WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR OCTOBER 2012

I am about to give up on calorie counting, i keep going up and down, i dont know what i am doing wrong , i know i need to exercise more, I have been on some new meds for depression i am still on the process of upping the meds. I am feeling better each day , i am hoping to exercise today. I really want to get this weight off of me, i have around 50 lbs to lose. I will be 50 in march, Plus were going on a big vacation in July. Please help me with some suggestions on what i am doing wrong.
I just dont understand. I am really trying. This is the first time i have stuck to something for so long and i am not losing.:sad:
Thank You

Happy Friday to all my friends. I am down 0.2 pounds which surprised me...I thought it would be more since I was exercising so much last week. Oh well any loss is a good one.

I am heading out soon for my anniversary weekend trip, so I'll see you all Sunday evening. Have a great weekend! Take care, Meg

Awww Cinnamon - don't sound so discouraged. I'm no expert, but I would like to share the wacky way I am losing weight. My daughter makes fun of me. But I have arthritis and can't really do any serious cardio, and can't stay on my feet too long. So this is what has been working so far for me - don't laugh!!!

First of all, I abide by that eat some calories every few hours or so to keep your metabolism going.
Next - while at work I go to the bathroom farthest away from me (and I go to the bathrrom a lot ) When I go I take the longest way to get there (zigging in and out of the cube maze) and walk as fast as I can.

Now the part that makes my daughter laugh - I choose the handicap stall - when I enter I do 20 quick touch my toes. Then I use the bar at the back of the toilet and do 10 pushups. Sometimes I do 12 squats. All of this takes only a few minutes. But I probably do it 5 to 10 times a day. (I am praying that no on walks in while I'm doing this and wonder what weird thing I'm doing in the stall)

And that is it for my exercise (except for riding my horse and barn chores - but I did those before I started trying to lose weight.)

I just think everyone thinks you have to have an official workout to lose, but just increasing the steps you take every day can really be all you need.

wessecg - I am so with you today about being grateful the little things! Every single pound off counts - have you thought in terms of pounds of butter? Picture that!

I'm happy to say I'm in a much better place than I was last week. I am at this moment at peace with the fact that food is my fuel, but not my friend.

I've been doing a little reflecting the last few days regarding the blessings in my life. Here's are a few that came to mind:

:happy: I am down 4.5 lbs over where I was at this time last year. That's net because I have lost and gained that same 4 a number of times in the past 12 months. LOL! Hey - I guess that means I am good at maintenance! I weigh less than I did when I was 16 and have pretty much keep the weight off for 10 years.

I didn't go into a total slump when my dream job was pulled out from under me.

I've added Zumba twice a week, ride my bike and upped my walking.

I've picked up a couple of freelance jobs and been networking in hopes of more.

I have a wonderful supportive family, loyal friends and my health is pretty darn good. My last bloodwork was excellent.

My house is paid for and I am surrounded by everything I could possibly use and more than I need. The Lord has provided for me in so many ways.

I have the freedom to come to a site such as this and rant and rave, cry and praise and just be me without being scorned upon.

What about you? Share with us some of the blessings in your life.

DS and DIL are off to Chicago for a long weekend. That means I get to share in having the grandkids sleep over this weekend. DIL's parents live in the area too. Four year old girl and 13 month old boy, who both unfortunately are not feeling well. I hoping they will be up to heading out to the pumpkin patch tomorrow.

Have a great weekend ladies,
Gini

Morning ladies, although it's probably afternoon for so many of you! Before I start, I just want to thank all of you who took the time to send a few kind words about my slump yesterday ~ you don't know just how much I appreciated that! Here I go...

Nancy, when did you take up curling? My dear uncle was an avid curler and I remember as a young child going to watch him curl. I know to some it might sound boring, but I always found it fascinating how the sweeping and rock needed to be in sync. This was before the brooms came out which I'm sure is a bit easier on the back. You must burn a ton of calories being the sweep!!

jb, thanks for posting your recipe ~ I've printed it off and will try it soon!

Laura, I've notice the crustless, sugar free pumpkin in your diary a few times now. Do you bake it like a crustless pie, or is it more like a pudding?

Cheryl, you can sure burn a bunch of calories doing heavy manual labor ~ just be sure to watch your back!

Jolene, that's a big jump on the scale overnight (definitely due to sodium). Your shortness of breath is another sure sign. Good thing you have some diuretics handy for when this happens. I took one last night as well ~ my sodium intake was double what I usually have!

Cathy, I'm going to try those kale chips ~ they sound delicious!

Kate, I didn't have to go out on Wednesday when it first snowed, but was out yesterday and MAN, that weather is wicked ith the wind! Not looking forward to the next 5 (or is it 8?) months... :noway:

Janie, LOL ~ I remember that episode! Too funny...

M, I love but almost never make butternut squash because I find it almost impossible to cut into (let alone peeling it! Is there a secret, or do I just need a sharper knife and more muscles?? Should I be using a saw??? :grumble:

Amanda, sending my thoughts and prayers for your dear cousin...

Jadsiat, bravo on your loss!!!

Nancy, have you seen a doctor about the rash? Hope it clears up soon...

DeeDee, sounds like you had fun at the shoe store ~ loved the visual about laying on the sofa to get those boots on!:bigsmile:

Lila, yup ~ my mom would have as well. I try to keep our meals 'colorful' but it doesn't always work out that way. I especially hate looking at a whole plate of beige...:laugh: I think we will always miss our moms ~ I had one of those moments when we had our first snow fall this week. I thought for sure the phone would ring and she would be chirping out a "Merry Christmas" on the other end of the line...

Barbie, thanks for posting the soup recipe ~ sounds delish! Nice walk yesterday and lovely seeing all the beautiful colors!

Michele, I'm glad to hear things are coming together with the work being done. The tile sounds lovely ~ be glad the tile guy is taking his time ~ it'll ensure that the job is done well. About 5 years ago, we replaced all the carpeting in the house with tile and I loved watching them do the work, right from prepping the floor and laying the tile, to the final grout filling! I think I could have been a tile layer and really enjoyed it!

Carolyn, glad you're feeling better and back to your various activities. I've never tried a spinning class (not really sure how it differs from regular stationary biking), but really enjoy getting on my bike at home WHEN I actually get on my bike at home!:blushing: Good luck at WI tomorrow...

Cheryl, nice loss!!

Kathy, good news about the job situation! Gosh, your knee sound really painful. I hope you're getting good meds to ease the pain a bit.

Meg, congrats on your loss!

***
As for me, this week I started a gratitude journal (remember Oprah's?) and I'm really enjoying writing in it before bed. I don't write a lot, just a bit about my day and something I was grateful for. Makes me feel good...


“God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.” ~ Voltaire

Deborah:flowerforyou:

Woke up, had breakfast, then went to deep water. Tomorrow is yoga. Not sure if I'll go to the farmer's market or not. Depends on how I feel.

Made banana chocolate muffins. It's really supposed to be a cake, but I made mini muffins instead for the guys. This should be enough to have in the freezer for them. I have applesauce chocolate chip muffins, a bag of the pumpkin spice muffins (if I don't give them to workers, I'll give them away) and two bags of chocolate chip squares. That recipe would probably make good cookies.

Jessica called last night. She'll be here in a week or so. She said "we can go in the hot tub. Honestly, I don't know if I want to go when the ambient air is so cool.

Carolyn - I really like spinning. It certainly gets your heartrate up. That is the one class where I need my heartrate monitor. It is so easy for my heartrate to go up real high. I will tell you, tho, that when I first started spinning, was my butt ever sore! I bought a padded seat. It's been a few years since then, and I can go without the seat. But be prepared. It's a good workout, but your butt WILL hurt until you get used to it.

Cheryl - if that 1 lb loss really and truly bothers you, I'd be more than glad to take it off your hands for you....:)

Kathy - boy, you certainly showed that doc! Vent anytime at all. Fantastic news about the jobs. Thanks for sharing.

cinnamon - If I were you, I wouldn't give up on calorie counting. At least not give up entirely. It's so easy to fall back into habits where we are eating more than what we think and as a result we gain weight. Then you'll be even more depressed. Please don't quit entirely. From your pic, you don't look very overweight. Is it possible that your body has gotten to the point where it's basically saying "no, this is where I want to be"? Maintaining is good. wessecg had a good idea, are you eating every few hours or just three meals/day? I know Vince eats just three meals/day and complains that he isn't losing. I keep telling him that he needs to eat more often, just smaller meals. But he doesn't listen to me, after all, what do *I* know????

Meg - happy anniversary. What day is your actual anniversary?

The guys are here right now working on the tile. Believe it or not, the way they put the tile on is they lean down over the pool and put it on while upside down! We were thinking "oh, of course, they'd be in the pool when they were putting the waterline tile on in the shallow end, but wonder how they do it in the deep end"? Well, this answered our question. It's just so amazing to see him working upside down.

wessecg, those are great suggestions for exercises! I never thought of them.

Laura - how wonderful about your sweater!

Vince is now making the phone call that is going to cost us money...he's calling the insurance company telling them that we have a pool. Well, it has to be done. Since it's ready for the county inspection, it's ready if the isurance co. needs to make an inspection. The latch does self-latch. It looks like crap and will be taken care of, but it does latch.

I have trouble, too, cutting a butternut squash so I'll be really looking for hints as to what's the best way to do it.

Going to run now. See my next post.

Michele

Michele - WOW! When is the party???
the pic didn't show in MFP, but i copied the link and pasted it into my browser

Gini

Gini - I don't know what I wasn't doing to get that pic, but at least you are able to view it.

jb - what am I doing? I clicked on the "IMG" bujt couldn't figure out how to paste the link so that I could change the IMG/ What am I doing?

Everyone -- Enjoy! We are.

The insurance co. just called. Wonder how much our insurance is going to go up?

Michele

Thanks for the recipes for the butternut squash,just bought 1 the other day.
JB_love the pool,so jealous.I sure miss my swimming.
Everyone who is struggling,hang in there.We can do this.Sometimes we see slow progress.It`s a lifetime commitment and everyone looses at their own pace.A suggestion to those who don`t want to count calories or struggling,maybe if you open your diary,we can help make suggestions.I know it took me 6 years or more to get where I am.With 4 surgeries,pt and thyroid issues and asthma.I`ve changed my ex many times and foods.So don`t get discouraged.
We are a great bunch and here for anyone who needs it.
Have a great day!!
HUGS
jane
ps.dr told me to heat back and then go walk for 10 min 3x a day and I`ll see him in the am.

Good morning and Happy Friday everyone! Is it just me or was this a really long week? I’m so glad it’s the weekend. I was going to say “and we don’t have anything planned” but actually DH is going to DSS’s football game tonight, then tomorrow night we are playing Euchre (we play once a month with neighborhood couples – it’s actually how/why I met DH), then Sunday I’m making dinner and going to meet my neighbor’s new baby boy, born a week ago last Wednesday. Plus I just told my husband absolutely no excuses, we are cleaning the house Sunday morning. Let’s see . . . feels like there was . . . something else . . . oh, yeah. I have to go run 3+ miles tomorrow morning. Gah.

Linda, I’m with you on the kids/our generation thing. I grew up on a farm (small, but we raised rabbits, chickens, geese and turkeys at various times in addition to growing stuff) where we wandered down to the creek, played with the snails and bugs, hid in the woods, picked wild blackberries, popped tar bubbles in the street with our toes, rode bikes, etc. – with little fear of strangers or anything other than killing ourselves in our latest adventure (like standing as close to the train tracks as possible when the train went by or seeing how close to the edge of the cliff above the Clackamas River we could get without sliding in). In retrospect, it’s amazing I survived my childhood, but I loved every minute of it.

I feel like an old fogie that I’m appalled at how entitled and yes, spoiled, kids are now. I’m aghast that *someone* would think nothing at all of asking/demanding a $$$ phone just because she wants it. Nothing wrong with hers, just wants the name brand of this one. I can’t think of a single thing that cost that much that I would ever ask for even now – and yet this is on top of her “spending spree” she’s asking for her 16th because she wants “the really good makeup, like Sephora” – makeup more expensive than anything I own, and I have a good job and make good money for myself! Sorry, I can rant for hours about this particular topic. Drives me crazy. At least I’m a little sympathetic about not wanting to redo her hair, but then she thinks nothing of making her chauffeur/brother wait while she’s doing whatever, then makes him carry her crap too. Can you tell who might be on my list right this moment?

DeeDee, how wonderful about the ego boost! A few people have commented how disappointing it is when our hard work isn’t acknowledged – and I agree. I know I look better, but it’s still nice to hear from someone else. LOL about the boots – I have the same experience. I did notice the new fashion is for looser boots, so not so much tugging to get them on/off. Yum on carrot soup! Actually, right now any soup at all is yummy.

Cheryl, you probably are getting extra calories from all the work you’re doing. The 1400 is the base amount for your lifestyle minus a % for weight loss. If you add in exercise on top of that, you need to add that to your energy intake (think of it as refueling your car if you drive further). I will tell you, my bump for the weekend was taking a sneak peek at the scale and finding myself down another 1 ½ pounds – on a week when I’m eating more than usual!

Meg, go have fun with your anniversary!!!

Lila, I hope you get the grant – I love how towns are pulling together to find outlets for people to socialize and get healthy at the same time. Your yam/carrot/mom story made me laugh – as a young wife, I once served a dinner that was all white: broiled fish, cauliflower and mashed potatoes. Not my finest hour . I’m so sorry about your loss – my grandmother died at the beginning of October (right around now actually) 11 years ago and my mom still misses her greatly too, I know. I miss her as well, but I don’t think it’s the same as with a mother/daughter.

Barbie, I just told DH last night I need to remake the bed with another blanket. It is getting a little cooler. How wonderful about your walk – one of my favorite memories as a child is going to outdoor school (they have that in the system in Oregon) and walking in the rain forests in WA and seeing all the wooly caterpillars. Wonderful week.

Michele, I’ve had to just about leave my workout when my partner has shown up all smelly. He can get a musky smell that makes me gag. I guess there’s not much to be done – you don’t really want to take a shower BEFORE a workout, and I’m sure there are times when I’m a little stinky, but seriously I would have moved too.

Deb, does typing like crazy not count as exercise? Darn. It sounds like you already make exercise a priority, but I understand what you mean. My schedule is such that 7am (or earlier), no matter where I am or what I’m doing, I take an hour and a half for myself to exercise. It’s actually great on the weekends because no one else gets up that early, so I’m not missing anything (except getting an early start on the weeding). Then if I can manage to work in a walk later, so much the better, but I never feel bad because I missed exercising that day. You of course already have a crazy early day – what do you do that you have to be up so early? Does your work allow you an hour at lunch to go for a walk or to a local gym? Good luck at any rate – you don’t want to let all that hard work go to waste (or waist) !

Carolyn, I’m glad you’re feeling better. I have friends who are addicted to spinning – I guess it’s a lot of fun, especially for competitive people. How exciting for your DD! I’ll have to tell my in-laws to go check out the show – they live there and are always looking for stuff to do.

Cheryl, don’t be discouraged – please see this as going the way it’s supposed to and let go of the thought it must go the way you want. Your body is doing its thing, which it’s going to do regardless. OK, that’s better. And congratulations! I just saw your next post – you silly girl:laugh: ! I am going to think of you every time I go to a public restroom from now on.

Kathy, I’m with you – you don’t need a doctor who is all “quit yer b*tchin” – there are other people for that . There are a lot of good exercises for strains, and stretching it will help. I have to do that with my wrist, and it hurts like crazy to do the stretching, but it feels so much better after. I’m glad you’re recognizing your funk and starting to come out of it. Getting your work situation squared away sure will help!

Cinnamon, please don’t give up. You know a side effect of the meds is weight – that’s a given. You still want to pay attention to what you eat, and as you start working a healthy diet into place the meds get working, you’ll feel more like exercising. It’s a cycle that needs time to work. Once you start exercising, you’ll get that little bump that will help you to feel even better. It’s a tough and long process (lifelong, in fact), but it’s so worth it! Just out of curiosity, how long have you been tracking your calories?

Jolene, I’m glad the fluid pill helped. Why are you holding so much water? I laughed about the exercise. I used to tease a friend about how tiny her bladder was – until I discovered mine holds liquids for exactly one hour, no longer, so when I’m out walking I have extra motivation to make it back before the witching hour .

Laura, yay for the NSV – I had the same thing last night!

Gini, I’m glad you’re finding peace with your journey. Congratulations on maintaining your weight loss for 10 years – that’s a huge accomplishment! I hope you have a wonderful weekend with your grandchildren – how lucky!

Jane – wow! How wonderful (and awful) that they may have misdiagnosed her! I hope it’s something much more treatable.

Deborah, I always (well, almost always) bake the squash before doing anything, then just scoop it out. I’m with you – I don’t like peeling them raw. I’d almost rather do it completely wrong and buy the precut, prepeeled stuff at the store than deal with peeling it. If you do have to peel it, use a sharp knife (I actually use a paring knife, just because it’s easier to handle for me), cut it in half across the middle (where it starts to bow out), then just cut down the sides on one part, then down the sides on the other. It’s not fun. You can add to your journal that you’re grateful you don’t have to make a living preparing those precut packages for the store:flowerforyou: .

Michele, I bet you’re so excited! It looks lovely. Congratulations:flowerforyou: .

OK, it’s taken me all day to get this written – but I took a break to get my hair done. I hope you all enjoy your weekend – and I’ll be back to let you know if I survived the run.

Cheers,

M.

Jane, and everyone, the pic is Michele's pool, not mine. The only pool I have is a 4' plastic kiddie pool for the dogs! :laugh:

I posted the pic for Michele since she was having difficulty getting it to show up on here. Darn Photobucket! :explode:

Hello all. the snow has disappeared here and my thermometer is reading 19 degrees (C) - never a dull moment here weather wise.

Gail. My mom is dealing with dementia and although I live far too far away, the effects are still evident and heart breaking. At first, it would be a statement that was a little 'off'' and then back peddling to cover it. I thought it was just because she didn't like to be found wrong (which she doesn't!!:frown: ), but I now realize it was the beginning of the confusion. Then she started ask the same question twenty minutes later - not that she couldn't remember the answer, but had no recollection of asking the first time. Or she would obsess on one event and relate the story over and over to anyone who will listen. Now, we seem to be dealing with more aggressive behaviour - more on the attack, paranoid about people 'in her things/business', rejecting angrily any assistance that is offered. It is a horrible disease and takes its toll on everyone around it. I feel so bad for my sister who has to deal with the effects on a daily basis, but there is so little I can do from this distance. If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them.

Deborah - I have done a similar schedule push on meals at times - I just have to be careful not to wait too long for the lunch meal!! Glad you are back on track

Linda - Are you thinking baba ganoush? It is a dip/spread made with roasted eggplant I think but I have only bought it prepared.. I just tried roasting broccoli and cawliflower last week - very easy and very tasty!

mwheatcraft -
jolene-
cheryl - thanks to each of you for the info and pep talk on undereating. I REALLY needed it (and probably will again! Can you please remind me from time to time:blushing: ) My head knows that I am not eating enough, but my stomach is not telling me to eat more and my heart is petrified of gaining weight! It is a little like the hesitation to take a one day rest from exercise. (though I do not have the same problem with exercise....I can easily take a break there:grumble: ) It is hard to convince my brain that less food is NOT better

mwheatcraft - good luck with the run. I am so with you - I much prefer a good walk!! My response to running? ...you DO know that there is no one chasing you, right?

Cheryl - Celebrate that one pound! I know it is hard when you are expecting more, especially with all that exercise. But just think, if you keep that up for a year.....that's a 50 pound loss! And yes -the exercises in the handicap stall did make me smile! Good for you:laugh:
It is funny that the workman asked you if things were complete and then was annoyed with your answer. It is a good thing that you had held money back!

kzbpk9- welcome here. there are many here who will encourage you along the way!

Kate - Ah, Alberta winters!! I always ask the students in my citizenship class what the biggest surprise was when they came to Canada and there are always a few who reply "THE COLD!":laugh: I think we get it a little easier here in the southern part of the province.

deedee - congrats on the compliment, and on the high boots fitting:happy: . The visual of getting into the over-the-knee boots gave me a chuckle:laugh: that should count as exercise! Not sure I have the energy for them

jolene - Loved the joke! Have you ever read the blog post about getting into 'spanks'? It is quite hilarious!!

lila - how sweet that you still enjoy memories of your mom's voice. Go for the green on the plate - it's all about the colour, right!

Laura - I bet it feels so good to get back into that sweater. It is always a nice surprise, isn't it!

gini - thanks for the reminder to count our blessings. It will get me thinking about the things in my life that are real blessings
Today, it is sunshine,
beautiful fall colours,
a country where I can live in freedom and peace,
the encouragement and accountability that i find here from you all....

michele - the pool is looking fantastic! almost done! and that mud sure is RED! (thanks for getting the photo up jb )

Kim - Just keep at it Kim and don't be discouraged. Remind yourself that the good eating and active lifestyle are good for your overall health and that eventually you will reap the benefits. I wonder if the meds might also be interfering with the weight loss (temporarily). and was also wondering how long you have been working at it recently. Is your food diary available to see? Keep loggong everything, keep drinking water and keep checking in. We are all in this for the long haul and are here to support each other. Good to have you here.

I am off to find a snack (see. I am heeding your advice ladies) and to figure out what is for supper.

with a grateful heart - Glenda

"Everyone who is struggling,hang in there.We can do this.Sometimes we see slow progress.It`s a lifetime commitment and everyone looses at their own pace.A suggestion to those who don`t want to count calories or struggling,maybe if you open your diary,we can help make suggestions.I know it took me 6 years or more to get where I am.With 4 surgeries,pt and thyroid issues and asthma.I`ve changed my ex many times and foods.So don`t get discouraged.
We are a great bunch and here for anyone who needs it.
Have a great day!!
HUGS
jane"

OMG, I'm still getting used to this quote thing!!! I agree with you, Jane. I think if more people shared their food diaries, they might be more successful. I know that I welcome thoughts about mine, and enjoy checking out what other people have eaten because it gives me some really great ideas for meals!

Deborah:flowerforyou:

M - I've heard so much about the game Euchre. Can you explain it to me? Is it something that you have to be competitve (I'm anything but competitive) or is it more like bunco in that you get together and can have a good conversation? Good luck on your run. I bet when you were little you just picked the berries (or whatever) and just ate it, no washing or anything. You know, I hate it when you go to the food store to buy something and they use that "mist" on the veges. Actually, I've heard that those misters are a breeding ground for bacteria. I figure if WalMart is good enough for my underwear, it should be good enough for my kids. They don't agree with me, but that's too bad. I don't find spinning to be competitive at all. I guess you could if you wanted to, but I don't want to.

The guy who is installing the tile is thinking right now that he and his helper will be here tomorrow and Monday, then he'll be here himself on Tuesday (my guess is to put on the grout)

When the guys were putting in the forms for the concrete, I think they managed to dig up two bricks. I was going to put them with the other extra bricks that we have. Actually, I was going to take one at a time but Vince felt that I should take one in each hand. He's so much like his father. I remember quite a few years ago when I was in FL I would take things out to their recycling bin multiple times a day. His father felt that I should just wait and take everything at one time.

Thanks, everyone, for your comments on the pool. You all have heard all the goings on getting it done, so I thought you should see where we are at. The pool co. owner has called the city for a final inspection. Admitted the gate to the fence looks terrible -- but it will pass inspection since the latch self closes. But I know that Vince is really going to be on top of the guys when they're "repairing" it. I guess after that we'll have two workers at the house for a while who go by the names of Vince and Michele.....lol. There's a lot of landscaping that needs to be done.

Special thanks to jb for putting the pic up for me.

Deborah - I, too, really enjoy looking at other's menus. Gives me really good ideas many times. Wish more people would have their diaries open.

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

Michele