I'll wish you all a general hello! I'm kind of rushed.

Managed a slow 4 1/2 miles (90 minutes) today at the lake. Another beautiful day here but that ends soon.

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I've been a lousey, slug-like, tater the last day or two. I'm sure I'll get down to something tomorrow, but that's turning into a pattern for me. I can always get my exercise in on Saturday and Sunday. Then, maybe again one night during the week. So I'm getting to my goal of "recognized exercise" three times per week. Yet I feel as though I'm not meeting goal. I think that it is because I've subconsciously moved the bar for myself. In one of my heart of hearts I'm starting to feel as if I should be striving for more ... yet I've got to admit that most work nights I'm so fried, that if I try to persuade myself that I should do something, the other "heart of my hearts" want to go get one of my larger (duck hunting) guns and shoot the first one.

ROTF! Sounds like "The two faces of Maggie" no?

I will have to search my soul(s) and explore the controversy.

Meantime, have a wonderful Passover/Easter to those who celebrate either or both of them!

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LOL @ Maggie!

I can relate. Often when I'm doing one of my walks and my choice is to continue or turn around, in the back of my head is always the thought "that rock looks comfortable, I could lay down".

Did a quick 2 miles. Miserable, overcast damp, gray day. And this is the best out of 3. Oh well on the plus side I finally convinced my sister to share a costco membership with me by showing her that she would make her money back in gas savings alone.

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LOL Rob, good going! Costco is one of my favorite shopping places.

Maggie, I feel your (no) pain! It's really hard for me to convince myself to exercise when I get home from work - so many other things want doing, like feeding the wild birds, petting the cats, starting dinner prep - but so far I've been pretty good about talking myself INTO the elliptical. I did Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday last week. As long as I get in at least 3 days and at least 30 minutes per session, I congratulate myself!

So tomorrow starts another week.

Rob, the mushrooms taste like HAY?! Not sure I'll like that very much!

Barb, hope your weather turns nice soon - or you'll have to do another Druid ritual and see what happens!

Hoppy Easter or whatever celebration you choose today!

Char

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Veni, vidi, velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Save the Earth - it's the only planet with CHOCOLATE!

So, having revealed my higher aspirations Thursday, I left the computer to wend my way bedward when I tripped over Dr. Ruth, who appeared to be attempting to place her body under each foot as it headed toward the floor, and (stupidly) instead of just falling, decided to attempt a "re-gain balance" maneuver in order to prevent a fall. Well, I remained vertical but, in doing so, totally screwed up my left (translation: already ****ed up) knee, by simultaneously twisting and hyper-extending.

Consequently, rather than "make" my almost superseded three day a week goal, I find myself completely behind again. Instead of making up for lost time, I'm braced up and spending most of the time with my leg elevated, scarfing generic ibuprofen, and turning the air various shades of blue regarding my fate.

Instead of walking my treadmill, I've: read a book (not very good), watched several really bad movies, checked out the forum (almost no one on), made a pair of earrings, reminded various fur-bearing creatures not to drape themselves over my injured joint, repaired a nail which I broke proximal to the nail/nailbed articulation while trying to use it as a crowbar to open a package, and tried out a couple of recipe ideas (none which is worth reporting).

Quite a sight I must have been, too, stomping around the kitchen working on the ultimate lc variation on sponge cake. For those who have never had to immobilize a knee joint, one moves about with all the grace of an amputee sporting a crude wooden leg. I lacked only a parrot riding upon my shoulder.

Arrrghhh and Avassstttt! Where's me rum?

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Oh, MAGGIE! I'm so sorry about your knee, although I can't help but laugh out loud about the whole episode as you described it - I can literally see the whole thing in my mind's eye!

Cats. 'Nuf said.

I hope the ibuprofen does its job fast and you're back on your feet, so to speak, ASAP. I hope the air fades of its blue color and you find an INTERESTING book!! I hope Dr. Ruth is appropriately chagrined at what havic she hath wrought (but she IS a cat, so probably not....)

Take care of it! There's always May!

Hugs
Char

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Veni, vidi, velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Save the Earth - it's the only planet with CHOCOLATE!

Ahoy Maties!!! I've kinda been missing in action this weekend. Friday night we went out with DS-S and his wife, my DD and her b/f and oh did I blow it. I had a few diet cokes and rums. Then on Sunday we had Easter at BIL's. There was some REALLY good German Potato Salad that I had, PLUS a little taste of all 3 desserts that were there. I didn't exercise at all, since Curves was closed for 3 days due to the Holiday. But I DID make DH walk around the pond with me behind my BIL's house after dinner. So even though I hate going to Curves on Monday's I am going to make myself go. I was a total tato the whole weekend. PLUS, I spent most of Saturday on my keister learning HTML. I'm grasping it pretty quick, but need to do it over and over to get it to "can do it in my sleep" level.

Sandy, don't worry, I'm feeling really out of it with this board too, but it will get better.

Maggie, OUCH!!!!!! Get better soon!!!!!!

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Charski - No, the violets tasted like hay. Horses eat hay. LOL
My sister and I decided we'd think it over about costco. We did a tour and the prices are better than supermarket's regular prices but my sister and I are sale shoppers. My sister is a pro at it though. I've seen her come out of the store with $40.00 worth of food for $8.00 using coupons. But teh gas at costco was 3 cents a gallon cheaper than the cheapest regular gas station.

Maggie - Sorry about your knee. Having bad knees myself I know how nearly impossible exercise is when the knee is out of whack. About the only exercise you can do is chair isometrics or crunches (maybe?).

Barb - don't feel bad my Easter Sunday was pretty bad too carb-wise. ate a couple handfuls of regular crackers. and overindulged on cabernet.

Sandy - you'll get the hang of this board soon enough.

The weather has been rainy since saturday and will continue that way until wednesday night. So I skipped walking yesterday and will probably skip today. But I have to walk at the mall sometime soon or I'll lose my stamina. I Hate mall walking.
I did about a hundred cabernet curls as my only exercise yesterday. The good news is the crackers didn't give me cravings. In fact all I could mange to eat for breakfast was one hard boiled colored egg.

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Hey taters

Been a true tater the past couple weeks. Just can't seem to get motivated when I'm working 8a-8p and it's just been an ugly couple of weeks. UGH! Last week of daylight, at last! And WHAT, pray tell, am I doing with my free time now that I'm on nights again? Sitting on my tater butt at the computer!! Ugly outside, but I will get the dogs and I out for at least a short walk. I think I may hit the gym too. If not the gym, then a Pilates DVD. Have to go food shopping, as I have no good food in the house...and we all know how dangerous that is. Today is also the day I re-induct, sigh...Been so lazy with everything lately.
Sorry bout your knee, Maggie. And Barb...your binge got nothin' on my last week, so you at least have that going for you! Char and Rob...how bout sending a little of your motivation my way? Sandy...I know what you mean. I've been away a couple days and everything is still a little hard to navigate for me too.
Here's to a better week ahead!! Later, taters.

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"Live strong." ~ Lance Armstrong
SLEEP BE DAMNED! GET THY BUTT TO THE GYM!
Start Atkins 9.1.03
225/198/130ish

Maggie so sorry about you reinjuring your knee, and so soon after the last one. OUCH. I almost had a "cat tripping" experience too. I was walking out my back door, down the steps with all of the junk I take to school with me each day, when my foot connected with something. I was able to keep my balance, but the poor kitty went flying. She landed on her feet and was not hurt, but she sure stayed out of my way for awhile.

I have been a true fauxtato! No exercise at all this weekend. I was going to walk after school today, but since it was my first day back in 9 days I was too tired to walk. I need to force myself to get moving!

Barb, I am sure you did not do too much damage. You have been doing so great for so long :great: .
The weather is really lousy today. It is cold and rainy. I want warm weather!!!

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Susan
207/170/160/
size 16/12/8
LC since 4/03

Yeah, I don't think I did too much damage. I'm a little puffy and that naughty eating didn't seem to spike any cravings. I did notice, however, that my hunger level has increased. I woke up hungry this AM which is highly unusual for me. I attribute it to the sugars I poisoned myself with this weekend. As for going to Curves today???? Fugehtabotit. I did sooooooooo much physical stuff at work today, I figured I got a good enough workout. We just got our shipment of new catalogs in and I had to hoist many, many boxes of them into the mailroom. Tomorrow I will be hoisting the rest of one skid onto the shelves in the warehouse right outside the mailroom door. We're talking about 46 boxes containing 100 catalogs in each one. THAT will be a good workout too. But hopefully, I will have the energy to go to Curves tomorrow. Today I promptly came home and took a nap.

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Well, I had my brace off for part of the day. It only hurts if I turn on that leg a certain way.

Thanks Susan, but last time I hurt myself it was just a pulled groin muscle and hardly slowed me down, activity wise. This could (but hopefully won't) be a real problem. I've got some problems with my knees that no amount of weight loss is going to remedy completely. I consider myself lucky, since I'm many, many times better than I was when I was heavy. For the most part, I'm fine, just prone to some problems there.

Now, regarding alternative exercise, I did order a book about isometrics - sounded right up my alley, but I'm awaiting deliver on that. Meantime, about these "crunches." Pray tell, what, exactly, does this activty entail? I've heard the expression uttered often by those prone to exercise, but was never interested enough to inquire further. I've always assumed it was something like a sit-up, which I do not believe I've attempted since I was in the 8th grade.

( Stop laughing! I'm seriously ignorant here!). If someone can describe how one goes about "crunching" I'd be willing to give it a try.

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Maggie, I am no expert by any means on crunching (except maybe in the past with potato chips, LOL) but I think crunches are different from sit-ups in that one contracts the abdominal muscles while only lifting the head. When I do them, I have my knees up (while lying on my back) with my hands supporting my head. Then I contract my abs and only lift my head up part way. Then you release and repeat. With sit-ups, one is coming up all the way to a sitting position, with crunches you don't. HTH!!!!

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Maggie, I gotta hear about this Isometrics book after you get it! I've been doing some on my own and it does seem to be working! Two kinds for the ol' tummy and one for the bee-hind.


Barb, I'd say THAT qualifies as exercise alrighty! Sheesh!

Rob, OH, well no worry of me eating violets off the horse trail! So then, pray tell, what DO morels taste like? Chicken droppings??! LOL!

What is it with CATS?! Last night, I was reaching FAAAAAR up into my cupboard to get my TV pillow, stepped back, for one very split second my mind went, "Uh oh, whatever I stepped on shouldn't BE there!" at which point an ear-splitting kitty yowl announced EXACTLY where my foot had landed - on HER foot! DANG CATS!! She sure split outta there in a hurry - she got LOTS of fauxtater exercise!

Me, I came home with cramps (yep, those kind) so talked myself right out of exercising at ALL today. Sigh. Will try again tomorrow though!

Char

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Veni, vidi, velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Save the Earth - it's the only planet with CHOCOLATE!

Hey taters...been gone for a long soggy Easter weekend. Exercise was off so I'm feeling grumpy and soggy. If I don't move, I'll mildew!

Maggie...hope things are better. I have an artificial right knee and can sympathize. I remember only too well the hobbles. The really hard part was getting up from the floor if I was silly enough to get down there in the first place. I am hopeful that losing weight will help with the joint issues I've developed. So far so good but so far to go.

My furry feline seems destined to be squashed as she is always underfoot, especially first thing in the a.m. when I get up and she winds between my legs as I walk from bed to bath and then to the kitchen to feed. I think they must have a death wish...maybe that's why the 9 lives thing!

Anywho...don't know how I'll manage to walk anytime soon. It's pouring and seems like it plans to stay that way. Guess it's time for the Pilates tape.

Happy Tuesday folks. I'll be on the couch later tonight with American Idols. Predictions anyone???

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Back again in 2005
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