300+ Club - 300+ and Getting Fit after 40 #234

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

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

:badbat: :bat: :witch: :sklol: :haphal: :ghost: :frank: :witch2: : ::spid: :dracula:

Thanks for starting the thread, Terri! Good to have you around here more!!

Official weigh-in this morning and I think I weigh 199.5 -- hard to see on a dial scale. I'm hoping it's the last time I see the 200s! TOM comes this week and always throws me.

I am actually caught up on my grading. I've had to grade every night after work for the last month, and am wondering who the crazy woman is who assigns all these papers to my class! This week is the first one all term that looks a little...open. I'm hoping to both relax and get some things done around the house that have languished...

Hey girls! I'm finally home. Got in last night after a really long drive.

Yesterday was a huge day for me. It was the last day of the retreat and I did some pretty big work, emotionally speaking, in the morning. I talked about it in my blog from yesterday (http://half-the-woman.blogspot.com/2009/10/i-feel-100-lbs-lighter.html). I slept the sleep of exhausted people last night.

I just weighed in...last week, after returning from Southern CA I weighed 310. Then it was TOM and my weight popped back up to 316 (in one day!), but just five days later, I'm back down to 309 today. I exercised a lot and ate really wisely during the retreat.

Late yesterday afternoon, after spending the drive crying and getting the last of my sadness out of me (and that felt good), I took a wrong turn on the road, got turned around and had to find my way back. And I was hungry as well, so I stopped at the first place I saw, which was KFC. I mindlessly ordered. 2-piece extra-crispy meal with a Pepsi. As I bit into the chicken, I felt that nasty coating from the fat envelop my tongue. It was horrible! I took a bite of the coleslaw...it tasted bitter. So did the Pepsi. The only thing that tasted okay was the macaroni and cheese. I dumped it all when I got home and had the worst stomach ache for another two hours. There was something definitely wrong with the food, because I actually got sick and got it all out of my system. What a great reinforcement to keep me from wanting to EVER go back to KFC again!

Okay, I've got to get kids ready for school...I'll write more later.

Im trying something new this week.I always eat light at lunch and have a heavier dinner. Well this week Im trying to eat my heavier meal in the middle of the day and eat really light at dinner.
My scales are still yo-yo-ing in a few lb range.I am eating pretty good for the most part but have a few bad days thrown in.
Here is hoping for a week of perfect eating

Debbie - great idea to change it up a bit. I'm afraid I'd be too sleepy if I did that. I may try that over the weekend.

Georgia - nice to have you back. It's so nice to see all the positive changes you are making - taking care of yourself. Keep up the great work.

Heather - glad to hear the grading is current (for now). DH weighs on a dial scale - I use a doctors balance scale I bought at an estate sale several years ago - he doesn't understand my obsession with quarter pounds.

Terri - will we see you this week?

We've had a couple of strong reminders about taking care of ourselves (and those we love). Friday one of our best friends had a massive stroke - while driving. He will survive and hopefully therapy can bring him some independence - he is 56. My old trainers father died - he was 61 - obesity related health issues the cause. Not sure there could be much stronger reminders.

Just catching up since I've been out of the loop for a couple of weeks...

My congratulations to Carol, for breaking past a new weight level. And I'm so glad to read about everyone's constant re-commitment to themselves and our group and staying OP with food and exercise. I think that state of being is where our success is generated and maintained. You're all very inspiring to me. Thank you!

Hello my peeps,

I had my upper GI today. All is well and am cleared for WLS. Now is the insurance wait.

Unfortunately, my head cold has turned into a sinus infection. bleh.

Hugs to all!
Ratkity

Rat - its so fantastic your insurance will help you with your surgery. Now - get some rest and take care of you!

Georgia - thanks!

Big kick in the seat tonight at the visitation for my trainers dad. Obesity related illnesses were everywhere. I think I was actually one of the smallest people in the room. This group of people seemed accepting that people die at 61 because of obesity. I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS. I hope none of you see the sadness and depair I saw tonight. Please take care of yourselves.

And on the opposite side of the coin - Amanda my gymmate that is being shadowed by Dr Oz has now lost 26 lbs in 5 weeks. Dr Oz was here this weekend working with her again. She will be on in a few weeks. I'm so proud of her - it's like watching a flower starting to bloom.

So I've seen both the high and low of this journey in just a few short hours. I'm reminded by my signature - SUCCESS IS A CHOICE - I CHOOSE IT.

Hi ladies,

A quickie post before heading to bed. I'm wiped out. It was a rather stressful day at work which left me very drained. Tonight, I worked for over two hours on the family cookbook. I can honestly say that I'm a little burned out on this dumb thing. Too bad it was my brilliant idea a couple of years ago. My sister and I have been inputting family recipes into MasterCook with the intention of printing it out for all family members. So far, we have over 320 recipes a lot of which are untried recipes - we women tend to save recipes and intend to try. It has been kind of fun to see old recipes that I had forgotten about and want to try again. But we've been doing a big push to get done with phase one by this weekend. I'm going down to Springfield on Friday for a "sister's weekend". We're going to be doing editing and finishing up. I've spent a lot of time trying to print the silly thing out of MC. I don't want to print a recipe a page because then it would be huge but when I get it to more than one recipe per page; it doesn't page break in between recipes. I don't like having the recipe cover more than one page. Those kind of things are annoying. So I'll be working like a fool on that for the rest of the week.

Carol - I did get out to Dr Oz page and saw your friend Amanda. I take it she's enjoying this process? I can hardly wait to see her at the end! I'm so sorry about all the sadness that is happening around you. That is such a wake up call but so few of us really grasp ahold of that. Hopefully someone will have learned from his passing.

Georgia - Read your blog. Wow, what a weekend. Good for you for taking care of yourself and tackling all that you have going on around and inside you. You deserve it!

Okay, I better get off to bed. :wave: to all!

My scales are not really changing much..the reason..im on plan most of the time...not all of the time!! I picked up a peice of candy corn the other day and that lead to many handfuls of the stupid stuff.I am going back to the no bites rules..dont even taste it!!
I also have been informed by my daughter that i dont drink enough while eating. So starting today I will drink 16 ounces of water before my meal and then take more sips during my meal. I drink alot 128 ounces every day. I didnt realize that I wasnt drinking with my meals. My daughter is a nursing student and they just did the nutrient section.
Carol- its really a wake up call to see what being overweight can do to the body.
geo- glad your back with us!
Teri- your cookbook sounds fun...enjoy your weekend
heather- my family is full of teachers and they all say grading is never ending.
rat- hi and great that your test came back good so you can have WLS. My sister in law is looking into it also. My brother has lost about 140lbs since dec. He looks amazing!!

I did great yesterday but got a slap in the face at the drs office.I am up 16lbs from my lowest on her scales.My scales just showed me up 9. I am so upset over it. I bought new scales last night and will be going by them. I had a long heart to heart with the nurse pratictioner. She wants me to try 1200 calories for 2 weeks and make those calories of whole foods.She told me NO crystal light or diet drinks.I dont do diet drinks but i do drink a packet of crystal light daily..really really watered down. She told me to chose sugar over sweetners. It felt weird reaching for the sugar this morning instead of the splenda.
She also said to stay away from processed foods...went into a rant on how bad we eat and why we gain weight even though our calories are close to what they should be.
I go in next week for some labs and then go in to weigh in the following week. She also told me to stay off the scales till then...but we know that isnt going to happen!!

Debi, scales are never consistent from one scale to another. My mother's scale weighs me about 15 lb heavier than my doctor's scale, which weighs me about 5 lb heavier than my own scale. If you're weighing at home, then it's the differences in your own scale that count, right?

But I do understand how that number would be shocking to see. I'm cringing with you!

I've let some processed foods sneak back in to my diet recently, and it hasn't had a favorable effect on me. It's really difficult not to go with processed food when our lives are so full. My mornings are busy with getting the house in order, starting the laundry, getting the marketing and other errands done. Then the boys come home and I take on the role of homework support, taekwondo shuttle driver, and my house has become a waystation for a variety of kids in the neighborhood. Mealtimes are more about getting the troups together for some quality time rather than quality food that takes time to prepare during the week. I find myself taking shortcuts and so some less-favorable ingredients are slipping in.

I have one good thing to report, that makes me happy today. I paid off one more of my credit cards. That feels so good! Two left to chip away at.

Have a lovely day!

Scales, scales, scales. Gotta hate them.:mad: Gotta love them.:D Mine is about 6 or 7 lbs. lighter than the one at WW, even if I weigh at home and go directly to the meeting. I like mine better. :smug:

I've tried not weighing. It doesn't work for me. It's my warning that I'm getting ready to give up ..... again. I try to weigh twice a week. Thurs. @ WW and Sunday or Mon. as a reminder.

Debi, I'm trying to eat whole foods at home but it's still, in my mind, too much work to pack a lunch so it's usually a L.C. from the freezer. I'm a grab and go person on work mornings.

Good week last week. Down .8 lb. I think I'm back into my regularweight loss pattern: a big loss, a small gain, one or two small losses then another big loss.

I'm off work starting tomorrow thru Tuesday. Hope to get a lot of the little things on my "To Do" done.

Thanks for all the encouragment. My scales have been slowly inching up at home but also not weighing the same weight when you get on and off them. Hubby had already said he thought our scales were messed up. We have new scales and my weight is close to what it was in the drs office.
Being a daycare worker in my own home I should be able to find time to eat healthy...but with 3 kids age 3 running around its hard. If i dont plan my lunches the day before then they dont happen and i eat whatever or skip it.
On sunday Im taking Carols advice and making a pot of healthy soup for lunches and also baking a chicken to have for wraps and stuff. TIme to get it back undercontrol...before I gain more of what i have lost back.
If you look at the bright side Im still over 80lbs lighter than 2 yrs ago!!

If you look at the bright side Im still over 80lbs lighter than 2 yrs ago!!

And that is quite an accomplishment! Be very PROUD of how far you've come.

Debbie - what a great accomplishment! You've handled this and are moving on. How goes it with the no processed foods? I'm glad you'll do a pot of soup for yourself this week. That has been a huge key for me avoiding processed foods. Unfortunately my last pot of soup was lots of cans of stuff mixed together and the sodium was off the chart. This week it is tomato cabbage barley - so simple and good.

Judy - I have a similar pattern - big loss - gain a little back and then lose again. I think I'd rather have a loss each week but guess I can't always get my way - darnit anyway.

Georgia - when will you hear if you got enough votes? My weeks are short of time also - I try to do lots of prep on the weekends so I can avoid as many processed foods as possible during the week. Last night seemed like I spent hours cutting veggies for a shrimp stir fry - wish I would have done them earlier so I could have had more quality time with DH who was home for dinner for a change. In the end it was worthwhile - he had been eating on the road without much green stuff - he truly enjoyed. Made me happy!

Terri - where are you??? Hope you are doing well.

Heather - how's your week?

I started my hyalgan injections again last week for my arthritic knee. One injection a week for 5 weeks - the last ones worked for exactly one year. Hoping that as I take more weight off they will last even longer this time although the nurse practitioner said a year is a good amount of time for them. I need to remember to discuss a couple of exercises with her today that always torment my knee and see how to best deal with them - push through the pain or avoid - lunges in particular.

Enjoy your Friday!

Debbie -- Keep your eye on the big picture. Maintaining an 80 pound loss IS an AWESOME accomplishment!

Carol -- I was just popping in to say!

I'm doing pretty well. I've avoided some binges when I felt ripe for them, and I'm very happy about that. The scale is moving slowly slowly slowly down (about 1/2 pound a week), but it's much better than moving up!

Carol, tomorrow is the last day to vote, I think, so I'm trying to scare up as many people as I can. For those who have voted for me, thank you so much! If you have no idea what we're talking about, go here (http://www.sam-e.com/job/profile/382) and vote for me today and tomorrow. It's for a position as a blog writer on the topic of maintaining a positive outlook on life.

By the way, Carol, I have to be careful with the knees and the exercises I do because of an injury a year and a half ago. I found out I have arthritis in both knees. Lunges and similar activities are really hard for me, but my physical therapist showed me alternative exercises that have helped strengthen my quads, plus inner and outer thighs, without putting pressure on the knees. It has gotten easier since losing more weight. I can actually stay on an elliptical trainer for 15 minutes now!

I had a small victory in mindfulness today...I had a rough morning, emotionally speaking. Just one of those days when memories are triggered and come flooding back. I tend to find comfort in food during those sorts of events. I resisted. Then my mother called, and you know that put me over the edge. But I chose to employ one of the techniques I learned on my recent retreat and that really helped me over that. (You can read about that on my other blog (http://gourmetsandwiches.blogspot.com/2009/10/i-need-back-up.html).)

I really felt better, and I felt the need to get out of the house. I ran some errands, bought some really cute new Christmas stockings at Pier One Imports, then did the marketing. (Bought beets and lamb chops.) And then I got to the car and realized I was hungry. My very first thought was to cruise by McDonalds. But I fought it. I then tried something new. I thought about how the food at McDonalds tasted so bad the last time I was there, how the fries coated my tongue with grease and it felt awful, how I had heartburn last time. And that was enough to snap me out of my impulse and go home. At home I made a choice for some roast chicken and greens, and I was fine after that.

I've decided that I will try to recall how bad something tasted the last time I had it, which strongly applies to fast food. If I start grinding into my brain what a sucky experience these impulses have led me to, maybe the impulses will drift away without much of a fight. I feel absolutely no attraction to potato chips, candy and other such foods. I think I can do this!

Happy Halloween,
I ate pizza last night. I was at church decorating for our fall festival and came home and hubby had it ordered. I am thankful its a cracker crust pizza and low in calories except for all the cheese it was loaded with. I will be more careful today and plan ahead so hubby knows whats for dinner and isnt tempted to pick up the phone with me gone.
My sons family is coming for lunch and I am thinking of putting on a pot of chicken veggie soup. I get to see my granddaughter dressed up for halloween.:O)
Hope everyone has a safe and wondeful halloween..and stay of the candy( that does big time for me!!!)

Hi Ladies! :wave:

Popping in for a quick hello! It's been way too long. No good reason other than just keeping busy with life. I've been up and down the same few pounds for the last 2 months and I'm so tired of it. It's dumb food choices getting in my way. Exercise is great! I do wonderfully until after dinner. I have to stop the mindless nighttime snacking. No idea why all of a sudden it's become an issue.

I'm hoping the weather cooperates so we can take the boys trick or treating tonight. Then...stay out of the treats!!!

Looking forward to spending more time with you wonderful ladies! I know I am much more accountable to myself when I hang out here with you!

Have a great weekend!

:hug:Barb

Confession time. I know this has happened to most of us at one time or another but I think typing it will make me even more aware of how careful I have to be.

I gave in to a craving yesterday. :o I didn't know what I wanted but I knew I wanted something that I should avoid. It started before lunch so I had a healthy lunch, a little early to defeat the craving. That worked for about an hour then the craving was back and it had a name: pizza! I didn't want just one slice that I could control so I finally gave in and went to the cheapest place I could find and ordered a whole pizza. I got it and was in the car trying to figure out how to drive and eat at the same time. Talk about manic!? Popped the lid and reached for a slice. The darn thing wasn't sliced through. It was a big round frisbee with slice marks in the cheese. I was head hungry, and angry at the pizza, and myself. I finally ripped off a piece and ate it. Then I had 1/2 of another chunk and got my brain back. I asked myself"why I am eating this stuff .... it's awful". I stopped the car next to a trash bin and tossed what was left.:D

Now I'm going to have to be really careful for the rest of the week but I have this picture in my mind of a huge fat lady biting into that frisbee of a pizza with sauce dripping onto her shirt and that predatory "don't touch my food" gleam in her eyes, and it will stop me .... at least for a while. :o

Judy -- We HAVE all had those moments -- good for you for throwing the rest of it away!!!

I avoided candy today. We didn't stay home for the trick or treaters, so we didn't need to buy any candy. Went shopping for clothes and shoes instead and out to dinner and then a bookstore. Nice evening!

And I got some good exercise during the day with yard work... some hauling dirt, some raking, some hauling leaves.... I was exhausted.

Hello everyone, got room for one more?
I have a personal invitation from gggirls. I joined this wonderful forum back in March of this year about the same time I started my permanent lifetime journey to a healthier lifestyle. I turned the big 50 (years) back in September and am always looking for different ways to get fit because to be honest with you I am not real fond of exercising. I have on last count about 9 or 10 bulging disks in my back from neck to lower back so it's hard to find something that doesn't cause a lot of pain either during or after. I was doing a least 45 minutes to an hour of walking in my pool, but when the nights started to cool down so did the water, so now the pool is covered until spring. I started walking here on my property, but on solid ground there is so much difference in how it hurts my back. So each day I try to add a little bit more and I'm hoping by the end of November I can walk a mile. That's my story (short) and I look forward to getting to know everyone. Have a wonderful Sunday.

Later - Learn

Judy - I thought I was the only one with those moments. Head hungry is such a great was to phrase that madness. I've never had the fortitude to find a trash can and throw it away - I've always been the human trash can. I'm proud of you and if/when the demon finds me again I will try to remember and follow your example.

Heather - we didn't stay home either. And I fixed a pumpkin pail for the grandson with no candy - a new outfit (oh yeah he was excited about that at 4), a spiderman toothbrush and toothpaste, spiderman activity book, crayons, hot wheels, cheerios snacks, etc. We're trying hard to set the example.

Learn - thanks for stopping in. I look forward to seeing you post here. Is there flat surface available to you to not irritate your back? Any chance a treadmill would make it any better - maybe Santa could bring you one.

Our date last night was to the casino and dinner. I made good choices and was well within my calories but the scale is up 3 pounds this morning. The menu is planned and I will push water today and work that fluctuation right back down.

Learn -- Welcome welcome!!! Is there an indoor pool you can use somewhere?

Morning Ladies! :wave:

Welcome Learn!!! :high:

Judy - We've all been there in some way! Good job throwing it away!!! :)

Heather - Sounds like a nice night!

Carol - What a great pumpkin you made!!!

I'll admit it. I did sample a few pieces of candy last night. I put up the kids candy high in the pantry. I'll let them keep a few pieces and the rest is going to my work tomorrow. I told DH if he wants any to stash it in his computer desk. I don't do well with temptation in front of me.

I was hoping to bike today but the weather is not cooperating. I'm going to run a few errands and hit the gym. One of the stops will be the grocery store. Sundays are usually my day to stock up for the week. Lots of fruits and veggies are needed.

Tonight I'm doing a butternut squash...it's my first time. How do you all cook yours? I was going to cut it up and roast it. Other ideas?

The boys had fun Trick or Treating. They got tired and cranky towards the end and then it started raining so we headed home. I put their pjs on under their costumes so they were ready for bed. There are some pictures on my blog if you want to check out the cuteness. I was particularly proud of the Phillies pumpkin. :D

Ok....passing off the boys to the DH and heading out

Later Gals...
:wave:

Barb - I have shredded it for "hash browns" and I've also cubed it and thrown it in the crockpot with boneless chicken. It's good - not as good as a sweet potatoe for me - but still good!

Howdy Gals! :wave:

I'm chilling out watching the World Series! Go Phillies!!

I cubed up my butternut squash and used a lil butter and brown sugar. I really enjoyed it! Not the healthiest, but I admittedly blew it BIG TIME today! My meals were all fine and if I would have left it at that I would have done great. I didn't...I promised the daycare teachers I would make them these pumpkin cookies that they love. I did....and I sampled too many. I also didn't resist the temptation of Halloween candy. Now I"m just mad at myself and my tummy hurts!!!

Tonight I put the scale in the closet. It will stay there until Friday. I am committed to having a healthy week! I WILL make good choices, I WILL stay on plan, I WILL follow through with my commitment to myself! On Friday I will weigh in and adjust my ticker as needed.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Sunday! I'll catch ya tomorrow!

:hug:Barb

Good morning ladies,
Well it looks like everyone had a nice Halloween, a little bit of snackin' going on, but those that did will be moving on today.
As for me no Halloween candy here. We have lived here since 1972 and never had a trick or treater. Everyone here lives 5 or more acres apart and if they did trick or treat here the poor kids would probably request a bottle water instead. My 13 yr. old son quit trick or treating several years ago, believe it or not he's just not into candy. Now if everyone handed out potato chips he'd probably still go.
Let me get back to what this thread is all about, exercise and getting fit. I have been starting my walking all over again since my pool is covered until spring, but yesterday I skipped it. Instead my DH and I cleaned house from floor to ceiling. DH moved all the furniture for me and vacuumed behind everything. And what did he ask for in return...
Those leftover turkey stuffed peppers I made the night before for dinner. What a man!!!

Ladies have a wonderful day!

Later - Learn

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