Living With Menopause

Last night when I went to bed or should I say this morning, I had today all planned out. However, upon waking this morning I do not have the desire to do any of things I had planned. I really don't feel like doing anything. I did manage to go out and water some of the plants that I planted a few days ago. It did not rain yesterday, the only day this week it hasn't. I have so many things that need my attention around here but these days my attention span is not very good and I have trouble getting much done. If you're going through or have experienced menopause you probably know what I mean. It goes along with those moments when the word you're searching for escapes you. Or you may walk into a nearby room to do something, only to realize you have no idea what it was you intended to do. In fact, I am told it's not uncommon for women to experience a whole list of puzzling memory and reasoning problems around the same time they're going through menopause, especially if they, like myself, have decided to skip hormone replacement therapy. I am not a candidate for hormone replacement because I have had a lot of problems with cysts and tumors in my breasts. Ten years ago I had a tumor removed from my right breast and last year I had a biopsy done on my left one. So far nothing has been malignant and I pray it stays that way. While cancer runs in my family, no one has had breast cancer but my mother and a few aunts have also had tumors and cysts removed. I had a hysterectomy when I was 31 because of a large tumor on my uterus and cysts on both ovaries. The doctor removed the left ovary but elected to leave the right one so I would not have to go on hormone replacements at such a young age. He treated the cysts on the right ovary with steroids. I gained weight while taking the treatments but the steroids worked and the cysts were gone. This year during my yearly examination my gynecologist said she could not find that ovary. Since she was sending me to a urogynecologist for my bladder she wanted her to also take a look. She could not find it either. She said it is not uncommon when there is only one for it to to disappear when it is no longer needed or being used to produce hormone. I was happy because that eliminated my risk of ovarian cancer. I will also be happy when I have gotten past menopause. I do not like any of the changes it has brought into my life so far. I cannot remember when I have had a good night's sleep and the night sweats, hot flashes, mood swings.....so many changes but I will manage with the help of my loving and most of the time,understanding husband. I also have God who is always there for me and I certainly call on him a lot these days for help and guidance. Are you going through menopuse? If so, how are you coping?

Baby's Choice-Poem

Baby's Choice
Did you ever think, dear Mother,
As the seeds of me you sowed,
As you breathed new life inside of me
And slowly watched me grow,
In all your dreams about me
When you planned me out so well,
When you couldn't wait to have me there
Inside your heart to dwell,
Did you ever think that maybe,
I was planning for you, too,
And choosing for my very own
A mother just like you?
A mother who smelled sweet and who
had hands so creamy white,
A tender, loving creature
Who would soothe me in the night?
Did you ever think in all those days
While you were coming due,
That as you planned a life for me
I sought a life with you?
And now as I lay in your arms,
I wonder if you knew
While you were busy making me,
I was choosing you!
~ Colleen M. Story ~

Finding My Way

Yesterday I was home alone and spent the day working in the yard. It is week three since my surgery, and I am still not able to do much lifting, pushing or pulling. I have to do my work a little at a time. I could easily spend all day just pulling weeds in the goldfish pond area. The plastic is wearing out that we placed under the river gravel years ago and now it requires a lot of work keeping the weeds pulled out. I have not lost anymore weight and I am getting frustrated. Maybe I am not eating enough. I know I am not getting enough exercise. This morning, if the RAIN holds off, I intend to walk 45 minutes. I plan to start doing this every morning and I may do it again in the evening also. I have also been on the internet searching for weight loss tips but they are all basically the same. I just need to follow them more closely and drink more WATER. One thing that I have been doing is chewing a piece of sugarfree gum when I am craving something sweet . I get the sweet taste without actually having eaten anything. I have also been doing the portion control but I have not been keeping a food journal. Writing down everything I eat is something else that I may need to start doing but I ask myself, is this something I plan to do for the remainder of my life; my answer is no and that is why I do not do it. Not only do I want to lose weight but I want to keep it off and that means making changes that I can live with from now on. I am not looking at losing a lot of weight temporarily and gaining it back plus more. Been there and done that. That is why it has to be a lifetime change for me. I know several people who had gastric bypass surgery seven or eight years ago and are now over weight again. They changed how much they could eat but not their habits. It may take me a while but I will find a way that works for me. I thought I would share a few research findings that I found at weightlossforall.com. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day.

Dairy Dieting Heaven
Research has found that eating some dairy in your diet can help you to absorb fewer calories, but why? It all comes down to the high levels of Calcium in dairy. The Calcium binds to fats during digestion which creates a soap-like substance that our bodies find hard to absorb. This means some of the calories are excreted.
Maybe this is why the English tradition of eating cheese and biscuits after a big meal is actually not as bad as first thought!
One thing the research didn’t mention is that the Calcium can only bind to fats present in the same meal. So, for this reason, dairy should only be consumed with a main meal that contains some fat, eating dairy products alone will not decrease excess fat stores on the body – you will still need to increase activity levels to lose those!
WEIGHT LOSS TIP:
If your doctor agrees, try to include a little low-fat dairy as part of your daily diet, doing this alone may help you to lose up to 6 pounds a year! – Just be sure you don’t consume more calories than your body requires.
Losing Weight through Soup-a-day!
A recent study has shown that a meal blended into a soup will help keep hunger at bay longer than eating the same meal normally presented on a plate. The reason is that a meal blended with some water prolongs gastric emptying. In other words, it takes longer to empty the stomach thus, the stomach wall is stretched for longer periods. A stretched wall causes the stomach to send messages to the brain to stop eating, because it is full. However, simply drinking water along with a normal meal won’t have the same effect because the water will simply pass straight through and be absorbed.
WEIGHT LOSS TIP:
Drink more freshly made soups during the day.
Protein Power
High protein meals have been found to be the most satiating when compared to meals that are high in fat or carbohydrates. High quality protein has been proven to be most effective at filling us up and reducing the appetite between meals.
WEIGHT LOSS TIP:
If you’re allowed, try to eat a lean protein meal for breakfast or for an evening meal to keep you feeling fuller for longer. If you find a protein breakfast to be too much in the morning, then why not substitute it for a low G.I. foods such a porridge oats as this will have a similar effect!
Portion Tricks
Scientists have shown that we can be tricked into eating more than we need to because of portion size. Often portions at restaurants and in pre-packaged foods are much larger than we really need to eat. This also tends to impact our portions at home. Use a smaller plate for meals. Less room on your plate means less room for food!
WEIGHT LOSS TIP:
Remember, the larger the portion, the more we will usually eat. Make sure you decrease portion size as often as you can!
Don’t Forget Your Diary
Studies have shown that keeping a food diary is the best way to avoid over-eating. We can easily lose track of our food intake without one!
Variety is NOT always the Spice of Life!
Some research has proven that having a variety of foods available increases calorie intake. People can consume up to 60 percent more when eating at a buffet or barbeque. Maybe this is more of an instinct for survival reasons rather than people just being plain greedy. For example, having a variety of different foods will mean a larger range of nutrients available, and it could be possible that subconsciously we are making sure we’re getting as much nutrition as possible.

WEIGHT LOSS TIP:
Try to keep things simple and eat only 2 to 3 foods at each meal.
Too Little Too Late!
Eating little and often is usually good dietary advice for people trying to lose weight. The only trouble with having frequent low fat snacks is that you are supplying the body with a steady supply of sugar, the body's preferred energy source. Having a steady supply of sugar means the body may be burning less from the fat stores, this could be especially true if the individual has a low activity level, because the number of calories burned is not sufficient to over ride the number of calories supplied from the frequent sugar intake. This could hamper results for losing weight. This is a classic case where some generally good advice may not be much use to others with a different lifestyle or situation. I believe some people really need to let themselves go a bit hungry for a little longer than usual to try and force the body to use up excess fat stores more readily. This does not mean starving oneself, as is the case for most things in life, going too far with anything is never much of a good thing. I mean if you don't manage to get much activity then maybe let that hunger continue for a little bit longer.
WEIGHT LOSS TIP:
Don't always believe you must eat immediately once you experience hunger, unless you have a specific condition and you must eat at regular intervals. If you’re okay to do so, try to get used to the feeling of hunger and gradually extend the time between meals, but don’t go too long before eating again. As it is impossible for us to know your exact dietary needs, it is crucial that you obtain approval from your doctor before changing the way you eat!!

Lifestyle Change

When it comes to my weight I have been talking about how I must make a lifestyle change in order to lose it and keep it off. I have found a wonderful site on the internet that I enjoy reading and thought I would share a few things that I found there.
POSITIVE LIFESTYLE CHANGE
There are three main elements to help attain desired changes. These three keys are a must in making any change successful, enjoyable and positive:
INFORMATION ACQUISITION
Information about nutrition, physiology and biology will help you to understand how your body works and learn about where you may have gone wrong in the past. As your level of awareness broadens so will your excitement to try new, healthful ways to lose weight. The process of a positive change will then become fun rather than laborious. Gain knowledge from reading books, magazines and articles about nutrition and weight loss. Visiting this site on a regular basis is another way to gain new information and ideas.
Information acquisition is a great start but it is not always enough. For example, everyone knows about the importance of exercise yet there are still many people who do not exercise on a regular basis, despite proof of its benefits!
SUPPORT SYSTEM
This is another important element for any positive change. It may even be the most crucial of all. The pressure, pain and anxiety in successfully losing a large bulk of weight are even higher when trying to do it alone. Friends and family who want the same as yourself will help produce an immense source of motivation, as for when one doesn't confide his/her intentions to diet or exercise then they must use their own willpower to resist any temptations. Try to recruit friends, family or co-workers to be a positive part of your goals even if they don't have the same intention as you, they can still play a role for support if you feel low or tempted.
Slimming clubs are a great way to gain support as they are full of people with the same intentions. New friends and training partners will help by motivating each other and increase chances of success.
SETTING REALISTIC GOALS
Setting goals is one way to ensure success in any weight loss effort. The mistake many dieters make is to set goals that are unrealistic. When a goal cannot be reached it usually affects an individuals motivation resulting in negative thoughts patterns. Short-term realistic goals should be set to ensure you achieve them quickly to gain motivational momentum. Setting goals can act as a map for you to follow and analyse how far you have come. Start by identifying where you are now and where you want to be. Then fill in the gaps by setting small easily reachable goals so you have a guide to help you reach your main ultimate goal!

Sunday-Day of Rest

I have not managed this new blog very well. When I started it I had hoped to use it as a daily journal but I can see that is going to be hard to do. It is difficult sometimes to find the time to post. However, I know I could do better. We have been puppy sitting Maya, our daughter's little Yorkie pup, since last Monday. We will be keeping her until Tuesday. Maya is a very ACTIVE little dog. Wednesday, I had a dentist appointment to get my teeth cleaned. It had been a year since the last time I was there. I usually go every 6 months but I had to cancel my scheduled appointment last October for some reason that I don't remember and it has taken me until now to get another one. Since I am with Skylar, my nephew, until after noon each day I have a small window of time that I can make appointments; but I manage anyway. While I was out I decided to run by Wal-mart and Kroger to buy groceries and pick up a few other items that we needed. It seems like it has been longer than 2 weeks since I have been out on my own and I enjoyed it. Thursday, Skylar and I both had appointments to get our hair cut with the same stylist ( mine was 10:00 a.m. and his was afterwards) so I went by his house and loaded him in his van and we went together. He also had high lights put in his hair that I had to finish processing and rinse out for him when we got back to his house. I also blow dried and styled his hair, fixed him lunch and fed him before I left to come back home. I came back home and combed Maya and washed her some; did a load of laundry and picked up Maya's toys that were scattered all over the house. Afterwards, Lauren , my niece and Skylar's little sister, called and asked if she could spend the night, school is out for the summer, I said yes and she came over. I started preparing supper which consisted of baked beans, corn on cob, baked potato skins (new red potaoes cut in half and cooked until soft in microwave ; then topped with butter, cheddar cheese, bacon bits & chives and placed in oven for 20 minutes) macaroni and cheese, grilled hamburgers, chicken and smoked sausage and iced sweet tea. Then I did the dishes, spent time with my husband, played with Maya, took a bath, Lauren slept on the love seat in the den and I slept on the sofa. I have been sleeping on the sofa since I had surgery because our bed is too high for me to get in and out of easily. Friday, I did a few loads of laundry, washed , dried & ironed some of Skylar's shirts ( he likes for me to care for some of his favorite clothes, he is very particular), played with Maya and Lauren, washed Maya's bed and some of her cloth toys, cleaned the kitchen, mopped all the floors because Maya isn't completely house trained yet....put away laundry. fixed lunch....My husband and I went out to eat dinner. I did very good and only had a salad. Saturday, I worked in the yard pulling weeds and planting a few red geraniums and marigolds. I used a small hand shovel to dig and plant since I still have a few weeks to go before the doctor releases me from my surgery and gives me the okay to all the things I normally do. I actually rested today, I think I may have did too much yesterday. I cooked breakfast this morning but that is about it. The rest of the day Maya and I have stayed on the sofa and watched tv. I did manage to get up and fix taco salad for supper. We do not have plans for tomorrow. We will probably work around here since we have so much to do. I don't have hubby at home very often to help me so I may very well take advantage of it.

50+ Ideas for Losing Weight

I found the following ideas for losing weight at Reader's Digest.com

1. Once a week, indulge in a high-calorie-tasting, but low-calorie, treat. This should help keep you from feeling deprived and binging on higher-calorie foods. For instance:
Lobster. Just 83 calories in 3 ounces.
Shrimp. Just 60 calories in 12 large.
Smoked salmon. Just 66 calories in two ounces. Sprinkle with capers for an even more elegant treat.
Whipped cream. Just 8 calories in one tablespoon. Drop a dollop over a bowl of fresh fruit for dessert.
2. Treat high-calorie foods as jewels in the crown. Make a spoonful of ice cream the jewel and a bowl of fruit the crown. Cut down on the chips by pairing each bite with lots of chunky, filling fresh salsa, suggests Jeff Novick, director of nutrition at the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Florida. Balance a little cheese with a lot of salad.
3. After breakfast, make water your primary drink. At breakfast, go ahead and drink orange juice. But throughout the rest of the day, focus on water instead of juice or soda. The average American consumes an extra 245 calories a day from soft drinks. That's nearly 90,000 calories a year -- or 25 pounds! And research shows that despite the calories, sugary drinks don't trigger a sense of fullness the way that food does.
4. Carry a palm-size notebook everywhere you go for one week. Write down every single morsel that enters your lips -- even water. Studies have found that people who maintain food diaries wind up eating about 15 percent less food than those who don't.
5. Buy a pedometer, clip it to your belt, and aim for an extra 1,000 steps a day. On average, sedentary people take only 2,000 to 3,000 steps a day. Adding 2,000 steps will help you maintain your current weight and stop gaining weight; adding more than that will help you lose weight.
6. Add 10 percent to the amount of daily calories you think you're eating, then adjust your eating habits accordingly. If you think you're consuming 1,700 calories a day and don't understand why you're not losing weight, add another 170 calories to your guesstimate. Chances are, the new number is more accurate.
7. Eat five or six small meals or snacks a day instead of three large meals. A 1999 South African study found that when men ate parts of their morning meal at intervals over five hours, they consumed almost 30 percent fewer calories at lunch than when they ate a single breakfast. Other studies show that even if you eat the same number of calories distributed this way, your body releases less insulin, which keeps blood sugar steady and helps control hunger.
8. Walk for 45 minutes a day. The reason we're suggesting 45 minutes instead of the typical 30 is that a Duke University study found that while 30 minutes of daily walking is enough to prevent weight gain in most relatively sedentary people, exercise beyond 30 minutes results in weight and fat loss. Burning an additional 300 calories a day with three miles of brisk walking (45 minutes should do it) could help you lose 30 pounds in a year without even changing how much you're eating.
9. Find an online weight-loss buddy. A University of Vermont study found that online weight-loss buddies help you keep the weight off. The researchers followed volunteers for 18 months. Those assigned to an Internet-based weight maintenance program sustained their weight loss better than those who met face-to-face in a support group.
10. Bring the color blue into your life more often. There's a good reason you won't see many fast-food restaurants decorated in blue: Believe it or not, the color blue functions as an appetite suppressant. So serve up dinner on blue plates, dress in blue while you eat, and cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Conversely, avoid red, yellow, and orange in your dining areas. Studies find they encourage eating.
11. Clean your closet of the "fat" clothes. Once you've reached your target weight, throw out or give away every piece of clothing that doesn't fit. The idea of having to buy a whole new wardrobe if you gain the weight back will serve as a strong incentive to maintain your new figure.
12. Downsize your dinner plates. Studies find that the less food put in front of you, the less food you'll eat. Conversely, the more food in front of you, the more you'll eat -- regardless of how hungry you are. So instead of using regular dinner plates that range these days from 10-14 inches (making them look forlornly empty if they're not heaped with food), serve your main course on salad plates (about 7-9 inches wide). The same goes for liquids. Instead of 16-ounce glasses and oversized coffee mugs, return to the old days of 8-ounce glasses and 6-ounce coffee cups.
13. Serve your dinner restaurant style (food on the plates) rather than family style (food served in bowls and on platters on the table). When your plate is empty, you're finished; there's no reaching for seconds.
14. Hang a mirror opposite your seat at the table. One study found that eating in front of mirrors slashed the amount people ate by nearly one-third. Seems having to look yourself in the eye reflects back some of your own inner standards and goals, and reminds you of why you're trying to lose weight in the first place.
15. Put out a vegetable platter. A body of research out of Pennsylvania State University finds that eating water-rich foods such as zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumbers during meals reduces your overall calorie consumption. Other water-rich foods include soups and salads. You won't get the same benefits by just drinking your water, though. Because the body processes hunger and thirst through different mechanisms, it simply doesn't register a sense of fullness with water (or soda, tea, coffee, or juice).
16. Use vegetables to bulk up meals. You can eat twice as much pasta salad loaded with veggies like broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes for the same calories as a pasta salad sporting just mayonnaise. Same goes for stir-fries. And add vegetables to make a fluffier, more satisfying omelet without having to up the number of eggs.
17. Eat one less cookie a day. Or consume one less can of regular soda, or one less glass of orange juice, or three fewer bites of a fast-food hamburger. Doing any of these saves you about 100 calories a day, according to weight-loss researcher James O. Hill, Ph.D., of the University of Colorado. And that alone is enough to prevent you from gaining the 1.8 to 2 pounds most people pack on each year.
18. Avoid white foods. There is some scientific legitimacy to today's lower-carb diets: Large amounts of simple carbohydrates from white flour and added sugar can wreak havoc on your blood sugar and lead to weight gain. But you shouldn't toss out the baby with the bathwater. While avoiding sugar, white rice, and white flour, you should eat plenty of whole grain breads and brown rice. One Harvard study of 74,000 women found that those who ate more than two daily servings of whole grains were 49 percent less likely to be overweight than those who ate the white stuff.
19. Switch to ordinary coffee. Fancy coffee drinks from trendy coffee joints often pack several hundred calories, thanks to whole milk, whipped cream, sugar, and sugary syrups. A cup of regular coffee with skim milk has just a small fraction of those calories. And when brewed with good beans, it tastes just as great.
20. Use nonfat powdered milk in coffee. You get the nutritional benefits of skim milk, which is high in calcium and low in calories. And, because the water has been removed, powdered milk doesn't dilute the coffee the way skim milk does.
21. Eat cereal for breakfast five days a week. Studies find that people who eat cereal for breakfast every day are significantly less likely to be obese and have diabetes than those who don't. They also consume more fiber and calcium -- and less fat -- than those who eat other breakfast foods. Of course, that doesn't mean reaching for the Cap'n Crunch. Instead, pour out a high-fiber, low-sugar cereal like Total or Grape Nuts.
22. Pare your portions. Whether you eat at home or in a restaurant, immediately remove one-third of the food on your plate. Arguably the worst food trend of the past few decades has been the explosion in portion sizes on America's dinner plates (and breakfast and lunch plates). We eat far, far more today than our bodies need. Studies find that if you serve people more food, they'll eat more food, regardless of their hunger level. The converse is also true: Serve yourself less and you'll eat less.
23. Eat 90 percent of your meals at home. You're more likely to eat more -- and eat more high-fat, high-calorie foods -- when you eat out than when you eat at home. Restaurants today serve such large portions that many have switched to larger plates and tables to accommodate them!
24. Avoid any prepared food that lists sugar, fructose, or corn syrup among the first four ingredients on the label. You should be able to find a lower-sugar version of the same type of food. If you can't, grab a piece of fruit instead! Look for sugar-free varieties of foods such as ketchup, mayonnaise, and salad dressing.
25. Eat slowly and calmly. Put your fork or spoon down between every bite. Sip water frequently. Intersperse your eating with stories for your dining partner of the amusing things that happened during your day. Your brain lags your stomach by about 20 minutes when it comes to satiety (fullness) signals. If you eat slowly enough, your brain will catch up to tell you that you are no longer in need of food.
26. Eat only when you hear your stomach growling. It's stunning how often we eat out of boredom, nervousness, habit, or frustration -- so often, in fact, that many of us have actually forgotten what physical hunger feels like. Next time, wait until your stomach is growling before you reach for food. If you're hankering for a specific food, it's probably a craving, not hunger. If you'd eat anything you could get your hands on, chances are you're truly hungry.
27. Find ways other than eating to express love, tame stress, and relieve boredom. For instance, you might make your family a photo album of special events instead of a rich dessert, sign up for a stress-management course at the local hospital or take up an active hobby, like bowling.
28. State the positive. You've heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy? Well, if you keep focusing on things you can't do, like resisting junk food or getting out the door for a daily walk, chances are you won't do them. Instead (whether you believe it or not) repeat positive thoughts to yourself. "I can lose weight." "I will get out for my walk today." "I know I can resist the pastry cart after dinner." Repeat these phrases like a mantra all day long. Before too long, they will become their own self-fulfilling prophecy.
29. Discover your dietary point of preference. If you work hard to control your weight, you may get pleasure from your appearance, but you may also feel sorry for yourself each time you forgo a favorite food. There is a balance to be struck between the immediate gratification of indulgent foods and the long-term pleasure of maintaining a desirable weight and good health. When you have that balance worked out, you have identified your own personal dietary pleasure "point of preference." This is where you want to stay.
30. Use flavorings such as hot sauce, salsa, and Cajun seasonings instead of relying on butter and creamy or sugary sauces. Besides providing lots of flavor with no fat and few calories, many of these seasonings -- the spicy ones -- turn up your digestive fires, causing your body to temporarily burn more calories.
31. Eat fruit instead of drinking fruit juice. For the calories in one kid-size box of apple juice, you can enjoy an apple, orange, and a slice of watermelon. These whole foods will keep you satisfied much longer than that box of apple juice, so you'll eat less overall.
32. Spend 10 minutes a day walking up and down stairs. The Centers for Disease Control says that's all it takes to help you shed as much as 10 pounds a year (assuming you don't start eating more).
33. Eat equal portions of vegetables and grains at dinner. A cup of cooked rice or pasta has about 200 calories, whereas a cup of cooked veggies doles out a mere 50 calories, on average, says Joan Salge Blake, R.D., clinical assistant professor of nutrition at Boston University's Sargent College. To avoid a grain calorie overload, eat a 1:1 ratio of grains to veggies. The high-fiber veggies will help satisfy your hunger before you overeat the grains.
34. Get up and walk around the office or your home for five minutes at least every two hours. Stuck at a desk all day? A brisk five-minute walk every two hours will parlay into an extra 20-minute walk by the end of the day. And getting a break will make you less likely to reach for snacks out of antsiness.
35. Wash something thoroughly once a week -- a floor, a couple of windows, the shower stall, bathroom tile, or your car. A 150-pound person who dons rubber gloves and exerts some elbow grease will burn about four calories for every minute spent cleaning, says Blake. Scrub for 30 minutes and you could work off approximately 120 calories, the same number in a half-cup of vanilla frozen yogurt. And your surroundings will sparkle!
36. Make one social outing this week an active one. Pass on the movie tickets and screen the views of a local park instead. Not only will you sit less, but you'll be saving calories because you won't chow down on that bucket of popcorn. Other active date ideas: Plan a tennis match, sign up for a guided nature or city walk (check your local newspaper), go cycling on a bike path, or join a volleyball league or bowling team.
37. Order the smallest portion of everything. If you're ordering a sub, get the 6-inch sandwich. Buy a small popcorn, a small salad, a small hamburger. Studies find we tend to eat what's in front of us, even though we'd feel just as full on less.
38. Switch from regular milk to 2%. If you already drink 2%, go down another notch to 1% or skim milk. Each step downward cuts the calories by about 20 percent. Once you train your taste buds to enjoy skim milk, you'll have cut the calories in the whole milk by about half and trimmed the fat by more than 95 percent.
39. Take a walk before dinner. You'll do more than burn calories -- you'll cut your appetite. In a study of 10 obese women conducted at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, 20 minutes of walking reduced appetite and increased sensations of fullness as effectively as a light meal.
40. Substitute a handful of almonds in place of a sugary snack. A study from the City of Hope National Medical Center found that overweight people who ate a moderate-fat diet containing almonds lost more weight than a control group that didn't eat nuts. Really, any nut will do.
41. Eat a frozen dinner. Not just any frozen dinner, but one designed for weight loss. Most of us tend to eat an average of 150 percent more calories in the evening than in the morning. An easy way to keep dinner calories under control is to buy a pre-portioned meal. Just make sure that it contains only one serving. If it contains two, make sure you share.
42. Don't eat with a large group. A study published in the Journal of Physiological Behavior found that we tend to eat more when we eat with other people, most likely because we spend more time at the table. But eating with your significant other or your family, and using table time for talking in between chewing, can help cut down on calories -- and help with bonding in the bargain.
43. Watch one less hour of TV. A study of 76 undergraduate students found the more they watched television, the more often they ate and the more they ate overall. Sacrifice one program (there's probably one you don't really want to watch anyway) and go for a walk instead. You'll have time left over to finish a chore or gaze at the stars.
44. Get most of your calories before noon. Studies find that the more you eat in the morning, the less you'll eat in the evening. And you have more opportunities to burn off those early-day calories than you do to burn off dinner calories.
45. Close out the kitchen after dinner. Wash all the dishes, wipe down the counters, turn out the light, and, if necessary, tape closed the cabinets and refrigerator. Late-evening eating significantly increases the overall number of calories you eat, a University of Texas study found. Stopping late-night snacking can save 300 or more calories a day, or 31 pounds a year.
46. Sniff a banana, an apple, or a peppermint when you feel hungry. You might feel silly, but it works. When Alan R. Hirsch, M.D., neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, tried this with 3,000 volunteers, he found that the more frequently people sniffed, the less hungry they were and the more weight they lost -- an average of 30 pounds each. One theory is that sniffing the food tricks the brain into thinking you're actually eating it.
47. Order wine by the glass, not the bottle. That way you'll be more aware of how much alcohol you're downing. Moderate drinking can be good for your health, but alcohol is high in calories. And because drinking turns off our inhibitions, it can drown our best intentions to keep portions in check.
48. Watch every morsel you put in your mouth on weekends. A University of North Carolina study found people tend to consume an extra 115 calories per weekend day, primarily from alcohol and fat.
49. Stock your refrigerator with low-fat yogurt. A University of Tennessee study found that people who cut 500 calories a day and ate yogurt three times a day for 12 weeks lost more weight and body fat than a group that only cut the calories. The researchers concluded that the calcium in low-fat dairy foods triggers a hormonal response that inhibits the body's production of fat cells and boosts the breakdown of fat.
50. Order your dressing on the side and then stick a fork in it -- not your salad. The small amount of dressing that clings to the tines of the fork are plenty for the forkful of salad you then pick up.
51. Brush your teeth after every meal, especially after dinner. That clean, minty freshness will serve as a cue to your body and brain that mealtime is over.
52. Serve individual courses rather than piling everything on one plate. Make the first two courses soup or vegetables (such as a green salad). By the time you get to the more calorie-dense foods, like meat and dessert, you'll be eating less or may already be full (leftovers are a good thing).
53. Passionately kiss your partner 10 times a day. According to the 1991 Kinsey Institute New Report on Sex, a passionate kiss burns 6.4 calories per minute. Ten minutes a day of kissing equates to about 23,000 calories -- or eight pounds -- a year!
54. Add hot peppers to your pasta sauce. Capsaicin, the ingredient in hot peppers that makes them hot, also helps reduce your appetite.
55. Pack nutritious snacks. Snacking once or twice a day helps stave off hunger and keeps your metabolism stoked, but healthy snacks can be pretty darn hard to come by when you're on the go. Pack up baby carrots or your own trail mix made with nuts, raisins, seeds, and dried fruit.
56. When you shop, choose nutritious foods based on these four simple rules:Avoid partially hydrogenated oil.
Avoid high-fructose corn syrup.
Choose a short ingredient list over long; there will be fewer flavor enhancers and empty calories.
Look for two or more grams of fiber per 100 calories in all grain products (cereal, bread, crackers, and chips).
57. Weed out calories you've been overlooking: spreads, dressings, sauces, condiments, drinks, and snacks. These calories count, whether or not you've been counting them, and could make the difference between weight gain and loss.
58. When you're eating out with friends or family, dress up in your most flattering outfit. You'll get loads of compliments, says Susie Galvez, author of Weight Loss Wisdom, which will be a great reminder to watch what you eat.

A Day of Rest

I did not exercise today at all. I spent most of the day lying down and not feeling well. I have developed an infection and really didn't feel like doing anything. I had a bowl of Special K cereal with berries and a coke for breakfast ( 8:45); an apple for a snack (10:30), skipped lunch (I was napping) but I did have an early supper (4:35) which was a chef salad. Around 6:30 I had a couple of celery sticks with a little ranch dressing. I did not drink as much water as I had planned but I did manage 3 full glasses and a couple of small ones. I do not like drinking water unless I am eating something or very thirsty and the water has to be very cold. I must change this I know. Everyone says to keep drinking it and it will taste better. However, it is hard when I am wanting a cold coke instead. I have cut out my cokes except for one in the morning and I have one if we go out and eat. This may be a problem for me but it is fixable. I can always order water which I will most likely start doing anyway. Hopefully, I will feel better tomorrow and get to walk a couple of miles. Thanks for stopping by.

Check Up

I went for my post-op check up today and I had lost 4 pounds; now I only have 31 pounds to go. I would like to lose more but I will start with 31, that amount sounds more attainable than 50 or 60 pounds. I talked to my doctor about getting some exercise and she said I could walk some, but not to over do it. I had planned to start walking tomorrow but the weathermen are giving a 90% chance for rain. However, I do have my stationary bike down at my husbands shop I can ride. First, I will have to get my husband to blow all the dust off with his air compressor. It has been over a year since I've ridden it. I have had the bike three years and it has been used very little. My husband predicted that would happen when I asked for it. Now, I plan to prove him wrong. Not that he would mind at all. He would love to see me lose some weight. However, he is subtle in how he says it (ex. saying little things like "Sissy use to look good"). Unlike my mother, who can be rude. The day after I had my bladder surgery she came by to visit and the first thing she said after asking how I was feeling was that I needed to have the lap band surgery done now and lose some weight... ... ... ... honor... thy mother...I managed to tell her, calmly, that I had no plans of having any surgery to lose weight but that I did have plans to lose some weight. I cannot imagine ever saying such a thing to one of my children but you would have to know my mother. I honestly believe she thinks she is helping ... anyway, I know that she will be happy when I start losing weight. Thank God I have a wonderful and understanding husband......

Skipping Breakfast

Growing up I was never overweight but my mom, who is a large bone woman, my sister and my brother was. Because I was skinny, my dad was always trying to make me eat, especially breakfast. I did not like eggs, sausage, biscuits, gravy, grits, etc. Because I was not allowed to get up from the table until I ate something I learned to cover my eggs, scrambled never fried, in black pepper so that I couldn't taste them. Somewhere around the age of 9, I realized my dad could not make me sit there all day because he had to go to work and I had to go to school. Finally, one morning I got up enough nerve to just sit there and refused to eat.....I won. I did not have to eat the eggs but my dad told my mom to find something that I would eat. I started eating rice with butter and sugar and other cereals. That worked for a while but then my mom had to get a job and we were responsible for getting our own breakfast, I was probably 12. That's when I started skipping breakfast. Today I still have a problem eating breakfast and I still do not like breakfast foods. However, in the past month I have been eating Special K cereal with strawberries and 2 % milk. I am finding A New Way to eat healthy and lose weight at the same time.

Losing Weight

I have so much going on in my life at this time that I have decided to start this new blog to use as a journal. If any of you have been following my other blog you may already know that earlier this year I decided to lose some weight. I knew that I did not want to go on a DIET because in the past that has always been a temporary fix for me and I always end up gaining back more than I lose. I managed to lose a few pounds but soon realized that I had worse problems that I needed to work on first and then worry about my weight. First, I needed to stop smoking. I have been smoking for 32 years, since I was 16 years old. Over the past few years I have tried several times to quit but I have never been able to do it on my own. Needing help, I have chewed the nicotine gum, used lozengers, wore the patches and still failed. Recently, several of my friends have quit using the Chantix so I went to my family doctor and asked for a prescription and he gladly gave it to me. I have not smoked in 8 weeks and already feel so much better. Now maybe I will have the breath I need to walk and exercise. Next, I needed to start taking medication for my high blood pressure. In the past I have refused to take the medication but I realize that I need it for now but hope to get off of it once I lose some weight. Again, I am already feeling much better. Lastly, get my bladder fixed. It is hard to walk and exercise when you have a leaking bladder. For years, I have had this problem but I have avoided discussing it with anyone. I was actually ashamed to admit it for some reason. However, recently I switched to a female gynecologist and the first question she asked me was "how is your bladder?" She went on to tell me that she had to have bladder surgery herself when she was 37 years old. For the first time, I was comfortable talking about it. She sent me to a Urogynecologist who was also a female and I had surgery a week ago today. After having surgery, it seems that word has gotten around and now several women that I know have admitted that they are also having the same problem and want to know who did my surgery. When I switched to a female OBGYN some of my friends said that they didn't think they would ever be comfortable going to a female but I hope I never have to use a male again. So far everything involving the surgery has gone well. I am still not able to sit straight up and down for very long but otherwise I feel good. Since quitting smoking I have gained back the weight I lost a few months ago plus 5 more but I'm not worried; I am ready to tackle my weight....

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Saturday, November 15, 2008
5:15 P.M.

I love to read and last year my husband and I closed in our back porch and made it a sunroom for me to sit and read in. I am sorry about the poor quality of the photos but maybe they will still give you an ideal of what it looks like. We did most of the work ourselves except for finishing the sheetrock and laying the slate tile. My husband has laid ceramic tile in other areas of our home but did not have time to do this project. He owns his own business building custom built homes. He and his 71 year-old dad does all the framing of the homes by themselves. He works very hard and likes to have his free time to do things that he enjoys. I understand and respect that. I did all the painting and clean up. I also made the curtains, pillows and recovered the cushions on the wicker loveseat and chairs. I furnished it with things that I already had. The bookcase I purchased at an antique store about 10 years ago. My husband actually laughed at it when I brought it home and said, "I can't believe you bought that." Then he asked me how much I paid for it. I was too embarassed to tell him. I just told him that I'd rather not say at this time. To which he jokingly replied, "if you paid anything you paid too much." I must admit it looked bad. Someone had used it to store paint in and it had many different colors of paint spills inside and out. I had to do alot of refinishing to get it like I wanted it and received a lot of compliments afterwards. My daughter used it while she lived next door to keep her Precious Moments collection in. The other items, I was either using in other areas of my home or had stored. I am very pleased with how it turned out. I have not had much time to actually read in there but we enjoy sitting in there and relaxing with each other or with friends.

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Friday, November 14, 2008
9:43 P.M.

This is our daughter and son with my nephew, Skylar, who was in an automobile accident last year. He is now 20 years old and paralyzed from the neck down. This picture was taken last November while Skylar was a patient at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Skylar had his accident on September 29, 2007 and broke 3 vertebrae in his neck, C4-C6 and severed his spinal cord. Seeing him go through everything that he has to endure has really had an effect on all of us. I help take care of him and I thank God each day that he is alive. The doctors have told us that it will take a miracle for Skylar to ever move his arms, hands, or legs again . I believe in miracles and I believe in God. I will post more about Skylar later on.

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Friday, November 14, 2008
8:09 A.M.
Time passes so fast. I always thought that as you got older things slowed down. Growing up I spent alot of time with my grandparents and their life seemed so slow. My grandfather was a farmer and my grandmother was a homemaker who also looked after her grandchildren. I can remember my grandfather getting up early in the morning to feed the livestock and go to the field. Immediately after breakfast, my grandmother always started cleaning up and preparing a large lunch for everyone. Lunch was served promptly at 11:00 a.m. and afterwards we would clean up and take care of other chores such as gardening, canning, churning butter, etc. Then it was time to prepare supper which usually consisted of leftovers from lunch. We would set around and talk for a short while and then it was time for a bath and bed. As a kid and later teen, time seemed to go by so slow when I was with them. Even as a young wife and mother, I thought time passed so slow until my children became teens. It seems I looked at them one day and they were almost grown and then I started noticing how fast time was passing. I did not want them to grow up so fast but they did. Our daughter moved out on her own about the time our son was graduating high school. Her moving out was very hard on me but I understood her need for independance and although it hurt I respected her for wanting to try and make it on her own and I still had our son at home to mother and take care of. However, he signed a baseball scholarship with a college in Tuscaloosa and moved there in August. This was almost too much for me. I spent alot of time crying and being depressed. I still had my husband but it wasn't the same. After crying for a couple of months I began to enjoy the house staying clean all the time and my husband began to enjoy getting all the attention. After about a year and a half our daughter decided she wanted to move closer to home. We own a house next door and she moved into it. A few months later our son hurt his arm and was not able to play baseball anymore (he was a pitcher) and he moved in with her next door. Now I was happy, I had the best of both worlds I had our children close by and my husband and I still had our home to ourselves. A year later, our daughter took a job in California and lived there for almost 2 years. That really hurt but once again I had to let go. She was an adult and I had to respect her decision. She moved back and got married here at home. She and her husband lived next door with our son for about a year and half until they built their own home. Our son still lives next door to us and I enjoy having him close by. While our daughter lives about 30 minutes away, it isn't like having her close enough to see everyday. But our son lives next door and we don't see him everyday either. He is busy with work and his personal life and I understand that very well. These days I find that I do not have the time to do all the things that I would like to do but I am thankful for the things that I have the time to do. Yet, I also find myself yearning for more time......