i have the plan!! How about going to one of the nice hotels in DC and using THEIR gym? I've stayed at the Hyatt, and it has a great gym - cages, racks, lots of cardio, free weights, a pool! - see the photos.
We could spend one nite to get gym access, workout together, see the sights, and let Nelie show us some good healthy eating spots. I just can't think of any other way to all get in to the same gym.
But really, Stewed Tomatoes, what is that all about. Who eats that!
Stewed tomatoes were a staple as a veggie in our house growing up. My mom canned her own. I remember summer days peeling tomatoes - and not necessarily fondly. I like stewed tomatoes - but I certainly will allow you your dislike Lydia.
And, yes, botanically tomatoes are fruit. I've actually yet to meet a way I don't like tomatoes, though grilled as part of breakfast like the Brits do is not high on the list.
I just wanted to say hello. I see lots of familiar names out there! :-)
I've been using our bowflex consistently for about 10 days now (look out!!) and I am sometimes sore and I feel like my muscles are harder although that is probably wishful thinking. This is a really long thread so I will probably just try to read from here on and check in now and then.
Strength training has been surprisingly satisfying for me and I wish I would have started sooner. My shoulders are sore tonight and I would like a massage.
I should ask---does bowflex use qualify me to join in here???
You betcha! Hi Midwife and welcome! I love what you said about strength training being surprisingly satisfying. Better watch out or you'll get addicted too!
Welcome, midwife! Of course bowflex qualifies you! Do you have that fancy new "revolution" one or the rods type that looks like a giant garden trellis?
As Mg said, watch out, or you'll get addicted! Strength training is satisfying. and so are the results
Hi Midwife and to our corner of the site. Lifting is surprisingly satisfying. That is a great way to describe it. Just wait, there all kind of wonderful surprises that occur as you begin to gain strength. I have experienced hidden benefits such as better hand and eye coordination, improving my posture when standing/sitting, and after a really good leg and core workout my gait is more relaxed too. Not to mention it allows us to get up off the floor or couch more gracefully too. "Look Ma, no hands." Well, that is if your not just recovering from arthoscopic surgery but I won't go there.
Fran: That is an amazing hotel. I checked availability for some weekends in June and it came back as already full. Either this is like impossible to get into or I am just being encouraged to contact them directly. Anyway, it looks wonderful but I think maybe Nelie suggestion could also be considered. I am so on board with this though. Does anyone have a specific month they do or don't want to do this. Wow, this would be a great incentive to work really hard the next few months if I knew we could all meet up in the end.
I can go anytime - just need notice so I can make sure dh is in town with kiddos. Lydia, they get alot of convention groups in the summertime as a host hotel, as they are right across from the convention center. But yes, Nelie has a great idea too & no hotel even required for the locals! Nelie, can you tell us the location of the nicest/newest one?
You guys & your fruit tomatoes! MEH! Is everyone here just too young to remember, hmm was it President Reagan, who declared the ketchup qualified as the vegetable on school lunches?? It truly was considered a vegetable while I was growing up and is still that way on pyramids! (I just checked & this is the one they're teaching from in the schools)
No Fran, I'm not too young... I remember this too. Oh the abuse of the poor tomato. Loved and hated, feared and revered. Great on pasta but not slopped on a plate after being steamed in a big pot for hours.
Pat: My grandmother canned tomatoes too. I'm from Ohio remember? Root cellar and all. I used to help her can these as well as beet and peaches because my "little hands" could fit so easily into her Ball and Kerr jars. Honestly, I loved every minute of it as well as the memories of those summers. Stinking hot as they were.
I actually like stewed tomatoes. I grew up canning peaches, tomatoes, applesauce, anything that would fit into a Ball jar, also. Continues it until I was in my 30's and we put a pool in where the vegie garden was, lol. It was actually one of the happiest sights I've ever seen: the backhoe running over and scooping up all the tomato and zucchini plants. After so many years of it, I dreaded August. But I do miss having a basement full of homemade tomato sauce and applesauce.
An alternative to hotel gyms is here. I have a key to the "gym" where I train and on Saturday afternoons and Sunday afternoons it's usually empty.
Meg- I know my body doesn't adapt to a particular KIND of cardio, but I think I've just trained myself to be incredibly efficient at this level of exercise. No more hours in the day to do more...tho I did do a 1.5 mile treadmill walk in addition last night My heart rate is up there- I wore the monitor this morning and I'm between 140 and 155 in my fast or hard intervals, and 130-135 in my low- once I get going. The tables indicate that my heart rate should be between 109-134. lol, same as yours. We should be dropping dead any moment.
Anyway, 1/2 pound down for the week...groan...this level of effort and eating used to give me a 2 pound loss!
My heart rate is up there- I wore the monitor this morning and I'm between 140 and 155 in my fast or hard intervals, and 130-135 in my low- once I get going. The tables indicate that my heart rate should be between 109-134. lol, same as yours. We should be dropping dead any moment.
I get such a kick out of those stupid charts. My goal each cardio session is to hit 100% of my max HR (167), even if only for a few seconds. I'm just dying to see if I implode, but it hasn't happened yet. I don't always get to 100% but I try to average 150 for the 30 minutes, which is about 90% of max (and yes, I know that max HRs are obviously only estimates ).
Congrats on the half pound -- it's more than what I lost this week.
I still have a stinking cold but did the elliptical and threw in some bike for good measure. Along with new ellipticals, our gym got new recumbent bikes with -- get this -- armrests and fans. It's like working out in a Barcalounger!
I like stewed tomatoes as well. Sometimes I will have a cup as an appetizer before dinner. I've always considered tomatoes to "count" as a vegetable even though I know that technically they are a fruit. And on WW they are 0 points, so I can't get enough
I didn't make it to the gym last night. Cooking dinner took WAY longer than I thought (thank you whole chicken that was not completely thawed even though I transferred it from the freezer to the fridge over 2 days ago). Heading there tonight for some cardio and 1 round of weights. I try to keep my heart rate between 135 (65%) and 155 (80 or 85% can't remember!).
I'm going to have to travel at the beginning of March and the ONLY hotel that I can stay at in the area (literally, I only get so much to spend on the hotel depending on the area of the country I am in) does not have a gym. But they offer passes to a local place for $6 a day. I figure I will try to go 3-4 times that week, as I plan on doing for the whole month of February. Remember, I just got the gym membership. But this week I have gone Sun, Mon, and Wed and am going tonight. I think this is going to be my routine schedule for a while.
I like stewed tomatoes - but I certainly will allow you your dislike Lydia. 
Hi Midwife and welcome! I love what you said about strength training being surprisingly satisfying. Better watch out or you'll get addicted too! 
to our corner of the site. Lifting is surprisingly satisfying. That is a great way to describe it. Just wait, there all kind of wonderful surprises that occur as you begin to gain strength. I have experienced hidden benefits such as better hand and eye coordination, improving my posture when standing/sitting, and after a really good leg and core workout my gait is more relaxed too. Not to mention it allows us to get up off the floor or couch more gracefully too. "Look Ma, no hands." Well, that is if your not just recovering from arthoscopic surgery 
but I won't go there. 
I checked availability for some weekends in June and it came back as already full. 
Either this is like impossible to get into or I am just being encouraged to contact them directly. Anyway, it looks wonderful but I think maybe Nelie suggestion could also be considered. I am so on board with this though. Does anyone have a specific month they do or don't want to do this. 
Wow, this would be a great incentive to work really hard the next few months if I knew we could all meet up in the end.
I used to help her can these as well as beet and peaches because my "little hands" could fit so easily into her Ball and Kerr jars. Honestly, I loved every minute of it as well as the memories of those summers. Stinking hot as they were. 
