Dagmar, are you familiar with the mystery novels by Louise Penny? We have recently discovered them, and she is a really good writer, if mysteries are something you like.

Thanks! I appreciate author referrals. I will check her out. My mom was a big mystery novel reader and I started enjoying them by reading whatever she did.

I'm finding that changing the habit of sitting through a second hour of TV with DH to reading in bed instead has been a big bonus for me. I find great pleasure in reading and am glad I finally made the time for it!

Dagmar :book2:

:Oh no, more snow! :shocksn: We had a big fluffy snowfall last night. Trixie is out in the yard gleefully rolling in it while Natalie sits inside the sliding door squeaking plaintively.

Dagmar :coolsnow:

Got on the scale for my April weigh in. 137 lbs. Within my winter range of 135-138.

As soon as the weather warms up a bit I'm going to start eating more pre-made salads to help get back into my summer range of 132-135 lbs. I really like salads but find them too fussy to make.

We have a Farm Boy near us now and a Freshii. Both of them have extensive salad menus that you can advance order online. If I can get their products with the dressing on the side I'm in!

Dagmar ::beach:

Well I am still maintaing well and am finding it is easiest for me to keep breakfast delayed -- if I eat it too early I seem hungrier during the day.

K9 Certification is this week. Grueling 4 days of testing starting Wed afternoon - my target is 132-136 and I am keeping it low early this week knowing that during test days we will have a lot of eating out.

Long week last week, longer week coming up this week. I have lunches made, and snacks prepped. I can handle it. I hope. :)

Hi all, I'm finally back on the healthy-eating-plan wagon after many months of swinging between anxiety-induced loss of appetite and stuffing anything food-shaped into my mouth. Last week we went on a marathon family-visitation road trip and the culmination of so much driving, dormancy and poor eating choices is painfully obvious in my body today. I went through a bad bout of depression and work stress last month, but I'm feeling the re-emergence of some optimism again and it's great.

Go group go! We got this! :cheer: :dancer: :cheer2:

Dagmar :twirly:

I ate far too much rubbish in March, and it really doesn't make me feel good, but along with what you all are saying, April seems to bring the possibilities of a new leaf and i'm feeling all motivated to clean up my diet a bit and make healthier choices - especially for the next 3 weeks in prep for a trekking trip i'm doing where it'll be tough physically (it's with the trekking club i'm in and I know two other people on the trip that are both fitter than me - there's 3 people who I don't know of til the prep details come round, but ideally I don't want to be the least fit, and anyway I want to be at my personal best for lugging a full pack up and down mountains, so it's (fairly) clean eating, watching portions and maybe doing more cardio and less strength at the gym for me til then).

JayZeeJay - great to hear you're feeling more positive now, sounds like you've had a tough time mentally recently so it must be a big relief to know you're turning the corner
Shannon - you're super-organised if you've got a full-on week ahead and had a full-on week last week, and you've still made all your lunches already. Great effort girl!
Dagmar - do you really do the summer/winter weight shift every year? Must mean you're really disciplined to make the summer change. Why the difference? And which do you prefer?
Granny - you're in good form at the moment. Good luck with the certification.

ange I do the weight shift each year but it's kind of a natural transition now. I like to eat more lightly in summer so the lower weight isn't that hard to maintain. I prefer it as I feel better but it's too hard to maintain it in winter.

And I also don't wear a parka in warmer weather so I like to be a bit lighter in summer. :lol3:

Dagmar :beach:

I did great until after dinner last night - then I found a bag of black licorice in the pantry and couldn't stop myself. I hadn't bought licorice in years because I can't resist it, so why did I buy that bag knowing what would happen? Anyhoo, back to basics. I may have to track food again - it's been so long that I need the guidance to get back on course.

JayZeeJay - good luck with today's tally. If you did great til dinner yesterday it means that most of your choices yesterday were the right ones :)

Can't tell you how much better and motivated i'm feeling now after just two days of eating well and focusing on what I want to do in April instead of looking back at what I've eaten in March!
Finally get my car back today after 3 weeks in the garage for hail damage repairs, so that gets me an hour or two off work this morning whilst I go collect it and drop off the hire car :)

Dropping in to say hello from Vancouver 💓💓
Dh and I are having a great short break, exploring and eating our way through this beautiful city.
Weather has held out for our 3 days we’ve been here but it looks to be going downhill starting tomorrow.
Tomorrow we have a massage scheduled. And dinner of course.
Home Thursday.
We’ve been to the gym each day and walked a lot, though today I took it easy and did some yoga and stretching instead of a workout.
Not tracking calories and enjoying the break!

Have a great time Michele! I'm feeling better about myself already - it's great what just a few days of taking care of your body can do for your mental health.

JayZeeJay, good to see you back in the swing of things :)
Dagmar, I hope that was your last snow. Enough already!
Nancy, I hope your testing is going well. Hang in there!
Michele, you are having such a nice mental break. I'm glad to hear it.
Ange, I am also trying to prepare for some backpacking and hiking (trekking as you call it). I can usually keep up with my younger friends on a regular trail, but my old stiff knees hamper me in anything rough. I can still climb rocks and descend, but only slowly. It is a feeling of being fragile, which I hate but just have to accept. I always remind my friends that I will be slow on the rocky stuff and they are good about it. I'll be 65 this year and can still cover 16-18 mountain miles in a day, so really shouldn't complain.