Weekly Workout Thread 31st Dec till 6th Jan

[marcy]

Phoenix, that is wonderful your husband is working on loosing a few pounds. I signed up my husband on sparkpeople too and he now just tries to eat about double what I do and he’s lost about 25 pounds in a few months.
DeeJay, your party sounds fun. I hope you still like your car when you can actually see it. Tee hee. The French toast was good; it was also about my last choice to fix something different for breakfast. I usually only cook breakfast at home one day on a weekend but with us being on vacation for a week I had to come up with several breakfast ideas. I have been really hungry all day even though I ate about 1300 calories. Usually that is a sign I’m loosing weight so maybe I going to have another few pounds drop off. That would be SWEET. I like calorieking too.

I finished my book so I guess I’ll get some knitting done.
Laters,
Marcy

 

[Rod]

Hey and Happy First Day of the New Year Everyone!!

Congratulations on the new ride DeeJay. Acura''s are great cars and very realiable too! I''m sure when the snow stops you and John will even realize it''s a great lookig car too! Your brunch sounded decadent and good for you getting in a workut on New Years day!!

Phoenix, I''m sorry I don''t have anything to offer in terms of advice for your friend. I just hope she get''s help soon. Watching someone you care about wasting away is a sad thing for sure. I''m glad Monnie offered some intimate experience and advice.......

Mara, it sounds like you had a great time in Mendocino!!

Steph, I''m so glad you became a part of our happy healthy family here on the WWT. Congratulations on planning your second child!!

Welcome Golden. I hope you enjoy the wonderful advice you''ll get from this thread. Sorry you have a cold andI hope you feel better soon.

Kimberly, so sorry to see you are still under the weather. I''m sure John is taking really good care of you!!

I knew you had hugged me even before I read your post Skippy!! I''m glad you and HH enjoyed your walk in 29 degree temps.......brrrrrrrrr........speaking of which, it''s going to be really cold in Tampa the next couple days. They''re even predicting a possible hard freeze which can be so bad for the strawberry and citrus growers. But, we will actually experience some sweater and coat weather for a change.

Lindsey, I''m glad you found the right combination on the elliptical. It took us a long time to develop the stamina necessary to keep up an intense run. I''m sure you''ll continue to build up strength and increase your RPM over time. Even if you don''t, like you said, it''s not a race and you should go the pace that offers you the benefits that you seek!

Yay for being on a roll Lorelei!! How nice you saw a reminder that spring is not too far away too!

Linda, I''m sorry that you are still suffering with Bronchitis. I used to suffer from it, but thankfully (Rod said knockig wood) I haven''t had a bought of it in over 2 years. Thanks for the hug!!

Yay for 139 pounds Marcy. Glad you enjoyed your French Toast too!!

We''ve had a nice and quiet New Years Day. We decided today would not be a low calorie day, but I still don''t think we over did it too much. Since we still had the whole grain buttermilk pancake mix left from Christmas we decided to repeat Christmas morning breakfast with pancakes and sausage. Then we went to Sbucks and sat under the oak and chatted with some friends, then hit the gym for a nice long 3 hour workout (hence the not too worried about eating a bit more today!). In between, Charlie''s been undecorating the tree which is usually a 2 day chore as just getting the ornaments off is a one day job and the rest another day.

For dinner I fixed a nice Sirloin Tip Roast, with roasted potatoes, carrots and onions. It all turned out just perfectly! For desert I had another piece of chocolate cake and Charlie had carrot cake, but we bought them from Fresh Market and they weren''t nearly as good as the cake we had from the deli on Christmas.

I don''t want to go back to work tomorrow, but such is life. At least it''s only 3 days and then we have the weekend. It''s a bummer to realize we don''t have another holiday until Memorial Day, five months from now.

I guess that''s about all I can think of. I hope everyone had a really nice New Year''s day!

 

[KimberlyH]

Hi Guys,

I''m finally beginning to feel like myself again. It''s only been three days, but I''m a miserable sick person. I pulled down Christmas this morning, worked on school and then dragged John on an exciting outing. We went to his fave store, WalMart (I''m not kidding), because I couldn''t sit in the house anymore. I spent the afternoon reading (I''m about 35 pages away from finishing a great thriller, not normally my cup of tea, but my sister recommended it and she knows my taste in books). John made pork chops, brocolli rabe, and fruit salad for dinner; it was delicious.

If I feel this good tomorrow we''re going for a hike. I''m really looking forward to it.

Rod, sounds lilke you had a wonderful day. Enjoy every minute of it!

Skip, how are you doing? I''m sure there''s lots of sadness revolving around the loss of your aunt. Just wanted you to know I''m thinking of you.

Marcy, breakfast sounds yummy! So do hamburgers! Man I love food. Enjoy knitting. What were ya reading?

Mara, hope you''re having a restful evening after your fun trip.

My book is calling me....

 

[Rod]

DeeJay, please tell Bill I''m sorry for calling him John. I''m not sure where that came from, but it''s too late to edit my post and I wanted to apologize......

Glad you''re feeling a little more human Kimberly!!

Night night everyone.........

 

[Dee*Jay]

Date: 1/1/2008 10:29:33 PM
Author: Rod
DeeJay, please tell Bill I'm sorry for calling him John. I'm not sure where that came from, but it's too late to edit my post and I wanted to apologize......

No worries -- you should hear the things *I* call him sometimes!

 

[marcy]

Rod, it sounds like you had a lovely and quiet day plus some yummy chocolate cake. I am glad there are only 3 more days left at work too. Thanks for the Woo Hoo. Sorry to hear you guys might get a freeze there; I do love sweaters though so that is one benefit of living somewhere I can wear sweaters pretty much any time of the year.
Kimi, I am glad to hear you are finally feeling better. I was kind of stir-crazy today too but since it was 18 degrees out I stayed home. I just finished reading “Next” by Michael Crichton. It was pretty good. What thriller are you reading? I probably can get another book read before I have to start working on my spring class so maybe I’ll venture out to our local B&N tomorrow after work.

Well, I think I’ll go to bed early. I am starving and cold so going to sleep sounds like a great idea.
Have a great Wednesday.

Marcy

 

[Mara]

quick check in, evening all!! and happy new year!! hope 2008 brings only the best things for everyone, you all deserve it!

we got home about 5pm. showered and spent the next few hours snuggling in a ''puppy pile'' with portia on the couch watching Bourne Ultimatum. had tamales and cookies for dinner and dessert and now we''re going to play a game of scrabble with some hot apple cider, then hit bed since it''s back to work tomorrow for us, BOO HOO.

at least it''s only a ''3 day week''...so thank goodness for small favors hehee. our trip was quite fun, i got some STUNNING sunset pictures which i''ll post at some point, but we are really happy to be home as well.

hope everyone had a wonderful day!!! btw skip i meant to mention this previously, very sorry to hear about your aunt, big hugs!!

 

[marcy]

Good monring. I am minus 140, yes you read that right; minus 140.

Yippee!!!

Mara, your trip sounds divine. I can''t wait to see your sunset photos.

Have a great day!
Marcy

 

[steph72276]

Good morning all! I am off to the mall in a little while to see if I can get my hands on a SI ultrasonic cleaner and to try to find a formal dress for our cruise which is in just a week and a half! I have been really good the past few days. The only indulgence I had was a 100 cal. cookies and cream ice cream last night and really it wasn''t that spectacular. Breakfast was oatmeal, not sure what lunch will be yet and dinner will be fish with some sort of green veggie and brown rice. Have a great day everyone!

Welcome golden

Sorry you''re still feeling sick, Kimi

Thanks for the info on the ultrasonic cleaner, Skippy...hope they still have one when I get there! Hope you had fun at the bday party!

Lindsey, that is great the heart rate monitor helped

Lorelei, woohoo for 50 mins, you are on a roll!

Linda, sorry you are still sick too....feel better soon!

Phoenix, sounds like it will be good for your husband to eat healthy along with you....mine wants to lose 15 pounds, so it is much easier when he is eating the same way I am!

DJ, no problem! I am glad you are happy with the car and hope you get to see it fully soon!

Rod, yay for a good day! What do you normally get to drink at Starbucks? I love their white chocolate peppermint mocha, but I just checked online and it is 350 or so cals for a tall, nonfat! I will have to stick to something else, that could be a whole meal! I do love their unsweet green iced tea too.

Mara, sounds like you had a great time on your trip. Adam and I watched Bourne Ultimatum over the weekend, that was a great movie.

Marcy, a huge woohooo for you for minus 140!

 

[royalasscherlover]

happy new year, my wwt friends! i had a lovely, warm holiday in florida and have returned home to a foot of snow - yikes! back to the grind at work today as well.

i went to a great restaurant in orlando that specializes in healthy, delicious food - every dish has no more than 500 calories. i had curried snapper and it was soooo yummy! they also have teeny little desserts that are only a few bites, perfect. i wish there were more health-concious restaurants in my area.

i have resolved to get back on the healthy eating bandwagon in the new year - i have been a bit too indulgent since thanksgiving, and while i have only gained a couple pounds and my smaller clothes still fit, i want to nip it in the bud now, before 2 pounds becomes more. i think that i am going to start posting my meals here again, so that i will be more accountable. i have still been doing well with the exercise and plan to keep that up too (though i am not looking forward to the increased gym crowds that always appear in january!)

meals: pumpkin bran muffin for breakfast, tuna sandwich on very thin 100% whole wheat, carrot and celery sticks, and strawberries for lunch, and a clif z bar for a snack. not sure yet about dinner - either half of a cpk white pizza with a salad or a tofu veggie stir fry. i am also headed to the gym after work for 45 minutes on the elliptical.

p.s. skippy, i am sorry to hear about your aunt.

 

[appletini]

I walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes during lunch. Yesterday I was super lazy and lounged around the house all day. Oh well I do plan on working out during lunch tomorrow and Friday as well.

 

[Mara]

shortblonde, i have been dying to try that restaurant in orlando! i found them online once. their menu looked great and i loved that everything was under 500 cals! i definitely wish more places did that, especially hello, here in california, hehee.

 

[Skippy123]

Hey Friends, I just got back from a another 40 minute walk. I can't wait till it warms up; I wanted to go a little longer but it was too cold. I probably will lift some weights in a bit. I hope next week isn't too crazy when I go to the gym.

My nephew's birthday party was too cute; he received so many elmo things and shutterfly has books you can buy w/you childs fav book w/your kiddo's pic. Well he got a book like that (sooo cute) and many cars, legos and clothes. He and I danced to goofy music and same w/my hubby; it was a blast!!

Of course Aunt Skippy took lots of pics. hehe

Kimberly, thank you, the funeral is tomorrow. My sister and my mom and I had a good talk and we have some really good memories of my aunt; I still think I can't believe she is gone. Thanks again dearest friend. How are you feeling? I hope you are better today. Did you win the ugly ornament contest??? Your ring is sooooooo BEAUTIFUL, love it! ETA: yay for the hike!

PG, yay for your goal of 4 miles; that is great! Thanks for the kudos. Hope to see you around more!

Rod, heheee glad you knew you had a hug from me before you read my post! Wow, I hope it doesn't get too cold for a frost, yikes. Do you get a lot of fresh fruit year round? I guess we are lucky to be close to Mexico because we get it sometimes during the winter months which makes me happy! You meal sounded fab!

Marcy, sweetie, yay for another lb! Great job!

DeeJay, those massage chairs are great. hehee What color is your car? Glad you are loving it!

Mara, sweetie, thank you for the big hug; I appreciate it! Glad you had a great trip and can't wait to see your pics. I am so jealous you ate tamales NY day!

Steph, happy shopping and hope there are SI's left; keep us posted! Hope you find a great dress! Some family members came back from skiing in Santa Fe and they said it was FAB. We have runs open too here in ABQ. hehee

Shortblonde, thank you for your kind words; I appreciate them. Good for nipping it in the bud now. Good to see you; I need to try your pumpkin bran muffin recipe, sounds yummy.

Appletini, yay for the walk on the treadmill!

 

[KimberlyH]

Happy Wednesday All!

I did not weigh myself this morning. I didn't think about it until after we were out the door. Oh well. We ended up hiking at a new place. The trail went straight up 600 feet (which is about the size of a 70 story building). I was suprised I made it as far as I did considering I can't breath through my nose. I felt great and it was good to spend sometime outside; we're slotted for rain from tomorrow-Monday (which isn't such a bad thing, but a bit limiting). We stopped for lunch at Quiznos, had a sammie (small flatbread thing) then went to the grocery store for dinner ingredients. I'm making that greek lemon soup I've been talking about.

Marcy, 140 lbs is just amazing! Congratulations.

Stephanie, I hope you find a perfect dress.

SB, that restaurant sounds fantastic.

Have a great workout, Appletini.

 

[zoebartlett]

Hi everyone,

I mainly lurk when I can but I try to keep up with how everyone''s doing. There''s only 6 months left until my wedding and I gave up praying for a miracle that I''d lose as much weight as I would like by then. I''ll do what I can though. I WAS planning on going to the gym after work today but my back''s been giving me problems for a few weeks and it still hurts a lot. I''ve never been pregnant but I swear I''m having contractions on the back of my side. I''ve been wincing all day and a few times I''ve even yelped out loud from the pain when I changed positions. I talked to the doctor and all she said was to stretch. I would if I could but it hurts too much to move like that.

My FI and I had been going to a trainer at the gym and while I liked the accountability factor, it''s just so darn expensive. We''re trying to save up the money to work with her again but we''re also saving up for wedding and honeymoon expenses. Right now, I think the wedding and honeymoon are winning and the trainer will be put on the back burner, I''m afraid. I thought of some things I can do at home though, to supplement time on my own at the gym:

1. Walk up the stairs in my building. I can make a big loop by walking up both flights (up two floors), down the hall, and back down again. I haven''t done it yet but I think about it.

2. I can do crunches (I think I may have to get an exercise mat -- our floor is jsut to hard, and we DO have carpeting. OUCH!)

3. Buy free weights and so simple curls and things like that.

At the gym, I mainly do the ellipitcal (only for 5-10 minutes though -- yeah, I know. It''s not much. sigh.) and the treadmill for about 20 minutes (shorter or longer, depending on speed). I also like to use some of the weight machines too.

Does anyone have any ideas to stop me from hobbling like an old lady? Oh, my achin'' back!

 

[KimberlyH]

Date: 1/2/2008 5:37:38 PM
Author: zoebartlett
Hi everyone,

I mainly lurk when I can but I try to keep up with how everyone''s doing. There''s only 6 months left until my wedding and I gave up praying for a miracle that I''d lose as much weight as I would like by then. I''ll do what I can though. I WAS planning on going to the gym after work today but my back''s been giving me problems for a few weeks and it still hurts a lot. I''ve never been pregnant but I swear I''m having contractions on the back of my side. I''ve been wincing all day and a few times I''ve even yelped out loud from the pain when I changed positions. I talked to the doctor and all she said was to stretch. I would if I could but it hurts too much to move like that.

My FI and I had been going to a trainer at the gym and while I liked the accountability factor, it''s just so darn expensive. We''re trying to save up the money to work with her again but we''re also saving up for wedding and honeymoon expenses. Right now, I think the wedding and honeymoon are winning and the trainer will be put on the back burner, I''m afraid. I thought of some things I can do at home though, to supplement time on my own at the gym:

1. Walk up the stairs in my building. I can make a big loop by walking up both flights (up two floors), down the hall, and back down again. I haven''t done it yet but I think about it.

2. I can do crunches (I think I may have to get an exercise mat -- our floor is jsut to hard, and we DO have carpeting. OUCH!)

3. Buy free weights and so simple curls and things like that.

At the gym, I mainly do the ellipitcal (only for 5-10 minutes though -- yeah, I know. It''s not much. sigh.) and the treadmill for about 20 minutes (shorter or longer, depending on speed). I also like to use some of the weight machines too.

Does anyone have any ideas to stop me from hobbling like an old lady? Oh, my achin'' back!

Zoe,

I have had back problems for 10 years stemming from a car accident. The things that have worked best for me and people I know who have back problems:

1. Maintaining a healthy weight. I can''t say enough about how important it has been for me (I was clinically obese about 6 years ago, and in that was when I had the most issues). The extra pressure of too much weight on an already tweaked back (my vertabrae are crooked) caused me a lot of problems.
2. Stretch. I know you said it''s difficult. Start small. Just do basic stretches, as far as your body will allow you to without causing yourself pain. I saw a physical therapist for a while, learned a lot of great tricks, that would be hard to explain online. Perhaps one or two visits would be a great help to you. Or seeing a massage therapist who specializes in sports. Or looking up stretches for back injuries online. (Here are a few links: http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/flexibilityexercises/ss/BackStretches.htm, http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/low-back-flexibility.html)
3. Exercise. Walking flat surfaces will be a great place to start. Buy great pair of shoes and find a public track with good cushioning (parks, local high school, local community college would all be great places to start). A treadmill is good too.

I found that the longer I babied my back the worse the problem got. When I pushed myself my back adjusted along with me. There are still some things that trigger problems for me: long car rides, twisting the wrong way, sleeping funny, etc. I stretch when those things happen, take some motrin if it really hurts and it usually gets better fairly quickly (hours as opposed to days, as it once was).

I''m sure Rod will share his favorite tactic with you, which is core exercises. He has a book he can recommend, the name escapes me.

I hope you feel better, it''s no fun, I can certainly relate.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Happy New Year all! Sounds like most everyone had a good NY, and those unwell are getting better.

I spent a long time on the stationary today, did weights, and abs. Plus vacumming up 10,000 pine needles, dragging the tree out and stuffing it into a plastic bag (recycle sans bag) contributed to my workout!

All the best to the whole gang here on achieving your 2008 health goals!!

cheers--Sharon

 

[ljmorgan]

Hope that everyone is having a good day! The husband had a session with his trainer early this morning, so I tagged along and got in some cardio time before work. Calorie wise today is going well, 1100 calories so far... although 210 of that is Hershey kisses! Why? Because someone put a plate of them right by my desk, and these NEW kisses are my weakness apparently, they are "mint truffle" so they are somewhere between a peppermint patty and an Andes mint. Le sigh.

Breakfast was steel cut oats w/ honey, lunch was whole grain pasta with chicken, red pepper, and shallots. I had a salad of mixed greens and the BEST olive oil for dressing. If any of you are big fans of olive oil, you need to run out RIGHT now and buy a bottle of Cappezzana. It''s unfiltered so it''s strong and green, and was just pressed in November, so it doesn''t get fresher than that. This specific bottle is only sold in December and is usually gone by January, because by the end of February it starts losing some of its "fresh magic" even though it will keep, and taste good just as long as any other olive oil. But I am really trying to enjoy by having it raw on anything (don''t cook with it.)

Dinner tonight will probably be just another light salad so that I can enjoy my oil

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks Kim! I''ll check out the link after I take a HOT shower. I hope that helps loosen my back muscles. I already downed a few aspirin but I may look into getting Motrin. I appreciate you taking the time to write all you did.

 

[tdiddy]

DeeJay: what color Acura did you end up getting? One of my friends got a TSX in the fall and loves it. I checked out the MDX and RDX in the fall when I started looking....still haven''t pick a car yet though. And now I don''t want to buy a new one b/c the weather in Cincinnati is so gross this time of year that the carpet gets all nasty from the snow/slush. So I have a few months to decide....you''ll have to let us know how the Acura works out for you.

Steph: i think it''s totally awesome that you are approaching your future pregnancy with a healthy perspective....it sounds like you are committed to your healthy lifestyle and totally on track to make it happen.

Marcy: 140 pounds!!! wheeeeeeeeeeee!

Zoe: I would recommend a Bosu or Swiss Ball for at home workouts for your core. You can do a lot on either one (the Swiss Ball is a lot cheaper and is the better option IMO) and find plenty of core workouts online for it. You can also use it for upper and lower body and it isn''t as hard on your back as floor crunches. I would invest in a better Swiss Ball....not the cheapest one (TheraBand balls are good gym quality and reasonably priced online). The cheap ones aren''t as stable and don''t work as well.

Did a 45 minute elliptical workout today and a 20 minute ab routine. Then I stretched for 20 minutes to start preparing for marathon training which starts Saturday. It''s like 22 degrees here today so running outside Saturday will be COLD....maybe it will make me run faster to get finished sooner (hehehee). I have a cold that kept me in bed most of yesterday but I am feeling better today so hopefully it will be a quick recovery. Breakfast was a boca breakfast wrap, lunch was a baked potato and cottage cheese, dinner was penne, shrimp, tomatoes, and spinach tossed with garlic and evoo. i also had a homemade cinnamon doughnut for a snack right from the oven....it was delicious!

 

[marcy]

Hi everyone. I must admit I’ve been really excited today about loosing 140 pounds. I haven’t weighed this little for probably 17 years.
Steph, I hope you found a nice dress and picked up your US. Thanks for the woo hoo!
Shortblonde, I am glad you had a nice warm vacation in Florida. Your snow levels sound similar to ours. We are at least warming up for a few days before it starts snowing again this weekend. The healthy food restaurant sounds great. I like bite size desserts; that is such a wonderful idea.
Appletini, yeah for walking on the TM during lunch.
Mara, I agree that it would be great if more restaurants offered low calorie options.
Skippy, your nephew’s birthday party sounds like it was a blast. I am sure he is still talking about it. My thoughts will be with you and your family tomorrow. Thanks for the kind words about 140 pounds.
Kimi, your hike sounds like a nice workout for you. I’ve hear those new flatbread sandwiches are pretty good. Thanks for the congratulations.
Zoe, sorry to hear your back is hurting. Maybe rest it for a few days then start back on stretching and walking until it gets better and you can add in other things.
Sharon, it’s amazing how many pine needles can fall off a tree and how many you’ll find for the next few weeks. Now that we have a fake tree I still see little needles from it as well.
Lindsey, I am glad you are having a good day. Your salad sounds good.
Tdiddy, thanks for the wheeeeeee! That is pretty much the way I feel. Glad to hear your cold is getting better. Good luck running the marathon on Saturday in the COLD. I think that would help me run faster too.
Have a great evening and sweet dreams.
Marcy

 

[KimberlyH]

Had a delicious dinner, Avgolemono (chicken, lemon, egg, rice, carrots, onion, leek, chicken broth) soup, salad and french bread. I forgot how much I enjoy a simple soup and salad for dinner.

Tomorrow I''m going up to my cousin''s house (well he and his wife''s house) for a girls'' day with her and her sister-in-law (another cousin''s wife). It should be a lot of fun, although we have no idea what we''re doing; lunch and then??? It will be a nice little trip (1+ drive hour) for me, and good for J to have the house to himself to work in peace and quiet.

Hope everyone who had to return to work is relaxing this evening.

Marcy, you should be relishing in your success. It''s fantastic!

 

[Rod]

Hey Everyone!

Thanks for forgiving me DeeJay and I laughed out loud about your comment!!

To our AMAZING SHRINKING LADY........Woo Hoo for 140 Pounds Marcy!!! GoMarcyGoMarcyGoMarcyGoMarcy!!!!

Hey Steph, the Fat Rod of a few years ago used to have two, count ''em two Mocha Frapucino''s with an extra shot of Mocha, triple blended, no whipped cream EVERY DAY. Add that up for a week''s worth of indulgent, insanely fat calories. The rebuilt Rod however, only drinks coffee at Starbucks these days. The exciting drinks are just too fat and high in calories and while I know I can indulge a bit more, I wouldn''t enjoy wasting the calories on a sweet drink. In my coffee however, I do use Half and Half (more on that in a moment) and sugar in the raw (no artificial sweetners for me, thank you very much). I figure if I''m going to have coffee, I may as well really enjoy my coffee. And until recently I felt guilty about having Half and Half, but low and behold, I read recently that Half and Half is actually lower in sugar than lower fat milk and the article went on to say that a teaspoon or so of Half and Half is actually not bad for you. Sorry for the long answer.........

SB, the restaurant in Orlando sounded great. Do you remember the name of the restaurant? Maybe Charlie and I should drive over sometime and eat there. Sorry you came home to a foot of snow.

Good for you working out during lunch Appletini!!

Good for you walking 40 minutes in the cold again Skippy. I hope warmth comes your way soon. It is cold here tonight. When I left the gym, it was already in the 30''s in Tampa. I''m afraid there will be a hard freeze tonight, which is good and bad. Sometimes, we need a good old hard freeze to kill things like ticks and fleas and certain weeds. But, I feel badly for the farmers who will be spraying all their crops with water tonight, so a layer of ice will form and actually insulate everything. Odd how ice and actually provide protection, but it does work. And yes, we get fresh fruit and vegetables year round in Florida, which is a nice thing for sure!

Good for you hiking with such a bad cold Kimberly. I''m betting the exercise will actually help our immune response to the cold!!

Zoe, as Kimberly mentioned, I''m a BIG BIG BIG believer in core training. I have a horrible back. And when I was Fat Rod, I would hurt my back so often that I saw the chiropractor as often as 3 times a week. Even then, there would be times I would be in such pain, I could barely walk. I was actually seriously considering back surgery. Now fast forward a couple years and Rod hasn''t been to the chiropractor in 18 months. NOT ONCE!! And to what do I owe this marvelous change in health do you ask?? CORE TRAINING. CORE TRAINING. CORE TRAINING. Sorry for being a broken record, but the best thing that EVER happened from my working out as much as I do was learning how to strengthen my core. And just how might you be able to do the same thing??? Ah, I''m glad you asked. Go immediately to Borders or Barnes and Noble or EBay and buy a book by Mark Verstegen, entitled, "Core Performance Essentials." It changed my life in ways I never thought possible. And it can change your''s too. ROD SERMON OVER!

Happy New Year Sharon! It sounds like your tree stuffing experience was a good workout, plus the actual workout too!

Lindsey, repeat after me......Chocolate (in moderation of course) is a heart healthy treat. Dark chocolate is better, but I''m sure you won''t be hurt by 210 calories from chocolate!!

tdiddy, I''m glad you''re feeling better and good luck with training for your marathon. Runnng in 22 degree weather would be a shock to this Florida boy, that''s for sure!!

Here''s my day in a small capsule: Went to work. Frustrated by work, but worked hard none-the-less. Left work after 6. Wanted to just come home (Charlie did), but dragged my tired self to the gym and worked out for 2.5 hours. Glad I did go to the gym as I alwasy feel so much better after a workout, even when I don''t really want to go.

Night night everyone!

 

[gailrmv]

hi WWT friends! As usual I''ve been really on track w/ the gym, and pretty on track with eating... I just love food so much. Wish I was one of those people with built in portion control but I just really have to watch it. I am finding that keeping no junk food in the house is crucial or I overdo it. I am trying to eat more throughout the day so I am not starved at dinner. I have protein powder in soy milk before or after a workout, and I am really enjoying that. Vanilla soy milk is so yummy! I feel like my body is really building up with muscle - now I wish the fat layer would fall off so I could show off all those muscles in style! (At the suggestion off the trainer I worked with, I am doing at least three hours a week of weight training, and I am really getting stronger!) I am also doing at least 3 hours a week of cardio intervals, plus dog walking every night, but I have not lost any weight in several months - major plateau.

Mara glad your trip was fun!
Skippy you are awesome for walking in the cold. It is cold here too today (30s) and I am such a wimp! Took the dogs for a brisk 30 min and that was all til it warms up.
Marcy YOU ROCK on 140 lb lost! That''s incredible. Have you been enjoying those resistance bands?
TDiddy good luck on your marathon training! That''s awesome. Which race are you training for? I''m thinking I might try for a national big race if I am ever going to do a full marathon. A friend mentioned a women''s marathon in San Francisco - that sounds fun. Of course, I want her to agree to run w/ me and she''s not sure! I''m definitely going to be training for two local halfs this spring.
Lindsay glad you got to the gym early! I never can make it in early - only after work. Wish I was a morning person.
Rod I need to buy a copy of that core book. Did you follow his training plan to the letter?
DeeJay I am glad you got the MDX! I really like those. I''m not seriously thinking of 3 dogs either... especially after a couple of Angie''s recent exploits... these Carolina Dogs are not known for their mellow tempers, at least mine isn''t! How is Dino with strangers (people and new dogs?) Angie is getting worse and worse as she gets older.... very frustrating, because I love going to the dog park, and I think we are getting verrry unpopular there!
This computer is being a pain about bolding people''s names - sorry if that doesn''t work. Happy Thurs all, and the weekend will be here soon!

 

[marcy]

Kimi, your dinner does sound delicious. Enjoy the day with the girls tomorrow. I am enjoying my success, thanks.
Rod, thanks for the encouragement; I am certainly re-energized right now. It sounds like a cold evening in Tampa; that is strange that farmers will water their crops to protect them during a freeze. Thanks for the info on the book for core training, my husband should get that. He sometimes ends up in bed for days because of his back. Yeah for dragging yourself to the gym; I know you love your vigorous workouts.
I’ll check in with you all tomorrow.
Marcy

 

[monarch64]

Evening WWtr''s! Nice to see a couple new faces here this week, hope you all stick around!

I''m definitely back on the workout wagon...tonight I worked my arms for about 10 mins, and then DH and I shoveled snow off the deck and sidewalks. It was a more difficult task than usual because the sun had been out most of the day but it was also only about 10 degrees or something ridiculously frigid and the snow that had drifted onto the places needing to be shoveled had frozen solid, so we had to kind of chip away at the snow, shovel, chip, shovel, etc. DH used the snowblower two nights ago when the big storm hit here but tonight that was not an option, plus we figured we needed the exercise and fresh air. We spent about 30 minutes doing that and when we came inside my arms felt like they were going to fall off. I think I could''ve skipped the arm weights prior to shoveling snow...oops.

Dinner tonight was Chinese takeout, yum. I had moo shu veggies and a couple bites of a veggie eggroll. WHY on earth they give you a flippin'' 2lb. carton of veggies and only 4 little pancake thingies is beyond me...I had one pancake/veggie roll filled to capacity and was stuffed but still managed to satisfy my eggroll craving with just a couple of bites. It was all super yummy but I won''t be craving Chinese food again anytime soon.

Mr. Rod, I hope you and Charlie are staying warm this week! Hope your Bimmer has heated seats, and that you have some extra quilts to pile on the bed as well. Don''t worry, I''m not feeling too sympathetic towards you, it''s currently 9 degrees here and falling. Brr!

Mara, can''t wait to see pics from your trip, glad you had a great time and are home safe and sound with princess P!

Steph, hope you find a US cleaner, you will love it! Also, good luck finding a formal dress for your cruise, I hope you post pics here or on your other thread when you find the perfect one!

Marcy, yay for minus 140! A very Happy New Year so far for you!

Shortblonde, I need to move to Orlando...wish there were restaurants around Chicago that offered such healthy dishes!

Skippy, my condolences to you and your family on the loss of your wonderful aunt. Your neph''s b-day party sounds great, kids parties are so fun! I love going to our friends children''s b-day parties, the kids are so funny.

Hi Kimi, ZoeB., Appletini, DeeJay, Lorelei, Sharon, Lindsey, tdiddy, and anyone else I missed!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Happy Wednesday all!

This is the first I've have two seconds to breathe since I got out of bed this morning. Lord... if this is what my real estate career is going to be like I might have to go back to a desk job LOL. (NOT!)

I think I was pretty good cal wise today, and tomorrow my plan is to go to the gym early, like 7:30 right when the cleaning lady gets here. That way I'll be done by 9:00 and that's not too bad. It's interesting, my whole life has shifted by 2-3 hours. I used to get up at 7:00 and go to bed at 9:00 (to read or PS, not to sleep), and now I usually stay in bed until 9:00 but stay up a couple of hours later. The HH finds this whole thing very strange since he used to be the later one in the household.

For those who asked, the car is some sort of dark blue/grey color. The paperwork says blue but I swear it's almost the same color as our Lexus SUV, which is dark grey. The snow finally did all melt off today in the garage so I got a good look at. I also drove it up to drop off some paperwork with a client. SUCH a different ride than the Lexus. Very strange at first but I'm sure I'll get used to it.

Sorry for not addressing everyone "in person" but I've got to go run some searches for clients right now...

 

[golden]

I started my diet yesterday, I weighed in 1.5lbs less then I did the day before, but that is only because that was day 1 of my cold and didn''t have an appetite. So I was already ahead of the game on day 1 of my diet. NATURALLY, this morning, I was .5lbs up and a little annoyed, but I know, water weight etc etc etc!!! hahaha
Anyway, how often should I weigh in? Do you think every morning is too often? Should I only do it once a week? I keep the scale in the linen closet, but I am always tempted to get on the scale. Maybe I should throw it out-- NOT haha but that would be a great idea

I can''t wait until I am better so I can get on the treadmill!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/3/2008 12:09:36 AM
Author: golden
I started my diet yesterday, I weighed in 1.5lbs less then I did the day before, but that is only because that was day 1 of my cold and didn''t have an appetite. So I was already ahead of the game on day 1 of my diet. NATURALLY, this morning, I was .5lbs up and a little annoyed, but I know, water weight etc etc etc!!! hahaha
Anyway, how often should I weigh in? Do you think every morning is too often? Should I only do it once a week? I keep the scale in the linen closet, but I am always tempted to get on the scale. Maybe I should throw it out-- NOT haha but that would be a great idea

I can''t wait until I am better so I can get on the treadmill!

I feel daily weighing is too much, as you do fluctuate naturally, so I would go for once a week at the same time, in the same place and same clothes. That way you will get a true picture of how you are doing. Remember you need a deficit of 3500 cals to lose one pound of fat, that can really only happen over a few days, so once weekly weighs should be fine.

 

[steph72276]

Good morning everyone! Well, lots of things to report since yesterday. I have been doing wonderfully well on the food front. I give Andrew 1 piece of candy from his stocking everyday (if he asks for it) and yesterday I was breaking off the head of a reece''s snowman to give him a piece of it and that is when the sweets craving kicked in for me. So, I broke off a small piece to just have a bite, but it fell on the floor! I took that as a sign to reach for something healthier and had fruit. So glad I did b/c that took care of the sweet craving and I didn''t have to feel guilty! On the exercise front, I have been doing indoor activities since it was in the 30s today here! Brrrr, there is no way I was waking up before sunrise to run out in that stuff! I will take the dog out later when it warms up a bit for a nice walk, do legs (squats and lunges w/ weights) and some jump rope to get my heart rate up.

The other news is about Adam''s job. There have been rumblings for months about different opportunities, etc. but I wasn''t sure where we would end up. Yesterday, the Vice President of the company flew in on the corporate jet and took Adam out to lunch. He asked if Adam would be interested in moving to Orlando to try to get things running more smoothly there like he did here in Ft. Lauderdale. He gave him a career growth plan and said this would be from 6-18 months and then the next step would be a VP, so it loooks like he will get that position before he hits 30, which is so great for him. So he came home to talk to me about it and I am really happy. I have no ties to south florida as we only moved here a year ago. The cost of living is much better there and we could afford a nice house. The main selling point for me is that Adam''s aunt and uncle live there, and she keeps 2 kids during the day, so if I want to return to work part time, we would have family to watch Andrew and also babysitter for date nights every once in a while! So I think we are going to take the opportunity. He said if we do it, he would like us there by March, so after the cruise it will be house-hunting time.

Anyway, sorry this is so long....will be back to give individual repsonses later! Have a great day everyone!