Midsummer Recharge: August 2020 Check-in & Accountability Thread
Happy August, everyone! All are to the August 2020 daily weigh-in/check-in. Know that on this thread you will find support, encouragement, and endless kindness.
Here you can:
~track your weight daily, weekly or however you'd like ... but do check in
~keep track of what you eat or didn't eat
~keep track of your water intake or lack of
~keep track of your exercise/other goals
~vent, rant ... express yourself or just chit-chat
August is a long hot month where we often find ourselves mentally in two different spaces, anticipating the fall season and making the most of what is left of summer. The long days, heat and busyness that summer brings often leads to less focus and being more lax in our attitudes and habits. Whether this summer has been one of progress and success, yet you feel your energy waning, or one of struggle and challenges and in need of a fresh start, let's alter our perspective and view August as a midsummer recharge in our efforts. Maybe you have your eye on fall. That's great but what do you need to be doing now to enter the fall season where you want to be? Maybe you're wishing for a summer do-over. While we can't bring back days and weeks already gone, there is still plenty of time to rethink our choices and set new goals so by the time summer ends we can still feel a sense of accomplishment.
All our welcome to our monthly neighborhood block party so welcome back to the regulars. If you're a lurker please make yourself known and join us! We'd love to have you here!
curvynotlumpy thank you so much once again for starting this monthly thread
I like the idea of August being a midsummer recharge. I am thrilled that I reached my goal of being active every single day in July, but my focus will be different this month. The pain in my hips (both of them now, when it was just the right side at first) is making me wonder if I just pushed too hard last month. So my goal in August is to exercise 5 days a week, plus one day for flexibility and tai chi, and to take a full rest day each week. Also, I aim to get in 10 000 steps per day, as I will have a more sedentary job and will need to find ways to be on my feet more. And I want to up my water intake to 2.5 litres per day.
As I ate delicious foods through most of my vacation, I saw a 3-pound gain on the scale at the beginning of the week, but by being back on track these past few days, I managed to lose a pound already. If I can make it to 225 at the end of this month, I will be thrilled.
Now to enjoy the last sunny day of our vacation. We’ll be heading to a botanical garden where they have made giant figures from greenery and flowers. Should be a nice stroll to get my steps in.
Wishing everyone a great month ahead!
1: 42 minutes HIIT and lower body strength training STEPS: done WATER: done
I'm in Texas currently and realized I forgot to post my update that I was heading out here on the 30th and wouldn't be posting for about a week, so just posting this really quick from my phone. I will update this post when I get back with my weigh-in stuff for the new month! Fingers crossed I don't put too much of that water weight back on while out here, but we will see...lol. Be back on here soon!
ETA: Monthly template!
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July 28th, 2020 Weigh In: 258.6 Month Goal Weight: 248.6 August 31st, 2020 Weigh In: 251.2 Total Month Weight Loss: 7.4lbs.
Week One
01: NWI/Travel. 02: NWI/Travel. 03: NWI/Travel. 04: 261.0 05: 259.8 06: 259.6 07: 259.2 ---------------------------- Total Loss for Week One: +1.0 lb.
Week Two
08: 260.0 09: 259.8 10: 257.6 11: 258.0 12: 258.0 13: 257.8 14: 257.4 ---------------------------- End of Week One: 259.2 Total Loss for Week Two: 1.8 lbs.
Week Three
15: 257.2 16: 256.8 17: NWI/School. 18: NWI/School. 19: 255.6 20: 255.8 21: 255.6 ---------------------------- End of Week Two: 257.4 Total Loss for Week Three: 1.8 lbs
Week Four
22: 255.4 23: NWI.
24: 253.6 25: NWI.
26: 253.4 -- (tom) 27: NWI -- (tom) 28: 252.4 -- (tom) ---------------------------- End of Week Three: 255.6 Total Loss for Week Four:3.2 lbs
Final Days
29: 252.6 30: 251.6 31: 251.2 ---------------------------- End of Week Four: 252.4 Total Loss for Final Days: 1.2 lbs.
Last edited by opheliaphoenix; 09-02-2020 at 03:09 PM.
Good morning. Checking in from southern NJ. This month I am switching up my weight workout -- was having problems finishing sets and my resting pulse had been rising so it is time for a change. Lower weights with higher reps for the next 6 weeks. Weight is up slightly at 199.2 but today is my 24 hour fast (woke up hungry yesterday or I would have done it then) and that's a good way to kick off the month. The weather is a bit better so hoping to get a 3.5 mile walk in tonight.
Martine love how in tune you are with your exercise and changing it up to meet your body's needs. I do the same and I think it serves well.
curvy Thank you for the new thread and the inspiration as we head into this midsummer recharge. <3
So happy to see everyone making it over to our new thread!
Martine: I love how you set monthly goals for yourself. I think over the course of a 30/31 days you're really able to take stock of things that are working and not working with your approach. I know I've been too impatient at times to stick with a plan when I don't see immediate results and that's not a smart way of doing things. It's wise that you're easing up a bit on your workouts; you go hard every day!
gzgrl22: with your new monthly weight workout.
opheliaphoenix: Hope all goes well in Texas and that the change in environment doesn't hinder your progress too much.
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We wrapped up interviews yesterday and I'm pleased that we're done with that part. I'm relieved that the Zoom interview experience pretty much went off without a hitch. Now that it's all over, I can see some of the advantages. I don't think our Open Forums would have garnered near the interest or attendance if we had them in person. Past experience has taught me that. Being able to connect virtually from home or wherever your at is a bonus in terms of convenience. Informal conversations with the recruitment and advisory committee indicate that one of the candidates has risen to the top. I try not to get too attached until an offer has been made and accepted both verbally and by their offer letter.
Speaking with my Portland girlfriend later this afternoon. I always like to hear what she and her boyfriend are up too in the Pacific Northwest. A little grocery shopping is also on my agenda.
Howdy everyone. Hope this message finds u all happy and healthy!
Thank you all for the wise words and support through an unexpected "rough patch" Sincerely!
So im not only new to this lifestyle change, but a newbie at social media. i see some of u have in excess of 1000 posts. bravo! I think i have posted like 30 things ever. How do u control, or know when you should post on social media. Obviously, when your emotions are high, u can go off half cocked and leave an emotionally charged post that accomplishes very little. And makes you look like a drama queen But when I am super happy or super frustrated, those are the times i feel driven to post. What the heck. Any advise would be appreciated.
Curvy: great news on the possible hires. funny how those "unofficial" discussions usually carry the most weight when determining who to hire. I personally would be thrilled to join any team that you are on. Whoever gets the job, they will be fortunate to have u helping. Have u been watching the "protests" up here. the feds left and everything turned peaceful. like a big hippy concert in the street. Portland is Great, but its the people who make it special. U would be a super addition to our city, and i cant wait for the day u decide to move here. property values are still good and for the price of the home you r in now, u could get a serious upgrade. Just sayin.
Martine: Kinda jelly on the whole botanical gardens tour. Sounds lovely. Im sure all the plants will enjoy the light from your character. You sure deserve a reward for your hard work. Do you still fight the impulse to reward with food? I find myself much, Much more likely to go rogue from happiness or accomplishments, rather then from depression or as a coping tool.
GZ: oh man, I so hear u on the Just Do It. Im a big believer. Its how i live my life. HARD work, super work ethic. Its kinda how I got here. Im seeing a shrink, he says I have a poor relationship with my physical body. I tend to force it, with little regard for my physical well being. I fought fire in California until my body straight gave out. pneumonia, bladder infection, and torn up knee. This whole life change started then, and im worried i may never be the same. Its exactly why I fear relapse. I can force my body to do most things, amazing things, but as im no longer a spring buck, i pay a heavy price. I should learn to age gracefully but it difficult to accept. Rationally speaking, I should be great full for what is left. I dont think i've lost a single pound since i started seeing my shrink. curious. its been about 2 months. its also about when i joined here.
Phoenix: Is Texas huge or what? i was on a hurricane in Homa LA, Rita maybe. Anyway, when i started home and entered Texas, the mile marker said like 1,008. I thought "well mile markers must not be the same here, in Washington it would mean there are 1,008 miles till the state line."I watched that sucker count all the way down to 1. US 10 I believe. Incredibly huge state, and surprisingly green and lush on the East side.
So, to recharge, im gonna spend some time with my momma in the garden and take a good hard look at where i am now as opposed to a year ago. I have so much to be thankful for. Especially my new friends on 3FC!
8/1 nah, gonna take a break from the daily scale check.
Well, I did something that was a bit scary yesterday. I took the four garbage bags of clothes that have become too big, some still with tags on, and donated them. It's scary because I have done this before and then regained and had to buy the "fat" clothes all over again. I was hesitant to not leave myself a safety net. I don't know why this was so tough to do, but it was. I think there were four different sizes in there. I still have one bag of "too smalls" in my closet but not for long, I hope.
Well, our Sunday forecast is possible tornadoes from the West, Coastal flooding, oh...and a hurrican approaching from the South. Thank you, 2020. Like we needed more to contend with this year! It reads like a quarantine meme! "Who's got tornado for AUgust?" LOL
Hope you all have a great day. I am down by a hair to a new low this morning. Will see if it sticks. Knees feeling pretty good even after my long walk last night so I may try to repeat it tonight.
gzgrl22: I absolutely understand the fear you describe in giving away all your fat clothes. Been there, done that. I hope you were able to counter some of that hesitation with excitement and pride as well! I think about you every time I see the hurricane coverage on the news. They are so devastatingly destructive to the immediate areas they hit, but hurricanes cut such a large swath they can impact the weather patterns for thousands of miles. Those patterns of course can wreak their own havoc of course as well.
William47: Regarding social media, 3FC is really the only place I'm active.I've been on 3FC since 2012 so that accounts for the number of posts . I do have an Instagram account (never posted) and a Facebook account that I created in order to reach the research search students I had in program I coordinated years ago. I had to conduct a yearly survey with them and Facebook was the most effective way to get them to respond, . That's the only reason that account exists and I haven't used it since leaving the position. Quite frankly, I spend so much time on the every day that the last thing I want to do is hop online for recreation. I'm too busy with my actual work and I don't feel a need to live a virtual life. With that stated, I'm grateful to all those who do maintain blogs and websites as I've learned so much from several of them.
Recognizing that you haven't lost a pound in two months is an important data point, but no the only one. You've been really active on 3FC and sharing your triumphs and struggles. That's accountability. You haven't lost but you haven't gained either. For all the excitement losing weight brings, the hard work comes when you get to maintenance. Several years ago I hit my goal weight and managed to keep it off for six months. After that the small but consistent gains started happening . I didn't establish a clear red-line for myself and I had absolutely NO PLAN for maintenance! What you've learned during this two-month plateau is how to maintain and that is just as important as seeing the scale drop. I'm curious if keeping a journal might be helpful to you? You could track your movement and what you eat as well as your moods to see if any patters emerge. Just a thought.
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Wow, Sunday again. No real plans but I do have some household odds and ends on my agenda today.
For all the excitement losing weight brings, the hard work comes when you get to maintenance. Several years ago I hit my goal weight and managed to keep it off for six months. After that the small but consistent gains started happening . I didn't establish a clear red-line for myself and I had absolutely NO PLAN for maintenance!
As always, curvy thank you for the words of wisdom.
This is my biggest fear - having lost more than 110 the first time and 55 this time around. I do not want to go there again. Last time there was a lot going on to create major stress, grief, and being a caretaker no time to focus. I am aware of what happened then, but I haven't really been tested this time around. Oddly enough COVID has created kind of a bubble that has kept me emotionally on a very even keel. The "what happens if I'm handed a big stressburger on my plate" question is something I am thinking about a lot. And other than "Not gaining" I havent really thought about what my maintenance plan should be. I guess I need to start thinking about that now so that I am ready for when the time comes.
Finally figured out the avatar thingy. Added a sun I painted earlier this year. It's a little fuzzy but it will do.
gzgrl22 first of, what a beautiful picture you have added as your avatar. Stunning! I see you are chosing to do more toning than strength training for the next few weeks. If there is one thing that I learned through this fitness journey, it's that you have to switch things up to keep your body guessing. I can see how donating so much clothing all at once can feel a bit overwhelming. I can't say that I've ever had the "pleasure" of experiencing such a thing, so I don't have any words of wisdom, except maybe to focus on all the good you are doing by donating your clothes.
William47 like curvy, I have been here a while and have sort of made it a goal to post very regularly, to keep myself accountable to anyone who would be willing to read my posts. But I was a lurker for such a long time, it takes a while for me to jump in. To answer your question, food used to always be a reward for me (or a way to find comfort when stressed/sad/angry), but I've worked hard over the past year to change my mindset about food. Food is fuel. Fuel that can be mighty tasty AND healthy all at the same time. And there is always room for a treat once in a while
opheliaphoenix I don't know when you will be checking in again, but I really hope you are enjoying these days in Texas with your husband, before he departs.
curvynotlumpy I too have an IG and Facebook account, which I very rarely use, but unlike you, I do love browsing IG to find fitness and weight loss inspiration. And I can get lost for hours on Pinterest, yet again I never post. But I find it important to turn things off, and nothing will beat a walk among flowery fields and nature. That garden was beautiful, but it made for a short walk. I've been scouting other parks to go to on future weekends, since our vacation is over. Hope you've enjoyed your day!
I've had a busy Sunday, running a few errands before the rain came in and doing lots of housecleaning (we sort of let things go over the past week...). I then made Italian bread, only my second try and with a different recipe. It wasn't my best, but it's fine and will go well with the pasta we're having tonight for supper. I just need more practice at bread making. But I really need to find a bench scrapper, been looking everywhere and can't find one. We did find some time to relax this afternoon, watching a movie with the sound of rain in the background. We'll enjoy a nice evening and watch another movie or start a series, don't know yet. Work awaits tomorrow, I would've welcomed more time off
Here's to a wonderful Sunday evening for everyone!
1: 42 minutes HIIT and lower body strength training |STEPS: done |WATER: done
2: 35 minutes upper body strength training + 14 minutes tai chi |STEPS: done |WATER: done
Yesterday I did 2.5 miles but could not keep up at my usual pace. Hoping it was because I had done a lower body workout with weight increases a couple hours before, maybe too close to the walking. Hoping that was all it is.
I am on the run today, getting ready to babysit up north this week and am "battening down the hatches" in advance of TS due to hit tomorrow. Looks like the track will be over lands so not expecting it to strengthen by the time it gets to NJ. The Carolinas are going to bear the brunt I think. Have a great Monday all!
gzgrl22 hope your area won't be too affected by the storm. We'll get rain here as well tomorrow, and then another streak of sunny weather. It's been quite a wonderful Summer for sunlight, thought a bit too hot at times. I've had episodes where my walking pace was off, but after a couple of walks, things got back to normal. Hope it will be the same for you. Who will you be babysitting over the next few days? Have fun!
This was my first official day in my new position, coming back from vacation. After the horrible night's sleep I had, let's just say I was glad that I set an alarm last night or else I would not have gotten out of bed this morning. First day was ok, if you don't count the 180 emails I had to sift through and the unending technical problems that I am still dealing with (no internet, printer won't connect, camera won't work for TEAMS meetings, etc.). Two bright spots in my day: a visit from a district coordinator currently on sick leave after an operation, who is doing so well and pain free (it was for both her hands), and who seemed very eager to come back to work, as she kept wanting to show me things. And then the store employees brought me a cake, a lovely plant and a nice card full of beautiful messages of congratulations and thank yous for the 2 years that I spent with them. I really wasn't expecting this and I was very, very touched.
When I got home from work, later than I thought because I was stuck with IT (see numerous problems above), the lack of sleep kicked in and I felt very lethargic and wanted to just "veg out" on the couch. But I have set goals for myself this month and I'm not about to give up only 3 days in, so I eventually changed into my workout gear and got things done. I will have to go for a walk after supper though, to meet my steps goal. I had very good intentions of going walking during my lunch break, even inside the mall if it was raining or too hot, but time got away from me.
Hope everyone is well and has enjoyed a great start to the week!
ETA: I did get a 2km walk in, not at my normal pace on purpose, not to aggravate my hips and also because the goal was to reach 10 000 steps. I hadn’t gone walking in the evening in forever. It was cooler and a really nice experience, all while listening to music.
1: 42 minutes HIIT and lower body strength training |STEPS: done |WATER: done
2: 35 minutes upper body strength training + 14 minutes tai chi |STEPS: done |WATER: done
3: 40 minutes lower body strength training + 2km walk |STEPS: done|WATER: done
gzgrl22: What lovely avatars you've have/had up! I admire folks who can paint and your is outstanding. I also really liked your photograph that you had up for a hot second. I hope you were able to secure your home safely. Will anyone be in your home while you are away with you are up north babysitting. Sending good thoughts to you.
Martine: I was when you wrote "work awaits tomorrow." Those two weeks just flew by! You and David certainly made the most of your time off in spite of the worlds' current circumstances. I hope all went well as you returned to your new manager role. I forgot all about Pinterest, and yes, I get lost there as well. I'll find myself focused on one specific thing/area and that will inevitably lead me down the proverbial rabbit hole to other things. Not that I mind, however.
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I was today and I don't know why exactly. I slept well but a few times today I felt my eyelids droop. Really hot days make me tired and currently it is 99 degrees. I'm not working outside but just knowing it's that hot makes me drowsy. I did have some good news today when I opened up my email. Our data guy sent me information for the report I'm doing and we were able to pull information from our internal database. I should be able to pull together a decent report for my supervisor. Regarding movies with rain sounds in the background...I'll often pull up YouTube rain and thunderstorm selections and have them on when I work. Rain has always comforted and soothed me.
Martine: Thank you for sharing the bright spots of your day yesterday. It almost seems like a "do-over" since your training and on-boarding happened so quickly and then you departed for your vacation. What a warm and gracious welcome and congratulations to your new position. Sending your way that the rest of the week brings nothing but improvements to your tech access so you can get to the things you need to! Great reminder about getting steps in whenever and wherever possible. Working on campus a couple of days a week opens up more possibilities.
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I thought I would post early before things got too busy. Today I'm working with our Veterans Services Coordinator on the training plan for the the new Veterans Certifying Official. I'm actually excited not only to have a new person joining our team soon, but since our coordinator has been serving in this position as backup since March, she knows the process and where the various hiccups are (at least to this point) so her keen eye for detail will be very beneficial. She also happens to be very patient and kind. I may have mentioned that the person who previously held the position was not very helpful in working with us or our new coordinator after she was in her new position and even though she was still on campus. Our coordinator and I feel very differently about what helpful and being a resource means, so our goal is to create a solid training. It will serve as a foundation to ongoing questions and training.
Have a lovely Tuesday!
Last edited by curvynotlumpy; 08-04-2020 at 03:58 PM.
Hey guys, I'm back! I drove all day long on Sunday to get back, and I am undoubtedly swollen from eating restaurant food for three nights in a row and travelling...but, I got right back on track the next morning and have been on-plan food-wise both yesterday and today. I feel like, despite the bump back up a little, that is a tiny victory. It usually takes me a few days after going out of town to get back into the swing of things, so this feels promising.
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Curvy: I'm glad things went well with the Zoom interviews! And, I agree about the sounds of rain -- I often play similar videos in the background. Whenever it rains for real, it makes me want to curl up and nap because it is so relaxing...lol. Hope you're feeling more rested today!
William: Yes, Texas is huuuuuge! I feel like you can drive all day and still be in Texas, haha. I'm originally from California, and I feel like TX is as wide as CA is long -- probably even more so! So crazy, lol.
GZ: Stay safe with the weather out there! I hope it doesn't hit too strongly or cause lots of damages.
Martine: I definitely enjoyed being able to see him before he left! It's going to be a looooong year without him, but I'm hoping that he will be able to access the internet from where he will be so that we can at least use social media to contact each other since his phone is shut off for the deployment and the provided phones there are extremely busy with everyone calling home when they can. They'll have him quarantined after travel for the next couple weeks, so it will be pretty limited contact until they are done with all that. I'm glad your first day in your new position went well, and that is so sweet what the store employees did for you!
Midsummer Recharge: August 2020 Check-in & Accountability Thread
to the August 2020 daily weigh-in/check-in. Know that on this thread you will find support, encouragement, and endless kindness.
on all of our August efforts!
Be back on here soon!
I think over the course of a 30/31 days you're really able to take stock of things that are working and not working with your approach. I know I've been too impatient at times to stick with a plan when I don't see immediate results and that's not a smart way of doing things. It's wise that you're easing up a bit on your workouts; you go hard every day!
offer letter.
as well! I think about you every time I see the hurricane coverage on the news. They are so devastatingly destructive to the immediate areas they hit, but hurricanes cut such a large swath they can impact the weather patterns for thousands of miles. Those patterns of course can wreak their own havoc of course as well. 
. I do have an Instagram account (never posted) and a Facebook account that I created in order to reach the research search students I had in program I coordinated years ago. I had to conduct a yearly survey with them and Facebook was the most effective way to get them to respond, 
. That's the only reason that account exists and I haven't used it since leaving the position. Quite frankly, I spend so much time on the 
every day that the last thing I want to do is hop online for recreation. I'm too busy with my actual work and I don't feel a need to live a virtual life. With that stated, I'm grateful to all those who do maintain blogs and websites as I've learned so much from several of them.
. I didn't establish a clear red-line for myself and I had absolutely NO PLAN for maintenance! What you've learned during this two-month plateau is how to maintain and that is just as important as seeing the scale drop. I'm curious if keeping a journal might be helpful to you? You could track your movement and what you eat as well as your moods to see if any patters emerge. Just a thought.
is outstanding. I also really liked your photograph that you had up for a hot second. I hope you were able to secure your home safely. Will anyone be in your home while you are away with you are up north babysitting. Sending good thoughts to you. 
today and I don't know why exactly. I slept well but a few times today I felt my eyelids droop. Really hot days make me tired and currently it is 99 degrees. I'm not working outside but just knowing it's that hot makes me drowsy. I did have some good news today when I opened up my email. Our data guy sent me information for the report I'm doing and we were able to pull information from our internal database. I should be able to pull together a decent report for my supervisor. Regarding movies with rain sounds in the background...I'll often pull up YouTube rain and thunderstorm selections and have them on when I work. Rain has always comforted and soothed me. 
