I'll tell you how my first experience goes.

Meanwhile, bad news. My sister, who's husband has been in the hospital due to blood loss from an ulcer, is now in the hospital. She developed a foot sore due to the excess walking to his room from her car (she's diabetic and prone to these). She became nauseous the other night and after a day and a half, had a friend take her to the ER (the day her husband was being discharged so first she had to find someone to pick him up and take him home). She was admitted--they think the bypass she had 11 years ago is failing so they're doing a heart cath tomorrow.

Please keep them in your thoughts!

I think that I ought to take a hot yoga class (as they're called around here by yoga centers that want to avoid paying royalties to Bikram). But not for the workout. No, it will be to convince myself that sweating profusely in public is all right. Even in spin class, even today, while dismounting from the Stairmaster step mill, I have felt embarrassed by being sweaty and stinky. This goes way far back, to when I was fat, and thought that if I sweat, I'd become completely socially unacceptable as a sweaty, gross, red-faced fat woman, instead of just marginally unacceptable as a perfectly dressed, perfectly made-up, dry and expensively perfumed fat woman. Like, if I didn't sweat, I'd be less likely to offend. Yes, some of that thinking still clings to me, even now, when I suspect that I look rather athletic. (I say "suspect" because I am still not really good at conceiving of an accurate self-image.) Thus, my desire to take a hot yoga class & sweat alongside other people who are dripping sweat. I will feel strangely better for seeing other people in extremis.

That's my theory, anyway.

Allison. praying for your DS and BIL that they will be restored to health.

Allison, yes, hopeful and positive thoughts for your sister and BIL, and of course for you and Chico for next week too.

Saef, I like your thoughts on the yoga. Myself, I don't sweat easily ... I just get red and scary- looking. People keep asking me if I'm all right. Swimming is my out for that one. I have wondered if my inability to sweat is part of why I usually avoid exerting myself too much.

I am on the backside of the good mood of last week. Just ... glum. No reason. Thinking about signing up for Flylady. Maybe I just need to be ordered around a bit.

Boy do I sweat! Because my hair is so short, when golfing, the sweat from my head drips on my shoulders. Ick! My upper lip is the first place I sweat. Then my head. Then everything else. And red faced? You'd think I was having heatstroke!

Instead of Flylady, sometimes I'd prefer someone just come in and do all the organizing for me. I have this closet......I was going to clean an organize it LAST summer. Still it sits. I think of all the space I'd have if I cleaned it out. Perhaps this summer.

Allison, I was composing my post while yours came through. Thus, it looks like I'm thinking about my sweatiness in public oblivious to your concerns about your sister's heart giving out. When I am not. I was floored by the revolving door at that hospital, admitting your sister just as her husband goes out -- but you know, this is not the first time I've read this, where the caregiver requires care after a long period of tension and not caring for herself and her health gives out. I really do hope for the best outcome for her. What is the age difference between you and your sister, BTW? She sounds older, or rather, her health sounds not so good as yours. But you work very hard at taking care of yourself. And I am sure that having someone close to you suffer from health issues like diabetes and heart problems gives you even more motivation to work at being healthy. (I know my mother's certainly do.)

Saef~I didn't think that at all!!! But in regard to the caregiver needing care, it is true. My BIL lost his mom a few months ago to Alzheimer's and after that BIL had his first episode of fainting and bloody diarrhea. Lately it has been his dad who has needed the care. Both his parents moved into my sister's house a couple years ago because they needed closer attention. And she is 12 years my senior and has been diabetic for 49 years (Type A), and she's had many, many complications along the way.

Allison, I have a son who is diabetic, when I got this news I did not react well as all I could think of was the possible complications. I try not to nag him but sometimes I fail. He was taking care of his diet and exercising and lost a lot of weight but , as often happens with dieters fell off the plan and has gained most of it back. He is back exercising though and his wife does try ro be helpful. There are many thousands of undiagnosed cases of diabetes. I suppose people ignore the symptoms or don't realize what the symptoms are.

Done with insane work schedules, done with "vacation" after the crazy work schedule, done with the big wedding on Saturday, back to normal around here. I'm really ready for my final push to get into the 150's (just like Allison! great job!!!) right now. I went to a wedding Sat and wore a dress with a halter-type top, sleeveless, and got a lot of compliments that I look like I've lost weight and my arms look good. Must be doing something right.

I'm transitioning into my summer field season at work, which means I will be out in the sun a lot more. My gym is also once again closed on the weekends, and it's getting hot so the dog needs to go out early in the AM or later in the PM, not in the midday heat. I'm trying to be proactive rather than reactive about these schedule changes. My new workout schedule (and yes, the dog's too, you know she needs to be active too!) is:
M: NRLW workout (HIIT included here once a week)
T: wog/long walk with the dog
W: yoga (dog goes to daycare - will need to ask them about the summer heat, though)
Th: NRLW workout
Fri: wog/long walk with the dog
Sat: wog/long walk with the dog, or bike ride
Sun: wog/long walk with the dog, or bike ride

I'm thinking a core workout or adding another strength workout in during the weekends, since I've had to cut NRLW back to twice per week. The dog walks will be somewhat flexible, but the goal is to take her for longer walks 4-5 days per week. I feel like I should be doing more but need to remind myself how wiped out I am after 8+ hours in the Florida sun doing field work. That burns calories, too!

I also need to regularly prep veggies and lots of chicken, etc. on the weekends for the week. I don't like to cook after a long day in the hot sun. I've fallen out of the habit but know I will be so glad when I do it in the summer. Life might even involve eating dinner early, to let it cool off for the long dog walks later in the evening (I don't like eating before the walks but in the middle of summer, I need to accept it).

Saef, I sometimes feel awkward when I sweat too, but I sweat so much (it's hot here in FL!), I've had to get over it a little bit. Last week I was on the stairmaster for 45 minutes, then went to the bathroom. Every part of my dark shirt was soaked in sweat except where my sports bra was under the clothes, and I had to run to the grocery store on my way home. Oh, well. I try to think, at least I went to the gym!

Allison, your sister and her DH are in my thoughts. I don't have firsthand experience or advice to give, but I am thinking of your sis. Please keep us updated. And Emma and I are still thinking of your Chico baby as well.

Allison-- praying for your sister and her husband.

I thought of one other piece of advice for you when I was at yoga yesterday. Don't wear ANY makeup-- especially eye makeup! I always take mine off before going-- otherwise sweat pours in your eyes and burns!

Indulgent weekend in NYC/Jersey City. No bagels, but there was pizza and pita w/hummus and tabouleh and peanut butter chip banana pancakes and Korean tacos and kimchee cheese steaks and soba noodles and tempura. Whew! up to 132.0 this morning on the scale.

Allison, thinking all the best thoughts for your sister and her husband and Chico. I hope everything goes as well as it can for them!

saef, I hate sweating anywhere except the gym or while exercising. In case anyone wanted to know, I sweat a lot on my forehead but not so much everywhere else. I heard somewhere that "sweat is fat crying" which is one way of thinking about it...

Allison - good thoughts for your BIL & sister.

Saef - I sweat like crazy, too. I get the red faced insanity, also. People ask me at the park if I'm okay, if I need help. I figure after a run I look like I'm about to drop over with a heart attack.

Megan - you're workout plan looks great.

Krampus - I had an indulgent weekend as well...

Too much salty food this weekend, especially last night. I did exercise 5 days last week, which was great progress for recent weeks. One step closer to getting back on track.

Driveby today. I've been gorging on big, beautiful strawberries. I was at Costco and they had 2# tubs of organic strawberries (for a price, of course). DS12 and I are destroying them! I discovered Wholly Guacamole's Spicy guac as well. Next time, I should get the 100 cal packs. In my realm, one serving of guac ought to be at least a cup. At least, that's how much I eat when I sit down in front of it ...

It's my first Monday in a very long tme with a negative blip. Maybe I'll even be able to start May with a lower number than April.

Down .2 which puts me right at goal. Does it seem a little OCD to be recording .2 of a pound ?

Bargoo, nope, I'd record it if I had the ability. My scale only does .5's. Congrats on achieving your goal number again!

shannon - way to go on the 5 days of exercise!

krampus, wow, that sounds like a wonderful food layout. The kimchi alone could be those extra pounds ... but oh, so worth it! I have yet to find a fermented cabbage recipe that I don't like. I was so happy to discover that one of the longevity keys revolves around fermented foods!

michele, way back when I used to do group step classes, there was a lady who always came in looking absolutely perfect. After an hour, she looked a lot more like Alice Cooper in full concert makeup. Sweat burns enough by itself!

Megan, great planning!

allison, yes, there are times where I'm tempted to just write a check and make it all go away. The problem is that I don't have the good organization habits to maintain it (yet), so it would be wasted money at this point. I'm doing a good job with getting rid of "things". What's not finished yet is establishing a permanent location for the things that survived the sweep.

I am starting May at 148.5, which is 2.0 less than 4/1.