This will be my new journal at DietTalk. For those of you who do not know me, I will tell you a little about myself and my weight loss journey.

In January of 1999 my husband and I started early retirement. At that time I was at the highest weight I had ever been in my life, around 205 pounds (probably more). Like many here at DT, I had lost and gained weight many times. I always tried to stay below the 200-pound marker, going over started me on many of my diets, but as I got older it was harder and harder. After retirement my main goal was to get down to a healthy weight and stay there. My family had plenty of examples of the health problems of obesity. My mother had been 100 pounds overweight her entire life. She was mentally quite with it at age 80, but was now spending much of her time in a wheelchair for no other reason than bad knees and hips. My older brother had developed adult onset diabetes. (He was also 100+ pounds overweight.) He developed a wonderful exercise and weight loss routine and lost the weight, but not the diabetes.

This time my motivation was not how I looked, rather it was my health. Seeing how close my mother was to a nursing home scared me. Watching my brother struggle with his diabetes scared me even more. I was determined that I would be able to enjoy my retirement, and to do that I had to get the excess pounds off.

I have lost 50+ pounds and kept it off for over a year. I did not follow any specific diet plan, just healthy eating with emphasis on good dietary habits and portion control. As I went along I added exercise, mostly walking, and later a membership at the gym. I lost slowly and reached my first goal in late 2001. I decided to try for 10 more pounds and managed to do that in one year. But I have found that the lower number is very hard to maintain. For now I am comfortable with 150 and focusing on finding an exercise routine that I can live with for the rest of my life. I am in a size 12, from a size 18 (that was way too tight).

If I had to give anyone advice, I would offer Jo’s “P’s”, Persistence, Planning, Practice, and Patience. You have to be persistent. You have to plan what you are going to eat, especially before special occasions. You have to practice new behaviors until they become habits. And most of all, you have to be patient. Slow and healthy is best. There is no magic diet or pill that will make it fast and easy.

It has been a long journey. I feel like I have finished the “end of the beginning”. Now comes the harder part, mastering the rules maintenance. No longer can I watch the numbers on the scales go down. No longer can I strive for a smaller size. No longer do people tell me “Wow, you have lost more weight”.

Even more so than when losing, during maintenance the motivation has to come from within. Every day, I fight to keep from slipping backwards. Every day it is still a fight to make myself exercise. That is the bad news. The good news is that I am making the fight in a size 12. The good news is that I really can’t overeat like I used to. The good news is I love fresh fruit and it makes a fine end to a meal. The good news is that fast food has little appeal to me and I can go months between trips to taco bell and then be satisfied with one taco and a diet coke.

There is no such thing as going back to my previous lifestyle. The fat clothes are gone. Many of the fat habits are gone or under control. I will be a member of that small group of people who lose weight and keep it off.

Jo

Wow Jo! You have no idea how much your journal has touched me! I've been really struggling internally with "where will goal be for me?" lately and for some reason I felt like if I said aloud, "I can be quite content as a 10 or 12" that people would think I just gave in or "settled." But quite honestly, dealing with my eating is such a huge thing for me that even if I could get to 140, I don't think I could hold it! I've been an eater my entire life and truthfully, I think 150 would be so much more achievable for me and something I could not only be content with but maintainable for me!

Thank you for making me feel "okay" to not be a size 6! If you don't mind, I'd really like to consider you my "mentor." I've been so sick of going back and forth in my head with "should I change my stats to 150? or maybe just a question mark? or maybe just the word 'content!'" I've never lived in my body at this size before so really I'm not the one that has as big an issue with it as society does! I know I'm not quite "done" with myself, but just the feeling of being able to say, "10 or 12 would feel just fine to me!" takes so much pressure off me and that makes me feel like "goal" is a possibility for me!

Sorry to go on and on in your journal , but something just "clicked" for me as I read your entry, it really clicked!

Thanks! And congratulations for reaching your goal!:D

Donna (your unofficial "mentee":D )

It is always good to have someone come by and visit.

Mostly my journal is for me. A place to put my feelings. But since I started a new one, I put a bit of background in it. And I'm so glad that it helped you Donna. Your enthusiastic response sure lifted my spirits.

I managed to make it to the gym today and did my Silver Foxes class. Picked me up a bit. Yesterday was a pretty good day food wise.

Since it is Monday I'll do my weekly review for last week.

Food: Mostly I did OK with some vivid exceptions.

Exercise: Did really poor. Only exercised once, a 45 minute walk with Steve. No reason, no excuses. Did bad.

Goals for last week: The focus was to exercise, and I blew that.

Could of done better: With this I look back at one thing I feel bad about and try and figure out how I could have managed the situation better. That donut on Friday set me off for a terrible day. In thinking about it I realize that not being able to get a lift with diet pop (Im trying to have NO caffiene after breakfast) leaves me more vunerable to sweets. Also my new medications leave me with a little dry mouth, which makes bottled water less appealing. I'm not sure what the best way is to handle this. I did buy some of those mouth strips in mint, and I think I will look for some peppermint Tic Tacs to keep in my purse. Maybe that will help the "mouth" thing. Also, I told Steve that I would not have a donut in the next five weeks. (Then we go on vacation so it "might" be permissable.) Now I'm putting it in writing.... I Jo will not succumb to the temptation of any donut type of sweet for the next five weeks. There.

Goals for this week: Get my exercise minutes in.

Jo

Another day with some good exercise. I went to the gym and did circuit, even got in a few extra minutes. There was something in the paper this morning and strength training and doing the movements SLOWLY. So I really focused on my counting as I did my reps.

Feel pretty good about this week so far. I should be able to hit my exercise minutes with no problem. Not eating too bad either.

I'm still fooling with my new medication. In increased the dose Sunday night again. So far it doesn't seem to be working that well, but maybe last night was better. I woke up three times and went to the bathroom. I drank a lot of water last evening and I wonder if I would sleep better if I cut back on my water in the evening. So tonight I'm going to try to limit my water after dinner.

Jo

I dont want to scribble all over your journal, but wow...
I hope to join you in being that 5%.
You have what it takes, for sure! The realization that problems will always abound, so you are not off gaurd..

Congrats on your success!!

Hi Jo :D

I want to ask you a question but I'm almost afraid to hear the answer. In your original post you mentioned towards the end that "many of the fat habits were gone or under control." My question is whether or not this is something that happens overnight? Like one day you wake up and all of a sudden it's just all easier for you? Or is it more of a gradual transition and suddenly you realize, "hey, I've been eating well now for months, not just weeks!"
I ask because I keep hearing people say that as they lost weight and got more fit they didn't even want fast food anymore, or cookies, donuts, etc., just didn't appeal to them at all, and I keep waiting for this day to hit me! I long for the day when McDonald's will either give me the runs or turn my stomach so much that I just don't want it ever again! And it seems "they" all hit this magic place at some point in their losing or getting fit and it's not hitting me yet! I have to consciously turn it down because I can't afford the calories and fat, not because it doesn't still taste so wonderful to me! So, any insight into this at all?

And I agree with bird songs, you seem so incredibly "grounded" about your whole journey and so in charge of it all!

Donna

Hi Jo!
trying to work out in my head how long i have known you here a DT? You always help me out at the daily battle thread, all the girls there do its nice to know that there are a lot of us facing this maintenance madness.
you have a very straightforward approach to it all and thats what i like most. i lost my weight following ww but its definately just been healthy eating and exercise since then.
i think it does come in time the habits get less and less control but for me they are always lurking in the background waiting to attack me when i let them.
i think you are wonderful Jo and i will be stopping in a lot!
hugs bell :)

Donna, that control didn't happen overnight and it didn't happen consistently. If you had seen my previous signature line, it was one day at a time, one habit at a time, one pound at a time.

I really cannot tolerate most fast food now. I really don't like it, it tastes like cardboard. One exception is Taco Bell, but I go months between stops there.

On the flip side, I love and will always love donuts. There is no redeaming food value in a donut, but they will always be a weakness. Especially if some one puts them in front of me.

I can't imagine life without pizza. So I eat pizza. I just eat it less often and in somewhat smaller portions. And I limit eating pizza to when I am with Steve, who likes his very plain with only cheese and pepperoni.

The bigger change in my eating habits is what I now DO like. I really enjoy fresh fruit and we have it for dinner every night. I love the taste of Healthy Choice 7 grain bread and that is my breakfast, with either low fat peanut butter or fat free cheese melted on it, plus a glass of V8. I like Zone bars, and have found them a wonderful aide to keep away from eating when I am out shopping or the like. I carry one in my purse at all times.

So the trick, if there is one, is to find new healthy habits and foods that you do like, eliminate the stuff that was just OK, and limit the stuff that you still love. I often can pass up something I sort of like, for no other reason that it just doesn't taste good enough for the calories. Also, the less sweets you eat, the less hungry you are. I believe in the glycemic index theory and work at limiting my white stuff. (sugar, white flour, rice, potatos).

I don't feel so grounded some days. I stay here at DietTalk because it keeps me on track. I can't imagine I would have made it this far without my internet buddies and support.

There is no magic about it. Doing the things that result in weight loss is actually quite boring. And it does require discipline, determination, and persistance. But, it can be done. And it can be maintained. And it is easier with some help of the DT friends.

Jo

Wow this is a pretty spankin new journal you got here jo.. Lots of guests I had better get in and congratulate you on starting a new chapter before you post much more.. took me a awhile to find it but now I am subscribed and tuned in..

I enjoyed the posts so far. Though I know quite a bit about you already it was fun to read it all like that.. your doin great gal and this maintenance thing is critical for lifelong health.. hope they get your meds straightened out..
CJ

Wow this is a pretty spankin new journal you got here jo.. Lots of guests I had better get in and congratulate you on starting a new chapter before you post much more.. took me a awhile to find it but now I am subscribed and tuned in..

I enjoyed the posts so far. Though I know quite a bit about you already it was fun to read it all like that.. your doin great gal and this maintenance thing is critical for lifelong health.. hope they get your meds straightened out..
CJ

Another day at the gym. Wow, three days this week. I did the Silver Fox class again. It really is a lot of fun and I like both instructers. I also spent about 20 minutes extra doing the eliptical before class. So I have my exercise minutes in for the week. Still plan on getting more in, but it will probably be walking since we are heading for the lake in the morning.

I picked up a book at the library after exercise. I used the search for "sleep hygiene", and up came this book. It is about not getting enough sleep, sugar, and obesity. (Not what I expected, I was looking for something to help with getting to sleep better other than medicatons.) Still, it looks interesting so I will probably read it.

I know that since I have not been sleeping well recently I have had a harder time avoiding sweet foods. I also know that when I retired and was able to get in more hours of sleep each night I did lose weight. I am one of those people who are always trying to find out more about health issues and weight loss. I figure if I find one good idea out of a book, or reinforce another good idea, that it is worth my time to read it.

I will probably be back by tonight but then will be gone until Saturday.

Jo

Hi, Jo!

I'm back from my vacation & so glad to see you've begun a new journal. You've done so well & are such a wonderful role model for all of us. You & I have a lot in common with our approaches. It's boring, but it works! :)

I struggle with pizza the way you do with donuts... It's hard to resist those things that are our true favorites. Thank goodness we can fit them into our plans now and then.

I hope that this journal will help you stay inspired with your maintenance goals. We are here to cheer you on!

Lisrey :cheer:

wow you are an exercise machine Jo!
Good job , what exactly is a sliver fox class?
i just realised the other day that i havent been reading like i once did. reading is/was a passion of mine so i a on the hunt for a good book to read.
i could always read my books through you as you always pick interesting ones and share them anyway!
have a great night!
hugs bell :)

Hi Jo, and everyone!
You posted this in your beginning words..

So the trick, if there is one, is to find new healthy habits and foods that you do like, eliminate the stuff that was just OK, and limit the stuff that you still love.

I never thought of that! I still eat things I dont like at times, because they are good for ya LOL
Time to weed out my cupboards..lol

Thank you!

Thanks for dropping by everyone. I love it when I come to my journal and get some feedback.

The Silver Foxes is a class at my gym that is designed for fit silver hairs (older) people. It is a combination cardiovascular/strength/stretch class that is low impact and keeps in mind that most of the people in the class have older joints. In the strength part they use free weights, bands, balls, or whatever. It is a great class and is fairly challenging in spite of the name. We have some younger people who cannot manage the advanced classes for the young hard body/fit types.

For such a great start for the week, I have not done any more exrercise. We went to the lake and just got home about an hour ago. I could still get some more exercise in for the week. Maybe I will go down and do the 15 minute WATP tape.

I need to call my mother, and feel a bet in a funk over that. The last time I talked with her she was on a tear and we got into it over her driving her car. Now remember, she requires aide assistance to clean her apartment and go to the grocery store, and is ambulatory with a wheel chair and occasional walker. But she still insists on keeping her car and drives occasionally. The amount is unknow, since my mother tells "fibs". Some days she says she only drives once a month to go to the psychiatrist (about two miles, not much traffic). Other times she says she drives more. Who knows what the truth is. I'm going to post this and go make that phone call and get it over with.

And BirdSong, I think it is key that we not wast calories in eating stuff that doesn't taste good. Yes, we must find healthy foods that we enjoy, and that will lead to some trial and error. I have totally changed the kinds of cracker I eat, limiting myself to low fat Triscuits, ww melba rounds and rye crisp. I can't remember the last time I had a potato chip, a year probably. I like crunchy, so I have found healthy (or healthier) crunchy. You can do it. And it will be with you forever.

Jo

Last night about 9 PM my brother, the diabetic, called me from the KC airport. The shuttle that was supposed to pick him up and take him to the middle of the state where he lived mess up the instructions, and he was stranded at KCI. He had been having trouble all day, having gotten up at 3:30 AM to head home from Oregon. Anyway, we had a nice, if brief visit. I took him back up to the airport this morning to catch the early shuttle so he could go home.

Ronnie has really had trouble controlling his diabetes, even with supreme effort to do what he is supposed to do. He has lost 100+ pounds and exercises religiously, plus checks his blood sugar several times a day and adjusts his insulin accordingly. Last month his physician decided to have him try the Atkins Diet in order to try and improve his blood sugar control. I couldn't believe it. But according to his doctor there is some new research that shows that Atkins does work. Ron is still in the initial phase of Atkins, but has been able to reduce his insulin dose by 2/3's. His physician wants also wants him to lose another ten pounds, and thinks that between the two, weight loss and "controlled carbs" they can do better in control. My brother was very excited by his preliminary results. He said his morning blood sugars are almost a 100 points better than they were.

In this journey I have tried to "watch" my carbs, and have become pretty knowledgeable about glycemic index. But I guess I might pick up the new Atkins for Life book and give it a look. I know that I am carb sensitive. And Ron says that the new plan is less radical that the original one of 20 years ago. Whatever, it might be worth while to take a look.

I managed to get in some extra exercise minutes yesterday. So I met my goal for the week exercise wise. Scales were a little lower this week too, which is a good thing. Onward.

Jo

Hiya Jo!
I had a dear dear friend who had diabetes. She is no longer with me, passed away a few years ago. But, I used to go every morning to check her sugar level for her and sometimes give her a shot. (I used to tease her that it was my turn for revenge, since she insisted on hitting me with her cane) lol.. She was in her mid 70's.. I watched for a few days, via the blood tests I would make her do many times a day, and it seemed at that time it wasnt so much the sugar she ate as it was the bread! Or grain products!
What do you think?
I am trying to stay with whole grain things, fruits, veggies and lean meat or meat substitutes. But to give up my grains.. hmmm.. I guess it would take something drastic for me to do that.. But, I can limit them and I can chose better brands..
I love Brown Rice..
Wheat pastas..

You have a nice day, and I know your worry over your mother, I had that same ordeal with my father. It broke my heart to take his keys away from him..

Hey Jo,

Just checking in with you.

I have "parental" issues also, luckily driving isn't one of them, that would probably make me nuts living a state away. But my dad likes to go walking and because of damage he suffered after a stroke last year his speech is really effected and he can't speak clearly enough to string a sentence 75% of the time so we worry that if he goes walking alone (which he'll sneak out and do) and has a memory lapse, forgets where he is, or even falls down no one will be able to understand him to get him back home. We're toying with the idea of getting him a set of dog tags with his name and address on them, thinking he might wear them since he was in the military, but who knows with dad?

I'll be interested in hearing your thoughts on that book you mentioned. I try to stay away from all white flour carbs all together, but potato is my middle name so they get in there along with sweet potatoes, but so far I've gotten use to grain breads and brown rices and whole wheat pastas, but I'd still like to hear the feedback and findings from your research.

Good going on the exercise!:D

Donna

I picked up the new Atkins Book yesterday and have read part of it. It is really pretty good and not near as radical as I remembered. I really enjoyed my brief visit with my brother and it has given me a lift about my accomplishments weight wise as well as where I want to go.

Ron said that food intake is the crown jewel of losing weight, but exercise is the crown jewel of keeping it off. I had never heard it put quite that way, but I have read in some of the many weight loss books that exercise was very important in maintenance.

Today I went to the gym and did my class plus a few extra minutes on the elipital. So I have a good start on this weeks exercise. Since we are not going to the lake (we don't go around holidays) I should easily make it back for another day.

I'm going to try and be more careful of my carbs for a while and see if I can get far enough below 150 on the scales that 150 can be the "top" number in my normal bounce. I will also recheck the carb grams in some of my favorite foods. I already know the good and bad fruits regarding GI, so this shouldn't't be too hard. I still plan on focusing on healthy eating with good lean protein and lots of fruit and veggies. But I have slipped a bit on controlling my refined carbs. I don't think a half of box of Triscuits should count as a serving. he he.

And Donna, all the low carb and GI stuff says that white potatoes are just not good. I have read (not in Atkins) that they are less bad when eaten as part of a balanced meal in a very limited portion. So if you have a steak and big salad, and no bread, you could probably get by with a third of a white potato. For me it is just not worth the hassle or calories. I only eat potatos at two restaurants that we go to, probably about once every three months.

Jo

Jo
someone told me that atkins for life is almost identical to the south beach diet.. you basically slowly add back a few carbs and see where your limit is.. That is what the south beach does as well.

I may have a look at that book sometime. I am very much sure that low carb has got to be a part of my life .. I think all the pop I drank pretty much secured that. I think some people can lose on low calorie higher carb but if you have burnt out your insulun receptors I just don't think that is possible.. Someone like me who is detoxing from high sugar just can not lose without watching carbs and glycimic index.

I will have a look at that book when I get some money or check the library to see if they have it.
CJ

Hi Jo - I like the name for the class - The Silver Foxes!

Sounds like 'mom' is still pushing those buttons for you. :(
No wonder you like crunchy - getting out a little frustration, maybe? Funny thing is, I like smooth and creamy: yogurt, custards, etc. I find them soothing...

Thanks for dropping by Anastasia. I found my way to your new jorunal and signed up.

I had a pretty good day yesterday food wise. Really limited my refined carb intake. We went out to dinner and I had a taco salad and only ate a few of the "taco" part, eating the meat, cheese, and veggies.

Today I have been cleaning out the linen closet. You could say that I am bored with no work.

It sure is strange, not to have a work project staring me in the face. I was pretty bummed at first. With Thom leaving and the situation at the office, (another full time paralegal and the old one wanting to do full time at home), I knew I would be third in the priority list.

So I sat down and did some plan A, plan B, and worst case options and strategies. Worst case is I will essentially have no more work and can start drawing social security checks in 15 months. I have about $6,000 coming in outstanding billed services and more than that in my bank account. So I can easily add $300 a month to what I get for an allowance every week from the shared finances.

More likely is I will have some occasional work, but not near as steady or as much. So much depends on the lawyers getting organized to get the work to me. (Thom was great about that.)
Also, their FT Paralegal is a temp for now, so it will depend on the skills and speed of whoever they get permanently, and how much she (or he) is willing to dole out work to me.

So, guess what. I just got off the phone with the senior partner. He needs me to come over tomorrow and work however long it is necessary (a few days?) to complete a time line on a major case that will be tried next month. He is the one who brought me to the firm and he likes my skills. (The bad news is, as the head guy he doesn't actually have many cases compared to the other attornies.) Still, they do have a Full Time person in the office right now, and he did ask me to come do this very important thing for a huge case.

Some how I need to get some exercise in today. Since I will be working the rest of the week my planned trip to the gym is off. I could go over on the 4th, they gym will be open until 2 PM.

Jo

It sounds like the big boss really values your work -- and of course we all know you are extraordinarily capable! You should feel great about this new assignment, I think. Or were you already attached to working on your closets? :laugh:

Hope you got that exercise in & that it made you feel great. Our weather here is wonderful ~ how 'bout for you?

Enjoy the holiday weekend!

Lisrey :flower:

The good news is that Reid wanted me to do the event time line. The bad news is that when he got further into the files (this was Thom's case before he left) he found that one had already been done by the other paralegal. Soooo, they called me back yesterday and said don't need you. And no, I am not the kind to get attached to cleaning.

That said, I have been getting the FlyLady posts and I do plan on getting the clutter out of this house. One space at a time. So yesterday two more large bags of stuff got pitched. The master bedroom has pretty well been decluttered already. so the next room will be the den/office. I also ordered paint to repaint the bedroom and entry way. At 60 I finally seem to be getting into the nesting stage. Actually, that is a little late.

Weather has been hot, but not terrible yet. I went to the gym today and did my class since I did not have to go to work. I'm on the third day of trying to do lower carbs, al la Atkins. Scales haven't budged. So much for the huge drop you see with water weight. Of course I did not make it all the way to the 20 grams level. Could not face only steak and three cups of salad for the day. I'm committed to another day or so. Then I will go back to my regular routine but with more careful restrictions of starches.

Hanging in there, one day at a time.

Jo

I have to admit it, I am bored. I haven't had any work for two weeks. And I find myself CLEANING. Yes, cleaning. I'm into the FlyLady techniques and throwing away stuff. Today I threw away two bags of stuff out of the den.

I've also been playing Diablo II. Steve bought it for me for Christmas in 2000. But I didn't have time to play it. I loved Diablo I, and played it when I was working. I would pretend that the people/mosters I was whacking were work demons. Don't know what I am whacking right now, probably politicians. Anyway before I found it to be a good stress relief. I am a fantasy nut (read the stuff all the time) so I do enjoy Diablo. I play the single player mode. Don't have the fast internet connection and those gamers whould kill me in a couple of minutes. I play the female Amazon, her name is Josephine.

Then I'm going through my weight loss books and some new stuff. Since my brother told me about his physician and the Atkins thing, I've really tried to give that whole thing another look. I must admit the one I'm most impressed with is the South Beach Diet. I only have stuff off the web, will try to buy the book sometime soon. But it sounds pretty managible, especially the second level which would be appropriate for where I am now, mostly maintenance. (Maybe get off that other five pounds.)

Jo

It's never too late to nest, Jo (or should I call you Jospehine now? ).


And I, for one, DO get attached to cleaning... Wierd, I know...


It seems like you're dealing with this time as well as can be expected. Working out the different scenarios, et al. And remember, the one constant we can count on is that things WILL change...


When I feel better, I'll do the SBD too. In general I feel really good when I eat a lot of protein and veggies - tho I don't eat the heavy duty red-meat stuff... And staying away from refined carbs ALWAYS good.

I would never have guessed you were into the fantasy stuff -- I love to read that too! :D I also like the games, but I haven't played any of the newer, more involved ones. Never enough time to devote to that.

Hey, since you are doing all this cleaning and organizing, have you looked at feng shui at all? I know a part-time librarian who is also a feng shui practitioner. She & I were talking about all the things you can learn about yourself from examining your feng shui, and it correllated a lot with the personality typing stuff. Just another way of looking at your strengths, weaknesses, goals and motivations. Just wondered what you think of that!

Have a great 4th of July!

Lisrey :tongue:atriot:

I'm not sure what feng shui is, I'll have to google it. And yes, I am a reader and I love fantasy and sci fi. I think there is something about being able to suspend your belief system and put yourself into another world. I love the mental challenge of that stuff. So while at first glance it might seem strange that someone who is so logical is into that stuff, when you think about it, not so. You have to have an imagination and a mind that can works fast enough to keep up with the different world you are in.
I will sometimes buy the hardback of a series and after I have read it will donate it to the library. That is the other thing I like about those books, they are long and there is almost always another book coming.

Bad day carb wise. My brother called and said lets meet for breakfast. So I had pancakes with my eggs, plus bacon. Then another brother said come out for dinner. Didn't do too bad food wise, but then ate a brownie. Actually, I ate two brownies.

But that is life. Tomorrow, back on track.

Jo

That's a good outlook, Jo. It was a holiday, after all, and you were with your family. Gotta be able to make exceptions sometimes.

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement. Really interesting how the harmony/balance of where you put things in your home or office, and WHAT you choose to put in them, matters to your psyche. I think you will find it interesting.

What authors do you like? I am fascinated when I find more and more things I have in common with my DT buddies! I like the Robert Jordan books (have not read the latest installment yet), and I am a big fan of Tim Powers (Earthquake Weather, Last Call, Expiration Date). As a librarian, I have to read a lot more broadly, but the fantasy is my personal vice. Whenever I want a quick and fun read, that's what I pick up.

Lisrey :) :)

There are two princples of feng shui that I always employ - well, much more than two just by the way I naturally am, but 2 that I learned of years ago that resonate with me:

1. I always keep the toilet LID (not just the seat) closed. It seals in the energy and is supposed to attract wealth (not that it's worked yet for me, but perhaps there's a windfall coming soon...). I like to close the lid because it looks better and it DOES give me a feeling that it is energetically right.

Some of my friends say "I can always tell when you've been here, because the lid in the loo is down".

2. If I live in a place where you walk into the house and come smack dab into a wall, then I always hang a mirror there. It's supposed to open the space up energetically instead of blocking the chi right as you walk in. It makes sense to me just because of aesthetics, but I guess it IS an energetic thing too.

Back on track tomorrow Jo!

Well thanks for dropping by. And yes, I love the Wheel of Time books. In fact, those are the ones I usually buy in hardback and then give to the library. I have not read Tim Powers, but I wrote his name down and will give them a look. I have read all of the Asimov books and all of the Modesitt books. Actually, I am a voracious reader and have been known to read two or three books a week, especially if I am not particularly busy with work.

I haven't had time to look up the feng shui, will do that today. And I don't feel too bad about yesterday. I had a good time with some of my brothers and also over an hour of great conversation with a niece who is an attorney.

We have a visitor for the Holiday, my daughters cat Sei Kie. She is a sweet thing, still kittenish, and has been chasing master Loki around the house swatting his tail. He is not thrilled, but being the mellow boy he is, is tolerating it well.

I'm drinking my water and avoiding starches today to atone for the sweets yesterday. Read some more stuff on the SBD and am pretty impressed. It looks much simpler than Atkins and healthier besides.

Now, if I can just get myself to get a few minutes of exercise in today, I'll be pleased with my week.

Jo

Sunday.

Well, the weekend is over. I have been confused as to what day it is for four days. We went out to dinner last night to a place we love. I sure did not low carb it. However, I did pretty good for how I do at that particular place, so I'm not too upset.

I got my exercise minutes in for the week, but didn't get that extra day in that I planned. It is hard for me to get my butt out of the house when it is so hot.

Next week we have to go to the lake to mow the weeds if nothing else. It will be a challenge to try and low carb while we are at the lake. I have a few ideas, maybe some small changes. We will probably go on Tuesday and come home Thursday. I'm not too crazy of fishing in the heat either.

Still, a little over three weeks and we will be on our way to the cool mountains.

Jo

[I got my exercise minutes in for the week, but didn't get that extra day in that I planned. It is hard for me to get my butt out of the house when it is so hot.

Next week we have to go to the lake to mow the weeds if nothing else. It will be a challenge to try and low carb while we are at the lake. I have a few ideas, maybe some small changes. We will probably go on Tuesday and come home Thursday. I'm not too crazy of fishing in the heat either.

I am finding low carbing in the heat to be very difficult. It isn't like there is a lot to eat RAW. I have string cheese from time to time etc.Really I am in the same boat. I got my swimming in using that total immersion method I am getting pretty good. But I know what you mean it is hard to get things going..

Fish early and late that is when they bite anyway. OHHH I miss fish. I grew up eating pan fried trout and haven't had a fresh one in years..

Isn't it though - hard to exercise/do low carbs in this blasted heat? One of the main reasons I'm not focuisng more intently on low-carbing right now (though I always do watch my intake) is because I NEED my fruit on these scorching LA days...

And I have to either wake up at 5am - or wait until nearly 7pm to get a run in. Even then it's pretty bad.

The coooooooool mountains sound so nice and inviting ~:hop: :hop: :hop:

When I "low carb" it I don't even count fruit. I have always avoided fruit that is high in GI, and I figure the others don't count for much. Instead, I focus on the white stuff, breads, crackers, rice, pasta, potatos. Which is hard for me, since I love my breads. Still, my way will work, if I just do it.

Yesterday I went with Steve to the mall and we walked in the cool for 45 minutes. I really should have gone to the gym, but just could't drag myself there. Same for today. If he does go to the mall today, I will go with him again. It is already too late to make to my class at the gym.

I have found a drink that I can have when I am out that is low in calories and does not have caffiene. At the mall there is a place (Topsys) that makes fresh limeaide, diet. They will make it with Splenda, and they use a whole lime. They are great!! So after we walked I had a limeaide and Steve had a chocolate ice cream cone. Life is not fair. So be it. During my healthy eating journey my husband, who was already thin, has lost about ten more pounds. He weighs less than I do. Regarding the limeaides, Soni also makes a mean diet limeaide. I bought some fresh limes at the grocery store and some club soda and have made myself some at home.

I think the point is, instead of feeling deprived we need to find something else to substitute. In April after I went to the doctors I realized that I just had to give up caffiene. But I really missed my diet Dr. Peppers, especially when I was out and about. And my new medication causes a dry mouth and bottled water just doesn't seem to help that much. Ice water when I am home is OK. So now I have an alternative. Even more, it is one that I enjoy.

Weight is holding steady, in spite of doing better overall. I wonder if the new medication is having a side effect. I'm not going to look that up, I don't need any "excuse".

Jo

Jo
Boy do I understand the icecream and diet drink spouse experience. My husband is very slim because of all the healthy food we eat.

For me the hardest is the little treats like soda.. candy bars etc. I find my meals are good but boy do I miss "junk food" Sounds like the lower carb is helping you ... do you notice if it is draining your energy? I find it makes me cranky if I go to low on carbs.

Saturday,

I don't "low carb" in the Atkins way. I more look at GI and try to limit my starches. My brief excursion to learn more and try semi Atkins didn't result in any budge in the scales. So much for the five pounds the first week thing. I did learn a few things from the Atkins book that I will incorporate into my "plan".

Just got back from seeing my mother. It was her birthday. I had stewed myself and finally, as per the book on worry, just "Did the right thing" and called her and went out. It wasn't that bad, she was in a fairly decent mood. Of course, she had to spend some time on old garbage, trying to pry out stuff. And if I told her things, then I would have had to listen for an hour about how it really didn't happen that way.... so I have learned to just try and fog it. Some days I do better than others. Some days she is worse than others.

She thought I looked like I had lost more weight. Says I'm not as puffy. Boy, my mother sure knows how to mangle an attempt at a compliment.

We also went to the lake. I am real proud of myself, I did not buy a box of Triscuits. Instead I bought some celery and ate it with some lite cream cheese for my afternoon snack. (I've been known to eat a whole box of Triscuits when we got back in from fishing with lite cream cheese.) Just a step, but maybe I can build on it. Sure would like to get below the 150 number on the scales.

Jo

Hi Jo,

The word "puffy" must have been some sort of "off compliment" from the past cause I've heard that one more times than I care to remember!
I don't know where I heard it, but some psychologist on some program I was watching once gave the advice of not even trying to rehash old incidents with parents unless the parents are the ones to initiate the conversation. I remember him saying that it will only frustrate you (the child) because the parent will not only still be in denial, but get upset that you're calling them less than a perfect parent! I of course didn't listen and tried bringing out some stuff with my mom and like he said, it backfired! Mom cried (which made me feel guilty), totally didn't remember one incident the way I was telling it, went in to detail about all her sacrificing, etc., and never once gave an inch or admitted I was right! It was a disaster! So like you, I've learned to "fog" things most times now!

I sure hope I don't put my kids through it like this?! I'd like to think I've learned what not to do, but who knows?

Donna

Donna, I have tried really really hard to not put my adult kids through this stuff. Some might say that I'm not "involved" enough with my kids. I rarely call them, especially my son. His marriage has gone through some rough times and his wife seems to be threatened by his successful assertive mother. I figure let them have their lives and they know that I am always available and love them.

With my mother, I have been through therapy three different times in my life. She can still "pull my chain" but overall I have learned to handle her pretty good. I try to do the right thing but set limits. There are some topics I refuse to listen to, most others I just try to fog it. When she lets me chose the subject for discussion, I strive for superficiality. The weather, the Royals and Chiefs, the grandkids. But rarely do I get the choice as to what to talk about. So I avoid visiting her and try to limit our contact to one phone call a week.

This morning I finally cracked the 150 number. 149.8. I have been sort of working on this for about six weeks. Now I want to get this to settle a bit and go maybe down to 149 by next Thursday when we start getting ready for vacation.

Still no work, don't expect any for the month of July since we will be on vacation the last part of the month.

Jo

Back to my journal. I have not been able to get myself out of the house to exercise. It is so hot, but that is no excuse. The gym has fairly good air conditioning. Have not been doing too bad on food. (Partly that is because there is no junk food in the house to eat.)

We have only eight more days before we head to the mountains. It was 72 in Breckenridge yesterday. I can't wait. If I ever won the lottery, which is tough since I rarely play, I would buy a condo in Breckenridge. We would rent it out in ski season and then spend July and part of August there. Doesn't that sound wonderful. Ah well, we can all fantasize.

Guess what, I have some work. Not a big project, probably 12 hours, but I will have something coming in this month.

Claudette missed our new house by about 50 miles. I'm sure we got rain and wind, but it shouldn't have been too bad. Wouldn't that have been a kicker if we bought a new house and it was flattened by a hurricaine the first year. Still, we knew the risks. Where the house is it should be OK except for a direct hit of a category 3 or above storm. Maybe have some water damage, but the rest should be OK.

Onward. Almost time for my afternoon snack. Hmmmmm.

Jo

Great news about the work. Something you can do before you go away on your trip? I know that you were going crazy with restlessness. The mountains sound wonderful. My Sweetie & I have always planned to go see the Rockies someday, but it seems that trip never comes... I am jealous!

On the other hand, we are having beautiful weather here, so I don't envy your heat... :laugh: Hope you have a little breather so you can do some exercising!

Lisrey :)

Is this the house your rented? Gosh I hope its ok.
Good I am glad you are still getting a bit of work and thats about right for how much time you have before you leave.

How do you get any exercise in moving around like that? I guess walking would be ok etc. I know for me I only exercise if I have a reasonable time to do it.



Please cathc a fish for me and enjoy it for me. I miss fresh fish sooo much
CJ

I love to eat fresh fish, especially when it has been swiming around a couple of hours earlier. We have fish about two to three times a week. When we are at the lake I fry the small ones. We keep the bigger ones to do on the grill.

This was the new house that we bought. It appears to be fine, Claudette missed it.

I have just about got all my "running" around done before we go on vacation. Today I bought some paperback books to read. (Don't like to take library books on trips.) I also got a full supply of sinus pills, Rolaids, and nasal spray. Yesterday I picked up another pair of jeans. I've been trying to get an antennae that will fit my cell phone, have tried to order one and have gone to several different places. One place called last night and said it was in but when I went to pick it up this morning they couldn't find it. So frustrating..

Last night we went out to dinner for our annerversary. Had salmon and it was wonderful. I had one glass of wine and we shared a dessert. But heck, it was a special day.

Hanging in there. This time next week we will be on the road to Colorado.

Jo

I love fish too, but I am not one for fishing... do you clean your fish, or does your husband do that for you?? I am sure I could not do that.

Hope you had a happy anniversary! Your trip sounds so wonderful. I am sure you'll have a great time.

Lisrey :ex:

Have a wonderful time in Colorado Jo. that salmon dinner last night sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate your anniversary.
i dont eat nearly enough fish but reading about yours reminds me that i should buy some as i have lots of fish recipes i havent tried out.
hugs bell :)

Colorado is such a bueatiful state. You will have a wonderful time. I admit I hardly ever eat fish now.. .I wish I did but I have a hard time finding it here in Tucson. Most of what I get is just awful and expensive. Growing up we ate it all the time because my grandparents took us fishing.

Have a great trip jo. can't wait to here about it when you are back.

I can't believe it has been so long since I posted in my journal. Well, here is a quick one. We leave tomorrow for Colorado. I am really looking forward to the trip. I checked the weather this morning and it will be on the cool side, upper 60's. But after the heat the last few weeks, it will be very welcome, at least for me.

I plan on trying to keep from stuffing myself, keep the booze within reasonable limits. Still, I know it will be hard since we will be eating out every day. It will be hot driving out, but blessedly cool when we get there.

I'm packed and ready.

Jo

Well we are back from vacation. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about how I did. The good news is that we walked almost every day and I did manage to keep the booze within what I consider reasonable limits.

The bad news is that they had a breakfast bar that had plenty of pastries and I ate one every day. Along with the hot chocolate which was wonderful. Along with a bagel on top of the other.
Other meals were OK for vacation status.

We had a wonderful time and it was blessedly cool. Weather cooperated and not much more than a few afternoon showers.

I'm home and now trying to pull myself together to get back on track. I did enter my food in FitDay yesterday and so far again today. I heard from my brother, he has done wonderful on Atkins both from losing ten more pounds and great blood sugar control. So I thought I would use fitday to see what my carb intake is. Geeze. Pretty high for yesterday. Today I'm avoiding starches and it is already over 40 grams. I can't see how I could do 20 grams a day to get started like they want. Still, I guess it is worth a few day trial. I think I'll call my brother and see how he is doing now that he is trying to do maintenance.

According to the scales this morning I gained 3 pounds, which is not bad. But that is still early, I have seen myself continue to gain for a week after vacation.

I went over to the office and dropped off my bill. A paralegal that they had before Dawn decided to come back, full time. So now they have four counting me. Not sure at all how this is going to work out. Dawn (who had the premie baby) will be working from home but not full time. The fill in person will be working in the office but only three days a week. Diana, who came back, is great about putting charts together, ordering records, and such. She can do time lines and picked up some experience in the job she just left a long in that area. I made a point of talking with her today and being nice. Told her I thought the big guy was thrilled to have her back and that we needed someone (her) to be in charge of how the work was sorted out.

Then I helped her figure out how to do something for one of the senior attornies. Dumb for me to do? I don't know, I really care about the firm and I have made the decision to NOT work in the office, even though I have been offered the job many times. The paralegals had a meeting last week, and I would have been asked to attend except I was on vacation. Dianna said that everyone agreed that I was the best they had related to internet research. She also agreed that it made more sense for someone to continue with a case they had started. We talked quite a bit about what I could do and liked to do. I think there will be work but not at the volume there was in the past. Time will tell.

Just rambling, can't seem to get back into a routine yet.

Jo

welcome back Jo. sounds like you had a fun vacation. its always hard to get back into routine after coming home isnt it? but good job on getting those walks in every day.. food is always a tough thing to manage on vacation, i always seem to struggle with it when i am not at home.
Welcome back. i have missed you!
hugs bell :)

Welcome back, Jo! Sounds like your vacation was wonderful. I hope you got lots of relaxing in and that your enjoyed yourself completely. A good vacation can work wonders! :)

I'm sure you will have any gain melted away soon. It is forgivable to "live it up" a little on a trip, and your walking sounds good. Better than at home? Hope the work situation will work out the way you want it. I am very loyal to my workplace, too... and it is struggling as well, as you know from my journal. :(

Glad you are back!

Lisrey :flower:

Well we are back from a couple of days fishing. It was warm but could have been worse.

I have a small work project. Probably the way things are going to be for a while, but at least it is something. I have done all I can do, so what will be will be.

Fighting the funks. I hoped that vacation would send those away, which it did while I was on vacation. But now they are back. I guess it is the heat, the work situation, and a little bit the "country/world" situation. I'll just take a deep breath and take it one day at a time. Not doing too bad on food, just on the exercise thing.

Jo

Geeze, back two days in a row. Just a quick note. I got an emergency project for work to do this weekend. Should give me some hours to bill for this month, which is good. Still have no idea how things are going to work out at the firm. They did win the big case, $0 to the Plaintiff. Now that the big guy is back he will have to figure out what to do with his paralegals. Knowing him, he probably won't DO anything and we will just muddle along until things work out some way.

Two days of fairly decent eating, sort of low carbing it. Today I had only one bread serving. Yesterday was the same. To get down to "no" bread servings is a real struggle for me.

My vacation weight gain continues on an upward trend. (Not surprising, it usually takes a week or so.) So I have gained a full three pounds and am pushing, but not there, 145. I wouldn't be surprised if it drops down some tomorrow since I have had two good days.

Work to do, need to go.

Jo

I *so* understand where you're coming from about the bread thing. I could just never give up bread. And since I don't really eat veggies, that wouldn't leave me with a whole lot of food options!

Good for you with the two good days. I guess I don't understand the low carb thing too well. Does it work to just do it for a few days? I got the impression that you had to stick to it really religiously to get the good results? If you eat low carb two days then eat lots of carbs but good calories for two days, is that a crime on those plans?

Lisrey :flower:

Lisrey, I used a version of lower carb while I was losing weight. I tried to limit bread/starch to three servings a day and concentrated sweets to one a week. I still try to do that, but had been slipping a little in recent months. Now, even though I'm not able to totally low carb it, I have gotten back within the three servings or less.

I think it is important for me since my brother has diabetes, two other brothers have some abnormal lab that shows they "might" be predisposed to diabetes, and a cousin has diabetes. I also know that I am carb sensitive and once I eat sweets and starches I will continue eating all day. So, onward.

Jo

Another day, another dollar. After having NO work for several weeks, I had an emergency project over the weekend and worked 20 hours. I finished it this morning and took it over to Larry. He was thrilled with what I had done and told me he has more stuff for me, as soon as he has time to sit down and figure it out. I think he would like for me to have the relationship with him (almost exclusive) that I had with Thom. Whatever, he is a sweetheart to work with. I also brought home some more records from the female attorney so I have work for about ten days. Steve says things are back to "normal", Jo upstairs on Sunday night rushing to finish something to take to the office on Monday.

While I was at the office they had donuts and cookies in the break room. I managed to avoid them and as you all know, donuts are my absolute biggest weakness. I did break down and have a diet Dr. Pepper, but it WAS before noon.

Still no effort on exercise, but figuring out ways to cut the carbs in my day to day eating. Scales inching downward. Still hot. Still a little bummed out, but that is better with enough work for the month of august in the house.

Jo

I don't remember if I posted here about my niece. She has been out of the Army for over three years and has two kids under age four. She was told to show up for training and that she might be called up. Don't understand how they could do that, since she was NOT in the reserves. We were all very upset. She was a truck driver, no special skills at all.

Talk about not knowing what they are doing. The Army made her show up for this "class" that was a 16 hour drive from her home. When she got "there", the class was cancelled and they sent her home. But first they put major pressure on her to "sign up" for the reserves. Told her if she signed up and got called, she would get a big bonus. If she went home and got called, NO BONUS. Of course, if she signs up she has a four year committment, and they could call her as many times as they wanted in that four years. I'm not sure that I don't think the whole thing was a manipulative scam to get her to sign up in the reserves for the four year committment. I understand the numbers of people in the reserves is dropping like a rock, NO ONE is re-signing.

My brother talked to her from my house, he yelled at her to sign nothing. But the kids are having some pretty tough financial times, and they don't think things through in that situation. She thinks, "Well if I have to go anyway, why not have the extra money." But, as things stand right now, they can only keep her for six months, where if she re-signs, who knows. Pretty ugly situation. But for now she is home and safe.

We are back from fishing. Had good fishing and the weather was great for August. Doing OK on food, but that is about all.

Jo

Sunday,

Well the last three days have not been very good food wise. Started off with the grands Friday, burger, fries, and ice cream. Saturday was just so so. Today was brunch, and I had no control. EIEEEEEEE!

I picked up a copy of the SBD book and started to read it last night. The theories sound good. I have been attempted to follow it (based on infor from the net) but not too much success so far. However, I think starting tomorrow morning I will give it another whirl.

Jo

Sounds like you had a weekend of splurging! Hope it was fun, at least! :D I am sure you will be right back on track again. Have you been having any luck getting some exercise in? I am doing lots of exercise, and for the past few days my food has finally been good again. It sure seems to take a lot of effort for me to get both under control...

Glad you enjoyed your fishing trip!

Lisrey *

Well, today is my first day of trying level I SBD. I'm not hungry but already I'm missing my toast for breakfast. I made a grocery list and will head out to the store to add in some stuff I need. Didn't even get on the scales today after the sweet attack yesterday.

Jo

Went to the grocery store and spent a tidy sum. But now I have what I need to get started. And some of it will be enough to last a long time, like the Splenda.

Finally, the scales are moving back towards where they were. I'm sure some of it is water weight, but then some of my gain was water weight (from vacation and a sweets/carb binge).

I will NOT gain that weight back. I will continue to fight it, one day at a time.

Jo

Hi ya, Jo, what do you know?

That gets said to me so often that I really enjoy saying it to another Jo. :D

Thanks for stopping by my journal. And I've been reading through yours a bit. Glad that you enjoyed your trip to Colorado. We always enjoy it when we get there. And we try to visit it every year or so.

Since you are trying SBD a bit I will share with you that so am I. I am only incorporating some of the SBD ideas into my eating plan with some success. I think that perhaps this is the solution to my carb cravings, which at times are pretty demanding. We shall see, we shall see.

It is sure a day-to-day battle, isn't it? For the rest of our lives. But it is worth the effort.

Keep smiling -

Yes, for the rest of our lives. May they be healthy and wonderful.

I've made it three days on phase I of SBD, and put myself on phase II today. However, I have gotten off a couple of very needed pounds, and am pretty close to where I was before vacation.

Heat index is supposed to be 116 today. It is not supposed to get that hot in Missouri in August. But so be it.

Jo

Yay for dropping those vacation pounds! :) :)

It was really, really hot here today, too. We played golf in it! Thought I had been through the wringer when we were done. Just exhausting with the humidity and all. Hope you have a great weekend!

Lisrey :D

Hi, Jo. My original name is JoAnn, and I was born in Independence, KANSAS. Not Independence, Mo, but Independence, Kansas. It is a quite small town in SE Kansas.

Attended University of Mo. in Columbia, got married, lived lots of places, and finally settled in Wyoming over 40 years ago.

I forgot to mention that I also lived in Lees Summit, which is also in that area. Speaking of Herman, Mo, did you ever visit the winery there? It is quite interesting.

116 is mighty HOT. Let's all go swimming. But to make you feel the heat I will share with you that I needed a sweatshirt this AM when I went for my walk. This afternoon the temp is in the lower 90's. But fall is coming, albeit slowly.

I am finding that facets of the SBD are very workable for me. I get lots of veggies, some protein, a bit of fruit, and I'm feeling good.

Keep smiling -

Thanks for dropping by everyone.

I had a pretty good day today. I did have 7 grain bread for breakfast, and boy did it taste good. But that was the only starch I had for the day.

I need to stay on track for a few more days, and will get back to where I was. I will see my ex husband at our daughters Labor Day weekend, and that always motivates me. <grin>

Jo

Originally posted by jowc123
I will see my ex husband at our daughters Labor Day weekend, and that always motivates me.

That is motivation for sure. :D

Well, here I am, another week behind me. Happily I can report that my six days on SB have dropped me down three pounds. So I am back to where I was before we headed on vacation in July. Now, if I can just get off three more pounds I will be happy to just stabilize for a while. (that will put me in the all important 140's, even if it is the high 140's.)

By the way, per the doctors scales, my current scales are running pretty on the money with the balance scales. I weighed 156 at the doctors, fully dressed with shoes on. I weighed about 154 on my scales that morning, with only a nightgown on. I know the scales I weighed on when I started were light, I always weighed about 5 pounds more at the hospital balance scales, without shoes.

I've moved to phase II of SBD, adding back fruit and one serving of starch a day if I want it.

Jo

So did you feel confident seeing the ex over labor day? Was it great to feel thin and get those three pounds back off?

I am loving this SBD because it is something I can do without tracking things. I plan on doing a 5 pound challenge for September and working my plan.

I am glad that you are doing well. I hope your weekend went great.

Again thanks for being such a wonderful mentor for me. I am so on my own because all of the women in my family are psycho it is nice to have someone watch out for me who really knows what life is about and has been there.

Your the best Jo
hugs
CJ

Well, the weekend bash my daughter had, with ex present, went well. I had on some nice size 10 slacks and a slinky black top, and I looked good, even if I do say so. The part was for Kathy's in-laws, their 50th wedding annerversary. They have had a very tough year, as their 40 year old daughter died of an overdose last December.

Kenny, my ex, came through like a champ and helped my daughter set up the furniture, tables, chairs and so on. (Her husband took his parents to the ball game since the whole party was a surprise.). I helped Kathy with the memory book, scanned all the pictures and fixed the ones that needed fixing, plus some nice graphic touches. I also helped set out the food and then the clean up. I think my daughter was proud that her parents were there to help her. She sure bore the brunt of all the work and cooked food for 100+ people. I'm pretty proud of her.

Monday (the holiday) I took all my kids and grands out to dinner at a Mexican place. We had a great time. I ate too much and between both days I drank too much. Margarita ville.... yeah they were good.

So of course, the pounds gone are almost back. But what the heck, I had a good time. And now I am pretty much back on track.

Jo

Hi, Jo. Sounds like a great party your daughter put on for her inlaws. Glad you enjoyed it.

The slinky black top and the size 10 pants also sound pretty classy. :D

It was doubtless a weekend to remember.

I'm glad you had a good time, too! That's awesome. It sounds like a wonderful family gathering... and your attitude about the gain/loss/gain/loss is wonderful as well. You rock.

Lisrey :up:

Lisrey, the gain/loss/gain/loss and now another GAIN. I fell off the wagon big time over the weekend and hit the sweets while I was out shopping by myself, more than once. You could call it "sneak" eating, and it is the way I gained 50 pounds the last time. This is very scary stuff for me. I haven't been that much out of control since I can remember. Oh, maybe one sweet here and one there, but rarely start in the morning and keep on all day.

And of course, the scales show it this morning. Plus, my target/success pair of jeans, the ones from 15 years ago that are not the new "relaxed fit" stuff, are way to tight. They will zip, but I can't sit in them.

No point in dwelling on the slip. (Crash actually.) Time to get back on track. We are going away for a little romantic holiday at a wonderful B&B in two weeks. I will get this thing back on track. I will have a good two weeks and get the scales back to where they were.

I am now officially back in "dieting" mode. This must be done, now, before I start a spiral back into the fat Jo.

Jo

Well, we both know that the important thing is that we recognize these moments and correct our behavior before things get out of control. I have total faith that you will do that! :up: I hope that I can be as good -- I have been having "snack attacks" lately and my scale is also up. Gotta lick this thing!

Lisrey :(

OH Jo

Thats how it goes though isn't it. The difference between people who lose the weight permanently and those of us who gain it back is that the ones who lose it permenanently only crash 1% of the time as opposed to every other day.

I have found that as I do SBD the cravings are starting to subside and I am able to think about whether I am hungry or not etc. I eat less and my bad days are much farther between with more good days.
You have gottten to the level where you have strung so many good days together that you can achieve succes.

Now get back on the wagon. Hey come and join our SBD challenge for September and set whatever goal you want.

That is where I post now as I only have a quick hello goodbye time anymore.

Hi, Jo. It's a constant battle, isn't it? Just take it a day at a time.

CJ 5 mentioned that SBD helps control cravings. I think that is very true. In my case I have incorporated some of the SBD thoughts into my WOE, maybe I am in Phase II or III, at any rate I am finding that my cravings are now easier to control. Hope that lasts.

Keep smiling, and enjoy your visit to the B&B. :D

Thanks everyone for the supportive words. I really need them right now. It is so scary to have found myself that much out of control.

Today was much better. The only carbs I had were a few of the corn chips from a Chicken Faheta salad. (Steve and I always eat out on Monday.( The rest of the day was fine. Plus, I got my exercise minutes in.

Tomorrow will be an even better day since we will have some grilled fish for dinner and I won't have any temptations anywhere.

And CJ, I will run over and participate in the SBD challenge.

Thanks again.

Jo

Day three of my modified SBD stage I. So far so good. Tomorrow I will move to a phase II routine. So far no cramps in my feet, but tomorrow I'm going to start with half an orange a day, which should help.

Scales are down from that awful high number, which makes me feel better.

Need to go and get my walk in.

Jo

It has been a while since I have been by my own journal.

I was worried about not having enough work, well now I have two big projects going on.

I also have been spending way too much time on the internet haunting the political blogs. I am an incurable political junkie, and very much interested in this next election cycle.

Steves mother is not doing well. She is in the hospital (in New York) and he had to make a decision regarding a feeding tube. He just wasn't quite ready to say no to anything, so we have let them put an NG tube down for a few days to try some new antipsychotic and antidepression meds, plus feed her a little. She is 94, had previously been able to talk to him on the phone twice a week. (She does not have dementia but has had paranoid ideation for several years.) She just stopped eating and refused to take her medication at the nursing home. I think she is ready to die. But her son (Steve) is not quite ready to make the decision to let her go. It is hard for him. But he has told the doctor he will not approve a permanent feeding tube and the doctor agrees. So pretty soon she will be sent to a different place to die. (The nursing home will not take her back without a feeding tube.) Steve refuses to go back to see her either. He has not seen her since she went into the nursing home several years ago. I think she didn't want him to see her there and I know he didn't want to either. I sure hope he doesn't go into a major depression over this. We will have to go back when she dies, but there will be no funeral or special service. There is only Steve and one distant cousin, no other family. And his mother had no friends either, because of her paranoia.

I'm doing pretty OK eating wise. Have already gotten in my exercise minutes for the week and hope to get in some extra minutes tomorrow.

I also bought some Liz Claiborn jeans and capris today, marked way down. Size 12. So I'm still doing OK.

Jo

They called last night about 1 AM, his mother died. (About 2 AM their time). The doctor told Steve that "she made the decision for us." I thought that was very kind of him. We were very lucky in this physician, he seemed very caring and not at all aggressive re unnecessary treatment. Steve is doing OK. Not wonderful, but OK. He made several phone calls this morning and for now some things are arranged. I had pushed him into arranging a funeral home for the cremation (her wishes) about four years ago. We just got back from a walk and while we were walking he thanked me for making him go ahead and do that. It was so much easier. He has decided not to go back to New York. The funeral home will ship the ashes to where ever we wish, and the director is going to find out information re an internment that would be close to where she lived all her life. Since Steve absolutely hates New York, and it would be extremely expensive for both of us to fly back, rent a hotel, and rent a car, I am not going to push him. There is really no one there.

This is one of the terrible things about getting older. Your parents die. We still have my mother, always a hassle, and my ex husbands mother who we are very close to. But we will not be alone for either of those when the time comes.

I'm really glad this come to a closure before our little trip next week. This way we can go and not worry about something happening.

As for my weight, I'm hanging in there. Down from that high number. I bought two pairs of Liz Claiborn pants, (jeans and capris) both size 12 and they fit fine. Got a great deal, both pair for $31 including tax.

Jo

Hi, Jo...

I'm sorry to hear about your DH's mom. Has to be hard, but you are right, it sounds like a very caring doctor. Also sounds like you were well prepared and that has to make things a little easier.

Yay for you getting back on track & dropping a few of those pounds. Slow, steady & sure! :up:

Where are you going on your little trip? Think I missed that.

Lisrey :x

Hi Jo,

I wanted to pat you on the back for the way you handled your 'fall off the wagon', and send my condolences to you and your DH for your loss.

Thanks for dropping by both of you. We are heading to Missouri wine country. Yes, Missouri has wineries. Bunches of them. Mainly along the Missouri River. There is a little German town called Herman that has a bunch of B&B's plus several wineries. On up the river is another area that has a beautiful winery with a huge shaded wood deck, tables, and a wonderful view of the country side. We will go there for a bottle of wine and lunch. Very very pretty spot. The B&B is on a bluff, overlooking Herman and the river (in the distance). It is pretty new, very plush, and they have a nice outside deck where you can eat breakfast if the weather is good, which it is supposed to be. So it will be a nice little get a way, and couldn't have come at a better time.

Will not be wonderful for my diet, but hey. You have to be able to enjoy life once in a while. Mostly it will be a nice breakfast and then wine and cheese and bread.

I'm going to my granddaughters first volly ball game this afternoon. I cooked Steve one of his very favorite non fish meals last night, something his mother used to fix for him. He seems OK and slept pretty good. He still hasn't gotten a hold of his cousin. I sure hope she doesn't rag him about not coming back to New York.

Jo

Jo, I didn't realize that you were a political animal. Just be thankful that you don't reside in Cally-fornia at the moment as the recall fiasco is an embarrassing, debilitating nightmare. I can't even turn on TV anymore because I am sick to death of seeing Arnold's face.

Not that I approve of the grey Gray Davis, but I will vote NO on the recall. I haven't a clue as who to vote for though. Can't quite get behind the idea of voiting for Bustamonte just to beat Arnold... Arianna Huffington won't win, but if she did, would I be able to listen to her for a prolonged time? The whole thing is sickening and futile.

My bid for Prez. is much easier to enthusiastically commit to: not only will I vote for John Kerry, but I plan to work for his campaign! The last campaign I worked for was Jerry Brown for Governor of California when I was a kid. He was so refreshingly pro-environment and anti-nuclear that it was a no brainer. Plus, he was dating one of my then role models - singer Linda Ronstat. :o

Cheers,

Hi, Jo.

Did I ever mention that we used to live in Herman, Missouri. Long, long time ago. We also lived at New Haven and Washington. My DH was working on the MOP railroad, and we lived lots of places.

Hope you enjoy your time there.

Hey Jo, we had a wonderful time in Herman. The weather was beatiful, the wine was great. Ate too much, drank too much. I am avoiding the scales for a couple of days but sooner or later I need to see what the damage was.

I bought Dr. Phils's new weight loss book today. Wish I had lost (and kept off) a pound for every book that I have bought over the last few years. Still, if I get one good idea per book, then that will help me keep it off.

Steve and I talked quite a bit about being able to grow old and still be healthy. For me the key will be exercise and maintaining my weight loss. For him the key was drinking less (he has) and being able to keep weight ON! Yes, he is a skinny fellow. And my healthly eating/cooking style hasn't helped much. Plus he is great about saying lets go for a walk, which has made him even thinner.

This is really important to me. To keep this weight off and to cook/eat healthy and to exercise in some regular fashion.

You are doing so great JoJo, I hope I can do as well as you have when I am 77.

Jo

Hi, Jo. Glad you enjoyed Herman. Your going there sure brought back fond memories to me.

And I also bought Dr. Phil's book, in Safeway of all places. Tonight I plan to dig into it. I have another Dr. Phil book which I have found to be a good read. We always keep learning things that are of benefit to us, don't we?

Hey, life is good! Enjoy it, always. :D

Jo
I am sorry to hear about your husbands mom. I know that I worry about my parents and they are much younger than you and really their health is failing. I wonder if my sisters are going to be caring for them for 30 years before they pass away. That may be ok for my mom but I just don't know a saint a life who could take care of my dad that long.

It seems thing are settling down. Hopefully a nice vacation will relieve things. BTW do you know that Joyce Vedryl gains and loses the same 5 pounds all the time? I read that in her book. I am not sure that dieting is a static situation. I hve sort of expected some fluxuations to account for the wonderful life that we want to experience.

I got the Dr. Phil book lisrey but gave it to a friend because I don't have time to read it. I thought it might do a good job of getting someone out of denial or contemplation but I am not convinced it would do a lot at moving them into an action stage.. I liked Dr. Phils first book but I wonder what he will do when someone plateuas and just doesn't lose for a few weeks. I mean it happens and there is not a thing you can do about it. Personally I think there is a pshychology to weight loss but I am not sure that Dr. Phil nailed it this time.

Take care.

Hi Jo,
been so long since i have checked in with you just to say hi, so here i am.
i saw at the maintenance thread that you are coming up to your anniversary of being at goal....congratulations! every year that we can keep this weight off is another year of a healthier us right?
my weight goes up and down the same few pounds every month i just dont let it get over a certain point..if it does i crack back down on myself and start journalling the food and exercise again.
well keep on going Jo, you are doing great!
Promise to check in more often.
hugs bell :)

Sunday,

Thanks all for dropping by. Yes, I fight the same three pounds over and over. Our little holiday brought them back again, hopefully for a brief visit.

Still, all in all, I have totally kept off 50+ pounds for two years, as of the middle of October. I'm hoping by that date I will be able to say I kept off 55 pounds.

I planned on a really quiet weekend, with staying in the wieght loss mode of SB. Yesterday Steve said he wanted to go to the champagne brunch today. First I said no, but he has been so down about his mother, I just couldn't do it. So I really made an effort to eat less at the brunch. Not good per se, but better than I usually do. I did manage to skip dessert completely. And I also skipped the pasta bar, and had the chicken instead. So if I had just managed to avoid the pastry (I only had a small serving) it would have been pretty OK. Still, it was better than usual.

Tomorrow, will get back on a strict track. Maybe even go to the gym. We won't eat out tomorrow since we ate out today.

Onward.

Jo

Originally posted by jowc123

Still, all in all, I have totally kept off 50+ pounds for two years, as of the middle of October. I'm hoping by that date I will be able to say I kept off 55 pounds.


That's very good, Jo. It takes a day to day effort to 'maintain'and I am one who thinks that 'maintaining' is MORE difficult than losing.

Keep up the good work. It is worth all the effort. :D

I am pretty sure that maintaining is difficult. As Dr. Phil says, weight is managed, not cured. There are just some things in life that you have to accept and go forward with, and for some of us weight will be a battle. (Not like my DH, who is just getting thinner as he gets older, and I have to rag him to eat more.)

I've had a pretty good week. Got some exercise in, not had any big lapse in control, and some pretty good eating days. For this morning I'm down a pound for the week and am now three pounds from my goal number. I sure would like to get there or a little below that number before the holidays hit.

Jo

Hahaha Jo -- everyone saying how hard maintenance is makes me think maybe my slow crawl to goal is okay! :laugh: Really, I am a little scared of maintenance. I fear that I will "release myself" of the blocks I've placed on certain types of eating. I hope that I will continue my exercise habit, but I wonder how serious I will remain about it. I want to think that I will be a good maintainer, as I know I have built up good lasting habits, but what will happen to my psyche when that goal number is found??

Glad you're having a good week. You should have no problem getting where you want to be in time for the holidays. The question for all of us is, will we maintain through them? :)

Lisrey :up:

Well, I haven't been over to "my journal" for quite a while. I will try to do better.

We had a birthday party for my youngest brother last night. Had pizza and a cake. I did manage to control myself pretty well with the pizza and only had one beer and a small piece of cake. However, another brother came by the house with a box of doughnuts in the afternoon. AYXC**()_+_.

A bit of a wake up call. Another brother, this one weighs +300, has developed diabetes. (He is 51 years old, and yeah, I have a lot of brothers.) The doctor handed him a diet and a living will and told him if he didn't do the one he might as well fill out the other cause he would need it. Sort of a wake up call, huh. Anyway, he has lost about 60 pounds and is following a version of Atkins, keeping his carbs to about 30 grams. Don't know how well this work. This brother was told he was "pre diabetic" about two years ago and didn't do anything other than quit regular coke. He makes a ton of money, sure hope he is around to enjoy it.

But it was again, a wakeup call for me. Clearly my family falls in that group that don't do well with high carbs and starches. I know that I am not overweight like the brothers who have diabetes, but I was overweight. And I'm still not thin by any means, just barely within the weight chart for my height. I need to find an exercise program that I can live with. I probably need to lose another five or so pounds. Here I am struggling just to maintain.

Last week I did get in three days of walking, but did not quite meet my goal of 150 minutes. (did 140, we got rained on one day and came in early.)

So, I'm still here at DietTalk. Still hanging in there. Still wearing my size 12's. But I still have a ways to go.

Jo

Sounds like you did pretty well with the exercise last week. Are you still doing your thing with the resistance bands? I really like the combo of Curves and walking. I like having the two to alternate between.

I am glad you are still here, Jo. You give me something to shoot for. I know maintenance is hard and will be hard for me. It is also hard to know what weight is really right for you, isn't it. I feel pretty good where I am now, though I know I still need to lose 15-20 more pounds. I am so much healthier than I was... but there is always room for improvement, right?

Lisrey :laugh:

Monday,

Well I weighed this morning and haven't done too much damage from the weekend (and my birthday dinner). I'm still in the low 152's and I started in the 155's right after our vacation. Roughly I'd guess I lost about two pounds over a month.

Still, I would like to have these scales read mostly in the 149's (or below) which would mean a 60 pound weight loss since when I began. I do feel a little more motivated since talking with my brother Saturday night.

I made myself a pot of cabbage soup Sunday. I have made a great recipie, taking one I saw on DietTalk and modifying it a little. Real easy, REAL tasty. Makes enough to last over a week. (Steve won't touch the stuff, he doesn't like cooked cabbage.)

so I'm ready to charge forward.

Jo

Hi Jo!

Just checking up on ya...

I tried to reply to your PM a few weeks ago, but your box was full and wouldn't accept it - shame on you! Meanwhile the great state of California has been stuck with Arnold... *sigh*:tomato:

I've been really trying hard the last few days. Managed to eat pretty much on track. Lowish carbs. Very few starches. I even have managed to exercise somewhat consistently.

We just got back from the lake. Had some great weather and some great fishing. Should be the last trip fishing this fall. We will go and close up one more time.

Tomorrow night is the traditional "Trunk or Treat" at my granddaughters catholic school. They fill the parking lot with SUV's and the trunks have the treats. The kids dress up and go around to all of the trunks. I have gone with the girls every year. It is great fun. I always have a hotdog and of course some of the Halloween candy. I'll try to be good tomorrow, but I do plan on having a little of the candy. It wouldn't be Halloween otherwise.

Will let you all know how the scales are tomorrow. I'm hoping for something in the 152's. (My scales go in .2 of a pound).

Jo

have fun at the trunk or treat- sounds like great fun to me!
Good luck with those scales tomorrow, i will have everything crossed for ya!
hugs bell :)

Well the scales have been stuck in the 152's. Still, a few weeks ago they were reading in the 155's, which was totally unacceptable. I went to the gym today for the first time in several months. Sure I will be sore tomorrow. But I already have my total exercise minutes in for the week, and hope to add some more tomorrow.

I have done some reading on strength training. Found something in Woman's Day with a routine that focuses on all the major muscles, done real sloooow, and only suppossed to take 15-20 minutes, twice a week. I did it Tuesday down at the lake. And today at the gym I focused on doing my same routine but very slow with fewer sets. I'm hoping this strength routine will be something that I can live with, mixed in with walking.

Tonight will be a challenge. But I'm feeling pretty good about it right now, so I should be OK.

Jo

i would love to hear about the strength training routine Jo. i do loads of cardio and still not enough resistance/strength training.
great job on getting to the gym!
hugs bell :)

I have done the new super slow strength training routine twice now. Boy does it result in sore muscles. Tuesday I did it at the lake with free weights, and Friday I went to the gym. (Yea me.) The quick routine was in the October 1 Woman's Day magazine. However the book is titled The Slow Burn Fitness Routine, and there is some web stuff at www.seriousstrength.com. I didn't find the web as helpful as the magazine, but I will try Google and see if there are some other sites that maybe have more information. I think I might get the book. I hope this will be something I can fit into my life. According to the magazine 30 minutes (or less) twice a week will work. If I can add that to my walking I should have a pretty good plan for someone my age.

I think my focus the next few weeks is going to have to be on exercise. Doesn't look like my weight is going to change much, this appears to be a "natural" low weight for me. So instead of fighting nature, I need to go forward. And for a matter of health, I need to get regular exercise in my life.

Brunch today, ate too much. tomorrow will be "penance" time.

Jo

Focusing on exercise is an excellent plan, Jo. I know it's the tough part for you! At least you are aware of its importance and you work on it. When you're at goal it might be easy to ignore, but you aren't satisfied with just getting there, you want to stay there & stay healthy. Good for you! Go, go, go!!

Lisrey :coach:

I'm hanging in there. So far this week I have done one free weight session at home and one 50 minute walk. I do plan on getting to the gym at least once.

I'm also thinkg of going back to my pre South Beach food plan. I think I will keep a couple of the best things from SB, particularly counting the starch/fruit. Probably will start out at 4 servings (for both) a day. I also will keep the "nuts" for a snack instead of the Triscuits which I had been having trouble controlling.

Otherwise, going back to what worked for me best. And as always, willing to learn and improve.

I've watched a couple of the Dr. Phil programs. Last night was on "enviroment" and was very good. I laughed but felt good because I have already done the things he was recommending. If I want to "pig out" at home I am in deep trouble, cause there is no bad stuff in the house. And all of my clothes give me "feedback", i.e. get tight when I've gained a little. There is very little that is even a tiny bit loose. So I would give myself an A- on the environment part of the Dr. Phil course. (I do keep a bag of Dove dark chocolate kisses in the house, thus the -).

Onward.

I had a great week exercise wise last week, but just so so regarding food. The big downfall was the Halloween stuff plus a jewlerly party my daughter had. Oh well, it is behind me, time to look forward.

We are heading to the lake tomorrow to "close up" for the winter. That means we will go to this wonderful steak house for dinner, a tradition. I always get the prime rib, which is wonderful. They have huge baked potatos, that are very hot. Usually I can manage to limit that to eating about a third. My downfall is there honey wheat home made loaf of bread, with honey butter. Still, twice a year won't kill me.

I have pretty much given up eating bread when we go out. We tell them don't bring the bread with dinner. There are two exceptions to that rule, both places that have exceptional home made stuff. So overall, I think I do pretty good.

I talked to my brother and he reached his weight goal that the doctor set for him after going on Atkins. (This is the one who has had diabetes for several years, not the one who is newly diagnosed.) He is pleased overall, his blood sugers are much better and he has cut his insulin requirements. His wife (who was really not that overweight) went on the diet with him and went from a size 14 to a size 10. She said she has been able to stop taking her blood pressure medications and that her allergies are much better. (She figures maybe she was allergic to something like wheat.) She has spent a lot of time learning how to cook the Atkins way.

I don't know. I have not been able to go "totally Atkins". I'll think about it some more over the next few days.

Jo

Jo
I have some thoughts on Atkins as well after finding SBD. I think for someone like my mom who loves fattening foods and LOVES sugar it may be the only way. Controlling insulin is hard for someone like that.

For me as long as it isn't ketogenic I think Atkins can provide a moderate solution. Really that is all SBD is in a way. A very healthy moderate Atkins plan if you follow it conservatively.

That is great news about your brother I wish my family would make some lifestyle changes. I worry about the effect that obesity is having on their quality of life.

I agree with you on bread and potatoes. I tend to skip the bread unless it is homemade. Since I went on SBD I only eat high quality treats. For example I will have a very nice truffle over a whole chocolate bar. What I have found is that plain bread tastes terrible now so I can skip it pretty easily. When I was at my moms there was sugar everywhwere. I honestly could pass on it because it was the crappy bakery kind from albertsons. But my aunt brought over some fresh made bread and that certanly I did not pass up!!!

I hope you have a nice time. Sounds like you are mentally preparing for the coming holidays. That is what I am trying to do as well.

Hi, Jo. I have met those honey wheat home made loaves of bread, with honey butter, that you find occasionally in a restaurant. And when I meet one, I eat it!! A once in a while treat isn't going to destroy my life.

Actually I lost weight with Richard Simmons, which is essentially a low-fat diet. Now I am incorporating some aspects of the SBD into my WOE with some success. I like the SBD for the most part, and figure that I will be following some aspects of it for the rest of my life.

IMHO, we just have to pick and choose to find what works for us.

I am also mentally preparing for the holidays. The "eatin' season" as we call it around here. So far, so good. Halloween candy doesn't tempt me.

Gook luck to you.

Discouraged, discouraged. The scales are back up to the unacceptable number. (155). They had been running 153, 154.
:(

I guess the week of Halloween candy, eating out, and then the bread did me in. Even if I managed to get in my exercise minutes, it didn't seem to help.

Today I had an egg/cheese omlet for breakfast. I will try real hard to stay away from all starches and fruit. I will drink water. I have to go to the office but I will try and get some exercise in this morning. (I'm waiting for Steve to finish reading the paper so I can put in a WATP tape.)

Discouraged, discouraged. This is the hardest I have fought the gain boogy man in the last three years.

Jo

Sorry you are feeling discouraged, Jo. Do you weigh/measure your food at all? I am wondering if maybe your extra exercise made you hungrier and you ate larger portions than usual? It doesn't seem like you should have gained if you did more than normal exercise. The scale doesn't always know best, does it!?! X-(

I don't need to tell you to stick to it -- I know you will. Sooner or later you'll convince the scale it needs to tell you 150 again. Hopefully sooner!

Lisrey :hug:

I'm going to dry and do better about posting in my own journal.

Lots going on right now. It looks like (after a mini uproar) we have Thanksgiving for the family settled. My one brother (with the big house and tons of money) has had Thanksgiving dinner for several years. This summer he had a "fuss" with my mother and youngest brother. We hadn't heard anything thing about the holiday, and it looked like maybe I would get stuck with it, with my small condo and stairs (which are very difficult for mother).

Finally baby brother got one E-mail from Bud and he is going to his step daughters house for Thanksgiving. There was sort of a back handed, you can come over if you want, comment, which of course is not really an invitation at all for eight different people. (Two brothers and spouses, me and my spouse, Jerry, and mother.)

My daughter, bless her big generous heart, had offered for us to all come over to her house. She is already having about 15 people plus her family. My ex husband and his mother and sister will be there too. Some of you may remember that my ex husband is also my step brother, so he is a half brother to the three youger boys in the family. (Seven kids total, his, hers, and ours, all get along except maybe the rich brother.) My mother does not really like my ex's mother, who I love dearly, so it is one of those big family messes. I would have never thought of asking my daughter to do this, since I never know how my mother will act. But she offered, and she really meant it. Said, Nan will just have to get along with everybody. "We will put her in a chair, bring her a plate of food, and with all the kids and uproar and my big house it will be fine." Actually, I think it will be fine. Mother can be quite well behaved if she wants to. If she doesn't, she will probably never see her granddaughter again.

Then there is the thingy on my neck. Last week I had a lump "appear" on my neck. It is in an area where a lymph node would be, about the size of large pea. We will be heading to Texas in about six week, so I figured I had better have it looked at. Went to the doctor yesterday and he referred me to a specialist to have it biopsied/and or removed. He thinks it is a cyst, but...... not sure. I had trouble getting a timely appointment, but last night talked to the office manger and explained that we would be leaving town for three months. So she graciously worked me in to see the doctor next Tuesday and has tentativley "penciled me in" on the surgery schedule for December 4th. Otherwise, from my first appointment, it would have been around the 15th of December for the earliest surgery slot.

Hopefully, by my appointment next Tuesday the thing will have gone away, but I am not hopeful. It is less red, but otherwise the size is the same. No fever, no sign of infection anywhere, no other swollen lymph nodes. But you can clearly see it as a bump on the neck.

I also talked with the doctor about my lab results from last spring and my weight. My HDL's are "excellent", my ratio is good, my LDL's are fair but he prefers them a little lower. He doesn't have a problem with what my weight is now, but certainlh does not want me to gain any of the weight back. He likes South Beach as a diet, and has seen some success with people on it. He does not like Atkins. He confirmed that I am at higher risk for developing diabetes because of two brothers, but said my blood sugar level is fine. My blood pressure is wonderful. The results of my stress test last spring were also good. Avoid caffiene and booze to help with the palpitations. (Which are better but not gone.)

So, I'm in pretty good shape for a gal in her 60's, but have to keep at it. Now if I can just get this thingy off of my neck.

Lisrey, I don't weigh/measure food. I do "count" exchanges and try to limit starches to three a day. I also do pretty good portion control, and use the palm of hand, fist, thumb type of rules. I cannot begin to overeat like I used to.

I think I will try to maintain for now, especially until I find out what is going on with my neck. Then I will give another effort to try the South Beach.

JO

Well I got lucky, and someone cancelled their appointment so I took it and had my neck looked at. The knot is not a lymph node, so that is very good news. (If it was, that meant general anesthesia and about 1 1/2 hrs to excise it.) She thinks it is a cyst, unknown reason, which will most likely not go away on its own. I was given the option to leave it alone or take it off. Dangers of leaving it were minimal, but it could become infected at a later date. It might get larger, be very unlikely that it would go away on its own.

I ask her what she would do if it were her, and she said she would have it removed. If for no other reason that it is noticible and won't go away. So I scheduled the surgery (local, 30 minutes) for the 4th of December. I just couldn't deal with the idea of heading to Texas, where I don't know the health care system or doctors, and have the thing become infected and then have to have surgery. If by some reason, it should be going away in the next week, I will call and cancel the procedure.

My daughter thinks it might be an ingrowing hair, as she had one similiar on her face. I do remember plucking a hair from my neck on that side last month, so it is possible. If that is the case, the hair will continue to grow and grow, and the chance of infection will grow with it. I asked the doctor if that was possible, and she said yes. She has removed some lumps, that when they got to the pathologist were had a hair about a foot long. So, knowing that was a possiblity, I figure it won't be going away anytime soon.

Everything is in good shape for Thanksgiving. My mother is thrilled, as are my brothers. Kathy will be having 32 people for dinner. What a great kid. I am proud of my girl.

My weight has stabilized at 153ish. I'm not going to stress it, just try and maintain. I did get my 150 minutes of walking in this week. Steve has been very good about saying, come on, lets walk.

Jo

Great news, Jo, about your neck. I am glad you can have it taken care of so quickly, and hopefully it will be simple.

Thanksgiving at your daughter's sounds nice. We are having my parents and my grandma over here. My husband is cooking a 25-pound turkey for the five of us (!). He loves leftovers!! :D I am really looking forward to it, although I have a ton of work to do before it can happen. I can't imagine 32!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Lisrey :up:

Jo
You have got to be one of the most responsible and intelligent women I know. I am so relieved about your neck. I about freaked out when I thought it was a lymph node. Just goes to show that usually the worse case scenario is not the likely event.

I am a bit nervous with the Arizona health care system so I understand about wanting things taken care of as soon as possible at a place you are comfortable with.

I wish that my sisters and my mom for that matter would take care of themselves the way that you are doing. I worry about that. You will ofcourse get to reap the benefits of that and they are huge. I was just watching on 60 minutes how someone saved over 2000 dollars a year in perscriptions and doctor visits just by losing weight and taking care of themselves.

Take care.

Thank you both for dropping by and your kind words. I must admit I was a little freaked out myself. Both of my mothers parents had died of cancer before my age, and my mother had bladder cancer, again in her early 60's. So the family history is not that good. Mom is doing well cancer wise, but had one reocurrence about ten years ago.

I still don't like the idea of any kind of surgery, but local shouldn't be too bad. At least I don't need general anesthesia, which makes me sicker than an dog.

We went to bruch today and I didn't show as much control as I have in last few times. I think I'm babying myself over this neck thing. Not really a good reason. I need to get a little more on track.

The benefits of losing weight are huge. And with my family history of cancer and diabetes, they are also necessary. I cannot gain back the weight. I will not gain back the weight.

I would like to lose another five pounds, but that will wait until after the holidays.

Jo

When I looked at my subscribed threads, amost all of them have me as the last poster! I guess we are getting into that time of year when people sort of give up the dieting thing.

But I need the extra support, so I will be hanging around.

JO

Jo I do think this is the time of year that posts go way down but really they have been low for quite awhile. I miss a lot of people that have left and wish they would come back.


I started my new journal and I am so grateful I have you because I am overwhelmed and not sure how I will get through all this but I am going to do the best I can.
http://www.diettalk.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=38911

AS for your neck, a local anastetic does not sound bad at all. I think you will be just fine but I will be sending very good thoughts your way and thinking of you.

Back to my journal. Had a great day today. I drove up to see my son's new house. It is farther away from me, (about 30 minutes now) but is in a lovely neighborhood with great schools, plus a house that they can afford. Closer in town = more money.

He has done pretty good the last few years. And I am proud of him. He seems really happy to have a nice home for his family. And his wife is excited, if a little worried about the bigger house payment.

Then I had lunch with a friend who is off for the Holiday. Haven't see her in a while either.