Good Morning, all!

Happy belated Birthday, Trish! I wish you a most beautiful new year.

Maryea, how nice you are putting your house in such nice order. I hope those two mice you all caught were the only ones. I've used dried mint, bay leaves, black pepper and cinnamon to repel critters. I might be imagining it, but it seems to help.

I've drawn the line a little cleaner in my food plan and it's helping.

Would you all be up for a bit of a challenge? Say, one week straight of absolutely keeping a perfect food plan, whatever that is for each of us, whether it's calories, carbs, blood sugar levels, no eating after a certain time. Whatever parameters each one wishes for herself?

I've tried being in the challenges with the younger ones and find all the posting about non-challenge things very wearing. I'd enjoy a little challenge here in the Daily Chat group.

Anyone interested in a one-week super clean challenge?

Sending you all best wishes.

Em we have not caught any more mice nor have we seen any signs of them so am hoping it was only the two...one kinda baby size and one bigger one (maybe mama?)... I was afraid there might be a whole nest of them about to come come in but am really hoping that's not so. Or perhaps the mint is keeping them out now.

Many years ago we had baby mice start coming out from behind the TV. They were so tiny and almost skeletal. I think we had caught mama first and they were starving in the nest until they finally
started coming out in search of food but they were so young they couldn't go very far. They were certainly easy to catch. My dh and once a neighbor man (I'm a girly girl and don't touch mice!) just picked them up. I moved the TV out to clean behind and there was a carefully constructed nest. Shows I didn't clean behind there much! I'm sure mama thought she'd found a nice warm place.

Em, I'm willing to participate in your challenge but I almost never eat past 9 pm, usually my last snack is closer to 8 so not sure it would be much of a challenge for me. I could make it nothing after dinner...but I'm suppose to have an evening snack per my diabetes eating plan. My challenge could continue to be to limit it to that one snack. I'm doing better most days but not every day.

My dh and I had bone density test done today. I have osteoporosis already but it was improved last time they tested. Doctor wanted to see if my dh's broken bone could be contributed to osteoporosis too or whether it was just a hard fall from a high position onto a hard surface (concrete). The tech was amazed by how well he is walking. Sometimes he forgets his cane and takes a few steps now.

Other than the appt, we went to Walgreens for a few things I needed, then home where I've been doing housework plus watered the plants. My dh cut back the vines that try to grow over everything and I gathered them up for him. I also scrubbed the patio a little bit, but need to finish it still.

Maryea, I'm glad your house is free of varmints. That's super that your DH is doing so well. Nice to hear he was up to cutting vines. I've been pruning a bit lately, too. Scrubbing your patio, reminds me that it'll be time to bleach mop the patio and deck soon. I need to do it in the fall as well as the spring.

Regarding the challenge: I didn't mean that we each would use all those parameters, those were just the examples I thought of. We all have such different needs and health challenges, as well as different food plans. My idea is that we each choose the parameters of our food plan that we would most like to be more in charge of. For me, the challenge would be to increase the nutritional density of my food choices and to not go over my calorie limit. Those are the areas I need the most work in.

Perhaps we could call it the Be Really in Charge of Your Food Plan week, or something. I'm not too good at catchy, humorous titles that get to the heart of the matter, esp. at this hour. I would like to keep my food plan squeaky clean for a solid week and see if I can make better progress.

So my commitment for the next week is to make even better food choices, and to keep within my calorie range. Perhaps I ought to add going to sleep earlier.

Sending everyone best wishes.

I`m in for the food plan challenge!

Just tell me how it works (yes I`m sitting in the back of the class chatting)

I wouldn`t at all mind hearing what is your challenge and try to incorporate some of it into my plan.

For example, going to bed every night at a certain time, or not eating past 8 or 9wouldn`t be bad ideas at all for me (I was lemon sorbetting it last night at 9:30 and then collapsed at 10:10pm from the sugar)

My own personal challenge would be to add more veggies and fruits to my diet and keep to 1200 calories.

When do we start and for how long does it go?

Good Morning, all!

HelenMay, if you scroll up the thread a bit, you can read about it in my two previous posts.

I'm doing my version for one week. I started yesterday. Each does what is best for herself. That's what I like about this thread here in the seniors section of 3fc. Each just doing what she needs to do.

It's lovely this morning, the crickets are still chirping and the neighborhood has that lovely quiet so full of life that comes in the time just before dawn.

Wishing you all a lovely start today.

I'll join this challenge...

For me it will be while keeping my calories below 1800, to also keep my sodium intake below 2300 mg --

I track my eating on Sparkpeople, and somehow I managed to have too much sodium 3 days in a row, while keeping my calories on plan. I don't know how I did this, as I ate no chips or canned soup or crackers or anything obviously high sodium. Apparently my Light Done Right salad dressing, frozen grean beans, and bread all have high sodium content among aother things -- that's what the report showed.

I hadn't really been paying much attention to the sodium in the nutrition report -- calories are always the bottom line to me -- I only pay attention when I bloat, and yesterday I bloated out like a fish! Even my face looked bloated. I took sodium herbal diuretics and am back to normal this morning, and am determined to get control of this sodium thing. Sparkpeople says that my sodium should not exceed 2300 mg, so I am going to stick to that for a week and see if it helps.

ok thanks silverlife for the tip to scroll back. So for me more fruits and veggies and being in bed sometime between 10 and 11pm to get more sleep.

Since I passed out from all the sugar in the lemon sorbet last night, I guess I started last night in the early to bed dept. and today`s lunch was a veggie platter but a really interesting one. Great summer weather today here so DH and I hiked up to a mountain restaurant here and the veggie platter was on the menu. LOL, hiking down was a heck of a lot easier! Most of the time I don`t like gravity but not in this case.

Glad enthusiasm is growing for a challenge. I guess my goal will be to stick to 1400 calories and 12 carb servings/day. I've had a little trouble recently with the calories. Not so much with the carbs but sometimes I still do.

Something my dh and I just noticed since we had the pesticide guys come. We haven't seen our little birds for a few days now!! I think about 3 days ago there were a couple but since then nothing. We have had a couple large crows a couple times but that's it for birds even though there is birdseed out and water in the bird bath. We did change the type of birdseed we put out and thought maybe it isn't as appealing to them or the squirrel. Also a few days a go, our squirrel seem to be exhibiting erratic behavior...concerned me, but there were some large crows in the yard and I thought maybe it was because of them and the next day I saw him again and he seemed ok. Then I didn't see him for I think 2 days and got worried he was dead. My dh put out some birdseed (he likes to eat it) where he could easily get to it and this morning I saw him being very still for a long time but then he began eating it. I felt better but haven't seen him since. Maybe he's just napping after a big meal, but I'm still wondering if he is sick. I'm wondering whether the birds being absence and the strange behavior of the squirrel might be related to the pesticides.

I've difficult time getting on here and when I finally did last night, I lost everything I wrote and got kicked off. I will try to write tomorrow. I'll join the challenge to stay OP and try to go to bed earlier.

Thanks to all for the birthday wishes.

Till tomorrow.

Hi ladies,

FYI - the forum has had some lagging problems. Hopefully, it will be fixed soon.

When you girls get your challenge thread going, I'll be happy to "sticky" it for you so it's handy. Maybe you could use the points system, for 4 things you are trying to make a habit. Such as, 1 point for staying within your calorie limit, (or whatever you are counting, such as carbs, Weight Watcher points, etc.) 1 point for doing at least 1/2 hour of intentional exercise, 1 point for drinking enough water, and 1 point for take your vitamin. Then try to get your 4 points each day. Just a thought. If you want me to start it for you, I will.

I have had a nasty sore throat, and I think it's due to sinus drainage. My allergies are going crazy!

Have a good day!

I love the idea of the 4 point system because you just named Jane all the things I have problems with.

I didn`t get to bed on time last night but I did drop 1.1lbs last night so I am going into the weekend feeling pretty good, especially because we have a dinner tonight for MIL`s birthday. Ok, DH was out on a business dinner and DS had dinner with a school friend who is going back to London, so I was left on my own and I only ate veggies for dinner.

I ran into my hairdresser late yesterday afternoon and she lost 20lbs in 2 months. I was amazed, her waist was so tiny. Of course I asked her what she did.

She went to her MD, he gave her a pill and some hormone vitamin injection (I think in her lower parts because she pointed there) and she ate only 500 calories a day. Also she is single and I do believe it is a lot easier to control what you eat when you are alone. A lot less temptation as opposed to cookinmg for the family.

Anybody ever hear of this before?

500 calories a day seems quite low to me. I don`t think I could suvive on that and I`m not sure how healthy that is. Sounds like starvation mode for the body.

Wishing everybody a great weekend!

HelenMay - the injections your stylist is probably talking about is HGC, and is very dangerous. 3FC bans any ads for it, and won't allow any forums chat promoting it. You are so right when you say it doesn't sound healthy! Here's a direct quote from administrator Suzanne, taken from the General Diet Plans forum: "Please note that threads discussing HCG injections (they come with a 500 calorie diet plan) may be deleted at moderator discretion. We cannot support this plan here as it is dangerous, extreme, doesn't last, and even the FDA specifically does not allow HCG injections for weight loss." Your instincts to avoid it are so right! A big YAY to you for the 1.1 pounds.

So, ladies, do you want me to start the challenge for you? If so, what do you want it to include?

I have been sick with a summer cold. I thought it was just allergies, but it's escalated into a head cold, and even my teeth hurt. Yuk.

Have a good day, ladies!

HelenMay - That sounds similar to something I did in my younger days although I didn't count calories. I just didn't get hungry. The problem I see with it now after all these years is that not only is it not healthy but you don't learn portion control and when I got off the shots and pills that went with the program I was on, I gained back all the weight plus more.
CONGRATULATIONS on the weight loss.

Jane - I sure hope you get to feeling good again soon. Talked to my Dad this morning and he said that his allergies are acting up. I've been having to use my allergy meds last few days. So must be something stirring. If we could get some rain, I think it would help.

Not much going on here. Added some carbs into my food plan and energy is returning. Trying to keep my calories and carbs down, but not as low carbs as some low carb diets recommend. I sure did like waking up this morning feeling like getting up and ready to go.

Hope everyone has a really great weekend.

I've gotten a little off track with my calorie counting. Not binge eating but just losing track..like I'll fix a dish and not count the calories and get confused so just don't bother to post it in my journal. I'm pretty good at guessing though and think I've been a little high...like 100-200 over my limit. My bs has been really good the last couple days though ..when I checked at least. I only check once a day if it's good.

Was thinking the pesticides they sprayed and spread might have made our squirrel sick, but maybe he/she was just busy with his/her personal life as now we seem to have THREE squirrels and one is smaller than the other two but not really really tiny. We used to have more and I was glad it got down to only one. It was kinda fun to watch the one but I really don't want any more! Told my dh to be sure and not feed them or put any birdseed close to the house (they like to eat the birdseed).

We had a pasta dish for dinner tonight...tried to make little pasta and lots of meat and veggies but turned out to be a little more pasta than I'd planned. I thought it was good but it was too spicy for my dh. Even though I served cucumber from our garden with it to cool things down.

Helenmay - My doctor once gave me a 1000 cal diet plan and I told him forget it...I can't live on that little! He went back and got a 1200 cal. I can live on that...did it before and lost weight but I know now I can lose weight on 1400 at least for a while. Depends on how fast you want to lose...I'm in no hurry. My main goal is to be healthy which means eat healthy foods, have energy I need and keep my bs as normal as I can and stable.

I haven't had any trouble getting on the website or it being slow or anything.

Hey y'all!
I'm back.. I woulda shoulda checked in earlier but I have a reason. My property was hit by lightening this week. Our cable box for the television and the modem for the computer were fried. It took about four days for all the equipment to be replaced and re installed. (big thanks to my dd).
So CA was an adventure. It was wonderful to be with my grand toddler ... but... er... she is a screamer! So it was also very nice to come back home.
I ate reasonably well, and will know soon what my adjusted weight is.

My first long range diet that I set with my Diet Power software ends on 1Sep. I came within 4.5 pounds of reaching my goal so I am happy. I will set a new goal this week as well as join you in the point challenge. Sounds fun.

Welcome to all the new folks.. I like that we may live all over the world, yet we all are sharing the same challenges and victories. It is good to be back. I missed you.

Btw, the cruise is not scheduled until my lady recovers from her surgery, which will take about 5 months. So that gives me plenty of time to work on my food and exercise plan.

Coralee