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Hello fellow Crackers. It seems as if I have been away forever. I began last night by reading all the posts I've missed and hardly know where to begin. There is so much wisdom on your posts that I feel I want to respond to. Plus, so much has been going on in everyone's busy lives. Some Crackers are contending with particularly difficult times at the moment, and that too is instructive. I will probably jump around a bit and may need a couple or more posts to feel I've caught up so please bear with me.
I wouldn't be a Canadian if I didn't mention the weather and regrettably. I must report that the unrelenting winter gave way to a persistently colder and often very windy spring. The snow finally melted but it has been colder than normal. As of today, there is not a single leaf out on the trees or shrubs. Even the willows which I love because they are the first to leaf and the last to shred their leaves are still bare. I am looking out my den window and all the trees I see are bare. Lawns are finally starting to green up but spring flowers are really late. I had a few crocuses at Easter and did manage to buy some pansies for the front porch for Easter but have had no daffs or hyacinths or little iris yet. This week I have finally seen a few daffs when walking in south facing beds near the houses which are then warmer. Garden centres are delaying their opening. I heard on the radio that spring bedding plants will be much more expensive as the operators have had to heat their greenhouses much longer this year. I also heard that gardeners may be advised to refrain from planting tender plants until the first week of June. This is a bit of a long anecdote but points out what the winter was like: My garage is separate from my house and at a glance is quite picturesque. However, it is old and in a bizarre fashion of its construction, the driveway slopes towards the garage making it prone to dampness at the best of times after rainfall or snowmelt. Sometime in Feb., we had a day of really sudden high temps followed by an immediate return to deep freeze. The snow was so high I couldn't get into the garage all winter but as the snow melted I discovered that, probably during that sudden melt, so much water had gotten into the garage and then suddenly frozen that I literally had an ice rink on the whole garage floor. I am not exaggerating when I say that the ice throughout was 5-6 inches thick. It is taking forever to melt. The most frustrating thing had been that my bicycle was completely iced in and yesterday was the first day it could be extracted from the ice! (It should have been on its bike rack but it is too heavy for me to lift that high and I did not get my brother to help me before the snow set in last week of Nov.!)Anyway, yesterday was too cold and windy for a ride and today is pouring rain so my first bike ride of the season will not happen yet. In fairness, I must say there have been a few nicer days in the past month and I tried to get some yard work done. There were a lot of leaves to rake as the snow came before the trees in the back yard had all fallen. There was a municipal pickup of yard waste last week and I put out 20 bags of leaves, also a lot of twigs and branches that had fallen, and a lot of ivy I had pulled because it had got out of control. I am having new wood ties put in at the front of the house as the old ones have rotted-they have been there over 20 years. A lot of the ivy around the front of the house had invaded throughout the front bed and was entangled with the wooden ties so I have tried to take a much as possible out in preparation for that job.0 -
(This is a continuation of the post below) I had intended to stop shortly but was editing the post below when somehow it printed but would not let me edit- at least I did not lose it! (I was trying to amend "there were a lot" to "there was a lot")
I saw how much I'd written weather-wise but I'm afraid it really has had a large effect on me and often not a good one recently. However, I do think of you, BM, with your 42C and wonder if I could ever be satisfied! I don't know how you can bear that. Also BM, I did look at that Leslie Sansome tape. I think it could be a useful addition to one's exercise regime. She really gets a lot of variety of moves using little space and keeping the moves low impact but at the same time it looks as if it could have an aerobic effect. I notice there are 2 and 3 mile walks but did not check to see if they were available to do on-line. My computer is in a small den, not where I exercise usually, but I think I could manage to do that tape in a restricted space. Thanks for mentioning it. I must leave for the moment but hope to return shortly.0 -
Bracken - I do sympathise concerning your weather woes but hang in there. I've just changed my profile photo as there's only snow on the highest peaks now but I wanted to add when I left for England, I too up until then had only experienced a few daffodils and crocuses. My Easter grave displays this year were pathetic compared to my usual effort but our garden centres just had nothing to offer because of the long winter. However I have returned 10 days later to a lawn that is suddenly long enough to be cut, the willow trees are beginning to show signs of life, there are hyacinths, little iris and tulips blooming. It doesn't look anything like my ticker photo yet which is how my border normally looks for this time of year but it's a promising start so I hope for you it won't be too long either.0
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Back again. As I ranted yesterday about the weather, I will ignore that today and detail some of my recent struggles with weight, although perhaps struggle is not the correct word since I feel that I have been in a period of surrender! I was looking in my food log and when I last logged in during early April, I had just finished two weeks of trying to rejig my diet by counting calories (1200-1300),
and keeping track of carbs and protein. That fell apart a couple of days later and I have had a hard time ever since and regrettably have put on 8 pounds in a short time. I can hardly believe I have been off my program for so long , especially after having a long period in which I seemed to be able to get back quickly, never more than 3 days off but usually 1 or 2 if I did. Recently, it has been the opposite with the odd days on and the majority off. Of course, the longer I was off, the worse things seemed and I know I have been catastrophizing. I think part of it was because I really did work hard at my diet/exercise during the worst of the winter but dropped less weight than I thought I should/would. I put some of that down to not being generally active enough because I was mostly indoors. So I thought that when March came, everything would be better because I'd ride again, be outdoors etc. Except I had the sinus virus that made me really lethargic and March was still winter after all. By the last week of March, I started to refocus and that was when I decided to be more detailed with my food journal so did a more detailed diary (counted cals, carbs and protein). I have checked this and it still seems to me to have been reasonable and balanced. Things were going well and I remember during this time I kept trying on that black jacket I bought last spring (quite fitted and so rather unforgiving). I was really pleased at how well it fit but I could not wear it then because it was too cold but I thought I would wear it at our Easter gathering. This was when I was 4 pounds from my best weight. (LMV has a good word for it but I can't remember it!) In any case, it soon turned bad. I think it was a combination of on-going events during this period. I had an appointment with my Dr. which left me upset and feeling that I would never get to the root of my problems and feel really well (can't go into that here at the moment), two days after I saw my Dr. I got another really bad cough/cold, there were of course the usual Easter celebrations (let me say this was not all unpleasant and in itself should not have been a problem) and a number of away from home meals. (again, LMV I think of how often you have to accommodate to eating away from home and I know I should have handled this better) I know much of my problem is attitude and I really let a negative, defeatist attitude get to me. Another case in point, the stable owner who loves all celebrations gave me one of her homemade chocolate and cream Easter eggs as she did last year. But I did not take it to my sister's as I did last year, but ate it all
(not at once but it was probably 5 or 6 ounces). By Easter, I could feel the pounds hard crept on and didn't even consider the black jacket. When I say I have been catastrophizing, I am not joking. Around this time, I had a lovely call from an old friend In England who is coming to Canada in July and will visit me last week of July. My first thought after I got off the phone was about how behind I am with my goal to lose weight/get fitter and a feeling of dread. I also started thinking about my sister coming home in July too because that will not be a time to be losing weight either, but trying to maintain. Sorry Crackers to have been so dreary but I seemed to have needed to write this out. I am not giving up but trying to find a way forward. I am going back to using Beck. (As another aside, I could not believe it but I had lost my Beck book. I searched all over and while I am not the world's most organized person, I do keep my house tidy and organized. I can only think I may have taken it into a school or appointment back in the winter and left it. I had not really wanted it until recently. I know the book very well but it is different actually having a copy. Yesterday I was in a bookstore and yes, checked out the latest diet/exercise books too, and there was a single copy of Beck very visible. I hadn't thought of it really but took it as a sign and bought it.) I am also thinking of LMV's success in jumpstarting her weight loss again (congratulations, you are doing so well) but starting with a more restricted week so I am taking guidance from that. I am also reminded of MITM post regarding weight gain. I really do admire the attitude you have developed. You say that you would have once wallowed in self-pity and felt sorry for yourself but now you just feel hung over on chocolate and stupid. You are certainly correct about the former but rather than see you as stupid, I can see that you have developed a lot of positivity and that is reflected in your ability to laugh at yourself and put you blight into perspective. You are making me think about whether I am feeling sorry for myself which is not a very useful response. At the very least I need to find some more positivity. Also your comment about logging in daily is true. I have always done better when logging in regularly. So that is another step to get back on track. I also agree with your comment about milk and dark choc. I have dark choc that has been sitting in a tin for weeks and it is not a problem although I can enjoy dark choc. But milk choc is a whole other story. I suspect it is because of the amount of sugar in it. I think the sugar is my problem. Well, I have certainly taking up a lot of space with this entry so will leave now. Regards all.0 -
I'm wondering just how many cups of tea BM will be drinking!!
Bracken - I'm sure all the Crackers will agree with me when I say you're being far too hard on yourself. We all marvelled at how during your never ending, hard, winter you kept exercising. Even if you didn't make as much progress as you wanted, as LMV rightly said you were so near your lowest weight and even when you were ill and feeling lethargic, you kept exercising which perhaps with hindsight is where it started to go wrong and then snowballed....
We're all on the same journey and we've all, for whatever reason stopped off along the way but we will still all make it - however long it takes us! I think Bracken your challenge to yourself should be to aim to lose as many as those gained pounds before your friend and sister arrives. July is ages away, keep saying that Bracken otherwise winter is just around the next corner!!
Onwards and downwards Crackers!0 -
Well said MITM! Bracken you have been doing great and have been an inspiration for me. Today is another day and the fact is you are not on a diet - you are managing your weight - its a very different thing. And it will last for a lifetime. You can do it!
PB x0 -
Meant to say - I have an interview for a new job on Tuesday. Fingers crossed for me please Crackers0
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Afternoon Crackers,
Well how lovely to see MITM and Bracken back with us. Bracken I checked on Tuesday morning to see if you had reappeared, and as you hadn't, I popped a short note in the post to you. You were probably posting on here as I dropped it in the letter box. I had wanted to ring you but no longer have your telephone number. Private messages obviously get deleted from this site after a period of time so I don't have your details any more. I left the information on here as I knew exactly where to find it. If you private message me again I will record it elsewhere. BM and PB I don't think I have any way of contacting you other than through this site. You may want to leave it that way which is perfectly fine, but if you want to private message me with an email address or something then feel free to do so. We all go AWOL at times, but it is nice to know that any absence is purposeful rather than a catastrophe.
MITM, I'm sure you enjoyed the chocolate as you ate it and we all let loose at times. You sound very relaxed and full of motivation and on the plus side, you aren't craving chocolate!! And selfishly, I think it's great to have you joining in with the summer challenge!! Sadly I am still not exercising in a meaningful way but will get back to it. Rosemary will be my port of call too as the thighs definitely need some work, particularly if I am going to wear the summer shorts on holiday! I have been out for a few walks with my Father in Law though.
Bracken, you are definitely being way too hard on yourself. I'm so sorry you have been through such a miserable time. The winter has been long and hard and with health issues to deal with as well it is all too easy to get despondent. I'm sure we would all feel the same way. Sometimes we need to hunker down and lick our wounds alone, I quite understand that, but it 's lovely to see you emerging again as we have missed you. Gaining weight is annoying when every lb lost is so hard fought for, but as we've all said before, this is a long and winding road which goes up as well as down. I agree with MITM, rather than seeing July as a problem, I would treat it as a challenge. You have all of May and June to do something positive weight wise and to plan for your visitors. I'm sure they would appreciate eating healthily with you - none of us want to be gaining weight. You'll have time to try out some tasty low cal recipes to tempt them with and it will be summer so salads will probably be an option too. It's a chance to be culinarily creative! I don't know what it is like in Canada, but these days in the UK nearly every restaurant has some healthy options on the menu, it's just a question of being disciplined in what you pick. My Father in Law insisted on taking us out to lunch yesterday and I managed to pick a salmon fillet with salad and a small spoon of mashed potato. No starter, no dessert and NO alcohol. If (and it's a big if) you are in the right frame of mind, there is no need to put on weight while you have visitors.
BM - how are you getting on with the increased calories? How many chocolate biscuits have you forced yourself to eat? I checked out the scooby website and according to the -20% thing I should be on about about 1400 cal's a day which is 200 more than
I was on. I might give it a go.
PB - good luck with the job interview. I will have my fingers crossed.
Right got to dash, I'm off to Sing-a-long Dirty Dancing at the Swansea Grand tonight. I'm meeting my friends for a meal first (another meal out!!) but I intend to dance any extra calories off!!
Be good all
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Hello all. I feel very fortunate to have such kind support. Yesterday and today have been much better than most other recent days. Today I walked Nellie in the morning for 1 1/2 miles and later managed to eke out a mile on the treadmill so I feel I've made a start at least. I'm trying to deal with the weight gain fairly vigorously to start as I seem to be feeling its effects so strongly. I'm eating quite low carb and really focusing on eliminating sugar at the moment. I know that I need to have protein at every meal and snack to feel not hungry. My plan is to eat more veg, especially green veg but to try to avoid good carbs as well (brown rice, guinoa, oatmeal all of which I like ) for a few days. Fortunately I still have a lot of berries that I froze and plan to make them the basis of my fruits. I'm never quite sure what comes first- overeating and subsequently feeling depressed or feeling depressed and therefore overeating. However, whichever it is once it has started it becomes a vicious cycle. One thing is certain is that feeling badly about my weight is going to make me feel generally less happy. But even working on losing makes me start to feel better. I am quite certain I would have no trouble convincing my Dr. that I am depressed and need medication but I am extremely reluctant to go that route. Everything I have read has indicated that mild depression can be treated just as well with diet and exercise as with medication. My poor mother suffered with periods of true clinical depression and I am very familiar with what a trial that can be. In her last years, she was treated at times with a cornucopia of drugs that brought her no relief and had debilitating, sometimes bizarre side effects.
LMV, I really like your idea of a summer challenge and have been thinking about it and how to frame it properly. I'll try to figure this out shortly. I'd like to focus on eating less sugar but have not worked out yet how to make that a measurable goal. I was thinking about how food goals are harder to define. When I was in university, I picked up smoking and for a few years was quite addicted. When I wanted to buy my first horse, I realized that I could not afford to smoke and board a horse. I had made a few attempts to quit but thankfully did in the end. I went cold turkey, as they say. In some ways for me quitting smoking was easier
because I stopped and if I had had a cigarette then I would have known I had not quit. Food, and maybe sugar is my cigarette is different. I don't think realistically I could say I'll never eat sugar again! Anyway, I'm thinking about it and should have a look at Beck to see if I can get an idea.
PB, best of luck with the upcoming job interview.
On a totally different note I heard an interesting gardening item on the radio today which helped to explain a problem myself and a couple of other people I know had last summer. Long before the first frost, my impatiens began dying, almost overnight. Now it turns out that there is a plant virus/fungus that has just come into Ontario and spread rapidly which only affects impatiens. They are a staple of mine because I have a lot of shade. The plant manager who was interviewed said his garden centre is posting signs warning people of the problem and advising them not to buy or buy at your own risk. I don't know if this is a problem in other provinces yet or Britain but is quite disconcerting. At least I know now that I did not kill my plants!
Off now to get a haircut.
Regards.0 -
Bracken, how absolutely fab to have you back with us. You and Nellie have been missed. x x You have been through such a dreadful winter, I think you were absolutely amazing to exercise as you did through it all. you inspired me no end. We all suffer from a burn out from time to time, or I like to think of it as leaning off the wagon, not falling off it. (I am sure LMV quoted that one a long while back). So, Welcome to the Summer Challenge. I have decided mine is an actual weight target rather than a clothes one this year, as I have no "events" as such planned, just an endurance test, oops! meant a holiday in the UK for a month. Please ease yourself into it gently. It must be so difficult if you have a sweet tooth. I always think I am fortunate not to have one, but if I was ever, God forbid, tortured, I swear they wouldn't need a tooth pliers etc, just offer me wine and cheese and I would sing like a bird! :drinker:
MITM, copious amounts of tea have been drunk reading the recent threads, I am loving it! In fact I have drunk so much tea recently I now have a jug of Evian in the fridge with cucumber, watermelon and sprigs of mint in. I am trying to alternate with cups of tea. I usually drink soda water as I dislike still, plain water. Will have to see how I do with this flavoured stuff. Welcome to the Summer Challenge! I think it's great you had a fab time, ate enormous amounts of chocolate and thoroughly enjoyed yourself. It's what life is for. I love your attitude of putting it all behind you with no worries. I think we are all much better at doing that now. I think your words of Wisdom re the motorway were excellent and definitely one to remember.
LMV, Hope you had a great time at the Dirty Dancing singalong! You are in a beautiful part of the world for the lovely walks you are able to take with your Father in Law. I expect the fresh air and gentle exercise are doing him the world of good. I am sure I have said it before, but I always think of where you live as "being in a corner of God's pocket".
I am struggling a little bit, albeit in a good way, to reach my daily calorie goals. (Not a sentence I ever thought I would say!!). I am eating a lot more protein, mostly in the form of cottage cheese, tofu and Nat yoghurt etc. So I really don't seem hungry. Quite amazingly I am not missing pasta, which I absolutely love and had several times a week. My main carbs now come from my 1 piece of toast for breakfast. I have that and then frozen fruit, granola and natural yoghurt a bit later. I have also dramatically cut back on my cheese (
, yesterday was Labour Day here, so we ate out for lunch and Dinner. Had salad and protein twice and NO WINE!! Never thought I would see the day, especially as we had Dinner at a place called The Wine Connection which has every wine you could possibly think of and then more! I know I have lost a bit of weight this week, nothing like the 3lb of last week, but I will be happy to lose anything. I also feel mentally much better for trying this TDEE thingy. As Bracken says, once the decision is made to "crack on" and do it, you immediately feel more positive. I have the Parents coming in two weeks for almost a month, so the advice you gave to Bracken was something I have also taken on board. Salads really are a good choice for here, yesterday was 44c with the heat index, so apart from being too hot to want to eat a great deal, I don't particularly want to be "slaving over a hot stove". We do also eat out a lot which makes it a lot easier for me, thank goodness. Good luck with the extra calories! x x
PB, I have everything crossed for your interview! Go in there with your head held high, you deserve good things! x x
Lovely to see Saffy and New8 doing well with the exercising. x
I have some ironing to do now, mostly OH's shirts, ugh. So will make a move.
Wishing everyone good weekend. Love BM x x0 -
BM I had to laugh at your comment about wine and cheese and torture - I'd be much the same. My old motto was my five a day were: cheese, chips, crisps, coffee and chocolate. Thanks heavens that is no longer the case.
Well Crackers - I have weighed in, measured (bit of a shock there) and done a menu for the next week - off to Tescos shortly for shopping. I am going back to basics. Wish me luck!
PB0 -
I've just enjoyed the latest posts from PB and PM, a lovely way to round out the day. Good luck, PB on your back to basics plan. BM, enjoyed your torture comment too. You are clearly 'working' your program as I think they always say about models on a runway, working a look. Our various food demons are interesting. Why is it that although I like a glass of wine, I actually seldom drink and virtually never at home alone (one issue is that wine actually affects me like caffeine and I hate not being able to sleep) while you, BM, have no real sweet tooth. It's good to see you are up for the challenge and have an idea of how you will focus yourself. I'm still working on it. And while you were in stifling heat, I was still in winter sweaters for this week which has been again well below normal temperatures but now with a lot of rain. On the upside, lawns are really greening and by today I actually saw some trees with hints of budding leaves. Despite the rain, I have managed to walk Nellie two miles yesterday and today. Yesterday I also did a half day of substitute teaching which I have not done for awhile. I really don't do a lot now but am reluctant to completely give it up as it can be the source of a nice little extra income and it would seem yet another sign of advancing age. Since I always have the choice of whether or not to accept a call, I have a lot of freedom.
A couple of nature notes from my way. I have a robin nesting in the elbow of a downspout under the eaves trough of my house, at the front. Although I love the idea of a bird nesting on my property, in reality I find it quite distressing because the chance of the babies surviving is not good. They do very well in the nest (and I have had robins in that spot before) but once they leave the nest everything is fraught. The street is near and now particularly fledglings have little place to hide as I have had to get rid of a lot of overgrown ivy and trim some bushes because of this work that will be done on the bed in front of the house. My neighbourhood is also rife with cats that are allowed to roam, especially at night. Robins spend a good week on the ground before they can fly enough to be safe. Our Canadian robins are coloured like the British ones but larger, like a thrush my mother always said. They are one of my favourite birds. On days as we have had this week with so much rain, you see a lot of robins on lawns looking for worms flushed up by the water as worms are a main food. They also have a lovely song and sing at dusk. I also have a pair of red cardinals hanging about. Cardinals begin to sing in the early morning but not at dawn, well before then. They often wake me up and I've checked the clock and it would be just past 4 a.m.! This morning a local grocery store opened its seasonal garden centre so I had to stop in. It was lovely to see all the flats and baskets of plants. There was a very good deal on large hanging baskets of tuberous begonias. I like them as they are very colourful but like shade. It is too cool to keep them outside of course, but I could not resist buying a yellow one and a peachy-orange one. I'll have to keep them in the garage (still with 2'' of ice underfoot!) for awhile but they are just so lovely.0 -
Sounds like Spring has started to sprung in Canada at last - despite the rain. I do feel for you. I love the Canadian Robin - and I think I saw one in a garden when I was last in BC. Yes they are much bigger than ours - like a thrush or blackbird. Lovely. Don't know the Cardinals though - will have to look them up to find out what they look like. There was a flurry in the forest the other day of 'twitchers' they'd obviously heard of something special but no idea what it was. I realised too why we have so few cuckoos now - apparently, the Maltese kill them as they pass through!
The Woodpeckers are pretty busy though.
Well off to ride shortly - first two days of back to basics have been pretty good although I'm still trying to drink enough water. I had to laugh at Brackens remark about not drinking at home alone. Sadly, I do like a glass of wine and I do drink at home alone sometimes (but only, usually, one glass) and I also have the worst sweet tooth - I don't stand a chance!
take care Crackers - speak to you soon
PB0 -
Hello Bracken, I have just got in from a busy Sunday afternoon and read your post. Now I wish I hadn't!! I really do wish I had resisted temptation and saved it to read in the morning with my breakfast cup of tea! I so love hearing about your wildlife and the weather. How amazing to have your own wild birds. In Wales. which is my UK home we are surrounded by owls. Their screeches at night make my stomach turn! It really is an awful sound. Whilst living here the Parrots and monkeys in the trees to the one side of our condo similarly screech but at least it is during the day! My parents have been fortunate enough to have a family of robins in their garden for more than 30 years. They swear it is all the same family, and I wouldn't be surprised if it were true. In fact they seem to be almost tame now and come onto the kitchen window sill for the scraps my Mother leaves out for them. Maybe Nellie's presence will be enough to deter to your local cat population. I do hope so. x x
PB In regards to you not drinking more than a glass of wine on your own....That to me is an achievement in itself. I could Never stop at one glass. I can go weeks without a glass of wine, but having "just one" invariably leads to "just one bottle". However, if you were to place a tray of sweets/chocolates/candies/cakes in front of me I wouldn't flinch or be tempted. I wonder if it is somehow hereditary or familial? Whatever it is, I am thankful I have the Crackers to come to with my troubles!:drinker:
I am off to make OH's packed lunch now. He is eating healthy with me, bless him. In fact he seems to be doing better than I am scale wise!
Hope everyone has had a really lovely weekend. They are over far too soon. Although I believe it is a Bank holiday in the UK so the party continues!
Take care all, Love BM x x0 -
Good morning all. Thought I would check in here while I wait for it to warm up a little before going out to yard work. It is sunny out this week and a little warmer after last week's days of steady rain. The rains however have brought the plants along and suddenly I have some hyacinths (my favourite spring flower) and miniature daffs in bloom. Also I have some woodland plants that I brought from my brother's woods. My favourite in the bloodroot which starts with a small rather ordinary white flower but as it leafs out it has lovely large scalloped leaves that form beautiful clumps They are called bloodroots because if you break a stem the sap is a red colour. One large clump is up but another seems to be missing, I suspect because Nellie was digging there last fall! I also have a few trilliums which are our provincial wildflower. When I was driving yesterday, I noticed stands of willows that seemed to be clouded with a fine mist of green; I love how they look at that time when their leaves are first coming out. BM, I enjoyed hearing about your Welsh owls. We have owls here but they don't come into developed areas. My brothers gets them but they are hard to see being nocturnal. A lot of our owls are locally threatened because of habitat loss. There is a small barn owl that was common but now is being pushed out because the old style barns are disappearing. Of course, that makes me wonder where they nested before people settled here and provided nesting places for them! The same is true of the barn swallow ; however, I have recently seem a few at the stable. Regarding things nocturnal, last night when I was taking Nellie out for here bedtime pee, she suddenly lurched on the leash and almost got away. I looked over to the front lawn only to see the white of the tail of that large skunk who must have been looking for grubs on the lawn. Is Nellie fated to be sprayed? However, I do I love it that there is a whole world of animals that go about their secret lives at night. We also saw a rabbit on another lawn. BM, I can believe that those robin families have ben coming back for 30 years in your parents garden. Our news reported recently of the finding of a dead hawk. It turned out it had been banded and so its age was determined and it was 30 years old. On a different note, doesn't it seem unfair that men lose weight so much easier than women? I believe it is because of their naturally different muscles mass but still galling.
I think this is your interview day, PB so I am thinking of you. Glad to see so much reference to riding. I plan to ride this afternoon.
I have felt better about my diet/exercise as I now am on the 7th day of my refocusing plan. Yesterday and Sunday I walked 2 1/2 miles with Nellie. I saw my Doctor yesterday and things went much better and I left feeling much more positive. She is arranging for me to see a specialist about my gastro induced issues. That my take a month but it is a movement in the right direction.
I can now see the neighbour over the fence is working in his yard, so time for me to get to work.0 -
Good evening Crackers!
Good to hear you sounding so positive Bracken on all fronts! I am aching from head to toe and no I haven't been anywhere near Jillian for weeks! However since the weekend I have been working in the garden for hours at a time and I'm delighted to say my border is now looking like my ticker, although you can't see in the photo my Japanese Rose bush which is in full bloom - the best it has looked in years, so no harm from the heavy snow. I keep going out onto the balcony and glancing down to double check I'm not imagining It as there is still snow on the mountain tops! But no spring is in the air. In fact yesterday it was 24°c.
I have cut the grass over several days, pacing myself and I have filled 3 sacks with perennial weeds... The vegetable garden is dug over but we have to wait until the moon is in the correct position before planting can commence!!! I have been to the garden centre and bought my balcony flowers as I've only managed to keep alive 8 geraniums over the winter months, it was too cold. Tomorrow the moon is allowing me to plant them in my boxes although they won't be going onto the balcony until later in the month however the terrace pot plants are out. It's all beginning to happen at last and I feel so much happier in myself!!
PB - hope the interview went well.
LMV - how was the Dirty Dancing sing along?
BM - hope the grazing is helping!
Right I will take my aching bones off to bed. Be good Crackers!0 -
Morning Crackers - MITM your gardening exploits exhaust me. I have to say I love a pretty garden but have no interest in the work involved to make it so - give me a horse to groom and a stable to muck out any day - I get a real buzz from a clean welcoming and neat stable even if I know Harley will soil it almost immediately. His main trick is doing a wee the minute he gets back from a hack. At this time of the year too grooming leaves our boys shining and healthy as their winter coat comes out. Although of course 2 of them were clipped during the winter where they have been out hunting.
My interview seemed to go very well yesterday but I'm awaiting further information which I suspect means I haven't got the job - never mind, there will be others. In the meantime, I am doing so much physical exercise that I wake up aching in the morning! It wears off during the day a bit and I think it might be that I am suffering a side effect from my medication for 'low mood'. I'll let you know when I hear.
In the meantime, my back to basics is going OK - although yesterday was a bit disorganised as I was supposed to have lunch with Mum and Dad but Dad had a bit of a funny turn so we didn't meet up at all. He is OK but gave mum a bit of a scare. I felt completely exhausted yesterday afternoon so I did actually sit down and do nothing much for most of the rest of the day - had a little snooze and went to bed early - hopefully, as I'm riding today, I will be a bit more lively! I'm determined to get back into that pencil skirt! Maybe I'll get a photo and put it on for you!
I'm now into the busiest time of the year for show jumping so I'm getting close to my show attendance requirement which is good as I need to have completed this by the end of the season if my promotion to level 2 judge is to happen this year. Its a complicated system!
Well I need to go now and get on with some work so I will talk to you all later. take care Crackers!
PB x0 -
Good morning everyone. Like MITM, I too have been busy in the yard for the past two days and am really feeling it. I'm still raking leaves from the part of the yard that has groundcover not lawn. A lot of this is covered in ivy but I have also some patches of vinca, packydermia, snow on the mountain as well. I am really coming to see how destructive this winter has been. I have been complaining about the ivy taking over and how hard it is to control. However, it appears that there has been a large die-off and there is hardly any green at the moment. I am hoping that it will come back from underground. Normally there are brown leaves in the spring but never like this. The vinca which has such pretty violet flowers also has not fared well but, interestingly, the packydermia has come through quite well. I'm pleased about that as it originated from one little pot of plants my mother brought me from the Botanical gardens in Hamilton, Ont. I have only a few roses because of lack of sunny spots, but they too have been hard hit. I had hilled them up with soil as I do every winter but all of them look virtually dead. Two roses at the front of my house are at least twenty- five years old and last year were dripping with blooms, so very distressing. Also there is not a single primrose and I am sure Nellie did not dig them up. MITM, you garden sounds so lush and lovely. And roses in bloom! 24C! The past two days at 15C have seemed a treat though today is much cooler and I won't do much outdoors. However, we are promised much milder temps starting tomorrow. (It does often seem like Alice In Wonderland here with our weather, 'always jam tomorrow, never today!') PB, good to hear that you felt good about the interview. Even if that position doesn't work out, you can draw on your renewed confidence in yourself. Your involvement with horses seems to be proving the old saying, "There is something about the outside of a horse which is good for the inside of a man"- in this case a woman. Looking forward to seeing the pencil skirt- I'm sure you can do it. A good goal that. I should get to a little garden work today as later I'll be going to my sister's for her youngest daughter's birthday. I also need to do some walking either indoors or out. I only did a short walk with Nellie yesterday because of gardening and going to the stables.Hope everyone is having a good week.0
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Bracken you haven't told us how you got on at the stables???? Did you get to ride? PB0
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Evening Crackers!
Well would you believe today it was 7°c so I'm wearing a thermal vest to bed tonight!! And not only was it cold here in my part of the world but grey and miserable... I started out in the garden pottering but I decided against planting up my balcony flowers as it was too chilly for me and the flowers!!
But it's interesting how the weather can shape your mood as I felt mine sinking lower by the minute and feeling sorry for myself my thoughts turned to what could I eat? However instead I forced myself to go and salsacise!! It was the last thing I wanted to do... It's been too long as I went wrong twice and I use to be able to do the steps in my sleep but I'd also forgotten how shaking my hips and waving my arms around in the air like a mad woman can cheer me up a treat! Fifteen short minutes later all thoughts of nibbling were dismissed.
Tomorrow as I believe it's going to be another grey day I'm planning to salsacise first thing and then keep myself occupied by doing some more painting. I feel I'm such a pro now, I'm going to strip and paint the door frames of the inside of the rooms to match as I'm so pleased with my hall results.
Hope everyone else is keeping on the straight and narrow!0 -
Have to say I love the unpredictability of the British/European weather! I was enjoying reading both yours and Brackens exploits in the spring sunshine and gardens, and now you are back to the cold and grey! I know it can't be much fun for you when it is gloomy weather as you both like being outdoors. However the thought of some chilly weather is wonderful to me as I miss it so much! When I look outside here and the sky is so blue and the sun so bright it hurts, it is sometimes only the Cracker's exploits that stops me "cracking" up! Yesterday the heat index was 46c, I could have just stayed in bed all day. It is not even the heat that does it for me it is the humidity. I swear I can hear my hair frizzing!
I was out quite early with the dog this morning and we have done our first 5000 steps. This evening we will do another 5000. (Pit stop, quick walk at lunchtime for his toilet needs!). So I am eating more, walking more and feeling so much better. I really can't say if it is due to the extra calories or not, but it all seemed to coincide with the increase. I find it much less stressful now planning meals, even though it is just a few hundred calories more. Can I just ask MITM, did you use a weight loss tool eg, Scooby or mfp to work out your calories? Are you using TDEE-20% or is it a level of calories you have found works best for you? Thanks!
Wishing all the Crackers happy Thursday.
Love BM x x0 -
Hi Crackers
Found the new thread! Looking forward to a good day today. Although I think it is going to rain later its currently dry. Getting ready to have coffee with a former work colleague today and must admit not really looking forward to rehashing the events of the last few weeks with her as I feel I should put it behind me as soon as possible. (I'm hoping that will happen quite quickly and I'll get a confirmation soon). Other than that I have a date with some horses this afternoon although I suspect riding will not be on the cards if it rains too hard. I love my life at the moment. What a pity I have to go back to work at some point in the near future (no news by the way) as I could really enjoy being a lady of leisure! I certainly have no difficulty filling my days. And its great to be able to focus on my health and wellbeing.
I did wonder if any of you know anything about this raspberry ketone thing? I keep seeing ads for it and they say there is 'no dieting' and you lose incredible amounts of weight - I really can't believe this and although I'm tempted to try it to get a start on my weight loss. Does anyone know anyone who has tried it? I think I'm going to ask on a more general board to see what people say about it......
take care all and speak soon
PB0 -
A rather short pop-in tonight but must say I have enjoyed all posts and feel inspired by the positive actions everyone is taking- all different but each a step in the right direction. BM, I must say your 46C would do me in completely so particular kudos for you getting that much walking in. MITM, you have successfully used a classic diversion which would make Beck proud. PB, hope you enjoyed your ride. I finally was able to take my horse into the outdoor ring today. I did not do much really as I was alone (there was someone at the house) and Briar was quite hyper alert and very responsive. This would be a good thing if I hadn't felt somewhat nervous (I can still feel some of the effects from falling last fall when the wild turkeys spooked him) and wary of another fall. However, I am hopeful that it won't be long before he adjusts to being ridden outside as he is basically such a reliable horse. A warm day today so back at yard work. I was pleased last night to cope well with the cake and ice-cream and drinks celebration for my niece's birthday. There was an ice cream cake but I passed it up. I've been trying to focus on no added sugar foods for present time so a little victory there as ice cream is one of my ultimate temptations. PB, I have not heard about the raspberry ketone thing but you've made me curious to find out. Nellie needs attention so off for now.0
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Hi All
My research suggest the raspberry ketone thing is little more than a scam so that puts paid to that. Raspberry ketone is, apparently, simply a VERY expensive smell......... People not dieting with it is unlikely to work so using it just seems an expensive con.
Bracken well done for restarting riding despite feeling a little nervous - as you say he is essentially reliable its just unfortunate that you had your fall so late in the year and you just need to rebuild your own confidence. I know that since I restarted riding last Autumn I have really become much more confident - especially now when there is so much agricultural activity (tractors, irrigators, fleece etc) for the horses to spook at.
Had a super day yesterday until I got home and there was a message on my ansaphone to ring the HR company. It was too late to ring then and I'm off for another ride this morning so won't be able to ring until much later. Feeling a bit tense - hoping that they will not play silly games.
Sadly, weighed in this morning and haven't lost any weight... How does that work? I've been trying so hard. It will probably appear in the next couple of days (I'm a bit constipated - a result of my medication) and I suppose I'm building muscle but a bit frustrating.
Weather was rather wet yesterday but dry this morning - I don't know if I will have a dry ride though - its a bit dull out. Need to eat a little breakfast before I go out though as it will be a long morning starting with mucking out.
Update later
PB0 -
Hi PB,
I am sure nothing HR can say will phase you now. You are out of that toxic place and all the better for it. I should not think for one minute they will want to play games or drag this out. They just think in terms of monetary issues rather than the individual concerned. You have right on your side, so be confident on the phone!
In regards to your raspberry ketones. I debated to reply or not and was a bit cowardy so chose not too! However, if there is one thing this site has taught me, it's that there are no short cuts. Weight loss is ALWAYS as a result of a calorie deficit. We can all lose weight on a 1000 calories a day but it is impossible to continue with that as it will eventually precede long term problems. I am one of the Weight Watcher crowd who can remember being cheered "in class" if I had ate under 1200 daily for a week. It takes a long time to lose that way of thinking. I am in a weird place now as I try to establish how many calories I can eat and still lose weight. I am currently eating 1580 or near enough daily. I feel so well on this amount and no matter what the scales will say tomorrow, my shorts are way more comfy and my bra feels loose on the tightest hooks! So I will keep plugging away until I find the optimum amount of calories I can lose weight on.
No matter how long this takes, we are all in it together. So enjoy your weekend, put HR "up on the shelf" for now, and take them down when YOU are ready to deal with it.
Wishing all the Crackers a fab weekend, we deserve it! Love BM x x0 -
Hi BM - thank you for your kind and supportive words. I just said to a friend that I felt so relaxed and happy it was remarkable. I've had a super day - I rode first thing this morning, worked really hard on my position. Helped muck out and do up this afternoon and went for a 5 mile walk this evening. I'm mucking out again in the morning - feeling slightly shattered so early night I think!
Take care all and have a lovely weekend!
PB0 -
Hello everyone. PB, glad you are continuing to have such a great time riding. I smiled when I read that you worked really hard on your position because I thought I knew exactly what you meant and that you only concentrate on your position after you have a basic sense of confidence and are having a good time so that you really want to do it right. It really shows how positive you are. That is the thing about riding; you can always improve. I've often had friends or family quiz me when I've said I was doing a schooling lesson because their view would be "Haven't you learned to ride properly yet?" "Are you still taking lessons?" As for your weight, you must surely inevitably show a loss on the scales- that five mile walk alone had to count for something. Hang in! I would also check to see if the medication could be a cause too. BM, glad to hear you are finding your clothes looser and feeling so good about the way you are working your plan. You are showing how much we really have to engage with whatever plan we follow and really own it.
Well, the last several days have been really lovely and I am spending a lot of time on gardening. It's amazing how fast the day goes and there are so many jobs to be done. Today I bought 1/4 yard of topsoil which is quite a lot and have been filling pots and renovating beds, not to mention filling holes dug by you-know- who. Of course, everything needs to be washed although I remember last fall hosing down pots and such before I put them away. I got my patio chairs and table washed and gave the cushions a good clean. I have some touch up painting to do and I haven't touched the pond which is another story. But seeing some lovely plants which seem to have almost sprung up over night keep me at it.
I rode my horse a bit longer and did a little more yesterday. Originally, the stable owner had said her daughter would get on him a couple of times this past week to help settle him with the change to outdoor riding again but as it worked out, the daughter was very busy and could scarcely ride her own horse. So no matter how slowly I am in getting back to it, I am doing it without any help.
I'm planning to ride tomorrow morning again. By the way, PB just what do you mean by "fleece"? I have images of hot sheep throwing off their coats into the winds! Regards all.0 -
Hahahaha Bracken that made me giggle! Its a plastic/fleece cover they put on crops to protect them from late frosts. Its held down by handfuls of earth so a high wind can make it move and look quite frightening. There are fields upon fields of it here at the moment!. Glad your weather has turned nice. Yesterday the weather was a bit changeable here - we did have a little sunshine but the showers were short and fierce in between.
You make a good point about the medication - it could indeed be part of the problem. It is very frustrating though. I'm working so hard physically, eating well and exercising. It should be falling off me!
No riding for me today. I'm at a horse show judging and having a session with the course builder/mentor which will tick another couple of boxes in my quest to become a level 2 judge.
take care all and have a good day!
PB0 -
Hello Crackers,
Sorry I haven't been around much. My hand have been full sorting out various issues concerning my FIL. He has agreed to leave London where he has lived all his life and move nearer to us here in Wales. After we planted the seeds he suggested the move himself which was fantastic and he now appears to be looking forward to it. Such a relief. My husband is going up to London with him tomorrow for a few days to sort out his "stuff". We've found somewhere here for him to live so lots to do at both ends of the country.
Really loved reading everyone's news and it is great to feel the positivity from everyone at the moment. I'm having a back to basics week and have stuck to it pretty rigidly so I'm hoping to see a loss again when I weigh in on Wednesday. Stick with it PB and you will see the scales move. BM how are the preparations for your parents' visit?
Unfortunately I can't hang around as I'm off out in 10 mins. I just wanted to check in and hopefully while my husband and FIL are away I'll have time for a proper catch up.
Stick with it everyone, we can achieve our Summer Challenges if we take it one step at a time.
Be good all,
Lots of love xxx0 -
Hi LMV - I'm glad that your FIL is going to move closer to you - it will be far less stressful for you if he is close by and there is a problem. And hopefully, it will reassure him that help is close at hand when he needs it without completely losing his independence. I have a tricky day ahead in some ways. Meeting the HR guy at 5.00pm this evening which I hope will move things forward towards a sensible conclusion. Need to spend some time thinking about what I want to have in my reference I guess. Given that the partners are trying to say that I am 'unapproachable' and 'abrupt' there is an issue for me about them being honest and saying I'm a good manager/team leader. However, before all that I'm having coffee with an ex-colleague (left a couple of years ago) and then this afternoon I am hoping to ride out before helping do up.
Yesterday was cold and wet and windy at South Suffolk Show and the entries were pretty poor but it mostly went OK (apart from the horse who threw a shoe in the first round of a Foxhunter competition and wanted a Farrier - the farrier was not on site and wasn't answering his mobile - we waited an hour and the owner got very stroppy about it but we had to say in the end that we had to continue - we still had two more classes to run! I eventually got home just before 7.00pm having left at 8.00am. I was very cold too when I got back in the car - but I've ticked off another judging hoop and now only need to spend a day with a BS Steward - learning what they do. We don't see Stewards very often in Suffolk so it might be tricky.
Anyway, need to get my day organised so talk to you all soon. Still keeping to basics!
PB x0
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