WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR OCTOBER 2025

Hello, my dears,

Barbie, thank you once more for leading us into October, one of my favorite months of the year weatherwise…

I might, however, develop a twitch if I see one more thing with pumpkin spice flavoring or scent. Every bakery item known to man, coffee, tea, candles, hand soap, incense… and that's just to name a few! 😲😂👀

Tracey - Your home just looks lovely! Hope you had a great time at your friend's, and that the time with your brother and other family is wonderful as well. Thank you for the pictures.

Evie - It was so good to see you pop up in that last week of September. The weight gain is what it is, darlin', don't let it keep you from posting. I love to see your posts.

Terribly restless night, no real reason why. I finally gave up about 3:15, and will take a nap in the afternoon if I feel the need. The only thing I must accomplish today is getting my son's birthday present in the mail. First I need to go find his address. I wrote it down somewhere…

For those who are new - some of us set goals, some don't - some post about them, some don't - some of those goals are very specific and some, like mine, are less number and more life-oriented.

My goals for September were:

• ✅Be lighter - As of this morning, I'm at 157, down from 166 on September 1. That was, apparently, a temporary weight gain. Yesterday's diuretic (for A-fib) really cut in, so I doubt seriously I'll be lighter than 157 by the end of October, but a girl can dream! 😂🐈‍⬛
• ✅Be healthier - I'm calling it a win, mainly because I didn't get worse. I'm kind of at incremental phases right now with everything. My thyroid levels seem to be better, I'll know more next week. My iron will be tested at that point as well, but seems OK. My bathroom trips are slowly inching down most days, and haven't, so far, tipped over into constipation or blockage. And, as noted, getting my weight loss down without losing TOO much has also been a thing. I have been getting quite a bit more exercise in with the house reno, up and down stepstools and such, which may well have contributed to the weight loss.
• ✅Stick to the budget - Yes! We got through buying the little house next to us and getting it demolished without ever actually going into debt earlier in the year, but it put a real dent in our cash reserves. We've finally recovered from that, eight months after the fact. We're not further ahead (other than the land), but we're at least back to where we were.

My goals for October are the same as they've been for years now:

• Be lighter
• Be healthier
• Stick to the budget

If you're new, welcome! If it seems we've known each other for years, many of us have, but we get new members of the thread almost every month. Some find what they need with this thread, and some need or want more (or less, sometimes, 'cause we can be a lot 😂).

If you feel we're the right group of health-oriented women, please, introduce yourself and sign your posts with what you want to be called, and about where you live, so we can keep the names reasonably straight. And drop into any conversation where you feel comfortable!

We do avoid discussing religion and politics, to make this a safe space for all concerned. We're trying to get healthy, and we know it takes everything in our lives to get there, not just the scale.

Many of us craft, sew, crochet, knit, quilt, and paint, whether on cards, canvases, or decor pieces. Again, still part of a healthy life! Quite a few have an exercise habit in place, with runners and bicyclists, and many others are trying to get one established.

Speaking of which, I did buy 25 different coat and clothing patterns over the last few weeks. Hobby Lobby has every single McCall's sewing pattern for sale for 99 cents, because the company is going out of business - and these patterns are normally $12 to $15 apiece. I think they had at least a thousand of them, and I went through the whole lot. Twice. Because I'm that girl. Should be fun trying some of these.

Time to toodle off and get to work on a couple things I have in progress… I tend to work on the two crochet pieces in the late afternoon and evening, while watching TV. Finally got the last piece I need to get going on my daughter's quilt, a diamond template. We'll see what I can accomplish…. :)

Later, y'all,
Lisa in AR

Thank you Barbie for bringing us into October. 😁 It's been a whoosh year for sure.

Carol - I was wondering how your DH was faring. Adding prayers for his recovery and (((HUGS))) for you. Hope your weather has been nice and you've been able to get out and enjoy a bit of it.

Tracey - where in NB are you exactly? Is that salt water in the photo? I'm not familiar the geography in that area. One of my favorite books is "The Shipping News" which takes place in Eastern Canada. Time to pull it off the shelf and read it again. Anyhow, have a great time with your brother and friend and family. I bet there are many changes that have taken place in the area since you were there last.

Mo - Your comments about your DH and his urging you to move to Chicago got me thinking. Taking Rosie to the vet yesterday was an ordeal, she hates leaving her house and yard. When I got her home, she was so happy. And I thought - it would be hard to move from here and would stress her so. This is her home and all she knows. And would stress me too, even though it's a ton to keep up with and maintain. So there would have to be a very, very good reason. I'm still grieving about leaving the farm, but it had to be done, DH couldn't keep up with it anymore. I know your situation is different. You have a husband who loves you and wants you close by, and you're a lot younger than me and used to change.

Melanie - did the kids bring back any new stock from Utah? Sorry to hear about the teacher's strike and your dwindling volleyball team. Are there a lot of farm kids on the team? My siblings and I weren't able to do sports like the town kids did. For one thing, the inability of my folks drop what they were doing to run to town to pick us up from after school sports. The other thing - we were needed to help with chores when we got home from school. A whole new world opened up when we got our driver's licenses and my dad cut way back on livestock.

That Windows 11 update - it doesn't recognize my printer/scanner at all and it sounds like I have to reload the driver, plus there's some other glitch I need to deal with at some point. I'll get AI to help me muddle through it or maybe just take it back to the computer store where I bought it and let them figure it out. Glad I have that el-cheapo reliable Chromebook. I need to get it cabled to the printer. For some reason the wi-fi connection was wonky yesterday. I don't print/scan that much to warrant buying a new one.

Lanette 😎

SW WA State

Hello ladies!

I hope October finds you in grateful spirits.

Big hugs ((((((((((((((💖🤗))))))))))) to those struggling and dealing with difficult issues. Every gal on here is strong, that's a fact I know.

I spouted at my middle sister and ended a video call abruptly, (hung up). "Now You see me, ok I am done here"! Talking to her when she's drunk is like spitting in the wind. Had a difficult time sleeping, but finally did.

I am up again at 5 am though! Another gym day. My weight is still the same. Had a slice of Daves power seed bread, with butter, peanut butter and honey. If I am going to exercise this morning, I need gas in my tank! Sipping coffee, eating my 3 prunes and wondering if I will take my middle sister off restriction from Messenger chat. She had called me right back so I had clicked that. Knew it was to yell at me.

I have started sending husband cute gift ideas we NEED to buy Athena and Eli for Christmas! Also need to buy for the boys! Feeling the stress of it all, ticking away! I need to start a box for middle sons birthday in Nov. Then youngest sons birthday too during that month. I think I will make a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for middle son. He likes those. I have croutons (youngest loves to snack on those) and a big bag of bacon bits (the real kind) because he loves that in sticky rice.

Rebecca Whidbey Wa

Hi all. Looking forward to a new month. Feel like I have been flailing the last couple of weeks. Eating horribly, having a drink most days in the evening. There was a time when I never drank unless a social situation. That’s going to stop this month. Also have been less than excited about getting back to weights after I was sick. Strange because usually the part of my day I enjoy the most. I did do shoulders, back, and chest yesterday and had the nice post workout high afterwards.
I weighed in at 168.8 this morning. I haven’t weighed in a while. Not sure where I want to end up. It will be more of a how I feel rather than a goal weight. I carry a lot of muscle, but also a lot of visceral fat. That is what needs to go. I want to pull on my jeans without a struggle and have those muscles I work so hard on to be a little more defined.

My goals this month:

1. Hit my daily macro numbers
2. 10,000 steps a day
3. Quit the evening drink
4. My word is brave- to stop worrying what other people think about what I eat (I tell you I hate those food police who comment on what is on my plate). Also to stop worrying about what they think of me in general- getting easier with age 🙂

Tracey- beautiful fall colours! My favourite season.

Lisa- you are lucky to be getting mail. Canada post is striking now (seems like everyone is striking). We really depend on them rurally. The express carriers will not deliver on gravel so my nearest pick up is over 20 miles away.
Nice numbers on the scale 👍🏼

Carol- Really hoping your husband starts to improve. I hope you are remembering to take care of yourself as well 💜

Machka- You go girl 💁🏻‍♀️ 24 pounds 💥 Inspiring! Thanks for the books- always looking for good ones.

Lanette- No new horses from Utah, but ours sold well, especially once you factor in the exchange. Mo Brings Plenty, the bodyguard to the chief from Yellowstone was there. My kids said he was waving at my grandson in the crowd. Of course they were too cool to ask for a photo 🙄 I would have been all over it. My son says he just exudes coolness.
Volleyball team is a mix of town and farm kids. The pick up for rural kids can be a challenge, especially during busy times like harvest and calving. Some are old enough to drive on their own. I remember when my kids got their licenses- it was a relief. I found out that the girls have to pay $300 to play!!! That is for any school sport! On top of their school fees. Not doable for some families. And now the strike on top. We never paid to play and had our school supplies provided up until high school. Where has all the money gone? The same with health care. It’s “free” here unfortunately you can’t get in to get anything done and finding a family doctor is like finding a rare gem. I have been without one for 2 years since mine retired. They are either not taking new patients or require an interview to decide if they want you! Where do all the doctors go? Enough of my rant 😬

Kylia- thank you for the reminder to treat my body with the respect it deserves. Physically I can walk anywhere, I am still strong, and I sure don’t feel 59. I just keep disrespecting it with what I am putting into it. It has put up with a lot of bad behaviour over the years yet it hasn’t failed me. I too will put that in perspective this month and treat it like it should be treated.

Here is a picture of my crew from a ranch rodeo this summer. I am just so proud of them and lucky they have come back home.

Hugs to all,

Melanie, Alberta

I try really, really hard not to eat my emotions - but I have really been missing my mama the last few days… she died 26 years ago now, but there are still times it just swamps me like a wave.

But, instead of soothing that ache with sweets or salty food, I bought a pound of ground turkey (nearly $2 a pound cheaper than ground beef here), a jar of mild salsa, and some lettuce. Total cost $12.

After Mama was diagnosed with diabetes at 60, she stayed very controlled, dietwise, got down to almost exactly my current weight… Her morning meal was bananas, and her go-to lunch was ground turkey, cooked, then scrambled up in salsa, and eaten in a tortilla.

Bananas make me ill these days, but that burrito was one of the best things I've had in weeks.

Here's the backstory, though. Corey hates ground turkey, won't buy it, and makes his own rip-your-head-RIGHT-off salsa, as well. So I seldom have this meal, because it's just too much trouble, honestly. But I can take what's left and freeze it in my-size servings and I'll have three or four more lunches to go out of that, if not five, for a reasonable price, and a slightly less bruised-feeling heart.

Life is good.

Love,
Lisa in AR

Barbie, thank you for a new month!

Evelyn, Vancouver Island

Good afternoon ladies

I couldn't get to the community page for anything yesterday..I tried but just kept saying community not available

The hospital sprung me that night around 8 after 2 bags of saline and and small bag of magnesium.

Spoke with gastro dr,and have to get an endoscopy Dec 30th,and who knows what in between

I watched the grands last night.the kids and Carmine went to a concert,Kyle dropped of Tracy at like 1:15 am. The grands were sleeping the whole time I was there

Tracy came home and said..Ok im done with concerts om getting to Old for this lol

Barbie - thank you as always starting the month off for us.

My calendar is filling up and I want it slowing down and feeling better for goodness sake

The munchkins yesterday morning!

Barbie thank you for getting us started again and for you insights! I envy your walk-to-able Fit and Fall Proof class. I can feel my balance deteriorating rapidly as my cranky knee and piriformis pain/inactivity take their tolls.

Melanie that is a good lookin’ crew. Love the smiles.

Rebecca atta gal for getting back to the gym.

Tracey thanks for the beautiful foliage pics.

Lanette Bravissima for Win 11. I’m not there yet ;}

August’s piriformis/sciatica/cranky knee continued throughout September with predictable results. Fewer than 5 days of BB&B/PT, no line dancing/chair yoga/SWSY or dog group. Couple of long strolls. Back to PS2S after a week off.

September summary averages vs August:

WT: 130.8 131.2
Steps: 4372 5170
AF days: 57 pct 61 pct

Returned to line dancing this morning but only managed a half hour. Baby steps.

October Action plan for stronger, tidier, kinder:):
Stronger: Dailyish PS2S & 10 mins BB&B/PT, MW line dancing, TuTh Chair Yoga, F SWSY, Sa Dog group or long stroll. Make it to Tu pm line dancing until standard time.
Tidier: listen to a Clutterbug podcast while looking around for one tiny thing that can be done in 5 mins or less.
Fuel better: hold that after dinner sweet down to two pieces of dark chocolate max
Kinder: open heart and mind before mouth.

Later, lighter, lovelies!
Barbara, the Southern Oregon Coastie AHMOD

October focus tidier: Dailyish: listen to part of a Clutterbug podcast while looking around for one tiny thing that can be done in 5 mins or less.
2025: Chose NOW: to move more than yesterday (see action plan), fuel better than yesterday (hold that after dinner sweet down to two pieces of dark chocolate max), open heart and mind before mouth

Allie- I couldn't get on Community in the app until this evening. I was able to though through the web page. I am happy that Carmine is spending time with family. Keep taking care of you!!!!

Lanette- We had two small bucks sparring in the backyard a couple nights ago. Even though I enjoy eating them i also enjoy watching them. Thank you for your kind support.

Lisa- Hugs!

My brain squirrels were out of control today! I finally took a few moments to stop and type out a done list. That was more difficult than I thought, but helped calm the squirrels.

Time to rest the brain.

Hugs! Love! And encouragement from Kylia in Ohio