Sunday a Celebration Day - No Pool Day

In the last blog I said I would write about Week 1 and Week 2.

Week 1 was a a power back into the pool. I was in the pool 340 minutes. I did a lot of running and using water weights. 

I could of started back a little to hard. 

Week 2 was a little less 230 minutes in the pool mostly because I could not do my deep water class on Saturday. 

When running or walking only run to chest deep and turn around and head back. Going deeper you lose momentum. When you get back to shallow stand tall. People have a tendency to slouch when the water gets shallow. When walking move arms through the water also.

Tomorrow I start week four going to try doing some power sprints.

On to a new week.

Week Three - Deep Water Class Today

Week Three was a good week.  I will talk about Week 1 and 2 in the next post.

Made it to the pool on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
I was in the pool a total of 385 minutes this week.  Today I did a class and a half or 90 minutes of water aerobics in the deep water.  On Saturday's is the only day I do a instructor lead class.  The instructor does a good job moving us through different exercises and it is a fast pace class.  It is deep water so your feet never touch the bottom.  Most people in the class either use a float belt or a water horse.  I use neither so part of my work out is staying afloat while doing the exercise.

A float belt is a neoprene covered foam with a belt through it you strap around your waste for flotation.  A water horse float is two rectangular pieces of foam sewn into a nylon case with a gusset that goes between your legs.  So one rectangle is in front, one in back and the strap that attaches the two goes between your legs.  This also helps you float.

I chose to do the class using no flotation.  For 30 minutes of the second class I used a set of water barbell resistant weights.  This gives me arms a work out.  But be careful, gripping them for a long time can cramp your fingers and hurt your wrists.  We also used a noodle in the class.  The noodle can strengthen your core and help with balance.

Deep water is also good for people who do not want impact on their joints, because you never touch the bottom.  If you have access to a pool and can go in the deep well or deep end try running in the water, keep vertical, think about the bottom of your feet and pulling the water.  Pump your arms, and scoop your hands like you are running and you will move through the water.  Try going backwards.  To move pull with the top of your feet and push with your hands.

Hope everyone has a Great Day tomorrow!  Hope it is Sunny and Warm where you are!

WaterMOM

Back to the Pool WaterMOM Story

Hi to All of those who need to feel good.  If you are a larger person and walking or doing exercise's is difficult - PLEASE PUT ON A BATHING SUIT AND GET INTO THE WATER.

I know everyone can see everything.  But how you feel after you walk in the water for even 15 minutes will give you the confidence to say I do not care and this felt great.  I want to do this!  We want to do this!

This is my story of losing weight and getting stronger by excising, walking, and running in the water.  I do swim a little.  I am back in the pool and by my daughters wedding in October 2014 I plan on being smaller, stronger and more flexible.

In March 2006 I found out my son was getting married in February 2007 at a resort in Ponce Puerto Rico. I weighed more than 270 pounds.  I knew then I wanted and needed to lose weight.  I decided to take a water aerobics class at our local indoor pool.  Yes did I feel self conscious putting on a bathing suit and going to this class, most certainly.  But I soon found out that there were people in the class just like me.   Bigger than me, older than me, and not as mobile as I was. It did not take long for me to become hooked on water aerobics.  For the next 3 years I rarely missed a class.  I started swimming after class.  Running in the water and doing water weights and working with a noodle (explain later what water weights and a noodle are).  I was on my way.  By the summer of 2006 I had lost 30 pounds.  By the wedding I had lost 50 pounds.  I did use online program to track what I ate to help with weight loss.  I still was not a small body women but I looked and felt better.  I attended the wedding and wore a beautiful size 18 dress.

For the next two years I stayed around that weight.  In the fall/winter of 2007 and spring of 2008 I started attending land exercise class for seniors at our local senior citizens center. In the summer I ran in the water at our lake house. By August of 2008 I has lost a little more I was down around 190 and was wearing a size 16.  I gained weight over the winter and by the summer of 2009 I was at 200 pounds and wearing a size 18-20.

Then we had a house fire July of 2009.  It took everything I had to deal with the house fire.  For the next year and half I was in a rental house, cleaning soot and smoke filled items of my home, fighting with the insurance company and finally rebuilding my home.  I was in the water very little.  My weight went up and did not keep track of what I ate.  When I found out in January 2009 that my other son was getting married in October 2009 I went back in the water and and lost weight again.  Not as much as the first time but enough to let me wear a size 18 dress to the wedding.

I was still dealing with the house fire, living in a rental house, fighting the insurance company, dealing with IRS issues and finally in the Summer of 2010 we started rebuilding our home.  By October of 2010 we were back in our home.  Unpacking and trying to get back to some normal.  As they say time files when you are having fun.  I have become a Grandma or GMOM to five from 2011 to now.  We have filled our home and love everything about the new home.

Here I am and it is the spring of 2014 I weighed 250 pounds three weeks ago.  I have not been a regular in the pool. I would go do water aerobics class here and there.  I would walk in the water when I was at my summer home.  I have not track what I eat for a very long time.  Three weeks ago I started back in the water at my local indoor pool. I have lost 10 pounds.  I have not felt this great in a long time.  I am watching what I eat but not like before.  I may get there, but for now it is back to the pool.  Please join me on my new adventure.  Would love to hear from other people who exercise in the water and find out what types of activities you do.  Please join WaterMOM and I hope we all will benefit.