how is everyone doing with their goals and such? what's going on any suggestions for new routines? or good recipes? i would recommend cathe friedrich's dvd total body sculpt it's not too difficult for those who are beginning...you use very light weights (3 lbs) and it's not too hard on the muscles...i could use one that is a bit more intense but i really enjoy this dvd so far.

let me know

I've actually been trying a Denise Austin dvd that's for intermediate/high impact.  Can't remember the exact name.  The workout's great but I definitely have to modify it sometimes.  I'm just getting back into everyday workouts now that our 3 girls (age 6,4, and 2) sleep all night.  I also use weights ( I think they're 3 or 5 lbs. each) and do arm workouts for the bi/triceps.  Between the two, I keep it at a 30 min. workout each night and feel much better.  The other thing is that we just got a used tredmill today at a decent price and so far, I like it.  It gives a break from the repetitive aerobic workout.  Is cathe friedrich on fit tv?   The name sounds familiar.  Anyway, just thought I'd share the workout experience.  So far, so good!

uhm, i don't know if she is or not. i used fit tv while recooping at my mothers house after our 2nd was born...loved the channel alot of great recipes and good workouts! unfortunately now that i am officially in mobile with hubby we have cable and no fit tv...but you can go to her website i think it's cathe.com. i am now using her slow and heavy series..the only thing with it is that each section is a 1/2 so, for example her squats are 30 minutes and her chest are 30 minutes. so, it seems a bit hard to do one whole section for an hour...but i manage and do like that part one day and then i think its like triceps, biceps and planks and then do that one day then i do the last part the 3rd day. (oh, sorry it's a 3 part dvd...LOL forgot to say that at the beginning). would love to share ideas and suggestions if you have any...i do the treadmill also, but do that at  night when hubby is home and he watches the girls (2 of them, a 3 yr and 3 month old). but the dvd i get in while he's at work, i feel weird doing it while he's home...

That's so funny!... I don't like working out when my hubby's around either.  I always think he'll make some typical male comment like "what the heck is that?" or else mimick what I'm doing just to poke at me about it.   With the tredmill, it's been two weeks now since we got it and I love it!  It's easy and we've got a small flat screen above it in the garage so I can watch an episode of Friends and it makes thirty minutes go by fast.  Haven't lost any weight yet but I've heard it takes up to 8 weeks to get back in shape and only two weeks to gain the weight...ugh!  As for recipes,  I've found quite a few we like on recipes.com.  I love Italian and my hubby likes oriental.  We've  one of each that I found and they were pretty tasty.  If you haven't already you should take a look.  They have alot of cateogories and the meals seem easy, healthy, and are somewhat guick to get done.  I'd really like to find some good crockpot recipes with different styles like mexican, italian, etc.  If you know any good sites for these, let me know...

I know..it took me about two weeks before I saw my first lost in pounds..but the inches will come off a little faster than the weight so, I try to go by that...because the scale is just not my friend right now! lol. I wish we had a tv in our computer/treadmill room. That would make it a little easier, but hubby installed a sound system in there and connected it to the computer..so i listen to the xm online and do it that way. It makes it nice too. I do the treadmill for an hour now...30 minute jog and 30 minute fast walk. I usually get in 3.5 miles that way...and burn up to 500+ calories. It has taken me about 2 months to get up to that much. It's soooo hard, and I have plenty to lose.  

 Have you heard of making a spinach lasagne in the crock pot? I saw it done on Oprah (of all the places) it looked soooo yummy and she used whole wheat noodles. I think the recipe is posted on oprah.com. We don't eat alot of italian food or mexican food (although I love it, hubby complains when i would make it, so i don't make it as often). I love quesadillas, and those are super easy to make and not too high in calories..buy whole wheat tortillas, the queso cheese in the ethinic part of the refrigerated section inthe store, and some chicken. Grill and season chicken how you like, then cut it into bite size pieces, put one of the tortillas on the bottom of a fry pan, add cheese and chicken top with other tortilla and fry on each side till bread is a little brown and cheese has melted. IT's great. I like to make those once in a while for my 3 yr old for lunch. When I working, a spanish girl taught me that. she brought in the stuff to just make a plain quesadilla and she said you can just add chicken or what ever you wanted to it. Yummy. There are so many ideas and recipes I can give you...i am going to make homemade granola bars with applesauce and honey. (i just have to get the coconut and nuts to go in it). There is only 112 calories in those, plus i am hoping they will be yummy. i can go on forever about this, i better stop now! lol