WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR AUGUST 2105

W
e are lucky that the hail is small but I'm ready for the thunder to take a break. It has been non-stop for over 20 minutes.

For those that asked how long it took to lose the 40 lbs...I began on September 8 of last year. I've averaged a little more than 1/2 lb/week, some weeks nothing at all. When I began I had a goal to lose 43 lbs, because it would put me at 150 and I thought that would be a nice even number. I wanted to fit in a size 10 jeans. I did not set a goal date because I didn't want the added pressure. I honestly didn't think I would get to 170 because I had failed miserably at losing weight for 2 decades. But I decided to give it a good effort and I'm so glad that I did not wait a single day to begin. I've had many days where I was frustrated and weeks where the scale moved in the wrong direction. I've eaten whole bags of M&M's and cartons of ice cream in a frenzied fit. But I forgave myself and continued on the plan the next day. Yes, this does work.

After I hit 150 , my next goal will be 146 which will put me in the normal and not overweight range and a healthy BMI.

Frankly I am a bit nervous about maintenance. I take comfort knowing that I have the support here of successful maintainers if/when I encounter difficulties.

Everyone have a great week.
Chris in MA

Duh! I kept wondering why nobody was posting today, then realized I was reading July!

Michele, I don't use molds. Only wheel thrown or hand built clay. Sorry. I don't know anything about them.

We paddled the canoe for an hour, then I walked almost 7 miles. So I'm pooped. I'll try to read all 6 pages tomorrow.

Good night.

Sylvia

DJ - Happy Anniversary! Have Fun Celebrating!

Mary from Minnesota

Love reading this thread!!! You all are such amazing women!! You give me hope, thank you for sharing story! Gayle Minneapolis

strange day for me today. Not in the best of moods all day. I actually wanted to just hybernate but I didn't. I am up one pound, and I have covered myself with enogh guilt to sink me. Husband went to the store this morning, and bought all the items I had on my list for shopping today. So I know he was being helpful, but buying my food is one way to control my kitchen. He also bought me a composition book for note taking on a video game he bought for me. So I guess Im feeling alittle angst about all the things he is doing for me... Sometimes my life seems not my own, I am just going thru the motions. And the stupid pound over, just takes the cake.

Becca feeling out of control.
Oregon

Becca -
sorry you are feeling out of control, but remember to be thankful you have a DH who is supportive, kind and does things for you... certainly this forum shows us the wide variations in dh styles...

hugs Kim

Hello ladies.... I trying to get the hang of the group and catch up on posts... Live it That there's a group of women who are supporting each other in getting healthy... I have autoimmune issues and I know that losing weight will help. My august goals are:
1. Walk at least one mile 3-4 times per week
2. Log my food daily
3. Do some nice non food related things for myself
Trying to get into this for the long haul. And it will definitely be a haul.
Tracey

Becca - I feel ya, I too have felt the same way yesterday and today. I was up two pounds this morning and I feel like I have been working my butt off. I'm staying just under 1200 cal. per day exercising 90 minutes per day and NOTHING. Ugh!!

My bro-in-law is still very bad, doc now said he is septic. They took him off the ventilator and had to put him right back on. The infected cyst in my sis's side is the size of a grapefruit, they lanced and drained it but have to wait for the infection to clear up before removing it.

Janetr OKC

Janetr, glad that BIL is holding his own.How is your sister? Update, I am so sorry that he has developed sepsis now. What do the doctors say about his prognosis now. Hopefully your sister can get her infection cleared up so that she can be with him. About the hanging empty skin. It can be, not always, but can be a serious medical problem especially with a person with diabetes.You can get a lot of fungal infections between all those layers and believe me, as an RN, it does STINK.

JanetMMcC, yeah on that size 12. Sometimes it doesn't matter what size you are or what you weigh, those boobies just need to be in a size large. Yes, Charlie has many good and wonderful points. He is very caring to all his girls, his daughters and grand daughters. Sometimes I think the reason he is so good with his daughters is to make up for the lack of attention when they were young. He was very caring to his Mom. I don't think there was a lot of love passed around when he was a boy. They did all the physical needs but I'm not sure about the loving needs. I can't get him to talk about his childhood much at all. So at first I think he cared for his Mom out of duty but as the years went by and I showed him what a wonderful person she was, it changed to love. And he was the same way about my Mom. He often has said that my parents are pretty much the best people he has known. He adored my Father. When he died, he and I were the ones who took over driving Mom to places and just hanging out with her. When he retired my sister says he became a completely different person and she loves the retired Charlie. before she got her mobility van, Charlie was the one who would pick her up and take her to the mall with me. He was so used to putting his Mom's wheel chair in the car he would take mine and just take my sister pretty much anywhere. When Mom was being discharged from the hospital after her hip replacement, he took my sis and i around to all the different rehab places to help us make the right decision for her to try to get some strength so that she could go back to her apartment and be in hospice with him, my sis and I caring for her. So yes, he can be a very caring person. But he has a very quick temper. His temper and cursing pretty much turned me off sexually and that changed a lot of our marriage. I still do love him and tell him frequently. But he would have to make some drastic changes in his life to get a spark back. My sister's 50th wedding anniversary is coming up soon and they are excited. Ours is about 8 years away and I am embarrassed to say I don't look forward to it because it is supposed to be a time of celebration and I see no reason to plan a party.

Mary Minnesota, are you going to post pictures of you laughing so hard you cry or post pictures of Jay Leno? Glad you are having such a good time.

Lisa, what do the big kids want to hunt rattlesnakes for??? And isn't that a bit dangerous??? How do you spray baste a quilt? I love all the pictures but I especially like the one with Grandpa holding her and the dog. How the dogs tail is shows he isn't to happy about that baby on his man's lap but Grandpa is so protective. I have a very soft heart about Grandpas and babies.

DJ, I have a missionary friend who we actually had as neighbors when he was a little boy. Anyway, his wife has numerous tumors in her brain and eyes and they use Caring bridge to communicate with people. But the face book message has the notification on your phone which would let my family know I had put up an update.

wings, do you have an actual diagnosis of diabetes? If so your insurance might pay for all or part of some training sessions with a dietician. Also many hospitals have free classes. And the American Diabetes Association web site has loads of things. I also like to go to a bookstore and find a comfy place to sit and read. It may be cheating a little bit but I want to know if I really want that book before I buy it. I did htat a lot when I got my diagnosis of MS.

Pip, charlie was a pharmacy technician for about 35 years. He loved the job, most of the people, just not the politics of the pharmacy/hospital. Sometimes directors have to make decisions that employees don't like. But they don't realize that that director also has to answer to a lot of people. It is big business. are you sure you are supposed to be 'helping' the brace all that you are? A BMI of 21.5! Mine is 34 It was much lower.

Mame, thanks for sharing about your patient who had such severe fungal infections. Sounds like you are a very caring and compassionate caregiver. RN, NA, nursing home, home health, hospital????

DrKatie, I was just going to ask how he would be sharing an apartment with some one but I see now that it wouldn't be a good idea. I wish you all the luck in finding him an apartment that will suit his personality and his needs.

Carol NC, that a girl. You accomplished a lot jsut be being thankful for who you are.

Michele, are you getting naked on us???

Becca, ((hugs))) Yes, I know what you mean. Charlie sometimes wants to do so much for me. I think it's a manly thing. But with my MS and weight, I have been restricted for so long that it is so nice to be able to do things like carry a laundry basket down the stairs, put the grocery cart back in the holder. But I tell him that although I see what he is offering and appreciate it, I want and need to be able to do it. But if i thin about it, with his Parkinson's disease and how his ulcerative colitis makes him feel (pooping in his pants and the hallway) he is losing some of who he was. Maybe i need to let him do some of what he wants to do. HMMM

barbig2, You can do this but you need to do this in a way that you can sustain for the long haul. And can you sustain a low carb diet for the long haul. We all need to dovelop eating habits that will last us for the rest of our lives.

Well I told Charlie how much I weigh now. I was surprised he didn't say anything. I have really been walking and walking and then walking some more. I got about 1500 at church this morning and then after lunch went to Walmart and then just during every single commercial walked the circuit I have here at home. It takes me into Charlies bedroom which I see the big mirror. It just disgusts me to see what and who I am now. Yes, I know I am the same person but this person let herself go. I looked on my pictures on my iPad and found the one I took that I knew I really was looking GOOOD! The date was June 23, 2014. So I took a picture of me now and showed Charlie the difference and how much I hate this new me. I jsut can't understand it. This week I have been getting at least 5000 steps and the last two days very strict with my calories and the scale is not moving. I get up all excited to see what the scale will show and it's still 198.4. That scale used to be 172.8. I am going to call my doctor tomorrow and see if I can see the dietician again or see if he has any ideas of how many total calories I should be getting. I eat what I think is right and I have problems with even getting 1200 sometimes. And on that subject, my fitbit puts my calories burned for the night on MFP but that is all. It doesn't show anything the rest of the day. Like today, burned 1983 and ate 1120. It doesn't show that on my home page here.

Yes, I did enjoy my singing. The choir director knows how self conscious I felt about singing a duo and trio the same day. but no one said anything. And oddly enough, at this church I don't get a splitting headache due to high blood pressure that I would have in my old church. I don't know if it is because this church is so much smaller or what. But when I would sing a solo my heading was coming off my body and my blood pressure would be like 200/130.

have a good Monday everyone, think of us as Charlie takes his first IV treatment tomorrow. It is in the infusion center which is at the cancer center and I don't know how that will affect us emotionally.

Joyce, Indiana

All the way to page 4. Should have been started a long time ago Comments tomorrow. Need my bed.

Hello everyone! We walked over 12 miles every day we were here! I can't believe we were able to do that! It is time to go to bed now. We have to get up early to fly home. We had such a great time! It seems as though a lot of you are in need of (((hugs)))! We really need to stick together and remember we are not alone we have each other!

Joyce - I will definitely be praying for Charlie and you tomorrow that everything goes well. Don't worry about the scale. Make sure you eat healthy and move like you are and take your measurements change will happen! I didn't get pictures of Jay Leno they told us we needed to turn our phones off and no cameras. I have lots of pictures of our trip to post.

Have a good night everyone!

Mary from Minnesota

Miriamwithcats and Joyce,
Been a professional piano player most of my life. Wanted to leave the night club scene. Studied engineering.
I'm 57. Graduated with honors but with no experience, I can't get an interview.
Finally went back to playing the piano but this time I'm working the nursing home circuit. They love my classical music. Go figure.
Now I play Beethoven, Debusey, Chopin, Brahms etc and get paid 100 dollars an hour to do it. No more top forty radio crap.
While I was studying engineering, I worked as a CNA. Some of my friends are engineers and some are nurses. I figured you for a nurse right away, Mirium.

I have a cat. Tessa. She is most beautiful and willful, but I have won her heart and she has chosen to please me by staying off the table, using her scratching post and generally displaying proper manners. So intelligent is she, and mildly affectionate. Sometimes she comes when she is called...sometimes not.
Mame

Michele,
I also long for change. I do the stationary bike, ballet stretches, chin-ups, elliptical trainer, ballet stretch, chin ups, stationary bike....it gets boring. When I was young....ahhhh, those were the days...I would run along the beach in Santa Monica. Ran five miles every day... that never got old. Ahhh...now it lives in my memory. One twinge in my knee and I quit. I had read two books on running and I carefully obeyed the teachings there.
My knees are still in good shape but I don't run any more. Eleven years I ran.

Ack! Forgot... here's the 1 April to 1 August comparison photo. Was a little disappointed in the change from 1 July to 1 August, with only three pounds lost, the chang in physical appearance is barely perceptible--but when I moved the photo next to the April shot, it opened my eyes up.

Here's the difference between a size 18 and comfortably in size 12 jeans. In four months, lost 34 pounds, 46 inches (according to how you count them), my waist went from 36 inches to 29.

I have to remember the cumulative, too... and celebrate.