I’m in a vicious cycle of not feeling good so I overeat which leads me to not feeling good. Breaking that cycle will take several things to start flowing better, starting with daily posts. So, here I am!
We’re voting today and dealing with another in a long line of gloomy days. I’ll minimize my errands and focus on writing – a good cozy activity.
A rough couple of days here, mainly just in my mind. Uber down in the dumps for who knows why. I had a "woe is me" day on Sunday and capped it off by smacking my head hard with the car door, knocking me backwards into DH's car in the driveway. Now an impressive goose (or Easter) egg on my forehead. I handled that - by sitting in the car and crying. The last straw.
Maryann - Good point on the backup healthy eating plan. I struggle with the "diet" plan because I think many of them just aren't healthy eating. I am oh so tempted to give the ole FMD one last try. Do I love bread (wheat flour) more than how I felt last year? Do I love sugar and its effect on me? Right now, I'm just hanging on barely. And the guilt is so heavy that my brother is struggling to put on any weight at all - needs to and his body is just fighting it. I know the next time we get together it'll be a shock to him to see me. And I feel such a failure on that front. UGH.
Bill - I think the next step with the printer is to take your hand, form it into a fist and whap it a few times. If no luck, then remove shoe and whap it some more. If that doesn't help, at least you feel less aggravated.
CurlyJax - I kept meaning to say that when I first moved here, I signed up for aqua aerobics - I was the youngest woman in there by about 25 years - and I was 35 at the time. It was fun, but their group was already semi-formed, so I felt a bit of an outsider. But stuck with it for about a year, alternating with that, yoga, and pilates different nights. Now? The traffic has gotten so heavy, it'd take an hour of driving each way to make those classes. I did like the feeling I got from it, though. Freeing.
GardenerJoy - So good to see you here! I'm struggling with carving out time as work has amped up, cutting into home time.
OneByOne - KUDOS for starting that cleaning/clearing project. I know that's been an ongoing stress in your life. I have a friend whose church opens a "shop" one night every two weeks for its needy members to select clothing, and so the idea of donating what I'm not using is especially alluring now to me and have filled a bag to bring in. I alternate between frugality and not wanting to get rid of something I'll use down the line, and eyeballing a more minimalistic life. I don't want to get OCD about it like books/bloggers are hitting it lately ... but working to find my happy medium. Enough but not extra. Alas, with my tableware it's too much but a pleasure in my life. Great job to get rolling with that. Don't look back!
Beth - WOW - I can't tell you how envious I am of your location near a library!! That's awesome! Mine has a different URL for ebooks and audiobooks than the regular items and has one of the smoothest loan operations of any library service I've used (with brother/sister, folks, etc.) ... I love that I can look for something and check it out in 45 seconds. Credit for hoofing it there! And Major Kudos for putting in the work to look forward to seeing your dr. Hope it was the reaction you were anticipating. That's great!
Silverbirch - Your Easter Monday sounded like one to fill the soul. Hoping this week is just as nice.
We've been saving up for several years to go to Hawaii for DH's 50th birthday next February. I realize now that's only 10 months away. I could get in dang good shape by then. Not that I'm excited about wearing a bathing suit, but it sure would be mentally freeing to be ready physically for all the exploring we'd like to do there.
Plan to catch up with a friend from home tonight via phone ... we have to set a day/time or we don't do it. She continues her fight against cancer. I need to make more time to connect with her. But am letting the guilt go of how long it's taken us to set this "appt"
I have been OP today and yesterday but the effects from Sunday remain on today's scale. Oh Well. The truth is, if I continue to eat OP it will fall away. It is my job to choose what goes in my mouth and what exercise I do. That is all I can control. There is a relief in that.
Began the new med today. Coming out of the downward spiral of the last week. It is my hope the new med cocktailbrings stability. I would like to "WHAP" my moods like nationalparker suggested doing to BBE's printer. Maybe I would be jump started back five years when I took no meds.
Credit strength training and finishing my grades. Credit for allowing myself to vegetate the rest of the day. That's enough to do. I am enough.
Food on plan today. Doctor was very pleased with my test results. Weight class was good. No exercise. I found myself putting the laundry basket far from the closet and carrying one item at a time to the closet and hanging it up. At least I moved a little bit--but can't claim it's exercise. Tomorrow, I walk from train to my office, so I'll get a little walking in.
maryann: Looks like you hopped back on--big credits!
nationalparker: Sometimes things just leave us fragile, don't they? Do you have access to a doctor who specializes in obesity? There may be some recommendations that are things you can live with. Over the years, I've been successful with calorie counting (meticulously recording everything)--that's what I did last time. I successfully lost weight with the Carbohydrate Addict's Diet, too. (I've regained--but I've lost)
joy: It's good to see you checking in with us.
curlyjax: Dinner sounds delicious--big credit. (Garlic from a tube or squeeze bottle has made bulk cooking so much easier for me.)
BillBlueEyes: Credit for recognizing that oranges still count, healthy or not.
silverbirch: Sounds relaxing!
onebyone: Great for checking in--and bags getting ready to go away. Savor the feeling of things leaving the house that are never coming back. It can get a bit addictive. And you did it while staying OP!
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Received an email from the power company that they had cycled power off three times last night "to improve reliability." Someday, I'll be connected to a power company whose emails I believe, LOL. This is the same company that's invited me to join its support group where I'd be given a chance to post reviews on how much I like the quality of its services. Again, I'm beyond dubious.
Eating was OK. Dinner was a new recipe from the package of Red Mill Adzuki Beans - new to us. They'd caught my eye to become a stocking-stuffer at Christmas. They have a delightful sharp taste; glad that we've discovered them. Leftovers mean that we'll have a second try.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Kudos for recognizing that small steps can break a cycle. Have you planted vegetables yet?
maryann - Yes, Yes, Yes, "if I continue to eat OP it will fall away." Some days are meant for vegetation.
nationalparker – Ouch for a banged head - especially a head that's already hurting. [Thanks for the suggestion that when the time comes to divorce myself from this printer, I can let out a little aggression at the same time.]
curlyjax - LOL at "smooshed garlic from a tube which is my new best friend" - garlic is just the best. Avoiding stuff is one of the pitfalls that I know about.
Beth (bethturnaround) – Kudos for thinking of a small exercise to keep the body moving.
Readers -
Quote:
day 7Arrange Your Environment
Changes at Home
Follow these suggestions for reducing food triggers in your kitchen: . . .
Here are some things you can do:
Tell everyone at home that you're going to be eating in a more healthful way. You don't have to disclose that you're trying to lose weight unless you want to.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), Pg 91.
Bad night last night. My back is worse, even though i managed to squeeze in a brief massage. I can't figure out where to sit to make myself comfortable. Then i had to go to the grocery store last night, and everything was hurting. I came inside, burst into tears and smashed a plate. That was comforting for about 5 seconds, but not worth the 10 minutes of sweeping it up- boy, those smash into thousands of little shards. I am very overwhelmed these days, I think it was trying to deal with taxes that put me over the edge. I was given a 25 page "worksheet" by my accountant and i don't know what a lot of it means. The dishwasher isn't working, and i'm tired of doing everything myself, i barely have time to even miss DH, and now i am in pain on top of it all.
I do feel lucky that i can still call my mommy as i did and she talked me down. Still this back pain is very worrying. I know it will eventually go away, but it makes everything very hard . I'm t hinking i should skip my exercise class tonight, i don't want to make it worse, but maybe it would help?
Anyhow- this morning i am off to the mechanic- again!!- but having breakfast with a friend so that will be helpful.
Thanks for letting me vent.
I ate distinct meals and snacks yesterday – always a good start. Today’s goal is to run errands but not eat in the car. It’s a small goal, but I haven’t been successful at it recently.
BillBlueEyes: we’ve had so much rain here that there isn’t any push into the garden yet.
curlyjax: so sorry about the back pain; that really does make everything worse. And, it’s so hard to know what will make it better and what won’t. For me, there’s a happy medium – too much exercise, of the wrong type, will cause back pain but so does too little exercise.
Scale is slipping back to pre holiday status. Good. Don't have to worry about that. I am heading out of town with a little college trip with the boys. We are staying at my bff's for one night and the second night has a kitchenette. I am going to use one of my flex meals with dinner on Thursday and the flex meal for lunch the following. I have a Yeti which keeps things cool for a day or two so I should have no problem bringing the rest of my meals. I can do this!!!!
gardenerjoy: One of the first things I was able to hold onto eight years ago when I began contributing to this post was your "don't eat in the car" rule.It made so much sense because when I am doing that I am eating for the oblivion effect not for fuel. Good luck with today's goal.
curleyjax: I am sure everything seems hard and the back doesn't help. A trick I use to face 25 pages is go through and answer all the easy questions first. Then I let it sit for awhile.
beth BTW I know you went to a class about keeping the shake cold. I have a vitamix which is fabulous. I do 100% ice with my shake then pour it into a thermos that keeps things cool for 8 hours called Klean Kanteen. It is awesome.
BBE: One of the colleges we are visiting is UC Santa Cruz which is supposed to have a good astronomy/space department. Have you heard of it? I know that was in your walk of life. DS is thinking about majoring in Engineering Physics (or something like that). Santa Cruz used to be known as the hippie UC more laid back than Berkeley. These days any UC is crushingly competitive to get into but Berkeley is ridiculous nearly 100,000 applicants.
Today was on plan day, although I shifted everything a bit since I had breakfast at 7:20 on the train. I usually eat about 8:30 am :-).
I was short on water, but then drank two bottles at the association meeting after work. AND I didn't have any pizza although I did enjoy the smells.
Walking today was train to work, work to meeting, meeting to train and walking around the train station (with my computer on my back) while waiting for my train. Credit for the extra walking!
We leave tomorrow evening for a weekend trip to one my food-decadent Mensa weekends. I will be bringing my products and not deviating--it'll be much better for me to have a hard and fast plan. As I write this, I am tempted by one of the women's absolutely amazing homemade desserts. But they are not part of my plan and not on my path to success. I will be glad when I get home and can say I totally stayed OP. (I may find something to do elsewhere when her desserts are out, though)
I'm starting to read "Slim by Design". I'll report on it!
maryann: Sounds like you have a plan for your meals while you're traveling! Credit!
joy: Hope returning to your "don't eat in the car" rule went well today.
curlyjax: Hope your back is doing better. It's hard to know if some exercise will hurt or help. Thank goodness for helpful moms.
BillBlueEyes: New recipes are great when they're successful!
What a horrible weather day today. The wind was super powerful and cold. Snow and rain. Not springlike.
My decluttering is on hold since Monday. I think I did a bit Monday but nothing since then. Hmmm. Not completely true. I dropped my donation bags off today and emptied the car out. But no new space was made in the apartment.
I did get a few things made for a ceramics workshop. I'm the last one to finish up. And I have my clay ready to use up tomorrow.
Foodwise not good. Not bad. Ate some carby things but no sugar. So ok for now. No exercise happening yet.
I'm going to miss a major deadline tomorrow. I'm wondering if I am wrong to let it pass... Always so much to do. Never enough time. But I don't want a year like last year was... I guess I'll see how I feel about it in the morning.
The sun is out and the birds are singing. Yesterday went well except that I fell for bread (made by the SO, no allergic reaction to this) and butter in the afternoon. An orange would have been a better choice. I'll put one on the table for today.
Today brings corrective exercise to try to stop my hip hurting. I started doing the Precision Nutrition exercises (which are very good) at the beginning of the year and stopped doing my maintenance exercises for back, hip, knee, foot etc. Lesson learnt and I'm back to corrective to sort it all out. Then I'll think again as I liked doing the PN exercises.
onebyone, dropping off the bags and emptying the car is a big Credit. Now there's room for more!
beth, credit for planning ahead to stick to your hard and fast plan this weekend.
maryann, have a nice little college trip. That kind of thing is in my future too.
gardenerjoy, distinct meals and snacks - hurray!
curlyjax, ooh back pain is so nasty! Keep moving but slow down? That works for me sometimes, and then I see the physio or have a good massage.
Bill, I'll have to revisit adzuki beans. In the past, I could never find anything they went with. Maybe I can now.
Thursday - Anne Sullivan spells "water" to Helen Keller (1887, Alabama)
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Exercise was chase the (2.5 yo) DGD day, CREDIT moi. Blow our mind question came when she was told to wash her hands, "Do you guys have a bathroom?" This from a kid who knows every room in this house. For some reason, the rooms with sink and toilet weren't the same as 'bathroom' in her developing brain. Have no idea where "you guys" comes from - as if her grandmom and granddad where two strangers at a party. She was excited at the Harvard Museum of Natural History - particularly the old stuffed BIG animals. "The giraffe is BIG." She led a pack of girls her height rather harmlessly running around the display cases until a class of middle-school kids arrived and we had to make room. She lasted a full hour - much longer than we expected. There's more to see when we take her back.
Eating was OK, CREDIT moi. Dinner was a quickly prepared frozen shrimp dish from Trader Joe's with good taste but only 90 calories per serving. The package said three servings so we each had 135 calories for dinner. My stomach knew that I'd been shortchanged. DW planned that because it's difficult to know how much time we'll have after returning the DGD.
onebyone – Dropping off those donation bags is a Kudos worthy step. We're not springlike around here, either.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Thanks for the reminder that small goals are a good way to get back on the path.
silverbirch – The smell of fresh bread is a challenge for me. Congrats for choosing an SO who makes that. Good luck finding the right set of exercises.
maryann - Have a good trip with your two guys and your Yeti. [My take is that UC Santa Cruz is one of the nation's best; I'd hire a graduate right up there with MIT. They're strong in biomedical engineering - sort of the new area these days. And continue to be well known in the space world. A good choice.]
curlyjax - Ouch for that back continuing when you could well use support from your body. I do a similar 25 page "worksheet" from my accountant. After a few years, it became much easier as I learned which were the many sections that didn't apply to me. (I'm not a retired railroad worker; I didn't adopt a kid; I didn't go to school to improve employment - so many odd cases.) Good luck for your first year handling it alone.
Beth (bethturnaround) – Kudos for making a realistic plan for your "food-decadent" weekend. Smart to think about avoiding the dessert area.
Readers -
Quote:
day 7Arrange Your Environment
Changes at Home
Follow these suggestions for reducing food triggers in your kitchen: . . .
Here are some things you can do: . . .
Ask other adults for their help. Rather than demand that they also make changes, phrase your request like this, "Would you be willing to help me by ...?"
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), Pg 91.
This is a quick post because I’m headed to the dentist in a few minutes. I successfully avoided eating in the car yesterday – credit! I’ve got a plan for a favorite supper tonight and I’m going to use that to improve my eating for the day. Here’s what I’ll say to myself: “No need for treats – I’ve got my favorite supper to look forward to.”
This morning, I am putting Beck's principle "Weight Loss Takes Time" into action. I spent over an hour figuring out each leg of our three day journey and how many meals and snacks for each. Then I had to figure out where we would be at each time and what was possible to eat. Then I bagged each day's food in a gallon ziplock with the day on it. This is what losing weight looks like for me. Acceptance is the answer. It does not require my approval. The scale just went down from Sunday so I don't want it to float up again. I will focus on the company and the beautiful ocean sites of Santa Cruz.
BBE: Thxs for the info on Santa Cruz. We keep hearing the same thing. I think it might be a good fit. It is Division three as well so DS can keep running cross country if he wants. gardenerjoy: Hip Hip Hooray for no food in the car. Silverbirch: I did my corrective exercises and was predictably sore which means I am not doing them enough,
onebyone: Credit for the toughest part: dropping the bags off!!! It is like weight, you just release those bags into the universe and they are not coming back.
Beth: My plan is a little tougher because it is mostly frozen. Next Time I order I am going to get some traveling non refrigerated stuff .
Hello coaches - aiming to make it through one more workday and call the week a success. Weight = up. Concern = today I feel like I couldn't give a mouse's heiney. however you spell that. I am weary of the game. Dinner was homemade black bean soup with cilantro lime rice, a sweet potato put in the cuisinart on shred and then baked those shreds at high temp to get a faster "matchstick" method, a pile of pico and a bit of guac. With so many things, just a bit of each makes a solid bowl with a variety of tastes. Years ago when I first started doing that, I'd put too much of each in and then have a HUGE bowl that was then partly saved for leftovers and I do not like reheating it all together Live and learn. It's not a quick throw together so we ate a bit later tonight. Lunch was homemade chicken and rice soup - still working on that pot. Have two more lunches to get out of it at least. I put in one cup of rice in the soup and it seemed to make a LOT more than two cups.
Planning on frittata tomorrow night if I stop and get eggs. If DH is aiming for pizza and the snow they're predicting doesn't come, that might change plans.
Credits today include NOT suggesting Panera for dinner when I couldn't think of what to make initially ... saved money. Skipped all the treats on the mentors' snack table at the volunteering gig. I think that's about it.
CurlyJax - I hope your back is improving! Back and teeth pain seem to just go right through you. Hard to figure out what's beneficial and what is harmful. Do you have a close friend who can go through that form with you? Sometimes just someone asking something and you thinking about it is much different than cold reading ... suggesting maybe this or that?
Maryann - Safe travels and enjoy the college visit. With the snow they're calling for tomorrow, anywhere in California sounds just wonderful right now.
Bill - LOL that you're "you guys" regarding if you have a bathroom. HA. That was a measly dinner - especially on a day when you're burning off so much energy chasing the DGD!
Last edited by nationalparker; 04-05-2018 at 09:39 PM.
Hope it was the reaction you were anticipating. That's great!
Wednesday - National School Librarian Day
Live and learn. It's not a quick throw together so we ate a bit later tonight. Lunch was homemade chicken and rice soup - still working on that pot. Have two more lunches to get out of it at least. I put in one cup of rice in the soup and it seemed to make a LOT more than two cups. 