The more you can hold yourself up without holding onto something, the more you use your core muscles in addition to just your legs.

I guess the challenge is I really just want something I can use while in the living room with Jeff watching TV. We don't have space in the living room for actual exercise equipment, and locking myself away in a separate room is just another reason I wouldn't stick to it, ya know? Especially since we have so little waking time together each day (and we're not married, so I'm not sick of him yet ;) )

I can't see myself spending a thousand dolalrs on exercise equipment, anyway. Not when we still need a new hot water heater, need to have the outside trip painted (and anything rotting replaced), need new kitchen countertops, need a new washer and dryer, need a new fridge...exercise equipment can't be a priority for me right now.

Yeah, it's a big control issue for some mgrs, Anna. But at great places like IBM, employees and their mgrs actually have to make a case for WHY someone has to have an OFFICE. They put everyone out as remote workers and you have to have sign-off to be allocated space. They save so much money by not maintaining offices for people who are traveling all the time and never there anyway. Here's a quote to support you Anna:

American workers average 3.7 billion hours and 23 billion gallons of gas wasted in rush hour traffic each year. :crazy:

Can someone point me in the right directions for the badges. I don't think I got any but I wanted to see what everyone else did.

Thanks

I enjoy Anna rants :D

My job could easily be done from home. They already give me a laptop and VPN connection to their network. My bos actually works in NJ, so it's not like I ever see him. I sit and use my computer all day, and, most days, people don't even know I'm there because I interact more with people in other offices. 90% of my job is done on my own computer and via email--I'm hardly even on the phone.

And yet, 30 miles each way, 5 days a week, 10 hours of driving to/from work each week, and lots of gas (even in my little Civic).

I love my badges - thank you Michelle for getting them out there so quick! It totally makes me want more!!! I already worked out today, but maybe I can squeeze in a WATP or a TBL dvd before dinner...! ;)

Debbie, where are you at? I'm in Covington - do you know where that is. About 20-30 miles south of Seattle.

Hi again everyone! I did my planned workout and even tacked on some extra time on the recomb. bike....I am on that exercise high and I feel fantastic!!! I really wish I could bottle this feeling to sprinkle on myself when I am literally dragging myself to the gym!!!!

Of course, I think part of feeling so good is I FINALLY slowed down over the weekend and actually relaxed! I said 'no' to my family--they are still in shock over that one! ;)

WTF - I'm amazed at some people. The parents of a 2 year old just walked in. She has KNOWN allergies to peanuts, soy, milk...and others foods. Mom just gave her a fruit/nut bar that didn't have "peanuts" in it but had cashews, pistachios and other seeds...obviously manufactured in a facility that has nuts of all sorts in it. And they didn't have an epi pen with them!! She looks terrible. Low O2 sats and so swollen. I think Mom gets it now...how serious food allergies can be.

changes and time
 

Thank you for the link to the changes - I have a hard time reading through all the posts. I appreciate all the consideration as well - I am pushing myself now but I also know I will need a breather day with limited amt. of exercise too.

I am also fortunate this week - going a field trip that will be a 3 mile hike! I will figure out how much durational walking I do! maybe wear a pedometer?


:scooter:

I have a Reebok step for just this occasion. I step on it while watching TV (or MTV sometimes!) and do fancy little moves during commercials and you can make it hard or easier and control your heart rate. And when I'm all done I shove the step under our coffee table so you can't even see it. It's really perfect for watching TV.

WOWOOWOWOW! I can't believe the mom would give her that! Crazy!

momof4girls- congrats on passing up the cake, sometimes I like to add up all the calories of foods that I have passed up.
jillybean720- I hear you about the time, I work 9 hours minimum x 5 + about an hour a day commute. I have stopped eating out for dinner, and that saves an hour or two a night. It is great to be home now with dinner eaten and dishes cleaned an the sun is just setting now. We used to eat dinner on the way home and get home about 830-9ish, I am actually in this routine now. I get my 50 minute workouts in before work, when I wake up early enough.
LOOK AT ALL OF OUR BLUE BADGES, WE ROCK LADIES!!!

Yep, my job is the same. All I need is an internet connection and a laptop (provided). All of our instructions per project are given via email, if we have any questions we all have Yahoo IM. We have people in 3 different offices (NC, DC, VA). Somehow, though, it's essential that we work in an office. Our boss has said directly that he doesn't want us working from home. I have NO idea why, it's not like we're being supervised or we need help or direction or anything. It drives me nuts! I don't mind being in an office sometimes but it would be nice to have the option when the job is so portable.


nori78 - WOW. That's some kind of special there. I mean, even if she's not allergic to nuts (peanuts, soy = legumes), there's GOTTA be dairy or soy in those fruit/nut bars. I hope she's okay. :(

jill - I tried out a mini-stepper at a friend's house, and it was tons of fun while watching TV. I felt unsteady at first but I got the hang of it. I imagine the mini elliptical would be a little more balance-throwing, but you'd have the couch to help. I agree though, if the machine is out of sight, it's out of mind. I keep my hand weights in front of the TV so if I sit down to watch something I'm reminded to do a little strength stuff while watching.

trailgroomer - Ooh, that sounds fun! I love hiking. If you don't have a pedometer you could always do a bunch of silly (somewhat inaccurate, I guess) calculations by figuring out your stride length and dividing it by the 3 miles... if what you're looking for is the number of steps you do.... Not sure if that helps :p

mj5 - congrats on the workout, and putting YOU first! :D


Biked home from work today again :D I'm still so danged proud of myself for doing that! Thanks to everyone who gave me little electronic pats on the back Friday, I saw them all though I didn't get a chance to respond to everyone. Gotta love the support round here!

So here's a job I don't want - my grocery store just started carrying little bags of pre-peeled hardboiled eggs. So I assume there's some guy in some dark room somewhere peeling millions of hardboiled eggs? Imagine the pressure! I end up mangling my hardboiled eggs when I take the shells off, I bet if he makes one slip the egg has to be thrown out and his pay is docked to compensate. And with the price of eggs today... man, I'd hate to be that guy :p :lol:

Count me in as another person who could do most of her job at home. I'd maybe have to go in one day a week. :rolleyes:

But, I'm blue collar, so there's NO way they'd let me telecommute. They'd need to pay someone to stand over my shoulder at home making sure I'm doing my job. :p