Hi Josephine! How was CA?

I saw on the last thread that the new season of TBL starts on Sept 16th. That's perfect I will be coming back from vacation.

OK ... something is wrong with my elliptical. They have ordered some parts based on what they think is wrong from talking to us and in 3-5 days when they come in they will come and fix and service it.

I think we are going to have to have it serviced regularly since I am on it for 4.8+ miles a day on average. So until it is fixed it will be the bike and going over to use Mom's occasionally. SUCKS!

I am though excited that TBL starts in less than 8 weeks (6 wks from the end of the challenge). I am going to push hard food and exercise wise to try and get down at least 8 lbs and 2 additional inches during that time period. I would like to be around 190 when we start ... will see how it goes.

I have moved my food up a little based on the amount of exercising I am doing (whch is probably why the elliptical is broken - Murphy's Law). I am hoping that this will help get me more steady on track again.

Have a good night everyone!

GREAT JOB KELLY ON ALL YOUR 'little" MILESTONES!




Come on TEAM BLUE, let's take this challenge HOME!!!

I have Good New, Good News, Bad News, and Bad News

As I said previously my elliptical was having issues. My DH made arrangements for parts and for a service person to come out an fix it, which all had to pe paid for up front (almost $280). Well, he got his tools from my Mother's house where he had been doing some work and took it apart last night because he thought he might have an idea what it wrong with it.

Good News #1: He found the problem and can fix it himself once the parts arrive
Good News #2: We can cancel the $139 service call and only pay the other half for the parts (get a refund on what we paid)
Bad News #1: My elliptical is in pieces and I can't use it
Bad News #2: The parts will probably arrive while he is off at Cub World with DS and I will have to wait until he gets home next Thursday to fix it

So as of this morning I have no Elliptical to run on. So this obvious unmotivated me this morning and I slept in instead of working out on the bike this morning, doing Wii Yoga, Hooping, ... something ... anything.

I need you all to keep after me to get my other exercise in at a minimum and to try and get the bike done to make up for the Elliptical. I am going to have to hit my Mom's a couple times or I won't be able to do my 30 minute runs anymore by the time mine is fixed.

Ugh, I'm feeling frustrated about my online communities lately. Not this thread, of course, since BLUE TEAM ROCKS! But I post on some other boards as well (not just on 3FC--shh, don't tell!), and I just feel like I'm always trying so hard to point out the positive and be upbeat when it comes to giving suggestions or advice, and people just shoot me down left and right like I'm a moron. I just want to reach through the computer and smack some people If someone were to offer me a suggestion or personal experience, I wouldn't respond with something like, "That's not the exact question I asked." Umm, even if it's not, for starters, you don't have to be snotty about it, and, furthermore, the info I'm offering may still be helpful--it's not as if someone asks about flowers and I tell them to make sure their dog gets vaccinated--it's all relevant information to the topic.

Anyway, I'm probably just being oversensitive.

Off to my doc's appointment in about 10 minutes. My weight is up a bit, so I may need to take a freebie this week. I blame my TOM, which seems to actually be becoming my time-of-every-other-week-or-whenever-else-it-feels-like-randomly-popping-up. I just had a full period a couple weeks ago, and here I am spotting again. I HATE these new pills with a passion.

Wow, could I complain more, maybe be a bit of a bigger baby?

Kelly -- Get your fanny out there and do some exercise, girl! You don't want to rely on just one piece of equipment anyway, so you should consider this blip in elliptical performance to be an opportunity for some lovely cross training and experimentation. I WANNA SEE SOME SWEAT! So report in...

Jill -- Sorry the new pills make your TOM so nutty, that would drive me crazy, too. I'm sure the advice you are offering on your other board is great, but some people are just so hard to reach, aren't they? They are only hurting themselves in the long run by not really listening with an open mind.

Nori -- Vacation was incredibly, super-duper, over-the-top awesome. I wish it could have gone on forever. I loved the area and DH I and spent the long flight back home pouring over maps planning another trip with lots of back-country hiking and camping. We just couldn't get enough! If you're an outdoor enthusiast, the area offers so much. We hiked, trail ran, and rented bikes. The only thing we didn't get to do that I think would have been outstanding is rent sea kayaks, we'll be sure to do that next time.

Josephine - I don't really rely on my Elliptical as my only form of exercise, it is kind of like my warmup/wakeup in the mornings. I do my Wii Yoga about 3times a week, I do my lifting about 3 times a week, I do my hooping about 3 times a week, etc, but this is my 6 days a week thing. This is what I generally do every day ... it is what gets me going in the morning.

I feel like a slug without it and the bike just doesn't rev me up like the Elliptical. I will be on the bike tomorrow morning and on Saturday, I am going to get my butt up early and head over to Mom's house to run on her elliptical.

Will probably get in some Wii Yoga, Situps, and Lifting in tonight. I am also going to try and get at least 1 mile in on Mom's elliptical as my lifting warmup (we do an areobic warmup before starting to lift to warm the muscles up and it is usually 10 minutes, but I can get a mile in 12, so I may do that.

I will workout today, it just doesn't feel the same without "My" elliptical. It could be worse, it could have been broken beyond repair. That would have really sucked ... so I need to focus on that bright side and just suck up my lost week with my morning wakeup buddy.

LOL, I forgot that you are a workout queen, lady (I still have vacation brain!)! I think with your motivation you will survive the temporary loss of your morning workout buddy, plus you have a good plan!

I missed this morning's run window (it's too hot out now) and will be heading over to my mom's house to run on her treadmill, too. Thank goodness for mothers with exercise equipment!

Josephine - I don't think I qualify as the workout queen, since Amy has twice as many minutes as me, but I figure I do good considering I work full time, have a DH who works 24 hours shifts and is only home 1/2 the time, and a son who does Black Belt TKD, Soccer, Cub Scouts, and school. Sometimes I think of that morning workout as my time.

I can't wait until TBL though, when I get 2 hours every Tuesday of my time. I go down in the basement to the workout room and refuse to deal with anyone (unless the DH is working then I cut out for 20 minutes and get the kid to bed and back to me) It is my selfish time, but I only do it then and during the show season, so I figure I can afford to be a little "Me-ish" for about 12-15 days out of the year (or 24-30 if they do 2 seasons in a year).

Good morning, Bluesers.

I'm still on-plan and waiting for the scales to respond. Yesterday, I pulled out the resistance bands and set up a workout for those. Hopefully, the inches will start dropping even if the scales don't move an ounce!

Today, the stomach is calm but the head is hurting. Jeeze, it's always something.

Jill - I have my places that I love here on 3FC ...my Bluesers and my 100lb Club. I love these places because of the friendly supportive atmosphere. I've ventured into some other areas, but I've not found the same atmosphere in other areas. Just hang with us, Hon. We appreciate you!

Kelly - It must be so frustrating to have your routine disrupted. Just keep telling yourself that this is temporary. You'll have your elliptical back soon.

I'm seriously considering putting the scales away during the hiatus between challenges and seeing what I can do. I'll really hit the exercise and get tight on the calorie planning and the menus. No promises....just seriously considering it right now.

Hope everyone has a great on-plan day.

GO BLUE!

Rhonda - thanks for the sympathy on the loss of my Elliptical (that really sounds pathetic of me, but funny)

As for your thoughts on putting your scale away, give it a try. BUT, make sure you are committed to your new regime of food and exercise. I find that you need to use something to make you accountable. Maybe like some people you can count your days OP (I include exercise as part of my daily plan so I can only count myself OP if I get my exercise done and my eating plan followed). I find that in somewhay we all need that. The scale isn't the tool for all of us to use for accountability. I use multiple means, but my main one is the scale.

I find it often tells me things I might miss otherwise, like the fact that I wasn't eating enough with my exercise plan. I found that the scale moved very little last month because of that, but I still lost around 3 inches over last month. Use what you need when you need it. Find your tool to help you on this journey ... we are here for you:-)

Amy? Where are you? Come out of hiding wherever you are. Don't make us get on an airplane to come find you!

Rhonda ... I'm game to head to Australia to help you find her ... just let me grab my dive gear