March Mindfulness Challenge: Week 1 (3/1-3/7)
Replies
-
So, my biggest way of being mindful this month was trying to get up earlier. Since I've loaded the Sleep Cycle app, it's been going well. I select the range of wake-up time that fits my morning routine and so far I've been up within 10 minutes of my alarm. Yesterday I was up by 5:39 and today I was up by about 5:45 or so. I'd like 5:30 to be my 'time' - but I haven't gotten brave enough to set the sleep cycle for 5:30 (because then it could wake me anytime between 5-5:30...and 5 sounds dreadful LOL). So, maybe next week I'll make my goal to set it back a little further and see how I feel.
Today, particularly during the day, I want to be very mindful of how much I'm eating. It's a dinner at a friend followed by drinks at a comedy show kind of night, and I want to be as good as I can while still enjoying
0 -
I definitely need to work on multi-tasking while eating.0
-
Mar 3
SW: 247 (12/12, started keto)
SW: 214.2 (Mar 1)
CW: 210.0
GW for March: 206
GW for 12/31: 180
Be Mindful of:
Staying under 30 carbs daily -- Yes
Logging at least 1 day ahead -- Yes
Exercising 4 days per week -- will only get in 3 days this week (since it's already Thursday) ... 2 of 30 -
made it through my work week getting fierce about sticking to my LC food plan. this after a period of a couple weeks of floundering around with slips and slides. cut out my bulletproof coffees and lo and behold, the scale is moving down again.. new low weight this am, and i'm going by my work scale only, even though it weighs 5 pounds heavier.
taking time to slow down, sit down and enjoy bites of food..still working on that.. really just want to shove it down the hatch.
bought a book on cleaning, tidying the home and sparking joy...we'll see..
taking some romantic risks. not much happening there, but the sky didnt fall..and it feels better to at least be out there.
trying to handle and talk about feelings as they happen and be aware of them so i dont eat them.. sometimes i feel very rough around the edges when i speak up for myself, hopefully i'll get a little more dignity and calmness with practice.
this week i think i made some good strides with becoming more mindful.0 -
MAR 5
SW: 153.4
CW: 130.6
Calories were just under goal today.
Carbs were 50 net.
30 min exercise.
Enough sleep.
As for mindfulness while eating, I did some multi-tasking today; need to work on that.0 -
Mar 5
SW: 247 (12/12, started keto)
SW: 214.2 (Mar 1)
CW: 207.6
GW for March: 206
GW for 12/31: 180
Be Mindful of:
Staying under 30 carbs daily -- Yes
Logging at least 1 day ahead -- Yes
Exercising 4 days per week -- will only get in 3 days this week (since it's already Thursday) ... 3 of 3
Don't believe the scale AGAIN ... won't be surprised if it's the start of a new roller coaster ride.
0 -
I'm struggling with figuring out what I want my goals to be now.
I said I was going to stay in weight loss mode for one more week and then shift to recomp, but I've gone over calories and carbs several days this week.
I've just been feeling hungry, and struggling with wanting more variety. I really do NOT want to rebound weight-wise, but I don't know if I have the patience and discipline right now to increase calories and carbs as slooowly as I had planned. Grocery budget was also tight last month so options on hand weren't always as ideal and appealing.
Would bumping up calories by, say, 100 or 200 (and carbs by like 10 gm) off the bat throw me off too much? And then increase more gradually from there until I hit maintenance?0 -
Mar 6
SW: 247 (12/12, started keto)
SW: 214.2 (Mar 1)
CW: 207.6
GW for March: 206
GW for 12/31: 180
Be Mindful of:
Staying under 30 carbs daily -- Yes
Logging at least 1 day ahead -- Yes
Exercising 4 days per week -- 4 of 7
Don't believe the scale AGAIN ... won't be surprised if it's the start of a new roller coaster ride. 0 -
macchiatto wrote: »Would bumping up calories by, say, 100 or 200 (and carbs by like 10 gm) off the bat throw me off too much? And then increase more gradually from there until I hit maintenance?
That sounds like a perfect plan to me. Why shock your system with too much too fast?
0 -
@macchiatto I am in a similar space. All that I am reading says listen to our bodies and ride the scale roller coaster. Your plan sounds good. Having said that, I don't qualify as an arm chair expert, so I will leave it to the more experienced campers for greater wisdom. Good luck.0
-
another srm chair expert here for macchiatto:
ive been trying to ease into maintenence by adding about 100-200 cals per day.. still low carb. mostly to reboot my metabolism after very low cal and large long term weight loss. i've still been able to slowly lose - (last 10 pound range) but i have to say i really struggle with adding even a little food.. i really have issues with over doing any eating changes and want to go straight to binge mode..
for about 3 of the six weeks i over ate.
i kept struggling back to my plan and now i seem to have stablized at about 150 extra calories as my new normal and down about 1/2 pound a week.
good luck with your plan!0 -
Body is throwing me for a loop right now, and being mindful is suddenly very difficult. For two days now, I've felt that "time to use the restroom" feeling, and spent a lot of time sitting until my legs went numb, and nothing. So I loaded up on fats trying to get things all slip-n-slidey, and still nothing. Going to try and act like everything is normal, but man it's distracting to have that sensation. When do I trust it?
Anyway, in terms of my dairy-free experiment, the numbers on the scale are heading in the right direction, but that's the only marker that's improving, and it's the marker that means the least to me.
To add to my frustration, I let my mom borrow my goal pants because she keeps losing weight she doesn't want to, and she doesn't want to buy new clothes since she hopes to regain the weight. So my mom is walking around with my awesome skinny pants hanging off her all baggy, and I've got a pile of her clothes that are too big for her that I can wear for now. Not entirely encouraging.
I'm grouchy today after a frustrating weekend and with all the joy that Monday morning brings. Dark chocolate and chicken broth are my plan for the morning.0 -
Thanks for the responses. My body was saying to eat all the carbs so it's not always trustworthy. I'm all bloated from the wheat I ate the past two days.
Mentally I'm back in a better place today in terms of not feeling drawn to binging and really wanting to be back on track. Going to stop by the grocery store today to add some more of my "LCHF success" foods. I think I'll increase calories before carbs. I also have have a a theory I feel more satisfied at the higher end of my protein range so I'll try that for a bit.0 -
I worked on being mindful about what I was eating and how it made me feel. I was able to confirm that cheese is a problem for me, digestion-wise, and so will moderate consumption and see if that helps things along better. I also enjoyed an alcoholic beverage (or two) every evening after work, and was aware of setting a bad habit for myself. So that is gone and out of the house now. And in other news, I even lost 0.2 pounds this week, even with the alcohol, so as far as food intake, am pretty sure I'm on the right path.0
-
Don't believe the scale AGAIN ... won't be surprised if it's the start of a new roller coaster ride.
Unfortunately, sooner or later, the scale starts getting stupid for just about everyone for brief periods. Hang in there.
If anyone decides to look at my journal the rest of the month, it's going to look spotty. I'm switching to lazy keto.
I've had some binge eating returning slowly for awhile now. It's getting really critical. I managed to stay under carbs this weekend for the first time in a month. But I ate my frickin head off on low-carb foods. And I barely managed to stay under 50 on Saturday. But I did it. I've developed an addiction to AS. Like chewing half a pack of gum a day to keep me under my calorie goal all week. Sugar-free jello and AS sweetened flavored tea at night. Low-carb yogurt sweetened with AS and diet sodas. I just need to stay away from sweets.
So I'm nixing all AS. I got some liquid stevia for my coffee. But I'll be IFing with BPC only until noon, break my fast, then no snacks until dinner. I think the AS is keeping my insulin up for prolonged periods. Contributing to the constant urge to eat and eat all day. I know my eye issue keeps me from being rested, so the cortisol/stress from that and the tiredness make me all snacky all the time as well.
I also suspect that the AS is causing other issues like an immune response that is causing me symptoms like Sjogren's Syndrome. That it's making the chronic fatigue more acute. And it's causing me kidney irritation. Like I said, these are all suspicions. Or maybe I just want there to be a cause to magically fix everything. We shall see.
I'll probably gain weight. But I need to lock down these issues. So lazy keto it is for a bit.
It's scary though.
0 -
@baconslave! Consuming AS does the same to me! It's mostly the bloated feeling that comes from the inflammation in the intestines that it creates! Then the feeling like crap that comes with it! I know without a doubt that AS and me do not mix! I really think that's been one of the most causative ingredients that contributed to all of the pain I have lived with! I've been consuming AS since TAB came out in the late seventies, thinking sugar free was the way to go! Yes, I miss something sweet sometimes, but have to consider the consequences! Once I really think about what happens when I do eat it, I don't want it anymore!
Hang in there everyone!!
@reblazed!! ROCKIN it there still! So happy for you, and you're scale!! (What brand of scale is that? Lol! Jk! Not really! Lol! What brand?) Haha! I'm being silly because I feel good, and I'm thrilled with your success!!0 -
I have found that not multi-tasking while eating is very difficult. Hit the reset again today. But mindfulness has me creating better meals for me. I also realise that the satiety point is there but often being ignored because I WANT more. Working on that this week.0
-
March 7, 2015
I had a good weekend. Walking again around the track. I love spring weather! (well getting there - sort of spring in New England. At least the sun is out and no snow) This week will be awesome. Fresh air!
BW: LCHF 189 (5.1.2015)
SW: 147 (March 1st)
CW: 146.2
GW: for March 142
Exercise - Yes
Sleep - Perfect. Went to bed early cause I was feeling sad. slept straight through.
Calories - Great
Carbs - very low.
Back to basics over the weekend worked out well as well as noticing the mind-body rhythm of eating. A little kick from keto and I'm back to before vacation weight again. The scale is moving again. No alcohol this weekend. I think that after adding in the higher carbs over vacation (100-110) and then this past week dropping back down to 28-32g of carbs has kick started the keto burn again. I had plateaued at what I was doing during December-January. I think the Feb. 13-22nd "break" was good on many levels. Even though I was eating moderate carbs over vacation, I feel more energized again staying around 28-36g. Have a Mindful Monday!0 -
I had 2 goals from my last post:
*Consume <40 carbs for the rest of the week (managed 1 day at 32 and another at 42, the rest were over)
*Put together a stretching routine and do it for the rest of the week, 3 days worth (I did one day of stretching, but didn't commit to putting a "routine" together)
I DID get in some much needed yard work and have been diligent in sticking with my 30 day challenge, including pushing myself on the push-ups....so far I haven't died....yet!
I've decided I need to have an end goal to keep me moving, so I'm going to sign up for another 10K race for early June. This commitment will be two-fold as I will need to physically train, but be diligent about my fat fuel for the longer distance, which will mean really buckling down and training myself in proper food intake. I think it will be very beneficial.0 -
@BRobertson23 Awesome! I need to do that too. ---> have an end goal to keep me moving.0
-
I've enjoyed reading your posts, which are helping me ponder where I could stand to be more mindful in my own eating.
This week (3/7-3/13) I am focusing on eliminating snacks, except for a pickle if I need a sodium boost.
I'm noticing that I do a lot of fear-based eating. That probably sounds weird, but I catch myself doing things like grabbing a hunk of cheese on the way out the door because I'm afraid I'll be out and hangry later... Forgetting of course that I really don't get hangry when I eat low carb! I feel like I'm often competing with my kids for time to eat. They get to eat before I do, while I'm scrambling to get their food ready so that they/we can be out the door on time. I end up scarfing down my food without getting to enjoy it much. I need to find a way to change my internal warning messages about food, and maybe my routines around feeding the family, too. Ideas welcome!0 -
mlinton_mesapark wrote: »I'm noticing that I do a lot of fear-based eating. That probably sounds weird, but I catch myself doing things like grabbing a hunk of cheese on the way out the door because I'm afraid I'll be out and hangry later... Forgetting of course that I really don't get hangry when I eat low carb! I feel like I'm often competing with my kids for time to eat. They get to eat before I do, while I'm scrambling to get their food ready so that they/we can be out the door on time. I end up scarfing down my food without getting to enjoy it much. I need to find a way to change my internal warning messages about food, and maybe my routines around feeding the family, too. Ideas welcome!
The fact that you even notice what is going on with you would have been amazing to me just a few months ago. Now, the first thing that comes to mind is ... 'She's trying to train her body and mind to form new habits!'. Keep at it and you'll get there .. I try to acknowledge (sometimes even out loud) every time I slip. Kind of a mini-scold telling myself to pay attention and get it right next time.
You can do it. KCKO0 -
I love reading everyone's updates and insights.
Also, I am really leaning toward getting a FitBit (or similar; I guess I need to research). I think now that I've hit goal weight, having fitness goals might help me stay on track and while for a long time I thought I didn't really need one, I do think it might actually help motivate me to move more in general and be more consistent with exercise.0 -
Mar 7
SW: 247 (12/12, started keto)
SW: 214.2 (Mar 1)
CW: 207.4
GW for March: 206
GW for 12/31: 180
Be Mindful of:
Staying under 30 carbs daily -- Yes
Logging at least 1 day ahead -- Yes
Exercising 4 days per week -- 5 of 7
After 3 days, if I believe the 207, will the scale automatically go up? LOL
0 -
Mar 7
SW: 153.8
CW: 131.4 (trend 130.6)
GW: 130
Carbs and calories were just under goal today. I think. Restaurant lunch so had to guesstimate the coconut beef curry.
Exercise was about 30 mins walking.
Not enough sleep (and once again I'm up too late).
Mindfulness while eating was a bit better.0 -
Man, we keep getting buried!
Here's the new thread. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10349108/march-mindfulness-challenge-week-2-3-8-3-14?new=1
0 -
made it through my work week getting fierce about sticking to my LC food plan. this after a period of a couple weeks of floundering around with slips and slides. cut out my bulletproof coffees and lo and behold, the scale is moving down again.. new low weight this am, and i'm going by my work scale only, even though it weighs 5 pounds heavier.
taking time to slow down, sit down and enjoy bites of food..still working on that.. really just want to shove it down the hatch.
bought a book on cleaning, tidying the home and sparking joy...we'll see..
taking some romantic risks. not much happening there, but the sky didnt fall..and it feels better to at least be out there.
trying to handle and talk about feelings as they happen and be aware of them so i dont eat them.. sometimes i feel very rough around the edges when i speak up for myself, hopefully i'll get a little more dignity and calmness with practice.
this week i think i made some good strides with becoming more mindful.
@elize7 I love love LOVE that book!!!!!0
