Health and Fitness, October 2013

[Harriet]

That's a great weigh-in, Twins' Mom. You must be doing something right. A good one for dh, too.

Ivy, "escapades" is a good word. I love this thread, too.

I'll be attending both a baby shower and a wedding with full reception this weekend. I will be very careful at both functions. At the wedding, since it will be a full meal, I hope I can enjoy just entree and veggie sides and avoid the cake and any breads. At the baby shower, I can just imagine that every morsel will be carb-laden , so it will take some will-power. Perhaps I can go down the baby shower buffet, bragging on all those plates and just never actually hold a plate in my own hands! LOL!

[Harmony]

When I went to the baby shower, I did eat some no-no's, though not all of them, and I was certainly mindful of portions. I knew if I allowed myself nothing I would come home stressed and bothered and would probably have done worse here...so I came home happy and satisfied. I just know myself, too strict will NOT work for me. I've tried that. I'm not there yet.

Cruise does say that post menopausal women may not be able to stick to just 100 sugar calories.

I'm sure something else is going on with me. Yesterday was really bad, with upsetting events that had me bothered, and I was out at mealtime and I said oh, phooey and just had fast-food, bigger portions than I'd have had normally and even french fries. I didn't do soda, I had water with me. So I expected today's scale numbers to be horrible - and I was down another 1/2 pound. And no fluid. Go figure.

It may have something to do with not really having much else to eat all day, and the fact that my thyroid numbers are obviously up somewhat because I have begun to feel a little better, finally.

Anyway, I'm accepting this as good...and noticed it even in the mirror as I pulled on my capris this morning.

[Ivy]

I'm using decluttering our home and doing a laundry catch-up as my exercise today. I did some stretches for my back and plan doing yoga stretching later, too. My eating is on track, but my "danger time" is the evening. I'll try to work on a story I have going, rather than eat too many snacks this evening. It'll be doing something productive. Plus, I can drink instead of eat, too, which is another good trade-off. I'm talking about water, lemonade, etc...

[Lynlee]

I went back to the pool today. I think I had a good session there, Was pleased to get my arm higher, though I doubt its turning that far in its socket. I cannot move it the same way here - now.

[Harriet]

Tried to be so good about sugar calories. Also was thinking I'd need to report back here, so ya'll kept me on my toes! At the wedding, I had appetizers of 2 shrimp kebabs, cube of cheese, and one small bruschetta, then for the meal a filet mignon steak, a fresh salad of tomato and cukes, cooked squash (remarkably good), and cooked green beans. At the baby shower I had fruit and veggie plate fare, with dips. So sugar calories would have come from the bruschetta bread (very small) and the fruit with dip (not much at all).

I had gained nothing this a.m. But of course I didn't lose either. I don't think you can eat that much and expect to lose even a smidge that day, even if you are careful about what you eat. I told my sil that the appetizer amount at the wedding was about what I might normally have for supper!

I know it's silly to even wonder if I might have lost a bit by this a.m., but I've had as many half-pound-loss days since I started this way of eating as I've had even days, so I couldn't help but wonder. Ya never know... .. look what happened to Harmony! Still, ((Harmony)), for upsetting events.

Lynlee, I'm wondering if it might be a bit of a see-saw improvement, seeing change in the water that you're still working up to otherwise. If improvement continues in the pool, surely everyday improvement follows.

Glad your eating is on track, Ivy. Maybe to help with evening munchies you could be sure to have a satisfying supper and then clean up and turn out kitchen lights!

[Ivy]

Harriet, I had to have a snack for one bedtime med I was on, but since it's an antibiotic and I don't agree with taking this long-term because of side effects, such as yeast, IBS and Gerd, I decided to stop it. My ophthalmologist prescribed it for bacterial "pink eye", but I kept getting it AND viral "pink eye" every time I went to his office. His nurse said, "Dr. said you have a compromised immune system and this is why he's prescribing it." I just had a physical, ALL lab result numbers were very good, I was within all ranges, except protein, but my family dr. said it's normal for elderly to be there and not to worry. So if I'm so healthy, why am I on the antibiotic, from the eye clinic? I kept needing to get Monistat-3, treat the corners of my mouth with another product, and the GERD and IBS from it was driving me nuts. So no more bedtime snack and antibiotic for me. I won't be as tempted in the evenings, to traipse into the kitchen. I think the eye clinic isn't truly germ-free because so many people are in there all the time with germs, pink eye, etc.... The last time I put my chin in the chin rest, it was grimy and dirty-feeling on my chin. Gave me the creeps.

I did calf/leg stretches, walked 45 min., and did calf/leg stretches.

[Harriet]

Oh, Ivy, eye equipment like that would make me feel weird, too! I cannot really address your discontent about the antibiotic. Except to say that after my rounds of antibiotics with the pneumonia, my hormone dr prescribed PB-8 probiotic, 1 capsule morning and evening for a month, to get over the antibiotic side effects. There are many probiotic capsules of course. He happens to like this one because you don't have to remember to refrigerate, and it's got 8 different little "flora" rather than just a couple.

After he prescribed that, I was SO much better and didn't go into any more of the pneumonia symptoms again, so I got off the antibiotic roller-coaster I was on. Dstepson had been keeping track of the days I was actually OFF the antibiotic and it seemed like I got well, but 2 weeks after the last pill was so sick I had to go back to the general practitioner to get an antibiotic again, on and on. So we all got a real respect for how much the antibiotics can knock your good "gut flora" out and let symptoms reoccur!

Oh, pills at night! Ugh! I had to move the schedule up for the pill I'm supposed to take late, because I would invariably forget it and have it left to take much too late, requiring some kind of snack I hadn't meant to eat!

[Ivy]

Harriet, I take Trunature Digestive Probiotic with Prebiotic Fiber. They're 100% dairy, soy and gluten free with 10 billion active cultures. They have Lactobacillus acidolphilus, Bifidobacterium lactic = 10 billion CFU's and a short chain of Fructooligosaccharides (scFOS) (Naturaflora) = 250 mg. They say 1 capsule once a day is the dose. Also, store at room temperature and they're in a blister card package.

[Ivy]

Harriet, DH got me some "Scar Away" today, which is silicone squirted slowly through a 3-metal-ball-tip and you slowly massage the scar with the silicone, for 1 - 2 minutes using those balls. If it hadn't been for you, we'd had never thought of it. Thanks!

I did emotional eating tonight. Good dinner, but 3 evening snacks. Cereal with Almond Breeze on it and Poppycock. I guess that's 2 snacks. At least I've stopped there.

I did yoga/stretches, but no timed walking, other than going from the car to an appt. and back to the car, out of the car to get the mail and putting fresh sheets on the bed, which is a work-out. I did another load of laundry, too. So I got some activity in. Tomorrow I'll try to walk AND do the yoga/stretches on the SAME day rather than accidentally alternating the 2.

When I work in the evenings or read or write letters, I don't seem to "emotional eat". I guess keeping the hands busier keeps them from putting food in my mouth. It's the only bad thing I do. Health-wise, anyway. I'm good about my health, proactive and all, take meds and supplements when I have to, but occasionally something will "bother" me and I'll snack. I read an article in AARP about the elderly and eating disorders, of which I didn't fit into any of those descriptions at all. I know one elderly dfriend who seems to though, is very thin, has a terrible problem with aging, etc... It's sad to see and they practically starve before any party or celebration or vacation, so they are "allowed" to eat at the function or on vacation. I'm so glad I'm not that way. I look good for what I weigh. I'm 184.0 Lbs. and wear a size 16-W or Large or XL. I still need to lose to have less weight on my muscles and joints so the pain from fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis is less. Eventually I'll work up to doing my exercise DVD's again, too. I look forward to autumn and winter. Maybe I can start the new year as a new me with 10 - 15 Lbs. less than I now am. Anything's possible, if we work at it with dedication and motivation. A quote I read was "Those who have no suffering are those who have no strength," on the fire station's reader board. I guess it could mean health issues or dieting problems, too.

[Nancy]

I did ten miles on my ex. Bike yesterday.