Ah, Mel, the flower box in front of the library has not yet been cleaned out and it's a sad looking thing these days. If the parks people haven't gotten here by the weekend, I'll probably do it myself. It's 90% annuals so there's nothing much to "save." I did get my own beds cleaned out just before I left, and DH did the raspberries and the last of the leaves while I was gone. He also finished the new greenhouse, put up a new garden gate, and with the help of a teen-aged boy, stacked up a lot of firewood. He was a busy little boy.

Tonight is swimming - yay! I'm enjoying it and it seems to be a good cardio workout - even the runners in the class find that. Of course, unlike other forms, you can't breathe whenever you want.

I need to fume on your collective shoulder, ladies!

I went to my Zumba class last night, all excited - it's quite a struggle for me to get there in time as it starts at 6 pm and I work till 5 pm on the opposite end of town (so it's get home in the snail pace rush hour, get the dogs pee'd and fed, change and off to the gym).
This is the time of the annual nonsense called Octoberfest and we share the parking lot with a Schwaben Club (a German club). Can you see what's coming? I got there and there was not a single parking spot left, and a bunch of other cars cruising in vain hope to leave the car somewhere. The gym is on a very busy strip sandwiched by a very road on one side and another busy road (one way) on the other side, so to get back means to drip around the block because there was not even enough space to turn around. AAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!! I tried the next door lot (Red Lobster, that is currently having some promotion - all you can eat or something), and a dealership on the other side, but everything was already taken by beer-guzzling and sausage-eating denizens.
What an insult! One can't get a workout because people stuff themselves with fatty sausages!!!!

Aww Tomato, that sucks.

I stopped last night at the Ballys after my running class. The running class is across the street from the gym. I guess its funny to walk into a gym all sweaty and ask for a schedule of their classes. They have Zumba there but apparently their zumba instructor split because they said all the classes are cancelled. Anyway, I was interested in spinning. On the weekdays, the class is from 5:30am to 6:30am... Uhh well they have other hours too but that one is funny because I struggled this morning to get up at 7:30. Of course I did a hearty session of physical therapy and running yesterday so I was tired.

Tomato - add insult to injury already! THat's horrible! Soooo frustrating. I hope the O'fest is over soon and you can get back in there.

Nelie, I was thinking about that gorgeous exercise machine you bought last year this morning as I was reliving my equipment experiences from the last year. How is that thing working out for you? ARe you still in love? I remember that it was very cool. Has it helped in your lifting routine?

Fran - I do love my ProSpot and have been using it for NRLW workouts. It is great. One thing I haven't used at all are the leg extensions/curls but DH told me he tried leg curls on it the other day at 10 lbs and he couldn't do it. I may have to walk him through it I love the barbell and the fact that I can do squats without worrying about killing myself.

MILK -- THE PERFECT POST WORK-OUT SNACK

Thoughts? I was watching the Biggest Loser tuesday nite and bob harper said this. Since I'm always looking for new ideas to help with my protein, I tried this last nite after lifting. Was a nice change from the cup of yogurt I normally have. And latest research shows that upping calcium actually helps with stones prevention (contrary to recent advice about limiting calcium), so that could be a benefit for me as well.

(Fran: The cottage cheese/protein powder/fish hater)

Fran, I've read that chocolate milk is the ideal post workout meal. It was in a study out of the University of Pittsburgh -- let me see if I can find it.

My running coach says she drink chocolate milk as a recovery drink after long runs. So I went and bought some chocolate soy milk

Chocolate Milk as a Post-Exercise Recovery Aid: International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2006, 16, 78-91

Apparently chocolate milk has the perfect ratio of protein and simple carbs for post-workout recovery.

Ahh good reason to play like a kid. (running outdoors free as the wind) so that we can eat like a kid.(: chocoloate milk) Reminds me about "Everything I ever needed to know I learned in kindergarten."


All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.
These are the things I learned:

* Share everything.
* Play fair.
* Don't hit people.
* Put things back where you found them.
* Clean up your own mess.
* Don't take things that aren't yours.
* Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
* Wash your hands before you eat.
* Flush.
* Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
* Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
* Take a nap every afternoon.
* When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
* Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
* Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
* And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

Mmmmmm, chocolate milk. I may have to try this after swimming, which is the most exhausting exercise I do these days. I can tell when I've hit my limit - all of a sudden the water is cold, I'm cold, and my limbs feel 10 lbs heavier. All I want at that point is to haul myself out of the pool and into a hot shower. I get home ravenous and tired (not a bad thing) and chocolate milk would hit the spot. I know I worked hard last night, my arms are sore (nicely) and I can feel the muscles in my butt that get worked from kicking.

Love your list Lydia, and it's all so true.

I'm not getting the hyperlink on that Meg. Hmmm. Can someone give me the executive summary of why chocolate is superior to white fatfree milk? LIke, if I can't have chocolate, is white ff milk just as good, close, or inferior to chocolate?

Sorry, Fran, I didn't make a hyperlink, but try this: Chocolate Milk as a Post-Exercise Recovery Aid

The sugar in the chocolate milk is what differentiates it from white milk. The sugar is a simple carb, which is recommended post-workout for fast glycogen
resynthesis (getting glycogen back into depleted muscles). The study says that the best ratio for a post-workout drink is about 3:1 carbs to protein and the sugars in chocolate milk boost the carb count to close to this ratio.

OK, I thought that was a joke! Guess not. I'm afraid chocolate milk would be a huge trigger for me. Too many associations with other comfort foods.

Neli- I can't remember what it is you bought last year. What is theis wonderful machine?

We got rid of our bench with the leg attachments. It was cheaply made for one, but the angle was lousy for me (short) and the pads hit dh at a really uncomfortable spot. Neither of us liked it.

Steady state cardio done to the first show of "Life on Mars" recorded last week. It looks entertaining. I've done HIIT most days this week and just couldn't take another session of it.

Shoulders at the gym today- I'm all off schedule!

Mel

Warm chocolate chip cookies and milk ...