What Have You Done Today to Make You Feel Proud?

Hol, come on down! Oh wait, I live by TWO active volcanos!  So you may want to go to SoCal - maybe stop at heathers in Oregon.

Yup, stay off the internet!

Mary...I s'wan...you and me could just maybe conquer the world we is such strong wimmins!  I can work like that too!  It is just about garden time here, too! The old man has been out there keeping the weeds at bay and working on sprinklers.  I need to start flower seeds.

I TRY to do yardwork in shorter spurts - a body could get mighty sore when we push ourselves all day like that...but like you it is addicting for moi to be outside and working up a sweat!

My classes at the Y on Tues/Thursday have been getting me even stronger.  So, that is my proud for yesterday.

I had a bad day with self esteem yesterday - would not re-enter the Biggest Loser at work cuz of my recent gain on the scale.  Just PO'ed at my body.  This anger is in my gut but not my soul...I intellectually know that I really am doing well - certainly can do better - and I will.

Awwwe Neecee, it saddens my heart to think of you having self esteem issues.     We're so used to you being the strong one around here, it takes some adjusting to knowing that you are human, too.  Kinda like how you feel about Oprah, huh?  Now that you have some classes at the Y, it will help to add some structure to your life.  Losing weight ain't easy when things are going smoothly, much less when they get all out of whack.  Now that your traveling is getting less and some of the stress of getting all of those computers installed is off of you, that's some stress that you can take off of your waistline, too.  Sometimes, we forget to include the cortisol equation in our weight gain.  Stress apparently ain't good for nothin' but running from a herd of lions!

Hey Woman, if you want to come down here and get yourself a good workout, snag Holly and I'll get a bunch a pounds off the both of ya!  There is only a window of about six weeks here before it starts to get too hot to do heavy yard work, so it all has to be done fast.  Ever since being in the scorching heat after Katrina for three weeks, I have emotional issues with being too hot.  Summer is for maintaining the yard and sitting on the patio, in the shade, under the fan, with some lemonade!

Mary

Yesterday I started off at the gym with 30 minutes of intervals on the elliptical.  Then I went to work and at lunchtime I went back to the gym to do another 20 munites of cardio followed by 20 minutes of upper body lifting.  Came home in the evening, ate my usual lo cal dinner (in this case a 330 calorie Healthy Choice) and following dinner I completed a 2-mile walk in 35 minutes with the twins in their double jogging stroller.  I seem to be over my cold this week and feeling a lot better.  After I put the twins to bed I fell asleep in the sofa watching Dancing with the Stars.   I gotta say that that ballroom dancing must really burn the calories and tone the body.....

I finally started my Atkins Induction this morning! So far I've had a MIM and 1 1/2 cups of broccholi with butter. I am counting the minutes until lunch, which will be the salad/food bar across from work. No more pineapple chicken or cheesey chicken parmisan. I think I could find a recipe for the second, but not the first :) so lots of sweet peppers, olives, romaine, not sure what protein I will go with, maybe korean beef - no sauce there, just beef - I think the sareme (sp?) (fake crab meat) has sugar in it so that is out for now. I'm getting hungrier just thinking about it! First day of a new program blues.

My trip to North Idaho went well and the scale was not up so I have a good start for this new program. Dogs are happy to be home and my newly refinished 75 year old floors look lovely. If the new finish carpenter shows up this weekend we will be done with the kitchen remodel!
Jan

Congratulations on all fronts.

They had a plain baked salomn (farmed, but oh well) so that will become part of my lunch staples when i don't pack a lunch.
I made 1 cup of tea and turned that into 1 quart of iced tea - would that be cheating, Mary? I will get all my water, I promise. but ending my iced tea habit will be HARD. Baby steps.

As long as it's fresh brewed tea, ice tea is legal if the caffeine doesn't raise your blood sugar levels.  It's not a problem for me, but I've heard that it does happen to some folks.  You didn't say that you used an artificial sweetener, but you can only have three servings of Splenda a day.  Just keep that in mind if you are putting it in your tea.  Sounds like you are doing great so far!

Mary

Sorry to hear that you are suffering from Induction Hell, but I promise that it will get better!  Remember to drink lots of water.  That cheesy chicken parmesan sounds interesting, let me know what you come up with for a recipe.  Oh, and the fake crab meat not only has sugar, but starch, too.  Crab, huh?  Lying *******s!

I adore old houses and your kitchen sounds gawgus.  We remodeled an old house one time and my husband told me later, I will build you a new old house, but can we please not do THIS again?  I admire your stamina!

Mary

 I'll bet those twins just love it when their buggy gets revved up like that! It must be nice living so close to such a great gym.  I live out in the country and it's just not feasible for me to drive to the gym everyday.  Of course it wouldn't bother me now, but back in the day, the last thing I wanted to do was pack up that big 'ol belly and boobs and haul them to the gym. But in a way I'm glad I didn't because it taught me to be very resourceful on my own and I developed my own workouts.  

The closest I've ever come to ballroom dancing was when we did "Lil Abner" and I was MooonBeam McSwine, but we were doing it more like a ho down, and that was a serious workout.  Of course, I was twenty at the time and in great shape so it was more fun than anything.

Glad to hear your cold is going away.  A red nose would just clash with your new diamond earrings!

Mary