Praying for you this morning Vicki and hoping your day goes well.  I actually always feel somewhat relieved when "the date" finally gets here.  That anticipatory grief is harder for me than the actual day.

Margaret, good job getting the bike together.  Now to start riding.  Should be a lot easier on the knees than walking would be.

Vicki, thinking of you today. 

Lisa, I feel the same relief when the day is past.

Yesterday the back of my knee started hurting again and this morning it was worse. I went to PT and she took one look at my limping and switched the plan... massage of it and way fewer exercises. It felt so much better, but I think I need to take her advice and get a cane now and start using it as needed.

Good Morning Ladies. Hope you all slept well. Yesterday went alright for me. Took flowers out to the cemetary and spent a few minutes "talking" to Bob.

I got the doctor to order me a 2nd round of antibiotics for the shingles. Picked them up later in the morning and started them last night. But instead of taking 3 a day for 7 days, I'm taking only 1 at night so I don't have to deal with being so light headed. It'll keep me meds in my system longer this way and hopefully get rid of the last of the shingles.

Margaret, glad the PT changed up your exercises so you aren't in so much pain.

Glad you did okay yesterday Vicki.  It does get easier with time, but I don't think it ever will be a day we don't anticipate as it approaches.

And Margaret, glad that your PT therapist realized that the massage was more needed than the PT exercises.

I walked way too much yesterday but I did get a cane on the last errand. Today I'm practicing with it! Not sure which PT exercises are best.

I did go to the dentist today. It was an establishing care appointment, so all kinds of X-rays and poking. But no cavities! Nothing but "come back in 6 months." I did miss a cleaning last fall due to the move and the long lead time to get in to a new dentist. So that went better than I expected.

Good news from the dentist Margaret.  I'm sure you will find the cane helpful until you can have the necessary surgery.

I think switching to prepared entrees for a couple of weeks will be helpful. Just tonight, I had a baked chicken with mashed potatoes entree. In looking at it, I realized the portion size was much smaller than I've been cooking up.  So I can see how I'm not progressing with my weight loss. Next time, I will get the food scale out and weigh the portion. I'll need that. I've been casually serving myself 5-6 ounces of chicken, which if I'm honest, is too much! I think 3 ounces is what I should have. The packaged entree is always enough. I never feel overfull. I never have indigestion. I can't say these things when I cook and serve generous portions (because it tastes good or because I did yardwork.)  Right now, I'm talking to convince myself more than anyone else!

Teri, portion control is always an issue for me too.  The only problem with the frozen entrees is the high amount of preservatives.  I started buying Home Chef meals or other fresh food meals that come in single serving sizes which has been helpful, although a lot more expensive than the frozen options.  My issue with those is that I can't buy a lot of them at one time because you have to eat them, or freeze them, by the expiration date.  They aren't as good once they have been frozen, but I also don't want to have to go to the store every 3-4 days to buy them.  It wouldn't be as much of a problem if I didn't eat out so much.

Lisa, yeah, there's definately more sodium in frozen meals. I am weighing that against a period of controlled portion training. I monitor my BP daily so if the sodium in the entrees starts to show, I'll see it. Sigh. There's always something.

I too like the portion control in frozen meals, but find too much sodium in most of them. 

Yesterday I got blood drawn, and I got the results last night. The levothyroxine appears to be at the right dose, at least for now, so that's a plus.

Then I had a PT appointment and she was able to isolate the problem that is causing so much pain. It is the iliotibial band, and now I have more exercises, mostly stretches, to do. She gave it a good massage and it is much better today.

Today the cats got to go to the vet! one got shots and nails trimmed and mats removed. The other got blood drawn, and she is still losing weight despite increased food, so now we are upping the medication.

As of this morning I'm 248.2 which is 3 lbs down from last Saturday. My actual weigh in is tomorrow so I hope the numbers don't go back up between now and then. The way I yo-yo, it wouldn't surprise me.

I'm starting out the new week at 247.8, which is a 3.3 lb. loss since last Sunday. I hope to see the numbers continue to go down. Hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day and a good week.

June 2023 Health and Fitness

Good afternoon.  Congrats Vicki.  Nice loss for the week.

I'm down 1.2# which I find amazing considering how much I ate out the last part of the week.  Anyway, nice to see it go down a bit.

Thanks for the link to the new thread Melissa.  How are you doing?  It doesn't seem like you've been posting much.  Aren't you a teacher?  I imagine this is a busy time for you as you wind down the year.  Anyway, let us know what's up with you if you get a chance.

I'm in trouble. My month of grief eating in April has seen me with a 10 pound gain at the end of May.  I can't figure out what made me think it was okay to bring cookies into the house.  I opened the cupboard and took out 7 (SEVEN) packages of cookies.  WTF!   I went to the convenience store to buy a waffle cone.  I grilled a package of hot dogs and have been snacking on them, no bun.  I grilled a 1-pound steak.  I think part of my mindset is that when I work hard outside I think it will be harmless to eat whatever the heck I want.  Clearly, that isn't working out as I imagined.

So, the remaining hotdogs are gone. The cookies are GONE. The frozen bananas are gone. The biscuits are gone! I have a lot of veggies in the frig, fish in the freezer.  Now that I've realized that working hard physically is not a free pass to eat recklessly, I think I'll do better. 

Today, I weighed in at 206.7.  On April 9 I weighed 196.  Without the Ozempic, I have to almost go Keto again.  Its not enough to watch portion sizes. I have to be mindful of the carbs I eat. 

One thing puzzles me.  I have been keeping a log on paper of daily weigh ins.  In looking at the log, it seems that I go up a pound or two then the next day I go down a pound or two. It is a true yo-yo!   What makes it go up.a pound, back down a pound, back up a pound?

I hope some of you have some ideas.

What makes it go up.a pound, back down a pound, back up a pound? - Teri, the million dollar question we'd all like an answer to.  I personally think it's 'water weight' that comes and goes based on things like how much sodium is in what we ate the day before.  I used to think a calorie is a calorie is a calorie.  But, over time I've changed my mind and decided all calories are definitely not created equal in the way they affect my weight.

A long time ago I also realized that I have to disassociate exercise (like your hard work outside) with losing weight.  I also think I've burned more calories working out than I actually have and when I think that entitles me to eat more food, I end up eating way more calories than I burned working out.

I'm also up from May 1 by about 5#.  I feel like I've lost focus though and I don't know quite how to get it back. 

My numbers are still going down. I'm down another 0.6 lbs. this morning bringing me to 247.2.

I do believe sodium plays a big part in the yo-yo-ing. I think that's why most doctors will say to only weigh once a week. But I've found if I don't weigh daily I tend to lose focus and will eat more of what I shouldn't. And I'm not big on exercise due to my back. The slightest thing can affect my lower back and slipped disc and then I can barely walk for days. Some days I can't even walk to the mailbox which takes 5-6 minutes each way due to my lower back. I try doing chair exercises and that helps but I know I need more weight off before I can really push the exercise part of it.

Vicki, I too need to weigh daily for focus.

Lisa, many words of wisfom this morning!  I definitely have to disassociate hard work (exercise) from weight loss. And like you I always over eat when I've done a lot of physical work.  Today, I'll be weed whacking among other outdoor activities. I think I'll write a big note to remind myself NOT to eat a lot just because I'm hungry after working out. I'll need that initial reminder until I internalize it.  I'm thinking about the Mediterranean diet, too, which is also low carb but not as difficult as keto.

Teri, make a plan for what you are going to eat when you come in from working outside.  Something you like and will enjoy, but not something that blows the day or derails you.  I always do better with a plan.  :)

For me that treat for working out might be coffee with creamer, or peanut butter toast with jam.  If you like fruit, it could be peanut butter with an apple.  Generally, for me, it has to be something satisfying and that will take the edge off my hunger until it's time for my next meal.

The key is have a plan. 

Weight today: 246.4

still way above my starting weight for the year

and I need to get to 230 or below before I can schedule knee surgery. But I found out this week that he is scheduling about a month out, so I don't feel as rushed... I thought I might need to schedule in July, but I can wait till late August to get October. So a little more than a pound a week will work.

my knee feels much better so maybe I can get some exercise in.

This morning my weight is UP (248.7) yet I ate in the same way I have all weekend. But I do think what I ate yesterday had a little more sodium than I had been eating. Anyway, it is what it is and I'll see what it is in the morning. Going to eat the small portion meals today as I have been.

Good resolve, Margaret! 

Overate yesterday big time and heavy in sodium so didn't bother to weigh in this morning. Why ruin my whole day. I'll wait and weigh in on Sunday and see what the numbers show then.

I've gone from 206.7 on Monday to 204.8 today. More fish and veg, less cookies. Every day brings its own challange. Its been too hot to work outside so I can't credit exercise.  I won't stop trying.