


I have been participating in this thread for years and have found the support and encouragement a key part of my journey to health and fitness. I hope you will join me and find the same joy.

The name of the thread is "Women Ages 50+" but all women are welcome.

We talk about weight loss and fitness and the ups and downs in our lives that affect this journey. We try to stay away from topics that might be controversial or might offend others in any way. Kindness is important.

Be sure to bookmark the thread so you can find it again.

How did you do with the goals and resolutions that you made for February?

What goals or resolutions have you made for March?
February Resolutions (with end of the month comments)
*return to my daily meditation practice (almost every day)
*return to SWSY ( a few days, but not consistently)
March Resolutions
*daily meditation
*SWSY twice a week

Barbie from beautiful NW WA
My word for 2019 is "tenacity".
Replies
Love your word for this year!
For March my goal is to lose 10 pounds!
Hanging in there in Missouri! We had beautiful sun today! Hope everyone has a great evening!
I was unable to reach the new thread by clicking on your link in the February thread, I had to do a search for the new group.
My word for 2019 is "Grace".
My March goals are to continue in maintenance eating plan and workout daily.
Janetr OKC
Tracey, hoping for a warmer March!
Machka: I know you're strapped for time, but I really do find that decluttering papers reduces stress and improves energy flow of a home. Where do people post help wanted ads in your town? Here, I'd use something like Nextdoor.com to advertise need for a part-time administrative assistant.
Loved the convo about ellipses....
We had a sunny day today, and since the weekend forecast calls for snow, I convinced DH we needed to go for a drive into the mountains to grab lunch. We had pizza and a chicken skillet. He had a beer. We then walked around some of the gift and antique shops. Came back a different way than we went up listening to a podcast about cats.
Today is the one year anniversary of my retirement. Wow, that went fast! Stay well, friends.
Here are my March 2019 Intentions
> Get into the gym 6x/week
> Eat slower. Savor every bite.
> Recumbent bike while watching TV 4 nights/week
> Scan my baby album photos
Rori
SMILING and happy in
Colorado Foothills
RV Rita
Hi Gals,
Behind but catching up!!!
Tracey in Edmonton – professional help for your friend sounds like a good idea
Betsey – family drama is so awful! Do you live full time in the house that is in dispute? Or is it a vacation home?
Rebecca – love hearing from you
Lisa – impressive!!!
Beth ….ellipsis offended anyone? I am sorry but please find something more important to put into your life than a row of dots…
Birthstone – I’m august so mine is a peridot which is often a rather mucky green stone, not one I am too interested in.
Allie – take care, you are doing a great job with DFIL, the pups, work and weight!
Things are keeping me hopping here; I did apply to the local high end nursery for a job working with their plants, to fill in the hours I’ll lose at the camp garden come the end of May, but have decided that that is the only place I’ll apply for now.
One of my gardening clients is really a challenge for me; and I think partially it is age, maybe some senior dementia, or just “I’m old so I can be as cranky as I want”. But I’m tired of the behavior and cranky comments – today is her day but it was raining, so I called and said I would not be coming and she got really whiny and asked why I was being wimpy – really!? She probably has not realized it yet but as of Jan. 1 I have cut her back to every other week as I can’t take her every week. But as we have had plenty of rain I’ve had an excuse. I wanted to make sure that the finances were ok with her at every other.
The embroidery is booming! I have been running the machines so much that they are beginning to need some repair in fact the repair guy is coming in tomorrow (second time in 9 years) I can usually do the repairs myself but am in over my head - I am thankful that I could get Jim on short notice, there are just 2 repair guys in Northern California both from the same shop about 1.5 hours from here, and you pay $75 an hour for travel time so just to get them here I am out $150 and they have not even done any work. So I have learned to do many repairs myself, but both machines have repairs that are beyond me. It’s worth it and Jim will get done in a short amount of time what would take me a full day.
Well off to get some other things done – like vacuum! My mom is coming to spend the weekend with me and I like it to be tidy – and with the dog hair that is an every other day vacuum – so I’ll do it tonight to hold me till Sunday.
Kim from N. California
From the link above, and contributions from the ladies
1. Go outside. Fresh air and nature have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety.
2. Get some sun. Vitamin D is a powerful mood booster.
3. Same goes for exercise. Do more of it to feel better mentally and physically.
4. Stop procrastinating. It’ll just make you more stressed later.
5. Do one thing ... my addition to the list which goes along with "stop procrastinating".
6. Try some deep-breathing exercises to start your day.
7. Listen to music while commuting or working. The right playlist can boost mood and increase energy. I might start doing this on the bus, and today I bought headphones so I could start listening to music at work again.
8. Take a walk during your lunch break.
9. Drink green tea. It contains an amino acid that can reduce stress. I would actually say, drink tea ... or any favourite relaxing hot beverage. I have a collection of teas which I look forward to late in the evening. None have caffeine.
10. Eat some antioxidant-rich dark chocolate to lower stress hormones in your body. Oddly enough, I don't eat much chocolate at all.
11. Get more omega-3’s from sources like salmon and avocado. They can reduce stress and anxiety. I take Omega-3 pills, because I don't like salmon and avocado.
12. Stretch to relax your body and mind.
13. Try progressive muscle relaxation to feel relaxed from head to toe.
14. Try a diffuser. Aromatherapy can be an effective stress-reliever. This is where I use lavender in the bedroom.
15. Get more sleep.
16. Hug someone. Studies show physical intimacy is a great coping mechanism. So glad I can hug my husband again.
17. Talk it out. Sharing your stress with a therapist or loved one can be very therapeutic. This is something I miss ... since my husband, my best friend, had his accident, I haven't had anyone to "talk it out" with.
18. Take a break from social media. At least for a few days. It can be an unrealistic place. But ... this is how I "talk it out!"
19. Pet or play with an animal. Sometimes I wish I had a cat.
From Barbie and others
*Don't take things personally
*Lighten up
*Do it now
*Stay in the moment
*Act the way you want to feel
*Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good
*Don't expect praise or recognition
*It is what it is
*Laugh
*Change the channel
*Make a little bit of time for yourself
Keep them coming!!
Machka in Oz
My food goal this month: eat a diet mainly composed of vegetables, avocado, eggs, seafood, healthy fats, berries, whole fat yogurt, and a bit of chocolate. An ounce of cheese if calories allow. I believe in CICO and do best on a low-ish carb food plan. Not keto, despite my screen name.
Exercise goal this month: walk more.
Financial goal this month: meet with financial advisor about retirement plan.
Rori Congratulations on one year in retirement! A year ago my own retirement seemed impossibly far away. Now I am down to working 2 days a week, I will be turning 65 in less than 5 months, and it's time to decipher Medicare options (dreading dreading dreading). It's also time to decide how much longer to work.
Kim Wow! I am thinking if you wanted to, you could become a repair person for those embroidery machines!
Kelly and others missing their mothers Thanks for all the support during this 18th anniversary of my mother's death. She was the best person I have ever known.
______________
My grandson has been laboring to get a literary essay finished. He is a really good writer, but he dislikes writing. He has been working on this essay a little each day for 2 weeks, and he finally finished it today. He had written the rough draft, but bogged down when he realized he needed to organize his paper completely differently than first planned. There was a lot of rearranging of sentences required, and he simply could not accomplish it. So I offered to do the cutting & pasting if he would supervise. I also helped him find a "hook" for his paper, a quote from the author. I wish he could have done it all himself, but he was totally blocked. This is exactly the kind of thing that would have led to a failure, meltdown, and family/school blow-up in the past. He did all the grunt work, but couldn't get the sentences rearranged to produce a finished product.
_______________
Karen in Virginia
Machka, the trycycle in your photo is a dead ringer for the one my grandparents bought me for my fourth birthday. I visited them often that year. My mom was expecting my little brother and it was a difficult pregnancy. The trycycle was my granddad's idea, because I had some lingering problems from a light case of polio I'd had the summer before. I had no paralysis, but a weakness and lack of coordination on my left. The trike helped a lot. I was riding it in may when a little boy came down from several houses away and asked if he could ride it. Grandma said it was ok. He rode it down the drive and back up a time or two. Then he asked me to pedal and he would ride on the back steps. I pedaled, and he held onto my shoulders. When I stopped, he leaned over and kissed my cheek. The sweetest little bit kiss you can imagine.
As it turned out, my parents bought that house a year later, and Larry and I started school together, played in the sandbox and the wading pool together, swung on swings, played tag and baseball, hide-and-seek, told ghost stories and had a great childhood. When I was twelve he gave me my first kiss on the lips behind our garage. It was an innocent kiss as well, but we were sweethearts the rest of that summer. In the fall, we moved a couple of miles away. I still saw Larry at school, but life was busy, and then he went to military school.
Larry is now the person I've known the longest in my life. We see one another at reunions and keep up on Facebook. The last time I was back he gave me another peck, and we both said we'd always remember.
The tricycle picture brings back a LOT of memories!
Sharon, feeling nostalgic, near Seattle
Sharon I love your sweet story about Larry.
Karen in Virginia
Karen VA I think helping gs to complete his writing was valuable, don’t have guilt about it! You are finding the work around for him To use next time. And lesson learned is breaking it down even more at the start of the assignment so he will complete autonomously. He will get there. He is so mathematical yes? Writing is his sore spot?
Rori wonderful March goals.
I was only 50% successful with logging in feb so I will aim for 75% in March. Logging everything in MFP is the goal.
Sharon I think I will also observe the changes in my neighborhood and along my drives - like looking for signs of hope and a great stress reducer.
I am back at maintenance weight, thank you lousy head cold
NYKAREN
Karen in Virginia
Goal for February was survive the knee surgery, and be lighter. Started at 181, down to 180 going out of February, I'll take it. And survived the surgery.
Goals for March:
That's pretty much it.
Kim - always good to see you posting!
Kylia - hope you made it over to March, saw your post at the end of February...
Rori - Just wanted to thank you once again for your initial help in August 2016 that started me on this Girl Scout journey. Entering my third year, and six months with my second council this May, and couldn't be happier!
Karen in VA - I think you gave him a great example of how to build a workaround, something he'll remember when it comes up again. And let's him know he's not in it alone.
Happy to be here as well... kind of happy to be anywhere, honestly.
Love y'all,
Lisa in Arkansas
But will do what I have to do..
My cancer friend won't be able to go back home this week as she wanted. Her breathing is not good enough. She's on steroids and oxygen. My personal feeling is that she won't be going home, apart from a planned admin visit. I have texted her to let her know I'm thinking of her, but, unless she gives me a green light for a visit my life just gets completely booked up every day. Unfortunately, because I live so far away, I can't just drop in on the off chance. I have some nice pics of her that people have shared. Good to have the group of friends for updates.
Very tired today. My legs need a rest, I think, but I need some extra calories for tonight's pizza.
Might do some recumbent bike.
I have wax in my right ear which is proving difficult to shift. It's now causing me tinnitus, which is annoying. I am almost completely deaf in that ear. I'm using drops and a 'flusher' , but no effect so far. Grrrrrrrrrr!
Much love to all, Heather UK xxxxxxx
Friday, 1 February 2019 ... 0.9 km hobbling
Saturday, 2 February 2019 ... 0.0 rest day!
Sunday, 3 February 2019 ... 0.0 rest day!
Monday, 4 February 2019 ... 1.3 km slow walking
Tuesday, 5 February 2019 ... 0.80 km slow walking
Wednesday, 6 February 2019 ... 1.3 km slow walking
Thursday, 7 February 2019 ... 0.8 km slow walking
Friday, 8 February 2019 ... 5.7 km slow walking with breaks
Saturday, 9 February 2019 ... 3.9 km slow walking with breaks + 20 km cycling
Sunday, 10 February 2019 ... 4 km slow walking with breaks + 21 km cycling
Monday, 11 February 2019 ... 1.5 km slow walking with breaks
Tuesday, 12 February 2019 ... 2 km walking + 4 flights of 20 stairs
Wednesday, 13 February 2019 ... 3 km walking + 2 flights of 20 stairs
Thursday, 14 February 2019 ... 2.5 km walking + 4 flights of 20 stairs
Friday, 15 February 2019 ... 2.6 km walking + 6 flights of 20 stairs
Saturday, 16 February 2019 ... 5 km walking + 15.19 km cycling
Sunday, 17 February 2019 ... 15.44 km cycling
Monday, 18 February 2019 ... 2.6 km walking + 6 flights of 20 stairs
Tuesday, 19 February 2019 ... 0.8 km walking
Wednesday, 20 February 2019 ... 1.8 km walking + 2 flights of 20 stairs
Thursday, 21 February 2019 ... 1.8 km walking + 4 flights of 20 stairs
Friday, 22 February 2019 ... 0.8 km walking + 2 flights of 20 stairs
Saturday, 23 February 2019 ... 2 km walking + 23.05 km cycling
Sunday, 24 February 2019 ... 1.5 km walking + 20.53 km cycling
Monday, 25 February 2019 ... 2 km walking
Tuesday, 26 February 2019 ... 3.1 km walking + 4 flights of 20 stairs
Wednesday, 27 February 2019 ... 4.45 km walking + 4 flights of 20 stairs
Thursday, 28 February 2019 ... 4.1 km walking + 4 flights of 20 stairs
2019 Monthly February
Walking Distance (km): 60.3
Walking Time (min): 753.1
Cycling Distance (km): 115.2
Cycling Time (min): 363.8
Stairs Climbed Number: 40.0
Stairs Climbed Time (min): 32.0
Totals
Total Distance (km): 175.5
Total Distance (miles): 109.0
Total Time (min): 1148.9
Total Time (hr): 19:08:57
For the first time, I didn't get to 24 hours. An injury will do that, I guess.
____________________________________
Cycling to Date
2019 - 253.9 km
Walking To Date
2019 - 163.12 km
Barbie- Thank you for bringing us into another month!
Goals: I am not sure why I keep setting them. I only seem to be able to meet the most basic ones, lately. But I feel like if I don't post goals, I will completely slide off the road I am on. So...goals for this month: Log daily, make healthy food choices, walk (or shovel) daily, drink 80-100 oz of water daily. My word this year is Focus. Keep my eyes on the path/prize.
KarenVA- Don't feel guilt over helping your grandson. This is part of learning. You didn't do the writing for him. We all have times when we are learning something new where we need a little extra help until we can do it ourselves. When my kids were young, I would always keep in mind the children who needed an adult in classroom or during home work time because of physical/mental disability. They weren't cheating, they were getting the help they needed with that particular assignment. Their brain was still learning. Hugs to you! You and your grandson are an amazing duo
Heather- Mmmmm...street dancing and wood-fired pizza?! Sounds fantastic!
Kylia- Sending lots of hugs, prayers, love to baby Aubrey and family. It is simply amazing what children/children's bodies can recover from and handle! You are a wonderful (and busy) woman to take on all that you do with your own business and family; then finding the time to help a friend declutter/move! Hugs to you
Sharon- I love the story of Larry and young friendship/love! So sweet and does my heart good to know that you have kept in touch!
Stress Buster for Machka- Deep breathing, walks/runs outside always serve me well; but sometimes I need to hit things. Years ago, my husband had a medicine bag ( a boxing punching bag). I used to punch and kick that thing quite often. Loud grunts and sometimes shouts accompanied each punch and afterward I always felt amazing. Chopping wood or throwing an axe/hatchet at a target accomplishes the same thing.
Well, kids arriving! Gotta fly. ttfn xoxoxoxo KJ (Kelly)
February goals were
Step goal every day 43% Oops.
Total steps 247,408
Averaged 8836 steps a day
Water only 50%
Didn't log so unsure of macros
30 mins intentional exercise 43%
Upside I ended at the same scale number as I started the month at!
I will keep those goals for March. It is already looking like a crazy month. I CAN DO this!
Stress relief- Itsy, Bitsy Spider....when I start getting overwhelmed I sing it! The customers laugh when I do it at work, but even one time does the trick!
Birthstone- Amethyst- Purple is my favorite color so works out well.
Rori- Thank you again for the assist.
Hugs to all!
Welcome to a new Month!
Have to get ready for work-ugh! Have a blessed day! And keep up the great work!
Kylia in Ohio hoping for sunshine.
Thank you, Kelly, Lisa, NYKAREN, et al for the reassurance about helping Grandson. I did tell him that he would need to do the cutting and pasting the next time, and he said "okay" without hesitation. So maybe he did just need to see it done once so he could get the idea.
See one, do one, teach one...
Heather I am sorry about your friend. I wish you could see her one last time.
Happy Friday, everyone!
Karen in rainy Virginia