This was me yesterday morning - after the carbfest I couldn't sleep and then woke up with a headache. Workout last night was pretty good. But OMG I'm finiding I prefer it early in the morning (cover your ears Lydia!). Except for cardio, I find I have more stamina for that in the evening (or the afternoon, but there's this work thing....) Today is cardio, and it'll be later, as my car is in the shop and I have to get a ride over there (1/2 hour) and pick it up, then back to the gym. We took it last night as DH is on jury duty this morning and had to be there at 8.

It's been raining here since last night - finally a good soaking. I can almost hear my garden and lawning cheering! The cats however are not pleased! They are in the house for the day.

I'll just to everyone, as I have a lot of work, and in interview to conduct at 10....

Alena: Don't feel bad about not having an adverse reaction. I'm not certain that it's particular helpful in changing behavior. The whole negative reinforcement thing with food hasn't really stopped me from having pizza night on Saturday night with the boys. Yep. That's right. It's usually two slices.

I noticed something though and I wonder if this happens with anyone else: Does drinking diet soda make you feel hungrier? I noticed that when I order diet soda with my restaurant meals I usually leave the restaurant still feeling HUNGRY! Pizza is only once a week and I'll limit it to two slices okay, sometimes three. But most times when we eat out I order it as clean as possible. No bread/bun, grilled chicken, plain, veggies steamed with nothing on it and diet soda. I walk out of there feeling grumpy because I'm still hungry and will usually make a protein shake for myself once I get home. On the other hand, if I drink water with the meal and just a little diet soda for fun, I feel much much more satisfied. Anyone else notice this?

Okay. Pushup and pullup challenge. I'm pitiful. I did 10 with medicine balls chest and chin to the floor (Mel can attest to chest means flat to the ground ) and ten without med balls. No pullups. I'm never going to make this but I'll keep working on it. Maybe I throw in a few during the day here just to catch up. Maybe ten every hour till bed time. Better get started right now.

Lydia: I have that reaction to diet soda, too! I had to cut it out completely.

One thing shocked me a bit this last few days, though. I am eating a clean diet, but about 3 days this week I got a little lazy and for my fibrous veggies was only eating iceburg lettuce salads. Well, all of those nights after the kids went to bed, I was craving carbohydrates - the starchy kind!... it was really bothering me, because that hadn't happened at all since I started. Then it hit me - I had stopped eating the other fibrous veggies - broccoli, green beans, etc. with my last two meals of the day - was only doing a salad. So, yesterday I made sure I was eating those - and BAM - no cravings last night. I didn't realize those veggies were actually helping with carb cravings?? Glad I figured it out, but it was a bit shocking.

Got my cardio in today - up to 30 min on the elliptical now! Did the weighted glove idea - wasn't punching or anything, but just used wrist weights as my arms were going back and forth on the machine. I didn't think it was really doing anything.. but when I got off I could tell it had! Thanks for that idea

And regarding weight lifting .. I assume being sore is a GOOD thing??! I hope so, cuz my booty, arms & legs were sure hurtin this morning. LOL

Will check in later on.

Just calling in to say that what is wrong with me today is ... a sugar hangover. I know better but things have slipped! And this is what happens.

Good vibes to all fellow sufferers.

I do not need to eat supper now. I probably need a glass of water. It's a lovely evening, the sun is going down in the west and the cows are munching peacefully outside the window. No need for supper at all. None at all. I'm not hungry. I am probably a little thirsty.

Thanks, everyone.

I gave up diet soda awhile back - I have to pee within 1/2 hour of drinking it, without fail. Now I get my caffeine almost entirely from coffee. Otherwise, I drink water, and for a treat, sparkling water (Kroger's brand Big K is very low in sodium, whereas club soda has more). Lydia, you might try ordering a club soda if you like carbonation with your meal.

Aaaah, cows munching ..... and British (or Welsh cows, pardon me) to boot! I am just picturing the bucolic idyll. :-) Actually, one of the nicest pics I ever took myself was one shot in 1922 in the UK - three horses grazing a field full of dandelions ... one was very dark brown, one was brown and one was white. How perfect was that? I had to hang on a fence to get the pic but it was worth it.

Lydia, you could not have chosen a better time to ask the question. We had a lunch at a Thai restaurant (our company pays here and there for team lunches) and I had a diet Coke .... I usually have two or three in a month. I think I ate a lot (shrimp, mango salad, chicken skewers) but I did feel strangely hungry when we were leaving even though my stomach was FULL. How odd is that? You may be onto something here.

I remember that in those days when I bought a container of Haagen Dazs ice cream (Caramel Cone Explosion, anyone?) and did not put it down until it was completely empty I was always terribly thirsty for hours afterwards.

Alena

Dreyers Cookies n Cream was my downfall

Lydia - You can catch up. Even modified pushups/pullups count (in my book).

I'm not sure if diet soda makes me hungry but diet gum sure does. I love gum but can't chew it due to that.

How old did you say you're going to be Alena!

I'd love to go back to the UK, esp Wales. I'm trying to talk any number of people into going with me - my DH, my sister, several of my GFs...... but so far no takers. I "could" go by myself, but half the fun of traveling is to have someone to oooh, and ahhh with.

SilverBirch: Your image of the cows munching grass struck a chord with many of us. ~sigh~ I immediately recalled the evening summers spent on my grandparents farm. The pasture was right next to the driveway beside the family room. I spent many evenings sitting out there after dinner hoping to catch a summer breeze. Green. Lots and lots of Green. Thanks for the mental trip.

I hope that you are beginning to feel a little better. I know that maintenance has it's ebbs and flows for me. I can do really well for months and then hit a stretch where I struggle. Hang in there.

Pat: I covered my ears about your preference for afternoon cardio. I'm back to working out mid morning again too. The boys have to come to the gym with me right now and I can't pull them out of bed at 4:30am to hit the gym. Here's what I think. The best time is the time that guarantees you are there on most days. Over the last four years that time has changed and I've risen to the challenge. Each and every time frame has it's tradeoffs.

That is a great suggestion. Maybe that with some lemon or lime would be a great idea. Even sparkling water. I'm just so darn addicted to the stuff. I don't really think it's the taste either. I think it's the 'IDEA' of having a treat that doesn't cost me a lot of calories. But...if the soda leaves me feeling unsatisfied or I have the psycological tendency to pair it pretzels, or popcorn then how many calories does it really save me? Seriously. I wish I could be grown up about this and just not buy it like so many of you.

I need to make a grocery list that comprises the items I refuse to buy for just one week. Seriously.

Hey peeps.

Well, I missed Tuesday morning at the gym, anyway, but made it in this morning. Had to make up Tuesday's little metcon, and missed out on the heavy squat snatches I'd requested, because there just wasn't time for me to do both. My trainer said I could do the snatches tomorrow, though, if I want to, which I do, of course! I did get in a few practice ones today with a light weight, just to give it a try.

Today I did:
Run 300
8 Skin the Cat
35 KB Swings
3 rounds

My time was 19:31. It took until round 2 to get the hang of the Skin the Cat move. Well, to do some semblance of it, anyway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-TpLJYJU5o

Gotta get off here, since I promised the boy I'd be quick with this, so we could read. We're almost finished with our current read aloud book, so he's anxious to hear what happens next.

lol, Pat beat me to it!


You look quite good, m' dear!

Refined carbs and sugar give me horrible night sweats and insomnia. As lydia said, adverse reactions aren't always enough to make me abstain.

Mel

60 power pullups at the gym

so 60 pushups/60 pullups

Cheryl: Which book are you two reading aloud? I also read to my 11 year old. Usually it's a book he's already read by himself and just wants to share it with me to. We are currently reading the The Mysterious Benedict Society. We are currently at the part where they just finished the third test and each rang the bell.

Love the "skin the cat" I haven't tried that myself. I might have to snag one of the trainers at the gym for a little assistance or just to make sure I don't kill myself the first time through. It's a lot like the move DS2 does where he climbs up my legs and then flips himself over while holding both my hands. Okay, how many of you remember doing that as kids too. We should all be Skin the Cat pros right? It's all about reconnecting with that inner child.

Alena: Man, I kept looking at that date and doing the math but I wasn't going to say ANYTHING.

Lydia! I love that picture! BTW, your two best friends still seem to be there

10/10 during warm up.