Tag Archives: exercise

November 30, 2025 · 12:50 am

Losing the Lard November Report

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It’s the end of November, just after Thanksgiving with little time before Christmas, but I promised that I would report my progress each month on my efforts to lose the lard and get healthier.

The short report is that I have now lost 84 pounds – 29 of them since I moved to Thailand. There is about 77 inches less of me now. I think my goal is to lose around 6 more pounds. I want to see how I feel at that weight and then will make a decision as to whether to lose more or go to maintenance.

The thing that has helped the most since I moved to Thailand in April is that Brian and I eat two meals a day. Our heaviest meal is breakfast after working out at the gym. We treat ourselves to a chocolate drink or an iced coffee many afternoons a week. We eat pretty lightly at dinner. I’m not worrying so much about eating low carb these days. The food in Thailand is almost all full of carbs. Even if you’re trying to watch carbs it’s difficult. I’m controlling my portions. We order a meal that serves one. I eat 1/3 of that and Brian eats the rest. We may have a side of some fruit or a small portion of pistachio nuts with that.

I’m taking supplements to help my digestion. I let Chia Seeds sit in a full glass of water for at least 10 minutes in the morning and then drink it down. I take a tablespoon of olive oil. Before dinner I drink 1/3 of a bottle of probiotic liquid. Before bed I take a probiotic pill. This combination has been truly wonderful for me. This has solved digestion problems here, but it also has made me more regular than I have been in my entire life.

I’m exercising every day. I will never be an exercise enthusiast, but I realize how important it is to my health now. I walk a mile on the treadmill every morning, 7 days a week. I used to hold on to the bars on the treadmill for dear life because my sense of balance was impaired by my surgery in February. Now I can walk not holding on at all. I still have to correct at times, but basically am comfortable so that I can now increase my speed a bit as well as the incline percentage.

I do either yoga stretching or exercises for my arms with water bottles on alternate days for half an hour. I also do some daily balance exercises I found on the net, plus dance daily for several minutes to some really great music on my computer.

Problem areas:

  • My belly will be the last to go. I’m trying to include belly exercises, but I’m also reading that some of these may actually make my problem worse. Encouraging, right?
  • My sense of balance is controlled by my inner ear and my brain. My balance and hearing were both impacted by either the anesthesia or the fact that my heart stopped twice on Feb. 11th and had surgeries to install a temporary, then permanent, pacemaker. I am now wearing hearing aids. I’m adapting to wearing them, while re-training my brain and body is a slow process.

Otherwise, I’m feeling better. I have more energy. I’m feeling more sure on my feet. Brian says I’m stumbling less over the very uneven sidewalks and streets here now. My blood pressure has improved to the point I’m on half the dosage I started on back in April. I haven’t been sick in the 7 months I have been here. Soon, I hope, I can shop for jeans that fit and a few new tops.

Onward and downward – I hope!

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October 26, 2025 · 2:17 am

“Take Less of Me….”

“Give your all to me
I’ll give my all to you
You’re my end and my beginning
Even when I lose, I’m winning
‘Cause I give you all of me
And you give me all of you, oh-oh”~ “All of Me” by John Legend

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This is a selfie taken just a few minutes ago. I’m going ahead and providing a progress report on my efforts to lose my lard for the end of October 2025.

This is my husband and me at “Lunch Bunch” at The Pizza Barn in Arkansas about a year and a half ago. At my heaviest (two years or more ago) I weighed 205.

As of today, I’ve lost 80 pounds and 85 inches. I still have about 10 lbs or so to go, but I can finally see the end goal and believe I can actually reach it.

I feel better now, since I’m finally in the normal, healthy range of the BMI chart for my height. I’ll make the final decision on where I want to maintain and concentrate more on fitness after I lose the next 10 lbs.

I don’t know if you can tell a difference or not. I can tell you I’ve had to alter the waist in my jeans 4 times now since I moved to Thailand in April. I will celebrate, getting two pairs of jeans that FIT when I reach my goal weight.

It’s funny. Although I’m pleased about the weight and inches loss, I’m wondering from time to time whether it’s better to have smooth skin filled out by fat or to be thinner with lots of excess skin and lots of wrinkles. I think of myself now as a Shar-Pei type of person…

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I will just concentrate on meeting my weight goal while continuing to exercise to increase my strength and stamina, plus regain my sense of balance since I lost it after being in the hospital in February. I’m walking a mile each day on the treadmill at the gym. I also do a session of yoga stretches one day and dance to really bouncy music with water bottles in my hands as weights with which I do exercises for my arms on the next day. My son, Brian, and I also try to walk to places that are close to the condo to get more exercise in.

It would be nice to meet my goal by the end of 2025. I’m not in any huge hurry. I’m trying to eat healthy things, enjoying trying Thai cuisine as well as eating “Western style” low carb meals. We’re eating breakfast and dinner each day, and I have an iced coffee mid afternoon. No snacks. I’m drinking lots and lots of water until I feel my eyeballs are floating. All this is working together to undo some of the damage I had before I moved here. I want to be healthy to be able to enjoy exploring this fascinating country!

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October 17, 2025 · 9:21 pm

Saturday, Oct. 18 – 2025

Just one example of beauty you see everywhere in Thailand.

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After a super busy day yesterday, Brian and I are enjoying a couple of recoup days. I will do my normal stuff, enjoying the fact that I can move from one activity to another at the time of my choosing, not feeling rushed or obligated, and maybe even sneaking in a nap or two if I feel like it.

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I did well at the gym this morning. I’m trying to retrain my brain to improve my sense of balance since my surgery in February. My loss of hearing at that time also certainly affected my sense of balance.

I now wear hearing aids that are absolutely wonderful. They are so comfortable that I sometimes forget I’m wearing them. I do take them out when I’m alone, just to rest the inside of my ears a bit. So – if you come to see me and I’m not wearing them – and I don’t put them in while you watch – it’s definitely a message to you…. 🤣😂

Now that my hearing is corrected, it remains up to me to retrain my brain and body to keep my balance, whether I’m walking on rough terrain, bumpy streets and sidewalks, or on the treadmill.

When I started going to the gym every morning in May, I held on to the handlebars of the treadmill tightly. I was STILL swaying, listing to the right or left, having to slow my speed, etc., really concentrating on keeping my balance and not falling on my head.

My retraining has slowly worked! Now I am walking on the treadmill without holding on to the handlebars at all. I feel much more steady, able to look around at what is beside the path on the video without losing my balance. I can even check what’s going on outside a bit. Occasionally the video will turn abruptly and cause me to have to recorrect, or I’ll lose concentration and finding myself ‘listing’ to one side or the other, but the daily practice is definitely helping.

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Ah, the life of a retired, spoiled lady! Now that my wash is on my drying rack on my balcony outside, my biggest decision is whether to work on my jigsaw puzzle or start painting a sketch after I finish my blog posts. 😁

Make this a great day!

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October 10, 2025 · 9:48 pm

Treadmill Travels

Daily Paws

As I walk on the treadmill each morning, I’m in awe of the videos on the treadmill screen. Someone I guess has a business of traveling to different locations and filming paths one can walk in each location. They do it with great expertise. You feel as if you are actually there, walking on the path, turning when they turn, walking up steps, over rocks, down slopes, across bridges – even off the edge of cliffs when the camera plays with your mind, giving you a gorgeous view before changing to another path.

I’m enjoying virtual vacations as I try to improve my balance, my steadiness, and my stamina.

There is a nice video about Hawaii. I usually have to research, using my memory of what I’ve seen, to figure out the location because it isn’t given on the video. Certain places like Hawaii are easy to figure out, though I can’t tell you where each location was.

This image was taken by Tasha Marie of Unsplash. (I’m trying to give you the FLAVOR of the images on the video, since I can’t give credit to the actual image makers.)

There is a gorgeous stretch of sandy beach, where you walk along, admiring the nice waves coming in on your left. The video moves you closer to the water as you walk, getting your feet wet, then finally walking in the waves a bit. It’s glorious. The only thing missing for me is sandpipers skittering across the sand on their long, long legs, making me laugh.

Mike Sirotin Photography

There is a lava field in one part of the video similar to this one. There are white markers along a ‘path’ considered safe to hike on. The lava field covers part of a road in one area of the video. It’s awe-inspiring to see what power nature has to change the landscape of our world.

This image is similar to a section of the video where you hike through heavily wooded jungle-type areas with sometimes very narrow paths. You can almost hear the call of birds as you walk.

Photo by 1234Kidswilltravel

Waterfalls large and small spill into creeks rushing beside your path as you walk, or off in the distance a bit, making you goggle at the majesty of nature.

I hope I’ve given you an idea of the expertise of the people who create and sell videos to gyms – and I guess they are available if you purchase your own treadmill to use at home.

They provide a distraction from the fact you’re exercising, if you’re a lazy person like me; they provide focus so that I can let go of the handlebars and concentrate on changing my balance as needed to stay on the paths; they show you places in the world you probably won’t ever get the chance to actual visit – led by someone who won’t let you get lost!

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October 4, 2025 · 1:13 am

Mind Games

Be Well

You already know I’m weird; but, as Elizabeth Barrett Browning said, “Let me count the ways….”

I’ve been trying to re-train my brain and body on the treadmill in an effort to improve my sense of balance that was impaired when I was in the hospital in February.

I can walk without holding on to the bars now – a big difference from when I started in June (I think) walking every morning for half an hour. I’ve increased my speed and I’m starting to tweak the incline %. The reason I say I’m weird is that I feel like I’m playing Mind Games.

Someone has gone to a great deal of trouble, time, and expense to provide videos on the treadmill screen you watch I guess to make the time pass more quickly or distract you from the fact you’re exercising. The videos are beautiful, shot in all different locations, made so you feel as if they are walking right there with you.

I’m probably more prone to react to the videos than others. I’m trying to figure out where the video was shot, trying to absorb the glorious views they provide, and more. They are leading me down various paths – some on city sidewalks, some deep in the woods, some on the beach…

Since I am walking without holding on to the bars, my brain reacts each time the location changes, or the path winds and turns, goes up stairways or hills. I find myself trying to mentally and physically avoid the rocks in the paths so I won’t fall on my head. I’m trying not to lose my balance as we go through a squeakily narrow place or are plunged into the darkness, or twist and turn. My brain and body react when the camera approaches a place where there is clearly no place to go, and THEN THEY KEEP GOING OFF THE EDGE WITH THE CAMERA!

The really good thing is I never get bored, even when the video is a repeat of one I’ve done before. I’m improving on looking ahead, rather than down at the path all the time, taking in what is BESIDE the path now. I’m learning not to panic when the camera angle changes, straightening out the path in my mind rather than grabbing the bar in knee-jerk fashion.

You would THINK I would be intelligent enough to remember that I am in a gym, walking on a treadmill, NOT in a forest, or walking off a cliff – but INSIDE this weird brain, I’m experiencing the places they’re taking me, holding my breath as I negotiate yet another several sets of steps built into the path, step over debris, around people, make another abrupt turn in the path that runs over a creek…

So, I admit I’m weird. And I’ll try to use that to my ADVANTAGE as I try to regain my stamina and my balance.

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August 5, 2025 · 12:38 am

Amazement

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Last night I added more exercises with bottles of water as weights. I did enough that I had some sore muscles, so that was good.

Today after looking at a couple of videos (thank you, Sheila) of a lady dancing, I looked up music videos labeled, “dance music,” to encourage me to bop around the room with my headphones on. I lasted three songs on the first video before pooping out, and I had a good time, a smile on my face as the years fell away in my mind.

Pinterest – Free Clipart

Just a minute ago, I was truly ‘amazing’ though, as I sprinted toward my balcony to rescue my laundry drying on the rack when it started to pour suddenly. And I mean POUR!!!!! Not just a turning-the-faucet-on rain, but someone using spray attachments!

I had forgotten how quickly this old lady can move, if needed. I managed to get the dry stuff off the rack and onto a chair, and then proceeded to open the balcony folding door fully so I could move the rack of still damp clothes inside. I managed to do that without injury or dumping the clothes and then got the door shut without pinching fingers or causing any other problems.

True to Thailand, while I’m still breathing a bit heavily from all the exertion, the rain has quieted to a calm rain, instead of all the slashing, blowing rain. Thankfully, this rain was slanted differently, so my windows didn’t leak. 😁

Bored Panda

Now that I’m up and my heart is ‘awake’ and functioning, I think I’ll do my session of yoga stretches for the day…

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August 3, 2025 · 11:37 pm

Thoughts on a Monday 8-4

This is my new haircut. It feels good and is super easy to care for, with my just having to blow it dry when I shower each morning.

I’m having a quiet day today. I walked a little over a mile on the treadmill using my new ‘slow-then-fast-for-me’ walking method. (Japanese Walking). I’ve been doing this for a couple of weeks now. The video says that this method is much more effective for health than the ‘set-the-speed-and-walk-for-30-minutes’ method I was using before. It sure keeps me more ‘engaged’. I’m walking for a slow speed for 2 minutes, then fast-for-me for 3 minutes in 5 minute increments over and over for the 30 minutes, so I have a slow speed to warm up and one to cool down at the end.

Today is a quiet day for us, with nothing we HAVE to do, so Brian and I ate breakfast and talked a bit, and will meet again for dinner this evening. Otherwise, we are free to do what we want. Brian will work and I will play. I feel a bit guilty about that – but, having worked all my life starting with summer jobs at 14, I feel I that embracing my fun and sloth is a wonderful thing.

I’m working on painting some sketches I started recently. I’m also making progress (in fits and starts) on my owls puzzle. Sometimes I think I won’t live long enough to finish this one, which is truly challenging. You can’t tell what part you’re working on, even after studying the picture. I’m looking forward to the day when I can display the finished puzzle for you!😋

I’m exercising with Mike, from More Life Health on my computer. He gears his workouts on various parts of the body so that you can choose what you feel you’re missing from your other exercising, geared to seniors. I do one of his workouts several times each week. No special equipment needed and the site is free.

I’m reading a good book on my Kindle; enjoying finding things I think are great on the computer; writing blog posts I hope you’ll enjoy; doing my yoga stretches and other new exercises; and more. The biggest problem is deciding what I want to do when!

I hope you are finding things that give you joy in your day.

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July 16, 2025 · 12:51 am

Thoughts on Wednesday, July 16, 2025

This is a gazing ball that I covered in mosaic style to sit on in the middle of our birdbath in our yard in Arkansas. I loved the process, and it gave us joy for many years.

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I spent an hour on the phone with our insurance company last night. We hope that we are sending what they want today and that things will be approved soon.

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At dinner last night, Brian and I were discussing exercising – what we wanted to get from it. A few years ago, Brian did a bunch of weight lifting and exercising with a trainer and beefed up his muscles significantly. He gradually decided that he wanted to emphasize being healthy rather than concentrating on the muscles. When I told him I wanted to improve my stamina, particularly for walking here in Thailand; improve my flexibility, balance, etc., he showed me a couple of things he does every morning –

  1. He just stands in the middle of the room and moves his head back as far as he can, looking at the ceiling. (I will try this, but will be standing next to something for balance, as that will make me dizzy.)
  2. Another move is to reach up over his head with both arms, pointing them to the ceiling. He stretches up, up, and up again, breathing into it, then stands up on his toes, stretching even farther. He hears a pop or two. (I’m not sure what I’LL hear, but, again, I’ll probably stand beside a wall or my couch.)
  3. A third move is to stand with legs spread, balanced. Put arms over head, then bend to the left as far as you can. Straighten, then bend to the right. Repeat several times, breathing into it.
  4. Finally, stand with plenty of room around you. Straighten your arms out to the sides. Then turn one direction as far as you can, wrapping your arms around your body to increase the stretch as much as you can. Repeat on the other side.

I’m going to add these to my yoga practice each day, where I’ve already added the strengthening-my-back exercises my doctor showed me. Hopefully, these – along with my walking a mile on the treadmill at the gym each morning – will work together to help me meet my goals.

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July 13, 2025 · 10:45 pm

Thoughts on a Monday

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We had beautiful weather here in Chiang Mai this morning. I did my 30 minutes on the treadmill with no problem, doing two minutes at a slower speed and then 3 minutes on a fast one for me, then back again, over and over until my time was up. I’m am finding this keeps my interest more than simply setting a speed and mindlessly watching the hiking videos on the screen. I don’t know if it’s really more effective at getting me more fit or not. I’ll see if I’ve lost anything more when I measure at the end of July.

I’m finally getting to the place where I can see I might actually reach my losing the lard goal set so long ago. My motivation to eat smaller portions, MANY fewer carbs, no added salt, and drink plenty of water during the day has increased as I move closer to my goal.

This is a photo of me when we were still in Arkansas. I had already lost some of my lard here, but obviously needed to get more serious.

Brian took this photo this morning after we finished breakfast. I’m wearing some new shorts and a tee that I can use for workout or lazing around in my condo. You may not be able to tell any difference, but I FEEL better now.

I’m down 68 pounds from my heaviest. I still want to lose 20 to 25 or so pounds and see how I feel then. I’m happy that I can do the workout on the treadmill so much more easily. Brian notices that I’m more agile, less apt to stumble on the uneven sidewalks and walkways than I was and I’m walking faster. I’m still having a problem with the humidity here, but I’m going to get better at that, too.

We still have a pretty large to-do list from the move to do, but we’ve had to space some things out for various reasons. Having fewer ‘have-to’s’ is bringing up our spirits. Today is a day that we can’t do anything on our list, so Brian is at work and I have the day to play in my condo.

My laundry is drying on the drying rack on my balcony. I’ve straightened the condo so all is in the right place. I’m planning to enjoy writing a couple of blog posts, spend some time trying to make progress on my puzzle. I’m into a wonderful new book by Lee Child and his younger brother Andrew Child, called, “Sentinel.”

I’m having a blast choosing drawings I find on the net and trying to reproduce them in my sketchbook. Drawing is still one of my weak spots in trying to create art, but I’m improving a bit.

Have a wonderful day or evening! Find something that brings you joy!

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July 5, 2025 · 3:28 am

Evolving Exercise?

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Since I’m not EVER going to be an ‘exercise afficionado,’ – particularly since it’s a bit late to start at 78 – I’m trying to make the exercise I AM doing do the most for me.

I read an article recently (actually, my friend Marsha pointed it out to me) that the Japanese had done a study that showed that, instead of just getting on the treadmill, setting the speed, and walking for 30 minutes (1 mile) as I have been doing for about a month and a half now, it’s more effective if you start with a warm-up of a couple of minutes, then increase your speed as if you were going to miss a bus, be late for work, etc. for a few minutes, and then go back to slow, repeating over and over for the same 30 minute session.

I don’t really know if it’s really doing me much more good than what I was mindlessly slogging through before, but it keeps my interest and makes me FEEL like I’m doing myself more good.

I’ve been doing what I call, “Old lady yoga stretches” for quite a while now, hoping to keep myself as flexible as possible, improve my balance, loosen stiff muscles, etc. The problem is that I’ve been planning to do my session in the evening after dinner.

I’ve finally recognized a tendency to either shorten my session or just put it off altogether due to my innate laziness. SO – now I’ve changed to doing my session in the afternoon, when I’m still relatively fresh, not sleepy, and more likely to do a full length session, slowly, with intention. (Like as soon as I finish writing this post!)

Last, my doctor here in Thailand recommended three exercises for me to do to strengthen my back when I told her about my ‘mystery debilitating back spasms’ from which I suffered for about a week.

I don’t have weights, but I DO have 1 liter bottles of water. I’m doing two of the exercises using one of the bottles. I’ll increase that to two when this gets easier.

The first exercise is to stand holding the bottle close to your body with both hands in front of you. You twist as far as you can to the left, then back to the front, then twist as far as you can to the right and back again. I’m doing 20 reps.

The second exercise starts with you standing holding the bottle in front of you legs spread for balance. You reach as far as you can up and to the left, hold, then bring it back. Then reach as far as you can up and to the right, hold, then bring it back. I’m doing 20 reps of this one, too.

The third exercise is really a challenge for me. I’m combining it with my yoga stretches. I’m flat on my stomach on my mat, arms in front of me on the floor in a ‘V’ shape. Then I’m supposed to lift up my arms and my head and as much of me as possible from the waist up off the floor and hold.

Yeah, right.

I’m doing the best I can, but I’m barely able to lift anything from my waist up off the floor now. I’m looking at this as the same theory as the lady who created the yoga video for seniors. She said that it doesn’t matter if you can’t touch your toes. If you are TRYING to touch your toes, bend over as far as you can and breathe into it, you are doing the same good for your body as if you DID touch your toes. Your body is stretching toward your goal and will give a bit more each day. I’m HOPING that – if I keep lifting up as much as I can each day – gradually I’ll do better and better. The lifting and stretching will hopefully strengthen my back a bit at a time.

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June 28, 2025 · 9:31 pm

“Take Less of Me…”

Willie Nelson – “Take All of Me…” – Wikipedia

“All of me
Why not take all of me?”

I love this song by Willie Nelson. I immediately started humming it when I was weighing and measuring for my end of the month reporting on my efforts to lose the lard – except I sang, “Less of me – Why not take less of me?”

I’m finally entering a phase where I can actually see what might be the end of my efforts to LOSE and the beginning of maintenance. I’ve been at this a LONG time and I had honestly begun to doubt my ability to actually achieve my goal.

As of today, I’ve lost almost 67 pounds and 60 inches since my heaviest. Even though Lynn, my much appreciated and much missed massage therapist did what she could to make me taller, it didn’t work. So I’ve continued to eat low carb and exercise more. I’m now finally within sight of my goal to be in the middle to lower end of the healthy range on a BMI chart and to continue my efforts to get more fit and flexible.

I talked to Brian this morning at breakfast. He has been helping and supporting me, but has lately been getting further and further from strict low carb, trying to introduce me to nice food here, plus just pamper me. We have agreed to be stricter about the low carb, and that instead of each of us getting half of whatever we order, I’ll get one-third and he’ll get two-thirds. I would LIKE to get to my goal weight by my next visit to the doctor – in about two months. Brian and I have agreed that I’ll aim to lose 1 kilo a week (or 2.2 pounds.)

I’m walking a mile on the treadmill at the gym each morning and I’m doing yoga stretches (now in the afternoon) as well as 3 new exercises to strengthen my back.

I hope there will be ‘less of me’ at the end of July!

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June 19, 2025 · 1:55 am

New Decade of Lard

Can you see me doing my happy dance?

After a year or more of whining/moaning/griping about being in the ‘morbidly obese’ category of the dreaded BMI Chart, I have FINALLY entered a new decade of weight – (this morning) the edge of which is JUST into the “healthy weight” part of the chart.

My goal now is to get into the MIDDLE of the healthy range, or under that enough so that I can walk into a clothing store without worrying if they have ANYTHING large enough for me to wear. I don’t know how much more weight and inches that means, but it feels good to be more within sight of it now.

My combination of mostly eating low carb meals (eating breakfast and dinner with a coffee in-between) and then my exercising with walking a mile on the treadmill at the gym with my son every morning and yoga stretches in the afternoon, plus adventures where we are enjoying walking to and from interesting spots in the city, all seems to be coming together finally.

The clinic doctor, of course, will have the final say. We saw her a month ago for a baseline. She immediately put me on a combination blood pressure drug because I was into stroke territory. She also told me to lose weight (surprise!) and I have lost a bit over 10 lbs (47 kgs) since we saw her. I’m hoping that she will be pleased with my numbers when we see her again Monday afternoon in follow up. I’ll measure at the end of the month to see if I’ve made any progress there.

I hope you’ll join me in my happy dance. 💃💪🏻😁

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June 18, 2025 · 3:34 am

Our Happy New Routine

Vista Create

I have been in Thailand about 2-1/2 months now. We have had a whirlwind of activity with my husband’s health, moving to my condo, changing out the furniture, figuring out all the details we needed to do every day in order to get our lives going here.

Now things are finally taming down. There are still a LOT of details to be handled, and we are doing these the best we can, but our day to day lives have begun to settle into a routine now, and I’m embracing that new life.

Our typical day now looks like this –

I get up at 5am to get ready to go to the gym with Brian and walk on the treadmill while he runs. We walk back, shower, and then share breakfast and discuss if there is anything we need to accomplish that day. Three times a week that includes half the day going to visit Harvey at the nursing home, making sure he is okay, comfortable, and as content as possible. Many other days, though, we don’t have anything that we can do from our list.

Brian is trying to do more work, since expenses of taking in both of his parents – particularly the hospital/nursing home surprise – is a bit hard to handle. So, if we don’t have anything scheduled, he goes off to work and we then share dinner.

This means he is free to concentrate on doing well for his clients, and I am free to do whatever I would like to do with my day.

Today I spent quite a bit of time in my art alcove.

I love spending time here. I thought I would grieve at having given up all my carefully collected art stuff, but I’m concentrating on trying to learn how to draw what I see better. I keep these in the big fat sketchbook you see here. I have regular pencils, colored pencils, and watercolors. I am choosing pictures I like from the net, particularly YouTube and Pinterest, and trying to reproduce them the best way I can. I’m having SUCH a good time trying. I don’t feel pressured to produce anything for sale. (Thank goodness!) I can simply enjoy the process of trying to draw and paint something for the sheer joy of it, wiling away the hours with a grin on my face. I’m also making small paintings for my housekeeper each week, thanking her for her work, and for my new ‘grandson’ who loves dinosaurs.

I’m always in the middle of a good book, too. The current one is another Nora Roberts book. I can’t believe I’ve missed any because she is probably my favorite author right now, but I’m delighted to dive into anything she has written.

I am trying to balance my walking on the treadmill in the morning with yoga stretches in the afternoon or evening. I’ve been doing these stretches for a long time, but they are especially useful in times when I develop mysterious old lady problems, like the grabbing pain in my back last week, that need to be carefully stretched out to heal.

I, of course, spend time on the blog. If I’m not actively writing a post, I’m researching things to find to share with you. There are so many talented people in our world, and I’m delighted to be able to share their work with you.

I also take time to stare at my jigsaw puzzle. It’s a really good thing that I’m not feeling any pressure to get it done. I find that I’m much slower than I used to be. This “owls” puzzle is difficult, and I may die of old age before it’s finished. That’s okay, too, because I love taking a few minutes here and there to see if I can make some progress.

Last night Brian downloaded Family Tree Maker software for me. We had it for years in the states. Now I have my data attached to it again, and I can spend lots of time seeing old photos, remembering things about relatives, learning new things about people related to us, but I didn’t actually know. I find it fascinating.

In the middle of the afternoon, if I don’t contact him first, Brian texts me, asking if I’m okay and if I want him to order a coffee for me. Imagine that! Today I got a cold chocolate mocha coffee that was delivered to the condo building table downstairs. Brian texted me the order number, and I went downstairs, retrieved it, came back to my place and slurped it. What a difficut life I have!🤪

We share dinner, talk awhile, and then hit the hay because 5am the next morning comes quickly.

And that’s our new routine. I’m studying some Thai language tapes, trying to learn some very basic phrases. I will be able to learn more quickly, I hope, when we see the last hearing aid people and I get some hearing aids. (Trying to reproduce a sound when you can’t hear it accurately isn’t quite a waste of time, but close to it.)

More plans in the works as we get more details settled.

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May 1, 2025 · 5:10 am

Getting Moving

Brian and I just got back from “Walkin’ to New Orleans” to get to a nice looking gym, where he has been running first thing in the morning for the past 4 days, I think.

We have a one month membership for me now. I will start Monday morning. They open at 6 a. m. , so we will start walking from here at 5:50. He says it’s a 5 minute walk for him and it took us 10 minutes to get there this afternoon. Actually, the walking over there and walking back will make me proud of this old lady.😛

He runs for 25 minutes. I will try to walk on the treadmill for the same 25 minutes he is running. Then I am planning to do a slow easy yoga stretching session in the afternoons. We will see how it goes. 🙂

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January 24, 2025 · 8:03 am

“If You Rest, You Rust”

The quote is by Helen Hayes. I’m trying to live by her words.

Patty Durfee-Pinterest

I’ve been doing my exercise regimen for a reasonably long time now. At the end of the month, I’ll measure to see if I’ve made any progress in the ‘losing-my-lard’ project.

Newport Daily News

I AM feeling looser and stronger than I did. When I’m writing my blog posts to you each morning, I stop after each one to do a series of exercises with 3-pound weights. I write another post, and do another series until I’ve finished the 4 posts I write every day. This results in a reasonable number of repetitions on trying to strengthen my arms.

I then do chair exercises that are supposed to be targeting my abdomen or core. There are four exercises. When I do two of them, I can really feel it. The other two involve my arms, and I’m not strong enough yet to do them, but I hope to work up to them.

Pinterest

The only other exercise I do daily is my yoga stretches in the afternoon. I do a half hour to 45 minutes, doing a series of big stretches. I don’t do a lot of ‘poses,’ like people who really do yoga well do. I just do stretches on my mat, breathing into the stretches and concentrating on relaxing.

sent to me by my friend, Marsha.

I’ll be reporting to you at the end of the month. Keep moving!

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December 17, 2024 · 10:15 am

Tuesday 12-17-2024

PsychoBitch Lou – via Deb Miller – Pinterest

Today seems to be one of challenge.

First, our ice maker in the fridge is on the fritz. It’s going VERY slowly, grudgingly spitting out a few cubes a day. We changed the filter, checked the water, made sure the ICE OFF button is NOT pushed, so I’ve now arranged for a repairman to come look at it. He can’t be here until the 30th, so we may arrange for some ice trays in the meantime.

Second, I’m going to TRY to get the smart light bulb my husband bought to work. I’m the most non-tech-savvy person you’ve ever met (although I DID get my smart watch to work again-HOOORAAAAAY), so I’ll give it my best shot.

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Keto Cheeseburger Casserole

We tried the recipe by Vered DeLeeuw of the Healthy Recipes Blog, and my husband pronounced it, “YUMMY!” wanting it to be added to our wonderful dinner list. I’ll make twice as much next time so we have lots of leftovers.

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Since I gave the memory boxes I painted to the residents of the retirement place yesterday, I now have room on my shelves to spread out what I’ve listed for sale on my Etsy site. I’ll reorganize that this afternoon.

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Big Stock Photo

I’ve told you, ad nauseam, possibly, about my efforts to lose the lard and get what’s left more healthy, flexible, and strong as possible.

I’m doing sessions of exercises with 3 lb weights in-between blog posts, trying to strengthen my arms and shoulders. I also do sessions with the weights to music provided through YouTube Videos of women doing “Fit Sticks,” exercises to catchy songs with drum sticks and humongous exercise balls to beat the sticks on while moving to the beat. It’s a fun thing for me to do, making me feel I have company. :0)

I found some chair exercises to try to strengthen my abdomen. I can do most of them, and am now doing at least one session of the 6 exercises daily. There are TWO exercises, though, that call for more strength in the arms than I have. I’m hoping the WEIGHTS exercises will one day enable me to do the remaining CHAIR exercises…

Finally, my half hour or so yoga practice daily allows me to relax (unless Monster Cat attacks my feet), and really stretch things out. I’m not folding myself into a paper airplane and flying across the room. I’m concentrating on stretches and breathing into each one, increasing my flexibility, throwing in a few exercises for my stomach, and hoping to strengthen my core.

I want to continue living in as healthy a fashion as I can. Low carb eating, losing the lard, and moving what’s left of me as much as is reasonable seems a good way to go about it.

Make your Tuesday a fun one.

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December 6, 2024 · 10:09 am

Character-Building Exercises

Indian Hills Signs – Vince, the Sign Guy

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know that I whine from time to time that my efforts to lose the lard and get stronger are frustrated.

I’m into a routine now.

I’m eating low carb and monitoring what I’m eating and drinking on MyFitnessPal.com. This is a wonderful site with a free part that allows you to (1) set your goals (2) plan what you’re going to eat and drink ahead of time BEFORE you mess up, and (3) chart your progress with exercising, measurements and weight logs.

Womens Health

In-between posts on the blog to you, I’m doing short sessions of exercises with 3-pound weights, several reps of lots of different moves – some to the beat of music videos of ladies doing ‘drumming exercises’- and then I go back and write another post. This takes the ‘curse’ off of things for me. I have the weights on my computer counter right next to me, so it’s easy to stop, do a session, and then get back to what I was doing. I end up doing 4 to 5 sessions daily.

The Indian Express

I try to get in a session of “old-lady-yoga-stretches” – 30 to 45 minutes – every afternoon. I do NOT fold myself up into a paper airplane shape and sail across the room. I’m concentrating on relaxing, stretching my poor, aching body as far as I can into each position and breathing into it. I’m making progress because I’m stretching farther and able to relax into it better than I could when I started. I’m getting more flexible, looser, and my balance is improving. I can relax – unless Monster Cat decides to jump onto my feet and bite them.

Getty Images – Health

If the weather permits, I try to take at least a couple of walks around our yard daily. At one point, I decided I would walk down and get our mail every day. Doesn’t sound like much, does it.

Well, we live on top of a ridge line in Arkansas. Our driveway is 650+ feet from the house down to the road that runs in front of our property. It is graveled and STEEP. I tried to do this, but almost fell on my head several times trying to walk down, and then, even stopping several times to bend over and try to catch my breath, it felt like Mt. Everest to this old lady. Once was enough.

Now I walk out to our shop, around it, past our old veggie garden area, back to the house, around it, and do the round again. If the weather is nice, I put my gardening gloves on and carry my pruning shears so I can stop and cut something down while I’m out. (The woods are continually trying to recapture the land we took when we built our home 37 years ago now.)

Deviant Art

Finally, just for giggles, my husband helped me get our old Wii Fit to work again after several years. I stopped using it years ago due to my general laziness and it’s predilection for snark when I got on to measure my weight and when I tried to do the activities. I’m ignoring that and talking back to it now. :0)

I whine because even with watching what I eat like a hawk and pushing myself to move the lard daily, I’m having trouble meeting my current interim goal. I just bobble with 2 to 3 pounds over and over rather than actually meeting my goal and being able to set a new one. It’s aggravating, to say the least.

I guess it’s also character-building, because I AM sticking to my eating and exercise plan and I WILL – EVENTUALLY – reach this interim goal of 45 pounds off from my heaviest. Right now the result is 44 pounds down and almost 44 inches less. I. AM. DETERMINED.

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December 1, 2024 · 8:58 am

Sunday 12-1-2024

Pinterest

I hope that this is a really nice month for you.

Yesterday my wonderful hair stylist, Michael Remillard from Tangles in Greenwood, performed a miracle and I now look more like someone had a plan. My hair is thin and fine. Michael cuts it so that I can wash it and blow it dry in the mornings, just perfect for our lifestyle.

BoredPanda.com

That took up most of the morning, though, so I missed the time I normally do sessions with weights between blog posts. (I didn’t finish my posts for the day until around 3pm.) I did, however, do 45 minutes of yoga stretches in the afternoon and felt good afterwards. An added bonus was that Monster Cat didn’t attack my feet with teeth and claws as I relaxed and stretched. :0)

Keto Chili – Suzanne Ryan – Simply Keto

Today I’m hoping is a more regular day, with no drama, so I can indulge myself in my routine of blog posts and exercises with weights in the morning, get the makings of keto chili in the crock pot after lunch, spend some good time up in my art room (trying to make Christmas presents for friends) and do a good session of yoga before dinner.

Kiddipedia

I hope that you have a super nice day today and that it’s only the beginning of a stellar month for you.

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November 20, 2024 · 10:05 am

Wednesday 11-20-2024

americasbestpics.com

Other than not “waking up rich,” I’m doing pretty well this morning.

THE DAY’S PROJECTS –

THING ONE – I’m going to move warm weather clothes and shoes OUT of my closet upstairs and move cold weather clothes and shoes IN. This is a bit more work than it sounds. Because I’m finally being moderately successful in losing my lard, I have several sizes of clothes. I’ll need to gather warm weather clothes that are now too large for me to wear to give to the Veterans Thrift Store the next time we go. I’ll need to try on old cold weather clothes to see what is wearable and what isn’t.

THING TWO – I cook in batches, trying to be sure there is enough for at least two meals for my husband and me, and more, if possible. This results in a lot of storage and labeling of lots of individual meals in the freezer for us. My collection of plastic containers is stained with tomato-y stains. I’ve done everything, including sand blasting (just kidding) to get the stains out, but to no avail. Some of the tops are splitting. I finally ordered two groups of containers – one round, one square with lids that MAY arrive today. If they do, I’ll do a reorganization of at least two large pull-out drawers in my kitchen. Having new, unstained containers may not seem like a big thing to YOU, but it’ll be a real gift to me. Out with the old – in with the new! :0)

EXERCISING AND LOSING THE LARD –

India Times

I’m definitely starting to feel stronger and looser with my exercises. I’m using weights to gain upper body strength. I stop between blog posts, between emails, etc., to do a set of exercises with the 3-pound weights, and then go back to what I was doing. The fact that I don’t have to designate a time to do these results in SEVERAL sessions each day with the weights – some with videos with music – so I can bop along with ladies doing other stuff – all of us keeping time with the beat.

In the afternoon I do a good half hour of old lady stretches with yoga. I’m able to stretch farther and hold the poses longer than before. I still can’t fold myself into a paper airplane, like real yoga people do, but it’s good for an old lady like me. It’s making me more flexible, eases any pain I have, and having a strong core will keep me able to do what I would like for as long as possible.

Finally, when Mother Nature is smiling on us, I walk out to our shop and then around the yard, usually with a pruner and gloves so I can snip things as I go. I’m still on baby steps on walking, since walking a bunch tends to make my hips hurt until I sit a second, but I’m improving. My ‘kind-of-smart’ watch keeps track of steps and reminds me it’s time to exercise or drink another glass of water. Did I tell you my eyeballs are floating by the end of the day?

NEW FIND – I found a new social media site two days ago. It’s called “Blue Sky.” So far, I’ve found some interesting people. I’m reading a lot, following the people who interest me, chatting with some. It’s fun. You might like it, too.

LINDA’S CRAFTINESS – Hand-wood-burned and painted one-of-a-kind wood slice Christmas ornament. I will personalize it for you with the year and a name on the back to create a cherished keepsake at no extra charge. $14.00 with Free Shipping. See this and other Christmas offerings on HandmadeHavenbyLinda on Etsy.

Have a wonderful Wednesday.

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November 17, 2024 · 9:36 am

Sunday 11-17-2024

Riekie – Rhonda Pelletier – Pinterest
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SPECIAL DAY –

My husband is having a birthday tomorrow. He doesn’t want to TALK about it, DO anything about it, or even THINK about it. Last year he was hyped because turning “80” had panache. 81 is simply old. I think you can FEEL him frowning. I’ll just try to make his day as pleasant as possible and let it go at that.

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LINDA’S CRAFTINESS –

One-of-a-kind set of 4 hand-wood-burned & hand-painted wood slice Christmas ornaments. I will personalize each with the year and a name on the back of each to create a cherished keepsake at no extra charge. 3.25″ in diameter and the slices are about 1/2″ thick. natural beige hanging ties are attached. Only one set available. $44.99 with Free Shipping at HandmadeHavenbyLinda on Etsy. Use the link to see this and other Christmas decorations.

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Indian Hills Signs – Vince, the Sign Guy

BUILDING HABITS WITH INTENTION – My idea of exercising with my 3-pound weights in-between blog posts, or other activities on the computer is working well. I stop often, doing a good set of exercises right beside my computer with the weights, then put them down on the counter and get back to my computer. I did this 5 times yesterday, getting in a good amount of exercise during the day.

I’m rounding this out with my yoga stretches, even though Monster Cat has decided that I’m teasing her by getting down on the floor on the mat. She crawls under the end of the mat, then leaps out and attacks my foot, then dashes under the mat again. Yesterday I brought my foot down on top of her, letting her know that I didn’t appreciate her efforts while I was trying to relax.

She retaliated later by jumping into the empty cardboard box we usually keep for her in the middle of the floor. (I put it up on the sofa when I’m doing my yoga.) She played around in it and then attempted to jump out of it and pulled the whole box down with her to the floor – on top of my head and outstretched arms. My husband died laughing, but did retrieve the box and move it to the foyer, enticing her to follow him so I could finish my stretching.

When the weather is cooperative, I take at least a couple of walks during the day, out to the shop and around the yard, sometimes with pruning shears in my hand. This combination of weights, yoga, and walking is making me feel as if I’m doing a good thing for this old body.

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PLAYING IN MY ART ROOM –

Yesterday I added the wooden key chains I’ve made to my Etsy site. I created a new section called, “Small Unique Gifts” to list them and other small gifty things in the future. There are custom orders, such as the name designs above, and I’m offering to put a large initial, initials, or a name on the back at no extra charge. $10.00 with Free Shipping.

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I hope you’re doing fun things today. Enjoy every minute.

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October 31, 2024 · 5:01 pm

Snap, Crackle, Pop!

Nourish, Move, Love

I sound like the older-than-dirt Rice Krispies commercial when I exercise. I’m drowning that out with earphones plugged into my computer where I listen to “Ladies Drumming” exercise videos where they use drumsticks to beat on exercise balls on platforms just below chest level to some fun music. Instead of their equipment, I’m holding 3-pound dumbbells and doing exercise moves I’ve learned elsewhere, keeping up with the beat. It makes the movement ALMOST fun. I just finished doing two of the videos before I was feeling it in my neck and shoulders.

I did quite a bit of walking (for me) when my husband and I went to do errands this morning. I’ll walk more before dinner.

Now I’ll go do a session of old-lady stretching yoga that will nicely fill out my exercise for the day.

I’ve tweaked my eating by adding the protein shake my doctor recommended daily, plus eating Zero Net-Carb Mission Tortillas, one for lunch and another for dinner, adding 14 grams of fiber daily. I’m drinking more water in-between.

I’m almost to another milestone for me – one of my interim goal marks, and I hope to be able to claim that by the end of this week.

I splurged, though, today, because my husband wanted to stop at our local grocery so he could get a chicken/mashed-potato-bowl for lunch. I caved and got two chicken tenders. I ate one with lunch today and will have the other tomorrow. This allows me to realize that this is a lifestyle change for the rest of my life, not just a ‘diet’ that will end at some point, and that small splurges from time to time add motivation while keeping me from feeling deprived.

We enjoyed delicious BBQ ribs from Stu’s Clean Cookin’ last night. I divided the rack we bought into two pieces. I put one in the fridge to eat last night and the other piece in the freezer for another time. When it was cooked, I divided it again so we both enjoyed 4 ribs with a side salad. My husband had a roll and I had a tortilla. Tonight we’re eating some leftover “Simply Keto Chicken” by Suzanne Ryan.

If you need a laugh, you can picture me on the floor, snap, crackling and popping my way through my yoga stretches while Monster Cat either tries to bite my toes, sit on my stomach, or walk under me as I stretch up on my hands and knees…

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October 31, 2024 · 9:06 am

Boo! 10-31-2024

RM-Pinterest

MEMORIES – I absolutely love this. I’m going to save it so I can enjoy it again and again. I have wonderful memories of trick-or-treating back in the dark ages when I was young and the world wasn’t as wonky. I would go with a group of my friends. By ourselves. No supervision. Complete freedom. Ahhhh! The good ole’ days. :0)

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LINDA’S CRAFTINESS –

This birdhouse is ready for some birds to move right in and start a family. 3-3/4″ x 5-3/4″ x 3/8″ hand-painted mini notebook with 100 blank pages inside for notes, thoughts, lists. Throw it in your purse, car, gym bag, school bag. Fun Gift. $12.99 – FREE SHIPPING. Lots of different designs – see HERE –HandmadeHavenbyLinda on Etsy.

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We had quite the storm overnight. The thunder woke us up sometime this morning. I was able to go back to sleep. My husband wasn’t, and so got up. He was asleep in his recliner when I came down. The cold front has gone through now, we think the rain has stopped for now, and the high is only supposed to be 68 today.

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I had a good day of exercise yesterday – videos with weights, yoga stretches, and walking. I’m hoping to get it more this afternoon. I’m also scheming about ideas for wood-burned key chain designs. Do you have any ideas for me?

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October 20, 2024 · 10:18 am

Sunday 10-20-2024

Liang Binbin

I think this is beyond lovely.

After fighting with our computers, TV, and a bit with each other for over two days now (after no TV since Oct. 7th and the latest announcement that our Internet/TV service provider was dropping the TV service immediately) we have admitted defeat. We were TRYING to get YouTubeTV to work on our television. All we managed to do was uncover the HUGE amount of Amber hair that was behind the equipment in our entertainment center. (I did manage to get it on my phone, but couldn’t get it to communicate with computer or TV or anything.)

We researched Dish and DirecTV and decided that DirecTV had the better deal for us. My husband spent a long time on the phone starting the service and arranging for installation tomorrow. (They wanted to come on the 31st, but my husband insisted on faster service.) HOPEFULLY, now that we’ve solved the reason for all the strife and anxiety, we can just sit and comfortably watch something on TV tomorrow evening.

Pinterest

To that end, my main ‘exercise’ for the day will be moving stuff back and forth in the Entertainment center shelves so that I can remove several whole dog’s worth of hair. I even dreamed about it – it was so bad. When I get the Entertainment center shelves under control, I’ll vacuum the tiled areas and carpeted areas on the first floor, plus the three dog beds.

Yesterday I didn’t log as many steps as I wanted, using most of the day to try to help my husband with the TV issue. I only got one walk in, but then I went back out when he went down to get the mail and managed to blow the leaves out of the truck side of the garage, the driveway pad, the front sidewalk, and the front rock bed. That, combined with a good yoga session, was it for exercise yesterday.

Today I have a LOT of vacuuming to do. Add to that another good yoga session and my walking for the day, and I’ll have ‘moved’ my lard a good amount. :0)

Lara Clevenger

I tried a new recipe last night for a “Keto Ground Beef Casserole.” The source is Lara Clevenger, a registered dietician and personal trainer. Since we were going to be busy and I knew I wouldn’t be in the mood to start cooking later in the day, I went ahead and prepped all of it to the point of pre-heating the oven and cooking. I kept it covered in my fridge. That worked out really well. My husband’s reaction was, “This is yummy. You can serve this any time.” I will definitely go back for more of her recipes.

I hope you have a really nice Sunday.

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October 18, 2024 · 9:32 am

Friday 10-18-2024

Puqqu.com – Laurie Peterson – Pinterest

My heart just melted when I saw this picture. I think the look on their faces is just priceless.

Sloth

I finished these two signs and listed them on my Etsy site, HandmadeHavenbyLinda, yesterday.

Beaver

I’m intrigued by the smart watch I bought. I set it up so that it sends me reminders. It suddenly comes on, flashing at me, saying, “Drink Water,” or “Go Exercise.” Since a lot of my activities are sedentary – computer stuff, writing my blog, listening to music, reading, playing in my art room – I NEED to be reminded that I’ve been sitting plenty long enough and it’s time to get up and move my lard, or hydrate.

It did this several times yesterday. I DID get up, put on my hoodie, grabbed my gardening gloves and pruners on the way out of the garage and just walked around the yard. I decided to stop and tackle something that caught my eye. I improved the situation a bit and then walked on. I went out to the shop and my old garden area (TOTALLY grown up now :0( ) and then back to the driveway pad, then around the house, then around the house again. (you get the pic.) I did this several times during the day.

The first afternoon I had the watch I logged 1800 steps. My first whole day (yesterday) I logged 4177 steps. Even a sloth is supposed to try for at LEAST 10,000 steps, but I’m going to 1) listen to my body and stop if my hips start yelling, and 2) try to increase MY total from the day before. If I can do that, it should be a good addition to my half hour of yoga stretches and one or more ‘drumming’ videos – which I do holding 3 lb. weights. I love the music on these.

I made a bit of progress on the scales lately, rather than GAINING and having to re-lose the same two or three pounds again and again. You can see from the graph above I only maintained and gained before finally starting to inch down again. I would really like to break into new territory one day soon, so I’m just keepin’ on keepin’ on.

If you need me, I’ll be walking, pruning, and guzzling. :0)

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September 27, 2024 · 8:58 am

Friday 9-27-2024

Ontario-Andrii Frolov-@kznsq On X

I had a wonderful slothful day yesterday.

My talented, caring massage therapist, Lynn Moody 479-629-7501, found all my sore and stiff parts and healed me, at least for the rest of the day. Ahhhhhh! After Lynn made me feel loose as a goose and happy, I went to visit my dear friend, Linda, who lives at the retirement place where Lynn’s business is now.

(Kay on the left and Linda on the right at Linda’s retirement center.)

Linda has been a long-time friend here in Arkansas. I really believe she is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever known. Her memory is mainly in the moment now. She recognized me, but didn’t remember that SHE was due for a massage at 1pm. Thankfully, Lynn comes and gets her so that she doesn’t miss out. She said she hasn’t seen or heard from Kay and Bud, our other Lunch Bunch core people, either. I saw our Lunch Bunch waitress at Walmart recently, and she said that she didn’t think Kay recognized her the last time they were in the restaurant. It’s sad when times change, but I’m thankful to have so many wonderful memories.

I dragged the trash can up to its spot and got the mail when I came home, then fixed lunch. When my belly was full and I was comfortable in my chair, I stretched out and enjoyed a long nap. I cooked dinner, but that was really the only other thing I did. I’m a GOOD sloth.

Today my husband and I will try to get the fluorescent bulbs in my closet changed out. The ones I have have been dim for quite awhile, so it will be good if we can do this.

Otherwise, I’ll do my exercises like a good girl today – the ‘fit sticks’ videos (warm up plus at least two more) today plus my yoga. My eating plan and exercise are finally yielding good results. I’m less than a pound away from an interim goal now. Maybe I’ll reach it tomorrow.

Fun At Home With Kids

I plan to spend time in my art room today. I have some things almost finished and a couple of things ready to start. :0)

We may get gusty winds and some rain this afternoon and evening. So far, my friend in Florida is safe, and my SIL outside of Charlotte in North Carolina, are safe from Hurricane Helene. I’ll be keeping up with news from this today.

Stay safe.

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July 19, 2024 · 9:55 am

Eyes Open, Mouth Shut

Migle Miliute – BoredPanda.com

Re-losing the poundage I gained because of caving when my husband insisted we stop at Sonic so he could get a large banana milkshake. “Somehow” a medium chocolate shake appeared in my hand while we were there. This was followed that day by some potato chips from my husband’s stash with our dinner….

I’m ALMOST back now to my 33 pounds down level. I’m hoping to be there tomorrow, and then I can zero in on getting to my current interim goal of 35 down.

The key to all this, of course, is keeping my eyes open and my mouth shut. I am now using MyFitnessPal.com to ENSURE that when I plan my eating for the day, the result, including any snacks will be the website concluding, “You’re not eating enough.” When you’re old and you don’t live for exercise, this seems to be the key in seeing a difference on the scales.

I’ve also decided to concentrate on my yoga each afternoon plus a video or two daily using weights from my More Life Health Seniors guy, Mike with the wonderful Australian accent.

Reddit – r/midjourney

“Eyes open – mouth shut – body moving” SING IT! :0)

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June 3, 2024 · 9:39 am

Monday 6-3-2024

Izzy Park – Blue_Jean – Unsplash.com

I’m beginning to feel a bit more confident about my ability to lose some of my lard. This is a BIG thing because I’ve tried lots of different things to no avail. I’m following a low carb eating plan now, cutting WAAAAAY down on salt, as well, plus am trying to move more.

To date, I’ve lost 29.6 pounds and 28 inches since my heaviest.

I’m using MyFitnessPal.com to log what I’m planning to eat and drink each day so that I can make adjustments BEFORE it’s too late. I’m making substitutions, finding alternatives for things I miss the most, like bread. I’ve found Zero Net Carb Mission Tortillas. (Each has 7 carbs, but also 7 grams of fiber, which, since fiber can’t be digested, offsets the carbs, resulting in zero net carbs.) I was used to eating one dinner roll with dinner, we ate sandwiches for lunch, etc. Now I can use these, instead, and not feel guilty. I fixed grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches last night, for example, using bread for my husband and tortillas for me. :0)

I have found that if my total on MyFitnessPal says, “It’s likely you’re not eating enough,” I tend to lose a bit of weight. For me, this works, so I plan to continue. I’m eating so that I’m not hungry. If I am, I eat a snack, so I’m not feeling deprived. I have tried to lose the lard for many years now, so this slow, steady loss is really gratifying.

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May 19, 2024 · 11:05 am

Moving the Lard

I am currently doing three things to move the lard in an effort to keep all my parts moving in as pain-free a manner as possible for as long as possible.

THING ONE– Senior Online Exercise Videos by Mike from More Life Health Seniors – There are a whole series of these. If you’re interested, click on the link above to scroll through the offerings. I’m trying to do at least two different ones daily.

THING TWO – a 30 – 40 minute session of old lady stretching yoga daily. I have made my own series of stretches and positions now, but I started with a “Gentle Yoga ” DVD I purchased through Sixty and Me by Kat Kabira. She got me over my intimidation of the whole yoga idea, stressing that stretching toward, and breathing into, stretches and poses was as good for beginners as ACTUALLY being able to bend over and touch your toes, for example. I do a lot of “stretching toward” and “breathing into”, and I can tell you that I really feel the difference if I don’t take the time to do my practice.

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THING THREE – And finally, I try to get outside daily (if Mother Nature is feeling cooperative) to get some fresh air, walk around, and do something good in the yard. It may be half an hour harvesting veggies, weeding flower beds, weed whacking, spraying bug spray or weed control spray, etc.

The combination of these three things plus watching my carbs and sodium is all working together in my efforts to lose the lard. MyFitnessPal.com is a free website where I can list my exercise, my weight and measurements, and the foods I eat daily to make sure I’m staying on track. I believe I have finally found a good, healthy combination to accomplish my goal of staying as healthy as possible as the years pile on. :0)

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May 10, 2024 · 11:22 am

Getting My Act Together

My new electric meat slicer was delivered yesterday. I reorganized part of my kitchen counter so the slicer is now on an easily moveable place mat so I can slide the slicer out a bit for use, with a NON-slide place mat on top of THAT so the slicer won’t slide when I’m using it. :0) I just ordered a cover that’s made for this particular slicer, rather than the towel I’m using now. I’ll read the manual for this later today.

Here’s the cover.

I’m set up now so I can cook and slice most any meat to eat for my lunches, taking the place of the deli turkey I THOUGHT was healthy, but turned out to be sky high in sodium. (Same with salami. )

I did find some lunch meat that’s half the sodium or less than what I’m finishing up now while I’m gearing up to do all my own.

I also found some low carb, much-lower-sodium frozen dinners at Stu’s Clean Cookin’ in Greenwood. I will try all of these, but some are higher sodium than I would like for the long run. It will depend on how the food changes come together (shown clearly on MyFitnessPal.com) before I make long term decisions.

Meanwhile, my doc has increased my thyroid hormone dosage, so that should help, as well, though it will probably take several 6-week trials before we zero in on my new good dosage.

I’m finally getting my act together on eating healthier, plus I’m working in the yard most every day and doing a session of yoga stretching in the afternoons at least 3 times a week if not every day. Hopefully, the lard will start coming off in a more steady manner and my next routine blood tests in October will show significant improvement. :0)

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April 15, 2024 · 9:08 am

Monday 4-15-2024

Karin de Haas – Funda Altincekic Aysel

I hope that you, also, cannot be down after looking at another of Karin de Haas’ pieces. I love the absolute surrender to laughter and love of life shown in her work. I would love to BE the lady here.

Ta Focando – Unsplash.com

I’m leaving soon to meet my miracle-worker-hair-dresser, Michael Remillard, Tangles, Greenwood AR, who will hopefully, once again, be able to bring order out of chaos. :0) I’m taking him a gallon bag of lettuce from our garden, since he’s a salad lover, like me.

Women’s Health

I was a good girl yesterday, doing half an hour or so of yoga stretching plus a 10-minute video on general movement, plus another 10-minute video on exercises with weights. That’s pretty good for an old broad like me. I’ll try to do that again today.

When I get home from my haircut, I’ll stop and get the mail and then go up and gather trash to take back down to the bottom of the driveway to put in the trash can I’ll drag down. I’m trying to be proactive about this because I don’t want to even THINK about my husband skidding and falling on the gravel in the driveway.

Better Homes & Gardens

Not sure what the rest of the day will hold. We’re forecast to get rain late tonight into tomorrow morning. I’m hoping my veggie plants will get a nice soaking rain from it. There is always the possibility of hail, but they are not emphasizing it now, so I’m not planning to cover my planters.

I’m still angry at myself. My husband and I had finished eating dinner in front of the TV and we were still watching a program with Amber on her bed in front of the TV. All of a sudden I heard noise in the kitchen. Amber had oozed her way off her bed and sneaked into the kitchen while I was distracted. She ate half of the roast beef and sauce from the skillet on the stove. She has done this a couple of times before. I KNOW better than to leave the gate to the kitchen open. It’s really hard to take when your dog is smarter and more sneaky than you.

Have a wonderful day.

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April 14, 2024 · 10:05 am

Sunday 4-14-2024

@Urbandartist2 on X

I hope this day is starting well for you.

I’ll go out in a bit and harvest some lettuce for my good friend and miracle-worker-hair-stylist, Michael Remillard, Tangles Hair Salon, Greenwood AR (479) 996-6366 to take to him tomorrow when he once again transforms me from looking like a ‘dandelion-gone-to-seed-in-a-storm’ to ‘someone-has-a-plan’ – a difficult feat to be sure.

We’re supposed to have highs in the 80’s here through Thursday and several chances for rain in the coming week, starting today, so that’s good news and bad news for my veggies. The good news is that I should see some good growth in my tomato plants, and I won’t have to water. I’ll need to make sure the tomato supports are adequate or add more, plus prune the plants for the best tomato production I can. The bad news is that these unseasonably warm temperatures in the early spring may cause my lettuce and spinach some grief. I sure don’t want to be faced with them ‘bolting’ at this point!

We’ve enjoyed the first harvest of leaf lettuce in a big chef salad for dinner one night, several other salads, plus some roast beef sandwiches last night. Such a nice luxury. I’m glad to be able to share some with Michael tomorrow.

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I’ve done my 10-minute video with weights from Mike, my Australian senior exercise expert, MoreLifeHealth.com, for 2 days now. I can tell you that my arms are ‘feeling’ the exercise, but not so much I can’t do the next day easily. I’m only using 3-pound weights and will do this for the foreseeable future. Then I’ll switch to 5-pound weights. It feels good to be trying to gain strength in my arms. This should help me in getting up off the floor after my yoga stretches, too! :0)

Have some fun today.

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