quinnesec

Hi Guys!

Thanks for all of the great advice. Talked to my husband more this noon and going is definitely not an option with either of us. So, that leaves tactfully telling him why (may be hurt feelings) or making other plans to keep peace.

Have to "ponder" this one for awhile...

Glad I have a little time to think about it. I love bouncing things off of you guys because I get the perspective of the parent AND the perspective of the adult child.

So, thanks again!

quinn

cjohnson728

Had a great day today, leaving me to wonder, If being in control feels so good, why don't I do it consistently?? Aaargh!

1. Average a 500 cal deficit daily. 679, 600
2. Keep carbs at 45%; no more than 50. 49%, 45%
3. Exercise daily (need it, for #1) Yes (weights), Yes (tennis)
4. 5 fruits and veggies daily. Yes, Yes
5. Sleep 7 hours nightly. Very bad 5:15, Yes
6. 3 sports bottles of water daily. Yes, Yes
7. Stay off the scale till Friday. Yes, Yes
8. Snack smart: wait 30 minutes & drink water before; no trigger foods disguised as "snacks." Forgot, but did okay snacking, Yes

9. One office organizational task five out of seven days. This was not the day, Yes
10. Paint one room of trim by end of weekend.

Julia, nice willpower again today.

jjeand, sorry today was rocky. Some days are like that; sounds like you picked yourself up and got through it. Let your soreness remind you that your muscles are growing and your fat cells are shrinking .

Stacey, good to hear you had a bit more energy; hope dance went well tonight. Seems like you are busy most every evening; nice juggling!

Almeeker, my hat's off to you for logging everything and totalling it up. When I have days like that, I just stop entering it. I shouldn't, but I do. I will try to follow your lead next time, and I hope today was better.

01gt4.6

Health & Fitness
1) Keep total (not net) Carbs under 75g/day 61.9g, 73.1g
2) drink a gallon of water a day 135.2oz, 135.2oz
3) take vitamin daily yes, yes
4) take fish oil daily yes, yes
5) 2500 cals deficient for the week -639, -393
6) workout 3 times yes, no
7) do Plyometrics 1 time no, no
8) start my journal yes
9) post how I'm feeling with low carbs daily here yes, yes

Non Health & Fitness
10) 4 random acts of kindness no, no
11) makes 50 calls to prospects too many of them were on the DNC list (sent emails instead), no (took off)
12) to push/ encourage the next person to post here to meet their goals MunaAmin:not yet, no

I'll reply to everyone in the morning.

almeeker

Tuesday Report Card:

1. Keep calories in check 1,500 M-T-W-Th-Sun and 2,000 F-Sat. 2,425, 2,550
2. Drink 96 oz of water. YES, YES
3. Exercise 6 hours. 120 min, 64 min (total 3:04)
4. Keep carbs to 45% or lower. Nope 54%, 43%
5. Calorie deficit for the week of 3,500. -280, -11 (total -291)
6. Take DDs up to school for "walk the halls" at least once. YES

Non Fitness Goals:

7. Average 5 items from the "list" daily. NO, NO
8. Sign up for race and call SIL about same. NO, NO
9. Clean 2 rooms (15 minutes each) and do 1 load of laundry M-F. NO, NO
10. Clean out 1 small area of basement Sat-Sun. NO, NO

I did not do well yesterday. Calories got completely out of hand with 1/2 a box of GS cookies. I know better, I do, but somehow or another those Trefoils, foiled me - again. Generally speaking I can have cookies in the house and it's not an issue, so long as the box stays closed, but yesterday I was on snack detail for the Girl Scout meeting, so I took the cookies trying to get rid of them. Only there were leftovers, and I was still feeling the carb hangover from Monday's trip to the all you can eat Chinese buffet.

Cassie, I have to force myself to log those bad days, it's sort of like a punishment and therapy all at the same time. Daily, I play a brutal game of tug-of-war with the "it's-all-or-nothing" feeling, so logging the bad days often helps me to realize that although, yes I had a bad day, it's not the end of the world. 95% of the time it turns out that I ate to maintenance level so although the day wasn't "on-plan", I'm not going to wake up in the morning back in "obese-land". And once I get that all worked out I can stop beating myself up and get back on track. I also try and learn from my mistakes. So I've proven to myself beyond all reasonable doubt, that taking too many cookies to a GS meeting is bad.

mtlgirl

Hi Everyone,

I have been away for several days now... I don't even really know why. I guess I have just felt so down in the dumps lately. It was this time last year that my dad was in his final days. He died on March 25th at 11:38am and I was with him. I am so haunted by the experience. It's like my mind and body have gone back in time one year and I feel the same fear and stress as I did this time last year. I haven't been able to sleep really well either. I have so many dreams about my dad. I miss him so much it's crazy. At the same time, I want to be strong like he was. I promised him that I would take care of everyone and become the "man of the family." My mom and sister are having a really hard time too so I keep a brave face for them, but in reality I am struggling too.

Thanks to all of you for being so supportive and so wonderful. I have just been reading the last 3 or 4 pages of posts and you all have warmed my heart! Can I just say that we are an amazing group here in our little corner of the internet! Huge props to all of you, fabulous ladies.... and Mike!

As for my goals, I have been keeping them (miraculously!) and yesterday was able to exercise again for the first time since pulling a muscle in my groin. I didn't lose any weight this week but at least I didn't gain either!

Muna, I am really sorry to hear that another option was turned down by immigration. How I wish that wasn't the case for you but like Cassie said, you are strong enough to handle whatever comes your way, even if you don't know that you are yet. I have found that the strength comes as you need it, a sort of supply and demand scenario. At the onset of any challenge you don't have all the strength you need but with every step of the journey you build on the strength you have. I really wish there was something more we could do for you, but please know that you can vent here all you want if it helps.

Terri, your family sounds so much like mine! We are Italian so the noise level is sky high. The one thing that I love most about my kooky family is that when the chips are down, we are all there for each other. That and the fact that we laugh like crazy. When we are all together the laughter is non-stop.

Quinn, I am with the majority here. As an adult child, I'd want to know the truth. I would invite your son to another dinner or celebration on a different day just so your husband and son get to be together to celebrate Father's Day.

Mike, wow the low carb thing sounds pretty tough. I am really impressed with you! I know you can make it to the end of the week. Way to go, Bro.

Almeeker, you never cease to impress me. When I fall off the wagon I definitely give up on logging but inspired by your honesty and your tenacity, I promise I will log my next big cheat.

Mern, thanks for all the low carb breakfast ideas! Although I do admit that I could never have leftover meat and veggies for breakfast, there are some great ideas there. Thanks and way to go with your walking!

jjeand, amazing job on trying to quit smoking at the same time as losing weight. That can't be easy but stay strong because you can do it!

Stacey, I am so with you on the cold and the freaking SNOW! I can't take it anymore. I have done more shoveling than anyone should ever have to in their lifetime. At times like this I miss the days I was a renter. I bought my first home last year and I have a loooooong staircase to shovel in addition to digging my damn car out. I'm so over Winter!

Have an amazing Wednesday, Everyone!!!

cjohnson728

Rose, I am sorry you're having a rough time. I remember that first "anniversary" well and all I can say is that you will get past it and things will hurt less with time. I am seven years out now from my dad's passing and I can say that the memories and thoughts, even the spontaneous ones, are not of the moment he passed (though they were, often, at first) but of all the other stronger and more positive memories. Professionally, I would say that the anniversary is triggering the trauma reactions; personally, I would just say ((hugs)) and hang in there, because it absolutely, positively does get better as time goes on. Like everything else, there are ups and downs. Take care of yourself during the downs and soon you will be back on your game. I'm glad to hear you were able to exercise again!

cjohnson728

Well, I need to revise a couple goals this week, after some thought.

I'm going to stay off the scale till Monday, not Friday; this will give the water weight a chance to clear out and also keep me on track over the weekend (hopefully!).

I'm also going to take out the "wait 20 minutes and drink water" from the snack goal. Part of my problem last weekend was letting myself get too hungry, so I've timed my snacks, and if I push it, that might not be the best.

Hopefully those are realistic changes and not me playing mind games with myself .

Almeeker, I am with you on the all or nothing struggle. Congrats to you for keeping it within your burn when you do splurge. I am sure I don't. Once I get to my burn (which doesn't take long, about 1700-1800 calories on a day when I've exercised an hour; 1500-something if I don't), I stop putting stuff in. Maybe that should be a future goal, to put it in no matter how ugly. Last year that quote in my siggy worked so well; it's like these days I forget all about it. Like this weekend, I got on the scale, felt like I had been so good, and the results weren't what I wanted, so I got into the, "might as well eat whatever; nothing makes a difference anyway" mentality, on top of having erratic meals. I know better! Oh well, live and learn! This week has been good so far (all two days of it ).

quinnesec

Rose,

Cassie's right. There are triggers; certain things at certain times of the year that bring back memories. For me, I lost a parent at Christmastime in my early 20's and so every time I think Poinsettia, I think funeral. It sucks, I know.

Time doesn't take away the hurt, but the bad memories are replaced with happier ones.
You're in my thoughts this month. Hang tight... Spring, and happier "triggers" are on their way.

quinn

taubele

almeeker -- Chinese is the devil!! I've had it ONCE (on a scheduled cheat day) since I started the lifestyle change and it was just as good as I remembered it, lol. I was hoping I'd hate it! You gotta live a little bit, but today is a new day! Also, I love your compromise with your husband. While I am practical, I wouldn't shy away from a little more romance in my life. Maybe I'm scared of really liking it, because I know I won't get it often! haha.

Mike -- Oh my goodness! Hang tough dude! It's just a week, just like a little challenge. Those carb cravings are nasty things, I've totally been there, where you feel like you'd knife someone to get to a piece of cake. You can do it!!

quinn -- I'm sure whatever you decide will be the best for your family. Maybe if you say you have "other plans" you could somehow drop a hint about "Well, this is what we'd REALLY love to do for the day, wish you could join us!" Or...something. I'm so bad at lying, really. I think that gene skipped me

Julia -- Rock on! You can do it!

Cassie -- Man, you are mowing through those goals. Awesome!! You are having a GREAT week, just let the past stay in the past and don't let it come and poke at you through the time-and-space dimension! You're a great inspiration, and you can do it!

Rose -- I'm so sorry about the loss of your father. I can only imagine the memories you must be having. Just one day at a time, sometimes you just breathe and go on with it. Sending you big pixelated cyber-hugs from here!! I'm glad your groin is feeling better, on the plus side, and your family sounds lovely. I'm Irish/German, but I have a LOT of Italian friends and I must say I think their noise level even beats our Irish-drunk noise level! Haha.

Tuesday Report Card

Food, Exercise and Lifestyle goals:

1) Drink 64 oz. water daily. Get to 72 if I can. -- M: 91!!! Tu: 71
2) 1400 cal. daily limit -- M: 1,185 Tu: 1,030
3) Exercise five hours this week, at least 3 hours hard cardio --
M: One hour hard cardio at the gym last night. I think I hit some exercise-high in the middle of it for the first time (Total 1 day, 1 hour hard cardio)
Tu: Day off (Total 1 day, 1 hour hard cardio)
4) 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily -- M: 4 Tu: somewhere between 4 and 5? Salads are hard.
5) No boxed/premade lunches or dinners -- M: Yes Tu: No, had Panera salad for lunch
6) Eat one big salad a day for lunch or dinner -- M: Yes, had 2! Tu: Also 2!
7) Balance protein to at least 30% of nutritional chart -- M: 39%! Tu: 28%

Other Life Stuff:

1) Re-start my needlework. Try to work on it for at least an hour a day. -- M: Nope Tu: No. Grr.
2) Call my grandmother -- M: No Tu: Yes! And she has apparently mailed me four cooking magazines, haha
3) Schedule hair appointment -- M: No Tu: No
4) Doctor's appointment on Tuesday (and Thursday), don't forget!! M: N/A
Tu: Had doctor's appointment regarding mass in right breast. It's a large (4 cm) cyst. I'll take it! Scheduled needle aspiration for this Thursday morning to drain. Breathing large sigh of relief.

Also. ALSO. ATTENTION LADIES (AND GENTLEMAN! ).

I am happy to report that we have One-derland. Repeat, we have One-derland!!! The scale said 199.1 this morning. I've apparently lost 2.3 lbs. since Monday morning. I attribute this to a diet change this week (higher protein) and being lower-cal-than-usual the past few days (and, likely losing some water weight from high-sodium that was masking weight loss). THAT is how you blast up plateaus, my goodness. I was like this morning and stepped on the scale about five times to confirm.

I haven't been below 200 lbs. in at least two years. THAT is a great feeling. I'm doing a little dance in my chair. My next goal is 185, meaning 30 lbs. lost.

I must say I am a mite peckish today after being below 1200 cals for three days straight. My breakfast this morning is a couple of strips of bacon and eggs, though, so that should fill me right up!!

cjohnson728

Yay for you, Terri, on reaching the Ones!!!!! Definitely seeing your hard work pay off and congrats on a job well done!