WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR AUGUST 2016

@mousemom18 Sounds like you and I are in about the same place. I like the below 140 thing. That would be awesome. Can't say for sure when was the last time I was there... 08 or 09? I agree about the PNW....oh the food!....Whoops!:)

When I get to either go to the grocery store; or send DH to buy the ingredients; I'll make the spinach and feta pie. He likes spinach. I hope it goes as well as it should.

August plans:
Work my 'plan'
Get into the pool and do my exercise program

Lenora

DJ ~ Happy 48th! We will have our 47th this month.

Miriam ~ That cat picture brought a smile to my face.

Janet ~ Lovely photo of you and your sisters. You look so pretty.

I printed the recipe for the spinach pie. I am wondering if I could use self rising flour (which I have) instead of whole wheat with added baking powder.

Carol

morning peeps -

Hi all! Thanks Barbie for mediating this community... I am very excited to find this thread / accountability group

My name is Teri. I was born and raised in WA (Columbia River Gorge)! Hello all you PNW peeps!!!... but now am living in the outskirts of Memphis TN.

I'm almost 52 and have a food baby growing around my middle that I want to give birth to over the next 9-12 months!!! ...I've put on 30+ pounds in the last three years mostly because I'm a sugar addicted stress eater and then secondly from this damn thing called menopause.

The majority of my life I was on the thin side, energetic, happy, and healthy... then one day recently I looked in the mirror (the culmination of 30+ weight gain) and there's this old fat woman looking back at me... I barely recognize her; how can this person be ME(?), in my mind I still feel in my early 30's, youthful and energetic.

The current me: I'm plump all over (look pregnant around my middle), tired looking, two chins, have little energy, and emotionally on the sad/disappointed side most days. Each day these past 3 years have melted into the next and my sugar/carb cravings seem to win out each day perpetuating more weight gain.

What has put me over the edge to make a committed change was the embarrassment of how I looked (in person and IN PHOTOS) at my daughters wedding this past month...I am so embarrassed! How did I let myself get out of control like this?!?

I am ready to get serious about making changes!

GOALS FOR AUGUST

* Stay encouraged (multiple ways)
* Log in every bite & water intake on MFP
* 12,500 steps per day (M-F) on FitBit
* Work out at least 30 minutes per day 3X a week
* Participate in the Elvis 5K at Graceland
* lose 2 pounds per week

Blessings to everyone this month as we all journey toward better wellness- physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

~Teri in Tennessee

Meg, I have a rescue, and work with our local animal shelter. Often the unadoptable cats are elderly and in need of daily medication (usually twice daily for hyperthyroid). I have had several like that. These elderly cats also often have trouble using a litter box so I have to cage them when I am not actively observing them. So I have two huge dog kennels in my living room. One cat that we currently have was so traumatized from whatever happened to her as a stray (she was originally a pet) and the time spent in the shelter that she hissed and scratched anyone that came near her. So no one wanted to adopt her. She managed to stay alive for three years since this is a very low kill shelter (only terminally ill animals), mostly since one of the managers just adored her and would veto euthanizing her whenever it was brought up since she was unadoptable. She hid under the bed the first month she was here, but will now head butt people that come over, wanting to be pet. I still cannot pick her up, though. I have had blind cats, and currently have a deaf one too. I had one that died within the past year that had to have her back leg amputated- they thought she had been thrown from a vehicle since she was found alongside the highway as a tiny kitten. Her leg was dislocated at the hip from being thrown out. She did just fine. The way cats run, with front legs working in tandem and back legs working in tandem meant that you could not tell she was missing a leg when she ran. But when she walked, she went hippity (front legs) hop (back leg). In spite of what she went through she was so loving with everyone! I do a lot of laundry and cleaning on a daily basis, and have no carpet or rugs in the house.

Joyce: School here starts after Labor Day and goes through the early part of June. This year we had a glorious and sunny spring, but it is typically overcast or rainy until at least mid June. In the Portland area, they want to keep the kids in school until the Rose Festival so they can participate in the events. :flowerforyou:

Eava57 & Tracey: Welcome to a great group. We generally have monthly goals and report our outcome from the previous month on our first day in a new month. I've changed my goals into resolutions. It is a semantic shift but seems to fit well during maintenance. :flowerforyou: Tracey: I eat a relatively high protein/low carb diet and wind up with a higher fat content than some people like. I stick to healthy fats like olive oil as much as possible. It takes time to learn what gives you the best results and helps you to feel your best. Be patient and don't give up.

Heather: Hiding animal figures in the garden for the DGC is a great idea. I'm chuckling about your buying pot plants. In my state, pot is legal but you can't buy pot plants at the local garden center. British "English" and American "English" are quite similar but have their differences. We would likely buy potted plants at the garden center. :laugh: I'm probably warped and no one else will think this is an amusing play on words. :ohwell: :embarassed: Your animals are cute & the DGC will love them.

Miriam: Hilarious picture of catnipped kitties. I agree with you about the spay/neuter issue. :flowerforyou:

evinston: When I started with MFP I bought a food scale and a set of restaurant style dishers to help me with portion control. The dishers look like ice cream scoops. I still use both tools on a regular basis, although not as much as when I was learning what the portions should look like. I used one this morning to dish up my cottage cheese. I wanted a half cup, not a mountain of it. I bought the food scale on Amazon for a reasonable price. I picked one with good reviews. I bought the dishers at a restaurant supply store and they were a bit pricey, but not horrid and ultimately worth it to me. Ordinary measuring cups work just fine, but the dishers are a little bit easier for serving food. :flowerforyou:


Yoga today and I'm looking forward to it. One of my favorite teachers will be back from a trip & I enjoy her classes very much. Then I need to pick cherry tomatoes. The cultivar is Sweet One-thousands, and it is well named. I'm trying to figure out what to do with them all. :laugh:

Katla in Beautiful NW Oregon

Tibetan proverb: "The secret to living well and long is: Eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure..."

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

August Resolutions :
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. Monitor sleep. Try to average 7 or more hours of sleep nightly.

Janetr - Are you buying the kettlebells online or can you get to a shop? If you can get to a shop then watch the video I mentioned on Utube, it's by Mark Riefkind, starring Tracy Riefkind, who has many helpful videos on swinging and is called something like How to choose the right weight kettlebell. If you are ordering online then that won't work. Personally I think a 10 lb jump is quite a lot. You can use your intermediate weight ones for other exercises, so all the weights can be used, even if you are not swinging them.
My hips are feeling much better today, so it is clearly not the kettlebell that is aggravating them. With RA and OA it seems to be fairly random, but the weather seems to be a factor. I always know when the rain is coming!

To the lady who doesn't enjoy exercise (sorry, forgotten your name) I was like you and hated almost any form of exercise except perhaps swimming. Gradually, ver gradually, I have got to like it because I like the way it makes me feel and I love the way it makes me look. I used to just exercise because I needed to earn my eating calories as I love my food, but I am beginning to find my life really does not work without it. I have made it a priority in my life. I never would have thought it 4 years ago when I started on here. It is important to choose something easy and convenient for you, that you can stick to and come to enjoy one day.
I have 3 machines in my spare room which I can do while I listen to the radio or tv. I put my yoga mat in my bedroom where I can do some yoga and weights. Recently I have added a kettlebell routine every other day. I am retired so I have time, but I do make time, even if I have a lot to do. I even do it when we have visitors, who have to wait for us. I get up early if I have to go somewhere.
I am as surprised at myself as anyone else! My DH is a very dedicated and disciplined exerciser, so I have learnt a lot from him. It helps that we can do it together.
You have to find a way that works for you and fits in with your own commitments and life style. Any amount of moving is better than none - you are beating anyone still sitting on the couch.

Heather UK

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