I just had a birthday weekend. Oldest surprised us with a dinner at a lovely ocean view restaurant, the day before.

We had reservations on my birthday at local restaurant.

So....I am up 2 pounds.

I plan to cook something light for DH today. He is on board when it comes to how I plan our meals.

Happy Birthday Eld!

The girls and I took a 2hr walk on the beach yesterday. It was a lovely day. I've been trying to eat one main meal a day. I'm so over planning 3 meals.

My week is starting out a bit behind the 8-ball if i am measuring only by pounds lost .. despite eating little over the last few days, I am up 3 lb. I am not recording or counting today's weigh-in as I know the increased weight is the aftermath of general anesthesia which slows down everything-- including metabolism and the digestive system. It is what it is.. and I know I will see losses as my system gets back to normal.

In the meantime, I have a healthy grocery delivery coming -- well, mostly healthy. This trip I have zucchini and basil coming to make: a zucchini basil soup.. zucchini pesto pasta... and since I will have zucchini, I'll likely try this highly rated zucchini scrambled eggs recipe. There are surely vegetables with more nutrients but I think zucchini will be the easiest to eat and digest for these first few days. My order also includes berries and oatmeal.

I do have rita's italian ice in the freezer.. not at all low calorie except for the one sugar free dragon fruit. If they have more sugar free flavors today, I will stock up. They were helpful the first two days-- and will be helpful again when the stitches start bothering me.

Hope you all are doing well and ready to kick off a healthy week!

ETA - thank you all for so many great soup recipes! I am only making one at a time so I don't end up with veggies going bad when I don't feel like cooking or eating. Next order will include fresh peas for a pea/mint soup!

Happy Birthday, Eld! I am glad you had some nice surprises and meals. As you know, it's all about balance! I am sure you will undo those 2 lb with a healthy week!

Mtn.. what a wonderful way to spend 2 hr! Great exercise, great company and great views and ocean air!

sugar free dragon fruit. YUM!

I thought of you, Mtn, when I saved this recipe for a Dragon Fruit Mango Agua Fresca-rita. It's so pretty and would be healthy if you used agave syrup... but my guess is you could make it without the sugar or agave.

Happy Birthday Eld, and I wish you many returns of the day!

My week is starting out well, staying within my advised calorie totals each day. Iwent to a ladies’ gtg last night and hit upon the perfect strategy for abstaining from eating or drinking. In addition to eating dinner right before i left home, I did not take anything. This was a monumental shift in my behavior. I did not take a bottleof wine, nor anything to contribute to the snacks. Every other guest came laden with food and drink. I have never gone to anyone’s home empty handed and it felt strange to say the least, and wrong if I’m being honest. I was not at all hungry yet normally I would have had a glass of wine and nibbled on the homemade treats sitting on the coffee table right in front of me. But because I didn’t take anything I knew I would not feel I ”should” eat anything. This may just be a Southern thing but around here it is practically a crime to show up at someone’s party with no food. And I didn’t even take flowers because I did not want that to give me some sort of convoluted ”permission” to eat.

So if this sounds like therapy is needed instead of a diet plan, join the crowd. I am working through these issues one at a time as I am just starting to see the many ways I view food and social interaction as inseparable. But the night was delightful, I drank a glass of water, the world did not tilt off its axis because I didn’t bring anything, and when we left, at least 90% of the food was uneaten as it usually is at such things. I am not the only one who feels that my primary contribution to any gathering is not my sparkling personality!

In addition to eating dinner right before i left home,

Definitely helpful. I used to call this "defensive eating." I would eat the WW zero-point veggie soup before a party.

Scared to weigh in tomorrow. Father’s Day dinner was supposed to be one slice of pizza and a little wine. Somehow a second slice jumped on my plate as well as a few glasses of wine and a sliver of cake. I don’t begrudge anything as it was the first time in 2 years that all my siblings were together with my parents. But still. Should have eaten a salad before I got there.

A little over 2 lbs for last week. Down 26 total. I've got 3 exercise machines in my house: a new treadmill and 2 machines purchased from late night TV (picture it 3:00 am) probably 20 years ago. I managed to do 100 of something on one of them.

Goal this week is to maybe try some sort of circuit workout with them. I find walking to be very boring.

I have 3 exercise machines and I used to like to do 3 circuits of 7 min on each. Just make sure you keep your heart rate up and move between machines quickly. I use the term "like" loosely here. : )

Okay with my last week, I did not gain. We dealt with moving my FIL into a hospice program and a few other stressors. We are leaving on vacation tomorrow, an Alaskan cruise with family members originally booked for 2020. Our 3rd attempt appears to be on target. Almost guaranteed a weight gain, my goal is to visit the gym daily or get 3 miles in walking around the excercise deck. Plan to enjoy my food but keep moderation in mind.

I have been following along but i have not posted yet.

i had my knee replacement on june 2, and it has been going pretty good

i am not hungry for meals but would like to snack all day. fir one it is easier and second the thought of a meal makes me feel sick.

anyhow i bought these at my costco canada and my daughter tells me l should enjoy that but i need more wirh it. do you think at my age (77) that is enough for a meal replacement.

the chocolate one is delicious……..

what are your thoughts?

.

Jill, hope you have a wonderful trip! Enjoy your food and walks on deck with the amazing views!

@Lyban zone 4, I am not a dr or nutritionist but I don't think those fairlife protein drinks are meant as meal replacements. There's not enough fiber or calories. They definitely look to be a good supplement to your currently limited diet but I don't think they take the place of good healthy food.

Maybe try for small, easily digested meals to start .. soup, scrambled eggs with veggies, quiche, pasta with vegetables, a baked potato? I suspect when you start eating small meals, you work through feeling ill at the thought of a meal.

Hope you continue to heal well!

Saw this today from Blue Zones. They say wear a blue bracelet to remind yourself.

Happy belated birthday, Eld!

I love hearing about mtn's 2 hour beach walk. That sounds so lovely. I wish I was near a beach right now.

Well, no weight loss this week. I'm not surprised. Last week I had in-laws unexpectedly come to stay with us (husband is scatter brained with starting a new job and forgot to tell me) and it really derailed my diet and fitness last week. Between that and pool facility closures, I missed 2 swims and 1 run, weight lifting for a few days, and I ended up eating out more than I wanted. I'm getting back on track this week with 2 runs and 2 swims already, however I'm struggling with busy days to find the time to weight lift. Goal is to not miss lifting any more days this week. Today is fast day number two of the week. The first one was really tough for some reason and I hope this one is better. I'm so close to my goal (and I'm really happy where I am now) so I just need to remain focused.

I've had a lot of success this week but scared to post because I don't know if it is sustainable. I not only lost the 1.5 lbs I gained during my colonoscopy stress, but I have lost two more pounds. Noom has you weigh yourself every day, so I have been surprised by the constant shifts downwards. Hopefully most of it will stay.

My appetite has decreased due to the heat. Also fresh fruits and veggies starting to come on so that makes it easier to eat lower on the food chain.

My biggest challenge right now it to keep up with my water goals.

Here's a photo of one of my latest dishes, a feta and wild greens omelette. I sauteed up some of the "weeds" I pulled out of the garden, including lamb's quarters, dandelion shoots and sorrel. It was delish. I posted it on fb and some of my friends accused me of being a pot head. (Jokingly!)

Wow pink that's great progress! Also, that omelette looks delicious!

Great progress, Pink!

My scale seems to be broken. It is solar powered and we've had some gray days so hoping that's all it is. We'll see.

Good job Pink.

Funkyart - Nice try.

LOL.. for real! I am not pals with my scale-- but really, it isn't working. It just flashed a little and then no power.

Update: I think my scale is fine. I let it charge in a room with the light on overnight. I am going to let it charge a little longer and then give it a try. I figure the solar-charged batteries do die at some point just like any other battery... but it's only about 8 yr old. I hope it has a longer life than that!

Suggestion for those seeking the elusive chocolate graham cracker:

It has been so hot here my appetite has all but disappeared. Today I made a roast chicken with garlic and lemons and roasted small yukon gold potatoes because a couple of days ago I had a craving for it. Of course today at 96 degrees was not the best day to have the oven on ☹️ but I had a nice organic chicken that needed to be cooked.This is all I could manage for dinner: one wing and one potato, a few shallot and sauteed mushroom slices and a wedge of lemon. The chicken has a very crispy exterior and it was delicious, but I just wasn’t feeling it. I’ve eaten very little today but am touring daycare centers with DD all day tomorrow in their soon to be town and we’ll be eating out lunch and dinner, so I worried today’s deficit would likely be canceled out by tomorrow’s excess. I let the nutrition coach know about these plans and she got online and picked out several restaurants for us to choose from wih suggestions of what I might order to stay in my daily guidelines. She is really an excellent help!

I’ve been on vacation this week with my family, featuring beer, ice cream, pie, cheeseburgers, smores, and a side of fries. I have already ordered my grocery delivery for when we get home tonight, and it’s my classic post-vacay assortment of veggies and fruit and other virtuous foods. At least now I know I need to re-set and I find it fairly easy to do it. In past years, the gluttony would continue all summer.

Kswl love how your nutritionist/coach is working out for you-- and that you are embracing her guidance. I also lose my appetite in hot temps but boy, a roasted chicken sounds sooo good!

Sue, so nice to have your whole family together! I love the term "virtuous foods". I have a similar order coming today. It's all about the reset!

Funky, it’s been so nice. All 3 kids plus two of their SO’s. I do think I need a day in bed after they all leave! I’ve actually gotten a little weepy a couple times (in secret!) bc having them all here has been a really strong reminder that they’ve grown up too fast. 😢

I backed off my stretching a bit because I was helping my daughter paint and got too tired to do anything more but am back at it. I could def feel the effects of NOT doing it, and am glad to be back at it. Don't think I've seen any progress with the batwings yet.

Is anyone else struggling a bit with clothing as their bodies are changing? I'm really excited that some of my clothes that had been put away because they were too small are now fitting, but I am also really struggling with what to wear in general. A lot of my previous go-to items are too big or look sloppy and yet I'm struggling to find things I like when I'm shopping. I think I just keep wearing the same two pairs of pants and two tops out of the house now and wear lounge clothes while I work from home where no one can see.

I have borderline low iron, and my dr gave me a list of foods that are high in iron. One thing I discovered is that a serving Grape Nuts provides 90% of your daily iron! So I have been having grape nuts with almond milk and blueberries for breakfast lately.

Finally back to update….We have been on the road or on the trail, only occasionally with signal, even at the house. It seems like my signal has a word limit!!! Anyway

I am finally down 6 lbs, which leaves 9 to go.

I had added a snack during the day, which evolved into mindless eating while reading or watching videos. It was still real food, but my pancreas was never getting any rest (this is possibly a kooky theory, but I lost weight and was healthy when I left 5 hours between eating anything, so I follow it).

I believe I have finally gotten rid of my vaxx complications!! I hiked 9 hours, 13 minutes, 12.29 miles, last Saturday. I stayed in Zone 1 40% of the time, and only hit Zone 3 6%….my average HR was 87. Ascent was 3383 ft.

Full confession: I gained 4 lbs on vacation. Oink oink.

Sueb, do not beat yourself up over that.

Checking in. Had a good week behvior wise.

Went to the farm stands and got more fresh produce

Have been better with doing TRX and core work. I really need to work on this. I reallly feel my upper body and core are lacking in strength.

Reconnected with the wellness coach from my insurance, and we will talk to make a plan.

Did not weigh in. I am so out of the habit I am forgetting to do it in the morning.

PricklyPC, I am having an issue that I now have to wear belts dramatically cinched on my "fat pants" but also regaining the ability to wear some of my other pants. I'm really having trouble because I need a few new clothes but can't decide whether to buy my thin size or fat size. I have always been on the border between two sizes . . . so it depends on the cut. But before my weight loss, I was finding myself firmly in the higher size. I don't know which way I am going to swing over the long run . . .

I know for sure that I have to keep my weight down for health reasons, so hopefully that will motivate me to keep saying "no" to so much food . . . it's no fun, but then neither is being sick all the time and being in the hospital for all these invasive procedures.