WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR AUGUST 2012

Dixie
Embrace and cherish the moments you have. Your husband is a very special man. Work on making memories each day. My heart goes out to you both in all that you are dealing with. Hugs

Unfortunately, in alot of pain with my foot, recovery from this surgery won't be quite as breezy as I thought. Going stir crazy just sitting around but I'm going to al least try to get some sitting streteches in today! It's only day 2 since the surgery and ready for it to be at the 4 week point to get the pin out! Oh well, on the upside maybe this will give my knee flare up a chance to finally settle down.

What type of foot surgery did you have? I had bunion surgery in January, and had to spend 6 weeks with my foot elevated all the time (2 weeks on the ice machine 24/7). I actually managed to not gain any weight through this, which was a nice surprise. It was really old just sitting there, but I read a lot and watched all of the "chick flick" movies that my husband won't look at. Also used the laptop computer a lot to do crosswords, sudoku, e-mail, etc. I'm now 7 months out, still have the pins in, and doing well except for some residual soreness. This too will come to pass! Let me know if you need to vent, since I've been there.

Happy Saturday All! It's another hot one here today. My plan was to get up early and go for a run but even at 7 am it was 20 celsius. We'd been up later than normal after driving to Toronto and back last night and I just didn't feel like it and the heat pushed my decision.

I notice a lot of people asking about different exercise DVD's. I have the 30DS. I find it okay and it's short so one can will their way through it. For me the thing that has worked best has been classes. I know for everyone they aren't an option because sometimes they don't fit in the budget or there isn't good classes in one's area. For me I like them because once in a class you can't stop...or leave...well you could but you know what I mean. When I have done a DVD in the past I've stopped partway through but I have never walked out of a class. Plus I've met a lot of nice supportive people when I go to classes. Last saturday a police cruiser drove by our car then backed up and the passenger window went down and I heard the officer yell how did you make out on the warrior dash. He came to boot camp a few times with us . When I first started going to yoga I worried about this sweating issue and it's taken some time to realize nobody really cares about my sweating but me.

Hope everyone has a great saturday. Stay hydrated!!!

Hi all, have just joined and can definitely identify with many of the posts. Except I am in Australia and it is winter. No snow and it's about 60F which is pretty cold for us. Am sitting in front of a fire trying to resist hot chocolate! I lost lots of weight ( over 100 pounds!) but have put half of it back on again. Mainly due to dropping exercise an taking up wine and chocolate. Sounded like a fair swap to me but my body is not happy!:ohwell: :ohwell: Anyway back on the austerity trail food wise and exercise wise. Keep up the good work and be kind to yourself.:happy:

Smooches to everyone -- so happy to have found this thread, thanks to my new friend mdwmdwmdw (who's also in the Women of a Certain Age group). I'm 55 next month, living in Arlington VA outside DC. My goal for August is pretty modest -- going on a week's beach vacation with my husband, so my aim is not to gain this month! And to log and exercise every day I'm not on vacation, and to get my oldest packed up & off to college without reverting to stress eating.

Hi All,
I'm 56 and also from WA State!What a great support system,very thankful to have found you.

Learn to use the Vitamix blender my DH just gave me for my birthday -- so many of the recipes sound great! Homemade soup in 15 minutes? Thrilled!

Continue to w/o 4 times a week. I'm doing mostly cardio at this time, though I do at least one circuit training each week. (I'm recovering from heart surgery and on weight restrictions. It just takes a very long time to get any muscle fatigue at 25 pounds a rep!)

Hello Lovely Ladies,
Sometimes you read something that someone posts and you realize that your(mine) issues are so nothing in comparision. @Dixie just like I have read wish I could hug you . You and your husband are in my prayers and thoughts.

Love, Liz

Hello and Welcome to all the Newcomers! Hope you'll keep coming back to check in and share your successes and get encouragement for those tough days along the way.

Dixie, my heart goes out to you. These are difficult days, indeed. The woman you met in the waiting room was an angel to let you know there are plenty of people thinking of you and your husband. I hope that your first few meetings with the folks from your local hospice will put you more at ease. I'll continue to keep you in my prayers. Listen to your DH and stick with your food plan as best you can. He knows how hard it is to do, and how much harder it will be later on if you give up now.

Michelle -- I'm envious of your pool and hot tub! I love swimming, and have talked for years about getting one of those "endless" pools so I could swim laps right at home, but can't convince DH that it's a good idea. Water exercises are the best, and I finally figured out that's one reason I love swimming -- the water keeps me cool and even when I'm working really hard I don't realize that I'm sweating!

Alwaysnancy -- I think you are right. Nobody cares about your sweating but you. Same goes for me. When I'm at the gym everyone is sweating and I don't think anything of it. But I don't like to sweat and I feel like everyone's staring at me. When I work with the trainer he EXPECTS me to sweat, and he seems happier when I do, so I'm going to have to readjust my own attitude about this. I saw a motivational poster that said "Sweat is fat crying." Maybe that will help me.

Amiscci -- If you can squeeze in even a day trip to the beach after your DH's last treatment that would be great, wouldn't it? And if you saw the outline of some abs you should definitely treat yourself to a new swimsuit. They're all on sale now, too!

DeeDee -- Hope you survived your "Fried Food Fest." What a way to show appreciation to folks, huh? Keep "watering" yourself. :drinker: :drinker:

SkinniWoman -- You certainly sound like you've got good goals for August. Check in here daily and maybe that will help you stay positive. My motivation has been sagging these past few weeks because I was stuck at the same weight for almost a month. Yesterday I googled "weight loss inspiration images" and printed off some photos and posters. I've got a stack of them, and I taped a few up in my bathroom so I will see them every morning. When I stop noticing them, I will change them. The one I put up first says something like, "It takes 4 weeks for you to notice changes to your own body. It takes 8 weeks for your friends and family to notice, and it takes 12 weeks for strangers to notice. KEEP GOING" I've been at this for 5 weeks and I'm actually starting to notice a little bit of diffference.

Randy -- I'm sorry for your loss. You have found a good group of women to help you on your way. Good luck with the training starting Monday! Let us know how it goes. I'm sure you'll do better than I did on my first session. I almost fainted and had to lay down on the floor by the front desk while we were scheduling my next appointment! How embarrassing!!!! :embarassed:

Kathy -- So glad your foot surgery went well. Recovery can be frustrating. I had one of my ovaries removed in May, and had weight restrictions for several weeks. Being a couch potato comes naturally to me, but even I got restless after awhile. I read a lot, finished a knitting project, watched movies, and spent a lot of time on my laptop. Do you do any type of hand crafts? I just learned to crochet and am starting a baby sweater as a (possible) gift for my new boss who is expecting. (Depending on how it comes out.)

Rose -- So glad Matthew continues to get good reports. We all have bad days now and then. Just let it be, and go forward.

Meg -- I loved your story about Benny Beagle. I have had two beagle mixes in the past few years. Both had to be put to sleep. One had a seizure that left him paralyzed on one side. We waited a year or so before we got another dog. Our dear Charlie Brown was so sweet and loved to play fetch. He developed all kinds of crazy symptoms and went into multiple organ failure early this spring. After that experience I felt like I couldn't go through it all again, but I must confess that hearing about everyone's pets here is making me wish we had another dog. My son is a junior in high school, and the dogs were "his" (but I did most of the work). I was hoping that DH and I could travel without having to worry about boarding the dog once my son was out of the house, but maybe I should re-think that. Give Benny Beagle an extra cookie from me (if he's allowed).

MdwmdwMdw -- Cooler weather sounds awfully nice today. It's near 100 I think, and very humid and sunny today. I'm ready for my second shower. Hot chocolate in the winter is one of my biggest temptations. I hope you are able to resist. Maybe logging in here will help.

Connie -- Your DH's 180-mile bike ride is truly impressive. Congratulations to him! One of my goals is to do a 5-mile bike ride this month. I'm planning a few rides while we are at the beach next week, since it will be flat there. Then I'm aiming for a 20-mile ride by next summer. Do we have any other bikers in the group?

Lentigogirl -- I'm in Fairfax, not too far from you! If I can survive next week's trip to the Outer Banks without gaining that will be great, so I'm in the same place you are on that goal. Sending your oldest off to college will be a challenge. I only have one son, and just doing the college visits is giving me a taste of how difficult that day will be. I'm looking forward to it for his sake, but I know I will cry like a baby. How many more kids will you still have at home? Maybe they wlll keep you too busy so you won't stray too far with your eating.

To all who are struggling with motivation, keep checking in. Log your food. Drink your water. I finally lost one more pound after almost 4 weeks. I want to be one of those women whose ticker says "50 lbs. lost" someday! Have a good evening, all. Keep smiling. We're all doing something good.

Polly

I have just joined. I am 64 and weigh 250.0. I was at 306 in January, 2012 but have been going to weight watchers and have lost very well. I am type 2 diabetic, high blood pressure and chronic irritable bowel with diahhrea. I am purposing to lose the rest of my weight, which is another 100 pounds. Need all the encouragement I can get!