Are you looking for support on your health and fitness journey? If you are, then this thread is for you.

There are no expectations in this forum. Post as often as you like. Post anything that you feel is relevant to your own personal health and fitness goal. Here are some ideas:

• Monthly health and fitness goal
• Daily health and fitness goal
• Progress (or setbacks) in reaching your goal
• Personal stories about why you are joining this topic
• Healthy recipes that you feel others will enjoy
• Links to articles or books that you feel others would find helpful
• Food Choices (healthy or unhealthy)

Remember, your health and fitness journey is your own. There is no one program, method, or philosophy that is right for everyone. This thread is for support only.

Happy June 1st everyone. I truly hope this month is a good one for us all and we reach our monthly goal, whatever it may be.

I'm starting out the month 2.8 lbs. heavier than I was on May 1st, so my starting weight for today is 253.2. I had a high sodium day yesterday so not surprised the numbers are up. My goal for this month is to really push myself to lose 10 lbs. And that will be pushing it since I lose so slowly, but my birthday is in August and I'd really like to be under 240 lbs. by then, so I'm going to push myself as hard as I can the next 11 weeks and see what I can manage if I really put my mind to it.

I'm going to be doing the one meal a day, but eating at no certain time. I'll most likely wait to eat til around 4pm each day since in the past that worked best for me. For the next couple of weeks I'm not able to use my car so walking will be all I can do for now if I go anywhere. Long walks are out of the question with my back but I'll be getting in more walking than normal. And I'm going to dust off my exercise bike and start using it daily. I'm going to put it in the living room so I can ride and watch TV.

Hope to see you all posting regularly and that you reach your daily, weekly, and monthly goals.

I'm here for June. I'm still pushing the lawn mower so I tend to eat what I want to compensate, which doesn't make sense. I can't wait until I can get my rider fixed. Yes, pushing a lawn mower is good exercise but my yard is large and hilly. I am after all 70 years old and mostly sedentary. So I can only do so much at one time. This means I won't do anything but maintain the yard this summer until I get the rider back. I can mow the whole yard in 2 hours with the rider. Pushing the mower, It takes me 3-4 days to finish the yard with all the breaks I have to take.  Whine! Whine!

That is a lot of pushing a mower. By the time you finish it all, it has to be started again at the other end of the yard. How many acres do you have?

 In total, I have 2.8 acres but only half of that is mow-able. There's woods and some scrub.  Still, its not all flat and what goes down must come up. It is exercise. I'm not losing weight. The Jardiance is having no effect on weight loss. I must also still be making poor food choices. I think its portion size primarily.

Happy June! Ok, I'm back from my trip. The moment of truth yesterday morning was that I only gained 1.7 lbs from when I left. That is a relief as I expected those "tea and cakes" to really add more. But we were also on the go all day, so staying active out and about probably helped. It just goes to show how long it takes to gain and lose weight. I'm back on track with my food tracking now. I'm still working toward my goal of losing 15 lbs since January. I'm down around 12 lbs with roughly 3 more to go.

You're doing great Heather. Hope you had a blast on your trip.

Teri, you'll get there. Just hang in there. My biggest problem is portion control and too much sodium but right now I only have single serve size foods to eat unless I fix a pot of beans & smoked sausage in the crockpot, and I don't want to fix those right now. I am down this morning (250.8), so what excess sodium I had over the weekend is going away. Hoping to see a big difference this week since I only have the single serve meals to eat and I'm only eating once a day.

I do have more time to drop the weight I want to lose though. I had hoped to have a set amount off before going to visit my son & DIL in August, but I'm not going to be able to afford the trip. But found out yesterday that they plan to come here for Christmas again this year which makes me very happy, so I'm going to try to get as much weight as possible off between now and then. So we'll see what happens.

Today I left Meggie at the vet for a dental cleaning. I came home and did a (for me) major cleaning. Moving furniture, vacuuming, washing throw rugs, mopping.  Its easier when she's not here to attack the vacuum. I don't clean very often but I appreciate it when done. I'm done with enough time to shower before I pick her up in 1-1/2 hour.  

I've maintained 197 all week. Somewhere aling the months, I've gotten the idea I can have dessert after supper.  If I recall correctly, when I started my weight loss journey 3 years ago, I learned to be okay without dessert. I have to find that place again. what's worse, now Meggie begs for bits of cookie. I've corrupted my dog!!

Meggie couldn't have breakfast so I didn't eat either. Just coffee. She was really good about it! This dog is used to regular meals in a timely manner. I admit that after I dropped her off at the vet, I  was so hungry I went to Starbucks for a coffee and bacon-egg-gouda sandwich.  I very rarely go to Starbucks but I have a gift card.

Would you believe I've never been to a Starbucks? I haven't, even though Titusville has one. If I indulge in breakfast out, there's a family diner I like where I can get a biscuit with sausage gravy, 1 egg, and all the coffee I can drink for $5.99. I've been there twice for breakfast in the last 3 years, once for the meal mentioned and once for a fried egg sandwich. The first time I went alone, the second time with my friend Phyllis. She treated me to breakfast that time. For the longest time I've been uncomfortable going into a restaurant to eat by myself since it was something Bob & I liked doing together. But I think I'm going to try to start making it at least a once a month practise. Give me a chance to be out and about and maybe talk with others. I've become a real homebody, especially since I no longer drive for Uber ( no longer safe ), and my only time with anyone is basically when I go to visit my elderly friend across town. And right now thats not possible as my car is temerarly out of commission and she's in the hospital after being in a horrible wreck last Friday with her son. She's going to be alright but has numerous broken bones and is having surgery today to repair those. Her son came out with no broken bones but a bad concussion. They were hit by someone going thru a redlight at an extreme speed (35mph was the posted speed, they were going about 70mph), and hit them, causing the car to flip twice. It's a wonder noone was killed. Have no idea how the other person fared, haven't heard. Luckily Phyllis's son was driving instead of her. Otherwise Phyllis probably would have died at the scene due to how the car was hit. Please keep them in your prayers. They're the only friends I really have here.

My weight has stayed the same the last 2 days (250.8). Hoping to see it down more by Sunday.

Well, Vicki, I've never been to a Chick-Fil-A or Popeyes.  I only go to Starbucks when I have a gift card. Its very expensive. Dining out, whether fast food or dine in, is almost out of reach for many.

I've been to a Chick-Fil-A but not Popeyes. Mainly if I want a meal out, even if it's pick up I go to Dixie Crossroads (seafood restaurant) which is only about a mile from the apt. Depending on what I order which is usually claim strips or else their chicken alfredo, it's under $8.00 but it's enough for 2 meals, which includes a baked potato with the clamstrips and garlic bread for the chicken alfredo. But I haven't ordered anything there in 3 years. Over the last 3 years I've been to the small diner (Steve's Diner) for breakfast twice, and went to a seafood restaurant out of town with my friend Phyllis once, and went to a Italian restaurant with Phyllis once and got spaghetti. Most times I'll just stop at Subway and get a tuna sub or else Burger King and get the original chicken sandwich and fries. When I get that, I always use a coupon. Once in awhile I'll go to McDonalds for a breakfast sandwich or Arby's for a reuben or beef n cheddar sandwich. But I usually have coupons for those places as well. But I rarely buy anything fast food or otherwise more than twice a month.

But I do need to get back into regular cooking instead of buying foods that I either nuke in the microwave or else bake in the toaster oven. I buy too much frozen food. But I absolutely hate cooking just for me. But it would be cheaper than all the frozen foods plus healthier since it wouldn't have all the preservatives. I'm planning to start back to regular cooking once I buy groceries again. I'm working on a grocery list.

Vicki, here's some tricks I learned along the way of cooking just for me, without doing fast foods or frozen entrees.  There's nothing wrong with frozen entrees. I've stocked a few in the freezer for nights I just don't want to cook, or when I really need a reasonable portion. I always read the labels looking for total calories. The most I'll buy is a meal with 350 calories. Never over 400. I also try to keep the carbs down but some nights I'm too tired to care. Or I don't eat the carb. In some of those frozen dinners the potatoes aren't great anyway.

But if I buy chicken or roasts on sale I always do this. I repackage the chicken pieces in Ziploc bags, writing the weight on the baggie with black marker. If the drumsticks are quite big, only one per baggie, or 2 small ones. That way I can take out just enough for one or two meals.  If I cook the whole roast in the crockpot, I portion the meat out and  always weigh 4-5 oz per Ziploc bag. In the freezer it goes. Or sometimes I'll cut up the meat and freeze it raw in portions if my intention is to cook up a small soup or make a small skillet dish.  I guess my point is we can eat like "normal" people, like when our spouses were there, but it takes planning. This is also planning to not overeat.  I very often have a veggie with my meat (not potato) and I don't limit green leafy veggies, or asparagus.  Fresh tomatoes do have carbs but the benefits outweighs the negatives.

You probably already do some of these things. I believe that the only reason I maintain the weight loss is because I really limit carbs. I still struggle with that every day.

Yeah, in the past that's the way I've done things to help with portion control. I just got out of buying regular foods after Bob died and went more for easy things to fix. But those tend to be more expensive, so I've got to start planning for more cooking time so I can buy non-frozen foods to cook. This month is going to be a real challenge due to car repair that has to be done next week. Depending on if it's covered under the warranty or not, grocery money could be very slim so I'm going to really have to make every penny count. But hopefully it'll all work out.

Good Morning everyone. Decided to weigh this morning and I'm 248.2. Enforced portion control because I haven't been able to go to the store has helped in one respect. I've had to really watch my portions to insure I have enough groceries in the apt. until I can drive the car again and get to the store. I'll manage until Wed. and just pray the warranty covers the cost of the repairs on the car. Then I can go to the store and get some much needed groceries. I've never had so little in the apt.; it's not a good feeling. But at least when I do get to the store I can start fresh and buy healthier foods/ less processed stuff. Right now it's soup and "Complete" single serve meals that I'm eating. I do have plenty of dry beans if I need to bring out the crock pot, but I'm not doing that for now as I tend to over eat when I fix food in the crockpot. I'll see what happens next week. I may end up having to fix the beans and portion it out, after cooked, into single serve meals and put it in the freezer. I could eat beans for a month and not run out since I have 6 large bags of them. Things will work out. I'm just going to do my best and at least I am dropping weight from it.

I will pray for you, Vicki. I sure hope your car situation is good news. 

Today I'm below my goal of losing 15 lbs since January. I'm below by only .1 lbs, but it's below. I think it's going to fluctuate back up though because I've been sick for a few days, which has affected my eating a little bit.

I thought I would stop here and focus on maintaining, but I looked up my BMI. My goal now is to lose 5 more lbs. If I lose 5 more, I'll be in the "Healthy" range for my BMI. So, I will chug along and work on that. 

You can do it Heather. For me to get into the healthy range for my height I'd need to drop about 100 lbs. I can't see that ever happening again for me. If I can lose about 50 lbs. more and then keep it off I'll be more than happy.

I turned down a free donut today. I stopped at Dunkin for an iced coffee. She offered me a free donut. I didn't know that in honor of the Belmont Stakes, which is going on now in Saratoga Springs (only a few minutes from me) Dunkin was giving a free donut with purchase of a beverage. Oh well. Just because it's free doesn't mean it's good for me.

You did good Teri. I would have been hard pressed to pass on a free donut.

Looks like the mail that was held on May 28th due to the mercury spill is finally going to be delivered today. At least the packages, not sure about the 3 letters I didn't get. But my phone that I ordered from Walmart that was being delivered that day, is finally being delivered today. I hope the letters are coming today as well.

I'm starting the week at 248.2. Been the same weight the last 3 days. Haven't been doing much the last few days because my lower back has been giving me fits but it's somewhat better today. Did manage to walk to the mailbox and back yesterday. That was impossible to do a couple days ago. Hoping this week will go well. I take the car in Wed. for the repair of the anti brake system and just praying the warranty covers it. It should since I have bumper to bumper coverage, but I won't know for certain until I take it in.

Ya'll have a good week.

Went ahead and weighed this morning and I'm 247.2. Glad to see the numbers going in the right direction.

They're calling for 60%-70% storms every day this week. Going to be a wet one. I just hope the power doesn't get knocked out again like a few days ago, but when it storms there's a good possibility.

Today I'm at 195.9.  Not what I'd call progress. Its maintaining.  I really expected the Jardiance to help with weight loss. So far, in everything I've tried, eating less of everything works best. Go figure.

Today I have an eye exam. Wish I didn't have bags under my eyes but the pollen is affecting me.

Yipes! Yesterday, we went to a wedding, and boy did I indulge on cake and wine! It was a wonderful time though, and I enjoyed just living in the moment! No guilt  And I was very happy with how my dress looked. But, today I am definitely back on track and in cleanse mode as I balance out for yesterday's overindulgance. 

Eating less really does work. I'm 246.4 today which is about 7 lbs. less than I was on June 1st. I fully intend to continue eating this way because I really don't want to see the numbers go back up.

Teri, I'm sorry the Jardiance didn't help you but if eating less is keeping your numbers down, do you really need it for that reason?

Heather, it was a special occassion yesterday so no guilt over the over indulgence. You're back on track now and you have wonderful memories from yesterday. Today is a new day. Make the most of it.

I had hoped the Jardiance would jump start more weight loss.  I need to lose another 40-50 pounds. I've been stuck for months. I'd be estatic to lose even 10-20 more pounds but all I do is struggle. Up 2-3 pounds, re-lose it, regain it. Jardiance is not helping. I need to figure when this year I hit the donut hole (coverage gap) because I won't continue to put out $105 for something that doesn't help me lose weight.

I don't blame you for that at all. Just do your best.

I'm 245 today.