Comments from My Brother, Bill

These were so good, I had to share them....

"I like to eat just like the other guy. Everyone is going to continue to grow in size as they get older unless they stay active and exercise. To get in real great shape, you have to sweat and raise your heartbeat. They now say that 1/2 hour a day is insufficient to stay in shape - I agree. You would have to exercise at least 1 hour a day, 6 to 7 days a week - most people don't want to do that. I am currently doing 1 - 1 1/2 hours a day 6 or 7 days a week. Several days - maybe as much as 3 hours (climbing days). Eating more meals raises your metabolism. The body does not have time to go into the fasting stage. Depending on how much you eat, you will feel hungry exactly 2 - 3 hours later if you eat 5 meals a day. At the end of the day, you will be hungry but you must only drink water - this will curb your appetite. As you begin to look and feel better, you will not want to screw up what you are doing. I don't want to drink beer or alcohol as it takes at least several days physically to recover (i.e. do as much physically I could do before). Cake or ice cream seems to add a pound or two with every slice or scoop. I avoid it but indulge every once in a while. I love the change in my body and it gets me high. I still eat and enjoy. I love sushi but I eat a small portion. You can do it!! By the way, 1 lb up or down or 5 lbs it nothing. When you have lost 10 lbs and have kept it off for 3 months - your body has changed - not before. I weigh myself every day. I weigh less during the week and weigh the most on Sundays. I weigh myself the same time of the day every day."

I'm hoping more people post comments about what works for them!!!

Bugging You about Weight

This doesn't work. My mother used to bug me (nag me) about loosing weight. "Honey, it just breaks my heart... " blah, blah, blah. This doesn't work. Nobody else can do it. YOU have to decide to loose weight and decide to do it. Nobody else can do it for you. It's YOU that puts the food into your mouth. I know with me that if I want to eat, I'm going to eat, and nobody can stop me. But it's also the same thing in that if I don't want to eat, nobody's going to make me eat it. I'm one stubborn woman! I think one needs this to get healthy with all the temptations floating around.

Now I'm going to walk Essi and it's a lovely morning!
Sue

Down 1, Total of 8.2 since June

I got my pound off. I'm like a turtle, slow steady progress. That's what I want. And I'm never seeing those 8.2 back again! Never, never, ever. I'm hoping for ten by the time I go back to school.

Have you ever seen that commercial for Staples where they sing, "It's the most wonderful time of the year..." and the parents are leaping by pushing the cart with school supplies and all the kids have long faces? It's a funny one. I think the teachers' faces are more like the kids. Just kidding, folks!!!

Sue

Good Day

Nice day today! I had a hoo-haa workout with Jamie (spin and weights). She is one our trainers in the weight room as well. I really feel stronger with the past few weeks. I went to the Farmers Market and got some nice stuff. Yum! I rearranged and replanted a couple pots. Some were looking sad. I had tuna salad bowl at Breakfast Club, our local eatery. I read a chapter of Into the Now by Tolle. I'm trying to spend more time in the present. I think that's why I love gardening and working out so much. They bring you into the NOW, because that's where the enjoyment is. I'm fixing Pasta Carbonara (Eatingwell.com version) for dinner. Good day!

We even got a little rain last night - .4 inch, not much, but the plants sure liked it. Everything looked brighter today.

Have a good one,
Sue

A Sad Day

Today I go to the memorial service for a colleague, Melanie DeBord, from Donovan School. She died over the weekend of cancer. The memorial takes place at 2 pm with a reception to follow. Everything else pales compared with your health. Cancer is a horrible enemy, one that has now taken my mother, my good friend Fran, and many other special people. Melanie was a good person, a dedicated teacher, the mother of two sons. Many people will miss her. Bob has a dental procedure today, so I'll go by myself. I didn't really know her that well, but I pray that she now is at peace joined with her creator.

It is too warm to be outside today. I just got back from walking Essi, and I was wringing wet. Too bad all the moisture in the air as humidity can't fall to the ground to water the plants. They are all desperate.

Sue

Lemon Chicken

This is a little off topic, but does anybody know how to grow David Austin roses? I planted nine last year and none of them thrived. Some died. Usually I do well with most plants.

OK, now for food. We tried another Wendy's salad today. Their salads sure have improved. This one was pretty good. I'm making Lemon Chicken tonight. This recipe reminds of me of Deborah (on Raymond) who supposedly couldn't cook. She made Lemon Chicken that was good and everybody was surprised. Marie (Raymond's mother on the show) was always putting Deborah's housekeeping down. It was a funny show, still is in reruns. We'll see how this recipe is.

I'm still digesting Frozen Assets. So far it looks like she uses very pared down recipes, kind of the food you can get at restaurants, only she makes. It's kind of plain food with not too many ingredients. I guess that's the secret, very simple recipes that you make in multiple servings, freezing to eat that meal again in a few days.

It's hot, hot, hot here and dry, dry, dry.
Keep on cooking healthy meals,
Sue

Frozen Assets, Freezing Ahead

I just got a new book called "Frozen Assets." It's about cooking ahead, cooking several meals of the same kind, and freezing some. She encourages you to cook one day a month and have main course meals ready for the rest of the month. Her cooking day lasts 6 hours, but you have food for an entire month. It's an interesting concept. I think I might try it for two weeks worth of meals. Basically it means that you cook 8 servings instead of 2 and freeze the other 6. She is also into saving money by buying in bulk. It's interesting. I was worried about the dinners once I go back to teaching. Bob was basically cooking during the week last year, and this year I don't think he's going to be able to do this. It's too expensive to eat out, plus you usually eat the wrong things and eat too much too.

I'm going to start on a small scale and maybe cook double servings of some recipes and freeze the additional servings. I'll let you know how it goes.

Bob has been complaining that he hasn't been loosing on this Mediterranean plan (eatingwell.com). I have been loosing. I think the problem is that the food is so good that he goes in and has second helpings. This is why he's not loosing. The portions you eat do make a difference. The breakfasts are less than we have been eating. Also I will only cook twice a day (breakfast and dinner) - I figure that's enough. So we usually pick up lunch somewhere. Have you tried the Subway 6" sandwiches? We get a foot long and share it. It only costs a dollar. Cheapest lunch around and good for diet.

We're headed for another week of nineties. This is tough for the plants since there has been no rain.

Have a good Monday,
Sue