DAY 1 OF THE 30 DAY SHRED!

Good morning good Marchers! I just started a new workout and I wanted to pass it along to you - it's Jillian Michaels (The Biggest Loser fitness coach) and it's called "Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred" - her philosophy is a combination of strength training, cardio, and abs in one 20 minute session - so she does a series of 3-2-1: 3 minutes of strength training, followed with 2 minutes of cardio, followed with 1 minute of abs. The DVD has three different levels of intensity and you are the judge as to when you feel you can advance to the next level. I just did level 1 (of course!) and it's very doable, and I feel really good right now! Only 20 minutes. I'm going to do this for the 30 days and see what happens - just in time for my 3/8 anniversary! In the meantime, on my way home from the conference yesterday, I shared with two colleages (from my department and who traveled with me to Boston) my dilemma about the sugar addiction and Judy's M&M's at work - it felt really good to get that "work secret" (which of course is no secret) out of my head. They were both tremendously sympathetic and helpful - one piece of advice was that I should buy a large chocolate bar of the very dark chocolate and just have a nibble of it once a day to take the edge off - one of my friends said that this kind of chocolate doesn't have any sugar in it - is this true? Do you know anything about this? That this is just dark chocolate derived from cocoa - no sugar. Let me know your thoughts. At any rate, I feel better already and will keep going. I WILL NOT GIVE UP ON THIS! Have a super day - it's off to be with Laela now!
Peace,
Maureen


158.5/157/140

I dont' kknow if dark chocolate has no sugar in it. I know how good you are about checkign these things out so if i was you I'd put my detective cap on and look into that.
But, Reenie this is something I might be able to help you with.
Have you ever tried carab? if you like dark chocolate its similar.
I buy sugar free carab at a health food store in Norwich called Ginger root it is off of route 32. they have them in small packages of carab coated almonds and carab coated rasins. I love the almonds the best and your getting a good nut in there too.
what i love about carab is that it is caffeine free which I can not tolerate,
It gives me my chocolate fix and its better for you than chocoate.
as you know everything has calories so even though your getting nice healthy carab and good for you almonds your still taking in what can be weight increasing calories.
they could be an addition to your diet that is better for you than m&m's that will give you the same feelings of yummy.
again they taste alot like dark chocolate so it is an aquired taste.
I have friends who have tried them that make faces. If your expecting the sweet sweet taste your not going to get it.
the store ginger root is great for some other low calorie healthy sweet snacks that do not have sugar added. their dried apple or pineapple or peaches slices are crunchy and sweet without sugar added its just the fruit.,
I pay alittle more for their things but when i get my sweet attack I know I'm eating better things for me than whats on the inexpensive candy counter and it gives me the kick that i'm craving.

You are taking such good care of yourself!   Actually, i put my sluething cap on today and read the specs on about a dozen different dark, dark chocolate candy bars - all of them had sugar of some kind listed in the ingredients - I will have to let Kristin know that she's misinformed... I didn't know about carab or about this terrific sounding store in Norwich - will have to pay them a visit. Thanks for this, Pam! Hey, keep up the wonderfully good work - you're inspiring me to get back on my health track - full speed ahead!

Peace,
Maureen

I guess the chocolate your friend was talking about was pure chocolate. I used to do classes with the first and second grade kids when they were studying "sweet, sour , bitter and salty" tasting foods. I would buy the pure chocolate squares you use in cooking and is does not have sugar, it is so bitter, you can't eat it by its self.  Judy

Hi Judy!    It's so good to see you, how are you, my friend? Maureen

Hi Maureen, I'm not doing good, but today is a new day!! Again!!  My staff is starting a new thing today and  we're all going to try to do better. I am going to do the 5 mini meals a day. I'm going to post on here what I eat and try again to get the weight off. Have a great week!  Judy

We can do this, Judy! I LOVE that you never, ever quit - you keep me going! Take good care of yourself today. Maureen

Reenie I know we are not far from each other. So since I am in the area of Ginger root daily if you are interested in trying the carab I can pick up a sample for you to try.

Aw Pam - thanks! I so often think of you and how close we are - let's do this: why don't you plan to stop by the college one day and I'll take you to lunch? That would be so great to see you again, it's been way too long. We can commisserate together and share what's working for us, what's not - and just have a girlfriend hour together, how I would love that! You can bring me some carab then, what do you say??? By the way, I found a large candy bar today (the kind you break off little square pieces at a time) and it's 85% dark semi-sweet chocolate with only 3 grams of sugar per serving (one serving is 1/2 the bar). So I'm gonna try slowly sucking on one square piece a day to stave off the chocolate M&M's cravings - see if this works for this week! Wish me luck, guys. Let me know, Pammie!

Peace,
Maureen

Reenie,
I will send a private message with my cell phone number so that you can call me to set up plans. for me its hard to take a lunch at a normal time. Mondays are bad mid week is good. Ginger root is closed on mondays. I'll stop there tues or wed. we'll figure out the day and time later.