Healthier Lifestyle Thread 28th Dec till 3rd Jan

[Lorelei]

Happy new week all!

Just kicking us off quickly while the Holiday season continues this week, and I just wanted to wish everyone a happy new year!

 

[tlh]

Lorelei - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

Hope all had a nice Christmas. Mine was wonderfully quiet. Hubs loved the undies, and they worked perfect on our longrun. My PF is flairing up again. So I''ve been on ice every 3-4 hours. I''m not too happy about it either, but glad to be on taper. If you don''t know what a PF is, than you should celebrate that fact. It is a part of the body you''d rather not know exists. Went on a run this morning, and the 2 days of ice helped. continueing my ice therapy, and celebrating the fact that I''ll be on taper for the next 3 weeks. Anywho, eats are good. Making some chili today and cannot wait to eat it. Also looking forward to the 3 day weekend!

Youth is when you''re allowed to stay up late on New Year''s Eve. Middle age is when you''re forced to. ~Bill Vaughn

 

[Dee*Jay]

Hello everyone!

Just back from a hard hour on the elliptical and two sets of arms. Working from home today, but off for the rest of the week. Actually, a girlfriend of mine called two days ago and said, hey, lets go to the Virgin Islands for New Years, so she found us a deal and we're off to St. Thomas tomorrow morning. Nothing can make you instantly regret that "just one more cookie" like having to put on your bikini unexpectedly with three day's notice...

Oh well, I do like my beach cover-up, so maybe I can just stay hidden in that for four days, ha ha!

Happy New Year to all since I probably won't be on again 'till then! See you all in 2010!

 

[tlh]

DJ- sounds fun, have a safe trip, and I''m sure you''ll look fab in your 2 piece!

 

[marcy]

Hi everyone!

Today I had my usual cereal and fruit for breakfast, leftover lasagna for lunch and we had lean burgers for supper.

My first day back at work wasn’t bad.There are always a few ruffled feathers to soothe when I get back but I think most of everyone got along okay.

Charbie, that movie sounds really sad but it looks good.

Lorelei, Happy New Year to you too.

Tlh,have no idea what a PF is but I am sorry it flared up and is giving you pain and grief.Get better.

DeeJay, yay for an hour on the elliptical.Sounds like you are off on a fun adventure.Have fun!

I hope everyone had a great and healthy day.

Marcy

 

[Rod]

Hey........The alarm went off at 6:30 and I was like poop, I have to get up ang go to work. I was so unenthused to be up and getting dressed for work. But, I got into after a while and did my best to work hard and make the day go by faster. Still it was tough. And no one in my office was into it today. Plus our boss is out of town, so there was a bit more socializing than work, but that''s OK. We all typically work way over 40 hours a week. We had baked chicken for dinner and steamed veggies. I''m going to the gym tomorrow after work, so I''ll have leftover chicken for dinner after my workout.

Happy New Year to our fabulous and wonderful and oh so thoughtful Lorelei. I know the New Year will bring good things to you both! Thanks so much for always getting us started on a good note each week.

tlh, I don''t know what PF is, but I''m sorry it''s an issue for you and I hope it isn''t one soon. I''m glad the undies went over well. I did get 3 new undershirts, but I threw out most of my old ones and I need more. I''ll have to go buy some this weekend. I love the youth vs. middle age quote. It''s one of the reasons we don''t go out on New Year''s Eve. You go to a party, have a drink, eat a bit, and look at your watch and realize you have more than 3 hours to kill before midnight. Only you can''t leave and your forced to stay up and be glib way longer than you we''re designed to be glib........LOL Clearly, you can tell I''m not much of a party guy........

I''m so jealous of you DeeJay. St. Thomas is one of my all time favorite islands. Did you know it''s the jewelry capital of the caribbean? There are some good deals to be had. A few years ago, we both bought platinum and diamond rings (with baguettes) that appraised for more than 3 times what we paid for them and I wound up trading them in for our rings (which you''ve seen) and the trade value was way more than we paid for them. Swiss watches are also a good deal.........Anyway, have a wonderful time.

If you are still off this week, I hope you''re enjoying your time away from work. If you had to work like me today, I hope it wasn''t awful!

I''ll checkin tomorrow night after my workout........

 

[deegee]

Yay - Monday is over!! It was tough getting up at 6 after 4 days off, but I'm only working 2 days this week. That thought is what got me out of bed this morning. Matt and I stupidly tried to walk tonight but only made one mile. It's 27 degrees (with windchill 16 degrees) and snowing. It was slick from freezing rain earlier, and I don't need to fall again since my hip still isn't feeling great. The interstate is closed because of accidents on slick roads, and here I am - the Queen of the accident prone - trying to walk the dog.

Happy New Year, Lorelei!

tlh - Your new avatar is so cute! Glad you had a nice, quiet Christmas. Sorry you're not feeling great. Hope you're back to your normal spunky self really soon!!

Dee-Jay - enjoy your trip!

marcy - glad your first day back wasn't too bad. I'm thinking next week will be really rough for me since I haven't worked a full week in about a month. Yes, we are lucky it was warm enough on Christmas Eve to have rain instead of ice/snow. I would hate to think how much snow we would have had if it was a teeny bit colder outside! I'm already tired of winter - you're a patient lady for putting up with it for so many months out of the year!!

Rod - yeah, I agree with you with the getting up early for work. I soooo look forward to my sleep in days!

Skippy - yay! I made my first homemade pizza tonight, and it was actually good! I didn't make anything fancy like you do (I new to the cooking thing), but it was quite tasty. I think I need to half the toppings for the next one, though.

Have a great day tomorrow everyone!

 

[Skippy123]

Hi!!! Oh I need to walk; it has been crazy cold out these past few days, in the 20's and 30's but tomorrow it might be 40's! My cousin said we will walk even if we had to pull out our long underwear!!!

The pub trivia has been discovered; we had to leave as there was no room to play, oh well! Hubby and our friends look forward to that on Sunday nights so we went grocery shopping instead which was great as no one was out shopping for groceries that late at night.

Today we celebrated mine and my sisters birthday (we had been so busy we finally did it today) with family; I would like to eat out less. One more birthday on Friday (my nephews) then I am back to home cooking which I tend to like better because it is healthier and easier to plan for, etc.

Oh I need to add that I threw out the See's Candy truffles; I had a few here and there but I didn't really need them and I wasn't really craving them so in the trash they went (they were 200 calories for 2 little ones). hehe I much rather have an apple.

Sounds like everyone had a great holiday, yay!!! I am nervous about going to the gym because of all the NY resolution people, hopefully it won't be too bad.
Happy Monday friends

LORELEI, Happy New Year!!! I hope we stay in for NYE as we have 2 parties to go to on the weekend. hehe I love watching Twilight Zone on NYE. hehe

TLH, yay for a quiet Xmas. Yay for long runs and undies to keep you guys warm! Oh no, sorry, hope it gets better, hugs and healing vibes. Yay for chili!!!

DEEJAY, woohoo, sounds like fun; I found a deal to Bermuda but my in laws wanted to go to FL instead so hopefully someday I will get to go. Have a great time and I am sure you look great!

MARCY, we aren't doing a cruise to Alaska; we are doing small planes and local ferries and staying at bed and breakfasts so we get the local feel to it all which should be nice. hehe I have never done a cruise. That is cool your family went!! Stay warm sugar and YUM to fruit for breakfast!!! Thanks for the kudos too skinny Marcy!

ROD, thanks for the kudos; i have tried really hard this holiday as I did last year and did well. Yay for a great day!!! I bet everyone was excited to see you back at work; I bet you are one of those people everyone loves to stop by and say hi too! In fact I am positive about that!!!

DEEGEE, Oh my goodness you are brave; I took super sort walks like 1/4 mile but couldn't do more as it was too cold. You are so good!!!! Yay for making pizza you skinny minny!!!

 

[charbie]

Hi everyone!
Little about me so you can have a better understanding as I post: married just in october to my lovely hubby; director of admissions and marketing at a nursing home (read: on the road a lot); and have two wonderful dogs, charlie and buddy. Buddy is the little mutt, charlie is the choco lab.

What a way to come back after 3 days off...I had to attend a 9 hr seminar today. Got there and found out they were just replaying a webinar over speakers with slides to follow. It was the worst waste of time, the one speaker who was there had no idea what he was talking about and spoke with a thick accent. On a postive note…for lunch I ordered mini turkey blt sandwiches, chips, and a water. I ate one sandwich at lunch,, only a few chips, then the other sandwich with only the bottom part of the bun as a midday meal. I'm digging the mini meals.

Hubby and I went to the gym, but decided to stop at a different gym on the way to ours to compare prices. Turns out the new gym is sooooooo nice, and actually ends up cheaper for us. I actually think joining a new gym might spark me again, since there are new classes to try. And get this: they have a cardio cinema. Its a movie theatre with cardio equipment in it, its a dark, cool room, and each day they play new movies! I've never seen that before, but think its kinda cool, especially for people training for long runs or something.

Lastly, we went to the store and I picked up the book, "cook this, not that" which has tons of great recipes. Can't wait to make my grocery list actually!

Ok, I promise I won't write a book like this everyday. I am feeling good today tho!

 

[marcy]

I went over to my parents house to visit with them and my uncle tonight.He is out here for Christmas (he and his wife own the place we visited in the Colorado mountains in October).My parents and uncle went to visit my aunt today who is in the hospital and not doing very well.I guess they don’t really know what is wrong with her.Her sodium is very low, she is retaining fluids, she was hemorrhaging but that has stopped and she can’t walk much or talk much.

Rod, glad you had a quite day at work.I almost hate days like that because they seem to last forever.We’ve been staying up a few hours longer than normal and sleeping in so last night we weren’t tired enough to go to bed on time but sure hated to get up when the alarm went off.I hope I sleep well tonight.

Deegee, this part of the county has been in a drought for quite a few years so I am glad to see the moisture but it looks like we are in for a long winter this year.I am glad you didn’t walk far last night in the cold and on ice.I hope your hip gets better.I am with you – working a full week next week is going to be rough.

Skippy, rats for the trivia pub being discovered.Maybe it was because so many people on are vacation with the holidays.Cooking at home is certainly much healthier.We used to eat out a lot probably 5 days a week but we don’t eat out that much now.We also bought fast food for lunch and now we pack our lunch.Woo hoo for throwing out the candy so you won’t be tempted.Someone gave me a bag of candy at work and so I dumped it in the candy bowl that everyone gets in to – they won’t last long there and it’s not in my office.Your trip around Alaska sounds like a lot of fun and a great way to see the local side of Alaska.I am excited for you.

Charbie, thanks for telling us a bit about yourself.I had to go luck up your wedding photos – which are lovely BTW – I love the OHIO!You were a lovely bride and you make such a cute couple.Ugh to having to attend (listen) to a seminar today.Mini meals are great.They keep your metabolism up and keep you from getting hungry.I blow my calorie range the worst when I allow myself to get hungry.The new gym sounds quite promising.

Well, I am off to get ready for bed.

Take care.

Marcy

 

[tlh]

Marcy- ah, back to work... your eats sound good though! I''m glad you got to see your uncle, but how horrible about your aunt. I''m sorry there are so many health issues w/ your family - but I will add her to my prayer list. ((hugs))
Rod- enjoy your workout and chicken, hope your candidates accept some offers, and more extended!
DG- please be careful walking w/ the inclimate weather! thanks, they''re my pups in their christmas tees!
skippy - glad your cuz will brave the cold with you, sorry that you couldn''t play trivia!
charbie- glad your eats are under control. I always tell myself it is 90% diet and 10% exercise... helps remind me that I cannot eat whatever I want, even though I run a lot.

Hello and happy tuesday! My omaha steak order should arrive tomorrow.. YAY! I''m excited. I''m continuing to ice my foot (pf=plantar fasciitis). I cut todays run short, but was happy to report I was pain free for 4.5 miles. Yahoo! When I got home, I plopped my foot on some ice for 15 mintues, and will ice again at lunch. I''m hoping that I''ve made a dent w/ the inflammation and don''t have to start w/ the NSAIDS. I guess we''ll see when I take it on a test drive this weekend, good thing I''m on a taper! Well my coworker''s baby girl (Mia) will be delivered today by c-section at 9am. I am sooo excited - as I looove babies! I think Mia is a really pretty baby name too. And I thought it was funny, because the last baby girl born in our dept (4 years ago) was also named Mia... so I guess it is a popular name! No tension about the name selection or anything - I just thought it was funny, that in our immediate department of 17+ women, the 2 most recent babies share the same name. I guess it might be different if Mia was 4 months, vs 4 years old. HA! Well anyway, have a super awesome Tuesday!!!

“Hobbes: Do you think there''s a God? Calvin: Well, SOMEBODY''S out to get me.” Bill Watterson

 

[CrownJewel]

Hi Lorelei, tlh, deejay, deegee, marcy, rod, skippy, charbie, somethingshiny!!

tlh, I dunno, I think that''s kinda weird that both babies are named mia. Well, maybe the 2nd woman was like, "shoot! she picked the name I was gonna give my future baby!" when the first mia was named. Maybe her grandmother''s name is Mia and the family tradition is to name your babies after your grandmother. Maybe. But what if she was like, "hmmm maybe I''ll name my baby the same name as the other lady." Okay, enough ridiculous speculating. Interesting situation, for sure! Sorry to hear about your PF! I''ve never experienced it but my sister is a runner and it bugs her from time to time. I hope it goes away soon! I wish I could be as diligent as you about icing - you''re so good!

deejay have a marvelous time in St. Thomas! Eeeeeee!! So awesome.

skippy, alaska is on my list of places to go. That''s such a great trip to look forward to. Goody for you that you threw away the candies. I''m always giving away or throwing away candy because hubs'' mom loves candy and loves giving it to her son. But then he doesn''t eat it for weeks and months, so I have to give them away. After I give/throw them away, hubs is like "HEY why did you throw away those chocolates?!"

Rod, I hear ya about feeling unenthusiastic about waking up to go to work. And I usually take my sweet time in the morning b/c my work is very generous with my morning walk-in. It has turned into afternoons a few times.

Anyway, I finally got to the pool last night. Did laps for about an hour. Ha, I should say that I don''t swim for an hour straight. I''m working up to that. It was nice because last night the pool was open to 50meters, instead of the usual 25. It''s a "convertible" pool, and I guess because of the holidays, they don''t have enough swimmers to justify all the moving around of the walls. I love when the entire length of the pool is open because then my train of thought doesn''t get interrupted as much. My husband spoiled me by agreeing to let me order a swimman waterproof ipod. I feel a little fraudulent getting one, because usually only hard core swimmers get them. They''re very expensive, but I''ve had my eye on it for almost a year. I can''t waaaaaaait to get it!!!!! Hopefully it will arrive on Friday.

I spent all night cutting veggies and making dishes for this week. Why didn''t I do it over the weekend when I had time?! I have no idea. Since my eating has been so good, and I fear that I am depriving my husband, I decided to make a spinach and cheese strata. It was a post on a blog that I love (smittenkitchen.com), and it sounds like comfort food. Perfect for this brrrrrrrrrrr cold weather. Before bed I did some crunches, arms and squats. I love squats. I hate crunches.

Gotta run. Have a great day everyone!

 

[dragonfly411]

Hey everyone , sorry for all the fly by''s. Work is insane, and outside work is just as bad. I''ve been running a few miles several times a week and last night I did push ups, crunches and squats. Can it be less hectic now? Trying to eat healthy, and really trying to feel less tired.

Would someone mind recommending a good multi-vitamin?

Hello to all! I hope you are having a lovely week!

 

[alli_esq]

Hi, everyone!! I just wanted to re-introduce myself and hope it''s okay if I pop back in here now...

I started on here for a few weeks back last spring, but stopped when I developed an ovarian cyst (11cm! but I was so SO lucky that it went away by itself without needing surgery)...since then, a lot has happened, but I was so busy that it was hard for me to keep up here...

I lost around 10-15 lbs by eating well and exercising, and then about 10 lbs more by doing low carb during the 4 or so months leading up to my wedding (on 11/20/09)... I then proceeded to go to Italy on my honeymoon and gained an additional 8!

Since I''ve been back, I''ve lost about 3 of those 8 lbs, but that''s just because I''m not eating 2 gigantic plates of pasta every day or drinking a bottle+ of red wine every day, haha! However, I would like to get back down to my wedding weight and maintain that--I feel that it suited my body MUCH MUCH better than my old weight. I had never in my life been so thin as I was on my wedding day (not that I was crazy thin--I just finally felt comfortable for the first time in my life!), and I really want to feel that way permanently.

I am planning on getting back on track starting the Monday after New Year''s...I think losing another 5 or so pounds is totally reasonable, especially since DH also has about 25 lbs that he wants to lose to get down to a health weight--I''m VERY proud of him, because he lost about 25 lbs before the wedding too, and all through just eating healthier and exercising about 3-5 days/week. As long as we are both committed to eating well, I think we can maintain that for a long, long time.

Anyway, just wanted to pop back in and see if it was okay if I rejoin you lovely people here...it SO helps to have online support!

I hope you all have had (and continue to have) a lovely, enjoyable and HEALTHY holiday season, and I am excited to get back on track with you!!!

 

[tlh]

cj- way to treat your hubs to some strata! YUM!
df- hope your training is going well, sorry you''re so busy!
alli- what a busy few months. I had no idea about the cyst, that must have been scary, but how nice that it resolved itself w/o surgery! I''m sure you''ll lost the 5 pounds - heck 2 plates of pasta and wine sounds like a nice way to have gained it!

but w/o it, should be back to wedding weight in no time!

 

[Skippy123]

Hubby is home with me this week (he has this week off). We went and ran errands; we are going to make a vegetable beef stew tomorrow and tonight is chicken and rice and brussel sprouts (my new fav veggie). hehe

My cousin and I walked in 36 degree weather; it felt good to walk fast in the fresh air.

We will walk again tomorrow! She has the week off too!
Happy Tuesday!!!

CHARBIE, glad you joined us! The new gym sounds like fun; how cool is that to have a cool theater to workout in!!!

MARCY, oh no, I am sorry about your aunt, hugs and prayers outgoing! I think you might be right about the trivia pub night; hopefully it will be less busy next time as it is a lot of fun! Yay for getting rid of the candy. hehe

TLH, are those your babies in your avatar, oh my goodness, how cute are they!?!??! aww, what is their names? too cute! YUM to steaks!! oh boo, sorry about your pf; try and wear shoes w/good arches. You poor sweetie. I love babies too! Babies are pure heaven; yay congrats to your coworker!

CJ, yay for getting to the pool! The pool sounds nice! Yay for an ipod for the pool, how sweet! Yum to your dinner; I love spinach too!

ROD, howdy friend!!! Hope you are having a great week and great workout!

DF, good to see you; yay for working out; you go girl! I like the plan ole costco multi vitamin similar to one a day for women.

ALLI, good to see you back; I loved your wedding pictures!! Yay for Italy; that is where we went for our honeymoon! I bet it was wonderful!!!

 

[charbie]

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone!
I cancelled my gym membership today, and am excited to be joining the new gym I wrote about yesterday! I still have 60 days at the old gym, but it was like night and day when I went in there today. I went in with my hubby ans asked about either combining or cancelling our accounts. They handed us a slip of paper and said we would hage to just call the home office, they can''t do anything with accounts. Sounded a little fishy to me. And being in sales-marketing, if I have a client tell me they are going to do business elsewhere (nursing homes are very competitive!) I''m gonna be doing whatever I can to keep them! Not just hand them a slip of paper and say tough luck. So I said bubye!

Tlh: I love love love chili! I had some cincinnati chili for dinner tonight, yum! How far do you typically run? And hate to hear about the pf...coworker has it and needed all new flat shoes.

Deejay: soooo jealous about your getaway, hope it was a blast and you get a little winter pick me up tan!

Marcy: the movie is so sad, but I loved it. Being around end of life care a lot, it really put a new perspective on things. Id rent it again! Sorry to hear about your sick aunt. It can be so frustrating when doctors can''t figure out why someones body is doing certain things. Ill be sending some dust her way, and if you have any healthcare questions I might be able to give a little insight. Thanks also for the kind words about the wedding pictures! I can''t wait to get back to looking like that again! Are you a buckeye fan?

Cj:my new gym has a pool, I''m thinking I want to do a bit of swimming now. I''m not much of a swimmer, but would love to switch up my routine and add in a different kind of cardio. Any tips on getting started? Have you been a swimmer for a really long time? I know how to swim or course, but am intimtatedby the hard core people!

Alli- congrats on the recent wedding. I''m another newlywed, and gained about 10 to 15 lbs after the wedding. I also felt so great at my wedding weight, and can''t wait to get back to it!

Skippy: my husband also has the week off...it makes waking up for work so much harder for me! His plant goes on shutdown twice a year, so he gets this free vaca twice a year! He did get a bit of work done around the house, and I''m off Thursday and Friday plus friends are coming in town for new years, so it will be so nice that tomorrow is my last day for the week!

Can I also just say I''m impressed by the amount of cold weather sufferers in here?? I hate the cold, and being from ohio experience seasonal affect disorder! Do people in warm climates put on weight in the winter too? I always have since I''m not out and as active!

 

[Rod]

Hey........It''s late, so this will be short. I actually forgot to set my alarm last night. At 7:20 Charlie walked in and asked if I was planning on going to work. Yikes, I''m never late, so I had to really haul A$$ to get my lunch made, breakfast eaten, vitamins and supplements taken, gym bag packed, showered, shaved, teeth brushed, dressed and off to work. Yet, I was only about 10 minutes late and no one even noticed. And I worked really hard today, so the day went by faster. I made it to the gym about 6:30 and had my usual nearly 3 hour workout. I decided to push a bit harder tonight as I won''t be able to go to the gym again till Saturday (unless we decide to do a New Years day workout). I had leftover chicken and a small salad for dinner. We''re going for sushi tomorrow night, since we didn''t go last night.

Hey to you all, and I''m sorry I can''t write you all individually, but it''s late and I''m a bit pooped. So hey, welcome to our new and some not so new, but returning friends. Have a good Wednesday everyone!

 

[lliang_chi]

Hey everyone! I hope we''re all having a good week. Sounds like everyone''s off to a good start. I SOOOOOO didn''t feel like working out today. I would''ve been perfectly happy just staying home. But by the end of the workout Sis and I felt really good so we''re glad we went. Went to a quick Middle Eastern/Mediterreanean cafeteria for dinner and took Sis and her boyfriend to her house. Christmas weekend was a quick trip down to FL and now i"m here for the rest of the week with just the dog. James is staying in FL for the Northwestern-Auburn game (Outback Bowl).

Quick fly by because I just realized I need to prep my wine night presentation... Yikes!!!

 

[marcy]

Hi.We had another busy day at work.I am looking forward to no holidays and vacations so we won’t be so swamped at work.

I did great on food today until tonight.Marty worked about an hour past 5 then we had to go pick up the truck.Ouch for that bill!Then we stopped at a Mexican restaurant and I was starving so I ate chips and 2 tacos.I could tell it was very sodium laced.Tomorrow is another day and soon it’s another year.

Tlh, luckily most of us are healthy but I sure worry about my mom and her sister right now.Thanks for keeping them in your prayers.We had Omaha steaks on Sunday; did you get an assortment package?Glad to hear you were pain free today.Yay for the new baby.

CrownJewel, good idea to prepare food for the week.Yay for swimming for an hour last night.

Dragonfly, glad to hear you are getting in a lot of exercise.I hope you get some sleep.

Alli, good to see you again.Glad to hear you didn’t need surgery.Sounds like you and your husband are all set to work towards a healthier lifestyle together.That is great.Congratulations on your marriage too.

Skippy, how fun for your husband to be home this week.Marty has the rest of this week off but I have to work tomorrow.I bet you walked fast in 36 degree weather.LOL.Thanks for the kind thoughts for my aunt.The trivia pub sounds like a lot of fun so I hope they don’t stay so crowded.

Charbie, that does sound shady to cancel your gym membership that way.I am excited for your new gym though.It sounds great.I will have to watch the movie when it shows up on TV or PPV again.You must be a kind and special person to deal with end of life care.Is that what you do?Thanks for the dust for my aunt.Thanks for the offer to answer any questions.I will keep that in mind.I don’t follow college sports much but was excited that the Wyoming Cowboys won a bowl game this year.I at least know who the Buckeyes are and thought your pose was very cute.I think a lot of the country is getting a hard winter this year.We at least get sun here most days even though it is cold and windy with snow everywhere.

Rod, creative way to get some extra sleep.I should try that tomorrow.Ha Ha.Actually I am going in early tomorrow.

Lisa, I hope you had fun on your trip to Florida.Your husband will be home before you know it.

Take care.

Marcy

 

[CrownJewel]

Rod, 3 hours?! I had no idea. So that''s how you do it. That''s kinda interesting actually. How long does everyone spend working out each day/week? Doesn''t have to be at the gym. I do about 1-1.5 hours about 3 or 4 times a week.

charbie, I''m so excited to hear that you''re thinking about swimming!!! Your gym sounds outrageous, by the way. A cardio cinema?!!! Awesome. So, I learned to swim just this year actually!!! I''ve always avoided pools and oceans because I didn''t know how to swim or even tread water. Even now my treading water skills are beginner level, at best. But after taking private lessons last summer through this summer, I finally began to feel comfortable doing laps in the pool around April this year. My advice for starting a swim routine for working out would be to keep track of how far (or how long) you can swim on your first dip into the pool. It may take a half hour or an hour to find your "stride" in the pool, but once you do, try to swim as many laps as you can without stopping. Then just try to increase one lap each time you are in the pool. Or go for an additional 2 minutes. If you haven''t tried swimming in a while, maybe try to do a certain number of meters (for example 50m), take a 15 second breather, then do another 50m. Do this cycle 8 times. If you can do that easily (it took me months to accomplish that!), then move on to decreasing the amount of time you rest between each 50. After you can do 8 of these 50m laps with 10 seconds in between, then move on to 75m with 10 seconds in between.

I swam again today for another hour. It felt great, even though it was like -6 degrees F outside. As I walked from work to the gym, my nose practically frozen and about to break off from my face, I was thinking "why am I about to jump into a pool?" But it was totally worth it.

I just ate 2 pieces of the spinach and cheese strata from smittenkitchen.com recipe. It''s that good. SO BAD! It''s past midnight! TWO PIECES! but it was SO good.

 

[phoenixgirl]

Hi all! I'm still home on maternity leave but realizing that the New Year means I've only got one more month left before I go back to work.

I accomplished my goal of working back up to my old level of weights with The Firm, but I have not gotten into my old size 8s . . . still wearing my sister's 10s (I was a 0/2 when I got pregnant, but one step at a time). But since I am more muscular and much more fit than I was when I was a size 8 three years ago, I don't feel horrible about myself. But sure I'd like to at least be wearing my own clothes again.

I got a gift certificate for Ann Taylor Loft for Christmas, and I'm saving it until right before I go back to work because I'll probably need more work pants no matter what size I am at the time. I do have something in all the sizes between 8 and 2, but not too much on the higher end.

I asked for new "billowy" tops for Christmas "to accommodate my postpartum body" as I wrote on my list, and my mom bought me 4 nice tops, but they were all petites, which I wouldn't even get normally when I'm not trying to cover what's left of my baby belly. But the upshot is that I got to return them and pick some out on my own.

Over Christmas I worked out every day but one (when friends came to visit). It wasn't easy with a house full of siblings and children, but I felt so much better as a result. I also didn't gain any weight even though I indulged in a few treats here and there. Of course, I didn't lose any either.

But my suspicion is that I am going to lose very little weight, or at least lose weight very slowly, until I stop breastfeeding. I think my body is like, hey, we need this fat for the baby just in case there's a famine! I know some women find that it just melts off when they BF, but that hasn't been the case for my sister, and since I rapidly gained weight upon getting pregnant (7 pounds by 9 weeks, 19 pounds by 16 weeks, etc.), I think this might be where my body needs to be for baby-care.

I'm going for a run today; DH is coming home to mail some bike parts out and relieve me from baby duty. It's not great weather outside but I prefer the cold to the heat for running. It's been 12 days because the last time I ran was the day of the big snow storm, so I hope I can go at least 2 miles. I need to remind myself that it's ok, though, if I can't. I'm such an all or nothing person that I feel like it's a failure if I run/walk/run etc., but obviously it's better to go 3 miles with 0.5 mile of walking than to only make it 1 mile running straight.


TLH, so sorry about the PF, but I am impressed with how far you are running regardless!

DeeJay, I am so, so jealous of St. Thomas! Enjoy!

Skippy, good job throwing out the truffles!

Charbie, yay on the better new gym!

CrownJewel, swimming sounds awesome. Good job!

Alli_esq, congrats on getting married and good luck with your fitness goals. I'm trying to get back to where I used to be too (post baby), and it's nice to know that your body *can* reach that level.

Rod, funny that no one noticed you were late. Maybe you should be late more often!

Lliang, good for you for working out anyway! If I only worked out when I felt like it, that would be, what, 25% of the time maybe?

 

[tlh]

skippy- how wonderful you and your hubs have off. Hope you two have fun together, and enjoy your stew! Yes, they are my babies. Jax (white) and Bentley (black), yolanda our cat didn''t want to pose for the picture... since she didn''t get a Christmas shirt.

charbie- enjoy your new gym! Sorry you have to do so much to cancel the other account! I run about 30-40 miles a week on average...however when I had my gym membership, my fav machine was the stair stepper. I''d burn more calories doing that than running, and would get a much better workout... plus that is what the NFL players would use. That and the arctrainer, see if your gym has that- it is hands down AWeSOME

Rod- Sorry you were late, enjoy your sushi!

Lisa- glad you and your sis had a good workout. Sometimes it is sooo good to take time off. Helps keep the mind right!

marcy- I hope that staffing fills back up, so you are carrying the burden of everyone! Omg, the chips and salsa get me every time. Now I get my fix in at Rubios or Baja Fresh - where the chips are in a limited amount. I love the shrimp tacos! YUMMY! Um, we got the filet package I think - 8 filet mignons and 4 salmon, and a potato dish. I''m looking forward to it!

cj- glad you got your swim workout in. I just ordered a new swim suit. I''m hoping I like it. I normally swim with a bikini and because of the creepy old guys that just wade in the water, a body glove rashgaurd on top. I also like that it helps me just gluide through the water. Chlorine is just soo rough on suits! aha!

phx- Congrats to have gone down in sizes and get to your goal w/ weights on the firm! I love the loft, you still have a month and can probably get back into your 6-8''s by then! If not, at least you''ll have a gift certifiate to help supplement your wardrobe!

Everyone happy weds~ eats were a bit high in sodium yesterday. Not the wisest of meal choices, but I try not to beat myself up too hard. Work is still insane - and is a bit stressful... but always is at the end of the month, and a few days into the beginning of a new month! HA! Anywho, everyone have a great day!

 

[CrownJewel]

marcy, I never thought too much about sodium until recently, when cutting it out helped me lose 5 pounds. The only reason i ever watched out for sodium was because high blood pressure runs in my family, but since my BP is always good, I didn't pay strict attention to sodium content. However, now that I've made progress in my health and weight, I'm VIGILANT about sodium!! I feel yucky after eating anything that is kinda salty.

tlh, your 30-40 miles a week makes my knee swell up just reading about it. and I think it just gave me shin splints too. That's really cool though. My trainer told me that some people are just not built to be runners, and I sorta think maybe I am one of those unlucky few. This is my own weirdo reasoning about why: I am 5'0" but have a lot of my body weight in my legs. I have super tiny feet. I think they are disproportionately tiny, and I often have pain and aches in my feet even if I am wearing sneakers. I think my feet are not properly dealing with my body weight, so the pressure from running gets displaced to my knees and shins. I am totally making it all up, but that's why I think I'm so bad at running. Makes me sad though. I wish I could run. What my trainer said could just be a bunch of BS though, because I used to hear that some people are just not built to be swimmers. (And of course I thought I was one of them). But now I love swimming. Where did you get your swimsuit from? swimoutlet has some very cheap (clubswim brand) swimsuits that feel great, fit great and have a good life for its price. speedousa.com also has amazing deals. their sale suits are SO cheap. I think it's smart to wear a rashguard over your bikini top. There are definitely some creepy old men at my pool too! There's one that likes to chat up a girl, seemingly innocently, but then he swims really close behind us, and says "you have a really nice kick." ewie. I'm so dumb and naive about this stuff, but luckily another woman in our lane said to me, "you should watch out. he's been swimming right on your tail." And i was like, "oh! I thought he was swimming so close because I'm slow!"

I was feeling ultra depressed yesterday about my upcoming knee surgery. I jsut really don't want premature arthritis, and that thought is plaguing me. All the scientific papers say that having a meniscectomy is a guarantee that you'll develop premature arthritis. It's just so doomy and gloomy.

hi phoenix! I buy "billowy" tops even though I've never had a baby! I just think they're cute and comfy. And it's just a bonus that they help to hide my belly pooch. Enjoy shopping! Sounds like you're doing a great job staying healthy even though there's so much naughty food around during the holidays.

My friends and I signed up for a spin class on Jan 2nd. We're spending the NYE weekend together and I think it'll be fun to do a spin class as a group. I've never been on these types of spin bikes before. They have moveable handlebars, so you actually steer the stationary bike as part of the workout. It looks crazy, but fun.

I woke up super late today. It was horrible. Tonight, I hope to get a quick swim in and then go home to do laundry and get ready for our NYE festivities! I have to work tomorrow but will have a short day.

 

[tlh]

cj- I''m sorry you''re bummed about your knee surgery! But since you enjoy your time in the water, it will help your recovery not seem as bad. I ordered my suit off of Amazon actually - but I''ll check out the other sites if it doesn''t work. *crossing fingers it will*.... I was laughing a bit about the not built to be a runner. Heck, I''m not really built that way either - but I don''t let my body get in the way of my enjoyment... though my feet are like long and narrow clown feet - so I don''t know if that has anything to do with it either! ha! Those spin bike are fun though... enjoy and have a happy nye!

 

[somethingshiny]

Hello, all. I''ve missed you! Sorry I don''t have time to catch up! I hope each of you is doing well!

Eats suck. The only thing I can keep down is cereal and bread. No weight gain yet and still wearing my normal jeans although I think I''ll be in maternity wear a bit earlier this pregnancy. With JT I was around 4.5 months before I had to go with maternity pants, but I feel like I''m already starting to show at not quite 12 weeks.

It''s funny to me that I was all gung ho about getting a new wardrobe this spring and summer (because I was going to be a size 12!) Now, I''ll be getting a new bigger wardrobe! My goal will to be into those 12s by Spring of 2011. (okay, I hope by January of 2011, but I''ve got to be realistic.)

I''m trying to modify some Jillian action but I think it''s time to back off of her. I can still use my ball comfortably and will continue it until I can''t.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Okay, I''m new to this thread and am just going to bare it all.

I haven''t worked out in like two years (horrible I know!)

I hate running with a passion, but I did a sprint distance triathalon in college and enjoyed that.

I played capeoira for most of 2007-08

and love Pilates, yoga, dance, etc.

I have no time and need a fast, super effective work-out (I think I can commit to 30-45 minutes 3-4 times a week). Any recs for good, effective, and safe videos/DVDs?

 

[Rod]

Hey.....I must have really pushed in my workout last night. I woke up sore. That''s a good thing as it means I accomplished something. Work was really tough today. One of my clients called and said they needed Senior Technical Architects who could interview in Chicago on January 8. And they want to interview as many people as possible. The problem? The deadline to have candidates submitted is tomorrow. I spent every second on the phone and got 5 quality candidate in the Chicago area who can and want to interview on the 8th. We''re only working till noon tomorrow, so I''ll keep going, but I only have the morning to finish up. I left work after 6 tonight and met Charlie for sushi. As I mentioned, I only have to work till noon tomorrow. Then I''m off for the New Year''s holiday. We''re not going out tomorrow night. We did last year, and we spent a fortune at a nice restaurant, for lousy prix-fixe, pre-selected food. And we know better, but friends just insisted we go. Instead, tomorrow I''m going to a gourmet grocery store and buying some jumbo (really jumbo) shrimp (which I''ll steam Maryland style), some pate, some asian noodles and I may go to a Wing place and get some real buffalo wings (not the grocery store kind). And at midnight, we''ll be able to stand on our terrace, overlooking the bay and watch the fireworks!

I just found out my father''s in the hospital (he''s 8 and his heart isn''t beating in a good rhythm. He needs a pace maker, which is being put in tomorrow morning at 7 AM. And my brother just told me he has a growth on his gall blader and it has to be removed next week. Wow............They''re all so far away, so I do feel badly not being there.........

Lisa, aren''t endorphins wonderful?? Often when I don''t want to work out, but I do, I always feel better and it''s because exercise causes our brains to create more endorphins a natural feel good drug! Have a good wine night presenation. What''s going on with the subject you and I talked about?

Marcy, isn''t funny how we don''t like salty foods anymore? When I was hefty, before "Rebuild Rod,"

I used to salt everything, even if it didn''t need salt. Now, I can''t take much salt on my food and I know it''s so much better not having much sodium. Still, it doesn''t sound like you did badly on food.

CJ, when we started working out nearly 4 years ago now, we did some simple machines (we were so totally intimidated at first) but mostly cardio. As we began to progress and we started to see changes in our muscles, we added new things (like free weights). Our workout went from about an hour to two hours. Then we stopped making progress and we had to add more weights to our regimen. So, over the last 4 years our workout has grown to be pretty intense. But, I don''t think it will ever grow beyond where it is today. The funny thing is our bodies have a tendency to become accustomed to things, so 3 hours doesn''t seem like a big deal anymore. I do my workout 3 times a week, so that would be 9 hours a week.

Phoenix......just maybe I should be late more often........LOL It sounds like you''re doing great and congrats on working out just about every over the holiday. You go!!!

Hey Charbie, is the new gym a Gold''s Gym? We were in Raleigh, NC for a few months about 2 years ago and we worked out at a Golds there and they had a cardio theater with a new movie all the time.

tlh, I''m sorry work is insane and stressfull. Boy, can I relate.........

Hey SS........I''m sorry all you can keep downis cereal and bread. I hope you get back to a regular diet soon..........Take care.

Hello and welcome Bella. I''m sure you''ll get back in the swing of working out and your body will be ever so gratefull to you!!

Have a nice New Year''s Eve everyone.............

 

[tlh]

ss- I''m sorry to read about the stomach difficulties! Though it is exciting that you are starting to show at 12! I love the pregnant form - and the little bean growing inside! I do hope you''ll be able to do your ball awhile longer! Have you looked into pregnancy yoga?

bella- the 30 day shred by Jillian michaels is quite good. My hubby does triathlons, and boy those are a workout! I only swim and run w/ him, but he has an indoor trainer, that he hooks his bike up to- and does these insane workouts that are really fast and hard - you might want to look at that- if you like sprint distance tris!

Iron-rod! what a crazy day! But way to get some candidates submitted. You''re like my rocky... da dun dun dun dun duh dun dun dun dun, dun dun dun da dun da dun - da dun... gonna fly now..... (arms in the air pumping!) Wow, fireworks over the bay! sounds beautiful! OMG, I just read about your dad and brother. I will add them to my nightly prayers and do hope they recover from surgeries quickly.

Everyone Happy NYE! This morning my hubs and I got up and did a quick 6. We saw 2 coyotes on our run. And NOT together either. Nasty things. Tonight not sure what hubs and I will do... have a glass of champagne, and maybe a splash of oj, and enjoy a nice afternoon. I think I''ll make dinner at home tonight. Rod, I''m with you and not wanting to go out to an over-priced pre-set menu... plus I don''t like being on the roads w/ all the drunkies either. Yesterday i was insane I guess, and did a lot of research on exercise physiology mainly running... I was quite interested in the theory of training in terms of TIME versus MILEAGE. My husband is training for his Ford Ironman and I''m just doing my thing next to him - and I was quite curious because our training plans are so different. Plus I was looking into tweaking mine anyway. So after the marathon, I''ll probably swim more like 3-4 days a week instead of 2-3. Shame I don''t like the bike! ha! But anywho, it was fascinating stuff. Not to bore anyone reading, but based upon the studies, and current research out there - if anyone is planning on undertaking any running activity. You should really train in terms of TIME. Without going into the boring physics of it - a slower person''s body undergoes the same FORCE as someone who runs faster. Only difference is that the slower person will go for longer to cover the same distance in a distance based program... more likely to get sick, injured, and overtrained. In the risk to reward ratio - it really isn''t worth it. Which is why so many new runners - (and new marathoners) get hurt. There is not an agreement on how much time is the ideal cutoff for the LONGEST longrun, but the concensus is between 3 hours and 3 1/2 hours, with some saying only 200 minutes. Trying to disect the science was fun for me - the really interesting part - was that all this research has come about due to marathon purists who aren''t too pleased w/ the saturation of charity- who advises out of shape non-runners that they can run a marathon in only 16-20 weeks of training... Then hold them accountable for a training program based on mileage. It was fascinating all the oppinions out there, and the science behind it. But I''d have to agree - a time based approach would be best. Because as you train, you''ll get better. The value of diminishing returns applies, but over time you''ll improve... so even if you''re still running for time - you''ll cover more distance. Eventually you will hit your bodies natural ability with enough time and training -but not get knocked off course due to injury. OMG, I''m gonna stop typing there. I just went on and on, and bored ya!

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE< BE SAFE ALL!

 

[CrownJewel]

Aw shiny, sorry to hear that you still can't keep much down. Have you tried oatmeal? If you can keep that down maybe you can get more nutrients from that. I guess some cereals have lots of nutrients too. Ever since I started reading Eat to Live, I've been trying to eat only nutrient dense foods. (Well, that's a total lie because I had Pad Thai last night and a piece of an everything bagel this morning with veggie cream cheese). Did I just discount my health-credibility by admitting that?

Bella, sounds like you were a very active person! And it will be fun for you to get back into it. I'm just curious about why you stopped the capoeira, pilates, yoga, dance, triathalons? You don't have to answer, but it may help determine how you go about getting back into being active. I used to run, a million years ago, but then had a knee injury. I stayed active until the surgery, then after the surgery too. Even though the surgery was supposed to make my knee better, it came with a side order of residual problems. I was never able to run again without knee issues. I wasn't a hard core runner to begin with (1-4 miles each day), so it wasn't that horrible for me to give it up. But the new knee issues, and the fear of re-injuring my knee kept me from staying active. Looking back on it, I realize now that I had an upper body perfectly capable of getting my heart pumping! Minor oversight.

Anyway, I have faith that you can find a way to get a good workout, even if you have injuries or fears, or any other type of barrier!

Rod, I hope your candidates get the positions! You must get a lot of love and gratitude from the people that you find jobs for, no? Your NYE meal sounds delish! I'm imagining lobster-size jumbo shrimp. Uh oh. Salivating.

Also, thanks for the insight on your and Charlie's gym sessions. It helps to know how people who got fit (and stay fit) spend their time working out. I wish I could shadow you for a week. (Gym-time and meals kinda thing

. Haha.)

tlh, these coyotes you keep reporting sound scary! Where on earth do you live? And how close do you get to these coyotes? What do coyotes do when they see lean, fit, attractive humans prancing around? I'm also curious why you don't like the bike? I *currently* don't like the bike, but that's just because I haven't been able to find an adult bike that is comfortable for me (not that I try very hard to find one). And I'm also a little bit out of practice. Out of practice = anxious scaredy cat. Your research about time vs. distance running is actually very interesting. I read every last word. Running is hard. I was always super super super slow when I ran. But I kept track of my progress only in miles. It does make more sense for someone like me to do it for time though. BTW, your husband is handsome! But an important point that I neglected to think about until now is - REALLY?! The participants were judged for being good looking?! It was a separate "competition" from the actual race right? But but but... why?! I know I'm being cheesy, but I would want to give everyone a "good looking" award. Wait, were you joking about the whole thing?

I didn't make it to the pool last night b/c I had to do a bunch of errands.

But Tuesday night, I was experimenting with my kick. I wanted to see just how little I could kick and still maintain alignment in the water. Of course this meant putting more focus on my arms, and now my upper arms are feeling it! I love swimming for the arm workout. Gotta run, but...

HAPPY NEW YEAR HLT-ers!!!