Need to Lose 100 LBS -Robins Thread !

I scored big on Craigs List this week. A lady had a lot of goodies in her driveway and advert. it all under FREE. So I sent her an email later thankiing her because it was nice stuff - and I told her it helped me out because I was just getting settled down again after my divorce. Well she emailed me today and told me she was putting more stuff out this am and I could have first chance at it before she put her advert on Craigs List. So I went over to her place and came home with a trunk-full of all sorts of primitive collectibles such as wooden boxes, wooden bowls, sheep statues, cookie cutters, kitchen wall decor signs - like EGGS 10 cents, and CLABBER GIRL BAKING POWDER, wooden dowels and other items that make up a great collection of stuff. Considering that I got almost nothing out of my divorce and also had to give away a large chunk of the rest of my stuff as I moved to progressively smaller apartments, it was like a treasure hunt. No jewels or gold bullion, but I felt like a queen! :bigsmile: :

nice!! awesome score.

tootsanderson & MyMOwMOw - I once had a job in a bookstore and I had to quit because most of my pay was going to books. Our condo might qualify as a small town library. I am on my second Kindle, the first one started to crack where the cover attached, now I have a smaller one that I use everyday. I love that I can read in bed without turning a light on. It is just so nice to be able to take my library with me and read...whatever...

aren't books awesome! sigh. happy times. i love the reading in bed aspect too. especially since my husband goes to bed ages before me. i love that i have so many options too. not in the mood for this? how about that?

My first kindle book is The Art of War price $.00!

nice! if you want to know pm me and i can give you a list of tons of free kindle book sites who specialize in nothing but letting people know about free or heavily discounted ebooks. and they're all free sites.

Susan-Good luck with finding a great trainer. I know my trainer helps me to stay motivated while pushing me further. I finally found a trainer that knows what they are doing and understands how to teach the skills while being supportive. I have learned many things from the three trainers I have worked with over the past 2 years. Welcome Back. Do you ever get to Maryland?

Karen- Glad your rail pass has arrived. The 5K in September sounds very interesting. How far is that from your house? I wish you lived closer to Maryland then I would join your for the 5K.

Beth- I love the fact that you swim in the lake and do many other outdoor activities. All of your activities are inspiring to me because you are so athletic. I still don't consider myself to be an athlete but other people see me that way. The comments from the young couple was great. It is also nice to know that people are looking out for you as you swim in the lake. I prefer the pool because the Bay is the closest natural swimming area to where I live, the sand will color your feet orange and the bacteria count in the bay tends to increase at times due to rain fall.

Tina- Robin is right you have beautiful face that glows. So many times, I think we are our own worst critics, in that we think the worst of ourselves. Like Karen said- think of the positives especially your commitment to the 30DS. That is awesome. Great job on walk today. 4.8 miles is a very long walk. What did you use to measure the walk?

Angelika- I love the picture that shows how far you have come. The progress is amazing.

I also love books and know I will need to part with many of them soon unless I want to move them. I will keep my favorites for some easy and mindless reading.


Tuesday Goal- To keep running/jogging and swimming.
Wish- That I can figure out where I want to go on vacation this summer. I am not sure where I want to go this year but I need to decide soon. I am just not good traveling by myself, it is more fun going with other people.

Hi all! hoping everyone has a safe & happy holiday (and for our non-US friends... safe & happy non-holiday!).

We're having a rather awful week down here -- hotter than hell, and two major wildfires, one of which took 19 lives (you probably saw on the national news). I didn't lose any close friends with that hotshot crew, but friends & family of friends (and EMS/prehospital people are *all* one big family around here).

Wednesday wish: very selfish - wanting business to pick back up, because things are very very tight....

Ok all this book talk has me wanting a Kindle! I need to find something to read after the past 2 summers doing things for my Master's I am enjoying some time reading for me!

I started the PUSH phase yesterday of CLX and was going to do a cardio today but technically the plan had today as a rest and my biceps and glutes needed it! My arms are now burning again from carrying my 3 year old niece a mile ish back to the truck after the fireworks tonight!

@Susan~I bet that Duck Dynasty cruise would be fun! I’m not a fan of Carnival either, I mostly sail with Princess. We’re doing Panama Canal in March – partial transit, 11-days, tacking on 2 days on both sides to spend in Ft. Lauderdale. We’re thinking of doing Alaska again next August – R/T out of Seattle, spending a few days in Victoria beforehand. Greece is definitely on my bucket list too – as is Iceland, we’re talking of it for 2015 (it is $$$ though). Princess is having good sales right now, esp if you have sailed with them before (our cabin for Panama just got upgraded as a result). I also heard that Disney is having some fabulous deals out of Galveston, through November – then they move to Houston port I think. FYI, Disney goes to Alaska now - might be fun for Cyrus!

Thanks Kelley! Our cruise was Princess, which we loved. I haven't even started to research them yet, but going to start so I can put something down for 2014. Now that Cyrus is getting older I really want to start some serious traveling. I really want to get back to Europe. I haven't been in 20 years and really want to share it with Cyrus. I'm thinking a cruise next year and then perhaps Europe in 2015. I'll check out Princess. Since we sailed before, I got spoiled with our balcony. We would get breakfast delivered to our room and sit on the balcony just the two of us. We loved it!!! I've definitely considered Disney, but the thought of ALL those kids - yikes!

Happy Independence Day to all of my US friends!!

@kaye--thanks, to say I'm excited would be the understatement of the year! What great progress you've already made with your flexibility--glad you get to go home today.

@anna--what is CLX? Is it a workout video? sounds like a rest day was in order!

@joan--welcome! :flowerforyou:

@vickie--I feel so bad for all of my friends dealing with that heatwave. Also, it was so sad to hear about those fire fighters. Stay safe and hopefully the temps and fires will ease up.

@tina--I use mapmyrun all the time--love it!

@laurie--I've never traveled alone, but I have a friend who takes off on her own all the time. Hope you find a good place to vacation before going back to work in August.

@marca--sorry about your car troubles. My car is getting pretty old too--so I keep my fingers crossed that it will hold up with no major issues.

@helena--so sorry to hear about the break up--that's really rough given everything else on your plate right now.

@tammy--you are my hero staining that fence! Ours has never been done--a portion of the yard was fenced when we moved 10+ years ago, and we finished fencing it when we got gunner in 2007. However, none of the fence has ever been stained. DH and I have talked about doing it, but we would need to rent a sprayer b/c it's a board on board design--no way to get it all with a brush or roller.

@angelika--great idea with your ticker pic. I've also been watching TDF and I keep having these moments of realization that I will actually be there in a couple of weeks.:noway:

@robin--great Craig's list score!!

@toots--yeah, there's no benefit in trying to write-off my book purchases b/c I don't spend enough to itemize. However, I do get an educator's discount at Barnes & Noble. Also, I can usually get my boss to buy a few of the books if I know what I want to read by April or so--after that she's not allowed to spend (something to do with closing out budgets for the school year). Finally, I do have two entire book rooms at my disposal (that's where I got my copy of Catch 22) and the school library. :happy:

@kelley--I recently found out my friend (the one I'm going to Europe with) is getting married in the Dominican Republic next summer. DH and I will plan to go, but I want to be comfortable in a swimsuit as well. Right now, I feel "OK" in front of a friend or two, but there will probably be several of my work colleagues at her wedding. These are mostly very thin 20-somethings, so I don't think I would feel good in front of them right now. At least I have a full year to slim down and tone up some more.

@beth--that's so great that your encounter with strangers turned out so positive! Also can't wait to hear the hiking trip story.

Thursday Truth:
I'm still really struggling with eating right. I know what I should and shouldn't eat, but I'm not making great choices. I'm mostly staying under calories, but not with the healthiest foods. :ohwell:

Exercise Goals:
Sat--Dirty Girl Mud Run (5k) DONE
Sun--swimming DONE + walk gunner DONE
Mon--walk gunner DONE + 30DS DONE + run DONE
Tues--walk gunner DONE + 30DS DONE
Wed--walk gunner DONE + gym DONE _ 30DS DONE
Thurs--walk gunner
Fri--walk gunner + 30DS

So, my section hike of the Appalachian Trail didn't go quite as well as expected. We got to the trailhead much later than we had hoped on Sunday and only made it a few miles to the closest camp. During my sleepless night in the tent, which thankfully stayed dry despite fairly constant thunderstorms, I realized that there was no way we would make it to where we parked the end car in the allotted time frame. In the morning, I sent my two friends onward to camp number 2, while I trudged back to the starting point to get the car, move it to the road crossing just past where we would camp, and hike back to meet them for the night. I figured the next day, we could reposition the end car and then hike onward together. On my way back to the start, the heavens opened up again and hit us with a three-hour downpour. I got soaked, but was able to dry out a bit in town, before heading back up the trail to meet my friends. They had a much worse time in the storm than I did. Neither had trekking poles, and one was wearing the wrong shoes.... she slipped on the wet rocks and fell at least three times, getting huge bruises in the process. When they got to camp, worried that they might have mild hypothermia, they set up their tents, only to discover wet sleeping bags and leaking tents. Sigh. Needless to say, when I returned two hours later, the van now parked within a mile, they wanted to pack it in and head home. We later learned that a tornado touched down less than an hour from the trail, and there were flash flood warnings all around us, so suffice it to say, we think we made the right decision. Oh, I almost forgot to mention the mosquitos! Wow!! I've never seen anything like it. Whenever we would pause for even a moment, they would swarm us. We each got probably a hundred bites. Between the rain and sweat (it was quite humid), there was no keeping repellant on, so we just sort of gave up. My other friend (the one who didn't fall) got a bite on her eyelid, which swelled up to the extent that she couldn't fully open her eye!!! Good grief!!! Despite it all, at least two of us -- myself included -- really enjoyed the hike, and hope to go back out, in better weather (the third needs to recover from her sore muscles and bruises, plus buy some proper hiking shoes, before she commits). We did meet several thru-hikers, including three young women who have been on the trail (each with significant off-trail breaks) since January. When we made the decision to leave, we offered them a ride to town, and they happily accepted, opting for a much-needed overnight at a nearby hotel, where they could dry out, shower, do laundry, eat a real meal and sleep in a hotel. After my dad has received so many "trail blessings" in the form of rides, food, water, and other kindness from strangers, it was nice to be able to pay it forward.

I am home, unpacked, and have gone through the stacks of mail. Time for a rest. Kaye

Happy 4th of July to everyone! Hope its a wonderful for you all.:laugh:

Sitting here thinking about getting a Fitbit. Would love to hear comment on this. Thinking of what to eat for supper and feeling guilty for wanting mexican food.

Kaye glad you are home sounds like you are doing well.

Hope everyone is having a good day

@cath--ooh, I hope Luna is ok! Have fun in Omaha--won't that be near robin?

@joan--yes, the weather here in chicago has been great as well--on the cool side which is wonderful for outdoor activities. I almost feel guilty enjoying it considering the heat wave :smokin: the west coast is experiencing. However, it's supposed to warm up here (into the 90s by Sunday) so I guess I should enjoy it while I can.

@anna--thanks for the explanation--I'm really need to do more strength work, and though I hate doing videos at home, the 30DS has pushed me to do so. Once I'm done with that, I may try some of the strength video classes at my new gym. Good girl putting on that work out gear and getting the exercise done. Sometimes when I have ZERO motivation to work out, I remind myself that I've never finished and workout and regretted doing it. However, I almost always regret NOT working out. If I think about how I'll feel after I'm done, it helps motivate me.

@kaye--welcome home!! :flowerforyou:

@beth--that sounds like a case of almost everything that could go wrong... I'm glad to hear you at least got some enjoyment out of the hike despite all of the weather issues and such.

AFM--did some much needed gardening. Last year I tried to transplant some small juniper bushes from around the base of the ase tree we have removed b/c of EAB. The bushes did NOT survive. :ohwell: So I pulled those and then moved a big hosta that was kind of crowded. Also weeded the entire flower bed in front of our house and did some additional weeding in the back yard.

Afterwards, I drove to my parents' house. I needed to pick up some luggage and decided to time it so I could see my niece whom I knew would be there for the holiday. I couldn't stay too long b/c my scaredy-dog was home alone, but at least I got the luggage and got a quick visit. I will babysit her twice next week, so will get more quality time then.

Exercise Goals:
Sat--Dirty Girl Mud Run (5k) DONE
Sun--swimming DONE + walk gunner DONE
Mon--walk gunner DONE + 30DS DONE + run DONE
Tues--walk gunner DONE + 30DS DONE
Wed--walk gunner DONE + gym DONE + 30DS DONE
Thurs--walk gunner DONE
Fri--walk gunner + 30DS

I am starting again after being gone for a long time. Taking care of my elderly dad has taken it's toll, but the good news is that I've lost some of the weight I'd regained when I stopped tracking my food and exercise. I figured I'd use the momentum from that to kick it into high gear and work on losing the rest of the weight I could live without.

As much as I hate cleaning, I had to get it done today. Dust, vacuum, strip and made beds, mopped, 2 1/2 bathrooms, 5 loads of laundry and then I squeezed in 45 minutes of swimming laps. This weekend I need to get Cyrus packed for church camp. This is his first time going to a sleep away camp. I know he'll love it, but he's a nervous wreck right now. He leaves Monday AM and I have to go to Minneapolis and Sioux Falls Monday thru Wednesday. Thank goodness after this trip my next flight is the last week of July on vacation with Cyrus - can't wait!

Food choices were OK for the most part today. Just taking one day at a time.

@Kaye sounds like you have a great plan! Keep it up!
@susan way to clean and get swimming in too! I just got back to Ohio from Minnesota about smack dab between Sioux Falls and Minneapolis! I love it there!

AFM- got my lifting in yesterday. Shoulder work and lunges, lots of them! Today was Burn Intervals which is about 2-3 min of high intensity cardio alternating with 2 min of endurance lifting. I LOVE it! Jordan (my husband) and I are going to a nearby lake with a group of friends and I'm going to be completely honest and say up front that I'll be drinking and probably eating like crap too BUT one weekend is not going to derail me! I'm getting back on the wagon Monday morning!