WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR APRIL 2013

Shorts and tees yesterday, pants and sweaters today. That’s how we roll in PA. Temps dropped about 20 – 30 degrees overnight and now I’m hunkered down. Made it easier to work out today, but I really need to do more stretching – I can tell now it’s just a muscle in my back that’s cramped up on the left side, and it needs to be stretched out. The good news is I still have my flexibility, but I’m not as mobile as I was before and want to get back there. It feels good to be adding weights back in to my workout – I really enjoy cardio but need the weights too (as my arms are telling me even two days later lol).

Grandmallie, I’m sorry to hear you’re under the weather. I hope you feel better soon.

DeeDee, shopping sounds like it was loads of fun for everyone. I love shoes – who doesn’t? When DD and I went into a DSW for the first time we both gasped and said it was like entering the magic kingdom. :bigsmile: You’re getting the bad weather that rolled through the south yesterday – I hope you’re safe today. I don’t expect they’re going to get a lot of golf in today – DH will be happy he didn’t miss a lot.

Amanda, I remember how frustrating the tube travel could be – pop-up maintenance or scheduled strikes, it seemed like it was always something. Nothing you can do but go with the flow though. Everyone else is just as late.

Viv, some people lack an empathy gene – my DH most definitely does. I just know not to look to him for that kind of support and it helps. If I need something and ask for it, he’ll totally do it for me, so I try not to be too upset that I have to ask. Be careful about the laser place – if it’s like here in the States they have fog machines that have always kind of bothered me if I had a respiratory thing going on. Hoping you see some warm weather – I know the UK needs it!

JB, making me smile as always.

Oooh, Carol, that looks delicious! I’m going to try that out this weekend. I have a big jar of red wheatberries in my pantry (I like to play with different grains and have a thought to try grinding my own flour sometime too).

Barbie, before I read your last line of the paragraph I was thinking “you’re going to be dancing in your sleep!” :laugh:
Michele, stay safe in this weather!

Liz, lovely to see you :flowerforyou:.

Brooke, love your new meme/pic!

Sue in SD, as I’m sure you know the forecasters are right about the falling ice – and branches too – a lot of times the ice weighs down the tree limbs that are weak and they break off. I’ve seen that damage people and property more than falling ice (unless it’s hail). I hope the test results go well.

Gail and everyone else in the south – I hope you’re all safe! We are having just thunder, wind and rain here but we’re further north. I have a friend in Alabama yesterday who was hunkered down in the afternoon already. Bad storms!

Jmkmomm, I’m so glad you were able to relax and walk with DH and carry on a pleasant conversation. To me, walking should be the time that I’m most able to relax and enjoy – I would be upset if someone was with me who was disagreeable. However, having said that there have been a few times when DH and were in a tiff and would go out for a walk and not speak for the first 10 minutes or so, then one of us would spill and by the time we got back we had everything worked out. Congratulations on the great trip to the neuro! That’s wonderful.

Katla, lol.

Yanniejannie, busy day!

Even though I keep my calories set at 1200, that’s the bare minimum for me. I totally agree with Barbie that every single one of those calories are for pure, whole food, not sugar, white flour or alcohol. I do have wine occasionally, but I make sure I have exercise calories for those days, and at my age and slow metabolism I simply can’t drink a lot (or overindulge in sweets or anything really) without severe consequences to my weight. It’s just not possible anymore. So I’ve embraced this new lifestyle, and it’s treated me well. I don’t get sick much if at all, and any colds are gone in a day or two. Anyway, my brief plug for a healthy lifestyle.

Tari, remember that everything you’re doing is good for you. Regardless of how your body is responding, you are getting healthier.

Robin, still sending positive thoughts for that new job. Your vacation just keeps sounding better and better – how big’s that suitcase?

My cat was very restless last night, couldn’t get settled down and then once he did DH came to bed and it started all over again. Therefore I didn’t really get to sleep before midnight, then up with the birdies (that’s what wakes him up). Anyway I was out of bed by 5am, which is really what works best for me anyway. I used to just use my natural sleep rhythms to get me to sleep and awake, but now I use the alarm cat :bigsmile:.

Have a wonderful day – stay out of the way of the twisters and falling ice!

M.

HELP!!! I followed the 1200 diet and most days were just under the amount of calories allowed. I also walked most days of the week and worked in the garden. I GAINED 1/4 pound this week. So discouraged. :frown:
Sharon from Michigan

Awoke this morning to... shovel show. The only bonus to this is that I have some of my exercise in already.
NSV... wearing my size 10 pants daily now... WOOT!
Come on SPRING!!!

Happy Progress Everyone!!!
:drinker:

HELP!!! I followed the 1200 diet and most days were just under the amount of calories allowed. I also walked most days of the week and worked in the garden. I GAINED 1/4 pound this week. So discouraged. :frown:
Sharon from Michigan

Try your tape measure. Sometimes as we lose the fat but add muscle you will see a weight gain.
Hang in there!

We have a pretty morning and I hope they day is nice enough to lure DH outside for some exercise. He is having success with lowering his blood pressure and that is cheering both of us up. :bigsmile:

We went to the library yesterday and I came home with gardening and recipe books. The garden books included one that is aimed specifically at the Pacific NW, and every page had good ideas for plant choices and design.:bigsmile: :bigsmile: The other two had pretty pictures of gardens, but were not helpful in plant choices. The recipe books were by people whose names I see here on MFP; Jillian MIchaels and Bill Phillips. Both had recipes. Neither had calorie or nutrition information. :grumble: Phillips had pictures of brand name ingredients with every recipe and a bunch of before and after pictures of puff to buff adults at the end of the book. :huh: I didn't see a recipe in either book that I wanted to try.:noway:

Have a good day.:flowerforyou:

Katla in beautiful NW Oregon.

okay, I really need to get serious and get back to it. I have just been wallowing and floating by with modified bad habits. I need to get back to the dreadmill that I haven't touched for a couple of months. I think I am being motivated by St Maarten. I need to look less like a beached whale while sitting on the deck of the yacht.:noway: If I really get my act together I could lose 20 pounds by Christmas.

GOOOOO ROBIN!!!!!!!! YOU CAN DO IT! :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

Sorry I just had to convince myself:laugh:

Dreadmill here I come

Robin, Bodi and Ritter
PNW

MELANIE:
WHERE in Saudi do you work? I live in Egypt. Came to Saudi once for a visit when my daughter was there a few years ago.
Do you live on a compound?
Phyllis in Egypt

Hi Phyllis, I'm working in King Faisal Specialist Hostpital and Research Center in Jeddah. Yes, I am living in Amoudia compound and thats were I'm running/walking around and around to get my exercise, I don't have to wear an Abaya in the compound, although there are a few ladies out doing just that..... way too hot for me . Where was your daughter?

I am in my mid 50s too and struggling with the scale. No metabolic issues yet but a recent knee surgery that the weight is NOT HELPING! I am determined and would love the support too. Feel free to add me as a friend and we can cheer each other on.

Melanie,
My daughter was in Riyahd and not in a compound so it was really hard for her. We had to wear an abaya every time we stepped out side. it was the craziest country I have ever been in with all the WOMEN or FAMILY MALLS or only MEN MALLS or restaurants. we did go to some fun Women only parties where the ladies came all covered up but once inside the party they stripped off all the black and become completely different gals! They danced and had a grand ole time! It was a hoot!. She worked at a ALL GIRLS school. SPOILED girls didn't give a minutes care about their work since they all had money and pretty much could just get anything they wanted in life just from being born rich.Now she is in Abu Dhabi and it is much more civilized and she likes it a lot.
Phyllis

Melanie,
My daughter was in Riyahd and not in a compound so it was really hard for her. We had to wear an abaya every time we stepped out side. it was the craziest country I have ever been in with all the WOMEN or FAMILY MALLS or only MEN MALLS or restaurants. we did go to some fun Women only parties where the ladies came all covered up but once inside the party they stripped off all the black and become completely different gals! They danced and had a grand ole time! It was a hoot!. She worked at a ALL GIRLS school. SPOILED girls didn't give a minutes care about their work since they all had money and pretty much could just get anything they wanted in life just from being born rich.Now she is in Abu Dhabi and it is much more civilized and she likes it a lot.
Phyllis

Yes, I have to agree, the differences/rules here are pretty crazy, especially when compared to the west. Jeddah is a wee bit more relaxed than Riyadh, minimally. I don't have to cover my hair unless told to by a passing Motawa (religious police, for those not familiar), but personally have not been asked. But the family sections and men's sections do exist here in the restaurants too, so if you are just a bunch of females, you have to eat in the family section. I used to try to get some walking in on cooler days and walk to do my groceries and catch the hospital shopping bus back to the compound, but first, wearing the abaya is pretty hot and second, don't like the way I was looked at, there are never (almost 99.9% of the time) saudi women walking out of doors by themselves of with friends, so I pretty much stick to the compound for any exercise now.

But, except for the fact that I really miss being able to just jump in my car and go do groceries whenever the mood strikes, it's okay here, I'm pretty much a homebody, so the restrictions aren't too bad for me.

But regular things like going to do groceries are an experience in exercise anyway, as today, run down three flights of stairs, catch the bus, do groceries, lug said groceries onto the bus without tripping on your abaya and breaking your neck , lug the groceries off of the bus, trying not to hit anyone as you inch down the bus isle, get back into your building, put down groceries, unsnap abaya and grab bottom corners, pick up shopping bags and drag them back up three flights of stairs. Then after putting my groceries away today, I grabbed up my dirty laundry and down three flights of stairs to put it in the washer, back up to collect my garbage, back down to dispose of garbage, back up to have some lunch, back down to change laundry to dryer, back uppp.....

After all that, do you think I could, without guilt, log 10 minutes of stair running today?

I would love to join a gym, I think that there are some Gold's Gyms here with female sections, but its kinda a hassle to get to them, besides, my intention when coming here was to save money for my retirement, so am trying to be frugal.

I don't spend too much money here, I would say that my biggest expendature here is food, as I eat nothing refined, no sugar (honey if I want really sweet), so that means, meat, fish, eggs, lots of milk for homade yogurt and lots and lots of veggies and fruit which by the way, are pretty darn heavy groceries to lug on and off a bus and up three flights, hee, hee.

Renny: I absolutely love your profile picture It makes my mouth water ((HOPE she doesn't change it in the next little bit to some "person picture" or this statement could look bad for me:blushing:

Hope you all have a fantastic day! I did some running and walking this morning, but am trying to talk myself into a walk this evening, maybe not, I think I have been on the computer too long