Howdy y'all!

Starting a new thread for a new week (well here in the States anyway JC )

Hope everyone had a great weekend! My free day yesterday was a little TOO free...but I'm back on track this morning. I feel so bloated today... serves me right anyway!

It was gorgeous in Vacaville where the horseshow was being held. a VERY low key schooling show - but it was fun being there, especially with the winning team - Kramer Training just ruled the place on Sunday!

Well...back on track...sorry I didn't post this weekend. Our PC at home is in the kitchen and I try not to spend too much time in there (so close to the fridge).

Let's hear from everyone! I still have to read the last couple of days' posts -- but right now I have to get my butt into a meeting.

Later all!

Hi everyone,

Hope everyone had a good weekend... Ours was spent painting, but it's going to look really nice...it's a ton of work (specially for hubby because he does the painting) and it's not really only one room, because the TV room runs into the parlor the parlor into the hall, the hall into the dining room, and the dining room into the kitchen, in a U shape open concept kind of thing....

JEC ~ it would be interesting to see your antiques from Australia compared to the Canadian antiques we have here... I'd love to see them.... I also agree with you on the fact that this site helps tremendously in keeping on track... I often think, when I come to eat something not quite clean, "Now how will I explain this to the 3FC girls!

My free day, wasn't really only one day, I had one treat on Fri., a glass of wine on saturday nite , then a sugarless cookie on Sunday... I don't feel guilty or bloated as I usually do after too much indulgence, so I think that's a good thing...

I took the day off today, from work that is, it feels so good, hubby is off too and we've gone to look at some lighting for the dining room. We picked the kids up from school and took them out for lunch, so it was a treat for them too...

Had a really good UB workout this morning and the day is turning out to be gorgeous too, cool but very sunny very fallish....


Well I have to get going, I'm going for my allergy shot, then going to pick up some upholstery samples, we want to recover a chair...
We are spending so much money these days, we are even getting a new van next week.... my 12 year old D asked last week if we are going to go broke... I thought that was so cute....
"no dear, not yet", .... ...... Naw, that's not what I told her, but I did think about saying that just to tease her, but she can be so serious at times that she takes things very literally.....

Anywho, gotta run... the needle awaits me.....

I'll log in later.....

Yea - week 3! We're rocking this challenge, ladies! JEC, I agree with you that this board is what is helping me through this challenge. I am 400% more motivated this time around than I've ever been. I've stuck to all of my working/nutrition goals. Even though I don't know you guys in person, I somehow feel accountable to you, which in turn, helps to hold me accountable to myself.
Took a semi-free day on Friday. Went to see a band that night and had a margarita and grilled chicken and fries. Also, had a cookie earlier in the day.
Did cardio this morning (yea! 9th day out of 10 workdays in this challenge that I've managed to get myself to the gym before work! A new record!) Just did a short pilates workout (from a tape) before eating my salmon, sweet potato and veggies.
Gotta get back to the office! Have a stellar day, ladies!

Just got back from the gym- back to the 4 day split after two weeks of a 3 day on Pam's advice. OUch! Ouch! my triceps are still burning and I know my chest is gonna be sore tomorrow. That was after am cardio for 35 minutes of HIIT, then an unschedules 2 hours or vacuuming and steam cleaning my family room and home office carpets. Seems one of the animals has a problem.... That big green clean machine thing is quite an arm and chest workout all on its own!

After my boxing-training endurance session last week, I felt great at first, but by the next day was too drained to do anything but light cardio. Plus my hips and lower back really hurt (must have been that graceful crab scuttling), so I don't think I'll be repeating that workout. Because of my fibromyalgia and CFS, I'm always afraid of triggering flare ups, so I think I'll put it in the "fun once" category and leave well enough alone. I can definitely see how it would be a great way to workout if you were also training for a particular sport ( JC- still playing?)

I agree whole-heartedly this challenge was a great idea! It's really helped my pull together what was becoming a very unspectacular C3. If may still not have photogenic results, but I'm much more committed and focussed! Thanks everyone!

I had I free evening- probably too much, but was back on track Sunday and today!

mel

Sounds like everyone had great, if busy, weekends. I had the type of weekend I love - I was busy on Saturday with errands and going to a concert (Cassandra Wilson) with friends, but then very lazy on Sunday, doing some BFL planning, reading a novel and watching the Sopranos. So, I feel very rested and ready to tackle the week, so to speak. As usual, though, I gotta run (figuratively, not literally -- yet!) Take care. Peace, Mox

and I am trying to eat my way through all of this food! I have a 7 egg white and veggie+corn omelette in front of me and 3/4 cup of oatmeal. But I am still full from my last meal!

I had a great run last night and felt strong despite it being a low carb day. I didn't have a workout this morning so I slept in until 7am, which I needed but I have shoulders/tris/sprints tonight. Still going strong!!

Lana: I have lots of Colonial style stuff, like an old sideboard, crystal cabinet and a tin collection (like cookie tins) I have about 50 tins at the moment and they are on display in my kitchen wall.

Mel: Yes I am still playing soccer if that is what you are referring to! I LOVE it! We have a 6 week break between winter and summer seasons at the moment but the summer season starts in about 3 weeks time. I can't wait..... We were Premiers in the winter season and lost our final on penalties but at least I scored in the final!

Mox: Can I swap your sunday for mine? I never get enough time to relax.

Well I will catch up again later - I have work to do.

JC

Good morning!!!

Everyone is doing so well!!! rocking the challenge as wcolleen said! Everyone here is an inspiration to me. As I'm working out, I think about everyone's posts and try to keep everyone here in my head as motivation.

While I didn't do free day and exercised on Sunday morning I tried to relax a bit on Sunday like mox. I had school reading to do : and watched a little bit of TV (yes, the Sopranos that I've been hooked on since season 1, episode 1) and felt my muscles GROAN.

I did cardio Monday morning and then I did something different last night. I went to yoga/pilates class as I had planned. I am NEVER at the gym on a Monday night and I could see why! It's CRAZY in there !!! So crowded. So many kids!

The yoga/pilates class only had 7 people in it which is different than Sunday mornings which usually has about 20. It was NICE. I haven't taken a class from the instructor and she was very different than the Sunday one. A very lowkey routine that builds and you're into intensive exercise before you know it. I feel it in my abs today! woo. I am SORE!!!

I am very very verv very very very grateful for the motivation this challenge has given me. I also am grateful for Pam's latest competition pix over on L&S. When I am in that dreaded workout room with the miles of mirrors and feeling like I'm 500 lbs and there is no where to hide, I think about the ladies who were large and are now lean. Like Pam and MrsJim and some of the other ladies who have found the strength and courage to change their lives. Everyone has heard my sad refrain about how HARD this is for me.....boo hoo...and it is....being a student, former smoker and perimenopausal has been a challenge in the activity/metabolism department. What I have to go through to lose a few inches sometimes doesn't seem worth it and I have given up at various times (even since first starting BFL) but I keep getting back on it...becuase this style of eating/exercise WORKS!!!! and i know it. Whereas I was so disappointed in my first challenge results AT THE TIME, I look at the pictures now and know I had a lot of progress. I've decided to keep going and not let today's results derail me because tomorrow's results are already in the hopper if I just STAY THE COURSE!!!

I am thickheaded and learning that idea sloooooooooooooowly. I FEEL my abs this morning. Between my ab routine and yoga/pilates, I can honestly say I have hope for abs for the first time in a year and a half. Still have layers of fat to get rid of to reveal them, but I feel that they are there and do-able.

I was so disheartened before this challenge. I spent the summer in NY with great expectations of coming back IN SHAPE and then worked long hours every day and NEVER got to the gym (though I did a lot of walking). I needed this A LOT!!! THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE!!!!


Susan

And it's not even Halloween yet!!! (Which, BTW, I will be spending escorting my darling nephew door-to-door as usual).

Yesterday was a FANTASTIC day, the best one in this entire challenge so far...I've been going to bed even earlier lately - before 9:00 - and bouncing out of bed at 4 am! (with kitty's help of course )

You all HAVE to try Rich's Mom's Chicken breast recipe - especially Susanje who I know is one of those people who get all their food for the week ready in advance. The chicken STAYS juicy! The Foreman grill is terrific for stuff you're going to eat right away, but chicken grilled on the Foreman tends to dry rather quickly. This was a great week to try the recipe since Safeway had boneless chicken breasts on sale for $2.99 a pound. The recipe is in the L&S cooking library, but I'll cross-post it in our Recipe thread today.

This weekend's challenge - Jim and I are driving down to San Diego to see his family on Friday morning. We're going to stay there two nights and drive back up to the Bay Area on Sunday morning. Here's what I plan to do:

Bring food - chicken breasts (I made a bunch of 'em), raw veggies, hard-boiled eggs, protein powder, Myoplex Lite, tuna pouches. And of course - water water water! I guess I should bring food for Jim as well He's intent on making the drive in 6 hours so we won't be stopping very often.

I still want to take my Free Day on Sunday, but am thinking of moving it to Saturday since that's when we'll be with Jim's mom and brothers (his father died 20 years ago of leukemia). Depends on where we end up eating...if we're just BBQing I'll just bring my own food along - it shouldn't be a big deal.

Exercise - I'm not expecting to be able to lift weights - I don't think the place we're staying at has a gym - but hopefully there'll be one nearby. At any rate, I'm bringing my road bike along and I'll be hitting the gym on Friday morning before we leave and Sunday when we return - so I'm only missing one day, right?

Whew! More later - got to get back to work!

Interesting day on 3FC huh MrsJim?

I had another good day yesterday except for some cravings last night which I DIDN'T indulge in. It was a high carb day so by the end of my workout I was burning up!

Susan: Our gym was crazy busy last night as well - I was lucky that I got a bench straight away. Apparently, hubby (who was with me) said that there was this 'skinny-fat' girl just glaring at me the whole time I was on the bench. He said she just stood there waiting for a machine with her arms crossed just staring as I did my french presses and shoulder raises. I didn't even notice because I am totally oblivious to those around me at the gym but he said quite a few people noticed and were looking at her and I. I don't know what her problem was, hubby thought it may have been because I was using a 35 lb bar for me french press and she must have thought I was weird. Oh well??

MrsJim: I want to try that chicken breast - I was reading about it yesterday. I saw the recipe - thanks for that I was about to ask you to post it for me!

Hey for your trip if you don't want to miss weights then just do a few sets of push-ups, sit ups etc. You know some ground work using your own bodyweight just to get your heart rate up and your joints moving?? Just an idea.....

Well if you excuse me ladies I have a water bottle to fill. Talk to you later!

JC

PS - where is everyone?

You are SO right JC - it has been a busy day here...

So you have people GLARING at you? Maybe she was just studying your form! I made another batch of those chicken breasts last night - they are so good to have handy. I just now ate one with my meal that I cooked on Saturday - and it's STILL moist and juicy!

Today's a low-carb day for moi, but for some reason I'm not tired - maybe because I didn't have weights today?

Gotta run down to Travel, but I'll be back after I get home...getting stuff ready for my London meeting right now! I LOVE London...just wish Jim was coming too (he's waiting til next year when we go again in August).

I am not sure what it was she was looking at. I tell you what - I am going to take some digital photos over the next few days and I may actually display my 1st ever before and after photos on here - so you guys can decide whether I LOOK TOO MUSCLEY or not! Maybe that is why she was staring at me!

JC

Funny how the gym is always crowded on Mondays, huh? I guess it's from all of the people who declare that "Monday will be the day I start my new diet..." (or maybe they're jsut there to undo the damage they caused over the weekend...)

Well, I hit my first downfall today. Well, to be fair, I averted a total nutritional downfall - but didn't get my scheduled workout in. Today was nutty - had to finish planning an open house we're having tomorrow *and* had to get some reports ready for our board meeting tonight. Was out of the office for most of the day, running errands and picking things up, so i didn't have any of the meals I had planned to eat at the office today. BUT, did make a stop at the grocery store on my first round of errands for a tuna pouch and apple, and later, had a grilled chicken sandwich from Wendy's. Then, immediately before my 5:00 meeting, I was able to finagle a vanilla myoplex shake from my trusty coworker, Melissa. Not the best day nutrition-wise (sure wish I'd had more satisfying carbs today), but I feel good about finding ways to eat close to perfect despite a stressful chain of events at the office. For that, I feel good. I have no energy of course (it's just as well that I didn't make it to the gym tonight, I suppose). Three weeks ago, however, I woulds have used my lack of planning as an excuse to eat crappy carbs (crackers from the vending machine, etc). So for that, I suppose I should be feeling victorious right now!

Hey JC, personally I was wondering myself...because that photo in my avatar (over there <== ) is itty bitty - and I haven't updated my website in (gulp) over a year now...

Gotta run and make din-din for hubby (Meal #4 for me).

It's been pretty busy here today! WOO!

Hey Karen,

Have you seen the latest installment on the other thread?
Oh the drama.......

JC

Hi everyone! I have a question about bloating. I'm watching my salt intake and drinking plenty of water. Don't know why I'm a size bigger at night than in the morning. I thought I was imagining things but yesterday I measured myself in the morning and a few times during the day and I am definitely growing during the day and just so damn bloated by evening. Any thoughts?

Yesterday was another clean eating day. Cardio for me (;p and I noticed that my lower back is killing me. Pilates/yoga? I am wondering if that is it (I posted on the pilates thread). Don't know if I'm doing something wrong or its a beginner's soreness. Yesterday during my 2 mile walk from school to the train, I tried to walk as briskly as I could and felt my lower back cramp up...I walked it out but am still SO sore today. I was going to try to go to class tonight but don't know if that is a good idea or not. I do lbwo and power walk today. I was going to add pilates or a swim to it.

Free meal tomorrow!



Susan