I am just grateful for a break in the weather so I can get outside and go for a walk. Its been miserably hot and humid but a huge storm went through yesterday and today is sunny and less humid.

I really need to focus on getting more exercise. Weight has held steady, thank goodness.

Going for a steroid shot in my bum shoulder this week. Dermatologist next week, which reminds me to wear a hat outside.

eta, living in air conditioning is making me feel ill. Having that cold air blowing is irritating. Going from stinking hot outdoors to slightly chilly indoors really bothers me. I keep my AC at 76 , so Im not trying to refrigerate my house!

I believe this last week was a wash for me ... I lost power for almost 6 full days starting last Saturday and the week ended on Friday with a very sad and hard funeral. Most of the days I was much more concerned about getting power to "get through" than what I was eating or if I was eating. You'd have thought that I'd lose weight-- I would have thought-- but I didnt. I am sure some of it was stress and cortisol and I fully expect some of it was the shaken brown sugar espressos I was enjoying at one of my power stops.

It wasnt all bad -- I had a lot of time to myself and a lot of time for healing and self awareness. I had made some great progress with mental health and growth over the last few months but the 6 days of downtime did a lot to get me "back to normal".

This next week is about getting back in the swing. I return to work (I did work one day last week) and I have a number of things to do in my home and on my side project. I am getting back to eating on a schedule and getting things done. I have decided to wait until next Sunday to weigh again-- not because I am not eating well or I am afraid of the 2 lb I gained last week. I am waiting to weigh until I am back to a solid and consistent routine.

How are you doing? Does it *really* feel like the middle of July?? (It sure doesnt feel like it to me!)

I am having fun with my Gemini AI coach!

I'm tracking my weight, diet and exercise. It is always upbeat and tries to encourage me.

It remembers my input so when I put tea it knows to add the cream.

There's a sample:

That said. I am up two pounds and for me, shrimp that I am, it makes a difference as it all goes to my waist and stomach.

Disappointing as I want to wear white jeans out tomorrow for a lunch date and while they fit, I prefer them loose.

That's interesting @eld6161. It's kind of crazy how personal these things are getting now. I've been spending a lot of time at home helping DS with his broken ankle and foot, so I've been doing some long neglected decluttering, and we'll call it vignette redecorating, with the help of Chat. It's amazing how personal it gets though if you use it often. I can see why people like it and hate it. I have very mixed feelings, but have honestly found the feedback pretty helpful. Idon't like when it talks to me like it knows me, although it definitely has learned my decorating style over the last month so it makes good recommendations.

I had a derm appt last week, and my regular GP appointment this week. I'm sure I'm up a few pounds from last year, but I'm more interested in the blood work. I don't think I've been eating too well. That could be eye opening.

DS can do arm weights, so every time he does that I am now doing squats - a little add on habit I'm hoping will help. Also - instead of sitting on the couch all the time when we're watching TV, I've been sitting on the floor and practicing getting up in new ways. And that's about the extent of my exercise!

Lego, yes to adding in exercise while having downtime! I do that too.

I've not weighed in but things are going well. I am in a strange mindset where I kind of want to work out everyday, but I told myself 4x a week, which I think is more consistently doable. This too shall pass I am sure

Great work, Mtn!! You have really put the work in -- especially with exercise. Great accomplishment!

Way to go @mtnrdredux_gw!

Congrats, Mtn!

We know you have exercised a lot, but do you have any tips to share re how you’ve changed your diet?

My scale isn’t moving…summer is the hardest time for me to lost weight. But as I probably mentioned here, I started taking a statin two months ago and it does appear to be working:

Cholesterol before: 286. Now: 214. Still high but better.

LDL before: 204. Now: 127.

My ratio had been 4.8 (supposed to be under 4.9). Now it is 3.4.

Wish I could take credit but it’s all from a daily pill.

My hip started bothering me a bit — I think walking barefoot on sand irritates it — so I am going to lay off it for a bit. I hope the cortisone shot improvement isn’t fading already! 😡

Thanks, @Funkyart, @Sueb20, and @legomom23.

This was the slowest weight loss I've ever done. I think accepting (ish) tiny, slow losses was key because it meant I only needed to make small adjustments to my diet.

What I eat has not changed, but I was never one to eat junk or eat an unbalanced diet. Portions are smaller, and mindfulness is my mantra. I don't eat if I am not hungry and I don't eat if I don't like it and I stop as soon as I start to feel satisfied.

My DD commented that DH and I eat out far less, and that is true. I have been cooking more, generally with an eye toward things that are a bit lighter.

I am not sure exactly what role exercise played, but for now I like my paradigm and it is starting to become a habit.

All that said, sometimes it has just been about white-knuckling it to force that scale in to submission. Like, if I am tired enough and it is late I might go to bed without dinner. I would not say that is a good approach but I admit to it from time to time.

Congratulations @mtnrdredux_gw - you have put in the work and dedication! I admire all of you who have prioritized your health and fitness. It is certainly inspirational. I appreciate that you share the challenges along with the triumphs. And @Funkyart, following along your journey has been truly amazing. Thanks for sharing so much.

I have never liked going to the gym - always preferred a sports activity. But, inspired by this group, I now have a personal trainer and find I really like going! She provides personal training in a small class/weight room in a private setting apart from the actual big gym. I hope this becomes a habit I can maintain for a long time. I still need to work on flexibility, blah, blah blah but this is a good start.

Eating at home can have positive effects, I agree.

We eat at home far more often for several reasons (alpha gal, we don’t work ’in town’ anymore and the adjacent village has few quality options, and the meals I prepare are better than most restaurant meals, plus eating out is more expensive nowadays a d it’s disappointing to pay out for meh food).

I love how popeye strong I feel after playing with free weights.

Mtn, your mini golf pic is a lovely testament to your hard work, yay!

Mtn, congratulations on your progress. We wont know you the next time we see you.

I went for a steroid shot in my shoulder today, the same shoulder I had rotator cuff surgery on a few years ago. Heres hoping it helps. Its still better than before surgery.

The woman who gave me the shot was so nice I wish I could have stayed and chatted with her all afternoon. She spent a fair amount of time looking at my x-rays with me, too. She’s an RN with a MSN degree.

Afterward, I rewarded myself with a small blueberry peach pie, which actually wasnt very good, and a nap.

Sueb, both of my hips have been a little achy lately. Probably arthritis?? Ugh, lets not go back down that road again.

@Sueb20 - did your dr have goal numbers for you? My total cholesterol always runs in the 190's and my LDL in the 100's. It was up to 127 yesterday with my new bloodwork. She doesn't seem too concerned with it, but I think I'll do a calcium score test to get some more information. I am going to try psyllium to see if that helps any. If I do it. Found an expired bag in my pantry from last time I had this idea :) Most days I eat a lot of fiber, but some days aren't as good.

I eat out too much. I wish I enjoyed cooking more. Chat told me to give up fried foods. That's what helped a couple years ago when I was able to get my cholesterol lower. So, probably pretty accurate for me.

I had two students in my appointment. My dr is head of the local residency program so that happens a lot. I'm always a little torn, but I guess they have to learn somewhere. Yesterday they came in together before the dr and took a deep dive into anything that was ever mentioned in my medical history, so I taught them all about perimenopause and its very strange symptoms including anxiety :)

My B12 and D levels were lower than I like, so I'm back on those. Maybe those will spur my energy to exercise more!

Lego, thanks for educating the next generation of physicians, particularly about perimenopause.

Mtn, add my congrats to the mix! And count me in on cooking at home. It's always healthier.

Ded, I hope the shot helps. I had 2 frozen shoulders in my 40s, and I will never take for granted healthy shoulders.

I'm holding steady at a 6-7 lb loss since April--what I called my eggnog weight leftover from the holidays. I'm trying to decide how much more I want to lose. I'm at a point where I've built muscle and strength, particularly in the past 4 years, and I don't want to lose any of that. My quality of life now is really good in terms of how I feel and what I can do.

A friend and I live about 2.5 miles apart, and about 1-2 per week, she walks to my house, I walk with her back to her house, and then walk back to my house alone. It's a perfect combination of social time with her, and then quiet time with a podcast. And a 5 mile walk is good for me.

This week, I'm looking for more interesting summer recipes. I'm in a real food rut, and need some inspiration. If anyone has found new recipes, please share.

I have nothing new to report. Same old same old. Hovering around the same weight - up 2 lbs, down 2 lbs. Exercise has been limited. Bathroom finally complete. But we leave for vacation on Friday. Will try to do some walking in Cape Cod and not be a complete beach bum.

@mtnrdredux_gw - congratulations! That is very impressive! Send me your motivation please!

Mtn, that is really great news and lots to celebrate.

Wow, Funky 6 days without power is crazy, it seems almost unmanageable.

We also cook at home most days and pack lunches. It is definitely healthier. Tonight we have crab cakes and salmon, roasted potatoes, and green beans. I did TRX and weights on Monday and Pilates just on Wednesday. Classes and privates have been super booked this week. Not sure what i will do tomorrow.

We had our 20th anniversary dinner Tuesday and I had duck breast which I had had in a long time. I got a beautiful diamond enhancer/wrap from DH. Finding a new casual ring for him that is not plastic but also not tungsten is a bit challenging. Also he has a small ring size so we have to go custom most likely. MIL wears a 3 1/2 ring size and he is about a 6 1/2. Most men’s rings start at 7 and the samples are usually in a 9 which are comical for him to try on.

We also had AC/DC and The Pretty Reckless on Saturday at the stadium. Weather held out as far as rain and storms, and it wasn’t as hot which is also good. Fun times!

Happy anniversary, Gscience!

Happy 20th!

Happy Anniversary, GScience! You guys look like kids!

As I noted on Sunday, I was not down after 6 days of no electric and a funeral. In fact, I was up 2. Then this week I had a stomach bug and didnt eat for 1 day and very light for day 2 .. and today I am down those 2, and another 1. Doesnt seem to compute -- I thought I'd be down like 5lb lol. That's fine ... I AM in a new decade so that is neat :)

I will say that I have noooo energy. I just took out the garbage and I am out of breath and all my muscles are sore. I grabbed a gatorade and am hoping I have more energy as the day goes on.

Have a great trip, Jsk!

Thank you! DH is 6.5 years younger than me. He has been sticking to the weights because we see so many people with poor mobility at the concerts, though this past show with AC/DC he remarked the crowd looked healthier than what we typically see. Also saw some good fashion especially on some of the other older women so that was good.🥰

Need to work on clearing out guest BR for workout space. You think I’d jump at this but it is a huge project since that room ends up a catch all.

Feel better soon Funky and if you don’t improve maybe get checked for the cyclosporosis. 😩

All is fine .. was a full-on stomach bug nothing more. None of my symptoms were related to cyclosporosis!

I am feeling better ... still drinking gatorade thinking that will help. Also need to start introducing some fiber ... but it is harder to digest. Maybe tomorrow ;)

Oh good, Funky. Wound up at the Y for Pilates and weights. I am on the treadmill walking after dinner.

Apparently Taylor Frams products salad items are the culprit, so be sure to get rid of anything that might be from that brand. They also supply a number of restaurants. Taco Bell was named but also Panera, KFC, McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, Chipotle, Wendy's, Olive Garden, IHOP, Red Lobster.

The memes going around re Taco Bell are pretty funny.

I am at ”art camp” in the middle of nowhere, and I’m in a tiny airbb with a hotplate and dorm fridge. Last night’s dinner was some turkey and sliced cheese, an orange, and some crunchy edamame from a bag. I would like to think I’d lose weight this week but the lunches include chips and a cookie… but I have been on my feet (on concrete floors) for at least 6 hours a day so maybe that counts for something. I have been needing Advil at the end of each day!

Also, no wifi — I can’t watch netflix on my ipad so I have been reading a lot at the end of the day, which is healthier!

The WiFi detox sounds good, SueB, but yes the standing on concrete is rough.

I did Zumba step this morning. It was pretty warm out so I brought out the industrial fan. No fawn around this morning. Haven’t seen the baby for a couple days but I’m sure baby and mom are close by somewhere. We enjoy being fawn daycare.