WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR NOVEMBER

:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: We had a lovely dinner with friends last night. I watched what I ate all day and made sure I got a lot of exercise so I'd have some calories available for dinner. The company was great. We love the family and their thirteen poodles. Dinner was roast chicken, a vegetable dish with zucchini, onions, peppers and turkey sausage, and baked yams. It was delicious. Just before we left, the daughters cut up fresh oranges and pears for dessert. :bigsmile:

:flowerforyou: mary, it's good to see you back again....I'm glad you didn't give up even with some big boulders in your road.

:flowerforyou: Susan, it's good to have you back....I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.

:flowerforyou: Lynn, welcome home and happy birthday to your dad.

:flowerforyou: brady, your ticker works and it looks quite impressive. Best wishes to you as you continue toward your goal

SheilaJane, congrats on getting into the 130's.....that is a great accomplishment.....your simple ideas are really working.



:flowerforyou: Birdie, thanks for the census information

:flowerforyou: nanapami, you did great with all those restaurant meals.......that is my hardest challenge

:flowerforyou: Rosemary, your weather update was much more entertaining than the one on the news tonight......take care

:flowerforyou: Alice, I hope your mouth is feeling better today.

:flowerforyou: Vicki, I love reading about how you continue to refine and modify your eating and exercising to do what is most effective for you

:flowerforyou: SuzyQ, I've had the same experience of finding that my simple eating just feels right to me and I don't need all the other stuff....when I got all the apples, I thought only of eating them raw or making applesauce, not all the sweet desserts that everyone else suggested

:flowerforyou: Becky, congratulations on losing another pound......I know you've worked hard to get rid of that one...I'm learning to ignore the chubby friends who tell me I'm too thin.:laugh: :laugh:

:flowerforyou: Jeannie, thanks for all your encouragement.



Jake leaves early tomorrow for an overnight trip to Vancouver (sorry Barb, I won't be able to go along this time:sad: :sad: :sad:) We're a one car family so I'll be without a car which will give me plenty of time for Leslie Sansone, Richard Simmons, and applesauce. the dogs won't get to go to the dog park but I'll walk them on the hill a few times.

It's early to bed so we can get up at 4:30.......hugs:heart: Barbie

Mary, hang in there. It must be terribly hard to be so diligent only to be put on medication that works against you. :frown: I can't imagine:ohwell: But we're all rooting for you!:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: If you give up, it could only make it worse. We're here for you! Better days are coming and thank goodness you've lost the weight from the medication. :flowerforyou: Your ticker is pretty impressive! Hang in there ...with us!!!
BirdieM

Thanks, Birdie - I needed the encouragement. Particularly the hang in there with us - the with us is the part that I was lacking. I don't know why when I get discouraged I just want to crawl in a hole rather than talk to you all, who are so encouraging. It seems counterintuitive. But the good news is that I am back! Here's to smart choices!

Now how about sharing some exercise tips/tricks that work for you? :flowerforyou:

We've all heard the old adage: "The best exercise is the one you'll DO!"

Something I learned by reading the October issue of Women's Health is to eat a snack size box of raisins, or the equivalent of some other dried fruit about 15 minutes before beginning my workout. Not that many calories or carbs, but enough to give you lots of energy for a really good workout. I've tried it and it is now a part of my exercise routine.

Also Leslie Sansone stresses the importance of being fully hydrated 30 minutes BEFORE you begin your workout. So drink, drink, drink that water girls! :drinker:

My masseuse/trainer is appalled at the number of folks who push themselves too hard and injure themselves doing strength training. He says when doing strength training to do only as many reps as it takes to make that muscle burn ~ then do 5 more. THAT is the perfect number. Also, that women our age should never use a weight over 8 lbs for flies; more is okay for curls and rows ~ unless they want to bulk up. His final piece of advice is that "women in our age bracket" should only do strength training 2-3 times a week.

YOUR TURN!

Good morning, Suezzzque,

Look like we posted moments apart.

I exercise first thing in the morning because that's when I'll DO it!

I do it all at home to save money and time. I have a weight bench, some free weights, an exercise ball, a jumprope and some exercise bands, and lots and lots of exercise books and articles from health magazines like Prevention and others.

Every day I start with some calisthenics or yoga or weights, something different every day. Then I go out for my walk, as long a walk as I can manage and still get a shower and breakfast before going to work. I listen to a mystery audiobook as I walk.

Used to be that I would do the calisthenics OR the walk, but now I do both. I get up at 5:00 so I can get my exercise in, and if I happen to wake up before the alarm, I go ahead and get up so I can get a few extra minutes in.

I actually enjoy the exercising now, where I used to dread it.

BTW, Suezzzque, what part of Texas are you in?

Karen

Good afternoon ladies,
Sounds like you are all having a great Saturday. Well I think the early morning routine is a habit. Kenneth was not home last night. he had to go on a job. I had decided that I would go work out this morning but not quite as early. Well guess what. I woke up at 5 am and could not go back to sleep. So I got up and went to the gym. Then went to breakfast with daughter and granddaughter. Then we went to downtown festival to look around and watch other granddaughter, then went to other granddaughters basketball game. Kenneth got in just in time for game and now he is watching tv and I am playing on computer while transferring some video to DVD. May go to gym again later if he wants to.
Susie, my exercise tips are just to do something, no matter how much or how little. Anything is better than nothing. I love going to the gym because it challenges me. But I also love walking, mowing lawn, riding my bike. Kenneth and I love the walk whenever we are out of town. I own a lot of videos but cannot get into them lately. I do weights every day but do different areas. I do legs one day and arms the other day. I dont do heavy weights. I do it a few after it feels hard. I find I am not getting bulky but getting very lean. I think you just have to find what you like and do it until you get bored or dont like it then find something else to do.
Hope you have a great weekend ladies. The weather here is just great.
Vicki M

sorry. repeat.

Are you ever able to lose 2 pounds per week? If so, what do you do?
Susan

SOME do. But it has been a rare occurance for me. When I do detox I lose about a pound every day or two. But I have no intention of living only on fruit, nuts, non-starchy vegetables and water for the rest of my life.

Are you ever able to lose 2 pounds per week? If so, what do you do?
Susan

I've lost 64 pounds in 43 weeks so there have been weeks where I lost more than one pound. but that was back when I was over 150. I have counted every calorie in and out with no deviation the whole time. I've avoided restaurants, potlucks, meals at other people's houses. I don't use alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, processed foods, white flour. Since May I have been using the Isagenix program which includes high nutrition meal replacement shakes and a once a week cleanse day.
Barbie

Good evening, it’s 6:20 here. I’ve gotten a lot done today – baked cookies (all to give away – some are going to the nursing home for the aides when I visit my Mom tomorrow, but I tasted one for “quality control” and added the estimated calories), made a healthy baked egg dish for lunches for the week, did laundry, changed the bed linens. And ironed all my clothes for the week. Whew!
Vicki, I’m trying your idea of writing my post on Word and copying it. I lost another post today and I’m tired of it! I just don’t have any of those cute icons to add.

Susan, that’s cool that you and I are pretty much at the same weight and going for the same goal. Looks like you’re getting there faster than I am so far. I’ve got 10+ years on you, though, and I’m convinced it’s slower going the older you get. Anyway, that’s my excuse! I know that my scales at home weigh less than the doctor’s scale, but at least I can still keep track of my progress. I might change my goal, too, if I ever reach 130. I haven’t seen that weight since I passed it on the way up many years ago! I was at 190 at my heaviest, and thank goodness I haven’t seen that for a long time, either. I’m only 5 feet tall, so that’s superbad.

So far I’ve only lost 2 pounds a week during my first two weeks using MFP. I’m sure a lot of that was water, so I don’t expect to see it again. Like I said on the thread about “Do you eat your exercise calories?” I do. I know I will lose slower that way, but if I don’t have a small treat I’m more likely to raid the refrigerator and mess up big time. I currently make sure I have enough extra calories to have a Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwich every evening. Yum!

Kc, that’s rough about your back. It must be very painful to have to pop it back in!

Can somebody tell me how to do the quote thing? I remember reading it somewhere but I can’t remember.

Cheers to all,

Karen

Hello everyone,

I will catch up on the posts tomorrow and response to the excercise discussion. With all the dog lovers in the group I just had to tell you all that there is one very, very lucky pit bull in the world tonight. Her name is Josephine and she is 15 months old. She was recently adopted by my hubby's elderly aunt. She looked like a WWII prisoner of war when she first came home. Now, she is this happy loving dog with a good life. She goes to the dog park twice a day and has 2 very good doggie friends. The best part of the whole family birthday party today was seeing just what a little dog food, socialization and love can do.

Good night all and chat with you all tomorrow.

Jeannie

I just don’t have any of those cute icons to add.

Can somebody tell me how to do the quote thing? I remember reading it somewhere but I can’t remember.

:flowerforyou: Karen, once you copy and paste your text from the word processing document to MFP, you can go through and add the cute icons.:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

If you want to quote someone to address their comment in your reply, you click on "quote" at the bottom of their post, then reply below the word "quote" at the bottom of their word. You can delete as much of their post as you want and just leave the part that is pertinent.

:flowerforyou: today was the celebration of life/memorial service for our neighbor who died two weeks ago. I skipped the church part of the event and went to their house for the smaller gathering. I knew almost no one but surprised myself by being able to join in conversations and feel comfortable. I stayed for an hour and a half and left as everyone was going through the food line (fried chicken, cole slaw, potato salad, Waldorf salad, deviled eggs, fruit salad, and three cakes). The only thing I might possibly have considered eating was fruit and egg, but since I had an apple, a bowl of applesauce, a pear and a hard boiled egg as part of my lunch/snacks today, I didn't want more in either of those categories. One of the items on display was their wedding album and when I found out that they were cloggers and square dancers, I invited her to go to one of my line dance classes with me and she accepted. Now that she doesn't have an ill husband to care for, she'll have time to fill with new adventures.

:flowerforyou: kc, I've heard that exercise can be as addicting as food or drugs:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: but at least it's good for you........since I've lost weight, I have much less trouble with my back, I hope that will happen with you.

:flowerforyou: karen, I just gave away all my baking stuff (flour, sugar, etc) because I decided that baking wouldn't work for me.....I'd eat more than one cookie for "quality control":laugh:

:flowerforyou: mary, I'd love to have the recipe

:flowerforyou: Jeannie, thanks for sharing the dog story....what a happy home.

I'm going out with a friend in a minute.
hugs Barbie

Anyone here in the Red Hat Society? If so, what do you think of it?

No, but I have a couple of friends who are and really enjoy it. I have just never felt that I had time. Are you thinking of joining?

EXERCISE: I'd LOVE to do group workouts, but due to geographic limitations, I do all my workouts from home. I use hand weights, a medicine ball and "The Biggest Loser Bootcamp" DVD on Mondays and Thursdays for strength training and try to do something cardio on the other days. I get an upper body massage ever other Monday, something I would have never considered when I was younger, but depend on to feel great nowadays.

Most times carido consists of walking my dog in my Shapeups, or push mowing the yard. But if the weather is yucky I may do intervals on my treadmill or Leslie Sansone's "4 Fast Miles" DVD. Either way I try to log at least 50 minutes and do at least 5 sets of intervals 5-6 days a week. If hubby is working on a Sunday, I exercise then too, but most times, that is my day off.

I LOVED the week I spent with my girlfriend at LA Fitness, but there is nothing like that here. I've been toying with the idea of driving 35 miles one way to go to the gym, but haven't talked myself into it yet. I'm hoping hubby springs for me a bicycle for Christmas as I think that would make cardio alot more fun.

I've learned that I have a much more productive workout if I eat about a tablespoon of dried fruit before I begin. :flowerforyou:

Now its off to Praise Team practice, the best excuse NOT to eat I can think of!

How many of you are preparing for snow today as we are here? Just curious. The first snow of the season is always rather exciting, and I'm never sure if I am ready for the bone chilling cold. Hope everyone is having a blessed Sunday!

We won't get snow until mid January t the earliest here in West Texas. I'm wearing short sleeves to church this morning, if that tells you anything....

Mary- We are preparing for our second snow of the season. To get ready for it, we are getting our skis and snowboard waxed and praying for more.

On excercise: I have always been an active person and my first hubby and I were on many recreational sports team. We played softball separately, but played co-ed volleyball together. I've always skiied, rode horses, walked the dogs, hiked and camped. All that changed with the second hubby and motherhood.

Jim has had a very bad back for most of our marriage. Plus having grown up on a ranch sports are watched on TV. He use to play golf and now that he had his back surgery he hopes to play again.

I'm struggling in excercising and decided to go with my mon's cardiologist's advice which is an active lifestyle. He recommends 30 minutes of activity a day and doesn't care what it is. Mostly, it has been me free stepping on the Wii Fit while family is watching TV.

As a family we are trying to add hiking and swimming in as family activities now that hubby can do things again. Golf- well, I promised to try and learn again.

We have the same issue as SuzyQ does. Everything is at least 45 minutes from where we live.

Swimmng starts next Saturday for all of us.

Jeannie