Healthier Lifestyle Thread 22nd Feb till 28th Feb

[Lorelei]

Happy new week all!

Welcome back MerryMunkey, I just wanted to congratulate you on a 17 pounds reduction, thats tremendous!!!

I am so glad you checked in and updated us and I really want to encourage you to keep going! What I find can help me is to really be able to visualize reduced weight. Below is a list of things that can weigh around 17 - 20 pounds;

a couple of bowling balls
a small child
a big sack of animal feed

You get the idea. But I think it really puts it into perspective how significant this amount of weight is, well done!!!

I also particularly like this quote...

"If you''re walking down the right path and you''re willing to keep walking, eventually you''ll make progress" - Barack Obama

The road to fitness, weight reduction and a healthier lifestyle isn''t always easy, at times it can be downright difficult. But as with anything worth striving for, the rewards are incredible. We know the path is right and we know there are times when we might fall off the wagon, sometimes even for long periods of time. But we always have the choice to get back on that path and once we keep walking long enough and working our way along that path, progress WILL happen.

And as we always say here, our HLT mantra - slow and steady wins the race!

Have a great week

 

[tlh]

Marcy- I too saw time travellers wife this weekend! I agree with your thoughts on it. A coworker read the book and said it was amazing...

Merry Munkey - way to go on your 17 pound weight loss. That is fantastic to be slimmer of the week 2 weeks in a row!

Lorelei - great opener as always! I agree, slow and steady! Keep on moving - eventually you''ll get there... even if you don''t know where "there" is yet.

I''m about gone. Packing up the tv and computer soon. Got a run in - got a swim in.. and now I''m getting the cars checked, before we head out.

 

[panda08]

Hi Everyone...

It''s been awhile since I''ve popped in, though I''ve lurked. Wish I could say I''ve been good but I''m trying to be better. Can I come back into the fold?

For unexplained reasons, I''ve been experiencing lower back pain for the past several years. As of late, it''s worsening, to the point where I have trouble being on my feet for more than 15 minutes. I''m seeing a specialist to get to the bottom of it and I''m hoping for long term relief that won''t involve medication or surgery. I''ve picked up some extra weight, which I''m sure is not helping, so I''ve vowed to drop some pounds and get healthier. If anyone has exercise/stretching tips for lower back pain, I''d love to hear about it.

Lorelei, thanks, as always, for your inspirational words to start the week.

Congrats, Merry, on your 17 pounds weight loss!

tlh, safe travels to your new home.

 

[BeachRunner]

Happy new week!

Lorelei- Great opener, love the Obama quote!

tlh- good luck with the move!!!

panda- Hello

I hope you find some answers to your pain.

merrymunkey- Congrats on the loss! That''s super! Keep up the awesome work!

I had to do my long run on the treadmill this weekend, as it''s been pretty cold and snowy here. I''m sure I''ll use the tready again tonight. It''s ok, it trains my mind as well My friends going away party was fun, but we''ll miss them. This is only a temporary move for them, so, they''ll be back! We got some good eats this week; our usual really. We got a tuna steak which we''ll eat tonight, I''m sure. Yum! We had pork, sweet potato, and broccoli last night.

Have a good Monday!

 

[pinki]

Hello All!

I had a really great weekend - went to a friends show, it was his first show with his new band and they were amazing. Took my dog to a new grooming place, they have a "do it yourself" deal, and there''s also a cafe inside so I can sip a coffee and visit with other dog owners and their dogs. It''s so neat and I saved a ton of money. My dog weighs 180lbs so getting him groomed is very pricey! Yesterday I made a new recipe out of this month''s Healthy Living Mag. for my week of lunch. Brown Rice with bell peppers, onions, asparagus, garlic, 1/2 of steak cut into small strips with fresh ginger, soy sauce and sesame seed oil. I added serano peppers as well because I love spicy food. I just had my lunch and it was quite delicious! Definitely a keeper recipe.

I hope everyone gets off to a great week!

Loralei - Great quote! I wasn''t aware of that one before. Motivating start to my week right when I definitely need it. My BFF and I have been working together to lose weight, and she''s doing nutrisystem but I''m trying to do it myself and she told me yesterday she''s at 172 (we both started at 18. I''m at 177 still trying to hit my 176 goal so I was bummed, but I think after this week I''ll be inching closer.

tlh - good luck! Drive carefully this week and can''t wait to hear about the moving adventure! A friend was visiting Scottsdale this weekend (first time in AZ) and I gave her lists of things to do...one of which was dinner at the Tortilla Factory. She sent me pics and I''m so homesick now! boooo.

MerryMunkey - that is great news! I''m so motivated by your success!

Panda - I hope you get answers so you can start getting better.

Beach Runner - Sounds like a great weekend! I''m making sweet potato tonight as well. I''ll probably have it with talapia and a spinach salad. I just got a raspberry balsamic vinigar I''m excited to try.

 

[somethingshiny]

Just a quickie...

tlh~ Good luck with the move!!

panda~ Hi!! Welcome back! Hope you can find some help for your back.


We had JT''s bday party this weekend. I made cake and 2 kinds of homemade ice cream. It was really good and thankfully my family nearly cleaned it all up so there''s not lots of leftovers.

I''m over 19 weeks now, so almost half way done! I''m already looking forward to getting my body back! It''s been much harder to stay on a good diet this time than it was with JT. I''ve had pizza twice in the past week. But, no weight gain yet. I picked up some heavier hand weights to work out my arms. My chest is getting a good workout with them too. Maybe the girls will perk up!
That''s all for now!

Hope you''ve all started a great week!!

 

[dragonfly411]

Hello Everyone!
Merry Munky - CONGRATS on that 17lbs and to add to Lorelei

a medium sized dog
several cinder blocks
two to three babies
a box of books
at least one tire
a saddle!


That is so inspiring, and if you look back and think "wow... I toted that around!!" It''s so fulfilling!

This weekend I walked both days, and rode my horses both days (walk only mind you... just to stretch my muscles a bit). I''m giving myself an easy night of yoga tonight as my back is yelling at me for having done so much... but I''m afraid I''ve developed a serious fear of being inactive.

Hope you all had a great weekend!!

 

[Rod]

Hey......Rod''s all alone weekend has come and gone and how do you suppose he got to enjoy it? Well, not by going to the gym or anythying. Nope, I got sick. Nasty awful cold. Everyone in my office had it last week and I was the last to get it, so this weekend, I kept a very low profile and since I had planned to take today off, I just switched from a vacation day to a sick day. I''ve certainly had worse colds, as they go, this isn''t too bad. I am going back to work tomorrow. I''m not sure if I can go to the gym tomorrow night. It depends on two things. Whether I''m feeling strong enough to have a hard workout and, it appears there''s only one more signature required to approve our offer on the condo, so we may be signing the purchase agreement tomorrow night. Other than having a cold, I slept a lot, and the weather (sorry Marcy) was pretty spectacular, so I managed to sit under the oak and soak up some sun yesterday. Charlie flew home from visiting his family around 5, so I picked him up and we went directly for sushi. That''s about all the news on this side of the planet............

Hey Emma (merry!). I''m so glad you checked in and that you''ve found something that is working for you. 17 pounds is a great accomplishment. Keep up the great work!! And stick around OK??!!

Thanks for the always great opener Lorelei!!

Safe travels to your new town tlh! I hope you enjoy the transition and we''ll all be glad to hear about the journey when you get signed back in from the new place..........Just treat it as an adventure!!

Hey Panda......It''s nice to see you too! I used to suffer from lower back pain. Before "Rebuild Rod" I had to see the chiropractor no less than 3 times a week. And even recently, I slipped and hurt my back (only I didn''t let it deter me from working out). I was truly headed towards back surgery......UNTIL......I discovered that strengthening my core could completely eliminate the pain, make my workouts better and my life a million percent better. I can''t recommend core strength training enough. Go to your favorite book store (Borders, Barnes and Noble, etc., ) and immediately guy a book called Core Performance Essentials by Mark Verstegen. Learn how to do plants and many of the core strength exercises and watch your back pain melt away. Now, it won''t happen in two sessions. It took me months to begin seeing the pain lessen and lessen to the point of it completely (and I mean COMPLETELY) going away. Without shouting from the rooftops, I can''t say enough how it can change your life. Really......

Beach Runner, sorry for the continued cold and snow. Makes me feel guilty it was so beautiful in Tampa this weekend.

180 pound dog pinki?? Really?? Please post a picture! You''ve heard me mention our cat Sakai right? She''s full grown and weighs a whopping 5 1/4 lbs.........

Wow, it seems like you just told us you were expecting shiny, so it''s amazing you''re 1/2 way there. You will gain some weight, won''t you??

Hi dragon.....thanks for adding to the list of things that could weigh 17 pounds. I used to carry many of those items around my waist. I''m glad I got rid of them a long time ago and they haven''t come back!!

 

[marcy]

Hi.

More snow on the way tonight.At least I saw the sun today.

I only slept about 2 hours last night so I was pretty tired today.

Lorelei, it’s always an eye opener to compare weight loss to certain objects.Very impressive.

Tlh, good luck finishing your packing and moving.

Panda, sorry to hear about your back.Good luck with the specialist.

Beach Runner, I understand why you are running on your treadmill.I am setting under my blanket and put the heat up one degree.I am too cheap to pay for turning it up too much.

Pinki, congratulations on losing 16 pounds so far.That is one big dog you have there.

Somethingshiny, happy birthday to JT.

Dragonfly, glad you had an active weekend but sorry to hear you are paying for it.

Rod, sorry to hear your got sick; I hope you are better tomorrow.I envy your spectacular weather.How sweet you are so close to signing the papers on your condo.

Sleep well.

Marcy

 

[charbie]

Thanks everyone for the wellwishes for my grandpa. No real news so far.
Merry! Yay for you, that is so wonderful! I am so proud of you!

Good luck with the move, tlh...that was so quick!

I''ve been mainly lurking over here for the past week since I haven''t had much time for any worthwhile posts. Its been very busy, and very stressed. When I get stressed out, I don''t stick to my diet. I reach for the comfort foods, which for me is fast food or sweets. I do try to still make it to the gym tho...and tonight hit up a spinning class. I''m gonna look up some kickboxing classes too...haha!

In other news...I got a new tattoo this weekend...yay! Ill post pics when its healed. And DH and I are getting out of town down to the smokey mountains this weekend...can''t wait. Visiting his college buddies, and making a romantic pit stop in gatlinburg!

 

[marcy]

Charbie, thinking of you and your family. Ouch to a tattoo. I hope it heals soon. I''d do a stick on one.

 

[pinki]

Here''s what a 180lb dog looks like...His name is Fred and in this picture he is with a 3 month old Great Dane puppy named Willow. Fred is an English Mastiff, and he''s still growing. They grow until they''re 3. He has his height, and now he''ll get wider. They are truly "gentle giants". Sweetest dog I''ve ever had.

 

[pinki]

and this one is really bad, it was at night from a cell phone, and then resized...blah blah...but this is me and Fred sleeping. It gives you perspective on how big he really is.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/23/2010 8:58:34 AM
Author: pinki
Here''s what a 180lb dog looks like...His name is Fred and in this picture he is with a 3 month old Great Dane puppy named Willow. Fred is an English Mastiff, and he''s still growing. They grow until they''re 3. He has his height, and now he''ll get wider. They are truly ''gentle giants''. Sweetest dog I''ve ever had.

Oh look at them smiling!!!

 

[charbie]

oh i love your dogs! i LOVE mastiffs- DH''s friend has one who is the biggest sweetheart in the world! and my dad has a pyrenese (however you spell it...the big huge white dogs) and a newfie....huge but the sweetest babies ever!

 

[somethingshiny]

Hello, all!


df~ You make me miss riding SOO much. Glad you''re still able to enjoy some time with the ponies even if it''s slow!

Rod~ Blech to getting sick on the weekend. And no Charlie to take care of you too! I will most definitely gain weight! I''m surprised that I haven''t gained any yet. With JT I was up almost 10 lbs around this point. But, I wasn''t nearly as active.

Charbie~ Sorry to hear that your grandpa is still not well. Comfort foods seem to help at least temporarily so I understand the diet thing. Yay for a new tattoo! What is it? Have fun on your trip!

Marcy~ Hope you can catch up on some sleep! Lack of sleep causes migraines for me so I get nervous when someone gets so little sleep. Thanks for the birthday wishes for JT!!

pinki~ Oh they''re so sweet! I was raised with lots of big dogs and I miss them.



Lorelei~ Great incentive comparing weights!! I had never thought of that! I think it''s very beneficial for those of us who are significantly overweight because 15-20 lbs often doesn''t look like much on a bigger person. Being able to "see" that weight makes you realize that you have achieved something.


A few more sit-ups on the ball and some arm work today. The continued core work is really keeping back pain to a minimum. I am so glad that before this pregnancy I was at least starting to shape up. It has been much easier physically.

Last night I wanted zucchini and squash so badly! Of course I don''t have any and I didn''t want to drag JT out through the snow to the store. So today I need to get some frozen veggies so they''re at my disposal tonight. I can''t wait for fresh veggies again!

Have a great day!

 

[panda08]

Ah, it''s nice to be back

I can sure use the motivation to stay focused and accountable.

Stayed in yesterday evening and made pork chops and butternut squash for dinner. Did you know a cup of butternut squash contains 298% of the daily value of Vitamin A? I just looked that up. Pretty good for 63 calories and 3 grams of fiber. The medication I''ve been on has been giving me some relief so I''m going to head to the gym this evening, take it easy and see how it goes. I''m seeing the doc tomorrow to get the results of my MRI.

Beach, glad you enjoyed for friend''s going away party. Good for you for keeping up your running despite the chilly weather.

Pinki, your pooch is SO huge and SO cute! I hear you about saving $ on the grooming. We have two large dogs and every trip costs us almost $80 a pop! That''s pretty good that you were able to bathe Fred yourself! Mmmm... your lunch sounds tasty!

SS, thanks for the welcome back. A little bit of pizza never hurts

LOL, about the squash! I never heard of that craving! You remind me that I really need to strengthen my core... DH and I talk about starting a family and I know I need to get into gear if I hope to get through a pregnancy without much back pain.

Dragonfly, ahh... wish I could ride horses too. Take it easy on your back, from one gal who knows...

Hi Rod! Thanks for your suggestions. I know I need to get more serious about strengthening my core. I''ll check out the book you mentioned. Hope you''re feeling better.

Marcy, ooh, hope you got a good night''s sleep!

Charbie, thinking of you and your family. Ooh, what kind of tat did you get?

Hope everyone''s doing well!

 

[BeachRunner]

Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday...

I''m tired today and I can''t seem to shake it. I ran on the treadmill yesterday. I was tired yesterday too, and kind of struggled to finish, but I did! I usually eat something small around 2:3opm and skipped it as I was doing work out of the office, soo.. I think that was the culprit for little energy. For eats, hubs made tuna, broccolo, and coucous. Yum. Today I''ll do some strength training, hopefully

pinki- Holy huge dog! And, your eats sound great! I used to eat Tilapia all the time, until I found out what their "purpose in life" is. But, still a good, light fish!

ss- I think I saw your car cake in another thread. Too cute! Is it more difficult to do ball exercises while pregnant? I''d assume it would have to be!

dragonfly- It''s so great that you still find things that keep you active, despite injury. Go you!

rod- Everyone is sick at work here too. Ick. I hope I don''t get it!

marcy- It''s sunny here today! Yay.

charbie- I want to see this tattoo; you better post some photos! Good vibes your way regarding your grandpa.

panda- I did not know a squash contained so many nutrients! Wow. It seems like most veggies that are really vibrant in color have the most nutrients.


Have a good day, all!

 

[lliang_chi]

Hey everyone! Happy week to you all!

Sunday we did an awesome ab set (me and my sis) and some quick weights etc. Yesterday nothing. Today we''ll probably do a workout at her gym. This week we have our ski trip, huzzah! It''s been a crap-tastic few weeks at work, still having communication/culture issues with my boss. So I''ve been kinda depressed/really sad about that. I''ve been home since 10AM to get my windows reinstalled, and the people were almost 1.5 hrs late! Definitely not going to help me with the work thing... Grrrr!!!

Other than work crap, it''s been good with working out, hanging with my sister and James.

Merry, good to see you again!!! 17# is a huge accomplishment

TLH, good luck on the move. Lots of moving dust for you

Panda, welcome back! When I have lower back pain or tightness, I usually do a yoga cobra and/or what my trainer calls Iron Cross. You lie on your back with your arms spread like a T. Then you try to reach your opposite foot to your hand. Also I like to do a yoga prayer twist. But PLEASE check with a doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist before you try anything. I dunno if your back is a muscle tightness thing or something worse.

Beach, awesome on you and your treaddy runs. I hope you can still keep in touch with your friends.

Pinki, LOVE mastiffs!!! They are gentle giants! So do you have a great dane pup too? I didn''t know you had to groom mastiffs. I just thought it was wash and go sorta thing. I have a Spanish water dog, and in the winter we like her coat to grow out. I can never take her anywhere to get groomed because no one knows she''s supposed to be cord and they try to brush her out. Ugh!

SS, Awesome you''re hitting some more weights. Keep up with your veggies etc. A little indulgence isn''t the end of the world. So great that you''re having nice healthy cravings for veggies!

Dragon, hooray for yoga. Sounds like you''re still doing well to stay active. When your back''s better I''m sure you''ll be right back where you were before

Rod, BUMMMER about getting sick. But HUGE dust for the condo

Marcy, get some sleep tonight, missy! That''s an order!!!

Bummer about the snow, but hooray for sun. i think I''m part plant because my mood gets all "wilted" when I don''t see the sun for a while...

Charbie, go you on the spinning. Kickboxing classes are an awesome cardio and strength workout. Hope your grandpa is doing better. Hope you enjoy your trip!

Catch you all later. Looks like I''ll be staying kinda late at work to make up for these window people being so late

~Lisa

 

[BubbleBear]

Sooo............I''ve been lurking on this site for quite awhile, but i''m particularly inspired by this thread!! I really need some motivation and need to be accoutable for workouts and eating right! So I guess I want to make a committment to be on here frequently for encouragement and support and to join in in the weight-loss fun!!

I suppose I should fill you all in on my situation to start -
I just turned 30 this year and, to put it bluntly, things kind of suck. Not to be a downer, but they just do. I have a beautiful daughter who is going to be 3 in May. She is vivacious, SO energetic, talks non-stop, smart, funny, the life of the party!! I love her more than life. The problem?? Said child DOES NOT SLEEP. I can count on one hand the number of times since her birth that she has slept through the night. She''s STILL gets up 3-5 times a night begging me to come sleep on her floor in her room. It also takes an hour plus to put her to bed at night. Yes, we have a bedtime routine. No, I don''t give her sugar or stimulation around bedtime. Yes, I''ve tried everything!!!! The child is simply a poor sleeper, point blank. As you can imagine, this means I don''t sleep!!! So I tend to be cranky and run-down quite a bit!!
I''ve been married almost 7 years, unfortunately my husband and I are separated and about to go through a divorce. Yep, big bummer, but here''s the more depressing part: we still live together. Thanks to the fantastic economy, neither of us can do it on our own at this very moment, so for now, that''s just how it is. I cannot explain how stressful it is just to come home everyday. There is so much tension. We try sooooo hard to keep it away from our daughter, though it probably amplifies her sleep issues. But he is just suffocating me and goes through my stuff and my texts and demands to know where I am all the time. He can''t quite accept that the marriage is over and its really becoming crazy.
I work full-time for a doctor''s office. My job isn''t too challenging, nor does it pay all that well, but I love the people I work with and I''m just happy to be employed. It keeps me sane!!

So that''s in a nutshell the stressors in my life right now. There''s of course a lot more to the story, but I don''t feel it''s appropriate to get into. I honestly don''t need to lose all that much weight, just like 5 pounds. What I do need is to tone up!!! I''m soooo flabby and just BLEH. Before I had my daughter I was is rock solid shape. toned arms and legs, a great butt. It was awesome!! Now.....ugh. I''m just so tired everyday. This is my typical day:

me up at 5:30, get ready for work, eat.
get daughter up at 6:30. about 8 temper tantrums while I get her dressed and ready for daycare.
7:10, get in car and drive to daycare, drop off at 7:40
Work at 8, work until 5
pick up daughter from daycare at 5:15, drive home (3 screaming temper tantrums in the car and possibly a sippy cup thrown at me)
home by 6
dinner, bath and bed for daughter
put her down at 8........she MIGHT be asleep by 9
me shower
me pass out at 10
me wake up at midnight when daughter screaming for me to sleep on floor
me up 2 or so more times over the course of the night
repeat this the next day, and the day after that and the day after that...................for the past 3 years

as you can see, workouts just don''t happen. If i''m lucky I will fit one in about once a week.

I need help!!!! honestly I just need some support and motivation. I need a way to not be so freaking tired all the time and be able to get back to working out! I used to love working out so much....spinning and running were my faves!! I love being sweaty and doing cardio and feeling the endorphins running through you and all that!!

Anyway.......thanks for listening!! I''m definitely going to be posting and just take it day by day and try to fit in little workouts here and there and definitely work on eating better!! I just want to be a hot mama someday!!!

 

[somethingshiny]

Just popping in to say,

Welcome, BB! I''m sorry you''re going through such difficulties. Getting some exercise WILL help you to cope and feel better. Yoga is great for the body and mind and can be done in your living room. We have runners, lifters, riders, and a handful of other activities going on in here. I''m sure you''ll find something you love to do!

As far as your little girl, I know you weren''t asking for advice, so sorry... My little boy just turned 4. The only time he had trouble sleeping was when he was suffering with tonsillitis. He had it so much it was normal for him, but since he never complained, WE never knew it. It caused him pain and sleep apnea which is why he woke up all the time and why he didn''t want to go to bed at night. As soon as we figured out what was going on, he got his tonsils out (he was right at 2.5 yrs old) Since then, we''ve had smooth sleeping. Just wanted to let you know that it might be something going on that''s out of your control.

 

[marcy]

Hi everyone.I was in bed by 10:04 pm.Shocking, I know.

Marty didn’t believe me.He knows me well but I was that tired.

You should see my front porch.It is a solid slab of ice.My dad calls me tonight and gives me heck for it and then proceeds to say he came in the house anyway.When I went out to see it I wanted to call him back and give him double heck for walking on it just to put a stupid magazine in here.He could have broken his neck.We have so much snow on the roof it is melting slowly and dripping right on the porch.I put down ice melt which soon disappeared and I still can’t go chop it up. Even if I did it would continue to build up because there is a ton of snow on the roof.You know these things always happen while Marty is out of town.

Pinki, that is one big dog.Great photo.

Somethingshiny, that is great you are finding this pregnancy easier since you’ve been working out.I am looking forward to fresh produce this summer.

Panda, glad you are feeling better.Good luck with your MRI results.

Beach Runner, we had another sunny day today.If it would just warm up.I hope you get rested up.

Lisa, have fun on your ski trip.Sorry to hear about the problems at work.That makes for a long day sometimes.I love the Sun too.I will go stand in the window and work and soak up the Sun when I am out and about on errands.

BubbleBear, you are certainly living with a lot of stress and have a lot of your plate.We are here for you.

I’m off to check on my ice berg.

Marcy

 

[CrownJewel]

Hi HLTers! I didn''t fall off the face of the earth. I am studying for a big exam and have been running around like a maniac. I hope you guys are all well and I''ll check in whenever I get a moment to breathe!

 

[Rod]

Hey.....I''ve still got the snifles, but my cold is waaay better than yesterday. I decided to not workout tonight as the last time I had a cold, I went the gym too soon and wound making myself sicker by not getting enough rest. I wasn''t exactly the most motivated at work, but I did work a full day. Charlie fixed chicken and steamed brocolli for dinner....yummmmm. Still no final word on the condo yet. I told our realtor that she needs to remind them it''s a buyer''s market out there and if they don''t come to a positive decision soon, we''ll buy elsewhere. While this condo does suit our lifestyle perhaps the best, there are certainly other options. I''m hoping I feel good enough to work out tomorrow night.

I''ve mentioned the young lady in my office who is incredibly overweight. Her father passed away about a week ago and he weighed nearly 500 pounds. And if she doesn''t do something and do it soon, she''s going to follow the bad path her father did and die at an early age. So, I had noticed an article in the paper recently that they will be holding auditions for "Biggest Loser" here in Tampa in about a week. I talked her into auditioning and we registered her and downloaded the application and she''s going to go for it. They said they want contestants who are hugely overweight and have suffered some kind of tragedy. What better story is there than a morbidly obese young lady, who''s father just passes away early and was beyond morbidly obese?? I''m so hopeful she''ll be selected. It would change her life in a way she might never have imagined.

Marcy, I''m sorry you got so little sleep (but glad you to to bed earlier last night) and there''s more snow on the way.......you sure do have a loooooong winter out there. I won''t tell you incredibly spectacular our weather was today. You don''t want to know it was in the mid 70s, with georgeous blue skies, low humidity and just a slight, but oh so lovely breeze. Nope, not going to tell you about that at all...........LOL

I''m thinking about your grandfather too charbie. Don''t let stress derail you (I know, much easier said than done, right?!). I''ve always wanted to get a tattoo, but am afraid at my age, it might look silly. You''ll have to post a pic soon.

pinki.......thanks for posting the pic of Fred.....He look''s like a sweetheart.......And you, btw, are very very pretty!

I''m sure you''re doing everything rigth SS, so the weight will come along when it''s supposed to..............

I love butternut squash panda.....Yummmmm. I''m willing to bet the farm that if you strengthen your core you''ll either greatly reduce, or completely eliminate your back pain!!

I hope you avoid this crud too BeachRunner (I''m going to shorten you to BR!). I find if I don''t eat something before a workout, it''s a tough go too. I have a tub of natural (raw) almonds and raisins in my desk and I grab a few handfuls before leaving for every workout.

I''m so sorry to see you''re still having issues at work Lisa. Yay though for a great ab workout..........Chin up my friend. Things have a "worK"ing out over time.......

Welcome to our healthy family hear BubbleBear (and you''ll be BB!). It sounds like you''re certainly under a lot of strain personally. I can''t offer any advice on your daughter''s insomnia or your situation with the ex, but I do think if you could block just some time 3 times a week to get in some exercise, it would do wonders for you. Anyway, welcome and please stick around. We''re all here for each other and when things are low, this is one place we find solace..........

It''s nice to see you CJ!! I hope the studying goes well and you ace that exam!!

OK........that''s it from me. Have a great Wednesday everyone......

 

[charbie]

best part about tues? its almost wednesday!
made good food choices today- i do a lot better when i eat one of my lean cuisines for lunch.
for lent, instead of giving something up, i decided to make sure my dogs get walked everyday. its a great habit andy and i have to get into better.
also- we signed up for our spring/summer softball league tonight! it starts in 2 months, but i already can''t wait. we have a great time, with a great group of people. andy and i are the organizers, so it is a bit of added stress, but i think this year will be a lot smoother than last, since we have a lot more people who want to play...and a lot of returning players. yay!
right now, andy and i are both sitting on our laptops watching america''s funniest home videos we have DVR''d...what a great cure for stress! and he is playing the chipmunk''s singing, "God Bless America" that he found on youtube...so freaking funny! that plus the bidet thread (if you haven''t read it...i suggest you do).
since this was the big question everyone asked:
the tattoo is of fauna...the green fairy from sleeping beauty. i have 2 sisters, and when we were younger, my mom bought us ornaments for our future Christmas trees of the 3 fairies. i wanted a tattoo that would be "family related" and came up with that. my mom actually has a tinkerbell tattoo, and one sister has a peter pan tattoo...so it was only appropriate. my mom now wants to get one of all three fairies, one to represent each of her daughters

shiny- i''m hoping to get myself into better shape now so that hopefully by the time we TTC, i''m in pretty good shape bc i''ve heard how much easier it makes things.
panda- hope the results from the MRI turned out positive for you!
BR- i promise, you''ll get a pic of the tattoo. as stated in the other thread- most pain i''ve EVER been in.
l_c- sorry work isn''t so hot right now. i can commiserate with you right now. i''m getting ultra frustrated in general. and while i love my job, i just feel like the demands are crazy, and i''m so out of my element all of a sudden. its weird. i''ve always loved my job! and to top it off...last week a girl got canned who does my same job elsewhere in the company but in my same district, and i found out one of my closest colleagues got demoted...boo!
BB- you''ve got your HANDS FULL! but i think you''ll find that everyone here is supportive, even if u just need a sounding board. i''m laughing about the sippy cup being thrown (sorry...i''m sure it isn''t funny...but the image makes me laugh). i haven''t done yoga, but heard great things about it. for toning, even some pilates tapes you could throw in after your devil...i mean daughter

goes down and you can unwind for a little while with that.
marcy- not cool about the ice! its such a pain to break up...and so annoying while its trying to melt! can i ask where in the country you''re located??
CJ- good luck!
Rod- its great that you were able to talk her into auditioning! i hope she makes the show too...how great would that be! even if she doesn''t, hopefully you''ve been able to open to door for her and she will start thinking about how to get on the right track now!

 

[Burberrygirl]

Hi everyone! I thought I''d pop in and say hi

I''ve been working out a lot lately, I guess I just want to feel healthier. It''s one thing to look healthy, but I really want to be in good shape. I''m already starting to notice a difference after two weeks, and am amazed by how much better I even feel after working out! I''m glad we have these threads, hopefully I''ll keep popping in a staying motivated!

I''m off to work out now...

 

[marcy]

CrownJewel, good luck on your exam.

Rod, I hope you continue to get better.We’ll be anxious to here when the condo offer goes through.As for the weather down there – I don’t want to hear about it.

Our skies were beautiful blue and sunny today too but then you step outside and that’s a different story.

I am so sorry that lady at work lost her father.I am delighted to hear she is trying for the biggest loser.I wish her well.

Charbie, good job for you setting the tone for the day by eating lean cuisine for lunch.I had a LC for supper. The softball team sounds fun but like a lot of work.It’s nice you and Andy will be doing that together.I am in Wyoming; it’s not the end of the Earth but you can see it from here.

Burberrygirl, glad to hear you notice feeling better after working out for two weeks.

Marcy

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[pinki]

Hey BubbleBear! Welcome! Sounds like you are going through a lot of stress so now more than ever would be the best time to get back to working out. Do you have a local YMCA that is convenient? They have Kid Care so you can get in a 45 min work out and still have your little one there with you. Some other gyms have it as well. Would your ex be willing to pick her up from daycare so you can go straight to the gym, or drop her off so you can go in the mornings? I''m not a parent but I raised my nephew for the first 4 years of his life so I know all about the sleeping issue you speak of. One thing you can do, and it sounds horrible but it was recommended by our pediatrician...the little guy would get up every night at about 3 am and like you said, either want us to go into his room or sleep in our room. If we''d try and put him back to bed he''d go into a fit and so it was just easier to give in. The ped. recommended we put a lock on the outside of his door, and he warned that the little guy would scream and cry and throw a fit...well, as he predicted, this happened and lasted about 45 mins. which were the longest and hardest 45 minutes of my life. After that, we never had the problem ever again. The Doc says that when we were giving in he knew we would give in...with the lock he knew he had to stay in bed and had no reason to get up. Going to bed is the same. You tell her its bed time, tuck her in and leave the room. The first couple times she''ll cry and throw everything in the room but she''ll learn that it''s bed time. This will help you get back your sanity!!! Ask your pediatrician about it and see what he/she thinks. I don''t think it has anything to do with sugar or foods/activity levels, but its more about the fact that she knows she can get her way. Hopefully we can keep you on track of getting back to the "you" you want to be!

Thanks everyone for the Fred compliments (and me compliments! Hehe). The great dane is not ours, she''s a friend of ours'' dog.

I had great news today! I hit 175!

YAY! If I can get to 174 by Friday I''ll still be on track even though I missed 176 last week. YESSSS!!!

Sorry I can''t say more, I have to head out to a Dentist appointment.

 

[charbie]

yay Pinki! I hit 174 this morning...so we are right on track with each other! wooo-hoooo!!!

 

[pinki]

Date: 2/24/2010 10:56:02 AM
Author: charbie
yay Pinki! I hit 174 this morning...so we are right on track with each other! wooo-hoooo!!!

OOh, hopefully I can catch up to you by Friday! Awesome!! High-Five weight loss buddy!