Helen, I thought it sounded like a Princess itinerary. As a Captains Circle member, I get stuff all the time from them and that is one of the itineraries that always has peaked my interest. Unfortunately, they all seem to be in the Jan. to Mar. time frame when I can't go.

I sure hope you MIL is going to be alright and as for the fridge, look on the bright side of things, at least it happened now instead of while you were gone. Not something you would have wanted to come back to!

Thanks for the words of encouragement. You are right Don, better now then while we are gone.
I am just gonna go and hope for the best.
---------------------
Helen

Helen, go and have a great time downunder!

I have something exciting to share. I found this website that is great. It is an online journal. You put in what you ate and it calculates your calories, carbs, fat, protein, etc.. It will also chart your weight loss progress, etc. It is free for the basic stuff, but if you want you can customize it just for you for an additional cost. I searched around different programs and this seemed to be the best one that I could find. Online Weight Loss Journal

Margo, I don't know if you knew this but Fitlinxx also has an online tracker to chart your progress at your gym, and it is free.

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick note to tell you that it's not possible to say on track here. I am in Santa Fe. But I am making the best choices I can and I have not had dessert. That is HUGE for me.

Helen, have a great time and don't sweat the small stuff.

Don,

I have a diet program that does that too and it has a Palm based application so it syncronized. I can carry it with me so I can get the counts while I am out to eat too. I will have to get the name for you.

Mine syncs up with Palm as well and even sorts out a grocery list for you. See!!!

Also, I stepped onto the scale early just to check out the progress and lost another 2 lbs. for a total of 29 so far. Also I tracked what I ate yesterday and my total calorie intake was 1627 and my total net carbs were 15 and drank 160 oz of water. You know, you just don't eat as much when you're in the bathroom all the time! LOL

Don...you crack me up!

Yes...I found the fitlynxx website, here's my standings for February...

Never knew I'd become a "gym rat!"

It's fun and very motivational.

Margo

Thanks Margo. BTW, I couldn't get to your standings. It takes me to my password login. I'm sure you are doing great though. Mine shows me in sixth place among fellow old codgers!

OK, here is a cardio question that I am hoping that somebody can help me with. What is the difference between on treadmills and bikes between a cardio workout and a fat burning workout?

Cardio is getting your heart rate up and keeping it in your target heart range. A fat burning work out varies the intensity so that you are upping your exertion level to the higher range of your target and then taking it back down but still in the range of your target heart range.. Also called Interval training.

Well, I am back from Santa Fe. I will weigh in the morning. I thought I did pretty well considering I had very little input into the menus. We will see how the scale says I did. I think I am up 2 lbs of mostly salt!

Don...I'll try to cut and paste my fitlynxx standings....these are the results for women since the facility opened Feb.1 I didn't get my # until Feb. 5...but I've been working at it since then... I'm in the 99 percentile for women - but as I said before, it's early, we only have about 1300 members. Here are the results:

1 106691 Sarasota HealthPlex 7,348
2 Facility User Sarasota HealthPlex 4,125
3 Itravelnow Sarasota HealthPlex 3,994
4 Facility User Sarasota HealthPlex 3,206
5 Facility User Sarasota HealthPlex 3,052

6 Facility User Sarasota HealthPlex 3,051
7 Facility User Sarasota HealthPlex 2,997
8 Facility User Sarasota HealthPlex 2,850

If the listing is for Facility User that member has not logged on with a special user name. Obviously we're still a very new facility and users are just learning about the Fitlynxx system.

Thanks Kathy! Hope you had a great time.

Margo, that is great. You are doing so good. Here is my standings at our workout facility for February. I'm not quite as high in the standings as you are, but I am still happy with it, especially considering what kind of shape I was in. BTW, my name in the system is Gonnabskinny. I thought it was funny!

Rank Username Home Facility FitPoints
1 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 9,953
2 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 6,128
3 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 5,241
4 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 5,133
5 mbritton City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 5,045
6 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 4,839
7 gonnabskinny City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 4,752
8 doughorchak City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 4,148
9 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 3,920
10 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 3,640
11 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 3,445
12 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 3,378

Don....love the name! Don't you wonder if the guy with 9953 points ever gets off the treadmill?

Thanks Margo! Yeah, kind of makes you wonder if he isn't just logging on and letting the treadmill run on its own. What is kind of funny is most of mine is from weight lifting. I wasn't even logging in on the bike and treadmill until last week after I actually got on the Fitlinxx website and realized that it also tracked your cardio workouts. Silly me! I think you can also list the walks that you do away from the gym. I walk in the evenings on most nights and try to get in just under 2 miles in 30 minutes.

Well I had a really good week last week and am down another 4 lbs. I have now lost 59 lbs since 8/14 and 31 of those pounds have been over the past 8 weeks! :woh: I think I will have that one 7 oz. glass of wine tonight to celebrate!

You are all doing so well! I wish you could drag me with you on your walks and jaunts to the gym.

Well, I did well under my circumstances only gaining one pound - and that's probably some salt. I kept my hand out of the breadbasket and only had dessert once (Cinnamon Ice Cream at the Georgia OKeefe Cafe). So I am back on the wagon and should be right back in the swing before the week is over. No exercise for me since I came home with a gift from one of the other students - their chest cold.

Kathy, that is great. I am proud of you. It is really tough when you are away to stay on track. You did well! :app:

Don...you're an inspiration!

PS....I'll drink to that!!!!

Oh darn...didn't save enough "fruit" portions - maybe tomorrow!

Thanks Margo! BTW, I did figure out that you can also enter any other off premises exercises that you do and it will go towards your fit points. I entered my walk last night. That was also kind of funny. Our 30 year old son was over for dinner and went for a walk with me. After about 10 minutes, he said, "Geez dad, can we please slow down, you are going too fast!" Oh BTW I found out, you also get more points for going slower and going longer than you do for going faster and quicker. I seem to have heard Diana tell me that before! LOL ;)

Oh great, you guys are all doing so well! I'm doing lousy, winter is officially getting me down now, I've been cocooning too much!

Wendy -

Don't feel bad. It' hard to exercise in 10 degree weather.

I have a cold and chicken soup isn't on my diet but I am eating it. Sometimes we have to do what feels best for us at the time.

Wendy...don't worry...spring is coming! You'll be outdoors before you know it.

Kathy, hope the cold is better soon. Nothing does the job as well as Chicken Soup!

Wendy, just think, when we are sweating our you know whats off down down here in Texas, you will be out walking in perfect weather. Shoot, I can't even get out and walk unless the temps are somewhere in the 50's. I'm impressed that you even got out at all.

Kathy, you make Frank take good care of you. I always relax and take a hot bath when I get sick. Maybe a nice bubble bath with Frank serving you Clicquot???

Last night I went walking with my sweats on not knowing that the temps were somewhere in the high 60's, and I almost died. I can't imagine what it is going to be like when it starts getting really hot here. This morning I got to the gym and got a little over 8 miles in on the bike in 35 minutes. The bike said I burned 411 calories, but on my calorie counter program when I entered the same weight, time, and distance came up with 770! I Wish!!! Can't imagine why they are so far off!

:woh: I got on the scale this morning and found I had lost another 2 lbs since Monday. So now I am down 33 lbs since 1/1 and 61 lbs since 8/14/06. I think that calorie counter and journaling has really helped me a lot. Like weight watchers, you know what you have left to work with throughout the day.

I am about to head to the gym and check out the bike. I think I will enter the weight that I'd like to be and see if I get a different calorie burn amount.

Congrats Don, you are a champ!

Well, the weather. Yes. David grew up in the south (D.C.), and he always says it's easier to cope with the cold than the heat. And he's right. Once you dress for the weather, you can be quite active, walking, running, biking, skating, hiking (not to mention skiing.) We have all kinds of dedicated runners who run all over city all winter. And commuters on bikes (crazy!). But the point is, in cold weather you are alert and energetic, not lethargic like you are in the heat, and you can dress for it. So anything's possible.

BTW, we do get our share of heat up here, but nothing like what you experience. In general our summers are great, I must admit. This summer I intend to enjoy it instead of going off gallivanting. We have a cottage up in the woods, on a big river, and I intend to spend my time up there, swimming, walking, chopping wood, reading, gazing at the sunset.

Thanks Wendy! We also have our share of dedicated runners. I wonder when it gets to 110 degrees and I see them out running, how they don't end up with heat stroke!

That cottage in the woods sounds like a fabulous way to spend your summer.

Well I did find out that it doesn't matter what weight you put on the bike. The calorie burn is the same, so maybe the other was close to accurate. Wow!

But then again, a blizzard started about an hour ago. Turning to sleet later, then rain, then freezing again tomorrow. Sigh.

Wendy, hopefully Spring will be coming quickly! Here it is starting to get nice, though we are expecting freezing weather this weekend, but then warming to the 70's on Monday.

I swam laps this morning for my workout and boy am I worn out. You wouldn't have known that I was a competitive swimmer growing up. Form is still there, but not the function! LOL I got in 22 minutes of freestyle and my arms were like jelly! Then I headed to the resistance pool and did another 11 minutes of resistance walking against the current.

Wow Don you are really doing it! I am on the Sapphire Princess. we spent 5 days in Melbourne before boarding the ship and the hotel scales were in stones?? Had no idea how I was doing but since I didn't think all that well I did not bother to find out the conversion. Unfortunately my mother in law was taken back to the hospital with an infection and my husband decided he was just too worried about her to enjoy himself so he left the ship yesterday. He is home now and she is doing better but he's gonna stay home. That leaves me without a conscience! He is my Jiminy Crickett when it comes to diet and exercise. I did go walk around the deck this morning and I am wearing my pedometer. No expectation that I will lose anything but I am going to at least try to keep from putting too much back on.
This is a very pretty ship and my suite is huge. The balcony has 2 loungers and a table and 4 chairs. Very nice. But the food is not that great, reminicscent of cafeterias. Also my husbands situation really highlighted how much better we would have been treated by Regent or Silversea. Princess didn't even call him a taxi. we had to find the pier manager to help us so he could make his flight. I think I am going to stick with Regent from now on. But this is a fantastic part of the world. we had the best tour guide in Melbourne, so Don if you do decide to do this trip she was fabulous. She recognized the koalas in the bush by the markings around their noses, extraordinary! Kathy, have you been here? The photo ops are unbelievable. My pictures are really poor 'cuz I just have a little camera but you would get some amazing shots of the wildlife we have encountered. Anyway don't mean to change the topic of this thread. I am going to watch the carbs and stay active. Will report in more detail about the trip when I get back if you interested.
------------
Helen

Hi Helen,

Good to hear from you. Sorry your husband had to cut his trip short. I hope you will enjoy the cruise on your own. Sad that Princess did not take real care of you two. And if we don't have lunc hwhen you get back, I will be disappointed. And despite what people think, you can take GREAT photos with a disposable or just a point and shoot camera.

If you can limit the carbs, you will be surprised how well you can do, even traveling. Lots of Water and Walking works wonders. That bread basket is my real enemy!

I have not been down under, but, it's high on my list. Maybe that will be what we do in 2008 but more likely 2009.

As far as watching things, I am really learning to eat one cookie and stopping since it's my treat for the day. In Santa Fe, I took a bite of dessert and was done (except the day of Cinnamon Ice Cream). I am down now a total of 23 lbs. I went to the Doctor today for my cold, which is severe bronchitis. Aside from that, they noticed my weight loss without me getting on the scale. I was told to take things easy until I go back - no exercise and lots of rest. Frank is going to pick up take out - a salad with shrimp for me, no dressing, Avocado, or crunchies. Veggies and Shrimp - dressing on the side. And Sugar Free/Fat Free Jello Pudding for dessert. I am bargaining for a whole new wardrobe to take on my next cruises.

Golly Helen, sorry for your husband's family problems. Glad everything is going okay with his mother, but do enjoy yourself. Since the food's not so great, then okay, good chance to stay on track!

Don, I can see that, the competitive swimmer in you! Swimming is great, if you can do it, and if you do it regularly. I don't have that opportunity right now, but hope to when we move. We'll see, I may just do aquafit, which I really enjoy. I've never been a really strong swimmer, but I did do stroke classes some years back, and I love the water.

I am doing not very well diet-wise. Cold weather cocooning--too much comfort food. Last night, in the midst of our slush blizzard, we had penne with garlic bread and salad. But spring is coming, as you have pointed out!

Helen, I'm sorry to hear about your mother in law and to hear how Princess handled things. I would definatley appreciate the name of your tour guide. That is on our to do list.

Kathy, hope you get to feeling better soon. Diana is also down with a cold. No bronchitis, but at the first sign, that is an immediate trip to the Doctor. Smart of you to get in quickly. Diana's problem in France started out as bronchitis that just wouldn't go away, so now we are EXTRA careful.

I'm not feeling too well myself today. I had some stomach issues again last night and this morning it was really tough to get out of bed and get going, and my workout was really tough. Seemed I had very little strength, so I guess I am coming down with something. Also, it is definately colder today with temps in the 40's so I am all bundled up. Wendy, I know that sounds glorious to you right about now, but with our thin blood, we are absolute wimps!

WooHoo....did 1/2 marathon today - boy are my hipflexors mad at me this afternoon. It was lots of fun while I was wogging (walking and jogging).

The best part was logging it on the fitlynxx system - 13.1 miles, 178.4 minutes, 900 points. Priceless! (Well maybe not, I finished right behind the 2nd place woman marathon runner - but I guess we were both happy with our times ;) )

I don't weigh an ounce less but I did drink a lot of gatorade!

Margo

Wow, Margo - what an inspiration ! Congratulations. That is quite a feat - less than 3 hours for that - excellent! :app: :app: :app: :app:

Margo:

Good going gal! I marvel at how good a shape you're in and realize that you do it not only for your own good health but to raise money for needy charities as well.

Happy woggin.

Cheers! Ray

WOW Margo! That is great! That is really impressive. That will send all your fitlinxx competitors into a tail spin. Boy I can't jog or for that matter even wog! These old bones and knees are already in rebellion wondering what I am doing to them latley! LOL

I have been really pushing it. So far this month I have started out with a bang at our club though probably not anywhere near the numbers you have put up. Especially with todays marathon.

Here are the standings I just pulled up.

This one is for men of all ages for fitpoints.
1 olmcb City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,792
2 sgs1485 City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,741
3 gonnabskinny City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,573
4 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,443
5 nglowicz City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,401
6 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,283
7 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,258
8 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,202

This one is for men ages 50-59 for fitpoints.
1 gonnabskinny City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,573
2 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,283
3 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,258
4 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,140
5 kpjoyce City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 864
6 SBanz City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 819

This last one is for total calories expended men ages 50-59.
1 gonnabskinny City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,997
2 kurtissampson City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 1,039
3 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 959
4 jimparrack3 City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 857
5 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 822
6 Facility User City of Allen - Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium 681

Hey, maybe a triathalon in my future! LOL I can get back into shape for swimming and my cycling isn't too bad. Now, if I could just learn to put one foot in front of the other one! Lord knows I'm pretty good and putting one or the other in my mouth from time to time! LOL

Congratulations again!

Ray....my friends are becoming more fit too - when they hear I'm doing another charity walk, they run in the other direction! LOL.

Actually they are very supportive - but the causes are always very special to most of them. I'm going to walk another 60 miles this fall for breast cancer research, Komen for the Cure. Anyone want to come along?

Don...your numbers are amazing!

Don't give up on a triathalon...there were plenty of "fast" walkers today in the 1/2 marathon (me among them many times!)

I like the way fitlynxx sorts by age, especially cause I'll be moving up to 60-69 in October! :)

That is funny! :app:

Actually, once I get down and get into better shape. I may consider it. You are a great inspiration!

Well, I am still trying to get over being sick, so last night I just stayed in and relaxed and also missed my morning workout this morning. I am starting to get more energy, so I may head to the gym tonight and get some miles in on the bike and also do my weight workouts.

I weigh in on Mondays and found that I did lose 2 lbs last week, but those were lost by Thursday (when I cheated and took a mid week peek) and it hasn't dropped since then. So, I went back to the journal to see if anything changed. What I found was that I drank 10 glasses of water each day Monday-Wednesday, but only 6-7 glasses of water the remaining days! Everything else looked the same. Can water make that much difference?

Hi Don,

Sorry to hear you've been down with the bug.

I think that the water makes a difference. I've been drinking a lot of herbal tea to soothe my cold/bronchitis. I've been fairly close to plan, the scale went the right direction and then went the wrong way. I am so affected by salt that I am blaming the chicken soup for that. As my friend Carol say, the time will pass anyway.

Keep up the good work!

Sorry to post after myself, but, I found a resource that might be helpful. I googled the place I was going to order lunch from to get the phone number and low and behold I found a website that has all the nutritional breakdown from fast food restaurants and it's done so well - cals, carbs and broken down by portions and things on the side too. in and out is even there! Do I really want to know THAT information?

http://www.chowbaby.com/fastfood/fast_food_nutrition.asp?ff_restid=1039