Dagmar, in my flu misery I'd forgotten about your ankle. Did you have an x-ray? And when do you think you'll be back to normal-ish?

Hey folks, checking in after a weekend of my mom being in town and then being sick the past few days. I actually stayed home from work sick yesterday. I can't even remember the last time I did that.

156.2 this morning, so no damage from the weekend with mom. We ate at home most meals and only splurged on a couple things. No workout for me today as I'm still recovering from this nasty cold. I possibly should have stayed home today too, but I have a presentation to give. Lucky for me I hate procrastinating and I put the whole presentation together last Thursday.

A terrible week. I was walking our dogs on Saturday, and an older woman came up and wanted to pet our girl dog, the dobie. This woman was clearly a bit off mentally but it's no problem for the dobie. As the woman approached her, our other dog, the elderly shepherd mix we got in October, suddenly lunged at her snarling and tried to bite her hand. Fortunately they were on leash and I pulled him back just in time. But it was totally unprovoked, he was 6 feet from the woman and she didn't approach him at all. And after she backed away from us, he tried it again. It was terrifying, he was suddenly deranged.

We talked about it all weekend and realized that we have no choice but to put him down. I've many years of experience with different forms of canine aggression, but this situation (random severe aggression due to dementia) never has a good outcome or fix. His appointment is this afternoon. We're a mess and have been crying about it. I was horrible to people at work yesterday, I didn't want to tell them about it but was combative to everyone. No sleep last night, the guilt kept me awake (along with his usual dementia-induced wandering and crying). He's been eating salmon and steak for every meal. Of all of the pets I've owned or fostered, this is the first time I've ever had to put down one of my own before their time. Technically it's more of a medical than behavioral euthanasia, but it still feels rotten. His body is otherwise doing fine. Now I understand why this situation was so much harder for my clients than the euthanasias for straightforward medical causes.

Three fractured metatarsals. I should be in a lot of pain but I'm not. I vetoed the busy beaver in my head that said to go back to work earlier than I should and will stay home until Feb. 26 to cut the chances of a re-injure.

Right now I'm doing all sorts of projects that I normally don't have energy for and I'm reading up a storm. Am on my 2nd book of light fiction and will start some weightier stuff next week. I'm going to take a look at Coursera and see if there's a free course I could take. I've done a bunch with them but it was always fitting in some spare minutes whenever I could This time I could really concentrate on the material.

Just came back in from shovelling the snow out front and will take Trixie out back to do the deck and walkway this afternoon. She and I will play in the snow in the back.

I'm really not used to being indoors and sitting still. Was a chubby bookworm from childhood on but now I'm a "jock" apparently.

Dagmar

JZJ - I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. I know that is a hard choice to make, even when it is the best thing for them. Hugs to you today.

Dagmar - Reading time is good. No income, not so good. I'm glad that it isn't too painful.

Jessica - hope you feel better soon.

Birchie - glad you are starting to feel better! The flu is terrible over here, I know so many people right now who are sick.

yoyo - hope your DH feels better soon, root canals are no fun.

Alice - enjoy your hiking!

Michele - just keep focusing on the clothes fitting better. I'm changing up my exercise routine some after being inspired by your progress. I'm not ready for the 80 day thing you are doing yet, but I'm going to shake it up a little. My clothes are not fitting as well, so I know I'm going the wrong way again.

__________

I am so much more productive when I just get up and out of the bed instead of snoozing the clock and dragging around. This morning I made it up at 6:30, half an hour later than I wanted but an hour and a half earlier than yesterday. Exercised and did yoga, fixed lunches for the rest of the week in the IP during those & washed a load of laundry and ran the dishwasher. If I can only remind myself of that in the mornings....

My quads are certainly not happy with me today, after new exercise program starting yesterday. Sitting down isn't fun, which makes drinking lots of water today uncomfortable...

One of my clients sent me a get well basket. Full fat cheese, crackers, a huge salami, antipasto spread, jam and wine. I'm not a huge cheese eater but the salami and the crackers are a big weakness.

DH will go nuts with this stuff. It's his birthday weekend this coming weekend so I'm not going to kill the party. Natalie and Trixie and I sampled one cheese and the salami and they are very tasty!

Sigh. I will have some weight to work off when I get back out walking dogs. I expected that.

Dagmar

Jayzee I'm so sorry about your dog. But mental illness IS illness. What happens if a small child darts at him and he reacts and bites them in the face? You don't want to take that chance.

I hope he passes easily today. You made the right choice for him and gave him some really good quality time before he died.

Dagmar

Back up to 130.1 today, which was a surprise to me. =( The blood panel is not yet scheduled, but progress has been made (it first had to get ordered by the doc and that is done). After the test, I plan on going back to IF for a while to get solidly back under the red line. I don't want to be gaining weight either, as I think that can also mess up the numbers, but I don't seem to be able to stay steady.

DH is feeling slightly better, but it looks like it will be a long slog for him to get back to normal. He is losing weight the hard way... can't stand to eat anything but mushy food, and he can't open his mouth very wide.

JZJ, so sorry to hear about your shep. Thank goodness he was on a leash. My heart goes out to you and I understand how guilty you feel, but you are doing what is actually best for him.

Dagmar, so sorry to hear about your injury! I hope you're healed and dog walking again soon. Good time to continue enhancing your home cooking skills.

Birchie, glad you're starting to feel better and Jessica, that you're almost recovered.

JZJ, so sorry about your dog.

I'm feeling a little better today, thanks guys. Has anyone tried this weight loss thing called Noom? I saw an ad for it on facebook and was thinking about it, but I hesitate to pay money for a weight loss program when I already know that if I can just get my act together and count calories I can lose weight for free.

Sometimes a paid short term program can be a good kick start to getting back into your regular free program. If it's in any way similar to what you are doing that will probably help too. Motivation for the daily slog is a hardest thing to sustain yes?

Dagmar

I went ahead and signed up for the two-week free trial. It appears to be based on a volumetrics philosophy (eating food with lower caloric density to feel fuller with fewer calories), combined with all the other research about life coaching and maintenance (applying toyota business system philosophies like five whys, setting small weekly goals, having group support). It's not clear to me yet how exactly it's going to work since the "day 1" tasks were all about setting your goals and preferences. In any case it seems to be in line with my own philosophies about what works for me, but we'll see if it does any better than just coming here to check in with you folks.

Jessica, I signed up for a year of Precision Nutrition coaching which started on 15 January. I'm finding it helpful to have someone sending me things every day, and a coach there for me. For me, it doesn't feel like 'accountability' (I've never understood this) or 'motivation' (so fleeting) but more like consistency (day by day by day) and objectivity. I love being here (and over at the Beck Diet Solution) but a range of support or different types of support at different times is good.

Hoping saef is OK. She knows a thing or two about consistency.

JZJ, you made the right decision.

yoyoma, I have a blood test tomorrow at 9.30am.

JZJ-- My heart breaks for you and your decision. I know you didn't take it lightly but you had no choice. Doesn't make it any easier.

Our anxious Dobie has started a new thing the last few days-- when I let her out in the yard, if the dogs are out behind us, she is hurling herself at the fence, going berserk and not listening at all. The owner said she had been trying not to let the dogs out (2 small yappy things) when she knew my dogs were out. I felt bad as I didn't realize my dog was being a nuisance. Dh and I brainstormed and Ellie has a training collar coming from Amazon today--- it has a remote with three buttons-- one makes a sound, one a vibration, and the third a shock. I'm hoping the sound and/or vibration are enough.

Shannon-- glad I could inspire you. If/when you want more info about the 80 day obsession, let me know. I think you'd be an ideal candidate because you already work out at home, you are used to weights, and you are a rockstar!

Today is my youngest dd's 23rd birthday. Dh and I can't figure out how 23 years could possibly have gone by already.
Dh leaves tomorrow for Europe for 2 weeks so I'll be flying solo again.

Saef-- hope you're ok!!?

saef's most recent post was on 2/4. She's evidently MIA at the moment. I hope for the best!

Jessica - my aunt and my cousin both use Noom, they LOVE it.

Michele - hope the collar helps! And I'll definitely let you know when I'm ready for it.

Birchie - how is the PN coaching going so far?

yoyo - I've never been able to stick longterm with IF, though I have considered trying it again.

Dagmar - don't you love the huge basket of stuff? Or not. My insurance broker sends them twice a year, I often want to ask them not to because I have a hard time not eating all the stuff in it.

Good day today. Up at 4:15 - yoga, cardio, headspace, some work around the house while boy ate breakfast, took him to school, hit one of our restaurants for a paperwork audit, now back at my office checking messages and writing out reports of said audit. One more day down.