My weekend of gardening is about to commence!

Two years ago I used gardening as a big part of my exercise that spring and early summer. And it worked as I kept dropping weight and got stronger.  I hauled a HUGE amount of mulch - like it filled half my driveway it was so much mulch. We put down a stone path in our front yard and I built a new flower bed as well as added more perennials to 3 existing flower beds.

Last year I just tried to fill the holes of failed perennials and some light mulching and otherwise concentrated on my deck - prettying that up.

This year I will be doing the same, but with adding a few more perennials in other not very successful flower beds. So, it won't be weeks and weeks of puttering, but just a little bit.  Unfortunately, I'm starting the adventure with an already burned nose and back of neck and that was just from walking around the plant nursery for 2 days (burned both days). I burn as fast as most redheads - if not faster. Heck, my two red-headed boys don't burn as fast as either me or my black haired husband! So, I must wear my dorky hat and sunscreen. As much as sunscreen is needed, I hate it. I have oily skin, so adding cream or lotions to my face especially, NEVER feels good. I always feel like I can scrape the oil off my face with a spatula. Yuck. But, it's necessary as I've gotten some precancerous spots from too much sun exposure already (not melanoma).

As far as calories go, today will be a higher day, though within normal ranges. I had pancakes today for breakfast (almond and hazelnut flour replacing the wheat flour - super yummy - both my husband and older son prefer those) and some fresh fruit. Dinner will be salmon with a mango salsa - so more carbs than usually and a few more calories - more in line of 1400 calories for the day instead of 1150-1250. At least the carbs are from fruit, not grains.

Scale is still coming down. I lost another .5 today, so I'm at 228.4 (down from 241.6 April 1st). I think I'm beginning to see the difference in weight in my face now too. And BP was a perfect 117/78. Resting heart rate this morning was 52.

I'll show pictures of the garden progress as I finish up.

In other news, the baby house finches fledged yesterday afternoon. I think they might have been facing outward yesterday because they were ready to take off! That was a fun 13 days.  Here is there poor empty nest:

Feeling the energy flowing and it feels good!

It's been 5 weeks since I've been taking my thyroid medication again and also about 7 weeks or so that I felt the winter blahs leaving me. So, it s a double impact mood lifter - more sunlight and better thyroid. I have all these plans of things I want to do! Now to find the time to do them!

The last couple of days I've been getting the perennials and annuals for the yard. My plans for this weekend are to PLANT! I'll be in heaven! I even bought a new hose so that I can take care of my new baby plants.  I am happy to see though that after four years here, some things are taking hold and are getting fuller and coming back. And, through trial and error I've learned what things will grow and what things just don't like my soil. For instance, I love pincushion plants. I have tried planting them 4 years in a row and nada. They either fizzle during the season or don't come back in, so no more.  I am trying a couple of newer things to see.

So, besides working on Mother's Day for Sunday School, I will be planting. For something special for Mother's Day, I'm making rhubarb pie and homemade vanilla ice cream. That will be my splurge for the month and I hope still to keep it within my calories for the day (like I did with the baby shower cake last month).

Not much else. Life is good and I'm feeling good. I'm still experiencing my month WHOOSH week too, which has been especially nice. Down another 1.1 pounds today. So that is 6.2 pounds down in five days. I knew I was holding water, but whoa!

So, here are my charts:

 

And for your viewing pleasure, the baby birds I showed you a a week ago. They are now 13 days old and should probably fledge in the next 2-3 days. It's been fun watching them grow!

Fast paced diets or slow and steady diets?

I got into an interesting discussion on a weight loss forum. It gave a LOT of food for thought for me and others, so I wanted to talk about it here.

We have all seen celebrities lose a ton of weight to gain it all back - Oprah being the biggest celeb. Remember when she wheeled out that wagon full of fat and she was so thin? She had been on a liquid diet and dropped tons of weight, but as soon as she went off of it, she gained it all back.

You can see all sorts of whack-a-doodle diets. The cabbage diet is a great example. You only eat cabbage soup!

And guess what, a lot of people can't tolerate that diet for very long and when they stop that diet, the gain all that weight back and maybe gain even MORE weight.

But is losing slow and steady any different? You are still eating less and moving more. You are still creating deficits. They weight just comes off slower, but it also takes longer. And, like the crash diets, guess how many people stick with it and how many people keep the weight off? Again, most people regain. Let's go back to Oprah. She has regained on the slow and steady diet too, right?

So, is there a difference then between the two if most people tend to gain it back?

Now, of course, a lifestyle change that includes moderate exercise is more than just losing weight. It's also improving fitness. Many people will start to exercise for the weight loss benefit, but it is the fitness aspect that they soon realize is just as important - less wheezing, feeling better, getting better sleep, etc.

I don't think there is any study that shows (and if you know of one, please link it) one diet is better than another for weight loss (other than true starving yourself - that cannot ever be good). The problem is with weight loss is twofold. One, people choose methods they cannot keep up - it's either too restrictive, too slow, too boring, something. So, instead of tweaking it, they give up. And two, people don't know how to transition from weight loss to maintaining weight loss. So many times when people "stop their diet" they go back to old habits and then the weight piles back on.

What can be said, I think, is that if you take it slow and steady, AND you can stick with it long term (that's a big if), you probably have figured out things that work for you to be able to maintain such behaviors long term. Supposedly then, being in maintenance should be easier as it will just be slight changes to your dieting behaviors  - a few more calories, or a bit less exercise to find that spot where you neither gain or lose.

That would appear to be much harder to transition to maintenance then with a more rapid, crash diet. Like, how do you go from eating only cabbage or drinking only liquids, to regular foods again? It would probably take a lot of trial and error to get it right and some regains as you figure it out. With that said, does that make it impossible to do? No. It doesn't.

I have now lost weight 2 times in my life with the 'approved' method of slow and steady - reducing caloric intake (slightly) and increasing exercise. It has resulted in a steady loss of about 1-1.5 pounds per week. Both times I regained the weight because of depression settling and me just hitting a point I really didn't care about my weight, my exercise, or my health in any way. This time as soon as the depression lifted, I went right back to what I was doing before - eating less and moving more. And like last time, it's working.

But this discussion I got into started to make me think about a more rapid weight loss effort. Maybe I can reduce a bit more? Or exercise a bit more? Making the journey a bit faster. I KNOW how to lose weight and I KNOW what I will do to maintain that weight loss. Perhaps, once a week I could do a very low calorie day? Or just every day that I can manage it, eat more low calorie, or walk more. I wouldn't go on a liquid diet or a cabbage soup diet as I know I couldn't sustain that, but what if I did such things here and there and then went back to "slow and steady" when such radical things started to make me buggy - or want to pig out?

I've 'sort' of been doing that already, but not intentionally. This time around, especially since I wasn't as hungry, I've eaten fewer calories than the last time I did this. I never calorie count DURING the day, but at the end of the day, I add it up to see where I'm at calorie wise.  Most days I'm eating around 1200 calories. Some days a bit more. Some days a bit less. Last time I was eating around 1500 calories a day with actually calorie plannign for the day - adding it up meal per meal - alloting so much for dinner to not go over the threshold.

What if I stayed at 1100 or 1200 with exercise? The weight "should" come off faster and I could probably maintain that for a long time. Maybe every week or two weeks having a higher calorie day of say, 1500 as a splurge.

I think I'm finding it easier to eat lower calorie this time because I have the foods that are the most satiating that KEEP me full. I know that nuts are filling. Eggs are filling. Pork and Chicken is filling (beef is too, but is much more calorie dense and not any more filling). I've learned to drink half and half with coffee instead of skim milk because it keeps me satisfied for hours. Right now, I feel I could probably eat like this for months, years. I already have for 5.5 weeks, so why not?

Now, I can already see the "Melissa, No! That's now how you lose weight and keep it off!" Says who? I know my body. I know what I need to do. My main obstacle? Depression. If I can keep myself from getting depressed, I should be successful long term.

And right now I think I need to see faster results for my head. I have VERY few clothes to wear. I have a closet full of too small clothes. And I gained this weight FAST. I want my body to reflect the Melissa I see myself as. Not the one that got fat again. 

Will I do anything stupid? No, of course not. But I think my idea of "there is only one way to do it right" was misguided. The actual WAY of losing weight is probably irrelevant - short of doing starvation diets and laxatives. But how you MAINTAIN those losses are the key. Since I've done the learning of changing my lifestyle habits, I think I have a good chance of being successful of keeping the weight off - as long as I don't get depressed and now I have a plan in place for managing that too.

With that said, I had a 2.1 pound drop on the scale this morning. I stopped taking one of the blood pressure drugs a few days ago and I think it was making me hold water as that is a common side effect. So, in addition to post ovulation weight loss, I'm experiencing post BP drug weight loss. AND my blood pressure is staying fine. So, one medication GONE... one to go. I'm down to 10 mg Lisinopril.

Here is my lovely chart for weight loss:

And here is for blood pressure:

I don't know why I find it comical, but I do

My mother in law has been on a 'secretive' diet. She hasn't said she is trying to lose weight, but it is obvious she is. Why? She is going home to Croatia for 2 months and is having her 60th high school reunion.

She is about to turn 79 years old and while she had gained a little weight, she was not overweight. She had about 20 extra pounds on her, but that's about it. Heaviest she had ever been as a lifelong thin person, but nothing very out of normal, especially for her age.

Well, she has been dropping weight and her way of doing it is to restrict, not to up her activities. She does walk 'a little' but it is mall walking for the most part with lots of stopping. When she walks to the nearby lake she walks to the dam and back with stopping for a break. That is 1 mile total.

Problem is, usually she eats very little. Now she eats ridiculously little. She probably consumes 700-800 calories a day these days and she is getting dizzy spells. Well duh! She's not eating enough to feed her body.  Why? Vanity.

I about spit out my coffee the other day when she said she wanted to wear a bikini at the beach. She then clarified that she wanted to get a tankini, but lift it up so she can sun her belly and back at the beach. That is soooooo European - bikinis on everyone - thin or fat, old or young. You can tell an American at the beach always - super pale and in one piece or tankini suits. So, then I realized she was dieting to look better in her swimsuit!

But I got to thinking about that... I find it funny that someone who is nearly 80 years old is trying to look good for the beach and look good to "go home". But why is that funny? Shouldn't we always care? Sure, she won't look "good" like she did when she was 20, but she can look better than 90% of the nearly 80 year olds on the beach.

She cares about what she eats too - quality of foods. And not just for controlling her blood pressure or cholesterol, but following trends for eating - like no food coloring, etc. At almost 80 worrying about the effects of food coloring?

I guess I always imagined myself after a certain age, just enjoying anything I wanted to eat or do. Like, "now I'm living on bonus time. I'm going to eat and do whatever I want! My kids are grown. My debts are paid. Now it's ME TIME!" But will I feel that way when I'm older? Or will I think, "I need to eat right and exercise so that I can see my grandbabies grow (if I have them)".

I don't like the idea of having to restrict and watch every mouthful of food I eat well into old age. I also don't like the idea of being immobile and pain.  I don't mind or fear the idea of dying. I just don't want to die a horrible, slow death. I just want to keel over some day when I'm old and tired.  And while I cannot guarantee a painless death, eating right and exercising regularly will most likely keep me healthier longer and in less pain in old age.

Oh well, for now... I need to eat right and exercise as I have a lot of living to do yet! I wonder when I get to 78 if I'll be just like my mother in law or not when I get ready to go to my 60th high school reunion? We'll see.

Weight loss is definitely not linear!

Anyone who thinks that a weight loss pattern will be a straight slope down, like drawn with a ruler and pencil has obviously never tried to lose weight before.

Here are how my weigh-ins have been since I started 4/1/14:


April
1: 241.6 start
2: 243.6. (+2)
3: 243.6. (+2)
4: 242.0. (+.4)
5: 240.6. (-1)
6: 240.6 (-1)
7: 238.2 (-3.4)
8: 237.6 (-4)
9: 237.8 (-3.8)
10: 236.8 (-4.8)
11: 236.2 (-5.4)
12: 236.0 (-5.6)
13: 236.4 (-5.2)
14: 235.4 (-6.2)
15: 235.0 (-6.6)
16: 235.0 (-6.6)
17: 234.6 (-7)
18: 234.8 (-6.8)
19: 234.6 (-7)
20: 234.4 (-7.2)
21: 234.8 (-6.8)
22: 235.0 (-6.6)
23: 235.4 (-6.2)
24: 235.0 (-6.6)
25: 234.4 (-7.2)
26: 234.4 (-7.2
27: 234.2 (-7.4)
28: 234.0 (-7.6)
29: 233.6 (-8.0)
30: 233.2 (-8.2)

May (Switched scales - this one goes to the .1 and reads a bit higher than my old scale)
1: 233.0 (-8.6)
2: 234.0 (-7.6)
3: 234.4 (-7.2)
4: 235.1 (-6.5)
5: 233.9 (-7.7)
6: 233.1 (-8.5)

In chart form, that looks like this for the entire weight loss journey so far:

And this is since May 1st (blood pressure readings too):

And during that time I was eating on average 1300 calories - some days higher, some days lower. No day above 1500 calories.

Yes, the overall trend is that it's going down, but down in a straight line - no.

And, really for the last bit it's been stuck between 235 and 233 for what seems forever and I can't quite figure it out except my body is still adjusting to things and the hormones are all out of whack. All I can do is just do what I'm doing.

AND... that is with adding more exercise. Like yesterday I did make the 10,000 step mark. I was just shy of it before going to bed, so I danced for 2 minutes to get it to top the 10000 mark to land at 10,167.

10,000 steps a day? Maybe not and attitudes of perfection

When I first got a pedometer and later the BodyMedia Fit Core, everything said, "Try to take 10,000 steps for better health."  I learned very quickly that it is actually quite difficult to take 10,000 steps in a day without doing serious exercise. You will not get there by doing housework all day, or most yard work (of limited duration) as you do a lot of standing around while doing those things. You have to take a walk in the day, and a fairly long one at that.

But, I would try to shoot for 10,000 steps and I would get there on days that I did aerobics (like step or Zumba), but oftentimes wouldn't get there on days I did weight training - despite walking around the lake or to my son's school for school pick-up.

This time, I just randomly picked 8,000 steps as a more reasonable goal as I remembered oftentimes that is where I would get to with actually trying to take more steps. It was attainable with moderate effort. I didn't want to feel like I was failing every day. LOSER - you didn't meet your goal again! Better to see, "Oh look, I made it and got even more in! Great!"

Well, after my LOOOOOOONG walk on Friday, I looked up walking recommendations just for the heck of it. I knew my 16,000 steps was way a lot, but what I found is that 10,000 steps is no longer the "go to" number. Guess what is? 8,000. Several sites talk about it. Here's an article from Live Science.

Of course, it's not that simple either. How fast you take those steps, your weight, age, lifestyle (sedentary/active) all play a part in that. Here is a really long article, How many steps/day are enough? for adults, that looks at several studies on step counts. Worth a read though. 

In essence, it's saying, more is better, but intensity is as important as the count. So, at least 30 minutes of those steps should be faster, deliberate walking (to get the heart rate up). 10,000 is a nice number and a good number, but it shouldn't be set in stone. Just try to do more for better health.  Here's the abstract:

Abstract

Physical activity guidelines from around the world are typically expressed in terms of frequency, duration, and intensity parameters. Objective monitoring using pedometers and accelerometers offers a new opportunity to measure and communicate physical activity in terms of steps/day. Various step-based versions or translations of physical activity guidelines are emerging, reflecting public interest in such guidance. However, there appears to be a wide discrepancy in the exact values that are being communicated. It makes sense that step-based recommendations should be harmonious with existing evidence-based public health guidelines that recognize that "some physical activity is better than none" while maintaining a focus on time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Thus, the purpose of this review was to update our existing knowledge of "How many steps/day are enough?", and to inform step-based recommendations consistent with current physical activity guidelines. Normative data indicate that healthy adults typically take between 4,000 and 18,000 steps/day, and that 10,000 steps/day is reasonable for this population, although there are notable "low active populations." Interventions demonstrate incremental increases on the order of 2,000-2,500 steps/day. The results of seven different controlled studies demonstrate that there is a strong relationship between cadence and intensity. Further, despite some inter-individual variation, 100 steps/minute represents a reasonable floor value indicative of moderate intensity walking. Multiplying this cadence by 30 minutes (i.e., typical of a daily recommendation) produces a minimum of 3,000 steps that is best used as a heuristic (i.e., guiding) value, but these steps must be taken over and above habitual activity levels to be a true expression of free-living steps/day that also includes recommendations for minimal amounts of time in MVPA. Computed steps/day translations of time in MVPA that also include estimates of habitual activity levels equate to 7,100 to 11,000 steps/day. A direct estimate of minimal amounts of MVPA accumulated in the course of objectively monitored free-living behaviour is 7,000-8,000 steps/day. A scale that spans a wide range of incremental increases in steps/day and is congruent with public health recognition that "some physical activity is better than none," yet still incorporates step-based translations of recommended amounts of time in MVPA may be useful in research and practice. The full range of users (researchers to practitioners to the general public) of objective monitoring instruments that provide step-based outputs require good reference data and evidence-based recommendations to be able to design effective health messages congruent with public health physical activity guidelines, guide behaviour change, and ultimately measure, track, and interpret steps/day.

The CDC (Center of Disease Control) suggests this:

General Guidance for Pedometer Use

A digital step counter pedometer is a reasonably accurate and reliable device that can be used for most physical activities for which there is a stepping-motion. These activities include not only walking, but exercise that involves movement of the trunk, hip and legs, such as stair-climbing, cross-country skiing, dancing, house-hold chores, running, and ball sports. There are dozens of models of pedometers. A step-only pedometer is one of the simplest, and requires no calibration or adjustment, other than daily resetting to 0.
Basic instructions for beginners:

1. Clip the step-counter onto your belt or waistband midway between your side and the crease-line of your shorts/pants. Some authorities suggest placing the step-counter at the side, either in the 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock position. If your pedometer has a strap or leash, attach the leash to your belt to prevent losing the pedometer if it accidentally becomes unclipped.
   
2. Reset the step counter to 0 steps before starting your exercise and at the end of each day or exercise session.
   
3. For the first 3-4 days, assess your total number of steps and movements during a routine day at home and work. Most relatively sedentary individuals take 1,000 - 3,000 steps per day. After establishing a baseline number of steps per day, some individuals elect to count steps per week, rather than steps per day. Both approaches are acceptable.
   
4. With a goal of increasing your steps every day or week, begin an organized and systematic walking program. Your level of progress will depend upon your starting fitness level and health. Most apparently healthy, but sedentary adults can safely add 2,000 steps per day, or approximately one additional mile, the first week. Continue to add steps regularly. At least 10,000 steps per day is a good goal for currently sedentary people.
   
5. A healthful level of activity is at least 30 minutes per day of moderate-level physical activity. To achieve a moderate level of activity, increase your walking pace to 6,000-8,000 steps, or 3-4 miles, per hour for at least 30 minutes each day.

* Remember that the total on a step-counter reflects all daily physical activity that involves a stepping-motion or other movement of the trunk, hip and legs. A step-counter can be used as an activity meter, as a testing tool for evaluating walking endurance and distance, and as an educational or motivational tool to encourage physical activity.

 With all that said, I think, and it makes sense, that what's most important is not the exact count, but improving on what you already do, especially if you a sedentary.

A sedentary person takes about 2000-2500 steps a day - slow steps, a few at a time. Those aren't exercise minutes, but lowest level of movement needed to survive as a mobile person. That's getting up to go to the bathroom, going down the hall to get dressed. Walking to the kitchen. Walking to the car to go to the store, etc.

Each mile is about 2000 steps. So, walking 2000 steps a day is only walking a mile a day.  And yes, on days I am a lazy bum, I do walk only 2000-2500 steps a day. That's a lot of sitting.

So, if that is your normal lifestyle, jumping from 2000 to 10,000 is going to feel impossible and discouraging. The goal should be to improve, so start small and slow. Here's what the walkingsite.com says:

A reasonable goal for most people is to increase average daily steps each week by 500 per day until you can easily average 10,000 per day. Example: If you currently average 3000 steps each day, your goal for week one is 3500 each day. Your week 2 goal is 4000 each day. Continue to increase each week and you should be averaging 10,000 steps by the end of 14 weeks.

It makes a lot of sense.

On top of that, if 10,000 seems impossible to fit into your lifestyle, then shoot for as many as seems reasonable. 5000 is still better than 2000. It shouldn't be an all or nothing mentality with walking just like it shouldn't be with weight, diet or anything.  Progress and improvement still improves your health.

With that said, for now, I'm aiming for 8000 steps a day. It's doable with walking to and fro my son's school and a walk around the lake. I will shoot for 2-3 longer walks a week (for now). I will go for more as my energy increases and my fitness increases - like my shins handling the newish work (my shins are my sensitive spot). That is far better than the 2000-3000 I was getting while sitting away my life all winter.

It's how we should look at all of fitness, diet, and weight goals. Perfection is great, but it's not necessary to improve quality of life. If you used to weigh 300 pounds, never walked (2000 steps minimum) and ate 12 donuts every day, your health will be a LOT better if you weighed 225 pounds, walked 3 miles a day (6000 steps) and ate one donut a day and nutritious foods the rest of the day. Sure, you're still overweight. You're still not walking much and you still eat donuts, but tell that to your body that it 'doesn't matter' because it's not perfect. Your body would disagree. Baby steps still get you there and getting all the way to the finish line isn't the only sign of success.

An unexpected super long walk and trying to get my gizmos to be friendly

After our torrential downpours, so much so that they make the national news, I needed to get out and about. So much of the year is either too hot or too cold to enjoy walks, so I want to get in as many in nice weather as possible.

Last night I took a couple of walks, for about 3 miles total for the day. I first walked to and fro to get my son from school, but in the evening I decided to walk to a nearby intersection to investivate these trees that I have been trying to figure out what they are since we moved here 4.5 years ago. And I'm happy to say with a closer look, I know what they are -  Canada Red Chokeberry trees.

Of course, I found other interesting specimens along the way too. It was a very enjoyable walk for me. However, it was not so nice of a walk for my husband. I don't have allergies. My husband does, but they are moderate and recently developed. What that means is that sometimes he forgets to take his allergy medicine - like last night. So, we took this lovely walk (and it was lovely) and about 15 minutes after we got home my husband was a sneezing, sniffling, teary eyed mess. Oops! Some visine and an hour later with some allergy medicine he felt better, but I realized until these pollens dissipate, he's probably not going to go out that much for walks.

Still need to figure out what these pretties are.  No clue: Anyone?

So, after yesterday's fiasco with the allergies, I decided I needed to take walks by myself for now. I decided to take a walk to my son's school and then a big, long loop. I've taken this walk several times, but it hasn't been since last summer that I took the full loop. Sometimes I've just walked up and back down the same street. it would be about 4 miles.

And I thought I was smart for this walk. I had all my gizmos at the ready. I was wearing my Garmin heart rate monitor and watch. I had on my bodymedia Fit gizmo that counts steps and activity level. And I had my phone so that I could listen to the radio via headphones. Off I went.

The walk was very pleasant, but I was beginning to get tired of the radio. Only when I 'thought' I was getting close to home did I realize I should have listened to a podcast instead of a re-airing of what I had already heard in the morning (NPR, WAMU). But, since I was "almost home" I decided to just stick with the radio.

The turnoff to cut across a parking lot didn't come up though. I was surprised at how far it was. Well, only when I got in front of the golf course fancy house did I realize that I was WAY off course. I had walked almost a mile out of my way and the only way back was to turn right around and go back the same way I came. Ugh!  I was tired and thirsty! I hadn't had breakfast and only a small glass of water in the morning! Now I knew I had at least 2 miles to walk or more to get home. UGH!!!!

Here was my route and 'detour'. Thank goodness it was such a lovely day. In the end, I walked about 6 miles. I'll tack on another almost mile this afternoon when I pick my son up from school.

What irked me was that my Garmin Gizmo wasn't working properly and then I accidentally locked all the keys. I googled how to unlock them quickly when I was outside my son's school, but that didn't work. The entire walk it was pausing and resuming as it thought I was stopping anytime I slowed down. And not surprising as I can see now that it thought I was cross country skiing! And, I can't find the devise to connect it to my computer. I put it somewhere to be 'safe' and I have no idea where that is.

So, that was useless today - a very expensive useless toy.

Then, I tried to pair my scale/core band/blood pressure monitor. Yes, not so easy. They pair, but not completely. I can see "most" everything (after some work and googling) the phone with BodyMedia Fit and Withings. Not on the ipad and not on the Mac. I can tie MyNetDiary (where I track food) with Withings, but only that withings scale will report directly to MyNetDiary, not that any of the food stuff will go to Withings.  And while Withings connect to both my gizmos (and I think the Garmin watch too), the two other one won't speak to each other - MyNetDiary to BodyMedia Fit. As, probably, they are in competition with each other for food databases. Ugh.

In the end, I sort of got it to work and asked a question at Withings for details. We'll see.

This is what I see on my iphone for Withings:

My iPad:

My Mac:

See? Three different things and supposedly all the same "app". uh-huh. Only the iphone has the info about my sleep and activity (and an hour of sleep was 'cut off' as the thingee cut out - as it does sometimes, so I got about 6 hours and 11 minutes of sleep, not 5.

And yes, the scale went up today - go figure. Might be that I had a salty dinner. Or it might be that I'm gearing up for ovulation again... which would be the third month in a row after NOTHING for 3 months. Probably the thyroid coming back in line.

After my walk I spent over an hour just trying to figure out how to get these things to talk with each other. What a time sink!

But... in other news, it's a beautiful day and some things in my yard are growing and I didn't think they would. First, the traditional lilacs are starting to bloom and smell divine. This is their 4th year and their FIRST blooms. There's only 3, but hey... it's blooming! (I also have a Korean Dwarf Lilac that will bloom a couple weeks later). AND, after two failed attempts, the rhubarb I planted last spring took hold and is growing - 2 bunches! YES!!!! Lastly, I found two kinds of bleeding hearts. The pink ones I've had for a couple years, but last year I found some white ones and they are doing great!

And how can I forget? The baby birds. Mommy laid 6 eggs. 4 hatched. They are 6 days old now. They two outer ones are facing to the wall. The two inner ones are facing out: