Becky's Journal

[Becky]

Finally all our entertaining is over! I must have been crazy scheduling three nights in a row of company. Not only did I eat richer than normal, I had wine three nights in a row. But not to worry, back on track today and no real harm done. One of our visitors was my childhood best friend I've had since kindergarten. I don't see her often, but when we do get together, it's like no time at all has passed. It's always a great visit!

Came up with a new recipe today, Tofu Eggless Salad (link below). I was very pleased with how it came out!

http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10766

Been thinking about taking up a 5th wheel compatible craft. Lin's crocheted doilies have me intrigued. I've crocheted in the past with yarn, and Lin says it's not much different with the thread used for the more delicate doilies. So maybe...

Hope everyone is off to a good McDougalling week!

Becky

[prism]

Congrats on making your goal weight. How wonderful!

I still have not cooked with tofu. Every time I buy it, it sits in the fridge until it's spoiled. I was really tempted by the recipe on the McDougall DVD for tofu "scrambled eggs". They looked quick and easy and actually looked like they would taste good. Have you ever tried them?

[Letha.]

I’m surprised about the Dr. Nedley’s scripture references. I can overlook one or two but if there was a bunch – well, I probably would have been pretty unhappy. It’s interesting about the fiction writing. I think fiction writing has evolved from verbal story telling which was used for most of human history to transmit information from one generation to the next. On the other hand, it’s hard to defend popular media. It probably does rot our brains.
Letha

[Becky]

Beth & Letha - thanks for dropping in!

Congrats on making your goal weight. How wonderful!

I still have not cooked with tofu. Every time I buy it, it sits in the fridge until it's spoiled. I was really tempted by the recipe on the McDougall DVD for tofu "scrambled eggs". They looked quick and easy and actually looked like they would taste good. Have you ever tried them?

Thanks Beth!! Tofu can be kind of intimidating before you know what to do with it. I haven't actually made the recipe from the McDougall DVD, but I've made many variations of scrambled tofu by just sauteeing vegetables, adding crumbled or mashed tofu, some seasoning, and heating through. It's pretty easy. In my opinon you need a fair amount of salt to make it tasty, but maybe that's just me!

Letha, I would have to agree with you, it's hard to defend popular media in a lot of cases, but to clump all fiction into one throw-away category is a little too extreme (IMHO). But, to each their own!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Still raining here! First we have none, now it won't stop! Since it's been hard to get outside between rain showers, today I decided to do a complete Strong Women Stay Young workout - the 8 basic exercises, plus the supplementals. Felt good to be moving my body.

March is birthday month at my house. Mine, my husband's, and three of my kids all celebrate birthdays this month. So, lots of celebrating coming up. I've scheduled the Big Bash (where we go out for dinner for all the birthdays in one night) at Fresh Choice. This is a buffet style restaurant that has an awesome salad bar, baked potatoes, pasta with at least one vegetarian topping, and soups with at least one vegan option. I thought I would be able to do well here - lots of heatlhy choices.

That's all for today!

[Becky]

Beth & Letha - thanks for dropping in!

Congrats on making your goal weight. How wonderful!

I still have not cooked with tofu. Every time I buy it, it sits in the fridge until it's spoiled. I was really tempted by the recipe on the McDougall DVD for tofu "scrambled eggs". They looked quick and easy and actually looked like they would taste good. Have you ever tried them?

Thanks Beth!! Tofu can be kind of intimidating before you know what to do with it. I haven't actually made the recipe from the McDougall DVD, but I've made many variations of scrambled tofu by just sauteeing vegetables, adding crumbled or mashed tofu, some seasoning, and heating through. It's pretty easy. In my opinon you need a fair amount of salt to make it tasty, but maybe that's just me!

Letha, I would have to agree with you, it's hard to defend popular media in a lot of cases, but to clump all fiction into one throw-away category is a little too extreme (IMHO). But, to each their (his, in this case) own!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Still raining here! First we have none, now it won't stop! Since it's been hard to get outside between rain showers, today I decided to do a complete Strong Women Stay Young workout - the 8 basic exercises, plus the supplementals. Felt good to be moving my body.

March is birthday month at my house. Mine, my husband's, and three of my kids all celebrate birthdays this month. So, lots of celebrating coming up. I've scheduled the Big Bash (where we go out for dinner for all the birthdays in one night) at Fresh Choice. This is a buffet style restaurant that has an awesome salad bar, baked potatoes, pasta with at least one vegetarian topping, and soups with at least one vegan option. I thought I would be able to do well here - lots of heatlhy choices.

Other than that, getting ready to pull up stakes and get back on the road in a couple of weeks. Can't believe it's just around the corner!

[Letha.]

Hi Becky,
I’m doing the Strong Women exercises too. Are you using your water dumbbells? Do they have different water dumbbells for different weights or do you just change the weight by how much you fill them up? Do you have ankle weights too? I’m waiting for some ankle weights I ordered online.

So are you just going to go sightseeing for a while or are you just traveling to a summer location?
Letha

[Becky]

Hi Becky,
I’m doing the Strong Women exercises too. Are you using your water dumbbells? Do they have different water dumbbells for different weights or do you just change the weight by how much you fill them up? Do you have ankle weights too? I’m waiting for some ankle weights I ordered online.
Letha

Hi Letha,

Yes, I am using my water dumbbells (Aquabells). They come as a set (two dumbbells) w/4 weights per dumbbell that can be filled with water to regulate the weight, for a maxium of 16 lbs per side. (They weigh only 24 oz. when collapsed.) Right now I have each side at about 4.5 pounds, using two weights per side. I've never had all the weights on, or completely filled up. Don't know if I will ever be ready for 16 pounds per side!

I don't have the ankle weights, but AquaBells does have an 8 lb. set (4lbs. each side). I'm still thinking about getting those. Right now I do the Strong Women leg exercises without the weights. I keep thinking my running takes care of my legs, but I realize that only targets certain muscles. (I know this because I am sore today - even without having used the weights! )

So are you just going to go sightseeing for a while or are you just traveling to a summer location?
Letha

A little of both - from the middle of March to the middle of May we will be visiting family and friends in San Diego, Phoenix, and Arkansas. Come May 15 we will be in north east Michigan for 5 months at an RV Golf resort where we will be working about 20 hours a week in exchange for rent, wifi, satellite TV, and unlimited golf. Currently I do not golf (DH does), but will probably take this opportunity to learn!

[Letha.]

Hey Becky
Learning to golf. That sounds like fun. Walking in the fresh air and sunshine.

I’m doing the leg exercises without weights now too and it’s challenging for me. I think I’ll be ready to add weights to one leg before the other. I wonder if that will make me lopsided.
Letha

[toadfood]

Hey Becky,

Congrats on adding weight training! That's what's next for me, too.

I went and checked out the Aquabells web site -- what a great idea those are, especially for traveling!

[Becky]

Letha & Toadfood - thanks for stopping by! Letha, you will have to let us know if you develop a lopsided leg, hehe!!

Wow! On Wednesday when I decided to do a "light" resistance type workout, I guess I didn't know how out of shape I was in!! In addition to the 8 fairly moderate exercises from the "Strong Women Stay Young" book, I added in the supplemental crunchies and pushups, plus a couple of stretching type exercises. Then I decided I would jump rope for a few minutes. The way I approached the jump rope was to jump (as slowly as possible and still turn the rope!) for 60 seconds, rest for 60 seconds. I did this for a total of 4-6 times, so a maximum of 6 minutes of jumping. Well, I have been so sore, both yesterday and today! My calves especially! I figured my arms would be sore from the pushups, but I thought my calves were in better shape. Actually, everything hurts! But mostly my calves and upper arms. Part of the 8 exercises include toe stands, so that, on top of the jump rope, I guess, messed up my calves. Wow - I guess that means I need to do this more, eh?

Had some disappointing news today! I had my cholesterol rechecked yesterday because I wanted to make sure the 135 reading was not just a fluke (nobody, including me, could believe it had come down so far, so quickly). I got the results back this morning, 177. LDL too high (104). I'm not sure what to think now! My one thought is that when I had the first test, it was right after bein sick for quite a while, and I was eating very sparsley. Maybe that brought my level down lower than it would normally have been. I still consider myself "on plan", but I'm eating more overall, and have probably let certain things start slipping back in (olives? avocado? not as careful at restaurants?). In any case, I think I will start keeping a food journal so I can track my eating and make sure I'm not slipping into bad habits.

Hope everyone is off to a good start for the weekend!

Becky

[LauraA]

Hi Becky, I haven't read your journal before, but I want to say "hi" - I stopped by because Letha mentioned that you have aqua bells. I'm really enjoying your journal - how great to be at goal weight! Congratulations! How do you like the aqua bells? I used to do Strong Women Stay Young years ago - but for the last 5 or so years I've done Curves. I like Curves a lot, and started it because I couldn't really take weights when I traveled ( I have kids and grandkids all over the place!) Now, though, I travel to some places that don't have Curves .I work for part of each year in Tanzania. I'm really wondering if I should buy aqua bells. Also, I have no idea how this would mix with Curves. Any thoughts? Thank you so much. Take care, LauraA

[Letha.]

Since I can do toe stands but not jump rope I’d hazard a guess that jumping rope is harder and therefore the likely culprit in your calf pain. The new cholesterol readings must be frustrating for you. But hey, if it causes you to tighten up your program then maybe it’s a good reality check. One of the things I’ve learned from reading about your journey is how much difference even small changes can make. Hope you’re having a good weekend Becky.
Letha

[Becky]

Hi Becky, I haven't read your journal before, but I want to say "hi" - I stopped by because Letha mentioned that you have aqua bells. I'm really enjoying your journal - how great to be at goal weight! Congratulations! How do you like the aqua bells? I used to do Strong Women Stay Young years ago - but for the last 5 or so years I've done Curves. I like Curves a lot, and started it because I couldn't really take weights when I traveled ( I have kids and grandkids all over the place!) Now, though, I travel to some places that don't have Curves .I work for part of each year in Tanzania. I'm really wondering if I should buy aqua bells. Also, I have no idea how this would mix with Curves. Any thoughts? Thank you so much. Take care, LauraA

Hi LauraA! Thanks for dropping by my journal! Thanks for the congrats on meeing my goal weight, I appreciate it! I've never tried Curves, so I can't tell you how using the AquaBells would mesh with that. I don't see how it could hurt, though! Different days, different exercises, I think any and all approaches would be beneficial.

I like the Aquabells a lot for the specific reasons they were developed. That is, to be portable and lightweight for traveling. They meet those goals very well. And, they seem to be well constructed, durable, and hold the amount of water they say they will, at the advertised weight per dumbbell. What I don't like about them is that they are bulky. When filled with water, pound per pound, they are larger than metal weights because water takes up more volume than metal. It makes them a little more cumbersome at first, but I think I 've gotten used to that. I also miss having several dumbbells in several different weights ready to go at any time. In order to change the weight of the dumbbell, I have to add or release water, and I'm not necessarily using the same weight for every exercise I do. I have settled on a medium range so I don't have to change the water level too often. All that being said, I'm still glad I have them in my situation, as the alternative would be either "nothing", or trying to use canned foods, or filling old water bottles and taping them together. (I did try these methods at one time or another, and not with great results.) And the more I use them, the more used to them I get, and the more I like them.

Hope that helped!

[Becky]

Since I can do toe stands but not jump rope I’d hazard a guess that jumping rope is harder and therefore the likely culprit in your calf pain. The new cholesterol readings must be frustrating for you. But hey, if it causes you to tighten up your program then maybe it’s a good reality check. One of the things I’ve learned from reading about your journey is how much difference even small changes can make. Hope you’re having a good weekend Becky.
Letha

Yes, I think you are right, Letha, it must be the jumprope. My calves are STILL sore today - unbelievable!! Acutally, I was skipping rope - one leg leaving the ground at a time, not the harder jumping up with both feet together. I really am a whimp!

I agree - I think the small changes can really make a difference - I have to remember that and not get complacent!

Take care,
Becky

[seestorcoo]

jumping rope is brutal!! Its one of those things that my adult body just rebels at - it screams immediately NO! I'm so impressed that you can do that.

You must be getting close to going back on the road now that its march. Are you getting excited?

Have a good day!