WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR FEBRUARY 2012

msh0530

I have been mia on the boards for the weekend. I was taking care of a sick grandson and in general, busy living life! Anyway, my goal for today is to read all of the posts from you lovely ladies for the past 3 1/2 days, and get my life back on schedule. Genealace, I thought of you this morning when I woke up to no heat in my house! I hope all of you are doing well! I will try to post my goal progress for the past week tomorrow. Have a great Tuesday! Mary

jb_2011

Mardi Gras - Fat Tuesday - I certainly hope not! :laugh:

For me it's Tuesday-good-news-day, best day of the week in my nape of the neck. Scale down half pound, finally rid of the 2 lbs I've been toying with since my lowest weigh-in 2 weeks ago. Cut way back on sugar yesterday, started tracking it on my food diary, I was still over by 11g but as I look back, there were days I was over by much more than that. So another day begins of studying proper foods and how to eat less sugar. Heck, eat less in general!

While reading on the net about the dangers of sugar I ran into information about the dangers of grain. Oh boy, here we go. Another thing to be cautious about consuming. I read about the Paleo diet, "primal eating" if you will, and all about how soaking or sprouting grains previous to consumption makes them more tolerable. Soaking or sprouting neutralizes the high levels of mineral-blocking phytic acid in grains. Grains have been linked to tooth decay, inflammatory disease such as arthritis, over-production of mucus, allergies and intestinal troubles. Further reading is on the agenda.

The general consensus is that carb overloading - from sugar and grains - makes ya feel bad. I don't wanna feel bad. I'm not planning to completely give up grains at this point, or go purely Paleo, but it's certainly food for thought, and I do believe we should limit our intake of bread and cereal grains. I know that eating too much of them keeps me from losing weight, tried and true! Eggs, meat, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, small amounts of fruits, and heaps of veggies are all on the good-foods list. Dairy on the no-no list too? Sheeeeesh. Well, I'm simply not giving up non-fat yogurt or Jarlsberg Lite Swiss.

Love hearing everyone's imput about sugar, thanks for continuing to discuss it. I guess moderation really is the key, isn't it. We all love a little of this or that from time to time, sweets, ice cream, cookies, muffins, my homemade huckleberry pie...ok, now I'm hungry.

Good day everyone!
:^) jb

MacMadame

I was really lazy this weekend. I sat on the couch with Mini-Mac and vegged. Oh and waited on her hand and foot. LOL

She's right about the time where the first tonsil scab falls off and the pain comes back so I was nervous to leave her this AM. So nervous that I forgot my computer and had to go back and get it! MacBoy is keeping an eye on her.

msh0530

Michele - If you are crafty, you could make bowling pin Santas.
http://www.ehow.com/list_7217733_crafts-using-used-bowling-pins.html

Or if you are way artsy, which you said you aren't, these look really cool!
http://www.dudecraft.com/2010/01/tattooed-bowling-pins.html

kellykat2

im so glad to have found women in my age group! it really is different losing weight in your 50's.

barbiecat

:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:
In response to all the comments about sugar and simple carbs, The second thin commandment is “Think Historically, not Calorically” Think about your history with particular foods and act accordingly. Because of that, I don’t eat certain foods at all because my history is that I am unable to be moderate with them so I am better off abstaining completely and when abstaining, the craving gradually goes away,

:flowerforyou: Barbara, I watch TV while I do my strength training and listen to music when I walk and that makes it more entertaining.

:bigsmile: I am on waiting list at the library for “The Happiness Project”…..there are three people ahead of me so it will be a long time.

:flowerforyou: Jane, I’m so glad to hear that you came through your surgery well…..you are a darling to let us know right away.

:flowerforyou: Desiree, have you looked into strength training as a means of speeding up your metabolism?

MEG, you’ll probably get a lot more health coach benefits from the women on this thread……I’ve learned a lot from them and gotten the encouragement I’ve needed to keep going.

:flowerforyou: Mimi, do you have a pedometer to keep track of your walking or do you just know the mileage of your route?

:flowerforyou: Frogmama, your geocaching sounds challenging…..I’m not sure exactly what it is but it sure burned a lot of calories.

:flowerforyou: Michele, I love reading about your adventures

:flowerforyou: Nancy, we traveled through the Okanagan valley a few years ago in our motorhome…..what a beautiful area…..we were there in the summer. I’ll bet it’s really beautiful in the winter but probably not the time to be driving a motorhome.:laugh: I started reading "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" and have learned a lot. DH tells me to be careful, that I'm not as young as I used to be :laugh:

:flowerforyou: Kackie, your snow and skiing sound wonderful…..have you tried music as an antidote to the blues when there’s no sun? Singing and dancing have always lifted my spirits.

:bigsmile: We had house guests, restaurant meals, and dinner at a friend’s house, so thanks to crackers, corn bread, sweet potato fries, and Chinese food, the scale was not my friend this morning…..I am happy to be back to my usual eating today. Even with company, I was able to do most of the walking I normally do.

Barbie from NW Washington where it is gray and cloudy again with a slight drizzle

vypeters

Howdy all! Happy Tuesday. Cold here but supposed to be in the 60's by Thursday - I think I'm getting whiplash with the temperature changes!

DH stepped on a nail yesterday and had to get a tetanus shot and be on a strong antibiotic for 5 days. Really nasty looking but not swelling like it was last night. DD feeling guilty - she saw the big board with nail and had gone to get a hammer to pound it down when he stepped on it. Not her fault, but she's such a tender soul. We're pampering him a little and he'll be fine.

I am now TRYING to stop losing weight. I know my current weight may look high to some who've never been morbidly obese, but it's working well for me and I'm happy where I am. It's so nerve-wracking to up my calories, though because of a fear of regaining the weight. I want to make sure I continue my new habits of eating quality foods. Will continue working out and trying to tone and become healthier, but am now on a maintenance plan.

I have cut simple carbs out of my diet almost completely except for small amounts that are in something with complex carbs or protein. This I want to continue in maintenance because simple carbs awake the carb monster and I get the munchies something awful (See Barbiecat's "Think Historically, not Calorically" quote). Complex carbs, especially oats, don't seem to have that effect.

kckramp: So sorry you're feeling sick. Be better soon. DD has had the crud and I know how miserable it can be.

janemartin2: Glad surgery went well. Take it easy and recuperate quickly.

AHealthierSuz: Sodium is my enemy. I just have to look at a salt shaker to gain a couple of pounds. But the good news is it's just water. A couple of days of drinking plenty of fluids will flush it right out.

Exermom: My favorite thing to do with plain Greek yogurt: I have bags of frozen fruit that I take out and thaw in 1/4 cup quantities. When they thaw you get the fruit and a little juice - put it all in the yogurt. Not as sweet as the fruit-on-the-bottom because there's no added sugar, but just enough to temper the tartness of the yogurt.

Realpure: You'll get there! And I know you'll find something you like in whatever size you are.

Laura80111: Hooray for your one pound loss. And sympathies on your DH's employment situation. Mine has been unemployed since July. He does some handyman work, but his unemployment runs out the end of this month. We'll be OK and like you I enjoy the side benefits (laundry, cleaning, cooking) but he is sure discouraged.

Welcome to all the new folks! This is the best group of folks anywhere, and I hope you'll keep coming back.

Now, there's some sunflower seed butter calling my name and it's time for my evening snack.

Virginia

exermom

kackie - I found a swimsuit before we left for FL at Kohl's. Unfortunately, it was a $60 one with 30% off. I tried on two, one of them I thought was pretty but I wasn't crazy about the straps, another one I liked the straps but I didn't think it as pretty. However, in the end, the one that I didn't think was as pretty on the hanger looked much better on me. I know that this one won't last real long, the ones I got from Kohl's before didn't last. But I'll wait until they go on sale and then buy some more. I never took the tags off so should I find another one that I like better, I can return this one. If by some miracle my suit from that company appears, I'll just return it. Oh, I contacted the BBB again about the swimsuit, they "said" to the BBB that it's been shipped, but I still don't have it and honestly I don't expect to get it. Hey, it was cheaper than the one from Kohl's!

There's a new class at this Y called something like muscle conditioning. I would have been interested to see what it was like. However, it's at 5:45 and today I didn't wake up until 5:45. Well, I'll go and do some incline intervals.

realpure - happy birthday to your husband!

Hope people didn't take "fat Tuesday" to heart!

Nancy - I don't mind sweating on my arms, legs, body...but NOT on my face! I'm constantly wiping the sweat off my face. Hope your husband joins you at the rec center! What fun that'll be.

It was nice today, a little breezy so I went down by the pool and laid in the sun for a bit. Didn't go in the pool...yet. Did an hour on the treadmill today. I was expecting to do incline intervals, but they got new treadmills and I was having a hard time figuring out how to do that. I finally did figure it out, but I only had 15 minutes more on the treadmill....oh well. Tomorrow I'll try the yoga class and then the zumba. I didn't like the type of yoga the lady before taught, but now with someone else, I'll give it a try. It's not that it was bad yoga...it just wasn't for me.

We went out for Chinese food today. Vince got a soup with his meal but he doesn't like soup so I had miso. To me, it was a bit on the salty side, but that might very well be because I'm used to the low sodium miso soup that I get. I had the steamed shrimp and vegetables with a fortune cookie at the end. Just had my water to drink (water, no ice, and I add some of the True Lemon just to give it a bit more flavor)

I steamed some snap peas the other day and put them in the freezer to cool and I completely forgot them, so now they're defrosting and I'll portion them out.

Suz - do you plant golden beets or the red beets? I love beets, but really prefer the golden beets.

Oh, I had a fortune cookie after dinner. My fortune was "you will be outside, in the mountains, near water". I'm hoping against hope that that means my pool. You have no idea how many times I'm been dropping not-so-subtle hints that I really want one. Hey, it's a lot less expensive than Vince's garage!

Mary - good luck with the catching up! If I miss one day, I can't believe how far behind I am!

Welcome kellykat. You'll enjoy the wonderful ladies here

Off to take a shower. Hope everyone has a great evening.

Michele

msh0530

Anyone who is gluten free and has a Kindle or wants to download the free Kindle software on your computer: ther is currently a free gluten free cookbook on Amazon. I don't know how long it will stay free, so if you want it, get it now.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006V7F9NO/?tag=afbm-20

Mary

kleinbuenstorf

Hello everyone!! :flowerforyou:

Happy Fat Tuesday!! In Germany they had Fasching - Mardi Gras- today and I have some fond memories of that time!!
But no Fat Tuesday for me!! Stayed on Low Carbs, did my 6 mile walk and worked 2 hours in my garden cleaning square foot
gardening beds and some flower beds!! I thought I was in shape, but doing this work definitely uses different muscles!!:laugh:

SallyCC - hope you are feeling better real soon! :flowerforyou:
Mimi - Woohoo, new shoes!! Doesn't it feel to wore out a pair of running shoes?? After 325 miles I finally gave in and got a new pair!! On we go!!!!:happy:
frogmama - your geocaching is absolutely awesome!! I'll have to check that out!!
Michele - your time in Florida sound wonderful. Have a great time!! :happy:
Kackie - I'll sent you some sunshine from Texas!!!
realpure - Happy Birthday to your husband!! Don't get discouraged, you'll get there!!
Pam3 - hope you'll feel better and that your search for a new place will be successful!!
Laura - you are doing a great job with your new creations!!!:laugh:
jb - congrats!!!! :bigsmile:
Barbie - Love your " Think Historically, Not Calorically " I know that carbs have always been my undoing!! And I have dusted off my Bowflex and will start on some strength training!! :laugh:
Virginia - Hope your husbands injury heals well!!:flowerforyou:
Welcome to all the newcomers, love to hear from you!!!:happy:

Time to shut off the computer, watch some "Chopped" then off to bed with a new novel by Nicholas Sparks!!:bigsmile:

Have a great evening,:flowerforyou:
Desiree

Marcelynh

WHEW! I'm tired! 40 hours and only 2 hours of sleep. I am not logging food, not logging exercise, not doing anything but heading to bed. BUT I am the proud grandma of grandbaby #7. My daughter wanted me as labor coach (she has a very soft spoken husband who had difficulties being "tough" with her. lol and mom... well, mom's been there, done that, and doesn't hesitate to say BREATHE! lol). She had it all natural, no drugs and after a very long labor produced a baby boy, 8 lbs. 14 ounces. 20 1/4 inches long so he's a little chunk. Big baby for a first one.

I'm too old to do this.... even just as a coach! lol

Plus the only food available was vending food stuff or the snack they packed, which were NOT healthy for me. lol But I ate them anyway.

Night all. Hitting the hay.

issyfit

BUT I am the proud grandma of grandbaby #7.

Congratulations!! Nothing sweeter.

AuntieMC

Marking to My Topics....

BobbieLee1959

:flowerforyou: Greetings all! Joining t his thread...hope to get to know some of you soon! Bobbie

genealace

Welcome to the Newcomers - this is a great group.

News from the hospital front - DBF can leave on Friday. He is still not sleeping but we are hopeful that once he gets out of there he will be able to relax a bit more and there will be less ambient noise and light. He hasn't been getting adequate physio or care for such things at putting on his socks and shoes which he can't bend down to do, and instead of helping him with his 'tools' shoe horns etc the nurses have just been putting on his socks and shoes for him. Will they go on Saturday morning to do it for him? - not likely! Anyway, we had a session with the doctor this afternoon and I have to be there for him on Thursday when the pharmacist is coming up to explain all the meds etc.

I'd gained a little bit, but most of it has gone again this week. I didn't do Pancake Day either. Am I going to give up anything for lent? Not sure as I've given up a lot of things to acheive the weight loss I've already done.

And so to bed......

divamsm

WHEW! I'm tired! 40 hours and only 2 hours of sleep. I am not logging food, not logging exercise, not doing anything but heading to bed. BUT I am the proud grandma of grandbaby #7. My daughter wanted me as labor coach (she has a very soft spoken husband who had difficulties being "tough" with her. lol and mom... well, mom's been there, done that, and doesn't hesitate to say BREATHE! lol). She had it all natural, no drugs and after a very long labor produced a baby boy, 8 lbs. 14 ounces. 20 1/4 inches long so he's a little chunk. Big baby for a first one.

I'm too old to do this.... even just as a coach! lol

Plus the only food available was vending food stuff or the snack they packed, which were NOT healthy for me. lol But I ate them anyway.

Night all. Hitting the hay.

Congratulations on grandbaby #7!

divamsm

Bump - I lost this board. Still learning all the ins and outs of MFP. Hope everyone is having a great week!

RebelRenny

Starting on a new book called Wheat Belly (or something like that). Sure to be learning something about wheat, gluten and what all that does to your belly. Also reading a book on Hell's Angels. Nothing like a wide variety, isn't it!?

Renny

mimi7grands

Barbie, I know the mileage of the routes I take. A pedometer would be fun though. I could use some motivation to get in more steps throughout the day. I’m a bit of a technophobe however (funny for a former tech writer!) I actually bought a pedometer once but never used it. I don’t know if I still have it. Using it just seemed too complicated. (Thus speaks one who never has mastered the TV remote - not that I have a TV!)

Kackie, way to go on roasting veggies. I didn’t walk today so didn’t have anywhere near as many calories to use as I would have liked. For dinner, I roasted eggplant, asparagus, mini bell peppers and zucchini. I was hungry before I ate them and was *sure* I’d still be hungry after, but I’m not! Thank goodness for veggies. They saved me from going over on calories once again.

I was going to have a little more chicken with dinner but the dogs snaked it off my kitchen counter while I was out of the room. I was mad. I don't think they got any bones. If they had, I would have been really upset.

I’ve been getting out there walking a lot more. It feels good! It’s still an effort at this point – and I’m danged tired after my 5 mile walks - but it is getting easier. I can’t imagine how I’d feel after skiing for 3 hours. No, wait a minute. I wouldn’t feel a thing. I’d be keeled over, unconscious. Seriously, I wouldn’t dream of skiing - but I wouldn’t have dreamed of walking 5 miles a year ago either. I’m not ruling out anything.

Realpure, when I’m on track (and I am…at last!) I can have a little dark chocolate – the darker the better. A little (very little) of the dark or bittersweet chocolate doesn’t trigger the craving for more carbs. This doesn’t work unless I’m solidly on track though.

BTW, I don’t deliberately eat low-carb. It works out that way most of the time though because I like to eat a LOT . You get a lot more bang for your buck (or food for your calories) when you eat more fruits and veggies.

Pam, I kept tabs on several Meetup groups for probably a year before I tried going. I’m loving it but know that finding the right group was important. I considered going to a Single Boomers group until I noticed that there were about 3 men and 30 women in the group. The biggest turnoff was seeing pictures of several groups – a bunch of different women in each group along with the same 3 men. That wouldn’t have worked for me! :ohwell:

The group I’m enjoying the most is called Weekday Active, Adventuresome Women's Group. They’re women mostly in their 50s and 60s (some younger and some older) who get together to do things during the day. I’ve been to a couple of movies with them (on $5 Tuesday) followed by visits to Whole Foods for munchies (I had coffee!), to two lively bookclub meetings, and a couple of brunches. In a couple of weeks, we’re going to the Crocker Museum in Sacramento, which I’ve heard good things about. I’m having a good time. I’m also enjoying walking and hiking with a Meetup group. I’m glad to have found a fun way to meet nice people with common interests.

Virginia, how wonderful to be at the point of worrying about not losing more weight. As someone who was also morbidly obese (324 ten years ago), I can relate to what you are saying. It feels like a miracle to have finally lost weight to an almost normal BMI and to be keeping it off. I still have a ways to go before I want or need to stabilize. Sometimes the weight loss feels so tenuous. I’m almost afraid to breathe for fear that it’s all an illusion. I look forward to the day when I no longer wonder if I’m kidding myself and feel confident that it’s real and will last. For now, I just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Mary, thanks for the tip about the gluten-free cookbook for the Kindle. I downloaded it for my daughter. Her 7-year old has celiac and it’s nice to have new sources for good recipes.

Marcelyn, congrats to you and your DD. A new baby is wonderful. And, no, you’re not too old to be a coach. My mouth drops open though when I read the stories about women in their 50s and 60s who have babies. My mom (who’s 86) still has dreams that she’s in labor and, oh no, having another baby! :laugh:

Laura, as you can probably tell, veggies, especially roasted veggies, are one of my favorite subjects. I didn’t start roasting veggies myself until DD Karin badgered me (gently) into it. Now they are a mainstay of my diet. I give a lot of the credit for losing more than 130 pounds to veggies and fruit, and the people who helped me see how delicious they could be. They’re good for you and taste good – the best kind of treat.

I got a whole new perspective on veggies when I started roasting them. I hope roasting veggies does the same thing for you. Here's what I do:

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon olive oil (depending on how many veggies you're roasting - you'll be amazed at how little oil you need) and coarsely ground salt (optional).

Veggies!!! Cut into pieces or wedges. Leave baby bell peppers and asparagus whole. Almost anything works, e.g.,

- Asparagus (my favorite)
- Summer and winter squash (e.g., young zucchini, crookneck, acorn, butternut) diced or cut into spears
- Broccoli and cauliflower (I like roasted cauliflower. I like my broccoli better steamed.)
- Red, yellow, & orange baby bell peppers or slices of larger peppers
- Baby Bella mushrooms (turned stem side down) or thickly sliced Portobellos
- Sliced eggplant (I cut the slices into bite-sized pieces)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450 to 475° or, even better, get your BBQ hot.

2. Place veggies and olive oil in a bowl. Toss until coated. Add salt and toss some more.

3. Spread the veggies out 1-layer deep. They cook best if not touching.

4. Bake (I use convection too) or barbecue for 9 minutes for asparagus (as little as 6 minutes for very thin asparagus spears); 12-15 minutes for most veggies. Shake the pan a couple of times to turn the veggies over. Watch closely! (A little charring is fine.)

5. Wait a couple minutes and serve. (Be careful, they’re hot and juicy.)

Delicious!

A long while back I told a story about one of the people I worked with calling me Sister Queen. Barbara (BK) christened me Sister Veggie Queen. I love it.

Mimi SVQ

megathome111

Hi ladies...sigh...:indifferent:

My scales really hate me. They seem to want to win this battle of the bulge...but I refuse to let them. So, I come to you, my friends (Barbie..you're so right...a Life/Health Coach would not be helpful here...only earning her salary). :flowerforyou:

I have been analyzing my weight loss (I know I'm bad, but I keep my daily weight in a spreadsheet) and I am in a pattern I cannot seem to break. Perhaps you can help. On February 4th I finally broke into the 170's ... although just barely. It was inspirational for me, and I felt I was heading to the next level. Since then, I have flipflopped between 180.something and 178.something. The real agitating part is that the 180.something seems to hit on my WW Weigh Day which is Tuesday. For example...on Monday I weighed 178.2 (woo hoo after a weekend!). Yesterday I weighed 179.6. :explode: I know I went over in calories Monday night (Hubby fixed ribs, coleslaw & french fries-baked) but I really thought I was reasonable in my portions. I need some advice if any of you have it on how to get over this stall and get back to business.

I also discovered that my W.W. Pedometer that I had changed over to is malfunctioning. I was holding it yesterday in my hand...standing dead still, and steps were just a clicking up. No wonder I was thinking I had become super-woman all of the sudden...but I should have realized that just doing more walking on the treadmill would increase my steps as much as it seemed to. Darn...my 20000 step Saturday was all a farce. So back to "old reliable" today.

Hate to sound whiny...but I am frustrated !! Any input appreciated and executed.:ohwell:
And, oh by-the-way, thanks for letting me vent :blushing:

Today is a new day...Yesterday I hit my WW Points dead on target, walked for 40 minutes and committed myself to an improved attitude. I know that increasing my exercise would definitely be a positive...just have to figure out a way to have the time.:happy:

Congratulations to those with new grand-babies, husbands that are following your example and joining you in a healthy lifestyle, and weight-losses this week.

So glad to have the support of you great women...you are my lifeline to health. :flowerforyou:

Have a healthy day!
MEG

Pam3

WHEW! I'm tired! 40 hours and only 2 hours of sleep. I am not logging food, not logging exercise, not doing anything but heading to bed. BUT I am the proud grandma of grandbaby #7. My daughter wanted me as labor coach (she has a very soft spoken husband who had difficulties being "tough" with her. lol and mom... well, mom's been there, done that, and doesn't hesitate to say BREATHE! lol). She had it all natural, no drugs and after a very long labor produced a baby boy, 8 lbs. 14 ounces. 20 1/4 inches long so he's a little chunk. Big baby for a first one.

I'm too old to do this.... even just as a coach! lol

Plus the only food available was vending food stuff or the snack they packed, which were NOT healthy for me. lol But I ate them anyway.

Night all. Hitting the hay.

congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:flowerforyou:

Pam3

@meg...i am sorry that you are frustrated....i know of that.....not counting this month(not a good month for me)....anyways i find that logging everything i eat, upping my calories to my BMR and not eating back my exercise calories have worked in the past, that being said, i lose VERY slowly...and when i do go over a bit it seems to take a lot longer to make a dent....(i am one of those that CAN NOT eat anything sweet, small or tiny)or my desire for it will be huge(i am going through that now).....so DO NOT give up....i find that i need to adjust my methods frequently to lose weight.....good luck:flowerforyou:

jmderango

Just joined MFP and am looking for some groups to help keep me motivated. I'm hoping this will be a good one. Have to head off to work now but will check back into this group once I figure out how to do that

mazaron

Good morning dearies, :flowerforyou:

How are you all today?

I downloaded “The Happiness Project” to my Kindle yesterday. I read the reviews and was hesitating because it seems like a book that could go either way, it could be the author’s self-indulgent blather or it could be a good read with a few ideas worth considering. “Eat-Love-Pray” was another one that hovered close to the edge, but it came out on the positive side for me. The good reviews that Sarah and a few others have given it here encouraged me, so I made the investment and I’m enjoying it.

The author writes of her need for “gold stars” – some kind of tangible positive reward for her efforts to “be good”. I am like that too. That is why I enjoy my HRM and Nike iPod ap, they give me tangible evidence of effort – which I promptly go and record on my spread sheet so I can gloat over it later! She wrote about using her calendar, listing and checking off her resolutions, work for the day, etc. Yesterday evening I brought out the day book my dear dad gave me for Christmas and began recording the other things I’ve been pushing myself to do – get up earlier, for one thing. So I’m recording the time I get out of bed on weekdays. What's next? A best-seller?

MFP gives a person tangible rewards too, in the form of the weight loss ticker and the “Mazaron has logged on for 50 days” messages and the end of the day food and exercise record that says "if you ate like this every day you'd weigh ... in five weeks". However, the best reward I get from MFP is the intangible, which is the companionship of my pen-pals here.

Thanks for sharing

Nancy

mazaron

And now the other half of my post! :happy:

Laura, Your kitchen experiments, adapting recipes to make healthier food, sound like fun. I am amazing myself with how little salt I can get away with! The boys add some at the table, but I don’t and I am sure it helps me stay healthier. Hoping your DH gets “the call” for a job soon.

Kackie, I love skiing in fresh snow as long as there’s no wind. Are you getting lots of slope time in? You mentioned that you do all your workouts at home. I just can’t get motivated at home – so all my workouts are at the Rec Centre. I don’t bring school work home, either. Work is work, home is relaxation.

JB, good for you, scale down ½ a pound and you back on track with food and exercise. I think things like the Paleo Diet or “Wheat Belly” are extremes, we need to focus on “moderation in all things” and never, never give up homemade huckleberry pie!

MacMadame, Glad to hear Mini-Mac is on the mend. The principal at my school (a good friend) fell on the ice a couple of weeks ago and banged the back of her head. She’s been off work ever since. It reminded me of you and your bain injury. How are you feeling these days?

Barbie, you just tell your husband that young is a state of mind, and don’t let the big boys in the gym intimidate you either. :laugh:

Virginia, What a thing, to say “I’m trying to stop losing weight”. :flowerforyou: Having made such an effort to get where you are it must seem like a precarious balance to stay where you are. I love my plain yogurt (and I make sure it’s the kind made with milk and no other additives, it’s stunning how much junk manufacturers can stuff into a container of yogurt) with a spoonful of honey. Satisfied my cravings for sweets and tastes sooo good!

Michelle, DH came home from the gym yesterday absolutely exhausted and feeling nauseous. :sick: Of course, he pushed himself way to hard on his first workout, and forgot his bathing suit so he could not go down to the pool and recuperate in the hot-tub or the steam room. Is it a guy thing? We will go together on the weekend and I will keep an eye on him.

Marcelynh – congratulations on the new grandson! :flowerforyou:

Genealace, I am so pleased to hear that DBF is coming home, what a long time it’s been. I was thinking of Lent too and wondering if this is a year to add something, rather than give something up. Add a good habit, I mean. I will know by tomorrow.

Mimi, a pedometer is about as low-tech as they come. No more complicated to set up or use than the average clock-radio and not very expensive. You’ll love it. We had roasted veggies last night, dressed up with Moroccan tagine spices. Yummy.

Meg – Hang in there. Drink lots of water and measure or weigh everything you eat for a while. That will help with portion control. If you can, get a heart rate monitor to measure calories burned when you exercise. It’s a lot more accurate than a pedometer or the MFP estimates. Check your sodium intake. I know that the recommended maximum on MFP is double what the Canada Food Guide suggests. It made a big difference for me when I cut back on salt. As Red Green would say, “Keep your stick on the ice, we’re all in this together” (Canadian content joke :bigsmile: )

Time to get J'boy up and ready for the day.

Hasta pronto,

Nancy

payneje

Hi! I'm 51 (is that old?) I've enjoyed this site and the "MyFitnessPal" app on my phone. How are you doing? It's been almost 3 weeks now and I have lost 5 pounds (no exercise). I have about 12 more to go.

Tangerine16

I'm 56 and started with MFP around 9 Jan 2012. Counting seems to be working so far - just need to add some exercise now!

jackiebo

I guess I'm "marking my spot" too, but not like male dogs mark their spots. I don't often read the message boards, over on the side it's just too worthless. A friend of mine told me about this one, at LAST there are people here that have some sense in their heads LOL just kidding

I might be down to my goal, have been holding steady, up and down a few pounds here and there, my old clothes fit again, I'm not unhappy with my weight. I'm another dog-lover, a semi-retired nurse who has a foot care business and loves doing that. Live in Oregon with my wonderful hubby, 2 Labs and an old cat who puts up with the 4-month old puppy. I want to get healthy because I don't want to turn into a stiff old lady who can't get out there and do things. LOL how's that for being generic? LOL

Jackie

Laura80111

:flowerforyou: Happy Hump Day All!

Virginia - sorry to hear that your hubby is unemployed too, but we will keep reaping those "cleaning" benifits in the meantime. I am sooo pulling for you as you turn to maintenance, I completely FAILED:sad: and gained from April - Dec 2011 so my lack of doing what I knew I should have been doing is what has put me back here...then again I should NEVER have left:grumble: .

Michele- buying swimsuits can be a real challenge. Right now I have so many in so many different sizes that it's quite embaressing:blushing: and some even have tags on them...those are my goal suits:drinker:

Marcelynh- :flowerforyou: Congrats on Grandbaby (boy) #7, I think that it's wonderful that you were able to be her coach.

Genalace- it sounds like DBF is progressing well in his healing. When my hubby had his hip replacement they wouldn't release him until he could put on his own shoes and socks and since he couldn't wait to get home (where he could finally get some rest) he worked on it really hard:laugh:

Renny- your book choices for reading are sure from extreme sides:noway: my reading is pretty much my romances and cookbooks

Mimi- Thank you for your Veggie Receipe, I've already printed it to add to my cookbooks and will be working on those this weekend after we ( yep that's a we not an "I" hubby is stir crazy by Fridays when it's time to get groceries) go grocery shopping.

MEG- be NOT discouraged there will be times like this keep logging and drinking your water:drinker: with exercise thrown in and the weight will come off, remember we aren't as young as we used to be and sometimes it takes us a bit longer to lose what has attached itself to us:grumble:

So yesterday I was looking at the "topics" and one that popped up was "The Ultimate Mom's MakeOvers" I know that if I'd had that kind of example and encouragement it wouldn't have taken til after Son #3 for me to lose... some of those pictures are amazing. But what it made me realize is that when I had lost the weight from Son #3 and I was looking good that I remember that I didn't "think" I looked good, the self image that we carry around with us sometimes is what brings us down, and in my case what caused me to lose control and start gaining. I'm hoping that this time I will make my success permenant.

When I was last on this journey in 2010 and I succeeded and more than met my goal I used Nutrisystems to get there. It worked and I really did love the food and variety but the problem was when it came to maintaining I wasn't used to cooking my own food. This time from day one I'm cooking my own food and learning the "true" portions of what I eat. I bought these spoons and spacula that measures out "one serving" and it's really helped when I'm serving up my food.

Enough for today. Everyone have a good day:drinker: don't forget to drink your water:drinker: it really does make a difference in the weight loss. Let's keep moving too...one of these days I'm going to like exercising:ohwell:

Laura

kackie

Good Morning, Dear Ladies!

I just love reading all of your posts and I get something from each of you! This is the very best motivation and therapy

Regarding Skiing: DH and I had NEVER skied downhill until our late 40s. Our youngest son wanted to come out west to ski because he had gone while we lived in MN with a group and become a good skier. Guess what? We were terrible at first and never ventured off of the beginner slopes for a few years. But we kept coming out every year with him on his spring break and our oldest was off in college. DS was a good teacher and it was fun to learn something from our youngest. DH and I learned together and each year got a little braver. Fast forward 10+ years and we now ski the black diamonds and I LOVE it!!! It has motivated me to get in better shape because I enjoy it so much and have met other people here that we love to ski with. So, I really think that if you can find an activity that you enjoy, it will drive you to do more physically in order to be able to enjoy that activity more! IT is a good cycle.

Mary (SVQ): You are doing great with your walking and I also recommend trying to use a pedometer or, better yet, a HRM. I am NOT a techy person so I resisted for a long time, but it is such a great motivator and VERY easy to use. I know now that the calories burned that I log are correct and it is so fun to watch that number climb up and up. It really does make you move more too! I am loving the roasted veggies and I do need to try to eat those as a snack when I am hungry FIRST...it does work! And the non-fat yogurt with a bit of fruit also helps satisfy that sweet tooth as well! I am worried that this snow/wind/blizzard weather is going to keep me on the mountain and I need to do a major food run to stock back up on fresh veggies and fruits now. At least I have some veggie/chicken soup made up, but that won't last long!

Meg: Everyone's advice is good and we have all been where you are! Just hang in there, plan your meals ahead of time for a few days at least and try to limit carbs and sweets later in the day. I know it shouldn't matter, but for me, it does! Try to add an extra 15 minute walk in addition to your regular exercise...even going up and down a few flights of stairs when you can...all will help move you off that plateau! Good luck...and as Barbie says: "Never, ever give up!"

Nancy: Regarding the "Happiness Project"...I really enjoyed it...everyone comes from a different perspective, but I can still learn from them. The author certainly gave me several concrete areas that I need to work on. Also, I don't tend to be as "scientific" as she is, and I realize that sometimes it helps to be that way. I pulled the book back out and am going back over it again...

Regarding S-L-O-W weight loss and other ways to measure our progress...here are a few that I have noticed the past month:

My stamina is WAY up. I can ski hard for most of the day and feel GOOD instead of exhausted, which is an improvement over
past years.

I can wear more fitted shirts and clothing than in the past. My middle is smaller than it used to be. Even if the scale hasn't
moved that much in the past few months, things have shifted in a better direction!

I wore a very nice black skirt-suit that I bought several years ago (payed WAY too much for it) to a funeral a few weeks ago
and it FIT...for the first time since I bought it!!!!!

I am sleeping much better than I did for a few years. I do not have any "hot flashes" or "night sweats".

I think before I eat, "what is REAL food and what is PROCESSED" food. I pick the real food first...every time. I WANT the
REAL food more than the processed food.

I do not feel good if I cannot get in REAL exercise each day and plan my day around getting this exercise into each day, even
when traveling. It is a HABIT that I am so happy to have in my life.

Having said all of this...I am far from perfect... I have too much wine some evenings, crave simple carbs some days...but I am determined to keep moving in a healthier direction each day. So, I am not at my "Goal" Weight yet, but am trying to measure success in many ways other than the scale.

Have a wonderful day, dear friends. Happy to see some new faces and getting to know each of you.
Kackie