Tag Archives: exercising

September 19, 2025 · 10:14 pm

Happy Milestone

Harvey is behind the couch. The fat lady on the right end of the couch is me in May of 2013, according to the date stamp.

This was taken about a year ago when we still lived in Arkansas. I had lost weight; but as you can see, I needed to close my mouth and move a LOT to get things more under control.

I don’t know if you can tell any difference here. It’s hard for me to take a selfie.

Here’s a view from the side.

And here I am, looking at you.

The milestone is that I’m under 130 pounds today for the first time in years. When I saw the scales, I measured twice to make sure, then decided to go ahead and do measurements for the month, since I won’t change that much in 10 days.

I’m down 73 pounds from my heaviest weight and there is 74-1/2 inches less of me now than at that time.

I’m still trying to watch my carbs, but we are limited here because of several factors –

  • Brian is trying to work full time plus take care of his dad in the nursing home plus take care of his mom. He likes ordering food and having it delivered rather than our cooking together or me cooking at his place.
  • Choices for delivery are limited as to how far away they are and whether they participate in Grab Delivery. Also, Thai food is not low carb. We can GET low carb, but it’s more expensive and usually the food here is spicy.

I have decided not to worry so much about how many carbs I’m eating, but limiting my meals and my portions. We eat breakfast and dinner. Sometimes I get an iced coffee mid-afternoon. We share our order for meals, with me eating 1/3 and Brian eating 2/3.

I’m walking at the gym most every morning. I’m concentrating on balance by not holding on to the bars of the treadmill, but the main thing is the moving every day. I’m doing long sessions of old lady yoga stretches, breathing into the stretches so I feel really loose by the end of my practice. I’m putting on headphones and bopping to dance music on my computer while holding a water bottle in each hand, doing exercises for my arms and back.

I am finally able to see a new beginning sometime soon where I stop the concentrating on losing weight and start concentrating maintenance and on getting more fit. I figure that 10 or 15 more pounds will get me where I will feel the healthiest.

I am having difficulty REALIZING that my weight is down, even though I just had to take in my jeans again. I want to wait and get jeans that FIT when I reach my final goal. I got some sweatshirts recently, and Brian had to insist I not get the one I had in my hand. I was used to having to go really large to cover my bulk. I went down two sizes and they are still quite roomy over another shirt!

I am trying to make the most of my second chance at life by listening to my body, trying to get as fit as I can, and showing discipline in my eating. 😜

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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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January 29, 2025 · 7:29 am

Wednesday 1-29-2025

TAMMY-Pinterest

Feeling a bit overwhelmed, a bit exhausted, but hopeful that things will be getting better reasonably soon.

We’ve had an avalanche of ‘things’ to deal with – trying to get my new computer set up, having to buy a new bed due to the failure of my side of our air bed, and worry about the possibility of having to buy a new fridge. Money has been flying in all directions and things are a bit stressful.

BUT –

The set up of my computer is progressing, inch by painful inch, thanks to the relentless work of my husband who keeps at things and finally figures something out, rather than tossing the whole computer out the window – at least figuratively – if I were dealing with this by myself. I stay and work with my husband as long as my nerves can take it, and then I excuse myself to go do something else for awhile, over and over during the day.

We drove to Fort Smith yesterday morning so we were at the Sleep Number Bed place when they first opened. 45 minutes later we had ordered a bed. That’s the good part. The poorer part is that the soonest they can deliver it, set it up, and take the old one away is February 26th. So I slept in my recliner part of the night and on the sofa the rest of the night last night. I feel lucky that I have a choice of doing that or sleeping in the guest room until we get the new bed.

Tomorrow the appliance tech comes to see if our ice maker in our fridge can be fixed. Since my husband is very opinionated on the subject, I have asked HIM to handle the service call. I will simply write the service call check and we’ll decide what we need to do. I really hope we don’t have to buy another fridge.

SO – computer/bed/fridge and the money flies. We are having to scramble a bit to handle all this, but thankfully, we will be able to.

Creating Art at the Children’s Museum

I used one of my ‘step-aways’ from work on the computer yesterday to listen to some music and work on the raccoon in my art room. He may be almost finished. I’ll decide today. It’s been fun to concentrate on trying-to- make-him-look-like-a-raccoon instead of all the REAL WORLD stuff around here. :0)

Getty Images-Catherine Falls Commercial-BBC Science Focus Magazine

I need to get some exercise in, too. I haven’t done any since we started trying to set up the computer. My regular routine has gotten lost in the demands of everything else.

I hope that your days have been filled with fun and interesting things.

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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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November 14, 2024 · 8:50 am

Thursday 11-14-2024

s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com

I think this sculpture is great. I want to TOUCH him to feel the texture of his fur.

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LINDA’S CRAFTINESS – I’m offering several different hand-painted Christmas card designs. Each is 5×7 on watercolor paper with envelopes. The inside of this one says, “Happiness and love throughout the year.” There is lots of room for a message if you care to write. Please allow one week for my painting and a bit more for delivery. Last order date is December 10th. Package of SIX cards for $19.99 with free delivery. See 5 designs for cards and other Christmas things at HandmadeHavenByLinda on Etsy.

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Generation Mindful

ART ROOM –

I spent a bit of time in my art room yesterday, mainly trying to figure out where I am and what I want to do. These days that isn’t an easy thing to do because I just get started and then life gets in the way. I’m in the middle of a wood-burned sign right now and I have ideas for key chains and earrings. Yesterday I basically sat at my drafting table, listening to some nice music, relaxing. Hopefully, I can be more productive today.

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Women’s Health

Yesterday I managed two sessions of exercises with weights while I was on the computer. (I do some things, then stop and exercise, then sit back down and continue.) I walked out to our shop a couple of times, enjoying our beautiful fall day, and managed a yoga session in the afternoon. I also counted cleaning (scrubbing the bathroom and then our stove) as exercise, so yesterday was a pretty good day.

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I’m hoping for a quiet, calm day today. I wish one for YOU, too, with some fun thrown in. :0)

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September 20, 2024 · 9:19 am

Friday 9-20-2024

With the official first day of fall this Sunday, we in Arkansas are again under an “Intense Heat Alert” for 106 from noon until 8pm tonight. It does look like this might be the last gasp of the really hot stuff, though. A “cold front” is due Monday. One can hope.

Clean PNG

I was a good girl yesterday, doing my exercise with weights video early. I then started the new standing stomach exercises video and was a little over halfway through, huffing and puffing a bit, when the driveway detector went off. It was a Fedex delivery. I thanked the guy profusely for giving me a valid interruption from my exercising. He laughed. I never did get back to the video, but I DID do my yoga stretches later.

Current Library

I just saw a piece from our local news that the work on the new Scott-Sebastian County Public Library has begun. The current one is in a building built in 1965 and is nestled in the middle of the main part of Greenwood. Since the library is meant to also serve other counties besides our South Sebastian County, they are building a new, twice-as-large building at the intersection of Highway 71 South and Highway 10 (the main thoroughfare through Greenwood.) The new building is supposed to be finished in mid 2025.

New Library to be built

With the library being ‘moved,’ in the near future and our medical clinic having already been closed and a new one built, my husband and I are feeling a bit shell-shocked.

Medical Clinic – Old – Now Closed

Both new buildings are all the way across town from us (the new facilities are on the far West side of Greenwood and we’re on the far East side). These won’t be as convenient for us personally, but it’s exciting that both will be larger and better for the communities they serve. We will see the new medical clinic when we go for blood work for our routine doctor appointment around the first of next month.

Medical Clinic – New – Just Opened This Month
PBS

I’m pleased to tell you that even though I look like a dandelion-gone-to-seed right now, I will be “healed” tomorrow by Michael – the Miracle Worker – at Tangles Hair Studio in Greenwood. When he finishes with me I will again look like someone had a plan, for which I am truly grateful.

No particular plans for today. I can play on the computer and play in my art room, shielded from the obscenely hot day, happy in my own little world. Ahhhh! I hope you enjoy YOUR day, too.

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September 17, 2024 · 10:18 am

Goals

I don’t want to live to any particular age, but I would like to be as healthy as possible for as long as I can. I can’t control all of that, but I CAN control –

  • What I weigh
  • What I eat
  • How much exercise I get

As you know, I’ve been trying to lose the lard and move more. I’m about halfway to my goal now.

Eat Smart Move More NC

I started with a BMI of 34, which is labeled on the chart as “Obese.” Right now I have a BMI of 29, labeled as “Overweight.” I’m celebrating JUST being ‘overweight’ now. My goal is a BMI of 24, which is labeled “healthy weight.”

I’m eating a low-carb diet, trying to drink more water, and using MyFitnessPal daily to pay close attention to what I’m eating and drinking.

My moving more efforts include working in the yard, practicing ‘old lady’ yoga stretches, and various YouTube workout videos. I’m doing one now from Good Morning Fitness with stomach exercises done standing that don’t involve jumping. I also like a whole series with Mike from Australia. He has a website called More Life Health Seniors. I’m also trying to make myself at least walk around the house and out to the shop once a day.

I’ve started taking SuperFoodMD Fruits & Veggies supplements, a competitor to the much-advertised brand you see on TV. That one is too expensive for me, but this one costs less than half as much. (I put the two products side by side and they look like the same thing.) I eat basically the same thing for lunch every day, and we eat a somewhat limited number of low-carb dishes for dinners, mainly because my husband will only eat a handful of veggies. I hope that these supplements will help me make sure I’m getting what I need for good health.

Indian Hills Humor – Vince, the Sign Guy

Onward and Downward!

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April 20, 2022 · 9:45 am

Rainy Wednesday

“Do not be angry with the rain; it simply does not know how to fall upwards.” ~ Vladimir Nabokov

Rover.com

Guess what?!? It’s raining again!! Oh, NOOOOOOO!

“And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.” ~ Gilbert K. Chesterton

5News

We are just southeast of Fort Smith, so the big green blob with severe yellow and orange blobs encroaching show our day today will be full of storms. A great day to stay inside where it’s safe and warm and dry.

PopSugar

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” ~ Ashley Smith

I ended up doing a good amount of exercise yesterday, but had listed more than I could do. I did the ‘workout for week 2″ online, and that took half an hour, following by videos for warm-up, stretches, and exercises with weights – another half hour together. I also did half an hour of yoga stretches. This was a good amount of exercise for this sedentary broad. I also had elliptical trainer on the list, but was too pooped to do it. I’m going to think again about what I’m doing, since I’m doing more and more online videos, balancing the exercise time and load a bit better. I’ll try my regular trio of videos, the elliptical, and yoga today and see how that goes.

“Never run in the rain with your socks on.” ~ Billie Joe Armstrong

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April 19, 2022 · 9:35 am

Sunny Tuesday!

Walt Whitman – Facebook

The sight of the sun yesterday and today is really bringing up my spirits. I usually enjoy rainy days, but lately it seems we’ve had more of our share. We’re due for storms tonight-into-tomorrow. :0)

Petr Vaclavek – Dubanci.cz

I bought 12 tomato plants yesterday afternoon and got them planted. I’ll take pics in awhile and share them with you. I’ll also check on my garden. My plan is to use each sunny day to clean out ONE planter in the yard. We have 14 of them, so this will take awhile. We’ll see how I do. We have errands to run first, so we’ll get some fresh air and sun while we’re out.

I was feeling a bit off yesterday, so only did the tomato planting and my yoga for exercise. I’ll try to do my full list today. I’m doing a month-long exercise plan by Mike of MoreLifeHealth.com and I’m eager to see what the new workout is for the week. I’m supposed to do this every other day during the week.

Unsplash

I’ve been cooking up a storm (for me) lately, trying to rely on meals I make, rather than only the Real Food and Stu’s Clean Cookin’ meals. They are too high in carbs for me right now. Two days ago I made a bunch of ‘Bacon-Wrapped Cheesy Chicken Breasts” by Suzanne Ryan of Simply Keto. Yesterday I made her “Keto Chili.” Tonight I’m making bacon-wrapped hamburger patties. I’m freezing the leftovers in individual serving (or one meal for two) packages so that I won’t need to spend a lot of time in the kitchen for awhile. This saves me work, plus decreases the temptation to eat something I shouldn’t.

Have a great day. I’ll check back with you when we’re back from errands and I have pics to share.

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February 4, 2022 · 10:39 am

Aging

email from a friend

My yoga is helping me a bit – when I get off my duff and DO it. I noticed last night that when I got up from reading in my chair, I was stiff and sore until I had walked quite a bit. My husband remarked that I hadn’t been ‘yoging,’ which is true.

crazybonezskeleton.com

When even HE notices a difference, I need to get my rear in gear. This afternoon. No excuses.

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June 17, 2020 · 2:39 pm

Earning My Salt Today

Where did the phrase originate – The expression to be worth one’s salt, which means you’re competent and deserve what you’re earning, is most often said to have its roots in ancient Rome, where soldiers were sometimes paid in salt or given an allowance to purchase it.

I just came in from filling our 2-gallon container of KillzAll weed killer twice and spraying it around the civilized part of our yard. I’m making progress. I can tell where I have been, and that’s a good thing. My husband continued to work on repairs to our irrigation system for the yard while I did that. We’re both pooped now, having ‘earned our salt’ for the day, and will relax with lots of cold water and our comfortable recliners.

We are lucky. Our temperatures are pretty warm, but the humidity isn’t lethal yet. Hopefully, we can get the irrigation system working the way it should before the really hot weather hits. We have one system that waters the front planters first, and then switches to the back on a timer so we don’t have to get out and hold hoses every day like we used to do.

One of my goals with the weed killer is to make it so that there isn’t so MUCH to weed whack every time we mow. I don’t mind doing SOME, but it takes me two DAYS or more to weed whack everything now, and it all has to be done again the very next week. We have a lot of poison ivy bordering the civilized part of the yard, so one of my missions is to get that killed off as much as possible, too.

As far as exercise today, the carrying the heavy container and spraying is one part. As soon as I cool off some, I’ll do some nice gentle yoga stretches.

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September 17, 2019 · 11:40 am

The Art of Folding Myself into a Paper Airplane

Seattle Yoga News

“Yoga is a light, which once lit will never dim. The better your practice, the brighter your flame.” — B.K.S. Iyengar

 

 

Petful

“Move your joints every day. You have to find your own tricks. Bury your mind deep in your heart, and watch the body move by itself.” — Sri Dharma Mittra

 

 

Seattle Yoga News

“The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness.” — Sakyong Mipham

 

Vitamin-Ha

 

“The yoga pose you avoid the most you need the most.” — Anonymous

“Yoga. Because punching people is frowned upon.” — Anonymous

 

Today is Day 15 of my efforts to practice yoga every day. Because I’m a kid at heart and need the visual encouragement and acknowledgment, I’m giving myself a gold star on my desk calendar each time I complete a practice. The first week I started on a Tuesday, and so earned 6 stars. Last week I got 7! Today I’m going for the 2nd one for the week.

Aside from the gold star nonsense (but if It WORKS….) I AM feeling looser. I overdid one day last week, getting a little too enthusiastic for this old woman’s body, so I’ve been waking up with a sore back each day since. My husband is applying muscle gel with arnica, which is like Icy Hot and makes it feel better quickly. Then I continue my yoga practice, loosening, stretching and hopefully strengthening my muscles each day. My back is hurting less each day, so I think I’m doing a good thing for myself.

I’m 72, so I’m doing “Gentle Yoga” (A DVD put out by sixtyandme.com with the wonderful instructor Cat Kabira. Actually, I’m kind of doing my own thing at the moment, rather than trying to keep up with the DVD, just stretching in all directions s-l-o-w-l-y, CAREFULLY, B-R-E-A-T-H-I-N-G into the stretches, one area at a time.  Ahhhh!

If I DO find myself folded into a paper airplane, it’s my own fault.

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March 26, 2017 · 3:47 pm

Coming Clean

Jacqueline A. Lyons

Okay. My husband and I have been doing a TERRIBLE job lately on following our low carb diet, exercising, and getting healthier. We have lots and lots of excuses, none of which actually hold water when held up to the light – (to mix a bunch of metaphors and clichés’.)

SO –

Last night we agreed that Monday morning we’re going to start being adults again. To this end, we enjoyed KFC last night, and we’re going to Subway tonight for the condemned  “last meal.”

This morning I started getting ready to be seriously good. I made a careful list of menus for the coming week and a grocery list to go with it. When we returned from shopping, I started cooking.

  • I have a rump roast in the crock pot which is starting to smell really good.
  • I hard-boiled a dozen eggs
  • I cut up a huge bowl of celery to go with the baby carrots and cherry tomatoes we eat with a low carb dip.
  • I made sugar-free banana puddings for my husband
  • And sugar-free chocolate puddings for me.
  • I made low carb sausage balls.

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  1. I’m going back to listing everything I eat on MyFitnessPal.com, trying to stay under 40 carbs and 1200 calories per day. I’m building in a reward of an orange dream bar each evening into the count, as I did before.
  2. I’m going to start drinking a lot more water, trying for at least 48 oz daily.
  3. I’m going back to doing whatever amount of time I can on the elliptical every day.
  4. I’m going to do at least one lesson in yoga daily.

I KNOW I can do this. NO MORE EXCUSES! NO MORE WEAKNESS!  Wish me luck?

taolife.com

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October 27, 2016 · 4:03 pm

Impatience

Laila Ali via Akiva Huber

Laila Ali via Akiva Huber

 

I’m going to print this one and hang it up so I see it over and over.  I’m impatient by nature and have to really talk to myself (I know – I’m nuts) to keep going, whether I’m trying to lose weight and build strength and flexibility, undo several years worth of ‘stuffing’ things into drawers or onto shelves in our master bath, or get our garden and yard under control.

I’m looking at this as a character-building exercise, something that will make me a better person in the long run. I AM making progress on learning my own limitations as I age and modifying my expectations of what I can now do in a day. I still tend to overdo, spending the next day trying to recover. I’m learning to do projects in ‘sessions,’ stopping when I’m feeling overwhelmed, then doing another session until the job is done.

With my weight and strength, there is no time limit. This isn’t a ‘diet.’ It’s a lifestyle change. Now things are complicated because we need to do low or no sugar for my husband. It’s a worthy goal to achieve because it’ll do both of us good. I want my husband to live as long as he is able, feeling as good as possible. Scrambling to learn what I can do to help is something I really want to do. An example, I’ve discovered that avoiding gluten for him is counter-productive, since the gluten is offset by alcohol sugars and other additives. We MUST do a good job of reading labels!

On the master bathroom going through/throwing out/reorganizing/cleaning project – right now it looks as if a bomb exploded in there again, since I’ve emptied out my three large drawers and put things on the step that goes around or bathtub. I’ve already thrown a bunch away and plan to do more of that before deciding what do to with what’s left. Assuming I can finish that today, I’ll plan on the last session tomorrow – pulling out the rugs and doing a deep cleaning of the whole area, including the tub, shower, vanities, floor, and rugs. If I falter, I’ll reread the reminder above…

 

 

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August 29, 2016 · 12:43 pm

Reach Up! Reach Up!

I just finished doing about a mile and a half with the “Women of Poundage” DVD with Leslie. (That’s not actually the name of the video, but I call it that, “Walking with Annoying Leslie,” or other less kind names, depending on how hard it is for me to keep up.)

I have proved to myself over the past year that using this video regularly seems to do me a lot of good, once my hips stop screaming so much. I seem to use different muscles doing this than anything else I do.

My husband was in his recliner reading when I went in to exercise. He’s good about letting me put in the DVD and exercise, saying it doesn’t bother him. He usually tries to be supportive, too, saying, “Good on You!” when I leave the office, announcing I’m going to walk with Leslie, annoying or otherwise.

Today he spoke up to say, when I had made it to the Mile 2 part of the DVD, that I wasn’t moving my foot out enough on the taps. I answered him tersely, saying that I was doing well to just be moving at this point. I lasted another 10 minutes or so, but then stopped.

He then repeated his opinion about the tapping. I told him that next time, he could stand in front of the TV and I would stand behind him. We would then do the DVD together, and I would try to match his steps.

I got no answer…

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July 13, 2016 · 8:26 am

Getting the Lard Off Progress Report 7/13/2016

echoes007 via emily davis, trendingly.com

echoes007 via emily davis, trendingly.com

I’m finally seeing some progress in ending the Plateau from Hell. I did a lot of reading and found that plateaus are a given when you’re trying to lose weight. In a low-carb lifestyle, oddly enough, to get off a plateau they suggest that you eat more fat, drink more  water, exercise more.

I’ve made some changes and am seeing a difference on the scales. I’ve lost 44 lbs and 21 inches now.

Eleven months ago I was absolutely sedentary. My doctor was tactfully saying over and over again that I try to lose some weight. My blood test numbers, drawn quarterly for my thyroid, were high in everything. I heard myself telling my doctor we were trying to eat in a more healthy fashion and trying to lose weight. On the way home from that appointment in August of 2015, I finally decided I would either really try to lose the lard or would quit lying to my doctor.

I started a low-carb diet, trying to stay at 40 carbs per day or less, and 1200 calories or less. I signed up with MyFitnessPal.com to keep track of what I was eating and my exercises each day. I searched the net and discovered Dana Carpender’s low carb cookbooks. I bought one for slow cooker recipes and another for 15 minute meals. I did not get rid of all the stuff I shouldn’t eat because my husband didn’t especially want to lose weight and didn’t want to give anything up. I decided I would try a recipe and see what happened. The recipes were so good that my husband decided to eat what I was eating (and then anything else he wanted. He was sure that this would be yet another effort on my part that would be short-lived.

I dug out an old DVD that I call, “Walking with Annoying Leslie”, and use it almost every day. I’m also doing upper and lower body strength exercises with weights. So far, I’ve progressed from one set of eight of each of the exercises with 3 lb weights to THREE sets of eight with 5 lb weights. I also use my elliptical trainer when it’s not too hot or too cold in our garage. Finally, I grit my teeth and use our Wii Fit Plus. I now talk back to the lady who asks me, “Do you find you fall down a lot?” or “This seems to be a challenge for you.” I can hear my husband chuckle in the other room when I do. :0) I carry a pedometer just to remind myself to move more. The very best I’ve done in a day thus far is a little over 6,000 steps.

My husband tells me now and then that he’s impressed with my determination. He admires the fact that I’ve changed my lifestyle, lost weight, and regularly exercise now. He was impressed when my last blood test results were so good that I don’t have to take cholesterol lowering drugs anymore and my doc said my numbers were “disgustingly normal” – “better than his,” while grinning from ear to ear at me.

The fact that I’m 69 and was completely sedentary has been – and continues to be – a challenge. The fact that the weight loss and exercise has lessened the pain in my joints, allowing me to do what I’d like to do more and more, is a real motivation. It’s also really nice that my friends are saying nice things about how I look. I’ve come down three sizes in jeans so far. I can wear some things that used to be too tight, and have actually had to give away things that are too large.

Since I’ve tried – and failed – to get any taller, one goal is to shed another 30 lbs or so of lard.  I would like to be able to walk all over a park, or use the walking trail in our town without worrying about finding a bench. I would like to lengthen the amount of time I can work in the yard without being shot for the rest of the day. I want to do as much as I can to get and stay as healthy as possible for the rest of my life.

My mantra is,

taolife.com

taolife.com

 

 

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