Today is so beautiful out - hope it stays that way. Unfortunately the forecast calls for chance of showers - doesn't look like it right now! I want to get out on my bike with Jim this afternoon!
Meow - has your kitty been freaking out this week? Sparky has been a MANIAC lately. I think it's the full moon. He's been thumping through the house like Cowboys and Indians, and MEEOOOOWING. Just now he let out this loud meeeeeooow. And Jim's still asleep - he had a major gig last night (at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco) and didn't get home until around 2:30 am this morning. It was a corporate gig - the band was contracted to clear $1600 for the three hours that they played which sounds great - plus they had a complimentary room at the Fairmont, so Jim could've stayed the night but he feels more comfortable at home with me
Carly - it sounds like you've done really great for your first challenge!!! Now, you don't have to post those pix if you don't wanna. But keep them for your own reference. As you get close to where you wanna be, I know you WILL want to show off your hard work a bit
and post them on L&S's Transformation Gallery. I hear ya on the nutrition and staying clean. That is a REAL STRUGGLE for me - always has been, especially when I'm tired and stressed out - like I was on Thursday and Friday. Last night I went to bed at 9:45 (on Saturday night) and woke up this morning around 6:30. After reading so much about how important it is to get 8 good hours of sleep each night, I am going to do my best to get in bed before 9 pm on the weekdays when I work out - since I wake up at 4 am most days that's only 7 hours but I just can't see myself going to bed when it's still light out!
I gotta say that SWEET POTATOES are now officially my favorite carb - along with oatmeal. After hearing y'all here and at L&S talk about steel cut oats, I broke down yesterday and bought some McCanns' to try out. Here in the States we have two kinds of sweet potatoes - jewel yams and garnet yams. I've been buying the jewels all along, mostly because that's what my mom always gets. But yesterday, I bought garnets and I gotta say that I like them MUCH BETTER than the jewels - they have a smoother, moister texture to them.
Sparky's being quiet now. I left the front door open (with the screen door closed) and I believe our two resident squirrels are visiting the bird feeder (which is stocked with sunflower seed). Plus some doves just flew in. So that'll keep Mr. Sparky occupied and quiet for a while and Jim can catch some shuteye!
Susanje - I know you're probably superbusy but I hope you're still reading our thread when you have a few minutes to spare!
My riding lesson yesterday was one of the best yet. I feel now that I'm FINALLY really starting to get the hang of this - being able to signal to the horse without really thinking about it, and not having my trainer have to tell me to take up rein or change the diagonal (if you've ridden before you know what those terms mean). Anybody here who has never tried really riding before - I highly recommend taking lessons. There is really nothing like the feeling of cantering - it was terrifying for me at first but now I love it! I just wish Jim would take lessons too...maybe one day perhaps when we have a little extra money. I know that the bodybuilding is making me a better rider. The "2-point" position (lifting your butt off the saddle - in preparation for jumping) is quite similar to doing a back squat - I can feel the quads and hams come into play. And all the calf work I've been doing is assisting in keeping my heels down (hard at first but getting much easier by the week) and signaling to the horse.
Whew! Anyway...time to check out the goings-on at the L&S main board - catch ya guys later!
Official challenge 1 results
