WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JULY

To those of you who are worrying about outside cats:
I just had quite an experience. I have two cats who are inside/outside cats. This time of year, they spend most of their nights outdoors and come in first thing in the morning to eat and nap. Anyway, this morning I headed out to the back porch (It is enclosed and I use it as a pantry) to get some cream of wheat. My cats are at the door, and the first one is meowing to come in. I go and open the door to let them in, and the second one comes streaking in behind the first, but I don't notice until he is halfway in the door that he is carrying a large rodent. Luckily, my husband hadn't left for work yet, so I yelled at him that Lucky brought in a visitor. About that time, I come back into the kitchen, where Lucky is hiding under the table and my husband is looking at him. Just as my husband said, "He didn't kill it yet," the very large field mouse came running across the kitchen right between my feet. I screamed, and lost my sandals as I scampered to the stove. The mouse ran behind the buffet. I went in the living room and cowered in my chair like the brave soul that I am while my husband, the dog, and the two cats tried to deal with the situation. He finally ended up moving the buffet, and eventually the female cat got hold of the mouse. The dog was really more of a detriment to the situation than anything, but she bounded back and forth trying to be of service. Bootsie couldn't keep hold of the mouse, and my husband finally got it scooped up in the dustpan, and put it out, with Bootsie, who immediately caught it. My husband finally talked me out of the chair before he left for work. I think I have a headache from the shock. Well, it's off to the shower, and if I hear any strange noises, I will probably think that a giant mouse is coming to attack me in there like some perverted episode of Psycho! Just wanted to give you all your laugh for the day.

Hilarious!!! Just hilarious!!!! I would have reacted the same way!!!
BirdieM:laugh:

Welcome to the newbies! Peggy emotional eating, especially boredom, is a real problem for many of us. Finding new interests, like posting on this site, gardening, taking a walk, knitting, reading, dancing........anything to fill in the void. I am usually very busy, but I go from being "over the top" busy, to having nothing to do. I also need to find an interest. Let me know your thoughts.
By the way....we are almost neighbors as I live in RI.:laugh: because on this thread we have women from Canada, England, Greece etc.
One day at a time and track EVERYTHING! You'll be surprised how those little pickings add up!
Good luck!
BirdieM

Suezzque: Regarding the lunches for your DH: sounds like you have found some good options. I would also recommend buying the whole wheat Pita pockets as well as the sandwich thins. I often fill them with either some left-over roasted veggies and humus, a bit of tuna or chicken salad, peanut butter with some thin sliced apple or pear, as well as regular deli meats. They do not get mushy when filled with moist things like salads and the filling doesn't fall out. My DH also enjoyed some pickles & olives for a bit of salty taste instead of chips for a healthier choice. A handful of almonds are also good. A few graham crackers or vanilla wafers filled with peanut butter are sweet but not awful calorie picks for his cookie fix.

Kackie

Thanx for the suggestions. Its hard to get him to try whole grain anything, but I keep trying. So far he'll eat Ezekiel bread as toast with cream cheese or nut butter but not on a sandwich and has discovered he likes the Sandwich thins. I'm so proud of him for taking these baby steps. He's already switched from several regular sodas a day to drinking tea or crystal light. I found a low carb cookie recipe online I plan to try on him this weekend. Will let you know if it passes the hubby test.

I joined this site a week ago. I'm trying to find some good groups to join, and this sounds like a good one. I will be 53 next month and am determined to lose at least 50 pounds. I, too, have a problem with emotional eating, which is a constant battle because I suffer from depression. It is being treated and I am much better, but I still have those days. :frown: I firmly believe that I am addicted to sugar as well. It seems when I have a spoonful of anything sweet, it leaves me wanting more. I've tried to go without, but end up bingeing after a couple weeks.

Well, just wanted to introduce myself. I have some things to take care of. I'll check back later. Bye!

:flowerforyou: Welcome Erica-q!

I just joined this site at the beginning of the week and it has the best thing Ii have ever done. I have received a lot of advice and encouragement. This site is perfect for you!:happy: I have contributed on things I have experienced or know about and I wanted you to know that I too suffer from depression but it is under control. I have had it all my life and have hit rock bottom numerous times and just 3 years ago was suicidal and hospitalized. After FINALLY finding the correct dosage and medicines working in conjunction with each other, I can honestly say that I can't remember when I was really depressed. I still have low points once in awhile, but everybody does, they are just not like they were before. Besides the medicine, possibly therapy, I think the most important thing that helped me was surrounding myself with positive people. Depressive people can't afford to be around negative people. There were many times when I just wanted to hole up and be alone in the dark for days if I could. Fortunately, the positive friends that knew my situation wouldn't stand for it. I had been literally dragged out of my house to do something with them. Nothing major, getting tea or coffee or yogurt, but spending time talking with them. They always made me feel better and I was always glad I had went with them. I don't know if you have a support system for yourself, but use these women! They are the most cheery people I have ever come accross!:bigsmile: Use them when you are feeling down and need to carry on a conversation with them. Someone is always on. Use them for the emotional eating times and have them talk you through it or suggest alternatives. Sorry ladies for volunteering you like I am, but something tells me this would be a piece of cake for you all.:happy:

It was no big deal for me to eat an entire double layer white cake with confetti on it. (It had to be this when I was depressed) Sometimes I would plan my depressive weekend that I felt coming up and because it wasn't in stock I would have to order the cake ahead of time. Talk about planning your depression! :noway: I could eat the entire cake on the weekend if I paced myself. :embarassed: I know I could eat the whole thing in one day, I just couldn't get myself to do it and look to piggy to myself. And I am not even going to go to eating in the car and other strange places. I'll skip that part if you don't mind.:ohwell:

What got me out of that vicious circle was joining MFP and doing the food diary. I have entered every day religiously! Sometimes I plan my meals for the next day on it, so all I have to do is bring it up and eat what it says so I don't have to think about it.:bigsmile: However when I do have my moments where I WANT something and I have eaten all I am supposed to for the day I will look at the possible choices I have and still put them in my diary. This way whatever shows up with the least calories and/or carbs, I will eat that. The lesser of two evils.:devil:
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Usually I go with my old stand by peanut butter and will have 1 teaspoon, BUT, sometimes I have 3 teaspoons cuz I just need to! I will eat 3 teaspoons rather than it's equivalent (1 Tablespoon) because it allows me the indulgence of dipping 3 times. it's all psychological. But my new thing to eat is Yoplait's Thick and Creamy Blueberry Pie. OMG! It is way better than regular yoplait. I feel like I am really eating a friggin blueberry pie. I can't wait to try the other flavors!

So there's my journal for you. Hope it offers some encouragement. You can do it. It's taken me 34 years but I am doing it now. And I feel great!
Good Luck!:happy:

Chiclet

Well, I don't quite have everything done for the trip tomorrow, but I'm close, and too tired to continue, so I'm calling it a day. I will probably get on just long enough in the morning to read anything you all post overnight, as that is pretty much my habit when I get out of bed, but won't have time to post.
My plans? My husband, my 5 year old grandson, and I are going to camp for 7 nights near Taos, NM and see the sights around there. Then we will move to Mueller State Park, west of Colorado Springs, CO, for 4 more nights. The Enchanted Circle of NM and the Springs area of CO are two of our favorite vacation spots. We will be joined in NM by 2 daughters, 2 nieces, and their families. Colorado will just be the three of us, and we plan to take the grandson to the North Pole while we are near Pikes Peak. We haven't actually been to Mueller before, so I am looking forward to a new favorite.
You probably won't hear from me again until about the 23rd, but know that I am out there, having a great time, and occasionally thinking of you! Here's to smart choices!

Barbie-

Your story about the "missing" cat, the food dish and the spoon reminds me of when we had my Siamese cat, Samantha, AKA "molecatcher extraordinaire":bigsmile: She like to hide out in the house, and it was a big house, so there were lots of nooks and crannies. After I wandered the house calling her to no avail, my mom got smart and simply went in the kitchen and ran the can opener. Result: The "Incredible Re-appearing Cat" arrived in the kitchen in record time!!!:laugh: :laugh:

Mary,

Your trip sounds ambitious, but fun. We will look forward to hearing all about it when you get back.

Newbies,

Welcome. :flowerforyou: We are always available to offer support, a laugh, answer a question. Chiclet, you are very courageous to share your story with us. You have made great progress.:drinker: :drinker:

It is late, and I have an appointment at 9am to take two of my three pesky little doggies in for a vet checkup. Mai Li appears to be doing better, as far as her back pain is concerned, and I HOPE Bradley will show a weight gain, as I have been just about standing on my head to get him to eat. Pepper doesn't need a checkup, but he will come along for moral support, and because he is a big wussie who doesn't like to stay home alone!!:noway: :laugh: :laugh:

Have a good weekend all.

Barb

I’ve just spent the past 2 hours trying to catch up with the posts. We ARE prolific posters. (Or, as Barb correctly says, gabby! :laugh: ) I have missed you so much but have to give up on responding personally to each of you.

I would like to say “Welcome” to all the newcomers. You have come to an amazing place for motivation and reinforcement of new attitudes and habits related to eating and exercising. Awesome, awesome, awesome.

I spent the first day back from Nevada babysitting my two granddaughters then had my two grandsons overnight and all day. They are whippersnappers and then some. The boys and I went swimming today. Matthew (9 years old) laughed at how my legs “waved” around in the water.

It was an opportunity to teach him about not laughing at people because you might hurt their feelings. That’s another way of saying Grandma almost cried! :sad: Little monster. I don’t like the saggy skin (paying for plastic surgery may be reason enough for going back to work, 'though probably not) but I’m proud to have lost the weight.

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Chicletgirl, I got a lap band 9 years ago. I wouldn’t do it again. If someone has what it takes to eat healthfully, she has what it takes to lose weight with OR without the lap band. The lap band flat out won't work if you can't get your eating in line.

I weighed 324 when I got the lap band, lost 80 lbs, then crept back up to 300. (I thought I’d kept off more but, when I checked the records, it was only 24 lbs.) I still have it but don't have the band filled anymore, so don't have any restriction.

I like to eat plenty of volume. I didn't put two and two together before I got the band (there's that screening thing again) but, now that I know I like to eat lots of food, I know that, for me, the lap band (or any other weight loss surgery) doesn’t make sense. :noway: For the first time in my life (and I’ve “succeeded” with many diets, only to regain all the weight plus some each time) I’m loving what I’m eating and never feel hungry or as if I were on a diet. The bonus is that I’m losing weight doing it. :happy:

Another bonus is that I’m much more cheerful and rarely get down in the dumps anymore. That used to be a regular occurrence. Quite often, the few times I have found myself feeling blue, I've realized I haven't eaten veggies that day. Kind of weird, but true.

I eat lots of veggies and fruits. Up until last January, I thought I didn’t like them! That's when I started roasting fresh veggies in a hot oven. Usually at 475 for 15 minutes (less for asparagus, which is a fave of mine). They’re also fabulous grilled on a barbecue. They’re a whole different animal…well…veggie...than steamed veggies and way different from anything that starts out frozen or canned.

My dad was a staunch supported of the Clean Plate club. When I think back to when I was a kid and the many times I sat at the dinner table trying to choke down cold (because it took me so long to eat them), previously frozen, peas, I have an idea of why I didn't like vegetables! Covering them with catsup helped a little but not enough. And the dog wouldn't eat them!

It’s funny, I eat pretty close to the recommended daily servings of fruits and veggies, but so many people don’t. We often think “portion control.” But, how often do we think about whether we’ve eaten ENOUGH fruits and veggies? If our kids focused on getting ENOUGH fruits and veggies (before they chowed down on fast food), we'd have a lot fewer overweight and unhappy kids.

Tracking what I eat in MFP has been a revelation to me. I’m much more aware of nutrition and how exercise affects the number of calories we can eat. However, the one thing it doesn’t track is how many fruits and veggies we’re eating. I aim for 3-4 servings of fruit and 4-5 servings of veggies. Truly, that’s within the recommended amount! When you eat the veggies, especially when you eat them BEFORE you eat anything else, it’s amazing how your willpower increases!

Can you tell you’ve touched a chord with me? I’m so happy for this new way of eating and for all the supportive people in this group.

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Laura, welcome to baby Eli! Babies are awesome! So sweet. Being a grandma is awesome too (most of the time!!)

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Mary, I know you’re on vacation now, but your story about the cat bringing in the mouse reminded me of when I had maybe 30 people in my church singles group sitting in a circle in my family room when, in through the pet door and into the center of the circle, marches my cat, proudly carrying a poor little mouse. Still living. Eeek!

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Barbara, there seems to be a lot of that going around (an extra pound or two…or so), I’m glad you’re back on track. Having veggies handy will help a lot.

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Jackie, my prayers for your dad. Thanks for the poem. I’m still laughing!

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Robin, I love thinking of you out in the sunshine on skates! You are so dedicated when it comes to exercise and what you eat. You inspire me.

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Good night to all my friends. I've missed you a lot. I'm glad to be back and reading your posts. Thank you for helping me stay on track. :flowerforyou:

I need some encouragement. The scale has been stuck for the last month. I've read all the posts about eating and I really feel I am eating healthier than ever. I have upped my exercise, drink my water, but the scale doesn't want to move. Any suggestions? I have lost 12 lbs since March, but the last few weeks nothing is happening. I have 20 - 30 more pounds to go, but may just be happy I'm not as big as I was. My family is all going to be home this next week which will mean lots of cooking, eating out, and snacks around - I wish things had been going better so I would have more stamina going into this coming week and a half! I'm really afraid I will gain back what I have lost!
How do you get less sugars? If I eat my fruits, I am always over. I also struggle getting all of my potassium. Suggestions?

:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: Eli William joined us yesterday at 4:58pm MST weighing in at 7.4 and 19 1/4" long. I was put in charge of getting the computer set up to Skype my son in to the birth and it took us 3 hrs working over the phone with me going everywhere possible to get it to hook up...finally did with 45 min left before Eli was born. He was supposed to be born in a water birth...he was born bath tub! Really cool birth.

More later...I have to get to work.

Laura

There are more pictures on my profile!

Congradulations! Glad to hear all went well.

Jeannie