November Chat and Accountability Thread
 

Welcome all 40-somethings who want to be accountable, chat...or whatever else you want to talk about.

Let's support each other in our journies.:hug:

Well, I had a wonderful weekend. Just glorious weather! Got my house all cleaned up and grocery shopping done. Saturday evening, my fiance came over and we watched our team's football game on TV with a friend. Had lots of trick-or-treaters during that time. Fiance gives out handfuls of candy, so I expect next year (once the word gets around ;)) that we will have even more. That's okay. My boys were with their Dad this weekend, but my younger son came over for a bit to hand out candy. He had wanted to trick-or-treat w/ friends but they all backed out on him. He's 14, so this will probably be the last year he will even want to go out.

Foodwise, it was an okay weekend. My plan has always allowed me to occasionally partake of things that I don't usually have daily. I made a crock pot of chili w/ all the fixins and some garlic cheese biscuits on the side. It was all delicious, but with the game coming on so late Sat. night, we didn't eat until about 10 p.m. I also served a veggie tray to munch on.

Had some leftover chili w/ my honey yesterday but did not have the biscuits myself. After he went home I just enjoyed watching spooky shows on TV. I broke one of my rules while munching during the shows. I had some frozen baked pretzels in the freezer and decided to have ONE w/ cheese sauce and some leftover crudites (w/ ranch dressing :^:) from Saturday as an evening snack/meal while I watched Halloween shows on TV last night. I ate the one pretzel and wanted more....so I just went back and got me another one and zapped it in the micro and ate it.....salt and all.:mad: I am going to have to be really careful not to let that happen again. I can indulge occasionally but I cannot let myself believe that going back for seconds is okay...esp. on something like that.

So besides that I have noticed that I have let my salad intake slide on the weekends, too. I am going to make an effort to include more raw veg/salad on the weekends like I do during the week. I think this has been a key factor in my weight loss up till now.

So how is everyone else doing??

Good morning. Got up early so our guest could catch their flight, went for a 3-mile walk down by the river, paid bills and getting ready to do the menu & groceries for the week. Stayed on plan all weekend.

Annie-chili and esp. the biscuits sound awesome. The double pretzels, not so much. LOL! I used to love the soft rpetzels but haven't had one in years. A benefit of living in a small town I think. Souhds like you had a really fun weekend. Love those old movies.

Barb

Annie, sounds like you're very aware of what you're eating, what you lack and such. I think that's such a big piece of the puzzle. Figuring out what helps and adjusting.

Barb, way to go on the walk! You have a B/B out in Wyoming right?

--
Think I'm squared away. Had a carb heavy meal last night with no wild bloodsugar swings! My body seems to be back to where it was. Yeah! I'm talking to my DR tomorrow about going to an endicrinologist about my adrenals/thyroid, etc...my BIL (doctor) mentioned I should check for growth (non-cancerous type) on my glands - since it's common with adrenal problems.

Want the go ahead to start running again...it's not that i ADORE/JUST LOVE running. It's that I'm a first class couch potato, and given too much free time to sit means that pattern may stick. I registered for spring races to give me a reason to keep moving.

Deb-yes, a b&b in WY. I am thrilled for your medical improvement/stabilization. aAnd crossing my fingers for you for running. I can't even imagine trying to run more than a few feet. I run sometimes just a very short distance to tease Buster the dog; he thinks he has to be first and if I increase my speed, he also speeds up, just enough to stay in front.

It's quiet here today....hope alla 40's aren't in sugar induced comas!

Barb

Wow, can't believe it's November all ready! Still in a holding pattern here. Thought I was going to get back to the gym but I seem to have pulled something in my leg over the weekend : (

Hi - quick check in for me. Had a bit of a food lapse the last few days - weekend away with hubby in Melbourne to start with, which was a nice break. And now i'm 2hrs flight from home in north Queensland with our sales group all of which involved too much food and alcohol. So not too good really.

I have a 12km trail race on sunday with some really steep hills in it, which i'm looking forward to in theory, only i'm feeling a bit out of shape already due to last few days indulgence. Need to get back to some discipline for the next few days.

And we start major renovations at our place on thursday which involves tearing down walls downstairs to open up kitchen. We're replacing the kitchen, the laundry and both bathrooms and the toilet, taking down lounge and dining room ceilings and installing a fire and changing a wall in the space between them. And replacing a wall in the bedroom too - oh and building in a wardrobe in the bedroom.

So basically pretty much every room of the house will be in chaos, and tomorrow night we need to start emptying the kitchen and the bathrooms. And by the weekend we'll have to clear the lounge room and the dining room and the bedroom too!! I just don't know where all the big furniture is going to go!

This has all happened in a big hurry because the builder we decided to go with had a cancellation and can 'fit us in' if we start straight away, so last weekend we had to buy all the stuff to go with these new renovations, which was a bit of a marathon in itself.

At least it's keeping us out of trouble.

Lets just hope there's some running water somewhere in the house that i can use to wash with, when i get back from my run on sunday......

Wow, Ange, how are you going to deal w/ all that construction? Is there a plan in place to leave one bathroom functioning while the other one is being redone? I sure hope so....if not, I'd have to go stay in a hotel or with someone.

Hi Kathi! :wave:


I do believe stupid people may just drive me to drink today....it's been a struggle getting through the morning here.:mad: Just one of those days all the way around.

It was finally cold enough for me to order my fav soup at the mexican restaurant last night....shrimp and catfish soup...YUMMMMM!!! It was very satisfying and the boys and I sat there for a long time and got caught up.

Nothing much to report otherwise....lots to do tonight at home AFTER I get home from voting after work. Going to have leftover chili/garlic cheese biscuits for supper w/ younger son (older son working) and try to get the rest done, too.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!!

Help!!!

Ugh....dang, dang, dang! Big chinese buffet set up in the lunch room today....cannot avoid as the restroom is in there. I'm telling myself the following:

-I want to make my goal by Christmas.
-I can have this food if I really want it....but do I want it? NO!!
-I am having chili and cheese biscuits for supper w/ my son tonight.

Hmmmmmphhhhh.

Annie-Chinese food is really yucky, especially the kind they send out for office buffets. It dripping in oil and made from mystery meat. The vegetabels...well, let's just say they are serving them in November because they are thankful they could find someone who they could con into taking the leftovers from Easter. I am sure you don't want to be anywhere near the awful stuff!

There does that help?

B

Thanks, Barb! Yep, it helps.:D

Good luck!!! :carrot::carrot:

lost 3 pounds, and lost 3 liters of water - doctor thinks it's good metabolic news...my body retains like crazy, so for letting go of water is good

no running until Dec...or at least until my next set of bloodwork and i get a clear...so walking it is for November

food has been about 80% good - gave in to some chocolate this week

Deb-AWESOME on the 3 pounds gone!! I think your body may have needed that break from running, but I am not even close to knowledgeable on metabolism and that sort of thing. How are you feeling, though?? That is the big question. I hope you are feeling great!:carrot:

:) Didn't do very well at home (chili, garlic/cheese biscuits, 2 peanut butter cookies), but would have felt much worse if I had had all of that on top of the chinese!!

On a side note, I bought a fresh pineapple and cut it up and we had some tonight. First time I've done that....love fresh pineapple. I can't eat much at one sitting though, the acid actually hurts my mouth. Delicious though!

How are all of the other lovely 40-somethings doing?? Hello????:?:

I'm here, just reading mostly. My oldest daughter has pink eye and I am in the midst of a brutal migraine thanks to Halloween sugar. I know that some people don't think that sugar is an actual addiction but man oh man!! While I am eating sugar I am happy,mellow and OK. Take away my sugar and I turn into a irritable,screaming witch. My mood really does change dramatically. :(

OK should go...the screen is not so good for my head or stomach...
Have a great day everyone!!

Hi Maddie! So sorry you are feeling badly. Sure hope that migraine goes away quickly.:hug:

Not much to report from here. I baked choco chip muffins for the boys this morning and didn't eat any (yay me). I'm sure they will be gone before I get home today. Going to get my hair trimmed/eyebrow wax today after work. Will probably just take it easy after I get home even though I have alot I could be doing. May throw in some laundry, at least get some of that done. Planning on having a healthy supper with myself this evening, too.:)

I feel sleepy today. Otherwise great.

The plan is to abandon ship - luckily i'm going on a business trip to UK on Wed! (And hubby is on business trip to Hong Kong a few days later).

The workmen started today, and i just got back in after work. The bathroom and laundry and toilet have gone, but in general the house looks tidier than it did when i left it!! Could be a good omen.

Eating wise and exercise wise i'm being very average at the moment (that's Australian for 'bad' by the way!) and i'm dissatisfied with myself about it. Unfortunately not dissattisfied enough to actually change what i'm doing though, seemingly! At least i had some activity of 2hrs emptying everything out of the kitchen, bathroom and laundry last night, which should have burned a few calories. :mouse:

Ange-"(that's Australian for 'bad' by the way!)"....That made me laugh!:D Glad you will be out of town for the worst of the construction.


I resisted the BBQ buffet at work yesterday, but I made it work for me later in the day! There was some smoked turkey breast left over, so I packed some of that and some bbq sauce and sliced onion and took it home. Heated it up w/ a flour tortilla and made a BBQ wrap.....LOVED IT!! So good.

Made another veg/turkey(lunch meat type) wrap for lunch and have been allowing myself a small amount of olive oil mayo on those. Checking to be sure I wasn't overdoing it on the mayo, I measured out one tablespoon and it turns out to be much more than I normally squirt on from the bottle. Was glad because I really like the taste of that on my sandwiches/wraps. I still measure things occasionally to be sure I am staying in reasonable calorie amounts.

Haircut yesterday. Co worker told me it makes me look "young....real young." Not sure if that is good or bad or if I really like it. Basic same cut w/ bangs this time. I'll try to get a pic and re-evaluate.

Still at 150 this morning. No loss yet, but no gain which is very important. Still hoping for a 149 tomorrow!!!:^:

3 miles exercise this morning.

Hope everyone is doing okay.

Ange... I remember when we remodelled the kitchen. We did everything ourselves and it was no fun making plans to eat or even have food in the house. We also had a 7 month old as well so at least that gave us extra incentive to get it done ASAP. OH! And then about a month after it was done we were hit by a hurricane and lost power for a week so the previous experience of living without a fridge or stove came in handy! lol

Annie...anytime you are told "...young...real young"...EMBRACE IT!!! Or was this said by your lunch-dumping co-worker?! lol

Feeling much better now that the sugar is almost out of my system. Funny thing is...I have plantar fascitits (forgive the spelling) and when I eat sugar it gets dramatically worse. At first I thought when the weight comes off, the pain will decrease but the weight has little to do with it...it is the sugar. My foot has been killing me for almost a week and this morning I woke up with no headache and no foot pain. Add that to my list of sugar woes.....

Maddie said: "Or was this said by your lunch-dumping co-worker?! lol"


LOL!! No it wasn't her! Someone I trust. But....someone did steal my freaking pickles out of the fridge today.:mad: Weirdos.

Wow, sure is quiet around here lately.

Still at 150....frustrated with this stall. I had hoped increasing my exercise would give me a jump start back to losing. At least I haven't gained as I have noticed I am allowing myself some things that I normally ignore....a Tootsie Roll here....a cookie there....I must get back to being diligent if I want to lose this last 10 pounds. I had hoped to have a cushion (a calorie cushion....not a cushion of body fat...:dizzy:) before Christmas so I could enjoy some of my fav holiday treats w/o worrying about gaining. I still may be able to, just had hoped to get the rest of it off by then.

My sons are finally going to be home for the weekend and I am looking forward to it. Older son will probably spend lots of time w/ friends but hoping he can at least be home for meals. I'm going to make them fried chicken (:o, yes I said fried) on Sunday, unless they request something else.

Have a good day if anyone is reading!!

I'm reading! Although through slitted eyes as I still have my headache. Not overly painful, just more a dull throb.

Having one of "those" days today ie Murphy's Law kinda day. Power went off so alarm clock didn't...woke up late, got both kids on bus without lunch...start the car to bring their lunch...dead silence....hubby is away. Oh and then once hubby arrives home he sees that the dryer is off its vent and once he goes to move it back and fix it...sees that the drain for the washer has a crack in it. As long as it is material stuff that is screwed up today...I will be very happy. Almost forgot...last night the dvd machine died. :dizzy:

Hi i'm still here too, and reading!

I was out with friends last night and drinking red wine, so i'm feeling slightly headachy this morning too, but unlike Maddie i deserve mine!

Got a friends 2-yr olds party to go to this lunchtime too, so that could be testing for the head!

I won't be drinking today though as i've got my trail race tomorrow morning and i want to be feeling fresh for that.

I'm looking forward to it, even though it's rained heaps the last few days which means that the streams are going to be full flow (3 crossings to do) and the trail will be very muddy and wet.

Sometimes it's fun though to put old clothes on and get absolutely covered in mud and i reckon i'll be in the mood for that tomorrow. As long as the renovators haven't put the shower out of action for when i get home, it should all be good!!

Hi - I'm new here! Just got started last week, and this looks like a great place to hang out on the forums.

I'm a busy full-time working mom with two children (girl (7) and boy (3)). My hubby and I got a late start with having kids, but couldn't be happier with how it's worked out for us! We live in the midwest and really love it here.

I've been a runner for years and years. But I've been injured a few times over the past couple of years. Couple a lack of running with being over 40, and the weight has managed to pile on in the last few years. I had to buy a larger size jean than ever before a few weeks ago, and decided that I really needed to get serious about losing this weight. Oh - and I should add that I've lost and gained (plus a few) the same 10 pounds a few times. I just can't get it to stick.

So, I'm giving Wonderslim a shot to get started. I am on a hugely busy project at work, and the not having to think about meals for the day is a huge help. I'm hoping it will give me a good start over the next couple of months, and then I can transition back to some regular cooking.

Looking forward to seeing through this journey with you!

Hi SuziC and welcome! Great to have a new face here.
Congratulations on getting started on your new healthy life.

My race yesterday was great fun. Lots and lots of mud and the deepest of the streams was up to hip level (but made easier by a rope that had been put across which was useful for balance whilst wading!) Still on a bit of a high from it even 24hrs later!

Was going to work from home today, but the builders have arrived and it sounds like all 5 of them have got jack-hammers on the go, so i think i'll go off to the office instead!

Hello everyone!

Maddie-Wow, I hope your weekend got better after that hellish Friday.:hug:

Ange-I'd love to see a pic of you covered in mud from your run! Good for you for getting out there and doing it!:carrot:

Welcome to SuziC!!! I've never heard of Wonder Slim, is it a food delivery program? Good for you for deciding to lose the weight now before it really creeps up on you. This is a good place to be.

I did not check in over the weekend. Enjoyed spending time with my sons. Ate some off plan items, but don't feel like I overdid too badly. I did see a new number Saturday morning on the scale, but I'm not going to claim it unless I see it again at weigh-in later in the week. That may not happen as TOM came to visit yesterday....:mad:...WITH cramps (bonus?), yay. Also had a headache last night and took the last of pain meds I had left over from dental work. Ended up vomiting at 2 a.m. this morning and now I feel pretty much like crapola!! Looking forward to the end of the day for sure. Just did not feel like any exercise this morning, either.

Had a lovely weekend otherwise. Watched 3 movies, did some things around the house and cooked alot! I had wanted to get to Wal Mart to buy me some sweats that actually fit but didn't. I may get over there on my lunch break today. They are one of the only stores that carry my necessary feminine hygiene products and I am about out.

Sorry if TMI, just a part of life. I'm looking forward to not having to deal with it one day.

I haven't seen any pics yet. I did see someone taking them at that deep stream crossing, so just hoping they get posted.

Hope you're feeling better today :hug:

It's surprising the small range of number of participants to a thread that makes it work best.

It's all a bit quiet here, but over at 'feathers' its too busy to really have any sort of interactive dialogue. Somewhere in the middle would be nice. Hey. Lurkers.....

Well, about to leave what's left of my house (another two walls and a chimney came down today with the renovations) and head back to UK to see my parents tomorrow.

Not really looking forward to it as mum's taken the sudden death of my sister a couple of months ago very badly, so i'm just going over to give her some more support really, but there's not a lot i can do.

Will work at our office over there whilst i'm staying with my parents, then catch up with hubby in Hong Kong on the way back, so that part of the trip will be good.

Long run planned for tomorrow (before i sit on a plane for 24hr), but just need to decide where i fancy going.

Ange - congrats on the race! It's been a long time since I've done something like that, but have really, really enjoyed it in the past. How long are your long runs? And wishing you a good trip back to the U.K. Hoping you can bring some peace and comfort along with you to your mom.

Annie - I hear you on the TOM frustration - and the headaches. It all seems to have gotten much worse for me over the past year. I checked with my doctor recently and he mentioned the good old "P" word and moving into the next phase of my life. I wanted to slide under the table.

Things here are going well. For the person who asked, WonderSlim is a meal delivery plan. Mainly shakes, a dehydrated entree for lunch, and you cook your own dinner. It's something I wouldn't have considered in the past. We've done alot to move to whole foods in my house. But even whole grain pumpkin bread made with organic honey and cage free eggs, if you eat enough of it will manage to pack on the pounds. So here I am - for now. Hoping with a good jump start, I can move back to more whole foods in moderation.

Welcome SuziC!

My Murphy's Law week has FINALLY come to a close! Managed to replace/fix everything with minimal $$ so that helps greatly! Hubby is a very skilled DIY'er so he fixed the pipe quite easily...and I am thinking it would have cost a good $3-400 for a plumber to do the same (cut the pipe,file it,replace pipe and solder it together).

Annie-TOM is here and with is it my dull throbbing headache. Add that to a week+ of non-stop rain and I feel like crying. Time to up my vitamin D again as I find that helps immensely!

Ange-Good luck on the renos! Crossing a waist high stream while running? You have more gumption than I do!! lol Running is one thing...running and getting soaked...no thank you! ;)

Suzi-Hubby and I were also "late" with our kids. We were together 12 years before our first daughter came along and we have 2 girls...7 and 5...and BOTH in school! YAY!!! lol

Time to get on the exercise bike and get my day started.
Have a good one!

Hello ladies! So tired this morning, but got up and back to exercising again this morning. Felt good to move, although now I am really sleepy.

I needed some sweats for winter....all of my big sizes were given away during my move. I bought a medium (8-10) at Wal Mart and they fit!!:dizzy: I know, they are sweats, so they are stretchy, etc. But I don't know that I've ever bought anything that small....EVER! I also picked up a cute sweat set off a clearance rack in a junior size large (11-13). They are very close fitting, but will look okay around the house.

Ange-I've been frustrated lately with the lack of participation here, too. I just try to keep telling myself that I know people have busy lives, especially women in their 40s, and that it will pick up a bit.:) Good thing we don't have TOO many, I suppose. I find accountability and sharing REALLY helps me in alot of areas of my life. It's important for me to keep posting, even if there isn't much activity on the boards.

I cannot believe how much traveling you do!! It sounds glamorous and fun, but I'm sure it gets old...just like anything else. So nice that you can go be with your parents at this time. Just being there for your Mom will help I am sure.:hug: Fly safe!!

Suzi-Excellent point on even "healthy" foods being bad for us if we eat too much of them. A friend once said that even apples would make you fat if you ate enough of them and I try to keep that in mind. Hope you get the jump-start you need with the Wonder Slim. I don't stick to a whole foods lifestyle as such, but I have brought more whole/healthy ingredients into my eating and cooking for others. Been really watching the processed foods.

Maddie-Ride that bike, sistah!!:ebike:

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!! Love to all.

Hello and just a quick drive by. I am still here, but was out of town until last night. The first hotel had wifi, but nobody there knew the password..sheesh. We left and went to a different oe and had waaay too much fun at Red Lobster and shopping. I stopped in to read but that's about it. Then had to drive a couple of hours home. Was tired by the time we got here, and we sold a ton of stuff so we are frantically trying to sew, saw, paint etc. to get ready for the nexty round in two weeks.

Barb

I'm still here! Reading, even if I don't have time to post : ) Doing a major revamp on my food this week. Home-cooked and home baked. Yesterday I was starving all day and had to hit a friend at work up for a late day snack (broke this week too). Today I brought extras and was eating because I should - no hunger pangs at all. Breakfast was precooked quinoa w/almonds. Lunch was homemade chicken salad on a pita w/ cabbage instead of lettuce. (mayo isn't the best ingredient but it works) 1st snack was a homemade muffin made with old-fashioned oatmeal, walnuts, raisins and greek yogurt. 2nd snack was greek yogurt. Dinner was left over chicken salad and wheat thins followed by another muffin. Also cooked (and tweaked) a new recipe for lunch for the next few days. Gotta get back on plan with the food then hoping to get back into working out.

SuzieC - welcome!
Ange - all I can say is wow! running, mud, and streams, oh my!
Annie - love the new do : )

Anybody I missed, I'll try to catch up on more personals tomorrow : )

At the airport now. Arrived and my flight to singapore was cancelled. Luckily they've found me another with a different airline. Now the bloody airport has just closed (hailstorms)!!!!!

Suzi, my long runs are about 2-2.5hr at the moment. Did 2hrs this morning (before my 24hr sit-down coming up). 6 stream crossings and 5 of them over the shoe level! Not as deep as sunday's race, and not as muddy, but still fun!

Thanks for the warm welcome from so many! What a great place to get support on this journey.

Annie - congrats on the smaller sized sweats! Nice to see the hard work paying off!

Angel - what type of business do you have? sounds interesting and creative.

Kathi - sounds like you had a really good food day. Do you love quinoa? it's one of my favorites.

Ange - hope you got out of the Singapore airport. Airline delays are the worst. I miss those long run days. Hoping to get over this lingering injury so I can get back to them! I think part of the issue for me is that there's not much to run on but pavement. Some nice, wet trails would be much better for the joints!

Have a good day all!

Hello ladies! So glad the week is now officially half over!!:carrot:

Hey Barb!! Sounds like you've been really busy but having fun, too! Do you make/sell crafts during the off-season? I can see how this time of year would be the best time to do that, people love that kind of stuff for the holidays.

Kathi!!-So good to see you, you look awesome in your new pic. So glad to read about your meal planning. It is really something that I have to do weekly to stay on plan. I do need to be better about planning evening meals when my sons are home, though.

Ange-Geez, I hope your travel issues have gotten worked out and you are on your way to see your parents. Glad you got your run in before you left.

Hi Suzi!!:wave:-How are things with you?? So glad you are here with us.

Just the same old thing here in my world. Need to try to get some things done at the house tonight since the boys are back with their Dad today.

Have a wonderful day everyone!!

Nice. I just found out my employer is dropping our dental coverage at the first of the year. Good thing I have that appt. to have some major work done the first week of Jan. because my insurance was maxed out earlier this year. Damn.:mad:

Kathi-is that a new pic? You look mahvaless! Good work on the making food from scratch!

Ange-your life soiunds luke a whirlwind of excitement in exotic places...except your house right now ;-)

Suzi-I think I forgot to say welcome...so howdy! I own a b&b which is only busy in the summer. In the fall/winter, I make crafts to sell. In the spring, I hang out and do nothing...not really nothing, but crafts and housework and such.

Annie-see above. Congrats on your smaller sweats. Are you getting yoiur dentist stuff done before your coverage stops, I hope?

Back to work for me. No rest for the wicked and the righteous don't need it. I am only on plan some of the time, but it's okay. Once Christmas is over, I can stay on plan with food and do all my walking routinely. I guess it isn't quite as important right now as making a living even though I know iut should be top priority...

Barb

I was absolutely starving alllll day! Part of the issue was the crazy break schedule they had me on due to some training. 1st break at 12 which is only an hour after I got there. Too soon to eat, and lunch was scheduled at 3. Got done training and my sugar was low so I grabbed a couple of glucose tabs to hold me off, then found out my lunch was pushed out to 3:45! Had time to heat up part of my lunch at 2:30 and ate the rest at 4, because of course I got stuck on a call : ( Ate my apple on the next break at 5:15 and was sooo hungry by 6:30 I was checking with people to see if anyone had cookies or something...we scraped up enough change for a snickers bar but even that didn't help much. Came home and warmed up some leftover roast chicken and made a small batch of mashed 'taters...ate about an hour ago and dang it, I'm hungry again! At this rate I'm going to go over 165 instead of getting back down to 161 : ( Going to go boil some eggs so I have extra protein for snacks tomorrow.

Well that was my rant/whine for the day. How's everybody else doing? : )

Ange: thanks! it is a new pic, my girlfriend took it while I was trying on clothes. wait until y'all see the pic of me in the old lady church hat! hmm...let's see if I can figure out how to post it : )