Non-Scale Victories

[Lorelai]

I've been trying hard to stay off the scale and focus on all of the other benefits of adding exercise videos back into my life. I've only been at it for a few weeks, but here are some things I've noticed:

·Better posture

·More even weight distribution on feet
»»»Might sound strange, but I naturally turn out and have a tendency to roll my ankles, so strengthening my feet, ankles, and the entire leg makes a huge difference.

·More positive attitude towards life

·Just generally happier

How about you? What are some of the things you notice and love when you consistently exercise?

[bubbles76]

I've noticed that even though I don't LOOK stronger that I am:

• Last year I couldn't do inverted push ups off the wall or my high step. This year, I can.
• I could never do pikes on the ball. This year I can.
• I could never make it across the rings at the playground. Yes, now I can!
• I can do side plank without trembling. Now if only I could get the opposite leg up, hee.

I'm also a positive influence on my kid:

• Tiny Bubble is doing full push ups, perfectly, just because he watches me. Now, he can only make it halfway down, but he's getting there!
• Tiny Bubble says he wants to be strong like me.
• Yoga is way more fun with my kid. He groans and often slaps the screen and seems genuinely surprised when they get up from savasana (they're not dead mommy!).

[Pie]

Just last night I noticed something. My 7 y/o son fell asleep. Normally, I struggle to wake him up or I struggle to carry him up the stairs while taking breaks. Last night, I swooped him up and effortlessly carried him up the stairs. I wasn't even winded. This is after two weeks of hammer & chisel. The workouts are all so different that I look forward to them everyday........

[shoegoddess]

I'll be 62 in a little over 2 weeks. A couple days ago I went over to my son's house in the morning. His house is surrounded by a fence with a double wide gate. The gate is never locked but apparently he locks the gate now. I have a key to the house but not to the new lock on the gate! The fence is a low wall about 2 feet up and on top of the low wall is about 4 feet of rod iron with decorative spikes on the top. So about a 6 foot fence.One section was missing the spike. I called the 3 cell phones in the house but no answer. so I climbed over the fence. I thought for sure I'd be impaled on the spikes but I made it over. Pretty darn proud of myself

[eam531]

I've been going to the gym consistently since early October, focusing on bodyweight exercises, weight lifting, and rowing for cardio. I work out by myself, not in a class.

I stretch 15-20 minutes after each workout, but I have not done yoga in any consistent way in months. Last Sunday I did David Swenson's Ashtanga 1:08; it's 68 minutes long and is the first half of the entire Primary Series. It is the longest yoga video I own. While I had to modify some postures (and always will), I did the entire workout straight through without stopping and without feeling like I was going to die.

I am doing squats with heavier poundage (I am up to 30 pounds). I do 4 sets of 10 reps.

I can push a sled loaded with a 25 pound plate 3 times back and forth the length of one of the workout rooms.

I have lowered the weight on the assisted pullup machine steadily over the past 4 weeks. I am down to 65 pounds assisted.

I can do 30 reps of the core exercise where my feet are on an inflatable ball and I roll the ball in so my knees touch my chest.

I can do 2 sets of "regular" planks with good form, held for 60 seconds each. I can do this with my feet on a Bosu. I can do 2 sets of side planks held for 45 seconds each. Both types of planks are "full" planks--not modified.

I can almost get my chest on the floor when doing a straddle stretch (sitting on floor, legs out in a V).

For some of you VF warriors, these might not be huge accomplishments, but I am pushing 60. I'm pleased with what I've done over the past few months and am working steadily to improve my strength, balance, and flexibility without injuring myself. So far so good.

[Anny]

Since doing fusion, Ellen Barrett and Tracy Anderson workouts regularly, I have less aches and pains when I wake up in the morning and my left knee doesn't 'twinge' so much, and my twinges from a past IT band injury are almost gone. I just feel better all over.

[Jeanne Marie]

This doesn't really apply to my fitness, but maybe it applies to my example as a fit person to other women.

In the past month, I have gotten 3 of my similar aged friends (ages 55 to 60) who have never lifted a weight, or done any sort of "working out" in their entire lives, to sign up for the boot camp I help with at my gym, as well as sign up to use the free weights and weight machines. I'm so excited! They are all overweight and out of shape, and have always worried that they would be intimidated by what I do so were afraid to sign up. I convinced them that everybody can do something. Everybody is at a different level, and starting somewhere is going to change the rest of their lives. That is the cool thing about our boot camp... we have ranges from the very fit to the just beginning. Nobody cares how much you can or can't do, and we're all very supportive of each other.

I also convinced all 3 of them to give up sugar.

I can't wait to continue to help them along on their journey, and to see what changes they can make for a better, healthier, stronger lifestyle.

[macska]

My victories are the coming backs from surgeries. I had a total hip replacement and I'm back to running. I am much slower but I'm planning my next marathon in 2017. I also had a full rotator cuff tear and surgery to repair it and it seems that my strength is back. My doctors are amazing. I just have to learn how to take a rest day and be a little more careful with my body, I tend to overuse it.

[Jeanne Marie]

Originally Posted by macska

If it's important to you, you will find a way. If not, you will find an excuse.

I've noticed this quote in your signature before, but just wanted to comment on it regarding my post above about convincing my friends to sign up for boot camp. It is so spot on!!!

One friend in particular, who has recently signed up for boot camp and is doing so well, would tell me when I first asked her to come to boot camp.... "Boot camp is at dinner time. I can't do that." (5:45pm) I kept telling her that she could move dinner time. She kept insisting the she couldn't because that's when she and DH were "used to having dinner". Basically it was an excuse. Since she decided to change her lifestyle and do the boot camp, she has realized that she can eat dinner an hour later.

[cherimac]

Originally Posted by Anny

Since doing fusion, Ellen Barrett and Tracy Anderson workouts regularly, I have less aches and pains when I wake up in the morning and my left knee doesn't 'twinge' so much, and my twinges from a past IT band injury are almost gone. I just feel better all over.

Congratulations!!