Don't forget to set your clocks back tonight. yay, another hour of sleep (or an hour awake earlier if you are like me....)

Today was a do nothing day with my dd. We ate dinner at Bonefish, which probably had more calories that I could manage to wedge into baked trout on my own, watched movies, and test drove cars. Exercise was stretching and some yoga.

Happy November!

My trick of setting the clocks back yesterday in the early evening/late afternoon didn't really help keep the kids in bed in later this morning - they were still bouncing on me at 7 am (normally 8 am in yesterday's time, so I guess maybe that isn't too bad.) I started a couple of years ago just switching the clocks whenever we were home in the afternoon and done with needing to be anywhere at a specific time, my hint if you think it would help any of you.

I'm back to normal - yea! - which means back to lifting today. I'm glad that I was able to shake this off in a few days which for me is a big improvement - I usually end up down with asthma and/or bronchitis. Altho this seemed to stay mainly isolated to my head and neck, I'll credit being active this time as the difference for me.

Fran: Good idea. Sometimes we set them before bed, sometimes not. Today we didn't. We have so many power outages in our neighborhood that I'm forever resynchronizing clocks. Ah, the benefits of living in a mature neighborhood with trees. Glad your feeling good! Tomorrow is my LEG DAY! Can't wait. I was just thinking this morning when was the last squat session. I think it's been at least three weeks. Could be fun tomorrow. I'm counting on the idea that this short time off will be good recovery leading me to be stronger tomorrow than I anticipate.

Mel: What did you test drive? Anything fun? Bonefish Grill sounds good. It's been a while since I've been there. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a restaurant that actually prepared foods the way that we do at home?

Yesterday DH and I took the boys out for "linner" it was 3:00pm and we had missed lunch and had no desire to cook dinner. (We took them hiking for a couple of hours at Highbanks.) I still have no appetite. I feel physical hunger but nothing sounds appetizing. I was truly prepared to order anything I wanted off the menu but still ended up with grilled chicken breast on tossed greens, apple slices, and no dressing. The chicken was awful. I could barely choke it down but I did because I needed the protein. Gummy, distinct onion like flavor in the marinade. (I HATE onion) I think I'll just stick with my own kitchen for a while. I'm sure it's a phase that will pass soon.

We do linner around here alot too, Lydia! Today I had to keep telling my older dd to settle down, stop bouncing on the furniture, bothering her sister, to act more like a 9 yo (she's the sporty one). It finally occurred to me that, like a puppy, she needed to be taken out and run. So I told the girls to turn off the tv and grab their coats and we were going out on the nature trail. They were soooo happy! So I took them out to the wetlands park and had them ride their bikes while I walked. They went down to the stream bed a few times, tried to put colorful leaves in the stream and then run down the path to the bridge to see if they could spot their leaf flowing down stream, then we had a stick throwing contest off the bridge. They got nice and muddy and kept themselves entertained for about 2 hrs but then we left when one of them got a wet foot. As we were driving home, we passed a house where a kid was emerging about the same age, stretching as he came out like he was low energy, and was also obese. I made a mental note that how we spent the afternoon was how all kids should be living, it cannot be a special treat to go out like this, and we need to be more disconnected from the tv, laptops, and video games. We should enjoy it while we have the mild weather, and I have to make this a regular thing each weekend and not just when the "puppy" (human) needs a run! SO that was my learning lesson for the day.

Wow Fran, what a beautiful afternoon you had with your daughters! Thanks for sharing. It was really fantastic here today too. You are so right about them being like puppies. They really are. I remember a mother I met about five years ago with two sons who had the same age span as mine, five years difference. Everyday after preschool she would take the younger to a playground with another little friend to burn off steam. Unless it was subzero she had them bundled up and out there. I always try to remember this but I find myself inside more than I like to admit. Always so much to do but it really is important to get them out there doing these things for the very reasons you observed on your way home. My older son usually gripes when I send him out to ride his bike or beat tennis balls against the wall but when he returns he is usually in a better mood.

Anyway, thanks for the beautiful image of your afternoon. (Mine was spent baking cookies, four batches, for my son's fifth grade fundraiser. ~sigh~) At least DH got them out on bikes today to the library. If tomorrow is nice I may hit a trail myself.

Oh, forgot to add, I picked up 30 Day Shred from Wal-Mart today. Has anyone tried it? It's a big hit over on another forum, so for 9.96 I thought I'd see what all the passion's about.

Finally home again after the longest day ever spent on the PA turnpike. There was a huge accident about 30 seconds in front of me and I ended up sitting in the left lane of the turnpike with my car turned off for an hour and a half. I forgot that this car does NOT turn off it's headlights automatically, so when then finally started moving, NOTHING happened when I turned the key. being stuck in the left lane of a turnpike is terrifying! Eventually, an car load of youngish guys pulled in front of me and a trucker in the right lane slowed down enough so that we could push my car onto the shoulder until the state police got there, then the guy from AAA to jump start my car.

Lydia, Bonefish was delicious- but I'm sure there must have been a half pound of butter in the pistachio crusted trout and the green beans. We won't even discuss the chocolate martini!
The test drive turned into a buy Ah to be young and well paid! She bought a 2008 Acura TSX that had been a dealer loaner. The dealer was pretty motivated to get it sold because the 2009's are in.

Tomorrow is back to real life. Cardio and lifting are going to be a rude shock to the system after 3 days of slacking and being in celebration mode.

Mel

Sounds like everyone had interesting and busy weekends.!!! I agree with kids burning off steam. Luckily mine are older and involved in very physical activities so they burn it on thier own and don't need to "let out" anymore.

I've never heard of Bonefish but pistachio crusted trout sounds magnificent!! Yep, Mel, your body is in for a shock, but a good shock, right?

The girl and I stopped in a Williams Sonoma store (we'd never been to one before) and they were making turkey dressing. She tried some and exclaimed LOUDLY that she'd never had dressing that good before in her life. I vanished into the teapot section :-) For our LINNER (eaten at 930 last night) we had a mini Thanksgiving meal, minus only the cranberry sauce and I was able to restrain myself reasonably well. Will have to be super squeaky clean the rest of the week to avoid going off on a binge.

Happy November ere'body!

I must be the only person that does not like the time change in the fall. I don't care if there is light when I get up or a total darkness - I do prefer light but the minus is that it gets dark earlier in p.m. and when I walk the dogs there is not much sun any more and I am not ready to pull out their coats yet.

Upon a recommendation from a mailing list I am on, I purchased a small slow cooker yesterday (I only have the big one, 5 or 6 quart) for making oatmeal.
Oy, the bliss!!! Why haven't anybody told me eons ago! I plugged it in when I went to bed and got up to a perfectly made oatmeal with no mess to clean!

Fran: Report back with what you think of the video. I have no point of reference for the dvd but curious how it compares to a workout you would put together for yourself.

Mel: What a stressful moment that must have been. Thanks goodness you weren't in the accident and you had a AAA membership. I really should renew mine. Love the new car your DD chose. What a great way to celebrate all her hard work.

Tiki: Don't you love how they can make us cringe without really even trying. So, how were those teapots anyway.

Tomato: I like the idea of a mini crockpot for the oatmeal. Mine's done in the microwave. Very last minute. DH thinks it tastes like glue but it makes me happy.

So. Today's workout. (drumroll) No PRs but one of the most satisfying workouts I've had in a very long time. I think I may have licked this bug for good. (I'm still going to pick up the second round of antibiotics just to be sure. DS1 has something and I'm not going to catch it.) No backsquats though. The darn rack was busy for the first twenty minutes of my leg workout and by then I was too fatigued for it to matter. Wednesday is another day.

Have a great one everyone. :

Well, as November rolls in I am still working out my calories/protein/lack of BF loss issue. I raised my calories to about 1600-1700 but it put my weight loss to a crawl the past 2 weeks. Still working with it, though. My protein intake has gone up which is good. We'll see what the BF is at next measurement (2-3 weeks from now).

This is an awesome idea!

Tomato, I will admit that I must be on the same email list you are on! I had seen the post about c/p oatmeal and then saw the renewed exclamations today. i will have to try it - but since i micro mine anyway, there is never a mess beyond the bowl I cook it in. But I would like to see how really good it could be.

Today was another hike outside during lunch with the kids, as they are off school today and tomorrow. Went to a harder/more hilly park today. They didn't need to be worked out today, but rather were BEGGING me all morning from a promise made yesterday. We're off to do it again tomorrow. Also got in my fbwo and 1/2 hr on the treadmill first thing this morning. I guess you could say it was a very active day today! The bed will sure feel good tonite.

Hmm, what sort of oatmeal are they using the CP for? I always nuke my old fashioned, but steel cut I save for weekends and cook a big batch on the stove. THen I warm it up in the microwave. You could probably do a nice batch of steel cut in a CP and have it all the time. I like them both though, so my way works for me. Today I have my oats in the form of Cheerios.

Fran, it's nice to see kids as active as yours. Sounds like they're giving Mom a good workout these days.

Lydia - so glad you're feeling better!

Mel - congrats to DD, and scary about the accident right in front of you and the dead battery....

Pat - I'm a big fan of steel cut oats in the rice cooker. Takes 30-40 minutes and cooks perfectly. I never had much success with it on the stove.

I'm enjoying the kettlebelle body workouts so far. Did cardio today and it is pretty good. I was supposed to run today but it got dark quick. Tomorrow morning will be running.

Hi all! I'm popping in over here because I'm resolving to add strength training back into my rotation after a long absence, and am looking for some support and public accountability. I'm starting on Monday, Nov 10.

I know a lot of you from the Maintainers forum and around, here's my abridged history. I started at 289 lbs in 2002, dropped to the low 170s over about a year with the help of lifting and step videos, swapped out the step for running in 2003, and never looked back. I dropped lifting (no pun intended) after my DD was born in 2005 (actually dropped it while I was pregnant come to think of it) just because there wasn't time to do everything, and I'm such a running/triathlon addict. I missed what lifting did for my body though, and now after DS has come along and I'm creeping my way back down the scales again, have committed to adding it back in, using my triathlon off-season to free up some time for it.

So I'm still working on my plan. I just got NRLW and am enjoying it, and will probably at least get lots of ideas from it, if not implement it wholesale. Anyone have any thoughts for me? I'm severely time-constrained, still not getting enough sleep (DS is 5 months old and not quite sleeping through), and I get extremely sore, using the wheelchair rails in the bathroom sore, very very easily, although in compensation, I seem to make initial gains fast before it levels out.

Thanks,

Anne