Healthier Lifestyle Thread 14th July till 20th July

[Lorelei]

Happy new week all!

I was thinking to myself as I was plugging away on the treddy as usual, that the time has come again for me to try to mix things up a bit, change can be an excellent thing. Especially this time of year, if you live in a climate where it DOESN''T rain constantly ( like I do) then maybe think about mixing it up a bit and trying something different.

Some suggestions could be trying out another machine if you are a gym goer, if you normally use the treadmill, try the elliptical or Stairmaster for a change. Use the indoor or outdoor tracks if available.

Think back to some sports you may have enjoyed in the past or might want to try -

tennis
raquetball
netball / basketball/ volleyball
horse riding ( great exercise for the core)
table tennis ( great for coordination I would think!)
swimming
baseball / softball

And I am sure there are many others I haven''t listed! I am thinking of using the outdoor track now and then of an evening if the weather permits of course!

But I hope that might offer some inspiration and help keep things fun and interesting!

Have a great week

 

[marcy]

Good morning! I hope you have a great day. I''ve been awake since 4:15. Marty left for DIA - he is in Arizona this week.

Great opener, Lorelei. I was just thinking yesterday I would start walking around the lake in the park instead of the treadmill for awhile since it''s getting nice. It''s a much better view than my TV.

Marcy

 

[KimberlyH]

Morning!

Lorelei, I have become friendly with a woman who I was going to start walking with, except that her son wound up in the hospital so we haven''t had a chance to do so yet. I also talked to a woman who invited me to join her Sat. morning walking club, but it was a more casual invite, so perhaps this week I should persue those things thanks to your opener.

Marcy, when is pizza? Enjoy your home alone time.

Skip, we saw The Wackness, and I loved it. Coronado is gorgeous!

All is well in my world. It''s a work day, and I''m babysitting this afternoon. Have a good one.

 

[Miscka]

Lorelei-great opener! I am working on getting my puppy better leash trained so we can do longer walks. Right now it is mostly me pulling him! One of the reasons I got a dog was for the walking, so I hope it gets better soon. I love tennis, so now you have me thinking about that one too!

Hope everyone had a good weekend. I did pretty well, I have been craving a cupcake for literally months (thanks to the thread!) and I was at Fresh Market last night and resisted. They only had one, and it wasn''t the kind I wanted, so I figured I would save the treat for something better.

DeeJay-your workouts are inspirational! I wish I were as dedicated as you are. I used to have a gym in my building but we moved, and it is SO hot outside here.

Marcy-where are you from? I noticed your "Kentucky Blue" reference, I am a UK alum and live in KY.

Does anyone have any good shrimp recipes? I have some frozen shrimp I wanted to use up tonight. I was thinking of some spinach and saffron rice to go with, but how should I cook/season the little guys? Any suggestions?

 

[phoenixgirl]

Skippy, nope, not Comfort, we ate at Lulu''s, which is by the same people as Millie''s.


OK, so I''m back from a 3 mile run (time 29 minutes). Yay! That''s the longest I''ve done since my dad died, and I was even a bit ill-prepared (drank more wine than intended last night . . . but not too much to beat everyone at Scrabble, including a 12-year-old who made fun of my terrible performance last time . . . it helped that I started out with a Bingo!).

It''s drizzling here and was raining harder earlier. I thought, oh no, I''m supposed to run today, and then I realized that the rain could only help my heat problems. I think I could have pulled out an extra mile. I definitely wasn''t feeling the urge to retch or cry like last time, but I would have had to switch water bottles and if I stop, I find it hard to start again. So I decided to get in the 3 miles and aim for 4 next time.

Plans for today: shower, write in journal, plan a meal or two (from my Eating Well cookbooks: Health in a Hurry and Eating Well Serves Two), see my new therapist for the second time, grocery shop, and cook.

I definitely recommend the Eating Well series. I''ve recently been searching for healthy, quick meals that are flavorful. I have some cookbooks that are healthy (Mayo Clinic, The New American Plate) and some that are quick (Rachel Ray), but it''s hard to find both AND have the recipes taste good. I''ll let you know what I decide to make. The only con as I see it is that, especially in the book just for two people, some of the recipes are main dishes but are only 200 or 300 calories. I''m not a great cook--the point is that I want it to be easy--so I don''t necessarily want to have to cook an appetizer or side dish as well. It doesn''t seem cost (time or money) effective to me to spend 45 minutes and then say, "Here, honey, here''s your 250 calorie dinner." So sometimes I might end up doubling the recipes for two people to have leftovers or to give us more to eat in lieu of more dishes.

I paused in this middle of writing this to have a snack/early lunch, and I decided to put the almond butter my husband got this weekend for our crepes onto my English muffin. I hadn''t tried it yet, but it had 20 fewer calories per serving than my peanut butter. Definitely tasty!

 

[Linda W]

Morning everyone

Great opener Lorelei as usual and it came at such an appropriate time for me. NO smoke here!!! yay yay yay

So with that said. I can enjoy swimming again with my grandboys. First off, Miss Mazie and I will go for a nice long walk in some clean fresh air. whoooooooopie

I weighed myself this morning and I lost another 3 pounds. That is good news too.

Phoenixgirl: I wanted to tell you, that having items of your dads really helps a lot. I have items of my dad''s in a place in our family room. It makes me smile every time I look at his picture and the news articles about him.

Enjoy your day everyone.

Linda

 

[appletini]

I went to my TBT class today it was a great workout. When I was doing bicep curls I noticed that my arms have gotten quite muscular...which is a great thing for summer clothes.

 

[Love2Travel]

Hey everyone. Just chiming in This past weekend I bought a good pair of running shoes and started running. I did a mile on sat, almost 1.5 on sun and a mile before work today.

I plan on running a mile every AM. I also bike to/from work everyday as well.

 

[Skippy123]

Afternoon all! I was crazy snacky yesterday. Thank goodness I am not so snacky today, are you guys more snacky on the weekends? I notice I tend to be.

Last nights walk with my cousin was nice; I think I posted about that. hehe Tonight we will walk again as long as it doesn't pour; it has been in the 70's but a little humid. I am not use to the humidty though; I don't like to be a sticky. I have had chilli beans minus the beef, fiber one bar, cheese stick, and salad. Tonight I am making pizza for hubby and I. have a great Monday all!

Lorelei, great opening! how is the tooth? Good reminder, I heard if people are on a plateu for weight loss that mixing up a workout helps and helps with boredom!

Marcy, wow, 4:15 that is crazy early! How is the new laptop? hehe

Kimi, I don't think we have the Wackness playing out here. Coronado is gorgeous but I am scared of that bridge. hehe Who drives over the bridge, you or hubby?

Miscka, great job for resisting the cupcake. hehe I like to marinade shrimp in a little olive oil, garlic and some of your favorite spices and a little apple cider vinegar for about 30 mins. Also, Alj has a recipe here https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/wwt-healthier-recipes-thread-post-your-recipes-here.85010/page-4

PHX, I will have to see if Costco has Eating Well, it got great reviews! Yay for the run and hugs outgoing!

Linda, yay for no smoke and a walk w/your sweet doggie!! Yay for losing 3 lbs

Apple and Loves2Travel wooo hooo for the workout!!

Rod, hope you slept well! Goo job on sticking to the list. hehe

 

[Amanda.Rx]

Hey Everyone!

I''m Amanda, & I''m new to this forum. In case you didn''t catch my post yesterday, feel free to go back to where I introduced myself!

Lorelei- great advice! Changing things up keeps you from getting bored & it also works new muscle groups! If any of you like dancing, consider that! You can go to youtube.com and type in your favorite dance music, watch the music video and boggie! I enjoy that sometimes (but only if I''m alone... ha ha)

Miscka- I always like my shrimp panseared with garlic and a little olive oil! It only takes a few minutes, and they''re quite tasty! You could cook the spinch down (also with garlic) until it wilts, put it over the rice, and top it with shrimp- mmm...

Phoenixgirl- I understand about healthy & quick! Have you considered those steamer veggies?! They''re in the frozen food section and you just pop them in your microwave & the veggies come out steamed and yummy. The 90 second whole grain rice blends are also a great microwave option... then, you can focus on your main 200-300 calorie entree and use a microwaved "side item." Great job on the mileage- exercise is a wonderful & natural way to boost your mood & get your "feel good" endorphins flowing!

Linda W- 3 pounds is AWESOME! Way to go!

Appletini- It''s always fun to start seeing results, is it not?

Love2Travel- wonderful start on the mileage! Getting it in before work is the best time of day, because it keeps your metabolism boosted all day! Also, kudos to being environmentally friendly!

As for me: I''m really trying to motivate myself to go to the gym tonight. Work was quite brutal & I didn''t get a lunch break until 3:15pm. However, I did go grocery shopping this afternoon and loaded up on healthy meals for the week. I bought fish, chicken breasts, and lean pork chops, a bunch of fresh veggies and fruits, lowfat/fatfree dairy products, eggs, whole grain cereal, and salad mix! Healthy food is a bit more expensive, but I''m hoping it will pay off in the long run!

Keep up the hard work, y''all!

 

[perry]

Hello All:

Lorelei, Marcyc, KimberelyH, Miscka, Phoenixgirl, Linda W, Appletini, Love2Travel, Skippy123, and Amanda.Rx.

So off to a new week with a new daily checklist. So far so good.

This week I thought I''d try something else as well. Eliminate the sugar soda - and just take NoDoz.... (I can''t handle the sugar free additives in most diet drinks).

Lets see how well I survive the week (and yes I will by crook or hook).

Perry

 

[Rod]

Hey, it''s late and I''m totally beat. This will be short short short.......

Long day for sure. Worked a full 10 hours, but did sleep OK last night. Left work at six and went straight to the gym. It was a total madhouse and with so many people it was hot hot hot. If nothing else, I sweated buckets and got in a really intense workout. Had a nice healthy salad for dinner and a fresh Georgia peach for dessert. Went back to work and now it''s time to get some sleep.

Liike I said, this has to be short. Sorry for not responding to anyone personally, but I can barely keep my eyes open.

No gym tomorrow. We''re having sushi tomorrow night, so I''ll have more time to write tomorrow.

Sleep well everyone.

 

[KimberlyH]

Today was good and active! I babysat this afternoon which meant playing in the park and going for a hike. We had a delicious dinner, tenderloin w/ a mole sauce and fruit salad, and I''m getting ready to crawl into bed and watch some TV.

Skip, the movies was hysterically dark, or darkly hysterical. I''m not sure you''d like it, but it was certainly good. DH usually drives when we go out, but I don''t mind the bridge. There''s another way into Coronado, though, if the bridge really bugs you, it''s through Imperial City, you just drive across the strand.

Have a great night all.

 

[marcy]

Hi everyone. I am rather sleepy since I’ve been up 18 hours now. This will be quick. I picked up some baked chicken in the deli, 45 calorie sliced bread and baked lays for my lunches this week. Marty hates sandwiches but I don’t mind them and it makes for easy lunches. He is in Arizona through Friday.
I went to school this afternoon and found out they are trying to eliminate adjuncts as well as teachers who don’t have a masters in their fields. That’s bad news for me on both counts. I only have a BS and it’s not in astronomy. Oh well, there isn’t anything I can do about it so why worry?

Miscka, cupcakes and cake certainly call my name too. Good for you resisting them at the market last night. I live in Wyoming. The Kentucky Blue sapphire is what the store calls them – they are very similar to gem color tanzanite.

PhoenixGirl, glad to hear you got in a run today. I have heard almond butter is good but I haven’t tried it.

Linda, glad to hear there is not any smoke there today. Congratulations for loosing 3 pounds! Woo hoo!

Appletini, yay for looking muscular.

Love2Travel, glad you got in some running time this weekend.

Skippy, I think I get more snacky on the weekend and I think my problem is we are less regimented then. During the week I have set times I eat; on weekends we don’t eat at the same time. I am enjoying my new laptop. I printed out all my photos from our trip tonight now I have to go through them and whittle them down to 200 for our album.

Amanda, I notice healthy food is always pricier. That’s okay though because a few extra dollars for healthy food is nothing compared to medical bills.

Perry, yay for making it through some check lists.

Rod, you certainly had a long day. I am nodding off myself here. It’s about 10:30.

Kimi, glad to hear you had a good and active day.

Well, I am off to bed. Take care.
Marcy

 

[phoenixgirl]

Perry, I think you''ll see a big difference after eliminating the sugar soda. I don''t drink diet soda either. I don''t really have a scientific reason for this other than I like to look at the ingredients of what I''m consuming and recognize all of them. It also sort of creeps me out to think of those sweeteners faking out my body.

I drink lemon or peach Honest Tea now. I tried a few other things -- The Switch soda, but it was high calorie and too sweet, and plain old flavored fizzy water (the natural kind, not the kind with Splenda) -- but Honest Tea has been the one I''ve stuck with. It has caffeine and organic cane sugar, so a little bit of a pick me up, but only 63 calories per bottle.


Last night I cooked whole grain pasta with Italian turkey sausage, arugula, and cherry tomatoes from the EatingWell for Two cookbook. A friend of DH''s couldn''t get to his house due to some kind of police blockade, so ironically I had to triple the recipe from my cookbook for two (it was 400 calories per serving, and I figured even doubling it might not be enough for two men and me). I had about one serving and they each had about two (they are both cyclists and need to eat a lot). Tonight some of the remaining sausage will go into a stuffing for bell peppers.

Today I don''t have anything I need to do, so I''m going to walk a piece of mail over to its rightful owner (we''re the same house number and street name but different direction). I know I could just leave it for the postman, but what else am I doing? It will be about two miles total. Then I''ll relax some, and then do a Firm workout in the afternoon. I''m leaving my step and weights in the living room for the remainder of the summer so that I don''t have to worry about the basement being hot.

 

[Lorelei]

* question*

PG, you reminded me, how do you find the step workouts ? You have whetted my interest, so I am wondering whether to get one....

 

[lliang_chi]

Hello all,

I''m new on this thread. Some of the ladies started a similar one over on BWW. I was wondering if any of you ladies ever did a triathlon before? I did one a few years ago and didn''t train/prep for it. Basically just showed up. I finished, but I was pretty slow. FI & I signed up for one in Lake Geneva , WI this Sept that we''re going to actually try to train for. I did my first BRICK yesterday. 10 mi bike, & almost 3 mile run. I feel like blech!! my shoulders were sore from the position on the bike. any tips?

Thanks,
Lisa

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/15/2008 10:47:26 AM
Author: lliang_chi
Hello all,

I''m new on this thread. Some of the ladies started a similar one over on BWW. I was wondering if any of you ladies ever did a triathlon before? I did one a few years ago and didn''t train/prep for it. Basically just showed up. I finished, but I was pretty slow. FI & I signed up for one in Lake Geneva , WI this Sept that we''re going to actually try to train for. I did my first BRICK yesterday. 10 mi bike, & almost 3 mile run. I feel like blech!! my shoulders were sore from the position on the bike. any tips?

Thanks,
Lisa

Welcome to the thread Lisa!

This thread has been going for a few years now, it used to be called the Weekly Workout Thread, but recently we adapted it to make it more user friendly for those who wanted to make healthier lifestyle choices, rather than having the focus on just workouts.

I am sure you will get some good tips on this type of training from some of the runners/ racers here!

 

[lliang_chi]

Sounds great Lorilei! Looking forward to being a part of this!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/15/2008 11:35:05 AM
Author: lliang_chi
Sounds great Lorilei! Looking forward to being a part of this!

Its good to have you with us!

 

[phoenixgirl]

Lorelei, they sell The Firm (steps and DVDs) in Target stores around here and on Amazon.com. You need to get your own handweights. They call for light weights (approx. 3 lbs. each), medium (5 lbs. each), and heavy (8 lbs. each). The Firm's website says they only ship to the US and Canada, so I'm sure you can get the DVDs in the UK but am not sure about the step without paying lots of shipping costs. However, you can easily improvise with any kind of exercise step (something like this) or even a sturdy stool.

I checked the UK Amazon and it has the latest incarnation of their system, but that's the one where they stopped using the step.

Body Sculpting Systems I and II (same as I but with a sculpting stick) go along with the "Fanny Lifter" (called the Firm Sculpting System here). It has two stackable steps, maybe 12" square, which are 6" and 8" high, together marking a 14" step.

System III used "the Firm Box," which was one wider piece (maybe 12" by 24") with little legs that popped out on each side to make it go from 6" to 14" high. It could also be used on an incline.

System IV combined the ideas of I and III into the "Transfirmer" (I know, I know, how do they come up with these names?). You can use the 6" and 8" steps separately, you can place the 6" on an incline against the 8", or you can place them side by side for lunges or cardio. I have the Transfirmer and use it do some of the DVDs from System III.

If you can find a step system that will work, these are some DVDs I recommend (I only picked ones that said PAL -- not sure if that was right):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Firm-Body-S...ef=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1216139642&sr=8-6
Supercharged Sculpting
Complete Body Sculpting
Complete Aerobics and Weight Training (uses their weighted stick -- handweights can be substituted)
Total Muscle Shaping
Aerobic Body Shaping

These are the five I do most regularly. Some of their DVDs have more of a cardio/aerobic focus, but since I run I want my home workouts to be more weights-focused.

Any of their DVDs released in 2007 do not use any steps, just handweights.

 

[Lorelei]

Thanks so much PG, that is really helpful info, I appreciate it!!!

Hey Monnie are you out there??

 

[Skippy123]

Afternoon all! I went to the grocery store and the checker asked me about the Weight Watcher ice cream cones; she sounded interested in the program so she said she would join because she wants to eat healthier. It made me happy I could encourage someone so she might show up to my WW meeting. Have a great day all

Rod, Charlie sounds like he is doing well for RH!! Enjoy your workout and hope you sleep well!

Marcy, I hope you slept well and get to go to bed earlier. I hope you keep teaching astronomy!

Lorelei, hope it isn''t too humid from all the rain!

Amanda do you pack snacks? Your grocery''s sound good!

Perry, hello, good for you eliminating soda!

Kimi, yay for the hike and your dinner sounds yummy!

Welcome Lisa, good for you biking and running!!

 

[KimberlyH]

Hi All,

Had a good day. Went out to lunch with a co-worker and ate more cals than normal, but got some good insight about our kids so it was worth it. Worked out, making dinner in a bit.

Have a great evening.

 

[Rod]

Hey There......Another ''uber'' long day. But a good one workwise. I''ve made really good progress at work and they seem very happy with my progress. I signed up a new client last week on my 8th day with my new company. So, that was good. I got to work at 7:45 this AM (yuck), but at least I''m adjusting to getting up so early. And I didn''t leave work till 6:15. Charlie and I were supposed to meet for Sushi at 6:15, but he was in the middle of a big sale at Restoration, so he didn''t actully arrive until 6:45, so I just sat and sipped on a Sapporo until he arrived. After dinner, we went to the Sbucks closer to our condo and had a nice cup of decaf and we split a donut. Oh my, I hadn''t had a donut in, well I can''t remember when I last had one, so it was a super nice treat. Now, I''m doing some work and finally getting around to checking my home email and the HLT. Tomorrow, will be another long day, but it''s also a workout day for me, so I won''t get home tomorrow night until after 9 PM.

I''m sorry for not being able to comment to everyone individually, accept to say hey to Kimberly, Marcy, phoenix, Lorelei, liang (welcome liang), and dear Skippy.

I''ll check in tomorrow night. Sleep well everyone!

 

[Skippy123]

Kimi, glad you had a productive lunch; I bet the kids you teach just love you!!!

Rod, sending you a big hug; glad you had sushi night and sweet dreams to you!!!

I am such a nerd I am watching Alfred Hitchcock! hehe Have a good evening all

 

[Amanda.Rx]

Date: 7/15/2008 10:47:26 AM
Author: lliang_chi
Hello all,

I''m new on this thread. Some of the ladies started a similar one over on BWW. I was wondering if any of you ladies ever did a triathlon before? I did one a few years ago and didn''t train/prep for it. Basically just showed up. I finished, but I was pretty slow. FI & I signed up for one in Lake Geneva , WI this Sept that we''re going to actually try to train for. I did my first BRICK yesterday. 10 mi bike, & almost 3 mile run. I feel like blech!! my shoulders were sore from the position on the bike. any tips?

Thanks,
Lisa

Hello all! I finally motivated myself to go to the gym today- I lifted weights and then biked for 45 min. For dinner, I fixed salmon & shrimp with whole grain rice, asaparagus and a spinach salad (leftovers will be taken to work tomorrow)

Lisa,
Welcome! I''ve actually done a few triathlons! I did the Philadelphia triathlon 2 years in a row (which is an olympic distance) & a sprint tri at home. I''m signed up to do the Washington DC Nation''s tri in September with my SO!
Tri''s are a LOT of fun! I started out in life as a swimmer, so I had to learn to bike and run. Bricking is WAY tough the first time you do it- I felt like I couldn''t pick up my feet at all the first time a tried it. Kudos to you for trying it though! It''s gets a little easier the more you do it.
On the bike- try to relax, lower your shoulders and try not to "tense up." (I''ll catch myself doing this, especially uphill) You''ll be sore for a while, but the more you ride, the better it gets.
How long is the Lake Geneva tri?

Skippy, I do pack snacks- usually a nonfat yogurt (100 calories) or cottage cheese... then also either a piece of fruit & a granola bar (also 100 calories or so...)

Perry, good job on trying to eliminate Soda- they are really terrible for you! I usually try to drink nothing but water (and ocasionally coffee when I need the caffeine, but I drink it black). Do you think you could ever get to the point where you eliminate caffeine all together? I''ve tried- it''s really tough. I''m pretty good about it now (just b/c I started to get too lazy to make coffee in the morning)- I had a killer headache for about a week, but once the addiction subsides- it''s not too bad. Now I just need to get some more sleep

Phoenixgirl, where did you get the EatingWell for Two Cookbook? It''s just me and my SO- and portion control is tough... we usually just buy meat in packs of 2 & serve it with rice and veggies- it gets really boring after a while- and SO won''t really eat left overs (but I do- just can''t eat the same thing 4 days in a row).

To everyone else- get some sleep! That''s a big part of being healthy too (which I am TOTALLY guilty of- I never get enough!)

 

[iheartscience]

Hi everybody! I''ve been slacking as far as posting here (school is kicking my butt right now!) but I have been being pretty healthy. I do think posting here keeps me on top of my game, especially when it comes to thinking about my Coke and food intake, so I''m going to try to keep posting regularly!

I hope everyone is doing well!

And I have to give a shout out to marcyc for hitting the big 160 mark-congratulations!

 

[marcy]

Hi everyone. I did get to bed a little early last night and slept pretty well.
Today I left a baked potato in the oven to be ready when I got home and cooked a hamburger on the grill to go with it. I ate some assorted raw veggies while the burger cooked.
Tonight I made chocolate chip cookies to take in to work tomorrow. I ate a little bit of dough and one hot cookie. I promised my team I’d make some cookies once I reached my goal so they reminded me yesterday I owed them cookies.
I also just submitted a story and photo to People and Good Housekeeping plus got a letter ready to send to Oprah. We’ll see if anything comes of it.
Phoenix Girl, your pasta sounds great. I hope you enjoyed a nice walk while delivering some mail.
Hi Lorelei!
Welcome to the HLT group, Lisa. Yay for doing your first BRICK yesterday. Sounds like a great workout.
Skippy, good for you recruiting someone for WW. I hope to keep teaching as well – I’d miss my classes and my spending money.
Kimi, sometimes we just have to go out for lunch and splurge a little. It sounds like it was a productive lunch as well.
Rod, sorry for a long day but glad to hear you are making progress on work.
Amanda, glad to hear you made it to the gym today.
Thing2of2, thanks for the congratulations. I am very excited. Glad to hear you are being pretty healthy even though you are so busy.
Take care!
Marcy

 

[Linda W]

YAY YAY YAY Marcy!!! I am so happy you submitted those stories. I am confident they will contact you. I can''t wait to hear!!!!

Your story deserves to be told. You have worked so hard, with NO help at all from surgery, diet pills, etc. You did it All By Yourself, with will power and plain old hard work. We are proud of Our Marcy