Get on the Maintain Train - Spring is Coming!
 

New thread!

Dagmar :D

I have a new battery installed in my scale. Will weigh in tomorrow for accountability in February 2018.

Dagmar :goodscale:

Still in bed. Managing to suck some orange segments and not feeling sick. Think it has to be the flu.

Originally Posted by silverbirch:
Still in bed. Managing to suck some orange segments and not feeling sick. Think it has to be the flu.

Feel better soon Birchie. The flu is no fun! :barf:

Dagmar :coolsnow:

Birchie, sorry you have the flu. Only upside is weight loss.

Pepper is hanging in, although he is very demanding and picky about what he will eat now. He eats a few bites, then loses interest and wants something else.

Starting Wednesday I'm hiking three days on the Arizona National Trail. Near Payson. The weather looks good!

Dagmar, hope your scale is kind to you. I'm "not unhappy" with my weight. 125.5 this morning but would rather see 2 pounds lower.

Welcome back, krampus - you've been missed. Congrats on your recent marriage. IIR, last thing we heard from you was that you'd gotten engaged and were buying a house.

My goal of the minute is to prepare for Super Bowl without thinking of too much food. I only think of Buffalo wings once a year; it's that time.

Hey Bill! Go Pats! ;)

Originally Posted by JayEll:
Hey Bill! Go Pats! ;)

Kindly cheer a little bit louder. Patriots are not looking so, can I say this, 'youthful' in the first half.

And now we know they just couldn't catch up this time. But I'm happy for Philly!

Hello, Krampus! I hope you check in a tad more frequently but glad you're well!

Birchie-- hang in there and take care of yourself!!

I'm still enjoying the freedom of not weighing. I'm still playing mind games with myself-- trying to talk myself into all the reasons I should get the scale out and weigh. But I'm holding onto NSV's, like a pair of pants that fit and a skirt that was too big. I will weigh myself this weekend as it is the end of phase 1 (out of 3) of the fitness program I'm doing. I will weigh and take measurements and progress photos. I see improvements for sure, so I will (hopefully) focus on those if the scale doesn't give me the feedback I would like to see.

Glad to see a new thread with a catchy title.
Krampus, welcome and congratulations. You've come quite a long way from your days of teaching in Japan. What is your occupation these days? Are you enjoying it?
Birchie, sorry about the flu. I started a week of hospital duty today, and I swear there were "droplet precautions" signs on every other door. It's a particularly bad flu season this year.

The number for February is 136.6 lbs.

Dagmar :goodscale:

Hi, folks!

I like the new thread name. =)

I am struggling to stay on the rails, though. My weight is trending upwards and I saw a number over 130.0 (current red line) recently but today I am at 129.1. It's really so much harder to eat multiple times a day without gaining.

Birchie, I hope you feel better soon! The flu is the pits.

DH is struggling with an infection after a root canal and just got on antibiotics yesterday (dentist was out of office Fri and the weekend, when it became more clear there was a problem rather than normal recovery pain).

Meanwhile our nearly 16-yo dog is getting off antibiotics today after weeks of treatment for something like a cyst that burst near her paw while we were out of town in NYC (much bleeding, bandaging, etc). We have been looking forward to this bc we had to get her to eat before taking each pill and she quickly learned she could escalate the delectability by holding out.

(She was already on a diet of customized hand made food, due to a history of pancreatitis and a prognosis from her previous vet that she likely only had a few months to live -- a few years ago! We changed vets, but just because we started using a travel vet who comes to our house to avoid the office visit trauma for her).

Anyway, I hope to finally get my follow-up lipid panel scheduled today. Things like that are DH's job, and I refuse to do it myself though it would probably be a lot easier. I will admit there are complications this time due to changes in my insurance plan but this is something that should have been done a month ago.

Day 5
 

That's Day 5 of symptoms, and Day 8 since I spent too long in the doctors' waiting room. Feeling a little better, a bit argumentative and a bit upset, so I'm obviously on the mend. I'm best if I'm left completely alone, warm (a bit of a challenge but I've got a good system going on with fleece blankets and a hot water bottle), and with a drink. Here in the countryside snow has fallen so it's quite peaceful and it's pretty to look at.

I'm eating a little but, yes, I seem to have lost a few pounds in a few days. That's normal with these extreme treatments, isn't it? Perhaps I should write a review of 'Flu! The New Weight Loss System! Natural! Organic!' and see if anyone would buy it. Had better trademark it fast as I gather at least 8 million other people in the UK are bed-testing it as I write.

yoyoma, you're having a rather medical time as well. Much sympathy, especially to your DH. Root canals are bad enough without getting an infection too. Sorry it's hard to transition to eating more than once a day without weight repercussions. I haven't got any suggestions.

Dagmar, that looks like a pretty good winter weight for you, as far as I can remember. What's the difference between your summer and winter fighting weights?

Andrea, thanks for information from the hospital front line. Hope that IBS thing has settled down now.

Michele, NSVs are good!

JayEll and Bill, you sports fanatics!

Alice, I think you must be out on the Arizona National Trail now. Wish I was with you!

saef? You haven't made it over to this thread yet. Are you OK or just having a pause? Beaming good vibes, whatever's happening.

Birchie Glad you're on the mend! :yay:

My winter weight range is 135 - 138 lbs. so I'm right in the middle of it. Having a bit of a struggle to not console myself with food. I miss the dogs (but not walking in the cold) and there's only so much one can do with books, computer, and TV. Boredom is setting in and looks like I'm housebound today as there's going to be a snowstorm. :brr:

Think I'll go through my photo files and camera and do some much needed editing.

I am also improving my cooking skills :chef: by making food from scratch every day rather than relying on frozen items like burgers and meatballs etc. Stew today!

Dagmar :beach:

Dagmar, in my flu misery I'd forgotten about your ankle. Did you have an x-ray? And when do you think you'll be back to normal-ish?

Hey folks, checking in after a weekend of my mom being in town and then being sick the past few days. I actually stayed home from work sick yesterday. I can't even remember the last time I did that.

156.2 this morning, so no damage from the weekend with mom. We ate at home most meals and only splurged on a couple things. No workout for me today as I'm still recovering from this nasty cold. I possibly should have stayed home today too, but I have a presentation to give. Lucky for me I hate procrastinating and I put the whole presentation together last Thursday.

A terrible week. I was walking our dogs on Saturday, and an older woman came up and wanted to pet our girl dog, the dobie. This woman was clearly a bit off mentally but it's no problem for the dobie. As the woman approached her, our other dog, the elderly shepherd mix we got in October, suddenly lunged at her snarling and tried to bite her hand. Fortunately they were on leash and I pulled him back just in time. But it was totally unprovoked, he was 6 feet from the woman and she didn't approach him at all. And after she backed away from us, he tried it again. It was terrifying, he was suddenly deranged.

We talked about it all weekend and realized that we have no choice but to put him down. I've many years of experience with different forms of canine aggression, but this situation (random severe aggression due to dementia) never has a good outcome or fix. His appointment is this afternoon. We're a mess and have been crying about it. I was horrible to people at work yesterday, I didn't want to tell them about it but was combative to everyone. No sleep last night, the guilt kept me awake (along with his usual dementia-induced wandering and crying). He's been eating salmon and steak for every meal. Of all of the pets I've owned or fostered, this is the first time I've ever had to put down one of my own before their time. Technically it's more of a medical than behavioral euthanasia, but it still feels rotten. His body is otherwise doing fine. Now I understand why this situation was so much harder for my clients than the euthanasias for straightforward medical causes.

Originally Posted by silverbirch:
Dagmar, in my flu misery I'd forgotten about your ankle. Did you have an x-ray? And when do you think you'll be back to normal-ish?

Three fractured metatarsals. I should be in a lot of pain :eek: but I'm not. I vetoed the busy beaver in my head that said to go back to work earlier than I should and will stay home until Feb. 26 to cut the chances of a re-injure.

Right now I'm doing all sorts of projects that I normally don't have energy for and I'm reading up a storm. Am on my 2nd book of light fiction and will start some weightier stuff next week. :book2: I'm going to take a look at Coursera and see if there's a free course I could take. I've done a bunch with them but it was always fitting in some spare minutes whenever I could This time I could really concentrate on the material.

Just came back in from shovelling the snow out front and will take Trixie out back to do the deck and walkway this afternoon. She and I will play :coolsnow: in the snow in the back.

I'm really not used to being indoors and sitting still. Was a chubby bookworm from childhood on but now I'm a "jock" apparently. :lol3:

Dagmar :twirly:

JZJ - I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. I know that is a hard choice to make, even when it is the best thing for them. Hugs to you today.

Dagmar - Reading time is good. No income, not so good. I'm glad that it isn't too painful.

Jessica - hope you feel better soon.

Birchie - glad you are starting to feel better! The flu is terrible over here, I know so many people right now who are sick.

yoyo - hope your DH feels better soon, root canals are no fun.

Alice - enjoy your hiking! :D

Michele - just keep focusing on the clothes fitting better. I'm changing up my exercise routine some after being inspired by your progress. I'm not ready for the 80 day thing you are doing yet, but I'm going to shake it up a little. My clothes are not fitting as well, so I know I'm going the wrong way again. :o

__________

I am so much more productive when I just get up and out of the bed instead of snoozing the clock and dragging around. This morning I made it up at 6:30, half an hour later than I wanted but an hour and a half earlier than yesterday. Exercised and did yoga, fixed lunches for the rest of the week in the IP during those & washed a load of laundry and ran the dishwasher. If I can only remind myself of that in the mornings....

My quads are certainly not happy with me today, after new exercise program starting yesterday. Sitting down isn't fun, which makes drinking lots of water today uncomfortable...

One of my clients sent me a get well basket. Full fat cheese, crackers, a huge salami, antipasto spread, jam and wine. I'm not a huge cheese eater but the salami :drool: and the crackers are a big weakness.

DH will go nuts with this stuff. It's his birthday weekend this coming weekend so I'm not going to kill the party. Natalie and Trixie and I sampled one cheese and the salami and they are very tasty!

Sigh. I will have some weight to work off when I get back out walking dogs. I expected that.

Dagmar :hungry:

Jayzee I'm so sorry about your dog. But mental illness IS illness. What happens if a small child darts at him and he reacts and bites them in the face? You don't want to take that chance.

I hope he passes easily today. You made the right choice for him and gave him some really good quality time before he died.

Dagmar :hug:

Back up to 130.1 today, which was a surprise to me. =( The blood panel is not yet scheduled, but progress has been made (it first had to get ordered by the doc and that is done). After the test, I plan on going back to IF for a while to get solidly back under the red line. I don't want to be gaining weight either, as I think that can also mess up the numbers, but I don't seem to be able to stay steady.

DH is feeling slightly better, but it looks like it will be a long slog for him to get back to normal. He is losing weight the hard way... can't stand to eat anything but mushy food, and he can't open his mouth very wide.

JZJ, so sorry to hear about your shep. Thank goodness he was on a leash. My heart goes out to you and I understand how guilty you feel, but you are doing what is actually best for him.

Dagmar, so sorry to hear about your injury! I hope you're healed and dog walking again soon. Good time to continue enhancing your home cooking skills.

Birchie, glad you're starting to feel better and Jessica, that you're almost recovered.

JZJ, so sorry about your dog. :hug:

I'm feeling a little better today, thanks guys. Has anyone tried this weight loss thing called Noom? I saw an ad for it on facebook and was thinking about it, but I hesitate to pay money for a weight loss program when I already know that if I can just get my act together and count calories I can lose weight for free.

Originally Posted by paperclippy:
I'm feeling a little better today, thanks guys. Has anyone tried this weight loss thing called Noom? I saw an ad for it on facebook and was thinking about it, but I hesitate to pay money for a weight loss program when I already know that if I can just get my act together and count calories I can lose weight for free.

Sometimes a paid short term program can be a good kick start to getting back into your regular free program. If it's in any way similar to what you are doing that will probably help too. Motivation for the daily slog is a hardest thing to sustain yes?

Dagmar :dizzy:

I went ahead and signed up for the two-week free trial. It appears to be based on a volumetrics philosophy (eating food with lower caloric density to feel fuller with fewer calories), combined with all the other research about life coaching and maintenance (applying toyota business system philosophies like five whys, setting small weekly goals, having group support). It's not clear to me yet how exactly it's going to work since the "day 1" tasks were all about setting your goals and preferences. In any case it seems to be in line with my own philosophies about what works for me, but we'll see if it does any better than just coming here to check in with you folks.

Jessica, I signed up for a year of Precision Nutrition coaching which started on 15 January. I'm finding it helpful to have someone sending me things every day, and a coach there for me. For me, it doesn't feel like 'accountability' (I've never understood this) or 'motivation' (so fleeting) but more like consistency (day by day by day) and objectivity. I love being here (and over at the Beck Diet Solution) but a range of support or different types of support at different times is good.

Hoping saef is OK. She knows a thing or two about consistency.

JZJ, you made the right decision.

yoyoma, I have a blood test tomorrow at 9.30am.

JZJ-- My heart breaks for you and your decision. I know you didn't take it lightly but you had no choice. Doesn't make it any easier.

Our anxious Dobie has started a new thing the last few days-- when I let her out in the yard, if the dogs are out behind us, she is hurling herself at the fence, going berserk and not listening at all. The owner said she had been trying not to let the dogs out (2 small yappy things) when she knew my dogs were out. I felt bad as I didn't realize my dog was being a nuisance. Dh and I brainstormed and Ellie has a training collar coming from Amazon today--- it has a remote with three buttons-- one makes a sound, one a vibration, and the third a shock. I'm hoping the sound and/or vibration are enough.

Shannon-- glad I could inspire you. If/when you want more info about the 80 day obsession, let me know. I think you'd be an ideal candidate because you already work out at home, you are used to weights, and you are a rockstar!

Today is my youngest dd's 23rd birthday. Dh and I can't figure out how 23 years could possibly have gone by already.
Dh leaves tomorrow for Europe for 2 weeks so I'll be flying solo again.

Saef-- hope you're ok!!?

saef's most recent post was on 2/4. She's evidently MIA at the moment. I hope for the best!

Jessica - my aunt and my cousin both use Noom, they LOVE it.

Michele - hope the collar helps! And I'll definitely let you know when I'm ready for it.

Birchie - how is the PN coaching going so far?

yoyo - I've never been able to stick longterm with IF, though I have considered trying it again.

Dagmar - don't you love the huge basket of stuff? Or not. :) My insurance broker sends them twice a year, I often want to ask them not to because I have a hard time not eating all the stuff in it. :dizzy:

Good day today. Up at 4:15 - yoga, cardio, headspace, some work around the house while boy ate breakfast, took him to school, hit one of our restaurants for a paperwork audit, now back at my office checking messages and writing out reports of said audit. One more day down.

Dagmar, very glad you're not in pain. So interesting that you're taking it as a great opportunity to explore!

Shannon, PN coaching is going quite well. I don't always 'get' some of the ... I think it's probably language and attitudes all mixed up into one, and it takes me some time to translate it. I know you people have had me on an immersion course in NAm Engl for some time but, for me, some things just don't cross the pond. PN lingo is a bit hip so that makes me laugh and serves to jog me out of the diet/exercise rut I'm probably in.

PN is working to develop 'habits' and has a nice way of encouraging small and effective changes. The first habit was 'taking a 5-minute action' which wasn't explained very well but I think means doing something, anything that will roll things forward in the right direction. Wash the lettuce, plan the meal, do a few squats because it all adds up. The second habit is 'eat really, really slowly'. I do eat slowly but this is helping me make it into an art form and I think my digestion has benefitted.

Most of the programme is automated but the coach is there when I need her, and we seem to be building a good relationship. Some of the more standard responses are from an assistant coach who is less good, but I suppose she's in training and that's why she's not a full coach yet. We all start somewhere.

I am doing a more varied exercise programme which is good. Even though it's a bit challenging to set up and learn in our tiny house I've made a commitment to do the best I can. And that is good enough at present.

So I'm pleased so far. It was a good investment to make and is giving me a different approach to try out.

Birchie Your program sounds like a very adaptive, tailored to you sort of thing, which, from what you've said in the past, is a good approach for you. Glad you're enjoying it!

Dagmar :strong:

Doctor's appointment tomorrow. There will be nothing new - never is. He spends about 10 minutes with me, most of which is typing into his laptop. He used to at least do a blood draw but now he's delegated that to me as well. I have to go to a lab for it. And I tell him my current weight though he does have a scale in the hallway. SIGH. Health care here is not what it used to be.

Dagmar :shrug:

Checking in briefly on Friday morning, a planned day off, at 163.4. That's a high for me.

Have worked from home all week. I lied & said I was sick, but I just couldn't make myself commute in. I just feel so tired and discouraged overall.

Saef, good to hear from you even though you're not feeling so good. :hug:

What I can tell from Noom so far is that it's a combo logging, recipe, and coaching app, based on volumetrics. Which is fine, except I need a good way to tell it "I must eat high-fiber grains for breakfast or I will completely fail at all of this" when it's complaining at me that raisin bran is too calorie-dense. Tweak my lunch and dinner and snacks however, but I'm keeping my raisin bran for breakfast. :lol:

paperclippy, it's probably the high sugar in regular branded Raisin Bran. There are some good alternatives out there that at least have less sugar.

saef, have you considered signing up with a professional-level job search agency? I can't believe that you're stuck with that company forever. You would be a valued contributor in any company.

dagmar, docs here don't draw blood usually, and that's a good thing. The pros are far better at it, in my experience.

Glad to see you checking in Saef, but sorry you're not in a better place. Take care!

YAY! Did my first yoga workout since breaking my foot. Modified a few of the exercises and added a few different poses and subtracted others but it worked!

Going to take Trixie for a walk this morning too - just a couple of blocks as freezing rain is coming. :eek:

My DH is largely :lol: inactive so he really doesn't understand my need to MOVE! I was out on the deck shovelling snow yesterday and he was sitting inside with the remote, staring at me and shaking his head. He did walk the dog and he used the snowblower for over an hour and he was totally exhausted at the end of it.

I think my recovery for this accident is going so quickly because I am in good health and in excellent physical shape. There is a payoff for all those hours I put in working out. :exercise:

Dagmar :strong: :yay:

Hello all! I'm back from Arizona where the weather was perfect and the hiking was great. I did well with food planning and didn't overeat on the 9 hour drive to Arizona, but can't say the same for the drive home. I'm staying away from the scale for a few days. Back to my normal eating pattern today.

JayZeeJay, I'm so sorry to hear about what you went through with your dog. What a hard decision, but the right one. I've had a couple of dogs over the years that I euthanized due to mental issues. Hope you are okay now.

Saef, good to hear from you and I hope you will feel more positive in the next few days.

Dagmar, I'm proud of you for not letting your injury stop you from exercising! That's what I try to do also - concentrate on what I can do rather than what I can't.

Birchie, glad to hear you are feeling a bit better. The PN program is effective for many people. My friend did it - she did not have much to lose - but the program didn't get her weight down at all even though she did everything they asked of her. I think sometimes PN is too reluctant to tell you to eat less and they insist that you should not track calories. She got her money back for the entire year, no problem, which made me feel good about the company.

Five days away is wonderful, but not all the things I have to catch up on now.

Monday morning at 162.4.

I worked over the weekend again to get stuff done for the week ahead: Finished off a 45-page doc pulling together the contents of an outdated Wiki into a linear process description. And reviewed & briefly commented on 24 docs by newly hired analysts in the onboarding class which I'll be teaching in for a day & a half this week. That class is going to eat up my week. And I get stage nerves beforehand, no matter how many times I've taught in it. I'm going through that now.