Chanti

I've just discovered the Wii Fitness Coach!!! So cool! I didn't like the Wii Fit for weight loss because it's not consistantly challenging enough. But the Fitness Coach: my friend lost 35 lbs doing it, since January, for 30-45 minutes daily (and watching what she ate). So since I can't run anymore, I needed an alternative. Takes 30 minutes to set up your profile (including body measurements), and then do some tests of your fitness level. Then Maya, the coach, will formulate an exercise regimen for you. You can work out for 15, 30, 45 or 60 minutes, and change the focus each time (core, upper body, lower body, cardio, flexibility). And you provide feedback about how easy or hard you find it, so that she can readjust the next time around. I'm having fun with it. I got it yesterday and have already done 2 work-outs. For now, it'll replace my morning runs, which will help my moral a lot :-) For it to work though, you need to be honest in answering the questions she asks and when doing your reps because it doesn't use the Wii balance board. I'll keep you posted. I definitely think I will prefer this to videos, since it keeps track of your progress and provides diversity (which in turn helps to prevent plateaus). Chantal

Quote: Originally Posted by lisaloo79 I honestly don't bother with my straightner anymore. My hair is thick and wavy so it just gets all fuzzy and yucky with the humidity when I try to straighten it. It just takes up room in the suitcase for nothing! lol LOL I agree Lisa!! I didn't bother for our 2 week stay to bring it... I would have brought more Advil. I only had about 10, and they charge an arm and a leg at the resort. Luckily our mothers were arriving 5 days after us and brought me a whole bottle! I had injured my ankle so needed a lot more than originally anticipated...

Hey Michelle, the firedancers started around 9 PM and were GREAT! I think they performed for about 45 minutes. Definitely worth seeing. By the time they started, there were more seats available since the families with younger children had left, so I don't think it would be difficult for your group of 13 to find place to sit and watch. Hope this helps! Chantal

I agree with adding yoga, especially power yoga (ashtanga). Also, I've recently discovered the Wii Fitness Coach. I can't run anymore due to an ankle injury, and the Fitness Coach is great! It takes 30 minutes to set up a profile, and determines which area you need to focus on. You can do 15, 30, 45 or 60 minute work-outs depending on your schedule, and it changes the routine every time you do it, so adds a lot of variety. Maya, the fitness coach, asks you once in a while how you're doing, and if you answer "no sweat", she'll up the challenge the next time around. I got it yesterday and already have done 2 work outs. I'm loving it! Obviously, if you don't have a Wii, that may not be helpful, but if you do, it may be a good idea, just to help you add variety to your work-outs. While the Wii Fit is fun, I definitely did not find it helpful to lose weight, while the Fitness Coach is much more of a challenge. My girlfriend lost 35 lbs using it! Good luck, Chantal

1 hour bike ride yesterday and no ankle pain!!!

Thanks everyone! We got our package yesterday. Moments that Matter send you a DVD slideshow set to music, of over 1000 pictures, as well as a DVD with ALL the originals, for you to print as you wish. We loved that we own all our pictures, that's what sold us to them in the first place! Plus their amazing photography, evidently! We'll be watching the slideshow tomorrow night with our friends that were there (the couple with the cutie pie baby girl), I'm really excited! And this way I can post some along with my review :-) Chantal

My stylist is the owner of his salon in Yorkville (Toronto) and I usually pay $250 for colour and cut. I only go every 3-4 months, and tip him $20 since I had read somewhere that you don't even need to tip the owners. He doesn't seem to think it's under-tipping, we're now friends outside of work and BBerry messenger each other regularly :-) I do give $5 to the shampoo guy as well, and bring them baked goods when I go in... Chantal

Are you be required to put a downpayment for a minimum number of guests? We did this, because 14 people already told us "for sure" they were coming, and we figured by inviting 80 people, we'd be likely to find 6 more people to fulfill the minimum of 20. Unfortunately, that didn't work out. Only 10 people booked and came, and we lost half our deposit, so $3000... If you have to give a downpayment for a group booking, make sure that your "for sures" are really "for sures"! Chantal

Hi everyone, sorry for being away but I'm dealing with an injury... I will be writing my review, will try to do that this weekend. I've started already drafting it in Word and I carry it around on my memory stick to work on it when I have a spare moment! In the meantime, here is the link to our slideshow: we're very happy with our photographers, Lincoln and Lori from Moments That Matter. We did a full TTD session the day after the wedding and had a blast!!! Mayan Riviera Destination Wedding Photography Galleries by Moments That Matter Photography. Hope everyone is having an amazing summer!!! Chantal

yay, I'm back!!! my ankle is healed a bit, although I now know I have osteoarthritis in it. I did a power yoga class last night. today, it is a bit tender but not bad at all. I'm planning some leisurely cycling (not the usual rough and tough mountain biking I like) this weekend, to see if it can handle that.

5:30 works with me, I'm at University and College for work. My SILs work at that Jack Astors :-)

Sounds great! August 7th and 14th work for me. Crystal, I also live in Whitby so we could take the GO train back together :-) What time are we thinking? I work downtown so could stick around at the office to catch up a bit! Chantal

Quote: Originally Posted by autjo Did chest and shoulder weights yesterday then played kickball. But... I am so excited because I am down 18 lbs from where I started in Feb! Thats just 12 away from my wedding goal My BD pics are in 3 weeks so I am going to set a goal of another 5 by then. Thanks for all of the motivation!!! Wow, congrats!!! That is amazing! In 5 months? Wow again!

Hi all, back from our weddingmoon, which was amazing! So much has happened on this thread, CONGRATS to all the new moms, and moms-to-be!!! Nothing to report here yet, we're still at the TTC stage :-) Chantal

Hi there! Just got married on June 29th and used MTM Photography. We had a really small group, and Lincoln and Lori were wonderful!!! I'm really excited to see our pics, which should be coming anytime soon. They were with us from 9:30 AM until the reception ended at around 10 PM, then we did the TDT session the next day from 1PM to roughly 4PM. They took great pics and I have every confidence that you would not be disappointed :-) PM me if you would like to see some of their work (once we receive it I'll be happy to share). Chantal

Quote: Originally Posted by wahmsuzanne Hey Chantal ... great to hear from you ... we met very briefly as you were about to the leave the spa after you got your hair done (you looked absolutely gorgeous BTW!) ... I'm glad to hear everything went well ... I was so upset that it started raining just as you were about to leave the spa ... I was wondering how they were going to get you out of there! LOL ... can't wait to see your review and your pics *huGs* Suzanne Hi Suzanne!!! I wish we had had more time to chat :-) We luckily had all brought umbrellas as we were expecting it to rain! I still can't believe the sun came out 50 minutes before our beach wedding, we were so lucky. You looked beautiful too, I saw you on your wedding day while you were getting photos done!!! I don't know how to post a review: do I just start a new thread? Chantal

Quote: Originally Posted by poohshek Take it easy for now!!! You will be back on track in no time once your ankle heals. Yes, I know... I'm more of the "instant gratification" type so this will be rough! Did upper body weights, abs and push-ups today. Chantal

Just got back from Dreams Tulum, there were 2 or 3 per day. I think this is a bit much, considering it is a small resort... Chantal

Dealing with the mound of letters to sign off on and patient charts to review that have accumulated while I was away on my weddingmoon for 2 weeks! No worries though, they are getting done: I just go cross-eyed after doing more than 3 in a row :-)

I miss my AM runs!!!! Turns out I have a stress fracture of my right ankle from "overdoing" it... Don't understand, for me this is really NOT overdoing it: I was a competitive gymnast and ballet dancer until the age of 19, frequently clocking 20 hours of intense, high-impact activites per week. All of a sudden my body can't handle a 20-30 minute run per day plus a couple of yoga classes/weight training sessions a week? I was just thinking of training for a half marathon in October 2009 with a friend. Looks like I'll have to hold off on that. For now, abs/push-ups, weights and stretching are all I can do... Still waiting my follow-up appointment with the sports rehab MD, who will tell me exactly how long I have to avoid high-impact stuff. I'm really disappointed... On the other hand, since I got home, I've managed to lose 1.1 lbs just by eating right (I'm being VERY careful) and not drinking. So only 5.4 lbs to go to be back to my pre-holiday weight. DH and I will exercise together tonight, he'll run on treadmill (lucky duck!) and I'll do weights/abs and stretches... I'll also post a review and our pro pics as soon as we receive them!!! Hope everyone is having a great summer and keeping on their fitness track :-) Chantal

Hi everyone, I just got back from DT on Sunday July 6th. We had a great two weeks there! I will be posting a review, will try to do this weekend but ideally was waiting until my pro photos came in. We had a few minor glitches (and I mean really REALLY minor) and were overall very pleased with the wedding and the entire experience. I am really sorry to hear that not everyone had the same experience as we did. I am wondering if the size of the wedding increases the possibility of issues? We were only 13 (including a 1 year old baby) and our 2 photographers (as a side note - I'm sad to see that there is a change in the 2010 guide RE:outside photographers, we LOVED them!)... I'll do my best to write my review ASAP!!! Chantal

Hi everyone! I'm back :-) So, damage from 2 weeks at an all you can eat, all you can drink resort and NO exercising: 6.5 lbs gain... Problem is, I now have an ankle injury from all the exercising I did before we left (it started before the trip, but I ignored it...). Going to sports rehab in 10 minutes to have it looked at. Looking forward to getting back on track and lose that pesky 6.5 lbs!!! Chantal

I concur, last year's dancers were better. Usually by the top 20 I can keep their names straight, but other than a select few, having a hard time with that this year. And I agree, the choreography may not be as good either...

Did my circuit training last night. Due to pulled Achilles' tendon, differed my morning run to after work today, to let it heal a bit. Hopefully I'll be good to go!

Not at all worried. It's more prevalent in Toronto than in Tulum, where we are heading in 2 days :-) Our guests are reasonable too, which helps. No one has freaked out nor threatened to back out, even when all of this craze broke loose in April/May :-)