Attaining a Goal

October 12, 2016October 12, 2016 ~ Spence's Girl ~ 6 Comments

I realize that I’ve been less consistent with my posting in recent weeks. It isn’t for lack of wanting to blog but I’ve taken a few road trips, enjoying our beautiful fall weather and taking advantage of mild sunny days to dead-head and ready my garden for the cold winter ahead. I’ve been reading non-stop and binge watching shows recommended by friends and family. And though I’ve not mentioned it for awhile, I’ve been sticking with Weight Watchers.

Having started the program on December 28, 2015, I’ve seen nothing short of miraculous results (for me) and hit my goal weight on July 28th. In order to qualify as a lifetime member, I had to complete six consecutive weigh-ins (with a two pound leeway). Between traveling and other conflicts, it took me until this Monday to get in the sixth weigh-in – and I did it! I’m a Life Time Member!

I wanted to share this news with my followers who’ve been so kind and supportive. Having turned sixty in May, attaining this goal feels great and has made a positive impact on my health. Total loss = 33 lbs!

Oprah, thank you for speaking to me via your “If not now, when?” message on December 28th. I wasn’t thinking about weight loss, having become complacent about the extra weight I was carrying around but I was moved into action by a force greater than myself.

Life is good, health is precious and I feel empowered by attaining this goal!

59 Candles, 59 Things – part thirty three

March 2, 2016March 3, 2016 ~ Spence's Girl ~ 11 Comments

Forty first thing: The next thing that makes me happy is one that I wouldn’t imagine being on the list when I started this series on my 59th birthday last May.

Weight Watchers makes me happy.

On December 28th, when Oprah spoke to me (and millions of others) I heard her message “if not now when?” and it resonated. Loving to cook and eat with the additional freedom to travel since retiring 2 years ago, I’ve seen the number on my scale inch upwards. I was having so much fun that I’d become complacent. With 2016 on the horizon, I got online and signed up that evening.

My expectations were that the first 5-10 lbs would come off with mindful eating and more movement – and that happened. What surprised me is that I’ve lost 19 lbs in just two months while enjoying food. In fact if I’d been a bit more disciplined with choices when dining out and traveling, I’d have lost more by now. Part of my success has to do with not depriving myself by having foods I love but in moderation and the other part is being more active.

Purchasing my FitBit has been integral to my acceptance that I’ve been living like a sloth.

No offense intended, I once held a baby sloth in Costa Rica and it was adorable.

Accepting that I can’t change my past, I’m now tracking every step via the FitBit which syncs to my WW and FitBit apps on my iphone and MACBook. It also means that if I’m running behind on my daily goal by bedtime, I fire up my ipod to a couple of my favorite tunes and “dance it out” in the kitchen.

Thank you Oprah for getting my attention, to Weight Watchers for an awesome program and great tools and to Spence, your encouragement and support are endlessly appreciated.

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For more of this series, “59 Candles, 59 Things” – click on “59 Things” under Categories. And I’d love to hear what things make you happy.

A bit more animal/diet humor because seriously, haven’t we all been there?

Oprah spoke to me…

January 28, 2016January 28, 2016 ~ Spence's Girl ~ 8 Comments

I remember the day clearly. It was December 28, 2015. I was in my living room, on the sofa and Spence was getting his morning HLN News fix. My focus was elsewhere.

Then I heard her voice. “Oprah?”.

She was talking about Weight Watchers and I recall this clearly, she said “If not now, when?” I snatched the remote from Spence and backed it up. I heard the full message this time and I knew, when Oprah speaks to me, I listen.

Within a few hours, I’d signed up for Weight Watchers Online and identified the closest meeting site. I downloaded the app. I used my holiday-earned Kohls Cash and ordered a FitBit. I ordered a food scale on Amazon. I recommitted to my kitchen yoga practice (the only space where I don’t crash into furniture) and decided that the time had come for me to get serious about losing weight.

Today, one month later, I’ve attended three meetings. I’ve lost nearly 11 lbs. and am feeling great. I’m still eating yummy food and drinking wine but in moderation and with mindfulness. My house is full of fruits and vegetables as well as healthier snacks. I plan meals differently but I don’t feel deprived nor hungry. I’m lucky that I love all foods and enjoy cooking. I’m moving much more now that my FitBit tracks every step – and compete with myself week over week.

Being very tall, I’ve had the luxury of being able to wear nearly all of my clothes with a 20-30 lb weight range. This is always a bit shocking when I talk to my shorter friends who tell me they can feel a 5 lb weight gain in their clothes.

As I approach my 60th birthday in May, I acknowledge a need to fine-tune my relationship with food. I’ve had several heart procedures, including a pacemaker, thyroid cancer, rotator cuff and gall bladder surgeries, a mild heart attack and a bout of shingles since turning 50. As they say, “getting older ain’t for sissies”. When Oprah spoke to me that day, “if not now, when?” resonated. Time for action….

Thank you Oprah, for sharing your experience and challenging us to join you on this journey. May we all enjoy success and lead healthier lives!

FullSizeRender 23 — On the left, my usual wine glass. On the right, the one I use now. If I want a second glass of wine, I have to get up and walk to the kitchen to refill it. Two bowls of fruit in the background…

2015 Mid-Year Assessment

July 1, 2015 ~ Spence's Girl ~ 2 Comments

The BUGS (Blogging University Graduates) bi-weekly prompt is to track our 2015 New Year’s Resolutions at mid-year.

FILING: Starting after the New Year, I combed and sorted through countless boxes, piles and bags of paperwork that have accumulated for more years than I’m willing to admit. A supposed “priority” upon retiring in 2014 – until I committed to “just do it” in 2015, it seemed overwhelming. Once started I nearly burned up our shredder, found things that were important (and ridiculous) even discovering a little black velvet drawstring bag of quarters ($20). For someone who is a control freak, this felt out of control but once completed, I felt euphoric.

MOVING MOM: Not a resolution per se, but a significant commitment for three weeks in March was flying to Florida, helping Mom pack up her home of 26 years and share the drive north to her new home in Michigan. Having my MacBook in tow and the blog established, I chronicled this in my 20 part series called “Moving Mom” (I’d be honored if you wish to check it out). It was a once-in-a- lifetime experience and I’m glad I documented it since in the moment, it was a blur of activity. What could have been contentious and stressful was in fact exhausting but a bonding experience unlike anything I can imagine. I’m so glad we took that journey together.

NEW BED AT LAST: I bought a bed after at least six years of bitching about my too soft bed. Procrastination and misconceptions had kept me from even starting the process, prolonging my insomnia, aches and pains. In my series “59 Candles, 59 Things – Part Twenty” I wrote about this experience. What I learned is “you don’t know what you don’t know”. I’m grateful I took a rainy day with nothing on the agenda and DID IT ALREADY.

With a good night's sleep, I now awake with pretty thoughts in my head. — With a good night’s sleep, I now awake with pretty thoughts like this in my head.

FIND ALTERNATIVE HEALTH SOLUTIONS: I finally sought out alternative treatments for my aches and pains after realizing that pain meds were simply a bandaid. Besides my yoga and meditation practice, I recently found a doctor who is an osteopath, acupuncturist and physical therapist. At 59, a lot of my “structural” issues can’t be fixed but can and do seem to be responding with better flexibility, toning and some improvement with pain. At 59, I’ve accepted that “we’ve all got something” and feel blessed that any and all health challenges I’ve had are just part of living this long. And given the alternative, I’ll take living any day.

GARDEN – DONE AND SCALED BACK (well sort of) Completed my garden for 2015, and scaled back on my typical annual expenditure. Yes, I’ve given myself tennis elbow (which incidentally is very painful), strained my back and both shoulders from what I called “extreme gardening” pushing to the point of “feeling the burn” then usually 30-60 minutes more to finish up. But hey, the garden looks fabulous and from here out it’s just weeding and dead-heading.