608...

I haven't been able to bike ride the past couple of days because of the cold and snow. It's so early for snow! We tied the cold record today and should break tomorrow's long stand record for cold. I still got my three walks in and went to the rec center today.

So last night, I couldn't sleep because I was cold and hungry. I got up to turn the heat on and have a snack. The way I ate my snack was alarming. It was like I couldn't possibly eat fast enough. It was after midnight so I put it against today's calorie count. Unfortunately, I was over.

Exercisehttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Overage https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon8.gif

607....

Well I should be done eating today but I still feel hungry. Let's see if I can tell myself 'no', shall we?

Exercisehttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficithttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

606....

It was tough but I made it through. I only had 350 calories left for dinner. There are a surprising number of fast food options available for that calorie level. My exercise got all bunched up at the end of the day. I really don't like that. So within the span of a couple of hours I need to do two walks, visit the rec center and take my bike ride with only a little rest in between. Why not just exercise for longer you ask? Well, the issues I have with fatigue seem to get worse if I try to exercise in one long session. All told, I got about 95 minutes of exercise today.

Exercisehttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficithttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

605...

Trying to keep it to the same calorie level as last week or lower and hoping that will be enough.

Exercisehttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficithttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

604....

The scale was promising this morning and matched my posted loss. This is the first time in a long time I've seen it on weigh-in day. I have seen it during the week here and there but my weight has been popping up on weigh-in day. Hoping going back to the rec center is making a difference.

I am on travel this week to get my new leg braces. Tomorrow is the big day!

Resthttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficithttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

603....

Today was a great day! My braces are fantastic and really challenging. I have a lot to learn about how to fully use them. In particular, many of the things I have been doing to compensate for my entire life are the exact opposite of what I need to do to use these braces. As a result, I feel a bit intimidated by them. Going back tomorrow to learn more.

Food wise there are so many yummy places to eat here. I was able to stay on track though. I even bought a favorite treat but set it aside until tomorrow. I was out of calories for today.

Exercisehttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficithttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

602....

Another great day with PT. Did a lot of things I never would without the braces. I feel really excited in what they can do. There's a lot more work ahead. The PT showed where I have other weaknesses in my body that need to be strengthened to get the full benefit of the braces.. Yesterday's focus was the basics. Today was strength and balance Tomorrow should be the most exciting day of all- going to work on impact activities.

Food was not so great today. Breakfast was bigger than usual and had a knock on effect for the rest of the day. Tried to balance with dinner but the restaurant messed up. I was suppose to get grilled shrimp to accompany my salad but received coconut shrimp. It was take away so I didn't realize it until I was back at the hotel.

Exercisehttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Overage https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon8.gif

Thanks! I definitely gave it my all!

Today was the best day of all! It was running and jumping; things I literally haven't been able to do in decades. Unfortunately, I crashed (and bled- only a little) on my first jump attempt. Well worth it. Truly exhilarating! Although this week I have traded one set of pain for another. It was a good trade though from permanent pain to temporary pain. It is so strange not to have the near constant pain in my ankles and feet. I stop to think every once in a while because something feels so off. The thing that is so off is such a good thing, The usual pain is missing. A wholly mind bending experience. Now to continue to work to become the person these braces can make me be.

In general, I have accepted my weight for what it is. However, it was really eye opening to what a hindrance it is for activities like I was doing today. Frankly, my exuberance was accompanied by a feeling of shame for not treating my body better. On a better path now though!

Exercisehttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calories- not sure yet, tried to keep it all in check

600...

So, I never finished my calorie tally yesterday but I was likely over. Today was the last day of PT and, boy, are my legs feeling it. There is a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure I use my braces correctly. I've been using the word braces which is a bit of a misnomer. These are actually devices. They activate to return energy to my step as well as protect my deficient joints (ankles). I'll need to find a skilled physical therapist who is willing to partner with the device designer to help me develop the muscle to get the full benefit. It takes a minimum of three months to get there. So much for my daydreams of an immediate full benefit- LOL.

Tomorrow is a fun day and no appointments scheduled. I head home on Saturday. I am really looking forward to seeing how these perform during my everyday activities. I think the thing that surprised me the most this week is how slow I move and how hard it is for me to move faster. It is very frustrating and I feel like it ties into my other metabolic issues. I forgot to take on one of my supplements this morning and it made a huge difference during PT. Much more of a difference than I thought it would.

Exercisehttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Overage https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon8.gif

599...or so I'd like to think. I am planning on recalculating at the end of the month but clearly, I don't really want to. I'd rather be losing on schedule but that's not realistic at the moment.

My devices felt much better today since my legs have started to recover from the intense PT. Had a great day playing tourist. I also had to run one more errand related to my devices. I was worried traffic would be awful and was happy it turned out not to be too bad. I head home tomorrow and have a mid-afternoon flight. No rushing around in the morning for me or getting up absurdly early. The older I get the harder it is to get up very early.

So calorie wise for the last six days, I've had two great days, two days within limits, and two high days. I think it amounts to UJUDD, unintentional up-day/down day- LOL. Hope it turns into a loss on the scale. If so, I'll likely not see it until a week from Sunday. Usually, I am up right after travel.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

598...

Home again, home again- jiggity jig! Had safe travels and am glad to be home. Found more and wonderful benefits of my devices. I have been sleeping better and I think it is because I don't have the pain in my ankles and feet. I can reach the floor of the airplane when seated. Typically, my legs dangle the whole flight unless I prop them on something. Usually it is my carry-on so I don't like to do that. Because -ya know- shoes are dirty. I can stand up and leave the plane without pain when we arrive. I can walk up the jet bridge and keep up with the crowd without pulling myself along using the railing. I can now sit on the right side of the airplane. I typically sit on the left side so while waiting to deplane I put my weight on my bad foot and rest my knee of the worst foot on the seat. I'm taller.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

597...

Feeling good using these devices. Although, it has exposed a weakness in my knee and an old injury has flared up. I'm going to baby my knee until it calms down. Unfortunately, that means I'll need to be cautious where I use my new devices. No inclines of any kind until my knee calms down. All of my walks have hills. Still deciding whether or not I want to use them when I ride my bike. Since bike riding isn't load bearing on my legs so much, I don't think I really need them. However, more time in them is better.

I am saying this through gritted teeth since I dislike the task so much- I think logging my food is helping. In particular it is helping me understand when/where I go off the rails. While I was away, I wanted to return to a particular restaurant, mostly because I wanted a type of soda they had. It was fierce battle within myself and in the end I did not go. The funny part is I imagined going so much, part of me thought I went - LOL.

Rest https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

596...

Exercise was extra hard today between the bum knee and using muscles I didn't use as much before. It has kind of zapped my confidence in my exercise program. My knee is feeling better. I've been very careful with it all day and have been icing it after exercise. Looking forward to more improvement tomorrow!

I keep meeting my exercise and calorie goals but the weight is not coming off. I'll see what the scale says this week. Really hoping it is down further- more improvements may be outside of my reach.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

595...

Had a great day. I am really tired though. In particular my major leg muscles and gluts are worn out. This is such a good thing for a couple of reasons. First, I often have trouble going to sleep and I am hoping to go right to sleep tonight. Second, it means I am strengthening my legs in ways that I wasn't easily able to before. My knee is feel better and as such walking is better. I've learned the walking poles I was so dependent on before my leg devices are slowing me down. On my longest walk today, I walked 10% faster without them. My bike ride time is much slower since my legs are so worn out.

It is just so strange. I need to do the opposite of so many things I use to do to compensate. It is also really motivating. I can tell how much better I would be without this weight. I am working harder than ever to get the extra weight off.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

594...

Something has changed and it is rather dramatic. I have more energy and focus. In addition, my appetite is well under control. I just feel different. I don't know how this could all be because of my new devices. I hope it stays. Today, I ate well below my calorie limit and I am done eating for the day. I'm not stress out because I want to eat more nor am I white-knuckling it with will power.

My knee is better but still tender. There were times at the rec center while I was on the elliptical where it didn't hurt at all!

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

593...

The scale said it was a new low weight today. At which, I scoff. I know by the time official weigh-in day arrives it will pop back up. I'd like to believe it is the fruition of my hard work but it has been such a long plateau. I flatly refuse to get my hopes up.

My leg muscles are very tired tonight. I am moving much better in my devices and I am walking faster. My knee is better and I am hopeful it will be back to normal in a couple of days. On Saturday, I am going to swim 500 yards. At least, that is the plan. If I can do it, I am going to register for a virtual triathlon. The beauty of the virtual triathlon is I can break up the activities across a couple of days. Actually, I am fairly confident I can do the swim portion without an issue. It is the 'run' portion that is my nemesis. I'll have to walk it again this year. I need more time to build up my supporting leg and core muscles before I can run in my new devices.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

592...

I about fell over this morning because my scale started playing music. My scale has no numbers and only announces the change in weight. If it is lower than the day before, it also plays applause. If it is a new low weight, it plays music. So according to my scale today was a new low weight for the second day in a row. I won't fall for it. It has been such a long slog, I simply don't believe it. I will wait to see what it says on Sunday my formal weigh-in day. Even more important is what it says on next Wednesday or Thursday for my end of the month weight.

On a consistent basis, I weigh twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. These results are relatively meaningless. Unless it is something unusual, I only pay mind to my weekly weigh-in. To make sure I am not hanging my hat on a false loss, I need to see the loss again on another weekly weigh-in for for me to really count it. This levels out natural fluctuations. If these recent losses actually stick around until weigh-in day, I have a decision to make. Since it has been so long, do I count it a pending confirmation next week or should I confirm it against losses I saw so long ago?

Thinking it through, technically I could treat it as a confirmation. However, I believe it would be more sound to treat it as a pending loss. It could just be a random fluctuation. Funny these rules we set for ourselves while trying to get healthier. I should note, monthly weights are taken raw. No confirmation is needed; the number is what it is.

Very excited because I found an ice skating rink with public skating hours! I really want to go tomorrow. I will hold off though even though it is really disappointing. My knee is still on the mend. Plus, I will be attempting the swim portion of my triathlon tomorrow.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

591...

Ate more calories today but it was still a calorie deficit by the skin of my teeth. My food choices were poor today. Between that and the typical bump up on weigh-in day, I don't have high hopes for tomorrow.

I invented a new sport today- The Quadathlon! You walk and walk, then swim, then walk, then bike and finally ice skate! I am tired. My housework was just about completely neglected today.

Exercisehttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

590...

Kind of sort half on track. The scale let me keep half of the weight loss I saw earlier in the week. I count it as pending. I need to be at this weight or lower on a weigh-in day within the next four (maybe five) weeks for me to consider it a confirmed loss. I started off today exceptionally poorly with a fast food breakfast. Jeez- what was I thinking. Really, I wasn't thinking and just wanted the energy boost I get from it. In the end, I was able to maintain my calorie deficit despite my efforts at self sabotage.

Today was my (well deserved) rest day from exercise. Tomorrow, I will do the bike portion of the virtual triathlon. The swimming yesterday was for the first part of it. I've wised up a bit and will cut back on my other exercise. I still need to register for the race. Hopefully, there will be no hiccups. My knee is not 100% yet but it is feeling much better. As a result, I have been looking at the exercises list that I am suppose to be doing to strengthen my body to work with my new leg devices. Holy Crikey! It is filled with things like the 'medicine ball slam' and 'landmine'. I'm really not sure if I am capable of that intensity. I'll have to give it a go though as I want the most out of these as I can get.

Rest https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

589...

What a great day! The weather was perfect for doing the bike portion of my virtual triathlon! I was very nervous about it because the route is ten times longer than my evening bike ride. I set up the route as a loop that passed by my house. Never being far from home made me feel better. Most of the stretches I have ridden regularly at one point or another either from previous triathlons, picking up my daughter from school, or my current evening route. The remaining stretch was through a fairly quiet neighborhood. Most importantly, I avoided 'heart attack' hill that my usual triathlon race goes up. It is a steep hill that is a mile in length.

I thought I would start to have trouble midway through the second loop but it was fine. In fact, the third loop was the best because I knew I didn't have to save anything for another loop. On my usual evening ride, I ride about 8-9 mph. My average speed for the triathlon was 9.4 mph! The app to track it was a little tricky but it worked in the end. It was interesting to look at the data it collected. It took me 86 minutes to bike 14 miles. Currently, I am guaranteed second place for my age bracket. That's never happened before!

I'll do the 'run' portion on Wednesday. I put it in quotes because even with my fancy devices I will still have to walk it. No running until I properly develop my core strength.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

588...

Never have I ever had a third new low weight within a week until this morning. We'll see if anything sticks for tomorrow, the end of the month. It was quite a shock but this summer was so rough with regards to plateau. I'm not buying any new low weight until I can confirm it with two weekly weigh-ins. Even if it stays, it will not be enough to say the number of days left in my countdown is accurate. I will recalculate this Sunday.

I rested up today for the last leg of my triathlon tomorrow. Hopefully, I have the app all figured out and get my times entered in properly. I looked on-line and my bike time didn't show up. They may be waiting until the last race day (tomorrow) before making the times available.

Rest https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

587...

The last leg of my triathlon is done. It went great! This was the run portion but I have to walk it. This was the first time I didn't have to stop and give my foot a chance to recover. I also didn't have to carry extra shoes in an effort to help my bad foot do better by switching mid-race. Usually, I wear a bike jersey like many of the other competitors. The jerseys have pockets on the back. They would use them for water bottles. I used mine for the extra shoes. There were still some issues even with the devices. I'll need to ask the designer about them. All of my times are formally submitted so now it is a waiting game until the official results are announced.

I realized I could jump back into my regular exercise program after my triathlon leg. I didn't have to save anything for another event. So in addition to walking a 5k this morning, I went to the rec center and later took a bike ride. My knee did well on the elliptical at the rec center. I am hopeful it will be back to normal in a few days. As for my bike ride, it was one of my fastest rides to date.

Weight loss wise, I did well this month and the scale showed a three pound loss for the month this morning. This is great in my book! I will check my weight tomorrow and decide which value I want to use. When I felt confident and was doing well, I took the lowest number. However, I haven't felt that way for a few months now so I have been taking the highest number. It is to hedge my bets and makes it feel like it is a lower risk with regards to regain. I am much happier with a super slow but consistent and steady weight loss. This is in comparison to ups and downs that include regains.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

586...

Eh, I am not surprised. My weight was up a half a pound. Since I am in a period of wavering confidence, I will use the higher of the two weights for my official monthly weight. That means for September, I lost 2.5 lbs. I am very happy with that. That is right on track with my planned loss. Hopefully, that other half pound is waiting in the wings to give October a boost.

I'm not quite done eating for today but have enough calories left for a lovely snack. My snack is planned and in my food journal. I feel confident I will be able to stay below my calorie limit. Although, I should knock on wood. My appetite has been kicking up a lot this evening.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

585...

So, I am losing track of which number to use to calculate my calorie deficit. Should I use my historic number, the average calorie intake from the week where I finally seemed to start losing or the value calculated by the NIH calculator? LOL. Trying to be healthier is making me crazy. Not overeating today was really hard. In the end, I was able to keep below my limit. My stupid appetite is rearing its ugly head. I've decided the first time it shows up in the day, I will take a fiber supplement. My hope is that it will calm my appetite down to a manageable level. Only once a day though, I definitely don't want to over do it.

With more things open, I have working on getting back to my pre-Covid exercise routine. However, I am having trouble cutting out my post-Covid routine. Now I am doing both which is a bit much but I am afraid to change anything. I feel like if I do, the scale will stall out again. To complicate matters, I haven't even added in what I am suppose to be doing to strengthen certain muscles for my new leg devices.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

keep pushing

Will do!

584...

Today is another tough one. I am suppose to be done eating but I am still hungry. I am hopeful I will stay on track. Thus, I will put in my report now of being on track. Tomorrow is my rest day from exercise and I am looking forward to it. I really wanted to go ice skating today but the session was full. It is probably for the best; I am really tired. The last thing I need is to get injured.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

RECALCULATION- Confirmed Weight Loss
 

Today is a recalculation because after several months I have a confirmed weight loss. The last one was June 18. Since it took me so long to get here, my total number of days is going to jump up. As of today and recalculating based on my new weight, I have 637 days left. My plateau has added almost two months. My new end date is Sunday, July 3, 2022. Still better than what I started with.

Interestingly, if I calculated it roughly how I calculated it when I started this thread, I would have 386 days left.

Not such a great day plan wise today. The first significant overage in a while.

Rest https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Overage https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon8.gif

636...again....

My missteps yesterday don't bode well for my overall success. I ate above my calorie target for no good reason aside from the fact my internal saboteur managed to grab the reigns. I ate stuff simply because I wanted it. I wasn't particularly hungry or stressed or trying to soothe my injured ego. The food looked yummy and sounded yummy so I ate it. There was a strong objection from my sensible side but it was fruitless. Struggling in a similar way today except I do have a bit more of an appetite. The good news is my sensible side is wining this go around. It is tough and I feel grumpy about it.

Had a big disappointment today. I use to exercise at the community center very close to my house. Two years ago, they tore it down to build a new community center on the same site. I have been eagerly awaiting the oft delayed re-opening. Today was the first day I went to check it out. None of the cardio equipment is a good fit for me. They didn't replace the same machines they had before. Needless to say, it was a total bust. I spent a total of six minutes exercising. On a personal level, it was hard when they closed the old building and I felt like I was saying goodbye to a dear friend. A friend I thought I'd see again. Basically, today I learned I will not see that friend ever again. So I feel very sad. On a more immediate level, I need to go to the rec center tomorrow to make up for this missed session. This puts it back to back to going on Wednesday as well and it may be too tiring.

I still did all three of my walks and rode my bike so I've done enough to mark exercise as a success for today.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

635...

After dinner, my belly said it was too full and my brain was saying must eat more. Went on a walk and it seemed to have calmed down my brain a bit. Such a frustrating situation though. I had intended to go to the rec center today but pushed it to Thursday instead. Just another ho hum day in the war on fat. The scale is still looking pretty good.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

634...

As part of my plan, I take supplements. To be clear, none of the supplements are for weight loss. Each one was picked because it is reputed to help with other health concerns (e.g. fatigue, BP). With all supplements, in general, it is kind of hard to tell how if it is really working or not.

Along those lines, I have learned one of my supplements (selected to help with BP) seems to be also helping me with my asthma. I have been out of this supplement for about a week. Correspondingly, I have been having more trouble with my asthma and needed to take medication. I live in area that has been impacted with smoke from wildfires. This has been true all summer long but this is the first week I really needed medicine. I just got more of the supplement today so I'll see how it goes. I looked up the ingredients and some them are shown to have the potential to help with asthma.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

633....

Well, the scale is finally moving in the right direction. Unfortunately, my eating is moving in the wrong direction. Took my eyes off the prize and made a terrible choice for dinner. Didn't realize how bad it was until it was down the hatch. Typical failure on my part, I was really tired and it was after an emotionally draining event. When I am tired, I make really poor choices. Will do my best tomorrow. Still got all of my scheduled exercise in even though it was really late. I don't have a light on my bike so I tied a flashlight to the handlebars.

Exercisehttps://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Overage https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon8.gif

632...

Surprise, surprise, surprise! I have a calorie deficit today despite feeling like I ate everything. Really tired today so I didn't make very good choices. Fingers crossed that it won't show up on the scale this week. It will likely show up in a couple of weeks after I have forgotten all about this week. I am losing my focus and nothing good can come of that.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

631....

So I am on-track (green) for the calorie deficit right now. Not sure if it will stay that way. My silly body is demanding more food even though it will cause a calorie overage. UGH!! So tired of this internal dilemma and the battle of wills against temptation. Scale is still on track to post a lose for tomorrow. Of course, I would like it to be the same or better loss tomorrow. Scale is showing half pound lower than the loss I am trying to confirm tomorrow.

However, if it is going to be worse, I would like it to be worse by a pound and not just a half a pound. That way, it would still be possible to have confirmed drops for the next two weeks. If it is just a half a pound lower, I confirm the weight from last week and will have to wait at least two weeks to be able to confirm a new loss. One week for the new lower weight and the second week to 'confirm' the loss is going to stick around. Me and my rules- LOL!! We all have our set of dieting rules (e.g. calories eaten standing up don't count).

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

EDIT:
Calorie Overage https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon8.gif

630...

I was able to confirm a half pound loss. Struggling with the eating portion today. With regards to calories, right now I am at the limit of going over. Same place I was yesterday. Yesterday, I caved. Today, I am doing my best not to go over. Stay tuned...

Rest https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Neutral

629...

Great News! I was able to stay calorie neutral yesterday. I had a little bit of broth with a fiber supplement mixed in and I put on my belt. It was enough to keep me at the calorie limit. The scale was still playing nice this morning. Today, I was able to create a calorie deficit. Not as large as I would like but a deficit none the less.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

628...

Remember yesterday when I said I didn't make as large of a calorie deficit as I wanted. Well, I was wrong. I had made a larger one than planned. My planned deficit was already worked into the formula. What I was looking at was the bonus deficit not the whole deficit. To me, it shows the keto sticks are accurate. Last night, it was way too dark for my usual calorie deficit.

My scale played music last night to indicate a new low weight. I about fell over because it feels like these new low weights are so few and far between. It was a nightly check so it was the lowest of the low for reliability. My scale (with no numbers) allows for two people to weigh in. I use one for weighing in at night and one for the morning. I use the morning one for my 'official' weight on weigh in day. This morning, I about fell over again because my scale played music. Sad to say I am still filled with doubt so I feel like this is just a fleeting low. Only time will tell but I am not going to hold my breath. This new low though is the most weight I've ever lost in a sustained effort.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

627...

The scale stated the same weight as yesterday this morning. Can't help it, despite my doubt, I have my fingers crossed this loss sticks around until weigh-in day. So my plan with regards to eating has degraded quite a bit. The following is what I my goals were:

1. Balance carbs and protein (2:1)
2. Fast twice a week
3. Limit calories

Currently, I am just limiting calories. The intermittent fasting has completely fallen by the wayside. That is true for the most part of balancing carbs and protein. Although, I still eat a lot of things that I had previously paired up to be balanced.

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

626...

The weather was much cooler today so I didn't do my bike ride. That will become true more often as we head into winter. Here's what I've been doing for exercise.

Walking 3x per day/ 6 days a week for 2.4 mile total each day
Bike riding 6 days a week 1.4 mile loop
Elliptical 4 days per week, 20 minutes per session

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif

snacking
 

Any recommendations on how to overcome the urge to snack at night ?

Hmmm....for overcoming the urge to snack at night, I am more than happy to share what I've tried. I'm not sure I can call them recommendations though- LOL.

Personally, I struggle with the urge to snack at night. Often times it is because I actually feel hungry. If I feel hungry, I have a really hard time falling asleep. Currently what I have been doing is saving a lot of my calories for the evening. I have also been trying to wait to have dinner until after I finish all of my exercise. For me this has two benefits. First, I seem to exercise better on an empty stomach. Kind of along the lines of wait an hour after eating before swimming. Second, it pushes my dinner later and therefore I have less time in the evening to really blow it. I am just now realizing there is a third benefit- it makes dinner feel like a reward. Anyway, as part of my later eating, I make sure I have something I really like in the mix that fits in my calorie allotment. For example today, I had some mini peanut butter cups (Shhh! Don't tell the diet police!). It is not 100% but I do feel like this has helped me of late.

Another thing I will try if the urge will not go away is to take a fiber supplement capsule and have a small snack. A couple of nights ago instead of the capsule, I mixed a small amount of powdered (tasteless, grit-less) fiber supplement in to some chicken broth. That seemed to be successful. I do believe enough fiber is key to weight loss but I wouldn't want to overdue it. In the past, I have tried drinking water or eating a fruit or vegetable. You know, the standard advice given. Neither of those worked for me. My satiety is definitely tied to fat.

Along that line, when I was doing intermittent fasting, I would eat a tablespoon of cream and it helped me immensely. The type of fasting I was doing was supported. By that I mean, according to the book you were allowed to have certain things besides just water or other calorie free non-sweetened drinks.

The other out-of-the-box thing I do is put on my belt. My belt is actually very simple. It is a strip of elastic with a plastic buckle. Perhaps some day I will share the embarrassing story of how I came to own said belt. If the urge to snack is really strong and I know I have had enough to eat, I will wear my belt and drink a can of seltzer water. I don't really like the taste of the seltzer so that helps a bit. My primary theory is doing this will help my stomach clearly tell my brain we are done eating. I also feel like it acts as an external lap band. There was an actual 'device' marketed to work as an external lap band. To me, it looked like an overpriced belt. Often my belt is enough by itself. I will move it around to a couple of places. One place is the typical waist and the other is just under the rib cage.

So all this writing about stopping the urge to snack at night has made me hungry-UGH! I just put on my belt! I may have to open a can of seltzer soon.

Lastly, though it is worth considering if the urge to snack is related to stress. If so, it is helpful to try to find ways to reduce the stress.

Now to return to our usual programming:

625...

The weather was warm enough today so I rode my bike. It was very smoky though. The sky even turned orange. Then it seemed like it was clearing. However, it wasn't. The smoke was higher and the sun was lower.

This morning the scale tied my recent new low weight. Oh my gosh! I feel my hopes rising and I don't want that because they always seem to be dashed. UGH! I'll be holding my breath until official weigh-in day, Sunday. Sad thing is, I am sure just about everyone on their own weight loss journey knows exactly what I am talking about.

Pssssch!! I opened my can of seltzer- Cheers!

Exercise https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif
Calorie Deficit https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/images/icon/icon10.gif