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Call Heydi! She was super helpful with me on the phone today when I called bc my B pole was stuck to my x-joint due to twisting. She recommended the broom stick method and even sent me a diagram through email.

What I can’t figure out now is why that x-joint just slides all the way into the b pole and wont stop. I guess that is my next phone call.

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Woo hoo!!!!!

This is super exciting https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

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I have taken many many classes with Jessalynn and highly recommend her! She is wonderful https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_exclaim.gif

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So I have lost 4 pounds! YAY! Will post more later. Off to work now.

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YAY!!!!!! There are no other words https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

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What a great article!! Congrats!

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The question comes down to "does it hurt when you pop?" If it hurts, talk to a doctor. If not, it is just a release of air bubbles out of the joint and don’t stress. I go snap, crackle, pop when I walk from years of dancing. I don’t even hear it anymore!

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Thanks!!!

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I can’t figure out how to add friends….so I am probably no help, but if someone wants to help me…. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

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Do you have a glass shop nearby? I have purchased custom cut mirrors (we are talking all kinds of hand drawn curves) as three for $240 – I realize this is waaaaay more than you want to spend – but the equal cost of these already done at the Great Indoors was 500 a piece. When we bought mirrors for my dance studio in my basement that are floor to ceiling from them – they were the cheapest place around because they didn’t need to cut them at all – less than a hundred to do wall to wall. Its worth a try if you haven’t purchased anything yet. Just stay away from beveled edges – as pretty as they are, they add a lot to the cost!

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Just make sure to follow up if you don’t get it within a week. When I called because one of my X-Joints wouldn’t move to even begin attaching to the B pole they said they were going to send out a new x-joint and new extension (they were stuck together). They forgot so I called back. However, they did send it air so I could get it up immediately once I called again! Overall, I was very impressed with their customer service!

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So I figured I would pop in and share how I was doing towards my goals this week. In all honesty, not that great. I did well on the goals that I have been working on for a couple weeks now but my added goals were where I struggled. Which is I guess why I put them on as goals in the first place. I just can’t seem to get all my water in each day and I don’t know why. I also didnt succeed with my gym goal but that has more to do with my ankle getting cranky on me this week so I had to restrict exercise. Therefore I am going to continue working on just those two goals and really work to make progress on them.

I have to get my water in today because my fast (for religious reasons) starts tonight until tomorrow night and I know that if I get all my water in today it makes the fast a lot easier. Either way, I am not going to stress about my goals tomorrow as no food or water for me. Hope everyone has a great day!

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I have the opposite problem. My legs are super strong and my arms are still developing. I keep working on the same trick that I am struggling with due to the weakness and therefore my lack of trust in my upper body.

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I think I might be having height and weight envy! I am 5’1.5" (and yes that half is important) and petites are too short for me and regulars are too long. So clearly the fashion industry needs to figure themselves out!

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YAY!!! I am sooo excited for you! I love when things work out for the best https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

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One other suggestion for the sleeping issue is to only sleep in your bed. No reading, no eating, no nothing. Once your body gets used to the idea that your bed is made for sleeping, many people’s sleeping patterns improve.

I am doing okay towards my goals. I found it very hard yesterday to track my food as I was at work and all of a sudden got very very hungry. Now this was to be expected as I didnt have time for dinner. I had eaten breakfast, and then a large lunch. But there was bad traffic on my way to my second job (bartending) and I had to be there at 4 so I never had a chance to eat. I had brought some nuts and raisins to munch on but found that was not sufficient. I nibbled on a couple chips (at least they are made in-house) but I also know that I can’t do that. Next time, I need to make sure I bring a sandwich with me as I can probably step out from the bar to eat that for a couple minutes. I guess I can say lesson learned!

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Lilbit- First off, I want to say I hope everything works out int he best way possible for you. I know how challenging it is when you feel like things are crashing down around you and I truly wish you the best. Although it feels like it will never turn around, I know from personal experience, it can. Stay strong and know that the people on this site are not just here to be supported by you but to also support you. I wish you the best with what you are trying to handle. Secondly, thank-you so much for all of your support with trying to figure out my disaster of a body out!

Collette – thats interesting because when I went to WW, my leader definitely touted using splenda versus using sugar to save points. WW also promotes Hungry Girl who very much promotes splenda. But then again, she also promotes the use of many many pre-packaged foods which I do not agree with.

So I did as I said I would and took my measurements this morning. I even wrote them, along with my weight, body fat % and water % (my scale does them as well). It is all in black and white and cannot be ignored.

I find I just keep saying to myself, I CAN do this! Its hard, but I will succeed!!!

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So I have been somewhat successful this week. I had chosen harder goals for this week (or at least it is harder to me, I am sure many of you have been doing this) which was to write down everything I ate. I did succeed, but I realized that what I ate this week is not really typical of what I would have rather eaten. I realize that doesn’t make much sense. Basically the Jewish holidays were this week and therefore I definitely lost complete control of how things were cooked and what I was eating. If anyone has a Jewish mother, you know how challenging it can be to ask her to make a small modification. It was a large battle won when I convinced her not to put egg noodles in my chicken soup!

I have not lost any weight, I actually gained. However, I am trying not to lose faith and I am took my measurements this morning and also wrote down my weight which I really didn’t want to do until it was lower, but I knew I needed to in order to begin seeing trends.

I know I put it into an earlier post but I am focusing on my previous goals and then two more for the upcoming week – tracking water and getting in two extra days of exercise. To be honest, I cannot figure out when I am getting the second day in due to the Jewish holidays next week and my work schedule. The good news is I do a lot of walking at my part-time job (server/bartender). I am hoping to lose a pound by next weekend and to really conquer my goals. Although I am frustrated that I have not lost weight, I am proud of myself for sticking to my goals which is one of the things keeping me moving forward. That and my size 4s that I miss!!!

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I use splenda rather than the blue stuff or pink stuff. When I tried Stevia – I got it at Trader Joe’s and I found it to have a strange aftertaste.

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That was a lot of helpful information. Thanks!

Why does your trainer not recommend artificial sweeteners? I use them a lot and I know weight watchers and other programs do recommend them. I drink a lot of tea and have a hard time substantiating the use of sugar in my tea each time I drink it. Also, any thoughts on tea versus water? I have been struggling with my water intake so I drink lots of really yummy teas. I buy loose leaf tea at a store near me and try to drink a combo or herbal, green, black, and white teas. I also drink some rooiboos to help with my allergies.

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Oops my bad. I meant TTC. I don’t know what that stands for. Gotta love my morning brain!

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Wow! I have to say thanks, first off. I never expected such support when I came on yesterday and expressed my frustrations.

I have cut out white flour and white carbs and sugars, aside for a slip-up yesterday at my parents for Rosh Hashanah dinner. I actually yelled at my dad that he was mean and being unfair when he pulled out the Breyer’s Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream as it is my favorite of all time. However, when my mom started pressuring me to take it home, I absolutely refused. I also learned I may be getting through to my parents a bit when I kept saying over and over again that I did not want egg noodles in my chicken soup – my mom first started telling me "you are not going to tell me how to serve food in my house" and getting mean about it, but I guess keeping my foot down that I did not want it may have gotten through to her. I figure if I tell her enough times that my clothing isn’t fitting she may get the point that I need to lose weight.

At this point I am staying away from preprepared foods and freezer meals as I can’t control what is inside.

Anyways, I also only use olive oil to cook with, but I just realized that a salad dressing I make that I love (Greek dressing) is made with vegetable oil. I will post a typical days food later on today and be very open to advice. I do try to change what I am eating pretty regularly because I do tend to get bored. I have also thought about seeing how much a nutritionist would cost me to go to. I went in college when I was working on overcoming an eating disorder, but I think I now need to see one to learn how to eat to lose weight for my body. But I definitely need to see how much of it my insurance would cover.

Thanks again everyone!!!

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I totally understand what you are saying. I am having the same issue. I think I am going to take all my measurements tomorrow (thats my weigh-in day) so that I have something else to look at. What is TTS? I am also eating cleanly and limiting white carb intake. My only hope is that I add in new goals to focus on the scale will change. I have started small with my goals so that I would be successful, but seeing the scale go the wrong way is truly the worst!!!

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Ok, so I am flustered and frustrated. I decided that this time so that I made a solid lifestyle change rather than "just going on a diet", I would start with small goals and when I felt I accomplished those goals I would add another one or two. I truly thought that if I cut out eating out (especially the fries, potato chips, and milkshakes at my second job) that I would just naturally lose a little bit of weight.

My current goals that I am working on right now are:
https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif Only eating out 8 times in a month – if I eat a potato chip at work, that counts as a night out.
https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif Clean eating – I dont really know what this term truly means, but to me it is cooking healthy food using good, fresh ingredients and staying away from high fructose corn syrup as much as possible
https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif Writing down what I am eating and what time. At the moment this does not include portion size, just what I am eating. I started this one this past Monday.

I have been doing really well with meeting and following my goals. I am feeling successful in accomplishing these goals and already thinking about my next goals which are:
https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_nemo.gif making sure I get at least 8 glasses of water or tea a day
https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_nemo.gif add in two days of cardio at the gym. This is hard because I work a second and third job and finding time for this is complicated, but I think it is essential. I am currently not doing too much exercise – just one day where I go to pole class and chair class.

But where I am frustrated and flustered is that I have not lost a single pound. I have actually gone up!!! I want my clothes to fit again. I am tired of not being able to wear my pants and only wearing skirts. I am tired of looking fat. I hate that I just tried on 4 different dresses to wear to a bat mitzvah this weekend and none of them looked great, when I know they used to. I don’t want to give up. I can’t give up. I hate the way I look and I want to see that stupid scale move.

Help please!

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I would call X-pole tomorrow. I had to call them as I had a problem with my x-pole and they were very very helpful. She tried walking me through fixing the problem (the manufacturer overtightened the hex screws in the x-joint) and when that didnt work, she offered to send me new pieces.