calling out to women 50+

I'd like to start this thread specifically for women who are 50 or over.

As a 53 year-old woman, myself, I am finding new challenges, unexpected difficulties and wonderful insights on my path to getting to and maintaining my health, weight and body shape.

What seemed to work for me as little as five years ago doesn't work quite the same anymore. My body doesn't seem to respond to what I consider healthy eating habits and good workout schedules as it even in my middle to late 40s'.

SO, I am would to hear from those out there who are finding themselves in situations. OR NOT, maybe you can enlighten the rest of us as to how you keep your shape, or how you're getting into better shape and a healthier overall lifestyle.

Hopefully this will be the start of something wonderful, educational, funny-offer up jokes anecdotes, whatever!

LET'S GET STARTED!

BIG congrats to BETH!!! Woo hoo!!!!

Interesting article: Is Your Diet Making You Gain  I don't see anything in there for us specifically, Bonnie, except a book that might be interesting, Break Through Your Set Pointby George L. Blackburn, M.D., Ph.D., associate director of the division of nutrition at Harvard Medical School. It doesn't come out in paperback until March unfortunately. (I'm not sure I won't go insane before then!) I looked at it on Amazon and he seems to advocate going down slowly (as we have, I guess) until you seem 'stuck', then maintaining for 6 mo. to get a new set point & then attempting to lose again. I assume when 'maintaining' that we would eat a little morethan when attempting to lose, right? So that would be like, oh, ...NOW. Still doesn't explain our gains, does it?  Grr.

EDIT: impulse buy!  I found the hardback on Ebay for $9.69 delivered so I bought it.

Original Post by chris1208:

I don't see anything in there for us specifically, Bonnie, except a book that might be interesting, Break Through Your Set Pointby George L. Blackburn, M.D., Ph.D., associate director of the division of nutrition at Harvard Medical School. It doesn't come out in paperback until March unfortunately. (I'm not sure I won't go insane before then!) I looked at it on Amazon and he seems to advocate going down slowly (as we have, I guess) until you seem 'stuck', then maintaining for 6 mo. to get a new set point & then attempting to lose again.

EDIT: impulse buy!  I found the hardback on Ebay for $9.69 delivered so I bought it.

 I'm very interested in what you think of that. I think there's something to it.

H is a hard letter. Only thing I can think of is hummus, which I think even Bonnie likes. My middle eastern friends actually soak the skin off the garbanza beans when they make it--much smoother that way.

Helene - don't worry about Pierre. Women have XX chromosomes and men have XY, so they all have a bit of girl in them anyway. LOL    It's just a question of degrees. Good luck with the pushups. If you can change lightbulbs and hammer nails you will have them conquered in no time.

Congrats Beth!!!  You have done so well and lost so consistently, you are an inspiration to us all.

H is very hard.  I came up with Haddock.  As a fish, it is an excellent, low calorie source of protein.  It doesn't have quite as many Omega 3 fatty acids as salmon, but it is a good tasting fish.

Masculine side?  Well, I have always held a traditionally male job.  I served in the army.  And like Helene, I am the handyman of the house.  But I don't do oil changes either.  Too groady.  So I definitely get some feminine pluses there.  I have tried to change tires on a few occasions, but have strength problems making breaking loose the lug nuts impossible.  Maybe if I keep working on those push ups?

Robbie. The kittens are examining a computer my husband laid on the floor in that picture.  Those two could be the poster children for the saying "Curiosity killed the cat".  They get into everything.

I just saw the national weather report and just had to mention that it will be 86 here today.  Darn, and I wore a long sleeved shirt.  I am going to roast.... ((ducks))

-Carol, Baloo and Bagheera in balmy Southern California

H Herring. I actually like kippered herring, a good source of Vitamin D and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin B12 and Selenium.

Helene - LOL my daughter's husband is just like Pierre..my DH gets kind of frustrated with him because he doesn't know how to do things but not all men are created equal! LOL At least last week when their garbage disposal lit up with sparks he knew enough to ask an electrician friend to stop over! who promptly fixed it.

BETH WOOOHOOO Rest when you can and wow I'm proud of you!

chris- Let me know if you find anything out in that book because it does seem I am stuck at a setpoint I don't want to be at! You, me, robbie, Peg all stuck in the same boat! My "old set point used to be around 114-118 but since menopause I seemed to have jumped up to 122-125Big sigh

robbie  LOL I do like hummus - cracked red pepper hummus actually!!!

Carol LOL I don't know if I even ever saw my spare tire in my car - I'd have to hunt for it then wouldn't know what to do with it! LOL That's why I belong to AAA AND our NWR ...we are in a deep freeze - high on Friday 4 degrees with the windchill at -21!!!! Please can I come to CA!!!!

H is for ham (which I don't like except in Stromboli! LOL)

  Ham is a good source of Vitamin C and Thiamin, Protein, Niacin, Vitamin B12, Phosphorus and Selenium. Ham is also high in Sodium and Cholesterol, so if you're interested in maintaining optimum health, try eating it in moderation.    

I was going to say good morning till i looked at the clock.

Good Afternoon girls:

I slept till 11am was exhausted from 3 days of restoring my laptop, she's running smooth now.  I even this time around have some self healing programs running i didn't even know were on my system, he (HAL) is quite a complicated little boy when you get into the "guts" of it.  My error this will be 3 in 2 years, i guess i should pay a little more attention to what i am clicking "OK" to eh!!..lol

Anyway i am back, phew, but if i disappear again you may assume i am dead OR my system is...hehehe I have posted my # in my** profile** at the end of BIO for all or anyone who gets worried again!!, or leave message.

Reading the journals today i felt like "Dear Abby", remember her Anne Landers, wonder what ever happened to her, liked reading those daily ones at work back then??

When we tire of the "letter game", i do have a couple other things lined up, not to worry. , i do find this fun and informative though.

I have a blister on my butt right at the back of my panty line (bikini panties), from all the riding last night...1100 calories 2 hours of riding....ouch!!....hehehe. No wonder i slept in and of course i only had 2 hours sleep, didn't help much.

 Well with that said "H" , Hershey...chocolate, okay cocoa beans often found in Dark chocolate, i new i would find something healthy about chocolate...........roflol...!!did i say that??

Cocoa beans contain polyphenols (similar to those found in wine) with antioxidant properties which are health beneficial. These compounds are called flavonoids and include catechins, epicatechins, and procyandins. The antioxidant flavinoids are found in the nonfat portions of the cocoa bean. The flavinoids also reduce the blood's ability to clot and thus reduces the risk of stroke and heart attacks.  Yeah!!..of course moderation is the key here right beb, snow, beth, robbie, bonny, bex, chris, carol, peg, ohio, helene, star, and anyone else who runs through here!!..lolhttp://  www.cacaoweb.net/nutrition.html  here there are a bunch more nutritional values you might find interesting for dark chocolate where cocoa or cocoa mass!!

My shoulder is moving more, still unable to go from back to front without pain, and other tightness but every once in a while i hear a "rip" don't like that, didn't make my appointment for therpy yesterday, but am convinced i want to mention to here next Monday about ultrasound, sound right??

Well all this talk about testostorone and xx and xy i must be the tomboy of the crowd then, i like alot of male oriented sports fishing, pool etc, but i also know more about cars then most men........fixing and racing then, so if anyone has need of an answered ?? be glad to help of course my knowledge is more for the older cars these new guidance systems etc i know nothing about.

Who watched BL last night????, i feel bad that Jerry had to leave should have been Joelle i hope he kicks her butt next week too!!..Another Vicky..lol 

Well i'll come back later when there is more to say, i read all the entries had some things to say but forgot, hey is there a "herb" out there for memories, i forgot to ask???????????..lol

Love to you all, glad to be back, sure missed your entries and smiling faces, i may be up here in southern  Ontario but you all are right beside me in spirit!!! and mind!!!!!...........beb...jzb

clharr, i love grapes!  i never used to eat fruit, though.  that's probably a huge part of my problem with being fat most of my life, of course, i never exercised or ate veges either.  now i need all 3 every single day!

i haven't had a chance to look at your pics yet.  i'll have to look later.  i only walked a mile so far & did 15 wall push ups a couple of times & then 15 girly ones.  i don't know about proper form.  i guess i'm doing good.  hubby ok'd them.  hehe  we took ang back to school today & that took most of the day.  it's her 2 year anniversary with her bf, except for the little episode back in november.  ;)

baloo & that kitty sound so really awesome, though!  that is so funny!  lol  right down to the nursing...  congrats on your hubby getting serious on his weight.  i hope that lasts!  congrats on your masculine side, too!  since you were in the army, i would think you could do tons of push ups.  i guess i just thought you were forced to do them.  86 degrees?!  geez...  i think it got all the way up to 10 here today.

robbie!  fermented & bottled...  :D  yep!  they sure are good that way, too!

bonton, are you sure your old weight wouldn't be too thin for you now?  how come i was 124 at one time, for one day...  LOL  and nobody ever complained about me being too thin & now that i'm freakin' 50, they say i'm too thin at 134?  never mind...  i guess i know that answer.  they were all used to me being fat.  oh well, i'll never be there again. 

chris, good luck with that book.  you guys are all probably gaining muscle. 

beb, yeah, we missed you.  stupid computers...  can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.  we just need to learn to get along.  man, i can just imagine how horrible that must have been.  you sure are good, though.  geez...  just skimming messages & you got it all pretty good!  ash's 2nd gerbil is still alive, so i don't think we'll bury him yet.  not like someone else on this board...  LOL

yeah!  bob sure was mad last night!!!  that was hysterical!!!  joelle's partner seems really pumped, though.  i feel sorry for her, but yet, anyone can do this at home.  look at me!  h is for hershey...  WooHoo!!!

rebbex, i wish i could afford a mac.  i love their commercials!  i'm like you.  i can't do that manly stuff.  i was overjoyed a couple of months ago when i actually got my hood opened to fill the wiper fluid...  just to find out it was already FULL!  just frozen & not coming out.  what a pain...  all that work for nothing...

helene, that is so sad.  at least you gave her money & she probably really did need it.  who doesn't?  that's what i'm mostly doing.  the wall push ups.  they did help me to actually do some girly ones & whatever.  class zero...  LOL  all we can do is try.  i think muscle is pretty important at this age.  that's awesome how you can do the manly stuff around the house!  i wish i could.

before my mom died, she used to fall on the floor alot & i couldn't even pick her up!  i tried & tried.  sometimes i got her, but sometimes i told her to relax & hubby will get her when he comes home.  she just laughed.  what else could she do?  she couldn't get up herself either.  sometimes i had ang and/or ash help.

congrats southern!!!  WooHOO!!!  geez...  that's almost 148!  :D

i guess my masculine side would be taking the garbage out...

Everyone come to California!!  We can go hiking with Alice and then Bonton can teach us to play golf.  After you stop at my house and admire my kitties, of course.  You can go back home when the weather improves.

BEB - You have my vote for Tomboy of the Crowd.  I have hung around and helped guys with cars, but never could do much on my own.  I really hate the grease.  It gets under my nails...  Yeech!

Snow - Yeah, the army made me do a bunch of pushups, but that was a long time ago.  They made me do situps and run too.  The running was the hardest part for me.  I was never good at that.  I am trying to run a bit now.  I can only go a few hundred feet before I have to walk again though.  "masculine side would be taking the garbage out"  lol!

- Carol

Day 2 (week1) of the pushup challenge - I made it thru it!!! YIPPPEEE LOL It was 5 sets - 6,8,6,6,8 I managed to do all of themI am a little sore back by my shoulder blades but don't know if it's from the gym yesterday - because I am doing lots of arm work - I want that "V" cut at the top of my arm it is there but you really have to look LOL I want to be able to see it without straining!

Carol - Sounds great!! Warm weather , hiking and golf - who could ask for more!

snow- ck out that website I gave it shows the animated proper form if you don't know if you're doing them right. My  "old " weight - no I don't think it would be too thin at least not 118 . Before the setpoint of 114-118 I weighed 107-109 for a long time. As I get older it seems the setpoint just keeps getting higher But I will say that I do have more muscle now than I did then!

BEB - I think you want to ask for an MRI not an ultrasound for your shoulder. Glad you got your computer fixed - when mine acts up I call my daughter who takes remote access and fixes it!

On TBL - geez another Vicki  at least that's what Joelle reminded me of. You know I think it should be ppl who aren't working hard that get voted off - I felt so sorry for Jerry -it made me get tears in my eyes - but I was glad to see that he really kept at it at home!

woe...  hiking with alice?  i dunno if i can keep up.  lol  i sure would love to see them kitties!

yeah, i've watched the guys change oil, replace brakes, etc.  maybe even hand them this or that, give 'em a drink...  hey, them garbage cans are heavy!  :D

i don't even try to run.  well, maybe for a minute or even 2 or 3 once in a while.  geez, that's been a long time since i tried running!  i'm gonna do this push up thing, though!  i'm pumped!  i actually did 22 the last time i did the wall ones.

bonton, you're doing great!  lol  you're doing the challenge by the rules.  i'm just doing how ever many i can.  i'm cheating!  i'm not real good with rules...  well, i might have to follow them, if this doesn't work.  i figure i'll try to strengthen up doing the wall ones & then try the girl ones everyday & maybe even regular daily.  AND just keep upping my numbers.

that link you gave me just leads me to a guy in a pic that says pwned.  hehe  both links!  the knee & regular.  it shows how to do it on the push up site, though.  i wonder how much your muscle weighs...  i want some!  :D

yeah, poor jerry, but yet!  he did it!  he lost at home & that's what this show is all about.  how people can do this at home, too.  i love it!

Snow:  Okay I did my push ups for the day and my triceps and sit ups while I was at it. Glad to read you did yours too. We can do it!

Chris: I'll have to check into that article. And the book. I have long believed that set points change over time and really make a difference.

Bonnie: Woo Hoo...way to go on the sets. Dang you're tough. I agree we should take our books, our set points, our weights and our hiking boots and head to Carol's house. Enjoy the kittens and some fermented grapes and then head to Alice's for a hike. That really does sound great.

Beth: So proud of you! You have put in your time in the exercise. Watched and changed your diet and created wonderful results for yourself. That is what it is all about. Lifestyle change.

I have been working hard in the gym. Not much change in weight but I feel thinner. I'm trying not to focus on it. I am stronger than I was 2 weeks ago. I am all about the lifestyle change. Forget the scale and the mirror. I did however take my measurements.

All of you are beautiful. Never forget that. Those aren't words I typed. I mean it. This life, this planet and our time here is so precious. And you are all so beautiful.

Peg

PEGS quote: All of you are beautiful. Never forget that. Those aren't words I typed. I mean it. This life, this planet and our time here is so precious. And you are all so beautiful. 

Hey Peg, if i am so beautiful, how come you never talk to me??? lol...I have noticed it's been weeks and you have not said one word to me about anything, maybe i am too sensitive but I call em like i see em, now i hope i hadn't offended you!!  Hope Max is doing better on the meds.  Good for you on the weights!!

Bonton: I am very, very impressed by that many push ups!! wow no wonder your shoulder blades ache....oh yeah an MRI, that's it.  About TBL yea i welted up a bit too when they were all crying, you said the same thing i did, about Joele being like Vicki..god not another one, like her, and yes they should send home the lazy ones, who are afraid to pant a little!!did i say that!.......... Put a fire on for me Bonny! It's -20C up here..brrr. 

So how many pushups did everyone do each?? I think Bonny and Alice must be our "Jillian"s on site ...lol of course i would give you a run girls if i didn't have an excuse....lol..i know what you mean Bonny i want that cut there too and just when i was starting to show a little definition my shoulder went out..waa. Why does it take forever to get it and no time to lose it???

Someone i forget mentioned that there  son isn't mopping around anymore, that is good.  Chris wasn't it?  Or Bonny or Robbie, I reread alll the entries and couldn't find it, i have a great memory but short term is the pits......sorry.  I just had so much catching up i have forgotten, sorry, i do care this is why i am mentioning it.  Kyle too was dumped last summer by his first girlfriend, lately i don't know he has a friend who will be moving in the summer to the east coast and he has made no attempt at all to make some new ones or even pursue all these girls numbers that keep falling out of his pocket, i feel sorry for the girls who like him cause he doesn't seem to want to chase any, oh well.  Kyle he isn't coming straight home from school don't see him till around 8pm then he takes dinner and goes to his room to play his new games, if i try and talk to him he tells me to shut up and this is the extent lately of our loving relationship, i hate getting upset but where's the respect??  He doesn't seem to understand i don't talk with him all week and just want to know how he's doing and what he's up to, and all i am getting is attitude, if i ever talked to my parents like that, well lets just say i would be scared too.  Kids today, can't live with em, and can't live with em....lol you thought i was going to say "without em, didn't you??...lol

Snow: Boy garbage cans are light when they are empty...hehe i just walk down the hall with a bag everyday, no cans....apt. life at it's best, 3rd floor faces the sun, nice view, no bugs, miss a fireplace though, put one on for me! but i do take my recycleables downstairs once a week..lol

Beth: Congradulations 149..woohoo!!!!

Chris & Carol & Snow: Take it easy, remember Bonny has been working out it will come you just have to build up to it slowly, you don't want to be in pain for a week right?

Robbie: Have a drink for me, you sure have some nice recipes girl, would you please link me up to your last 2-3 i lost them in the restore, the thai, and the shrimp couldn't find them or post the link to my journal whatever is more convenient please and thank-you.

Well i am finally done my acer restore, bkups and everything...phew, got to go my back and neck are kiling me from sitting here all day again.

When you guys click on the yellow emotions do you find it delays or is it just mine!!???????????

God it's 10pm and i have only had 700 calories....later girls!!

Well thanks again for missing me.........that is sweet, hey do you find as we get older we get more emotional, i do, for sure, the slightest thing sad on tv, a kicked dog, a dying person and get the kleenex, they have this abused animal commercial, AND EVERYTIME I SEE IT, tears!!

Well i quess Helene will be on later she usually posts arond 11pm my time, for u out in california that is 3 hours ahead of you!

Hey Moonduster: i'll come out to california, pick up all the girls on the way, just have the sunshine waiting.....how goes the challenge.....lol

Later.................beb

great job on doing the push ups, everyone!  i feel like i was beat up yesterday, though.  maybe i should just play by the rules.  you guys know me, though, and if i say i'm gonna do something, i WILL do it!  100 push ups...  LOL  yeah, i WILL do it...

i was wondering all day why my thighs hurt so bad & i suddenly remembered that i had also done squats & lunges.  geez, i guess it's been awhile since i've done them.  i even did some with the weights.  i was worried that i had hurt myself or something 'til i remembered that.  :D

i guess setpoints really exist.  i dunno why i don't have any.  no matter what the scale says, you guys must all be getting thinner!  just be proud of what you're doing!  think of all them people out there that are over 50 & doing nothing to improve themselves.  ;)

beautiful?  ok, well, you guys are.  i'm not!  lol

oh beb, just chill...  everyone talks to you.  it's hard to actually name everyone all the time.  there's something in all the messages that's for you.  just find it.  i did 22 push ups last night.  the wall ones, though.  sorry to hear about how kyle treats you.  maybe you should take some toys away.  wouldn't you do that if he were little?  everything delays my computer.  the stupid thing...  yeah, i get all emotional, too.  you didn't mention happy things though, like someone winning money.  yeah, happy or sad!  they both make me cry.

I Iced tea, green if you please...The following is from http://www.greenteasecrets.com. If true, all it needs is to cause world peace & it would be perfect! lol!

The antioxidant in green tea is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E. Antioxidants are important for preventing cancer & fighting aging. Green tea helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally. It can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day. It protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage.The high fluoride content found in green tea helps keep your bones strong. Green tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells. Green tea improves lipid and glucose metabolisms, prevents sharp increases in blood sugar level, and balances your metabolism rate. It helps slow the process of reduced acetylcholine in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer's. People drinking green tea also are less likely to progress with Parkinson's. Drinking green tea helps keep your blood pressure down by repressing angiotensin, which leads to high blood pressure. Blood sugar tends to increase with age, but polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea help lower your blood sugar level.Vitamin C in green tea helps you treat the flu and the common cold. L-theanine, which is a kind of amino acids in green tea, can help relieve stress and anxiety.

Peg, your attitude is great! I'm trying to think similarly...

Snow, I didn't follow the program yet today either but I printed it out & it's my goal for today to do it! Set points...to be honest, I don't understand your body any better than Bonnie's and mine. Sometimes you seem to do everything 'wrong' and yet get great results. Then Bonnie seems to do it all 'right' and...nothing! I guess in weight loss and panty hose, one size does NOT fit all!

Carol, if you want to warm up to running, check out Couch to 5K. It's a walk jog program that I really enjoyed. I don't even want to run a 5K but I did like how the routine changes week after week. It's not very long either..I think between 20-30 minutes. Once I get adjusted to my new work schedule I may try it again.

BEB, you silly goose! Don't count. Now I'm feeling paranoid about whether I've missed anyone for awhile. Actually, that's why I sometimes don't put names in...I don't want it to seem like a popularity contest. It's not. Some people just naturally have more things in common with certain posts. On Kyle, I was just speaking with a prof. who has similar problems with his 16 yr old. I guess it's pretty common. We have dinner at the table nearly every night so SS is at least physically there...he's often not very talkative though. I must admit, I can't imagine letting one of the kids (even the 23 yr old) get away with telling me to shut up. ALL privileges would abruptly end as long as I'm paying the tab!

Bonnie, when you head for CA...don't for get me!!! Brrrrrr. 4 degrees here, how is it in Clearfield?

Yea Chris you are right, i don't know i am not the type who needs reassurance at all, i just noticed Peg wasn't talking to me for weeks, that's all, and you know girls that i have a healthy imagination, i just don't want to affend anyone that's all.  Just want to be friendly with everyone, cuz i love you guys.  Never in my life have i felt so good, as coming here everyday.

I is for , oh Chris stole my thought.....okay I is for Iceburg lettuce, we all know the benefits of lettuce, so i need not print the whole page but you all know this site here is the best for food facts eh, it pays to surf the web www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-ve getable-products/2476/2  for a quick analysis..low cals 10.......i saved this site it is excellent and thorough.

Ratio...........Carbs76%, Fats8%, Protein16%, high in vits and minerals!!

I can't seem to get my cat pics on my journal now, weird??

Well girls i'll pop in later when I have more to say., my shoulder still bugging me, i have to go on Monday but i don't want any more treatment till they do that MRI and find out whats really going on., you know my big toenail is still red underneath, reminds me of that HOUSE episode....hehehe............beb

Hey, BEB, love ya girlfriend!  I'm with Chris and Snow about Kyle - you need to be more like Bob on biggest loser last time.  Don't accept that crap from Kyle!  If my 15 y.o. told me to shut up, he knows that mom's eyes would bug out, her face would turn red, and his new flat screen TV would go flying out the door of his bedroom! Remember, our job is to be their parent, not their friend.

I haven't started the official push-up challenge yet, although I intend to.  Reason is, on Tuesday my trainer made me do 4 sets of 12 pushups.  They were on a low bench instead of the floor, but my muscles are really sore still.  Tonight I'm finally going to get a chance to try out Jillian's DVD. 

I get excited when I hear how some of you are getting sore muscles!  That's great!  I don't feel sorry for you, I feel happy for you, myself included 

Yesterday, for the first time in what seems like forever, I kept my calories under 1500!  I'm doing great today also.  I'm not going to dilly-dally any more about getting these 12 pounds off.  My son asked me if I could make a donut with my belly, and I can.  He is so thin that he can't, and that is how I'd like to be.  He still obsesses about not eating too much, even though he's down to about 7% body fat! 

You are all invited to California, although I think it's a bit sunnier at Carol's house than at mine.  In the San Joaquin Valley we get "Tule fog", which is thick, damp and cold.  It gets into your bones and plus, you can't see anything much.  A real joy to drive in - NOT!  But it usually lifts by mid to late morning.

I am stuck here at work as usual, but looking forward to the upcoming 3 day weekend (MLK day).

Alice

Ha ha Alice moondoogy you kill me!!  4 sets of 12..God we have bionic woman on this site!!  wow....even at my best i couldn't do 4x12 at any time mens pushups.....  As for Kyle, yea i do stand up to him but his head is a bit swelled at the moment being 1/2 inch taller then me now you see,? therefore he thinks he's tougher, and i'm secretly afraid to go physical in fun with him for fear of me getting injured. I am stronger, and he knows it but is always pushing those authority buttons, and i keep telling him if he doesn't want to obey the house rules he can "Move out", that sometimes works, but the talking back...humm and the F word..wow.........where's the SOAP...!!...REMEMBER THAT GIRLS........i don't verbally let him get away with to much, but i hate to half to always yell to get him to stop.....grrr...wanna come over and beat him up for me....hehehe..just kidding!!  Sometimes when i am trying to be firm with him i just start laughing i can't help it.......16 and stil testing me and authority.

Hey Gang do your kids ever stop testing your authority?????  I know some of you still have some in high school??

I quess Bonny, Robby peg, and Beth are working..so till late then....pushups....

How many sit ups can you all do????????????............beb

Back at work, so less time to read journals and posts, and even less to post myself. I have been interested in the push up discussion; I have always been short but strong--have lifted weights for years, but only in the past several years have i been able to do "men" push ups, and even then, only about 5-6. I can do 4 sets of 16 girl push ups if I spread them out in my workout. But, my weight seems to gather in the middle (Alice, is that what you mean by donut with your belly?), not my arms or legs.I think I said in an early post that I'm built like Mrs. Potato Head--remember those toys? Still, I am healthy and happy for the ability to work out--or I just feel that way today because it's my rest day.

BEB: I will put recipes in your journal. I wanted to start with you because I didn't want you wigging out with your attention needs (kidding, stop throwing things at me). As to Kyle, I offer empathy, but no advice. I'd have killed my oldest several times at that age, but infanticide looks bad on the old resume. Helene: Blueberries cost a fortune here, which is a shame because Tom loves them. I'm a strawberry fan myself. And, I saw both garlic and ginger on in an article on what to eat to avoid illness. You and BEB both have the shoulder issues--tough to cure because we use that muscle so much. Bex: I'm about a 50 on your scale--I can change tires if I have to and take the trash out when boys aren't around, but I have no idea how to set up a DVD player, and I hate beer (the only alcohol I don't drink). Beth: You're the best role model ever, except you're 10 inches taller than me! Good work! Carol: 86 degrees! Do I need a sleeping bag? I'll be there soon as you can say commercial airplane in the Hudson. Can you believe that--thank God no injuries! Bonnie: I can't believe you're not shivering off calories. I am praying Chris is right when she says we just have to be at a set point for a bit before the scale can drop again. Snow: I like the Mac commercials, too. It's funny how loyal their users are; my brothers (Mac fans) and my boys (PC fans) practically come to blows over it. I don't watch TBL, but I'm willing to root for whoever you guys like; I trust your judgment. Peg: I applaud your fortitude at the gym and your advice to focus on living clean, not obsess over arbitrary measures. We are beautiful, aren't we? Chris: Does green tea have caffeine? I'm sensitive to it since menopause. And I agree, the parent tab-payer has privileges! Stay warm! Alice: You said, "Remember, our job is to be their parent, not their friend." Truer words never spoken, but so hard to do sometimes, I think especially for single parents. Yeah for sore muscles!

Robbie, sorta sick of her job but unable to make a change in this sucking economy!

Wow!!  Everyone is coming to my house?!!  I had better get to cleaning!!    Alice, don't think that the yucky fog will get you out of guiding us on a hike.  You still have to do that!

I think I really will be spending most of the weekend cleaning though.  The 2 kitty wrecking crew has really made a mess.  The kitten gets into every cupboard and bookcase he can.  He then knocks things out.  When Baloo sees him in there, he wants to get in too and knocks even more stuff out.  They also have managed to knock things off tables and counters and drag stuff I would sworn that no cat could move into the middle of the floor.  The house looks like it was hit by a tornado!  I have heard of people babyproofing a house, but this the first I have heard of kittenproofing!

BEB- he didn't actually say 'shutup' to you did he?  If so, I am going to have to go with the others about setting limits.  Boys his age are probably not going to talk to their mothers about their lives, but they can have some respect.  Of course, if he has been doing this kind of stuff for a long time, you are going to have a hard time changing it now.

Chris - Green tea has become a part of my new lifestyle this year and your post makes me glad it is.

Snow- Keep up the squats and lunges.  I know my trainer will have me doing some tonight and I don't want to be the only one with sore muscles.  I think I will skip my pushups and situps today since I know I will be doing them tonight.

I logged my food for today so far and I am already at 1,000 calories!  It sure doesn't take much to get there.  I guess boot camp will burn off a bunch, maybe 500 or so.  It is an hour long and pretty strenuous.  With that, I can still have a good dinner.