Paul's Corner

Well being a dancer as well, I somehow put on 35 pounds and well I was not happy. So I was told to lose the weight and they are right, who wants to see a fat dancer. Here is what I did:
-do not eat fast food or fried foods
-eat in moderation
-no sugary sodas
-limit alcohol to one glass of wine or one beer at night

exercise:
-weight training 3x wk
-dance just about everyday, ballet, jazz ,modern.....
-pliometric exercises 2x week

I still continue the exercise portion and just simply eat in moderation.

I do pick one day where I just eat whatever I want, which is usually saturdays unless I am performing.

So I did lose the weight, I feel good,ladies think I look good, so it is all good.

Paul good luck in whatever you are doing.

This is from someone who went from lean (I don't think I was ever skinny) to fat. It was a weight increase of 30kg's (66lbs).

I have now lost 7.5kgs and am steady at about 0.5kgs loss per week.
Exercise alone failed for me, but there were other factors. Fortunately that's no longer the case.
Now I'm on a low carbohydrate diet, less than 100grams per day, with no high GI carbs.
I'm also exercising by walking 11kms 4 to 5 days per week (all that time will allow at present), including a steep hill of about 2kms.
I've lost 17cm off my waist.
I need to lose another 15kgs before I start running again but plan to add cycling and some weights sessions shortly.
My goals are long term.

The diet has been monitored by a practitioner.

Peter

Peter, I'm also on a low carb (almost no carb) diet, and have only lost 30 pounds in 15 months, and struggling for every ounce off!

Of course, being a Great-grandma is a factor too.

I know that the old metabolism is typically slow, even though I'm on the recumbant bike at the gym 6 mornings a week

I pedal to the music of the 1940s...maybe I ought to switch to Hip Hop!

Peace, love, and happy losing! (As Weight Watchers used to say, "once through the lips, always on the hips!")

Mil

Hi all,

I've been lurking since December, haven't seen I Robot yet (but am eager to), watch SB often (and this is the only place I feel comfortable admitting that!), and think it's time to dive in!

I recently decided I needed to fix my eating habits because I have a terrible sweet tooth and had been steadily gaining during creeping middle age. So I got the South Beach Diet book and started to follow it - virtually no carbs for two weeks, only good fats (like olive oil), no fruit, lots of high fibre/low carb veggies, lots of low fat proteins. I lost about 4 kg in two weeks. (That was about all I needed to lose, the rest is exercise to firm up muscles going south with middle age.) There is a second phase for continued but slower weight loss that allows limited carbs (but they must be high fibre).

The "maintenance" program, which is basically for life, also emphasises the importance of limited carbohydrates and almost always unprocessed (high fibre) versions. Wine is allowed but no beer (bummer, but it makes sense in terms of food chemistry).

The book explains the rationale for the diet in a way that makes sense, and when you understand it you can adapt it suit your own tastes and preferences and still stay within its guidelines.

I've been a "reformed" eater for about three months now, and feel healthier and more energetic than I have for quite a few years.

Laura

My daughter, her husband and I are on Atkins. We've done pretty well with my daughter losing 10lbs, hubby at 23lbs (don't ask me why men lose faster than women?) and I am at 13lbs.

Does anyone have any good-low carb recipes to share?

Well . . . prior to the diet, I must have been doing "something" right because I discovered that I was 40 lbs. lighter than I was 4 years ago. I normally don't weigh myself. There's a tendency to let numbers determine our value. I normally go by the feel of my clothes. I decided to try the Atkins diet and I went from a size 24 to a size 18. I'm happy with that for now! Sometimes I'll go 4 days on, 1 day off, and so forth. Oh yes, EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE!!!

Exercise: have to vary it or else I get bored, so I alternate between swimming, roller blading, walking, cradio cross training, weight training, Pilates (at least at this point in my life). Trying to do something every day, but when I don't feel like it I'm entitled to a day or two off, i.e. not making myself a slave to either exercise or diet.

Food: using common sense, avoiding snacks in between, reducing portions, watching calory intake, but not denying myself pleasures here and there.

Most of it is mental for me, not getting excessive either way and accepting me for who I am at that point, setting healthy goals and putting everything into perspective.

Hey Laura--welcome-I lurked for months too, SO wanting to be part of the 'group'...

Paul--This is the hardest part about 'over 40'--it takes twice as long to get rid of any extra 'padding'!! And I hate to tell you this, but beer is one of the worst!
The advice so far has been excellent, so nothing to add here...0-low carbs, lots of protein, and water, water, water....

Just make sure those low carb diets are not high in fat or cholesterol or you won't live to enjoy your new weight loss. I have noticed from looking at labels that most of the low carb foods and receipes are higher in fat. You should have less that 300 mg. of cholesterol everyday and most people get a lot more than that. Be careful of the saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats too. Some low carb foods can be high in saturated fats (animal protein).

hehe i used to be fat...i lost weight and got almost anorexic skinny by eating nothing but steamed white rice and baked salmon with a salad every day for months...i got skinny skinny but then i started eating regular foods again and i have never really gained all the weight back im at a healthy weight now

Weighing in on the diet issue - I'm on a low-carb/high protein diet as well, and I've lost 40 lbs. in just a little over three months. I have a long way to go yet, as I'm targeting another 80 lbs. One silly thing that has helped me quite a bit is that I searched through the clip art in my Word program and found a pic of a fat lady bending over to touch her toes. I made the pic smaller and inserted 120 of them (the number of pounds I wanted to lose)on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, and then taped the sheet of paper to the door of my overhead comparment at the office where I see it all day, every day. Everytime I lose a half pound, half a lady gets crossed off; a whole pound, a whole lady. It's a very visual way for me to see what I've accomplished, as well as to visualize my goal. Since April 12, 40 fat ladies have been crossed out! Several people in the office have asked that I email them my 'fat lady' page. So far, so good.

Paul - You'll be missed while you're gone, but enjoy the creative work and shine!

Hello to everyone here at PC.

Vicki

Brilliant, Vickie, could you please send me 40 fat ladies too? That's the amount I still want to lose...however, I'll take 20 ladies as a start! I want to be a thinner lady by Febr. for the FIF!

Peace and Love,

Gran Mil

LOL..There are 40 fat ladies in your mailbox, Grandma Mil! :)

Vicki

I eat lots of salads, with chicken, grated cheese, and green onions on them.

Then I hike, jog, dance, or surf for aerobics.

Those sweets are my downfall! I've got to cut them at least by half and firm my muscles up.

Love to everyone...I hope you're smiling today!

Maile

I didn't really have much of a weight problem until I reached (okay guys here is where you stop reading) menopause. After menopause you will really have a problem - so eat what you can before then and enjoy!

Laura, the diet you describe has the main elements in common with the one I'm on.
The first week was uchallenging, with less than 10g of carbs allowed, but my body soon got used to it.
I would probably now average somewhere around 50g of cards daily. This is the final phase.
The fat loss has not been dramatic, but it is steady and consistent.
The practitioner I see is also a medical herbalist. She prescribes various herbal and vitamin/mineral supplements.

It all seems to work for me. Hooray.

Vicki, fantastic effort. Good luck with the next phase.

Evelyn, nice to hear you're settled in at Mum's.
Please don't wear those green thunbs out, though!
I find your concept for balance in diet and life very sensible.

Cheers,
Peter

Welcome Laura!

Peter, Mil, Laura, Vicki, Sally...

Whenever I see the words 'Low carb', I always think 'Low energy'. Is this the case?

Peter, what does 100g of carbs translate into in practical terms? It sounds like one portion..

Congratulations to each of you on losing the pounds!

Love to all,
Mary

Vicki, having those 40 ladies in cyberspace may have been too much...I could not open your attachment, but thank you for the effort.

I will work up a diagram like you suggested. I have a printing program that might work.

It's a great idea, and you maybe you should try and sell it over the Internet. Maybe Ebay??

Peace and Love,

Gran Mil

Would someone please explain the obsession with weight loss? If you are healthy isn't that all that matters. I am not knocking anyone that wants to loose a few pounds, I just don't understand it. I had a friend that almost died of anorexia and since then I cringe when I see a pencil thin person.

Mary - my energy level has actually risen, probably due to a number of factors, not the least of which is not having to carry around 40 extra pounds! I take a great multiple vitamin and fiber tabs to 'keep things moving.' And I never get that mid-afternoon slump that used to make me prowl for a candy bar. Seems the more carbs you eat, the more carbs you crave.

Sorry my attachment didn't make it to you, Grandma Mil. If you have a word processing program, there's bound to be some clip art on it, or you can go to Microsoft online and download clip art free from there.

Jo - I agree that toothpick people have issues, but with stats showing that some 65% of Americans are overweight, it's a good thing to try to eat more sensibly. I don't think eliminating carbs is a good thing; balance is the key. I don't want to be a toothpick, but I'd like to be better able to keep up with my grandchildren as they're growing up. :)

I hope everyone in PC land is having a great day/night/morning/afternoon. The weekend approaches !!!

Vicki

Being overweight is becoming a really big issue here especially with children. They are constantly being told to eat more healthily and yet how can they when they are constantly being dished up fish and chips and things like that for there school dinners.
Doesn't dieting boil down to common sense and cutting down on what you normally have that is what these weight watchers meals are, aren't they, your normal meal only made smaller but costing a lot more money. I also think you need the willpower to want to diet, if you haven't got that there's no point.

I hope everyone here is happy and having a great day.
Love
Kim

My husband and I were talking about this tonight. He thinks smaller portions are the key. In the 50's we ate junk - Velvetta cheese for instance, tv dinners had just been invented. There were lots and lots of new, easy, fast foods. I think that is one of the reasons for the country being overweight today. Nutrition wasn't in the vocabulary. It was all comfort food. Doing away with that kind of thinking was a good idea. I don't know if you have noticed but restaurants serve portions that are so large that nobody can eat them, but they can charge higher prices and I think that's why that do it. Then, off course, there is the all you can eat buffet on every corner. I guess my husband and I aren't trying to lose weight we just eat sensibly. Since his heart attack I have tried to incorporate at least six or seven fruits and vegetables into our diets everyday and lots of fiber. That usually will fill you up and you don't want anything else.

Kim,
You and I are on the same wave length. We were posting almost the same thing at the same time.

Jo great minds think a like! I said we would make a great team.
Fiber is good for you but too much will make you go to the loo quite a bit!
Thanks for letting me know what HBO is, but you totally confused me about the tapes.

Why does Paul want us to talk about our diets? Is he calling us fat? Just kidding! I think it's a good topic.

Vickie- I want a page of fat ladies too! Twenty of them! I would be so thankful! Such a clever Idea.

Mary- I am an insulin dependent diabetic and have to take an injection every time I eat carbs, so I can tell you exactly what 100g is worth! Of course, when you do as I do, you don't count your carbs separately- they're all considered the same value numberwise but one is encouraged to avoid the refined carbs, ect. ect. A single seving of carbohdyrate is 15g for a slice of bread(about a 1-2 oz slice), a 1/2 cup rice, pasta, or mashed potato; 15g for a small sized apple, orange, bananna or 1/2 cup sliced, 1 cup of berries or grapes, or an entire half of a cantalope, and 1/2 cup of most types of juice; green vegetables are so low in carbs you don't have to worry most of the time and starchy vegetables like corn or a potato follows the bread/pasta guideline; dairy is 12g for 1cup milk, 2oz solid cheese and about 1/2cup cottage cheese, yogurt, ect.
So if you look at that as a guide and how much we generally have on our plates, there's quite a difference! It's not hard to add up 100g!

It's been interesting to see all these low-carb diets crop up, having spent the past 16 years counting them! It's actually very helpful if I eat out because I used to have to fear hidden carbs(added sugar or whatnot), but now most places I can just ask if they know the carb content and I can take my shots knowing I have a good estimate.

Yet, even with all this know-how I still want to loose! Mostly because I have to. I gained a good hunk after breaking off with my boyfriend in the winter and then poorly managing my life with school, work, whatever. I'll tell you what else did me in! Turning 21 and being old enough to go with friends to the bar! It was nice for my social life but those pounds sure came out of no where! Also, after I got out of my teens my body just changed. And I know that's not going to stop!

But I agree with Evelyn, It's so mental. If you are in the right mind set, think before you eat, and set some reasonable goals, it's so possible. But it sure is a lot of work. I feel like I have so many things to do, and diabetes is taxing enough emotionally, I spend a lot of time foolishly wishing my body would just behave!

Anyway, atleast this week in ballet class was not so discouraging as before. Dancing is not natural to me, but it's important that I like it because for me, it's excercise in disguise!

Love to all-
Astrid

Astrid,
My OB/GYN is a diabetic too and she told me that she has lost quite a bit of weight on the South Beach diet and it is also supposed to be a very good diet for diabetics, at least according to her. She said that since starting the diet she has more energy too. I am not recommending it one way or another, just wanted to let you know what a doctor with diabetes said.

Mary,
100g of carbs is a very low intake compared to the "normal" western diet.
I have not noticed any decrease in energy levels, in fact I feel generally better, without the ups and downs of fluctuating blood sugar levels caused by an excess of carbs, particularly those with a high GI (taken up quickly into the bloodstream, causing a rapid rise in blood sugar levels).
This type of diet forces the body to start metabolising fat stores instead of blood sugars(from carbs).
I drink lots of water and have 5 to 6 smaller meals per day. This ensures that my blood sugar levels remain reasonably constant and that I don't get any cravings.
I also eat lots of mixed salad greens including fresh herbs and baby spinach leaves.

How was your birthday? Please do tell.
My 46th is in January.

Peter

Oh, what didn't work? The "Diet Center" program. I was taking in less than 900 calories a day and yes, I lost weight but I also put it back on faster.

Wow, lots of good information here, so I'm glad Paul started this thread.

I've been overweight since I was a baby. Way back before Dr. Spock, "a fat baby is a healthy baby" was the norm, so since I was always chubby, I was supposed to be healthy. If you look at the Miss America's from the 30's, 40's and 50's, they certainly aren't toothpicks and neither was Marilyn Monroe, the American dream of sexiness back then. I'm sure Millie and Jo can add to this and I would love to hear your thoughts.

Back in the 70's the grapefruit diet was very popular. I lost 50lbs on it and now I find that Atkins is the same except for the grapefruit.

Peter, Jo, Mary and Astrid, you are all right about the glucose rising and falling and it needing to be kept at a manageable level. I find that I have more energy and am not as tired now as I was now that I am counting carbs instead of calories. I really suffered counting calories as I would almost starve myself on 800 calories a day and diet pills. Now I feel good while dieting and there are so many products that are "Atkins Approved" out that there is a variety of foods so that you don't feel deprived.

Astrid, I absolutely LOVE the idea of counting fat ladies! What a good idea. I hope you won't mind that I am now stealing your idea. Millie is right - you should make up packages and sell your idea on Ebay - you'd be rich!

I see ads on tv touting no carb beers and vodkas trying to jump on the wagon. If we follow all the "advice" coming our way, I guess we'll all be a bunch of happy skinny drunks, eh? ;o)

Have a good one everybody and enjoy your weekend...

A few years back I read an article that said that the perception of beauty actually correlated with the economy of the country. When times are bad financially, like the 30 through the 50's, then a plump woman was consider to be more beautiful than a skinny one who gave the impression of hard times and poverty. That continued into the 60's and then in the 70's started to change. By the 80's a thin woman was considered to be the most beautiful. There was a saying "you can't be too rich or too thin" or something like that. I heard it on television at lot. I think Millie Perkins and Sandra Dee were the first truly toothpick thin movie stars and they were former models and Sandra Dee had anorexia. My personal favorite star was Alice Faye who looked a lot like a chubby Elizabeth Shue. She retired in the late 40's, but I used to catch her movies on late night television and thought she had the ideal figure.

Vicki, congratulations on losing the 40lbs! That is some achievement.

Astrid, thanks for the info on the carbs and g. You're definitely an expert! My son is still on a restriction diet for allergies (He is around your age) so we're still on the lookout for hidden sugars. I wish you continued good health. Enjoy the ballet classes!

Michelle, hope you are well.

Peter, reading about your diet, it makes sense why it's working for you. I wish you continued success with it and look forward to you telling us you've started running long distance again.

My birthday was great. Thanks for asking. The concert was a big part of it. Some things in life reinforce the idea that you yourself are basically a 'constant' even though the years are passing. For me, music is one of them. To hear S & G singing songs live that have been a part of my life for so long, totally tuned into that idea. It felt like time stood still. The fact that they sounded so good helped, as did the amazing atmosphere of warmth and nostalgia. It was a real high and the fact that I got to share the experience with my son made it even better.

I'm happy to be where I am on my journey now. There is a growing sense of knowing I'm where I should be. I find when I look out now I see the path opening wider in front of me. I'm really beginning to understand that age is irrelevant in so many ways. Anyway, it feels good. I hope your 46th finds you in a good place too.

I was just thinking - we started our journeys at around the same time but at opposite ends of the year and of the world!

Hi Sally! Good luck with your diet too.

Welcome to Victoria and a warm hello to all the familiar faces.

Love to you all,
Mary

Jo, some the stars whom everyone wanted to emulate from my era were Vivien Leigh, (emotionally ill and very thin), Greer Garson (just right) and then those that were top heavy, in their yo yo dieting mode, like Marilyn Monroe, Jane Mansfield, Jane Russell, and Judy Garland.

Remember the Photoplay magazines? We wanted to emulate the stars while reading about their lifestyles that seemed so glamorous...underneath it was mostly divorce, and the fear of getting older, and fatter!

Anorexia and bulemia were terms unheard of, even in my college days, though I am sure it was a factor for many, but never mentioned. Everyone wanted to look like Miss America.

Thank goodness today it's healthy eating and exercise that are so readily encouraged in the media. However, it's the kids that are obese at an early age, and that really is troubling.

When I was teaching ages ago, schools had a physical education teacher and P.E. twice a week. Now, I understand some of those programs have been cut because of budgetary concerns...how sad, how dangerous!

Gotta go and make salads for Ellie and me before we're off to see "I, Robot"!

Peace and Love,

Gran Mil

Millie,
I do remember the Photoplay. I had a subscription - could not wait for the next issue! We forgot to mention people like Shirley MacLaine. She certainly wasn't what you would call thin - very, very fit, gorgeous legs, but not thin. Maybe dancing is the key to everything - lose weight, look great, feel great. She at least wasn't top heavy.

Sally C.- The "fat ladies" actually come from Vickie. But, yes, they are very clever and I think she could do just that! There could be all kinds of "fat lady" paraphenalia- post-its, charts, scales, jogging suits. . .

Vickie- I just got my own "fat ladies" this morning. I had no trouble downloading. Thank you, thank you, thank you! They are so cute! Yet also very sad looking! Just the right combination- they are funny to look at, but at the same time it must be very satisfying to put them out of their misery with a big X across them!

Mary- glad you found the info helpful. Has the diet made a difference in your son's allergies?

Nertha- what is the weather like in NYC these days?

I wish everyone a good day ahead!
-Astrid

Well, I guess I will step away from this discussion. I can tell you about sodium, cholesterol, saturated and unsaturated fats, postassium and a lot of other things concerning certain diets, but I don't have a clue as how to lose weight. And since I can't anyway because of hypothyroidism I have just learned to live with myself.

Mary, I feel the same way regarding age not being of great importance. Some folk fall into the trap of becoming slaves to certain pre-determinations of life based on cultural or social beliefs. No thanks. I prefer to be me and do it my way.

I'm so pleased that your birthday was so nice. The concert would have been a wonderful experience, mellow yet exciting at once, I would imagine.

If I ever get back to distance running (and I bloody well will!), then you will most certainly hear about it! I love the feeling of running fast over distance, with the mind and body combining to push the limits. I find freedom there.

Continued well wishes on your journey.

Peter

HEY ALL

JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, THE DOCUMENTARY THAT PAUL IS PART OF FOR I, ROBOT WILL BE ON HBO 7-25-04 AT 5PM.

I HAVE DIRECT TV AND ITS ON CHANNELL 505 HBO-W
7-25-04 AT 5PM, IF ANYONE WANTS TO WATCH IT.

WE DID OK ON THE WORLD SERIES, WE GOT BACK AFTER MIDNIGHT LAST NIGHT. WE WENT 2 AND 4 . WE WON 2 AND LOST 4. ONE LOSS WAS BAD UMPING CALL, WE PLAYED 3 TEAMS THAT WERE 1ST IN THIER STATE. WE LASTED 6 GAMES. THATS PRETTY GOOD. WE WERE PLACED IN A VERY HARD POOL (GROUP OF TEAMS TO PLAY AGAINST). I AM VERY PROUD OF OUR BOYS. MY SON HAD A TRIPLE AND PITCHED VERY GOOD. GO CYCLONES. HE IS NOW DONE TILL HIGH SCOOL NEXT YEAR. CAN'T WAIT! I AM DEAD TIRED AND SICK TO THE BONE, I OVEREXTENDED MYSELF ONCE AGAIN.

NERTHA, THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT, I HAVE FORWARDED YOUR MESSAGE TO CLAY. HE SAID "MOM, YOU AND YOUR COMPUTER FREINDS ARE WEIRD, STOP TALKING ABOUT ME!!!" HE WAS KIDDING, HE SAID TO SAY THANKS.

LOVE TO ALL,

KELLY

Kelly,
Yea for Clay!!! You get a good rest this week-end.

JO,

JUST FOUND OUT WE TOOK PLACE 56 OUT OF 88 TEAMS.
NOT TOO BAD. WE ARE VERY PROUD!! I AM RESTING VERY MUCH. TOM TOOK THE KIDS OUT TODAY SO I COULD VEG IN FRONT OF THE TV. THAT WAS A TREAT!! I PLAN TO REST MUCH MORE BEFORE BACK TO WORK NEXT WEEK. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

KELLY

Astrid wrote:
"Nertha- what is the weather like in NYC these days?"
===========
Astrid, we have been having rain and parts of New York and New Jersey are flooded right now. Trouble is there is rain forecasted for the rest of the weekend, so no relief for those who are struggling with water in their homes!

Kelly wrote:
"NERTHA, THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT, I HAVE FORWARDED YOUR MESSAGE TO CLAY. HE SAID "MOM, YOU AND YOUR COMPUTER FREINDS ARE WEIRD, STOP TALKING ABOUT ME!!!" HE WAS KIDDING, HE SAID TO SAY THANKS."
=====================
Kelly,
Please, congratulate Clay on his and the Cyclone's strong showing at the world series. Should be very proud of his acheivements. You both get some rest, you have word hard! Tell Clay that we are not weird, we are just chatters. :-) LOL

Jo,
I'm not an expert in losing weight and keeping it off either ... I'm more of a yo-yo. Still, I have to face the fact that I need to lose some weight, so I am following the discussion with great interest.

Hope everyone is in good health and, unlike us, enjoying good weather.

Nertha

Hi I’m nearly 15 and all I want to be actress I’m not going to say I’m fat caz I’m not but I’m not going to say I’m skinny I’m not I come for sale in Victoria and I’m one of the most healthiest person in my year but I worried that in the world we live in being healthy active person with a fairly good figure is not enough
caz when I see teens on tv I can’t help think that I need to go on step further to eliminate fat so I have a chance at my dream

fast food is the problem

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the welcome.

For me the decision to change my eating habits was less about losing weight than about overhauling aspects of my lifestyle that I'd been letting slip. I'm at a point in my life where I'm beginning to absorb the reality that life isn't infinite, and I want it to be good for as long as possible. In recent years I've slipped into bad eating habits (lots of prefab microwavable meals, not taking lunch to work, skipping breakfast), because I'm on my own now and work long hours. Well, not really because of those things. I had gotten lazy. And in the past couple of years (post menopause, Jo!), I've noticed that I put on weight over the cold Canadian winter and then struggle to get it off in the spring so I don't have to buy new clothes. When I heard about the south beach diet, I decided to check it out as a possible first step in that overhaul. It works for me because it is very much like how I used to eat, and allows lots of variety as well as snacks between meals (as long as they are the right kind of food). I seem to need that, because otherwise my blood sugar drops, I get desperately hungry (and cranky, like a child!), and run over to the cafeteria and get a greasy muffin, or a personal pizza for lunch. Not good when it becomes pretty much every day.

But what I haven't succeeded in doing yet is establishing an exercise routine that I can stick to. Right now I walk to and from work, so I'm OK (although I really need to do more than that). But this winter I'm moving and will have to drive or bus. I used to do Tai Chi, but the schedule of available classes makes that less than perfect as something I can rely on. I'd like to start doing yoga again, but I can't seem to find the self-discipline to get to it and keep at it every day. I'm also thinking about getting an exercise bike (and a real bike next spring for the good weather). For me, the sticking point seems to a finding a good time for exercise every day. I get up early and leave for work early (maybe I should exercise instead of reading the morning paper). I usually don't get home from work until sometime between 6:30 and 7, and my metabolism is crying for dinner by then. Maybe I need a drill sargent to give me a shove into it. Maybe after I get back from my holidays I'll have the energy to find the self-discipline.

Peter, how do you find the time to walk 11 km most days of the week?!

Laura

Laura, I work for myself, so I have a certain amount of flexibility.
I start work at 6:00am and finish at 6:30pm most days, but as often as possible I will take a break at around 1:00 - 2:00pm and go for the walk.
As soon as I get home (a 5 min trip), it's dinner, kid's homework and reading, and playing with the kids, so I don't get much of a chance for exercise in the evenings.
When I used to train for running and cycling, in winter I would always do my cycle training on the indoor trainer, sometimes starting as late as 9:00pm and lasting up to 1.5hrs.
But, I can't do that anymore because it would cut into my sleep time, which would not do me any good.
I have to take the long and steady approach.

Good luck with yours.
Patience is the key, in my view.

Peter

Nertha,
I am following the discussion too, it's just that I can't add anything. As Kelly probably knows too when you have Hashimoto's thyroditis your body sets the mebabolism and it is so hard to fight, especially as you get older. I would like to lose weight, but no matter what I do I don't lose a pound. When my husband was in the hospital I lived on coffee for about two weeks, ate very little and was constantly on the run - I did not lose even one ounce. When I complained to the doctor that I "felt fat" she said that my weight has been the same for years, that my body has set a healthy weight. Your mind and your body are two separate things. Your mind may want you to lose weight, but the body is trying to protect itself from damage.

Laura,
You wrote:
"maybe I should exercise instead of reading the morning paper"
My husband rides a stationary bike for 30 minutes 4 times a week and watches CNN while he is riding. That might be a alternative to reading the paper.
I can recommend a good Tai Chi video tape if you are interested in that. I have found that it is an excellent way to practice the moves. It at least keeps you sharp on certain moves even if you can't do the whole work out in a small space.

Laura,
Okay, post menopause is an "excuse", but the fat distribution of your body after menopause is so different than before that it will make you feel fat even if you aren't. It happens to men too. The fat distribution changes on both men and women. There are, of course, people like Jack Lalane, the body builder and exercise guru of the 50's, who is in his 80's and has the body of a 35 year old and the head of an 80 year old.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend so far.

Astrid, thanks for asking after my son. There has been some improvement but it is very gradual. He says it is worth staying on the diet for the moment in the hope that things will continue to improve. But he'd have to really think about it if it had to be longterm. At the moment, it is impossible for example for him to eat out in any shape or form and even though we have all become more inventive, his meals are very limited. Thank goodness for chillis and jalapenos! He loves them and they give great flavour to what would be very bland food.

Peter, that freedom will be such a rush when it comes. Even as a dream experience it feels incredible. You're obviously into a rhythm with all of this. I'm sending lots of supportive and encouraging thoughts down to you to back up your own efforts!

Millie, can't wait to hear what you thought of I Robot!

Kelly, congratulations to you Clay and the team! Hope you manage to get a chance to recover before you're back to work. Take care.

Jo, I'd be interested in the name of the Tai Chi video. I bought one a couple of years back, hoping to keep it up on my own but it was just too complicated. Would it be suitable for refreshing yourself with the movements?

Tim, hope your test went well.

Hello to Michelle & Evelyn.

Diane, thinking of you and wishing you well.

Love to all,
Mary

Mary,
The video is called Tai Chi for Health. The ISBN number is ISBN1-55873-203-9. Also, there are several by Dr. Paul Lam that are really good and I highly recommend just about anything he does. He is Chinese and I find him hard to understand when he talks, but his movements are easy to follow.

Mary,
I looked on Amazon and it turns out that there are two videos called Tai Chi for Health. It is the one with the woman on the front, not the Yang Long Form one with Terry Dunn. The copies start at $2.69 used and go up to $12.95 for a new copy. This one is actually better than the Dr. Lam videos.

Hello all,

Jo, thanks for the Tai Chi recommendation. I'll give it a try. And if I can do the crossword on an exercise bike, maybe I can bicycle in the morning! I know exactly what you mean about the effects of menopause on the body. For a couple of years, I thought the "pad" that appeared around my waist about 8 years ago would disappear if did things right but I soon realised it's a permanent fixture of the middle aged me! I was trying to say that I hadn't been taking very good care of myself, and together with the inevitable effects of menopause I felt that if I didn't make some drastic changes I was going to be endangering my health. The winter weight gain was symptomatic of poor eating habits and lack of exercise. If you are eating well and are healthy, you shouldn't worry about your weight. I wasn't eating well.

Peter, I admit to being a tad envious of the flexibility you have in your work schedule. Eons ago I used to run 8 km in the late morning or early afternoon every day, and I absolutely loved it. Was addicted to it, actually. I can no longer run (knee problems), and five years ago I took a job that doesn't allow me that kind of midday break for serious exercise. Adjusting to that has been far harder than I thought it would be.

Mary, do I remember correctly that your son's problem is sugar? And is it just sucrose, or is it all the sugars (like fructose, lactose, maltose)? Surely not the latter, I hope, that would be exceedingly limiting. Can he eat sugar substitutes? In addition to chiles, I'd be thinking ginger, balsamic and other tasty vinegars, cumin and the other spices of Mediterranean cuisine. I hate bland food!

I hope the HBO show on I Robot gets put on the DVD when it comes out - no HBO up in these here parts. Al Jazeera, sure, but HBO is bad for us!
Criminy.

Laura

Hi everyone
I have never tried or considered trying Tai Chi mainly because I didn't know what it really was. Is it a form of relaxation, exercise or a combination of the two.
Does any of you know the best way to tone up arms. I don't want to end up looking like a body builder just more toned and I am not sure of the best way to do it, any ideas?

Laura you are not the only one, sadly I also can't get HBO :(

I saw a short clip of I Robot, it looks FANTASTIC! Can't wait to see it

Have a great Sunday
Love
Kim

Laura- Do you really get Al Jazeera and no cable?Where do you live? Silly me if I didn't get the joke, but if that's true, that's really wacky.
I personally don't care for television much, so it's not that I feel you're missing out on the HBO thing, I just think it's odd if you can view Al Jazeera, but not HBO.

Kelly- your son sure sounds like quite the athlete, and I admire all the effort you put out to support him. You sure deserve the down time! I hope he does well when He starts up in highschool.

Jo- Thanks for the update! I'll be keeping my eye on the mail box! I'm looking forward to seeing a new and more recent aspect of Paul and his work!
My mother and her sister have hypo-thyroid conditions. They both take synthriod daily. Is this the same as Hashimoto's? I should, of course, know that. Back in May my mom did a 100 mile bike ride fundraiser for diabetes research, and she definitely will swear it was the hardest thing she ever did, especially because she needed to loose weight and the thyroid makes it so hard. But she did it! She had lost quite a bit before the ride as well, and all the way through it's been a struggle. Add to that her age(53) and the fact she's getting into menopause. She's been able to do it though, so I think it's possible for you, too. It's just a bigger commitment, the more factors you have against you. But like you said a little way back, The more important goal is being healthy.

-Astrid

Astrid,
You can have hypothyroid from insufficient thyroid hormone. Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease where the body declares war on the thyroid and starts to slowly destroy the gland. It happens when antibodies attach themselves to proteins in the thyroid tissue. Autoimmune diseases are inherited and because you have diabetes I would suspect that your mother and sister probably have Hashimoto's. Unfortunately the thyroid is also the gland that controls your bodies metabolism. Metabolism is what allows you to burn up those calories. The slower the metabolism the slower the calories are to burn. Hyperthyroid speeds up the metabolism (weight loss) and hypothyroid slows it down (weight gain).

Kim,
Tai Chi is called meditation in motion. It started out as a martial art and it still can be taught like that. Did you ever see Kung Fu with that Carridine guy? That was supposed to be Tai Chi. It is a very gentle, slow motion type movement. I took it originally because I was doing Transendental Meditation and wanted to try some other form of meditation.

Paul,
What a great topic for conversation!
I lost 45 pounds in less than six months with the following diet:
-Virtually no sugar; limit foods (such as potatoes and pasta) that break down to sugar (thus stored fat)
-No fried foods
-Absolutely no alcohol, which seems to affect the body's ability to metabolize food
-No fast foods (not even the salads are healthy; take a gander at the nutritional info)
-One apple a day (a recent study said patients who ate an apple a day lost 66% more weight than those who did not)
-Very low sodium; do not add salt to any food
-Finally, aerobic exercise for no less than one hour six days a week
By the way, that was two years ago and I've kept it off but I keep my diet in check...with my rule of thumb being, if it tastes good, it's probably bad for you!
Doris

Jo, thanks for the tips about the Tai Chi videos. I checked Amazon.co.uk quickly and found a few of Paul Lam's. Didn't spot the other you were talking about but I'll have a better look later. I'd love to find one that would help to get me back into it.

Laura, my son is actually off a good few things including wheat, dairy, refined sugar, citrus fruits, black pepper(!)...the list is longer than that but they're the main ones. The sugars are confusing which is why I looked for help here. He can have fructose but not dextrose or sucrose. Maltose is a new one. Haven't heard of that one!

Hi Kim! How's the weather across the way? Hope you are in good form.

Astrid, how are things with you? Hope all is well.

Peter, can you help me? Is there an Aussie group called Bakara (or something like that) on the go down there? There's a song that has been getting a lot of airplay on one of the radio stations here that they've said is brand new from Australia and I think that's the name they gave. I can't find it anywhere so maybe I caught the name wrong. Don't know the name of the song but the first line is something about walking over to a bar..

Welcome Doris and hi to Paul and all the rest of the gang. Hope you are all well and happy.

Love to all of you,
Mary

hmmm...secrets...maybe not..but change in attitude and better eating and lifestyle choices definitely helped in weight loss for me.

I think moving the body more really helps. So does eating smaller meals (balanced and yes low sugar, low carb and high fiber proteins) more frequently and tons of clear pure water.

I have stopped watching tv for the most part and instead of unwinding that way, I only choose one or two nights per week to watch a couple shows then turn it off. Computer will be trickier though!! But this is helping some too.

Yes, I think increasing the activity level and just replacing dead (processed foods) with living healthful energizing foods seems to be helping more...lol

good luck to all with the long term and short term weight loss or management goals.

besos,
Katalina (down to an Americano now not latte that evil 650 calorie drink.)

ps Hey Inn beebie. Miss you sweetie.

Mary,
I was looking on the American Amazon site. I will look and see if I can find it in Britain for you.

My husband carries a picture of me in his wallet from back when we were first married. I was around 20. At a company party about 20 years ago he pulled it out to show it to a woman that had just gone to work for the company. She was around 22 at the time. She turned to me and actually said "God you have really let yourself go." I almost jumped across the table and strangled her. But revenge is sweet!!! Today she still works for the company. She has been married 20 years and has had three children. When I see her now I have to bite my tongue not to say "God you have really let yourself go."

Hi Mary, Yes I am really good at the moment. The weather isn't so good, it is still windy and wet but it always seems to brighten up late afternoon when it's too late to do anything. What is yours like? That is so awful your son can't eat so many foods, he must get really fed up about it and we all seem to eat with our eyes so if it doesn't look tasty you don't think it is going to be. Can nothing be done about it?

Jo I don't think I could have been so calm with that woman, I would have smacked her in the chops if she said that to me. Yes revenge is so sweet. My ex always wanted me to be a certain shape, dress and look a certain way and now he is married with two kids and he looks really scruffy and overweight and I've lost it, so now I feel quite smug about that.
Thanks for explainig Tai Chi to me.

Grandma Millie what did you think to I Robot?

Hello to everyone here and welcome to all the new people.

Love
Kim

Hey All

Haven't been on this site in many months. It's not easy losing weight. Until I was laid off I never realized how fat I had become. I slept walk all the way to a size 24. The boot from the job made me take inventory and my lifestyle needed an overhaul. This meant low carb, no whites (bread, rice, etc) and no sugar. I exercise 6 days of week. But I have to weight train otherwise I have a tough time losing the weight - don't know why that is. Now down to a 16 and will continue. Aside saw I-Robot, to be frank I wasn't crazy about the film. It was a bit slower than expected. Love that Sonny though.

My secret is to accept myself the way I am. It's unfortunate (and a little infuriating) that this isn't an option in the entertainment industry.

For an eye-opener, I recommend Paul Campos's book, "The Obesity Myth".

Paul...So happy to read that you are getting great reviews for I, Robot. I plan to re-surface to the land of living this week and see this movie as well as Spiderman.

Hope everyone in the Corner is thriving!

Linda

Mary, haven't heard that song or group, but will keep an ear out for you.
I just thought of a few more old favourites:

Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty)
Year of the Cat (Al Stewart)
Africa (Toto)
Rose of Cimeron (Poco)
Deep Water (Richard Clapton)
Flame Trees (Cold Chisel)

If I thought about it long enough I would bore everyone silly, so I'll stop here!

Your son is really having a tough time. He must be a very brave and diligent young man to tolerate those kinds of dietary restrictions.
I admire his courage.

Doris, Great effort!
Your guidelines sound spot on.
Many people disregard the importance of zero alcohol. The body sees it as a toxin, so it tries to metabolise it before anything else, thus ignoring fat & carbs usage and storing more as bodyfat, as a result.

45lbs is fantastic. Well done.

Peter

Cat, Spot on. Accepting yourself is paramount in any regard.

Cheers,
Peter

Paul-This weeks 'Entertainment Weekly' has a side article discussing your work and a picture of you from strictly ballroom, and to tie things with dieting and exercise I saw and read the magazine while I was bicycling.

On another note, I am not sure if I have accepted myself yet I am too hard on myself but its so competitive in my world.

Loads of vegies in loads of different way laddies and men don’t settle of a boring meal after along day when in the same time you can make the yummiest healthiest meals the best quick snack is Peter bread pizza with your choice of healthy toppings
Just buy peter breads and chop lots of vegies eg. Tomato capsicum 99% fat free cheese spring onion ect. Use your imagination
(Tip: make a hole bunch cover in tin foil then stick them in the freeze and eat when you feel like it)
Cooking time preheat oven 200 and cook of about 20 min
They’re great of kids too Enjoy
But the real key to weight loss simple exercise (yoga is great) and look in the mirror everyday and say I love the skin I’m in.
Cya

Had my 6 week visit to the doctor on Friday. My blood pressure is good and I've lost 16lbs so far on Atkins. I'm having blood work done this week to see how all the other levels are. My cholesterol has been good,even on Atkins, but he wants to see if it's gone down any - or up.

My family misses bread and pasta the most, but I can do without the sweets, so I don't miss them too much. We don't do take away or fast foods, so controling what we eat is getting easier now. My doctor said to try South Beach Diet for a variety, so will think about it.

Thank goodness for the internet. We're getting some great receipes and quite more varity as well. I'm doing low impact exercises because of my knees and my daughter and her husband are walking and riding their bikes with the kids. Do you know what? Even the kids are looking better since we changed our lifestyle.

Congratulations to all you losers who have done so well on your diets. And thanks for sharing your tips.

Here's a shout out to all the new people here. My goodness, is Paul's cyber-family growing. Of course, a big Hi to all the oldbies.

Be well.

It's wonderful to learn that my chickies are losing weight, and that members of the families are involved also!

Whether it's the Akins or South Beach (the one I've been on for ages) or just counting calories,
whatever works, good for you, as long as your blood work is checked regularly!

Kim, how did I like "I, Robot"? I believe I mentioned in a past post that Ellie and I are not fans of sci-fi, and would never had gone to see this one if it wasn't for the fact that Paul was on the technical staff.

We waited (impatiently) for the end, and watched the credit crawl, and when Paul's name was mentioned, we were the only ones left in the theatre, but we cheered anyway! 'Nuf said!

Peace and Love,

Gran Mil

Cat,
You said,
"My secret is to accept myself the way I am. It's unfortunate (and a little infuriating) that this isn't an option in the entertainment industry."
Isn't it the public that sets the standards of what they(we) want entertainers to look like and it is usually the very young that set those trends.
On this site over the past few months I have read what a hot, sexy, etc. body Paul has but very little about his acting ablity and choreography abilities.
Paul Newman was also once hot and sexy, but today he is an old man - still hot and sexy to a few of us. But too much emphasis is put on only one part of the machine - like a car that may be beautiful, but without an engine it isn't going anywhere. Tom Cruise is one example - can't act, can't dance, can't choreograph, but he's kept his figure!

What I am trying to say is that Paul actually has more talent than Tom Cruise, that goes without saying, but if people keep emphasizing his body and not his acting ability (he is after all an ACTOR) who in the devil will ever know that. That also goes for every other actor. Actors come in all shapes and sizes, but if you can't act then you are just a car without a motor.

Hellos and hugs to everyone here at PC!

I haven't posted for awhile. So, when I saw this new thread-I laughed! I'm entering my 14th week of pregnancy and finally-I think-morning sickness is gone!! Now, I feel like I'm beginning the insatiable hunger stage!

Instead of the word "diet"-I use the word "food management". Diet just sounds so restrictive.

And, everyone has their food management style. I do have a few beliefs though....fast food is naughty, if you buy the "junk" food-it will get eaten, if you buy healthy good food-that will get eaten, too!!

My husband and I want our girls to have healthy food and body image habits-so-we must practice what we preach.

And, I agree-being okay with one's self is paramount. I'm not thrilled about the weight gain from pregnancies but I don't beat myself up either.

Congratulations to all here who are doing well with their food management plans!!

HUGS!
Abeth

Jo Said:

"Isn't it the public that sets the standards of what they(we) want entertainers to look like and it is usually the very young that set those trends."

It tends to be an echo chamber. Right now the American public is incredibly fat-phobic, and it's being driven in large part by a multi-billion dollar diet industry. In England, someone like Kathy Burke can be a sex symbol!

There's an awful lot to say on the subject, but I don't want to take over the board! :) Instead, I'll throw some links:

Just about anything from Sandy Swarcz is well-informed:

http://www2.techcentralstation.com/1051/searchauthor.jsp?Bioid=BIOSZWARCSANDY

And the earlier mentioned Campos:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,3605,1200549,00.html

I lost 19 lbs. (give or take on or two which keep coming and going).

"How'd I do it?"
Frankly, it was a bitch. (A bitch on WHEELS to be exact.) I have two little kids who NEED fat for their developing brains, and a "meat and potato" husband, plus I sit on my arse for an hour one-way commute as well as a 9-10hr day sitting at the computer.

SO: I did a modified South Beach because my sis-in-law was doing it and had SUCH good results. She emailed me the guidelines, and I started. Day 7 with narry a carb in SITE and I was NOT pleasant to live with. Saving grace was sugarless pecan clusters. Just ONE, however. (*snif*) Never knew I could chew that slowly.

Seriously though, just cutting out BANANAS (a BIG no-no for sugar, although natural) and carrots and potatoes since then has been good. If I wanted to start the Phase One (strict) again for the 10-days or whatever, I could. But haven't had the wherewithall yet to do that.

It definitely changes your thought processes about choices when out to dinner, or at friends, etc, and of course at home. Planning meals to take to work was a PAIN (I had to get up 10 minutes earlier in the am to get everything together) and I still follow the guidelines for Phase Two (where you introduce fruits back in and one carb a day). It's held me.

I would LOVE to try to eat ALL naturally--like the American Indians did (corn, beans, squash were their biggies) and see where that takes me. We are planning a few "Scavenger Nights" this summer where we eat only what we find/catch...this will include fish, wild carrot root ("Queen Anne's Lace" common name in the states), and berries. We'll see who's starving before bedtime!

Blessings to all...must get to work. HUGS all around!
Dhi

In Florida, we have an abundance of obese people...it is really sad! We call this state "Home of the newly wed, the overfed, and the nearly dead" !!
I say it's because the weather is so hot most of the year that you can't even breathe, much less get out and walk, run, skate, or do any outdoor activity at all! (Can you tell I still miss the mountains?)

Lyn B, so far the summer temperatures in southern Florida where we live is lower than other parts of the U.S., where over 100 is the norm in the western states. Our high so far has been 92, and it's been breezy.

During the fall, the temps tend to moderate, and the weather from November to April is downright gorgeous which brings everyone out for walks, bike rides, swimming in heated pools, and other activities, while our northern kids are shoveling snow and fighting ice storms.

During the Follies In Florida, I expect marvelous temps for the Convention, so everyone bring shorts, sneakers, and swimsuits!

Peace and Love,

Gran Mil

Hello All!

Before I share my weight loss secrets I have to share this little bit with everyone...

Last night my husband and I went over our friends Gene and Ted's and I was talking to Gene about movies. SB came up in the conversation (I couldn't possibly know how it was introduced hmmmm) and she told me that she was watching TV and saw Paul working his movements with the techs for I Robot. She also said that the robot in the movie is named "Scott Hastings". Hmmm.

weight loss secret #1 get moving
weight loss secret #2 eat more veggies
weight loss secret #3 don't obsess over what you should have eaten or if you go off your diet. If you are craving an ice cream bar just eat it and get the craving over with.
weight loss secret #4 when you have lossed a significant amount of weight wear something to flatter the new figure, not the baggy clothes of your old figure. This will keep the motivation level high and the opposite sex looking in your direction (which also keeps the motivation very high).

weight loss secret #5 keep you hands busy with something other than food and ease your stress with an activity that involves excercise or a good book not a tray of brownies or a bag of chips.

weight loss secret #6 desert is not the enemy it is meant to be comsumed less often. Plan one day a week or two that you will eat your favorite desert. And don't keep it in the house.

Good luck to all!

I reckon self-acceptance is the source of all inner strength. Without it, you are always on shaky ground.

Kim, glad to hear things are good with you. Weather is not much better here. I'm teaching Spanish students at the moment and they're counting the days to getting back to the heat and the light! I don't blame them.

Peter, I know and love the first three songs. My brother bought me the single of Africa for my birthday when it came out. Don't know the others but will check them out. One more to add - Broken Wings by Mister Mister. I love the chorus.

Thanks for your words of encouragement concerning Martin. To be honest, I admire his courage too. His way of looking at it is that he has been feeling under par for so long that anything is worth a try. At least if it makes no significant difference, this way he'll know he gave it his best.

How interwoven would you say the physical journey you are making at the moment is to your spiritual journey? Is it a means to a spiritual end - eg experiencing the freedom of running - or an end in itself? Just wondering.

Sally, great to hear your good health news. I wish you continued success.

Dhi, congratulations on losing the lbs!

Michelle, you're in my thoughts. Love to you.

Abeth, great to hear things are going well with you. Take care.

Love to all,
Mary

I think as far as food/weight-loss go, just learning to listen to your body can do wonders. And eating slowly. To me, it's about more than losing weight and how I look. I want to feel good about the way my body FEELS. I want to be able to move freely and feel light on my feet. I'm getting there!

I try not to eat refined carbs or sugars, but I do eat carbs. I buy really good whole grain bread, oat bran, texmati rice, etc. Lots of veggies, blueberries every morning. I don't eat much dairy at all because I don't like the way it makes me feel, I use rice milk. Small meals, lots of water and a few good supplements help too. I take a multi-vitamin, calcium, magnesium and omega 3 in the form of fish oil. I've been sidelined recently but usually walk on the treadmill (at an incline), lift weights and do some basic exercises (crunches, etc.)

I agree with the idea that if you're craving something, eat it. Don't deny yourself what your body is telling you it needs. Hey, maybe it needs that chocolate truffle for mental health purposes, that's important too! It all balances out, so don't worry about being so rigid or you'll go crazy. I know, I've been there!

The body image issue is a tough one. I see my friends with daughters struggling to keep them healthy and whole. It's really scary that VERY young girls are concerned about their weight. My nine year old neice didn't want to go to swimming lessons (that she loved) because two other girls kept telling her she was fat. She's not, but now she thinks she is.

Love to all,
Michelle

Peter, your songs brought back some good memories! Right now I have a song stuck in my head that will NOT go away. I like it...at least I did like it! It's called The Way and it's by Fastball. I think it came out in the late 90's. Anyway, I dare anyone to listen to it and see what happens. That tune is not going away.

The last song I had stuck in my head was Friday I'm in Love by The Cure. I thought Saturday would put an end to it, but not a chance:)

Mary, Stairway to Heaven and Knights in White Satin are both songs that remind me of old boyfriends. They were sort of their theme songs I suppose. The one that liked Stairway was always searching for deeper meaning in the lyrics and trying to get me to join him on his quest. I ended up hating that song for a while. Now I hear it because Chris plays it on guitar. It seems to be a rite of passage for guitar players.

Michelle

Michelle, do you know the scene in Wayne's World where the shop has the poster saying 'No Stairway'?

For me the opening bars of Nights in White Satin means slow dancing at first dance with first boyfriend. Ah...the memories...

Take care,
Mary

Mary, I know the Wayne's World scene well! It's a big joke in our house!

OH MY GOD! That was my first dance with my first boyfriend as well! And I'm fairly certain he was wearing cologne for the first time. I thought he was amazing! What a great slow dance song.

Michelle

Oops, just spotted my mistake in typing Knights instead of Nights. Freudian perhaps. What could it mean?

Michelle

Michelle, this boy was Italian and smelt heavenly! I think that was part of the attraction actually...no Irish guy at the time would be caught dead wearing cologne.

Knights..as in shining armour?

Mary

Yep, those kind of knights. Mary, it's just so cool that we both have this memory, more evidence that we share AT LEAST a few brain cells or something! Of course you were in Ireland and I was back in Kansas, and my boyfriend wasn't Italian...

Michelle

Michelle, in Paul's corner of the world, distance doesn't count...It IS cool.

Have to give in now and head to bed.

Love to all,
Mary

Jo-
Yay!! I got my video in the mail today!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Have not watched it yet nad probably won't be able to for a few more days because our guests from Italy are still here and we converted the room with the television for them to stay in. But soon I will see it and I'm excited. Then I will have to go see I, Robot again but with more insight! By the way, I noticed from the label on the cassette that you have very neat penmanship! For some odd reason I appreciate that about people who do.

Hey Mary! Thanks for asking! I'm doing fairly well these days. Trying to stay cool now that the weather has really stated to heat up and the drought is really showing. Actually, I think a big storm is brewing outside, which always causes a little excitement this time of year. There's always a chance that some lightning can get a fire going in the foothills around here. We've been lucky so far, though.

I don't know how much has been in the news outside Salt Lake, but a woman in my neighborhood went missing while out for a jog early last week. She was 5 weeks pregnant and they suspect her husband. A friend of mine in California said they heard about it and the story was told as a new Lacy Peterson kind of case. It's so awful though, and there are a lot of volunteer search parties still looking around the area where I live. Even though there's gossip about her husband, it still gives me the creeps every time I leave the house alone. I don't know how many of you here in the states heard about Elizabeth Smart, either. She was abducted from a neighborhood near mine as well. And Ted Bundy lived here, too. So a word of warning- Don't come to Salt Lake City if you're young and female!

On a much lighter note, I weighed myself last night and I've lost 7 pounds since early May when they weighed me at the doctor's office! I felt a little slimmer and I've changed my excercise routine a bit lately, so I'm pleased with the direction I'm headed in!

Hello to all and I hope everyone is doing well!

Love,
Astrid

Er....Who was that masked, chain-smoking, jello-slurping man?

Peace Paul,

Since I'm a mom of 4, the oldest being 9 years old and the youngest being 2 years old, you could say my body has been through a rollercoaster ride from the moon and back! It's been great though. What I've encountered over the past two months is a very safe and easy way to get lean and still eat a good amount of food. There are no two bodies that are EXACTLY alike, nor is their a " one fits all " type of exact diet for everyone. There IS however, a general guidline that seems to work a great deal for most of my freinds and definitely is working for me. I seem to be losing up to 5 pounds a week give or take a pound or two. Anyway, For my female freinds, it's good to get a least 3 oz. of protein in every meal, for guys it would be at least 4oz. No big deal if you go over a little. I do this at the 3 main meals ( breakfast, lunch, dinner). also add a fruit ( 1-2 cups) in with it and at least 3 vege. portions a day...the rawer the better because it is in a more pure form to metabolize faster in the body. Any vege.'s cooked , I have a cup. I go a little easy on the butter, margarine, etc. I try not to eliminate all the fat...good fat is good for you...some bad fat is o.k. just not alot. In between meals ( I do 3 in between meals ) fruit, a high vege. or soy protein bar is great, or even pretzles seems to work for me. Don't get me wrong , I LOVE junk food ( pizza, hot dog ,ice cream cake,chips,blah,blah ). I do this also 1/day a week for each one ...NEVER 2 in the same day. That's cool and seems to work because I'm really not denying myself that much. I do, though, limit the intake to like 1 slice of pizza instead of 3, and 1 cup of chips instead of half the bag. Portion sizes are good...keeps it in balance. For drinks coffee, tea, selter water, once in a while o.j. and soda sparingly ). I'm still learning about the importance of drinking lots of water, since our body is made mostly of water. Good fat burner in the body...good for cleansing and peace of mind ) I walk 2 miles every other day at a medium to high intensity. Good for the mind and soul....It's amazing because I can walk by a tree or garden or something and notice something so beautiful and a wonderful creation of earth's beauty, that I just didn't see there before. Ya know like a radiant colored flower or a bird's nest. Anyway, I do alot od ordinary mommy lifting everyday and night ( Right all you mom's, dad's, and bubbes ( yiddish for grandma ) That's really all I have time for. There are some good slim down recipe's I have for chili and spaghetti sauce. Good luck Paul with all the blessed work that lies ahead for you.. you are sooo beautiful and your heart radiates with love and is received by all of us who always wish you and your family the best.

Tara

Hey all!
Staying in tune with this thread, I thought for the heck of it I would weigh myself as my pants are feeling a little loose. I LOST 10 LBS. I wasn't even trying but I guess last week running to this ball game and that ball game and only eating 2 times a day was the trick. Hope I can keep it off and maybe lose some more.

The final games were done on Sunday afternoon and our ball team finished 32 place out of 84 teams. Much better than I previously thought!!
I am glad its all over for a while.

Did anyone catch the HBO special with Paul on it? HE IS STILL AS HANDSOME AS EVER.

Jo, as far as body's go, Paul isn't sporting his strictly ballroom bod, but from what I saw, he looks as good as ever. You could definately tell he is still muscular.

MIGHTY FINE LOOKING PAUL!!

My hubby, the dear person he is, TIVO'D it for me so I have it saved and I can watch it from time to time.

Off to bed as back to work in the morning.

Love to all
Kelly

Mary, Broken Wings...yes, yes! A great song.
I heard The Cranberries' "Dreams" on the radio while I was driving from my hotel to work this morning. It set me up for the day.
Doesn't music connect us with ourselves, somehow?

Michelle, I'll check that one out too, if I'm game.

Peter

Tara, your lovely name reminds me of these:

1) A Southern mansion and plantation in Georgia, housing a family named O'Hara.

2) A marvelous Australian actress who, in the role of a lifetime, danced with her magnificently talented partner right into our hearts.

Welcome to you and David!

Peace and Love,

Gran Mil

My goodness, David, what a tribute. Welcome to you and all the other newbies.

Peter and Mary, you keep naming all the songs of the 70's and 80's that I love, and yes, I am not ashamed to say that I loved Disco in the 70's. In fact, we just saw The Village People perform over the weekend, and I LOVED it. They were my favorite group from that era, but unfortunatley, due to their lifesyle, they look a little raggedy. The construction worker and the Indian are the only two left from the original group - don't know what happened to the others. But, YMCA is ALWAYS played at any celebration I've been to and even my grandkids know how to dance to the tune.

Good morning/afternoon/evening to everyone who stops by here today.

Be well.

Oops, Had a senior moment there, please excuse me.

Astrid, we know about the kidnapping in SLC and unfortunately, we have the same situation here where they are searching for a 16 year old who they say was abducted and murdered by a family friend. They haven't found a body yet but they have charged the man with murder. There is also an uproar in the community about the way the police are handling the search because they haven't organized the community to help search for evidence. This week is also the 10th anniversary (I hate that word because it's not a happy time) of little Megan Kanka's murder. Her parents are responsible for Megan's Law that notfies people when a sex offender moves into their neighborhood.

Mil, I'm hoping we don't get our yearly snow storm in Feburary. It would put a crimp into flying down to sunny Florida. But, shorts, sandles and bathing suits are easy to pack...

Astrid,
Thanks for letting me know you got the video.

Sally C.,
You should get yours today or at least by tomorrow.

Kelly,
Yes, Paul does look very muscular. In my opinion better than he did in SB, but that is just my opinion.

Welcome to Tara and David. Everyone here is friendly and you will enjoy the group.

Jo, I agree, my husband used to be a bodybuilder. ( way back in the day) Bulk is very sexy. I think Paul looks very sexy. Lets not start on the yummy accent. :D

Kelly

I'm waiting for the high carb diet to come out........

Michelle, thanks for the reminiscing last night. I really enjoyed it! Hope you're having a good day so far.

Warm welcome to David and Tara.

Astrdi & Kelly, please watch the HBO special once for me and enjoy it on my behalf! Congratulations to both of you on losing those pounds.

Peter, 'Dreams'... perfect start to the day.There's something ethereal about her voice. I love it.
Yes, music does connect us with ourselves. It touches on some intrinsic part of us that is not concerned with the things of this world. When I am affected by music (and I'm glad to say that happens easily), I feel lifted up above all the different parts of my life to somewhere else. To be there is to feel on familiar ground but there is always the element of surprise at finding myself there!

Sally, one thing I loved about disco was that it was so easy to move to.

Beth Ellen - thanks for the LOL!

Hi to Jo, Mil, Lyn and everyone in the Corner.

Love to all,
Mary

Just wanted to say a quick hello to everyone on the Corner!

As for diets, I agree with Beth Ellen, I'd definitely miss the carbs. We only have one life to live...

hearing great reports on the HBO special. Hmm, wish I had cable, for once!

Love to all,
Maile

Paul and Grandma Mil, I just got back from Hawaii and it somehow changed after 11 years. More commercialized in Waikiki, less fish in Hanauma Bay but I was able to come face to face with a sea turtle while snorkling in Pupukea beach and astounded at the site of magma(lava) flowing into the cliffs of Big Island. The world is such an amazing place!!! Some of us were not really hiding after all. Just disappointed that you'll be missed for a month! As for diet, I eat what's out there, I love chocolates, ice cream, you name it. I'm not fat because most of the time I miss lunch at work. I guess that's called starvation diet, but its not done on purpose. To keep my abs flat and body not too stiff, sort of, I do jazzersize at least 1x/week. The key, I guess to a slimmer you is less food intake and more activity.

David--(sarcasm)I knew it!!! I'm so psychic!!(/sarcasm)
Actually, I'm just glad you recognized the line! Pretty cool about the cousin connection...hi ho! Have VERY good friends out there in Redondo Beach (they are retiring soon to Lake Tahoe)--They're both in law, one form or another.
My diet is the caffeine/nicotine diet, but no one's written a book on that one yet...Haven't you tried the 'nicotine patch' yet? I've even tried hypnosis to stop smoking...the next step is acupuncture--they say it will work for weight loss and smoking at the same time.

Jean- I lived on Oahu back in 67-71 and we thought it was getting commercial then, a la Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi: 'they paved paradise..put up a parking lot'...I don't even want to look at what they have done to it now... Yep...'Swell' days were spent surfing Ala Moana Beach, and 'Flat' days were spent skateboarding down winding hillside roads near a swimming hole called "Jackass Ginger"! LOL! Some friends of mine were there last week for a family reunion, can't wait to hear what they say about going back after all this time.

If P's gonna be gone for a month, we need to get Andrea to fill in and keep us posted, hmmm??

Well, this is really kind of cool chatting about weight loss secrets-should we drop recipes too? Like no-carb/low carb favorites? This is actually very good reinforcement -like support group therapy to stay on (healthy) track.

Welcome back, Jean, it's nice to know you've had a lovely vacation!

From Florida, Hawaii is also a stop over on the way to Australia!

I don't snorkel because I can't swim, but I admire you for being able to do both! Our grandchildren all swim, two of them on swim teams. Grannie would rather lipsynch.

Julie and Jean live within a half hour of our village. Ellie and I have met our darling Julie, and now we're looking forward to meeting Jean too! Now, if Beth Ellen would contact us, we could have a pre-convention get-together!

Peace and Love,

Gran Mil

Grandma Millie thanks for letting me know about I Robot. I have to say that I'm not all that keen on sci-fi films, they are too weird and I can never understand them. I bet you had a big smile on your face when you saw Paul's name appear on the credits.

Kelly did you get my email that I sent a few days ago and did you manage to set up your own site?

Peter & Mary you were talking about songs, one of my all time greats is Foreigner's I want To No What Love Is. A good classic.

Hello and welcome to Tara and David

Hi to everyone else here tonight, I have just seen this huge spider crawl under my door it is so big I could put a saddle on his back and go for a ride, I need to find a shoe!

Love
Kim

David,
You should take a look at the pictures in the Dance section. Dancers have beautiful feet, just as someone that works with their hands has beautiful hands. The muscles become developed and enhanced.

David-
I work in a salon and the majority of my days are spent doing pedicures in this summer season. So I must say with somw authority that Paul's feet are far from flawed! The only reason I noticed is that in the picture gallery you can see a tattoo on his ankle in one of the photos, and of course in looking at it I did give his feet some thought, given my profession.

Beth Ellen- Ha ha ha, LOL about the high-carb diet!!

Peter& Mary- finally you two mention a song I'm farmiliar with! J/K! I know Knights in White Satin, ect. but they're not songs I ought to be farmiliar with! That Cranberries song, or anything by them, always reminds me of the terrible, pimple infested years in middle school, when they were at their most popular. They were/are a good band though, and I'm glad for their sake that some people out there such as you two associate good feelings with them, because no one my age does!

Lyn B- Oh, I think that's a clever idea to have Andrea fill in! I wonder if she would have an interest?

Take care all-
Astrid

Astrid,

Thankyou for that diligent artful detective work. I still wonder what those shoes are concealing? Alas I feel the worse?!LOL

Poppe

Astrid,
Thank you for the compliment about my penmanship.

Sally C.,
I hope that you got that video today.

David,
Depends on what you call beautiful. I call a construction workers hands beautiful. A mind can be beautiful. If you can dance then your feet are beautiful. It doesn't matter what they look like.

A big hello to everyone at P.C.

Good morning all.

Jo, I got the tape yesterday, and I thank you for your kindness. Paul still has his boyish grin and is still studly. Of course, the accent just puts the icing on the cake, hey?

Will pop back in later - duty calls... it's name is WORK.

David - Are you smoking something other than cigarettes? :) I'm a smoker, too (unfortunately), and not too far from you geographically - in Anaheim, CA (although I do NOT know Mickey Mouse personally). Welcome to PC.

And to all you wonderful PCers out there - a big hello. I can't post as often as I'd like, but I do try to keep up with reading about everyone else's adventures. Best wishes and good vibes to everyone trying to make improvements in their lives.

Vicki

(Beth Ellen, I think you should be the trendsetter on that Hi Carb diet! You could make a mint! A Jr. Mint, that is!) ;-)

"Enigma's Reduction" (WHAT a wonderful book title!) ;-) In the vein of Beth Ellen, I'm waiting for them to come out with the hip reduction. But I'll wait for the pill. ;-)

David - Welcome! You're a hoot. Don't hold back now... just feel free to get nutty like the rest of us. I can tell you tend on the shy side. ;-)

On FEET! Who cares? My husband's are disgusting but just as long as he doesn't actually TOUCH me with the ole scaley things...he can stay.

Diet - Water and sugarless candy, too.

Kelly - WHAT? You LOST weight at a baseball tournament? Must not have had the FINE fare from the concession stands--sausage and peppers, hot dogs, nachos...(god that's making me sick just thinking about it).

Millie - you're very dedicated and I'm glad you've incorporated that exercise routine into your life. More energy = more sex, right??? hahahahahah
love,
Dhi

David...meet Dhi. Dhi...meet David.

I think I'll just sit back and watch the fun begin.

"Fantastic, paradigm-shifting insight into the true nature of reality is isomorphic to insanity, but sleep clears it up, unless one is
schizophrenic."

Dhi, more energy=more sex? I'll have to wake Ellie from his nap and ask him....I'll let you know later....

Peace and Love,

Gran Mil

Dhi,

Conssession is to expensive ! Besides I am too busy taking photos to worry about eating during a game. I give my daughter a few bucks here and there for snacks but that is it.
Kel :)

Dhi,

Conssession is to expensive ! Besides I am too busy taking photos to worry about eating during a game. I give my daughter a few bucks here and there for snacks but that is it.
Kel :)

Kim,

I got your email and yes, I tried to set my own site up but couldn't figure out what to do after i uploaded the photos. Oh well, I just thought that would be a way to share my family with all you guys.

Kel

Whooo...on the fly....two more:
"Everbody wants to rule the world" - Tears for Fears,
"True" - Spandau Ballet

Sally C, ..disco, fantastic! Stayin' Alive! Brilliant!
Mary, I KNOW what you mean. Isn't it special?
Kim, nice choice.
Astrid, those memories lock in, don't they?

David, Welcome!

Enigma, surgery sounds painful, but good for you!
It's great that you are happier.

Have to fly.
Cheers.

Kim, I love that Foreigner song! I went out and bought the album because of it. Spiders...please don't kill them!! I love to see them indoors. They take care of the more creepy crawlies for me. By the way, how is that gorgeous face coming along?

Astrid, I know what you mean about the songs conjuring up a time in your life. I got into the Cranberries because of my son playing their music when he was around the age you're talking about!

Jo, I'm thinking of ordering one of the Paul Lam dvds. I'm going to start looking around for a class for September and I reckon this will ease me into it.

Peter, 'True'..heartfelt. I love it.
T for F.. another time I bought an album on the strength of a song. I thought I had experienced all that song could offer until I saw it played in a scene in 'Donnie Darko'. Incredible melding of film and music...Became re-aquainted with John Farnham's 'You're the Voice' after finding it on an 80's compilation the other day. I'm going to have to include it......He's an Aussie isn't he?

Hoping Paul is finding himself happily busy and not missing home too much...

Welcome to Enigma and hello to everyone else out there - old and new.

Love to all,
Mary

Mary,
I have Paul Lam's Video's and if you can't find the other one then that is the next best thing. Like I said he is a little hard for me to understand, but you can follow his movements easily. I wish I could send you my copy of that video I am talking about, but it wouldn't run on your VCR I'm afraid because of the different speeds in the US and UK.

Kim,
What is the Foreigner Song?

Kelly,
Let us know when you get those pictures posted?

Hello to everyone.

Jo, that's very kind of you to even think of doing that. Thanks. I'll have another go at looking for the one you recommend and if I don't succeed, I'll get the other. Amazon is actually great to buy from. The last order I put in only took two days to get here from the UK. I'll let you know what I end up with.

Peter, just realised I got my Tears for Fears songs mixed up. It is actually 'Head Over Heels' that is in the film. Another classic. They're on the same album.

Mary

Kelly if you want any help with your site let me know and I will try my best to help.
You said you have your pictures on your site do you mean you can't view them?

Mary sorry but I just don't like spiders, I really do have this phobia about them, even a money spider looks like a tarantula to me.
The gorgeous face has been put on hold just for a couple of days. At the moment I am concentrating on finishing the cottage so that should be finished in the next day or two and then there will be no stopping me :)

Jo If you would like a copy of the song let me know and I will do it for you. It's a slow smoochy one.

Yes I like the Tears for Fears song and I also liked Careless Whisper, George Michael. Oh and I like Billy Ocean and Queen.

Grandma Millie I've had my daily intake of SB, I can never get fed up with watching it. That shows what a great film it is when you can keep watching it over and over. How is Grandpa Ellie?

Goodnight all
Love
Kim

Peter-
Ok, so here's the bizarre thing about me- I'm a rabid 80's music fan, even though I was only born in '81. So, to see you mention Tears For Fears and Spandau Ballet, it really made my pulse jump a bit! I mean, I could really go off on a list of what I dig but I don't know what it's worth. I really love everything from Wham! and Madonna to Joy Division and Love&Rockets. I've managed to listen to all things popular through the years but my CD collection is rather odd-ly dated for someone my age. Anyway, my whole point is that I love "True" and "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" quite a bit myself.

Oh, I'm so excited! I usually just check out SB from the public library for free when I want to watch it, but I actually broke down today and bought the DVD for myself!!! So, I'm going to watch the documentary tape for I, Robot and then my new DVD!! I only wish things had worked out better for Paul and even just the smallest amount went his way from my purchase:(

Love to all-
Astrid

Astrid,

Even though Paul doesn't get a few pennies each time we buy Strictly Ballroom, he has gained an enormous and faithful fan base, and many many friends here on the corner. While it doesn't pay the bills, not a bad consolation prize!! : )

Kim, I will email you soon about the website.
I am working on burning a cd of "sports Illistrated" shots for our World series book that is being made for us. (LOTS OF PICTURES OF #9 , I AM SURE. (Clay is #9)

Jo, when and if Kim an I figure it out, I will let ya all know when the pics are ready. There will definatly be a few baseball.

Love to all

Kelly

Mary, since those two songs are on the same album, I'll forgive you on this occassion, but please don't let it happen again. I may have to slip on the purle suit and set things straight.

Yep, John Farnham is an Aussie. I fact he was Australian of the Year, a few years back. He is an icon and extremely popular with fans of all ages.

Astrid, I always admire an 80's music fan!

From downunder,
Peter

WHY IS IT THAT EVERY TIME PAUL IS AWAY THIS SITE GETS CYBER-JACKED????

I think we have all be insulted in one way or another by Mr. Poppe whose address happens to be almost identical to Ms. Enigma's and whose famous cousin was born in 1890!

Astrid & Kelly, I agree with you both about SB.

Peter, sincere apologies about the mix-up. It was unforgivable. The purle suit you say? Hmmmm...Now how could I mess up again..??

Hope everyone is having a good day so far.

Love to all,
Mary

Hi everyone,

I don't check in much, but I do catch some of it here and there.

Seems like work is getting more active for you Paul. This is good. Mil your program is coming along. Great!

Weight loss. Sunrider products are amazing. I don't know if they are in Austraila, but they are worth checking in to. Based on Chinese medicine, balancing the body and all that stuff. Good stuff.

Take care everyone.

Joan DeRosa

Joan, good to hear from you...it's been too long!

"Follies" is coming along just fine, and, of course, you must know of the FIF convention next year, in conjunction with "Follies".

About 20 of our PCers have shown interest in attending, from all over the U.S. and Europe...very exciting, and maybe Paul will show up also!

For more information, please contact me.

Peace and Love,

Gran Mil

Hellos and hugs to all here at PC!!

I just wanted to check in and say hello.

May I suggest a new sub topic? How about talking about what we are greatful for and/or what/who we appreciate most in our life?

Today-I appreciate my husband the most. He takes care of me when I'm sick and when I'm not.

HUGS!
Abeth

I was just about to post here to ask people tips on weight loss cause i'm been feeling v. sluggish lately, you people think of everything! :)
I appreciate my family the most - all of them, without them i'd be very lonely, just preparing to go back to college, looking for a new place and i just realised how much i'm going to miss them...
Hi to evrybody, hope ye all are well and not fading away too much :)

David -Ha! No, my husband is NOT a dancer (although we did a FAB impression of two people who knew how to swing dance at a wedding last summer...until he over-extended my elbow. The scotch helped cure me, though) and the only surgery he's had was to cut the Bad Boys from ever impregnating me again. So I think Michael Jackson and Ms. Osborne can just stay in their exclusive whacked-out club. ;-)

Joan! Good to hear from you!

Peter - Are Men Without Hats still alive?

Abeth - I am grateful for people who don't let themselves be egged on.

That is all!
**poof!**

Dhi, sorry, I don't know the whereabouts of Men Without Hats.
Please don't become distressed about this. More scotch may help.

David, again, I say welcome.
Please don't assume that all persons on this site are acting out of the same motivation. It would be wrong to assume so. I understand what you have written, but please give it time and you may see that it could be a little off the mark, given the bigger picture.
I think that a few of the oldies here are just friends with a common bond, i.e. an admiration for Paul's work and his person.

Personallly, I don't see myself as one of Paul's fans, per se. That's not to say I don't admire him, because I most certainly do. But, I don't admire him because of his fame, but because he is a nice bloke with a lot to give to others, and he has created a site that is good fun, without too many rules.

I'm genuinely sorry if anyone has offended you.

Have a good day.
Peter

Astrid, if you're REALLY an 80's music fan, then you would remember the group "Flock of Seagulls"!

I ran....I ran so far away (ay, ay).

Dhi would remember.

Abeth, Good choice.

I'm greatful that I'm alive.

Cheers,
peter

Abeth, hope all is well. I'm grateful for being alive. I appreciate all the experiences that make that a good thing.

Who are these men without hats??

Take care all,
Mary

Kelly I will try and help you as much as I can with your site. Just click on my name for my email.
I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures.

Mary the weather has improved, it's been hot and sunny. Is it the same where you are?

David it is so weird we used to have a bloke called Michael who would write here and the way he and you write are very similar!

Hi to everyone else here, Jo did you catch those kittens?

Love
Kim

Mary, I too am very grateful to be alive, as well as being greatful (oops,...in too much of a hurry). LOL

Peter

I've just re-read a previous post of mine.
I neglected to mention that I admire Paul for his incredible and varied talent, as well as his work (plus all those other things I listed).
Phew, I hope that clears that up!

Peter-
Oh, you bet I'm a fan of Flock of Seagulls!! That song "I Ran" has to do with one of the best memories of a summer evening in my late teenage life- a car ride, an astronomy lesson, a short romance, a good bottle of wine. . . But I love all their work, especially the one that goes "If I had a photograph of you. . ." Or atleast I think it's that way- I'm too lazy to go check the album liner.

So, in general, I think there's a little overreaction going on here. I agree with Peter in that when you are a newbie here(I've only been posting since June after lurking for a month or so), it is exciting to be welcomed and it's easy to have a strong reaction- and then later you gain a sense of the bigger context here. Which to me means that you give everyone their due respect and give your presence time to settle in. There are still many here that I have no association with, and perhaps I won't ever. In this situation I am going to do as Paul asked in the situation with Michael just before I came along- which is to slow down and think about why we are rubbed the wrong way and consider how to act with respect. Sometimes this means ignoring what we don't like and having faith that the bad seeds work their way out on their own.
David&Enigma- if you need any more understanding of this group and what has gone on, I highly suggest you go and read the archive "Newbies and Oldbies" and those just befor and after it. It's just a few months back. I am neutral as to your being here and my suggestion that you read the archive is not meant in any patronizing way. I just don't think it's worth it for any of us to be upset.

So, I watched the I, Robot doccumentary last night and it was so neat to see Paul in action as he is to this day. Oh, but it was so agonizingly brief! I think they could have spent a little more time on the subject of the robot movements as a whole. Don't those of you that saw it agree?

Abeth- what a good suggestion! Let's see. . . Lately I have been thinking about what an immense luxury it is for me, especially as an American, to live exactly as I choose. I can choose to expose my self to anything I want and to remove myself from anything I do not want. That I have been able to live with an inherent birthright to the act of choice. I'm not saying life is always peaches and cream. I'm not that naive and even as I type this I think of so many instances where this idea of choice is so far from the truth. But what there is of it, I am very grateful for.

Kelly- I think it would be cool if you share with all of us once you get the site up! Not that that wasn't the plan- but I just wanted to put my 2 cents in on that!

Hello and best wishes to all-
Astrid

well it's been forever hasn't it. Hello my dear Katalina. Hello to wonderful Peter,Grandma Mil,Jo,Dhi,Kim,Mary,Abeth,Joan,Kelly and all the old gang. I've been (nod to Peter) flat out. Went to Canada again and North Carolina,in the same week! Whew~ I go back to work on Saturday and I don't want to..gee Paul spend all his time trying to get work and I'm trying to shirk it...bad me.
Welcome to Enigma. David, you are a rouser..can't wait to see what you stir up, it won't be stale I can tell.
Peace

oh, BTW... I have no weight loss secrets just weight gain secrets.
1.Abuse your body while you are young.
2.Have two children within a short interval, much shorter than you body needs to heal.
3.Get and incurable bone disease.
Do this and you too can gain 150lbs in just ten short years. I hope I have helped to inspire.
*removing tongue from cheek*
double peace.

Inn, dear Inn!
Welcome back to you. My, you have gotten about, haven't you.
I empathise with the weight gain scenario.
I have not given birth to any children (how about that), but I did have some odd family stuff turn up to upset things for a bit.
Weight gain was an unexpected side effect.
This happened despite dietary controls and lots of exercise. It seems that sometimes the body does not listen to us!
Yes, it definitely is a challenge to maintain good health when whe're subjected to overwork, overtiredness, stresses of any description, temptation by junk food and "good" food and drink alike, and just about anything else that life chooses to throw up at us.

Gee, I feel better now.

David,
Did you know that Australia is one of the most heavily urbanised nations in the world? True, I swear.
If ever I come across one of those little outback huts, I will let you know what it's like.
I usually stay at the Crowne Plaza when I'm away.
It's one of those entrenched corporate mentality type things. At least they have running water.
The portrait often displayed by the foreign media is completely off-key with the daily existence of the majority of individuals.

It sounds as though you're enjoying YOUR diet!
I re-started the initial phase of my low carb diet yesterday, in an effort to shift the fat a little more quickly. So, I guess I'll have to pass on the jello.

Peter

David, I've never watched Survivor.
The ads were enough to turn me off, so I guess you're one up on me.

Re. Australian urbanisation, I thought that I would offer a little insight into a commonly held mis-perception.
I have personally never tried any of those delicacies you mentioned. The tribal Aboriginies in my street tell me that eating marsupials can make you fat. That's probably a suitable topic of discussion for this thread.
Being a modern, multi-culturally inspired ethnic type of Aussie, I tend to eat a variety of foods, and often with a european flair.
Olive oil is good for lowering HDL cholesterol levels and lowers the risk of coronary disease. Lucky for me.

Don't believe what you hear about kangaroo meat.
The truth is that if you eat it, then you run the risk of growing a tail.

Nice to see you in good spirits.
Have a good weekend.
I'm off to trap a few koalas for breakfast.

Oh, no, Peter, not a little bright-eyed koala, my favorite Aussie thing, way before "Strictly Ballroom" entered my psyche!

When we lived through the harsh winters of New York, before we retired, Ellie used to wear a little plush koala pin on his winter jacket. The little paws opened to grasp the fabric of his jacket. Our children, then little, loved it, (and so did I!)

The koala pin was lost when we retired to Florida, and heavy winter jackets were not needed. Then, came "Strictly Ballroom", Paul and you on PC, and other wonderous Aussie things.

May I suggest that you substitute bagels and lox for your next breakfast, and "save the koala"?

Peace and Love,

Gran Mil

Peter:

You don't have to give up Jell-O on your low carb diet. Sugar-free jello has zero carbs and only 10 calories per serving - and topped with whipped cream, it's a great indulgent treat that you don't have to feel guilty about. (My favorite flavor at present is Black Cherry.)

Welcome to David and Christine/Enigma and best wishes to all PCers for a great weekend.

Vicki

Lyn, is it true there are no snakes in Hawaii and that really proves its a paradise?

Grandma Mil, I can only snorkel in 5 feet of water or I panic and if I do I just float backward. I can only thread water for 5 min. and after that, panic sets in again. My daughter swims like a fish and complains why I never swim enough in our pool. That's what's great about Hawaii, you don't have to go out in a boat to see a wide variety of fish. I can only dreanm about surfing and scuba diving.

Hi all! Hope everyone is feeling good heading into the weekend and that all the diets are going according to plan.

Hi back to Inn. Good to hear from you.

Peter, worry not about spellings, just take a look at these and tell me what you think - Guitar Man and Make It With You both by Bread.

Kim, weather has picked up here too.

Just started into four weeks off work. Freedom beckons....

Love to all,
Mary

Hi all-Mary- Oh my god --Bread! just thinking about that song sends a flood of memories!!

Jean- it was true about snakes in Hawaii and still is as far as I know..but they have a particular little critter there..the mongoose..that eats snakes for snacks.
And I have SEVERE claustrophobia...and have never been able to scuba dive or snorkel because of it! I tried snorkelling on a cruise we took a few years ago to the Caymans, and was okay until we got to spot where it was about 15 feet (LOL) and looked under the water and started hyperventilating! Not easy thru a snorkel! I am such a wimp!
Hope all is going well for everyone.

Lyn, I know what you mean! I'm glad I helped to bring the memories back.

Take care,
Mary

Oh God, no. There are people talking about Jell-O here in the corner. And I thought I finally found a decent place to escape it!
You see, Utah is the Jell-O capital of the world. In fact, a substantial percentage of Jell-O profits are dependent on steady consumption rates in this state. Really- find and ask someone who works for them! They even had a Jell-O pin for the Olympics. Jell-O goes hand in hand with Mormons. You can't escape it or them!
Oh, I hate Jell-O.
Don't take that to mean I hate Mormons.
It's just that if you've seen as many Jell-O incarnations as I have. . . Uh! It's so awful!
It's not even a real food!

Sincerely-
Astrid

Mary-
I'm happy for your 4 week vacation! Hope you get to do something nice with it!

Astrid, those small diet Jello cups are the mainstay of our eating plan.

Ellie and I buy countless cartons of this jello, plus diet whipped cream to go with it to kill the taste, and voila, we hold our noses, and pretend we're having a dessert orgy! (Must be all that whipped cream.)

Peter, Ellie found our pet koala! (It was the little plush pin I wrote about!) I am going to take a picture of it.

It is almost 40 years old, and when we moved to Florida, Ellie had placed it carefully in a little box, and retrieved it yesterday when I mentioned that we were discussing koalas on PC.

It is now perched on top of my computer as I type. Sentimental? You bet!

Peace and Love,

Gran Mil

I am just curious about something. on friday I ended up in the emergancy room and found I have galstones. They wanted to remove it that day but the surgeon was busy. I now have to have the surgery done next week and I am very nervous. I was wondering if any of you have any advice or have experienced the same thing? Melinda

Mil-
Hey, diet Jell-O was a mainstay of my diet for a long time to! I got diagnosed with diabetes when I was 7, so as a kid it was one of those substitutes presented to me on a far too regular occasion!
Then I got a little older and I said to myself,"Hey, I don't actually have to put myself through this!" THe only thing worse than regular Jell-O is diet Jell-O.
I'm one of those believers that aspartame(Nutrasweet) does more harm than good. It actually interferes with your memory retention! After I read about that I said to myself, "No Way! Everywhere I go someone is going to tell me something is going to kill me, So leave my diet foods well enough alone!" But then as a test I gave up all artificially sweetened foods, opting for no sweets at all or just very small amounts of them. Also, this led me to abandon carbonated beverages as a side effect. I can't even begin to tell you how much better I felt. My brain was working better, I experienced fewer headaches and muscle stiffness, and my cravings for sweet foods lessened to an impressive degree. This is because the unnatural sweetness of aspartame conditions you to need sweeter and sweeter things to satiate your cravings.
Not to mention it tastes awful, as is.

Sorry for the rant! I promise I'm done. About Jell-O and aspartme.

Melinda- I'm sorry, I know nothing about galstones but I am sure you will get a helpful answer from someone here. I wish you well, no matter what they do in surgery for you.

Astrid

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far. It is hot and humid in this neck o' the woods. We had some "dirt rain" early this morning and it made it worse - 87% humidity at the moment.

Melinda, I had my gallbladder out a few years ago when the "belly button" procedure just came out. Three little incisions around your belly button that don't leave any big scars, and you're done. Had mine out on a Friday and went b