Couple things. I have great news to report. At one time yesterday, I peeked in and read a couple posts, but didn't have time to respond., but I saw DD's post about getting her hubby to drop her off at the gym on his way to work. I thought...I could do that. I need something or someone to get me going. So, this morning, hubby dropped me off at the gym. How about it. I was thinking of you DD. I did the cross-trainer for 20 minutes, then sat my butt on a bike with my book and rode for a half hour. Then I walked home with a gorgeous sky in the east that was blue and pink with shimmering patches of white shining through. It was gorgeous. Thanks DD for getting me back in the saddle. This will be my new plan for the winter months.

underwear, Jane Fonda? Boy does that take me back. I'll never forget doing her tape in our living room and hubby called from work. I was so worn out. I think it's the only time he's heard me drop the F bomb. When he asked how I was, I said, "I'm doing the effin' Jane Fonda tape." We still laugh about it. That was some dang workout. I'm so impressed that you can still do it! You go girl.

gims, I'm double daring you! You'll feel so much better. Tomorrow you must repost in that you did some sort of exercise today. Ya hear me?

Meredith, thanks for the kick in the butt. I should print it and put it on the fridge.

And just so DD doesn't feel bad about eating ice cream. Last night after announcing to Ross that I was heading out with him in the morning, I ate the rest of a pint of ice cream that had been here for a few weeks. Are you ready for this. Each serving (1/4 cup) was 400 calories. I polished her off. Figured it to be about a THOUSAND calories in that teeny thing. I ate it right from the carton and it tasted so good. It was my grand finale! We laughed as I downed it. It was hysterical.

EW, what sport did you do for an hour? And sailing with your hubby in charge of the sails doesn't count!

orchid, I'm with you on doing floor exercises. WHile the bike and cross-trainer are good, they don't stretch you out, which always feels so good to me.

Report in ladies.

Great post, Dotsie! I must confess, I didn't go in today. It was the one day of the month where my period is too heavy to go anywhere, you know what I mean. But I'll be back on track next week! Thinking about going every M-T, Th-F, and have Wednesday and the weekends off.

The only thing that might throw me off is Jury Duty. I'm supposed to call on Tuesday night to see if I have to appear on Wednesday. Hope not...

Now, anyone know a good hypnotist that will help me stop my cravings for sweets? By the way Dotsie, a pint of ice cream NEVER lasts a few weeks in our house!

Go go Dotsie! I need my Hubby to drop me off somewhere, anywhere too!

We got a tread mill in the cellar. Then I stretch with elastic bands. When we play golf for three hours, I don't do the other stuff. Fast walking is another thing I do for an hour.

DD, look forward to the day when that plague is over with! It's one of the best things about getting older!

Off to stretching!

Dotsie -- do you still go to Curves? Do you like it? I've been going to Ballys which used to be something else before they bought it -- my membership is only about $150 per year, so you can't beat that. I try to go about 3x per week and walk the treadmill for 40 minutes at 4.2 mph. I get my best reading done there -- uninterrupted. And I don't believe anyone who says you can't walk and read at the same time because your workout suffers. Pooh! Then I do weight machines for another 20-30 min. Then go out the door to Trader Joe's and buy groceries!

Well, since I got the stitches from my surgery out Thursday, I've been back on the treadmill twice, albeit only for about 6 or 7 minutes each. But I'm doing it about 3 times a day so far. Now I'm anxious to get it built up to more minutes. But it's a start for me.

I'm with all of you. Just sitting here at the keyboard surely does not cause any weight loss except maybe in our fingers. So here we all go.

It's a beautiful fall day today..I'm heading out on the bike.

yesterday did 42 kms...on bike and it was gorgeous out there, despite a headwind for 1/3 of trip..just makes a person work abit harder on the bike. But can't complain with all the gorgeous leaf colour against the blue skies.

It's weather like this that it feels like fall' in love with cycling all over again. And also feels like it's the best sport to enjoy Nature's beauty. You're never bored and you go faster, see more around you.

Your description made me want to hop on my bike.
I like hilly paths, so I can rest inbetween when going down hill.

Germany has beautiful bike trails too. Has your partner told you that? So we have a bike rack on our car, and like to try new places. Do you usually just take off from where you live?

Orchid -- I biked 25 miles today in a strong headwind. At first I was not going to go out because I hiked 11 miles yesterday, but decided to give it a try. In spite of having to work a little harder, I found myself "smiling" several times because I felt so lucky to be out there. We are having a beautiful Ozark fall here in Arkansas. I agree with you that cycling is never boring.

As for the rest of my exercise program, I try to go to the gym twice a week and spend 30-40 minutes on weights and various resistance machines. This maintains my upper-body strength needed for hiking because a lot of what we do is off-trail with lots of climbing and pulling up on ledges,boulders, trees, etc.

I've heard nothing but great things about Germany's bike paths, both from North American cycling tourists and..from Germans themselves who are currently working on our construction project here in Vancouver area. He and another guy (one of the business partners) were in Europe for 1 month this past spring...specifically to look at cycling facilities, talk to local urban planners and cycling adovocates in Barcelona, Copenhagen, (they cycled across the bridge to Malmo in Sweden for a few hrs. in that country), Paris, Lyons. He went to Germany on his own since he had relatives of visit. But he cycled on a dedicated bike path ..which I believe runs from Basel, Switzerland to near the French border, close to Strasbourg. He didn't have enough time to do the whole route. But he was cycling on the path for about 5 days which brought him close to the Rhine. He was cycling with his belongings in his front and back panniers. He saw CHILDREN cycling with their loaded bike panniers on trips. From ages 10 yrs. and up. I asked some Germans at work about this. They confirmed, yes, it is not unusual. It would be HIGHLY unusual to see children enaging in this type of cycling in North America.

He was inspired by what he saw in terms of cycling facilities and cycling lifestyle in places that he chose to visit in Europe this year. So much that his company features photos of cycling facilities and cyclists (without helmets, I guess that's the culture there) at his company's website. Rolled out late this spring: http://thirdwavecycling.com/

He didn't realize it until later that they managed to photograph a Muslim woman cycling. yes!!!!!! Cycling IS freedom for women...as the early U.S. women suffragettes acknowledged on the miracle of the bike..

Sorry, got off track here. Edelweiss, sometimes the best thing is to bike in a nice, calm area that you are already with. Just dress comfortably and make sure your bike fits you. A bike store would be able to tell you.. I'll post of photo of his elsewhere..

Cyclingal, you are persistent about keeping fit. Kudos. I haven't gotten into weightlifting yet...
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Methinks for anyone, who wonders, if they love their own sport/type of exercise, a good sign, is if you experience the sudden high moment while doing the sport, that "YES", this is the right sport for me, I want to do this because xxxxxxx, then you've fallen in love for the right thing for yourself.

EW, good for you for stretching. How do you like those elastic bands? I've only used them in PT. THat's what they remind me of so I'm not likely to use them. ROtten memories. Ha.

DD, you will be so glad when you don't have to worry about that any more. EW, those days are over for me too.

DJ, I no longer go to Curves. I was in such a habit of doing that several years ago. But then my son got his license and started taking himself to school and I got out of the habit. I used to drop him off and go right to Curves. That's why I think this idea of Ross dropping me off in the morning is great. I've been Friday, Saturday and Monday. Plan on going Monday thru Friday, unless I just don't feel like it one day. Then I'd still get in four days.

DJ, I can picture where you do all of that. It's right around the corner from me. Have you found the weights to be helpful? I keep hearing I need to do that.

sandpiper, don't do too much too soon. Take it slow. I don't want you having complications from your surgery.

You bikers and hikers are such an inspiration. Thanks for sharing your love of the great outdoors with us. I appreciate it so much. Makes me want to get out there and walk.