Hi there everyone! I feel like I have been caught up in a whirlwind! So much going on here I don't know where to begin!

First off...I guess I am happy to report a gain...I know that sounds a little of task...but I just found out that I am PREGNANT! So much for the swimsuit this summer! I am really excited though...it is my first and we have been trying for such a long time! I am really happy! However I am a little scared, too!

I will probably keep posting from time to time! I guess I won't be losing too much in the next 7 months! EEK Oh well! Will talk to you later!

A big congrats to you on your little gain !!! Sigh....thefirst baby ? Dont be scared ,it's beautiful. Enjoy , I really mean that . They grow up sooooooooo fast. My baby is 5 yrs old. She's still a baby but I cant carry her anymore and cradle her! lol

Congrats!
Gen

Trace, that is WONDERFUL news!!! Congratulations to you and your hubby!!! My baby turns 4 next week. Gennel is right, it goes so fast....so enjoy!!! Stop in and give us some scoop about how you are doing now and then.

Lots of Hugs to you!!!
Boating

Hi Trace. Congratulations.......having a baby is both a miracle of life itself and one of the most enriching experiences you could have. All the best for you and your "daddy to be". My wishes for you would be to enjoy every last minute of it!!! Don't miss out on anything, read all the books, listen to all the moms, try all the clothes on, take the vitamins, buy the stretch mark creme.....but most of all......enjoy and relax....you will be a great mom!!

Hi all you LOOOOsers!!!
Just sat down for a few to check in ---sooo many posts, how cool. Had a busy day then did another 4 miles on the elliptical trainer--says I lost 400 calories but I don't think these things are accurate. Still got a good work-out. Overate to celebrate-ouch!
GEN- well you talked me right out of Tae Bo! Sounds hard!Keep those butterflies--it's the bestest feeling isn't it? RETURN2TRA- congrats!! Spend as much time as you can with your baby whenever he/she arrives--it's one thing you never can give to much of. Welcome TURTLE. WISCONSIN- wouldn't it be nice to hang on to the past knowing what we know now? All will work out for the best with the boat. BOATING--My son never played with trucks, cars,etc-- when he was 3 he told me "daddy, ESPN is my favorite show" he has always loved sports on his own. He is in 3rd year of college now working towards a degree in teaching--wants to be the typical History-Government/economics teacher--COACH. He is 3 years out of high school and already the Varsity coaches have had him come back as an assistant in track, cross-country and basketball--Paid positions.

How do you guys get more space?
Any way Boating what I am trying to say I didn't force my kids to do sports but I did encourage them to stay active. It was always my sons choice to play baseball, soccer, basketball etc when he was younger-- I only told him if he started he had to finish the season-- never a problem cause he loved it-- school work was never a problem-- he did not play on Sundays either like they do now-- he also had time in between seasons-- but if he wasn't playing something he was BORED!!! Now my daughter loved to go watch her older brother but had no interest in playing, other than with us in the back yard which we did daily-- she was active however in girl scouts and had dance classes 2 nights a week for exercise. Then when she was in 6 grade my son wanted to try tennis which was opening up a new program for youths at the park--he was BORED! it was between basketball and high school cross-country-- anyway when we went to pick him up after the first practice she told me she'd like to try it and I said o.k.--then she changed her mind, I think she was intimidated because she had never played a sport before.

Well I told her she had to take 1 lesson for me-- I could tell she really wanted to-- and after that she could quit---well that was almost 8 years --4years of Varsity tennis in high-school-1year of college tennis--ago and I don't believe she has gone more than 2 days in a row without playing since!! She LOVES the sport-- and you know what? she is good but she is not a great player, she just gives it all she has because she enjoys it so much--OH, by the way, did I mention her ~~BOYFRIEND~~ plays--HA! Now he is very good-- a full ride through college with it. My advice to you and your husband would be to try different things and Brooke will tell you what she is interested in-- encourageing and nudgeing is not the same as PUSHING!!! If she leans more towards quiet entertainment then you need to look at other types of exercise, after school programs, swimming, rec. sport programs, etc.
Well are you all BORED of me yet-- I am out!!! See ya all later--Gary

Hi. In for lunch so I thought I would take a quick check on recent postings. I have some field lillies I have to dig up and replant. They were getting a bit tight. It's another fantastic day. A bit windy, but warm and wonderful. Sunny.
TRACE..Congrats! How wonderful and exciting. Pregnancy can be a wonderful time. I was always my healthiest when I was pregnant because I made it a point to eat right. (I maybe won't always do it for me, but I'd do anything for those babes) Cherish these days. Gotta go.

How did I convince you to not try tae Bo! lol You seem to be a very active person, if you can walk many miles with the wife, do 1 hr of tha machine at home than tae bo will probably something for you! Do you need to lose some weight or are you just staying fit? I was pretty bad before, no exercise at all! Slept at least 10 hours! Was dragging most of the day. And go outdoors? not me! lol And my first walks were painful and slow! Everyone flew by me walking . This week I can tell others have noticed my progress. yesterday a pair of walkers were behind me when I hear the girl tell her friend" You see ,you need to keep a pace like her to burn most calories" I looked around and the girl said" yes I'm talking about you girl! " There is another couple in the their late 40's I guess who walk every day. Well the husband always told me good morning but his wife never even looked at me. Today she passed by me and said " Looking good girl ! and stopped to ask me how the heck I am doing it! She's been walking 3 months there and I started a little over 2 months ago.
Itold her so far as of my last weigh in I lost 25 lbs. She told me she can tell deffinately. She walks with weights around her ankles and 1lb tinydumbell weights in hands. I have a question maybe someonecan help answer. I know that the more you weigh the more you burn . For example if I walk 1 hr and I weigh 130 lbs I wont burn as much as Im burning now . But how much difference can 2 lb ankle weights really do?
Gen (anxiously waiting again for weighin saturday!)

Sorry it's taken me so long to write again, everything has been busy, busy, busy! Than you to everyone for the advice and warm welcomes! Boatingmommy, I've decided to make my Mother's Day Challenge Goal 5 pounds. This is turning out to be a lot harder than I thought! Atkins seems like it's supposed to work pretty quick, but I've been following Induction and I'm still at the exact same weight I was at a week ago! (180) The darn scale will NOT move! I've gotten a little better at weighing myself everyday, I'm doing it about every other day now, but that's still leading to frustration. It seems like everytime I walk by the scale though, it calls my name.... I've been walking every day, drinking lots of water, and eating the way I should but it seems like I'm still just not making any progress! I think maybe my expectations are too high. What's a normal rate for weight loss?
Feeling frustrated,
-Turtle
P.S. Congrats on the baby Trace!!!!

Hi Gennel. It sure sounds like you are getting the results you want.....YOU GO GIRL!!! As to the ankkle weights, I'm no fitness expert but I believe if you add the ankle weights, in fact you are building the resistance to help tone your muscles. 2lbs may not seem like alot, but I would start at the 1 lb mark. You will notice your legs will fatique alot quicker and might actually end up straining something. Adding the weights, will also speed up your metabolism. Do you play a tape while you walk? I find that if I pop in some groovy...(haha, now there's a word you don't hear everyday...lol) some fast paced, high energy music; that I actually walk to the beat and it also passes the time faster. Just a thought.....Enjoy the day everyone!!

Howdy gals. Haven't got much time to talk tonight. I want to get outside because we are supposed to have a huge temperature drop and rain for like the next four days!

About ankle weights....when I was in high school I struggled with my weight, mostly because of pizza, burgers, the stuff teens like to pig out on. Still, I was only about a size 7...sometimes 9. I worked out with a couple of my guy friends with weights, and then I started wearing ankle weights while walking. BAD IDEA!!! Unless you are walking on a track with some cushion, like at a high school or a tread mill, it is very likely to give you shin splints. I got them that way and boy were they painful. I also read an article on it not too long ago, and if I can remember where I will tell you, stating that it was a bad idea for the reason that it makes you lift more weight but adds to the impact of your feet hitting the surface. So, maybe it you do it, do it with only the 1 lb. weights.

Well, gotta go!

Boating

After reading article after article on ankle weights. All said the same thing" its a bad idea" especially walking on the sidewalks or roads. Iwould go nuts if I hurt my ankle ,shins or feet and wouldnt be able to go out for my walk! No way . I think I might try what Ive been doing "add a tiny bit more of speed to my pace"
That was something I read to do in the article on ankle weights.
Well
ttfn,
Gen

Hi Ladies-- GENNEL-- congrats on the compliments , it is so cool for you the ones around you that don't know you are taking notice-- Stay away from the weight while walking!! Read up on it-- it can cause many injuries-- as far as Tae Bo, I was only half kidding-- it sounds like a very good work-out-- as far as walking miles and miles, I do -- and the half to hour on the cross trainer I can do that too-- but not all in the same day and with the distance walking, only if I am in training for it, otherwise 3 miles at a 15 minute pace is pretty norm for me. Angel eyes has a good idea with the tapes-- as long as you are in a safe area and don't need to listen for cars, etc. My wife uses speed tapes that keep her walking at certain speeds-- all done by the beat of the songs on the tape-- she weighs 126 and comes home a pint low on water!! after a walk.
Off to see my son's softball game in the mens league. Have a great day/night--Gary

I dont remember asking this before, probably did! lol Since losing 1lb for 2 weeks in a row I decided to do the Wendis Plan. One day eat high cal the next low cal. Tomorrow will be a full week so I will tell you guys what results IVe had. Im wondering for how long do you stay in the Wendis Plan? I know its used often when you hit a plateau. Just wondering if we keep doing this and for how long? I love it this way but Im sure after a few weeks my body (metabolism) wont be fooled lol and probably slow down again. Please lord let me finish losing another 30 lbs at least! lol


ttyl,
Gen