So last night I got some bad news, one of my friends in Japan has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. We're not super close, but she's an awesome person so I'm pretty bummed out about hearing that it's happening to her. She's a positive person and hopefully they caught it well in advance and can treat her for it with surgery. Fingers crossed!
Last night I got shooting pains in the right side of my mouth, specifically around my tongue area. It felt like there was something pulling, or as if there was some sort of fish bone poking into my tongue. I looked in my mouth and couldn't see anything. I went to bed and woke up and it seemed to be ok, then I tried to eat and it came back. This time I noticed my right Submandibular gland (just under the jaw) was really swollen. I think I've got some sort of salivary infection. Boo!!
----------
Penny - Congrats on meeting your goal!! That's awesome!
Ri go to the doc! I had a salivary gland infected in college and it was suuuuper painful. You might be able to catch it early as sounds like you can still eat and it wasn't always hurting. By the time mine got caught it was the worst pain I had experienced!
Ri go to the doc! I had a salivary gland infected in college and it was suuuuper painful. You might be able to catch it early as sounds like you can still eat and it wasn't always hurting. By the time mine got caught it was the worst pain I had experienced!
Thanks for the warning! I'm trying to get an appointment booked now, it amazes me how much I have to leave a voicemail when trying to schedule an appointment here in the States!
So I went to the doctors today and he said that it sounds like it was a stone in my salivary gland. Since the swelling and the pain has decreased significantly from Monday to today (Wednesday) he reckons that my body has done the work for me and broken down the stone. If I felt sick/feverish then it would have indicated I had an infection, but since I'm fine he said there's nothing to worry about. I'm glad it wasn't anything serious!
I've got a long "to-do" list today that I need to get through. Just little things that have added up after putting them off for so long. Firstly though, I'm going to focus on my fitness and go for a run before tackling anything. I always put my to-do list first and then get distracted, eventually throwing in the towel and not exercising as a result. So once I drink a glass of water I'm going to head on out for a run. I wore my sports bra deliberately today to make it so I can just throw on my workout clothes and go! It's a lovely bright Autumn day so I'm sure I'll have a good time once I'm out there.
I just got a phone call to say I have an interview on Monday! Part time receptionist work at a small Law office. It would be Tues, Weds and Thurs 8:30am - 4:00pm. The days are perfect since the BF has Monday's off plus I'd get 4 day weekends . As always I try not to get my hopes up but maaaan do I want some income. Would make life so much nicer for me!
Today I met an older woman and we chatted for a while. She told me about her kids and her life and her grandkids; she was very sweet. She has mobility problems due to obesity and inactivity and normally uses a wheelchair. At one point after she struggled to transfer to a chair, she turned to me and said, "I hate this fat. I hate it. She said that uncomfortable didn't even begin to describe how she felt, that it was always in her way and she felt trapped in it.
It broke my heart, honestly. She's well over 200 lbs for sure, and not very tall.
She mentioned she was going to see a dietician (for her diabetes - Dr's orders), and I recommended asking about a meal plan to help her lose weight. She said she wanted to do that. Then she talked about how she has had diabetes for over a decade and still doesn't eat the way she should for it. It has gotten worse because of that.
She seemed to have no real intention to make any changes.
All I could think was that that could very easily have been me in 60 years. I don't want that, I so badly do not want to be like that. It reinforces that I cannot stick my head in the sand. Doing nothing is a choice.
Anyway, it just really made me think. I hope she can find the drive to change things.
Riestrella: I'm sorry about your friend. Hopefully they caught it soon enough that they can sort it out quickly.
Also, it's good you went to the doctor just in case. My friend got infections in both of his salivary glands and his face swelled up like a watermelon, I kid you not. Finally we bullied him into going to a clinic.
Excellent job rearranging your schedule to make sure you work out! :clap:
And good luck with the job interview!
Hey guys! Looking forward to my final weigh-in tomorrow and taking my measurements! I don't think the measurements will be anything drastic but I measured about halfway through the challenge and there was a slight difference. It's kind of a nice surprise usually since I do it so infrequently! This week has been REALLY good. We went on a 30 mile bike ride last weekend and I've commuted the 10 miles home every day from work on my bike. I'd like to be 5 for 5 by the end of the week! My eating has been pretty good, too, so I'm hopeful for a nice drop for this week's weigh-in.
Otherwise, life has been pretty busy with work an social stuff. I decided to be a witch for Halloween. Just need to find an ugly nose to wear haha! We have a party to go to on Friday night and then Saturday I am greatly looking forward to sleeping in and just chilling.
Riestrella - Glad to hear you're feeling better and congrats on the interview! I hope it goes well! I totally relate when it comes to doing a workout before getting involved in everything else for the day. My probably is I talk myself into a shorter workout because I'm so anxious to get through my to do list. There's just no winning sometimes.
Penny - Wow, what a powerful encounter. I hope for her sake she is able to make the necessary changes. You're lucky that you've got this board as a support system and we won't let you stick your head in the sand!
Ugh...so I can actually FEEL the stone in my mouth now. It's a teeny, tiny stone just under the surface underneath my tongue, but it's THERE and that freaks me out. I'm not good at all with these things, I'm pretty squeamish. Thankfully it doesn't hurt any more and the BF is going to pick me up some hard candy after work which was recommended by the doctor. It should pop out by itself in time...which freaks me out also haha!
I went on my run as I said yesterday so woohoo! I did 25 minutes, man the weather is PERFECT this time of year. It's chilly but once I get going it's actually nice having the cold to counteract my body temperature. I did 2.05 miles, which was something like a 12:12 min/mi which is pretty slow for me. But I'm just happy I went on a run and did it. I tackled my big to-do list as well and got to tick off loads of boxes. A nice productive day!
Last night I made spaghetti and meatballs, which isn't the most healthy of meals but I know that I can avoid the BF's Mum adding tons of butter if I cook myself. Plus I didn't eat many carbs throughout the day to make "room" for it. My BF's Dad is a big family man, he will always want everyone to wait for the BF to come home before we eat dinner. On Wednesday's BF does Muay Thai and sparring, so he gets home at 8pm. I HATE eating that late, but I'd feel like such a biatch if I ate earlier and on my own. I think it's really bad for you to eat so late...but again...think I would feel the guilt if I did. His Dad is a bit of a softy really, it's ONE night a week that we could possibly not eat together. Anyway...soon we'll be living on our own and I won't have to worry!
Today I'm feeling a bit "meh" and lazy. BUT these are the moments I have to battle to get to victory. On my plan today is to do an Insanity workout, I can do it!! I'll drink some water, get changed and then DO IT! I was 164.4 lbs this morning, no doubt down to late night eating + running.
----------------------------------
Penny - It's frustrating meeting people like that, I find. Because you know that with the right mindset change they could help themselves. Food is an addiction, with the right support and the WILL to do it you can eat less and change. A lot of people are weak, they give in to the urges to be unhealthy because it's easier than change. In a harsh way, it's good for people like us to speak to and hear from these people. I know I don't want to be that person, who struggles to move and feels like their body is a prison. I want to walk, run, dance and travel. I want to be healthy and live for as long as I can because this world is wonderful when you look in the right places. It reminds me of when I used to live in England, I had to visit the job center every couple of weeks when looking for work. I would "treat" myself to a Subway sandwich. I'd get the most unhealthy one, because that's what I liked. One day I sat down to eat and I saw a woman who had some sort of throat surgery, she had a hole in her throat and when she spoke it was the most awful sound. I don't know how she got to that point, but I know that most of the time it's because people smoke too much or the such. It just made me realise that we do so much to our bodies that is just WRONG. We feed it crap, we fill it with fumes and chemicals, we do all these unnatural things to it and the body will break. It made me put down the sandwich and walk away, because I don't know where those meats came from. I don't know how the bread was made. I know the ingredients weren't "real" or fresh, despite the slogan on the wall.
Thank you for reminding me of these things, because as I wrote before I was feeling lazy. Not any more, being lazy is easy. I need to be healthy and active, which is hard, but I have to do it. If I can take care of myself and live an extra 20 years then I need to do this!
NNS - I'm quite curious about my measurements, but considering I've only lost 3-4 lbs I doubt it'll be dramatic! Still, any change is a good thing . You're doing so well with exercise, go you!! Please take pics of your Halloween costume!
Last edited by Riestrella; 10-29-2015 at 03:15 PM.
Ugh. I was reminded today of how much I hate trying to dress up and look nice while I'm overweight. Nothing seems to fit right, nothing seems to look right, nothing feels all that comfortable. Trying to find new outfits for special events is tough; I have to find something that fits and that I actually LIKE. Often I end up wearing whatever I hate the least. Long hours of shopping have not changed this.
It's just a lot easier when I'm not overweight. Like, SO MUCH EASIER. I miss that a lot. I'm getting back there, surely but slowly.
NNS: I am so jealous that you can ride a bike that long. I get tired and sweaty and so very cranky (unless it's flat and/or slightly downhill). It could also be that my bike is old and kinda crappy and very hard to pedal...
How does it work commuting to work by bike? Do you just wear your work clothes?
Riestrella: Awesome job going for the run! And for getting a big section of your to-do list done!
You're right, the meh-lazy days need to be handled so that they don't lead to complacency and slipping off track. You go do that Insanity workout and kick its a**!!!
It is tough to see people who could but won't change, but I don't want to be one of them. I don't judge her for it at all; I know what it's like to not want to change even when I should. One of my big fears is letting myself get to that stage, where I'm trapped in my own skin. Feeling trapped in my body was one of my big motivators to lose weight in the first place. I won't go back to that.
I'm glad it helped remind you of those things. It reminded me too that I am making a choice to be healthier, to lose weight. I deserve a lot better, and I have the ability to choose to get the body I want (within reason). There's no reason I can't do it. And so I'm doing it.
Well today is supposed to be my official weigh-in, but my weight is up for no reason I can understand so we will see what tomorrow brings before I call that official. However, quite a few inches lost! The "inches lost" sections didn't autopopulate, and I left it blank for now. Should I fill that out? Not on this spreadsheet, but I also lost a quarter inch from each calf, which always boggles my mind. Maybe one day I'll fit into normal sized boots!
Is anyone a fantasy fan? I just finished reading the last book of the Mistborn series after binge reading it for a good 4 hours. Such a great trilogy!! Even though it is fantasy, it's not Tolkien fantasy, it's super entertaining without feeling bloated. I'm so sad it's over. I've read a lot of shite this year, which slowed my reading down considerably, so it was amazing to read something so good to take me into the end of the year. I have a Goodreads account and my challenge this year was to read 10 books. This was my 6th book, I'm about to read a graphic novel/comic novel (Hyperbole and a Half) which shouldn't take me long.
Anyway, my weight dropped to 164 lbs on the dot this morning. Friday night equates going out, so I need to be careful with what I eat during the day. I need to do another workout and if I've got time I'd like to vacuum the house (which is no easy task since it's a big house) so hopefully that should give me the push to get back into the 163's by Halloween and reach my goal weight!
You can still weigh in until Sunday, the challenge doesn't close until Monday November 2nd! Don't be put off if you miss weighing in by Halloween!
-----------------------
Penny - I know how that feels *hug*. I have really REALLY big boobs, and I say that in a derogatory way. It's NOT nice trying to look and feel good with two giant fat sacks hanging off my chest! I either look like a tent or like I'm trying to show them off (which I don't like, I despise the attention). There are definitely styles and things you can wear to flatter your body type. I used to think I didn't deserve to look good until I was thin, but that's ridiculous! I try and dress nicely for my type, but sometimes I feel so cringey in my own skin even though I don't look THAT bad. A lot of it is in our heads. I think your fear of becoming that person who can't change will be the reason you never end up like that. It's scary since we COULD become those people, but I think we're heading down a path where we can see the light at the end of the tunnel and that's far more appealing that turning around and heading to the darkness.
NNS - I always use my lowest weight for the week! I tend to weigh in daily and the fluctuations I see are crazy. I know it's not for everyone though. I'll go to the measurements sheet and get those cells working for ya. You couldn't have fixed them, I've locked them It's incredible how you lose weight everywhere!! Even your hands!
Last edited by Riestrella; 10-30-2015 at 05:20 PM.
I ran into a woman I haven't seen in years (she's a friend of my mother's), and I was shocked to see that she had lost a TON of weight! She probably used to weigh somewhere around 300 lbs, and she's probably down to half of that now. I didn't get a chance to talk to her much about it, but I'm super curious about her experience. It's also very inspiring to see!
Riestrella: I'm glad you found books you love! There's nothing better! I'm really jealous, actually. Enjoy the reading! It's a beautiful thing!
I don't think I don't deserve to look good until I'm thin (I used to, but I got tired of it and changed my mind). I do like to look nice. It's just much harder when a) I don't feel good in my skin (I think you're absolutely right about it being partly mental), and b) a lot of clothes are made for bodies with more shape. I'm straight up and down with no curves, biggish boobs (D cup), and no butt. It's a strange shape to fit.
NNS: I use my lowest weight of the week, too. Well, most times. And congrats on your measurements shrinking! That's the real goal for most of us.
Rie I haven't read the Mistborn series, but I've heard good things about it. I'll add it to my Goodreads list! I like fantasy but reading through LOTR just felt like a chore. Penny That's amazing, did you recognize her? I'm terrible at recognizing people especially if their weight has changed. NNS Congrats on the measurements going down!
I don't think I'll weigh in tomorrow (depending on how much I eat tonight, haha) so I might have just had my final weigh in. So in this challenge I've gone from 140 to 134. I didn't meet my initial goal of 130, but I'm still ecstatic because I was stuck at 140 for a long time prior to this challenge, feeling unmotivated and uncomfortable, so it feels really good to be moving in the right direction again! I'll hopefully see you guys in the next challenge!
Happy Halloween!
We all did a great job, guys! See you all in the next challenge!
Mongoose: I actually did recognize her right away! Although the person with me (who also knew her) didn't until I pointed the woman out. I normally can recognize people no matter their weight, but I often have a hard time telling if someone gained/lost weight unless it's a huge amount (like, more than 60 lbs, usually).
My friend who has recently gained a little weight (but is still well within normal ranges) loves me for it. She truly looks the same to me as when she was 20 lbs less.
Penny, I totally missed your question about the bike riding! I usually wear exercise clothes and change. I only ride 1.5 miles to the train station in the morning and then a half mile from the train station to the office. Then I try to ride the full 10 miles home. It's all trail and generally downhill (which is why I don't ride in!!) and actually takes less time than driving or taking the train home! Some days I ride fast to race myself and some days I just meander It's been really fun and a nice way to get my exercise in during my commute rather than driving home and then having to go out again to do a workout!
Happy Halloween everyone! Woke up to a nice new low weight on the scale this morning. Woohoo! Congrats to everyone who stuck it through on the challenge. I see some amazingly high weight loss from a few people, wow!
So I didn't make it to 163 lbs this week which means I JUST missed my goal weight by 1 lb. I did some pretty intense exercise leading up to the end of the week which usually makes me gain before I lose. Ah welly, at least I lost weight in this challenge! I'm ready to take the next challenge by storm. It'll be a fresh challenge, a fresh start and I'm gonna kick so much a$$!
I went to work with the BF since I'm doing some contractor work for his job, basically just helping him do his job. I wandered out and went Christmas shopping for my parents, I need to send their package to England mid-November hence why I'm doing it now. I also got some Henna hair dye, GOD I hate the customer service in LUSH so badly! They're all TOO friendly and they offer you a million things when I want to just get one thing. It's super expensive in America too, did you know in the UK every item is like half the price?! Maybe I'm just a miserable person but I hate being pestered when I'm shopping. No I don't want to buy your charity pot moisturizing cream and thanks for making me look like a jerk because I don't want to...grrr!
Anyway, moving on! It was very Halloween-y in central Boulder! Loads of people getting dressed up and towards the evening trick or treating with their kids. We went out to eat at the SAME Mexican place that the BF's parents always want to eat, so I just ordered something small, but the food is terrible there . They only go for the drinks, which they admit aren't as good as the ones they make themselves at home. I don't understand it!!
I almost got hit by a car yesterday too. It was actually pretty scary, thankfully no one got hurt but I was SO close to be slammed by it. He was turning left across traffic and I was on the cross walk (with the man on green!) and he just wasn't looking and went to speed across. Thankfully I was looking at the cars, he noticed me at the last minute and he slammed on his breaks. He said "omg I am so, SO sorry!" and I just nervously laughed and said "it's ok" but woah...I could've ended up in hospital if I wasn't paying attention. It might sound weird since I managed to see the danger and nothing happened, but it really scared me to think "what if I just kept walking?"
Anywhoot, results will be up tomorrow!! I'm looking forward to seeing who our winners are and awarding anyone who weighed in every week a badge!!
---------------------------
Penny - That's so great to see someone who's accomplished so much with their weight loss! You've really seen some crazy signs recently...one person who was obese and another who made it through obesity to healthy! I would take it as a hint from the universe! Do you enjoy reading? It's hard finding out looks that suit you, but I'm positive there is a certain look that you can rock! Sounds strange, but have you ever researched it? There used to be this show in the UK that was taking women with insecurity problems and teaching them how to dress for their body type. It really was surprising how much a carefully placed accessory or a certain cut top helped!
Mongoose - Mistborn will be a welcome addition to your fantasy collection if you read it! It's not slow at all, it throws you into the world and the action is insane. The first book is go, go, go. The second book is good...but takes a while to build up and the third book is insane by the end! It's not a literary masterpiece, but it's SO entertaining and the characters are great. HUGE congrats on losing so much weight!! I know it's not your goal, but you entered a whole new decade after a stall. Since I've been in the 160's for 2 years I can really feel your excitement towards being in the 130's. Well done!!
NNS - It's been awesome seeing you "blossom" in this challenge! You've turned into a fitness machine and your weight loss shows! I'm so happy for you, I can't wait to see how you'll do in the next challenge!!
Last edited by Riestrella; 11-01-2015 at 10:08 AM.
Boo!!
. As always I try not to get my hopes up but maaaan do I want some income. Would make life so much nicer for me!
. You're doing so well with exercise, go you!! Please take pics of your Halloween costume!
It's incredible how you lose weight everywhere!! Even your hands!
