Hi everyone. Powerwashing in the back all done. Fence is repaired and as much loose paint is gone as possible. It will be chippy looking but seeing as this fence will not last too many more years it will do. I used a metal brush a bit and it had a smoothing out effect. I am going to wait till we have a stretch of hot weather before I paint.
Sunday I spent recovering from all the bending and shaking.

Cd I know you are vegan so what do you eat when you have to go out all the time? Actually what do you eat at the best of times. I would consider doing vegan but have no idea where to start. Any pointers?
What do you cook when company comes?

Jay we had someone come in here and patch our road as well. I gather the council thought they would spend money on it when really it just needs to be ripped up and re done. We have all these squirrley tar marks eveywhere now. They paid big bucks to get it done.
I need to get to more of these meetings. We need a younger crowd in this place. Too many old women that have spouses all their lives making all the decisions. We have a management company but he seems to be suffering from permanent burn out.
I may move when I retire so I will just hang in there till then. I will see.
Bill will have to drop over and see what this Beck solution is all about. There are books???

Did not make it to the gym today. Needed sleep more.......could also use a hug today.
Jude

Billie can one start with the second book? Does it recap what is learned in the first book??

Yay for keeping that fence going. We got 30 years out of our original "20 year" fence.

Yep, there are two books - described in a sentence each at the start of the May Beck Thread, but Anne (wndranne) has reviews in the Maintenance Library for both the original book, The Beck Diet Solution and the current book, The Complete Beck Diet for Life.

Feel free to drop by any time.

Ooops ... cross posted there.

Yes, you can start with the second book. It covers the same material with one nice improvement where the "Seven Questions Technique" is replaced by the "Cheat Sheet."

The second book also contains an eating plan, which is OK, but most folks around here already know how to choose an eating plan. I liked that her first book just said to go choose one. (In fact it said to choose two, one for a backup.)

Jude - I'm actually vegetarian, not vegan. We do use cheese and milk products - in fact I make yogurt weekly. We converted to a vegetarian lifestyle shortly after DS1 was born. We limited red meat while I was pregnant, and it was a natural transition. Both DH and I grew up as part of the first "junk food generation". Fast food restaurants were born during our adolescence.

We are foodies. We love traveling and eating out. But - we try really hard to incorporate our travel experiences into our plan. We split everything. We order from the appetizer menu often. DH loves beer (has been a microbrewer for almost 30 years), and we love wine. Thus - we select our food options very, very carefully. We are not afraid to custom order. Asking for dressing, or sauces on the side is the norm for us.

A typical restaurant visit would be:
Split the:
Spinach artichoke dip with WW pita
or
Pasta primavera - skip the bread, and order an extra veggie or salad
or
Spinach (or other vegetable) quesadilla (asking if they have WW tortillas and can they cut the cheese in half and add extra veggies)
or
Ravioli dishes (again, customize the sauce)
or
portabello mushroom burger (almost every restaurant seems to have one. Skip the chips or fries and ask for a salad or veggie instead.

I guess the key is to not be afraid to ask for substitutions. 99 percent of the time, they will be happy do do what you ask. Even when NOTHING on the menu is vegetarian, I will politely ask the server to check with the chef regarding vegetarian options. Every single chef has had a delightful dish available - but you have to take the initiative and ask. Many chefs have actually come out to visit with us and ask if we were pleased with the custom dish.

And - if you can - I always - always tip accordingly

As far as cooking at home? Company loves eating at my house. I skip the meat substitute dishes and cook traditional things like
pasta
egg dishes
stir fry
rice dishes
casseroles
bean burritos, tacos, etc.
quesadillas
bean loaf
roasted veggies

If I need to add some protein, I can always add MorningStar Farms or Boca meat substitutes to traditional dishes.

Hi. I'm new to the website . I don't know how to navigate it all but I am giving it a try. I have lost a bit of weight and have made made healthy changes and seem to be stuck in the middle somewhere right now. I got on my bike last summer and have started up again. It feels good. I joined a CSA this spring and get fresh organic locally grown produce every week. My morning routine is great. I stick to my smoothie/vitamin plan every day for more than a year now. I bike to the pool and do water aerobics. Today, I am going on a hike after I leave the pool. I get into food trouble later in the day. I am going to try to break that cycle today. I feel like I have alot of common interests with this group. Thanks for being here.

Hey Lexxiss!

Hope to see you posting often!

Hi again, Candy! I'm having to shift my walking schedule, too. It's now starting to get too hot here in Florida to go for a walk around 10 a.m. During the summer, you have to get out by 8 a.m. or earlier or you melt. I have a gym membership as well, and it comes in handy in the summer.

Jude, I don't mind the tar marks if that's all that's needed. Sometimes the asphalt is so deep that little cracks don't matter--until plants start growing in them.

Here in my new community, they are having the roads ground down and resurfaced--an ongoing project in that they can't do all the roads at once. But once that's done, they should be good for some years.

Bill, thanks for the links to those reviews! I think those books are available at our library.

Jay

Hi all, hope you are having a productive and on plan day! Work is still a zoo, but that won't change till the middle fo June. Weather was gorgeous again today, so I got quite a bit of gardening done.

I found out that it is NOT a good idea to do 30 minute of shape boxing and then try to pull weeds. My shoulders and arms started rebelling.

So, I took the dog for a walk in the woods for a while to let my arms recuperate a bit.

I WILL get this gardening done!

Laurie

Today this Active Folk over 50 found herself doing impromptu toilet repair. The fill valve had been getting flakier and flakier, and finally it just wouldn't stop running. Ooooo kayyyy. So off to a couple of different stores to find the "perfect" replacement part. Actually, it's not hard at all these days to replace--this is a Fluidmaster type fill valve. The only time I needed a tool was to loosen the old fastener under the tank. The new parts go on with only hand tightening.

So, that's my claim to fame!

My mouth is still sore in the back from the earlier dental work. I'm not supposed to chew on anything sticky or crunchy with this temporary crown, and it has really taken a toll on my snacking! I didn't realize how many of my snack foods involve crunching... So I'm having to find alternatives, and I'm afraid the result is less food than I'm used to... Now if only the scale had something nice to say about that...

Jay

Hi Everyone
Thanks Laurie for all the vegetarian ideas. Do you ever cook lentil dishes. I just found a lentil recipe in the paper for shephards pie. Sounded good. A lot of carbs maybe though.
Candy I have to comment on what a different lifestyle you live from us in the city. Sounds wonderful. And congrats on those school marks. You are doing a huge job there taking care of everything and school.

Jay sorry to hear about the dental problems. Nothing more uncomfortable than a temporary crown. I am afraid I have more crowns than one can count. They say it was no flouride in the water when we were young. Oh well.
Hi to Lexxiss glad to hear you are doing well.
Billie I am going to see if I can get that book at the library.

I am finally getting into a better place with my food. My new mantra is that it is a choice. Do I want to eat healthy or just stay the way I am. Nothing is going to happen till I eat OP. I have had 2 good days and that is great for me. Been to the gym the last 2 days as well. Been hitting the gym usually 3 times a week but am trying for 5.
I am off to get groceries after work and that is always a challenge. It is cold and raining out so may as well get it out of the way.
Hope you are all having a good evening.

Jude

Hi folks,

Jude, I must be lucky, because this temporary crown is just like my tooth! In fact, if it weren't a little smooth compared to my teeth, I wouldn't know the difference. But my mouth is still kind of raw from having the work done.

Jude, you're right, it's a choice. If you keep doing what you always did, you'll keep getting what you always got. So stay with your change!

Candy, astronomy! I was working on an astronomy textbook not too long ago. What was your favorite topic in the class? I just love astronomy. Also, I lived for years without a/c in Massachusetts, and in the summer there are plenty of days when you might as well be in Fla. It was miserable. I will never live without a/c again if I can help it.

I used to make yogurt. It's not hard at all! I even had some really good starter at one time--an old family recipe from an Armenian friend. But that was a long time ago. My favorite store-bought yogurt is still Stonyfield Farm. I don't like yogurts with added sugar and such.

Anyone like kefir? It's a drink rather than a solid--sort of between buttermilk and yogurt. I like it a lot, but like most milk products I have to be careful of the calories--even with the lowfat version.

CD, are your arms over being sore?

Hi, Bill!

Hi, Freda!

Hi, Lori, wherever you are!

And to you other folks.

Jay

Hi Jay - I like Stonyfield too if I buy storebought yogurt. It makes a good culture (lots of good bacteria). Still a bit sore from boxing, but in a good way. The last two days have been too crazy to get in any boxing - just some yoga. Back at it tomorrow though!

Congrats on the toilet repair! I had to do it once, and other than sticking my hands in that cold water to get the process going, it isn't too bad.

Jude - I do like lentils. I love lentil soup, and make a crock pot of it quite often. I have a lentil loaf recipe that I like too. Good protein source

Candy - I've made my own tofu - it is a lot of work. I actually used to make it and sell it at a little natural food store when the kids were little. DH made a tofu press for me that allowed me to make nice squares - 6 at a time. I haven't done it since I blew the safety valve on my pressure cooker with soybeans. Now that we have the soymilk maker, I should give it a try. It would be sooooo much easier. Hmmm, something to do in my "spare" time.

Lexxiss Glad you joined us! I used to have trouble with eating after work - I would scarf down everything in sight when I got home. I need to have a protein snack before I leave work. That way, I can come home and exercise before I do anything else. Eating protein every few hours seems to be a key for me.

Hope you all have a great Friday!
Time for bed already - what a week!
Laurie

Hi All,
Thanks for the welcomes and for sharing your stories. I had a very busy day traveling so wasn't able to post. I got through it without a single slip. I am grateful.

I biked to the swimming pool then later got brisk walk in at the Denver Botanic Gardens plant sale.

Best wishes everybody and goodnight.

Debbie