<p>Thank you KMC, Idad, Mathmom and Teriwtt for your thoughtful comments on dieting and the Tedtalk. It is obvious I have a lot to learn and I plan to reread these comments and attempt to incorporate some of your strategies into my life. </p>
<p>Still back on track with exercise today. I increased the distance of my usual walking loop to 4 miles and added some hills. I also changed up the pace by increasing my speed periodically during the walk. </p>
<p>Tried to eat “mindfully” and spend my calories well. I need to improve my tools for planning and tracking food. </p>
<p>Idad- I enjoyed your description of changing the lights. I hope the part will arrive quickly and you can finish the job soon!</p>
<p>Peacefulmom, I use mynetdiary.com for tracking. I think there are a few others that other people here use. My trainer friend had told me most of her clients like this one, which is why I tried it. Once you’ve entered some of your own recipes its easier, but there’s also already a wealth of community-entered components that make it fairly convenient.</p>
<p>The trainers only complaint is that she thinks they over-estimate the value of various activities in terms of caloric burn, so she advises not entirely trusting those calculations.</p>
<p>Idad, I think you should do some hillside snowshoe art. Mine might say “HELP ME” :)</p>
<p>Yesterday, however, was a nice crunchy hike and much easier because I’d tramped down the path enough before the thaw-freeze cycle for it to be passable!</p>
<p>Ohio, awesome article about the 71-yr-old who did Race Across Amerca. I know a guy who did that one a couple of times. He said it was life-changing (in my case, of course, it might be life-ENDING…:)</p>
<p>A challenging day trying to figure out how to handle a tricky issue - sweets in the house. The men in my house (H and pooch) both celebrate birthdays today. Already have a South Beach Phase 1 recipe in the slow cooker (made a new one yesterday, too, but it was so hot I could only eat about 1/2 my bowl - H loved it), but I need a creative way to have the equivalent of a ‘birthday cake’ in the house tonight, without having a whole birthday cake. If I can’t come up with some idea, I may run out to our local Italian Cafe/bakery and just get one piece of tiramisu and put a candle on top so I can sing to him. That would probably be the least offensive way to handle it.</p>
<p>Have a doctor’s appointment at 1:30 and hope to get to the gym afterwards for about an hour and a half.</p>
<p>That’s a good idea, too. We have a newer grocery store (not the closest one to us, so I don’t go there often) that I think has a really nice bakery, that probably carries those. Will check it out on my way home later today. Thanks for the idea!</p>
<p>I am going to start a streak today. Not up to the MOWC level, but big for me. 4/1/2012 was the start of new eating/exercise for me and I lost 45#. I have regained 20# back, although I still exercise it is not with the same intensity and weights. I am lethargic esp. in the mornings.</p>
<p>So 11 weeks from now will be 4/1/2014 and I want to get the 20# off and be back on an exercise routine. Actually 15# loss would probably be a healthier goal as the weight I dropped to was a little low.</p>
<p>My big problem when watching my diet is constant hunger, so I might stop by the grocery store and buy a big steak and broccoli and have an Idad dinner.</p>
<p>Thanks. Now that I have posted I will feel accountable to the group!</p>
<p>We’ll cheer you on Busyparent!
20 lbs seems too much to lose in that amount of time - especially if you want to keep it off. That’s 2 pounds a week - which you might get early on, but may not be able to keep up with 2 lbs a week after a couple of weeks. However SOME weight loss and a satisfying new healthy routine would pay off for months after!!! </p>
<p>When you are at the store pick up high protein, low carb snacks/meal items. You don’t need to survive on carrots and celery. Nuts, cheese, lean meats, hummus, peanut butter, etc. - plus some veggies for dipping!</p>
<p>Did TRX today (45 minutes). We did rows, fly, squats, lunges–leg back and then up and straight back, chest presses, planks (with my feet in the straps) and push-ups with my feet in the straps. I finished my workout with 3.5 miles on the treadmill. I normally can’t walk that much on the treadmill but I just discovered an app that lets me download books–so I listened to a book while I was walking. I usually vary my pace, but I got caught up in the book and kept the pace at 4.0.</p>
<p>I think a gourmet birthday cupcake is a great idea. No leftovers–no temptation.</p>
<p>Go, busyparent! I agree with abasket. Be careful not to lose too quickly, or it will come right back on. I am in your shoes, too. A couple of years ago, I weighed 20 pounds less than I do right now. It sure makes running harder!</p>
<p>6 miles on the treadmill for me today. I’m down a total of 16.6 pounds since mid-September. About a pound a week.</p>
<p>1 hour weight class. I kind of like classes because I can mindlessly follow along, but it’s also hard to get the right amount of weight for some things because of how they combine the exercises.</p>
<p>Ran intervals on the treadmill. Taking a slow approach to upping my mileage, so afraid of injury. I am having trouble thinking that I signed up for that 8k in the middle of March. What was I thinking! The race does motivate me to get on that stupid treadmill so I guess that is good. Cuz motivation is hard this time of year. Winter weather advisories out again. Sigh!</p>
<p>interesteddad–my condolences on the death of your watersoaked fog lamp, but congrats on the yoga workout. </p>
<p>I changed a rear brake light today, which only involved sitting in the hatchback area so I could turn the bulb counterclockwise to remove it. Easy and I didn’t have to pay the dealer big bucks to do it!</p>
<p>Today’s weather was the last balmy, sunny one before the return of winter, so I took a LONG walk and ended up at the grocery store, where I bought enough veggies to do the farmer’s carry in each hand on the way home. :)</p>
<p>And this morning I reminded DH that we will be doing lots of walking in NOLA this weekend (hoping for good weather!) and he should be walking every evening to stay in shape. Some weeks he does a couple of miles at airports, but not this week.</p>
<p>teriwitt–agree that one slice of dessert will do the trick. I sometimes get a couple of gourmet cupcakes so we won’t have a whole cake lying around! Or we go out to a restaurant, but often the portions are HUGE and any advantage is lost.</p>
<p>Even a taillight is an accomplishment on these cars! At least I could get in the hatchback now. That would have been a major struggle a while back!</p>
<p>The craziest position I encountered… to get to the passenger side headlight bulb, you have to turn the right front wheel all the way to the side, reach in the wheel wheel by the tire, and remove a plastic hatch cover. Then, you reach your hand up thru the open hatch and you can get to the back of the headlight. But, it takes two hands to actually change the bulb, so you have to hold that position with the left arm and reach down over the fender thru the open hood with the right arm. I’m just glad I didn’t get stuck!</p>
<p>Today I did intervals on the treadmill for 35 minutes and arm pushing exercises (pushups/presses) along with core exercises.</p>
<p>Single serving desserts are such a good idea for a one time or one person splurge. Whole Foods has beautiful little (but $$$) pastries and cakes. I have also bought small cheesecakes at our local Publix and dressed them up with a bit of fruit. Happy celebrating Teri and H!</p>
<p>Yay, Busyparent! Good luck and happy sweating in your streak!</p>
<p>Having single serve dessert portions sounds like an excellent plan!</p>
<p>Just a measly 2.5 mile stroll with D1’s dog. Not really a stroll but a bit of a struggle with a 72 lb dog who was very excited to be out in fresh snow! We got about 4 inches and she was thrilled to be out in the 18 degree windy weather. Will take her out later this evening when H is home so he can control her better. I am a little sore from the chest press exercises yesterday.</p>
<p>Just not single serving desserts everyday. :)</p>
<p>Couldn’t resist, partly sunny and 39 when I got home from work - threw on the outside running clothing and ran 2.5 - a few pauses over puddles and some chunks of ice at the curbs but fairly enjoyable!!! Much rather sweat outside than inside!</p>
<p>Deb922, I think you will surprise yourself. Throw in a couple short quickie drink breaks during that 8k and you will build confidence and finish - that’s the goal right, to finish?!!</p>
(in my case, of course, it might be life-ENDING…:)</p>
Nuts, cheese, lean meats, hummus, peanut butter, etc. - plus some veggies for dipping!</p>
</p>