Age 50+ - Active Folks Over 50 -- #25

Here we are, all settled in! :D

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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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Hey CD, my partner used to be vegetarian, and she still mostly eats that way but with occasional chicken or beef. For a long time I tried to eat the way she did, but I just puffed up like a balloon! :lol:

I must say, though, lately I have a Boca Burger with breakfast because I want more protein. I have eggs from time to time as well, but to avoid the fats I don't eat them that often. I really love those Boca Burgers! (I can't stand eggwhites btw.)

Jude, planning is the key for foods, isn't it? I try always to have something around that is safe for me to munch on. Because otherwise, I'll just munch on whatever... not a good idea...

Hi to everyone! Come on in and post!

Jay

Jude - make the rag quilt! She will enjoy it, I'm sure!

Jay - I love Boca's too - and I'm not big on egg whites either. I never have been able to do the egg white omelet thing that so many chickies too.

But, I really believe in eating things I throroughly enjoy - rather than things that are lower in calories. I've come to enjoy a lot of low cal foods, but taking the yolks out of my eggs to make them lower calorie is NOT one of them.

I'm not big on low fat, low sugar "frankenfoods" either. The frozen MSF, Boca and Gardenburger products are the only super-processed foods that I eat. And I DO enjoy their convenience.

I have been known to make my own burgers, but not for a while. Maybe when I retire ;)

Well, I made it through this week! All but one school building is done for the year! My job is still very intense, but very different in the summer. I really enjoy the change of pace

The weather is glorious here - I was able to get quite a bit of gardening done after work. I can't believe how fast the weeds take over!

What does everyone have planned for the weekend?

I hope it is something fun!

So what is a Boca burger and what do you eat it with? a bun? :cbg:

I eat scrambled eggs for breakfast with some turkey bacon in half a pita. I am getting bored with that and I too do not like the fat. One whole egg and one egg white cuts it down though.

I find with that breakfast I am not nearly so hungry later in the day.
Not much new with me. Cleaned house and washed the car this morning. That was my exercise for the day. :carrot::carrot:

Weather here is great. Looking forward to the weekend.

How about some good breakfast ideas??? :T

Cheers....Jude

Boca burger (http://bocaburger.com/our-products.aspx) is a great vegetarian protein source. Their products vary - from vegan on up. Some are veggie, some are soy. They are GREAT grilled (acceptable but so-so microwaved).

You can eat them the same way you would eat any chicken or beef patty. They have burger crumbles too (think sausage or hamburger).

They are a bit better calorie/nutrient-wise than the Morningstar Farms Products (Kelloggs).

Breakfast - I eat a fairly light breakfast (less than 200 calories) and have my first snack about 2 hrs later. But for me, breakfast can be a very creative meal.
Traditional:
Veggie omelet
Oatmeal with veggies sausage patty
Yogurt with Fiber One
Thomas Light Multi-grain English Muffin with nut butter
Banana with nut butter
South Beach Living High Protein Cereal Bar (grab and go breakfast)
Pancakes/waffles with nut butter OR veggie sausage OR yogurt and fruit topping
Creative:
Leftovers made into a breakfast casserole or omelet or just plain heated up. I've eaten spaghetti for breakfast on more than one occasion ;)

Hi! Wish I had some exciting breakfast ideas... one thing that we do is always have some fresh fruit on hand if possible to add to granola or cereal. We had strawberries earlier (in Fla. the seasons is Jan-April). Now we've gone on to blueberries, and we're starting to see some Georgia peaches. And we always have bananas around.

Smoothies are good, too--I use 1% milk, 1 egg, some banana, and maybe some frozen strawberries (that I put up when we had fresh) and whip it up in a blender. I often have some almonds to eat while I drink the smoothie, just to make sure I get some fiber in there.

If you can stand it, smoked salmon is also good. I like it with lowfat cream cheese on some toast.

As you can see, I went over my average target yesterday. :( Three weeks in, and it often happens to me. I did it to myself--no one held me down and forced food through my clenched teeth. Well, my new way of tracking is showing me what happens with indulgence like that. Suppose I go over my target for the day by 500 calories. Well, the next day I can't eat 500 calories less--that would leave me too low as well as starving. So, realistically I can only eat maybe 100 or 150 cals less. So that means I need to have four or five days at the lower number to get back to that average target. Do you see how that works?

Average target = say 1500
day 1, 2000
day 2, 1400
day 3, 1400
day 4, 1400
Average for 4 days = 1550

with same average target,
day 1, 2000
day 2, 1350
day 3, 1350
day 4, 1350
Average for 4 days = 1513

That's a little misleading, because I actually average over the previous week rather than forward. But still, you can see how 1 day of extravagance means 3 days of lower eating.

Sad but true!

Jay

Jay - GREAT plan. EXACTLY what I did (and still do). I actually think it was good for my system and my weight loss to go over every now and again. I think that my body was telling me it needed more food that day.

I consider it a form of calorie shifting (cycling). Eat with your hunger cues / social schedule and compensate as needed.

A quiet day here. DH is working and I went shopping this morning. I did scoot out to Penney's and Fashion Bug and pick up some capris since I have actually dropped a size from last summer. Skirts and dresses are ok, but pants look kind of funny when they are too big.

We have our annual block party tonight. We get a permit to block off the street and move the grills and chairs and tables out to the street. The kids ride their bikes or skateboard on the rest of the block - it is a lot of fun, and a good chance to catch up with changes.

We all have driveways off the alley in the back of the house, so in the winter we rarely see our neighbors. We wave, but not much chatting going on in the blustery winter.

Of course, it will be a challenge since it is potluck and EVERYONE seems to bring desserts :yikes: I'm making mini muffins and mini brownies (using mini-muffin pan) so that I have something to munch on. Boca's go great on the grill, so I'm all set there.

I'm off to do laundry and clean - not very exciting, except that I get to listen to my book while doing so :) Sometimes audiobooks are the only thing that can get me in a cleaning mood ;)

Well, gotta fly - the dryer is buzzing.

Hope you all have a great Saturday!

Laurie :scooter:

Thanks, CD! :hug: I'll keep on keeping on!

Jude, I thought of something else I like for breakfast: Italian sausages made with chicken. Our grocery store carries both mild and hot, and I can't tell the difference between the chicken and the pork flavorwise. But the chicken are a LOT less fat! Like, 140 calories for 4 ounces, compared with 330.

Jay

Laurie, I was looking at your pictures and noticed you added a new one at 120lb. Wow what a difference in those last 10lb! How could ten lb make such a difference? Anyway, you look great. What are some good audiobooks that you have enjoyed?

Carol, thanks! Funny, you should say that because I don't see that much of a difference between the last two pictures. My friends do, DH does, but I just don't see it.

I like mysteries and thrillers - and I tend to go back to the same authors and read books that continue with favorite characters.
Some of my favorite authors are:
Nelson DeMille
Tess Gerritsen
David Baldacci
Michael Connelly
James Patterson (Women's Murder Club Series)
Lisa Scottoline
Janet Evonovich (Stephanie Plum series - fluff - but very funny)
Joseph Finder
David Rosenfelt (Andy Carpenter series - great reader - funny)
Jeffery Deaver

The block party was fun! We did get some rain, but we tied a big tarp to a couple trees and a couple cars and propped a construction ladder in the middle. It was good to cathc up with folk. One of our old neighbors actually moved back in March and we didn't even know she was living 6 houses up the street :o The had been gone 11 years - I didn't even recognize the kids.

I'm feeling really OLD tonight :yes:

:wave:

Linda - good to see you back! Hope you are feeling better!

Good Morning.:wave:
Hey thanks for all the breakfast ideas. Not sure we have Boca burgers here. I will look next time I am across the border.

Would you eat it in a bun or would the calories go to high. I buy a small whole wheat bun if I buy them. I eat buffalo burgers just with veggies and tomatoes.
Love smoked salmon so that is an awesome idea. Might like it to much. How is the calorie count in smoked salmon?

I find this calorie counting thing very interesting that you do. I sorta count calories in my head but not keeping track exactly. I can tell when I am eating too much or what is not OP. I may have to pay more attention. Do you guys actually keep track on something like Fitday. I guess I should.

I am down another pound though so happy with that. I guess I would say that my best days are the days when I do not eat just because I want to. I am feeling some loss over this food. Funny food is such a great companion. And I guess I would have to say that for right now I am trying to make my food plan look like a person who is not overweight. :carrot:

One who does not sit down to watch tv with a table full of snacke. I have a box of the 100 light popcorn and I eat that if I really need something. Not a big popcorn fan but it does the trick.
Munching on things like veggies only seems to make me hungrier. I guess I am looking for a more filling snack. Smoothie works for me or plain yogurt with frozen berries in the blender. Like that.

Laurie your last picture...AWESONE!! I am dying to fit into some smaller clothes. I have lots. hahahaha :D

Hope you are all having a good day. Sunday is a tough OP day for me. So here is too a good one. I have to go grocery shopping and that is tough for some reason...
Cheers Jude :hug:

Being in the 220's feels like a reward in itself. Every little bit down seems to add to my self will. Wheeee what a journey.

One day I will run into my kids and they won't recognize me. I guess that is one way to go into hiding.....:rofl:

I am not sure you are in hiding though if no one noticed you missing. :shrug:

Jude, smoked salmon is comparable to tuna. 1 ounce is 33 calories and has 5 gms protein and 1 gm fat.

Got to go--more later!

Jay

Hi everyone, I love all the breakfast ideas. I've been quite busy another week at school. Packing up my classroom is a lot of work. I've been super busy with my daughters wedding plans only 3 weeks away. I won't be anywhere near goal weight, but certainly less than a six months ago. I hope to lose a couple more pounds for the wedding.

Jay went shopping to two stores no smoked salmon. Can you believe we are famous for our salmon but no salmaon. I did look it up on fitday. And lots of omega 3!!

Jude--that's so hard to believe! I find the smoked salmon right next to the canned tuna. Huh! Boca Burgers are in the frozen foods, btw, in case that wasn't clear. They are usually close to Morningstar Farms foods in our stores in Fla. I do use FitDay and have done so all along. I find that if I just try to keep a count "in my head" I am not accurate, and I tend to fudge. :nono:

flowingair! :hug: What a busy time for you! :faint: Good luck with that wedding...

One of my favorite nighttime snacks for TV is fresh blueberries and fresh diced peaches, or other fresh fruit, with a third of a cup of lowfat yogurt and a teaspoon of maple syrup drizzled over the top. It is just as satisfying to me as ice cream, but much lower in calories. About 150 calories tops.

Laurie, have you read any mysteries by Ake Edwardson? Swedish writer, mysteries set in Goteborg. Quite good! I discovered him recently. I have several favorites including some standard writers--Eliabeth George, Martin Cruz Smith. But these are basically murder mysteries, not thrillers. I also like to read Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware books--they go fast and are interesting. Patricia Cornwell mostly disappoints these days, I'm afraid, although I still read them.

Went to step class this morning and for the first time made it all the way through the class to the very end! Just so I could say I could. But I think I'm OK staying with the 40 minutes I've been doing.

Jay

Jude - thanks for the picture comment! You WILL be in those smaller clothes one of these days. I'm with Jay - Fitday was a MUST for me. And a food scale. I needed to learn what a proper portion was, with no guessing.

Lori - I bet you will look FANTASTIC at the wedding. We will want pictures!

Jay - thanks for the author ideas. I'm always looking for new ones. With two books per month in my subscription, I LOVE to find new authors. And - I am in total agreement, I've skipped the last several PC novels - the reviews were abysmal and she seems to be phoning it in these days. Too bad, her earlier stuff was GREAT!

:congrat: on step class! What an awesome accomplishment! WOW!

A good Monday here - very busy getting ready for the school board meeting, getting report cards out for students, and getting year end reports done.

I did start walking to work again, now that the students are out and I won't need to drive to all the schools. I love being able to get in two miles every day :D

We have a "guest" child for the next few days. DS2's BF (best friend) is staying with us while his grandma has displaced him at his house. Should make for an interesting few days. So far, I haven't seen much of him - the guys are "gaming" upstairs.

Well, DH is making dinner and it is almost done - I better go see if I can help.


Have a great evening all!

Laurie :scooter:

Good Evening all...

Jay I was looking for fresh smoked salmon. I did not know it came in a can. That is fabulous and much more convenient. I will look next time I am in the store.
I have tried Italian sausage. I got some at Costco and it is relatively inexpensive but I find the taste a little strong. Still have some in the freezer for variety.
I usually cook a whole chicken and then work from there. Make my own chicken rice bowls etc.
Liked your snack idea though. I probably should get the Fitday going again as I think my portions may be too large still.
But I am still losing so that is a good sign.

Interesting all the mystry authors I will have to pick one. I tend to pull out the best seller list and pick off that. Right now I am reading a Jodi Picoult. I like her writing.

CD your block party sounded great. We used to have them in the old neighborhood when the kids were little. We moved away though. Makes me a little nostalgic. They were fun.

Jay you sound like you are really getting the exercise done. Way to go.

Count down to the wedding Lori... have a great time.

I have a sore hand today and so typing is a chore. Have to get back to some ice on it.
Take care....Jude :hug:

When do you do your fitday? I the morning? the night before? I went into it to day and it was malfunctioning.

Hey! I've heard that other folks were having trouble with the site today.

I use the purchased version, which I downloaded onto my own computer. I never have to worry about sites or the internet being down. And I can add custom foods to it, which means I can enter foods I eat frequently right off their nutrition labels.

Of course, if you don't have your own computer at home to download it to, this wouldn't work so well. Also, if you use it online, you can get to it wherever, like at work.

I plan my target calories and weight loss, and then I enter what I eat as I go throughout the day. When I first started out, I would plan days ahead of time--but now I know what goes into each meal or snack, so I only plan a day ahead if there is a dinner out involved or something like that. I have favorite combinations that I'm pretty much set up with otherwise.

I'm glad you figured out the smoked salmon, Jude! I like Alaskan wild-caught the best. Also, you can get it in pouches instead of in cans if that's easier to deal with.

I almost picked up a book by Jodi Picoult. She's not a mystery writer, though--just a straight novelist?

How's the house guest going, CD?

Back to work. :book2:

Jay

Jude - sign my name to Jay's post about Fitday - PC version, etc.

I haven't read Jodi, but she is an author I see good reviews for. I tend to just scan the mysteries and thrillers - but I should probably expand my horizons :D

Jay - I barely see the kids. They "live" upstairs. They come down for food and to use the bathroom, otherwise - you wouldn't know they were here.

Another busy day here - worked a 10 hour day, and then a 45 minute workout afterward. Just enough time to say hi, get some dinner and head to church to train someone on using the multi-media equipment. Then on to an administrative council meeting.
Maybe even some wii sports during the hockey game tonight - GO WINGS!

Laurie

I did get the Fitday to work finally. I have lots of custom foods stored even on the free program. Once you get your choices in there it is a breeze. It is a wakeup call to calories that is for sure. But sometimes when I am eating really healthy I am surprised a the amount you can eat. It is all about choices it seems. I just need to put down the bad choices.

Today for some reason has not been so great. I have some emotional stuff left over from yesterday. I am getting better at not using food as the solution but far from perfect.
Would you believe I received some gourmet chocolate in the mail!!! Along with some stuff from Lush. A gift from overseas. So wonderful to try the Lush products. I am a new customer.

But onward and upward. Don't want to lose the loss that I have. Still trying to get close to 220lb by the end of the month.

I got all dressed to go to the gym this morning and made one phone call to the Canada pension that set off my morning. Got busy on the phone. I was born in the USA but am a Canadian because my parents were. But they did not register me when we moved back to Canada. I was there only a year. So now I need to get a citizenship card or I will be on hold when my pension is supposed to kick in. Glad I found out now as apparently it can take up to a year. I have a few years to go. So that was interesting. Now I have forms to fill out and money to send in. Jeez.
I was born in Washington DC. My dad was a doctor and was doing his residency there. He ended up back in the states for the last years of his career working as Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles.

Jodi is an interesting author. Writes about different things. I have read most of her stuff so I am a fan.

So that is all my news for the day. cheers...jude

Two of Picoult's books I would recommend are My Sisters Keeper which they are making into a movie. Read the book. Or 19 Minutes. Both are thought provoking but a little sad.

Jude - :D
Progress, not perfection! Keep at it!

Sorry about the pension thing, but what a blessing that you found out about it!

Thanks for the book suggestions!

Another 10 hour day today - but DH took me out for lunch, so that made it seem much shorter :D

And - I did get in shape boxing and yoga workouts today! It is so strange that for almost 50 years I hated exercise - and now, I hate to miss it!

The weather is FINALLY warmer (in the 60s) so I think we will enjoy a beverage around the fire tonight.


Laurie :scooter:

Good morning, all!

Jude, thanks for the recommendations. My library has most of her books. Is Lush the cosmetics/soap company?

Glad you got that pension stuff in the works. That could have been an unpleasant surprise down the line! :yikes:

CD, did you have that beverage around the fire--outdoors, I take it? We're in the hot season now--92 degrees yesterday. It rarely gets above that on the thermometer, but the humidity often pushes the heat index much higher. One does not want to sit around a fire anywhere! :lol:

I hope you can get out from under those 10-hour days soon!

Well, today my average calories are STILL out of range by a bit, all because of that one day almost a week ago when I went over by so much. What a learning experience this has been. I knew that high cal days caused weight loss to stall, but I didn't know the specifics of the situation until now.

After an off day, one may think, "Oh, I'll just eat lower for the next day or two or three," but I have now demonstrated to myself that (a) it's hard to eat lower! I get hungry! and (b) it takes more than a day or two or three. I'm hoping that by tomorrow, though, I'll be back in range again. And of course, my weight has not dropped at all since that initial 3-pound drop. This is where the teeth-gritting comes in.

Jay

Yes Lush is the soap company. We have a couple here in Vancouver but have never been in their store. I do like their products though but definitely a splurge.

Laurie sitting round the fire sounds lovely. A little to warm for that around here. We have lots of forest fire warnings too. There has been a fire burning near here for about a week. Campers being careless.

I am feeling down this week. :( Trying to cut back and eat healthy is a great thing but the weight loss seems so slow. If I eat one thing I should not it stalls all together. I am not getting any exercise again either and that does not help.

How do people stay motivated? :?: I guess I am just not there yet. Hope to get down to the beach for a nice walk this weekend.

Hope you all have a great night.....Jude :hug:

Yes, we have a stove-fire pit on our patio out back. We try to have a fire most evenings if the weather cooperates. We went out again tonight - it was 63F at 7:30 p.m. Pretty typical this time of year. It was 55F when we finally came indoors. It is a nice way to relax and connect with each other. With no electronic distractions, it actually encourages conversation.

Jay - hang in there - that scale will move again. It certainly seems unfair that it is so easy to go way over and impossible to go way under when it comes to counting calories.

Jude - my motivation came mostly from my desire to get healthy and fit. The scale cooperated most weeks and I had very few plateaus or gains. Even those weeks, I felt so much stronger, that they didn't bother me much.

I think keeping up with my exercise really made a huge difference - not only in staying motivated, but keeping me on track. It really makes me feel good about myself when I work out. The endorphins help, but just knowing that I am doing something positive for my body is a mood lifter :)

Hang in there - for me gradual changes led to permanent ones. I certainly didn't start out as an exercise fanatic - quite the opposite. I hated every exercise I ever tried. I hated to sweat, hated repetitive, rote routines (still do), and hated the THOUGHT of having to exercise.

Getting up and doing a yoga or balance ball or pilates routine at 6 a.m. really helped. I wasn't awake enough to hate what I was doing ;) And, before long, I wanted to keep at it because I loved the results.

My cardio routines in the afternoon were walking or dance - I love the dance workouts - they are fun. And, since I have two left feet, concentrating on trying to do the steps made the time fly. I still have trouble with a couple of the Zumba routines - my body just doesn't like to move like that :yes:

So - I guess what I am saying is - get back at the exercise - it will help with the eating and getting that scale to move again! You really can do this. I know it is hard, but it is worth it!

:hug:

Another long day for me today - an 11 hour day at work and then grocery shopping afterward. I did get in a workout after that - which helped relieve some of the stress from work.

Though it was a good day overall - contract negotiations and my yearly evaluation. It went very well.

Gotta fly - time to get my food for tomorrow ready, then off to bed.

Hope you all have a FANTASTIC Friday!

Laurie :scooter:

Hi! :wave:

I finally got back to my calorie target! :cheer2: :cheer3: :cheer2: Now it's time to move forward some more. The good news besides that is that I have maintained the 3 pound loss, and that's right on target according to my FitDay plan. :D

CD, I'm glad your evaluation went well! Will you be receiving, er, better compensation? Hope so! You've really been putting in the hours... and not just lately.

Conversation... I think I remember conversation... Is it when you talk about something other than household finances and issues? :lol:

Jude, sorry you're having a down week. :hug: In my experience, which you've been reading about for some time ;), it's not that one eats "a" food that is off plan--it's how much is in "a" food and how often. One thing that helps me is to make sure I keep on tracking everything and don't just try to tell myself I don't have to list X, it was only a little bit. And, if I get the plan in place for the day, even if it changes later on, then at least I can see a direction to begin with.

Here's how I think it goes: motivation - commitment - discipline. Motivation is what gets you going. Commitment is what keeps you going on days when you aren't feeling motivated. Discipline is what saves your butt when you've even forgotten the commitment.

Think of it in a work context. You want to get the job done (motivation). You said you would get the job done (commitment). And even when you are tired and just want to go home and forget it, you know how to get the job done (discipline).

That last part is the "one foot in front of the other" part. It has managed to get me to the gym on many, many occasions when I didn't want to go.

I found out yesterday that my friend doing the bicycle ride from SF to LA got hurt in an accident. :cry: Another biker cut in too close and clipped her front wheel, and that was that. She had a serious concussion--she hit so hard her helmet cracked! :yikes: Better that than her head! She's OK now--had the CAT scan etc. at the hospital--and is home. But that's not an ending to the story anyone likes--except that she came out OK.

Got to get to work here... :book2:

Jay

Hi Jay,
I don't know about additional compensation. The superintendent is recommending it to the school board, but they told him that he is to freeze everything right now - so it will be bucking their orders.
Thankfully, the board recognizes my service and several members are aware of the hours I put in as a salaried employee. I'm anticipating a 2% increase - which is great given the economy and school district finances right now.

Your advice to Jude is very wise. You are right - discipline is what kicks in when the other two seem to have flown the coop.

Sorry to hear about your friend - I have a friend that was hit by a car while riding her bike - she wouldn't be here except for that helmet.

A great Friday today - I took off a half day, and while I need to be on call, and check my email - it feels really decadent to be surfing the net on my couch at noon :)

Hope you all have a GREAT day!

Laurie :scooter:

Hi guys....:cool:
Great advice and I appreciate it. I am one of those people that goes the extra mile for everyone but me. I seem to suffer from a lack of self discipline. I think I need to start at the beginning of the day with a list. First do my gym. It is best when I don't try to squeeze in something else first as it just leads to another thing. Then maybe sit down and do my fitday.
:coffee:

My food has all been very repetitious lately. It is a drag to take two meals to work. So I end up eating a lot of the same thing. I cook for a day and then eat that for a few days.
But at least I can say I am cooking my own healthy meals. It amazes me to see who eats all those microwave dinners. All the heavy people!!

My motivation has slipped. Not sure why. I think living alone I find food to be company. I am actually reading a book on emotional eating right now. Maybe that will help. Can not have a conversation with brownies!!! :D

I am off to a barbecue tomorrow that is being put on at my friends house by the Pampered Chef. Kinda a tupperware kind of thing. No idea what the food will be but would think healthy. Maybe I will ask them for some ideas for brown bag meals that are not sandwiches.

I do a lot of rice bowl sort of things. Meat veggies a little rice and a few black beans. Great but gets monotonous.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and I will work on stirring up the motivation. There is a yoga class on Saturday morning maybe I will go to that. Might help with my food later in the day.

Sorry to hear about your friend Jay. I am glad she is ok. Too bad about the ride though I am sure she was disappointed. :?:

Hope you get that raise CD you are a working machine. :bravo: What long days you have. No idea how you ever got to be overweight???

You know I was doing a lot better when I was working on my quilt. Best I find things to keep my hands busy. :tape:
Cheers......Jude

Jude :hug:
I take my lunch with me every day. I do have access to a microwave, so the possibilities are endless.

I do rice and beans quite often (vegetarian staples) but I do a LOT of other things as well.
Soup, stuffed pitas, MSF, Boca, Gardenburgers, dinner leftovers, etc.

I have Ziploc/Gladware plastic containers that I fill with fresh vegetables and fruits. I buy fresh fruit each week and prepare it when I get home from the store. I just scoop up a serving or two into the smaller containers and they are ready for my lunch bag. It only takes a few minutes each evening (or even morning) to "prepare" my lunch for the day.

LOL - I became overweight eating the same amount that I eat now, almost 100 lbs. smaller.
1. I skipped breakfast, and often lunch - which led to eating high fat, high carb, low protein foods that were "available" in the break room.
2. Rewarding myself with high-carb foods when I got home from work - tough, long day - I DESERVE to eat this "feel good" food. After all, I've barely eaten ALL DAY.
3. THEN, eating dinner with my family -even though I recently scarfed down about 600-800 calories.
4. High stress day - no stress relief - high cortisol levels, low energy levels = weight gain
5. I never met an exercise that I didn't HATE. HATED to sweat - seriously. I am a smart "chickie" that found the easiest way to do EVERYTHING. Not smart from the health perspective though!

It really is amazing how a few extra calories here and there - regularly add up. 100 calories extra each day = 10 lbs. per year. Multiply that by 9 years - and that is one of the reasons I ended up 95 + lbs heavier than I am now.

Eating smarter (balanced - fewer carbs - more protein and fat), eliminating stress and mindless eating, EXERCISING daily, and keeping balance in my life really made the difference for me!

(I can't stand eggwhites btw.)

Hey, if we lived closer, we could trade.... I don't like egg yolks (hard boiled!). I'll eat the whites and throw away the yolk. When I make egg salad, I do NOT have chunks of egg yolks in it; I smash them and mix with the mayo and whites with some dill relish and a little mustard. That way, there's none of those nasty bits of egg yolk to bite into! LOL

Hey ladyviv! :wave: Yeah, I'd trade with you! My brother and I had a similar arrangement when we were kids. He just wanted the whites.

Today we went to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which is home to the famous dolphin Winter. She lost her tail as a result of getting tangled in a crab pot line, from which she was rescued, but she figured out how to swim without it. And, a company that makes prosthetics got interested in her story and devised a prosthetic tail for her--which she wears sometimes so she can exercise her spine correctly. What they have learned from helping Winter has helped the company make prostheses for humans as well. The aquarium has a program for children who have lost limbs to come and meet Winter. This link has a video:

http://www.cmaquarium.org/cms/

On the topic of food--well, I may not be the best person to ask, because I do rely on Lean Cuisines a lot. They provide me with variety and a quick solution to a meal. But, I usually supplement them with vegetables of different kinds. Salads, broccoli, asparagus--I like these vegetables cold as well as hot, so that makes it easy.

I do cook food, though. I will do up a package of boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked in a pan with a little olive oil and seasoned with McCormick's Grill Mates for chicken. Once cooked, the chicken can be heated up in the microwave to take the chill off or just eaten cold in a salad. I do a similar thing with lean boneless pork chops, chicken sausage, and even steak. 3 ounces of steak does me a lot of good now and then.

Potatoes can be a nice change from rice. And so can a good quality bread! The other day I had a half sandwich of chicken (1 slice bread--makes for a thick sandwich if you use 3 ounces of chicken!). Even used real mayo on it.

I like fresh fruit, too. :drool: Right now we can get peaches from Georgia, blueberries, even some Ranier cherries are in right now. (I can only afford to buy those about once a year...)

CD, are you familiar with edamame? (These are whole soybeans--I like to buy them already out of the pods.) They are my favorite thing lately to add to a salad or just have as a side dish.

Anyway, my weight gain history is a lot like CD's, with some ups and downs.

However, in July I'm coming up on my two-year anniversary of having reached my first goal--and I'm only 6 pounds over that right now. I have some new work to do, and I'm doing it.

Bye for now,
Jay

Jay, surprisingly, I don't get edamame that often. It is hard to find in this small town. Our natural food store does carry them, but they are pricey. Walmart has one frozen brand, but I don't care for them at all.

Jay - that two year anniversary is a HUGE milestone. To be virtually at the same weight two years later is fantastic! You will be back down to 147 again, one of these days - I'm sure of it.

Thanks for reminding me of Winter's story. I remember reading about it a couple different times. How cool that you live close enough to visit. I love aquariums, but we don't have one near. We get to the one in San Francisco (the new one is awesome) and Chicago every now and again. I could spend days there!

It has been a busy day today - getting caught up on all the stuff I didn't do last weekend. I did pass my master level shape boxing exam (which took me a couple tries to do) this morning. :woohoo: My arms were so sore after my workout, I had trouble pushing the vacuum cleaner ;)

I need to rest them however, because I think we will start dismantling the second story deck tomorrow in preparation for the new roof. After saving for 3 years, and getting estimates from several companies, we will sign the papers next week. It is going to be an interesting summer with DS1 home, Mom living here, and the roof literally being raised ;)

Well, it is a glorious evening here (72F and sunny) so I think I need to head out to get some weeding done, and then enjoy some tea by the fire.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Laurie :scooter:

Hey Laurie! Wow, dismantling the deck and having the roof rebuilt... :yikes: That is a BIG project! And yes... your summer sounds, um, interesting...

The edamame is (are?) pricey here, too, but at least it's in our regular grocery store (in the whole foods section). I agree--the frozen ones are no good. :p I had some fresh ones just as a side dish with my lunch. Right now I like them so much I don't mind paying.

This morning I pressure-washed the front of the house. The front faces north, so it has to be done more than the rest. Took some time to get it all done--and I should have started earlier. The heat index today is supposed to be 105. :eek: Anyway, it's done, and I had plans to go to the gym later, but now I'm not sure... my body seems to think that I did quite enough, thanks... I'd better do some stretching, get some ice packs...

Thanks for your congratulations on my upcoming two-year anniversary. And I am determined to reach 147 and go beyond it!

Hope everyone is having a good Sunday.

Jay :book2:

Hi all, another busy day here. The weather is glorious again so this is just a quick fly-by so I can get some yard work done. More shape boxing today, but I am starting to mix things up more. Tomorrow is 45 minutes with "My Fitness Coach". I'm going to start alternating with other workouts now that I feel I've got decent upper body strength going for me :)

Enjoy your day all! I hope it is a POP one!

Good afternoon all......:D

You guys are all doing so great. I really appreciate the meal suggestions. I am doing ok it is just the emotional eating that gets to me. My food is good other than that but that is all it takes.:hug:

I did get to the gym this morning. :carrot::carrot::carrot:

Made roasted veggies last night and thought of you Laurie. :flow2: Would be better on a barbecue but mine went camping last year with my DS and never returned.

I know that the exercise is what I have to work harder at. Keeps me in a better mood too. This morning I could hear Jay saying one foot in front of the other and so I went. Was running out of time but went anyway and got in the cardio part. Will go earlier tomorrow.

I hear what you are saying about stress and weight Laurie. I am finally getting that under control. It has taken some hard work but the healthiest thing I could do was to take back control of my life.
I went to the barbecue on Saturday night and it was a food disaster. First I was stuck in traffic for an hour because of an accident on the bridge. Then feeling bad that I was late actually arrived at 6pm. Well they never ate till 9pm. I was starved and the appies consisted of bread things and dip. :p

I had to eat something but bread and I just do not mix. Oh well it was nice to get out and visit with my friend who I have not seen for ages.

Jay is the edamame fresh?? Congratulations on the 2 year anniversery. Fabulous. :belly::belly:

CD what is this boxing thing is it a work out video or your Wii ? :boxing:

Your renovation sounds daunting. I am waiting for my counter tops on Friday and the tile guy is coming on Thursday to take off the backsplash. Why does that make me anxious. Might have been his tshirt. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But I will be positive and hopefully he will show up and get it done in time. I have to start moving all my kitchen things elsewhwere. That should be fun. They are starting the counters at 8am and will finish just in time for me to go to work. Not sure what I will be doing during that time. Will have to get the days meals all planned the night before as there will no getting into the kitchen.

Hope everyone is enjoying the weather and tea by the fire!!! I have my morning coffee on the patio. :coffee:

cheers....Jude

Jude :hug: Congrats on your progress! AWESOME! Progress, not perfection IS the goal!!!!

I am blessed that I have a microwave/convection oven so I can do roasted veggies in there. I also love them grilled on the George Foreman. Grilled asparagus tonight - absolute heaven! If you miss a real grill, how about one of those little gas grills that take the propane cylinders. I think our Sunbeam was about $20. They are perfect for 1-2 people and do a nice job!

:cp: on getting your exercise in - it really DOES make a difference. Keep trying to put yourself first. It was SO hard for me, but was an absolute necessity for my success. I am still pretty selfish. I worked out tonight after work instead of making dinner. DH was left to fend for himself. Oh, well ...

Gold's Gym Cardio Workout is a "game" for the Wii. It is mostly shape boxing. You work up to boxing with a wiimote in each hand and it times your punches. You have to "snap" and exaggerate them for the remote to register them. Even DH is amazed at how intense the workout is.

As everyone here knows, I'm kinda an all or nothing kinda gal - I tend to get on a "bent" and go overboard. Then, move on to something else. Shape boxing has been my workout of choice for a couple months now. But, summer is here and I am determined to mix it up for a while ;)

Off to bed - enjoy your Tuesday!

Laurie

<--- (Realizes that she has a George Foreman grill but hasn't used it for vegetables...) :chin:

Hey Jude, good for you for getting to the gym! :cheer2: :cheer2: I have found that even when I am definitely not in the mood and/or running behind, if I just GET there and START I can at least get something accomplished--even if it's only 15 minutes on an exercise bike. And usually once I do that, I do more.

Today I limited myself to 35 minutes on the exercise bike, as a matter of fact! I really worked my muscles the last two days--Sunday with pressure washing and Monday with weights. So... time to rest from that. Also, I kept my heart rate in the "fat burning" zone, which for my age is so low it seems ridiculous. However, I have to admit that after 35 minutes, I had worked up a sweat! So it must not be for nothing.

Food is good, work is good, everything is pretty good right now!

CD, you must be in great shape with that boxing stuff! I love any kind of workout that involves punching and kicking--like Tae Bo.

Well, it's time for dinner even though I'm not feeling very hungry. I know that once I start, I'll find motivation... ;)

Jay

Jay - I do think that a body needs rest to rebuild muscles after a strenuous workout - and your weekend qualifies!

Being 50+ has very few advantages, but being able to burn fat and keep our heart strong with a less intense workout is one of them. I still pop on my heart rate monitor every now and again to make sure I'm in my zone when I do cardio.

Jay :lol: DH mentioned last night that he was surprised by all of my muscle definition. Actually, so am I. I work out at a moderate pace, nothing like some of our chickies around here. I use resistance bands and light weights, but much of my exercise is yoga and pilates and dance. For the last year, I've only worked out once a day (most days). In other words - my moderate routines have had some really nice results. I'm stronger and fitter than I have ever been.

Oh, I like Tae Bo too.

A good day today! I was able to walk (instead of scoot) to work, and I still got in 45 minutes with "My Fitness Coach" on the Wii.

SD1's car is still on the blink - I'm hoping he can get it fixed before next week's crazy busy schedule kicks in!


Laurie :scooter:

Hi folks!

I lost another pound, and I changed my goal. I'm going to try to see if I can get comfortably into the "normal" BMI range. (For my height, the "normal" range stops at 141 pounds.) So, why not? I don't plan to eat any less--just extended the length of time by a few weeks. I don't want to lose any faster than I have been.

Not much new other than that! Work continues... :book2:

Jay

Good Morning everyone!

Oh I had a bad mood/food day yesterday. For some reason all I wanted to do was eat all day. The hunter looking for prey!!:jig:

It was mainly the struggle that was killing me. :faint:
People come and go on these pages. And I imagine it is all about success and failure. I was in such a "you'r never going to do thid mood" yesterday. I did not make the gym because of a bunch of phone calls I had to make and with each one I just got grumpier. So that set the tone for the day.:eek:

It is funny. You feel lousy when you overeat because it is for all the wrong reasons. But then when I keep the food at bay up come all the emotions that I have been holding down with food. :stress:

I am sure you all have experienced this? Maybe not?:shrug:

But I will know I am successful when the food is good and I can deal with the feelings. I am reading a book on this and am hoping it will help. Well it has already. At least I am recognizing what is going on. So new coping skills are in need and I guess stronger motivation. :carrot::cb:

I sure appreciate all your comments as I use them throughout the day. And yes it is about progress not perfection. We live in a world that likes women to be things of beauty. And that spells out young and slim. :fr:
Not ever getting back to that likely so need to be the best I can be for me. Healthy is the best goal.

Jay I like your idea of heading for the BMI numbers. That would be my goal as well but I have a long way to go.

I am heading out the door right now for the gym. :running:

Thanks for listening. I believe that when people disappear off the site it is the food winning. After all who would leave such a fascinating group as ours.:welcome2:

So if you are out there and are on the rollercoaster well so am I but with the help of those who have found a way I plan to keep on trying.

So new start to a new day. Catch you when I get back from the gym

Jude :balloons:

I have a sponser from 12 Step and she says I just think too much.
Could be the problem.....

Jay :cp:
:bravo:

I have no doubt that you can do it! You are doing great!

Jude :hug: I used to use food as a stress reliever/reward at the end of the day. I now substitute exercise in place of the food. If you had asked me two years ago if that was possible, I would have laughed hysterically :rofl:

ME - no WAY - I HATE exercise! How could something I HATE be a substitute for something I LOVE! And, I'm an old dog, anyway - can't teacher her a new trick if she couldn't learn it up to now.

But, I was very wrong. I have a small protein snack when I get home - often a SB protein bar which is kinda like having a 'treat". Then I start my workout. The stress of the day disappears, and I feel so much better. Actually, if I'm honest, I feel much better than I ever did after eating food.

But, it has to be a protein snack when I get home. If it is straight carbs - I'm in trouble. I wanna revert back to by old ways and stuff in as much as I can.

I think we all have those times of the day that we are more vulnerable to our old ways - we need to identify them, and plan for them - otherwise, old habits die hard.

So, maybe you are overthinking it - but, maybe not? Who knows. Do you journal your food, exercise and mood? While I never journaled my mood, it does work for some.

Also - I like yoga for stress relief. When we get stressed, we tend to breath more shallowly, which has some less than desirable physical consequences. I think deep breathing and relaxing and stretching are good for weight loss, and good for stress relief. I even take yoga breaks at work when I feel the stress level building. The old me would head for the break room hoping that a leftover muffin or bagel would be lurking there :o

Dang - my :soap: snuck out again - sorry!

Good day today - I got closer to completion on a couple big projects, and made some progress on two others. Still feel like I'm swimming upstream, but at least I'm moving :D

Shape boxing tonight, and it must be humid because I'm DRIPPING!

DH is boxing now, so I guess it is my turn to make dinner.

Hope you have a POP day and hello to our MIAs!

Laurie :scooter:

Thanks Laurie. I do journal my self talk. I am trying to get out of that all or nothing thinking. I am also trying to stay focused on what I want. I keep getting side tracked about this or that thing and it just does not help my mood and then the food comes back.
Funny but the more support I get from different places the better I seem to do. Today I just cruised around the site and it was good to read other peoples stories and how they overcame things.

I agree with you about the exercise being a stress buster. It is sooo hard to get my head to that place though. I sure appreciate all you help.

Just gotta keep my motivation up and in focus on what I need to do.
Have a good evening......Jude

Hey! :wave:

I am hoping that all our active 50s have taken off for exotic trips to distant locales and that's why we're not hearing from them. They have also all attained their goal weights and now hang out on different boards!

Went to step class this morning feeling pretty good! Was quite a workout. An air-conditioned gym is really a must in this climate. :faint:

Jude, I think the journaling is a good idea, as long as you don't eat while you're doing it. ;) :lol: On the other hand, if you find yourself just going over the same issues again and again, then maybe try writing about something else--lists of projects you'd like to do, trips to take, friends to see, like that.

There's a saying in AA about a certain type of habitual negative thinking: "Poor me! Poor me! Pour me a drink!" I guess you can see what the idea is. If things are just bad enough, then who can blame one for drinking? Of course it's bogus--but even after quitting, that habitual thought pattern can hang around. Then the challenge is not going there! The tough approach is "Cry all you want, but you still don't get to drink." :drill:

I don't know--maybe you could apply this to those foods you shouldn't be eating--along with using healthy, weight-loss-friendly substitutes.

Glad to hear you are making progress on the work front, CD! And thanks for your encouragement. I really do want to get these leftover pounds off me. They have all clustered in one place just to make sure I can't ignore them! :lol:

See ya!
Jay

Hi all - quick fly-by tonight. Just got home, and gotta get get some things done.

I hope to get caught up this weekend. Glorious day here, and I gotta take advantage of the daylight we have left :)

Stay strong!

Laurie

Hi all - hope you are out having fun!

I'm procrastinating starting the media presentations for Sunday. I was supposed to work a half day today, but the finance director needed some stuff done that only I can do :(.

did get out an hour early, so I've already finished exercising and taking DS2 to get his car. It was only a minor problem and he is only $70 poorer :D

We have a busy weekend planned. DH has already started taking the second story deck off in preparation for the roofers (which will probably start in the middle of July). I have to move DH and me to an upstairs bedroom so my mom can have the main floor one. Since she is going to be here for a month, I figured that we might as well move everything we need. And, now that I am such a clothes horse :o, it is going to take most of the day :yikes:

So, no more procrastinating, I gotta get moving and shaking.

Hope you have a fun weekend!

Laurie

Howdy everyone :wave: rosey

Hey rosey! :wave: :welcome2:

How's it going with you? Gosh, you've been a member since 2002? That's almost when the site started, I think. Perhaps it was a year earlier. Tell us about you!

Gosh, CountingDown, I'm glad I don't have to do anything much outside this weekend, because it's going to be even hotter than usual here... Right now it is 9:30 at night, and it's in the 80s out there with the heat index over 90. :yikes: Oh thank you, air conditioner!

Couldn't go for my walk this morning--left it too long, and it was hot--but I put in the Tae Bo Gold tape instead. Good workout, and it didn't even seem very hard! This afternoon I went to the gym to do some weights.

Other than that, same old stuff. Oh, peaches are coming in from Georgia... A very happy time of year. And we have blueberries. :drool:

See you all tomorrow!

Jay

Good Evening all!

Hope everyone has a great weekend. So glad it is Friday. Had the counter top guys in this morning to replace my counter. Counter looks great but they chipped 5 chips on the side of my sink. It is a Corian sink. So not too happy with that. Now they are replacing the sink which is great. But if they can not find one to fit the hole then they will have to pull off the counter. I can not even tell you how much mess it made.

Picture a band sander in the kitchen. I can only imagine where all the sawdust went. I got a little stressed when I noticed the workman trying to fill the chips in the side of my sink with silicone!!!

I called the shop and they were great. But the tiler was supposed to come tomorrow and do the tile and finish on Sunday with the grout. Now he is annoyed and might not come back??? What is with that. I guess he had the money spent. :fr:

So it has been quite the day. I did not sleep well last night in anticipation and then they called to say the regular guy had called in sick and the fill in guy was coming. An hour late too boot. :censored:

As soon as I heard that call something warned me. I have since heard from co workers.....always take before pictures. Never book for Friday as everyone wants to go home early. So that was just for starters.
The counter looks GREAT though.

I am going to go home and try and sort out my kitchen. It is all lying in the dining room as all the cupboards below had to be emptied.
Dusting will be the chore of the day. Hope we do not have to do it all over again!!!

Going to try and get out for a nice walk at the beach on the weekend. The weather here has cooled down a bit.

Welcome to Rosey!!:welcome:

Cheers.....Jude

Jay - that heat is why I can't stay in Florida for long. I got sun poisoning when we went to Disney in March one year. This pale old chick with northern European roots just can't handle the heat. Though, I must admit, I can handle it a LOT better minus 95 lbs :D

Jude - WOW sounds like it was a blessing that you were there to watch over the project. And, it sounds like it is lovely. Post a picture when you get it done. I've gotta do something with the kitchen cabinets one of these days, and I'm always looking for ideas.

Gotta fly - off to the grocery store then the recycle center. Then, media presentations for work and more cleaning and room prep for next week.

Have a fun weekend all!

Laurie

Man! Jude, what is it about workmen? Here's what I've heard--not on Friday because they want to go home early, and not on Monday because if they show up at all, they are hung over. :dunno:

Trying to patch the sink chips with silicone... I would have gone ballistic... See? What did I tell you about guys with caulk? ;)

Well, I hope it all turns out fine in the end!

I am really picky about workmen now, since that one I hired last year just took off and never came back--after his girlfriend had stolen pain pills from my bathroom. (He never knew about that--he was just a flake with a druggie girlfriend! Trying to "save" her. Oh puleeeze!)

Nothing doing around here today--laying low, staying out of the sun.

CD, I got heat exhaustion in Massachusetts in the summer once, and I've had it here, too. I'm also a pale northern European gal. Not up for winter anymore, though. :beach: (No one with sense goes to the beach in the summer here...)

I talked to my friend the bicycle rider, who now has a cold and bronchitis. :( Also found out that my brother had to have his dog put to sleep, and he got "offered" early retirement at work. Gee whiz! And my uncle had a stroke and is in the hospital... No wonder I want to lay low!

See ya!
Jay

Jay :hug: Wow!

Yeah, CD, it was kind of a heavy bunch of news! :faint:

But I think things will be OK for everyone.

:kickcan:

Not much going on today. Went to the gym early--too hot and humid for a walk. I tell ya, it's so humid we could use some gills!

Halllloooooo... :listen: Hmm, not even an echo. Well, catch you folks later!

:wave:
Jay

I have been hanging around today, but I felt like I was talking to myself around here :(

Jay, glad you are still present and accounted for. I'm off tomorrow for the conference up north. I should be back Friday.

Hope everyone has a GREAT week!

Laurie

Bye CD! :wave: Have a good conference!

OK, you lurkers, it's time to step up! ;)

Jay

stepping up caused Jay bossed me into it....wink

I guess I should step it up, but I'm not 50 for 3 more months -- am I allowed? :p

DH and I did a really cool kayaking event on Saturday, called Kayak against Cancer, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. I just wanted to be able to finish the 12 mile ocean course within the 4 hour time limit, but we actually did much better than that, finishing in a little over 3 hours. It was a beautiful day, calm seas, clear skies. It was a lot of fun -- but challenging, I had never paddled nonstop, flat out, for 3 hours before! We are usually a lot more casual about it. I think we finished 6th and 7th overall, but they only gave out prizes to the top 3. ;)

DH and I are leaving for vacation on Friday, our annual trip to the mountains to escape the South Florida heat! However, THIS year, we will be by ourselves, which is quite a change of pace. DS#1 is starting college classes next week and DS#2 is off to a 6 week summer boarding camp. So, we will just be able to suit ourselves! Wow, what a concept! At first, when we saw it was going to shake out this way, I was sad not to have the boys along, it just seemed so - weird. But now I've gotten used to the idea and I'm kinda liking it. :D

Hey, I knew I could count on you, EZ. ;) (Lets go of his arm...)

MBN, welcome! Kayaking sounds like a lot of fun! I'm in Fla. too--Tampa Bay area. Did you get any of that big thunderstorm earlier today?

Where in the mountains are you going?

Not much to report here. This morning the temperature was 90 at 9 a.m. and the heat index was 105. :yikes:

Jay

YES, we got some monsoon-like weather yesterday! Reminded me uncomfortably that hurricane season is upon us!! We've been lucky the past few years, and I'm hoping for a quiet season this year. I've had way more experience with hurricanes than I'd like. :yikes:

Kayaking is great fun! There are so many options here - urban canals, Everglades, the Keys, ocean. I never understand why there aren't more people out doing things like this -- isn't this why we live in South Florida? But, more often than not, we're out there by ourselves. :?:

We are going to Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains National park. We love the area and have been vacationing up there for years. We've done pretty much all of the touristy stuff already, so our focus is the park and lots of hiking! We've got one overnight planned, but mostly we day-hike. Our day hike range is around 15 miles, so we can cover a lot of territory. We leave Friday morning and I am soooo ready to leave right now! :hyper:

The storm line went through here around 10:30-10:45 last night. Whew! Glad I had the rain gutters all cleaned out!

I hear you about the hurricanes, MBN. Were you living in Fla. in 2004 and 2005? :yikes: All we did was pack up and evacuate every other week.

I would looooove to go to the Smoky Mountains!

Good day food-wise here, and it's a day off from the gym. It may turn into more days off; my tendons are getting sore, and that's the last thing I need to get worse...

:wave:
Jay

I hear you about the hurricanes, MBN. Were you living in Fla. in 2004 and 2005? Jay

Oh yes .. we've been here a while, we even went through Andrew in 1992, although we escaped that one relatively unscathed. The fun one was 2005 Wilma - roof and landscaping damage, no power for a week, roads a mess, no fresh food for days, schools out for 2 weeks. It was months before the area got back to normal -- No thanks, I'd rather not do that again!!

With vacation coming, I've fallen somewhat off-track food-wise, although my exercise schedule is going well. I'm going to pack lunch and snacks for the road tomorrow so I'm not so tempted to go off plan ... All of the hiking next week will help, but I can out-fuel ANY amount of exercise if I try! :p

Hi everyone!! Welcome MBN :cb::cb:

I have been off sick for a few days and my internet at home has finally been straightened out I hope.
I am in the process of looking for a new sink for my kitchen. :?: They no longer make the one that I have. I guess I will go with a stainless steel one. Maybe get a new tap with the pull down sprayer. Boy are they expensive. But it will be nice.
I ran an ad at work for a tiler in case the other one does not come back. So I do have another option.

Jay sorry to hear about all your loss. :hug:

Hey CD hope you enjoyed the conference. Hope you get some time off to relax. :wave:
I had to google the Smoky Mountains. It is a long way from here but is very beautiful. We have Banff National park here that compares. Been a long time since I have been there though.

Not much new here. Food is pretty good but no exercise this week except a yoga class.
Hope everyone is having a good day.........Jude :comp:

What I scared everyone away???

Hey! :wave: Glad to see you checking in, Jude. I'd go with the stainless steel, myself.

I'm off to an all-day workshop thing. Lunches are being packed, etc., so I've got to run.

We had rain all day yesterday--made it to the gym, though.

Bye for now,
Jay

Hello everyone, I am new here. I am trying to count calories everyday but I find that I am really hungry a lot. I am eating about 1500-1600 a day and that seems like a lot to me and I don't even know how much weight I will lose but I am biking about 4 times a week at about 6 miles a ride. I weigh 185 lbs and want to lose about 40lbs.

Any tips on keeping full while dieting?

Gary - thanks for stepping up!

MBN - glad you joined us! I love the Gatlinburg area. My mom lives near Knoxville, so we hike the mountains quite frequently :D

Jude - Glad you are back!

Jay - glad you are safe, and I hope the workshop went well. Down 4 now :woohoo:

praterteaches - volumetrics! Lots of vegetables and fiber-rich foods. Also, make sure you balance - carbs/fat/protein. If I eat just carbs, I'm looking for more food shortly - even if I ate quite a bit. By eating fat AND protein with my carbs - I stay full longer :)

Oh, and water and tea (hot or iced) - they fill me up too :)

Hi all! I"m back! The conference went well, but it was very, very HOT! Which ended up being a huge NSV for me. I took shorts and tank tops and ended up wearing them for much of the conference. NEVER would have happened before I began this journey. I would have worn my "cover up" clothes - mostly black and BAKED!
:D

We picked up DS1 and had a good, but way to short visit! We are planning on driving down to Grand Rapids tomorrow to take him out to dinner on a break from his church conference. A long drive, but worth it to spend a few more hours with him before he returns to CA.

Picked up my Mom late on Thursday. It is good to have her here :yes:

We took her canoeing yesterday - she had a good time, and it was beautiful on the river!

Gotta fly - tons of stuff to get done - I love going, but I sure pay for it when I get home!

Laurie :scooter:

Hey CD! :wave: Glad to see you back!

The conference was so-so. The organization sounded interesting, but basically they are stuck in the '90s, and I've been there and done that and moved on. Oh well, at least I didn't work all weekend! Also, it's been raining like mad the last couple of days, which made things interesting.

Welcome, praterteaches! :welcome2: CD had some good suggestions. I'd add that it helps to plan snacks into your day, so that you can eat something every 2 to 3 hours (a meal or a snack). This may help... I hope so!

Jay

Hi,
Jay - agreed - eating every couple hours really helps me!

We have rain here and it is quite cool. A nice respite from the heat :)

We had a lovely dinner with DS1 last night, and then walked and sat in the park for a few hours just catching up. We sure will miss him. Even though the visit was short, it was nice to re-connect. I'm already looking forward to our next trip to CA :)

Hope you all have a great start to the week!

Laurie

Take me with you to CA, CountingDown! ;)

I am so tired today. I don't know what's the matter with me. I could barely get through my workout, and I was taking it easy.

I kinda feel like I've worn myself out lately... Tho' I'm not sure how! :dizzy:

Well, later!

Jay

Hi all!!
I am down another pound!!:cp:

Happy about that but slow for sure. At least it is in the right direction and I am feeling the change and that helps a lot. :snail:

Went to the gym this morning. Went to chiropractor too as the yoga class that I took last week did something to my neck. Feels better now.

The weather is great here. Just the right temperature. :beach:

Glad to see you back CD but I did say to myself how did you lose weight away on a trip. That amazes me!! Fantastic. To me holidays were always time to eat what I wanted. Good for you.:celebrate:

Jay you are keeping up the exercise but I bet the heat is getting to you. Maybe what is making you tired.
Maybe we should all meet up in California one day!!

I am going for the stainless sink and going to see if he will throw in a new tap for the price difference. :flow2:

Hope everyone is having a good evening........cheers...Jude

Jay - make sure you are getting enough rest and protein and fluids. Any of those out of balance will really zap my energy. And of course the heat ...

Don't forget to take a rest day every once in a while - you are so faithful with your exercise :D

Jude - THANKS! It does feel weird to be able to travel and still stay OP. We ate at a FANTASTIC restaurant in Grand Rapids last night. I have found that I am much more of a "foodie" now than I ever was before. I really prefer to eat less but quality food. We shared a wonderful flourless chocolate cake - one piece for four of us - and it was the perfect amount :D

:congrat: on your loss! that is AWESOME! EVERY pound is worth celebrating :D

I don't think you can go wrong with stainless - it is functional, timeless, and always looks great!


A good day here - hung around the house and got some things done. DS2 is back home and we taught MOM to play some Wii games. I did get in some shape boxing, which totally entertained Mom.

We picked out the new pond yesterday, but since the weather was rainy, we didn't set it up. We won't put it permanently in place until the roof is done (probably in August).

We are struggling with "critter" issues. Our dear adorable Chloe Cat keeps bringing in live critters as "pets". Yesterday it was a chipmunk, and today it was a field mouse. I'm getting very tired of catching critters with a butterfly net. Catch and release was meant for FISHING, not for my living room :yikes:

Hope you all had a great start to the week! I'm feeling challenged since I have to cook for more than DH and myself. So far so good ...

Laurie :scooter:

Thought I'd pop in and say hi. :wave:

Jude, good for you on that pound down! :bravo:

I don't think my tiredness is the heat--I don't go out in it that much. Anyone who lives year-round in Fla. has air conditioning everywhere.

I don't know what it is. I'm tired and really hungry on top of it. Maybe I've been overdoing it. I skipped the gym today, which I hated to do! And I've taken two naps. Maybe I should get more consistent with my vitamins.

You'd think I was a marathoner, but we're only talking a little cardio and some light weights! :dunno:

CD, cats do love to share... :yikes:

See ya!
Jay

Jay - I do have an issue if I don't get my vitamins regularly. That could be it. Or, maybe there is virus going around?

In any case - take care of yourself! And, see a doctor if it doesn't get better soon!

A lazy day here today - took Mom shopping and did some cleaning. We did have a nice lunch out as well. No critters today :) I did get in 45 minutes with "My Fitness Coach", however!

Time for Wii sports. I'm kinda bummed that Mom doesn't want to play with us - I thought she might enjoy it. Oh, well.

Laurie

Hi everyone. :hug:

Not much new around here. They are ordering my sink and it is going to take a few weeks. They are likely going to have to pull off the counter and do it again as the hole is too big. Could anything else go wrong? At least the tile is not done yet as likely it would get cracked. :fr:

Did not make it to the gym today. Had to go pick up an order at a store. :o

Tomorrow here is Canada Day. :woo:

I am working some OT but I think I am going to a friends for a barbeque. There will be fireworks down at the beach and we can watch from her place.

Hope you are feeling better Jay. :tired:

And one piece of cake for 4 that must have been a HUGE PIECE!!!! :drool:

Cheers......Jude

Jude--I'm sorry, but it does not take "a few weeks" to get a sink! Look around--see what other places have available. Tell the people that "a few weeks" isn't acceptable. This is their problem because their workers chipped your old sink! Talk to the company owner!

Not feeling that great--but a little better. I don't think it's a virus. The only symptom is feeling tired and hungry. Maybe it's time to re-evaluate.

See ya!

Jay

Jude - WEEKS to get a sink! WOW! And I thought waiting a month for a new ROOF was bad ;)

Jay, You've got data, so you probably have the tools necessary to adjust your plan if you think that is the issue. If you are hungry all the time, definitely look at the number of calories you are eating, your activity level, and the balance of those calories. Beyond that, I can't help much.

Hopefully, it will pass soon - it definitely isn't normal or status quo for you!

I worked today, doing a lot of year-end stuff that needed doing. It was a productive day. Mom had a lunch date with an old friend, so it was a good day to be gone.

Tomorrow is "doctor" day. I really don't like going much, but I promised myself that I WOULD get in a yearly physical after avoiding the doctor for so many years when I was fat.

So, eye exam and the "yearly" tomorrow. To be followed by blood work and a mammo - probably next week. It will feel good to get it over with :D

Gotta fly - I have to chair a church personnel committee meeting in a few minutes.

Hope you are having a good hump day!

Laurie :scooter:

Went to the gym yesterday and walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes, and by the end I felt like I couldn't do another thing. It was at an easy speed as well. Hm. It wasn't like I was out of breath--just fatigued.

Guess I need to rest up! :yawn:

I'm going to make an appointment with a doc as well. This is kind of unusual for me.

We've had rain for two days now... everything is floating away... Oh, and it's hot! Steam bath out there!

I saw a lightning strike yesterday about a block away from where I was sitting in my car. Wow. This spherical, blue cloud of plasma exploded out from where it struck. I always wondered what "electric blue" really meant! :lol:

And that's about all she wrote for now... :book2:

Jay

Jay, glad you are going to the doctor. You need to rule out any medical reasons for what is going on. In all the time I have been here, you have ALWAYS been one of the most solid, energetic exercising chickies around here!

Something is DEFINITELY out of whack.

:hug: Keep us posted! You are in my thoughts!

Well, my NSV today was picking out my new eyeglass frames. It was so cool to try on so many different styles and shapes and LIKE what I saw. In fact, way too many designs were too wide and overpowered my face. I picked out a petite BLACK (http://www.bestbuyeyeglasses.com/img/product.ashx/o?0f2a1050.jpg) frame (something I never would have done two years ago).

The weather was too cool and rainy to go to the outdoor jazz concert tonight :( I'm hoping that tomorrow is better so that we can take in the festivities in the park and the fireworks. One of the blessings of living in town is that we can walk and avoid all the traffic :D

Hope you all have a fun-filled and OP holiday! Watch out for the potato salad ;)

Good Morning everyone!:coffee:

I was up at the crack of dawn today. Going to get the house cleaned before work. Should be ready for a nap just as it is time to leave. :yawn:

Jay any hair loss?? I know thyroid issues are quite frequent in women our age. My thyroid changed when I hit menopause and I now have to take meds. Just a thought. I creates a tiredness that no amount of rest seems to fix it.

CD it is nice that you have your mom there for a visit. Though it can make the house quite different.

My food has been lousy for the last couple of days. Feeling lonely and for some reason I think food is a companion!! Gotta get past that. I am seeing this as a big stumbling block. Bigger than I realized. But knowing the problem can bring you closer to the answer I think. :chin:

So glad today is Friday. The weather here has been fabulous. Have to get my car washed this weekend.

Oh and the sink should be done in the next week. They are going to have to pull the counter off though as the hole is too big. Sigh!

Hope you all enjoy your day.......Jude :write:

Hey! :wave:

Jude, no hair loss that I can tell. My thyroid hormone level has always tested normal, but I'll ask the doc to test that.

I'm glad you'll get the sink next week! Too bad about the counter--but there is no way to patch a bigger hole. Basically, they should have been more careful with your original sink. :mad:

CD, I love those frames! I could use some new glasses... Maybe some prescription ones. Last time I had my eyes examined, the prescription was exactly what I could get at the drugstore off a rack, so that's what I did. But they aren't always the best. You'll have to post a photo wearing your new ones!

Jude, funny how the foods that make the best "companions" aren't things like boneless skinless chicken breast or mixed green salad... ;)

Well, I'm trying to figure out what to do today. I'd rather not work--how boring--and there are some chores I could do that I've been putting off--we're having our "4th of July" foods tomorrow instead of today because of appointments today. I went shopping yesterday--got the franks, buns, soda, beans. I plan to grill the franks on the George Foreman grill, just for fun.

OK, I'll go sort things out... Have a good one!

Jay

Jude - I'm with you on food accountability for the next week. Yesterday was, well - not good :o

Having Mom here seems to be a license to eat out more than usual. And, even splitting meals with DH and sharing dessert 3 ways adds up!!!!

Jay - I should get the frames in 1-2 weeks (gotta love small towns). I will post a new pic with them on when I get them.

I've worn glasses since I was in my 20s. I started with the drug store variety for crafting and up-close stuff and progressed to multi-focals. Glasses are one area where I splurge. I figure that they are on my nose for 16+ hours a day, and I am going to get what I like and will work best for me. Thus, I always get Transistions lenses - I LOVE having my sunglasses on my nose whenever I go outside. Particularly in the winter. People forget how much glare comes off snow in the winter.

We had a nice "3rd" yesterday. I cleaned in the morning, worked on church stuff and then we went down for the parade. We took Mom out to our favorite coffee house for dinner and then went to the park for a concert of patriotic music. Then, out for dessert, and back to the park for the fireworks display. We got home about 11:30 (it doesn't get dark here until about 10:30 right now).

The great thing about living in a small town is that normally, DH and I would have walked to do all that. With Mom's health, we drove down to the park, but then walked the rest of the time :)

I'm off to make a HEALTHY pasta salad because I need to minimize the damage from yesterday.
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/7520/1patroticanimatedfirewo.gif (http://img39.imageshack.us/i/1patroticanimatedfirewo.gif/)

Happy 4th everyone!

Guess I'll check in... Things are good here! We had our food fest today. It was fun and filling and enjoyable. Then later the weather was cooperative so we went to the pool and swam, and I got to sit around in the hot tub. My body feels so great! There's nothing like swimming for that.

You know, CD, you're right. I mean about glasses being on one's face so many hours of the day. I guess I could go a little more than $20... :lol:

I know what you mean about light off of snow. Snowblindness is a real thing!

I wore bifocals for awhile, but my eyes have changed, and I no longer need glasses to drive--only for close up.

Well, I guess there's not much else to ramble on about. See you all later!

Jay

Hi all, Jay - thanks for posting. I REFUSED to talk to myself here. I'm batty enough ;)

A good Sunday here - very typical: Church, made brunch for the family (yummy multigrain waffles with fresh strawberries, blueberries and yogurt topping), nap, gardening, dinner (healthy pasta and vegetable salad with MSF Chick'n strips) and then a lovely fire on the patio.

I'm almost ready to go back to work tomorrow morning. Almost.

Hope you all have a good start to the week!

Laurie :scooter:

I find it a problem as to what to have for breakfast so thanks for all the great ideas. I've never seen Boca Burgers but we can get other veggie burgers.

Hey Angelica! :wave:

Yes, there are lots of really good veggie burgers available if that's your preference. And I like them for breakfast because they aren't heavy on the stomach like the typical "breakfast meats."

Jay

Hi all! Well, back to work today - the training went well, and the people from our district are feeling better about moving to a new student information system.

I got in shape boxing after work. Now, I'm trying to come up with something yummy for dinner. Gotta think on that a while!

Hope you all had a GREAT start to the week!

Laurie

Good afternoon all!

I was here yesterday and typed a long email and hit send and the site crashed. Lost my email as well. Hate it when that happens. :o

Had a good OP weekend but had a small glitch yesterday. But today am back at it. I am determined to get through the day here without all the junk food.

Went to the gym this morning. That was great. Really worked hard too.

Sounds like you all had a great 4th of July. I had a quiet weekend my self. My gym has yoga on Saturday and so need to write myself a reminder to go to it. It is a good class and a nice thing to do on Saturday.

It has clouded up and is cold here today but we have had quite a hot spell so I do not mind.

Hope everyone is having a good start to the week !!!:carrot::carrot:

Jude :hug:

Hi all!
The day started out rough (had to fast overnight to get my labs done, so no breakfast or coffee :(, and the dog was not feeling well and left "presents" beside my bed when I got up), but it dramatically improved throughout the day. Work was intense, but productive. We took "MOM" to a local coffee house and wine bar for dinner and a wine tasting. She had never done a wine tasting before. Then, we went to the park to hear a local band, which she really enjoyed.

Hope you are all having a great day!

Laurie :scooter:

Hi Laurie and Jay :hug:

Anyone heard from Linda? Wonder how she is doing these days?

I am at work and we have been sooo busy for the last couple of days. It rains after a long dry spell and everyone drives into each other. :?:

Did not make it to the gym today as I had a doctors appointment but will go back tomorrow.

I would like to know where I can learn some self discipline around the junk food at work. I guess I just have to keep trying harder. Like it is the most unhealthy food too. Hydrogenated everything!! :p

How are you guys doing? Laurie sounds like you are feeling the extra work with having your mom there. Life just gets more complicated.

Jay did you get to the doctor yet?

Rainy here today but the claims are slowing down. Thank goodness.

Have a good evening.....Jude

Hey Jude! :wave:

No, I haven't gone to the dr. yet. I have an appointment for near the end of the month. This isn't a critical emergency. But, I did get the paperwork for me to fill in as a new patient today. Many pages... and questions... some of which I think are nobody's darn business! :lol:

I don't know how Linda meowee is doing... but another post from Ruthxxx in the Diabetes group indicates she's been around, just not posting. I hope she's feeling better!

Gosh Jude, you used to have discipline at work... Do you take your own snacks? That can sometimes help delay things if nothing else.

Laurie, I hate those early morning tests. I take coffee with me so that the minute they are through drawing, I can suck some down. :coffee2:

Anyone else doing anything lately? Trips? Excursions? The wine tasting sounds enjoyable, CD--I used to like going to wine tasting events, but for all the wrong reasons. :lol: Obviously they now bore me completely...

I have been so hungry lately! It's really strange. I am going with it (that is, eating at a higher calorie level, but nutritious foods--not bad stuff). I figure staying just below maintenance level can't be a bad thing.

Hey! We are planning to go to Berkeley, CA, to visit my bicycle-riding friend, in the fall. It will be nice to be back in the SF Bay Area--I haven't been there in, gosh, 14 years? Too ridiculous to be away so long.

OK, see you folks later...

Jay

Jude - this may sound simplistic and silly, but it worked for me. I made a rule - absolutely NO FREE FOOD AT WORK. I don't care WHAT the food is. I don't care WHO brought it, donated it, sent it as a gift - NO FREE FOOD AT WORK.

That being said, I keep a drawer of healthy snacks so that I can socialize and enjoy the birthday celebrations etc. with everyone else. The first couple times were awkward - now, no one even notices.

Jay - I'm envious! I don't know when we will get back to SF - DS1 has hinted that maybe Thanksgiving will work.

I think you need to listen to your body - being hungry is something that is not normal for you. I'm glad you are seeing the doctor, but in the mean time - continue to use some common sense. I know you are dedicated and working your plan, but obviously something is awry.

Keep us posted - you are in my thoughts!

We have a trip planned for August - another Trader Joe's run downstate. We have several hiking trails that we hope to do as part of the trip. Then, in October, we hope to do another Upper Peninsula trip - lots of hiking, waterfalls, and local haunts. SF in Novemeber (most likely) to see the kids. Then who knows?

Actually, Jay - thanks for asking. Work is ugly right now and thinking about getting away has improved my mood :D

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Laurie :scooter:

Good Evening..:wave:

Well another good day at the gym. I am trying to up my cardio to 45 mins a day from 30 mins. I work out on 3 different machines and today did 12 mins on each. Works for me cause I like the variety and the gym can be boring. There was a great Sculpt class on but it looked too hard for now and when I was leaving there was a spinning class on. That is a real calorie burner.
Again need to get a few more pounds off before I get into that. :carrot::carrot:

Not much else is new. Laurie I am using your mantra "no free food at work. There are donuts today but I am staying away. :D

Laurie what do you buy at Trader Joe's. We do not have that store in Canada but there is one in Bellingham WA. I have been there once and it was a quaint little store.

Jay I have some time off in August and hope to go away. My brother might come out but I may go and visit a friend in the prairies. :moo:

Cheers.....Jude

I haven't been too active recently. Took me over a week to get back to the gym after our last trip, then we went out of town one day again and so I've only been back that one time. Hope to go tomorrow though.

I got a new computer and that has kept me busy for seveal days now.

Jude - my TJ trips usually include

~soups and broths
~fiber and other cereals
~sauces and spreads (eggplant pepper spread, aoili garlic mustard, 5 spice Chinese, other Asian sauces, etc.)
~unsalted cashews
~Two buck Chuck (which is $3 in MI)
~WW couscous
~quinoa
~harvest medly grain mix
~frozen veggies
~cheese
~Greek yogurt (for starter for mine)
~Marsala veggie burgers
~dark chocolate bars
~whatever else strikes my fancy ;)

I live in a small town with a natural food store (expensive) and two big box grocery stores. Finding natural ingredient foods can be challenging. Whole vegetables are easy, but finding prepared items is tough/expensive. Thus, I LOVE TJs.

Mary - glad you are back! We missed you!

Busy day ending a busy week here. I met a friend after work, and she had some sad news about potentially ending her marriage. Looks like I may be putting my counseling hat back on for a while. Time will tell ...

Hope you all have a fun weekend!

The jazz concert last night was GREAT!

Laurie

Hi, I'm new here.

Counting, when did you hit your goal? Congrats! I'm with you on the food at work. We have WAY too many potlucks. Today I turned down ice cream cake and lemon cake. Unfortunately, our potlucks are delicious but horribly fattening. There are about 20 young girls (and a few middle aged women) that work in my area, and I would say 18 of them qualify as obese, 4 morbidly obese. Two have had gastic bypass and gained all of the weight back. It is so sad. These girls, in their 20s, are around 300 lbs. Our next potluck is next week, and I declined to participate. Too much temptation. The girls all think I am an old fuddy duddy, but so be it!

Laurie I am using your mantra "no free food at work."

Sending supportive thought to all who battle FREE food at work. It haunts me regularly. I have to run out of the mail room holding my breadth when there's a choice spice cake calling my name.

Hey! Happy weekend, everyone!

Yeah, that food at work thing... I used to work at a place where there was a lot of free food in the coffee room, and parties out in the courtyard every Friday afternoon with free food AND free drinks--company paid. I sure had a hard time there when I quit drinking... but mostly I would just not go to the party, or if I did, I would get a soft drink really fast.

Is it any wonder I gained weight during that period, though?

When I have to participate in a potluck, I'm the one who brings salad. (It used to be caesar salad, but not anymore.) It's amazing how quickly the salad disappears, too. Oh, and green beans, with a little bit of olive oil and dillweed.

Of course, I work at home now, so the only temptation I have is food in my cupboards and fridge. Most of the time that's OK.

Gosh, I've never been in a Trader Joe's. And there's a good reason. There are none in Florida. Sigh...

Hey, I bought a glucose test kit yesterday. I was just curious about my blood sugar, so I thought I'd see. I have a doctor appt., as you all know, but I was too curious to wait. Plus Walgreens had one that cost $10 and came with a $10 rebate--so, a free blood test! I'm happy to report that my fasting BG is 92, quite normal. And I have several more tests strips in this kit if I want to repeat it. It's so interesting that these days you can buy these things (and blood pressure meters) over the counter!

Hey Mary, welcome back! And Late to the game, :wel3fc: Hope to see you posting often! :wave:

Jay

Late to the game - I hit my goal in July 2008 (53 weeks after I started my journey) :)

Congrats - potlucks are really hard, because everyone brings something that is their specialty - which means LOTS of really tempting food! Stay strong! You can do this! Were in CA are you? My kids are in Oakland.

Bill - I'm not a cake fan - but spice and carrot cakes seem to have a special power ;)

Jay - I'm the same. I always bring something vegetarian and healthy to potlucks and parties. It has saved me more than once! :woohoo: with the BG - good number!!! Keep us posted on the results from your doctor visit.

My labs came back normal, so once I get my "smash and squash" test done (Monday), I'm good for another year :D

We went to a wedding today - which was quite nice. DH was working, so just Mom and I went (family friend of Mom's). It was definitely a NSV for me - work has been so busy, that I didn't have time to even think about this weekend. In the past, I would have fretted over what to wear for weeks leading up to the event. I would have been grouchy about seeing people that hadn't seen me for a while - not wanting to admit that I really wasn't happy with my weight.

So - today, I grabbed a beautiful black and white lace dress from my closet, slipped on some black and silver heels, wrapped a black and white shawl around my shoulders and went off to have a fabulous time. No frets, no worries, no regrets, no trying on 15 outfits to find the one that I could tolerate - no food is worth going back. No potluck, no donuts, no cake, no pasta, not one food is worth it.

I sure wish I had figured that out a long time ago!

Hope you are all having a great weekend! Stay strong!

Laurie

CountingDown! That means you've been maintaining for.. A YEAR!!!!

:cheer2: :cheer3: :cheer2: :cheer3:

Everybody, come on over to the new thread and congratulation Laurie!

Jay