Weekly Workout Thread 14 Aug to 20 Aug

[FireGoddess]

Date: 8/14/2006 2:42:32 PM
Author: jcrow
totally not healthy, but pom related-- i mixed ginger ale with vodka and splash of pom juice- fab drink!! you could also do sprite instead of ginger ale.

ok- back to healthy talk now.

Good to know!!

I did bring the POM glass in to work for use as a water glass this morning!

 

[jcrow]

mara- thanks for the pom green tea suggestion! i need to try that out!

 

[Modified Brilliant]

Yes...Tuesday IS the day that I''m joining the gym.

I''ll keep my Brazilian jujtisu lessons to once a week and workout 3 days at the gym.

I''ll let you know how my fitness regime works. Thanks for pushing me in the right direction. You guys are great!

Just think..in a few months I''ll be dangerous AND in excellent shape

www.metrojewelryappraisers.com

 

[monarch64]

Hi everyone!

Lorelei, you are my hero! 17 days is AWESOME! I am really proud of you, and I bet you''ll be off the gum before you know it. Good job!

Mara, I know what you mean about the weight loss--I am at a total plateau myself. I''ve been backsliding terribly the past few weeks and am just not feeling so motivated...every time I get on the scale it just bums me out to pieces! Anyway, I wanted to give you a suggestion...have you thought about doing a "detox" for a week or so? I read a book this past spring called "The 7 Day Detox Miracle" (can''t remember the author, lent it to a friend, but if you google it you''ll find it). Some of the concepts are a little bit out there, but for the most part it was a pretty enlightening read. The basic premise is that you do a two day water fast (ok, we all know that''s not very realistic), then for the next five days you eat NO processed foods, and basically eat a veggie/fruit/brown rice/rice product diet. It is NOT meant to be a lifestyle change, just a "break" from processed foods and animal products for a few days. It gives your body a chance to purge certain chemical toxins and they recommend you do it a couple times a year. I think you could adapt it in such a way that you would still be able to eat enough calories and work out, and it might be the type of thing that could get you moving back towards a smaller number on the scale. Just a suggestion, of course, and even if you don''t try it there is a plethora of info on how the body works and its reaction to chemicals in the foods and drinks we consume. I have been longing to do just the 5 days without the water fast, but it''s tough to find 5 straight days where we don''t have something to do socially! I guess I just need to plan a "food vacation!"

J.Crow and Dixie, you gals are doing great! I really have to get back into workout mode so I can come here with some more achievements one of these days, lol!

 

[Mara]

Monarch, I think I would die if I did a water fast...hehe. I am the worst person in the world when I am hungry...cranky, irritable, unable to function really. I wouldn't even want to be around myself if I tried that! But maybe something like no processed foods or something for a week would be okay. What do you eat during those 5 days? Just rice and veggies? Isn't rice considered a processed food? Can you post more about the 5 day detox (sans water fast..hehee)?

Tonite I am working out and we're having AhiTuna Tacos for dinner, here's the recipe from Cooking Light in case anyone is interested. It sounds yummy!

Fresh Tuna Tacos

This is a great dish for a casual supper; let everyone assemble their own tacos.

3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon chipotle chile powder or chile powder
1 pound Yellowfin tuna fillet (about 3/4 inch thick)
Cooking spray
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 cup sliced peeled avocado (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup vertically sliced onion
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
24 pickled jalapeño slices
8 teaspoons reduced-fat sour cream
4 lime wedges

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over both sides of tuna.

Heat a grill pan over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add tuna; cook 2 minutes on each side or until medium-rare or until desired degree of doneness. Cut tuna into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Divide tuna evenly among tortillas; top each with 2 tablespoons avocado, 1 tablespoon onion, 1 1/2 teaspoons cilantro, and 3 jalapeño slices. Top each with 1 teaspoon sour cream. Serve tacos with lime wedges.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 filled tacos and 1 lime wedge)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 331 (24% from fat); FAT 9g (sat 2g,mono 4.1g,poly 1.7g); PROTEIN 31.5g; CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 138mg; SODIUM 408mg; FIBER 5.3g; IRON 2.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.3g

David Bonom
Cooking Light, MAY 2006

 

[Rod]

Monarch......two of my employees are on one of the detox programs. Of course they actually believed undigested food get's stuck in there for years and this was, in the opinion of the product they bought, the only way to rid oneself of such disgust. Of course that's scientifically impossible, but that's the premise of this thing.

The detox program they're on is a month long ordeal. And here's what I've noticed in both of them. They're cranky. They're cranky and I don't personally think they're getting enough nutrition while they're supposedly ridding themselves of all these evil toxins.

Personally, I don't buy into this detox stuff. I think if you're active and you eat healthy and ensure you consume well balanced nutrional meals, your body will do what it's designed to do and get rid of the waste naturally.

I hope I'm not poo pooing the detox programs to harshly. It's just that most of the stuff I've read is pretty much science fiction and in real life, two people I know who are doing it arent' benefiting the way they thought they would.

Good luck to you if you choose to do it though.

Hey Mara.......Thanks for the Tuna Taco recipe. Sounds absolutely fantastic and I plan to try it as soon as I can. There's a restaurant in Tampa that has tuna tacos and we go there often for them. Yummmmm......Thanks again.

 

[monarch64]

Mara, brown rice is actually the unstripped, unprocessed form of regular old white rice...the organic brown rice still has its oils and all the good stuff nutrition-wise that the stripped-down version doesn''t. When you say "processed" I think you''re thinking of like, Uncle Ben''s or brown/wild rice in a package with flavor packets. (Which I love!) Anyway, the rice is used in conjunction with a variety of organic fruits and veggies because it adds bulk to your diet and helps you get the needed caloric intake. Btw, I don''t think I could do the water fast for two days either! I would be feeling a little murderous, I''m sure!

But as far as a healthy way to cleanse your system, and at the same time probably reduce your caloric intake while still being able to eat enough to not be hungry and be able to work out, I think this kind of "cleanse" has some merit.

The book gives lots of scientific information about how our bodies react to different chemicals, the kinds of illnesses/cancers said chemicals have been proven to contribute to, etc. It''s an interesting read (even if you aren''t into this sort of thing) in that it makes you go "hmm, I never knew that''s what I was eating!" The doctors who wrote it practice naturopathic (sp?) medicine...that was kind of a turn-off to me, but I decided to read it anyway and was pleasantly surprised to find out it wasn''t completely whacked out. Sure, there are some things in it that will have you scratching your head (hot and cold showers, crazy things like that) but if you take the jist of it, which is the concept of giving your body a break from all things unnatural for a few days, it makes sense.

To me, the whole diet part is pretty middle of the road when you consider there are people who eat nothing processed at all (raw-foodists), vegans (no animal products whatsoever), fruitarians (only eat the fruit of plants because they believe plant life is a life form not to be consumed because plants have feelings too), and juicers (only consume the juices of veggies and fruits in their purist forms, sometimes for 30 days or more, i.e., juice fasting). So this book is not really all that radical, hee hee.

So there you go, that''s my book report for today, lol!

 

[aussiegirl23]

Hello all : )

Today was a good day: 66 minutes, 8.62 miles, 941.3 calories on the elliptical.

I have an appt. with a personal trainer from my gym tomorrow and when I ran into her tonight we chatted for a few minutes. She asked if I''d ever had a personal trainer, and I said "Well kind of, though I''ve never seen him, and he''s never been to my gym..." She was obviously confused by this... I said, well, it''s really all on a forum : ) But hey, I get inspiration, ideas and advice here, so why not!!??

Thanks to Rod, Mara, and everyone else - you''ve been answering all my "personal-trainer-esque" questions... So PriceScope is being named my honorary trainer! We''ll see how the real, face-to-face version measures up!

BTW: for those of you with personal trainers - how much does a session cost? How about if you buy a few sessions at a time?

Aussiegirl : p

 

[monarch64]

Date: 8/14/2006 8:45:02 PM
Author: Rod
Monarch......two of my employees are on one of the detox programs. Of course they actually believed undigested food get''s stuck in there for years and this was, in the opinion of the product they bought, the only way to rid oneself of such disgust. Of course that''s scientifically impossible, but that''s the premise of this thing.

The detox program they''re on is a month long ordeal. And here''s what I''ve noticed in both of them. They''re cranky. They''re cranky and I don''t personally think they''re getting enough nutrition while they''re supposedly ridding themselves of all these evil toxins.

Personally, I don''t buy into this detox stuff. I think if you''re active and you eat healthy and ensure you consume well balanced nutrional meals, your body will do what it''s designed to do and get rid of the waste naturally.

I hope I''m not poo pooing the detox programs to harshly. It''s just that most of the stuff I''ve read is pretty much science fiction and in real life, two people I know who are doing it arent'' benefiting the way they thought they would.

Good luck to you if you choose to do it though.

Hey Mara.......Thanks for the Tuna Taco recipe. Sounds absolutely fantastic and I plan to try it as soon as I can. There''s a restaurant in Tampa that has tuna tacos and we go there often for them. Yummmmm......Thanks again.

Oh, Rod, I totally agree that some of the so-called "detox" programs are nothing but science fiction. And I know you''re not trying to be harsh, just realistic. I brought up this book I read because some of us have hit that weight-loss plateau and as an extra kick in the you-know-where I thought I''d make the suggestion. As far as colon cleanses and other gimmicky detoxes out there, I agree that they aren''t realistic and our bodies do what they are designed to do, for the most part, with cleansing themselves. I don''t see the harm in switching to a diet which entails eating what our ancestors would''ve survived on (that is to say, without chemical additives) for a short period of time, to rejuvenate the digestive system and give it a break from all the yucky stuff that is in most processed food. I just like the idea of going "natural" for a week or so every now and then, as opposed to trying to follow a strict regimen that is unrealistic in this day and time. To me, everything in moderation has been a good motto to follow, but I do like challenging my body mentally and physically from time to time. I''m not a crazy, I swear, lol!

 

[monarch64]

Date: 8/14/2006 9:52:34 PM
Author: aussiegirl23
Hello all : )

Today was a good day: 66 minutes, 8.62 miles, 941.3 calories on the elliptical.

I have an appt. with a personal trainer from my gym tomorrow and when I ran into her tonight we chatted for a few minutes. She asked if I''d ever had a personal trainer, and I said ''Well kind of, though I''ve never seen him, and he''s never been to my gym...'' She was obviously confused by this... I said, well, it''s really all on a forum : ) But hey, I get inspiration, ideas and advice here, so why not!!??

Thanks to Rod, Mara, and everyone else - you''ve been answering all my ''personal-trainer-esque'' questions... So PriceScope is being named my honorary trainer! We''ll see how the real, face-to-face version measures up!

BTW: for those of you with personal trainers - how much does a session cost? How about if you buy a few sessions at a time?

Aussiegirl : p

Hi Aussie--I just wanted to say I think you''re doing great! And also answer your training cost question: I live outside of Chicago, and I go to a women-only gym. The one-on-one training sessions there cost $75 per hour, but you can get a package with about a 10% discount. You have to purchase at least 6 sessions to receive the discount. I pay $79 a month membership fee, and I am not in a financial position to justify paying a trainer another $75 an hour for personal training, unfortunately. I know the other gyms in my area offer personal training for much less, but they are either unisex or just offer circuit training. Good luck with your trainer--I''m sure it will work out great for you and I look forward to hearing how it went!

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 8/14/2006 9:52:34 PM
Author: aussiegirl23
Hello all : )

Today was a good day: 66 minutes, 8.62 miles, 941.3 calories on the elliptical.

Whoa girl! Awesome!!! You must be flying on that thing...if I do an hour, I just finish 6 miles. I must be slooooow....

But you inspired me...I just got back from the gym. 55 minutes on the elliptical and cool down on treadmil for 10 miles walking at a 3.4 mile pace uphill. Then 30 minutes of weights.

My goal is to burn 2500 calories by exercise this week...is that too lofty?

 

[Mara]

hehehe...i like your goal TG!! i don''t think it''s too lofty....if you can spend 60 minutes like miss aussie over there!!

i worked out tonite and felt pretty energetic...then made the tuna tacos, YUM..they were very good and we didn''t even use the sour cream. then we each had a tiny square of dark bittersweet chocolate for a snackie dessert.

tomorrow i am going to hit the gym up after some time in the office and do my 45 minutes on the treadmill at the hill program then some weights. then hopefully tomorrow night we can also all go for a walk as well.

so monarch are you thinking of doing that fruits and veggies and rice thing? i''m kind of intrigued. can you eat as much of that stuff as you want or is it strict portions only? i figure if you can eat enough to keep calorie intake at a good level and energy high then it might be a good ''lowfat'' kinda way to keep eating constant to see if it jump starts any changes in the body. just musing here. i don''t know if i really believe in the whole ''detox'' thing because i already eat a ton of unprocessed foods (we hardly eat anything processed or in boxes or jars or whatever) and so i feel pretty good about WHAT i am eating...but it might be kind of interesting to give my body a really basic diet for 5 days and see if it does anything. hehe. as long as i don''t feel like i am depriving it of nutrients or anything. anyway let me know if you are thinking of doing it and maybe we can choose a week where we can do it together, a monday-friday or something.

 

[aussiegirl23]

Hehe... I''ve inspired someone? HAH! That seriously makes me laugh. Hey, I caught the insane elliptical bug from Rod, so perhaps it''s contagious.

TG: I do the WeightLoss program on the elliptical (4 minute intervals at intensity of 2 bars, then 4 minutes at intensity of 5), etc... YES it takes going a little nutty to finish 8.5 miles, but I''ve gotten over people''s looks when I keep up a faster pace 90% of the time than they hit their entire workout... I know some people like to hit the ellipitcal at absolute max intensity, but I hate this, and it makes me go oober-slow which is just another way to frustrate me. I like to MOVE on these machines, not struggle with every step. And the calories I burn seems like plenty... so I respect those who go mountain climbing every time at such intense inclines, but it''s not exactly for me.

My goal?

1st set of 33 minutes (1 program):
-1st mile: 7:10 or under
-2nd mile: 7:15 or under
-3rd mile: 7:25 or under
-4th mile: 7:35 or under
-1/2 mile at end: 3:35 or under

2nd set of 33 minutes (2nd program, after enough time to refill water bottle and pee if necessary!)
-4 miles @ 8:00 or under each

Then cool down for 10 minutes afterwards (I don''t add the time, mileage or calories burned during this part of it to my daily #''s)...

TG: you CAN do it to... I started a few months ago getting in about 3 miles in 33 minutes... just make that your long term goal, and you''ll get there eventually - just try adding a few tenths of a miles at a time... and you''ll end up starting to scare the elliptical-users next to you too! He he...

Aussiegirl : p

 

[Lorelei]

* SMOKE FREE 18 DAYS*

Had a good workout this morning, did the usual elliptical then for a change 15 mins on the stairmaster, trouble is I find it boring and a bit slow, so prefer the treadmill. But it went well, had a cereal bar beforehand and had a litre of water with the workout so quite pleased overall.

Hubby is down to 192 pounds and wants to hit 187 as his target so almost there

He is doing some weights in the morning now and then going to the gym to do his cardio after work, most dedicated he is

Great job everyone and Coda 8 miles is fantastic!

Thanks for the recipe Mara, I had forgotten about taco shells so I will get some and try the recipe for Hubby as he is always on the lookout for interesting foods!

Speaking off tuna ( totally off topic here) I gave the cats a tin of tuna with egg pieces in it for dinner, it looked revolting but they polished it off like they had never been fed and loved it

Yuck.

Yay Jeff - todays the day! Best of luck and look forward to hearing all about your first session!

Also Mara I really think you don't have much weight to lose like Dixie says and that is why the last few pounds are being so stubborn, but the changes you see are the most important thing! I know it is so frustrating, try binning the scales for now and weigh again in a few weeks. Thanks for the encouragement too Dixie, I now feel smoke free and it is a great feeling!

 

[aussiegirl23]

Lorelei: 18 DAYS??? Yowsers, that''s pretty darned close to 3 weeks! and 3 weeks is pretty darned close to forever

You sure you''re ready for that to set in????

CONGRATULATIONS!

About your kitties - I''ve seen my cats inhale tuna with egg in like 12 seconds flat. They act like the latest example of starvation!!

Best of luck!

Aussiegirl : p

 

[Lorelei]

Thanks for the congrats Aussie, yes I feel ready for it to be forever mentally and I think that is most of the battle. I was gagging at this tuna"dinner"

but they loved it?!? I will never understand cats and their food preferences......Oh the egg bits were hideous

 

[Rod]

Wow Lorelei!!! You''re almost at 3 weeks and that''s just fantastic!!!

Monarch: Didn''t think you were bonkers

I''m sure eating all natural can be very beneficial as long as it doesn''t involve hocus pocus science fiction.

Aussiegirl: My partner and I buy 12 one hour sessions at a time. They are buddy sessions and we pay nearly $1100 for the 12 sessions, but that works out to $55 per person/hour. Our trainer always gives us a bakers dozen though, so it works out to even less. For me, the hour with our trainer each week is the BEST hour of the week!!

Happy Tuesday everyone!

 

[jcrow]

not much for me to post today. i did 15 minutes of upper body weights. and 15 minutes on the treadmill. my legs are a little sore from yesterday''s treadmill workout.

i did try an exercise that i saw on "workout" on bravo. dang it hurt! i had to go down in weights to do it! you put your elbows pointed into your body right above your hips. then you do curls so that the barbell isn''t in front of you but out to the sides.

 

[Mara]

that reminds me, i want to start watching workout as well!! intriguing if nothing else...maybe it will motivate me!

i''m sore today after not kickboxing for a whole week thanks to vacation but at least i am back into the swing of things. cold is finally taking a hike as well, yay. it was trying to be pretty stubborn!! i''m still a little tired but that''s okay, that''s what vitamins are for. hehee.

lorelei/dixie...yeah it could be that just the last few lbs are stubborn, and i know that in general i look ''fine'' but 150 for my height is kinda in the middle of the range and i''d like to be a little closer to the bottom!! i mean if models can make it at 110 lbs and 5''10" ... can i PLEASE get it to be like 140 for 5''8"? PLEASE? surely that''s not too much to ask!!

but yes i have come very far and i''m not sure what i weighed before i started all this...so i don''t know why i am so obsessed with the scale #. but i''m almost over it.

when i got home from class last nite greg said he didn''t want me to get to be too much of a jock (as i stretched out after getting home from workout). i said ''oh please, i''m working out 6x this week'', and he goes ''what?! why?!'' i said ''well i didn''t lose any weight in the last 3 months and i have been doing all these workouts''. and he said ''well it''s shifting, reshaping, it''s probably much less fat and more muscle now''. i said ''so you see a difference then'' and he said ''YES now you look AMAZING''.

so that made me feel better at least.

big husband points. so he got ahi tuna tacos as a rewards. hehee.

 

[TravelingGal]

Aussiegirl, I do to the elliptical at a lower intensity too...I like to move on those machines...a lot more fun. I can run 3 miles in 33 minutes, but probably lagging a bit on the elliptical. I''m also doing the hill training, so maybe I am going slower on the higher inclines....

Lorelei, whoo hoo! You are doing awesome!

Wouldn''t it be nice if we all lived close? Then we''d have a huge gym buddy network!

 

[jcrow]

Date: 8/15/2006 12:22:10 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Wouldn''t it be nice if we all lived close? Then we''d have a huge gym buddy network!

OMG! that would be awesome!! between the gyms and the gems...tee he.

 

[jcrow]

mara- i always hated that soreness after a week off! it''s like how far down the hill did i roll??! i know, i shouldn''t look at it that way, but i just can''t help it

 

[Cailet]

Ooo- I just found this thread. I''m a LIW and definitely need to get back into shape, I''m hoping that qualifies me to post here!

I''m probably at the heaviest I have ever been - 157 at last count - and want to get down to 130. Although if I manage to fit back into my size 8s comfortably (I''m in 10s right now and some brands are starting to get a bit snug

) I would be pretty happy. I''m 5''7" - 5''8" and I just don''t see myself getting lower than an 8. I used to work out 6 times a week for about 30-45 minutes a day. Rotating cardio/weight training - and I was in pretty good shape then but I got busy with work and school and the whole 6 times a week kind of went out the window.

Right now I am doing 20 minutes cardio in the a.m. every weekday and then 30 minutes of a rotating schedule of different tapes I have (cardio/abs/step/weights/etc) MWF. For now I take Sat/Sun off - although we do a fair bit of hiking/active swimming on the weekends as well so I''m not a total couch potato.

I have been drooling over elliptical machines for a couple of months now - what kind do you all have? Or do you just go to a gym? I''m pretty hesitant to join a gym - at least until I get in better shape - I don''t want to be huffing and puffing after a couple of minutes on a treadmill or other machine! I''ve never been a big straight runner person (my knees have been all messed up since soccer in high school) but would love the freedom of an elliptical or treadmill where I could just jump on and keep adding a couple of minutes to the time until I build up to something substantial.

Sorry for the kind of random babbling

Thanks!

 

[jcrow]

Cailet- welcome, welcome!!

i use the elliptical machines at the gym. the ones there don't have the hand movers. i definitely would recommend those in the machine you buy so that your feet/legs can be moving and so can your hands/arms.

link for the ones at the gym (or similar- i DO know they have precors and all the ones i've ever seen have been precors)
link for the hand/arm movers

 

[Rod]

Date: 8/15/2006 12:45:55 PM
Author: Cailet
Ooo- I just found this thread. I''m a LIW and definitely need to get back into shape, I''m hoping that qualifies me to post here!

I''m probably at the heaviest I have ever been - 157 at last count - and want to get down to 130. Although if I manage to fit back into my size 8s comfortably (I''m in 10s right now and some brands are starting to get a bit snug

) I would be pretty happy. I''m 5''7'' - 5''8'' and I just don''t see myself getting lower than an 8. I used to work out 6 times a week for about 30-45 minutes a day. Rotating cardio/weight training - and I was in pretty good shape then but I got busy with work and school and the whole 6 times a week kind of went out the window.

Right now I am doing 20 minutes cardio in the a.m. every weekday and then 30 minutes of a rotating schedule of different tapes I have (cardio/abs/step/weights/etc) MWF. For now I take Sat/Sun off - although we do a fair bit of hiking/active swimming on the weekends as well so I''m not a total couch potato.

I have been drooling over elliptical machines for a couple of months now - what kind do you all have? Or do you just go to a gym? I''m pretty hesitant to join a gym - at least until I get in better shape - I don''t want to be huffing and puffing after a couple of minutes on a treadmill or other machine! I''ve never been a big straight runner person (my knees have been all messed up since soccer in high school) but would love the freedom of an elliptical or treadmill where I could just jump on and keep adding a couple of minutes to the time until I build up to something substantial.

Sorry for the kind of random babbling

Thanks!

Welcome Cailet.......We''re glad to have you!

I use the ellitpticals at the gym. They''re far nicer (and way more expensive) than what I could buy for home use. DO NOT feel self conscious about going to the gym. Believe me, I thought when I joined the gym last October that I would stick out like an old fat man and that I''d become fodder for gym jokes. The reality is no one really pays that much attention to you. Other''s are there to do what they need to do, and you''ll be doing your thing. Now, 50 pounds lighter, and 8 inches off my waist, I''ve gotten to know a lot of people at the gym and people really are supportive when you work hard.

As the Nike ad says........Just Do It.

Good luck and welcome again.........

 

[Cailet]

Thanks for the welcome guys!!

I guess that means I should get started on researching gyms in my area!
In the meantime I will just keep chugging along with the tapes/equip I''ve got at home

Thanks again

 

[jcrow]

Date: 8/15/2006 12:45:55 PM
Author: Cailet
Ooo- I just found this thread. I''m a LIW and definitely need to get back into shape, I''m hoping that qualifies me to post here!

I''m probably at the heaviest I have ever been - 157 at last count - and want to get down to 130. Although if I manage to fit back into my size 8s comfortably (I''m in 10s right now and some brands are starting to get a bit snug

) I would be pretty happy. I''m 5''7'' - 5''8'' and I just don''t see myself getting lower than an 8. I used to work out 6 times a week for about 30-45 minutes a day. Rotating cardio/weight training - and I was in pretty good shape then but I got busy with work and school and the whole 6 times a week kind of went out the window.

Right now I am doing 20 minutes cardio in the a.m. every weekday and then 30 minutes of a rotating schedule of different tapes I have (cardio/abs/step/weights/etc) MWF. For now I take Sat/Sun off - although we do a fair bit of hiking/active swimming on the weekends as well so I''m not a total couch potato.

I have been drooling over elliptical machines for a couple of months now - what kind do you all have? Or do you just go to a gym? I''m pretty hesitant to join a gym - at least until I get in better shape - I don''t want to be huffing and puffing after a couple of minutes on a treadmill or other machine! I''ve never been a big straight runner person (my knees have been all messed up since soccer in high school) but would love the freedom of an elliptical or treadmill where I could just jump on and keep adding a couple of minutes to the time until I build up to something substantial.

Sorry for the kind of random babbling

Thanks!

oops! i didn''t even see that line! Rod is right, just join! i think you''ll be glad you did. i know it''s not for everyone, but i''d at least give it a shot. gyms have SOOO much to offer!

 

[Mara]

cailet, i am not a gym person typically, i like one-off kinda classes which are outside of that environment, but the gym does have a variety of things to offer that you don''t find in a one-off thing. so i belong to a gym and i do classes outside as well. i hate overpaying for the gym though, so i am lucky i have a lifetime membership for $9 a month with this one gym that i just cannot let go!! i''ve had it for about 10 years now. and now that i am going to the gym again a bit, i am glad i have it. other people are paying $40 a month for the same thing.

i think tonite we are going to try this new cooking light recipe for dinner: Jasmine Rice Stuffed Peppers...i am going to see if i can find the recipe online to post it, but it has onion, ground beef, ground turkey breast, rice, garlic, tomato sauce and parm cheese all kinda mixed up and then baked in a green bell pepper and it looks divine in the picture! one big pepper filled with the stuff is 312 calories and 8.6g of fat. yum!

oh and if anyone is looking for a healthy-ish mashed potato recipe, this issue of CL had a great one that made my mouth water, mashed potatoes with cilantro lime butter!!

 

[monarch64]

Hello, happy Tuesday all! Here''s a fun little read on dieting tips from the Wild Oats Market website:

1. Rise and chow
If you think skipping breakfast will help you shed a few pounds, think again. Not eating a morning meal can actually trick the body into thinking it is starving, which makes it hold on to fat or cause you to eat more during the day. To keep your metabolism revved and blood sugar levels steady, eat breakfast within 45 minutes of rising. The healthiest choices contain a balance of fat, protein, and carbs, such as oatmeal with a handful of nuts or a veggie omelet.
2. Combine carbs
If a carbohydrate wasn’t grown, picked, or harvested, don’t eat it. That means shunning refined breads, pastas, cakes, and pastries, and choosing good carbs like brown rice, sweet potatoes, or an apple. And while you’re at it, try to never eat a carbohydrate by itself. Simply adding a bit of good fat, such as olive oil or lean protein will slow digestion, steady blood sugar, and keep the body from storing fat.
3. Drink up
Even if all you did was start drinking more water you would likely lose weight. That’s because the body needs to be fully hydrated in order to maintain a healthy metabolism. Try drinking about 1/2-ounce (15 ml) of water per pound of body weight every day, and see the difference.
4. Eat more
If eating more often in order to lose weight sounds too good to be true, listen up. Your body needs calories in order to burn fat. So, to turn your body into a fat-burning machine, eat small meals throughout the day. Ideally each mini-meal should consist of lean protein, good fats, and complex carbohydrates. For example, 4 ounces (113 grams) of chicken, 1 cup (150 grams) of brown rice, and a green salad.
5. Get pumped
You’ve heard that muscle weighs more than fat, but did you know that muscle burns more calories? That’s right, building lean muscle through weight training causes the body to burn more calories throughout the day. When combined with regular aerobic exercise, weight training can help you lose more weight.
6. Cheat a little
You know what they say about all work and no play—well, that goes for weight loss too. Giving up all the foods you love can backfire and sabotage your efforts. Be sure to allow yourself a day each week when you indulge in conservative amounts of your favorite foods. Remember, a serving should be about the size of an average apple

Yup, the usual common sense stuff, but it''s always motivating to see it again, right?

Mara, your Greg is so sweet! Your comment about models surviving at 110 lbs. and being 5''10" is so true...why CAN''T we regular girls just drop those 10 vanity pounds--are we asking too much? I think not! Oh, and when I read that I was thinking, "yes, but they only eat nose candy, diet Coke, and cigarettes" hee hee.

I''m going for about a 45 minute walk tonight, the weather here is gorgeous--it almost feels like fall. Blue skies, about 78 degrees, and a nice breeze.

Anyone have a recipe for a nice fruit salad? I have a bag of Granny Smith apples I need to use. I like things like Waldorf salad, but I''ve no idea how to make the dressing. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated--I suppose I could just eat them plain but that''s no fun!

 

[Rod]

Thanks Monarch: This is excellent advice and I'm living proof that the advice is real and works!!

Here's a simple recipe for Waldorf Salad. I have this often and it's good.

2 cups coarsely chopped apples, about 2 medium apples
1 1/4 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisens
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sugar
dash allspice
1 teaspoon lemon juice