OMG ~ Discussions Starting 1-11-16 and Beyond

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  • xjsjaguar
    xjsjaguar Posts: 300 Member
    Good morning, ladies and Happy Saturday to you all!
    Wanted to share the above image of some huge blooming lilies in our yard. Since taking the image, the other two blossoms have come out and the aroma is magnificent! This added to the scent of fresh cut fir from loading our cord of firewood is just wonderful indeed and keeps me outside, too! Bathing in natural beauty is some of the best meditative therapy I know of. Totally grateful for where the Good Lord has placed us at this time in our lives and looking forward to what He has in store for us today.

    Hoping we are all handling whatever challenges we are facing with our feet firmly planted in faith. May our love and encouragement of one another be on display with our words and actions, including even our inner dialogue that is too often less than positive towards our own bodies. While perfection is not the goal, our visualization of the outcome really does matter. Just as elite athletes "see" the process leading to best performances, we can choose to help ourselves with mental imagery of each small step, leading to the next towards our personal goals. Go girls!

    Love,
    MaryLynn
  • JP_in_KY
    JP_in_KY Posts: 1,247 Member
    Karla, another sweet Izzy photo. What a darling spirit shines through in each one. Maybe with Glenn unwell, having just Izzy is a good thing but am so sorry for the family drama (something pretty much all of us know too well). That mucus thing sounds terrifying. Not sure what Monica's "microbes" recommendation is but hope it works.

    MaryLynn, what a great experience for Adam. Excited to see the pieces he designs with this honor. Wishing Shea the best. Alberta is so beautiful -- one of the many places I could see myself living.

    Bert, has your church decided on its fall musical yet? So many great shows to choose from.

    Cindy, hoping your vacation was truly a break from the grind and restored you.

    Patti, loved the pic of Edd on FB -- love his smile and can see why kids are so drawn to him.

    My eating has been awful the past two days but oh well -- starting Monday (if not tomorrow) I must not ask myself "What do I want?" but "What can I have?" Need to exercise the NO muscle!

    Storms are due here soon -- finished the errands I cut short yesterday due to pain, so I can stay in for the rest of the weekend if I so choose. Didn't get a lot of sleep last night so thinking of a nap.

  • 68myra
    68myra Posts: 975 Member
    Janet- my eating has been awful too. Once again, I've learned I am not capable of eating one piece of cake and then immediately "go forward". I swear I'm like an alcoholic when it comes to refined carbs. However, today is a new day, and I'm going to adopt your 'resume' attitude! today i shall resume. I survived having multiple tween girls here for a looooooong overnight. that's all i have to say about that, lol.

    MaryLynn- beautiful lilly!

    I hope Glenn gets healed up asap. (in both places) I feel so sorry for him. I remember needing to cough after the birth of my son, and REALLY not wanting to.

    I can't scroll back a page, but please know I have kept up with reading.
    looking forward to starting our jar endeavor tomorrow!

    Myra
  • luzingg
    luzingg Posts: 1,678 Member
    Good morning from my deck at the cabin. A very different weekend for me as I have spent most of it by myself. Luckily I love my own company and have thoroughly enjoyed my weekend so far. Edd's cousin was killed on Wednesday while mowing hay when his tractor overturned on him. He was 70 and worked the farm his whole life. On an odd note, the cousin's wife's first husband was killed on this same farm, in the same manner, just a different tractor. What are the odds of that? So funeral was yesterday in Williamstown, KY about 75 miles from here. Edd rode his motorcycle to the funeral and I stayed home. The pic is what he looked like after he got back. He may have looked that way at the funeral too, he never looks in a mirror! I will have to ask his other cousin that also went to the funeral. The neighbors offered to take me with them on their boat but I was content to have some me time. I cleaned the boat, soaked up some sun, did some reading and made a Hungarian wax pepper dip. It had all the ingredients that I used for the stuffed peppers I made last weekend, just in dip form. I like the stuffed peppers better but the dip was a huge hit too. Edd and I did go out for a couple of hours on the boat before dinner. The skies were ominous and the winds fierce but all the rain went to the north of us. The water was super rough, but the pontoon does very nicely in rough water. I forgot to pack my bathing suit top, so had to wear my t shirt instead, oh well, I wasn't entered into a bathing suit competition this weekend so no worries, LOL.

    Mary Lynn, are you sure you aren't a motivational speaker. I look forward to your posts, I always feel so inspired by them and wish I could express myself as you do. I am going to print out your wisdom from yesterday and use it to motivate me as I resume my journey toward a thinner, healthier me. I was going to say happier but I can honestly say that although I don't care for my current weight I am not unhappy. My life is filled with so many blessings that I would feel guilty saying I am unhappy, somehow it would be like negating all my blessings.

    Janet, did you get the storms that missed us? It is definitely cooler today even though we missed them. The funny thing about Edd is that kids are drawn to him but he professes to dislike children. For many years kids were afraid of him and he liked it that way. Those kids are adults now and they have lots of stories about why they feared him, all of them hilarious! He is more like bad Santa than I like to admit and I usually warn young parents to not leave their children alone with him, hahaha. Hope you got some rest and pain relief.

    Karla, Izzy is getting cuter every day. I loved it when Alex was that age and cooked with me, miss having a little one around. Praying you get a referral to someone who will fix Glenn's problem. Not sure what you meant about the attitudes of the docs.

    Hope our travelers are enjoying every last minute of the time off the grid.

    Don't exactly have a plan for resuming my journey, but will weigh in and measure on Tuesday. Have to face it sometime and figure if I put it in writing here I will finally be ready to hit the restart button. Will start logging food tomorrow. Going back to what worked in the past. A balance of all food groups and eating as little processed food as possible. I will never give up carbs but will have them less often. Plan to stay away from low fat and artificially sweetened foods, I think they are a major problem, more so than carbs, for me anyway. Got to find the plan that will work for the long haul and will be healthiest for my body as I increase my exercise routine. I have been slacking this summer and doing the bare minimum, some weeks only getting 2 classes in. My WOB has been MIA for the past 4 months but we have been texting and she will be returning soon.

    Looks like I have monopolized your time far too long so I will say adios for now
    Patti

  • JP_in_KY
    JP_in_KY Posts: 1,247 Member
    edited August 2016
    Good morning, all -- everyone must be busy -- hope it's all with fun stuff.

    MaryLynn, your lilies weren't visible when I posted yesterday -= wow. The long summer days up there make for such lush summers, which was a revelation to me when I first came to BC back when I was in grad school.

    Cindy, savor the last day of your vacation. Here's to a relatively smooth return to work as well.

    Karla, how is Glenn feeling? And you too? Forgot to answer your TT. I have cable for my TV, internet and home phone. Expensive but good picture & channel selection. Their equipment isn't terribly reliable -- and I just bought a router, which I need to install, in order to get the internet speeds I am paying for. It irks me but what can I do? Satellite can get disrupted by storms too easily and DSL, at least a few years ago, provided much worse internet connections -- that may have changed with fiber but no idea on that.

    Bert, how was Jillian's party?

    Patti, did you get rain? We never did but maybe today or tomorrow -- we need it. A good, old-fashioned rainy day would be lovely.

    Had a wonderful, long chat with my dear friend who lives in RI. While his fiancee cooked (she's working with a chef on a new cookbook, this time Greek food), he and I talked for 2 1/2 hours about all sorts of things. My three oldest friends are people I've known well for over 40 years. We've been through school, family joys and sorrows, relationship fun and troubles, experiences galore and we know how to crack each other up very quickly.

    I've been doing lots of thinking about my Rules for Resuming consistent empahsis on losing these regained pounds and am determined to get and stay back on track, despite the family stuff that has me doing too much emotional eating.

    IT'S TIME. Here are things I hope to do consistently again. Face it, success at all of them every day may be overly optimistic, but sharing them here as a public commitment to give it my best shot every day. Each of these has helped me in the past; they are NOT for everyone but maybe putting them down here will make me think one more time before making poor choices. I'll probably add to the list later, but for what it's worth, here we go, in no particular order:

    -- Check in with you wonderful women every day at least once
    -- Stay positive -- catch & dismiss/correct negative thoughts about my body, weight and related history.
    -- Start the day with lots of water and keep it going
    -- No food until at least 11 AM (this will get broken sometimes, but I seem to do better this way)
    -- No food after 9 PM (earlier if I can do it)
    -- No picking up snacks at gas stations, concenience stores, checkout lines
    -- A big-salad meal at least once a day -- emphsis on vegetables throughout the day
    -- Get adequate protein & plenty of fiber
    -- At least six servings of veggies/fruits a day
    -- Aside from an occasional adult beverage, drink nothing that has calories
    -- When hungry (aka all the dang time!), drink more water or calorie-free beverage, wait 15 minutes and if nothing but food will do, ask "What can I have?" and not "What do I want?"
    -- TRACK EVERYTHING ASAP
    -- Allow myself small, planned indulgences if that will help
    -- Don't let any slip turn into a derail
    -- Don't use food as a reward
    -- Save the $ for resisted snacks toward a tangible reward (clothing or accessory)

    Still on my first cup of coffee, so have likely missed some biggies. Yes, I know there are no "exercise" (OH, how I loathe that word!) items on that list, but I do try to move as much and as well as I can, considering, and to stretch.

    Just saw this quote from playwright John Patrick Shanley and thought you might like it as we each look our demons square in the face and commit to resume our work: "Maybe it's time to be reborn, to let go, to weep, to smile that you draw breath,have thoughts, feel pain and pleasure. Welcome to your life."

    Even when life seems inhospitable, we must make ourselves at home in our own bodies. Love to you all.



  • JP_in_KY
    JP_in_KY Posts: 1,247 Member
    Patti, great minds think alike -- we were both posting our commitments at the same time! I'm with you on carbs -- hoping to cut way back on them for at least the first week, aside from those in veggies and fruits. Even my low-carb, high-fiber tortillas that have ony 50 calories are a temptation.

    So sorry about Edd's cousin. I understand totally about alone time -- even as someone who lives alone, there are times I hope the phone won't ring!
  • KarlaLM58
    KarlaLM58 Posts: 1,590 Member
    Good afternoon ladies. The weekend has gone in a blur. I made a pecan encrusted flattened chicken breast last night, in which, we just had as lunch today, that is excellent.

    Janet- I applaud your resolve, commitment and printed statements of encouragements to yourself. We can all learn and use them. The word "resume" is so true. We just pick up and keep going. No backlashing or pity party, we just startup.

    Patti- So sorry to hear of Edd's cousin. I remember the other accident too. Farm accidents are probably far too common. I saw the hilarious picture of Edd on Facebook, talk about static electricity! What a jokesture!!

    Mary Lynn- Your lilies blooming were awesome and I bet the fragrance was something to behold!! I'm so happy for both your son as they find their way. That is the comfort us mothers so desire, happiness and peace with our children.

    Jason and Angelique had sushi from fresh market last night and have food poisoning effects from it today. Shock for this place which whole concept is "fresh"...

    This morning my little chef and I baked a strawberry cake. Just a simple box mix, but with speckled strawberry pieces in it. We are going to frost it now that it is cooled. Fun times,

    My heart still bleeds for missing JJ, and appears the attorney will have to be involved again.

    Karls

  • JP_in_KY
    JP_in_KY Posts: 1,247 Member
    Karla, sorry Jason & Angelique are sick -- glad you have Izzy. The JJ situation is awful -- but I bet it will get resolved in Jason's favor. Lawyers shouldn't be needed, but ... unreasonable people ...
  • cindyr619
    cindyr619 Posts: 717 Member
    Hi Ladies-
    I've skimmed your posts and everyone seems to be doing well and getting focused for our kickoff 'project me'- at least that is what i'm calling it.
    We had chinese for dinner, I know so unfriendly but our planned meals for dinner this week are full of veggies and lean protein. I bought the yoplait greek yogurt for snacks at work so another good thing for me.
    Patti- so sorry about Edd's cousin. Glad you had some time alone at the cabin.
    Karla- Glenn is still dealing with his open wound- I think the Mayo clinic might be the right next step- Izzy is adorable as always
    Janet- so sorry I was out of the loop while you were dealing with the mean people- they suck the life out of all things good. Glad that you've risen above it and moved forward.
    The pictures of Caleb were super cute.
    MaryLynn- you grew that lily- WOW i'm impressed.
    Bert- good news on your brother going to the VA rehab.
    Well we have a hectic week but some time to just do very little. The heat and humidity have been followed most days by wicked storms. It's supposed to break tomorrow.
    As a reminder we do not have central air in the Northeast so we live with fans and cold showers.
    I dropped 5 copies of R2S to the local book store and can announce them on Tuesday. Trying to reach out and get into a couple of local fairs but so far striking out- I'm too late. I held off until I new I had the book in hand. Oh well- this will work out i'm sure. Feel free to share the LR post about the books on your page- I'm going to do a paid ad on FB in a week or two- not sure on the exact timing.
    Mom got home safely and we're planning a surprise visit to her in Jan for her 80th bday, me and the girls.
    Are we talking about a get tougher next summer?????
    Well I need to sign off for tonight- but I'm back in the saddle again.
    Tomorrow is the first day towards finding me again.
    Hugs to all
    Cindy- AKA Lucinda Race ;)
  • KarlaLM58
    KarlaLM58 Posts: 1,590 Member
    Good morning and welcome to our "Project Me"!! I love it!! The name that our resident author has accurately assigned to us. Let's go with it, let's resume, as Janet also noted. We are such a cohesive group!

    Well, I have committed to me:

    I weighed in, recorded on a new log sheet, I am down one pound since a week from last Thursday, yes. I took my measurements and recorded them too.
    I put 14 clear bobbins in my " pounds to Lose jar" and that is my first goal.
    Next I will drink 16 ounces of water and hit the treadmill to start my day. This 14 pounds lost will get me to my milestone I had hit in 2012, 179.4.

    Janet - Jason has a preset court date tied into that child support increase in regard to that lien on his house from a bad debt his ex-wife owes, the judge issued his ex-wife 60 days to remove it, she has not. We will try and tie this visitation issue in with that if we can. That court date is October 2nd. Like you said, unreasonable people, which is an understatement for her.

    Cindy- So glad to have you back my dear. I am enjoying your book immensely. My eyes are bothering me, but i read a little and put the hot compresses on. Your books sure circle around food! Yummy too. I love the family unit around the cafe and dinner table.

    I feel so bad for Louisiana, they have sever flooding with over two feet of rain and four deaths reported. Long Beach, Mississippi had it bad also. We just had a quick shower too.

    I better get going here. Sure is quiet with everyone gone this morning.

    Karla
  • smack59
    smack59 Posts: 316 Member
    Mornin' y'all! From the looks of the last several days' posts, I picked exactly the right time to check back in. I pressed the reset button on Saturday.

    More in a bit...duty calls.
  • bertevans
    bertevans Posts: 1,277 Member
    Good Morning, Ladies. It's raining again today. I'm not complaining, though. We needed the rain. Mike's sister lives in the bayous of LA and they have moved out of their house for higher ground.

    My brother's spirits have been up these last few days. He is practicing the exercises the PT gave him. He said he actually stood up without lower excrutiating back pain for the first time in two months! I'm so happy for him. He gets another round of chemo tomorrow.

    Jillian's party was fun! It was a girl superhero party. Jillian was dressed as Wonder Woman. Both family and friends were there. I'm so happy that Greg and Carrie moved into a great neighborhood with families who have young children. Of course our side and Carrie's side of the family just don't see eye to eye on many things. My ex made a political comment, and I though Carrie's dad was going to start an argument! So glad that didn't happen. Greg gave me Jillian's soccer schedule last night, so I'll put the games in my phone. Cole is also going to play this season. That should be fun/interesting!

    Have a great day, everyone.

    Bert
  • luzingg
    luzingg Posts: 1,678 Member
    edited August 2016
    PROJECT ME! Perfect name Cindy. Welcome home and loved your blog this week. Hope the return to work goes smoothly with little stress.

    Karla, great way to start off with attainable goals. So sorry Jason is having this fight with his ex. I have never understood this type of mentality. My son and his ex may have battled over money but nothing vicious and nothing that kept Alex away from him and our family. She made life difficult for Mike in every other way she could though. Poor JJ, he is the one that will suffer the most.

    Janet, love your list and I know how it makes us more accountable when it is here for all to see.

    Suzi, welcome back.,can't wait to hear what you gave been up to.

    Bert, it is great to hear that your brother is stringing some good days together and was able to stand without excruciating pain. Prayers continue.

    I am ready to embrace the "resume". Started with 20 ounces of water, followed by my 1 cup of coffee and egg white omelet. Haven't had one in a while and it was super good. Plan to alternate between omelets and smoothies for breakfasts. My struggle is always lunch and I will need to really work on that. Will weigh and measure tomorrow, can tell you I am dreading this but know I cannot fool myself forever by avoiding it. I prepared a list to share with you all, actually wrote it on my way home from the cabin, so was pleasantly surprised that I was not the only one that had done so. So here goes.....

    Track it all honestly
    At least 8 ounces of water before I put anything else in my body
    Minimum of 72 oz of water/non calorie beverage daily (I have recently started drinking flavored sparkling water occasionally for a change since I don't drink diet pop)
    Weigh and measure everything, including me!
    Move 5 minutes every hour if sitting
    10K steps at least 5 days per week

    Just wanted to resume with the basics.

    It is raining here today so will head to my craft room and come up with some sort of container system to track my goals.
    Now to track breakfast and head upstairs for some crafting fun.
    Patti

  • xjsjaguar
    xjsjaguar Posts: 300 Member
    Welcome to a new day, ladies!

    Personally pumped about our Project Me launch today, as I focus my sights on the podium that I am aiming for.

    From a young age, I've enjoyed my creativity and ability to visualize an outcome. Thus, it makes sense to apply my natural "bent" towards SEEING the final result.

    When I begin a watercolor, I sit down with a clean, white sheet of high quality, acid-free rag.
    Likewise, as I begin PROJECT ME, I begin with a fresh day that is full of endless possibilities.

    The pure, clear, cool water comes next, as I've discovered this is vital to a quality outcome.
    Similarly, in PROJECT ME, I indulge often in the clear, cool water that I keep nearby at all times.

    There is a small container of pure salt that when used moderately can create unique patterns.
    Bland food has absolutely zero appeal to me, so I experiment with new and various spices.

    The colorful palette of quality pure pigments that I am partial to is placed within easy reach.
    Likewise, keeping my pantry and plate filled with colorful veggies and fruits feeds my needs.

    Patient experience has taught me what brushes work well for me, so I select the finest tools.
    Physical and psychological tools will be needed to create PROJECT ME, so I choose what works.

    See what I mean, my friends? We are already MASTERPIECES, just awaiting to be unveiled!

    Love,
    MaryLynn
  • KarlaLM58
    KarlaLM58 Posts: 1,590 Member
    Patti- So very glad you are embracing the challenging. Great start!

    Mary Lynn- You are one very wise and ethereal lady. We all are masterpieces of our own world for sure, we just need to recognize this, appreciate this and let our colors shine through!

    Onward ho!!

    Karla
  • 68myra
    68myra Posts: 975 Member
    "project me" great idea!

    I have 40 pebbles in my jar. each pebble represents 1/10 of a % body fat. I'm not putting a time "limit" on it..... but by Christmas would be swell!

    I came across a thought yesterday (happens occasionally). what if my diet is influencing the pain in my hip (not just erroneous movement patterns)? So I'm going to experiment with eating as few "inflammatory" foods as possible (and figuring out which ones those are for me) and eat more anti-inflammatory foods and see where that gets me, in terms of physical pain.
    It certainly can't hurt (no pun intended)

    onward ho, we go!

    myra
  • KarlaLM58
    KarlaLM58 Posts: 1,590 Member
    Lunch break and chose to have an egg white omelet since i had just a Greek yogurt for breakfast and a cheese stick for snack. Did 21 minutes on the treadmill and will do the remaining after dinner.

    Suzi- So glad to see you!! Do tell what you have been up to and where.

    Myra- Good deal on your ideas on food types for pain. Love the pebbles. I have hip issues also. I utilize one of those Gaiam Ball chairs at my work desk. It's the only thing that helps, no hip pain with it!

    I forgot to report on the Laundry Pro. I have washed five loads with no laundry detergent products at all. All came out perfect! Amazing was the fluffy towels with hardly any lint from the dryer vent. Quite amazing. We are definitely leaning towards getting one after the trial.

    I'm going to rest my eyes before I return to some office work.

    Karla
  • smack59
    smack59 Posts: 316 Member
    I LOVE the title "Project Me"! Thanks Resident Auhor A/K/A Cindy for coming up with it. And, big thanks to whoever came up with the actual project!

    Since I need detailed instructions when starting something new or unfamiliar myself, that's also the way I write training materials. So I've spent the morning outlining my game plan. These lists are in no particular order.

    First - my "Why" I need to do it:
    I want to be an example for my girls and for some other family members.
    I promised Dave I would do everything I can to be healthy.
    I want to relieve ongoing foot and ankle pain that are likely exacerbated by my weight.
    I want to increase my stamina and physical fitness so I can easily do more strenuous hikes.
    I want to lower my blood pressure which is borderline.
    I want to maintain my blood sugar which is below borderline high for the first time in a long time.
    I want to get to one size of clothes - that all fit!
    I want to look great at next year's 40-year class reunion (can it really be that long already?!?)

    My "How" which I've dubbed "My Rules for Living":
    I will limit "special occasions to SPECIAL OCCASIONS in other words driving past Dairy Queen or a bakery doesn't make it a special occasion
    I will not eat treats when I'm by myself.
    I will track everything I put in my mouth
    I will journal daily - noting my feelings and listing my successes for the day.
    I will chat with you guys here and with another WW group that's moved to FB daily unless in the back of beyond without cell coverage.
    I will do my PT exercises for my ankle daily.
    I will exercise every morning either at the Y, walking or hiking
    When home I will also do a dog walk every evening
    I will read something for WL inspiration daily

    My primary goal is to be back in my size 12's in time for the class reunion. Interim goals to help get me there include:
    Trying some new exercise classes at the Y. The ones I have my eye on are Body Pump (group weight training), deep water aerobics, and Aqua Zumba.
    While on our upcoming 3-week RV trip my goal will be to exceed an average of 10,000 steps a day. Since there will be some "drive all day" days, I've chosen to average for the trip so I don't sabotage myself right out of the blocks.
    Another goal for the trip is to maintain my tracking and journaling. Those two things have propelled me to great success when I do them consistently, so I need to quit being so dang hard-headed about it and JUST DO IT!
  • JP_in_KY
    JP_in_KY Posts: 1,247 Member
    PROJECT ME!

    Cindy, you nailed it. Brava and thanks. The trust and openness here is so special.

    Suzi welcome home, girl! Eager to hear about your adventures.

    Karla, good idea to fold visitation in with the October 2 hearing. So sorry Jason and you have to deal with this flibertigibbet.

    Myra, good luck. Please share your experiment when you want to!

    Bert, the party sounds adorable. Anything that teaches little girls that they can be strong and powerful and not merely pretty princesses is OK in my book.

    Patti, great start. We're all gonna do this.

    MaryLynn, was listening to a long radio interview about foods of the depression and how recommendations were deliberately on the bland side. Some of the things they talked about sounded truly horrifically taste-free. My parents were kids during the depression and Mom always had a thing for overcooked veggies, pasta, etc. Now I better understand why. I'm with you -- colorful foods are a treat for eyes and soul as well as gut, and they are better for us.

    Had doc pre-op visit for undereye debagging, then hospital pro-op testing. Whee. Once the glasses came off, it was clear it was time and my doc gave me a sweetheart price. So on the 26th it happens (outpatient). No biggie compared with past stuff and should be the last of my "improvement" stuff for at least a few years.

    Had a protein shake at noon for breakfast and am about to have yogurt & blackberries. Stopped at a farm stand (you pay by the honor system, which gives me hope about humanity). Got tomatoes, silver queen corn and a dozen eggs. Have never bought eggs like this before but why not? Am back on the beam here as of today. Ate oddly yesterday but kept it under 1,200 calories, which I hope will be high for me at least five days a week.

    DAY ONE underway. Yee-ha!!!!
  • smack59
    smack59 Posts: 316 Member
    Ok now for some chat and catching up. I've worked quite a bit this summer after accepting a couple of new training projects since we decided to stay either here at home or at the lake for most of the gardening season and I have a couple more projects pending that aren't training. I've been asked to facilitate a group of employees that our department management team has selected to review and provide suggestions in response to unfavorable results of an employee satisfaction survey. The other project is not nearly as sexy but will be a big help to the bank's collection department.

    Prior to last week, we had my autistic nephew, Anthony here for nearly 2 weeks for a visit. We did some pretty fun stuff with him while he was here and he had a really good time. I won't go into the whole long, sad tale, but we talked seriously with both he and his sister about Al-Anon which is for those who are living with another's alcoholism. My BIL is a raging alcoholic and after talking with Anthony while he was here, it appears the downward spiral is rapidly accelerating. We also talked to Liz, my niece and Anthony's sister, about being an advocate for Anthony. He desperately needs help from department of human services or whatever they call it in TX to get him the training he needs to be a functioning adult. I doubt that he will ever be able to live alone, but could live in a group home or similar supervised situation. His advocate needs to be a TX resident. Liz can enlist the aid of their Aunt on BIL's side who has for all intents and purposes adopted Elizabeth after her daddy kicked her out of the house her first semester of college. The aunt and her husband were who Jeanie (kids mom, my deceased sister) and their dad named to be the kids guardian if something happened to BIL, too. They are TX residents and have both the savvy and financial capability to help if BIL will allow. I hope, since Anthony is 21, they may be able to step in even if BIL objects since he's not taken any legal steps to have himself named Anthony's legal guardian.

    Janet - reading your list really inspired me. I'm sorry you're still dealing with family issues but very glad you have such loving and supporting friends.

    MaryLynn - your words WOW! Have you ever been a professional writer of any kind? You should write inspirational books!

    Patti - Edd's pic was too funny! I've frequently thought about how tangled long hair would get riding on a motorcycle, but hadn't thought about a beard.

    Karla - glad the reunion was such a success. Dang girl! Y'all just can't catch a break between you're and Glenn's health.

    Cindy - I hope your vacation time was restful and restorative.

    Myra - it's so good to see you back here too!

    Bert - glad to hear your brother is finally getting care and some relief from pain.

    We rescheduled our big RV trip when we found out we would be in SD during the Sturgis motorcycle rally. That's no place to be driving an RV at that time! We're leaving two weeks from yesterday- we just moved the trip back 5 weeks. Most schools will have started by then, so the parks won't be quite as crowded anyway. We're going to Rocky Mountain NP, Grand Tetons NP, Yellowstone NP, Mt Rushmore, the Black Hills and Badlands NP. Total time 3 weeks. Yet to be scheduled is the much talked about west coast trip this fall. On that one, we'll be flying to Portland, renting a car and driving the OR & CA coast to San Francisco and Monterrey. We'll fly home from San Francisco. This is the trip I've been saving my Hilton hotel points for. Will hopefully have at least10 hotel nights accumulated.
  • luzingg
    luzingg Posts: 1,678 Member
    So nice to see all the chatting going on here. Have really missed having such a large crowd here.
    Suzi, you are the queen of list making, I thought I had it nailed down pretty well but I bow to you. You have great insight into what makes you tick and what you need to pull it all together. I am so excited for your up coming trips. I love the PCH drive. One of my very favorite cities of all time is San Fran. You will have to plan another trip to do the southern half of the PCH with a stop at the Hearst Castle. It is an amazing place. We have been there 3 times and would go again if we ever go back to the coast. Sounds like you signed on for quite a bit of work for a retired person, lol.

    Janet, hope this last little fix is truly it for a while. You look so gorgeous, I never noticed any bags, but I was more focused on your smile. You've got day 1 nearly in the bag.

    Slipped a bit in my resolve today. Had some leftover spinach and artichoke dip and I ate it with pretzel thins for lunch. Too many calories, carbs and fat and not much of a meal. Dinner will be light and healthy and it will all be tracked. Not a stellar start to the day but I think in my mind I was starting tomorrow.....lame excuse but I owned it and am moving on. Need to remember what I am here for.
    My heart is breaking for all those affected in flood ravaged areas of LA.

    Patti
  • bertevans
    bertevans Posts: 1,277 Member
    Good Morning, Ladies. It's raining again today. Last night's sleep was very short. My joints were hurting and then Molly's stomach was churning, and it kept me awake until I gave her a snack! I went to the gym yesterday. I haven't been in quite a while.

    I have read everyone's goals. Mine are the same, so here's my Project Me
    1. Honestly track everything.
    2. One of my problems is drinking enough water, so I want to make that my number 1 goal.
    3. Return to the 21 Day Fix plan. It helps me focus on portion control.
    4. Limit sugar intake.

    Mike's sister lives in the bayous of LA. They moved out of their house as the water was creeping up. Mike sent me a picture of the water level. To the left of the picture was an alligator! I'm sure other animals were in the water as well. Yuck!

    Day 1breakfast is tracked on MFP and on my 21 Day Fix app.

    My brother has another round of chemo today. The VA van will pick him up from the nursing home and drive him to VA facility. It's about an hour to a 90 minute drive. I'm sure he will be worn out today. Thanks, everyone, for your prayers. He and I both appreciate them.

    Have a great day, everyone!

    Bert
  • KarlaLM58
    KarlaLM58 Posts: 1,590 Member
    Good morning and welcome to Day 2 of PROJECT ME. I did pretty good, not 100%, but don't we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be perfect? I never returned to the treadmill as I hoped as I cooked a great meal for Glenn and I. Which consisted of homemade veggies with pork chops. Then, I made the 3 ingredient Cheese Cake for Glenn that took me until 9p which video was on Facebook yesterday. Luckily, I am not fond of Cheese Cake, but he loves them. It was simple, but time consuming, with a 50 minute baking time, floating in water. It's ingredients consisted of sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese and 3 eggs.

    My calories tracked at 1103. My water was only at 48 ounces, so need to pump that up today, my treadmill was 21 minutes and my steps were 7k.

    Patti- It will take us all a bit of time as we shed the habits of the summer and cleanse our sysem of these that we know are hindering our health and our body size. One day at a time.

    My housekeepers are coming shortly and I have been prepping the home for them. Boy, do the floors need their attention. LOL.

    I am at the podiatry today, then an afternoon hair appointment. Time to have the grey stripe removed as Patti puts it.


    TT: How was your first day of Project ME?

    Karla
  • JP_in_KY
    JP_in_KY Posts: 1,247 Member
    Good morning!

    Bert, hope your brother can get some rest after a grueling day. Prayers for your sister-in-law too. Good for you, getting back to the gym. You had great success with 21-day before and will again.

    Karla, I love cheesecake -- my mouth watered when I saw the picture. Glad you can resist.

    Patti, I agree -- it feels like we're finally all back in the sorority house (and I say that as somone no sorority would take back in the day!). Feels like home.

    First day was good for me. As is my wont, I will cut WAY back for a few days and aim to stay well under my calorie goal. It's the only thing that seems to get me on the right path. Did very well too. The six small ears of corn I picked up yesterday will be, I hope, the carbiest thing I have this week.

    Wishing everyone a happy, on-plan day -- and let's remember what Karla said -- we are too rough on ourselves. A slip does not equal failure, and it must not trigger an avalanche of poor choices.

    Today -- just today -- we can all do this.
  • luzingg
    luzingg Posts: 1,678 Member
    edited August 2016
    TT: might as well answer this first so I can move forward. Yesterday was a train wreck and we will just leave it at that. So I am truly starting Project me today.

    It is raining again, but we and the farmers were in desperate need of a good soaking. I faced my biggest fears, weighed and measured. As bad as I thought but not worse! Turning the bus around so I can start heading in the right direction. Been so off course for so long. Now I am ready, willing and able to resume the drive to my goal. Going to mom's in a bit and my Sis is going to join us today. Mom recorded a Lily Tomlin movie for us to watch. Sis is bringing tacos and Mom begged me to please eat with them. So I tracked my 3 hard tacos and will adjust the rest of the day around it. Have had my first 20 ounces of water and now I am sipping on my one cup of coffee. My big indulgence is to use regular flavored creamer. It is just a few more cal and a bit of fat but it makes this one cup so much more enjoyable. Getting to the point where I cannot stand the taste of sucralose. Tried stevia but I care for it even less than Splenda. I know it is in my yogurt but adding fruit to make my smoothies covers most of that taste. I think next time I am going to get plain yogurt instead of the vanilla. I don't think it is artificially sweetened. Tonight is TRX and I am looking forward to it. Last week I was at a breaking point. Felt like I was not making any progress while everyone around me was getting better and stronger. As we walked out of the class I was seriously rethinking my exercise routine and had all but decided to quit this class and try something less challenging. I was bemoaning my lack of progress to two of the ladies that have been there longer than I have. They had lots to say, all of it encouraging and they basically talked me out of quitting, even though they did not know that was my intention. It was a pivotal moment for me. I have written them each a nice thank you card and will be including a punch card with 6 free classes for each of them.

    Waving to you all as I head out the door.
    Patti
  • xjsjaguar
    xjsjaguar Posts: 300 Member
    Good morning ladies,

    Clear and sunny morning once again, so getting ready to head back outside with a coffee and head back to where I set up my "painting spot" down among the trees near our fire pit. Now, I haven't sat and painted for SO long - even though I get up and move around frequently - so my back was pretty stiff in the evening; need to catch the morning light again to work on the piece today. Later in the morning, Myron joined me and we sat and chatted over coffee and had a little cooking fire, with some hot dogs for lunch. Always fun to enjoy this time with him!

    Had planned on some weight lifting yesterday, but didn't accomplish that...so will need to get back to it today, as well as more moving around throughout the day. Yesterday was pretty good for intake, with more fruit than veggies, although I'd feel better if that is reversed. Seems the day starts off so well and kind of declines in quality from that point. Perhaps reaching for the veggies first is a better plan at every meal or snack? Loving the smoothies with raspberries and bananas blended with plain yogurt, although even that could easily get out of hand in a hurry! Often start off with eggs and veggies, along with some rye toast or a small ancient grains tortilla, as that satisfies my morning hunger quest completely.

    Started the Project Me with 20 coffee beans, each representing 1 pound and am currently weighing in at 149.4 lbs. I'm 5'5", with a small frame and have been comfortable at 130 in the past, so that is the "gold" I'm in training for. Measurements are: 38-29-39 and have been maintaining that for some weeks already and hope those numbers slowly decline along with the pounds. Generally, about 90 minutes of activity per day is what seems to keep me humming along and energized. Enjoying hiking and yard work/gardening, adding some weight lifting - planning for at least 2 days/wk - especially for the upper body strengthening.

    Enjoying the conversations and energy, as always and thinking of each of you through the day.

    Love,
    MaryLynn
  • smack59
    smack59 Posts: 316 Member
    Mornin' y'all! It is a beautiful morning on my back porch - gorgeous blue skies, a gentle breeze and a morning low of about 65. August has decided to take a vacation in OKC.

    Patti (((HUGS))) some days just are train wrecks and we just have to move on. You're such a thoughtful person to do thank you's and gift cards for the ladies who inspired you to continue your class. Your winter time exercise routine is a marvel and reminds me of a lady I know from the Y. She turned 68 yesterday, is a WW lifetimer and spends a minimum of 3 hours at the Y 5 days a week. She too does all the hard classes like you do. I keep telling her that I want to be like her when I grow up!

    Karla - big kudos to you for not only working that late into the evening to make Glenn's favorite, but to completely resist it afterwards! Even if it wasn't my favorite, had I been in your shoes, I would think I absolutely had earned a huge slice for my hard-fought efforts.

    Janet - you are such an inspiration to me! You're such a loving, caring person and it absolutely breaks my heart when you talk about the bullying and hateful talk you've endured over your lifetime. You deserve better and I wish I could help you overcome those hurts. Even though you don't like the E word because it brings back such awful memories for you, I wish I could help you experience the peace and satisfaction that it brings to me. I wish I could transport you into our wonderful group of "people of a certain age" that are in our Y classes. They are every size, shape, color, conditioning level, gender and to a fault are welcoming and warm.

    Bert - high 5's on getting back to the gym! Prayers for your brother as he endures another treatment. It's so terribly hard to watch our loved ones endure the tortures of chemo.

    Waving hello to Cindy, Myra and MaryLynn the wordsmith.

    AOTD: I feel very good about my day 1 of Project Me. I spent a lot of time yesterday morning contemplating my plan and then wrote it all down in my journal yesterday afternoon. The thoughtful contemplation can work wonders for me when I am working a project or contemplating new training to conduct and has served me well over my WL journey as well. I need to continue this practice until it becomes a well-ingrained habit. I had tummy troubles yesterday that kept me off my exercise track and I ate very little, but when I went to bed last night, I realized I hadn't tracked all my food and was compelled to get out of bed to do that before I could relax and go to sleep. That's progress for me! Tummy some better today and with this gorgeous weather I'll get out and do some walking somewhere. Dave is headed to the lake, but I'm not going due to a commitment tomorrow night so I'll have the place to myself. This will bra other test for me because I have done such a great job in the past of lying to myself about what I eat when I was alone. NO MORE! This will also give me some practice for next week when I'll be traveling for work.

    Make it a great day, gang!
    Suzi
  • JP_in_KY
    JP_in_KY Posts: 1,247 Member
    Patti, 8/16/16 is an auspicious day to restart. We're with you! Trainwreck days happen to us all -- as long as they don't derail us the next day and the day after that, we can handle it. How kind of you to thank your TRX classmates so sweetly. Hoping the movie your mom recorded was "Grandma," which I really liked. Bonus: Sam Eliiott (mrrrroooowwwwwwww).

    MaryLynn, am also 5'5" and wish but doubt that 130 would be log-term achievable for me, especially with my limited mobility. You go, girl!!!! Do show us your painting when you're ready.

    Suzi, so glad you have great exercise pals. I keep hoping that some surgery will increase my ability to be on my feet for more than a few minutes without screaming ankle, foot & back. I do try to stretch but the "E" word is too phys-ed for me! Good luck on your solo test -- that's my daily challenge and I know you can do it!

    Had a great learning session on my little Mac laptop. My "genius" was a really smart, funny woman and I have another session set for Friday to give me tips and tricks on iCloud and maybe even iTunes shortcuts that elude me so far. Stopped at Panera and picked up a You Pick Two with black bean soup and half a chicken/strawberry salad. Only 250 calories, and I got an apple for my side to have later as a snack.

    Lots to do this afternoon but will try to stop back later.

  • JP_in_KY
    JP_in_KY Posts: 1,247 Member
    edited August 2016
    Oops -- misrecorded calories for lunch; should be 310. Am still totally fine with that. You have to be really careful with MFP food search!

    Speaking of which, has anyone found a way to edit one's food list? SO many things I had just once, that I now need to wade through ...
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