to work up the strength side as you brought the weight side down. Just asking for you seem really strong now and was wondering how dropping weight and building strength went.

I am learning to hate Burpees but thought I would start somewhere. I am noticing that I have DOMS in places BFL lifting was not touching. I am thinking that CF style exercises might make me more overall fit...not saying the BFL does not.

I see your workouts and dream ... keep the inspiration going!

hey run...

i suppose i have always been on the strong side, but its a combination, i have DEFINATELY gotten stronger doing Crossfit, in leaps and bounds.

I think that because so many of us start Body for life wanting to lose weight we actually forget that its a body building program. always has been and always will be. and thats great, i got brilliant results on BFL, and if it wasn't for that there is no way i would of ever started CF. the whole workout schedule in BFL is designed to make you look better, the cardio is the right amount to help you burn fat, and the lifting part i sdesigned to get the looks, get you ripped etc.

dont get me wrong, i'm not knocking that at all, as a matter of fact i have huge respect for folks that are that dedicated to get those results. for me when i started CF i wanted something freaky, on the wild side to push me, and it certainly does that. but the focus is more on functional strength, and all round fitness.

so every workout starts off with either strength or gymnastics movements.

yesterday we did handstands and L sits (l sit mimicks a gymnast using parallel bars holding your legs in front of you so you look like a L) today we do deadlifts. my 1st 3 or 4 months my trainer wouldnt let me do deadlifts, my form was terrible, i hunched over the bar, would of just damaged my back, so he made me do other stuff instead, when i did start with deadlifts he wouldnt let me go heavy, so  other guys were doing 140 or 150 kg x 3, i was doing 80kg x 6.

but the thing is i needed to learn propper form, hell i still do. so while the weights i do may sound heavy, i am NOWHERE compared to the guys in the gym, especially when you look at it compared to bodyweight. my 1 rep max for deadlift is 165kg, but i weigh about 115kg. my trainer weighs less than 80kg, but has a 1 rep max of 200kg yeah 200kg thats 440 pounds!!!!

so i am constantly getting stronger, but the idea is to get stronger while i get smaller to get a better power to weight ratio. there is a chap there who weighs in under 70kg, but he can backsquat 130kg, thats double his bodyweight, Shaun the guy who went to the games doing the strength stuff (weighs about 85kg)can do 5 reps of backsquats with 150kg, and he does them easy, me i struggle with 110kg. so he is doing close to double body weight, i'm not even doing bodyweight..

there agin these guys have been doing it for much longer than me, and they never started off fat:-)

so its all relative i suppose, what i'm saying is my workouts may sound impressive, but there are folks in my gym that do way more than me. hell there is a lady there who has a rep deadlift of 172kg!!!! and she can do single leg squats pull ups etc, so not just a big chick, an all round athlete.

emma, she has a 1 year old at home, so her last year has had pregnancy, child birth etc, she is so strong, she can squat more than i can and she's a petite little blond thing... its humbling to go in and work out next to ladies and they lift more than you do, and they do it with better form. HAHAHAHA

those that were here a year ago will remember my constant bitching at being beaten by grannies... so its all relative, just keep on going, keep pushing yourself, keep being a better you thats what i strive for. if i can get just a little better today then its a win. and at the end of the day its you vs you.

wow where did that all come from? i dont proof read so i hope it answers the question:-)

cheers

back to work 4 me

Good Evening Crew,

Been super busy here but still going strong. Workouts are killer and eating has been 100%. Feels so good. I've actually never felt better. I have been cleaning up many bad habits in my life, behaviours that were undermining my heath - physically, mentally and spiritually. It takes time to destroy old habits and construct new ones but once you get started, once you gain momentum, the excitement and motivation takes hold of your being and you can't wait to get up and embrace another day.

9:16pm here. Almost time for bed. Just get meal 6 in, read for a bit then muscle building time! :)

howdy folks,

so last night i wanted to get 150kg x 3 with deadlift, i got 160kg x 3. woohoo.

felt really good, then most of the other guys did 170 x 3. F*&K!!! but i'm happy its a PB for me.

workout was hard, long lung busting and good.

eating has been really clean this week, and i'm down 1.8kg since monday, BUT sadly i still need to drop about 3 to get into new territry, i got a low weight then picked up about 5kg, so i'm working through that to get some lower numbers in sight.

i need to get to bed at night same time as Orrin does, i spend hours in front of the tv that do nothing for me except make me tired the next morning...

have gotten better used to be a midnight person, now its 10:30ish... should be 10 at the latest. hell i wake up at 5 every morning,and when you look at me you will agree with my next statement. I NEED MY BEAUTY SLEEP!!!

:-)

cheers folks

friday heer so weekend coming.. and its a 3 day one as well...

Evening crew!

Another awesome day today! I lengthened my running course today to a full 4km (my driveway 4X plus a little bit - past the shop and to the gate, not that it matters) My legs were a bit sore - beautiful DOMS :) - so no world record. 27:54. that includes a short break at the halfway mark to stretch my knee. It was a wonderful run. It rained a little overnight so everything was fresh and smelling incredible. Then I made breakfast and coffee for two and was at the gym by 8:00 for a huge arm workout! I am loving it!

Donald: sounds like you are uber busy. Glad to see your posts and hear you are still making time to workout despite your hectic schedule.

Legs: I suspect you are lurking. No one is giving up on anyone. This public forum is a great place for all of us to share and find the support and encouragement we need. Don't be a stranger here. On the forum.

Opti, run4life: I have enjoyed your posts the last few days. It has been kind of quiet. Thanks for sharing what is going on with you :)

A big hello to everyone else,

have a great night all!

I have not posted in 8 days so this might be a long one. June is here! Wednesday marks 4 years since I  joined a gym and decided  get in shape. I had just moved and decided it was a good time to make new habits. I guess they stuck....

run4life - It is fun to cut back cardio and see more progress. Now if only I could cut back overeating... Since May 12th it has been a struggle but atleast I didn't pack on 8 pounds like last May . You will be under 200 soon and I know how big a barrier it is. When I had a personal trainer in 2009 he kept saying, "When we get you below 200 you will be a fat burning machine." I hit 205 on my 1 year anniversary of working out and it took me 7 weeks to get below 200. I hit 200 hundred the week I bought my house so it felt like a huge transition just like when I moved in 2008 and starting exercising. I am glad to hear your interest in Paleo. It has been a real platuea breaker for me.

The August 185 goal it totally doable!  My wife just set a goal for the last weekend in September for a 5k we already signed up for.

Orrin - Keep going strong!

Donald - You are a strong guy. CF is a freak status all its own so you can't compare your self to them but I feel the same way every time I run a race. I tend to be middle of the pack in overall finishing unless it is a 5k. I think it is cool your have your Thursday night CF challenger and he puked, haha.

LauraKP - I am glad you made it past the knee injury and no workout slump. I do feel like a alot of the weight loss from Paleo is from better and faster digestion.

OptiGirl - I have never received a newsletter, that is cool. I am glad to hear you are able to let go of the boot camps. It is fun to open a new chapter that brings new results every so often. The goal to stop addiction to processed foods will be your biggest victory and a hard challenge. Ellen is big on the Primal workout plan but I still like doing 6 days a week 3 days lifting and 3 days cardio, although my cardio has been less than 35 minutes a day for the past 6-7 weeks. I figure anything under 45 minutes will help me with fatloss. I plan to switch to the Paleo Diet for Athletes by Loren Cordain in August when I start marathon training again.

The craving do go away and there and many different types of cravings (emotional, chemical, and other) and they can come back quick if you give in after your 30 days. I have yet to get back on the primal diet 80-100% since May 12th. It is a mixed of lack of planning and pure lack of motivation. If I can make it thru this weekend I think I can reset my eating patterns. I have not had any bread since the 19th.

Legs - Have fun in NYC!

In the world of exercise I have been doing better than my nutrition. Despite having 5 days off I still got in every exercise. Last Friday and I slept in and got to the gym by 9am for my bicep and back workout and I took my time and enjoyed it. It was way less crowded then 5-7am or 6-8pm. Saturday morning I decided to tie-in my running with our earrand and ran 3.75mi to the farmers market and Ellen drove there to meet me. Monday I also got to workout in a non-peak hour doing my chest, tricep and shoulder routine around 3pm. I found myself at a Chinese buffet afterward. Tuesday morning I decided to call in to work and woke up at 10am. I ran 4 miles at 11am and it was 81 degrees. Wednesday I missed my workout because I brought home a kitten I rescued from work and we had to go to get supplies. Yesterday was my favorite workout in a long time.

I ran a 5k on the treadmill in 23:54 then Ellen joined me for my 1000th mile since I started running outdoors at the end of C2 in September 2010. Running with her inspired me. She is fast but has no endurance but we can run over a quarter mile together at a 10 min pace.

This morning I did my nice and short bicep and back routine. I changed it up a little and was done in 28 minutes. Ellen is going out of town this weekend for a "Ladies Weekend" with my mother, sister, aunts, and grandmother. It will be this first time we have been apart for more than 15 hours since she moved in with me 6 months ago. I had plans to do an Adventure Race tomorrow running 3-4 miles, biking 7-14 miles, and canoe or kayaing for 25-35 minutes but it is a two person team event and my friend than told me about it isn't responding to me. I don't have his phone number just his email and facebook. If I dont hear back by this afternoon I will try to break my 5k time tomorrow since the low tonight is 60 from all the rain we have had. My outdoor 5k PR is 25:02 and my treadmill PR is 23:48 so anything faster than either would be awesome.

Looks like the facebook group is slowing down this awesome thread :(

I did not get to do the Adventure race and I slept in yesterday so no 5k run. This morning I did 4.5mi in the sun and it was 82 degrees at 10am. My dog Winston could only handle 3 miles so he has to sit out the last 1.5mi.

I hope everyone is being healthy and active.

No "Free Day" for me this week

Hi Coffee Crew!!!

Haven't posted for a while, so sorry about that!

Bryan--never fear--the Coffee Crew has had some slow spurts before, then picked up. We can keep this thread going!!!

Activity this weekend for me wasn't super. I'm dealing with this stupid plantar fasciitis and heel spur. I had actually planned to do a 5K day before yesterday--just a spur of the moment thing--literally...I was poking around to see if there were any more 5ks near me this summer sometime, and found one about 3 miles from my house happening 2 days later!

But I discovered short-notice isn't the best thing when it comes to training. I hadn't been kind to my heel the 2-3 days prior with lots of gardening, running, and karate. Had I really "planned" for the race, I would have tempered my workouts to give my foot the best chance.

*sigh*

I guess this is what it's like to start getting old! ha ha. BUT I did put another 5K on the calendar in July--in my friend with cancer's town a couple hours away. I'm running it with her husband and son. HOpefully my husband will run it too.

Plans for the week!

BFL LBWO this morning! WHEEE! (Those are my favorites!)

I also am bringing my bike to work today and will get out for a spin to see what all needs adjusting after a winter in the garage.

Tomorrow, instead of doing anything on my feet for Cardio, I'll bike. I used to race when I was in college, and it's the same college I now work at. I LOVE the roads around this school. Not only are they perfect for nice long rides, but they're full of memories of training rides and days of carefreeness! :)

Karate tonight.

Getting Rx filled and appointment at Physical Therapist for cortisone for my heel.

As for the eating--I've been doing really well. I didn't take a free day, but I did allow a couple sweets yesterday.

Going grocery shopping today. Lots of veggies, lean meat AND COFFEE on the list!!!!

Now that I've gone almost 2 months without wine, I'm finding I drink a lot more coffee in the evenings. Luckily I'm not affected much by caffeine, but I still think it would be better to be drinking decaf at night instead of leaded!!

Bryan--your multi-year anniversary of fitness pictures are SOOOO cool! And i love how you've grown your hair out!

Opti--how's your husband doing with his health realizations? I hope he starts coming around when he sees how great you're doing!

Donald!--What was your CrossFit freakiness like this weekend??

Orrin!!!!! Tell me about your bookstore! I'd love to see pics. I bet that would be a very rewarding business. What fitness freakiness are you planning this week?

Everyone else! Come and play!

Happy Monday everyone!

Larry

Good morning Crew just a quick fly by. Life can get crazy sometimes. Still eating 100% and hitting the gym hard. I'll try and jump back on tonight or maybe later today (its my free day!) and shout out some shout outs I've been meaning to for a few days. Oh and post some pics of the store too, for Larry :)

Happy Monday all!!

Keep going strong!