NON WW & WW NEWBIES, OUR NEW LIFE, THE START OF SOMETHING WONDERFUL

RetiredAndLovingIt

Hi all..sunny but cold day here today. And so windy!!! Guess it will knock the remaining leaves off the tree, we can mulch & be done with outside stuff. We put Christmas lights on the bushes last week, hope they haven't blown off!

@mswatson0777 Sounds like you have had a busy weekend. That's nice that you had a visit with your Mom. I'm sure she liked that.

Haven't seen dd here for 2 weeks since they are still quarantining from an exposure (until the 19th). No one got sick, tho, which is good. Their school is going online starting Tuesday. The teachers still have to go in the school to teach at this point. So she is going to take gs(age 11) with her to do his work & gd(age 13) I guess will stay home & do hers. Dd in OK really wants us to come for Christmas, but haven't made any plans yet. That's still 6 weeks away..a lot could happen in that time.

@trooworld I love chicken pot pie!! Bet it was great! Dd likes it, too, so once in awhile she will pick one up at Costco & have us over to help eat it because they are huge! Good luck with your sewing. If I was closer I'd come help you..I love to sew.

Right now I am making a nativity advent calendar on my embroidery machine. The little people & animals are so cute!! (Well, I have started making 5 of each of the figures because I want one, & plan to give one to each dd & fam, & my sil wants one, too. That will give me one extra. As usual, I have procrastinated & may not get it done by Dec 1. (especially when I will have to mail some.) Oh well!

@TeresaW1020 I bet your Christmas decorations are beautiful! I love to decorate for Christmas, I think it is my favorite holiday. I really try to hold off until Thanksgiving weekend, tho. Hope your dh is feeling better. Your poor pansies. I love them, especially in the winter, they look so cheery!

@cbabie Sorry you are having so much stress from family. It can be draining. Hope you are doing better.

@theslightedgeforever Hi even tho you won't see this, lol.

Well, not much more from here. Just trying to stay safe, I guess. I have been doing the treadmill pretty regularly & have moved my calorie goal back to 1/2# a week. Hopefully I can get things moving again a little before the new year. Been reading a lot about WholeFoodPlantBased like my sis & bil do. I think it is something I would like to try, but not sure I could be successful with it since dh is a meat & potatoes guy. (& sweets!! Made more peanut brittle!)
My reasons would be more for health, would like to get off some medicine, and if there was weight loss that would be a bonus. Oh well, just in the "considering & learning" stage.

trooworld

@mswatson0777 That sounds wonderful, I'm glad you were enjoying yourself and enjoying life! Oh dear, that's too bad you can binge on anything. Even more important to get a handle on it. The HOA meeting is today at noon, so we'll see how it goes. I am going to try to remain calm. The chicken pot pie WAS delicious! How nice to surprise your Mom! That is so fun. It sounds like the weekend was perfect!

@RetiredAndLovingIt Oh dear, a blustery day sounds perfect for some chili or soup. But chicken pot pie would be good, too! It was great. I love Costco's pot pie, delicious. They are huge! Your nativity advent calendar sounds like it will be fun. I'd love to see a picture when you are done if you want to share. WholeFoodPlantBased sounds really healthy. Your DH and his peanut brittle!!!

Hello all. After spending a lot of time cutting out pattern pieces and fabric pieces and fusing the interface to each piece, I was finally able to do some sewing yesterday. I've got my bag almost done, it was fun but frustrating in some parts as the directions weren't very good for a beginner. I made something easy for dinner last night: Romanian Stuffed Peppers, but they were taking forever to get done so we ate more pot pie for dinner. Today's the day I attend the HOA meeting via Zoom. I'm worried I'm going to say something I'll regret...it's been nearly a year that our windows have been leaking and we are running out of patience.

COMMITTED.
Goals for Nov 15-Nov 21:
- track 90% of food intake
- drink 2 (26 oz) bottles of water a day
- meditate for at least 5 minutes a day

TeresaW1020

@cbabie Putting boundaries in your life is so important! I used to be such a yes person and it took such a toll out on me. Especially with my family! I hope you can get to where you want to be and have real peace in your life. Thanks for the FYI on your sister. She will be missed!

@RetiredAndLovingIt I have a very good friend who is vegan, and she lost 65 lbs this year and looks incredible. We often have long discussions on her way of eating and my intermittent fasting and Keto way of eating. The important thing is to find what works best for your body and what you can sustain for the long haul.

@trooworld I sure hope you will show us your skirt once it’s done! I always wanted to learn to sew. I can do basic stuff but I certainly can’t make clothes. I hope all goes well with the HOA meeting. I’m sure you will say just the right things but firm enough to get what you deserve.


Good morning! I woke up to a gain on my scale because I splurge last night and had a sweet potato for dinner. It also upset my stomach so I guess I will be cutting them out for the time being. Today, I’m doing a 500 calorie day and making Picadillo. I will have mine over cauliflower rice and make brown rice for DH and mom. This morning I’m going grocery shopping because tomorrow I get to watch my friend’s little boy. He is coming here and hopefully won’t get into my decorations too badly. Yesterday, I went and bought three puzzles for $15 off of FB Marketplace. I came home and ordered a puzzle mat so I can move it when I need to. I can’t wait until January to do another puzzle!

Here is a collage of some of my Christmas decorations. I wanted a picture for over my fireplace and everything I found was too expensive. Then I found this font on Etsy that I love! I have a good friend who does vinyl lettering on lots of things but mostly wood or on plastic like ornaments, mugs, etc. Anyway I contacted her and her husband did the frame and she added the lettering and I think it's perfect!

mswatson0777

@RetiredandLovingIt that makes a lot of sense to wait a bit more before making concrete plans. You're absolutely right that a lot could change in that time! I'm so glad your family stayed healthy and had no symptoms. We're also going 100% remote due to the increased cases. I think it makes a lot of sense but I definitely feel for parents and students!

@trooworld Let me know how the HOA meeting went! It sounds like you've been super busy with sewing and cooking.

@TeresaW1020 Your decorations are fantastic! I am in awe of how many you have! We have one tree and I'm debating some outdoor lights this year. I think we all need a little extra cheer this holiday season. Picadillo sounds amazing!

Happy Monday All! I'm a little sad the weekend was over because it was so good. I also ended up accomplishing all my goals, it feels like a weight off my chest to have a rough draft of Chapter 2 out to my advisor, now to start Chapter 1!

I made a big batch of Whole 30 Zuppa Tuscana for our friend who's having surgery Tuesday (they're doing Whole 30 so that was a whole new learning experience for me!). I made extra so I can try it too, I've never had soup with coconut milk in it before that wasn't Thai or Indian based.

I got the dogs out for walks all three days this weekend even though I didn't feel like it and got a workout in two of the days so I'm calling it a win. I also splurged a little but didn't outright binge so I'm calling it a win!

theslightedgeforever

I'm here. Who missed my nagging? I'm not even going to try and catch up with all the personals. I'll start with today

@trooworld Yesterday I got 25%. How have you been while I was gone? I actually did better the past couple of days. Now to just continue.

@teresaw1020 I agree. You have to figure out what works for your body. I know what works, it's just a matter of me doing it consistently. My dd's friend has lost about 80 lbs on keto. I wish my dd would give it a try. But.......I tell her to nip it in the bud now. But she doesn't listen to me so...... I love your decorations.

@mswatson0777 Yaaay on your wins. Count every one of them no matter how small. I think I did a week of Whole 30 one time. It sounds so familiar. Yes, I know. One week. But that was a while back. I think I'm better at eating healthy foods. I found a recipe today for air fryer apple pies. Although now I'm craving blueberry. Maybe this weekend I will make some and see how it turns out. Coconut milk. I might like it. It's just the thought of it.

Red- Went Over 137/100
Intentional movement: Rest Day
15 zone minutes minus 0 for inactivity 9/8

November goals:

Green dot day
Drink 6 glasses of water
Burn 300 calories ***
Preplan food
Thursdays: Reduce amount of French Toast and add Apple Walnut Parfait

cbabie

Morning all, I didn't walk yet today, but walked twice yesterday. It's now nice again here in AZ. so This week you will want to be outside. LOL. I didn't track again, but I did happen to lose 1.2 lbs this week. All stress loss. LOL. my baby girl is watching Happy Feet. I love to watch her dance to the music. She has rhythm. Makes me happy someone else loves music in my house.

@TeresaW1020 I love love love your decorations. I have an accumulation of many years of Christmas decorations. I quit buying them. When you are born on Christmas, people just buy you something "christmas" related for your birthday..Well except my family. . I love Sweet Potatoes. I like to put them in my salad.

@trooworld Oh yea, you got to sew this weekend. Yea sometimes the directions are icky. Glad you figured it out. Show us a picture when you're done. I bet it's great!!

@RetiredAndLovingIt Glad your daughter has a choice with her kids schooling. It's really a tough time rn with schools and schedules, etc. Who would have thought right? Remember the stories our parents used to tell us? I walked miles in the snow with cardboard on my soles to school every day...or something to that effect. WE used to laugh..now our grandkids will be telling their children we couldn't even go to school.

@mswatson0777 So glad you got your goals met..and oh what a wonderful weekend. I think you made a great choice. I wish I could still surprise my mom. So glad you got to do that. I know me and whole foods will never make it..so I don't even try.

@theslightedgeforever Yea they missed you like a headache. (KIDDING). We always miss you when you don't post. Who would challenge us, who would we make faces at and roll our eyes at?

Cbabie

Cbabie

trooworld

@TeresaW1020 Well, I switched from making a skirt to making a fancy grocery bag lol...the skirt wasn't going to fit me (too small) so I wasn't so enthused to make it. But I'll show you my grocery bag when I'm done! That's too bad about the sweet potato. That's great you found 3 more puzzles for such a good deal. Your decorations, you could be a professional decorator!

@mswatson0777 I have been super busy with sewing and cooking but it's been a good distraction. I'll update you about the HOA below. That's great you made all of your goals, WTG! I love Zuppa Tuscana, it's so good! I know this isn't whole 30 (what I'm about to say), but when I'm trying to save points/cals, I skip the heavy cream and use evaporated milk instead. I hope you like the soup. You had a great weekend!

@theslightedgeforever LOL I did! I've been doing lousy on water. 50% is what I got yesterday, which is better than I have been doing.

@cbabie That's great you walked twice. It's nice here, too, I'm really enjoying the weather even if it's just to walk back and forth to/from my car. Congrats on the loss, fantastic! Kids have such energy. I want some of it! LOL I'll definitely show a picture of what I'm making when it's done. I'm stuck in a frustrating part right now but will figure it out when I get off work.

Hello all! First off, about my sewing project: I realized when @TeresaW1020 asked me about the skirt I was making that I didn't tell you that I decided not to make that right now (it would have been too small to wear). Instead, I am making a fancy grocery bag. I'll post a picture when I am done. The HOA meeting went really well, I'm super glad I attended. They wanted us to know that this is a priority (which it doesn't feel like after waiting a year for them to act on it!) and they are getting 2 more estimates on a way to fix it that won't require the two condos above us to move out for 3 weeks (they were originally going to remove and reinstall the walkway above us, the walkway disrepair is causing our front window to leak). I also told them that our lights are still not re-installed from when we had the leak in our bathroom (it was a claim on the HOA's insurance), so the head of the HOA emailed the guy that owns the restoration place about it for us. So, hopefully, good things will be happening soon.

COMMITTED.
Goals for Nov 15-Nov 21:
- track 90% of food intake
- drink 2 (26 oz) bottles of water a day
- meditate for at least 5 minutes a day

theslightedgeforever

@cbabie Yaaay on your walking. I'm making sweet potatoes today. It's skinnytaste recipe. Chunky roasted slices with a touch of cheese sprinkled on top. Germany has a great video out about being a hero in the covid war. Look at you with your negative thinking. Aren't you glad I'm back. "I know me and whole foods will never make it..so I don't even try." That's your perfectionism talking. You might think it has to be ALL whole foods. Just start with one and build on it.

@trooworld At least you did better than before. I did 25% again yesterday. Today I have in 50% so I'm already better. I'm glad you got some good news on the HOA.

Yellow- stayed OP 150/150
Intentional movement: 72 min walk
29 zone minutes minus 0 for inactivity 8/8

November goals:

Green dot day
Drink 6 glasses of water
Burn 300 calories
Preplan food
Thursdays: Reduce amount of French Toast and add Apple Walnut Parfait

trooworld

@theslightedgeforever Yeah but I did terrible yesterday: probably 10%. That's good you did better. I'm resisting this for some reason.

Hi all. So magically, when the HOA gets involved, the restoration company suddenly has an electrician available that will come out tomorrow to re-install the lights in our bathroom. I'm glad but mad it took getting the HOA involved.

COMMITTED.
Goals for Nov 15-Nov 21:
- track 90% of food intake
- drink 2 (26 oz) bottles of water a day
- meditate for at least 5 minutes a day

TeresaW1020

@mswatson0777 Thanks! I have been collecting decorations for the last 14 years and my biggest secret is to put back some money and hit the stores the morning after Christmas. Last year because of the new house I knew I need more things. So, I went to Hobby Lobby and other stores and bought as much as my DH would allow. Of course, I’ve hit the stores several times this year too. Glad that you had such a nice weekend and how like of you to make your friend that soup. I bet it was very tasty!

@theslightedgeforever I missed your nagging!!! I know that it’s frustrating when we have people we love who need to lose weight and won’t try what we think will work for them. I’m hoping that when I see my sister in February, she will see my results and be more willing to give up all the junk that is in her diet. We will see!

@cbabie Yayyyy for the loss this week!! Bummer that you feel it was from stress but hopefully you can continue losing in a healthier way. Yeah, I can imagine how much Christmas you must have with all the gifts you get for your birthday. I’m pretty close to needing to stop buying Christmas too. Or, I’m going to have to start replacing things.

@trooworld OK, I love that you modified the skirt to be something you can still use and enjoy. Can’t wait to see your new grocery bag. Thanks! I do love decorating and have often thought that if I could go back I would go to school for design. Since I love shopping so much it would be fun to spend other people’s money. I’m so glad that the HOA meeting went well and I hope they don’t drag their feet and get stuff fixed.


Good morning! Yesterday, I had fun hanging out with my little friend, Walker. The child talks non-stop and is really good. He only forgot twice that we don’t throw things in my house. Today, I’m going to lunch with my children’s pastor to talk church stuff, and then tomorrow I’m having lunch with Walker’s mom who is married to our associate pastor and is my co-helper for our annual Christmas party that is on Dec. 6th. So, I’m going to have to be super mindful of what I eat so I can keep my plan to have a loss on Friday. It helped that this morning I was down to a new all-time low.

cbabie

Morning all, thought I would get on before everyone gets up. Otherwise you may never see me LOL. I walked a lot yesterday, mostly to get away from tension in my house, thats the good news. the bad news is I didn't turn my fitbit to track exercise. Oh well, my body moved and that is the most important part. I am learning to go for a walk. Baby girl loves being outside and might as well while we can. I ate yogurt and 1/2 banana last night before going to bed..it was really good.

@trooworld Sorry it took HOA to get involved, but you are getting it done and that will be a blessing. . Oh yea I forgot to ask you about your pot pie recipe. Would you mind sharing? My DH loves pot pies.

@TeresaW1020 So glad you enjoyed your little visitor. As I was writing this, an email came across for "children Ministry Leader". I miss that part of my life, so I will live it through you. LOL. Glad you are down to your all time low , you got this.

@theslightedgeforever "cheese" on sweet potatoes? I just like to cook them and eat them plain. (remember I am the plain boring sister) lol.

Cbabie

theslightedgeforever

@trooworld Well I ended up with 60%. Is it a matter of resisting or just lack of focus or routine? Resisting sounds emotional versus focus which is mental versus routine which is hmmm.....I don't know. It's autopilot but what would that be? Have you heard of the term stacking habits? You pair one habit with another. Like when you get in the car, you put on your seatbelt. Most of us don't think about it anymore. We just do it. Imagine us telling each other oh I got 25% today on seatbelts. I drove 4 times and only put on my seatbelt once.

@teresaw1020 Yaaay someone missed my nagging. Remember it's always out of love. Throwing things. lol Just keep hitting those lows...... I keep hearing in my head, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. One of my favorite songs.

@cbabie Block everyone else out. Sit on the toilet if you have to and lock the door. lol That's what I would do. Sorry, I'm busy right now. Use headphones loud so you can't hear them banging. It really does work. I've learned the art of tuning people out when I want to for some me time. Yaaay on your loss. I'll take any loss no matter how it comes. lol Well I wouldn't want it to come from chemo, but you know what I mean. Although I did have a good loss this week. I think my body was just hanging onto a bit of water. Play kickball with your ggd. I bet she would love that and the weather is probably good right now for it. Or put a laundry basket out and get a cheap ball and take turns throwing the ball into it. I do it with a tennis ball and a planter. It works and burns calories. Plus I miss and then have to go chase the ball which burns off more calories. Who knows, maybe one day you will be back into children's ministry. For everything there is a season. Think Au Gratin sweet potatoes. I normally eat mine plain but this was really good with some spices and a sprinkling of cheese. Plus it was so easy.

My internet got fixed this morning so no more frustration. Knock on wood.

Yellow- went over 182/150
Intentional movement: 15 min walk
24 zone minutes minus 3 for inactivity 5/8

November goals:

Green dot day
Drink 6 glasses of water
Burn 300 calories
Preplan food
Thursdays: Reduce amount of French Toast and add Apple Walnut Parfait

mswatson0777

@theslightedgeforever There's no way I'd be able to last more than a week on it either! I had a hard time finding recipes that were very exciting. I'm glad your internet got fixed, especially in the days of corona it's a necessity!

@cbabie I'm so sorry to hear about all the tension in your house but I'm glad you were able to get away from it! Going for a long walk to escape the stress is a perfect coping mechanism. And congrats on the loss (although sorry it came around because of the stress!)

@TeresaW1020 That is so smart to hit up all the sales after the holidays, I seriously need to get better at that! This year might be the year since I haven't even had the energy to put up our tree yet! (it'll be a Thanksgiving weekend project). Congratulations on being at a new all time low, that is so exciting! I know you're going to do great at your lunches out.

@trooworld I am so glad the HOA is finally stepping in and stepping up, how frustrating! And I'll have to use your suggestion for evaporated milk for myself (I'm not whole 30 and am all for lower calorie swaps!).

I had to sit through a 5 HOUR zoom training this morning. We were supposed to keep our cameras on but I just couldn't, I felt like I was dying. Yesterday I had so many meetings there was no time to check in.

I'm gearing up to switch to working 100% from home again in a week. For those of you at home all the time, what do you do to not go stir crazy? How do you stay away from the kitchen? I've probably asked this before, I just feel really nervous about it and need words of wisdom/support!

trooworld

@TeresaW1020 Yeah, I'm glad I switched plans, too. BUT...I'm stuck at a step that I don't understand. I'm going to go to Joann's and see if they will help me figure it out. I'm so frustrated! You would make a great interior decorator, I think! That's good you had fun with Walker. Have fun eating out and congrats on being at an all-time low!!!

@cbabie That's good you got out of the house, I'm sorry about the tension. That must be uncomfortable. Yes, it will be a blessing to have the bathroom finally finished and we can see to brush our teeth! LOL Pot pie recipe was easy and really good. I baked mine for 35 minutes. Here's the recipe: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/easy-chicken-pot-pie/

@theslightedgeforever 60% is pretty good. I ended up with about 8% yesterday. I'm not sure what it is, I assumed it was resisting but maybe it's a lack of focus. I'm going to try something new today: I'm going to set reminders on my phone. I've heard of stacking habits. I think what happens now that I think about is that I get working (my job) and I focus so much, I don't think about drinking anything. After work, I think I get focused on something else. Yes, it would be very bad to only get 25% on seatbelt use. But I grew up in a time that we never wore seatbelts lol! I sure do now though. I'm glad your internet got fixed. Yay!

@mswatson0777 Yes, me too! I'm sick of brushing my teeth by desklamp and not having a mirror in there (couldn't hang the mirror until the lights got put back up). Yeah, the evaporated milk trick works pretty good but doesn't really thicken the soup, so if you want to thicken, you need to add cornstarch or flour. Oh gosh, 5 hours??? That's insane! re: working from home and not snacking...I just make sure that those items that I would get into are not in the house. That doesn't help you much though since you said you can binge on anything. If you feel like eating something, set a 15-minute timer, and do something to distract yourself for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, ask yourself if you still want "x". If you still want it, then have a little bit of "x". But there is a good chance that you will not want it. Another thing: if you think you want to eat, ask yourself if you are hungry enough to eat an apple or some broccoli. If so, then eat that. If not, then you really aren't hungry. You can do this, I know you can!

Hi all. Well, today is the day the lights are going to get installed again and I can't wait. It's just in time, too, because the desklamp that we are using in there is going out.

COMMITTED.
Goals for Nov 15-Nov 21:
- track 90% of food intake
- drink 2 (26 oz) bottles of water a day
- meditate for at least 5 minutes a day

cbabie

Afternoon all, I went for my walk today, but I am lagging in my tracking. I will be tracking what I have eaten so far today after this post. I am working on making good habits and not letting my day get away from me. Sometimes that is really hard, but I have been journalling again and it does me good to get all that out of my head. I just finally got through my closet and I have 5 tall garbage bags full of clothes I will not wear..I either can't get into them or I feel frumpy in them. I had a shirt on Sunday, that normally I wouldn't have said that's something I will not ever wear, but it fit, I looked put together in it and I decided it's better to feel good about you no matter what size than to squeeze my body into clothes that jut don't fit anymore. That doesn't mean I am giving up on my weight loss, but these were really small sizes when I was real skinny and not healthy. I am going for health, not looks, because no matter my size, I am really still me. If I can't be me, then what was I created for. God gave me the personality I have, the bone structure I have, the weirdness...LOL. it's just me. I don't want to put that disease on to baby girl that I have lived with forever from someone who thought they were helping me. LOL.

@trooworld I laughed that your light you been using is now going out. All things work together....LOL. Did you get your help on your bag? Is there anything I can help with? I may not know the answer, but I am sure willing to try. That recipe looks good.. Thank you

@mswatson0777 When I was working from home, I was tied to a phone, so I couldn't eat, but if I was not, I think I would still lock my self to my desk. and make myself still only have lunch/break as if I were still working. I don't think I could do a 5 hour zoom...I would start making faces at everyone. LOL

@theslightedgeforever I am learning ignore, Now I am working on DH..he has to have the last word...so does this other person who likes to stir the pot..I just walk away. I keep telling him if you don't talk they finally give up and go away..it's no fun for them when they don't get a rise out of you...he will learn someday. LOL. Did you ever wonder why we say "knock on wood?" why not something else?

Cbabie

mswatson0777

@trooworld I'm so excited for you! I feel like your house/bathroom has been under construction for way too long! Great idea about the self check-in. I'm definitely keeping as much crap as I can out of the house!

@cbabie lol I may have to invest in handcuffs then! I think I am going to set up my office downstairs this time as far away from the kitchen as possible and use the beer fridge as my work fridge so I can only eat the food in there until dinnertime. Here's to hoping that works, otherwise I'll have to do keto again which I don't want to do.

We got some really bad news today that my Grandpa tested positive and had to be sent by ambulance to the ER, so it's been a really emotional day and I've had a hard time focusing on anything.

I got a long dog walk in and may do another, but I didn't feel up to a workout so it'll have to do. On the bright side I didn't binge so at least there's that.

TeresaW1020

@mswatson0777 Ohhh I am so sorry about your grandpa and will pray that he recovers quickly! I know you are very upset and rightly so, but yayy for not binging your emotions with food and going for a long walk instead. Hang in there and continue taking care of yourself. As for being home all day that is what I’ve been doing since March. Except for my weekly staff meeting. It’s hard staying out of the kitchen and I did gain almost 10 lbs those first few months. These days I try to have a plan on what I’m going to eat and do my best to stick to it. I also keep very little in the house that is binge worthy.

@cbabie Yayy for getting rid of all frumpy clothes and clothes that don’t make you feel your best! I completely agree that losing weight for health is a much better objective than wanting to be skinny. Although I do still want to be skinny! I feel for you with your tracking. I HATE tracking so much that I’ve pretty much quit doing it. I track my 500 calorie meal day but other than that I usually just calculate in my head. It’s just not something I want to stick to doing. Would that maybe work for you? You know what you should be eating and when you eat too much of it.

@trooworld That is great that you are getting the new lights installed! That is a good idea to set reminders on your phone to drink your water. What do you drink out of? I’m thinking that you need a really big and fun water bottle with a straw that you keep with you at all times. I hope Joann Fabrics can give you the answers you need.


Good morning! Well, two days of eating out with my girl friends didn’t have any bad effects and I ended up with a 1.3 lb loss for the week. I’m officially down 72 lbs since January 2018 and really motivated to get it to 75 lbs. I did a bunch of shopping yesterday for finishing touches for the church decoration. My decorating team will be putting them up on the 28th for the start of our Christmas series that starts on the 29th. It's going to be soooo pretty!!! Today, DH and I are running over to the local nursery to look at plants that we want our landscaper to plant in the backyard. Our backyard is soooo boring! I also a long list of work projects that will keep me at the computer most of the day. I want to get all my social media and website stuff posted or scheduled so I don’t have to do much next week and maybe hang out with a new puzzle and do some podcast listening. Have a great day!

trooworld

@cbabie That's great that you've been journaling again. I need to do that, too. I think you are right about accepting your weight/feeling good about where you are. I try to accept myself but sometimes have a hard time. re: the light...right??? I just can't win lol! I didn't go to Joann's yet, I was going to go yesterday but ended up taking a longer nap than I anticipated (my body must have needed it). Thanks for offering, I don't think you can help unless you see what I've done and the pattern, this step I'm on seems to not make sense. I'll see what help I can get from Joann's.

@mswatson0777 Me too!!! It is ridiculous. But...the bathroom is FINALLY finished, the lights are installed, we can see again to go to the bathroom! lol I'm so very sorry about your Grandpa, I hope he will be okay. Great job not binging during a tough time.

@TeresaW1020 Thanks! I'm happy the lights are re-installed. I drink out of a 25-oz metal/insulated bottle. I do have a fun tumbler maybe I'll switch to for a bit to shake things up. It has a straw. Wow, congrats on the loss, you are knocking it out of the park!!! Good luck at the nursery, I'm sure it will look nice, you have excellent taste!

@theslightedgeforever I got about 40% yesterday. I'm going to take @TeresaW1020's advice and switch to my fun tumbler to see if that helps.

Hello all! We have lights in the bathroom, yay!!! Now to just re-install the mirror we took down, that will happen this weekend. Tonight I'm watching a movie with my book club via Amazon Prime, they allow you to have "watch parties" over the internet where you can watch the same movie and make comments to each other while you watch. I am excited but nervous as I don't do well with new people and I don't know anyone in the book club. I'm going to make an alcoholic drink that might help loosen me up lol. It's called an Apple Cider Moscow Mule.

COMMITTED.
Goals for Nov 15-Nov 21:
- track 90% of food intake
- drink 2 (26 oz) bottles of water a day
- meditate for at least 5 minutes a day

cbabie

Morning all, I totally binged last night and didn't track. I am a little nausea this morning..LOL.

@trooworld So glad you have light now. I think that is interesting about the book club movie. That sounds like fun to do as a family without sitting in the same space. I am sure you will figure out the instructions. You are pretty intuitive.

@TeresaW1020 LOL I still think you and I could have been twins. Yes maybe I should look at that perspective. I know when I was with WW, I knew EVERY POINT..because I ate the same thing all the time. Hope you find what you are looking for at the nursery. I am sure your yard is very relaxing and yea on the shopping. I bet the church will be beautiful!!

@mswatson0777 LOL sometimes I would sit on my hands..I am sorry about your grandpa and I will be praying for his recovery. Also yea on not eating every emotion. That says your getting your emotions healthy.


Cbabie

mswatson0777

@cbabie Thank you for your kind words. 2020 has definitely been a test in managing emotions. I'm so sorry to hear about your binge. I hope you're able to get out for a walk today and that you don't beat yourself up too much. Is it still family stress?

@trooworld Alcohol definitely helps lol. I hope you have fun at the Amazon movie night. Does it help that the interaction is over text to make it less stressful?

@TeresaW1020 Great tips for working from home! Have you had to deal with additional feelings of isolation or loneliness since I know you're a very social person through your church community! If so, do you have any tips for how to manage those?

Thank you all for your kind words. So far no new news. He's still at the hospital but he hasn't worsened which is good.

In other news, today is me and my SO's 8 year dating anniversary. Even though we got married this year, we are still going to celebrate with takeout and a movie night at home. Our state implemented stronger lockdown measures since our healthcare system is overloaded so we want to support our local restaurants as much as possible. Even though we're at home, I'm excited to celebrate with him

theslightedgeforever

@mswatson0777 How to not go stircrazy.......I think have a lot of virtual connections other than work meetings. I think keeping to a good schedule is important. Just like you would while at work. Get out and get some fresh air. I know it's cold but it breaks up the monotony Do you have a patio or porch? Maybe have your lunch out there since it would be the hottest part of the day. Keep low cals foods around to snack on if you get the urge to snack. Oh I'm so sorry about your grandpa. It's so scary. Hopefully he'll be back home soon. I just want this thing to be over so we can have holidays like we are supposed to. One of my favorite things is the Macy's parade on Thanksgiving so I can wave at Santa at the end. I guess it's going to be virtual this year.

@cbabie You're still in the game. That's good. I didn't track yesterday. But I track 99% of the time and I will track . today. Yaaay on the walk. Knock on wood. I have no idea but I do know you have me singing the song in my head now.

@trooworld How much did you improve over last week on your goals? Yaaaay on lights. I got 50% yesterday. Did you figure out your project you were sewing? That bookclub watch party sounds fun. What movie did you see? We had zoom bookclub last night. Nice discussion. We are reading The Silent Patient for next month.

@teresaw1020 So list out for me all the reasons you hate tracking. I just see it as a roadmap or like a pattern that Troo is doing. MFP makes it so easy to track. If it took hours then I would hate it too. I just see it as click click click and then I'm done. I bet it doesn't even take me a full minute. I should time it. Just did and 41 seconds. Of course if it's a new recipe then it would take longer. But the good news is that you are hitting new records of low numbers so it must be working for you. You said You know what you should be eating and when you eat too much of it. Yes but then we all wouldn't be in this group trying to lose weight. Iol For me it's like a speedometer, sometimes I don't realize I'm traveling 90 mph down the highway when a good song comes on the radio. But it's something I can check to keep me from getting a ticket from the health police. I was reading your comments to Troo about her water and thought of my own problem. I haven't figured out the right thing yet to get 100%. I've tried the alarms on my phone, more than one water app. I hated that one where I always killed my plants. lol Too many water bottles that I can count. My latest one was the fruit infusion water bottle. I thought I would like the pretty colors of the fruit and that would help me drink it. Nope. I suppose I've made tracking and exercise a habit so one day water and food will come next.

Green- didn't track
Intentional movement: 33 min walk 22 min strength training
36 zone minutes minus 4 for inactivity 4/8 (funny how it I lost points when I had almost 9000 steps. oh well, guess I sat too much in between)

November goals:

Green dot day ???
Drink 6 glasses of water
Burn 300 calories
Preplan food
Thursdays: Reduce amount of French Toast and add Apple Walnut Parfait - done

trooworld

@cbabie Can you go back and try to track what you ate? I find that helps me. I hope you feel better! I'm glad I have lights, too lol.

@mswatson0777 Alcohol did help somewhat. Well, there was a 30-minute pre-movie chat over Zoom which absolutely sucked. More on that below. Please keep us posted about your grandfather. I'm glad he's not worse, that's great. Happy 8 year dating anniversary! I hope you enjoy the takeout and the movie.

@theslightedgeforever Not much at all to not at all. I am going to try to be more focused this week. I got 50% yesterday, too. No, I am still struggling with my project but my best friend is going to try to help me over video chat. She lives in CO. We watched "The Bookshop." It was historical fiction and it was really good, I recommend it. It was fun, kind of. More below. I have read the Silent Patient. I didn't like it, I hope you do though. I liked it until near the end.

Hi all. So the Amazon watch party with my book club: We had a 30-minute pre-movie chat session over Zoom and I felt absolutely out of place. When I logged on, everyone was already actively engaged in conversation and not one of them welcomed me or said "HI" or anything via talk or chat. Everyone knew everyone else (besides me) and I felt so alone and unwelcomed. I didn't say anything the whole 20 minutes I was in the Zoom session. The movie was good, it was "The Bookshop", a historical fiction based on a novel. I did better in the Amazon Watch Party as I could type what I wanted to say and have no fear of people looking at me. I don't think I made any friends, but I didn't make any enemies either lol. I gained 2.2 lbs this week, not the direction I wanted to go in but it's not a surprise as I ate noodles for dinner yesterday and had homemade caramel corn with the movie. Plus, I didn't eat that well this week. That's about it!

COMMITTED.
Goals for Nov 15-Nov 21:
- track 90% of food intake
- drink 2 (26 oz) bottles of water a day
- meditate for at least 5 minutes a day

theslightedgeforever

@trooworld I got 25% yesterday. I don't seem to do much on Fridays. If it's my R&R days that a take twice a month even less...... lol So I'm working on how to just do the bare minimum so I can make it a win win for myself. I'm glad you friend will help you. I like historical fiction so I might like that movie.

Yellow- didn't track fully
Intentional movement: rest day
2 zone minutes minus 1 for inactivity 7/8

November goals:

Green dot day ???
Drink 6 glasses of water
Burn 300 calories****
Preplan food
Thursdays: Reduce amount of French Toast and add Apple Walnut Parfait

TeresaW1020

@cbabie I think being your twin would be awesome! But then The Slightedge would be my sister!! Hmm? Kidding!! I’m all about changing the perspective if what you are trying to do isn’t working for you. I think counting calories is great for some people, but it might not be for you. I can’t wait to see how good the church will look this year. I have been wanting to change things up for years but didn’t want to take the lead. Well, I had no choice because no one else would step up and do it. And now my vision will be fulfilled.

@mswatson0777 Happy dating anniversary! My DH and I celebrate the day we met more than we do our wedding anniversary since that is the day our lives changed forever. I hope you have a lovely time together! As for tips to being home all the time. In the early months, it was harder because there was no church and no work for me to really do anymore. I also didn't want to go out much because the virus was scary and the mask was the worst in the summer! That is when I got into jigsaws and podcasts. I’ve always been pretty good at keeping myself entertained and my DH is retired, and my mom lives with us, so I’m never really alone. You are a social person too and you have to find ways to stay busy and connected to those that are close to you the best you can. I’m sorry that your area is back under stronger lockdowns. I think we are all praying for the vaccines to begin.

@theslightedgeforever You right that tracking is fast and I have it down to where I can do it in seconds too. But truthfully, it comes down to two reasons. First, I just don't want to, and second, since I read "The Obesity Code" by Dr. Jason Fung and "Fast Feast Repeat" by Gin Stephen’s and have listened to a bunch of other people on podcasts and YouTube, I just don’t buy into the belief that weight loss is all about calories in vs. calories out. Not all calories are the same and no two bodies will treat them like they are. A 100 calorie Snickers bar is not the same as 100 calories of Broccoli. The same is true for 100 calories of steak vs 100 calories of ground beef. The body is very complex and it breaks down calories very differently depending on what it is. Will we gain weight if we eat too many calories? Yes, of course! But I also don’t think setting an arbitrary number on how many calories I’m “supposed” to eat is the way to go either. When I did calorie counting or WW points, I didn’t even bother to try to listen to my hunger and satiety hormones. If I had 100 extra calories or 5 extra WW points that meant that I could eat something even if I wasn’t hungry. My cravings ruled me much more than my body did. I think not having the ability to listen to my body is something I lost a long time ago and for the first time, I think I’m starting to figure it out. Anyway, as you can tell I can literally talk about this subject forever, and will if you give me a chance. :grin But, you are very correct in saying we all have to find what will work for us and there really is no one set way to lose weight. The key is to find what will work and continue working for the long haul.

@trooworld Uggghhh sorry you felt out of place in the Zoom meeting. I tried that with a Bible study back in late March when the shutdowns first started. A friend invited me to join hers and everyone knew each other except for me. They were nice but I didn’t like it or return the following week. Will you return to yours? Can you just do the watch party if that is what you want to do? Girl, if I had homemade caramel corn my weight would be up too! You ever think that your amazing ability to cook is part of your issue with the scale. You will get it off.


Hello everyone! Today, I cleaned my sofa and chair with my Bissell Little Green Machine that I bought last month. It worked great and my furniture looks so nice now! My dog treats them like giant napkins, which is super annoying. Remember that I had ordered that new white chair that will come in at the end of February. I told DH that I want to get rid of the old chair soon and then train Maggie when the new one comes to stay off of it. I didn’t do much else today except for some computer work for the church. This evening DH has a college football game to watch so I will get the living room to myself. I’m thinking General Hospital and sorting pieces in a new puzzle I want to start.

gemwolf110

Happy Sunday!!! Hope everyone is doing well! Just stopping in real quick to say Hi. My friend and I are going to be starting lifting weights together via Zoom. We usually attend Zumba classes via Zoom and she just came up with the idea that we can lift weights through it. It’s going to be a busy week ahead. Trying to fit 5 days worth of work into 3 and to top that off they tripled the amount of work so it’ll be busy. Thankful that I have a job and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. And I actually get 2 days off! Thanksgiving and the day after. Will be a nice little break. I’ll get my tree that I tagged and start decorating. It’s my favorite time of the year and with this year being the way it is I want to DECORATE lol.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

CW 220
HW 223
GW 110

trooworld

@theslightedgeforever Keep trying, you'll improve. I got 50%, I switched to drinking out of my fun tumbler with a straw. I enjoy historical fiction, too. My favorite was The Nightingale.

@TeresaW1020 Thanks! It sounds like you experienced something similar in your Zoom. I think I will return, maybe eventually they will "let me into their pack" lol. Yes, I definitely think my husband and I's ability to cook interferes with the scale! Unfortunately, it means that anything we desire, we can cook. Good to know about the Bissell Little Green Machine. My dog wipes his face and everything else all over the furniture, it could surely use a cleaning. We have a cover over the couch which is washable but I'd love to clean under the cover. Enjoy your evening me-time!

@gemwolf110 That's a good idea to buddy up over Zoom. Enjoy your holiday and days off!

Hi all. I decided to weigh daily starting today for a bit. I'm down 1.2 lbs since yesterday, I hope the trend continues. I don't have much planned for today, just reading. I only have to work on Monday and then I'm off the rest of the week yay!!!

COMMITTED.
Goals for Nov 22-Nov 28:
- track 90% of food intake
- drink 2 (26 oz) bottles of water a day

trooworld

Good morning! I sign every post I create on one of MFP's message boards with the word "COMMITTED". It is my word for 2020. I'd like to talk about how I have been "COMMITTED" to things in 2020.

In the sense that I visited the MFP community nearly every day, if not every day, in 2020 so far. It helps me when I stay connected to my virtual friends.
In the sense that I've managed to track, to some degree if not 100%, every day since March when I joined WW again.
In the sense that I have made attempts to reach my weekly goals every week.
In the sense that, although I've struggled, I have not given up.

I am thinking of words for 2021 and have come up with some. I will let you know on Jan 1st what I decided!

COMMITTED.
Goals for Nov 22-Nov 28:
- track 90% of food intake
- drink 2 (26 oz) bottles of water a day

mswatson0777

@theslightedgeforever I'm excited you still get to see the parade even if it is virtual. This year is going to be really tough around the holidays not seeing everyone, we are fully expecting to get some of the holiday sads. And I can tell you live in a warm climate suggesting taking lunch outside lol. Most days through the winter the high is 20 degrees if we're lucky! Thank you for the tips on scheduling though, I agree that's a great idea!

@trooworld I love the idea of setting a yearly word intention. My word this year was Thrive, which I think I've done all considering with the pandemic. Congratulations on the loss! And sorry the Zoom meeting sucks, what a bummer that no one even welcomed you into the room! I'm glad it got better after that.

@gemwolf110 I'm similarly excited for the four day weekend, it's going to be a needed break. I love working out with friends over Zoom, it is such a great way to connect without getting Zoom fatigue from just staring at the screen!

@TeresaW1020 Those are great tips, thank you! And I love that you and your DH also celebrate the day you met. We're kind of in the same boat because we were thoroughly committed long before we got legally married (we were together over 7 years by the time we got engaged!) so being married didn't feel all that different to us than the life we had before. I might have to start finding puzzles, I need some things to mix it up!

Happy Monday All! I am definitely dragging today, we partied a little too hard on Saturday since our closest friends are moving to Utah so it was the last hurrah of the quaranteam all together. It's probably for the best that we're dropping down to 4 members instead of 6. With the numbers rising it just means less possibility for exposure.

I did get some work done on my final class project which feels good. Work has already been a challenge this morning, I've had three meetings and it's not even 9:30. Wish me luck that I make it through the day unscathed.

TeresaW1020

@gemwolf110 What a great idea to do weight lifting with your friend! You will for sure help motivate each other and have fun doing it. Enjoy your Thanksgiving and time off. And get to decorating!! I’ve been done for almost two weeks now.

@trooworld, yes I highly recommend the Little Green Machine! My sofa is a silver polyester that looks like crushed velvet and I thought it was just a little dirty. It was super dirty and now it just shines and feels so soft. I will definitely be cleaning it more often! I think it’s fine to weigh in daily as long as you accept the fact that your weight will fluctuate with the different foods you eat and your hormones. I weigh daily and plug it into the Happy Scale app, which I like because it also gives me a running average for the week. I LOVE that you looked back over this year and realized just how much you have stayed committed to your goals! I can’t wait to hear your word for 2021 and now you have inspired me to choose one too.

@mswatson0777 Sorry, you are losing part of your friend group. Glad you had a good time sending them off. I wish you luck with your workweek. I assume you will get a long weekend with Thanksgiving to enjoy yourself. Are you cooking for just you and your husband? Or??? You should totally get some puzzles!!


Good morning! I have been a busy girl the last two days. Yesterday after church, DH and I went out shopping for my mom. I got her several nice things and still have a few other ideas. She has been doing all her shopping online and I swear she is getting deliveries every day! This morning I got up and took the dog to doggie daycare since the landscapers are here and she wouldn’t appreciate their efforts to beautify our yard. Then I went to Aldis so I could beat the crowd. I contacted this lady on Marketplace for some puzzles she was selling, and it turns out that she is the mom of a very good friend that I used to work with years ago. She is coming to the house and I’m looking forward to seeing her again. Now I need to go think of my 2021 word!

theslightedgeforever

@teresaw1020 Keep doing what you are doing it's working. I always wanted another sister just like I wanted another daughter but God decided one was enough for both.

@gemwolf110 That's a great way to use Zoom. Plus it keeps you both accountable. Enjoy your decorating

@trooworld I got 50%. I loved the Nightingale. Has the movie come out yet? Yaaay for your scale being down. I think I will always have daily fluctuations but my overall trend for Oct and November has been in the green going down. Great little message on you being committed this year. I know I chose a word in the beginning of the year but I honestly don't remember what it was. I wish this forum had a search function.

@mswatson0777 How was your weekend eating? Dh and I were together 5 years before we got married but then lived apart for almost 2 more years because of his job. So I understand what you mean.

Yellow- Went Over 166/164
Intentional movement: 52 min walk
29 zone minutes minus 1 for inactivity 7/8

November goals:

Green dot day ???
Drink 6 glasses of water
Burn 300 calories
Preplan food
Thursdays: Reduce amount of French Toast and add Apple Walnut Parfait