TOGETHER INTO 2013

...and portion control.

HOPE

My wish for my blog mates for the beginning of a new year! HOPE! or I would call belief. Whatever lifts up your wings! May you soar! With gratitude I thank you for making me be more aware of my health and my future. I hold all this hope close. It makes me happy. I thank  you.
Have a happy new year! Please let all of your days be the feeling of a new year and what can be!

INCHING MY WAY BACK
1. Just finished my first green drink in over a month.
2. Finished 6 8-oz glasses of water yesterday and I'm halfway there today.
3. Bought no sweets yesterday or today. A friend here has agreed to take phone calls from me when I'm walking into a grocery store and feel vulnerable to reaching for what I shouldn't. So far, this custom-made tactic is helping me.
4. I'm eating a salad for dinner as I wrap this post.

Final Note:
Shall we settle into rag-tag or return to our spit-and-polish beginnings?

ZUMBA

I did a Zumba class last night and no surprise to me -- I don't have any rhythm.  I will say it's alot more fun than a treadmill or elliptical. 

Next will be spinning class

SKYPE MEETING
Kim and I just talked about having a Skype meeting during the first week of January. Will that work for everybody? Remember, you need to set up a (free) Skype account at skype.com. 

Thinking of you on Christmas Eve

HOLIDAY TREATS

I spent the day in the kitchen except for the 1 hour brisk walk.  Should have been 4.  I made chex mix, 2 diffrent cookies and sampled all.  Looking forward to the gym @ 5:30.  Merry Christmas to all.

skype

lesliessc
I will set mom up tonight

Baby Leslie

Hey, this could be any one of us, yes? 

JUST 5 MORE MINUTES

...and I'll get up and brush my teeth, glance in mirror, put on my walking shoes, make good food choices today, get ready for my boys to get home from school, grocery shop and make dinner, smile at my husband, be professional at work, think about the future, be a good daughter and sister, hold up the entire sky and, if necessary, the universe. I promise. Just 5 more minutes...

         I could swear I remember these pj's. Red trim?

AAH
All active bloggers present and accounted for -- yes!
Mom and Colleen? We need you too!
Everybody, please sign up for Skype (signing up is free). Only one of us has to be a paying member in order to enable video conferencing. Read my last-week's post on Skype to get up to speed on what it offers us.
Love,
The Professor

I'm going back to bed again

It's been 8 days of feeling lousy. It has been my downfall for sure. I haven't gotten on the scale. I will do that later. All the holiday cooking - secret fudge recipe being the worst devil on the counter.  I was so good at Thanksgiving.
I did recently find my pink watch which was packed away since Cheeka.
I am glad to see we are back. Awesome on the eliptical sister. And, I would love a zumba report.
Tomorrow I will look into getting skype. The top of my computer says webcam so I'm assuming I don't need anymore equipment. That would be fun.
I am however done my shopping which is awesome. And, forgiving myself for not sending out Christmas cards. It's just been too busy these last couple months.
I am going back to work today out of necessity. But, should be off on Sunday and Monday.
Going back to bed. Have a great day!

We're back!

Had stopped checking until tonight.  The girls are back.   I am still at the 10 pounds down that I was.  Good to get ourselves back on track before Christmas hits.  Kim--amazing on the exercising.  I saw Jane on TV again this week, and she IS amazing.  She's like what--75?  Son Will got home last night.  Looking forward to The Lehmans for Christmas.  MINDFUL EATING!!!!

YEAH, KIM!

GYM

UP TO 19 MINUTES ON ELLIPTICAL.  YEAH FOR ME

JUST A COOKIE

INJURY

I think I may have injured my foot.  Today at the gym my left foot hurts at the bone and it may be that bunion thing. 

Slowed it down to 3.3 miles on the treadmill, which seemed to help.  Up to 18 minutes on the elliptical.

I read that the best exercise is to walk outdoors rather than treadmill or elliptical.

Hope to hear from you.

INVIGORATE

Good morning.  Just came back from a brisk 1 hour walk, literally brisk (35 degrees).  I'm invigorated and feel I could take on the world. 

Invigorate yourself today.  Be courageous and try something new.

Searg

GYM ROUTINE

I'm up to 17 minutes on the elliptical.  It's hard. 

I plan to do my first Zumba class tomorrow

NEW NAME IDEAS
1. The Power of Six
2. The _______ Sextet
3. Sisters Sextet

EGAD #2
Sweets today.

PREPARING TO SKYPE
Egad! If any of you already have experience using Skype, please step forward. In the meantime, follow these instructions to prepare for a video conference call on your computers.

Before anything, make sure your computer monitor has a webcam. Call me if you don't know what that means.

Then, assuming you do have a webcam:

1.  Go to skype.com
2.  Clk on "Set up an Account" -- THERE'S NO COST
3.  Clk on "Download Skype for Windows"
4.  (Going through the set-up prompts, you'll be asked
    whether you want to make Bing your search engine. 
    If not, be sure to check "No.")

Once you've set up your account, send your Skype Account Name to all of us, and if you're using an email address for Skype different from the one we usually use,  send that too.

WE CAN HAVE AS MANY AS 10 ON A SKYPE CONFERENCE CALL. 

COST?
A $4.99 "Day Pass" for video conferencing is available.
I DK yet if we can continue on a "Day Pass" basis.
If we can't, video conferencing usually requires that one of the conferencees be a "Premium" Skype member. If we sign up for a year, it's $4.99/month ($60/year -- or $10 for each of us); if we sign up on a month-to-month basis, it's $9.99/mo ($120/year or $20 for each).

Feedback?

HEAR YE! HEAR YE!
The Blogline is leaving the station again and just starting to gather steam, so hop back aboard. Your one-way ticket will still be honored. And Leanville remains the final destination. The Locomotive Kimgineer is back at the throttle, and the Professor stands ready to greet your shining faces. After a long rest, expect inertia-drag. But if we stick together, it shall be overcome.

Si se puede! Yes we can!

Assuming it's unanimous that we have a virtual meeting soon via Skype, see my next post for instructions.

REPORTING IN

No sweets today. Instead: green tea, oatmeal, blueberries, strawberry protein drink, veggie burger, salad, water. Regarding my "slide," what surprised me the most was not my succumbing to sweets, but rather my skipping salads and drinking less water -- my otherwise go-to, feel-good, daily practices. So today? Just finished a spinach salad and no going to sleep until I finish my 32-oz Nalgene bottle of water. I feel like The Little Engine That Could, wobbly as I anticipate withdrawal but whispering inside, "I think I can, I think I can."

Kim, your going to the gym today? Awe-some!

Note: If there's an exclamation point in my post, be assured that Ms Kim is nearby!

ALWAYS CHOOSE DOOR #1

Thank you Professor for posting.  Door #1 is the obvious choice.  However, we can never lose sight of when one door closes another opens.  In other words ....... Opportunity.

I was at the gym with 2 friends this 5:30AM and the chatter was going and Jane Fonda came up who was recently on the talk show circuit and we talked about her influence on women, fitness, outlook, the burn, etc.

I shared with the girls that you coauthored a book with Jane Fonda and the trip Kevin & I took to the "ranch".  I shared with my friends the dinner out, biker bar, and that Kevin danced with Jane. 

My friend so poetically put quite a life before children.

I successfully (painfully) managed the elliptical today for 16 minutes and will continue to build on this.

                                

                                        Door #1                            Door #2

                           

                                        Water                            Diet Coke

               

WHICH DOOR DO I CHOOSE TODAY? 

HIYA  

"Can we regroup?" I ask myself. Don't know. "Do I want to regroup?" Absolutely.

As with Kim, Thanksgiving marked the beginning of moving off-course for me. To be accurate, it started with pumpkin pie -- an obvious Door #2 item -- in the weeks preceding Thanksgiving. And after Thanksgiving? The latch to the craving gate stayed ajar and the wild emotional eater in me got loose.

Comfort, comfort, comfort, soothe, soothe, soothe. 

My inner dialogue has been going something like this: "Maybe the pie won't matter -- oh, yes it will," but I eat it anyway. "Maybe I'm imagining that my pants are a bit tighter -- oh, no you aren't imagining it," but willfully I eat the cookies (plural) anyway. Anxious and semi-conscious, I check and double check whether the waist fat is back.

So. 

This has to stop. I'm holding on to healthy eating and the leanness I want by my fragile fingernails.

Shall I arrange a Skype meeting with all of us?
If yes, when?

I'M BACK

I'm back in the saddle.  My girlfriend gave me the kick in the ass I needed and I've been at the gym the last 2 days @5:30 AM.  Yes, in the morning.  It feels good and I'm a little sore.

It's not realistic for me to think I'm hitting the gym after a long day at work, especially when it's dark out.  Back at weight watchers tonight too. 

I've been on a slippery slope since Thanksgiving.  I've reflected what happened.

I started drinking diet coke excessively in lieu of water

I stopped weighing myself everyday.

No longer.  Hope to hear from you.

Let's go, girls.  It has been six months since we began.  This is a good time for us to re-commit.  Kim deserves the prize for continuing to lead the charge and set the bar.  So, here's to a good day.

Light in the future- to Ming

Hi Ming,
     Hope you had a nice birthday. Camille let me know that a messge I sent you about a possible ereader went to all I  guess. I was trying just to send a message to you. So, mortified, I tried to find it and delete it and couldn't find it. I just didn't want you to think we forgot about your birthday. And, you are so awesome but so much so to my Robert. Just would like to send a little something. And, I do remember a discussion of books that Robert does share(wants to feel the paper) but I think you might like it as an option. Deal might be gone anyway.  I thought he was going to pass the phone. I know everyone else can read this but it's just my best avenue and too tired to figure another route.
     Carpet going in Monday. Great forcast so now we can get on the outside stuff and the lousey fertilizer shed etc.
     I am starting to fail on my program. HAVE to get myself back and center focused. Heading to a new cardiologist with col in am. Think this is a great move.
Hi Camille, It was definitely Forest!!!

Lel

Sounds like Forest Gump! And that's all I've got to say about that!

hanging on

crazy crazy. Tomorrow I go for the big health insurance appointment which decides if I have to be in a  mandatory program ( in the middle of my day). Still wading through the flood waters so to speak. You know when things suck. And, you really know you just have to come to acceptance. Just when I thought my debt was under control type thing. What a racket the insurance world is. PS treating your  home underneath for mold prevention and control (none so far) is not covered by flood insurance. How about liability to the people living there. So, just checking in to say I've been slipping but not too far. That's all I got to say about that.

Finally got on the scale this AM.  Up 2 pounds.  Yuck.  Everything has been tasting SO delicious.  Back in the saddle starting today.

EXEMPTION
Definitely took Colleen up on her Thanksgiving pumpkin pie exemption. And then Joan, Joe's aunt and an amazing cook, made an exquisite pear pie I had to have a slice of. I did forego the fresh whipped cream and vanilla ice cream, however. Were it not for my fairly solid commitment to eating no dairy, I don't think I could have held off.

And how did y'all do?

Happy, Happy Thanksgiving.  Remember portion control (the exception...pumpkin pie)!

       

I had some of Joe's 19th birthday chocolate cake made by me yesterday as Portland rain came down in sheets outside the window.

WHEREABOUTS
Plugged in at LAX, waiting to board for Portland. I've done thorough preparation for Thanksgiving -- lots & lots of early pumpkin pie. I'll be seeing Joe in a matter of hours. Can't wait. 

I'm ?

Good morning, everyone.  It is November 16--still a little shell-shocked but every day gets a little better.  Dealing with our damage (little compared to being wiped out totally) is a full time job let alone the disgusting and disappointing insurance company.  I, through a re-committed effort, am down a little bit more to 147.  Still a number a dislike but at least I am 12 pounds down from when we started.  I agree with Mignon, we need to get back in this game--especially with Thanksgiving a few days away.  Love to you all!

The 500th Post
What the past month has proven beyond a doubt is that the heart of our blog's vitality lies in the active presence of all of us. The sum is greater than its parts, in other words. The magic lies in the matrix.

So, as Storm Sandy recovery continues for two of our key members, we're clearly in a holding pattern. Leslie's assertion that she'll be back as soon as she can reassures me that resumption will happen. This helps me remain in stand-by mode.

My own last two weeks in California have been full of non-salt-water potholes, but potholes nonetheless. I'm noticing forgetfulness with respect to drinking my day's allotment of water; the opposite of forgetfulness regarding sugar, and one lonely push-up since November 28. Oh, did I mention sugar? Overeating it, in fact?

Note to Kim:  Want to buddy up until Leslie and Camille rejoin us? You've been mighty quiet over there in the Northeast, little sister. Maybe you need me as much as I need you right now?

Love & looking forward to Post #501,
The Professor

Still stick with the program except

Thanks Col for the Pizza Party...which led to hoagies. Sure I'll burn it off at that new construction job I have. Keep on keeping on. Have a great day!

Uh, Kimsday was yesterday
I'm just sayin'...

Dealing with my Stress today

So, way back whenever I was going to start to meditate. I am giving this day up and letting universe   take care of it .    We've been very busy  here in south jersey dealing with Sandy. We appreciate your love and thinking of us..
Some positive news from my own camp- Yesterday, the flood adjuster came and he was a really nice man. I think he will paint a picture which will give me the most money I can to try to fix things up. I don't even know what the deductible is at this point. No time frame either. Giving it up.
I also talked with my tenant again. I told her I will fix it but can't make promises on a time frame. I realized I was putting so much pressure on myself because of my empathy. But, I will not delay which is apparently what is happening to many displaced people. I'm praying Christmas.
As I type, I am having a new furnace installed. Say a prayer that everything works up and down as it is chilly today. I stopped at mom's though and her portable's seem do be doing a good job. I don't know at night and of course that's my concern. Hopefully in 4 or 5 hours we'll be back in the heat business.
Called for my homeowners insurance, waiting for call back. A big northeaster is heading our way if you can believe it. So, I don't want them to think the damage came from that if there's more.
Trying to get through to unemployment- impossible but have till Dec. 5 for that.
Trying to find out if I will be able to get a SBA loan. I think an application is coming that is somewhat unclear. That should at least keep the money at a lower interest rate then credit or equity.
Most importantly I was losing my faith till I read something to the effect : I never said it was going to be easy. I said it was going to be worth it. Trying to stay in gratitude.
Voting felt awesome! We live in a great country.
Camille, Danny and Linda- I'm praying things start moving in a positive direction for you as well. It's quite overwhelming.
And, all I want to do is eat. For the most part,all in all,I think I'm still okay but definitely not as good at the program as I was. I'll get back for sure.
Have a great day!

YEA TO HAYLEY & HAYLEY'S MOTHER!
Yet another reason for an exclamation point?! When did 7 Potash Road turn into the Aurora Borealis of the eastern seaboard. I mean really, Kim, how much longer is this blinding stardust going to continue?

LET'S CELEBRATE - MADAME PRESIDENT

Let's celebrate my daughter, Hayley Morgan Walsh, has been elected President of her Chi Omega sorority at UD.  My reaction was lukewarm, uninformed, and preconceived ideas of what this group is all about.  I need a kick in the ass.  Bottom line ........  Hayley is an amazing young woman and I am so proud.

Hayley has been elected to be leader of 200 women whose purpose is fundraising, networking & social opportunities.  This opportunity gives her endless networking opportunities across the country as well as the opportunities to lead and manage people.

She told me she will need a formal gown for a "ball".  I say, the cheapskate that I can be, how about one of the prom dresses.  She told me they are inadequate as this is "black tie".  Doesn't this sound fun!

I've ordered for her a Chi Omega signature scarf (cashmere & silk ---- my favorite fabrics) that she will always have.

Look forward to what unfolds.

The graphic above notwithstanding, no way can I be blog-jovial while two of our blogmates, Camille & Leslie, spend their days in hard labor digging out the destruction at 55 Asbury & 43 Sunset Place from the storm, a storm the likes of which they've never seen or experienced before.

PS: Love & concern to nearest & dearest non-blogmates, Danny & Linda, too.
     

Life does not feel normal and that's all. Adapt and overcome with self love

COMMENT TO LESLIE
We're with you, Lel. A few of us are even eating herky-jerky-like right alongside you, in spite of our not being hit, like you, by a perfect storm.

Hurricanes are NOT GOOD FOR THE HEALTH!

I went and looked at Sunset and I said "I have to go eat"
Halloween candy - tons of it called to me and I answered. How do you resechedule Halloween?
Today my Robert is 16 -" of course I have a cake for you". And, of course I had two pieces! My 30 minutes of joy.

But, I am back my blogging mates and will regroup. I can't wait to have a fantastic Salad as it truly has been a long time that I had any mindful eating. Like 10 days. 132.5. I'm sure it has cost me 3 pounds.

my mantra today
I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet

Have a great day!

It's a little too soon to ask the OC sisters to resume the nutritional plan.  Both had significant water damage and are spending time sorting out, throwing out and assessing damage.  It's been tough.  Both have said they realize how lucky they were but it's still been tough and clean-up is a chore.  Wish I could help.  Mom's tucked in her place.  I do believe this is what you were saying in French, n'est pas?  Avoir.

Après le déluge, la vie recommence, aussi le régime nutritionnel, n’est-ce pas?

J'espére vous voir sur le blog très bientôt!

Je suis avec vous,

Mignon

                                         

SISTERS CHECKPOINT #2 

                 NOTE: This blog entry written from the
        other coast where it's 80-degrees & sunny
        today feels a bit ridiculous as the  
        storm-of-all-storms is about to rain 
        down on you and as Camille & Leslie have
        have had to evacuate. So, bloggers, you 
        may skip today's reading. Make-up reading 
        optional. 
                               Yours,
                               The Professor



On this dark and sunny deadline morning, I managed 20 modified push-ups! I made my goal! Just. Huzzah!

Clothes that I wore around climbing-Mt-Whitney time are fitting me again.

I continue to drink a minimum of 4 8-oz glasses of water a day. My Zerowater filter has been a fantastic purchase for me. In the past 2 months, I don't think I've had a single Diet Coke, or any sweetened drink, including the artificially sweetened.

I have a NutriBullet juice or smoothie daily -- alternating green drinks with high-protein smoothies made with fresh strawberries. 

Negligible pasta, negligible bread, even whole-grain breads.

I continue to have a morning cup of fresh-brewed green tea and, sometimes in the afternoon or evening, green tea with pomegranate or mango.

I continue yoga.

I continue with my skin, body, and dental care routines.


MY GOALS GOING FORWARD:
Continue all of the above.
Strengthen my modified push-up form; maintain 20, but add 2 more sets, even if I can only do a few reps per set.

Recommit to the 1-cup measuring cup tool.

Recommit to minimal sugar, or to put it positively, recommit to optimal nutrition in all things.

Walk. My blistered heels healed slowly, but it's time to put my great, new walking shoes on again.

Bike. Get on my high-tech exercise bike, get on my Bianchi, a hybrid road/dirt bike, and ride!

I will not, not, not yell at myself for how slowly it's taken me to recommence cardio.



NEXT CHECKPOINT

December 31, the last day of the year, is my proposed date for our next deadline. Leslie said yes. Camille, Colleen, Kim? Personally, our deadlines have kept me on my preferred path. So I very much need a new one.

New name? 
The Lighter Versions; Slim Sunny Cafe, Sunny Slim Cafe,    Seaside Slim Cafe, Slim Shiny Seaside Cafe; Physiques-in-Progress? Hell, I don't know. If enough of us give suggestions, we're bound to land on something.

A BIRTHDAY MESSAGE FROM FROGGY TO KIM

You know you've always been special to me, Sweetheart. So, from my lily pad to your Boston pad I say Happy Birthday!

    ABYAS

  ALWAYS BE YOUR AWESOME SELF

               

                 Love,
                 Froggy

REPLY TO LESLIE
Swish & Sway? Hey, wouldn't that be a venial sin?

GUYS DO IT AGAINST THE WALL TOO!

OCBMD
I need to submit a new disorder to the editors of the DSM, the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders":  Obsessive-Compulsive Body-Measuring Disorder. I can't be sure but I may have stumbled onto something important here. I may be the honest-to-goddess founder of this disorder. 

You may recall my three-part Professor series on the waist and also my earlier expressions of uncertainty about how exactly to measure it. Belly-button, above the belly-button. Suck-in, don't suck in. With or without sucking in, don't allow the tape measure to sink even a millimeter into any soft flesh, go ahead and allow a slight impression, or allow the measuring tape to embed itself as deeply into the marshmallow as it can go.

I mean, we're not made of marble, are we? If we were, this wouldn't be an issue -- for us OCBMDs anyway.

This is fresh on my mind again because I just attempted measuring my waist and hips. 

Remember Kim talking about facing reality being far better than not? It being an effective and motivating "tool" even?

So I got on board with measuring, to some extent, back in August at Colleen's place when Colleen, Camille and I took our measurements together. And wrote them down.

When I got back to Santa Monica, I bought my own measuring tape. (Hey, I was just kidding about one of y'all hiding it on me! And I was only pretending to be Capt. Queeg's daughter! I lost the tape myself!)

With October 28 looming, I pulled out my found tape last night and measured my waist -- at the belly button, above the belly button, subtly sucked in, no sucking in whatsoever, and so on. And then repeated this all over again. I measured myself into a bloody muddle and, exasperated, walked away from the bloody mirror.

CUT TO: This morning. I bucked up and went for it again, first noting down my August numbers:
              Waist 36.5"  (@bellybutton)
              Hips  39"
              (Waist-Hip ratio:  0.94)
New numbers:  Waist 32" (@bellybutton)
              Waist 30-31" (above bellybutton)
              Hips  38"
              (Waist-Hip ratio:  0.84)

So these results say I've lost 4.5" in my waist since August. How is that even possible. You see my problem?

I'm exhausted.

Love,
Me, aka the Professor, aka Ms. Queeg


PS: Maybe I have a resistance to good news?

Rule 6 - Eat apples and berries every single day, every, single day!

snacking on fruits: apples (sometimes by themselves, sometimes with a small piece of cheese or some peanut butter);strawberries and blueberries (maybe with some greek yogurt)

Apples and berries are rich in a class of natural molecules called phytochemicals.  In the human body, these are usually involved in some stage of metabolism.  The most important phytochemicals for our purposes are anthocyanins, usually concentrated in the skin of colorful fruits and vegetables.

Anthocyanins, along with other phytochemicals like quercitin and ellagitannins, seem to act as a powerful natural anti-inflammatories.

I AM ALL ABOUT ANTI INFLAMMATION -ME- LESLIE

solid fruit affects satiety more than pureed fruit or juice, and that eating fruit at the start of a meal can reduce energy intake

frozen berries of all kinds are just as good as fresh berries-as long as there are no added sugars (including juice) and they tend to cost less

PRAY FOR US THIS STORM PASSSES US BY AND TURNS WEST

SKYPE looks promising!
I peeked at Skype's website and learned the following:

1.  Video conferencing is available
2.  For up to 10 people
3.  One video conferencing payment option is the Day 
    Pass: $5 for 24 hours 

This is way more affordable than I anticipated.
Anyone willing to pick up the ball from here?

PUSH UPS

The pushups are good for me.  Have added more reps. Heading to Delaware to play with Adelaide tomorrow.  Can't wait! 

COUNTDOWN 
Three days to go until October 28. This, our second deadline, hasn't had the same sense of urgency for me as the first, which was Mom's 90th birthday. But it was definitely beneficial. So I strongly support our going forward in (1) setting our next deadline, (2) setting the deadline for another two-month period, and (3) setting individual and/or mutual goals.

Two-months takes us to the Christmas holidays. So possible dates for our third deadline might be:  December 25 (Christmas Day), December 31 (last day of the year), January 1 (first day of the new year), or January 2 (after all the holiday eating is over).

My vote:  December 31, end of year.
Your vote?

Goal: Our collective push-ups goal for the last two months doesn't seem to have worked for anyone but me. I don't think I would have done it, though, had there not been a group agreement.

SUGGESTION:  WE ALL MAKE SURE TO CHECK INTO THE BLOG ON OCTOBER 28, THIS COMING SUNDAY, AND GIVE OUR "SUMMARY REPORTS" OF THE PAST 2 MONTHS (please forgive the corporate-speak) AND SAY WHAT WE WANT THE NEXT PHASE TO LOOK LIKE.

How does that sound?

(A conference call on the phone or on Skype would be great, but those options aren't technically possible for us, right?)

Rule 5 continued

Vegetables
Acorn squash            :  1/2 cup cubed      4.5 grams
Broccoli                    :  1/2 cup                  2 grams
Brussels sprouts          :  1 cup                     4 grams             Love them
cabbage                     :  1 cup                    5.5 grams
carrots                        :  1/2 cup                  3.4 grams
cauliflower                  :  1 cup                    3 grams
spinach                       : 1 cup                      7 grams            love spinach oil and garlic
zucchini                      : 1 cup                      8 grams            who would know

Breads, cereals and beans

black eyed peas           1/4 cup             4.5 grams
Ezekiel bread                1 slice               3.5 grams        have still not found this in my store
garbanzo beans            1/4 cup              3.5 grams        actually mom turned me on to these to add to
                                                                                       salads just get it from the salad bar at grocery
kidney beans                1/4 cup                 4 grams
lima beans                    1/4 cup                3.5 grams
plain oatmeal                1/2 cup                 2 grams
whole-grain pasta          2 ounces dry        6.3 grams

Rule 5 - Eat 30 to 50 grams of fiber a day

Recap 1- Drink a large glass of water before every meal! No excuses! I haven't been doing this aargh
           2- Don't drink your calories I have been doing this. 
           3- Eat Protein at every meal - or stay hungry and grouchy I've been pretty good about this one
           4- Slash your intake of refined flours and grains - been really good here

5 - You have to make a special commitment to finding foods that have it and to eating it regularly.  Lets get schooled. There are two different kinds of fiber. Soluble-just that gets dissolved in water and absorbed into the bloodstream. Mainly from plants-fruits,vegetables,beans,nuts,oat bran,barley,flax.

Insoluble- can't break down, keeps foods moving,sweeps clean the GI and signals a bunch of anti hunger molecules. wheat bran,rice bran,and corn bran (does party mix with all that butter count?)
and from the skin of fruits and veggies,nuts seeds and whole grain foods.

Looking more and more as a preventative to Type 2 diabetes and weight loss
HIS TOP DELICIOUS SOURCES OF FIBER
FRUITS- SKIN ON!
             Apples: 1 med              = 4 grams
Blueberries      :  1/2 cup           = 2 grams
Peaches            :  1 med             = 2.3 grams
Pears                :  1  med            = 5.5 grams               going to start loving pears and strawberries
Raspberries      : 1/2cup             = 3.5 grams
Strawberries     : 1/2 cup sliced  = 9 grams

Kudos

Well done, sisters!  Keep the positive results coming.  Amazing how in such a short time of 5 months (relatively speaking, of course) everyone has experienced positive, life-changing growth.  Although, we are really trying NOT TO GROW (physically).  I am still in a holding pattern.  I'm doing the wall push-ups and eating mindfully, healthfully, and sensibly.  It's still beautiful here.  Have a wonderful day, girls.  Leslie and Colleen--good luck with Dr. Wigley.

YESTERDAY WAS KIMSDAY

Dearest Professor and Sisters,
Loss of 1.6lbs for a total of 32.6.  I don't know how I managed it this week, as I have been awful in terms of eating.  Today is a new beginning.
I like Mignon love the feeling of purging (out with the old and in with the new).  I plan to finish my closet this weekend and find some time to shop. 
Today I'm wearing pants that are too big for me as I have very little that fits.  Clothes that are too big in my opinion look just as bad as clothes that are too tight.
Love the blog.
Leslie - looking for some skinny rules.  Went to B&N this weekend and they didn't have it.
Kim

THE CHANGING ROOM

I too, like Kim, have just finished a 3-day deep-clean of my clothes closets and drawers. (We must have been drinking the same WW-approved Kool-Aid speed.) One by one, I tried on virtually everything I had. Even old leggings and tights -- all the things I've been saving for the day I become a bag lady, which is utterly insane, of course, since it's utterly obvious that a shopping cart can hold only so many clothes. 

I tend to harvest my clothes every three or four years, when the jammed hangers start fighting with each other. (In spite of not buying retail, or even discount, clothes do accumulate.) And usually, I manage to let go of about 10%. 

This time -- and I give myself a supersized exclamation point for this -- my clothes harvest was closer to 30% -- or more.                                              

                                                      

Rough count:

42 empty hangers

+

3 bagsful of throw-aways &

2 bagsful of give-aways, including 10 pairs of pants 

1 bag of new cleaning rags

I plan to try to sell 30 or so high-end pieces on ebay (in consultation with Leslie).

I laundered a lot of what I kept, hunting down and eliminating every spot and stain.

What enabled me to do this? I give the lion's share of the credit to the blog. The pact we made last May enabled me to slim back down to the body size I'm comfortable in. I no longer like looking like I'm swimming in my clothes. So the whales got tossed. And what I learned about waist size enabled me to let go of all the way-too-tight squeezers -- old-style pants that hit right at the belly button and narrow-waisted skirts that would require anorexia for them to fit me again. I tossed all of these out with abandon. The too big, the too small, and also the too old.  

My closets are now spacious, the drawers roomy.

Not for the first time in these past months, I can feel sand shifting under my feet, change begetting change.

I like the feeling.

KIMSDAY EVE
Not to get ahead of ourselves, but you are now ever so close to moving into your 130's! Beautiful effort, Kim! And speaking of beautiful, here's another happy number for you. Based on your latest measurements, the Professor calculates your waist-to-hip ratio as 0.8 -- that's a mere 0.1 away from the ideal (which is 0.7)! 

BTW, see what I mean about exclamation points? In the paragraph above, I spent 3 more on your behalf! And this last sentence just cost another! And there goes another one! I swear, you better recycle these, grrll. Period. End of.

MING MING MING

We cannot lose you. Hope your absent for fun reasons. Your as inspirational as Kim for me. And, I love your signed "Professor" I've leaned so much!

Measurements

Should have waited to my birthday.  Bust - 37, Waist - 34, Hip - 40, Thigh - 23, Arm -11, Size -12. Weight - Butt Naked - 143.2 My target for 10/28 was 145 so I'm there. 

Today, I cleaned out half of my closet and sorted for trash, donation, & consignment.  Couldn't do the whole thing, because my day would be shot.  I need clothes desparately.

Off to errands - Consignment shop, grocery store, & deli.  Then, I intend to walk for 1 1/2 hours on this glorious day and then yard work.

Having a ball!

THE MISSING TAPE MEASURE

Ming--I have evolved so much that I am not willing to take the blame for the missing tape measure, no matter how badly you want me to.  Hah!

Yike!

Hello, sisters.  It's been many, many days since my last confession.  This morning, I finally weigh myself and am up 2 pounds.  As Kim says, I need to ENGAGE.

And, Kim, I am so freakin' proud of you.  You're my inspiration.  And, Mignon, I agree with Kim that I literally laugh out loud at some of the writings.  I love it.

So, I need to get back on the stick. 

It feels like my birthday

Okay, so I know it may  not be understandable but I just got to my box. And, Mignon I am sorry to say - no tape measure. But, thank you so much for the gifts. I love the letter with my challenge. I knew it was out there but really forgot about the specifics. I think I was feeling a little overwhelmed by it all. And, you have a talent for planning. Stationary was great.
But, damn! We threw an awesome affair!
What I received today - 4 sachets of lavender with pretty purple ribbons, And, I have the perfect glass to display them. (cheeca champagne flute)- not really big enough as I just refill.
A pair of sunglasses I really like and a pair of reading glasses - we know how much I need these as I have lots but lose them constantly and never have a pair.
4 beautiful paper cranes. I need to find a home in my home but don't know where yet.
A summer purse- I was secretly hoping & praying I would find cash in. Ha Ha just speech notes.
The incredible beautiful music which I plan to plug in on Monday when I can solo dance.
Pretty lei's to believe in life's beauty and fancy free!
And, one yum yum dish - which I think has some marvelous potential for developing your idea. I am going to indulge in a packet (10) of almonds right now. Although, I did vow not to eat after work.
I came home and the saboteur was at work. I wrote about this a long time ago. Walk in -  Plate- 1 large cookie I had baked them earlier for the guys and Kyle had friends over - just one lone leftover  cookie -get it. Really no one could eat that last cookie.  And, I'm not even a cookie monster like some of us. One piece of garlic bread- elbow on the same  plate in plastic. Yum, Yum garlic bread!!  One half of some type of chocolate chip  pound cake bought after I went to work at 5.
Camille stopped by the other day and knows what I mean. A dozen hot Philadelphia pretzels brought home. Do you want one? Kudos for Camille and I saying no. They too sit over there in the danger zone.
Honestly, I'm a little stronger. but did finish the bowl. Yum Yum time is over!!!!!! Love it!! Never saw this till I finished them all! It made this birthday even more special.
Love you all, more importantly keep loving yourselves.
Have a great day!

A BLOG IN SEARCH OF ITS NAME

So, Leslie, you who wanted a blog name change by October 28, your ideas please?

To jumpstart a collective brainstorm, I'm tossing out:

                  THE PHYSIQUES
                  THE PHYZEEKS
                  THE FZZZEEKS

                  THE ________ PHYSIQUES

                  __________SISTERSHIP

                  SISTERSHIP ______________




Note: Credit to Kim for introducing the zingy, empowering word "physique" to our own vocabulary. Female Daniel Craig's all, whipping our wet hair to the side as we emerge with muscles rippling from a bracing swim in the ocean. Wearing bikini tops in the PG version, topless in the way nature made us in the XXX.

Love this blog

So glad you are back professor.  Love the writing and the humor.  I am not willing to give up.  I truly believe if I keep at it, my shape will be OK.  I've seen such a transformation in my physique and it's come from exercise and diet. 

Looking forward to the 28th and taking those measurements!!

Where are you Camille?

Hey Colleen, what about you?  I think you are suppose to be blogging about your efforts to gain weight.

I CAN'T FIND MY NEW GREEN MEASURING TAPE!
Okay, very funny, but who took my measuring tape? Camille, I want you to take everybody upstairs -- Colleen, Kim & Leslie -- and find out who did it. I don't need to know the name. I just want to know that someone told the truth. Unless or until that happens, no one's going out on Saturday night. 

With pain in my waist & heart,
Ms. Queeg 

PS: I wouldn't say "no" to a Jo-Ann's coupon as recompense.

RESPONSE TO LESLIE
Okay, okay, you get your incomplete. But only this once. From now on, it's no more Professor Softy.

Professor, I'd like to apply for an incomplete

This was awesome information Ming thank you so much.
 The calcium is very interesting to me.Going to look into that as I know I have osteopenia and haven't dealt with that yet.
  And, once a month on the waist measuring. I have not done my stregnth training so have no significant results for the 28th. But, I'm on the plan. I haven't gained but will now pay more attention to my waist line. Today will be my baseline. I think we have agreed it's at the belly button right and sucking in? 33.5.  This is going to be the hardest for me I'm sure. Yet, 50 days ago from my notes on my phone I was 35. So, I am pleased I am moving in the right direction. And, even if I'm not losing but moving I will lose more of this awful omentum.
 And, my next goal is going to be to start a sleep log. I think this is another issue for me.
I wouldn't be where I am today with you guys so just want you to know how grateful I am! Have a great day!

THE WAIST: FINAL INSTALLMENT

To recap:
1. Our waist size is at least as important as how 
   much we weigh. So keep your measuring tape close.
2. Waist size is a big deal because a large waist 
   indicates the presence of unhealthy fat, called 
   visceral fat, which can wreak havoc on our health
   and shorten life spans, for women and men both.
3. In women, Dr Oz "likes to see" a 32½" waist.
4. Waist size is equally important, I would 
   argue, because, when in desirable proportion to 
   hip size, it is a major-major factor in the   
   perception of a woman's attractiveness, as well as
   of her age.
5. The ideal waist-hip ratio, according to a plethora 
   of studies, is 0.7. And this ideal 0.7 ratio holds
   true for women from age 18 to age 85! Even 
   schoolchildren aged 10-11 in one study, when shown
   female figures with varying waist-to-hip ratios, 
   showed a strong preference for a waist-to-hip 
   ratio of 0.7. In short, it is the distribution of 
   weight that determines attractiveness.

And finally: Do waists age?
After my look into waist issues, one nagging question remained: Are women doomed to widening waists as we age? For some reason, not even Dr. Oz broaches this topic. I suspect the dearth of information is because any scientific interest in older women's waists is next to none. Nada.

Persisting, though, I came across a few research bits which suggest the possibility of wiggle room around the biological tendency for us to lose the hour-glass. (Men's waists tend to thicken with age too, by the way.) So, personally, I plan to focus on the wiggle room rather than accept the foregone conclusion of thicker and wider.

Here are the bits

"As humans age, our waist-to-hip ratio gradually increases. This is one of the reasons that older women are generally found to be less attractive than younger women. It is a difficult to maintain the ideal female shape as you age, but as one of my Special Forces instructors once told me about commando training, 'If it was easy, everyone would do it.'"

"Where you tend to gain fat depends on your genes, your hormones, your age, your birth weight (smaller babies more readily add belly fat later in life), and whether you've had children (women who have given birth tend to develop more visceral fat, the unhealthy fat, than women who haven't). 

"As young adults, women on average have less visceral fat than men, but that changes with menopause. In a four-year study at Louisiana State University tracking healthy middle-aged women, every one of them put on some subcutaneous belly fat, but only those who entered menopause added significant amounts of visceral fat. Lowered estrogen levels (which increase the proportional influence of testosterone) contribute to the shift toward a male pattern.

"You can't change your birth weight or your genes, and you can't hold off menopause. (Studies are mixed about whether hormone replacement therapy influences visceral fat gain.) But there are several ways you can minimize the accumulation of visceral fat. The good news is that because it's more readily metabolized into fatty acids, it responds more efficiently to diet and exercise than fat on the hips and thighs. Here are some approaches that may help:

Keep moving. 

"Exercise can help reduce your waist circumference. Even if you don't lose weight, you lose visceral fat and gain muscle mass. In the Louisiana study, the women going through menopause (those who gained visceral fat) also became less physically active. Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days, such as brisk walking or bicycling at a casual pace. Also, Kahn suggests, create opportunities to add motion to routine tasks. For example, park farther from your destination and walk the rest of the way, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and stand while you talk on the phone.

"Studies have shown that you can help trim visceral fat or prevent its growth with both aerobic activity (such as brisk walking) and strength training (exercising with weights). Spot exercises, such as sit-ups, can tighten abdominal muscles but won't get at visceral fat. Exercise can also help keep fat from coming back. In a study at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, dieting women lost an average of 24 pounds and reduced both visceral and subcutaneous fat, with or without aerobic or strength-training exercise. In the following year, those who maintained their exercise programs — a modest 40 minutes twice a week — maintained their visceral fat loss, while those who didn't exercise or abandoned their programs showed a 33% average increase in visceral fat.

Eat right. 

"Choose a balanced diet that helps you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Include plenty of calcium: according to another study from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, the more calcium a woman consumes, the less visceral fat she gains. Avoid products that seem to encourage belly fat deposition, including trans fats (hydrogenated vegetable oils) and fructose-sweetened foods and beverages.

Don't smoke. 

"The more you smoke, the more likely you are to store fat in your abdomen rather than on your hips and thighs.

Get your sleep. 

"Too little is bad. A five-year study found that adults under age 40 who slept five hours or less a night accumulated significantly more visceral fat. But too much isn't good, either — young adults who slept more than eight hours also added visceral fat. (This relationship wasn't found in people over age 40.)

Mind your mood. 

"In the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, middle-aged women who showed more hostility and had more depressive symptoms also had more visceral fat — but not more subcutaneous fat. In other studies, higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol were associated with a buildup of visceral fat even in lean women.

Forget the quick fix. 

"Liposuction for cosmetic fat removal doesn't reach inside the abdominal wall."

We can keep visceral fat, the widening waist, at bay.

Dr.Oz suggestion:

Measure your waist once a month, not less, not more often.

That’s All, Folks,

The Professor

Oh, almost forgot. Final exam on October 28.