WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JANUARY 2015

Good morning ladies!

Expecting possibly an inch of ice this afternoon mixed with snow. Hoping it's more snow than ice!

Meg and Joyce ... you were both right. Ashley was moved back to ICU because of the vomiting... because even though the head trauma was older (she did have some bleeding initially) they wanted to take precautions and do more scans. That, along with all her internal injuries (resectioned bowels/intestines), had them doing scans on all that too. Everything came back clear! Can't imagine how you deal with being sick when your limbs are broken and your abdomen is covered in stitches ... yet by yesterday evening Ashley was eating and talking again. The body is so resilient... always amazes me!

To those asking about how to achieve success ... initially my ticker showed a 72 pound loss ... now it's hovering around 60. :.. and here's why. This really is not rocket science. Move more, eat less. I stopped moving and I've been eating more. Getting back to weight loss for me involves being very aware of how much I'm eating ... so I weigh food. I like to cook and eat ... so the food I make will be nutrient dense to satisfy me. Cardio is good (I just walk or use recumbent bike), but I achieved my best look when strength training was included in my week.

Have a great day!
Beth

Good morning, ladies! I wrote my first post last night and didn't really get to read many of your posts. This is like having a bazillion sisters and all are different. Best part is you all actually interact. My sisters are too busy the last couple years.

I left my marriage of 34 yrs in 2011. Moved from So Cal to NE WI, which is where I am from. I started talking on facebook to a guy I dated in my freshman year of H.S. We now live together in a teeny cabin in the woods, on a river. I love my life but I have gained 25 lbs in the last few years. Cheese and beer and too many carbs, but mostly I went from an active life of co-owning a construction company to doing much of nothing.

I walk 3 miles almost every day and will start to incorporate running back in. I just signed us up for a 5K in May and am signing up for a 5K trail run in April.

As an avid reader and researcher of everything I like or want to know, I am restarting weight training. As a senior citizen (yikes) I know it takes more than cardio to keep healthy. I am also eating more healthy fat, no fat free for me. As we get older our bodies need more fat. But, as I say that, we also need less calories. So, lean meat/protein, good fats and green veges. Less bread, pasta, rice and of course sugar. This is me stating my ungoals, never do well with goals. It's more just in my head besides of course logging in to MFP.

-Judy- we are both new. We are close to the same size. I am 5'4" and weight 160. I know a healthy weight for me is around 130, but I would be happy to get back to 135-140.

Will check back and start reading.

Great group with great conversations.

Deb in NE WI

Carol, No, I'm not an art teacher. I'm just a potter. Another potter is going to use my studio starting Feb 3rd to do a class for kids. I would never do that myself. Never had any desire to teach anything. Even trying to do demonstrations makes me break out in a cold sweat. Heck, I'm nervous just at the thought of having 12 kids in here.

Pip, I occasionally have a Shasta Black Cherry soda. By occasionally I mean once a month or less. It's a treat and I do count it in my calories. No caffeine and no salt.

I went to the store before I came to work and bought some fruit. I ate my last apple and orange yesterday. I really need that fruit every day. It makes a big difference.

Well, I have to get busy. There was something else I wanted to say but can't remember it. Too sleepy.

Later, ladies.

Sylvia

Hi all. WELCOME new people! :flowerforyou:
Off the top of my head I remember Deb and Betti, but welcome all the others too! :flowerforyou:

My back is really playing up today. I had a comfortable night, but the rower kicked it off and it is hurting. Went to our local big store with DH this afternoon and was miserable. Found 2 lovely flowery :bigsmile: shirts for him, a blue long-sleeved t shirt and a silky t shirt if it is very hot. I bought a v bright pink t shirt with a half sleeve for me. Even brighter pink than the one in my profile photo! ! ! :laugh: Bought stuff I just have to put in the oven, chunky cod, with tzatziki and brussels sprouts. Can't face cooking. Oh I really hope this improves before we fly off.
Tomorrow I am not going to row and just do other stuff. :ohwell: I stocked up with pain killers.
Also bought nail polish etc. Like many of you my trainers pressed on my toe nails and turned them brown. Horrible! So I am going to paint them metallic dark blue! ! ! Nobody sees them normally as I always wear socks, even at yoga, but the hotels have pools so I will be donning my flip flops and getting down to some lengths. I am a good swimmer and used to swim a mile three times a week, (the last time I lost weight before my breast cancer), but the pool I went to here is not policed properly and it wasn't worth my sanity. I suffer badly from lane rage. I went to aqua aerobics for a while, but hated the music! ! ! ! :embarassed: I hope the hotel pools will be a better bet as most people just lie around the edge. I wonder if I can still swim a mile after all this time. I'll probably start with half a mile, when we first get there.
Tomorrow I will sort out my toiletries and meds, always the worst part for me. When that's done I feel better.
DH hasn't been well and didn't sleep last night. Of course the stupid man has chosen this month to wean himself off his meds without telling me. I knew he had cut down, but not that he had stopped altogether! ! ! ! He does choose his moment, just before we are doing the thing he finds most stressful in all the world - a long haul flight! :sad: This morning he took a half tablet as I persuaded him it might be better to postpone the weaning for a while.

Not typing today. That sets my back/hip off as well. I have been very disciplined and I am over two thirds through the book. My back doesn't like it though.

Love Heather in Hampshire UK

Good morning! We started out sunny but the expected clouds have arrived and it's going to stay cold today. I have a lunch later but shouldn't be a problem food-wise as it's Monogolian place; lots of healthy veggies and non-oil dressings.

Twhitehead..........Great tip about the mouthwash; I still have some my dentist gave me that has the most vile taste.........I remember using it the last time around in the evenings when the cravings would attack.......Thanks for the reminder!!!

Karen........Loved the inspirational messages you posted!!

Sally..........On shoes, I'd say talk to your local running buddies and find out which running store has the best reputation with them, then go in for a fitting and advice. Hard core runners do lose toenails. My daughter had three episodes of tendonitis in the years during grade school and middle school and ended up in leg casts twice and in three different periods of months of physical therapy..........the best physical therapist (this woman was a star) said (for DD, not telling anyone else what to do) use only New Balance with her custom orthopedic inserts ($$$$$) and she has been problem free for years.........still buying New Balance. The longest distance she's done has been a few half marathon trail runs which were very mountainous.

pip.......Great advice to Mary!

Janet .........Kudos to you for upping your exercise!

janemartin............Congratulations on the new arrival!!!

Michele.........It's funny........the first time arond for me, the MFP loss guesses were spot on.

Cynthia........Beets, horses like beets? Have to try that. I only recently learned they like bananas. DD made the mistake of having peppermint tea before going to the barn the other day.........they all wanted to be her best friend!

DebHutton..........Welcome, sounds like your life is going well and you have a good plan for yourself.

Hope everyone is having a good day!
Hunger is not an emergency.
Determined.
yanniejannie
mid-Atlantic

yanniejannie wrote: »

Cynthia........Beets, horses like beets? Have to try that. I only recently learned they like bananas. DD made the mistake of having peppermint tea before going to the barn the other day.........they all wanted to be her best friend!

Hi, well, not all of them like everything. The one I have now doesn't eat anything except carrots and apples. If you try something else she looks at you like "Do I look like a goat?"

I used to have piña colada days for my previous one. I'd cut up bananas, put oranges in there etc. Smelled just like a piña colada. I liked giving him just oranges as well. I'd peel them and he'd take them whole (if they weren't too big). He'd bite them so the juice would run out, and you could see him drinking the juice (the movements in his throat). Then he'd chew up and swallow the rest of the orange.

Lesley: I take the Centrum Silver for women along with Citracal plus D3. I take three of Citracal+D3 daily at the recommendation of my gynecologist to make sure I get adequate calcium and D3. I’d like to know how you like the Ethical Nutrients super Multivitamin after you’ve been using if a month or so. If you still love it, I’ll see if it is available around here. I’ll still be taking the Citracal plus D3 no matter what. On the subject of dogs, I agree with SallyW. Their lives are short, but they bring so much companionship and joy to life that I hope never to be without one for long. After Mildred Beagle has gone to dog heaven, give yourself a little time before you decide to forgo the companionship of a new dog. There is average lifespan info readily available on the net. Beagles are on the list at 12-15 years and my beloved Keeshond is in the same category. There are some small dogs that have a 20 year potential lifespan.

SallyW: Enjoy your shoe shopping. Be sure to let us know what you decide on. I haven’t bought running shoes in a long time because I don’t run anymore due to my knees. I did buy walking shoes from New Balance. Their only store in the Portland area that I know about is in Tualatin at Bridgeport Village and they don’t cater to walkers at that store. When I buy from New Balance, I do it online.

Sheryl: Welcome!

Janemartin: You’re daughter is in my prayers. I’ve had acid reflux issues forever and was diagnosed more than two decades ago. I have to be careful with food choices and also take medication for it. My current medication is a generic of protonix and it works well enough if I avoid the things that set me off. It is also not too costly. Unfortunately, it appears that DS inherited this from me. The over the counter treatments don’t work for me.

Barbie: Miraculously, my Medicare supplement plan pays for a gym membership for me. DSIL also gets hers paid for and we don’t have the same insurance supplement provider. I gather the insurance carriers think they’ll save a bunch of moolah if their people are more fit. Perhaps it is mandated or encouraged by Medicare. It makes sense. I don’t know. I’m simply enjoying the unexpected benefit. I lowered my allowable calories to 1400 and ended up with 328 available to eat after exercise was subtracted yesterday. If I look at my measured calorie output, it is within 100 calories of the right balance. My weight is down a little bit today. I’m working toward at a 2 or 3 pound acceptable range. For now, I’m experimenting. The gym membership has changed my activity level quite a bit. I have several more yoga classes in a week than I used to have and also use some weight machines. Zumba is out due to my knee issues according to both common sense and the gym’s trainer. I can support my friend by marching in place next to her or by riding a cycle in a nearby area. I can’t put sideways pressure on my knee.

Shanyn: You seem to be making good decisions. Stick with it and remember that you need to make permanent lifestyle changes in order to stay healthy once you reach your goal. You can do this, especially if you find ways to move more that you actually enjoy.

Mary from MN: We bought food scales and dishers when we started. (Dishers are used by the restaurant industry to allow servers to easily provide standardized portions sizes. They look like ice-cream scoops.) We always made good food choices so far as quality goes, but we ate way too much good food. Measuring portions worked very well for us. I don’t always weigh things now, but still weigh food often enough to stay on track. I use the dishers more frequently.

Deb in NE WI: Welcome.

Sylvia: I LOVE today’s joke! On a personal level, I never worried about competing with DMIL in the food department. She was an awful cook. I learned some years after her death that she deliberately put things into the food during my visits that would give me a tummy ache.

Heather: What is tzatziki? We had Brussels sprouts last night. Yum.



I have a “date” with my cousin to go for a hike this afternoon. I’m looking forward to it! We’ll meet at the Audubon Society and use the trails near there. She would like to hike uphill but I’m not ready for that at this point. Going uphill is challenging but downhill is even harder. It is way too hard on my knees to come back down a steep hill.


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. Cardio exercise at least 3 days a week.
3. Have fun every day.
4. Drink at least three glasses of water daily, preferably more!
5. Eliminate alcohol.
6. Monitor sleep.

Good afternoon! Stopping in to say hi after a couple of days with a strange virus going around here - headache and stomach pain with a little nausea thrown in for good measure. I saw the doctor this morning for a six month check up and he said he'd seen a lot of it over the past few weeks and that his son and wife currently have it. He's still very pleased with my weight even though it is somewhat higher than the last time I was there. My blood pressure was good, too. I had blood drawn and gave a urine specimen so I will see what those show next week.

Michele - For your friend with the detached retina...If her surgery is like mine was, it will be done under sedative and she will be awake for most of it. There is no real pain nor icky feelings but, depending on where the tear is, she will have to either sit up for about two weeks or lie flat on her stomach for about two weeks. I was lucky and got to sit up with my had cocked slightly to the left for two weeks. I was mighty grateful when I finally got to lie down in my bed again, though! The antibiotic drips made me nauseated until one of the doctors told me to press firmly on the tear duct to keep the drops from getting into my sinuses and thereby into my stomach. Also, I had no restrictions from the time was mine was diagnosed until I had the surgery. I went to work and did everything I could to get ahead since I knew I would be out of work for at least two weeks after the surgery.

Sylvia - I got the joke about Napoleon. I, too, adore pickled beets! They really can perk up a bland meal.

Heather - I hope your back settles down before your trip!

I've forgotten everything else. One day, I will be smart and open a word processing document to type replies with, but that day is not today.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! My best female friend is supposed to be here later today for a weekend visit. Her son was taken to the hospital by ambulance last night (he lives in Chicago) so she was up much of the night on the phone with his girlfriend getting updates. Hopefully, she is sleeping soundly right now and will feel rested enough to drive shortly!

Carol in NC

Hi, I think I only introduced myself once. This is Cat checking in. Been struggling this week to stay within my 1400 calories but when I do stay within them I do lose weight. On days I do my cardio I am much hungrier afterward for dinner but I burn more than I eat so that is good.

I have met my first goal of 5 lb loss in my first month but I was fluxuating between 4 - 6 lbs. I'll need to be consistant with exercise through the end of the week and keeping within my 1400 calories so I do not bust my goal before the end of January.

Exercise: My cycling spin class is my cardio that I have been doing 3 - 4 times per week foe 1/2 hour but I think I need to make it a solid 4 days. It kicks my even only doing just a half hour before I weight train. But I have to work within some limitations. I weight train 3xs per week afterward for 1/2 hour with my trainer.

First min goals = ~5 lbs/mo for 4 months to get to 20 lb loss by Easter
This first month has been challenging so I realize I am really going to keep within my cal count and do a lot of cardio next month to get another 5 lb.

Although I am not on the Medifast diet, I also use some Medifast items like their oatmeal, snack bars, shakes and soups because they are high in protein low in fiber and low in carbs. For the most part I eat regular store bought food for lunch, dinner and some snacks.

Also my BF is doing the MFP program as well and that is helping both of us.

Thanks for the member who put out the idea for Ethical Nutrients Super Multi-vitamin that was energizing her. I looked it up online and it looks good. Unfortunately they do not sell it online so I will have to look for it in the CVS drug store or health food store.

Thanks for all who are here to support each other. Catherine