Hi everyone,

I was up to see Dawn's ass crack again today and went to the gym. I have been reading about the benefits of having a treadmill on an incline, s I have been slowly increasing the incline over the last couple of weeks.

Today 3.0 incline, I can't sustain a 3 mph pace, but I start at 2.5 to warm up for 5 minutes and then each minute increment it 0.1 until I hit 3.0 at the 10-11 minute mark.

I drop back to 2.5 for 1 minute,then 2.6 for 1 minute 2.7 for 1 minute, 2.8 for 2 minutes, 2.9 for 2 minutes, 3.0 for 3 minutes. then repeat, this last section twice more for a total of 40 minutes. (Pressing buttons, keeps me occupied and it keeps me motivated to get to the next 2.5 minute hehe) I get off the treadmill lightheaded, runners high, and drowning in sweat :)

My NSV - since deciding I could tackle the 3 steps outside hands free, I decided no more rail holding to my apartment! (3rd floor!!) It is slow going, and at times I feel unbalanced, but I am doing it!

Have a good day everyone!

Bea, kudos on your treadmill exercise, especially the incline and variation in speed. I'm no exercise expert--is that OK to be lightheaded after exercise? It doesn't mean you overexerted yourself? But, honey, this I DO know-- hold onto that railing going up and down stairs. Doing that doesn't make you a wimp--it's just good safety for people of any age.

Hi Mern, thank you for the concern, but rest assured, I am ok. The lightheaded is just from working hard. I am strong and healthy! The stairs is something I want to conquer again! I used to be able to run up the same amount of stairs (different apartment) with a child on each hip! Mind you, that is 25 years ago, but I don't FEEL any different than I did at 25! Heavier yes, unhealthier or older, nope! I will be careful, but I will win over these stairs!

Good morning everyone! Isn't it so much better when the sun is finally shining for a change? I got my weightlifting class in this a.m. and my protein shake so am off to a good start. I gained back .5 lbs over the weekend, but feel confident I can lose that and
maybe another pound this week. We shall see...

This Week's Goals:
1. drink 5-6 glasses water per day
2. eat under 1000 calories per day
3. workout 2-3 x per week

Bea, OK. I'll give you credit for knowing yourself better than I do. :) Best wishes with your stairs and exercise.

Aimee, it's a beautiful springlike day at 58 degrees with partly cloudy skies here in southeastern Ohio. :) Way to go on your exercise and protein shake. Half a pound gain will likely come off quickly--that can be just a scale fluctuation or water retention. Best wishes on your goals, too. I can't eat under 1000 calories per day--I'd get ravenously hungry and then go on a carb and fat binge in the evening. You're losing at a nice rate--that's the kind of loss that stays off better than rapid weight loss. Enjoy your day.

It's freezing rain here and about 15cms of snow coming tonight :(

I want spring too!!!! How about if I jump up and down, or hold my breathe until I turn blue? (apparently as a toddler, that was my way to deal with not getting what I wanted)

Bea, I agree with Mern. Holding on to the stair rail is not a weakness. If you're using it to help yourself up and down, I can see how you'd want to stop doing that. But I think for balance it's not a failure. jmo. Sounds like you had an awesome treadmill workout! Way to go!

Aimee, Oh Lordy I don't know how you stay under 1000 either. I'm with Mern. I'd end up binging. Sometimes I still do lol and I'm doing 1200-1400/day. Good luck with all your goals this week!

I feel bad for all of you who have to endure such a long winter. I miss the snow terribly...I love it. But I live in Gilbert, AZ where the sun shines 350 days a year. So when we get weather like rain and monsoons, I am loooooving it. I'm not ready for 115 degree heat! It's already in the 80's. Summer here is miserable and it's just around the corner. :(

I am one of the last die hard "winter lovers" around here, but even I am longing for grass and sunshine!

We have such beautiful beaches and ocean breezes here!! I'm not a fan of heat at all, but the beach is tolerable in the summer :)

My shrimp marinara sauce was a hit last night, so much so, that I didn't get to have any sauce for my spaghetti squash (I left it for my daughter) I thought there had been more, oh well. Spaghetti squash for my supper I guess :(

Bea, sorry about your cruddy weather. LOL on your behavior as a toddler. You remind me of my little sister--she used to thrust her hands straight out behind her and lean forward and yell or scream. I hope you found a way to enjoy your spaghetti squash without your shrimp marinara sauce.

I didn't get out to the store yet to get stuff I want to try some new vegetarian dishes, but I didn make a yummy stovetop casserole with sauteed onions and green pepper, canned tomatoes, and Dreamfields low net effective carb pasta and a bit of Parmesan cheese stirred in at the end. DH had turkey sausage with his but I refrained--the casserole is plenty good without meat.

Jenai, wishing you a lonnnnnnnnnnnnng spring and then directly into fall to bypass the 115 degree heat.