Quick Trip East

And so I'll be gone until Saturday. You two guys have fun with PR and stay on course with the eating plan. I plan to do so. I am going to keep my points written down. I am spending time with my family.

Beach, here I come.
Sue

Sleep and birds

It's so important. I have a regular routine at bedtime. I always read a bit. I like my fountain outside the window and I like hearing the birdie chorus both in the evening and in the morning.

Speaking of birds... There is a robin now nesting right next to the garage. She is sitting on her eggs. I am trying not to scare her when I go around the house. I have really gotten a kick out of all the nesting birds in our yard this year. It's amazing. We have house wrens, blue jays, robins, english sparrows, and cardinals. The gold finches are just getting ready soon. We have good cover and food for birds. And the birdbath keeps water on hand too.

One more day and then I'll be in Rehoboth for a few days. No blogging while I'm there.

Sue

Nice Day

I love summer. I had a nice day today. I walked Essi and met some neighbor friends with their dogs. I planted a couple plants and did some weeding. I had some nice meals with my husband. Nice day.

Sue

A Pound a Year

In USA Today there was an article that said most people gain a pound a year until their mid 50s due to poor choices NOT slowing metabolism. I know that women's metabolism slows down a bit for each decade, so it can't all be poor choices. It's true that you have to pass by the fast food places if there is any hope of getting and keeping your weight down. You also have to head to the gym and outside to walk more.

Sue

Big Day of Gardening

I had two people helping me and we got a lot done. The back beds are starting to shape up. I did about 5 hours of gardening today. Yes, I kind of over did it. I planted 30 rudebekia plants in a newly weeded spot. And we just had a shower on them. It was kind of cloudy today and so was a perfect day for planting.

I made salmon, couscous, and green beans for dinner. I tried to log, but eTools was not working again. Boo. Must be because of the thunderstorm.

Have a good sleep,
Sue

Again

I had a good loss - 1.6. Yeah! That's a total of 4.6 for the past two weeks. Onward!

Sue

Weeding and Planting

That's what I did mostly today. It rained midmorning and again briefly in the afternoon. We need some sun and warm. I had a couple women helping me today on the back beds. It was like having three of me. Good times.

Tomorrow is weigh-in number two. I have had a very good points week with good activity. I'm curious to see if the scale rewards me.

Sue

Are you hungry?

How do you tell if you're really hungry?

Stomach is growling or feels empty
You feel tired - you may need water or food - can you feel your lower blood sugar level?
It has been 2-3 hours since you last ate and you ate something healthy.

I try to NOT use that I just have a taste or an urge to eat something. If I just ate, I try to wait 10-20 minutes to see if I still want it. Also I drink some water.

Sue

Tabouli

I made Tabouli tonight with low fat chicken sausage. The Tabouli was really good - bulgar wheat (sometimes known as cracked wheat), parsley, celery, onion, sugar snap peas, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil, salt and pepper. Very good and very good for you too.

Sue

Activity

Today I walked Essi and weeded for about 1.5 hours. I got to go to two spin classes this week - first in a while. We just had a nice dinner out and watched a Star Trek Next Generation (I love that show).

Sue

Lightening Bugs

They are lighting up at dusk again. They are very pretty.

Good diet day, but still having trouble with eTools not being able to save sometimes. I press save and it can't do it. They must have too many people online for the equipment to manage.

Got my hair done today and worked in the garden some. My tomatoes are doing well. I got them in late, but I think they might catch up.

Sue

3

Well, I went down 3 lbs - finally a respectable loss for one week. We made some adjustments, mostly slightly lower in fats, lowering the amount of fat in cooking and picking diet dressings. Plus we had sorbet or yogurt for desserts.

Sue

2 Gorgeous Days in a Row

Wow, it was gorgeous again. I did a spin class for the first time in a while. I think I'm going to feel it tomorrow. I also walked Essi and spent the afternoon gardening. My feet didn't like it, but the rest of me did.

Tomorrow is weigh-in day. I am curious to see how I did.

Sue

sometimes it doesn't save

What do you do if it doesn't save? E-tools does not save all the time when you've put in your food. This is frustrating. Help, oh ones of more experience.

Sue

Progress on New WW

So far so good. I have been tracking on eTools. It doesn't always work correctly, but this morning it was working great.

Sorry I didn't blog last night. We got home late from Columbus where we were visiting old friends. It was really nice to see them and catch up. They were folks from First Church in Columbus. Some have moved away (out west). One of our friends was celebrating her retirement from teaching 41 years. Zowza! We both did good eating and I used some of my bonus points.

Today it is much nicer - gorgeous in fact. I am going to walk Essi right now. Have a good Sunday,
Sue

Hungry Day

I was hungry today. Nice dinner - I'm not hungry now. I had a leaner day. Do you use the e-tools? Sometimes it won't let me on. Tracking is going ok. I still don't like it.

Sue

tracking your eating

Well, I'm doing it. I hate to do it. The online tool is kind of slow, but it will speed up with I get all my foods on the favorites list. Good two days. More activity - I planted tomatoes today. Kind of late, but I think they will be ok. It sill is very hot.

Sue

Aging Well

Here are 5 questions about aging well:

Do you wake up happy most mornings?
Can you walk up 3 flights of stairs without feeling out of breath?
Can you squeeze a rubber ball for 90 seconds three times in a row?
Can you get up from a sitting position on the floor without using your hands?
Is your normal walking speed 3.5 miles per hour or faster?

–from MORE magazine, May issue

Sue

WW and a Bum Tooth

Well, I joined WW and had a tooth pulled today. WW looked good - they have made many positive changes since the last time I was there. Healthy eating is encouraged, not just counting points. Our leader actually said, "not all calories are the same." Yippee. They've gotten wiser. As for my tooth - sorry to lose it, but there was infection up there. So now I have a hole in my head. Some would say this is nothing new. It's sore and I hope I don't have to go through THAT again.

Well, m' hardies, it's time for bed. Very warm here still. I hope I can get into the yard tomorrow and do some exercise, but we'll see.

Sue

What a Day

It was a bruiser! Meetings and gut renching talking. But my keys are now handed in. My desk and shelves packed up. I was filthy and done in, but it's now REALLY over. I came home to the shower. I now need to sleep about two weeks. It is very hot too.

Onward to summertime,
Sue

Copper River Salmon

Yum! We had some tonight for dinner. It's my very favorite fish. Copper River is in Alaska. You can only get this salmon just a few weeks of the year and it's very expensive. Worth it.

We sat and discussed today the various jump start routines. I think I'm going with a combination of my nutritionist's plan and signing up with WW. I need the support of the other people. So it's Tuesday morning at 10:30.

Tomorrow we have a teacher day and hand in our keys for the summer. It's not a moment too soon for me.

Now we're having record high temperatures in the 90s already. Yikes!

Sue

Outsmart Temptation

Check out this website - good ideas.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/calendar_2009_outsmart_temptation.pdf

I feel bone tired, like deep weary. I had my regular schedule today with an Essi walk, a couple piano lessons, and food shopping. I came home exhausted. I'm still coming down from the year I guess. We'll sleep in tomorrow.

Sue

Waving Goodbye

We were out there as the buses pulled away waving to the kids. There were lots of smiles and horns tooting as they pulled away. Some kids were crying because they did not want to leave us.

I am packed up. One of the trailers will be removed. Even though I have the most time out there, I will not move indoors. It looks like I'll be in another trailer next year again. We have a teacher day left on Monday. There are RIFs and the end of the year was kind of nasty.

I can't wait to get into my yard with gusto.

Sue

One More Day

of high pitched squeals, farts, SKS (smelly kid smell), screamy singing (use your pretty voice please), extra drama on any topic, silent cayote, Jeremiah Joe (their favorite music game), High School Musical, "can I go to the bathroom," "I need a bandaide," head off the floor please, loud laughs, hands to yourself, he/she was mean, "Hi, Mrs. Saari," and a heap of other stuff. I will be glad to have a break from the responsibility for a bit.

Sue

All Calories Are Not Equal

Some people think a calorie is a calorie. Not so. Calories of protein, carbs, and fats are different and digest differently. Protein takes 30% of its calories to digest. Fat is digested more efficiently, as are carbs. Fiber slows down digestion considerably and leaves more calories undigested, so they can pass from your system. Eat 35-40 grams of fiber every day. Most calories are expended just keeping alive in daily activities. Boosting your metabolism is a good thing, to help your body's furnace to burn faster. Artificial sweeteners can actually make you GAIN weight because they promise sugar without the calorie payoff.

Thanks to Mens Health for these helpful hints (June, 2011 issue).

Two more days!
Sue