Welcome to January, April Bandits! It's a New Year, can you believe it? Let's think back to April and compare it to how we feel now. WOW, dieting and exercise really pays off. Then just think about how we'll all feel in April 2007. Woohoo! This is OUR YEAR to make goal! We've made it through the holidays and it's time to bust a move. We can do it!

We're upping our challenge for the month in duration. I think we've decided to hold steady on the number of sessions. Our ultimate goal is 20 sessions a month for 45 minutes each session, and we'll get there by April. For now, here's January's challenge:

(1) Complete 17 or more exercise sessions (counting only one session per day, if you're the type to do more!);

(2) To count, each session must be at least 40 minutes in duration (two 20 min sessions in one day still counts); and

(3) Set a goal (whether in lbs/kilos or NSV) for your upcoming bandiversary and share with the group, if you wish.

We can do it! Speaking of, I'm off to the gym....

Wow Kat, what a miracle story,your family is so fortunate to have you. You have such a generous spirit.

I've had the runs all day, and I feel like I'm coming down with something. Think the scale will move now?? :-)

Hehehe that's funny Roberta...........!!!

Hope you aren't coming down with something though, it sucks, I am just over the flu' and it feels GREAT when you are better!

Oh Roberta, you don't want to lose weight that way! With flu, that is.

Kat, the story of your brother's life is indeed sobering. And you are a saint. Hope he enjoys the party!

April 2006 Bandits January Challenge: NINETEEN days of exercise completed

Oh Kat - what a sad tragic story..............your brother and family should be so happy to have you there for them all. You remind me of my grandmother - always there for us all!

Today was my "catch my breath" day. I vegged. Alan got stung by a bee yesterday (don't know what a bee was doing in his car yesterday in the middle of January) and this morning he was really swollen and so we just went over to Kaiser to check it and yes he just needed to take an antihistimine................so, we never got to our walk to Breakfast.

Julie, you must be busy getting ready to move? So exciting! I'd love to see pictures - that blue sounds so pretty. My house needs painting, might copy you.

Amourette, this is gonna sound really lame, but what if you brought home dry Beans? I know it is more work to soak them and all, but you could bring home more at once. And Japan...(sigh!) Sounds lovely!

Okay...so...this is my usual run. Gleefully run out the front door and up the street. Every mile I reward myself with a 30 second walk. This goes on for three to four miles. If I feel like running further, I do. If not, I turn for home. While running, I am enamored with the stars, the view of the city lights, the beautiful homes. Friends and neighbors wave and say hello. (I must have a wierd "Phoebe" kind of run, cause everyone recognizes me in the dark.) The only thing I dislike about the run is the fear of animals (raccoons, coyotes, rats, opossum??) jumping out at me! I scare them and they FREAK me out!! Well, anyway...

Tonight was DIFFERENT!

I did NOT want to run, but I HAVE to meet the challenge, so I figured I would just walk part of my time. After walking up the hill for one minute, I just HAD to run. There was no looking at the sky, no notice of anyone, just eyes to the pavement. Thoughts dominated the run. But guess what? I ran 2 1/4 miles non-stop, uphill! I MADE myself walk for 2 minutes and then ran again for a total of 5 miles in under an hour!

So I had a serious

NSV!!! :clap2:

Thank you for accepting me in this group. Initially, I was afraid that I would be judged harshly for being a "lightweight." But everyone here has been supportive. We face the same issues and challenges. And now, we are ALL lightweights!!!! Woohoo!

By the way, DAWN...You ARE a runner! And don't ever question that!

Japan actually is a bit boring, well where I am staying is, there is no tV except CNN and BBC, the shops are bad, I am getting a bit bored, thank goodness for the free internet. Yes I must buy some dry beans I have seen them here somewhere for sale, just is a shame if you only want a few for a salad though.

Your run was great, was laughing about your run, and the animals, do you really run like Phoebe, I laughed so hard at that episode.

Amourette XX:D

Dear Boo..............sure wish I would have found my band and this group when I hit 175 the first time! That was back in the 60's when I was preggy with my first child! Of course I hit it several times again, with the 2nd and 3rd and then again and again until finally - thank goodness I had a finally! Yeah for all of us! OK, I'm out of it - who is "Phoebe" - one of my dogs is "Phoebe" and you have it right - she runs very weird due to a birth defect (poor baby)?????

Amourette, since I am a later joiner - I missed why you wear a uniform and why you are in Japan when you live in New Zealand (is that right)?

I'm off to the gym this morning for my usual.

Going to Palm Springs tomorrow morning with my Mah Jongg group for a tournament..........6 of us are flying from Portland, OR and then my baby sis (the one who just turned 50) is driving up to Palm Springs from San Diego to join us. She won the tournament last year - so it was so much fun cheering for her. It's at a hotel right near the "main downtown drag", so I plan on getting some good early morning walks. There is also a casino right behind the hotel so I can practice changing "one addiction for another"! Just kidding!

I'll be home Sunday eve............all have a fun, healthy, active week-end.

Thanks Julie, I'll try that later when I get a chance..........send pictures when it's all finished. When are you moving in?

As you can see my weight loss has stopped! I've been jumping around 2 or 3 lbs up and down...............so, I'm sure the bp meds where a big factor - but, I'll take what I can get. This week-end will be a challenge, but I'm up for it!

Kat, your brother actually sounds charming. People with differences make the world special. I have a question for you. Does your concern for him regarding not having a lot of friends stem from something he's projecting and you're picking up on (meaning loneliness) or is it more that having friends is what you (naturally) want for him? What I mean is, he may not be as aware that he has a void of friends as you are, which would be better than if he's truly lonely. In any event, I'm so glad he has you and your husband as both family and friends.

Amourette, your life is so exciting! Even if you're in a bit of a boring spot, you're in Japan! I've always wanted to go...I must have missed the bit about the Beans. I'll go back and read the posts again...Ahh yes. I see it. Question for you -- is it a big deal to get a new uniform when you go down a size, or is it pretty easy? Do they charge you for that? Have a safe flight home.

Boo, Happy NSV! Dancing bananas with top hats for you!

:D :Banane48: :Banane48:

Of course we love you and your lightweight self. I hope to be a lightweight one day too. Your run was inspirational. I hope to use that inspiration tonight as I prefer to run in the morning but couldn't today yet I've got to get one in so I'm ready for my race weekend after next. I don't know what I was thinking signing up for my first race in FEBRUARY at 8 a.m. I'm going to be so cold (Dawn is laughing at me right now).

Betty, Sherwin Williams has a great "color visualizer" on their website where you can pick a room that looks most like yours and "paint" it online. Check it out here:

http://www.sherwin-williams.com/do_it_yourself/paint_colors/paint_color_palette/

Then click "launch color visualizer" in the middle of the page. To see what my room will look like, choose living room #4, "cooled blue" for the wall colors, "extra white" for the trim, and "gypsy red" for the accent color (a lot of my furniture is red). I'll send you an actual pic once I've painted and moved in in a couple of weeks.

Roberta, How are you feeling today? Any better?

Bluehill, You're ROCKING the challenge this month. I will meet the challenge tonight and keep going too, just like you've done.

Good morning everyone, just a few rumblings in my tummy this morning so that's a good sign. My head is a bit stuffy and my chest hurts a little so I don't think it's the flu. I hope to get to my belly dancing class tonight if the runs have stopped. Congratulations Boo, what a great NSV!! Betty have a great time!

Roberta

Oh good, Roberta, your belly is feeling a bit better, at least good enough to go to a belly dancing class!

Have you moved into your new home, Julie? How exciting to own an apartment in Manhattan! (My East Village pied-a-terre is just a rental.) Love the colors you picked.

Have a blast in Palm Springs, Betty! And best of luck in the Mah Jongg tournament!

I finally broke down and bought some new exercise pants this afternoon, since the ones I've been wearing are waaay to big (22/24). I tried on a pair of 18/20, and they were still too big, so I settled on 14/16. I don't know what NSV means, but is this one?

April 2006 Bandits January Challenge: TWENTY days of exercise completed

Bluehill: DEFINITELY! That is awesome! NSV stands for "non-scale victory." For those of us that are scale-challenged, we have to get excited about all the other victories that come from working out and living with the band.

Bluehill....14/16 pants are truly a NSV. How in the world did you keep those 22/24's up????? :-)

Just got back from belly dancing....55 mins. workout. I'm starting to get congested so I know the weather is changing. Tomorrow evening the temp. is going to start to drop with a possibility of snow; and Friday with the wind chill it will be minus 5 on Long Island.

Hi Guys,

I have been in meeting after meeting for the past few days so I have had very little time to post... sorry. You are all so inspiring. I too hit the January challenge. I am so happy about that and I KNOW you are all a big part of it... the support here is amazing.

I had a tough run this morning. I have decided to work on my time (I wonder if this is a good idea??) so i ran like a crazy women. I did 3.3 K in 31 minutes... which is still really slow, but it is getting there. I am thinking of running in a 5K in Montreal in March... just not sure if I have the time to get ready for it. Any thoughts - it is March 25th. Unfortunately it is then or I have to wait until the summer.

Have a great night all!!

Dawn

Banded April 4th, 2006

Montreal

358/207/179

Bluehill....14/16 pants are truly a NSV. How in the world did you keep those 22/24's up?????

Just got back from belly dancing....55 mins. workout. I'm starting to get congested so I know the weather is changing. Tomorrow evening the temp. is going to start to drop with a possibility of snow; and Friday with the wind chill it will be minus 5 on Long Island.

Roberta

Congratulations Dawn on meeting the January challenge:cheer2: :cheer2: :cheer2: :cheer2:

Roberta