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!

I have yet another church dessert fest on Saturday night. This one's theme is pumpkin recipes. Check out the Halloween Pumpkin Cake in the middle of the page. That's what I'm going to attempt. I think it's cute but gotta admit, I don't think it looks all that appetizing. That's perfectly OK with me. ;)

Edit: I missed your post Alice. I wonder if that stuff actually burns a little? My cats hate it with a vengence too and they are pretty docile about most things. They seem to recognize the little vials and run to hide when I bring them. Any other time I walk in their room, they're all over me.

I got some on my hands, Chris, and didn't feel anything.  I think they just don't like the whole procedure.  It is hard to get it on the skin and not just on the hair.  I take a lot of time to separate the hair and put a few drops here and there to try to get most of it onto the skin.  Plus, it is hard to get it up high enough where they can't lick it off.  Those cat necks are so flexible!   Our other 5 cats don't give us any problems.  Most of them purr while DH is holding them.  I put the same stuff on the dogs and they are fine with it also.

I forgot to say - my son is 16 today! It is hard to pick a good card for a 16 y.o. boy.  He seemed to like it though.  I got him a fairly serious one that said I think he is awesome!  His present is new ice hockey skates.  I was not thrilled that he asked for them because they are VERY expensive!  In fact I told him he would not be getting anything large or expensive for Xmas because these skates cost enough for several gift-giving occasions!  He seems to have a sense of entitlement which I don't appreciate, and I told him so. He claims his skates from last year are falling apart, but I think he wants these skates to impress his teammates.

I was late getting home last night, first because I stopped and bought him a card after work, and then because there was a big accident at the entrance to the freeway which took 20 minutes to get past.  That screwed up my whole evening and I had no energy for cooking or anything else.  I have great intentions while I'm sitting here at work, but many times those intentions vanish when I arrive home.

I eat 1 square of Dove dark chocolate daily...but ther are other chocolates I could not have in the house like peanut butter M&m's or Sam's club mini pnb cups LOL I would eat the whole bag in a day or 2 at the most

Hi Sam ! Nice that you are still with us

Margaret - yeah for working out a little harder!!

Body sculpting class tonight, then PTo at 6. DH seems to be getting a cough..sigh.

I drink a HUGE glass of water before I eat my dinner. A pitcher of water was always on the table at dinner time when I was growing up.

Alice- Max was being tested for Cushings Disease. The cost also included all her shots.

My husband and I are making our Christmas gifts this year. I'm making him some pj pants. I am also thnking about making a birdhouse.

Sam  

When I was in my 20s I made most of the gifts I gave. It was a lot of fun for me, I can only hope the recipients enjoyed them too. My family is not the type tocomplain or even return gifts. I bought a pretty little lamp at the craft festival Saturday that is a liquor bottle filled with white Christmas lights, decoupaged with a pine cone & a little brown bird, all covered with a frosty coating. It has a little natural paper shade on the top. Even my 24 yr old son thinks it's pretty. I was considering making a few using decoupage appropriate to the person. (for instance, a sailboat for my son.) Of course, finding ideas is always easier than time to do it.

This has the added benefit of needing to empty liquor bottles!

Alice: Happy birthday to your son today!!  Whats his name?  I use to buy serious cards, now I get humor with a serious note on the botton!!  Mine will be 18 in April19th...they grow so fast...and I know what you mean the more we buy them the more they want eh?  I was scared when I took Buttons to the vet with fleas she put that advantage 9 on his neck but some must have dripped into his mouth cuz he went balistic which in turn freaked me out.Buttons he is like a labrador short hair and silky..but now when I use it it I find it's really simple...just spread the hair away from the back of their neck and pour it on....Angel is a furry long hair so it really only does take a second....as for the problems nail clipping I am going to do as Marg suggested and buy that cone thing cause he is like pepper a little difficult at times!

I have to say I have been very sad about poor Buttons he just wants to play with Angel and Angel has been really mean with him at least twice a day lately, he knows it too when I tell him that "that wasn't nice" or "don't been so mean" he walks away with his head down...so he knows!

Sam: The birdhouse idea sounds great....I so wanted Grandad and Kyle to do that but he never went down there, and with dad the way he is I wouldn't now anyway! You drink lots of water ....I drink it in my homemade sugarless green/black iced tea!

Chris: That pie loks like it is loading with sugar, substitute with splenda that's what I do so I can have my brownie/raspberry jello/dream whip treat daily again for 150 calories can't complain and low fat/sugar too!

Bonnie: Tape TBL tonight before you go out! Don't forget!

Went shopping for groceries with Willa...i bought apples and a roast...haven't had that in a long time thought I would cook that later in the week a pot roast with carrots, peppers veggies etc...I also bought some chow mein to do a stir fry i think for something different and lettuce for salads which I also haven't been eating lately either....

I have been eating simple things like tuna sandwiches, cereals and adding my protein to that and of course if I eat my splenda low calorie brownie mixed in with my raspberry jello and dream whip then i don't crave chocolates....bottom line whatever works for us...right!  Anyway there this gets a B- rating so that's pretty good!

Looking forward to TBL tonight.....and 'so u think you can dance' I also have to tape dancing with the stars since they put all this shows on around the same time they overlap one another...loL

Has anyone else noticed the seasons seem to run back to back now, when we were younger a season was like once per year and then reruns the rest...now it's one show is over and a brand new one starts no reruns...unless on another channel....like here CTV and global is Toronto which is where all these shows are showing on!  But I guess depends what area you live in and what channels you get right?

Well off to plan my menu for tomorrow...hmmmm peppers and chow mein and??? 

BEBwho smelt a bomfire in the air today what a great memory...hmmm

Beb - April 19th was my dad's birthday, my parents' wedding anniversary (1950), and my niece's birthday (she is 21). Big day in my family!

BEX: Well April 19th is Kyles 18th and his grandparents (fathers side) anniversary too 52 years!  I was also Married to my first husband and this was his BD...must be a good day...I know it was for me! All 6lbs 11oz of it!and 19.1/4 inches...lol and my dads BD is Apr7th...he'll be 89 this coming year!

Well off to watch my shows......yeah the biggest loser! Go Shay go!

Now this is so funny...earlier today I changed my pic quote to say "when the going gets tough the tough get going" the funny thing is tonight on the show Jillian said that exact quote!  talk about ironic!

Phew... I made it to reading all the back entries.. It's 4:30am and time for bed! LOL But tomorrow I'll be able to post a note that makes sense... Sorry for staying away so long, I was a bit overwhelmed for a while (as if I weren't anymore...).

Thank you all for your kind words and worries (shameful of me to put you through this, really, but I was moved by Alice's trust when she said I couldn't have fallen off the wagon...).

And good news for BEB: I posted some pictures of my house, garden and surroundings in my gallery. When my house finally looks as good inside as it looks outside, I'll post some pictures too... The picture with the bamboo lacquer painting is to show off the neat Chinese antique chest we found last weekend to stand under it, as we had nothing we liked to place there... It's in our bedroom. That lacquer painting is the last item we bought before leaving Vietnam.

If the clouds disperse, I'll take pictures of the snow covered peaks, as the weather has now turned to cold, and the fall colours have mostly disappeared. Dummy is happy and still loves his evening walks, only we have to go much earlier now, as the days have shortened a lot.

Time for bed now.

Helene, in Switzerland, glad to have returned to the fold.

PS: "A smile is the best way to show your teeth to your enemy", Chinese proverb.

Why don't you make this a Group?

Wednesday. Hump day. 

Helene:  I just looked at your pics and they are beautiful as I knew they would be.

sam:  I'm a big water drinker also.  Really miss it when I don't have it.

A P.A. is Personal Assistant.  I do what I can to enable the person I am with to do what they want to do.  Its a lot easier and quicker to do something for them but you take away their independence and they can retreat into the world of dependency. It's strange really as there is no rule to my job.

I find it quite hard to drink adequate amounts of water. Unless I start the day with a 2 litre bottle of water and make myself drink at least half by midday.  I end up only drinking half of it.  My question is how on earth do people in hot dry areas where there is little water, survive.  The body must adapt to less water surely.

Thanks for your support everyone.  Its good to hear other peoples views.

Margaret - I struggle with getting in enough water too - well at least in the fall and winter when I'm golfing no problem! - I switched to decaf coffee at work so it counts as a water since it does not have caffeine..that helps

Ohio - I write down ideas all year long - as soon as someone mentions something they'd like - my xmas shopping is always easy! In fact DD's and I are going this weekend for our annual "Shop till you drop" xmas shopping extravaganza!!! LOL ohhhh my poor knees and feet

my Sister had lithotripsy for her kidney stone yesterday - Dr felt he got it all this time - so now all she has left is her drain for the pancreatitis and the issue of diabetes/insulin. Was on 45units of Insulin , now on 15 units so maybe her little bit of pancreas that survived the infection will produce at least some insulin...fingers crossed. She only weighs 120 at 5'7" so I'm hoping that as she improves her appetite will come back and allow her to gain a little weight as she is stick thin right now

Christmas shopping??? Bonnie, you want my death. I am still trying to finish up the tasks I had, please do not add a new one! LOL Fortunately this year we'll be in Kenya and Tanzania with most of our family for Christmas, trying to find some oxygen in the rarefied air, so maybe nobody will care if there are not too many presents under the tree (on top of the huge present this whole trip already is...). Like second graders wishing for their 2 front teeth, I want to sing "All I want for Christmas is enough breath for the climb..."

Hello Margaret, and Glamgram too. Welcome. It's nice to have new people in our midst. I had to laugh at the weight expressed in stones!!! At least in the US system it is a round amount (14lbs, not the easiest number, but still). In metric it is 6.37kg or something like that... LOL I have never been to Wales but would like to. All those stories about fairies and wandering lights on the moors... I once read a book called A String in the Harp that was happening in Wales, and it was just magic. And I love the Susan Cooper's books ( Over Sea, Under Stone, The Dark is Rising, Greenwitch etc...).

Back to work. I took some pictures of the snow-covered mountains this morning but haven't uploaded them yet. I'll change them later, when everyone has had a chance to see those I added yesterday.

Have a great day everyone!

Helene, in Switzerland

Helene, it's so nice to have you back! 

Hm, TBL!  Shay was sent home.  We were so put out about it!  And then at the end they didn't have a followup on what she had done at home.  They had it for Daniel but not for Shay!  Which forced me to stay up and watch Jay Leno because he had both Daniel and Shay on his show -- mind you we had to sit through 45 minutes before they came on.  She looked fantastic!  And had lost another 50 lbs at home, so totally kicking ass.  I can't wait to see her at the end of the show.   As for the rest, everyone really did well this week -- except Amanda.  Are there 2 or 3 weeks left?

Bonnie, overall your sis has made some real progress.  She must be a fighter!  Glad to hear the doc thinks he's got that pesky kidney stone at last.

Christmas does seem to have come early this year.  All the stuff usually doesn't hit the stores until the day after Thanksgiving.  I'm all for getting an earlier start though.  It was nice to browse through World Market and see all the Chrissie stuff.  

Ohio, I like those thingys where you just add boiling/hot water and let them sit for a few minutes.  Here's a link to one of the manufacturers, Nile Spice. Look for them in the soup aisle of one of your bigger markets.

Glam: I was under the impression we already were a group...hehehe...lol

Helene: Boy it is so nice to have you back, your pictures were lovely, and I have to say the breakfast southeastern view is absolutely gorgeous the way the mountains curl in on you!  Hows Dummy doing?, sounds like he is in paradise...how cold do your winters usually get.......here we get our normal -5, -10 occasional -20 C temps. Have you had much time to train for yur climb in Dec?

Margaret: Sounds like a rewarding career!  .....One thing I do that I find helps me drink more water or whatever is I take those 2 cup water bottles (which I pour my iced tea in) and put them inside those 3.5 hour beer coolers to stay chilled..that way your water stays cold..for 3.5 hours really....if you are near a freezer you can stock 3-4 of them and what I  do is about every 3 hours I change to a new cold one and put the warm gel cooler in the freezer.to refreeze...works for me....and I do this everyday! Of course I don't think we get as dehydrated as we do in summer so we do have to force ourselves more.

Bonnie: Isn't this 'Indian summer' great for November!

FTF: Yes they didn't show Shay losing at the end of the show...bummer but you say she lost another 50lbs that's good only 150 to go eh? Does Jay Leno always have the losers on his show?  Did Shay say anything about Rudy?

TBL: I was so ticked they sent home Shay on The biggest loser, she needed to be there more then Amanda...I think she was the biggest threat cause she would have been a shoe in to reach the most lost weight on the show and Rudy new this....he did make a deal with her and then renegged did you see that during that hoop game?

I really really like Jillian and you can tell she has a big heart, and her motives for Shay were so sincere......when she finds out that Shay is gone I bet she will be upset!  Liz can go next there aren't to many left I like!  Poor Danny too those were my 2 favorites outside of Abby and now they are gone.....I bet one of them wins the $50.000 second prize!

Called my dad today as this is our 'Remberence Day', downtown here they always have a parade and the mayor and all the important members of city parliament and the founders of our various orgs. in our community put wreaths arond the monument at "Fred Grant sqaure' in memory of men and woman who served!and give speeches, today I will watch it on tv and I have been sneezing and don't want to be around anyone...I don't want to get sick that's why I have been staying in alot of sick people around!...MY FATHER drove the ambulance truck in Europe England during WW2 and he spent many a bombing in ditches!....well must run show is on now..

Have I missed anyone...boy I am sneezing alot today oh oh?

Have a good day everyone....and sensible eating tonight girls!

BEBwho had better take 2 vitC 1000mg horse pills daily one in the morning and evening...don't want to be sick...

No BEB, Shay said nothing about Rudy.  She and Daniel were both upbeat and positive. Agree with you that Rudy is a snake.  Not many left now, I like Rebecca and Danny.

And yes, starting last week with Tracy, Jay Leno (his show follows TBL) is having the person sent on that night's show.  I didn't care to watch Tracy.

Hope the vit c helps!

Helene:  Tanzania?  We love tanzanite gemstones..........I'm assuming they're from that area?  If you see any laying around scoop them up.

I always thought throughout my life I would come across a gem mine...never did...but boy wouldn't it be something to be swimming in birthstones...hehe

FTF: Yes after i wrote that I realized positivity is the way to treat that, you can get swallowed up by the drama on the show sometimes can't ya!..lolI am going to miss Shay and Daniel and I miss Abby but there are how many left so what 3-4 more weeks and that's it eh?  Well I guess I will have to route for Danny now the musician...lol

I use to be such a positive person I find I am getting cynical in my old age...have to nip that in the butt!

Xmas is 6 weeks away..don't know if I am putting up the tree, maybe for Buttons but I can just see it now, bulbs everywhere and I am sure to be picking the tree up every morning after he is done with it maybe I should just save myself the trouble and get a smaller one this year like 2 feet tall instead of the 7ft I have..it always seems every year it creeps up on us so fast.!...the thing is I think that we associate xmas with snow..well I DO and it's hard to get into the mood of xmas when I see green grass and have such warm temps. as of late...I always get into the mood when I see snow outside and if in a mall hear xmas music playing.....won't be the same anyhow without Kyle...Brian says he is getting him a play station 2 with games...I suggested a WII so he can play his game cube games but he says he can pay less for the other way, so I am staying out of that one!....I wil call Kyle later and chat up some ideas....later girls!

I sure will, Ohio. I love them too. In fact my laptop has colors behind the vents that you can program at will and the color I chose is Tanzanite (it's a gamer's laptop, so it has all the trappings as well LOL) ! I love the combination of blue and purple it has. I doubt I'll find many by the roadside though, but if I do I'll take it for you!!!

It will be my second time in Tanzania. First time was in 2002, when we visited Dar -es-Salaam, Zanzibar and some national parks (Serengeti, Manyara, Ngoro-Ngoro). This time we'll visit the Ngoro-Ngoro again - it's INSIDE a huge crater, awesome - and the Tarangire that I have never visited. It's just south of the Manyara Lake and both parks are in the Arusha region, at the foot of the Kilimanjaro, within Masai Mara, the land of the fearless lion-hunting Masai. When we went there in 2002, we flew from Dar-es-Salaam to Arusha in a small plane that just had space enough for the four of us (Pierre, the 2 boys and I) and 2 pilots. We were flying low and could see the herds of giraffes, elephants and gnus under us, all directed to the north for their great migration through the Serengeti, from Tanzania to Kenya and back. Every year, millions of animals do the circuit, following the rains and therefore the grass in an immense loop of thousands of miles. Saying it is one thing, seeing it is quite another... Hundreds upon hundreds of gnus, wildebeest, zebras, elephants, giraffes, gazelles, rhinos, antelopes, all marching in the same direction, testily, as if pulled by a magnet, and trailing behind, their various predators, lions, leopards, hyenas, jackals, cheetas... And all this following the water holes, ponds and rivers, where flamingos, hippos and crocodiles abound. It' simply breath-taking. I remember standing on a small hill and seeing lines upon lines of animals as far as the eye could see, all heading the same way. It felt like watching some ancient ritual being performed, only the actors were all wild beasts...

And the birds! I have some incredible pictures of the most amazing birds...

Hey! It seems you all are going to take a trip this winter!!! LOL

I just came back from walking Dummy. The sky is clear tonight and the air so cold it feels like a razor's edge. All the stars are out, my beloved Orion hanging tall and straight to the southeast. It's funny how the air turns suddenly freezing as soon as the sun is down. The cows are still out and I wonder how they can stand it, as the temps go below 32F toward the end of the night... There was only one horse out today, and it was frisky, dancing on the tip of its hooves, pawing the ground, tail held high, neighing at my sight (I always have a bit of carrot or apple in my pocket and they know it), and begging over the fence.  Dummy doesn't even react anymore and I am proud of him. First time he almost jumped out of his skin...

Time to go make dinner. I bought some fresh salad this morning, and there is still some lemon and apple cake from last night, with left over saffron-flavored stewed tangerines. I'll make an eggplant casserole (moussaka, with substitute meat granules).And I promised myself I wouldn't graze tonight...

Have a great day all,

Helene, in Switzerland