We're half way there - JUNE WISH month of motivation

[4Mickeys]

Hello all I will be your host this month.

As we reach the halfway point for the year our motivation may start to take a dive - especially with summer break impending for those of you in the northern hemisphere. Don't lose sight this month is to keep you motivated towards your monthly and end of year goals.

All are welcome we discuss anything that helps us on our healthy journey at times with a big helping of Disney of course.

Introduce yourselves, let us know you goals big or small all are a step on your healthy journey - share as much or as little as you like.

Heads up for those who don't know me but I join you from Australia - so I try to get my post timings as close to your dates/times as possible - but if one is missing there is a slight chance I fell asleep! Hang in there with me it won't be far away - that hasn't very often when I host.

And so to kick off our June motivation a little song from one of my favourite Disney Princess movies

Each weekday we'll have a different topic that I'll post, following the following schedule.

Motivation Monday
Topic Tuesday
Woo Hoo Wednesday
Topic Thursday
Free-for-All Friday (potluck)

 

[4Mickeys]

JUNE'S PARTICIPANTS:

@4Mickeys
@HappyGrape
@Flossbolna
@lovesmurfs
@Oneanne
@glss1/2fll
@DisLiss








FUTURE HOSTS: Calling volunteers to take the lead and chat it up with us
July:
August:
September:
October:
November
December:

 

[HappyGrape]

saving myself a spot, although I will be in Orlando for 1/3rd of the month!

Friday random thought

Do you sometimes feel sorry for yourself when you decide not to overindulge? It's great to remind myself sometimes, that actually feeling good about myself feels better and eating some foods or larger meal doesn't feel fun as soon as the meal is over. I find myself lately in need to work on my thinking and focus on the positives of eating healthy and in moderation, compared to impulsively eating.

I feel a lot more sorry for myself when I feel too full or my blood sugar is all over the place.

Example someone brought freshly backed cookies in the office. Few people went for it, some crumbled them over oats. I found myself wondering how nice would the cookie taste and I felt sorry for myself for a minute.

I had to remind myself that if I have the cookie that early in the morning, before breakfast I will end up wanting more cookies. I will probably go over my calories, or wonder should I shouldn't i have another. I reminded myself that i have done well maintaining, that I will feel so much better if I don't have the cookie, that it's kind of awesome how I know I don't need the cookie

I felt great for my choice when I shift the focus from I wish I can have it to am I not great for not having it. The temptation was gone and I felt mini burst of good feeling.

 

[Flossbolna]

I am here, saving my spot!

I am not sure yet what my goal is going to be besides trying to move, track and therefore moving my weight into an healthier direction... I had a difficult month during May with surgery and being sick afterwards (unrelated to surgery). But I went for my first run in some weeks yesterday and I hope to keep that up! I am still biking to work which I feel is good for me. The eating is causing me some trouble. Made a questionable choice at lunch today and also had some cookies! I was not as good as @HappyGrape and I have to agree that I do feel more sorry for me now for eating them than I would have the short moment when I would have decided not to take them...

@4Mickeys Thank you for hosting!! And thank you so much to @lovesmurfs for hosting the last two months!!

 

[lovesmurfs]

@4Mickeys - THANK YOU for hosting!

I’m totally in. I’m committing to 5% of my body weight, which is 11 pounds. The last two months have been an exercise in maintenance (sigh) and I need to get the ball (or scale) rolling again!

I’m Cheryl and live in the Chicagoland area. I’ve lost 81-83 pounds since September through calorie counting and step tracking with my FitBit.

Happy Friday, one and all!

 

[HappyGrape]

@Flossbolna, i hope you are feeling healthier this month and your recovery is going well. Saying yes to cookie is also ok, but they arrived in our office at 8 am! Way too early.

 

[Oneanne]

I'm in for June. Thanks @4Mickeys for hosting.

My goal for June is a bit fuzzy - it's to feel as good as possible for my trip to Alaska.

That's going to mean dropping a few pounds: I'm not going to assign a specific number, just that some weight needs to come off to feel more comfortable. I also need to make better food choices, meaning reducing dairy, gluten and sugar. Last week I did my first massage in forever and finally got back to the chiropractor for the first time in 6 months - I need to keep doing both of these in order to reach the "feeling better" goal.

The trip was really good... it involved a lot of walking around the facility and going up and down stairs. And I did always take the stairs and not an elevator - well done me. While there I had a flare up of an reoccurring issue that's plagued me the past year, which is one of the reasons why "feeling good" has become my theme for the month - I don't want to go thru the same thing while in Alaska. Heck, I don't want it to happen again period!

The gal who did the green-drink-a-day challenge has a 21 day challenge coming up, but before it there's a four part on-line workshop. The first video is up and I'll watch it tonight, then plan out my grocery shopping accordingly. I really like this quote of hers, and am going to make "ease" my word of the month.

 

[glss1/2fll]

I'm here again. Thanks very much 4Mickeys for hosting this month. I am so grateful to the wonderful folks who step up to help us all!

Well, I'm just going to do the usual log all food and reach my step goal. As I mentioned at the end of last month I'm feeling the need for some type of change, so will probably add something else, too. Just not sure what, yet.

In crushing news my Tuesday/Thursday o'dark thirty class has been cancelled for the summer. I'm really disappointed but suppose now I can sleep in twice a week!! At work a couple of us who live nearby were talking about walking together this summer. Maybe that'll happen those days. One of the gals and I used to walk early in the morning years and years ago!

Tomorrow I hope to do some menu planning/go grocery shopping and buy some yummy healthy foods. I might make cinnamon rolls Sunday. I want a breakfast treat that I can just take out of the freezer and eat on the weekends with a cup (or four) of tea. Cinnamon rolls aren't the best, but they would be better than pop tarts or a Costco muffin! I have Greek yogurt and some oatmeal with berries weekdays so want a change on the weekends. Does anybody have ideas for breakfast treats? What do you have for breakfast on the weekends?

 

[DisLiss]

Still working on baby steps here. My goal this month is to wear my Fitbit every single day, and to increase my average daily steps each week by at least 500 steps. Truly baby steps, but I don't want to make a goal I cannot reach and I do not want to risk any more injuries. I've just had too many past injuries lead to more weight gain instead of the weight loss I was trying for.

 

[HappyGrape]

Wonderful day yesterday. We have family over from UK and I had to pick them up at the airport and spend the day in the city. I bought some pre chopped fruit as early breakfast. Found a breakfast spot I felt everyone will like and I asked if I can have egg white omelette and they were happy too even thought it wasn't on the menu. We did some sightseeing and left them for few hours. We went for some holiday clothes shopping followed by lunch. Lunch was disaster in terms of food quality but I remained sensible. After lunch we went to food market nad the boys had a lot of treats, and I had lovely organic apple and box of cherries! Win!

For dinner we were in my mil and SIL had lovely salads made, I had two full plates of salad (no dressing) and few slices of turkey and for dessert - chopped fruit, and two tiny bites of the home made dessert.

I think I had about 26500 steps, a lot of sun, so much fruit and veggies and about 2100 calories worth of food vs nearly 3000 burn.

I wish I am as sensible and happy to eat healthy every day, it's not that hard really - it's all mindset. I need to work on my mindset more and try to keep the positive attitude without getting into big feel sorry for myself moments as I do each winter.

 

[4Mickeys]

I will be in Orlando for 1/3rd of the month!

Jealous - but hope you have a great holiday!

Do you sometimes feel sorry for yourself when you decide not to overindulge? It's great to remind myself sometimes, that actually feeling good about myself feels better and eating some foods or larger meal doesn't feel fun as soon as the meal is over. I find myself lately in need to work on my thinking and focus on the positives of eating healthy and in moderation, compared to impulsively eating.

Yes but I think it shows just how much as a society we have changed to eat for celebration and taste over fuel and needs. It is a battle that we are all dealing with I imagine. Plus when we see everyone else indulging and we are the only one or one of the few trying to stay strong it just reinforces that idea that we are missing out! Its hard but in those moments we need to draw on the bigger picture and remember the ultimate payoff for why we don't indulge in the cookies or overeat the mac'n'cheese is so that we aren't feeling sorry for ourselves when we have aches, pains, illness, are out of breath climbing the stairs or looking like a stranger in a photo

But I went for my first run in some weeks yesterday and I hope to keep that up! I am still biking to work which I feel is good for me.

Glad to hear you are feeling well enough to start getting back into activity

he last two months have been an exercise in maintenance (sigh) and I need to get the ball (or scale) rolling again!

You got this - hopefully the yummy summer foods and more daylight will help you with your goal this month

I'm not going to assign a specific number, just that some weight needs to come off to feel more comfortable. I also need to make better food choices, meaning reducing dairy, gluten and sugar.

I don't think a specific number is always necessary and can sometimes lead to disappointment. If you have trouble getting a handle on reducing all three - Maybe use your inspiration approach for the month and Embrace Ease by reducing just one to start with - when you feel you getting a handle on that reduce the next one.

n crushing news my Tuesday/Thursday o'dark thirty class has been cancelled for the summer. I'm really disappointed but suppose now I can sleep in twice a week!! At work a couple of us who live nearby were talking about walking together this summer. Maybe that'll happen those days. One of the gals and I used to walk early in the morning years and years ago!

It is so disappointing when an activity we enjoy and do with other people isn't possible anymore - I hope your walking plans work out for you instead

Still working on baby steps here. My goal this month is to wear my Fitbit every single day, and to increase my average daily steps each week by at least 500 steps. Truly baby steps, but I don't want to make a goal I cannot reach and I do not want to risk any more injuries. I've just had too many past injuries lead to more weight gain instead of the weight loss I was trying for.

Baby steps are good - it is better to make small sustainable change than big changes that you can't stick with - hang in there you got this

I think I had about 26500 steps, a lot of sun, so much fruit and veggies and about 2100 calories worth of food vs nearly 3000 burn.

I wish I am as sensible and happy to eat healthy every day, it's not that hard really - it's all mindset. I need to work on my mindset more and try to keep the positive attitude without getting into big feel sorry for myself moments as I do each winter.

Sounds like a great day - Winter can play with everybody's mood and motivation.

 

[Arazia]

I'm a few days late chiming in here.
For those who don't know me, I go by Zia and I live near Chicago. I've struggled with my weight all my life, even when I was a child. I've dieted before but personal/emotional issues usually put a halt to that and my weight would creep up again. Now, I'm in my mid-thirties and I know I need to make a change now. I started my weight loss journey in mid-april, and as of today I am down 23lbs (257lbs for Sunday weigh-in).

My official weight as of the 1st of June was 258.8lbs, which met my goal for the month of May. There were lots of times I didn't feel as if I was going to make that goal at all, especially when the first few weeks when I started doing exercise, the scale refused to budge, but I seemed to make up for it the later weeks of the month, which is good!

I've got a big show coming up in early July out of state, so my time is going to get more and more limited this month, so I'm hoping to squeeze in exercise where I can, but I know that I may end up having to prioritize work over exercise. I'll be sticking to the calorie counting and dieting though. Not sure if I want to make an official goal this month, as it stressed me out a bit in May when I was having trouble meeting my goal. So what I'll say is that I want to continue on my diet plan, and make sure I exercise for at least 30 minutes for 2-3 days every week.

 

[piglet1979]

I am in for another month. I disappeared last month. Work and life just got really busy with the end of the school year and activities. Work is jut busy because this is our really busy time and it will go until about September. I am used to it since this is my 11th summer doing this. I should be able to get on here a little bit more this month.

Lat month my goal was to lose 5 pounds. I lost about 3. Not bad. I am still down. My goal this month is to lose 5 pounds. I will have more time to get more exercise int his month so I think I can do it.

 

[sweetpeama]

Hi I am Tammy and this month my goal is to walk. Last month it was to weigh less at the end of the month and I made it by .8 of a pound but still it was a success though a small one. Due to my health conditions I am needing to keep my walking goals small and not over push myself least I end up being grounded yet again. I started back on May 25 with a walk goal of 500 steps with plans to increase it by 50 steps a day until I reached 2000 steps then stay there for up to 3 weeks to get my body adjusted and starting the increasing again up to 4000 steps continuing until I reach 10000 steps.
My results have been all over the place due to some days having extra things to do though with having a few busy days in row I am paying for it today and am having to stay on top of my pain medications and anti inflamatories. Ahh the joys of living with fibromyellga especially when you have so many medication allergies you can't take much more than over the counter products.
5/25 Goal 500 steps actual 564
526 Goal 550 steps actual 206 that were measured because I didn't realize till late in the day my pedometer was not moving even though I know it is 20 steps round from my chair to the bathroom and I took numerous trips thanks to water and herbal tea drinking so actual was close to if not slightly over my goal
5/27 Goal 600 steps actual 1343 Steps
5/28 Goal 650 steps actual 842 steps not bad for it raining and we all ended up inside my cousins house for his youngest child's high school graduation party. Had a blast and I did have a slice of red velvet cheese cake which was so yum.
5/29 Goal 700 steps actual 799 Steps
5/30 Goal 750 steps actual 762 Steps
5/31 Goal 800 steps actual 866 Steps
6/1 Goal 850 steps actual 1748 Steps
6/2 Goal 900 steps actual 3357 Steps and I am paying for it on my pain levels today-most of it was making 2 trips to walmart ( first to get stuff for the small animal meeting, and then a 2nd to get some clothes that 13 year old has out grown of everything she owned in that necessary item and while we were there we got some groceries for the house, and than later a trip to Albertsons to pick up the few things that I didn't realize we needed for a recipe plus a couple of oh since we are already at the store we will pick these up items.
6/3 today my goal is 950 steps and I think it will be a stretch to be going much over that number especially since I am being told off by my body for over doing it. Let's say if I was a Disney it would be rent a cart for me day and take it very easy and slow in order to enjoy the day.

 

[glss1/2fll]

So I've added lunges and squats before bed each day. I was actually in bed last night when I remembered I hadn't done them. Hopped out of bed and whipped them out. I used to do planks before bed but if I forgot I wasn't very motivated to get on the floor once I was in bed. Lunges I think I can handle in my jammies! Just got back from a walk so I could make sure I had my steps in. I totally forgot that I was booked solid today with activities that mostly involved sitting. I'm glad DH agreed to trek around with me for a few thousand steps!

@sweetpeama I really like your sensible approach to steps! Keep up the good work!! I have a couple friends with fibromyalgia and they both say it is so important to walk every day. They find it keeps some of the other aches away.

@HappyGrape your day sounds lovely!

 

[4Mickeys]

Motivation Monday –​

Hello all

Here we are half way through the year – where did the time go??

What is motivating you to achieve your longer term goals – where you want to be by the end of the year?

​

What is motivating you this week? Is it a fun new workout song, new or old favourite workout clothes, for those of you in the north the fact that summer break is fast approaching and that means swimming weather, a recent achievement that has inspired you…

​

 

[4Mickeys]

I'm a few days late chiming in here.

Its never too late - Welcome to the June chatter

I am in for another month. I disappeared last month. Work and life just got really busy with the end of the school year and activities.

Glad to see you back I hear you this year has seen me dropping in and out due to work and general life demands.

Hi I am Tammy and this month my goal is to walk

Glad you are with us again too Tammy - and you're right a loss is a loss and it means you met your goal for last month

So I've added lunges and squats before bed each day.

They sound like great additions to your routine - and they can be done anywhere - in the kitchen between stirring things on the stove brushing your teeth, you would even lunge your way to the fridge from the couch - to get a drink of WATER of course

 

[4Mickeys]

I need to remember to do my own contributions when I am hosting!

My goal for the month is to add some movement - Looking at the steps history in my phone depending on the days it can be very low - under 1000 and then ranges up to 3000 to 4000 - so I will aim to get 5000 steps at least 4 days per week.

I will also continue to focus on eating more fruit, focusing on serving sizes and healthier choices for food in general - but won't make that my official goal for the month.

What is motivating you to achieve your longer term goals – where you want to be by the end of the year?

As I shared last week - my end of year motivation/goal is photos with my son for his high school graduation.

What is motivating you this week?

Motivating me this week is that in just over 2 weeks is my niece's engagement party and I would like to weight less than I do right now - other people may not notice yet but I will know.

 

[Arazia]

What is motivating you to achieve your longer term goals – where you want to be by the end of the year?

This week my motivation is simply getting things done that I need to do. I need to get my prep-work done for my sales next month. I need to make progress at my 9-5 jobs. I need to call my doctor and schedule a follow up from the test I did two weeks ago. Everything I manage to squeeze in and make progress on is enough to make me feel like I'm moving forward.

As for the end of the year, my hope had always been to get my weight down below my lowest adult weight before my trip to Disney. For me, that's around 235lbs (that's another 22lbs before then). It's amusing, because we're halfway through the year and I'm halfway there as well. I want to go into my first ever Disney trip and enjoy myself without feeling like I might not fit on rides or that walking with exhaust me. So getting there and being lighter and more fit is my ideal. After that, my hope is to continue losing weight and eventually get to just being overweight instead of obese, but that's a much longer road.

 

[piglet1979]

What is motivating you to achieve your longer term goals – where you want to be by the end of the year?

DH and I were talking about this last night on our walk. We don't really work on calendar years. With work and the kids school we work more on a school year calendar. With that said next year we both turn 40 at the of July. We both want to be healthier and at least looking as good as we did in our earlier 20's. I was only like 95-100 pounds and he was about 130. Right now I am at 146 and he is a little over 200. Neither one of us want to back to our younger weight. I think 120 is good for me but just want to be eating healthier and I want to be stronger.

A shorter goal for me is to down to 135 by the cruise. It will be a fight to get there but I am determined. Also on the walk last night I talked about wanting to get 13,000 a day but it is so hard for me to during the week. He already gets up and walks in the morning so we decided that I would join him. This is a big deal. I hate mornings and I don't really wake up to good. Even for work I wait to the very last second to get up and then run around the house for 10 to 15 minutes getting ready before I run out the door. I am proud to say i got up and got in 30 minutes of a walk this morning. I even pushed DH to go as he trying to skip this morning. He is a morning person and never needs an alarm because he wakes up between 5 and 6 every morning even on the week ends. If I keep this up I think I will be looking good to hot my goal.