WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR APRIL 2013

bump for recipe:flowerforyou:

Hi ladies I'm new at this but have read the log & feeling the same:
struggling w weight loss! Need to eat more veggies & fruit! Need to exercise more! Need to drink more water!
Need more energy & motivation! I'm going to give MFP a try. I'm 51 yoa & would be happy to lose 25lbs! Can't seem to do it.
lost 10lbs gained 5 back. Sick of the yo-yo dieting. Please help anyone!
Jodi from OR

Good morning and Happy April to all!

I'll be back with my goals, but I wanted to share with you that I learned something about myself over the weekend, which goes to show that even an old gal can learn something new! I have yo-yo dieted my entire life. I have always been able to lose the weight, but never able to keep it off. As soon as I went overboard after I reached my goal weight, I felt guilty and depressed and gave up. I said to myself that it was all or nothing and once I cheated it was over and I couldn't go back. I don't know why I felt this way, but I really believed it was true. Even after joining MFP I felt guilty when I went on vacation and gained 4 pounds (3 of which came off in a few days time). Logging is making it easier to keep track, so I may not have known in the past that vacation weight is mostly water and comes off easily. Anyway, I have slowly changed the way I feel about this issue. I'm not sure when it happened. I knew I wasn't going to be within my calorie goal yesterday and I wasn't (by far). I ate many wonderful appetizers, drank 3 glasses of wine, sampled everything at dinner and tasted all the desserts. I didn't even bother to log as I would have no idea where to start. And guess what? This morning I woke up, got my butt on the TM, and did my normal 2 miles. I packed my normal breakfast and lunch for work and went right back to logging. And I didn't feel one bit guilty about yesterday! I know this sounds like it's no big deal, but it is really a different feeling for me! It feels like a super NSV, and most importantly, I know I can continue to live like this for the rest of my life. My whole attitude on dieting has changed. This is no longer a diet. It has finally become a lifestyle! I can't even explain the freedom I feel. The only thing different this time is consistently logging onto this website and reading this thread whenever I can. It has made all the difference. And I want to thank all of you who share in this fight for your support. And I promise to be here to support all of you. Whoo Hoo!! April is gonna be GOOD!!!!

:flowerforyou: Renny - Congrats on the mammogram results! It feels great to get a clean bill of health!

:grumble: Laura - Increasing calories doesn't work for me either. I think it's probably trial and error to find out what works for each individual.

Jodios - What a wonderful way to spend a vacation AND burn some serious calories at the same time!

Barbie - I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the work you do to keep this thread going. It is growing every day because of your dedication. You are awesome!

:explode: BJ - My tulips are starting to sprout, but the cold weather has kept me from preparing the garden and now you can hardly see the tulips for all of the clover. Why is it that no matter what the weather, the weeds always come in healthy and strong?

Lisa - Roasted and grilled vegetables are delicious and you can experiment with what herbs work best for your taste.

:drinker: Brooke - WTG on reaching your weight loss goals for March!

:laugh: Katla - Loved your take on religious holidays!

M - Please be careful when painting such a descriptive picture of desserts on this website! That cheesecake sounds amazing!

:flowerforyou: Robin - It sounds like you may be on the road to recovery. It's always fun to plan a vacation.

:ohwell: Gail - Only one lady in church on Easter was dressed in an "Easter outfit" complete with hat. I miss those days when everyone dressed for Christmas and Easter.

Judith - Best wishes for a successful surgery.

:flowerforyou: DeeDee - Here's hoping that April will be much better than March for you!

Eileen - My prayers are going out for your mother.

Jane in CO. - That's just awful news about your father. Hopefully, someone will take responsibility for this major mistake and take steps to correct the situation. My prayers are with you and your father during this difficult time. I hope he is strong enough for the surgery.

We seem to have many newcomers, so welcome and keep coming back!!!:drinker:

Hugs,
Lucy in Delaware:bigsmile:

congratulation on NSV!!! AND that is a great feeling!!

Popping in for a quick fix of VitF this Sunday morning.

have a good fitting at Rigby and Peller. Used to go there when I had a house in London but now M & S serve! I think as long as you get a good fitting its not always about price. So ladies what ever you purse size get " the girls" comfortable! Great profile pic - well done!

Dee Dee - so enjoyed your fashionista story - it's so much fun shopping with the GD's. mine always comment on the clothes I wear and keep me on my toes!

MA :flowerforyou: what a wonderful milestone you have achieved - a huge congratulations!

Lizplus :flowerforyou: I wish you the health so you can feel the wind in your face.

Mywheatcraft :laugh: I really enjoyed the life of pi.

Grandmallie how sensible to take things at your own pace - the medics will be very pleased with you. You can do it!

Cooky - good luck with the decorating - great exercise ! :flowerforyou:

Gonzamm :laugh: I love your goal of your husband carrying you over the threshold - so romantic!

Wessecg - aren't those dreams so real! My husband woke up one morning and said he wasn't talking to me as I had left him. So funny! But never been attacked!!:flowerforyou:

Jodios - I could not be more pleased for you - you work so hard and are an inspiration. :flowerforyou:

Lucy so pleased you found your pedometer. It's always the way once something goes wrong it snowballs!

Cityjanelondo - you have worked so hard on you health - you really do have to be proactive to get success. An inspiring tale!

Brooke - in Thailand they provide shoes and sarongs to help you visit Temples. Just worth a bit of research to find details like this as I couldn't bear to wear shoes that had been worn by thousands! :laugh:

Meg:indifferent: You are always so thoughtful with your posts despite your very demanding life and it is so appreciated. No we didn't have a storm - in fact DH and I walked to the beach and back . While we were there a stunning Beuick turned up with a bride and groom for wedding photos - they will be stunning!

Jb :indifferent: thanks for the ice pop recipe - if it ever gets warm I am sure it will become a favourite!

Lin jogging s - one comment ugg!

Michele your ok - Spain likes toes - topless on beaches too!!

Wizzywig I have had a fantastic holiday on the Norfolk Broads . Went before having the kids such a great holiday! Just make sure to check whether the water level will be changing overnight- once saw a boat dangling at the moorings! Such cute boats - I just loved it and the locks were such fun!

Well must get on. Went to a concert last night of a local amateur group and had a fantastic evening. Went back to friends after and got home at 1 am!! Only had a few snacks which I had budgeted for. Also managed to wear high heels!! Walked everywhere and was surprised my pedometer said 3500 this morning - thought it had gone wrong! I am so pleased about the heels as I am a recovered plantar fasciitis sufferer. I have been wearing them in the house and gradually increasing the time minute by minute. Do look a bit of a Diva cleaning the bathroom or ironing!!

Oh well time to load the slow cooker so that I can have fun today

Keep smiling
Jo
Uk Wales

Hi everyone! I'm finding this group very helpful. Lovely to think there are so many of you all going through the same things even if you are on a different continent!
Despite my terrific NSV of losing an inch off both waist and hips I am getting frustrated at not losing weight for a couple of weeks. You all encourage me to hang in there. I know I am doing all the right things so it is just a matter of keeping on keeping on. It would be nice to hit a nice round 40lbs off though!
Thank you so much for the Popsicle recipe - it looks absolutely great.. I will definitely buy some moulds and serve them up for dessert next time I have people round. It will make them laugh as well as be super healthy. And the moulds will be great for my grandson.
Moroccan Chicken with preserved lemons and olives tonight. I'm going to leave out all the butter in the recipe, but it should still be delicious. I love preserved lemons to add a bit of zing.
Tomorrow I have lunch at my brother's house and they all have very good appetites! He is diabetic with a beer belly and my sister-in-law is overweight so I will have to remember to keep my mouth shut and not go all evangelistic. Is anyone else amazed these days at how much people eat? Even normal sized people? It must be even worse in the USA, but it's bad enough here.
Lovely sunny day here. I might even get outside. We had a frost last night though so I don't know if it's worth sowing any salad or veg yet. I will just have an inspection and a tidy up.
Must get my heels out (Thank you Wales) and have a practice.. My feet have been such a trial to me, but with exercises and yoga they have greatly improved. I no longer have large swellings on my ankles and can rise on to the balls of my feet while walking around the house which I could never do before.
Love to all.

Good Sunday morning!

We are supposed to get a little rain here this morning and then SUN and temps in the mid- to upper-60s. I am hoping to go for a long walk this afternoon – can’t wait! My older DD stopped by yesterday with her BF. It was her birthday and they were in town to spend the evening with his brother and some friends. She spent the weekend with me last week so I wasn’t upset that they were just passing through today. It did make me nostalgic though; 23 years ago, I became a mother and my world changed forever. Seems like forever ago but also like it was just yesterday.

M – MY DH accuses me of being “bad luck” for the Pirates and doesn’t want me to watch their games either. All I can say is that I must have some pretty potent mojo considering that they haven’t had a winning season in over 20 years.

Jodios – congratulations on getting back into the teens; that’s awesome!

Lucy – sounds like a pretty stressful evening with your DD and the Master of Disaster. So happy to hear that your pedometer turned up!

Alison – I hope your DH arrived safely and that you and your fur babies are enjoying your weekend. Butternut squash bisque sounds divine; never made that but I’m going to go look for a recipe. Thanks for the inspiration!

Cooky – I’m sure your friend will agree to a different restaurant choice if you explain your reasons. There are definitely restaurants that I avoid these days – either because there are no good options there OR because I know that I will be very tempted to choose one of my old favorites that taste so good but are loaded with calories and fat grams.

CityJane – your post was just what I needed today. I have been having some issues with my knee; nothing serious enough to go see the doctor but a lot knee-popping and some pain. I’m going to look for some exercises online and see if that will help (along with the weight I am losing).

Joyce – I’m sure your doctor is going to be surprised but very happy with your progress. I set small goals for myself; I need that sense of accomplishment periodically to keep me going. For instance, I mentioned awhile back that I was participating in a challenge on dietbet.com – your goal is to lose 4% of your weight over a 4-week period. I am on my 3rd challenge now – won the first time, barely missed the second and hoping I will get there this time. It’s really been a big motivator for me; helped me to focus on a smaller goal than my overall “lose 50 pounds” goal.

Renny – good for you walking the 10k at such a good pace. I’m doing the Susan G Komen 5k walk/run in May and hope that I will not be at the back of the pack. Now that our weather is improving a little bit, I’m going to get out and walk longer and faster than I can do at work. I work in a building that is ¼ mile end to end and meet a friend early each morning to walk 1.5 miles. I need to push the pace and the distance so that I’m ready for the race in May.

Michele – I wish there was some magic solution to your problem but it does seem that Bryan and Dianna just don’t want to meet you and DH in the middle – or anywhere close to that. It’s hard to know what to do, I’m sure. My instinct would be to tell them they can pay for the wedding themselves – if they can’t even treat you in a civil manner, why should you contribute? On the other hand, I might not do that since they might just uninvited you and DH and that would definitely hurt you more than it hurts them. I will continue to pray for you and DH, that this situation will resolve itself somehow. Hang in there.:flowerforyou:

Gonzamm – congrats on your continued loss; I agree that exercise makes the difference. I don’t love it but have to keep it up or I stall out.

Viv – good luck in resolving your color scheme differences ith DH. This reminded me of when my DH was painting our garage door and shutters. I’m ashamed to admit this but I made him repaint the garage twice because the first color I chose was just too bold for me. He was pretty good-natured about it, I have to say.

DeeDee – so glad that you had a fun day with your DGDs! I would love to try the hula hoop again, it was so much fun when I was younger. My issue is that I have lower back issues so am just afraid that I would end up with major sciatic pain afterwards.

Have to go finish up my weekend chores and errands. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Sandy in (hopefully) sunny Central Ohio

Good morning everyone!

I’m feeling GOOD today. I worked in the garden yesterday (and talked DH into coming out and stabilizing the fence posts with some quikcrete), got three of the beds weeded. The question is how do weeds thrive so well when everything else is still dead? Anyway, going out this morning to put in some seeds and starting some eggplants and tomatillo seeds indoors, then packing up and off to the Phillies game. Best news? My back/side hurt pretty bad while working in the yard yesterday, so I was MUCH slower than I normally am doing yardwork, but I took an Aleve last night and I feel GREAT today!!! Yay!

DeeDee, your visit with the DGDs sounds wonderful! I bet you’re a terrific grandmother. I got to skype for a few minutes with my little one, but she’s in a pre-TT (terrible two) phase right now :sad:. I love the image of you trying to hula-hoop with the girls. I remember vividly when my grandmother got a mini-trampoline (at the time they were all the rage with the exercise set), watching her bounce on that. It was fun, but the grandkids used it more than she did. Enjoy wearing your tiara!

CityJane, congratulations on the NSV! As I’m sure you’ve heard, you’re turning fat to muscle. Have you seen the picture of what a pound of fat looks like versus a pound of muscle? It’s a big difference. You’re making healthy changes to your body. I used to love to make Chicken Tagine with preserved lemons and olives. I made my own lemons and just kept a jar in the fridge all the time. I might have to make a tagine again one of these nights. Yum.

Jo from Wales, I’m giggling at the image of you cleaning the bathroom in your heels :laugh:. Have a wonderful Sunday!

Viv, I know you can do it! 10 lbs in two and a half months is quite reasonable. We traveled quite a bit while in England, but I’ve not even heard of the Norfolk Broads. I hope the weather’s nice (it should be by then) and you have calm waters. Even though I’m not a huge water person, I love listening to the sound of the waves (so soothing!) and watching the ocean – from the sand . Your grandson’s parents will be there, so really you just need to mind that DH doesn’t doze off near the boat rail! :laugh:. I’m sorry you and DH can’t agree on a color – can you get a paint sample from the store (ours sell mini-cans) and paint a patch on the wall near the carpet so he can see what it will look like? You can also paint the apricot near the carpet too so he can see the difference. I love apricot/peach colors in a house, but not with a burgundy carpet!!!

Gonzamm – congrats on another pound hitting the road! Good job.

Jodi from OR – hi and welcome – we have several posters from OR (I was born there myself). Lots of tips and help here, and just support, for those of us “of a certain age” who struggle with losing those increasingly-hard-to-lose pounds.

Rosalind, I had to look hard at your ticker – at first it looked like it went from 32.1lbs to 642! :laugh:. It’s hard to wrap everything into a single day, isn’t it? Good luck and keep coming back.

Carol in WNY, of COURSE your friends chose this weekend to stop by! :laugh:. I try to keep up with the posts but have started reading backwards until I have to stop. Then I can at least catch up with most of the reading even if I don’t see the original (just the comments on them).

Michele, perhaps you can do a little research into wedding traditions in Spain, then ask Bryan about them? It might be a way of breaking the ice. I really am sorry you’re struggling with this. It might be one of those moments you have to just wait and see what happens. Who knows why Bryan is acting the way he is, but without actually knowing you’re just beating yourself up with worry. It’s not helping, and it won’t give you answers. Try to stay in the moment.

Jb, I saw these the other day – they look lovely! I’m making them for the wedding shower in June – thanks for the recipe!

Katla, I agree, the scale is fickle. I know when I’m eating well and when I’m not, and I also know from how my clothes feel if I’m sliding too much. LOL at you being a bad girl. I’ve never been a huge fan of elephant ears, but the junk food I like to indulge in is just as bad in its own way – and I recall vividly how much my stomach hurt the last time I indulged, so I can really relate!

Brooke, finding jeans that look good and fit well is so hard! I’m very grateful that I have a pair of pants I can wear, but it’s only two too, and one is a pair of true red cords, so only one pair of jeans. I’m holding out for shorts weather though :laugh:.

Glenda, old man winter just keeps insisting on one last nightcap, doesn’t he? Sheesh. So grateful for every second of warm sunshine right now.

Joyce, congratulations on your loss so far – and just keep working towards more! You’ll get there.

OK, I have to stop now, going to make breakfast for my busy crew. One is off to a horse show, two are off to a rugby match, and I’m off with my niece to the ball game. I hope everyone finds a ray of sunshine today!

Cheers,

M.

Nanasorchild52: My goal for my husband to carry me over the threshold is what is keeping me going (besides feeling good about myself right now). I lost another pound ... yippppppppppie.

Bump

Only have a few minutes but wanted to pop in and say hi to all my friends here.

The scale finally budged 2 lbs. in my favor yesterday!:happy: Also, was pleasantly surprised when the checkout woman in the grocery store yesterday asked me if I lost more weight. Evidently, she knew I was losing (don't remember conversing with her before) and noticed that I was still losing.

April goals-finally! Up water intake (backsliding on this) to 8 glasses a day
Clean 2 closets out-DeeDee inspired me on this one
Continue walking (at least 4 times a week)
May add to these but at least it's a start.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Kathy

Good morning and Happy Sunday to all.
April 7th I can hardly believe it, my gosh where do the days go?
Just a quick note and then I'm back to my painting project.
Enjoy your day Dear Friends!
Jo – I’m just wondering what is a No Sugar Count Apple? I’ve seen this logged before but have not seen them in stores.:huh:

Viv- Why not pick up some color samples that you know you’d like, and that will coordinate with what is existing. Share them with the family and I’m sure you will come up with a color that will be pleasing to everyone. ( Sisterhood comment to follow…..) Most men don’t have an eye for that sort of thing!:laugh:

DeeDee- OMGosh, you have me laughing so hard, isn’t that the truth! I also seem to bump into people when I am in my comfy gear and no makeup, and why is it always then do we seem to “Bump” into an EX! Your weekend with your Granddaughters sounds like it was a blast. LOVE the Queen comment!!!

Mwheat- I have often wondered the same thing about those nasty weeds! Great idea on the reading plan, love it!

Liz from Idaho- OMGosh do I feel your pain! I know exactly what you mean! It amazes me that no one in the household ever understands that we also work and then we do all the laundry, cleaning, shopping, bills, cooking, and dishes etc. and that we get tired. We never have time for our friends or to sit and enjoy family time because of all the things we have to get done with no help, and then they wonder what’s wrong with us! But keep in mind that we (women) truly must be the pillars of the earth! I am so glad you vented here and hope that it helped you. Sometimes writing it down is very therapeutic.:flowerforyou:

Kathy – What a pleasant surprise for you. It is such a great feeling when someone notices your achievements and you realized your hard work is paying off! :happy:

Later girls…
Peace~n~Hugs
Carol in WNY aka Cooky

Jodi from Oregon: Welcome! This is a nice group, with a few women who lost it all and have been keeping it off for a long time. They’re kind enough to stay with us and provide encouragement, leadership and friendship.:flowerforyou:

Gonzamm: Congratulations!:bigsmile:

Viv: I am an experienced boater and an Arthur Ransome reader. The Norfolk Broads are the setting of a wonderful children’s book, The Coot Club. I’ll be imagining the various settings for your journey. Of course his children’s books were written in the 1930’s so I’m sure there have been one or two changes. We are boaters on the west coast of N. America and have lots of experience aboard. (WARNING: Unsolicited advice follows!) :blushing: Are you taking a bareboat charter, or will you have a hired captain? If you have a captain, tell the person about your narcoleptic. 1. Get good lifejackets that fit comfortably. EVERYONE should wear them whenever they’re on deck. If the ones supplied by the rental people are uncomfortable, go to the expense of getting comfortable ones. 2. Prepare healthy meals and snacks and have them on time. Don’t wait to get to this or that destination for food until people are over-tired and over-hungry. 3. Get a copy of The Coot Club, by Arthur Ransome to share with your 8 year old as well as the rest of the family. It is a fun book with children, a dog, and an old woman as lead characters. (End of advice.):laugh: I hope you have a great time.:flowerforyou:

Liz: Losing it may have been a very good thing, especially if you had a talk with your family. I hope they step up and take some responsibility. You’ll probably have to insist. Repeatedly.

It is Sunday already. Amazing. There is supposed to be a work party on the docks today. I know I’d like to work on washing my boat, but not while others are trying to power-wash docks. Since we’re retired, we can wait for a sunny day and enjoy our work. Any day aboard the boat is a good day, even when I spend it scrubbing.:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Cityjane, you found "lolly moulds" :happy: (love the term!) online, great! I need to buy some, too.

Liz, as I face housework this morning I am reminded of something someone told me a few years ago when I complained about having to clean up messes that aren't mine. She said, "They don't think it's a mess, they don't even see it! If it bothers you, then just go clean it up, you'll feel better." I remind myself of this each and every time I have to tackle the chore. The trick is to not feel resentment.

Lucy, thank you so much for writing about realizing this has become a lifestyle. It helped me this morning, reading about your feeling of freedom! I still get to feeling guilty sometimes, and I know the reality is that "those kinds" of eating days are going to happen and we can just continue the next day with our regular routines. Perfect! :bigsmile:

DeeDee, hoolahooper! :laugh: I used to be so good at it, too! Tried it last summer, figuring it would be so easy, but what on earth happened to this bod over the last 40 years? Could not keep it around my middle for more than 6 or 8 spins no matter how hard I tried. Maybe we were trying too hard! Sounds like you had a blast!

Gonzamm, congrats on another pound, that's fantastic! :drinker:

I see others have been losing pounds lately, too. This is wonderful! Congrats to you! :flowerforyou:

M, great to hear you've been gardening! Weeding isn't the fun part. :grumble: But hooray, the season is coming! I've been having a good time in the yard, designing the beds, moving perennials around and planning where the annuals will go. Our peppers and tomatoes are up 6" tall under lights upstairs. We leave some tomatillos on the plants at the garden, they always self-sow and I never have to start new plants. Actually they're starting to show up everywhere and become a little pesky lol.

Well I'd better get off my duff and get busy cleaning. I have the mood for it, but if I wait too long it'll turn into a bad mood and nothing will get done! Ha!

Have a great Sunday.

jb in stormy Portland

Saw this on facebook this morning, thought it was a good one!

Good Afternoon Ladies~
Saw this group and begin to read some fantastic posts and wanted to say
THANK YOU!