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Weekly Workout Thread 1st Jan till 7th Jan

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Date: 1/2/2007 11:02:46 AM
Author: Mara
DJ i used to get shin splints sometimes when i walked, i just kept at it AND made sure i had the right shoes on (super important esp if you plan to continue walking on the treadmill) and i was fine after a while.

Mara - We you able to keep walking while you had the shin splints or did you stop until they got better and then start again? And did you ever ice or heat them?

(My tuna salad was pretty grim BTW. Thank god for baked lays.)
 
Date: 1/2/2007 12:41:16 PM
Author: Dee*Jay

Date: 1/2/2007 11:02:46 AM
Author: Mara
DJ i used to get shin splints sometimes when i walked, i just kept at it AND made sure i had the right shoes on (super important esp if you plan to continue walking on the treadmill) and i was fine after a while.

Mara - We you able to keep walking while you had the shin splints or did you stop until they got better and then start again? And did you ever ice or heat them?

(My tuna salad was pretty grim BTW. Thank god for baked lays.)
DJ mine typically were better a day or so later...so I would just take it easy and do other things that were not shin/walking related....like situps or pilates or leg lifts, kicks etc. Actually I''d do the elliptical now because it''s not like you have to do anything with your legs besides push and I use more thighs than shins anyway.

Lunch today is going to be the Starbucks smoked turkey and havarti sandwich on a rustic sourdough slice, I''ve had this one before and it''s divine...fresh and 330 calories. Yum! I''m snacking on a short nonfat gbread latte right now, gotta get them in before they are gone after the holiday!!
 
Happy 2007 everyone! I''ve missed you guys and girls. I haven''t had lots of time to visit this thread and because of that, I''ve been eating too much crap. It all started at Christmas...too much rice, bagels, sushi, brie, and wine...

Somehow I lost 2 pounds. I kept up the walking, but haven''t run in the past 2 weeks.

Anyway, I would still prefer to learn some self-control when sushi and brie are put in front of me. Anyone know the calorie content of wine? I usually have a glass with dinner almost daily. I''m going to try to count calories again. A long time ago, I used to count calories, but I was totally inappropriate about it so I gave up. I will need your help to start up again.

Any great recipes to start off the New Year? I am a salad fiend...I came up with this really yummy lunch salad.

about 1 cup canned corn (the slightly salted kind)
3/4 cup canned beet slices (drained)
1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame (boiled according to directions)
a sprinkle (?) of dried cranberries
1 tbspn of Annie''s organic ginger sesame dressing

Mix it all together and serve on top of your favorite greens. I usually like mesclun mix or red leaf lettuce. Nutritional info (according to Sparkpeople): 470 calories, 82g carbs, 5g fat, 14g protein. Can someone tell me if this is a lot for lunch? I wish Sparkpeople would include fiber content as part of the nutrition tracker. Sparkpeople says I should be eating 1200-1550 calories a day (I''m not currently very active, but also not completely sedentary either). Do you think this is appropriate for me (5''0" currently 107lbs...would like to lose 5 lbs.)? 470 calories for lunch seems like a lot to me.

Anyway...I just wanted to say that I''m so impressed by Dee*Jay. You seem to be doing so well...keeping up with the walking and posting on this thread. How are you feeling in your clothes nowadays?
 
CrownJewel, Ha ha, I *was* doing well until I tried to cripple myself by OVER doing it! I''m currently sitting here with my leg on my desk with a big bag of ice in an effort to help the shin splints I''ve caused myself already. And I think I''ve managed to offset all the goodness of working out with the badness of holiday eating, but now I''m back on track for that too, so hopefully my clothes will start to fit differently soon.

Thank you for noticing my efforts though, and for the kind words--I really appreciate it!

Also, Sevenwires posted a site last week that has a great calorie counter on it. www.calorieking.com. Just type whatever food or beverage you''re looking for in the area at the center of the page and it will give you nutrition info. It allows you to narrow things down quite a bit too; I find it to be very thorough so you should be able to get a count on your wine with no problem.
 
crown jewel, i posted my recipe for the tuna salad on the last thread, but i am currently obsessed with this for a quick, light, healthy lunch with a kick!! you can chop the apples and celery in the morning and take it with you with a bit of mayo in a container and whip it all up quickly at work.

--3oz container of canned tuna in water
--1 tbls light mayonnaise (i use best foods light, NOT lowfat which is a diff product)
--2 tbls chopped apples
--2 tbls chopped celery
--shake of cajun spices/louisiana creole spice mix (can get this at any local food store in spices section)
--shake of black pepper

mix it all together. layer it onto a 30 calorie rice cake...yum!

total calories for the above...according to sparkpeople is something like 180 cals. high in protein, low in fat. i don't have the stats with me but i actually posted it and made it live to share with others, hehe. so you can search to find it. obviously if you put it on 100 calorie wheat bread or similar, the calorie count changes. i use the rice cake because it's low-cal and crunchy so it packs a taste punch but honestly i also eat this out of the bowl directly and it's just as good.

crown jewel for counting, i use calorieking and also i use google. i just type in whatever i want to find, aka california roll calories and usually i can find 3-4 websites that talk about calories for what i am looking for. then i just use an excel spreadsheet to track by week and day with subtotals, averages etc. it's fun for me, i like numbers.
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Happy New Year everyone!!

Okay, this year, I''m going to get serious about this whole fitness thing. I realized that a lot of times, I just like to *think* I am on a workout schedule... But actually am not. I normally like to workout in the morning before work, which means I need to start getting to bed on time and get 8 hours of sleep. Otherwise I won''t want to get up in the morning...

I checked out the cookinglight website and I LOVE IT!! There were quite a few recipes I can''t wait to try ... And I also love how they give the nutrition facts for each one. This year I''m going to cook more, eat more at home... maybe pack more lunches to work....

So today after work, I''m going to try and hit the gym for some cardio... And then after going to go to the market to pick up some foods for breakfast.

Update later.... :)
 
Happy New Year everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amazingly enough, I got through the Holidays and didn't even gain 0.5 lbs!...and I didn't keep myself from eating! I think it was mostly due to eating at home!. I went to Costa Rica and stayed at my dad's house...we had so many wonderful chefs in the house that we never had to eat at restaurants! (grandma, stepmom, sisters..).

This year I don't really have a "get fit" goal...but I have a "treat my body like a temple" goal...hehe, sounds funny, but that's my goal!

So I will continue what I've been doing in terms of eating and exercise, but I will pay more attention to taking my vitamins everyday, drink lots of water...and more important than anything else, quit those stupid little cigarrettes I have once in a while!!!! (what an annoying, nasty habit!...I'm not really a 'daily' smoker, but do have some here and there!
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). It's nasty and I'm done....it's a bad habit that has no place in my life and I just want to be free from it!. It wasn't really a resolution, but after midnight on New Year's eve...I decided to have one...it tasted nasty and I was just like "what am I doing!?"...I threw it away along with the rest of the pack. See ya nasty little cancer sticks!!!!!!!!

The tuna salad sounds yummy!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing Mara!

In terms of eating I will continue with what I was doing. Including the whey+soy shakes in the mornings. Having this extra protein really helped me to see results from my exercise!. I think I wasn't eating enough protein so my body didn't really have the protein it needed to build muscles. I don't want 'muscles' per say, just lean/long muscles...but even for that, you need to be having the right % of protein/day!. I will also have a 3/4 cup of cereal with 2 tbl spoons of ground flaxseeds. I found this Fiber one Honey clusters that are just packed with fiber...it's over 15 grams of fiber!!!.

Last (but not least) I will get in the habit of making homemade yogurt and having a bit every day. I am reading "French Women don't get fat" and she talks about the importance of eating yogurt. It's a great book! It's not a diet, but more like an understanding of eating well. Nothing new and you won't find anything earth shattering that you didn't know in terms of "eating well", but full of helpful tips and great recipes!. I'm about half way through the book but I truly recommend it for anyone (whether you are looking to lose a lot of weight or just stay healthy).

Here is to a healthy 2007!!

M~
 
Happy New Year!

I walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes during lunch today and read Shape magazine while I was walking. As much I as loved being on vacation, its nice to be getting back into a routine so that I have healthier habits.

My (and DHs) new years resolutions are to eat healthier and drink less. We are going to try to limit our alcohol consumption to Thursday-Saturday unless there is a special occasion or my friends and I have wine club. That will be an easy way for us to cut back on our calories (and save some money).
 
Weather was good today so I took a long walk with the pup. Worked up a sweat, too. I heard somewhere you burn more calories if you walk when it''s cold outside versus when it''s warm. Maybe because when it''s cold you tend to pick up the pace and move faster. I don''t know but I know I got a decent workout from that today and it felt great. I didn''t do anything yesterday so that was needed.
The only problem is the candy left over from Christmas calling me from the kitchen. I really want to pitch it but it feels like a waste. Ugh!
 
diamondsrock, maybe you can bring your candy to work and give them away? When I was working, the secretaries would bring baskets and bowls and boxes of treats that they didn''t want at home. They just left them on top of the filing cabinets and they were usually gone by the end of the day.

Dee*Jay, I read about your shin splints. Shin splints are my nemesis too...even just running on a flat indoor track will give me shin splints. It''s almost unavoidable for me, no matter what sneakers I wear. I find that rest and a massage works well (something for your DH to do!!) to speed up the recovery time. As for stretches, the only one I know is to place the top of your foot against the edge of the bench or chair or the floor. Hold onto a wall or stair railing, squat down and push down on your foot to elongate the muscles in the front of your leg (this will push your heel closer to your calf). Hold for 30 seconds. See photo below.

Mara, I''m gonna run out for tuna. Yum. Thanks for the recipe. I like numbers too...that''s such a great idea to keep track in an excel spreadsheet!!!

Oh and for anyone else who''s curious. YIKES! 90 calories in a 4 oz glass of cabernet sauvignon (+/- 10 cals for other varietals).

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Happy New Year everyone...

Happy to be reading this thread again (I have to go back and catch up to see how everyone's been doing...and in case I missed any inspiration before and after pics!). I have been actually back to working out since beginning of Dec (I was bad after my wedding!). But eating well was thrown to the wind and I am back to eating healthy again. I am actually going alcohol free for the month of January just because.

I have been taking pilates and gyrotonics for a month now, and I love it! My body is getting stronger and it works muscles I didn't know I had. It's expensive, but definitely worth it. Between that and the gym, I should hit my weight loss goal of 15 pounds off by summer. If I hit that goal, I am buying myself something sparkly as a reward!

I missed you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ETA, to really kick off the new year, I did my pilates class at 8 am. SO not like me to exericse in the morning!!!!
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(but it won't last long...I know myself. Back to night exercise...
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Date: 1/2/2007 9:33:18 AM
Author: Dee*Jay
So I think I need to take a day off from working out. Both of my knees are sore and the shin splint in my left calf kicked in as soon as I started walking to work this morning. I''ve looked up some stretches and exercises to combat the dreaded shin splint but it might take a little time. How funny though that the treadmill did me in even though I walk at least two miles a day anyway, but the eliptical machine seems to have been much kinder to me. Oh well, tonight I''ll take down the Christmas tree--all that reaching and streching must be good, right?!
Dee, I wondered about you and the shin splints when I saw you planning to take that rather lengthy walk on the treadmill. It''s different than regular walking, not sure why. I''d maybe take a couple days break, and then "build up", that''s what I do when I''ve not walked for awhile (even though you have walked regularly). I''d suggest 15-20 min. a couple days, and then gradually tack on the minutes, until you''re where you want, that might help. And yes, good shoes are a must. Good luck!



I''m getting geared up to start walking myself, and change my eating habits, again. Hopefully I''ll stick with it this time.
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Lorelei, hope you''re doing well, been mighty quiet lately....


Rod, hope you get your place, it''s sounds fabulous! And I''m really glad you two are falling into place there.
 
Ok, I''m sitting here in my workout clothes waiting for FI to get home so we can go to the gym together. He''s been going for the last couple of weeks and I haven''t, and I had the whole day off because of President Ford, but I still didn''t make it out of the house! I''m going tonight and though I''ll probably go pretty slow tonight, I will go back tomorrow too. and Thursday! Last year I was so into getting my flex-days that I stayed at work too late and didn''t make it to the gym, but then I was too tired to do anything on my flex days... so the most important thing for me is to establish a routine that includes the gym! I''ll be checking in here to keep me honest!
 
Diamondsrock: I think you burn more calories when it''s cold even if you''re just standing around. Your body uses calories keeping itself warm. You should totally throw that crap away! My fi brought some jars of home-made candied pecans home from work once and after trying one I knew that I had to get rid of them b/c they were SO good. so I ate one handful and dumped the rest in the trash. It''s not a waste. or maybe it is, but who cares?

Well, I thought I just had a 2 day cold but I must have picked up another bug on my return flight home from the guy behind me that kept coughing and sneezing throughout the whole flight. I was pretty sick for about a week but now I''m not. I have a kitchen full of fresh fruits and veggies and I''m really looking foward to eating them!

Fi and I went on 4 mile walk yesterday and I did the same myself today jogging a little. I think I''ll make some vegetable and chicken soup for dinner. I wish I had an elliptical machine. It''s such a good combo w/ treadmill or running outside. But I guess I just need to use what I have or figure out where I can use an elliptical that''s convenient and not too expensive.

MARA: how do you make your turkey lasagna? have you posted the recipe? I think I''ll make that for some friends that just had a baby.
 
awww TG so good to see you back here gal!!! welcome ellen and sumbride!

so who knew that microwave popcorn was so not THAT bad for you. esp since most manufacturers have done away with the trans-fats. i was scrounging in the cupboards at work for a snack that wasn't too bad for me...esp since i left my desk key at home in my other purse and all my luna bars and stuff are in there. i had yogurt in the fridge but wasn't feeling the vibe. so i found that we have microwave popcorn, ACT II with butter...and i read the label and was like oh its not so bad...somewhat a fair amount of fat. but then i read the label better and it's not that bad at all. i ended up sharing the bag with my coworker so about 3.5 cups of popcorn is what i had, for about 130 cals and 7g of fat. and it was butter flavor and really yummy. probably a bit too much sodium for a daily snack but otherwise good. something to keep in mind for the future if i get desperate. and the popcorn is definitely filling and apparently it's a whole grain which is awesome as well.

also i read online that you can pop your own stuff in the microwave just by putting kernels into a brown bag, stapling it shut and popping it. apparently the staples aren't bothered in the microwave since they are so tiny, and then people shake things like jalapeno and garlic powder and some salt in to make their own spiced popcorn. YUM. and even more healthy than the store bought bagged. so now we want to try that, hahaha.

off to the gym in a few hours...hoping to do 500 cals today. then turkey lassagna and salad for dinner. i'm craving the salad. hope everyone has a great night!!

oh and diamondsrock, please give that candy away or throw it away. DO NOT EAT IT!

ETA: nejarb i have posted it before, but basically i used two versions of recipes on cooking light and adapted it to make my own. i posted my own in the past. basically it's ground turkey, a jar and a half of low-cal basil tomato sauce (emerils and classico are good), a bunch of herbs like basil, oregano, a container of sliced mushrooms, a bunch of fresh garlic, onions, and water...cook it all together in a pan (i do the onions in some EVOO then add garlic and fry those up then add the turkey in and then the herbs and the sauce, mushrooms, and water)...let it simmer and boil for 5-10 minutes. then i put the meat sauce aside in a big bowl, and keep it for a day in the fridge. it really lets the flavors of the sauce etc seep into the turkey. the sauce is watery at first but when you take it out a day later it's really thick!! so then i use another can of sauce (regular tomato canned sauce with no flavors) to put the lasagna together, it's no boil barillo lasagna. i layer the meat and the pasta with a mixture of skim-mozzarella shredded cheese, shredded parm, 2 egg whites and 1 regular egg, and fat free or 1% cottage cheese (in place of ricotta). then i pour the tomato can of sauce over it all and let it bake!! 10 minutes before it's done (about an hour), i put about 1/2 a cup of shredded mozz on the top. it comes out REALLY good and the longer it sits in the fridge the better it gets. i wrote down everything i used last time and then estimated calories and the whole thing makes like 8 servings (big ones) and each serving is only like 320 calories. so it's perfect...we love it.

OH and welcome back mandarine, we missed you!! how awesome that you didn't gain weight on your vacation. i didn't gain anything either but i can imagine if i was traveling i would have, hehee.
 
Happy New Year
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We hit up the gym tonight and I walked on the treadmill on an incline for about 35 minutes. I too get those dreaded shin splints since I''ve been doing the walking! I was wondering if there was anything I could do to prevent them, but I think I am going to try some of that stretching someone mentioned above.

Didn''t get to make it to my morning pilates class, but I think I will try to doa yoga class during the day tomorrow.
 
Date: 1/2/2007 12:03:10 AM
Author: Mara
hehee rod, i tried nayannaise with a veggie friend of mine swears by but it wasn''t really that good. so far the best i have found is best foods ''light'' mayonnaise. regular mayo is like 100 cals and 11g of fat. this is 45 cals and 4g of fat. they have a low-fat version which is 20 cals and like 2g of fat...but i typically like a more ''middle of the road'' alternative where i am not totally cutting back on fat and calories because lets face it, that is what typically tastes better. but 1/2 the cals and fat of regular works for me. for the same reason i get light sour cream and 1% fat cottage cheese etc...rather than ''fat free'' typically. i think that you need some fat for the most part to help things taste better. that and according to spark people i am supposed to be consuming like 40-70g of fat a DAY...doesn''t that sound insane? i think i do about 30 typically. its funny too, i don''t eat mayo at all really...on sandwiches its just dijon. i mix mayo into things sometimes (the light is perfect for this) but for the most part i hardly eat it.

dani...when you go to trader joes, check out their pre-packed section, fresh foods. they have a really great rosemary chicken with wild rice that serves two people (or lunch one day, dinner the next for one person) that is something like 400 cals for one serving. also we LOVE their fresh personal pizzas. my fave is the spinach artichoke chicken one which is 440 cals for the whole pizza (and its big!) and like 10g of fat. greg gets a sausage pepperoni one which is not as healthy but i love the chicken one. also there''s a pesto veggie one that is like 470 cals for the whole pizza. also they have things like ''just chicken'' which is just long strips of fresh chicken breast...great for making a home caesar salad etc.

for dressings, i love girard''s light champagne and their light caesar...both are totally tried and true for me. the light caesar mixed with some 30 cal balsamic to lighten it up goes farther, and then i throw in some wheat croutons, romaine lettuce and some shredded parm and i''ve got a homemade salad for under 200 cals. throw in some chicken for a real meal. the emerils balsamic is the best i have had so far, and i tried another brand and it was good but had like 60 cals and i am like well for same taste, 30 is better. i spend a fair amount of time at the store reading labels...which is actually kind of fun to see what is in things and then be able to find a great alternative. much of the stuff i try is just that, trial and error. some stuff tastes horrible and i toss it. but once i find things i like i try to keep getting them. i am currently experimenting with sugar free syrups which have maple taste and yet like 1/10 of the calories of regular syrup. i have had two i really liked, the last one better than the first, and just bought a third one to try with my nutrigrain waffles in the morning. so we''ll see how this one compares.

anyway you will quickly find there are ten million ways to make healthy yummy stuff at home and even get pre-packed things that are healthy and quick for taking with you. i find preparation is the key that really makes success possible...not having bad stuff in your house that you might be tempted by...and do keep the right stuff in the house, all types and sorts of it, so that when you want to eat, you can have choices of wonderful things, and not just carrots or something that you might be as jazzed about.

so we just got home from dinner, it was soo yummy. mom actually got a young turkey...i was really good about eating EXCEPT that i went crazy with the buttered/toasted bread, lol and had three pieces. and then mom had this yummy raspberry chocolate dessert. but up until dinner i had only consumed about 800 cals today so i had a lot of room left for a big meal. however i am stuffed!! we came home with some turkey breast and the rest of our lemony potatoes (so good)...so i''ll probably have those for lunch tomorrow. tomorrow night we polish off the last of the turkey lasagna, mmmmm. that stuff is sooo good after being in the fridge for a few days.

rod, i did see your post in the other thread, thanks. i actually read it to greg...and he was like hmmm. he said he''d look into raleigh again soon and see what the options might be for him. we are going to be talking about this very stuff this year, in 2007...we kind of have a mental resolution to figure out what we want to do in the next few years in terms of our future, do we want to move, stay here, what is on the horizon for potential building of our family etc. so this year we do want to explore staying here vs leaving...and it is actually really cool to hear all the positives you have been reporting on raleigh. it is SOO tempting to think about moving and getting a house for flat out cash and not having a mortgage, and me not having to work when we do have kids etc. it is very expensive to live where we do. but on the other hand our lives are here and my entire family is there. it would be super hard to leave.

oh and if you have a chance, let me know the development you saw today...i know there is so much building going on out there and sometimes it''s hard to narrow things down to what is REAL quality vs nice pictures online, so i''m curious to know which builder/community you saw since you said it was really nice. and yeah how funny would it be if we ended up over there?!? we could all get sushi together, yah!
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Mara, there''s a huge difference between Nayonnaise and Vegannaise. I too bought a jar of Nayonnaise and promptly threw it out. Awful was being nice. Vegannaise on the other hand is IMHO, better tasting than mayonnaise and much healthier. Trust me and the next time you''re in Whole Foods get a small jar of Vegannaise. It''s not on a shelf, it''s only found in the regrigerated section.........
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"rod, i did see your post in the other thread, thanks. i actually read it to greg...and he was like hmmm. he said he'd look into raleigh again soon and see what the options might be for him. we are going to be talking about this very stuff this year, in 2007...we kind of have a mental resolution to figure out what we want to do in the next few years in terms of our future, do we want to move, stay here, what is on the horizon for potential building of our family etc. so this year we do want to explore staying here vs leaving...and it is actually really cool to hear all the positives you have been reporting on raleigh. it is SOO tempting to think about moving and getting a house for flat out cash and not having a mortgage, and me not having to work when we do have kids etc. it is very expensive to live where we do. but on the other hand our lives are here and my entire family is there. it would be super hard to leave.

oh and if you have a chance, let me know the development you saw today...i know there is so much building going on out there and sometimes it's hard to narrow things down to what is REAL quality vs nice pictures online, so i'm curious to know which builder/community you saw since you said it was really nice. and yeah how funny would it be if we ended up over there?!? we could all get sushi together, yah!"

Mara, it would be so great if we were close enough to have Sushi. Like tonight, we had Sushi in a cool sushi place downtown called the Sushi Blues Cafe, where they have really good sushi and live jazz music. Raleigh is pretty cool!

The community we saw yesterday is called Durston. The houses were all realy beautiful, with loads of hardwood floors, screened porches, backing up to heavily treed 1/3 acre lots. They all had very nice custom touches and were truly amazing values. Too bad we don't want a big house in the burbs because we could actually save some dough, but it's the urban condo highrise that get's us excited. I will attempt to attach the link our realtor sent us, but I'm not sure it will work.......here goes: Buyer Full Page
Tonight we went back to the uber cool, ultra expensive condos to see one we didn't realize was available. For only $12,000 more, we can have a three bedroom unit that has huge closets, 3.5 baths and is pretty much everything we could ask for. The great room is 8 a little smaller and windows in this unit are not fully floor to ceiling, but they are impressive none-the-less. So now we have an appointment Saturday morning to see the two units during the day and then we can make our final decision. The Sushi Blues Cafe we ate at tonight is literally around the corner from the condo. In fact there are so many restaurants within walking distance that we would never need to cook a meal again!!

Tomorrow we'll be back at the gym for the next three nights, so we enjoyed our evening off. As I type this, Sakai is curled up in Charlie's lap WITHOUT a feeding tube dangling out of her neck. We are so so so excited about her progress. In one week, she gained a whole pound and the vet says she will be just fine. Her appetite is good (actually ravenous) and she drinks when she's thirsty like she should. Miracles do happen and for that we're eternally grateful.

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

ETA: Doesn't appear I can attach the link. It's directly from our realtor and is somehow coded to not be copied. Sorry.
 
hi everyone! wow, it is so hard keeping up with all these posts, especially at work. i keep getting side tracked, then come back and there's even more to respond to. i'm going to make this quick for now, just to check in.

first off, sparklepeople is just amazing. i went on there last night after work for hours setting up my profile and exploring all the information. they have so much to offer and i can already tell this is a resource i will be using to keep myself on track. thanks so much for suggesting it mara, i can't believe i've never heard of the site before. anyone else reading this should definitely check it out if you haven't done so already!! according to the profile thing i am to consume between 1200-1550 cals a day. i even plugged in my meals for the day, and although it is a tedious process -i think it will be extremely beneficial for just starting out. i am going to make the time to keep up with this until i get a better feel for what stuff actually contains. i even logged all my measurements, something else i have never done before. i can't wait to check in every month and moniter the changes (i sure hope there are changes). i had the bf do them all and i warned him to try and remember the exact places he was measuring. i even did his after and we figure it will be fun to compare down the road.

anyway, i still haven't managed to get to the gym, this cold is almost out of me. i will try to get there tomorrow for my first day, even if it's only 30 minutes of cardio, just to see how i feel. if not, friday is the day for sure. i will let you guys know how it goes.

i checked my bread label and it had 110 cals per slice. i went shopping and got some 70 cal whole wheat instead. i had 2 of those toasted, and spread 1 laughing cow garlic and herb light cheese over each. i think it said 35 calories for that and it's quite yummy. i also put some sliced tomato on top, but not sure how to measure those calories?? can anyone recommend a better lower calorie bread? i figure i would try the middle of the road this time since the 40 calorie bread looked a little unfulfilling and it tasted really good. for lunch i had 2 more slices of the bread for a peanut butter sandwich and a medium banana. then i had my romaine and grape tomato salad with balsamic dressing and sliced almonds. i will probably have a chicken breast when i get home from work. definitely an improvement from yesterday, but still not enough time to get fully situated food wise. i am off fri and sat and will be spending those days planning and preparing meals and food shopping for the next week.

rod: i'm so glad your Sakai is doing so much better!! i sent a co-worker who lives practically next door to WF to get me the vegannaise. thanks so much for the recommendation.

kimberly: thanks for the advice on the calorie counting and logging thing. it will probably have to wait until the weekend, but i agree that it will be helpful for me to know how many i was consuming in a day, and to get used to this new way of life. i only wish i had planned this all out prior to january 1, but then again i'm not much of a resolution type of gal anyway. this all just kind of happenned.

mara: thank you for all the trader joe and dressing recommendations. i will be sure to give them a try when i shop this weekend. the tuna sounds great too, and easy. the turkey lasagna sounds delish, but more complex of a recipe, maybe in the future. oh, are there any specific rice cakes you can recommend. last time i looked there were tons of brands and flavors, just wondering if there were any suggestions to narrow it down?

tybee: thanks for the warm welcome. i look forward to loosing some weight with you over the next year!!



good job everyone, it seems we are on the right track!! keep up the good work!!
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dani i'm glad to hear that sparkpeople is working for you! on the bread thing, 70 cals per slice is pretty good...i got one the other day that was 45 cals per slice but we haven't tried it yet...it's multi-grain which i love and it's super soft too. i think it's sara lee. i try not to eat too much bread though in general, i love bread but it's just so high in calories for the most part. we'll see if i like this 45 calorie one. i like sourdough as well. for rice cakes, i just got the one that had the lowest cal count, it had 30 per rice cake when a lot of the other ones were 70. i figure for 70 cals i'll just eat some yummy bread instead! but for 30 cals the rice cake makes a great foil for the tuna. also you can get fresh romaine in a pre-washed container and use it with the tuna salad, aka scoop the salad onto the romaine (which is kind of textured and holds up pretty well, not super soft lettuce) and eat it like that.

other suggestions for food, breakfast...get some fiber one plus with honey clusters. its YUMMY. also i mix in things like honey bunches of oats for some extra flavor and a bit more sugar. fiber in the fibrer one is awesome for keeping you full. i also eat frozen multigrain waffles which have fiber, i heat up a bit of real butter and drizzle it over then use sugar free syrup which is actually quite yummy if you find the right brand. joseph's at whole foods is really good and i like maple cottage farms. lunches i posted over on kimberly's thread...i have like 15 different things i eat for lunch...dinners...cooking light is a lifesaver. also i gave other suggestions on the dinners from trader joes etc. i think once you can get prepared week to week it will make a huge difference, you don't have to think as much about what you are going to be eating, you can just eat it...because it's good for you!

rod...i spent some time looking at houses online today, lol in raleigh. greg and i were talking about possibly taking a trip out there this year to see what we think. also austin is on the list too. it's so great to hear that sakai is doing well!! and i love the idea of the 3 bedroom condo for only 12k more, that will alleviate any doubts you had on the whole 2 bedroom no guest room thing! i love the idea of sushi and jazz! hehe.

went to the gym tonite, burned 500 cals and then did arm weights for a while. i have to say that the popcorn i had this afternoon was really great for me..i was full all through the late afternoon and into my workout and i felt energized and really good. so i'm definitely taking my 100 cal bags to work with me to eat for snacks! dinner was turkey lasagna which was soo good...and a caesar salad with romaine, some fresh shredded parm, wheat croutons and a mix of light caesar dressing and balsamic, i love this salad. dessert will either be a square of dark citrus chocolate or a sugar free pudding cup and whipped cream. or maybe some mexican hot chocolate, my new obsession, lol. anyhow, have a good night all!! everyone sounds like they are doing great, keep up the fabulous work!!
 
Date: 1/2/2007 11:18:56 PM
Author: Mara
dani i''m glad to hear that sparkpeople is working for you! on the bread thing, 70 cals per slice is pretty good...i got one the other day that was 45 cals per slice but we haven''t tried it yet...it''s multi-grain which i love and it''s super soft too. i think it''s sara lee. i try not to eat too much bread though in general, i love bread but it''s just so high in calories for the most part. we''ll see if i like this 45 calorie one. i like sourdough as well. for rice cakes, i just got the one that had the lowest cal count, it had 30 per rice cake when a lot of the other ones were 70. i figure for 70 cals i''ll just eat some yummy bread instead! but for 30 cals the rice cake makes a great foil for the tuna. also you can get fresh romaine in a pre-washed container and use it with the tuna salad, aka scoop the salad onto the romaine (which is kind of textured and holds up pretty well, not super soft lettuce) and eat it like that.

other suggestions for food, breakfast...get some fiber one plus with honey clusters. its YUMMY. also i mix in things like honey bunches of oats for some extra flavor and a bit more sugar. fiber in the fibrer one is awesome for keeping you full. i also eat frozen multigrain waffles which have fiber, i heat up a bit of real butter and drizzle it over then use sugar free syrup which is actually quite yummy if you find the right brand. joseph''s at whole foods is really good and i like maple cottage farms. lunches i posted over on kimberly''s thread...i have like 15 different things i eat for lunch...dinners...cooking light is a lifesaver. also i gave other suggestions on the dinners from trader joes etc. i think once you can get prepared week to week it will make a huge difference, you don''t have to think as much about what you are going to be eating, you can just eat it...because it''s good for you!

rod...i spent some time looking at houses online today, lol in raleigh. greg and i were talking about possibly taking a trip out there this year to see what we think. also austin is on the list too. it''s so great to hear that sakai is doing well!! and i love the idea of the 3 bedroom condo for only 12k more, that will alleviate any doubts you had on the whole 2 bedroom no guest room thing! i love the idea of sushi and jazz! hehe.

went to the gym tonite, burned 500 cals and then did arm weights for a while. i have to say that the popcorn i had this afternoon was really great for me..i was full all through the late afternoon and into my workout and i felt energized and really good. so i''m definitely taking my 100 cal bags to work with me to eat for snacks! dinner was turkey lasagna which was soo good...and a caesar salad with romaine, some fresh shredded parm, wheat croutons and a mix of light caesar dressing and balsamic, i love this salad. dessert will either be a square of dark citrus chocolate or a sugar free pudding cup and whipped cream. or maybe some mexican hot chocolate, my new obsession, lol. anyhow, have a good night all!! everyone sounds like they are doing great, keep up the fabulous work!!
That would be great Mara. We''d love to meet you!!!!
 
Dani, my trainer SWEARS by Sparkpeople, all her clients love it. I think it is so great to have as a source of help and guidance...she is a firm believer in the site and really encourages using it.

there are some breads like the Pep Farm very thin, not great for certain things but not bad overall if you toast it. I love the I can''t believe it''s not butter spray, a spritz of that and I am happy...there are for sure breads with less than 70 cals, but also read serving sizes because they are not always equivalent. also watch for hidden sugars and refined carbs, I do not eat any pumpernickle because it has molasses in it...there is a lot to be said for reading labels!
 
I made it to the gym today after work! yay!! I only did cardio for an hour. I had intended to do some weights, but after the cardio, I just wanted to go home and sleep. I''m such a lazy bum. I''m so not a workout person *after* work. I have to do it in the mornings! But only if I get enough sleep. But I''m also a night owl. Everything I do is working against me! haha... So as part of my new year resolution, I''m going to get to bed earlier... I normally go to sleep around 2 or 3 a.m. I''m going to try and aim for before midnight. But eventually, I want to start going to bed around 10, or 10:30. Seems like there''s just not enough time in the day to do anything.

I did go to the market like I said, however I ended up leaving with a dozen eggs, a package of whole grain blueberry waffles, and 3 boxes of lean cuisine. I figure it''s better to have something to eat out of a box that''s not loaded with carbs and fat than to eat junk. If I can squeeze out some extra time at work tomorrow, I think I''ll pick a few recipes from cookinglight.com and THEN try the market again.

Okay, it''s 11:43 p.m. my time... going to hit the sack and try to get up tomorrow and hit the gym in the morning...

nite nite... :)
 
Sorry guys - been MIA but I have been active!!! Hubby and I have spent the past 2 days cleaning out a stable with a very thick bed and we have been exhausted from it. The first day I was able to get a workout in and did half an hour each of the elliptical and treadmill and some free weights. Yesterday we were both so sore and tired and whimpering pitifully! Still, horse is nice and comfy and is enjoying his new bed
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I will be working out later today and doing my usual. This is great this week, the thread is rocking - keep it up everyone!
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YAY for Sakai - sometimes the most wonderful things can happen!!!!
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Rod, that''s great news about Sakai! And the other condo for a little extra $ sounds like it might be just perfect. I''ll be excited to here your opinion once you see them both in the day.

In order to give my knees and my shin splint a rest I didn''t go the gym last night. This morning I feel much better all around, but still not perfect. I think tonight I will do some stretching and other no-impact things at home (found the free weights - yay!) and tomorrow I''ll go back to the gym.

I have been reading about shin splints and one of the big problems is that when you starting walking or running those muscles aren''t warmed up, but the most reasonable way it seems TO warm them up is to use them, which causes my problem. (Talk about a catch-22.) One site suggested that leg warmers might be an option, but the ''80s are over so I went to the pharmacy and got a good old fashioned hot water bottle and once I get to the gym I''m going to try putting warm water on my shin for five minutes before I walk. Does that sound totally hokey/stupid?

Another option is to do the eliptical for a period of time first I suppose, but I''m not sure that will really work because I don''t get shin splints on the eliptical so maybe I''m not using those muscles as much and therefore I wouldn''t be warming them up?

I''m sure with a little experimentation I''ll get this figured out.

Last night I tried tracking my calories. It''s amazing how different some sites are from others, and how different any of those sites can be from reality! As a lark I put everything I ate into sparkpeople and then calorieking, and then I actually checked the packages of the things that I had packages for. What a difference on some things! But I guess this isn''t an exact science and over time I''ll get a feel for the calorie content of different foods as I keep tracking.

Have a good day everyone!
 
Dee - one thing I will never be without is a hot water bottle. It is so useful for many aches and pains, I hope it works for you, it is definitely worth a try. Also look into those sports shoes we mentioned, I was thinking my Hubby had a cramping calf as he is a runner, once he got those shoes for his supinate or overpronation ( whatever way it is) the pain went. I bet it might help your splints too...
 
Well the holidays are over and I survived by gaining nothing!!! Never thought I''d say that..lol....Mara I''m going to try the tuna recipe, but substitute the white meat chicken instead...i''m not a fish person....i know its healthy but i basically live on chicken...the can white meat is really good for salads and on rice cakes..
** glad to hear everyones progress...i''m going walking today because its 55 degrees in ny---in january....i do miss the snow because it gives me a good workout---the shoveling and walking in it. I''m working on toning my muscles...the pilates videos are great, but i get discouraged when i dont see immediate results..lol.....i''m sticking with it...
**Don''t overdue it deejay...i''ve read that fast walking is better for your body than running. . i used to kill my knees running and i switched to fast walking. i lose the same amount of weight and my knees don''t hurt since i started walking. If you increase the incline you will sweat as if you were running....i didn''t believe it, but then i tried it.
***Keep up the great work everyone....Don''t get discouraged if you "fall off the wagon" for a few days....you can go right back to eating healthy and working out.
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i can't agree more on having the right shoes for activities, esp as you get older and things are more creaky. when i was walking on the treadmill, my feet would hurt during and after my workout after a while. it was my shoes. i got the right type and they haven't hurt since. honestly for splints, i think that the more you do it, the better and more conditioned your legs will become and less prone to injury. i only had splints for a little while when i started working out. i think also i got them more when walking on the flat surface of the treadmill...adding some incline makes you use other muscles instead of striking so hard with your foot like on the flat surface. i used to get splints after walking 5k's when i wasn't in as great of shape but the last one i walked i didn't have them at all the next day.

anyhow, take care of yourself DJ and maybe tonite do some home exercises, like abs, leg lifts (all 4, works butt and thighs big time), some arm weights. doing something even for 10 minutes is better than nothing. i also loved jumping jacks for starting to really get my blood pumping and i saw some changes in my legs big time from doing them at home...if you can do those and not agitate your splints i would try adding them in.

go seven on getting to the gym. 1 hour of cardio sounds fine to me to start. honestly don't overdo it. i realize that when you guys get started on something you are all gung ho about it but you don't have to be ready to do everything all at once. your body needs some time to adjust too to the new changes, new food habits etc. be kind to it! and good for you on getting some packaged healthy stuff, it's definitely better than nothing at first. i would definitely get a few healthy breakfast things, some protein/fiber bars, granola, fruits...as well. pears are still in season for us (i guess?!) and i have been eating those a lot lately. and apples. and don't forget 100 cal popcorn. hehee.

DJ it's amazing how there are discrepancies sometimes on calorie counting etc. the last few recipes i have made, i end up just writing down what i am using and then figuring out calories and making my own calorie and nutritional count so i know it's right based on what i have used. for things that are not processed like fruits or someone mentioned a slice of tomato, i just google 'tomato calories' and click on the site that comes up (typically calorie count) and it says 1 slice is x calories or 1 cup chopped is y calories etc. the internet is so helpful!

nycsparkle, the chicken salad idea is a great one too, i will have to keep that in mind. i do love certain types of fish, canned tuna is not necessarily one of the ones i 'adore'... but sometimes i get this craving for it, sounds weird maybe but my mom used to always make sandwiches for me when i was little so i think it kind of harkens back to then. sometimes it just sounds perfect for a lunch..hehe. and now honestly this is probably the tastiest it's ever been for me. mmm. hehe.

anyway, i'm off to get ready for work, breakfast today was fiber cereal and honey bunches of oats mixed...i'm taking a bunch of LC's and my mini popcorn bags to work today, i was going to make tuna salad but i slept in a little so i'll just eat chicken and rice soup instead for lunch. dinner will most likely be a mini chicken pot pie as i don't feel like cooking tonite. it will use up most of my daily fat grams so it's good i committ to it mentally now so that i don't splurge on anything else fatty today. no workout for me tonite, i am trying to cut back to 4x a week even though it's mentally hard to take 3 nights off a week...i might take P for a walk when i get home tonite and just stretch the legs out.

have a wonderful day everyone!!
 
DeeJay, thanks for the info on shin splints. It makes total sense. I''m dressed to go for a run right now, and I''m trying to warm up my shins by tapping my toes repeatedly (my fencing coach used to tell me to do that when I complained of shin splints, but it didn''t make sense to me then). My shins are already cramping up from the tapping...is that bad? Maybe I should wear pants instead of shorts to keep my shins warm.

Mara, I tracked my calories last night in an excel spreadsheet...wow. I had no idea I ate so many calories. I''m going to make the tuna salad for lunch after I get home from my run today.

Lorelei it sounds like you had quite a good workout in the stables! I''m so envious of people who have horses. I used to want to ride as a child, but my parents said I had to choose between music and horses and I couldn''t do both.

Tybee, how is your knee?

Have a good day everyone!!
 
Hi All,

Just spent 70 minutes on the elliptical and burned 650 calories. Had a CL lasagne recipe for dinner last night, it was delicious.

Hope everyone is having a great day!
 
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