Motivation and Accountability - Feb. 8 - 14th - Don't stop now!
02-10-2016, 06:11 AM
#31
FitDay Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 463
Libby: Welcome back! Hope you get over that cold soon. Having a cold can throw so many things out-of-whack, especially motivation to stick to dieting.
Mike: Perhaps you can apply that GTFO, BAN hammer to your scale
? ((ETA: Am I gonna get in trouble for using that acronym? 
))
Mike: Perhaps you can apply that GTFO, BAN hammer to your scale
? ((ETA: Am I gonna get in trouble for using that acronym? ))
02-10-2016, 09:01 AM
#33
FitDay Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 527
hi, everyone. Mike, taking the ban hammer to your scale is a good idea!
Libby, good to see you!
Quinn, your winter timeline made me chuckle. I feel bad for you! Although I miss winter and snow terribly, I don't deal with any of that here in the desert of Arizona. I'm the polar opposite. I have these types of feelings in the summer when you walk outside and the moisture in your eyeballs immediately evaporates, when you have to drive with oven mitts on to prevent 3rd degree burns from the steering wheel, etc. It's coming early this year. It's in the mid 80's already! ugh. The kids want me to turn on the a/c already.
Well, as usual at this time of day I'm doing very well. I had a little soda, but not a lot, and the rest has been diet. I had an atkins shake w/ milk for lunch. For a snack I had the popcorn idea Debbie told me about...airpopped popcorn with parmesan, onion powder and salt on top (delish!!!) I had a good sized bowl of that for about 150-175 calories (I didn't weigh the kernels before popping so I had to guesstimate a little). Took away my munchies and filled my belly pretty well. I'm pretty sure I can make it til dinner tonight.
Tonight's menu is a very calorie-reasonable chicken teriyaki casserole. I'm hoping to finish up my day under target for once. Usually what I do, because I'm a food addict, is eat more to fill up my calories to the limit, or even a little over. There's something unsettling to me that I haven't "used up" all my calories. There are starving children in Harlem, and I'm blessed with the opportunity to eat, so I should! (said sarcastically) but there is some truth to the thought process. Not sure how to combat that. I guess it has to be sheer willpower, of which I possess none.
My scale is down a bit, and I'm thankful for that. I'm hoping to stay on track the rest of the week and have good weigh-ins Friday and Monday.
Have a good night, all!
Libby, good to see you!
Quinn, your winter timeline made me chuckle. I feel bad for you! Although I miss winter and snow terribly, I don't deal with any of that here in the desert of Arizona. I'm the polar opposite. I have these types of feelings in the summer when you walk outside and the moisture in your eyeballs immediately evaporates, when you have to drive with oven mitts on to prevent 3rd degree burns from the steering wheel, etc. It's coming early this year. It's in the mid 80's already! ugh. The kids want me to turn on the a/c already.
Well, as usual at this time of day I'm doing very well. I had a little soda, but not a lot, and the rest has been diet. I had an atkins shake w/ milk for lunch. For a snack I had the popcorn idea Debbie told me about...airpopped popcorn with parmesan, onion powder and salt on top (delish!!!) I had a good sized bowl of that for about 150-175 calories (I didn't weigh the kernels before popping so I had to guesstimate a little). Took away my munchies and filled my belly pretty well. I'm pretty sure I can make it til dinner tonight.
Tonight's menu is a very calorie-reasonable chicken teriyaki casserole. I'm hoping to finish up my day under target for once. Usually what I do, because I'm a food addict, is eat more to fill up my calories to the limit, or even a little over. There's something unsettling to me that I haven't "used up" all my calories. There are starving children in Harlem, and I'm blessed with the opportunity to eat, so I should! (said sarcastically) but there is some truth to the thought process. Not sure how to combat that. I guess it has to be sheer willpower, of which I possess none.
My scale is down a bit, and I'm thankful for that. I'm hoping to stay on track the rest of the week and have good weigh-ins Friday and Monday.
Have a good night, all!
02-10-2016, 01:44 PM
#34
FitDay Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,557
....For a snack I had the popcorn idea Debbie told me about...airpopped popcorn with parmesan, onion powder and salt on top (delish!!!) I had a good sized bowl of that for about 150-175 calories (I didn't weigh the kernels before popping so I had to guesstimate a little). Took away my munchies and filled my belly pretty well. I'm pretty sure I can make it til dinner tonight.
02-11-2016, 01:37 AM
#36
FitDay Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,688
Good morning!
I am in such a good mood this morning... which is really odd. Did something great happen? No, not really. In fact, I have to go pay my property taxes today. I'm energized and happy and ready to go walking right away today.
The only thing that is different, is that my chronic pain is literally gone. To say I'm stunned is an understatement. Since fall, I would wake up and spend the next 2-3 hours trying to work the extreme stiffness and pain out of my lower back. And, boy, I was crabby and frustrated by not being able to jump out of bed and do all of the things I wanted to do.
After Christmas, I did so many things that it's difficult to know what exactly worked. Is it the daily 2 mile walks? Is it the barrage of dietary supplements? Is it the PT? Is it the change in diet? Is it losing a few pounds? Is it lowering my BP? I seriously have no clue. But, it is truly amazing how chronic, long-term pain brings you right down. I feel like I've been given my life back. It remains a mystery, but one that I am so grateful for.
In addition, I got on the scale today and found that I have reached a milestone. Today, I am officially 10 lbs. down from the first week of January! =) It really hasn't been that hard, either. If I want to feel that "stuffed" feeling, I just fill up on healthy, low-cal foods, instead of breads and bakery and junk.
Well, time to get walking!
Personal Accountability Goal Sheet, Week 5
1. Eat clean; eliminate the 5 "bad foods". Y, Y, Y
2. Limit diet Coke to one glass per day; ideally zero. 0, one massive bucket of Diet Coke, Y
3. Drink 1 glass of tart cherry juice per day. Y, Y, Y
4. Drink two cups of antioxidant tea per day. 2, 1, 2
5. Take all vitamins and supplements. Y, Y, Y
6. 45 minutes of core building per day. Y, Y, Y
7. Walk 4 times this week; minimum of 45 minutes each day. 2
8. Stay within calorie limits. 33 over, Y, under
9. Log everything. Y, Y, Y
10. Continue to very gradually add yoga and flexibility exercises to increase range of motion. (Spine) Y, Y, Y
I am in such a good mood this morning... which is really odd. Did something great happen? No, not really. In fact, I have to go pay my property taxes today. I'm energized and happy and ready to go walking right away today.
The only thing that is different, is that my chronic pain is literally gone. To say I'm stunned is an understatement. Since fall, I would wake up and spend the next 2-3 hours trying to work the extreme stiffness and pain out of my lower back. And, boy, I was crabby and frustrated by not being able to jump out of bed and do all of the things I wanted to do.
After Christmas, I did so many things that it's difficult to know what exactly worked. Is it the daily 2 mile walks? Is it the barrage of dietary supplements? Is it the PT? Is it the change in diet? Is it losing a few pounds? Is it lowering my BP? I seriously have no clue. But, it is truly amazing how chronic, long-term pain brings you right down. I feel like I've been given my life back. It remains a mystery, but one that I am so grateful for.
In addition, I got on the scale today and found that I have reached a milestone. Today, I am officially 10 lbs. down from the first week of January! =) It really hasn't been that hard, either. If I want to feel that "stuffed" feeling, I just fill up on healthy, low-cal foods, instead of breads and bakery and junk.
Well, time to get walking!
Personal Accountability Goal Sheet, Week 5
1. Eat clean; eliminate the 5 "bad foods". Y, Y, Y
2. Limit diet Coke to one glass per day; ideally zero. 0, one massive bucket of Diet Coke, Y
3. Drink 1 glass of tart cherry juice per day. Y, Y, Y
4. Drink two cups of antioxidant tea per day. 2, 1, 2
5. Take all vitamins and supplements. Y, Y, Y
6. 45 minutes of core building per day. Y, Y, Y
7. Walk 4 times this week; minimum of 45 minutes each day. 2
8. Stay within calorie limits. 33 over, Y, under
9. Log everything. Y, Y, Y
10. Continue to very gradually add yoga and flexibility exercises to increase range of motion. (Spine) Y, Y, Y
02-11-2016, 06:41 AM
#38
FitDay Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 463
Lisa: Well done! Give yourself a big, ol' pat on the back!
Quinn: That is fantastic news about being pain-free. What a relief that has to be. AND you're 10 pounds down??? My friend, you need to go buy a lottery ticket!
As for me, I have no great news, but no bad news either. Instead, I'll share something I found interesting. As many of you know, I reluctantly made the switch from coffee to tea about two years ago. To prepare tea, I take a 16-oz mug of water and zap it in the microwave for 3 minutes. Comes out piping hot, as I discovered one day last year when I lost control and dropped one... on my hand... We're in a different house now, with a different microwave, but the same mugs. I still put in 16 ounces, but every now and then, maybe once a week or so, only 15 ounces come back. The other ounce has apparently exploded (I set it and walk away, coming back when it beeps), coating the cup itself and the entire interior (door, included) with piping hot water.
Why is this, I wonder, as cuss under my breath while mopping up the soggy mess.
Well, I did what I usually do -- I went into research mode. Turns out, I've been VERY fortunate. Apparently, it is a VERY bad idea to microwave plain water. It can become "super-heated" and it's not uncommon for it to simply explode, rather than bubble-boiling, as water heated on the stovetop does. Even after taking it out of the microwave, the potential for an explosion exists, especially the moment one introduces a new element to the water, such as... wait for it... a packet of stevia (or sugar) or a teabag.
I won't go into all the science behind it, but a solution (other than "just don't do it") is to place a wooden spoon or coffee stirrer in the mug to help make normal boiling bubbles. Lucky for me, I have a pack of wooden stirrers!
Anyway, Part 2 of the research led me to discover that I've probably been making tea wrong this whole time. Different teas are best at different temperatures. I always thought HOT was good and piping hot was best. No sir. Green tea, for example, likes a milder temperature, around 170-180. Who knew? ((Probably you all did -- I'm the tea-newbie around here)). Black teas (I think the pu-erh I like is considered a black tea) is better with the higher temp, so I'm ok there.
Well, that's enough learnin' for me for today. I'll change my tea-making practices starting tomorrow. Or maybe next week. Although I'll start the wood stirrer thing this afternoon. No need to press my luck.
Stay safe, everyone! Make it a good one!
Quinn: That is fantastic news about being pain-free. What a relief that has to be. AND you're 10 pounds down??? My friend, you need to go buy a lottery ticket!
As for me, I have no great news, but no bad news either. Instead, I'll share something I found interesting. As many of you know, I reluctantly made the switch from coffee to tea about two years ago. To prepare tea, I take a 16-oz mug of water and zap it in the microwave for 3 minutes. Comes out piping hot, as I discovered one day last year when I lost control and dropped one... on my hand... We're in a different house now, with a different microwave, but the same mugs. I still put in 16 ounces, but every now and then, maybe once a week or so, only 15 ounces come back. The other ounce has apparently exploded (I set it and walk away, coming back when it beeps), coating the cup itself and the entire interior (door, included) with piping hot water.
Why is this, I wonder, as cuss under my breath while mopping up the soggy mess.
Well, I did what I usually do -- I went into research mode. Turns out, I've been VERY fortunate. Apparently, it is a VERY bad idea to microwave plain water. It can become "super-heated" and it's not uncommon for it to simply explode, rather than bubble-boiling, as water heated on the stovetop does. Even after taking it out of the microwave, the potential for an explosion exists, especially the moment one introduces a new element to the water, such as... wait for it... a packet of stevia (or sugar) or a teabag.
I won't go into all the science behind it, but a solution (other than "just don't do it") is to place a wooden spoon or coffee stirrer in the mug to help make normal boiling bubbles. Lucky for me, I have a pack of wooden stirrers!
Anyway, Part 2 of the research led me to discover that I've probably been making tea wrong this whole time. Different teas are best at different temperatures. I always thought HOT was good and piping hot was best. No sir. Green tea, for example, likes a milder temperature, around 170-180. Who knew? ((Probably you all did -- I'm the tea-newbie around here
)). Black teas (I think the pu-erh I like is considered a black tea) is better with the higher temp, so I'm ok there.Well, that's enough learnin' for me for today. I'll change my tea-making practices starting tomorrow. Or maybe next week. Although I'll start the wood stirrer thing this afternoon. No need to press my luck
.Stay safe, everyone! Make it a good one!
02-11-2016, 07:02 AM
#39
FitDay Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 463
Oh, and apparently 3 minutes for 16 ounces is overkill. Assuming this is a 1000w microwave, I could probably get away with 2 minutes (1 minute for 8 ounces). No wonder the tea stays hot for well over an hour. And here I thought they were just super-efficient mugs (and I was oh-so-clever for buying them) .
Hehe looks like I've been extremely lucky. Maybe I should be buying that lottery ticket!
.Hehe looks like I've been extremely lucky. Maybe I should be buying that lottery ticket!
02-11-2016, 07:07 AM
#40
FitDay Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 527
Quinn, that's so fabulous about waking up pain free today! Who cares what the magic ingredient was to the mix...obviously keep doing what you're doing. maybe it's everything all together that's making it work. Happy for you!
Epi, I had no idea about the water thing in the microwave. I too have had soppy messes in the microwave. I always put water in a bowl, put in the dirty/smelly dish sponge, nuke it for 3.5 minutes and it comes out clean, disinfected and smelling good again. It often leaves a mess in the microwave too. Also interesting about the tea. Maybe I should learn to like tea. Maybe if I try different kinds I might find something I like.
I'm doing ok so far. I had an unplanned granola bar for 140 calories that is taking me 28 over my target today if the rest of the day goes as planned. I'll have to be careful from here on out to stay reasonably near my goal of 1700. Tomorrow is weigh in day already. I hope to see a change for the better on the scale. I've been putting in a lot of effort this week to get back on track and stop eating out of control. I hope it's paid off and gives me hope to keep on going.
Epi, I had no idea about the water thing in the microwave. I too have had soppy messes in the microwave. I always put water in a bowl, put in the dirty/smelly dish sponge, nuke it for 3.5 minutes and it comes out clean, disinfected and smelling good again. It often leaves a mess in the microwave too. Also interesting about the tea. Maybe I should learn to like tea. Maybe if I try different kinds I might find something I like.
I'm doing ok so far. I had an unplanned granola bar for 140 calories that is taking me 28 over my target today if the rest of the day goes as planned. I'll have to be careful from here on out to stay reasonably near my goal of 1700. Tomorrow is weigh in day already. I hope to see a change for the better on the scale. I've been putting in a lot of effort this week to get back on track and stop eating out of control. I hope it's paid off and gives me hope to keep on going.
