Daily Check In: Are You On Track Today?

shariletts

I am down a little bit more today and very thankful to see the numbers moving in the right direction. Still a bit more to go though.

Paula it's great that you and John can participate in the online class with your old church. I think you have shared about your old church in the past, but I can't remember why you attend a new one. Is it because you moved all those years ago?

Hoping to stay on track again today. I did pretty good yesterday, but I did stray some.

Paulawilldo

Yay for you for your downward movement on the scale Shari!

We left our old church primarily because it was not handicapped accessible for the Sunday School rooms and social hall. Getting to these places required going down a flight of stairs that was not easy. While my mobility at that time was relatively good, John couldn't do the steps by himself. It was necessary for me to carry him up and down the steps. The older and bigger he got, the more difficult it was for me to do that. Other folks offered to help me with this, but I worried about any one else hurting themselves or falling while trying to carry him. Also, it was kind of demeaning for John to have to be carried like that. He was almost 11 when we left that church. Our old church is much closer to our home than our current church. In the years since we left, they have built an addition that is handicapped accessible for the social hall, but I think the Sunday School remains on the lower level. On occasion I think about returning to our old church, but since we don't attend in person these days, I don't plan to go back to the old church anytime soon.

John and I had a wonderful time with our cousins. We all agreed we have to get together more often. My cousin's wife is such a sweetheart. We never run out of things to talk about. We ordered from one of our favorite local restaurants. I had a meatball sub which was good and not too far off of my plan. I didn't count points today. I had a small piece of the cake they brought and that was enough to satisfy me. I am glad that it didn't trigger an additional sugar craving.

shariletts

Thank you for sharing Paula. I can almost picture the set up of the church. So many were designed with the classrooms and the social hall in the basement. They often have steep staircases too. Good to hear that you had such a good visit with your cousin ad his wife.

I lost a tiny bit more weight, I hope it keeps slipping off. I have a couple of more pounds to go.

I will work from home this morning and go in this afternoon. I am very thankful for a short week and that it is already the weekend. So many things to do around the house! Fall has arrived and I will need to spend some time outside. My gardening wasn't super successful this year, but I do have to tend to what did grow.

Paulawilldo

Yes Shari, the staircase at that church is extremely steep! I am happy that you are seeing more scale success...every little bit helps.

I thought I didn't have much to do today, but when I tackled my to do list, it turned out to be more than I realized. I am pleased with what I accomplished and didn't really stress over much of anything (that is progress for me). Saturday should be a very easy day for me. I was expecting visitors on Sunday but haven't heard from them to tell me if they are still planning to come or not. I texted the wife early this morning but she hasn't replied yet. That's not like her so I now am wondering what is going on. I did ok with my food today....except I had another small piece of the birthday cake my cousins brought on Thursday. John finished off the rest of it tonight so no more temptation from that delicious cake. Oh, and of course John won't gain an ounce!!

shariletts

A little bit down on the scale. It's just a few ounces every day, but I really hope this trend will push on until I am where I was. Of course I wouldn't mind if it kept on going. But I just want to get back to where I was before vacation first.

I have been making homemade ice cream for a treat for DH and I when we need something sweet. I have very little, but it really does help cure the craving. Knowing it's all good ingredients is so helpful.

Cleaning and laundry day today. I didn't have enough energy to do much of that after work and then making dinner and doing dishes. Not sure how much I will get done, but any bit will help. It's sunny out, so I hope be outdoors too.

Paulawilldo

Yay for your continued good news at the scale Shari. An old cliche' but a favorite of mine.....slow and steady wins the race! Hope you got to enjoy your outdoor time. We have had a long string of fabulous weather with temps in the high 70s/low 80s and no humidity...about as good as it gets around here.

I did ok today, but I had to eat supper without John again. I get hungry before he does, so now some days I eat alone and then sit with him when he eats also. By doing this I avoid getting overly hungry and over eating. Our friends are coming to visit tomorrow. This is the couple with the DH who lost his job at the end of May. Their 40th wedding anniversary is coming up this month so we will celebrate that tomorrow with a delivery from a local restaurant. They live over an hour from here so we don't see as much of each other as we'd wish, but we are in close contact by phone and text. I have a long history with both of them as I knew each of them even before they knew each other....all through church activities dating back to the early 1970s when I was a teenager. An added joy of their visit is that I don't have to stress about cleaning up or prepping for them...they are very easy friends.

shariletts

I had such a full day, but it was all indoors. I hope to get a peek at my garden today. I won't work in it, but I may pull a few veggies for dinner. I haven't seen it in two weeks. More good news, I dropped a bit more weight. I am so hopeful to be at my before vacation weight by the end of next week.

Have a lovely visit with your friends Paula! It's not easy to maintain long term friendships, but it is a remarkable quality that I see in you.

Paulawilldo

Shari, You are doing so well. I cheer your success and cheer you on to keep it going! Your healthy habits and good efforts mean a lot!

We had a wonderful visit with our friends. All things considered, they are adjusting remarkably well to their situation, and they look terrific. It is like having family here when they come. They make themselves at home in the kitchen and don't need me to wait on them. They are also very helpful in general. We talked non stop for the 4 hours or so that they were here. I think they will be back here next month. They love Buster too. We got delivery from one of the local restaurants that John and I really enjoy. I managed well with portion control which is always a challenge to me. I had a small steak sandwich compared to my old choice of a large.

shariletts

We had a good day yesterday. I did a few things, but I did make an effort to rest for most of the day. I managed to get stung by a wasp while I was outdoors. My arm is quite itchy now. I will have to read up on how long that will last.

Good to hear that your visit went well Paula; and that your choice for dinner was wise.

I have been tracking quite consistently and I really have to aim to get enough protein in my day. It always seems to be a struggle.

Paulawilldo

Shari, I hope your wasp sting doesn't cause you too much pain and/or itch. We have had wasp nests in our yard at least twice this summer. I have a contract with an exterminator service so they came and took care of them both times. I always worry about the lawn care folks being stung by those pests.

I think tracking is important too. I know I do so much better when I log all my food. I didn't do that today partly because I was very tired, not from my RA I think, but rather because I was wakened up much earlier than usual by Buster who had to go outside. He came and jumped on my bed to tell me he had to go out. Once I was up, I stayed up but felt tired all day. I rested off and on and didn't stress much about my to do list. It was not a long list.

shariletts

My wasp sting is still itchy, I read that the itch should only last two days so I expect it to subside today. I am not a fan of the wasp at all!

I am up in weight today! I wasn't expecting that at all. I have been pretty consistent with my eating. I am hoping it's just water weight and will come back down over the next two days. I go to the gym today, so hopefully that helps too.

Hope you feel more energetic today Paula!

How are things going with you DW?

Paulawilldo

So good that you are being consistent with your eating. It seems like you are zeroing in on what really works for you.

I had a great day today. I did a grocery pick up because I had only a small order, and I get annoyed at times with the delivery fees at times. Craig seems to have vanished (not sure why) so I couldn't depend on him to do the pick up. So John, Buster, and I went to the grocery store and also did some drive thru banking. It was a bit of a challenge to carry in the bags, but we managed little by little. John was and always is a huge help. Later in the day a young woman from a local animal rescue stopped by to pick up some items we were donating to the rescue. She remembered John from high school as she was 2 years behind him in high school. She is just delightful, and I felt so good contributing to one of our local rescues. I was at the top of my points today but rationalized it because I did a little more moving than on a typical day for me. My energy stayed high all day long, and our Bible study tonight was really valuable too.

shariletts

Paula, I am glad that your PT has helped you to have the ability to make trips out in your van. That is terrific. It seems out of character for Craig not to be around, I hope he is okay.

My DH has become a Craig of sorts for the two gentlemen that live across the highway from us. He has been helping them quite a bit. I have been the recipient of some amazing veggies as a result. I am also inspired to be a better gardener over the coming years. I have sent over a few loaves of sourdough bread and they love it.

I didn't get enough movement in my day yesterday so today I will focus on that. I am happy with my food intake, if I can get that to be consistent, the weight should drop off. I know my stress is much lower than it has been in years.

Paulawilldo

I think eventually I will call Craig's mom to see what is going on. I just haven't had the time lately to do that. I don't want to worry her that he hasn't been helping us. But she knows his character and how scattered he can be at times. Lower stress definitely can help with weight loss, at least in part because of lower cortisol levels as I recall. I know I gained most of my weight during particularly stressful times.

I am pleased with my day again. We are hosting the inter church group this Sunday so had to work on the treasurer's report. It is mostly done and wasn't complicated this time at all. Prez has been quiet lately except that she already tried to get me to deviate from the planned coffee and cake by offering to bring a hot dip. I flatly told her "no" and that I won't heat up my oven for her dip. She has dropped that issue for now. She also mentioned serving wine. I ignored her and she dropped it. So, so far so good.
Another member asked me to do something she really should do but claims she can't. I agreed to do that for her as it won't take long and I don't mind doing it.
I stayed on track today and felt good all day long...got a lot done and not fatigued.

DW2022

Good morning! Just a quick note to let you know that I’m still here 😊 we got back mid afternoon on 9/13 after flying all night and then going to pick up the dogs . They seemed to have done well with their vacation! It was so hard to say goodbye to our AK family!
I feel like I’ve been trying to catch up on things ever since and was back to work this past Monday. Dog classes also started on Monday evening and I have those on Mondays, Tuesdays and most Thursdays.
Shari, my weight is also inching back down with the occasional increase. I haven’t been able to get back to the gym yet but need to figure out when I can do that.
Paula, it sounds like you have been busy with meetings and company!
I hope you both have a wonderful Thursday!!

shariletts

Good to hear from everyone! Lots of things going on for each of us personally. I decided to sleep in a bit today so I will have get through my morning routine a bit quicker.

I ate out last night, and entered my meal afterwards. I didn't choose as wisely as I had thought. I will need to get back to researching restaurant meals before I order and eat them. I was surprised at how much fat and calories a Tuna Poke bowl had. Yikes!

I can make better choices today! And get my steps in.

Paulawilldo

Welcome back DW! What a busy week you have! I hope you are able to take it easy a little in the midst of all your goings on.

Shari, If your tuna bowl had avocado maybe that is where the fat came from. If it is any consolation, avocado is generally considered a "good" fat.

My motivation remains high as does my energy. I tracked my food and stayed well within my point range for the day. I had a rather large to do list in getting ready for my cleaning service tomorrow as well as for Sunday's meeting. I am pleased that I accomplished all of my to do list with the exception of some phone calls I have to make.

shariletts

Paula- it did have Avocado. That makes me feel a bit better!
I came a bit down in my weight, hopefully it will stay down and drop even more. I get to work from home today, and I always eat better when I can eat at home. I do take my lunch to work, but sometimes it is not enough and I eat bad snacks. I should really leave some healthy choices in my desk. That would help.

So excited that the weekend is here. I have had a busy week and have some chores to do around the house. I am not company ready like Paula is.

Paulawilldo

Shari, how encouraging when the weight continues to trend down! I wish I was weighing in more often. I am going to try to weigh in next week, though I am not expecting good news having had so many good and then not-so-good days. I feel like I am just staying the same, if not having a slight gain. Stepping on the scale continues to be a challenge for me because of my balance issues.

I planned to take it easy today and did so mostly. I made our favorite Greek salad for supper again. John continues to say he could eat it every day. It is healthy and easy for me to make. The cleaning service did well which made me feel good. I do have a list of house prep to do for Sunday's meeting, and that could be challenging in that I prefer to spend Saturday watching college football with John, but I feel fairly certain we will get most of the prep done.

shariletts

I am back to where I started at the start of this week with my weight. That means I still have one vacation pound to lose. I will work hard on that this coming week. The pounds never come off that easy anymore.

I have a full day of cleaning/chores so that I can relax all day tomorrow. The sun is shining so it will be good to be outside and start some fall clean up. That will help me get my steps in. I haven't been doing so well with my steps lately- even though I don't feel like I changed things up. I can get so many more steps in a day if I venture outdoors.

Paulawilldo

Great going with the weight loss Shari! You seem to be doing what it takes! Yay!

I had another busy day. It seems like there was still a lot to do to prep for tomorrow's meeting. Things are just about all ready for now, as ready as they can be till tomorrow. Doing the final set up took longer than I an anticipated, but I am pleased with the way things are set up now. I had to do more today instead of waiting till tomorrow because a friend from my old church called to tell me she is coming to see me on Sunday. She isn't a member of this group and won't stay for the meeting. She knows about the meeting, but said she would be gone before the members arrive. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I would prefer that she not come as last minute prep for me for the meeting could be necessary. In a way it is good knowing that I had to have just about everything ready today since I might not have time to do much tomorrow before the meeting starts.

shariletts

I am pleased with my weigh in today and I am encouraged that I can be at my pre-vacation weight very soon. Then I just have to keep it going. I am feeling positive about how things are progressing. I feel less stressed, I am stronger and I have a good handle on some good habits. I can improve my consistency on a few more things, but I am getting there.

Paula- I am glad you are prepared for the meeting. Hopefully your visitor doesn't stay too close to the start of the meeting. I believe that I would start feeling the pressure if someone stayed to visit and I didn't have time to transition. I am sure both things will go smoothly for you.

I invited my old neighbour to come over this afternoon to make cabbage rolls. It will be so good to fill my freezer up again. I don't have to make them with her, I just know she loves to make them and it's nice to have the company.

Paulawilldo

Congrats Shari! Woo hoo for your positive attitude and notable progress. Your weigh-ins support your efforts your on-going motivation. Way to go! Enjoy the cabbage rolls...a favorite of mine for sure. Enjoy the company of your neighbor too.

My pre-meeting visitor stayed a little longer than I expected, but once she was here I enjoyed seeing her. She is a widow who lives alone and has no children. Life can be lonely for her. We made plans to get together next Sunday here to celebrate the birthday of a mutual friend. The meeting went well and pretty smoothly. Prez was on mostly good behavior. She and another member were very helpful to me in serving beverages, putting out the snacks I provided (chips, pretzels, and ranch dip), and cleaning up. She didn't bring her dip but did bring cheese cubes to which I added Ritz crackers. I made it known that I was tired and had some pains today, so they stepped up and it all worked out. I didn't log today's food but didn't over do it at all, maybe because I was sitting in a seat not close enough to reach any of the high calorie foods! LOL

shariletts

I ate outside of my regular food choices yesterday and I didn't track what I ate either. I also had more wine than I would have liked. I have cut out alcohol from my diet plan and I can confirm that I feel way better not drinking at all. Everything I ate/drink was a choice that I made (or didn't make). I say that because I threw my good habits out the window and just lived in the moment. It is way better to make a conscious choice. I am back to that today. It was a good test comparison and I would rather feel great. I don't feel awful, but I can tell a difference.

Glad your visit and meeting went well Paula.

Paulawilldo

Shari, I think a day like you had on Sunday can be good for us once in a while, if for no other reason than to remind us (as you said) how good we feel when we stay on plan and to be reminded of the difference our good habits can make. Yay for getting back on plan!

I am excited about going to bed tonight because (drum roll) my new mattress arrived today! I ordered it at the of August, as a late birthday present to myself. (John got a new mattress for his birthday 4 years ago from our old reliable furniture store....same place I got mine from today.) My old mattress was VERY old....so old I am embarrassed to admit how old it was. I had a good eating day today and got in a lot of movement too. I felt really good and recovered from the fatigue of yesterday's prep and meeting.

shariletts

Paula- That is a very good way to look at my Sunday. I am feeling much better today and know that I prefer to feel energetic and that is motivation to stay on plan. My weight went up too, so that is double the motivation to stay on plan.

That is so exciting to get a new mattress. Don't be embarrassed about the age of the old one. I couldn't tell you how old ours is. If I looked it up, I would probably be mortified. We should start watching for sales and plan on replacing ours.

We are going to have some unseasonably warm weather this week. I am so excited!

Paulawilldo

Enjoy your warm weather Shari! Autumn is making itself known here on some days. I noticed that my neighbor's red maple is beginning to lose some leaves already.

I slept wonderfully well on my new mattress and now realize that I should gotten a new one much sooner. I am amazed at the difference I feel in bed. It was a quiet and low demand day for me today so I enjoyed some "me" time as well as a really good session of our Tuesday online Bible study. I have a reasonable to do list for tomorrow too and don't want to over do it since I plan to drive to our hair appointments on Thursday. My hunger was under control today (maybe being well rested helped here too).

shariletts

Paula- Glad that your new mattress was such a good purchase. I have to try and remember to talk to DH about starting to look for one for us.

I am very excited about my hair appt that I have on Friday. It has been way too long. I hope that my hairdresser can find a way to keep my hair out of my face without resorting to bangs. I am still trying to grow them out and finding it very difficult. They can just tuck behind my ears, but I don't like the way it looks. Fun we both get to get our hair done. John too?

I still meet with my friend every Wednesday and tonight we have decided to take advantage of the warm weather and go for a walk rather than dinner. That is so good for me! I am looking forward to that.

Paulawilldo

Yes, John is getting his hair cut too. Our stylist does a great job for him too. And of course Buster has to go along for the ride. We feel so fortunate that we can get our hair taken care of this way with someone who is so sweet and caring and helpful.

I had a very good day again for food choices and "to do" list accomplishments. Tomorrow could be a little more challenging with food as I know John would enjoy something we could pick up while out, perhaps a Subway sub since they will bring it to the van for us. I will welcome some time off from cooking, especially since we will be out and getting home at supper time. I have no other errands to take care of on this trip (no banking needs, etc.) so it will be a shorter trip of sorts.

shariletts

I hope your hair appt goes well Paula! I hope mine will go well tomorrow. I am not 100% sure how I want to get it styled yet. I might have to do some research and see if I can take a photo along to show her what I am aiming for. I just need to figure out what that goal is.

My weight is bouncing around a bit. Mostly due to some bad choices today. We were served lunch at work, and it was a pretty unhealthy meal. Lots of dressing on Caesar salad and coleslaw. That with a very cheesy rich chicken noodle casserole. It was very yummy, but I shouldn't have eaten it. I am going to strive to take my lunch in, even on the days where they provide a meal. I will need to work hard the rest of this week to redeem myself.