Well I have 'done it', 
I have the Wii console, starter kit with Wii plus and the Biggest Loser program that goes with it.  It's a huge expense on a carer allowance, one I hope I will not regret and hope no unexpected costs come up soon.

If I exercise more and better as a result of getting it, and I get fitter, then all the cost will be worth it. $565. all up. 

I can't wait to get started and I will be able to exerciser in one room and watch my husband through the door way in another room. With Reg turning 70 next year and having dementia, I know my being able to go out away from him to exercise will become harder and harder so this could be an even better purchase for me than having paid for a year's biggest loser program as motivation or a year's away from hme gym membership that I find hard to get out to use. 

I already ate healthy and I really only use exercise based challenge forums not weight based forums as my weight is pretty stabilized regardless  of what I do.
 
I know fitness challenges is where I need to focus and I need to think and focus on being fit and healthy and allow the weight to  take care of itself. 

I'm sure I've done the right thing, :-), and as we travel in a caravan 6 months of the year, I will be able to use the Wii all year round.

Now to learn, how to use it. :-)

I bought some new clothes in the recent after Christmas sales and I have been doing a wardrobe clean out and reorganize, so I took a look at coming fashions, while I was working out what I needed to update and discard. 

That old leather jacket I never wear will be held on to, it’s coming back into fashion as are the large belts, that jump suit, all brief shorts.

Reg had best hang on to his worn out, frayed denim shorts, they  will be high fashion now, not ready for the trash, lol, J. However, I do not think my figure is ready for the bikini, ever again, even if it is high fashion again. J.  How does that saying about skimpy clothing go? ‘If you’re old enough to remember wearing it half a century ago, you’re probably a bit too old to wear it again. Well I feel like that, for myself.

My own taste in clothing is a mix of classic and casual, though having come from a fashion background, my mum having owned a fashion house and been a leading dress designer; I always take an interest in, though I personally do not follow, fashion.

I like to web search what clothing design and colours are currently featured in Paris or Milan. Then I look to see how this is translates into practical wear for New York jobs. Then I watch to see the more casual interpretation of the same fashions in San Francisco    There is a subtle difference as each season’s fashion moves around the world, following the seasons and while Australia does have its own fashion industry, we adapt very quickly to a similar fashion taste to that of California. Not surprising as our climate is similar.  If I had to chose one favourite [place to shop for clothes, it would be the end of season clothing sales in San Francisco, as the end of season clothes are sold off very cheaply and they are the current seasons, full price latest fashions in Australia.   I have wonderful memories of shopping tours in San Francisco with my sister. J.  Well right now, I had best be content with a little reminiscence, the few goodies I have to update my wardrobe, I bought in the after Christmas sales for my wardrobe update.

How to Sort out your wardrobe of clothes.

Step 1/ – Take everything out and spread it on the bed. Return to the wardrobe only those clothes that currently fit, look good on you, are being worn, are clean and not in need of repair.  Arrange them according to colour following the sequence of the colour wheel.

Step 2/.  Spot clean, iron and repair any items you wear, look good on you and fit, and return to wardrobe in colour arrangement.

 

Step 3/. Pack clothing that you feel you may grow into, away, do not leave it congesting up the wardrobe. Give away any good clothing you do not intend to grow into and throw out clothing that is past it’s use by date and condition.

 

Step 4/ Make a list of what items you have an actual need for. Carry this list in your diary and buy when you see the items you need at a good value price and of a good quality. Buy poor quality and you buy twice. Classic clothing is an investment.

 

Step 5/ Buy for the lifestyle you live. A gray nomad, touring senior like myself, needs only one wash and wear light weight party dress, not five, however I would get use from five pairs of well made jeans in a mixture of cream, blue denim and black colours.  

 

So why am I talking about hair loss on a healthy lifestyle, weight management blog?

Our hair is an indicator of our health and genetic characteristics and frankly I am a bit of a lay science, reference information, geek and I am often curious when research scientists come out and contradict each other as they are currently doing with hair loss.   

As you can see, J, God only made so many perfect heads, the rest he put hair on, and my man has one of the perfect heads. J.  It is believed by most people, that baldness in men, and to a lesser extent in women, is hereditary. Not only hereditary, but strangely enough, the gene for baldness comes from the maternal gene, from the mother’s side, not the father.  Genetics is as fascinating to me as science.

For a while it was believed that higher levels of testosterone, in men was what caused baldness, then it was found that it was not the testosterone itself but dihydrotestosterone  or DHT,  a by-product of testosterone,that over time, leads to the hair thinning and this along with the inherited genetic tendencies, general nutrition and health, may lead to baldness.

Now given the connection of testosterone with baldness, even if indirectly, I read that testosterone is being marketed in testosterone cream ,which is fine,  I know there are uses for hormonal creams, I’m just fascinated that one of claims is that testosterone creams are known to help people treat ,hair loss. Perhaps this is something along the lines of homeopathy where you treat a condition with a small amount of the same substance which in larger amounts has been said could cause the condition, or does it show that science still has an awful lot to learn about the causes of baldness .

One researcher in this field is Neil Sadick, M.D., Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Dermatology at Cornell University Medical College, states that most men who lose their hair have a hereditary condition called androgenic alopecia. If such men indeed have increased levels of a hormone known as 5-alpha reductase and this transforms testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), then they may suffer from hair loss. This DHT subsequently causes follicles to sprout shorter, hair to thin, and hair growth phases to shorten.  So it does appear, it is NOT testosterone that causes hair loss, but the way some peoples bodies manage this testosterone. I doubt that buying creams marketed to assist baldness, is going to help them very much, aside from the stimulation of the blood supply to the scalp, from rubbing them in. J  I’m not the research scientist, just the questioning geek, J lol.

So is there anything at all people can do, to help prevent baldness?

A Healthy diet of fish, eggs, beans, because hair is made of protein, therefore, it makes sense to eat healthy protein foods if you are trying to maintain your healthy hair. However, eating cholesterol high red meat every day is not going to help you. Cholesterol and high-fat diets will result in increased testosterone levels, which have been linked to hair loss -- so steaks are not among the foods that prevent hair loss. Stick to leaner proteins such as fish (which has a myriad of health benefits beyond just maintaining your hair), chicken, calf’s liver, brewer’s yeast, low-fat cheese, eggs, almonds, beans, and yogurt. Soymilk and tofu are also smart to add to your diet because they are high in protein and low in bad fats.

Iron plays a key role in manufacturing haemoglobin, the part of the blood that carries oxygen to your body’s organs and tissues. When your haemoglobin is at healthy level, oxygen is properly, dispersed. This means your scalp is getting a good flow of blood, which will stimulate and promote hair growth.  Eggs; dates; raisins; dark green, leafy vegetables such as kale; and whole-grain cereals are all high in iron.  

Vitamin C improves the absorption of iron, so fruits such as oranges, strawberries and lemons should be on your grocery list of foods that prevent hair loss. 

Silica is something a biochemist advised my husband to take, years ago, for his arthritis. The body uses silica to help it absorb vitamins and minerals. Silica is found in bean sprouts and the skin of cucumbers, red and green peppers, and potatoes. Remember, when you eat these foods raw, as opposed to cooked, you’re getting more nutritional value out of them.

Zinc plays a key role in many of the body’s functions, from cell reproduction to hormonal balance, and all these functions affect hair growth. Perhaps most importantly, zinc manages the glands that attach to your hair follicles. When you are low on zinc, these follicles become weak, causing strands to break off or fall out. To combat this problem, eat zinc-heavy foods such as red meat, mussels, shrimp, nuts, and oysters. Excessive amounts of zinc can eventually lead to hair loss, so it is best to stick to a zinc-heavy diet rather than eat these foods and take a zinc supplement. It is always a case of all good things in moderation. 

a balanced diet

Just as your overall health will benefit from eating a balanced diet, so too should the health of your hair. Once it’s gone, it’s gone, so don’t put foods in your body that speed up hair loss. You may be experiencing a thinning on top already, but you can counteract this (or at least slow it down) by eating from every food group daily. 

When I came home I was hungry yet too tired to cook a proper meal and I didn’t want to go to the fridge and grab fast food, bread and cheese, which was a part of my old bad weight gaining habits I left behind three years ago, so what did I do?  I sat down in front of the computer to edit these photos, wishing the genie would appear and cook vegetables for me to eat, next thing I knew, I woke up, yes I has fallen asleep in front of the computer, sitting up.  Talk about slipping back into my old bad habits of sloth. 

I made the effort, got up, stir fried in a teaspoon full of olive oil, some onions, mushrooms, red pepper, cabbage, garlic, carrots, celery and a small quantity of lean mince steak and I served this with some fresh lettuce and tomatoes, picked fresh out of our own garden.  This made a lovely homemade, veggie with lean meat burger. ~ back on track; never want sloth, being too lazy to prepare a healthy meal with vegetables to make me morbidly obese again. I can see how easy it is to slide back if I am not forever vidulant. 

Everything has been coming together beautifully here in our gray nomad summer studio retreat.

I have been hankering for new office furniture but not wanting to spend much money on it. Therefore, when I saw three-piece furniture, L shape desk setting for $98.96, I could hardly believe my eyes and I bought two of them, hoping they would fit the space, and they did, PERFECTLYJ, as if they were custom made for the job.

If I was not already thrilled with my 6-piece office furniture set I am NOW, because I just saw ONE piece, advertised at Office works for $228. and I paid $197.92. for SIX pieces at Big W.  At the Office works price it is a $1,000. unit, and looking at it this morning, it looks like that value, too. It seemed too cheap to be correct when I bought it.

My husband Reg is becoming a lot fitter; having fully recovered from the bought of Whooping cough and the complications and set back it caused himJ. He recently passed a series of medical checkups with flying colours and was fit enough to put together a set of six assemble yourself furniture. The assembly required hours of bending and stretching, down on the floor and up again work, something he would not have been able to do a few weeks ago.

Reg had been on anti inflammatory for the severe rheumatic condition and arthritis flair up that followed the whooping cough set back and he had to go off these due to side effects and he changed over to aspirin in the mornings to get some relief and get moving for the day.  Then when he had to have an aesthetic for these tests, he had to go off the aspirin a week before the procedure so I suggested he get back on to chondroitin glucosamine and anti inflammatory fish oil capsules and he has been making a huge effort and moving a little more every day.

It is so easy to come to a stop moving, when it hurts to move, ( I have been there myself), but that just compounds the problem, ‘if you don’t use it you lose it’, is what Arthritis Australia, advises and both Reg and I do our best to keep mobile even when we have arthritis flair ups. 

I am amazed at how well Reg has recovered, he has not needed to go back on to the anti-inflammatory or aspirin and just takes his natural therapies, I mentioned above, as they do seem to help, (helps both of us) and they are safe to use, long term.

J, I am VERY HAPPY this morning, so very happy my man has recovered so well and DELIGHTED with my new look lounge room and ‘clean (writing and drawing, mediums’ creative studioJ.

 

Northern Victoria where we are currently staying at our summer retreat has just come out of a heat wave where the temperatures reached the mid 40’s Celsius again. I found it so much easier to manage in the heat than I did a few years back when I was 25 kilo heavier. The heat hardly bothered me at all, I just wore one of my new, sun frocks and drank a lot of water and did my exercise in the evenings when it was cooler, taking things quietly through the heat of the day.  

Not only was it easier to manage, but I welcomed the heat because for me, the high temperature, coupled with our air conditioner not working  were the best appetite suppressants  and I found myself not even thinking about food, eating very lightly and losing weight easier than at any time in recent months

The cool change arrived this morning and I pulled on a pair of jeans that had been a little tight last week, they zipped up easierJ.   I also paid our monthly electricity bill of only $47. for the month. J  Those are advantages I like,J, for having not run an air conditioner during the heatwave.  But then, I know I am ‘not average’, lol, J, most  ‘sane’, people like the comfort of climate controlled, homes during weather extremes.