My blood pressure came down the first day with the new med but now it's back up again. It might have something to do with the timing of taking it. The first couple days I was taking the new med cautiously mid day so I could see if it was having any poor effects of me, but I think now I will just take it in the AM with my other BP meds.

Yesterday, DH was up in the attic looking for the outside Christsmas decorations so he can start putting them out after Thanksgiving. We have accumulated so many Christmas decorations over the years the whole attic is full. I wanted to go through them and get rid of a lot of it since I don't put out as many decorations as I did before. He brought it all down so I could go through it and there's boxes all over the house! I forgot I had half of this stuff! I told my step-daughter she had a few days to come over and go through it to see if she wanted any of it then it's going to Goodwill. I hope to get done sorting it today. We can hardly walk through the house.

Enjoy your time off Prairie Queen! When I worked, I think I ate more at work than I did when I was home and I thought I would really lose weight after I retired. In fact, I used to lose weight on the weekends and gain it back during 5 days at work. The problem was the availability of snacks at work. Not only did people bring stuff in, but we had very well stocked snack machines. I wore a lab coat wit big pockets and always had something in my pocket to munch on. I also ate lunch because everyone else was eating, even thought I wasn't always hungry. I thought I would lose weight when I retired because there's not usually any snack food here, and what DH has doesn't usually tempt me much. But it's not working that way. He recently bought some honey wheat pretzels that I love! He will probably continue to buy them since I like them and I will have to learn to stay out of them.

I really like oatmeal, especially during the winter, but it raises my blood sugar. DH made some Cream of Wheat and I ate a spoonful of it and it tasted great, but up went the BS. And that's what it is...a bunch of BS. LOL

Carol Sue, I sure hope you get the BP figured out! : I have been trying to clear out my Christmas decorations for the last few years. I keep telling myself I'm not going to do it up as big, and yet each year, I still put out so much, even after weeding through it. It's exhausting! Thank you again for your support on the subject of Ichabod. I hate that you've had to go through this type of heartbreak so many times too.

PrairieQueen, were you able to beat the cold weather to your garden? Good job on the no snacks! That should show on your scale! : Thank you for your kind words concerning Ichabod. And I'm so glad you found Mr. Darcy! Oh, I know that scare well!

Mars, thanks on the weight compliment. I'm trying! And thank you so much for your kind words about Ichabod. I know it was the right thing to do. It's just so hard. I'm glad your mom has accepted some of the changes that are needed. When my Dad fell and broke 4 ribs, that was a huge wake-up call to him to slow down. Now he uses a cane in his house and a walker when he goes out. He has a chair lift on his stairs. We've put a tall chair in his bathroom so he can get ready in the morning without having to stand the whole time, and he now has a bath chair in his walk-in bathtub, so he's doing a lot better now. I hope your mom continues to recognize that life is much easier with the necessities that come with growing older. I'm glad you have adjusted to your time zone once again. Step on that scale, girlie! The sooner you do, the sooner you will get back to being on plan as you know you should be.

Rennie, thank you for always being here for me. How are you doing? Is TOM over? Were you able to keep the Military Diet going? I know it's very strict. I so want to see you back in the 160's where you belong! I'd love to see you maintain that steadily and then drop even lower. The holidays are always challenging, but you have what it takes! You just have to believe in yourself!

SeeMyFeet, thank you for making me smile when I was at my lowest. I'm glad to know you're mostly housebroken, lol! Oh, I hear you on the dentist. You are so right on RA playing a part in periodontal disease. I am fighting that battle too, despite my fancy-schmancy spin brush and water pic. Just keep doing the best you can to take care of yourself!

I weigh 170 today! Since I am moving Carb Day all the way up to Thursday this week, I decided to just wait till then to take it, rather than to take what would feel like one right after another. Besides, I didn't have much of an appetite. I didn't want to waste a Carb Day when I didn't feel like eating the usual goodies. DH even wanted to take me to Dairy Queen for a pumpkin blizzard and I just didn't want it. I'm glad I did wait now! I get to move my ticker and change my little blue cheerleader to pink!

Week 26:
11/1--DNW (forgot before we started eating breakfast)
11/2--DNW (left at 3:45 am for a 12-13 hr drive)
11/3--174
11/4--DNW (too busy with grandbabies!)
11/5--DNW (too busy with grandbabies!)
11/6--DNW (too busy with grandbabies!)
11/7--DNW (too busy with grandbabies!) Carb Day

Week 27: High 174, Low 171
11/8--DNW (too busy with grandbabies!)
11/9--173.5
11/10--173
11/11--174
11/12--172.5
11/13--171.5
11/14--171 Carb Day

Week 28: High 173, Low 171
11/15--173
11/16--172.5
11/17--172
11/18--172
11/19--172
11/20--171
11/21--171

Week 29:
11/22--170
11/23--
11/24--
11/25--
11/26--
11/27--
11/28--

Wow! Looking at my ticker, I just realized I've lost 50 lbs!

Yay on the bp, Carol…keep tweeking….I said tweeking, not twerking…but you should keep twerking, too. Good for disposition AND weight loss. (post videos for us)


“I’m not the Smithsonian” My mantra is “if I can find it on the internet, I don’t need to keep this piece of paper.” Need DH to get on board with both of those.

I’m surprised you thought I was joking, Jac. Oh no! You’re worried about PD disease, too? I thought your RA was well controlled—you don’t have to take RA meds, right? What is your RA like these days?

I’m so bummed about my lack of weight loss. But DH informed me I was farting up a storm in my sleep last night, so maybe my body is brewing up some good surprises for me. (I’m still LOL at that information—DH is usually well-mannered and proper. He slept in away-at-college DD’s bedroom last night. I asked him if it was the noise or the smell that drove him away. Didn’t wait for the smell, he sez. Ah the joys of married life!) sorry TMI, but I am still laughing and crying at the same time because I don’t know WHUT is RONG with my body!

I’m so sick of bran cereal, I went back to oatmeal for breakfast this morning. Not sure I’m ready to end the high fiber experiment; not sure it’s doing anything for me either. OK….big girl panty time..…what I ReallyAndTruly need to do is tweak the timing of eating a la Carol and her meds. I need to keep the kitchen (Kitchen….meaning…my mouth) CLOSED past 6 or 7pm…Problem is, I’m often up until 2am and I often have very few calories morn & afternoon. (excuses excuses). On paper, it doesn’t make sense, but I’m suspicious that my gut might be much more efficient with nutrient/calorie uptake when my brain & body are resting….like a night-time cat burglar who puts more food in your pantry. It’s really the last and final thing that I can think to tweak…well, almost the last…the last would be an 800cal per day limit. OK Here goes...Closed Kitchen...and remember to take vitamins.

50 lbs!! Good for you Jacqui!!

As much as it breaks my heart to have to part with a long-time pet, I still get another one because they give so much unconditional love. Rusty has really helped me get through the loss of Pupper. I think that one was the hardest on me because I feel that it was due to the tick we removed from him and we didn't follow up with the vet. I feel very guilty about that, but hindsight is 20/20.

I went through all the decorations yesterday and today. There were so many things I forgot I had, and some are so nice I hate to part with them, but want to get the attic cleaned out and I don't put these decorations out anymore. I had boxes marked to keep and some to go to Goodwill. Now DH decided that we will keep the boxes marked for Goodwill in a separate place in the attic and put them out to sell at our yard sale next year. Then whatever doesn't sell can go to Goodwill. LOL At least we're heading in the right direction and the boxes are more organized than they were before. So, back up into the attic!! I feel if we die and his kids are cleaning out the house, all that stuff would go into a dumpster. He also has a ton of their toys from when they were little. They didn't want to take them with them when they moved out, so we are a free storage unit! Everything from Barbie dolls to Tonka trucks, games, etc.

SMF, I had to google to see what twerk meant. LOL

"Dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance: just wait till they catch their daughters twerking to this song twerk it girl, work it girl"

I have been known to twerk, but only in private! LOL There will be no videos.

BaaHaaaHaaaa Carol! I still wouldn't know it from the google definition! My DStoddler would dance to music in his diaper kind of like that, so it's difficult for me to think of it as sektshoooal. I didn't know that word had been around for 20 years! Werk it, Carol!

^^^ You all crack me up!

Jacqui I did get 3.5 hours in the garden before the rain. I dug the last of the taters, took down the trellises (for lack of a better term) I had "built" for peas and beans, dug the parsnips, and picked a boatload of sprouts. I still need to freeze them and pick the rest. I've got to clean it up a bit and till under before ground freezes. I do love it though and it provides exercise.

Today I went to the outlets close to my house and got myself a pair of size 8 jeans and skirt! They're a little snug (definite muffin top on the jeans) but I'm hoping they fit nicely by Christmas. I've been pretty happy since. I've not been in a size 8 since I was 32.

Anyway, today's menu....

Break - fried egg in butter, 2 pieces bacon, piece of sourdough toast w/Irish butter and pear butter, Coke Life
Lunch - small Italian sub from Subway on 9-grain bread
Dinner - beef fajita w/guacamole and sour cream

Carol Sue, thank you! It's hard to believe I lost 50 lbs! I feel the same way you do about pets. They really do give us such unconditional love. Ichabod was such a loverboy, always wanting to cuddle, always so happy. He made me so happy and I sure have a hole in my heart now. I know you understand. I'm glad you have Rusty. He seems like such a sweet boy! I had to chuckle at your DH wanting to keep the things to sell. I wondered about that when you said all the leftover decorations would go to Goodwill. I would LOVE to send ALL my extra clutter, Christmas and otherwise, to Goodwill, but my DH won't allow it, because like yours, he wants to sell it, so it goes to the attic! We send things to auction almost every single week, and we still have loads! We are considering having an auctioneer come here in the spring since we are in an ideal location (Main St, with a big yard) and having a blow-out auction here. I would SO love to get rid of it all at once!

SeeMyFeet, I don't take RA meds. Needing to take RA meds may be a different story, lol! I weaned myself off them years ago after a flare died down, and although it was a surprise to my doctor, he didn't make me go back on them because my symptoms remained mild. I experience stiff joints and only minor aches and pains in the morning and a few other times like when I over-exert myself, when TOM decides to visit, or when the weather changes or is extreme. I haven't had a bad flare in years (knock on wood), which of course would force even old anti-med me to go get meds. With that said, the RA has still had an effect on my eyes and gums. It's a constant battle. Perhaps meds could help that, but then Plaquenil is what helped contribute to the damage of my eyes in the first place. I do hope your meds help you though! I'm not anti-med for everyone, just for me, lol! (I have a fear of meds and will not take them unless I'm convinced they are absolutely necessary. I won't even take Tylenol if I can avoid it!) Okay, I'm going to mother-hen you for a moment and you can totally ignore me if you like! You said you have very few calories in the early part of the day and as a result, you want something to eat at night. That's completely opposite of what you should be doing. You need to eat a big, protein-laden breakfast. If you want bran or oatmeal, that's fine, but eat protein before and after each bite of carbs. Surround carbs with protein. Protein is really important at breakfast to help keep you full and to offset the more negative effects of carbs. A large breakfast may make you not want lunch, but again, eat, even if it's a small lunch. If you don't, you will be battling hunger at night. And then, yes, after dinner, do your very best to avoid the kitchen. If you've eaten properly the rest of the day, to eat late at night is a habit, one that you can break, as long as your body has been well-fed. Timing does make difference. Okay, I'm stepping back off my soapbox now, lol!

PrairieQueen, I'd say it provides exercise! That may be a bit of an understatment, lol! Wow, that was a lot of work! I'm glad you were able to get it done though! Congrats on fitting into a size 8!!! That's AWESOME!

Yay! I made it to the 160's!!! I am now only a lb and a half from my lowest low the last time I did this diet! Anything below that, I haven't seen in SOOOOO many years!

Week 26:
11/1--DNW (forgot before we started eating breakfast)
11/2--DNW (left at 3:45 am for a 12-13 hr drive)
11/3--174
11/4--DNW (too busy with grandbabies!)
11/5--DNW (too busy with grandbabies!)
11/6--DNW (too busy with grandbabies!)
11/7--DNW (too busy with grandbabies!) Carb Day

Week 27: High 174, Low 171
11/8--DNW (too busy with grandbabies!)
11/9--173.5
11/10--173
11/11--174
11/12--172.5
11/13--171.5
11/14--171 Carb Day

Week 28: High 173, Low 171
11/15--173
11/16--172.5
11/17--172
11/18--172
11/19--172
11/20--171
11/21--171

Week 29:
11/22--170
11/23--169.5
11/24--
11/25--
11/26--
11/27--
11/28--

Congrats Jacqui in getting into the 160s!! That's so exciting! I have to agree with hubs on the attic finds. I sell my extras online in a vintage Etsy shop. I have a few boxes of not so shop-worthy but still nice things that have ended up in the shed and barn for the yard sale that I will eventually have. But, I do love an auction

I'm doing something Today haven't done in ages .... Skip breakfast. I'm going to doc for bp checkup and having a big lunch afterwards w/hubs at his work which is close to my doc. I always pick up Penn Station and take it to his office when I'm out and about his way. I'm drinking plenty of water though.

Have a great day everyone!

Congrats Jacqui on 50 lbs!!!!! Thanks mucho for the nudge, I needed that!

Prairie Queen Congrats on the size 8. Sounds like a nice lunch date! What is Penn Station?

Hi everyone else!

Loooong day with my Mom, nice but difficult to see her so fragile. And still hellbent on a 6 hr trip to my brother's for TDay. I stress ate, but am climbing out of that. Stress, for me, means having to much to do in too little time. So just focusing on the immediate priorities now. I wasn't mentally prepared for the holiday season--my head is still back in the tropics, sweating and swatting at insects, lol.

Weight.....170.2 After yesterday, that is a gift. This is a grace period; there will be a tipping point where i will gain & eat like a positive feedback system. So today I will focus on healthy eating and staying serene.

Prairie Queen, I googled Penn Station's menu. Pick up a grilled artichoke sub for me while you're there. Looks delicious!

Reading your post made me want to go shopping for produce. It all sounds so tasty, and yours is fresh from the garden.

I think I wore a size 8 in 9th grade. A 12 would be a great "small size" for me.

Mars, a 6 hr drive for Thanksgiving sound terrible! Will you stay overnight after all that driving, or have another 6 hr drive back home. There are just so many hours in a day, you know!

SMF, when my grandson was about 2-3 years old, DH put on the song Johnny B Good and dgs started dancing. Ironically, dgs name is John. DH started the song over and made a video of him dancing. He didn't realize what he was doing, but it actually looked like he was strumming an air guitar. LOL DH put the video on a DVD and gave it to his parents so they can show him when he gets older.

Prairie---either one of us needs an eye appointment, or you need a better autocorrect on your phone! We could have a LOT of fun interpreting that last sentence in your post.

Getting rid of pounds and stuffs--you guys are rockin' it! My jealousy is tampered a bit by the over 2lb loss this AM Fi-nuh-lee! Shhh...don't talk too loudly about it....I don't want to scare the Whoosh Fairy away! She's a rare bird around here.

Well, I did better last night. By 6pm, I was up to 615calories--and that was after exercising. I did nibble a tiny bit of pineapple when preparing lunch for today and stole some summer sausage from DHs snack, which took me up over 700cals. (Don't worry, the calories have been creeping up with the higher fiber experiment--I'm due for a dip down.) MFP screamed at me again. But I wasn't hungry and did not feel weak or famished. I did have the urge to snack around 11pm, as usual, but that's when I should be sleeping, and I was in bed and trying hard to go to sleep. My protein intake yesterday was 17% of calories, Jaq, which ain't too bad, but now that I'm using MFP, I can monitor that better. (I often get more. Not at breakfast, sorry, but historically, I haven't been much of a breakfast eater.)

Ya know, I hate to say it ('cause I don't want to jinx things), but I think my weight stall/gain might actually really and truly be muscle. I know everybody hopes and wonders about that, and it seems ridiculous to think that 5lb of fat could magically morph into 5lbs of muscle, but when you're actually making that transition, it has to happen some time, right? I've been exercising pretty regularly, pushing myself to do more reps, and my legs have definition and seem to be getting smaller. (Not the thigh area, naturally, and <sarcasm>Thank You Very Much....body!!</sarcasm>) Plus, I feel stronger and have more endurance. Whehl, if it IS muscle, then weight loss should go better in the next few weeks, right?

PrairieQueen, funny you should mention a vintage shop on Etsy. Hubs just renewed his vendor's license so he could sell there. It's not set up yet, but maybe after the holidays. Personally, I'd like to just have the one auction and be done with it!

Mars, focusing on your top priorities right now, eating healthy, and staying serene sounds like a perfect plan!

Today's menu....

Break - skipped
Lunch - small pizza sub and half of medium fries from Penn Station (900 calories!)
Dinner - beef fajita with tablespoon guacamole
No snacks for me tonight

I don't have anything worth enough to have an auction. A yard sale is more my speed. Most of the Christmas stuff I have is too nice to throw away, but someone might want to buy it for a dollar of two. A lot of it I bought at flea markets, and now it's time for someone else to use it for a couple years.

SMF, you should start measuring since you are doing so much exercise. You could very well be losing inches but it's not showing on the scale. Are your clothes getting looser?