Get fit together support group, and: Join the President's Challenge!

[Lani]

This was the one that we used. Unforunately, tt didn't provide us enough light for what we were doing at the time. Also, we only had 1 light for the 2 of us. We just figured that we didn't need it because the mountain bike light would be used. :(
Wow Tim, I guess it was really really dark!! I'm glad you didn't hurt yourself.

[Tinker Bell]

A voice from far calling her name should she run or say "Here I am"

Well I will face the music " Here I am"

[MouseWife]

So, tied up with MouseWife eh? I've got to kick it into high gear! :D

LOL I was wondering where I stood...LOL

I'm still training for that bridge walk/run. The Hubster is sooo trying to psych me out to run more and to go train on these big freakin' hills in our neighborhood. Ah, no thanks!! I told him I survived it last year so I know I can do it this year.

I do try and post regularly. AND the fun part is that I have been able to change my WEIGHT!!

Okay, what am I supposed to be eating since I am running? In the beginning I felt great but now I always feel like I want to walk. {we used to walk/run} I think I am missing something...I did feel better this morning as I went to bed at a better time...

So, should I post house chores even if they max out the points?

Nice to see so many names on the list!!

AND The Hubster still rolls his eyes when I quote you guys and your tips BUT he listens.... ;)

[Bill Catherall]

Okay, what am I supposed to be eating since I am running? In the beginning I felt great but now I always feel like I want to walk. {we used to walk/run} I think I am missing something...I did feel better this morning as I went to bed at a better time...
What are you eating now? Or, it could be a lack of sufficient rest as you mentioned above. The time you spend resting is just as important as the time you spend training.

[MouseWife]

What are you eating now? Or, it could be a lack of sufficient rest as you mentioned above. The time you spend resting is just as important as the time you spend training.

I think that may be the case....we joke that I can nap during the day if I need to but that isn't right and I really don't. I stay up late and now with it getting warmer, I get up at 5:30 to go run.

Foodwise, I still eat my fruit daily~right now strawberries, grapes, watermelon, orange, apple, peach. I have a bowl of oatmeal and a slice of raisin bread for brunch and then whatever for dinner. Nothing fatty but really whatever I want. Last night it was Subway the night before carne asada tacos.

All I can say, and the Hubster isn't going to like it, but, after this bridge thing, I am taking a BREAK. I haven't had one in a while. I think it may be time. But, since I am still losing weight, does that mean I am on a good roll? I had plataued {sp} but then when I started running I kicked it up again.

AND since I've been running, my sides hurt. Not while I am running but after. Does this mean I am using new muscles? Yes, I really don't know. :geek:

Ah, nice to be back talking about exercise!! I've been too busy DOING it! LOL

[Lani]

I'd like to welcome two new members to the team's President's Challenge:

Tinker Bell, and baileykat! Yay!!!!

So now our Team MousePlanet members who have taken on the President's Challenge (or Active Lifestyle challenge) are:

baileykat
Bill Catherall
cirquelover
cryan71
DisneyDyke
DisneyFan25863
Leap for Joy
Mark Goldhaber
millionairegirl
MonorailMan
MouseWife
mrs_toad
Nephythys
SacTown Chronic
hersheythecat
simzac
spookrepitus
SusanP.
timl33
Tinker Bell
and me

Yay!!

I am just blown away by the positive responses, and seeing so many people sign up. It's absolutely awesome! I know not everyone who exercises or has an active lifestyle here has signed up for the challenge, but I strongly encourage you to join. It's a great way to track your progress, and it's free!

[Bill Catherall]

MouseWife - How many servings of fruit is that per day? And you're still eating veggies on top of that, right?

Fruit is a simple carb. Not quite as "bad" as processed sugar, but isn't really ideal for sustained energy. For sustained energy you need more complex carbs. The oatmeal is good, but one serving per day isn't sufficient. Brown rice, whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, black beans, and sweet potatoes are good examples of wholesome complex carbohydrates. You don't have to eat all of these, and you don't have to eat a lot of them either. Just get a good balance.

[Lani]

How much info do you want me to share?

OK, here's a question. As a member of Team MousePlanet at the President's Challenge Web site, you can compare yourself to others in the team, but you can't get a whole lot more info than that.

I haven't been posting much information regarding people's progress, because I don't want to embarrass anyone or give away information they feel should be kept private. I also don't want to turn this into a negative pressure thing ("Hey, Lani hasn't exercised in 4 months! What a lazy bum!"), *OR* a competition.

HOWEVER, I know there are a number of folks who have really revved into high gear and are doing an amazing amount of physical activity, and I think it might be fun to share that info. At this time, there are four people who are already well past their 10,000-point mark, for example. Should I list these people? Should I give out their point numbers? I don't know; I'd like to leave it up to the team.

Getting your first award

As you earn your awards, as a way to acknowledge your feat, would it be OK if we post that info here? Also, to congratulate you on your accomplishment, I would like to mail you a Team MousePlanet button, as well as an official lapel pin and certificate from the President's Challenge program (for whatever program you're in). I'll be contacting you offline for your mailing address. I can't promise that I'll mail stuff out at each milestone (each lapel pin is like $3), but I'd love to get you your first one.

AIDS Walk

Don't forget that you can sign up for the AIDS Walk, scheduled for Sunday, June 6. Details are available in the Lounge thread (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=28447) posted by AVP. By signing up as a Disneyland VoluntEAR and raising at least $50, you can get a free VoluntEAR T-shirt! How cool is that? AVP has volunteered to be our unofficial team captain (since technically we'll all be captained by Disneyland's team), so you can walk together as a group if you'd like.

CHOC Walk

This is THE event! It's the ONLY fun-walk that goes through Disneyland Resort property. [Yeah yeah, so WDW has its marathon -- and some of us have signed up for that, but besides that...]

The CHOC Walk is a fundraiser for Children's Hospital Orange County, and this year's event is scheduled for October 3. It's a 5K (3.1 miles), so if you're thinking about a goal to work towards, that's a great and VERY doable distance. If you normally walk that far anyway, it'll be just a regular workout for you.

We'll try to coordinate this, so we can walk as Team MousePlanet. Hopefully I'll get a graphic put together so you can either order them, or use an iron-on on your own shirt. As we get closer to the event, we'll be announcing more details. If you live in the area, definitely join us!

[Lani]

MouseWife - How many servings of fruit is that per day? And you're still eating veggies on top of that, right?

Fruit is a simple carb. Not quite as "bad" as processed sugar, but isn't really ideal for sustained energy. For sustained energy you need more complex carbs. The oatmeal is good, but one serving per day isn't sufficient. Brown rice, whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, black beans, and sweet potatoes are good examples of wholesome complex carbohydrates. You don't have to eat all of these, and you don't have to eat a lot of them either. Just get a good balance.
OK, I'm basing my suggestions on a "controlled" but NOT low-carb plan...

First, if you're still ingesting processed sugars, see if you can cut that out entirely. It affects your blood sugar, and you'll feel tired in the afternoon. The worst offenders are sodas and candy... and while fruits are good, you might keep an eye on the amount of fruit juices you drink. Fructose is still sugar, and you lose out on the fiber.

The carbs you eat, like Bill said, should be complex. Be careful when you buy bread labeled as "wheat." Make sure it says "whole wheat" because otherwise, it's missing the bran and germ (since manufacturers can make money selling those parts off). You might want to visit this site (http://www.thebreadery.com/nutrition_info/nutrition_info.htm) for info on wheat parts... in the meantime, make sure it says WHOLE, not just "wheat."

The pain on your side -- where exactly is it? Is it like a side stitch, or is it along the outside of your thighs, from your hips down to your knees? If it's the former, consider taking potassium or electrolyte tablets. If it's the latter, it's your ilio-tibial band (ITB), a muscle that tends to get forgotten. There are some stretches you can do to loosen those so they don't tighten up on you.

Also, how much protein are you eating? Now that you're running, you're building muscle in your legs. Make sure you're eating enough protein so your body can build those muscles.

If you aren't already, make sure you stretch. After a brief warm-up (3 minutes or so), you want to do a pre-run stretch. You also want to stretch after your run. The best book on stretching is "Stretching (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0936070226/103-6349215-4763806?%5Fencoding=UTF8)" by Bob Anderson. If you don't already have a copy, I encourage you to pick it up. The book lists stretches for all types of physical activity, categorized so you can look them up easily.

Mousewife -- one word of caution. Now that you're running, make sure to limit your mileage increase by no more than 10% a week. If you add much more than that, you are entertaining the risk of injury in the form of shin splints and stress fractures... and those can sideline you for months. One way you can avoid the high mileage is to cross-train and use other machines, like the bicycle or elliptical, so you aren't putting so much impact on your feet and joints, but still putting in a great workout.

I hit a bit of a milestone today myself -- after a warm-up mile at 5.6mph, I was able to increase the speed to 6mph (10-minute miles) for 4 miles. I haven't been able to do THAT since 1993. Yay me. :)

[MouseWife]

Whew. You guys are so smart. :cool:

{Remember, I have gained my post count in the Word Association thread, so, bear with me!!}

LONG POST WARNING!!!

Okay~ Hmm. I would guess about six servings of fruit. But, the Hubster gets half of my orange and he buys small fruit so he can carry it in his backpack to work.

How bizarre is this~ I have been sort of craving black beans!! I do not know why!! But, I do eat veggies; spinach salads quite often, with mushrooms, tomatoes, brocolli, cucumber, avocado and cheese.

I was looking at the brown wild rice at Henry's. Does it cook differently than regular white rice? You see, this is a chickie who just loves the simplicity of plain old white rice tossed in the microwave...total change of life here. But I am trying....

Hmm. About the info on the board. Of course, right now I say Yes but then again, like you said, when I slack off I may cry No!! LOL I am game if the others are. Oo, but not the weight, okay? I still have issues with seeing that. My age, eh, I can handle that. Really.

I'd love to receive recognition from you!!! This is cool! If you don't have my addy just ask when you need it!

CHOC walk. I have wanted to do this for years. Always just a conflict of time. I think a Team MousePlanet would be very cool!! {I can totally walk!!}I am doing the walk for the military families {that is the bridge walk} and volunteering for the Rock and Roll Marathon. How I got roped into being at the front line at 4 a.m. I just do not know....

Processed sugars~I think the only place I get that is in my sugar substitute. I use Splenda. Otherwise, I drink no juice except plain orange and I drink no sodas at all.

Oh, candy, well, ah, I do split a bar with people now and than but mostly not.

I will definetly check out the pastas you recommend. We eat the better bread but the kids don't like the grains. LOL Eventually they might.

LOL It is the latter in the pain issue. I can feel it. Geez, couch potatoes don't lose their muscles, they are just hard to find.

Protein...so, if I eat an egg it won't be so bad??? I eat them on weekends, is that enough?

I do stretch but I will look at your link because obviously I am missing the one that I need!!!

LOL I don't wanna increase my mileage!! My coach {husband} is trying to coax me...I have told him to buzz off 'cause he is making a fun thing a chore. I am not competitive. Not even against myself. LOL

I did tell him that I was cutting out a day of our running and our Sunday run is shorter. He is so of the more more more mentality that he doesn't get it.
I also have made two days just walking days and I slow down a lot and enjoy walking with whomever wants to join me AND I even take the time to stop and visit with my cronies. Much more of a pleasure.

Hey YEAH for you Lani!! I tell you, I have always known running is hard but now doing it I have even MORE respect for those who do it!! Great for you!! I bet you are feeling pretty good right now!!!

[Lani]

But, I do eat veggies; spinach salads quite often, with mushrooms, tomatoes, brocolli, cucumber, avocado and cheese.As much as Andrew and Alex would like it to be, I think cheese is not a vegetable. LOL
I was looking at the brown wild rice at Henry's. Does it cook differently than regular white rice? You see, this is a chickie who just loves the simplicity of plain old white rice tossed in the microwave...total change of life here. But I am trying....Unfortunately, white rice is one of the worst things you can eat.


Hmm. About the info on the board. Of course, right now I say Yes but then again, like you said, when I slack off I may cry No!! LOL I am game if the others are. Oo, but not the weight, okay? I still have issues with seeing that. My age, eh, I can handle that. Really.I'm thinking of posting only gross scores (since I can't tell how close a person is based on net points towards an award), and maybe the top 3 spots.

Processed sugars~I think the only place I get that is in my sugar substitute. I use Splenda.Sugar substitutes are OK, as long as you're not counting the diet stuff as part of your daily water intake.

Protein...so, if I eat an egg it won't be so bad??? I eat them on weekends, is that enough?Do you eat any proteins the rest of the week? Yes, eggs are very good! Don't overeat them, but since you're exercising so much they are good for you. :)

[MouseWife]

Hee hee, ah, yeah, I meant to show that I even eat dairy. :fez:

I don't eat white rice anymore. That is what is so hard!!! I love it with veggies and fish, yummy. I need to substitute it with brown/wild rice. Just will take getting used to.

I am game if everyone else is game. I just might keep me motivated. :geek:

Nah, I keep my coffee/water seperate. I do drink a lot of coffee though. I try to drink an even number...

I guess I do eat other proteins. Off the top of my head I can't say but I know that when I crave it I must need it so I eat it!!! But, I only eat two eggs a week. Just because that is when we have big breakfasts. Hashbrowns, bacon, one flour tortilla.

Thanks, to both of you for getting back to me!!!

Those sore muscles make me smile now since they mean I am doing something different by running...nice to see results. :)

[Bill Catherall]

Brown rice does take longer to cook. About 45 minutes compared to the 15 minutes for white rice. It doesn't have to be wild rice, just make sure it's whole grain (brown rice usually is). I think brown rice tastes better than white. It has more flavor even plain. In fact, I prefer it plain (no butter), but I do add some salt while it's cooking to improve flavor. I don't add salt after it's cooked.

If you're really wanting to learn more about healthy eating might I suggest picking up a South Beach Diet book? You don't necessarily have to follow the diet program, although it is a good program. But it has some really really good information about how to eat clean. Good fats vs. bad fats, good carbs vs. bad carbs, protein, how much to eat, how often to eat, etc. It isn't strict in counting calories, it's all about portions and getting a good balance. If you don't want to "do the South Beach Diet" you can skip Phase 1 and Phase 2 and just follow the advice for Phase 3. It also has a good collection of great recipes.

[Lani]

I went in for my body fat test this morning. Our gym at work contracted a guy who adminisers a full immersion hydrostatic body fat test in a mobile truck. I found out I my body fat percentage is only 26.6% I thought for sure I'd be well over 30.

Now here's the interesting part. My BMI still tells me I'm off the chart at 27.1 BMI. Based on the test today, I would be considered "optimal" if I lost just 6.9 pounds of fat. If I calculate my BMI based on that weight, I'm still at 25.8, which is considered obese!! Turns out I have quite a bit of lean body mass. I'm glad I got body fat tested; the BMI would've told me I'm far more overweight than I am.

I'll be taking another test in mid-summer, and one in the fall. It's part of a summer fitness challenge that we're starting next week. You sign up for a team of up to 10. I was going to sign up with some co-workers who'd already signed up, but their team was full! I was so excited to hear that all of these folks are gonna try to lose weight and get in shape. Yay. Fortunately, the gym manager invited me to join their team (and I know she didn't just invite anyone without a team!) -- "Team Buff" !! I think it's all the hardcore fitness nuts that go to the gym everyday. Tee hee.

[Bill Catherall]

I'm glad I got body fat tested; the BMI would've told me I'm far more overweight than I am.
That's exactly why I don't like BMI calculations. If you have even average amounts of lean mass and healthy amounts of fat mass you can be on the "obese" side of the scale.

[mrs_toad]

Lani ~ Wow, you must be stoked about your body fat results...very impressive! I just can't picture you being overweight at all since you are so dedicated to your exercise and eating program. Go Team Buff! That's quite a compliment that you were asked to join the "gym rat" team!

Now, I have a couple questions. I logged in my hours the other day for a catering job that I worked at on Tuesday, the day after I got back from DLR. It was a long event, I worked 10 hours in total. The catering jobs that I work are very strenuous and involve a lot of physical labor. I lift and carry heavy equipment such as tables, crates of plates, large hot boxes with food, etc. The job also consists of a lot of running around along with standing, serving, picking up plates, etc.

Okay, so this is how I tried to break it down. I deducted a couple of hours for drive time. For the actual party I included lifting and house work. I can't remember if I included walking, that should probably be included also. Does this seem to be the best way to log my catering work activities to you? Can you think of any better categories? I am working again this evening so I am really going to pay attention to my times and activities.

Here's the second question. I bruise easily. I don't even realize that I have bumped into something, but the next day my legs or arms are black and blue. Some of the bruises look really hideous. This mostly happens on the catering jobs, but I get bruised just working around the house too. Is there any type of supplement that would help in this area? I do take aspirin (probably too much, this time of year I get bad sinus headaches). Do you think the aspirin has a lot to do with the excess bruising?

Once again, any help would be much apprceciated. Thanks!

[Bill Catherall]

mrs_toad - I did a quick Google search about easy bruising and I found a couple articles you might find informative.

Bruising easily: Cause for concern? (http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/HQ/00355.html)
Nutrition facts and health supplements for bruising (http://www.health4youonline.com/nutrition_facts_bruising.htm)

From those two articles it seems that aspirin can contribute to easy bruising and that nutrition may help in reducing the tendency to bruise easily.

[baileykat]

Hi mrs_toad!! A pedometer would be *awesome*! I'm eyeballing one of those new McDonald's adult Happy Meals since I'm told they come with a stepometer. :oldgrin:




I got one today! And I logged 8,000 steps just going to the mall for about 45 minutes, the movies and grocery shopping at Walmart! :~D

Not sure exactly how accurate these things are...since I logged another 20 steps riding in the car! :rolleyes:

I think I'll just invest in a real pedometer...It was interesting to see how many steps it took to get in and out of Walmart....4000! :eek:

[MouseWife]

Hey peoples!

I just wanted to thank you for the information! I definitely learned from it!

I picked up some brown rice {no kidding, 45 minutes in the microwave!! Jiminy!} and some veggie spirals {they just looked good...}. I also picked up some black beans to try out. They really varied in their calorie content. :confused: We went for the low sodium ones as it had half the sodium. I also found out that my daughter already eats wheat spaghetti. I wondered why that burned spaghetti in the pan looked so brown... :eek:

Lani, how great you were picked up on that team on your merits! LOL That must feel GREAT! And your results from that test, wow, that must feel great, too.

[Bill Catherall]

I picked up some brown rice {no kidding, 45 minutes in the microwave!! Jiminy!}
45 minutes on the stove. I don't know what the microwave directions are. If it does take 45 minutes in the microwave you might want to just use the stove.

[MouseWife]

The package said 50 stove top and 45 microwave. But can it be burned 'cause I am very good at doing that. :D

Have you ever cooked it in a rice cooker? I mean, I need all the help I can get...don't those things have timers? Perhaps I couldn't ruin it that way...

Well. Did the Bridge this morning. I actually was able to run {my pace} the entire 4 miles! Hubster said he didn't think I could do it and I told him I didn't know I could until I crossed that line.

It started off slow because of all of the walkers. I have to say, I remember when we walked it we stayed back from the start so as not to get into anyones way. Anywho... :geek:

I survived it, I think we did it in 45 minutes or 44. That is our usual pace. About a 10 or 11 minute mile.

AND I actually had the energy to hit up Kobey's swapmeet!! But now I am off to take a nap....

Hubster wants to do it again or more....Has anyone else, after running one of these said 'That was good enough for me' ? :D

Oh, a question to those of you who already use the wheat pastas {and perhaps that veggie spiral schtuff}~ what do you put on it? Just plain tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce? What is the best?

[DisneyFan25863]

WOW! Just doing PE, one bowling tournment, and swimming have already put me past the 13,000 mark!

Now I just need to work on my diet :fez:

[Bill Catherall]

Have you ever cooked it in a rice cooker? I mean, I need all the help I can get...don't those things have timers? Perhaps I couldn't ruin it that way...

Oh, a question to those of you who already use the wheat pastas {and perhaps that veggie spiral schtuff}~ what do you put on it? Just plain tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce? What is the best?
I don't own a rice cooker, but I've used them before. (I'd buy one 'cuz they're great, but they sure are expensive.) Anyway, yes, the brown rice can burn. Here's how I do it on the stove (and these directions work for all brands of brown rice):

Bring 1-2/3 cup water and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil
Add 1 cup rice
Cover and turn heat down to low (really low)
Set timer for 45 minutes
Go watch some TV :D

The rice cookers I've used in the past don't have timers, they have thermostats that shut off the heat when the water boils out. Thus, no burning.

I made spaghetti last night with whole wheat spaghetti noodles. For sauce I just made my own. Browned the ground beef and added tomato sauce and spices (lots'o garlic). I've got leftovers for lunch. If you want to use the canned spaghetti sauce just watch out for the brands that add sugar or corn syrup. Keep in mind that the whole grain pastas take a little longer to cook. But they don't overcook as easily and don't get all sticky either.

[Lani]

Have you ever cooked it in a rice cooker? I mean, I need all the help I can get...don't those things have timers? Perhaps I couldn't ruin it that way...You wanna know something hilarious? It wasn't until I moved off to college and had an apartment mate who cooked rice on the stove top that I discovered one could cook rice without a rice cooker! Everyone I know in Japan (and most all Asians in Hawaii, if not most everyone else there) knows well enough to use an electric rice cooker.

You don't have to get the expensive fancy ones with the pressure-sealed top (http://tinyurl.com/2te8e) that keeps rice warm for hours. That's convenient primarily in Japan, where mom will cook a huge pot of rice for breakfast or early supper, and have it keep warm for hours as people come home to eat. Just imagine those big stacks of tortillas Mexicans buy fresh everyday... white sticky rice is that much of a staple so they invented a rice cooker that keeps the rice warm all day.

If you are just needing to cook rice for one meal, buy a simple, inexpensive rice cooker like this one (http://tinyurl.com/35z54).

The guarantee: If you cook with a rice cooker, you will never, ever, ever burn rice again.

You measure the rice out into the pot in the cooker. You rinse the rice to get the corn starch or rice powder off the grains (those keep the rice from sticking together before it's cooked), measure in the correct amount of water (up to the marked lines on the side of the pot). Put the pot in the cooker. Put the lid on top. Plug the cooker into the outlet. Press the "Cook" button. That's it! Once the cooker dings and the cooking portion is done, lift the lid. With a rice spatula, carefully fold the rice over a few times. Close the lid. Let the excess moisture steam out. (the folding allows the rice to be uniformly done). Wait about 10-15 minutes, and you have a wonderful pot of hot, yummy perfectly cooked rice!

Washing the pot is easy, too, even if you get a regular one that is not non-stick.

Doesn't matter what kind of rice you use in the cooker. White, brown, jasmine, whatever. The rice cooker does not cook based on a timer, and it knows exactly how long to cook regardless of how much rice you are cooking. The thermostat in the cooker knows to turn the cooker off when the heat in the pot reaches a certain temperature, which is attained only when most of the moisture has been cooked off. Genius, eh?

You can also add things like chopped onions, garlic, seasonings, herbs, small chopped veggies, meat, etc. into the rice cooker with the rice, for a really yummy flavored rice dish as well.

Enjoy!

[Lani]

I don't own a rice cooker, but I've used them before. (I'd buy one 'cuz they're great, but they sure are expensive.)Bill, you were probably looking at the fancy computerized ones. You can still buy very cheap plain cookers for well under $30, including the link I provided in my reply above to Mousewife. I've used one of those for decades, and they make perfect rice every time!