NON WW & WW NEWBIES, OUR NEW LIFE, THE START OF SOMETHING WONDERFUL

Hi all..I am still here, lol. I really need to learn how to do my posts differently. I just had a big long one almost done & I hit a button, not even sure which one, and lost it all!!

@mswatson0777 Too bad about the cake, it sounds delicious! (I love cream cheese frosting, it's about the only one I really like) Good job with your walk. I wimp out and do the treadmill. I heard northern Iowa would get snow today, sounds like it is up your way instead. We might get some tonight & Monday. Hope you make some good progress on your dissertation. Yay for the 150's!

@cbabie Good job on the walking & tracking. Seems like that is about all I feel like doing lately, too, but at least it is something!

@trooworld. Glad your headache is better. Hope your dh gets on board with WW, it does make it easier to be compliant. I try to go more by weekly average than daily weight. It usually is better, although mine lately is not. I need to stop that. Great job with your water!!

@TeresaW1020 Wow, doesn't seem like you should already be planning for Easter. It is really unbelievable that we have been dealing with Covid for almost a year! You are doing so well with your plan, I am sure you will look great at the wedding.

@theslightedgeforever Hi! Sounds like you have been busy! Did your dh retire then? How is it going? I imagine a little adjustment for both of you. I do enjoy it! (when we are able to do stuff that is)

Iowa finally opened the Covid shots up for people 65+ starting Feb.1. They had a different plan, but think the federal govt kind of forced them to do it this way. Yay!! Now to figure out where we can get an appointment!

Hopefully soon, so we can finally go to OK. I would really like to go there in March for gd's birthday! I think this is the longest we have gone without seeing them since they moved from Atlanta 7 years ago. My brother & sil got their first shot yesterday, so we would feel safe seeing them, too. (glad of that, they are both almost 75 & she had open heart surgery a couple of years ago)

Dd is anxious for us to come, too. Working from home made her realize how much she was letting the house go. She has painted the whole inside including ceilings & crown molding (with 2 coats!), got new carpet (which she badly needed), and gotten rid of some furniture & gotten some new. Also done improvements on outside. I worried about how much $$ she seems to be spending, but she says she has saved a lot on child care in the last year, since the kids are only going to school & home, and she didn't go on her yearly vacation like she usually does, lol.

Well, need to get busy. I am trying to declutter some. Started cleaning out old files & then went down & sorted out some clothes to take for donation. Figure if I spend an hour on each, it should be done soon.

This years goal is HEALTH. Still trying to figure out what that means & how to accomplish it. Been reading a lot & think I am leaning toward plant based, but also know that will be hard since dh will never do it. He has been fighting a painful back & hip, but finally got some muscle relaxers & got the right dose of Advil, so hopefully it will improve. He will be starting physical therapy for it, too. He says it feels like when he has needed back surgery & we hope it is not, he has had too many of those already!

Hope everyone has a good week.

@mswatson0777 Sorry you were feeling sick after the cake. Does cream cheese usually bother you? So did you get the snow?

@retiredandlovingit So let's talk HEALTH. You and hubby are a separate entity. But if you are like me I didn't want to fix meat separately for myself (he can't eat red meats due to a blood disorder). So could you go plant based yourself and fix your dh whatever you would normally fix him? Dh finally retired at end of November. He's been home from home since March. So I got used to him being home and it's not as bad as I thought. I still just do my own thing and if he wants to come along...lol I compromised with him and gave him an extra day out for breakfast. If it was up to him it would be 7 days a week. I said, go find a retiree buddy and go drink coffee somewhere. I did draw my line in the sand and said I'll fix you breakfast after I finish my exercise each day. If not, there's cereal and milk. Go for it. Sometimes he does if he doesn't want to wait. That's okay with me. I'm getting my exercise done. He's not starving. Win-win. I think Iowa has had a "different plan" through this whole covid thing. I hope you will find a shot soon.

Hi all..didn't get much snow last night, but predicting a lot more tomorrow. Yuck! I didn't need to shovel, the neighbor was going up the street doing everybodys.

@theslightedgeforever Big chuckle for the day with your comment about Iowa's plan. Yup, that is so true!!! By the way, thanks for thinking I am younger (you mentioned it awhile back). I don't feel & don't think I look 71, but others might diasgree, lol. Yes, I know I don't need to eat like dh, just need to get a little more willpower. He already fixes his own breakfast while I usually go walk on the treadmill. I am still figuring out how I am moving forward, probably more fruit & veggies & less meat & dairy. Even though I have read a lot about plant based, not sure I am actually there yet.

@TeresaW1020 Happy bday to your Mom. Oooh, I love Texas Roadhouse, especially the rolls!! Glad you had a good time at the baby shower.

@trooworld Thanks for the thoughts about dh. He is trying so much, I hope some of it helps him soon.

Well, gotta go!

RetiredAndLovingIt wrote: »

Hi all..I am still here, lol. I really need to learn how to do my posts differently. I just had a big long one almost done & I hit a button, not even sure which one, and lost it all!!

@mswatson0777 Too bad about the cake, it sounds delicious! (I love cream cheese frosting, it's about the only one I really like) Good job with your walk. I wimp out and do the treadmill. I heard northern Iowa would get snow today, sounds like it is up your way instead. We might get some tonight & Monday. Hope you make some good progress on your dissertation. Yay for the 150's!

@cbabie Good job on the walking & tracking. Seems like that is about all I feel like doing lately, too, but at least it is something!

@trooworld. Glad your headache is better. Hope your dh gets on board with WW, it does make it easier to be compliant. I try to go more by weekly average than daily weight. It usually is better, although mine lately is not. I need to stop that. Great job with your water!!

@TeresaW1020 Wow, doesn't seem like you should already be planning for Easter. It is really unbelievable that we have been dealing with Covid for almost a year! You are doing so well with your plan, I am sure you will look great at the wedding.

@theslightedgeforever Hi! Sounds like you have been busy! Did your dh retire then? How is it going? I imagine a little adjustment for both of you. I do enjoy it! (when we are able to do stuff that is)

Iowa finally opened the Covid shots up for people 65+ starting Feb.1. They had a different plan, but think the federal govt kind of forced them to do it this way. Yay!! Now to figure out where we can get an appointment!

Hopefully soon, so we can finally go to OK. I would really like to go there in March for gd's birthday! I think this is the longest we have gone without seeing them since they moved from Atlanta 7 years ago. My brother & sil got their first shot yesterday, so we would feel safe seeing them, too. (glad of that, they are both almost 75 & she had open heart surgery a couple of years ago)

Dd is anxious for us to come, too. Working from home made her realize how much she was letting the house go. She has painted the whole inside including ceilings & crown molding (with 2 coats!), got new carpet (which she badly needed), and gotten rid of some furniture & gotten some new. Also done improvements on outside. I worried about how much $$ she seems to be spending, but she says she has saved a lot on child care in the last year, since the kids are only going to school & home, and she didn't go on her yearly vacation like she usually does, lol.

Well, need to get busy. I am trying to declutter some. Started cleaning out old files & then went down & sorted out some clothes to take for donation. Figure if I spend an hour on each, it should be done soon.

This years goal is HEALTH. Still trying to figure out what that means & how to accomplish it. Been reading a lot & think I am leaning toward plant based, but also know that will be hard since dh will never do it. He has been fighting a painful back & hip, but finally got some muscle relaxers & got the right dose of Advil, so hopefully it will improve. He will be starting physical therapy for it, too. He says it feels like when he has needed back surgery & we hope it is not, he has had too many of those already!

Hope everyone has a good week.

That’s so frustrating when posts disappear! Maybe type in a word document and then post?

I would be worried to but they probably saved a ton in childcare alone.

Have a great week! I’m with you on your goal for Health this year!

@RetiredandLovingIt We definitely got the snow that was meant for you! And daycare is SO expensive, I'm sure your DD felt like she was rolling in money. Where my friend lives it's $350/week per kid!!! I would also love to walk indoors, but with the dogs I have to brave the cold

@trooworld Great job sticking with exercise even though it was a drag! Your weekly menu sounds incredible by the way! I also did Mexican flavors with a chicken taco skillet this week, it was veggie packed and wonderful.

@theslightedgeforever I hope you don't get sick!! And I am lactose intolerant, but I didn't think I had that much (guess I was wrong!)

@TeresaW1020 Great job avoiding the sweets! And your dinner out sounded wonderful. I haven't tried MBFA yet, I'm still working through the first one since I jump between programs basically every workout (I get bored easily). This morning I did a P90X plus workout that was intense!

Happy Monday! I'm actually doing pretty well this morning. After feeling so sick on Friday it was easy to eat within my goals and limit treats. I definitely got activity in shoveling all the snow and trudging through un-shovelled sidewalks with the dogs. I made a big taco chicken skillet to have as lunches and will be making baked salmon with roasted broccoli and rice pilaf for dinner tonight so my healthy menu is set. The only downside is I didn't get any dissertation work done, but I did get 8 weeks of course readings completed for my class so I wasn't entirely a lazy bum. I think I just needed a break from looking at my dissertation paper.

@retiredandlovingit A friend of mine and I were discussing doing plant-based diets and she was having very black and white thinking on it. Either she does it or she doesn't like there wasn't any gray in between to work with. Are you more a "add a fruit and veggie per day to what you are already doing" person or are you the kind that is better with a meatless Monday or Tuesday or whatever. I'm trying to figure out which way is better for me. I don't think willpower is important as planning it out. For instance, if we are going to have a colonoscopy we are all very good about which foods we can eat or not eat. How much liquid intake we will have.

@gemwolf110 I like typing on my laptop vs the phone. So much faster. What activities are you doing to make sure your health is the best this year?

@trooworld Yaaay for you on your 100%. I don't really know what any of you can do to help me with my focus power. I think it's an internal thing. Just keep me accountable. Encouragement more than scolding. Woohoo on your spin bike. You are rocking January.

@teresaw1020 I'm so glad that your scale is down. So keep doing what you are doing. It's working. If I were with you at TXRoadhouse, I'd move to a different table. Luckily I only go once a year. Well, now haven't even done that.

@mswatson0777 So we are almost at the end of January, how is your energy levels? Are your clothes feeling any looser? Any good NSV to report? I think lots of us have done some kind of Mexican dish this week. I took 7 layer dip to a bday gathering. I did well on my distancing. But then I usually do. lol In one of my groups people were talking about us all taking a road trip and how they would have to pull me behind them in my own trailer. I posted them a better solution.

@cbabie So back to tracking and walking today. Hey we had headaches on the same day. Aren't you glad you got rain instead of snow?

January goals:

Yellow-Went Over 180/164 gm
Intentional Exercise-45 min walking
Water-50%
Zone minutes 52 minus 4 due to inactivity 4/8

@theslightedgeforever All I know is if those rolls were in front of me my resolve to behave would have gone out the window. They really didn’t want them either so it was all good. I’m getting ready to start the Beck Diet Solution on my Fat2Fit group. I even have Trooworld joining in on the fun. We are going to start thinking like skinny people!!

@trooworld That Green Chili with Pork looks great and really involved! Do I have to use real tomatillos, or can I just buy the jar stuff and use that instead? I have never worked with a tomatillo! Yayy for riding your bike. That picture of your fruit is sooo pretty!! Even though I personally find bananas nasty. But they look good!

@mswatson0777 I agree that MBF’s leg day is NO joke! Yesterday, I did MBFA week 2 leg day and today my quads are crying. I did Barre Blend week 7 full-body today and some of the moves had to be modified because my legs are so tired. But it’s good! I sure wish I could find 20 lb. weights.

@ebabie Uggghh loss of power is the worst!! I once four days in Florida after a hurricane and thought I would die of boredom. We are definitely attached to our technology, aren’t we?


Hi everyone! It is unseasonably warm here today. DH and I ate lunch out on the screened porch. We talked about how it is almost pollen season so I went on Amazon and ordered some cheap furniture covers so we can cover up the furniture. I will still have to wash everything after pollen season but at least maybe it will be easier. Mom and I went to Walmart and this evening we have ladies Bible study starting back up. Mom decided to come this time and I’m hoping she can climb the stairs without any issues. I'm thinking I need a cup of coffee now.

@trooworld That's a great idea to reward yourself with a new fitness subscription. Non-food related treats are the best! Sorry to hear about your headache though, that makes for a long day.

@RetiredandLovingIt Ideally I'd like both kinds, since I love my electric for day to day, but wood burning is just so much more soothing to me (in my dream house life lol). Iowa has ABSOLUTELY gotten more snow than Minnesota this year, it's weird.

@TeresaW1020 You're so brave doing MBFA leg day and Barre back-to-back! I would have been modifying like crazy too! We also use cheap couch covers and I LOVE them!

@theslightedgeforever I love that you're adding more fiber in, it makes SUCH a difference. That being said, drink more water with it or it will lead to more...problems lol. And I have been less stressed lately, which is nice. Work has been calmer which is making a huge difference on my mental health, and the 12 day break was a big refresh for me.

@cbabie Losing power is the worst! It sounds like you made the most if it. I hate zoom meetings/hangouts but I don't mind zoom workouts. It feels good to have someone else there even though we're not talking. It's been a good way to connect with friends.

I did a cardio pilates workout with 8lb weights this morning and I am SORE! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrB4CjpC-F8 if anyone is curious.

I've been doing night and day better mental health-wise lately. It makes sense that work being calmer has made all the difference, since 40 hours a week of stress is no joke. I also feel like I'm getting in a better place with my dissertation which also helps immensely. Doing just 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night on week days has made it much more manageable. Little blocks add up big time!

@RetiredAndLovingIt Wow 12” is a ton of snow! Are you all expecting more? Yeah, I don’t know how people are getting the vaccine here. I talked to women last night who work in health care who have gotten it. They say that the second shot will really knock you for a loop. Much like the Shingles shot it sounded like. I know you are anxious to get it so I hope it happens for you soon.

@trooworld So proud of you for getting the Walk at Home program! Sorry about the headache and have to go into work. Bad timing! That Chicken green chili looks good too! I don’t have a blender but I assume a food processor would work? I did ask for an Immersion blender for my birthday. And a cast-iron skillet!

@mswatson0777 That video looks as intense as what Elise does in Barre Blend. She loves her pulses and keeping legs bend until your quads are on fire! How much longer will it take to get your dissertation done? I know nothing about such things and find what you're doing very interesting.

Good morning! Yesterday was warm and beautiful and today is cold and rainy. I’m ready for spring! My workout this morning was MBFA week two upper body and a 20 minute cardio walk on the treadmill. I even jogged again for a few seconds. Last night Bible study was great. We will be watching a weekly video from the teacher, Priscilla Shirer. She is an awesome speaker and I think I’m going to get a whole lot out of this study. That along with the Beck Diet Solution should have me fired up to make some serious changes. I’m ready for it!!

@retiredandlovingit 12 inches of snow. Wow. I'm reading Reclaim Your Brain by Dr. Todd Strong. I don't think I'll ever give up dairy. I need my protein somehow. A good podcast is Dr. Joe Galati Your Health First. I always learn something from him each time I listen.

@trooworld I hope you enjoy your Walk at Home Program. I do her for a while and then I get bored with her and switch to that Gina B or Kyra Pro. That's great that you found something you like.

@cbabie Yum on the chicken and dumplings! I’ve seen a Keto recipe for them but I just don’t know if somethings can, or should, be duplicated. Ya know? Good job on getting your 10k steps in! I haven’t seen War Room but I think I need to now that I’m in the Priscilla Shirer fan club.

@trooworld OK, you ate some candy but like you said it was better than last time. And next time might be better than this time. Progress is a step by step event and sometimes we miss a step. Great job on walking after you got home from work.

@theslightedgeforever That is a great idea to use Penzu for journaling! I forget that I have an account there. I hope your kids second dose of the vaccine goes well. Have you been able to get the vaccine yet or find out when you will be able to?


Hi All! Today was a usual Thursday. I had my staff meeting this morning and then came home and helped DH file a workman’s comp report for our pastor. When he fell, he had surgery to repair his broken left wrist, which is still hurting him a lot and slowly healing. Come to find out he had also ripped his tendon on his right thumb and tomorrow morning he has to go have surgery to try to repair it. He really doesn’t want to do this surgery and almost backed out, but in the end, he listened to everyone and will have it done. Our associate pastor is scheduled to preach, and we are all hoping that his new baby boy will decide to wait a few extra days to be born. My diet is going well and I’m 28 days sugar-free!!

@trooworld Wahhoooo!! Congrats on all your hard work that you have done this week. You have been working so hard and adopting habits that are really working. I know you did the happy dance when you stepped on that scale!

@mswatson0777 Is it your birthday this week? If so, Happy Birthday to you!! I hope you have an awesome weekend.


Good morning! I’m happy to report that my pastor came out of his surgery better than we had expected. I’m not sure what kind of pain he is in, but we are all praying for a quick recovery. I’m taking him a big pan of Ziti tomorrow. DH and I are leaving in a little while to go pick up that chair that I had ordered back in October. I can’t wait to see it and really hope it looks as good as I imagined when I ordered it. DH is taking me to Panera for lunch and I plan to behave and keep it low carb. I lost 4.8 lbs this month, which is huge for me. But I need to kick it up again because I’ve been bouncing up and down for over a week with the same pound. Time to move it down!

Hi all..having a lazy Saturday. Not the best weather today, but not as bad as eastern Iowa.

@trooworld Wow, congrats on the loss! You have really figured out what works for you!

@mswatson0777 Yup, we need a shopping spree once in awhile. Sounds like you have been having fun with the quaranteam and still getting your school work done. When you responded about my dd probably feeling like she was "rolling in money", it wasn't quite that great. The kids are bigger, so it was only after school care that she saved on, but that was still enough. She called Thurs & gson is in quarantine from exposure at school on Tues. Guess he will be staying at Daddy's for awhile longer, lol.

@TeresaW1020 Glad your pastor came out of his surgery good. That is so nice taking them baked ziti. Congrats on the monthly loss, too. Hope your enjoy your new chair. Dh wants to get a new one, so we will have to go looking some time.

@theslightedgeforever Wow, that would be so scary!! Was it the rolls that did it? Glad you are OK. Good luck with your fiber plan.

@cbabie Have fun singing with your sister in law and enjoy the company.

Our county health dept opened the Covid shots up for 65+ starting next week. So they were having a sign up for the allotted doses. The pharmacy that I use is in our grocery store. Anyway, the county could not tell you what day the pharmacy would open the slots. I knew the next county over said they would start at noon on Fri. So I kept trying for an opening off & on all week. Nothing. So on the chance that the pharmacy was starting noon Fri, I decided to try then. Logged in & sat refreshing my screen for an hour & still nothing. So figured we missed it, but logged into the county page again & people were saying the website crashed but was going again. So I logged back in & dh got an appt for last night & I was slower & got one for noon today! Yay!! So excited...we have each had our first dose!! I was worried they would kick us out, since we didn't really qualify until Monday, even tho the log in had said it was for 2-1 to 2-5. But there were a lot of seniors getting it when I did. Dd (the teacher) tried getting in at noon, too, so gave up. I texted her that they had openings, but by the time she got to try it, they were gone. Kind of feel guilty we got in & she didn't, but I think we just really lucked out, because county said they only had 500 doses to distribute for the week. This pharmacy had been given 100 of them. I hope her school is able to get a vaccination clinic open for the staff.

So we got some take out broasted chicken from Pizza Ranch for lunch to celebrate. Haven't had it for over a year, so it was a welcome treat, but not the best for calories. So now, I am just taking it easy. I did get on the treadmill for about 35 minutes this morning tho. Not so great on the fiber tho.

Have a great weekend!!