No matter how old you are...

[margrete]

We were away at the weekend, went to a wedding in the Midlands, a wonderful occasion based in a beautiful hotel. I was determined to keep control of what I ate. On the way up we stopped at Watford Gap services, and although there's McD's there, there is also a Fresh Food counter. For a snacky lunch (we knew there'd be a substantial meal after the ceremony) I had an egg and cheese salad. Bear that in mind for the future - some motorway services there is nothing healthy at all on sale.

Sunday, the day after, there was a very extensive selection of foods for breakfast. I thought of having a croissant to dip in my coffee but thought 'no'. I had fruit, and yogurt, and sliced cheese and ham. I ate no bread at all yesterday. We detoured to Lichfield, a place I'd never been to and wanted to see. Right in the middle of town there's a Wetherspoon's pub and all their meals are calorie-counted. I had sirloin steak and salad.

We stopped at Watford Gap again and I had a yogurt with fruit and honey. Everyone around us was eating McD's!!! They will never go out of business, but equally, we never go there and never eat any of their offerings.

Had to smile a bit, after the wedding while we were all relaxing with Buck's Fizz. A woman came up to my husband (who was looking extremely smart in a suit and tie, first time I've seen him in a suit or with a tie for at least 10 years!!) And she opened the conversation with 'I think you and I are the oldest people here'. I stayed out of it because I thought 'that's a conversation-stopper, not a starter'. He said 'Well, 1934 was a good vintage year' but hers was sometime in the 1920s. And would you believe, then she started detailing the things she suffers with.

It was a fairly short conversation, you'd better believe it, and fortunately we were called to go outside for the photographs. We were both dressed smartly as a compliment to the happy couple and to the occasion and we avoided that lady for the rest of the day!

I see so many fat people wherever I go and I am determined to keep it under control no matter how old I become.

[Jsports]

Your right were all getting bigger and the ones that continue to do something about it will be the ones that don't balloon up I'm only 27 and I have friends who are hitting 18 stone! Some of their fb pics I just believe it's the same person I knew 10 years ago. I'm kinda like you moment I see my weight increasing and especially if it hits my Highest ever I work my ass off to get it down. 7 weeks ago I came back from America weighing 13 stone 9 lbs my heaviest ever, of course I instantly upped all my gym sessions and tried to watch my weight which I think I. Have in 6 weeks worth and now weigh 12 stone 13lb ( not been this weight in about 5 months.

About the lady I'm a firm believer in taking time out to chat to anyone, if she's as old as she claims then you just never know what life circumstances she has going on, maybe she's lost a partner, a friend, diagnosed either way me personally, I would of chat to her and not avoided....yes diagnoses and problems she has is not something you may wish to hear and I'm sure certainly not at a wedding...but to change your perspective on it all....

Maybe your the first person she has told what is troubling her and she just needed a friend or someone to listen.. Hopefully makes you think...we don't want peoples money and gifts (funny coz your at a wedding) but we want peoples time and support, things you can't buy. Bride and groom appreciate the gifts, but they will want you to be there to give your time in celebrating their marriage..the gifts are just not as important as the people that make up the wedding. So although fantastic on the food front and maintaining great control over what you eat, although I do agree that isn't a good way to start a conversation, I personally disagree with how you ended up handling it but that's just my own personality and outlook.

Keep following the good food choices and good outlook on staying healthy whatever your age.

[margrete in reply to Jsports]

Well, that's fine, that's your opinion. It's just that I find that many in that age-group are all too eager to tell you (1) their age and (2) their ailments. That lady wasn't the first by any means!

Yes, the bride and groom really appreciated everyone turning up and being happy and supportive. They've each had their difficulties in previous relationships. My husband understands exactly where they're both coming from.

Any occasion demands the compliment of dressing smartly and having a big smile, chatting and being polite to people. Some of the others there, and the bridegroom too, I've met in the political field, so there were plenty of other topics for conversation.

My husband normally avoids dressing formally. Years of wearing a business suit have left him with an aversion even to wearing a tie. He looked so different, so smart. I was so proud of him.

[Prin]

Lol marguerite where in the midlands? I am a casual registrar in stafford one of the weddings on Saturday was a mixed wedding the Asian bride was sensational as were her states mom and dad, however two older ladies important enough to be on the front row wore what looked like jackets they did the gardening over their outfits,! It's respectful to make an effort for a wedding I am sure you both looked grand!

[margrete]

Yes, that reminds me of my half-brother's wedding in Liverpool register office, a beautiful historic old building. It was the year that Liverpool was a City of Culture and there were these funny sculptures all over called 'superlambananas'. As normal when invited to any wedding, I wore my 'wedding hat' and dressed smartly. My brother wore a linen suit that looked as if he'd slept in it, the bride's mother wore an old mackintosh that looked like the kind of thing she gardened in!

Saturday's wedding was in the Gateway Hotel, Nottingham. We were surprised to be invited because we don't know them well at all, only met the groom at a political conference, but hey, a wedding is a wedding. Myself, I seize on any occasion like that. I have a cream hat with a bit of veiling and a cream silky jacket that was half-price in Debenhams' sale, lots of nice dresses that I normally only get to wear to church. I wore that spotty dress you can just see in my pic.

Since I had my boobs reduced the main thing to watch is my tummy!!

[Prin in reply to margrete]

Lol loving your comment about the bobs mine have shrunk from a 40 g to a more manageable 34c with the help of a decent bra . I found the dresses with a gathered bit across he tummy work wonders although the gok dress I bought this week has a built in slip, I am looking to live up to my Mother's Day card lady of 100 dresses will count up and let you know......