6 month alumni Weekly checkin 10/4

[FourAM]

Hey gals just getting us started on our first weekly checkin. I think this is going to make everything so much easier for now.
It is a rest day for me and since the weather is dark and rainy, there probably could not have been a better day for it. Unfortunately it is supposed to be like this all week. OH well you got to have rain, right Jo?

So far today I have pretty much cleaned one whole half of the house from top to bottom. I guess I am going a little stir crazy...I know it has only been raining for a few hrs. I guess I was spoiled by the last few days. The thing is, I am trying not to let my self run out of things to do or else I might start snacking. Even though the house is pretty much void of groceries to snack on. That is another thing to add to the list of things to do. OK I see this post is a little ( or a lot) A.D.D. right now so I better go use this kinetic energy while I have it...BBL

Rachel

 

[Runcrazy]

Hello and Happy Sunday!

Rachel it's sunshining here and supposed to be 63 today! Yippee! However it was 40 when I got up! Sounds like a good day for house cleaning for you!

I did Step Blast and was very invigorated today! The endorphins were flying! So in spite of lowering my weights yesterday, I did work hard on my form and my biceps are sore today! I love that as I hardly ever have DOMS there!

Kim, you certainly have a busy weekend!

Cendrine, you also had a very busy weekend! I'll bet you were exhausted but glad DS had a good time! Let's plan for Saturday lunch for sure. I'll PM you.

Okay, off to the shower. We are going to Costco...

 

[cab0899]

Some time to sit and relax. Kids had their first swimming lessons which went well. DH and ds are at ds's tryouts now and I came home and did my CLX workout. Rest of the day we can relax. I'm planning on taking 2 rest days for the last 3 weeks of CLX as I'm finding these workouts just wipe me out. (The schedule is for 5 workouts/2 rest days per week but I've only been taking 1). It's all compound movements with heavy weights for 12 very slow reps 10 second rest and then 3 more reps. I find that since it's compound movements that it just pulls in the whole core and everything.

Rachael It's funny on the way home from the hockey game on Friday we were talking about how strange it would be to not have a white Christmas and then I logged on and your had written about wanting to have a white Christmas. So did you get the P90X from Julie that used to post here? DH and I did a round of P90X, good workouts!! So are you back to work tomorrow? How did the party go?
We don't have homecoming events like that. The university does a homecoming dinner even 5 years after your 10 year grad. That's about it. My ds and DH are huge sports fans! They love going to the different games. We actually got the football season tickets free from buying our tent trailer. We usually only go 1-2 times per year. We go quite often to the hockey games but mostly on free tickets from DH's work as they have a luxury box. DD only likes to go when we get box seats because she likes to play house in the luxury box

Jo No snow yet for us but they had some out west. We often have one snowfall before Halloween so could come anytime. You know you're Canadian if you sew your Halloween costumes big enough to fit over a snowsuit. Jo, you are not a wimp!!! Like Charlene (from CLX) says it doesn't matter what the number on the dumbbell is, it matters is you bring your muscle to fatigue. How could you think you were a wimp after finishing Drill Max Scrambled cardio???

Cendrien I want to see a picture of the cake!! You're such a great cook, I'm sure it's extra special!! I always say that having birthday parties makes you appreciate your own kids! There's always one kid that you are so glad they aren't yours.

Kim

 

[cendrine]

Hi Guys,

rest day for me, except it was reall filled cleaning up the house from the party... But I knew I would have to so I didn't do my regular cleaning and just waited to do it today. It feels so nice to have a house in order!

Kim you are so right about appreciating your kids when you have at least one at the party you are glad isn't yours...LOL! you put that so well!
Your daughter wanting to play house in the box seats made me smile, how cute! My daughter and your daughter might get along really well!
I think it's great that you are taking two rest days. Since you are doing such heavy weights and compound on top of that with fairly high reps, I say you are working the equivalent of another extra workout!

It finally got cold enough for me to pull out my warmups! All the way til today I was still wearing flip-flops everywhere and socks only for workouts. But the socks are on and the warmups are making me feel like cuddling up with a book and a hot drink! You northerners would probably laugh at me as it probably is still warmer here than where you guys are LOL! WHat can I say, I'm spoiled. But I love the smell of the season change! Don't you? It doesn't matter what season, I love the smell when it announces its arrival, be it fall, winter, spring or summer! It used to be a lot more distinctive for me in Switzerland, but you can still tell, even if it never snows...

Jo, nice work getting doms on your biceps, that is an area I find very hard to get doms on too! See, you worked hard!

Rachel, your house must be sparkling by now!

Dh hasn't got the pics on the computer yet, but I'll show you a pic of the cake, though it's a stolen idea.... Everyone always ooohs and aaahs over my cakes but none of them have been my original design.. I'm just good at stealing and reproducing other creative people's ideas... Works for me....

 

[FourAM]

Good evening girls!
Well my day got busier than I thought. I totally forgot that my sister was coming in for her 20 yr highschool reunion. It was yesterday so today we were supposed to meet at my moms...ugghhh. I hate to be this way but I just hate going to my mom's. They always complain that we do not come visit and then when we do ,my mom naps and my dad plays computer games. I know what you are thinking...That they must be old but they are only in their early 60's. Even though I dreaded it, it turned out to be not as bad as I thought. That is always the case. Now it is over and I am glad I went.

Cendrine-Tomorrow I start my slow and heavy week and I meant to ask you about it since you just recently did it. Any thing I am going to be surprised about?As far as skipping abs on you last workout...I have been skipping them all week but I intend on at least getting in 3 sets next week. Wish me luck on that one.
My nephew , I am embarrassed to say is the kid with no boundaries. He is so spoiled and just a real handful. The older he gets, the harder it gets for me to hold my tongue. I do though, because I do not have any kids so I definitely have no right to say how I think one should correct theirs.
I think it still takes skill to steal and reproduce a cake design...I know because I have tried to steal and reproduce them and it never turns out. They are always the slightly slow cousin of the cake they were supposed to be... I think if I am not mistaken, you put a pic of some cupcakes you make and they were so cute.

Kim-How were the movies? Did the 3-D make that much of a difference? That is funny about the white christmas. I always feel sorry for the people in Australia. I mean it is a coin toss if it will be cold here or not but there is always a chance. Can you imagine a Christmas story about stockings and fire places and it is 100 degrees or better outside.
The CLX you are doing sounds tough. I think it is a smart idea to take 2 rest days. You might be hindering gains by not taking the 2 days. The P90 was from Julie. I do wonder where Chrissy and she went<---Correct english? (I hate that) I know Gayle said she was checking in on body for life.

Jo-I completely agree with Kim...As long as you are feeling it I think it is working! I know I have had to do some adjusting here lately and I don't like it any but when I still feel it the next day, I am alright with it. I think you will improve with your wull ups over time too. So stick with the tower...Not that I really had to say the as I know you will! I am glad you had a sunny day. The weather sounds wonderful. In my old days when I did alot of laying around and not alot of moving I would have relished in a week of rain. But now I just feel cooped up. I wish it would only rain at night some times so we would get the wonderful sounds of the rain to sleep to but we could get business done during the day easier.

Cendrine-I forgot to comment on the smells of the season change. I love it too. It is one of my favorite things. I kind of think it is the smell of the leaves dying in the fall and the earth heating up in the spring. I just love it so much. This is my all time favorite month I think...and not because my birthday is coming. I just love halloween and pumpkins and fall festivals. I like having fires and raking leaves. I am such a cornball!

I hope you all had a fantastic day. Happy workout tomorrow!

Rachel

 

[cendrine]

Hey Rachel,

I'm committed to 3 ab workouts this week as well, so we can keep each other accountable!

High Step training for me tomorrow!
Slow and Heavy was a good workout. I would recommend you pick the weights she does for the first round so you get an idea of it and then you can up it the next round if you decide it is not heavy enough. I enjoyed this one! Have fun with it!

I'm trying to post the picture of the cake now. Unfortunately it is pretty dark, so you can't see it very well, and the other pic that has better lighting is too far away so you can't see details....

 

[FourAM]

Good Monday morning all!
It is another cloudy rainy day here but I am going to try not to let it get me. I am going to take a cue from Jo and be super positive today!
It was slow and heavy legs and shoulders for me today. I really liked this one too. I like that you could really concentrate on the muscle that you worked since the move was so slow. I did mainly stick with the weight she used on the legs but the shoulders are my weak spot so I had to improvise.
I just put a little abs in at the end. Something out the oxygen mag, but I am not going to count it as one of the three. I will stay accountable on the three this week esp. since I know you are doing it too, Cendrine!
The job we were supposed to do was kind of a redo at a local college in the next town but since they use this area alot we are going to reschedule it for around the Christmas break. Dh and I were doing the take offs (how much material is needed) on a plan last night that is supposed to start the 14th of Oct. I do not see how though since they have not got the material yet but we will see. So for now I am hanging in the wind but this gives me time to get the house in order and to change things over from summer to fall. I need to get in to my closet and put the tank tops away and switch them over for T-shirts It still is not cold enough here for sweaters yet.

You northerners ,you know who you are, will have to let me know about the first snow so I can live through yall.

Hope you all had a great workout today!

Rachel

 

[FourAM]

Holy crap...<---Sorry
I can not believe I forgot to comment on your cake Cendrine. You really do not give yourself enough credit. You are super talented. I am so glad you posted the pic. That looks like a lot of work and it is obvious that you must enjoy doing it. Very cute!

Rachel

 

[Runcrazy]

Hi Everyone! I just wanted to let you all know I'm here but I'll have to come back and post later. No workout today - took a rest day.

Cendrine, that cake is FABULOUS!!!

BBL

 

[Runcrazy]

Kim, I'm interested in CLX wiping you out so much! Is it more so than STS did to you? Do you think it's the difference of the compound moves that wipes you out? They do sound interesting. You know, I mentioned eons ago that a GF had loaned this to me as it didn't jive with her and I still can't get motivated to try it! Swimming lessons in the Fall? How fun for the kids! Yes and speaking of snow...last year when we were having our record snow fall winter, we had 2 feet on Xmas day and lost our power! It was out a good part of the day. So we all went out and shoveled! That kept us warm!

Cendrine, I'm with you on having a clean house! I feel so good once it's clean yet I'm always hoping I never have to do it again! Do you guys have favorite house chores you like to do? I know this sounds very weird but I really like to do laundry and I like to wash dishes! (Is that crazy?) So those are two things that ALWAYS get done! Ha! Oh, and did you do High Step Training Advanced? I LOVE that workout! (And my biceps are still sore!)

Rachel, think of the rain as making everything clean to go along with your clean house! There's nothing like the leaves turning up because the rain is coming (ever notice that?). The rain washes everything anew to be kissed by the Texas sun! We did get snow in the mountains over the weekend but unlike Kim who will probably have it any minute, if we get any early it will be next month. I think you're going to really enjoy S&H! It's on of my favorites!

Okay, got to go. Nothing really to report on me. Oh, I'm trying to decide whether to repeat week 1 of Meso 2 starting tomorrow or to go on to week 2. I'm thinking of repeating to see where I'm at. Thoughts? And, thanks for all your kinds words and encouragement about not being a wimp...I know I'm not...I was just so SURPRISED!

 

[cendrine]

Hi All!

late post for me, I have been busy all day non-stop... Good busy though!

Jo, yes it was high step challenge advanced and boy did it work me, I forced myself to not take any pauses for waterbreaks so I snuck them in during marching recovery times and such. It really kept me going! I love it! MIC tomorrow, for the very first time!
My favorite chore is probably vacuming and mopping (I have this cool contraption that dispenses cleaning fluids, scrubs them on the floor with brushes and sucks up all the water on the back stroke...! Fabulous and soo easy!) If I were mopping the old way I would hate it! I also enjoy doing laundry, but dishes not so much...
If I were you I would probably do the week again, since you are sort of getting back into the level of strenght you had before vacation, but that's just me.

Rachel, I won't count today's abwork as abwork since it is more of assisting that isolated work, so I still have three ab workouts to schedule... Enjoy the rain! I love it when it rains, but like you I also love it best at night!

 

[cendrine]

After getting up and getting ready for the warmup I felt like just chickening out and not working out at all... I am sore from High Step Training! I talked myself into doing it anyway, not remembering that MIC is 70 min long... So I'm huffing and puffing, thinking while doing step that I am already on the interval blasts because the time on my player was close to 60 min.... Enough said, oh my! I was well worked after this one! LOL!

Soup weather here, I made some roasted red pepper soup with cayenne! Yum!

 

[Runcrazy]

Hello All!

Oh Cendrine, I just remember HSTA has all those leg presses doesn't it? (It's been a while!) I'll bet your sore!

I did Disc 13 again today and decided to repeat week one which sounded the best. I still had to drop weight (just 2 lbs) on the alternating shoulder pressess but for everything else did what was on my original workout card. I felt more mentally aligned today so am glad I'm repeating. Again, I'm LOVING the tower!

Cendrine your soup sounds wonderful! We're having another beautiful day but it's only about 60 degrees. It's too cold in the mornings now for me to leave the slider open when I'm working out. I'm sure this will be our last week with these kind of temperatures and then next week we'll be dropping in the 50's and down from there! I'm ready to pull out the sweaters!

Hello Rachel and Kim! Tonight is biggest loser so I'm looking forward to that. Okay, back to work!

 

[cab0899]

Sorry, I didn't get a chance to post last night, spent another couple of hours on the computer planning my friend's Disney trip. Of course did CLX as well, rest day today and I'm looking forward to The Biggest Loser and relaxing!

Cendrine Good for you for finishing MIC after HSC! It's a good thing that you forgot how long MIC was! I used to do MIC alot, I think I have it memorized. Love the cake!! I bet your son was very excited! Did he help make it??

Jo No snow yet! We were a high of 6 today (I checked the conversion table and that's 43 F, last night it went down to 37F) so cooling off. It's been a few months since I finished STS so I might not remember but I do find that the last phase of CLX with the compound movments just exhaust me. And remember these workouts are only about 35-40 mins.
Yup, swimming lessons but it's at an indoor pool I was a lifeguard/swim instructor so I do push my kids with the swimming lessons. We also spend alot of time at the lake so feel it's important to be a very strong swimmer.

Rachael Enjoy your time off! We really enjoyed the Toy Story movies but I really don't think the 3D made much of a difference. I have 2 nephews that there are "issues" with. The funny thing is the one sister and I had our kids around the same time (those 4 kids are between the ages of 9-12) now. Our third sister was single when our kids were young and she was the biggest critic as to how we were raising our kids. Now she has the most undiscipline 3 and 6 year old, she appears to have forgotten all her advice. Lots of tongue biting when we're at the cottage together.
Kim

 

[Runcrazy]

Watching Biggest Loser right now....

 

[cendrine]

Hi Guys,

I did High Step Challenge today. And a challenge it was...LOL! I used to do circuits all the time and went nonstop without a problem. Well, I definitely paused for waterbreaks today.... A few more weeks of this and I will hopefully be back in the swing of things... Isn't it interesting how the body adapts and gets used to doing workouts of different patterns? I have done so many weights and cardio separate workouts that i am no longer used to the circuits... Shock training at it's best, I guess LOL Unfortunately my lower back is bothering me for some reason, I can't figure out why. I did extra stretches, watched my form and modified pushups as well as did the heating pad to help it get better. Luckily I have a chiro tomorrow so maybe she can put me back together... I hope...

How was the biggest loser? If I didn't decide to quit watching tv, that would be one of the shows I would be watching!

Jo, it looks like we might be coming up your way for Christmas. The in-laws just tried to talk us into going for Thanksgiving, but we already made plans with friends, so we are thinking of going for Christmas. Will you be in town ? I don't know how long we'll be staying yet. Maybe we'll get to experience some snow!

 

[Runcrazy]

Hi Guys!

I've been in a meeting all day and you'll be proud of me. I had to be here early so got up at 6:00 (not early for Rachel, but early for me! ) and did Imax 2. I am working hard to not miss any workouts!

The biggest loser was great last night. There is a one gal on there that is making the show very interesting...she's a little bet underhanded and I can't decide if I feel sorry for her or she's misunderstood! What do you think Kim? Oh, I did think that was a lame challenge...

Cendrine, I have no idea about Xmas yet but I will probably be here at least part of the time. If we go anywhere it will be to Oregon and we are generally just gone a couple of days so I would definitely be available to see you! It's funny isn't it switching to different workout modes? It shows you how your body adapts and why we need to keep shaking things up! You'll be back in the groove with you circuits! Aren't they fun?

okay, time to wrap up and head home.

Hello Rachel and Kim! Hope your day was sparkling with sunshine!

 

[cab0899]

Oh cendrine, I hope the chiro can get you back feeling better! I wonder if all the leg presses had anything to do with it.

Jo Who knows with the editing what people are really like on these reality shows. But overall I'm not getting a good vibe from the lady your talking about (can't think about her name) she seems more interested in winning the money than getting healthy.

Nothing exciting here. Went to a meeting at the school about the two band trips ds may go on (he plays trumpet). Did CLX (only 13 workouts left)! Tonight is the first night it feels like winter out there, glad that I drove to the school instead of walking.

This weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada so it's a long weekend and we'll be going up to the cottage to close up for the season.

Kim

 

[cendrine]

Jo, good job getting up early and doing Imax2 at that! What time do you usually work out?
I agree, I think circuits are fun, but I am amazed at how out of shape I am to do them. I remember I used to do them without feeling like I was working so hard...
Kim, maybe you are right, the legpresses might have had something to do with it. I usually do them with more weight but only went sightly heavier than the gals in the video because I wanted to be careful about my lower back. Also, if I am lifting heavier I slow down the reps of the squats because I find it hard to keep good lower back form and doing them fast. Dh and I even turned and flipped the mattress to see if that was causing it... Well, I'm looking forward to my fix tomorrow.

You aren't counting, are you, about when CLX will be finished... What were you going to do afterwards?

I think I'm sceduled for Step Max tomorrow, one of my new ones that I haven't done yet. It's fun to mix old and new all together.

I made a yummy salad today, spinach, walnuts, strawberries and a strawberry vinaigrette. I know that may sound odd to you northerners for whom strawberry season must have been over for a while, but down here, they just keep growing them...LOL Of course at Costco you can get them any time.

Ok, enough chatting. Heating pad is calling me. Talk to you all tomorrow!

 

[cab0899]

Chapter 9 Rewarding Foods Become Hot Stimuli

-science shows us that salient foods focus our attention and that dopamine promotes the approach behaviour that brings us to them.

-The food industry has certainly figured out what captures consumer awareness. Not so many decades ago a single flavour of store bought ice cream was a special treat. We could get vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry and when we could buy all 3 in a single carton, we saw that as a great innovation. Now we have many more flavors, premium, higher-fat ice cream and all kinds of "add ins" . Most foods (bagels are another example) now have countless flavors and varieties.

-when we combine stimulating ingredients like sugar, fat, alcohol we get a multisensory effect and animals have an increase dopamine levels even if they are not hungry.
-when there is layers upon layer of complexity built into foods the effect becomes more powerful. Sweetness alone does not account for the full impact of a soda, its temperature and tingle also contribute
-the more complex a food is strengthens the reinforcing effect and we work harder for the reward.

Armed with a deeper understanding of how the human brain is wired to focus attention on the most salient stimuli, you may listen differnetly to the follwoing tv ad by T.G.I. Friday's

"This isn't about grabbing a bite. It's about a bite grabbing you. 'Cause when Friday's gets hold of your appetite, we're not letting go. We are going to bring on the flavor 'til your taste buds explode like fireworks. We are going to dribble glazes and pour on smoky sauces. We are going to panfry, saute and dream up new dishes that have never been created before. Three courses. New tastes."

Here is an apt description of how a food becomes salient and how we respond.