Age 50+ - Active Folks Over 50 -- #21

:welcome2:

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Active Folks Over 50 is a place to talk about fitness and healthy eating information as it relates to weight loss and/or maintenance--and also about any work, fun, hobby, or volunteer activites you're engaged in. In other words, the active part of your life!

Just a few guidelines for this thread:

- Raves about grandkids or ranting about your kids is out of bounds.

- Lengthy discussion of your illnesses, conditions, treatments, and medical procedures in general is also out of bounds on this thread. So is whining about old age!

- Positive stories of vacations taken, volunteer work, or achievements at work or elsewhere are highly encouraged! As are recommendations for books, movies, discussions of weight related issues, etc.

Join in!
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Happy February! I figured post-Super Bowl was a good time to begin a new thread.

How did everyone do with the game parties? I didn't do as well as I had hoped, but I did still show a calorie deficit... though not much of one. :o

But, another day has come!

Jay

Good Morning . . . :grouphug:

Since I live in a football-less bubble, I don't even know who won. :lol: Hope it was a great game for all you watchers, though.

:wave:

meowee, it was a cliffhanger, and it came down to the last minute of the game, and a fantastic, incredible catch. :faint:

I went to step class this morning, and I'm glad I went early because it's going to rain all day here. I think later I'll do my crunchless abs tape.

I'm really liking the way my body feels after that class, even if I don't stay for the whole thing. I use a lot more and different muscles. :D

See ya!

Jay

Hi all!
Jay - the ending of the game was spectacular! Those feet stayed inbounds - amazing!

Congrats on finding the step class, it sounds like a good workout!

I gave blood today, so I am altering the workout routine a bit for today. And my virtual trainer warned me that my next session is my "body and fitness test". Hmm - sounds ominous. I will report back on Wed.

Otherwise, it was a typical Monday at work, and we hope to get in some Wii sports and maybe some pinball tonight.

Hope everyone had a great start to the week!

Hi,
It sure was a great game. I don't usually watch a lot of football, but it was a great game. The finish was incredible. I ate healthy snacks during the game. It really helped to plan ahead.

We have our second day in a row with temperatures in the 30's. It's a heat wave.


Jay I'll have to try that dish next time I'm in Naples.

Have a super Tuesday.

We've got a snow wave. In other words, nothing is new. :lol3:

Hi all,

I got home at 8 on Sunday and just caught the last half of the Super Bowl. Awsome playing on both sides. I really wasn't routing for either side so I could enjoy the plays made. My grandson was for the Cardinals and said that after the game he went into his room and cried. He's 9. i guess some of the older guy probably did the same thing! Did anyone watch Ellen talk about the game? FUNNY. "the one guy threw the ball. this other guy caught it".

more snow for us tonight. Darn that groundhog!

Freda

Lori - I think that heat wave is over up here -7 windchill right now. And more snow :(

Freda - seems like the groundhog ALWAYS sees his shadow in MI.

A busy but good day here. Work is getting busy again - deadlines looming for several major projects.

But, I am still keeping balance among body, mind, spirit - which is a key for me. Today's workout was yoga, and aerobics - feels good to break a sweat :)

Well, time for some Wii sports - DH has it set up and is looking expectantly at me.

Have a GREAT Wed. all!

Really cold for us here... all things being relative... brrrrr! Down in the low 30s, freeze warnings, etc.

Yeah, Freda, I was sorry that the Cardinals lost because I like Kurt Warner and I like Larry Fitzgerald, and the team really was a surprise this season. But hey, you gotta love those Steelers, although it's a mixed bag sometimes! I'll never get over Ben and his motorcycle accident. DUH!!!

CountingDown, sounds like nothing about winter is stopping you from getting in your exercise! :cheer2:

Session with trainer yesterday--good! Went over what we'd done last week and added more things. I am finding sore places today! He gave me the standard regimen for cardio training. It alternates low-intensity/recovery days, where you keep the heart rate at a certain level for 30 to 60 minutes, with medium-intensity days or high-intensity days where one does intervals for about 20 minutes. It's about 4 days a week, then 3 days or up to 6 days when you go to intervals.

By week 3 one is doing high-intensity on one or two days. All of this is judged by heart rate, and I may need to get a heart rate meter for myself. The machines have heart rate sensor handles, but I know from experience that these can be pretty flaky.

It's kind of nice to have a plan like this. I think I was getting too random in my workouts.

Hope you're all staying warm!

Jay

"Leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again..." Well, I will be back in a few weeks. I hope it will be warmer.

Doing pretty good here. Finally packing tonight!

I hope everyone is doing well in this journey. It may take me a while to catch up when I get back, but I will talk to you all later.

Aloha! Jen

Aloha, Jen!!!! :cheer2:

Looking forward to hearing all about it!

Jay

Jen - TAKE ME WITH YOU!!!!! It is -9F right now - not counting the windchill. Seriously, have a WONDERFUL trip!

Jay - I like the heart rate monitor watch. Less cumbersome than the strap models (and less expensive). I found that the watch is pretty accurate, and easy to use. Polar makes several models in lots of price ranges.

Glad your session with the trainer was good. Sounds like you are gonna be seriously "in shape" soon! That sounds like an aggressive workout schedule!

Busy day today, church meeting right after my workout, and I just got home.
Tomorrow is a double shift, so I probably won't pop in. 3FC is blocked at work, so I can't sneak in a post.

I'm glad I don't have to do these night-time computer shifts very often!

Hope you all have a WARM Thursday!

Lot's of really pretty white snow for sale if anybody is interested. :lol: Real bargain prices. :yes:

Gosh, meowee, there seems to be a market glut--and we don't want it down here, either!

It's barely going to get into the 50s today, but it is still very sunny and bright.

CD, I don't have to do the cardio workouts on the days I go to step class, thank goodness! And I think he has it for four days a week max anyway for me. I can deal with that. From all of this, I've realized that I had slowly been slacking off again on my workouts. I'm glad I'm doing something new.

Flowingair, I take it you have family in Naples? It's really nice down there--warmer than it is here.

I'm still slogging away here... Eating has been good, too...

Where are our other folks? Yooooo hoooooo!!! C'mon, some of you must have something interesting to report! I hope...

Jay

Linda - haha - I will GIVE my snow away if someone will take it. I'm very tired of shoveling. But, that being said, they are predicting freezing rain for the weekend - I'd really rather have snow.

Jay - I need to mix up the workouts too. My body seems to get in a rut if I don't.
Well, a quick post from me. That extra shift ended up being cut in half. For once, the software processes ran error-free, and my phone stayed quiet - so I got done VERY early.

I am gonna take advantage of the extra time at home and get in some exercise :)

Stay warm all!

Hi everyone,
Jen-Have a great time for all of us.

Jay -yes, I have two sisters and my Dad in Naples. I also have a brother in Ft. Lauderdale. My Dad was telling me how cold it was in Florida. I just laughed.

CD- Your exercise routine is amazing. I've been really working on my elliptical and at lunch time- I'm doing a work out video. It's less intense than most video, but it keeps me out of the lunchroom.

Have a great day everyone.

Good Morning . . . :wave:

When I first got up, it ddefinitely felt like it was Saturday -- when you are an ORF, one day is more or less the same as every other. Maybe I'm trying to rush the rest of this winter along. :dizzy: Do you think?

Lori - thanks! I admire anyone that can do an elliptical, treadmill, bike, etc. I have a really hard time doing repetitive things. I can handle the multi-station weight machine since you change exercises frequently. Kudos to you!!!

I have come to believe that - while intensity is good, there is far too much emphasis put on it. At our age, consistency is more important - just do something! Intensity will come along eventually. And even if it doesn't, at least you are getting some exercise.

Linda - I hear ya! The sun was out today and it ALMOST felt - just a little bit - like spring!

Have a great weekend all!

Hey folks,

meowee, you've been in the snow too long if you're thinking of yourself as an ORF. :lol:

Well, my trainer did me in today. :faint: It wasn't all that bad, but a lot of it was "core work," and it gets you really deep! The exercises are interesting in that while you're busy concentrating on the part that is moving, you're not noticing that those core muscles are doing things... then later, you find out! :eek: I'm not too sore... yet... but I definitely knew I got a workout.

I think tomorrow has to be my day off from the gym... I'll see how I feel...

And that brings me to intensity. I think intensity is a good thing, but each person has to set their own level based on what's happening in their body. Obviously I am not going to be able to do step class like the 20-somethings for awhile yet! :lol: On the other hand, I was thinking about a woman I used to work with long ago. This was in the 80s when group classes for aerobics were just beginning to be popular. She would go to aerobics class, but every time she started to break a sweat, she would stop exercising! Well... it's one thing if you're out of breath, but she said it was just that she "didn't like to sweat." :dunno:

What do you folks think about that? I always thought that if you weren't exerting enough to begin sweating, you probably weren't getting much out of the activity.

I think things may warm up here this weekend. It's been sunny, though!

Jay

I think that sweat is a good thing! I used to be one of those folk that hated to sweat. Now, I love it. It makes me feel like I am really doing some good.

That being said, I had to work up to my current level of intensity. For way too many years, I felt I couldn't do things at a high level, so I did nothing at all. I owe my current success, AND being able to really re-shape my body, to starting with very moderate exercise - walking mostly. I slowly added in weights, then yoga, then aerobic dance, then pilates, and then the Wii.

I continue to challenge myself, by adding in heavier weights, or more reps. I can only do 18 regular pushups, but that is 18 more than when I started. :)

I think that exercising to meet your goals is the key. Different goals require different levels of intensity

Do you want to maintain or increase your fitness level?
Do you want to reshape/sculpt certain areas of your body?
Is exercise part of a weight loss plan? (are you counting on burning xxx calories per day?)

I've seen way too many folk start an aggressive plan and give up quickly. It burns them out, they suffer an injury from going to far to fast, or they just get bored or hate every minute of it.

I think (like with everything else) it is a balancing act for most of us. We learn what works for us through trial and error. Jay is really successful going to a gym and working out. That doesn't work for me at all. But both of us are successful because we have found what DOES work and what we can continue doing for the long haul.

My, I'm preachy today, aren't I? ;)
off :soap:

On a lighter note and long story short - I'm looking for a used tuba/euphonium. If anyone hears of one becoming available ...

Gotta fly - way too much to do today. I spent the morning doing our taxes and the FAFSA for DS2. Very happy that is DONE, but it has put me way behind schedule!

Hope you all have a productive/fun weekend!

Laurie

This forum sounds great. I just joined tonight. I'm committed to walking 45 minutes daily, and watching my calories. I read where joining an on-line message board will help my goal of healthy eating. I want to give my support also. As for the super bowl, I did fine.
237/237/150

Hi, Jada1! :welcome2: Glad to have you! I try to walk every day also--it's a great way to get started.

Counting Down, I can only do 10 women's-style pushups, so you've got me beat for all of my gym time. :lol:

I think many people make the mistake of thinking that "exercise" has to be this drastic level of effort that they remember from high school gym class. So they jump right into something too hard, they don't make sure they have the right shoes, they don't get any training or orientation... and like you say, they get injured or they burn out. We see a lot of such people here on 3FC.

It's just not necessary to go that far to increase fitness and fat-burning.

And it also depends on age and lifestyle! If a person is sedentary and has been that way for 5, 10, 20 years or more, then it's really a mistake to jump into high-level exercise.

We're going to a movie today--Slumdog Millionaire. I hear it's quite good. I hope I like it. Has anyone else seen it? No spoilers, now...

After that we're going to lunch. My friend wants to go to Cracker Barrel. :eek: This is kind of a danger zone... and they don't have any nutrition information on line, but I can pretty much figure out just how bad it is... I'll let you know how it turns out.

Jay

And a rousing Good Morning to all . . . :grouphug:

Jada :welcome: Glad you found us! I like to walk too. I'm a fair weather walker, and do DVDs and my Wii in the winter.

Jay - give is a movie review when you get back. I haven't been to a movie in years - I used to mystery shop a DVD rental chain, but I haven't even done that in about 3 years.
As far a Cracker Barrel goes - I either order from the sides menu, the kids menu or get the egg sandwich - no mayo. Scrambled egg on sourdough with tomato isn't too bad - but just say NO to the hashbrown casserole. That stuff is dangerous!

The sun is shinging here, and we lost a lot of our snow yesterday. YIPEEE! Today is DS1's bday, so we will spend a chunk of today on the phone with him. :)

As far as the pushups go - 6 months ago, I couldn't hardly do one regular pushup. DH has vowed to add one every time he has a birthday - thus, he does 51 in a set. I decided that I did need to work on my upper body strength, so it has been a focus for the last 6 months. It is paying off - though I'm afraid my "bat wings" are here to stay. Too old, too much fat for too many years. But, at least I know that there are some serious tricep muscles underneath :lol:

Enjoy this fine Sunday! I'm off to get some cooking done for the week ahead :)

Hi to all--Welcom Jada,

This has been an interesting discussion on exercise. I agree with Jay and Laurie that if you don't work up a sweat your intensity is not where it should be. You do need to work up to it, though. I defintely work to high intensity on my elliptical. I watch some old comedies to keep my mind busy while I work out. I used to watch the news, but that's just too stressful given our current economic situation.

At work I can't get all sweaty, but I want to get in some activity so I work on a low intensity video for 20-25 mins. I try to combine both worlds. I still need to work on weights. I used to belong to a gym, but just can't find the money right now.

Yeah, it's starting to warm up, spring is still a ways away, but you know it's coming.

Laurie- a few months back you referred to a calorie counting web site. I thought it was something different than Fit day. Do you still use it?

have a great day!

Hey again! Well, my friend and I skipped Cracker Barrel and went to Chili's instead, where I do know a couple of things on the menu that I can have without fear. :D :cheer:

I predict Slumdog Millionaire will be Best Picture of the Year. It's certainly worth that. Many things that happen in the movie are intense and difficult, but it is so well made, and the story is so compelling!

See you all tomorrow!

Jay

Thanks for the warm welcome. I was active all day with walking at the park or watching the ducks and running errands. In an earlier post, Jay mentioned how important it is to wear the right shoes, and I can attest to that. I just recently finally bought the right shoes after feeling the deterioration of my left knee. It was getting to the point where the next step was to ask my doctor for rehab to stop my limping (which is not normal for me). Today, all day, I was able to get out of my car multiple times without being in pain. Sorry to be boring. It was ecstactic for me to find out my problem was that I was just wearing the wrong shoes.

Hey Jada1, I had the same thing happen to me years ago--it was both knees. I thought something terrible must be happening, and I was only in my 20s. But it was only worn-out shoes without the right support.

Jay

Good Morning all,

Haven't been around for awhile. Family health problems. It was almost nice here this weekend. The sun was shining and the wind was blowing. Melted most of the snow and dried things up a bit.

I agree with all that has been said about exercise. It's a must to get the weight off and keep it off. an for health too. Start slow and build up. Don't try to do too much at first, you could cause some injury and use that as an excuse to quit.

Laurie, You do 18 full body push up's? You must have some serious muscle thre! I do sissy push up's and not that many of them!

Jay, The Cracker Barrel has some good vegetable platters. That is what I usually get when I go there. I've actually never looked at their calorie counts. probably don't want to know. At least with the vegetables I tell my self that it's half way healthy.

Flo, have you looked at SparksPeople for calorie counts an diet guide? they have a pretty good one too.

Jada, Welcome. it does help to have someone to talk to and get advice from and share the victories and sometimes get you back on tract! I'm sure you will like it here.

Freda

It was cold and windy today, so I went window shopping to get my walking in. For the past couple of months I have been consciously trying to be aware of the foods I'm addicted to and just not buying it. For instance, instead of buying regular bread, I just buy sour dough, because I can control myself with it, and yet still enjoy it. I don't know if it's healthy or not, but I figure it's healthier than eating a whole loaf of regular bread within two days.
A clap of hands to everyone for doing so well in committing themselves to their goals. I, for one, don't think it's an easy thing to do. But I believe it can be done and your all excellent role models to help me see, for sure, that it can be done. I will do it, I will do it, I will do it. And I will enjoy myself doing it.

Lori - The Daily Plate (http://www.thedailyplate.com/) is the other calorie counting website chickies around here use. I ended up getting the software from Calorie King (http://www.calorieking.com/) (who also has an online counter) for my PDA. I do still use it, but not daily. I have eased up on my daily journaling. Though, I get right back at it if my weight starts creeping up. I have gotten really good a counting in my head.

Jada - I've had similar issues with shoes too. I swear, it takes me longer to find the proper shoes for my feet than it does to pick out anything else!

It was a busy day today - my computer stopped working in my second office sometime over the weekend. Not a good start to the week. I am so thankful that I have two work spaces!

I did another session with "My Fitness Coach" today - I am really liking the workouts. A tad repetitive with a couple exercises, but otherwise, it is great! My heart rate is in my target zone every time I check it :D

DH made roasted veggies while I was working out tonight - they are almost done. The smell is incredible! I think I need to go make a pot of tea to go with them :)

Hope you all had a great day, and have some fun planned for tomorrow!

Good Morning all,

I walked to the drug store this morning. Outside! Without my hat and gloves on! I know this weather won't last but it sure is nice right now. Kind of a gentle reminder that yes, spring really will come.

Jada, we all have trigger foods that we can't bring into the house. Mine is corn chips. I can't just eat a few. i will eat them untill I make myself sick. That's and easy fix, I just don't buy them. It's not like i'm depriving anyone of anything, no one needs those empty calories any way. butter pecan ice cream! Love it. Don't buy it!!! I'm the only one that eats it and I can't even lie and say it's for someone else. And it is hard work! but it does get easier, really. so, hang in there girl!

Eveyone, I hope you are enjoying this lovely weather too,

Freda

Countingdown, I love roasted veggies too.
Slim me, It sounded wonderful to be walking in warmer weather. That first day of warmth is always the best.
I did my walk this morning. It was a great day. I enjoyed admiring the beauty of the snow up on the mountains and was glad it was on the mountains only.
My focus for the day is to keep a positive attitude about the changes I have to make to eat healthier. I figure if I set a goal for myself, I need to enjoy working towards the goal, or don't set it in the first place, otherwise I'm just being masochistic, which isn't healthy. I have a right to be enthusiastic about my life.
A good thing that happened yesterday was that I took my son out to a mexican food restaurant for his birthday, and I totally forgot to order my favorite fried ice cream. I didn't think about it until I left the restaurant.

Hey folks!

Well, my trainer kicked my butt again... Dear me... It's sure good stuff, though. I read somewhere that older people really need to keep their legs strong. One of the best simple exercises for that is just not to use your hands when you stand up out of a chair. Move to the edge of the chair, though, so you can get your legs under you.

My trainer has me trying that with one leg! :eek: I can't do that without using my other leg a bit for support. Yet!

Jada, you're doing so well! I love the thought of looking at snow on the mountains. I grew up in Salt Lake. Here in Fla. there are no mountains at all, and obviously no snow. But, we do have some nice things to look at.

Also, Jada, you'll find ways, as you stick with what your doing, that you can plan ahead and enjoy the foods you like--you just have to rediscover moderation and know what you're getting into. :yes: I love Mexican food, too, but one of my tricks in to skip the rice and beans and only order a la carte. There are other tricks as well, like choosing better entrees.

Slim me, butter pecan... :drool: I can't have ice cream in the house... usually... except that, you may remember, I was able to forget about the Ben & Jerry's for my partner's birthday until she finished it off! :cheer: That was a great accomplishment for me! But in general, if I decide I have to have ice cream, I go out and buy some to eat right then and there.

Lori, I'm a FitDay fan myself. And by now, I'm so used to it, I might as well stay with it. I bought the download version.

CD, I hope your computer stuff is straightened out...

Well, time for me to find an ice pack...

Jay

Freda - corn chips are one of those foods for DH. We stopped buying them here too. I much prefer broccoli slaw nuts, baby carrots for that "crunch" appeal. Ive been known to season them in strange ways, though :)

Jay - hope the ice pack did the trick. I'm so proud of you for taking this next step. What an awesome thing! Your consistency and dedication and "up" attitude just inspires me! What a blessing to have you here to be an example for all of us :D

Jada - :congrat: on the fried ice cream. I've never had it, but it just SOUNDS like empty calories. Really, if I can pass on one thing to anyone, it is this: successful weight loss is made "one decision at a time". It isn't about the BIG picture. It is about each and every choice. String together enough good choices, and you WILL change your lifestyle. And - a few less than perfect choices - really don't matter, in the scheme of things.

Way too busy today. No boring details, but work is crazy, church obligations are crazy - but my eating is totally normal (meaning healthy). WOW!!! I can't tell you how awesome that is. The "old" me would have used foood as a comfort, reward, pacifier. The new me had to grab a protein bar for dinner since she forgot to eat.

WOW! I really LIKE the new me :D

Thanks for your support Jay. It was good to read that I was doing well. Sometimes I wonder. Believe it or not, I never thought to order a la carte. Thanks for the suggestion. It really added to my awareness of where I'm going wrong. I really think it's great you have a trainer. I would like to do that eventually. It seems like it would help me to keep in good shape. I used to go to 24 hour fitness and enjoyed the comraderie. Have to get back to it.
Counting Down: I read your Pictorial Journey and your Goal Story. Great writing. I have an obese family too. I have an aunt who had to use two chairs to sit down. Nobody had problems with their knees though. They were always able to walk without a cane. I can relate to your story about what made you decide to do something about your weight. I wasn't able to get into a man's truck. He had to help me. I was so humiliated. It pushed me into taking my weight seriously.
I did my walk today. My weight is going down. Down two pounds from Feb.1 and one pound from when I started this board. This is where I mess up. When I start to improve, I slack off. Being on this board will help me keep accountable. Hugs to everybody.

Jada, thank you for your kind words. It is hard to find the right mix to keep us moving on this journey. But, you are so right. Coming daily to 3FC was a HUGE help for me. There is an accountability thread (http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=163269) in the 50+ forum where you can post your daily/weekly progress. I did that during my weight loss and it was helpful to publicly post. It sometimes kept me from straying when I was tempted. Walking is great exercise. It is the staple of my plan when the weather cooperates. I don't like walking outside in the snow and ice, so I move indoors for winter.

Hope everyone is doing well. It has been an intense few days, with lots going on at work, church, and community. I'm hoping for a bit of a slow-down this weekend. I'm researching mp3 players - does anyone have a favorite? Mine bit the dust this week. Ipods are the staple, but the rebel in me wants something else ;)

Hey everybody,

Sorry to be so late today--I'm kinda bummed out. :( My weight has gone up 3 pounds in the last 5 days. Now I know that's not all fat, because I would have had to eat over 10,000 calories beyond my daily burn! And although I did go over my calories, I didn't go THAT far.

But, it's also not all water weight. My scale tells me that.

I like to think that some of it is lean body mass--muscles, bone--but still. 3 pounds???? Must be all that aerobics, step class, and training. :lol:

So, I'm pretty grumpy about it, but the thing to do is to get myself in hand here and make sure I stay on track with the food. As long as I do that, I can just watch what the scale does and not freak out. :fr:

Jada, stick with what you're doing! It's not enough just to iimprove, although it's good to do that. You want to sustain that effort and drop some more. Yeah, I'm unhappy about that recent gain--although it's probably a fluke--but I'm still down a long ways from my high weight, and I can only be happy about that! :cheer2:

I hope things lighten up for you soon, CD!

Where are all our other active folks? Out there being active, I hope...

Jay

P.S. I like 24 Hour Fitness, too! But we don't have them down here--at least not in my area. My center is like that, but isn't open 24 hours.

Jay, I'm really sorry about seeing the 3 pound increase on your scale. I know I should stay positive, but it is such a terrible feeling to see your hard work not show up on the scale. I hope it decreases again soon.
CountingDown: I posted to the "Accountability Thread." Thanks for telling me about it. Looks good.
Whoever mentioned the broccoli salad, it sounded real good, so I've been trying to find recipes for one. I'll have to see if the board has any.

Hi all,

I worked yesterday, and by the time I got off at 8 it was pouring rain . I got drenched just walkin to the car. It's finally stopped raining, but it rained most of the night and the wind was just howling. I had to sleep on the couch with my little dog. he is so afraid of storms, and we baby him.

Jada, Like Laurie said, it's one decision at a time. and you will get used to it and learn how to eat out without doing a lot of damage. And don't think of not losing weight as a loss. If you are eating right and exercising, you are getting healthier and stronger every day. I hae a great, simple recipe for broccoli salad. I'll send it to you. I have some in the fridge right now. YUM!

Jay, You know if you're doing everything right the 3 pounds will go away. Probably all those new muscles you making! How hot are you going to look this summer!!

Laurie, part of the weight loss/maintenace is taking one day at a time, part of it is planning ahead. If I didn't make a menu for the week I don't know if I would do as well. I like knowing what I'm going to eat every day and not having to make last min. decisions. I kind of make a game of it too.

Hope eveyone is having a great day,

Freda

The scale-:devil: definitely has a mind of his own . . . he likes to stir things up periodically just to see what kind of reaction he can get. Just ignore his blatherings and keep on doing your best. :hug:

Hi,
I am new to this site. Just found it browsing. I am over 50 quite abit. I am 61. I feel much younger most of the time. I am striving to live a healthier more active lifestyle. I am planning ,what is for me, a vacation of a lifetime in mid April and want to be in the best shape possible. I want to take advantage of every moment and opportunity. I signed up with a personal trainer when I joined my local health club a few weeks ago. I used my time with him to develop a plan that is right for me and to become well acquinted with the machines I will be using. In the past I have not gotten the trainer and the complimentary intro to the club and machines left much to be desired. I was never sure I was doing things right and no one could be found when I needed help. My frustration usually led to my quiting before I began.
I now feel that I know what to do in what sequence etc.etc.etc.

I love to travel and since I have lost much of the weight I want to loose I want to get involved in more active travel. This April I will be going to the Galapogus Islands. I have always wanted to do this and I feel if I don't do it now I will get to a point physically where I will no longer be able to do it. Also it is rumored that the powers that be may severly limit the number of tourists if not close part of the Island all together. I have got to see the marine iguanas and the blue footed boobies. Will also snorkel with sea lions. Yeah ! This is why I am trying to get stronger and healthier. My next hurdle is to find hiking boots or shoes that come in narrow widths. I have extremely narrow feet. My head is small and my feet are narrow...don't know what happened to the parts in between. My grandfather would say too much physique too little feet.

I am looking forward to learning about you guys and discovering new adventures.

Wow! Soontobe, what a wonderful trip plan!!! The Galapagos is on my trip list, too! :cheer2: Now that is a great motivator--I'm so glad you found a gym where you've learned a process you can use. You've made great progress, I see! And, :wel3fc:

Hey Jada, I'm glad to have your comments and commiseration. I guess if there's one thing I've learned on this journey, it's that no matter what happens, don't quit. So--I won't. I'll just have to regroup and see what happens next. Treat it like an experiment.

meowee, yes, I know you are very familiar with the scale-:devil:

I went to the grocery store this evening, and the baked goods were calling to me. That's weird, because they don't call me very often. I just noticed that that's what was happening and went on about my business. Got a lot of good, healthy foods that won't blow the plan. :D

the slim me, you're right--if I stick with the plan, those pounds will go away. I must say I am pretty hot in my bathing suit these days. :lol:

CD, I hope you're getting out from under the rush! yikes!

Last night I did not snack in the evening. I thought it would kill me, but it didn't. I think I let that habit just get rather out of hand...

OK, see you all later! :wave:

Jay

Hi all! Still busy this week, but I think the end is in sight. The presentation to the school superintendents went well, and I'm glad it is done :) One MAJOR project down. Three more to go.

Jay - much of that COULD be water weight. I find that every time I switch up my exercise and take on something more intense, I do gain 2-4 lbs. With 4-8 days, those extra lbs. are usually starting to disappear. While I know that scale going up is discouraging, keep it up - you are getting more fit, and that is far more important than that pesky scale. If it continues to nag, banish it to the closet for a couple weeks.

Night time snacking has always been an issue for me, so I limit myself to 100 food calories. I usually find that I prefer veggies with Laughing Cow or popcorn since I can eat a lot of food for few calories. DH likes Fiber One (dry) :shrug: Of course, I have a long standing tradition of about 100-150 calories of "beverage" most evenings. But, I plan for it so it doesn't seem to have hampered my progress.

soontobe :welcome: WOW, that sounds like a AWESOME trip. Take me! Take me!!!! Active travel was definitely one of my major motivators for losing weight. Our kids like active vacations and I always felt bad turning them down when they asked us along. Now we can keep up with them hiking and skiing and the like :D I can't wait to hear about your trip. I hope you will post pictures when you get back!

Freda - we got the rain too. It melted most of the snow :D We have freezing rain tonight :( February in MI is a pain!

Jada - I don't have a broccoli salad recipe, so if you find one, post it :)

I did order a new mp3 player to replace my broken one. It shipped today :D I'm in serious audio book withdrawl right now.

Jay mentioned bathing suits. Does anyone have a favorite brand or place to find one. I don't have one that fits right now, and I'm less than thrilled with what is on the rack at Wal-Mart and Meijer. I haven't checked out JCP yet, but those are the only stores we have here that have them. Tankinis seem to be really popular, but I don't see myself in one. A nice one piece that covers EVERYTHING would be a nice find.

meowee: Using a picture of the devil for a scale was too funny. I laugh everytime I look at it. Too cute.
Welcome soontobelessofme: I'm new to the board too. Welcome!!! I've wanted to go to the G. Islands for a long time. I look forward to hearing how you enjoyed yourself. I was quite a traveler in my young days, so there's not too many places left for me to see that I want to see, but I still haven't been to London, so I guess that will be my next trip in a few years.
the slim me: It was so cute picturing you cuddling your little dog through a bad storm. Congrats on losing so much weight.
Jay: I liked how you said to regroup. It made me think that I, too, need to stop and take a deep breath sometimes to take a look at what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong, and then move forward again. Sometimes I may not even be doing anything wrong, but just need to be creative to keep things interesting.
CountingDown: Congratulations on your presentation. Very impressive. I have a problem with night time snacking too. Right now I'm trying to resolve it by eating six small meals a day. For my last meal of the evening I fix eggs and applesauce. So far it's working. I also do some exercises because it tires me out so I'll sleep instead of think of food.

Hey! :wave:

CD, I like Speedo suits. I know, dull and old fashioned. But I've always preferred a one-piece suit. Mine has the straps that cross in the back--that's the best! I got it online.

In fact, this is my suit:

http://www.speedousa.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3106501&cp=3124324.3128417.3131378.3131562

OK, boring--but I love it! I want to swim, not be a fashion statement.

They do have floral prints and different designs even in the "Conservative" line.

Thanks also for the tip about exercise, CD. Maybe that's what did it. I guess I'm like so many others on 3FC--I only want the scale to go one direction, even though I know in my head that it doesn't work that way.

See ya!

Jay

Good Morning all,

At last, the rain has stopped. Bad news, it turned colder again too. Not as cold as before, but no more walking outside for awhile, id' guess. I envy those of you that are able to walk outside all year long.

Soontobe, Welcome!! Congratulations on your decision to get healthier and lose weight! An I want to go with you on vacation too!!! I hope you will post pictures.

Laurie, I'm sure you're glad to get the prsentation over with. I hope you get caught up on everything soon. Night time snacking is my biggest problem. I also plan for snacks, usually something with a little protein to get me through the night. but i don't really think it's hunger, it's more habit. Or mine is. Something I continue to work on. As you know, I am a serious Audio book fan too, so I feel your pain! ha!! Did you look at TJMXX for vathing suits? They have gotten a lot in and the prices can't be beat!

Jay, congratulations on not snacking in the evening!! is it a problem for all of us? Sharp bathing suit.

Jada, I posted the broccoli salad recipe in the recipe section. I hope you like it.

Everyone, make it a good day,

Freda

Hi gang . . . whoever sent this really awful weather can have it back. :yes:

The Slim Me: I found the broccoli salad recipe. Thanks. I'm fixing it tonight. I'm substituting ground turkey for the bacon (I have to watch my salt) and I'm using vinaigrette spritz instead of the dressing. We'll see how it goes. I'm also going to add a banana.
Jay: I like your bathing suit. Very stylish.
I did my walk today and staying in control of my eating. I bought yogurt today to substitute for my eggs and applesauce for my evening snack.

Jada - I'm a firm believer in 6 small meals! It has been one of the pillars of my program!

Jay - oooh, thanks for the link. I like it! Looks like it will keep the "girls" where they belong, which is always a challenge for me.

Freda - I make sure I get protein every other time I eat. My nighttime snack doesn't seem to need a protein balance. A bit of Laughing Cow, or half a string cheese with my veggies is usually enough. During the day, is another story. If I don't get enough protein, I'm a ravenous beast http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/nahrung/f080.gif

I hope the weather gets warmer soon. I'm missing the sunshine we had earlier!

I'm glad this week is over - it was a rough one! But, I DID get in 30 minutes with my virtual trainer and another 30 on the wii fit tonight after work. Even though I just wanted a nap when I got home.
:woohoo:

Hope you all have a great weekend and a http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/5790/363134pd.gif

Hi Everyone, I didn't realize how long I've been off line until I read all the posts.

Welcome Soontobe!

I've been so overwhelmed at work. I'm working on a musical presentation with my fifth graders on the Constitution to present to parents and the school. Feb. 26th. I don't know exactly how it turned into a musical instead of just a play. Sometimes things just start to roll. It is quite cute and I think they'll really walk away learning something about the Constitution.

I've also been busy on Fitday. I couldn't get on the website all the times I tried,previously. I finally figured out I needed to accept the cookie and it let me on. It really is eye opening seeing the pie chart of your day's food intact. I think it should really be a help on my journey. I"ll check out the others too.

I did lose a pound. So things are paying off. I'm on my way to Onederland.

Have a great day.

I have been so busy reading trying to catch up I have little time to post!!
You all sound great! Everyone working hard and trainers to boot!!:jig:

I would love to get a trainer but worry that they would just about kill me. I did 4 days at the gym last week and this week none. Too many appointments. Grrrr.
Have not lost any weight and the month of January has slipped into February and that is half gone. :shrug:
But tomorrow is Valentines day and so heres to a happy Valentines day to you all. :val3:

I found an OA BBook meeting online and have been following that. I suffer from a physical addiction and a mental obsession with food. Like so many. It is helping with the mental part. I am still following the Kay Sheppard program that I found here a 3FC. It is fabulous. I just have not put all the junk food down. I have posted it to Fitday and it comes up glowing. About 1600 calories. Now if I can just stay with that I would be doing great. Working on it though and it is getting better. :rollpin:

I like your comment Laurie about one decision at a time. That and Jay said to me ages ago " if I had to wait till I wanted to go to they gym I would never go" So now I do what I need and have to start to make decisions as they come up. That is what it is all about. Can only change today and what is to come. Can not fix those past choices. Wish that it was so and then I would still be a lovely 130 pounds. :belly:

So hi! hi! hi! have missed you all. Thanks for all the support and here comes spring. Looks like Jay is into her bathing suit. Yikes I had better get busy as I want to do some beach time this summer....if it ever stops raining. :swim:

Cheers....Jude:comp:

:val1: . . . Happy Valentines Day to you and yours . . . :grouphug:

Lori - good for you! Keeping a food/exercise journal is one of the most important things I did on this journey. It held me accountable. It made me think about everything I put in my body. Many times I made a better choice, just because I knew I had to log it.

Jude - good to have you back! And you are so right. We can't change the choices we made in the past, but we can learn from them. You really can do this! I remember 215 and there were some great things about that weight
- I was close to ONEDERLAND - which was a tangible goal
- I COULD exercise - walking made me feel so much better. I found I loved aerobic dance, yoga and even using handweights on a fitness ball. Pre-journey I had convinced myself that I was too fat and out of shape to even think about some of those things. WRONG!
- I COULD lose weight on 1600 calories :D Steadily!

As I said to Lori - logging everything does help. And - give yoga a try. I found that it helped on many levels - including the emotional eating :D

Linda - hope the weather is improving your way!

And, I hope everyone has a great weekend! Busy day planned here - church activities for 4-5 hours, and some cleaning and laundry. And I've got to get in the 3FC 5K too!

Happy Valentine's Day!

This forum has the cutest icons. They make me smile. Jude, that smiley face sitting at the computer is the cutest thing.
I did my walk and I still feel in control of my eating. It has really helped me to break down my daily meals into six parts. Also, using broccoli as my mainstay in meals, helps. It takes a long time to chew, so it feels like my meals are lasting longer.
Happy Valentines Everybody!!!! and thank you for everything.

Jada, I love broccoli! :drool: I like to put a bit of lowfat salad dressing on it, or even use a salad spritzer, just for variety. :broc:

hijude! You're baaaack! :broc: :broc: :broc: Glad to see you're still posting and hanging in there! We missed you! :yes: :hug:

I'm trying an experiment for the next month... along the lines of my trainer suggesting I should be eating more. I'm really afraid about it, but I think staying with it faithfully for a month will tell me whether it has any merit. The main thing is, it has to be healthy calories, I think. More of the good-quality foods I would usually eat.

flowingair! I'm glad you dropped in--sounds like you've been way too busy! :faint:

I made it a pretty good day, Freda!

Happy Valentines day, my friends! :love:

Jay

Jada - I like 6 meals a day too. My current way to eat broccoli is in broccoli slaw - it goes great in a pita along with spinach, craisins, feta, and almonds. It has become my new favorite sandwich :)

Jay - one other thought on your plan - which might be a strategy you can throw in if you are still stalled. I had some luck breaking a plateau with calorie cycling for a couple weeks. On the days you train, eat more, the days you do lighter exercise, eat less. I was so locked into x number of calories per day, that a simple strategy like - giving my body more fuel on high-intensity days didn't cross my mind. Now, I just do it naturally. I guess I did teach this "old dog" a new trick ;)

Have a great Sunday all!

Broccoli slaw does sound very good.
I did my walk today. My weight is going down. Only a pound, but it went down. I was afraid with the changes I made, my weight would go up, but it didn't.
I didn't lose much weight, so I'm thinking if I should cut something else out of what I eat or just keep doing what I'm doing. I'm walking more, so maybe I'm gaining some muscle. I guess I'll wait for another month before I start experimenting again.

Hi to all
Jude welcome back!

Laurie thanks for your encouragement. I think I'm finally on the right road. I think the added exercise and journaling will make a nice difference.

Jay- I'm always impressed with your desire to keep mixing up your exercise program to make it more effective.

I went cross country skiing today. The trails were not well groomed so it was extra work, but every bit of exertion helps. We still had a good time looking at the snow covered trees and sunny skies for a change. By the way I'm up north for a long weekend-no snow in southern Michigan.

I hope everyone had a great Valentine. I got a dozen roses and no chocolate from dh, I was so glad. It's nice not having to deal with my favorite chocolate. Have a great President's Day. Lori

Hey Lori! :wave:

I've never done cross-country skiing, although I thought I might in my younger days. A friend of mine who is only a couple of years younger recently went snowshoeing for the first time and liked it, although it's pretty strenuous from what she said.

She's quite athletic, though--has decided to do the AIDS Ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. She did it a few years ago, when she was about 50 pounds heavier, and is looking forward to not being at that disadvantage this time.

Jada, I'd say just keep doing what you're doing for now. A person can go crazy trying to constantly adjust the plan to "make" things happen.

This is my third day of eating at a higher calorie level. Yesterday I could barely get through dinner, and for the first time in a long time, I didn't have to fight food cravings in the evening. I didn't eat up to my calorie level for the day because I just... couldn't... As I said, I'm committed to trying this for a month. So far, the scale is going down a bit, but I have learned not to get enthusiastic about that...

Busy day here... Presidents Day or not.

See ya!
Jay

Hi all - a quick noontime post.
A different day here - school is on break today, and - although I have to work, the electricians are doing some work on the system. So, I can't do much of what I should be doing at work. Thus, I worked half a day at school and I'm working the rest of the day from home where I have a working computer and Internet :)


Hope you had a great start to the week!

Laurie
We are going out of town tonight with friends, so I may not make it back today.

I'm so happy! My scale went down again this morning. I wasn't hungry yesterday, so I thought for sure the scale would go up. I guess it is true, that you can lose weight without starving yourself.

Hi there . . . :wave:

Jay -that's quite a race from San Francisco to LA. I can't imagine being able to run or walk that far. Your friend must be amazing.

Laurie-I'm glad you were able to work at home. Is it easier or harder with the distractions.

Nothing too new happening here. Have a great Tuesday. I'm basck to work Wed. My break was really nice.

Well the most inspired I have ever been is by a woman who had no idea what she now weighed and she looked fabulous. Thin almost. She had not weighed herself in 7 years and was going entirely on how she felt.

Anyone read any of Geneen Roth's books? Loved them. ;)

Jay a friend of mine was told the same thing by her trainer. She had to eat more to lose. Something to do with metabolism I guess. I remember a dietician telling me that you had to eat enough calories a day to run you body and everyone is different. There is a key to figure this out but it fails me at the moment.:o

Anyway after that it was all exercise and burning off the calories. It was important to not be falling into that starvation level where your body starts to store everything as fat. :?:

Hope you are all having a good day. I had a bad food day yesterday. Some leftover feelings about Valentines day. Geez.....
Today was a better day....:hun:

Hope you are all well and hope the sun comes back soon....:yoga:

Did not make it to the gym. :?: There is only so much time in the morning. I may have to start setting an alarm and getting that agenda going.:carrot:

Nite all................:write:

Good morning!

Jada, congratulations on that pound! :cheer2: :cheer2: :cheer2:

flowingair, I should have explained more. It's actually a bicycle ride from SF to LA. Still, it is plenty long enough, and it takes the participants 7 days to do it. (It's over 400 miles--not sure of the exact distance.) She was close to 200 pounds last time she did the ride, and was often bringing up the rear--but she made it the whole way. However, she didn't lose any weight, even with all that training (they train for months before the ride), and that helped her decide to join Weight Watchers.

meowee, are you still frozen in place?

soontobelessofme, are you still with us?

the slim me, are you hanging in there?

CountingDown, did the visit with friends go OK?

Jude, I think people like that are very lucky.

As for me... I can't believe what is happening. The goal I set in FitDay was to lose 3 pounds in one month with the higher calorie level. I've done 3 full days of this new plan, and I'm down more than 2 pounds as of this morning. :faint: I know that any time one tries something different, weight can change a lot at first--so I'm not shouting yet. But I'm eating something like 300 calories more per day than I was allowing myself on the old plan. In fact, I can hardly get up to as many calories as I'm supposed to eat. (They are all "good" calories, by the way. I didn't decide to eat candy, of course.)

Now I'm wondering if perhaps with all the exercise I have been doing for years, my metabolism has changed in a good direction, and I just didn't trust it.

Well, I'm in it for a month anyway! We'll see!

Jay

Good Morning Everybody,
Flowingair: I 've been thinking about your quote "Quitting is not an option." It has been in my thoughts since I started this board. That quote keeps me going. Especially when I don't see my weight go down as fast as it went up.
Jay: Thanks for keeping me focused, especiallly about saying a person can go crazy if you change your meal plans. I didn't listen to you of course. Somebody else had told me to keep doing what I'm doing. May have been you again. I get angry at myself for not listening. I can be such a know it all, when I should be listening. I didn't listen to you and I made Teriyaki sauce for my broccoli and chicken, instead of sticking with the vinaigrette spritz. I gained back the pound I lost, but my official weigh-in isn't until Sunday, so I'll get back to the vinaigrette. I was told twice not to change my menu, and I didn't listen. Grrrrrrrrr. That's why I never lose any weight. Little Miss Know It All.
Meowee: Hi there. I always appreciate your checking in to say hi. Sorry I never said hi back, but wanted you to know, it makes my day when you take the time to say hi.
Hijude: Sorry about your "leftover feelings about Valentines Day." Holidays are supposed to be a time for celebration, but they sure can remind us of what's missing. I lost my husband fourteen years ago, and it's just getting to where I can celebrate again. This past Thanksgiving I actually baked & cooked a holiday meal and joined in on celebrating with other family members, when I was just going to the casinos to eat, because I just couldn't get interested in doing what I used to do.
I'm not sure if I'm going to walk today. It's so peaceful at home today. I've been busy with family, and it's been raining and cold. The neighbor kids are back in school, so it's nice and quiet around her again. Sometimes I just like to luxuriate in peace and quiet.

Hi . . . :grouphug:

Oh this yucky Winter is really, really getting me down. Actually, I should be in better humour today because the sun is shining, but all I can think about is the next blizzard that's predicted for Thursday. I just may have to think about becoming one of those Canuky SnowBirds who all converge on Florida every year. :lol:

Meowee, all your buds are down here now! C'mon down, eh? ;)

Jay

Lori - I like working at home. It is a nice change. I don't have trouble staying on track since I pretty much set my daily agenda and report only to myself when I am in the office - thus I am used to managing my time well and staying on track.

Jay :woohoo: excellent news :) Keep it up!

Jude - I have to set an alarm - otherwise I would never make it up to exercise!

Jada - I love my peace and quiet too. I love my family, but an occasional day by myself is HEAVEN!

Linda - LOL, I always laughed at the "snowbirds" fleeing Michigan in the winter - now DH and I can't wait until we can join them! Not sure if we will ever go as far south as Jay - but certainly down around TN where my family is :)

We DID have a lovely dinner last night. A wonderful restaurant in Traverse City called Red Ginger. Excellent Asian cuisine - and good company as well :) It was quite a drive for an evening meal, but the roads were clear and dry. We didn't make it home until after 11 though, so I didn't get a chance to get back.

Doing well here - my mp3 player arrived, so I need to spend the evening putting my books and music on it :)

Oh Happy DAY!

Hey folks,

How's it going today?

Jada, the scale can fluctuate by that much just for no reason at all, so don't get discouraged. It was probably the salt in the teriyaki sauce that made you hold on to a bit of water.

That's why it's good to take the long view and not try to change things too often. :)

Did everyone get out for their walk or other exercise? I went for a walk--but I'm supposed to take a day off from the gym today. It's really hard for me to do that these days, but I do need the recovery time.

CD, so you got your new MP3 player! :carrot:

I'm continuing with my new food plan--so far so good--scale was up a little this morning, but not by much! "Trust the process"...

Lots of tax returns are starting to come in now. Some of you know that I prepare taxes as a sideline during this time of year. :eek: So I'm always stressed out a bit, and my gym time and walking really helps there.

For those of you in the U.S. doing your own taxes, be sure not to miss the additional deduction for real estate taxes paid. It gets added to the standard deduction if you don't have enough total deductions for itemizing. If you use software to do your taxes, the program should prompt you for this.

OK, carry on! ;)

Jay

Flowingair: Your cross country skiing is fantastic. It must be so beautiful.
countingDown: How fun to get your MP3. Love new stuff.
Meow: I've never met anyone from Nova Scotia before. Sounds like a beautiful place to live. It sounded nice to drive to Traverse City. I really enjoy getting out of town for short trips, especially after being stuck at home because of bad weather.
I'm back on track. My scale is going back down again. The sun is shining again, so I'll be walking today. Thanks Jay and good luck with your diet change.

Jada - congrats on the scale going down. And Jay is right - it goes up and down naturally - just pay attention to the trends.

Jay - thanks for the reminder on the taxes. I do use software because I can't keep up with all the changes. Our taxes are pretty simple - both employed at the same place for the last umpteen years, lived in the same house for 20 years - itemized deductions are the only thing that changes much.

A busy day here - but I did get in a workout with my virtual trainer :) My triceps are SORE!

Gotta spend some time transferring over all my "albums" to my new mp3 player. It seems to take forever! And, some are quite old and the ripping software wasn't very sophisticated. The new player is having fits because I don't have all my tags. Oh, well - time to organize my music I guess!

Hope you all had a good day!

How did it get to be Thursday? :dunno:

I got up around 5:30--if I wake up around that time, I usually can't go back to sleep, plus the cat has the idea that if I'm awake, it's breakfast time. So, I got some stuff done before going to step class at 9:30. Really worked up a sweat but still can't get through the whole class... It's OK though.

They say we may have rain today, but the last time they said that they LIED. I carry the umbrella anyway.

Going out to lunch downtown in a few minutes--I plan to eat a whole sandwich. :yikes: Is there no end to this madness? Of course, I have chosen the ingredients ahead of time by looking at the restaurant's online menu.

Now when is JLouBug (Jen) supposed to be coming back from Aloha Land? I could use a Hawaii report about now!

Hope you're all doing well today!

Jay

I'm excited I found the broccoli/slaw salad yesterday at the store. Bought pita bread and Feta. Never tried Feta cheese before. It was pretty good. I sprayed on vinaigrette spritz and it was a great sandwich.
Anyone who can do the "steps" has my admiration. It's hard to do in my book.

:?: SAGGING SKIN

I don't mind sagging skin that I can hide in my clothes but my face is another question. I take alot of msm, does anyone know of a moisturizer that really works to pick it back up? Thx

Jay - You will get through step class in its entirety one of these days! I understand how you feel about eating more, it has been hard for me to get used to. I hope you enjoyed your lunch!

Jada :D Feta is a wonderful find! It is so flavorful compared to a lot of other cheeses. The broccoli slaw is good in so many things. I even throw it in my homemade soups :)

Frenchy - I loved your post! I wish I did know of something to help with my saggy, baggy face! My biggest secret is smiling a lot. That seems to distract folk from the wrinkles and bags ;)

I'm not a big believer in a lot of skincare products. I use an all-purpose moisturizer with sp15 on my entire body - including my face. With me, less is more.

Maybe someone else has some thoughts.


A good day here, busy though! And the weather was nasty - school was delayed again today. I did get in 45 minutes of Wii Fit - which included the 5 minute run :)

I bought the Tazo sampler pack of tea with 10 different kinds - I am finding some new favorites :)
A perfect compliment to blustery weather!

Enjoy your evening all!

I'm really happy with Loreal Age Perfect night cream. If I want to look extra good, I use it during the day too. I use a cream with SPF in the day.

Good morning! :coffee2:

Hey frenchy2, :welcome:

I wish I had some suggestions about the sagging skin. I use almost no skin products--my skin has always been good without them. I don't even use soap on my face, or any kind of cleanser--just plain warm water. But, lately I've been using a moisturizer that's made locally here in Fla. It's very nice, has no perfumes--reminds me of the old "cold cream" that my mom used to put on. However, I haven't noticed it helps with sagging. Some sagging after weight loss just IS... and it may get better, or not. Everyone has skin sag eventually, even those who are normal weight to begin with.

If it's really bothering you, there are some facelift methods that might help. Google Lifestyle Lift, for example. Of course, it's buyer beware... do lots of research first with any medical procedure like this...

Jada1, that Loreal product sounds interesting. I may check that out.

CountingDown, a 5 minute run???? :faint: I'm lucky to get in 1 minute! I need to catch up here!

See ya! :wave:

Jay

Hi . . . :wave:

My past couple of days have been very, very hectic . . . hopefully life has settkled down to normal (boring) again. :lol:

I was worn out from being busy yesterday, but I got my self outside to walk today. The weather was good. I thought about how much easier it's going to be to walk when I'm 80 pounds lighter.
I know you've all heard it before, but I just can't believe I let my weight get to this point.

Jada :hug: Oh, I so understand how you are feeling! But, the good news is that you have started this journey. AND - you are worth the time and effort it will take to banish those 80 lbs. forever! And - yes, I can honestly say that being 80 lbs lighter feels like you are floating when you walk. Keep at it, you WILL be there :D

Linda - sorry it has been hectic - you are in my thoughts!

Jay - LOL, me too - no soap, just water. I am not one for much make up either. Less is more at my age!

I had a good day today - good balance. I had lunch with a friend who was in need of some comfort. A less hectic day at work, an hour of exercise after, and now spending a few minutes catching up with 3FC.

I'm off to get some cleaning done while catching a few more chapters of a book :)

Have a great weekend all!

This morning I was down to 233 lbs. I was on the verge of tears. I've finally found a way of eating I enjoy and to be able to do it without having to go hungry.

Jada1! :cheer2: :cb: :broc: :cb: :broc: :cheer3:

So glad that you are seeing progress! Now you stay with it, gal! Keep on keeping on... one day at a time!

meowee, tell us more about the kind of things you're up to!

This is a funny thing that happened yesterday at the gym. My trainer (the young ex-Marine) said I was going to do a timed test--on the rowing machine! HA! Bring it on!!! The test was to row 500 yards in 3 minutes. That means a pretty good clip, but I am the Rowing Queen! I made 500 yards in 2 minutes 40 seconds.

Today I'm running late--I still need to get to the gym. I had some tax clients come by who needed some extra attention. Nice people, though! But I'm a bit behind...

Where are all our regulars? That's the problem with an "active folks" thread, I guess...

:wave:

Jay

:wave:

We've had a nice sunny and relatively mild (just below freezing) day. Did a little shopping and a little visiting today. Nothing exciting.

Jada :D
Keep it up - you are doing GREAT!

Jay
:woohoo: You ARE the rowing queen! Good for you! Bet he was impressed :yes:
Hope you get in your workout today. I'm taking a day off except for some Wii Sports later.

Linda - enjoy that sun - we are getting dumped on today - 8 inches so far :(

A busy day - still working on my declutter project - the bedroom today. Feels good to get more done. But, I'm tired.

Hope you are having a good weekend!

Hi! Everyone seems to be hard at work exercising. I had a couple poor food days, but I'm back on track today. Keeping ajournal is sure helping me see what I'm really eating.

Jada- I'm glad you like my quote. Some days I get really discouraged with weight not just falling off me, and you start to wonder if it will ever happen. Staying at it has to be the key. I know I'm not a weight loss sprinter, but I hope to be a long distance weight loser. We will make it to the finish line.

Laurie- I love listening to my MP3 player it's like you're in another world.

Meowee- I want to go somewhere south about now too. The cold and snow is getting old.

Jay-That bike ride is an incredible journey. I like to bike,but I'm not sure I could go anywhere near that far. Let us know how your friend does this year after losing all that weight.

I want to hear about Hawaii too!

Hi there everyone!! Oh it is late on Saturday night. I have had a good food day but the only exercise was house work. :?:
No overtime this weekend. The OT dried up before the bills did. Isn't that always the way.:(
Well my exercise has been minimal. Not sure why. I go in the morning and lately there has just been too much to get done. Not a great excuse. :carrot:
Jay I want pictures.....of the trainer. ;)
Sounds like you are really doing great. Sometimes I think I am waiting for someone to change the rules and say "ok you don't have to exercise after all" :dancer:
Hi to Jada and congrats on the weight loss. I hope this week sees a loss for me too.
Laurie you always amaze me at all the exercise that you get. I may just need some will power dust. A workout buddy would be wonderful. :dust:
I get such a laugh at the people at the gym. They never talk to each other. Has always been like that. Wonder why. You think it would be a great place to get some support but not at my gym. Maybe it is a competative thing.

I am off to bed but hope everone has a good Sunday. I have a zillion things to do and I think my exercise will be washing the car. :bike:
Cheers.....Jude
:callme:

Good morning everybody,
hijude: I tried living in other places after I retired, but I moved back to Las Vegas because my family is here and because people are friendlier here. Most of the people in Vegas are from other places, so they are open to being friendly, and they know what's it's like to be the new person on the block. Even in the gym, I meet new friends and we go line dancing together or whatever. I never met any boyfriends in the gym.
flowingair: I can relate to being a long distance weight loser. I've been trying to lose weight since 1982. My weight just kept going up, instead of down.
Countingdown: My next big purchase will be a Wii. It sounds like a great way and a fun way to give your whole body a workout.
Meowee: I love shopping as a way to get my walking in. Most of the time I don't even buy anything. Just looking around. Sometimes I see other retired people sprinting around.
Jay: wonderful news about being the "rowing queen." It must have been a great feeling to test yourself and succeed.
As for me: Today was my official weigh-in. I lost six pounds!!! I already feel lighter on my feet, and I'll have to buy a belt for my jeans. I threw away all my belts and smaller clothes, because I gave up on ever losing weight.

Jada :congrat: 6 LBS!!!!! That is terrific! :lol: I got rid of all my smaller clothes too. As I got older, I figured that "if I couldn't lose 10 years ago, I certainly can't do it after 50". Of course I was wrong :D

We do enjoy the Wii - and I'm hoping more games come out that use the remote or balance boardin ways that give you a good workout.

Jude - your post made me laugh! You summed up how I felt for years - really hoping that my dislike of exercise would coincide with some study somewhere, thus justifying my actions. But, I gotta tell ya - exercise really is important - I think it is even more important for us that are over 50. For me, it was evident that "move it or lose it" really was going to be true. I became less and less able to do things at my weight. And, while the weight was coming off slowly - exercise goals were filling in as motivators to keep going. I began to feel better, and be able to do more and enjoy my life more. While exercise will NEVER be at the top of the list when I think about what I want to do, I know that I might as well find things I can enjoy (or at least don't hate) because I really, really like being fit and healthy.

Keep at it - try new things. And - don't take an all or nothing attitude about it (I used to). Even 10 minutes of something is better than none at all. And - you might be surprised - once you have done 10 minutes, you might just continue to 15 or 20 or ???

Schedule it and do it - just like any other appointment. You WILL be glad you did :)

Lori - glad you are back on track :) You WILL be a long distance weight loser :) I love your avatar - makes me wish for spring even more!

Which brings me to my activities today - gotta go shovel another foot of snow :( While it is great exercise, and I get to listen to a book or music during the process, I"m less than thrilled to perform this particular exercise. But, I'm taking my own advice. Schedule it and just DO IT!

I'm going to roast veggies for dinner. We go grocery shopping every Sunday morning after church. And my favorite store always marks down their "older" fruits and veggies. Some good deals to be had - including halved and cleaned winter squashes.

Gotta go get my winter duds on - the snow is calling!

Have a GREAT Monday all!

Wow . . . :high: on those 6 pounds.

Aloha everyone! I'm B a c k!!! Still catching up on the thread; only on page
3.

Welcome to all!

I will say this, "It was beautiful!"

Talk to you all later,
Jen

Jen - welcome back! We missed you!
And - we want PICTURES!
:)

Jada1, 6 pounds down! Whee! :cheer: :cheer: All that dedication has paid off, hasn't it?

Jen, you're baaaaaaack and as soon as you're over the jet lag etc., we want MORE about Hula Land!

Jude, am I remembering correctly that your gym is something like half a block from your house? Well, even if I've got that wrong, you know what you need to do! :yes:

As I said before, if I waited until I "felt" like going, I'd never get there. I'd add to that, if I waited until I had nothing else to do, I'd never get there. That used to be my excuse also. These days the gym is like a doctor's appointment--I just go no matter what other things I have to do, and I have plenty!

More about the gym--people in gyms I've gone to don't talk much either. Maybe someone you see often will nod or say hello. I think people go to gyms mostly to work out, and not to talk to others. I'm like that--it's not a social event to me.

And of course, the eternal personal music players plugged into the ears aren't really conducive to conversation!

flowingair, I checked, and the ride my friend is taking is 575 miles. :faint: Well, I'm sure it will be different for her now that she is lighter!

Did folks watch the Academy Awards last night? It was a really good show, I have to say. Some years it's tedious, but this was good.

Jay

Hi Everyone, I'm back....My computer died and I had to buy another one. Finally got it up and running last night. Sounds like everyone is doing great!

Jada, Congratulations on the weight loss! 6 pounds is great! It's so nice when all the hard work pays off.

OK, Jen, We're ready for pictures and to hear about the wonderful time you had.

We got another big snow fall Saturday, and it's COLD again! The few days of warmer weather sure spoiled us.

Freda

Thanks for the congratulations everybody!!! It's weird, but I was hungry at midnight last night, but I didn't eat. It felt more like a "habit" kind of hungry. I got out a plate to warm up a pita, but I thought I just didn't feel like eating, and I put the plate away and went to bed. I didn't even feel like weighing myself this morning because I know I'm losing weight. I feel healthier and in control of my eating again.

:wave:

I spent my day doing inside stuff . . . 'old-lady-type-stuff, in fact . . . I was knitting slippers while I watched the latest storm howling outside.

My little area of northeastern Nova Scotia has been straddling the imaginary snow/rain line all day and the precipitation kept changing back and forth between those two. Truth be known, I think rain won by a little so far because I think there is a tiny bit less snow on the ground than there was at this time yesterday.

Hope the rest of you hd better stuff going on.

Jay, we didn't watch the awards, but I did catch some of the clips and the results today online. You WERE RIGHT about Slumdog ;)

Freda - we got dumped on this weekend - about 16 inches of the white stuff. UGH - I'm sore from shoveling!

Jada - congrats on conquring a night time craving - one decision at a time is how this battle is won :)

Linda - I haven't had my knitting needles out all winter. I went through a "felting" phase a few years ago, but I haven't done much since. I've got a ton of yarn tucked away, gotta get back at it one of these days!

A busy but good day here. I did my fitness test with my virtual trainer today. Some improvement on some of the exercises :) - no pushup improvement though :( I REALLY don't like pushups :yes:

DH had the day off so he made supper. The aroma from a rice/grain/mushroom dish is amazing!

I hope you had a good start to the week! I am going to keep an eye on the scale - I'm up half a lb. now for over a week. I'm thinking it must might not be water weight. Time will tell, but I'm gonna be extra vigilant - just in case.

Hi all,

It's still cold outside, but at least the sun is shining! That is such an improvement.

Jada, Congratulations on the breakthrough!! On being able to distinguish between true hunger and boredom! And to follow through!

Linda, I don't knitt, but I can crochet a bit. I do like the crafts to keep my hands busy at night. My GD is getting an American Girl Doll for her birthday and I'm going to get a pattern and try making some doll clothes to keep me busy. I haven't sewn in a long time, wonder if it's like riding a bike?

Laurie, We didn't get that much, thak goodness!! You guys really got dumped on! The 4-6 inches we got was more than enough.

Take care all, make it a good day,

Freda

Hello everybody,
Meowee: I enjoy storms. I don't know what I'm doing living in the desert.
Countingdown: Great on improving your exercising.
The Slim Me: I read your update on the broccoli salad. I don't put any sugar in my salad, so I didn't even notice the amount. Good to know if I ever decide to put sugar in it. I'm not diabetic, but sugar sure is a trigger food for me.
I'll be weighing myself everyday starting tomorrow. I've been busy "spring cleaning" yesterday and today because I'm getting my carpet cleaned. Since everything is upside down, I've been ordering a la carte home delivery. I ordered a veggie omelet. Pretty good. I've never ordered a veggie before because it sounded awful, but it was pretty good. I feel in control though, so I still feel positive about my weight. I just worry about water gain again because of the salt in home delivered food. Tomorrow I start my appointment with walking at 10 am every morning and I'll be back on my food plan.

If you want storms, I've got storms. :yes: Today is a lot better than yesterday but it's still pretty windy and there's occasional flurries. Every once in a long while, I actually see a tiny ray or two of sunshine though. :lol:

Made arrangements for a friend from Ontario to visit for a few days in mid-April. Something to look forward to in the not too distant future -- hope it stops snowing by then. :s:

Freda - regarding sewing, it is - it will come back to you quite easily! At least it did for me :) Though, I think doll clothes are tougher than clothes for me - little button holes, little zippers, little pieces.

Jada - I LOVE veggie omelets! Don't worry about the water weight - it will be temporary. Just don't despair if the scale does go up a bit. Remember that it isn't FAT, it is WATER. Great news about your walking! :D

Linda, I like your thinking! DH and I have a trip planned for April. I'm gonna focus on that to get me through the rest of this winter!

We did see the sun today, and it ALMOST felt spring-like. There are several little birds that sit in the window grill-work at my office building. Their singing has been quite prolific as of late. They are such a blessing each morning as I start my day. I do think that I will make it to spring. I think I can, I think I can ...

Hope you all had a productive ON plan day. I stepped up the aerobic workout on the wii today - 15 minutes boxing, 5 minutes advanced step, 10 minutes hula hooping, 5 minutes running and 10 minutes of free step. It felt good to be really tired when I was done :)

Good eveing everyone.:yay:
Yes Jay that gym is about 4 blocks away and up a flight of stairs!! I will get there soon. Yesterday I washed my car but that is a workout in itself. It was sunny out for a while. Put fresh water in the birdbath and they were all out there splashing away. No snow here.:beach:

Congratulations Jada on the weight loss. You sound like you have everything right on track for success.
Laurie and Linda jeez to the snow. We will not see anymore of that here this year. I think it is spring. I have some flowers peeking up in the garden. Not sure what this flower is but it is purple and comes up even if there is snow in February. :flow1:

Sewing is a great hobby to keep your hands busy. So is knitting. When I quit smoking many years ago everyone got a sweater whether they wanted it or not. :D

I have been thinking of trying a patchwork quilt. I have this skirt that belonged to a friend that is different colors of velvet. And it is very large as she was very large. She was discarding it and I thought oh look at all that material. I am an ex seamstress too. So when we see fabric it is still fabric even if it has been made into something. I have a friend who quilts and she said she would help me. Will be interesting to see how big I can make it. At least a couch size. The colors are ruby and purple and gold and black. More black than anything. I think I heard my friend say something about some leopard print someone had. I think not.:dizzy:

My son just bought a condo and I am getting it painted this week. After that my life will be my own.
Have a great Wednesday everyone!!!!:grouphug:
Thanks for all the support around the exercise. I know you are all right. I just have to get my butt moving.

cheers.....Jude :coffee2:

http://tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:-JUdb1xrAq26PM:http://www.csswashtenaw.org/ada

ACCOUNTABILITY: Actions that reflect the integrity of the person you want to be.


Come join the March ACCOUNTABILITY thread & commit to making an exta effort in March!

Remember, we are responsible for our EFFORTS - not for the outcomes.

Efforts = the day to day decisions/actions we take to lose weight.
Outcomes = what the scale says.


Lynn

Countingdown: Sounds like you've been productive in your work outs!! I like it too when I feel tired after a long walk.
Jude: Your so lucky to be living in Canada. It's so beautiful. I took a vacation in Canada with friends and saw my first moose. The Banff gardens are beautiful. We stayed in a Chalet. I had the time of my life.
Lynn: Thanks for letting me know about March accountability.
I kept my appointment with walking this morning. I was up early and ready so I left early for my walk. Windy, but a nice walk. I wish I hadn't weighed myself..yech. I only went up a pound, but I was so close to getting under 230 lbs. Darn me. (I will be positive...I will be positive).

Happy Birthday Linda!!

Yes Jay that gym is about 4 blocks away and up a flight of stairs!!
Oh, I see... up a flight of stairs... well... ;)

Jada, I forbid you to fret every time the scale goes up a pound. :no: Have I told you folks my analogy about a boat in the harbor? Probably you've seen it. Anyway, those are just little waves, Jada! Keep on keeping on.

Lynn, thanks for the accountability thread reminder!

CountingDown, boxing on the Wii!!!? That sounds great!

meowee--has it stopped storming yet? Good grief, you are definitely overdue for a break up there!

The only sewing I liked doing was working with an industrial-type leather sewing machine. This was many years ago in San Francisco. I worked in an exclusive handbag repair shop, and sometimes we had to do things like put a zipper into a handbag or re-sew a seam. Oh, but I also like embroidery! Crochet, knitting, not so much....

My trainer had been asking me to keep a log of my foods and bring it to him. Heh. So I printed out a week of my FitDay complete with the summary overview. He was amazed! Astonished! Said it was really great! I can only imagine what kind of food logs he sometimes gets... He is also thrilled because I appear to have dropped a couple pounds on the gym scale... I'm not calling it until Saturday, though.

I visited Banff many many years ago, and I loved it, too! Stayed in a rental suite in a private home--it had the biggest clawfoot bathtub I had ever seen! Coulda done laps, I swear! ;) Loved that. We visited Lake Louise, and drove up into Jasper Park. I drank glacier water from the Athabasca Glacier. Not recommended, but I was inspired.

Time for me to get back to tax returns... :wave:

Jay

Jude - the quilt idea sounds great! I made each of the boys quilts before they were born. DS2's quilt was backed in a velor fabric. He STILL snuggles with it every once in a while. It is almost threadbare. So, I think it sounds like a lovely idea! Though, personally - I would love the leopard print. I'm an animal print person. I covered the wall of my bedroom in giraffe print ;)

Jay - I like embroidery and crewel and beading and cross stitch. Though, I haven't done any this winter. Gotta be in the mood I guess :shrug:

http://smilies.sofrayt.com/fsc/happy birthday2.gif Linda!

A good day here - good balance :) Work, came home and worked out with the Wii, then put together a PowerPoint presentation for church, and then a lovely Ash Wednesday service. Alll that followed by some quality time with all of you, and then some Wii sports and a glass of wine :D

Hope you had a great day as well!

Laurie I do not know how you cram so much into one day. Unless you work a short day. Sometimes makes me tired thinking of it.:yawn:

I work from 1-9pm so it really splits up the day. I have to get up and get going in the morning if I want to get things done.
I had some serious dental work yesterday and this morning slept till 11am!!:faint:

Well that is very unusual but the dentist as nice as he is, is just a huge energy drain. I had to fly around to get ready for work on time. In the morning I have to make lunch and dinner to take with me. I am eating really healthy on this plan but healthy eating sure requires lots of prep and cooking time. I am trying to plan in batches. :rollpin:
Today was taco salad for lunch ( no taco ) and dinner was a salmon rice bowl. All very healthy.

I am going to home to watch Biggest Loser. I figure if you watch enough episodes it should be good for some weight loss!! :hungry:

I know Jay it is that flight of stairs that is the last straw. :coach: If I walked to the gym and back I would not have to do my cardio!!:rofl:

They have yoga on their program and I went to one a week ago. It is 2 times a week and so going to add that to my program with cardio the other days. I could hardly move after the yoga. Plus I am thinking of getting to the aquasize on Sunday morning. There are 2 back to back so may as well do them both. One is deep water and the other in the shallow end. Just something different. :swim:
Think I will go on Sunday. Going to try and get my taxes done Sunday as well. Hopefully DS will not need any of my decorating expertise.

Ah Banff and Jasper. I went to Banff first when I was 12 years old and came from the prairies. I think I took a picture of every mountain I saw. I can remember being downtown Jasper and there was a moose walking calmly down the street on his way through town.

BC is one of the most beautiful places. I love living here. Our warm weather is short though. I may get a trailer when I retire and travel south in winter.
I will come to Las Vegas in the winter to visit you Jada. We can meet for coffee and go line dancing!! It will be a few years yet though. :coffee:

We could make it a ladies retreat in Palm Springs!! Best outlet shopping in the USA I have been told. :woohoo:

Well have to get back to work....see ya tomorrow......:yoga:

Yesterday was a day of constantly being force-fed by friends. Trust me, you do not want to hear about what I ate. Believe me it was definitely in the categopry of food-porn.

One more birthday lunch today which I'm almost sure will NOT be any better and then it's over for another year and I can get back on track.

The first thing I did this morning was throw out a cheesecake I made yesterday. Waste of food and money. I thought I would be able to eat just a little each day as a treat, but it wasn't working out that way. I'll have to keep buying individual size treats at a time or not buy at all. I'm obviously not maintaining, but I read on the board that even when you lose your weight you still have to be careful, so I'm learning early that though I feel in control, I could lose it in one day if I'm not careful.
I also heard on talk radio last night that the best way to lose weight is counting calories, so I'll get back to that. They also said that when you do lose weight, do not celebrate with an icecream cone. That's my downfall. When I lose weight, I celebrate by putting it all back on again. How self destructive.
I would love to go to Palm Springs shopping. Las Vegas has tours to California. Friends have invited me in the past, but I never went. Too busy being a single/widow mom. Now I have the time. Las Vegas has a lot of their own factory outlets now, so I haven't had to go to California, but traveling to Palm Springs with the girls sounds great.

Hi Everyone,

Sun is out again. YEAH!! just lifts your spirits, doesn't it, after the grey winter days we've had.

Linda, :bday2: Hope it was a fun one!!

Jada I don't know if it's the best for everyone, but I count calories. I make a real effort to eat healthy too. Not sure I could have thrownout that cheese cake. It freezes well, ya know. Cut into individual servings and frozen would have been ok.

Jay, if the trainer was impressed with your eating it must be REALLY good. You could give us all tips!

Jude, the quilt sounds like a great idea. if the material you have isn't quite enough you can always buy some more to finish it off.

Laurie, I hope the sewing skill come back. If not i will take the clothes in with me when I go back south and have my sister show me some tips and tricks. I'm looking forward to getting started. The American Girls are a bigger doll and not such small pieces. And I intend to use snaps instead of buttons. If something needs a button look I'll sew a button on top of the snap. Lazy sewer! i could never imagine doing Barbie doll clothes, way too small.

Everyone, make it a good day
Freda

It was actually a cheesecake pie with condensed milk, so I didn't think the condensed milk would freeze well. It was a new recipe for me and I didn't like it anyway. In the old days I would have eaten it anyway, even if I didn't like it. Talk about freezing, it reminds me that now that it's warming up I need to start putting grapes in the freezer.

Jude - I actually work a 9.5-10 hour day most days. I am salaried, so I stay until the work is done. I work through lunch and eat at my desk - except in the spring and summer. I try to take my lunch time to walk the 2 mile path along the lake.
When we gave up watching television in the evening is when I realized how much time I spent mindlessly watching it. I also spent a lot of time online, and while the Internet has lots of great places to go, it is pretty passive entertainment. I've really tried to find activites that are more physically engaging for my evening leisure time. I'm thinking that it will be one key piece of maintenance. Particularly since I have scaled back my workouts to only one a day since hitting my goal.

And, I must admit - I'm enjoying sleeping in the extra half hour to 6 a.m.http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/l0/sleeping.gif

Linda - glad you had a nice birthday - I have friends like that too!

Jada - I can vouch for counting calories. I can't imagine using any other plan. And yes - you still have to watch it in maintenance. Most maintainers will tell you that maintenance doesn't look much different than losing - just a few more calories each day.

I reward myself with non-food treats - usually self-indulgence kinds of things - a pedicure, a new book, new clothes, jewelry, a bubble bath, a new piece of workout equipment, etc. I do a lot of 2nd hand shopping for reward clothes and vintage jewelry - things that don't cost a lot, but are new to me and make me feel great. I really think that buying at least one new-to-me piece of clothing that FIT every couple weeks helped motivate me to keep going :)

Freda - velcro also works well on those little pieces. I think it sounds like a fun project - particularly if you are doing some period clothes. I'm gathering ideas for the future since I think the kids are talking about starting a family once DS1 graduates from seminary.

A good day here in spite of a freezing rain warning for tonight :(

Today was Wii Fit day, so I got in another 45 minutes of aerobics :D I set a new record on ski jumping after that - wiped that young whippersnapper (DS2) right out of first place) :)

All this talk of sewing has me thinking about spring clothes. I'm exited about actually getting to wear some of the stuff I picked up last fall on the summer clearance racks. Something to look forward to!!!

Hope you had a fun "hump day"!

Hi to everyone, I've been so busy. My fifth grade musical on the Constitution went very well today. The kids and the parents had a great time. Now I gety ready for open house at the school Sunday.

Happy belated Birthday Linda, I hope you had a great time.

Have a great Friday.

Hello everybody,
I signed up at fitday.com to keep track of calories. Yesterday was pretty good. Tomorrow I have lunch with friends. I plan to have an omelette. Then I'm visiting another friend. We won't be eating anything.

Lori - glad all your hard work and extra efforts paid off :) I hope the open house goes well too.

Jada - Fitday was a Godsend for me! It really helped me stay accountable, and since I'm a data junkie, I loved all the information. When I plateaued, it really helped to look back at what and when I ate. Planning for those eating events really does help too! Knowing ahead what you plan to eat keeps you from making choices that you might later regret!
Sounds like you are doing GREAT!


Hello to everyone else! Hope you had a good Friday!

We had no school today, which is always a blessing for me. My phone and email stay quite and I can actually get caught up on projects that take concentration. The garage door was frozen shut when I got home, but thanks to my new muscles, I was able to bang on it enough to break it free from the ice. : :strong:

Gotta get bills paid and I'm hoping :crossed: that my tax return made it into my account today (it was supposed to).

Hey! :wave:

Flowingair, a musical on the Constitution? That sounds like it could be fun! Who woulda thought? :cp: :cp: :cp:

Jada--I've been using Fitday for years now. I love it! I have the downloaded version, which has the advantage that it's always on my very own computer, and I can add foods to it. I have a zillion foods in there!

My good news is that I've reached my goal of 3 pounds down--the thing about it is, it's only been 2 weeks, and 3 pounds was my goal for a month! :cheer2: :cheer2: I'm just amazed... who would have thought that I could lose faster by raising my calories? I had tried it in the past and it didn't seem to work... But evidently things change! Should be interesting to see where I am in another 2 weeks. I'm not expecting as fast a drop from this point on, though.

Lauri, you rock with the tough stuff on the garage door! :lifter:

Jude, I hope you can overcome the disincentive at the gym and get more time in. Gosh, I'd be there every morning if I had your schedule! :ebike:

Freda, make it a good weekend!

Jay

Congratulations Jay!! You put your trust in your trainer and he didn't let you down.
Countingdown: I hope you had a great day off and your money showed up. That's always a good thing. Thank you for the ideas on celebrating weight loss.
Again, thanks everybody. I put my trust in you and you didn't let me down.

Well my plan when I started this afternoon shift was just that. I wanted to add sometime to my morning so I could have a nice workout at the gym. Without having to worry about time etc. :D
I need to rethink my priorities. I seem to suddenly have a million things to do. Now in my own defense there are lots of weeks that I have been there 4 times in the week. But then there are the weeks that I get there zero.
I agree with you about Fitday. It is fabulous. :soap:

I have set next week as a new page. I am scheduling nothing else. It is funny how hard I can make it sometime. I actually like the gym. I have a routine and have made up a workout book with lots of ideas in it. I am just dragging my butt but I have to get in there and do it if I want the benefits.:belly:

Sounds like everyone is having a great week.
Enjoy the weekend. I am glad it is Friday.

Cheers......Jude :wl:

Oh wow . . . yesterday turned into a day and a half . . . started with some family problems which are sooooo hard to deal withe when you are over a thousand miles away from the centre of ther action. Next, had to spend hours at the Vet's office just to get Mouse his annual checkup and booster shot. Remind me to never make a Vet appointment for a Friday afternoon again. Then a last minute invitation to yet another Off Plan dinner out. :dizzy:

Dinner was really exciting -- NOT -- the main topic of conversation was the fact that our three day streak of absolutely beautiful weather was forecast to be followed by five days of increasing horror. So far, they are right. It's mild and raining buckets. Tonight we are supposed to get an instant freeze-up and then three to four days of constant snow. Just hope this lion-like beginning leads to the proverbial lamb-like end of March.

Also hope I can finally get my eating routines back on track and make great losses like some of the rest of you. Congratulations to our losers. :high:

Jay :congrat: Fantastic! You must be thrilled! More food AND faster weight loss :) You certainly deserve it, you are one of the most dedicated and OP folk I know!

Jada - we like having you here too :) Glad that you are doing well!

Jude - good for you, with your planning for next week. I hear you when it comes to life getting busy. One of the lessons that was very hard for me to learn, was that I have to put my health and fitness near the very top of my priority list. Sometimes other things don't get done. But, you know what - in the scheme of things - that doesn't seem to be a big deal.

We are our own worst enemies sometimes!

Linda - sorry about your weather - we are the same. The ice and snow are here to stay for a while :(

Hope the off-plan eating is over and that you can get back to walking outside soon. I know I have major cabin fever right now!

A quiet day planned for me today - organize my music and books on my mp3 player, a yoga workout, general Saturday chores, and finish the bedroom declutter project.

Saturday chores include cooking for the week to come - I need to make yogurt, and a crock of soup, and maybe a casserole or two and some hummus.

My tax refund DID show up yesterday :woohoo: Though, unfortunately, it is going straight into the home improvement fund. A new roof is on the agenda for summer. One of the joys of a "vintage" home - it ALWAYS needs something!

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Enjoy!

HiJude: Kudos on the new schedule. I think it's so fun sitting down and organizing stuff. I enjoy the gym too, once I get there. I really enjoy the comraderie. But getting there is.....
Meowee: I hope the family problems don't persist for too long.
Countingdown: Today I was on my way to Marie Calendar's to buy a "whole" pie, but I remembered what you wrote that we are our own worst enemies. I told myself I'm just hungry and turned my car around and went to the store to get ready-cooked chicken instead and just one slice of cake. I've noticed through the years, when I'm full, I don't have a craving for sweets. Good night everybody.

OK folks, I think it's time for a new thread! So come on over! :wave:

Jay