Not Australian Kiarii but maybe I can shed some light on these ingredients:

half and half is a heavy cream

I sometimes substitute parmesan for asiago - it's a hard cheese

bouillion - it's concentrated beef or chicken, you had hot water to make a broth

spaghetti squash - a hard winter squash, when you bake it the flesh is in strings that look like and can be substitued for spaghetti

tapioca - hmm, I am not sure what it is made of but it is in powdered form that you use to make pudding and it has a pearl like texture

liquid smoke - kind of like barbeque sauce that you add to food to give it a smoky flavor

to broil something you put it into the oven and turn the top heating element on really high so that the oven is very hot

hope that helps and welcome to the board. Yes you should come here for support, you'll really like Jillian's program because it works!

No TOM here thank you very much. The nice thing, it will pass.

OK, we're buckling down now.

Oh wait a minute, I almost forgot to tell you my exciting news. I bought a pair of size 16 jeans yesterday!!!! I am so proud - I had to drag out the really fat jeans (it HAS been a long while since I wore them, size 26) and held them up side by side. Now that made me feel like I had made some progress.

Hey Everyone!
I am alive and was kicking this morning with some kickbox! I have been doing my cardio but have slacked on the weights. I will be back on board with that Monday. Things have gotten so insane! (We are looking for a temp at work to help so hopefully we will find someone!)

I just wanted to do a quick post! I will read when I can!
Take care!
Have a great weekend!

-darlene-

ledom -
So proud of you!!! Those NSV's are so danged cool!
You had me dragging my 22's out of the closet...I got up to 24 - but I can't find those. What fun! I wonder if I will get to the point where I can fit in one leg? Not quite there yet.

darlene - woo hoo kickboxing! Cardio is good - keeps your metabolism cooking.

Today I went for a long scooter ride and a different gym. I did front and back...tomorrow I'll just do cardio. We'll see what switching things up does. That, and eating like a normal person instead of a binge monster.

Morning Gina, Angel, Darlene. Sounds like we all have big plans for this week. I started a new workout sequence this morning. I have given up keeping track but I think it is week 9, it's the one where you do 2 sets at maximum weight. Anyway, got it knocked out. Food has been pretty good and I have been throwing in an extra walk in the evenings. I did fitday yesterday and that was a good reminder for me. I'd like to take my calories down by about 100 a day. It gets tricky when I do that but I am going to put in the effort. Gotta not replace the cashew butter this week because it gets me in trouble sometimes. I am back down to my low. Somehow 208.5 is a hard weight for me to break, I sure hope to bust through it this week though.

Good week to all of you.

hey girls.......
Thankfully TOM is gone, don't know where he went..... but now I have a stinking HEAD COLD!!! And? not to mention allergies from ****....!!!!! I am such a mess, I tried to stay OP but am sure I didn't stay to my carb/protein ration. I can't even think straight.....so after one more laundry load, I am off to la la beddie bye land. Yesterday was a great day though....ds volunteered at a 1800's style village with his social studies class and had to dress up in period clothing for the "ye olde school house" unfortunately it rained most of the day but they still had lots of activities for the time period. (sheep shearing, general store, tours, music playing, hand lace demo's, spinning, wool carding etc etc....)

ledom.....wooohoooo, isn't it great to have such a great workout!!! I have to buckle down too, I was at 191 a month ago and now its 196!!! yikes.....

chick....you go girl!!! wooohooo to you too!!! switching up workouts is great, I need to vary my routine a bit also. we'll see how I'm feeling to see if I make it to the gym or not. well? maybe a little run might clear the snuffles and pressure a bit.

darlene.....I was wondering where you were? glad to hear you got your kickboxing in!!....tc
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well, I did my first full proper day of my exercise program today! My calves are absolutely killing me! I managed to force my body through all the sets and all the reps, not dropping a single one, which I was really happy about. At this stage I have absolutely no idea how I am going to walk tomorrow, let alone spend another hour and a half in the gym tomorrow morning, my last circut containing 3 minutes of skipping...after only just having done 3 minutes of star jumps!! It felt so great , even though it hurt. I am looking forward to building up my tolerance to skipping...and being able to just go at it for more than a minute! I am thinking about adding an extra cardio workout tomorrow night after work, but I will wait and see how I feel. I know I am not going to spend an hour doing the same thing...I love the cross trainer so I am thinking I might start with 20 minutes on that, then the treadmill and then the bike...the easy option LOL
I am hoping to jump on my exercise bike for a while tonight too, but that will have depend on how my legs are holding up!
I just sat down and wrote out a whole heap of different recipies , healthier options and whatnot, so tonight we are having spinach casserole, which I actually think sounds delicious!! I love vegetables...I could so just sit down and have a whole plate just of steamed vegies for dinner every night, although I doubt that would keep the kids happy!!

Morning ladies - just a quick note before getting in the shower. I turned the alarm off in my sleep this a.m. Not my norm, but anyway there is not time for exercise this morning. I'll try for a walk tonight. Getting on the other side of Tuesday is my huge goal, my last big class prep of the semester will be over then. That one class has ruined more weekends! Anyway, just wanted to report that the scale slipped down to 207.5 this morning so I am officially at a new low. Hope between now and Friday to shed at least one more lb.

Hang in there everyone - let's make this a week we can be proud of.

Hi everyone

Well, I did day two today and seriously...the skipping still kills me! The thing that made me sweat the most today was the Russian twists!! I nearly didn't go to the gym because my body was aching, but I realised that if I didn't go, then I would probably give up, so off I went.
I actually enjoyed today's workout better than yesterdays!

I was wondering if there is anything wrong with doing a body combat class tomorrow even though Jillian has designated it as a rest day?

Kiarii - be prepared for Jillian's workouts to "kill" you for a long time to come...that's what we love about them. Russian twists still kill me...the aching will go away...but that brings me to rest days. If you really wanna do the body combat class - maybe take the next day as a rest day? If it turns out to be more than a cardio workout - which it kinda sounds like - maybe try to fit it into one of your workout days in future weeks? Anything you enjoy doing has gotta be a good thing. Just give your muscles time to repair themselves.
ledom - new low!!!!!! You go, girl!!!!!
angel-eyes 1800's style village? Too I'm watching Texas Ranch House at the moment...it's on PBS...this one is about people from today trying to live the lifestyle of 1800's ranchers. Hope you are feeling better...wouldn't it be nice if we could just say no to being sick?

Hi All,
I haven't posted on this thread before, so i hope it's ok that i am, but i did a kick-*** workout today and i just wanted to tell someone.
I've found that i have to do lots of cardio, and less weights , otherwise i don't lose weight. My cardio of choice is walking on my treadmill. So anyway, today i did one of Jillians DVD's (Which always kill me, but i love getting to the end) and then i walked for 90 minutes (i walked 11km which is about 7 miles) and i feel pretty good about this. After falling off the wagon for two days, i feel great again after this workout, i just hope this good mood lasts a while. Thanks for listening!

Well, today was supposed to be a designated rest day, and I can tell you by yesterday afternoon I was singing Jillian's praises for allowing me to rest...but then I heard there was a BodyCombat class on at my gym this morning. I decided to go, because after all it was just a cardio session...no resistance training or anything, and I am starting to love to way I feel after I have been to the gym. I think I would feel terrible if I went back to sitting on my arse all day again....(although I accomplished a great many thing from this arse I can tell you...you should see my scrapbooks!) I checked with the instructor of the class, and explained to her that I am following an exercise program and that today was ment to be a rest day, but would it be ok if I still did the class. She told me that as long as I have Sunday off completely then it should be ok, and as long as I didn't do any resistance training before or after my class. I hate to be going against what Jillian says, but I really enjoy my gym time.
I must say though...2 years of previous kickboxing experience did nothing to prepare me for today. For a start my kickboxing sessions were only 30 minutes long, including cool down, and I was stationary whilst being taught moves etc...or while watching demos...NOT TODAY MY GOOD FRIEND. I was bouncing the whole time...I felt like my feet were going to fall off...and my heart was going to fall our of my throat...but I felt so good!! It was amazing, tiring, exhausting and exhilarating all at once. There was a lot of punching and kicking, but I guess because we weren't connecting with anything it was just cardio! *shrugs shoulders* I don't know! Anyways, all I know is I am starting to love it...not sure how well I am going on the food thing though, I have kept my diary up to date, but it always seems to end up 400 calories short of what I need to be eating. The problem is I am just not hungry enough to eat any more during the day.

I did my food shopping today, and I think it was the best my trolley has looked ever...no marked down cakes....no chocolate....nothing...just nice fresh vegies and fruit! The baby and I had fruit salad with yogurt for lunch!! YUMMY!! minus the bananas of course..who can afford $10 a kilo???
Anyway, I should start looking toned soon...I hope!!

SadGirl - Of course we want to hear all about your kick (!) workout!!
Kiarii - ditto to you....
I'm off to walk the dog - he keeps poking me with his big wet nose and I can't type anyway.

Goodmorning - Finally had a great week, down 3 lbs., this week I have tried on more size 16's that fit , and tightened my belt a notch.

I have been off the regular workout, doing a lot of walking instead. I'll be getting back to strength training soon though.

Hi everyone
Where to start??
Well, I have spent a total of 9 hours in the gym this week, I know it doesn't seem that much to some people, but I can tell you it's a lot for me. I don't know what I did today but somehow my knees died...I can't run or jump at the moment...they hurt so much! I think it was because there were annoying other people at the gym today, and insted of being able to do my lat pull down/leg press circut I had to sit on the leg press and do 53 presses before the damn lat pull down was free. I was so angry! I think that is why my knees are sore. On the bright side I actually managed to skip for a whole minute today without stopping. I really hope I get good results with this program...I want to sign up for Jillian's online program, but I don't have credit card, which SUCKS! I wish they would let people pay via paypal or something. I'm really mad about it.
I am beginning to wonder if my body is going to ache for the rest of my life...I mean really....I am sore all over...I hope this goes away eventually!
On the bright side I got Jillian's Shape up dvds in the mail today, which made my daughter very happy! I promised her I wouldn't open them until tomorrow when she is awake and we are ready to do it!! I let her stay up 2 extra hours tonight so we could spend time together. I have missed her so much while she has been at school this week. I hate it!!

Hey,
Ledom- Congrats on the smaller size! That must be a great feeling! I also noticed that i lost more weight when i up-ed my cardio and lowered my strength training.

Kiarii- I'm sorry to hear about your knees. I hope they start feeling better soon. It can be hard to keep up motivation when you're injured, but you've been doing so well lately, so don't give up!

(Can you tell that i love these little smilie pictures?!? )