WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR FEBRUARY 2013

I finally hit the 20 pound mark!!!!!!! I'm doing a happy dance. This has been 3 weeks.

Hi all, I'm posting from the cloudy Netherlands. I've been posting each day but I suspect that I will show a start over because of the gap between the time differences. Logging food has been interesting as I slept through breakfast and lunch the day I got here.

DD2 and I have not stopped walking since I got here. Thank heavens for the 1/2 train rides to and from Amsterdam or I'd never get to sit down. I wish I had a FitBit because I'm pretty sure I'm beating the 10,000 steps easily - lol. So far I've spent more than 5 hours each day walking (and talking and thoroughly loving it). Everything here is so neat and clean and tidy, no messy yards or unkempt houses that I've seen so far. And I love the canals everywhere and all the ducks and swans. Did you know the crows here are totally different, they are definitely crows in their behaviour but they have little grey caps and blue eyes, still cheeky though. And squirrels are acorns, don't ask me what acorns are though. I would become a total cheesehead if I lived here, it's everywhere and very very reasonable. And it's tulip season and I just bought 3 dozen beautiful tulips for !2 Euro ($16). The flower markets in each town are amazing, I'm in heaven......

And my premonitions came true, I met my DDs boyfriend today and later was told that he is THE ONE. I'm going to lose her to Europe. Daniel is Danish but has lived in the Netherlands for 15 of his 30 years. Part of me is so happy she is happy, and so sad that the distance is going to be a reality I will have to learn to live with. Anyways, enough of my mommy blues.

Tomorrow is DD2's birthday so we will celebrate appropriately.

I just read 8 pages to catch up, my goodness, we are just getting more chatty as the time goes on. I'm not going to try to individually respond as I'm on my DDs laptop and can't figure out how to do the split screen with Word at the moment.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.
Lila (normally from the Kootenays in SE British Columbia but temporarily in Leiden, Netherlands).

Jane
Do you find moving more helps with the hip pain. My dietician upped my calorie intake also.

Yes! The more I sit, the stiffer I get. But I keep the impact exercises to a minimum. Elliptical, bike, swimming, walking, strength training and yoga.

Hi best fitness buddies! Hope you are all having a great Saturday. I have slept most of the day. :yawn: Went to the doctor early this morning and she thinks I have the same sinus infection that started in october and never went away. Good grief. So more antibiotics (already making me nauseated…bleh:sick: ) and nasal steroids (which are the best! I can breathe!) for me. So now it’s after 5 and I woke up from my latest nap all panicky about the chapters I have 2 weeks left to produce. YIKES. :ohwell:

Our builder came over last night and will start on the latest project next week. He’s going to create an escape route through our closet into the garage, finish the garage with storage, work bench, etc, and do a few little projects in the basement. Then I think we will finally be totally done with the house.

Lin: my question is why do you want to stop the Prilosec if it helps you? If you have that much heartburn, you’ll probably need something, but if you really want to get off it, I’d try weaning off it. Skip every 3rd day at first, then skip days 2 and 3, then stop. This will take about a month.

Jane: sounds like you and DH had a nice day! At least at a buffet you have some choices.

Dixie: what a great picture of you! Your old one was hard to see.

Tammy: your day with first graders sounded like fun. What kind of restaurant is Moe’s?

Jane: thanks for the explanation! That air sounds awful but hopefully it’s only a few days a year? I’m with you about food…I love everything about great food: cooking, taste, texture, presentation. I also could not live on twigs and cottage cheese LOL:bigsmile: I think your dietician is right…it’s not the weight per say but the health.

Brooke: great news on the weight loss

Michele: when do you leave on your trip?

Barbie: those salmon burgers sound great. Do you use canned salmon for those?

Kate: I had 13 robins in my yard yesterday…they were all over the place. First ones I’ve seen so far this year. I had not heard of the mom who drank so much pop her kids were born without enamel? OMG:noway:

Jmkmomm: I too am an RN teaching at a small private college. Losing 20 pounds is no small accomplishment especially with limited mobility! Good job! You must be very motivated.

Sunshine: so happy to hear your cancer has not returned.:flowerforyou: How scary that wait must have been. Good for you to decide you are all done with poor health! Great job on the weight loss!

LindaSundance: hope you are having a great day!

Amanda: you lost your diamond? I would be devastated! I’d go to Tiffany’s any day of the week! I’d keep the DH too!

DeeDee: I was up early too! Hope you had a fun day!

Liz: a movie night with DD sounds like so much fun! What did you see?

Linda: so good for you to take charge and make it a good day! I’m sure you miss the little guy!

Jen: I love your commuting idea. I get all wound up on the way to work (and I love my job) so I might try that too. That centering has got to be helpful! Thanks for sharing!

Renny: I think I’ll use your challenge as a way to go totally veggie on the days we eat vegetarian dinners. I already get 25-30 grams of fiber most days and eat a lot of produce ( can always eat more!) but maybe DH will join me on a totally veg day! I had no idea you were from the Netherlands!

Janehadji: enjoy your reception and have a great trip. I am the same way; if I don’t log, it’s a disaster!

JaneMartin: your friend will be so glad you are there for her!

Jo: what did you cook for your valentine’s day meal?

Lila: I think I’d be a cheesehead there too! Your trip sounds grand so far and so good to hear the fiance is to your liking as well. It’s tough thinking about DD living at such a distance though!

Well I think I better look at a chapter before panic sets in for real and makes me go find something to eat LOL> Have a good night ladies and take care. Meg from overcast Omaha:drinker:

ohiomomof2 - much luck with the colonoscopy (I know I spelled that wrong!!)

I have scanned over the last page of posts...I think there are four pages from my last post. I have been taking home cooked food to my Uncle who is in the hospital recovering from a serious gall bladder problem that resulted in surgery. He told my DH a few days ago that hospital food was awful, so we have been taking breakfast for him and his DW. Please keep him in your prayers as he continues to recover.

I didn't get any of my housework done today due to my hospital visits and going to my mom's house and my dad's house (they have been divorced for 30+ years). One day I will catch up, I promise myself!!!

Do any of you follow a gluten free regiment? I would like some recipes if anyone has any to share...

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. I will check back sometime tomorrow,

Mary in TN javascript:add_smiley('ohwell','post_body')

Hello to all -- had a good friend stay over last night and we spent the day together sewing. DH is out of town for the weekend. Egg white omelettes with spinach / cheddar cheese, and a couple pieces of bacon for breakfast, salad at lunch, then had sweet potatos, roasted brussel sprouts and roasted eggplant for dinner.

Lots of posts already - read through all. Welcome to the new ones, glad to see others return and hope that all who are ill will soon be on the mend.

Gail, in cold, windy metro-Atlanta

barbie - I go for a BDS once/year. Hope yours turns out well.

Kate from Alberts - I hear ya about all the cords. We have a base in our kitchen(called a power supply). It holds cords for 4 different items (camera, phone, bluetooth, my iPod). The cords are wrapped up in the base with the connector sticking out. When I need to recharge something, I can just pull the cord out more. When I'm finished, I can just put the cord back in. I think Vince got it at RadioShack.

jmkmomm - welcome. I'm sure you'll get lots of ideas for exercise that you never thought of on here.

Sunshine - what good news that it wasn't cancer! I bet you did break down and cry at the good news, I probably would too (just never been in that situation, thank g**)

DeeDee - isn't this weather something else? Yesterday at times I didn't even wear a jacket. Today I have my heavy coat on. Weird. I'm drinking hot tea because I don't want to get sick.

Mary - what are you sewing?

Did an hour of yoga today. Tomorrow I'm planning to do this "fit in six" program for the Wii using the pilates program. Really, that is the only program on the FIS that I do, all the rest are just so short. But at the amount I paid for the program, I'm not complaining. Right now I'm making more of the chocolate bran muffins. I'll just freeze them so I have them when we come back. Plus, I wanted to get rid of a bag of the wheat bran that I had in the freezer.

Oh, I made chocolate chip cookies for us to take to FL so Vince will have something in the car and when we get there. The gal who will watch the pool while we're gone came over so I gave her some. Actually, she took a few off the cookie sheet that just came out of the oven...lol

Liz from Idaho - have fun at the movies. Let us know what you see. And don't forget to take snacks with you!

Lin - a while ago the MD put me on predisone. She kept insisting that this rash I had was a food allergy (she didn't say to what and didn't test me, either). I kept telling her it was heat rash since it was only around my waist and it was during the summertime. Well, the next day we went camping further north (where it's cooler).The rash went away! So I stopped taking the prednisone. It was only after I had done that that I found out that I really should have weaned myself off it. Well, I didn't have any reaction, probably because I didn't take much. I feel very uncomfortable in the deep water in a pool so I wear a floation belt.

Jane in CO - I'm with you all the way. I'm constantly amazed how fast it is to fall into bad habits and how long it takes to get back on. Once I get back on with one habit, it doesn't seem to be a problem with more. Have a wonderful trip (even IF you aren't taking me with you...lol)

anemartin - how wonderful of you to stay with your friend.

jmakmomm - hearty congrats

jo - i honestly don't find running to be intersting at all. To me, I'd rather skip it, it's too boring. Not to mention my knees. I could never understand what people see in running. I'm just not drawn to it. How adorable "ladies that lunch". Precious!!!!

Lila - I totally understand your feeling about being happy for your daughter but on the same hand sad that you are losing her to Europe. I'm quite sure that I've lost Bryan since he's getting married to a girl from Spain, and most girls want to be near their family. I'm in the exact same boat you're in. You can cry to me any time at all, I know exactly how you're feeling. Have a fabulous rest of your trip

Meg - I don't remember the name of the drug (it's been years since I've needed it) but I remember having to take this antibiotic, you took one pill/5days. Is that what you have to take? We're leaving for FL Monday, will probably be home around the end of the month

I'm getting my snacks ready to take with me in the car so when we stop to eat, I can have something halfway decent. I want to use up some coleslaw so I portioned that out, can take that in the car, portioned out buffalo jerky, I have some pumpkin seeds and pistachios, baby carrots, made 1/2 turkey sandwiches and have them in the freezer, I'm trying to finish up things that'll go bad before we get back, which means tomorrow I need to eat the zucchini that I have. I also have another bag of coleslaw so I need to finish that up (well, I could take it with me if I need to), I'll take some oranges, the small cans of low sodium V8, the small boxes of soy milk, small boxes of raisins and these dried fruit strips (all fruit, no sugar added) Update: breakfast will be zucchini and coleslaw....lol Anything to finish things up!

ohiomom - good luck to you tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you.

Mary in TN - I always say "I'll be dead and buried and the dirt will still be here".

jmkmomm - where are you going on vacation?

Sue from SD - have a good time at the play and dinner

Here's hoping everyone has a great evening.

Michele in NC

Michele- Would you share the recipe for the chocolate bran muffins? Have a great trip to Florida. I would like to go somewhere warm for a few days! I love winter, but need some sun!!

Deb from CNY

Hi everyone - I'm amazed at how some of you can keep up with all of the multiple conversations going on - but glad to see some like me - are not as adept at answering each and everyone - and as a newbie here - thanks for understanding if I just say hi and thank you all for your continued support and tips.

I did want to comment to Meg about the nasal steroids - I was on a nasal steroid for almost a year (prescribed by my allergist) and I was using it daily - well - I gained 15 pounds while I was on them - I have weaned myself off of them on the advise of my Internist and find I don't need them!!! I used them because I had multiple bouts of bronchitis prior to seeing the allergist - I was afraid if I didn't use the sprays as he advised - I may end up getting sick again - I had no idea that they could cause weight gain - but my Internist said absolutely they can because they contain steroids.....you may already know this - but just wanted to point it out in case you are given advice to take them regularly - maybe you would react differently - but as you know - steroids do have side effects. I would use them again if I had a bad sinus condition as it sounds like you do now - but I would not do it long term again. I hope you feel better soon.

I have had sciatica pain all day - must have tweeked myself somehow - it was pretty intense - the stabbing pain in the hip and knee, down the leg etc :sad: - I iced, skip exercise for the day and rested- with Ibuprofen - and use my inversion table - seems to have eased off - so hopefully will be back to normal tomorrow....sciatica is a bear cat and would not wish it on anyone! Yoga has helped a lot - guess I need to get the 'ol mat out and start down dogging again!

Thanks for listening - it's a blustery windy/rainy day here on Kauai -I hope you all have a lovely weekend!
Aloha - Lynn - (kauaiartist) :flowerforyou:

Haha, I know it’s a lot of baking but once it’s downstairs in the deep freeze, behind the construction zone I can resist. Yes, DH is back at the rebuild and it is a debris ridden zone. Danger! Danger! Notice I didn’t make anything chocolate …. because I would walk over fire for chocolate!!

Kate

Linda C: You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to overnight a half pound to Canada! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Regarding the meeting, since I didn’t make the agendas we didn’t hold elections and I’m stuck as secretary for another year.:ohwell:

Tomorrow DH has an appointment with his neurologist as follow up to his stroke. I hope we will come away from this appointment knowing what to do next so that he gets healthier and doesn’t ever go through this again. I fear that isn’t realistic. :noway: I’m hoping we can also talk about MS treatment and whether to take a more aggressive approach. There are some well-respected MS programs in the Portland area. Keep your fingers crossed that the meeting is productive.:flowerforyou:

Katla in NW Oregon

Happy Sunday everyone. DH took the kids to church so I could sleep in. :yawn: I am feeling some better already but have a pounding headache right now but it will go away once the decongestants kick in. I totally forgot about grading papers, so not only do I have a chapter to finish and send off today, but I have to grade too! BLEH! :noway: How do I let myself get so far behind?

I did forget to tell you about a very nice nsv! There is a lady at work who I think is pretty snotty, but maybe she is just quiet. In 17 years of working there she has maybe said hi to me once. The other day she came up to me and asked if I had lost weight and seemed genuinely interested. She also said that if I need support, she would be there for me! I guess you can’t always judge people, huh? Of course she is about 6’ tall, skinny, and gorgeous! She competes in beauty pageants, but it was still very nice. I’ll have to stop my negative thoughts about her! :flowerforyou:

Ohiomom: sending good luck thoughts and virtual cotton-ball soft TP! :laugh:

Mary: your uncle and wife are so lucky to have such a wonderful niece who takes him food! That is so kind of you!:flowerforyou:

Jmkmomm: sounds like you had great experiences as a nurse. Students probably loved to have you…so many RNs are mean to the students! You’re right now it’s a Master’s degree minimum to teach and soon to be doctoral level. Thank gosh I am all done with that! My PhD is in education and nursing will be preferred, but I’m set since I’m in my 50s so I won’t be pressured to go back again! Your vacation idea sounds great. It’s never too late to form bonds.

Sue from SD: a choir trip sounds like fun! Enjoy!!!

Barbie: ooooohhhh, another reason I should join costco! The fresh salmon Jake caught sounds better than canned, but that’s ok too. We have salmon at least every week, so I’m always looking for new ideas. Fresh is expensive here…maybe I’ll stick with canned or join costco for just burgers. I do love fresh salmon marinated in soy sauce and grilled.

Brooke: I have got to get on that kale train! I looked for it this week, but didn’t see any. When is it in season?

Michele: I think you are talking about a Z-pack (zithromax, athizromycin). Those don’t work for my sinus infections at all. I’m on doxycylcine this time and so far so good…no diarrhea! Maybe it’s the probiotic I’m taking too LOL. Sounds like you are doing great at emptying that fridge!

BJ: Oh my I didn’t even notice that valentines day was after ash Wednesday! How odd!

Katla: thanks for the good wishes! I hope you at least got dried off before your meeting! :bigsmile: Best wishes for DH and his appointment.:flowerforyou:

Lynn in Kauai: thanks for the information on the steroids. I did know that…so I only use them when I have a particularly bad sinus infection. Also anything with steroids can make your blood sugar go up. I was on steroid cream for this chronic rash on my back and we had our employee health screen and my glucose was in the 140s! I almost fainted. Threw it away and got retested in 2 weeks, back to normal (for me at least!) Lots of side effects!

Kate; well at least you have found a way to keep from indulging! :bigsmile:

Linda: your me time sounds fabulous! So does your lunch/dinner!

Renny: happy birthday to mom! :flowerforyou: What a wonderful way to celebrate her birthday I bet she was thrilled. So cool to have her picture up! My mom has been gone 3 years now…hard to believe.

OK folks, must get busy and be productive today. UGH the more I need to do, the more I want to put it off! Take care, Meg:drinker:

My Mom used to make salmon patties when we were younger.I don't know what she used to bread them, more than likely bread crumbs. But then she made this cream sauce to put over it an it was to die for

I am looking for women 50 plus to correspond with on this diet journey. I live in Wisconsin about a half hour from Green bay where the packers play! Anyone out there willing to correspong with me...ellenaj52