It might be part of the problem, but I don't think it is the single root cause. It should certainly help you loose weight if you cut out your diet sodas. Aside from the current debate of whether or not they're cancer causing, they also contain a strong preservative... Something I read somewhere (can't remember where) that I will never forget... “Perhaps you have a lumpy @$$ because you are preserving your fat cells with diet soda. Don't know how true it is, but that is something that has always stuck with me.

UPDATE TO ALL: Goethe called it. It has been a week since my training session and I only just now feel "back to normal". I did however notice when I took the stairs in my office yesterday that my legs still feel week. I usually take the stairs whenever I have to go anywhere in the office, in an effort to try to squeeze in exercise during my day, and I only went downstairs yesterday and I could feel the weakness in my legs. I guess I still need a few days to be 100% again. I was talking to a friend of mine who is quite fit and exercises often, and she mentioned that the lunges and squats and whatnot are her idea of a warm up too... but that's understandable for someone who is already pretty fit. But for someone who is 200lbs+, who is obviously not in their physical peak, and I told the PT that I don't really exercise much... I don't think it was a good idea to do so many squats and lunges. Thanks for the advice everybody! Hope you all had a great Christmas?!?!?!

Thanks for the info guys. I've had pain from workouts before, but never any that rendered my limbs near useless. Oh, and you remember what I said about the pain earlier... scratch that... OH MY GAWD!!!!! Quite a bit o' pain goin on now!

[quote=Preggo38]Did she have you do any kind of warm up or stretch before and after?? [/quote] No, no warm up. We started with the lunges, then reverse lunges, then went to the squats. That may have been her definition of a warm up,... but you can tell by looking at me that I'm not the fittest person in the world. I think she just started me off to much too quickly.

She asked me a few basic questions, like heart problems, BP problems, joint problems, any injuries, that kinda thing, but that only took about 10 minutes. Then we went and exercised for about 20 to 30 I think before I became to dehydrated and ill to continue. I know I "won" the training session, but I had told her all I really wanted was for her to show me exercises I can do at home, and that I really wanted to strengthen my core and upper back (I have a slight back injury which has weakened my back, sitting straight is now hard to do). I don't think she really cared since technically she wasn't getting paid. Since the session was supposed to be an hour and it was cut off around 30, she wants me to come back for the second half... not too certain I want to now.

I think it's mainly that they're used to the way you used to look. People don't undergo changes like this everyday, so it'll just take them awhile to adjust to the way you look. Once they do, it'll become the new normal for you.

You can exercise at any time of day. There is no best time. Some people find it energizes them in the morning so they do it then, while others like me find it exhausiting, so others do at night before bed time. I have insomnia, and I discovered after I started exercising at night, that I sleep better and I haven't had a sleepless night but a handful of times.

Hey everybody. I won a single personal training session at a charity auction, so I utilized it yesterday... To begin with the trainer had me doing forward lunges, then reverse lunges, then a deep squat throwing a medicine ball above my head on the way up, then catching it and going back down into a squat. That being said, after yesterday, I'm not really sore hardly at all, BUT, I can barely even walk unless I take baby steps. The problem isn't my muscles are sore and achy, the problem is MY MUSCLES AREN'T WORKING. I can take the stairs in my house as long as I do it sideways, one step at a time, and put all my weight on the railing. When I took the final step at the bottom as normal, my knees and legs physically couldn't do it. They gave out on me and I tripped. Even from a sitted position I have to hoist myself out of the chair using my arms. I can't just use my legs to stand myself up. WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE??!! P.S. A little more info on the training session in case it helps, after the lunges and squats, the trainer had me do 3 other arm exercises, but on the final machine I got too dizzy and nauceous to continue. I believe it was because I was REALLY dehydrated. The only things I had to drink yesterday was a coffee in the morning, a half a sprite at lunch, and all I ate was a few krystal burgers and fries for lunch. My training session was at 4:30 in the afternoon. Any advice on what the crap is wrong with me, and what I can do to make my muscles work again, is [b]greatly appreciated[/b]!!! THANK YOU!!!

Thanks everybody! Good tips!

Anyone have any good hints or tips for making veggies and other healthy foods taste better? I can stomach raw and steamed broccoli, and steamed green beans. But that's it. I HATE carrots and every other veggie out there. The only fruits I can tolerate are apples, grapes, and on occassion a banana. I'm SSSOOOOO sick of the broccoli and green beans! Not to mention that I tried eating deep friend broccoli the other day, and it was so friggin nasty that now even the thought of broccoli makes me want to gag. Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks!!!

I'm so so sorry. I wish there were an easy answer here, but there really isn't. You just have to take it one day and one baby step at a time. My next advice is going to be to get up and do something. Maybe sign up for a kickboxing class or just go to a gym and punch away at the punching bag. It will be REALLY hard to push yourself to do this, but the anger and frustration and raw energy you're able to get out by doing something physical like this will help.

[quote=K.K12] You cannot let what other people think dictate your life. ITS YOUR LIFE. Stay positive, even though you may not be where you want to be... you are on your way! quote] This is VERY true. EVERYONE has different opinions, so by basing your self worth on the opinions of other people, your setting yourself up for constant misery, because you'll never be happy living like that. Look how you want to look and be happy with you!

All I can say, is that if you cheat to loose weight without changing your lifestyle, the weight will just come right back.

[quote=Snow833]One day I was walking down a street and a guy came up to me and told me: "You are too pale" I just thought: well at least he didn't tell me that I'm fat. I don't understand people making rude remarks to strangers on the street. They have problems with their own looks I think so they make other people miserable to make them selfs feel better. [/quote] Today's generation has been taught that sarcasm and harsh criticism is funny, without concern to the feelings of others. It's one thing when you're amongst friends and poke jabs at one another, but it's another thing when you do it to strangers who don't know you or your sense of humor. That's something that I think the younger generation doesn't understand... I had something similar like this happen to me. I just raised my eyebrow, looked at him like he was stupid, and said "Okaayyy". And then just keep looking at them like they're stupid. And I don't mean a harsh look, but a bemused look. Maybe laugh a little. Often times they'll laugh too and that starts a conversation.

[quote=riocaz]If they are rude to me, I'll usually ignore them (I don't always succeed). If they are rude to someone else I know I have a bad tendency to jump to their defence, even when sure as heck don't need me to defend them.[/quote] I'm the same exact way. I don't even think about it, it's instinct.

It depends on the situation as to how I'll respond. There are many different variables, but I'll either ignore the situation, or I'll "kill it with kindness". In instances where people stare at me, the first time I catch their eye I'll just give them a smile, maybe say hello, and then continue doing what I'm doing. It's been my experience that sometimes people are just thinking, and when they think they "people watch". It's a little disconcerting to the ones being watched, but I can understand they're just trying to sort some things out. If I can still feel them staring at me, I'll purposely turn and make eye contact again and I'll ask if they're okay, or if there is something I can help them with. They'll usually reply with a no or that they don't need anything, and then I will keep pursuing the matter and just say, are you sure you don't need something. I'm happy help. It's been my experience that they get frustrated or flustered with me keeping on asking if they need something and they quickly turn away. The only instance where this hasn't worked was when a pervy guy was checking me out. I actually had to call security on him (he was a contractor working on the building I worked in.)

Alright! Glad you had fun!!!

You're definately not alone! I work in an office all day, so when I wear a dress I'll typically use baby powder. I carry one of the travel sized containers of it in my purse, and If I end up having to do a lot of walking on a particular day, I can zip to a bathroom and re-apply. For the amount of walking YOU do though, yes, I will typically wear something underneath. If I wear a dress, I'll typically wear some leggings. It's pretty stylish right now, so it's real easy to get away with because it looks like you're wearing that on purpose. When I wear shorts underneath and people see it they're like "What's that?", and then that is embarassing. So I've found the better alternative for me is the leggings.

I think it's dieting law that you pig out on Amusement Park days. :D Seriously though, unless you're going to Universal or Disney, a big place that has real restaraunts in addition to their park food stands, you're not going to find anything remotely healthy. It's one day and one day isn't going to kill you. Going to the Amusement Park is all about having fun. Use that as an excuse to have a cheat day! It'll be awesome!!! But, if you feel you MUST eat something healthy, if you get a burgre or a hot dog, either only eat half the bun or throw the whole bun out. This will be a good and healthy way to cut some serious carbs out your diet for the day.

HA! My husband has worked in retail for 12 years, and he made an observation to me just the other day it seemed like all the "weirdos" and difficult people were in his store when there was supposed to be a full moon. I personally believe that the celestial patterns have more of an effect on us than we realize. I believe there is SOME truth to the presonlity profiles of a person based on their date/month of birth, but not in the fortune telling part. That's a lot of hokey.