<p>WARNING: I’ve had one of those days and am feeling sorry for myself - feel free to ignore. I’m trying to do it right, I’ve done my 45 minutes of exercise every day, rescheduled my trainer for tomorrow and tried to eat healthier meals. But I was sidetracked by a bagel (scooped out, but still), went shopping for a dress for my S1’s law school graduation and had to peruse the racks for a size I have never seen before. I am so angry at this post-menopausal body of mine that I don’t know what to do. No matter what I do I can’t seem to whittle this middle. I feel like my metabolism would be perfectly happy ingesting nothing but air, but I sure wouldn’t be. And to be perfectly honest, I don’t want to be. Life has enough challenges. And I know I’m just having a lousy day and I will be back on track tomorrow. Thanks for listening.</p>
<p>Runnersmom, I know how frustrating it can be. It does seem like you are doing everything right. It just takes longer when you get to middle age. </p>
<p>I still go into stores and see clothes that would have looked great on me ten years ago and I try them on and, well, it just isn’t quite the same. Progress happens in small steps and you don’t have to exist on carrot sticks and air to make some of that progress.</p>
<p>Hang in there. Tomorrow will be better. Whatever you do, don’t give up!!!</p>
<p>Whatever you do, don’t punish yourself for your frustration by eating MORE than you want:).</p>
<p>Yesterday we went to an outdoor “Taste of” festival and ate a whole bunch of carbs. Seriously, there are VERY few vegetables available at these things…unless you count deep fried pickles! :D</p>
<p>So I had English fish & chips and shared: saratoga nacho chips, chocolate-covered cheesecake-on-a-stick, and a cream puff. Oh, and some black bean soup. All totally worth it, except the saratoga chips were way too salty. But since I had done a walk/run earlier in the day, I figured I could use the sodium. Right?</p>
<p>I really do eat well 95% of the time, and if you can’t enjoy food at an outdoor festival, you shouldn’t go. DH added a beer to his intake, which at least I didn’t do.</p>
<p>:cool:</p>
<p>Been gone for a couple days so I’ll have to catch up on the thread but saw this article this morning on breakfast ideas and thought I’d pass along - says for a flat stomach, but they just look good overall!
[9</a> Breakfast Choices for a Flat Stomach - ACTIVE.com](<a href=“http://beta.active.com/9-breakfast-choices-for-a-flat-stomach]9”>9 Breakfast Choices for a Flat Stomach | ACTIVE)</p>
<p>Better day yesterday. Great workout with my trainer and mostly healthy food, though a glass of wine with my bunless burger did help! We went to the nursery to find some replacement plants and just being out in the sun wandering among the plants and flowers did wonders for my mood. Now there’s still the issue of what to wear to graduation on Thursday in 85 and sunny weather, but I’m sure I will find something. It’s terrifying when my daughter (23) comes shopping with me and says, “Mom, haven’t you always told me not to worry about what size the label says? You always said be healthy and the rest will follow.” I guess I should listen to my own advice. Today’s agenda is a workout, physical therapy and some shopping. As long as it includes a workout, all is good!</p>
<p>Glad to see your improved state of mind Runnersmom! We all have those days. :)</p>
<p>Yeah, Runnersmom!!!</p>
<p>runnersmom- Don’t give up. Do you shop alone? I find when I go by myself I tend to gravitate to the same stuff and I get frustrated when nothing fits right or I don’t like the look. I have learned that I have a couple of good GF’s who are great at getting me to try on different styles and colors. If a size doesn’t fit they go get another. It takes a lot of the frustration out of shopping. When I go alone I come home with nothing. A recent shopping trip with a friend resulted in 3 dresses that I would not have tried on and they all look good on my menopausal body.
Planks, sit ups, push ups and PT exercises done</p>
<p>Runnersmom - thanks for the honest post! I know I have my moments when I get really frustrated that staying fit takes constant vigilance. Doesn’t take much to gain a few pounds, but boy the reverse isn’t true!</p>
<p>Mom60 - I have one friend who was always GREAT to take shopping. She has moved out of the area and we still are very close, but I miss the times when she would come along and force me to try on things I would have overlooked. I remember years ago she told me to try on a turquoise sweater with a red dress and it just looked fabulous. It is still one of my favorite color combinations and whenever I put the two together I always think of her.</p>
<p>I’m arriving late to this thread so this may be redundant, but I’ve returned to my premarital weight – and a flat tummy-- in just one month by following a highly restrictive diet (due to a serious medical condition). No gluten, soy, dairy or corn. It’s not a whole lot of fun but it does shed the pounds.</p>
<p>Worry, so sorry about your medical condition - hope its under control - a flat tummy?? I think that may be impossible for me!!!</p>
<p>Thanks for your concern, abasket.</p>
<p>Confession time. I ate a Chick Fila Chicken sandwich for lunch and a Five Guys burger with cheese and fries for dinner yesterday. I have not set foot in fast food for 4 yrs prior to yesterday. One of my relatives was having surgery and I spent 10 hours hanging out at a hospital an hour from home with too much time on my hands. I was shocked what stress did to my eating habits.
Today I am back on track. At least I hope so! The surgery went well. I am going to be better prepared tomorrow when I head back to the hospital to bring her home.</p>
<p>Well, if you’re gonna fast food it, at least those are two good (yummy) choices! Those Five Guys fries…</p>
<p>Monday bumping this up.
So far so good on the eating today. I have boneless chicken breast marinating in a bunch of herbs with lemon and a bit of olive oil. Made a green dressing with lots of herbs and Greek yogurt. I am ready for a healthy dinner. I get off track if I walk in at 6 and have no clue what to make. I hate washing lettuce so have been buying romaine and cutting and washing several days worth at a time. Refrigerate wrapped in paper towel in a plastic bag.
Took a brisk walk and ran part of it.
What are everyone else’s week plans?</p>
<p>mom60, you make a great point. Knowing that dinner is under control when I walk in the door from work always reduces my stress. When I know what I’m making and that I’ve actually got all the necessary ingredients or, better yet, I’ve prepared it ahead, it makes for a more peaceful evening.</p>
<p>Mom60, how are you going to cook that chicken? It sounds delicious … Tell me more!</p>
<p>I did a 3 mile walk yesterday and heavy yard work, tomorrow I have a day of community service with painting and yard work. Weight is holding steady from previous 5 pound loss … Hopefully more wiggles off as I move more in the summer. </p>
<p>Too bad I have an office job all day long. I am hoping to walk more at work during lunch or when meetings get cancelled or end early. Walking shoes are parked in my office. Goal this week is to start that habit.</p>
<p>I haven’t cooked the chicken yet so not sure how it will taste. I will grill it. I am using skinny chicken breasts, boneless, skinless.
Marinade
I went out to garden and picked what herbs I have growing
Sage,thyme, rosemary, basil and parsley. Put in the magic bullet with juice 1/2 lemon, garlic clove and 1/4 cup olive oil. Have had it marinating in frig all day.</p>
<p>Yummy! So you marinate it for several days? </p>
<p>I “ran” my first 5K of the summer at a race. I decided to join this outdoor club and on a whim showed up today to run/walk a race. I had to hold myself back from going too fast too soon, and it paid off because I eventually started to pass people that had to walk more than me. Not fast, but the new attitude of running/walking took the pressure off and I enjoyed myself, even though I am out of running shape.</p>