RunbikeSki

Hey all,

Joanna, here's all my good will for the exam tomorrow - my rule? Don't freak out and all will be well.

Tori, so did I see that you are getting the Zumba rhythem? Awesome, need to see your moves sometime.

Kimbur, I think you and Mike are the definition of "gym rat" just can't stay away.

Hey Amy, baby bunnies... how cute, can't wait for pix. BUT maybe it is time to start teaching the girls how to sew - at least a contribution to the costume. Deriously how great is it that the oldest has that quirky talent niche. Don't throttle her yet!

OK off we go to bed... early alarm tomorrow. Sleep well all!

canary52

1) lower carb- Y
2) avoid sugar - Y
3) stretch, even gently - Y
4) 6 glasses of water every day - 8
5) do not be critical - Y

canary52

Amy, I hope your fingers feeling better. I loved your description of your DD.

Joanna, good luck on your midterm! I hope you do great!

Pam, that train trip sounded so great, I want to go on one.

Shalafi, I love how you say you don't want to be squishy. Shalafi and Tori, I don't know how you guys keep your calories so low. I have trouble staying between 1500-1600 some days!!!

almeeker

All 3 of our DD's have some basic knowledge of sewing, but only one seems to actually enjoy it, the other two would rather stand back and tender their sewing orders. Right now DD's biggest issue is TIME. She's in school most of the day and until last week she had swimming 3 nights/week plus meets nearly every Saturday. What I really need to teach DD is how to balance priorities in a more "mom-friendly" fashion. I have told her is that if she wants to do this competition next year she can make her own costume and show it as a fair project, a win-win for me if you know what I'm saying. I'll still help her, but she has to show more planning and initiative for props and costumes. This year compared to last, she has done all of her own research and writing, whereas last year I had to help her because she was new to the whole thing and the books were not at a 4th grade level. Heck even I had to read them with a dictionary at my side. Don't worry I'm not going to throttle her just yet. I actually really encourage her, especially in this area. She has quite a bit of acting talent, but at present she's not one of those kids that can waltz into an audition and grab the lead. This way she gets the lead and writes her own script, it's pretty cool really.

Your description of your trip sounded like a brochure from a travel agency. Wow, sounds really fantastic keep the details coming. We've been on a few short train trips, but never a really long one, but one of these days...

almeeker

Joanna,

Badda Boom, badda bing, midterm juju coming your way. Good luck honey.

A

quinnesec

Monday Check-In:

1. Take ALL vitamins and supplements. Yes
2. 80 oz. of water a day, or more. Yes
3. Calories ALWAYS under 1200. 1085
4. Walk, weather permitting... nasty winter storm coming in mid-week. No time today.
5. NO bread... nothing, nada, zilch. 0
6. Minimum 3 fruits and veggies a day, preferably more. 3
7. One 1 hour nap/relaxation period each day. (Need to recharge the 'ol batteries... ) No time today.

Kay_in_PA

I tried to post my goals last night, but they seem to have disappeared into the great void. Keeping it brief and simple my goals are to do kettlebells at least 3x this week, to increase my fruits and veggies to five servings a day, and to get below 150. I haven't gained, but I've been sitting at or around 150 for too long, and I this is going to be the week that I break the plane and get back into the 140s.

Yesterday I did kettlebells, I also got in my 5 servings of fruit and veggies, but it was very heavy on the fruit side. Getting enough veggies is always a challenge for me because I am such a picky eater.

ToriD1012

hahahaha NNNNOOOO!! It's still pretty bad.
it's not easy, but it can be done. I don't stress horribly if I gp over by a little. And then there are the days I go over by A LOT! I work for the weekly average more than anything.



So far work hasn't been horrible. I did find out that my vendors and drivers were taking up a collection last week for me. They were calling it the "Bail Tori Out of Jail" fund LOL!!! These men!!!

Hope everyone has a great day

01gt4.6

You're such a champ. Rock on!

taubele

Tori: Hot personal trainer isn't too much of a consequence unless he teases you mercilessly! I think that if you don't hit your workout goals this week, you need to post a youtube video of your Zumba moves -- whatever ones are the hardest for you! AND you need to hold up a sign saying that Mike is awesome -- since you like teasing him so much, maybe that'll motivate you? If you can't post to youtube, then you need to take a few pics getting your Zumba on with a different sign in each pic. How does that seem to you?

Kimbur: Your goals are really awesome and inspiring. Go for the gold!!!

Pam: You make a train trip sound awesome. I know some people's idea of a vacation is jam-packed with activity. My idea of a vacation is making PLENTY of time with relaxation. I believe that activities have their place for sure, but unless you MUST be somewhere, I am very much of the mind that at least half of it should involve kicking back and just enjoying yourself. I'll remember that about awesome train rides. Can't wait to see your pics! Good luck on the low-carbing!

Amy: My hands are twinging in empathy for you, Supermom! I hope you're feeling better soon - is there any lotion or anything that might help with all the cracking, or is it something that seems resistant to all attempts? Oooooh, can't WAIT to see pics of the baby bunnies! DD sounds like a natural actress both on and odd-stage with her attitude

Shalafi: Hi!! Keep it up with the Shred - I know Jillian is a PITA but I'm determined to do it this month too!!

Kay: Your goals look good, and I hear you on the veggies. I live with a picky eater and that's often my excuse -- it's hard for me to justify buying veggies just for myself when I know he won't eat them.

Joanna: Good luck on your midterm!!! Crossing my toes for you!

quinn: You're doing awesome -- and I hope you have time to get out for a nice walk before the storm!

Mike: You can do it this week!!! I also added a goal just for you

Weekly Goals

Food/Exercise/Lifestyle Goals
1) Calories between 1200-1400. Really aiming for 1300. M: 1,160 (Week Average: 1,160)
2) 30 Day Shred EVERY DAY. No excuses, not even working late!!!! M: yes
3) 1 or 2 extra cardio sessions at the gym M: no
4) Calorie deficit of 4,000-5,000. If I keep cals at 1300 every day, this should be extremely doable. M: -861 (Week Total: -861)
5) In bed by 11:30 every night M: close, but no cigar
6) Protein between 25-30% on average for the week M: 33% (Week Average: 33%)
7) At least 80 oz. of water daily M: 80
8) Take my multivitamin M: yes T: yes
9) Weigh in daily and post here M: 160.4 T: 159.6
10) No eating out for lunch all week, with the exception of lab meeting M: yes

Other Goals

1) Continue job search/applications, follow up on jobs with no news M: Did some follow ups (about 4 or 5), one application in
2) Get midterm exam(s) done by Wednesday, latest M: not yet
3) Take some "me" time every day M: No
4) Don't sweat the small stuff M: yes
5) Make an effort on my appearance every day M: no makeup

I feel pretty awesome about yesterday. After dinner my calories were sitting at 910. I almost never eat so little and feel so full. My meals yesterday were:

Breakfast: Fage Greek Yogurt (Strawberry/Goji, 0% fat) for breakfast
Lunch: Low-cal tortilla with 3 oz. chicken breast, about 1/3 cup cooked rice, and LF cheese mixed together. Side of heavy-veggie salad with a berry vinigarette
Dinner: 6 oz. mango-lime seasoned tilapia on the grill with 3/4 cup cooked rice on the side, flavored with lime and cilantro.

(Yes, I know, a lot of rice. I had made a ton of it over the weekend for a group meal and have leftovers, I'm trying to spread it out and eat it). I was shocked as I entered it all to see it so low-cal and high protein. I know it's partly because I tend to eat light breakfasts (my stomach really can't handle a lot of food before 10:30 or so), but dang. Even my sodium was fairly in-check.

I actually made myself eat a peanut butter sandwich before bed (~250 cals, I didn't use low-cal bread) to get my calories up or I knew I'd be starving today. It felt like a decadent treat, haha!! But I'm going to remember this meal plan when I need a low-cal day that's still filling. I've also been consciously adding more salad to my daily meals, either lunch or dinner. This is going to sound SO silly, but I think I'm often done in by "sides" during my meals -- I make good choices for my main protein/portion, but I stick empty dishes on the side (I think this is due to living with a picky eater, but I can't blame him, really). If I replace even ONE of those bad side choices with a daily salad that's good and filling to me, I've seen it make a difference before (I feel so funny saying that salads are important for my diet -- like a walking cliche -- but hey, if the shoe fits...)

I feel good today. After Day 5 of the Shred, I'm finally losing the constant soreness in my muscles that always comes with starting it up, and I am seeing the scale go down as a result (hopefully that's why it was going up, anyway!). I'm still hovering around 160 and annoyed about it, but I know I just need to be diligent. I think this is the part where I need to put up or shut up, right? I'm fairly certain that it's all becoming about exercise for me. There's only so much food I can cut or change without making myself feel deprived. I have totally learned what I can and cannot eat. This is becoming about me not just having a better-eating lifestyle, but a more active one too. The Shred, even though I hate it, is waking my body up. I'm going to slowly add in more so that hopefully in a month's time, I'll be at a point where I want to do SOME form of movement every day. That is my goal. I know I must make it a habit or I'll never do it. But I'm really hopeful, because I can sense myself coming out of my funk.

Tonight I'm going to take the time to make more chicken soup since it was so awesome last time. It's actually been kind of rainy and miserable here in FL for the past week or so, so I'm going to take the "winter-ish" weather and let it guide my cooking choices. Soup is always good when it's crappy, right? And I'll have a ton of leftovers to eat for lunch.

Sorry, I feel like I've written a novel, but I'm figuring stuff out and for me, writing it down really helps.

Have a lovely Tuesday everyone. Cassie, Mern, April, and everyone who hasn't checked in yet -- thinking of you, hoping life is being kind!!!!

~Terri