Saturday, 11/11/17

First, ??? to Ann and DH & Paula and Been, as well as others facing public and private challenges. Some times all we can do is breathe, live in the moment, and take the next baby step forward. Self care is so critical...it is NOT selfish or frivolous. We hold one another in our hearts and positive thoughts.

Another frigid, snow shower filled day here. Sadie LOVES her snowy back yard, romping, chasing squirrels, and kicking snow up with her nose...which will soon be pink again ! Chuck and I will spend the afternoon at Corning Glassworks, enjoying the Tiffany exhibit and blowing some of our own pieces, in a Veteran's Day program for combat Vets and their families.

I have GOT to make it to the gym !

Weight 117, calories 1355.

Enjoy the glassblowing! No snow around here thank goodness but it is 24 right now with the high projected to be 37. A BIG change for us because it was around 60 a week ago. The quick adjustment is difficult, so I can't wait until we hit the road for Florida next weekend.

i was still feeling quite depressed yesterday. I wonder how long that will last? A couple of cookies as well as a bit more wine than usual passed my lips last night. I'll actually be better with the dessert tonight as it is a "chocolate truffle bomb", which DH will love but is a little too much chocolate for me.

DH's Birthday party is tonight. I think we are ready, but the restaurant count keeps varying. BIL doesn't want to do that part now, but just meet us at the house afterwards, which somewhat peeves me because we are eating very early partially to accommodate him. Oh well! My issues seem so piddly compared to others here.

Have a supportive Saturday!

Liz, are you done with regular work hours now? Have you turned in equipment? If not, I bet once those cords are cut you can move on. Almost-retired sounds stressful.

I loved those pictures the other day! But Florida is going to feel wonderful, too!

The equipment goes back Monday. My team and I are going out to lunch afterwards. So I cleared out any personal stuff on my laptop yesterday and shut it down for the last time. I'm moving the extra large monitor out this weekend (don't need it taking space for my personal needs on my own laptop). I'm clearing out the personal apps and clearing my browsing history on my work iphone tomorrow night (I set a reminder).

I have missed so much in the past 4 days. Thankful for good news with Ben and Paula. Although insurance co remains self serving. Ann, you are a good finder. You look for good even in the bad. The diagnosis was not good but you found the good in being treated locally and in your own home. There is nothing quite so comforting as sleeping in your own bed. Prayers for DH treatments to do no harm and the best outcome. Liz, transitioning to retirement is even more difficult to know when your replacement is incompetent. This may be what it take for the company to restructure her department. Either way everyone is replaceable. I found this out right quick when I stopped working. Shel, I somehow pictured you as a pianist, quite the musical group we have here. I used to led singing in a small church we attended. Came from a family that would sing the book cover to cover. Not to good with regular communication but we could sing. Searcy, AR has a large church of Christ with college kid voices and professors leading. Best signing I have ever heard. BB, I always liked the lights, decorations and family but was unable to do what I was doing and plan that too. You have the desire to have the party but you also have the gift of planning. Kairk, take care of yourself my friend. Been the complete nervous breakdown path and do not recommend it for anyone. You are a good doggie dad. Blue will thrive. My older boys have said if they died and came back they wanted to come back as one of DWs dogs. She is good that way too. I come from the camp of giving a biscuit to the dog in the morning and telling him if he wants any meat with that he needs to go catch it. Ok maybe not that bad. Diane S, Sadie looks so content in a public setting. Therapy with pets is such a good thing. Diane O, to tie up all the loose ends takes a lot and a lot out of you. We have tried to get my mom to downsize every time she moved. She did but still moved dry beans that had been in a canister for 5 years. She has enough material to make a room full of quilts. Hoping DH cataracts procedures go well. Cecily C, glad you made it to your maintenance weight. Hoping you efforts to stay there are easy. Don't know my weight but i'm Guessing 230 plus. I am back at the house working to get it finished. Why I didn't do this years ago only vyvanse knows. DW came to see me on Thursday and said she wanted to live in the house this way (completed). I said she still can. I had painted 2 rooms that she didn't like the color. I am colorblind in red green and brown so of course it looked fine to me. We mixed some miss tint paints and extra partial gallons and came up with a color she is really happy with. I lack some transitional pieces between floors, hanging 4 closet doors and 2 bathroom hamper drawers and all of the building will be done. Only paint remains. Trim is a totally different color so I do plan to re paint the baseboards at least. Painting is boring for me. I can use boring. Re doing the tile was the most painful. Ann on the link to the poem at the bottom of the page was: Be well, do good work, and keep in touch. I like that. More later, David

What a thoughtful response David! to you!

Weight: 133.6
Macros: Cals-1,768, Carbs-181, Fats, Protein-138, Fiber-35
Veggies/Fruits (goal 8): 8
Sleep (goal 8 hours): hours
Exercise: Aquarobics

The last few days my weight has gone up. I'm betting my body is now producing more of the stress hormone cortisol, and that's exercising its metabolic influence. It's time to dial the calories back down.

Yesterday's 8 V/Fs came from avocado, romaine, salsa, sweet peppers, mushrooms, spinach, kale, chiles, and strawberries.

This morning I will run some errands and do a 2.5 mile walk. Otherwise, we will stick close to home. This weekend I hope to make a big dent in this month's library book club selection.

It's deer season here, with loud rifle shots booming on surrounding farms in 28 degrees this morning. It's also a gorgeous sunrise, a welcome sight since the rest of the weekend will be dreary.

Today it's time to get up, suit up, and show up. And it won't hurt to smile and notice all that's good.

Have a great weekend, everyone. And stay warm, all you folks in snowier climes.

What I don't like: waking up long before I need to.

What I like: seeing y'all are busy posting

Liz (and Cecily). I am going to order a pair of those shoes. Too many to choose from, tho. Liz, I loved the way yours perfectly matched your furniture!

Yesterday, I was at an all day conference on opioid prescribing. Yikes. I'll leave most of it at that but I did like the phrase "continuous withdrawal." Patients on high dose opioids feel like they are about to go into withdrawal even when they are taking their usual dose. Their body is always monitoring its current state and thinking they need just a little more. Sound familiar?

Holiday cooking has been on my mind. Creating in the kitchen was a past joy, but the entire process from researching recipes to buying supplies to the actual cooking was a major trigger to overeat while I researched recipes to buying supplies to the actual cooking. And then finally the meal would be served and I would overeat then, too.

Last year I added back several days of holiday cooking including full meals and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked having some of the treats and LOVED cooking for others. My weight fluctuated but well within in my range. But, looking back, it was emotionally exhausting. That feeling of continuous withdrawal provokes my anxiety --- perhaps it IS my anxiety.

This year, I will plan a day or two where DD and I make a batch (vs a dozen batches) of cookies or candy (but not both.) For the big meals, I'll do part of it but not feel guilty about picking up the rest at the local organic food coop. And that shall be enough.

Time to get ready for my workout.

Thanks so much for being here. Now go have some fun and fika,

Shel

Shel, I LOVE your observations about "continuous withdrawal." And yes, it does sound familiar.

BTW, I did a little googling this morning about cortisol released in times of stress and how it affects our eating instincts and behaviors. This won't be news to anyone, but it might be interesting to review some of the links below to recall how that all works:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-mindful-self-expres s/201308/why-we-gain-weight-when-we-re-stressed-and-how-not

https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/why-stress -causes-people-to-overeat

http://www.eatthis.com/foods-to-lower-stress-hormone/ (There are many online articles about specific foods that lower cortisol production.)

Thanks for the links. You are right, it isn't new but I have to be reminded of this stuff over and over, especially this time of year when stress is up and tiny high calorie bites are everywhere.

Speaking of F/V (of course you weren't, but let's pretend) I have been picking up a breakfast salad after my early morning workouts. The organic co-op is next door to the studio, so it is easy to pop in there and build a lovely 2 cup packed potpourri of all things vegetables. And, since it is a mixed salad, I can't eat it in the car (an old bad habit) so double bonus. Great start to the day.

To get to the salad, tho, I have to walk past their kick-azz bakery goods (twice) that have no chemicals or preservatives so therefore not dead-to-me like most grocery store baked goods. I tell myself it is good exposure therapy.