At the beginning of last week, I was at my lowest and very close to a new decade ... at the end of this week (Friday/Sat/today) I am up. I am not thrilled but I get why ... this past week I either ate nothing or I made poor choices. I indulged my emotions and sought comfort from food. That won't do-- it did absolutely nothing to comfort me-- in fact, I am less than comforted today LOL. This is under control as of NOW.

Otherwise, my focus is on better managing my stress and emotions. Life isnt going to ease up for me for a bit so it's time to pull out my bag of mental health tools and find some new ones.

What about you? How are you doing -- what is on your list for the week?

On my list for the week is to sort out my terrible cholesterol numbers with my NP on Wed. I have had borderline high numbers for a few years, but my HDL was really good and my ratio, as a result, was fine. Suddenly (okay, in a year) that has changed. My numbers were high on a nonfasting test after we got home from FL. She thought it could have been from travel (eating out, etc) so had me wait a few weeks and retest, this time fasting. It was a little better but still no bueno.

Cholesterol 286

LDL 204

HDL 59, fine but previously it was around 70

I guess since that looked crummy, they did further tests (same blood).

Apolipoprotein B/A-1 .92

Apoliprotein B 152

I have never had these tested before so, nothing to compare to. But these are very high according to Dr Google.

I am not aging as gracefully as I expected to.

Seems obvious that I’ll be getting a statin Rx, but I wonder if they’ll do anything else.

@Sueb20, it was all that shrimp you ate in FL. Those little suckers are high in cholesterol.

I came back from Tulipmania with a couple of extra pounds…they weren’t ”new” pounds. Just the same old pounds that had moved out for a while but decided to come rushing back home. I have once again banished them, but I see them out there peeking around the corner just waiting for a chance to get back in the game. (Hello France!)

I am trying to get ahead of the curve on some things since I will be on crutches most of the summer. I am hoping that at least my upper body will be maintained. But right now I am trying to get to the gym as much as possible in the mean time. I may have to have a different procedure as well, and I was trying to see if it could be done this summer but it can't. That will be my Christmas I guess.

I don't know that this is really health related except maybe mental health or something but I have been doing the skincare routine and I am also doing home red and near infrared light therapy and Intense Pulsed Light laser therapy at home. And it seems to be doing some things.

This is not me, obviously but is is my oldest niece who is in her mid-40s. She has always had good skin considering she grew up in FL, but this is the result of in-office non-ablative laser therapy, and home red light therapy, and this is what her skin looks like. No filters on this picture, it's a grab from a video. I think there might be a little botox in the forehead, but I know she doesn't like it in her lower face. Sorry for the weird expression, she was talking. But I think it looks good.

Not all cholesterol issues are diet related, though. I was put on a statin when I was vegetarian (I no longer am vegetarian because it made me fat.) I have no issues with other peoples' weight or appearance, I just basically have body dysmorphia.

Pal? I think there’s something going on with your niece’s eyes.

Pal, her skin looks flawless!

Sue, 🙄😁

I'm a slug and not doing anything in particular to focus on my health so I'm going to stop lurking and participate so I can soak up ideas and encouragment here. I'm inspired - that's a start!

I decided to find a personal trainer. We have a Peloton account but I just can not get into it. I'm a pretty dedicated walker and stretcher but not great with strength training. I'd like to find someone to do an age appropriate assesment, suggest a plan and then coach me on form.
I'm dealing with some family stuff right now so hopefully I can schedule something between my travels to check up on people.
Pal, which light devices are you using? I saw some jowls in the mirror the other day and I did wonder if there was something that tones up that mess.

I thought anyone who is thinking about doing any of these things might want to see a real result. I am doing red light and IPL, and of course do not expect changes like this at my age, but I do see some

Pal, how did you decide which to purchase? There seems to be so many different kinds on the market.

Omnilux Men and Ulike IPL after lots of "research" online.

Thank you! I obviously will do my own research but it helps to have a starting point.

It has been about 8 days, I think, since I started religiously tracking, and I am down 2 or 2.5 lbs. My goal is to lose 10 more, which can only help my lil cholesterol crisis, I’m guessing. Maybe that is the additional motivation that I need!

I have a very small extended family, and I checked in with my closest cousin yesterday. He is a few years older than me. He said he has been on a statin for at least 30 years. His mom (my dad’s sis) had congestive heart failure and had had a heart attack at some point, but lived many years after that. My dad didn’t have heart issues until he was in his 80s, but did have high C and BP. Their brother had multiple heart attacks, I think in his 60s, and a stroke in his 70s, and another sister had a stroke in her 70s. Their father, my grandfather, died of a heart attack at 72. Finally, my cousin (son of the guy who had heart attacks and stroke) died of a heart attack in his 60s. All of these people were obese, and most had type 2 diabetes. I spent many years worrying about my cancer risk (mother, aunt, grandmothers), and no years worrying about this stuff. I think that is about to change!

In other health news from this old lady, my hip feels great!! I am so happy, hope it lasts. I haven’t given it a test ride yet, bc dr’s orders were no exercise for a week. 🤞🏻

@Sueb20 - I get ultrasound guided cortisone shots in my foot for a Morton's Neuroma (I get all the weird stuff) and some shots are more effective than others. My most recent shot has been really effective but the one before it provided minimal relief. Fingers crossed your recent hip shot gives you long-lasting relief.

I think many of us have been more diligent about getting our mammograms, etc. and not as vigilant about our cardiovascular health. I'm due for blood work myself...

Woo hoo, Sue! Great to hear your hip is doing so much better after months of pain!

I was also surprised to learn of all the heart/cholesterol issues in my family after years of being focused on my blood clotting disease and a history of colon cancer. I did know that my dad had high cholesterol unrelated to diet-- so I sure had a clue but I didnt really act on it (partially because my cholesterol had always been so good). As so many of us, I am realizing that at 62, I need to be aware and mindful of my health as a whole.

This is all putting a wrench in my illusion that I’m about 38 years old.

Not a great week for me. I basically did no exercise and wasn't great about watching what I ate either. The good news is I got back on the treadmill this morning. Bad news is the rest of the week doesn't look great. Tomorrow I have some appts and won't have time to work out in the morning. I mean I could if I get up super early, but the chances of that are almost zero. There will also be lots of eating out again. Lunch out tomorrow among appts. Lunch in NYC Friday with MIL. Then staying in the city Fri night because we have dinner plans on Sat night. So lots of restaurant meals. And brunch on Sunday for Mother's Day.

I have 2 months before the next beach vacay to get my act together.

Glad to hear you are getting relief @Sueb20. Mine hip injections have always helped immensely. Getting knees done Wednesday. As is said, this getting old is not for the faint of heart!

I might have spoken too soon. But I will try to be patient.

RNmom, hope your knees get some relief. And, yes, a dear friend's mother used to say, "getting old ain't for sissies!" We can all be proud to be members of the non-sissy club.

Sue, congrats on the tracking success so far. I resisted tracking for a long time, and when I started, it took a few weeks for anything positive to come of it. It's worth keeping at it.

Jsk, give yourself a break, and enjoy the weekend and eating some great food! You still have 2 months, and that's a lot of time to reset.

Last week was good, and my tracking has been working. Yesterday (Sunday) I met my DS for brunch and a walk, followed by an historic home tour with a friend. My step tracker showed 20k steps. I was so fatigued last night, but it was a beautiful day. The week is starting slow, and my plan is to catch up at the gym.

I may have inadvertently made a healthy lifestyle choice. Often during lunch — which I almost always have alone, at the kitchen table — I scroll on my phone. I know it’s a bad habit, mindful eating and all that, but it’s a hard habit to break. Anyway, I just got DH a digital frame for our anniversary. I loaded 200+ pics on it before giving it to him. We plugged it in on the kitchen counter (not intending to leave it there) and I just spent my lunch ”break” watching family photos scroll by. Still probably not ideal in terms of mindful eating, but better than looking down at my phone, I think. So now it has to stay in the kitchen! It will be fun while cooking, too. And probably will spur some dinner conversations…

I scroll on my phone when I eat too - bad habit for sure. I love those frames.

I have decided to try intermittant fasting and see if it can help me move forward and get over this hump of no progress. I would prefer to skip dinner, but we have a lot of family dinners and functions coming up, so it will likely have to be breakfast. I will try for the 8 hour eating window. I downloaded an app to help me stay focused. I do a lot of mindless snacking, so maybe the reminders that my fast isn't over yet will help. I'm also going to log my water and steps there too. Fingers crossed :)

I listened to a fascinating podcast on medical progress and growing old - or maybe not growing old - in the not so distant future. They are making huge scientific strides in curing diseases. It's really fascinating to think about.

Maybe we don't have to get old - I linked the youtube but it's on all the podcast providers. If anyone listens to it, let me know.

Glad so many people are having success with the tracking - it does work if you do it, I guess :) I tracked my food in Chat for a few days and it calculated the calories and macros for me, and then offered some suggestions. It was kind of helpful - nothing I didn't really know before - but seeing it again and the swap ideas helped me think through some choices.

I get unsolicited family photos from the AI gods all the time, and am I the only one who sometimes does not like the intrusion, and sometimes feel wistful or sad? It is different since you curated yours! Great anniversary gift, and reminds me I need to think of one too.

Two interesting articles in the NYT.

One of them proposes that heathy eating is not about denial but pleasure.Is Loving Food the Secret to Eating Less of It?

This is the first I have seen anything on this question, which is an approach I have been using (along with portion control, mindfulness and exercise). I was inspired by one of my DDs who would sooner faint from hunger than eat food she does not think is delicious (and has done so, to my dismay, including a family-famous incident at arrivals in Lima). Essentially, it is similar to mindful eating. How often do we eat because it is time to eat, others are eating, or it is in front of us. How often do we eat something not to waste it, or not to offend, even if it is only ok? If you only ate what you really truly wanted to eat and truly enjoyed, the best of the best, you would eat far less. This assumes what I will call an adult palate, where one enjoys things like fruits and vegetables and fish and chicken. And where indulgence might run to sourdough, aged cheese and out of season berries over, say, burgers and shakes. And yes, I know, it could be called the Spoiled Rotten Princess diet, but I think they are on to something.

And BTW this guy was quoted in the article, which led me to another article: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2026/02/6-keys-to-a-long-healthy-life-ice-cream-included/ An excerpt:

We have to do the wellness behaviors for years and decades if they are going to do any good. Constant deprivation requiring great expenditures of willpower are not the way to wellness. Indeed, people who constantly diet with willpower fail at it and never lose weight.

We have to develop good habits and stick to them. Habits we enjoy are ones we will stick to. Furthermore, wellness behaviors are not like an Olympic gymnastics event. Perfection is not required. Ninety-percent is an A, and eighty-five percent is a B+ — good grades for wellness and organic chemistry. That is what is needed. Eating should be pleasurable — eating good food with people you like, and an occasional treat is a wellness trifecta.

Second NYT article is about something I have been wondering. I Love to Strength Train. Do I Really Need Cardio, Too? I have had personal trainers over the years, and I always did a mix of weights and cardio - but those times I was focused primarily weight loss. When I hired a trainer about a year ago, I told him I wanted to improve and maintain strength and flexibility to preserve function. He gently teased me --- i got the sense he thought my goals were pretty modest considering I was perfectly healthy and (love his 32yo self for this) "still young." I have been wondering if I should be adding cardio (other than occasional walking) and I found this article on circuit training helpful. I am taking it to my trainer to get his suggestions.

A friend, a man, has been doing intermittant fasting for years. I am now always amazed when I see him because his body shape has changed significantly. This is a tall man and played football for Yale, so he was big but now his neck, shoulders, and middle ate so very different— he looks good but the difference is almost mesmerizing.

So intermittent fasting really works for some people.

I think maybe I love too many foods:) and some of them are burgers and shakes. And chips, and fries. I definitely have a weakness for unhealthy foods. I think I'd do better if I had a personal chef to make exactly what I wanted that was healthy. I'm a lazy cook. I am meal prepping today to try to help me make better choices this week.

I do agree that I eat things when I'm not hungry. That is what happened to me this winter. Everywhere I ate people were offering and eating desserts, and I said yes too many times. Like right now I am full, and I could get away with a small snack in a couple hours and be satisfied, but there will probably be dinner plans of some sort and I'll eat more than I need, or yes, even want.

I finally got on the scale, down two pounds since before our trip to PA. I have been tracking, and it definitely works. I have also been working on increasing my fiber (thanks to this group). I would like to lose about ten pounds to get back to a weight where I feel most comfortable. My cholesterol is also pretty awful, but pcp says no statin for now.

I hope those of you with joint pain get relief from the injections. I have had a few over the years, and sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. No idea why. They have almost all been the ultrasound guided ones.

With regard to eating good food, I've come to view eating healthy as "self-care." Admittedly, I don't always enjoy what I'm eating, but when I view greek yogurt and a chicken breast as self-care, I feel almost indulgent in a way. And I feel a bit rebellious against a food industry that's trying its darnedest to sabotage me... like, "take that, Frito-Lay!" as I dip my red pepper in hummus.

@Feathers11 Yes, I totally see that... i even understand how it can be "indulgent." It's like, I am such a precious being, I cannot possibly let anything less pass my lips!

eating healthy is DEFINITELY "self-care."

My 30 yo son was making fun of our fridge recently. He said there’s nothing ”fun” there. I look in our fridge, esp just after shopping, and feel so fortunate (and yes, a little indulgent) that we can stock up on our non-fun foods like berries, yogurt, broccoli, etc! Indulgences used to be cookies or muffins (esp when kids lived here); now they’re organic strawberries or fresh sourdough bread. Bread in general is a rare treat these days.

Yay @Sueb20 🥳🥳

Great work, Sue! That's a healthy amount to lose in a month.

How is your hip feeling today?

Alas, they didn’t send in a marching band. So disappointing.

My hip feels…good. But the other day, I got up from sitting and limped to the next room, which was so typical of the last several months that I didn’t think about it…then remembered I had the shot, hahaha. I was so mad. It has gone back to feeling okay, though, so we’ll see. I have to remind myself that it can take two weeks.

LOL a marching band!

I am not tracking all that regularly these days but I did track the last few days ... I was well under my target calories but I learned a few things that will help me going forward ..

• I often have a lunch or dinner w/3 wasa crackers and tuna, turkey or rosemary ham deli meat. I realized that I would do much better loading up just 2 wasa crackers. I can increase my protein and decrease the carbs.
• I prefer the Back to Nature Multigrain flatbread crackers with Flax to the Multigrain wasa -- and the specs are very similar. Win! I will go with my favorites!
• For the same meal, I add small tomatoes and some pickles ... "some pickles". I like the mini claussen dills and I have been loading up on them! They are good and fun to eat-- but loaded with sodium! I think this may be the reason I have been going up and down on the scale. The jar is almost empty-- I am not going to replace it.

My point is that tracking can help you spot areas to improve or make swaps -- especially if you are stalled!

Hmm, I need to check out those crackers. I remember wasa crackers from my WW days tasting like cardboard.

Today’s adventure to the mohs office included a cortisone shot in one side of my nose (to help with swelling — this is the most recent spot), followed by several shots of novocaine in the other side (original spot) so she could attack the remaining bumpy spots with a tiny scalpel. Super fun! I believe we are now done (7 months later) with BCC number one. After this most recent scraping heals, that is. (1-2 weeks) I go back in 3 weeks for a re-check of BCC two.

My reward afterwards was a protein shake I randomly picked up at the store this morning. Oikos, chocolate flavor: 30 g protein, 6 g fiber, 180 calories. Yummy.

Bummer about the pickles! I have been having them sometimes bc they’re one of the few “fermented” things I like, and we’re supposed to be eating fermented stuff, right? When we’re not busy stuffing protein and fiber into our faces.

I try to get my dose of fermented stuff with plain kefir. I make a kefir, granola, fruit cup thing a few times a week. Kefir is honestly kind of gross (tastes like sour yogurt) but it does help when my stomach is out of whack.

Sue, I think you are fine with some pickles ... my "some" gets out of control with these mini's.

News for us slugs - How Little Exercise Can You Get Away With

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/well/move/minimum-exercise-advice.html?unlocked_article_code=1.g1A.D3Ad.5MxsG9_7Ohts&smid=url-share

Dee, my DH was on a kefir kick for a while — he swore he liked the taste — but I noticed his “kick” didn’t last very long.

I have a slight lactose intolerance, and that Oikos shake was maybe not the best treat for me. Oops.

Yeah, SO really likes the Oikos shakes -- he really likes them and they have helped him add protein to his diet. He sent me some as part of a protein booster package for my birthday ... "tell me I am old without telling me I am old!" LOL! (admittedly I was obsessing on protein lol) Anyhow, I have a strong lactose intolerance so I havent tried them.

I DO like the Aloha protein bars he sent though -- they don't have a bunch of icky ingredients and they are very filling. I nibble on it through the day to fend off hunger.

So far, I like the Aloha chocolate mint and the chocolate pecan caramel. I didnt like the coconut or peanut butter cup. The texture threw me off and I could taste the protein.

I have the mini Aloha bars! We have a little drawer in our kitchen that is like 10” square and I try to keep it stacked with ”emergency” bars. The minis are great because often I just need a quick something that is almost like, um, a cookie, or to throw in my purse when I know I’ll be out for a long time. I will try the flavors you recommend. We have a coconut chocolate one and oatmeal cookie, something like that.

I wanted to get the minis ... but I havent seen the flavors I like in any of the variety packs. I dont usually like chocolate so that may explain why I am so picky about the flavors ... or well, maybe I am just picky LOL.