I'm curious...

[magenta321]

What brought you here and got you stepping?

What is keeping you here?

I will be honest, ya'll motivated me to get off my butt a little more (hense, I bought the pedometer and will join you). My asthma has been bad, so walking seems the only exercise I have a chance at being successful with (however, my asthma has been so bad that walking from one department to another and back at work usually sends me into an attack).

Also, just about all of my friends have dropped massive amounts of weight recently. It's awful, but when I went out with friends, the only thing that kept me from being a self-concious mess was having friends that were fatter than me there. I know it's awful. Now, I am the fat one, and I don't even want to have anyone look at me.

My ex lost 50 lbs since I saw him last. My best male friend lost 30 in under 6 months. My best female friend went from a size 16 to a size 5, since June. Meanwhile, since I got sick in June at ended up with pneumonia for the entire month of July, I managed to gain 20 lbs to this day. Reminds me of the Morrissey song "We hate it when our friends become successful." I am happy for them, just mad at myself, and yes, jealous.

So here I am. I'm going to start stepping away. Now you know why I am here. Why are you? And what's helped you to stick with it?

[jenninca]

What brought me here? I felt myself start to balloon up. When I'd try to do things about my weight in the past, it was always by myself, and I was never successful. I just couldn't keep up the motivation when it was only me.

These guys and this forum came along at a good time. I was ready to start doing something about my weight, but I wasn't one who could stick to a serious exercise plan. Wearing a pedometer was something that wasn't strenuous and is something I can stick to. If I take a walk, that's good; if not, I still have several thousand lifestyle steps so I don't feel like a complete failure.

I'm still here for a couple of reasons. First, I'm a numbers freak and I love watching everyone's data. Also, since this "plan" doesn't involve drastic lifestyle changes, I can keep with it. Finally and most important, I've got the support of all the wonderful people here. I come here before I go to work and get my motivation for the day. I'm much more likely to watch what I'm eating a little bit because I know on Monday I'm going to be typing in what I've lost, gained, or maintained. I'm more likely to go for a walk than if I didn't have these guys, because I know that if I don't I'm going to be shown up big time. But it doesn't become a source of stress for me because no one here is a big fitness guru and everyone here has off days. Watching everyone's ups and downs is very good for me. It proves to me that just because I've had a bad day or two doesn't mean I should give up the cause.

I would tell you more, but I have to leave for a race I'm in today. I would NEVER have entered a race a few months ago. My fellow walkers have encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone and try something new. Yeah, so it's only 5K, yeah, so it's non-competitive and I plan to walk the entire darn way (I don't run), but I'm pretty darn proud of myself.

Cindy

[pluckyduck]

Wow.

Pretty much exactly what Cindy said.

I felt myself start to balloon up.

I was gaining weight and I was out of control. I was scared.

I wasn't one who could stick to a serious exercise plan. Wearing a pedometer was something that wasn't strenuous and is something I can stick to. If I take a walk, that's good; if not, I still have several thousand lifestyle steps so I don't feel like a complete failure.

Yep. Uh-huh. Yep.

I'm still here for a couple of reasons. First, I'm a numbers freak and I love watching everyone's data. Also, since this "plan" doesn't involve drastic lifestyle changes, I can keep with it.

Numbers freak? Who me?

Hey, this is my 84th day and I've not missed recording my steps one single day. Who would have thunk it?

But it doesn't become a source of stress for me because no one here is a big fitness guru and everyone here has off days. Watching everyone's ups and downs is very good for me. It proves to me that just because I've had a bad day or two doesn't mean I should give up the cause.

Very well put. Very well put. :thumbs:

Margaret, we've got all types of folks here at all different stages.

AmyLEnsor came to us after she'd already been working out for quite awhile. Naomi (not a stepper but a faithful H & F member) is in the Army and does push ups . Neither came to start a program, just to have some company and encouragement along the way. :thumbs:

Some people needed to get back on track. Sara was an exercise person in another life, but had gotten out of the swing. When she started stepping, she could barely walk a mile. Now she does 35K days (some days ), and I believe has done a walk as long as 10 miles.

I'd never done a blessed thing in my life. I came to do a little, found I really dug this, and have stayed to see myself improve steadily.

Now, I'm concerned about this Asthma thing. Off to look for info. You want to make sure that the exercise you choose is the right thing for your body.

Andrea
who is yes, a mother

[taurusmoon]

I hit rock bottom last Spring. I had gained an obscene amount of weight within the time span of two years. I had gone from a healthy, vital person to a total mess plagued by a growing number of illnesses. I could barely walk up a flight of steps and it was getting to a point where I was embarrased to leave my house.

The moment of truth came when I was required to appear in a video for work. In formal wear no less. The directive was to just dig out an old dress from your closet or buy a new one if you had to (the company would pick up the cost). The assumption was that everyone had a lovely old dress in their closet that they would love to have an opportunity to wear. And, I had many. All size 6 and 8. I had to find something to wear within the course of a week. Since Abdul the Tentmaker wasn't available, it was extremely difficult to find something that fit, let alone anything flattering. I don't have to say how terrible the experience was for my self-esteem.

That was it! I swore I would never be put in that position again. In early May I took myself to the doctor and ask him to help me reclaim my life. He made his recommendations and for once, after many false starts in 2 years, I've been able to stick with it.

Exercise was the next step. After a couple of weeks on the diet I started to look for ways to get moving. I bought a new exercise bike and tried to go for regular walks. A mile was a big deal to me in those days, not so long ago. Just a few days after I started Jennie announced her SportBrain addiction. Yes! I knew that this would be perfect for me. Data and partners! What a dream. I bought one immediately.

Unfortunately SportBrain went down the tubes very shortly afterward. Jennie scrambled to build her own replacement site and we turned to standard pedometers. About the same time, Amy, Andrea and I discussed starting this forum. Amy was inspired to do something about her own health, I was already involved in my own programs and could easily get a forum launched off my own momentum, and Andrea was generally amused about the whole idea as long as she didn't have to commit to anything herself. She's come a long way hasn't she?

Everything just sort of came together at the right time and attracted a group of incredible people. It has been both motivating and rewarding for me to do this. I count each person's success among my own and feel each person's frustration. We've all grown (and shrunk) so much in the past 3 months.

Life is good.

Sara

[pluckyduck]

Okay, good link to start with

Asthma Friendly Sports: Walking - Asthma

This article on About.com pronounces walking possibly the best exercise for Asthmatics.

Here's a good quote:

Depending on asthma severity, the distance you'll cover will change. For some severe asthmatics, short walks around the house may be as much as can be tolerated. The key will be to do a little more each day.

That is stepping. Start at a level, increase over time. Also, because stepping counts all of your steps, a bunch of short walks "count" every bit as much as a longer walk would. :thumbs:

Of course, consult your doctor or your student health center. Not just a disclaimer I'm throwing in. We want you to be safe.

Andrea

[pluckyduck]

Andrea was generally amused about the whole idea as long as she didn't have to commit to anything herself. She's come a long way hasn't she?

ROFLMAO!

How true is that?

You shoulda seen me working out with my weights and flex bands last night. Who woulda thunk it????

Andrea
who is committed and probably should be committed too....do they have a treadmill in the mental hospital?

[cyndilouwhoo]

I came because I needed the support. I stay because the people are so giving of themselves. It's just great.

I had started at WW a couple of months before the forum started and Amy's passing remark about starting a fitness forum prompted me to beg her to actually put the forum in play. I knew that the support of others would do nothing but help while I continued to diet.

It has helped in ways I never imagined.

Everyone here offers so much of themselves every day that you can't help but be inspired. People doing stuff they never thought they would (or could) do. People helping one another along. Every day is a surprise. I could no more stop coming here every day than I could stop breathing, it has become such an ingrained habit.

Cyndi

[lynnzop[$]]

Wow, my friends beat me to the punch. All that and more.

I first came here because I read Cyndi's WW review on epinions (after writing one myself) and having a dialog with her on the benefits of losing weight. She pointed me to the H&F forum...while I'd started walking in July, I didn't get super serious about it until I started coming here in late August and got into the fun (*yes FUN!*) of stepping and talking to others about their ongoing H&F issues and suggestions.

It's been a super support system, and THAT'S why I'm still here. And I've found that reading everyone else's comments has inspired me to go that step further - I'm actually RUNNING instead of just walking, and doing push-ups (a la Naomi - love those arms, girl!) - things I would have never even considered doing a few months ago!

I was diagnosed with clinical asthma a few years ago. I knew I had problems at times with wheezing, but NEVER considered myself asthmatic! Now, I have an inhaler, which I'm fortunate to only need to use on occaision, but it does make a big difference.

The reason I'm bringing it up? My biggest fear with exercise has always been that walking/running, especially in colder weather causes me to wheeze terribly. By getting myself conditioned, I'm finding that yes, I still wheeze, but it's CONSIDERABLY less than when I would try to do anything outdoors in the cold weather last fall.

My dependence on my allergy medicine and my inhaler has diminished since I started exercising. Other than the weight loss I've experienced, this is a very positive benefit!

But check out Andrea's link (and I will too). Your asthma sounds like it is much worse than mine, and we want you to be safe above all else.

Welcome....we're so glad you're here!

Lynn

I set a goal.
I needed a way to get there.
I had the time.

[soxfan[$]]

I only joined the steppers last week (seems longer than that), but I've been lurking for a while. Only took a gentle push from Plucky and Sara to get me in here.

I'm here because, until now, I've never been the type to worry about my health. Even when I was more active than I am now (hauling set pieces and props does wonders for the arms), I never thought about it. And back then, I didn't need to.

But, as I've figured out over the last few months, I need to start thinking about it. I'm 30. I'm not getting any younger. If I don't take care of myself, no one else will. That's enough motivation for me to get moving -- and, if that's lacking on any given day, the folks here take up the slack.

Ailsa

[magenta321]

Thanks Andrea. I've actually known for a while that exercise is imperative for asthmatics. Depending on the condition of the asthmatic, the amount of excercise that can be tolerated varries, but one should start out light and increase in severity (in the case of walking, I guess that is distance, speed, and incline). The only way I will get any better at walking is to walk more

My pedometer is horrible, it has a huge reset button, which gets in the way of EVERYTHING I do. Even knowing how easy it was to reset my ped. and being especially careful at work today, I reset it five or six times that I know of. Still, to the best of my knowledge, I got in about 9000 at work today. I couldn't believe it. Part of it was that the cafeteria is over 700 steps to and from my department. Yes, that walk usually leaves me a little winded, but I make that trek daily. I actually think I did less walking today than in a normal 12 hour shift, because the area I walk to from my department was closed for most of the day, so all my work piled up until the end of the day and went over in one trip, rather than four or five that I would usually take. And I didn't have to go to the "film room" today -- that's the walk that kills me, because by the time I get there, I am winded, and then I have to bend over and pick up about 30 x-ray jackets, and about 30 plastics to put them in, and then walk back. That's usually when I have an attack is on the way back. So, I bet I won't have any problem on the weekends (when I work my 12 hr shifts) to get my 10000 steps in. My days off will be tough.

So maybe this won't be as bad as I thought. I didn't get winded today, and didn't have an attack. I didn't walk anything more than lifestyle steps today, but I actually got a good amount of walking in. Also, I already inspired my mother and a coworker to buy a pedometer! My coworker walked two miles in three hours since she was working down in the ER today, and was feeling great about her accomplishment.

Now, I just have to return this nasty pedometer and get one that has a cover so that I don't keep resetting it every time I pick up a bunch of cases or move patients!

[magenta321]

***UPDATE***

I see why ya'll persist. I felt good about my totals today, and it inspired me to do a little more, since I still had a good amount of energy left. I braved the crisp autumn air, turned on all the outside lights, and did laps with my dog. He has an electric fence, and I kept his collar on. He walked me around his boundry. Four laps is about 1000 steps, or it was tonight, the way we were walking. We managed to log in another 1790 steps. Then, we were (read "I was") pooped. I think I will go update my 9000 estimate with our new, unreset steps. I can't believe that based on my estimate, plus my extra 1790 steps, I broke 10000 on my first day! This might only happen on days that I work long hours, though, but hey, I am off to a decent start. And, I can only improve from here, right?

[taurusmoon]

Yay Margaret! You go girl!

Sara

[AmyLEnsor]

I think it was Andrea that brought me here! She was the one who invited me to be a stepper!

I've been obese for so long that I'm used to it physically, but I can still shock myself when I see myself in photos. I lost 67 pounds long ago, but still was in the 170s and could not get any lower than that. Then I gained that weight back and realized I was almost 100 pounds heavier. I decided that I would exercise regularly again, but the problem is that I've been exercising regularly on and off for years. I might go for a couple of months and then something comes up and all of a sudden I'm back to starting an exercise program again. I hate having to take that first step--I much prefer the feeling of being on the road for a little while.

I was really good about exercising for the 5 months up until I got pregnant. Then we moved so I lost a few weeks, but I got back on track and walked 5 days a week during pregnancy. I stopped walking as much in the last trimester only to find that I felt worse not exercising, so I started back up again. I walked for 40 minutes one night 3 days after my due date, and my water broke a few hours later.

Unfortunately, after the baby came was when I got really off track so I finally decided that I would start again. The day after Christmas I went out and took a walk and decided I wasn't going to have to keep starting an exercise regime--this time I wanted it to become such a part of my life that I would regret not being able to do it. In the past I've always had the prospect of a walk hanging over my head, and even though I enjoyed it, part of me wanted to just skip it on certain days. So I decided I would walk at least 5 times a week, if only for 15 or 20 minutes, and that I would not take two consecutive days off if I could help it. Plus I decided I would try and change the language and feelings I had when thinking about my exercise later in the day. So everytime I was tempted to think, "Oh no, I still have to take my walk" I decided to say in a more positive tone, "I can't wait until I can take my walk."

I know that walking really helps me keep my moods up, and I enjoy that feeling. I have now gotten to the point that I do get quite unhappy if something interferes with my exercise for too many days, so I try to work it in wherever I can. And with the pedometer and stepping, even when I don't take a long walk, I can work in more small sessions and accumulate a lot of steps for the day and feel like I've accomplished something.