Holly's journey

[Holly62]

Hi just thought I'd introduce myself.
First the good news, I've managed to save up enough for my concept 2 rower and it arrives in a few days, I'm really excited, I've no idea what to expect, I used to live next to the river and row most days, but, that was thirty years ago...
Today I'm a 58 year old woman weighing 239 pounds, with a penchant for cheese burgers and fried chicken. I've led a sedentary life style, I smoke, and what a mess I've allowed myself to become, and I'm too ashamed to go to gym.

So this is my stating point, where my life will change, and the concept 2 will be at the centre of my journey, I have high hopes

Holly.

[occowboy]

Best of luck to you, Holly! No matter where you start that first step is the hardest. Don't be hard on yourself on the journey. Some days, weeks you'll feel like a rockstar. Some days, weeks you'll want to throw in the towel and use the rower as a towel rack.

3 years ago and 60 pounds heavier.....My husband's best friend in his early 40s had just passed away from lung cancer (healthy, never smoked a day in his life) and it was a huge wakeup call for me. My idea of exercise was walking from the parking garage to the work elevator. I entered a gym for the first time since high school PE. It was frightening and humbling. I was worried about what people would say/think about me than anything. Know what.... people are too busy focused on themselves to worry too much about you.

My breakfast of champions used to be a package of raspberry zingers and a Big Gulp Diet Code every day. I gave that up cold turkey (the caffeine and sugar withdrawal headaches were brutal for the first week) and have to avoid food places with drive-ins because that's nothing but pure temptation for me.

Please let us know how you're doing along the way. Strong women support women and want to see you succeed, step by step.

[Holly62]

Thank you so much for your kind and supportive words. I used to be really strong and a can do kind of girl, where she went I have no idea.
I was looking at photo's from ten years ago, followed by a duvet day. I had an accident ten years ago fracturing too many bones to mention, but hey I'm alive and I can walk.
My plan, I guess is just to introduce rowing into my life once more, my partner and children are really supportive, and then when I'm settled into a good routine work on my diet and smoking addiction.
I used to really enjoy rowing, it left me feeling invigorated and positive.
Nice to meet you

Holly

[dykebert]

Hey Holly,
Congrats on taking that first step!!!

In Sept 2017 I started back to rowing regularly. For comparison, in Oct 2017 I was 292 lbs and 62 yrs old. Since then I've aged a year and dropped a little over 50 lbs. So you're starting off at a point I've spent the last year and half to get to! (minus the age )

You can do this!

Sharky
keep on rowing, just keep rowing

[Holly62]

Thank you for your support sharky, and words of encouragement..

Well the machine arrived today, getting it out of the box, putting the legs on and setting up an erg? account left me breathless and perspiring profusely, three minutes of light rowing, concentrating on technique, left me near death, note to self put local priest on speed dial.

At the moment this feels like I'm about to cross the Atlantic on a rubber duck with bamboo for paddles, one splash at a time.

Holly

[dykebert]

YEAH HOLLY!
I remember those days. (no too long ago!) In the beginning it's much more about simply rowing a bit each day. And good job making it 3 minutes! I have friends who barely made 2 minutes on their first row.

Just remember, you're lapping everyone who is sitting on the couch!

Sharky
keep on rowing, just keep rowing

[Holly62]

Thanks sharky, you know its just struck me that you lost fifty pounds in one year... That's a stunning achievement on its own, total respect.
Do you row every day? for how long and what did you change in your diet, sorry a million and one questions.

Seems like rowing has changed your life completely.
I'm stood here taking a good look at this amazingly sturdy, purposeful piece of equipment, thinking I've made the first positive decision in my life for some years.

Holly

[dykebert]

Hi Holly,

Thanks sharky, you know its just struck me that you lost fifty pounds in one year... That's a stunning achievement on its own, total respect.
Do you row every day? for how long and what did you change in your diet, sorry a million and one questions.
...

Thanks!
I've tried to keep this brief, but I'm afraid it's a bit long.

First I row about 4-5 days a week. Usually once a day in the morning, but if I'm working on a challenge I'll add a row when I get home from work as well. My morning row is typically 20-30 min. The key thing (IMHO) is to make it part of your routine, not something special that you have to find time for. My alarm goes off, I row for 20 + min, shower, get ready for work.
The other thing I try to remember is that the toughest days are the days I'm making the most progress. Progress doesn't always trump staying in bed for another 30 minutes, but usually it does.
Also when starting out I try to remember that it takes about 6 weeks to build a new routine. So if you figure 4 days a week for 6 weeks it's only 24 rowing days. Not, I'm going to do this the rest of the month or the rest of the year, or whatever, but rather, I need to do it consistently for 6 weeks. If you do that the rest will take care of itself.

On to diet and weight loss.

The following are my opinions. I am not a medical professional or nutritionist, I've just been very overweight most of my life.

First it is very tough to change 2 or more things at the same time and be successful. Focus on either activity or diet for the first 6 - 8 weeks. You will naturally start changing the other as you progress.

Second be realistic about your goal. If you lose 1-1.5 lbs a week how long would it take you. You will probably beat that time, but it's important to set your expectations. You didn't gain the weight overnight, you're not going to lose it that way either.

Next, understand your goal. For me (and I assume most people) the goal isn't to lose the weight, the goal is actually to keep it off once you lost it! This is important because, while you'll be making some changes to lose the weight, you're also learning what changes you'll need to make to keep the weight off.

15 years ago I lost 150lbs in 2 years. I kept it off for a few years, but let it creep up again, and 12+ years later I was back to where I started. (Now I've lost just over 100 lbs in about 2.5 years)

How did I do it? Basically learning to say 'no' 24/7.

There will ALWAYS be reasons to over eat, or eat poorly. And yes when there's pizza at the office I totally cave! But I don't cave when there are donuts. (well almost never anyway )

I started with just not snacking between meals. Then upping the veggies and fruits. After that, it's mostly about evaluating what food are you willing to trade a weeks worth of work for! For example, I like cheese. But if I'm having breakfast out with friends, I'll order my omelette without cheese, because having that cheese on the omelette just isn't worth giving up the opportunity to lose weight that week. However if it's pizza, all bets are off. I'm ok with losing a week of work for an occasional pizza night!

I admit I'm very lucky in that I live alone, so I have total control of what I cook / eat . Also I'm not a real meat and potatoes kid. Don't get me wrong a good steak or prime rib and a baked potato are very high on my list of favorite meals. But I like chicken and fish, and I'm not afraid of tofu.

To be specific, I do Weight Watchers online. It works for me. Having said that, I didn't do it for the first 6 months or so. I was doing pretty well with just doing the things I mentioned (no snacks, more veggies and fruit), but I got stuck and went back to WW. I have friends that have had good success with other programs. You just need to find what works for you and helps you to say 'no' when you need to.

You don't jump on the rower for the first time and row for an hour, you start with a few minutes and then work to increase that a little bit each time. You don't lose weight (and keep it off) by drastically changing what you eat. You make a series of small changes that, in the end, add up to a big change. (IMHO )

Sharky
keep on rowing, just keep rowing

[Holly62]

Thank for taking the time sharky, all the questions answered and motivation boost in one shot, amazing.
Obviously I am afraid of tofu, food of the devil, along with broccoli aubergine and tapioca, which all deserve to be on the known poisons list and banned substances.
My main problem is I graze throughout the day, I'm a busy nurse, and eat small amounts hourly, doughnuts, toast, anything left over on the meal trolley, which add up to ahem many calories. Then when I get home after twelve hours on my feet, I end up with a takeaway usually kfc or mcd, I would do burger King but its an extra five miles, days off usually involve spaghetti and meatballs, or a good roast lamb dinner..
I did once lose a great deal of weight by eating salad and fish for six months, but as you so rightly say, it's all about slow steady life changes to improve your quality of life.
It's all too apparent now that if I don't change my life style I'm going to check out early.
My plan is to row on my days off, that's four times one week, three the next, set on 4.5, increasing duration by one minute a day to a maximum of thirty minutes for the first three months. By that time I should see some health improvement, I have no goals beyond that, I have no weight reduction goals, just stable and fitter will be fine.
Getting serious now

Thanks again sharky
Holly

[occowboy]

As a 50 pound weight loss girl myself I've found what works for me diet wise (and we're not all the same):

1. I have to avoid anyplace with a drive thru because nothing good happens there for me.
2. I can't do diet soda because that leads to all the other bad stuff.
3. I have to try to limit sugar because that leads to #2.
4. I love bread and carbs but that seems to correlate with me wanting #1-3. It's a slippery slope for me between a healthy amount of carbs and let me eat the entire bread basket.
4. Meal prep, slow cooker, etc. has been my lifesaver. If it's already prepared there's no excuse for me being busy, lazy, tired, etc. and doing #1-4. The food is there.

Once the initial quick weight loss happens which is motivating, then there's the plateau and steady state (!). That's when it gets so easy and tempting to go back to #1-4 for me.

Good luck to you!

[dykebert]

Hey occowboy,
Congrats on weight loss! That's terrific!

Sharky
keep on rowing, just keep rowing

[alien878]

Hey Holly,

I just started rowing on a concept2 after years of letting things slide and am loving it.

One thing I found incredibly useful to pace myself and not over or under do it is to monitor my heart rate. Find a rate that gives a good workout, but you can maintain without "hitting the wall". Then row to maintain it. It works for both intervals or continuous rowing. Just don't ramp up the heart rate too fast in intervals or you will over shoot. It takes a bit of practice, but it is a lot easier than trying to pace yourself when starting out (as I found out the hard way on my first row).

A good place to start is to find your aerobic heartbeat range, pick something in it and experiment. Everyone is a bit different. I found a value near the top of the aerobic range was good for me.

More discussion on heart rate ranges: https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/ ... rate-range

[Holly62]

Thank you, all advice gratefully received, and thank you for taking time to post it, nice people here

I hit the four minute mark wooo hooo, legs turned to jelly, heart not pounding too much, I don't have a heart monitor yet, on the shopping list for next payday.

Already I'm feeling more energised, so little, to gain so much, I'm sold already.
All I have to do, is keep rowing, I can see why you guys rave about the benefits.
Already a competition has started to grow in the household, my partner has a serious competitive streak, and my daughter won't be beaten by a couple of geriatrics, so game on

Holly

[Holly62]

And five minutes, toughest day yet for me, I did however have enough energy to double my stroke rate in the last fifteen seconds.

Legs jelly, but not completely trashed, as in day 1.
I now have two days of work so next row is on Sunday. Now I then have seven days off, so I have to stick to my own rules, and row every off day, increasing by a minute each day.
So far so good, little bit of ache in my shoulders and upper thighs, and I was very unfit when I started.

Holly

[dykebert]

Go Holly, go Holly!

Sharky
keep on rowing, just keep rowing