I presume you guys have seen this on CNN already but guess what? I JOINED A GYM - and actually went today!

Well, i met my personal trainer and did a two minute practice on all "my machines" - 5 min warm up on a bike thingy, 10 mins on a cross trainer, 10 mins on a strider and 8 mins on the treadmill, then weights and cool down stretches (what ever they are!) I amost died of shock at how much he expected me to do and would have punched his lights out only he had a really cute Northern Irish Accent, and v cute butt . He even wanted me to do some stuff with a giant beach ball but I quietly declined! Had long soak in the jacuzzi to calm down!!! Joking aside, I'm really looking forward to getting fit and healthy.

By the way, my port is in the lower left hand side of my stomach, and I'm wondering if I can do sit ups or whatever with it there? Does anyone know?

Whoo hooo!!! I am so proud of you, and envious of your momentum! lol There was a San Diego bandster meeting yesterday, and it was great fun, but when Camille started talking about exercise I put my fingers in my ears and started chanting "LA LA LA LA LA LA" lol.

As far as your port goes, you will just have to try it and see. If it feels sore/irritated afterwards, you may just have to take it easy. If taking it easy doesn't help, you may have to forego certain stomach exercises, but there should be some you can do - there are other stomach exercises besides sit ups.

Sorry, just another individual thing, I'm afraid.

Gee, I wonder if I can do sit ups....??? lol

well thanks for that Donali - I was hoping someone'd say "ooohhh good lord no - no sit ups EVER - way too dangerous! I have always thought intense christmas shopping was enought exercise anyway but apparently my bod doesn't agree!

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just throwing my 2-cents in....I do sit ups...and no problem

I have 2 cents to add as well... You might try crunches instead of sit-ups. Sit-ups really are not good for your back and crunches are less strenuous, but still provide a good stomach workout. Listen to me... I have yet to get my big butt back in the gym following my surgery, I could be on light cardio according to my surgeon... but I just don't have the energy! Maybe this week.

Take Care and congratulations on making this commitment to yourself... In about 3 weeks, you will be loving it!

Congratulations, Bright! It's a step forward, I think. I bought a fancy treadmill two months ago and now I don't know how I lived without it. Can't say it's helped my weight loss all that much, but I feel so much better in both mind and body.

And don't let that trainer push you around. To me, exercise works best when you start slow and turn it into a habit before it becomes too onerous.

Nancy

Anne: Thanks for the tip but .... em.... what exactly ARE crunches? I know I'm an idiot but I really don't know.....?

Kellymoos: I'm glad to hear you can do sit ups but is your band under your ribcage or in your side like mine? It never hurts but I am very aware of it, my husband says I often absentmindedly have my hand over it, nearly protectively.... it definitely feels tender anyway?

Claraluz: Don't worry - I was kinda bossing the trainer around a bit - I'm not one for taking orders at the best of times, especially from a beefed up teenager!!!! Actually, like Donali, when he went on about glutes etc I was jamming MY fingers in my ears and going LA LA LA LA LA too - the guy reckons I may be "challenging" :) :) Gee, ya think????!!!

Anyway, thanks for the info - I am fascinated to know what these mysterious crunches are - and would love to know anyone else's tips on tummy exercises - I think I'm going to have the most "toning" problem there, and wonder how to tackle it - I'm way too chicken to have a tummy tuck!!!! I'm REALLY glad my ass is behind me so I don't have to see it all day too!

Hi Bright,

A crunch is when you only lift your chest and shoulders a few inches off the ground. You do not come all the way up to your knees.

Check out this link for more info:

http://www.bodytrends.com/articles/injury/abworkoutgf.htm

Hope this works for you.

Bright,

I am so proud of you. Well, you have more guts than I do picking some young studly personal trainer to aid you through your gym regimen. I go to Curves which is a franchise here in the US and it is an all woman's gym. Thank god! I am thinking of getting a personal trainer to start weight training at my community center.

My lapband surgeon gave me another fill two weeks ago and when he looked at my tummy he said, "Ya know, you really are going to need a tummy tuck. The rest of you looks good, but the stomach is gonna need work." Well, I think he is wrong. My whole body is gonna need work and although I am afraid of plastic surgery, I know I will eventually give in to the need to have it done. Mostly boobs, tummy and bat wings. The gym will only help me so far!!!!

If you ever come to the States, I would love to meet you. There is a big TX bandsters bash every year and theres also one in Vegas which gives us an excuse to get together!!!

Babs in TX

334/244/180

-90

6/23/03

GOOD JOB GIRL. I BEEN EXERCISIING THE WHOLE TIME AND ITS PAID OFF. KEEP IT UP, LOOKING GOOD I KNOW...

....Ok now I know all about crunches! Ask me anything!!! Still sounds like too much hard work!

Babs: Would u believe there are two Curves gyms in Ireland but they are down the country, not in Dublin so no use to me - and funnily enough, I really don't mind the male personal trainer - I have always found men way more accepting of my weight than women - it's the women who (statistically!) would prefer to have cancer than to be morbidly obese! I'm sure I'll "need" cosmetic surgery if I ever do get to my goal weight - and am hoping to have my boobs done - the batwings and tummy tuck seem way too painful for me! I am going to wait and see how I feel - the floppy tum may not bother me too much but my boobs are already pretty horrible!!!

By the way I would LOVE to meet you too - or ANY of you for that matter! We are heading to France and Spain for vacations this year but are definitely planning to go to the States next year - we were just sitting around trying to pick where to go- we've been on vacations to Florida, New York, San Francisco, Boston and have friends in California who we visited too - my husband has been to Dell in Texas a lot too!!! When we go next year, it will probably be for a week in NYC (as the kids love it) and a week somewhere else so maybe we'll try to get to Texas or Vegas - wow that'd be cool!!!

Texas, Texas, Texas!!! And you can all stay with me here in Houston!

Nancy