WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JANUARY 2014

Good morning folks!:flowerforyou:

Welcome to the new people who posted yesterday! Tell us your names or pseudonyms and something about yourself. We like to get to know you so tell us your general area as well each time you sign off.:flowerforyou:

DH is finally getting it that he has got to train his mind in thinking more positively. He is reading my DDIL'S books and making an effort to put ideas into practice. When I came downstairs yesterday and praised him for writing things down it made him feel really good. Last night he managed to get back to sleep when feeling anxious by visualizing a beautiful beach.
To the lady who asked about techniques, I think there will be many on the internet. Some are just as simple as imagining yourself in a lovely, calm place. Mine is one I built up in 1990 when I did a lot of personal development work with a group, but there are many books etc to help and CDs. You can imagine your worries carried away on a stream etc.

I plucked up the courage to talk to him about the flight bookings to NYC this morning. I haven't wanted to worry him before, but there are some great bargains. We had a long discussion, but have agreed on another technique, not to worry about it until Wednesday ! ! ! ! ! ! So I won't. :laugh: :bigsmile:

Today I have to tranfer some of my DMIL's legacy to a savings account and go to the butcher's to order a large haggis for Burns Night. We have four guests coming for dinner on the 25th. I downloaded some bagpipe music onto my tablet so we will be piping in the haggis before the Address to the Haggis (read by DH or me) and the plunging of the knife into it. Then we have four different malt whiskies to sample. You have haggis with "neeps and tatties", which is swede and potatoes. I will make pureed swede and carrot as I did for Christmas and have roasted new potatoes. A bit of whisky sauce as well. (Hairy Bikers' recipe) All I have to do now is think of some nibbles. For dessert we have the last of our own Victoria plums from our tree, poached, with lemon ice cream and lemon shortbread biscuits. I'm thinking a nibble using Scottish salmon would be appropriate. As soon as I get off here I'm going to look for tartan napkins! ! ! ! :laugh: Soooo excited! It's one of my favourite celebrations and I'm not even Scottish! Of course I will be having tiny portions of everything, except the haggis where I will be MODERATE. It's one of my favourite foods, but it has to be McSweenies.:drinker: :flowerforyou:

Tomorrow is scheduled to take in the dart on my vintage top. Bit apprehensive, but it won't take long. Don't often do sewing these days, but I used to make all my own clothes when I was young, including coats, suits and my wedding dress! And knitting, though I left the crochet to my dad!

Meg - hope things are OK with your dad. So many of you have difficult decisions to make about parents as have some of my friends.

Yanniejannie - my mum went the same way as your friend and my brother and I were convinced it was the right thing. It wasn't a stroke, but lung failure so we knew she wasn't going to get better. A hard thing though. I still sometimes feel a twinge of guilt if I'm honest.

Alison - thinking of you. Do remember to take time for you. Did you go to AlAnon?

OK folks, time to get showered. Left over turkey curry tonight. Excellent!:bigsmile:

Heather in Hampshire UK

morning ladies~
well I got up early had my lemon water and got to the gym, I only worked out for about 1/2 hr but at least it is something.
I am fighting a little bit of a headache so I took some tylenol.
working 9-4 today then going over to the hospital for a bit, DH dinner is set as his lunch for tomorrow.
praying for Meg's dad, Sepsis is a real real bad thing,so hope they can catch it and get that taken care of.
Hope all are well and happy

On the fitness journey again... slow but sure. Down 1 lb... Hello to everyone!

Michele in NC - My parents live in Marion--I do indeed go right by Newton on my way to visit them!

I can't remember who asked, but Laurinburg is closer to the coast; I guess it's in the sandhills region of the state.

I'm getting very frustrated with the scale! I know weight is variable, but I am getting a little disheartened by the upward movement it keeps taking. I'm staying within calorie goal and my Fitbit logs my exercise, so I guess I'll just chalk it up to hormones and water weight. Or, maybe some of that coveted muscle everyone talks about. :laugh:

I'm determined to begin some sort of weight/strength training today. I hate the flabbiness that is my stomach and I need to be able to carry my 3-year-old grand niece without switching arms every two minutes. She's a tiny little thing! I like getting my steps in, but sometimes that leaves me no time for conditioning.

I'm sounding like a sourpuss this morning, so I think I shall go walk some laps around the sanctuary and see if that will lift the Monday doldrums. I also need to be sure I look outside and enjoy the sunshine, even if it is just through the window!

Have a good day, everyone!

Carol from NC

Good morning,

Deedee drinking water as I type.:drinker:
Welcome new comers. :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Carol How are your clothes fitting you? If they are getting looser you are gaining muscle. If they are getting tighter are you watching your salt intake? I know the frustration of the scale creep. Sounds like you are getting on top of it early.

Techinteachin 11 pounds down !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know you want it to be more. Keep up the good work. I know when I lose weight it goes in chunks. I’ll lose then it stabilizes for a while then I’ll lose another chunk.

Meg so sorry about your dad. My mom and brother-in-law both recovered from sepsis. Not to be taken lightly.

Heather Burn Night sounds like fun.

Claire congrats on your son.

Michele I agree worry can add to your stress level. They are showing the stress hormones can make it more difficult to lose and keep weight off. For me it also makes me more vulnerable to getting sick. I know when I have been particularly upset I need to take extra good care of myself.

Jane when I visited my mom she fell. She had life alert so the paramedics came and helped her back up. I couldn’t lift her.
Rose !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sylvia I know it is hard to wait for those repairman. DH"S nephew in Chicago who barely averted frozen pipes did make a call and the wait was four days to get a plumber.

Getting back into routine I will get a present off to my great niece. Her birthday is Sunday.

Goals
Limit TV/computer
contentment
communicate
Life is too short for a bad cup of coffee?:drinker:

Margaret

Heather: I am trying to figure out what swede is. I think neeps are turnips, based on books I’ve read. Is swede another name for turnips? Your Burns Night celebration sounds like a lot of fun. I suggested it to DH who is of Scottish descent. He said “No way.” He has had haggis and loathed it, and likes the whiskey all too well. Based on his mother’s cooking, I can understand loathing Haggis. Everything she ever served me was loathsome. And she did it on purpose. :devil: She didn’t like me because I was a “city girl.” She did say she’d misjudged me and was sorry the last time I saw her before she passed away. That was a surprise.:flowerforyou:

Techinteachin: Fifteen days of tracking is a nice beginning. Don’t expect weight loss to be consistent. There will be weeks when you do everything right and don’t see results on the scale, and then you’ll drop a few pounds “all at once.” It took me a year and a week to reach my initial goal. You have to keep doing the right thing and trust it will lead to success. For long term success, you’ll need to learn a new lifestyle and make permanent changes in your eating and exercise practices. Good luck to you.:flowerforyou:

Carol from NC: Keep up the good work. Are you drinking enough water? That has been a big challenge for me and weight drops have been associated with water consumption.:flowerforyou:

Sylvia: I’m happy to hear you’re feeling the urge to work at your pottery. You must be feeling better. Watch out for the "MacDonalds and butter diet." It is really the "salt and fat diet" with a fancier name. An occasional treat shouldn’t be too bad, though.:flowerforyou:

Margaret: Stress and fatigue are the bottom line reasons I gained all the weight in the first place. I agree that finding ways to minimize it are essential. I thank the Lord I’d already found this group when DH had his stroke last year. The things I’d already learned helped me get through it. So did the fact that our DIL was here when it happened. She is a sane and assertive soul who helped both of us.:flowerforyou:

Meg: I’m thinking of you, and hope things are going well.:flowerforyou:



Katla in beautiful NW Oregon

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." Thomas A. Edison

January goals:

1. Log every bite and swallow.
2. Focus on fitness: daily cardio plus strength training a minimum of twice a week.
3. Water: According to an article a friend posted on facebook, drinking water at certain times maximizes its effectiveness on the body. So I’ll try to follow these recommendations:

* 2 glasses of water after waking up - helps activate internal organs
* 1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion
* 1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure
* 1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack

I was thrilled to find a 50+ group! People that may have similair struggles, people I can relate to.
What got me started on this road to better health was when I saw our vacation pictures of me, I wanted to destroy them all! This is the year I am going to focus on me. This year I am going to lose this excess weight and build muscle. I want to enjoy hiking and biking again and not get so winded when I am doing so.

techteachin, you just started mfp in January and you have already lost 11lbs! Wow!! Thats fabulous! Look at what you have accomplished. I too started this month and have lost 3lbs. I will be so excited when I have reached the 11lb weight loss mark! Keep it up you are doing great!

Swede = rutabaga:happy:

Geri in UK

Evening ladies

- prayers for those who are going through tough times - you will be remembered while I am on my dog walk every evening! I have decided to log before my dog walk so that I catch up with you all before I go.

- congratulations to all of you who have stuck in there and made small achievements!

I have decided that this year my phrase will be 'Just for Today'

My challenges for 2014: S P I E S

Spiritual - to read the message bible from start to finish during the year;
Physical - to log into mfp daily, eat healthily, drink water and move more (to have my fitbit read over 70,000 steps a week);
Intellectual - to learn something new, read, I want to pick up my guitar and re-learn the chords, so I've asked my church band to let me know the songs they're singing at the all-age each month and learn them (I may never join them but ...);
Emotional - to be prepared to say 'no', to laugh, to just get through despite...; 2013 was the first year in the last 5 when we haven't had a bereavement in the family, but my dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer... so 2014?
Social - to not let the things I want to do be squeezed out by the things I've got to do;

There - all set down in black and white!

So, ladies, I look forward to sharing my 2014 journey with you.

Maryann in UK

Happy Monday ladies. Well I think we are having a heat way, It was 25 when I came to work at 0530 and to get to 51 today. Sounds like a change later in the week, but will take this for now My weigh in this morning was alot better then I was expecting. I lost 1 pound. So back on track today with logging.

Renny--Not what I had in mind as an reward.

Claire--Sounds like you have been having quite the time with the tests and figuring out what is going on. Deep breath and take care of yourself. What do the outfits you marked look like? Are they dresses or pants?

Heather--Glad to hear DH is finding postive exercises to keep his mind under control. Your Burns Night plans sound fun. I do enjoy reading about all your plans and parties.

Sylvia--Hope you got the heat going? Sounds like you have alot to deal with all the repairs. Take care of yourself.

Well I am frustrated!! For the last year we have had money missed in my dept.at different times. It has added up to several hundred dollars. We are pretty sure we know who it is, but have no proof. It really pisses me off that someone would do that. We have different bags of money we are in charge of. So because of this one person we have to change how we keep count of the money. I have been here 27 years and this person has been here almost as long. Thanks for listening. I just feel it puts a black mark on all of us, for what one person is doing and getting away with.
Have a nice evening and remember to log your food.
Blessed, Vicki GI NE
I just love the way this works with the cut and copy deal. It's the little things that makes me happy.