It is expensive, especially with the current exchange rate. But there are MUCH cheaper places to shop than Monsoon.

I generally shop at places like Primark or supermarkets for work stuff. OK, it ain't designer wear - but I'm a teacher - I need cheap stuff that doesn't matter when it gets messed up by little kids. When you can pick up a trouser suit and a blouse for £25, it doesn't matter.

One of my favourite mid-range shops is M&Co - especially for their kids' stuff. Next is another nice mid-range shop - I get a lot of stuff from there.

Now the weather is starting to improve, I'm getting myself a baby carrier and we plan on taking some nice long healthy walks together!

2beautiful2Bfat -

I totally get it, we do everything we can to keep motivated!

I'm actually Italian, but I do have Swiss citizenship too, since last year. My husband is Swiss and my daughters both have double citizenship.

Switzerland is gorgeous, isn't it? And so open to other cultures and languages! I love Zurich. Swiss people tend to be a bit conservative, especially on the German side, but generally I really love it there. Well, I love it now that I'm here, that is! You never realize how good you have it until you change, you know?

I speak Italian and English fluently, German and Spanish only conversationally (that is, my grammar and vocabulary are so-so). I always loved foreign languages - I used to be a professional translator before the girls were born.

I have two daughters: Sarah is 8 and Stella is almost 2 - she will be two in May. They are fantastic!

Our night out was really fun. The show was amazing, the dinner was a bit hurried but ok, and the margarita was delish

If you have the chance of seeing The Lord Of The Dance live, I highly recommend it.

That's great that your kids have dual citizenship! I am Canadian and my husband is American and so my kids are entitled to US citizenship but I haven't done it yet. I need to get on that b4 they chaneg the rules!1 You never know!

I loved Switzerland. When are you going back? It's great you speak so many languages!! I speak French and that's how I got around whne I was in Switzerland that and a bit of broken German. I have mostly forgotten my German.

I have 3 daughters ages 7, 4 and 1!

We don't know exactly, but we should be going back at the end of 2009. I think I'll be sad and happy at the same time!

Wow, you are a busy mom too! How do you get exercise in? That's what I'm struggling with right now.

Basically I either exercise at 10 am when my baby naps and the older kids ae in school or I do it in the evening and my oldest works out with me (i do DVD's at home) while my younger 2 sit on the floor near us and play. I do this Sunday to thursday and friday and saturday are my days off.

Hello All.

First off, I love the title of this thread. May I please, please join??!!! I used to be a sexy person and doggone it, I liked it!

I'm not new to 3FC. I was a regular poster about 18 or 24 months ago. I posted for about 2 or 3 months. I did really well. Then I had to shift some priorities, stopped posting, then had financial problems, blah, blah, blah....

In a nutshell, I let the bad times affect my eating and exercise. Plus I have a tendency to fall into extemisms (I know that isn't a word). So now, I'm working on moderation, portion control and a sound exercise program. So, no diet for me! My goal is to develop healthier habits and keep them regardless of what happens.

The only real plan I have is staying away from fried foods, cutting waaaaaay back on red meat, simple starches, simple sugars and dairy. I am also only eating now until I am no longer hungry (instead of stuffed) and no longer eating seconds. I also drink a lot of water and started exercising a week ago. I changed my eating habits roughly a month ago. So far I can report that my 20s are no longer tight! In the past I've done different variations of low carb and lost a lot faster. This time I'm taking the slow, steady approach though. I think I've gotten on the right track with the eating. Now I'm working on my 5 - 6 day per week of exercising. Some type of stretching or toning before work and at least 45 minutes of aerobics after work.

I have no plans to step on the scale yet. As a self-professed extremist, I can tell you that those numbers drive me nuts. For right now, I'm going to let my clothes sizes determine my progress. That and those side glances in the mirror that tell you how far you're poking out in the front and the back. Ha, ha...

Well, I suppose that's it. I probably won't be so long winded in the future. Not usually. Not always.

Hey Amany - welcome!! We could do with a few more. There were plenty who joined the Feb edition but they seemed to have dropped by the wayside.

Well, I have eaten all the Easter choccy and am back on the diet. Suffice to say - it went up. But it will come down again.

Amany!

I had a few bad days but yesterday was good and I have rid my house of most of the cookies and stuff!

Here's hoping for another good day!

I be having a 6 month old come to stay with me so I am running around like a chicken with her head cut off!! i need to get a crib and all the trappings!! Oh boy!

Hello ladies!

How is eeryone? Sorry I've been MIA, prepping for Easter, then went to Washington DC with the family and then was sick when I got back... better now, started exercising this morning - easy, with one of Sara Ivanhoe's 20-min. Yoga Makeover videos.

Hi Amany!


The more the merrier!

I hear you there, about going to extreme. I have spent months planning and trying to get and stay on a low-carb, low-fat diet and ended up feeling so deprived that I stuffed my face with no-no foods much more than I normally would!

Moderation has always been hard for me, I tend to be an "all or nothing" person But I figured si need to learn to practice moderation, so I joined this year's Self Challenge. It started last month but I'm starting on Monday (you can only start on a Monday) so I'm using the Month 1 goals.

Because I'm a geek with a touch of OCD (kidding!) I also re-created the tracking forms, food guidelines etc pretty accurately on my pc so I can print them out and hang them in the kitchen. I'm ready!

It may be slightly different from my ideals, but it does include a variety of foods and gradual exercise, so it seems like a good stepping stone

Wow! Are you adopting? Or is this a niece or other relative? I hopt it's ok to ask

I have just joined the 3FC club and am looking for a group that can help me when I need some motivation. I work at a desk 40 hours a week (sitting on my fat tush) and when our computer systems get slow I have a problem with munching and I am hoping to find some where that I can go (virtually at least) in stead of reaching for th e snacks. I have been trying to keep tham out of my office but sometimes I need something with some flavor, salads seem like they have no flavor to me
Anyway, I was hoping that maybe ya'll would let me post with you.
NannaX3