Thursday, January 31, 2019

Great questions (as always), Ann.

I'm not sure about individual therapy. The only time I ever did that was for a period after my daughter died. At the time, I felt like my in-person suport group worked better for me (Compassionate Friends, parents who have lost children). It might have been the therapist. She kept telling me I had good coping skills and what I was working through was normal but I had figured that out by talking with the people in the support group. I do get a lot of support, friendship and help from the support group at home (not so much here where they use a different model for leaders). So, I'm not ruling it out, but a piece of me feels that it will feel like one more obligation right now. BTW, that group at home offers one-on-one therapy free of charge as well. I was recently wondering if I should explore a low dose antidepressant (a lot of us caretakers end up on them).

SIL is self-sufficient. She doesn't get sloppy drunk. I think the biggest problem there is how the drinking raises my hackles because of my history as the child of an alcoholic. I do wish she took the initiative to help more often or even to just do something without me always coming up with the idea. She has been helping with dinner responsibilities, but she never thinks to offer to help get DH breakfast or lunch even if I'm juggling a bunch of tasks. Again, mostly because she doesn't take the initiative. I like her company a lot of the time, but the late evenings get me annoyed and I would actually be happier if she did something on her own once in a while. She won't even take a walk or go to the pool on her own. She waits for me to say that I am going, then tags along.

Thanks for your answers, Liz.

xoxoxoxo

Weight: 134.4
Macros: Cals - 2,133, Carbs - 178, Fats - 80, Protein - 95, Fiber - 25
Sleep hours: 8 hours
Vegetable/Fruit Servings: 4
Water glasses: 2
Exercise: 11,250 steps
Meditation: Yes

Yesterday was an excellent day. I walked 1.5 miles to and from the Destination Gym where I pumped iron for an hour (only 2 other people were in the gym), did yoga for 40 minutes (I was alone in the yoga studio), sat in the hot tub (by myself), then fell asleep on a recliner in the sunshine. I got dressed and walked home through the park where I stopped to meditate for ten minutes on a park bench and made friends with a squirrel. All that took four and a half hours, so my workout turned into a Spa Day! Damn, I wish I could do that more often. Wait ... I can!

And more good news is that after only three weeks of pumping iron my xylophone chest has disappeared because it's now layered with thicker pecs. I'm liking how my new muscles (arms, legs, even butt) are feeling and looking. I thought I was too old to build much muscle, but apparently not! I could get into this (I can already hear Devon laughing).

The good day continued into the evening with Girls Night Out. My best friend down here and I went to our favorite restaurant and sat at the bar, where we each had a ****tail and a glass of wine and shared appetizers and dessert. Of course, the calories were higher than if I'd stayed home and sautéed fresh fish and roasted veggies. But then we wouldn't have been out on the town all dressed up, sipping ****tails at a bar, would we?

Last night's appetizers were sautéed scallops (we had one apiece), each topped with a tablespoon of foie gras, and an asparagus salad. Shared dessert was a slice of coconut pie. There was a time when that amount of food would only get me started, but these days it's more than sufficient.

Otherwise, French class continues to be fun, and my new muscles are really sore today. I'm about to take a nap, then make a coffee and read my February book club selection, which is Snow Falling on Cedars (I may have mentioned the title).

Today's Theme: What a good thing it is that coffee is not an illegal drug.

Coffee is indeed one of life's pleasures for this fellow!

Your evening out sounds splendid. Your food experience sounds so "normal". I think I hate you! LOL! (translated that means I wish I had what you have! Just a little envy rearing it's head.) One of my highest compliments!

Yes, I laughed. You were already into it at one point in your life. I'm glad you're seeing the benefit of it once again. Hope you saw the video I posted on FB in which the older woman is doing sit ups, into a full upright stand while wielding a 45 pound plate. She is my hero!

No, I haven't seen that video yet ... headed there now ....

And I'm back and wowzah! She's amazing! Thanks for posting that.

I think I could work up to that IF my knees were still any good, but sadly they're not. That's one reason I'm loving the leg machines right now because I can train my lower body without straining the knee joints so badly.

Coconut pie! My favorite! I actually haven't had any in Florida this year yet. I'm waiting for my birthday (but seem to be eating everything else in sight these days).

Yesterday was a successful day on the eating front. I realize it was the first day since Thanksgiving that I have been completely sugar free. Not a fact of which I am proud, but it is also a fact that is indicative of the significance of that success. I'm choosing to delight in that seemingly small success because I liken it to a day without cigs for a smoker and a day without booze for an alcoholic. It is a big deal because I know how hard it is to become a non smoker and a non drinker. I've walked both those paths successfully. Now today, if I am successful yet again, I can add another day to yesterday and then I will have two days without sugar consumption. If I string enough days together I can create a new normal. That is my goal.

Here's a little gem from everyone's past, I think. I got on the scale this morning with anticipation. I had to get up and pee twice last night. I went to bed with an empty stomach. Everything pointed toward a drop on my scale. Nope. No siree. Not in the cards. Of course the tape wanted to play, but I stopped it before it began. I was pleased by that quick mental action, too.

Once at school I realized I forgot the lunch I packed. OOPS! So, instead of throwing it in, I got on my computer brought up the plan I'm using and found suitable "on the go" alternatives. So I'm channeling my inner Jared today and having DoorDash deliver a 6 inch subway Turkey Deli Sandwich. DoorDash is a great service, but my goodness I am paying through the nose to stay on track today. With tax, tip, and delivery fee this is going to be a $17 sandwich (almost double the actual cost of the sandwich). Convenience is a total rip off! Oh well, I'm worth it, right? LOL!

I expected to be quite a bit more sore than I am after taking two weeks off working out because of my cold. My hammies are a little tight, but that's pretty much it. Love this level of fitness. I'm really into revving it up a few notches in the coming months.

Movie was great! How wonderful to see it with a group of people who found the grown up humor worth laughing out loud over. I noticed Garland's delivery of a line that I had not noticed before. Her reply to Glinda the Good Witch of the North when Glinda asks if she's brought her broomstick is laced with incredulity. It's as if she's subtly saying, "Lady, I've told you twice I'm not a witch. Really?"

Hope those who had no sleep find rest, those trapped in the arctic vortex find comfort in the coming warming trend, travelers find adventures and joy in the diversion from the hum drum of everyday life. For the rest of us, I hope we find contentment in our routines today.

Liz - food for thought: Alcoholism is a progressive disease just as obesity can be. SIL probably needs a bit more hooch to maintain her dopamine levels than she did last year. It will only get worse as the years progress.

Devon, re all your successes yesterday, good show!

Greetings Good People

154 today. No clue why a drop but I will take it. Pound will no doubt find its way home.

I am late today due to gallery morning. A slow but sunny day. Then some studio time. I have big windows and it was downright hot.

Liz I so feel for you. You must find ways to be able to sleep and function. Maybe you could just flat out ask SIL to get breakfast for DH. Sounds like she cannot originate anything but might do as asked. Yeah its no fun to have to be leader of the pack all the time. (even to this Alpha ***** LOL)

Shel, your thoughts on the guy who lost weight were so interesting. We all used to put ourselves down (before someone else did it) and self deprecation has become part of our dna. We need to all observe this in ourselves (and then cut it out). I know a man who lost 100 lbs without wls and has kept it off. He is one of the kindest most centered people I know - the significant other of one of DH's sisters. Love the guy. I really have never noticed what he eats or doesn't eat but he is always there to help out in the kitchen (which as a young person I felt was the girl's ghetto). Next time I see him I am going to observe.

Ann great description on your nights out. Love it. A single big fat scallop is indeed a dinner entree.

Those of you in freezing cold be careful. One of the little towns here is having meetings about increasing housing because they anticipate that global warming will cause more people to move to our mild area to escape extreme heat. Thats why we came here - to escape heat. Also annoying jobs.

DH went out to lunch with buddies so that's good for him. He brought home a boatload of fish and chips. No cooking for me tonight. Still haven't hit the crab stand. I bet they are slammed for Super Bowl day.

The new printer and computer set up at gallery is great. Don't know why we put up with that old POS for so long.

Peps congrats on a sugar free day. Must confess I ate a small piece of cheesecake at studio. It was worth it.

Ann just imagine if coffee was a controlled substance! I would be meeting my "dealer" in a dark alley and spraying gas station strength air freshener to cover up the smell. Smugglers coming in from Kona and Summatra.

Well take care all. Diane S