Beautiful Behaviors - End of year 2016

ivygirl1937

Welcome Catrina and Shannon!

Catrina - that is great that you have changed your eating habits! Definitely helps a lot!

Libby - I'm so sorry you are having to deal with depression right now. I don't personally struggle with it but my brother does and I know it gets harder for him this time of year. *big hugs* You are doing great keeping on!! And those desk exercises sound great, I may need to start doing some as well!

Jess - Oh no, I'm sorry you have depression and anxiety as well. That is a great way to handle it, though! Nothing wrong with having slack days to help. I know I do that when I'm not feeling well or having a bad fibro day. Some days you have enough to worry about without adding trying to lose weight to it!

So I'm feeling a little bit better today (yay!!) and have been able to eat a little more normally, still not normal yet. I was basically living on soup, crackers, and ice cream because that's what my stomach could handle, today I brought oatmeal and mashed potatoes to work as well as soup (trying to keep a semblance of my normal calories) and am eating a little bit at a time and seeing if I can handle that. It seems to be working so far, just trying not to overdo it!

I don't know what possessed me to jump on the scale this morning, sick, monthly cycle, and everything but I did and was glad to see I haven't gained anything so I'm calling that a win!! Hopefully once my body settles back down to normal it'll be a little less but even if it's not, I'm happy with maintaining for the moment. I'm still working on the loving myself all the time but today is a good day, I'm happy with me.

Hope you all are having a lovely Thursday, weekend is on it's way!
Amanda

woznube7

Hello Catrina! This is a great place to be! You're already on the right track with the little changes.. this is something that I need to work on every day!

Amanda,

Thank you!! It runs in the family. My mom has it, and my brother has it severely. I do not take any meds for it, but I have gone to counseling! I didn't really ever have it, but it was just triggered severely about four years ago and I am still trying to "heal thy self". Just need a little more love/reassurance from time to time, that is all!

Glad you are feeling better! And yay for maintaining in all of that craziness, that is a great NSV!

jessiquoi

welcome, Catrina! i think self care is ignored a lot because on some level, we think we don't deserve it because of our weight. i believe that if we love ourselves and take care of ourselves NOW, the weight will be easier to lose.

of course, i still have to prove that lol

jessiquoi

Amanda, thank you, it is what it is. It's not a great combo with my diabetes, as fluctuating blood sugars means fluctuating moods as well, and it takes me a little longer to get out of a funk than it did before I became diabetic. My fiance is bipolar, and we have a great support system with each other. I'm glad you're feeling better!

woznube7

Good morning, all!

Happy Friday!

paigern82

Hello everyone.

What a perfect forum for me! Developing healthy behaviors is my goal: Getting Fit and Eating Healthy help me focus. I am certainly hoping that weight loss is a side effect.

My name is Paige and I am a nurse practitioner. I am 53 years old and have been single for 12 years - by choice! My kids are: daughter 29 and son 25. My son and his girlfriend have blessed me with a wonderful grandson and they have another one on the way. My mom is still with me but we lost my Dad this last August. He was a hero being awarded the Distinguished Service Cross during the Korean War - so my role model for sure!

So happy to meet everyone and am looking forward to getting to know everyone!

Paige

iris2811

Hi
Welcome Paige, Catrina and Shannon! (hope i've said hello to everyone else before, if not please forgive me.)
Well I've been ill for the past three days - fever, cough, shivers, achy muscles the lot! But I'm much better now :-)
Lovely to see that this thread is still as wonderfully open and focusing on the positive (whilst allowing for the stuff the gets us down to be aired)

jessiquoi

Welcome, Paige! It's nice to see someone else CLOSE to my age here . I'm 59, and have a 27 yr old daughter who is just getting serious with her beau... I foresee grandchildren within the next few years!

Good morning, everyone! It's a sunny, cold day here in MD. I'm sitting in my bedroom with my personal and work laptops, my phone, and my cat, trying to stay out of the way of the construction going on downstairs. I don't think I'll get much done workwise today, as these guys sing while they work LOL! I'm glad they're happy and doing a good job, but I'm supposed to be taking an online course today. I guess it will wait.

I'm a little unhappy with my progress since the move. It's proving to be nearly impossible for me to eat healthily without a refrigerator here, unless I drive to get food for each meal, and I'm not doing that. We're living on takeout, and I'm not making good choices. Plus, my activity level is down low while I'm in the house and construction work is going on. The only thing I've been managing is keeping up with my water intake. I hope to get things set up a little better this weekend, and our refrigerator is being delivered next Friday, so improvement will happen.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow evening. We have unformed but definite plans to hang out with a couple of friends. It will be nice to get out of the house and see people!

Today I am going to concentrate on getting up at least once every hour to walk around the house and try to put some steps on. What are you focusing on today?

love,
jess

iris2811

Hey Jess
don't let it get to you! not sure about the climate in MD but could you keep meat and veg in a locker outside for a couple of days? or is is not cold enough for that?

jessiquoi

I think it would work, Iris, but I have nowhere to cook them right now. i hope this weekend to set up my microwave and george foreman grill, which will help. Baby steps! I'm managing to stay cheery through it all, thanks!

iris2811

Oh yes! Forgot that 'minor detail' a slow cooker may well be a good one to use as well?

jessiquoi

yes! and i have one of those, thanks for the reminder!

strawbery542

I worked so hard in the gym this week; it's time to treat myself. ...mani/pedi anyone?

Quick background: I am normally hard on myself when attempting to lose weight. As a result, this pressure has caused me to balloon to 275lbs. I have been working on changing my mindset, as well as removing negative things. The result has been nothing short of amazing hence the statement at the top. Life already comes with challenges; no need to add to it. Great group!

melhaaa12

This sounds like a wonderful group of people that I would love to chit chat with. I also have weight issues. My weight has always been a battle my whole life. I hate the word "diet". I am 48 years old, and over the past 3-4 years I have had some health issues and just within the last year went through a divorce. But I am a positive person at heart, nothing will keep my down. I love life... Yes I am 50 pounds heavier then I want to be. Yesterday I started using Fitnesspal.com., I really believe this will help me down the right path

paigern82

Iris - glad you are feeling better.

Jess - thanks for the warm welcome! I can highly recommend grandkids - it is absolutely the BEST. Hang in there and give yourself a bit of a break on the eating thing - moving AND construction is a lot. Just remember that a salad thrown in every once in a while will help you deal with the stress =o).

My focus today is water intake - that is a weakness of mine and something I need to work on.

My newest thing to try is ginger tea - has anyone tried it? Ginger is supposed to have a number of health benefits...

Paige

jessiquoi

Paige, I love ginger tea. I love ginger ANYTHING! Ginger tea, like peppermint, is very good for an upset tummy, and excellent after dinner.

woznube7

Jess! So sorry you are having a rough time. I commend your positive attitude and strength. You're working with what you have... and that is something I am working with on myself! Soon you can look back and pat yourself on the back for getting through this. As well as be able to relax and focus more on what has been put on the back burner for the time being. And that is quite alright!!!!

@strawbery542, a mani/pedi is perfect "me time" and a great treat! Great job on your hard work. I know the pressure all to well. You are doing a great job!! Welcome! Glad you're joining us!

@melhaaa12, welcome!! You are stronger than you think, especially with the hard struggles. You have walked into the right support system (personal and weight-wise). My friend always tells me to "use my feelings" and sometimes I make the wrong choices when I use them. This has helped me to make better choices. So I hope you will learn to use your feelings too!!!

melhaaa12

I have never had ginger tea. Is the ginger strong ?
Melody

jessiquoi

I guess the strength depends on how much you steep it.

paigern82

true - steeping time and the amount of ginger used. I found some good recipes on pinterest. Some sweeten with honey - I'll probably use stevia. Most use lemon and cinnamon along with the ginger - I think orange, cinnamon, and ginger sound good. I'm going to the grocery store tomorrow to buy ingredients and will let you all know !!

girlwithcurls2

jessiquoi wrote: »

I think it would work, Iris, but I have nowhere to cook them right now. i hope this weekend to set up my microwave and george foreman grill, which will help. Baby steps! I'm managing to stay cheery through it all, thanks!

Do you have a Coleman (camping) stove? I'd go bananas with just take out. If it's cold enough outside (only needs to be 40F), can you use a cooler for some things? You might need to eat like a college student for a bit, but there are healthy options if you have the time to get creative. Working full time might preclude that though... In any case, get up each day and tell yourself that you're going to do your best THAT DAY. Then tell yourself this: "Make one good decision. Then make another." I use that so many times a day. I can't think about every food, exercise or anything-else-healthy-decision all day long. One at a time.

I love your attitude. I love that you have decided to love yourself THROUGH the process, not as a result. Your own self-love is not conditional upon a number on the scale. You're worthy of the most love of all, right NOW. Kudos to you for knowing that and living it. (And for what it's worth, even a 2 year old profile pic still doesn't fit your age!!!)

jessiquoi

Good morning, everyone! It's New Year's Eve!

Thank you, @girlwithcurls2 for the compliment. I used to have a camping stove, but no more. At the moment, I am well equiped, I think, with the crockpot, the George Foreman grill, and the microwave. (Um, I just have to find them all, I didn't do a fabulous job packing this time.) That's one of my goals for the weekend... set up our "camping" kitchen.

Paige, your tea recipe sounds delicious! Are you blending this yourself?

Welcome, @strawbery542 and @melhaaa12, to a lovely group of positive and honest people.

I think being honest with yourself is such an important behavior in weight loss. It doesn't help your efforts when you selectively become blind to the nibbles and bites taken through the day, or under or over estimate something. I think part of loving yourself is trusting yourself, and trust requires honesty.

Are you 100% honest with yourself when you track your food and exercise?

Today is my fiance's birthday, so we will celebrate that tonight instead of NYE, and go to bed like old people way before the ball drops. What are your plans for the evening?

Have a beautiful day,
jess

aleahurst

What a wonderful idea for a thread!

I'm Lea. I retired from my job a little earlier than retirement age, and have spent several months just concentrating on calming down.

My life story is full of trauma and abuse. But not now. This is my time to get spiritually, mentally, and physically healthy.

1. I want to drink adequate water, at least 8 cups, each day
2. I want to spend time in prayer for friends and family and myself at least 10 minutes every two days
3. I want to breathe deep and visualize healing at least every two days
4. I want to make getting sound sleep a priority every night
5. I want nutrient dense foods every day
6. I want exercise that is enjoyable
7. I want friends of any age or background who share a deep desire for a beautiful attitude every morning.

Shana67

My name is Shana. I live in a suburb of Denver, where we get over 300 days of sunshine per year, and I love it here! I'm married to the BEST man in the world (coming up on 12y) and I have 3 kids from a previous marriage who are now 25, 23 and 18. Their childhood went so quickly it is stunning, but it's fun to have young adults (sometimes!).

My middle child and oldest daughter (Rachel) has some significant medical issues related to her back. This has been the most stressful year of my life, to be honest. She is as sweet as sugar, but she is also very dependent on me and it is draining. Caring for myself in those moments means that sometimes I have to tell her that my phone is off, and I will talk to her tomorrow (she has a very capable father to help her as well ).

Exercise is also a very big part of my self-care. It makes me feel happier when I'm done, and more confident in my strength each day.

jessiquoi

Hi, Lea, I love your manifesto! Welcome. I love the idea of a regular meditative practice. I'm going to think about adding that on myself. Thanks for the idea!

paigern82

girlwithcurls2 wrote: »

jessiquoi wrote: »

In any case, get up each day and tell yourself that you're going to do your best THAT DAY. Then tell yourself this: "Make one good decision. Then make another." I use that so many times a day. I can't think about every food, exercise or anything-else-healthy-decision all day long. One at a time.

Love this idea - sometimes thinking about all the changes...all the meals...all the decisions....can be overwhelming! I like the idea of making one at a time!

Jess - I'm going to try blending it myself - you simmer it in a small pot on the stovetop with all the ingrediants - apparently - it makes your house smell yummy, too! And Happy Birthday to your fiance! Mine is tomorrow - yes, I was a New Year's Eve baby - had my picture in the paper and everything.

Hey, Lea. Congrats on your retirement! Time for you to live your best life and surround yourself only by those who love you and lift you up - all the others can be pushed off of your path!

I am down to 218.6 from 220 in the first week which is a little more that my target of one lb a week - giving myself 52 weeks to lose 52 lbs.

I have successfully tracked everything all week and successfully kept my carbs under 35% and stayed under 1800 calories per day.

Next week - work on incorporating movement! Walking, dancing, Tai Chi, resistance, anything!! Wish me luck!

Paige

jessiquoi

good for you, Paige, that's excellent! i love focusing on one behavior at a time. it never overwhelms me, and i feel like it's setting myself up for success.

jessiquoi

hi, Shana! i look forward to being as dedicated to movement as you are. welcome, i know you'll enjoy meeting everyone here.

jessiquoi

Good morning and HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone! What did you do to celebrate? We spent the evening with a couple of friends of ours, a lovely and delicious evening, and we went to bed at 11:30!

Today is the day I up my game plan, and begin focusing on staying within my allotted number of calories. Wish me luck... it's less than I'm used to eating, so I expect to be a bit grumbly by the evening.

Do you make new year resolutions? Did you make any this year that you want to share?

paigern82

Good morning and Happy New Year!

Jess - I started by new years resolution last week: Get Fit and Eat Healthy - those are my mantras!

I was in bed at 10ish last night! Very low key this year. Anyway - today is the day that I celebrate since it is my birthday!

Good luck to you - fill in the void of calories with something for you! A walk about....read a great book...dancing around the house - just something that brings you joy! That will take up the space in your brain.

Paige