I'm really interested in this and need to get this book. :)

This, I have found to be very true. I think I've said the following before, and, if others don't mind, I'll repeat myself. It might motivate me to be more disciplined in the eating department. :glare: Exercise is wonderful for preventing all sorts of diseases – heart disease, cancer, diabetes, protecting the bones, lifting one’s mood, boosting metabolism, and so on. But in general, for weight loss, exercise is not all it’s made out to be. Lots of research has shown this. In terms of weight loss, diet and aerobic exercise provide only a very marginal benefit when compared to diet alone. I have numbers to prove it - since I weigh and measure on a weekly basis - the times that I have lost the most weight are when I exercise moderately (not for an hour or more a day, like I used to) and eat MUCH, MUCH less. My body has changed. It's not the body I had in my teens, 20s, or early 30s. I used to be able to eat that slice of cheesecake AND run 4 miles the next morning AND not ever gain. I can’t do that anymore. I have more recently found that that when I exercise intensely for 45 minutes or more per day, my appetite increases. I get the most results from eating much less and exercising moderately – for about 30-45 minutes per day, or at least most days. That's just my experience. Again, I have numbers to prove it. For me, weight loss is pretty much 80% what I eat and 20% what I do. As with most things in life, the usual 80/20 Principle applies. My dh (and others have said this also), say that it may be more like 90% what I eat. I'm actually am agreeing with that more and more. When it comes to weight loss, intake is the major factor. When it comes to overall health and longevity, exercise is essential also. I no longer exercise for 90 minutes a day, and sometimes not even every day, since it’s not always possible. I tell myself to exercise for health not necessarily for weight loss. Exercise is not a weight loss solution.

Oh my gosh! When? :)

I was born in Iran and lived there for a total of 6 years of my life. Grew up in Wales. Moved to Grenada as a teen. Undergrad in OR, USA. Grad School in NY, USA. Lived in CA. Back in Grenada with our family . This is home. :)

This is too funny and so ridiculously false. :lol:

:iagree:

:lol: Dawn, no. The women in the book are quite real for the most part. Here's just one sample page of many. Her style of writing is very open and also her tips are super-helpful and practical. I have a few What Not to Wear books, but her book is my favorite of all :thumbup:. Here's her site.

This is disgusting :glare: and will invite the wrong and scary kind of attention.

Absolutely horrible. How do these people get away with this?

Vacations, always vacations. :)

Thank you. And I've bookmarked your fabulous blog. :D Yes. We also love Vicar of Dibley, Waiting for God, and Ab Fab.

I love hcg and Pamela was incredibly helpful when I kept asking her questions. Thank you, Pamela :D. I stuck to protocol as far as eating. I was extremely good and disciplined. I'm talking about my first round. My 2nd round wasn't as successful. I didn't stick to protocol. I stuck to the same things most days. I did very little variety. Worked better for me. I barely cooked for myself and the family. The very bare minimum ;). I don't do well with cooking when going on extreme regimens. I don't recommend any diet such as hcg or any more "extreme" plan when undergoing a major change. This diet is very mental and you need to be mentally with it, if you KWIM. Too many stressors and distractions can be very hard to deal with.

This is my favorite style book - fabulous tips. Even if you're not overweight, her book is worth its weight in gold. I also love shows like What Not to Wear and Tim Gunn.

We have the same exact taste :D.

I have lots and lots of tips for headaches, enough tips to possibly exacerbate a headache :lol:, but for now, I just want to share that magnesium is key. Magnesium is a mineral that most of us are deficient in. Anything that is tight, irritable, crampy, and stiff -- whether it is a body part or an even a mood -- is a sign of magnesium deficiency. Helps occasional headaches that can come with caffeine withdrawal Magnesium helps eliminate peripheral nerve disturbances that can lead to migraines There’s a strong correlation between migraines and hormonal fluctuations. Estrogen hormones (right before, during, or immediately after your period) can block the body’s absorption of magnesium, leading to low blood levels of this mineral. A number of scientific studies found low levels of magnesium in people with migraines. Many women with monthly migraines have low blood levels of magnesium. Remember that the more calcium you take, the more magnesium you need. Try cutting back on calcium while you increase your magnesium and see how this change affects your migraines. For most people on a healthy diet, 400 mg of Magnesium daily should be sufficient. But for those who have symptoms of deficiency (such as headaches), I would recommend more, but probably no more than 1200 mg. Add in more magnesium gradually. Your body knows how much it can handle according to how much your bowels can tolerate. The stools should feel soft, but not excessively loose. Take in divided doses and with meals to ensure optimal absorption – preferably more at night I have read that it’s preferable to not take magnesium at the same time as calcium. Others say that it’s fine. This is where I am confused. I think the former makes more sense. The most absorbable forms are: Magnesium Citrate Magnesium Glycinate Magnesium Taurate Magnesium Aspartate Magnesium Malate Magnesium Succinate Magnesium Fumirate Avoid: Magnesium Oxide Magnesium Carbonate Magnesium Gluconate Magnesium Sulfate These are not absorbed well and are the cheapest forms Side effects from too much magnesium include diarrhea, which can be avoided if you switch to Magnesium Glycinate. People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor's supervision. NATURAL SOURCES Almonds Avocado Barley Beans Brazil nuts Brown rice Buckwheat Dark Chocolate Dates Figs Garlic Greens (including Collard Greens and Dandelion Greens) Kelp Molasses Millet Parsley Pecans Rye Sea vegetables (seaweed and kelp – but make sure they come from non-polluted waters and are high-quality) Shrimp Walnuts Whole Grains Wheat bran Wheat germ EPSOM SALTS BATH Taking a bath or a foot soak with Epsom salts is one of the best ways to increase the body’s absorption of magnesium. Epsom Salts are Magnesium Sulfate and are easily absorbed by the body. Take a hot bath with up to 2 cups of Epsom salts and 1 cup baking soda (optional) to help draw toxins out of the body. Try to do this once a week, but for no more than 20 minutes. A foot soak can also be very beneficial. Epsom salts are so helpful in bringing relief to: • Arthritis pain, stiffness, soreness, and tightness of joints • Muscle aches, pains and tenderness • Painful bruises, sprains and strains • Pain from over exertion as a result of exercise • Insomnia and Sleep Problems • Stress • Insect Bites and Splinters

Thank you. Very interesting. I knew that cheese is often a trigger. Never knew that about bananas, however.

Loved Calvert initially during our early homeschooling years, to sort of get my feet wet when it comes to homeschooling. I found that I did not need it much after that. Found it to be a bit dry and dull. I prefer to have more control and say in the resources we use - living books, WTM approach, etc. We never used ATS. We still use their Math and like it, although we use other math programs as well.

Mine too :). I hope to read all the ones I haven't read. But this probably won't happen for a long while. We have several of the BBC movies and love them. To us, he was the best storyteller of all time.

Not British, but one of our favorite comedies - Best in Show

:lol: :iagree: Me too. :) I prefer John Grisham's older stuff, but also like James Patterson (though I haven't read him in a very long time). Right now I'm reading I Still Dream About You. Fannie Flagg is one of my favorites.

I've never felt the need to boycott a wedding, but your list of reasons are good enough, if, God forbid, such horrible situations were to occur. I don't know how to vote - other?

Sounds like you all are much more in the know than me. I love this thread and have been copying and pasting the great suggestions. Dh and I absolutely love this boxed set. I swear, if I was rich, I would buy this set for all our friends and loved ones. :D We bought it at Costco several years ago. It includes: Pride and Prejudice - love this version with Colin Firth Emma Jane Eyre Ivanhoe Tom Jones The Scarlet Pimpernel - love this one Lorna Doone - AMAZING :D Victoria and Albert

I voted Yes, No Matter What. The alternatives here are not that great. Even if they were, it would take a lot for us to send them to high school. A lot, lot, lot ... as in the beginning of TWTM book where Susan Wise Bauer talks about the ideal school - teacher/student ratio, etc. For me, that's a situation of "keep on dreaming" :tongue_smilie:.

Love this thread. :) Favorite Fiction Pride & Prejudice - my absolute all-time favorite Jane Eyre To Kill a Mockingbird Harry Potter books A Thousand Splendid Suns - this one, by far, is amongst one of the best books I have ever read The Help The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende and anything else by her, but this is her best. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Allende The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy .. but the first book is quite boring and confusing in the first 60-70 pages. Hang in there. It does get better! Yes, they are graphic. But I tend to look beyond that and just focus on the story Favorite Non-Fiction The Geography of Bliss – non-fiction, very insightful, and humorous I'm not really good with non-fiction. My mind tends to wander. For holy scripture, I love The Hidden Words, since we're Baha'is.

Mrs Mungo, love your polls and threads. :D :grouphug: Me, in case anyone's interested. ;) Maintain my weight - I try, but don't always succeed. I'll always be a bit overweight. Hopefully, not obese ever again. Color hair/cut - I don't color my greys at all. I do get it cut regularly. Facial/body hair - very, very diligent about this. Wear clothes that I think are cute, stylish, neat and/or tailored - most of the time. Need to work on this for home and classroom time. I tend to be frumpy and really bad for home and classroom. Not good at all. Accessorize with scarves, jewelry, bags, shoes and/or something else - Scarves, I'm hopeless and they would look weird in the tropics - Jewelry - not so good - Bags - I'm getting more into - Glasses - 2 new pairs that I love Style my hair instead of just pulling it off my face (without styling it) - I CHI my hair but only for special occasions. I think it causes hair loss and don't want to be bald when I'm 60. Manicures and Pedicures - more of a diy person if at all. I might get a professional pedicure once or twice a year, but should do it more often. I worry about infections, however. Cosmetic Surgery - nope, no way.