WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR FEBRUARY 2012

Cando055

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genealace

Furnace man is here - working on the furnace as I type this. Just to clarify, I have had heat since they came 12 days ago, but it has been VERY noisy and vibrating. I could feel the vibrations through the floor when I was in the kitchen. Before that I had intermittent heat, but I do have some auxiliary heating in the house, so didn't have to worry about frozen pipes.

DBF called (twice) and he had been for a walk this morning. Yesterday he didn't get to walk, because as the nurses were getting him out of bed they couldn't hold his weight and he ended up sitting on the floor. I'll go in to see him later.

It is my knitting group meeting this evening, so I'll go there and then see DBF on my way home.

Sneak peeks are looking good and I'm hoping for another 1lb on Monday when I am supposed to change my stats, but often find that Tuesday is the day I should be aiming for to get rid of the weekend excesses.

Groundhog day today, but I haven't heard the verdict as to whether we will have 6 more weeks of winter or if we will have an early spring.

msh0530

Good morning, and happy Groundhog Day! I was disappointed that Punxsutawney Phil (who seems to be the official groundhog for the US) saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter. On the other hand, Pennsylvania is a long ways from here, so maybe that doesn't apply?

I posted this link that helps me with my daily weighing obsession about 4 months ago, and thought that I would share it again. It gives a good explanation of daily weight fluctuation, and in case you couldn't tell, I needed the pep talk this morning!
http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/scale_lies.htm

This time when I was reading it, I started wondering about the book by Robyn Landis that they refer to, and did some further searching, coming up with some interesting excerpts from the book that I thought that I would share.
http://www.bodyfueling.net/ExcerptBF.html

Hope all of this helps someone. Have a great Thursday! (And by the way, when I gave myself the pep talk this morning, I used my motto to remind myself that I can reach the stars even if it isn't easy!) Mary

Edited to add a quote one of my friends just posted: Strength is the capacity to break a Hershey bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of the pieces. - Judith Viorst

Laura80111

:flowerforyou: Cloudy, Cold Thursday....

Here in Denver we are expecting the snow in time for the evening commute (that ought to be fun, people forget how to drive in it so it adds a full hour to the commute:grumble:) The weather people are saying we should get 8-12"...so hubby is hoping I can take tomorrow off as a Vacation day....so today I will do double the work so I can stay home tomorrow:bigsmile:

WOW so many newbies:flowerforyou: WELCOME:flowerforyou: jump right in and let us get to know you.

Hoping that this is a successful week for watching that food intake, so far so good. Hubby is requesting pizza for the Super Bowl, I had created what I call a "White" pizza and the calories are pretty low(in relation to pizza from a parlour), so I will be doing a bit extra exercise so we can have it.

When ever I get in the "MFP" zone and really work the exercise and logging of my food, it makes me wonder why I ever stopped and I just get so mad at myself for letting the stress of last year get to me and causing me to gain so much:blushing: ...but I will conquer it again .... I have to..I have a closet full of cute clothes that are calling for me to wear them

Everyone have a good day, drink your water:drinker: :drinker: and get up and get moving.

Laura

Benji49

Good morning all,

I'm just going to forget January even happened (mostly because I think they cheated us of a few days because it sure doesn't seem to have been 31 days long)?

My February goals: Lose 5 pounds - and keep them off! Log my food daily - and given the busy time of year at work my last goal for February is "remember to eat". I get busy at work and forget to eat and then get home with 700-800 calories still to go! :noway:

And I'm going to stop talking about not having time to exercise and force myself to get off my butt at 8 pm and walk for at least 30 min. daily. :embarassed:

celticmuse

Thanks for putting this together, Barbie. I would love to join you. Here are my goals:

1- Lose 2.8 lbs. to reach my UGW of 138.
2- Work out 4 times/week
3- Limit wine to weekends (Fri & Sat)
4- Limit carbs to whole grains
5- No food after 9:00 pm

I bought my ultimate goal reward yesterday. A gorgeous shapely black/tan dress from Anne Taylor's. It fits now, but I am going to hide it until I reach 138. That is my carrot.

jb_2011

Good morning!

Barbie, just wanted to mention about your 100 squats a day, sheesh, you're amazing! I started by doing 25 yesterday and I don't think I can even do 1 this morning LOL! I might have to wait a few days to continue, but that's ok. I'm feeling muscles I'd forgotten I had.

My hiking partner and friend Jackiebo's here now too, how fun. We took our dogs on a nice long trek yesterday, I'm going to try and trace our steps on the same trails later this morning to see if I can find her lost headband. I made her eat some of my homemade wontons for lunch. She said mmmmmm. I said MMMMMMMM. Wontons are definitely one of my favorite foods. These are boiled, not fried. More like a Chinese ravioli or light Chinese dumpling.

Better get a move-on here. Great day to all.
:^) jb

wwcheapway

Hello I am new to the game and was looking for support team , also i was looking to see if there is a way we can all weight in weekly , I find this helps me to be accountable to someone other than myself since i can not be trusted at the moment...:-) I find it i have to post my results for someone to see it helps keep me in line and if I have a problem others can hlep.

My goal for Feb is the stay on track with logging in my food>
also to up my Exercise wake up time by 5 mins a week... I began at 6am and now I am at 5:35 trying to get to that 5am hour.....:-)
Also to say no to myself when i know I should not have it....:-) large goal....:smooched: :smooched:

msh0530

Hello I am new to the game and was looking for support team , also i was looking to see if there is a way we can all weight in weekly , I find this helps me to be accountable to someone other than myself since i can not be trusted at the moment...:-) I find it i have to post my results for someone to see it helps keep me in line and if I have a problem others can hlep.

My goal for Feb is the stay on track with logging in my food>
also to up my Exercise wake up time by 5 mins a week... I began at 6am and now I am at 5:35 trying to get to that 5am hour.....:-)
Also to say no to myself when i know I should not have it....:-) large goal....:smooched: :smooched:

Welcome! If posting your weight weekly helps you, feel free to do it here. We will all support you however we can! Mary

realpure

http://refusetoregain.com/refusetoregain/2011/01/losing-weight-after-fifty-menopause-and-other-issues.html

Good morning! Loving all the great new ideas and links. I'm attaching a blog I read this morning. Wondering what others make of this. I am finding that my over 50 body is attaching everything I eat to my belly. Think I'll try this approach with the exception of keeping my morning steel cut oats.

Happy Thursday all.

vypeters

Hey guys. Not feeling super chatty, my apologies.

Today we had to say goodbye to our beloved Smokey. He came to us in December 2008 as a foreclosure rescue, and was the sweetest, gentlest, most good-natured creature there ever was. Just a doll.

He was only 8 but very ill, he was in constant pain and his weight had dropped from 15 pounds to 7. It was time to let him go, but it was incredibly hard. We'll bury him Saturday on some land we own in West Virginia. I dread when my daughter gets home from school. She knew it was time, but it's another thing to have him gone.

Hugs to all.

Virginia

ValReaves

OK...Count me in! I'll be happy with slow and steady! I look forward to being a part of your group!

AHealthierSuzyQ

AHealthierSuzyQ -

Hi! Very interested in your approach. I haven't heard of Mastering your Matb. I have really been struggling to get the scale moving in the right direction. I suspect some of my problem is related to hormones all over the place. Would love to hear more about what you eat... Looks like you have lost a lot!! - Congratulations! Sarah

Its a book my masseuse kept talking to me about when we would discuss nutrition by Jillian Michaels. Its quite an eye opener, written for the layperson from an endocrinology stand point. Turns out that specific foods and chemicals IN our foods inhibit or stimulate hormone levels that keep us fat or slim. Her mantra is, "Eat real food. If it didn't grow from the ground and it doesn't have a mother, don't eat it." (Have you ever seen an Oreo or Cheeto tree?)

The first 4 chapters are the basics of endocrine disruption before you get down to the actual what to avoid vs what to eat. Basically you eliminate everything from your diet that has preservatives or artificial anything in it. She did a great job of explaining WHY each food is good for you or not and how many servings you should eat a day. This book has tons of information, including chemical code words on labels to be on the lookout for, that I will go back to again and again. The back has sample menus, recipes and even a list of brands and resources for healthy real foods. Best part is its all DO-able.

Now we eat whole grains, and organic produce, dairy eggs, and meat. I've gotten used to using evoo instead of butter on all my veggies. Seems like I use loads of beans, onions and garlic too... Been trying to really read labels and shy away from things with flavor enhancers and other chemicals. Labels can sure be deceiving! Did you know according to the FDA for a product to be labeled whole grain it only has to be at least 51% whole grain? Shouldn't that be half-grain!

So I've been doing lots of experimenting with things I've never eaten before like Greek yogurt, agave nectar and quinoa and finding I like them! Hope this answers enough of your questions that you know whether or not you want to invest in the book. I got mine on ebay for $4 + shipping.

As John Maxwell says,“The whole idea of motivation is a trap. Forget motivation. Just do it. Exercise, lose weight, test your blood sugar, or whatever. Do it without motivation. And then, guess what? After you start doing the thing, that's when the motivation comes and makes it easy for you to keep on doing it.

issyfit

Hey guys. Not feeling super chatty, my apologies.

Today we had to say goodbye to our beloved Smokey. He came to us in December 2008 as a foreclosure rescue, and was the sweetest, gentlest, most good-natured creature there ever was. Just a doll.

He was only 8 but very ill, he was in constant pain and his weight had dropped from 15 pounds to 7. It was time to let him go, but it was incredibly hard. We'll bury him Saturday on some land we own in West Virginia. I dread when my daughter gets home from school. She knew it was time, but it's another thing to have him gone.

Hugs to all.

Virginia

I'm so sorry about your kitty. We had one named Smokey also that we lost a few years ago, his ashes and collar are on our shelf along with his playmate's Oscar. We have a business nearby called "All Pets Go To Heaven" that has a little chapel where you can hold your own service for your pet, that helped us a lot.

mynyddisamrs

:flowerforyou: Evening All ..

:noway: 'Tis fffreezing here tonight. -8C I think ...but I'm not going out to find out the exact temp!

Nothing much happening either. Home with DH after eating homemade seafood paella. That wasn't too bad I suppose as I had quite a few cleaning calories from todays toil but ...the chocolate fudge cake ....well? It's all logged down and I'm in my calories. Phew!! Mind you we'll see what the scales will say tomorrow ....

Virginia ....Sad news about Smokey. A handsome looking cat for sure ,who will obviously be sadly missed by your family.

:drinker: I've a few lunches out to juggle next week ....as a mystery diner! I'll try and stick to steak and salad...honest! Dh and I have signed up with a few agencies and have had quite a few assignments. We've done mystery shopping too. It gets us out and about, free lunches or free groceries plus a fee ..... Can't be bad!
:noway: I draw the line at mystery dining in a well known burger chain though! We've declined those assignments!

A nice coffee now and an evening in I think ...somewhere warm!

:flowerforyou: Take care everyone ....tomorrow starts the weekend!!

BFN
Jackie.

realpure

Thank you AHealthierSuzyQ !! Great information. I think I'll try to find the book at our library or e-bay. Great suggestion.

Virginia - so so sorry to hear about your kitty. Hope that your daughter took it ok when she got home. We had to put our cat down last year. It was a rough rough day.

AHealthierSuzyQ

Hey guys. Not feeling super chatty, my apologies.

Today we had to say goodbye to our beloved Smokey. He came to us in December 2008 as a foreclosure rescue, and was the sweetest, gentlest, most good-natured creature there ever was. Just a doll.

Virginia

My heart goes out to you. Every pet we have ever had was/is a rescue and they SURE become part of the family quick. Only those with furry babies truly understand how hard those kind of goodbyes are. HUGS!

astrosnider

I didn't do too well on my goals for January. I worked out a lot but didn't lose any weight. Goals for February:
- Exercise 60 to 90 minutes every day, no exceptions
- Take class at gym 3 days a week
- Make lunch the main meal of the day. Have protein shake or something light for dinner.
- Weigh no more than 150 by Feb. 29

wwcheapway

Thank you Mary I feel better already . Having a group helps..I will post my first weight on Monday as the week as already began and I forgot or was afraid to weight in.....Looking forward to much support from this group.:-)

exermom

Pam - hope you feel better real fast. I hate it when I'm feeling dizzy.

Welcome brunsda!

Welcome northernbell! You'll get lots of encouragement here, that's for sure. Do you know that just today I found out that the Giants are playing in the superbowl. To me, a superbowl is a toilet that cleans itself....lol

Liz - boy! You sure were one very active lady! But you'll get it back, I know you will

kaymd - hey there. Great goals!

Did an hour of a band workout DVD today, then went to a line dancing class for an hour, then lunch with the Newcomers then to the Humane Society. Tomorrow I'll do some HIIT and then go play mahjongg.

Today as I was doing some ab work on the band DVD, my lower tummy felt "tight" so I just figured that we'd done different ab exercises yesterday and I probably just pulled a muscle. Imagine my surprise when I finished and went to the bathroom and saw that I'd gotten my period!!!! I haven't had one in over a year. I'd forgotten what cramps felt like, before I immediately knew what they were.

Jan - you've come to the right place for lots of support

wwcheapway - welcome! Post away! We love reading all you have to say, good and bad

Virginia - ((((gigantic hugs)))) Smokey was so adorable. How old was he?

valreaves - welcome! I don't think I've ever heard of internal shingles. Sounds real painful, real painful

Well, I've gotta go lay down. I'm just not used to this cramping.

Hope everyone has a great evening.

Michele

leedart

:happy: I started!

lesle1

Hi Everybody,

I ran 178 miles in January. I'm not sure what I'm running in February. I'm getting ready for a half marathon in March and I'm thinking about running a marathon in May. I'm trying to get my 5K under 25 minutes. I'm going to run another 5K on Feb. 11th to see how I'm doing.

msh0530

:happy: I started!

Good for you, and welcome! Come back and tell us something about yourself! Mary

Mamafred

Hi all. I would love to join this group.
My February goals are to lose 5 pounds, get in 30 - 45 minutes of exercise 5 days a week and hopefully make some progress in my battle with menopausal insomnia.

Virginia, so sorry about the loss of your precious Kitty. I have been there and feel your pain.

kckramp

Well happy groundhog day. If we have 6 more weeks of winter like this it won't be bad here today our high was 78. I do like living in the Charleston area.
My goals for February are to finish the 30 day shred. I did day 15 today, I started January 3rd.
in January I have lost and gained the same 2 pounds from Christmas, I would like to get back to loosing and never seeing it again. I would like to lose 2 to 3 pounds this month.
Take care all
KC

jencjeffery

My goals for Feb - continue to log on to MFP every day, record all my food and continue to exercise at least 5 times a week.

janemartin02

HI!May not post for awhile.Moving in with son and family.Went to ortho dr.Put me on anti inflammatories,pain med.and wants me to try pt for 3 weeks.Surgery in the near future,arthoscopic or knee replacement,more red tape.
Thanks for all your well wishes and prayers.
Have a great week-end!!
Jane

kleinbuenstorf

Hello everyone!!! :flowerforyou:

Had a great and busy day !!! :happy: Did my 6 miles of walking, had my yoga class, logged in every thing and did not use my extra calories!! :bigsmile:

Virginia - I'm sooo sorry about your lovely cat !! I know how hard that is and my heart goes out to you and your daughter!
lesli1 - Hi, I thought I recognize you from the "100 miles in February" Challenge!! Welcome!!

And welcome to all the newcomers, you'll like it here!!! :happy:

Wishing everyone a relaxing evening, :flowerforyou:
Desiree

barbiecat

:bigsmile: MEG, I just finished reading “Strong Women Stay Young”. It has an easy to follow strength training plan that uses dumbbells and ankle weights and doesn’t require getting down on the floor.

:bigsmile: Jan, I count walking the dogs as part of my exercise. I just got a heart rate monitor and found out that it actually is a bit of a workout…….when the dogs are sniffing in the bushes, I do squats or jog in place to keep my heart rate up.

:bigsmile: JustKate, nearly every disciplined woman on this site arrived here many pounds overweight and with very few healthy habits…….I learned a lot from the women on this thread and have taken baby steps to get to the disciplined life I lead now.

:bigsmile: Genealace, I’m glad to hear that DBF is making progress in his recovery and that your furnace may be on the way to recovery, as well

:bigsmile: Mary, I read the article about how the scale lies…..great info…….also loved the chocolate bar quote.

:bigsmile: Laura, this is the beginning of your new life…..leave the past behind and move forward

:bigsmile: Celticmuse, I am looking forward to seeing a picture of you in the UGW new dress.

:flowerforyou: Jb, the 100 squats a day challenge that I joined has 95 members…….currently fewer than 10 are still posting……maybe you could start with 20 squats a day for 20 days and gradually increase the numbers

:bigsmile: Wwcheapway, post your weight on this thread as a way to be accountable……..your plan to get up a little earlier each week sounds like a great way to increase your exercise in a way that you can live with.

Virginia, I am so sorry about Smokey. What a beautiful cat. The only way to not go through this pain is to never love an animal and that just isn’t possible.

:bigsmile: SuzyQ, I love your motivation quote.

:bigsmile: MacMadame, thanks for telling us about your sports photo taking experience.....I'm still watching the figure skating championships and noticing the people with cameras but none of them looks like you

:bigsmile: Welcome to all the new members……keep showing up and posting and in no time, you’ll feel like part of the family.

:ohwell: :ohwell: My exercise was excellent today but then we went to Costco where they had more stuff to taste than usual trying to get people to buy snacks for the Super Bowl and I ate six samples of cheese, some hummus with pita chips, and some chocolate covered blueberries……..since I don’t allow either cheese or pita chips in my house because I have a history of eating the whole package, it was a special treat and sort of a victory.

:flowerforyou: It was so overcast just before sunrise that I wondered if it would ever get light......the groundhog would never have seen his shadow here :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Barbie from NW Washington

mazaron

Hello all, :happy:

Reading your goals is getting me inspired. I've got my exercise in for the first two days of the month (circuit training and a 30 minute interval run). Tomorrow is the long-awaited Spin Class. Stay posted!

Yesterday was an "activity day" for the intermediate grades at my school. I supervised the group that went to the Rec Centre to swim and skate. I was supervising, so I could not go upstairs to the gym for a quick workout or run. Darn! :grumble: Next week I get to go with the skiing group, that will be much more fun because I can ski with them, I don't have to spend the day chasing them out of change-rooms and away from the concession stand.

Barbie, another way to keep track of water is to put elastic bands on your water glass, one for each glass you need to drink to get your total. Move a band (or take it off) for each glassful you drink. Done and dusted. :drinker: I am going to look for the book “Strong Women Stay Young”

Genealace, so glad to hear that your furnace and your DBF are both doing better! :happy:

msh0530: Thanks for the article about scales & short term weight fluctuation. That’s one reason why I did not set a weight loss goal for the month. Exercise & food & water consumption are things I can control. Weight loss is a bit more random.

It also reminded me to watch the sodium content in the packaged soups I like soooo much.:noway: It might be a better idea to stick to home-made. I turn to the packaged soups when I don’t “Plan What I Eat” (quoting Virginia!).

Jb, will you post your recipe for wontons? I have a WW version and I’d love to try something different.

So sorry to hear about Smokey, Virginia.

Off to get the kitchen tidied up and food for tomorrow organized. I have a plan...

Nancy