Do you ?

Avatar for willowkit
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2004
Do you ?
12
Thu, 04-14-2005 - 7:18pm

I thought it would be interesting to start a subject on this. How many of us have outside support? Do your friends and family support your fitness efforts? Do you have anyone you work out with? Does anyone help you so that you CAN exercise?

My husband will occationally watch the kids when I am exercising. He's not always home when I am wanting to exercise. I don't have any family or friends as yet that will bike ride with me. I have 1 friend that likes walking and we do at least 3 times a week. My sis in law wants to get a bike but hasn't gotten one yet and she'll need a baby seat for hers. I will be pulling along my 3yr old nephew and 2 yr old dd when she and I get together. I can't wait for her to get a bike! I have a feeling that I'll have to give her mini-pushes though to get her to get out and get moving. My husband will not walk or bike with me... I hate that. I would love it if we could become a bike riding family! LOL I think it is funny how boys are soooo into bikes when they're young but once they're older it isn't cool anymore...

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-03-2005
In reply to: willowkit
Thu, 04-14-2005 - 8:05pm

We are home gym junkies! We have a treadmill, weight set (universal type) and a punching bag. It is easy to get down to the gym at least once a day. My kids support me by really getting into it with me and hubby supports me by being excited when I make a new goal. I'd love to be a bike riding family too, but my DH is like yours and won't do it with me.

Where I really need support is food. For me, the exercise and motivation is easy but I hate measuring food, counting calories etc. I try off and on, but it only lasts a few days. I need to find a way to do it without becoming food obsessed (this is allowed, that isn't, measuring food, etc). I wish that part came naturally to me. My family is no help because we are training the kids to listen to their bodies, so I just feed them as much as they want to eat. (Works beautifully!) and DH is as bad as me at weighing and measuring.

Thanks for asking, this is a good topic.
Karen

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: willowkit
Thu, 04-14-2005 - 10:03pm

Well I have to say to begin with >I prefer to workout (or walk....whatever) alone. So the "buddy" system, although works great here (on board)...I prefer to be alone IRL- is that weird?? Anyways....that's not to say I don't appreciate ALL the support I get from friends.


I'm a single (alone-living) teacher, with a busy social life- the support is there- but we all have different focus' and needs.


So I guess my answer is I do have a good bit of outside support, but limited, but it's all appreciated!

~IslandGirl


*** Moderation Is Key ***


_____________________________________________________

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-26-2004
In reply to: willowkit
Fri, 04-15-2005 - 9:04am

My household consists of just me, but my SO is supportive, from the sidelines. He encourages me to go to Hap Ki Do when I've had a bad and I'd rather stay home and mope. And he was happy that I found someone to help me start running, but DSO won't walk with me either. I told him I don't expect him to join me in my quest to be a runner, but we have some cool nature parks and botanical gardens here where we could hike. He only walks if he's golfing with the guys. Kinda annoyes me, can you tell?

The HKD group is great for accountability as well. They start looking for people who haven't been in class in a while. I also have had a running partner to help me get started, offering advice and showing me some stretches and things. We haven't run together this week because her daughter is 8 mos pregnant and has been in the hospital this week. I have been going out in her absence still, but we plan to get back together when all is well for her and her daughter.

As far as my family, they live about in a different part of the state. My two younger adopted sisters are interesting in that they are like my biological sis and I. The older of the two, who aren't biological siblings, is into soccer and sports like me, but the younger is not, like me younger biological sis. Mom has alwasy been active although she doesn't do scheduled workouts. She walks the dog and hangs clothes outside and spent time outside throwing a baseball or a frisbee with my younger sisters like she did with us. Dad is active of necessity, caring for lawn in the summer and snow removal in the winter and cleaning at the little motel they own and at his part time job.

Our family has always been a camping family too. We used to take our bikes when we had the big pick up truck. We still meet once a year to camp and hike and stuff.

Lorie

lorie6-26-09.png Lorie 6-26-09 picture by runningwomen

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-21-2005
In reply to: willowkit
Fri, 04-15-2005 - 9:20am

My DH is very supportive, and is losing weight along with me. The way he helps me the most is that he doesn't complain about what I fix for meals anymore. Now that he is on the dayshift, he is not really any help with my exercising...except that if the baby wakes up while I'm walking, he has to try to coax him back to sleep on his own. DH lavishes compliments on me all day long...super encouraging...and very inspiring because he has lost a little bit more than me even.

I have an online friend who I talk to every day. She has been another great source of encouragement. She is losing weight (with ediets) and exercises very well. She gave me the link that eventually led me to fitday. We had struggled together with our horrible eating habits for a year and a half (after having our babies within weeks of each other...we met on the expecting board) before finally kicking it into gear. :)

I have a local friend who I don't get to see often (because she has 4 children of her own *plus* watches other children during the week), but we call every week or so. She called me when I was a few days into this new "diet" and after telling her about it she wanted to do it too. So now she is counting calories and is losing weight as well.

I have this *fantastic* group of ladies here on this board. :)

I have no in-laws here, unfortunately. That would be great though. And I have a neighbor I could walk with, but we would both have strollers and the sidewalks are not wide enough to push the strollers and talk to each other...so I don't know if that would be any fun, lol. And because I am a SAHM and just last summer moved into our house and joined a new church in January, I don't have people around me who are noticing and giving compliments...but it doesn't bother me because that would just be icing on the cake, with all the support and encouragment I have from everyone else listed above. ;)

Kim

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-17-2004
In reply to: willowkit
Fri, 04-15-2005 - 10:53am

Well, after many years of trying to be around my family, who were not healthy eaters or regular exercisers, and trying to do it without having them involved, AND having ZERO success, I finally took matters into my own hands.


About three weeks ago, I sat the family down (I am a single mom who lives w/ her parents, younger sis and son) and told them we had to get healthy.

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Fear

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-04-2003
In reply to: willowkit
Fri, 04-15-2005 - 11:36am

Hey Willow Great question!!

Avatar for willowkit
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2004
In reply to: willowkit
Fri, 04-15-2005 - 6:17pm

Wow the walking clinic sounds wonderful!!! I wish we had one here! I live in such a small town though. I doubt it would hold up.

I've read all the replies I think and I am feeling kind of bummed. I feel like I don't get much support from my dh about my fitness goals. He doesn't prevent it but he doesn't seem to give me much encouragment either. I guess the way I should look at it this way; I am setting an example for him and for my girls. I do have the support from my one frined and from You guys!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-16-2005
In reply to: willowkit
Sat, 04-16-2005 - 12:09am

SO is great (mostly). We go to the gym together daily (almost), go on bike rides together, go to the track together, and he is great about helping me cook healthy and eat healthy.


HOWEVER...when he "cheats" I do as well. I don't know why but I lose all of my own willpower when he makes bad choices and I join in.


Since Jan. 14 I have lost 24 1/2 pounds (39 to go) and he has lost 55 pounds (48 to go).


I didn't realize it, but evidently I make him feel guilty when he has something unhealthy. I was straightening up our office the other day and between the wall and a filing cabinet I found an empty 20 oz Mountain Dew bottle. I guess he "snuck" one the other day and then when I started to walk into the office he hid it!


When I found out I was furious! Not because he drank it, but because he HID it!!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-18-2003
In reply to: willowkit
Wed, 04-20-2005 - 10:45am

Karen...I'm right there with you!

~~ Steffy ~~
Avatar for barbrocks
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-06-2003
In reply to: willowkit
Wed, 04-20-2005 - 10:47am

No one works-out with me (I prefer to do it alone), or is particularly interested in my workouts. Of course, I live alone, so there's no one in my space.

However, I live in a college town, on the edge of campus, so I am surrounded by bikers, rollerskaters, joggers, walkers, etc. I take classes such as rock-climbing to be around other healthy minded people.

I have friends who are also trying to exercise, and I go on hikes nearly every weekend with them.

My workplace is tough. I'm a nurse, and you'll never meet an unhealthier bunch of people than in healthcare... the irony is thick, I know. Many smoke, most are overweight (as am I), and few are active. They tell me I'm strange for getting up at 5am to go workout. However, they all are very interested and sometimes envious of my rockclimbing, skydiving, hiking, etc. I tell them they can do it, too, and even invite them... but, it's too big a step outside their realm, I guess.

It's definately a lifestyle.

Barb

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