Laurie: Glad you are getting back in rhythm again! That's always a good feeling. How is your running going? I have to get back to it again. I've been off track on that for a while.
Mandy: So happy for you to be getting your surgery over soon. I hope you get back to normal soon afterward. Too many things start happening around the holidays, and you want to feel good!! I agree with Laurie that you might want to get a little help for a couple of days, if you can.
Bookmark: I get it that morning workouts aren't for everyone! I wonder if it is too much of a pain to go ahead and go to the gym, even if you had meetings. Then, just work out for a little bit, maybe just 20 minutes or so, and then head home. That way, you would keep it as a habit. Then the days that you have more time, you can workout longer.
Dread: Happy for you that you got some relaxing time!!! I'm sure that was really helpful both physically and mentally!!
For me, I went to the massage therapist on Saturday. It was weird, and very much not my thing, but I do think it helped. He thinks that I need to come back again within a week, to have another session. I'm thinking about it. I know when I have had physical therapy in the past, it wasn't a one shot thing. So, I should probably get another visit. I just don't want to take the time.
I do feel better though. I went to Spin class this morning. I'm planning to go to Body Pump tomorrow, but I'll probably take it very easy and use light weights. I'm just glad to get back to the gym!!
Surgery was this morning, and though I apparently screamed a bunch while I was under anesthesia, everything went well and I should be good to go. My lips aren't even dry or cracked! I have been using one of my lip balms religiously all week to see if I could prevent it, and apparently it worked. Pretty good selling point, no?! Kiddo was good for his daddy all day while I was recovering from the anesthesia and then doped up on prescription pain killers. He seems to be taking his reduction from 3 to 2 nursing sessions a day fairly well.
Laurie - I'm glad you like the lip balms! I hope the sugar scrub makes you happy, too! I made a batch of unscented and a batch of vanilla brown sugar recently, as well as some over night eye cream, and eucalyptus lip balm (for those winter sniffles!). Staying busy is good.
The weekend sucked, but today was good. Thanks for the support and suggestions. I did finally get back to the gym today and it makes SUCH a difference. My mood is almost instantly levelled out an it makes everything just that little bit easier. I ended up coming home following a meeting, having a small snack and some kitty cuddles, feeding him and then going to the gym. I think that may work alright for days when I can't leave right after classes...it was good for today anyway. Phew. Glad to read positive stuff here.
Bookmark - WOO HOO! I think coming home and then leaving again is tough, but so is feeling discouraged because I didn't get to the gym. Glad that worked for you last night. Hope it continues to work -- or that you find another strategy that works consistently. Getting there that first time is often the toughest, though. Yay for you!
Mandy - So happy that you finally, finally got your surgery. Just a bit of recovery time, and then, hopefully, you're feeling 100% better and you can enjoy Thanksgiving treats and start your exercise routine again. I used the apple pie sugar scrub last night. It was odd. I've never tried it before. But I do think my skin felt softer. Next time, I think I'm going to just use it in the shower.
Diane - Fantastic news that the massage therapy was helpful. I feel you on not wanting to spend the time on a second session, but sometimes, forcing yourself to do the proactive things saves a ton of time on the other end. Glad you're back in the gym, too. I know it makes a huge difference. As for running, I have been slacking lately, so I have renewed my commitment. I went last night, and decided to slide back to Week 3, which is running 90 seconds, walking 90, running 3, walking 3, etc. I added an extra time through at the end, and several times, I sprinted for the last 30 seconds of the running part. My son called me just a couple of seconds before I finished, and I proudly told him that I had just run 6.2 mph for 30 seconds. "Is the treadmill even designed to handle that kind of speed?" he asked. =) I do like that kid.
Tuesday is my weekly weigh-in. I have been holding steady at 190 for about a month now, so I was pleasantly surprised to see 185.4. The goal now is to try and keep pushing lower. This is the lightest I have been for since about 2009, though, so I'm cautiously optimistic.
Got two weight loss "compliments" recently.
My friend, who often works out with me, said, "Wow, even your calves look smaller. You carry so much weight in your calves, and even when you lost all that weight last time, it seemed like they never got any smaller."
Me: "I hadn't noticed."
Her: "That's why you have friends, to compliment you on things you don't necessarily notice."
Um, no. The "I didn't notice" was supposed to mean, "Really, I can't get all up in my head about the size of every body part, and I need to keep the focus on the health aspect of this. And it really does not help me to know that anyone else is judging the size of my body or my individual body parts." But she meant well, so I just smiled and said, "Thank you." **sigh**
Another friend: "Wow, your clothes are just huge on you!" Again, well-meaning. But now, I think I need to go through my closet again and get rid of the too-big clothes. Great problem to have, but super annoying. But I don't want to look sloppy, so I'm grateful that she mentioned it. I knew they were loose, but I didn't realize it looked sloppy.
And bonus "compliment" from my assistant: "You are doing so great on weight loss. I lost a lot of weight once, and I need to do it again. I had gotten all the way up to (dramatic stage whisper) a size 16. Thank goodness, I'm not back at that weight again." Ummm... you have eyes, right? You know you're thinner than me, right? You may not know that I am wearing a size 16 right now, but surely you should have thought it possible. (I think I am actually a size 14 now, but sizes are so variable, I'm wearing anything from a size 10 to a size 16.)
'K. Sorry for the complaints. These are minor annoyances, and really good problems to have. I am grateful that I am finding a rhythm again, and that I am having success. It can just be so fleeting, and I really don't want every conversation I have to be about my weight. Especially when so many of these "compliments" are not so complimentary.
Mandy: Glad the surgery went well. That has to be a relief to have that behind you now. I would imagine that it will take a while to get back completely to normal, but so happy to hear that you're on the mend!
Bookmark: Yay for you!!! I'm sure it is tough to go back out after you have come home for the day. I think that's great that you made it happen! Sometimes, we just have to push through things that we don't want to do so that we can treat ourselves right! Well done!
Laurie: First of all, congrats on the new lower number!! That's awesome! As for the "compliments", I think it is good that you take them how they were meant. I do think the people meant well, but sometimes you just want people to leave it alone. No one wants to feel that they are being scrutinized. It is really hard to compliment someone on weight loss just because you don't know the battles they are facing. But, again, I'm sure they meant well!
For me, I made it to Body Pump this morning and it went well, so I think I'm definitely on the mend. Depending how I feel at the end of the day, I think I'll go back after work and do some running. I need to get all of this back into the routine! I also decided not to do the 2nd round of massage. I went to book one and there are no openings this week. Well, by next week, this should all be healed, so not going to bother with it.
Laurie - For the sugar scrub, you just take a little and briskly rub on your skin (I use about a tablespoon or so to do both arms up to the elbow). When you rinse it will look and feel a little greasy at first, but once you pat it dry... the excess oil should blot off and leave your skin soft and moisturized. If it still feels a little greasy afterward, just take a paper towel and use it like a make up blotter thing that takes excess oil off of your face. The sugar exfoliates, and the coconut oil seals in moisture, and has lots of good vitamins and things in it to keep your skin healthy. It's a different sensation to get used to, especially if you've never used it before!
I'm sitting here doing an angry chipmunk impression. My face is SO swollen, inside and outside of my cheeks, that I can't fully close my mouth... and my jaw is so sore I can't open it. I'm already over it. Why is it the only places I've ever had to have stitches are super sensitive places that should never see stitches?! At least they gave me some good pain killers. And my husband went out and got me a milkshake.
Just a few more days, hopefully, and I should be recovered...
I am in a bit of a post-election funk this morning, but I have decided that I am going to focus on making my life better, and, when I figure out the best way forward, trying to make my community better. Deep breath.
Diane - I am thrilled to hear that you are on the mend. I hope today finds you even better, and that you never need to book a second massage ever. Hope the run went well last night, and that the routine becomes routine again. Remember - you and I are planning to kick November's (and Thanksgiving's) butt!
Mandy - Ugh. The dreaded chipmunk cheeks and jaw soreness. But, it is fantastic that you are healing and moving forward.
I took my daughter to a concert three hours away. I bought them McDonald's and snacks. I stuck religiously to my plan, because it's so much easier to do so when I see good results on the scale. I did get home at 12:45 a.m., though, and ate some cashews before bed while watching election coverage with the husband, and woke up at 3 a.m. with massive heartburn. I am not sure I will ever learn that I cannot eat within a few hours of going to bed. But I did get my 10K steps, despite driving for seven plus hours yesterday and getting in more than a half day of work. I paced the venue to make it, which I hate, but 10K is 10K, baby.
Mandy: Ouch! Sorry you have to go through this. Hopefully the bad stuff passes quickly.
Laurie: Glad you got your steps in and made good food choices. This is just easy, isn't it? HA!! Good for you!
For me, I did go running last night. Not very far, but I made it there. I didn't go to the gym this morning, though. I felt kind of sore and stiff, so I decided to give myself a break. I might go there after work and do a little something. I'll see how I feel by then.
I did get on the scale this morning. I'm up a little from what it says on my ticker, but I do think I was pushing 239 last week, so I am glad to see a smaller increase. I need to keep on track to try to get it back down. I feel like I've been doing well this week, so happy with that.
Guys. I am so hungry. I am already over my protein shake and vitamins diet. UGH. I want to CHEW something. I still have a couple days to go, I think, before I can get there. The one wisdom tooth (upper left) took some real work to get out, which means that's where I'm super sore... And of course, that's the side that's still swollen. I am a lopsided chipmunk today.
But I got on the scale this morning and it's below what my ticker says... So that's good? Heh.
Sorry I haven't had a lot of time (or spare brain/emotional power) to get caught up on how everyone is doing, but I'm starting to come out of the fog.
Ferafilla: I hope your face heals up quick. Wisdom teeth are so funny. It seems like some people are virtually unaffected and others have a very rough time with it. My dentist recommended pulling mine, but they're not bugging me and it's stupid expensive, so I'm leaving them for now.
The gym is not a routine again as yet. I went that once, and it felt great and haven't been able to get back since. Or, at least, have let my excuses have their say. I lost my headphones, for example :P Can't get new ones until payday. How can I work out without music?!?! :P But I'm still pulling out of the depression, bit by bit, and mostly being patient in response to feeling slightly better. Today was day 3 of not binging and eating fairly regular meals, and that's usually a turning point of sorts - at which point I start to feel more like myself and less stuck in my head and the obsessive thoughts. So that's a relief.
Diane - On track with food, feeling better and back at the gym, AND got a less-heinous scale result than you feared. You're right. This is easy! =) I am so excited to see you leave behind that 230 number. We're going to hit the New Year, and never see that number again!
Mandy - Have you tried beef or chicken broth? It's nice to get something warm, especially in November. I did a two-week liquid diet to jumpstart at one point, and go back to it every now and again for a day or two to get a handle on my eating. It can be miserable. But I started finding a quiet place to sit, taking a deep breath, inhaling the smell of the broth, and sipping it slowly, savoring the flavor and the warmth. Don't know if that will work for you, but it really helped my mindset to try to push it to the "grateful for sustenance" side rather than the "ugh! I just need to chew something" side of my brain. Hope you heal quickly and feel better soon.
Bookmark - Headphone issues - I have them all. of. the. time. Because, apparently, I cannot keep track of headphones. And working out without them can be the worst. I just replace mine at the Dollar Tree now. They work well enough for my needs, and I don't stress as much by the fact that I lose them every couple of weeks. I also sometimes just forget to bring them to the gym. If I am doing cardio, I look at the people close enough to hear my music, and they almost invariably have their own headphones, so can't hear mine anyway. The few times people have not had their own headphones in, I have explained that I couldn't find my headphones and ask if they mind. I have never had anyone say no. If I'm doing weights, I am never in one spot for long enough to become a serious nuisance, I tell myself, so I just let it play. Just a thought. So relieved you're pulling out of the depression. It's so easy for me to get sucked into that, and it's so very, very hard to pull out. Glad to have you back.
I went running last night. I had been on Week 4, but moved back to Week 3 on Monday. When I got on the treadmill and opened up the C25K app, it pulled up Week 4 again. I decided to go for it. It was two cycles of 3 minutes running, 90 seconds walking, 5 minutes running, 2.5 minutes walking. I did the first 3 minutes, the first 5 minutes, the second 3 minutes, and then did a series of sprints instead of the last 5 minutes. I felt really good about it. Week 5, Day 1 is jog for 5, walk 3, jog 5, walk 3, jog 5. I may try that tomorrow. I really want to start training for a half-marathon next year, so at some point, I have to get a bit serious about this. Week 5, Day 2 is running 8 minutes before walking 5 minutes, then running 8 minutes again. Week 5, Day 3 is running 20 minutes with no walking. We'll see...
Tonight is lifting. I am going to rock that! Cuz I am back, baby. Down to 185, and needing to lose anywhere from 30-50 pounds or so still, depending on where I decide I want to be as I get more familiar with my smaller body. After being at 278, it's a weird place to be. But kind of exciting. And intimidating, since I have regained up to 250+ far too many times in my life.
I keep writing very long posts. And I have so much work I need to get done.
Have a great day, everyone! Very close to the weekend!
Mandy: Ugh, I am sure that you are ready for solid food. But, it sounds like you are getting there! Soon, you'll be back to normal and living life again.
Bookmark: Yeah, it is tough without headphones. I've done it before, but it isn't a good time. Keep trying to go, and you'll get it back!
Laurie: Congrats on the running and weight loss! I'm glad it is going well for you. It is amazing to think of how much you have lost and how different your body will be!! I think that's why I've never changed my goal weight. I just want to get there first and then I'll try to think about where I really want to be. I know I'd want to be lower, but for now, getting there would be great.
For me, I ended up going to spin class after work last night since I missed it in the morning. A different instructor than the one in the morning. She was tough! It really kicked my butt! Then, I went to Body Pump this morning. Still having pain in my neck/back, but I could do it. I think it will just take time to go away completely.
Well. It looks like no solid or even solid-ish food until Monday, at the soonest. Even protein shakes are bothersome, because of the location of one of the stitches. It hurts to swallow because my tongue hits the stitch every time... I am so hungry. I've had broth, and tea, and milk, and hot chocolate, and all the beverages. Even a milk shake. I don't want to swallow anything because it hurts, which means I'm probably not staying properly hydrated which likely isn't helping. And no painkiller is going to make that stitch move and stop being the bane of my present. :-|
I'm trying hard not to be a big baby about this, but the combination of pain, hunger, and lack of sleep are making it difficult to be positive. I get the stitches out on Monday, and I'm hoping I can open my jaw far enough for them to get in there and take the stitches out.
I am taking time every day to pamper myself a little, during regular meal times. Doing a face washing routine, taking time to shower and condition my hair, getting dressed and putting make up on... anything to make me feel better. I'm so ready for this to be over. HEAL FACE!
Laurie: Thanks for the tips. I don't think I could listen to my music out loud, because I'm someone who is a)super annoyed by other people being loud at the gym (like those grunting guys who drop the big barbells? Ugh) and 2) pretty self conscious about my music choices, lol. I will go without music for the weekend. Dollar tree isn't even an option. I literally have 1.07 in my bank account and my credit card is maxed out thanks to a trip this Summer and the cat-amputation trauma. But I get paid on Tuesday, so that's ok. I wil often take a book and sit on the recumb bike for my longer cardio session if something gets in the way of treadmilling (usually I would aim for half an hour treadmill, do my strength for the day, then fifteen minutes bike - although I would mix that up when I was going regularly),
Well done on the running. That feels so good, being able to run longer and harder, doesn't it? Keep it up! On a good day, with the right fuel and music and mood, I could probably do the 20 minutes before this most recent stumble. I doubt I could now, but I think back to when it was torture to jog for three minutes and that seems unbelievable, so I'm not too tough on myself about it. What is the program you're talking about?
Slashnl, I'm similar where my goal is concerned. Last year, Christmas, was the first time in 14 years I had been under 200. I haven't been below 190 yet. I don't know what I will feel or look like at my goal weight, yet, I just know that that's where I was before I started binging seriously - I remember feeling pretty good (of course, I was a bloody kid) and I think I looked alright in pictures. So when I get to it, or near it, I'll probably re-evaluate.
On a random, but kind of related, note: I feel like clothing sizes have changed since the 90s. Does anybody else feel that? I don't THINK I was ever under a size 10 after being fully developed, but I'm a (snug) 12ish at 200lbs now. I could be remembering wrongly.
I'm baking cookies this weekend, just because I like tempting fate :P No, I enjoy baking this time of year and feel like it'll give me a boost and a break from the paperwork pile I will also be working through this weekend. SO glad it's Remembrance Day weekend (not meaning to be disrespectful of service people, of course...just really appreciating the opportunity to catch up on my rest AND work)
