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<p>LOL! It’s about 100 degrees whereever we go…yeah, we just want to lay down and die during the tours…can’t say that any extra outdoor time is in the cards!</p>
<p>MP…I saw a report on the news this week about how gigantic portions…especially in restaurants…are making us all fat. So true. I have tried to alter my road food habits - although it’s REAL hard. Last time, I got one of those foam coolers and ice (cause it was a rental car) and stopped at grocery stores for fruit, sliced turkey and whole wheat bread. And string cheese for snacks. I takes some planning but I’m at the point where I actually feel sick when I eat junky food…especially if I eat too much. </p>
<p>It’s supposed to be in the HIGH nineties here today and humid. Going for my walk NOW.</p>
<p>Aren’t college tours fun in summer heat? (not) The walking/stopping/listening/walking/standing combination is harder than a marathon. </p>
<p>For you “oldies”, Lou Christie on the iPod is AWESOME for exercising!</p>
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<p>I hear ya. A year ago next week, when I was at my peak weight, we were in Charleston, SC and did a nice walk downtown. 95 degrees, brutal humidity. Me, the big ol’ pasty white overweight yankee tourist in jeans just about keeled over from the heat, walking around. I think that’s when I kind of realized that I to change my “eat more, move less” lifestyle.</p>
<p>Exciting time on the bike today! Watched the World Cup game instead of listening to music. Kept me going faster than usual which was a big surprise. Walked on the dreadmill for a bit after the bike so I could keep watching the game. Yay USA! There has been so much heat and humidity here. Glad I can exercise indoors…I am a wimp! ;)</p>
<p>No heat here. Santa barbara yesterday I think most of the day it hovered around 60 degrees. June gloom. So no excuses to not get out and exercise.</p>
<p>I got a tick bite. No fun. Antibiotics and leg really hurts. Yuck. </p>
<p>I’m never going to garden again. It’s just gross.</p>
<p>Sorry - venting.</p>
<p>iPod nazi workout for me today. I’m in Phase Two, trying to get strong enough at these new exercises to keep up the pace and get to three full sets. So, I’ve turned off the iPod and spent a few weeks doing two sets with some extra breaks here and there. Such is life for the old fat guy ex-smoker trying to work my way through this fitness program. It’s paying dividends. As most of these exercises are starting to really click. Lunge walking while shoulder pressing dumbells clicked today. I mean, I’ve been doing it, but I felt strong today and the form clicked. I can’t believe I can now do 45 seconds of ball squats (squats leaning back against an exercise ball against the wall) while doing a curl and press of a pair of dumbells. Just the squats alone had my legs burning a month ago. The plank on the ball is still kicking my butt. I can handle the plank/abs part fine, but my arms on the exercise ball start quivering for the last ten seconds.</p>
<p>Hot this afternoon. 79 degrees in the house. Hard, sweaty workout. Nine days in a row of exercise. I might have to take a rest day tomorrow. I’m really feeling it in the legs (and arms and shoulders and just about everywhere else!).</p>
<p>Oh, and after a few days of plateau, I finally blasted through the 35 pound milestone and moved the goal posts for the next five pound increment.</p>
<p>Congrats idad!!! Woohoo! You are really working hard! 35 pounds is quite an accomplishment! Thanks for the motivation. I have been taking one day a week off but maybe I should rethink that. Got up early to work out today as I have an early appointment. Forgot to take my ibuprofen before I left and I am a little wobbly and stiff now. Lesson learned.</p>
<p>Wow IDAD…35 lbs…AWESOME. Great work! </p>
<p>I’m am officially off my kickstart diet but my eating habits are now somewhat different…and the weight keeps coming off…just a bit slower. Happy about that. The weather though is AWFUL…forcing me to do my walks in the morning. </p>
<p>Northminn…you’re dedication to your workout is inspiring.</p>
<p>Happy to report I FINALLY lost 15 pounds and best of all I’ll also get to move the big weight slider down a notch from now on, I hope. It makes me feel like I lost 50, even though it’s no such thing!</p>
<p>I found it was much easier to get extra walks in when the weather was cooler, I am so not a morning person!</p>
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Well, I certainly qualify as an “oldie,” but I’m not familiar with Lou Christie. Vintage Neil Diamond, loud and strong, did it for me today. “Sweet Caroline!”<br>
PS Go Sox!!!</p>
<p>Lou Christie…actually met him when I was like 12! He was the uncle of a friend of mine when I grew up in Pittsburgh. My first “rockstar” meeting! 
Loved Lightning Strikes and I’m Gonna Make You Mine!</p>
<p>toneranger…if only I were as dedicated to not eat as much!</p>
<p>NorthMinn:</p>
<p>I definitely think we need to take a day or two per week off from workouts. The body needs it to recover. At least for me, I’m trying to make sustainable changes to eat less and move more and there is absolutely no way I can go the rest of my life exercising 7 days a week.</p>
<p>Ideally, a nice little stroll on the day off would be great, but I just can’t do it. I put on the shorts and the walking shoes and pretty soon I’m swing my arms and working up a sweat. I probably would have the best shot if I hopped on the exercise bike for fifteen minutes at a nice easy pace.</p>
<p>I’m off today. The most exercise I’m going to get is grillng a big mess of bar-b-que chicken for dinner.</p>
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Sounds great idad – we’ll all be over! What time are you serving?</p>
<p>Congratulations to both you and mathmom on the weight loss. Keep up the good work!</p>
<p>Mathmom:</p>
<p>Congratulations! I know that moving that big slider had to be a real feel good moment! I know how sad it is to move it the other direction!</p>
<p>I’m with ya on the heat. I’m a confirmed New Englander now, complete with the official “yankee tourist” look of shorts, white legs, black socks, and shoes. I’m quite the sight on my walks, I tell ya, especially with the headphones and the iPod in my shirt pocket. Not to mention my North Face trail shoes that are the cat’s meow for my aching dogs, but have to be the ugliest hot mess of red, yellow, black, and silver anyone’s ever seen (ugly enough to be in Marsall’s for half price!).</p>
<p>I am totally unacclimated to the heat. Somehow, I don’t mind going out for a walk as much as working out indoors when it’s hot and muggy. That is definitely not my idea of fun.</p>
<p>The heat is killing me. I quit my run this morning- first time I have not done what I had planned in ages! Had 6 miles scheduled and knew the minute (well, before actually) I got out the door that I couldn’t do it. I’m worn out, it’s too damn hot and I’ve ramped up too quickly. I struggled through a slow mile and did one more mile with some walking breaks and came home to figure out my new iPhone 4. Weight is up a couple of pounds so I am not very happy with myself, but I guess it will fall into place at some point.<br>
It was 76 degrees and very high humidity at 5:45am. Just couldn’t do it today. My Physical Therapist had me do all this stuff with the elastic bands and ankle attachments for my hip stability yesterday and my legs are tired. Am I whining enough? 
Maybe I need a Moon Pie!</p>
<p>Nasty storms out here this afternoon. Trees down - all sorts of debris on the road. Glad I got my walk in this morning. Don’t think I could run even if my knee magically repaired itself. I don’t think humans we’re meant to run in muck like this. Although I did run into a few trying to labor through it this morning. And one little girl with her mom…who sat right down in the middle of the trail and refused to move. “I’m hot!” she kept saying. </p>
<p>Barbecue chicken sounds real good. I’m making little pizzas on whole wheat flat bread. Might add some extra cheese tonight. And will have a glass of wine…or two. Cause…it’s THURSDAY…weekend time. PARTY time.</p>
<p>Ohhhhhhh…wine sounds lovely! Having salads for dinner with a little turkey breast added. Am at a plateau again. Did have to shop for some new clothing today… </p>
<p>toneranger…I made some barbeque chicken pizzas recently on the wheat crust with low fat cheese on the bottom and grilled red onions on top. Yummy!</p>
<p>northminn…those pizzas sound great. I did ours with shi_ake mushrooms, red peppers, broccoli and lo fat cheese. And did a side salad for myself to stop me from eating too much of it. I get these great little ww flatbreads from Whole Foods so it’s REAL easy.</p>
<p>And congrats on the new clothing! I’ve been mostly holding off new clothes except for a pair of sleek black pants I got at Nordies Rack…couldn’t stand wearing baggy pants to my client meetings. And my older black pants seemed a bit dated (waist too high…some with pleats…ack).</p>