So, it is a lazy Saturday early afternoon here and while I need to go into town at some point, I thought I get caught up here first!
I am in a fantastic mood today: My puffiness has vanished and I have a progress report!!
Progress so far: 40%
The best thing is that a) I am back to the lowest number I saw before Christmas (when the Christmas eating started and then the thyroid problems resurfaced) and b) I am at a BMI of 24.7 now!!! So, I am no longer overweight!! Now I need to make the rest of the month count as well and hopefully by the time the puffiness leads to water gain on the scale it will at least not go over that magical barrier into overweight again! It would be so fantastic to stay below 25 from now on!
The one thing that scares me in this regard is that my foot is giving me problems. My ankle is hurting on the inside and it does not seem to want to go away. The interesting thing is that it does not hurt when I walk, but kind of in odd movements and now sometimes when the foot is resting. I have decided to not go running until this is better, which is a bummer and I am already scared what this will do for my race on June 2. If I don't see a huge improvement by Tuesday (Monday is a public holiday here in Germany) I will go and see a doctor about it.
QOTD:
Since the article that
@Zoesmama03 posted was so inspiring (here is the link again:
http://www.vox.com/2016/5/10/11649210/biggest-loser-weight-loss) for me and the one thing that spoke to me was the idea that it is important to find the healthiest lifestyle that you can be happy with:
What changes have you made to your lifestyle that you are happy with despite thinking that this is something you would not be able to do or would not enjoy to do? And if you haven't yet made any change that falls into this category, do you have an idea of what change you would like to try out?
For me it definitely is eating vegetables. I used to hate most vegetables. I would eat tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, cucumbers and carrots (but only raw). I have started to try out new vegetables over the recent years and have found that I love so many more, from squash to broccoli, red peppers or eggplants. There are still a few that I am not so keen on (green beans and cauliflower)
I stopped telling myself that it will be hard, that I just love all food sooo much, that I will always struggle. That I am a foodie and that I enjoy eating large portions of not so healthy food.
And let myself focus on what the healthy food I love and enjoy
This is an important change to look at it from a positive point of view!
I never thought that I would enjoy walking so much. It was not love at first step for me. My first week or so of 10,000 steps was a bit of a fluke, but once I saw I had a streak going, I decided to continue on. It was hard and inconvenient. I felt like walking took up all my time and my feet hurt every morning from the day before, but it got easier and easier and now I really enjoy it and could walk for hours every day (if only there was time for that!)
I often wonder if I would be the same with running (which seems impossible to me right now). Would I gradually begin to like it, then love it? Maybe, but for now I am happy with my walking!
Who knows, one day we will all meet up for a Disney race!!
I have switched to eating fruit for breakfast and I love it. The only problem I am having now is I am only eating between 700-850 calories a day now. I used to eat pop tarts, sugary cereals and stuff like that. The fruit is a big change. I feel better in the morning now then I did in the past.
Fruit is great for breakfast as it gives your body quick energy and also has fiber. No wonder that you are feeling better than with the sugary cereals! Have you thought about adding some dairy to your breakfast, this way you can eat a few more calories (850 sounds very low) and also add some calcium and protein. It could be anything from a glass of milk or a piece of cheese.
I think running has been something that I never enjoyed and I never thought I would enjoy. Actually, I don't even think I would say I "enjoy" it currently, but I can tolerate it much more now and I like what it has been doing for my weight loss. I've run 3.1 miles 4 of the last 5 days, and that is something I could never do when I was 300+ lbs.
The next change that I need to make is strength training. Hopefully I start doing that again once my summer break starts.
I think that is exactly the point: Success doesn't happen with effort, so our life will always include things that we can tolerate. But if we can tolerate them enough to keep them up, then that is what we should be doing.
I also like that you already have your eyes on the next challenge!
Running is definitely a big deal - I never thought I'd be able to run, and even though running hasn't made the weight come off the way I hoped it would (which probably has something to do with all the eating I do), it's definitely made a big difference in my life.
Even if you are not losing weight, running certainly helps you be a healthier person!
That article is so interesting and definitely makes me feel a little better about my ups and downs. No, the weight is not coming off like I hoped it would, but DH are in an adjustment period where we are finding new healthy choices without completely abandoning things we love. We are definitely foodies!
Leading a healthy lifestyle is not quick and easy fix, it needs time, to get to know yourself and your priorities and it sounds like you are on a good way there!
Great question! Like
@Dr Gunnie I never though that I'd be able to run more than a 5K. I've done 6 half marathons so far this year -- a year ago I never would have thought this possible because of the weight and the inability to push myself for the challenge.
It sounds like running has really become the thing you do now! Amazing!
Yesterday was the first really hot day. I split my time between EPCOT and DHS, taking the boat back and forth. I did the left side of Future World, something I've skipped the past few trips. I rode Test Track with a Dad and young son who were having a blast. And rode Mars with some teenaged girls who screamed the entire time, they were actually a lot of fun as well. I was going to do EMH at MK last night, but after my hotel break didn't feel like going out again, so vegged out on HGTV instead.
This morning it's been AK, starting with Saffari at RD. It was one of the nicest rides I've ever had, everyone was so quiet and reverent. There was one giraffe standing so close to the road that it could have been petted had anyone reached out, but we all sat still in total awe. Flights of Wonder is next, after that I'm not really sure. This has been such a full and satisfying trip I've done everything I've wanted.
Sounds like you had a wonderful trip! Isn't it fun to have other people on a ride with you who are really getting into it? This is one of the things I love about Soarin that people regularly clap at the end it is great to hear how everyone loved that ride!
I think the article really brings home what I have found to be true. We should not enter the process of weight loss thinking of it as a "diet". It really needs to be a complete lifestyle change if we want it to work. I had many ups and downs before I found success. I'd lose five pounds and think yeah, I can eat a gallon of ice cream. What I had to learn is that I did not want to give up anything. Instead, I needed to learn to eat all my favorites in reasonable amounts and portions. For me, when I finally found success it had nothing to do with "a diet". Literally Nothing. What worked was me deciding on a lifestyle makeover and sticking with it. So I started with the exercise first, and then cleaned up my diet bit by bit. And don't get me wrong, my food choices are not totally clean now, but they are "cleaner" and I am far more aware of what and how much I am eating.
The most unexpected bonus for me was enjoying exercise. I first starting exercising simply as a means to an end, figuring I'd be able to cut back when I lost weight. A friend and I were lamenting our very social young daughters missing their brothers as they started preschool. She encouraged me to join her gym where they could hang out in the child watch for an hour while we exercised (she also knew I wanted to lose weight). That went well (after a few separation anxiety episodes) and I was going to the gym using cardio equipment while my already super fit friend went to boot camp classes. I was not ready for those, but a month or so later she also encouraged me to try spin classes in the early mornings (545 am). She knew that I was self conscious, and that instructor kept the room mostly dark and the music loud, so you didn't hear people struggling. I fell in love with spin classes
They vary greatly by instructor, but this one played a great selection of music and it was a super hard workout that was still so fun I enjoyed it. I eventually felt fit enough to take those boot camp classes and that was a proud day for me
I also learned I absolutely love strength training and it made a huge difference in my body composition. That 545am teacher taught a later class that was part spin part strength, and I credit all my arm definition to those classes
I never thought I would be someone who enjoyed exercise. I have a lifelong history of asthma, and physical activity has been a struggle at times. But as a kid and into my mid 20s, I stayed pretty skinny despite my lack of exercise, thanks to genetics. I am so glad to have found my gym and the people there, it made exercise something I looked forward to when I needed it most. I have been a member for 6.5 years now, and members come and go, but my favorite instructors are still there and I still enjoy it.
I then moved briefly to triathlon and finally settled into running as my main exercise. But I know even if I had to stop running for some reason, I have come to love and depend on exercise and I would find something else I could do.
Thank you for sharing your story, it was really interesting to read about your process! And it shows how important a good support is. Your friend who got you to the gym, the trainer that inspired you.
And yes being active leaves you wanting to clean up your "diet" to better fuel the things you started to like doing. What has happened to me in the years is falling of patterns and habits. I like going to a gym but if I'm left to do stuff at home or whatnot I struggle to find time even when it is there.
Sometimes realizing why we fail is already a big step in the right direction! So good to hear that you are back at the gym and excited about it!
So far the biggest surprize has been pilates. I have a history of signing up for classes or even joining gyms and then either never going or going a few times then talking myself out of it. This time it really seems to fit and I'm kind of starting to crave it. I don't have any athleticism (that I'm aware of), but am finding I am pretty tuned in to what my body is doing or not doing, and am able to make the adjustments and corrections needed. Totally unexpectantly I'm finding that having to concentrate and listen is giving me a mental break as well. I found the same thing happened in archery class the other day... Staying focussed blocked everything else out.
It sounds like you have found a really good fit for you! And getting a mental break is one of the reasons why I enjoy running, for me it does exactly this.
For those looking to read more about significant weight loss, a friend of mine lost more than 175 pounds about five years ago and managed to keep the weight off!
He was an inspiration for me
http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/07/29/nevin.weight.loss.irprt/
Thanks for sharing this! It really is very inspiring to read about his success!
Hey friends.... crazy busy here.... so sorry to be so MIA this month!! Worked yesterday and last night, then left before 5am this morning to drive to DD's school to pick her up. By the time I waited for her meeting (took a nice walk on campus) and such, we didn't get back home until 2pm. Then of course, right into laundry, etc because believe it or not, she is going BACK to school for the summer tomorrow night! Yup... she is home for less than 48 hours! I'm going back with her and we will get her packed up and then moved on Monday afternoon to the summer apartment. But she has to work Saturday/Sunday so that's why she can't stay home longer.
Hope you are having fun with DD! It sounds like your daughter is just like you with signing up for a million things!
There is no way I will go at the gym - there is heat wave in Ireland! It may be the only sunny days we are getting this year! Walking to work, walking back from work, walking on my lunch and I will take my son to the park or beach tonight!
Hope you enjoyed your sunny Ireland!!
We are having a cold wave - it is 12 degrees Celsius currently (I guess around 50 Fahrenheit). At lunch time. But it is sunny at least!
So far the biggest change I have made is getting out of bed early in the morning to exercise - I never thought I would do this - I have always been a sleepyhead and found it hard to get going in the mornings. So it has been a pleasant surprise - I think it is also due to the type of exercise I have been doing in the morning, the company of good friends that push me gently when I need it without being judgemental (kind of like you guys) - like this morning I didn't take my board, I just didn't have the energy to load it and figured I would just walk up and down the beach between our other activities - wonderful friend with her stand up paddle board said have a go on mine we can take turns - I was like no its cool I don't want to fall in (her stand up board is tippy and it can be hard work to stand and stabilise) - but she wasn't having any of it - she said so just kneel you have to do it look at the water its like a mirror today you can't miss that! So on I hopped - and being on the water was just what I needed - it made me feel so peaceful and reassured after my day yesterday. As it gets colder I know it will be harder and harder to keep getting out of bed in the dark -but am determined to keep going.
This is a great story! And you really have some wonderful friends there!
I hope you will be able to keep going even when it is darker and colder! You already are at the point where even when you don't have the energy to load your board, you still go there in order to get at least some exercise. I am sure several months ago, you would have been more likely to just not go out at all!
Friday QOTD:
Let's talk about being active! And active besides specific exercise. One of the big lightbulb moments for me was that one issue a lot of people have when trying to lose weight is that they add in exercise (gym, running, cycling, swimming, whatever) and then are tired from it and as a result become less active in their daily life and therefore the effect of exercise is diminished. So, let's talk about non-exercise activity, things you would do for fun!
What are three physical activities besides your regular exercise routine that you enjoy - it does not matter if you do them regularly or not or if they are even ones that you have never done, but would like to try. It does not have to be something that would be considered a sport, just something that gets you moving!
I love hiking, so this is definitely a big one for me. I used to do it more, but I am kind of lacking my hiking company now. Hopefully this will change again!
I love swimming in the sense of just hanging out in the water, splashing around and so on. I really love to swim in lakes and there are a number of swimming lakes around here, so I really should try to get out there more this summer!
And finally - and this is an odd one - shopping. My town here has a large area in the city center with shops on several pedestrian only streets. So, one of my favorite things to do in the weekend is to walk into town and browse the shops. There might be a purpose, but often I am just looking at stuff. It is amazing how many steps one can collect walking through shops.
I sometimes over do it in the gym and end up tired, starving and no energy for doing anything else. Learning to be lower my enthusiasm little
Yes, I fell into that trap once and was so annoyed that my weight did not come of. I find that my fitbit really helps with this as it helps me to still get plenty of activity. It tells me when I spend too much time on the sofa.
Changes.... definitely MUCH more active.... although I have slacked off significantly over the past few years, but when I started making these changes in 2008, I GOT ACTIVE! I even became a runner for a few years and while I didn't love it, I LOVED the feeling of accomplishment it gave me. Trying to convince myself to get back to at least a LITTLE running again.
Biggest change had to be in my food.... very rarely do I eat out of emotional reasons any more. I weigh/measure and track NEARLY every bite (except for the occasional weekend splurge or vacatoin). Yup.... been tracking my foods for 8 years and don't plan to stop any time soon. And it makes me HAPPY because it keeps me at a weight that I am happy at!!
I hope you can get back into running. Maybe you should just follow your own advice and set a strict schedule for it. Plan your exercise like you plan your food? You are doing so great with the tracking, so you know that you can do it with other aspects, too!
I enjoy kayaking (usually only have the chance at the lake during summer vacation), snorkeling (tried it in 2008 and didn't enjoy it, but did it last fall in Bermuda and fell in love with it!), and walking/hiking with friends. Walking alone is so boring and barely tolerable..... but when I have a friend along (most often that would be DD, DS, or Dmom), I feel like I could walk and talk forever!...................P
I actually went on a hike on my own in Yosemite and was surprised how much I loved it! Made me consider actually venturing out on my own now and then. But in Yosemite it was a route with lots of other people. Not sure I want to hike through the woods here totally on my own.
I also love to mow the lawn. I know I am crazy. I think my husband and I are the only two that will ever fight over who will cut the grass. Growing up in the summer I would cut the grass everyday. The front one day and the back another day. My step dad loved this. My husband gets off of work at 3 (and he works from home) so he has decided to cut the grass before I get home.
This is funny!!! But kind of the thing I had in mind when asking my question!
Tough question. I've always wanted to do kayaking and my son wants to try it too, so we looked into renting a two person kayak sometime in the next few weeks. This weekend would have been perfect (no much planned), but the weather is supposed to be cold!!! Maybe we'll get out there toward the end of May.
Hope you get to do it soon. It sounds like a great bonding experience for father and son!
Our weekly
Disneyland adventures have helped mask exercise as a fun activity. Let's be real - running is fun but can be tiring on muscles. We've switched up our Disney date nights to have us walk more - no tram from the parking structure and we tend to do more walking than rides. Preplanning food helps too - so we know where we're at for calories.
We can usually get an extra 10,000 steps (or more) by just heading to Disney. (And OF COURSE our wallets are also exercised
)
Well, we other can just be green of envy...
You really are lucky!!
The trip is winding down... The Tragical Express comes in about an hour so I'm just sitting in the food court chilling. Went to MK last night and did a few more things... Managed to avoid the parade (not a fan) by hanging out in Fantasy Land and to watch the fireworks from the bus stop so I was a step ahead of the hordes. This morning I went back over to EPCOT and spent time with the fishes, saw Crush, which they've updated for Dory's new movie, and rode The Land again. Took a boat back to Morrocco and bought some bell chimes in Japan... They are going to sound lovely on the front porch. Caught the tail end of Voices of Liberty, but the show was down so I made my way around to the front, stopping in Mexico for a little air conditioning.
Sorry that the wonderful trip is over! But hopefully it gave you lots of energy to get back on track when you are back home!
Just popping on - working on my commitment. I read a bunch and wish I could speak to all of you! I've regained a bit more focus today. Parents flooded house situation has calmed down. End of school year crazy activity level.
Happy to hear that the situation with your parents has improved! This sounds really stressful! Good to hear that you have regained focus and once the school year is over, you hopefully can be totally focussed again!
We will leave for San Diego around 7am or so depending on when I get to sleep tonight.
Have a great trip!!
Can I ask questions to the group?
What are your favourite meals that you find very satisfying hunger and healthy & tasty right now? It could be snacks too
Of course you can!
A few of my healthy standards are:
- my morning muesli which is made from chopped fruit (currently I am using strawberries, but whatever is in season goes in there), 40g of rolled multi-grains (oat, rye, barly and spelt) and 150g of 1.5% plain yoghurt
- whole wheat pasta with fresh tomatoes: chop up some tomatoes (I usually go with about 400g just for me, but I am a big portion eater and the pasta is usually only 60-70g), then heat up one teaspoon of olive oil in a pan over mild heat, throw in some minced garlic, let it warm up, then add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and let it cook. before serving add some basil leaves, toss the sauce with the pasta and maybe add some grated parmesan cheese.
- oven baked veggies: cut up whatever you want to throw in (my favourites are sweet potato, egg plant, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers), toss it with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, maybe some herbs and bake it in the oven.
- snack: an apple and a small piece of parmesan cheese
- I also have recently started to experiment with vegetarian recipes that feature beans. Often they say that you should serve it with a starchy side, but I just get more of the bean dish and add some cheese for the protein and don't eat it with rice.
to say the least. So I am happy to say that my progress so far for May is 30%.
No exercise! No time. I've got to at least add a few minutes of crunches/push up/something. I've been working on stretching for my sore back. MD said I was super tight everywhere esp quads/hip flexors. I'm doing an amazing stretch for that now - wooo yowza!
