Quite awhile ago I posted a thread asking if anyone had any recommendations about any books on how to use a home gym (since we bought ours used and don't have the manual). Well I just found my way to a nice collection of books that looks really good.
There is a series called "The Great ___ Handbooks." That is "The Great Dumbell Handbook" "The Great Home Gym Handbook" "The Great Barbell Handbook" "The Great Stretch Tubing Handbook" etc. etc.
They look really good. Safety tips, clear pictures from more than one angle, stretches. And they're inexpensive (less than $10) I got mine on Amazon. They are written by Andre Noel Potvin.
I just thought some of you would like to check them out. They have several more titles than the ones I listed above.
Enjoy!

Besides the step down in clothing size, I have another non-scale victory!: After 3 1/2 yrs of rotator and scapula PT with the yellow band, I recently advanced to all 3 sets of each exercise being done using the red band. Now after just a couple of weeks I can tell I am going to breeze through the red band and progress to the green bag for the middle of each set soon!

A couple of years ago I had given up hope that I would ever reach the green band, being willing to accept a compromise of being strong enough for the red band.

The recent improvement in my shoulder function and strength is making me enjoy all sorts of movement and use of my body, AND you know it's adding muscle!
A victory over this injury is a monumental victory indeed!

You've been doing great Ken. It's true what they say "fitness is it's own reward!" I know I'm feeling so much better to be able to use my body again!

I'm officially in to large sized clothes (down 1 size). My old clothes fit me again. (really it's more like 1.5 sizes if you go way back to the beginning of my weight loss)
After being very ill last fall/winter, I resumed my weight loss that I'd been working on most of 2009. But recently I refocused my fitness program to building strength because I am so weak still and don't feel motivated to lose weight.
The good news is that I am getting stronger (recovering from injury 3+yrs ago) and better use of my body and am beginning to feel like my old (pre-injury and pre-illness) self.
The bonus news is that I've continued to lose weight that I'm fairly sure is not muscle loss (1 lb per week).

@Kiwi-LOL wouldn't we all love a personal chef!

Yep, all the tools above, plus the food processor. It really helps when you're prepping lots of veggies. If not a food processor, then a good SHARP knife. I read an author who said she thinks the reason people don't eat vegetables is because they have dull knives. I think she's on to something!
I recently found a sturdy LARGE sized basket steamer (never saw one this big before) and I LOVE it (I think it's 12inches when unfolded - fits into large pots). I like to steam up a lot of vegies at once and eat them for days. The new steamer is making this way easier!
I also love my rice cooker.

I've NEVER heard of such a thing as not being able to eat a home made lunch in the school cafeteria. WHAT???
Anyone mind humoring me with what the rationale was? Because I can't make sense of it. Apparently it doesn't rain or get real hot where you live(d).

Great thread!
I have hit 160 lbs a few times now, hovering between there and 162 pounds, also bringing me from obese to overweight.
But the BEST news is that my 3+ years of shoulder rehab is beginning to pay off! Between kayaking and continuing the exercises meant to help me re-learn how to use my shoulder I am now able actually work the right muscles when doing those (boring old) rotator cuff/scapula series of exercises that I recently resumed. What this means is that FINALLY the right muscles are getting stronger. And instead of pain and strain it has recently been actaully feeling GOOD to work out! It's been a long hard haul, and talk about lifestyle...this shoulder rehab has consumed my life. It is truly exciting (to me) to feel a glimmer of that fit feeling again - I actually feel a little "buff" when I'm working out!
I just re-evaluated my fitness goals - giving myself 1year to lose the next 12 pounds and shifting my focus to regaining my strength that was lost between the shoulder injury and being extremely ill a few months ago. I want MUSCLE!!! And you all know what that means!

I don't track it, but I am aware of it. I was just telling my husband that I was noticing my motivation level falling. He suggested that maybe it's time for me to focus on getting stronger for awhile rather than losing weight. Since I am recovering from being very sick and truly do need to get stronger I realize he is right.
Being fit and strong has always been more of a motivator for me than losing weight anyway.

I forgot to mention Orienteering - Competions using a map and compass to find your way to pre-designated coordinates. A cross-country race to find the coordinates markers, write down the info from the markers then make it back to start. It's very popular in Europe and people do it in the US too.

I like the "cooking" suggestion!

When you're geocaching you can take along your camera and start taking pictures. Doing photography while I'm hiking gives me a good work out because it gets me squatting, kneeling reaching, bending into awkward positions etc. I take so many pictures I've ended up with some nice ones that I made into blank greeting cards which I boxed up and gave away as gifts last Christmas. They turned out nice.

There's always kayaking which gives you extra exercise not only from the kayaking itself but loading and unloading your gear

Of course you could always have kids, LOL that'll give you LOTS to do!!!

Having braces has forced me to find alternatives to much of my fresh fruit (and veggie) choices. I just discovered a new favorite sweet snack that fills in as an "in-between" meal as well as a dessert: 1/2 serving of unsweetened applesauce mixed with 1/2 serving of lowfat sweetened yogurt. If you happen to like unsweetened yogurt I'm sure that would work too, but unfortunately I REALLY don't like it without sweetening. I'm using Dannon's Light & Fit yogurt which has artifical sweetening. The Peach yogurt mixed 1/2-1/2 with unsweetened applesauce is my favorite so far.

In the past I discovered that yogurt mixed 1/2-1/2 with low-fat cottage cheese is also very good and satisfies better than eating just yogurt for a snack.

Just thought I'd share for those with a sweet tooth who like creamy/custardy/cheesecake like things.

Then there's the USDA site which I've used alot. You can search for specific foods and see their nutrient & calorie contents: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
At this same site you can also choose to search by catagory of nutrients (called "Nutrient lists" on the home page) including searching by amount of calories, protein, iron etc). To directly to the nutrient lists use this link: http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=18877

And this one which I haven't used much but seems quite good - lots of visual aids here: http://www.nutritiondata.com/

I find I get hungry about every three hours, so more frequent meals has always come natural to me. The in-between meals are more like snacks - and it seems a natural way to get all the food groups covered.
For example, unless I had fruit with my meal (which I usually don't) - snack time is a natural time for me to eat a piece of fruit, or if I had no protein with breakfast, then a mid-morning protein snack is where it's at! To get the 5-a-day recommended fruits & veggies, it helps me if I add these in between meals.
So in my case, I didn't go out of my way to eat 6 "meals" - it did, in fact, come naturally. It stands to reason that not everyone is going to be the same - so it makes sense to listen one's own body on this one.
I'll bet you're about to find out you're not the only one!

I received this information from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Comission - I am on their free email list to receive recall announcements on unsafe products. I thought someone here might find this one important:

This message is from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

Johnson Health Tech North America Recalls Horizon Fitness and LIVESTRONG(tm) Fitness Elliptical Trainers Due to Fall Hazard, http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10116.html
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Horizon Fitness and LIVESTRONG(tm) Fitness Elliptical Trainers

Units: About 18,000

Distributor: Johnson Health Tech North America Inc., of Cottage Grove, Wis.

Hazard: The foot pedal can become disengaged, posing a fall hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm is aware of 58 reports of foot pedal disengagements. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled products are elliptical trainers branded under the Horizon Fitness and LIVESTRONG Fitness names. The brand name is located at the top of the console display with the model numbers just below and the serial numbers are located on the front support tube of the trainer. The recalled models and serial numbers are listed below.

Horizon Model:
Serial Number Range

EX-58:
EP5130909CX00001 - EP5130909CX00645;
EP5130909CY00646 - EP5130909CY00903;
EP5130909CX00904 - EP5130910CX01893

EX-68:
EP5140909CX00259 - EP5140910CX00387

EX-78:
EP5160909CX00121 - EP5160910CX00142

GS1050E:
EP5180909CX02194 - EP5180910CX01290

CE5.1:
EP515N232090001 - EP515N332090519;
EP515X639090001 - EP515X245090129


LIVESTRONG Model:
Serial Number Range

LS7.9E:
EP5250908CN00001 - EP5250908CN01679;
EP5250909CX00001 - EP5250911CX00296

LS9.9E:
EP5270907CN00016;
EP5270908CN00001 - EP5270908CN01682;
EP5270909CX00001 - EP5270911CX00120

LS12.9E:
EP5280908CN00003 - EP5280908CN01534;
EP5280909CX00001 - EP5280911CX00550

Sold at: Sporting goods stores nationwide and online at www.livestrongfitness.com and www.dickssportinggoods.com between October 2009 and November 2009.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the elliptical machines immediately and contact Johnson Health Tech NA to schedule a free in-home replacement of the defective pedals.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Johnson Health Tech NA at (800) 962-3596 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm's Web sites at www.horizonfitness.com (PDF) and www.livestrongfitness.com. Consumers can contact the firm also via email at ellipticalsupport@horizonfitness.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10116.html

This message is from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, an independent federal regulatory agency, located at 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814 Toll-free hotline: (800) 638-2772

Thanks Jeff.
Robin, I was taking Aleve twice a day with food. The thing is I took it for several months. If you're "normal" you'd likely notice there was a problem, but my GI doctor said that it's not uncommon for some people to have irritation and even ulcers without knowing it.
I think it's chronic, ongoing use, that's the real risk. Taking it periodically for a limited time (with food of course) shouldn't cause anything like this.
My biggest challange at this point? Painful feet and NO anti-inflammatories to help me!!!

I just thought I'd update this to say that this set-back escalated to include major surgery, the flu and carbon monoxide poisoning.
I have never been so weak in my life. It is hard to believe that just over 2 months ago I was feeling great, hiking as long as I wanted and my weight loss was progressing very well.
I am feeling better but I still have poor stamina and it doesn't feel good to exercise. I have to force myself like never before. I'm not getting that "kick" during the work-out that I usually get that always makes me glad I did it.
So now I get to be an example of what happens after a set-back. Since I'm not back to work yet I have a couple more weeks to really focus on exercising as much as possible. I need to use this time, now that I'm feeling better, to get back as far as I can to how I felt before the GI bleed happened.
On F2F they occasionally mention getting back on track after a set back - but the examples they give are nothing like a real set back that makes you have to start from scratch again in terms of your ability to tolerate exercise. This is a real challange and is taking a lot of committment and will-power.

I love these posts. There really are good benefits to being fit besides being afraid of dying young. I am now shopping for a wedding dress - not easy at a large size

A good counselor can really, really help people with many issues. Best wishes to Tom - it can be an up and down experience going through counselling, but it is SO worth it. I encourage anyone who is not having a positive experience with their counsellor to swith until you find someone who really seems to listen to what you are and are not saying; someone who is good at getting to the essence of your feelings (as opposed to one who just talks at you or is always off the mark). It really helped me in the past in ways that has stayed with me!

I came across an article in ACSM's Health & Fitness journal about the new "Physical Activity Pyramid". It is a guide about recommended activity for adults that is modeled after the USDA Food "My Pyramid". They really did a great job simplifying what a healthy activity level looks like, and on the back it gives further guidelines for stepping up activity for further benefit. I think it can be especially useful to people who are starting out getting fit.
You can download it for free at this link (look at the top left corner of the page) Do check it out:
http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=N388

I "fourth" these sentiments!

I just heard a Commonwealth Club of California podcast with authors Laura Stec & Eugene Cordero making a lively poignant case on how our eating habits actually have a large impact on global warming. Having trouble feeling motivated to "diet?" Maybe looking at your diet from this perspective will motivate you to eat healthy in a more effective way.
I haven't seen the book, but, from what I understand, it not only has cooking tips, but covers just how your eating habits affect global warming. I put it on my wish list at Amazon. Here is the write up I found there at Amazon:

"Cool Cuisine is a smorgasbord of scientific fact and culinary art where the reader learns new ways to look at the climate crisis. It presents the full cycle on how our agrochemical food system affects global warming and how global warming affects the food system. It inspires personal life changes with in-depth research, easy recipes, ideas for your next book group "read and eat" tasting party, and simple tips on how to cook a global-cooling cuisine. The book is organized into three sections: the first gives background to the global-warming problem, the second highlights solutions, and the third is a "culinary how-to," teaching simple techniques and tips."
The book even teaches you how to keep your kitchen knife properly sharp - and you can watch a video at their Coolcuisine website on how to keep your knife sharp...which I found exciting because I had looked online quite a bit a couple of years ago for a video like this. When it comes to home cooking, theres no substitute for a good sharp knife.

Anyway, I personally find making healthy changes a lot more palatable when it's not all about exercising and dieting - so I thought others might like this angle on it as well.

-terry

I just heard a great podcast from Science Friday on this very subject!!! It was an interview of David Kessler, author of "The End of Over-eating; Taking control of the Insatiable American Appetite."

I think Ani, Matt, Jeff and many here will really like it.
The book sounds interesting, but to hear a synopsis about how are brains are being wired (in our culture) for over-eating (including another guest who is in the food industry who gives even further insight) you can get it from the Science Friday Website (it's probably no longer available at itunes) at this link:
http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/200907106

In case there's a problem with the link go to www.sciencefriday.com and go to the archive and search for the show that aired on July 10th 2009 called "Snacks, Overeating and Sensory Science"
Best wishes to all.
-terry

There's some interesting research suggesting that Alcohol and drug addiction are better thought of as appetite disorders.
I hope OA is better than AA.
Best wishes.
-terry

Great list Avi. I especially like the life of many adventures!

Great list Avi. I especially like the life of many adventures!

"Training" and 5K's and treadmills all feel like torture to me too. The way I go about it is to listen to music while I go for a walk. At first I timed my walks so that when I simply went for "a walk" I would know that I'd gone as long as my goal was.
So, instead of "exercising" I went for a pleasant walk that happened to be 30minutes long (or 20 or 10min - whatever). Then I would use energetic music to help make sure that I would walk briskly. It didn't take long for the fact that walking made me feel better, even when I didn't want to go, to sink in and this made it easier to motivate myself because when I didn't want to go I could tell myself (and believe it) that I would end up enjoying it once I was going.
I also dance in my living room for "exercise." At first it feels weird and I may not feel like doing it, but if I use really lively music that I like, before long I am enjoying it. If I put on a cute dress (so that I will not overheat) and see myself in the mirror I feel even more motivated because I don't look so bad when I'm moving in a fun way wearing a flattering dress.
For me music is key - and there is a lot of evidence showing how music makes us move. Even having lively music on while picking up around the house helps me burn "stealth" calories because I can't help but move in an upbeat way and even add in a few dance steps along the way.
But if you're looking for a cerebral way to motivate yourself - there's always the "what would I do if there was a disaster and I was not fit enough to save myself (or loved ones)" That question is motivating for me - it brings fitness to the survival level.
But if you think exercise is torture I think tricking your brain is the way to go - find something active that you do enjoy - anything - and you will be on the road to better endurance and burning more calories.
My favorite is to go on hikes. Where I live there are gently rolling hills. I timed how long various trail routes at my nearby State Park take me, then I just go for a hike on the trail route that I have time for and I am not thinking about exercise at all but about the beauty around me. And if I stoop down to take pictures of flowers along the way I'm getting even more exercise.
My endurance and stamina increased over time as I continued walking, dancing and hiking (I don't need the music when I hike) and now I feel strong and able bodied which is a fantastic reward!!!
But I still loath the idea of jumping jacks, 5K's and treadmills!!!
Good luck. Be gentle with yourself and make it enjoyable however it works for you.
-terry

Yeah, it does depend on activity - which unfortunately for me isn't as high as I would like because of my various health issues getting in the way. Men get more calories because of having more muscle mass which automatically gives them a higher BMR (= burn more calories without even trying).
But my shoulder is making good progress, so once I'm recovered from my upcoming surgery there will be light at the end of the tunnel. Once I don't have to spend so much time rehab-ing my shoulder I will have more time for cardio - but then there's still that other problem with my foot since I dropped the vacuum cleaner on it a year ago. I will be getting an MRI of it done pretty soon. I'm afraid what that's going to do to my activity once we finally know why it's still hurting me after all this time.

2776 calories?????
Man!!! I get a measly 1942 calories - and now that I can't exercise I must keep it down at 1694 calories or less!

Love your list Robin!