POLL: Ok now you're at goal/maintenance....now what?

    So,   people that are at..... or not at,    goal/maintenance........now what?   What are you doing, or planning on doing that was not possible, conceivable, obtainable etc before surgery?  Can be personal, professional, physical, spiritual, or just fun!  Do tell.....I'll start.
    I am going to visit big sis in Hawaii in April!  was NOT possible at my size before, couldn't travel!  let alone see the sights!  I plan on snorkeling, day trip on the boat, possibly a night time one W/ manta rays... hiking, waterfalls, botanical gardens. lava boat, ...just plain relaxing!    I'll skip the luau this time been to a couple in the past.....been there done that!  Besides 100.00   for a few bites of Kahlua pig! ....don't think so!  It is SOOO great to be active/able bodied again!

NEXT!!........

Boy that sounds like fun!  Can I come?????  I'm still working on what to do next.  I think I will go visit my sister in New Orleans.  Do the Old South thing.  Maybe take time to evaluate my life in general (marriage included).  Just don't know yet. 

This one is hard for me.  I always need a new project and I have not started a new one yet.  I pretty much know that it should be exercise, especially weights, but I hate, despise and am a bit fearful of the gym.  Still have some issues there, I know.  If I could afford to get a trainer, that would make it possible, but with two kids in private school, well that's just not going to happen.  I am still looking for that next big thing.  Any ideas are welcome.

Hey girlie, for weight lifting - this has been a GREAT program, and it comes with a trainer!

http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/chalean_ex treme.do?gclid=CIeZp7bLhacCFa1d7AodGEDweQ&code=SEMB_GOOGLE_C LE&extcmp=11122061151&ef_id=zJ1NRt0pAgAAhuQ:20110213164926:s

I have liked her ever since I got my turbo jam stuff, but this is weight lifting, you can start with really light weights or even none at all, dynamic tension will do a lot and its SUPER SLOW, and she tells you stuff to think about while you are doing this super slow, form, focus on muscles, relax your neck, et cetera.

The first "round" is double duty exercises, so lunges and curls - so its 30ish minutes, two body parts at once. She has cardio in there too, but I just do zumba.  The next month is focusing  on single body parts at once, then the third month is back to 2 body parts at once, and then she gives a mix up schedule for "maintenance" or whatever.

As you get stronger you CAN lift heavier if you like, but you do not have to. 

I am in the second week of the first circuit and even after having lifted before, I can tell you that this is for all sorts of levels of folks and even just doing the weight lifting part the 3 times a week, bodies can seriously change.

I got the big superpackage, which a person does not necessarily need, but I do not care to have a trainer, or go to the gym for lifting.

Just as an idea.

Abejita can also attest to it being a bootay kicking thing (and that its for all levels of human).

Thank you Brandilynn.  I trust your judgement, if you say it works for total weaklings like myself, I am willing to give it a try.  There is a part of me that says, how is this going to be different from the other million of times I tried to include exercise in my life, but I just have to give it another try and jump in.  I appreciate the support.  Whipping out the credit card now...

Absolutely welcome!!  A BEAUTIFUL part is that there is room to grow with this!  You dont just arrive "there" and now the tools are wasted!!  The superdeluxe version comes with bands, I dont use them cuz they pull weird on my joints, but if you dont have worn out parts like me :} then they are fine!  And a key thing is your effort, doing the squeezzee makes it seem like you are lifting much more than you really are, so you dont have to lift a lot and even at first, bodyweight is fine!!  Then when a person gets stronger and stronger - you can add to your weight collection. 

Another good thing is Beachbody has good customer service, so just keep the boxes it came in for the first 30 days, and if its just totally not for you, then you are only out your shipping and handling! 

I am excited for you!  Its really something to see your body change this time, where it didnt before!

Fun idea Jimbo. Ain't it great to be able to plan some of these things we have dreamed about. sounds like you have some good things going.

so I have a few plans. Have started a martial arts program called Aikibojitsu - the art of the staff. There is an internationally known expert in our area. Don't know if I will ever achieve any degree of proficiency as I am pretty uncoordinated but its very interesting in the philospshy and physics.

And this spring I am gonna take a surfing class through the local university. Doubt I will do this alot but always wanted to try i****er is really cold up here on the north coast but at least I can fit a wet suit now.

Third thing is to go skiing again. I used to go often when I was younger to Colorado and Utah and really loved it even though I wasn't very good. Obesity was the main reason I gave it up perhaps 15 years ago. Now that I live on the west coast, I really want to ski Tahoe one time so thats on the agenda for next winter. Have to build some muscle strength for this and surfing so gotta get to work on the easy version of  p90x (can't remember what its called) which we have but is still in the box.

But its such a total joy and gift to be able to plan to do things and know you are not going to have to sit down every 10 minutes or quit after 45 minutes due to backache and exaustion. I bought 100 lbs of clay the other day in 25 lb bags and can't believe i was once carrying around more than that!  No wonder I was so tired all the time. Today I am going to help rebuild one of the kilns I use often at our studio. Two years ago I couldn't have done much of the physical work. Now I can really be helpful.

So Jimbo, go for it. Do all that stuff and more. Live it up everybody!    diane

 I'm riding bikes with my husband, hiking, went to Europe a few mos ago (would never have done that 100 pounds ago -- not only the plane ride but the walking would have been miserable).  

I hear that.......sight seeing from a car or bus.....not fun!  Might as well stay home and watch it on T.V. !

White-water rafting used to be a passion of mine, but when I stopped doing it, several years ago, the weight started piling on. When I was more active, the rafting, camping, hiking, and skiing used to keep it, somewhat in check. Now, I hope to get up to Tahoe at least once this year, if the snow doesn't melt before I get there. I have been working with a trainer twice/week, since December for weight training, and taking a pilates class once/week, along with some cardio. I am much stronger and think that I could handle some skiing. Even it is only on the bunny slope, I will feel like that I am getting my life back. I am planning a rafting trip for the summer; not sure where, but I will go. In April, I think I will go to my favorite birding festival, Godwit Days, up in Northern CA. I haven't been for several years and would love to go to the festivities again. Lots of hiking and maybe some kayaking. Losing weight has made it possible to participate in these activities again.