Hi everyone, hope you are all doing well today!
Monte - thanks for your input on posting a profile pic. I had confused a profile pic with an avatar. So, it ends up that uploading a photo from my IPad and phone did work, which is strange because I don't think it complied with the parameters of size. Yard work is very strenuous, IMO.great job on food and steps!
Lilbird - welcome! Have you taken measurements (with a tape measure or body fat)? After such a long period of inactivity, you might be converting to muscle, which may be why you are seeing slow results on the scale. Keep the faith, you can do this!
Sundove - thanks for your comments about my avatar and profile pic! The pic is of my former dog, my beloved cocker spaniel, who I was blessed to have with me for 15 and 1/2 years. I posted him because I didn't have any pics of my current dogs on my computer - I only have pics of them on my IPad or phone. Then, I discovered that the upload from my phone was working. So, the new pic is one of my current dogs, the baby of the family, at a year and a half. He's a handful! And, yes, they help me get my steps in! Now that the weather is cooling off in the mornings, I've incorporated daily dog walks. I love the drumming circle and the Native American influences. I am glad your stress is reduced now. I agree, it is all about choices. A conscious decision is far better than out of control eating - there is a difference, IMO.
Nicoley - congrats on your loss! Thanks for your comments! Please see my comments to Sundove on the story with the profile pic. Animals are the best! Sounds like you've got a house full of activity! I had rabbits about 20 years ago. They are very affectionate if handled early. Mine were also letterbox trained, so we let them run around in the house. The only thing with that is that their chewing can be very destructive and potentially dangerous, which we found out about later when we saw the chewed computer wires and electrical cords. Yikes!
Diana - continued prayers for you and everyone else in the path of the hurricane. Your comments are full of insight. To me, iwher it gets tricky is about the difference between setting a goal and having an expectation. For me, goal setting is positive. But, if I set up an expectation, that sets me up for disappointment if my results don't meet the expectation. Hope you keep the faith and don't get disappointed.
Sassy - good luck on your challenge with healthy wage!
Greetings and support to everyone I missed!
Plan for today - calories 1587, 62 under goal; carbs 95; fat 71; protein 132; sodium 2,764; sugar 41.
Exercise - walked 1.9 miles with dogs, estimated to burn 284 calories according to mapmywalk.com. Additional cardio at gym, 30 minutes, expect to burn 165 calories. Strength training, 20 minutes, upper body. Stretching, 15 minutes.
Have my weekly karaoke tonight and have banked calories for 2 drinks. Sleep is a little better, still below my normal. Am looking forward to my doctor's appointment in a couple of weeks so I can get some advice on this.
Hope you all have a great weekending stay strong!
) I did that in the past but not since starting on this journey. I should do the right thing. If I want to be healthy and stay at a lower weight, these are the things I have to do. 
Just thinking about things since the scale didn't cooperate this morning. 
Fwiw, it helps me to tell myself that I can choose to have that thing right in front of me, i.e., it really is a choice, not a ruse to get me to say no. If that makes sense. 
I made sure to eat a good amount of food, including lots of carbs, beforehand. I also drank a lot of water. I don't know if all of that helped, but I'm sure it didn't hurt. 
