[curvynotlumpy]

to the May 2022 daily weigh-in/check-in. ALL our welcome to this thread. Here you will find support, encouragement, and endless kindness.

As we are now into the second month of spring, it's a good time for an accountability check to see where we're at in terms of our progress. Progress can mean different things to different people. From my own experience, how I label and apply progress to my own experience often leads to a positive or negative perspective of myself. I unwittingly turn my "progress" into a moral judgement. Do you find you do the same?

Maybe one of the challenges in assessing our individual progress is that we're looking for something big, or at least to move the needle (don't just mean scale) similarly, at the same pace every day. When we don't, it's a disappointment. When we do, we've won. Yay me! What gets lost in the process are the "minis". By minis I mean the small incremental goals, strides, accomplishments that each of us experience every day. Every single one of us have accomplished big goals or completed a big project sometime in our life. That didn't happen overnight. Are you married, raising/raised children, have a significant other? Great! Your world is full of minis; relationships are hard! Is your goal to drink 64 ounces of water daily but today you only drank 16? Perfect--celebrate those 16 and then raise a glass to yourself with another 8. Wanted to clean the whole house but only managed the bathroom? Trust me, everyone appreciates a clean bathroom. Minis are as varied as the folks reading this post.

Whether you are just beginning your journey or are a long time traveler, for the next 31 glorious days of May, let's spend some time tracking and acknowledging the minis of our progress. Let's find and celebrate the best of who we are and the others who grace our life.

[curvynotlumpy]

It's been a minute since I've checked in but I do pop in to read your posts. I'm happy the conversation continues and thrilled to see everyone's progress. I decided the recycle/reuse this thread from last year because I've had a difficult two months (work-related) and I'm embarrassed to tell you that my emotions have been all over the place which drives me into all or nothing thinking. I seldom credit myself for incremental progress. I desperately needed to remind myself. I thought others could relate and maybe needed reminded too. One of my goals for this month is to check in and respond to posts at least once a week.

[loganandlivsmom]

curvy I'm sorry you've had a rough time with work lately! I totally understand the all or nothing thinking. I have do deal with it myself sometimes. I hope you do check in more often, that would be great!

I am happy to report the ever elusive 80 pounds has finally happened!! It's barely 80 at 80.2, but I will take it. LOL I am making a low key goal this month of .8 to make 81 pounds.

I hope others check in this month, it's so good to post your struggles as well as achievements..it's a great resource we have here.

[curvynotlumpy]

loganandlivsmom: First, what a lovely profile photo! You and your daughter look stunning! Second, 80 pounds down?!! That is amazing! What is more impressive though is how you've lost and continue to lose. Nothing crazy or drastic. Incremental changes that add up over time. You must feel like a different woman, yes?
******
I hope everyone posting and reading is doing well. Work continues to be a beast and my Executive Director and I are in the process of trying to move one position in my portfolio to another unit as the alignment of tasks actually fits better with Enrollment Management (Financial Aid or the Registrar's Office). We're talking to other universities in our university system to find out where they house the same position and what the workload is like when it's aligned differently. I've resigned myself that it's going to be a long process, but knowing that our institution and one other in our system who is currently in the process of moving their position because of the same issues makes me optimistic that one day I'll be able to cut ties with this work and position.

I continue to be down 10-11 pounds depending on day but again, it's purely due to stress and unintentional intermittent fasting. I do get hungry and eat. There has been little to no change in what I'm eating but I find myself either too busy or stressed to eat at the levels I previously did. Now, if I can maintain the loss AND feed myself better that would be ideal!

[brunohealthy]

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats or oat flour
1 cup of water
2 tablespoons of molasses
1 tablespoon of flaxseed flour
1 teaspoon powdered chemical yeast


Method of preparation
Place all ingredients in a blender, except for the yeast, and blend until smooth. If you are using oatmeal, you can mix all the ingredients by hand.
Add the yeast last and mix gently.
Heat a nonstick skillet over low heat. Spread some of the dough and cover to muffle and start baking the other side.
Make sure it's cooked through and turn to cook the other side until golden. Cover again to muffle
Repeat the process until the dough is finished.
Serve with the accompaniment of your preference (honey, fruits, jellies, chestnuts)

[brunohealthy]

Ingredients
1 and 1/2 cup unsweetened corn flakes
1 cup rice flakes
1 cup of coarse oat flakes
1/2 cup of pumpkin seed
1/2 cup of sunflower seed
1/4 cup of flaxseed tea
2 tablespoons of sesame
2 tablespoons of chia
1 cup chopped walnuts and cashews
1/2 cup of raisins
1/4 cup of coconut oil
1/2 cup of honey

Method of preparation
In a bowl, place all the ingredients and mix well.
Transfer to an aluminum shape, spread and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 50 minutes.
Remember to stir every 10 minutes so you don't miss the point.
It will be ready when it is fragrant and crispy. Now just enjoy.

[brunohealthy]

For a different version of pumpkin bread with sprinkles, place a cube of cheese in the center of the balls and close, stuffing, before baking. It's delicious. Serve with cream cheese!

Ingredients
1 and 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 and 1/2 cup of sour flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of chia
1 teaspoon (heaping) salt
2 tablespoons of water (if needed)


Method of preparation
In a food processor, add the pumpkin puree, flour, olive oil, chia seeds, salt and blend until well blended (you can also do this by hand).
If it gets too dry, add water.
Transfer to a plate, take small portions of the dough, mold into balls and arrange in a greased shape.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 30 minutes.
Now just serve. Enjoy your food.

[brunohealthy]

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup of almond flour
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup almond milk (or your favorite)
2 tablespoons of amaranth
2 tablespoons of psyllium
1 cup of demerara sugar
1 tablespoon of baking powder
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Method of preparation
In a bowl, add all the ingredients and mix well until a dough forms.
Pour the dough in a greased shape and take it to the oven preheated to 180º C for about 40 minutes.
Now just serve. Enjoy your food.

[brunohealthy]

Ingredients list
1 egg (can be just the white)
1 tablespoon of oat bran (you can replace it with other flour)
1 tablespoon of low-fat yogurt, or 1 tablespoon of water
1 dessert spoon of baking powder, powder
Feel free to add dried herbs or seeds



Method of preparation
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well
Then place the dough in a small dish.
Microwave on high power for about 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
Once ready, you can cut it in half and brown it in the skillet or grill.

[loganandlivsmom]

Thanks curvy!!

My church does mother's day photos for all the moms, which is great! What mom doesn't want a family pic? We did a standard pic and the photographer said let's do something fun like a hug and that pic turned out better. I do sort of feel like a new woman. In 2001, before me and my ex husband separated I weighed 310 pounds! I know now I was using food as a stress reliever. Eating ice cream isn't going to fix anyone's problems. I did lose after we separated but really most of my adult life I have been in the mid 250's. The 80 pounds has taken close to 2 years.

I do understand stress and not eating as much because of it. I have been that way at times. It shocked me, I thought I was always the other way...stress and eat not stress and NOT eat.

[curvynotlumpy]

I hope everyone who observes Memorial Day had a lovely and safe holiday. My thanks to all who checked in this month. Please join me over on the June thread where we can usher in a new month and the official start of summer (Northern Hemisphere).