Big Ass Surprise

No pun intended. I had to go to the doctor the other day and of course, they made me get on the scale. Well, I lost 10 pounds in the last 6 months. I have never spontaneously lost weight in my life. And trust me, I was not behaving myself. I was so happy. My doctor was so happy, but then concerned, because he knows I don't just lose weight without effort. I really have no idea how it happened, so it is hard to keep doing what I didn't know I was doing, but I will try. But, I am flying blind here, folks. But flying with 10 pounds less.

April Fools

I am running around doing some decluttering as the realtors are doing a wlk through on Tuesday. It is what it is. But I lowered the price and a neightbor's sold in 2 weeks, which really fries my beans, but it was a low priced, but large enough for a family, house with a big shop.

I have finished with my upholstery class, and am now on my own, practicing. Is it completely ridiculous for me to open a shop after only 1 class? Yes, probably, but I will buy and re-do furniture to learn things and I have a bunch of very good books to assist me and it will all be fine. If someone wants me to do something I don't think I could do, I will refer them to someone better. I am not going to crap up someone else's thing. But I am giving myself a budget to buy furniture and fabric with which to practice and improve, so I am not stuck, unable to afford the supplies.

Spring is coming, and hopefully, with it, house buyers!

St. Paddy's day

Well, it was yesterday and it has been a month since my last post. This was supposed to be a joint effort between my sister and I and she hasn't been able to get into the new, improved Blogger, and I have been mad at it, and not eating properly, so I have been hiding. And I sort of miss my old blog, where I would just write about whatever struck me. I may start a new one, maybe.

I still haven't sold my house, but I feel pretty confident that it will sell in the next couple of months. If it doesn't, they may have to lock me up. After I interviewed for the good job, I decided I really don't want to live in the town where it is, I really want to be in the new town, and so I emailed them and asked to be removed from consideration for the job. And I feel really good about having done that. I finally realized that I want to be in the new town, I don't want to work for someone else for a long term job, I want to create and grow my own business, and work for myself, because I am not very good at working for others. I want the freedom of working for myself and if I am going to work hard, it is going to be for me, not someone else. And I realized I can rent for a while and not worry about buying a house right now, which is a worry because of the housing costs here, my payments would be $1000 +, but I can rent a little hole in the wall for half that. That payment may not sound like much to some people, but housing costs here far exceed pay rates, so trying to pay that much in a house payment on a $10 an hour job, is near impossible. So, I will go down there and get a job, temporarily, and work on learning my trade and building a business, and eventually, I will be able to give up the other job and just work for me.

St. Paddy's day

Well, it was yesterday and it has been a month since my last post. This was supposed to be a joint effort between my sister and I and she hasn't been able to get into the new, inproved Blogger, and I have been mad at it, and not eating properly, so I have been hiding. And I sort of miss my old blog, where I would just write about whatever struck me. I may start a new one, maybe.

I still haven't sold my house, but I feel pretty confident that it will sell in the next couple of months. If it doesn't, they may have to lock me up. After I interviewed for the good job, I decided I really don't want to live in the town where it is, I really want to be in the new town, and so I emailed them and asked to be removed from consideration for the job. And I feel really good about having done that. I finally realized that I want to be in the new town, I don't want to work for someone else for a long term job, I want to create and grow my own business, and work for myself, because I am not very good at working for others. I want the freedom of working for myself and if I am going to work hard, it is going to be for me, not someone else. ANd I realized I can rent for a while and not worry about buying a house right now, which is a worry because of the housing costs here, my payments would be $1000 +, but I can rent a little hole in the wall for half that. That payment may not sound like much to some people, but housing costs here far exceed pay rates, so trying to pay that much in a house payment on a $10 an hour job, is near impossible.

Spring is coming

I have a job interview for a job I really want. Mostly because it would be good pay, good benefits and retirement, things I don't currently have. It would alter some plans I had made, but I believe it would be a good thing for me now. And, with Spring, there is some interest popping up in my house. So, after a year of planning this move, I have hope that it is actually going to happen. I had my doubts for a little while about it.

My friend Chloe has what she calls, the Chloe 5 Fists a Day Diet. It is brilliant. The premise is that you eat 5 small meals a day, each meal no bigger than your fist. Nothing is outlawed, though clearly, 5 bowls of ice cream a day wouldn't be a great thing. But you eat pretty much what you want to eat, in smaller portions. There are the usual things to aim for, i.e. less processed foods, less white pasta, bread and rice, lean meats and fish, but really it is more about portion control. I think if I have better control on my portion size, everything would be better.

Bad Ginnie

I have been remiss. I have been so mad at Blogger that I have been giving it the cold shoulder. SO, since we last spoke, I haven't made huge progress. But I am plugging along, trying my best. That isn't completely true, sometimes I just want a damn cookie. Other people manage stress with a lovely martini, I manage it with sugar. I AM doing better, but not as well as I would like.

And, now for something completely different, it is Spring and the sun is out, and yes, I know it could all dissappear in a snow storm next week, but right now it is sunny! And people are starting to wake up and want to look at my house, which has been on the market for 9 months. Yea!! So I am crossing my fingers that good things are starting to happen and I will actually sell my house and move....somewhere.

New Blogger

May I just say that the whole new Blgger thing just sucks. It is difficult to get into, I spend so long trying to log in and by that time, I have lost my posting mojo.
That said, I have also lost my diet mojo. When I say diet, I am referring to the scientific term applied to a species' eating habit. I have over eaten and had afternoon sugar and need to get a handle on it again. I feel better when I eat less. Plain and simple. So I am starting again. I am still doing significantly better than in the past, but not good enough. Apparently, I still don't have the good posting mojo, either. I just feel very uninteresting and blah. Sorry bout that.

The blahs

I have the blahs. The blahs of February. I have not done well with food in the last week. I am still managing the sugar, with the exception of a couple of wayward cookies. But I kept it to one big cookie, each foray into cookieland. And I only visited cookieland twice. But my portion control has waned a little bit. I am not depressed int he clinical sense. I am winter depressed. The dark, the cold, the blahs just weigh me down. I lose my inclination to be creative. Really, I just want to sleep, and if not sleep, just curl up in bed, all warm under the covers.

Well, that was pretty uplifting, now wasn't it?

My bad

So, on Mondays, I always go to town to do my banking, and now I am taking an upholstery class on Monday nights. I go into town way to early and then need to kill time, and sometimes that involves food. On my way home, I was tired and justified it by saying I need a little protein. Well, I am guessing popcorn chicken and friend cheese curds form KFC/A&W are not healthy foods. But they are damn tasty foods!

SO I didn't maintain my eating real well on Monday. I took dinner to my mom, and she had cookies. Oh, well, as Our Lady Of Weight Loss says, "All is forgiven, move on". www.ourladyofweightloss.typepad.com She is magnificent.

We are still having sunshine, and so, life is good. Cold, but good. Sunshine does not equal warm, necessarily.
But I am off and shall have a lazy day. You have a great day, too.

Off to Hook

I've been having a little trouble getting in here to post. So didn't even try yesterday. I have a little summer cabin that my husband and I built about 15 years ago. Our plan was to retire there, and to enjoy the birds and watching the waves, and looking toward the distant mountains. It is probably my favorite spot in the world. Or was before a real estate agent bought the lot next door to me and proceded to have his McMansion built. It takes up almost the entire lot...he built it so close to the property line that he can look in my living room window from his kitchen. For fourteen years I had no curtains or blinds, but quickly put a set of mini-blinds up on the window between the two houses. During the summer he and his wife entertain from Friday afternoon until Sunday evening, all summer long. So I try to make good use of my place in the winter when I know no one will have the speakers out on the deck all night long. (it's soft rock...but still) They are nice enough people, but have no sense of the privacy of their neighbors.
Don't know how that digression started...but anyway, I had a party of my own yesterday. Actually I just had a couple of friends down. We barbequed salmon. Well, my cousin in Georgia says that's not barbeque, that's grillin'. In my neck of the woods, if you put something on the barbeque...you are barbequing. We also had whole wheat pasta with mushrooms, and zucchini...also cream and parmesean. I admit I did make a blackberry cobbler for dessert...but no ice cream. So it wasn't too awful. It was a very nice evening. They are from the midwest and tried to teach me how to play Euchre...but it was a dismal failure. They and my husband and I played pinochle once a month for 20+ years. I spent the first two or three of those using a crib sheet. My mind just doesn't work that way. My husband would remember every card in everyone's hand...and I couldn't even remember what I had unless I kept checking it. We decided next time we would play pinochle...I'm already trained for that.
After everyone left, I cleaned up and went to bed. The next morning I was enjoying a cup of coffee, and watching the bay when something swooped near the edge of the bank. Before long it came back into my line of vision, and perched on the limb of my maple tree. It was a very large bald eagle and he sat there for quite awhile. I was inside, but afraid to move for fear he would detect the movement and fly away. They are such impressive birds, and I consider myself very lucky see them so close at hand. I understand that, although they appear to be quite large, they do not weigh much since their feathers are filled with sir. Too bad that isn't the case of people. I would probably only weigh 20 pounds.
I leave early tomorrow morning for rug camp. I'm looking forward to getting away for a few days. It's only about an hour and a half away, but very different surroundings. I will try not to indulge in the desserat each meal. They make a wonderful oatmeal every morning and thet is usually my choice...sometimes I succumb to the other breakfast choices as well. Wouldn't want to become so weak that I can't hold up my needle. It's interesting to watch the eating habits of others. I always wonder what they do to balance things out. Such as: there is a average sized older woman who puts butter and gravy on her potatoes, and eats few vegetables, as well as always drinks the juice (more sugar that juice) and has seconds on the dessert. But she doesn't ever seem to gain weight. Then there are three sisters, one of them is average sized and the other two are quite large. They eat fairly amazing amounts...the average sized sister eats quite a lot too, but is much smaller than the other two. I know...metabolism and all that. Nothing else would account for the fact that most of the women eat the same amounts of food while there, and there ia a huge disparity in their sizes. Please understand, I spend very little time making these observations while I'm there...Iam only doing so here since this is the place I think, and talk about, about size.
I have to finish packing and get it all in the car. I will be back with more to say in several days.

The Sun

Like much of the country, we have had some weird weather this year. So much snow. There has been snow on the ground since Thanksgiving, and that is pretty rare. We usually get a couple snows a year and that's it. But not this year. But yesterday and today, and clear into next week. Oh, the glory of the sun! In the last couple of years, the winters here in the Cascade foothills have really gotten to me. It gets dark around 3 pm in the deepest winter, and it is so depressing. B ut then, in January, one day the sun comes out and it is all better. I feel human again, and like I can tolerate the rest of the winter. ind of like a little booster shot.

I have been fairly good with my eating, but I don't own a scale so I have no idea if it has resulted in any weight losss. Just being in some sort of control is somewhat empowering. I am off the next 3 days and intend to wallow in the sun.

Friday Night and nuthin' to do

As far as the eating is concerned, I've done fine the past couple of days...but the exercise? Ooops. Not that I didn't have good intentions, but isn't that what the road to hell is paved with? My plan yesterday was to walk to my massage... but I was running late so drove, so no exercise yesterday. And today I went to lunch with one of my son's old girlfriends, then came home and became a vegetable. (If you can't eat one, be one) It was a great day to curl up with a book, which, had it been a good one, would have been worth it.
For dinner, I had the second half of my lunch which I brought home from the restuarant. I like to do that, go out to lunch and only eat half. Usually lunches out are much more than a portion, and so bringing half of it home works out well. My choice was roasted eggplant, though it was stuffed with cheeses. But that was the only meal (eaten twice) that I had today. I know it's not a good idea to skip breakfast, but as there was no milk in the house I did today.
My big challenge is going to be next week when I will be heading off to a rug hooker's retreat. This is a yearly event where we go to a small church camp. We stay in dormitory type rooms, and spend the day hooking, laughing and eating. The camp provides the meals, and though they are relatively healthy, there is always a starch, a protein, vegetable, bread, salad and dessert and no one ever skips the dessert...try as we might. It's a little like a bunch of kids outside of the reach of their parents....we tell ourselves we shouldn't and then we do. Then we sit all day and do our craft. If the weather is nice we take walks. There are beautiful places to walk, the camp is located in the forest near the mountains, the view out of the dining room is breathtaking...or at least it can be if it's not cloudy. It is very stimulating and refreshing for the mind, but the body can get a little sluggish. The weather is supposed to be good, so I may be more successful at getting myself pout the doot...but then I might miss a good story, or a joke, or the opportunity to meet someone new. My physical health is very important to me, but so is my mental health. To be honest, it would be worth it to gain a pound or two...though I will try hard to maintain. I am going to bring my stretchy things and maybe do some arm exercises.
Life is a balance of good and bad. I have friends family that are more concerned about their waistlines than enjoying life. By that I mean I mean they would never allow themselves a fattening thing. I would like a smaller waistline, b ut I would also like to enjoy the hospitality of others, differnt foods in different countries. I try not to overdo it...but but I do think there is too much emphasis on size and not experience. That sounds as if I'm making excuses, I know...but I do know what I can do better, I am just willing to give it all up. I have a friend who's father told her once.," if you're going to watch your waistline, you have to get it out there where you can see it." And on that note...

This and that

I am not a good sleeper, and so I usually sleep in a little to compensate. But this morning I woke up sort of early, and got up. Yea, for me!!! I need to live near Connie because she walks with me. Whenever we travel together, I sleep like a baby. All that exercise. Hmm, a connection, perhaps? I think yes. You would think that would get me out walking, but it doesn't, yet.

I have been overweight for a very long time. I care, and I would rather not be this heavy. But it wasn't on the top of my list. I am happier than I have ever been in my life. And to focus on the weight just really brought me down a little. But I am not able to do many things that I would like to do, because of my weight. And then, at the fist of the year, it became important. I refuse to start yet another diet. I am trying to make a permanent change, that will last for a the rest of my life. I think I must have super efficient taste buds, because everything tastes so good. I am trying to find satisfaction in other things than food. It is an ongoing effort to change my evil ways, but I am trying, and I have hope that I can do it.

It is one of many changes I have been working on over the last year. I got a divorce almost 4 years ago, and have been somewhat content to just live and have a peaceful life, but it is now time for some changes. They are good changes, but will be hard ones, for a little while. I am grateful for my life.

Today's food.

I have done fairly well today. I had baked oatmeal with banana for breakfast, tuna and triscuits for lunch, an apple, and a cup of green tea. I don't have a clue what I will have for dinner, but it will be good. Maybe more bread and cheese. While Connie has dinners of crackers, my easiest is toast. I love toast, primarily cinnamon toast or PB&J toast, so clearly, out of bounds for me right now.

One of the things I am trying to do right now is portion reduction, but eat sort of like I normally eat. There are a few modifications, but basically the same. So, cheese is fine, because I don't eat a ton of it. I eat eggs for dinner a few times a week, because as a nutritionist told me once, they are little healthy packages. It has been proven that the cholesterol from them doesn't stick to you. And they have lots of protein, which I can fall short on.

I had half an ounce of the fancy chocolate last night. That is pretty good, isn't it? And Connie walked me all over town yesterday. And I slept last night pretty well. I am not a good sleeper and have bought so many relax-and-g0-to-sleep cd's, none of which does much for me. Being in the same general location as she is will help both of us move more. She is better about it than I am, but I don't really mind walking around with her, and her town is great for walking.

I may have to get some eggs before going home.....

It's a Sunny Day!

Along with the rest of the nation, we have had an awful Winter/Fall so far. We pride ourselves on moderate winters so this has thrown more than a few people off. To wake up to a sunny day today was quite a gift and gives me hope that Spring might actually arrive sometime. I know I'm a bit premature, but those of us who dislike winter always hope for a short one.
My solution this year was to leave, shortly after New Year, for ten days in Puerto Vallarta. I love to travel, and one of my favorite things about other countries is the food. And I try it all. Oddly enough I usually come home a few pounds lighter causing me to give this oddity some serious thought. I eat more and drink more, how can this be? I think I've figured some of it out. First of all, I seldom rent a car, leaving me to walk or catch a bus. And walk I do. There is so much to see most places, and walking is the best way to see it all. Other countries have far less reliance on cars and more on public transportation, and feet. It amazed me, when in Italy, to see Italian women easily walking in high heels on the cobbled streets and plazas where I could barely make it in comfy walking shoes. It's all in what you're used to.
Back to Mexico, we walked daily, as much as we could and then would catch the bus back to the condo. As much as walking helped, I have to say also that their food is much healthier. The Mexican food we love up here, smothered in cheese, full of pork or beef and sauced to death is not the Mexican food we love in Mexico. Not to say you can't find that kind of meal, there are just a lot better choices. (and why go to a foreign country, only to eat the way you eat at home?) Carol and I found a little hole in the wall bar where we could get wonderful little shrimp tostadas. Basically just a small tostada loaded with shrimp and some vegies. (for all of $1.50 each) They also served a fish ball soup with vegies. Sounds awful but nooo, it was very tasty. I looked carefully but could really find nothing in this meal that I would consider "bad" for me. Well, maybe the cerveza we drank with it. Another day we found shrimp burritos, again filled with fresh vegies and shrimp. There were some sauces you could put on if you wanted, but not really neccessary. While there were prepared foods in the Supermarket, all of the food we got in resturants was fresh. Since the small places usually have the kitchen right there, you can see everything that goes into your meal. I did have some wierd fish tacos that were filled with more masa than fish and had a strange lardy taste...but other than that...if a person goes to the real places and not the chain or tourist places watching the calorie intake is not hard.
I thought I should try to eat in a similar way...mostly avoiding prepared foods. I do have some mixes and frozen stuff that I will use in an emergency, but I am trying to use things that I make myself..within reason of course. Martha I'm not, nor was I ever. I did enjoy cooking when my husband was alive, but since he's been gone I find cooking for one a drudge. So quite often have crackers and hummus, or just crackers for dinner. Not very nutritious. So I am going to try to cook meals for myself, and make enough to freeze half This will be a little easier later in the year when fresh vegetables are available. Right now we're stuck with those things in the supermarket that look like fruits and vegetables but taste like blah.
I did my stretches, and have kale, mushrooms and onions for dinner. And this afternoon when I go for my massage, I will walk there and back. Now to go out and enjoy the sun before it disappears again.

Bread and Chocolate

Connie and I live about an hour away from each other. I am currently trying to sell my house and move to her town. I love her town, which is a sweet little seaside town, just the right size, and if you situate your house in the right spot, you can walk anywhere in town, and it's a busy little town.

So, today I went and got a free sofa and chair from a woman, and then I drove down and Connie and I had lunch, then I went and put the sofa in storage. I am learning to upholster and it will be a Project. That I am not ready for yet. While waiting on her, I wandered around and went into a little wine and cheese store, where I bought some pasta, chocolate, water (in a cool bottle) and cheese. I am not a big fan of high quality chocolate. I like the cheap, sweet kind. But I have given it up. And, occasionally, I would like a little treat. SO I am trying to learn to like good quality chocolate- the kind that is actually good for you. So I can have a tiny treat after my day. I got 2 different kinds, and am currently trying the kind with blueberries in it. So far, so good. And then I went to the bakery next door and got fresh bread. So for dinner, I had stinky, soft cheese, on fresh bread, with banana slices on it. Pretty good. And now I am trying my little fancy pants chocolate.
All in all, a good day-
Ginnie (formerly known as CrabbyLou)

Today is the first day of the rest of my diet

Well, okay, I know we shouldn't really call it a diet...but a lifestyle change. And today is the day I'm actually starting. I managed to convince myself that I didn't have to behave until Ginnie set up the blog. Oh, the excuses we use
I slept in this morning, which is highly unusual for me. I'm a morning person and always feel better getting up early and getting things done while I still have lots of energy. When I finally did get up this morning I was ready. I had found my...well I don't really know what they are called..but those stretchy things with handles that one uses to build muscles. I did 10 big stretches, which may not sound like a lot, but considering how long it's been since I've used them..it was just right. I could feel the pull in one arm, and I think that's a good thing.
One of my goals this year is to get a kayak. But in order to be a successful kayaker (as opposed to a drowned person) one needs to be able to get back into the kayak if it has flipped. Having little upper body strength has been a holdback for me. I'm very comfortable on the water, but much less so in the water. Needless to say, If I fall out, I really want to get back in. I think it would be a great form of exercise, as well as a delight to be able to access places I can't otherwise. Not to mention all the interesting animal life there is to see. So I am working on building the strength needed to become a comfortable kayaker (and one small enough to fit into the opening of the boat)
I would say one of my biggest issues is that I like to have a glass or two of wine most nights...and we all kow what the calorie count is on those. So I have cut way back. I've been allowing myself a little wine every few nights as opposed to every nght. It really hasn't made much difference. I think I drank them out of habit more than anything and haven't missed it terribly.
Like Ginnie, I like my morning coffee. My grandpa introduced me to coffee when I was pretty young. He would put a lot of milk and a lot of sugarand then a little bit of coffee in my cup. (Believe me, it did nothing to stunt my growth) I have modified it over the years to the point that their is much more coffee than anything else, and I have been trying to wean myself of the sugar. The milk I would probably keep because it seems to dull the acidity.
So now I'm off to breakfast, a small serving of high fiber cereal (oh yum) and then I will walk downtown to the bookstore. I'm still recovering from a nasty cold so don't feel like a super walk, but a walk would be nice.
This is going to be a good thing, I do think Ginnie and I can help each other get this load off of our backs (and our butts) As Bob Green says, we have to figure out why we eat, and why we are overweight. Seems like a simple question, but, as with so much in life, there are no simple questions, or at least no simple answers. We are trying and that's a good first step.

Morning Coffee

I worship my morning coffee. I make 2 espresso's every morning, and always drink them with non fat milk and sugar. I refuse to give that up. I don't drink, or smoke or gamble, but I do love my coffee. And so, that means I am keeping some sugar in my eating plans. I have cut out all the other sugar, and there was a lot to cut out. Really. A lot. I like sugar. So, cutting out refined sugar is a really big step for me, and I have done very well. And I was afraid that I would have afternoon cravings for it, but I don't.

My biggest problem is my portion control. I had a friend once who said she had "portion distortion". But, I have noticed that when I eat less, I feel a lot better. Physically better. I ate to that overfull feeling, but always had it. That was my biggest surprise, how much better I felt immediately by not eating as much. I had not realized how bad I always felt after eating, until I started eating less. For now, I will stay away from things that tempt me to really over eat, like potatoes and gravy. I am powerless over gravy.

I am working on selling my house and moving to a new place, and one of my requirements in a new place is it's walkability. I have to be able to walk and have a destination- coffee, or grocery store or library. Somewhere to go . Otherwise I won't do it. I am not a big fan of exercise, but if I have a purpose, that really helps. Even if it just walking to get my morning paper. I don't need a huge purpose, just a purpose.

SO, I am on my way.

Things left out

Did you notice how skillfully I did not tell you what I have been eating? I have a friend who gave me a recipe for baked oatmeal. It is essentially a very dense oatmeal cake, baked in a 9x13 pan, and then cut into squares to eat. I cut it into 12 portions, and each one is a half cup of oatmeal, a little olive oil, and a little sugar. I am going to reduce the sugar next time I make it. It is a little too sweet for me. So, I cut it into portions, and freeze it, and eat one each morning. I heat it up and pour milk over it. It is really good. I am not very good at eating breakfast, and this is really helping with that.

For lunch today, I had an apple and brie sandwich. Also good, but the ciabatta roll was too bready. I have been eating a lot of fruit, too. Well, a lot of fruit compared to what I usually eat. WHich is none. So I am eating a couple of pieces a day, so that is good, too.

I am primarily trying to eat mindfully, and much smaller portions. I am avoiding sugar, exept for my morning coffee and oatmeal. I am eating more whole grain, and less processed white things. That is my only goal right now. My next goal is to move more.
Ginnie

Sister # 2

Ginnie reads blogs, but I'm bit of a novice here...and had trouble even figuring out how to post. Connie is my name, and, as I am a rughooker, I sometimes use the screenname of woolcats. I entered that name not knowing Ginnie had used our real names. OUR REAL NAMES. Oh no! Does that mean I can't hide behind my screenname if I fall down on this quest for better health? (and smaller pants) Well, my thought is, if we are putting ourselves out here, we darned well better do the job we say we are going to. Accountbility seems to be the buzz word this year, and I'm in.
When we first talked about it, I thought it would be a good way for us to support one another in our quest for better health. In our family we have a lot of heart disease as well as cancer. (I am a cancer survivor, and another sister had double bypass a few years ago) Ginnie is the baby in the family and we would like it if she never experiences either of those health problems. I embraced the idea wholeheartedly..only...what about the can of almond roca my kids gave me for Christmas? And I have these wonderful handmade truffles that a friend of mine made me for the holidays. And Rick made that great chex mix. It was a dilemma. Coming from a family that always promoted the clean plate club, and waste not want not...the only way I could start this thing was to eat all of that prior to beginning. On one hand I was urging Ginnie to get the blog set up. and on the other hand I was fervently hoping she'd be slow about it.
This is my moment of truth and I am ready for the challenge. I purchased Bob Green's diet book, heck if he could help Oprah lose weight, surely he can help me and Gin. We will be happier healthier women because of it. Off we go.
Connie

New Blogger

I am not enjoying the new version of Blogger. I have spent the last hour trying to get here!!! Not happy!!

Tale of 2 sisters

This blog is a collaborative effort on the part of 2 sisters, who are trying to make some changes in their lives. I am Ginnie, the younger sister by 10 years, and I have been overweight all my adult life. My sister, who will also post, is Connie, she has weight issues but has a bit more control than I do. We wanted to be support for each other, and thought this may be a good way to do that.

I have dieted forever, to the point where I don't really recognize hunger cues or being full. I eat from boredom. I eat too much sugar. SO, at the first of January, I decided to change things. I have a high risk of diabetes and heart disease, and it is time to face that. So, I cut out all sugar but my morning coffee. I am working on cutting out refined carbs, and eating more whole wheat pasta, and brown rice and so on. And I am eating less. I aim to make my entire meal about the size of my fist. That is about the size of my stomach. So far, I have been doing fairly well. I have eaten more fruit. I need more vegetables. Both of these are huge challenges for me. I am not concerned with being thin, though I would like to weigh less. But I want to be healthy and old and have adventures as I age.

Another of my big challenges is exercise. I hate it. Actually, I don't mind walking, once I start, but getting me started takes an act of congress. I hate the idea of it. So, that is on my list, too.