Several readers have asked me to elaborate on what I write in it.
The daily habit helps me try and stay accountable
it acts as a motivator...
It is a convenient way to document my thoughts,
to track my Weight Watcher Points and to record my weight.
Its been a busy few days
so writing has been brief and done just before bedtime.
I like to set the mood before writing by lighting a scented candle
brew a pot of decaf tea
(caffeine later in the day does not contribute to my sleep)
I will sit in the quiet and reflect upon my day.
Here is an excerpt from the journal when I started...
A few snippets
my weight
the meals.
I often add any food temptations
how I coped or did not cope with them.
The exercise that I did that day.
Thoughts of gratitude, things that made me smile, quotes that inspire...
the journal is very personal and I am free to write a rant if I so desire.
When I write first thing in the morning
I often write my goals for that particular day.
If I start my day with a positive theme it continues throughout the day.
It also helps me to exercise if I put my fitness gear on right after my shower.
This is a signal for me to get that out of the way before commencing with the rest of my day.
Exercise is on the agenda and I am not going to change into my dressy clothes
until I go for my walk or do my kettle bell workout.
Fruit makes up the bulk of my snacks and is the basis for any dessert.
I track my WW points with the handy counter.
If you are keen to change or influence your health and wellness
I firmly believe that a journal can help.
The support that you get at WW meetings is incredibly helpful
if you are struggling with your weight I would not hesitate to recommend WW.
My weight is not moving very much and I admit that I am feeling frustrated...
I may be signing up for WW again but plan to up my exercise first.
I try not to obsess about a few extra pounds
but I do feel much better,
have more energy
and like how my clothes fit when I am lighter.
A reader emailed me about a gym in Oak Bay that offers classes for 55 and older
they have exercise machines and a punch card is available for a modest cost
so I have made an appointment and will see if it is something that I would enjoy.
A bunch of former alumni got together for a reunion at the home of one of the teachers.
There was a great turn out and it was lovely seeing so many of the staff.
We all worked together at a local community school and it had been quite a few years since we had everyone gathered together.
So much history, so many shared experiences and oodles of memories.
The animated chatter and laughter filled the afternoon to the brim.
XO
How was your weekend?
~ Be Well and Be Kind ~
30 comments:
Just a quickie to say how impressed I am with your pretty handwriting. So neat! Mine has been on a downward slide since the advent of the computer. Yours is just beautiful.
Wishing you all the best with your WW campaign, sounds like you're on the right course with lots of fruit and keeping active.
What a wonderful gathering we had. You looked fabulous.
try Hot yoga!!! Love it and I am older than you!!! love your blog!!!
The little breakfast book in your well-crafted home is just gorgeous - what a nice spot to sit and write.
Thank you for the information on WW and sharing your journal. I went right out when I read it and found a little journal I received for Christmas then wrote my first entry! I definitely find fruit is the answer when I motivate myself.
Be careful at the gym. I ruined my knees on the treadmill. It seems that people with arthritis should not use them. Who knew???? Love your blog. It always has some relevance to my life or adds joy to my day.
I never thought too much about my hand writing...its a mix of printing and writing. Not what I was taught in school in grade 3 but it is my style.
I am trying to stay the course on the WW and exercise journey...at some point the scales will reflect my efforts!
It was grand wasn't it? Everyone looked so amazing...just want to say how much I appreciate your friendship Becky.
Loads of people here love it too! Good that you have found something that you enjoy participating in...
The nook is a cozy little spot in which to sit and gaze out upon the garden.
Sounds like we are both on this journey together!
Fruit is like candy when you cut out the sweet stuff!
Hi Kathy,
Sorry to hear that you had that experience on the treadmill...I will take your advice and be careful...I am hoping to start with a class that focuses on strengthening the core...an area where I am weak. They also offer Yoga and latin dance!
What a charming nook to sit in and relax. I can just picture you sitting there and planning out your day. I commend your determination to your health and fitness - good for you. Actually I think that after a certain age a women looks better if she isn't too thin, it really isn't flattering.
I love going to my gym, it is very small and non-intimidating, I work out for 30 minutes with my personal trainer and then spend 30 minutes on the machines, etc. Because I pay for it I always manage to get there. Good luck!
My weight is going up, not down and it is depressing. I dislike the gym my husband talked me into joining so I don't go. A waste of money and makes me feel guilty! I don't have a plan and I need to make one. After 60, loosing those extra pounds is so hard.
Paying for the service definitely can motivate you! You are very wise Adrienne.
The idea of a personal trainer appeals to me but that cost may be prohibitive...will see what this new club has to offer as I know they have trainers on staff.
Gosh it seems like most women over 60 are saying the exact same thing about losing the weight...we are all struggling with a few pounds that seem to be difficult to shed. As I mentioned in another post I read that women's estrogen levels are decreasing at this age and fat cells have estrogen in them so nature may be working behind the scenes to protect our heart health. So perhaps we are genetically wired to add a padding of fat in our midsections so that we live longer?
If you really hate that gym...please find something that works for you...many women love Zumba, line dancing, swimming, aqua fit. (I love Yoga) Good luck and please let me know if you find something that you enjoy.
I just had my physical. 65 years old now and my weight is going up. The extra weight slows me down and I am another product of poor Physical Education teaching practise in the 1960's. We are mostly not going to play team sports in adult life so we probably needed to learn to feel comfortable with our bodies and to take care of them throughout our lives. I've got the journal on the table and I've not written in it. I entered 2 meals on My Fitness Pal and....I must buy the fitness pass and start a program. I'm leaving at the end of February so WW would not work right now. I met with my daughter last week. She's at 40 pounds of weight loss after her surgery but she is only able to eat tiny amounts. There is gentle yoga in Oaxaca so I think that I will join. I will probably meet some other ladies of a certain age to walk with. They have a hiking club but I am really a stroller or a rambler. I just started To Capture What We Cannot Keep, a Paris love story set a the time of the construction of the Eiffel Tower. You would probably enjoy it.
Your daughter is doing so well...40 pounds is a significant amount of weight to lose. As you are away from home and weigh ins are not possible your WW and fitness pass will have to wait but you could use this time to get ready for a change, just a thought, as some of us, myself included, need to mentally prepare for new ventures.
Thank you for the book suggestion.
The time of year doesn't encourage weightless with the damp, miserable weather. Also February is my birthday month which doesn't help either. Still Spring is round the corner to inspire us.
Oh I hear you loud and clear!
The snowdrops are blooming and some daffodils are up so I say bring on Spring...
Thanks for sharing how you organize your journal and the things that you record. I so agree with what you say about feeling so much better and having more energy when "lighter". Sticking to fruit for a snack/dessert is something I have not been good at as of late. Loved the picture with "Wellington" on the sidewalk - I live on Wellington Drive .
I hate everything about the gym, so I have subscribed to a program that streams a daily walk-at-home segment through an app. I really like it, and it boosts my step count tremendously. At this age (approaching 65), I finally have time to pursue creative hobbies. The dilemma is that making things is most often a sedentary activity. I know the experts are now telling us that sitting=death, but I'm not willing to give up doing what I love. The (beautiful, hopefully) things I make will live much longer than I. Hostess, you said you do your exercise after you shower in the morning. I like that idea, but don't you get all sweaty and in need of another shower afterward? Your breakfast nook is as lovely as the rest of your home.
Wellington has a very distinguished sound...great name for a street, even better if it is a drive.
I have avoided sweets lately, once I start I cannot seem to stop.
My walks do not make me sweat very much and the kettle bell workouts are done later in the day...I like to break up my exercise.
My neighbour who is trim and fit is an artist and she paints in her studio for many hours each day..she walks for about an hour every day and it seems to work for her.
It will be interesting if this gym appeals to me because I think I would just hop out of bed get dressed in my workout gear and go there and then shower after...when I get home.
Your handwriting is lovely, Leslie. It is hard to lose weight just now - our age doesn't help, nor does this time of year when I just want to eat carbs. The weight loss will come because you are determined! Hang in there.
Your hand writing is lovely (agree with Miss Lorrie) and many people don't make an effort to write "pretty", let alone legible. I started what was to be a bullet journal but it has become mostly a listing of my BP and sugar readings and what I have eaten. Post-menopausal pounds seem to hang on like lumps of concrete. I admire women who can find an exercise program that works for them and stick to it. Seventy is rapidly approaching (how did that happen? ha!) and I need to take care of this old body.
Thank you for those encouraging words...
I am determined not to let this wear me down.
I took a course once on a Pro-D day and it was an illustrated journal with stickers and magazine cut outs, bits of ribbon and rose petals...the instructor suggested that we use our best handwriting and I never thought at the time how much nicer it was to look at until I pulled out that same project awhile back...and now I have to agree it does make a difference.
Your journal sounds like it is working to help you monitor your daily medical and food info...bullet notes are quick and easy.
Oh I love the "visual" that those "lumps of concrete" evoke in my mind!
We all need to be mindful of how we treat our bodies as they are the vessel that allow us to move about and enjoy life...good nutrition, movement, meditation, stretching, perhaps massage or Yoga...and lets not forget to be gentle with ourselves while we are on this journey. 70 is a great number...love the milestone birthdays!
I will keep your artist neighbor as an inspiration. I hope you end up liking this gym and your scheduling plan works out just right!
The gym has great hours and they offer classes and equipment...the staff are professional and friendly. It might be exactly what I need to amp up my exercise.
I, too, find a journal helpful in the area of health & weight loss/maintenance (which is actually just part of a satisfying life). Instead of having multiple journals as some do, I stick to one which helps me in my goal of integrating the multiple aspects of daily living... I'm ALWAYS interested in the ways other people journal. This post was really inspiring ♥
I treasure our friendship and am grateful to read your lovely blog.
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