Good Morning Chicks! It's been a long time since I started this thread.

I hope we have a more active motivational week.

Frouf and Sandra, how are both of you doing?

Angela, it was good to know that all is well with you.

Honey Lamb and I are meeting our work girlfriend for lunch today at a place called Granite City. It's all fattening bar food but I located a salad that I believe will not take too many of my WPA's.

I simply cannot believe that it is Monday again. How DO you all do it. I'm so happy to be retired.

Drink your water!

Hi chickies,

Sorry for being out of commission and away for a while but it sure takes some work to PLAN A LAST MINUTE CRUISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes sir - I just got so sick of all this snow (we have 7 foot high drifts on either side of our driveway and you can't see the houses from the street)...got stuck yet again going down our street (trying to get to the Library) so started hunting around for a warm weather destination.

Was not specifically looking to cruise again but I am going w/my gf from Toronto and her heart was set on it - so we found a wonderful deal - and are cruising the South Caribbean March 14-22 (St. Martin, St. Kitts and St. Lucia) - 8 days of (hopefully) glorious sunshine but more importantly - no snow!

Good news is I went to endocrinologist last week - and she did have my lab results - my sugar is down from 6.1 to 5.4 - my insulin levels are down from a very high 225 to 198 (and 190 is top of normal range), my bp was good at 130/90. She said 'so what exactly are you doing???" She was thrilled with my progress and esp the fact that I have also lost almost 15 lbs since xmas!!

Told her I was doing the strong women program, trying to be more active, using my pedometer and watching what I ate! I guess it is working - told her I was still having tummy problems with the 3 metformin per day and she said I could cut it down to 2 instead!

As part of the strong women program we are all retested in June (when the program ends) so it will be very interesting to see my results at the end of this!

Hope everyone is fine and well and not as snowed in as we are! (hope everything is cleared up by Friday when I take off!)

Let the luggage meltdown begin! (yes I again vow not to overpack - we will see how I do!)

Frouf

Hi:

Vickie, I started a thread a little after 8 AM. I had some trouble connecting, so I guess it just didn't make it. Anyway, here we all are...well, at least three of us.

Angela posted early this morning, just after midnight to say that she's still with us, but will be away for a few days.

Froufy, how great you're going on another cruise and are getting some health benefits from all of your hard work. Inspiring!

We are just a few inches from setting a record for Toronto snow fall. We've all just about "had it."

Hope all is well. I'm OP so far all day.

Rhonda

Found where I started the thread....oops. Vickie to the rescue!

Good Morning Chicks!

Rhonda, I never did see where you put your post. I should have known that you would get here first! We set our snow record weeks ago. We had been spoiled. I'm sick of it too.

Frouf, congratulations on your cruise. I think it's funny that you enjoy the "escape". I'm a nester. I like to stay home right in the middle of my little life! You are making great progress on your health numbers, especially your sugar ones. It's funny how Canada's standards are different. My Cardiologist wanted my numbers to be under 120 over 80. And, he seemed very concerned that my diastolic (the top number) is consistently over 110. i don't fight the medicine anymore. I'd like to get off of it and plan to some day but in the meantime, I know it's helping me. Of course, that's easy for me to say since I don't think I'm having any side effects from it.

Today is hair cut and color day for me. I think I'm going to splurge on some highlights. Before I go, I'm going to try to get a walk in on the treadmill. I'm still procrastinating about getting on. I guess I should just start.

I was awful with my water yesterday. Today will be a better day.

Good Morning:

I am a member of a listserv full of people who are experts in the drug field (I'm NOT!). There is a lot of discussion about medications for blood pressure and cholesterol. Many people believe that the moving targets of what is a "good" blood pressure and what are "good" cholesterol levels are heavily influenced by medicine's strong connection with Big Pharma. This is also true for anti-depressants.

You might have seen recent reports that dietary cholesterol is a miniscule health problem, if it is one at all. Also, anti-depressant medication seems to help mostly the seriously depressed (recent study from England). There are, of course, MAJOR effects of both of these types of drugs. Statins seem to be responsible for serious muscle degeneration, and some psychiatric medications are thought to be part of the picture of "going postal."

It can be confusing, at best. But, it does help explain some differences in target figures.

My blood pressure ranges from 150/90 to 130/70. If I took medication it might stop the peaks. But, if I lost more weight it WOULD stop the peaks, most likely. Interestingly the medical world used to think that peaking was not a problem; now they say it is. There's no history of major strokes in my family so my choice is to eat well and keep moving, not take medications.

That said: have a great day I am, I'm staying home to read reports and not going to the office!

Rhonda

I agree, Rhonda, that weight loss and maintaining an appropriate body mass is the key to the health kingdom. I hope to get the key.

I had to get on the blood pressure medicine because my quality of life was affected. I had symptoms that were troubling and now they are gone. So....for me it was a godsend and also achieved what made the doctors happy. I have also taken medicine that was supposed to help me yet created other more disturbing side effects which made me quit the medicine despite still having the problem that it was originally intended to cure. It's a delicate balancing act.

Rhonda - I also believe we are all being given too much medication when it is not entirely warranted and of course my goal is to get off of all of the stuff!

I do have a genetic predisposition to high bp, heart disease and heart attacks so while I don't like taking meds I do realize that I might need them - at least in the short term.

I also thought my bp was high at 130/90 but dr said something about that being good 'with the small cuff'? So maybe it depends on the equipment/cuff used? Strange indeed. And while the metformin is obviously working I feel I am still suffering from some side effects so really want to get off of the stuff!

And yes Vickie I am looking forward to my 'escape' altho my gf is quite needy and seems to be freaking out at the thought of us getting separated on the ship (told her i was not bringing the walkie talkies so we could be in touch at all times! geez!). Us froufs need our down time! Hoping we are still on speaking terms at the end of the cruise!

Frouf

Hi ladies!!

I used to post here a few years back my user name was Mercy. I remeber Vickie and I just wanted to say Hi and I just started doing Core again. I lost 42 lbs before and have kept it off I was at a plateau for months. (I was over eating in portion sizes) I restarted the porgam yesterday. I know this is a great group and I would like to post here again.

I recently tried Sugarbustesr again but I found it to restrictive for me. I had the sucess with core.

Hi Everyone
Just checking in real quick.
I am not feeling very good at all. Guess I am getting whatever has been going around.
My head hurts. Even around my eyes. So think that is sinus. But my neck and ear are hurting. And my throat is sore. It really hurts to cough. And my nose is so red I could guide Santa's sled. I have used about half a box of puffs today.
Hubby may be getting it too. said his nose is starting to run. Hope he dont get it.
Well I am going to get off here. And go lay down for awhile.
I am thinking of everyone.
Oh I did go to weigh in last night. Lost 1/2 a pound.
coco

Hi, Chickies. I apologize for being MIA. I have been in a funk. Finally went to WW today and found out I had been making healthier choices than I'd figured. I only gained 1.4 lbs in over a month. I'm all right with that and am back on track.

Curtis is passed out on the couch. He worked in the yard all day planting trees and shrubs around his new pond. Life is good.

Frouf, another cruise? I am happy for you. That's good news about your sugar level, too.

Vickie, Coco, and Rhonda, thank you for keeping the board going. And it's good to see Angela posting, too.

Mercy. Congratulations on your fantastic loss.

Got to go. It's almost time for "Biggest Loser."

Hi:

Well, I wondered where you were, Sandra. I was just about to get on the private email and ask if you were still among the living. Glad to see that you are and feeling back on track. I'm doing all right, but still not exercising enough.

Oh, I just looked out the window and there is a racoon skimming across the top of the fence. I'm gonna miss these little guys when I go back to Texas. There are more racoons in Toronto than there are people

Coco, sounds like a cold, doesn't it? Hope you get on the mend soon.

I've spent my day looking at depressing university funding figures. How the politicians think we can educate the next generation with money at the very bottom of the pile in Canada is just beyond me.

Mercy

I'm having an early night...talk to you all tomorrow.

Rhonda

Rhonda, when I was in Montana, I missed cardinals, crape myrtles, and pyracanthas. Now that I'm in Texas, I'm missing seeing deer. I saw some almost every time I went to town--and we lived just on the edge of the city.

Enjoy those raccoons. Don't let the funding get you depressed. I just looked at your tracker. You're almost to your April Fool's Day goal. I am happy for you.

What, no cardinals in Montana!? They are all over Toronto, just singing like crazy. The brilliance of the males against the white snow and blue sky is just breathtaking.

I noticed that you changed your Avatar...where are you flying?

I had to change my goal to something I have a chance of meeting...St. Patrick's Day is just too close.

The funding matter is so serious. I went to bed early, but why am I awake worrying about it. That will do no good and will just leave me tired to do what I have to do. One day at a time is a difficult concept to get sometimes.

'Night, again,
Rhonda