Hi everyone. So the labor day weekend is done. It always feels like the end of summer for somr reason. Yet we are supposed to have great weather this weekend coming. I have booked Monday off to have another long weekend.
It is my birthday on Thursday and usually take that off.
But this year it was all taken.
I am having a heck of a time getting back OP. Funny that not eating enough can have just as bad as an effect as eating too much. Somewhere along the line I went into catch up. Today is a better day.
I tried to get to the gym but had a workman show up that I was not expecting. I finally paid off the counter people as they are finally finished. Asked if there was a discount for pain and suffering. He said I got a new sink. I answered I did not want one. Such is life. No discount.
But it looks fabulous and I love it.
So one day this week I will get to the gym even if it is only one day. That is my plan and I will stick to it. I hope to start going more on the weekends. There is alway time for an hour at the gym.
Laurie you sound like you had a relaxing weekend. Love the sound of your outside fire.
Jay take it slow on the back. I think you are right when you say you may have overdone it with the trainer.
There was a women in our newpaper from Ontario that at 67 years old she is a trainer. She started working out when she was 50. Now that is the person I would like to use. A 30 something male trainer has no idea how I feel.
To bad she was not from here. I would have gone.
Hope you are all having a great day. Time to get serious. Another season approaches.........Jude
Isn't it funny, CD? Seems like there is always a little time for a little workout, if we just get ourselves there. I didn't go to the gym yesterday, but I did a short routine with my 4 pound handweights while watching a little TV around dinnertime.
Jude, I tell ya, I am so happy your counter and sink are finally complete and look great. Wow, what a story, huh? I guess a lot of people have remodeling stories of that nature.
I like the idea of a 67-year-old trainer, and I wish I had her, too. I think my back flare-up is a combination of the trainer showing me new moves, plus the step class on top of it, plus my regular workout days. I suppose I was a bit too optimistic! I'd like to get back to the step class again, though One of the reasons I changed gyms was to be able to take classes like this. But, the back has to settle down first. It's not doing too bad the last week
I have been doing OK with food, but I could do better.
Our current Halloween Challenge has a NEW and EXCITING addition. Points and a Virtual Award are being incorporated.
Here’s how it will work. Each challenger will post 3 goals – you pick.
For example, mine are
1) avoid sweets (candy, cookies, cake, ice cream);
2) exercise at least 60 minutes/day;
3) eat fewer than 1,200 calories/day.
Challengers will earn 1 point for each day they post + 1 point for each goal they meet on that day. Therefore, challengers can earn up to 4 points/day.
At the end of the challenge (November 14) the person with the most points will win our virtual award –
From the day of winning until the end of the next challenge, the winner will post our virtual award as part of her signature (or as her avatar if she prefers).
She will be known far and wide as the WINNER of the 50+ Challenge until there is a new winner to a new Challenge to take the trophy from her.
Our Points + Virtual Award addition will begin next Monday on September 14. This will give everyone a chance to join up & select their 3 goals.
So, if you have not already joined our Halloween Challenge, come on up to the Sticky Area, open up the Halloween Challenge thread, and set up your space!
So glad your kitchen is done. I bet it looks wonderful!
Jay - I hope your back is on the mend. It must be very frustrating for you! Hang in there with the food. It is hard sometimes!
My week is less stressful than I thought it would be. Things are going fairly well at work, and I'm thankful that I am seeming to balance the start of the year better than previous years. Still MAJOR personnel issues - but I'm wiser this time around - I am not going to stress about stuff that is out of my control.
Thus, I am staying OP without much difficulty. The stress eating is pretty much out of the picture
I splurged on an electric tea kettle this weekend - well after leaving the regular one on the burner too long for the second time this year . I decided it was worth the $$ to keep me from having a major kitchen accident. Not wearing my hearing aids on the weekend can be problematic
I'm really liking it - so easy to use and it shuts itself off
Oh I have to laugh Laurie. I did the same thing and the second time the kettle almost melted into the stove. Scary thing. Love the new one with automatic off. I even got a coffee pot with auto off. Great thing.
I guess dealing with stress is on the burner for everyone. I have tried to remember when my life was not in chaos. It has just been this year that I have decided to quit trying to change it and just spend my life with people and things that are less chaotic.
Now if I could just figure out what to do about work. But I need to be thankful to have a job. I am retiring in 4 years. WooooHoooo!!
Then I will be looking for some entertainment. Food is a bit better today. I got flowers from my boss for my birthday and they are sitting on my desk. Very nice bouquet. Can not complain about that.
So the start of another year for me tomorrow. Getting old but getting wiser and hopefully a little calmer. Thanks to all of you for all your help the past year.
Cheers......Jude :0
I had another good evening thanks to celery. I'm glad I love celery!
Gosh, I guess chaos just comes and goes... from time to time I clear it out, but it always reappears. But my life is probably less chaotic than many folks' lives.
This afternoon a friend is coming over, and the plan is to go to Panera later. I got blindsided at Panera a couple of years ago, so I'm going to do some research first, see what the better choices are. I love the asiago roast beef sandwich, but it is just loaded with calories... so, must assert myself!
I noticed ladyinweighting's challenge, and I wondered why one gets a point for eating under 1200 calories... hmmmm...
I love Panera - I wish we had one closer (100 miles). I also love that their menu and nutritional info is online
The week is getting busier - I think I jinxed it by saying I had it under control
But, balance is important so one of the HS secretaries is having a wine-tasting party tonight. I have no idea what it entails, but I'm outta here shortly. I haven't done a "girls night out" in a long time.
DH can finish the roof in my absence
We have rain again, after four or five days of dryish weather.
My weight is down a bit this morning, which always is a good start. I keep thinking I should weigh only once a week, but it's so tempting every morning.
I'm determined not to work this weekend, having had to work Labor Day. And that's that! I have a few little projects around the house to spend some time on.
Oh, that lunch at Panera was good! Stayed with the half roast beef sandwich. But you know, even though the bread is good, it was really just a half roast beef sandwich. Not that much better than Subway, I thought. I took the cheese off of it--they use a smoky cheese that detracts from the sandwich, to my taste.
Well, for those of you who, like me, are football fans, have an exciting weekend!
Proud to say I've stayed OP for 28 days straight. It's amazing how much better I feel not feeling stuffed and having a more even temperament and energy all day.
After all these years, this is what works for me:
Rolling out of bed at the crack of dawn and exercising - gets it done and out of the way and I actually look forward to it now!
Getting control of my evening pig-outs - My hardest out-of-control eating time of the day is from 5 pm until bedtime. Now I might eat a pickle when I get home, maybe a sliced cucumber w/seasoning, probably a full glass of water. Then eat dinner of a big veggy salad with chicken and cheese or a big mostly vegetable omelet with cheese and ham and a tall glass of V-8. Evening is the only time I really limit by carbs except for veggies. I eat before 7 and then I brush my teeth. Nothing after 7 and nothing after clean teeth. I am so full I don't want anything else. I have not spiked my sugar levels with carbs where I just crave more carbs and I do not fall asleep in front of the tv.
Lastly, the times I want to pick up fast food on the way home or really eat everything in the kitchen when I get home, I stop and think: What is going on, what am I trying to fill? For me, it is boredom and loneliness. I've used food so as to not feel either emotion. But you're still bored, you're still lonely and you've spent too much money, feel too stuffed and fall asleep in front of the tv. Much better to pick up the phone or get online or take a walk or go visit a friend and actually address the real problem.
It's taken all these years to learn this but that's the really good part about being 50+.
kris - Great insight, and wonderful progress!
Controlling non-hunger eating is such a key. I found that exercising first thing in the morning really helped me as I was losing weight. It was such a positive start to the day!
Jay - on the loss! And on staying OP at Panera! I hope you were able to stay away from work. I'm on a similar quest this weekend. This is the first time I turned on my computer all day and I am DETERMINED that I will not check my work email or computer until Monday.
A good day here - good balance. Cleaning, laundry, knitting, gardening, and a nice fire outside this evening.
Hope you all are having a balanced and OP weekend too!
Thanks for your kind words Laurie! I am also looking for balance in my days - tend to be excessive with unactive pursuits like tv and eating and computer gazing. On the weekends balance it with a little yard work, some friend and family time, some exercise, a little housework, some reading and you've had a very productive, satisfying day!
Got caught yesterday too hungry, eating lunch at 2 pm at Chili's. Got a salad with dressing on the side - salad came with fried chicken on top! Oh no! Enjoyed that salad I must tell you! Came home, looked online and saw it was 1090 calories. With my yogurt that morning, I only had about 200 calories for the evening meal. Eggs and veggies to the rescue and all is well on the scale this morning. There's always a way back on track.
Can anyone jump into this thread? I've been reading it and it seems like a good place to post my progress one week into my program.
Three pounds lost! I know that I will not continue to lose weight at this speed but that's okay...at least I know that what I'm doing is working!
I've been extremely on-track this first week - I exercised every single day and have stuck like glue to my program. According to MyFoodDiary.com I started out eating too much saturated fat each day, but I got that down to a good level and have had some good days where I had no frowny faces.
I also learned that one glass of wine is okay, but two is not. I had one night (Friday night) when I had that second glass of wine, and even though it was within my calorie limit my daily report told me that much wine might decrease my metabolism of fat and increase my appetite. So it's one glass of wine period. And I didn't have it every night; I've decided that I will limit it to 3 or 4 nights a week. I've never been a big drinker but I do love a nightly glass of wine!
Thanks for all the support provided here - I really like being here with the others my age, because we have struggles unique to us.
I have to give a great deal credit to 3FC for helping me to get focused and stay on track this first week.
And I can't wait until my 20 days are up and I can put up a tracker in my siggy!
kris2008, yeah, those little surprises at restaurants. I have had a few of those. What I learned was to look up places ahead of time--and check calorie counts--and I carry a business card-sized list in my wallet of different places and the options. Chilis is one of them! Also TGIFridays. That way I don't get a 1000 cal surprise.
SouthernMaven, on those 3 pounds! And of course you can jump on--you can do that with any thread in 3FC if the topic interests you. Glad to have you here!
Went for my walk this morning even though it is so humid... bleah! I have an appointment for a massage in half an hour, so I'd better get ready. Massage is the best thing! Talk about stress reduction.
. I decided it was worth the $$ to keep me from having a major kitchen accident. Not wearing my hearing aids on the weekend can be problematic 
But my life is probably less chaotic than many folks' lives.
Great insight, and wonderful progress!
on the loss! And on staying OP at Panera! I hope you were able to stay away from work. I'm on a similar quest this weekend. This is the first time I turned on my computer all day and I am DETERMINED that I will not check my work email or computer until Monday. 
