WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JUNE 2017

SophieRosieMom

Welcome to June, ladies!

Katla – I finally got around to planting bush beans on Tuesday – one short row of green and one of yellow wax. That hot weather we had last week was great for the garden and I see little flower seeds coming up which I’d given up on. Isn’t it nice to have your own beans and blueberries – and being able to control how they are grown?

Once I stopped drinking beer, my GERD also disappeared (except when I eat peanuts before going to bed.) It hit me that I haven’t taken an antacid in months… I can clean off a shelf in the medicine cabinet.

Joyce – I am thrilled your kitties are getting along! So cute that Melody is grooming him. Now, I’ve never heard of washing kitties unless they get into something nasty like oil or grease from being under the car, but it makes sense that if you get them started young, they’ll not be resistant. I have a gigantic water bowl in the bathtub where our indoor kitty hangs out a lot, just “paddling” in the water and splish-splashing. She’d probably like a bath!

Louise and other newbies and returnees.... – welcome and as many have already said, you’ll find plenty of support and ideas here. Hope your dietician can give you some guidance on getting that scale to reflect a loss.

Sharon – what is float therapy? If it’s floating in a small tank of warm water…. Sounds very soothing. I’ll be there in spirit! Can’t wait to hear how it works!

Dana – sorry you are still sick! Airplane germs! The worst, lol.

Heather and others – I love all the tips about using the MFP logging and eating back calories. I’ve been most successful at eating sensibly when I have pre-logged.

Sometimes I can be really “in the groove” and look forward to logging, watching the scale drop a bit and just overall feel good and energized, and how other times I abandon sensible eating. This varies from month to month.

I know I had a rocky spell with the DH/me grumpy episode this past week. His RA is progressive and chronic and he has other health issues, doesn’t leave the house much partially because of his depression and also his “fear of germs” – he is on prednisone so has lowered immunity – I don’t blame him at all for that. I think I get “caregiver” burnout – he doesn’t really take that much of my care right now but it’s a constant responsibility being the sole link and “joy” to someone’s world and some cooperation/appreciation is in order. I was able to park that in the back of my mind when I was working. Now I face it 24/7. We talked it out and the light bulb came on for him, hope it stays on for a while.

And so, by some miracle – perhaps due to increased activity with gardening and better walking weather, my weight has stayed the same even consuming too many high-sugar/high-calorie snacks that I should not eat. I know better.

But I still need to resume my plan drop some “belly fat” which in my mind is 5 or 10 lbs.

This past month, I’ve been having problems with low blood pressure – am working with doc to see if I just need to totally stop the Losartan blood pressure med or if there’s something else going on. I get sooo pooped lifting/carrying/shoveling/bending while gardening and weeding and it ticks me off. That and allergies/allergy meds have been kicking me around and energy wanes.

But despite that I have good news….

I’ve been averaging way over the 8000 steps per day goal I set for myself. Plan to continue!

Have set up my weight ‘studio’ and have started going through the Strong Women Stay Young routine. Plan to get serious and go through it two or three times per week instead of “when I remember”. Thanks to all of you who continue to inspire me.

I have been a sporadic logger (I’m trying to do WW online logging at the same time and get overwhelmed) but will concentrate on the MFP logging. Planning a high-protein low-sugar/carb delicious snack after supper will be the key.

A final thought…. Thanks again to all of you who share your successes and struggles in not only weight loss, but life in general. I see a bit of me in each of you. We are survivors!

OK, walk is done and time to hit the weights. DH decided to take a drive into town and pick up his new glasses and order a load of beauty bark. My mini vacation starts NOW!!

Lanette
SW WA State

coastalgosgal

I have made up the dry ease calendar for June, and wow, everything is just crowded into the first two weeks! On the 12th husband has his final ERCP which is the stent in the bile duct thing. The doctor will remove the couple that are presently in, and thus doing so, see if the duct has gotten bigger. If it hasn't, then its surgery to replace the duct. A last resort, and never something the doctor has wanted to do. Its pretty serious, so I am hoping life will smile on that guy of mine, and make this ERCP a simple procedure.

Son graduates soon! He rec'd two plaques at an assembly yesterday. One for scholarship and the other citizenship. Another award was from the Presidents Education Award's Program for Outstanding Academic Excellence. He is such a smart kid! So proud of him!

Soon husband will be going to our dealership so car can get an oil check and a new wiper blade. I shall be staying home and pay bills! Oh...joy...

Made up a short shopping trip that will take us to the 6th, when its Senior Day at the grocery store. Have to shop on that day and get my 10% off! So 5 days worth of meals coming out to an anticipated amount of $68. Sadly we are out of a lot of condiments. I also need both beef and chicken stock paste.

Today after we get back from shopping I shall make up my goal poster. Glad you liked my May poster!
Hugs ladies!
Becca
Ooh I was up at 5:30 am, and watched my husbands eyeballs flick around in his closed eyelids...so freaky!!! Gotta appreciate REM sleep..

sosteach

I am new to this thread! My May goals were to walk every day for 45 minutes and take a Dance Fitness class 2 times a week. There was only one day I only walked 25 minutes. I am up to 29 pounds down since April. My goals for June are to continue what I am doing and to add one more night of cardio plus go on my vacation to Hawaii and stay active enough that I do not gain any weight back.
Dana
Oskaloosa, Iowa

drkatiebug

I looked back at my May goals and had no idea how many days I was actually successful. Some I could check with my tracker, but I wasn't a consistent logger and so could not. I devised myself an elaborate calendar checkoff to totally hold myself accountable in June. The goals are the same. I don't remember if I shared them with y'all or just wrote them in my journal.

June Goals.
1. 10,000 steps per day at least 5 days a week. (Draw diagonal on calendar from top left to bottom right)
2. 30-minutes of Bible Study/journal writing/meditation/inspirational music listening (Draw other diagonal)

This makes four areas for dots counterclockwise for the other four goals:

3. Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables
4. Take my vitamins
5. Stay within MFP calories (this includes faithful and truthful logging)
6. 30 minutes of either yard work, paperwork, of decluttering.

You may notice that I don't have "work out at the gym doing weight training" as a goal. That is because it is so ingrained in me now, I don't need to have it as a goal. Unless something absolutely keeps me from it (like the stupid Mammogram/ultrasound tomorrow), I am there at 9:15 for class Monday through a Friday.

Now, come July, I will know if I was successful.

weezieweeks

Hi again!

It looks like we are posting goals for June. I'm going to keep it simple.

1 - Continue logging to MFP
2 - Stay committed to my exercise plan
3 - Use my blog to journal
4 - Go to bed at night to sleep - not eat - last night was a SUCCESS!

Lanette - I relate to your post about the caregiver and burnout. My husband is disabled and has a lot of issues. I did not think of myself as being the "joy" in his life, but I think you are right. He is always happy to see me if I have been gone and is almost always willing to do whatever I suggest, unless he is having a really bad day. Sometimes, he will go even on those days; he knows I will adjust the pace and to him, he is going to hurt whether at home alone or out with me. I get frustrated that I am pretty much in charge and want him to initiate more - your "joy" statement is going to help me take a step back, so thank you!!

Louise in Vegas

Peach1948

Becca ~ I know you must be bursting with pride over your son's accomplishments.

KetoneKaren

OregonMother

Good morning, all. Well, still morning here on the west coast.

I survived the first stage of my root canal repair. Two hours in the chair, and I was sick immediately after. I wasn't able to go back to work. My 16-year old suggested that perhaps it wasn't the root canal but that I might have gotten glutened the night before at a church related supper. The maker of the taco meat swore to me that it was gluten-free, but I am beginning to have doubts. I am at work today, but my digestive track is not happy with me. At all. I also feel like I'm on the edge of a migraine -- another symptom of contamination. <sigh> I just should not eat anything I haven't prepared myself. I just hate to hurt people's feelings when they feel like they've done something just for me. Someday, I will learn this valuable lesson.

Second stage of root canal repair is in three weeks. This will be a six month process. The whole time I was in the chair, I was cursing my former dentist!

My dh does not have a chronic condition, but he also doesn't have any friends. He travels and works from home, so he doesn't even really have work colleagues that he actually sees. It is really exhausting to be the only person another person relies on for all companionship. It doesn't help that we just moved. I'm an introvert, too, so I totally sympathize with him, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating at times. I have friends at work, friends I knew when I lived here before, and church friends -- he has none of that. A cousin of his may be moving to Portland (about 40 miles away), so that would be wonderful.

I'm still thinking about June goals. I'm weaning myself off getting a latte every morning on my way to work. Even without any added sugar, it's about 200 calories for a medium, just from the milk. With only 1200 calories a day available to me, I'm not sure that's a great use of calories, but I really do enjoy it, and I make it last almost all morning, so giving it up is a little sad for me. I tried going fat-free on the milk, and just No.

It looks like the clouds are parting, I see some blue, so perhaps a lunch walk will be in order. My little guy and I will also go to the pool this evening. I had to beg out of it last night because I was feeling so ill.

Weighed myself this morning, and I've lost 20 pounds from my high weight in September. My clothes are so much more comfortable now! That means even more to me than what the scale says.

Felicia
Willamette Valley (Oregon)

KJLaMore

Good afternoon all! Happy June 1! Looks like my routine of checking in every morning is going to be interrupted until my schedule eases up in the summer months. I got my yard sprinkled again this morning, and since I have to move the sprinkler every 15 minutes, I decided to just walk seven minutes in one direction, turn around and walk back (seven minutes) and move the sprinkler and repeat. Got my 60 minutes of walking in that way. I also started a June strength challenge. It is one of the 30 day challenges that starts small and builds each day. I have done parts of it before, but not all. The challenge is jumping jacks, squats, crunches, and plank.

So May goals: keep up water intake ( )
log daily ( )
walk daily ( could do better)
add strength training ( )

June goals: Keep the same goals as above and add stay faithful to the food plan!!

I think I figured out what happened the other night when I woke up and was sick at night. My DYS has today off and he opened up one of the Maple Dunkel ales to drink with his burger at lunch. He tasted it and then told me he wasn't going to drink it, because the roasted coffee flavor in beers, always gives him a really bad stomach ache. (Lightbulb!) He described the stomach ache the same way mine felt. SO...no more of that for me. I dumped the rest out. Bummer...they tasted good going down.

Ah well, that's all I have right now. I have a pre-schooler next to me working on summer school work. A working lunch. ttfn KJ (Kelly)

tngram2seven

Hi friends,
Hope everyone is entering June with some determination to change things they can, and accept and deal with things they can't change in healthy ways!

I did an hour of water class yesterday. The teacher is awesome. She does very little talking. Has this hand signal for a change coming up. She is non stop movement

Been potting plants today for my front porch. Working up a sweat and enjoying being outside. Getting a little sun on my "angel wings". Still no resolution on my medication issues but I am seeing a different doctor tomorrow so hope that goes well and I get back on them.

Ginger - So good to see you back with us! I have really missed you (and your little check marks, too)!

Dana - feel better soon!

Barbie - Thanks for the June thread!

Matchka- Have a wonderful winter! (My second favorite season in Tennessee) Would you believe that once on a geography test in grade school I answered the question "What day is Christmas in Australia?" with July 25?!?!?! By the time I got my test back I had realized what I had done! DUHHHHH!

Lanette - I have also wondered what float therapy is. I thought it might be white water rafting or doing the "dead man" float in the neighborhood pool. Now I am picturing Katla in the horse trough! Oh, dear! Help us out someone. What is float therapy?

Love to you all

Toni in Tennessee

pipcd34

L

DanaReel180

Hello all!

For newbies:
Starting weight: 294
Current weight: 259.8
I'm 68 & retired!
Married, 3 kids & 10 grandkids

Goals for May
1. Lose 5-6 lbs - I LOST 7.2 LBS!!
2. Go to the Y and exercise more.
I bought a exercise peddler and did exercise more and tracking steps. I haven't made it to the Y yet.

Goals for June
1. Make myself a better version of me!
2. Lose 7-8 lbs. I need to buckle down instead of eating so many treats.
3. Eat more veggies and less restaurant food.
4. Walk more and up my minutes on my exercise peddler.
5. Go to the Y and swim!
6. Work on my office area and shred files.
I have a guest coming in July, so I would like to get the house really cleaned up too.

Lanette. Yes, those airplane germs are the worst. But I'm feeling better today. It's a case of bronchitis! Just tired feeling.
I hope your DH appreciates you a little more! It's hard to be a caregiver. I tried my best with my mom, but she ended up moving in with my sister. Probably better all around.

Heather. Thank you for thinking of me. I'm feeling a bit better today.
I'm up and working on June's bills. It's always fun! Right? At least everything is paid online through our bank. I keep Excel spreadsheets to figure out the percentages of who pays what. Since DH brings in more than I do he pays a higher percentage than I do. But we pay our own bills separately. It works for us!

Becca. You must be proud if your son's accomplishment! That's fantastic!

Dana in Iowa. Welcome!!

Have a good day!
Dana in Arkansas
Angus cattle and the Rocky Mountains near the Colorado/ Wyoming border.

Lagopus

Katla and Machka - your discussion of when seasons begin reminded me of an occasion back in November. The Director of the North Norwegian Museum of Art was in Longyearbyen to open an exhibition. He said it would be there "until the beginning of summer". I had to ask him then how he defined summer. He looked taken aback then said the exhibition would be there until mid-April. That's nothing like the beginning of summer in North Norway, not to mention Svalbard! But the Director is originally from North Carolina so I guess his internal seasonal clock is set differently.

The Swedish Meteorological Institute defines the beginning of summer as the first day when the average temperature is above 10C (50F) for five days in a row. According to that definition, we NEVER get summer in Svalbard.

I took a walk before lunch and here are two pics to prove it. I met one of the many hares that are lingering down here at sea level, waiting for the snow to melt so they can go up the mountain slopes where they belong (far from my garden!). I tried to get my cell phone out in time to catch a pic of him, but was unsuccessful. As second best, here's the little mountain stream I was passing at the time.


And here's our house, pic taken from the east so you can see our huge windows that overlook the bird feeder and the mountain where the golden eagles live.


I also had a walk before dinner, giving a total of about 500 extra calories. I don't know yet how I'll spend them. They're nice to have anyway!

As I've been sitting here writing to you, at least two dozen hares have sped by that window. (I lost count at 8.) They're speedy, but after lots of failed attempts, I managed to capture one out by the strawberry patch. He's changing from winter white to summer brown coat. You can see from the strawberry patch that spring hasn't arrived here yet!


/Penny, channeling Elmer Fudd with a cell phone, near the North Pole

PS: Float therapy, at least the kind my friend had, involves crawling into a big tub of water that is warm, lightly scented, and salty enough that you float effortlessly. You can choose how much lighting you want, whether the light should have any particular color, and also choose music if you wish. They tuck you into this tub then cover it with a big plastic eggshell shaped lid and leave you there to wind down.

While adding this PS I've seen another six hares. I'll need to protect my strawberry plants as soon as they (ooops! seven hares now) start putting out new leaves.

Vickil57

Happy June ladies, where is the time going??

Penny--That float therapy sounds interesting, but no way could I have a cover.

Have been reading just not a lot of time to take notes and respond. But think of each of you and keep you in my prayers. Work is crazy and I have one lady that called today and she is being admitted to the hospital and will be off for a couple months which leaves us short handed and two others have vacations planned out of state this month. Means since we are a 24/7 dept. Another lady and I will be working a lot of overtime. One Day at a time.
Blessings, Vicki Grand Island, NE

fanncy0626

Rest day! My Lymes disease is either acting up and feels as though I broke my back between my shoulder blades or my back is acting up! Which ever it is I will be only able to walk today! I know that my limes disease is causing extreme brain fog today. I got onto the freeway after leaving my DH' S grand sons graduation and I didn't know where I was not once but twice! I even called my DH because I was worried!

It sounds like several of us are pulling muscles or injuring ourselves lately! Hopefully everybody will be on the mend!

Margaret - so glad that your sub position is almost over! Enjoy the last few days!



Mary from Minnesota

MartiB856

Good Afternoon,

Checking in and reading everyone's posts. It is so wonderful to have so many friends and so much support, I do not post very often but it is really nice to know you are here.
I started this group in May without posting any goals on this site. But my goals were to log everything that went into my mouth into MFP , I think there was once or twice that I forgot to log a food item - for the most part I was a success, I did log in everyday.
My goals for June are:
Continue logging every day in MFP
To stay with in my Calorie Count
To work one hour a day in the yard/garden
To work on getting 6000 steps a day
To workout on my elliptical everyday -- I am only able to get about 15 minutes a day, trying to work on my stamina and increase the time. I have been very inactive for the past year.
But most of all -- Do Not Give Up!!

Marti in Ontario Oregon

jmkmomm

Those are some pretty good size hares Penny. I bet that stream is really cold. I live through the European friends here. Not that I don't love the rest of you but we can travel anywhere in the US. I don't think either of us feel comfortable traveling out of the country. We enjoy being close to our doctors, kids, etc. I don't know if I could move somewhere that I am not living more than 4 hours away from the girls. I know I could travel but as we have gotten older, wo don't want to travel as much. I think a lot of it has to do with DH ileostomy and Parkinson's. With the latter, he just seems more vulnerable. So I love seeing and reading of you girls lives.

Well I thought the vet appointment was today. I got my calendar out and it's next Monday. Mr Mozart is eating a lot more now and for that I am pleased. The prescribed is 1/2 to 3/4 cup. I started out with 1/2 cup, sometimes he would eat all of it and sometimes he would eat next to nothing. I wish we had weighed him when we got him. He still is skinny. Last night I was playing with the laser pen and Melody decided to get in the action as long as the red dot was still on the couch. Yes, I even have a couch potato cat. But eventually little squirt saw it and jumped up on the couch. Melody didn't mind and even let him play with the red dot. She eventually had enough and swatted him off the couch. So later Melody just sitting minding her own business, not even flicking her tail. I saw Mr Mozart sitting in the chair in his crouched down position. I knew what was going down. He pounced and leaped.....then fell flat on the floor. Didn't leap far enough. But got a cute picture this morning. When I opened the patio door, there they both were, sitting side by side in harmony.A minute later Melody has swatted him away. I'm afraid that I am going to have to employ the can of air on her.

I am safe in the ho use with most foods, well I love my husband's Life cereal. It's at the grocery store that I have a problem. And if I buy it and it's in the house, I am good as long as I eat all of it and it's gone. I don't have the strength to put it in the trash can. I guess if someone came in my house and took it with the, I would let them. I know there are many times that I buy something like a chocolate candy bar, and it's cheaper to buy the King size, and eat it before I get home to Charlie. I wish he would chastise me, I have asked him but he won't.

Joyce, in sunny Indiana 87 degrees!

OregonMother

Penny -- that rabbit is just the cutest thing. I saw a rabbit on my walk at lunch today, but he was just brown and fast!

klanders30

dana love your goals and the trajectory you are on--inspiring!

Finally a beautiful afternoon! I am sitting in peaceful sunshine listening to the birds chirp and not even bothering to plant my tomato seedlings-that's how relaxed (Mmm, lazy) I feel.

Drinking lots of water and feeling all the better for it--lots of steps to the bathroom lol.

NYKAREN

barbiecat

fvsp1213 wrote: »

I'm still thinking about June goals. I'm weaning myself off getting a latte every morning on my way to work. Even without any added sugar, it's about 200 calories for a medium, just from the milk. With only 1200 calories a day available to me, I'm not sure that's a great use of calories, but I really do enjoy it, and I make it last almost all morning, so giving it up is a little sad for me. I tried going fat-free on the milk, and just No.


Felicia
Willamette Valley (Oregon)

Felicia, When I started on my weight loss journey a few years ago I realized that I was getting too many calories from the yummy creamer that I put in my coffee, so I gradually decreased the creamer until I realized that I didn't like coffee without the sweet creamer so I decided to stop drinking coffee. At first I drank herb tea in the morning and then when I started walking the dogs in the morning, realized that I would be better off not drinking anything before going out for a walk. Now I drink nothing in the morning so I can easily walk the dogs for two hours and then drink only water for the rest of the day. I wish you the best as you decide what to do about your daily coffee.

Penny, many people here spend the winter in Arizona so for them, winter is defined as October to April and summer is April to October.

Barbie from NW Washington