[Heather]

This thread is a sub-set of the 300+ thread.

This group is for those dealing with the challenges of having a significant amount of weight to lose and being fit which becomes harder after age 40. If you're an old or new friend and not over 40 and feel this is the place to post, jump right in.

[Heather]

Happy Thanksgiving week to all the Americans!!!
How are you going to handle this holiday??

OH! And for the exercisers, we have now exercised OVER 200,000 minutes this year!! And we are a HAIR from our yearly goal!!!

[Terri in MO]

Good morning ladies,

I have had such a terrible time getting to the website lately. I know I did a post last week but it didn't post.

Last week was so busy at work. I had 25 meeting to sit in on so it was a week to be endured. And I barely made it.

I'm off this week. Its time to finally get all the outside things done for winter. The weather is semi-cooperating so I'm trying to get done as much as possible. My back muscles are sore from cleaning stalls and emptying out the water tank yesterday. I've gotten lots of riding in on Spanky the last couple of days. We've also gotten Phoenix inside the barn and started working him. He has lots to learn to be at the same level as Spanky. I don't like having the boys over at Anne's because they are in a small lot. But it does allow me the opportunity to ride where I wouldn't here. I like that they seem happy to see me but I don't like it when they stand there and watch me leave! Geez, guilt trip.

We've had some monumentous progress with Duke this past couple of weeks. With the front gate shut, he now gets to run free like the other dogs. We were always afraid that he would just put his nose down and take off. Well, he has done that before and I have had to chase him down on the 4-wheeler. However, he is such a smart dog and figured out the drill. I've been walking with them and I've also ridden the 4-wheeler around too and he has done such a good job of behaving himself. I even let him come out with me when I cleaned the barn. He had such a good time sniffing. That nose of his was working overtime.

Today, we're off to Sam's club. Then I have more outside work to do and more riding.

My plan for surviving this week is to remember - exercise and small portions. Very small portions.

to all! I'll get caught up with ya'all soon!

[4mygirls]

Thank you everyone for the very warm welcome, and the advice on how to get started! It is great to "talk" to other people who understand where I am coming from!

I know I won't get out tonight to exercise, but maybe tomorrow night I can take the kids for a walk. But I will try to stop the snacking after dinner (I wasn't so successful with that last week)!

I hope everyone has a great week.

[gggirls]

Terri - so nice to see you. I've been wondering how you were. Enjoy your week off. I think I finally finished my outside work yesterday - although there is more I could do the necessities are handled.

Formygirls - a walk will do wonders for you! Let us know how it goes.

Heather - how was your food today?

I've been fighting an ear infection for several days. I'm ready for it to go on and let me back in the pool.

[Debbie54]

Hi Ladies,
Been a while since I've been on here but trying to get back to a steady weight loss regimen.
I went to the doc last Wednesday because I've been sick for about 3 weeks and I had to go to a doc that is not my regular doctor since it was his day off. Well I got the talk of my life...literally. This doctor said I know you came in for your flu, (yes I was one of the lucky ones who got the swine flu,)but you're sitting on a keg of dynamite. He told my bp was really elevated
(135/101) and wanted to know what my regular doctor was doing about it. I told him that I like to try and control things myself and that my doctor was giving me 4 months to get my bp and diabetes under control or it was back on the pills. He told me that I should join weight watchers or some other group and I told him I couldn't afford it and he put it right back on me and told me I can't afford to have a heart attack either. There were no excuses with him! He told me I was going to die if I didnt do something soon.I think thats what I needed to get myself on track.
Then on Saturday, I got pretty scared because my heart felt like it was going to beat outta my chest and then whenever I got up, I got dizzy and felt weak. I took a 81g aspirin and after about an hour, the pounding heart went away. I was pretty close to asking my husband to take me to emergency. I've been under alot of stress and family problems,so I dont know if it was a mix of just everything, that set my heart pounding.
So with that said, I HAVE to lose this weight.
Please learn from me and dont let yourself go and gain weight again. It's very scary to have a doctor tell you that you're going to die if you dont do something about your weight.
Thanks for listening and I'll try to get back here more often.
Have a good night!
Debbie

[Heather]

Debbie -- Use this to make and keep some new habits!!

Carol -- Feel better soon!

As for me, food is okay! I would like to eat a little less, but I'm not binging or going crazy and kept myself from really going nuts today. Yay me!

Exam week started today so the grading pile is growing again.

[dgramie]

Debbie _ its great to see you! We are here for you.
I gained back a total of 16lbs and now down to just 6lbs up. I am doing WW on my own with the help of my sisters who are on it. Its really working for me and is sure an eye opener to the fat I was eating daily even though my calories were right. There are alot of good websites out there to help and even ww has a free website.

4mygirls- I take my kids to a fenced in playground and walk the edges of it while they play.I can see them and am close enough to be to them in seconds..just alot better than just sitting there watching them for an hour.

Teri- great to see you. Enjoy your week off !!

Heather_ hi..got any big plans for the holidays

geo- what are your plans?Congrats on your son getting his first level I know you are proud!!

Well I got my tree up and all my decorations yesterday..I was about beat by the time I got finished.I really like my tree but i do need a few more snowmen ornaments to complete it.
I get to keep my granddaughter on friday and my plans are to sit and play with her all day long. I even got out all the Christmas stuffed animals my kids had when they were little for her to play with. I am excited to have a toddler in the house again for the holidays.
My food has been so easy its scary.I sure hope it continues through the holidays.Im hoping to be under 200 by the time my grandson arrives on feb 1.Im also planning on being at goal by summer.
hugs to all and have a great day!

[Terri in MO]

Hi ladies,

So yesterday I overdid it. But the weather was decent and the weathermen said that it was going to change for the worse soon. I finished cleaning out the barn; moved yard equipment; finished cleaning out the garden; hauled water tank and feed trough to the boys, etc. My lower back was killing me by the time I finally quit. No riding as I didn't think I could get off if I got on. I'm a little better today and trying to gently work out the stiffness. Lots of housecleaning to do today.

We have to go into the city today as its preliminary hearing day for my BIL's son and his ex-wife. They tried to do a plea bargain of only probation, no jail time, no restitution of the money they stole from BIL. The DA didn't accept that so DH has been subpoened to go. I'd rather stay home but I have to go to help DH get around.

Better get moving for now. Later!

[geoblewis]

Quick post on the Truvia sodas, the one's without any chemicals, sweetened with Stevia, no calories and no carbs...

First of all, the carbination on all the sodas is quite sharp. My boys didn't mind, but if you want to just slam a soda down, I don't think this is the brand to chug. I think the sodas would be fine as mixers with alcohol, like in a highball type of beverage like Jack and cola, rum and cola, or a Seagrams and lemon/lime. I definitely taste the sweetener aftertaste, but it's not as bad as some. If you already like drinking diet sodas, these might be okay for you.

I didn't like the root beer. It lacked the creamy factor I'm looking for in a root beer. My boys thought it was "okay" and they'd probably like it just fine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in it. I found them some soy ice cream and I found me some coconut cream ice cream for the holidays).

I tried to cola flavor and thought it was okay. The boys said they preferred it to a glass of water, and I would choose water over the cola.

Still haven't tried the lemon/lime or the ginger ale. Will get back to you on those.

I'm off to make dinner roll dough and pastry dough for pies and tarts.

[Debbie54]

Hi Ladies,
Heather,thanks so much....I needed that!
Debi, good to see you too! Sounds like you have your plan of attack ready to get yourself to goal by next summer.I just think if I had of kept on track, I would of been giving you a run on getting to goal too. Too late to look back now, just need to move forward.

I'm doing good still. Getting over this flu is still dragging on but slowly each day it's getting better. My heart hasn't been beating outta my chest anymore so that is a relief and food has been pretty good. Of course I usually do pretty well the first couple of weeks and then fall off the wagon again and with the holidays it's not easy, but I will plan on what food I'm going to eat and try and stay away from the sweets. It's been hard the last couple of days going to the stores and my hubby saying o look at the candy, or lets get some chips but so far I haven't bought into it and bought anything. I guess I should of taken him into the doc's office when they told me I'm sitting on a keg of dynamite and then he would realize how serious this is.
It's just one day at a time and sometimes 1 hour at a time.
Hope everyone is having a good night!
Debbie

[dgramie]

Just stopped in to say HELLO!! Got to get busy cooking and cleaning.NO LICKING my fingers!

[JuliaDH]

Good Morning Chickies! Having a great week, getting my sleep, vitamins, on plan, exercise and inspiration. I am working hard on not letting lifes knocks get me off track. It is a challenge. But I dont like whining and complaining...so must find a productive way to over come.

Hope you all who have been ill are healing.
Looking forward to getting my Christmas decoration going. I keep getting distracted with another cleaning job or the pile of mending that built up on my hubby's exercise machine. LOL he has been working out at the gym where he can go when on the road. Better get it cleared off so he can use it on the weekend! I will also dust it so he wont feel so bad about the lack of use it gets LOL...

Been surffing the net to find some new twists on traditional holiday fare. I love to add a new item to the traditional feast. And only the ones that make the grade pass onto the traditional menu!

Have a great day ladies...Enjoy your Thanksgiving...make sure your turkey baster & meat thermometer is working!

[geoblewis]

It's a good thing I skipped breakfast this morning!

I'm in recovery, on the sofa. Wore my stretchy pants...actually didn't eat as much as I used to, not by half, but I'm still full. I completely skipped dessert. The gravy and dinner rolls are singing their siren song to me, and the tryptophan buzz is wearing off. Fortunately, I'm too tired to get off the sofa!

[j-ann]

HAPPY BLACK FRIDAY LADIES.

I'm off work and staying home. We're having a cold, wet, rainy day and it's supposed to turn into a cold, wet, rainy and snowy day. Did my shopping on line Wed.night.

Remember last week when I went out to dinner two days in a row and stayed OP? Well I lost that control on Sunday and ate just about everything I've consciously (sp?) avoided except french fries. I did go to a WW meeting Wed. after work and amazingly I did lose 0.20 lbs. Thats 3.2 oz. Good thing I didn't wear jeans. I've been okay since then. It was an eye opener about how careful I have to be if I want to lose this weight.

Hope everyone is OP today. The first of the holiday challenges is past us. HURRAY!

I'm going to hang my Christmas wreath on the door and begin my day.