A friend came & stayed with us - we went to a medieval event near us. My first big thing since the pandemic started! I did okay, but by 5 I was exhausted and worn out. Sunday was a day of doing the bare minimum b/c I was just wiped out. Still not my normal self this morning, but I'm getting there.
I'd been ignoring a volunteer position I have for nearly a month. Ouch. Today I put on my big girl panties and checked the email. I'm behind, but it isn't terrible.
Take care.
My feelings have been all over the page this week. Feeling good, active, nailed my kettlebell workout Wednesday. Had a stupid argument with T yesterday, dreading my kettlebell workout today, some big changes at work (new boss, team moving to a new department) have me feeling anxious. So all over the page.
But a new (this time) low on the scale: 188.7. Yay!
Have a good weekend!
As much as I love having guests and going out of town, guests for 6 days after 2 years of lockdown AND a beach trip did a number on me. For two days I felt like a highly anxious zombie and I have struggled to get back into my routine. Good news is that I'm up 0.2 pounds from where I was before we left. I can live with that.
I lifted weights this morning for the first time in 2 weeks. Ouch. I've cooked even when I didn't feel like it and chose a salad when we met my in-laws for lunch Sunday. Life is full of stuff (good and bad) that will throw you off your routine. The trick is learning to ride those waves without getting too far off course.
Take care!
Lovely weather and I am enjoying my visit. Eating is pretty good but there is no scale so no idea whats going on there. No worries, I'll just keep on doing what I know to do and check in on Monday.
Take care!
Well hello!
No, I haven't fallen into a vat of cheese dip or anything. Last week my son & gf came up for a couple of days and they helped me knock off some chores around the house that required a pickup truck.
We got rid of the old sofa (new one being delivered Friday), donated an old desk, moved my desk to a different room, set up the new desk we bought, painted and redecorated our home office (formerly the dining room), installed security cameras.... You get the idea. The before & after of the home office are up over at runs for cookies blog if you are interested. We are both very happy with how it turned out. All of the art was from around the house - stuff that wasn't being used and a couple of pieces from a different room. I'm big on shopping my home when I want to change things up.
A friend came down yesterday and we are headed to the beach this afternoon. So don't expect to hear a lot out of me! But no worries, food & exercise are going well. The extra sunlight gives me such a boost!
Last week I was down 1.4 pounds - so doing good!
Take care!
Been a long, stressful week. Personalities and politics - they are all around us, at church, work, hobbies, whatever. They can be tough at times.
Down 1.4 pounds. Amazing.
Take care.
I'm still here - is anyone else????? :-)
Between having a friend visit from out of town, cooking at church, a meeting for church, etc. etc. it's been a crazy week! Work has been busy too - we had a critical team member out for jury duty! Thankfully he wasn't selected.
It's going okay - working out with the trainer tonight - working with her and my husband! It's a first, so we'll see how it goes.
Anyway, not much to report - scale seems to be inching down. Fingers crossed!
Take care. I can feel spring around the corner!
Did I tell you guys that we had to have some sub flooring replaced in our bathroom? Ugh. Today is day 3 of contractors in the house. I'm tired, my chihuahua is freaking out, and its been a rough week. Last night was take out burgers from Ruby Tuesday. Up a half pound. Sigh.
I have a friend coming for the weekend and I'm too tired to even be excited.
I had Monday off, so yay for short weeks!
Kicked my butt with my kettlebells this morning, invited T to meet me at the gym after work for cardio. Contractor is going to be here today to replace some of the subfloor in our bathroom. Cha-ching. Good times.
Take care.
Had a great time at the beach - saw friends, celebrated my son's birthday, spent time with my mom. I was down a pound from when I weighed before we left, so yay! My weight has been stalled out for 3 or so weeks, I'm ready to get moving again!
Kettlebells are progressing. Spring is nearly here!!! So things are looking up.
Take care.
I am still up a pound from last Friday. UGH. Oh well. Headed to the beach after work today, so nothing but crickets (probably) until I get back.
Take care you guys. Spring will be here soon - with warmer weather, more sunlight, and hopefully and attitude adjustment! LOL
Ah, the vagaries of the scale!
We went out Friday - I had a salad, 1.5 stuffed shells, and left the bread alone. I was up 2.5 pounds the next morning and I'm still up a pound! And I was good! ARGH.
Oh well. I nailed my kettlebell workout this morning and my lunch is portioned out for today and tomorrow and I logged the calories. Tonight I am making a nice meal at home (I despise going out on Valentine's).
Despite the scale, it's going to be a good day!
Take care.
It's supposed to be 67 today! Yay! Lost 1.1 pounds this week. Not every meal is optimal, but overall I'm doing pretty good.
Have a great weekend!
I ate fast food for breakfast yesterday and dropped a pound. Go figure! Weights are going well, grateful its getting warmer (more outside walks!), still don't love yoga.
Working on eating more oatmeal, meatless meals, and vegetables.
Take care.
Not much to report - eating is going okay, exercise is going okay (except yoga, but I keep trying!). Needing to get some subfloor replaced in the bathroom we had remodeled. Sigh. It's always something, isn't it?
My son's gf has covid and is having to cancel a planned trip to Mexico with friends. I have a birthday trip for family planned up to Biltmore in April. I can't wait to have a vacation.
Winter stinks.
Take care.
Amazon replaced the kindle (yay!). After 3 days of reading my book on my phone, I realize how spoiled I've become! Dog is fine. Husband hasn't shown any symptoms (fingers crossed!). We had a pretty good weekend. We went to the pool twice, which was awesome! And I worked out with my trainer Friday. It motivated me to up my kettlebell workout a bit.
I sorta did yoga twice. Sigh. I want to like it....
Going to crack down on the snacking so I can start making better forward progress again.
Take care!
Been a week - insomnia, kindle dying (its was a Christmas gift), husband exposed to covid, dog throwing up. Calgon take me away.
Down 0.7 pounds this week. Not great but I'll take it.
And I'm not talking about Phil! My weight is back up to where it was last Friday. ARGH.
On the plus side: I did yoga yesterday and I am on week 2 of restarting my kettlebell habit, AND Sunday T and I went to the pool and did 40 minutes of water aerobics. So yay to exercise!
Monday night my anxiety was really high and I did some serious binge eating. I have better stress relief strategies, and thankfully I'm using food less. But still - work in progress.
Take care!
At the beginning of the year, T and I sat down and mapped out 30 & 90 day goals. My 30 day goal was to weight 193 by the end of January. I started the year at 200.8. I hit 193.2 yesterday (down a pound from Friday)! Go me!
Now to keep it going!
Well, now weight loss this week. :-( I didn't gain any though, and after 3 straight weeks of losses I guess I need to stay positive and focus on the big picture, right?
Now, here's to staying the path over the weekend!!
Other than struggling to get back into a workout routine, nothing to report here. Snow maybe tomorrow (yuck), new sofas are crazy expensive, food is okay but I'm so tired of cooking, and a clean bill of health at the dentist.
I am posting this because I have a bunch of focus work to do this morning and I don't want to. Lol
This morning I took a shower, fixed my hair, put on a little eye make up, and I'm wearing yoga pants (as opposed to fuzzy fleece pj pants). between being sick and the icy road conditions, I've really struggled the past couple of weeks. But today is warm-ish (for winter - its supposed to be 55) and I'm feeling better. More frigid weather tomorrow, but my plan for today is to get outside and soak in some sun.
Take care.
I picked up a kettlebell this morning, for the first time in ages. It was humbling.
Got a long night's sleep last night and I'm feeling a bit more energetic today. Still going to take one more day off exercise but plan to try yoga tomorrow. I am getting out and taking the dog on shorter walks, but it's cold out there!
Down 1.6 pounds this week. Not too bad. Did I tell you guys about Sunday? I make these really good homemade jalepeno poppers - a mix of cream and cheddar cheese with garlic powder and then wrapped in bacon and baked. So good. I have been craving them! So Sunday I made a big batch and had those for snack and then dinner (along with a cup of vegetable soup so I got some veggies). I totally enjoyed them! My digestive system.... not so much. Apparently 6 ounces is beyond my body's safe threshold for cheese. My hemorrhoid (keeping it real) finally stopped objecting yesterday. Next time I will space them out more. Lol
Anyway, we may be getting more snow tonight/ tomorrow. Ugh. Is it spring yet?
Take care.
Even the "mild" omicron variant of covid is no joke. I'm vacced and boosted, but my lack of energy is serious. Today I managed to walk the dog for our normal loop for the first time in over a week. It's 3/4 of a mile - I normally do it several times per day. After doing it once I am tired! Besides a nagging cough, the lack of energy is what seems to be hanging on.
No exercise is happening, so I'm just trying to watch what I eat.
Take care.
I know over the years I've written many times about mom and I going to Georgia to visit my great aunt. She passed away Friday at the age of 102. It's a blessing for her, but sad for us. She was a wonderful person.
First off: Thankfully we had less ice and wind than expected. It's still a sheet of ice out there in the yard & driveway, but once you get to the main road it isn't bad. Or so I've been told - I haven't gone anywhere in forever. Going to do yoga today! I have been a slug. I'm feeling better but my energy still isn't great.
My PCR (non rapid) covid test came back positive. I can't say I'm surprised. Having lived this, I realize it's pretty much impossible to follow the CDC guidelines. Let's break it down:
2 Jan - go to party for FIL
6 Jan - Told someone at party has covid. Okay, you're supposed to quarantine for 5 days after exposure, but I didn't find out until 5 days. Per CDC, if I don't have symptoms it's okay to go out with a mask.
11 Jan - not feeling well.
12 Jan - take rapid covid test (results are negative). Go about your life, citizen.
16 Jan - get notified my PCR test is positive. I'm nearly over the thing now! Feeling much better, slight cough and a bit on the tired side.
In the interim my husband has been going to work, I've gone to the store, etc. Given the communicability of this variant its totally understandable why it's running rampant. I'm not saying I have any better ideas, but I can see why nothing short of a near lockdown is going to stop this variant.
Take care of yourselves!
Feeling well enough today to actually take a shower. Still not 100% for sure, but a bit better. Which is good - we are supposed to have a storm Sunday. I have no idea why, but I don't want to be sick and have to deal with a winter weather storm. Jim Cantore is apparently on the way. Sigh.
Not much is new. I did love 2.7 pounds this week - just not hungry. No exercise, yoga is out the window. Maybe in a couple of days.
Take care!
Back to ye old grind. Weekend was busy (a little too busy honestly). We took down Christmas, did laundry & errands, cooked at church Sunday. We did a couple of fun things Saturday - we got some lunch from a fast casual place (Zoe's Kitchen - Mediterranean food. Tasty & easy to make a good choice.) and we went to an RV show. A fair number of unmasked people, but at least if folks were going into an RV, they waited and went in as family groups, v. piling in with a bunch of strangers. I realized Friday I was really starting to feel the strain of being home all week and need a change of environment.
Weight was up a pound today from yesterday - no idea why. Anyway, still doing yoga, still doing Noom, still plugging away at those healthy choices.
Take care.
I think I mentioned the surprise birthday party my SIL had for my FIL last Sunday. 17 people. 17!! I knew it was inevitable - we were exposed. My SIL has covid. We found out last night. And I suspect our experience is typical: you are supposed to quarantine 5 days after exposure, then if you have no symptoms you can go out as long as you are masked. But of course it was 5 days before we found out we were exposed! (She took a test Wednesday evening). T has to go into the office, which he has been doing all week. Thankfully neither of us have symptoms. He called his boss last night and she gave him the green light to go in (masked of course). Given the complete lack of masks and the positivity rate in our state, I suspect herd immunity is around the corner if the medical system can hold up under the strain.
On that note, my mom decided to postpone her knee replacement surgery that was scheduled for 3 Feb. She doesn't feel good about having it done right now and I don't blame her. She's looking at late April.
It's Jan 7 and I have done yoga 6 times. It's not getting more fun or easier, but that's just too bad. I need to keep at it if I want any progress. So I will keep taking my proverbial medicine. It's 20 (or so) minutes a day - I need to stop being a Wendy Whiner and just do it.
Food has continued to be pretty much on point and I am down 2.4 pounds this week - go me!
Take care.
Covid is everywhere! From my friend's toddler testing positive, my personal trainer (thank goodness I haven't seen her since before the holidays!), one of my team mates (thank goodness we're remote!), everyone seems to have 1 degree of separation away from multiple cases. It's nuts!
I am going out as little as possible and wearing an N95 face mask when I do. I have plenty of workout equipment and resources here at the house, so really no excuse. Yoga may never be my jam, but when I reach over to tie my shoes and feel how tight my legs are, I know I need it. I found a good series on Amazon Prime called "yoga therapy" with a gal names Lindsey Samper. She offers sessions for low back, neck & shoulder, stress relief, etc. I really like her a lot! That makes it easier. Once I work my way through that maybe I'll try something a bit more/ longer.
Food is okay - after the great pizza debacle the other night I am back on the straight and narrow. Lol
Take care!
Yesterday I hit the wall of "nope." No yoga, no fixing dinner, just no. Did what needed to be done at work and called it a day.
I'm feeling better today - I think all the work I put in last week caught up to me. I guess I needed a day.
Take care!
The holidays were really nice. I was off last week and was able to get a lot accomplished around the house! I packed up too small clothes and organized what does fit, as well as cleaning out drawers, organizing jewelry etc. T did the same thing, so that was good. We were both out of sorts this weekend, not at all on the same wavelength, lousy communication. All we could do was laugh about it - no one's fault - we just kept on not understanding what the other was trying to say. It was comical in a way. Yesterday his sister had a surprise birthday party for his dad. There were a lot more people there than I expected, so I wasn't very happy about that. Given covid cases right now and my mom's scheduled surgery, I don't want to take any chances!
What else? I committed to doing yoga every day this month and T agreed to ride the exercise bike 20 minutes per day. So far we have a perfect record! ;-) I'm back on Noom and I'm already back down 3 pounds - so yay!
Happy New Year!
I am back from the beach. it was a lovely holiday, but I ate all the things and now I'm so ready to get back on track!!
I am off work this week and I am using the time to get the guest room ready for my mom's post surgical stay (she's have knee replacement surgery). I have packed up 6 rubber maid totes of clothes (too small) - I will check back with them in 90 days.
Originally I was going to come home Sunday but the weather was so lovely (sunny and 78!) that I chose an extra day at the beach. No regrets, but this week is going to be busy and some projects will not get checked off my list. Oh well.
Hope you are enjoying your holiday season.
The last few days at work before the mass exodus, lsat minute holiday stuff, preparing to leave town. I'm here, things have just been nuts.
I hope you have a safe & happy holiday season!
So glad its the weekend! This week has felt LONG!
Wrapping the last of the gifts, doing a few things around the house. doing a fun Christmas-y activity, and my husband is getting confirmed in the Episcopal church. So that's nice. :-)
Have a good weekend!
How do I set my life up so that healthy choices are easier than bad ones? That's what is on my mind today.
I'm tired of pushing the rock uphill, so how do I remove the hill? Things like meal planning and prepping. Today we are having leftover chicken enchilada casserole for dinner and a salad (easy). Lunch is leftovers (easy). Path of least resistance - eat what's already prepared.
I also need to do most of my workouts in the morning By evening (at least this time of year), I'm tired and full of excuses. I am donating blood this afternoon, so in addition to walking the dog (which I typically do 3-4 times per day), I knocked out 15 minutes of step aerobics this morning. Yep, talk about old school! But I have a video I love that is broken out in segments so I can both build up and mix it up.
Also I'm super angry that and idiot/incompetent/corrupt judge and DA dismissed a very strong case against a woman brought up on charges of dog fighting and animal cruelty for the third time!!! I'm sick, angry, and would love to form a team of Charles Bronsons. Just saying. Go nextdoor app - maybe we can do something about this.
Take care.
This week.... ugh. Work is frustrating, I'm tired, and I'm just working for the weekend so I can have some quiet time with my husband.
The weekend felt very long - not in a good way. 14 hours in a 30 hour span spent in a car is a lot. But we went to Georgia and saw Alma - she is pitiful. Her body won't quit, but she really just lays in bed. It's so sad for such a vital woman to be like that. But we went.
Hoping for a quiet weekend this weekend.
Work has kind of blown up this week and it's been so tiring. I do 2 or 3 things off my list and the rest get pushed to the next day... every day. I am finally catching up a bit today. I have 2 tasks I don't want to do so I am rewarding myself by making earl grey short bread when I'm done with them! Lol
But I went to the gym yesterday and I'm meeting my trainer today. Tomorrow mom and I are driving 7 hours (one way) to go see my great aunt. Every time we go we wonder if its the last, you know? But mom wanted to be sure & get down before her knee replacement in February, so now seemed the right time.
I can relax when I'm dead, right??? Ha ha
Have a good weekend. ps Still no decorations up!
Well, we had a weekend. LOL. I cooked at church and we had more than we have been serving and more than I prepped for. That always makes for a tiring day. And a lot of folks showed up after we were supposed to close which is frustrating. At the same time I have a hard time turning anyone away. The folks that show up need a meal.
I have lights on the shrubs and lights on the tree and that's it!! I hope to have 'A' decoration up before Christmas. It's tough with T getting home so late, it getting dark so early, and our weekends being so hectic.
I indulged in a bit of emotional eating Friday night (ugh), but I will say that those instances seem to be on the decline. And I went to the gym Friday and today. So go me.
Baby steps.
I've been using the Noom app for a week or so. I do like it. I touch base with my coach 1/week and I am in a private group with a coach and a cohort of folks that joined Noom about the same time I did. The couple of recipes we've done so far have been good and it is encouraging my husband to eat more vegetables (a big win). So all in all, I think it is going to help us both - especially him. He's lost weight using Medifast but I'm not sure he's ever actually had a healthy lifestyle. And having him on board is going to make it easier for me.
My cold seems to be clearing up and I am planning to head to the gym tomorrow. I have my live tree in the stand - that's as far as I've gotten with Christmas. I'm hoping to get some stuff done this weekend.
Tomorrow for breakfast I am making "Morning glory baked oatmeal" - I'll let you know how it is. I've made baked oatmeal twice now and so far we like it!
Pepper - helping me make the guest bed! Lol
I've kept away from the gym due to my cold, but I have been getting out and walking Pepper around 3 times per day. Eating is getting better and my husband actually selected and prepped soem recipes to take to work!!!
Baby steps, right?
Hey there. I'm back but caught a cold somewhere along the way, so definitely not 100%. Thanksgiving was nice, the trip to see family was nice. I met a gf for lunch & some shopping Saturday. I had a couple of gifts for T, but nothing really special. Well, I found the special gift at a consignment shop while we were out. So that was cool! It's a tiki statue. He's really gotten into the 1950s tiki vibe, so this will look really nice down in the retro lounge.
We also got to see my son's new boat!
Weight is up a couple of pounds post holiday, but not too worried. I tried baked oatmeal for the first time this morning. I like it better than regular oats. Oatmeal is healthy, quick, and inexpensive - so it hits a lot of notes for me. I'll probably make it again tomorrow along with a couple of boiled eggs.
We actually didn't go to the beach! Lol. Oh well, I'll be back next month!
Take care. This is a stressful time of year. Let's remember to manage our expectations and not make ourselves nuts trying to make it all perfect, okay? That's for me too - cause I cried yesterday morning. For no reason except expecting too much from myself.
Hugs!
While we had a nice weekend, there was also a lot of sadness and anxiety that went along for the ride. We really enjoyed the van Gogh thing - it was a cool way to make art more accessible.
In any case, kind of a weird week, you know? My mom's birthday is Sunday and we are heading to the beach to celebrate. No one is making a big meal - T and I are eating out with his folks and mom & the gang are doing seafood. But since she loves my grandmother's cornbread dressing so much I think we are going to have that & a rotisserie chicken for her birthday dinner.
Have a good day!
Day 1 of Noom seemed pretty reasonable. Their food tracker is okay - I like Sparkpeople better but I need the total package. My coach reached out to me, so that's cool. Today I weighed 198.3, down a pound from the last time I logged it 2 weeks ago.
This weekend we are going to Asheville. A friend's mom (whom I also considered a friend) passed away and her memorial service is Saturday. We are meeting some other friends for supper after (I'm sure Roger will be busy with family). I booked a hotel, got a pet sitter, and our plan is to go to Biltmore on Sunday. Besides touring the house, they have that immersive van Gogh exhibit, so we are doing that as well. I prefer Biltmore in the spring (the gardens are lovely), but Tim loves it at Christmas. Since we are already there, I figured we would make a couple's get away out of it.
Workouts have been questionable this week, but I'm okay with that (for now) - I have had a lot of random crap to deal with so I chose to manage food instead.
Have a good weekend!
I've been having a hard time with consistency lately. It definitely feels like the missing ingredient. I feel like some additional accountability & perspective would be helpful. I was hoping to get that from the trainer but I just didn't. So I decided to sign up for Noom.
I've had a couple of friends use it and like it. It seems pretty convenient but supportive, so I signed up yesterday and today is my first day tracking. There are a lot of other components to it as well - I've read articles and set goals. I'll be working 1:1 with a coach. Even better is that my husband signed up as well!
I'm feeling positive and cautiously optimistic.
It was just a sad day Saturday. Found out Friday that my son's best friend got some not great health news (he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer back in February). I just felt so sad for him, for his family, and for my son. F's best high school friend was killed in a really tragic car accident a couple of years ago, and now his best friend is battling cancer. It sucks.
I slept crappy Friday and Saturday. Yesterday was a bit better, but I haven't been to the gym since Thursday. I did do yoga this morning and I slept well last night. Food wasn't great but it wasn't terrible. I have my food planned for the week. Unfortunately we are out of town this next weekend which means eating out a bunch of meals. Gah.
Take care.
I was so darn tired & cranky last night. I didn't sleep great but I decided to take a day off from the gym. And hopefully catch a short nap today.
Hope you have a good weekend!
Last night I was feeling whipped - we went out for dinner (grilled chicken & sautéed veggies). My stepson got a promotion at work but now will need to either get his car up and running (a 1998 jeep Cherokee that has been sitting for months with no plates or insurance) or we can give him my husband's car. We were planning to buy another new (to us) car for him in the next few months, but not this quickly. So we're feeling a bit rushed into making a decision. We'll see what happens.
I swam for 45 minutes this morning, ate a piece of catfish for breakfast (not a big breakfast food person), and ran a few errands. One of them was going buy T's old place of work - his old boss had a check for him. It was a bonus checked for $3000! With the car thing hanging over our heads, plus Christmas, that will be a HUGE help.
So there's my good thing for the day!
Take care.
Here's a picture I found on the internet and loved.
Nothing terribly exciting in the past 24 hours. I made Korean tacos for dinner last night - yummy and fairly healthy. I worked out with my trainer this morning. She was only 5 minutes late (she is NOT a morning person). It was a good workout. I got my hair cut. It's a gorgeous day so I took the very slightly (like, 1 minute) longer way home to enjoy a drive in the country and admire the fall leaves. I also got to drive past the folks that have a van in their driveway painted like the Mystery Machine - it never fails to make me smile.
So today I am appreciating the small things!
How about you?
The weekend seemed like it flew by!
Saturday I went to the gym and then we had lunch & ran errands. Oh god. We went to Costco and Target, among others. It's like every person in American has turned into that bratty toddler at pre school that likes to bite. I don't want to set foot in another store until February!!
I slept poorly Friday and Saturday nights - ugh. That meant I was really grumpy yesterday, which I hate. We did some grocery shopping, ate lunch, then went to see "Dune" in the theater and met friends for dinner. My husband really wanted to see it in the theater and it had been out long enough that it was not crowded at all. It was a good one to see in the theater, so that was nice.
Now it's back to the grind!
Here is my workout goal:
3 times per week for each of the following: HIIT, weights, swimming, and yoga. No, I didn't achieve that this week but I have made very good inroads! And if I only miss 1 or 2 items then I'm still doing great! Some things (like the kettlebell class at the Y and my workouts with the trainer) encompass HIIT and weights, so I double dip, but it also means some days I do 2 workouts - either at different times or back to back. So tomorrow morning I am going to swim and then go to yoga at the Y. That feels very doable for me. And the workouts may get longer/ harder as I go along. But that seems like a good balance to get me everything my body needs.
Weight loss this week wasn't awesome - a half pound. But I was back from vacation and sick, so I recognize that I'm still settling into better habits and I fully intend to pick up steam as we go! I'm feeling confident and strong. Getting ready to head to that double dip kettlebell class at the Y. :-)
Have a great weekend!
Seeing a mouse run across the floor in my office was the final straw. I told my husband we were having beer & wings for dinner!! Yes, it did make me feel better.
But today I am back at it and went to the gym at lunch and swam for 30 minutes.
I am having one of "those" days. It started with oversleeping, and hasn't improved. Nothing serious (well, except maybe the elections), but just a series of really pissy annoyances.
My plan is to methodically begin to organize my house. I'm feeling frustrated and that's at least something I can control.
In other news, my workout with the trainer was decent and my food is getting under control.
Take care.
I wish I'd remembered to take a picture of my lunch. I cooked 1.5 oz of protein pasta (150 cal), measured 4 oz ground turkey (230 cal) and then added 1/2 zucchini, 1/2 container of sliced mushrooms, and some marinara sauce. It's amazing how big your lunch is when it's mostly vegetables!
Not 100% from the bug, but I did manage a short (and easier) HIIT workout. Yoga later.
Take care!
Yesterday was a good day. I had a good workout with my trainer - we are starting to get into a groove. Food was pretty good.
Breakfast: steel cut oats with berries
Snack: medifast bar
Lunch: chicken breast, sweet potato, spinach
Snack: medifast biscuit, then 2 string cheeses and a diet soda later in the afternoon.
Dinner: adult beanie weenies (vegetarian baked beans with uncured turkey dogs). 1 Reece's pb cup for dessert.
If you'll recall, T wanted to do medifast - yeah, that didn't really work out. So now we have a bunch of the food left. Everything is pretty much 100 calories and balanced macros, so it doesn't matter if its the brownie, biscuit, soup, bar, etc. it's all pretty much the same nutritionally. So I'm trying to use some of it up when I want a snack. I am also sending some with him for work snacks.
So maybe not perfect, but a significant improvement! I did really well on my water too. I went to Goodwill and picked up a couple pair of pants (comfy black slacks and a pair of pink jeans) and a couple of tops for our vacation. I also grabbed some winter PJ pants and a fleece top for around the house.
Take care!
Here is a picture of my lunch from yesterday - baked chicken breast, baked sweet potato rounds, and sautéed spinach.
Good morning. We got back from our trip to discover one of the circuits in our breaker box was bad. Thankfully the electrician came out & swapped it out - not to expensive but stressful! Also thankful that the half of my house that lost electricity did NOT include my fridge!
Yesterday I went swimming - today is going to be a quick trip to the elliptical and maybe a yoga video at home. We are going to out of town for a few days starting Saturday. Mixed feelings about that. I'm looking forward to the trip but at the same time I'm afraid it's going to throw me off. Sigh.
It was good to go but it's nice to be home. I need some down time - I hope this trip provides that.
Take care.
Two things have changed that suddenly have my head in a much better place!
1) I finally figured out a time that I can meet with my trainer! Evenings are out since she is working a new full time job. She suggested 9 AM, but I'm supposed to start work at 9, so that was a no go. We finally landed on Wednesdays at 8 - it's a bit early for her but I'm only 10 minutes "late" signing in, and I log on earlier to check email etc, so its not an issue. So yay!
I found a new to me show that available on Pluto on demand called "Fit to Fat to Fit". I found it randomly changing channels at lunch yesterday and it has really inspired me and reminded me that I can do this!
Take care.
Step 1 is complete. Food is purchased & prepped so I have breakfasts & lunches for the week.
Breakfast is overnight oats with chopped fruit. Lunch is (sort of) these bowls: chicken tzatziki bowls. I've made the quinoa & chicken and then my plan is to chop the other veggies, add feta & olives and either this vinaigrette or my Amy's goddess dressing. I can serve them either hot or cold, depending on my mood.
I am struggling to get to the gym. I wrote out a simple (but not easy!) home workout, but of course I didn't do it yesterday. Le sigh. Oh well. I'm getting my pieces together and my anxiety seems to be lower today.
Take care.
Saturday we got away from the house for a bit. We'd hoped to head to the mountains but the weather there didn't cooperate. Instead we went out to lunch, went to the local science center, and I went to Kohl's to buy a pair of jeans that fit.
Yesterday we cooked at church. I also planned out my meals for the week as well as exercise. Trying to make me a priority.
This has been the week of too many spinning plates. From church obligations, T's colonoscopy today, marriage counseling, work, etc. it's been overwhelming. Add to that dealing with the feelings from our friends' home invasion and I have had a couple of times when my anxiety was through the roof. I've made it to the gym exactly one time, ordered Door Dash, and am skipping a college get together at the end of the month because of how I feel about my weight. I am full of self loathing this week.
I've got to throttle back and do some serious self care. Like, literally doing the things to take care of myself.
Like Christmas, I carefully curate my Halloween movie watching. Thinking about the "Fear Street" trilogy, the "Underworld" series, maybe "Little Shop of Horrors" and for sure "Trick 'r treat."
Let me add a disclaimer to my last post: the friends live nowhere near us and overall our neighborhood is pretty darn safe. But still, feelings aren't always rational! I'm discussing with my counselor tomorrow.
Schedules this week are kind of crazy - lots of unusual stuff happening and it's adding up to a wacky gym schedule. Sunday and Monday I did nothing, yesterday I walked for 15 minutes on the elliptical, and today will probably be something similar. I've been trying since Sunday to arrange a time to meet with my trainer, with no success. We set up a time which I need to rearrange (T has a colonoscopy Friday) but she isn't responding.
Yesterday I had a church meeting, today I get my covid booster (yay!), tomorrow I have an appointment with TSA to get the pre flight certification (if I'm flying for work this makes sense to me). Add a marriage counseling appointment tomorrow evening alongside of T's prep for Friday, Friday appointment, and then a get together of ladies coordinated by Elle of my beloved former gym later Friday evening. Well, you get the idea.
Add that work is becoming busier and more demanding (a good thing!), but it all adds up to a week that feels like it's full of spinning plates. Food yesterday was on point with the exception of scanty vegetables (I planned to have a salad for lunch, instead I ate a chicken thigh and never prepped anything else!).
I have the time to do more, but I lack the spoons to make it happen. Some days you settle for the minimum. That feels like the theme of this week. Trying to be okay with that.
Take care.
T is going back to band - which means practice Monday nights. Not a huge deal, but it's a change. Add to that we found out Saturday that some friends had been subjected to a pretty scary home invasion (Mike will need reconstructive surgery for a broken eye socket and nose) and being home alone last night - and going to bed by myself - was pretty nerve wracking.
So the weekend was a mixed bag diet-wise. I am doing better, but a couple of situations where i planned poorly or got over tired and made poor choices meant the scale stayed the same. Oh well, kind of a victory.
I scheduled with my trainer but am having to change - T hadn't let me know he has his colonoscopy Friday! Uh, since i need to drive you kinda important to be on my radar! Lol. How is it that men run the world again???? ha ha
Anyway, one big change is that I am making sessions at the gym a priority!
Take care.
Hello. Quick check in before I need to get back to work.
Let's see. Tuesday T got home late so we ate late which is why I missed yoga. I used the hot tub & sauna at the Y Tuesday morning and have been using the hot tub at home. I met with the trainer last night for a mostly upper body workout. I'm still sore, but not too bad. Tonight is yoga.
Things I'm not sure about: I like my trainer okay but she just started a new job and I'm just not sure our schedules are going to line up. So I may end up switching. Last night she asked me if I'd be willing to meet at 7 and I balked. I go to bed at 9:30 so no, I don't want to be doing weight lifting & HIIT until 8 PM. And I like seeing my husband.
Another thing I'm unsure about: I'm still on the fence about the scale. The trainer did weigh & measure me last night but I didn't look. I know my loosest size 18 jeans don't fit, so I know I'm big. I am gradually getting my habits under control. My counselor is suggesting I focus on the behaviors (eating, exercise, sleep, etc.) rather than the outcomes (my weight). If I don't use the scale, how do I track/ measure progress? So I don't know. TBD
That's all I got besides my allergies are kicking my butt. Take care.
I am meeting with my trainer again tonight. Still sore from Monday's class. Missed yoga last night. Don't care.
Ugh.
The class last night was deceptively simple - 13 rounds of the following: 8 burpees, 26 squats, 21 kettlebell swings. After 3 or 4 rounds, I cut them in half (at the instructor's suggestion). I was able to finish but boy am I sore today!!!
Something weird is happening over here. For the first time in 18 or so months, I felt more like myself today. I don't know how to explain it better than that. Maybe it's the weather, or catching up on my sleep, or dialing back my melatonin. I don't know. I just know I felt more myself today.
Weekend was good. Not super productive, but I took naps, had lunch with my in-laws, went to the Y for yoga Saturday morning, watched some football. It was good.
I'm doing a kettlebell class at the gym tonight. We are eating leftovers I pulled out of the freezer and I have no regrets. Lol
Still no decision about whether or not to get on the scale Friday. TBD.
Have a good week!
So far this week is pretty crazy.
Monday T thought he has a PT appointment and busted butt to get there, only to discover they were closed! (Turns out it's next Monday). I went to the Y for the TRX class - well, they have to have 4 people to hold it and they only had 3! One good thing is that while I was there I signed up for personal training. (I have my first session this evening. It's been years since I've worked with a trainer, but it's been helpful in the past. I'll report back!) ANYWAY. I thought "well, at least we can have a nice evening at home." Nope - turned out T decided to head to band practice (he used to play in a concert band 2 years ago but had to quit once he started working at the restaurant. So he went back to that. SO. I was home alone - I was a bit bummed about that but it was okay.
As an aside, he plays bass clarinet and said they have to wear masks while playing, which is hard!
Yesterday the outlet in the office was acting wonky, so I had an electrician out. He's back today to change out our old school fuse box for a breaker panel. Cha-ching. And the cleaning folks were here today (yay!). And the lawn people are coming this evening. Look at me, spending money like I have it! Lol. When I got the new job I knew it would be more demanding, and I knew that having cleaning and lawn folks would take a load off my plate. But the new panel (and the new outlets) are definitely an unexpected expense! Especially right after I paid for 10 weeks of personal training!!
Paula - I bought those noodle bowls at Aldi! They are my favorite grocery store.
I talked to my counselor this morning about the scale. The trainer (Olivia) is going to weigh me & take my measurements. I asked her NOT to tell me what I weigh. I will likely ask her to take the same readings at the 5 and 10 week marks. My counselor (we'll call her Laura) asked why I planned to get on the scale next Friday. I've been using it as a measure of failure and it's got my head messed up. This week I've made good progress in getting to a better place mentally, my sleep has improved, and my eating habits are getting better as well. With the trainer's help I am confident I will start to make some good gains in the gym as well. So maybe I should just focus on those things for now?
I'm so used to weighing. If I'm not weighing its usually because I'm doing badly. I dunno. I'll think about it.
I feel like things are improving in my little corner of the world, although the rest of the big world is still kinda crazy town.
Take care.
Yesterday was uber busy and I never posted. Overall things are going pretty well. I signed up for 10 weeks of personal training at the Y to give me some accountability and help ensure my butt gets out the door!
I've bought a couple of these and similar - heat and eat quinoa and that sort of thing. I pan sauteed some chicken tenders and added those plus a bag of steamed stir fry vegetables. It made 2 meals, which halves the carbs and sodium. Not from scratch but still fairly healthy! It's also an easy way to get some variety.
Yesterday I made Indian in the crockpot. I have an Indian slow cooker book I bought years ago and I am finally getting around to making a few recipes out of it. They are really terrific! We both love Indian food but it can be a bit pricey. This won't stop us from dining out now & again, but it's a nice way to get that fix without dropping 50 or more dollars on dinner!
So not perfect but a whole lot better!
You know what? As excited as I was for T to get back to work, I sure do miss him with his getting home so late. I'm glad it's only for a few months.
Take care!
While in training, T has to go into the office - about 75 minutes one way. So he's out of the house roughly 12 hours/day, Monday through Friday. That meant this weekend we had a lot of chores, plus I was scheduled to cook at church for our community lunch (which sounds nicer than "soup kitchen"). So all in all it was a productive but exhausting weekend. I was a bit anxious last evening - I think its just all the change and adjustment and not really feeling rested.
I'm feeling pretty decent this morning. I got up early and fed dogs, walked Pepper, started a load of laundry, and made a quick run for a few groceries before the workday started.
Tonight I signed up for a TRX class at the Y. I'll report back on that.
Take care!
Wednesday was a tough day, but yesterday was much better! I threw away 2 bags of chips and started drinking more water. I ate healthier meals and was able to get a good nights' sleep. It was a BIG step in the right direction. I'm feeling better already!
I hope you have a good weekend!
First up: shout out to Paula for starting a challenge and getting that pesky scale to move down!!
I've had a rough/ exhausting week mentally and my food decisions have been crap and I've had major insomnia for about a week and a half. Have not been to the gym since before I left for the beach. So, decision time.
I am not going to step on the scale until October 1 - a little over 2 weeks away. Right now I want to get back to good habits & sleep and I don't want the scale to be creating any additional anxiety. To that end I want to focus on behaviors rather than outcomes.
It's not a cop out, but honestly I just can't deal with the added stress of beating myself up over the scale. I am going to focus on what I can control, try to re-establish some good habits, and start weighing in a couple of weeks.
Sigh. Take care of yourselves. This past year plus has been a roller coaster and still is.
Back home. T started his new job yesterday. My son & his gf came into town yesterday (I knew they were coming, but thought it was later in the week). Our washer died & the new one was delivered today. Eating has been a disaster.
I am tired.
Thanks for the kind words. I am currently at my mom's. With her carpal tunnel surgery & follow up etc. we've been down here helping out. So things have been a bit crazy/ stressful/ some things are out of my control. Not giving up, but doing what I can until I get back home Sunday.
T-shirt I'm seriously thinking about ordering:
I have to do something. After careful eating I watch my weight go up. Bathroom issues? Too many carbs? Mars in retrograde? I don't know, but I am f*&^ing tired of being this big.
Sanity check this month:
No booze (obviously)
No diet sodas
Maximize unprocessed foods
Minimize crap & eating out
Exercise - for my sanity & health.
Take care out there.
Exercise 6 days per week (in addition to walking the dog).
Track my food.
If I don't see any solid movement on the scale then it's time to do something different.
"Be stronger than your excuses"
Last night I was not stronger than my excuses, but today is another opportunity to make different, better choices.
Yesterday was a good day, even though I never made it to the gym. I walked the dog 4 times and my food was under control.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
I'm done. I'm done taking 2 steps forward and 2 steps back. Right now I am motivated. I may not stay that way, but I will remain determined.
Yesterday was a good day until after dinner. Today is going to be a good day all day.
Thursday morning I left for Syracuse and Friday night I came home. Yesterday we served 122 lunches at church through our community lunch program. My mom was here when I got home yesterday afternoon. She is having carpal tunnel surgery this morning.
I am tired y'all.
I am working in a new industry. There is a lot to learn and I really have to focus. Some days that is easier than others. And some days my husband makes it easier than others! Yesterday was a day that I was having a hard time and he (without intending to) was making it more difficult. I ended up very grouchy! It was a rough day. I ate a salami sandwich after dinner. I'm still doing better, but not good enough to really start moving the needle.
I reminded myself that only 1 week, then we go to the beach for a week, then he (hopefully) will be back at work. I will be working at mom's, but it's easier there for me to lock myself in a room away from humans for the workday.
Looking forward to a change of scenery!
A day of reasonably careful eating, plenty of water, and some good exercise and the scale was down to 197.5 today. Just need to continue on....
My friend came to town. It was a full/ busy/ somewhat tiring weekend, but we had fun! She also brought a homemade peanut butter and chocolate cheesecake. I saw a scary number on the scale this morning: 199.1. This has to stop.
Yay! Looking forward to the weekend. A friend is coming down from Maryland (her birthday plans fell through and so I invited her down so she wouldn't spend the day alone). T and I are sorting through some of his business casual clothes. We're going to the pool and I will probably do a bit of sewing. So, not a lot but hopefully a relaxing weekend.
Take care.
That old adage is certainly true for me! When I was having success, there were certain habits that were non-negotiable: exercise and meal planning.
Working from home has meant that the kitchen is fully available any time I feel like doing any emotional eating! So I've decided to try & plan better.
Breakfasts are flexible, but I have 2 snack options: yogurt and fruit, and wasa cracker with hummus. Lunch is a recipe I copied years ago off a website. It's basically black beans, corn, a riced cauliflower, cilantro and then olive oil, lime juice, and some salt & pepper. I added a bell pepper that needed to be used, some avocado, and some leftover rotisserie chicken. It's super tasty and I can serve out a bowl, then add my avocado & chicken. So it's a sort of salad. lol
No real movement on the scale (yet) but I am sleeping better and my energy is better, so that's a start.
Take care.
Just got home from a long weekend at the beach. Lots of walks and I got to see my son for a bit! It's a super busy time of year for charter boats, so he's tired but seems to be doing okay.
Good question Vickie! I don't know! I do know there is a lot happening right now and the scale isn't budging (a source of frustration), and I'm really trying to cut out the stupid calories, and things are changing on my husband's job front (for the good, but still - change), and he's to the point where he's bored out of his mind but still very limited in what he can do.... the list goes on.
But I'll just keep showing up and hope things get easier/ scale begins to cooperate.
Take care.
Last week or so, I noticed that after dinner when it's time to sit down and "relax" my anxiety would start ramping up. This is normally the time I would have a cocktail and start snacking - and of course those are habits I am trying to curb in order to lose weight. I think that change, and the absence of my evening habit is the root cause of the anxiety. I mean, that's fairly obvious! It's what to do about it I am struggling with. I've tried walking the dog, going to the hot tub, reading a book ... with varying degrees of success. This was a habit I managed to break for 2 YEARS, so I know I can do it again. Frustrating.....
If I had posted yesterday, the title would have been "Two steps forward, two steps back." Since getting on the scale and seeing that horrifying number (197.4) I've been engaged in a battle of the wills with my subconscious. I genuinely want to lose weight for loads of reasons, but my subconscious is scared and wants the comfort of food. I get it, it's enjoyable (for a few minutes) and short term is easier to feel in your gut v. long term benefits.
So I've been working to educate my subconscious and rather than arguing, I've been engaging in rational conversation. Yes, speaking calmly to your inner toddler (which is what my subconscious seems to be!) is a challenge, but I find myself persuading more frequently with soft words of comfort and logic rather than trying to beat her into submission. The scale has been bouncing like mad with little progress to show (so far), but my mental space is feeling better. Today's number: 197.6.
Take care - it's a jungle out there. Seriously, y'all be safe.
Last Saturday, T said something and a lightbulb went off. He said "You are one of the few people I know that genuinely needs exercise." Honestly, I think we ALL need a certain amount, but I got his point - my mental health is SIGNIFICANTLY better when I am exercising. Except Sunday, I have been to the gym every day this week. All I have to do is go to Planet Fitness and do something (anything) for 15 minutes, no minimum effort beyond that. I've done 15-17 minutes on the elliptical, some days easy some days with more effort. I feel SO much better!
Who knew? Lol
In desperation, I slept in the guest room last night. I did sleep through the night, although I woke up at 5:30. I didn't sleep long, but at least I slept well. Yesterday I went to the gym and walked the dog 4 times. I am in my gym clothes and ready for the day. I have a meeting at church this evening, so my plan is to go to the gym & take a quick shower at lunch.
Last night I made this for dinner: Korean beef bowl along with Korean steamed spinach steamed matchstick carrots, kim chi, and some quick asian pickled cucumbers. I also subbed some cauli rice for regular in my bowl. So it was a veggie laden meal!
Other things I did included: drinking my Amazing Grass green powder, brushing my teeth & washing my face, and not going crazy after dinner. I did make a bowl of homemade air popped popcorn. I added some butter, but I think that's still a much better option than the microwave kind. Baby steps.
Take care.
