The last two mornings I have been up early to get to the Riverhouse in the cool. I had a full day yesterday visiting Mom. I took her to lunch and ate a moderate amount of Thai food that I logged. Only 2 T of rice after one dish was way too spicy. That is a big win. Yardwork was my exercise. I finished polishing my Grandpa's Brass Drum lamp that will go over our dining room. It was a bear - maybe four hours of work. My arms are exhausted but it looks great. https://ibb.co/j9p943Bj.

OK there is much puttering in the office to do. I made a new lunch I really liked: a cup of egg whites cooked in a fry pan on a sweet potato tortilla and a little cheese. I had a cup of blueberries on the side.

Onebyone: Good Luck organizing around the house. No matter how much time I am at home, there is still more to do.
Gardenerjoy: Yes - planning is the way. That and Hunger is not an emergency.
Curly: Love the St. Anthony festival. We Catholics have a way of celebrating.
BBE: Wonderful you got an extra visit of DGD.

Sunday - R. I. P. Diana, Princess of Wales (1997)
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Walked, CREDIT moi, for an hour in an idealistic tiny forest just seven miles north of Boston called the Virginia Woods of Middlesex Fells. Although never more than a few hundred meters from a highway, we felt as isolated as if in Muir Woods in California. It's named after the donor of the land, Virginia Tudor, a young activist who thought this land should be saved for future generations. She started a movement; it happened. Even Frederick Law Olmsted was involved, a name that shows up repeatedly. We were scouting places to take visitors next month; we've walked here before. Was pleased to discover the rich history of Virginia Tudor. Tudor is the family that started the ice harvesting business on Fresh Pond in Cambridge. Small world.

Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi, with a few almond biscotti for afternoon snack. I had no real excuse; just decided that I was hungry. Dinner was pork chops joyfully eaten outside in the cooling weather. The house being renovated that we can see from our patio was having wrought iron railings installed on the front porch. This is not a wrought iron neighborhood. Maybe we're being gentrified. Maybe my house just went up in value. I'm now an architectural critic.


Joy (gardenerjoy) - Admirable exercise goals - should help you live to be a hundred in good health.

maryann – That's a lot of brass. Makes me wonder if the prior generations kept it polished.

curlyjax – Finding healthy food in a hospital cafeteria is unusual. (Uninvited nag: Remember that some destinations require a passport with at least six months left.) It's not yet clear how the memories of my brothers will be gathered. They are for some hypothetical grands who wake up one day wondering what the old folks' lives had been like.

Readers -

The workout session was good; there were 4 of us and I wasn't quite as exhausted as before, but it was still a good workout. I've decided if there isn't any food prepped, a pbj with milk is a good snack afterwards for a sat am session-you're supposed to get protein and carbs in within an hour. I felt quite proud of myself for going especially since I went to bed so late, and it did inspire me to eat better. I had two salads during the day, and made air fried chicken to go on top with my homemade lime honey dressing. I was so hungry later that I had to eat more, but no sugar for the day, whee.
A frog swallowed was working on my financial stuff to meet with my advisor later this month. It still freaks me out to have someone else who can see this, and i worry about some scammer being able to somehow hack my stuff and drain my accounts. But I need to let go of that; tons of people do this online and if I want help setting it up then I need to trust.
I watched the netflix documentary on The Biggest Loser which was quite interesting; sad that many of the folks had regained weight, but some kept it off. I had never watched the show but I do like documentaries. I also spent time investigating the train to NYC logistics and getting around Midtown, as I have no clue about any of that. It would be fun to go to NYC for a few days at some point but I'm not interested in spending the money and time now.
Today I'm meeting collegefriend for a walk, then groceries and stuff DD wants me to do;) I may sneak in a quick trip to Kohls to buy a few more workout shorts and see if anything is on sale as well. I haven't planned meals yet other than oatmeal for breakfast but I' know I will get salad in at some point at least.
Maryann-great job on the lamp, it looks great! It will be so satisfying to be in a house where you have done so much of the work yourself.
Bill-thanks for the reminder. I haven't been to that forest, it sounds lovely.

Official weigh in day is Thursday but I can't keep sneaking the scale. I have put it away so i don't see it. Finally I was down another pound so I am changing my ticker.

Did I mention I put in ChatGPT the following request: a week of menus with 125 grams of protein, adequate fruits and veggies and 1300 calories. The shocking truth came out. If I am going to fit in all the proteins and fruits and veggies I need to stay healthy, I must forego nearly all grains and any sweet treats. Yep. The formula: 4 oz protein, 1/2 cup fruit and veggie, small salad. Done. I can have 1 small slice of toast a couple of times a week or maybe add some low sugar jam to my plain yogurt. OK that is the reality. Acceptance is not approval. I really do not approve that but I accept it. There is still a great deal of creative and tasty stuff within those parameters. This is especially so during the harvest basket of California in summer. My taste buds have changed to not expect hyper sweet/salt. This morning we ate cantaloupe from the packing shed of the farmer using our property. Fresh blueberries are better than a Reese's pb. Yes really. Cherry tomatoes gifted from an organic farm.

As for rice, I roasted riced cauliflower and DH didn't recognize the difference until halfway through the meal. OK. We can do this.

Curly: You and I are twin-sies this week: bought new workout pants from Kohls; remembered that exercise may not change the scale but motivates to stick to plan; and taking a walk.
BBE: Three cheers for Kicka$$ Virginia. Love the story. Oh and ISHI was within an hour of here.

Today is an at-home day that I want to enjoy for relaxation, creativity, and planning.

The rest of the week, I anticipate, will hold multiple hospital visits. Dear Brother is in a hospital that is about 45 minutes from my house. The hope, of course, was that he wouldn't be in there very long. But, so far, the antibiotics don't seem to be doing much. Fortunately, he doesn't feel sick at all. I'm pretty sure they won't let him go until they have found an antibiotic that actually works.

He had friends scheduled to visit today. So, I'll want to fill in time slots during the week when his partner and friends are working.

He texted a little while ago to ask for my mailing address. He needed it to fill out the power of attorney form. I'm second in line after his partner. That feels like winning at sibling-hood that he wants me to have that role.

Exercise: 30, 1760/1800 minutes for August
Weigh-in: NA, goal for August is 82.1

Another day, but the last one ever in August of 2025.
 

Coaches

Today I decluttered. I was able to watch TV with DH while sitting on the chaise longue. It felt good to open that space again. It took me a long time to clear it. Hours instead of the one hour I estimated it would take. Nevermind. It's done and now the task is to clear it off daily. It's a real hot spot for stuff.

Tomorrow I need to wade into the new office area. What I want to do is clear the floor linking the office to the living room. It's cluttered with big flat boxes and bins and just stuff. I need ro free the floor.

My knee, calf and ankle and foot still bothered me today but felt better after sitting on the chaise. I was just starting to freak out about this leg business and then it calmed down. We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

I think I need an appointment with my family doctor to see what he thinks of it doesn't clear up by Tuesday.

Food today wasn't so great. I ate late tonight and wasn't really hungry. I just wanted to eat and did it. I had a bag of snacky food this afternoon too. Just not a great day. It was unplanned as well and that's what happens with no plan.

Guess that's it. I'm off to bed.
:wave:

Discussion continues on the September 2025 Thread
 

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Beck Diet For Life/Solution – September 2025 – Support, Discussion, Buddy/Coach

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