JUNE W.I.S.H. Challenge - Looking Ahead

[Zhoen]

Hello, Dearies!

Today wasn't all that great - I woke up in the early hours with a headache - which I still had when I got out of bed - I was going to do my first school visit today - but when I got downstairs they rang to say the student was absent - I took that as a sign that I was meant to stay home today!

Sorry to hear you weren't well, but good move staying home!

So Sunday was 'weigh in' day for the program I am doing and I have lost 2.7Kg or 5.95 pounds in 3 weeks

That's awesome!!!

I'm also dreaming about how healthy and energetic I'll be for my WDW trip next Spring, and all the cute clothing I'll be able to wear

When we went on our last trip (3 longgggggg years ago now.... <SOB>) I worked really hard to get my weight down and train to be strong enough for all that walking... won't lie, it felt pretty awesome to "have to" buy all those new clothes for the trip!

Ok, so my motivation for this week is... NATURE!

As in- it's getting HOT out there, and all the plants are going crazy, the bad more so than the good, so I really *NEED* to get out there in the mornings and evenings and do what I can to get the yard under control. This morning I got a lot done with the front yard, clearing up a dead area and putting down some scraps of leftover sod, then scruffing up some of the ubiquitous moss and throwing seeds down, then watering all that in on that side of the yard. (Totally not a good time in the season for seeding, but this is the soonest I had time/energy/motivation, so better than nothing!!!) Then I went to some garden centers after dropping DD16 off to see her friends... (not safe, since you KNOW they'll sit too close and not wear masks, but she's got cabin-fever and really needed to get out.) I found plenty of trouble to get into, with yarrow, echinacea, lemon balm, chamomile, and vervain to go into the herb garden and delphiniums to add to my flower garden. Also foxgloves for DD16 to put in, which is really a big moment for me, because I've been waiting 10+ years for the girls to be old enough that I could have them (digitalis is a powerful blood-pressure medicine, making the plants dangerous and toxic if you ingest them.) I mope a lot lately that my babies aren't "babies" anymore, but there ARE silver linings...

Right now I'm sitting inside hiding from the hottest part of the day, eating chinese hotpot that I made at home... tons of veggies, little bit of meat.... too much salt, but it's yummy. I added rice noodle for DD13's bowl, but those have no real nutritional value aside from calories, so I skipped those. Tonight we're doing leftovers, and I am thinking of taking my leftover steak from father's day yesterday and doing it up with corn tortillas for street tacos... totally on a cilantro kick right now... I put fresh cilantro over my hotpot just now, too... it's such a summer-y flavor!

I was in such a hurry to get working this morning before it got too hot that I forgot to do my Monday weigh-in, so I'll do that tomorrow, I guess. I am looking forward to the moment when my clothes all start feeling looser, like Oneanne, but nothing yet. <le sob>

Ok, my bowl is empty and it is after 3, so I guess it's time to get back to work.... at least I'm getting plenty of vitamin D, right?

 

[Summer2018]

Topic Tuesday: Stress



"Studies show that stress is often associated with increased food intake. Even worse? People tend to reach for high-fat, sugary-filled foods when they are stressed. These foods inhibit areas in the brain that produce the stress response and stimulate those areas that produce feelings of well-being, which may explain why we are prone to reach for such unhealthy foods when we are under stress. Knowing this, we should focus on preventing stress and finding healthy strategies to cope when we do feel stressed." -Noom

How do you combat stress?

 

[Summer2018]

I stress-eat like it's my job.

Since starting Noom, I am learning to adopt healthier behaviors.

1. Walking on the beach.
2. Talking with friends/family.
3. Praying.

I still relapse to old bad behaviors, but I am getting better at replacing bad habits with good ones.

One day at a time.

 

[4Mickeys]

How do you combat stress?

Ahhh yes - Both hands up from me for stress eating my way through the first 3-4 months of this year with my best friend chocolate! So I am in a transition phase where I am trying to find new ways to cope Walking is helping - on top of that walking by the beach with the ocean to watch and listening to music is helping. Hmmm I guess talking or texting with friends to share frustrations. Working from home at the moment is helping with stress management by reducing some of the time crunch in a normal work day. Trying to really hard to focus on the elements of stressful situations that can control or have an effect on and learning to let go of the things I can't.

It got cold here overnight - I have put the heat on tonight as I just could not get warm! We are having a cold snap for a few days - I know my little cold snap is nothing like the winters some of you have - but it's cold for me

 

[MickeyMom76]

The reason I started was always for my future. I’m ok now, but I want to make sure I’m ok for my kids and possible grandkids for as long as possible. I once read that the average person gains 1-2 pounds a year. So I did something about it and lose 25 ponds. Then I gained about 15 back. Then I lost them again. Now with Covid, I’ve gained all 25 pounds back. So time to do something about that again!

As for stress...please refer back to my previous statement of gaining all 25 pounds back. I clearly am a stress eater! I also am a stress exerciser if I can find something I enjoy and set a goal. So I’m enjoying bike riding and made to goal to walk/run/bike to OBX (400 miles) and I’m crushing it! But then I sit around eating as vacation after vacation gets cancelled . Oh yeah, vacation planning is usually a stress reliever for me too.

So yesterday, was the opening of the Disney World Park Pass reservations for people with a hotel reservation and tickets. I still have mine planned for September with my son, but still not sure we’ll actually go. But I still lost a few hours of my life trying to get online to make those reservations.I got what I wanted. But then started to get a little bummed about if we’ll actually go or not. I started to crawl back into bed to binge watch Netflix (which also usually includes bad snacking). But my neighbor with a new pool texted and invited me over to her pool. Saved!!! It was so peaceful and relaxing! Just what I needed

Time to go for a run with my daughter and then a bike ride before it gets too hot!

 

[sjrec]

If possible, I have to remove myself from the kitchen area. If it’s later in the day I will go upstairs to read or watch tv. During the day I will sit outside and lately I have been going for my walk around 2 or 3:00. In the winter I will make a big mug of mint tea. And I know this sounds terrible and counterintuitive to all the expert advice-but sometimes if I’m having a stressful day I tell myself at 5:00 I am making a martini and sitting on the deck. I have a small glass and I fill it with ice, but honestly, I sip that drink for at least an hour and I sit and think and sort myself out.

 

[Oneanne]

View attachment 503409
The reason I started was always for my future. I’m ok now, but I want to make sure I’m ok for my kids and possible grandkids for as long as possible. I once read that the average person gains 1-2 pounds a year. So I did something about it and lose 25 ponds. Then I gained about 15 back. Then I lost them again. Now with Covid, I’ve gained all 25 pounds back. So time to do something about that again!

As for stress...please refer back to my previous statement of gaining all 25 pounds back. I clearly am a stress eater! I also am a stress exerciser if I can find something I enjoy and set a goal. So I’m enjoying bike riding and made to goal to walk/run/bike to OBX (400 miles) and I’m crushing it! But then I sit around eating as vacation after vacation gets cancelled . Oh yeah, vacation planning is usually a stress reliever for me too.

So yesterday, was the opening of the Disney World Park Pass reservations for people with a hotel reservation and tickets. I still have mine planned for September with my son, but still not sure we’ll actually go. But I still lost a few hours of my life trying to get online to make those reservations.I got what I wanted. But then started to get a little bummed about if we’ll actually go or not. I started to crawl back into bed to binge watch Netflix (which also usually includes bad snacking). But my neighbor with a new pool texted and invited me over to her pool. Saved!!! It was so peaceful and relaxing! Just what I needed

Time to go for a run with my daughter and then a bike ride before it gets too hot!

I made day reservations for my September trips as well... knowing it's a 99% chance I'll be moving the trip to March when they open up the 2021 dates for booking in a couple days. I signed in a couple times and got the castle waiting screen and it wasn't important enough for me to wait, so I signed back out. In the afternoon I tried and got right in and got reservations for all days without any issues. I figure it was good practice, and someone might get lucky when I release the September dates.

 

[Zhoen]

How do you combat stress?

I read this at 6-something this morning and thought, "It's WAY too early for hard questions!" So I went and worked in the yard, instead. And now, with the delphiniums planted, the cucumbers trellised on a frame made from invasive bamboo and lashed together with invasive grape vines (reduce, reuse, recycle?) and everything watered for the moment... now I'm all hosed off and hiding inside from the heat for the next few hours...

But while I was out there, the garden gave me a good answer for this question... When I am stressed, I try to find the root of what is causing the stress. A lot of time for me, it's not the actual situation, it's all the underlying tangles. Then I see if there's anything I can do about it. If not, I try to make the best of it, and a lot of times, like sjrec said, just stepping away is the best course of action. I heard once that your subconcious keeps working on the problem even if you move on to other things... don't know if that's true, but I do know that sometimes you just have to take a break and come back later.

My favorite stress buster is exploring. Can be actual travel, taking a different route somewhere, reading a new book or series from a favorite author, going a crazy research bender on the internet, or going out yard-sale-ing... obviously the first and last one haven't been much of an option lately, but there were a few sales last weekend, and things are slowly opening back up here.

Oh, and since I forgot to weigh in yesterday, I did that this morning. 1.2lbs down, not sure if that is good because I had a bit of junk food over the weekend, or bad because it FEELS like I'm doing a lot out in the gardens lately. Since my current lifestyle is clearly not supporting a 2-pounds-per-week goal and I don't want to go any crazier than I already am, I tried resetting my goals on sparkpeople to reflect 1 pound per week as the goal, now it is saying I've lost zero pounds... yay technology.

 

[Summer2018]

But while I was out there, the garden gave me a good answer for this question... When I am stressed, I try to find the root of what is causing the stress. A lot of time for me, it's not the actual situation, it's all the underlying tangles. Then I see if there's anything I can do about it. If not, I try to make the best of it, and a lot of times, like sjrec said, just stepping away is the best course of action. I heard once that your subconcious keeps working on the problem even if you move on to other things... don't know if that's true, but I do know that sometimes you just have to take a break and come back later.

Profound.

 

[Oneanne]

I reach for the sugar and numb myself out. I also have the chewing reflex where I need to eat things that are crunchy. It has been very interesting to navigate the past few months not being totally numbed out, and learning to recognize emotions and stressors. While on furlough if I got stressed I had to move, get out for a walk, I need to remember to do that and not reach for food. Another new-to-me thing I've been doing is to talk about it. I've been behind in something's for work and beating myself up about it, and finally "confessed" to my manager... her response was that she's hearing the same thing from everyone and just do what you can. Dang, I got caught up in my own "not good enough" trap again and didn't even realize we're all under the same pressure.

Last night I had a very distressing dream about MIke, he had gotten out of the house and was so frail and fragile but wouldn't come to me or respond to my voice, and I couldn't quite catch up to him even tho he was wobbly and barely moving. I haven't been sleeping well the past week, so I've decided to stop taking the supplement I had added for hormonal support, because I think that might be the cause.

I did OK with back-to-basics yesterday, the one area for improvement is that I munched on cashews throughout the day... not a good choice for me, so I packed them away and won't do the same today.

 

[sjrec]

I did OK with back-to-basics yesterday, the one area for improvement is that I munched on cashews throughout the day... not a good choice for me, so I packed them away and won't do the same today.

Oh, Oneanne, cashews have been/are my downfall so many times. I carefully count out a portion and end up returning to the container over and over. I can limit almonds but cashews are the devil.

 

[Oneanne]

Oh, Oneanne, cashews have been/are my downfall so many times. I carefully count out a portion and end up returning to the container over and over. I can limit almonds but cashews are the devil.

I know! Cashews and Macadamia nuts both., any other nut I have no problem with... well ,except for the Honey Pistachios...

 

[Summer2018]

Oneanne, I'm sorry that you had such a sad dream about Mike. Processing grief is so difficult.

 

[PollyannaMom]

How do you combat stress?

Get lost on the DIS, of course!
Walk the cats.
Or put on a Hallmark movie and veg.

the cucumbers trellised on a frame made from invasive bamboo and lashed together with invasive grape vines (reduce, reuse, recycle?)

Love it!!

 

[Summer2018]

 

[Summer2018]

My Woo Hoo is that it is finally summer in the Northern Hemisphere!!!

Summer is my favorite season, and during those long, freezing winter months, all I can think about is summer.

 

[sjrec]

It’s been a good week so far-decided to go back to meatless meals one or two nights a week. Last night we had roasted vegetables in pasta sauce over cheese ravioli. I have three raviolis and my husband gets six. He also gets bread. Hope doing this and eating seafood at least once a week is a boost to my weight loss efforts.
We’re headed to the beach tomorrow for a few days-will pack some things and do carry out one night. Maryland is allowing people to eat inside restaurants now but I have no interest in doing that yet. Looking forward to walking on the beach and in the bayside park. If the beach isn’t crowded will bring my sand chair and a book.

It’s a beautiful day today-I’m sitting on the deck listening to the birds and enjoying the sunshine.
Have a wonderful day, everyone!

 

[Oneanne]

Woohoo...

... my new bookcase came and it's perfect, fits the space just like I thought it would and solves the too-many-books and too-many-plants problem rather nicely.

... going to my Sister's at the beach for 4th of July, for a bit it sounded like there were going to be six people, which made me feel uncomfortable, but two have backed out, so now it's just four and two will actually be staying in an RV in the driveway, so much better and now looking forward to it.

... had a cashew free day yesterday, but was high on calories due to having ravioli for lunch.

... stopped taking the new supplement yesterday and did sleep better last night but still had some pretty lucid dreams. It'll probably take several days to get out of my system, but at least it seems to be the answer.

 

[MickeyMom76]

Woohoos:
- I am down a pound
- I am enjoying my bike rides and getting outdoors
- my son started baseball practices again last night
- I am sleeping better
- I think I finally have a low key family party planned for our twins 16th birthday (still need to figure out friends...which we were going to skip because we were planning on going to Mexico instead of having a party, but COVID happened, so...)

 

[Summer2018]

Woohoos:
- I am down a pound
- I am enjoying my bike rides and getting outdoors
- my son started baseball practices again last night
- I am sleeping better
- I think I finally have a low key family party planned for our twins 16th birthday (still need to figure out friends...which we were going to skip because we were planning on going to Mexico instead of having a party, but COVID happened, so...)

It all sounds great!

I'm sorry about your trip to Mexico being cancelled.