[gardenerjoy]

We seem to be dealing with food poisoning. Ick.

At first, we were suspicious of the fish fry. Which was unfortunate because we enjoyed the meal as a break from our usual fare. And it fits the "rare" description -- only available on Friday nights during Lent.

DH wondered this morning, though, if it might be lettuce which, in our modern times, seems to be a frequent culprit. I fixed a salad to go with our fish on Friday. DH got sick yesterday morning. I didn't get sick until yesterday afternoon -- at which point, I'd consumed a second salad from the same lettuce.

I felt just good enough this morning to run to the grocery store for bananas and applesauce.

Exercise +15, 945/1500 minutes for March

[Penny.]

Good morning!

Yesterday was on plan, making it four days into this round . When do I get my first chip? lol

Joy, sorry about the food poisoning. Do you grow your own lettuce in the gardening season? I'm thinking about adding more geens than just swiss chard this year, but I'm so bad about eating salad.

Curly, good that you have a family resource to consult about your work issue. I sent my daughter a list of the school clubs to look over and, per Mayann's suggestion, will ask the counselor which are the strong ones with strong teachers.

[AnnC123]

Good morning Coaches,
I thought I would post before I went to DGds' house. It is raining out so they will be happy to go out in the rain. I will bring extra clothes to change into. I have walked and written my food, exercise, and gratitude journal. It is just like brushing my teeth each day. Also I was feeling like I wasted a day watching Hallmark I was looking for credit and realized that I have not overeaten in months. It is just a memory to me. I used to finish my plate. Now even if I have a snack left and am not hungry, I don't eat it. That was a difficult one for me.
Waving hello to everyone and have a great day.

[karenrn]

Good morning coaches,

Food is on plan. We're going out to lunch at a restaurant called Flower Child which has a Mother Earth bowl that I love. It isn't super low calorie, but is very good and fits within my food plan. Tomorrow we will head back out to the Superstitions to hike and one of my friends that dn has met will join us. I hate to say it, but I'm ready to be without company and without daily social things. Dn is very easy to have around, but I don't want her to be totally bored. Dh isn't too happy about meeting my friend and her boyfriend for lunch so he is acting like people do who are doing something they don't wish to do. I let him off the hook a lot, so I'm figuring this is a command performance without saying it out loud.

Ann Have fun with your grands. Yay for not overeating for such a long time. I see nothing wrong with being taking it easy some times if not on a somewhat regular basis.

Penny You have earned your first chip whenever you want. Good job!

GardenerJoy Oh no food poisoning is awful. I guess the good news is it often doesn't last too long. I'm glad you felt well enough to grab a few things from the store. By the way I do thing you are a badass for the way you handle meetings with diplomacy and intelligence.

Curlyjax That sounds great that you can bounce things off of your older brother. Having a back and forth conversation is bound to be helpful. I understand you wanting an empty nest for a bit. It never seems to last very long yet.

Bill Yay for getting your taxes sent off. I was thinking when you talked about the disagreements with it that dh doesn't even see ours. He seems to have no interest at all. To be honest he doesn't even sign the return, I forge his signature. I pick them up and leave them out for him to review and eventually file them. This is why I keep the CPA even though as simple as ours are I know I could do them. He'd be sunk if I die before him.

Nationalparker Why don't you come out and visit and help me with my house when you finish there? You have so much energy we would be finished in no time and then I'll take you hiking.

Maryann I also found the information you provided to Penny to be very interesting. I hope you're having a great weekend.

Well I guess I'll get my hair and makeup done and figure out what I'm wearing for lunch. My friend is always fixed up and dressed attractively. I'm so used to hiking attire and very casual clothing that I'll have to see what I have.

[maryann]

Greetings from Tahoe. A surprise trip. I will try probably the last downhill runs this morning. Weight is holding. Yeah.

Wave to all.

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Exercise, CREDIT moi, was chase the (2 yo) DFGD around a newish playground. It was absolutely mobbed. The whole city was out celebrating the first day of Spring. We've been there some half-dozen times before yet this was the first time we saw a wheelchair person using the spin-around device that has two slots for wheelchairs and two benches for anyone else. Each wheelchair slot has a heavy bar that closes behind so the rider doesn't go flying out. A father was pushing a young man; stopped so that my DS and DFGD could get on; then he and I kept them spinning rapidly to everyone's delight. Made me so happy that I'd at last seen the major expenses applied to making the playground 'accessible' being used. Sometimes the city gets it right.

Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. It's easier not to snack when the afternoon is broken up with an outing. Dinner included pan roasted cubes of butternut squash with dried cranberries, onions, and lots of fresh dill. We happened to have fresh dill because DW and her buddy had been out walking when they stopped at Whole Foods. When they got back in the car, her buddy split the bunch of fresh dill in half, "I can't use all of this." So reasonable. If folks like that ran the world, I can't imagine how well it'd all work.


Joy (gardenerjoy) - Ouch for the thought that lettuce could be the culprit. Hope both of you recover rapidly; food poisoning isn't fun.

maryann - Waving back toward Tahoe. Happy last downhill runs of the season.

Karen (karenrn) - Love that a restaurant is named Flower Child. I so want to eat there. I admire your DH's disdain for the tax returns. Really are a bore.

curlyjax - Just love every time I see the phrase, "hit the dump," remembering that it's a positive thing. I had a friend whose kids begged to get to go with him. They'd look over the abandoned toys section. Does seem like your "babies" keep you busy.

Penny. - Congrats! Here's your four day chip:

Ann (AnnC123) - Kudos for "have not overeaten in months" - a big deal. Enjoy your DGD time.

Readers -

Chapter 5 Stage 2 - The Think Thin Initial Eating Plan

Your Think Snack Options

Be prepared to use your Resistance Techniques, too, and remind yourself that you can always plan to have a favorite food tomorrow. Like all the skills and habits in this program, the more you practice, the easier it will be to stick to your snack plans.

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 119.

[curlyjax]

Yoga was good. I saw my friend from church again and we chatted afterwards for a bit. She invited me for a cup of coffee but I said I was doing elliptical afterwards. It's fun to have her in class but I don't want to stray from getting in my cardio after. I live about 20 minutes away from the Y so when I make the effort to get there I want to really use it. Then later I saw a neighbor and his 6 year old dtr whom I haven't seen in quite some time, so that was fun. Groceries on the way home and I bought myself some lilies which smell wonderful. Then drove DS back to college with fortunately little traffic, then dinner and watched the last two episodes of season on Unforgotten, which is really good- it was on PBS around 7 years ago. There are about 5 seasons and I'll have to be careful because it really sucks you in to the point you want to sit there for hours watching. At least I do
Today I have GOT to pick up the house and make a master to do list.
Gardenerjoy- ugh, that sounds yucky, I hope you two are feeling better now.
Karen-I looked up the Mother Earth bowl, that looks so good. I'm so glad restaurants are doing these healthy bowl things now. Too funny about your DH acting like people do when they don't want to do something, that's a perfect description!

[gardenerjoy]

We followed the BRAT diet all day yesterday and will start to wean ourselves onto more normal foods today.

I finished the Marie Kondo book and I'm starting the process today. All of my tops are piled on my floor. They aren't quite as big of a mountain as some of the ones shown on her TV show (thanks, curlyjax) -- especially since I did a purge a few months ago.
I'm not planning to do the whole house, just the places where I have complete control. Dragging DH along this journey would only annoy both of us and I can meet the goals that I want from this by taking care of my own stuff.

Exercise +15, 945/1500 minutes for March

Penny: I actually haven't had a garden in years. But here's what I remember about lettuce. I had problems growing it from seed--the seeds are tiny and I think I washed them away with overzealous watering. I had slightly more success using "tape" where the seeds are put in a strip of paper that you lay down in a row. I had the best success from plants that I bought at a nursery. When it worked, growing lettuce was pretty satisfying. The taste of fresh cut lettuce is astonishing. It saved a lot of money over store-bought lettuce. And, I didn't have to worry about food-borne diseases. In Missouri, we can only grow lettuce in the spring and fall -- our summers are too hot causing lettuce to "bolt," putting out flowers and making the leaves bitter. Chard was my absolute favorite thing to grow. Kale got eaten by caterpillars in the summer but was fun to grow in the spring and fall. Collards are ridiculously easy to grow, but I struggled a bit with how to eat them -- mixing them with other greens for a stir-fry and serving them with a peanut sauce sweetened with lots of honey worked pretty well.

[nationalparker]

Just a quick check in this morning ... heading out the door to the in-laws and now waiting for DH as he's making a quick bathroom stop before we drive off. We worked at the house all day yesterday, then went to older stepdaughter's house and i was just BEAT. I felt like I staggered in the door there. We hauled most of the rest of the genealogy that she wants to have, at least eight boxes and a three-drawer cabinet full. Then DGS said play horsey with me, Nana! So I found my second wind and was whinnying and crawling around until he commanded his steed to stand up and I had to actually go to a chair to get both myself and him (on my back) up. I need more strength. He's almost 5. That took my mind off my sore back haha oh how i love that kiddo.

I have NOT been doing well, foodwise. Every day that I go to the in-laws, I'm preloading with food - and not the healthiest - and weight is climbing up the more we're there. I'm also not drinking enough. So I said to DH today, 3-21 is my mental restart - 3-2-1-GO. Whatever it takes. I have two salads packed that were to be yesterday's lunch that we didn't eat, and a fruit smoothie this morning. I'm happy with my action on that end.

Really hoping for time for personals soon. This house is getting to be a mess as I'm not having time to keep up with everything. DH is off today and tomorrow/vacation, and we'll go out both days, and I'm on dumpster arrival duty on Thursday, and his brother's girlfriend and I will work on the house Friday afternoon. So this will be my busiest week there. If I don't get control now, I won't. I'm hoping a few pounds will drop quickly. Only if I make good choices and good actions follow.

[Penny.]

Good morning!

Yesterday was on plan, and I'm dragging this morning before work.

Joy, chard is such a great garden veg for me too! I use starts from the farmer's market, but good to know about the seeds.

Nationalparker, hopefully you don't lose too much energy with your 321 start. It sounds like a busy week!

Bill, thanks for the carrots. The inclusive park sounds great!

Curly, you're doing great with exercise!

Ann, you're giving the granddaughters some good childhood memories. You have to get the play in while they still want to play.

Karen, you do sound very busy with social plans. I hooe you get a quiet day soon.

[AnnC123]

Good morning Coaches,
Yesterday was so much fun and I slept so well. I got home around 930 pm. I was in bed by 1030 and I slept until 720. The girls are so full of life and very adventurous.
Logged eating, walking, and gratitude journal. Today was an adventure out an about. The weather is so nice we decided to walk home and have lunch and go out again to explore. It is funny there are people who have lived here there whole lives and don't get out to see things. That's okay it must work for them.
Today is the first day we can go without masks. I did notice most people still have masks on.

Karen - That is funny about Dh. Mine does that sometimes and I ask him if he can act older than seven. It is like he is pouting. I hope the Mother Earth Bowl was just what you needed.

Maryann Yay that you got a surprise trip to Tahoe. It seems like your happy place.

Bill- The accessible park sounds like the city did get it right. Great you got to enjoy the park with DFGD and DS. Playgrounds are so much fun. It is good everyone can enjoy that one. Your roasted veggies sound delicious, I will have to try that combination.

Curlyjax - Great plan to stay and do cardio. It sounds like you had a great day.

Joy - I need to think like you, it would be much easier to do my own thing with purging clothes and not take DH along being miserable. All his stuff doesn't bother him. It just bothers me that others would have to deal with it. I need to let it go.

Nationalparker - Oh my goodness, you are an awesome Nana. Your DG must have had so much fun. Wow about all the work you are doing on the house. Great plan to pack salads. Good luck with all the stuff you are doing at the house. Yay for 8 more boxes being delivered to SD. I hope your back is feeling okay.

Penny - That is a great idea to grow lettuce. Fresh lettuce is so good. Wishing you a wonderful day at work.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

[karenrn]

Good afternoon coaches,

This is going to be short and sweet. Food has been on plan. This morning dn, a friend and I went out to the Superstitions again to hike the Peralta Trail which I just hiked a couple of weeks ago, but it is a really pretty trail. We all enjoyed it immensely. Tonight I think I'll just find something around here for my dinner and I'm making some chicken for dn and dh will eat it too. Tomorrow we have another hike on the docket and then I'll take dn to the airport not long after noon. Then I'll come home and collapse. I don't think it's really the hiking that is making me tired, but just having company and not having the time to relax at home. She is about the easiest guest I ever have though. When I told her I worry about my son being overweight and not that much younger than I am she assures me she will take care of me. (Probably not true, but nice to hear.)

Okay I'll write a longer note once I'm without company.

[maryann]

Good Afternoon, Coaches.

Weight still holding in the 60s. yes!!!

Tonight is gym with DH. I had lots of fruits and veggies today. Check!

nationalparker - so clever 321 go! Thanks for reminding me to drink my water.
Karen: So awesome to have commitments that get you out the door exercising. DH and I have committed to the gym at least twice a week.
Ann and BBE: i can't wait for my own DGs to get me exercising spontaneously.

Wave to Penny, joy and curleyjax.

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Achievement was to make an appointment with one of the bureaucracies that hold my retirement money. Need to make sure that they have the names of my two kids just for the unlikely event that my retirement money outlives me. When I first started working, the thought of retirement was way beyond my consciousnesses, as was marriage and kids. Feels ghoulish to be digging into this type of detail. The good news is that I don't have to travel to their office, nor sit and have a cup of coffee telling them how my family is doing; we'll just Zoom. He either has to add their names or not; I either have to sign something or not. Maybe I'll be drinking a mug of coffee to make him feel hospitable. It was an achievement because I've had this on my long-term to-do list for several years now.

Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Dinner was lentil soup, asparagus, and green salad. "Vegetarian for the day," I proudly proclaimed to DW. Even Vegan I started to say before I remembered that I always have milk in my coffee. Not convinced that I'll ever accidentally have a vegan day - seems to take a bit of planning.


Joy (gardenerjoy) - Hope the BRAT diet has eased your discomfort. You certainly don't waste any time putting your purge notions into action.

maryann - Congrats for keeping your weight in that decade. You'll be a great grandmom.

nationalparker – Yay for finding energy to play horsey even when totally beat. Super Congrats for delivering all the genealogy information to your DSD. Sounds like a large volume of stuff gone.

Karen (karenrn) - Neat to have a volunteer to take care of you in your old age. She'll probably sneak you out of bed to take micro-hikes even after you're past the full hiking stage.

curlyjax - Congrats for buying yourself some lilies. Flowers always cheer me up.

Penny. - DW planted her snow peas yesterday. Makes me start to drool already. Kale is our strong veggie - impervious to the weather, just sits there waiting to be harvested for dinner.

Ann (AnnC123) - Yep, grandkids and age allow us to see what we normally just run past on our way to work.

Readers -

Chapter 5 Stage 2 - The Think Thin Initial Eating Plan

Snack Guidelines
Use this advice as you incorporate these snacks into your daily repertoire:. . .

• It may take a little trial and error to find out which snacks work best for you. Try many different snacks from the list to see which leave you feeling the most satisfied.

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 120.

[curlyjax]

Another busy day at work and I stayed OP except at the very end when I had one hard candy. On the way home I was craving Easter chocolate and even stopped into a CVS to get that and some cleaning wipes, but I didn't see the right wipes so I left without buying anything, credit moi! Finally exercising my resistance muscle more. Didn't get much done after work except washing a LOT of pots and pans, and made myself a fabulous dinner of baked salmon with carmelized onion mustard, baked diced sweet potatoes with garlic-onion-rosemary, and a pre-packaged greens stirfry. Then I was really hungry later so a small bowl of granola cereal. Leftovers for tonights dinner!
I'm staying up too late at night; last night I caught up on both new episodes of 'Call the Midwife' and suddenly it was close to 11:00. I need to get myself firmly into bed and lights out at 10:30. I'm giving up on the bellydance class, its hurting my other hip too much, but I'm taking another yoga class tonight.
I'm running late, personals tomorrow!