Good morning, LWL — rise and shine, as my grandma used to say. I want to start us off this week by thanking all of you for your kind and thoughtful posts about David and his diabetes. He’s doing pretty well, both physically and mentally. A few days ago he said that this is now Life 2.0 — that nothing can ever be the same as it was (sad but true). So now we’re figuring out just what life is going to look like (and trying to get his college applications finished at the same time!) Today we're off to the diabetes clinic and then to see his school guidance counselor and nurse. It turns out that there are nine kids in his high school (out of 2000) with diabetes, so they understand the issues pretty well.

I’m going to run off and do cardio when the gym opens and try to get back to do shoulders after all our appointments. I was amazed at how much I missed the gym when I was shut up in the hospital last week — I did walking lunges across the room and contemplated sprints up and down the halls but figured the nurses would disapprove!

I promise to get back and catch up on reading when I have a chance but hey! save me some time and everyone check in with how they’re doing!

Meg

Checkin' in Meg!! I've been good (so to speak) more or less, I wish I would have been more focussed for Halloween, but I was better than last year or the years before... Now, it's Monday, a new day, a new week, a new month, and I started it off right with a very good leg workout... I'm looking forward to the day! We are going out of town shopping with the kids and my parents... The kids are off because it's a PD day! I am going to start my X-mas shopping by buying the Hallmark Collectibles for all the nieces and nephews...

Meg if it's not too much of a bother could you let us know how things for your son will be affected? Will he have to take needles daily? and such stuff... I, myself, would find it very interesting....BTW does diabetes run in the family? Sorry if I'm being a curious George, but if you don't want to that's fine too....

Well I'm off to count calories on Fitday and then get ready for the day... Later all!

Unfortunately I just went to **** in a hand basket this past week. I guess you could say I indulged in a free week. I feel like crap and look like crap. Today I will be pulling myself out of the hole of my own creation. Don't be me.

After a pretty dreadful week foodwise last week (it did not involve candy, but that's about all I left out), I had a totally clean weekend, and will make sure that it continues Got all my workouts, but did a little too much and am paying for it with a fibro flare-up. First in 2 years....Cardio is going to suffer this week, but I can still lift.

The week-end was gorgeous here- high in the 70's in NOVEMBER! I think it's because we just bought a snowblower, and will now have the warmest winter on record . After last winter became a daily shoulder and back workout just to get out of the driveway, I finally couldn't take it anymore. So instead we raked leaves. Dh was wondering if the snowblower would work on leaves which gives you an idea of how many we have piling up.

OK, off to walk the dog then start the week.

mel

I just got back from a walk. I am downing water like there's no tomorrow. Trying to salvage myself here.

Good morning ladies!!

My free day was on Saturday and I didn't go crazy but I had a wonderful dessert. The only bad thing was that I then succumbed to the worst stomach ache afterwards. That took a lot of the fun out of the free day. I found it a little difficult to not eat off program on Sunday. I had a piece of peach pie. Otherwise everything else was on program. I have decided that my free day will be on Sunday's because it will be easier to get right back on program on Mondays versus Sundays. More structure, etc.

I did stick to my workouts though! I feel really good about that. I did sneak a peek at the scale and I am down 3.5#s. Mostly water weight though. I WILL NOT use the scale as a measurement for success. The next time I will get on the scale will be November 30th.

I am wishing everyone a fabulous and healthy Monday!!

Anita

Good Morning Everyone. I have been missing from the board for a while, but really want to come back. I missed the support. I have been reading a few of the old posts, and it seems like everyone has continued to progress. I am still persevering at my same program, no sugar or refined flour, and working out 5 days a week, 3 of them lifting. I am getting very close to my goal (weight wise), but have recently set some new fitness/workout goals. So, I figured who better to help keep me motivated then the LWL.
I do have one question. Since losing weight, I do have a pretty fair amount of stretch marks. However, I noticed recently that I have a stretch mark horizontally running across each bicep, that looks completely different from all my other ones. Could this be a result of lifting? Just wondering.
I am glad to be back- Ashley

...the week BEFORE Halloween or the week AFTER?

I vote for the week AFTER...judging from our office. Apparently everyone dumped the leftover candy in the various kitchens in our building (each floor has two kitchens). There is a giant pile of FUN SIZE SNICKERS next to the microwave!!! Aarrggghh! I did really well on Halloween I believe - I succumed to 3 fun size bars (a 3 Musketeers, a Milky Way and a Snickers). Then yesterday Jim and I were playing with the horses at the stables and found Dee Dee's candy stash - a HUGE bag filled with fun size bars, so I had a few of those - maybe 4 (actually 3 1/2 since I gave half to Penny, one of the geldings - he LOVES 100 Grand bars ).

Ilene...yup I have lived in Cali all my life (so far! ) and 'cold' around these here parts right now is the upper 50's during the afternoon, and the lows are in the 30's. Just a WEEK AGO, up until Tuesday, we were still in the throes of a heat wave - but like Jim said to me yesterday we were both ready for a change of seasons. It was nice after we got home from the stables to make a fire (well actually...put a Duraflame Crackle Log in the fireplace... ) and cozy up with the kitties in our warm little place. (I shudder to think of our PG&E bill this month...)

Mel - this might be a good time for you to put in a pool, then you'll be sure to have a cold, wet winter!

Anita - that's exactly the reason that I have done my free day on Sunday. It's easier to get back to clean eating when I'm back to my regular schedule, work-wise...right now, though, I'm doing the two treat or meal during the weekend thing over the free day - typically I'll have one on Saturday and one on Sunday.

Meg - your DS has a good head on his shoulders just like his Mom. Half the battle won IMO!

Back to work - I have a meeting in NYC in a couple of weeks already (aarrggh brrrr cold...) and still have a ton of papers to get through...

Oops almost forgot to add...on Saturday night Jim and I attended the Grand National Rodeo & Horse Show at the Cow Palace as we do every year (I've been going since the 70's). All you Canadians here...I must say that your RCMP were STELLAR. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has a traveling Musical Ride, which I understand has been touring the world for over 100 years now. This isn't the first time they've been to the Grand National - in fact according to the Cow Palace it is the most requested feature of the show. They were AWESOME - and in between performances they were the nicest people you could meet - they were busy taking care of their horses and talking to folks. Good job!

hi all

been eating on plan and got in my workout today!

ledom, chin up! we've all been there and done that *HUGS* take it one day, meal, and hour at a time. You can do it!!

The muscial ride is pretty neat huh? I saw them for the 3rd time this summer, at the Calgary Stampede. What a show!

Well, off to eat! mmmmfood

Tidey

Ledom and Mel- glad to hear you are both back on track after the splurge. It happens. Some of my free day spilled over to my Sunday. Not going to worry about that. I will also move on. Progress not perfection. Right?!

MrsJim-- How is that working for you? The 2 meals versus one free day. Just curious. After you have your first meal is it easier to just fall right back eating clean. I would think if you had pancakes for breakfast it would be hard to eat chicken breast and broccoli for lunch. I am really interested in your opinion. Just so you know, you are absolutely my role model. I have read your profile and it is just wonderful seeing someone that was around my weight achieve their fitness goals.

Anita

Anita - Thanks for the compliments My number one priority here is to let people know that YES YOU CAN do this - lose weight and (more importantly) keep it off - it's definitely doable (and good news...maintenance gets EASIER as time goes on...as you get into healthy habits!).

I actually have pancakes a LOT for breakfast (protein pancakes that is...quite yummy actually...with sugar-free syrup!). I like having my 'clean' breakfasts - generally eggwhites and oatmeal - so for 'free/cheat' meals/snacks I will typically do an afternoon lunch - usually Jim and I go out and eat - lately it's been a burrito from La Cumbre, or a tuna sandwich from Togo's, or a burger at Red Robin - on Saturdays after spending time at the stables. Sundays I'll usually have a frozen yogurt or maybe some sourdough bread with my salad. With my busy weekend schedule (especially now that I'm leasing Dakota) it's very difficult for me to eat every 2-3 hours when I'm out and about...if I KNOW I'll be at the stables for a long time, I'll think ahead and generally pack something to take with - something like an oatmeal/eggwhite/sweet potato pancake wrapped in foil - to eat later, and I always have water with me in my car. The thing about being with the horses is I tend to forget about eating altogether (a GOOD thing I think!) until suddenly I'm STARVING...the trick is to plan ahead and have something ready to eat or at least a place you can grab something clean to eat...

Ilene — I don’t mind you asking about diabetes stuff — as a matter of fact, some of it is important to know. I get the chills when I think about how easy it would have been to miss DS’s symptoms and let things progress to a really dangerous point. He hadn't been feeling well for the past two months, but we chalked it up to his Irritable Bowel Syndrome and several colds and just being a tired teenager. He had even seen the doctor during this time but no one thought of diabetes. The light bulb went off for me when he told me that he couldn’t get enough to drink last weekend — that he was just constantly thirsty. So I took him to the doctor’s and they found sugar in his urine and we were off to the Emergency Room. The signs of diabetes are unusual thirst, tiredness, and unexplained weight loss (he had that too but I didn’t realize it).

The doctors are saying that David has Type 1 1/2 diabetes, meaning that he has clinical evidence of both Type 1 diabetes (insulin insufficiency) and Type 2 (insulin resistance). He has to give himself three shots of insulin per day and he tests his blood sugar level (via fingerprick) four times a day, before and after exercise, and twice during the night (so Mom gets to set her alarm for midnight and 3 AM and wake up DS — a real mother-son bonding experience — not ) Diet and exercise (and oral medication) will help the insulin resistance but can’t compensate for the insulin insufficiency.

We have NO diabetes on either side of the family, so this was a shock. At this point, we don’t know what the future will hold but they’re making remarkable strides in research. Our hospital, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, has the second largest group of kids with diabetes (second to LA) and we were asked to be part of an ongoing study that they’ve been conducting for the past 24 years. Apparently they feel that they can now predict fairly accurately who will get diabetes about five years in advance, based on certain genetic and biochemical blood markers. This test is not generally offered however, because there’s nothing you can do to prevent the disease at this time. I have lots of reading and learning to do to educate myself.

Thanks for asking about him, Eagle I, but I hate you for talking about Christmas shopping already.

Meg

CHRISTMAS! Everyone who mentions early Christmas shopping needs to have their mouth washed out with SOAP. Aaarrggh.

I finally learned how to shop last year. I just bought everyone the same thing. Thank goodness for Old Navy, which is probably where I'll do this year's shopping

Forgot to mention that I finally made a recipe out of the Stella's Kitchen book yesterday...there's a recipe for Baked Winter Squash Bisque, and it was so cold (for California that is...) yesterday afternoon it just seemed like a good day for soup making. I used half butternut squash and half pumpkin puree. We're going to start eating it tonight...it tasted really yummy when I tested it last night though

Oh scanned another Cathy classic for this week!