TIP OF THE DAY - TUESDAY

NEW MONTH-NEW TIP THEME. 31 DAYS TO LESS STRESS.
Reach Out. Develop a network of friends and family who you can rely on and confide in. Call or visit them when you need to talk or vent. By sharing and listening, they will help you calm down. This is one of the things that Dr. Phil thinks is so important in weight loss. I know for me this blog and staying closer to all of you is really a big help for me. I really feel like I can lose the weight this time because I am not doing it alone. So a big thank you to all of you for your help, love and support.

TIP OF THE DAY - MONDAY THE LAST DAY OF SEPTEMBER

TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR. Lifestyle changes alone may help you sleep better, but talk with your health care provider if you continue to experience problems. It seems every time we get a month of tips from sparkpeople, one tells us to see the doctor, one tells us to avoid caffeine and one tells us to drink more water. I am not sure what the next ones will be but chances are these three things will be included so maybe they are important. Think about it.

TIP OF THE DAY - SUNDAY

PRACTICE YOGA. Doing yoga, which combines meditation and relaxation, can help relieve insomnia, according to recent studies. Try a few sessions per week, or buy a video to use in the privacy of your own home. I thought yoga was just for very skinny, nimble women. I can't picture me doing it. Not at this stage of my dieting
anyway.

TIP OF THE DAY - SATURDAY

SOAK UP THE SUN. Light and dark can help regulate your sleep cycle. Get plenty of sunshine for bright light in early morning, but keep lights low closer to bedtime. I am guessing that this is the reason people love and are encouraged to walk in the mornings. Makes sense.

TIP OF THE DAY - FRIDAY

START A ROUTINE. Your body will associate a series of events-an evening snack, warm bath, and reading in bed, for example-with sleep. Stick with a bedtime routine as much as possible. I have two regular routines. one, if Calvin is home we go to bed at 9 PM, because it is 9 PM and two, if Calvin is gone I stay up until I can't keep my eyes opened anymore and then I can sleep. At my age you just don't change.

TIP OF THE DAY - THURSDAY

FOLLOW YOUR NOSE. Some fragrances may affect mood and promote health. Lavender and chamomile scents can be soothing and relaxing. Try scented candles, body wash, or room spray before bed. I have a terrible cold this week and can't smell anything, but I do love the soothing smells of lavender.

TIP OF THE DAY - WEDNESDAY

DON'T EAT TOO LATE. Stop eating at least three hours before your scheduled bedtime. This will prevent heartburn, digestion and energy boosts that can prevent you from catching your ZZZZs. This makes sense to me and something I should have thought of on my own. Since dieting I have tried very hard to not eat after 6 PM. It doesn't always work but most days it does and I feel better when I stop then.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

I have been feeling like I am standing still lately even though one week I am down the next I stay the same. I was getting discouraged of course and thought I would get some help from all of you. Thanks for your responses and advise. It seems to be doing the trick because even though my foot is really bothering me for some reason this week, and even though my throat is hurting and I can't swallow I still went for a walk both Monday and Tuesday. I really didn't think I would. You ladies are the best. Thanks for your help. Here is your advise, maybe it will help you too:
Joleane said:
"What motivated me was seeing Liisa doing so well. We're about the same height and have the same weight goals. She was doing it and I wanted to do it too. Also I'm reading a book about a guy who does Ultra-marathons. He runs 100-200 mile races. I've been struggling to consistently run a mile. Last night I was reading the book until I fell asleep. This morning I got up and ran 1.4 miles without stopping. The longest I've ran in... I don't know how long. It hurt, but I kept running anyway. Hope I can keep it up and I hope it hurts less each time.
How about reading some books about people who have walked off the weight or lost lots of weight and kept it off. Make losing weight a study in nutrition and how the body works and uses food & exercise. I just went to Amazon.com and looked for weight loss success stories. Maybe you could check out what your library has. I found these:
1. Finally Thin (How I lost over 200 pounds and kept it off and you can too) by Kim Bensen,
2. Confessions of a Carb Queen (lost 250 pounds without surgery) by Susan Blech,
3. Passing for Thin (Losing half my weight and finding myself) by Frances Kuffel,
4. The Weight-loss Diaries (How I learned to deal with my lifelong weight-loss struggle) by Courtney Rubin,
5. I Finally Understand (A personal weight loss story) by Deb Micinski"

I have a great book too that I read several years ago called walking with Angels, that Joleane gave me. I got it out last night and I am going to reread it.

Elizabeth found these great quotes after a google search:

The tragedy in life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.
Benjamin Mays

Victory belongs to the most persevering.
Napoleon

Julius Erving: If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up on the short end.

Vince Lombardi: It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get up.

Milton Garland: My advice is to go into something and stay with it until you like it. You can't like it until you obtain expertise in that work. And once you are an expert, it's a pleasure.

Winston Churchill: Never, never, never, never give up.

Horace: Rule your mind or it will rule you.

Elizabeth said, "My favorite I think…
Milton Garland: My advice is to go into something and stay with it until you like it. You can't like it until you obtain expertise in that work. And once you are an expert, it's a pleasure.


Liisa's advise is what we hear most and should probably repeat over and over again to our self and others, "Don't get frustrated, just remember how far you have come and how great you feel for it. It took years to put it on, it will take time to get it off."

ANOTHER GREAT WEEK IN OUR CHALLENGE

NO GAINS FOR THE SECOND WEEK IN A ROW. Wow this is really cool. I hope everyone is feeling good about last week and are working to repeat this week. We had no gains again and that means just a total of 2 pounds gained in the month of August. Let's keep going. Here are the numbers for last week:
Liisa lost 1/2 pound
Angela lost 3 pounds
Sarah stayed the same
Becky lost 1 1/2 pounds
Eileen also lost 1 1/2 pounds
Renee following the lead of Becky and Eileen lost 1 1/2 pounds
Linda lost another 2 pounds
Yvonne stayed the same
Joleane like Angela lost a whopping 3 pounds and
Elizabeth like her mom stayed the same.

Great job everyone. YOU ARE ALL AMAZING AND ARE DOING GREAT!!!

TIP OF THE DAY - TUESDAY

CHECK THE THERMOSTAT. Extremes in temperatures (too hot or too cold) can make it hard to fall asleep. Most people sleep best at a temperature between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. I did not know this but I am going to check the temperature in our room tonight and see if that will help.

TIP OF THE DAY - MONDAY

RULE OUT MEDICATIONS. Some medications can cause insomnia or sleep disturbances. Ask your doctor to help you find a medication that won't disrupt your sleep. I don't think it is the medications, I think it is simply that I drink so much water during the day I just need to get up several times at night and then find it hard to go back to sleep.

TIP OF THE DAY - SUNDAY

DRINK IN MODERATION. Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but you will likely wake up in the middle of the night due to withdrawal. Avoid or limit your use of alcohol at least a few hours before bedtime. THIS ONE I CAN DO. I never understood the reasoning for drinking till you got stupid or passed out. If you need to drink before bed and don't want even one more glass of water then go back to Friday's tip and try some milk, warm or cold.

NEW BLOG LOOK!

THANK YOU LAURIE. You are a sweetie. I love the new look for the blog. Red white and black are my favorite color combination. I mentioned to Laurie that her blog looks so cool the way it changes all the time and asked if she had time would she look at ours. I love ours and wasn't sure I would like a new look one it was done. I didn't think she would have the time today since they were heading back to Eugene this afternoon. What a wonderful surprise when I opened the blog just now. It is so pretty. I love it. What do you ladies think?

TIP OF THE DAY - SATURDAY

TAKE A NATURAL APPROACH. The most effective supplemental sleep aids are valerian root and melatonin/ Always discuss dosage, risk and effectiveness with your doctor first. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THESE ARE. I am thinking if I need to check with my doctor about risks first, I don't really want to take it anyway.

TIP OF THE DAY - FRIDAY

TRY TRYPTOPHAN. Consuming dairy products before bed can be helpful to some people, since milk contains the sleep inducing amino acid, tryptophan. Enjoy it cold or hot. That sounds good a nice tall glass of cold milk and a slice of cake or a handful of oreo cookies. Okay maybe we should have the milk alone.

WALKING WITH OTHERS

WALKING WITH GRANDCHILDREN IS A REAL EXPERIENCE...Emme and I had a sleepover last night and she brought shoes so we could still go for an early morning walk. I love that she wants to make sure I get my exercise in. She forgot a sweatshirt and even though I didn't think she needed it, she took a white towel with her. We got a short distance away and she decided it was too hot for the towel so we headed back to drop the towel off. You guessed it, before we got home she decided she should probably take it just in case it rains, with not a cloud in the sky. We then turned around again and headed out for the walk once more. We then started reading ALL the numbers on ALL the mailboxes along our way. We then had to stop because of a pesky booger in our nose, followed by picking up and tossing little green apples, and discussing the fact that if they were not ripe why were they falling off the tree. I DON'T KNOW! We did walk uphill 3 blocks and the sun was in our eyes so we needed to put the towel over our head to keep the sun out but that presented another problem in that we couldn't see where we were going. We were out and walked a little over 30 minutes like most mornings but for some reason we only covered half the ground. We loved it anyway. I did learn something through all this and that is that I must walk faster than I thought because it sure seemed slow this morning and there were a few times when I thought I was pulling Emme. I also have a new respect for all you mothers who walk regularly with small children. You will be blessed for your efforts and time I am sure. I am even more amazed when I think that Laurie walked with 3 small children, just 2 in the stroller for at least a mile and a half.
The neighbor lady wants to walk with me but I think unless it is a grandchild I will just walk alone, even with all the wierdos out there.

TIP OF THE DAY - THURSDAY

NAP WISELY. Naps can boost mood and productivity, but keep them under 20 minutes. Exceeding that time could leave you feeling groggier and make it harder for you to fall asleep at bedtime. I love naps. I like mine to be on Sunday afternoon and for about 2 hours.

WE ALL DID GREAT LAST WEEK!

NO GAINS... We all had a great week last week and we are starting off the month of August working hard and seeing some real progress. Great job everyone. Here are the numbers. Take a minute to pat yourself on the back.

Liisa lost 1.8 pounds
Angels stayed the same.
Sarah lost 1/2 a pound.
Becky stayed the same.
Eileen lost 2 pounds
Renee stayed the same.
Linda lost a pound.
Yvonne lost 2 1/2 pounds.
Joleane lost 2 1/2 pounds.
Elizabeth lost 2 pounds.

Remember staying the same counts as a positive. Let's keep up the good work and see if we can have the rest of August be as good as last week.

TIP OF THE DAY - WEDNESDAY

BE PRODUCTIVE. If thinking keeps you up at night, get out of bed and deal with those thoughts in a positive way-pay that bill or make a to-do list, for example. Go back to bed when you're ready to sleep. I like this idea except once I am in bed I am much to lazy to get back up and do anything. My mind is willing but my body does not want to move and it wins over the mind every time.

TIP OF THE DAY - TUESDAY

LISTEN TO LULLABIES. People who listen to soft music at bedtime can increase their sleep quality and quantity, according to recent studies. Try folk, classical or relaxation music tonight. I don't know. I am so tired this evening that I don't think I will have any trouble sleeping. I am going to put the fan in the window at least to start with. Let's see how that works.

TIP OF THE DAY - MONDAY

ADD WHITE NOISE. Most people can't fall asleep when it's too loud. Wear ear plugs to drown out distrubing sounds and turn on "white noise", like a fan or rain CD so you can sleep more soundly. It is hot enough that a fan is going anyway most nights. I am not sure if that is what is helping me sleep or just that I am staying up to late since Calvin is gone and I am just exhausted when I go to bed.

TIP OF THE DAY - SUNDAY

RELAX A LITTLE. Schedule some downtime each day for meditative activities like stretching, reading, or enjoying a hot bath. This can help you unwind after an intense, stressful day so you'll sleep more soundly. With no children around every evening, all evening is downtime, especially if Calvin is gone. I need and want less evening downtime.

TIP OF THE DAY - SATURDAY

LIMIT CAFFEINE. It keeps you awake day and night. Aim for less than 1-2 cups of caffeinated beverages during the day, and avoid them at least four hours before bed for optimal sleep. I thought it would be hard to give up my Dr. Pepper especially with the heat we have had this summer. It wasn't. I think I have only had 4 or 5 sodas since the first week of December and you know, much to my surprise I have not missed it at all. I do love my cold water more now. How about you?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELIZABETH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR ELIZABETH,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Good morning sweetie, I hope you have a great day and a really terrific birthday.
I am sorry we are not there to celebrate with you. Have a bite of birthday cake for me. I will just picture in my mind what it might taste like.

TIP OF THE DAY - FRIDAY

GET A CHECK-UP. If you toss and turn most nights, you could be suffering from a sleep disorder. Visit your physician-the sooner you find out what's wrong, the sooner you can fix it. My only problem right now is that Calvin is gone for 10 days, so I know I will not be able to sleep until he gets home. I just can't sleep good and really relaxed when he is gone. That is what come from sleeping in the same position and with the same old man for over 37 years. Oh well, I am too old to change that now.

THE STRANGEST THING JUST HAPPENED

I WAS OUT FOR MY MORNING WALK. I am now up to 1.4 miles. I know even Miss Emme walks are longer than that, but anyway I was 3/4 of the way done and feeling pretty good. I do love my morning walks. This old junker car goes by several times but I don't really care. Anyway, when I get to the next corner a woman comes around and says, "I doesn't want to scare me, which scares me but, the holy spirit has told me to stop and tell you your Heavenly Father loves you and has a message for you. KEEP GOING. He is proud of the work you have done, He loves you and you make Him smile". She then told me to have a nice day, got back in her junker car and left. Now I know Heavenly Father loves me and watches over me, and I know the message was lovely and did make me feel good but I have to say it was not expected and she did scare me. I kept looking over my shoulder to see if she was going to mug me and steel my cell phone and glasses since that is all I had. Now that I think about it I am sure she was just being nice. So my message to you today is; KEEP GOING, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES YOU AND IS PROUD OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND YOU PUT A SMILE AND HIS FACE AS WELL AS MINE. Have a great day.

TIP OF THE DAY - THURSDAY

DON'T OVERSLEEP!!! Hitting the snooze button each day and sleeping in on the weekends can actually make you MORE tires. Aim for a healthy 7-8 hours sleep each night. I am going to ignore this tip for a few days. I am just starting a big project. I am reupholstering a recliner and it is a big job. I stay up late and work on it when Jillian isn't here of course and since she never comes till after 10 AM I can sleep in. I will get back onto the regular schedule when and if I ever finish this chair.

TIP OF THE DAY - WEDNESDAY

EAT AT REGULAR INTERVALS. This keeps your energy and blood sugar levels stable all day long. With fewer highs and lows, you'll be alert all day and ready to sleep at night. I found if I try to maintain a regular eating schedule I am thinking more about food and watching the clock to see when I eat next. For me anyway, I think I eat more when I eat at regular times and the same times every day. My schedule is as routine and as flexible as I need it to be. You will have to try different schedules and see what works for you as well.

FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST IS A GREAT START FOR MOST OF US

WELL WE ARE STARTING OFF A NEW MONTH ON A POSITIVE NOTE. For most of us anyway. A couple of us had ice cream and even though it was GREAT at the time may not have been the best idea for a snack. Here is how we did:
Liisa down 1.8 pounds
Angela down 1.5 pounds
Sarah down 1.5 pounds
Becky down 1/2 pound
Renee down 1 pound
Joleane down 1 pound
Elizabeth and Eileen stayed the same
Yvonne and Linda enjoyed ice cream this week and are each up 1 pound.
Great job everyone. Keep going.

TIP OF THE DAY - TUESDAY

AVOID TOBACCO. Tobacco products all contain nicotine, a powerful stimulant that can interfere with sleep. Don't smoke or use tobacco before bed, but even better-take steps to quit today. FINALLY a tip I don't need. I won't feel guilty if I ignore this one tip. How about you?

JULY RESULTS

I AM GLAD JULY IS OVER AND I CAN START FRESH... I hope August will be better.
Well because of vacations, a birthday party, stress and just plain too hot weather, we saw lots of gains in July. Even though August is suppose to be hotter we have a fresh start and I hope to do lots better this coming month. Here's how we did for the last week of July and the entire month. Look and see how you did and then move on. The important thing is that we are still working on it.
LIISA added half a pound but still had a loss for July of 3 pounds.
ANGELA added 2 pounds for that last week and had a gain for the month of 1 pound.
SARAH added 7 1/2 pounds that last week for just a 2 pound gain for the month. Sarah's was all, STRESS! STRESS! STRESS!
EILEEN lost 1 pound for last week and that made a loss of 1 pound for July
RENEE as far as I know is staying put and strong with no gains or losses for July.
LINDA also stayed the same last month and there is nothing wrong with that.
BECKY stayed the same that last week and is up just 1 1/2 pounds for the month.
YVONNE lost 1 pound that last week and ended the month with a 4 1/2 pound loss.
ELIZABETH lost 1 pound to end the month of July with a 1/2 pound loss.
JOLEANE lost 2 pounds the last week of July with a 2 pound loss, giving her a whopping 6.5 pound loss for the month of July. WAY TO GO GIRL!

TIP OF THE DAY - MONDAY

GO TO BED EARLIER. As a simple as it seems, going to be earlier can help you get the extra sleep your body craves. Even if you don't feel tired, try lying down about an hour earlier until you get a full 7-8 hours each night. I am not sure about this...it would seem that if you go to bed earlier you would wake up earlier. I am not sure I want to get up and get going any earlier than the 5:30 I wake up now.

TIP OF THE DAY - SUNDAY

EXERCISE IN THE MORNING. Working out within three or four hours of bedtime can make it harder to fall asleep. Try morning or afternoon workouts instead. This makes sense to me and since it is a warmer (hotter) time of year an early morning workout or walk is wonderful. Try it, you will like it.

TIP OF THE DAY - SATURDAY

TURN DOWN THE LIGHTS. It's more difficult to fall and stay asleep in a room that is too bright. Wear a sleeping mask and close the blinds and curtains to diminish light and set the mood for sleep. This is easy to do except Monday and Tuesday nights when Calvin is gone then I need my night light.

TIP OF THE DAY - FRIDAY

LET IT OUT. Try to decrease your brain activity before bed by writing down your thoughts in a journal. It will help clear your mind so you can close the book on today and move forward. WOW, I just finished writing in my journal before I can out to put the tip for tomorrow on the blog. Who knew I was doing something I was suppose to be doing. I love my journal with every one's greetings in it. It is great. Thanks again.

TIP OF THE DAY - THURSDAY

TURN YOUR BACK ON THE CLOCK. Studies show that watching the clock into the morning hours makes you more anxious and less able to fall asleep. Move the clock so you can't see it from bed. I don't mind seeing the clock, it makes a nice night light what I hate and what drives me nuts is laying in bed wide awake, trying to go to sleep and being able to hear the tick tick tick of the clock. UGH!!!

YVONNE IS SPEECHLESS

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEVER HAPPENS TO ME! The doorbell just rang and it was a mailman giving me an envelope from Becky. I thought it was great that she mailed me a few pictures from the campout but it wasn't really necessary since she could just email me some. When I opened the package instead of finding a few pictures there was a hard covered book titled, "YVONNE'S 60TH BIRTHDAY CAMP OUT". I can't believe it. I sat right down to read "my" book. I really don't know what to say. I thank you all again for making my birthday so special. I cried and then looked at the book a second time and cried some more. The book reminds me of all the love I have for my family. You are all so very dear and special. You mean the world to me. I have probably said this before and I am sorry to repeat myself, but I know that if it was not for all of you, I could not lose this weight and get on the path to a healthy lifestyle. Your support and encouragement make all the difference. With your continued help I can lose the weight the doctor recommends and I can even get myself some "skinny jeans". I love my CD too and if I am in the car it is going. You are all the best family, friends, children, grandchildren, nephews, sisters and support team anyone could ever ask for. Thanks again and if there is anything I can do to help you let me know and I will try to repay all of you.
Becky thanks for the book and thanks to everyone to added photos. I LOVE YOU ALL.

TIP OF THE DAY - WEDNESDAY

HAVE A LIGHT SNACK. Eating a heavy meal too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep. To ensure you get plenty of shut eye, try a light snack before bed, but avoid protein-rich and caffeine-containing foods and beverages. I am going to try this tonight. I made some broccoli wheat bread this evening and I had a slice of it so we will see how good this tip works for me.

"TOOTING MY OWN HORN"

I AM NOT COMFORTABLE IN DOING THIS. That being said it has been mentioned by friends at church that I should be prouder of my weight loss and that I should be doing cartwheels. Yeah right. People are starting to notice that I am losing weight, and are asking me how much I have lost now, and how am I doing it. They then go on to tell me how great I look. I try to smile politely and say that I have a lot more to lose but I am feeling good about my start. To some that is not enough.
I am afraid that if I brag and then put on a pound or two as I go on, people will notice and mention that too. I also don't want to brag or be vain. There are enough vain people in this world without me adding to that ugly mix. I also don't want to put the pressure on myself to hurry and lose more weight. It is hard enough with my half pound loss each week to have to stress out about losing more.
Now that I have said all that I will just say that even though I still want to lose 62 more pounds I now have lost about 65 pounds and have gone down 10 dress sizes. I found that out the hard way when I bought some new clothes and now have to return them because they are too big. Yes I know, I was told to go try some on before I bought anything new and I didn't. Yes I know I am a dork.
My point of this post and the rambling on is that WE ALL NEED TO BE PROUD OF OURSELF FOR THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE NO MATTER HOW SMALL. As long as we have started the challenge, or come back to it and are trying our best and hardest, we are doing great. Please pat yourself on the back and share your success with others.

TIP OF THE DAY - TUESDAY

THINK POSITIVE. A pessimistic outlook can significantly increase your risk of insomnia. People who focus on the positive tend to sleep better and experience better health in general. This makes sense I guess so everyone go to bed tonight with visions of sugar free sugar plums dancing in your head.

TIP OF THE DAY - MONDAY

KEEP A SLEEP SCHEDULE. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day - including weekends. You'll fall asleep faster and have more energy each day. I know for me I stay up later to do things when Calvin is gone. With Jillian here I get NOTHING done during the day so I think I should stay up and make up for it at night. I still find myself awake and up by 6:00 AM but getting very sleepy between 2 and 3 in the afternoon so I think I will try this and see if it works. Can't hurt.

TIP OF THE DAY - MONDAY

EXERCISE EVERY DAY. Following a consistent exercise program can help you increase your energy levels during the day, improve your mood and regulate your sleeping patterns at night. I don't know if I agree with all this. I walk 6 days a week and still find myself in some real foul moods. Maybe it is just me.

TIP OF THE DAY - SUNDAY

SLEEPING IS JUST AS IMPORTANT TO SURVIVAL AS EATING, DRINKING, AND BREATHING. But for lots of people , getting enough sleep can range from challenging to impossible. This August, we will learn to sleep more soundly and improve your energy levels by using the sparkpeople daily tips. I hope they help you, I know my sleeping habits need lots of help.
Day one: RELIEVE STRESS. people with uncontrolled stress are more prone to insomnia. But exercise, meditation, yoga, and other techniques can help you relax. Do something to relieve stress each day.
Okay let's see if by the end of August we are all sleeping like well behaved, sleeping through the night babies.