W/I for March 228.6.

My husband came home yesterday. He is on like 10 different medications. For the heart attacks and he developed the pericarditis. I am trying to keep him down the best I can. We are doing a very laid back Easter. He cannot have over 1500 mg of sodium so this alone has made us look at sodium in foods. OMG.....this has been a changer. He has to watch his sodium and sugar and those two create a barrier to foods. He's basically on a veggie, fruit, lean meat, grains, nuts diet. He can have one serving of cheese, but that is high in sodium too!

I have had a TON of help from my family and my step-son is here on emergency leave from the Airforce. His family is coming in chunks. They live in California and Las Vegas so they are trying to all get here.

This has been VERY scary for me. He is only 47. His doctor kept telling me he is too young. This has really opened my eyes to the fact that we are not promised another day. My head kept going to very dark places.

One very good thing is now we are talking about taking walks at night.

I just want to thank ALL of you for your support and check-ins through this. It was very encouraging to go and look at all the kind words you all said. So THANK YOU! It means so much and I appreciate it.

I will get back to personals on Monday. You all have been a huge help to me and I hope you realize how great and special you all are!

Jen: I’m so happy you have him home and on the mend! Yes 47 is young but I’m sure you can find ways to make changes to keep him here for a good long time! Sure the diet seems limiting but you’ll find ways to make it work. Sodium is one of those hidden nasties - but once you find ways to work with the limits you may find you take off weight too as he’s making life changes. In the past I’ve had to go on a low iodine diet (includes sodium) - it might as well be called the no nothing diet! I know too well my DH would have issues if he couldn’t have his cheese. Have you looked at string cheese? Check and see if sargento carries something specific.

And how are you doing with it all? Have you given yourself moments to step back and catch your breath? How are the kids doing?

Hello all!

Am: cake I got tripped up by cake last night and today! Argh. Always something on the weekends at this house.

It’s nasty cold out! the suns poking its nose out but it’s one of those fictitous temp days that the sun gives misleading information and you go outside and FREEZE. And the snow is almost all gone and I have a new week ahead loaded with it! Can I just run away from the snow?

So - I hope you all are finding the weekend to be easier then I am food wise. Happy Easter all!

252.2

Laurie: Sometimes, you just reach the end and you have to start taking care of yourself. Whatever you decide, we are here for you!!

Jenni: Wow, so glad to hear that he is home now. I think you will all have a lot of changes with eating! I hope it all goes well and he takes it easy. We're here for you, too!!

Lemon: That sounds like a great breakfast! We're not doing much for Easter, since my kids had to work. We'll have dinner tonight. Kind of a low key kind of day, which is good!

As for me, I actually saw 251 yesterday. It is back up today, but I hope it is just from the workout yesterday. I went to spin and then did an upper body workout, which must have been harder than I thought since I am pretty sore today. I was able to go on a hike today. It was so warm out there! I was pretty sweaty when I got done. It was great to be out there.

Back to spin and the week tomorrow. Hope everyone has a good weekend!!

Evening everyone!
Just doing a quick post before I run off for work.
Sooo very sorry I vanished over the weekend, it was a hectic one for me due to the holiday. Easter potato salad was a weakness for me. I had a few drinks with the family and got hit hard and woke up yesterday with the worst hangover since I was 23. Low carb really does make you a light-weight.
I tried to stick to my Keto, but again...my Nana's potato salad is my favorite thing about easter. I made the mistake of taking some home. I tested and am totally out of Ketosis now. Time to start back into it.

225.6
No water or walk

Lots of Easter candy

Well I knew going Into the weekend all hades would break loose and it did. Alas time to work the slide again and see what I can do this week. The first thing I will do is to gather up the remaining candy and tuck it away so it’s not in eyesight or we all know that the 25 will move up to 27 and I just don’t need that.

Sakai: I’m glad you enjoyed the potato salad. Hey - we all have those moments and sorry but family gatherings and food go hand in hand . You’ll work your scale down too once the celebrating and visiting get out of the way!

Hello ladies!

I’ll pop in later once y’all wake up. I’m not looking forward to the next 48 hours - we are to get 9-13” of snow! I get it shouldn’t hang around long - but really 13” of snow?! So.over.snow. Just saying. Does anyone out there want me to send it to you?

So I’m off to deep six the candy before the kids wake (mean mama I know ) and get dishes done. I’d sure wish I could work out my shoulder pain. I’ve not been able to just yet and when you sleep and lay on it it hurts worse. I hate aging when things hurt. I hope as the weight comes off things won’t hurt as much. My hips are feeling better being down but now I have new areas to grumble on.

Oh and can I send anyone rabbits? I checked out my yard since currently the snow is gone - well I have almost lost three bushes due to girdling. And yes it’s rabbits as there are piles of pellets under each one. So before I loose any further with new growth I’ve got to wrap them off before the snow flies. We didn’t wrap them at the end of fall because everything looked good size and doing ok. Nature - sometimes drives me nutty!

Any of this diet related? Heck no! Enjoy your day and week starts ladies!

Lemon: I’m fine. I just don’t sleep enough. LOL I’m actually not tired ALL the time, but more than I should be. Isn’t Mother Nature having a great April Fool joke at our expense? We only got a dusting of snow, on top of our sleet and freezing rain. Nonsense! I’m ready for spring!!! Rabbits are low-cal. Just saying.

Sakai – I’ve always said babies make you stupid. LOL I swear this is just like pregnancy, only I want to eat instead of not being able to. Mmmm. Potato salad. I love potato salad. I hope you had a happy Easter, even with the food.

Laurie, I am so very sorry. Reading your comments on your husband brought up a lot of feelings as my first was also so jealous. He had a problem to the extent that I wasn’t “allowed” to carpool with a man to work – even if it were a husband and wife! (The real kicker? HE was the one screwing around!) No one deserves that kind of mental abuse – the accusations and the cold shoulder “punishment”…it’s just wrong. Take care of yourself hun and do what’s best for YOU. You’ve come too far on your journey to be healthy to make your mental health suffer. I’m as stress eater, so I know how hard it is to not just throw caution to the wind, but maybe cut yourself a bit of a break? Of course you have to be careful, but don’t stress over every bite. The up-side is exercise helps with your stress level. Based upon the things you’re going thru, you should be running marathons.

Jenni – You have been in my prayers. I have to admit, your situation has made an impact on me. As you said, we are not promised another day. My husband and I had a talk this weekend ourselves, about our lives, how we’d fare if we found ourselves alone, our lack of any estate planning, etc. We’re only in our 50’s…but I mean, things happen every day. I’m so very thankful that you have NOT had to deal with THAT and that your dear husband is home and getting better!

Everyone else -

So…WI today, since the first was Sunday. Well okay, to be honest, I DID WI yesterday, but todays number is lower by like 3 lbs., so I’m going with it. 277.5. Which means, while I lost a pound on vacation, I gained two after we got back. Overall, I’m starting April 1 lb higher than I started March. That is not the right direction. Also, having seen 280 on the scale yesterday – which is why I’m NOT taking my 4/1 number – I really was quite bloated on Sunday morning – but seeing that was a wake-up call. No more cookies. No more candy. No more “we’re tired and didn’t think to thaw anything, how ‘bout pizza” and that sort of BS. Done. I will NOT go back up the scale.

I must start exercise! If only Mother Nature would cooperate and give me decent weather so I can walk at lunch!!! The Capitol is under some kind of renovation and it’s all blocked off to the entrance and I just don’t feel like messing with that – so I need outdoor walking. Hubby and I have to get to the Y. We pay $48 per month to belong to it for the fitness equipment and track and there’s one nearby with an indoor pool and since September all we’ve lost is $288!

It’s so easy to make these declarations. Now to try to actually live up to them.

Oh hey! I forgot a couple of things!

First...I bit the bullet and decided to bra shop on Sunday when I went to Wally-World for groceries. Wow. I really wouldn't have, but I literally own one that fits right now; an incredibly old Warner's that I "outgrew" years ago and so now it fits again, but it's somehow stretched and shrunk at the same time so the cups kind of "roll" at the edge and you can see the line in anything clingy AND it's actually still a bit big in the cups. Anyway, I tried on nine and finally did buy one, but what a chore. Ended up in a no-wire (which is just weird for me) Hanes "flexible fit" bra in a 2x. Which basically means it fits anything from a B to a C if the band is a 42 to a 46. Truthfully, I think I'm more like a 40/42 B right now. I really need to get the band size down - but I don't want to lose any more boob!!! I'm going to be pancake if I every actually get skinny. Stupid boobs.

Also, what an excellent buy I DID get there! Hubby and I spent a good amount of time at Bass Pro this weekend and one of the things we looked at were food dehydrators. SO expensive! We actually tried to buy one on-line that was about $53 - half Bass Pro's price, but didn't because our card we used was expired - a gift card - long story. Anyway, they had the same brand as Bass Pro on clearance at Wal-Mart for $30! I'm SO set for Mushrooming season now!

252.0

Sakai: Don't worry about it if you can't get here on weekends. It usually gets a little quiet. I've been checking in just to try to survive the weekends, without losing control! Potato salad is so good!!! Understandable splurge!

Lemon: Ugh on the snow! Definitely not up for that. We are supposed to get high winds this afternoon/evening. Not up for that either! I wanted to tell you that I finally remembered to check on my geranium that was supposed to be dormant. So I pull off the paper bag that is keeping it in the dark, and it is blooming! Ha! So, not very dormant. I brought it out and watered it. It is too cold at night to be outside, but I'm bringing it out of whatever dormancy it had.

Lilion: Sounds like you are ready to get going with exercise and all. Good for you! I know you can do it! I totally get the caving into pizza because it is easy. There are so many times I might go with the higher calorie option just because it takes less effort. Not a good decision. If we could just have that live-in cook!

As for me, I had a pretty good weigh in this morning. Down 2.2 pounds from last week. I am hoping to do well this week. I want to get below 250. It is time!! I wasn't great on food yesterday, but holiday meals are just tough! And hey, it tasted really good, so no regrets. I hope that with some discipline, I will have a good week.

I felt really good about my workouts for the past week. I especially loved the hike yesterday. It seemed easier than the last time I went there, so I think that means I'm getting stronger. I went to spin this morning and while it was a good workout, I felt pretty tired. That is ok, since I'm planning a rest day for tomorrow. I made it 6 days in a row with some kind of workout. As I've said, I enjoy workouts and exercising. But it has to include a good food plan... my personal struggle.

Diane: good for you on exercising! So totally happy you are sticking to it as I am not! I had a laugh about your geranium. It’s probabky scrawny. You can cut off any totally dried limbs (when you cut in you shouldn’t see green) and pull off all the dead leaves and stems and give it a good water. I wouldn’t do bright sunlight for a couple days. Was it still in the pot or without? If not in a pot I soak the roots first. Let me know I can help you

Lil: yep - I ended up w a soft bra too but had luck w Olga’s. I found one on clearance at kohls for 8.99 and then I had a 15% coupon so 6.24 and it’s got the girls hoisted. As for dehydrator - you’ll totally enjoy. But - the caveat but - beware onions or veg in general. As they dry they can give a bit of a funky smell to your house - good but depending on. -earthy or strong. If you don’t mind it, go for it. Onions get quite heady! And if you do apples - ALWAYS make sure your house is shut tight if it’s summer/fall. I had windows open and all of a sudden I had about a dozen yellow jackets that creeped in due to the sweet smells of the peels and juice. So now I only do fruits and turn on the air and only take the trash out after dark. Darn bugs! But enjoy it. You can also get the mesh screens for jerky - another saver for you! My FIL makes jerky w venison often and tends to like the teriyaki version.

Am: easter candy! Enough said! I need to hide it pronto (or once kids are in their quiet time) we’ve all been hitting it. Ugh. So while they go to lay down I’ll hide candy, and start pushing water and thaw my chicken for dinner.

The sky is that weird color right befor it snows. I know - it shouldn’t last long - but it will (anything. More than 5 mins today is too long for snow!). I’m not looking forward to it.

So diet today - BAD. But I did get my fast in - so good? Who the hades knows.

Monday’s should really be called Grumbleday

Lemon, this isn't my first dehydrator, but the one I have didn't have a fan! It was just a heating element with a bunch of trays. It was okay...in that it would dry herbs...but other than herbs and mushrooms, I have tried any other things because it takes forever. Last fall I borrowed a friend's dehydrator with a thermostat and a fan and it was sooooo easy. Hubby wants to make venison jerky too and that requires a much better dehydrator than I already have.

I'm looking forward to using it!

Hello everyone!
Lillion- I have a nice dehydrator, I never thought to use it for mushrooms. All we have here are the kill you at once kind of shrooms but my Man used to grow oyster mushrooms. Why didn't I think to use the dehydrator? I;ll have to remember that next time he grows some. And erg...bra shopping, worst ever. We can't try on bras at my walmart @.@ It would be so nice if you could.

Lemon- You can send that snow to us! All of it...all at once. We haven't had snow in ten years, literally. We completely skipped over winter this year. And As much as I love Spring and Fall temps, I really miss snow. Springs temps are about to end in my area and summer temps are right behind it.

Slashnl-I miss hiking, that's one thing I'm looking forward to when the weight starts to come off.

Got on the scale for the first time since Easter and I jumped up 3 pounds. Where in the world did 3 pounds come from? I did not eat 3 pounds of potato salad.>.< And after waiting nearly a week to lose that last pound (Which put me at 10 pounds lost) Really the biggest motivator to not having a cheat day is not having to drop those pounds all over again.
I still have not had any sweets, which was hard because of Easter...Even my job had cupcakes and Easter candy in the breakroom. But I refused all of it.
Being off Keto means I'm hungry! all the time. I haven't felt hunger in the past week and these past two days I've felt nothing but hungry. I'll be glad when I'm back into Ketosis.

223.8
99oz water and no walk

Well I’m glad the scale went down as it was too high from Easter eating and my soda consumption! I pushed some water and tried to eat mostly fruit and veg yesterday. So I’m back to .8 too high.

And it’s snowing. Yuckola! I’d say we currently have about 2” and school’s been canceled as our warning expires tomorrow morn at 4am. Right now it seems like it will peter out quickly but I’m a stout Midwesterner and my bones ache so I know there is more to come and the sky color gives that away too.


Sakai: sure I’ll send you the snow. I don’t need it or want it currently. And I discovered that my water bill goes way up in winter because of my furnace (we have a new addon humidifier) and the house is old so I’m sure they do neither a good favor. I’ll be glad to have winter over. Since you’re in Arizona can I ask when they stopped calling dust storms that and started calling them the haboobs (sorry for the misspelling it’s early and I only have 1/4 cuppa joe in) - I had met a lady a while back from az and that’s what she called them and then I saw on the news . . . Just curious as I had to look it up to see what it was. Do you have a change in seasons with rain and a spring rebirth? I have never been to az. My DH has distant cousins there but I’ve never been.

As for the 3lbs - probably salt and with salt comes water. You’ll be fine and get back on track too.

Lil: yeah for a new dehydrator! Can you reuse your old sheets or trays? Mine is a squarish one but takes round mesh or the leather trays. I can’t say I’ve been too wild in my drying. My FIL dries morels in his. One year my MIL had about 4 gal bags of dried morels. Always so nice with butter and garlic - but that sounds heavenly fatty! I tend to stick to fruits and leathers and herbs. Specifically if we don’t eat all the apples I froze for baking or sauce, I purée what’s left, add a box of jello powder and make leather and then go pick new ones to freeze again. I need to do some more reading on what new to try for myself. I know my dehydrators thermostat tends to need to be up a Little bit more then what it suggests. But I’m also an impatient type and want things done after a certain point.

Toasted: did you survive your easter? Was there cake included? Have you started your scale battle?

Jen: I’m glad your DH is home. I’m sure that is a sigh of relief. I know we had a neighbor who had a heart attack and it took almost a year until she felt a bit more comfortable and started to set her constant worry about another aside. If he needs to talk to someone about it - find someone. I think my neighbor did for awhile and it helped out things and put in perspective for her. Enjoy those family walks! Sometimes when things happen like this you find life is a bit sweeter for capturing all those moments with a different mindset. I know w a cancer dx I did and I view things a lot differently since. Make sure to take a bit of time for focus on you too!

Diane: you sure seem to make exercise doable on a daily basis. I’m still in the “it takes too much of my time” camp. Yep on a walking hiatus until the kids go back to school. I don’t need the youngest hanging out in the basement pulling it all out and dragging it all upstairs. see - I also come equipped w/ many an excuse

Laurie: did a weekend away from work help with what your world is? I hope you begin to find a slowdown to things being thrown at you from the universe. I hate it when it feels like a meteor shower at one time of all sorts of emotions, worries, anger. Not needed at all and I’m glad those don’t come up often - we’re here to help you if you need to vent. Treat yourself kindly through it all!

Hello all! I know I’m forgetting people - I mean well but I’m in Two different conversations and tv blares as I type.

Am: I want brownies! Big thick chewy brownies. I have the time tested recipe I enjoy but the good news is I don’t have the ingredients to make it. I also have been thinking of the everything but the sink monster cookies but again - not all the ingredients and really do I need to go up to 230 again? NO!

Ugh that horrible paw patrol is on. Who comes up w some of these shows? My ILS tuned my kids into this show. I usually have it blocked but because it’s a snow day I’ll let one VERY LONG 1/2 hr show on.

So today my own little goals would be to drink my water and eat in calorie. I’ve hidden the easter candy - as in not in my direct line of sight. I don’t need to eat it all in one day. Walk will probably not happen. I did get my voting done - so I’m doing something - whatever that is.

Maybe just maybe I can see 219 this week I know I said I wouldnt jump ahead in poundage talk but it’s time to talk about the elephant in the room. It’s time to give the 20s the boot. I’ve had enough thank you. Anyone care to join me in the quest for a new decade to grumble and moan about? I’m ready! of course, for a bit of levity - I’m at the lowest weight (give or take the abacus last few months of flirting with 220) I’ve been in over 10 years. For that I will take the extra pep in my step. My lowest then was 224. So being .2 lbs off of that is great today. I’ll take small victories where I can find them.

Ok ladies - look forward to your stops in today. I’m off to do plant duty!

Hi guys, I disappeared a bit last week because we had an unexpectedly long weekend (Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays anyway) because our president came to town and was hitting up a lot of the city causing massive road closures and disruptions so, my office just didn't bother with Thursday. You'd think "yay days off," I'm back to be at work today, I'm not. I'm just a not-very-nice, negative Nancy right now, but I'm mostly my own victim- I'm still trying to spare the general public. Sigh.

Lemon: I celebrated Easter; it was low-key and lamb-filled. And I mean lamb the meat not the fluffy bo-peep. As I said, we got days off but it was pretty unproductive and not great diet wise and I feel neither rested nor glad to be back at work. I hope you had a good Easter with your family and are feeling back on track. I'm sorry about Paw Patrol. Some of these modern day kid shows, I'm just completely at a loss- my cousin's little boy ADORES that show and I have tried but I don't get it. I'm usually so happy he's not needing my attention for a few minutes, I sink into my Kindle happily tuning it out. I'm kind of mid-late decade around 186 but I'd HAPPILY join you in the quest to moan about a new decade even though you're way ahead of me. Let's do this! I'm going to try really really hard, not in a half-bummed way, but actually try, I promise. Yup, using the "p" word so you know it's real.

Lilion: I've also been struggling with mood and negative mindset issues as well and just general emotional and mental fatigue and I can't really pinpoint why. But like you, I wake up exhausted and feeling a little dragged. You're right though, nothing like the scale threatening a new decade to light a weight loss fire under one's bum. Happened to me a couple of weeks ago after sighting the 190s. I've not been excellent since, but I've also not fallen back into that abyss.

Jill: 30 minutes of gym is wonderful and nothing to sniff at. The memories and time with your grandkids is even more excellent. Plus they'll probably give you a good workout with all their to-ing and fro-ing and the required supervision.

Diane: Yay good weigh in and staying within range even with post-workout water retention. I hope you had a good Easter hike. I think what your daughter did for her colleague, is super sweet. Well done you for raising such a decent and thoughtful human.

Sakai: I'm glad keto was working for you. Take your wins wherever you can- losing a sweet/carb craving is a big deal. I hope you get back into ketosis soon (you will, just power through the cravings again and you'll get there) and that you get your whoosh, post TOM.

Laurie: HUG HUG HUG!!! ALL the HUGS!!! I'm so sorry you're going through IT! I hope running helps and kindness to yourself helps PLUS if you need to vent to somewhat neutral parties who are the kind of biased neutral that have your back and see your side but also won't be in your real life to give your husband the stink eye and truth bombs he may or may not deserve, we're your gals! But seriously, we're here for you. I've been praying for strength and peace and wisdom and clarity for you everyday and I'm going to be praying for your son and daughter's health as well.

Jenni: I'm so glad to hear your husband is home and doing better even if it requires a lot of diet changes and lots of medication. I've been praying for you guys and will continue to do so. I hope visiting family take a bit of the burden of care of you and lift your spirits and that your kids are also coping with all the upheaval. Sending you thoughts of strength and peace.

Alright guys, I feel slightly better for having checked in. I slept really late/early last night/this morning so it was a struggle and a half getting up this morning. I completely slept through ALL my alarms (there are 3 of them) and would probably have slept through work if not for getting up to pee. Sigh. I don't know what workout I'll get in today but I'll certainly try to walk the hallways to get in 6000 steps for the day. I'm praying we all have a wonderful day filled with lots of hope and joy and peace.

Lemon: Thank you and thank you for all the support. Yes, they warned us about that in the hospital. Many that suffer heart attacks go into a deep depression or even anxiety of not being able to cope and do things the same. Hopefully he doesn't suffer that. He already has PTSD so maybe those meds will help him too. Looks like you are doing great with the scale. Is this finally the meds working right? I hope you the meds are finally kicking in!!!!!

Sakai: It could be you retaining water. My mom did Keto for awhile and had to quit because her cholesterol went sky high. So now she does 60 and below carbs it took her awhile to adjust but she is finally losing. I think with Keto it takes awhile once you come off it for some people.

Lil: Thank you for the support! Yes we did not have a will either. It scared us so bad. I had so many dark thoughts in my head. So now we are preparing for a will and everything else. Something like this happens and it gets all put in perspective. I always think about we are not promised another day, but this really gave me a huge reality check. I am glad my words encouraged that talk with you and your hubby!

Diane: Thank you for the support it meant a lot. I see you are plugging away at the work outs. I read about the lady that is not showing up, BUT YOU still are. That says so much about you!!!! Hopefully she can see she needs to be more supportive.

Laurie: I am so SO so sorry what is happening in your life. Life can be SO hard at times. I just want to give you a hug!!!!! I hope you are doing good and I hope things will turn around.

Okay, I am sorry if I missed someone this is fast as I have to go to my leadership training classes.

NSV....I fit into another pair of pants that I haven't fit into for almost 3 years!!!!!

Happy Tuesday!

Toasted: I think we ninja'd. Thank you for the prayers it means a lot! I am glad you are feeling yourself!!! I hope you enjoyed your time off because you deserve it!!!!!!