We were getting kinda full, so thought I'd start a new one.

I don't really have a whole lot to say today.

I skipped work today. Had a hard time sleeping last night. Was so very tired when I got up to exercise before work, I couldn't make myself do it. Was up about an hour and only had enough gumption to SIT, so I called work and took a day off with no pay. I went back to bed about 5:45 AM and finally fell asleep and slept till almost 10 AM!!
I've just GOT to do something about this waking up all the time and not being able to sleep the night through.
Blasted Drs can't agree on anything either! One gives you Ambien to take, and another says not to take it because it will make you so you can NEVER sleep normally.
As one of my sons reminds me every so often, " IT SUCKS TO GET OLD!"

I heard that there was a homeopathic place in town, and I'm going to go talk to them if there is. See if they have something safe.

It's 84 degrees here right now. Gonna go see if that sunshine has humidity with it. If not, I'm going out and sit in my swing and read.

Everybody have a great day.

Willow, you must have needed that sleep. My father always said that your body will tell YOU what it needs not visa versa, and he nearly always spoke good sense (except when I was a teenager and he was a damn fool and never spoke anything but rubbish but he got wiser as I got older - or so it seemed at the time). Summer is over for us too, Sue. I put the electric blanket on for the first time last night though I wouldn't put bets on that I am the only on in the UK to do so because I am quick to feel the cold. My mother expects me up for a week after her op but I told her I could only manage 3 or 4 days. She said she was having 2nd thoughts about it all and was going on about the tinitus again - I can see another falling down in the offing, oh dear, I really need some time to myself and DH this holiday time. Angel, I am sure you were choked singing at your friend's funeral - that took a lot of love holding it together to do it for her. When is your next WW meeting, Willow? Tell us how it went and what you did, won't you? Sheila, hope you are ok and not overdoing the painting. Puss cat goes for blood test tomorrow and a weigh-in but the way he is shovelling fish down his little gullet I would be surprised if he has lost too much despite looking a little leaner - vet did say he was classed as overweight when this was diagnosed. Perhaps it's not just our kids who sometimes get forced into our bad eating habits......

Puss, I think you're right. I can tell usually when I'm going to come down with some malady. I usually start to feel real tired and require more sleep. It's just that this darn body doesn't seem to want to STAY asleep anymore.

I sure hope your kitty has fooled the vet and is all well now. If so, I think it's all to your love and attention.

My little grandson stopped here with his Dad after his first day at "BIG KIDS SCHOOL" and had to tell me all about it. He is sooo excited about going to kindergarten, instead of pre-school!

My son said he will help me build the framework for around the ductwork in the basement.

Tomorrow is suppose to be weigh-in at WW for me. I have to go to Mayo, so don't know what time I'll get back to town. If not in time tomorrow, then I'll go Friday. I think I may have gained. I had a few really bad days there. We'll see tomorrow. I went to the curves site and printed out some forms for charting weekly progress etc. It's free if anybody wants to print some out. You need to download Acrobat Reader, but that is simple and only takes about 10 seconds. I enlarge to 100% too.
http://www.curvesinternational.com
This book I bought the other day is pretty cool. It even shows how to do the curves workout at home. All you need is an exercise TUBE, not a band, and a chair. The tube needs to be 4 feet long.

I'm going to go make supper. Having fish, but not sure yet what I'm having with it.

Hello to everyone! Have a good evening!

Hi,

I'm new to this site and this is my first post. Have to get my feet wet and get use to all the new features.

I'm 50 years old and I'm currently doing the South Beach Diet. Have been doing it that for about 8 weeks and have lost 10 lbs. I seriously started trying to lose weight right after New Year. Began on the Atkins plan, but couldn't stand all the restrictions and I wasn't losing. Joined Weight Watchers in February and did real well doing that WOE. I lost 25 lbs between Feb. - May, then went on a 2 month plateau. While doing WW online I heard about the South Beach Diet and the prevention.com site. I went in for a dip and never got out!!! I really like the plan and I love that I'm eating healthy and not feeling hungry.

It has been a slow journey for me but I'm determined to reach a healthy weight (actualy I'm tired of being fat !) Now that I'm in my 50's I realize that time is catching up with me and that I have not lived a healthy life style (I smoke and I use to drink wine every day). I know that I have to take 1 step at a time so getting the weight off was first, the drinking went with Phase 1 on the SBD, now I have an occational glass of red wine. The smoking is what I'm concentrating on right now. I'm down to 3 cigarettes a day and I'm going to give it up completely on Sunday.

Well that's the jist of my story. Thanks for listening, hopefully I will get the support I need here at the very least I hope I'll learn something from all you guys.

I'm glad you decided to join our little group! These ladies are such a super group! You'll get lots of loving support here.

I too had tried the Atkins diet, and couldn't stay with it. Too strict! I didn't really have any interest in the South Beach Diet because I thought it was just another low carb thing, but a couple of weeks ago, I started reading more on it someplace, and I changed my mind about it. It sounds a lot more sensible.

I joined WW last week, and today is my weigh-in day. I'm going to go in just a few minutes.

How I wish I had never smoked a cigarette in my life!

I'm going to start asking Puss for some of her recipes and see if I can adjust them to lower-calorie ones. She describes them so well my mouth starts watering!

Hi everybody else!
I was on time for my appt. at Mayo, despite the slow, stop and go traffic of early morning commuters and school buses.

But, I could have gone a long time without hearing the report I got.
My arm looked alright on the MRI.
However, there is a nodule in my right upper lung that wasn't there in January and they want to keep a close watch on.
They said it's very small, and now, instead of going back in 6 months, I'm back to 3 months. If there's any growth or change in the nodule, then I suspect there will be biopsies, and I don't know as I want that done because I think the biopsy needle leaves "seeding" of cancer cells all along it's track when it's removed from the tumor.
I don't even know yet if it IS a malignancy, but, my chances of having a primary lung cancer are tremendous because I smoked 1 to 1 1/2 packs of cigarettes a day for 42 years. The longer you have smoked, the greater the chances of developing lung cancer. Doesn't matter how long ago you have quit.
I quit 4 1/2 years ago.

I called work and asked if I could stay away from the soldering until they find out what this is in my lung, and they won't do it without a Drs say-so.
What jerks! It's not as though they don't have any other jobs for me to do. So, after I got home I had to call my primary Drs secretary and ask her to ask him if I need to stay away from the solder smoke and if so have him fax a statement to my work.
The man already thinks they're nuts! He couldn't believe that they make me bring a note from him every time I have to go there. He faxed a letter to them 3 years ago explaining everything, and now they made me take an FMLA form to him. He just smiles and shakes his head. That's the kind of treatment you get after 20 years of service.

I'm going to go to a WW meeting now, and after that I'm going to Curves.

Guess I'll have a grilled chicken breast and veggies for supper. Maybe a can of soup for lunch.

Pray I haven't had a gain!

Welcome Summer and well done on the weight loss and also the cigarette reduction. I think I am the only one on here who still smokes and I hope to quit (for the 3rd time!) around Christmas when I hope my weight is nearer where I want it. What is the South Beach Diet? I have never heard of it before.
Willow, you must be worried about the nodule but try to remember that most lumps - even on the lung -- turn out to be benign. I remember years ago someone having to have a lung removed because of NUMEROUS non-cancerous tumours and he must be older than God now. I think your company stinks! After all those years! Like my dad always said (he was very anti-management and a union member all his life) "you are just a number to most places, you drop down dead and they will shove the next man on the line so's not to break the production". All the hours you have put in too. How did WW's go? I lost a pound today so back to 147 but there ain't no rhyme or reason to this sometimes. Sue was right when she said don't be surprised if that chicken saltimbocca I had laden with cheese kicks my metabolism in. I feel so virtuous now that I have been very good today but you watch, that will probably put that pound back on tomorrow.
Thanks for asking about puss cat, had blood taken tonight but won't have the results until tomorrow. Vet weighed him and the little fat rascal has GAINED - got to be the mountain of fish he gets through every day. He only used to get it at weekends so he must think every day is Saturday and SUnday. I asked the Vet if it's possible that his kidney's had taken a hammering but have repaired themselves. She said it is possible in some situations and said she was stunned herself how well he was that first day compared to his blood results. We will have more idea over what is going on when the results come through tomorrow but I am not getting my hopes raised too much because she said she has only known complete recovery/reversal of renal failure twice in eight years. Got to be all your prayers though because she was expecting him to be lifeless and thin today ha ha may have to rename him the Great Pretender. Hi to Angel, Sheila and Sue. Hope you all had a good day and Willow, I will say a prayer for you tonight too. xx

I can't seem to keep myself busy enough, so I'm back to bug you gals.

Listen to this! After the way I ate and no exercise this past week to speak of, I still lost 1.2 pounds! I would not have been surprised to see a couple pound gain, so I was more than delighted to see a loss, .... ANY loss!

Before I go any further, I want to apologize to Summer. I was remiss in not congratulating you on your loss so far. I think I was so befuddled when I got home this morning that I'm lucky I remembered where I live! But, you do deserve kudos for your hard work. You should be very proud of your accomplishments.

I have to tell you ladies what my 6-year old grandson did this morning.
He lives about 3 hours away from me, and I had been taken to the examining room and was waiting for the DR to come in when my cell phone rang. It was early & I was puzzled who would be calling me that early.
It was my grandson, calling to tell me that he lost a tooth and that the tooth fairy had come last night and taken his tooth.
He said, " I had 2 loose teeth, and one of them came out yesterday and I put it under my pillow and the tooth fairy came during the night and took my tooth and left me some money for it." I asked him how much she had paid him for his tooth, and he said " $5.00 ".
Then he said, " I think she tried to take my other loose tooth too, because it was REALLY loose this morning, and I pulled it out." " Now I'm going to put that one under my pillow tonight!"
He is such a little turkey!!
Inflation is even hitting the tooth fairy! My kids got a couple dollars for theirs!
Anyway, it made me feel good that he wanted to call me and tell me about losing his first tooth!
My Dr really got a kick out of that one.

Well, I've used 12.5 of my points so far today, and I'm going to have spaghetti for supper. I've been hungry for it for a couple of weeks, and I stopped and picked up some italian sausage to make meatballs with. I might as well get it out of my system.

The WW leader today made us promise that if we ever had thoughts of not coming back, that first we would come and tell her. I thought that was nice of her. At least you didn't feel like she was just there to put on a talk and get out of there. Made you feel like she really cares if you get healthy or not.

Some of the points have changed too. I wasn't aware of that before. Points for some meats have gone up, and the sizes of some things have gone down, like corn; a 7" ear of corn used to be what a 5" is now, or something like that.

Well, I need to quit babbling now. I'll probably see you later.
Have a great day!
Prayers for a good report on kitty!!

Fatpuss,

South Beach Diet is a low carb diet. It was developed by Dr. Agastston, it is different from Atkins in that SBD is low fat and allows good carbs therefore you are allowed more variation. I really like the plan in that the food I eat is fresh, healthy, no limits of allowed food and I don't feel hungry. You can find more information on Prevention.com follow the links to South Beach Diet there is also a message board dedicated to South Beach Diet. There are quiete a few members on the board from England and Canada.

What Plan are you on??

Willow - loved the tooth fairy story, so cute. I have to admit I have all my kids' milk teeth in a little box - macabre, or what? I still have their dummys (pacifiers?) and the little plastic bands that were put on their wrist by the hospital when they were born. I still have daughter's first ballet shoes when she was 3. Psychiatrist would have a ball on me I think. Well done on that weight loss, lady!! so very pleased for you!
Summer, thanks for the link to the diet you are on. I am not on a particular plan, just low fat guide but I started on Rosemary Conley's menu book (Brit fitness guru about 60 years old now and looking good). I eat pretty much what I like but with regard to
knowing which foods are fatty and also in smaller portions than I used to. But, I have days where I lapse and just eat rubbish like cake. I seem to have come to a grinding halt and I think that's because I won't exercise . I may have to if I am to lose any more but I will wait and see ha ha.
I joined this site on a Sunday morning (May?June?) when I was really down about my weight and Willow was there to pick me. Willow, Sheila, Sue and lately Angel have been there ever since to shore me up when needed. I guarantee this is a brilliant group for support. I started at 164lb and am now 147lb - with 3lb variations lately -which may not sound a lot to someone of regular height but I am only 5' 1"and was starting to get 'painful crunchy knees'. When you meet the rest of the group I know they will be quick to offer support to you too. How much do you hope to lose and have you set yourself a target? Willow, well done, again, you have done well.

to Summer! Glad you joined us. Hey, you're doing great with your weightloss, so far!

Willow....take care of yourself, hope nothing comes of that nodule.

Fatpuss....sounds like your kitty is feeling a little better..& gaining some weight...that's great!

My nurse called me Monday....said my white blood count was very low. Gotta stay off of the Methotrexate (low-dose chemo) til Monday, then go to dr. I had a test a couple of years ago where they draw blood cells out of the bone marrow. Can't think of the name of it. But it was very painful. I hope I don't have to have that done again. My white blood cell count was very low then, too.

I'm tired tonight...just wanted to say hello. Take care.

Good Morning everyone and Welcome Summer! You have done a great job so far. Stick to your guns and give up those cigarettes on Sunday! I, too, have "been there and done that" and it is very difficult to do. I quit about 12-13 years ago. Kicking and screeming all the way, but after my husband's heart surgery we both gave it up. Even after all these years, when someone goes by with a cigarette, I can recognize a Marlboro Light I don't know if you have gone back and read all the posts, so I will give you a quick intro. I will be 55 this month - can't wait to get my Senior Discount at Dunkin' Donuts - KIDDING - and like you, I was just tired of being fat. With health problems and meds, it has been a struggle to get the extra weight off this time. A couple years ago, I did the "Mayo Clinic Diet" and lost over 30 lbs. As soon as I stopped, it came back and brought a few friends with it. Now I am doing Diet Workshop. Meetings once a week and REAL food. I try to exercise at least 5 days a week for 45 minutes or more.
This is a fun group. We laugh, we cry sometimes, we share what helps and sometimes what doesn't. Large vanilla/chocolate twist soft ice cream cones do not help, if you want to make a note of that.
Willow and Angel, I pray your health problems do not get over whelming for you. When do our "Golden Years" start? Hello Sheila, hope you haven't lost us. Have to go get ready for work, just wanted to say Good Morning and Welcome. Be back soon. Sue

Hi Everyone,

This is my first day visiting the forum. My aim in joining is to find a supportive group of people to chat with about food and weight issues and most anything else that comes up.

I am 60 years old, still working 9-5. Plan to work for 5 more years, but also thinking about what I will do with my time after I retire.

I live in the midwest, and the weather is moving into fall. Fall is ok, but I do not like winter. Why don't we move? We are too deeply ingrained here, I guess. Kids and grandchildren and all the other friends and relatives all live nearby. I would dreadfully miss my grandchildren if I didn't get to see them on a regular basis. Then of course I am almost joyful when they go home after a few days visit. Is it just me, or do other grandma's feel this way too? Makes me feel quilty

Looking forward to the weekend, have a few things planned. Clean the house, organize the storage room. Hope I at least do one of these things so I don't feel like such a loser come Monday.


Take care.

Bluet

Hi, everyone!

Welcome Bluet! I know exactly what you mean about grandkids visiting, although with me it's kids. My son, DIL and GD are coming for Christmas, which I'm really happy about, and my son mentioned that vacation was from December 19 to January 11, but he wanted to be home by January 5 or something like that. He was thinking they'd come for the whole vacation--yikes! I was thinking they'd be here less than a week! I love 'em, but we have a tiny house and my dad lives with us as well as my youngest son. With the two extra adults, and my precious granddaughter, who is special needs and has lots of medical and regular baby equipment, I think my claustrophobia would be activated.

Welcome to Summer21 and congratulations on your weight loss! Puss, I hope your kitty is doing better.

I really enjoy this group. We've had our share of joys and sorrows, but I think we're all hanging in there and losing weight along the way, too. I follow the Weight Watchers plan and have lost 51 lbs. now (lost 1 lb. this week). Charlotte's graphics are incredible, too--you'll come just to see what she's posted!

Charlotte, i sure hope you don't have to take that painful test. I'll be praying for you. I hope your treatments kick in and you'll get some more energy back even though your white cell count is low.

Willow, congratulations on the 1.2 lbs.! The tooth fairy story is way too cute. What a neat kid!

Sue, you crack me up with your Dunkin' Donuts discount card. Are you one of those ex-smokers who lingers outside taverns breathing deeply?

Well, a lot has been going on at my house (besides painting!). My youngest son moved in, and has already been on a couple of job interviews so we're hoping. And my daughter joined the Navy yesterday and found out she's going to be shipped out to boot camp on October 8! She'd been told it usually takes six months to a year to get a placement, so we are all in shock. I am really hoping that things work out well for her. She's pretty excited, but nervous, too.

Other than painting trim until it rains, not sure what we're doing this weekend. Maybe another trip to the Farmer's Market--the tomatoes were wonderful!

I bought two big, beautiful tomatoes yesterday, and they are the vine-ripened ones too. Ohhhh, to die for. I had a whole one cut up in my salad with supper last night.

WELCOME Bluet! I'm so glad you've joined us!
I'm from the midwest too! Wouldn't that be something if we were neighbors or lived near each other? And I'm 59 years old, and I have LOTS of grandchildren. 12 to be exact, and yes, I tend to get nervous when they are all here, but I get a sick feeling in my stomach when they all leave to go back home too. I feel lonesome for them before they have even left the driveway.
I think I'll be less uptight after I get the downstairs done because that's where I'm going to have all the "kid" stuff, and then there won't be so much congestion up here.
Believe me, I think every Grandma has the same feeling when the grandkids go home, then feels guilty for having such thoughts.
I think it's normal, we just think we're the only ones like that.

I don't believe I'd be happy living any place but here. I'd miss the 4 seasons so much, and I think all the seasons are beautiful, but, I enjoy fall the most I think. Like our WW leader said yesterday, you can smell September.

I have 6 sons also, and some are in the same town as me and some are anywhere from 3 to 7 hours away. I have 5 Daughters-in-law.

I feel pretty good today. I don't know if it's because I've been eating healthy again the past few days, or if it's because I had a small loss yesterday or if it's because last night I finally got some sleep. Whatever the reason, I hope it keeps up.

I was thinking at work today that I want to start riding my bike back and forth to work. It's starting to get a little cooler now, and it would be good exercise. I'm going to give it a dry run tomorrow morning I think. I'll have to do it early because it's suppose to get up to 86 tomorrow. I don't think we'll have many of those days left this year. I'll just have to decide which of 2 routes I'm going to ride on. One is closer but has no street lights(kind of out of town) and a lot of truck traffic, and the other is longer but has street lights and sidewalks most of the way. It would be just my luck that I'd be bumped along by a Big Mack truck!

I don't know if any of you have heard of these stores or not, but there is a FAMILY DOLLAR store here, and I buy my laundry detergent and a lot of odds and ends there. I went there after work today and got 2 big boxes of laundry detergent, (Trend and Sun) and pink salmon for 1 dollar a (big) can, family size cans of veg. soup for $.50, an 8-roll pkg. of paper towels for $5.00, 3 books of bed-time bible stories for when the grand kids are here, measuring cups and spoons, and I can't even think of all I got right now, but I only spent $34.00.

I still haven't taken charge of that rose bush either. I'm not going to be able to procrastinate much longer.

Sheila, congratulations on your loss again this week! You made it to, AND PAST, your half way point! I'm proud of ya! Aren't you just feeling on top of the world?? You should be!

Oh gosh Charlotte, I'm praying you don't have to go through a painful test again. You've been through enough already!! Maybe just laying off the methotrexate for a bit will help matters. Do they give procrit for your problem? Maybe that would help.
I don't understand why they can't sedate a person when they do a bone marrow aspiration. That seems so damned barbaric to me!
With all the modern conveniences, and they can't stop doing painful medical procedures! Unbelieveable! I'll never let them do one on me! Not while I'm awake anyway.
These things always remind me of one of my nieces, who is 2 years younger than me, and what she said to a Dr. one time when she was really little. She had an abcessed ear, and my parents raised her and her 2 siblings, so my Mom took her in to the DR, and he lanced that abcess. Well, they ended up having the nurse, my Mom and the DR all holding her down, and she was crying sooo hard and all of a sudden she said, (charlotte, you might not want to read this because I know you're very religious)
" I don't like you! I don't like you! G-- DAMN you, I don't like you!"
My Mom said she could have died on the spot! Don't know where it came from. I'm sure she heard SOME adult say it at SOME time.
There is a story about one of my nephews and the DR too, but, another time.

I had pork teriyaki stir fry for supper tonight. with 2 pieces of toast and ICBINB spray, and some kosher dill pickles.

Sue, you mentioned senior discounts. Well, I don't know about where you live, but in my town the parking lots at most of the stores or malls have parking spots designated for people 55 and over that say, preferred parking for seniors. I parked in one once when I turned 55 and a man yelled at me and embarrassed me so much I've never tried it again. He didn't believe I was old enough to be using it, and really blasted me about letting people use those spots who really are old enough and need them, blah, blah blah. I suppose in a way it was a backhanded compliment, but, I avoid them anyway. I guess the exercise is good for me anyway.
Golden years, my foot!

Puss, I think it's beautiful that you kept your childs baby teeth and booties etc. I have heard of DNA being done on peoples baby teeth that their parents kept and paternaties being determined through that.
But, I think it's just a wonderful thing. I don't think it's macabre at all!

Does this Rosemary Conley have a web site? That's interesting that she's older and has a fitness forum.
I always think you're saying Rosemary Clooney when I first read her name, and have to re-read it. She was a famous singer when I was a kid, and she's also an aunt to George Clooney, and I bet you know who HE is! MMM, MMM, MMM!

See? I told you, eventually you're gonna have to do that nasty "E" word! I wouldn't dust Richard off again though! I just don't think he's your type. Maybe just some old fashioned walking and some old fashioned exercises like we used to do in school. Sit-ups, jumping jacks , touch-your-toes , side crunchs, ....
I haven't had Richard out for a while either. He's fun occasionally, but I don't think I could make a habit of him.
You've actually done quite well with your losses, so I wouldn't get discouraged just yet. Maybe you're body is taking a break for a few days. And, now that I think of it, didn't you just have a loss???

Well, I better get moving here. I get going and I babble!

Again, Bluet, welcome.

Summer, hello if you're around! Stop in and see us!

Everybody have a great night!