Menopausal Mad Hatters: Jan. 1st, 2013

Snooozie

Good morning Mad Hatters, and welcome to 2013! :drinker:

A new year, a new beginning, a new start - it's up to us to decide what WE want for OURSELVES this year, and then MAKE it happen!
We are entitled to take the time to look after ourselves and nourish our bodies, minds and souls with good health, fitness, knowledge and friendship; it's ours if we want it, and this year, I'm taking it!!

The Mad Hatters have been a big part of my journey, and I hope we'll continue working together - but no matter where your own paths may lie, know that I wish each of you a wonderful year, and that I will always offer my support and encouragement to your own individual goals. I am so proud of all of you and your accomplishments!!

Hugs to the Hatters!

SunnyLynnie

Hugs back,Snooozie! I weighed myself this morning. After I dried my tears and dusted myself off, I made one of my diet smoothies, took the dog for a walk and scrubbed the floor! Off to a good start.

Have a wonderful New Year!! :bigsmile:

Snooozie

WAY to start off LL!! Good on ya for having your moment, then kicking it into gear!! It ain't always easy so well done!

I weighed in too this moring.. twice... just in case it was maybe wrong the first time :noway:

And I'm not worried about what it said this morning, I know I am 13 lbs lighter than I was this time last year, and now I have my baseline number for starting this year, so it's all about moving forward, step by step (and you had lots of steps this morning!) IPOU!:flowerforyou:

KLB960

I decided to go with what I saw on the scale Friday..my new weigh in time. I was not a good girl over the holidays and it showed but still not at much as I started last June :happy: I am looking at this as a new start. I found that if I didn't log in, I was not accountable to anyone much less myself. I didn't have much control when it came to the holiday chocolates so I am going to incorporate them as a splurge once a month so I don't overindulge.

Happy New Year and keep on plugging along

PatriceMG

I weighed this am and I am up 2 pounds. Don't usually log the gain, but I wanted to start this year off logging with the correct number so up it went. Then I completed my first 5k of the year. Didn't run the whole thing, but kept going to the finish line. Good start to the year. This is going to be a good year! I can feel it in my (aching) bones! I am commiting to eating less and moving more and getting to my goal weight this year. Hopefully in 6 months (or less). And I know the Hatters are here to support us thru thick and thin. Hopefully thinner and thinner! Happy New Year!

Time2LoseWeightNOW

I saw a loss of .6 , this morning, so I am happy! :bigsmile: I love being off from work, tomorrow is the first day back .:sad: :grumble: I am going to have a really hard time waking up, I've been staying up until 1 or 2 in the morn and waking up at 11:00 am...That is my secret to not gaining over the holidays. It kept me from eating two large meals a day. I hope to keep up the not eating two large meals part....but did I mention I work right by the cafeteria....so on days it smells good, I'm done for...LOL

Thought I might lay out some goals for the next three months. ( I've got a mini vacation coming up in March)

Water, Water, Water, I've got to break up with Sugar again. :drinker:

I am going to go to the gym ...and hit Carol's Dreadmill. maybe I can melt a bit, too.

Still get in my stairs every day, at least one set, if not two.

I am aiming for an hour of exercise every other day. with 30 minutes every day.

I can do it! I know I can! :glasses:

TArnold2012

Happy New Years Hatters !!!!!

Hope all are doing well and excited for the journey of the new year. I am excited to experiences of this new year and glad to put the last couple of weeks behind me. Going to get out and do some retail therapy tomorrow then it will be time to finish up school plans before returning to the classroom. Time seems to have gone so fast but I am so blessed to be able to have this time off with my family and get a needed break after this last illness.

tonyacoursey

Happy New Year my lovely Hatter ladies,

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season. I am 30 pounds lighter this New Year than I was last New Year and I am looking to make even better changes to my health this year. I know that with all of us this is going to be a great year!

hairsprayhon

Happy New Year!!!! It is wonderful knowing that we are starting the year in the absolutely best place for us to support each other.

WHAT WILL YOU GAIN? I read that someone declared January 2 to be "What will you gain day" as the counterpoint to all of the January 1 resolutions about what we will be losing this year. So think about it WHAT WILL YOU GAIN THIS YEAR BY IMPROVING YOUR FITNESS?
I will gain STRENGTH
Physically- My heart will be stronger enabling me to undertake any physical challenge. My muscles will be stronger making tennis injuries less likely.
Emotionally- My confidence will be stronger enabling me to interact with anyone without the self conscious and invisible feelings that followed me when I was obese.
Mentally-My brain will be stronger as brains thrive on physical activity.
Spiritually-I will be more at peace as I continue to take possession of my own nutrition and fitness decisions and recognize that my obesity was not imposed from above. (it is difficult to acknowledge the times when I have sat in church and seen fit people and felt resentment.)
Professionally-I will not be subject to unproductive hours when lethargy from heavy lunches and inactivity made it difficult to complete my work.
HATTERS-WHAT WILL YOU GAIN BY IMPROVING YOUR FITNESS?
I am looking forward to hearing of all of your gains as the year progresses.
Your friend, Janet

seehe

Janet: I love the perspective of "What Will I Gain this Year by Improving My Fitness?" Thanks for sharing that!

I Will Gain a More BALANCED LIFE

Physically-My blood sugar, triglycerides, uric acid, and cholesterol levels will be balanced at healthy levels, my acid reflux and gout will disappear, and my osteoarthritis will be reduced, making my joints very happy :-) I will live with less medication. I will have more energy to help sustain an active lifestyle.

Emotionally: I will feel more emotionally balanced as I will gain pride in my accomplishment and confidence from knowing that I CAN do it.

Spiritually:I have always been good at taking care of others. I will gain balance by taking care of myself equally as well. I will honor my body, and feel gratitude for the spiritual support, guidance, and grace I have received in my wellness journey.

I will have Mind, Soul, Body Equilibrium :-)

seehe

While reflecting and reviewing my goals for this new year, I was reading through some of my materials from Canyon Ranch and found this to be a nice reminder, so thought I'd share....

Love Yourself While You Lose Weight
Achieve your goals by keeping the focus on how you feel instead of how you look
Written by Canyon Ranch Staff Reviewed by Param Dedhia, M.D.Published: September 6, 2012

Trying to love yourself while you lose weight seems a bit counterintuitive. After all, you’re working hard to change your body, so that must mean you don’t love it the way it is, right? Wanting to get healthy and accepting the body you have today don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Start by thinking of your weight within the context of your overall wellbeing. That means widening your focus to encompass more than just the numbers on the scale, the way your jeans fit and yes, even what you see in the mirror. Embarking on a healthy weight loss program should inspire you, energize you and make you feel proud of yourself. It also takes time and patience. This can be a tall order for many, but remember—when you begin a weight loss process from a place of self-love and acceptance, you are more likely to set realistic goals and allow for the little setbacks and disappointments that are a common stumbling block for many. Below, you’ll find some suggestions to help you remain positive and true to yourself on your road to reaching a healthy weight.
Treat every day as a new beginning. Start each day by affirming to yourself that you will do the best you can—no matter what happened yesterday. Thinking of every day as an opportunity for a fresh start can help you to avoid getting into the cycle of negative self-talk that causes many people to give up on their weight loss goals early in the process.
Give yourself a compliment once a day. It may sound silly, but it can help encourage self-kindness to come naturally (and limit self-doubt, which can lead to self-loathing). Remembering what you love about yourself puts you in the right mindset to want the best for your body, too.
"Honor the journey as you will discover more than a lower number on the scale… you will connect to much health and wellness on the way."
Param Dedhia, M.D.Canyon Ranch, Tucson

Look around you. Self-acceptance is a condition of grace and appreciation for the great range of body shapes and sizes. We are all different, and who you are and what you look like is unique. Remember that your weight loss journey is about achieving better health instead of focusing on becoming someone else’s definition of “perfect.”

Reflect on the gifts your body has given you. It propelled you through your half marathon; it gave you two beautiful children. The body that you may be down on has undoubtedly brought you great opportunity and joy. Reveling in those experiences and all that are still in store for you is an important way to love yourself while you lose weight.
Set attainable goals. Aiming to drop a dress size in time for your high school reunion in six days is an easy path to disappointment and self-blaming. Moreover, coming down on yourself in this way can actually contribute to increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which has been shown to increase the amount of belly fat stored by the body, particularly in women. Setting a more attainable goal, such as trying a new exercise class once a week or swapping one sweet treat for a healthier option, is a better way to protect your self-esteem and respect your body’s limits.
Feel the benefits of exercise. You know that exercise is one of the keys to successful weight loss. But what you might not know is that physical activity stimulates feel-good chemicals in the brain that elevate your mood. Research also shows that those who exercise regularly, as part of a weight loss routine, tend to rate their self-esteem levels as higher than those who don’t. If finding the motivation to workout is difficult, enlist a friend to exercise with you. Just as it’s helpful to learn to love yourself while you lose weight, there’s no better cheerleader to take on your journey than someone who wants the best for you and constantly reminds you of how wonderful you are.

Snooozie

Awesome tips Seehe, thank you!! and SO true!!! and while we might have to work on some of them, we know we have the "surround yourself with people who know you're wonderful" down pat.... cause all of us ARE wonderful! And even after my joking today about my trauma while shopping for a bathing suit.... I have absolutely no qualms about appearing in mine; (partly because once I hit 50... I discovered I no longer worry anymore about what other people might be thinking or saying about me!) but also because I plan to enjoy myself; and I'm quite comfortable meandering in a suit ... I went decades without taking an actual vacation until last year, and a few years ago, I never even owned a suit.. I'd just sit by a pool a put my feet in because I was too embarrassed to be seen in one. But two years ago I wentg away to Florida and got one, and spent the entire week running around in it... and it was wonderful!!! After that... I was done with hiding and in Mexico last year, the only thing I wore most days was a suit and a margarita, and I had a blast.. so thats another thing I've gained.. the confidence to do what I want and not let myself miss out on something because I was worried what other people might think... FREEDOM 50 : LOVE IT drinker:

cbmcphillips

burned 280 cals - doing the dreadmill - 45 mins / 1.5 incline / 3.5 speed / 2.6 miles
mad hatters unite - merobi - you had the bike going, janet - you were doing the body pump, snoozie - you were ignoring the geese, tonya - the pup was looking everywhere for "tops" to run around in....everyone else was cheering us on from the bleachers.....we're melting......

snoozie - can only imagine.....

cbmcphillips

@ seehee - can i have a pic from today's posting? thanks... Carol

seehe

Carol- hmm, not quite sure what you are referring to for a picture, but if you are referring to the bike, the geese, the pup, the bleachers, etc, I'm not sure how I might manage that one-sorry!

kobiemom

I had a *Lego day* yesterday. One of those perfect, solid days that get clipped together to build success. I got some of the holiday stuff put away. I went to the grocery store and stocked up on good choices. I went to the gym. I even cleaned a bathroom. I sauteed yellow squash and marinaded chicken breasts for the George Foreman grill. I FOUND the George Foreman grill!! I hadn't used it for so long, I wasn't sure where I put it! I'm feeling much better after my surgery. June 15 will mark three years since I started this journey. I've lost forty pounds with twenty to go. A lot has happened in between. I want to finish up the weight loss in a healthy way by June 15. Remind me that I said that as often as needed! The holidays are over. It's GO TIME!! Who's with me??

Have a Lego Day!!

cbmcphillips

I had a *Lego day* yesterday. One of those perfect, solid days that get clipped together to build success. I got some of the holiday stuff put away. I went to the grocery store and stocked up on good choices. I went to the gym. I even cleaned a bathroom. I sauteed yellow squash and marinaded chicken breasts for the George Foreman grill. I FOUND the George Foreman grill!! I hadn't used it for so long, I wasn't sure where I put it! I'm feeling much better after my surgery. June 15 will mark three years since I started this journey. I've lost forty pounds with twenty to go. A lot has happened in between. I want to finish up the weight loss in a healthy way by June 15. Remind me that I said that as often as needed! The holidays are over. It's GO TIME!! Who's with me??

Have a Lego Day!!

Kobie - I'm with you - we can and will do this! I actually have my ornaments off the doggone tree (pun intented):laugh:
first time the ornaments are off in a timely manner - they usually don't come off the tree until mid-January - had a burst of energy on the first.... and even made it to the gym yesterday....

Go Team Go! Last 19 for me.... water water water is my friend....and enemy....:drinker: :noway:

Carol in NJ

cbmcphillips

Carol- hmm, not quite sure what you are referring to for a picture, but if you are referring to the bike, the geese, the pup, the bleachers, etc, I'm not sure how I might manage that one-sorry!

hmmmm.... choices.....

canadian geese for snoozie with the bike for merobi to narrow it down... smiles and thanks, you're the best!

hairsprayhon

Kobe, I like the LEGO day concept. My son used to get giant LEGO sets for Christmas, I would look at the box of pieces and think it a hopeless task. But patiently and quicker than I could imagine the many pieces would become a giant star wars battleship or the statue of liberty. Sometimes looking at the end fitness goal seems so far away, that it can feel like a hopeless task. But if we are patient and put together the good decisions meal by meal, day by day, quicker than we expect we will notice how our fitness is shaping up.
MeRoBi, we know that you will quickly be on track and feeling great about your maintenance. I think it would be easy for people at maintenance to lose sight of how much we look forward to hearing from someone who is living the maintenance life to which we all aspire. Thank you for sharing the ups and downs of that foreign state.
Snoozie, I am so happy that you will have the opportunity to spend a week in a bathing suit. I love being in the water so much that even when I was over 300 pounds I would still go to the beach or pool. My defense mechanism-whenever I was only wearing a bathing suit, i took off my glasses and I couldn't see anyone looking at me.
I am looking forward to my one year MFP anniversary next week and I am trying to figure out how to post my year of progress in pictures in my post, can someone give me a refresher course?
Janet

Snooozie

Morning Hatters!

KM i LOVE the LEGO concept too!! and a great visual for working thru the day... putting the blocks together as you said! I have a week of dayshift starting Saturday and today will shop for some stuff I can make and freeze for lunches.. I'm going to try Bis's chili with quinoa instead of meat, but need to come up with a few others.. i have to eat at my desk so I know "finger' food works better for me, lots of veggies and low cal dressings to dip so i can munch all day, but i also need some protein or i'm starved when i get home and that's the danger zone lol.. will spend some time planning before i venture out..

Janet - wish I had thought of taking off my glassses before I had the eye surgery this year! I'm actually looking forward to using the pool for some actual swimming for exercise this year too.. I can't join in the early morning beach walks several of my friends do because its just too jarring on my back, but I plan on doing laps around the resort for my 30 min of walking ... might have to do a couple of extra ones but for the first time I'm thinking positively about making sure i move while im away .. small changes in mindset lead to big ones! Wish I could help with the pics... but.... as we know.. im useless with the techno stuff... lol

I was watching the news last night and they had a piece on health and fitness talking about the BMI etc.. one of the interesting things said by one of the guys was a reminder its not all about the numbers.. (and pointed out older people who carry a little extra weight actually live longer than skinny peoploe - something about having the extra store of fat to draw on when the inevitable medical issues of aging come up) but more so pointed out that people should stop focusing only on the weight; if you focus more on the healthy eating and fitness increases to get HEALTHY, the side benefit will be the weight loss.. I'm not sure if I can get my head totally into that concept, but was another good reminder there are many parts to our journey and we are, as we know.. far more than just a number.

seehe

Janet, this is what I do to post pictures on a the message board or other MFP post:

1. To reduce the photo size (otherwise it comes out huge) I use photoshop and reduce the image size to somewhere around 2 inches by 1.5 inches and/or reduce the pixels to somewhere around 180-250
2.I then upload the picture to photobucket (if you aren't a member of their website already, you can join for free and I find it the easiest way to post images)
3. On photobucket, there is a box to the right which says "Links." You right click on the IMG code, which will then say "copy"
4. On your MFP post, right click on "paste" and the IMG code will paste. However, you must change the Capital letters IMG at the beginning and end to lowercase img or it won't work on MFP.

Then just hit the post reply, and voila :-)

Kobie, Love the Lego analogy :-)

seehe

Carol- hmm, not quite sure what you are referring to for a picture, but if you are referring to the bike, the geese, the pup, the bleachers, etc, I'm not sure how I might manage that one-sorry!

hmmmm.... choices.....

canadian geese for snoozie with the bike for merobi to narrow it down... smiles and thanks, you're the best!

How about Snoozie walking ignoring a Canadian Goose? LOL

cbmcphillips

Thanks seehe - perfect!

Snooozie

Lol love it Susan !! I look fabulous thank you for that ! More later puter is having a meltdown and typing on my phone but love it and he looks just right .... hungry and looking for a bite of snoozie

seehe

Snoozie, when I use the MFP phone app, it doesn't let me see the message boards- do you go onto MFP through the internet on your phone or do you use the phone App?

Snooozie

I go right to the site from the internet on my phone ..... I haven't downloaded any apps yet lol... every time I look at the reviews for any of them they seem to have a lot of ads and glitches... so for now im just using the broswer on my phone ... at some point I'll get around to using apps but I didn't like the reviews on the app and there seem to be a lot of posts regarding it messing up in the tech section.. and im a weenie when it comes to technology as we know... lol

I just found out I have to call my carrier and figure out what i need to turn OFF on it before I go away... apparently twits like me can come back and a find a $7000 phone bill from wifi charges and roaming and data and stuff.. gak!! All i want is to be able to use the camera on the phone while I'm there :sad:

seehe

Snoozie, where are you traveling to with your iphone and bathing suit?

Snooozie

Morning Hatters!

and happy Friday for those who are doing the happy dance for it LOL..

Our first week of the new year is almost under our belts; how's everyone finding it getting back to better habits? Getting one whole day of good choices was the hardest for me (well day #2 was too) but once I got to two of them it got easier.. and feels good to be honest!

Merobi posted something the other day about it being easier to stay on the path than take a break and get back again and after the holidays, I think its so true... I'm still in total agreement about taking a DAY off now and then, but my planned one day turned into a week or 10 days way too easily. and it will be good for me to keep THAT in mind while I'm on vacation (we're going to Costa Rica btw Seehe) The good news ts its almost easier there food wise because someone else is doing the cooking, and there are always loads of good choices always available at every meal; it's just going to be up to me to use portion control, food choices and exercise to keep on track. I'm also looking at it as an opportunity to see how I do - since this is a lifetime change and I plan to have a couple more vacations down the road, seems like an excellent time to try out incorporating the mental habit changes I've been working on, and the memory of how easy it is to go offside is still fresh enough to keep me vigilant...

hairsprayhon

New year, healthy us! It is so great to see everyone approaching the winter as a time to get healthier and fit! I complain that there are not as many great fruits and veggies as in the spring, but just think about what is available in the supermarket that is so much better than what we had when we were kids. Our kids told us about "First world problems" which are problems that only people who have the basic things they need in life would complain about. So my first world problem of today is that the greenhouse tomatoes just aren't as good as the natural Maryland tomatoes of summer.
Snoozie, reading about your trip reminded me of a Daniel Ho song, it is called the Breakfast Song and most of the words are Pineapple, Mango…So you will have some great breakfast and other meal choices in Costa Rica. For me the danger would be the fruity drinks! Get lots of Vitamin D from the sunshine, but don't forget the sunscreen and a big floppy hat. I use the iPad app for doing food and exercising, but I can not get to the community section without going to the internet. The MFP scanner function is fun, just scan and the nutritional information is there. Do you have your reading set aside? I am a magazine junkie and our library just started making magazines available through zinio.
This morning when I went to Body Pump, I had no trouble doing the two sets of 16 push ups. In July I could not even do one! I do them on my knees, so today I decided to do the full pushup on my toes. I managed to do 3 of those, so that is a start!
I am constantly on my kids about the dangers of drinking and driving. So last night the 22 year old asked if her friends could crash here after their night out. We said ok, but we were not counting on them waking up the neighborhood when they walked here at 2am. When I got home from Body Pump at 7am, I turned all the lights on and blasted christmas carols, so they got the message it was time to get up and get out! Since DH was unable to go back to sleep and had to go to work today and then go to the hospital to deal with getting MIL back to rehab, I figure it is only fair that I do not let the 22 yr. old go to sleep until he can go to sleep. So right now she is cleaning the family room and the bathrooms and I will decide what she can do next. That is one of my lessons of parenthood. When I punished the kids by depriving them of tv or something, I felt like I had to suffer through the punishment too. So I figured out that if the punishment would be extra chores, then I benefited and they were too busy to whine as much.
Happy Friday!!!!

cbmcphillips

@ hairspray - your note about the young people made me chucke - and oh by the way.... the 18 year olds PS3 isn't working... makes mae so sad.....(for not being able to watch videos / DVDs)... but makes me happy that he can't play the Call of Duty Games.....and he needs to start working on getting scholarship money for college....:grumble: :laugh:

wising you blessings and good thoughts with the DH issue and the MIL issues.....:flowerforyou:

and yes, fruit is more expensive in the fall / winter but we have access to a local market and that 's where we get our fruits and veggies....

Talk to you all soon....

Carol

Snooozie

Janet... HUGE IPOU on not only the 16, but the 3 full ones!!!!!!!! those are amazing accomplishments!!! Congrats!!

and yup, got my kobo loaded with books, and my sunscreen and floppy hat already packed. and yes... the drinks may be my downfall!

and love the punishment tool LOL.. my sister came home intoxicated early one morning when she was young.... with full expectations of dropping into bed for the day... my dad had other ideas when he met her at the door.. i don't remember all the things she had to do before being allowed to go to bed, but SHE remembers having to start with cleaning the bathrooms and scrubbing the floors with a brush to this day..! and nope.. never happened again lol