Sunny D. were you with a military family as 29 Palms is almost all Marines, with the base there?

I've been trying very hard except have not gotten my exercise in and I show a gain on the scales at home. So could use some encouragment. Well, I only had a minute to post.

Take care and happy weight loss and healthier eating to you.

lbsbgone.

I am not from a military family, I just happen to know where 29 Palms is because I live in the desert of California. My husband and I are both disabled. We live on a very small income and share a house with my 85 year old widowed FIL. I have been a Christian since the mid 1980's, but because of alot of health problems I wasn't always active in a local church body and found my Christian life a little stagnate. Dh is a Christian, but had an experience at a church which left him discouraged so he was backslidden for a large period of time. I am happy to say that we are both now growing and walking with the Lord and that we are members of a local church and as involved as our health will allow.

I was not overweight as a child nor in high school (but thought that I was because I wore a size 9 clothes and I am 5'8" tall.) In about 1989, dh had a desire to lose weight and wanted my help, so we both joined Jenny Craig even though I was only 20 lbs. overweight. We were much more financially able at that time to be able to afford Jenny Craig and became lifetime members. I kept the weight off for a year. During that time I was told by my doctor that I should quit work because of my health. So between adjusting to being at home and the fact that at this same time dh became very sick also and had to leave a well paying job, we started to suffer physically and financially and these stresses made my weight climb to 228 lbs. About a year ago, I lost 42 lbs. on a low cholesterol diet and kept it off for a year, then got bored with that food plan and went back to eating more sugar and also eating out with FIL on a regular basis at his favorite restaurant which does not know the meaning of low fat on their menu. Therefore, the pounds crept up to 218 lbs., I now hover around 208 lbs.

Dh's dr. put him on disability about two years ago. I'm always hoping that he will walk with me for exercise, but he very seldom feels well enough and I cannot find the motivation to do it on a consistent basis on my own. My church is in another town, so I do not live close enough to a church member to walk with them. Although, I am following the TOPS plan pretty much, I am not a member of TOPS. I just have their books which I am reading to try and get insight on this weight loss journey. The book that I am currently reading deals alot with success stories. It is great, but I really need a structured diet to follow and am hoping that the 2nd TOPS book that I got as a Christmas gift will address that issue.

My goal weight is 140 lbs. I would like to lose 40 lbs. between now and September when dh and I take a professional portrait for our 20th wedding anniversary and then go from that point to goal weight. I want to do this for life as I want to make the best food and exercises choices that I can within my limitations of health.

Without going into my specific illness, I just wanted to say that losing weight would only help my cholesterol it would not improve my disabiling illness, but it would greatly help dh with some of his ailments to lose some weight although he would still have his disabiling illness no matter what his weight...

Well, that is probably more than you wanted to know about me. Thanks for listening. By the way we try to only eat Splenda sweetened products and drink no carbonated beverages.

lbsbgone

I totally understand about wanting periodic breaks from the computer. Sorry, I watch no tv, so have not seen American Idol. I find that when I do not feel like being on the computer then I will grab a good book before watching tv. I usually do not use the library because sometimes it can take me several weeks to finish a book and when I get a book from the library and know that it is due on a certain date, then I feel pressure and do not enjoy the book as much as if I own it and read it at my leisure. I buy only books that I want to keep on my bookshelf and reference back to. I find them inexpensively through the internet or ask for them as gifts for my birthday or Christmas.

I hope that I sleep tonight because I dozed off after dinner. I hardly ever fall asleep this late in the evening and in general have a hard time napping during the daytime too. I don't sleep well at night though, so I never feel rested.

So sorry to hear that you were involved in a serious car accident and have required surgeries.

I had a 1/2 lb. loss today. Not much, but it is better than a gain.

So glad that you and your girlfriend had a nice day together. Too bad that the weather did not cooperate though.

Other than church activities and errands, I am pretty much a home body. I do enjoy a night off from cooking though and we have so many wonderful restaurants within our area that it is fun to go to one every so often. Our budget usually requires that we choose plain Jane restaurants unless it is a special occassion like an anniversary and then we will save up and go somewhere nice.

I asked the dr. awhile back for a goal weight for me he said 145 and I said well, I think that I can get down to 140 so he said well give it a try. I have spent most of my life between 128 and 140 lbs. Although I was 153 lbs. when I agreed to join Jenny Craig years ago with dh. I carry my weight well for someone my size. However the book that I am reading calculated my current Body Mass Index as severely obese at 210 lbs. and 5'8" tall. What an eye opener that was. I knew that I was obese, but never thought of myself as SEVERELY obese.

Well, one of my cats that looks just like your cat in your Christmas photos is hanging all over the keyboard, I guess that is my hint that she wants attention and not to have me be typing, so I will close this letter for now.

Thanks again for writing back. Take care!

lbsbgone

I totally understand about wanting periodic breaks from the computer. Sorry, I watch no tv, so have not seen American Idol. I find that when I do not feel like being on the computer then I will grab a good book before watching tv. I usually do not use the library because sometimes it can take me several weeks to finish a book and when I get a book from the library and know that it is due on a certain date, then I feel pressure and do not enjoy the book as much as if I own it and read it at my leisure. I buy only books that I want to keep on my bookshelf and reference back to. I find them inexpensively through the internet or ask for them as gifts for my birthday or Christmas.

I hope that I sleep tonight because I dozed off after dinner. I hardly ever fall asleep this late in the evening and in general have a hard time napping during the daytime too. I don't sleep well at night though, so I never feel rested.

So sorry to hear that you were involved in a serious car accident and have required surgeries.

I had a 1/2 lb. loss today. Not much, but it is better than a gain.

So glad that you and your girlfriend had a nice day together. Too bad that the weather did not cooperate though.

Other than church activities and errands, I am pretty much a home body. I do enjoy a night off from cooking though and we have so many wonderful restaurants within our area that it is fun to go to one every so often. Our budget usually requires that we choose plain Jane restaurants unless it is a special occassion like an anniversary and then we will save up and go somewhere nice.

I asked the dr. awhile back for a goal weight for me he said 145 and I said well, I think that I can get down to 140 so he said well give it a try. I have spent most of my life between 128 and 140 lbs. Although I was 153 lbs. when I agreed to join Jenny Craig years ago with dh. I carry my weight well for someone my size. However the book that I am reading calculated my current Body Mass Index as severely obese at 210 lbs. and 5'8" tall. What an eye opener that was. I knew that I was obese, but never thought of myself as SEVERELY obese.

Well, one of my cats that looks just like your cat in your Christmas photos is hanging all over the keyboard, I guess that is my hint that she wants attention and not to have me be typing, so I will close this letter for now.

Thanks again for writing back. Take care!

lbsbgone

I am still half asleep and I meant to hit the back arrow key and hit the submit reply key twice, so if I double posted please ignore it.

lbsbgone

Your e-mails always brighten up my day. There was one Christian exercise show that I used to really enjoy years ago called "Beverly Exercise." However, when we moved from the high desert to the low desert we changed cable companies and could no longer get the show. I've tried finding a web-page for them on the internet, but it really looked half done and as if they were no longer broadcasting the show. I do know that when I watched the show the exercise hostess often talked of her husband being in ill health, so maybe that is why she no longer produces the show.

Neither my husband or myself are very musical. I love to sing to the Lord even if it is offkey and I think that He is pleased that I am praising Him whether on or offkey.

The books that I like to read are budgeting, frugal and simple living and fitness books. I do read Christian books like "The Purpose Driven Life" and "The Prayer of Jabez." The Boundaries in Marriage series by Dr. Townsend and Dr. Cloud is an excellent bible study. What even made it better is that our associate pastor has a doctorate in psychology and has a psycho-therapy practice along with being a pastor and his insight as he lead the study was absolutely great! I have quite a few cookbooks, but I tend to wing it in the kitchen instead. I find that recipes generally increase my food bills.

I am not very computer literate. My dear husband is very computer literate and is the church digital photographer and newsletter editor. This takes alot of his time, but I find that when he has a day when he feels good (which is rare as he is disabled) and he is caught up on his church obligations, he will post pictures for me. So one of these days, I may just may surprise you with a few pictures of me, my husband and the cats. Although, my husband is generally behind the camera taking the pictures so he seldom gets in the pictures.

Taking care of my 85 year old FIL takes alot of my time as he knows nothing about cooking, laundry, cleaning...

Although I haven't done it in a long time I used to do latch hook rugs and embroidery on kitchen towels and pillowcases. Both of which my dear grandmother taught me. I really don't have the room to do alot of crafts as we live in one bedroom of FIL's house and the rest of our things are in storage sheds in the back yard. I do not know how to sew and really am not too crafty.

I send alot of cards too, but I buy my cards every July from Current, Inc. that is when they have their year end closeouts. I also send greeting cards from church to the members.

My headaches come and go. However, dh and I are going to get a memory foam pillow each to see if a good supportive pillow will help some as we have neck pain too. We currently have down pillows.

I never sleep well, no matter what time of the year. My new doctor is hesitant in prescribing anything for me for sleep because the last doctor to prescribe anything for my sleep left me with fainting spells because it dropped my blood pressure to 80/50. My blood pressure has always been low. Too low at times. My dh envys my blood pressure readings as he takes meds for his blood pressure.

Well, I had better close this novel for now. Take care!

lbsbgone

Hello Sunny D! How are you? I wrote you a long message a few days ago only it wouldn't go through because dh had accidentally erased the cookie for the site and then I tried to log on and had forgot my password, so I see that my message is floating in cyber space somewhere.

We've had a busy week too. We have done some deep cleaning and making meals for a friend who is losing the battle with cancer and will be in Jesus arms soon.

Dh is at the churches Superbowl party for men. I will pick him up when the game is over.

Yes, we do live in a small space and it is not easy. Especially for a person who is organizationally challenged like me. I'm a visual person so I want things on desk tops... or else I forget about them.

Our weather has been in the mid 70's. Just what you wanted to hear when your weather has been so cold. I like our winters and spring, but HATE our summer and fall weather. It's like baking in an oven.

Well, my cat is all over me wanting attention so I guess that I will close this letter for now. I hope that this letter goes through this time and that it finds you doing fine.

lbsbgone