Amazing August - W.I.S.H. Goals

[sjrec]

Woo hoo Wednesday! I have stayed within my points all week, walked 6 days out of 7 (I’m retired, I have no excuses!) and was down another 1.8lbs at weigh in yesterday. Things are going well, although I do think as I have gotten older it takes longer to get these pounds off.

 

[Flossbolna]

Topic Thursday!

Let's talk about food! Summer is a great season for vegetables. And vegetables are a great source of vitamins and fiber.

​

While not all vegetables are low in calories, they should be a stable for any diet. Do you make use of seasonable vegetables? Which ware the ones you like best or which are the ones that are easiest for you to incorporate in your daily diet?

 

[Flossbolna]

Sorry for not checking in yesterday!! But my woohoo kind of prevented me from that: We had some rain around noon and that cooled things down quite a bit. So, I had a lovely lunch with two friends (a salad with goat cheese and blueberries, so delicious!) and then was incredibly productive in the afternoon. By the time I got home though I was exhausted again from the heat that came back later in the day. Today is the last HOT day. There is a cold front coming through that will make temperatures drop by nearly 20 degrees in the next 15 hours! Can't wait.

My tracking is still going well!
Tuesday was -408, so I can now report the following:
August week 1: -4002
8/8: -598

I still haven't dared to step on the scale and am wondering if I should or if I should not. I am thinking that I might just be frustrated. I am seriously considering not stepping on the scale until I can really feel a change in my clothes and such. And then maybe really only weigh myself once a month. Just use my tracking as the control mechanism whether what I am doing is ok.

 

[sjrec]

When I am maintaining, I try not to weigh myself more than every two weeks-the heat could be affecting your weight, even your lunch out could cause you to retain some water. I wish the numbers on the scale didn’t have so much power over my outlook, but they do. Sigh.

We live in a semi rural area, so lots of access to fresh produce-our corn, watermelon, and cantaloupes are at their peak-we are eating them every day. Also green beans and beets-tomatoes! I haven’t bought produce at the grocery store in weeks. One of the biggest changes to WW was all fruit and vegetables are 0 points-although I am mindful of portions-only eating one ear of corn and eating something green as well. We certainly miss these during the winter months.

 

[Oneanne]

FOOD!

I've definitely been taking advantage of the fresh seasonal fruits available right now... my go-to's for dinner have been to make a watermelon salad or a caprese salad. Peaches are just coming in to season here, and are looking pretty good. I'm not much of a veggie eater, which is why making green smoothies is a good choice for me, altho I haven't been doing so lately. I feel like I've gotten much better at eating what's in the fridge and not going out, but somehow at the end of the week I'm still throwing food away, so there's more practicing to be done here.

We're back to hot temps and there's a haze from forest fire smoke. The sunrise this morning was a pretty spectacular hazy orange, but it's pretty challenging to keep energy going when it's so hot and grimy. I'm walking in the house in the evening to get my steps in, but it sure would be nice to feel comfortable about going outside to walk. This weekend I'll have to make a point to get out super early, before things heat up.

 

[HappyGrape]

i was walking on my way to yoga class and my phone was stolen from me. someone on bike took it. It was nice phone but I am not too upset about the phone - I am worried about my memory card. I had a lot of personal data there, including ESTA for our US trip with so much details - I am worried about potential identity theft. I am trying to erase it remotely but they have it off line!

I love tomatoes - they are my favorite. The basics - onion celery and carrot are great for so many meals. Veggies in US are so expensive!

I am off to do bedtime yoga session with Adriene in the absence of class and trying to unwind a little. So annoying!

 

[Oneanne]

i was walking on my way to yoga class and my phone was stolen from me. someone on bike took it. It was nice phone but I am not too upset about the phone - I am worried about my memory card. I had a lot of personal data there, including ESTA for our US trip with so much details - I am worried about potential identity theft. I am trying to erase it remotely but they have it off line!

I love tomatoes - they are my favorite. The basics - onion celery and carrot are great for so many meals. Veggies in US are so expensive!

I am off to do bedtime yoga session with Adriene in the absence of class and trying to unwind a little. So annoying!

Oh no... hope everything works out with your phone!

 

[glss1/2fll]

@HappyGrape I'm so sorry about your phone.

Vegetables: my favorite to eat in season are artichokes. Mmmmm We tend to eat more fruits in the summer than vegetables.

@Flossbolna I'm wondering if maybe you should just skip the scale until you know that it's going to give you a number you can be happy with. And remember, it will just be a number. It is just one tool in a very large toolbox. I think we often forget that. We are so much more than what the scale says. You are so much more.

 

[sjrec]

Happy Grape, so sorry about your phone! What a pain to deal with!

 

[Flossbolna]

When I am maintaining, I try not to weigh myself more than every two weeks-the heat could be affecting your weight, even your lunch out could cause you to retain some water. I wish the numbers on the scale didn’t have so much power over my outlook, but they do. Sigh.

Yes, I am someone who has a lot of fluctuations. I usually am good at dealing with it. But then I get frustrated and my motivation starts slipping. So far I have always been telling myself that I need the motivation of seeing the numbers go down. But now I think maybe I am better off without it.

i was walking on my way to yoga class and my phone was stolen from me.

How horrible! I am so sorry that this happened to you. Not only for the financial loss and hassle and worry about the data that is now in the hand of thieves, but also for the trauma that comes from events like that. I work in a field where I often have contact with people who have been victims of crimes and even the little things do affect people. It destroys the general feeling of safety one has. I hope you are going to overcome the shock soon! I think doing yoga at home was a good way to aleviate some of the stress! (And thanks for the reminder that I intend to do that more often myself!

@Flossbolna I'm wondering if maybe you should just skip the scale until you know that it's going to give you a number you can be happy with. And remember, it will just be a number. It is just one tool in a very large toolbox. I think we often forget that. We are so much more than what the scale says. You are so much more.

Thanks for the reminder!! I think after talking about it here, I really will just not step on the scale. I do think, I am going to start a routine of weighing myself at least every 3 months, but not more often than every 4-6 weeks. Not yet decided what a good minimum number is.

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It has cooled down! Finally!!

Still no rain. This is killing everything here, I have never seen Germany so dried out. Normally even in the summer it is quite lush here. Not this year. I am really happy that it is cooler as I desperately need to start training seriously for my 10k in October!

 

[Flossbolna]

Fun Friday!!

Its free for all Fun Friday! Share something that you find interesting or funny or whatever! ​

My contribution is this blog that posted a video of an amazingly restored film: Project Florida

https://www.retrowdw.com/imageworks...ouve-never-seen-it-before-restored-16mm-film/

It is a film about WDW that was produced for the Wonderful World of Disney on NBC in 1970 to explain what WDW was going to be like. I have only seen the first 10 minutes of it so far, but I thought it was great!

 

[Oneanne]

Friday Yayday!

Goals:
Lose 5 pounds: -4 for this week, making -5 for the month (100%) and -16 over all. I'm slightly baffled by the -4 this week, the only thing I'm doing differently is
that I've added a fiber powder and a cleansing powder to my glasses of water... guess they're really working?
Walk 100 miles: I've been maintaining 8000 steps per day, but need to do more to catch up on my deficit from earlier in the month... I'm at 25 miles and should be at 29.
Complete the on-line Soul Restoration course: will start working on it this weekend.

Plans for the weekend... get outside early to get some walking in, try to finish painting the living room, get the craft room organized (again). On the fun side I'm going to go to the mall and hang out for a while, partly for the air conditioning and partly for the nostalgia of it, and then go see Mama Mia again, in a theater with a good sound system.

 

[sjrec]

Happy Friday! Enjoying my martini (my Friday night indulgence) on the deck-it’s a beautiful summer evening here in south eastern Pennsylvania.
I have dinner prepped and ready-fresh salmon, corn and cherry tomatoes and onions blistered in the oven with some garlic and herbs. Hope everyone has a relaxing weekend doing something you enjoy!
I’m going to share a website I have been using-I have to bring a dessert to book club next week and found several good ideas-they aren’t really “diet” food, but just lightened up-I don’t think anyone will guess they’re not loaded with fat and extra calories-
Here’s the website-

Drizzlemeskinny.com

 

[4Mickeys]

What is your favorite drink to stay hydrated - and just for fun: what is your favorite drink including those not so healthy drinks?

Similar to @sjrec I also have a soda addiction - I tend to drink sugar free versions these days -but still need that sweet bubbly taste. When I am at work I am much keep a water bottle and do tend to drink mostly water with an occasional soda - at home its like all bets are off and soda tends to win out - I need to address this with some increased focus on increasing water across the weekends. I also don't drink coffee and occasional tea.

My clothing is starting to get very loose, but I'm not quite down to the next size yet.

That's great @Oneanne - your focus seems to have improved this past month - well done.

Which ware the ones you like best or which are the ones that are easiest for you to incorporate in your daily diet?

The ones regularly included in my meals are broccoli, carrot, zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms and corn. I have made two new meat free recipes this week - the first was http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/263927/lemon-pepper-linguine-with-squash/ - which I think I put in too much lemon - the kids did not like - the boys said it was not dinner without any meat - but then DS17 said thank goodness I didn't ruin any meat by putting it in this dish it was ok but it was too lemony. The second one went better - I did give the kids some pork on the side - I just needed to up the curry powder a bit - being the first time I made it with fussy kids I didn't want it too strong - but it did need a little more flavor/kick http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/251242/squash-red-lentil-curry/

i was walking on my way to yoga class and my phone was stolen from me. someone on bike took it. It was nice phone but I am not too upset about the phone - I am worried about my memory card. I had a lot of personal data there, including ESTA for our US trip with so much details - I am worried about potential identity theft. I am trying to erase it remotely but they have it off line!

That is awful I hope you are ok and that nothing bad happens with your identity.

It has cooled down! Finally!!

Still no rain. This is killing everything here, I have never seen Germany so dried out. Normally even in the summer it is quite lush here. Not this year.

Glad to hear it has taken a cooler turn for you

 

[glss1/2fll]

@4Mickeys I made a similar pasta dish the other night! Mine had zucchini, mushrooms, and tomato with provolone cheese. So yummy.

Our neighborhood park had a big event today. They did it last year, too, but we were out of town. We were supposed to be out of town today, but things changed that were beyond our control. It was fun to see all the different booths, and since it was a neighborhood thing, I saw tons of people I hadn't seen in a while. It was nice to get caught up. And it brought my step count up to a respectable level!

 

[HappyGrape]

". It destroys the general feeling of safety one has."

That's how I feel @Flossbolna

I am finishing the week at about 3110 deficit. I am behind target about 390 calories for this week- not too bad, still have chance to make it! 2460 first 5 days

-5570 current deficit vs -6000 target. at 12 days I am only 460 calories behind target - I may be able to make up for it later

considering the week I had I am ok with that result. I had to work yesterday, I haven't done my cooking or cleaning - I am so behind with everything. I had lovely bodybalance class but tired and feel... drained from busy work and negative emotions.

 

[Flossbolna]

Happy Monday!

I hope all of you have a great start into the week! It's Motivational Monday!

We are nearly at the half way point through the month, so a time when it is easy to start losing that momentum from the start of the month. So maybe it is time to think back as to why we started. Or maybe it is worth to think about a new reason to keep going because the original one is not fitting any more?​

 

[Flossbolna]

I have to say that I am sometimes thinking that I need better reasons for what I am doing. I know that my main goal is to be healthy. But what does healthy really mean? Certain things you cannot really influence very much. I had an accident on Saturday where I banged my ankle on the dishwasher door while loading it. Saturday evening it was hurting like hell and I was wondering if I needed to go to the ER on Sunday. Luckily it was fine again on Sunday. I do know that weighing less has a positive impact on my general well being though and that's worth it.

I struggled a bit over the last days, so my numbers weren't great. That's what happens when you replace dinner with going crazy over a package of wasabi nuts... BUT I turned it around and the weekend was great again! I ran on Saturday (after the ankle accident before it started to become so painful) and am scheduled to run again tomorrow morning. We will see how that goes. I also finally made a meal plan again! This week a lot of my colleagues are on vacation, so I am planning a number of packed lunches. This will be great for tracking my calories, too!

August week 1: -4002
8/8: -598
8/9: -244
8/10: -322
8/11: -667
8/12: -701
total for week 2: -2532 still on track for the 3500 goal for week 2!

 

[Oneanne]

It was kind of an up and down weekend, at least emotionally. I've been super stressed at work, having taken on the extra responsibilities without the transition support that was promised. But going to see Mama Mia again helped to let some of that stress go... so that'll be my motivation to jump in and tackle the week, which has a couple challenges in it.



A downer from the weekend was that I got some new clothing in the next smaller size and it looked awful when I got home and tried it on (I hate trying stuff on in the store). The jeans technically fit but looked bad and the two tops were too small. Arggggg.... it just reminded me about how much farther I have to go.

On the positive side, I have this 'rule of two', in that whenever I hear something twice in a short amount of time I know its something I need to pay attention to. Last week two people mentioned the book 'Wheat Belly' to me, so I finally got it and started going thru it. I do hold all my extra weight in my belly, my arms and legs are really rather slender in comparison. I had been thinking I needed to reduce carbs to lose the belly weight, which was painful since I've been enjoying the seasonal fruits so much. But according to the book, just eliminating wheat/gluten will make a significant difference... other carb sources need to be managed but not eliminated, which is quite a relief. So my focus for this week is to consume no known wheat/gluten, and I did that successfully yesterday.

Hello Monday... here we go again!

 

[sjrec]

After six weeks I find I do need to remind myself how sloggy I felt before losing 10lbs and how much better I will feel another 7 or 8lbs down. I also have to remind myself there’s nothing I can’t eat, I just have to plan for it. Feeling like I can never have a glass of wine is too discouraging. Just not every day!
Oneanne, I hope you don’t stop eating your seasonal fruits! The water and fiber will help you feel full and they are good carbs!