Happy Valentines Day to everyone!!!!

This has been a week of change for me. For a while, I am not going to be a lady who lifts. My yearning to do yoga is so strong right now that I am going to rely on it for toning and on daily cardio to burn some of this fat. I am also modifying my diet to include less protein, more fruit and vegetables. I am going to try it for a month and if things fall apart I'll go back, but if it seems to work for me I'll wait until summer when I have more time to devote to myself to take up weights again. I love the way women who lift look and don't think I could give it up completely. So far, the changes have been positive, I have shaken loose of my sticking point on the scale. I find it interesting that several of big time losers here have incorporated weights only after losing a substansial amount of weight. That knowledge plays into this decision as well. While I am not counting on yoga to make me thin in a direct way, I am coming to believe that indirectly it may be the key to my success. My body awareness has increased tenfold since taking it up and it makes me feel so good. Most of all it makes me want to get rid of the excess weight that holds me back from doing the asanas beautifully.

G'morning everyone and Happy Valentines Day.

Ledom, I think you're doing what each and every one of us must do: Listening to your body, listening to your inner self, and making decisions about what's right for you. As has been said so many times before, what we all need to do is find those activities we will *happily* do forever. I love yoga. I love pilates. I love cardio. I love weights. I just need more hours in the day for incorporate them all in my life.

Dip, good luck with DH's health. We're going through an interesting period of discovery at our house. My DH (Bill) recently had a physical. He's in excellent health, but at 67 his insulin levels are changing. His doctor, a specialist in geriatric medicine (and a very forward-thinking guy) is piloting a program in which 5 patients meet with a nutritionist and a diabetes specialist to talk about diet. Bill does NOT have diabetes; he isn't even classified as "pre-diabetic." But the doc has said that many older people become diabetic because their insulin levels change as they age. So, he wants to see what proactive nutrition will do.

Bill came home from a 2 1/2 hour meeting absolutely amazed. "Do you know," he said, "that a serving of OJ is 3 ounces, or a glass of milk is 8 oz. or a serving of pasta is 1/3 of a cup." I allowed as how I did know those things. When I got home from work a couple of days later, he told me he was really really impressed with my ability to weigh, measure and write down everything. "This is really hard," he said. He's always been supportive, but he's never really paid attention to what I was doing. I told him I'd be glad to help him out. I'd guess we're going to be eating exactly the same things in coming months.

Well, we're off to look at a house this morning. I'll check in with you all later!

Hi all, this if my first time on since I went away. I arrived home on Thursday night since we had to work on friday. Man my eating went hay wire for this week and I never made it to the gym friday or today. My irritable bowel syndrome in all of this acted up so it really took a lot out of me physically so i slept in on friday and today my man had to take the car to work extra to try to make up for the days lost. I will have to make it tomorrow for sure for cardio as well as legs. And the diet will have to get back on track as well.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all you have sent their thoughts my way this past week. It is funny, I went home for the funeral and it really hit something inside me, I cannot stop thinking about some of the things i want in my life and I have decided not to be afraid to take chances because life is too short and you never know what may happen. It really has put some things into perspective.

well have a nice weekend all....welcome newbies , i have only been posting here a short time but all the others here are very welcoming, i am now addicted to this site

Just another tidbit to share.

http://skwigg.tripod.com/wow/id48.html

I have been reading this woman's blog for a while. I think she is brilliant! Irreverantly funny which is my kind of funny and wise and a great writer.

Happy Saturday! What a long week - and what a lot of posts!!

My apologies for not being able to hit everyone.. but a few things I can remember...

Shoes - I used to use nike, but they run too narrow, plus I supinate. I went to Just for Feet and compared the NB and the Saucony - I went with the Saucony this time, but I think I'm going to pick up the NB as soon as I can afford it and see which one I like better. Kind of tough when the cost is as high as it is and you can't return them after 3 or 4 runs if you don't like the way they fit. The NB shoes for supination are distinctly different, very wide sole, and of course like the Saucony they push me to the inside. The first couple weeks with the new shoe and I hurt SO bad, but now that I've used them for a while and my legs are getting used to running actually aligned, the pain is gone and I've been making better time, too.

Piper - Congrats on beating the guy in tennis! Last time I beat a guy in a sport (my ex at raquetball) he stormed out of the place in a huff and I had to walk about 10 miles home. Yes, he's definitely my EX.

Dip - My BF doesn't drink water either. Tea, lemonade, soda, but water? Never.

Tiki - My 11 year old son finally decided to cut his hair about a year ago. I figured it was his hair, he could do what he wanted, and I was actually kind of proud of him for not giving a rats behind about people thinking he was a girl and doing what HE felt was right for him. He finally had it cut more because it was just getting too hard to take care of than anything. It gets awfully hot here in the summer and working out at the stables... kind of nice to have any stray breeze on your neck if you can.

My "light" LB is still with me. Geez. UB yesterday was ok.. I need to break out arms/shoulders from chest/back. I can't hit it all in one workout and still get to work in time. Today is treadmill.. I'm not up to running as far as I was last year yet, but I'm getting there. TOM is almost over, so we'll see if the scale will be my friend on Monday. In the meantime I just focus on body changes and don't sweat the numbers. Logically I know I'm losing fat, I can't NOT be, so ... it's all good.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Happy Saturday morning gals! I'm sitting here contemplating whether to try to do my NT for cardio today, and risk irritating my toes more (not getting any better), or get myself to the gym and do elliptical instead...

Thanks for sharing that site Ledom - I have three friends who have been starting and restarting BFL for the past 10 months, and I intend to share that with them. And good luck with your plans to focus on yoga right now.

Interesting about the shoes - seems many of us have wide feet (caused by the extra weight?) and high arches, which cause us to supinate. A few months back, when I decided I might run, I went through much research in picking shoes. I ended up with Asics, but NB was my second choice. My walking shoes are NB though. And Raven, I hear you on the pain of getting used to having your feet supported back the way they should be!

Ok, want to revisit the calorie thing - as I've mentioned, last week, I changed my lifting split to more like you gals do - each body part just once a week, but 2 or more exercises, 4 sets each on them. Anyway, after 2 weeks of this, it's started to affect my food needs - I'm getting hungry an hour after eating, instead of 2.5 hours, like normal. I'll try to ride it out, but if it continues, I think I'll have to increase my food intake - again! At this point, I really don't know how I can get in anymore calories! Guess I'll just have to wait and see how it goes before I start worrying about it!

Ok, I've decided I'd better go in and hit the elliptical for cardio this morning, so I'd better get a move on before the day gets away from me.

Have a good one!
Cindy

woohoo! testing my new computer!

My email doesn't work but that will be back soon.

I just slept away most of the afternoon, with a rare and much needed nap. Couldn't find a comfortable position last night due to my shoulder, so I was exhausted. Didn't manage any w/o at all, but I think I'm going to call this rest weekend.

Cindy-I'd try to hang in there for a while with the food before you up it much. Do you know how many calories your are actually eating or are you doing palm/fist?

Robin- How's the house hunting?

ok, let's see if this will post-

so many posts!

went out for a nice steak dinner today sure i met my protien requirement anyways hehe

found a good recipie site, the link to which i cannot post here as I think it would violate forum rules (its a commercial site) but do a search for Kinetix Living or go to kcount dot com and check out the recipies archive for ideas. I just posted one on the recipies thread good ratios, even if the ingredients are squeaky clean.

Anyhoo, tomorrow is back/tris see ya'll later!

Tidey

Tiki- your "crew" is your kids! sorry for the misunderstanding, great idea taking your kids out for valentines day. My step-son (14) won't cut his hair either, must be the new thing, all his friends think his hair is cool. i thought long hair was out with the early 90's , shows how old i'm getting what's sad is i'm only 26 . DH and i don't have a baby sitter so we're staying in and renting a movie, we went to lunch today at our favorite place, with the girls.

Piper Gale- you go girl

Dip- when i read your post about your DH, i figured it was dehydration- even though i've been out of that field of nursing for a while. my hubby won't drink water either, i don't buy soda, actually all i buy is OJ, Juicy juice for the baby and milk- but he is out and about all day and gets coffee or soda. He won't listen to me about it either. Type II diabetes starts later in life and usually with obesity, mabey that's why the nutrition plan? sounds like a plan to me. We got the Explorer yesterday! and yes is exactly what i feel like. See, my husband and i were stupid kids and i got knocked up young, had my oldest daughter when i was only 17, and he already had his son (when he was 17 with his ex girlfriend, his son was 2 when i met him, crazy huh?). He didn't finish high school, but i did, and college, but it is hard to get ahead when you start out with the finacial burden of children, then your trying to work, like, backwards. Anyway, we are just getting on our feet- we have our house, my husbands truck and all his buisness equip is paid off, and i got that promotion so i finally feel like we can breath I have never had a car any newer than 7 years old, so it feels so great, i feel...........Middle Class I thank God.

did legs and cardio today after 4 days off , felt good. eats are not very clean but not very dirty either, down 1lb. Happy V day all!
-E

Hi LWL!

Sorry I didn't get back again yesterday but DH was on a roll doing things around the house so I kept the momentum going because it's rare. We didn't sit down to eat dinner until almost 8PM, which also is rare. Today we're going to brunch and a movie. I want to see Mel Gibson's "Gospel" movie, but fear I will cry/sob through the whole thing and embarrass DH. Anyway, he's filling up the whirlpool now because after all we did yesterday, we both need it.

ledom - As Robin said, indeed listen to your body. Sometimes I think I'd like to cut back on lifting too, and the protein, but I like the way it makes my body look too much to stop. And the strength! I wish I could give more time to pilates, but have to really budget time now with the studying. Used to be I could read something once and have it stick. Not any more, and I am struggling so far, and hoping as I get used to the learning process again it will get easier. Anyway, kep us informed on what you're doing and how it's working for you - I'm always open minded to try new things.

Robin - After I "hung up" yesterday and did a little more reading on the net, I wondered too if this might be a pre-diabetic condition with Dave too. Pretty neat that your DH now has an interest in the food counting, and another thing for you to work on together. And you are fortunate that yours is willing not only to go to a doctor, but to participate in such a program. Mine is impossible when it comes to taking care of himself. He'll be 50 in June, so I'm hoping that hitting the big 5-0 will make him realize, like it did me, that there's only possibly 20 years left for quality of life *with* improvements now. And us older folks know how fast 20 years can go.

Hi Jen and welcome 'home.' It is a fact that life can change in a minute, and will. We just never know what a new day holds for us and too many of them come and go taken for granted. Take those chances and risks because there is something to learn no matter their outcome. Have a plan but be flexible, and most importantly, laugh as much as you can.

Elasky - I don't know why but I've always disliked the expression, "knocked-up." To me there is something about it that cheapens the value of pregnancy even when it is a "surprise." I admire you though for choosing to do the right thing at such a young age. We all make mistakes, and we all have struggled to get somewhere whether it be in education/career, raising our kids, or reinventing ourselves and our health. I think that's what it's all about - doing what it takes to make things better, consistently and one step at a time.

HI! Raven, Cindy, Mel, Tidey and all - time is getting away so I better get off of here and jump in the tub. SInce we haven't used it since last Valentine's Day, it will be interesting to see how we fit in it now with over 100#'s gone between us.

Have a wonderful Sunday (and Monday).

dip

Happy Sunday morning all!

I've decided to give myself a break from cardio today - you see, I did end up using my NT yesterday, and making my toe hurt again! Guess I'm dense or something! Actually, it was laziness in not wanting to drive into work to hit the gym.

Actually used my free day yesterday - was out shopping and got a craving for a salty snack, so I induged myself. However, the unfinished portions are smashed and in the trash, so as not to tempt me today.

I've been a bit lax in my food planning as of late - think I'll spend sometime today with some CL cookbooks planning some new entrees to try.

I plugged my Friday into FitDay yesterday, and was surprised to see that at 1800 calories I was over 200 grams of protein! So, the good news for me is that I need to add a bit of carbs to balance things out better - my protein is in the 46-50% range!
I think it was when I added the second Myoplex Lite that I pushed myself out of balance. I guess the lesson here is that I should use FitDay more frequently to keep tabs on what I'm really eating.

Thanks again Ledom to that link to Renee's site - she's got a lot of great info there - I spent a lot of time yesterday just exploring everything she's got there.

Tidey - interesting site you sent with the recipes - I see more BFL champions are taking advantage of their "celebrity" to build a business for themselves - good for them!

Exercise tip to share - Friday I did bicep curls while on the incline bench, and I'm still feeling it today! The book I got this from suggested that you go down a bit in your weight when you first start doing them this way, due to the isolation and stretch it provides, and that it's important to keep good form (as always!). This is designed to work the full length of the biceps with added empasis on the outer head. I like it, and will do it for these next 4 weeks.

Well, I've got a messy house calling my name to day, so housework is on the agenda - YUCK! Oh well, it's not going to do itself!

Everyone have a great day!
Cindy

Hey girls, Dip, Cindy, Robin, thanks for your support as I venture into somethiing new. I agree on so many points you guys make, time is an issue, weights make you look fab, Renee is rockin' on her site. I love the pictures she has made of her meals! Just a lot of good energy, that girl.

I have seen a loss for the last 3 days. I am eating about 8 times a day, but sometimes just a piece of fruit. I have reintroduced yogurt to my diet. I don't think I have cut protein radically, I'd say 80% of the time my menu looks the same as it has since taking up BFL. Since I don't track calories I am not sure how that differs, but I'd say I may have lowered them a bit. I think the best thing I did was banish peanut butter from the house. I have to do that ever so often. I'll do fine w/ it and then somehow the momentum gets going and I have more and more, so it's gone now. Bye-bye!

I have done yoga for the last 3 days and believe it or not, it is making me sore. I am a little surprised, but it's that good sore we love. I have found some stretches that get right at the center of my lower back that are just divine. That is a spot that never gets stretched out.

The changes I have made, and I'd say this is over the last year, are showing on me. Yesterday I was so stunned and so flattered when my mother said the nicest thing to me. Just in the course of conversation when we were talking about how everyone in the family is faring these days she told me she hadn't seen me looking so happy and content in years and indicated that it looked good on me. I know I feel it and think I see it in the mirror, but to have my mother say it meant a lot. Living the healthy lifestyle makes all the difference in the world in the physical appearance. And back to our ongoing topic of age, well it's true we aren't just getting older, we are getting better.

I have discovered that Diet-rite soft drinks are made w/ splenda instead of saccharin. I have tried the fruit flavors and have really been enjoying them.

Cindy- I wouldn't worry too much about those ratios. A lot of women find after doing a few straight BFL challenges or at least BFL eating, that a higher protein and fat ratio (like 50-20-30 P/C/F or 50-30-20) really helps with weight loss or breaking plateaus. You need to switch things up food-wise as well and exercises every once in a while. At that calorie level, your carbs should end up over 100 grams, which won't leaved you with the very low carb energy depletion feeling. Also I always try to incorporate at least 2 different kinds of bicep curls when I do bi's. One a straight type, and 1 an incline type. All sorts of ways to do the incline- narrow and wide grip preacher curls, concentrations curls, double standing cable curls- anytime the inside of your elbow joint is pointed UP and held slightly away from your body, you are working the secondary head of the bicep.

I'm still in shoulder, pec and delt trouble. No back or chest workouts for a while VERY frustrating! I need to up the cardio, but that's just such a depressing thought.

Tidy- I'm headed over to that recipe site. I'm trying to put together a small cookbook (like there aren't enough already!) for my clients and have dipped heavily into the recipes on our sticky here. Thanks.

Happy post-Valentine's Day! Hope the damage was minimal for everyone.

Mel

Still hangin tough. Had some challenges especially today I think maybe coming off of afree day (I chose yesterday) I'm craving sweets even more than usual. Some how have managed to stay clear. Worked in the kitchen all afternoon preparing meals for the week.

Ledom~ You know what works for you and Yoga is very challenging. You are much more likely to stick with something that you enjoy.


Dip~How was the movie? I can't wait to see it.
Elasky~Good for you! I'm glad that you got a new SUV. How exciting to have your first new car,enjoy!


All for now,
Klop