Like you I cannot get to the gym early morning. My husband leaves for work at 4 am and I have an 8 year old so I'm not leaving her alone in the house.
This summer I will be alone for most of the summer but no gyms near me are open that early. I'm surprised since I'll be in NYC.
I like midmorning workouts but am usually on the road. No time is terribly convenient for me. Back in the 80s when I worked out right after work, it suited me just fine. Even that doesn't work with the long days I put in. I have to change the time of my workouts almost on a daily basis.
As long as you work out, do wht keeps you in the game. Don't set the bar so high, you can't reach it!!!
Still haven't packed yet I was babysitting for sister last night and they didn't get home til 11:00 pm...woke up this morning at 4:30 and did my workout...
It is POURING rain here this morning...hopefully it won't delay our flight too much. I can think of much more fun things to do than hang out at San Francisco International all afternoon!
Mel - congrats on your progress! So we're going to be in FLA at the same time huh?? We want to see PIX, gal!
I wouldn't worry about the belly skin too much - it will probably shrink up in time (mine has definitely - remember I used to weigh 265 - if it hadn't shrunk I'd have a lot more of it now).
I myself work out on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, but if I couldn't I would definitely eat Meal #1, then wait 2-3 hours before working out. Then right after my workout I would take a shower then have Meal #2.
Whoops! Gotta check in at L&S then toss the laundry in the dryer....my sister and our neighbor are going to be checking in on Sparky every day too! I MIGHT get a chance to check in here and at L&S next week - but don't count on it...I will DEFINITELY be back here when we return on Saturday 30 March...
Hey, look, I have internet access in my hotel room!
So looks like you'll be hearing from me this week.
The weather is gorgeous here...it's a little after midnite...we're just finishing dinner - we were starved and ordered room service (I had a chicken ceasar salad - dressing on the side - I dip my fork in the dressing and then stab the salad).
We're going to try and hit the hay and get up early enough to see some of Miami - specifically the beaches...before I have to get to work (I'm also going to check out the spa/fitness room here - if it doesn't suit there are at least three health clubs within a block of our hotel).
Just took end c1 pics, they are terrible. I'm still so fat! Lots of work to do in c2.
I still need to stuff everything in suitacases for myself and son, then we are off to Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow. I have no idea if I'll have internet acccess, so everyone have a great week!
good monday morning (well its monday here anyway!)
ate way too much on my free day yesterday - hot cross buns, chocolate, salt and vinegar chips ,even some mcdonalds - why, why, why?????
DH and I both feel that we have lost the 'edge' a little bit in the last two weeks by letting ourselves have little 'cheats' - you know - one bite of that wont matter etc.... But of course in the end it all adds up to something that does matter. So, this week we are trying to tighten it all up again, and really work it.
I absolutely cannot believe we are now in week 8 - its seems like we just started this thing. Thank goodness we have other ways of measuring progress apart from the scales. I think I totally underestimated the amount of muscle I would build during this time.
Anyway - hope you're all doing well - have a great day.
CArly:sheep:
Day 2 in Miami...just in the conference office and I thought I'd drop a line.
The weather out here is GORGEOUS. What a change from the rain and cold of the Bay Area. Yesterday afternoon Jim and I went to the Miami Beach art deco area. Lots of spring breakers there...amazingly enough I got honked at a few times. Amazing to ME because there are a lot of college gals 1/2 my age all over the place wearing teeny weeny bikinis! Jim was so proud of me. He says he saw a lot of double-takes and look-backs. I was actually hoping that we'd run into some folks from L&S or 3FC by chance...that would have been awesome.
At night we went to the Coconut Grove district and hung out at Cocowalk. The stores and restaurants are open LATE and I decided to take a free meal for dinner. So we went to the best place for a free day - The Cheesecake Factory! No, we never made it to the cheesecake...couldn't even finish 1/2 the entree - the portions there are HUGE...we could have split one between us and it would have been the same anyways. A pity to waste all the extra food but we don't have a fridge in our room (well there is one but it's filled with drinks and stuff that I don't want to use as they are very expensive).
I still need to do some clothes shopping here. The fashions are quite different from California - nice and tropical!
The spa in the hotel is quite nice but for what I'm doing is not really adequate - there are dumbbells, lat pulldown/cable row, lying leg curl and bench press - but I wanted more...fortunately just a few hundred feet from the hotel's front door is a pretty nice health club. I joined for the week and had an awesome leg workout today. The neat thing about going to different gyms is trying out stuff that I don't have at my local place. I tried the Butt Blaster and that is a GREAT workout. Loved it! They also have a Roman chair which we don't have at 24 Hour Fitness, I'm going to give that a whirl tomorrow.
Well, it's almost time for the group to break, so take care! Later all! Let's hear from ya!
Mrs Jim: you're having too good a time with that new look of yours!!! Can't wait to see pix!!!
I love the Butt Blaster and the Roman Chair. They don't have those in my 24 hour fitness either! I used to belong to a gym that had the roman chair amongst a bunch of old universal equipment in a separate room from the Nautilus and Cybex that everyone was using. I usually had the room all to myself (it was GREAT). I love the old Universal equipment. I wish I could get some for home use but I don't know where to buy it! I would definitely be buying some used Universal stuff if I could only find it!
MrsJim: Spring has spring in the Bay Area. We're supposed to be looking at 80s the end of the week!!! Come home!!!
I am finishing my writing requirement (due Friday) so I haven't moved from the house in a couple of days. Done some light workouts at home but I'm so tired from hours upon hours at the keyboard. Yesterday I got up at 5 am and wrote until midnight. I got out of my chair a couple of times to eat but nothing else. Ate clean and didn't do free day because my workouts have not been as strenuous as I'd like. Today I did a cardio HIIT on my elliptical trainer and right back to the computer. Tomorrow night I plan a UBWO. I feel awful when I miss a few days and I definitely felt it not having yoga yesterday. I should have taken the time out and done it but I am obsessed!!
My big sprint is from Apr 1 to May 24 when I leave for the east coast. It will almost half way through and I want to make a major push. Eat clean every day and work hard, VERY hard for the next seven weeks.
I have to work in the morning so I have to go to bed...night.
Susan
I have a few precious minutes before my meeting starts again, so thought I'd post a bit.
I must say that it has been all but impossible to stay on my comp diet here in Miami. The combination of GREAT restaurants, my schedule not being the same, and lack of a microwave or my trusty George Foreman grill is really hurting. Thank goodness I brought a big gallon Ziploc bag of MetRx Protein Plus and some packets of Myo Lite. The concierge lounge on our floor also has snacks and stuff set out - so I've been grabbing apples and oranges for carbs...and at lunch I've been ordering chicken caesar salad - no cheese or croutons, dressing on the side. In other words, romaine lettuce and chicken breast I can't wait to get home and back to my OWN cooking because everything is just too tasty here!
Tonight we go to Joe's Stone Crabs, I've already looked at their menu...they have baked sweet potatoes, and of course crab is very high in protein and low in fat. I'll just have a salad or veggies and I'll be set!
well hello ladies, I spent sooooo long reading at L & S that I almost forgot to post here.
Did UBWO today and decided to put all my weights up (except tric which I put up last week) and I was used 20lb d/bells on my incline press for the first time! yay! it feels good to lift some decent weight (even though I know compared to some of you 20lbs is nothing! ) Also changed some exercises as well.
today my self promise was to eat completely clean without an extra taste, bite, morsel or lick of anything unauthorised. And I'm happy to report I did it! (I even spat out a lick of something I took without thinking!)
half way through week 8 now and I jsut can't believe how fast its gone. Thanks to all of you for you support.
First of all - Mel those are awesome pictures at L&S. I see definite changes. Your arms have more definition in them and your hammies definitely have shape. Way to finish!
MrsJim - It sounds so awesome in Miami - looking forward to your pics.
Sounds like everyone is doing well. Carps I haven't tried HIIT yet - I think I might throw in a couple during my last 4 weeks. Can you believe we've come that far already?
Susanje - I hope you can get somewhat of a rest after Friday - sounds like you been burning the candle at both ends!
Well I'm off tomorrow morning for a 4 day weekend with the inlaws - right after my LBWO. That just leaves 2 cardio days while I'm gone. My Myoplex Lite Cappuccino Ice came in today and MetRx Vanilla Butter Cream - so I'm all set to go. It should be OK because my inlaws both eat pretty healthy with heart and diabetes problems etc. I can easily do a walk/jog outside. I really depend on checking in on this site and L&S to keep me goin on a daily basis - so that is going to be hard! Maybe I can find a computer somewhere (very very small town).
I am definitely going to LS to check out Mel's pix!!! Thunderheart: we miss you when you're not here!!! Carly: you are doing so well!!! So committed! You go girl!!!!!
My exercise was a little anemic today. I am so tired. My prof extended the deadline to Monday but I think I am definitely ending on Friday (sat morning the latest! ) My friends think I'm nuts to be putting in so much time but I have worked so long and so hard I want this to be perfect. The footnote formatting is what is killing me right now.
I had to get a new blender today. I got the Osterizer classic (the chrome and black one) with the one switch. My other one whirred Designer Smoothie all over the walls this morning as the underneath fell apart. So I ran out to Best Buy and back home. It's SO WARM here in the Bay Area (I think we hit 80 today) and I was thinking "Oh sunshine...how nice" and back to my computer dungeon. If I didn't break my blender, I would have never known what the weather was like!
Anyway, I am toddling off for a meal and off to bed.
g'nite
Susan
Miami has been lovely - from what I've seen of it - most of the last three days has been spent in conference rooms...Jim has been really getting around though...he went to the Everglades the other day to the Shark Valley - he wanted to see 'gators and he certainly did - there were hundreds of them all over the place...big ones!
He did try to get to Ft. Lauderdale but the traffic was really bad. Jim says that he thought Bay Area traffic was the worst in the world until he came here - of course he hasn't been to London yet... He's gonna get an early start and attempt to go this morning though. Tomorrow is my 'play day' and I want to see the Keys but I also want to go shopping - need to get some prezzies for my niece, nephew, sister and neighbor who have been watching our little Sparky (who no doubt thinks we're gone forever now...I know he isn't going to let us out of his sight once we're back!).
The exercise has been going rather well. The gym I joined this week (Avanti Health & Fitness on Brickell) while it does have much more than the gym here at the JW Marriott, is lacking some important stuff that I'm accustomed to at 24 Hour - like a stand calf machine, a huge range of dumbbells, etc. But I've been enjoying the Roman Chair and the Butt Blaster. Another problem has been the fact that they don't open until 6 am and I have to be at the meeting by 8. Today I am going to do a 10 minute warmup, then chest/tris - after the meeting ends today (early at 2 or so) I'm going to go to the spa here and do my cardio on the brand new Life Fitness ellipticals they have there, then spend some time in the pool...
Now let's not talk about the eating While it hasn't been a total disaster, I always forget that with my Latin and European meetinggoers (all of which are male and SO gentlemanly) it's impossible to say NO to a glass of wine or a dessert. And the food has been WAY too good. Last night we went to a terrific Italian place near our hotel, Cappricio (I know I'm not spelling that right!) on Brickell. We basically had the place to ourselves since it's Easter week and the downtown area is pretty dead right now (banks and stuff close at noon today for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday). I had a tiaplia (fish) filet which was cooked in a fresh tomato sauce with zucchini and tomatoes...a salad with a raspberry dressing...a bit of tiramisu...so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Tuesday was definitely the WORST. Okay, I know that I was going to be good and all at Joe's but... I wasn't I had to have some key lime pie! But I did order a baked sweet potato so I wouldn't eat as much of the bad stuff and it really helped I think. They also make these baked sweet potato fries that are SO good. I was also feeling a bit giddy because Joe's doesn't take reservations (anyone familiar with Miami Beach knows Joe's Stone Crabs - a two-hour wait is common and we got in there in two minutes). I was also seated next to the new president of our Latin America region (which didn't dawn on me exactly who he was until I got back to the hotel and Jim informed me). Again, a real gentleman who was VERY impressed that I could get our group of 23 into Joe's so easily. Believe me, though, the past week I was SO nervous about it...when we drove up there were easily 400 people waiting to get a table...and I was having visions of having my whole group waiting.
Oops - just looked at the clock and the gym opens in 10 minutes! Gotta run but will type more later - and I gotta check out Mel's pix today too! Bye guys!
I was babysitting for sister last night and they didn't get home til 11:00 pm...woke up this morning at 4:30 and did my workout...
Happy Monday!
No, we never made it to the cheesecake...couldn't even finish 1/2 the entree - the portions there are HUGE...we could have split one between us and it would have been the same anyways. A pity to waste all the extra food but we don't have a fridge in our room (well there is one but it's filled with drinks and stuff that I don't want to use as they are very expensive).
I can't wait to get home and back to my OWN cooking because everything is just too tasty here! 
Also changed some exercises as well.
Hi gals!
While it hasn't been a total disaster, I always forget that with my Latin and European meetinggoers (all of which are male and SO gentlemanly) it's impossible to say NO to a glass of wine or a dessert. And the food has been WAY too good. Last night we went to a terrific Italian place near our hotel, Cappricio (I know I'm not spelling that right!) on Brickell. We basically had the place to ourselves since it's Easter week and the downtown area is pretty dead right now (banks and stuff close at noon today for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday). I had a tiaplia (fish) filet which was cooked in a fresh tomato sauce with zucchini and tomatoes...a salad with a raspberry dressing...a bit of tiramisu...so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Tuesday was definitely the WORST. Okay, I know that I was going to be good and all at Joe's but... I wasn't 
I had to have some key lime pie! But I did order a baked sweet potato so I wouldn't eat as much of the bad stuff and it really helped I think. They also make these baked sweet potato fries that are SO good. I was also feeling a bit giddy because Joe's doesn't take reservations (anyone familiar with Miami Beach knows Joe's Stone Crabs - a two-hour wait is common and we got in there in two minutes). I was also seated next to the new president of our Latin America region (which didn't dawn on me exactly who he was until I got back to the hotel and Jim informed me). Again, a real gentleman who was VERY impressed that I could get our group of 23 into Joe's so easily. Believe me, though, the past week I was SO nervous about it...when we drove up there were easily 400 people waiting to get a table...and I was having visions of having my whole group waiting.
