Thanks so much! I am going to go with the bottom right. Chellez, I totally did not notice the hand thing but now whenever I see the left column pics it is all I can see! So, between the ones on the right I think I am going with the bottom.

Thank you all so much for your comments and ideas.

Good lord, blue team! I jumped online quickly earlier to update my exercise and post my menu, but I haven't been able to catch up on this chat thread since yesterday afternoon. More than THREE new pages of posts!

I had a doctor's appointment this morning. I went to a new doctor since my insurance changed when I changed jobs. I reeeeeally like her! She's very easy to talk to, and she seems very thorough. I have to go to a lb tomorrow morning for fasting blood work, and I have to go to a radiology place for a vaginal sonogram to make sure I don't have any cysts. I'll be checked for PCOS among all that.

Also, when I went to my gyn appointment at the end of March, my blood pressure was 155/95 Well, when this challenge started, I cleaned up my eating, including reducing my sodium intake, and, as you all know started a lot of exercise. Today, my blood pressure was 120/94 That bottom number is still quite high--I should be at or below 120/80. I have been told in the past that exercise is the best way to lower the bottom number. Does anyone know if there's anything else I can do? I'm already exercising 60-90 minutes a day!

Jill - How long does it take for that lower number to well... go lower? Will it take more than a couple weeks? Or is the drop supposed to be more immediate? What I'm thinking is that it just might take a little more time.

I really don't know. I believe it's pretty individual. I was just frustrated that the top number dropped so much, yet the bottom number barely budged.

grr...I feel hungry, but I can't eat anything because I'm going in for fasting blood work in the morning. Off to grab another bottle of water...

That number will drop when you drop the weight. It's something about how hard your heart has to pump to move your blood and the pressure won't be as high when you drop the weight. Exercise is a means to that end. I dropped about 35 lbs and saw my bottom number go from the lo 90s to 70, so it does work.

Best of luck until the morning when you get your blood work done. May everything go as smooth as possible!!!!

No blue team post for over an hour?! Say it isn't so. Guess I'll fix that!

I'm going to have to get some of that Surfer Girl stuff - sounds like a great 5 lb loss reward!

Yeah, it does bite - and I was very careful about who I bought this particular item from. The guy had been on eBay since '04 and had about 230 feedbacks - a few old negs, but not for anything alarming. I was literally sick when I figured out it was pirated software - and of course by the time I discovered it, he'd already been kicked off eBay! My dispute is now about 5 weeks old and I'm hoping it comes to the right conclusion and soon. Surely having the real manufacturers letter that it is counterfiet will be hard to defend against. I just don't want to count my chickens before they hatch...

Tomorrow is going to be a long one - I have to be at work at 4:30 am and then my sorority group is catering an event. I'll be lucky to be home by 10 - but I plan to count the catering as my exercise - its sooo much work. But kinda fun too!

Y'all have a good night!

Well, I'm finally inside, after working in the garden for about 6 hours. Before I went out, I made dinner, so just had to heat it up, and boy was it good - and filling. Basically a stir fry, with left-over roasted chicken, green and yellow peppers, onions, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, broccoli and chicken broth. I had mine with bulgur (++fiber) and the family had rice. Along with a mixed green salad and watermelon for dessert. I've somehow only had about 900 calories today - not intentional, but I ate 2 cups of the stir fry and that only gave me about 200 calories, the bulgur 150. I feel great, as a snack I'll probably have a pudding snack.

I just wanted to share with you all what it looks like where I'm working, so you can "picture" me there and too, so you won't think its bogus all the yard work I'm counting. There is some serious digging and weeding going on here, and will for some days/weeks to come. But, then, when I make a stir-fry - it'll be totally organically grown - by me.

Gotta go do some nursing paper work, maybe check back in tomorrow night. TTFN.

Dora


Onions and 2 types of garlic (tall stuff)
Two raised beds, close one has 3 kinds of lettuce, 2 kinds of cabbage and about 4 kinds of peppers. The far bed has multiple kinds of tomatoes and all varieties - slicing, patio and roma - 12 all together.
This is how the garden looks from the porch. At the end of each day, I envision how far I'll be the next day. Kind of like losing weight - its slow, but rewarding.

While Daniel was fanning me, while I sipped my icy beverage, i couldn't help notice what a long, uh, gun he has

jillybean: this article lists 68 natural ways to reduce blood pressure

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...66/ai_n6080506

I don't know if you drink soda but soda takes away the effects of healthy eating and vitamins.


gas prices here are $4. for regular and climbing - news is saying $5.by August easily- Just 10 years ago, a gallon of gas was about $1. !


and I too would prefer to walk 5 mi. over running any day

linda

Just checking in to see how everyone is doing? Back to work for me this morning. Nothing much going on this end.

Oh I was driving to work this morning and I heard a dodge commercial on the radio. I guess manufacturers are desperate to sell their cars to people with the growing gas prices so they're coming out with incentives. They're offering to any dodge car buyer a $3.00/gallon gas card for 3 years. Then I read somewhere that VW is coming out with new GT (I think it's GT and not Jetta) that will give 60 miles/gallon (diesel). I wish they could make all cars more MPG.

Dora, you lucky woman I wish I had a garden to grow my own veggies. Of course, in my case I'd probably have 12 types of peppers instead of 12 type of tomatoes and then other veggies.

Jill, hope your blood work went well.

Linda, thanks for the article.

LOL, well his nickname in the movie is Long Rifle, so he better come equipped.

I always thought Uncas was a hottie:

Morning ladies!

Jill - Good luck with the fasting test!!

Im dealing with crusty kids today, they are being such PITA's!! GRRRR

ANyway, better go break up (another) fight.

Hopefully I can sneak back on here later.

Morning Everyone!!!!

Just busy, busy, busy at work! Tonight is weigh-in. I'll be sure to let everyone know how that goes.

The past couple days I've felt like a bottomless pit! I managed to stay in control of my eating by getting in a couple extra servings of protein, but my gosh, I think I could've eaten a grocery store out of business if given the option. (It was also TOM and then all the goings on at work and whatnot, so I have a feeling that all was a big part of it.)

Well, then. I hope you're all doing fabulous!

Hello Cats and Kittens.

I can't believe its been days since I was on.

Yesterday was an up and down day. I did c25k + 1 hr yoga class. I got my bio project turned in and I think I did well. I studied a lot for tomorrows bio final. It would have been a good day except I was in a car accident . No injury's, my sis was driving, didn't see a car, low speed rear end that crunched the front of sis's car pretty good. I wasn't waring a seat-belt but I'm ok . I'm never going to take that chance again. :shudder: My giant poster board for my project presentation got a little crunched, the bulky thing was why my sis was giving me a ride in the first place, lol. The teacher was sympathetic though.

Just as a warning I probably wont be on much for the next little while. I have a Bio final today, historical costuming final friday (I have to finish sewing my dress tonight!), algebra final next tuesday and I haven't even looked at the last chapter ... Yay stress! It's actually been keeping me from eating. Isn't that good

I also start dressing Phantom of the Opera the same tuesday as the math final(2pm - 11pm rehearsal). The national tour is in town and I'm working over-hire for IATC. Then the next day I start stitching for the local Shakespeare festival. Then in a couple weeks my summer math class will start. THEN I start stitching for the Music Circus (biggest local professional theater). btw if you cant tell all of these things overlap.

Once all that is finished it will be about 2 weeks before I leave for London. Oh and I have to somehow fit learning to drive in there somewhere . Though I don't know if that will still happen with sis' car crunched, she's the only one in the family who doesn't drive stick . Anyway this summer is going to be quite a ride but I'm determined to check in every day, stay OP and keep up my exercise. It will probably be the only 'me time' I'll get. Oh and NOT START SMOKING AGAIN!

Oh I was scanning through the posts, I don't have time to read them all, but I thought I saw something about pic's of ourselves so here's me from November ... and the back of my head apparently. To bad you cant see my neck piercing.
IMG012.jpgIMG_4730.jpg

Now back to .

TTFN