You may already know these tips but just in case...
http://diet.mayoclinic.org/diet/eat/...cDiet_20160509

My step-daughter doesn't have a computer, but she could google on her phone. The only thing she thinks of with the internet is getting on Facebook. Otherwise, it's easier to text me. LOL

I try to follow most of those tips, but the 2 worst ones for me is eating slowly, and watching portions. Once I taste something, I want more, even if I'm not hungry. When I was a kid I got into the habit of eating fast so I could go back out to play before it got dark. My mother never told me to slow down. My grandson really dawdles at meal time. They used to tell me that sometimes it would take him 1 1/2 hours to eat his dinner. Occasionally, they set a timer and told him to see if he could finish before the timer went off, but that encourages him to eat too fast, so they don't do that much. I don't know if it has improved as he got older.

This is the second time I tried to post this link. It wouldn't work the first time. I have seen this before, but I am amazed at what a portion really is. Looking at these, I realize they are not the portions we are accustomed to. I would like to try to follow this to see if I could cut back.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slidesh...0yNm4PCC9sE%3d

CarolSue I bet those portions were showing a base ball, a deck of cards, etc. Even when I follow those portions, I'm still stagnant. I wonder what is the worst than can happen if my weight NEVER leaves?
for one thing, I will be crippled because my left knee needs a replacement and has for years but weight must come off first. Grateful to be healthy otherwise except for mild Asthma that is controlled.

Nuts: Love them and I do carefully dole out only what is a "legal portion". They are so healthy that they also are a light way to take in purse for those days I'm gone from home from early to late such as tomorrow. Also carry V-8 juice with me, at least on and often 2.

Lunch Bunch is Thursday after Mass and I'll take Ted's favorite fresh fruit salad with coconut and some yogurt dressing. I'll pick up the grapes, etc tomorrow while I'm out. Wonder who we will meet this time? Such fun moving from one group to another and meeting new people.

Sunday is Pat's Reception at an Art Gallery in West Virginia. Of course we will go. A fried has a cousin who also paints and lives in Parkersburg, will be there for sure.

Back to laundry and house work. Hope all of you are well and happy. sandy

Good afternoon GG's,

It has been a busy day. But it is one of those days when I just want to keep shoveling stuff in my mouth. I guess worry and stress ~ though I don't feel it exactly ~ it is there and getting to me.

Sandy, they did refer to the baseball, deck of cards, dice, etc, but it also showed plates of food with the portions the way they should be. I was disappointed that the link didn't work because those plates of food looked unbelievable! Not what I normally eat!

Gayle, I know what you mean. I don't feel that I have stress, but I eat things like, nuts, olives, cheese....things that are considered healthy, but still have calories and shouldn't be eaten when you're not actually hungry.

Carol Sue ~ your link did work. I was able to look at it. I haven't had time to look at all of it yet, but I want to when I get a chance.

I think the way stuff is packaged is confusing/misleading. I used to buy those Otis Spunkmeyer muffins ~ one day I don't know what made me look ~ I was probably looking at the calorie information ~ it said a serving was 1/2 of the muffin. Who would eat just half a muffin? I guess maybe some people, but when they have it packaged like that ~ you tend to think that one whole muffin is the serving and eat the whole thing without giving it a second thought. Or cereals ~ the serving is like 1/3 or 1/2 a cup ~ when I ate cereal, I would pour out some into a cereal bowl ~ one bowl didn't seem unreasonable ~ it wasn't a heaping bowl or anything, but according to what was listed on the box ~ my one bowl was more than what a single serving was listed as. Same for the small packages of cookies, chips, candy ~ that one small package that you would think is one serving ~ when you read the information on it, it is actually a couple servings or more.

I think if they packaged stuff in one serving portions, people might not buy it. I guess they sort of try with those 100 calorie serving things. But the small amout in those ~ it makes you feel like ~ why bother.

Yes, Gayle, that's what I mean about how our perception of a serving is way out of kilter. It's how we have learned to eat over the years. The one meal in the link I posted showed a piece of salmon the size of a deck of cards. It was sitting on what looked like 1/2 cup of brown rice, alongside 3 spears of asparagus. That's supposed to be normal portion, but that's not what my plate looks like! LOL If it did, I'd be going back for seconds. I guess that's why I have a weight problem. Last night we went to Denny's for dinner. Their portions are not really big, but I tried to eat according to the portions in those pictures and I just couldn't do it. I ate everything on my plate, along with 2 rolls. The worst part is she forgot to bring the rolls, so I asked for them, knowing full well that I didn't need them.

CarolSue we ate out 4 times last week and I really struggled. Tried ordering what I SHOULD eat, then they bring corn muffins.

I agree with Gayle Who would choose to eat 1/2 a muffin!!!

Does this mean we are destined to keep gaining?

Didn't go to Lunch Bunch today as we usually do. I just simply am tired of going and doing. DH must be too because he cancelled our fishing trip for Friday. I'm delighted. We've just done way more going that I tolerate. I want to stay home. My home "must do" list is huge, but can't tackle it when I'm not here.

Glad to see SUNSHINE!!! I prayed too much for rain in April and now am asking for "moderation, please" Garden is growing extremely well, but so are the weeds. Can[t catch up.

My volunteer job has grown to consume way more time but I don't dare stop because there is no one who can take my place.

Going to take cup of coffee and go outside to simply do nothing!!! Sandy

I think with something like the Spunkmeyer Muffins, you can eat the whole muffin as long as you take into consideration that you are eating 2 servings, and all the nutritional information is double. Then you figure that into what you're eating for the whole day. Or you could cut it in half, and save the other half for later or the next day. Sometimes you can do that if you know the food will still be there when you want it. Companies like to make things bigger, so you have to spend more money to buy it. I find that if something is in front of you, you automatically eat the whole thing. For example, I used to eat 1 egg for breakfast. Now that DH has been making breakfast, he cooks more scrambled eggs and I know I'm eating closer to 2 or more eggs. I could just eat what I visualize as 1 egg, but I don't. I eat the whole thing. Also, at this one restaurant we go to, they have a $3.99 egg breakfast that is really enough for me, but M-F the bigger breakfast is on special for $4.99, and I order that because I'm getting so much more for that extra $1. But it's extra food I don't need. I know what I'm supposed to do, but I don't do it. Luckily, the only time we eat breakfast out is when I have to go for bloodwork a couple times a year.

We arrived home from a few days trip to central OR. It was a nice trip, quiet and relaxing. One day we walked about 2 miles, maybe more. It was an easy walk for me, but dh had to stop and rest several times. He enjoyed it though. Another day we browsed some shops in downtown Bend. Dh was able to find a bench or chair to sit on while I went into the stores. I bore quickly with shopping, however, though I did buy a small candle, a new metal spatula, griddle and pan scraper I've never had a pan scraper before, so maybe I don't need one but thought I'd try it.

I did pretty well with my eating I think, overate one day but mostly did ok even though we ate out once a day. In the evenings we ate leftovers or easy things we brought a long. I always used to cook in the nice kitchens in our condos but now that it's just the two of us, I usually don't. I did make hamburgers and stir-fried broccoli one night. One day we went to the outlet stores and I bought two pastel tops...one is mint green and one is yellow. They are not my usual style but I like the colors. We also returned to a good BBQ rib place we enjoyed the last time we were in Bend. It is still SO good, I don't often eat pork but now and then I can't resist good ribs or bacon. I can only eat it once though and then I'm usually done for a long while. This place makes the best ribs I've ever eaten. With this meal, I ate only 1/2 but did eat the other 1/2 that evening and I ate only about 1/3 of the beans and gave the rest to dh. However I did indulge in some "real, not diet" root beer. This place makes their own and it is SO good. At least I declined a refill.

We have a big day planned tomorrow...our son and fam will be here and here I am up late. So really when I said today above It was really yesterday! I worked til late catching up with somethings then couldn't settle down when I went to bed. I'll try again now. Good night!

Mary, I'm glad to hear you had a nice time on your trip. It seems you always do.

I will have to google to see what a pan scraper is. I don't think I have one. I need a new metal spatula but I can't find one like the one I have so I'm still using it. It's a little beat up, but I really like it.

My cardiologist gave me a new med to take that's supposed to help with the problem that my systolic BP is high and my diastolic is low. I haven't started taking it yet. I didn't really want to add another pill to the many that I'm already taking. When I worked at the pharmacy I used to feel sorry for the old people who took so much medicine, and now I'm one of them. This med says it can cause headaches and dizziness. Doesn't sound like fun at all. I guess I will start taking it today but maybe after I've eaten.

Carol, I was thinking yesterday that I probably don't really need the scraper much as I almost never fry anything. I did use it yesterday to clean up an old griddle that someone had allowed to get black in some areas. Too high heat used probably. It worked pretty well. It's just a small plastic thing...you hold onto the top part and scrape with the bottom. I got it for $1.99 but wouldn't be surprised if some places you could get it even cheaper.

I lost one pound on the trip but that just put me down a bit in my usual range, no new loss. And since I've been home I went down another pound. I was at the higher end of my range when I left. Last night I made my mac and cheese and served it with salad. The kids don't like my kind, they prefer the kind in a box, but my son likes it, however I don't think he ate any...he had eaten pizza earlier. I also made brownies and everyone liked them. The junkier food I make, the more this family likes it.

We babysat all day and dh was working outside so I did most of it. I was exhausted by the time I got to bed. I didn't sleep very well on the trip so had to sleep last night. I think I probably would have anyway cause of I was so tired, but just to be sure I took 2 Tyl and a Benedryl. I slept very well for me...only up once and went right back to sleep until about 7:30 when I heard Halo. She wants to get in the bedroom and sleep on the trundle bed with the kids but I don't want her in there...but the kids don't help as they continually get up and leave the door open. They also have a little dog but she sleeps in her cage in the garage and we try to keep her outside during the day. One dog in the house is plenty for me. Halo knows her restrictions but that dog jumps all over the furniture. They will be staying with us for a while so have to set boundaries.

Ok about time to leave for church. Have a good Sunday!

Good afternoon GG's,

Busy, busy, busy ~ I haven't gotten here much lately. I do read and follow your doings. The stuff keeping me busy ~ some of it is worrisome family stuff ~ too complicated to tell about. I just keep praying that things will work out for everyone. Trying not to worry, but that is a struggle, easier said than done. Trying to trust God's plan ~ also a struggle and easier said than done.

Can't remember if I had shared that Jason has has a back injury at work. We are trying to help him line up training for some other kind of job. We keep running into snags and frustrations. It doesn't go smoothly ~ one person tells us one thing and then someone tells us that that was wrong. Jason is so discouraged and frustrated ~ and the process goes at a snails pace.

Worrying about my mom ~ she fell again. The nurses have talked to us about her code status. We are working with them and mom's guardian trying to get a ~ do not resuscitate order for her. We still don't have that in place ~ praying that we can get it before something happens and they have to do a code ~ would hate to have mom have to go through that. My sister just called ~ she had been with mom for a bit today and said that mom is nothing like she was just 3 weeks ago when we visited her. So sad.

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day for me ~ I have all kinds of x-rays to be done. Hands, feet, chest and (L) knee from the rheumatologist. Mammogram from the PCP. Thyroid ultrasound and bone density scan from the endocrinologist. I am lucky that the scheduling lady was able to work it out so I can have all these things done on the same day.

Been working on some little sewing projects ~ if I can keep busy, it helps keep my mind occupied so I'm not just sitting there worrying about stuff.

Mary ~ glad you guys had a nice trip and enjoyed yourselves. Hope you have been able to catch up on your rest a little. Kids can sure tire you out ~ even when they are no problem, somehow when they are around, you just can't relax like you can when they aren't.

Carol Sue ~ I hope that medicine helps your blood pressure. I know what you are talking about, about having to take quite a few medicines. I hate when I take my med list to places and someone makes a kind of little comment about ~ wow ~ that is an awful lot of medicines. Makes me feel bad ~ like they think I am some kind of hypochondriac or something. Like I like having to take all this stuff. NOT.

Sandy ~ hope you enjoyed your cup of coffee and doing nothing the other day. I totally understand. I like to go sometimes ~ mostly my going is to run out when I need some grocery things or stuff for a sewing project. Otherwise, I am perfeclty content to stick around home ~ don't really have any desire to go anywhere. My husband likes to take trips ~ it wouldn't bother me, not to, but he worked so hard all his life, he deserves to get to go.

Karrine ~ hope you and Nan are hanging in there ok.

Almost time for Maddie to come on the bus. She has only like 6 ½ more days of school left.

Hope you all are doing well.

That new pill I have seems to make me very tired. It is extended release, once a day, but doesn't say when to take it or with or without food. I will have to google it. Yesterday I took it in the morning because I wanted to see if it gave me a bad reaction. It was good other than feeling tired. So today I took it with dinner. Then tomorrow I think I will take it at bedtime, so it won't matter if it makes me tired.

Today it started out cool, and it's supposed to warm up as the week goes on, so I got out there and started working on my raised flower bed. I weed whacked around it and pulled out all the weeds. Then we went to Walmart and got some mulch and spread that down. Then it was time to start dinner, and it started to pour down rain. Early tomorrow I will go out and plant the inpatiens. I got pink and fuscia. What I have left over will go in a pot beside the garage door, and if there's more left, I will set a pot on the wall next to the driveway. I got these hanging baskets 5 for $20, so there's lots of plants in them.

Gayle, will you be watching Maddie over the summer? She will really keep you busy.

I love to just stay home. I don't really care if I never go anywhere. I think I got that from my mother. She had no choice but to stay home because she had my disabled brother, but I don't think she even wanted to go anywhere. After she had her heart attack he was signed up for an activity group he went to several times a week to give my mother a break. Sometimes I would take off work and take her somewhere. Shopping, or out for lunch. She seemed to like that OK but was ready to go home after a few hours.

I'm sorry to hear your mother isn't doing well, Gayle. It must be hard that you can't be there with her. It's good that you got to go see her.