Healthier Lifestyle Thread 26th October till 1st November

[Lorelei]

Yikes - NOVEMBER!!!!

Time is flying!

Happy new week all!

Thinking to myself today how grateful I am that I finally learned how to keep my weight and fitness under control, its a great feeling. The path isn't always full of roses as we all know, sometimes it can feel like a drag having to eat carefully and workout but whenever these feelings strike, I think back to how it used to be when I wasn't as careful.

This is my list of positive benefits which keeps me motivated;

feeling good about myself and being able to wear the clothes I want
being active and able to get around easily and briskly
I rarely feel tired and have more energy from working out and eating a good diet
The thought of disease and chronic condition prevention is a huge benefit. Better blood pressure, less risk of diabetes, osteoporosis, healthier cardiovascular system, flexible joints etc are all a benefit of working out and eating right.

And there are many more. So when I start to lack motivation I think back to how things used to be and how much better they are now and that gets me back on track. The rewards are immense!

Have a great week

 

[dragonfly411]

Good morning all! Lorelei that was a fantastic opener and I''ll share mine below. But first I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I rand my 5k! I started running.... I finished running. Yes I did walk a few times, I think three total, which wasn''t bad. I absolutely loved it. I finished in 35 mins! YAY!!!!! I''m definitely going to do more! Saturday I ended up having to walk a mile each way to the book sale so that gave me a little exercise, plus lifting books. I also got a C on my quiz this weekend, which is better than nothing. All in all had a great weekend, had so much fun at the run!!!! It was so inspiring as well to see survivors of breast cancer out there running and walking with me, and they announced each as she crossed the finish line. Tonight my dad is coming over for his birthday dinner. I''m making spaghetti and veggies and am going to bake him a cake (though I won''t be joining, I ate way too much junk last week to justify it).

Things that keep me motivated that are positive:
Being comfortable in my skin
Getting to wear the clothes I want and knowing they look good on me
Not feeling weighed down all the time
Knowing that I can go out and run a 5k
The energy boost I get from eating well and exercising.
Knowing I''ll have less health issues, that by eating well, and keeping healthy I won''t be as likely to have heart problems, diabetes or cancer.

 

[tlh]

Lorelei - Good morning! What a great opener! I agree, there are so many benefits to living a healthy lifestyle, that you can soon forget when you slip, but wow, how awesome I feel when I am eating well in addition to being active!

DF- CONGRATS ON YOUR RUN! That is AWESOME! I hope your dad has a nice bday celebration!

marcy- what a scare to almost hit a deer! I''m glad you were alright, and that you got to see the new monk. I do enjoy that show whenever I get a chance to catch it!

Shiny- congrats on yuor 5# weight loss!!!!

skippy- glad you enjoyed your walk, and are continueing w/ your healthy eats!

Rod- I hope your mental health day helped reduce your stress! It must have been nice to do nothing, and just relax while Charlie was away! Enjoy sushi tonight!

Everyone Happy Monday!

This weekend was AWESOME!! My hubs did great and finished his Ironman 70.3 (Half Ironman) in under 5 1/2 hours. I was super pumped for him. He was worried because of the shoulder injury from the car accident, but he did great. He joked that it was like running a half marathon after shopping all day - and still maintains that running sucks and he hates it... which is funny since I love it so much! I ran a half marathon just to burn enough calories to be able to join him on his post race celebration (mexican food and a couple beers)... which really made standing & walking around for 8 hours (setup- the race, and the post race celebration) tough on my legs and feet... and he thinks I''m crazy to run that for fun. *sigh* Oh well. So this morning I did not run, as I wanted him to be able to sleep in- as he was EXHAUSTED- probably from drinking 12 beers afterwards. Those triathletes are crazy post race drinkers! But it was a lot of fun. His folks didn''t hold up so well - but they still cheered him on- when they could. It was a great weekend, and I''m super proud of my hubs!

"you can quit and no one will really care....but you will always know"- john colins

 

[Skippy123]

Morning Friends!!!

I had a good weekend; did some hiking and walking! it is super duper cold out here; it is in the 40's right now but we will warm to 59 degrees. I made some really good recipes and posted them in the sticky; hubby's favorite was the marmalade chicken. hehe It was fun trying some new recipes which are healthy to change things up a bit.

Oh I decided to buy Halloween candy on Saturday so I am not tempted by it. hehe Out of sight out of mind for me. I know people can have piece here and there but I know myself already so it stays at the store till Saturday.

Hope everyone has a great and healthy new week!

ROD, yay for unplugging; I read somewhere we are too plugged in so it is hard for our minds to shut off at night. Yay for Charlie being back and having a mental break from work! hugs

MARCY, is it super cold out there too like us? We are suppose to maybe get some snow on Wed but I am hoping they are wrong!!!

DRAGON, woohoo for your run! Aren't seeing all those runners inspiring; if I live out in FL I would run all the time. hehe I loved doing the 5k run this summer; I want to do more too! CONGRATS!!!

TLH, OM goodness, that is so awesome of your hubby, wow!!! HUGE CONGRATS!!!!! YAY FOR YOUR RUN 1/2 marathon, wowzers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATS.

LORELEI, excellent points. Sometimes when I am tempted by something I think of those excellent points you make and wearing skinny clothes feels the best!!! Great opener friend!!

 

[somethingshiny]

Hello, HLTers!

Great opener as usual, Lorelei. You''ve got me thinking I should be creating a list as I go of the benefits that I''m seeing. Words keep me motivated more than anything else.

Marcy~ Those airport trips sound terrible, but glad you made it through the rain and the fog and home to your biscuits!! I haven''t made biscuits in years, they sound delicious!! btw-you HAVE to try the candy that you give out. You need to make sure it''s safe for the kiddies!

df~ WOW!! Congratulations!!!! You did it and you did it well! Big high five! Enjoy the birthday dinner!!

tlh~ Yay for your DH! That''s amazing!

SKippy~ Yay for a great hike! I read your recipe on the other thread. I''m thinking of making a couple substitutions and trying it.

Rod~ Hope you unplugged successfully!

So today I took a "before" pic. Hopefully within a few months I''ll have great "after" pics like so many of you! I did 30 min of cardio and 30 min of strength training. I''ve found a couple more programs on my On Demand that I like. There''s a new yoga that I''ll probably be trying later today too.

Sis came home yesterday so we got together and had some pizza. I decided to bring salad too. My family usually eats MANY pizzas, but we actually had a whole one left over! Seems the salad was good for many of us.

That''s all from me. Have a great week!!

 

[Skippy123]

SS, congrats again on the 5 lb loss

Yay for doing a before and after pic and eating healthy with your family, huge kudos!!! wohoo for left over pizza!

 

[somethingshiny]

Skip~ Thanks!

 

[dragonfly411]

SS I can''t wait to see your after pics!!!

I think it takes time to REALLY notice benefits. I didn''t realize until months and months after I started just how much more energy I really had. And I notice when I lose energy when I fall of the wagon a bit. This week I fell off the food wagon just from being so busy, had fast food a couple of times, and went out for Mexican... my food allergies have been acting up all weekend now. I notice that a lot.

 

[tlh]

Skippy- OMG I know what you mean. I can''t have candy laying around the house either... but my husband is the really bad culprit! So we just keep it all packaged in the sealed outter bag until halloween, then we''ll open when the kids come by. We used to have out in a giant pumpkin... but it would always empty before the big day. So we''ll see how it turns out keeping it sealed!

shiny- glad you are helping the family w/ healthy eats, and the salad! That is awesome!

DF- sorry to read you have food allergies! I hope that now that you are back on the healthy eats wagon that you''ll start to pep back up again!

 

[deegee]

Lorelei - I totally agree with your list, and the rewards are indeed immense! I''m looking forward to my upcoming trip to Florida, and being able to pack more clothes in my suitcase because they''re a bunch of sizes smaller than the last time I went on a trip. It''s too bad I only have a few things in my new size! My blood pressure has gone down considerably, I have more energy and have built up endurance. I feel so much better, and my family, friends and co-workers have noticed!

Dragonfly - Congrats on your 5k! Great job!! I''m glad you had a good time. And have a wonderful time with your dad. I had spaghetti and veggies for dinner tonight too. Yum.

tlh - Yay for your hubby, and for you too! My neighbors are leaving for their morning run just as I''m heading to work in the morning. Of course, I think they''re both nuts! They run 5 miles to the YMCA for a workout, and then 5 miles back home afterwards. Nuts, I tell ya!!!

Skippy - I haven''t bought Halloween candy yet either. Our WW leader brought in a sheet listing how many points each of the various fun size candy bars have. I think we all were in shock! I stuck it on the fridge so that I wouldn''t be tempted to eat anything. I can avoid candy with no problem, but if I eat one, the whole bag is MINE!

shiny - Yay for taking a before picture! I''m kicking myself for not taking one, and for not taking measurements of any kind. I would love to know how many inches I''ve lost, but that info just isn''t available. The pizza and salad combo is one of my favorite meals. I saved my points all day on Saturday so that we could have it for dinner, and I ended up getting some serious heartburn afterwards! I even blotted the grease off the top of the pizza. Congrats on the 5 lbs. I found that when I started eating a little more, I started losing more weight. Go figure.

Hi Marcy! Glad you didn''t hit the deer, but how scary!!!

Rod - I''m a big believer in mental health days. I hope it helped, and you were able to recharge. Here''s hoping for less stress at work!

I''m having a hungry day today. I didn''t eat a good breakfast, and I''ve been starving all day. I''m going to try to walk early so I can get to bed early and avoid evening snacking. I hate when I have days like this! Good night everyone, and have a great day tomorrow!!

 

[Rod]

Hey........It was an OK day at work, but I''ve felt kind of off most of the day. I hope I''m not coming down with something, but it kind of feels like I could be catching a slight cold. I picked Charlie up at the airport after work and we met our next door neighbor for Monday nigth Sushi. She''s a wonderful neighbor. At 62, she look''s like she''s 40. If I''m OK tomorrow, it will be a gym night.

Thanks for reminding us of all the wonderful reasons we work out and do out best to be healthy Lorelei!!

Marcy, I''m glad the trips to Hong Kong are just about over fro Marty. That''s such a grueling trip........

YAYAYAYAY Dragon!!!!! We''re all so proud of you for doing your first 5K and in 35 minutes no less. That''s a big Woo Hoo! Here''s to your next one.....

Thanks tlh, it was nice to have a mental break day!! Please congratulate your husband on the Maraghon. I''m glad his shoulder didn''t interfere at all. 12 beers, wow, I''m sure he really needed to hydrate after 5.5 hours of the race.........

I''m glad you hada good weekend dear Skippy. Boo for super duper cold, but YAY for braving the cold to do some hiking and walking. It turned back into summer down here again. Yummm to marmalade chicken! We don''t have to by halloween candy as there aren''t many children in our condo and it wouldn''t be fun for children as we live on secure floors.

I did unplug successfully SS!! I''m really looking forward to the before and after SS pics!!!

YAY for being able to pack smaller clothes for your trip to FL deegee!! I don''t usually take a mental health day, but I think I''ll do it more often now!! I hope you got in your good walk and avoided the snackies.

OK, time to ''unplug'' and relax before heading to bed......sleep well everyone.......

 

[dragonfly411]

Hey everyone! Thanks for the big cheers, I really appreciate it. It was really rewarding, and very inspiring to see survivors finishing as well. Dinner was mostly a success lol. The cake was a complete failure. I guess I don''t handle simplicity well. I did boxed vanilla cake with choco icing..... didn''t have oil for the cake so used applesauce.... the icing took the entire top layer off the cake... and there wasn''t enough icing. LOL. Everyone enjoyed it nonetheless. I also did no sugar added ice cream. The spaghetti was delicious as were the veggies. I didn''t get to work out due to laundry and test review that needed to be done. I''m sucking at this section of the algebra right now.... adding/subtracting and multiplying fractional polynomials = bleh.

TLH - that is awesome for your hubby!! What an accomplishment! As to the food allergies, it is mainly cheeses... I can''t eat too many of them within a certain period or I get a cough.... also white flours (white breads, white pastas). I have to do whole wheats. It sucks b/c I LOVE cheese.

Skippy - go make some hot cocoa!

deegee- I hope you get a nice big breakie today!

Rod - I want to age like your neighbor! Take some aireborne and some vitamin C! I hope you feel better!

 

[tlh]

deegee- I am sorry you are having a snack attack! I find that when I have one, I don''t run, I walk. I''ll walk at a nice slow 3mph pace, for 2 hours or so... as it keeps me away from temptation and snacks... and then when I get home, I''ll shower, drink a bunch of water and head off to bed. I find that is the cure for my snack attacks - at least during the home hours! I totally feel your pain!

Rod- I hope you are doing alright, and had a nice time w/ Charlie and your neighbor! I gave my husband mad props for you!

DF- I hope your HW gets easier! I love applesauce in my cake, but yeah, you have to be careful and allow the cake to cool to ice it... as it does make it a bit... spongier than w/ oil. I''m glad everyone including you had a nice time!!! I''m sorry that it is cheese and white flour! WOW! I like some cheeses but have to be careful, because it isn''t a running friendly food. IT gives you the brick tummy. I like the WW flavor, so it isn''t a big loss w/ the whites... but man... I couldn''t imagine! As you train for your half marathon, find food that works for you. My favorite dish is actually chicken noodle soup in a bread bowl - over pasta. it keeps me hydrated WAY better! How is your training coming along?

Everyone Happy Tuesday!

Went for a run this am. I think I found the little dipper, Marcy! I''m not sure as it was cloudy, but I think I did! I''ll have to check again tomorrow! My husband is recovering from his 70.3 miles of swimming, running, and biking! I think he is milking it a bit more than he should... as he likes the pamper treatment. It is getting a bit chilly now in the mornings - and I may switch up to afternoons... on every other run so that I''m prepared to run in both cold and warmer weather as the race nears. Last night we went to dinner w/ the Inlaws, and they craved Mexican food - but I already had a naughty day this weekend - so I made a special order of the taco salad, no shell, light cheese, no sour cream, grilled chicken instead of beef- and I used pico as salad dressing. It was delicious! And I totally stayed in my calorie range for the day! I was very pleased that I was able to make substitions, and the order came out correct! I know that there ARE healthy things on the menu - but I guess my eyes just naturally gravitate towards the unhealthy as I NEVER used to go out to dinner, and when we would it was a rare treat. But when you have that "treat" mentality and go out A BUNCH, it really packs on the pounds. So I am celebrating my little victory.

George Washington Carver - "Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses."

 

[Skippy123]

Hi friends; I went for a quick walk yesterday (super cold). I need to get back in the gym but I rather be outside, oh well. I think I will make a pot roast tonight w/lots of carrots, celery and potatoes. We haven't had red meat in a long time; I guess we tend to do more fish and chicken dishes, I just noticed.

I can't believe Halloween is this Saturday and then Nov!!! My nephew is going to be a little cowboy; he even has boots and the baby will be a giraffe. hehe

Oh just an FYI , a butterfingers snack size is 100 calories, m&ms are 90 calories, and a snickers is 78 calories and 4 g of fat. I think I will treat myself to one or two on Halloween. oh and the best on the list was one little tootsie pop for 13 calories and the pops are 60 calories. hehe I like to look at the calories for mixed drinks too; I died when I heard some of those fruity drinks were like 400 calories, eek! lol

HAPPY TUES!!!

TLH, hehe to keeping the bags sealed! Last year I had hubby hide the candy but I found them because he had them out in the open.

I took them back to him and told him to do a better job of hiding them. haha Oh we have a giant pumpkin too!!! too funny! Woohooo for your hubby's mileage over the weekend; that is incredible!!! Oh my gosh, I am like you; my eyes go to the naughty stuff on the menu. I will split things too to help! Oh great tips on the walking while snacky; I do that too! It is fun to hear what others do!

DEEGEE, aw, I am sorry; I have those days too. I agree w/TLH walks help get my mind off snacking and also a big cup of hot tea and some carrots. Or how about the 94% fat free popcorn that is 1 pt for 5 cups (Healthy pop)? Oh it would be interesting to hear the points values on the candy's; what was the best item to eat one of? Oh good thinking of sticking it on the fridge; you are such a good WW. I bet our leader did that but I didn't go last week; I should go Sat morning so I am armed for that night. hehe

ROD, glad you had a great time with your neighbor!!! mmmm, sushi! Rod I agree on the airborne but also get to bed early and big hugs.

DRAGON, yum to a healthy cake w/applesauce! Sounds good.

 

[tlh]

skippy thanks for sharing the calorie count on those "fun size" bars! Enough of those, and you aren''t a "fun size" any more!!! The costumes sound great! what a fun way to celebrate halloween with family! I uuber jealous! Hope you get to the gym soon, as the weather has REALLy taken a dip, huh! Have a great day!!!

 

[CrownJewel]

Date: 10/26/2009 11:38:51 AM
Author: tlh
Everyone Happy Monday!

This weekend was AWESOME!! My hubs did great and finished his Ironman 70.3 (Half Ironman) in under 5 1/2 hours. I was super pumped for him. He was worried because of the shoulder injury from the car accident, but he did great. He joked that it was like running a half marathon after shopping all day - and still maintains that running sucks and he hates it... which is funny since I love it so much! I ran a half marathon just to burn enough calories to be able to join him on his post race celebration (mexican food and a couple beers)... which really made standing & walking around for 8 hours (setup- the race, and the post race celebration) tough on my legs and feet... and he thinks I''m crazy to run that for fun. *sigh* Oh well. So this morning I did not run, as I wanted him to be able to sleep in- as he was EXHAUSTED- probably from drinking 12 beers afterwards. Those triathletes are crazy post race drinkers! But it was a lot of fun. His folks didn''t hold up so well - but they still cheered him on- when they could. It was a great weekend, and I''m super proud of my hubs!

''you can quit and no one will really care....but you will always know''- john colins

Ok, I think that will be my inspiration for the week. Thanks tlh! I''m striving to excercise as regularly as you, so that I can burn off calories in preparation for a feast.

This is "germ sharing season", so that was my lame excuse for only getting to the gym once last week.

I felt so out of it last week and took 2 days off of work. Went to a wedding this weekend, which was very nice. Husband starts working next week (thank goodness, because we were really feeling the pinch of relying on my poor little salary). He is considering joining my gym, which is so exciting!! I love my gym more than any other gym I''ve been to. It''s fully equipped, modern, well-kept, but quiet!! never crowded, which I usually find a turn-off when trying to work out.

Lorelei, thanks for posting your motivations. Honestly, you guys are a big part of my motivation. I''m in awe of the dedication everyone on this thread has. When I fall off the wagon, I come back to this thread and read your posts! Other motivations: being able to walk/climb stairs without feeling winded, not feeling guilty when I have an indulgent meal, having more energy, and so much more.

dragon, congrats on the 5K That''s amazing! I hope someday I can do a 5K.

skippy, thanks for posting the recipes. I''m gonna check them out!

ss, those after pics are so awesome. Sounds like you had a great workout yesterday.

deegee, how bout snacking on some veggies? Can you believe my husband likes to snack on radishes? Ick. I hate radishes when they are part of my meal, and I can''t imagine enjoying them as a snack. But cauliflower or brocolli florets dipped in a little bit of salad dressing are yummy and filling!

rod, I hope you''re not getting sick! It is germy season, so take your vitamin C and get plenty of rest. I''m sure you''ve all read the research about those who excercise regularly and get at least 7 hours of sleep a night are less likely to succumb to the viruses that get passed around. That''s another motivation for regular excercise!

Re: the snacks - there was a list in some workout magazine about the best snacks under 100 calories or something like that. i''ll try to dig it up. I remember thinking there were a lot of good ideas in there.

 

[tlh]

Cool CJ! Glad to help! I hate raddishes too! YUK! I can dig some vegtables... but others- heck you can keep ''em in the garden! Exciting about the hubs job and him possibly working out with you! That is awesome! Couples who work out together, tend to stick w/ it longer! I enjoy working out w/ my husband, even if we aren''t doing the same exercises. (Sometimes I hate it when we strength train together...so I actually do my circuits on my own.) The trick w/ working out at the gym, bring your own towel, wash it regularly, don''t touch your face, and thoroughly wash your hands often. I often work out when "sick". If it is above the neck -I''m working out. In the chest, I''ll sit it out. If you find that 100 calorie list, I''d love to read it!!!

 

[Rod]

Hey.....this has to be short as it''s late and I''m tired. I didn''t feel particulary good today, but I wasn''t exactly sick either. I just felt tired and a little run down. I thought about not going to the gym, but then I decided I would go and if I wasn''t doing well, come home. To my surprise, I did better than I would have hoped and did a full an energetic workout. Exercise can be such a postive thing! Tomorrow''s not a gym night, so I''ll write more tomorrow. Thanks for the well wishes everyone. I take lot''s of vitamins every day and I try to get as much sleep as I can (when I can sleep).

OK......off to bed........

 

[marcy]

Hi everyone.We have a winter storm going on right now with 15 – 24 inches of snow expected with wind so the drifts will be fun.I am so excited.I told Marty it’s pretty strange how when he leaves town we get smacked.I hired our lawn service to shovel.I think their fees are horrid (I checked once but don’t remember) but at this point I don’t really care.I am stubborn enough that I would try to shovel out but that much snow would not be something I should be lifting.

I told my students Monday night not to come out there tomorrow night but I had 8 students not show up Monday.I emailed them all to their school emails but I don’t know if they got them or not.If it is bad I don’t plan on going to school to let them know – go home.

I am sure we’ll work tomorrow.I put warm clothes, water and almonds in the car.Our business is a little bit out of town.

Lorelei, I cannot believe it is almost November.Great point about the rewards of being healthy can be very motivating.My rewards would be lower blood pressure, no rapid heartbeat, less knee and feet pain, the ability to walk and walk and walk.I have more energy, I feel better about myself and it’s fun to be able to buy and wear normal sized clothing.

Dragonfly, congratulations on finishing the 5K and how awesome you had such a great time.I have food allergies too.What are the foods that bother you?Glad your dinner went well.

Tlh, your husband did great in his marathon (the race and the drinking).Tell him congratulations for me.That was nice of you to let him sleep in.I am glad to hear you found the Little Dipper.Yay for making a wise and healthy choice at dinner.

Skippy, good plan to leave the candy at the store until Saturday.I have it and tried some this weekend but have left it alone this week.We are cold and snowy.Are you getting snow too?Your roast sounds good.I think I will get out one of my leftovers from last week and heat it up for supper tomorrow.I am sure your nephew will be an adorable cowboy.The baby will be cute as a giraffe.

Somethingshiny, that is right you have to make sure the candy is good before you hand it out.That’s my story and I am sticking to it.Good plan to take a before picture; we will be anxious to see your photos.Taking salad to go with your pizza sounds like a great way to make it a healthier lunch.

Deegee, woo hoo for smaller clothes, lower blood pressure, more energy and more endurance.Good plan to keep busy and avoid snacking.

Rod, I hope you are feeling better and got a good night''s sleep.Glad to hear Charlie made it home safe and sound.

CrownJewel, your gym sounds very nice.That is great your husband starts working next week.That article sounds interesting.

Well, I am going to get ready for bed.I am anxious to see what the storm has brought in the morning.Ugh I wish Marty was here to take us to work in his giant truck.

Take care.

Marcy

 

[Skippy123]

Morning!!! It is raining raining raining. I went for a quick walk yesterday and did some sit ups and push ups. I hope to again today; hopefully it will stop raining. We don't have snow but I saw on the news Denver does; I guess they are the center of where the system is right now. It will be in the mid 40's but we are suppose to warm to the mid 60's. I have been loving Fuji apples lately, super yummy! hehe

Have a GREAT day friends

MARCY, stay warm; did you get snow like Denver?

ROD, glad you had a fabulous workout!!! Hope you feel 100%

TLH, hehe on the snack size making us not fun size. Too funny!

CJ, yay for you and your hubby working out together!!! how is the weather out in NY?

 

[tlh]

ROD_ that your workout got you back into your 2nd wind! I love it when I get out of my funk by exercise!

Marcy- WOW, that is some snow storm! I wouldnt want to dig my way out of that either! That is nice that you are worried about your student''s safety. Hopefully they will check their emails - and if they don''t well, that is their problem for missing monday''s lecture and NOT checking email. It is really kind of you to worry though. I told my hubs congrats and he said THANKS!

skippy- yum I love fuji apples and the honeycrisp ones are pretty good too!!!

Hello and happy weds!

Today is terrific! I was staring up into the sky and found this TINY constellation that looked like an upside down kite, kinda by Casseopia (Marcy what is this?) I mean it was tiny, if I stuck my tumb up - it would have covered the entire thing! It was so clear I could see it, and usually it is blotted out by city lights/ clouds. But it was way cool! I started off my morning run (BRRRRR!) with my husband, but he couldn''t make it half a mile without cramping and bizzare pain in his joints, so I let him turn around and I kept going. I guess he had a right to complain, as he is just a bit sore - so I had him promise he''d ice up, and I did my run- came home, and threw together a slow cooker chili. My hubs was kind enough to brown the meat - since he couldn''t run with me- which is nice- because it helps drain off the excess grease! I felt it was finally cold enough for chili! So I''m stoked. I also found a new black bean soup recipe on Spark that I''m gonna try out - I''m all about crock potting! I guess that is all for me! Just trying to make it over the hump!

"Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret, for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true."
~Robert Brault

 

[dragonfly411]

Good morning everyone. Well last night was mostly spent studying for a test today but I DID run the stairs 20 times and got in 50 crunches and 100 cross punches, so that was good for a little spoof of exercise. We had fajitas for dinner. This morning I ate two breakfast burritos (horrible I know but...) mainly a) I was really hungry and b) I was really cold. They''ll keep me full till lunch which will be veggies only.

Marcy - In answer to your questions, I mostly react to cheeses and white flours. I''m more ok with yellow cheeses (which aren''t as great) and I''m fine if I eat swiss. But otherwise cheeses make me cough like crazy. I avoid white pastas and white breads like the plague... also white flour cake. I make all of my cakes with whole grain flour. I also tend to react if I drink any kind of soda (I sometimes have a diet when I''m out and know the place''s water tastes like chlorine), which I think is the syrups. I don''t eat maple syrup, although honey doesn''t bother me. I also tend to react to some dairy/creamy condiments (ranch, sour cream if I eat too much, mayo) but not to yogurt or milk or cottage cheese or feta (odd right?). I won''t say that I''m allergic to meats, but my body WILL NOT swallow most beef (hamburgers I''m fine) or any pork.... mainly a texture thing... it''s like my body won''t accept it as chewed up... I can chew for ages with meat and still my body won''t swallow it. People wonder why I don''t eat meat, and say I MUST have a problem with eating animals.... not so. I seriously just can''t swallow the stuff, my throat closes up. Meanwhile though, I can eat most game? I can eat venison if it is tender enough (if it''s tough same deal though.... can''t swallow), and wild hog. I can eat fish, and most of the time chicken is ok. I haven''t found any fruits or vegetables that bother me at all, and I''m perfectly ok with all nuts and shellfish. I can eat grains if they are whole grain (wheat mostly).

 

[somethingshiny]

fly by---------

I just finished 30 mins of cardio and 45 mins of ball. I decided to go until I was shaking. Now I''m not stopping. I need a snack and lots of water. bye for now.

 

[CrownJewel]

good job SS!! sounds like you had an awesome workout.

Here''s the link to the snack awards: Healthy Snack Awards 2009. It''s from Shape magazine. Here''s the preface:

Over the past few months, a group of editors and readers have noshed their way through hundreds of new products and selected the 27 must eat treats of the year. As always, flavor and the satisfaction factor were major considerations, but we also made sure each product met our strict nutritional standards (see below). And to make it even easier for you to find the perfect snack, we split the finalists into three calorie categories: 100 or less, 150 or less, and 200 or less. Fill your cart with our picks and you''ll always have a delicious winner on hand.
What Makes a Product a Shape Best-Snack Winner?
> 200 calories or less (except the mini meals)
> 0 grams of trans fat and no more than 3.5 grams of saturated fat
> No more than 400 milligrams of sodium (except mini meals)
> No high-fructose corn syrup
> Calorie-controlled portions, whole grains, little added sugar, and extra vitamins or minerals all got special consideration

 

[deegee]

Good evening everyone!

Rod - Sorry you're feeling down a bit, and hope you're doing better. I saw an interesting headline somewhere today that I meant to go back to ready the story, but now I can't remember where I saw the headline! It had something to do with exercise being good medicine when you're feeling a little under the weather.

Marcy - I don't blame you for having your lawn service shovel the snow. I'm sure it's well worth it. My in-laws lived in Montana for 14 years, and my MIL complained about snow from September through May. I don't blame her! I don't mind a little snow, but only if I can stay home and not get on the roads. We haven't had snow, but we've had lots of rain and weird temperatures. One day it will be in the 20's, and 70's the next day.

Skippy - there were no good choices on that list of candy! One miniature Reese's peanut butter cup has one point, but who can eat just one? Most of the fun size bars have 2 points, some have 3. I'm really stingy with my points these days and don't waste them on small portions of candy. My snacky day is over, thank goodness!

tlh - I drank so much water when I had the major munchies that I was up 2 pounds on the scale the next morning! I knew it was water, so it didn't bother me. I have learned to make special requests at restaurants. I used to feel really bad, but I'm determined not to blow it. The server told me the other night that I really confused the kitchen staff when I ordered my chicken parmesan with grilled chicken and no cheese, but linguine with marinara sauce and grilled chicken wasn't on the menu!

Hi Shiny & Dragonfly!

CJ - I'm glad you posted that article on snacks. I haven't seen several of those items (I live in the middle of nowhere), so I'll be on the lookout the next time I go shopping.

Today was weigh-in day, and I have officially lost 51 pounds. Woo-hoo!!!! 9 more to go to reach my adjusted goal... I have had to start wearing my ering and wband on my right hand because they're slipping off my left. Most of my fingers on my right hand have been broken (no shock there, I have balance issues), so the knuckle on my ring finger won't allow my rings to slip off. They may spin, but they're not coming off! I have been putting off having them resized because I want to have them reset in platinum for my anniversary, if I can ever pick something out.

On another note, it has been in the news all week that our public employees insurance agency is considering raising premiums for employees who are overweight. That didn't go over well at all, so today they rephrased it to say that people who are not overweight will have a premium reduction. They're going to require bloodwork each year, and make the determination based on the results of the bloodwork and your BMI. It looks like I lost weight just in time! Of course the whole idea may get shot down, but I wonder if just the idea will scare people into trying to lose weight, or at least to eat healthier. Maybe I won't have such a hard time getting people to join our WW at work group the next round. Have a great Thursday!

 

[marcy]

Hi everyone!

Skippy, did you get snow in the mountains?We are getting more snow than Denver, the mountains are all getting about double what we are getting.The Fuji apples have been great.

Tlh, thanks for relaying my congrats to your husband.He is quite welcome.I was glad to hear they did cancel school tonight.Generally I do think if they miss school and don’t check their email too bad but I would hate for someone to be out in this stuff for no reason.Is your little kite between Cassiopeia and the Little Dipper?There is a stick house figure there known as Cepheus.If it is past the Little Dipper and Cassiopeia towards the East it could be an ever opening V and that is Andromeda.If it is higher in the sky but towards the east and below Cassiopeia it is part of Perseus.Perseus looks to me like to giant “C”s back to back.High overhead is Auriga – a pentagon shape with a bright orange-yellow star named Capella.Don’t run in to anything trying to find all this stuff.I just noticed you said it is tiny so it is probably the end of Perseus.If you go running next Thursday morning look for the moon.It will be by a tiny little dipper looking group of stars know as Pleiades.It is one of my favorite open cluster of stars.I hope your DH is feeling better tonight.

Dragonfly, sounds like you had a wide range of food allergies too.I can’t eat turkey, onion, peppers, pepperoni, rhubarb, aspartame, milk, sour cream at all.I get bothered by cashews, cheese, almonds, peaches, corn, chicken, eggs, bananas, strawberries, oats, pineapple, potatoes, fructose, garlic, milk and spices but can tolerate them in small doses occasionally. Combinations of things are almost impossible to figure out.They give me gastrochrome to mix with water and it works well with some food reactions.I took it daily for years and it really helped.Now I only take it if I am having a bad reaction.Some foods don’t make me sick but give me hives.It is a wonder how I ever ate enough to be as big as I was with all my food allergies.

I know part of my problem was my body does not process foods I am allergic to properly.The last time I ate turkey I thought I was going to the hospital I was so sick.Now chicken is starting to do the same thing to me but not as severe.My dad has very bad reactions to fish and since we have similar allergies I just never ate them growing up so I don’t know if I have the same problem with fish.

Somethingshiny, yay for 30 minutes of cardio.

CrownJewel, thank you for the link to the Healthy snacks.I love those peppercorn sun chips and popcorn is always good.Of course I like mine with butter followed up by chocolate.

Deegee, I think exercise can cheer a person up.It sounds like you are having wild temperature changes.It is hard to know how to dress on days like that.I had on a thermal shirt, a fleece sweater and a fleece vest today.About 30 minutes after getting home I was boiling. Congratulations on losing 51 pounds.Picking out a platinum ring for a reset sounds like a fun project.That is kind of scary about what they are doing at work with weight.We have to sign a non tobacco pledged in order to get the company contribution to our health savings card.We also fill out a health questionnaire which offers suggestions on how to improve your health but so far they don’t charge any differently for premiums.

I woke up to about 6 inches of snow.The power went out while I was in the shower.First I thought I was going blind or had soap in my eyes or something then I realized it was just simply dark.I felt around for my shampoo and conditioner and found my towels okay.About then the lights came on so I rounded up tap lights and placed around the house.The roads were very icy but I got to work okay.They told us to go home about 3 but we are way behind (not our fault but we had things we need to do) so I stayed until 4 and my swing shift guy was still there when I left.The worst spot coming home was my driveway.I don’t know if I can get out tomorrow.We are expecting about 6 to 10 more inches by tomorrow night with drifting.Aak.I can work from home so maybe if it’s bad I will just do that.Don’t know for sure.They cancelled school tonight.I was relieved to hear that.Monday I told the students there not to come tonight (the forecast nailed this storm really well) but 8 students were not there on Monday so I worried they would show up anyway.

I made nachos tonight with left over taco stuff.I swear you get the most food for your calories with tacos.2 shells, 96% lean hamburger and 2% cheese plus lettuce and tomatoes really hit the spot tonight.

Take care.

Marcy

 

[Rod]

Hey.......I felt a teensy bit bit better today, but I am fighting something. I don''t have a fever, or a sore throat, or a bad cough, or congestion, but I''m just feeling run down. It was an ''uber'' long work day. I''ve got candidates interviewing, which is positive. We had salad for dinner and Charlie had some chicken noodle soup waiting for me. You know what they say about chicken noodle soup when you''re not feeling 100%. I am planning to go to the gym tomorrow night. It will make me feel better for sure..........

15 - 24 inches of the white cold, you gotta shovel it, cars run into each other, if it''s wet, power lines fall, getting to work is a nightmare, you just want to stay home and drink hot chocolate, snow, Marcy??????? Oh my. It isn''t even November. That''s a lot of winter already. I hope you stay safe and I''m glad you paid someone else to shovel you out. It does seem everytime Marty goes to HK, it snows in WY. I think this is reason enough for him to stay home. You can tell I said so...........Of course while you''re having a blizzard, summer seems to have returned down here. Even I''m tired of this forever heat and humidity.

Skippy, I just finished my nightly fuji apple. I love them a lot too! Sorry for the rain rain, but like you said, at least it''s not snow. Still, the 40s is cold. I hope you got in some exercise again.

I''m always amazed at people who can exercise or run first thing in the morning. I think morning, and getting up before the sun does is a punishment from God. The truth is I get nauseous if I try to exercise too early. I''m sorry your husband got cramps. They can hurt so much.

I hope the studying was productive dragon and yet you still did some great exercises! Yummmm, fajitas! Sounds like a Mexican theme going on there.......

Hey SS. Going until you''re shaking? You''ll probablybe a bit sore from that..........

Thanks for the info on what makes a product a healthy snack Crown.....

deegee, I read a similar article recently. It said if you have a fever, you shouldn''t workout and take a chance of infecting others, but it said if you were rested, but feeling a bit down, some moderate exercise can actually be an immune system boost, so that''s why I decided to work out and will again tomorrow night. WOO HOO for having lost 51 pounds. You should be so proud of yourself. Your friends here in the HLT are certainly proud of you......

OK....time to sign off and get ready for another work day..........

 

[marcy]

Rod, I hope the chicken soup Charlie fixed you with TLC was the right medicine to perk you up and make you feel like your usual self. Get better. Yes, I am going to give Marty a MAJOR hard time about all these "coincidences" of "he has to work in Hong Kong" while I get stuck at home in snow storms. Likely story. My driveway is looking pretty packed. I have no idea when they will come dig me out either. I worried about someone sliding in to my car too. This morning even my car was sliding a little bit and my car never slides. If Marty was home we'd climb in his F250 pickup and have no problem getting to work. I can hardly drive it on dry roads though so there is NO WAY I will try and drive it in bad weather. I actually dialed in tonight to see how well I could work from home. I can't do everything and it is slow but I got some things done. I may be working at home in my Snoopy slippers tomorrow. Enjoy summer for me and I'll NOT enjoy the snow for you. I know Rod doesn't do snow.

Skippy, I just checked the Denver forecast; they are getting more snow tonight than we are but they are warming up enough tomorrow to melt it. My sister lives north of Denver and she said today it was just on the grass not the streets. I wish we were that lucky here. Heck if I have to put up with this kind of winter weather we may as well move to Alaska. I could see the northern lights a lot and get paid to live there by the state.

Bye!

I am going to bed and hope to see the Sun in the morning.

 

[marcy]

I am such a brat.

Marty tells me the reason I am always cold is because I have ice in my veins not blood and since he didn''t email or call me today I just sent him this message:

"I cried so many tears today since I didn''t hear from you our house is buried in ice crystals. Most people cry tears but since I have ice in my veins I cry snow."

He answered me immediately saying work is crazy and he almost missed the van to work because he was on the phone with his guys working on a problem here. Poor guy has enough problems without me picking on him.

I really am going to bed now.

 

[dragonfly411]

Hey all - didn''t get a work out in last night. My mom''s toilet was broken so we went to fix it. Tonight before I go see PARANORMAL ACTIVITY I am going to run stadiums . Mom made a yummy veggie rice bake and corn for dinner (I ate so little of that corn. I love corn but it''s so starchy!). Breakfast was Frosted Mini Wheats ( I love these things) and lunch is going to be? No idea.

Skippy - HI! I sure do wish I had your email b/c I so want to tell you something and CAN''T

Marcy - goodness that is a lot. I have a fun idea, bear with me today, I''ll have some treats for you later . I got hives ONCE and we STILL don''t know what caused it. Mine is mostly either a) severe cough after eating/drinking allergy foods, feeling EXTREMELY bloated, nausea, or like the meats, not being able to swallow (throat closes up and it won''t go down). Do you react to beef? Pork?

DeeGee - A BIG HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!! It''s so hard to imagine that 50lbs having been there isn''t it??? WOO HOOOOOOOO For you!!!!!!!!

Rod - I was sick a few weeks back and the biggest part was this overwhelming fatigue.... I had NO energy. Please get some rest and fluids and feel better. Don''t make me bring chicken soup down there!