Healthier Lifestyle Thread 12th October till 18th October

[tlh]

Hi kim!

I''m so sorry to read about your earlier complications and your loss. But happy to read that you are again expecting! I understand you''re taking this one easy, and you can still pop in to chat. It is a healthy lifestyle, not an exercise thread... and a healthy lifestyle incorporates a lot more than just physical fitness. ((HUGS))

SDL - Good thing about the coffee! Sorry about not having water though. I hope you aren''t too stinky!

Glad you got the call, I bet that was a nice surprise!

Sharon - Shovelling snow IS a workout!

deegee- Lily sounds like a cool pooch! I like to try all sorts of new things from Amazon... and the poochies like new smells! I know the scale can be frustrating, but 1/2 a pound lost, is 1/2 a pound LOST! Celebrate in your achievements! The rule is the slower the weight loss, the more likely it is to be permanantly gone (due to lifestyle changes)! And that is something to celebrate indeed!

Rod- Sorry about the work frustrations, but your comfort foods sound yummy!

Hello shiny-

Ugh, I hate yardwork... so you have my respect to trim the bushes, and then to add a vent n the bathroom! Look at you! You''re like Bob Villa-ette!

Marcy- YAY! Marty is back! And nice weather for him too!

CJ- I love the Polar watches, and agree that the calorie burn is really encouraging! I''ll often go further just to hit the next calorie milestone!

This morning I took the dogs out again. The weather was nice and they were well behaved - until they heard the roosters start doing their thing. Then they were excited and wanted to explore. I usually only take the smaller dog on really short 2-3 mile spurts, and since the hubs is gone, and I''m cramped for time, I''ve added them BOTH to my morning runs. Morning runs are ME TIME. Time to decrompress, and have some solo time to think, about whatever, even if it is only..."what do I want to wear today.." Ugh. This will not last long. This morning the big guy stopped to "do his thing" FOUR TIMES!!! It is different when you are on a run, and not at a dog friendly park... because carrying dog waste bags, for any distance is GROSS! Esp when you are running. BLEH. So even though they were well behaved, big guy needs to learn to make it a one stop shop. They aren''t breadcrumbs to find his way home. GROSS~ my husband found it funny. The little guy, never an issue, and he is never apart of my ME runs. So this morning, I was very slow, didn''t cover a lot of distance, and am SOO HAPPY that my husband will return tomorrow, so that morning dog duty is taken care of again. (Aren''t my reasons so vapid!?!) Work is still going crazy, hours are insane, but I''m finding some breathing room which is nice. Peaks and valleys...

" If you run 100 miles a week, you can eat anything you want Why? Because (a) you''ll burn all the calories you consume, (b) you deserve it, and (c) you''ll be injured soon and back on a restricted diet anyway." -Don Kardong

 

[AsscherGirl]

Date: 10/14/2009 9:00:39 PM
Author: deegee


Today was weigh-in day, and I only lost 1/2 pound (2 1/2 pounds to goal). It seems like I have 3 good weigh-in''s, and then one that brings down my average. Hubby keeps reminding me not to worry so much about the weekly weigh-in''s, and to keep focused on the big picture. I know I''ll get there if I keep eating right and exercising, but ugh . . . lousy scale! Have a great Thursday everyone!

deegee - if you are 3 weeks good, then 1 week not so good, is it possibly related to hormones/that time of the month? I know for me personally I am able to lose a lot better when I am not bloated/having food cravings/feeling cranky! I also gain like 4 pounds when I retain water - so maybe that''s an iduea?? I think it''s great that you still LOSE every week - and you are super close to your goal!!! Your lesser loss is most likely just water and you are doing great!

Hi Everyone - just lurking around. Trying to get back into running after taking a month or more hiatus b/c of the horrible August weather we had in NJ. It''s going pretty well, but I need to do some other workouts too. Def. holding on to pounds that I want to be losing instead of bouncing around the same 5 pounds. My main goal is to NOT gain weight during the holidays and continue to workout in the early winter months. I always seem to fall off in October, so I think being on a running plan will help. I am currently training for a 5 mile Turkey Trot 1 week before Thanksgiving. It starts at 11 am, which is a much better time of the day for me than 8am, so I am def. looking forward to it!

Sounds like everyone is doing awesome as always!

Kimi - I lurk around PS all over so I knew you were preggo, but congrats! I''m sorry to hear about your miscarriage and issues. Hope things continue to be healthy for your little one!

 

[tap02150]

Hey guys! Sorry I haven''t been able to check in earlier this week. I''ve been so busy, but luckily I have been getting in my workouts at the gym. My weight keeps fluctuating within 3 pounds.. going up, going down.. lol I think it was because my Red Sox lost on Sunday around 3, so i had a couple more beers.. and then my Patriots lost in overtime to Denver so I drank some more.. and i had hotdogs in crescent roles lol. Oops hahaha. Its ok, its been 4 days since my little guilt free Sunday and I lost the 3 pounds that I gained. All is good!

I''m glad to see everyone is doing well! My best friends grandpa (who lived with them) just passed away so I need to make a trip back home this weekend for the wake. On top of that; the girls tennis team that I''m coaching has matches all weekend and Monday so i''m not sure when i''ll be able to post. Hopefully I can get in a "hello" at some point! Busy busy.......

** Just a side note to Rod''s cardio article he posted late last week:

Cardio = health for the heart, and yes only 20-40 minutes is needed to do so (and yes its good to not get bored with your workout) BUT!!

For burning calories: The first 20 minutes of a workout that elevates your heart rate to at least 60% percent of your "Max Heart Rate = (220-Age)", is burning carbohydrates and simple glucose. Because of the way the metabolic system is designed, after 20-35 minutes your body will switch over to using fat calories for energy.

So to recap; cardio is increasing the health in your heart; which only needs 20-40 minutes to do so. Longer isn''t necessarily bad though.. just not 100% necessary as some believe. BUT, to burn fat calories (compared to carbs) you need to exercise for at least 20-35 minutes with an elevated HR above 60% of Max HR.

To calculate Max HR the formula is 220-Age.
Target workout HR Range is between 50% and about 80% (depending on age.. 50 is a lower end, and athletes might want to train above 80%)

Example: I am 22 years old; 220-22 = 198 (This is the maximal number of heart beats per minute physically allowed)

I personally want to stay in the 60%-80% Range when working out. So I need my heart rate to be in the range of about 120bpm (beats per minute) to 160bpm.

I calculated this by doing .6 X 198 (Max HR) = about 120
.8 X 198 (Max HR) = about 160bpm

This is my heart rate range I want to workout at to receive cardiovascular benefits. Only 20-40 minutes needed.. but if i want to continue longer, i will switch over from carb burning and start utilizing stored fat (WOOHOO!) lol

Good luck the rest of the week!

-Ted

 

[CrownJewel]

Danielle - re: the holiday calorie extravaganza, I feel like it is so hard to practice self restraint when all those delicious foods are around, and it''s almost like you''re expected to eat it because there are so many parties and you don''t want to offend the host. My plan to combat that weight gain is to get into a really good exercise routine starting um...a few months ago (ha. yeah right) so that my metabolism is in top shape for the anticipated influx of calories. The weight gain seems almost unavoidable for me, but I hope I''ll be able to rebound faster if my metabolism is working like a monster furnace.

Ted, that''s so awesome of you to translate the facts from the article. So I''m 28 and according to the formula I''m supposed to be at a max heart rate of 192. According to my heart rate monitor, last night my max heart rate during a 39 min session on the elliptical was 179 (93%) and the average was 161 (84%). Apparently I spent 33 of the 39 minutes working out in the "Hard" zone, 4 min in moderate, and ~2min in light.

As I get more in shape, my heart rate should decrease when I do the same intensity and time, right? Any statistics on how long it takes to condition the heart to work more efficiently? In other words, when will that same elliptical workout become easier?

tlh, your morning doggie jog story is hilarious. Sometimes I take a friend''s dog out when they''re away, and he is a big dog who is so easily distracted. Sometimes he''ll run at a good pace and then stop suddenly to eat some grass. It''s not as frustrating as having to stop 4x to pick up poop, but equally funny.

I had my quiche for breakfast this morning, and it was a success. Quiches are like no-fail dishes. This one had roasted eggplant, red peppers, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, onions. Topped with some salsa and it was an awesome protein-filled breakfast.

 

[somethingshiny]

Question~

My resting heart rate is usually around 80 sometimes as high as 90. I don''t have a monitor and haven''t physically checked my pulse while working out so I don''t know how high it gets. But, because my rhr is high, am I supposed to still use the same formula?? Does this really have anything to do with general health?

 

[Diva0413]

Wow! This thread is busy! It''s good to chat with you all today!

CrownJewel, your quiche sounds yummy! Forgive my ignorance when it comes to cooking, but I''ve never made one before... Are they fairly easy to make?

Hey Tap! Wow! That''s a whole lot of info about cardio! I knew a little bit about RHR and your max HR (mostly from the machines in the gym), but I wasn''t too familiar with the formula.

Danielle, I have to admit I''ve been lurking too. Good to see you''re getting back to it! I think a lot of people fall off between October and November. I always thought it was a holiday thing. I do it too. I think as long as you remain aware, you won''t have any problems meeting your goal. Good luck!

tlh, how are the dogs? I think the last time I was in HLT, the weather by your was super hot and humid... Wow... Feels like a long time! LOL @ the breadcumbs comment!

Hi dragonfly, Rod, and Kimberly!

SS, yard and housework! Sounds like a busy, busy day!

marcyc, thanks for visiting my wedding thread! I''m glad things are somewhat back to normal too. Although I seem to now have a lot of time on my hands so my now I''m planning a birthday party for my mother in December. Five minutes ago you had me thinking about cake, but now that I''m reading all the posts, I''m thinking about muffins.

Hey deegee! Long time, no speak! I''m so glad to be back. I missed you guys! YAY for the 1/2 pound lost! A loss is a loss and always a good thing!

After being in wedding mode for so long, it''s hard for me to get back to normal, but I''m dealing ok. Everything turned out really well, except for my dress and ring. I was so stressed the week of, I lost 5 pounds, so my dress was too big. And my ring somehow no longer fit so we ended up using a plastic ring for the ceremony. Both no biggies and still had a wonderful time.

Today felt like a long day, but it was a good one. This was actually my first week back at work and it''s been really busy, but a good kind of busy. I haven''t exercised in about a month, but I''ve already told Derek that I intend to start back up again within the next week. I''ve been maintaining my weight by eating smaller portions and going out for walks during my lunch break. I''m especially proud of Derek because he stopped buying junk food for the house and he lost 10 pounds over the past month! And that''s without going to the gym. So he''s really excited to go back so he can lose more weight.

Have a great night everyone!

 

[lliang_chi]

Howdy howdy everyone!!!

Had our last workout with the trainer on Tuesday. We were scheduled up to Thursday but I told him I have too much wedding stuff to do. We''re leaving to drive down on Monday night. I haven''t worked out since Tuesday. I''m going to try do something this weekend.

SS, I think you still use the same max heart rate calculation, but you adjust the number with your resting. E.g say your Max = 200. 60% would be 120, but you adjust it by adding your resting. I''ll remember my camera on Saturday. I''m excited and tired of the whole wedding stuff by now.

CJ,Yay!for HRM!!! I like working out with them but I feel my calorie count isn''t accurate. But It''s still fun to work out with it. Your quiches should lovely. I dunno if James would be down for quiches for dinner, but when lived with sis, we used to do that all the time.

Ted, sounds like you''re super busy too! You''re a great resource to have around.

Danielle, how''s running going! Turkey Trots are AWESOME and helps you feel better about eating Thanksgiving dinner I did a Turkey Trot last T-day. I might do one again this year. Ours is ON Thanksgiving, and I''m scared of the cold weather... But I like doing it, so maybe we still

TLH, Hilarious about the dog run I really want James to take Quizas on a run since she''s soooo GOOD at running. He hasn''t done it yet. I''m forturnate that she just pees and poops once and then can just start runnign with her.

Dragon, Yay no class! Hope you can get a workout in. Glad your back''s better.

Kim, Sorry to hear about your loss. You need to keep popping in, we miss you here. How are your eats going?

Marcy, YAY!!! Marty''s on his way home!!! I''m keeping him in my thoughts as he travels home to you. Yay, yay, yay!!!!

Rod, yay superslows! We did them on Tuesday, with 10 second negatives and we STILL WEREN''T SORE!!! My trainer says we''re freaks of nature I totally know what you mean about getting stuck in a holding pattern while interviewing. I was the same way when I did my job searches.

Deegee, I call the kennel "Puppy Camp." We take Quizas to one that has a web cam in the play area so we can still see her. She''s socially awkward so she kinda stays in a corner, finds one person she likes and sticks to them. Leaving her at Puppy Camp for the first time was very hard. Take an old t-shirt of yours to put in the kennel with her so she doesn''t get too homesick.

Sharon, SNOW!!! Ugh!!! James and I are going to have a RUDE awakening when we get back from the wedding. The wedding''s in West Palm Beach, FL and our honeymoon is South Africa. We''re coming back to Chicago in November. Booo!!!! I''m glad the snows melting.

SDL, Yay you got to speak with your son. You''re always so positive!

Diva, your wedding pictures look fantastic. How''s the hot wife lifestyle

 

[KimberlyH]

SS, I know you''ve experienced several losses, and I can only imagine the strength it took to get through those experiences, and I know JT was worth every bit of it. I don''t think the kid will be eating enchiladas at first, but he/she will be eventually and that''s dinner tonight. What a great philosophy! I''m lucky not to be on bedrest, but those weeks of bleeding and uncertainty were certainly trying.

TLH, thanks for the kind words. Healthy certainly does mean a lot more than exercise. I forgot how much of it was spiritual/mental until recently. It was a good, but difficult reminder. Glad your husband will be home soon and you can have your mornings back.

Danielle, thanks! It''s certainly an exciting time in our life, our little family evolving and lots of changes. Good girl for getting back to running! I know you''ll be successful.

LLiang, I cannot wait to see your wedding pictures and read all about it. Have a safe drive. I miss you as well. Food is going well; as you may remember we''re big on clean local produce and that has continued (sans the first trimester when all I wanted was carbs). I''ve been eating lots of yogurt lately, delicious.

Hi Diva! Good luck returning to exercise after your hiatus. It happens to the best of us!

 

[CrownJewel]

diva - don''t worry. I only learned how easy quiches were last year. They are SO easy. Chop up a bunch of veggies (anything you want, for example spinach), mix with shredded cheese (usually mozzarella, cheddar, or swiss...or a combo) and enough eggs/egg whites to make it a soupy mixture. Pour into a baking pan and bake! Honestly, you just can''t go wrong. The healthy way to do it is without cream and without a pie crust, which is how I did it this time. But if you''re feeling naughty, you can pour the mixture into an Oronoche pie crust, which are in many people''s opinions, the BEST pie crust in the world.

so, I got my flu shot at work yesterday and I got sick today

. So I didn''t go to the gym. All I could think of when I came home was "soup" and then after I had my soup, all I could think about was "chocolate chip cookies" which is funny b/c I don''t have much of a sweet tooth. I''m gonna head off to bed now and hopefully nip this fake flu in the bud.

Happy workouts everyone. Do an extra situp for me, since I am way too stuffed with cookies to do any myself

 

[Rod]

Wow, so much activity today and I''d love to write each and everyone of you, but since it was a workout night, it''s late and this will be short. It was another frustrating day at work, so I was so happy to get to the gym. I worked out really really hard and I''m really making progress on the free weight bench press......WOO HOO! I''m so grateful tomorrow''s Friday and sushi night. YAYAY for the weekend. Plus, it''s supposed to cool down here in Tampa. We''re so anxious to get rid of this awful heat and humidity. It''s the hottest October on record.

Kimberly, thank you so much for sharing what''s been up with you. I hope you know I was totally kidding about bad habits. I so know you''ll always do everything you can to be healthy and John would never let you do bad things anyway! I''m super happy for you both on your pregnancy. And I was really sorry to see that you had such a difficult time with your first pregnancy. I''m glad you''re doing much better this time around. Isn''t there anything they can give you to help increase your platelet level? Anyway, please keep posting. I know there''s the other thread for expecting moms, but you so belong here on the HLT and even if you''re not exercising we want you here. Hugs to you and please give John my absolute best!

Thanks for expanding on the cardio article Ted. I typically keep my heart in a nicely elevated, but safe range on the elliptical, and I really push hard.

Hello to everyone I couldn''t say hi to individually. It''s time to shut down and get to bed.

Sleep well everyone.......

 

[marcy]

Hi everyone!

Well, I drove in circles at the airport, I am such a small town girl. LOL. I ended up at valet parking and was blocking the entrance trying to figure out how to get out of there. I debated about having them park it for me - it wasn't the money just not wanting someone to drive our car. So they come out and patiently get the cars behind me to back up and help me get out of there. They told me I had to exit and leave the airport then follow the signs to return to the terminal. Then I get to parking and I can't find a place to park to save my behind. So I finally drove to the top floor and as far to the edge as I could get and took a parking place there. I had to walk a ways to get to the terminal but at least I knew I would remember where I parked. Marty's plane was delayed about an hour so we got home about 8:30. He was sound asleep in 20 minutes.

He got me 3 opals; one is very pretty with flashes of red. Well, the stress of driving in that traffic must have worn me out so I will be quick here and excuse my typos.

CrownJewel, I am glad you are having perfect weather. It was near 60 here today and yes I checked to make sure my furnace was working when we got home tonight. I hope you feel better tomorrow.

Hi Lorelei.

Kimi, it would be strange to be gaining weight with a doctor's encouragement but of course it is for such a wonderful reason.

Rod, woo hoo is right for making progress on the free weight bench press. Too funny you are having the hottest October on record. Our cold streak last week was a new 5 day streak of all time low temperatures for here.

I don't know how much I will be around for a few days. We are busy this weekend with relatives and a wedding.

Somethingshiny, your husband's job is how many miles away? That will make for a long day for him. Adjusting meals will take some time but I am sure you guys will figure out a routine soon.

Dragonfly, okay we won't talk about it. I figured my walk at the airport had to count for something though.

Tlh, sounds like you had quite an adventure this morning on your run. I guess that is another reason I don't have dogs (mostly allergies) but I'd be a "ewe" girl with carrying around pooh.

Danielle, I am thinking ahead about the holidays too. It's time to buckle down before all the holiday treats and temptations come our way. Yay for planning ahead for the Turkey Trot. I still love that name.

Ted, sorry to hear about your friend's loss. I am sure they will appreciate you attending the wake.

Diva, I love to see the thread so busy. Planning a birthday party for your mom will be fun. I planned one last year for my mom and it was a great time. Mmm muffins. I make mini muffins for my mid-morning snacks. You don't get much but they are enough to satisfy me and they are something I really enjoy. Congratulations to you for maintaining your weight and that is wonderful Derek lost 10 pounds.

Lisa, yay for another great workout.

Take care.
Marcy

 

[tap02150]

yay for friday!!!!!

just to answer a few questions;

CrownJewel; Cardio and adaptation is very hard to understand. Yes, the more you work out and do the elliptical, the exercises will "feel easier". And in theory, your heart rate may lower a little as you continue to get your heart in better shape. Will you be able to tell a difference on your heart rate monitor? Probably not unfortunately. Actually, I''m almost positive you wont when you exercise. WHAT you will be able to see/measure is that after adaptation, your heart rate will increase faster when you start to work out. This is a good thing! Your body knows that you are working out, knows that it needs oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, so your heart rate goes up faster.

The only 2 ways (that im aware of) to measure the benefits of cardio is checking your resting heart rate (always first thing in the morning). When you first start an exercise program, your resting heart rate goes up a bit.. and then after about 3-6 weeks, it will start to go down. This is the least effective way to understand adaptation from cardio because resting heart rate has many other factors such as genetics.

THE best way to measure the effects of cardio is the time it takes after you stop working out, to lower your heart rate back to normal. Example: Before I work out, i check my heart rate, lets say its about 90 at the gym. I work out for 30 minutes, my heart rate is pumping between 150-180bpm (hard workout!!) and then I start my cooldown by walking slowly. I want to check how long it takes my heart rate to go back to about 90. I am not sure of the guidelines of how fast it "should" take, but for me its usually about 4-5 minutes when im walking. Im sure it would be faster if i was to stop my exercise all together; but cooldowns are super beneficial.



SOMETHINGSHINY! so your resting heart rate may be high- due to many many factors. Not a big deal, but you should be interested in cardio.... as this will help lower your RHR. Second, yes.. you still follow the same formula, it is already scaled for age appropriateness and general health. The only thing I would say is if you were to start a cardio program; the first week I would aim to raise the heart rate between the 50-70% range for 15-20 minutes. See how you feel, and go from there.

Everyone else- Enjoy the weekend! I hope everyone stays healthy and active! Off to the gym for me!
Take care,

-Ted

 

[tlh]

Danielle - I love Turkey Trots! They are one of my most favorite races! The race I run has a "beat the turkey" option. There is a person wearing a full blown head to toe Turkey Mascott costume, and that guy is FAST! I always wonder who is lurking under that costume... but it is pretty impressive to see this giant turkey running a 10k at a 6 min/mile pace - and serious runners trying like heck to beat him (or her) to the finish line. If you "beat the turkey" you get a 15-20 pound turkey as a prize.

Ted- glad to see you back! I''m sorry about the loss of your friend''s grandfather, and hope that you are able to provide the support he/she needs. I also totally agree about cooldowns being a critical part of any cardio workout!

CJ- your breakie sounds amazing! I''m glad you take your friends dog running sometimes. They are fun when the exercise is FOR THEM...but when it is for YOU, man it can be frustrating to have to stop constantly! haha!!1 Hope you get better soon, sorry the flu shot mad you sick!

Shiny- yes, the formula should apply to everyone, but I take all formulas with a grain of salt. They are generic.. like BMR and height weight charts. Some people have larger or smaller hearts than average , and that will throw off their numbers. Me my resting heart rate is like 49/50. However, I always have a HIGH heart rate while working out, and well don''t- feel it. I don''t feel like My heart is going to bust out of my chest until it hits around 209 during my sprint at the end of a race. But it only takes about 30 seconds for my HR to recover 50-60 beats... and about a minute of just walking around post race for it to drop to 110. I think you just have to follow what works for you and spot your own personal trends. After awhile you can kind of tell where your HR/ workout range is by effort. (IE: If you can sing, you are not working nearly hard enough. if you can easily talk you aren''t working hard enough- so long rambling stories... BAD. If talking is difficult, but you still can, that is an optimal range... 3-4 word answers only... this would be a good cardio workout!) But I''m not an expert, so I''ll defer to TED.

DIVA- dogs are good. Runs are good. I think your dress was taken in beautifully - and in the wedding photos themselves, I couldn''t tell that there was anything amiss with your dress- or ring. But what a story to tell the kids, huh? Good for Derek and his 10 # weight loss!!!!

Lisa- Hope you had a fantastic workout.. and that you are trying to stay calm cool and collected for the upcoming nuptuals! Quizas is a lot like my Bentley. I never have an issue w/ the little guy. He is just so small that I can''t take him very far, but he''s an excellent running companion. The big guy... well he''s another issue all together!

Kimberly-

Hope your day is great!

Rod- Glad you had a great workout and were able to lift the day''s pressures away! Enjoy sushi tonight!

Marcy- I LOVE OPALS! I cannot wait to see what you do of them! Have fun at the wedding! Yes, I''m an

girl too, and hence why I don''t take the big guy with me!

Hello everyone and HAPPY FRIDAY/ BOSS'' DAY! It totally caught me by surprise so I had to scramble to come up with a last minute gift for the team. I''ve never understood appreciation going up the chain... and do NOT understand Boss'' day. I understand secretaries - personal admin day - because a secretary makes your life easier. A boss, not necessarily the case. And when you work in a HUGE company, where your Boss isn''t the owner- like with a small biz, It makes no sense what so ever. Sorry if I offended any boss''. I just don''t get it. But on happier news.... The hubs comes back home today.. YAY!!! He says the trip is going great and that makes me happy. The break from the heat is over, and it is going to be at or around 100* this weekend. Bye bye 80''s for at least another 2-3 weeks.

"A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water." ~Carl Reiner

 

[dragonfly411]

hello all! Well I got in a nice jog with my friend yesterday, and this morning did some squats. I didn''t make it to the gym as I got no sleep due to some dogs laying all over me last night

but I love them so

. Tomorrow is UF''s homecoming game so today is the big homecoming celebration and I have to work. Oh well lol. I am going to the game tomorrow though! SQUEE hehe. TLH I don''t get boss'' day either.

Hello to all!!

 

[CrownJewel]

So glad you posted again Ted. Thanks for the explanation. I''ll definitely be more mindful of my recovery time now. I like the idea of being able to see/measure the progress that my heart is making over time. I''m still having trouble wrapping my head around cardio, partly because when I was taking swimming lessons, my instructor had me do hypoxic drills. I know the purpose is to train my body to be more efficient with oxygen, i.e. perform the same amount of work but require less oxygen. Doesn''t that mean over time, my heart won''t have to work as hard, so that my heart rate will slow down? Anyway, it''s all fascinating stuff.

I can''t wait to take the HRM to a spin class. I might try swimming again tonight, depending on how I feel.

I wanted to mention to the ladies, that athleta.com is having a sale on lots of swimsuits and other workout clothes. Their prices are normally exorbitant, but when on sale, some of the stuff is a really good deal. I''ve been stocking up for next summer. I love their bathing suit tops because they''re cute but not skimpy, so they''re good for water sports. And the coverage is great.

It''s amazing how much a new workout outfit can motivate. This big sports store in NY was having a clearance, and my husband was just getting into running (and I was going to do whatever it took to encourage him), so I bought him a pair of asics sneakers, a proper pair of running shorts (with the mesh lining and a key pocket), and some sweat-wicking t-shirts. He loves the new clothes so much, he says they actually make it easier to run. Plus he looks cool.

Rod, that''s really awesome that you''ve made progress on the bench press. I''m afraid to even venture near the bench press and free weights because I don''t really know what I''m doing. For now I''m just sticking to the machines until I can put all my muscles back together. I''m like Humpty Dumpty, but with mushy muscles instead of a shell.

 

[tlh]

DF- enjoy your workout and have fun at the game

CJ- your workouts sound like a lot of fun! Thanks so much for the shopping tip!!! I agree clothing totally motivates me to work hard... there was even a study once, about how the color you wear can make you work out harder! Interesting! Sadly I dont remember the best "cardio" color... RED?

 

[somethingshiny]

diva~ Congratulations! I gotta find these pics, please direct me....

lliang~ Sorry you''re tired of the wedding planning. I planned mine in just a few weeks so I didn''t have time to be tired of it. I assumed it was more fun to take a while with it.

kimi~ When I said I''d only eat what I''d give a baby, I guess I really meant "child". Definitely eat the enchiladas!! We had tacos tonight and JT announced that they''re his favorite. I still think it''s funny that his "favorites" usually coincide with what I ate a lot of while pregnant.

CJ~ Blech to getting sick. They say that you shouldn''t get sick from the flu shot but I hear of so many people becoming ill immediately after the shot. Thanks for the heads-up on the athleta sale. I really need new workout clothes.

Rod~ Hope you had a good sushi night!

Marcy~ SO glad Marty is home safely. I would have been lost at the airport too. I can drive through downtown Chicago quickly and easily (with a map) but get me to the airport and I''m done for! Yay for new opals. Is there a thread?? DH''s job is only about 30 miles but he has a 10 hr shift and quite a walk into his building from the parking area. SO, yes, it will be a long day but thank God for a job! DH''s last job was also 2nd shift so we''ll figure out the meals in a hurry, just out of the routine. Have fun at the wedding!

Ted~ Thanks for the info on HR. IS there a way to define when an individual body begins burning stored fat as opposed to carbs? Do you know how much fat is burned within a certain time period??

tlh~ I agree about the formulas. When I''m working, I can barely get out 2 word answers! Yay for your DH coming home! Have fun!!

dragonfly~ Have fun at the game!


I did 45 min of cardio and some more on my stability ball today. Tonight was taco night and I ended up making loaded nachos! I went on Spark first to check out the stats of such a meal and was surprised that it was only around 500 cals. On a side note, my best friend is taking up Spark too!

Probably won''t be around much this weekend. We''re trying to get a few things done before DH returns to work. So, Happy Workouts to You!

 

[Rod]

Hey......It was stormy day in Tampa. It''s supposedly the cold front, but it''s been coming through since this morning and yet, it''s still hot and muggy outside. The temp tomorrow is supposed to only be in the 70s and Sunday the high 60s. WOO HOO. We''re so looking forward to cooler weather. I actually left work at 5:30. It had just been a long enough day. I never leave before 6, and it just felt nice to leave early. Some neighbors in our condo decided to join us for sushi. They don''t really eat real sushi. One is vegetarian and one would only eat cooked things, so we ordered seperately. The company was nice though. Hopefully when we get up in the morning we''ll be able to enjoy breakfast on the terrace. Maybe we''ll even be able to actually sit outside and have coffee under the oak. We''ve had to sit inside and look at the oak for the last several months. We''ll go to the gym in the afternoon. The rest of the weekend will just be for relaxing.

Thanks for the information on our elevated and resting heart rate Ted. I found it fascinating that it''s good if our heart rate goes up quickly when we exercise. I''m actually glad to know that as I often wondered why the more I worked out the faster my heart rate rose when I get on the elliptical.

Yay for Marty getting home safely Marcy. How cool that he got you some opals!! The weather''s on right now and they said we''re going from record heat to record cold. It might even be below 50 when we wake up Sunday morning. Brrrrrrrrrr.......YAY!! Enjoy having Marty back home!

tlh, I''ll bet it is funny to run behind a very fast runner in a turkey costume! Thanks.....Sushi tonight was great! I didn''t know today was bosses day. We completely missed it. But, like you I don''t get it either. I''m guessing it''s another Hallmark created holiday?

Good for you buying your hubby a pair of asics (my running and gym shoes are asics too) and it''s great he likes the new clothes. I wear exactly the same type of workout clothes. I especially like wicking t-shirts.........

Thanks SS. After I read how you were using the ball, I can certainly see why your shoulders felt they had been worked. Have a great weekend!

It''s well after 11 now, so I''m signing off and heading to be. I sleep the absolute best on Friday nights!!

I''m glad you got a good job in with a friend dragon........

 

[lliang_chi]

Howdy ho folks!

Last full day in Chicago before the big drive. Sis spent all day helping me yesterday we didn''t get a run in. But I posted some pics from my final fitting in the BWW forum for people interested.

Rod, I hope Tampa''s cooled off for you. 70F sounds delightful! Although it''s FINALLY become pleasant (not rainy and 60F) in Chicago.

Shiny, I''m tired of all the little things. Like people asking me "So are you nervous?" Or my mom calling me with 100 "absolutely-necessary" things to do that aren''t really necessary. But all in all my sister and James have been really helpful so I''ve been pretty much stress free. What exercises do you do on the ball? I LOVE stability ball exercises, except for Swiss Ball hamstring roll-ins. We call them perverse gerbils or PGs. Gerbil because your feet keep rolling the ball in and out. And Perverse because they SUCK they''re so hard.

CJ, How was swimming with your HRM? I know that my monitor is OK with water, but I dunno I''m still nervous. I guess I should do it now while it''s under warranty. CJ, thanks for the tip on Athleta. I haven''t tried any of their stuff. I''ll give it a go.

TLH, Catch the Turkey sounds AWESOME! I wonder if they have that in Chicago''s... I''d never beat the turkey, but it sounds like it''s so much fun. I take Quizas on a few miles runs. She''s gone 4 miles, but I think she can do more than that too. She''s just lazy.

Marcy, Hooray Marty''s back!! And yay for opals too. You must post pictures.

Kim, I''m so glad to hear you''re doing the local produce still. Are you doing a CSA?? Those are the BEST for local produce it''s all super, super fresh, like picked that morning or the day after, and it helps local farmers. Everyone thinks that Whole Foods helps local farmers etc, but they really don''t. They treat their producers really poorly and sometimes balk at paying them. It''s tough for local family owned farms who think that getting a contract with Whole Foods will help went it actually makes things worse. Anyway, I digress, Localvore is FANTASTIC and super good for you too! I''m sure you notice the produce tasting much better.

 

[Rod]

Hey........From delightully, sunny, cool, absolutely beautiful, breezy, with virtually no humidity, Tampa!! We went directly from the hottest of summer to winter here. Friday, it was in the mid 90s as it had been every single day since early June. Today, it''s in the upper 60s. We were determined to have breakfast on the terrace, but we had to bundle up. We sat under the oak and anjoyed coffee with some friends for a long time. It was so nice to be outside again. Yesterday, it was also beautiful and fairly typical Saturday. Charlie was off the whole day, so we worked out in the afternoon and I had one of the best workouts I''ve had in months. I lifted heavier weights and did more reps, plus my run on the elliptical was 100% pain free, so I was able to push it up several notches and for the first time in months, I kept my pace at just over 9 mph for the entire run. WOO HOO. Last night we had a very light snack for dinner and we went to another film festival movie at 9. After the movie we stopped off at Sbucks and had a decaf Latte. We''re never out after 11 and we were stunned to see how many people were there. There were virtually no tables inside or out, so fortunately we ran into some friends and were able to share their table. Poor Charlie. He has to be at work at 5 pm tonight and won''t get off until after 2 am. Christmas is coming to Restoration Hardware........Tonight. So, they have to completely decorate the store. I hate how retail has turned the holiday into a 3 month event. When we kids, Christmas didn''t appear until the day after Thanksgiving. Now, it''s just a marketing holiday.

Hey Lisa, I hope the big drive is safe an uneventful. I''m sure you''re really excited and we''re all excited for you!! As you can see, it did finally cool off for us. And it''s just sublime! 60 in Chicago doesn''t sound bad at all!!! Will you be able to stay in touch while you''re away? If not, have a blast and know that your HLT family sends hugs and congratulations to you. Here''s to a beautiful life filled with joy and happiness!

I hope the lack of posts means everyone''s out having a great weekend!!!!

 

[marcy]

Hi.I’m back!We had a great weekend but poor Marty hasn’t adjusted to our time zone yet so he keeps waking up really early.Friday we took off for Vail.We stopped in Denver at my favorite jewelry store and they had a very unique colored sapphire in a WG ring – it was pad “like” a peachy pink but the stone was not very well cut so I did not buy it.The color was great though.Then we headed up the mountains and got to my aunt’s house.They have a house on the hill that looks down on the city; it was very pretty.We went to dinner with her that night.Saturday morning we had breakfast then did some sightseeing and shopping.We went back to her house and got ready for the wedding which started at 4:30.Luckily I planned on it being cold (it was not – it was near 60) but we found out at the last minute the wedding was outside so I was quite happy I had warm clothes and a coat to wear.The wedding was beautiful.They had an open bar and a variety of food.I drank way too much but we danced a lot.We got home about 11:30.This morning Marty carried my aunt’s Christmas tree upstairs so she can have it ready for when their family comes back out for Christmas.We got home mid afternoon.I have been working on a pile of laundry (Marty’s from Hong Kong plus this weekend) and grading papers.I am sure a few pounds were added this weekend but it was fun.Tomorrow I am back to my normal eating and non drinking ways.

Ted, thanks for the helpful information.

Tlh, what a sight to see someone in a full turkey costume running that fast.I will have to get some pictures this week of my opals and get them posted online. I will probably get a ring made with the prettiest one.It has a lot of nice red flashes in it.Marty calls all the holidays another “Hallmark Holiday” to sell cards.Since I was out Friday I didn’t have to worry about my boss or getting something from my employees.Glad to hear the weather will be cooling off for you.

Dragonfly, I hope you had a fun time at the homecoming game.

CrownJewel, great point that just getting a new workout outfit can help get us motivated.I got my Race for the Cure pink New Balance shoes Friday.I plan on wearing them tomorrow.Of course I am working and teaching both tomorrow so they will just be for show not really a workout.

Somethingshiny, I will start a thread later this week on the opals.I also took pictures of an antique diamond ring my aunt has and will post it as well.It’s an OMC and very cool.A thirty minute drive isn’t bad then; I was worried he had to drive 90 or 100 miles or something.The nice thing about 10 hour days are 4 day work weeks.I am glad he found a job and I hope he really enjoys it.Your nachos sound great.Tacos / nachos are one of my favorite meals because I can get a lot of food for my calories.

Rod, glad to hear your temperatures are cooling down.Ours warmed up for awhile so we are both happy.Poor Charlie and the rest of his co-workers having to decorate the store till late at night.I agree they do get the holiday things out earlier all the time.

Lisa, I will go check out your pictures.I hope you have a marvelous wedding.

I am off to hang up another batch of clothes then study my notes on the Sun.Tomorrow night is lecture night.

Take care.

Marcy

 

[marcy]

Here we are by a lovely church we saw in Beaver Creek.

 

[marcy]

The colors of the fall trees were gorgeous.

 

[CrownJewel]

Marcy, I enjoyed your photos. You and Marty make a beautiful couple I''m glad he''s back. My husband is coming back today after a week in San Francisco. I talked to him today and he said he''s sick. Poor thing. I hope he didn''t catch the real flu.

Liang, oops, I still haven''t taken my HRM into the water yet. I''m paranoid about swimming when I''m sick, because last winter I was sick forEVER b/c I swam despite little things like, a sore throat or a sniffle. I know our pool is low-chlorine (they use some other chemical) and I wonder if that facilitates spreading of germs? I swam a lot last winter and I was always sick. Anyway, I am nervous too, about getting in the water with the HRM. It''s supposed to be ok though. I''ll let you know!

I had to go to work early this morning, and there were bagels and coffee for the morning conference. I took a bagel with veggie cream cheese. I was stuffed after half the bagel (not surprising b/c these bagels are enormous. and extremely tasty). Soon I have a visit with a neurologist to see about my carpal tunnel. I don''t think it''s a big deal, it''s just annoying. Everytime I use the arm "things" on the elliptical my hands and arms go numb and I have to keep shaking them out. It does get in the way of sewing, putting on makeup, using a pen...so hopefully the doc will figure out a better treatment than those ugly wrist braces that I wear at night.

Happy workouts everyone!

 

[marcy]

CrownJewel, glad to hear your husband will be home. I hope he gets over being sick really soon. Good luck with your carpal tunnel. It sounds painful for you. Thanks for the compliment about our photo.

Have a great day! See you in next week''s thread.