WOMEN AGES 50 + FOR NOVEMBER 2017

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  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,892 Member
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    ryenday wrote: »
    M, thanks! There are several you mentioned that I haven’t tried yet. Unfortunately nothing I have tried yet seem to have any effect. (Black Cohosh, evening primrose oil, magnesium, soy isoflavins and my favourite: daily tomato juice).

    Until I started losing weight I had the hot flashes under control, I even thought (hoped) I was past them for 8 months or so. But losing weight seems to be a trigger in my body (not a surprise- I suppose, weight loss will effect hormones). The problem right now is the flashes that come with panic attacks. All of a sudden I’m drenched in sweat and panicked out of my mind. Well, the other problem is that for the past few weeks, I’m only getting 1/2 an hour to an hour of sleep between hot flashes.

    So time to try some more home remedies and cross my fingers as hard as I can. I appreciate your list, it has some new stuff to try!

    Rye

    You might try having a chat to a pharmacist too. That's how I learned about Valerian ... I went in and asked for something that was not a "sleeping pill" but was perhaps something that might help me relax at night and sleep through the night. She showed me Valerian and Melatonin, and said that after looking into the two, she tended to prefer the Valerian. She probably said why, but I can't remember.

    I do, however, remember that she told me to take one right before bed, and to lie down and relax very soon after taking it. I guess some people have success with it, and some don't, but the ones who seem to have the most success lie down and relax right after taking it. If you're up and about finishing this and that for another hour or two, it probably won't have much effect.

    It did seem to make a difference for me. I went from falling asleep quite quickly, but within about 45 minutes I would wake up, and then be awake for 2 or 3 hours, unable to fall asleep again ... to falling asleep quite quickly and then staying asleep! That made a huge difference to my energy level!


    Also, I have read that a somewhat more vegetarian diet can help. This is based on the suggestion (fact??) that significantly fewer Asians suffer from hot flashes.

    But a little anecdotal story ...

    I was going along having a lot of hot flashes in the week leading up to my periods, but otherwise I was mostly all right ... just the occasional one.

    Then in June, my husband and I went to Canada for a month. About halfway through that trip, I started having wicked hot flashes all the time ... just one after another after another, sometimes as long as an hour apart, sometimes only minutes apart. Hot, drenched, freezing. Hot, drenched, freezing. And about every 5th one, I'd be really nauseated and dizzy. This went on for the remaining 2.5 weeks ... and then for about 3 weeks after we got home.

    And then they stopped.

    Now what changed? When I start reading a bit about diet and this business of a somewhat more vegetarian diet vs a meat-heavy diet, it clicked.

    My husband and I eat a diet that leans toward Vegetarian, or maybe sort of Mediterranean/Vegetarian ... the meat we eat is usually chicken or fish and we don't eat a lot of that. Otherwise it is mostly veggies, fruit, and grains with a little bit of dairy.

    My parents, who we visited in Canada, on the other hand, tend to be quite heavy meat eaters plus their diet tends to have a rather high fat content. And when we were travelling around and eating in restaurants, we'd eat a bit more meat because it was a novel thing ... we don't normally eat like that.

    So I'm wondering ... is there something to this diet thing? Who knows ... maybe.

    M in Oz
  • spikeyhair
    spikeyhair Posts: 2,078 Member
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    Kate UK <3
  • klanders30
    klanders30 Posts: 2,569 Member
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    Loving the pics and that veggie tray is adorable!

    Rori hope the new caregiver is just as wonderful, there is so much turnover in that profession, frustrating. If your December trip takes you to my neck of the woods, let me know!

    Busy day today, doc appointments and hair appointments, no time for the gym :s

    Take care everyone, NYKAREN
  • klanders30
    klanders30 Posts: 2,569 Member
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    and yes, this article is probably preaching to the choir, but it is just soooooo true.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/31/health/biggest-losers-weight-loss.html?recid=0wRBzDA1J4gxdU5AoUhtb4ybTgT&amp;sl_rec=personalized_weighted&amp;contentCollection=smarter-living&amp;mData=articles%5B%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F11%2F15%2Fsmarter-living%2Fblack-friday-cyber-monday-shopping.html%3Frecid%3D0wRBzDA1J4gxdU5AoUhtb4ybTgT%26sl_l%3D1%26sl_rec%3Dpersonalized_weighted&articles%5B%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F10%2F31%2Fhealth%2Fbiggest-losers-weight-loss.html%3Frecid%3D0wRBzDA1J4gxdU5AoUhtb4ybTgT%26sl_rec%3Dpersonalized_weighted&amp;hp&amp;action=click&amp;pgtype=Homepage&amp;clickSource=story-heading&amp;module=smarterLiving-promo-region&amp;region=smarterLiving-promo-region&amp;WT.nav=smarterLiving-promo-region
  • cityjaneLondon
    cityjaneLondon Posts: 12,218 Member
    edited November 2017
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    Thanks NYKAREN, that is my experience too. I have to do my daily exercises or I can't eat anything and that is unsustainable for me. I do 100 minutes a day of intentional varied exercises including cardiovascular, yoga and weights. Even so I have recently put on 3 lbs, which I am applying myself to shed. :o

    Managed to get a hair appointment for tomorrow for a trim.

    Spoke to my cancer friend today on the phone for an hour. I'm going up to see her in London in a couple of weeks. I've got a lovely meditation bracelet to give her as the one she gave me was so helpful with my difficult friend. :D She has been looking at hospices. The thing she can't stand is that people speak to her in that "empathetic" tone of voice, with their heads to one side. And very slowly. She said, "I'm ill, but I'm not an idiot!" :laugh:

    Game stew in beer tonight.

    Love Heather UK xxxxxxx
  • Andipat
    Andipat Posts: 20 Member
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    Please add me. I would love to hear motivational and inspirational stuff. You guys are awesome
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,892 Member
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    I read once, long ago, that ideally people should get at least 90 minutes of exercise a day. Not necessarily 90 minutes all at once ... it could be 15 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes at lunch, etc. etc. ... but adding up to 90 minutes.

    So ... after reading that, I have usually made an attempt to get an average of 10.5 hours per week (which would be 90 minutes a day) of various exercise.

    If I go into a period of time where I don't do that for one reason or another, I struggle to maintain my weight.
  • KJLaMore
    KJLaMore Posts: 2,830 Member
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    Hey all! Went to bed early, got up early and got some walking in. Due to the darkness and not having a walking partner or a dog; I am on a treadmill. It works for now, I may have to make a couple more playlists to get me through winter, though.
    NYKaren- Great article! I have found that making better food choices goes hand in hand with exercise. I can't make it work just doing one or the other; it has to be both, all of the time.
    Rori-Thinking of you as you find some one to help you as you travel for work! So hard to lose some one who cooks/does things the way you like.
    Machka- interesting info about hot flashes. Inadvertently, I guess I did the same as you did, as far as cutting out meat. I had read that soy helped some people with hot flashes, so I started eating more soy products. Lots of tofu, edamame, soy milks. IN doing so, I ate less meat. But the hot flashes went away. So did the night sweats.
    Katla- Do you and DH both still enjoy your boating time? Is it just the winterizing that DH hates? Wondering if having some one do it for you is within your budget? If you have to sell, sell to someone you know and maybe you will still get a few boat outings in and they can take care of the boat! ;)
    Patsy- Welcome back! <3
    Rye- Omigosh! your cats! So adorable and they DO look like they are up to no good!
    Michele- Your chameleon is adorable! And those veggies?! Very cute! But a veggie looks good to me how ever it is displayed! Yummm!
    Joyce- So sorry to hear about the pill confusion. I am beginning to go through pill issues with DH. I use a pill box to track my pills (so far just vitamins, allergy meds), but DH is resistant to using a pill box. He says it makes him feel old. He's in denial! >:) He tries to track his pills on his computer, but he forgets to write them down. Geez, he even sits at the table with his pill bottle in front of him at dinner and then forgets to take the pill. He will ask "Did you see me take this pill?" I am usually busy fixing dinner or putting it on the table (or talking). I always tell him "Just because I didn't see you take it; doesn't mean you didn't take it!"
    Cheri- Omigoodness, you are BUSY! Take time to breathe and good for you letting the kids know that cleaning up the empty apartment is their job as adults. I just recently went through the same thing with my oldest.
    Marcelyn- Oooooh, your pottery is wonderful! I just love to see "naked" dishes.
    Terry- Love your hair! It does show off the weight loss in your face! You were beautiful before and are beautiful now!
    Tallee- Sorry to hear of your losses these past few months! Come often for support on your journey! Sending your hugs!
    Heather- Aren't kids fun to watch with boxes?! My daycare kids LOVE empty boxes and bins. They could play with them all day. DH and I decided that for Christmas for DD and her family this year, we are just bringing Joaquin some winter gear (it does get cold in TX) and for DD and her DH we will pay a months worth of daycare so that they have a little financial breathing space.

    Cookies: I grew up with Snickerdoodles, oatmeal cookies, and shortbread cookies. All home made. Toll House cookie ingredients were too expensive for my mom. I remember as a kid I desperately wanted my mom to BUY cookies. Oreos, nabisco anything, Little Debbie anything...always home made. lol it made me feel poor. Now, I am a cookie snob and I don't like store-bought cookies. My DD loves any cookie, but my DYS is my food snob. He likes MY cookies, MY chicken, MY sandwiches. He is polite and eats food prepared by others when the occasion arises. But he always comes home and says "It wasn't as good as yours" Makes me happy; but I will have to talk to him about this before he gets serious with a girl. Those are not words conducive to a good relationship with motherinlaw/daughterinlaw.

    I found out something interesting about hydration/water intake. My MIL has been in and out of the hospital lately. Many of her trips in have been instigated by dehydration. So...I talked to a nutritionist about "how to get her to drink more water and stay hydrated". Things I have learned: As we get older, we lose the ability to tell if we are thirsty or hungry; so we eat and drink less. Also, people who have mobility issues will sometimes choose not to drink anything because it will mean a trip to the bathroom, which can be hard for them. Coffee and soda as a diuretic, while true, will still hydrate you. If you are or have an elderly person who doesn't want to drink water; some other options are: coffee, soda, sparkling water, smoothies, shakes, Ensure type drinks, fresh fruit (apples, citrus, pears, plums, etc.), soups, fresh veggies, juices. I can not even tell you how much relief this info gave me. It is so hard to fight her on things like what she drinks. She drinks what and when she wants. But hopefully this will help.

    kids arriving...time to fly...ttfn xoxoxo KJ (Kelly)
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,892 Member
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    KJLaMore wrote: »
    I found out something interesting about hydration/water intake. My MIL has been in and out of the hospital lately. Many of her trips in have been instigated by dehydration. So...I talked to a nutritionist about "how to get her to drink more water and stay hydrated". Things I have learned: As we get older, we lose the ability to tell if we are thirsty or hungry; so we eat and drink less. Also, people who have mobility issues will sometimes choose not to drink anything because it will mean a trip to the bathroom, which can be hard for them. Coffee and soda as a diuretic, while true, will still hydrate you. If you are or have an elderly person who doesn't want to drink water; some other options are: coffee, soda, sparkling water, smoothies, shakes, Ensure type drinks, fresh fruit (apples, citrus, pears, plums, etc.), soups, fresh veggies, juices. I can not even tell you how much relief this info gave me. It is so hard to fight her on things like what she drinks. She drinks what and when she wants. But hopefully this will help.

    kids arriving...time to fly...ttfn xoxoxo KJ (Kelly)


    On this ... I find that when I'm dehydrated, my joints ache, my muscles sometimes ache, and occasionally even my skin feels like it hurts. I also feel tired and "fuzzy". So for me, that's a good reason to drink a decent amount. Another reason is that I've had kidney stones since at least 2009, if not earlier. When I'm dehydrated, they bother me but when I'm hydrated I'm OK.

    (An aside, I had one large one that got lodged in 2009 and had to be surgically removed. That and this recent dental surgery would be tied under the category, "Most painful experience").

    Back to dehydration ... my mother lost the ability to determine when she is thirsty years ago, if she ever had that ability, and she doesn't like water. So she drinks a fraction of what I drink.

    She also complains of aching joints, aching muscles, feeling sore in general all over, fatigue and feeling "fuzzy".

    I keep hinting that she should try to drink a little bit more ... an extra glass of water or something. But ... :neutral:

    M in Oz
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 16,925 Member
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    :)NYKaren, I love reading articles that reinforce what I already know. Thanks. One of the ideas I embraced when I started this weight loss journey was to seek every opportunity to be active. Besides my regular dog walking, walking with friends, line dance classes, and riding my exercise bike, I just move around a lot. I do a lot of chores that require carrying things from one place to another and don't sit down much (except on the exercise bike). I limit my time at the computer.

    :)Kelly, about drinking water, I don't wait to be thirsty. I drink water the same way I take the pills that my doctor prescribes....I drink water on schedule and keep track of how much I drink. Last month Jake heard from his doctor that he needs to drink more water so he bought a big reusable bottle to help him keep track and he makes marks on a piece of paper to keep track.

    :)Katla, we were fortunate that we both were ready to sell our motorhome at the same time. I know it must be a great burden to you and your husband deciding what to do about the boat that has brought you so much happiness.

    :)Machka, I think all the soy and veggies in my diet were the reason that hot flashes were not a problem for me.

    :)Rye, your cats are adorable. I'd love to have more cats.

    <3JJoyce, sorry to hear about the pill confusion. We have a very careful plan with little bags well labeled and even so have occasionally made mistakes. Fortunately for us, none of our meds is a sleeping med.

    :| Another day with rain predicted so I don't know when I'll get my new bulbs planted. Next week promises some drier days.

    <3 Barbie from damp and chilly NW Washington
  • SophieRosieMom
    SophieRosieMom Posts: 3,347 Member
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    Barbie & Heather - I appreciate the reminders about giving "experiences" - I now will be giving gift cards to restaurants and ignoring the Black Friday temptation to buy more stuff for people who already have too much stuff!

    Karen in VA - I am going to have to dig out my Snickerdoodles recipe. Since I don't have co-workers to gobble down the extra's, I now roll cookie dough into balls and pop them into the freezer, which sort of works. I have been known to thaw a dozen at a time instead of four tho... :(

    Janetr - I checked out your Facebook page for the ornaments.... quite stunning to see them all at once! Hope sales are as brisk as you want them to be! I'm sure all the relatives and kids getting these keepsakes for gifts this year will have great memories!

    Cheri     - you are a girl on the go. Glad the visit with the folks in IN went well - sounds like you have the art of traveling fine-tuned. Good luck to your daughter with her new house!

    Katla - you've had many enjoyable travels in your boat. Sorry to hear your DH isn't up to working on it with you. I know we've had to give up things we enjoyed due to my DH's health. I keep looking for new "adventures" that don't take a lot of physical strength or agility anymore. In an odd way, I think the puppy is fulfilling that need for us.

    Yvonne - I've never put sausage in my chili but I have some hot Italian sausage in the freezer right now that I bet would go well. When I make chili, it normally ends up with pieces of left over roast beef I had in the freezer, ground beef, various cans of tomato juice/chopped tomatoes/leftover spaghetti sauce, two or three cans of different types of cooked beans and of course the chili seasonings, onions, etc. I have even added a can of store bought chili that's past the "best by" date. So lots goes into the freezer.

    Karen in NY - that was a terrific article about the biggest losers and exercise. I am amazed sometimes that my weight is staying where it is (and even losing a teensy bit) despite overindulging in desserts and candy... I am so thankful for the strength training which seems to have kicked my metabolism up a few notches. I think adding foods like nuts and avocados daily helps as well.

    Terry     - you are looking FABULOUS!!! If I lived near you I'd stop in for some of your DH's hot chocolate! Not sure about the toast but I think dunking a couple Snickerdoodles might be appropriate. B)

    Meg - that is crazy they can't come up with a firm date. It's not like you live 15 minutes away - seems like it's going to take planning and coordination to make the trip. Hopefully you'll hear something very soon. I know for me, I'm such a planner and scheduler that it's super hard to "let go and let God". Hugs going out your way. Keep us in your pocket!

    Joyce - glad your pill mix-up didn't have any major bad effects but it sure messed up your day, didn't it? I have seen gigantic pill keepers with many compartments where you can put the whole day's worth in one keeper. Luckily I take mine with supper but if I had more I'd probably get one of those. Do you think something like that might work for you?

    Marcelyn - I am totally impressed with your latest batch of pots. Are they all done and ready to use or is there further glazing and firing in the works?

    Margaret - so glad you found the problem with your wonky internet. Critters. Our printer has been on the fritz too, the wireless connection somehow dropped out from this laptop and doesn't want to get reinstalled so I have to boot up our ancient PC to print anything! I told DH next one we get will have a USB cable (if they still make them). GGRRRR.

    Lisa     - I always look forward to your blog and this group with my morning coffee! Thank you for your inspiration!

    Rori - so sorry to hear that your great caregiver left - maybe she works for another company now. Hope the new one works out well. Sending healing thoughts to DH regarding his melanoma. Hope the new boss at your work gets in the groove and is easy to communicate with/work with. Always unsettling when someone new comes in.

    Michele - Your exercise is paying off! Regarding bone density scans, I got a copy of my DXA report from my doc. While it's showing the overall cumulative score is a bit worse - osteopenia in lumbar and in the femur - I noticed that the femur score was the teensiest weensiest bit better than 3 years ago. I emailed my doc - she said don't get excited, it's doubtful that 6 months of strength training (ankle weights!) would have improved it. I told her I'm still celebrating because it's not worse! I hadn't been taking much calcium in the past few years. So, I'm going to take calcium citrate daily, eat more foods with calcium and keep on with the strength training and see how it does. Looks like unless we are on estrogen, our bones do get thinner as we age. So all the more reason to stay active and do our weight bearing exercise.

    Felicia - I am excited about your trip to Israel! What a great opportunity!!

    Machka - glad your life is returning to normal after that dental surgery. I had lunch 2 days ago with a couple girlfriends and it seems the whole conversation was about bad dentists, dental pain, etc. YIKES! My tooth has been hurting ever since. Have a checkup in 2 weeks... my dentist doesn't use nitrous or anything other than novocaine so we'll see. He can prescribe valium. If there's a root canal in my future (I might need 2, side by side) I dread that because my DH will have to drive me (I may want to be sedated!!! and I mean out cold!!) to the endodontist in the big city 30 miles away and I don't trust his driving anymore in heavy traffic. Heck, I don't trust my own driving in it! I'm sure it will all work out. Just want it all behind me.

    Lately, I've said I don't care what I weigh as long as I can fit in my pants! I'm changing that a bit to add "as long as I'm healthy". Seems like this has really hit home the past month or so with worries about my hoarseness and coughing, allergies, tummy upsets, bone scans. I realized if something were seriously wrong with me and I couldn't eat.... then the goal of being thin would be insignificant.

    So I guess when I see new folks coming into this group seeking advice, I echo what many others have said, pick one goal that's good for you - exercise or improving eating ... meaning focus on nutrition and a balanced diet and cutting out sugar and eating healthy fats. Maybe even meditation. Find something you like that you can make into a habit. You don't have to do it all at once. Maybe that daily walk or 5,000 steps. Get good at one thing, then add another. Write it down, keep a log or spreadsheet and take time to review your progress once a month. And if you fall off the wagon, start over. We've all been there many times!

    OK ladies, trip to town this morning and will pick up Korean food which will tide us over for a few days. My DH is getting so picky about what he can eat.... seems this is something he can digest well. I would rather we stay away from this processed food, but I think it's working well....I stretch it out into 4 meals and always have a huge salad with beans and avocado for supper with a bit of the take-out "on the side".

    Welcome newbies and returnees! Jump on in!!

    Lanette
    Chilly & Rainy SW WA State - my favorite time of year!
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,411 Member
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    Katla The decision-making about the boat is tough. It represents an important piece of your life's history.

    My mother had a friend (Mary) who made the most exquisite Barbie clothes. She would give them to the church to sell at church bazaars. My mother asked Mary how she could part with these tiny works of art, and Mary said sometimes she couldn't, so she would put the Barbie outfit in a drawer and take it out and look at it from time to time, and then after a year or two, she was ready to donate it because "she had already had it & enjoyed it."

    So when my dad died unexpectedly & Mom decided to move to a smaller house, she sold her gorgeous dining room furniture. She had wanted that furniture for 20 years, and had it for only about 1-2 years before she sold it. I was so upset that she had to sell the furniture she had waited so long for, but when I asked her about it, she said, "Oh, honey, I've already had that furniture. I've really enjoyed it for 2 years. I'm moving on to a new phase of my life. Someone else can enjoy that beautiful furniture now. It would just be a burden to me at this point." I was stunned! She said if she hadn't been ready to sell it, she would have simply stayed in that big old house until she was ready.

    I think you will know when it's time to make a decision about the boat. The process will play out without rushing it. In the meantime, your beautiful boat is right there. And the memories you and your husband have of your boat adventures...well, they will be there long after the boat has found a new home. (((Hugs)))

    Karen in Virginia
  • sugaraddict4321
    sugaraddict4321 Posts: 15,720 MFP Moderator
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    ~~~~~~~~~ **********~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~ **********~~~~~~~~~~**********

    ATTENTION LOVELY LADIES!!

    We've noticed that you have a very popular thread that may be even more useful for a group. New members can join and you can create multiple topics based on your interests.

    Group guidelines are also different and cross-posting to a FB page or off-site blog isn’t allowed in the main forums but is fine for groups. :)

    Talk amongst yourselves and if it's something you'd like to do, designate a person to start the group. Here's a link to create a new public group when you're ready:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/add

    After you've created the group we can lock this thread or let it keep rolling. Up to you.

    Hope this helps and wishing you all the best! :flowerforyou:

    Best regards,
    Sugar
    MFP Mod

    ~~~~~~~~~ **********~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~ **********~~~~~~~~~~**********
  • lcharpentier24
    lcharpentier24 Posts: 2 Member
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    I came back today just to find I couldn't get back on the wagon. Or should I say the ship has sunk. Well I have not sunk kind of gave up for some time. When I returned this morning couldn't get back on my old site. Needed to start another. So any of you who remember me. Please send me friends requests it's boring all alone on the home page. Thank you all.
    Linda in the far white north. Ontario Canada.
  • ladyshellbelle
    ladyshellbelle Posts: 98 Member
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    November Resolutions
    Drink water
    Do 90 minutes of exercise a week


    Just a note to say, I really enjoy reading all the posts and they normally make me stop and think about things..
    Thank you
  • lcharpentier24
    lcharpentier24 Posts: 2 Member
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    Well sure hope they don't close this site. I came here a lot when I was active.
    Linda in Northern Ontario and yes it's white.
  • HeavyWeightlifting
    HeavyWeightlifting Posts: 6 Member
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    Machka9----I am amazed at how many miles you have covered! woot!
    I exercise often, but pig out after 6 pm. So I need to cut that out.
    I weigh 165 lbs. I weighed 145 lbs 5 years ago. I need to lose 20lbs.
  • Lagopus
    Lagopus Posts: 1,016 Member
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    Hmm... If we can't link to off-site blogs, that would include priceless places like Skinnytaste (which I won't link to here, for fear of being censored).
    /Penny, peeved at thet07190.gif

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