WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JUNE 2015

Wow, this group is unbelievable! Hoping to figure out how to carve out time for staying more connected and caught up. You all are so interesting and supportive and fun! I'm never going to get to know you if I don't get on here for more than 60 seconds to log activity. But I'm finding a rhythm maybe I've at least logged on 10 consecutive days. Not sure if I've ever accomplished that. And I "completed" my entries before falling asleep last night. Being mindful of stress levels helps! Thanks Joyce for your encouraging words. Gotta run, work is calling, catch y'all lata xoxoxo

Sherry in Tulsa

manbre wrote: »

Hi I'm Brenda I am 53started working out again after 3years need to get motivated again

Hi, Brenda! What sort of workouts are you doing? Me, I'm just walking so far. And not very far at that. Only made 10k steps once since first login. Tho my average is up.

MNMargaret: When my mom passed we sold her house to a couple that later invited us to stop in and see what they’d done with it. It was such a kindness! To see it all fixed up and sparkling with the care and happiness of the new owners really helped me.

Sherry in Tulsa: I record my food intake on my phone app as the day goes along. It really helps me stay accurate, and I don’t have a bunch of stuff to add at the end of the day. It is too easy for me to forget things if I wait. I used to weigh and measure everything, but as time and success went along I eased back on that practice. Sure enough, the weight began to creep up. I'm still within my target range but too near the top for peace of mind, so I went back to measuring. Guessing portion size is a risky practice. :flowerforyou:

Barbie: I love your before and after pics! Do you still have the beautiful red sweater? I bet it fits differently now! :bigsmile:

Peach: If you wore a size 12 at 110 pounds I wonder how tall you are. It seems like you’d have to stand twice to cast a shadow at 110 pounds! :flowerforyou:



Some of the most satisfying NSVs occur at the clothing store. Smaller clothes are better proof of success than a number on the scale. The last pair of jeans I bought are size 7/8. It occurred to me that, for the first time in my life, I can now shop at the 5 7 9 store if I want, not that I actually want to shop there. Now that I fit, I suspect I’m too old to like their stuff.

My best NSV so far occurred on Memorial Day weekend when we were rafted up with sailing friends. One of them has had a lot of weight related health problems in recent years including heart trouble & knee replacement surgery for both knees. He is looking great now and said that my weight loss success inspired him to lose weight. I felt so complimented! I do not know whether he is using MFP.

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

June Goals:
1. Log every bite and swallow.
2. Cardio exercise at least 3 days a week. Work on flexibility and back strength.
3. Have fun every day.
4. Drink at least three glasses of water daily, preferably more!
5. Eliminate alcohol.
6. Monitor sleep. Try to average 7 or more hours of sleep nightly.

Let’s start the day with a confession! I had to have a country ham biscuit this morning so I stopped by Hardees and picked one up. As I was walking in the building on of my co-workers stopped me because she had a gift for me. It was a Bojangles country ham biscuit. The confession is I happily ate them both. Woe is me! I'm drinking some slimming tea right now!

The new car is great. I bought a 2013 Ford Taurus. I traded a 2003 Cadillac Seville which I absolutely loved. The new car doesn’t have all the bells and whistles the Caddy had but it’s not going to breakdown anytime soon and when it does breakdown I won’t have to almost take out a loan to get it repaired. The SO is not real happy about it yet but that’s ok. He hasn’t yet noticed that it doesn’t have satellite radio capability so I’m going to try to take care of that this week. I think I can get some kind of “doohickey” to put in the car so I can have satellite radio. It does help on long trips.

Terri: Thanks for the tip about beginning planking! I’ll give it a try tonight.

Vicki: A jump rope sounds fantastic! I’ve always wanted to do that but have various excuses like the girls will be jumping up and down too much; my knees can’t take it; etc. Perhaps I’ll give it a try before the end of summer.

Barbie: I’ve noticed that since I have focused on drinking water my coffee intake is down also. I used to have 3 cups before I left home and brought 12 oz. to work with me in my coffee mug. Now I think I’m down to 2 cups at home and bringing none.

Michele: I don’t know about putting yogurt in my oatmeal. My initial reaction was yuck! Have you done it? How was it?

Sherry: Congratulations on 10 consecutive days! I have never been past 35 consecutive days but I keep trying!

Barbie: Loved the before and after pictures. BTW I have a cowboy hat just like yours.

Poopy Pip: I could not possibly log out without a shout out to you!

Tere in Richmond VA

Barbie - you must have read my mind. I was just thinking that I had not seen a picture of you, only your babies and the dancing figures in you messages. How wonderful you look and it is just lovely to see who I am speaking to.

DeeDee - I am so jealous of your retirement. New rules in England now mean that I have to work until I am 66 instead of the 60 it used to be. And I will even have to keep paying for my bus pass instead of being able to get it free

Terri - I do not know how you manage to get so much done in a day. Lovely that DH was exercising with you.

Penny at the Pole - Gosh the difference in size between the two ships is amazing. I would be no good where you live. I hate ice (unless it is in a drink) and as for sub-zero temperatures - yuk as my DGS would say. Then again I hate the heat too, no win with me. Good job I live in cool East Anglia (Lisa will know what I mean)

Poop - Belated happy birthday to Bullwinkle. And hugs for loss of your sister. I have only got one sister and I do not see her very often but I know that she is there for me if I need her and I hope she feels the same about me. Poor Kirby getting left at the kerb by you LOL

Janet - I know that you will be back in the exercise vibe really soon. I have only ever used swimming as my exercise and am looking forward to getting back in the water after two weeks away. Last weekend it was difficult enough breathing without being in the pool too. When I am doing my lengths I count up and down each one 1,1,1,2,2,2,3,3,3 until I reach 32 or 64 depending on how much time I have. And woebetide anyone who speaks to me and makes me loose count

Beth - how horrible about your neighbour but how lovely that DH is so concerned about you

Yanniejannie - You know you are strong enough to resist the chocolate brownies (drool drool) was gong to suggest you send them here but perhaps that would not be a good idea

Miakoda40 - I still go up and downstairs like that sometimes but I am trying to get better. I am so afraid of surgery that is one reason for me to continue to try to loose the baggage this way. Plus I LOVE food and the thought of only being able to have little tiny bits just does not sit well with me at all. I have two friends who have gone down the surgical route and they have done really well.

I would love to tell you all my exciting news but oh yeah there isn't any. I am just plodding along and despite loosing 3lbs this week am feeling it is a long and winding road I still have to travel.

Good luck to all and hope you enjoy whatever it is you are doing.

Gilly, Suffolk UK

>>skimmed thru a lot of posts this morning. my mind is on 2 very important events

Ms poop, you're a pip!

My sympathy about the anniversary of your sister's death. Do you know Edna St Vincent Millay's "Dirge Without Music"? If I were on the laptop I'd look it up for you. It starts, "I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground." (Or is it cold ground?)

Thanks for the seers on your cool cat. And happy pup day to the pooch.

Call me crazy but I love to see other people happy and succeeding .

Good Morning Ladies,

NMMargaret, I feel your emotion as I read your words about selling your Mom’s house. Just remember that it is only a building made of wood and bricks. If it were torn down today, that would not take all your lovely memories with it. Those are in your heart and mind forever, so sell without sadness and remember you get to keep your memories. (((Hugs)))

Joyce, I’m glad I’m not the only one that thinks movie tickets are outrageous. I mean for a senior, matinee?? But then everything is expensive to me, what can I say? A song that is 22 pages long?? Gosh, how long does it take to sing it? I’m sure it will be beautiful.

Penny the Pole dancer, (sorry, couldn’t resist) When is the warmest weather there, and what are those average temperatures?

JanetM, I am a social drinker, but have always thought it terrible for anyone to try to get someone to drink if they don’t want to. That is like trying to get a non-smoker to smoke a cigarette! Plus, if someone isn’t drinking, ya never know if they are a recovering alcoholic. I just think it’s so rude.

Allison, sorry you didn’t sleep well. Hope tonight is better. When I have a bad night’s sleep I always figure I need one every now and then, to make me appreciate the good night’s sleep. The bad part is when they are the norm and not the exception.

Barbie, great B-4 and Now pictures. Size 6? Is that legal in the US??? You look marvelous!!!!!

Katla, you are so right that many exciting NSVs come from clothes shopping. I agree, what a wonderful compliment from the man that was inspired by you! It’s sorta like, you could be responsible for saving his life!!!

Tere, do you feel better after your confession or do you want/need a cyber-kick so you won’t do that again? I mean as if 1 weren’t enough??? Hopefully that will satisfy your ham biscuit desire for a good long time. Next time, how bout stop at one? Or maybe one half? Lol I have also cut my coffee intake since starting this journey. I used to have 3 or sometimes 4 cups and now I rarely have more than one. I keep a large cup of ice water with me any time I’m on the computer and drink it often.

Gilly, making “note to self”, to not talk to you when you are in the pool counting. OMG, you lost 3 pounds this week? I’d be jumping up and down with the rest of my flab flapping away. That is terrific. Any time I have even given surgery a passing thought, I remind myself that you can eat even less and still feel hungry. Those that have surgery and are successful work very hard at it. Ain’t that right, those of you that have been there and done that.

Welcome to any Newbies that I missed. Come often and join in the chat. This thing works!! Please sign your post with what you want to be called. It makes it easier for us to respond to you. Also a location is great, be it specific or general. We are happy to have you join us.

Time to get my butt moving and get some exercising done. It’s very overcast and looks like the rain could come at any minute. Might be a good day to start a new book.

I hope you all accomplish what’s on your list today, stay healthy and most importantly be happy.

Thought for the day:

Have the will to be well, to be happy, and to live in joy.
- Ernest Holmes

Words I live by:
Savor. I have to slow down and savor every bite.
and
Opportunity. Each day offers new opportunities for good health and happiness if we just look for them and choose them.

Janet
Myrtle Beach, SC

Barbie - Congrats on the weight loss! Smile is bigger in the second picture too!

cranor130 - Just acknowledging the problem is crucial to success. I gained all my weight by not even thinking about what I was eating. You will eventually succeed as long as you continue to be aware of your eating habits. That is the first important step to change. You will find a way to make positive changes. You can do this!

Joyce - Wish I could carry a tune! My SIL is a church choir director and my D loves singing soprano. I cherish hearing the whole choir and their solos. Using your talent in worship is a wonderful gift to others. Singing with others lifts their spirits. Let us know how you liked that movie.

grandmallie - I’m having similar sleep problems sometimes too. We need to replace our squawking bed, or at least tighten the screws. Everytime my husband gets up in the night to go to the bathroom, I wake up too. Sometimes I just have to accept that I can’t sleep, and just lie there resting. At least that keeps me from getting all worked up about not sleeping. Having that relaxed attitude about it helped my daughter with working nightshifts, and it has made me less annoyed too.

Jules - I’m praying for you both, and I admire your strength and commitment to each other.

Sherry - hugs on sending off your son to marine boot camp. Exercise is great for the high BP, but see a doctor too. No reason to take a risk, when BP can be controlled. Take care of yourself.

Janet - Love your emphasis on staying healthy. You are so positive and encouraging!

Barbie - Thanks for the reminder about dancing! A great way to get moving! Simple and fun.

Penny - LOVED seeing the landscape

Sylvia - how right you are. There has to be a reasonable limit on computer time. It can interfere with time for exercise.

Tina - We’ve all been there! Pictures can motivate! I know a woman who hangs her swimsuits around the house to remind her of her goal. Not my thing, I’m more focused on health. But it works for her.

mollywhippet - What fun! I’m sharing that website with other friends!

I’ve been gone from this community for a few days while my 28 year old daughter had her tonsils and adenoids removed. She is 4 days post op and doing well, although her throat certainly does hurt. She says she can breathe better already, so it will be worth all the pain to gain better sleep. Praise the Lord for being with us throughout the surgery! We both struggle some with anxiety, and thankfully, we stayed pretty calm.
I was thinking that I just didn’t have time to make this group a priority, but I know I need you all to stay focused on losing weight and exercising. If I don’t focus on healthy choices, I won’t make them.
I’ve lost 9 pounds since May 15. Lost another pound this week! Thanks to all of you for taking the time to share your lives, your tips, and your struggles! We can do the simple things that will keep us healthy! My June goals are going to be similar to my May goals. Next month, I’lll tweak my exercise goals. That’s the area that I need to work on! I have installed a steps app. Thanks for that tip!
Live out the Serenity Prayer.
Drink 8 glasses of water each day.
Make healthy choices when I eat. Stay between 1000-1200 calories.
Walk 30 min. at least 5 times per week. Get off the couch and get moving!

Jules: Sorry to hear about the challenges your hubby is having he is obviously a fighter and does not give up. Good for him. You both must be very strong people.

Pippy-poo: Yay for the pull thru, good thing you practiced backing up that airstream! :laugh:

Heather: A cruise to the Pole...I'm so danged jealous!

Lenora: I like your real name too!

Beth: So sorry to hear about your neighbor. Congrats on doing well with food choices

Yannie: That soup sounds delicious and WTG for weighing every little morsel! I hope your cheese lasts for more than a week and as Janet says you savor every bite!

Miakoda40: Thank you for sharing your story. You are inspiring. I have difficulty with steps as well, it is apparently very common in women. In my case it is because my glute muscles and the inside of my thigh muscles are very weak and won't let my knees track properly. I'm working on strengthening them by riding a recumbent bike and doing squats properly but it sure is a slow process.

Italy: Thanks for sharing your hairdresser experience! :laugh:

Sylvia: I think Google is big brother too...I refuse to put my stuff in the cloud! My privacy is important to me. I love that Model your diet website. Thanks!

Janet: You're right tomorrow is a new day..and you know you can!

MNMargaret: It's always tough when a big change comes like putting your mom's house on the market. I hope that it goes to someone who will raise another generation in it.

Joyce: You can do that solo, I hope your cohort is willing! Enjoy that matinee.
Barbie: Your before and after pics are AMAZING!

Katla: It must feel great to have someone acknowledge all of your hard work and seeing you as a role model. :bigsmile:

Gilly: Losing 3 lbs this week is not "plodding along" in my book. It is fantastic. Celebrate that success gal!

Peggy: Welcome. Don't wait for July just start getting a few more steps each day, maybe park a little further away from the shopping centre. Just keep it simple.

Had a horrible night's sleep, nightmares that actually woke me up and that I remember. I don't usually remember any dreams. Tai Chi in the plans for today. It is quickly becoming necessary to me and is the best tool I've found for managing stress. I even paid for 4 months this time.


Thought for the day: You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today. - Abraham Lincoln

June Goals:

1. Do menu planning for June (in progress...3 weeks almost complete)
2. Eat 3 meals a day
3. Log all meals
4. Plan and Do one fun thing each week
5. Ride stationary bike 3 times a week for 30 minutes.

Carey-Edmonton

Good morning! Started my day off with a visit to my GP. I've been having some rattling in my chest when taking deep breaths (also starts a coughing spell), but he said he didn't hear anything ominous and to call if I started running a fever. I have a re-check on my shoulder this afternoon. I will be seeing someone different due to the PA I saw before having a death in his family. I'm sorry for his loss, but kind of looking forward to seeing what a new shoulder specialist will have to say. Then, I finish up my day by getting my hair cut (and colored--shhhh!). I will be lucky to be home by 8:30 p.m.

I'm struggling with getting my steps in. It has been too hot or too wet to walk outside lately and, since my son brought all of his stuff home, I don't have room to walk inside. I know that's kind of an excuse--I could walk/jog/run in place. Wah! I've lost my mojo. I will spend some time this weekend figuring out a solution. (Said firmly and resolutely.) I also need to spend some time getting my food sorted out. Getting home after 7 p.m. every night is not conducive to cooking so I've got to plan more carefully. I'm not liking myself very much right now.

Tere - I'm going to join you in confession. (I covet your ham biscuits!) I was going to stop this morning and get a nice protein packed, reasonably low calorie breakfast sandwich on my way to work this morning. (I told you, I'm having trouble getting my food sorted out.) Well, somehow, my car ended up parked in front of my favorite bakery. I only ate the apple fritter, though. The pinecone is still in the bag in my car. Heather - I doubt I will have your discipline to toss it because it really is awesome! On the bright side, I am really full and will probably not have any of my planned snacks because of that.

I'm also going to acknowledge that I am sad that I had to come back home when I wasn't ready to and I know that I must get that sorted out in my head before I will be able to focus on my physical health like I should.

I'm getting really horrible at personal replies, but I do read everything and keep you in my heart all day.

Carol in dreary NC

nccarolb - you're ok, i'm horrible at personal replies too... funny how your car has a mind of its own

Shredding, shredding, shredding...........OMG! DH has two HUGE bags to be done; I've seen paperwork that goes back to 2006. Our shredder is old, takes breaks every three minutes (if it lasts that long), and stops if I put four pages in...........it's supposed to take ten. I could just strangle him for waiting so long and then dumping the job on me. Arrrrrggggggg!!!!!!

Happy to report that I still have not touched the brownies! I swear this all boils down to willpower on any given day.

Janet.......Good luck for decent weather for your Country Music Festival; I was awakened by a heavy shower at 5:30am today and we must have had a good wind too cause a big branch is down that was hanging in one of our trees. I think it was Heather (not me) who mentioned turkey.......the tryptophan is an amino acid in turkey that is supposed to make you sleepy.

MNMargaret........My heart is with you as you as you say good bye to your childhood home. I have pics of friends and family who showed up for a final pic on the front porch with me as I left mine for the last time.........it isn't easy; I'm tearing up now. Hugs and a wish for safe travels.

tere........Sometimes you just need a ham biscuit (or two). Congrats and glad you're happy with the new car.

poop........I agree, it's certainly not a cuss word in my book........in fact, it reminds me of Pooh, as in Winnie The Pooh............pip or poop, you are still amazing.

Carol.........Long day ahead for you, hope it was a good one. "keep in my heart all day".......ahhhhh, how sweet!!! Hugs.

Best to all,
yanniejannie
mid-Atlantic

Well, pooh! Here I sit on a bed in the ER, wearing a gown, hooked up to monitors and an IV. Waiting on a bunch of tests to get run. I went to the doctors office this morning, asking for them to check my boood pressure. Next thing I know, the doctor had a sudden opening in her schedule and they told me to get my hubby to drive me to the hospital in Joplin where my cardiologist is. You just say the word chest pain and they go nuts.

I'm supposed to pick the girls up from camp in two hours, and I have drafting to do. I can't stay here!

Hubby has gone off in search of lunch. And this darned machine keeps making a loud boing sound. Good grief!

Well, now I have to find somebody to unhook me so I can go to the bathroom.

Sondre, mine is in July, and I will be the big 5-0. My family wants me to decide on a gift…I don’t want anything but they are insisting…I’m thinking maybe a massage?
Michele in NC, he leaves me in awe as well. His faith is strong and his attitude is good. He’s in it for the long haul…except, he refuses to modify his diet any further. He also has fatty liver disease and Type II diabetes, (mostly inherited) and I’ve helped him change his eating habits a lot when that occurred….but anything further and he’s not doing it. That’s the one thing he’s just dead set on. His point (well taken, I might add) is that he’s got an incurable type of cancer (a very rare and aggressive type of prostate cancer that had no warning symptoms and had already spread to his bones when it was found) that we can only manage for so long before it will take his life, so he’s going to enjoy what time he has. I’m not sure I wouldn’t be the same way if a doc told me the most he expected me to live was two years and I’d already outdone that marker by adding six more.
Kim in NCalifornia, thanks for that tip. See above post. It’s been a long struggle to get him to eat better this far, and I’m still trying, but it is tough. He’ll modify his activity, his attitude, his meds, take whatever experimental treatments they throw at him….but he ain’t gonna eat THAT. :ohwell:
Peach, me too! We’ve been at this for a while now, and it’s still below normal, but the slow creep just drives me bananas. And all the meds they pump into him can’t go without effect. Bless his heart, he takes Depo-Lupron injections every three months and testosterone suppression meds (prostate cancer feeds off testosterone) and sometimes he’s more weepy than I am! :laugh:
Barbie, great before and after pics!
JoanMichelle, we are high school sweethearts, and have been together for 32 years this December. Glad to hear your daughter is recuperating nicely.
Carey, love that quote, totally stealing it. Thanks for the kind words.
Janet, good luck at the beach this weekend with the festival in town. Hubs and I were thinking of riding over to MB Saturday but I think we will look to have a date elsewhere. It’s sure to be crowded. If you were fortunate enough to score tickets, hope you have blast! I’m not a country music fan but my DIL is, and so as I’ve come to love her, I’ve recognized a few of the headliners that are performing. Sounds like a good show!

I’m down 10 pounds, the scales have been good to me. I got a gajillion more to go, but I’m hoping that I’m learning my lesson and realizing it’s a process and is not immediate. I’m having some pain from an overused hamstring and my old arch enemy plantar fasciitis, but I’m dealing with it. Both come from deformed ankles at birth that were never surgically repaired. I’m paying for it now. I stick to the elliptical because it’s waaaaay too easy for me to roll my ankles when running. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than nothing. I walk outside when I can; we live down a long dirt country lane of sand, and if you’ve ever tried to walk in loose sand on the beach, you know it’s not easy.
Until next time, keep on keeping on!
Jules in SC

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C. S. Lewis