" You are a farmer, your thoughts are you seeds, your words and your actions water them. What are you growing today?"....Joseph Araza Well MARCHers - I write this in the mood of gloom....not because of you - my dear fellow MARCHers - but because of the loss of the Patriots in the Super Bowl. How depressing! But...we must go on - there is always next year! And congratulations are in order for all you New York Giant fans! So I will be the farmer today and send you a few seeds and your action can water then! This is what we will grow today.... 1. Breakfast - according to an article I read in Good Housekeeping magazine..."a well-balanced meal at the start of the day is a key part of any stay-slim plan. Research shows that breakfast eaters typcially consume about 100 fewer calaories during the course of the day and weigh less than those who forgo food in the morning. This strategy works in the long run, too. Nearly 80% of participants in the National Weight Control Registry, which charts dieters who have kept off 30 pounds for a year or longer, have breakfast every day. An extra perk of eating a nutrient-dense morning meal: It supplies glucose to your brain to help you think clearly and function optimally until lunchtime." 2. Calcium - no days off! Again from a Good Housekeeping article..."Skip your calcium supplement every now and then and you could be missing out on big benefits. When Australian researchers reviewed 17 studies, they found that people who consistently took calcium reduced their risk of bone fractures by 24%. But if supplement users missed doses more than 20% of the time, they cut the payoff - by half. You get the most protection by taking at least 1200 milligrams of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D, the researchers found, BUT only when you do it daily. So MARCHers - water your seeds that I have planted on you today. Eat breakfast and take your calcium. If you forget your calcium only 1 day during the week, that is almost a 20% reduction and you don't want any broken bones. And since I am planting seeds, how about drinking 8 glasses of water today and do just a little bit of exercise. They say that 2 or 3 15-minutes doses of exercise spread out during the day is as good as 30-45 consecutive minutes. So I think we can all get in 15 minutes of some type of exercise today and can do it 2 or 3 times. Anybody can take 15 minutes and go on a brisk walk this morning and again this afternoon. So now that I have planted the ideas, you can water your seeds and grow into that healthy, trim person you want to become or stay! Hugs to all, Barbara

Barbara, I certainly agree with everything that was said in the article. Thanks for sharing it with us. Have a great weekend, Rick

hey there everyone today was a hectic day...it seemed like I never got out of my car...from 8 this morn unti 830 this evening...any who...I finally got my (here is your present for doing such a great job with the wl.....hubby bought me a lap top....yeah baby...so exciting...so that is my day...here is what I ate today.. pre-breakfast: coffee breakfast: zone perfect bar 23.4 oz of crystal light lunch: steak quasdilla with cheese 1 liter of Crystal Light supper: 5oz chicken with 2 cups of salad Love you All Jannine 357/163/157/TT

YAY! It's so nice to be in CA. Thank you for helping us track our progress and pointing out all of the great stops along the way. You are the bestest! Hugs, Stephanie

Weekends definitely throw me off...they are not structured like a work week...I never forget my vitamins during the week and seldom do on weekends, but at work I lay them out on my desk and know they have to be gone by the time I do in the afternoon. On the weekend I have to work at remembering them. I get more "cleaning up" exercise done on the weekends by necessity!!!! Who wants to clean up during the week!!! I get up so early to go to work and am tired at night and don't do much cleaning unless I am expecting company!!! And in warm weather it is easier to do more walking, exploring, whatever. Oh well...hurry up spring! Have a good weekend everybody!