Wow, it's like old home week around here. Judy AND Elmay return from the beyond! COOL!

Sorry I don't have time to even do more than this quickie tonight. I start my diabetic education classes in the morning and I'm just getting done with paperwork from today's shops.

I'll try and catch up with you all real soon!

Hello Hens, How are all of you this nice rainy day?

I am so far behind on doing replies! I just kind of gave up. LOL! I know one of our newbies asked me about my surgery and I should reply to that. I have a cyst on my ovary, or at least I hope that is all it is. You never know!

Welcome to all of our new Hens. Sorry I haven't been around to get to know all of you better.

Tomorrow is the day we are putting Mom in the nursing home. My nerves have been shot to heck and gone over this. She will be close to us (my husband and myself) but I am not sure how long it will be before I can go out to check on her.

Just checking in to let you all know I am still here. The scale is staying the same At least it is not going up! I thought sure I could lose a few more lbs before surgery...no! I eat too much for that I suppose???? Nerves.

Take care, Ruth

Hello Dear Hens!!

At least I can catch up with you ladies - the main thread? Forget it. I haven't even been able to log on for a few days, even to check the weather - which is suddenly VERY important to me!

The job is going fairly well. I'm struggling, and will continue to struggle every day. I just don't have the physical strength that I used to as a youngster, much less the strength of these men, but I can do it I think. I'm off today to see if I can find some weights at a goodwill or something. I need to keep building muscle the best this old body can.

It's definately more than I bargained for, but I just can't see myself quitting. Besides the money and the benefits to my health, I'm just too freaking STUBBORN! Tuesday and Wednesday are my days off currently, and sleeping in this morning was devine!

I wish I could truly catch up with each of you, and I will later, but right now I have several things to take care of that just can't wait any longer... like voting, and submitting my application for the job I've been doing for the last week. That's right, They're having trouble checking references and verifying my driving history because they never had me fill out an app!

One last thing in this morning's quicky-post - I'm down to 267! It took forever to break that 270 but it's gonna stay there now!

Main thread? You mean there's more than one? I know to check the picture thread occasionally, but I didn't know we had more than one place to check. Ut oh.

Today is the day for me. And though it's early, so far so good. I've had my coffee with lite nondairy creamer. My back is out. Quite painful. I have no idea what I did to it (if anything). I may be down, but I'm not out. I may have to take my heating pad to work with me. Thank goodness I don't have a strenuous job. And I'll work alone so I can maybe check out this "Main thread" I just heard about.

Peace and turtle hugs to all who roost here.

Good Morning Ladies!

Thin: Howdy! Hope you are having a good day!

Elmay! I think I said it on the other thread...but back here too! Don't worry too much about your gain...I'm sure that being back OP will take it back off!

So good to have Elmay and Judy both back!

Ruth: Don't worry about replies, we're just glad to see you back! Wish I could do or say something to make you feel better about your mom, but I'm sure, hard as it is, you guys know you are doing the right thing.

Valerie: Sounds like the new job is sure a challenge, but I'm sure you'll get in the swing. Think of the muscles you are building!

I haven't got much to say today. Pretty easy day hearing-wise and I should be working on some of the old buggers of hearings I have left to do!

Mary! You posted while I was posting! I'm sorry to hear about your back. I've had lot's of back problems over the years and it's just horrible...I feel for you.

The main thread is what we tend to call the 300+ thread instead of the Old Hens thread. Nice ladies - but lots of them and it moves FAST sometimes...miss one or two days and you've missed a whole thread - or more. Still, lots of motivation over there!

"See" you later!

I think I am almost caught up now! i got on the scale this morning and it said i was down 6 pounds...i hope it stays that friendly!!! I hurt my knee some weeks back and my ortho says no surgery (yeah!). I have a bad bruise in the bone.. anyway, time and physical therapy wil help. I not supossed to walk much, does anybody know of any good sitting exercises?
ruth- i'm sorry about your mom. I know how hard it can be. She'll be fine! when is your surgery?
Valerie- my DD lovesa horses too! I'm so impressed you got below 270!! I hope to be there soon, but its been a long time!!!
Elmay- nice to meet you! I freaked out too when people started to notice, and i gained...so now i'm trying again, it can be a horrid cicle cant it? I like this forum because i dont feel so alone!

Well, I had to abandon my car in the next town over on Sunday, and a friend is finally going to take me over to see if we can jump start it.... I did get some good walking in the last few days as a result

Seriously, I've been thinking about trying to work my way up to walking to and from work on a regular basis--it's 1 1/2 miles, takes me 45 minutes, but if I did it daily surely I could shave some time off that. Next semester I'll start parking at the half-way point or so.... and then gradually park farther and farther away and just see how it goes.

Haven't been eating especially well. The stress of having my car stranded in a parking lot 10 miles away and not being able to run home at all hasn't helped. OY I need to plan EVERYTHING better.

I had some real serious thoughts on the weight loss issue this morning while I was waiting for a friend to pick me up for work, but I'll have to return to post those later...

Judy, Elmay, WB... though I didn't know you before

Ruth, Best wishes tomorrow. I hope it won't be too stressful.

Valerie, Hang in there! And great job on breaking 270!

Annie, I've looked for sitting exercises, too, but not really found much of anything. Someone else I know talked about "chair dancing" so I've done that a few times. Also, what about floor based exercises--stretching, etc.? As long as it won't do any damage to your injuries.

Turtle, Hope your day continued well.

Thin, Lilion, Valerie, HI!

Hi Ladies,

Not a good day for me foodwise but I promised myself tomorrow will be better.

I'm home this week so I had my 3 yr. old pointer spayed on Friday. She was pretty quiet for a few days but she woke up this morning and pronounced herself healed. Now the fun starts. I have to keep her from running and jumping like a maniac (her normal self) so she doesn't do any damage. This ought to be fun.... NOT.

ANNIE: -6 lbs. Good for you! Our Public tv station has a show on everyday where a woman leads chair exercises. I don't know the name of the show though. I'll try to find out.

VALERIE: You're doin' great. Congrats on breaking 270.

RUTH: You're doing the best for your Mom. Hang in there.

THIN: How'd your classes go? Are you able to control the diabetes w/food management or are you going to be on meds?

Hi to everyone I've missed. I want to get the critters out before Dancin' With The Stars.

Judy

Sorry gals, again not much time.

Here are a couple of links for chair exercise that I found. The sites don't sell anything, just give directions. You can find more, as well as videos, by googling "chair exercise". I think I'll also put the links up in that top thread with the helpful hints that I call Helpful Links to Get You Started or Keep You Going. But instead of making you look for them there, here they are here for your perusing convenience.

Stretching Towards Better Health (quite a few different exercises are illustrated)
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/stretching/c-exercise.htm

This from COPD International (mostly just directions and drawings)
http://www.copd-international.com/Li...ises-chair.htm

This is ElderCare Directory (scan down to the bottom of the article and there's a "click here" to view exercises.
http://eldercare.uniontrib.com/exercise/index.cfm

Gotta run, my friends. See you soon.

Wow, it is good to be back. I've only been OP for 2 days, but I feel so much better about myself. Monday night, I headed to the gym after work, got changed, ready to put my shoes on... what shoes?! I used the extra time to go to the grocery store and get healthy food that I like . Last night, I remembered my shoes -- dang, it feels good to be moving again!

And, coming back to 3FC is just awesome -- I know you ladies have heard this before -- but you are greeeaat! (think tony the tiger ).

I'm on day two also. Two too? LOL I was OP as far as food went, I journaled what I ate. Though I didn't exercise or drink water. Normally, the water is not a problem with me, but with my back out, I stayed hooked up to my heating pad at work all night. Had it on high, stuffed down the back of my unners. Sniff sniff. Anyone smell bacon? I used being "hooked up" as my excuse not to get up (and to ask officers to hand me or get their own keys) all night. I'm still OP today and I'm hoping things will come back to me with time. I know HOW to do this, just getting myself TO do it can be difficult at times. But I'm feeling unusually optimistic this time. Maybe it's because I've got the Hens on my side this time. Thanks everyone. And I'm nearly ready to learn how to do personals. That's much easier and faster from work. See you all later today.

I forgot to mention that I joined that Eat Better America web site. They send you a free ring (it's like the Live Strong rubber bracelet material) that says "Eat Better." It was large, but I wore it on my thumb (it's light blue) to remind myself to EAT BETTER. You get to put yourself on the map and connect with other people to get and give encouragement. Nothing like 3FC, but it's fun to get free stuff in the mail. I'm so immature. LOL. But immaturity is what keeps me young, at times.

Good Morning Ladies!

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, it's gonna be 75 degrees today! Am I digustingly cheerful or what!

Seriously, I may be jinxing myself...but I am changing my siggy. Today's WI was 233.6! Yesterday and the day before it was 233.8...and I'm wearing heavier clothes today...so I'm saying 233.6. That puts The Count to 95! (Ah! Ah! Ah!) Now to keep it there!!!!! (Or lower.)

Elmay and Mary! Day two for both of you...maybe you guys can motivate each other?

Mary - Big Owie's for your back!!! Have you tried ice alt. with heat? Sometimes helps mine. Hope you get yourself back to normal soon!

Thin - I've got to look at your links later, they sound interesting. Feel free to find time to post more later?

Well all, not that much to say today so I'm off. Got lots to do and little time to do it - just like everyone else.

BRAVISIMO, LILION!!! I jus knewd ya cud do it!!!

TURTLE, I'm so sorry that your back is so bad! I hope it's better and your up and dancing again soon!

ELMAY, It's great to see you back!!! I think for many people losing all this weight seems to be an emotional rollar coaster that we aren't ready to deal with. I'm glad you're back on track with your health, because that's the most important thing!

JUDY, I hope your old puppy heals well and quickly. I love springers - they're beautiful dogs! WELCOME BACK!

ANGELA, Great plan for increasing your walking. I hope your car is working again.

ANNIE, Brilliant job knocking that 6 pounds off! Sounds like your DD & I would get along really well How old is she?

I'm cooking up food for the week. Packing a lunch every day is a new adventure in itself. Never did it before. With the shopping I did today, I'm prepared for eating OP and whatever the weather throws at me at work.

I did splurge in a big way last night. Went out with some friends on the spur of the moment and had 2 large beers - unheard of for me normally - and a burger, plus we split an order of onion petals and a small slice of criminal carrot cake. It was a wonderful splurge, I totally deserved it, and I totally enjoyed it. I didn't even resent the scale this morning for jumping back up 3 pounds. It'll be back down again in no time.

Oh, and I bought a couple free weights - 10 & 20 pounds - so I can work with those and do some free, at-home muscle building.

THIN, RUTH, Everyone, have a lovely OP day!