Good afternoon all, or whatever time it is where you are.... I've slipped back into old habits and am feeling guilty and bloated. Are there any tricks you guys have to jump start back on track?
Linda

day 3 walked 2 miles 30 min this mornin and walked 2 miles 30 min this afternoon

Hi everyone, thanks for your kind words....I can't type due to the fracture so I'll keep it short.....hoping you all are doing your best...,..I so miss not being able to move around freely, I SWEAR that when I recover, I won't be making any excuses about exercising, because being laid up is the pits....

take care and TTYS

Hi Guys. I am still around (sometimes..)

Ok my soda challenge, although i did not make 21 days soda free, I now only drink 1-2 cans a day (instead of 2-3 litres!) So I still call myself a winner.

I have been doing another challenge though!
An ab routine everyday! 35 decline sit ups, 12 each side flat, 7 leg raises (they kill me) then 20 decline crunches.
Today is day 11! with no pause day yet.
AND I am seeing results!!!!!!!!!
I put on a pair of my usual shorts! they nearly fell off!!!!!!!!!!!!! they barely sit on my hip! SO yes the stomach is flatter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I have been frantically searching for a safety pin to tighten them, but cannot find one!)

Cant wait to see what I look like at 21 days. or beyond... I might have to keep this one going until christmas! I might get a six pack yet! (I will slowly increase the routine!)

Cheers guys!!!!!!!!!!

I just have some fruit to go and have finished with the calories. The exercise did not come about since the Brisbane Transport System had 2 bomb threats today and we were all off loaded at a station and made to leave the area and wait while the trains were searched. Being me and hating to wait, I rung the DB2 and then the DS2 and DS2 detoured to pick me up and drop me at my car. By that time the gym was packed to overflowing and I decided that home was the answer. Tomorrow is another day. But just let me get my mitts on the perpetrator of the hoax call. He/ She would wish that they had never been born!!

Derry - there is absolutely no substitute for getting back on track. Just get up there and do it. The guilt I can't advise on, but the bloat - well drink more water and check the sodium contents of the food you are eating. I have the same problem at the moment and I thought it was aeroplane bloat but it is still there. Obviously something I am eating has a higher content than I thought. Salt/ sodium call it what you like is a killer in the weight loss department. I have to watch it all the time. Can also cause blood pressure problems as well.

Red - Sorry to hear of the young blokes trumped up problems. Happens most places. Where I was in Japan, the police were unobtrusive and reasonably polite. I guess like in most big cities, the force is subject to pressures of every kind. They'll be on the lookout for him now. Any excuse will do I should imagine. May pay to take an escort next time to give evidence on his behalf. Thank you for thinking of me at Nagoya.
I may be wrong, but I think 'fair suck of the sav' is similar to 'for Pete's sake' or the English 'gorblimey' It is not necessarily blasphemous but be careful if you have had a few and get the mords wuddled.

Curly - good on ya for the exercise. Keep going, and going, and going.

Right I am off to get an apple and then some housework and then some mindless tv before a good nights sleep. Catch you.

Thanks for the pep talk and the soul man quote, Red. I'm good to go today, as they say. I shall rejoin the land of the living and be able to zip my jeans up without being in pain in a couple of days, I hope! Being bloated sucks... time to regain perspective, sit-ups and contrl.
So, today is day one.... and my new challenge for myself it not a food challenge. I seem to not be doing well with regard to that, so it's an exercise challenge. I don't have to fun marathons, and I don't have to be a crazed maniac exercise freak, but for each day of the next 21 days, I really CAN do something in the form of movement. There will be very busy days and I will not have an hour to devote to exercise, but I should at least be able to squeeze in a few sit-ups and about 5 or 10 minutes on my treadmill. No excuses! I'm at an all time high for my weight and the holidays are around the corner, time to take this all very seriously, unless I want to go out and spend a fortune buying an entirely new wardrobe in the next size up.
Linda in New Hampshire, with a renewed focus (how many times can I say this over and over and still not get it right?)

Hmmm.... no I don't have excell, but I could perhaps print out a calendar page and draw stars or smily faces each time I successfully do something like work out?
Good idea!
I used to have a chart on the refrigerator when my kids were little and put gold stars on it when they remembered to make their beds and brush their teeth, etc. So, why not give myself gold starts for exercise?
I like that!
Linda

Happy Monday everyone

Okay, I slacked a little this weekend and am not really looking forward to getting on the scale tomorrow.

However, today is potentially day 1 of a brand-new challenge! As everyone seems to be doing so well with their acronym-based challenges, I am starting the "ACE" challenge. That means: no Alcohol; Calories under 1500; and at least 30 minutes of Exercise daily.

I will chat more later - I am officially getting sworn in to the D.C. Bar today, and have to be sure to not be late!

Yay Fish! I hope the swearing in goes well. A former colleague of mine went back to law school, graduated brilliantly at age 50, and signed the papers at the swearing-in with a pink plastic princess pen complete with pink feathers and tiara. The pen that is, I think she wore regular clothes. And yes, the pen was a gift from yours truly. I'm sure you'll ACE the ceremony just as you ACE your challenges.

I've now completed Day 5(Creak) and Day 4(DETOX). I did eat way too much, including the fries, but turned down a yummy chocolate truffle... For exercise I walked over to a friend's shop about 50 minutes away and then got a ride home when he closed up. Today is spinning class, which will take care of Day 6 CREAK. My butt is already whining and whimpering. The flight to Calgary tomorrow will be a tush challenge for sure - no matter how well-padded my stomach(s) and the girls get, I just never seem to have enough junk in the trunk.

Red, I'm glad for you that you seem to be renewing your relationship with your former friend/work provider. Being right doesn't put tofu on the table, and it sounds like he's just one of those male idiots that have a nice yellow streak down their stubborn backs. Be proud of yourself for putting aside your own resentment to help your silly colleague, and consider the extra easy work your just reward. He probably did it by email because he's afraid of how you'll react. Unless I'm mistaken, you're a pretty strong, direct, don't f***-with-me kind of woman. ,cv vcccccccccccccccccccx ¯¯µ[{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{`^ .... this is Zen speaking....


And by the way, I didn't know you were unionized. Are there a lot of unions in Japan? Canada has more than the US, but the numbers are dropping. Too much competition from low-wage factories abroad (including the American South). A lot of the work I do is for unions: most of them here in Canada are national, and they need us at meetings which include their Quebec members. Many of the Quebecers have a little or a lot of fluency in English, but the reverse is not true, which keeps the likes of me nicely solvent.

This morning I'm doing this and that, including playing with you lot while my new Roomba does the vacuuming for me. The jury is still out on whether it's just a silly gadget or not. Of course it's still necessary to move my cat toys and this and that off of the floor for it to do a complete job, so it's not TOTALLY effort-free. And it keeps my big Zen busy doing guard duty.

Red – I’m here. This weekend has been terrible. A friend of mine from High School passed. We hung around in school then gradually drifted. I had seen her off and on in the past years we would chat in forever in the stores but never got together. I read in the paper she passed. It is such a shock!! I didn’t know she was Ill. It said something about Hospice in the paper. I’ve been trying to think of our last chat. ( I usually ran into her at mall) It doesn’t seem that long ago and she looked well. I would have visited her had I known. I’m feeling so guilty for not being there for her…So I’m doing A LOT of soul searching today.

Shad – I picked up a wheat bag and some lavender oil (One of my favorite scents) and some mellow music. It has come in so handy! It’s been crazy here. I’m going to check out FlyLady.com thanks for the link.

Welcome to 21 Day Challenge Stacy!!

Apple – Congrats on your 21 Day VICTORY!!!

ICE – That is so awesome!! Congrat to that flat tummy!!

Morning all,

Red, thanks for the Aussie slang. I'll practice a bit more to see if I can get it right. I would hate to have to learn English in Australia. They use so many colloquiallisms it is so confusing at times. I thought we all spoke English, but there is English and English and then there is Australian and maybe New Zealandish as well. Got to admit that the NZers have a way with words as well and they intersperse Maori along with the English, ie
Off to a tangi for the moko, couz.
Having a bit of a hui after.
Nah that hua is not on!
Guess we sort of speak in a bit of shorthand as well. Translation of that is:
I'm going to a funeral for the Grandparent, mate.
We will be having a party later.
No that b*stard is not coming.

It's all relative I guess.
The workout will get done. I have 4 days left for the week and 3 workouts to accomplish. It will get done.
Take the work, bury the hatchet. Life's too short to let pride get in the way too much. Some pride is good. Pride in your work is an asset. The money can be used to buy a voodoo doll and stick pins in it.

Derry - stars are good. If you put 24 on a 30 day calendar you deserve a treat - NO NOT FOOD!!!

Fish - hope the swearing in went well. Congratulations. First person I know who has been sworn in at the bar. That's a wonderful effort.
Generally my friends are sworn at, at the bar.

Carla - Roomba!?!? I take it this is a robot vacuum cleaner? The cat is no doubt wondering whether it will eat his toys.

Mez - so glad the wheat bag helped. I know they helped me on those first two days of TOM. Pity I couldn't find something to fix the prior 2 weeks. I now feel that I've been cheated out of half my life by a supposedly normal bodily function. Can't dwell on it tho' otherwise I will waste more days.

Ice - good to see you back. That exercise sure sounds like it has hit the target.

Work calls. Day 5 awaits. I've had a scrummy brekkie of yoghurt, almonds and bananas. Good soul food that.

First, Mez, regret is part of the greiving process, I know it well. You can't bring back your friend and you can't change the past. But, you can do some things to help and you are the one who needs help right now. I highly recommend you get in touch with the family of your friend, write a note, send a contribution to the Hospice, etc. Let me tell you, I know first hand how much sympathy cards, special notes and donations mean when a person passes on. I never dreamt they would be so comforting. One of my biggest regrets, now, is that I didn't take to the time to do more of this kind of thing in the past. I shall do better now that I have gone through this myself. Just thought I'd share that with you.
Share a special memory of your friend, you'll feel better.
As for me, today was better, not perfect but better. I qualify this as my official day one.... I actually did jumping jacks, leg lifts and sit ups today. It was a busy day for me, but I MADE the time to do something.
I went to a craft store and bought this really nice graph paper and used a ruler and made a 21 day calendar of my own with bright marker. I bought stars and now this 21 day challenge chart is on my refrigerator. I have to look at it all the time and I was proud to attach my first star to it today!
Linda

day 4: 30 min (2miles) walking & 45 min circuit training