No, Shad, NO desk exercises. :lol3: You are funny! I surely would break something, either the chair itself, my head, or the head of the person next to me! Besides, I'm not even at a desk that often, and not one with arms on the chair. I think I can only do something like leg lifts or crunches or something like that. Since at some point in the day, I will be lying on the floor to sleep, I think I can manage to do some floor exercises. Either that or stretching. Butt kicks, side leg raises, all sorts of crunches, up, diagonal, sideways, say 10 sets of 20 or so a day? Something really crackin!

You are on

I'm back!!!
That is, I can get online. :) More detail will follow soon.

I'm starting a new challenge tomorrow, it will be running/jogging in one spot. I'm going to start with 3 minutes (might have to be with breaks every minute or so... :o ) and try to add 30 seconds every day.

Sushi

yikes!
 

Me?! :fr: Moi??! :tantrum: wimp out :nono: !!! I can do some of them at the gym (5 days a week) and the rest while I am veging out watching the telly. So you are on. Besides which I could probably do them in the office, there are days when I don't see anyone except the others from the cubicle. They wouldn't care and may even join me.

So......... :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p as I said, you are on. 10 sets of 20 of any or all of the above per day.

Day 6 is nearly through....
 

Hum, leave it at ten. If we do more, we do more. I did some at the gym tonight. Crunches and lifts. But let's call that practice and have a Thursday start because as you say we will be in the same place at more or less the same time. I will put it on the list of things to do at the gym and for when I am not at the gym, I'll stick a post it on the door to remind me. Good luck. :strong: :barbell: :tread: :workout: :strong: :barbell: :tread: :workout: :strong: :barbell: :tread: :workout: :strong: :barbell: :tread: :workout:

Almost forgot.

Day 6 is a wrap. Just. Had a few bad moments with some spanokopita at lunch time, but I've done the sums and have decided I am okay. Going well.

Hi everyone!
Today is day 3 for me.... working hard.
No time to write more but wanted you all to know I am trying.
Linda

Red – I’m sorry to hear you are lonely. Do you think that a scented candle would help the kerosene smell or fumes? Maybe a scent that brings back a favorite memory. I know one of mine is lavender. It reminds me of my grandmas and I feel comfort. Popcorn at 10 am sounds good to me. In scouts one of the leaders said that Native Americans ate it for Breakfast so eat away. Besides if it makes you feel better and is prepared healthy you should eat it! I think it’s great you and Shad hooking up on a challenge It is going to be inspiring to see your victories and lol at your baiting one another! LOL reading each of your post!! Red I’m plenty strong to drag you along!! Hang on!!

Sushi – WELCOME BACK!!!!

As for me my abs are sore but it’s feels great! I can’t wait to until I can actually do every workout right. My form isn’t the best on some but I’m hoping by next week I’ll see a good improvement. The elliptical went well. I felt soreness in my upper thighs this time which inspired me to work harder. I guess I’m in the no pain no gain mode. I just enough pain to know I’m working it.

Hi everyone - I am feeling a little better today. I went home last night and did 30 minutes of yoga (coincidentally completing day 2 of ACE) and it was very tension-releasing.

Shad - conga-rats on your seatbelt NSV :D I agree that the stewardesses must go around tightening each belt prior to boarding! I just went back and read some earlier posts - you are too funny! I also, have been sworn at, in a bar, as well as doing some swearing of my own in a bar! This was definitely different :p

Mez - I love acorn squash (well, all squash actually) :eating2: but DH hates it, so I rarely make it. I have one at home I might make tonight, and he can just be on his own for dinner. A little brown sugar and butter - yummy stuff!

Red - how virtuous of you to freeze the extra slices of cake :smug: Carrot cake is dee-lish! what other flavors did you get?

Carla - how is your robot vacuum doing? My dogs would attack it! The regular vacuum is their sworn enemy - and I am holding that one back. If I sent the vacuum off on its own to get them? They would freak!

Fish - LOL at the vacuum story! My daughters dog was the same way he would go crazy. It was so funny he only weights maybe 4 lbs. Now it wouldn't have been funny if my son's dog had acted the same way he's a bit over 100 lbs! Now that my daughter has her own place I kind of miss the vacuum attacks. Brown Sugar added to the Acorn Squash would be great! I better just stick to the butter. LOL One taste of it with brown sugar and I'd be hooked! Trying to cut down on sugar... the wheels are turning I think I seen they make a brown sugar splenda...not sure if that was a dream. LOL

yes they do have brown sugar splenda! i used it in something... oh muffins!

Hi all.

My motivating force.. well, I kinda looked at my... a** a couple of months ago, and had a long winded conversion to the likes of " you are packing your bags, and never coming back!!!!" I just have had enough of being the bigger person that sits back and never does anything fun, because she thinks she is too fat! I always can lose the weight, but it just comes back, this time.... i have given it notice, never to return!
I am starting to do some more of the fun things, i think are reserved for people of normal weight (swimming, going out to dinner, movies.. and I must say it feels good! so now instead of reaching for the take out, i grab my shoes and go to the movies, or out to the beach)
I have learnt the more I feed my depression with food, I will just feel worse, then I will be back where i started, or worse. So by ceremoniously saying goodbye to my fat a**, I think in my head it has stuck that I don't want to be fat anymore.
Although there are days I do struggle, but so far the need to be normal is worth more to me than food.

And it is amazing, 12 months ago, I would never admit anything to myself! Especially admit to others how I feel! so this site is an amazing help to me!

Good luck on those challanges! Hopefully I will complete my first soon!
(Day 14 today)

Thanks curly I'm going to check walley world next time I'm out.

Ice - Thanks for you sharing! It really does make one think!

Quick drop in. I have done some of my extra curricular challenge today but most will have to wait until I get home.

I'm feeling pretty chipper today. Don't know why. Might be Reds got my dander up with her double dare.
Had a fight with the cat last night and she got put outside for the whole night. Wish I could somehow get through to her that I won't desert her, won't go away, she has a spot for the rest of her days. She just would not stop talking last night and wanted out, then in, then out, then in. Finally I said no you are not going out again and she just got louder and louder, whereby she got put out unceremoniously and told to stay away for a number of hours. :devil:

Just thought I would drop in the URL to my pics taken in Japan. If you want to take a peek here you go. If you don't ignore me. I won't get upset.

Two albums - take your pick.

Flowers, Gardens and Autumn colour and

Japan visit

Hope those links work. There were some problems on that website a while back. Grab yourself a coffee, sit back and relax and click the View Slideshow button and wander down the narrow roads with me.

Anyway duty calls.

day 6

1 hr of circuit training...

geez can u believe this it was 75 degrees here today and they are calling for it to be 29 tomorrow night!!


went to the store and stocked up on my sugar free jello & sugar free vanilla pudding

this is a really good treat:

make the jello according to directions
let it sit for @ 10 min
then sprinkle in 1 box of sugar free vanilla pudding and 1 cup of sugar free cool whip.... mix all together well so u get a bit of air whipped into it and then put it in the fridge to set..

u can also add fruit... its yummy!

Hello everyone! Day one complete, day 2 is almost done with too, although I have yet to drop to the floor for those sit ups. Kind of an emotional day. Actually, it was OK, I just got a double whammy right at the end of the evening. My sister-in-law decided she and her daughter would stay with us over Thanksgiving :p , rather than at the other sister-in-laws, who has a full house. I can only handle her in small doses and now I'll be spending the whole holiday with her. Ughh. Plus I'll have to do a lot of cleaning, and my DH won't be home before they get here either. And then my mother had to go to the emergency room again. She's OK, but still. Never fun. And I am feeling awful/guilty because I can't go pick her up, since DH isn't here. Sigh. Someone from her facility will go and get her. :( I'll have to stop by there tomorrow.
Sorry about the :blah: but I feel better just writing it down. Thanks.
As for this whole weight loss thing, I know where you are coming from, Ice.
I hope I will finally get stuck on the idea too. I love you guys, but I wish I didn't have to be here too.
Oh, one more thing. My 8 year old son told some of his friends at school that I was fat. Little Stinker. He has recently been interested in this whole weight loss thing. Don't know why.
Well, I'm really tired. see you all tomorrow.

Day 7 is complete. Exercises all done. Can't stop. Going to sleep on the computer.

day 7 is done!
 

Hi guys! Today will be Day 4.... I'm getting it!
Hope all is well and the Jello recipe with the pudding and cool whip sounds worth a try!
Also, instead of using milk use plain non fat yogurt to mix in with sugar free pudding. Makes like a cheese cake consistency and is quite satisfying!
Linda

Good morning! Yesterday was day 3.

The temperature has officially dropped. The dogs' outside water bowl had a skim of ice on it. I am all bundled up in a sweater, gloves, scarf, hat, and jacket. Did I mention I hate cold weather? Sigh. just under two months until my cruise. I can't wait.

We just got a big lecture from my MIL about not wanting to go to our nephew's 2d birthday party. My BIL and his wife are having it at Chuck E. Cheese. So, how many reasons is that for me to not want to be there?

1. Pizza (and not even good pizza that would make cheating worthwhile);

2. A room full of screaming kids. I can't even go to best buy because it is so loud I get an instant migraine. I don't mind children if they are well-behaved and quiet. But I wouldn't even expect them to be quiet at a venue that is specifically designed for them to run around and be noisy! My theory is that I stay away instead!

3. My nephew is turning 2! He doesn't even recognize me when I come over. He is not going to care whether DH and I are there or not.

DH says he will go and I can stay home, but then I will get the guilt trip. Ugh!

Okay, so I lied. I did bring my laptop. I'm totally addicted to 3fc - it's as bad as white flour and sugar and chocolate. But I haven't had much chance to use it, so it's been a bit of a waste up to now. At this point I've completed Day7 of CREAK (no pause days left) and Day 6 of DETOX (one pause day left). Part of me feels like just giving up and starting over with lots of pause days in the bank, but instead I'll see how far I can get with what I have. DETOX has actually been going quite well, but last night we were invited to the reception, and I REALLY wanted a drink (or three) after a tough day in the booth. And while I did eat rather a lot of yummy appetizers, they were all on program. :carrot:

On the weekly challenge (other, competing, thread... :o ) I've challenged myself to 5000 steps per day and no white flour. The flour challenge is SO hard! For some reason, this hotel serves no whole wheat at all, and we're locked into sharing the group's breakfast and lunches. (I know, I know. If I can afford a wide-screen tv, surely I can skip their lunch and go buy my own? Which I'll do from now on.) I should get an extra pause day for NOT eating the cinnamon rolls (a lifelong favourite) at breakfast and break. ;)

Every one seems to be doing so well. I'm glad I can post from here after all. But I'm not computer clever enough to react to all your posts without going back and forth and it all just makes me :dizzy:, and of course I'm lazy and short on time...

In Canada we have (or maybe had - things change and I don't always get the memo) an interesting pronunciation for the word "whore". Instead of "hoar" or "ho", I grew up saying "whoo-er", which is a lot like the "hua" Shad's got everyone talking about.

Gotta go. Errands to run, whole wheat bread to buy, back to the booth... :hug: :hug:

going for eight!
 

I have a big bunch of work to do today. Started to prepare for it yesterday and guess what? 3 out of the 4 programs I need to use to carry out the job, I don't have access to. Well isn't that just peachy. More forms to fill out.

Weekend is close - yahoo. It has seemed like a long week. And for some reason I have been so tired. Can't understand why. Anyway last night I went to bed very early for me. Slept all the way through to 4.30 this morning and woke to bright sunshine - oops forgot to set the alarm but it wasn't really that late. Did all the things I am supposed to do before going to work and got here on time. Only to twiddle my thumbs until I can get the programs up and running.

The weekend promises to be busy. I have to catch up on some housework which I was supposed to do last night but went to sleep instead. At least the washing is caught up, dried and folded. No rush on that for the weekend except for the bed linen.

My regular gym is closed for renovations, so for the weekend I have to find another one close by so I can go do my thing again. There is a couple around the place and not too far away, just remains to be seen if they have a body balance class scheduled for the weekend.

Sunday the Cat decided that she would behave last night. No claws digging in to the tush or anywhere else for that matter. Mind you it was quite cool overnight so maybe that helped both of us sleep better. We had the odd cuddle and both were seemingly satisfied with that. That's amazing, she and I agreeing on anything.

Okay Red, don't get down and dumpy, get angry, get the juices flowing and get out there and give the fat ****. It's taken a long time and a lot of gym hours but I am going the other way now and what used to be tight now falls off the hips. I wish the same could be said of the top half although that is smaller than previously as well. I've kept charts over the past two years and I can tell you with all honesty that watching the calories helps, but moving the bits moves the flab. If I could now just get rid of the pouch on the gut and the spare tyre around the middle (back and front) I would be the happiest of campers. But I keep trying. I shan't give up. Besides which, what could I do with my time if I was not at the gym eyeing up the hunks.

Carla - if you have access to wholemeal bread and stuff then use it. Forget the white sh*t. Think of poor Red, if Toyko is anything like where I was, anything other than super refined white bread is practically tapu (sorry Maori for Taboo, verboten, sacred, forbidden. The bread shop we went to had every type of bread and bread specialty on the shelf, so long as it was white. I asked, but only got a shake of the head and the crossed arms which means no way Jose. My friend tells me it is difficult to get. Mind you, the same breadshop gave you a bowl of soup and a cup of coffee free for buying your loaf of bread and your treat so I shouldn't complain. The soup was good, full of veg and tofu - very hot and fresh. Coffee was instant - enough said.

So day 8 on the challenge I think! And day 2 of Red's darned crunches, lifts and torture. She is worse than Jason the torturer (ex personal trainer) and Sam the sadist (ex, ex personal trainer). Still the challenge has been accepted and I shall do this thing - although I may apply for leave on Christmas Day depending on whether or not I go to Adelaide to visit the DS1 (and new ladyfriend - who I am told likes white wine). After a month or so it may well become habit - who knows.

Okay, time to go dream up some lies, damned lies and statistics.

day 7: 1 hr of circuit training....

back home and working on my antique furnace trying to get it to come to life! give it a little tweak with the dinner knife ... lol usually works tho! I hope it does cuz its supposed to go down to 29 tonight

Sorry not alot of time to post

Shad - Love the pictures I only able to glance at a few. I can't wait til I have can view them all.

Red - Sounds like a nice car ride.

Mix 1 small box of sugar free choc. pudding, 2 cups plain yogurt, 1 small square of ff cream cheese, some unsweetened powder baking chocolate, & some splenda ... mix together..

CHEESE CAKE HEAVEN!!!!

now to figure out a low carb crust...

try weetbix or weetabix or maybe some oatmeal mixed with water or fruitjuice

Red, I bow to your iron will, deciding not to drink after work. As you say, there are other ways to wind down. The problem being they're all on this challenge's taboo list. ;) Actually I wasn't so much winding down as trying to snap out of a pretty angry mood after one of the speakers made me look like a fool - and thought it was all pretty funny. :tantrum:

I know the feeling about the pants. Maybe yours are tight because of impending TOM? I have no excuse myself - menopause leaves one pretty stable in the fluffy midriff department. It has always been my experience that while exercise is really important to firm and reshape, maybe even to boost the metabolism, to lose weight, it's calories in that count. As for it all becoming automatic, I don't think I believe in that anymore either. :halfempty

Maybe you haven't guessed yet, but today got me down. I was out for my walk after work, and some idiot walked straight into me and then yelled at me for not getting out of his way. It should have been water off a duck's back, but instead really threw me. Reeling from that, I went to buy some jeans I could do up, and I ended up with a perfectly nice but thoroughly rude sales clerk who kept finding someone more interesting to help - right in the middle of me explaining what I wanted. I felt like Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life after he got his wish that he had never been born, except of course no Clarence to guide me. :( And I stupidly bought two pairs of pants I hope to fit into by Christmas and one pair of jeans that make me look incredibly old and dowdy. I've now recovered from the ensuing anxiety attack (never claimed to be sane, never could put things into perspective...) Maybe tomorrow I'll re-assess and take them all back.

In the news here today they're talking about a new drug that may make us stop thinking about food. Only apparent side efects: nausea and anxiety (just what I need...). It would have to be taken on a permanent basis, and may be out in the US next year and in Canada soon after. And then we can all quit dieting and just exercise while we pop Xanax and Dramamine, and probably grow a third ear or something. Also in yesterday's news, an article entitled: "Scientist finds sugary snacks appear to reduce stress on minds, bodies." I imagine the study was financed by Tim Horton's...

Well, my work here is done. Gloom spread on plenty thick, misery shared, time to regroup. I think I just need some :hug: :hug:

Day 8 CREAK, Day 7 DETOX in the bag.

By the way, Red, Sudoku is a logic puzzle invented in Japan. It works on numbers instead of words like a crossword, but appeals to the kind of people like me who like cryptic (British-style) crosswords . It's a grid with nine blanks across by nine down, some of them filled in with numbers. You need to end up with the numbers one to nine running across and down in each line, but the same number never appearing twice in any row. (Believe me, it's almost easier to solve than to explain. Just look for sudoku on the internet, i'm sure you'll find some.)

This thread moves so fast I can't keep up... :o
Having very sporadic internet access (through someone's laptop and using dial up, which hardly ever pulls off 49 kbs/second... :mad: ) doesn't help...

Redballoon, I've been gone because I moved overseas, and lost almost all my opportunities for exercise... no university gym anymore, no skating rink, I'm living in a very small town, so no options here. And a month ago I started working full time, so I'm sitting in front of the computer all day, and then commuting - and never making it back home earlier than 11 hours after leaving...

Anyhow, I've completed 3 days of my challenge!
I actually started the day I posted, not "tomorrow" as I had written. My initial goal was to run for 3 minutes, but after doing that I found out that I could do more. The first day I jogged in one spot for about 6 minutes (with a break, because I mistakenly stopped at 5 minutes, and then remembered I was going to try to double my inital goal). That was quite easy.
Day 2 involved jogging along a dirt road - from one large tree to another, and back, I don't know how many times. This was HARD! Why is it so much harder to run a distance than to jog on the spot?! I did 7 minutes, but about 60 seconds of that was walking to catch my breath.
Today was Day 3, on the dirt road again, I was trying to just run straight down the road, as opposed to from one tree to another. My legs were a bit sore after yesterday, but I thought I could do it. I was aiming for at least 6 minutes. Well, I didn't. I did run for about 5 or 6 minutes (or less, I lost the count...), but had to stop a number of times, got very puffed out with awful stitches. Perhaps I should take running outside a bit slower. But it sucks to know that a few years ago I could run 1500 meters in a bit more than 2 minutes and NOT get exhausted!

I'm so dead tired, I can't type anymore...

This thread does move so fast that it's nearly impossible to keep up. Maybe we need to try to keep our responses a bit brief, but to do some other kind of chat somewhere else? I don't have any brilliant answers.
Today is day 5 for me! I'm happy to have made it this far.
Linda

I completed day 5 of ACE!

I am tired. Every night/morning this week, around 5 a.m., the puppy has decided to come up and sleep on my head. She comes up between us, chews on my hair for a couple of seconds, flops her foreleg across my throat, and blissfully falls asleep again. So sweet, yet so not conducive to my sleeping.

Cheer up Carla! I am sure today will be a better day!

Hey, Fish, today is in fact a better day. Sorry about the rant yesterday. :sorry: (It's been two and a half years since my marriage exploded. Methinks someone is definitely in need of a really good you-know-what.... ;) ) Anyway, it's amazing what a good night's sleep will do. Not that you would understand that, thanks to your puppy... :tired:

No report today on challenges; back later. :wave:

Morning all.

I never got in to record yesterdays progress. I got through the day (8 I think - I really must go back and sort it out) but failed miserably on Reds crunches challenge. So provided Red has done her stuff, she wins that one. I'll be back to try again tho'. I find if I don't get it done first thing, then it is not likely to get done unless I am going to the gym that night. Oh well, back to the drawing board. Drat.

Carla - sorry to hear about the jerk who walked into you, the rude salesperson (although I found it hard to believe you actually bought something from her) and the bad mannered jerk at work. You did not have a good day at all. I understand the value of a good nights sleep - so will Fish when she gets the puppy sorted - I was stuffed on Wednesday, did a straight 8 hour sleep and whammo, the world turns again in the right direction. This morning after another good nights sleep, I managed a run around the suburbs. Ran most of the 50 minutes it took. Now I am sitting here with a towel wrapped around me and eating a couple of eggs and talking to you lot. The sky is a brilliant blue, no clouds, the sun is shining nd the temperature is a balmy 24 degrees C. It will get hotter since it is only 6.57am but hey at the moment it is great. Could life be better. Could this be endorphins speaking?

Okay, time to move along. My allotted 10 mins is gone. Hello to all of those who I have mentioned. Hope the challenge is all going well.

Speaking of gone, I am missing Red Balloon. She wasn't in last night and hasn't been here this morning. Hello Red.:wave: :wave:

Shad, here I am envying you - all those endorphins and balmy temperatures. Just so you know, I didn't buy anything from the dingbat salesgirl. I walked out, but came back later, spoke to the manager about her need for training and courtesy, and THEN bought the pants. And I'm about to go back today to exchange the dowdy jeans.

More later - I have a free afternoon here in sunny (cold) Calgary and must get outside. (I'm still rather on edge, maybe some exercise will smooth me out. If not, I can always go torment that poor unsuspecting sales girl...

Once again on the run. I maybe leaving town for the weekend sisters want to go on xmas shopping and stay overnight. Getting things in order just incase.

Hello. I am here but not! :wave: No time to write now. I am running late. Will try to get a post in tonight and catch up! Alas, my resolve flew the coop last night...and with it Day 8 of my challenge. So, it's a groundhog for 8 again today. Shad, I did my crunches etc. yesterday morning at the gym. I think they will wait till tonight today. There is no daily winning. It's the total number of "good" days to New Year's that will determine the winner. You are now one day behind. Hope that I, too, will have my down days.....don't put any money on it though! ;)

Day 16 today! (have yet to do the abs today though, might sneak them in while DH is mowing!, he is likely to have some stupid comments if he sees me madly crunching... LOL)

Hola! Day 3 done! Hey Derry, it gets easier as the days go by. Harder to give in, isn't it? I have resisted 2 nights of strong munchie urges thanks to this challenge. Don't have a lot of time though, I'm really tired. Good night!

I completed Day 4 - and first thing in the morning.
Well, not really first - it was raining when I got up, so I dealt with my email first, and then went for a bike ride. Still, I was done by 9:30 am, and did it feel good! I did 10 minutes, about 3 of which were fast walking. I'm so SORE though!!! :)

It turns out I can run for longer than I thought I could, but it's very difficult to add those extra 30 seconds each day. So I'm going to modify my challenge a bit... make it something of the kind that if one day I ran 5 minutes without rest, then the next day I need to run for at least 5 minutes and 30 seconds before taking a rest.