Beautiful Behaviors - July 2017
Replies
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Since my husband and I are both freelancers, weekends are that time all the other people emerge to get in our way, rather than a special time for us. Seriously, we trade off several protections (like employer paid health insurance!) for the privilege of working for ourselves, but the benefits include going to parks with no one else there, grocery shopping with no lines, and never facing rush hour traffic. We had to drive in midtown during rush hour last week to make his doctor's appointment, and I can't imagine doing that every day. I hated humanity by the time we made it through - what a way to start every morning!
So, on weekends we quietly stay home and avoid the crowds.
For the Fourth of July I made red white and blue cole slaw (well, purple cabbage was as close as I could get to blue) using mostly buttermilk instead of mayo. It was a huge hit, but now I have all this buttermilk, since buttermilk comes in cartons and the slaw only used a cup. I haven't tried to drink buttermilk since my grandma let me taste it when I was eight years old, so I tasted it. Bleagh! Yep, still hate buttermilk. Most of the obvious foods made with buttermilk, like biscuits and pancakes, are lousy for diabetics, so I did some poking around on the internet for ideas, and I ended up making a summer squash gratin. It turned out delicious! Melt 1 tbsp butter, cook 200g (1 medium) sliced onions until they start to soften, add 400g (2 medium) sliced yellow squash and cook until it starts to soften and brown a little, maybe 10 minutes total. Season with salt and pepper and maybe a little coriander powder. Mix 1 cup buttermilk with 2 tbsp bisquick (you could use flour) 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, pour over squash and onions in a casserole dish. Top with additional 2 tbsp Parmesan. Bake at 450 for 15 - 25 minutes until top is browning and squash is cooked, let rest 5 minutes before serving. 4 servings, 113 calories and 11g net carbs. You could lower the carbs by leaving out the bisquick, but it thickens the sauce.2 -
good saturday, people! i tracked every bite yesterday, although i did go over. i was totally honest, and i believe it kept me from eating even more, so yay. today is another tracking day. so far, so good. breakfast is done. i'm hoping committing to only 4 days per week will help me be successful. i hate tracking, and i'm not great at it. i think i really don't like being that conscious, and i think that's a lot of my problem with food. i eat unconsciously. so tracking is way important for my success.
@rheddmobile your lifestyle sounds enviable!3 -
Yes! Go us! I also tracked today. Woooo.
I got out of bed and put healthy foods into clean containers so that I can eat them more easily.
I put celery into a pretty glass jar. Organic raisins into another glass dish. Carrots are next.
Someone please pray for me, I want to get exercise this week! It's going to take an act of God to get me there...
@rheddmobile - now I'm craving squash! That sounds so good. Farmer's market is Tuesday.
@jessiquoi - what a pleasure it is to track our food together! Well. Okay. Truth. Since you suggested that you are keeping up with tracking, I also am doing it.
@happysherri - are you in this too? Who else is making July a great tracking month?
Hi to all the new posters!!! I'm so glad to see you here.
Love to all.
Lea3 -
I'm in for July tracking. I HATE tracking and didn't use to. Why? It's so silly to pretend you didn't eat something right?3
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So I'm going to commit to tracking 5 days a week. And practice self-care 7 days a week. And silly or joyful moments whenever I can. ☺☺5
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Off I go. Track, track, track . . . Good luck all you wonderful women.4
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finngirl61 wrote: »I'm in for July tracking. I HATE tracking and didn't use to. Why? It's so silly to pretend you didn't eat something right?
Oh gosh, this is so tempting. It's why I have my diary private, too, I made it public briefly and noticed I was tempted to lie about what I ate so I would look better to others. If you don't log it, it doesn't count, right?
Yesterday I ate a salad with walnuts on it and forgot to log the walnuts. Later I remembered... when I was just about to my calorie goal for the day... I'm all "No one will know if I just forget to log them, I'll just pretend I didn't remember..." Then I shook myself, logged the stupid walnuts, and did 10 minutes of hard cycling so I could come in under my goal. Ha!
I'm in for July tracking, but I track obsessively anyway because of my diabetes - I like to know how different foods affect my glucose.3 -
My beautiful behavior was a five mile walk at the river park with all the beautiful people. I petted a puppy, saw a skink, and was serenaded by a tiny grey bird that went, "Tweep! wheedlewheedlewheedle Tweep!" I'm going to look through the Cornell University bird site and see if I can figure out what it was. They have bird calls on their identification page.
My lips are sunburned now! My foundation has sunscreen in it, but I forgot my lips! I need some lip balm with sunblock.7 -
Good morning
Update: The bf, kids and I did go to Holiday World amusement park on Friday. It got off to a bumpy start - me yelling at the bf for running unnecessary errands the morning of the trip?! This made us get a late start to our trip (I don't understand mens' brains). However, we all let it go and had an Amazing time!!! We rode tons of water rollercoasters and then the kids rode some of the tall dry ones (I can't do the regular rollercoasters anymore). And NO RAIN, all sunny all day, which the forecast even on that morning said rain half the day for that area
Then I got to spend a big part of Saturday with my daughter and we went to brunch. I am loving this 2017 Summer of Adventure!!!
Exercise: On the down side - I have not worked out in almost 2 weeks, I am definitely getting back at this week, because it's also my therapy. Although, it won't be too much because I do have a dentist appt and will be numb that day. Not worried about getting back to killing workouts - because I love it.
Food: I have been eating whatever I want - so not good at all! I am getting back on track today. This morning was back to my egg white omelette with veggies. Getting back on track won't be too hard for me because the healthy foods I eat - I actually enjoy. I'm not worried.
Thought for the day: Every adventure requires a first step. ***Don't wait around to have fun. No matter how small, make that effort. Don't wait around for someone to go with that cancels (go alone and enjoy). Don't wait for the perfect weather or time. Don't wait for the right place. Don't wait for the right idea. Last summer I waited around for people to go with me to hiking, shopping, etc. Everyone seemed busy or had to work. This year as some of you already know I declared my 2017 Summer of Adventure. So far I have been to several local pools, local small beaches and state parks, a larger beach further away, amusement and waterpark, shopping, and more. I just decided to do these things and went. Some are just small adventures but so fun, and a lot don't even cost hardly any money. Go out and have adventures, try something new!
***I will survive Monday lol - I'm tired
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@aleahurst sending prayers for strength and energy! Ooh and pretty containers also help me feel encouraged to eat healthy. I wish I had more mason jars! I'll have to scope out some of the secondhand stores nearby.
@rheddmobile That sounds lovely! I always feel that being active outside is more fun than inside because there's so much to look at and encounter like your serenading bird!
@happysherri Awesome! Water rollercoasters are the best. I like the black anaconda in the Wisconsin Dells. Also, it's good to get back to your usual breakfast isn't it? I've been waiting months for blueberries to be cheap enough where I live so I can have my blueberry brown sugar oatmeal every morning. Your thought for the day was totally my whole day yesterday! We went out on the river and my dad begged me to jetski with him and I was super scared but I went and it was amazing!!! Super relaxing for some reason too lol. Your adventures sound awesome and I'll try to fit more mini-adventures in as well!!
I've been feeling out of energy for my workouts. Since I'm back on my feet at work all day I haven't been doing any cardio, and I thought that would give me plenty of energy for lifting, but I think work takes it out of me a lot more than I think. It's also been a good month or so since my last real elliptical session. I used to do 45 minutes every day, and I feel a little guilty for not doing it anymore. I also think I've stalled making progress with my strength training and it's making me unmotivated. I'm just gonna keep trying to do it every other day and see if I get over it. I'm tempted to throw in a cardio session on sundays or fridays to see if i've still got it. It's hard to tell since my elliptical at home isn't the same as the nice Pre-cor I used at college. All ellipticals are a little different ya know?
On the bright side, my parents are back from washington! We can finally cook for a group again. It was hard to cook for just my sister and I. We won't go through an 8 pack of hamburger buns!
Power through that monday!1 -
good morning, everyone! it's going to be another very hot day here in maryland. i'm a happy camper because yesterday we got new kitchen windows! that's the first step we needed to complete in building our kitchen. i've been without one since december, and i'm SO EXCITED.
i didn't track like i was supposed to on Monday. it's hard because i don't have much room or many things unpacked, so i don't weigh and measure my food, but today i tracked my breakfast doing the best i can. gonna keep at it all day.
have a happy and healthy tuesday!
jess2 -
Good morning everyone. I had a rough start to my week. I couldn't sleep Sunday night and was up till almost 2 AM; therefore, I didn't swim Monday morning. Not a good start.
I am trying to get back on track as I have a 5K this Saturday. That would be a swimming 5K, I couldn't run a 5K right now to save my life. My first lake swim in 14 years.
I have been spending as much time as I can with my oldest son as he leaves for college in less than a month. It seems like I have been butting heads with my 16 year old as he likes to argue with just about everything I say to him. sigh...
I am trying very hard to forgive myself for not having more money saved for my kids for college. Long story short - I trusted my ex manage to manage the finances in my marriage and he put us into serious debt. I know I can't do anything about it now, but if I had only opened my eyes, my kids would have their college paid for.
My beautiful behavior is to forgive myself and help out the best I can now by co-signing loans for my oldest and continue to save for my youngest. (my ex has no credit and is close to filing for bankruptcy)
Happy hump day everyone!
Nicki4 -
@nickiphillips1 i can relate. my exhusband had no money and i had to fully fund my daughter's college. i'll be paying that off forever, it feels like.1
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Good morning ladies. I have been reading through all your posts, even though I've been a bit absent as far as posting myself. Monday-Wednesday are my busiest days of the week, so here's to getting today over with!
One of my beautiful behaviors I'm really enjoying this month is keeping off the scale. It's been so counterproductive for me to weigh every day in the past; it's like my mood changes with the tide of the scale (which is already so fickle). So I'm kind of competing against myself to stay off of it except for about once a week. Kind of how I try to see how long I can go without logging into social media to save my sanity, but the trying-to-lose-weight version.
One thing that has been bothersome this week is my knee. It popped pretty good last Thursday night, and was really painful throughout the night that night. It has gotten slowly better, then yesterday starting hurting more again. I've stayed out of the gym for a week in an effort to let it calm itself down. It's frustrating when trying to adhere to a nice, new routine. Especially because I'm very "all or nothing" usually when it comes to healthy behaviors. I've decided to let myself just fall nicely exactly where I am right now - counting calories very steadily, every day, and staying away from the gym for a while longer. Why risk a true, potentially long-term injury?
Anyway, I hope everyone is having a beautiful day. It's scorching here in Texas, as usual by this time in the summer. Maybe next summer I'll be a little less uncomfortable since I'll hopefully be carrying around less extra weight.
Much love ladies
Amy4 -
@gillykh Knees, I'm about sick of my knees! I've got no acl in my right knee, so I have to be careful of it, but now I've got an injured left knee, and it's driving me bananas. My young and inexperienced doctor said it seemed fine to him, but it is clearly not fine (pain and bruising) so I've got to go doctor shopping for someone who can help with it.
Anyway try stationary cycling if you're in need of something to do while it heals. That and swimming are good for not irritating knees.1 -
@jessiquoi, thanks for starting this thread! This is what it's all about for me. I took a good look at the rest of my life last December and decided that if I didn't want to spend it fat and achey, then I better get busy and change my ways! What a difference it makes! Logging my food and exercise on MFP has made me more mindful and kept me honest about my choices.
Lately I am trying to revive my flagging prayer life. I started a bullet journal mainly for that. Prayer makes me feel grounded and connected to the One who made me and has a purpose for my life, and loves me unconditionally. I need that in my life every day.
Right now I have a lot of time because I'm a teacher/missionary and we are on "home assignment" in the US for a few months. Usually, I'm so busy and tired and have trouble finding time to exercise or to care what I eat... now I have a lot of time and the challenge is to use it well. Again, the journaling helps with that. It's vital to do first things first and have a plan for the day, and do it.3 -
Hi ladies, keep writing no matter what. We're all trying in our own ways, and sharing the struggles is a good thing. STAY THE COURSE!! ☺☺❤❤0
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After several days of being too tired to care, I'm regaining some energy!!! Yassss!!
Ohmygoodness @finngirl61 - I hate tracking too! Sometimes... What we hate and resist the most.... Turns out to be our greatest tool for living. So, with that thought in mind, I'm inconsistently tracking. If you come up with a dynamic mindset through all this, let us know!!!
@rheddmobile - I can really relate to the "forgotten" foods! But the best story I ever heard was a lovely friend of mine who related that she joined weight watchers, told nobody that she joined, and had to eat her candy bar in a stall of the women's restroom at work, to keep from feeling guilty! She never tracked the candy bar. I know our minds work that way! I've finally learned not to close out the day's tracking until well into tomorrow. It keeps me honest. Again, if you find a really dynamic mindset that helps you track, let us know!!!
@MeredithDeVoe1 - good for you! A healthy spiritual life is an important part of overall health. Prayer keeps your body, mind, and relationships healthy. And, of course, keeps you connected to God always.
@gillykh - here comes another cheer!! Good for you! I agree about limited weigh ins. The scale can really do bad things to my mood, and I'm going to guess that you may be that way also.
@katadx - yes on the second hand stores for mason jars. Also estate sales. They are a tad expensive brand new - and then you have to buy rings and lids too. Maybe I'll buy them new for selling honey, customers like that. But some of my own favorite jars came from estate sales.
@nickiphillips1 - yeah boy do I understand. I filed bankruptcy after my divorce twenty years ago to get out from under his bills. After time passes, you will discover that it was just another life event to go through. What determines your love and passion for life and friends and family is you, not the garbage that was thrown at you. You are one strong woman.
Speaking of strong women.. Congrats @jessiquoi for getting back to tracking foods! We keep each other on the journey.
And @happysherri - another strong woman. Okay. As soon as vacation rest is over, get back to the gym! But good golly, vacations do have a restorative way with your spirit. Ahhhhh...
I want to exercise. My oxygen level has been 91-95 all day for several days. Raspberries to lung disease. It is only prayer that gets me through. I said goodbye today to a long time therapist who is moving to a different business. I went home and slept for several hours. Life goes on.
Tracking food: is there a way we can overcome this obstacle with a sassy attitude? Can we make it fun somehow? Take that devil! I craved celery yesterday and it was good! Ha! And it happened on a day that I was not tracking.... It's my little secret.... Two whole clumps of celery!! Eaten in the dark.
Heh heh heh.
Love to all.
Lea2 -
Morning, everyone! Jumping in to share a behavior yesterday that I'm really proud of. Yesterday my team had a meeting in my company's training center... as part of the fee you pay for using a training room, you get breakfast, lunch, and morning and afternoon snacks. You're given a paper wristband that allows you access to the dining hall and break areas for those meals. Our team always gets excited when we have a meeting there, because you have unlimited access to indulgent foods. My personal favorites are always the huge bagels at breakfast, and the afternoon break where they have big glass jars filled with Hershey Kisses and Swedish fish.
This time I wanted to be sure I didn't go overboard... my new mindset is that just because it's free and available, doesn't mean I should eat it. So what I did was:
1. ate breakfast at home, so I wouldn't need to try to avoid the bagels at the breakfast buffet
2. at lunch, bypassed all the mac and cheese and other decadent choices, and made myself a big salad topped with hot roasted turkey and broiled asparagus
3. allowed myself a teeny 1" brownie bite at lunchtime as a treat... and then ripped off the wristband and threw it in the trash, so that I couldn't get into the break area later for my usual styrofoam cup full of Hershey Kisses. It took away the mid-afternoon internal struggle, and I didn't even care that my co-workers were eating candy in front of me. I was shocked that that little action took away so much food stress!
So, patting myself on the back a bit. This is a complete 180 from my normal behavior at those times. 7 -
Hello ladies! I've been back to trolling again, as I haven't been participating in a lot of beautiful behaviors. However, it's my birthday today (51 - woo hoo), and I'm vowing to make a fresh start. I must motivate myself to start getting some exercise! My beautiful behavior will be to take a nice walk with my dog at least every other day. I love to read these posts. They're so encouraging!
@MidModJenn: Great job! I, too, struggle with that often. I have a weird mindset that I have to take full advantage of "free food". If only the calories were free, too! You had a great plan and carried it out - congrats!
Hugs to all. Hope everyone has a great day!
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Hi there... I am new to this and I am not sure if I fit in. I lost about 25 lbs in the last year and a half and I was not even actually overweight, so now I am supposed to not loose more. My goal is to build muscle and generally get more fit, which means exercising without losing more weight. And it is harder than I expected.
Whenever I am stressed I can't eat well and as a last year PhD student, I am stressed most of the time. Also, I was a carbohydrate junkie, so eating more protein and fewer carbs is my struggle.
Also, I suffer from migraines and high blood pressure (at age 30!) Something needs to change.
Finally, exactly on the first of July, I set my foot in a gym for the first time in my life. And did not walk back out without a membership. Now I am trying to get into the habit of strength training 3x a week, with a little cardio for warm-up.
So far so good, but there's a "but". Tuesday I seem to have strained my right leg and now I am already dreading I might have to take a break of my new good habit. :-(
Is it okay if I join this endeavor even if my goal is to maintain/gain weight and only lose body fat? At least I am through the losing weight thing so I can relate to all of you.5 -
skymningen wrote: »Hi there... I am new to this and I am not sure if I fit in. I lost about 25 lbs in the last year and a half and I was not even actually overweight, so now I am supposed to not loose more. My goal is to build muscle and generally get more fit, which means exercising without losing more weight. And it is harder than I expected.
Whenever I am stressed I can't eat well and as a last year PhD student, I am stressed most of the time. Also, I was a carbohydrate junkie, so eating more protein and fewer carbs is my struggle.
Also, I suffer from migraines and high blood pressure (at age 30!) Something needs to change.
Finally, exactly on the first of July, I set my foot in a gym for the first time in my life. And did not walk back out without a membership. Now I am trying to get into the habit of strength training 3x a week, with a little cardio for warm-up.
So far so good, but there's a "but". Tuesday I seem to have strained my right leg and now I am already dreading I might have to take a break of my new good habit. :-(
Is it okay if I join this endeavor even if my goal is to maintain/gain weight and only lose body fat? At least I am through the losing weight thing so I can relate to all of you.
You are very welcome here! We all have different challenges - as long as you are working towards a healthier you, it doesn't matter if you need to gain weight or lose it or stay the same.
How do you feel about nuts and avocados? Those are what I think of when I think of eating healthier without lowering calories.1 -
And the work drama continues!!! Ugh.
***trying to get right with the lord**** lol
I completed 73 minutes of lifting Legs and Abs last night, felt fantastic!!!
I have been eating whatever sounds good within reason. Meaning - I try to get in veggies and some fruit but have been eating pizza, ice cream, chips, etc... However --- I stay within a certain amount of calories so that I'm not gaining, just maintaining.
I had 2 cavities filled Tuesday, I hate that numb feeling. Yesterday I had a doctor's appt to just refer me to a sleep study specialist. And I had an eye appt and now I have to take eye drops. I am falling apart!!! haha
Thought for the day: Just remember that someone else would love to have just one of your 'bad' days. *Can't remember exactly how that's said but there's always someone worse off that you. I try not to say 'I'm having a bad day anymore'. Because if I got stuck in traffic, or I'm sore from a workout. -At least I can drive and I arrived in one peice. At least I am able bodied to work out and can stay active and my legs and arms still work even with aches and pains. Don't get me wrong it's okay to pamper yourself and know when you deserve rest or to take time off. But just be thankful and cherish and enjoy everything you have. Have an AWESOME Day! 2 -
Sherri, good luck with the sleep study! I did one a few years ago and it changed my life.2
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Okay. I usually ignore YouTube videos on food prep for dieting.... But I really like this one! Rachel Aust does food, minimalism, work out that I cannot keep up with...
Lots of well balanced meals and good looking food.
https://youtu.be/nHrQHrZyHHo
Love to all.
Lea2 -
Okay. I usually ignore YouTube videos on food prep for dieting.... But I really like this one! Rachel Aust does food, minimalism, work out that I cannot keep up with...
Lots of well balanced meals and good looking food.https://youtu.be/nHrQHrZyHHo
Love to all.
Lea
Great video! The foods I frequently prep are:
spaghetti squash - I cook a whole one in the microwave then separate it into 4 sandwich baggies. One baggie is enough for a serving of pasta sauce, which I eat when my husband eats spaghetti. Baggies stack in the fridge better than containers. I also roast the seeds.
Quinoa - I make a big container of it once a week, which I use as the basis for breakfast bowls. Generally some kind of legume, lean protein, veggies, and dressing on top. At the same time I make a container of rice for my husband.
Ginger Garlic chicken: stir fry of olive oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper flake, onions, red bell pepper, and boneless skinless chicken thigh. Little soy sauce and rice vinegar. This is great over rice or quinoa, or in a wrap.
Porterhouse steak: my husband doesn't eat red meat, but I like it, so I cook one steak for myself and eat it about four times in 4 or 5 oz portions. I pepper and salt it, grill it on the stovetop in butter to rare, and eat the tenderloin then, then put the rest in a refrigerator baggie and slice it for salads, add to stir fry (because it's very rare it can stand to be cooked more) or use in sandwiches. Then the bone goes into soup.
Roasted winter veggies: it's summer now, so I haven't been doing this, but in winter I roast a big tray of winter squash, onions, beets, turnips, cauliflower, and other veggies. Summer veggies cook more quickly so I don't bother doing it ahead of time.
Cole slaw: a big tub of buttermilk slaw is an instant side dish for summer meals.
After lots of practice I can chop veggies very quickly (I have a mandoline which makes it even quicker) and chopped veggies deteriorate, so I often prep grains and proteins and add freshly sliced raw veggies at the last minute.2 -
rheddmobile wrote: »How do you feel about nuts and avocados? Those are what I think of when I think of eating healthier without lowering calories.
At work I snack almonds and my go-to comfort food is pasta with avocado. I actually just yesterday promised to bring self-made guacamole to a BBQ I am invited to. So definitely on track there. ;-)
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Good morning all,
I decided kind of last minute to join my husband for a night at a camp he runs every year. So I rode with a friend and am two hours from home, stayed the night, and going home this afternoon. About a 24 hour jaunt.
I didn't have much time to plan for this, but I managed to stay in my calories yesterday, which is rare for me. Usually I would kind of blow it and chalk it up to "special circumstances" (this also works for "special ocassions").
This morning, we went into town to print some pictures they gift to the campers. Grabbed a few things from Walgreens and I think I can stay on track today! This is not a small step, but it is a beautiful behavior. As much as I deserve a break at times, lots and lots and lots of breaks on eating well have gotten me where I am. So my beautiful behavior today is loving myself enough to show some restraint. I don't feel beat up about it, I feel strong.
Have a wonderful Friday!
Amy2 -
Hi ladies,
Sorry I have been fighting a migraine...of which I am still fighting. Hoping the weather that is coming thru will finally hit so my head can get back to normal so I can get back to doing what I need to do. I did hit the treadmill yesterday for a walk/jog session. Just about 20 minutes but that was really all I could handle with my head. Have been shooting my bow and that is really starting to show in my upper body and abs. I do still lift upper body once a week and lower body at least once a week. Trying to get back into a routine. Vacation in coming up the end of July and finally past the days of my birthday celebrations so its really time to get back on track. Wish me luck!
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Yes, @str8bowbabe - you will get back on track because you want to! That's the best reason there is! Just follow your heart.
@rheddmobile - I'm glad you told what you prep. It got me thinking about ways to make all kinds of foods easier to have on hand. Fixing Quinoa ahead is a good idea
And I could do steel cut oats that way. Good plan.
Amy @gillykh - wow! You got that special occasion eating down pat! Good for you!
Today, I spent mostly in bed, but for the first time in a while, I don't feel guilty about it. I spent my time looking for a house to buy. And also the alternative - I priced repairs to my home. I washed some clothes, but I like washing, so that's hardly working. Making decisions about moving is tiring! But I think I've decided what to do. I'm staying put until a certain family situation changes. I will move, when my mother needs me to move in with her. At that point, I'll have some idea of the housing market, and I'll know what to suggest. Whew!
Love to all.
Lea3
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