Healthful Living/Weekly Workout Support Group - Week of 10/5

[Leslie Ferguson]

Hey gang. First on the track this week. I thought I'd refresh our title for those who may be new to the bulletin board. We here to discuss our successes, failures, and to air questions and concerns about working out and about healthful living. This thread isn't specifically about running or any one type of exercise or food eating habits but about being good to yourself regarding exercise and healthful events - which may include sleeping, being with a SO, or just being and coping with life's conditions as dealt to you. All are welcome and we hope that you de-lurk and let us know how you feel about life and healthy living in general.

From last week:
Michelle - Our thoughts and prayers are still with you and DH.
Laura and Jasmine - Hope the colds are shaping up and going away.
Those who are nursing the impact of the changing season - be good to yourselves.

With that said this past week was a very successful healthful living week. I reconnected with friends and sponsored two concerts in Norfolk (the first two concerts the band had ever done). I celebrated 20 years of marriage to the same woman, and even had the chance to make all my exercise goals. If there was one shortfall in my healthful living regime it was with my weight control (losing weight that I can't afford to lose I think) but nothing to be too concerned about.

This week - just 6 weeks from my next race, the Richmond Marathon, will be exciting to say the least. It looks like:
Sun Cross train (XT) w/weights
Mon 7 x hill intervals
Tue 5 Easy miles
Wed 50-60 minutes Tempo run
Thu 10 miles at race pace
Fri Rest
Sat 22 miles at long run pace

This will be a challenging week but one that I can get through. In all I figure that the week will entail about 53 or 54 miles when all is said and done.

Healthful goals:
1) No more weight loss. As miles go up weight may go down.
2) Help LW with her miagraine problems. She's getting them quite oftne.

How about everyone else?

Peace to all,
Les

[Kristilyn1]

Les--you've got quite a week in front of you! I won't start having training weeks like that for several more weeks myself--so I'll have to live vicariously through yours this week.

I just finished my "long" run for this week----9 miles. This is week 3 of the Runners World intermediate marathon training schedule. Next week is a taper back week for the slight push the following week.

I was experiencing a little knee pain this week, but I hadn't put inserts into my new shoes until this morning and lo and behold! No knee pain--funny how the littlest things can have an immediate effect.

I know it's frustrating to lose weight when you don't want to---but I have the opposite problem! I have a VERY stubborn 8 lbs. that won't go away---hopefully this program will help clear that up for me.

Healthy eating is a relative issue this week---Sunday is football day which means chips, dip and cheese and crackers. I'm like a smoker in a bar----the two things go together like PB & J.

Go Pats!

Kristi

[Minky]

Hello Les and Kristi!

I am gearing up for a busy week as well. I am baking muffins for the kids' breakfasts and a batch of Penzey's pumpkin bars for one of our "football snacks" later this afternoon. House has been cleaned and DH is running the vacuum:cool: It feels good to be organized and ready for the coming week..

My workout plan:

MON - kickboxing
TUES - Pilates or yoga
WED - kickboxing
THURS - weights/light cardio
FRI - circuit class
SAT - step class

Healthful Living: more sleep - I feel like I'm constantly behind on an hour or two :o

Have a great week everyone!And Go Pack Go!

[JackieO]

Hey, Minky! Were you able to catch the Packer-Seahawk game today?? Go PACK! We ruined the Holmgren/Rhodes "homecoming" big time! Don't get me wrong, I liked Mike Holmgren until his last year here, when it was pretty obvious he had other things on his mind -- like the Seattle job -- instead of a second Super Bowl win. But I digress...

Kristi & Les -- Thanks for motivating me with goals and planning ahead. I seem to do ok when planning ahead for 3-4 days now....I'm still not established in a routine in our new home. Today, for instance. It was a beautiful autumn morning -- albeit COLD -- but clear blue sky, no wind, geese honking overhead. We all went out for a bike ride -- DS even ASKED that we do something together as a family last night (took a walk in the park along the river before going to the chocolate shop) and suggested we do a family ride this a.m. if the weather was nice. It was, and we had a great time. The small private liberal arts college across the river was hosting a crew tournament! We stopped and watched a race for a little while (warming our hands in our pockets!). How cool!

Made an apple crisp to take to our new neighbors who moved in late last week -- they were grateful. Needed to replace all the appliances in the home and the store delivered the wrong refrigerator on Friday, and they discovered that the flooring they were replacing in the kitchen had an inappropriate subfloor installed, so their "temporary" fridge was in the middle of the dining room! :o Needless to say, they weren't doing any cooking there this week! They have a daughter who is my son's age and is an AAU BB player. We both need to get permanent BB hoops installed off our driveways, so maybe we can strike a deal with the same handyman!

Ok....tomorrow will be a cardio/weights day at the gym, followed by a cardio-only day Tuesday. Wednesday I am travelling, but may get home in time to get a gym workout. If not, Thursday's the day. The weekend is supposed to be nice, so I hope to hit the bike trail at least one more time before it gets REALLY cold!

Have a good week....along w/good thoughts for Michelle & DH!

[Minky]

Originally posted by JackieO
Hey, Minky! Were you able to catch the Packer-Seahawk game today?? Go PACK!

Oh yes - we were glued to the game and loved every minute of it! Not even one INT by Brett, either:p and of course Ahman is The Man, too! Our friend ErinM noted how *happy* Holmgren looked:cool: I am also envious of your nice, cool autumn weather - it was 87 yesterday and 85 today - enough already!

In addition to my bake-fest, I fired up a big batch of spaghetti sauce to use during the week, so I am feeling pretty darned organized for the coming week!!!

Echoing Jackie's good thoughts for Michelle and DH...

[615bride]

I haven't been on these threads in a few weeks because as the marathon training increased, the ITBS reared it's ugly head and I'm still dealing with it. I hope everyone is doing well with eating well, exercising, moving, changing jobs, etc. I am still trying to get my miles in but only ran 11 miles on Sat when I was scheduled for 13. We'll see how two days off treats me when I try to run about 3 miles on Tuesday. I've become quite the Cookie Monster in the evenings so my healthy living will be to resist those huge choc chip cookies from Harris Teeter that DH keeps buying!!
Have a good week!

[Leslie Ferguson]

bride - Take care of your ITB. That can be a nasty injury (as you well know). Tough to "arm chair" with recommendations but I'll chime in that you need to listen to your body and if you "miss miles" so be it. I would bet that if you made all your miles you probably wouldn't make your marathon. Speed and pounding are less important than getting miles in too. If you have to slow down for your runs (and even add walking breaks) then do that - in the long run it will pay off big time. Regardless, please let us know how you are doing. Ok?

Jackie - Sounds exquisite! What a grand day to go out "cruising". I'm also glad that I can help you set goals. Putting mine down on paper is helpful to make me be more healthful with my living and not let my exercise/training run my life (like it can). How neighborly of you too - an apple crisp. How terrible to find the problems with their floor but I guess better than the other option - with the fridge in the basement (or crawl space). And another BB player for DS (and a girl to boot!) is this a good thing? Glad to hear the the PACK won - of course my favorite tried to pull off some last second heroics again (the Skins) but they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory once again.

Kristi - A good place to be. I wouldn't worry about the "short" mileage in your program either - you'll get "long" in no time. I forget (if you've told us) which marathon you're training for. RnR Arizona?

Had a good workout today but I'm still kind of struggling with bad feet. I'm really starting to dislike my New Balance 752s. :mad: Hard to get the laces right - in fact I have to fiddle with them every time I wear them. I'm about ready to set them on fire and try to find another pair of my tried and true Asics Gel Cumulus IIIs somewhere.

Hace a good Sunday evening all and peace to all who are in need,
Les

[Michelle Achuff]

Signing in for the week....

Reading everyone's goals (so far) for the week has been a real help to me. I got some moments of much needed R and R this weekend with some friends around to help. Still, I found it difficult to 'let go' of things, but I did the best that I could. My husband suspects that the nerve block is not doing the trick, but he goes back on the 9th for another one...where thankfully they are going to do an IV sedation for him. Anyhow...

I did take the weekend off from working out, and I want to get back into it this week. It is with some hesitation that I even go here in my head. Part of me feels so sluggish and 'blah' that I want to say...screw it all, and just be a slug. I know better. I know that will only make me feel worse. I suspect that the physical activity will help with my stress level and make me 'feel' better, both physically and mentally. So, I'm going to exercise some self-discipline and make myself do some things. Still, I'm easing back into it.

Here are my workout goals for the week:

Monday: Upper body, strength training
Tues: Pilates
Wed: Off
Thurs:Lower body, strength training
Friday: Off
Saturday: Cardio 15 mins.

I'm thinking I can gradually get back into where I was. Heck, I was just starting to incorporate more cardio into my life, but the very thought of that is *exhausting* to me. I'll get there...just have to keep plugging away. :rolleyes:

Les~ This is a ding bat question I've been meaning to ask...how long is a marathon exactly? :rolleyes: Hang in there about your weight, I know that you can do it! Does LW take anything for her migraines? My mother used to get them horribly and she has been taking Imitrex for years and loves it (it is prescription). I have never gotten migraines myself, but I used to watch her suffer and it was *terrible*. They actually made her physically ill. I hope that LW finds something to ease those up, my thoughts are with you both. And thank you, again, for the prayers. As this goes along, I am almost hoping for surgery, just to get it over and done with.

Kristi~ LOL about the chips and dip. I am a total sucker for chocolate and peanut butter...big no nos! But I am resisting...lol, just barely. Sounds like you're doing well with your marathon training. As I've always said...kudos to all the runners here...I would be *dying* ;) Hope your week goes well!

Minky~ I, too, made a big batch of spaghetti sauce yesterday..yum! It will sure help this week with Drs. appointments etc. There you are with your kickboxing in your goals this week...tempting me to try it...lol. I need to try to find a real beginner class, or maybe a tape? Have you ever done it with a tape?

Jackie~ Thank you for the thoughts! An apple crisp..yummmm. I finally finished all of my apples...YAY!!!!! That was a way big achievement for me...lol. Guess what everyone is getting in their Christmas baskets??? ;)

bride~ A silly question probably...what is ITBS? Whatever it is...it sounds not so good and I'll second everyone else's suggestion to be careful and take it easy. Good luck with your training this week and with modifying it to your physical needs and/or limitations. I know that is hard.



Ok.....ever feel like...what else can we pile on to this load of crap that life keeps handing down the pike? lol Jeez louise... The twins just woke up hacking and coughing with stuffy noses. No fever...yet. Ok...where's MY medication????? lol...


Hangin by a thread, but still tryin to smile!!!!

Michelle

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by Michelle Achuff
Still, I found it difficult to 'let go' of things, but I did the best that I could. My husband suspects that the nerve block is not doing the trick, but he goes back on the 9th for another one...where thankfully they are going to do an IV sedation for him. Anyhow...

Thanks for the update - I know how hard it is for people like us (A personalities) to let go, we always want to control/fix/do something. As hard as it may be, try to take friends up on their offers of assistance. I hope DH can make it through to the 9th. IV sedation can be a good thing - had it for two surgeries and it was very helpful.


Les~ This is a ding bat question I've been meaning to ask...how long is a marathon exactly? :rolleyes: Hang in there about your weight, I know that you can do it! Does LW take anything for her migraines? My mother used to get them horribly and she has been taking Imitrex for years and loves it (it is prescription). I have never gotten migraines myself, but I used to watch her suffer and it was *terrible*. They actually made her physically ill. I hope that LW finds something to ease those up, my thoughts are with you both. And thank you, again, for the prayers. As this goes along, I am almost hoping for surgery, just to get it over and done with.

Marathon = 26.2 miles. Hopefully (for me) about 3:20 of running. LW takes Fiorinol (SP) - a "neat" drug that combines Butalbital (a barbituate), Caffiene, and Aspirin. She can't take them too often (and shouldn't) but they usually help. Another thing that helps is shoulder and neck massage (from your's truly). When she gets a migraine she gets wiped out and almost physically sick. Prayers continue too.


Ok.....ever feel like...what else can we pile on to this load of crap that life keeps handing down the pike? lol Jeez louise... The twins just woke up hacking and coughing with stuffy noses. No fever...yet. Ok...where's MY medication????? lol...

Hangin by a thread, but still tryin to smile!!!!

Michelle

And some days it pours. Hope you can keep a positive attitude through all of this. We're pulling for you.

Peace,
Les

[Michelle Achuff]

Thanks Les....

I'm trying to keep my spirits up...I think that I just have to allow myself to cry when I need to and not feel bad about that. Sometimes the pent up frustrations and feelings are not a good thing. The kids insisted that they were fine (remember how excited you were about kindergarten...hope *that* continues! lol) and I sent them on their way. I'm trying not to fret about it...thinking that the school will call me if they start feeling truly sick and I'll just go and get them. I can only do, what I can do!

On a MUCH more positive note:

I did my workout this morning...yay! Amazing how physical exercise effects your mentality. I didn't do as hard a workout as I had been doing, and while I don't feel like I'm starting 'over' necessarily, what I did do I can really feel (whereas I wouldn't have before). It was a *good* thing that I did this. And I just feel a little calmer now and more ready to face my day.

Even when things are tough, I'm trying to count my blessings, because I do have many. I have a husband that said to me even in the midst of all of his pain: "baby, you're the most beautiful nurse any man could ever have, and I wouldn't want anyone else in the world taking care of me." Just melted my heart ;) I have children that hug me and tell me they love me every day, a place that I call home and a whole group of friends (including all of you here) that are caring and kind and positive to be around!

Thanks for listening...just wanted to let you all know that I'm working on making some progress in the positive thinking arena ;) Now *that* is some healthful living!!

Smiles~

Michelle


P.S. I'm considering maybe taking some St. John's Wort, has anyone tried this, is it a good thing? I figured since it is natural it probably wouldn't *hurt* me, but I don't want to take it if it's not helpful. I'm looking for something natural that will kind of calm me or help me to relax. I don't want to go taking any prescriptions for depression or anything, first of all, I believe this is all circumstantial and temporary and second of all, those things scare the daylights out of me with their side effects!!!! Anyway, if anyone knows, or if you want to PM me because you're not comfy talking about it on the board, I'd sure appreciate it. Thanks!

[Kristilyn1]

Originally posted by Leslie Ferguson
[
Kristi - A good place to be. I wouldn't worry about the "short" mileage in your program either - you'll get "long" in no time. I forget (if you've told us) which marathon you're training for. RnR Arizona?


It's actually Burlington, VT end of May 2004. I'm running through the training program early to get an idea of what kind of speed I can expect and have time to tweak it before the race.

Kristi

[Leslie Ferguson]

Michelle - It doesn't surprise me that you feel more up after a workout - even if it isn't super intense. Just getting out and getting the heart pumping is plenty - imo. Just be good to yourself as you get restarted, you may find that your stamina is lower now than before - emotional tiredness is probably worse than physical iredness.


Originally posted by Kristilyn1


It's actually Burlington, VT end of May 2004. I'm running through the training program early to get an idea of what kind of speed I can expect and have time to tweak it before the race.

Kristi

If I had read your "Location" before I asked that question I'd have made a better guess. Will Burlington be your first? Or your first in a while?

Thanks,
Les

[615bride]

Michelle- ITBS is ilio-tibial band syndrome which is showing up in me as major pain on the outside of my right knee. I've fought it off and on since February and have done all sorts of treatments. So far, no luck. I only want to run this one marathon and cross it off my life's to do list. So frustrating!! Good luck with the twins. I teach little ones (1st grade) and know it's hard to leave them when they're sick...

Les- I laughed when you wrote "hopefully less than 3:20 of running." I would be thrilled to finish in less than five hours!! He he.

Happy trails everyone!

[greysangel]

Hey everyone!

Michelle - glad to hear you sounding better :) I find exercise to be the best mood stabilizer...without question. Even when I don't feel like doing it :D As to the St. John's Wort, I have heard people say really good things about it. Just make sure to read up on how much is used to be effective. Sometimes depending on the manufacturer, the dosage per capsule is different and you end up having to pop a lot of pills in order for it to have any effect.

As for me, well it's official. I'm feeling burnt out. lol. I'm going through the motions right now and I can't wait until vacation to 1)try all sorts of new sports (including water!) in St. Lucia, 2)get a much needed mental rest and 3)have a break from restrictive eating. I'm going to drink fruit smoothies and eat seafood until my head explodes :cool: I made the mistake of not taking a full week between 2 12 week challenges and I wont make that mistake again. I feel kinda tired, kinda "over it"...I'm sure you've all been there. Anyhoo here's my week:

M upperbody circuit with 50 min total cardio (done)
T spin/abs
W lower body circuit with 50 min cardio
Th spin/abs
Fri light cardio
Saturday total body circuit with 30 min cardio
Sunday off

healthy living: sleep, food planning and really taking some time to check out activity alternatives. Right now I'm considering martial arts, fencing and dance :D

JeAnne

[Leslie Ferguson]

bride - I always am embarassed to put my time goal down for races because most people are like you - happy to finish in a reasonable time. My curse - yes it is - is that I've gotten pretty good at racing (running away?) in marathons. Thanks for helping me keep perspective too.

JeAnne - Know the feelin gof burn-out. Spent a couple weeks in that place. Tried to get myself out of it by running some shorter races (5k's) and just changing where I got my workouts in. SOunds like you need (and are getting) a change of scenery. Enjoy St. Lucia!

Off for today's run...
Peace,
Les

[Leslie Ferguson]

Big mistake lifting yesterday. I think I lifted too heavy which made my run today 7 hills (2 were .3 miles and 5 were .25 miles) on the treadmill of 5% incline at 8.6 mph with equal rest at 7.1 or 7.2 mph in between. Needless to say, my stumps were just that and complaining very loudly. Remember, lifting heavy is a no-no within 6 weeks of your race. :rolleyes:

Hope I haven't done anything terrible to my legs and I don't think I've really hurt them but boy are they tired right now. Not a good sign at the beginning of a 50+ mile week.

Hope you all are having a great Monday.

Happy Trails,
Les

[karen w]

Well, you know you're really a (-----)(fill in sport, exercise etc... of choice-for me swimming) addict, when you can sleep in later for a change, but you get up at the same way-too-early time in the morning to get your workout in anyway! DH was off today, so I could have gone to the pool a bit later this morning(instead of my usual 5:10a.m. wakeup), but I got up and went as usual anyway. It just makes such a difference to the beginning of my day. I find myseld feeling SO sluggish if I don't get some physical activity first thing in the morning. Anyway, it was a good swim today, and fortunately not too crowded this a.m.

On a different exercise note, DH finally was notified that they shipped our bike to us so hopefully we will get it soon. We ordered a recumbant bike back in August, and have had a lot of problems trying to get it! The first place DH ordered from we had to go through the credit card company to get our money back. They kept giving us the song and dance routine...it's going to be shipped soon, never returned phonecalls etc.... And we waited and waited and waited. . .until we finally called there bluff. But fortunately once the credit card co. contacted them, the returned our money!!:rolleyes: So we are waiting again, and with any luck it will arrive anyday!

Tomorrow I go for my yearly "Pabst Beer"(oops, I mean Pap smear:D ). Not quite as enjoyable as the beer, but a necessary evil and all part of that healthy living stuff, I guess!!

I hope everyone has a good week, and take care of yourselves. Take it easy on those weights, Les! Enjoy St. Lucia, Jeanne. It's a beautiful area. DH and I did some scuba diving
around St. Lucia, St. Kitt, St. Martin, Eustacia, and Saba as part of a Live Aboard Dive trip a few years ago. It was awesome!

Karen

[ErinM]

Originally posted by JackieO
Hey, Minky! Were you able to catch the Packer-Seahawk game today?? Go PACK! We ruined the Holmgren/Rhodes "homecoming" big time! Don't get me wrong, I liked Mike Holmgren until his last year here, when it was pretty obvious he had other things on his mind -- like the Seattle job -- instead of a second Super Bowl win. But I digress...




Origninally posted by Minky
Oh yes - we were glued to the game and loved every minute of it! Not even one INT by Brett, either and of course Ahman is The Man, too! Our friend ErinM noted how *happy* Holmgren looked

At the risk of hijacking this thread I just wanted to pop in and say "Here I am!" I am SO GLAD we won that game....just goes to show, we don't need Holmgren, and we CERTAINLY don't need Rhodes. We're doing just fine thank you very much!

Maybe we should start our weekly Packer threads on the Other Stuff board???? :D

[ellery]

Wow you guys have been busy while I've been MIA. It took me 10 minutes to read all the recent postings!

Sorry about the lapse. I hit a wall last week, mentally and physically and decided to give myself a break. So I took Thursday off from working out, tried to run a little after work Friday, got winded and annoyed and cut my workout short. Saturday I spent mostly on the couch, feeling ill and tired and poopy. I felt a little better Sunday, albeit a bit cranky and martyr-ish ("I'm the only one that cleans around here... you don't appreciate me...if it weren't for me this place would be buried under a layer of dust..."). Clearly cleaning and inhaling bleach improved my health but not my mood! (poor bf - he just hugged me and waited for the tirade to end). We took a bike ride that evening, I baked chicken pot pies (yum!) and everything seemed much better. Sometimes you just have to ride through a mood and a phase and everything's all better. Which it is. I also started taking a multivitamin again, which has seemed to help - a friend at the gym pointed out how pale I am and my complaints of fatigue and suggested it might help. Don't know if it's Dumbo's feather (placebo effect) or not, but I definitely feel better. And I also made the decision to stop freaking out about that danged 5K coming up. If I can run all of it, great, if not, that's okay too. I'll amble in with the little old ladies. We can compare cookie recipes as we stroll.

And because it seems to be the thing my body wants me to do (for the moment, at least), I'm not going to plan my workouts for this week. Mondays and Wednesdays are set with teaching, the other stuff I'm going to go by how I feel after work. If I feel like running, I will. If I feel like trying that spinning class, I will. I know I'll definitely work out, I just feel the need for a bit of spontaneity this week.

Good to hear everyone's well, that training is going well, that sons are excelling, husbands are doing better, friends are doing well. Thanks for the thoughts and well wishes about the "asthma." We'll see how this week goes with the new philosophy and maybe the symptoms will pass. I'm still going to make an appointment for a checkup (if my health plan allows) once my coverage kicks in.

Oh, by the way, Michelle, I wouldn't recommend the St. John's Wort. There is no (FDA) standard or regulation on the concentrations of it (or any herbal supplements actually) sold in the stores, so you have no idea if what you're getting is actually what you're supposed to be getting. Plus, it's been known to interact with other medications and decrease their efficiency. It's an antidepressant, and I would never recommend one diagnosing oneself and self-medicating. I personally don't believe that you're depressed, you're just going through a very stressful time, and that's very different. If insomnia is the worst of your symptoms right now, there are other strategies to address that. Raising your body temperature by taking a hot shower or bath has been effective for some people (right before bed), gradually dimming the lights as the evening wears on and you prepare for bed is also helpful, also warm milk (not cocoa - caffeine), soothing music (I used to have a thunderstorm CD), maybe treating yourself to a massage. Your doctor could write a prescription for Ambien or something to like that to help in the short term. I traditionally recommend non-medical treatments if at all possible, however, so that you are not then faced with overcoming an addiction or reliance on a drug. You can always email me if you have other questions or want to discuss it more.

Alright all. I'm pooped. Have a good evening!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Karen - Don't I know it about being a running adict. I actually get up a little earlier on Saturday's to make my run (not much but 10 minutes is a lot on a "sleep in day"). Best to you on your annual "brwskie" - hopefully it comes out normal. What type of bike are you getting? I hope that everything is fine once you really get the bike.

Leah - That's healthful living! Way to listen to your body. The few days off will probably do more for you than slogging through a weeks worth of "place holder" workouts. I'm also with you on St. John's wort - I'm not a big advocate of medicating a problem. But my personal preference is to have a cool room when I go to bed and then to bundle up in blankets or with LW. :D I feel for bf too - I've seen that reaction in LW over the years. Every once in a while she'll get the "nesting" impulse and goes crazy cleaning and throwing things out.

Michelle - Keep pulling, we're here with you. Sleep will come believe me.

Happy trails and peace,
Les

[615bride]

Not to worry Les, I just found it comical about our difference in running times. It took me 2:20 to run 12 miles two weeks ago!

The Cookie Monster in me is still alive and well! I must do something to curb this late night snacking... I do so well all day and then darkness falls.....

Calling coach today to see about the ITB. This months Runner's World lists things to do to stay healthy and one of them was a weekly massage focusing on the legs. I assume they mean sports massage? Does anyone know any more about this? I've never done that...

Hang in there Ellery, sometimes some time off works wonders...

[tmsl]

Good morning all,

Another week is off and running so to speak. Had a good weekend and I too was in the cleaning mode. I would have liked to have the time to go through closets and drawers and do the throwing out thing, but we can't do everything in one weekend. At least the house is much cleaner and that helps me to relax easier. DH gave blood on Sunday at the church bloodmobile. His sugar reading yesterday morning was the best it has been in a while. I had fixed a big dinner Sunday night and was unsure if it was too much for him. Anyway, his reading was back up this morning to where it has been lately and we were wondering if the pint short of blood made a difference.

I did some sprints last night as I was wanting to make the ab class at the gym. I should have tried a long run instead as there was a substitute for the class and it was not what I was looking foward too. I too, lifted too much on my legs Friday night and it didn't hit me until Sunday. Defintitely need to back off the leg weights this week and next. Anyway, like Leah, I am going to do what feels right at the moment when I get to the gym the rest of the week.

Karen~Pabst Beer, huh? Never heard that one before and I will have to remember that. It may be a toss up for me which is the worse of the two evils. If you had said Foster's, I would have to agree with you, but somehow that doesn't fit right.:D

Bride~take care of that leg! I have tried to build up my running slowly so as to not get shin splints. For all we do to our bodies in the name of health, I'm suprised they don't protest more. What race are you training for??

Michelle~I hope DH has a good day. I'm amazed you can workout with all that is going on in your life right now. I aggree that it does help mentally as well as physically to be in that routine. Hang in there.

Kristi~what kind of inserts do you use in your shoes? Someone suggested them to me, but I wasn't sure what to get.

Les~good luck on the rest of your runs. If yours was like mine last night, my legs felt stiff and never really did loosen up. They'll get the hang of this sooner or later.

Have a good day everyone.

Laura K.

[Kristilyn1]

Originally posted by tmsl

Kristi~what kind of inserts do you use in your shoes? Someone suggested them to me, but I wasn't sure what to get.

Laura K.

I just buy the ones that they sell at Sports Authority or Dick's Sporting Goods, etc. For me and my husband, they make all the difference.

Kristi

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by 615bride
Calling coach today to see about the ITB. This months Runner's World lists things to do to stay healthy and one of them was a weekly massage focusing on the legs. I assume they mean sports massage? Does anyone know any more about this? I've never done that...

Sports massage is probably what they are talking about. I've also tried in the past using one of a couple massage tools at the house. One of them looks like a jack (the kids toy) - normally made of hard plastic and the other is a massage stick (you see them on sale before races most of the time - sticks with "wheel-like" attachments). The key is to use some device to massage from the knee up to the hip. That seems to help break down the tightness in the joint. Another thing that I've used in the past is a topical balm like "Perform" or "Biofreeze" massaged into my leg. What types of stretching do you do for your legs? Focused stretching a couple times a day can also help your ITB. If you'd like some recommendations I can try to describe them to you.
BTW - with respect to running speed/time, I just have to remember that I've made myself a lot faster than the average runner over the past 10+ years and I have to be careful talking to others about my speed.

Laura K. - You'll probably have to try out a couple different inserts before you find the right ones. They come in all shapes, sizes, and thicknesses. But in general, any sports store (even Foot Locker - YEW I can't believe I said that) should have a good selection of inserts. Not sure how to recommend trying them out but I'd probably start with something that isn't too thick unless you are going to take out the sock liner that came with the shoes. If you take the original out then I'd compare the replacement with the original. Hope that helps.

Legs are still tired today - but I think it may be a complex set of causes. Not the least of which is I'm physically tired from all the stuff going on this past weekend. Luckily today is an easy run - no real time constraint (except that I have to get it done over lunch). I'll take it easy (really) and just go out for a slower run.

About cleaning. Based on the conversations so far, I was wondering if your "cleaning urges/sprees" tended to happen based on some other stimulus (besides the fact that the house needed to be cleaned)? I know that both LW and me tend to have cleaning cycles and wondered if that was your experience too.

Peaceful thoughts and prayers for Michelle and DH.
Les

[Michelle Achuff]

Well, my husband is sleeping as I write, and thankfully that's providing some relief for him. Tomorrow is the last nerve block and I'm hoping, if nothing else, it will relieve some pain. I appreciate all of the prayers and thoughts you all have been sending our way.

The girls stayed home sick from school. Nothing terrible, coughing and sneezing (no fever!), and they go in for a check up this afternoon. Thought they might as well hang out here and rest, as they have their first Daisy Girl Scout meeting tonight, I sure hope they feel well enough for it. Truthfully, I think I needed them in the house today. Sometimes...it is just so *quiet*. I thought it might be a little hectic, but it has been truly calm.

I have a fresh loaf of bread cooling on the kitchen counter that I made this morning and just finished my Pilates (which they both watched with amazement and started doing the breathing in time with me...pretty funny). I feel much calmer today, much more relaxed. Still busy as ever, but you know what: if it doesn't get done today, it'll be there waiting for me tomorrow...that's my philosophy for today...lol.

JeAnne~ Thanks for the advice, I've certainly never heard anything *bad* happening from taking St. JW, but...well, I think I'm going to hold off for now and see if I can stabilize without it. I will say that yesterday was the worst day ever, I wanted to shove my face in a bucket of ice cream and set up camp. But I did not, I was good, and in the end let myself have *one* scoop of ice cream. I patted myself on the back for not caving to the craving to binge...yuck. Sounds like you are sure ready for your trip, hope you and your husband have a *great* time...you sure deserve it :)

Les~ Oh be careful about those weights!!! Hope that gets better soon. I know when I'm sore from weights, moving my body for anything cardio (walking, or in your case running) is *really* hard to do. Thanks for the thoughts and for pulling for me. I'm starting to see some light now.

Leah~ Thanks for the advice re: St.JW and self-diagnosing. I suppose I just know how I normally am and this has not been me lately. As I said before, I don't think it's anything lasting or severe, but your advice about the Ambien is sound. I am going to hang in for a while longer and see. While the FDA doesn't 'approve' herbal remedies, etc...I know from experiences with some of them that they work excellent. I'm more apt to put something natural into my body than something synthetic (when I can). I'm also scared to death of some of these FDA "approved" medications, heck, the side effect list is the longest part of the commercial for some of these things, and in some cases, I'd rather have the discomfort of the initial problem than those side effects...lol. Sounds like you're doing the wise thing this week and listening to your body. That's what I did, instead of saying to myself...you must do 6 workouts this week. There was just no way, and I'm glad I was realistic and kind to myself...it seems to be paying off.

Laura K~ Thanks for the thoughts. Actually, I think if I didn't work out, I might be even more down. It's really helping my mood to focus on something else intensely (even if it's only for an hour out of the day) and to just be *moving*. I tend to fall into a cycle of some *really bad* body image issues when I'm not being proactive about either my diet or excercising, which is never a good thing, especially with all of these changes! Glad to hear you had a good weekend :D What was Sunday dinner? We've been doing soup most Sundays and fresh bread or rolls...comfort food...yummmm.

Karen~ Crack me up about getting up early even when you don't have to. I've done the same thing before, especially with Pilates. It *does* make a huge difference in my whole day. For me, it's a real boost, and having the workout behind me so early, I feel like I've accomplished something big already :) Good luck with your appointment.

About Cleaning... I kind of go in cycles. I mean, I have things I do on a weekly and daily basis and if I don't do those things, I feel like the house is a *mess*. People tell me it's obsessive...I prefer to be labeled as a neat freak if I must have a label. That being said, sometimes I get in a mood and I want to open the house, wash the windows, do the curtains, steam clean the carpets...you know, really intense cleaning where you just feel like the fresh air has come in and revitalized things. I've been known to do this even in fall and winter on occassion...get the stale air out..I'm not waiting until spring...lol. I have a feeling it will be a while before I get that bug though!

Ok, I'm off to go do some laundry and check on the kids. Hope everyone is having a great Tuesday!! :D

Smiles~

Michelle

[jazzyjas]

Well, you really have to keep on top of this thread these days -- you blink for a minute and there are another 5 posts -- I had a stafff meeting yesterday and was checking in quickly (skimming through the many messages before shutting off the computer) and I saw Michelle's will to overcome the slug and knew that if she could do it I had better make it to the gym (it's not like I don't have to drive past it to get homw and I have had my gym bag in the car for the past 2 weeks while I have been not going).
So here I am-- sore today. I decided if all of you can do it -- I could up the pace on my tredmill warm up. of the 12 minutes I did (I had planned on 20 but ...) I jogged for 6 minutes. But gosh was I bored -- the gym didn't even have any music on -- I coldn't keep it up because all I could do was think about each footfall -- ugh. M aybe I'll try for 7 minutes on Wednesday. (plus the three warm up and three cool down). Due to lack of time I just did chest, back and arms.
I switched over to a different computer and I see to have lost everything although I am still fighting with backup folders -- I still have semi access to the other one so I hopefully can get it all straightened out but is it ever frustrating -- I can feel the tension it is causing me.
Had a good belly dance class last night and will take another special class this evening.
I hope everyone is well and hopefully when my computer situation works itself out I can take the time to respond to each of you more fully (instead of inbetween classes at work

Jas

[Leslie Ferguson]

This thread does move at the speed of heat these days. :D But that's a good thing.

I think I've gotten most of the stiffness out but I'm still moving a little slowly. I think I'll be okay by tomorrow for the next "quality" workout. But I'll have to say that my run was rather enjoyable - nearly perfect temperature and a little breeze - nice day for a jaunt in singlet and shorts.

Michelle - What type of bread? I just don't do enough baking these days but I should. Good to hear the DH is sleeping (even if induced) and that there may be something good to come out of tomorrow's Dr. appointment. Sorry to hear about the twins but it sounds like they aren't too bad off.

Jasmine - I feel your pain with the computer system. There are two LAN at work and one of them (the one where I do most of my work) is broken right now. So I'm looking over my shoulder at a "paper weight" that is of little use to me. Hopefully your computer problems come to a close. Good to hear that you are still in the Belly Dance class. I seem to remember that dancing brings you a lot of joy and peace of mind.

Hope that everyone else is having a great Tuesday, 2 down and 3 to go.

Peace,
Les

[Michelle Achuff]

Les~

I made a Buttermilk Bread. It was one from my "Baking with Julia" cookbook, a book that I got months ago and hadn't even tried anything out of it yet (shame on me..lol!). Typically I make two loaves of bread (I mix my white flour and wheat flour for it) out of the Mennonite Community Cookbook that I got here at the local Amish store...I love that place! I was just in the mood for something, different. I bake on Tuesdays and Fridays and sometimes Sunday if there's something special or if I just feel like it. Nothing like getting your hands in the dough ;) But typically, I make our sandwich/toast bread for the week and a batch of buns or breadsticks. I love to bake...I love it more than eating the baked stuff...half of the time I end up sending it away with friends that love the stuff but don't have the time or inclination to bake themselves. So, it works great for me, the carbs don't go into MY body, but I still get the joy of baking :)


Smiles~

Michelle

[ellery]

Holy smokes you guys have been busy! I predict that this week's thread will spread to 5 pages. Anyone want to place any bets?

Not much to report here. I'm deciding to forego tonight's workout (even though the mirror is not saying nice things to me :( ) I am simply pooped! I taught a new class last night - kickbox circuit, and kicked my own behind, literally. The posterior is a bit sore today. Plus, this stinking drive to work is something that's going to take some getting used to - 1 hour 15-20 each way. Tonight I'd like to simply curl up in some comfy clothes, cook up some food to bring for lunch this week, reaquaint myself with my pets (they carded me when I came through the door tonight, and then asked for a 2nd ID to verify). I'll teach tomorrow night, and hopefully do something Thursday and Friday. I guess it's going to take some time to get used to being a working (and commuting) girl again.

Cleaning schedule? Ha! I do the bare minimum, although was inspired to go a bit above and beyond Sunday, but just to inspire some guilt from the bf, who suprisingly is not good at reading my mind and realizing that he should join in. He made up for it, though, once he'd discovered I'd done all the major cleaning stuff (and I had my tantrum). My car is now well-vacuumed, the phone receiver is now oddly sparkly, the trash cans were emptied, and he went out to buy me a turtle for a pet (except that the pet store was closed) because I get all goofy when we walk by the baby turtles swimming around in their little tank in a local store. He's a good man, even if he does run faster than me. :)

Michelle, as for the St. John's Wort, not to beat this subject into the ground... yes, it's natural, but it's also not regulated by any sort of any agency, so you really have no idea what you're taking, or in what concentrations (500 mg on the label may actually turn out to be 750 mg in actuality). FDA labels may be scary, but at least they've checked stuff out. And while you may not feel like yourself lately, that's normal. Remember what I said about the crash that comes after the crisis being the hardest part? Just take it easy on yourself versus agonizing over a scoop of ice cream. Heck, eat ice cream for dinner if it makes you feel more nurtured! You need to be a little more understanding of yourself. Treat yourself the way you'd treat a friend in your same situation. You wouldn't yell at her for eating a scoop of ice cream in a time of stress, would you? Okay, I'll take off the professional hat now.

I'm off to curl up in some comfy clothes and do a little cooking. Have a wonderful night everyone! Only 24 more days till Halloween!! Yippee!!! (my favorite holiday) :)

[tmsl]

Well listening to my body before my workout told me to forgo it and take a nap before dinner instead. (I'm with you, Leah!) I had to walk all over the plant today about 4 different times so that will have to do for my workout today. My hips started aching around lunch time and seemed to get worse through the day. They didn't feel right during the ab class and I think some of the moves pulled at the hips instead of my abs. Oh well, I am more rested now and we had dinner at a decent hour tonight.

Cleaning-about twice a year I get the urge to go through closets and steam clean carpets and really deep clean. DH is great and will help if asked. I think the change of seasons sparks this for me.

Michelle~dinner Sunday night consisted of Pork Chops grilled with Apple Butter, whipped sweet potatoes(with 1/4 cup maple syrup), baked apples and asparagus. A very fallish meal. We had soup last week when it turned colder and I look forward to more meals like that. We have been eating more sweet potatoes than baking as it does not seem to affect DH sugar as much.

We'll try the workout thing again tomorrow.

Laura K.

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by Michelle Achuff
I made a Buttermilk Bread... I bake on Tuesdays and Fridays and sometimes Sunday if there's something special or if I just feel like it. Nothing like getting your hands in the dough ;)

Two or three times a week - wow. I love to bake but don't do it very often. It seems like I can convince myself to do many other things. But I do know what you mean about getting your hands in the dough. I used to call baking bread either my cross-training work out or my tension reliever. LW knows when I've had a bad day and baked bread - flour everywhere.

Leah - Somehow I doubt the mirror comment but I'll defer. Kickboxing class -- I think Minky is another Kick-boxer on this thread. I've seen a couple classes at the gym and it looks pretty intense, especially with gloves on. I'm with you about commuting, I hate it. In fact I picked my house based on two 8 mile arcs around the two naval bases in Norfolk - 8 miles is what I considered a long run home from work and a reasonable to and from bike ride. My commute is all of 25 minutes - if I stop at most of the stop lights and have to slow down in the two school zones. I hope that you pick up a little, it's hard to hear of folks on the thread struggling. Regardless, stick with listening to your body and exercise when you know you should. (Laura K. too.) How many pets do you have? A baby turtle... that must be cute. I bet we get to 3 pages this week - any takers?

Laura K. - It has been cooler here but it is still warming up a little during the day - nearly 75 earlier today.

Cleaning - LW seems to have more frequent cleaning sprees, about once a month ;) I'd guess (her admission too). I'm not that predictable but I'd say once every other month I'll do a thorough cleaning.

Peace and pleasant sleep to all. I especially hope those who are nursing nagging injuries/sicknesses get better soon. Peace,
Les

[mst]

Okay- LAZY woman checking in!

I want to join this thread so that I feel accountable to someone if I do not work out. Kind of like the weight watchers idea. I hated facing that scale each week.

My goal is to walk an hour each day (not too fast) either at 3.0 or 3.5 mph with no incline, and then start the Cooling Runnings "Couch to 5k." Now, the last time I did this, I ended up in physical therapy because of my flat feet. I had to laugh at myself that my feet could barely handle the "couch" part of the program.

So, I am off to walk on my treadmill. (Which is a great purchase for me. I am such a homebody and hate going out in the cold weather...)

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by mst
Okay- LAZY woman checking in!

WELCOME mst!!! A pleasure to have a new participant in the group.


Originally posted by mst
I want to join this thread so that I feel accountable to someone if I do not work out. Kind of like the weight watchers idea. I hated facing that scale each week.

My goal is to walk an hour each day (not too fast) either at 3.0 or 3.5 mph with no incline, and then start the Cooling Runnings "Couch to 5k." Now, the last time I did this, I ended up in physical therapy because of my flat feet. I had to laugh at myself that my feet could barely handle the "couch" part of the program.

So, I am off to walk on my treadmill. (Which is a great purchase for me. I am such a homebody and hate going out in the cold weather...)

Admirable goals and good to start where you can. Do you have/wear orthotics (SP)? If not you may want to see a podiatrist to find out if they may help you with your walking/running. LW (that is loving wife) has FLAT feet and without her inserts she can't walk more than about 2 miles.

Where are you that you really have to be concerned with cold weather already? The upper midwest or the rockies? Just wondering because we have lots of folks that hail from all over North America and around the globe (Angola comes to mind right now).

Happy trails and will be looking forward to chatting with you in upcoming weeks.
Les

[greysangel]

Hey, I have flat feet too...no wonder I'm not totally crazy about running :D

I hope everyone is having a great week. I'm feeling a little more energized than I did in the beginning of the week which is good. As the days get darker, it's harder to get out of the nice warm toasty bed and into the gym!! This morning I think I actually groaned when the alarm went off. I always have to remind myself how good it feels when the workout is over :D

j

[Minky]

Jeanne - I hear you about these dark mornings! I sent my 7th grader out the door this morning in total darkness:eek: Good thing the bus stop is only two houses away.

Welcome mst! I have enjoyed being a part of this thread, and find it very motivating (especially when I need to be motivated!)

Michelle - I'm finally responding to your question about kickboxing videos:o but don't have any recommendations since I don't own any. Have you checked collagevideo.com (I think that's the site) where they let you preview the tapes before you buy... Happy Hunting:)

Sounds like everyone else's week is shaping up nicely!

[ellery]

Good evening, good evening. Only 23 more days till Halloween!

I'm amending my bet to say that we make it to 4 pages on this thread this week, although it was a little quieter today than yesterday. People must be out exercising! (ha!)

Les, did you ever find a good video for your mother-in-law (or was it mother)? Collage video does have good videos (as does Target). As for pets, we just have two cats so far (he inherited them, unhappily, from me - not a cat fan but too bad). I never did get my baby turtle, but that's okay. My plan was to keep it in the bathtub, which was voted down. We have a little pond behind our house, with plenty of turtles that we can visit. There are alligators that live a bike ride away, so we claim them too as pets. Welcome to the island climate! Sadly, I'm still waiting for fall. It's still in the high 70's during the day, 60's at night. Oh well.

And yes, commuting bites, but it's better than being unemployed.

I'm feeling good after my class tonight. I didn't feel like sticking around after teaching to lift, so we did an interval step class, with weight intervals. That's one of the perks of being the instructor. Boy, am I still hurting from Monday, however.

Not sure if I'm going to work out tomorrow, but that's the plan. I keep carrying around my running shoes, but haven't been able to force myself onto the treadmill yet. The more I don't do it, the more I dread it, so I need to just bite the bullet. Oh well.

That's it for tonight. Off to the showers! Hope everyone is well. Remember, 23 more days till Halloween! :D

[JackieO]

Ok, the good news is that part of my "AWOL"-ness is due to our beautiful Indian summer weather! :D :) :cool: On Monday, I biked with colleagues into Green Bay after work. On Tuesday, I took the bike trail into the other direction (deep into rural America) by myself because I had to stay late at the office to get a project done. Today....I was a slug. Drove over to Wausau (100 miles) for two really dull meetings, but WOW! Fall color is at its peak here, and I had forgotten how "woodsy" northern Wisconsin is! It was breathtaking in spots.

Get this: DH blew off grading papers yesterday to take the bike trail all the way to its rural end (17 miles round trip), just to see what it was like! (He hasn't been into Green Bay, yet. He prefers farm land, I prefer cityscapes. :rolleyes: ) Anyway, this is a man who hates riding a bike and never uses the bikes at the gym. Treadmill guy all the way. He was wiped out at the end of the day, but didn't seem to suffer any ill effects today. I think we are going to spend a lot of time on that trail next summer, and I think it means an investment in new, better bikes! :p

Bad news: No strength training yet this week. Tomorrow is supposed to be another gorgeous day, and if that's the case, I think I'll blow off the gym AGAIN to get out on the bike path after work. The family schedule isn't as crazy, and the snow will be flying here before we know it, so "strike while the iron is hot."

In the more bad news dept., my sister had some follow up tests that showed mixed results. One breast is clean, the other one had a few more "suspicious" spots. Two tests and a biopsy later, the suspicious culprits also are malignant. Imagine this -- stage 0 cancer, contained in the ducts and not in the tissue, but it still requires a mastectomy because of the "Swiss cheese" nature of the lumpectomies, if that were the way to go. Geez....My BIL's uncle in Canada is dying (probably a matter of days), so she is scheduling her surgery for Oct. 20, thinking that will give her time to deal with THAT next week and herself the week after. Sheesh....it doesn't rain but it pours.

I only scanned the thread updates from the last few days, but will take a "deeper" look when I have a few minutes.

Life sure got busier with this new job! :D :rolleyes: ;) :(

[615bride]

Well, I haven't done anything since my botched thirteen mile run on Sat when the pain came back. Planning on trying a ten miler this weekend since recommitment to the Kiawah Marathon is this Tuesday. Problem is I'll be in Raleigh this weekend and don't know where to run that is safe and not a small loop. Tracks just don't cut it when the distance climbs like this.

JackieO - Sorry to hear about the health concerns in your family.

Les- I wish I could run or bike to work. It's not too far but I feel like it's really too dangerous. The roads on my trip are not very pedestrian friendly.

[Leslie Ferguson]

You can't stop to breathe these days without being 1/2 page behind. I'll try to use some of my speed and endurance to catch up with the thread. First and foremost:
Jackie - First off, what a bummer with BIL's uncle and your sister. May BIL's uncle resolve with minimal lingering and further suffering. Prayers continue for your sister (never stopped really). And biopsies suck (having had three in the past year). Second candle from the right, second row from the top.
On a more positive note: congratulations on the Indian Summer and all the neat outdoor things you can do. Nice job getting DH hooked and probably getting new bikes too. Regardless, you'll have plenty of time in the near future to do strength training - both in the gym and with the snow shovel. :rolleyes: I don't think that we'll have a good colorful fall here, Isabel kind of took a lot of the leaves from the trees.
Too bad about today's meetings but at least you got a nice reward for them, I love fall colors. I have a bad feeling about tomorrow and meetings because I'm meeting with a Marine Major (O-4) starting at 3:00 pm. I may have to pull rank :) (being a Navy CDR (O-5)) and keep the meeting short.

Leah - I wouldn't go back on your bet yet - there's still a lot of time between here and the end of the week. I too am more of a dog person but I don't mind cats - as long as they aren't the neighbor's cats that use my flower beds and herb garden as a litter box. And real gators that close? I'd call them my pets too. Honestly, I haven't done any serious looking for yoga tapes for Mom yet. Thanks for echoing Minky's recommendation for Collage videos, I'll certainly look there too. It's been hectic around here with the concerts last week and the race the week before. And of course my boss does want a little of my time these days but as you say unemployment sucks. Do you dress up for Halloween? We're typically not home (at least for the past 3 years we've always been doing something on Halloween.

bride - I don't run home from work much any more. I did when I was first here because we only had one car but now that we are a two car family it wouldn't do to leave one at work. In retrospect, it probably wasn't too safe to run home from work when I did - the road is 3 lanes divided with a nominal 35 (read often close to 50) mph limit.

JeAnne - Flat feet and orthotics really do make a difference when you run. LW to this day doesn't run much/well because of her feet. She can walk with the best of them but running - no way.

Today - I got my 60 minutes of tempo run (topped out at about 8.7 mph for .6 miles). Will probably feel it tomorrow when I try to get 10 miles of race pace in. On the down side - my shoulder is starting to bug me. This is a nagging problem that I can usually keep in check by going to my chiropractor every 2 weeks - well it's been 4 weeks this Friday. Maybe I'll get in then. I'm going to need it.

Keep up the good work and those who need it - keep coming back. We're here to help.

Prayers continuing for Jackie's sister and BIL uncle as well as Michelle and her DH. I bet she's still wrapped up with the hospital today. Here's to hoping the spinal block works this time.

Peace,
Les

[Michelle Achuff]

Wow, you all have been busy posting! ::Blinking:: LOL...

mst~ Welcome to the group....I know you'll find lots of motivation and support here, I sure have! Do you find that once you get going with the exercise that it's easier to *want* to keep up (when you start feeling the results, increased energy, etc.) I know that I do, but sometimes in the beginning it is just SO hard to get started.

JeAnne~ I hear ya on the darkness thing. To top it off, this morning there was a nice soft rain coming down. It's probably a good thing my kids have to get up for school or I'd be hitting the snooze...lol. Glad to hear you are feeling better/more energized :D

Minky~ Thanks for the info about Collage :) Definitely something I want to do. I figure if I'm going to be a bit of a klutz (almost guaranteed, but I Do have a healthy sense of humor about it) I'd much rather do it in my own home... ;)

Leah~ I know about biting the bullet...lol, Saturday is going to be my first day of cardio in like a week, and you know how much I *love* it anyway :rolleyes: Maybe if I really get rockin on things though, I can prove to my husband that I would, in fact, USE a treadmill (my favorite cardio machine!!!). :) Sounds like you're excited about Halloween. Since we live in a real rural area (only one close neighbor on a busy road) we don't get trick or treaters, but I take the kids to town. The girls have decided to be Bob the Builder and Barbie on Swan Lake. N cracks me up, she's all about tractors and dump trucks and things like that. C...she loves barbies and dress up clothes and well...being a 'princess'. They couldn't be more different and I love it!



Jackie~ I'm *so* sorry to hear about your sister and your BIL's uncle. My thoughts are with them and your family in this very difficult time. ~sending lots of hugs~ Awesome though, about the Indian Summer and getting your husband to ride! My first husband and I used to ride tandem (with our daughter, K, in a bike trailer...what a group) on the rails to trails down in Carbondale, IL when we were in college. It was *beautiful* there. Been a long time since I had a good bike to ride or anywhere to ride it (there are places around here, I know, just haven't scouted them with no bike). I'm thinking I might ask for a bike for my birthday in the spring :) Now that's some cardio I can get into...lol. Don't worry, like Les said, you'll get your strength training in, sounds like you're doing great keeping up with all you have going on anyway!



bride~ Good luck finding a *safe* place to run that fits your needs. Hang in there for Tuesday, I hope your knee is getting better. I'm pulling for you!!

Les~ I suppose that is a lot of baking to some people, but you have to remember, that I stay at home and work from here too....and my 'work' is quite flexible in nature...soooo...I have plenty of time to do those things and hang around or do other stuff while dough rises, etc. It makes a difference. When I was working outside the home, there was NO way, maybe on a Saturday, IF I wasn't too exhausted. I truly love staying at home. Also since I'm at home I try to save us money by making bread and lots of things that people buy at the store. The end result has been that the family is spoiled now, they'd rather go without bread than buy the store stuff...lol. The bread did come out *great* btw...made grilled cheeses with it yesterday, yumm comfort food! I hope you can get to the chiropractor soon and get that shoulder taken care of...it's hard to work out and think healthy thoughts when you are in pain!

Ok...update on me....

We went to the hospital for the nerve block (1 hr drive) only to find out that the appointment wasn't for that day (it's next week)...although I *have* the appointment card and *I* was right. :mad: Don't get me started. Truth is, he doesn't think the nerve block has done *anything* to mitigate his pain, and we are going to call the doctor today to see about scheduling surgery. They are just dragging this 'treatment' out with no end in sight. He simply cannot live this way for months on end. Need to step up and be an advocate for him, which is sometimes stressful, but I hope the doctor is receptive. We came home and vegged out together on the couch, watched movies and hung with our kids last night. *That* was nice, real nice. Even got in a nap together :D

Did my strength training today (lower body) and am happy with that. I feel it and it feels good :cool: Although things are still uncertain with my husband in so much pain, there are certainties that I take comfort in...love from family and great friends :) There's always something to smile at.

Wishing a wonderful Thursday to all!!

Smiles~

Michelle

[615bride]

Michelle- that's horrible about driving out only to find the appt. was scheduled incorrectly. I missed the thread where you explained your DH's situation but it sounds similar to mine. My DH had back surgery after having the horrible pain start on our honeymoon! He had surgery to repair a ruptured disc a month later (this was in 2002). Although the whole experience was a nightmare (people joke that we need a second honeymoon) he's fine now. I hope you are all in a better place soon. I remember all those appt. and pain meds...


On the healthy living note, I buckled and bought an IT Band strap to try to wear on long runs. I know some people say it's just masking pain but I am still continuing to be careful, and work with doctors to find the source...

Hang in there everyone.

[Laura]

I have been here lurking, not really posting, but I will try to jump in here.

First, Jackie, I am so sorry for your sister's cancer, and your BIL's uncle. That is a lot of stuff for them (and you) to be going through. We will continue to keep your family in our prayers.

615Bride- I hope the band works. I know you are kind of following Galloway (at least I thought you were). Do you think incorporating more walk breaks into your long runs would help?

Michelle, it sounds like surgery is the right thing for your DH. I am sorry the appt didn't work. Hopefully, things will be scheduled soon. That is great that you are continuing to find time to work out. I am sure it helps with the stress you are going through.

Leah, sometimes I still feel the need to force myself out the door for a run. Fortunately, like Jackie, we have been having faboulous weather. My two runs this week have been great.

Les, this may sound odd, but does your shoulder pain increase with your long runs. I noticed on my long runs, that I would be very stiff in my upper back. I think I must be hunching my shoulders or something when I run.

Mst, I know many people have followed that program and thought it was great. I am glad you are here.

JeAnne, my kids have to get the bus at 6:45, so we are all up around 5:45. I feel your pain, but in a few weeks it will be light in the morning :D (but oh so dark around 5:00 :()

As I said I got two really nice enjoyable runs in so far this week. I haven't heard from my running partner but I am hoping to go about 7 this weekend. I still need to get back to the weights though

[Leslie Ferguson]

One more hard run and I'm done for the quality (hard stuff). Tonight's run... a roaring 10 miles at race pace. That will really turn into 12 miles of running with warm up and cool down.

Laura - My shoulder tends to hurt more after running but not specifically after long runs. But I do know that my shoulder pain really has something to do with the amount of time that I spend pounding/running. That coupled with appropriate adjustments by the chiropractor (yes I believe they help). Of course my shoulder pain is caused by a broken clavicle and partially separated shoulder when I was younger (never had the fracture diagnosed and it healed on its own).

Michelle - Sometimes its best to know when to call uncle. I think DH is getting to that point. (preaching to the choir) Do the things that need to get done and the rest will fall in to place as needed. Take care of DH and the kids - I'm sure your workouts will come back in line when you have more emotional and physical energy.

Gotta fly though 12 miles will take a while to complete (for me) and I need to get done by a reasonable hour so... off to the track (as they say).

Peace,
Les

[ellery]

I see a page 3 in our future sometime soon...

Looking forward to Halloween? Understatement. It's my favorite holiday (plus I just love October in general). It's the only holiday with no guilt, just fun. No, we don't dress up, although the inside of the house is dressed up. We have no real neighbors (basically the other units in our complex are used by transient vacationers, no one permanent), so no trick-or-treaters to look forward to. I have more than enough spirit for any one family, though, so as you an imagine, the bf enjoys it (while rolling his eyes, of course). He bought me some inexpensive Halloween jack-o-lantern lights to string up inside the house the other day, and you would have thought he had given me a million dollars. Love, love, love Halloween. Only 22 more days!

Very good mood on this end. I did force my feet into my running shoes tonight, and lo and behold, didn't die or have an imaginary asthma attack. I took frequent breaks, but ran 75% of the 3.1 miles. I had a slight side stitch throughout, but no breathing difficulties. Don't know if it was mental, or if I was coming down with something that I'm not over, or if it was allergies. Don't care! Maybe it's my new attitude! I'm going to try to run one day this weekend, and see how I do. It's such a tough call on this goal - I never know when to keep pushing and when to take a break. Of course when I'm done, I'm sure that I could have pushed myself harder, but that's not what I'm saying at the time. Oh well.

Nothing much else to report, except that it's my birthday on Monday. Yippee! This will be one of the first that I've actually looked forward to in a long time. It's amazing how good being in a healthy relationship feels. Maybe one of these days I'll get an engagement ring, but I doubt for my birthday. Wouldn't turn it down, though...

Jackie and Michelle, sorry to hear about the continued health problems. I wish I had something to say that could possibly help, but all I've got is empathy. You guys are in my prayers. You too, Les, with all those injuries. Ouch!

Have a good night all. Remember, only 22 more days... :D

[Michelle Achuff]

Leah~ I just had to laugh at the excitement over the Halloween lights. Too funny! I am the same way about certain things. I've never been a tough person to make smile, and gifts for me don't have to be huge (expensive). I love to wear hair ribbons and scarves and I love a pair of toasty warm socks, candles, etc. My husband can buy me a couple yards of ribbon and you'd think he gave me the moon...lol. The simple things make me happy ;) The kids got home from school today (feeling MUCH better!) and we put the Halloween clings up on the front picture windows. They were so excited! Poor little urchins were tuckered out though, they fell asleep at 6:15pm on the couch with Daddy and I carried them off to bed. They are still not used to getting their daily 2 hour nap since kindergarten started (but faithfully take it on the weekend!). Oh and btw.... Happy Early Birthday!!! (That was in case I forget because I can be a dingbat like that sometimes!)

bride~ Hope that IT band works out for you! Is the race on Tuesday a full marathon or is it a 5K? I can't remember :rolleyes: I, myself, have never had back problems (knock on wood) and I know one thing, after watching him go through this, I want to take VERY good care of my spine!

Laura~ I hope things get scheduled too! I'm having one heck of a time getting the doctor to call me back :mad: I may have to show up down there. Honestly, I'm mostly sweet and nice, but when it comes to someone messing with my family...look out. I mostly find my time to work out in the mornings, it's SO quiet! I take the kids to the bus stop (end of the driveway) and the bus gets there about 7:30 am...husband is usually snoozing right now (because of the meds) or he'd be up on his computer reading the news and catching up on email. Anyway, it's just a perfect time to do that workout and then we have breakfast together afterwards. I pretty much stick to the same routines (except for last week!), probably sounds like a rut to most people...but when you like the rut, I don't see the problem so much ;) Still, I'm getting better at becoming more spontaneous (within limits...lol). I'm still working on that one!

Les~ ITA about it's time to call 'uncle'! He is so ready! I'm going easy on myself emotionally and mentally. I'm getting in four workouts this week (did 3 already) and not pushing myself to do the same level I was doing before all of this. I suppose they're kind of 'place holders' like you were talking about before, but they make me feel good. I'm working on being reasonable with myself and understanding. It helps that I fit into some smaller pants...now how on earth did that happen? I wasn't exercising 7 days a week OR measuring myself 20 times a day....lol, go figure ;) Sounds like you're just tearing through your 'training'...way to go with that! Bet you're getting excited as the race gets closer and closer :)


Today was an *awesome* day. I was a flurry of activity, I suppose. I look back and see all that I accomplished and am pretty wowed, myself. But, it wasn't stressful, I don't feel like I worked myself into the ground. Slow and steady wins the race sometimes, I suppose. I started my new book :D Did some research, made some bagel dough for tommorow, cleaned the house, took a nap and we even decorated the windows tonight. I'm a happy camper! Think I'm going to pull out some of my counted cross stitch tonight and work on it while we're doing the tv/movie thing. I haven't done it in so long... anyone else like to stitch? I keep telling myself I'll pick up my scrapbook and get that started again...maybe I'll treat myself with that on Sunday, sounds like a plan to me! :D

Hope everyone has a great evening!


Smiles~

Michelle

[ellery]

I couldn't resist popping in again. I'm trying to help along my bet that we make it to three pages. (Feel free to not point out that my original bet was 5).

I just wanted to point out that the Halloween spirit has now tapped Michelle on the shoulder and said "hello." Hooray for window decorations! Hopefully we can visit the pumpkin patch this weekend and pick out some friends. Not so sure about the carving thing, though. My carving ability is still on a 2nd grade level.

Anyone want to come hang out with me and Charlie Brown in the pumpkin patch and wait for the Great Pumpkin?

:D

[Minky]

OK, Leah, I'll play, too:D I just went out this evening and stuck our little wooden ghosts on stakes into the front-yard garden, so it's official here, too! I'll have DH help me with the orange, purple, and black lights tomorrow when he gets home. The inside of the house is *covered* with decorations (the kids were off school last Thurs and Fri.)

BTW, have you checked out the little booklets (available at craft stores and many supermarkets) that have carving patterns in them? You tear a page out, pin it to the pumpkin, use the pokey tool to mark the edges and then carve away with these cool little "knives" - not much work and they look really cool:) Can you tell that Halloween is also one of my favorite holidays??

On to workout related issues, I felt so good after Pilates Tuesday, I decided to try it again today, and I think I'm hooked:cool: A bonus, I feel nice and stretched out for kickboxing tomorrow.

Happy Friday to everyone!

[JackieO]

Ok, I'm missing "ER," but I'm going to do my part to get this thread on a third page! :p

DH continues to amaze me. The weather is still gorgeous -- I think we hit 80 degrees today -- and he decided to take the bike trail into Green Bay late this morning so he could say that he biked the entire route! :eek: have any of you noticed that this "eek" emoticon is not the equivalent of a "surprise" emoticon? My personal favorite is the "hair standing on end" look of surprise done thusly: =>:-0 I had to explain this (to an engineer) this week: it's hair standing on end, eyebrows raised, eyes open, mouth agape. Is that too difficult??

DH also did something very B-A-D today. In attempting to load cans of Pepsi into the refrigerator, he dropped one, which immediately developed several holes at BOTH ends of the can, shooting Pepsi all over the kitchen. He made a valiant effort in cleaning it up, but he is a guy, after all. (sorry, Les :( ) I mopped the area TWICE tonight with a Sp1c*-and-Span solution in order to get it clean. Think of it -- that was less than a can of Pepsi and it was that sticky to clean up. What must that do to one's insides when one DRINKS the stuff as opposed to spraying it in one's kitchen???

DS is suffering "new kid syndrome" -- sort of a delayed reaction, something akin to battle fatigue or post-traumatic stress syndrome, I suppose. He hates our tennis club (for different reasons than I do, and I think I have dealt with my issues -- my weight over the winter will most likely go up, but I'll figure out a way to deal with that, too! ;) ), he says "being the new kid sucks" (which I can understand), but he's having an awful time reconciling himself with what his relationship will be like going forward with his friends in our old community. Part of me thought it was great that he could still maintain contact with them thru their instant message routine, but as I knew at the back of my mind, teen-age IM is REALLY shallow -- DS has nothing to say to his old friends because when he asks, "What's new?" they say, "Not much." That seems to be the sum and substance to IM chat in general, and when I broached the notion of spending a weekend back in Milwaukee next week (before his orthodontist appointment -- we pre=paid a Milwaukee dentist :mad: ), he had a virulent reaction. NO WAY does he want to see his old friends. :confused:

Enough about me....thanks to all for your good wishes and support for my sister. We're going to be fine....the attitudes are positive all the way around and despite some adversity this year, we have lots to be thankful for.

I'm a real party-pooper when it comes to decorating for the holidays -- I actually HATE decorating! :o My philosophy is that what you put up has to be taken down, so why bother? I can get into what other people do, however, and I'm feeling like a real slug for not buying a bunch of pumpkins at the grocery store on Saturday. HUGE pumpkins for $0.99 each -- no limit. I'm not very good at carving, so didn't buy any. DS was horribly disappointed, and when I refused to buy a $4.99 puny pumpkin at the grocery store on OUR side of the river (the bridge in town is severely congested), he was outraged. Maybe this Saturday...

Which will be here before I know it if I don't sign off. I'm rambling. Thanks for your patience!

* the sensors on this board are so sensitive that when I wrote s-p-i-c- for the cleaning solution it bleeped it out!!!

[mst]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome!

Les- Thanks for the thought about my feet. I do wear orthodics, but my feet still give me lots of trouble. I am hoping that the exercises that they taught me in PT will help.

Ellery- Halloween is my favorite too! It is my best friend's birthday, so it has been a huge holiday for years. I am putting up decorations this weekend...

I ended up doing a half hour walk, two days so far! I feel like an old lady, but I always do too much too soon and end up injured.

I am at my heaviest weight right now, and want to lose weight and get in shape since I think we might try to get pregnant in the next year or two!

And, just so you all know- I am very small- under five feet. My heaviest weight and my lightest weight are within nine pounds of one another. But, on me, that makes a HUGE difference. So, each pound is very difficult for me to lose.

[Leslie Ferguson]

I think I blinked! How do we keep up here? I'll do my part to get to page 3 (and beyond).
Not many decorations around the house for Halloween. LW does her best to get in the spirit (no pun) with jack-o-lantern earrings and sweaters (if it would ever get cool enough for sweaters). Halloween is pretty fun around here - lots of kids in the neighborhood and we generally put on a good show regardless.

Jackie - I empathize with DS having moved in the 4th grade (twice), 6th grade, and between 10th and 11th grades so I'm really familiar with the new kid syndrome. He'll get over it - trust me. No offense taken about the male cleaning shot - my cleaning gene isn't the same one as LWs either. I can do a mean bathroom and a decent job on dishes and vacuuming but when it comes to floors and the like I can't hold a candle to her. I liked the surprised emoticon. Leave it to an engineer to not understand the emoticon either. :rolleyes:

Michelle - Right now I'm not sure whether I'm tearing through my training or it's tearing through me. I'm starting to feel the miles but I know that if I don't feel these I'll certainly feel them during the race. My hat's off to you and DH, and I'm like you - you can maltreat me all you want and I'll generally take it but fool with LW and WATCH OUT! Place holders are okay because you get the feel of a workout and spend some of that pent up energy that you really want to get rid of but aren't saddled with the full workout. As for pants size - ain't stress grand? I haven't stitched in years but found it very relaxing and enjoyable when I did it. I still have a couple projects that need to be matted and framed (the real cost of cross stitch in my book).

Leah - What a vivid picture you paint of your house at Halloween. I can really get a good vision of the apartment. Carving at the 2nd grade level is always acceptable too. Get in touch with you inner child in my book.

mst - My pleasure. PT is a fantastic thing and works wonders (if you do the exercises - there's my problem).

Really feeling the 10 miles of race pace. Can't wait for my rest day tomorrow. These weeks are starting to take a toll on me too.

To sleep perchance to dream. Peaceful evenings to all,
Les

[JackieO]

Originally posted by mst

And, just so you all know- I am very small- under five feet. My heaviest weight and my lightest weight are within nine pounds of one another. But, on me, that makes a HUGE difference. So, each pound is very difficult for me to lose.

Welcome, and don't feel like the lone ranger! :D

I am only 5'2" and my weight has ranged from about 110 lbs. at age 18 to 120 lbs. at age 19 (the freshman ten!), and it hovered between 108-115 from age 22 (when I started running, my first real exercise program) to when I got pregnant at age 33. I ran until about my eighth month of pregnancy and topped out at 138 lbs. before delivery, got back to 115 within two weeks of delivery (although the weight was SIGNIFICANTLY redistributed :o !) Within a few more months, I was back to 111, but didn't stay there long. Middle age, graduate school, a hectic work life and raising a kid all contributed to a weight gain back up to 129 lbs. by 1998. I joined Weight Watchers before my 25th HS reunion that year, got back to 115 and realized it was not a healthy weight for me -- maturity brings <some> wisdom to the fore. I try to maintain at 120 now, which any weight chart you consult for my age/height says is a good weight. I try not to obsess about the number and just judge how my clothes feel -- something I have had to really concentrate on now that I have moved to this somewhat low-rent health club that doesn't have a digital scale and I don't trust the calibration of the funky scale in the ladies' locker room that relies on a carpenter's level for accuracy. :rolleyes: But I digress and I am really being wordy tonight (read above post!) :o

My point is just to let you know that short people aren't worried about "vanity weight" as some authorities might call it. Look at the charts the "authorities" post out there for weight/height and 10 lbs. is significant for people who are vertically challenged. My $0.02

[tmsl]

Hi all,

From reading the recent posts, I am not the only vertically challenged person on this thread. I am about 5'1" and weigh about 125 lbs, which I would like to see lower. It does make a big difference when you have less room to distribute extra weight. My sister is about 5'6" and always looks stick thin and I am sure she doesn't weigh much more than I do. I don't worry too much about the numbers as the weight lifting I have done in the last year has toned me up a lot. I fit in smaller clothes if I don't weight significantly less. I was lower weight in '98 when I did Weight Watchers but I didn't feel good. I don't think I was eating enough and my body felt it. I can eat more now due to exercise and still fit into the clothes I was in when doing WW. I guess it is a balancing act at our height.

To all the Halloweeners out there, enjoy the holiday for me this year. Since DH has developed sugar problems this year, he has asked that we not be home on Halloween. We usually have a good number of trick or treaters but he does not want the temptation of the candy in the house, so it is best to not be home that night. We used the carving kits in the past and they work great, but we won't attempt it this year.

This is a busy time of year for me as furniture market starts next week. I have been extremely busy at work and very tired from it. As a result, I did not work out Tues or Wed but did get a 2 mile run in last night. I plan to do at least that tonight and maybe a short swim. I have decided to forgo the weights until after the race next weekend. I have felt stiff all week and don't want to face that next week as well. We have a full weekend planned as well, no rest for the weary.

Leah-Happy Birthday, in case I forget. It seems like my whole family has birthdays this month so you are in good company.

To all who are sick and hurting, you are in my thoughts & prayers.

Take care and have a good weekend.

Laura K.

[Michelle Achuff]

From working out, that is....lol. I suppose I never really have a day 'off' completely. (Maybe when the kids go to college ;)) I feel really good and upbeat about doing this for myself today. That's so nice!

Leah~ We have yet to get our pumpkin. I like to wait a while. Stinky punkins (as the kids call them) are NOT a good thing...lol. One thing I am looking forward too...roasted pumpkin seeds....ohhh yummm!

Minky~ Awesome that you're getting hooked on Pilates. I'm loving it too, something I look forward to every single week. I feel so relaxed and just a wee bit taller afterward...lol. Truly, it's helping with my posture. I don't know if it's the actual exercise or if it's the fact that I am just more hyper *aware* of it now, but it is to the point where the good posture feels better than bad posture (where before good posture just felt like *work*!) Hope it continues to be a good experience for you.

Jackie~ Ugh about the Pepsi! I have had that happen on the inside of our fridge before...NO fun! If that happened in our kitchen it would be all over the *carpet* (I shudder to think, but at least steam cleaning would get it up and it wouldn't be 'sticky'). So true, it's an eye opener about what it probably does to the inside of our bodies. I broke weak in the hospital and had half a coke (which honestly didn't even taste *that* great to me after all of this time), but I've given it up for a while now (2 months I think)? I stay away from most carbonated things. Just think tea or water or juice is a much better option. I stick mainly with water though, or tea through a straw (I'm phobic/fanatic about my teeth, it's a thing with me...lol).

Sorry to hear about your DS :( That's never any fun. Although I stayed with the same kids in school through high school (for the most part), we moved when I was almost out of school and it changed grade schools for my brother. I saw how difficult that was on him. It probably seems strange that he doesn't see his old friends, but I wonder if he's not thinking 'what's the point?' It might make him miss them even more. Anyway, I hope things start cheering up for him soon and he finds a bunch of great new friends. I didn't realize you moved from Milwaukee...for some reason I thought you moved from Montana? Am I totally losing my mind here?? :confused:

You're a good woman...missing ER for us...LOL. Sorry, but there's NO WAY I was missing CSI *or* Without A Trace last night. DH and I are totally hooked on CSI LV and Miami :) Oh, and btw...height and weight charts...I HATE! (RE: short people and weight). I'm not a short person, but my body is a bit odd in some ways. I carry *all* of my weight in my stomach. That is, any body fat. My legs/thighs are slender for my height and arms very proportionate, but ugh this stomach...part of why I've been working so hard on abdominals, something's gotta give. Anyway, I don't even go by weight anymore. I feel better than I ever have before...at one time I was up to 225 lbs and a size 22, now I'm 180 something (don't know exactly) and a size 14...go figure. Most people that I know are like, you weigh 180? You sure don't look it (and I don't think they're just being nice!). At least I don't 'look it' lol.

I am so tired of all of the numbers (as I posted a rant here about that a couple of weeks ago). I'm seeing all kinds of programs with weight/inches goal setting and I think, *really* what is the point? Someone here, Jeanne?, told me that setting goals for yourself OUTSIDE of that stuff, more geared to being healthy and feeling good was more productive. I agree. I'm starting to think that if I just aim to do what feels *good* to my body and be more healthy, the other stuff follows. I'm not an advocate of Dr. Phil, at ALL. I think he's a commercial marketing hound (but hey, that's America ;)), especially with all of his supplements and shakes, etc. now. But, one thing he said I totally agreed with. He said that sometimes we set a weight goal and it's just not a healthy or realistic possibility, and trying to reach it can be a detriment to us physically and mentally. For example, the 10 pounds that just *won't* go away even with your vigilance. Perhaps, just maybe, it's supposed to be there? If you're doing all of the 'right' things, this makes sense to me. Just something to think about... Course, I wanted to say, Phillll, if we would stop worrying about the *numbers* and just focus on being *healthy* that wouldn't be an issue! And he turns around and has the people participating in his 'challenge' set a weight goal :confused: is it me, or does that seem counter productive???

Ok, I'm off my soap box about Dr. Phil...lol.

mst~ You're welcome :) Hope you'll keep hanging out here. What IS the program that you're doing? I read about the 'couch', but I have no idea what you mean by that.

Les~ LOL, I know the pants thing must be stress (although I'd like to believe it's just cuz I'm living healthier...;)). But, I'll take it, not because I even care about being *smaller* anymore (I'm slowly getting over that), but because it's nice to wear some clothes I haven't worn in a while. I'm careful about what I choose to buy and take real good care of it so they last a long, long time. I hate buying new 'basic' clothing. Now shoes...that's a different story. lol Neato that you like to stitch. I broke out one of mine last night (have 3 WIPs, but I just switch when I get bored...lol, or frustrated!) ITA, that framing is THE expense in cross stitching. Thankfully, it takes me plenty of time to get them done so we don't go broke for the framing ;) I do a lot of Paula Vaughan designs...here is the one I was working on last night..

http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/7690/leaflets/grannysattic.jpg

Ok, I'm off to make some bagels and I've got the cleaning bug...it's time to de-clutter! Happy Friday everyone.

Smiles~!

Michelle

[karen w]

Wow,
What a busy thread. I tried to post last night, but my internet connection was on the fritz. I don't have time to catch up right now. I just wanted to shout, "yay!!!!" Our bike finally arrived last night, and DH has already put it together! I did a little pedaling this morning after my swim just to check it out. It's REALLY nice...Diamondback recumbant with lots of bells and whistles:D .

Have a great weekend everyone!
Another vertically challenged poster(5'2")

Karen

[Leslie Ferguson]

Happy Friday from Norfolk. I'm kind of reminded of Oregon in the Fall today - grey and damp. One of those "nice to be inside" days. I'll admit it, I'm not one of the vertically challenged at 6 feet tall (male) so I haven't suffered with the 10 lbs. problem (back in the days when I had the extra weight).

Great to see so many folks that are concerned more with their health than with a number on a scale/tape. There are lots of folks who think that very thin is in. But I know from painful personal experience that there is such a thing as too light - having got as low as about 140-145 a few years ago (1996) having started at 225 (in 1993). 140 isn't a healthy weight for me.

Michelle - Happy day off. I'm not a fan of, nor have I ever really watched, Dr. Phil - he's just like you called him, a commercial marketing hound. Every once in a while you hear of a good phrase coming from him and personally I agree with the comment you related. That "last 10 pounds" may not need to be lost or even worse if it was lost your body would totally revolt. Congratulations on (more or less) staying away from the tape and the scale because how you feel about yourself is more important than a number that you "hang" on your body.

Karen W - A new "toy" - good for you!! Hope that you enjoy the new bike. Did you get right on and give it a spin? :)

Laura K - Best of luck to you in your race next weekend - we're pulling for you. What part of furniture manufacturing do you do? It finally dawned on me that you were from "that" part of North Carolina. A beautiful place to be I'd imagine.

I'm enjoying my day off from running (like Michelle) in preparation for 22 tomorrow morning. Hope everyone has neat things planned for Columbus Day (holiday?).

Here's to page 3 and more to Peace,
Les

[ellery]

Still trying to get us to page 3.

I'm actually at work right now, having finally been hooked up to the computer and given email access. A big relief, since as anyone who's ever had to start a new job knows, the first week or two you don't do much. I've been reading manuals and socializing and making up tasks for myself and basically just trying to stay awake, so it's nice to have the internet as an option before they remember that I'm here and I actually have to work. (!)

Boo! Who started the numbers game? No, Michelle, that was me ranting about being fixated on numbers and how we should set goals beyond that. Being a nice, muscular, solid girl like myself, I've always especially hated the numbers game. I'm 5'3 and would be anorexic looking if I was 115, which is what the charts say I should be. Therefore I don't even worry about it anymore (plus recovering from that danged eating disorder helped me change my focus!). I propose a ban on comparing numbers on this board. WE ARE MORE THAN A NUMBER ON A SCALE.

Not much to report here. Still at work but plan to hit the gym afterwards and lift, then do the grocery shopping, then come home, shower and cook dinner for the man and myself. This June Cleaver stuff is no fun anymore now that I'm employed and spend half of my life in my car. Hmm. I spy a compromise on the horizon. (this is also what triggered my tantrum last weekend - the lack of division of household chores)

Should have a fun weekend to look forward to though (and plan the compromise). Local jazz festival on Saturday with Blues Traveler (yippee!), and hopefully buying a pumpkin and doing some other errands and hopefully a jog. I'm also going to work that birthday girl routine and see how much special treatment I can demand before the day is gone. I prefer to draw it out. He only gets special treatment for a day, but I'm a princess so I need more than one day. :D

Oh well. Hope everyone else's day is going well. Welcome aboard to those who have decided to jump on the Halloween holiday mischief hayride with me. I may try to make those spiderweb cookies in the October issue. I just love this holiday!!! Only 21 more days!!!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by ellery
Boo! Who started the numbers game? No, Michelle, that was me ranting about being fixated on numbers. Being a nice, muscular, solid girl like myself, I've always especially hated the numbers game. I'm 5'3 and would be anorexic looking if I was 115, which is what the charts say I should be. Therefore I don't even worry about it anymore (plus recovering from that danged eating disorder helped me change my focus!). I propose a ban on comparing numbers on this board. WE ARE MORE THAN A NUMBER ON A SCALE.

Even though I was guilty as charged I second the motion - no numbers on the board!


Not much to report here. Still at work but plan to hit the gym afterwards and lift, then do the grocery shopping, then come home, shower and cook dinner for the man and myself. This June Cleaver stuff is no fun anymore now that I'm employed and spend half of my life in my car. Hmm. I spy a compromise on the horizon. (this is also what triggered my tantrum last weekend - the lack of division of household chores)

Should have a fun weekend to look forward to though (and plan the compromise). Local jazz festival on Saturday with Blues Traveler (yippee!), and hopefully buying a pumpkin and doing some other errands and hopefully a jog. I'm also going to work that birthday girl routine and see how much special treatment I can demand before the day is gone. I prefer to draw it out. He only gets special treatment for a day, but I'm a princess so I need more than one day. :D

I'm all for division of labor. You should get bf into the house routine. BTW - does bf cook well? If not why not try?

Happy Halloween preparations and have a good weekend,
Les

[ellery]

Les, I'm on to you. You just copied all of my last entry because you too want to see if we can get to page 3. :)

Yeah, don't know what to do about that division of labor thing. He doesn't cook anything but one recipe (pasta, of course, typical man that he is - sorry Les, but you're extraordinary), and his cooking tends to pay no attention to being healthy. He also professes no interest in learning how to cook more than one dish, and even less interest in cooking anything remotely healthy. It was therefore out of desperation that I started learning how to cook more when we started dating. Don't see as I have any more options other than us going out to eat, which I'm not too big a fan of (too frequently, that is) since I have no self-control in resteraunts, and besides, it's nice to eat a nice home-cooked meal. Besides, I kinda enjoy cooking - when it's not too often, not obligatory, and I have the time. I don't know how working moms do it.

As for household chores, well, they simply haven't been done this week since I have essentially no free time anymore (I don't consider gym time free time) other than the hour or so before I go to bed and in which I'm winding down. Assigning chores is tough (he is blind to dust and mildew) but I guess I'll figure something out. Again, I don't know how the rest of you do it. This is my first experience co-habitating and my enabling/ controlling self has been unwilling to delegate thus far, but something's gotta give! Feel free to offer advice.

Okay, I've rambled long enough. Surely we're at page 3 by now?

[Michelle Achuff]

Originally posted by ellery
This June Cleaver stuff is no fun anymore now that I'm employed and spend half of my life in my car. Hmm. I spy a compromise on the horizon.

You're so right...when you work all of the time (or commute)you *can't* do what June does! That's expecting superwoman/mom/wife, and setting a standard for perfection that isn't even achievable. I had to laugh though when I read that comment. My friends, they all tease me and call me June, but I don't mind so much ;) She, she was always my hero. Any woman that can look *that* put together with two boys in the house and vacuums in a dress and heels....right on, you go girl! LOL I actually have a polka dot (black and white) dress that looks like it's from the fifties (although it's a halter, a bit racy by June's standards). I routinely wear it out in the summer time with DH, complete with a pair of white gloves and little black box purse. I *love* clothing from the 40's 50's, and if we had the money, I'd have lots more of it ;)

Anyway, I suppose this is a little soapbox of mine. We hear constantly as women that you can 'have it all'. They try to tell you that you can work 90 hours a week, have an hour commute each day and still be at home vacumming in your pearls and baking cookies for your kids every day. Unrealistic, I say! When it comes down to brass tacks, we all make choices, for whatever the reasons....everyone has their own kind of goal in life and people are, by and large where they choose to be (or where they choose to be until they get where they're headed!). I think the idea of 'having it all' is what makes people run around like chickens with their heads cut off. It makes me sad to see it.

I often see people that are in their fifties or sixties and say...what am I doing with my life? Did I forget to live? And it's largely because they made choices that everyone else told them they *should* make and they didn't do what they really wanted to do. I suppose I feel pretty lucky at this young age (I really am a whippersnapper...lol)to have made some choices to get me where *I* want to be. Don't have big fancy cars, or own a big expensive home, but I have the things I always wanted and I'm even pursuing my dreams of writing. Of course, it was quite a road getting here. I had my share of struggles and even moments when I thought what I wanted was truly impossible. Anyway, Leah, if you're happy working, don't set the standard to be 'June', why should you? ;)

Anyway, good luck to the divding of chores (and I agree, Les is extraordinary! :D) There's no dividing here. I truly serve my husband, especially in a domestic sense and I love every moment of it. And I can do what I do because he makes it possible (ex: he makes a 'living' from retirement and supports and even insists on me staying home, which is what I wanted in the first place!). People just shouldn't hold themselves to other people's standards of living. We're all so different and I think that's great!

Oh, and lol, sorry to steal your words about numbers and give them to JeAnne :eek: I knew someone here said it!!! Did I tell you guys that I didn't even measure myself on October first and....I DIDN'T CARE!!!!! November is coming and I may go wild, I may wait till December...lol.

Happy Friday Everyone!!!!!

Smiles~

Michelle
(who is *totally* in agreement with Les...no more numbers!!!!!! :D Yipppeeee I feel freeeeee!)

[Minky]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Michelle Achuff
[B] Any woman that can look *that* put together with two boys in the house and vacuums in a dress and heels....right on, you go girl!

People just shouldn't hold themselves to other people's standards of living. We're all so different and I think that's great!


Well said, Michelle:) And I just had to giggle at the June Cleaver thing, vacuuming in a dress and heels - she would have been mortified to see me sweating buckets during circuit class this morning:o An awful lot of walking lunges and jumping rope - I'm sure I'll be cursing the instructor when I *attempt* to get out of bed tomorrow morning!

I hope everyone has a great weekend - any second now we're going to flip to page three....:D

[Leslie Ferguson]

:o Aw, shucks. :o Thanks for the complements, I wish there were more people who were willing to share around the house. Even dear Dad did his fair share when he was home from the Navy. Personally, I think I learned it from him and my Mom. Dad always had his hands in the dishes and did wash, etc. when his shipboard duties permitted. Plus I learned early on how to do all "those chores" - ironing, washing dishes for 5 by hand, sewing (both by hand and machine) and mending clothes. There is a lot to be said for we act like we were taught as children (of course I have no chlidren to prove that) - and there are three of us in my family that are living proof of that assertion.

Leah - Wish I had some advice to get bf to help with healthy cooking. Maybe having him help you prep something and letting him cook something that you've prepped. I know that when I was just learning to love cooking I did a much better job following Mom's or Grandma's recipe. Once I got hooked it was easy for me to start experimenting. Of course I think it may be good for me to point out that I am somewhat obsessive and a true Type A, controlling personality. But in the case of my cooking that isn't a bad thing (at least that's what LW says :) ). Just had a thought - why not have bf cook something "manly" that is healthy (and just don't tell him)? What I'm thinking of is something like Grilled Tuna Steaks marinated in soy, fresh garlic, and sesame oil (I marinated 1 1/5 pounds of fish in 1/3 c. low-sodium soy sauce, 2 cloves of grlic chopped, and about 2 teaspoons of sesame oil for about 2 hours). Let him toss those "slab 'o fish" on the grill and make them like steaks. If he even somewhat likes fish he'll love the tuna cooked that way.

And I echo the false image of June Cleaver. Mom and LW both get all red-faced and grimy when they clean - so I guess that's my image of what cleaning is all about. June just isn't my picture of the "perfect mother" around the house.

Michelle - I'm glad you have the opportunity to work around the house and that DH supports that decision. Like you say, all too often we reach our "golden years" and realize that we really haven't done the things with our lives that have really fed us. Luckily I've come to that realization at a relatively early age (40-ish) and am trying to do something about it. And great job staying away from the tape on Oct 1st and here's to staying away from the tape until December. You can do it!!

I really appreciated the rest day today. I'm feeling a little more human and will turn in early tonight to try and get some reasonable recovery sleep tonight. I'll need it for tomorrow's 22 miler. Remind me why I'm doing this... Oh yeah, I'm running a marathon in 5 weeks from tomorrow and if I don't pay now I'll pay later. Been there and never want to go down that road again.

FWIW - I heard from Cindi off line and she's doing well - kind of swamped with a new puppy and fall in New England. Hope she gets back to the thread soon.

If we aren't at three pages by now I don't know when we'll get there but... Happy trails and peace to all this weekend.
Les

[karen w]

Wow, we made three pages!!!

Just checking in to wish everyone a good weekend, and nice workouts!! I just took my first REAL spin on my new "toy"(recumbant bike). Wow, I'm not used to sweating since I swim everyday!!! But it felt kinda' nice!;) I figure I'll start slow so I pedaled for 30 min. this a.m. at the third intensity level. It said I burned 500 cals., but I don't beleive these machines when it comes to cal. monitors. Anyway the bottom line is that I did like doing, and I hope it enhances my swimming too!!

Just another side note regarding the #'s ....DH and I decided a few years ago when we were discussing purchasing a scale for the home, not to get one. To this day we do not own a scale. I have never had a weight problem, and with having a daughter(DD is 4yrs. old now), we knew there could be a lot of potential problems in the future with the way our society portrays women, eating disorders, having a thin mom etc.... so we just don't want to have a scale around for her to obsess over #'s when she hits that stage. I know she could probably weigh herself elsewhere, but it makes it more difficult. And perhaps, if mommy and daddy aren't concerned about #'s, well then.....maybe she won't be? We shall see. Enough said for now!

Stay well All!
Karen

[Leslie Ferguson]

Horray for making it to page 3!!!

Karen W - You sound thrilled! Glad the bike was worth the wait.

I'll tell you that things went well this morning (or at least as well as can be expected :rolleyes: ). 22+ miles in about 3:16 and am I tired. This was a hard week but guess what... there are exactly 5 weeks until the race is over. 2 more 12 mile long runs, a 24 mile long run, and an 8 mile long run then the race. The miles are really starting to pile up and take their toll.

Interesting question - does anyone ever get cold after a long workout? I've been cold for nearly 5 hours (since finishing my run). I can't seem to get warmed up at all - maybe I'll just have to get in a steaming shower.

On the up side of the run - my right foot came through with only residual pain (the healing process is doing it's thing). But I tweaked my left arch stepping over a hole in the road. I think it'll be okay but it was sore after the run.

Taking a relaxing afternoon to recuperate before heading to the gym tomorrow afternoon.

Hope everyone has a good weekend and I'll check back tonight.

Peace and happy (slow) trails,
Les

[mst]

I did not have a chance to read everything yet, but wanted to tell the short women that you all sound tall to me!:D I am 4'10''!

Unfortunately, I must admit that I am a slave to my scale. Every single morning and in the buff- I wouldn't want to risk the socks adding a pound!

I am feeling unhealthy and hate when my pants feel tight. As I mentioned earlier, my DH and I are thinking of getting pregnant in the next two years, and I really want my body to be functioning at it's best! I want to eat good foods, and exercise so that I can give my child the best start that I can. Plus, I want to be a healthy mom who cooks healthy food (rather than the stuff I sometimes eat!)

Michelle- The "Couch to 5K" program is a program from coolrunning.com. It looks very sensible. You start by running 60 seconds every two minutes (or something like that), and works you up to 5K. I think it is a very appropriate goal for me.

I have run 2 5k's in my life and one 10k. They were HUGE accomplishments (especially for the girl who was in remedial gym as a child- no kidding!) When I ran my 10K, the paramedics met me at the finish line. Not a great feeling, but lots of fun. And, because I worked for the company sponsoring the run, they read my name as I crossed the finish line. Of course, most people had stopped watching by then, since it was an hour and a half into the race, and most of the walkers had made it in!:D

I slacked yesterday and today, but will get back to it tomorrow...

[Leslie Ferguson]

mst - Nothing ever changes overnight. It takes years of "practice" to develop habits that will last for the rest of your life (hopefully). The best I can say is be as healthful as you can and the rest will fall into place. It's not unlike the adage that goes something like:
"How does one eat an elephant? One bite at a time."
I know from years of desperately trying to lose weight that my best results came when I gave up daily accounting for my weight - I literally kept my weight and calorie intake in a book - in the long run I never lost a single pound. Once I moved to college and away from the scale (ok - and to a regimented social structure of the Navy and Marine Corps ROTC and it's exercise program) that I really lost weight and built a body that could do the things it needed to do. But like I said that took about a year of college to overcome 8 years of trying to lose weight by counting everything I ate.
The "Couch to 5K" program seems to be a good program for the just starting runner. Best of luck to you.

Happy trails (picking up speed now) to all,
Les