Thursday, January 14, 2010

3 Questions: Hoodia, Predicting Pounds to Lose, & Muscle Soreness


Question #1: Have you tried Hoodia?

Our new trainer, Ray, told me he wanted me to take green tea extract supplements, but then he brought me Hoodia instead. Hoodia is a whole different supplement. I wasn't (and still am not) psyched about it. First of all, I'm not a supplement kind of person; I have a pretty conservative and reserved philosophy about them. Second, I have never taken anything by mouth that was touted to help me lose weight--and that's basically the claim all over the Hoodia package. It's supposed to kill your appetite. My boss, who's a doc, says it shouldn't hurt me, but doesn't think it will help. (And we agreed, how would I know if I could attribute weight loss to it if I'm eating right and exercising?) My PhD encouraged me to try to just relax and follow my trainer's advice, give in to his expertise. Do you know anything about Hoodia?

Question #2: Do you call the shots pounds? If you've lost a lot of weight, did you name your goal in advance? Advertise your intended amount of loss ?

I've set my goals for the first 10 weeks of 2010, and in setting them, I started thinking, Dare I say out loud that I want to loss 100 lbs this year? Dare I let others hear me say it? I'm not one of those people who set a monthy or weekly goal for weight loss. My experience shows that I can follow the plan, but I can't control my body's output. They make it sound all scientific and predictable; 3500 calories equals a pound, etc. But I can have a great week and not lose and a not so great week and lose. All I know is that if I stick with it, evetually the pounds will come off--but not at a rate I can predict or count on. Still, it's January. I'm following a plan. I'm setting short & long term goals. I'm feeling good. Dare I say it? Would it help me stay focused? Or the first week I don't lose will I toss in the towel? Should I make it more general or a broader range--I'd like to lose 80 to 100 lbs? Or make the goal 100 but affirm I'd be content with 80? Not name any goal at all and just say losing any amount is good? How much goal setting and announcement have you found helpful?

Question #3: How come sometimes it takes a full day or even longer for my muscles to start to hurt after I exercise? What gauges how long they hurt? And how come when my trainer has me do exercises to work my shoulders, my triceps hurt instead?

4 comments:

  1. I really didn't have a preset goal weight. I didn't announce it to anyone. It's been a gradual process. I'm maintaining a 75 pound weight loss for ten years. I finished the hundred pounds about 4 years ago and dropped another twenty pounds. I've since picked about 15 of that back up since I quit running distances. If I remember correctly, I wanted to be a size 12. I just wanted to go into any store, any where, and be able to find clothes that fit. I don't think I announced any goal to anyone.

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  2. Hi Sandy;) I have heard about Hoodia and can't remember what!(Lol!) Is it expensive? If so, just follow your original regime without the supplement for now. You can look to this toward the middle of the year, depending on where you are with your goal. This is merely a suggestion - do what you feel comfortable doing. Secondly I APPLAUD you for voicing your goals. Yes, say it out loud (to yourself and those you can trust) I ran a diet club for many years and still follow those principles. What I told my members was to break the goal weight down into smaller amounts ie 100 / 12 months = 8.3 pounds a month. Amazing hey? This is a do-able amount to lose. One month you may lose 10-12 pounds especially in the beginning. Others may be 8 pounds. Every little bit will count. Just keep on keeping on, You are such an organized lady, and I commend you for caring for your health and well-being in this way. As to the different muscles hurting - I don't know. Does your trainer know? I'm routing for you, my friend. Go for it! Bless you. (((Hugs))) Jo

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  3. I've never tried hoodia, I didn't set my goal weight ahead of time, and I don't know why different muscles hurt than you might expect. I probably shouldn't have even commented - I am no help at all. :-)

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  4. I'm no expert so take this with a grain of salt.
    #1 - it won't hurt you but I also don't think it is worth the money. It supposedly keeps you from feeling hungry but then you aren't learning how your body naturally wants to feed itself. I tried it some time ago (years) and it did absolutely nothing for me (didn't work).
    #2 - I've stated how much I want to lose but it doesn't seem to matter. I never seem to make it to what I post. So now I'm trying to be more realistic and posting what I think I can do, not so much what I wish I could do.
    #3 - I think other muscles get sore first because they are weaker and are supporting muscles for some of the major ones you are training. Someone once told me that after you start weight training, you should walk/run on a treadmill for 10 minutes really really hard to get your blood really flushing through your body. The lactic acid doesn't settle so much and you will be less sore. AND drink lots and lots of water.

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