Commit to get Fit & Lean for December 2014

Hi,

I love hearing about all the different ethnic meals we all cook on Christmas. It's amazing how we still keep traditions. For us it's fish on Christmas Eve & lasagna with meatsauce on Christmas Day. Our meals would make for a great potluck!

I really need a workout but I am lifting & walking alot at work. Tomorrow will be my last day in the stores till the day after Christmas (happy dance):)

Belinda - Your meal sounds good have never made or eaten a goose. It reminds me of Tiny Tim in Scrooge.

Kristin - The story you told about your Mom sounds so similiar to my MIL is the same way the last year has been tough the disease is progressing:( My MIL would never leave home with out her handbag & always kept it hidden from my FIL and now she doesn't even use one. So are you doing the countdown too?

Wendy - A mild cold went around our house too but everyone is just about over it TG.

Cookie - The stores are crowded lots of last minute shopping being done:) I have been very lucky with parking, I just follow people & it works they look after me. Sounds like you are getting into the holiday spirit with your family.

Amelia - Hope all is well with you, the food store is just as crowded;)

Goodnight:)
 
'Morning!
Belinda, thanks so much for reminding me of the dish! Funny, I think I've only tried chicken, turkey, guinea fowl, and on a very rare occasion duck. I'm going to make trying goose as a resolution for 2015. My eldest ds is the biggest pain in the neck when it comes to food. He is extremely fussy and not quiet at all about it.
Kristin, how was that date night last night? Did things get wrapped up? I still haven't wrapped a thing, other than gifts I had to already deliver. Guess I'm going the do-it-as-needed route. It is upsetting about your mom, and it must be very hard on you. You are a better mom than I am - I would have replied that yes, you do resemble the pet. My boys were more like reptiles though - shedding clothes and leaving them were they were discarded.
Amelia, missing you.
Wendy, glad to have made you day. You really need to write more, since I'm now all caught up with you! Come on -get those fingers flexed and moving! I was surprised WC was lithe, and not of a more athletic type. Okay, what about the names, how do you decide on them?
Deb, your meals sound good also! it would certainly be an interesting and great mix of food if we did all serve them together. Hope today isn't too much congestion and running around. Your job is definitely functional fitness!
Running late, and it is freezing rain, so I had better go.
Cookie
 
Good Morning!

Last night was RWH Low Impact #2. ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS ONE. Challenging and the time flew by. That makes for a perfect workout!

My holiday meal is: Maple mustard glazed turkey, cornbread chorizo dressing, sweet potato gratin, mixed green salad, cranberry sauce. Basically, we repeat Thanksgiving, LOL.

I would love to try goose. I've had cornish game hens, duck, and pheasant. Never goose though. I'll join Cookie in her 2015 resolution on that one!

Debbie-YAY you are almost off for the holiday! Glad everyone in your house is well. DD is running a fever this morning, so I'm home with her today, too. Luckily I can work from home!!

Cookie-LOL I have the file for Breakout (Dallas Demons #3) open on my computer!! Okay, names. Names are super important because I have to connect with them and feel like they express the person I'm creating. For Kylie-she's a real person. I saw her picture on a co-worker's desk (it is her daughter in law) and she was brunette and gorgeous and had a very sweet expression on her face. And her name is Kylie. Right at that moment, I knew I had to write for her. Mary-Kate took a long time to come to me. I had William, and I had the female character all sketched out but I couldn't figure out a name. In the original handwritten notes, she was Sydney. But that didn't seem right. Then one lazy afternoon I was flipping channels and stumbled on Full House and saw the name Mary-Kate. And I thought, okay, what about a character named after an Olsen Twin? And MK was born. :)

I try to make the male leads all very different. William was formed after the actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who is very lithe. My next hero, Nate Johansson in Icing has tattoo sleeves. My current hero Niko is Greek. I think mixing it up is fun and keeps the readers guessing as to what the hero will be like in the next book.

Waves to Kristin, Amelia, and Belinda!

:) Wendy
 
Good afternoon,

I am done with all my workouts. I did XT BS Bic & Triceps! I also did SBF Christmas Upper + Adv. Upper Body Core.

Cookie - we usually eat goose on Christmas. Here in the United States, for some reason the goose doesn't have much meat. Maybe they put on a diet:p Cost a lot of money, for hardly any meat? I bought a fresh one 2 years ago. My son sounds like yours, lol.

Wendy - sounds yummy! If you never had goose, you need to give it a try. It's so good. Yes, I was born and raised in Germany. I am from Nuremberg Germany. Met my husband 31 years ago in Germany, he was in the Army. He just retired 3 years ago. After living in Germany for 21 years we moved to WV. Thank, I'll take this as a compliment. I do have a very strong German accent.



I will try to be back later.
 
Two more days!!!! My boys are bouncing off the freakin' walls, lol. Yesterday, my younger DS found his surprise gift from us in the garage. It is a big stuffed Olaf from Frozen. I was outside with the dog and he went in the garage to get a Gatorade. DH said he wouldn't see it behind all the tools and pool stuff, but he spotted the nose. When I came in he had a big smile on his face and he says, "Mommy, I always wanted a big Olaf." I looked at him and said that was a weird thing to say. . . so random. Why did he say that. He just shrugged and said it again, "I always wanted a big Olaf." Again, I asked him why he said that and he giggled. Then I said, "Did you look in my closet?" (trying to confuse him, which worked). He got this perplexed look on his face and said, "Your closet? I saw a big Olaf in the garage." LOL. So I told him that was his special surprise gift from us. He still cannot have it until Christmas. Luckily all the other presents were hidden in coolers and in Amazon boxes that were still not opened. Anyway. . . last night DH and I wrapped the presents while the boys were at my neighbors' house. It turns out they are not doing anything for Christmas Eve, so we invited them over for dinner. Should be fun. Then my cousin is staying with us from Christmas Day until New Year's. He lives in Florida, I think I told you guys this, but I don't have time to read back right now.

Today's workout was Low Impact Hiit 1, plus abs 2. I was able to keep the pace this time, except with the surfer thrusts at the end. I fell behind by 2, but I added them on at the end. I really love these new workouts. I feel like I am getting a true Hiit workout that is fun but hard, plus it is over so fast, but I am sweating buckets. Now if I could just stop eating the Christmas cookies. . . well, that's not happening. I am a good baker if I do say so myself, lol.

Wendy- Low Impact 2 is my favorite of the cardio hiits. I haven't tried plyo one yet, but I doubt I will love it nearly enough as 2. I was contemplating doing 2 today, but I figured I should rotate them and I did 2 last week, so I stuck with 1. It is growing on me, lol.

Deb- You know, it is hard for me with my mom. After getting my dad's gifts, which I picked out because she didn't seem interested at all, I brought her back to my house to wrap them. . . she couldn't do it. It was heart-breaking. I had to wrap his presents. Before this disease took hold of her my mom loved to wrap presents. She even made bows with the leftover scraps of paper. Now she can't even fold the ends together. It was hard not to cry. I drank wine instead. I am afraid this is going to be our last decent Christmas with my mom. :( Even though I try not to think about it, the thought is in the back of my head, even in my dreams. It is hard. I find myself going from sad (self-explanatory) to angry (that she didn't take care of herself) to pity (poor woman cannot even wrap a present) to guilty ( I should spend more time with her), it goes on and on. I keep telling myself that I have so much to be thankful for, two healthy boys, a good husband, a beautiful home. . . I need to stay in a positive frame of mind.

Cookie- LOL at your retile boys. Come to think of it, my boys are like reptiles that way too. They don't pick up after themselves at all. I told my DS this morning that when he was done with his cereal, he needed to put the bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. Well, he managed to put them on the counter. WTH? :eek::mad::confused:

Belinda- I've never had goose either. It's funny, it always looks small to me at the butcher's shop. I always thought it was expensive for so little meat. It's interesting that in Germany they are meatier.

Okay, off to do laundry and clean up .

Kristin
 
'Evening!
Belinda, already I've forgotten what my in-laws used to make on Christmas Day. They passed away a few years ago. Christmas was really low-key. The big celebration was always Christmas Eve with lots of appetizers, including herring salat. My mil really loved that. Ha! Goose may be one way we're thinner.
Jessica, enjoy this Christmas with your mom, and be sure to take photos and revel in the small moments. It is heartbreaking. A friend of mine and I used to store gifts at each other's houses - that really confused them for a couple of years. Bend over, opening the dishwasher, pulling out the rack, inserting item/s, and then reversing the process is just not something any male in this house has ever mastered! They have all taken after my husband, who should be called Hansel, since he leaves a trail!
Wendy, that's who I pictured William looking like! Do you wear a bracelet on your left arm, like your female characters? It's a trait I noticed they all have. Write more - I'm having withdrawals. Of course, now I have no excuse not to workout, either.
Deb, hope the day went well for you. My youngest ds is coming in tomorrow morning at 8:45, and I'm so excited to see him. Even if it means I have to get up and drive in, like on a regular workday. At least I'll have time for an extra cup of coffee. I'm going to make a batch of his favorite cookies, molasses, in just a minute.
White Christmas last night was good to see on a large screen, but movie tastes and styles sure have changed. George Clooney's aunt, Rosemary, played one of the leads, and she had a wonderful voice. Hard to believe , but neither my mom, dh, or myself ever saw it before.
Cookie
 
DebD said:
Hi,

I love hearing about all the different ethnic meals we all cook on Christmas. It's amazing how we still keep traditions. For us it's fish on Christmas Eve & lasagna with meatsauce on Christmas Day. Our meals would make for a great potluck!

I really need a workout but I am lifting & walking alot at work. Tomorrow will be my last day in the stores till the day after Christmas (happy dance):)

Belinda - Your meal sounds good have never made or eaten a goose. It reminds me of Tiny Tim in Scrooge.

Kristin - The story you told about your Mom sounds so similiar to my MIL is the same way the last year has been tough the disease is progressing:( My MIL would never leave home with out her handbag & always kept it hidden from my FIL and now she doesn't even use one. So are you doing the countdown too?

Wendy - A mild cold went around our house too but everyone is just about over it TG.

Cookie - The stores are crowded lots of last minute shopping being done:) I have been very lucky with parking, I just follow people & it works they look after me. Sounds like you are getting into the holiday spirit with your family.

Amelia - Hope all is well with you, the food store is just as crowded;)

Goodnight:)
Click to expand...


Debbie - LOL, that's funny! Give it a try once! Your meal sounds very yummy too.
 
Good morning,

I am up early, can't sleep????:eek: Today's plan is: SBF Adv. Upper Body Core. I will do cardio today, not sure what yet?

Cookie - every region in Germany has their own tradition. I am from Bavaria and that's what we make on xmas. I don't think I ever saw White Christmas?

Kirstin - we don't have a butcher's shop in WV. We do have a lot of butcher shops in Germany. I miss going to the butcher shops and bakery's. In Germany you can buy your xmas goose at the Farmers Markets. They are the best ones. The reason goose are different in Germany because they are raised specially for Christmas, they also organic . They are huge in Germany compared to the US, lol! Farmers Markets are huge in Germany, you can buy everything that has to do with food. Germans prefer to buy their xmas goose at the farmers market plus you know the farmer and you know where your goose comes from. You can buy goose frozen at the grocery store too, but they come form somewhere else. My mom bought her xmas goose every year at the famers market in Nuremberg. Saturday is the big farmers market in Nuremberg, farmers come from all over the Nuremberg area and surroundings. I miss the Christkindlesmarkt the most. The Nuernberger Christkindlesmart is world famous. People come from all over the world just to see the Christkindlesmart. It's huge and everything is outside, lol. Yes, it's cold walking around at the Christkindlesmart, but you can stay warm with a cup of Gluehwein:p:D They also offer no alcohol Gluehwein for kids. Here is a little video what it's like in Germany around xmas: http://www.nuernberg.de/internet/marktamt/christkindlesmarkt.html


Debbie - yes, DH and I plan to go to the Christkindlesmart in Nuremberg next year. I miss it and so does he:p

Today is our xmas. Marry Christmas, everyone!!! Frohe Weihnachten!!

I will be back later today. I will have more coffee than I will try to get my workout in.
 
Hey girls,

Wanted to pop in here and wish everybody a very Merry Christmas / Happy Holiday!!

I know I haven't been around, but that's simply because I haven't been working out. I think I have exercised maybe 4 times in the whole month of December:oops:. And to be honest, I've felt kinda down and just not much into it right now. I haven't been into it for a while now but I miss it everyday.
My husband wants to lose weight and we've decided to do it together starting January. So you will see me more then. I plan on either joining a gym or buying an elliptical...I need something different to help motivate me. I still have all my Cathe dvd's, the total gym and various exercise equipment...I'm jut not motivated right now to pick them up:( sigh.

((hugs)) and I miss you guys. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Oh and we're having ham and all the fixing on Christmas. Sometimes we make spaghetti :)
 
Good afternoon,

I ended up doing Turbo Fire EZ 45 and SBF Christmas Lower body and JS xmas challenge workout.

I will be back with personals tomorrow. Merry Christmas!
 
Merry Christmas Everyone!

I have a lot to do, but I did get my workout in. I did a double ;):):cool:. I did Rockout Knockout, Cardio with gloves plus heavy bag bonus premix. Then I did Lift it Hit it, Chest, shoulders and triceps. Those finishers are killers!!!!

My neighbor is coming over with her sister for Christmas Eve dinner. I am baking homemade dinner rolls with the turkey, potatoes and green beans, so I need to get started. DH is making stuffed shells. I have one or two things to wrap and I need to mop my floors and clean the kitchen once I am done baking. It is going to be a great holiday.

Belinda- I watched the video clip and that place looks amazing! I would love to go there one day. I want to try the food stands, lol. Out on Long Island we still have some farms, but mostly crops, no turkey farms. There used to be a duck farm out east, but I don't think it exists anymore.

Amelia- Merry Christmas! Good to see you pop in here. You will get it together for the New Year! ;)

Deb- you're probably busy cooking too, Merry Christmas!

Cookie- I just watched White Christmas yesterday for the first time and loved it. I love holiday movies. I haven't seen It's a Wonderful Life yet this year. I have been waiting for it to come on. Maybe tonight?

Wendy- Merry Christmas!

Okay, off to get started!

Kristin
 
Hi,

I ended up having to work at a small Macy's & Kohl's today:( We just are back from my in-laws and still have so much to do. Will catch up with personals but just want to say . .


Wishing all of you and your families a "Merry Christmas"

​
Goodnight:)
​
 
Merry Christmas!
I'm so thankful for all of you and the many gifts of wisdom, caring and sharing. Plus laughter!
Belinda, great workouts once again. I'm actually considering giving myself sbf as a "gift"
Amelia, great to hear from you. Please keep checking in. To be honest, I've been so bad the past two days, if working out and diet were qualifiers for checking in, I shouldn't have been here, or even lurking. Don't stay away, please.
Kristin, when the kids were here, the whole month of December was holidays movies. My favs are National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Home Alone, so I know every word and yet still laugh like I've never seen either one. To be honest, they are my fav movies and not just in the category of holiday movies. My kids preferred The Christmas Story. Last night we watched Elf.
Wendy, hope you're happy that I've slacked off on my wo to read more - yesterday instead of sweating/stretching/lifting, I read Big Little Lies. Do you eat pale all the time?
Deb, hope you got all those little things done. I hate getting details - like wrapping - accomplished. Actually, have to go wrap two gifts when I'm done here.
Youngest ds came in yesterday morning, and we visited my mom. She was so happy to have him and my dd visit, she never even said anything to my dh or I for about 30 mins! Eldest ds is coming today. Hoping it is a peaceful visit, but he seems to be off his meds or they're not adjusted well, b/c last week's visit started well but ended very poor. He gets excited to see siblings, but then gets anxious, and things fall completely apart. My mom is also coming, so perhaps he'll try harder to be in control.
Cookie
 
Merry Christmas!

I've been up since 6 this morning, lol. The boys were excited with all their presents. The rain has finally cleared. I took Baxter for an hour walk and it was so crisp and clear out, want too. I was able to wear Capri workout pants and a thermal shirt. Baxter enjoyed the walk. He's tired out.

Cookie- I hope you have a wonderful day today. I hope your son is able to enjoy the day as well. In always nervous to be around my sister. Hopefully today is a good one with Her too!

Deb- I'm sorry you had to witk, but at least it's over now. Merry Christmas!

Kristin
 
Hi,

Christmas went well but felt like the last week was the longest! I'm covering for the girl in NY Macy's tomorrow so hopefully it will go well. I am so tired and so happy the weekend is almost here:)

Kudos on getting your workouts in!!

Belinda - A great video, would love to visit too;)

Kristin - I heard it was warm today but never stepped a foot outside today. Your walk must have been nice! I miss having young ones at Christmas time:)

Amelia - I haven't counted but I'm sure my workout count for December is low. You are probably very active at work this year anyway.

Cookie - I'm sure your Mom seeing the kids was exciting, she probably had so much catching up to do.

Waves hi to everyone

Goodnight:)
 
'Morning!
Belinda, were both your children able to come home for Christmas?
Amelia, my workout count has dramatically dropped off this past week. Back on the health wagon today and no more cookies for me!
Kristin, I'll bet your boys were excited. It's sad when they get older. Now mine would have slept til after noon if we let them.
Wendy, how's your dd feeling?
Deb, don't know why I was thinking you had today off. Hope it's not too crazy for you.
TG, things went well yesterday. It's almost a miracle. My youngest ds gave the eldest a very nice gift, which certainly shocked him, and I think really helped. Today youngest de's gf arrives, so I want to do a dust and vacuum, plus move more of the furniture back into the former boys's rooms. Planning on a Travis's short and sweet yoga in a few minutes, and perhaps even a walk in the early afternoon. Have to take dd to get her hair done, so can probably get a walk in also while waiting for her. DH and I each gave the other the same gift yesterday. Too funny. Guess we really do think alike.
Cookie
 
Good morning,

Sorry for not checking in yesterday. Both my kids kept me busy, lol. Hope you all had a wonderful xmas. What fitness related items did you get? The only thing fitness stuff I got this year was a yoga mat strap:p No fitness dvd's:oops:

Yesterday I did LM Plyo = 30 min and SBF Christmas stretch = 30 min.

Today I will do XT CBT = 54 min and SBF TB Tabata = 27 min. I also will JM workout for today(?).

Cookie - yes, both kids were here for Christmas. DS and his fiancé left xmas morning, to visit her parents in El Paso. Aleisa left this morning, she is going to NY with her boyfriend. How about you? Did you sign up for SBF?

Debbie - I forgot to mention, the farmers market is in the same place as the Christkindles market. The Nuernberger Christkindles market is one of the best ones in the Germany.

Kirstin - the food stands are amazing. Yummy! Sad like farms hardly exists anymore, hah? We still have a lot of farms around all the big cities. Hope you had a wonderful day yesterday.

Waving Hi to everyone I missed.

I will be back later. Have a great day and workout.
 
Hi Ladies!

So DD is getting better and now I have her cold. I swear we are on an endless loop of bubonic plague in this house! I've done RWH Legs and man, I LOVE THAT ONE! I know I'm repeating myself, but Cathe really has knocked it out of the park with this series.

I hope everyone had a good Christmas. One of my friends in the UK send me English Christmas Cake and oh it is DEADLY. It is my crack. I mean, I'm a primal eater and do good but man, I can't stop with this stuff. It's SO SO good. Will totally need MONTHS of RWH to undo this damage...

Cookie-LOL I never noticed all my heroines wear bracelets! Totally not planned. But I love bracelets and cocktail rings so I suppose that worked its way into my writing. How funny! I'll make sure Lexi (the current book I'm writing) wears necklaces. ;-)

Amelia-Good to see you back! And I think we'd all love for you to post even if you aren't working out.

Kristin-The story about your mom and the gift wrapping brought tears to my eyes. I can't even imagine how that felt to be in your shoes, and I'm so sorry to see your family suffer with that illness. Big huge hugs to you. I will say that your Christmas Eve sounded fun and the meal amazing!

Debbie-Man, your work schedule has been CRAZY! I hope you get to relax this weekend!!

Belinda-No fitness gifts here either. But I kind of got RWH as a Christmas gift to myself so perhaps I should count that. ;-)

:) Wendy
 
Hi ladies,

I just did XT CSB, I also did RWH low impact #1. Oh, I also walked my dogs yesterday, will walk them this afternoon.

Wendy - lot's of people like RWH Legs, must be a good one. I did RWH Low Impact HiiT #1, it was good.


I will try to be back later, have a great day!
 
Hi everyone! Post holiday workout is done. I was going to do a plyo hiit, but decided to stick with low impact, so I did low impact hiit 2, plus abs one. Great workout. This is my favorite of the hiit workouts. Still haven't done plyo hiit one, maybe next week, lol.

So Christmas was going well. . . until my sister. . . Here's the story. My brother gave all his nephews (three, my two boys and my sister's son) goodie bags. My older DS and my nephew got gift cards with their bags. My younger DS was given a regular gift. My younger DS put his goodie bag in my pocketbook. An hour later, my nephew was looking for his gift bag. My sister asked me to look in my bag. I told my younger DS (he's 6) to go get my bag. He went in the living room and got the gift bag out of my purse. It had the gift card. He tookthe gift card and went to put it on the end table when my sister saw him and started yelling at him, "What's that? You had his gift card? Why were you putting it there?" She stormed into the kitchen and right in front of me "whispered" to her DH that he stole the card and he was trying to hide it. Again, he's six. The gift card was for a vdeo game store. DS does not like video games, and that's the truth. He doesn't even play Xbox with my older DS. Anyway, my DS comes into the kitchen and is crying and when I was trying to console him he told me she yelled at him and she turned to him and yelled, "WHO?" and he said to her, "you." She stormed out and told her DH to get all of my nephew's presents together so that nothing goes missing. :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: Her husband said that he thought it was just a mistake and even apologized to my DH, but she wouldn't let it go. Then I tried to avoid her the rest of the night, but she "followed" me. If I went in the den, she found an excuse to go in the den. When I left the den to go to the living room, she found a reason to be in the living room. The tension was awful. When we left, I was so relieved. Then my mom was upset that she yelled at my DS and made him cry (he's her favorite of the grandchildren). I tried to downplay it, but I was shaking, lol. I am so tired of her. He's six. I'm positive it was a mistake, but before he could say he had the gift card she was accusing him of stealing and making him upset and then I don't know. . . looking to fight with me. I really despise her at this point in my life.

Other than this incident, everything was great. The boys loved their presents (we were up at 6), my cousin had a good flight and is staying with us now. He is proposing today! I just wish she didn't have to ruin every holiday.

Debbie- I hope you have an easy day at Macy's today.

Belinda- the only fitness item I got was new sneakers, which I desperately needed. I'm sure you're not disappointed about not getting more dvds, lol.

Wendy- thank you for your kind words. It is really hard to accept and deal with. I wan to always make my mom happy and so I don't dwell on it in front of her, like when she wasn't able to wrap, I just took over and had her cut the paper. It is the white elephant in the room.

Cookie- I know that this was the last Christmas my older DS will believe in Santa, which made me sad, but I held on to every moment yesterday morning. When they are teenagers, I will wake their sorry asses up, lol.

Okay, bb later,
Kristin
 
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