Random Acts of "Kindness"

Posts tagged ‘Weight Loss’

AWARE

Depending on the season, “my friends in high places” may be more active. I’ve noticed more activity around birthday’s (mine and theirs), anniversaries of passing’s, Valentines Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Let’s not forget New Year’s Day. Hopefully you have gotten the idea. It really doesn’t matter what is going on. Either I need “help” and they are more than willing to lend a hand or they are moved by the “spirit” and like to play.

If I’m aware I catch onto what is going on. If I’m not, if I’m asleep, it might take a couple of actions before I wake up. Yesterday was an ABSOLUTLEY LOVELY DAY. For winter, the temperature was warmer than normal. I have to admit that I spent more time outside. Any “work” I had scheduled for the day disappeared. At the store, I bought a new issue of FIRST FOR WOMEN. My husband needed to get his driver’s license renewed which because of his age, entailed a driving test. I figured the magazine would make good reading while I waited.

I had looked at the schedule for TV programs and decided I would like to watch a cooking program on Vietnamese cuisine — I liked the chef. At the time of the broadcast, although it said it was Vietnamese Cooking, I watched a chef learn how Italian tomato sauce was made, then proceeded to show how to “put up” a jar of tomato sauce without additional ingredients. BACK IN THE DAY — I used to can tomato sauce. Although I still have all my canning equipment and jars — it has been many years since I have used them. Canning one pint of tomato sauce intrigued me. He followed that up with a guest who specializes in stress free cooking using fresh ingredients. Since my husband is diabetic, and I have sodium issues, healthy cooking is ALWAYS interesting to me. They gave her website but I haven’t had a chance to investigate it yet.

The new magazine came in handy. I read parts of it while I waited for my husband at the driver’s license bureau. Dr. Oz is suggesting that soup might play a big role in weight loss. (My yelling knees say I NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT.) He provide guidelines for the soup. While waiting INSIDE for my husband –(where it was warmer,) one of the clerks told her co-worker that her Doctor wants her to drink wine. When I took the opportunity to talk to her, she confirmed that BOTH her old doctor and her new doctor both had the same advice. (Red Wine is in my glass on a regular basis.)

We stopped at Target on the way home. I found myself at the display case for fresh vegetables. I really don’t know what I was looking for but I spied bagged stir fry vegetables marked down two dollars. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, carrots already cut up — perfect for soup. On the way home I realized I needed more low sodium chicken broth. My husband was SO HAPPY that we needed to make another stop. Getting back in the car, I found a SHINY new penny and a shiny dime. “THANKS” was all I could say. One — Two — or more, does it matter?

The Election results — the violence in our world — all worry me. I’M VERY GLAD TO HAVE FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES. Daily prayers for our world, country and city — All I can do! What about you?

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NEW YEAR

NEW YEAR

A person whose blog I read doesn’t use titles for her blog — she uses numbers. Since I have written more than 250 thought rambles and have a very hard time coming up with a new title — I admire her forethought.

So Christmas is right around the corner and evidently I’m receiving more “help-“. I know than I AM NEVER ALONE, but usually my “helper’s” remain behind the scene, not actually visible to others. Whatever is going on with the formation of this thought ramble IS NOT OF MY DOING!

I planned to bake cookies, my husband and my son suggested that I should save my energy for other tasks. We are trying to reduce our weight — good cookies wouldn’t help. My daughter also agreed. I guess I have listened. Don’t mark your calendars since it doesn’t happen often.

There are many new books published to help with weight loss. I guess I’m with many others who have tried and tried, Weight Watchers, Fast Metabolism and others. Since I eat healthy, don’t guzzle soda, or snacks — their programs don’t produce the desired results. Not that I’m giving up — I’m trying to find something that will work for me. I’ve learned that diet programs DO NOT. If anything surfaces that actually works — I’ll share. I have good motivation — my knees hurt or yell depending on the day.

Since my family thought I shouldn’t make cookies, I decided to bake bread pudding. Looking through my cookbook — the first book I actually put together — I found so many recipes that reminded me of friends, and parties of by gone years. Many of the recipes have a footnote — who the recipe is from or the occasion.

I was looking for a recipe for bread pudding and I actually found one that referenced my father’s mother. She didn’t like to share her recipes so I’m not sure where the recipe was from. It also had a note that it was too sweet, so I cut the sugar and it was still too sweet. But the first batch was very small, big enough so that I could sample. My son liked it too so I doubled the batch. Fast — easy — worked for me.

I’m not making New Year resolutions. They NEVER seem to work for me. I’ll resurrect ones that I have made in the past — this year I might succeed. New this year — DAILY PRAYERS FOR OUR WORLD, COUNTRY AND CITY. Sadly the trouble and violence is growing.

My wish for you — safe and healthy 2017.

Just so you don’t think I have completely lost my mind — the spacing I saw as I wrote my thought ramble, completely turned to normal when I posted it on Wandering. I guess they like to “play” too.

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LYMPH

I thought that one of the things I was doing might have been helping me to lose weight. Since I was doing at least two things at once, I wasn’t sure what was working. I was drinking organic apple cider vinegar in hot water — twice a day. A man at the veteran’s clinic suggested I increase the dosage to two tablespoons and add honey. It was good for arthritis. I was also drinking a cherry smoothie with protein powder and cocoa. I had read that it was good for pain.

Since I was drinking two concoctions, I wasn’t sure which was working. At about the same time, many of the woman’s magazines that I read, had the same subject line — our lymph system. It seems that as a woman ages, her lymph system thickens. Instead of moving nutrients smoothly through the system, the fat gets sucked into the cells and lodges there. One of the suggestions is to have the juice of half a lemon in hot water in the morning. I have heard this before, but I haven’t tried it.

We left home for the camper, and I had my plans in place. I planned to have a cherry smoothie for breakfast — soup or salad for lunch and a normal supper. My plans didn’t exactly work out. First — the smoothie — although I had one or two, for the most part we either went out for breakfast or I had a half English muffin with peanut butter. It was easier — my husband made mine. I did Tai Chi most mornings and my leg raises at night. Instead of Aging Backwards — I enjoyed water exercise. I didn’t use weights — just my arms but I thought it was good for my body, and I enjoyed the group. Since after exercising I was HUNGRY, for the most part I had some of my frozen soup mixes. I had read that walking 10 minutes three times a day helped lose weight. I didn’t do that either. I injured my foot and too much walking didn’t help. As a matter of fact — I seldom got more than 5,000 steps a day.

So I’m sure you are wondering what I an writing about. I’VE LOST WEIGHT! I have no idea how much I have lost — I used to look like I was 7 months pregnant. Maybe 5 months now — my husband says he is starting to see a waist. My fit bit used to be at the fourth notch when I woke in the morning, and I switched it to three as my wrists swelled. Today I hooked it at the 5th space and moved it to four as the day progressed. So not only is my belly shrinking — my wrist is also.

Soon we will go home. I’ll find out exactly how much weight I have lost. Hopefully I won’t regain the lost pounds. I won’t have my water exercise any more. I can still do my Tai Chi and leg exercises. Hopefully I will find other exercises that will help me.

Just HAD TO SHARE.

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FIGHTING BACK

Miracle of Miracles the scale moved down, far enough that I was down into the next lower sets of digits. But only for a day. We went out to eat with friends and the scale must have recognized it made a mistake because it climbed right back up again. I tried to eat healthy so that my weight would stay down, but restaurant food is higher in sodium than what I am used to eating. Not only did I have chicken soup but I had bread too. OOPs.

But I LIKED the lower number and I am determined to not only see it again but to stay there this time or go lower. We came out to the camper and I brought some of my own soup. Soup — salad — for lunch, I might make a dent in my weight. Tai Chi — Aquacize — walking — I might get my weight down. Good plans!

EXCEPT — we have friends at the camper — opportunities to EAT OUT. They also have MANY restaurants that serve the food my husband likes. The restaurants are more affordable than the ones back home. AND, as if that wasn’t bad enough, they have many festivals — specializing in their own unique foods. Somehow the food always tastes better there. Now I can pass on a lot of it — but some still calls my name.

I planned to do either strength with Jane Fonda or Aging Backwards. So far, neither DVD has made it into our machine BUT I have used the deck for Tai Chi most days. I’ve made it to aquacize two times. If the weather would co operate, I will be in the pool most of the days we are here. Sadly summer is making way for Fall and the pool will be closing. Even if it didn’t close, it will be too cool to get into the water. My Fit Bit had issues, luckily it was still under warrantee so they are sending me a new one. Without it, I don’t know how much sleep I’m getting at night or how many steps I’ve gotten each day. Lack of sleep contributes to weight issues. My knee is still unhappy, exercising in the water is so much easier.

Woman’s World magazine just had an article in which a woman was able to lose a sizeable amount of weight by walking 10 minutes, 3 times a day. The short intervals boosted her metabolism, which was better than a 30 minute walk. I might have to try a few short walks. Robin likes to go for walks but I don’t know if our speed or lack is beneficial to weight loss.

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AGING BACKWARDS

I was intrigued when I learned of the DVD. I was very happy when the person who told me about it, followed up with an email with the correct title and presenter. Instead of debating for weeks, I searched, found and ordered right away. In fact, it arrived before we went back out to the camper. It traveled with me. And I actually opened it and tried out the first exercise before we even left.

It was a good thing that I did. Exercise clothes that I previously been able to wear were impossible to remove. My shoulders have tightened up, as well as other body parts. Since I had advanced warning, I was able to bring clothes to exercise in.

The exercises are extremely gentle. I have trouble getting down on the floor. The first time I did the floor work, I sat on the couch. I have since been able to get down onto the floor, getting up is still a major problem. My knees don’t want to support my weight. My right leg doesn’t bend like it used to. I’m guessing that the stiffness in my body contributes to my feeling of being old. I’m hoping that as I become more flexible, that feeling will pass.

Each time I have done the exercises – one compete set is for muscles, the second for bones and uses a chair for bar work — that night various body parts protest that I moved them. I have done the complete series 6 times now. Either I’m trying harder or working more of my body parts because various muscles let me know they I worked them. I’m hoping that getting up from a chair will be easier, as well as getting out of a car. “My friends” are very happy that I’m moving. So far I do two sets, one for muscles, the next day one for bones and I’m allowed to take the next day off. We will see how long this lasts.

This is the beginners set. We will have to see if the powers that be decide I need a more advanced set. I would really like to be able to get up from the floor unaided and out of a chair. I would like to use the reclining chairs at the pool. Of course, I would like my knees to work like they used to and be able to take my clothes off, UNAIDED!

AGING BACKWARDS — I’m ready!

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QUESTIONS

It is very helpful to have “friends in high places” — at times. I ask a question, or I wonder about something, or I have a problem and need a solution. Often the answer arrives in the near future. I hear something on the news, or from another person. A letter arrives in the mail, or a magazine. The method of delivery changes with the situation. And sometimes, the answer doesn’t come at all. It is not a given that I will receive an answer. So when I do, it usually comes as a surprise.

The reverse is also true. When I should be doing something, and DON’T, I’m pestered. Things fall onto my various body parts. I get hit on the head. And I don’t always know what I’m supposed to be doing. When I am slow to respond, the actions continue. The problem might be my weight — it is still too high. The problem might be my shoes — already worn. The problem can be anything — sometimes I can’t figure it out.

Recently the pain in my knees, shoulders and hips has been an issue. A friend at the VA clinic suggested I take 2 TBL of organic apple cider vinegar with 2 TBL of honey. I increased the amount of vinegar right away but the honey became an issue. I was getting honey everywhere when I tried to measure it so I just squirted the bottle. Evidently I wasn’t using the proper amount of honey. When he asked how it was working, I hedged my answer and he replied that honey was VERY important. I have increased the amount of pressure and amount of time of adding honey so hopefully it is closer to 2 TBL. And I’m noticing the difference.

I’ve also backed off on my cherry smoothies only to have the pain resume. I’m trying to make sure I don’t skip too many days in a row.

Recently we were at the camper, and I was in the pool talking to a woman. She had watched a program on public television that concerned the flexibility of the body. She was impressed and ordered the DVD. I’ve noticed that I’m having trouble getting out of the car and off the chairs at the pool. Our sofa has become a challenge. The fact that I’m losing my flexibility doesn’t fill me with warm fuzzies. I have added tai chi back into my morning routine. I have also added leg raises and stretches to my evening routine. They might not be enough. More exercise might be required.

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PERSISTENCE

I have been trying to lose weight for a very long time with NO SUCCESS. Imagine my surprise when the scale actually registered a lower number again and then again. I haven’t increased my exercise — in fact, because of the pain in my knee, I’ve cut back. I was getting more than 10,000 steps a day. Now I’m lucky if I get 7,000. While I’m no longer going down, the temperature has risen and the little bit of sodium in my diet equals a weight gain.

I don’t know what is causing this weight reduction, I think it might be a combination. Because of the pain in various body parts I have a cherry – chocolate smoothie for breakfast. The chocolate comes from unsweetened cocoa. I was adding one scoop of protein powder until I read that in order for woman over 50 to lose weight, she should have 25 – 30 mg of protein at each meal. Now I have two scoops of protein with a cup of almond milk. Cherries are supposed to be helpful with pain. Studies of cocoa have found that it may reduce the risk of heart disease and cognitive decline. Two weeks after starting this smoothie, I received an invitation to join a study. I would have to give up the vitamins and stuff I’m currently doing in order to take their pills for four years. I’m going to stay the course with what I’m doing, not take the chance that it might be a placebo.

Since my knee was yelling, a man at the veteran’s clinic shared an idea that is supposed to help with pain. Two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and two tablespoons of honey in water. I’ve taken one tablespoon of Bragg’s apple cider vinegar, one or two times a day in water to help with my digestion. So I increased the vinegar to two. When I added the honey it went all over the counter and other places so I just take the bottle and squirt a bit into the warm or hot water. I’m trying for twice a day. It is supposed to take a month before I’ll notice a difference.

The third part of the equation is a mixture of 4 oz cranberry juice in 28 oz of water consumed during the day. The mixture is supposed to dilute the bile in the body, helping it to flow. The article I read suggested having the juice of half a lemon in water in the morning. Since I’m already doing the apple cider vinegar, I haven’t added the lemon juice. Since the temperature has risen, I’m considering adding dandelion tea to the water to help with water retention.

I’m hopeful that this combination will continue to help my weight decrease. This summer is supposed to be very hot. Less weight on my body parts will help I’m sure. Stay tuned. Up or down, I’ll share the results.

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NUDGED

Starting again. This morning I wrote the first paragraph of this thought ramble and saved it. So I thought. Evidently my editors didn’t agree with what I had written because it was ALL GONE.

I get SO MUCH help on a very daily basis, most of which I’ll admit that I don’t recognize. I guess that is why I get in so much trouble. The reason for the title of this ramble is that once again I’m being nudged to lose weight. I have tried numerous times, sometimes with success but sadly life happens and the lost weight comes back with interest. I’ll state that I have NO INTEREST in going on a diet. They are too restrictive and I end up required to give up food that I like: potatoes, corn on the cob, etc.

New plan — hopefully this time I will succeed. The first nudge came when my husband was encouraged to attend the MOVE nutritional group at the local Veterans clinic. I was allowed to join him for support. (I’m chief cook.) That led us into the exercise part of the program. Since then I’ve added evening stretches to my preparation for bed routine.

Second nudge — a couple of the volunteers are using a Fitbit to track their steps and sleep. Listening to their results, I learned that the Fitbit recorded more steps than the pedometer I had been wearing. About that time, the pedometer that I had been wearing stopped working. The Fitbit also records my sleep habits. I’ve learned that when I get less than 6 hours sleep I’m more tired. Recent articles in print and on the news have highlighted lack of sleep as a contributor to weight gain among other issues. I’m trying to increase my sleep hours to seven or even eight. One disadvantage: I wear the Fitbit on my wrist, in order to record steps my arms have to have movement — when shopping, arms on a cart don’t record steps.

Third Nudge: I’ve recently learned that the Fitbit will link to My Fitness Pal. When I tried to link them, My old My Fitness Pal program didn’t have the tools necessary. The My Fitness Pal program on the I Pad didn’t allow us to change participants. Since I don’t give up easily, I took out our lap top where I was successful. Not only was I able to set it up for him with a newer program, but that version allows us to change the path so we both can individually use the same program. Now I’ll admit that being lazy, I haven’t entered my food on My Fitness Pal for months although I do keep a food log — just no calories. Of course I had to add my food for the day to see if it would work.

Linking the two programs, I entered my food and was very surprised to see the calories acquired on Fitbit as well as calories expended. It will be interesting to see how the two programs influence my weight and sleep habits. I asked my husband if he wanted me to link his programs. He admitted that logging his food was more fun than he wanted.

Will I succeed this time. Good question. STAY TUNED!

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DID IT AGAIN

DID IT AGAIN

It would be VERY nice if I would learn from my mistakes and NOT REPEAT THEM! Maybe that is why I get so much help from the other side. I NEED IT!

I have written that I was trying to lose weight and was exercising. I have admitted that I STOPPED exercising and wasn’t careful about the amount of sodium in my diet. I haven’t only taken a break for a week, if I’m honest, it has been at least SIX.

I was reasonably good food wise in Hawaii. Except for sodium, my weight had only gone up a pound or two. But life continued and I seemed to be chasing my tail without time to exercise. Before vacation, I exercised three to four times a week. I tried to do strength training two or three times a week to build up the strength in my arms. I did tai chi to help the pain in my knee and hip. I GOT LAZY — I STOPPED EXERCISING and I’m now paying the price. My weight isn’t up that much — but my knees and hip are yelling. Did I do something to my sciatica — I don’t know. I continued to walk in shoes that were hurting for a couple of blocks. The shoes hadn’t given any indication that there was something wrong. Looking at them at home, they seemed hardly worn. Friday my right leg hurt from my toe to my hip. My husband was leaving on Sunday, I would have two dogs to keep me company. Then my son had to fly for business on Monday — I would have two dogs to keep me company. (I offered to watch our daughter’s dog while they were gone.)

We have survived. Because of the pain in my right leg, I haven’t accomplished as much work as I wanted. Maybe I wasn’t supposed too. The girls missed the men — but we survived. Robin still will not do her business in the back yard, she gets her three to four walks a day. Maggie is happy doing her business in the back yard, she is a heavy weight Golden and too strong for me. I have gone back to my exercise — strength training, stretches and tai chi. My leg is slowly improving. I haven’t been stressing it. I’m walking around the house in socks, over my sexy socks — no shoes.

If I thought I would eat healthy while I was by myself — I was WRONG — no energy. After our damp, snowy winter, we are having a rainy spring which is supposed to continue for three to four more weeks.
Hopefully this time I won’t get lazy — or forgetful. Hopefully I will put exercise back on the to do list — DAILY. Hopefully I have learned a lesson this time that I won’t forget.

This was scheduled to publish in July, but because I wrote an update on the tornado damage, I’ve rescheduled it until August.

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BREAKTHROUGH

Ordinary Sunday — attending church with our daughter’s family, I stopped in the bathroom before services began. I listened to a woman as she wrestled with her makeup. She wasn’t happy with the way the makeup looked or how it was going on. She was rather verbal about it. So much so, that I counseled her to stop being so hard on herself. Her doctor had threatened her with insulin, she wanted to lose weight instead. And I remembered how my husband is often telling me to stop being so hard on myself. Stop being so negative. The words flow so easily out of my mouth.

I asked her how old she was. She didn’t want to tell me but finally did. I mentioned that she was twenty years younger than myself. She didn’t believe me — she looked at my neck, and said I had a young neck. I thought my neck looked like a turkey wattle.

As a matter of fact, I’m beating myself up with a wet noodle this morning. Figuratively, not actually. My weight WAS DOWN two pounds. I WAS so happy, but not today. In fact, my weight is UP three pounds and it is all my fault. Saturday I made a new recipe for pickles and used one tablespoon of salt to relieve the cucumbers of their liquid. I thought the salt would wash off when I washed the cucumbers before adding the brining liquid. Oops! I should have cut the salt. TOO LATE NOW! I could toss the remaining pickles but I have a feeling that I will continue to enjoy them and deal with the extra weight.

More than seven years ago my daughter gave me a mandolin when she was working for Pampered Chef. It rested in my cabinet until Saturday. I often thought of using it but never did. I always took out a knife and sliced whatever needed to be cut. Over the years I’ve watched demonstrators use it and remembered the one sitting at home. The cucumbers needed to be cut thinly, I needed the mandolin. IT WAS EASY and I was careful and didn’t cut myself.

The minister asked a good question: “What does it take to see real, lasting and effective change in our lives?” I remembered many years ago when I was at the camper, taking a walk, trying to find words to put on cards I was giving to participants in Christ Renews His Church weekend my group was hosting the next week. These words came to me during the walk: “Lord, as long as you are with me, I’m not alone.” I used those words for the cards I was making for the group of women we hosted. My husband used the words to make a card for me. And remembering the gift of those words was a great breakthrough in my life.

It is time for another breakthrough. Real — effective — lasting change? I need to stop being so hard on myself. I need to stop the negative talk — easier said than done.

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