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.
The rest of the weekend was pretty quiet. I worked on pulling weeds and trimming shrubs. Thank goodness for a breeze because it was otherwise, HOT!
Our tomatoes are about over. I'm so sad. But we must have had a too wet and cool summer. The plants are almost all dead. I guess a wilt or fungus. BUMMER.
I hate to say this again because it is like a broken record going on and on in my brain. But I want to get this all figured out about how to juggle everything and make a healthier lifestyle. We didn't overeat this weekend. Just no intentional exercise. I'm surprised at how much outside work I have to do during the summer. And at how overwhelming it can be. I need a gardener. Maybe next year, I'll just use roundup on everything. Think how nuts I'd be if I was still studying for the CPA exam?
My challenge for this week is to try to pull it all together. I've got to decide on how I am going to journal. Either my blog or a notebook and commit to one or the other once and for all. Then I've got to commit to cardio exercise above other things. So that means, getting a different perspective and mental fortitude. Sure, easy thing to think of on a Monday morning. Actually, I'm surprised I could think of "fortitude" as a word this early.
I'm off to go in search of more coffee and water. to all!
I'm planning for my week now. I had a pretty good weekend, but there was one hitch...I caved on Saturday night and had Thai food with the boys. I gained 8 lbs by the next day, all water. By this morning, after drinking glass after glass of water, my system flushed about 4 lbs. I think by Wednesday I'll be back on track. Lessons learned, if I'm going to eat Thai food, avoid the carbs, and if I'm going to eat carbs, avoid the salt and MSG!
So the plan for the week is to keep up with the water and to move forward with the Medifast. I like that I'm not so into the food with it and I can stay out of the kitchen more. This frees me to find other things to do and get more stuff done, and even play more. The boys and I played Battleship last night. Haven't done that in some time and it was fun. They won't play Scrabble with me...I'm merciless!
Rhyan and I are starting the Wii Fit together today. We both have lapsed with exercise, me due to the limitations during the first two weeks of Medifast, and Rhyan because he's 11 and completely unmotivated! But if I start, he's going to turn this into a competition, and that always works for him! I told him that if he exercises on the Wii Fit everyday he can use the XBox on the weekend for an equivalent time.
My day is going good...I am on track with food and water.I am thinking of calorie cycling just to see if something different might be the key for me.I think part of the reason i gave up is the long plataue i had been on.
I will take a platue anyday over a gain!!( remind me of that next time i hit one)!!
My garden is done all but bell peppers and a few cucumbers and a few green tomatoes.I do have eggplant also..just havent found a way I like it yet.Im trying it baked tonight..Wish me luck..my plants are loaded!
I have my flowerbeds back in shape and my house is finished all but my new kitchen windows and wrapping that window.I am pumped!! The guy was slow but the quality of work is amazing!! Thank God for that hail storm, my house was really getting neglected looking.
Teri- my daughter took part 1 of the CPA exam 2 weeks ago and will start studying for the next part on monday. She wont find out if she passed till mid sept. I know she said the becker review test was awful and the real test was a bit easier.She isnt expecting to pass any of them the 1st time she takes them and this is a 4.0 college student.
Is it me or does everyone want to know where the summer went? I hate that fall is getting close and I have so much I didnt get done this year.
hugs to all
I just got a call for a job interview on Thursday...I have nothing to wear! And I need to put together a portfolio! I'm so excited! I have no idea if they'll hire me or not, but I'm just happy someone called me and I get to go out to talk with business women!
(Wow, that's four exclamation marks inside of a single paragraph.)
Wow, I started the threads this morning and never came back to post!!
Terri and Debbie -- I can't imagine my plants being done yet for the summer -- it seems they are just starting to get going -- FINALLY!! Seriously, of the 4 tomato plants in the raised bed (that were planted in late June) only 1 has yielded a SINGLE ripe tomato. All have tomatoes on the vine. Will I not see them ripen????
Hi All. I'm brand new to this forum but not new to dieting. I've gained and lost enough weight in my life to make four other people. I just wish I had them all here with me now--I'd put them to work cleaning my house and folding laundry.
Last month I joined a local TOPS group after being told by my doctor that I should look into bypass surgery. I've gained 130 pounds in the past three years as I've been battling a weird autoinflammatory disease (Adult Onset Still's Disease) and taking steroids and other immunosuppressants to control it. After SOBBING in the exam room for twenty minutes after she left the room, I decided to take my life back. I've been watching Ruby on the Style network and really have learned from her that it's okay to ask for help, that I need support and information and a team. In the past, dieting has always been a solitary struggle for me because I was always too ashamed to admit how much I weighed, how much I was losing, and so on, plus I thought my failures were personal--I didn't have enough willpower, I was too self-indulgent, I was "bad."
So now I'm reading everything I can get my hands on about losing weight while on prednisone (including the forum at 3 chicks) and learning what my doctors should have told me 3 years ago--get on a low fat/low carb/low salt diet and STAY on it. I had some luck pre-Stills with the South Beach Diet and am using recipes from their phase one. I'm also reading Dr. Phil's Seven Keys book again (and using it in my TOPS group--doing lesson plans for the group from it).
Thanks for letting me babble and introduce myself here. I've been reading some of your posts and looking at your before and after pics and am awed and inspired!
Tippers - welcome! I hope you can lose the "diet" mindset - we are eating for life and making healthy choices. I look forward to getting to know you - keep posting.
Georgia - how exciting! I'm sure you will look stunning for the interview.
Day 2 back OP for me. Yesterday was awesome - I've considered a 30 day challenge but need to put together a few more days first. Why do I quit drinking my water when I start making bad food choices? This is a key for me - probably more important than exercise. Speaking of which - my trainer was on a mission last night - toughest workout ever - I know I will be sore later which is what she said her goal was - been too long since she pushed me like that.
Time to head out - drink your water! Have a great day.
heather- I have some green tomatoes on my plants as well but the bugs seem to get them this time of year before I do.My cucumbers didnt do as well as I would have liked.I have heard it was just to wet this year and then got to hot and the plants didnt do as well.Before we know it I will be thinking of what to buy for next years garden.LOL
I was messaging with a dear friend and said I wanted a BLT for dinner and she suggested doing it as a salad to keep me away from carbs.It was heavenly!!! Thanks Carol!
I truly had never thought of making it like that!! Maybe we need to post more ways of cutting carbs and fats out of our favorite meals in life. Summer just isnt summer without BLTs.
Day 1 was great and the scales are really moving downward..cant wait to see what they do after today.
hugs to all
Tippers -- Welcome!! You have some challenges on prednisone but I hope we can help!
Yesterday ended up okay! I got some good exercise in -- hubby and I took a long, fast walk to catch up on our days.
I'm not expecting a lot of challenges today, but one never knows. I have my weekly session with my trainer, and I have my meals mostly planned out -- have to pick up some veg at the grocery store.
Thanks for all the welcomes! I hope you don't mind if I bombard you with posts for the first couple of days. I'm detoxing from sugar and carbs and checking in/reading is a good distraction. Fourteen months ago I quit smoking and used an online support group--what a difference it made both in terms of support and cheerleading and information/tips.
I'll try hard to lose the "diet" mindset as quickly as possible. I'm very resistant to the idea that my new way of life is going to be low carb/low fat/low salt, so to me, this feels like a "diet" until I can get off of prednisone, then my new way of life will be one that's healthy but that allows me a few more freedoms. Oh, hahaha... even as I type this I'm realizing that I'm in denial. I'll work on this!
What an interesting group of women you all seem to be. Georgia, I clicked the link to your blog and LOVE your writing. I'm a writer too and also spent some time living as an ex-pat (twice in Belgium (1 year each); once in Bulgaria (3 years); once in Alaska (not technically out of the country--but culturally, it felt like it! 4 years). Can't wait to read your novel/labor of love. Good luck on the job interview.
Heather, your before and after photos are so inspirational! What a tremendous feeling it must be to be so light on your feet now.
I'm reading all of your garden posts with great envy. Here in Maine we had a terrible summer of rain and cold, so my garden didn't thrive (I don't have full sun to begin with). I might get a few tomatoes before August ends, but nothing more than that. However, a great friend stopped by the other day with a huge head of cabbage and a bag of green beans from her garden (which has good drainage and full sun). I'm going to drive out to her place tomorrow and gather some zucchini and summer squash, then add stewed tomatoes, onions, and eggplant into a giant pot of ratatouille to share with her and her family and some of my neighbors.
So this is good---in the time I've been online reading and posting, I've swallowed another 16 ounces of water and allowed my late breakfast/early lunch to actually tell my stomach that I'm not hungry any more (instead of staying in the kitchen to grave the fridge). I think I'll throw on my bathing suit and go for a long swim before heading to work (I live on a small lake and work as the director of writing at a small college).
Hope everyone is having a fabulous day!
Tippers in Maine
tippers. You've found a great group of ladies here.
Georgia .. congrats on the phone call, and good luck with the interview
Terri .. good to see you posting. How is the plan coming along?
Ahhh I miss being close enough to civilization to go to the gym. OMG did I just say that?!! I seriously would be getting a trainer to kick my butt in gear.
In the meantime, I've been doing my Tae Bo workout, and I even blew the dust off my step for step aerobics. Oh the memories !
I'm waiting for my 30 day shred from Jillian Michaels. Anyone have it? I heard she really kicks butt, which I wouldn't expect less of her.
Oh, and Heather, I keep meaning to take your advice and post to the darn exercise thread. Maybe I should wait for the start of the new month?
Christina-- Jump right in with the exercise! We're trying to make a daunting goal and can use all the minutes we can get! So you'll help US if you start now!
Tippers- WELCOME!!! You've found a fabulous place for support, friendship and encouragement! So happy to have you!
This is another one of my fly-by posts. I'm on the way out the door to spend the night in the sleep lab. About 3 years ago I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and have been compliant with my CPAP machine since then. It made a huge difference to my quality of life. Now that I've lost a significant amount of weight I'm not sleeping as well. I still use my CPAP and still believe I have apnea, but I don't think it's as severe. My doc agrees that it's likely the pressure on my machine is too high. So, tonight they'll do a split test...first 1/2 with no CPAP and 2nd 1/2 with it. Wish me luck! At least I know a 4 year old won't be crawling into bed w/ me tonight.
I'll do my best to catch up with you tomorrow. Stay strong, stay smart, be healthy! We can do this ladies! We are worth it!
300+ and Getting Fit after 40 #223
Think how nuts I'd be if I was still studying for the CPA exam? 
to all!
tippers. You've found a great group of ladies here.
You've found a fabulous place for support, friendship and encouragement! So happy to have you! 
