Nurture and Nourish: November 2020 Check-in & Accountability Thread
 

Welcome to the November 2020 daily weigh-in/check-in, everyone! This is an open invitation to one and all to join our little neighborhood association. There are no membership dues and everyone is qualified. ;)

This month's theme centers around nurture and nourishment. November is one of the comfort months. By this time, jackets or coats are part of our everyday wear and we seek comfort in sweaters, and hot beverages and food that sustain us in different ways than our food choices in the warmer months. November also ushers in a time for family, friends and https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/ima...ving/happ3.gif in the United States.

So what's your plan as we move through the fall? Have you dug out your warm clothes? Are there fall recipes you're itching to make now that the cool/cold weather has arrived? Do you have any special projects that have been on the back burner knowing that you'd attend to them once the shorter days and longer nights arrived? Any plans to spend more time outside now that the trees have fully exploded in color? Each person's path to nourish and nurture themselves and their lives will be different. I don't think it's a coincidence that as the year winds down so do parts of nature. Some animals hibernate, rivers and lakes freeze, and some plants go dormant. They're taking a respite from their active work and preparing for future growth. While there is no right or wrong way to nurture and nourish ourselves, we can all learn from they rhythms of the natural world.

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

Wishing everyone a lovely November. May the month treat you kindly. :hug:

curvynotlumpy thank you again so much for starting this monthly thread, and for beautiful words to start us off :)

October ended on a bittersweet note for me. On the one hand, I have not been able to shed the three pounds I had gained earlier in the month, when I seemed to go completely off track for days at a time. But on the other hand, I now fit into size 20 pants. There was a big sale at a store where I shop and I decided I should look for pants for the near future, as the ones I currently have are starting to get loose a bit. I tried them on and they actually fit me. So I'm going to try riding that positive wave into November. And I started with a 30-minute walk at lunchtime, and a 40-minute lower body workout, as part of a new exercise program I am trying, as well as being active doing chores around the apartment and staying focused on the food front. One day at a time.

Wishing everyone great success this month!:)

:wave:

Thank you opheliaphoenix for this ^^^^! So much emphasis is put on the number on the scale that we often forget how thrilling it is to see our bodies transform and become leaner and stronger. :lifter: Great reminder! I think 5 lbs. is a reasonable goal considering the upcoming holiday.

Martine: Congratulations on fitting into and needing new pants. :high: This is something that I'm struggling with right now. I need some new pants as well which is easy enough to solve. But I'm challenged by knowing when to give up the ghost regarding things in my closet that haven't fit in years. How long do you keep clothes you can no longer wear? I'm thinking of smaller sizes versus ones that are too big. I've always been quick to jettison those.
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Today has been a catch up day for me. I decided when I left on Friday to leave when the clock hit 5 o'clock and not stick around to work late. Of course that's when I do odds and ends to make sure I wrap up the day.

The university I work for is in the process of making decisions about mandatory vacation days and unpaid days that will occur around the holiday break and after. While no one is looking forward to it, I feel like the university is fiscally in a better position than a lot educational institutions. They're providing several options even for brand new staff who haven't accrued much vacation. They'd be allowed to borrow from future days so they'd still be paid. Again, not ideal, but so much better than having layoffs. I believe we all understand that. #grateful

Hope everyone had a great Monday!

Martine- we have both been having similar months. My schedule has been a bit crazy. Son's wedding is coming up and they decided to go ahead with a family dinner in an indoor/outdoor room that we are planning and executing so I have 2 weeks to sort it all out and even though they will have their reception a year from now, I really want the day to be special for his bride (she is one of those that has been planning her wedding since she was six) so I had to figure out centerpieces, some lights and decorations and a little wedding cake for them so that the day isn't just an afterthought.

Happy to say I have it under control -- but have not been online much. Have also been working hard on felt advent calendars for both my boys. They had one growing up that became a BIG part of their holidays so I decided to try and duplicate that one with a few improvements. Its another labor intensive project but it will be worth it. The advent calendar and homemade cinnamon rolls with hot chocolate are their 2 favorite Christmas traditions so I am looking forward to creating these for them. :)

Been on track for four days with food (was never really off track but was not tracking the food) and have been lifting more consistently this week but the rain has pretty much nixed all walking. Today the winds were gusting to 50mph so I hope to walk tomorrow and not get blown away!

opheliaphoenix thank you for your words of wisdom and your encouragements. I am the first to say that the number on the scale does not define my success, but in this case the hope of being out of the 220s was too hard to overlook. Coupled with the fact that I was all over the place in October, I felt deflated, but it only lasted a moment.

curvynotlumpy good for you for clocking out at 5pm on Friday and not looking back. I know that having mandatory vacation days/unpaid days during the Holidays can be frustrating or even worrisome for some, but it’s a sign of good management to avoid lay offs.

gzgrl22 wow! I am exhausted just reading your post! It is wonderful how you want to make their wedding day so special for your DIL. I am impressed that you are able to keep eating well in such a stressful time. That is the mark of a true lifestyle change. I’m very curious about the advent calendars you are doing, how are you making them with felt?

My first day back at work yesterday was a little rough. I wasn’t used to wearing a mask all day and by midday, I was dealing with a headache. I will be working from home for the rest of the week, as David will need our car for work. He learned that while he was on vacation, a member of their team tested positive for COVID-19 and so they have to be in quarantine and David is left to do the job of 5 people this week, including going out to buy parts for repairs at the residence.

Despite a long work day catching up and a headache, I completed my workout yesterday. Kickboxing and upper body strength training, my two favourite types of training combined. I know it’s only been 2 days of being 100% on plan, but I feel like I am in a better head space. At least I did not completely give up on the month of October and kept trying to get back into a routine. Gotta find some positive somewhere.

Enjoy a great day everyone!

1: 2.3km walk + 40 minutes pilates and lower body strength training / 2.75L water
2: 42 minutes kickboxing and upper body strength training / 2.75L water

MARTINE- I totally live in fear of stress eating patterns that have been with me forever. I also eat badly and far too much when depressed and oddly enough, the day AFTER a big celebration. Still figuring these issues out. Congrats on those smaller sizes and a virtual hug you can pass on to David-sounds like a lousy week for him. :( If I can remember how to post photos I will put a few up as the felt ornaments progress.

OPHELIA - Wise words and a wise plan for your own goals this month. Knowing what's reasonable as a goal makes the month go so much better!

CURVY - Sounds like the school is doing its best in a bad situation. My DIL works for Barnard and they had a number of furloughs in the spring. Luckily she was able to continue working but its tough and they are not bringing most staff back to the office -- they want them to work remotely if possible. (Good for her-the commute was not great). Hoping things calm down in the next few months. We all want a little more normalcy at this point!

I hopped on the scale for the first time in 2 weeks this morning and was DOWN!!!! totally unexpected given this month's chaos. My current plan is to not go nuts trying to lose through the next couple of months but stay the course, keep the eating on track and try to keep the exercise going. I have not been doing the double workouts of walking+weights daily and weight has not been moving much but I plan to be OK with that til January. Today's drop was a major surprise and I am now at 191.8 as of this morning (of course it will bump up this week but I have seen it so I am claiming it.) One more pound and I am officially out of the OBESE category on those awful medical charts.

:wave:

Martine: Sorry to hear about the positive test that added to David's workload. :( Yes, it does take time to get used to wearing a mask all day, if one ever really gets used to it. Is it taking in your own breath, duration, or material that the mask is made of? I'm glad you'll be able to work from home and get a respite from it for the week.

gzgrl: I continue to be in awe of your artistic skills and how you apply them. Those Advent calendars are going to be something special! My mother was a wonderful sewer, baker, and could even refinish furniture. She was completely self taught and through her gifts gave us a lifetime of memories. You're doing the same with your sons. Your care and loving touches will make their wedding day that much more special and memorable. :hug:
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I hope everyone's Tuesday has been a good one. I started the morning off with a long walk. The weather is significantly cooler in the mornings and feels very fall like. Our afternoons have been pretty warm but that is supposed to change soon. I'm slowing getting used to the time change and it getting darker earlier. The first week is always a struggle for me.

Wishing everyone a lovely evening!

I have gained back the 2 pounds I lost last month. Oh well, it could be worse. We went on sort of a junk food holiday to deal with the stress of the election. Today I cried in the shower instead of eating. Not sure if that is better. I guess it is from the standpoint of feeling my feelings instead of eating them. Just bought a salad for lunch and skipped the potato chips.

But, a good point, I learned that even junk food gets old after a while. I have had enough cheetos and bugles for a while. Ready to start eating better.

Cautiously optimistic.

CURVY - I am blushing -- thank you for those lovely words. My own Mom was the one whose kitchen table was always covered with kid craft supplies or cookie dough so I come by it genetically. :) We were always making things and she let us have at it. She was more of a crafter than a sewer and was a nurse so nurturing came naturally. I also think the skills came out of necessity living in countries that often didn't have things so you were always trying to figure out alternatives when needed.

MadameWu - A good cry is sometimes just what we need and I am learning to turn stress and frustration into good workouts instead of eating the feelings. Not there yet but working on making better choices when I wan to comfort myself in these stressful times. Turning off social media and the TV help too. :) Good for you for turning it around before it became a bigger slide. one day at a time.

Scale was the same today so that's nice. Ate well though a few more calories than usual but got in a 2 mile walk and a lower body workout today so a good day today.

curvymnotlumpy masks are a funny thing, aren't they? I was very much used to wearing them all day while at the office, but just 2 weeks off and only wearing one when going to stores and my body forgot what is was like. The masks they provide for us are non-surgical masks and are just fine, but my body got used to not wearing a mask again. I sympathize with how difficult you find it at first getting used to the time change. It gets dark at 5pm now here, very depressing.

madamwu I want to send you a big hug :hug: It's good that you managed to move forward after that cry, showing more resiliency and not letting an off start to the day ruin it for you. You made better food choices today and that's all that matters, because yesterday is done and over with. And I'm right with you about feeling the stress of election night yesterday (and I'm from Canada!), but mine translated into falling asleep :lol:

gzgrl22 thank you for the virtual hug, I'll take it. I think we can all use a hug :) Congrats on the scale being down! Being at the door of stepping out of the obese category is a major accomplishment. And I think your approach to the next few weeks is a sensible one.

Yesterday I completed and HIIT and core workout, and my abs started to feel it sometime this afternoon. I have seldom felt delayed onset muscle soreness in my abdominal area, so it feels kind of strange and nice at the same time (?). I swapped today's planned workout with Friday's, which was a flexiblity workout. I will try that this month, as I work my way through my program, as Fridays are always flexibility workouts and I feel that Wednesdays are a muc better day for that type of exercise, as it gives a mid-week break to my muscles before tackling the rest of the week.

Hope everyone in the USA had the opportunity to vote in yesterday's elections. And now the whole world awaits the results with you.

Have a great evening everyone!

1: 2.3km walk + 40 minutes pilates and lower body strength training / 2.75L water
2: 42 minutes kickboxing and upper body strength training / 2.75L water
3: 40 minutes HIIT and core workout / 2.75L water
4: 36 minutes flexibility workout / 2.75L water

Hi everyone!
Curvy Your words to start the month were beautiful!
I am just doing a quick check in this morning. I haven't checked in for days. I got down to 20 pounds and then the scale bounced back up over a pound for no real reason I could see. I didn't beat myself up though. I hung in there and realized it could be water retention, needing to use the bathroom or something! :D I kept watching my calories and walking with my daughter and finally today the scale is now down again, but now I am at 21 pounds down! :carrot:Yay!! My husband is still losing too which does make it much easier for me. I will say my goal for November is to lose a pound a week. I am 243. so 240 or less is the goal.
I hope everyone has a positive month! When losing a LOT of weight seems like a huge number, I try to focus on the monthly goals like this group does. Three pounds seems like nothing compared to how much I need to lose. If I "only" lose a pound a week then a year from now I will be 50 pounds less. I sure would love to be 193 vs 243! :D I hope that made sense!

Yay loganandlivsmom on the scale moving again! Someone said this is a marathon, not a sprint. That's so true. Even if you only get 35-40 pounds in a year thats still 40 down so keep at it! You've got this!

Scale popped up to 194 today but my leg muscles are sore so I expect they are retaining some water and I ate a red meat meal last night -- seems to always weigh heavier the next morning. . Already have 3 miles in for the day and it is just lunchtime. Hope to get out for another walk later and back tonight. Hope you all have a great day.

Good morning :coffee2:

Martine: I completely agree about the masks. I find that when I don't leave home on weekends I have to retrain myself when the work week kicks in. I have to make sure that I have one in my bag before I head out the door. Eight months in and it still doesn't come naturally. :no: Good idea to switch up your weekly routine to give your body a break from the intensity.

loganandlivsmom: I think a pound a week is a very reasonable goal. It's enough to see steady progress but not so much that it's crazy making :crazy:. Staying the course was a smart move. I've been guilty of changing things up the first time I hit a plateau or see a jump up on the scale. What a bonus that both you and your husband are seeing results. It's great to have a partner in "crime."

gzgrl22: Hooray for no surprises and seeing the same number on the scale. :cheer: Sounds like you're getting back into your groove.

madwomanwu: I'm with gzgrl, there is something about a good :cry:. Tuesday night I went on my own little junk food binge so know that you had company--probably more than you know. You made a good choice during a very stressful time.
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I managed to get in a walk before I started work. Much cooler weather is supposed to descend on us beginning tomorrow so I'm enjoying working at the kitchen table in the :sunny: It's been a challenge concentrating on work and not think of election results. Like so many trying to be patient while we wait.

Have a great Thursday!