Sunday - Mother's Day (since 1908 in Philadelphia)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - My walk, CREDIT moi, included stopping at a brick-and-mortar bookstore to buy a Mother's Day card for DW to go with the book that I'd already bought. Found an unsentimental one that'll work for us. The book is wrapped (in a reusable cloth wrapping bag, as is my want); the card is signed; and both are downstairs where she sits for breakfast. Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are mothers, have or have had a mother, or know a mother somewhere. It's a feel good day to just celebrate together since motherhood and apple pie are the two uncontested good things in life.
The painter applied the stain to our front porch. Seems like a lot of brouhaha for a small task. Neat to have that done. Downside is that we can't use the front door for three days; had to go around the house to pick up my newspapers this morning. You'd think that I'd celebrate an excuse for a few extra steps, LOL.
Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Dinner was hamburgers on brioche buns. The hamburgers were impossible burgers. Apparently, there's a new law in Kansas, effective July 1st, that I have to make clear that no flesh of dead cow was consumed by eating impossible burgers. The law is designed to protect folks from not knowing that they're purchasing a plant product. Hard to believe that there's a whole state full of folks who've been buying veggie burgers and not being able to tell the difference - without a large font label telling them. If I were director of marketing for a veggie burger, that would be my new advertising theme. "Your elected representatives say that you can't tell the difference!"
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Hope that lower back pain is fleeting.
maryann - Yay for a super bargain in necklaces. Thanks for the warning; I didn't read the entire site about Kula Cloth.
Karen (karenrn) - Bummer that you can no longer just pluck a few dates from the date barrel. I suspect that we're headed more and more in the direction of fully packaged items in order to reduce labor costs. One of our supermarkets sells hamburger already packaged by the slaughter house. Or by somebody - who knows how long it's been sitting in its package already ground.
curlyjax - Welcome home for the summer to your DS. Sounds like an upbeat time.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 5Stage 2 - The Think Thin Initial Eating Plan
Before You Move On
I have worked with several dieters who loved to record how many steps they took, every day. They made it a personal challenge to figure out ways to add more.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 125.
A brief check in before we head to the in-laws to continue the clearing out ... I say "cleaning out" half the time but the cleaning has not yet begun, and that, too, I dread. An absolutely gorgeous sunny day here, the birdsong is coming in the windows that are open to enjoy the fresh air and to air out the smell of yesterday's lunch: Impossible Burgers on small wheat buns. I said to DH let's have a larger lunch since dinner will be fruit and a fig bar in the car on the way home. So I prepped those and some potato slices that I drizzled tbsp olive oil on and worked through the bowl with my fingers, then added garlic salt and tossed in the air fryer. Actually strategically placed is more like it, trying to get them all on a single layer to cook faster. A no greens day so today we'll remedy that. I'll take harvest apple salads to eat on a clearing out break over there.
Concert was just absolutely superb. I was louder than I think I've been since...well, the last Garth Brooks concert. It is some of the best money we spend. We got back home at 2:30 a.m., I got in 20,000+ steps yesterday between our trail walk in the morning before we got in the car for the 2.5 hour trip to the venue.
I kept my daily yoga streak going with a very gentle routine. Between that and an Icy Hot patch, my back's feeling quite a bit better this morning.
Today, I'm going to make sure that we walk. We're expecting highs near or above 90 all week. We've had no chance to acclimate to that! So, today's high of 76 sounds great. We might have to experiment with morning exercise for the rest of the week.
Yesterday was fun although it seems that DS is now on the couch sleeping with a touch of sickness. Still being n the same house with him is enough for me. Food was still light because I was still not very hungry. Yeah! I did yoga.
I just bought DS bday present. We are going to the Hollywood Bowl to watch Steely Dan play!!!! Yeah! Steely Dan is one of my greatest accomplishment. as a mother I played it so much with DS in the car it became his favorite band as well. I have very fond memories of going to the Hollywood Bowl since I grew up in the LA area. It is pricey but what a bucket list item: my favorite band, my favorite venue, and my grown son who wants to hang with Mom. Totally worth it. It also coincides with DN graduation. A win win.
BBE: What a riot that legislature in Kansas has no bigger issue than safeguarding the constituency from a meatless burger. We live in a country of luxuries. Joy: Yeah for a yoga streak with some flexibility. Karen: Glad you found your new friend.
Sill on plan. The post-op pain has been so bad and new pains were cropping up, compensating for the old new pains. I was taking everything I could and keeping notes to track oxycodone, ibuprofen, tylenol, zofran, colace, Miralax but nothing seemed to be doing anything but making me feel full of pills.
One big problem is my bed is way too low for this and getting up and down has been torture. Dh and son picked me up a Hollywood frame to lift my bed up higher and it solved that problem.
Next, I decided to try dh pot brownies (he uses for his epilepsy). One smallish piece, a large crumb really, laid me out for the day, but finally pain relief! I always roll my eyes when people call it medicine (because you don't have to justify it to me) but have to admit it did much better and now I'm not worried about these useless pills running out before I find pain relief.
Maryann, sorry about the rough student interaction. I wonder why she thought she had turned it in already. Ack! So stressful. Yay for Steely Dan!
Nationalparker, good luck at the house!
Bill, remember when it was discovered our ground beef included horse meat? I can see how that would lead to increased transparency around plant based meat products. lol
Monday - Bletchley Park breaks spy codes after capturing Enigma machines (1941)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Standard walk with the DFGD got usurped due to another event in her little life that's planned by others. Our meeting turned into an adult cup of tea with DS, DIL, and DW. I asked about a restaurant I'd encountered serving Poke Bowls. Turns out they'd had this ... in Hawaii. They highly recommendation a trip to Hawaii to get the real deal. Bummer. Think we'll skip the flight and try the local place. Feel like I'm the last person on earth who'd never heard of Poke bowls until recently. Reminds me that we've been in turtle mode for two years; there's lots of stuff we haven't done.
Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Dinner was omelettes. Due to a distracted chef, mine was made without added milk; made it taste more salty, for reasons I don't understand since additional salt wasn't added - only milk not added. Evening snack was the standard Cara Cara orange - but a smallish one bought in a bag of a dozen instead of selected from the pile of onesies. A smaller evening snack is a good thing; think I'm addicted to it. But then again, it keeps me from dreaming up other things to eat in the evening, like trail mix, - which is why I think Dr. Beck suggests that we schedule snacks.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Yay for the ole back feeling better. Had to google Icy Hot Patch.
for a solid hour. Click at your own risk - it's hard to shut him off as each song is one of those I remember that. Yay for having a DS who appreciates good music - even with advanced classical skills.
nationalparker – Such a fun reminder that not only is birdsong a sign of Spring - it's a sign that the windows are open. Apparently yesterday was Impossible Burger day. I hope that yours was sufficiently labeled that you weren't expecting beef, LOL.
Penny. - Glad you've found some relief for that pain. Wish for you that this is just fleeting. Thanks for the reminder about the whole country freaking out about horse meat in the hamburger.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 5Stage 2 - The Think Thin Initial Eating Plan
Before You Move On
I also encourage you to start strength training twice a week if you aren't doing so already.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 125.
DH refuses to move today due to muscle aches from yard work on Saturday. I haven't decided if I'm going to brave a walk on our first hot day or just go for lots of stretching indoors since my body is feeling pretty beat-up today, too.
In either case, I'm going to shop at the grocery store, today. I'm pledging, now, that there will be nothing purchased just because my birthday is this week. I have a couple of treats, planned, already. Nothing is needed from the grocery store.
Checking in again with everyone as I rejoin everyone here in cleaning up my food and weight issues. I can now.also add body mechanic issues. My feet continue to complain as they bear the added weight of my new high normal weight. Knees and hips are also starting to give me gentle yet consistent nudges more often than now.and again. And I am at the very very tippy top of my clothing selection. I recommitted to a foodplan yesterday which includes a daily fast of 18hrs as a baseline with elimination of sugar and snacks. This is where I am starting and it has worked for me in the past. My resistance muscle needs a new workout focused on resisting the urge to "throw all away in the moment when I am overwhelmed with other stuff". That's my biggest downfall.
In other things I am supposed to go to Montana for an art opening at the Yellowstone Art Museum. Travel dates, chosen by my sister and her expectation that I will mirror her schedule, are June 30 to July 3. I note here that you Americans have a national party July 4th and so I suspect July 3rd would be a horrific day to travel, right? I've never need to Montana either and to get from Toronto to Montana isnt one flight. Anyway the point my be moot as I have sent off my passport to be renewed (it expired in 2017) and the news is full of people wanting their Canada passports and the record time it is taking to get it processed and returned. I'm on pins and needles waiting for it. I lost out on going to California in 2001 because my passport got here one day after the plane I was supposed to be flew off with DH without me. That still stings.
Anyway I'll spend some reading and catching up with you guys. Bye for now.
Summer is here early! Hot and windy, but the sun is shining bright, so that means it's glorious to me. In late July/early August, I might have a different opinion when I'm sweltering. I mowed, edged, swept and pick up clumps of grass because it got so long through the rainy days. It took me more than two and a half hours, so that will be my activity. If DH wants to walk the trail that will be a bonus. He is out at his folks house after an appt with the lawyer to drop off some paperwork. I'm not sure how long he'll work out there. Thinking about getting on the bike for a short 15-20 min ride just to work a few different muscles. Tomorrow I'll be meeting my friend to walk for an hour, so I know I'll get that in as well.
I'm on Day 6 of my challenge and it's going great. I'm actually a bit excited because I am doing what I set my goals for each day, and listening more to my hunger to eat, rather than the clock.
We got home from his folks close to 9:30 last night. I get irritated when he says, just let me know when you want to wrap it up. So at 7 I said let's wrap it up so we can get home by 8:15. He kept puttering and then a neighbor came over to shoot the breeze and finally I walked out at 8:15 to nudge him on. I was beat and took a bath, went to bed by 11 and slept hard until 8:30! I did take benadryl and melatonin because no matter what I wanted the rest.
A part of me is worrying about DH and I getting along ALL DAY LONG EVERY DAY when he's retired. I know our max together is a 10-day trip when we're together 24/7. On Day 11, we're both crabby, but mostly me. We are definitely going to have to carve out our own time and space to do things.
Bill - When we were chowing on our Impossible Burgers, I asked him if he could tell they weren't beef, and he really couldn't ... and he was a meat and dairy guy when we met. I joked that when we have our son-in-law over (a real meat lover) we should still do the Imp. burgers and just put a toothpick in his so he thinks it's special and see if he could tell. I would never REALLY trick someone but the idea is tempting. When I read the word "onesies", instead of single fruit, I always think of the infant/toddler one-piece snap bottom outfit.
Penny - I am going to have to look up horse meat in hamburger. Either that was when we lived overseas or after I ate beef (it'd been 20 years since I ate beef before finally moving to veganism... I ate a lot of chickens, sadly). I never heard of that! I hope your pain lessens soon! I am a big believer in MMJ and I'm glad you found relief! When my sister had her knee replacement, the pain meds just weren't cutting it at all, and added so many extra issues with constipation, etc., that when she went back to her MMJ for another issue, it solved all. Then she could do rehab, etc., without the sheer agony, sleep better, etc.
Joy - I hope you and your DH rest your bodies to feel better. Credit for your plan to enjoy a few treats for your birthday but rein in any thought of extras. Can you swap buying some fresh flowers for another treat you might want? Sometimes I use them as a reward for myself too. I brought back four stems of cut white lilac from DH's folks. They have a wildly overgrown leggy shrub of them and I'm thinking about trying to root a number of stems so at least some will "take".
Maryann - Yay on getting tickets for Steely Dan and credit for seeing that the experience of it will be such a life highlight for you both. You wrote the other day that the girl who was a challenge on Friday would meet with a clean slate on Monday and that stayed with me through the weekend. That is so cool because I remember in high school that teachers would hold grudges for weeks and even the repercussions of an innocuous run in would linger. You "adult" well.
Karen - I smile when you say you can't pass up dates because for 99% of the rest of the population, it would be pizza, cakes, cupcakes, chips ... and yours is so healthy! But still, I know what you mean. I bought a huge container of them from Sam's early on in our plant-based eating but then didn't bake as much as I was thinking I would. I should have froze them. Instead they got hard as a rock and some squirrels enjoyed them. Neat to hear that you found a friend that will be a fun hiking partner while she's there. What are the months that people usually bolt for their cooler homes? June to September?
OneByOne - I'm so glad to see you back here! Montana is one of my favorite places on Earth. I'm glad you'll get to go, fingers crossed your passport arrives in time! Yellowstone then will be a mob scene, as will Teton NP, it's sister park, but if you have time to drive up afterward to Glacier National Park, that's a gorgeous place as well and is paired with Canada's Waterton Lakes NP, which we absolutely loved. I'm excited for you!
CurlyJax - How did your walking challenge go on the weekend? I hope this workweek starts out well for you! I imagine DS was glad to be home with you; it sounds like you both work very well together on projects, too. Yay that he's into healthy eating, that will help a lot with meal planning and prep!
Food has been on plan. Yesterday's hike was slower but a very nice visit. Today I hiked the same hike again with another friend and it was a little faster, but I'm about chomping at the bit to go alone so I can go at my own pace.
Otis and I got out for a nice walk when I got home. I've been sitting at the table fraying my jeans. It's going fine, but it isn't fast. The denim is a tight weave.
Yesterday dh said he's thinking about retiring in just about 2 years. We'll see how that goes. I know when I decided to retire it came earlier and earlier. We'll see if that happens with him.
The girl I had a run in with showed up on time and was productive. I planned a minimal interaction by asking who went to prom. She said she did. Good enough. We had a class debate today which I love doing. The kids study simplistic summaries of the issues, add their own thoughts, practice one discussion and then have the graded discussion. Today"s very controversial issue was "Should women be drafted?" Fabulous discussion and the issues kept coming up. Equal citizenship requires equal responsibilities. "Maternal instincts" are proving to be important after seven years of women in combat and not just physical strength. If women are drafted the transgender issue becomes a little simpler. Also women soldiers can enter places in a Muslim country that men can not. And yes, One boy popped up with "What about when a girl gets her period? She'll be too emotional. I told him saying a women can't be as good a soldier because she has a womb is equal to saying a moan can't be a fantastic parent because he doesn't have a womb. I laughed because my history class in high school never talked about wombs. But then I was in Catholic school and wombs are touchy businesses
Food was light but skipped yoga because I had a coffee date with a friend. Excited to be seeing Dr. Strange with DS tonight. We have a Marvel history that bonds us.
Tuesday - Golden Spike completes the 1st US Transcontinental Railroad (1869, Utah)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Spent most of the day preparing for my evening Zoom meeting. It's a bunch of friends who've been meeting for years. Feels pretty special. We share personal parts of our lives that don't get discussed in our usual comings and goings. Did get zapped by changes that Zoom has made that tried to keep me from being leader of the event that was reserved in my friend's name - the one with the paid account. Zoom might have finally won with this last move; I'll go ahead and get a paid subscription just to avoid the rule changes they make for the FREE users. Yes, it's a first world problem to complain about the inconveniences of a FREE service.
Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Dinner was a concoction made from a recipe from Penzeys Spices: diced chicken, asparagus, red peppers, onions, and pasta all sauteed and blended into a single dish. With tons of spices pulling it all together. Super good. And DW made enough that a second meal is tucked away in the fridge.
My excitement this morning was to go out my own front door onto the freshly stained, but now dry, deck to remove the yellow tape preventing use of the front porch. I carefully rolled up the 'CAUTION' tape for reuse. And was right there to take the newspapers from the delivery man when he drove up. Felt like being in the real world.
onebyone - Kudos for being committed to a food plan to start this next phase of your life. So exciting that you're headed to Montana for an art opening at the Yellowstone Art Museum. 'yam' looks like a neat place. Do hope the Canadian State Department gets your passport out quickly. (Can't believe 'yam' snagged the URL website name "artmuseum" dot org.)
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Ouch for the wear on bodies from a hard day of yard work. Neat to plan in advance what not to buy for your birthday.
maryann - Continue to love reading about your history classes. The thought of being asked about my opinion in a history class is already outside of my experience. It's just so neat that your kids really get into it.
nationalparker – Congrats for marching forward to Day 6 of your challenge. LMAO at the thought of putting a toothpick in an Impossible Burger to make a carnivore think it's beef. I might just report you to the authorities in Kansas! Maybe I'll collect a bounty.
Karen (karenrn) - Absolutely astounded to discover, via google, that I'm the only person on planet earth who didn't know the meaning of fraying my jeans. Best wishes to your DH planning his retirement date. My take is that that's a pretty emotional decision.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 5Stage 2 - The Think Thin Initial Eating Plan
Before You Move On
As you get used to this new way of eating, it's normal to have a rebellious voice that urges you to return to your former choices and habits. You might miss larger portions. You might be tempted to eat whichever foods you want, whenever you want, without planning ahead. You might decide you don't have time to sit down to breakfast in the morning.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 126.
Long exhausting weekend. I did take a quick walk on Sunday morning so credit for that. It's good to have DS home and his best friend comes home this week so they can hang out together. DD and I are both anxious about moving and Boston logistics and we have not been doing well together. I'm going to have to channel someone who is calm and not a worrier I have reached out to some friends to help problem solve the logistics so that has been helpful.
I'm out of the habit of cooking and planning meals and DS eats a lot Once we get thru DD's graduation weekend I will get back into the swing of things.
I did look at some travel groups to the Grand Canyon and realize I need to work on my overall endurance to really enjoy a trip there, so there's a good goal.
Onebyone-good to see you. Montana sounds fabulous.
Nationalparker-I'm getting the minimum steps in daily at least. I bet you two will figure out how to do your own thing when your DH retires. It was definitely an adjustment for my mom when my dad retired.
Food was pretty much on plan yesterday, but I think my serving of hummus was a bit large. I just got back from a nice hike with my new friend. It was a new hike to her and one I enjoy. The only problem is that it's about 45 minutes away. I brought the garbage bin in when I got home, but Otis isn't up for a walk today. I didn't feel like forcing him. Not much going on the rest of the day, just a little dusting and some office work.
Curlyjax I can't imagine having to have enough food prepared for a young hungry guy. I remember how much my three brothers ate; a lot. I hope you and dd find enough info that you can both e more relaxed with her move in to Boston.
Bill I bet it's nice to have the front porch back in regular use.
Maryann I'm glad the student was back to fine by Monday. Sounds like you and ds are doing some fun things.
Nationalparker I can't really imagine spending 24/7 with dh even as much as I love him. Of course we do that when we travel together, but I don't think I'll be quitting my hikes and movies with friends any time soon and frankly I doubt he would want me to. I'm sure you and your dh will find what works for both of you. Hopefully you won't have one of those husbands that wants to do everything with you.
Onebyone I hope your passport gets to you in time. The trip to Montana sounds great.
GardenerJoy Happy birthday week! I hope your soreness has gotten better.
Penny I hope you are starting to feel a bit better. I'm glad you got your bed up off the floor. That does seem like it would be a bit tough after surgery.
Oh I do want to say I'm giving myself credit for continuing my planks and upper body exercises daily. My right shoulder was really sore in the night and when I first got up a couple of days ago. It was the shoulder I broke in four places about 7 years ago (tripping over the old dog Harley). Anyway I took a couple of Ibuprofen and it went away. The continued exercises are not causing a problem. I think I must have been sleeping on it funny.
It's a good thing that I worked out a plan for the grocery store. I would have surely succumbed to temptation propelled by two events -- walking past the bakery where it smelled like they were baking chocolate cake and passing a display of single-serving slices of cake (including chocolate) in the check-out aisle. In the past, I would have considered those two things a sign that I was supposed to buy a piece of cake to celebrate my birthday week.
But I didn't.
Thanks, y'all! I couldn't have done it without you.
Exercise +50, 465/1500 minutes for May
BillBlueEyes: I appreciated both the Bletchley Park history, yesterday, and the Golden Spike today.
Sunday - Mother's Day (since 1908 in Philadelphia)
