Working on Weight Loss and getting Lean!

[Worfiedoodles]

Good Morning, Lean Brigade!

Jackie -- oh my goodness! I am so sorry this injury has you sidelined! I'm also so glad you are going to see a medical professional and get the correct diagnosis and care Sending for a rapid recovery! And yes, I would have skipped the scary massage -- I am a total wimp!

Taryn -- That stinks about the baseball team, but sometimes you do just have to walk away. We left a congregation because the older ladies told me I wasn't a good mother because I work (unsolicited, I did not seek their opinions). Now, the woman who was on WIC and living in a rental, not sending the kids to preschool because she would have had to get a part-time job for it to be free, that was a good mom. We found a new congregation with plenty of working moms, including the pastor. There are some things that are so fundamental, you have to remove yourself to keep your sanity intact.

Beth -- So great to see you posting! And I totally understand. After your marathon experience you were wiped physically and mentally, and that takes recovery time. Now you sound so positive and ready to go, like the Beth we know and love! Sometimes you need to shake things up a little. Try to also work a little fun in, you need to enjoy your workouts right now!

Cindy -- How did the weigh-in go? Were you able to get out and enjoy the fabulous weather Saturday?

AFM: Hmm. Back to last week -- Friday dh returned from St. Louis where he dropped ds off with my dad for a week, and we took advantage of him being gone to go Downtown and have a nice dinner. We were able to wander through Boston Common and the Public Garden, it was quite lovely. This was after a little scare with Worf -- he's fine, but he needs fluids twice a week. Sigh. It's only downhill from here, but he's still happy and engaged, so as long as his quality of life is good, we're going to do whatever we need to. We also picked up dh's race materials for the half he did on Sunday.

Saturday we ran a ton of errands, including the grocery shopping. We go through so much produce -- but we eat it all, so I know it's all good. Yesterday dh ran the inaugural Boston 13.1 half marathon. It was seriously hilly, and he was happy to finish in 2:08, and that was with some walking for the last 2 miles, his legs just gave out. I ran 10M yesterday, which felt pretty good. I did 4M this morning, and tomorrow is a rest day -- I have yoga and I'm looking forward to it!

Wednesday my dad and ds arrive -- so I'm going to try to get another 10M in before work. This will be my last 4:30 am workout until my dad leaves. Then I'll have to get myself back to being used to getting up early. It's all worth it, though, I love having my dad visit! I've already told Corinna this -- please feel free to remind me it's ok to do 3 miles! I get caught up in not being able to do at least 6, and then I don't do any. 3>0, I just need to get that through my head!

I have a meeting downtown so I get to go home a little early today. I need to get out our holiday decorations and straighten up a bit. My Dad does not get the "Sue Clean", and I don't feel guilty about it.

I was down another pound, so I'm slowly making my way through the 80s. I was really excited since TOM is making me cranky. I'm going to try to lose this week, then I'll try to be satisfied if I can just maintain while my dad's here. Extra treats just find their way into my house

Oh! And I found out POR will be in rehab during marathon weekend, so I told dh I'm going to book us somewhere else. Now I'm trying to decide between CB, WL, or somewhere by Epcot. This is his first full marathon, so I want it to be as easy as possible. It's all about his comfort

I hope everyone is off to a fantastic start to the week!

Maria

 

[deekaypee]

My month of planned relaxation and reboot went to heck in a handbasket, Leanies. I ended up spending far too much time with DOOD while he was out of town (see below), which wreaked havoc on my plans. Ugh. Most notably, I've spent days when I had internet access for no more than a half hour. (Yes, I'm too cheap to use a smart phone.)

Beth: Wow, have I been out of touch. I didn't even realize you were in Arizona with Nancy. You've been on the go, go, go! And speaking of being on the go, go Alex with his "SLAM[ing] out the longest triple in history." Congrats are in order for all the boys. That's just great. But I admit to being horrified by the first seeded coach's statements.

How's your heel? I think the combination of niggling pain and exhaustion means it's time to take some extra rest days and switch things up. And it sounds like you're doing just that in recommitting to yourself. Great job in getting outside, all the more commendable because of the heat! I agree with Tandy about the mental battle, which is what I've been losing lately (it's certainly not been weight).

Maria: Great job with your BL successes AND for hitting the 180s and moving on down. Between that and your running and yoga, you've got to feel like you're a triple thread. You can eat well, you can run, and you can "reach for the sky" (Toy Story quote). Fantastic! How did you enjoy TS3?

I didn't realize you had a "soda of the week"? One soda, that's it? Do you have a ritual with it – like a favorite glass, poured over water, to savor? (Obviously, I'm kind of enamored with this idea.)

Your statements about not knowing how to be a much smaller person actually makes a lot of sense to me. Like so much of what we do here in our Leanie endeavors, losing weight is challenging who we think we are and what we can do. It's not a simple journey at all, made more complex by any shifts in our identity also challenges how others see us. Like being a runner. You're doing such a great job with everything on the outside, and that you're being so self-reflective about it really impresses me.

Oh, and what Corinna, Beth, Tandy, all said. Word. And I must note that you're carefully planning on managing your running time for when your dad visits. I think that speaks volumes to the changes in your lifestyle just since I've known you!

Last thoughts: your time Downtown with DH sounds romantic! (And I'm not trying to make light of the situation with Worf, just acknowledge the nice things about couple's time when we find it.) Congrats to DH on his half!

Tandy: Oooh, your son's a Closer, a real go-to pitcher! Yay! I don't know what a vulture is either, but wouldn't that be a great name on the back of a shirt. I'm so sorry to hear that you had to quit managing your son's BB team. Mean, hurtful things are not just bad, but ugly.

I have to say, I feel really close to your DH these days; since I've cut out the sugar I've embraced the crunchy salty snacks. Why, oh why, don't celery sticks and carrots call to me in the same way. Good for your family for adopting healthier habit, though!

As for you, big kudos for working toward making everyone in the family healthier – even if you need to drag DH kicking and screaming to that table. You do inspire him, even if it sounds like he's prone to making extreme changes and swings back and forth. And woo hoo for your weight loss, which will pick up again now that the stress eating is done.

How's the Zumba/belly dancing going? It sounds like fun, although you love having your quads killing you? Zumba here doesn't fit into my schedule. Those who go to classes here seem, well, pretty fanatical about it. (In a good way.) It sounds like you might have two well-balanced obsessions with the running and Zumba! (Well-balanced? Obsessions? Oh, well, it makes sense in my world. )

I'll be looking into Death DuJour for my upcoming 4th of July trip/family reunion. Need a little reading during my self-imposed down time.

Cindy: How are you doing? It sounds like June has been a struggle on many fronts? It sounds like you've been prioritizing running, despite all the other demands for your attention. And that's a very good thing to hold on to, I think.

Jackie: Sorry to hear Bill's job isn't perfect. Maybe it's like the transitional BF? We all know those don't last. Is he actively looking for something else (quietly)? As for YOU, you've been really pushing yourself hard with running – I keep thinking about how much progress you've made with your 2010 resolutions. So I hope you didn't dwell on the RftC.

I'm sorry to hear about your first DNS. See my comment about your resolutions, above. ITA that you shouldn't risk injury for ANY race (and especially a 5K). It does sound like you've got a fairly serious injury if you're not running, one that's probably been in development for a while. I hope you get the diagnosis and help you need, and soon!

I also think you should schedule in extra-long pampering massage sessions – in addition to sports massage – while you're training for MCM and as incentive. Plus, with Bill as your racing coach, you really deserve it.

I didn't know Hershey had a race! I'll be at Wine & Dine, but still...

Vicky: The wedding sounds like it was a lovely spot, but I'm sorry about the clique-ishness of it. But at least you got a great trip out of it, meeting the truly important people (WISHers), & a rocking dress. Quite, quite, gorgeous, you are!

Yogurt on the go...I only eat Dannon All Natural Nonfat Yogurt or Greek Yogurt. You might look into those. Dannon doesn't even add pectin. Of course, I throw in blueberries and granola, but I have control over my own additives. About salt cravings...do you think that the weather has something to do with it, too. I know I've cut out the sugar & my salt cravings have gone up, but I'm wondering about the unusually hot weather and its effect on appetite? It's been so long since I've had TOM I have no memory of its effect.

Ooooh, congratulations on your 5K PB. What a fantastic time you achieved! I wouldn't have thought about the wind and (in other conditions) no shade, etc. so it's really cool (pun intended) that you did so well on that course.

Corinna:

Jeanne: How was the cruise? And how is the super-secret training for the Wine & Dine going? I'll be there this year – not racing, reporting – so I'll be cheering you on!

As for me, reposted/edited from 'Ohana.
Let's see – here's what happened in June. One planned trip to D.C. became D.C., Virginia, D.C. – all working with DOOD on one thing or another. (Sometimes I wonder if I'm his DW, his editor, or his personal assistant.) That meant plenty of time on a train & in a car. Exhausting.

I did have to replace the iPod, which still annoys me. My running has been spotty & I'm embarrassed to say that I don't have any races on the horizon.

On the up side in terms of travel. I've booked a trip to WDW that overlaps with Wine & Dine. I'll be there, writing about the Food & Wine Festival, so I'm not planning on running the half. I don't think I could do the night race & still function for work.

Anyway, I've been out of touch & when I got home, I generally had just enough turn-around time (before the next adventure) to catch up on some writing work. It's just not been a great 2010 year for me thus far in terms of running, working out, losing weight. Let alone my DIS socialization time.

And my weight is up, due to sporadic exercise & overly-generous eating portions while on the road.

Oh, pity party, pity party. Hopefully July will be better, with just two planned trips – one of which is an IL family reunion that will be, well, time spent with the extended ILs.

The good news? I did manage to catch all season 2 epis of True Blood while I was on my train trips, which are incredibly long trips, in between writing articles on my laptop. So that's something.

And to say something nice about the lost opportunity that was June? I did manage, with the exception of one breakfast at the Virginia Bed and Breakfast in Staunton (home of the American Shakespeare Center), to stay sugar-free. Lots of salads on the road, counter-balanced by tons of pretzels as junk-food snacks. But I really do need to embrace the fact I hit that one goal, the one that I was most focused on.

 

[Creativebeth]

Good morning Lean Ladies! Look at this! Posting 2 days in a row! Amazing....

Debra: Best laid plans.....never seem to work out, do they? Looking forward to a little wife break, and DOOD probably saw more of you over the month than normal! I really don't like my schedule disrupted, as your's was.....my eating ALWAYS gets away from me. It looks like you did pretty well, all things considered! Better than i would have at least! ;0) Sorry to hear that you had to replace your iPod.....though, I sort of wish I had a good reason to replace mine. It's probably 5 years old.....it's the old nano....but still working just fine! I am cheap enough to use it until it dies.....

Jackie: I agree with Debra....it's better to have a DNS, versus an injury. We all have to be smart and look at the long term, not the short term for 1 race. I am bad at that, I have to admit. When I commit to a race, I feel the need to work it out and run it.....not always the smartest move! Good job!

Tandy: My baseball season has ended! They had a tremendous showing at the tournament, ending up third place! For having a tough season, they sure ended it on a high note! Alex ended up closing the second to last game with bases loaded, and striking out 3 batters in a row! It was beautiful to watch! He LOVES the pressure as a closing pitcher......but, alas, his mom doesn't. Man, I thought I was going to throw up. He gets in his groove as soon as the bases are loaded! I was looking for a beer! I have to say that their coaches were awesome this year, despite the challenging season. I appreciate them even more, hearing what you had to put up with.....no place for that behavior in kids sports!

Maria: You are doing such a fantastic job! You amaze me! Getting in all those miles, with a smile on your face! Keep at it and the 170's are calling you!!!!!

Cindy: Seems that your month has been a challenge! I hope things even out......but your attitude is still positive! Keep your head up!

AFM: Eating has evened out, though I am still craving the snacks! I ran outside 2 days in a row......start of a streak! It's so much better to get out early.....less cars, cooler weather, etc.....but really hard getting my butt out of bed! I just need to keep at it!

Beth

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Just call me the procrastinator...I'm posting everywhere on the DIS rather than take care of my responsibilities...it's just one of those days...

I did yoga at lunch, and now I can't seem to focus enough to actually work. I think I took the relaxation a bit too far

I'm doing well with 23 WW pts, which kind of surprises me. I think it's since I started eating a salad with dinner every night. It really fills me up, and since I'm not hungry after dinner, I don't go raid the kitchen. I've also been having a skinny cow single serve ice cream (one of the ones w/out palm oil) as my dessert, which seems to put the cherry on my sundae. I'm satisfied and feel "treated", so I stop eating. And when you go to bed at 9:30, there isn't a big "snack gulf" to fill.

DH made popcorn on the stove with olive oil this weekend. We were looking at the microwave popcorn, and it all seemed to have palm oil. DH has cholesterol issues and we have to get this stuff out of the house. I can't believe how many things have oils in them he shouldn't eat! Anyway, The popcorn was absolutely delicious, I just added a little salt. This is my new favorite, it tastes much better than the microwave version to me, and I have to believe the calories aren't too bad. I know I don't *have* to stop the bad cholesterol oils since I don't have that problem, but it seems like it wouldn't be good for anyone, so I might as well switch over with dh.

Beth -- I'm going to essentially be starting over with getting up early after my dad leaves in the middle of July, so I hear your pain. It is hard to get the body adjusted and moving early -- but once you get used to it again it will be easier -- and it's so much more comfortable to run before it gets hot for the day...I'm sure your body thanks you for the early morning workouts!

Debra -- I haven't seen TS3 and I probably won't. DS just isn't into it. I actually haven't seen any of the TS movies since ds wasn't interested. We did see Shrek, and we had the theater to ourselves. That was nice. It was the middle of the day when most kids were still in school, and we enjoyed our private viewing! I blew the window on Prince of Persia, it's leaving the theater before ds gets back tomorrow. I guess we'll catch it on netflix. The next movie he is dying to see is The Last Airbender, or Avatar for those of you who saw the show on tv. DH is on that one, as he plans to see it with friends. I'm up for The Sorcerer's Apprentice. DH has yet to see a Nicholas Cage movie he could stomach, plus with it being Disney -- I am the designated parent.

And can I just say that staying sugar free is an amazing accomplishment?! I can't even imagine -- you should be very proud of yourself -- I am extremely proud of you!

Ok, I have put this off as long as I can, I really must do some work...

Maria

 

[Creativebeth]

Good morning Lean Ladies....okay....this is the third day in a row for posting!! Aren't you all happy?

Maria: We ended up not having alot of work to do here yesterday, so I was able to complete a project I had thought about for awhile. It was nice to start a project in one day, and actually finish it!

My ds#1 LOVED Toy Story 1 and 2. We had the Toy Story birthday thing going for at least 5 years. He was looking so forward to number 3! We saw it last week, and he was totally happy with it! I, of course, cried! I have to say it was very good. Kid#2 was not over the top about it, since he sort of missed TS 1 and 2 (being younger than Adam).

AFM: I am so glad I got up today! The weather was perfect! It was in the 50's, and I was actually cold before I started to run! It was a lovely 5 miler....with no walking at all! (the last two days, I have taken a few walk breaks I think because of the heat).

I am back to eating right! My fruits and veggies have been more than 5 a day, I am getting my fiber, and my water! The healthy habits really do help, don't they?

Beth

 

[bunnyfoo]

Hi Leanies! It's a nice day out but I'm missing everyone here so I thought I'd slink in with a quick post...

Beth - WTG on the healthy and clean eating! I have to say that it makes a huge difference for me too. I feel like I have more energy, none of that heavy "ate too much" feeling in my stomach and my skin clears up! I cried during Toy Story 3 too! I was on the edge of my seat toward the ending (I won't give anything away for those of you who haven't seen it). I also loved how they remembered a lot of the toys that weren't there anymore - especially Wheezy! He's my favourite

Maria - I grew up with microwave popcorn so ... how do you make popcorn without a microwave What's the ratio of olive oil to popcorn - I'd like to try this as well because the commercial stuff is loaded with sodium. I'm with you on the salad before meals - it really to keep you full, plus I'm sure it must count as a couple of veggie servings. My PT suggested putting a handful of spinach into my smoothie to help with the veggies. I said noooo thanks!! I'll stick with the salad. Btw, I'm with Dennis - there haven't been too many Nicholas Cage films I like either. Did your dad make it in safely today?

Debra - You're better off without the smart phone I'm embarassed to admit that I'm always on mine checking email, Facebook and whatever else I can possibly do. Not sure I could "survive" with only 30 minutes of Internet access a day but maybe that would make me a faster surfer That quick D.C. trip turned out to be ... well quite the trip! And don't get me started on all the things we gals do for the guys I'm still bummed that I missed you by a day but from the sounds of it, you were on the move quite a bit!

I recently bought a pressed Greek yogurt from a specialty cheese shop. It's more like cream cheese than anything else. I'm all about adding stuff to yogurt - berries, flax seed, walnuts, wheat germ ... actually, it's almost the same as what I add to my oatmeal WTG on staying sugar-free! I'm more or less sticking with it (except on LR days) and I know how tough it is!

Jackie - Sorry you've been sidelined from running. I'm glad you made the decision to turn around and stop 1 mile in. That's a tough one but the best decision I think. Who knows what else could have happened if you toughed things out. I hope you're able to figure things out and get back to running soon. Can you still do body weight exercises and weights - those are fantastic for weight loss! As well as clean eating... Back in April, when I took a month off for my ankle, I stuck with 1.5 hours in the gym a week and kept my eating as clean as possible and I still managed to lose weight. PM me if you want exercise suggestions and keep us posted on your progress!!

Tandy - Sorry to hear about your son's baseball team It's a shame how one person can turn something that's suppose to be fun into something so toxic. Your comments make me wonder if he was like that with the kids on the team. I really hope not. I think the change will be a good chance for DS to meet some new kids. Do you think he'll get the chance to play against his old team at some point? How's your eating going?

Cindy - Yup back on low/no sugar for as much as I can. Before I left for the Boston trip, I weighed myself and realized that I was down 11 lbs from January and that I was about 6 lbs away from my high school grad weight. So my goal is to try and lose those extra 6 lbs by the end of July. It's going to be tricky though because I'm still training for the 30K and July is that month with alternating LR distances of 21K and 25K. Any luck with the speedwork training? Hope you have a great vacation this long weekend!

AFM - Oh boy ... I felt like I should have thrown myself a huge pity party this week, but I won't do that. Just a little bit about my week ... my relationship problems continue and feel like they're getting worse, then I caught a cold - it's the first time I've been sick in 1.5 years!! , I cried in the doctor's office (I am/was officially mortified) then this morning I went to fasten my Garmin to my wrist and the strap ripped off

But the one interesting thing that did happen was I happened to be talking to the EA of the regional director in our company. I was telling her that I wasn't very happy with my job/group and she went and made a phone call to one of our branches and got me in contact with the branch admin (office manager) who offered me a job assisting a group of investment advisors. I did tell her I knew nothing about working in a branch, the systems they use or was even licensed - that's just me trying to sabotage myself Anyway, she didn't seem to mind and invited me to come and meet the group that was looking to hire. I guess the catch is - I'd have to take 3 courses to get licensed within 6 months. Then my first thought was "How am I going to study AND do my marathon training for January?" Funny how I'm that's my first thought ... Anyway, I'm not registered yet for January (I had been holding onto my money for as long as possible) so I could always hold off on my first full for another year. I don't know if it's something that I'd want to do permanantly but I'd be sticking with the same company and I do think there's the potential for more opportunties (no guarantees of course) and of course the chance to work with new people which is always a bonus to me. What do you gals think? I guess it's silly until I go and meet with that group and see what they're like.

Anyway, I'm still keeping up with my workouts, running and eating despite all the craziness! I don't want to lose too much of the progress I've made so far. And I know if I throw myself that pity party - I'll just feel worse so I'm trying to focus on the positive.

Hope everyone has a great Canada Day or Fourth of July weekend! Keep up with the workouts and the eating!

 

[MouseDogMom]

Beth - Missed you on day #4!

Vicky - Absolutely go meet with the new group. A change may be exactly what you need. I don't think you need to worry about whether you're perfectly qualified - it sounds like they think you can do it, and I'm sure that you can! But you'll never know if you don't at least check it out. Keep us posted!
Thanks for the suggestion about continuing the upper body/weight workouts. I know that's what I need to do; right now I'm in the pity party phase where I'm too busy mourning the fact that I can't run to do anything. I hope to snap out of this phase in a couple of days and get back to doing something - anything!

I saw the chiro this morning. He thinks my hip is out of alignment, and that's what's causing all the pain. He did one adjustment and some muscle release, and I'm scheduled for another tomorrow. He thinks it will take a couple of weeks to see any improvement, and if this doesn't work he'll refer me to an orthopedist. He did say absolutely no running or biking until he's done. I can swim if I want to give that a try. I felt marginally better after I left his office, but as the day wore on it hurt just as bad, but I also didn't take any ibuprofen today, and I've been living on that for the past couple of weeks. I'm headed to bed now, and think I'll probably take some just to help me sleep. I see him at 7:00am - what a way to start the day!

Jackie

 

[bunnyfoo]

Jackie - Thanks for the encouragement! I think that's one thing I'm starting to learn and realize. You don't have to be an expert in order to give something new a try. After all the things that have happened recently, failing is definitely not the worst thing out there. How was the 7AM chiro appointment? Any improvement after a further adjustment?

AFM - I tweaked my lower back muscle on Thursday. I have to make up a better story but it happened while I was brushing my teeth. I had to skip my 1/2 hour Thursday training session so that I could schedule it in but I have a 10 mile race on Sunday so hopefully I'll be back up and running by then.

Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend!

 

[Creativebeth]

Jackie: Yes I did miss posting! The holiday always throws a wrench into the best laid plans! How did the chiro go? Things any better! I know all about the hip issues....mine is out of wack all the time for a hip dislocation when I was 12.....they couldn't get it back in right, so it's fused in there off a little. I do think I have many issues from that.....but there is no fixing mine! Hope your's goes better!

Vicky: I think right now is a good time to try something new! Might help other factors in your life to get excited about a new challenge! I hope it all works out for you.

AFM: I am at work without Miss Nancy..... I always miss her when she is gone! She took the holiday today, since the 4th hit on the weekend. Her plan is to golf.....and I say, "better her than me!" .....it's WAY to hot for me right now!

I got up to run this morning.....it's much better running when it's cooler! No way would it have gotten done later when it's 100 degrees! It went pretty well, and I am feeling better......all those small pains are working themselves out! I am surprised how long it's taking for me to fully recover from the marathon.....I am still not 100%!

Eating wasn't too bad over the weekend, but could have been better! I jumped on the scale this morning......! I did gain 10 pounds since seeing the nutritionist before marathon training. I guess it's not too bad....but I have to say, I am not happy! My goal is to lose 10 pounds before Labor Day (VA Beach 1/2) and 10 more before my possible 1/2 in Richmond (in November). I am not in a hurry (well, yes I am!) but I am going to take it slow. Weight stays off better when I take it off reasonably.

I have to seriously stop the salt/sugar cravings....it's killing me! Sugar is worse, but the salty snacks are a close second!!!! They both need to go away!

Beth

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Hey Leanies!

I just realized I haven't posted since my eventful visit to the doctor...I had been putting off going because I knew what was going to happen, but eventually I had to face it. My eyes have been driving me crazy with discharge, itchiness and even some pain, but I could pop the contacts in and ignore it pretty much. I finally caved and went to the doctor Wednesday. I irritated my eyelids, so I have to leave the contacts out for a week. For me, that means no running...and it hasn't been pretty! I also had to throw away all my eye makeup and start over, which while sort of annoying, was also sort of fun! I'm waiting to use anything until I get the contacts going again. In over 25 years of wearing contacts I've only had problems 3 times, so I think that's pretty good. I just have to be more vigilant, I guess I was getting sloppy

My eyes are better but not yet 100%, hopefully they will be by Thursday when he said I could put the contacts back in and run again. I'm putting medicine in 3 times a day, which does help.

My eating...well, I did really well at first. I even did well at the family cookout Saturday where I brought my own hummus and veggies. Yesterday included donuts, hot dogs, and s'mores, so not so much. I started today off right with yogurt and a vitamuffin. I plan to be back to my normal eating today. I had these great crosstraining plans, but it's so hot I don't want to do anything. The extent of my exercise this weekend has been a pool dip and ladder golf.

It's back to work tomorrow, so hopefully I can go early enough to get a good amount of laps in before others show up. That's what I did Thursday and Friday, 40 and 45 minutes, respectively. It's airconditioned and easy to dream about my vacation while I walk briskly, so I hope to do that if I can. There certainly shouldn't be any worked back up. I can't imagine much will happen today...

My dad is settled in and doing great. I will skip the drama of the family cookout at my FIL's camp in Maine, suffice it to say FIL and SMIL are both still not overly bright, have no filters on their mouths, and quite annoying. Ok, I will say one thing. My dad is 74. SMIL has worked with the elderly for 25 years as an RN. We had just been talking about FIL's upcoming birthday, and my dad mentioned he's 74 (so he had just told her how old he was). She started talking about how my FIL will be 68 in a week, and at 70 she wants him to sell their camp because that is when you start going downhill and losing your faculties and you really aren't competent anymore. Not wanting to start a war I couldn't win, I said, "Linda, you really are the soul of tact aren't you?" Her reply was that she's been doing this for 25 years and you get to know after awhile that 70 is the cutoff before you start losing your mind. I quickly asked her about her latest sewing project to change the subject, but I was so embarrassed and mad! I could not have been happier to leave.

Beth -- 10 lbs are very real, but you also know that you do have time to lose them slowly and safely and be where you want to before you go. When you apply yourself you are a weight loss machine! Once I get my contacts back in, I am right there with you. I haven't checked but I know I put on 2-3 lbs this week, I can feel it. Considerng how far I am from my goal, that's not good. We are going to really tear it up this summer and see those pounds go down! I am determined to get on the plane for Tampa significantly lighter, and I know we can do it!

Vicky -- I hope your back is feeling better! And I agree, it is a great time for you to branch out and meet new people and try on some new work activities. To make popcorn on the stove -- I'd have to look at the package for the exact ratio, but I think you heat about 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a heavy pan, and then add 2/3 c. of popcorn. You need to leave the lid slightly ajar for the for steam to escape. The popcorn will pop right up and fill the pan. It makes more than you get from the microwave bag, so you need a bigger bowl to dump it into. We add a little salt and it is very flavorful.

Jackie -- I hope you are coping well with being on the IR list. It's not really fun for me, but I can do some movement, and it's not that I'm in pain, it's really just more of an inconvenience for me. I really hope the chiro treatments work and you are burning up the miles before you know it!

Corinna, Debra, Manda, Tandy, Cindy, Jeanne -- I hope you are off enjoying a fabulous holiday weekend!

I'm going back to the and the back yard. We have been playing a ton of ladder golf, but I wouldn't exactly call that exercise!

Maria

 

[MouseDogMom]

Vicky - I like the brushing the teeth story. It leaves so much to the imagination! Hope your back is feeling better and you were able to do the race yesterday.

Beth - Enough with the 100 degree days already. We had a couple of days over the weekend that were in the 80's and beautiful, and now we're headed back to the upper 90's. (And of course, I have to be injured for the cool days... ) It's going to be a LONG summer, I'm afraid. I keep thinking I want to try Va Beach, but I'm terrified that it will be a scorcher. We'll get rid of those 10 pounds before then, one way or another!

Maria - I'm envious that you can even still wear contacts. I had to give them up at 40. I tried again last year, and the best we could do was disposables that I can wear for long runs and races, but I have to take them out after about 6 hours. Mostly I can't get a prescription that will work for my aging eyes so that I can see at work! But at least if it's raining, I don't have to worry about water on my glasses, and that was my ultimate goal. (Now driving to the run is another story... ) Hope everything clears up and you're back to normal soon! As for the family, if only there were a way to quietly make those step's disappear...

I've made 2 more trips to the chiro, one just a couple of hours ago (surprised the heck out of me that he was actually open today, but it saves having to miss work tomorrow!) I can definitely see improvement. He's doing a combination of active release and true chiropractic adjustment (I guess, never having had that before!) I recognize the ART from before. I asked him today if he had any idea how long before I'm running again and he said he wouldn't answer that, so we just have to wait and see. DH is more impatient than I am; I'm truly determined to get this fixed so I can run pain-free for the first time since March!

And the biggest surprise - I got on the scale yesterday, and was at the lowest I've been since the end of the first week of our BL challenge in early April! I was expecting bad news, since I haven't exactly been active. (Vicky - I did pick up the weights this weekend and make a half-hearted attempt at a workout!) Apparently I've been eating better than I thought, and the scale motivated me to do even better this week.

Jackie

 

[bunnyfoo]

Hi leanies! Just doing a quick fly-by tonight ...

Maria - Why do family gatherings always have so much drama involved? And it seems like no matter what, there will always be at least one person who thinks they're entitled to say whatever they please But hey, at least you managed to stay calm and keep things classy Hope your eyes heal soon! I've never tried contacts before - my prescription is pretty weak so I only wear glasses when I go to the theatre.

Beth - I say you should just hide all the sweets and salty treats and maybe that way you won't be tempted. My PT says that before I eat something I know isn't good for me, I need to ask myself "Will this help me reach my goal?" Usually I know what the answer is. And I'm with you on the hot weather ... enough already

Jackie - Maybe I'll just tell people I was doing a weird yoga position and brushing my teeth. My race is this Sunday so I'm trying to take things easy while still trying to get the miles in. I went to the chiro for an adjustment today and one acupuncture needle. My back feels better but like you, I'll have to wait and see if the feeling lasts. I'm hoping you feel better soon - back pain is a difficult one to deal with especially when you're waiting to get back into running! WTG on the weights workout - keep it up!

AFM - Thanks for the encouragement everyone! I sent in my resume today and the branch manager called me back within a few hours. So I have an interview scheduled for 1PM tomorrow. If you happen to remember, think good thoughts for me around then. I'm always so nervous about this stuff. But I'm reminding myself that I'm just going to checking things out - work environment, responsibilities, management etc. and maybe it's not that they won't like me, I won't like them

I also found a job posting on the Pixar Canada website which is related to the field that I work in now (corporate real estate) but geared more towards someone like my manager who has more experience. I've always wanted to work at Pixar so I figure what do I have to lose. And I'm also taking Jackie's advice of not having to be 100% qualified. I'm hoping that since I have film production experience, it might make me a more interesting candidate. Maria I think I might send you an email with the job posting and some questions for Dennis. I know if I ask my manager anything she'll say that I'm not qualified.

Oh yeah, I got my chiro adjustment today - there was a little bit of everything - ART, stretches, "back cracking" and my favourite acupuncture. Tuesday is my rest day so I think I'll skip my run and really give my body/back a chance to recover before the race. I'll probably do a couple of short runs Wednesday and Thursday so I'm not completely rusty on Sunday.

Have a great night everyone

 

[Creativebeth]

Good morning Lean Ladies! How was your long weekend? I am sort of glad I worked yesterday! So my work week is over tomorrow!

Vicky: I am glad you put in the application for the other job.....you just never know when something good drops in your lap! And, the Pixar job sounds awesome! I saw a TV special, and the company looks like FUN! I would love to work there! Too bad I have no ability to do so! I think I'll stick to what I know!

Jackie: How is it going? Feeling any better? Running pain free should be right aroud the corner!

Maria: How is your Dad's visit going? Oh, BTW, your SIL is crazy! (guess you already figured that out) I don't spend to much time worrying about the crazy people.....which would be all my IL's! I got to see the whole crazy bunch of them on the 4th.....I should be good til Christmas now! (I can only wish!) I know that my FIL won't make it too much longer with the smoking, drinking, the bypass x2, and apparently uncontrolled high blood pressure (who needs to take pills? NOT him!) He's a piece of work.....

AFM: My run today was not good.....the heat and humidity got to me, and made my asthma go KABLAM! I struggled the last 2 miles b/c it was like breathing in soup! I did use Alex's inhaler when I got home, but it took alittle while to feel better.

Eating went well, but boy I am struggling with the no snacking thing.....it's killing me! I hope it gets better.

Beth

 

[rubato]

Good morning everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We went camping, which meant no internet! I will do my best to get caught up today.

Vicky: How are you and DF doing? Any better yet?
What about the job? Have you made any decisions? It would stink to have to put off the marathon, but a career is more important (yes, I actually said it!). I think you should go for the Pixar job. Why not? How's the back? I have hurt myself doing some pretty silly, mundane things also, so don't worry.

Jackie: I'm sorry you are sidelined with this injury. It stinks! I agree with you though. Quit running and get it healed properly! You've been injured for too long and it will be nice to start fresh with no injuries! Wonderful news about the weight! That's got to make you feel great with all this injury business!

Beth: I'm so glad your son's season ended so well! That's wonderful! I agree about the pitching stress. When Harrison(my son) is pitching, he's cool and has no worries. It's all about him and the catcher. He never even notices anything else. I made him watch "For the Love of the Game" and he said that's exactly his zone! I am a nervous wreck. Now that the season is coming to an end, I have no fingernails left and not much in the way of cuticles either. I'm just grateful that I keep score for the team because it gives me something to do!
I'm glad to hear you're getting back into your groove after your marathon. I totally expect that it would take that much time. What a shocker to your body! Okay, maybe just mine!
The humidity is really horrible right now. I'm sorry you had so much trouble today. Yikes!

Debra: Well, congrats on the sugar free month! I'm sorry it's been so hectic. It will be so nice to go to F &W this fall! I have been meaning to tell you, you have the best job ever! I would love to do something that I loved, and you must love your job. After all, you get to write about DW!
DH is off the healthy wagon again! He is driving me crazy!!! Gotta love it though.
Yes, zumba and running are obsessions. I would also love to start going to some sort of boot camp, but I already spend enough time working out! I guess I could give up zumba for boot camp, but not for long. The latin music moves me!!!!

Maria: I cannot imagine someone criticizing a woman for working in today's world! I am a stay at home mom, by choice, and get the opposite reaction a lot. "Oh, you're just a stay at home mom!" I don't care what others think and don't force my choices on others either. What works for one family would never work for another! Congrats on more weight loss! You are doing so great with the running and steady weight loss. You are doing it exactly right!
Ouch, your poor eyes! I hope they're better soon! My hubby can't wear contacts at all because they scratch his corneas. He has Lasik done 11 or 12 years ago, and hasn't had an issue yet.
I know we've all heard about the in laws before, but WOW!!!! Your SMIL is a piece of work, isn't she? Obviously, some people don't wait until they're 70 to lose their minds, do they? My father is 64 and was just diagnosed with Alzheimers this year, so what a stupid thing to say!

AFM: Well, since it's been forever since I posted, I have lots to talk about!

The most important thing is that I have lost weight! I am 1.5 pounds from my goal! I don't know how it's happened either. I've just been too busy to eat, I guess!

We went camping this weekend,and had lots of fun. We have a specific campground we go to in Missouri because of the bike trail. It is a 4 mile paved trail and it's beautiful. So, on Friday, I ran the trail. On Saturday, I ran the trail once, biked it twice and walked it twice. Then, on Sunday, I walked it again. (Okay, maybe that's why I lost weight!) The negative to all of this was that my parents invited themselves along. They got a campsite 3 doors down from us and brought their 2 dogs. As I said to Maria earlier, my dad has Alzheimers. He doesn't do well in new situations and stresses easily. So, he was very unhappy and didn't have fun. Then, my SM yelled the whole time and her dogs barked at everything that moved and tried to attack my dog every chance they got. Joy!!!!

I still haven't been able to find my son a new baseball team for the fall and I'm getting a little nervous. If he doesn't play fall ball, I am going to enter him in a 5K and train him for it. He needs to do something until basketball season starts and he doesn't want to play football this year.

My husband's best friend is coming to stay with us in 2 weeks, so we've been prepping for that. He's german, and only gets to come about once every 4 years. We usually travel all over the states when he visits, but this time, we're just staying close to home. My only issue with it is that he will be here for 3 weeks and my hubby will be off work the whole time! They are going to drive me bonkers!!!!!! So far, the plans include Beavis and Butthead and Borat, so you can understand why I'm worried! I guess I'll be running a lot!

Have a wonderful day everyone!
Tandy

 

[deekaypee]

Hey, gang, I'm back from the IL family reunion. It wasn't as painful as it might have been, although DOOD apparently comes from an extended family that hasn't heard of hummus & thought I would eat fish because I was a vegetarian. I managed to maintain my freak status by refusing to eat ice cream or other sugar, so yeah for that.

Boo for the weight I (probably) gained because there wasn't much for me to eat at the reunion – I made salads out of sub sandwich fillings – and so when we left at night for our hotel room I ended up stopping by Panera/Subway, etc. In essence, I overate a 4th meal each night. The price of hunger + stress (we're getting a lot of the "why don't you get married/adopt" questions now that my BIL has a kid).

But, less about that, more about YOU!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Canada Day/4th of July weekend.

Beth: Oooh, it sounds like your eating is on track with all the good stuff. One of the few reasons to love summer and the heat, IMO; fresh fruits & veggies just taste so good. Running in this heat...not a reason to love summer.
Those 10 pounds will drop off you, I'm sure of it, now that things are settling down.

Ahhh, should have known Nancy would get in some golfing over the holiday. It's one of her favorite things. Oh, I'm always so amazed when I see people running at high noon or mid-afternoon in this weather. I just stare at them sometimes, probably with a look that's a cross between wonder and horror. Sorry to hear about the asthma when running in this heat. I've seen the air quality warnings here, and assume it applies to your area, too.

Maria: Wait...I didn't realize palm oil contributed to cholesterol levels. Very useful information to have. Both DOOD & I now have borderline high cholesterol, and we love the microwave popcorn. I especially love to bring it into movies (big surprise). I'll be with you in spirit, at least, in seeing Sorcerer's Apprentice. Nic Cage never gives a neutral performance – you love it or hate it, in my experience. I'm still not decided on The Last Airbender – I'll probably wait for your review....unless this heat wave holds.

So, the trip to the doctor about your eyes. Nothing too serious? It's hard for me to tell, although you seem pretty okay with everything. Problems like that would freak me out, so I'm probably projecting.

And boy, your ILs make mine sound like the souls of discretion & generosity. Mine asked my the mother of my BIL's daughter – I think they're a couple, but am still not sure – if she worked or was a stay-at-home mom, what her religion was, when they were getting married, etc. I asked her how her training for the NYC marathon was going. Anyway, did your dad hear her comments? It sounds as if he did, and for that I'm very sorry.

Ditto what Tandy said about how fantastic you are! You know that, right?

Vicky: I'm so sorry to hear about the continued problems with BF – I suspect the cold came about because of the stress with the relationship. How are you feeling? A bit angry, I would guess. I hope you can channel that into your training. How are you feeling about your LRs and the upcoming 30K?

Perhaps more on that later....but a big for taking some steps toward finding greater job satisfaction. That would certainly be a new challenge, and I think you might enjoy pushing yourself like that. Certainly the people you work with believe you're capable and you should embrace that compliment.

And you know, the marathon will always be there for you. (Speaking of which, has anyone noticed they're having a real problem filling the events this year?)

Oooh, ooh, ooh! Just reading that you had an interview today. Belated PD and good thoughts your way. I'm sure you knocked 'em off their feet. You're a catch! And you're just right; they have to sell you on the job, not vice versa. And Pixar! That would be soooooo cool. I'm so glad you're chasing some opportunities.

Jackie: Ouch. It sounds as if you might be in a mid-range rehab for whatever is causing the pain. If it is an out-of-alignment hip, I hope it can be corrected with minimal adjustments and interventions. I can only imagine how painful that is, though, for all movements. Not just running and biking, but regular walking, standing sitting. Stay strong. And how did the chiro appointment go?

Like Vicky, I can experience a back twinge doing almost anything, but never something athletic or dramatic. A favorite? Picking up one of the cats. They're big, but not THAT big...

Tandy: Wow, a visitor for that long. You have the patience of a saint, woman! Even if I took the 4 weeks divided by 4 years stance, I'd have to schedule a vacation during my DH's friend's vacation. Especially since you're coming off that very stressful camping trip. I'm so sorry to hear about your dad.

On the good news front, so close to your goal! Whoo hoo! Training DS would be a good way to maintain that, as I'm sure you'll drop 1.5 before then. If not baseball or football, would DS like soccer? I only ask because soccer was such a topic with all DOOD's second cousins (still in elementary – high school).

Btw, I feel for your DH and healthy eating choices. I find holidays particularly difficult. Food plus memories or nostalgia, you know? Plus all these places pull out all the stops with barbecues, funnel cakes, ice cream, etc. Ugh. Hard to resist, particularly if you don't want to.

AFM: Well, you heard it up above. Family reunions and ILs. It's such a stereotypical relationship. They mean well, really and truly, for the most part. But the questions and teasing get to be tiresome. Especially about my eating and running. I got up for a run on Saturday, before DOOD, and came back just a few minutes after he did. He was in the hotel lobby, talking to an aunt & uncle. They immediately teased me about 1) how awful/hot/tired I looked (yep, they used awful, and I assume they meant hot or sweaty) and 2) how I must be slower than DOOD. Of course I am, but you all know how non-runners mean those two statements.

And of course the eating thing is fraught with tension at family gatherings. I don't judge your decision to enjoy an ice-cream sundae over the holiday, even if I look at it with longing. Don't judge me for turning it down. Just help yourself to seconds. And seriously, if I choose to eat a tomato & hummus sandwich for three days (because that's all there is available) it's not a statement about the taste of your pulled pork. I'm a vegetarian, not a freak. (Okay, I'm both – but they're unrelated.)

On the up, up side, I ran Friday, Saturday, and Monday, and walked Sunday. We were near Rochester, NY and I got to run near the Erie Canal on their shaded running trails. Gently rolling hills, lots of paths, and totally lovely. It made me very happy.

 

[rubato]

Good morning ladies. I was awakened at 2:30 because I'm freaking out about my to do list in my head. I tried to sleep until 4 and just gave up. So, here I am!

Debra: I feel your pain. I was a vegan for 5 years. My friends and family thought I was a freak of nature. I got everything from the well meaning friends who made me vegetable soup with chicken broth all the way to my FIL arguing with me every time we ate together. He thought it was unnatural. I brought my cooler with me every time we ate out or at someone's house because it was just easier. I've been talking to hubby about going vegetarian (just me, not him). He, of course, is supportive, but thinks it's wrong. His main concern is that I get enough protein. He was so freaked out about that when I was pregnant that I just started eating meat again! Of course, it had nothing to do with my corndog cravings! I've explained that it will be easier being vegetarian than vegan because I can eat dairy, so he'll adapt.
And, yes, now they all think I'm a freak because I run. Why is it that the healthy options make us weird? I think it just puts a spotlight on everyone else's unhealthy lifestyles!

I'm sorry that the ILs were so rude. What can you do? I'm assuming they were well meaning, just tactless. Hopefully, you're done for awhile!!!

My son used to play soccer. The problem is that, because of football, he hasn't played on a team in a few years. We don't want to get back into a sport if he can do the baseball thing. I would hate to find him a soccer team, and then just play for one season. But, I got a call last night. We're going to tryouts for a baseball team on Friday. The team isn't sure they'll do fall baseball, but they'll definately do spring baseball, so if nothing else, it'll help for next year. I just hope he does well at tryouts. Of course, we have a game tomorrow that I need to focus on, but I've given up on this season and moved on to the next!

I am soooo happy to hear that you had such a great running weekend! It DOES sound lovely. Now that I have my Garmin, I'm excited to go running on my vacations. Of course, my next one is to St Louis, and I'm not running there! Bad idea!

AFM: I had a bad day yesterday. Ate everything under the sun and only ran 3 miles. I'm going to a minor league baseball game today that is smack dab in the middle of the day, so I'm hoping to run 3 in the morning, and maybe another 3 or 4 tonight. I need to eat healthy today too. Tomorrow is hubby's 50th bday so I want to take him to his favorite italian restaurant. Nothing but olive oil, bread, sauce and pasta to do you in! And, they make a good Grey Goose and tonic! Maybe I'll do the vegetarian thing after that dinner!!

Have a wonderful day ladies!
Tandy

 

[Creativebeth]

Good morning Lean Ladies! It's Wednesday already....this week is flying by (like the rest of them!)

Debra: I am glad that your weekend with the IL's is over! That is cause to celebrate! I do hear ya with the 'freak' status, when you don't eat all the same crap as everyone else. When I did low carb, that's all I would hear.....it gets old after awhile. I am of the theory....'to each his own' when it comes to that.....my IL's are not ones to hold the same theory...... I moved well beyond it! They are in their own 'freak' status, and don't even know it!

My dh is all over the 4th meal idea! He loves to have something 'substancial' to eat at 11:00 at night! He knows of what you speak! Actually, I would be all for it too, if I didn't gain 100 pounds doing it!!! You didn't have much of a choice about it though....when there is nothing else for you to eat!!! Always spells diaster for me too! I think you did great!

Tandy: Good luck with ds's try outs! It would be nice to seal up a Spring team already! He certainly needs to move on from the current situation!

Summer is filled with 'events' that make eating difficult. I had a baseball pool party last night.....and there was SO much junk there! I did pretty well with one small sandwich and a handful of chips (yes, I should have skipped them, but I did keep it to one handful!!!) And fresh watermelon! (which was excellent!) So, all in all, not to bad at all!

AFM: I didn't run this morning....my breathing isn't good right now and didn't want to chance it. I've had a cough since yesterday......and I am leary of going back out in this heat/humidity. I will attempt to go to the gym later.....they haven't seen me in months! But, when it's 100 degrees, there isn't many choices!

Have a good day!

Beth

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Good Afternoon, Leanistas!

Beth -- I hope your breathing is improving The snacks are hard...I've been making it a point to have plenty of fruit and cut up veggies available, so they're the first thing I see on the table and in the refrigerator. It make it harder for me to head for the pantry where the really yummy stuff is! I think my dad is having a good time. He and dh are rebuilding a retaining wall in our backyard (my dad is supervising), and they really enjoy each other's company. We have a couple of short outings planned for this weekend, and then we'll take him to L.L. Bean in Maine next Thursday (at least I think that's the plan). It's a nice drive (my dad loves scenery), and as long as there's food at the end, he'll be good.

Tandy -- to dh! I hope you are having a better day today. I think we all need to start an "IL" support group...oh, wait... I think we already did! I am so sorry about your dad Are you camping near the Kady Trail? It sounds like you found a great place to go. You are seriously the hostess with the mostest! I can't imagine entertaining anyone for 3 weeks Brave, you are! Best of luck with the team for ds, I know it is hard when you have to make a change, and solutions just don't pop up. Maybe some magic will come your way!

Debra -- I know my dad heard her but chose to ignore her. He has more tact in his little finger than she has in her whole body...All tropical oils are bad for cholesterol. Of course those are the ones that make things taste good...My eyes...well supposedly I just irritated the eyelids. I'm not feeling very confident about that now though. I am wearing my contacts right now (new pair, of course!), and I'm still having the watering and itching. I'm going to take an allergy pill (I did that before, but it wasn't enough), and hope it improves. I really don't want to go to the opthamologist. I am like the "anti-hypochondriac", I never want to believe anything is wrong Kudos to you for toughing the reunion out. Craziness and hunger would have done me in, and I'm afraid some truth might have come out, or I might have made poor Dennis's life miserable because I was coming unhinged when not with them I am so glad the running was grand, there should be some upside to your sacrifice! Oh, and the soda thing -- I do try to limit myself to one a week, but it's not a hard and fast rule. If that's all there is and I'm thirsty, all bets are off. That said, I generally have a diet IBC rootbeer (in the bottle!) while I watch Dr. Who with ds. We usually have popcorn, too, it's kind of a tradition. If I'm going to have one a week, I'm going for the good stuff!

Vicky -- How did the interview go? Did you like the new group? I hope you are feeling strong and confident, because you are! How did Sunday's race go? Are you still recovering? I applaud you for taking control and making decisions. I know things are rocky with BF, this is one of those times when you want to make sure you don't lose your sense of self, because you are important!

Jackie -- on the weight loss! And yes, I need to see my half full glass with regard to my eyes. I am fortunate in so many ways, I need to be grateful and count those blessings!

AFM -- So hum along with me to the tune of "Back in Black" --

Back on track,
Not talkin' smack,
Don't you know I'm glad to be back
Yes, I'm running loose, with tunes
My legs are movin' and I'm hittin' the groove
Yes, I'm ba a a ack, Back on Track
I'm back on track,
Yes! I'm Back on track!

Now you know why Weird Al Yankovich has nothing to fear from me...

But the good news is I put in the contacts and hit the TM for 4M today! It was warmer than I would have liked, but it felt so good to move! I will get up earlier so I can get 10 in tomorrow. I am so ready!

I was able to do "office laps" for about an hour the last two days, so I got some exercise in. Other than that, I wasn't too successful with my crosstraining. I just feel more focused automatically from the running. It has become so essential to my peace of mind, weight loss mindset, etc., I don't feel "right" if I'm not running.

So, my eating has been interesting. Kind of all over the place, as in really good, then really bad. I don't know what the scale will show tomorrow, I'm thinking either the same, small loss, or small gain. I am determined to show at least a small loss next week. Staying out of the Cheesecake Factory would help. But again -- I had Vietnamese summer rolls with 2 pieces of brown bread (no butter) and unsweetened green iced tea -- followed by a slice of lemon raspberry cheesecake. Usually I've been keeping the good to some meals and bad to others, but I put it all together for that one.

Well, I took today off to spend with my dad, so I'd better get back to him. I hope everyone is having a great week, and looking forward to a great weekend.

I'm at Manda, Cindy, Jeanne and Corinna!

Maria

 

[deekaypee]

Tandy: Sometimes that to-do list is the bane of my peaceful sleep, as well. Yes, healthy options do mark us as "Other," don't they. And I think you're right – it's perceived as a commentary on their lives & choices, particularly in group settings. And it's all the more difficult when it's obvious those choices structure our lives, like running or eating.

That said, I'm really not all that healthy. After all, I'm sitting hear typing this with an iced latte next to me.

Oh, ILs. Yes, they are well-meaning. And tactless. I've got it easier than most, I think, although I need to have people remind me of that.

Ooooh, good luck to DS on his baseball tryout. I hope it works out for him, that he finds a good fit. It's so terrific to have a sport that he loves; that's the kind of thing that really makes a positive difference in your life on soooo many levels. And happy, happy birthday to your DH on a landmark birthday! That's well worth celebrating, with or without Grey Goose!

P.S. I must ask, why won't you run in St. Louis?

Beth: Yes, with the "to each his own" with the eating. Even DOOD & I eat differently in our own household – different meals, different times, different junk-food favorites...

I think I was still cranky about the whole thing because not only did the 4th meal cause me to overeat – okay, okay, I overate the 4th meal – but it threw off my body's natural rhythms. It's all good now, ESPECIALLY as we should be good on that family's side for a few years.

You've been doing excellent with your summer eating. Outdoor grazing opportunities, which make it so easy to indulge in chips and other salty yumminess abound. And you kept it restrained. Woo hoo!

More important, I'm SO glad to hear you when to the gym with all the heat & your troubles breathing. Was it record-breaking temperatures for you? I think I read it was. Be careful.

Maria: That's so fabulous that your dad and DH are working together on a project. That, along with your family outings, just makes me happy for you and your family. It so nice to see folks get along, and it creates such strong bonds for you and good memories for DS.

As for my family, I can't claim I didn't come unhinged when it was just DOOD and me.... I kept my mouth shut about the food, but there might have been some ranting about driving the host's antique cars in the town parade. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but they're convertibles, and the host wasn't well organized. One of the cars broke down (not the one we were in) and the cars were 100+ degrees. So, in the car, I was waving like a pretty princess, smiling while gritting my teeth, and telling DOOD that this was NOT fun.

Okay, so tropical oils are bad. Good not know, sad for me. I don't know if I can give up popcorn, with or without Dr. Who.

Back to you. Great job on the 4 miles today & the plan for 10! ITA about feeling more focused, more in control, calmer, etc. when able to run – even when I'm less in control of other things, like eating. Your eating will get back to even keel soon, I'm sure. But I simply must commend you on the good choices you're making – summer rolls instead of spring rolls, unsweetened tea, brown bread.... Those are all healthy, substantial (filling) choices. Great job! And I'll bet the cheesecake was delicious & hard to regret!

AFM: Okay, I weigh in tomorrow & we'll see the damage. It won't be pretty, as I know I'm up a size. I'll weigh in before my run for some extra motivation.

But I passed the "next" test with the sugar today. I brought home two bakery cookies to DOOD and didn't even open the bag. So there! I'm feeling pretty much in control of that. Next I'll try to cut back on the fat & try to get back to more reasonable portions in general. Yeah, that'll be fun.

Other good news? DOOD just got word that he's been promoted to Associate Professor, which means some job security (he still doesn't have tenure, though) and a raise. It also means he's eligible to work on more committees and projects, which means his work load will increase to balance out his new level. *sigh* (He says he won't take on any more work, but he's a big, fat liar. Trust me on this one.)

The good, self-centered news surrounding DOOD's promotion? This means that next summer I will *finally* be able to take MY month-long research trip. And you know where I'll be headed.... Anyone know of a cheap place to stay in Orlando? I need to plan for this far in advance!

 

[Creativebeth]

Debra: YEAH!!!! for DOOD's promotion! Great news (mostly, except the more work thing) and good for you to get your own turn for a month away! Disney, look out! You will be able to spend time in your favorite place! I am glad for you.....will you take me with you?

I actually took off the last two days from exercise.....I have developed a pretty bad congested cough that was worrying me.....I haven't had problems with my asthma for many years, and I didn't want to start now. I was worried yesterday, as the heat and humidity was still high. I didn't want to stress my body any more than I have. Today, the cough got the best of me, with some wheezing involved.....so I took the day off again. The weather this evening was so much better (I had two late basketball games last night and tonight) it was so much cooler tonight. I will try to run tomorrow morning, with an inhaler in hand.....

Maria: I am glad you got the day off today with your Dad! He sounds alot like mine, except that 'handy' part. My Dad is 78, very healthy, and very un-handy, except picking up the dinner check! (which is always appreciated!) My Dad only lives 15 minutes away though, so I get to see him more often than you see your's!

Good luck with your 10 miler tomorrow!

AFM: As noted above, my asthma is getting me down. I am hoping the weather has turned for the better!

My eating took a nose dive today too. I felt sort of defeated with the breathing issue, and took it out on too many sweet snacks.....I'll be better tomorrow!

Beth