Yes, let's all have a (mineral water) toast to February being better than January!

LOL I like the idea of giving blood to lose weight ... unfortunately I can't because of an iron deficiency, but I wish I could (and not only just for the weight loss thing ).

So ... here's my temporary weekly workout. I go to the gym and do different intensity workouts. Is anyone familiar with Les Mills classes? They're awesome. I'll give some links. Each class is given an 'intensity rating' from 1-5 (one is lowest intensity, five is so hard you feel like collapsing).

http://www.lesmills.com/

Sunday and Mondays I do Body Balance (a combination of yoga, pilates and tai chi). It's given a rating of 2 on the intensity scale.

http://www.lesmills.com/site/program...s-program.aspx

Tuesdays I do Body Pump - its rating is 4.

http://www.lesmills.com/site/program...s-program.aspx

Thursdays I do Body Attack - its rating is 5.

http://www.lesmills.com/site/program...s-program.aspx

Each class is about 60 minutes. As I said earlier, I've also got an exercise bike, rowing machine, weights and Swiss ball at home (but I haven't been using them lately). Surely I'll start losing weight soon - I'm really struggling to lose it. I'm doing all the right things, but my body isn't kicking into gear yet. I'm feeling really discouraged about it, but I'm not going to give up. We've had a tough couple of years with illness in our family (my husband and son have both been extremely unwell and have spent time in hospital, both due to different conditions - my son is in remission and my husband is better, praise God), and my accupuncturist is fairly sure my adrenal system is suffering because of the stress I've been under. We're working on getting my health back to its peak, and hopefully my metabolism will stop being so sluggish.

My sister is moving here soon, and she'll come along to a Body Balance class with me, and we'll try to do a fitball class together as well.

Ilene, sorry you're having a bad day ... here's a joke from my 9 year old son. Hopefully it will cheer you a tiny bit.

What do you call a big gorilla playing table tennis while singing karaoke in Asia?



















Brace yourself ........




















King Kong Ping Pong Sing a Long in Hong Kong.

Awww, that was soooo cute ...

I did have a good run, an excellent run actually, but my calories are sky high and pretty darn carbalicious... Oh, well, tomorrow is another day... I'll just slug the water tonight... no more food for the rest of the evening

You're absolutely right - tomorrow is another day.

I keep forgetting that it's winter in the US - I was going to suggest 'snacking' on shaved ice (because that's what I've been doing in the evenings - it's so hot here!) but you probably don't want to do that, since it's likely you're surrounded by snow!

My son comes out with some pretty ... um ... spectacular jokes. Many induce loud groans, but some are hilarious. I really liked his ape one.

Pink I have been sipping on hot water and lemon since it's been so cold here... That's probably the only thing I can have during the evening for today *sigh* ... I dislike it when I have such a high calorie intake during the day that there is no longer any room if I get hungry during the evening ... grrr, makes me angry but I put it upon myself so I just must pay the piper... How old is your son, he must be fairly young to tell jokes like that, that are clean and cute ...

Hi all, thought I would join your thread (been lurking long enough). Anyway, a co-worker told me today that she is on a diet. She used to be a very small person but has probably gained 20 lbs. in the last year. She told me that she is only eating cheese, crackers, boiled eggs and apples. I couldn't believe it ! I wanted to tell her that this is a terrible diet . I did tell her about my counting calories on fitday and about 3fatchicks. I also told her I have lost 9 lbs. since the end of October. I know it's not a lot but at least I eat meals (I didn't tell her that) .

Anyway, she didn't seem to interested, so I let it go. Maybe after a couple of weeks of HER diet, she'll come talk to me again .

Hope everyone has a great evening!

Hi abbyin! welcome!

I ate too much today. I'm still hungry and my knee hurts. Whine whine whine ... Actually, I wish I had some wine.

Well, I thought I would come and join you here, you seem like a great motivating bunch. You make me want to join the gym and eat less. What is this thread about? Do you just chat? Or do you have any weigh ins or challenges? Anything I should know?

Well, this Sunday, I am going to sign up for the gym, I am pumped and excited but it's a matter of staying that way.

I have noticed many Canadian girls here, nice change, where are you all from? I have lived in Ontario and B.C.

Well, I'm off to bed and thanks for having me, I really look forward to getting to know all of you.
Dana

Hi Dana, , I'm in Cornwall, only one hour away from Montreal .... and welcome Abbyin ...

Dana -- Here we just chat about day to day "stuff" ups and downs and things like that... You can ask anything you want, we'll certainly answer as best we can or direct you to a better thread within the forum or sites too...

Abbyin -- It really irritates me when I hear people do stupid fad "diets" this is not a "diet" this is a LIFESTYLE, specially if you want to keep it off...

Well the evening was pretty uneventful.... Drank water and watched "Le banqier" a French "Deal or No Deal" ... Grey's Anatomy and Distracted... OMG I laughed so much at the Distracted game show... Anyways, pretty hohum boring evening...

EEE! I am excited. This time tomorrow I will be home in Calgary! And tomorrow it's 2 weeks till I'm in Montreal! AHH! I don't have any weight or health related comments to add besides my heart beat at rest must be up because I am excited

Oohh...And: I did about a bajillion squat related exercises today, and then I walked down to the beach and speed walked up the hill from there -- speed walking up a really a big, steep hill for 10 or so minutes was a killer

Hello all!

I'm a bit battered, but I'm good! I got my certificate with the lovely 1 on the back (means top marks )

Tomorrow DH and I are off to Caen in France on the Motorbike and Ferry I'm planning on taking plenty of snacks with us. I'm making a couscous chicken salad for me and DH is having the rest of the goaty cheese. I've also bought a big bag of apples, I'll make some sandwiches too and plenty of healthy stuff. I think we should be ok Then we're having tea in France I think I might have an omlette - obviously made with 6 eggs, butter, cream etc and lashings of cheese... or perhaps a salad. We'll see what we bump into. I am being recommited and feeling healthy again Unfortunately those choccies I bought for Wednesday night are still hanging around since I felt angelic then, but I had one last night, which was fitted into calories easily, then some time in the middle of the night I got up for the bathroom and ended up eating another one! HOW DO I DO IT???? I only realised at about 4am when I woke with toothache and a really sickly sweet taste in my mouth! So I got up and cleaned my teeth! I think I need a lockable kitchen or something!

I've got my sheet for the next belt (brown again) and it's a bit weird - I have to teach 3 classes, which is fine by me. Do a whole (lower) belt test right through with one week's notice, grappling and holds and, er something else that I can't remember but didn't seem that bad. I'm a little intrigued as to the timing and things of all this, I'm also thinking that it should be easy apart from the grappling since we never ever ever do anything like that in class! I think in the 2.5 years I've been there I've done 3 groundwork sessions.

Anyway, I'm rambling!

Ilene BE GOOD THIS WEEKEND OR I'M COMING TO KICK YOUR BUTT!!!!!

If I can be good in FRANCE then you can be good over there at home

Fru, have a lovely trip. Teaching those classes....do you get paid or is this like an apprenticeship?

Ilene....today is another day....forget yesterday.

Welcome abbyin and Dana. Abbyin, your friend may lose some initial weight, but she's either going to get sick or feel deprived and start pigging out. It can't last. But she has to find her own way.

Sweettalker, have a great time at home and in Montreal!

SusanB....hope your knee twinge was just temporary....mine throbbed as well this morning when I woke, but it seems ok now.

Pink pirate....Les Mills must be an Australian org...never heard of it here. Sounds like a fun schedule.

Am going to start charting my weight....tho' it may be an exercise in futility if it doesn't start moving downward. Thought the visual imagery might help.

Freezing rain here so am going to stay in and do a Leslie Sansome walking tape as well as some upper body resistence. Have a great day all.

I remembered the 4th thing!!! Health and fitness I never used to be able to say this, but I think I should ACE the health and fitness section!!!

Susan AM - I have my own class on a Monday evening that I teach all by my lonesome and I get to keep the cash (not much really) apart from the hall fees. However these extra 3 classes I will teach and then be assessed on my teaching and won't be my own class (thank for that - they are MONSTERS most weeks!!!!). So I guess the only thing I have to worry about is groundwork and grappling. If only I could get DH to wrestle with me! I think he might protest!

Good Morning! My knee is just fine now thanks. I didn't have anything more to eat and slept well!

It seems that the weather is gonna stink it up for the next two days. I have a tentative date to take my twin neices out for dinner but we may have to rearrange that for lunch Saturday or Sunday. I'm a nervous snow driver ... especially with someone else's children in the car.