40+ Club: Spring Fitness Challenge

gbryant - congratulations with the Mountain Dew! I'm not sure I could be as successful if I had to give up coffee. :ohwell:

Alf and others who are interested in vegan - My friend has a recipe site and blog, JL Goes Vegan (http://www.jlgoesvegan.com). Check it out! Try some of the recipes and see how you like them. She's enjoys the lifestyle and is super health-conscious. Me, I need my protein to the max, so count me out. :happy:

Texssippian - I love that you're doing a girl's weekend. My girls and I have been trying to plan one for months. We have a friend who works in the travel industry, and trying to pin her down on a date and location is the worst. Have a ball!

cef957 - Relocation...I'm the queen! :happy: Your relo counselor should be helpful in explaining any questions you may have. You have done the right thing by picking your "to" location, and prepping the house for sale. And, you're right, the school district is more important that the particular house. Houses in better districts also have better resale value for if/when you get relocated again. Good luck on your move! I'm sure you and your family will love it.

KimKelly - Have a great time this weekend with your sister and brother in law. I love spending time with family when we can. We're "relocated" out into the boonies away from everyone, so it's a treat when we can get together.

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I'm concentrating on getting my protein in this morning. I'm on my 3rd protein shake! When I finish this and eat my eggs, I will have had my total required protein intake for the day already. That means I need to stay away from carbs and junk for the rest of the day.

My DH, DD and I are going shopping for matching shirts for an event at our church. I'll use any excuse to shop! I'm hoping that we'll get nice shirts, and maybe have a family picture taken in it. Since my hubby lost weight, I'm hoping he won't be so camera shy.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Just checked in really quickly this morning to catch up with everybody and see so many great posts!!! :drinker: How inspiring it is to read about all the success you've all had this week. :flowerforyou:

Robin, have you looked into any other Jillian Michael's workouts? I've heard great things about 'Burn Fat, Boost Metabolism'. I understand it is a similar style to 30 Day Shred but a little longer than the workouts there. I've got her 'Six Weeks Six Pack' workout, and if you are looking for tough core workouts, they're there. I highly recommend P90X. Do you have alot of weights? It does require some variation of weights. Another Beachbody program (P90X is a Beachbody.com program) you might want to look at if you are interested in a strength training routine is CLX. alf has done that, so she might be able to give you some pointers. There is another program out there that just came out called Supreme 90, which is 10 DVDs for $19.95. I've heard GREAT things about that one as well, but haven't done it yet. The good thing about that one is the workouts appear to be somewhat shorter (30-45 minutes) but effective. Just some thoughts. As you can tell, I'm not afraid of DVDs either.

gbryant, 8.8 pounds in three weeks is actually a pretty healthy weight loss. I lost about 12 pounds in my first four weeks of weight loss, and it was 'real'. No doubt some of it was water weight as I changed my diet, but if you are doing the right things (eating right, working out, creating a calorie deficit, etc) there is no reason why your weight would start going back up. You may plateau down the road for a couple of weeks, but don't panic over that. It is perfectly normal. But it sounds to me like you are on a good track right now. Congratulations!

cef, good to see you!! Great work on C25K!!! How fun!!! Moving is no fun, but it looks like you are approaching it the right way. Hopefully it will be nice that your husband will be familiar with the area by the time you get down there. That keeps the 'shock levels' down for me...when my husband knows where he is going when we're moving somewhere. Good luck and keep us posted. I understand how stressful moving can be so be nice to yourself during this time!!

niknik, congratulations on your loss this week!!! You have every reason to be excited about it. And don't apologize for 'rambling'. Have you seen the lenth of my posts? :blushing: I LOVE how you described how empowered this makes you feel. That's the one thing I continue to carry with me even though I've been at maintenance for almost two years. I still feel like I can do pretty much anything I set my mind to because I proved to myself that I really can take charge and do good things for myself. Cherish that!

LadyPersia, getting older isn't easy, that's for sure. But you are doing great things for yourself right now. Hopefully that will lead to getting off the BP medication. And if it doesn't, it doesn't. Our friend singfree is on BP medication and is as fit and healthy as a human being can be. So sometimes it just happens. But think about what you are doing, not what you were able to do. I fight with comparing myself to these 20 something people around me alot wondering why I can't look that fit and healthy. And then I remind myself that I'm 45 (almost 46) and remember that for 45/46, I'm doing pretty darned good. So are you!

KimKelly, congratulations on your weight loss this week! Enjoy your time with family.

Dawntodusk, welcome!! Yep....just start posting. We'd love to hear more from you!

Victorious_One, good job on the protein this morning. Hope you enjoy your shopping trip today!

Gargoyle, Rock On back at you!! Looks like you're doing great!!!

Today is a down day for me from working out. :drinker: I'm planning on spending the day with my DH who has been gone nearly every week since the first of the year. Woke up to sunshine, which feels great. Maybe we'll go hit some golf balls today. Okay, maybe he'll hit some golf balls and I'll try to hit some golf balls. :blushing: Hope you all enjoy your day.

Oh mine!!! I should have posted yesterday!!!!! :laugh: :laugh: So many posts!! And this computer better not kick me out of internet after I write a novel. Sooooo many people to congratulate!!!!!!!!!!!!! Actually all of you!!!!! :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: Keep up the good work!!!

Tron, I am sorry to hear about your brother. They have been through such a devastating loss. I hope they can work things out.

Thanks for all the vegan ideas, comments. But I am not wanting to become a 100% vegan, no way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :noway: :laugh: A semivegan or flexitarian, yes!!!!! I truly dont feel I need as much meat and might be a good thing, for me, to cut back some and try other healthy foods. Victorious, thanks for the site. I will check it out! As for Lent, from what I know, it is about sacrificing something you like, usually food, during Lent, so that is why I am giving up those treats.

Tex, I love Fredericksburg, it is so pretty. Enjoy!!! The weather is fantastic!!!

LadyPersia, try not be so rough on yourself. ((((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Welcome to all the new members!!!

Have a great one!!! :flowerforyou:

Happy daylight savings time everyone!

Well, for the first time in several weeks, I am starting to feel a little happier. Sunday weigh-in (and ankle size) seem to indicate edema is starting to subside. Don't want to judge yet, but I am hoping this is a sign that the iron pills are restoring the right equilibrium in my body. I actually was able to wear my leather dress boots and high heels yesterday for the first time (to a Bar Mitzvah/and party) since early January. The anemia and some side effects like extreme weakness (and frostbite) are still not gone, but maybe after 10 days now, the iron pills are starting to help. Will keep you posted…

I was very busy week last week with a full week of meetings in Orlando, Florida (where it was nearly as cold as in NY). Despite the trip and the anemia though, it was a good trip. Eating and exercise were good and the scale confirmed this morning that I am finally on the right track (hopefully).

A tip for those traveling and concerned about weight/healthy eating. While Disney generally is know for it's excellent customer service, I found that telling the waiter (or in this case the chef) that you have special dietary needs is a much more effective strategy than just trying to ask if they can substitute or prepare something without X, Y or Z, etc. The bottom of all of the restaurant menus indicate that they will accommodate "special dietary needs", allergies, etc. and I found that they prepared foods and substituted healthy items without a hesitation. Chefs are obviously more concerned with violating people's food allergies than accommodating weight loss/maintenance or healthy eating preferences, but it did seem much more effective when I said "I cannot eat…" than when I have made "requests." We will see if that works in NYC where I tend to limit my going out to a very few very accommodating local restaurants.

There are still some scary signs that the anemia MAY be due to some internal bleeding so more tests next week, but at least I am starting to see some improvement.

I tried to keep up with posts during the week, but was more limited on time (and energy!) than normal. I hope everyone is doing well. Will catch up later and write more soon. Thanks for the support as I work through illness and maintenance WITHOUT eating in despair!!

Happy Monday! Reading to kick butt this week. Have an absolutely Awesome week everyone!

Hi all! Back from a great girl weekend in Fredericksburg with my daughter. The weather was beautiful.


Sing, I thought about you while there: Lots of German food and it is "hell week" which is a week-long cycling event. The motel where we stayed was full of cyclists none of whom was close to my age (all MUCH older) and as my duaghter said, RIPPED! I have never seen so many 60+ gentlemen looking so hot!!! (And not temperature wise).

My 60 year old hubs (much older than me...) actually took the bike out for a ride yesterday.

My daughter and I climbed Enchanted Rock on Saturday. I am glad we got there early. We could see the cars backed up on the highway waiting to get into the park when we got to the top of the rock (168 feet up). On the way down, we were following a boy scout troop. We all ended up off the trail having to climb over large rocks. Legs are a little sore today but not too bad. We did pretty well with our eating since my daughter is very careful about her food. We got German food on Saturday night but ended up bringing most of it home.

Victorious one: regarding water intake: I have a large (64 oz) insulated cup that I have had at work for the last 22 years. I fill it up each morning with ice and water and drink on it all day if I am at my desk. I also have a refillable water bottle I bring with me when I am not at my desk. I have found that you can get an empty refillable bottle through airport security easily particularly if you put it in the bin with the top off. Once through security, a food vendor has always been happy to fill it for me.

Atushe: about iron pills, make sure you are getting plenty of fiber while taking the iron supplement. You may want to take a fiber supplement while on the iron.

Welcome all the new people and hello to the regulars! Bluebonnets are starting to come up here in north Texas. Have a great week.

Good afternoon all.

Tron- You have been in my thoughts hope you and your family are doing better.

Singfree - Congrats on the new grandbaby, I am hoping soon that my son will tell me they are expecting.

StringWendel and Victorious One - I have fell off the wagon, I broke down and drank half a can of Mt. Dew. Thank goodness it didnt taste as good as I remember.

Gargoyle69 - We do have a graet site, hope to hear from you often.

Texssippian - Congrats on your climb, sounds like you had a good time.

Cef97 - Wow I understand the stress of moving, good luck and try not to stress over it to much. It will all come together.

Niknik - Great progess, keep up the good work!

Lady Persia - Hope you can get your labs get better for you, and I am alot like you its hard for me to remember everone once iIread through all the posts, I try and make a few notes. That helps me.

Kim - Great job on your weight loss.

Dawn - Glad to have you join our little group. Its very supportive.

Cardgirl- I to am going to run a 5K im May, Good luck on yours!

Altushe - I am glad you are feeling better. I hope that you have continued progess

mkwood - sorry to hear about your shoulder issues. I hope they improve very soon.

Robin - If you are like me you are so ready for spring. It is suppose to warm up here in OH by the weekend. I sure hope so.


Not much to report here except that I have not done very well since the weekend. Its hard to get back on track. I went way over on calories on Sunday, I just could not get full. Now I am paying for it. Alot of stress at work with all kinds of stuff going on, hard to get to work out during the day having to go run after work when I have so many other things I need to be doing. I fell of the wagon and drank half a can of Mt. Dew, I hope to be back on track the rest of the week. I am a stress eater and it has been so hard not to grab everything in site. Lots of candy and cookies coming into the office all the time Oh well.
Hope everyone has a good week!

We just got back from Nevada last night and sense its my birthday today we decided to celebrate it there with the crab buffet... Gosh crab is so yummy!!!!!! I was gonna use the peppermills gym but we had so much running around to do that we didnt get back til almost 10pm and of course it closes at 10.... Wish it was like Circus Circus and stays open 24 hours.

Stiring.... I use the last laps as a cool down but do I count them... Heck ya. Not so much as an exercise point of view but included in the amount of laps I walked/ran.

I'll get caught up on all your posts later I've gotta get ready because we are gonna go to the movies tonight.

KimKel- Good luck sound like fun. Alz. Memory walk is in Sept for me. I plan on doing 7 mile walk. The event allows you to set your own goals as long as it is under two and a half hours

altushe, I am SO sorry to hear about these continuing problems. I've never suffered from edema, so I can't help you out with your question. But I really hope you and your doctor can get to the bottom of this soon. I can only imagine how upset this has you right now because you've worked so hard to get healthy and fit....and now you've got this issue. But keep your spirits up and keep reminding yourself this isn't under your control. And once you do figure out what is causing it, you'll be better able to enjoy the fit and healthy you.

singfree, spring has sprung in the DC area as well. We're supposed to be in the mid-70s tomorrow....and then rain is moving in for the weekend. That's okay because it is the rain that makes everything so pretty in the spring. I just wish it would stop hitting us on the weekend is all. My husband is headed back to Germany again in a couple of weeks. This will be the second time he's been there this year. Yeah, he's working.....but I'm still jealous! How fun for you to be planning another trip back. I miss it so much.

All here is well. Eating and exercise is good. Hoping to get out and enjoy the warmer weather over the next couple of days.

Happy St. Patrick's Day as well!

Happy St. Paddy's Day everyone. I had a great grandmother who was a Sullivan from Ireland and my sister had red hair so there is Irish blood in me.

Don't know what the weather is like. It was dark when I got to work and I have been in the "innerds" of a the big concrete box that houses my office. Hopefully I can enjoy some sunshine when I leave. We have one iris about to bloom. Not sure what kind it is.

Sing, I was talking about bicycle riders in Fredericksburg not motorcycle riders. These guys were all well above 60 and had more defined muscles than I have seen on athletes. It was quite impressive.

I made Irish stew last night for us to have tonight. I like to make soups, stews and gumbos at least a day ahead so all the flavors get know each other. Take care all! TxMs