The FastDay Forum

HI @Roscoe! I read some of yr earliest posts and ive just read this last one
Such a good point you make about not eating when stressed.well done doing the mowing instead!
I think you're such an interesting writer..i must come back and catch up on yr other posts!
We just have to keep on keeping on dont we!
Ps will watch the vid you mention X

July 03, 2018 Weight this morning 159.5 pounds BP 128/85
Gosh, I got a bit under 160 on the weight. 160 is where I want to be and stay so 155 to 160 ought to work for me. I kinda look like a prune now with the wrinkles that showed up. I use to wear lose clothes to camouflage the fat now I wear them to hide the wrinkles. That's OK, I'd rather have the wrinkles.
Not much going on today. I rested most of the day and finally got ambitious enough to start mowing the back yard. It's way out of control and I had to dig out a mower with a side discharge chute and get it running so I could even cut the grass/weeds and it clogged up often. I got about a 1/4 of the yard mowed now and came in to rest a bit and drink some water. It's unbelievable how the stable angina has gone away. No problem pushing that mower now and no need for the nitrostat either. I've had to use the nitrostat for the past 5 years when I mowed the yards and I didn't get far sometimes without taking it. I don't know if I'm reversing any clogged arteries but something has sure changed. I can shove that mower right through the tall grass now without having to stop because of chest discomfort or getting tired.
I'm taking 1/2 the lisinopril now for my BP. I got by pretty on that amount yesterday, a little light headed but that ought to adjust if I stay regular with it.
The nursing home called and the doctor has reduced mom's pain meds, probably so her mind can clear up a bit more than anything and so she won't fall to often. I guess that's a good thing but she will take off on her own in her wheel chair if she can. They have an alarm trigger on it and the "prison break" alarm goes off when she tries going out the main doors. Mom wouldn't get very far anyway, she tires out pretty quickly. Mom is 94 btw.
It was hot today, heat index 108 when I checked about 4, I waited until it cooled down some before tackling the back yard. No bike riding today and Maggie and I missed our walk this morning, I'd gone back to bed and it was to warm by the time I finally got around to walk her. Oh yeah, I took the cell phone I found to Sprint since it was active with them. They can deal with it, it was receiving calls but I couldn't get it to talk before it went to voice mail.
OK, break is over, back to mowing the yard before it gets to dark.
Thanks for the comment, CandiceMarie ,,,,
Later,
Roscoe

I recall reading somewhere that "guys don't get wrinkles"; that we get "character lines" instead.

July 05, 2018 Weight this morning 160 BP 100/75 ?
The wrinkles, better than a "skin apron" like those on the biggest loser have.
I did ride the bike today and Maggie and I walked our mile, the bike ride was to return the spark plug I got yesterday which should have been a tapered seat spark plug instead of the metal gasket kind that I'd gotten by not paying attention. Then I sashayed over to the grocery store and got some food (healthy veggies) then back home. 6 or seven miles. Later I went to Sears on the 50cc scooter to get a device to hook to the drill to spin the weed trimmer so I don't have to use the pull cord. But still no new spark plug. I'll get that thing running if it takes me all summer. Nothing more frustrating than trying to fix an old weed trimmer. Someday I'll learn to leave them on the curb maybe. This is the a 4 stroke one though so I have to do it. What does this have to do with dieting and fasting? Keeps me busy and my mind off eating?
What else is going on? My watch is a couple or three inches further up my arm now, I need to take a link out of the watch band. That's a job you don't drink 4 cups of coffee and attempt and I'll have to find my strongest reading glasses and good light also. Yes, I'm old and still wear a watch and there isn't much chance I'll make up the fat loss on my arms with new muscle.
The weight crept up over the years and though I knew these things had changed buy I didn't realize how much the extra pounds had affected so many things.
That's it for now, I better go see if I can get that weed trimmer sparking and maybe running.
Later,
Roscoe

Thank you for your lovely 'newsy' posts, @Roscoe. You have done so well with your weight loss and I love your 'can do' attitude to all aspects of your life. Keep the posts coming!

July 7, 2018 Weight 164 BP 140/82

And thank You, StowgateReesid for your kind comment.
Progress not perfection, The scales said I was 164 this morning that puts me as close to being back to overweight as possible without going into the over weight bracket. I'm going to have to make more adjustments. I am eating almost normal and filling up the old digestive system and it's looking like the food there is a bit heavier than I thought it would be, also the water retention that comes and goes. I know the weight gain isn't due to extra calories but just the mass. So the plan now is fast on down to 156 for sure and see what happens when I get back to the new normal amount of calories/day. I was going to buy 5 lbs of potatoes but that's been put off now. That will be a test when it happens, can I have potatoes around and eat them reasonably? Meaning not loaded with the extras that helped put on the pounds of the past.
My systolic BP was to high so I took half a BP med, this morning. I'd like to be able to get by without any of the BP med but no problem if it's needed. The pharmacy called the other day and said it was time for a refill but I've got plenty of Linsinopril since I've been cutting the tablets in half and skipping days seeing if I can go without it. They said they have it in 10 mg tablets also so I'll ask the doctor to prescribe that. They are little pills and cutting them in half the way I do isn't very accurate.
The curb find weed trimmer ..... it started and ran! I'd have never got it going with just the pull cord, but the drill spinning it did the trick. I ran it long enough and trimmed some of the yard to know it was a "keeper" so I ordered the air cleaner parts that are missing and they should arrive next week. I'm going to have yard of the week in the hood here. Interesting thing, later I was eating some supper and my right arm was shaking, palsy like and I almost couldn't shovel the food into my mouth. That's never happened before in my life! I'd taken a magnesium supplement that morning and actually I ran the weed trimmer quite a bit, it's a 4 stroke one and heavier than the 2 stroke ones. So the shaking was due to age? the magnesium supplement (dieting)? running the weed trimmer? Maybe all three? It cleared up later but that was something I've never experience before.
All in all things are going pretty well, still riding the bike but also riding the scooters more, I made a run to the store last night for some cottage cheese, I had it in my mind some cottage cheese with pineapple slices would be good for
supper. I took the little scooter the 50cc one and made it about three blocks and it conked out. I checked the gas line and no gas.... so I walked back home to get some gas. A neighbor offered to take me back to the scooter. I thought about it for a bit and said "yes" , now that's a big change for me, I'm used to doing things without help but it's time to start changing that. They were glad to do it, said I was a good neighbor and it turned into the really nice positive thing all around. It turned out to be a vacuum line that had slipped off the gas cut off but I got to know my neighbors better. So the scooter was up and running (once again) and on to the store to get the cottage cheese. While there I noticed corn on the cob and by the time I got back home I'd decided on corn on the cob instead, which I already had in the fridge. But later I did have some cottage cheese with some pear halves instead of pineapple slices. I'm watching the labels and got regular cottage cheese instead of the low fat kind and the pear halves were pack in natural juices not HFCS. Like I've mentioned before I'm an old school calorie counter. 3500 calories/pound ... eat less, change what ya eat, exercise, and what I consider maybe the most important is use a support group. You people are my support group! I can't even talk about losing weight to the folks around here about losing weight, They don't want to even want to think about losing weight, I keep hearing "I tried and diets don't work for me". I knew I was way overweight and didn't mind talking about it, I just wasn't motivated enough to do anything about it because I knew someday I was going to get around to losing those pounds. Reality is a first step. Oh well, ya can't save all, so far the only person I've changed is me.
I suppose I ought to go get some coffee, I'm out, I've got green tea but that stuff I can only drink a cup of it a day, I must be lacking green tea taste buds, we'll chock that up to genetics.
Dogs are telling me they are hungry so I guess I'd better quit typing and take care of the poor starving things. They are so spoiled.
Later,
Roscoe
Oh yeah ... a link ... smart people with lots of letters after their names.... https://www.health.harvard.edu/

July 9. 2018 weight 162 BP 110/75
I'm still 2 lbs away from the elusive 160 pound goal. It will happen, I could hurry it up but I'm eating more so it's slower going now but holding steady and slowly losing the weight.
Not a lot going on, I got the weed trimmer parts I ordered Friday, they were in today's mail, that's fast. The package must have made all the connections traveling to here over the weekend. It's just the missing air cleaner housing and little foam air filter. It took longer to find the proper torx bit to use to install it then it did to actually install the part. I don't like to run an engine without an air filter and I intend to use a dust mask also for me, and eye protection, more because of allergies than worrying about losing an eye. I often think about how people take better care of their cars than they do themselves, and I've been guilty of that also. Trimming the drive, sidewalks and curb kicks up a lost of dust and dirt and flying grass and weeds.
I got some potatoes, baking kind.... the intention here is to cut the outside off and toss the cube or rectangle starchy insides out in the back yard. The birds and the squirrels can have that if they want it. We'll see if they eat it I also got more corn on the cob to microwave and eat. I was watching Dr. Oz today and the nutritionist mentioned using salsa on salads. That's what I've doing but I put it on a lot of things, pretty low calories with salsa. Aldi's here is still closed for remodeling and enlarging of the store, I'll sure be glad when they reopen. Shopping at the other stores, everything seems to cost more and some times quite a bit more. On the news a while ago Costco is dropping their polish sausage hot dog and planning to replace it with healthier foods. Of course people are complaining.
Maggie and I had our walk this morning, I'm still picking up the plastic bottles and dropping them in the trash containers as we go along. No deposit on them here so some people just throw them out the window as they drive and they stay around forever.
A neighbor had a flat tire and they running on the little donut spare, I've got the ability to fix those so I repaid a favor and patched it for him yesterday. I enjoy messing with the old tires, that was one of my first jobs over 50 years ago and it always brings back lots of memories. No problem with weight back then and I ate because I was HUNGRY, problem was I didn't always have the money for food but those were sure good days. A hamburger and coke were less than 50 cents back then and that was about all I could afford, french fries were another 15 cents so I usually did without those.
All in all it's a good day today, I'm being lazy but when it cools off some I might fire up that weed trimmer and see just how well it works. Or I might finally get around to changing the bearings in the beater brush on the vacuum. Always something to do, but not to much!
That's about it for now. I'm still on course but moving slower now.
Later,
Roscoe

July 11, 2018 weight 160.5 lbs BP 110/82
Seems like the BP should have been around 75 but that's what it was. I'm happy with the weight though. It should eventually move on down a bit and then up a bit and then down a bit .... hopefully.... no it WILL stay below 160 soon enough.
This is another go visit mom at the nursing home, the doctor cut her pain meds back some, so maybe she will be more lucid this go around. I dread these trips, mom is hard to deal with, she has no idea what day it is, when I was there last or what is what. She still recognizes me but when I tell her I'm not taking her anywhere in my car she acts like a two year old. No way I'd try taking her "to town" she can't get from her wheel chair to the car by herself. I've got no business trying to even attempt that. She's already fallen and broken a hip and she fell again and broke her arm at the nursing home. But I'll go and we'll deal with it, Maggie stays home now, Last time mom rolled down to her room and opened the door when Maggie was in the room, I was in the dinning room talking to some of the others, The nursing home dog was bothering Maggie and it was difficult trying to deal with mom and Hank (the nursing home dog) and all the other things going on...... so Maggie stays home now. Maggie and I did get our walk done a while ago so that is done.
The drive way is a couple of feet wider now that the new (to me) weed trimmer is up and running and I've got my sidewalk back! I was going to buy a really new weed trimmer this year but this one showed up and thus far it's working OK.
I've been hearing more and more about taxing sugar, for once I wouldn't mind a new tax. Something needs to be done or obesity/diabetes type II is going to break our health care system. A touchy subject but I wouldn't mind if the airlines started charging passengers by their weight, that would make things interesting. Airlines are like cable TV you wind up paying someone else's share when you fly.
I guess I'd better get cleaned up and go see mom, I made a special trip to the grocery store to get her some bananas, although the nursing home has fresh fruit it's a mom deal. She wants them then doesn't eat them but that gets me to do something, controlling behavior on mom's part.
Later folks,
Roscoe

July 15, 2018 weight 162 BP 118/78
Seems like I must be satisfied with the 162 area but I'd rather be a bit below 160 so I'll continue to watch what I'm eating and keep riding the bike till I get there. My daily variance can be 3 lbs. I don't mind weighing often, it just shows how much a person's weight can vary while continuing to lose weight or maintain it. I'm also working on getting my BP where it ought to be, the half dose of the one BP medicine seems to be about right. I doubt I'll ever get the diastolic down much past 80 because of my age and my old arteries are probably like concrete now.
Maggie and I had our walk this morning we had a late start and it was getting a little warm for her but we made it. I don't really know why but I've gotten ridiculously stupid about picking up litter as we go along. It started out picking up those weekly free shopping newspapers that some never bother to pick up and throw away, then plastic bottles because they stay around forever since they don't deteriorate, and now even paper litter and Styrofoam cups. I guess I do it because it's something to do as we walk along. I still leave the aluminum cans for someone who wants those to sell for money.
Not a whole lot going on around here now, and it's going to be hot next week so probably even less outdoor stuff till it cools down some. There's always mowing to do this time of year if it rains and it has rained, the alley needs a good mowing again. The west garage automatic door opener is on the fritz and a big decision to try to fix the control board in the unit or just buy a new garage door opener. Not much over a hundred bucks for a new one.... for a garage door I might use twice a month? But it's sure handy when it works.
All in all I'm just really happy with the weight loss. I was at walmart and I saw only a few folks there I'd say less than 10% that would be considered "normal" weight, the others were obviously overweight, obese and of course the scooter people. I can't help but think how many of those could be helped if only they would lose that weight ......... gulp, that was me 6 years ago and actually only 6 months ago. All we have to do is "do it" Good news my friend who I got turned on to skipping meals in his case is down to 202 ! He said that's where he was when he got married years ago. He's still doing a lot of sugar but he's doing something and it's a start, he said his wife has also lost 4 lbs but she didn't need to lose much.
That's about it for now, no big plans for today, maybe ride the bike some and of course mow mow mow.
Later, Folks
Roscoe

Good for you picking up the litter. Why is it that people litter? I can't quite work it out. I understand there can be accidental litter, but most is deliberate.

You have done tremendously well with your weight loss, don't get too bothered by the actual number - as you say, it can vary so much without any change in the amount of body fat. The main thing is to be eating nutritiously according to hunger.

Best wishes!

July 20, 2018 weight 162 BP 110/80
Thankya, thankya, thankya, Sassy,
Why do people litter? I don't know, why does anyone do anything? Oh yeah, dopamine and seritoniun..... I guess they get a dose of one or the other for littering and I get a dose for picking it up? My motivation isn't really altruistic, I just do it for something to do as we walk along. Maybe a little altruistic but not much.
My sister e-mailed me this morning a childhood friend of ours had a bad stroke and is in the hospital now, still alive but it was a major stroke. Another reminder to take care of myself, my time is coming soon enough and I'm doing what I can to push it out as long as possible.
I scored big time as the 2nd hand shop the other day, a new pair of shoes, a muffin tray for the sockets so I can sort them out by size, those numbers on the sockets are way to small or my eyes are to old, Sears makes some big numbered sockets I suppose I ought to invest in some of those. The shoes I got were like new and seemed to be of good quality so I looked them up when I got home... Brooks and they are high dollar ! 120-150 bucks for brand new ones, That's way more than I ever paid for shoes. I paid 5.98 and 10% off for being a senior. I also got a food scale thing but it's not very accurate good enough for big things up to 5 lbs but the ounces aren't exact. I also got some other things but I don't remember what they were.
I got the bearings for the vacuum and they fit just perfect. I need to put it back together and give it a test run. The old Panasonic rides again, or vacuums again. I really like that old vacuum, one swipe with it and it gets whatever it was that was on the floor.
Not a whole lot else happening, I got almost 11 miles on the bike the other day, 10.955, another few feet and it would have been 11.
So far I haven't lost any more weight and haven't gained any more in the big scheme of things. That's good......... so far. I even got some ginger snaps the other day. The problem is just like when losing the pounds they sometimes don't show up for a few days when losing and the same for gaining. Constant vigilance at least till I get all new habits firmly implanted in my brain. That's why I picked "no more than 160" as a goal, it's like a speedometer to me, Don't exceed it... and I'm two over now. A couple of days ago I was below 160. I'd rather get on down and then not bounce around the 160 but thus far that hasn't happened. It will if I behave myself.
The neighbor kid the other day was having a tough time changing the serpentine belt on his old Chevy and I got called in to action! Sure brought back memories when I had to keep old cars running so I could get to work, so I could make some money to buy more parts, to keep the car running and fueled. We got his car going one more time for how long I don't know ... the harmonic balancer was wobbling big time after the new belt was on. He wasn't to concerned about it, it was running! Kids .......
That's about it for now,
Later,
Roscoe

July 22, 2018 weight 159 BP 115/75

Sunday morning, time to fill the weekly pill box again. Only 1/2 of one of the old BP meds now and supplements.
Maggie and I just got back from our walk, I found a penny and a yo-yo in the parking lot of the fried chicken place. The yo-yo was intact and usable so I played with that the rest of the way home. Yo-yos are like bicycles, you never forget how to use them once you learn. The neighbors were on their front porch having their first smoke of the day and I gave the yo-yo to them to give to their kid.
The trip to visit mom yesterday was one of the better ones. Mom is unhappy there but like I told her that's what happens when you get that old. She can't care for herself and I'm not able to give her the care she needs, my sisters have plenty of family problems to deal with .... so mom stays where she is. It's not all that bad, good food, TV, clean sheets, she could have a computer but she turned her nose up at that when I got her one a few years ago. Several things could be done to make it easier, more comfortable and more stimulating but she is so stubborn she won't accept anyone else's ideas. The long and the short of it, she is a selfish controlling person and she controlled herself right into the nursing home by not doing what others suggested, like eating properly and taking better care of herself through the years and especially not planning ahead. I don't know how often the other clients at the nursing home get visitors but I hardly ever see anyone visiting when I'm there. I go every 10 days and got mom a calendar and put big X's on the days I'll be there. It took her a while but now she understands it and looks forward to the visits. She also understands when I tell it's time for me to go back home it means I'm leaving and no amount of conjoling, begging or crying works. It's a long story but there is a reason things are the way they are.
So today is a good day, A new all time low weight wise, I don't have to worry about mom for another 9 days, the weather has cooled down, the yard doesn't need mowing (at least not by my standards) the vacuum is fixed! Gratitude is in order. Oh yeah, Aldi's finally reopened, a bigger store now. I rode the scooter over last night and got a cantaloupe for breakfast today and some cans of soup. Funny thing, I was really hungry for cantaloupe last night, this morning I'm not. A bowl of cereal sounds better right now. I'm a lot more into veggies and complex carbs, very little meat and I mean very very little, some fish maybe once a week and whatever chicken is in a can of chicken noodle or rice soup. I tend to use oat meal or shredded wheat instead of crackers with the soup. Very little processed foods now and very little sugar or HFCS.
Enough blabbing for now,
Later Folks,
Roscoe

I have such a picture of you, Roscoe, as you go about your daily activities. A bit of a "fix-it" man, very independent, relaxed, quietly friendly, out and about walking your dog, on your bike.

And I can associate with your experiences with your mother and the nursing home...

Best wishes!

July 26, 2018 Weight this morning 161 BP 120/79

All is well around here, as well as it ever gets. I'm pretty much where I want to be weight wise and now I'm still adjusting to not gaining it back. I'm working in some of the food I've had around for a long long time as I go. I just can't bring myself to throw food away. Today it was pears, a can of pear slices packed in heavy syrup... I did pour the juice down the drain though. I love those pear slices but they have so much sugar added they might as well be candy,
Not a lot going on, and yes, Sassy, I'm always tinkering with something. I even buy things at the 2nd hand shop just to bring them home and take them apart. We call that "tear downs" it's a guy thing. Youtube has lots of tear downs. We do it to see what's in them, how they were made and what the idea was to even make some of things that were made. I retired almost 19 years ago and I had no problem retiring, there is always something to do, something to watch, something to listen to, or something to read. On the trips to visit mom, I've noticed how much more visible the cars with daytime running lights are so the old Toyota I have is going to get them. More to it than I thought, they have to dim or turn off when the headlights are turned on and be placed within certain areas of the vehicle to be legal. Through the years I've had many close calls and one serious wreck and something like the daytime running lights probably could have kept them from happening. The parts should arrive tomorrow. Shouldn't be much of a problem installing them. LOL, my EX somewhere probably just rolled her eyes when I typed that and doesn't know why. I was famous for taking 4 hours to do a 10 minute job.
The weather cooled off a bit here and I'm deciding if I should take the dogs to the dog park or ride the bike. My ankle is a little sore so the dogs will probably get to go to the dog park, and there are some birds that attack me on the bike. They hit pretty hard and it's startling when on the bike. They swoop in from behind and "SLAP" on the back of my head. It's like getting swatted with a newspaper, doesn't hurt but since I can't look backwards while riding the bike I never know when they are coming. It's only one small area where I ride the bike but it's enough to make me think twice before riding there.
That's the update, I'm not posting as often as before ... I got to where I wanted to be or almost to where I want to be, my posts I hope will show I'm holding the line on not gaining it back. Mind over matter, hormones over matter, common sense over matter, intelligence over matter? Whatever works! Maybe a diet belt? https://www.instructables.com/id/diet-belt/
Later Folks, Thanks for being here, Keeps me ........ what's that word I hate? ............... accountable.
Roscoe

When everyone has daytime lights, no one has daytime lights.

Going to Home Depot (like auto parts or hardware stores in the past) was once fun. Up and down every isle so you don't miss anything. Now all three just contain - NO, not products and interesting tools - but "work".

Spent 2 minutes once changing an O2 sensor....and the next 4 hours trying to undo the connector to the old one. You could see it or touch it, but not both. Similar issue with a starter motor. Step 1: Jack car to moon and remove entire exhaust assembly (!!). Step 2: Look in mirror and say eye-Dee-ten-Tee to the person you see there. Still could (car maint.), but _really_ don't want to.

This should help with the birds.

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+ ... 2654005239

I'm warming up to the idea of either pink one for me. Should go well with my wife's too-small step-through bike when I borrow it to go asparagus hunting in the spring.