"What if you simply devoted this year to loving yourself more?"

Greetings and welcome to the February 2022 Daily Check-in and Accountability Thread! I decided to revive the title and theme of this thread from a couple of years ago because it made me happy to flip the script on how I thought about myself. It still does and I hope it resonates on some level with you too.

I ran across the above quote and I started thinking about Valentine's Day. I actually enjoy Valentine's Day but I've often wondered why we need to single out one day to show outward love and affection. Shouldn't every day be Valentine's Day? And do we love and respect ourselves as much as we love and respect others? Honestly, there have been times I haven't. Thankfully, I do this less but I'm still learning.

February is a short month, but still enough time to address and/or challenge ourselves with actions that support loving ourselves more. Maybe this means stepping away from your desk or work a couple of times a day to do some deep breathing, turning off your phone and media when you get home from work, committing to stocking the fridge with good and healthy food, or spending more time with your children, family and friends. Maybe it means accepting where you are right now and embracing a work in progress mentality. This month let's vow to be our own Valentine every day by making good and healthy choices in all facets of our life. We're not perfect but that's not what this journey is about.

Whether you are a long time poster, brand new to this thread or 3FC, or a lurker wanting to join the conversation, know that you are welcome here. Here you can post your daily weight, share workouts and way of eating (WOE) plans, struggles and successes, life adventures and anything else. This is a warm and supportive thread so please settle in and make yourself at home.

Wishing everyone a wonderful and loving February!

and good evening! I hope everyone had a good day and that your February is off to a great start. We've been dealing with terrible winds the last two days which makes walking or running miserable unless you're doing either with the wind at your back. We are back on campus and staff has returned to their fall hybrid schedules. I'm not complaining; I enjoy being able to from home two days per week. I came home early today because my furnace was going to have its annual maintenance check. Due to Covid-19, maintenance checks were put on hold. It had been two years since my unit was checked. Everything was fine. Okay, that's all for now.

Hi Everyone!

I went back to the January thread and saw my goal was 192 so I made the goal. Yay! LOL Technically I was down 6 when I was dealing with a lot of anxiety. I am now at 190.8 so really the loss is "only" 3 not 6. I knew it was really too much of a loss at 6 pounds. I know my calories have been more at 1800-1900 which really is the calories needed to maintain not lose. I am going to work on eating a bit less (like 1700) to slowly get the pounds off. With all that said, I am making my February goal 189 or 75 pounds.


Curvynotlumpy That is a great idea to devote the year to loving ourselves more. Often we take care of others before ourselves which is probably the opposite of what we should do. It's like the flight attendants tell you...put your oxygen mask on first before you can help others. We need to remember this!

loganandlivsmom: Congrats on meeting and exceeding your January goal! I think setting "smaller" weight goals is such a healthy and good idea. Purely my perspective, but if you set and meet a smaller goal early in the month and maintain it, you know that you can do it. I think it adds a lot of pressure on anyone to set a big goal, meet it near or at the end of the month and then set a new goal for the next month. Does that make sense? I've mentioned this before but when I was last successful at losing weight, I didn't spend enough time thinking about maintenance or even spending time maintaining certain weights before I tried to lose more. You've set yourself up for success and it shows!
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I hope everyone's week is off to a great start. Our stretch of absolutely beautiful spring like weather continues. It's going to be in the 70s for the next week and a half. It has made for perfect walking and running weather. The days getting longer is also a plus. Today is a work from home day which I like because I tend to begin work earlier and appreciate being able to do laundry and prep for dinner during my lunch hour and throughout the work day.

Happy Monday!

curvynotlumpy Thank you!! What you said makes perfect sense! In fact that has been my goal since joining your thread almost a year and a half ago. I knew I weighed 264 when I started and technically needed to lose 100 pounds to be a healthy weight. If I said you've got to get this 100 pounds off it would be too intimidating. I made the small goals of a few pounds each month instead. If I lost more then that was a great mental boost! I too have! I think a lot of us are like you said...we don't think about maintenance. We get to whatever goal and then stop watching the calories and the pounds come back. I know I have lost 50 pounds a few times in the past but it came off fast and was gained back even faster it seemed.

Your weather is almost in the 70's? Ugg I am jealous. LOL

I made my 75 pound goal and passed it already! It's funny how we can struggle one month to barely lose a pound and the next it can be 5 pounds!!? I will keep plugging away towards 164. I have to make it to 100 pounds down one day.

Good morning everyone. I was MIA. I live about ten minutes from where the Protesters are in Ottawa. It was very concerning. There was a helicopter hovering by where we walk everyday and it was rather loud as well as some of the protesters coming up to us trying to bully us for wearing masks. My husband told them we chose to wear masks. You chose not to wear masks. We each are responsible for our own actions. I decided to go to my friends cottage and came back today because I ran out of clean clothes. There was no internet and no cell service. It was so nice to turn off from everything. Taking a break felt great. I just read. I feel refreshed. I thought I needed a vacation where there was warm weather but I guess I just needed a change. I was keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers.

I have met my walking goals each day.

Curvynotlumpy- "What if you simply devoted this year to loving yourself more? What a great idea. I love it. Also I feel overwhelmed realizing how much weight I need to lose. I think it might feel better mentally if I do break it into smaller goals. Thank you for starting this thread.
loganandlivsmom Oh my goodness congratulations on passing your current goal of 75 pounds. That is amazing. You are doing awesome.

Have a wonderful weekend.

AnnC123 Thank you!! I started trying to lose weight this time in August of 2020, so it's literally been a year and a half to lose 76 pounds. I am fine with it because when I was young I dropped 50 pounds several times in 6 months or so and I always gained it back within a year. Hopefully I have learned you can't starve, lose weight and then think you can eat whatever you want once you get to goal. It doesn't work that way..we have to keep watching those calories!!

It's sad you had to deal with crazy protesters, helicopters etc...Sorry about that! Those protestors I bet weren't the actual truckers who just don't want to be mandated by their government. Some show up to cause trouble at these kinds of things. I bet this will be here soon, maybe even today during our Superbowl. There have been rumors of that, who knows?

Good morning everyone. I hope you are having a nice weekend. Mine is good. I need to make a grocery order and then prep food. I find that saying failing to plan is planning to fail is so true. It is so cold here. I thought February was suppose to start getting warmer. Yikes. Have a wonderful Sunday. Wishing a successful choice day during Superbowl.

Loganandlivsmom I agree with you the people causing the problems are not the ones from the original protest. I think they just latched on to the truckers protest. This too shall pass. Wishing it will be a peaceful resolution. I do hope that Superbowl is a great distraction from everything.
I was thinking of my goal being a pound a week. It was nice to see you did it slow and steady. I feel more comfortable with my weekly goal. Thank you.

Hello to Curvynotlumpy, and anyone else out there.

Good morning everyone. How is it going? I am eating on plan, This Truckers protest in Ottawa is making me want to eat over it. I realize this will not help anything. Walking does help to make me feel better. When I don't walk I feel overwhelmed. It is a win-win. Good for my mind and my body. If it is cold out I walk faster to keep warm. What type of eating plans do others have. I am trying to make this a lifestyle change so I am writing down everything I eat or plan to eat. It is working so far. I don't eat something if I didn't write it down.
Well I should get going for my walk. Have an enjoyable day.

Curvy: Thank you as always for continuing the thread—I love your v-day themed ticker!

Loganandlivsmom: You made an excellent point about breaking a big, intimidating goal down into smaller goals or milestones! I agree with you, the number when I first began my WLJ was incredibly intimidating. Way to go hitting 75 lb down!!!

AnnC: You just reminded me I need to take care of grocery shopping and food prep today—I’m adding it to my list! You’ve also inspired me to get out for a walk with the pup later today (but I’ll be doing that once it warms up a little bit this afternoon!)!

I had quite the spike up—foods that were higher in carbs than I should consume were consumed and I have spent the past week getting back on track. I’m going gown shopping today with my bestie—it’s so weird, we both had similar dreams this past week about her not having a dress for the wedding We’ll have to go shopping for her as well! I’m going to make a shake once I log off here and then dinner will be a sensible protein and vegetable of some sort. My goal this month is to get solidly back into the 220s. Next month I’m hopeful to tackle the next decade.

SW: 236.2
2/14: 236.2
GW: 228
Week 3:
2/15: 235.2 (-1.0)
2/16: 234.7 (-0.5)

Month is half over but I have held myself accountable, have not once gone over my calories, and have stuck 100% to my food plan
December 6 I started and in that first month I lost 10
January was a mess-I lost 5 then bounced up and down 4 -I am vaccinated and boosted but i got Covid and while I stayed on food plan, my activity ground to a halt for weeks, I ended up losing 4 by the end
February-things are improving and I am more active- so far I am down another 4 lbs. i want to lose 2 more to hit a 20 lb loss and reward myself with something-I just haven't decided what-it won't be food of any kind. Likely a new tool for my workshop

RunningRedHead Thank you! So when is your wedding? I am glad you have learned how to nip things in the bud and get back on track. That really is half the battle it seems. We are always going to lose, gain a few back and then drop again depending on calories, carbs. sodium, lack of fiber, etc...The key seems to be to keep plugging away at it.
AnnC123 You had asked about what kind of eating plan we have? I count calories. I write it all down old school on a piece of paper each day. I am sure some do it with apps on their phone but i just write it on paper. To figure out the calories needed I googled calories needed to maintain weight. It said with my height and weight (when I started) I could eat 2400 and maintain that weight so I ate 2200 not 2400. I kept with that until I stopped losing weight and started lowering it somewhat as the weight went down. I also looked up my goal to see if I weighed that I needed to eat 1600 a day so I know that is what I will have to have to maintain so I try to get that now. I still have days when I want to eat more and I still try to stay below 2000 so I don't gain or at least not gain much. I hope that made sense. LOL
Your 20 pounds will be here before you know it! How about a reward being pampering like a pedicure or massage? Mine has always been trying on smaller clothes. 20 pounds or so usually means you will need smaller jeans. At least it's that way for me.

Hello everyone. I hope you are all well. I did go for a walk this morning in the rain before the freezing rain or snow start. I have been eating on plan. I see that it is because I am shopping and prepping food. It seems like a lot of work but I finally realized I am worth it.

RunningRedHead You have done very well. It is great you can get back on track. Have a wonderful time Gown shopping. Congrats on your upcoming wedding.

loganandlivsmom Thanks, it totally makes sense.

Gone Astray I like loganandlivsmom suggestion of a pedicure or massage for losing 20 pounds. I was brought up thinking food was a reward....Yikes. you are doing great on your journey.

Curvynotlumppy Hello to you. I hope all is going well. Have a great day.

Hello to everyone else, I hope you all join us, I find I get great information from everyone as all our journeys are different. I appreciate everything people have to offer.

I am still thinking about what my reward will be. I won't buy clothes because I have a bureau full that I can shrink into as I lose. I have been trying on the pants and sorting out, by how they fit. I would be embarrassed for anyone to see my ugly feet and I don't think I would be comfortable with a stranger massaging me. I get my hair colored and trimmed every 5 weeks, so that won;t do it.
I have been online and I think I am going to buy myself a band saw for my workshop. Last year I bought myself a router and a planer.. I use them for all my barn wood creations.. Band saw is something I think I will use I really wanted to buy a lathe so I could turn wooden bowls, but I think that is a bit too ambitious for now.

Loganandlivsmom- wow a big congrats on your 75lb goal, my hat is off to you. It takes guts and perseverence to stick to it and lose that much. I hope I can do the same.

Annc123, I can't imagine being near those protests, scary situation.
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