What I Learned On My Summer Vacation

First, some background: 

Facebook Entry: July 4, 2012

Much to my own surprise, the competitive spirit I didn't think I had has been awakened by a program at my gym. Although I didn't join the Spring Fever program for the competition (or rather generous awards), I've consistently ranked #1 since Day 1. Enter my nemesis, whose name I've smudged out. With only 4 days to go, we're running neck and neck. It's down to the truly crazy, like wearing my Polar tracking device while we walked all over Boston yesterday (including up the 297 steps of the Bunker Hill memorial). But -- it put me back in the lead. 

I am determined to win this thing now :-)

I titled this screen grab “My Nemesis”

Epilogue: despite my enthusiasm and determination, I lost. It was a combination of factors: an equally determined competitor who – like me – wanted to win. And late in the game, a dark horse who waited until the last minute to add lots of points (including one workout she claimed burned 2500 calories in a single day).  

But before I knew about the dark horse, and before I thought all was lost, I spent my last two days in Boston -- on vacation! -- attempting to regain my lead. Crazy squared: I walked 10 miles each day, an expenditure of 5+ hours and 2000+ calories. Had I entered the second day’s walk before we left Boston, I would have come in second. But clued into how to play the game now -- hoard your uploads until the last minute to confound your opponents – I opted to wait until we got to our family rental in Rhode Island, which promised an internet connection it didn’t deliver. I wasn’t able to upload my last day’s walk in time for the contest cutoff. 

Although I was disappointed by my loss, I was also surprised by how this competitive urge spurred me to increase my level of exercise. If you’d told me two months ago that I’d go out and walk 10 miles at a pop, I would have said, “Why?” Now I’m doing it at least once a week. In fact, I’ve upped the time devoted to exercise by at least 50% most days.

Other than discovering my inner competitive spirit, what did I gain from this experience? 

1. I’m capable of doing more. I’ve been exercising an hour a day, five times a week for three years (and regularly but less frequently before that). Along with a healthier diet, it’s one of the ways I’ve lost 40 pounds. Until my gym’s fitness challenge, though, I hadn’t challenged myself to go beyond my regular routine. Once I did, I learned I could do far more than I thought. (This applies to other areas of my life as well.)
   
   
2. I need to eat less than others -- and exercise more, too. Two years ago I joined a program at my gym called “Commit to be Fit,” a 12-week program of exercise and diet pitting teams of people in a friendly competition to lose the most weight. It worked so well I ended up participating two more times, and really cementing healthier eating and exercise habits.
   
   
   

   The worst thing I ate on vacation: the Boot Mill sandwich at Arthur’s Paradise Diner in Lowell, Mass. Eggs, cheese, bacon and potatoes on a bun. (We won’t even talk about how much wine and beer I consumed.)

   ---

   The program also included a test that confirmed what I already suspected: I have a low metabolism. My resting metabolic rate is only 1500 calories a day -- 1800 when you add in the average for daily activity. Through experience, I learned that number is closer to 1600. And to lose weight, I need to stay at the low end of 1200-1400 calories.
   
   So…to both lose weight and maintain that loss, I’m stuck with consuming fewer calories and finding ways to turn up the furnace. Adding an extra hour (or more) to my daily exercise regimen did just that: I lost 3 pounds on vacation, even though I was indulging myself more than usual. And I’ve maintained that weight loss since I came home.
   
   
3. It’s not just about exercise. It’s the daily activity, too. While I was on vacation, I traipsed around tourist sites, biked, hiked, walked and just generally moved around a lot more. I watched zero television and spent far less time sitting in front of a computer. It’s hard to maintain that level of activity since I’ve come home – but I’m going to work on it. 
   
   
4. Feeding the good wolf. I’m going to steer clear of saying “good” and “bad” habits and just say I have some behaviors that contribute to greater well-being and some that don’t. The option to exercise more only came about because I’d already made a commitment to exercise in the first place. Likewise, I don’t stray very far from my healthy eating patterns before yanking myself back again. And the very best way to encourage myself to continue practicing well-being is to remind myself of my successes – not my failures. Success breeds success; continually berating yourself for your failures just serves to keep them at the center of your attention. If you’re like me, that’s a sure recipe for bringing on the exact behavior you want to see less of.

As I took what ended up being a 10 mile walk this morning, I recognized the unique factors that allowed me to do all the things I’m writing about. This includes the privilege of being semi-retired, the legacy of my long career at an incredible company whose retirement plan made that possible. And being 58 with a grown child and no other household or family responsibilities.

I would strongly dislike it if anyone reading this beat up on themselves for not doing more. Instead, I would say practice your own well-being where you are right now. At another time in my life, that meant jogging at pre-dawn or working out at the gym in my office after lunch so I could minimize the time away from my son. 

And – challenge yourself as circumstances change. You might find yourself as surprised as I was with what you’re capable of doing.

 

Comments

[Gayle]

{ {I have|I've} been {surfing|browsing} online more than {three|3|2|4} hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. {It's|It is} pretty worth enough for me. {In my opinion|Personally|In my view}, if all {webmasters|site owners|website owners|web owners} and bloggers made good content as you did, the {internet|net|web} will be {much more|a lot more} useful than ever before.| I {couldn't|could not} {resist|refrain from} commenting. {Very well|Perfectly|Well|Exceptionally well} written!| {I will|I'll} {right away|immediately} {take hold of|grab|clutch|grasp|seize|snatch} your {rss|rss feed} as I {can not|can't} {in finding|find|to find} your {email|e-mail} subscription {link|hyperlink} or {newsletter|e-newsletter} service. Do {you have|you've} any? {Please|Kindly} {allow|permit|let} me {realize|recognize|understand|recognise|know} {so that|in order that} I {may just|may|could} subscribe. Thanks.| {It is|It's} {appropriate|perfect|the best} time to make some plans for the future and {it is|it's} time to be happy. {I have|I've} read this post and if I could I {want to|wish to|desire to} suggest you {few|some} interesting things or {advice|suggestions|tips}. {Perhaps|Maybe} you {could|can} write next articles referring to this article. I {want to|wish to|desire to} read {more|even more} things about it!| {It is|It's} {appropriate|perfect|the best} time to make {a few|some} plans for {the future|the longer term|the long run} and {it is|it's} time to be happy. {I have|I've} {read|learn} this {post|submit|publish|put up} and if I {may just|may|could} I {want to|wish to|desire to} {suggest|recommend|counsel} you {few|some} {interesting|fascinating|attention-grabbing} {things|issues} or {advice|suggestions|tips}. {Perhaps|Maybe} you {could|can} write {next|subsequent} articles {relating to|referring to|regarding} this article. I {want to|wish to|desire to} {read|learn} {more|even more} {things|issues} {approximately|about} it!| {I have|I've} been {surfing|browsing} {online|on-line} {more than|greater than} {three|3} hours {these days|nowadays|today|lately|as of late}, {yet|but} I {never|by no means} {found|discovered} any {interesting|fascinating|attention-grabbing} article like yours. {It's|It is} {lovely|pretty|beautiful} {worth|value|price} {enough|sufficient} for me. {In my opinion|Personally|In my view}, if all {webmasters|site owners|website owners|web owners} and bloggers made {just right|good|excellent} {content|content material} as {you did|you probably did}, the {internet|net|web} {will be|shall be|might be|will probably be|can be|will likely be} {much more|a lot more} {useful|helpful} than ever before.| Ahaa, its {nice|pleasant|good|fastidious} {discussion|conversation|dialogue} {regarding|concerning|about|on the topic of} this {article|post|piece of writing|paragraph} {here|at this place} at this {blog|weblog|webpage|website|web site}, I have read all that, so {now|at this time} me also commenting {here|at this place}.| I am sure this {article|post|piece of writing|paragraph} has touched all the internet {users|people|viewers|visitors}, its really really {nice|pleasant|good|fastidious} {article|post|piece of writing|paragraph} on building up new {blog|weblog|webpage|website|web site}.| Wow, this {article|post|piece of writing|paragraph} is {nice|pleasant|good|fastidious}, my {sister|younger sister} is analyzing {such|these|these kinds of} things, {so|thus|therefore} I am going to {tell|inform|let know|convey} her.| {Saved as a favorite|bookmarked!!}, {I really like|I like|I love} {your blog|your site|your web site|your website}!| Way cool! Some {very|extremely} valid points! I appreciate you {writing this|penning this} {article|post|write-up} {and the|and also the|plus the} rest of the {site is|website is} {also very|extremely|very|also really|really} good.| Hi, {I do believe|I do think} {this is an excellent|this is a great} {blog|website|web site|site}. I stumbledupon it ;) {I will|I am going to|I'm going to|I may} {come back|return|revisit} {once again|yet again} {since I|since i have} {bookmarked|book marked|book-marked|saved as a favorite} it. Money and freedom {is the best|is the greatest} way to change, may you be rich and continue to {help|guide} {other people|others}.| Woah! I'm really {loving|enjoying|digging} the template/theme of this {site|website|blog}. It's simple, yet effective. A lot of times it's {very hard|very difficult|challenging|tough|difficult|hard} to get that "perfect balance" between {superb usability|user friendliness|usability} and {visual appearance|visual appeal|appearance}. I must say {that you've|you have|you've} done a {awesome|amazing|very good|superb|fantastic|excellent|great} job with this. {In addition|Additionally|Also}, the blog loads {very|extremely|super} {fast|quick} for me on {Safari|Internet explorer|Chrome|Opera|Firefox}. {Superb|Exceptional|Outstanding|Excellent} Blog!| These are {really|actually|in fact|truly|genuinely} {great|enormous|impressive|wonderful|fantastic} ideas in {regarding|concerning|about|on the topic of} blogging. You have touched some {nice|pleasant|good|fastidious} {points|factors|things} here. Any way keep up wrinting.| {I love|I really like|I enjoy|I like|Everyone loves} what you guys {are|are usually|tend to be} up too. {This sort of|This type of|Such|This kind of} clever work and {exposure|coverage|reporting}! Keep up the {superb|terrific|very good|great|good|awesome|fantastic|excellent|amazing|wonderful} works guys I've {incorporated||added|included} you guys to {|my|our||my personal|my own} blogroll.| {Howdy|Hi there|Hey there|Hi|Hello|Hey}! Someone in my {Myspace|Facebook} group shared this {site|website} with us so I came to {give it a look|look it over|take a look|check it out}. I'm definitely {enjoying|loving} the information. I'm {book-marking|bookmarking} and will be tweeting this to my followers! {Terrific|Wonderful|Great|Fantastic|Outstanding|Exceptional|Superb|Excellent} blog and {wonderful|terrific|brilliant|amazing|great|excellent|fantastic|outstanding|superb} {style and design|design and style|design}.| {I love|I really like|I enjoy|I like|Everyone loves} what you guys {are|are usually|tend to be} up too. {This sort of|This type of|Such|This kind of} clever work and {exposure|coverage|reporting}! Keep up the {superb|terrific|very good|great|good|awesome|fantastic|excellent|amazing|wonderful} works guys I've {incorporated|added|included} you guys to {|my|our|my personal|my own} blogroll.| {Howdy|Hi there|Hey there|Hi|Hello|Hey} would you mind {stating|sharing} which blog platform you're {working with|using}? I'm {looking|planning|going} to start my own blog {in the near future|soon} but I'm having a {tough|difficult|hard} time {making a decision|selecting|choosing|deciding} between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your {design and style|design|layout} seems different then most blogs and I'm looking for something {completely unique|unique}. P.S {My apologies|Apologies|Sorry} for {getting|being} off-topic but I had to ask!| {Howdy|Hi there|Hi|Hey there|Hello|Hey} would you mind letting me know which {webhost|hosting company|web host} you're {utilizing|working with|using}? I've loaded your blog in 3 {completely different|different} {internet browsers|web browsers|browsers} and I must say this blog loads a lot {quicker|faster} then most. Can you {suggest|recommend} a good {internet hosting|web hosting|hosting} provider at a {honest|reasonable|fair} price? {Thanks a lot|Kudos|Cheers|Thank you|Many thanks|Thanks}, I appreciate it!| {I love|I really like|I like|Everyone loves} it {when people|when individuals|when folks|whenever people} {come together|get together} and share {opinions|thoughts|views|ideas}. Great {blog|website|site}, {keep it up|continue the good work|stick with it}!| Thank you for the {auspicious|good} writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to {far|more} added agreeable from you! {By the way|However}, how {can|could} we communicate?| {Howdy|Hi there|Hey there|Hello|Hey} just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The {text|words} in your {content|post|article} seem to be running off the screen in {Ie|Internet explorer|Chrome|Firefox|Safari|Opera}. I'm not sure if this is a {format|formatting} issue or something to do with {web browser|internet browser|browser} compatibility but I {thought|figured} I'd post to let you know. The {style and design|design and style|layout|design} look great though! Hope you get the {problem|issue} {solved|resolved|fixed} soon. {Kudos|Cheers|Many thanks|Thanks}| This is a topic {that is|that's|which is} {close to|near to} my heart... {Cheers|Many thanks|Best wishes|Take care|Thank you}! {Where|Exactly where} are your contact details though?| It's very {easy|simple|trouble-free|straightforward|effortless} to find out any {topic|matter} on {net|web} as compared to {books|textbooks}, as I found this {article|post|piece of writing|paragraph} at this {website|web site|site|web page}.| Does your {site|website|blog} have a contact page? I'm having {a tough time|problems|trouble} locating it but, I'd like to {send|shoot} you an {e-mail|email}. I've got some {creative ideas|recommendations|suggestions|ideas} for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great {site|website|blog} and I look forward to seeing it {develop|improve|expand|grow} over time.| {Hola|Hey there|Hi|Hello|Greetings}! I've been {following|reading} your {site|web site|website|weblog|blog} for {a long time|a while|some time} now and finally got the {bravery|courage} to go ahead and give you a shout out from {New Caney|Kingwood|Huffman|Porter|Houston|Dallas|Austin|Lubbock|Humble|Atascocita} {Tx|Texas}! Just wanted to {tell you|mention|say} keep up the {fantastic|excellent|great|good} {job|work}!| Greetings from {Idaho|Carolina|Ohio|Colorado|Florida|Los angeles|California}! I'm {bored to tears|bored to death|bored} at work so I decided to {check out|browse} your {site|website|blog} on my iphone during lunch break. I {enjoy|really like|love} the {knowledge|info|information} you {present|provide} here and can't wait to take a look when I get home. I'm {shocked|amazed|surprised} at how {quick|fast} your blog loaded on my {mobile|cell phone|phone} .. I'm not even using WIFI, just 3G .. {Anyhow|Anyways}, {awesome|amazing|very good|superb|good|wonderful|fantastic|excellent|great} {site|blog}!| Its {like you|such as you} {read|learn} my {mind|thoughts}! You {seem|appear} {to understand|to know|to grasp} {so much|a lot} {approximately|about} this, {like you|such as you} wrote the {book|e-book|guide|ebook|e book} in it or something. {I think|I feel|I believe} {that you|that you simply|that you just} {could|can} do with {some|a few} {%|p.c.|percent} to {force|pressure|drive|power} the message {house|home} {a bit|a little bit}, {however|but} {other than|instead of} that, {this is|that is} {great|wonderful|fantastic|magnificent|excellent} blog. {A great|An excellent|A fantastic} read. {I'll|I will} {definitely|certainly} be back.| I visited {multiple|many|several|various} {websites|sites|web sites|web pages|blogs} {but|except|however} the audio {quality|feature} for audio songs {current|present|existing} at this {website|web site|site|web page} is {really|actually|in fact|truly|genuinely} {marvelous|wonderful|excellent|fabulous|superb}.| {Howdy|Hi there|Hi|Hello}, i read your blog {occasionally|from time to time} and i own a similar one and i was just {wondering|curious} if you get a lot of spam {comments|responses|feedback|remarks}? If so how do you {prevent|reduce|stop|protect against} it, any plugin or anything you can {advise|suggest|recommend}? I get so much lately it's driving me {mad|insane|crazy} so any {assistance|help|support} is very much appreciated.| Greetings! {Very helpful|Very useful} advice {within this|in this particular} {article|post}! {It is the|It's the} little changes {that make|which will make|that produce|that will make} {the biggest|the largest|the greatest|the most important|the most significant} changes. {Thanks a lot|Thanks|Many thanks} for sharing!| {I really|I truly|I seriously|I absolutely} love {your blog|your site|your website}.. {Very nice|Excellent|Pleasant|Great} colors & theme. Did you {create|develop|make|build} {this website|this site|this web site|this amazing site} yourself? Please reply back as I'm {looking to|trying to|planning to|wanting to|hoping to|attempting to} create {my own|my very own|my own personal} {blog|website|site} and {would like to|want to|would love to} {know|learn|find out} where you got this from or {what the|exactly what the|just what the} theme {is called|is named}. {Thanks|Many thanks|Thank you|Cheers|Appreciate it|Kudos}!| {Hi there|Hello there|Howdy}! This {post|article|blog post} {couldn't|could not} be written {any better|much better}! {Reading through|Looking at|Going through|Looking through} this {post|article} reminds me of my previous roommate! He {always|constantly|continually} kept {talking about|preaching about} this. {I will|I'll|I am going to|I most certainly will} {forward|send} {this article|this information|this post} to him. {Pretty sure|Fairly certain} {he will|he'll|he's going to} {have a good|have a very good|have a great} read. {Thank you for|Thanks for|Many thanks for|I appreciate you for} sharing!| {Wow|Whoa|Incredible|Amazing}! This blog looks {exactly|just} like my old one! It's on a {completely|entirely|totally} different {topic|subject} but it has pretty much the same {layout|page layout} and design. {Excellent|Wonderful|Great|Outstanding|Superb} choice of colors!| {There is|There's} {definately|certainly} {a lot to|a great deal to} {know about|learn about|find out about} this {subject|topic|issue}. {I like|I love|I really like} {all the|all of the} points {you made|you've made|you have made}.| {You made|You've made|You have made} some {decent|good|really good} points there. I {looked|checked} {on the internet|on the web|on the net} {for more info|for more information|to find out more|to learn more|for additional information} about the issue and found {most individuals|most people} will go along with your views on {this website|this site|this web site}.| {Hi|Hello|Hi there|What's up}, I {log on to|check|read} your {new stuff|blogs|blog} {regularly|like every week|daily|on a regular basis}. Your {story-telling|writing|humoristic} style is {awesome|witty}, keep {doing what you're doing|up the good work|it up}!| I {simply|just} {could not|couldn't} {leave|depart|go away} your {site|web site|website} {prior to|before} suggesting that I {really|extremely|actually} {enjoyed|loved} {the standard|the usual} {information|info} {a person|an individual} {supply|provide} {for your|on your|in your|to your} {visitors|guests}? Is {going to|gonna} be {back|again} {frequently|regularly|incessantly|steadily|ceaselessly|often|continuously} {in order to|to} {check up on|check out|inspect|investigate cross-check} new posts| {I wanted|I needed|I want to|I need to} to thank you for this {great|excellent|fantastic|wonderful|good|very good} read!! I {definitely|certainly|absolutely} {enjoyed|loved} every {little bit of|bit of} it. {I have|I've got|I have got} you {bookmarked|book marked|book-marked|saved as a favorite} {to check out|to look at} new {stuff you|things you} post…| {Hi|Hello|Hi there|What's up}, just wanted to {mention|say|tell you}, I {enjoyed|liked|loved} this {article|post|blog post}. It was {inspiring|funny|practical|helpful}. Keep on posting!| I {{leave|drop|{write|create}} a {comment|leave a response}|drop a {comment|leave a response}|{comment|leave a response}} {each time|when|whenever} I {appreciate|like|especially enjoy} a {post|article} on a {site|{blog|website}|site|website} or {I have|if I have} something to {add|contribute|valuable to contribute} {to the discussion|to the conversation}. {It is|Usually it is|Usually it's|It's} {a result of|triggered by|caused by} the {passion|fire|sincerness} {communicated|displayed} in the {post|article} I {read|looked at|browsed}. And {on|after} this {post|article} The Middle Way: What I Learned On My Summer Vacation. I {{was|was actually} moved|{was|was actually} excited} enough to {drop|{leave|drop|{write|create}}|post} a {thought|{comment|{comment|leave a response}a response}} {:-P|:)|;)|;-)|:-)} I {do have|actually do have} {{some|a few} questions|a couple of questions|2 questions} for you {if you {don't|do not|usually do not|tend not to} mind|if it's {allright|okay}}. {Is it|Could it be} {just|only|simply} me or {do|does it {seem|appear|give the impression|look|look as if|look like} like} {some|a few} of {the|these} {comments|responses|remarks} {look|appear|come across} {like they are|as if they are|like} {coming from|written by|left by} brain dead {people|visitors|folks|individuals}? :-P And, if you are {posting|writing} {on|at} {other|additional} {sites|social sites|online sites|online social sites|places}, {I'd|I would} like to {follow|keep up with} {you|{anything|everything} {new|fresh} you have to post}. {Could|Would} you {list|make a list} {all|every one|the complete urls} of {your|all your} {social|communal|community|public|shared} {pages|sites} like your {twitter feed, Facebook page or linkedin profile|linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed|Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile}?| {Hi there|Hello}, I enjoy reading {all of|through} your {article|post|article post}. I {like|wanted} to write a little comment to support you.| I {always|constantly|every time} spent my half an hour to read this {blog|weblog|webpage|website|web site}'s {articles|posts|articles or reviews|content} {everyday|daily|every day|all the time} along with a {cup|mug} of coffee.| I {always|for all time|all the time|constantly|every time} emailed this {blog|weblog|webpage|website|web site} post page to all my {friends|associates|contacts}, {because|since|as|for the reason that} if like to read it {then|after that|next|afterward} my {friends|links|contacts} will too.| My {coder|programmer|developer} is trying to {persuade|convince} me to move to .net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the {expenses|costs}. But he's tryiong none the less. I've been using {Movable-type|WordPress} on {a number of|a variety of|numerous|several|various} websites for about a year and am {nervous|anxious|worried|concerned} about switching to another platform. I have heard {fantastic|very good|excellent|great|good} things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can {transfer|import} all my wordpress {content|posts} into it? {Any kind of|Any} help would be {really|greatly} appreciated!| {Hello|Hi|Hello there|Hi there|Howdy|Good day}! I could have sworn I've {been to|visited} {this blog|this web site|this website|this site|your blog} before but after {browsing through|going through|looking at} {some of the|a few of the|many of the} {posts|articles} I realized it's new to me. {Anyways|Anyhow|Nonetheless|Regardless}, I'm {definitely|certainly} {happy|pleased|delighted} {I found|I discovered|I came across|I stumbled upon} it and I'll be {bookmarking|book-marking} it and checking back {frequently|regularly|often}!| {Terrific|Great|Wonderful} {article|work}! {This is|That is} {the type of|the kind of} {information|info} {that are meant to|that are supposed to|that should} be shared {around the|across the} {web|internet|net}. {Disgrace|Shame} on {the {seek|search} engines|Google} for {now not|not|no longer} positioning this {post|submit|publish|put up} {upper|higher}! Come on over and {talk over with|discuss with|seek advice from|visit|consult with} my {site|web site|website} . {Thank you|Thanks} =)| Heya {i'm|i am} for the first time here. I {came across|found} this board and I find It {truly|really} useful & it helped me out {a lot|much}. I hope to give something back and {help|aid} others like you {helped|aided} me.| {Hi|Hello|Hi there|Hello there|Howdy|Greetings}, {I think|I believe|I do believe|I do think|There's no doubt that} {your site|your website|your web site|your blog} {might be|may be|could be|could possibly be} having {browser|internet browser|web browser} compatibility {issues|problems}. {When I|Whenever I} {look at your|take a look at your} {website|web site|site|blog} in Safari, it looks fine {but when|however when|however, if|however, when} opening in {Internet Explorer|IE|I.E.}, {it has|it's got} some overlapping issues. {I just|I simply|I merely} wanted to {give you a|provide you with a} quick heads up! {Other than that|Apart from that|Besides that|Aside from that}, {fantastic|wonderful|great|excellent} {blog|website|site}!| {A person|Someone|Somebody} {necessarily|essentially} {lend a hand|help|assist} to make {seriously|critically|significantly|severely} {articles|posts} {I would|I might|I'd} state. {This is|That is} the {first|very first} time I frequented your {web page|website page} and {to this point|so far|thus far|up to now}? I {amazed|surprised} with the {research|analysis} you made to {create|make} {this actual|this particular} {post|submit|publish|put up} {incredible|amazing|extraordinary}. {Great|Wonderful|Fantastic|Magnificent|Excellent} {task|process|activity|job}!| Heya {i'm|i am} for {the primary|the first} time here. I {came across|found} this board and I {in finding|find|to find} It {truly|really} {useful|helpful} & it helped me out {a lot|much}. {I am hoping|I hope|I'm hoping} {to give|to offer|to provide|to present} {something|one thing} {back|again} and {help|aid} others {like you|such as you} {helped|aided} me.| {Hello|Hi|Hello there|Hi there|Howdy|Good day|Hey there}! {I just|I simply} {would like to|want to|wish to} {give you a|offer you a} {huge|big} thumbs up {for the|for your} {great|excellent} {info|information} {you have|you've got|you have got} {here|right here} on this post. {I will be|I'll be|I am} {coming back to|returning to} {your blog|your site|your website|your web site} for more soon.| I {always|all the time|every time} used to {read|study} {article|post|piece of writing|paragraph} in news papers but now as I am a user of {internet|web|net} {so|thus|therefore} from now I am using net for {articles|posts|articles or reviews|content}, thanks to web.| Your {way|method|means|mode} of {describing|explaining|telling} {everything|all|the whole thing} in this {article|post|piece of writing|paragraph} is {really|actually|in fact|truly|genuinely} {nice|pleasant|good|fastidious}, {all|every one} {can|be able to|be capable of} {easily|without difficulty|effortlessly|simply} {understand|know|be aware of} it, Thanks a lot.| {Hi|Hello} there, {I found|I discovered} your {blog|website|web site|site} {by means of|via|by the use of|by way of} Google {at the same time as|whilst|even as|while} {searching for|looking for} a {similar|comparable|related} {topic|matter|subject}, your {site|web site|website} {got here|came} up, it {looks|appears|seems|seems to be|appears to be like} {good|great}. {I have|I've} bookmarked it in my google bookmarks. {Hello|Hi} there, {simply|just} {turned into|became|was|become|changed into} {aware of|alert to} your {blog|weblog} {thru|through|via} Google, {and found|and located} that {it is|it's} {really|truly} informative. {I'm|I am} {gonna|going to} {watch out|be careful} for brussels. {I will|I'll} {appreciate|be grateful} {if you|should you|when you|in the event you|in case you|for those who|if you happen to} {continue|proceed} this {in future}. {A lot of|Lots of|Many|Numerous} {other folks|folks|other people|people} {will be|shall be|might be|will probably be|can be|will likely be} benefited {from your|out of your} writing. Cheers!| {I am|I'm} curious to find out what blog {system|platform} {you have been|you happen to be|you are|you're} {working with|utilizing|using}? I'm {experiencing|having} some {minor|small} security {problems|issues} with my latest {site|website|blog} and {I would|I'd} like to find something more {safe|risk-free|safeguarded|secure}. Do you have any {solutions|suggestions|recommendations}?| {I am|I'm} {extremely|really} impressed with your writing skills {and also|as well as} with the layout on your {blog|weblog}. Is this a paid theme or did you {customize|modify} it yourself? {Either way|Anyway} keep up the {nice|excellent} quality writing, {it's|it is} rare to see a {nice|great} blog like this one {these days|nowadays|today}.| {I am|I'm} {extremely|really} {inspired|impressed} {with your|together with your|along with your} writing {talents|skills|abilities} {and also|as {smartly|well|neatly} as} with the {layout|format|structure} {for your|on your|in your|to your} {blog|weblog}. {Is this|Is that this} a paid {subject|topic|subject matter|theme} or did you {customize|modify} it {yourself|your self}? {Either way|Anyway} {stay|keep} up the {nice|excellent} {quality|high quality} writing, {it's|it is} {rare|uncommon} {to peer|to see|to look} a {nice|great} {blog|weblog} like this one {these days|nowadays|today}..| {Hi|Hello}, Neat post. {There is|There's} {a problem|an issue} {with your|together with your|along with your} {site|web site|website} in {internet|web} explorer, {may|might|could|would} {check|test} this? IE {still|nonetheless} is the {marketplace|market} {leader|chief} and {a large|a good|a big|a huge} {part of|section of|component to|portion of|component of|element of} {other folks|folks|other people|people} will {leave out|omit|miss|pass over} your {great|wonderful|fantastic|magnificent|excellent} writing {due to|because of} this problem.| {I'm|I am} not sure where {you are|you're} getting your {info|information}, but {good|great} topic. I needs to spend some time learning {more|much more} or understanding more. Thanks for {great|wonderful|fantastic|magnificent|excellent} {information|info} I was looking for this {information|info} for my mission.| {Hi|Hello}, i think that i saw you visited my {blog|weblog|website|web site|site} {so|thus} i came to “return the favor”.{I am|I'm} {trying to|attempting to} find things to {improve|enhance} my {website|site|web site}!I suppose its ok to use {some of|a few of} your ideas!!\

[http://wartrol.info]

excellent points altogether, you just won a brand new reader. What would you suggest in regards to your submit that you simply made a few days in the past? Any positive?

[sizzling hot deluxe online]

I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz respond as I'm looking to construct my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. kudos

[best forex trading platforms]

Excellent article. I absolutely love this website. Keep writing!

[weight loss pills]

Great giods from you, man. I've understand your stuff previous to and you are just extremely fantastic. I really like what you have acquired here, certainly like what you're saying and the way in which you say it. Youu make it entertaining aand you still care for tto keep it sensible. I cant wait to read far more from you. Thhis is actually a tremendous web site.

[how to take pure garcinia cambogia]

* Meat- Ground beef, pork, poultry, hunted animals like deer, bison and so forth. Carbohydrates are important for weight loss because they will facilitate your body's normal functioning including such functionalists as blood circulation and muscle co-ordination during exercises. Listen to your body and make changes where neccesary.

[bedroom furniture]

great man :D

[Sean Carter]

this is quite insight, thanks for sharing. I think i will incorporate some of your thinking and ideas into my next visit to the Destin vacation rentals that I enjoy so much. I always have an amazing time on vacation but I think this will help me create that balance of being healthy while still having a great time!

[vacation packages]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I cant believe you continued your competition while you were on vacation. I have been looking into vacation packages in Boston and cant wait to go. You make a good point about challenging yourself because I find that very important.

[biphedadrene reviews]

I definitely agree that you should "feed the good wolf," which I think a lot of people neglect when they're trying to lose weight.

[BarbD]

Hi Courtney -- Yeah, I'm not sure what the diet pills comment is about since there's nothing in my post about doing anything other than good old fashioned exercise and eating right to shed pounds and maintain the loss.

As to the Polar tracking device, I've actually found it helpful. Prior to using it, I'd track my exercise using various free sites. While I've never used calories burned to bump up my daily caloric intake, I found it helpful to know about how much an hour of a strenuous exercise class or 30 minutes on an elliptical machine might burn. These tracking sites delivered a higher burn ratio then the Polar device, which tracks my heart rate, by more than 100 calories in some cases. Having a more accurate picture of my calories burned helps me when planning for those times when I might want to eat (or drink!) more.

I have certainly not let go of all the less than healthy habits that conflict with my desire to maintain a reasonable weight, although I do find that consistently tracking my food intake and exercise helps with focus. Appreciate your dropping by and sharing!

[Courtney at RRI]

Hey Barbara! I don't know what that diet pills comment above is all about, as...I didn't exactly see you advocating any ridiculousness like that. By the way, are those Polar trackers worth picking up? I've heard a few people who really like them, but the price always made me a little nervous.

I definitely agree that you should "feed the good wolf," which I think a lot of people neglect when they're trying to lose weight. It's not uncommon for people to have ingrained bad habits around food, whether it's eating as a way to deal with stress or to get variety in their life or find connection to others. There's a lot going on in our minds and spirits that can conflict with our motivations and willpower, unfortunately. Understanding our human needs is key to making sure we keep the weight off for good. I think you'd be pretty interested in the concepts in the video in my link--it goes in-depth in explaining our needs and how we can replace our unhealthy habits with better ones.

Best of luck in rising to your challenges, and namaste!

[diet pills]

I wouldn't recommend using any diet pills, most of them wind up getting recalled or pulled off the shelves because eventually someone finds out that they cause heart attacks, kidney damage, or some other horrendous side effect(s).. . The only real method of long-term success with weight loss is self-discipline and portion control. With two kids, you should be doing enough around the house on a daily basis to constitute at least mild exercise -- I'm pretty sure after I had my daughter, I lost a ton of weight just from lifting her and hauling all her gear all over creation. :) . . I think you should just try drinking more water, getting rid of all soda and junk food that might tempt you, and make small changes to your diet. Switching out regular pasta for whole grain pastas, eating more frozen and fresh veggies instead of canned, doing make-ahead meals that you can freeze and put in the oven later, and trying to eat smaller portions should help you lose the 20 pounds you want to, if not more. . . I had to do all of the above stuff recently because my husband is a compulsive over-eater who enjoys candy, chips, soda and all that good stuff. Then he went to the doctor and got yelled at for being overweight. ;) So I can tell you first-hand that it's all easier than it sounds. We also do one vegetarian meal per week for dinner and try to keep lunch down to some soup and a cup of yogurt. I'm actually having a lot of fun with it, and hoping that the baby weight from this pregnancy comes off faster because of it.. . Good luck. :)