The Lounge

I'm back- I have not been checking in here for about the last week or so. I fell off the wagon somewhat too, got very lazy the past week, no exercise! Don't ask why because I am not sure.  So..I will catch up on all your journals. Seems like it is taking me forever to get to the ten pounds lost mark. Not sure I want to weigh in over the next few days.

Liz

I just have to share this y'all!

I have NEVER been one to run.. I've always admired people that could and always wanted to, but due to all the Thyroid problems I had, and then the all-time high in my weight there was no way my ankles could do it.

Well, today I thought "If they can do it on The Biggest Loser, then I'm going to try it" and I did.  I'm starting slowly, but I JOGGED at 3.5mph through half my 30-minute treadmill workout....... and feel AWESOME!!!!!  I'm so excited!!  I not only look in the mirror every day seeing a mere shadow of the person I used to be... but now THIS!! 

I can't begin to tell you how emotional my two children became when they saw their Mom jogging... today my daughter said "When you get used to running, can we run together around the park this summer?!".... OMgosh.... I have missed out on soooo much with my children... it's like I have my life back again!

I did my B12/Lipotropics on Monday, so tomorrow (Thurs) I'll be due for another one.  I'm so excited and can't hardly wait to weigh in and measure on Saturday!!.
Thanks so much for letting me take this space to share my day today... I'm so blessed!  Woooooo Hoooooooo!!!!!!     ~Ro~

Good Morning everyone,

Ro congratulations that is so great, I can not run either just never liked it.  I love reading your posts so no thanks are needed you are an inspiration to all.

Liz we all have an off week put it in the past and try something new.  I think if you change something you may see a move in the scale.  Sometimes your body gets used to what you are doing and adjust to it so even if you are exercising you wont loose.

Me I am having the week from ----. It has been so tough, I am working with an agent trying to get a deal together and she is "honestly" yelling at me.. I don't understand some people.  My client will not budge on the price (it is a good price) I do what I am told and since she doesn't agree she yells.  It is taking all I have to be professional to her but it is taking a lot out of me I do not treat people that way and don't understand when people do.  Ughhhhhhh.  And today I need to take my Mom for an MRI for her back it has been bothering her and they don't know why.  And tonight I have to go in front of the zonning board of appeals to get a varience for our barn on my land that is 20 feet too close to a neighboring property of course it IS 400 feet away from any house. ughhhhhhh again.  And I am so busy I have been showing houses almost every day and will be until Saturday.  Maybe Sunday I can relax.

Thanks for letting me vent.  I hope you all have a nice day.  going to go and do a short workout before I need to leave for my Mom's appointment it is an early one 8:15.  Have a wonderful day everyone.  Betty 

Wow Ro you are in a better place! Congrats.  I'm sure this will sustain your momentum. 

Betty hang in there.  Consciously take deep breaths.  You get through it.

Morning All,

Ro, you are something else!  Way to go.  The only time I ever jogged in my life was when I was in school, and only then because my PE teacher made me.  You are an inspiration.  I just may have to try it.  I would think I had hung the moon if I could hold out for a 5 minute jog.  If course, my treadmill would probably explode.

Betty, after reading your post, I needed to lay down and take a nap.  Your schedule wore me out.  You are certainly made out of sterner stuff than I am.  There isn't a confrontational bone in my body.  When I'm around someone like the person you are dealing with, I get physically ill, literally.  Headache, nausea, you name it.  By the way, thank you for your advice about the phone interuptions in your comment to my journal entry.  At the risk of letting everyone know just how out of touch I am...what is "mindful thinking"?  This is new to me.

Liz, it is not about whether or not you fall off the wagon, it is about whether or not you get back on.  We all backslide every once in a while.  If we didn't, we would all be Stepford Wives or robots.  I don't know what it is about that last few pounds, but they sure can be stubborn.  I'm saying that from past experiences because I am no where near those "last few pounds" now.

I had a vacation day yesterday and, as luck would have it, my new 10 Minute Solution Balance Ball dvd came in the mail.  I have been working out for nearly the last two months and thought I was getting in pretty good shape, but Oh My Gosh. I did three of the five workouts and today I can barely get out of my chair.  I haven't been this sore since I started.  And the workouts all seemed so simple but boy do they pack a punch!

Have a great day everyone.   Cheryl

Hi All,

Cheryl, mindful thinking is well "thinking in the moment" if you are anything like me I will be doing something and thinking of the 10 other things I need to do, or I will be exercising and not really paying attention because I am thinking of the laundry, someone I need to call, something I need to pick up at the grocery store etc...  with mindful thinking you think of ONLY what you are doing.  It is suppose to help you do what you are doing better, not be so stressed and it is healthier for you. 

I have been "trying" to do this since the fall.  I say trying because it is not easy.  I am much better now than I was and it is something you HAVE to WORK at always.  But it has helped me to do things better and to relax more.  I was one who could never just sit I was always doing something really multiple things, now I try to do just one thing at a time.  That is why I will not answer the phone when I am exercising or eating.  I will call back.  My kids know this and if it is an emergency they will call a second time and I will pick up.

Here is a link to an article you may like it might explain it better than I can.  (I edited and put in this link instead of the other I think it explains it better).. Enjoy

http://www.mindfulness.com/

Have a good day.  Betty

Evening Everyone,

One quick post before shutting down for the evening.  I just have to say...

Ro, you are my hero!  I put 2 miles in on the treadmill tonight and jogged a forth of it.  I was thinking about your accomplishment that you told us about this morning and decided to try it.  I walked the first .9 and then alternated walking/jogging to the end.  This is the first time I have jogged in 32 years.  I didn't even think I could.  Heck, I didn't think I could 10 years ago.

Cheryl

Good Morning everyone, Cheryl good for you with the running, I can not do that so I envy you.

It is snowing pretty hard here this morning looks so pretty.  I was suppose to have showings and they were cancelled I am actually happy I need a "Home" day so bad, was an awful week for me.  Crazy Realtor yelling at me, issues with our barn on our land too close to the neighbors property, ate WAY too much these last three days up over 1800 yesterday and guess what... lost a pound hmmmmmmmmm... go figure that one.

So I take today as a gift in many ways, I get a home day, alone for most of the day (hubby's at work) so it will be a quiet day with the huge snowflakes outside, no where I need to be. Crazy Realtors client DID put in a good offer finally so I SOLD a house to close in three weeks.  Figured out and fixed the barn issue so that is set.  And even though I didn't do well with calorie intake (I needed the wine this week) I lost a pound.   "Gift Day" all around I figure.

So I am going to do a GOOD workout this morning and do some much needed cleaning and some little things I have been wanting to do today around the house.  And maybe sit and relax and read one of my new magazines too...... Have a great day and weekend everyone.  Betty

Cheryl... You go girl!!!!!  Isn't it an incredible feeling??!!  I'm so happy for you!!  Now, I admit, I was a bit sore... but it was an incredibly good sore LOL!!  And you thought your treadmill would explode LOL!!

hasta, Betty, ... Thanks for the congrats!  I appreciate it sooooo much!!

Well guys, as for my progress this past week... I'm floored!  I not only ran once... but twice LOL!!  I was a bit sore, like I told Cheryl, but I knew that I had done good.  So here's my results for this past week and totals to date:

Previous Weight: 162.4
Current Weight: 160.0
Amount Gained/Lost: -2.4 pounds
TOTAL AMOUNT LOST TO DATE: 29 POUNDS!!!

My GAMEPLAN for this next month is going to stay the same as far as Calories, B12 Lipotropics, Exercise and Water, Water, Water!!!!!!!  This is just so cool!!!!

Oh... and on the Mesoderm Cream that I've been using on my face... the large "Smile Parenthesis" on each side of my mouth are now tiny apostrophe's LOL!! 

Good Morning

Thanks to everyone for your words of encouragement and thank you Ro for the inspiration to try it in the first place.  And yes, talk about sore.  Between the jogs (tried it again last night but didn't go quite as far) and the new balance ball workout, I am walking like I'm 100 years old today.  My daughter surprised us with an unexpected visit for the weekend and brought her 70+ pound lab.  Last night I was sitting on the couch reading when her lab announced that she needed to "potty" outside so I volunteered to take her.  I led her over a hill beside the house, don't ask me why.  All I can say is it is a good thing she is a big dog and was able to pull me back up or I might still be down there.

I weighed in this morning and am down another 2 lbs.  This puts me at 178.5 which is a 14.5 pound loss over an eight week period.  I feel so much better.

Betty, enjoy your day.  Sounds like you more than earned it.  Everyone else, have a great weekend!       Cheryl

Had a pretty good day today calorie-wise!  Mondays are usually a pretty good day because I'm so busy doing my weekly House Blessing (as FLYlady calls it LOL).  Did 4 loads of laundry, dusted all the rooms, vacuumed, unloaded and loaded dishwasher.... Oy!!! 

Had a blizzard come through last night that was nasty!  It was so cold and blowing so hard!  I hate being cold, so it's not a fun thing for me right now.

Made Chicken Enchiladas for supper and roasted 2 pans of Georgia Peanuts my in-laws gave us... sooooo good!  Only got in 24oz of water though...   Bad Ro!!

Good Morning Everyone ~ Ro you always bring a smile to my lips! I have been "attempting" to jog and I say attempting because what I'm doing may not qualify LOL but I'm moving more now than I was. . so maybe it's a more of a waggle - woggle?

I know I can't wait for summer to arrive so we can get back to walking at the Farm. It is such a beautiful area.  Last fall when the squid was in we saw dolphins, and whales feeding.  What a site!  They were leaping through the water front flips, back flips. .  so lovely.

Cherly, wonderful news on the weight loss.  I know it's been hard for you and every once loss (at least for me) is a true picker upper.

Betty how was the at home day?  Hope you relaxed and enjoyed it.

Welcome back hasta-I've missed you. 

Have a great day everyone!

Della

Good Afternoon All,

Raining dreary day here today, had showings today hate driving in the rain. 

Della, my home day was wonderful, very much needed, I got a lot of stuff done.  I am soooooo busy theses days just can't get anything done it seems.  But I am not complaining it is nice to be busy with work.

Have a good day, Betty

Good Evening Everyone,

Della, waggle - woggle?  Girl, you crack me up!  You can't look any worse than me flopping around to one of my dancing dvds, which, by the way, I have given up on.  Too hard on the old self esteem.  How can one person have so little coordination?

Ro, I like that term "house blessing".  Doesn't sound half as boring as house cleaning.

I went with my husband to his cardiologist appointment today.  He has been having occasional fainty spells and our family doctor wanted to make sure it isn't his heart.  They had already done several tests on him, all of which, thankfully, he passed with flying colors.  They have decided that the possible cause of his trouble is his blood pressure medicine.  He, too, is on a weight loss-exercise program and has lost enough weight that he may no longer have high blood pressure.  The doctor told him to stop his medicine.  I am to take his blood pressure every night and keep a log of it.  He goes back on April 9 so they can look it all over and decide if he can quite the pills permanently.  That would be wonderful.  Of course, all of this happens four days after I have his medicine refilled to the tune of $60.  Oh well...that's what I get for getting in a hurry.

Have a great evening and a great week.    Cheryl

Good Morning Everyone,

Well another dreary rainy day here ughhhhh... 

There is a great site you gals may like it is self.com that magazine you see on the shelves at the grocery store.  Well you can set yourself up for a weekly recipe.  I get one each week from 4 different sites.  I like this one the best because it gives you all the nutrition information with the recipe i.e. calories.  The others do not you either have to search for it or you can't find it at all.  I am trying to see which one I like best and just get that one, I think Self has won.  I started getting a magazine yesterday "healthy eating" looks good lots of recipes in there. 

Now do I like to cook you ask???? yes but I never have the time or the energy at the end of the day.  A while back I promised myself to do one new recipe a month.  I don't always but I do try.  I seem to cook the same stuff I am a pretty boring "but good" cook.  I have family night once a week, all the kids come for dinner, no body lives here anymore I am an empty nester.  I started this when my daughter went to college YEARS ago so I could see her and it stuck.  Sometimes I try the new recipes out on them.  Hey they can't complain it is a free meal hahaha.

Well news from the dry hair/skin area.  I have put rice, potatoes or the like back into my diet each day, I am making sure I drink the water I am suppose to, and I have purchased a multi vitamin that gives me the vitamin E, C and others that I need.  Guess what after a week my hair is better hmmmmmmmm... still not what it used to be but better.  You know I eat really well but my feeling is that our food is not as good as it once was.  With all the stuff they use even in fresh food (either in over used land or in the pesticides etc).  I do not think we are getting the vitamins and nutrients we need from food alone.  I can not afford to buy organic, however plan to plant more veggie this spring.

Exercise is good this week.  I started to up my weight exercise due to a great article that Della shared and how THAT is what will help women our age for weight loss and multple reasons.  I do the treadmill three times a week and the bowflex four now.  I have also upped my exercises I have 12 and I am sticking with the three reps of 10 just seems to work for me.

Well have a wonderful day everyone.  Betty

Good Morning Everyone!

Betty: I'm glad your home day was all you wanted and needed it to be.  I love stay at home days.  Days to do the things "I" want.  Not what "has" to be done. Hmm I do believe your right about the quality of our foods not being what they once were.  I am planting a garden this year (or will attempt) and grow my own vegies. Nothing better than vegetables grown by your own means-and sun ripened the way nature meant it to be.  I'll have to check out the website you've mentioned.  I love to try new recipes too.  I'm always scouting out Allrecipes.com for new dishes.  I've been using the the Walk Away The Pounds 3 mile walk with weights.  I can tell a difference in my body-not too much with my weight as I'm still fluctuating wildly.  But my body feels so much healthier.

Cheryl: Excellent news about your hubby.  It's wonderful when we can go "off" a medication-but ouch $60.00 too bad we can't return the medication for at least a discount off another prescription.  I always hate to flush medication down the sink.  Never know what ends up in the water system.   You should try the Walk Away the Pounds.  I truly enjoy the work out from them.  I've tried several differnt programs and find this one the most enjoyable.  I use 3 pounds weights while walking (carry them).  I had looked at the dance videos but never tried one. LOL I could see the horrified looks of my kids to see mom hip-hoping around the family room. LOL ohh my

Ro: Chicken enchildas?? oh girl share the recipe!  Hmm I guess I'll need to "bless" my house this weekend.

We are in for a windstorm tonight and tomorrow-had one last night.  Boy I tell you it was bad.  I thought the roof was going to blow off.  The wind picked up the snow and blew it into a blizzard.  You could not see anything.  My son was walking with his friend when the wind hit and he lost complete sight of him.  It was a miracle that they made it home.  Rather a frightening experience.

Anyway, all is well on this end of the world.  Take care everyone!

Della

Hi all, I thought you would like this recipe, it is what I will be making tonight I got it on the self.com site.  I will use sweet potatoes instead of red, since it is what I have (I have made them this way with both they are great) and I will make a regular salad.  Have a good night.  Betty

Lemon-Herb Chicken With Roasted Potatoes and Easy Caesar Salad Serves 4

CHICKEN
Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup)
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp chopped garlic
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 3/4 lb)
1 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp olive oil

POTATOES
14 oz small red potatoes, quartered
4 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary

SALAD
2 slices whole-wheat bread
1 clove garlic
1–2 anchovy fillets, sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp salt
8 romaine lettuce leaves, cut into bite-size pieces
Freshly ground black pepper

Chicken Mix lemon juice, basil, oregano and garlic. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook chicken 8 minutes; turn and cook 5 minutes more. Add lemon-juice mixture and stir up anything stuck to skillet. Reduce heat and cover; simmer until cooked through, about 6 minutes.

Potatoes Heat oven to 450°. Toss all ingredients in a roasting pan and cover with foil. Cook 20 minutes. Remove foil; cook 20 minutes more, stirring once.

Salad Toast bread until very crisp, then rub with garlic. Chop any leftover garlic and put in a salad bowl; beat anchovies, lemon juice, oil and salt with a fork until well emulsified. Add lettuce; toss to evenly coat leaves. Grind black pepper over salad. Dice garlic toast and add croutons to salad. Toss again to mix well. Serve salad immediately.