I had one of those incredibly horrifying days at work today. Had to take a spare break to go and cry for a bit. Got home still shaken and got into the Coors Lite. Of course now I feel like a slug and haven't done one stitch of exercise.
Probably if I plugged the BeeGees in my ears and went walking, I'd be glad I did.
Man, I'm glad each morning is the start of a new day!

Hey y’all — just poking my head in real fast to say that I’m back from Orlando and missed everyone! It was a whirlwind trip to get DS settled in college, but we managed to get his new apartment completely set up and furnished before I left. :dizzy: We got some awesome bargains on a mattress set and some used furniture, bought out Target, completely equipped his kitchen and bathroom, and laid in at least three months of groceries — all in three days. Add in two days of driving down to FL and two days driving home and that was my week. :crazy: Unfortunately, it didn’t include gym time and eating clean was tough, so …. tomorrow is back to basics here.

Orlando was hit hard by Hurricane Charlie two weeks ago and the damage was still quite evident everywhere that we went. I’m going to attach a photo that I took in DS’s apartment parking lot — note that the wind was powerful enough to pull the curb right out of the asphalt along with the tree! :eek:

I’ll try to catch up on my reading tomorrow, but need to catch up on my sleep tonight, so please forgive me missing out on what’s been going on this week. :)

:yikes: :yikes: :faint:

Glad you are back safe and sound and let's hope for no more hurricanes in Orlando!

missed ya!

Mel

nelie - love your new picture in your avatar! You look really beautiful! Also congratulations on lost pounds! What school are you going back to? I’m a student too – I’m in grad school doing psychology and my semester started last week. It’s sort of good to get started again.

Mel – I tried your lunges with the medicine ball and rotation yesterday – I didn’t manage very many and I really feel it in my legs today! Excellent! :D

BfL_Cat – sorry about your breakup, hope you’re doing OK. And SusanB too: sorry you had such a lousy day at work, hope it got better.

I’m looking for ideas for easy-made protein snacks (no meat).
I do the cottage cheese + salsa dip (yummy!) for vegetables. I do smoothies with plain yogurt, fruit and protein powder. But I’m looking for more ideas – what do you guys eat for snacks?

I did my last introductory week at the gym this week (had 4 weeks introduction when I started lifting weights). Next week I’ll start adding weight and lifting to failure, starting on Monday with lower body.

A quick note to say that I’m back from travelling. It’s good to be back and I’ve missed you all. A few random thoughts follow.

1. Some trips are just difficult. Face facts. Allow decompression time after them. A day or two and then I’ll feel better and more like myself. Chocolate may be involved. That’s for the serotonin, you know.

2. A posture tip. Buy a t-shirt for a friend, relative or pet with whom you spend time regularly and are not competitive. I recommend a t-shirt which advertises a ballet company. You look at the t-shirt, you think your friend must be in the ballet company and, by association, so are you! You hold yourself better immediately. (The Boy has just been given a Royal Ballet hand-me-down. He loves it and the effect on me is magical.) I think it works because it’s a bit unusual. Sports kit stuff is a bit debased. It doesn’t work when everyone is wearing football strip. Obviously they can’t all be in the national or local team. Clearly my four-year-old is in the Royal Ballet.

3. An idea brought to you by sleep deprivation. I can’t believe how this training idea passed me by. When L2L said she might compete in October, I should have immediately offered to be her virtual body double and got into training with her. In case she had a cold or something. So my hair is fair? So I live on the other side of the Atlantic? OK, another time, maybe. No hard feelings.

4. Stress and toxins. They are dangerous things. They have to be minimised. They can mess things up.

Ilene – a fortnight is two weeks - short for fourteen nights, I suppose. Shakespeare talks about a se’enight for a week (ago) but that seems to have got lost in the ebb and flow of language. You win some, you lose some.

Cindy – if you made it, it’s the right decision. Good luck with the den. Every woman should have one.

Susan – bad days at work. Grim. Onward and upward.

Off home now. It’s my birthday tomorrow. 49 doesn’t seem how I feel, at all. How have I got here?

Thank you mette :)

I'm starting school in a couple weeks at the University of Denver in a CIS masters program. I am actually pretty excited but ever since I decided to go back to school, I decided to concetrate on my exercise and diet so that I'd have that straight before the stresses of school started.

Mette -- I used to do this recipe with CC :

boil 1/2c water add packet of sf Jell-o, disolve jello... add 1c frozen strawberries... add 2c cottage cheese... whir it all in a blender or hand held mixer... refrigerate... this made 2 or 4 servings... depending what you wanted...

Gotta go to the gym....I haven't gone in 3 DAYS!! I can feel it... and I haven't eaten very well in 3 DAYS...

TTFN....

I did go for a walk after all last night. Headed out the sideroad and came back cross the fields. It was great and I felt sooo much better. I should never underestimate the holistic healing value of exercise.
We moved the princess back to school today so I've got some 'lifting' in. I'm gonna do some upper body and abs then we're off to a party!

More news from Planet Parent
 

I have given myself my birthday present which was to go to the gymn. (That’s the kind of present you’d give yourself, isn’t it?) First time in three weeks. It was very, very good. No wonder I’ve been feeling a bit out of sorts. Can you detect the endorphins?

And now a further positive report from Planet Parent.

1. I did not put on any weight or detectable inches whilst away. So hip!

2. I had my six-monthly look at my starkers (trsl: completely and utterly naked; nude) body in their bathroom mirror. Yes, there has been some improvement. Particularly in the tummy department (smaller) and in the arms (there’s definition going on, definitely). So hip, hip!!

3. One night we went to the nearest bridge to see a steam train go through. My dad, my uncle (who was a fireman on steam engines, shovelling the coal, and who knows a thing or two about strength, fitness and wet weather), the Man, the Boy and me. And about fifty other people. Great excitement. Loads of steam, smoke and whistles. The Man was holding the Boy. The woman next to me had two children so I offered to lift one of them so he could see. He was a six-year-old whopper, a wriggler and a shouter – of course, it was thrilling – but I was more than a match for him. So that’s hip, hip, hooray!!!

There’ve been some nice posts about LWL anniversaries. Ladies and gents: we are influential. I think my first anniversary is coming up too. I’ll be mulling it over. You really are the nicest group of friends to have around.

Love, Silverbirch.

Well, with a joining date in April 2004, my first anniversary isn't coming up yet! I suppose it just feels as though you've always been around.

More work on brain cells needed.

Happy Birthday Silverbirch!
:hb:

Well, that's week one. I did something everyday. Either weights or walking/jogging/elliptical. I ate good whole natural foods. And listened to you folks welcome and encourage me. Thank you.
Now let's see what I can try today.

Happy birthday, Silverbirch! And congrats on your week, Susan.

I can feel myself getting into a routine with the food which is great (though I need to reduce portions a bit). My DH is interested in joining a gym with me, so that would be nice.

Ok gang, I'm fired up to start C6 tomorrow!

One main change I'm going to implement is to try to keep my caloric intake lower than I have in the past. I've babied myself and not let myself be hungry by eating 1800-2000 calories, but it's hindered my fat loss. I plan to try to stick around 1500 and see how that works for me.

Meals and workouts for tomorrow are planned - I'm rarin' to go! Wish me luck!
Cindy