Hello Everyone,

Having a GREAT time in FL with my sister & cousins (see photo of us attached). Beautiful weather. 3 of my cousins are dieting & walking. Nice to have company for my walking miles.

Back home on Friday,

Lynn

Hello all,

A day off ~ yippee ~ the sun shining off and on ~ yippee again.

Haven't accomplished much. Going to have to stop being so impatient and just give myself time on this new schedule to get into a new routine.

The eating is going a little better. Haven't figured out yet how to fit in the walking. I'm reisiting having to get up earlier to do it. Too tired when I get home to do it. Too tired some nights when I get home to even eat much ~ guess in a way that might be a good thing.

Well, gotta get off ~ have an appointment this afternoon.

Take care

Jess1 - counting calories. Just the old fashioned way. Oh, and walking every day. I have always been good at losing the first week (note the implications there...I have lots of "first weeks" in my past). And I know that it is largely water weight. It's the weeks after that that are tough. All of them! :O)

Hi Everyone - It's been a harried week for our family but things are getting better now. Anyway, I faced the dreaded weigh-in today & guess what?! I lost 3.6 lbs! : I couldn't believe it! But, hey, I'll take it. I think spring is here (at last). The snow is gone from my yard, both front & back) & I have little green "things" coming up in the flower beds.....crocus, daffs & tulips. They are barely out of the ground but there is green there! YAY!! We've had some great weather-sunny & above 0C during the day & maybe just below freezing at night. So I'm able to get the dogs out & walk. I can't answer each one of you now but YAY for those that have lost & keep on keeping on for those who haven't (cause you will) : I love reading everyone's posts & feel like I'm a part of your lives as you are a part of mine. TTYL

Today is my Free Day...meaning I have no particular schedule and insist on the car being available for me to do whatever. Trouble is I'm such a homebody I can rarely think of anything I want to do. I do enjoy a prayer group that meets on Tuesdays and I hadn't been there for a long time...since my dh had his accident last June. So I started back today and was glad I did as some of the regulars hadn't made it..but there was one new person I was glad to see.

After that stopped at the friend's who takes care of our mail and picked up a book that had been delivered to her since we got home. It is called the 17 Day Diet and I ordered it because Dr Phil recommended it. Have looked through the first part and it sounds good. I don't know that I will go on it exactly but I like to pick up ideas from the different diets. It's a 17 day cycle and if you stick to it you are suppose to lose quickly but safely and then if you reach your goal you can go to the maintenance or if not you cycle another 17 days and so on...simple to other plans I have seen, but the eating plan is slightly different. In the first cycle he limit you to NO starchy or dessert carbs, and only two fruits. Then he asks you to eat two probiotics (like yogurt) twice a day. Otherwise it is pretty much unlimited lean protein (only 2 egg yolks a week if have high cholesterol) and most vegetables. I think any diet works if you stick to it...nutrition is important and if you have a health issue you may be restricted in some way due to it but for me it just comes down to discipline and that is where I struggle. Today I threw away two food items that kept drawing me. I always think I can limit them but seems I still can't. But it can be ANYTHING that is a carb and doesn't require much cooking.
And most contain fat or I put fat on them. The only foods that do not tempt me to overindulge ...although I like them and do eat them ...are proteins and vegetables. But I keep trying...

Laffalot - congrats on the weightloss!

Karen3 - politics gets dirty wherever you find it I guess. Guess you just have to grin and bear it and hope it's over soon!

Teagranny - hope your son is doing well. Bullriding you say? Was that in a rodeo or in a bar? Either way...not for me! I'd HAVE to get drunk to ride one for sure and I hardly ever drink so no way..

Those who mentioned the beautiful spring weather made me wish it would warm up and get dryer here. It's not been really bad but still cloudy and light rain but the sun has come out a tiny bit each day at least by late afternoon. We have some flowers in bloom and hope to plant more when we are sure it won't freeze anymore. Summer here often doesn't start until July, but we can always hope it will start sooner and sometimes it does. At least there hasn't been in any more strong wind here (it happened before we got home). We don't have that often thank God.

Freda - I hope your squirrel did leave you a few tulips. But what a nice little squirrel wanting to share...LOL

Nancy - I do have quite a lot of energy some days and you know how when you suddenly are feeling better, you want to tackle everything you haven't been able to do. Same with being gone so long makes me want to fix up my home I guess.

Okannie - Welcome to the forum! Believe me, I've had LOTS of first weeks on diets too! LOL Counting calories has always been what works best for me but I do get tired of it sometimes. The child in me just wants to rebel and eat whatever I want!

Well speaking of...even though it's my Free Day I still have a few things I want to do. Think I will declutter the bathroom stuff.. meds and beauty products and also my sock drawers. They are a mess as I came home and just dumped stuff into them. Bye for now...

Yup I'm hanging in there. I made it to the gym 2 days in a row. Strength training yesterday and elliptical today. Tea and Oakie - congrats on your weight releases!!!

I'm jealous of all you early spring folks. I'm finding that spring is late in arriving here on the Cape. We had snow yesterday and more in the forecast! No flowers in bloom yet.

Rosie - WOW, still light at 9 pm. I'd love that too. Love those pink gloves.

Well I'd write more but my book is calling...Jennifer Weiner's "Goodnight Nobody"...she's very funny. Wrote "In Her Shoes" that they made the movie out of.

Bye bye chickies!!

lyn

Is it cyclosporine??? That stuff is really expensive no matter where you get it I think. I have a little guy on it too. It is worth every penny though-really

ps-just continued reading and saw that yes it is cyclosporine I don't know about on line ordering but is worth checking out. This medication helps prevent Keratoconjunctivitis sica-which will cause large hideously painful ulcers on the cornea. ( I am a retired Reg. Vet Tech) Please don't settle for less

YAY for you, Mary! If it isn't there, you can't eat it.

Lynn - beautiful photo of you and your family! Thanks for sharing.

Quick check-in; still on-plan (Yay); still using the "Jabba-the-hut" visualization whenever I find myself in the vicinity of sweets or other triggers. (Thanks, Gayle!) DH and I will be attending our annual get-together in the White Mountains over the Memorial Day weekend, and I am determined to lose 15 pounds in the 10 weeks until then. I am now at 162. I was at 168 3 weeks ago after three or four months of "cheating" indiscriminately. ENOUGH, already! Careful (but healthy) eating, plus increased exercise as the weather gets more conducive to walking...of course, as Lyn has pointed out, Massachusetts is looking at MORE SNOW tonight and tomorrow. Don't let me get started: I will whine and cry for another couple of pages if I even allow myself to think about the weather...
I am finding myself less and less interested/invested in my job. I just want to get through this year, and then I'll be free as a bird - a bird on a smaller budget, yes, but one who isn't required to rise early to get any more worms, and that's good enough for me!
But, for now, I gotta keep up the hunting and pecking (for worms, of course) so I'll catch up with everyone later...have a good day, Goldensis's...

Z

Mornin' everyone,
I just got back from Health reach, will be going 3 times a week for a few weeks. My left shoulder/neck is just about back to normal, right side is still giving me grief.
Zoe........I must have missed your post about losing 6 pounds, really? That is awesome! How did you do that? Have you been exercising?
Freda...I once ordered meds for 'Charlie' on line. It was the same product/name as the vet carries but cheaper. BUT......the expiration date was expired. We didn't think too much about it because it hadn't been expired for long, couple days maybe.
Rosey...love the pink boxing gloves. The Biggest loser team use boxing a lot as part of their exercise. Are you going to hang the 'thingie' as Donna called it up by the hanging swing?
Nancy and KarenMo...yes, I'll take pictures after the flower tour is over. It's hard to get a good picture with my camera because I don't have a wide lens.
OKAnnie...congrats on your wonderful loss, 6.6 pounds is a great start. I'm a calorie counter too and using Fitday makes it sooooooo much easier. It was a pain in the butt when I had to look everything up in one of those paperback calories counting books.
Donna...DH and I both watch dancing with the stars. I've always been a fan of Kirsty Alley, loved her in Cheers. DH said it would take a very strong guy as a partner to hold her up. I can't imagine, hope she goes all the way. It'll be interesting to see how much weight she dropped. Marie Osmund started a tad chunky and look how slim she got.

Quote:
I was surprised that Kirsty Alley was so light on her feet. All I could think was that heels HURT so much, and she had to be in agony with all that weight pounding on the balls of her feet! I was properly impressed.

Sheryl? Gee, sorry I can't remember if you're laffalot, brain dead after my neck stretching treatment today. Anyway, congrats on the 3.6 loss. I hope all this weight losing will rub off on me. I still can't get those last few pounds off.
LarenFla...my shade garden has lots of hostas in there, some bleeding hearts, day lilies, etc. I put impatient plants in every year, annuals and shade loving. I have lily of the valley, a bunch of other stuff.
Glynne...how about walking up and down the stairs at the hospital during break times. You'd get some exercise in, better than nuttin'.
Teagranny...how's your son doing?
Mary...I usually watch Dr. Phil, he on right after Dr. Oz. I must have missed that program, never heard of the 17 day diet. Have you started it yet?
Lynn...did you catch the Biggest Losers last night? I thought they'd bring back Arthur since he has the most to lose.
Hi Lyn...whats' happening with you today?
I had so many posts to catch up on, I probably missed someone.
It's snowing right now, darn!
Have fun the rest of the day girls, I'm going out into the kitchen and stir up something for supper. I purchased a turkey breast and it looks like we'll get 4 meals out of it.

I just received this in an email from my cousin-- thought that it was sure worth passing on! Hope everyone is doing good. I'll be back later....

Dr Oz Info (Mammogram and Dental X-rays) for WOMEN

This is valuable information for women. Many of us have taken these types of x-rays for too many years now, Be sure to ask about this shield.


On Wednesday, Dr. Oz had a show on the fastest growing cancer in women, thyroid cancer. It was a very interesting program and he mentioned that the increase could possibly be related to the use of dental x-rays and mammograms. He demonstrated that on the apron the dentist puts on you for your dental x-rays there is a little flap that can be lifted up and wrapped around your neck. Many dentists don't bother to use it. Also, there is something called a "thyroid guard" for use during mammograms. By coincidence, I had my yearly mammogram yesterday. I felt a little silly, but I asked about the guard and sure enough, the technician had one in a drawer. I asked why it wasn't routinely used. Answer: "I don't know. You have to ask for it." Well, if I hadn't seen the show, how would I have known to ask?

I hope you pass this on to your friends and family

Karen 31 - GFY for asking for the shield! Good info too as I didn't know about it and think I have a mammogram in my near future. We have a really really nice women's clinic here so they probably have it. It is in a section of our hospital and they have made it very cozy and homelike in the waiting room and give you a nice robe to wear etc. So if I have to get it done at least they make it a little easier.

The sun was out earlier than usual and no rain. The tree guys were here and it looks kinda strange without the big cherry tree. I asked my dh to please plant some grass there and make it pretty. Nearby there is where he cleans his fish. I told him to at least keep that to one side far enough away that I can't see it from the patio. The patio is one of my next projects. Seems like it always looks dirty and more like a shed rather than a place that should call me to sit and have a cup of tea. So I'm planning on working on that this year.

I finally did our taxes this afternoon and and of course, we owed. I have been saving all year and we also had the energy deduction from our new patio door, but we STILL had to pay twice what I had saved! Guess I'm going to double my savings this year but I have a feeling that I'll always be paying catchup. I am praising God we had the money to pay them at least.

Bobbi - I don't watch Dr Phil often but one show a few weeks ago, right at the end he mentioned the 17 Day Diet. I doubt I will actually do the diet. Just took ideas from it and will try out some of the menus and recipes, but will continue with my usual plan as well. I don't like having to completely give up certain foods even temporarily but I am building quite a collection of healthy recipes. My main goal is to eat 80-90% healthy.

Ellabella - GFY on losing weight! I remember we were the same at 168. I've been down a little, then back up there. Today I was 166 but I accidentally went over on my calories (and carbs) today so will likely be up again tomorrow. And darn it, I go to the doctor tomorrow too! I was hoping he'd never know I gained since my last visit. Think I was already 164 when I saw him last. Actually he isn't impressed with anything less than 10 lbs anyway. My goal for now is to get back down to my sig weight. About your job, I remember I got that way the last year I worked too...just wanted to get it done and over with. The money was no longer worth it to me.

Jane - thanks, but I've been thinking of those two foods all evening! LOL I went to the cupboards looking for something to replace them and then thought no, that's silly. If you find something it will not help you reach your goal and I'm proud to say I walked away and didn't eat any more. As I mentioned above it wasn't my best eating day but I still did better than I normally do when I feel I've messed up.

Well dh has gone to bed to guess I'll head that way too. Get a good rest everyone and I'll "see" you in the morning..

Hi everyone..a really late post for me but i was busy all day,my dh took me shopping in wallmart..so much fun to get out again.and then had house work to do and then we had company so finally have a few spare min..Bobbie i got the idea for boxing as exercise from biggest looser and yes my dh is making me a bag to hang by the swing..im excited to get started and esp the cardio work out.im feeling better and stronger every day..Friday is my dh birthday had his brother and mother are taking us out to eat..it will be my 1st time out for dinner and wonder how that will go,maybe they will have akids menu or an appetizer i can order as a meal or a salad bar would work too..i guess i'll find out then..im making cupcakes for everyone else and i got black and white candels and black sprinkels for dh im so evil well it is late and been a long day so sleep well everyone (((hugs))) rosey