Back on Track and well over 50

[feminist54]

Today, it is so humid out that I broke a good sweat just sitting on the front stoop shredding some papers...hopefully this is going to break with some wicked t-storms soon (its gotten dark, and the wind has come up). Yesterday I put on my new new balance sneakers and dragged my butt to Zumba! class at the gym--this morning I could hardly lift my arms! It was a killer class, so today, 20 minute tape at home, tomorrow back to the gym in the afternoon--hopefully, my friend Jerry's early a.m. stint operation will go smooth so that I can take the class...he is 80 and in great shape (save the aneurysm)--
first crack of thunder...yeah! so off the computer I go...

[Chris55]

We've continued with gorgeous weather here for the most part. The couple of humid days and a little rain helped the garden, but otherwise it's been 80's and sunny.

The job hunt situation has not improved. I got 3 rejections this week, must be a world record! But the upside is that all three of them gave me very positive feedback and have been astounded by the level of skill and experience that applicants have had. One of the positions was part-time and temporary but former directors of organizations applied. That's how tough the job market is. So I've contacted my United Way family and will be hopefully working for them again this fall, re-energized by what I see around me.

Food has continued to be challenging. It was a rough week for me in terms of eating comfort food. But I am eating lots of veggies, just need to keep my hands out of the cracker boxes. My ice cream issue continues - gelato yesterday after a nice sushi lunch with my son. We went to a new sushi restaurant I've been wanting to try and it was very good, much closer to home than our usual hour trip! The actually served a real salad with their bento lunch, not that usual chopped iceberg.

Leftover turkey chili for lunch today and something grilled for dinner - have to dig in the freezer.

[Mare55]

Would like to say Hi. I am looking for a SB thread to join, and I can't seem to find a active one.

Has anyone tried the South Beach Forum itself, I see they charge 4.00 a week? Is it worth it, for support and information. I really need to get back on track and life is getting in my way, (I think you could say I now have baggage and it is getting in the way of my success with SB.

Chris, I read your comment about wanting to get to a goal and not having to kill yourself to stay there. That is what I want, SB to just be a way of life and be able to enjoy a few things along the way, but this 50+ age thing is causing me some hickups!

Mare

[Chris55]

Welcome, Mare! Hope you are surviving Phase 1. It certainly is a challenge being older and trying to get in shape. That's why we're here. This website was much more active about a year ago, but we had a major crash of the site which lasted over a month and we lost a lot of people. Most people that are here long term are on the journal section posting almost daily. I've made a few other buddies over there.

I've never used the official SB website because I really don't want to pay for it. Kimborini or ami usually post the Daily Dish newsletters and other official info for us. I'm not sure what their chat rooms are like.

We had about 5 people in our over 50 thread for quite a while, but people slowly disappeared, then we get new people once in a while. It's so nice when new people join - we need a little shake-up now and then! So tell us about yourself and your challenges!

Edit - I just saw your other posts again and realized that we've already been having a conversation about your dairy and bean challenges. The rice powder sounds like a good solution to your mid-day slump!

[SBMike]

Hmmm. Based on the title of this thread I need to start a new one for mytself.... How do you like the sound of "Took a Wrong Turn, Put Much of the Weight Back On, But Still Well Over 50"?

[Chris55]

You found us, Mike! It's more like the struggling 50+ thread. We've all been on P1 too many times to count, but slowly our new revised beginning weights are getting lower.

[Mare55]

Thank you Chris.

I started SB last October and lost 22 lbs by March, which was good for me, slow and easy. I looked at SB as a way of life, I didn't give up butter and I don't do artifical sweetners, use little sugar or none. What I think happened to me now is, I keep gaining and losing 3 lbs and I worry that it will creep back and stay. I feel I am eating too much fruit, it makes me hungry and tired.

Since I do not eat a lunch at work (don't get a lunch break) I have to find things I can eat at my desk with little mess. Fruit is easy, but by the time I get off work, I am dying of hunger and then I want to eat everything. So, now I am trying to cut out fruit other than blueberries or strawberries, but stay away from others. SB is such a good program, but I need fillers, and beans just don't do well for me or dairy and soy, forget it.

I did make a protein drink last night that was so good, and it filled up til I went to bed. Counut milk, cocoa, ricotta chesse, a few strawberries and some rice protein powder, it was real good tasting.

Being over 50, it is not easy to get the weight to move. And I am not a fan of exerise. I do love cooking SB dishes, they are always so good.

Hope to hear more from everyone, love ideas and experiences.

[bethy]

*waves at Chris and Mike*
Do you like deviled eggs, Mare? I used to snack on cold egg and veggie muffins but got kind of burned out on them and now I'm on a deviled egg kick. They're real filling and you can make so many different kinds.

[Chris55]

So, Mare, did the ricotta agree with you? I would think that would bother you more than yogurt, but when it comes to food sensitivities sometimes things kind of have a mind of their own. My daughter had major stomach pains for a couple of years until we figured out that GMO corn was bothering her. She was eating popcorn as a snack every day. Who knew? We took her off popcorn thinking all the added stuff in the microwaved popcorn may have been the culprit. She was fine for weeks and then had an episode. The I opened the fridge and found the leftover corn on the cob we had eaten the night before. Bingo! As long as she has organic non-GMO corn or corn products, she's fine. But it took a long time to figure it out.

[Mare55]

Bethy, yes I love deviled eggs, but kind of smelly to eat at my desk during the day. I would be interested in you veggie muffins receipe, they sound good. I need little things like that that are packed with good things and easy to eat.

*waves at Chris and Mike*
Do you like deviled eggs, Mare? I used to snack on cold egg and veggie muffins but got kind of burned out on them and now I'm on a deviled egg kick. They're real filling and you can make so many different kinds.

And Chris the ricotta doesn't bother me like milk and yogurt do (they seem to shut my system down), I can eat sharp cheddar cheese without a problem too. It would be so nice to just grab a greek yogurt to eat at work, but can't do it - I pay for the next few days. It is hard trying to figure out what is causing problems, maybe it is because there are so many other factors to consider when looking for a problem food, like if it is organic or not. Thank goodness your were able to pin it down for your daughter.

I would like to try protein balls or bars, so if anyone has suggestions let me know. I will try anything once.

[bethy]

Well, Mare. I've got this 12 pack of silicone...cupcake cups..I guess they are. They're multicolored and fluted like cupcake paper and they're floppy silicone stuff. I line them up on a baking pan and fill them about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up with anything I want: cheese (grated cheddar,crumbled feta), crumbled turkey sausage or bacon, any kind of veggie (I like spinach, sliced green onions, mushrooms, leftover roasted broccoli). Then, I beat a dozen eggs and season them, pour the eggs over the stuff in the cups, stir it around a little and put the pan in the oven at 375 until they're puffed up big and starting to look a little brown on top. About 35 minutes in my oven. They fall right out of the silicone cups (which is my favorite part, I hate scraping egg off things). When they're cool I put them in the fridge in a ziploc bag. My husband microwaves them for 30 seconds but I like them cold.
Said husband just stuck his head in here and asked me if I wanted a klondike bar Some people

[feminist54]

Morning all: Bethy, your cupcake eggs are mini-frittatta's minus the parm cheese...one of my go to dinners with a salad, and leftovers make wonderful breakfast/lunch... I will have to look for the silicone cupcake cups.
I thought I posted yesterday, but it didn't go up...oops...But I heard that chickens are not laying as many eggs due to the heat, and so egg prices will be going up... have you ever noticed that the minute there is an announcement of say, a freeze in Florida, that the price of OJ goes up in the grocerystores, even though that those oranges were picked way before the freeze???
Today is a perfect day--no humidity! Think instead of the gym, I'll go for a walk along the strand.
Have to buckle down and finish this book proposal--less than a month before classes begin. And, my editor wants a few more tweaks--some minor, one a major one--he wants more international info on the manuscript I handed in. He is not that communicative, only reactive--I had asked him early on what the American vs international split should be, and he was non-committal so I did what I had done previously....arghhhhh. And, am re-doing one of my courses, so have a few books to read for that...so I will be tethered to the computer...save when I go into the City to do the research...and then I'll be dragging my computer
Well...to to work!
ciao and have a good day on the beach...
my menu: strawberries, organic oat bran & yougart parfait; mid-east chopped cuke salad with feta & hummus; roasted chicken & mesculn salad for dinner--snacks: cheese, and a blue bunny 80 cal ice cream treat for dessert.

[Mare55]

I love this idea, we use a jucier and make veggie drinks, it puts all the pulp in a side container and I usually throw it out. So, making these kind of cupcakes may be a good use for it. I mean it is just the skins and ground up everything else, nothing a person couldn't eat. I will have to try this, they sound like a handy go to to have on hand.

Klondike Bar, yep I have a DH that loves these too. LOL He asks without thinking.

Well, Mare. I've got this 12 pack of silicone...cupcake cups..I guess they are. They're multicolored and fluted like cupcake paper and they're floppy silicone stuff. I line them up on a baking pan and fill them about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up with anything I want: cheese (grated cheddar,crumbled feta), crumbled turkey sausage or bacon, any kind of veggie (I like spinach, sliced green onions, mushrooms, leftover roasted broccoli). Then, I beat a dozen eggs and season them, pour the eggs over the stuff in the cups, stir it around a little and put the pan in the oven at 375 until they're puffed up big and starting to look a little brown on top. About 35 minutes in my oven. They fall right out of the silicone cups (which is my favorite part, I hate scraping egg off things). When they're cool I put them in the fridge in a ziploc bag. My husband microwaves them for 30 seconds but I like them cold.
Said husband just stuck his head in here and asked me if I wanted a klondike bar Some people

[Chris55]

I heard that the egg prices will be going up because the drought has ruined the grain crop so feed is more expensive and the first place for it to show up will be in egg prices, then chicken and other meats. All the more reason for me to buy local when I can.

Those little silicone muffin cups are great for a lot of things. I freeze individual servings of black beans in them, then just pop them out onto my plate for microwaving. I also use them for freezing small portions of tomato sauce. I use them for everything except baking muffins. Although blueberry season is upon us and I should probably make some muffins for the rest of the family.

Tomatoes are in!!! Have been enjoying outrageous beefsteaks from my organic farmers. My plants aren't doing very well, my soil needs more help than I've given it this year. Got some fresh mozzarella today and already have a bouquet of basil, so lunch will include some caprese salad. Yummmm!

I cannot believe that school will start up again in a month. DS is working a lot, making some money for books and other expenses. Bought him a nice casual jacket at the LLBean outlet the other day so he has something decent to wear to academic events and study abroad interviews. The Japanese embassy funds some full scholarships, so I'm hoping he keeps his grades up and can get funding.

[feminist54]

Rolling thunder storms today...I'm meeting with a trainer at the gym this afternoon, so I can focus on firming up my tummy (have that overhang thingy going from the hysterectomy, plus being boobless any pouch makes me look preggers ).
Chris,sorry that the full time job search is full of rejections--it really is dismal out there for many...and this Congress is not helping, the banks are still foreclosing, Wall St is still greedy, gas prices are still way up (and I just read that the major companies get susidies and Exxon makes $104 million in profits every day), the drought is forcing food prices to soar . . .the only people who are suffering are those of us who are the average citizens ( this $250,000 marker is riduculous when the average family of four makes just about $50,000).
Marist just changed health care insurance providers and now we are getting medical bills--the coverage sucks, LK who has to have her liver monitored (she has cysts on it) just had a cat scan which used to be fully covered, now I am looking at a couple of hundred dollars that we are responsible for....
Well, Chris, you liked the United Way position...and they liked you...
food will prob. be re-runs today, have to do a grocery runwould love some tomatoes that have taste! The squirrels are eating my cherry tomatoes & mesclun but my herbs are flourishing!
ciao--gotta run and take my friend Jerry to the doc's ...