Juicy July 2022 Daily Check-in and Accountability Thread
Welcome to the Juicy July accountability thread! July is a long, hot month for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. By the time we hit the Fourth of July we are in the thick of summer and enjoying the best the season has to offer. So what makes July juicy? I think about all the summer produce that just makes my heart sing in ways it doesn't other times of the year. Watermelon, peaches, plumes, strawberries that burst with flavor. I spend a lot of time outdoors in the summer and enjoy people watching. I love seeing people out and about living their best lives both relaxing while walking around with a confidence no doubt assisted by lighter, cooler, and vibrant summer togs. Mostly I think about the promise that July brings. We're starting the second half of the year. What better time to reset!
This thread welcomes new friends so please join our little block party and make yourself comfortable! Feel free to track your weight progress or setbacks exciting food finds and how you're nourishing yourself exercise and how you're staying active, or just a place to check in to chat and provide any kind of life update you care to share including your plans for a juicy July.
“If I had my way, I’d remove January from the calendar altogether and have an extra July instead.” – Roald Dahl
KStrong: Four weeks without AC?! sympathize with you and completely understand the "stellar" combo of heat+humidity. I was born and raised in Nebraska so summer often felt like walking through a rainforest with a wet sheet wrapped around me. Miserable! I'm keeping my that it is fixed next week. FWIW, I pay "luxury" rent as well.
Four flights of stairs with 10 pounds of groceries is an impressive workout. It's when we have to engage our muscles, strength and flexibility in real-time/life movement, that reveals how far we've come through our efforts. Well done!
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Today was fine up until around four o'clock when I left my cellphone in one of the women's bathroom stalls at church. I remembered immediately when I sat down in the pew and rushed downstairs to find it. Of course it was gone which sent me into panic mode and speaking with anyone I thought who could help. For the next hour of the service my mind kept wandering to planning mode thinking about what I needed to do and who I needed to contact. After, I waited and one of the lectors told me to not give up and that there are honest folks in the world. No more than five minutes later she came running back saying, "It's here! It's been found!" and proceeded to introduce me to Joy (I kid you not) who told me her mother had found it. Of course I thanked both of them profusely!
So true, KStrong! I've lived in Northern California since 1997 and the first couple of years of "dry" heat were downright refreshing. After that I became acclimated and the sheen has worn off. A 100+ day is just plain hot.
I'm sure Wednesday can't come soon enough. Knowing that you'll have a cool home waiting after sweating your behind off is something to look forward to. The coolness has a way of relaxing and reviving at the same time. staying on plan and away from alcohol! Those are big wins.
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You aren't kidding about how connected our lives and cell phones are. I do not want to relive that again if at all possible.
Today was a pretty low-key day. The temps have been very comfortable for the holiday weekend so I've been able to go to sleep with my bedroom window open and have actually needed a light blanket. It's been a challenge getting up in the morning because it's so easy to sleep in those kinds of conditions. Later this week we're supposed to return to normal temps. I did manage to get out late morning for a walk. I live across the street from a field that rotates crops annually--tomatoes, corn, winter wheat, and sunflowers. This is a sunflower year. Seeing them makes me smile every day. I walked across the road and took a few pictures. I wasn't the only one as I could see couples and families further up the road pulled over and taking their own pictures. Later tonight I'll watch our city's fireworks show which I can see from my apartment. First time in three years that we've had fireworks. Probably the same for a lot of other folks as well.
Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July and a lovely evening.
Way to beat the heat, KStrong! It's often easier to find that motivation to get out and when you know there's a blistering day ahead. I hope by the time you read this you are cool and comfortable in your now working AC. I can only imagine how refreshing that will feel after not having it for awhile.
Years ago I was an avid runner. Not fast by any means, just could run a few slow miles a few times a week. On the nights it never cooled off I would leave my AC on and put my running clothes over the vent for a few minutes before I headed out into the heat. I enjoyed it while it lasted which wasn't long.
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My morning started with a trip to the dentist where I had FOUR cavities filled. Everything went fine but geez was it expensive even after the insurance coverage. My mouth is just returning to normal so I was forced into intermittent fasting for the day. I'm looking forward to a good dinner when I get home from work.
Eighty-seven degrees outside at 5 a.m. but KStrong sitting onon top of the world inside! I'm so happy for you. When it comes to indoor/outdoor clothes I'm exactly the same way; I have my running around in the house clothes that I wouldn't walk outside in unless forced. I have bat wings so I never show my upper arms in public. Inside-all sleeves are off !
I didn't know about your eye. So sorry to hear you need to have it re-done. When are you scheduled? I think it could impact your weight. Depending on how yours responds to injury a whole series of reactions you'll never see or feel may occur, and result in weight gain or loss. Our bodies are a mystery! Years ago a 3FC poster wrote on another thread that "our bodies are an experiment of one". Hard to argue with that.
You are racking up the miles! Do you use a tracker and if so what kind? I used to have a FitBit--actually I still do but the numbers no longer light up. I miss it as it provided some great motivation to keep me moving throughout the day. I know I've slacked since I stopped wearing it. Regardless, count me in as a major fan of walking.
Have a lovely weekend!
Last edited by curvynotlumpy; 07-08-2022 at 06:50 PM.
KStrong, I wasn't aware that you had lost your weight. Thank you for sharing that and congrats on inching your way down both on the scale and in actual inches!
Oh, yes...bat wings. They are a clear inheritance from my late mom. I've often thought/fantasized about plastic surgery but like you, it comes down to necessary versus unnecessary surgery. I also think about whether I'm risking harm for something that is clearly vanity driven. Strength training had a very positive impact on mine as well when I was last successful at losing weight. Certainly didn't eliminate them--too far gone for that--but did firm them up. Being 50+ as well, I wonder what the results would be if were successful again.
We get the rolling blackouts here in California too. Today it's supposed to be between 101-104 degrees. Our temps have been slowing creeping up since late last week. Remember the light blanket I told you about last week? Those days are gone!
I will keep you in my prayers and send positive thoughts your way that all goes well with your corrective eye surgery. That's a lot to struggle with for over a year. Thank you for the heads up regarding your absence. I completely understand.
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I found it very difficult to get motivated to do anything this weekend and to get up this morning. Since early March I've assumed the duties of one of my former staff who left to take another position. It's a big tangled mess of a position due to the numerous responsibilities and where it is placed. I work on a university campus and this position exists all over the country and is usually in Financial Aid or the Registrar's Office. My boss and I are actively working to move it to one of those units but it's not going to happen overnight and I'm as about impatient as they come when stuff like this happens. It's hard to shake feeling overwhelmed or resentful. So, while I don't want to go down the rabbit hole of complaining, don't feel like you have to hold back if something is really bothering you. There's space here for that as well!
With that said, wishing you a lovely and productive day.
Last edited by curvynotlumpy; 07-11-2022 at 01:15 PM.
KStrong, I forgot to mention that I saw the conversation on another thread you were on that you and others were struggling with using 3FC on your phone and other devices. Me too! I can no longer read or post on my phone. I also had a cool ticker that somehow disappeared. While I wished the site worked as before I'm glad I'm not imagining it or the only one.
KStrong: My cool ticker returns thanks to your guidance and tips. Thank you! Unfortunately, the cut/paste option doesn't work on my phone. Once I get to our thread I click and nothing. Frustrating but not overly concerned. It means that I have to be on my laptop to read/scroll through messages and posts.
Do you do a Keto or low-carb diet? I'm wondering how off-limits carbs are for you because I love them but tend to see the most dramatic weight loss when I limit or avoid them. Has your discipline in diet and exercise always been there or were they things you developed over time? For me, it's like the light switched on at certain times in my life and burned bright until it (or was it me?) burned out. Lots of questions but I'd love to know more of how you accomplished your goal and maintained. I know you're struggling with the last 10-15 pounds but when you've lost so much weight there is a maintenance aspect about those pounds and overall weight loss. PLUS, you remain active!
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Thank you for your supportive words regarding my current job situation. I'm not in a position to take any type of extended vacation now or the near future, but I do try to take a day off here and there. I have loads of vacation time built up that I can tap into once I do decide to vacate for a week or two or when the work eases up.
Thank you also for sharing part of your weight loss story. The last time I was thin/normal/healthy weight was at birth. I've lost significant amounts of weight twice in my life only to gain it back over a period of a couple of years. Now at 53 I wonder if I can do it again. It's not that I believe my body can't do it (I absolutely believe it can), but finding the energy to pour back into the effort is the question.
Have a lovely and peaceful evening!
Last edited by curvynotlumpy; 07-12-2022 at 09:35 PM.
Not much to report today. I had breakfast with a dear friend from graduate school before I headed into work. She lives in the Phoenix area now and returns to Northern California every summer to see family and friends. We both had eggs benedict with potatoes and fruit. It was delicious and filling. I wasn't even that hungry when dinner time rolled around. All these weeks of unintentional intermittent fasting has certainly paid off in how I'm better able to handle hunger.
I'm whooped tonight! Feels like a Wednesday. Wishing you all a restful evening and good sleep
KStrong: I appreciate you taking the time to provide some of your personal weight-loss story. I feel like we've traveled a similar path. While I was born a normal baby weight, I only remember myself as chubby/fat/obese. I'm only 5' tall so significant losses and gains are that much more noticeable.
In my mid-teens I managed to lose 40 pounds through unhealthy diet and exercise. It started with exercise. I vividly remember the P.E. class I was in during the spring semester of ninth grade. As the weather became warmer we'd spend more days outside doing track and field type of things. Running around the track was one of those activities and I was the slowest person in my class. But every class period I would walk and jog, walk and jog. One day, I was able to complete three laps without walking and my exercise world opened up. If I could do it on the track I could certainly do it on the street. School ended and I was running regularly--twice a day. Once in the very early morning and once in the evening. The pounds dropped off! Once that happened I started experimenting with my eating and not in a healthy way. I skipped a lot of meals to see the needle of the scale go down. Of course the results didn't last and I regained pretty quickly. I left running and dieting way behind for many, many years.
Fast forward to the last year of my PhD program when I was writing my dissertation-2008/09. I was doing work that I enjoyed (not the same job I'm doing now), the writing was coming to an end, and I was walking regularly. I'm grateful to work on a campus with an arboretum that is a 3.5 mile loop that I walked regularly. I was also taking a Zumba class twice a week after work that was offered at a local middle-school. Again the pounds started to drop off but I wasn't doing anything dangerous or extreme. I was just in a good place. One day I just started running on a trail near my apartment. I told myself that if I felt pain or like I was going to die, I would stop. Neither of those things happened and I ended up running home. My second love affair with running began. This time I paired it with good nutrition. I measured portions and ate mostly low-carb. I too love meat! I limited sugar and only drank water for the most part. This time I was successful for almost two years before the weight crept back up. Around the two-year mark of my weight loss I started to cut corners. At first it was every once in a a while. When I didn't see the scale tick up (sometimes it even went down if you can believe it), my corner cutting became more frequent. I remember so clearly the hot summer day I bought a chocolate milkshake and how exquisite it tasted! Ice-cream is my favorite dessert and after having denied myself any significant sugar for so long the cold, sweet, creaminess felt like in July. That is the day where the train left the tracks. After that day I could make a justification for any calorie-laden food I ingested. And the weight has returned for a second time. In both instances I had no plan for maintenance. I didn't give one thought about what I would do once I reached goal weight.
What compounds my weight issues is my inability to really manage stress. In 2012 I moved from the job I loved that had me working pretty much as an independent contractor to a job where I manage people. I prioritize work over health. As I near my mid-50s that needs to change. While my current stress load is high, it's not like my job is on the chopping block. It's just so much easier to put my attention on something that isn't my physical self. Does that make sense?
Again, thanks for sharing! By the way, you're a lovely writer. And the no alcohol streak? Start again. You got this! What's that saying, "Fall down seven times, stand up eight."
Happy Thursday to all! Have a lovely evening.
Last edited by curvynotlumpy; 07-15-2022 at 01:43 PM.
KStrong: I'm so sorry to hear that your back has laid you up and that you're in pain. I'm praying that you find some relief and can at least get some rest. Check in when you can but prioritize your back and health!
KStrong: I'm so glad you're feeling better! Hopefully it was just sleeping wonky. Been there, done that. You've mentioned carrying groceries upstairs (is that correct?) in a couple of posts. Does this aggravate your back at all or is it just a matter of being mindful of your position and moving correctly? Maybe being lazy was exactly what you needed.
Those temps--107-109 degrees! Our director of financial aid grew up in the Austin area so there have been times when she's mentioned the extreme heat. It was hot here this weekend as well. We reached 103 yesterday with similar temps for this week and into next.
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I hope everyone had a great weekend! Aside from grocery shopping and laundry. I didn't much of anything this weekend. My goal is to make this busy week productive!
KStrong: Good to hear that your nearly back to feeling like yourself again! Oof, Sahara winds (a new term for me) AND 108 degree temps. That's a lot of weather at one time, LOL! Throughout the year we'll get north winds here. Combined with the heat it just feels like a fan blowing hot air around.
That's great the you have an elevator in your complex! It certainly gives you options when what you're carrying may be too much for a climb upstairs. Yep, I'm a tote bag girl myself. I also have a work bag/tote that I carry all my stuff in but I'm tired of losing bags to worn out corners. I'm currently looking for a rolling tote bag-similar to a carry-on but purposed as a tote/book bag. Will busted wheels and clunky handles replace my concern for tattered and frayed corners?
I really appreciate your quote, "I'm tired of having to stay so strict to keep the weight off, but not quite in the mtnc mindset." It's honest and what got me in trouble the last time I was successful at losing significant weight because I didn't think about this enough. Years ago Oprah wrote a book with her personal trainer Bob Greene titled "Make the Connection". This was when she lost weight in a healthy way. I picked it up on a bargain book table long after it was published. It's a good book and even today has some solid advice. Throughout the book she inserted quotes from her journals that provided some insight about her food and weight struggles. One that I always remember is, "I just wanted to come to a point where my weight was no longer an issue." In your own ways, you're both stating the same thing. It is tiring-sometimes almost to the point of obsession. However, I'm glad it's on your mind. I believe you're less like to completely fall off due to your mindfulness.
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Today will be another busy day. I have two meetings this afternoon. One is with my team who is fully staffed and the focus will be shifting some of tasks I'm currently doing in my interim role to each of them for the next few months. I don't know how they'll respond but they've seen the stress and pressure I've been under these last five months.
I'm happy that I have a new coordinator beginning next Monday. I've been thinking a lot about his onboarding into our unit and making it a positive experience in spite of the tremendous workload we have. Please send good and thoughts my way.
KStrong: I'm sorry the scale wasn't kind to you this morning. However, great job getting in steps despite the brutal temps.
I love nuts too on their own but especially with dried fruit mixed in. Trader Joe's is THE nut place! My body reacts the same way and I almost always see a bump up on the scale. It's interesting because one of the first things that always happens when I lose weight is that I immediately start shedding water weight and losing that bloated look. This is good because I've never heard anyone describe looking bloated as sexy or cute. Seeing the changes in the mirror really reveals the impact of salt and carbs on my body.
I love your comment about "how to think like a thin person." Admittedly, this statement is in no way reflected in where I'm currently at with my weight and exercise. In the past when I've been successful at weight loss and consistent exercise, I came closer but as I mentioned in a previous post, I couldn't maintain my version of thinking thin.
KStrong, your surgery is next week, yes? How are you feeling about it? Just know that I'm sending positive thoughts your way that the preparation, surgery, and recovery all go smoothly and as planned.
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The end of the week. Aside from a few meetings, I'm anticipating a quiet day. I am leaving work a couple of hours early to go see a movie. I'm at my vacation max and with no real opportunity to take an extended vacation, I take a day or two here and there, or like today, a couple of hours off. Sitting in a cool, dark theater is one of my favorite things to do. This will be my first movie post-pandemic. The last movie I saw in a theater was the most recent remake of "Little Women" which seems long ago.
Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend!
Last edited by curvynotlumpy; 07-24-2022 at 01:04 PM.
KStrong: Ugh, I feel for you!There seems to always be extra costs for medical and dental procedures. What's really maddening is that they're correcting your surgery. Why is this on you at all?! I'm sure your spreadsheets have had it! I'm that this is it and your healing will be smooth and uneventful. Wednesday can't come soon enough. "I'm trying to not worry about stuff out of my control and not ruin today's peace worrying with tomorrow's troubles." Love this quote! It's a keeper. I find myself stomping on my current peace by focusing my thoughts on tomorrow's troubles and it does a number on my mood and at times just paralyzes me. Lots to learn from this.
I eat of boredom too. For example, yesterday I did grocery shopping and instead of just putting everything away I opened a couple of things and did some tasting. Absolutely no reason why because I just had breakfast a couple of hours earlier and I was not hungry. Habit and boredom can be powerful forces.
I went to see "Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris." It was charming. At first I struggled believing anyone would make it a goal to go to Paris and purchase and original Christian Dior dress, but after a while those thoughts drifted away. I totally got it. I'm like you; I usually don't partake in , candy or drinks at the movies because of the outrageous cost. Maybe it was due to the hot day, or my first time in a theater in 2+ years, but I did purchase a small soda. It was not worth it. On the upside, there was only a handful of us for the 3:30 showing.
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I have a new staff member who starts tomorrow. I'm very excited and so are the peer staff who will work directly with him. He actually stopped by unexpectedly on Friday with his wife and I was able to show him his office and chat with him a bit. Seeing his excitement is refreshing. He'll complete his Master's Degree next month and while he isn't young (he isn't old either) this is his first professional position in his field.
So I actually came into work today to get a few things done and get myself ready for tomorrow. What's maddening is that we're at the mercy of our system HR that is responsible for generating his employee ID number that allows him to create his email account. Without either of these things he can't have access to the various drives and platforms we use. KStrong, I'm not going to let this spoil today's peace and joy!
Juicy July 2022 Daily Check-in and Accountability Thread
that it is fixed next week. FWIW, I pay "luxury" rent as well. 
staying on plan and away from alcohol! Those are big wins. 
when you know there's a blistering day ahead. I hope by the time you read this you are cool and comfortable in your now working AC. 
When are you scheduled? I think it could impact your weight. Depending on how yours responds to injury a whole series of reactions you'll never see or feel may occur, and result in weight gain or loss. Our bodies are a mystery! Years ago a 3FC poster wrote on another thread that "our bodies are an experiment of one". Hard to argue with that.
I've lost significant amounts of weight twice in my life only to gain it back over a period of a couple of years. Now at 53 I wonder if I can do it again. It's not that I believe my body can't do it (I absolutely believe it can), but finding the energy to pour back into the effort is the question.
Ice-cream is my favorite dessert and after having denied myself any significant sugar for so long the cold, sweet, creaminess felt like 
in July. That is the day where the train left the tracks. After that day I could make a justification for any calorie-laden food I ingested. And the weight has returned for a second time. In both instances I had no plan for maintenance. I didn't give one thought about what I would do once I reached goal weight.
Our director of financial aid grew up in the Austin area so there have been times when she's mentioned the extreme heat. It was hot here this weekend as well. We reached 103 yesterday with similar temps for this week and into next.
and thoughts my way.
long ago.
, candy or drinks at the movies because of the outrageous cost. Maybe it was due to the hot day, or my first time in a theater in 2+ years, but I did purchase a small soda. It was not worth it. On the upside, there was only a handful of us for the 3:30 showing. 