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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Open Thread: Think Good Thoughts!

Open Thread: Think Good Thoughts!

by Anne Laurie|  December 30, 20166:12 pm| 239 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Science & Technology, Daydream Believers

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'Game of Thrones' author George RR Martin laments news of 'death, death and more death' in 2016 https://t.co/DjHuGE0SnZ pic.twitter.com/NOUPRFNJsZ

— Michiko Kakutani (@michikokakutani) December 30, 2016

On the other hand, BuzzFeed has a list of “16 Things That Happened In 2016 That Will Actually Cheer You Up“:

1. Half the world became free of war.
In September, the Colombian government signed a pact with FARC, the communist rebels with whom it had been fighting a bitter civil war for 52 years. That war was the last one in the Western hemisphere – there are now no active conflicts anywhere in the entire half of the world west of Greenwich…

3. The hole in the ozone layer has shown signs of healing for the first time…

6. Malaria is on the wane worldwide…

11. The number of AIDS deaths was way down…

14. Global carbon dioxide emissions have stopped going up.
They’ve stayed steady for the last two years, after going up an average of 3.5% a year during the 2000s.

It’s a product of a growing reliance on renewable energy and much slower growth in coal and oil use. We’re still pumping huge amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into in our atmosphere, and the stuff that’s already there will hang around. But if you were optimistic, you could see this as the peak; maybe emissions will start to drop…

Onward we trudge, one starfish at a time.
***********

What’s on the agenda as we start the Wrap-Up-2016 Weekend?

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Previous Post: « 2016 Will Never Fucking End
Next Post: Ill-Advised Cookie (Open Thread) »

Reader Interactions

239Comments

  1. 1.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 6:16 pm

    All right, my fellow jackals. My doctor is threatening me with statins if I don’t work harder to get my cholesterol down and I’m tired of being blobby, so I’m going to be slinking back to Weight Watchers and to the gym after the holiday. Who wants to join forces to trade tips?

  2. 2.

    Major Major Major Major

    December 30, 2016 at 6:20 pm

    I saw “think good thoughts” and “‘Game of Thrones’ author George RR Martin” and got VERY WORRIED for a second there, AL.

  3. 3.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 6:24 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: Dragons would be welcome right about now.

  4. 4.

    Librarian

    December 30, 2016 at 6:27 pm

    Whatever good news there is, like carbon dioxide emissions, Trump will find a way to reverse it.

  5. 5.

    Major Major Major Major

    December 30, 2016 at 6:28 pm

    @Baud: are you sure? I don’t know that I trust that Danaerys. I heard she once sent an email.

  6. 6.

    SuzieC

    December 30, 2016 at 6:29 pm

    Trump will take care of # 1.

  7. 7.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    December 30, 2016 at 6:30 pm

    While I may not end this year with a hike(other than my urban hike last night) since it’s raining; I fully intend to start 2017 with a hike, just as I did with 2016.

  8. 8.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    December 30, 2016 at 6:31 pm

    @SuzieC: #14 as well, since climate change is a hoax from Jyna.

  9. 9.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 6:32 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: That level of evil seems like too much for George R.R. Martin.

  10. 10.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 6:34 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA: Good way to bring in the new year.

  11. 11.

    schrodingers_cat

    December 30, 2016 at 6:34 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Me. I will join you in the battle of the bulge.

  12. 12.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 6:36 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA:

    Since it turns out that I’m further behind in my novel than I realized ?, I’m planning to make January my own novel writing month to get back on track, so I will be writing on 1/1.

    Still trying to figure out how to pause to do research on the tricky bits without losing all of my momentum.

  13. 13.

    SuzieC

    December 30, 2016 at 6:36 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA: Agree, but I worry most about # 1 since my son is serving in the military. Of course, # 1 and #14 are related.

  14. 14.

    chopper

    December 30, 2016 at 6:37 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    eat lots of greens. it helps.

  15. 15.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 6:39 pm

    @SuzieC: What does he do?

  16. 16.

    Roger Moore

    December 30, 2016 at 6:40 pm

    @Librarian:

    Whatever good news there is, like carbon dioxide emissions, Trump will find a way to reverse it.

    A lot of this stuff is, if not precisely out of his control, than at least something he can only affect at the margins. Renewable energy is now cheap enough to be cost competitive even without subsidies, and Trump can’t really do a lot to slow it’s adoption outside the US. Even within the US, there is now a big enough renewable energy industry that interfering with it will meet stiff resistance. For example, Texas, of all places, is now the top producer of wind energy in the US, so our new Energy Secretary nominee is likely to be more favorable to renewables than people might expect a former governor of Texas to be.

  17. 17.

    Yutsano

    December 30, 2016 at 6:40 pm

    This is unrelated to my Seattle trip, but I did apply for a managerial position back in my old office. I probably won’t know until March or April if I got selected, but I’ll keep y’all posted on what happens there. So that’s something fun to look forward to in 2017 for me.

  18. 18.

    SuzieC

    December 30, 2016 at 6:40 pm

    @Baud: Navy ET. Orders to Hawaii after C school.

  19. 19.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 6:41 pm

    @Yutsano: Good luck. I’m likely making career change soon.

  20. 20.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 6:41 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:

    Yay! I’m probably going to start with taking a 15-minute walk break every afternoon — my boss liked that because half the time I would come back with an idea for the office, so she’ll be on board.

    Food-wise, I took advantage of a Christmastime promotion with Plan To Eat and got a year’s subscription to the site for 50 percent off. They’re now doing a promo for a book that shows you how to make a big batch of a meal and freeze it for later, which is something I need to do.

  21. 21.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 6:43 pm

    @SuzieC: Does he have a specialty? I don’t know how the service works.

  22. 22.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 6:43 pm

    @chopper:

    Salads just make me hungrier. I need more soups with greens in them, like Caldo Verde.

  23. 23.

    debbie

    December 30, 2016 at 6:44 pm

    @Baud:

    I’ll be finishing the second season tonight. Those baby dragons better be rescued.

  24. 24.

    SuzieC

    December 30, 2016 at 6:44 pm

    @Baud: Electronics Technician.

  25. 25.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 6:45 pm

    @Roger Moore:

    It also helps that China’s government seems to have woken up to the fact that pollution is a problem for their own people and are starting to take action.

  26. 26.

    MJS

    December 30, 2016 at 6:45 pm

    @Mnemosyne: What’s your concern with statins? I’m a relatively in-shape 50-something who can run a relatively fast 5k. My cholesterol was hideous before I started statins 6 months ago. Losing the weight may have no impact on your cholesterol.

  27. 27.

    Larkspur

    December 30, 2016 at 6:46 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I don’t have that many tips to trade, but I’ll be here for complaints, whining, commiseration, and whatever else you need. My cholesterol is high-ish, and I have those PVCs (where your heartbeat feels fluttery, but it’s not a big deal) so I was referred to a cardiologist (the most handsome man ever) and we did the tests and he said my cholesterol numbers were balanced or whatever – the ratio was good – and the PVCs, as measured, were not problematic, so yay, no statins. You definitely want to avoid them if you can, so good for you.

    I can’t remember if you have a dog. If you do, walk your dog more. If not, borrow a friend’s dog or find someone who needs a walker (and you can get paid for it!) and get out there. Also, I am absolutely unwavering about no snacks after I floss my teeth, go around my gums with the rubber tipped thingy, and brush and then rinse with fluoride. It’s a routine I do religiously and I’m not going to fuck it up afterwards by snacking. Depending on your relationship with the whole flossing thing, doing the routine earlier in the evening might help you avoid nighttime snacking.

    I’d like to join a gym, but can’t afford it right now, so I can commit to you that I will dig out my hand weights and work on my upper body. Plus do ab crunches and stuff for my jelly belly. So yes, I’m with you. We’ll feel better, and be of more use to the Resistance.

  28. 28.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    December 30, 2016 at 6:47 pm

    @SuzieC: Being that the kid was in the Air Force for 6 1/2 years, I understand how that can be priority.

  29. 29.

    Roger Moore

    December 30, 2016 at 6:47 pm

    @Mnemosyne:
    It still boggles my mind every time one of my Chinese coworkers mentions air pollution as a reason to stay in Los Angeles when they retire rather than going back to China.

  30. 30.

    NotMax

    December 30, 2016 at 6:48 pm

    Repeating – something beautiful from 2016.

    (That it will drive fundamentalists even more bonkers is a bonus.)

  31. 31.

    Larkspur

    December 30, 2016 at 6:49 pm

    @Mnemosyne: NaJaWriMo! Is there any bit of research you can farm out to one of us without compromising your artistic integrity?

  32. 32.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 6:50 pm

    @SuzieC: Cool. I assumed ET stood for Ensign Trainee.

  33. 33.

    sacrablue

    December 30, 2016 at 6:50 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I’m in. I’m in the middle of an effort do get off all of my medications. I’m waiting for a phone call from my NP to see if I can wean myself off my blood pressure meds. She told me that if my cholesterol and A1C readings are the same in three months, I can quit the simvastatin and maybe cut the metformin in half again. I still have to get rid of at least 10 lbs. I’m afraid of my local gym. The people going in there look to hard-core for this old lady.

  34. 34.

    Larkspur

    December 30, 2016 at 6:52 pm

    @MJS: I’m not sure about Mneme’s concerns, and the doc said I didn’t need statins, but what I heard was that a person might be more at risk for muscle problems, like strains or tears, while taking statins. Obviously in most cases the benefits must outweigh the risks, but anyway, that’s why I said what I did about preferring to avoid them.

  35. 35.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    December 30, 2016 at 6:52 pm

    @Baud: Or Extra Terrestrial.

  36. 36.

    trollhattan

    December 30, 2016 at 6:52 pm

    @Major Major Major Major:
    Not email so much as a carrier dragon.

  37. 37.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 6:53 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA: I was pretty sure Suzie’s kid wasn’t one of us.

  38. 38.

    SuzieC

    December 30, 2016 at 6:54 pm

    @chopper: Concur. If you’re having a salad for lunch, jazz it up with nuts, cheese,olives, fruit, avocado, and any combo of the above that is appetizing and more filling. I like to make a tangy yogurt dressing for a bistro style salad of grapefruit or apple slices, toasted walnuts, and gorgonzola cheese.

    My 2 cents worth for fitness (64 years old and have kept the weight off): I exercise in the early morning 5 mornings a week, doing a 90 minute ashtanga yoga class. I eat 2 meals a day (usually). Lunch: a half sandwich and a side of fruit. Dinner: anything but in moderation and with vegetables rather than carbs.

  39. 39.

    Larkspur

    December 30, 2016 at 6:54 pm

    @sacrablue: Don’t be afraid. The people who are going to be assholes will be assholes regardless of your age or physical condition. When I was younger and a runner and gym rat, the only thing I ever thought about seeing older folks or folks not yet in shape at the gym was “All right, good for you, don’t forget to wipe the machine down after you use it, kthx”.

  40. 40.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 6:55 pm

    @debbie: I read the first book and saw a few episodes of the first season. I didn’t really get into the story.

  41. 41.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 6:56 pm

    @MJS:

    My cholesterol is actually (barely) within the current limits overall, but my ratio is out of whack. Since I haven’t reached 50 yet, I’d rather try to fix the ratio via diet and exercise first since that will benefit me more long-term anyway. As I told my doctor, taking statins so I can keep sitting on the couch and eating processed foods isn’t good for me in the long run, so there’s nothing to lose by waiting a while. If my ratio is still terrible even after I get moving, then we’ll revisit them.

    @Larkspur:

    Yay! There is a small gym at work (two gyms, actually) that I can access for free, plus a weekly yoga class, so it really is a matter of me getting off my butt and doing it. And I want to keep up with the English Country Dance classes as well, especially since my period dress for the Jane Austen Tea has arrived.

    I’ve gotten fairly obsessive about flossing since I had three root canals in quick succession, so the early evening brushing might help. Right now, the problem is more that I’m not planning my meals properly, so I’m not eating enough during the day and then eating too much at night, which throws my metabolism out of whack (not scientific, but you know what I mean).

  42. 42.

    Suzanne

    December 30, 2016 at 6:57 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I had a doctor who recommended a therapeutic dosage of niacin (I forget how many mg—I’m sure you can look it up), plus a baby aspirin every day. He said that is a good way to avoid statins.

  43. 43.

    CaseyL

    December 30, 2016 at 6:59 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA: A friend and I were going to do likewise, and repeat the New Year’s Day hike we did last year, but the weather on Whidbey Island will be wet and very cold. Ugh. We may try to get a January hike in anyway – it’s amazing how this area (Pacific NW) can get startlingly beautiful sunny almost-warm days in January!… but not, it seems, this particular weekend.

  44. 44.

    Major Major Major Major

    December 30, 2016 at 6:59 pm

    @trollhattan: Didn’t she use an unsecured raven one time?

  45. 45.

    MJS

    December 30, 2016 at 7:00 pm

    @Larkspur: Agree, as long as your numbers are good enough, best to stay away from them. But it’s been my experience (and obviously just my experience) that meaningful cholesterol reduction may not happen on diet & exercise alone.

  46. 46.

    debbie

    December 30, 2016 at 7:01 pm

    @SuzieC:

    When my work hours permitted it (or I was unemployed), I’d take walks first thing in the morning. The streets being quieter, it was a very meditative activity. I now walk after work (weather permitting) and I hate it. Too many cars, kids on bikes, etc. Chaos!

  47. 47.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 30, 2016 at 7:01 pm

    @Major Major Major Major:

    You were not the only one!

  48. 48.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 7:01 pm

    @sacrablue:

    If you can afford it, having a personal trainer with you for the first few times can help you feel more confident about using the equipment and learning the etiquette (like wiping down the machine after you use it). Also take a look at what classes they offer and see if any look appealing — those are often more woman-centered (because women are more likely to take classes) and the instructors can be very helpful and encouraging.

  49. 49.

    Miss Bianca

    December 30, 2016 at 7:02 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I should go back on Weight Watchers – I lost 35 lbs ten years ago, and gained about 15 of it back in the last couple years. Trouble is, there’s no Weight Watchers group nearby. Gym? Well, once I’m done at work I have to get right home to dogs or they will either kill me or pee on the floor or both. Hmmm…with you-ish?

  50. 50.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 7:03 pm

    @Suzanne:

    My doctor wants me to take niacin and Co-Q — I have to double-check the sheet she gave me for the mg she recommended.

  51. 51.

    Larkspur

    December 30, 2016 at 7:03 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Yeah, I’m not great about the intake planning either. But the Jane Austen Tea has got to be a huge motivator. A good tailor would have no trouble taking in the seams: much easier than letting them out. We will be wanting pix.

    So pack your workout bag every day and if you really don’t feel like working out, go to the gym anyway and do something for 15 minutes. Usually you’ll end up wanting to do more, but if you don’t, just do the 15 minutes and leave. It’s like you have to put yourself on autopilot: walk to gym, change clothes, oh what the hell, I might as well work out since I’m here. A thing we can both work on is packing a lunch or snack of some kind to eat during the day so we have no excuse. I need to commit to that.

  52. 52.

    Mike in NC

    December 30, 2016 at 7:04 pm

    @Baud: I wonder if George R. R. Martin based the cruel King Joffrey on a younger version of Donald Trump?

  53. 53.

    sacrablue

    December 30, 2016 at 7:05 pm

    @Larkspur: I stopped in at a Planet Fitness on my way home from the doctor’s office the other day. The 20-something at the front desk gave me a quick tour, but I don’t think he understood that I am 60-something, out of shape and in need of something different than treadmills and other machines. I’m not really sure what I’m looking for.

  54. 54.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 7:06 pm

    @Miss Bianca:

    Maybe start taking the dogs for longer walks when you get home? They would probably like it, too.

    They do have WW Online now for peeps who aren’t close to a meeting, but there are a lot of other online options as well. G swears by a free phone app called Lose It! that’s a good calorie counter app. There’s also a website called My Fitness Pal that a lot of people love.

  55. 55.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 7:06 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA: If someone in the AF besides a pilot gets hurt we go problems!

  56. 56.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 7:06 pm

    @Mike in NC: I thought it was Joffrey’s parents who were the incestuous ones?

  57. 57.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 7:07 pm

    @Mike in NC:

    I thought it was Joffrey’s parents who were the incestuous ones?

  58. 58.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    December 30, 2016 at 7:07 pm

    @CaseyL: I really regret not hiking and taking more pictures(with a better camera) while I was up there, though I did do alot of walking in and around Seattle.

  59. 59.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 7:08 pm

    @Mike in NC:

    I thought it was Joffrey’s parents who were the incestuous ones?

  60. 60.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 7:09 pm

    @Larkspur:

    A thing we can both work on is packing a lunch or snack of some kind to eat during the day so we have no excuse. I need to commit to that.

    Yep. My most successful times were when I would have a plan for the whole week and pack my lunches, but I got away from doing that. I still need to do the 3-week FODMAPs restriction thing to figure out exactly which ones are a problem for me, so it’s extra important for me to pack my food.

  61. 61.

    Anne Laurie

    December 30, 2016 at 7:09 pm

    @sacrablue:

    I’m afraid of my local gym. The people going in there look to hard-core for this old lady.

    Our local Y has a number of exercise classes aimed specifically at us older folk — water aerobics, ‘stretching for seniors’, etc — if you have one in your area, it’s worth looking at their website.

    Also, try asking your NP about options… ‘wellness’ programs try to advertise to medical groups, so she may have heard about options that aren’t large enough to buy space in your tv/print area.

  62. 62.

    Mike G

    December 30, 2016 at 7:10 pm

    there are now no active conflicts anywhere in the entire half of the world west of Greenwich…

    You forgot the War on Christmas, which rages on in demented minds across the US.

  63. 63.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    December 30, 2016 at 7:10 pm

    @raven: The kid was a med tech, that’s how she ended up in nursing.

  64. 64.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 7:11 pm

    Does no one respect the delete comment request?

  65. 65.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 7:11 pm

    @Baud:

    You seem a little obsessed with that, Baud. Is there something you want to tell us? ?

    (I’m assuming you forgot that you were using a Bad WordPress Word in your reply and couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t posting.)

  66. 66.

    Major Major Major Major

    December 30, 2016 at 7:13 pm

    @Baud: Plus the entire Targaryen line.

  67. 67.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 7:14 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA: Good work.

  68. 68.

    Emma

    December 30, 2016 at 7:14 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I’m going back to WW myself but gym is out of the question. The combination of Femara and Tamoxifen has left my body seriously damaged. I do exercise — in short bursts. Tabata. Microbursts, whatever you want to call it.

  69. 69.

    ArchTeryx

    December 30, 2016 at 7:15 pm

    I’ll leave my own good thoughts here, which’ll be a break from my on-stage death-scene performance since I first delurked.

    One thing that this year proved above all else is just how good a pack of friends and family I have around me, and who have said they will work tirelessly to find a way for me to survive no matter what is done with the ACA and Medicaid. Knowing I’m not fighting alone really helps me to buck up and try my best to find a way out of this that doesn’t involve me dying.

  70. 70.

    Greenergood

    December 30, 2016 at 7:17 pm

    BBC Radio 4’s satirical show ‘Dead Ringers’ alternative 2016, complete with ‘powder room’ banter: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b085z40h

  71. 71.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 7:17 pm

    @sacrablue:

    This is the time of year when gyms start offering deals on their in-house personal trainers, so if you already belong to a gym, start looking for those.

    If you haven’t joined a gym yet, take a serious look at your local YMCA. As Anne Laurie said, they do a good job of trying to have classes and trainers for all age groups. I think raven goes to his local Y as well.

  72. 72.

    Roger Moore

    December 30, 2016 at 7:17 pm

    @debbie:

    When my work hours permitted it (or I was unemployed), I’d take walks first thing in the morning.

    Early morning is definitely the best time. I like starting around 5 AM. I don’t have to worry (much) about cars or crime or distractions. It’s also about the coolest time of day, which in Southern California is a major concern for about 9 months of the year.

  73. 73.

    Larkspur

    December 30, 2016 at 7:17 pm

    @sacrablue: Not far from where I live there’s a health club for women only. I wish you had one of those. Is there a Y or a Jewish Community Center facility near you? My area is teeming with different types of gyms. Too bad about me not having the money. Very poor planning on my part. You’re right to be uneasy about the 20-somethings hired to sign people up at many gyms: they’re not trained to work with older people or people with particular physical concerns, like arthritis or old injuries. So the tip above about getting a personal trainer for the first sessions is excellent. You could ask to talk to someone at Planet Fitness, someone with PT credentials or some other kind of training, and see what kind of impression you get. You’ll have to seek them out. As I recall, other than a quick intro, most of the lower paid staff members were happy to leave you on your own. You may need to hire someone not on staff at Planet Fitness (if they allow that, and if they don’t, you’ll have to go somewhere else).

  74. 74.

    Emma

    December 30, 2016 at 7:18 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I find that salads with some form of carbs in them are satisfactory. But soup is muuuuch better.

  75. 75.

    ArchTeryx

    December 30, 2016 at 7:18 pm

    @Emma: I should look at that myself, since I’m damaged, I suspect, in a similar way, and badly need more exercise.

  76. 76.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 7:20 pm

    @ArchTeryx: That’s a nice thought. Good luck to you.

  77. 77.

    Emma

    December 30, 2016 at 7:20 pm

    @sacrablue: Do you have an University or college with a health center near you? Many will take in outside clients. They do much better job of having classes for the less fit.

  78. 78.

    debbie

    December 30, 2016 at 7:21 pm

    @Roger Moore:

    I’m not one for walking in the dark, but I loved getting out before the sunrise so I could watch it. Birds chirping, bunnies hopping, it was like a whole different world before all the human noise started up.

  79. 79.

    Larkspur

    December 30, 2016 at 7:21 pm

    @ArchTeryx: Give my regards to those friends and family members. I want you here talking about what we’re all going to do on the eve of 2018.

  80. 80.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 7:22 pm

    @Emma:

    You, dear lady, are one of the people they’re talking to when they say “consult your doctor before starting any exercise program”! Has your doctor said anything about allowing Tai Chi or a similar gentle form of exercise? Even chair yoga might be too much for you right now.

  81. 81.

    debbie

    December 30, 2016 at 7:22 pm

    @Emma:

    Also, lots of hospitals now have health centers that offer all kinds of fitness classes.

  82. 82.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    December 30, 2016 at 7:22 pm

    @Mike G: A casualty of that War.

  83. 83.

    RSA

    December 30, 2016 at 7:22 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I’m in.

    My wife used to do Curves and Weight Watchers, and she lost 30 or 40 pounds and felt good about it. Her cholesterol levels were always good, though.

    Me, I have high cholesterol, which seems to be at least partly genetic. My GP put me on statins for six months, but they screwed up my triglycerides, if I remember correctly, so I’ve tried to address that with diet, with very low intake of red meat and butter and such. More important (in my mind, at least) was finding some exercise that I liked and could keep doing. For me it’s been lifting weights and running. I’m probably in better shape than I’ve ever been in my life. Could I do more? Sure–but balance is good.

  84. 84.

    Emma

    December 30, 2016 at 7:23 pm

    @ArchTeryx: Also look for Peggy Cappy tapes https://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Rest-Us-Peggy-Cappy/dp/B0001IXT90. One of her students is like 85 years old. She works with people with severe physical issues. I have a couple of her tapes.

  85. 85.

    sacrablue

    December 30, 2016 at 7:23 pm

    @Anne Laurie: I’ve just about given up on referrals from my primary care providers. They are a satellite clinic of Travis AFB that more than an hour from my house. They always try to send me there for any specialty that the VA doesn’t share with them. I asked for a diabetic nutritionist and they wanted me to go to classes at the AFB. Same thing for a podiatrist, etc. We don’t have a Y, but the local parks department has some similar classes. I’m too lazy to drive ten miles to attend them. I’ve lost the first 75 lbs on my own, but the last bit is really stubborn. I may just have to suck it up and try to deal with the religious nuts at my local Curves. I can walk there and back.

  86. 86.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    December 30, 2016 at 7:24 pm

    @Roger Moore:
    @debbie: Being a night person, I like the evening walks.

  87. 87.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 7:25 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Yea, it’s always jammed in January when all the resolution people make their run at it. A lot of folks have trouble integrating exercise into their lives so if a person can get into on of those social/exercise groups it can be helpful. I’m a old gym rat so it’s pretty easy for me.

  88. 88.

    SuzieC

    December 30, 2016 at 7:26 pm

    @sacrablue: Don’ t go to Planet Fitness.IMO, it is the worst. I belonged briefly because I wanted access to stationary bikes. There were only 4 in the whole large facility so they were always occupied. Finally bought my own. Also, PF is always playing Fox News on their TVs and in my area, there were numerous thefts and break-ins in their parking lot.

  89. 89.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 7:27 pm

    @debbie: We walk a couple of miles @ 6:30 am and have for 15 years. I got a cart for the Bohdi so he can go with us even though we have to limit his walking.

  90. 90.

    chopper

    December 30, 2016 at 7:28 pm

    my routine is different since I work at home. I have enough time that I have no excuses.

  91. 91.

    Another Scott

    December 30, 2016 at 7:28 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Statins aren’t so bad. I didn’t want to go on them either, but it’s been much less of a problem than I feared. (I’m on 20 mg of generic pravachol 1x a day.)

    Most of our cholesterol level is due to our parents anyway…

    Exercise is good though! More HDL is good also too.

    Slow and steady…

    Good luck!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  92. 92.

    Emma

    December 30, 2016 at 7:28 pm

    @Mnemosyne: No, I’m expected to “move.” I got a medical pedaler for my office (can be used for arms and legs) similar to this. I get 1 hour lunch plus two breaks during my workday, so I’ve divided some of it into 12 minute sessions. The idea is to work up to speed for 2 minutes, pedal as fast as you can during 8 minutes and then wind down for 2 minutes. It keeps me fairly limber. Add a little gentle yoga and at least I do something each day.

  93. 93.

    debbie

    December 30, 2016 at 7:29 pm

    @raven:

    It’s a great way to start the day. Does Bohdi willingly stay in the cart? That would be tough for a dog, I’d think.

  94. 94.

    debbie

    December 30, 2016 at 7:33 pm

    @Another Scott:

    I eat a lot of dairy because of osteoporosis and my HDL has crept up over the years, but my LDL is so low my doctor’s not worried.

  95. 95.

    Larkspur

    December 30, 2016 at 7:34 pm

    @sacrablue: Go to Curves. After reminding me about PlanetFitness, SuzieC has convinced me that religious nuts might be less obnoxious than FOX News all day, every day. Unless your Curves also has FOX News on their TVs, in which case – have you tried DVDs at home? Do you have any friends you can recruit to join you with the DVDs at home?

  96. 96.

    Roger Moore

    December 30, 2016 at 7:36 pm

    @debbie:
    I also find it’s harder to make excuses when exercise comes first thing in the day. When I tried exercising in the evenings, it was always too easy to say I was too tired from work, or just to work too late and not have time, or whatever. When I schedule exercise before anything else, there are that many fewer excuses.

  97. 97.

    SuzieC

    December 30, 2016 at 7:39 pm

    @Roger Moore: Yes, it’s much easier to hear your alarm and just roll out of bed without thinking about whether you feel like it.

  98. 98.

    RSA

    December 30, 2016 at 7:40 pm

    @SuzieC: The Planet Fitnesses I’ve visited (in NC and MD) are okay. Lots of stationary bikes and treadmills, never all in use when I’ve been there. (And a dozen or so different TVs to watch, all tuned to different stations.) Quality must vary by location. But there are other limitations to PF.

  99. 99.

    debbie

    December 30, 2016 at 7:41 pm

    @Roger Moore:

    You’re right about that. I was never awake enough to try to figure a way to get out of it.

  100. 100.

    MomSense

    December 30, 2016 at 7:41 pm

    It turns out that when middle kid spent a month in NYC he met a concert pianist and is now in a very serious relationship. She is arriving tonight for a visit. My son sent me a video of her performing a Prokofiev piece that I danced.

    Thank dog the giant fans are gone. Now to get the house put back together before they get here.

    Mind blown.

  101. 101.

    Feathers

    December 30, 2016 at 7:43 pm

    I got a job!!!

    After a year of being offered worse and worse (and often nothing) by the temp agency I’d worked with successfully in the past, I was really getting down into my depression, believing that there must be good reasons why things were going so bad. But then someone in my knitting group passed my resume on to a different staffing agency run by a friend of hers. I went in for an informational interview, where I talked with three different very nice people, but mostly about what I could do when I finished the degree I’m working on.

    But then I got a call about a maternity leave through mid-May at a great place. I had a phone interview which went well, but I sat crying in the dark worrying that the people I gave as references might say bad things about me. They didn’t and all raved about me. Long story short, somebody gave notice, I went in for an interview with one of the lead researchers, turns out I have far more skills than her previous assistants, and she was supportive of the career change that I was trying to make. So I now start next week on a temp to perm basis, at someplace that will be a fantastic place to work and a solid place to move on from.

    Depression lies.

  102. 102.

    MomSense

    December 30, 2016 at 7:44 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    I’m in. I’m doing boxing now and I’ve added karate to my tai chi. I love punching. It’s a revelation.

  103. 103.

    zhena gogolia

    December 30, 2016 at 7:45 pm

    @ArchTeryx:

    I am praying that good things will happen for you.

  104. 104.

    Emma

    December 30, 2016 at 7:46 pm

    @Feathers: Mazel tov! And yes, it does, bitch that she is.

  105. 105.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 7:46 pm

    @MomSense: Sweet. Have you met her before?

    @Feathers: Congratulations!

  106. 106.

    Yarrow

    December 30, 2016 at 7:47 pm

    I love the YMCA. People of all ages and families as well. It’s not just a gym – they have programs for seniors and other types of things. Plenty of classes for all types of people and abilities. Right now they may be offering to waive the joining fee. If finances are an issue, be sure to ask about any price breaks. Don’t just sign up online – go there and ask. They want to work with you.

    As for making radical changes, that works well for some people, but then when they can’t keep up the diet, exercise, mediation, whatever, they stop everything and feel frustrated. Another option is to make one change at a time. Start with planning meals, or pick a new exercise class or begin walking or ride your bike to work or whatever works for you. Do that for two weeks to get it into something of a habit and then add another thing. That way you’re only making one change at a time and you can concentrate on making that change a habit. Pretty soon you’ll have changed several things and feel pretty good about yourself.

  107. 107.

    debbie

    December 30, 2016 at 7:47 pm

    @Feathers:

    Congratulations! Your 2017 is off to a great start.

  108. 108.

    MomSense

    December 30, 2016 at 7:49 pm

    @Feathers:

    Congrats on the job!!!

  109. 109.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 7:49 pm

    @Feathers:

    Hooray! Never forget that depression is a liar and don’t let it convince you to self-sabotage.

  110. 110.

    Larkspur

    December 30, 2016 at 7:50 pm

    @Feathers: Fantastic!

  111. 111.

    Aimai

    December 30, 2016 at 7:50 pm

    @Mnemosyne: im already there–though i went off for this week in new york celebrating my parents 63rd wedding anniversary. Been on ww fir the past year, slowly lost 27 pounds. Its very doable.

  112. 112.

    Yarrow

    December 30, 2016 at 7:50 pm

    @MomSense: Wow, that’s exciting. Sometimes when you meet someone you just know. Happened with relatives of mine. Still married decades later. Good luck.

  113. 113.

    MomSense

    December 30, 2016 at 7:50 pm

    @Baud:

    No. This is the bring friend home first meeting. Woah I think I’m more nervous than they are.

  114. 114.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 7:51 pm

    @Aimai:

    celebrating my parents 63rd wedding anniversary

    Holy cow!

  115. 115.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 7:51 pm

    @Mnemosyne: A client of a payroll company for whom I briefly worked told me he ate broccoli and drank grape juice every day, which resulted in reduced cholesterol levels. He didn’t take any prescription medication either. His doctor was amazed.

    ETA Also, I’ve been working out 6 days a week for over 30 years. Find something that you enjoy. Dancing is great cardio. Do weights to strengthen bones (I need to get back into muscle conditioning class). If you have cable, see if there is On Demand channel with exercise routines. For me the hardest thing is pushing through the inertia and showing up. Once you “show up”, just do what moves you that day. Remember that you may feel great one day and crappy the next. It’s normal. Just keep showing up, have fun, and enjoy. For what it’s worth.

  116. 116.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 7:52 pm

    @MomSense: Oh, how exciting!

    Didn’t you just get a major snowstorm?

  117. 117.

    Yarrow

    December 30, 2016 at 7:52 pm

    @Feathers: Congratulations! Excellent way to end the year.

  118. 118.

    MomSense

    December 30, 2016 at 7:53 pm

    @Yarrow:

    My son is not the serious type so this is big for him.

  119. 119.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 7:53 pm

    @Feathers: Have you thanked Trump?

    No worries. He will.

  120. 120.

    MomSense

    December 30, 2016 at 7:55 pm

    @Baud:

    Yes!!! And I also had a flood inside my house. If she sticks around after this it is meant to be.

  121. 121.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 7:57 pm

    @MJS: I think exercise can help lower one of the cholesterol types. Keep in mind I’m not a doctor in real life but I feebly attempt playing one in blog comments.

  122. 122.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 7:58 pm

    @MomSense: Let us know how it goes. Can you secretly video tape it?

  123. 123.

    mm

    December 30, 2016 at 7:58 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    You could try bergamot to reduce cholesterol. Here’s some info about it…

  124. 124.

    sacrablue

    December 30, 2016 at 8:00 pm

    @Larkspur: Well, I just discovered that my local Curves went out of business, but I’m sure it was a place with Fox News to go along with the evangelicals that I knew went to classes there. It was either Fox News or Amy Grant music. I may have to break down and try the 24 Hour Fitness. I can’t even get any friends or neighbors to walk with me a few days a week.

  125. 125.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 8:02 pm

    It’s hard not to feel good when our youngest kitty (at 7 years old) insists on snuggling and purring while I’m feeling headachy. Just sayin’. ?

  126. 126.

    MomSense

    December 30, 2016 at 8:02 pm

    @Baud:

    That could be creepy but maybe I can pretend to film the dog? Plus son is a good foot taller than she so filming could be a challenge.

  127. 127.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:03 pm

    @sacrablue: I’m 67 and go to the Y daily. If you look old and don’t drool or doze off on the cross trainer people will tell you you’re an inspiration. Really. Happens to me all the time (I manage to conceal my drooll).

  128. 128.

    Yarrow

    December 30, 2016 at 8:03 pm

    @MomSense: That is a big deal. Hope all goes well.

  129. 129.

    MomSense

    December 30, 2016 at 8:04 pm

    @ArchTeryx:

    We’re going to get through this! Big hugs, AT.

  130. 130.

    Larkspur

    December 30, 2016 at 8:05 pm

    @Kathleen: Good point about not giving up due to a crappy workout. I eventually learned, when I was running, that it went something like this: about 70% of my runs were pretty good, 20% were pure misery, and 10% went so amazingly well that I felt like I could run forever and it didn’t hurt and the world was beautiful and nothing could stop me.

    (Injuries did stop me, but the point still holds. Keep going at anything worthwhile, and eventually, sometimes, maybe only occasionally, it’s going to be amazing.)

  131. 131.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 8:05 pm

    @MomSense:

    That could be creepy

    Yeah, I’ve been told that. Well, good luck.

  132. 132.

    Major Major Major Major

    December 30, 2016 at 8:05 pm

    @Feathers: congrats!!!!

  133. 133.

    Temporarily Max McGee (Until Death!)

    December 30, 2016 at 8:05 pm

    This just broke at the WaPo:

    Russian hackers penetrated U.S. electricity grid through a utility in Vermont

  134. 134.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:06 pm

    @debbie: I’m at the Y at 5 am every work day. If I don’t work out early I won’t work out at all.

  135. 135.

    SuzieC

    December 30, 2016 at 8:07 pm

    @Kathleen: I get that all the time from kids in their 30s and 40s.

  136. 136.

    Yarrow

    December 30, 2016 at 8:08 pm

    @Kathleen: My YMCA is packed with older people. The before-work and after-work and weekend crowds skew a little younger. But even at those times and certainly at any time during the day it can be almost nothing but people 65+. I’ve seen older people using walkers and in wheelchairs in the gym. Many of them seem to know each other and they have a great time chatting. You can’t help but overhear all the talk of this surgery and that surgery and what the grandkids are doing. Seems like they have a great time.

  137. 137.

    p.a.

    December 30, 2016 at 8:08 pm

    @Mnemosyne: keep meals in a 12 hour window: a 7am breakfast, nothing after 7pm. old saw: eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a commoner. if you eat out, leave 1/4 uneaten, or if you have good willpower, doggie bag it for next day as a FULL lunch/dinner; no additions. home made miso soup for dinner. bonito flakes, seaweed, modest miso paste, dried and fresh ‘shrooms, no starch/carbs. steambag veggies: I cut bag’s cook times by half and to me they’re still usually a mushy mess. don’t get the pre-sauced. tumeric, curry, little evoo, h2o (currypowder is a thickener). or the asian garlic/pepper pastes if you like spicy (check the labels- some have sugars, some don’t).
    cut way down on carbs of course. multigrain bread from a baker is usually ok. read the label on plastic bag market bread and you’ll have no trouble giving up bread.
    munchies? do sugarless gum instead.
    exercise is MUCH more important than diet for losing and keeping weight off. also, moderate ex even without much weight loss usually helps your blood numbers: you’re burning the blood sugars and fats off, and some of the weight is now muscle mass not fat.
    Blue Chip here has coverage for the Y at $5-$10 per month. I of course don’t have it as an option. Other plans also have $ incentives to join gyms.
    Good luck! Oh yeah, go to a good running store for footwear. I’m batting above .500 via online but I know I’ve been lucky.

  138. 138.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 30, 2016 at 8:09 pm

    @Temporarily Max McGee (Until Death!):

    Vermont, eh? Verrrrry interesting….

    #snarknotsnark

  139. 139.

    mm

    December 30, 2016 at 8:09 pm

    the link got let off..

    bergamot

  140. 140.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 8:09 pm

    @Temporarily Max McGee (Until Death!):

    According to a report by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, the hackers involved in the Russian operation used fraudulent emails that tricked their recipients into revealing passwords.

    Lordy.

  141. 141.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:09 pm

    @debbie: I love running across the Ohio River and watching the sun rise. Early morning runs are the best for me.

  142. 142.

    sacrablue

    December 30, 2016 at 8:10 pm

    @Kathleen: Well, I’ve got the “look old” part going for me. I might try the yoga and aqua classes at 24 hour and work my way up from there.

  143. 143.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 30, 2016 at 8:11 pm

    @Feathers:

    What good news! Congratulations!

  144. 144.

    Temporarily Max McGee (Until Death!)

    December 30, 2016 at 8:11 pm

    @Baud:

    IKR?!

  145. 145.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:12 pm

    @SuzieC: This.

  146. 146.

    Ohio Mom

    December 30, 2016 at 8:13 pm

    @ArchTeryx: That is lovely to hear, I am glad for you. Always moving to hear of love in action.
    @debbie: I’m assuming you know that you need Vitamin D3 to absorb and utilize all the calcium you are eating…most of us need more Vitamin D anyway.
    @Emma: I hear you. Arimidex has aged me. I am creaky, forgetful, and mildly blue because of it. Only another year and a half, unless the onc decides ten years will be better : (

  147. 147.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:14 pm

    @Feathers: Congratulations! I’ve been temping for 10 years and I know how easy it can be to worry. Good for you!

  148. 148.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 8:14 pm

    @debbie: The first day he was fine. Today he started to bark some when we got about 2/3 of the way home.

  149. 149.

    Major Major Major Major

    December 30, 2016 at 8:14 pm

    @Temporarily Max McGee (Until Death!): there’s no such thing as “the U.S. electricity grid” and I’d be surprised if there wasn’t malware littered around utilities the world over. Reads as not a big deal to me.

  150. 150.

    Mike in NC

    December 30, 2016 at 8:14 pm

    @Feathers: Best wishes in your new gig.

  151. 151.

    Roger Moore

    December 30, 2016 at 8:15 pm

    @SuzieC:
    My brother likes to say that the hardest part of exercising first thing in the morning is getting out of bed. Once you get your personal clock adjusted, even that part isn’t too hard.

  152. 152.

    Larkspur

    December 30, 2016 at 8:15 pm

    @sacrablue: Good luck with 24 Hour Fitness. Hire a personal trainer, learn the layout and customs, then get yourself some tunes (or books on tape) and headphones and make the place your own. (Keep your spidey sense turned on for falling weights and the fools who lift them carelessly.) And check your local community education or activities places. They have programs for kids, but they also tend to have walks for older folks, and you might meet someone who wants to walk more than that, and then you’ve got a workout buddy.

    Also, there seems to be a lot of this hacking stuff going on. Do any of you comrade jackals know if one can burn calories doing that? Or is it strictly an at your desk in your dacha kind of activity?

  153. 153.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 8:16 pm

    @Roger Moore: Yup, I get up at 5 and wake the girl up at 6.

  154. 154.

    Yarrow

    December 30, 2016 at 8:16 pm

    @SuzieC: I think everyone is different. I’m a terrible exerciser in the morning. Everything hurts and I tend to get injured more. I’m better at lunchtime or afternoon/evening. Sometimes I can get in a morning routine but inevitably I’ll fall out of the habit and then it’s just grueling getting back into it. I’m best if the exercise is just outside my door – running, walking, biking. If I have to go to the gym it’s a non-starter.

    Just wanted to add that in case some people were feeling like they were failures because they don’t succeed at morning workouts. We’re all different.

  155. 155.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 30, 2016 at 8:17 pm

    @ArchTeryx:

    Knowing I’m not fighting alone

    You are not, and part of the proof of that is in this snarling mass of vitriolic vicious jackals. I’ve never known a better community. Wishing you all the best in 2017 and beyond.

  156. 156.

    Larkspur

    December 30, 2016 at 8:17 pm

    @Aimai: Hi Aimai!! Good to see you.

  157. 157.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 8:17 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    I’ve never known a better community.

    I’m sorry.

  158. 158.

    ArchTeryx

    December 30, 2016 at 8:18 pm

    @zhena gogolia @Larkspur @SiubhanDuinne @Baud: Thank you very much for the good wishes going into what seems like a rather bleak New Year.

  159. 159.

    MomSense

    December 30, 2016 at 8:18 pm

    @raven:

    Aww he looks sweet in his chariot.

  160. 160.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 30, 2016 at 8:19 pm

    @Baud:

    My sad, pathetic life.

  161. 161.

    debbie

    December 30, 2016 at 8:20 pm

    @Kathleen:

    When out walking, I often see a woman deep into her 80s. She’s either biking (on an old-fashioned one, of course) or power walking. She blows right by me with a merry wave of her hand. I hope to be like her at that age.

  162. 162.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:20 pm

    @Larkspur: I’ve been running for over 30 years and after 15 full marathons and countless halfs, 5 & 10K’s, etc, I’m undergoing a “rebuilding” process in my body and starting over. I’m happy to do 3-4 miles without dying, but will be building up mileage again in 2017. It’s been a struggle (as a runner you know how it is when a runner either can’t run or struggles with the run). Sigh. I’ve been doing the Stairmaster and some of the elliptical type machines that simulate running more than the regular cross trainers. Because of my work schedule I have to forego my cycling and strength classes so I have a lot of “rebuilding” to do.

  163. 163.

    MomSense

    December 30, 2016 at 8:20 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    Are you able to use an exercise ball instead of your office chair at work? You have to use your abs to stabilize it- gives you a bit of a workout while you work.

    I went up a size for my desk. For working out I use a 65 but 75 works better for a chair.

  164. 164.

    debbie

    December 30, 2016 at 8:21 pm

    @Ohio Mom:

    Yes, and magnesium.

  165. 165.

    Temporarily Max McGee (Until Death!)

    December 30, 2016 at 8:21 pm

    @Major Major Major Major:

    You’re right. It’s Noth American. It’s woven in with Canada’s part of the grid. Not so sure about Mexico.

  166. 166.

    Larkspur

    December 30, 2016 at 8:21 pm

    @p.a.: Lots of good info. But Mneme, if you have gut issues (you probably already know this) stay away from the sugarless gum, or sugarless candy of any kind. Bloatacious painful misery.

  167. 167.

    Ohio Mom

    December 30, 2016 at 8:22 pm

    @sacrablue: you lost 75 pounds?! *That* is some accomplishment!

  168. 168.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 8:22 pm

    @Kathleen: Damn elliptical makes me nuts.

  169. 169.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:23 pm

    @Yarrow: I see that when I go to the suburban Y which is close to my work. I overheard a conversation one morning between a 60-ish guy and an 80-ish guy, in which the 60’s guy asked the 80’s guy what time he’d be coming in during a holiday weekend. The 80’s guy said he was coming early before the other gray heads got there. It was hilarious. I love the Y. It’s like my second family.

  170. 170.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 8:23 pm

    @Roger Moore:

    So say the Morning People. My natural circadian rhythm seems to be going to sleep at 7 am and waking up at 4 pm, so getting up any earlier than 6 or 6:30 makes me a zombie.

    After work is a good time for me as long as I put the gym bag in my car and make it part of my commute home.

  171. 171.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:25 pm

    @Roger Moore: That is so true.

  172. 172.

    debbie

    December 30, 2016 at 8:25 pm

    @raven:

    Just like little kids!

  173. 173.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 8:26 pm

    @debbie: Yea, people do double takes when they see us!

  174. 174.

    ArchTeryx

    December 30, 2016 at 8:26 pm

    To follow up, I was worried I was wearing out my welcome, being the one-note Johnny I’ve been since delurking. I am hoping for some good news in 2017 that’ll allow me to broaden my repertoire.

    Two good thoughts!

  175. 175.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:26 pm

    @Yarrow: So true. I fail at midday and evening workouts. Everyone has his/her best time for exercising.

  176. 176.

    Major Major Major Major

    December 30, 2016 at 8:27 pm

    @efgoldman: yeah but just look at that name! It’s gotta do something!

  177. 177.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:29 pm

    @debbie: I’ve often said that my preferred method of departing the planet is to die after crossing the finish line at a race when I’m 100.

  178. 178.

    Ohio Mom

    December 30, 2016 at 8:29 pm

    @debbie: Yes, of course, magnesium too. I naively took calcium by itself for years. Of course it did no good at all. Oh well. I am catching up now.

  179. 179.

    Baud

    December 30, 2016 at 8:29 pm

    @ArchTeryx: You still here?

  180. 180.

    Another Scott

    December 30, 2016 at 8:30 pm

    @debbie: My step mom’s total cholesterol is around 120. The women in her family routinely live to be over 100. The men don’t do so well… :-/ Her parents had a dairy farm.

    There’s still an awful lot that we don’t know about our bodies.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  181. 181.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:30 pm

    @raven: My least favorite piece of exercise equipment. I should start using the rowing machine more diligently.

  182. 182.

    rikyrah

    December 30, 2016 at 8:31 pm

    @sacrablue:
    Water aerobics. I always recommend water aerobics. check out the local park district to see if they have it.

  183. 183.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 8:32 pm

    @MomSense:

    I don’t think so — my desk is fairly public. I do need to make a point of getting up and walking for 5 minutes or so every hour. It’s a one-story building, so no stairs, unfortunately.

    @Larkspur:

    Yep, that was one of the clues that I’m sensitive to FODMAPs — an extra piece of sugarless gum (especially one that ends in -itilol) means a run to the restroom.

  184. 184.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 8:32 pm

    @Kathleen: I just can’t get the rhythm down.

  185. 185.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:32 pm

    @raven: I can’t get good form.

  186. 186.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 8:33 pm

    @rikyrah: There is a water aerobics class for seniors at the same time as I swim. They get all fucking bitchy when they get splashed a bit.

  187. 187.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 8:34 pm

    @Kathleen: I hate them goddamn people who just whale a way while reading and chewing gum!

  188. 188.

    SuzieC

    December 30, 2016 at 8:37 pm

    @Yarrow: Agree completely. I know many friends who prefer to exercise in the evening after work. It’s just not me. I’m semi-retired now, but even when I worked full time as a litigating lawyer I preferred to work out in the morning before work. If I didn’t, I would sit at my desk or even worse, in court all day, and talk myself out of exercising as opposed to going out for drinks or dinner. Another thing that has helped me lose weight after the full time working world: the daily celebrations of birthdays! goodbyes! hellos! and all the celebrations in between, all with doughnuts and cake.

  189. 189.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:39 pm

    @raven: Me too. When I do the Stair Master I have to totally focus on not falling on my ass. No TV. No reading. Just watching my feet for 35 minutes. I have friends who leap on the damn thing and “jog” on the steps hands free. I was chewing gum one day and it fell out of my mouth on the step and disappeared before I could retrieve it. I had nightmarish visions of the gum clogging the machine. Fortunately I discovered it safely lodged on the mat below. Talk about not being to chew gum and walk at the same time!

  190. 190.

    Another Scott

    December 30, 2016 at 8:39 pm

    @Feathers: Excellent news! A hearty congratulations!! Best of luck in the new year!!!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  191. 191.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 30, 2016 at 8:43 pm

    @Emma:

    salads with some form of carbs in them

    Yay for croutons!

  192. 192.

    hedgehog mobile

    December 30, 2016 at 8:43 pm

    @Feathers: Yay!

  193. 193.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 8:44 pm

    @Kathleen: One of my problems is a lack of resistance work. I didn’t have shoulder surgery and I’m torn between trying to do some light weight or band work or just keep swimming.

  194. 194.

    divF

    December 30, 2016 at 8:44 pm

    @trollhattan:
    @Major Major Major Major:
    In the GoT universe, they have adapted rfc1149 to dragons. Also rfc2549.

  195. 195.

    StringOnAStick

    December 30, 2016 at 8:46 pm

    If you want to lose weight and lower your cholesterol, ditch the processed carbs, meaning bread, pasta, any processed food like chips or corn chips, plus the obvious and hidden sugars in so many things. Check the nutrition label on a bottle of ketchup or BBQ sauce – main ingredient is often high fructose corn syrup or sugar.

    If I eat no bread, pasta, processed foods etc, my cholesterol is fine and my weight is controlled; if I eat these blood sugar-spiking things then my triglycerides hit the upper 200’s and my bad cholesterol goes up. I concentrate on small servings of lean protein and lots of veggies; if I’m feeling the need for a dessert then a bowl of thawed frozen cherries from Costco does the trick. Once you cut all the obvious and hidden sources of sugar and flour from your diet, all you blood work numbers improve and those plain cherries taste like the best thing ever. We’re all way too used to eating too much sugar and the damned stuff is not only present in nearly everything you don’t make yourself, you also need to realize that things made from flour spike your blood sugar even worse. Don’t fall for the “gluten free” stuff, it may not have gluten but it has sugar and the wheat proteins that spike blood sugar even worse than sugar.

    I’ve had the first half of the year be about surgery on both my feet and then on one knee, so I had a lot of down time that sure messed with my mental health, but I’m back on the program now as far as doing things goes. One thing I like is HIIT (high intensity interval training) aps on my phone; the one called 7 minute workout is free and mostly I use it as a timer and suggestions (no lunges or squats for me – bad knees). I do 3 rounds of the HIIT workout 2 to 3 times a week then a lot more other exercise on the weekends. Once you make yourself do it twice a week and then do longer hikes and such on the weekends, it is very effective for weight and cholesterol control. Try to avoid statins if you can by diet and exercise; for some people they cause muscle problems and I’ve heard stories from people here that statins created dementia-like symptoms in an older relative that disappeared once they got off them.

  196. 196.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:47 pm

    @raven: I’ve slacked off on my lower body resistance work and I’m feeling it. I hate strength and resistance training but it’s so important, especially as I get older. Would it hurt your shoulder to use bands or light weights?

  197. 197.

    Roger Moore

    December 30, 2016 at 8:49 pm

    @Yarrow:
    I didn’t mean to make it sound as if morning workouts are the only way to go, just that they’re what works well for me. I agree that each of us needs to figure out what works for us personally and go with that. The same thing is obviously true of diet. Some people do great on a Paleo diet with lots of meat and vegetables and little starch; some people do best on an Asian diet with little or no meat and plenty of rice. There’s no single magic solution that will work for everyone. The plan that works great for you is the right plan for you.

  198. 198.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 8:51 pm

    @Kathleen: I’m not sure. When I was diagnosed with a torn labrum the recovery and “iffy” nature of the surgery results led me to lay off swimming for 6 weeks and then go back to every other day. It hurts a bit when I swim but I think it’s worth it. The dilemma is whether resistance would hurt or help, I’m just not sure.

  199. 199.

    SuzieC

    December 30, 2016 at 8:51 pm

    @StringOnAStick: Excellent advice.

  200. 200.

    ArchTeryx

    December 30, 2016 at 8:52 pm

    @Baud: I’ll give you a bone to gnaw on. Isn’t that what jackals like?

    And wear a Baud 2020 button.

  201. 201.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 8:54 pm

    Do you have an orthopedic doctor or physical therapist you could ask? Also, I think there are moves you can do that don’t require weights or resistance, like bicep curls or shoulder raises. But if they hurt of course you wouldn’t want to do that either.
    ETA have you tried the rowing machine?

  202. 202.

    Emma

    December 30, 2016 at 8:56 pm

    @Ohio Mom: Same here. March 2018 here I come.

  203. 203.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 8:59 pm

    @Kathleen: I look at it when I hit the bike!

  204. 204.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 9:01 pm

    @raven: I hear that! So many of my friends swear by it. I know I should do it more.It’s supposed to be a great total body workout.

  205. 205.

    Emma

    December 30, 2016 at 9:02 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: Yay for brown rice and whole-wheat pasta.

  206. 206.

    ArchTeryx

    December 30, 2016 at 9:02 pm

    @Feathers: Awesome news. Spread a little good luck my way too if you can!

    And congrats. Job hunting is in no way, shape, or form easy, but triply hard if you suffer from depression.

  207. 207.

    MomSense

    December 30, 2016 at 9:02 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    They make some respectable looking wobble stools.

  208. 208.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 9:05 pm

    @Kathleen: Ever heard of Z Health? One of my best buddies is a trainer for them and he’s wild-eyed about it.

  209. 209.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 9:13 pm

    @raven: No, I have not. I went to the link and signed up for the videos. Interesting concept. Thanks, raven!

  210. 210.

    EBT

    December 30, 2016 at 9:14 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Is it just cholesterol or is it a weight issue too? I lost my first 90 pounds with walking and using a cookbook from the American Heart Association. And a healthy dose of doing it all to spite people.

  211. 211.

    CaseyL

    December 30, 2016 at 9:15 pm

    @Feathers: That’s fantastic! Long-term unemployment and under-employment is the devil; feeds any self-doubt you might have and grinds you down. I’m happy for you that you beat it! Best of luck in the new gig.

  212. 212.

    ArchTeryx

    December 30, 2016 at 9:19 pm

    @MomSense: And shit, MomSense, I completely missed including you in the multireply. Sorry about that. If anyone deserves thanks and encouragement, it’s you.

  213. 213.

    Feathers

    December 30, 2016 at 9:20 pm

    Thanks for all the congratulations, it does mean a lot. Stopping by here, lurking and occasionally commenting has really helped this year. And kept me from screaming politics when I do go out.

    One helpful tip on the diet/exercise front, that I picked up in a positive psychology course I took, is to treat these sorts of changes as a two step process. To first add in the virtuous things, and then once they are set as habits, to begin ending the bad habits you feel are holding you back. I find that this is an especially good way to deal with food issues. Basically, poor nutrition will do far more to damage your health than eating too much crap. So place most of your focus on the nutrition side of things.

  214. 214.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 9:21 pm

    @EBT:

    It’s also a weight issue, but not a major one — I need to lose around 15-20 pounds. The main problem is that I’m pretty much totally sedentary right now in addition to eating too much processed food, which is why I want to try diet and exercise before I resort to statins. Plenty of time for statins later if the other steps aren’t working.

    ETA: My husband was overweight most of his life and lost 60 pounds trying to spite people by showing them that eating better and going to the gym wasn’t going to work. Sometimes spite can be motivating!

  215. 215.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 9:23 pm

    @Feathers: “Basically, poor nutrition will do far more to damage your health than eating too much crap. ” I don’t get this?

  216. 216.

    sacrablue

    December 30, 2016 at 9:24 pm

    @Ohio Mom: Sorry, I had to run to the store to get some veggies for dinner. Actually, I lost 85 lbs, but the last 10 has been coming and going for about a year now. That’s why I need to get a new routine. Walking 5 miles a day just keeps me in neutral.

  217. 217.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 9:26 pm

    @ArchTeryx: I apologize for not responding to you earlier. Sending you best wishes and good thoughts.

  218. 218.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 30, 2016 at 9:27 pm

    O/T, but this kind of shit has been happening far too frequently in far too many places to be an “accident” any more.

    “Honest mistake” my dimpled white ass.

  219. 219.

    MomSense

    December 30, 2016 at 9:31 pm

    @ArchTeryx:

    ? No worries. We’re family. Xoxo

  220. 220.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 9:31 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: Or to quote the inimitable rikyrah, “Uh huh! Uh huh!”

  221. 221.

    sacrablue

    December 30, 2016 at 9:32 pm

    @EBT: The spite part helped me, too!

  222. 222.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 9:35 pm

    @sacrablue: Spite – and whining – are highly underrated.

  223. 223.

    sacrablue

    December 30, 2016 at 9:36 pm

    @Kathleen: I have a PhD in whining and a masters in spite.

  224. 224.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 30, 2016 at 9:38 pm

    @Kathleen:

    Or to quote the inimitable rikyrah, Uh huh!© Uh huh!™

    I didn’t want to violate her intellectual property.

  225. 225.

    SiubhanDuinne

    December 30, 2016 at 9:43 pm

    @sacrablue:

    Your B.A. was in Malice, I assume.

  226. 226.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 9:44 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: Maybe as a favor she’ll offer a licensing agreement?

  227. 227.

    EBT

    December 30, 2016 at 9:44 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Yeah I went from 342 to 160 because fuck those people.

  228. 228.

    raven

    December 30, 2016 at 9:48 pm

    @EBT: Same reason I got a doctorate.

  229. 229.

    Kathleen

    December 30, 2016 at 9:48 pm

    @sacrablue: Uh, I don’t have that fancy book learning stuff when it comes to whining; I earned my whining credentials in the school of hard knocks and don’t take kindly to anyone who seeks to usurp my claim to the Queen of Whiners crown. Nothing personal. Oh, and woe is me, dammit!

  230. 230.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 9:48 pm

    @EBT:

    I went from 342 to 160 because fuck those people.

    Words to live by. ?

  231. 231.

    Martha

    December 30, 2016 at 10:03 pm

    Another vote for Weight Watchers here….I’ve been doing the online version for the last year (anti-social you know) and I’m down 30 pounds, 3 away from my goal. The app has great tools and I can live my life and eat real food at real restaurants as well as cook things my husband likes. A big key: eat protein!

    I exercise at our local community center and walk the dog. Nothing too crazy. I feel really good actually.

  232. 232.

    Ksmiami

    December 30, 2016 at 10:15 pm

    @Larkspur: I’m starting a mixed Marshall arts / suicide squad training regimen in 2017; I already hike w my husky several times a day but decided that this is my last chance to get crazy in shape so when the fascists come calling I can strangle them creatively

  233. 233.

    Feathers

    December 30, 2016 at 10:36 pm

    @raven: Sorry, the basic idea is that a crappy diet is usually also low on nutrition, so if you are eating poorly, focusing on getting the nutrition that you need rather than just on cutting out the bad stuff is a more positive way to look at eating.

  234. 234.

    Another Scott

    December 30, 2016 at 10:52 pm

    @Feathers: I believe there’s something to that. In nature we see things like elephants and other ruminants traveling large distances to salt licks. I find that I get cravings for things that shouldn’t be due to lack of nutrients (since I take all kinds of vitamins (which probably don’t do anything)), but that feeling of “hunger” doesn’t go away until it is satisfied (even if my stomach is full). As a kid in grad school I could eat a pound bag of Doritos and still feel hungry. I don’t do that any more. ;-)

    Our bodies are weird, and extremely complex. There’s still an awful lot we don’t know. It’ll be “fun” to look back in 30 years to see how much that we “know” is in fact wrong! ;-)

    Cheers,
    Scott.
    (Who loves carbs but finds he can lose weight eating ice cream – for a while anyway…)

  235. 235.

    sacrablue

    December 30, 2016 at 11:01 pm

    @Kathleen: Okay, you can keep the title all to yourself. After, I want to try to be a kinder person in 2017, so I might as well start now. Hopefully I don’t sound sarcastic.

  236. 236.

    Mnemosyne

    December 30, 2016 at 11:19 pm

    @Another Scott:

    There is a (currently unproven) theory that artificial sweeteners don’t satisfy the underlying “sweet” urge and can actually cause people to eat more.

    When I was working for Weight Watchers, we would sometimes talk about how to distinguish between an urge (usually generated by something outside, like seeing an ad or having an emotional trigger) and a craving (usually internal), because if you had a genuine craving for something, you might end up eating more calories trying to avoid eating that one thing than if you just ate a reasonable portion of what it was you were craving.

  237. 237.

    Another Scott

    December 30, 2016 at 11:27 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I think I’ve read similar things about fake sugars and the way it interacts with our feelings of “hunger”.

    I believe (no linkies, just a feeling) that much of our eating is driven by habits and misinterpreting our body signals rather than actual cravings or hunger pangs or the like. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the food chemists out there have found ways to make us feel hungry to drive up consumption of their products, but I don’t really feel that they do (yet)…

    I find that if I don’t have access to a clock during a the day, and if I stay busy, then I don’t feel “hungry”. But if I’m bored and am watching the clock, then by noon I’ll be wanting to eat.

    Similarly, real hunger pangs feel (to me) different from the – “well, it’s dinner time, time to eat” – feeling I get on arriving home from work.

    IIRC, Krugman said his new “diet” consisted of not eating for a couple of days each week. I probably need to try something like that, if only to remind my brain of what hunger feels like and that 6 hours between meals isn’t starvation….

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  238. 238.

    Lizzy L

    December 30, 2016 at 11:46 pm

    @efgoldman: My cardiologist recommends Ubiquinol (it’s the more effective form of CoQ10) to folks on statins. (I’ve been on statins for 10 years.) Research suggests it may be protective against statin-induced myalgia.

  239. 239.

    John Weiss

    December 30, 2016 at 11:53 pm

    Cole,

    Nuttin’ worth doin’ gonna take some time. Nuthin’ woit doin’ gonna be easy. I spent 30 some-odd years re-doing an old house. Did most of the work myself. Worked out fine, made some money. Learned a bunch.

    So why are you bitchin’? Take it slow. You’ll get there.

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