<p>I downloaded a ten minute Pilates workout from exercise tv a couple of months ago. I figure there is no way I can say I don’t have ten minutes, so I do some gentle stretching every day. My back feels much better when I do this consistently. </p>
<p>But yes, after a certain age, just reaching to the back seat of your car to retrieve a package can provoke an injury!!</p>
<p>Noodles with no calories! Just read about these in the WSJ this morning!
[Shirataki</a> MiracleNoodle Shop!](<a href=“http://www.miraclenoodle.com/]Shirataki”>http://www.miraclenoodle.com/)</p>
<p>An article on Denise Austin came through in my email today…from the Washington Post.
Wow…she looks great. </p>
<p>“Even more impressive than her tight tummy is that at 52, the mom of two girls – ages 16 and 18 – is still a powerful force in the youth-obsessed fitness field. She has just released two more DVDs as well as a new book, “Denise’s Daily Dozen” (Center Street, $16.99), which features a program promoting 12 one-minute exercises for every day of the week along with a meal plan and loads of lists about de-stressing, rewarding hard work healthily, boosting your energy and more.”</p>
<p>Just checking in to say watching the sugar is starting to pay off! After an initial water weight gain, I am starting to drop significantly. Better than that, I am able to walk past the sweets, and don’t have the cravings I used to. I won the office pool last Friday at the end of week 2, and could potentially win again this week if my scale stays where it is or goes down! Keeping the sugar under 15 grams/day is not that hard I’ve found, it just requires awareness. Keep up the good work everyone…and watch out where you step on your runs!</p>
<p>Great work, Melsmom!</p>
<p>VeryHappy,
“That’s a lot faster than I run on the treadmill, which is 4.5 to 5.5 miles an hour.” - Your measuring thing on your treadmill is most likely off. I walk 4 miles / hour and it is not even very fast and I cannot run at all. I bet you, you run faster than your tredmill shows.</p>
<p>Melsmom, awesome! Keep it up! I found the same thing: I went cold turkey on sugary things (sweetened coffee, ice cream, cookies, etc.), and in about a week I was not craving them at all! Now I can have a piece of chocolate or my honey/walnut snack without wanting more.</p>
<p>I have confessed before that I can easily revert to drinking a can of coke per day. I have no problem with most sweet things, but that blend of a little caffeine and a shot of sugar (or high fructose corn syrup) just pulls me in. Shortly before xmas, my DH and then my dad were in the hospital and I slid back into my old bad habit. After the holidays I swore off the darn stuff again.</p>
<p>Thanks to this thread, I popped open a can that I knew was in the basement, and took one gulp AND then poured the rest down the drain. It is 3:30 here in PA and it is my time to suffer a little letdown of energy. Thanks everyone - I know it might not sound like much, but reading this thread has helped my resolve. IF I can stay away from coke, I have no problem with my weight. Think I will put on some green tea instead!</p>
<p>4 miles per hour is 15 minute miles which feels like a VERY fast walk when I do it. I’m not the greatest walker, but 15 minute walking miles is booking it!</p>
<p>^^Do you think some of this depends on height, i.e., shorter stride?? I’m just 5’3", and walking at 4 MPH is hard. At that pace, it’s less exerting for me to break into a slow jog. Somehow it feels easier for me to lengthen my stride when I’m running (vs. walking).</p>
<p>^^ I don’t know. I had a very short female co-worker who could really haul it. She did some race-walking, and I could NOT keep up with her on a normal fitness walk. I wonder if it has more to do with hip rotation and flexibility.
I am a bad walker. When I was injured, I was really bad at fitness walking. I felt slow and it was too hard for me not to want to break into a jog. I was better doing water-running or spin class.</p>
<p>Okay, I have to be obnoxious and chime in on this topic. Some of the fastest racewalkers in the world are very short, but have an incredible turnover rate. If you want to walk faster, just think about bringing one foot in front of the other in a straight line. It does require some flexibility - but you cover a lot more ground that way and really get a great workout.</p>
<p>Congrats to all who are hanging in there long enough to know the cravings will pass. For DH, that was the hardest part. I love the book ‘The End Of Overeating’ because it explains the science. The brain chemistry really does change but most dieters don’t give it a chance to. </p>
<p>Yet another friend diagnosed with breast cancer last week. Really reinforces the need to eat clean food and be fit for me. Who knows what causes these cancers, but I’ve got to believe being as healthy as possible helps.</p>
Ok, guess I can’t blame my height for being a lousy walker. I do have a very tight right hip flexor, so maybe that explains why at a certain pace, I just want to break into a jog.
<p>Oh, WJB, everyone who racewalks would prefer to break into a jog at some point. When you start to walk very fast, it is a greater cardiovascular challenge. So - you might ask - why don’t people just run? I always compare it to different strokes in swimming. Why would anyone do the breast stroke in a race when it would be faster to do freestyle? It is the same thing.</p>
<p>If you have a very tight hip flexor, then you would have a tough time getting the stretch that you need to walk very fast. One of my closest friends has switched to racewalking with me. One of the things she has noticed is that she has much firmer hips than she did when she was running. Now, I know you are not supposed to be able to spot reduce, but she has the slacks to prove that she is firmer at the same weight, and particularly in the hips.</p>
<p>Now that darn lower belly pouch - doesn’t seem to be disappearing!!</p>
<p>Racewalking is a real skill and is VERY hard to perfect and do without violating the rules of the sport. They can really fly- faster than most runners.</p>
Just wanted to report that I just spent four days watching my D at a cheer competition and did not eat a bit of concession stand food. By yesterday, those loaded nachos were looking pretty good, but I knew that I’d want a coke with them, and I really didn’t want to drop $10 for nachos and a coke…so I guess being cheap saved me.
<p>wip…I used to be addicted to Coke (the soda lol) so I know how it feels. I just totally keep it out of the house now. I drink water and tea. About once a month or even less, I treat myself at a convenience store or at a restaurant. Lately, it’s been tasting too sweet for me…so I’m going in the right direction. My other addiction was Fresca…and I’m off that too. </p>
<p>I walk fast but wouldn’t call it race walking. I worked in NY for a few years, and ever
since I don’t think I could walk slow if I tried. I generally do about 4 miles in an hour. Now, my legs are real long so maybe that makes it easier…I don’t know. </p>
<p>Melsmom…good work!</p>
<p>Thanks MoW. The very, very best racewalkers are faster than a lot of runners. I, however, am not in that category. My pace for a 5k is about 10:20</p>
<p>Missypie! I was just thinking about you. Hooray for cheapness. Those nachos do start to look good after awhile - that funny orange cheese. Yep, as much as I eat pretty darn healthy, it is amazing what can be tempting. The funny thing is, as you are eating them you realize they don’t even taste that good!</p>
<p>So, for anyone who is interested in another soup recipe:</p>
<p>Parsnip and Celeriac Soup</p>
<p>1 large onion chopped
3 carrots chopped
1 bunch of celery, chopped (light green stalk only)
1 inch piece of ginger, minced (optional)
3 parsnips, chopped
1 celeriac bulb, peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes
1 box low sodium vegetable broth
1 T. garam masala </p>
<p>Saute onion, celery, and carrots (and ginger if using) over med heat in a very small amount of canola or olive oil until softened. Add parsnips, celeriac, vegetable broth, and spices and bring to a low boil. Turn heat down, cover and simmer for about an hour or until all the vegetables are easily pierced with a fork. Using a hand blender, blend until smooth. Add pepper to taste. </p>
<p>This is one of my most requested soups. It is worth it just to have the cashier pick up the celeriac and ask you what you are going to do with it.</p>
<p>Thanks for that recipe! Celeriac, parsnips and carrots are among the few things I can still get at the farmers’ market. We do have a guy growing mache and Belgian endive in his basement, which is a real treat.</p>