Nici - Oh, the injury. It is so hard to know what to do. So glad you are taking it to the podiatrist, and super glad that you are going to get some alternatives when you get your free gym membership. I am with you. Even though I know I can lose weight without exercise, I just don't tend to be able to stay focused on eating well when I am not exercising. And I apologize for sharing my "alfredo from a jar" weakness with you. Trust me. You don't want to start doing that. =) Let us know how it goes.
Diane - I love that your instructor works so well with you and for you. Glad he's back, finally. And I love, love, love your goals. I find that I have to shake it up to make things work, and I think your strategy of having time-oriented goals sounds like a good way to make that happen. You have great consistency with exercise, but it seems like you struggle with food sometimes, and focusing on a result might help you stay focused. And if it doesn't, you're smart enough and flexible enough to come up with a new strategy that works better for you. I also think I will choose a 5K for the spring. It sounds like a great way to stay motivated.
I'm back, baby! I am really starting to feel it.
I feel like my hold on this is tenuous. I have had countless false starts, and I recognize that this successful start might result in the same big bucket as before. But . . .
* I have started making and stocking lower-calorie foods, so I can always pull something out of the freezer if I'm hungry.
* I have started bringing my lunch every day.
* I have started appreciating fruits and veggies again.
* I have started making the difficult choices to be back in the gym. Yesterday, I planned my whole day around the gym, and encountered several setbacks. I almost decided not to go, because missing a day really is not that big of a deal, but ultimately decided to get in there.
I cannot let this momentum slide! Especially because the scale is really cooperating with me.
Today's strategy steps:
1 - Get to the gym at 1:30. Lifting. Yes!
2 - Eat on plan.
Today feels very honeymoonish. I feel like I won't even be tempted if someone unexpectedly brings donuts, etc. But I won't fall for that trap. Even on my best days, I want donuts. So. I will also stay away from foods that trigger binges.
Let the games begin! Monday, baby. What a great way to start the work week.
Ugh. What a weekend of food.... Had a company Christmas party on Saturday and that kind of set it all off. Lots of heavy, rich food and drinks. So, up again today. I'm not completely devastated, but need to be much more mindful this week so that it doesn't keep going up.
I went to spin this morning. It was the "endurance" week workout and it was challenging. No breaks for 45 minutes. Just crazy hard, but it really felt good! It was an awesome workout.
Nici: You should be proud of your efforts! You're doing well!
Laurie: Nice job on getting to the gym! And you have a good plan going for today. Way to go!
Diane - Look at you rocking the gym. Still. Hope you LOVED your weekend of heavy eating. It is really good to get a break periodically. And Nici's right. There is at least a body of research to suggest that a little calorie shake-up aids weight loss. Hope yesterday was a rocking on-track day.
Nici - Yay for another lifting session! Hope you get that gym membership soon so that you're not out in the rain. Safe travels, and hope that toe continues to improve.
Like Nici observed, the hazards of daily weighing include some natural upswings. I had one this morning. I was 259.0, up 0.2. Not bad at all, but I did have the sense of "This is such hard work. Why am I doing it if I don't see results?" In other words, I let my morning hunger lie to me. When I am consistent, I always eventually see results.
For today:
1 - Eat well. (I prepared for the week, so I have spiced shredded chicken breast, pomegranate seeds, and sugar snap peas. So much deliciousness!)
2 - I think I want to focus on work today, so I think I will take a rest day from the gym. I may elect to walk the tunnels at work (yes - we have underground tunnels connecting buildings here!) for about 30 minutes, though.
3 - For goodness sake, stop eating entirely at 8 p.m. Don't give in to the temptation to undo the entire day's really hard work for food vacuumed in and hardly noticed.
I went to body pump this morning. It must have been a pretty good workout because I'm feeling it now. I might try to run tonight, but we'll see how it goes. I have some things I'd like to get done, so I might need to put it on hold. Plus the weather is kind of icky today. I might just want to go home and be there!!
Nici: Nice job on the lifting! At least you don't have the temptation of getting on the scale. I do try to weigh only once a week, but there are times that I need to do it every day just to keep it front and center. That's rare that it works well for me to weigh every day though.
Laurie: Yeah, don't let the fluctuation bother you. It is hard to accept anything other than a loss though!!!! You're doing well, glad to see it!
I decided I would not work out today. But around noonish, I became very antsy about not going. And I finally decided that I would just go and do about 20 minutes of cardio. When I got to the gym, in my first minute or so on the elliptical, I got an urgent work email, and I almost left. Instead, I grabbed my iPad, did some triage, and finished my 25 minutes on the elliptical. When the gym is a rock-solid commitment in my psyche, things are just better all around.
Reiterating my commitment to the midnight snacking thing. My son is cooking dinner - a recipe that includes a lot of sour cream and cheese, but also include some stuff that I strongly dislike. Woot? Anyway, I think I will have me a spinach salad with cherry tomatoes and shrimp. And then go to bed at a reasonable hour, and don't do any right-before-bed (or sneaking downstairs after I go to bed and can't fall asleep right away) eating.
Went to spin this morning. Wow, what a workout. This particular instructor just blows me away. She has a way of making it so difficult, but making you want to try harder! So, feels so good. I didn't run last night, but that's ok. I have a lot I need to do before Christmas, so running might be on hold for now. I decided on another goal thing for 2016. The instructors at the gym are told to not single anyone out for wrong form, or whatever. But I'm going to ask each of them to let me know if I'm doing anything wrong, or if they feel that I am not giving it my all. I don't think for a minute that I slack at my workouts, but if I know that I've given them a heads up on it, I think I'll try even harder to improve. So, there's that. So ready to get going on this!!! Onederland in 2016!!
Laurie: AWESOME! I love that you didn't allow for a distraction to take you away from your workouts! We are doing it!!!!
Very late check-in, but I didn't want you to be the only one who posts in our currently-anemic thread, Diane.
Diane - That is a fantastic idea. I know you're not slacking either, but any way to improve is, in my mind, motivational. The hardest thing for me is when things feel very routine and unchallenging. I love how you incorporate new things to keep yourself motivated and on track.
Nici - Hope you're having a fantastic time on your trip!
I have had a less-than-stellar day, but it really hasn't been bad. I ate a little bit of brisket for lunch. It was a bit fatty, but I didn't have much. Then, I had a lemon bar, a cookie, and some Hershey's kisses. So - not great food choices, but not too many total calories either. However, it feels like I am completely out of control again, especially because I did not get to the gym today.
So, real talk time. I don't want another start-over. I don't want to get off track for a week, or two weeks, and then strive mightily to start AGAIN. So, from here to the end of the day, I will be super focused. We are having pancakes and bacon for dinner, but I will only eat ONE pancake and TWO pieces of bacon, and I will do it slowly.
I may also try to sneak out for a late-night gym session, but I don't think I can. It's not that I think I need the gym to burn calories. It's that I need it to stop myself from ingesting additional calories. I CAN do this. It will just be hard tonight. But I can do hard.
Last edited by LaurieDawn; 12-16-2015 at 06:32 PM.
My weight was up again this morning. Perils of daily weighing. And less-than-stellar choices yesterday, I suppose. But I am still here. Still fighting. And feeling re-energized this morning.
Action Steps
1 - Lots of water / herbal tea
2 - Eat good food, not just try to restrain calories on junk
3 - Hit the gym at 2:00 p.m.ish. Or maybe I'll try for 11:00 a.m.
Have a great day, everyone! Hope your work-out this morning was smashing, Diane, and that you're getting your holiday stuff done.
Went to body pump this morning. It was good! I have off on Christmas Eve day and Christmas day, but I thought that on the 24th, I'd still go to the gym. They aren't having classes until later in the day, so I took that as a sign that I didn't have to go. That's dangerous thinking, so I think I'll still go, and maybe do some running. I'll take Christmas day off, and then go in Saturday. Then, I'm going to see my parents, so I'll put it on hold until I get back. Maybe sneak in a run. We'll see!
Laurie: You have such a good attitude! I'm so glad you are posting. It really helps to have a little activity here, especially with the good thoughts and ideas! I know what you mean about not wanting to get off track. It sounds lame, but I'm kind of looking forward to Christmas being over, so that all of this temptation and celebration days are over. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing family and all, but it is a struggle to stay in line!
Nici: Congrats on the weight loss! Way to go! Looks like you are getting in your exercise and doing well. I'm glad that we are all on board with this, going into 2016! It's exciting!
So I'm officially a Graduate Vocational Nurse now! I graduated a week ago, and have slept about 9 hours a night every night since. It's been fantastic, but on the downside, I've gained back every pound I had lost previously (but thankfully haven't gone over my original highest!). As of now, I'm just waiting around to take the NCLEX and become a fully licensed nurse. I applied for some technician jobs at a local hospital designed for graduate nurses before they get licensed, so hopefully the 12 hour shifts on my feet will kill some of the weight gain from this year lol.
Anyways, as of tomorrow I'm back on the diet and exercise train and will be back on here on a regular basis. Glad to see everyone.
Amanda - Yay! You're back! And you're back with a HUGE accomplishment to your name. So impressive. Congratulations!
Diane - Christmas Eve running. How cool is that? I, too, love the holidays, but it also makes me crazy.
Nici - The scale, too, drives me up the wall. I know you already know this, but --- the scale is a big, fat liar. If you had that kind of deficit, you are making progress on your goal, even if the scale doesn't adequately measure it. But I really, really hope that it catches back up with you soon, cuz I know that no amount of "knowing" changes the need to "see."
I have a 2:00 p.m. meeting, so I may just hit the gym over the noon hour. Not a great time of day for it, but gotta get it done.
In other, not-so-great news, I don't seem to be able to kick the evening our-of-controlness. I could not leave work yesterday to get to the gym, but I planned on eating when everyone else was eating dinner, as I had an evening obligation as well. I was actually driving to the gym when I decided that I did not want to put my gym need above my need to actually spend time with my family. I think it was the right choice, but it did lead to overeating.
So, as of today, I am going back to food tracking. Maybe just for a few days, I don't know. But I will make that decision in a few days. For now, I need the tracking. And it's the worst.
Today's steps
1 - Track my food
2 - Hit the gym at noonish.
3 - Track my food.
Went to spin today. It was another endurance day. A lot of high speed cycling, so that means sitting most of the time and pedaling for all you are worth! So, TMI, a little sore down there... and my legs were dead. But yes, it was an awesome workout. I'm going to try to go to body pump tomorrow. I'm trying to not tell myself that I have too much to do this weekend, and that I should skip it. It doesn't take that long, so I need to go.
Dread: Welcome back and congratulations! How nice! You'll get the weight back off, so enjoy your accomplishments!
Nici: Give it some time, and it will show. You may have just shocked your body and it is fighting back! ha! Hang in there, and don't give up! Consistency is your friend!
Laurie: Step by step, you'll get it. I'm also struggling right now with food choices. I'm trying to stay mindful, but platefuls of cookies are killing me right now. I am hoping that once all of this is cleared out of here, I'll be dropping some pounds!!
Thanks, everyone! More good news today: I set up my first interview for next week on Wednesday! Everyone cross their fingers and toes and send good vibes. I had greek yogurt with granola for breakfast, and then much too much spaghetti for lunch/dinner. I was supposed to go work out today and completely failed. :/ Oh, well. At least I've started tracking my food again in MyFitnessPal. I also replaced all drinks with water. Baby steps!
Nici: Bodies do weird stuff! Hopefully it's just being stubborn and it'll fall off in rush soon. Stay strong!
Laurie: Don't ever regret spending time with your family instead of doing something else! Precious moments can't be made up with extra laps or pushups, but food can.
Diane: Look at you! Still here, still going hard and strong and always. So inspiring!
Ugh. I actually gained half a pound after the first day of trying to be better. What the heck. TOM is only days away right now, so that could have a lot to do with it. Feeling pretty blah right now...feel lazy and blobby and gross. Just gonna study, maybe go for a walk, and drink lots of water. Going to a concert tonight and seeing Star Wars tomorrow, so that should perk me up a bit!
Nici: sorry about the bad news, and doubly sorry about the steroid prescription.
Good morning! Happy Monday, everyone. The week of Christmas. It should be magical!
Nici - You are definitely encountering a huge challenge with both the steroids and the weight-bearing exercise restriction. But - wow. I love Reese's, and I have definitely had those moments where I couldn't walk by them. It is fantastic that you put them down. It's the hard choices that add up to the good results. And people lose weight all of the time without exercise, so I know you can do this. It will just be a bit harder. But we can do hard things, right? (That's often my mantra - "This is hard, but I can do hard things.")
Amanda - Woot for Star Wars! I enjoyed it, though I admit to the tears flowing freely at one point. And yes - I have just re-started (AGAIN!) and had some immediate success followed by setbacks, and went through the "Why am I even trying?" blahs. But we both know this works if we stick to it. I love your plan of just going for a walk and going about your life enjoying yourself. Hope it helped.
Diane - The "I'm too busy for this" song. I had a schedule to stick to yesterday, and I got to the gym just as my daughter called me. She just lost her mother-in-law, and I vowed (to myself) to be as responsive to her as possible, so I picked up the phone and talked to her for over an hour. It set my whole timeline off, and I almost skipped my work-out. Instead, I told myself, as you are doing, that the gym really does not take that much time. And stayed. And you know what? Working out always gives me more energy, and I feel like I completed the rest of my tasks with more efficiency. So, this is my way of saying that, as always, I agree with you. Great job on working hard enough to get noodle legs, too.
I am dealing with a bit of a personal crisis, and I struggle with depression, and the personal crisis triggered my depression. It hit me harder than it has in a while, and I really did not want to get out of bed yesterday. Then, it was a series of "Can I make it from the bed to the bathroom?" challenges. But I did three things that helped immensely. 1 - I wanted to eat everything in the house yesterday morning, and mornings are usually my easiest times to stay on track. So, I got a huge bowl of spinach, and ate as much as I wanted. Wasn't particularly satisfying, but it combated the munchies pretty nicely. 2 - I wanted desperately to skip the gym, but I didn't. It wasn't a particularly stellar work-out, but I felt so. much. better when I was done. 3 - I stopped eating at 8. It was hard, and I went to sleep hungry, but I did it.
16 more days until the end of my challenge. I don't know if I will make it, but I will be lighter when I end the challenge than when I began it. Given my recent history, that is a monumental victory, and one I will embrace.
Happy Monday, all! Have a glorious Christmas week. (Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope it means time away from daily stressors and time with family.)
I had greek yogurt with granola for breakfast, and then much too much spaghetti for lunch/dinner. I was supposed to go work out today and completely failed. :/ Oh, well. At least I've started tracking my food again in MyFitnessPal. I also replaced all drinks with water. Baby steps!
TOM is only days away right now, so that could have a lot to do with it. Feeling pretty blah right now...feel lazy and blobby and gross. Just gonna study, maybe go for a walk, and drink lots of water. Going to a concert tonight and seeing Star Wars tomorrow, so that should perk me up a bit!