Welcome to the January 2021 weigh-in/check-in thread. The big holidays are behind us and a brand new year is upon on us. How will 2021 be different from 2020? Let's face it, 2020 was both heartbreaking and inspiring for many reasons. While we are still in the thick of things, we seem to be turning a corner, yet we all know that a flip of the calendar page doesn't magically make things all better. Still, I hold onto fervent optimism that 2021 has to be better than the year we just wrapped up. If there was ever a time for a fresh start it is now!

So, let's try to manage the things we can in our lives. Are you a resolution person? A goal setter? Do you have some unfinished business that you want to complete? Or do you just like the idea of having the opportunity to begin again? Whatever your starting point, know that this thread is a place to chat, vent, and meet some great people along the way. This is a great "neighborhood" and we're always excited to have new people move in and get comfortable. Here, you will find generous support and encouragement so please take the leap and join us! Everyone's

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

We can and will ALL get closer to our goals AND hit them together

Hope to see you soon and once again, Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! Hope the first day of 2021 has been good to you.

curvynotlumpy thank you so much for the good wishes and for getting us started again

So I weighed myself this morning and I was not surprised to see that I gained 7 pounds over the last 3 months. Bad habits crept back in and I lost my way. Now to find it again and fight for what I want. And I started with healthy food, a walk in the warm Winter sun, and a 1h25 minutes workout, called a 1000-calorie workout on the Fitness Blender website. Still don't know how I made it through, I am now toast.

Let's have a strong month of January everyone!

1: 2.4km walk + 1h25 minutes HIIT/kickboxing/strength training/core workout

Happy New Year, everybody! I wish you all health and happiness as we start 2021. Curvy, thank you as always for continuing the thread and double thanks for the well-wishes and inspiring opening for the year! It’s nice to see some familiar faces here. My goal is to get to goal weight this year, and that’s going to start by getting back into building healthy habits. After much reflection over the holiday season (and with my first semester teaching having wrapped up), I realized I made a lot of excuses for not getting out for walks with Loki and getting a bit too lax with my way of eating. I’m re-committing to my journey with the following goals for January:

- Walk outside with Loki three times a day for at least ten minutes each time

- Hydrate hydrate hydrate! (Aka drink at least 3.5 L of hydrating fluids.)

- Minimize take away—prep and cook all meals at home unless out of town or having a date night

- Weigh, measure, and track food—I like to think I can eyeball it, but it has definitely led to calorie creep and when I started tracking strictly again in the middle of the week, I realized I was eating about 1000kcal over maintenance.

Martine: It sounds like you’re off to a wonderful start! Good on you for starting the year off strong, it sounds like your workout was pretty intense!

Toward the end of last week I was at 229.3 lbs. Since getting back on track (and getting through shark week), I’ve lost some significant water weight. I’m not surprised by today’s rebound, I expected it to occur several days ago, so I’m okay with it I hope everyone has a lovely weekend and continues to successfully work toward their goals/resolutions/intentions.

12/31: 225.6
GW: 219

Week 1:
1/1: 222.7 (-2.9)
1/2: 224.4 (+1.7)
1/3: 223.0 (-1.4)
1/4: 223.4 (+0.4)
1/5: 223.4 (+/-0)
1/6: 225.5 (+2.1)
1/7:227.2 (+1.7)
Total for week 1: +1.6
Total for January: +1.6

Week 2:
1/8: 224.9 (-2.3)
1/9: 225.4 (+0.6)
1/10: NWI
1/11: NWI
1/12: NWI
1/13: NWI
1/14: 227.9 (+2.5)
Total for week 2: +0.7
Total for January: +2.3

Week 3:
1/15: NWI
1/16: NWI
1/17: NWI
1/18: 228.3 (+0.4)
1/19: NWI
1/20: NWI
1/21:228.8 (+0.5)
Total for week 3: +0.9
Total for January: +3.2

Week 4:
1/22: 226.2 (-2.6)
1/23: 224.8 (-1.4)
1/24: 224.8 (+/-0)
1/25: NWI
1/26: 224.3 (-0.5)
1/27: 223.8 (-0.5)
1/28:223.3 (-0.5)
Total for week 4: -5.5
Total for January: -2.3
Final days
1/29: NWI
1/30:223.0 (-0.5)
1/31: 223.0 (+/-0)
Total for final days: -0.3
Total for January: -2.6

Happy New Year! Hooray for 2021! I think its gonna be a super great year. I look forward to engaging the challenges of 2021, as well as enjoying the fruits of my labors. As I reflect on the last year, I realize how far I have come. Small, gradual steps continue to accumulate into a new and healthier, happier me. I have learned so much, I have come to find reward in the struggle, I've learned that through tribulations we developed character, strengths and insight into the human condition. I'm so thankful I have been able to meet such fine people and look forward to navigating the coming year with all of you. Looking forward to meeting all the New Years Noobs too.
Curv...Happy New Year homie. My most beautiful new friend! Thanks for being involved.
Martine...my favorite...glad to see your puppy, he is so cute! This diet stuff is hard but we can do this. The cold weather really used to effect my health. Living in AK, the cold and dark could really put the zap on my motivation. Just the other night, I got all dressed, got the leashes out and headed for a walk. It was raining. Normally, the dogs and I would have hung it up, but not this time. I dragged those dogs all the way to the park and back. They thought dad had lost his marbles. This year I plan to reveal in the adversity, learn to enjoy the fight and come closer to being the man I endeavor to be. Thanks for the inspiration.
Yo, what up Runner! How you do? Can't wait to hear more about your adventures in teaching. I've been doing some tutorials for local kids. Biology and math mostly, trying to teach the kids how to teach themselves. Sharing the skills they need to investigate, verify and differentiate between scientific realities and opinion /beliefs. Some of the things they say, parroting, of course, their parents. We suffer for an amazing lack of education. So many people are stupid, just plain Stupid. Sorry, I digress. Tried any fancy new dishes lately. I've been subsisting almost entirely on spaghetti squash, lol. I was reading somewhere, that one of the most enduring habits for successful dieting is to continue measuring your portions. How easily a 1/8 of a cup of dressing turns into a 1/4 cup when you eye ball it. I bought a set of measuring cups and spoons for the sole purpose of measuring my foods. I also got back out the scale for weighing portions. It seems silly but it really is important.

Come on with the vaccine! I got some dancing to do. I've been working on my skills lol, and feel better then ever! I got the sexiest robot moves on the dance floor. No more splits! Lord. Is there any effective way to tighten loose skin? No fads or steroids, just something that works. Don't get me wrong, I love to see it. I just don't want to pack the trophy around with me everywhere I go. Seems like there are a lot of products but few successes. Maybe like a hundred tubes of that " under eye bags" cream.
Hey, I love you guys!
1/2 311.2
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RunningRedHead it’s so nice to have you join us I like your goals, looks like many of us are having to reassess our habits and get back to what worked for us in the past. Much success to you!

William47 you sound very positive and rearing to go at the start of this new year. Awesome job on going for that walk no matter the weather and on focusing now on portion control. Everything you do matters in the end. Keep it up and you’ll be dancing in no time

After my workout yesterday, I had planned a rest day to recuperate. I thought I would be a lot more sore than I am, so I’m happy I have avoided the dreaded DOMS. I did go for a 2.9km walk at the end of the afternoon, dealing with some sidewalks covered in snow piles, as people who shovelled their driveways just dumped the snow anywhere and everywhere.

I’ve set a different kind of goal for me this month: to be active for a total of 800 minutes. In the past few weeks, whenever I missed a couple of workouts in a week, my old “all or nothing” mindset kept creeping back in and I would give up for days a time, figuring I wouldn’t reach the goal I had set for myself anyway, so why try so hard. But aiming for a number of active minutes means that I can miss a workout and it won’t be the end of the world when looking at the end goal. We’ll see if this type of goal-setting helps me be in a better head space.

Now to do my physio exercises and enjoy a nice, quiet evening afterwards.

1: 2.4km walk + 1h25 minutes HIIT/kickboxing/strength training/core workout
2: 2.9km walk

Good Sunday evening everyone! I hope everyone's weekend was fun and relaxing

It's back to reality for me tomorrow. But at least today was productive and enjoyable. We went for a walk at a local park with Loki and my in-laws, the only way we are allowed to see each other during this confinement. Loki was a trouper and it was quite enjoyable, though at a slow pace.

And after doing a lot of laundry today, I have just completed a HIIT workout. I'm wearing new leggings, my first ever pair of leggings actually, and I think I will enjoy wearing them to work out. I'm quite envious of those gorgeous 2-piece sets with leggings that I see everywhere online, but I'm not splurging on pretty workout clothes until I lose a lot more weight. I have my trusty old tank tops and various workout shorts and capris, those do the job just fine.

Time for supper and to enjoy a nice evening continuing with the series we're watching.

1: 2.4km walk + 1h25 minutes HIIT/kickboxing/strength training/core workout
2: 2.9km walk
3: 2.8km walk + 37 minutes HIIT workout

William: I always enjoy reading your posts, as you project such optimism and positivity! I’m doing well and I very much enjoy teaching. While I’m logging so many more hours than my last job, it’s so rewarding and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. As for new dishes, my boyfriend and I just tried our hand at a keto General Tso’s chicken, which was wonderful! Other than that it’s just been the tried and true meat and veggies! Thank you for sharing what you read about how easily portions get out of control when eyeballed and that continuing to measure is one of the most enduring habits for success. It definitely adds more time to my prep and whatnot, but it’s so worth it.

Martine: So glad you were able to avoid DOMS. I like that your goal is an overall number of minutes of exercise, it seems like that allows you a bit more flexibility with your workouts in terms of what you do and when. Way to go getting in another HIIT workout and doing your laundry, I struggle with doing workouts on days I do a lot of chores. Note to self: be better about spreading chores out throughout the week instead of saving them all for the weekend

The past couple of days I’ve done well with hydration and staying on track with food. I did not measure lunch yesterday as it was with my boyfriend’s family for a special occasion and I didn’t want to make a fuss, but everything else was carefully measured and tracked. We’ve done well so far with making all our food at home, be that our home or someone else’s The next goal I need to tackle is being better about walking Loki for as long and as often as she deserves—she’s quite a large dog and needs a fair bit of exercise. Plans for today also involve heading to the grocery store for chia seeds, as I found a recipe for chia seed pudding I'd really like to try. Wishing everyone a happy Monday!

12/31: 225.6
GW: 219

Week 1:
1/1: 222.7 (-2.9)
1/2: 224.4 (+1.7)
1/3: 223.0 (-1.4)
1/4: 223.4 (+0.4)

Happy New Year everyone!
I just wanted to at least check in and say I am here! I am hanging in there at the 30 pound mark! (up and down slightly depending on the day). I will make 230 my January goal. It's "only" four pounds but hopefully is do-able with enough activity and calorie watching.
RunningRedHead Welcome!
I am glad to see William, Martine and Curvy here and posting!
Let's all make this a great new year! These small mini goals whether it be with exercise, watching the calories or both, keep me focused. I am sure this is true for us all!

new year...new spirit

Martine: What is DOMS? I think a establishing a minute goal for the month is great idea! That seems to be the only goal I've been meeting in the last year. Years ago, prior to owning a Fit Bit, I had a very basic pedometer and I quickly became "addicted" to walking and seeing how many steps I could amass during a week. Of course technology is so much better and advanced, seeing the steps AND minutes add up still makes me happy.

I'm glad you're enjoying your first pair of leggings. Because I'm so short, I've never found leggings that I really like. I do wear capris which I find very comfortable. I've never had tops and bottoms to match but I'm seeing those everywhere lately. New workout clothes are a great goal and they'll be there when the time is right for you.

loganandlivsmom: Four pounds for January...you got this!

mariomarimar: New spirit indeed!

RunningRedHead: You have crossed my mind over the months. Nice to see you posting here again! Great goals. They are very specific and measurable, the first two characteristics of a SMART goal.

William47: "This year I plan to reveal in the adversity, learn to enjoy the fight and come closer to being the man I endeavor to be." What a powerful statement!

Spaghetti squash is one of my favorites. I love it by itself with a little olive oil and seasonings and also with marinara sauce. As for loose skin, no easy answers. From my own experience running/walking and weight resistant exercise was a powerful combination. I still had loose skin but it was as tight as it would ever be without surgery. Everyone is different and genetics has its role as well.
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First day of work after having been off over two weeks. Wow, can I feel it! I'm working in the office today and I'm here in body but my spirit is lagging. It will take a couple of days to feel like I'm really back at work and that's fine. It's shaping up to be a slow week. I took a 40 minute walk in the campus Arboretum. We've had rain off and on since early this morning and it refreshed everything. The ducks were out swimming and doing their thing and their was a nice wind blowing. I love days like this when you're not quite sure the sky is going to open up.

Not much else to report. First week of the new year. Happy Monday!

RunningRedHead it's great that you are still trying new recipes. I have a General Tao tofu recipe, but have never tried General Tso (off to look up what it is after this post). Good job on eating healthy and measuring your portions. And hope you get more walks in with your Loki. Our Loki gave us a scare this afternoon when he got his paws on a leftover baked potato skin and gobbled it all up. A call to the vet confirmed that since it was cooked, it was of no danger to him. He's just so silly.

loganandlivsmom I totally agree with you that small mini goals make the journey feel much less daunting and the progress feel much more concrete. Let's keep it up and make this a great year!

curvynotlumpy DOMS is an acronym for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Glad your first day back at work wasn't too hectic and that the first week looks like it will be a slow one. It will allow you to ease back into your routine. But it is so hard after some time off, and especially during the Holidays...

My first day back at work was alright. I spent the day training my replacement through Teams. After going through an overview and showing her a few programs and features, I gave her a few forms to complete and told her to ping me anytime she had a question or when she felt ready to move on to something else. She's held this position before, but it was at a time before Teams, and Microsoft Office 365, and working from home and everything going digital instead of being done on paper. So she will have to learn new skills and I think that will take some time. It's a good thing she remembers the basics of the job at least, that gives her a headstart. We have all week, so I'm trying to find the right pace for her.

I will don't know when *I* will receive my own training. I think they're waiting to hear tomorrow if our government will keep us confined past January 11th (most likely) and what that will mean for our stores and company. Everyone will surely be glued to their tvs and internet tomorrow when the government holds their conference call.

January 4th and still focused, still doing well on all fronts. That's all I can do, one day at a time.

1: 2.4km walk + 1h25 minutes HIIT/kickboxing/strength training/core workout
2: 2.9km walk
3: 2.8km walk + 37 minutes HIIT workout
4: 33 minutes upper body strength training

New year and new beginnings, im starting my new year with fitness strategies.

Sup weight warriors? How are we doin today? I sincerely hope this year is off to a good start, just think of all the wonderful possibilities this next year presents. Funny how a seemingly arbitrary date can illicit such emotion. We should lobby to have like 4 or 5 new years per year lol. I feel like "if this isn't the best year ever" it ain't gonna be from a lack of participation. So far I've done well, back to basics, plan and measure. Monk fruit has been great. I'm going to give the lower calorie butter spreads a try. I frozen cherries this year and they are such a treat! I was carrying a bag of rabbit feed today, I can't believe I used to pack 2 of those things with me everywhere I went. Its insane! I got farm fresh eggs for days. I pickled a bunch and if you oil the shell, they are shelf stable for months. I'm gonna go give some away today. Martine and Runner, the whole Loki thing threw me off, I'm glad there was some clarification. There are 2 Loki, correct? And they even look similar, correct? Its hilarious, I love your puppies. Curv,, I used to spend a lot of time in the arboretum at college during the fall and winter. It would rain there so often, its an Arborial rain forest. A creek ran through and the dome was open on both ends to allow small critters to come and go. I used to contemplate the mysteries of the universe there. Things like girls, football and drinking.
Anyway, Happy New Year Friends!!!
1/5 313.2 its all good. Seen 311 two days in a row. Trajectory is good.

William47 to clarify further, yes there are two Lokis. But no, they don’t look much alike. You can see RunningRedHead’s big beautiful dog in her avatar. Mine is a small Schnoodle. Great job on your positive start to this new year! And yes, when you pick up something that weighs as much as the pounds you lost, it’s shocking to realize that you carried that on your body and it puts everything into perspective when you say “I’ve only lost 10 pounds so far”.

I’m taking an unplanned rest day today. I came home from work with a headache and David isn’t feeling well, so it’s going to be a quiet night. Our government will likely announce total lockdown on Saturday, including having a curfew, so there will be many quiet nights at home to come.

Take good care and stay safe everyone!

Martine: I hope you were able to rest and that your headache subsided. I hope David is feeling better as well. Thanks for spelling out DOMS. I kept trying different word combinations and wasn't even close! Our governor extended our stay at home order which was predicted, and of course I'm sure you've heard the news about the UK lockdown. We all need to keep our guard up that's for sure.

William47: Farm fresh eggs are the best! The yolks look like a little bit of . Our arboretum also has a creek running through it and there are lots fish, turtles, and ducks who make a home there. Even in the dead of summer when things dry out and turn brown, it's beautiful. Of course everything is watered and kept pristine so that certainly helps keep things vibrant and lovely.

RunningRedHead: I'm glad you had such a good semester and teaching experience! There is something empowering and inspiring in creating curriculum, seeing what works and doesn't, but mostly having the connection and conversations with the students in your classroom.
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Today was a work from home day and kind of a bummer. I've had PMS since the weekend and today my cycle started (shark week) as another poster calls it. Along with this one of my staff told me she had taken another position and submitted her letter of resignation. I knew she was looking and provided a phone reference before our break so it wasn't a surprise. I will certainly miss her and the gifts she brought to the unit. For those of you who followed my hiring saga that consumed most of my 2020, you know that I finally had a full staff beginning in September It felt like my dream staff so admittedly, I'm bummed. However, I want for my staff whatever they want for their career so I can only be supportive. Both of us are committed to making the transition as smooth as possible.

It's been a long day so I'm signing off. Wishing everyone a safe and peaceful evening.