Baby Steps
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I've missed a couple of weeks of baby steps here and I am actually going to have a full one week break of 0 accountability anywhere. I'm having a holiday from reporting
I will log in of course but not be working towards any goals at all until Monday 25th May, when I will come back here to set my next baby step goal.0 -
Enjoy your reporting holiday.
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I am sending happy thoughts to everyone for an awesome weekend.
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Since we are settled, I can now get back to the important stuff in life like my health. I gained two pounds in the last two weeks. Considering I let everything go and didn't exercise it could have been worse. I can tell I have been eating too many wheat products I have a lot more pain. It is time to get back to basics.
Weekly Goals
1. Log EVERYTHING seven days
2. Walk for 30 minutes six days (I'm lost on the Barrow Downs on my walk to Mordor).
3. 30 minutes of extra exercise 3 days
4. Use the stop light metaphor to check stress level 75%0 -
What is the stop light metaphor Liz?0
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This is the main meat of the article I posted under tips and techniques
•“Red” means, “There is something in my life that demands immediate attention outside of my training.” This can include: deaths, divorce, injuries, newborns, March and April for accountants.
•“Yellow” means, “I’m coping, but training is not going to be my top priority.” This can include: stressful jobs, relationship trouble, high school kids picking colleges.
•“Green” means, “I’m good to go and I can make training a high priority for a while.”
Green-light situations are rare, but they are when we can expect the fastest fat loss. Most of us are in Yellow most of the time, and we should manage our expectations accordingly. Weight loss is going to be slow, but it’s still possible.
And every now and then, we slip in to Red. But as any grief counselor will tell you, denial is universal. We’re really good at telling ourselves we’re not in the Red, and I’ve had many clients who could not personally see it without outside eyes. And when you’re in the Red, often it’s your body telling you: You’re always tired. You’re getting sick all the time. Maybe you miss a period or two. These are signs to me that weight loss might be really difficult and, in fact, maintaining weight would be a real victory at this time!
So before you get too frustrated and give up, take a look at your life and see what “light” you’re in. You can still make progress, but you’ll make more if you can manage your expectations.
My "training" is taking care of my health, watching what I eat and exercise. I have a terrible time identifying what I am feeling. Not only what I am feeling, but identifying whether it is "normal" or it is my bipolar symptoms (only mentioning it because you were brave enough to talk about yours). I used this technique as we moved and it was very helpful. It has made it a lot easier to do a mini feelings inventory quickly. So I could go from one situation or event to the next. If I could identify yellow, I felt more able to tweak what I was doing and what I needed to get done. I felt I had more information so I had more control of what I was doing and wasn't beating myself up with the scale not moving then moving the other way a few pounds. I think that this will be an invaluable skill. I really want to incorporate this into my everyday life. 30 days makes a habit. 0 -
This is awesome Liz! Thanks for sharing it with us. I will check the Tips n Tricks because I seem to have missed it when you posted it there. I know exactly what you mean also about not being able to identify what you are feeling. This year is the first time in many, many years that I know most of the time what I am feeling, when I am feeling it.
I don't hide my bipolar or major depression any more because I just really can't be bothered. It's a part of who I am in the same way that I am a mother, a consultant or a friend. I am bipolar and I suffer from major depression. Not hiding it gives me so much more energy
I do hope all of you lovely ladies are having or have had a fantastic Sunday.
Since I got off my crutches for the first time for a whole week, I think I can say it was a happy day for me. If I could work from home for the whole month, I would be much more sure that this time my ankle will heal properly.0 -
I too have Major depression, bipolar II, and anxiety disorder. I often wonder if I'm fighting my meds to lose weight!? I know my binges are because of my chemical and emotional issues. My baby step for this week is to eat when hungry, not when emotional.0
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Nice goal Jen. It's amazing how may of us suffer in silence until one of us speak out. One of the things that really helped me to get on to the right track was first of all just to try to eat food. Not chips and gummy bears and to eliminate almost all white foods including milk (easy because I am lactose intolerant. I actually didn't make a conscious decision to eliminate white foods, it was just a simple way to group them.
Since December I am slowly introducing some of them back like yoghurt and sweet potatoes. My energy levels increased and there was a lot less confusion in my brain.
I try not to eat processed foods and try to cook from scratch when possible. My sinuses are generally clear, I don't have a furry tongue anymore and I am rarely sick but I know have to build and strengthen muscles.0 -
My family would probably enjoy me using a stoplight technique. I could put up the appropriate colored flag.
Green = Mom's happy - She will cook for you, listen to you, help you, encourage you and be nice to you.
Yellow = Mom's okay - She will cook for you if you happen to walk into the kitchen while she's there, listen to you if you're saying something nice, help you if it's convenient and she will not be unpleasant unless provoked.
Red = You should plan to leave the house immediately. You will be fixing your own meals, you should plan to talk to yourself and if it needs doing, you're perfectly capable of doing it yourself.
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Day 2 of being "back on track". Yesterday I analyzed what had changed that was causing me to stall (emotionally and physically). As always, sleep and organization seem to be key. Yesterday went well. Logged my food for the entire day for the first time in about 3 weeks.
My baby step is to finish out this last week of May "on track".0 -
Marcella, I love it, a mom barometer. My kids would love that. There were times hen they were younger that I would hang a note on my workroom door "Are you bleeding, dying, or is the house on fire?" That way they knew they needed to think about what they needed before they interrupted my work.
Edited to add You will get back on track. I think everyone just has a touch of spring fever (aside from Alice fall fever for her) and are having a hard time staying on track with the change of season and routine.0 -
mysticlizard wrote: »Weekly Goals
1. Log EVERYTHING seven days 7/7
2. Walk for 30 minutes six days (I'm lost on the Barrow Downs on my walk to Mordor). 6/6 131/1560
3. 30 minutes of extra exercise 3 days 2/3
4. Use the stop light metaphor to check stress level 75% 75%
My weight stayed the same this week. Overall I am getting back on track. I just wish the sweets (cookie butter) wouldn't call my name. I feel the need to answer and partake. I won't buy more of that for awhile as not to be tempted. I will keep working on the same goals for next week.
Weekly Goals
1. Log EVERYTHING seven days
2. Walk for 30 minutes six days
3. 30 minutes of extra exercise 3 days
4. Use the stop light metaphor to check stress level 80%
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JMarcella57 wrote: »My baby step is to finish out this last week of May "on track".
Day 3 and still on track. 3 days to go to finish the month of May on an up note. 0 -
Yay Marcella!!!0
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JMarcella57 wrote: »My family would probably enjoy me using a stoplight technique. I could put up the appropriate colored flag.
Green = Mom's happy - She will cook for you, listen to you, help you, encourage you and be nice to you.
Yellow = Mom's okay - She will cook for you if you happen to walk into the kitchen while she's there, listen to you if you're saying something nice, help you if it's convenient and she will not be unpleasant unless provoked.
Red = You should plan to leave the house immediately. You will be fixing your own meals, you should plan to talk to yourself and if it needs doing, you're perfectly capable of doing it yourself.
Love this Marcelle. It's brilliant. And good for you for getting back on track!
Liz, also had a quotation that meant keep out unless dying or you have limbs falling off
Thanks for reminding us about the change of season. It does trigger depression but I didn't recognize my symptoms this time because they are so mild. Previously, I would fall into my dark pit for a few weeks. It was also lonely coming here and not seeing any new updates. I'm coming to terms with the fact that my route to weight loss is through healthy eating and not cardio burns at the gym. Yesterday reminded me that I used to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted and I was always skinny (though I thought I was always fat. ). I used to dance five hours solid a night at least 4 times a week in the nightclubs, smoke a pack of cigarettes a day and drink liters of alcohol.
So I've got this! I'll lose the weight slowly, since I put it on slowly. I'll get more active, doing activities not gym stuff and I'll get back to "fully living" instead of just being a mere bystander to life and will reach the targets I have set for myself this year. I'm still on track, and am not sure why I seem to think I am behind.
I've logged even when I don't want to. I've come to far not to.
My baby steps for me know that I am off the crutches again?
1) Taking it easy.
2) Do the exercises prescribed by the physio each day
3) Maintain my calorie goals
Good luck with your goals ladies.0 -
Thanks for reminding us about the change of season.
I had also noticed a number of my MFP friends starting to slide back a little when I did. I had not even thought about the seasonal change. But it makes sense. Now that I've experienced it, I will be more on guard for this next time.
Alice - Make sure you keep taking it easy this time until you are completely healed. The diving awaits you.0 -
JMarcella57 wrote: »My baby step is to finish out this last week of May "on track".
Last 6 days completed on track. 1 day to go.0 -
You can do it Marcella!!!
Alice, you can too!!!!
You both inspire me!0 -
My baby steps for this upcoming week:
1. No candy, cookies/cake, or ice cream.
2. Two 25 min cardio sessions
3. Stay within my allotted calories daily0
