Thursday, November 8, 2018

Weight: 139.0
Macros: Cals - 1,495, Carbs - 142, Fats - 53, Protein - 105, Fiber - 31
Sleep hours: 8
Vegetable/Fruit Servings: 7
Water glasses: 0
Exercise: Walking (6,200 steps)
Meditation: Yes

First, thanks to all for your support and for the gift of accountability you offer. I appreciate you all so much. :)

Yesterday, I did everything (but one) that I said I would:

* I planned and tracked my food, minimized carbs, ate 7 V/Fs, and over 100 grams of protein.

* However, I didn't drink 6 full glasses of water. In fact, I didn't drink any! I'm like a newbie trying to figure out how to sip-sip-sip. I'll figure it out.

* I did 6,200 steps yesterday. Yea!

* I weighed this morning (139.0) and was relieved NOT to see a 140 kind of number.

Today I'll do the same as yesterday, but will set my water goal to only 3 glasses and make that happen and will walk 8,000 steps.

BTW, sage is arriving tomorrow, and smudging will be done. :)

Today's theme: I've been given another day of life, so, once again, it's time to begin anew.

Water, water, water, Ann! You know that will make a big difference! But you are the best at getting back on track and Beginning Anew. And so inspiring!

Weight 121.4, calories 763. So after eating properly and especially after a lot of water, I'm back to mid-summer weight. I suspect it will take quite a while to get back to my former 115-118 range, but I feel much better here than broaching the mid-120's. Oh, and Justice is back to his prime weight of 10.4! His weight had snuck up due to stealing Chiquita and Lavender's food. I need to weight DH today. He was up 10 pounds, so has not had desserts for a couple of weeks and no snacks. I'm sure it will show on the scale for him too.

I'm plugging away at my projects here. The place is clean and most everything is back in its proper place. I organized the closet including adding some additional cubes for my stuff. I packed WAY too much because I couldn't remember what I left here. Next year, I'm taking pictures (as my friends here advised but I didn't think I'd need - LOL). I am going to try framing the medicine cabinet mirrors with some plastic molding I bought to improve their looks and make them safer (they have very sharp corners). If it doesn't come out okay, I'll put in new cabinets, especially in the small bath where the mirror tends to be really close to one's head. I have figured out where to get granite countertops and what I can expect to spend. Based on recent sales here, I can do my last upgrades (countertops and new appliances) without over-improving. The upgraded units are selling for $25K more than we paid 21 months ago. My final major thing is replacing my 48" diameter glass tabletop with a 48 X 36 inch one. It is on a sidewall and we keep banging into it because it protrudes too far into the room. We hardly use it (usually eat on the lanai), so it will be fine if smaller. I found a glass place where I can have one made, but I may check some secondhand furniture shops to see if I can find one for less. The remaining projects would be just enhancing decoration as we find new, interesting items.

And I'm so glad to be back with my walking group! What a great group of ladies and I felt so welcomed here! I love Cape Cod, but I definitely have a wider group of female friends here. On the Cape most of my newer friendships center around Alzheimer's support groups which though they are great it makes it hard to get away from the huge looming issue in our lives.

This evening we are meeting DH's cousins at a beachfront restaurant for dinner, so I think we will pack our stuff and go to the beach for the afternoon. It is still hot as you know what here (some cooling due next week).

That's it on this front. Sorry for the long post! Have a terrific Thursday!

Liz, congrats on your weight loss. And thanks for the friendly encouragement to drink water to flush my body of all the crap I've put in it lately.

Also, what a happy-newsy post from you! And it's not too long at all. Your Florida news is getting me all excited about my NOLA pied a terre. Since it's furnished (and not my property) I don't have to worry about making any "improvements." I just want to take enough stuff (but not too much) to make it feel like my home.

Yesterday, I called NOLA's branch of Alliance Francaise (that's a a global organization with schools around the world) that offers French language instruction and cultural events. So even though NOLA isn't Paris and Alliance Francaise isn't the Sorbonne, in 2019 I'm going to dip my toe in the speaking-French-like-a-Parisian pond.

This morning I've found myself remembering what my favorite aunt told me when I turned 40 and asked her advice about living well. She eyeballed me and said in the most commanding voice: "Don't wait. Do it now!" "Do what?" I asked, a bit taken aback. "Everything. Do it now!"

It's some of the BEST advice I ever received and has influenced many of my career / travel / moving / relationship decisions since then. After all, I might have died last Saturday on my kitchen floor before learning how to speak French! ;)

I'm so excited about your NOLA plans and you learning French!

I love this, Ann!!

Ann-love your goals and that you're reaching them. I was just reading about goal setting and the most critical key to success is simply consistency. I LOVE your goal to drink 3 cups of water. I never reach my water goals because they're too lofty. Same with the 10k step goal. I need to do something manageable. This goals back to my perfectionism. For so many years I'd heard of people doing short 10 minute workouts or whatever. Now maybe I won't be transformed into a fitness competitor by 10 minutes a day, but it sure adds up a hell of a lot more than the nothingness I've been doing for 8 years (well, lifetime, really). I would like to begin taking Becca for walks/the park. Maybe I can put a number on that. I also have a treadmill that needs some use. There is definitely an art to setting a goal--so that something actually gets done, but something is better than nothing!

Liz-Florida sounds like a total makeover for you! We have family in Florida and so visit quite often. Although I would be somewhat sad to miss winter! That's my SIL's greatest complaint after having lived in FL for 25 years. But we have pretty mild winters so it's easier to stomach. Well I say that...but as I type this I'm watching the weather forecast with possibility of snow for Veteran's Day.

Shirl-lovely photos

Weight: 167

Yesterday was a loooong day with a crawler dead set on pulling on every cord and plug! I took her on an outing, figuring it would be a nice distraction for us both. But man that's tiring and I never noticed how hard things are on moms. It's just so hard having wide enough parking spaces to get carseat in and out of car, opening doors with a stroller, etc. Not to mention all the places that don't have changing tables for babies. It could be worse, though. She could be sick. Today we're trying something new: Walmart grocery pick up. Including a baby pen.

Last night I pulled out a cabbage roll casserole from the fridge and had with some leftover mashed potatoes and green beans. Really hit the spot. And pretty healthy because the casserole had turkey, little rice, and lots of cabbage, and mashed potato side was sparingly. Leftovers today!

Greetings Tous Le Monde

I'd better slap this out before my computer eats it. Its been acting up lately getting hung up or refusing to send certain emails. It's haunted. So is my scale showing me up a pound. I ate a dinner of black bean enchilada casserole from the health food store deli. It was great but I guess my scale didn't think so. Dang this is hard. I long for the early days after vsg when I just wasn't hungry. And the upcoming dog show trip is likely to include food foolishness.

Good for you for learning French Ann. I would love to go live in France for a year. But I would miss American amenities too much. Hope you are recovering from your soreness.

Liz you are so industrious. Glad you are enjoying your Florida buddies. Hope your DH settles in. Justice of course is at home wherever you are.

So we leave today at 3 pm so we miss the rush hour traffic. Glad I am traveling with a pro who grew up in the bay area. That means a late dinner and early to bed. But I am not yet fully packed and of course I have to pack for the dog as well. She is going to miss having her chicken for dinner (unless I drive through McDonalds and get her a grilled chicken sandwich).

Shirley love the roses. I have a few blooms now but mostly the roses are napping. Hope you get your rose garden soon.

Well I'd better send this before it gets eaten. Cheers all. Diane S

Weight 174.8 ugh.

I got a wild hair and signed up for a personal trainer. As someone who's never worked out in a gym, it'll be an experience. She seems nice. Wow though it's not cheap. But I'm investing in myself I suppose and if it gets rid of my gym phobia so I will know what to do on my own and not be intimidated, it's worth at least a few months of it. I start Monday.

I'm throwing out some of the crap food I bought recently. It's doing me no favors!

Also throwing out happy Thursdays to all!

Yeah, I've had to do the food purge periodically though sometimes when I'm really on a tear I'll eat almost everything. At least with the worst stuff gone it isn't as unhealthy (even if too many caloried).

Cecily, I'm glad you did this -- for both you and me.

I'll be very interested to see what you think about your trainer and how you like the experience.