Women 200lb+, Let's Make No Excuses This November!!!
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Today my strength training class was cancelled and instead of using it as an excuse to go home, I stayed and did my own cardio workout. Before getting into a gym routine, this definitely would not have happened, so I’m feeling very proud of myself.
I’m hoping to weigh-in either tomorrow or Wednesday. I’m looking forward to the holiday coming up, just hoping I don’t overeat too much. I will eat until I leave with a stomachache, so I’m trying to get better at noticing when I’m comfortably full and stopping at that point.
It’s so encouraging to see everyone posting here. Thank you to everyone who sent me encouraging words when I was being a little down on myself, I’ve reset and started focusing again. I’m feeling good about where I’m at right now
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Height-5'1"
Weight-244
SW-227
CW-124
GW-110
I had considered weight loss surgery for years but wanted to wait until all the bugs were worked out. Now 16 years later I was ready to take the plunge. I had my surgery on December 11, 2018. I really have enjoyed the journey and I am now running and walking on the treadmill. I have so much more energy that at times I am very restless. I am so happy with this tool.
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Thinking of adding Intermittent fasting into my low carb.... I'm thinking 14/10 to start eating from 11a-9p. Does anyone have experience with IF?4
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@shorepine, bodies are weird. You gain weight when you shoudn't, lose when you should gain. The woosh will come.
@amlundie, good for you! Planning for the unexpected was a great strategy that paid off. It's those kind of lessons that will help you sustain this lifestyle change. It's not practical to bring your own food to a dinner party for the rest of your life. Instead, you didn't deprive yourself - you adjusted and fit it into your plan.5 -
@amlundie I have been doing intermittent fasting for the past month and feel it has really made a difference. I also started at 10/14 but on most days (yesterday and today excluded) am at 8/16. It has been much easier transition than I expected; I find that I don’t miss food or experience it the way I used to. And there is something satisfying about feeling hungry and ready when you eat your first meal of the day rather than eating when you are not really hungry but think you should.
I drink green tea with mint and mint tea to get my day started (some say you won’t end the fast if you use a few tablespoons of cream or milk in coffee/tea but I don’t think it’s worth the risk with all the effort involved). If you are a coffee drinker I have heard that chilling coffee takes the edge off so you can tolerate it without cream. I usually have my breakfast at 11:30, lunch at around 2:30 and dinner at about 6:30, ending by 7:30 or 8. If I make it past 12:30 then I just start with lunch and have my breakfast at around 3 pm. So I am not skipping meals, just eating them closer together. I have found that I don’t need a morning and afternoon snack generally with this schedule and because I am fasting I don’t eat evening snacks or dessert. Since snacking was my downfall and led to lots of chocolate, this had been a very good development! And there is something about the kitchen being “closed” that makes it easier than making a choice not to eat ice cream or something else night, since it would restart the fasting clock.
The challenges have been being on a slightly different eating schedule than other people (it is easier for me on work days than home days). You also need to be ready to go with a healthy meal so if you do start to lose your mind or start feeling weak/dizzy you can eat immediately. Also I would not exercise at the end of the fasting window although I have done morning workouts without a problem. I did try the BodyFast app; it was a neat concept but too complicated for me as a beginner. It might be worth going back to for a plateau because it shifts your fasting window around to trick your body.
As I’m sure you have read, the purported benefits are phenomenal in terms of metabolism, calorie reduction, gut health, healing, etc. Also you don’t need to be perfect every day for it to work. So fasting 4 days a week is better than none, and 7 days a week is even better. I like that because not doing it one day doesn’t make it seem futile.
In sum I am liking it and at this point I can definitely see sticking with it even after I reach my goal. I highly recommend trying it!6 -
Since it's Monday, I'll follow suit and post my goals:
Height 5' 4"
SW: 307 lbs (04/08/2019)
CW: 226.8
Nov Goal: 220
GW: 160
Goals: Increase strength training to 3 days per week.3 -
@aliciap0116 Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I do have some late nights where I don't get home from church to eat until 9ish, so I downloaded the Zero app and can start my fast right after my last meal and it will let me know when it is time to eat again.
I am a breakfast person so I anticipate mornings being rough in the beginning, but I have done fasting for spiritual reasons for much longer than this so I know it is doable.
Last night I packed breakfast for today to take to work (didn't want to smell it cooking this morning) and I think I'm just going to pack my coffee to have after the fast is broken, I like my creamer too much to give it up. Here goes day one :-)
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@amlundie you are welcome and have a great day one! It is a wonderful exercise to listen to your body; something that I had not really done before. Listen to when your body is truly ready to eat and ease into the fasting process, if you have to. I was surprised at how long I could go on some days; other days my head started buzzing and I had trouble concentrating and that was a sign to eat immediately, regardless of where I was in the fast. It becomes easier!
Here are some articles I found useful when I started:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-guide (and all the links)
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156
https://jamesclear.com/the-beginners-guide-to-intermittent-fasting1 -
Welcome to the new faces.
@Sanriohippie Great job on adding in strength training. Even if the scales aren't moving seeing the inches drop is a good sign you are doing well.
@Terytha Alicia gave you great advice on handling the creeping in your space dudes. I think guys in general often aren't aware of personal space as much as women. So speaking up in an easy manner should make it better. Also great work on hitting the gym.
@sharpdust Weekly goals are good but being on track for the month is what matters most. Since your off this week take time to exercise more and plan out exactly what you want to do as you move forward. I know you like hiking but what other things do you want to focus on. You've got this.
@shorepine Logging and making better choices even on fun weekends was being committed to your goal. As you said it could have been worse. Be proud of not going all out.
@amlundie Love how you were able to enjoy good food with friends while still staying on point. Strategy and planning like that will lead to success in losing the weight and keeping it off.
@torihudson6 Way to adapt and get in some exercise instead of blowing it off bc class was cancelled. That's way is giving you those nice calves.
Yesterday was the first planned day off from exercise that wasn't tied to a dr visit etc. I was home but felt my body needed a break. I admit it felt wrong not to do something but I came back in today ready to get it done. I had planned on changing my cardio to 6 days but now think I'm going with 5 instead. I enjoy it very much but think that many days along with the three strength days may be to stressful on my body. So giving it a little more of a break could be a good thing. Going from doing nada for years to almost every day is an accomplishment that I'm proud of. No shame in resting a couple of days a week.
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@bluffgirl67, thanks! It was worth it. And always listen to your body, it tells you when it’s time to take a break. You don’t want to push yourself to the point of burn out. It sounds like the day off did you well.1
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Ate until 9:50 last night so I am in the last 40 minutes of my 14 hour fast.... I am READY for breakfast!1
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@bluffgirl67 you are doing so great with the exercise! You are right- going from zero to almost everyday is a major accomplishment. Rest days are so good, too. I find myself getting rest days forced upon me because of my schedule, so that is when I take them. So I can understand how nice it is to have a planned one! Enjoy.
I tried IF about a year ago, but it didn't work great for me. I love eating breakfast right when I get up and I got really grumpy towards the end of each fast. Also with young kids I value eating together as a family, so it didn't seem to work great with my schedule. I also tended to pile on the calories in the eating window like they were going out of style! I know it works great for some people and I had hoped I would be one of them since it seemed very simple and I thought the health benefits sounded promising- but it wasn't a good fit for me. I did it for about six weeks, then acknowledged how cranky it made me.
Today is a rainy, stormy day where I live. I am working from home because my youngest is a little too sick for preschool. That means my treadmill is staring me down, so I have no excuse to hop on it at some point. I had a good day yesterday eating-wise and a good workout last night, so I hope to repeat this today. Tomorrow, we are starting to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday so I've got to get ready to roll. Have a great day everyone!1 -
@shorepine I value our family dinners too so I have chosen to fast in the morning and just have a late breakfast (this is hard because I am a roll out of bed and eat right away person), which is easier schedule wise since I'm just at my desk. I'm going to give it a shot and see how it goes, I am sticking with low carb because it is what is best for my health. I had gestational Diabetes with all 4 or my pregnancies, lowering my carbs is just a generally good idea in my case. I don't think I will be working out while fasting, I need food in my tummy for that. I am going to try really hard not to binge during my eating window ..... I could easily see that happening. :-)
For my late breakfast I had scrambled eggs w/ cheese and pico, turkey sausage and some fresh berries. I am super proud of myself because our office had pancakes and french toast from a fancy breakfast restaurant catered in today.... I just took some of the berries and went on my merry way! #win3 -
An affirmation:
I have lost 63 pounds. And that's a heckin' great accomplishment. I deserve to be happy and proud of myself for the work I've done.
A complaint:
None of my dresses fit. My favorite fell off me! I can't replace it because that company went out of business. Sorrow.
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An affirmation:
I have lost 63 pounds. And that's a heckin' great accomplishment. I deserve to be happy and proud of myself for the work I've done.
A complaint:
None of my dresses fit. My favorite fell off me! I can't replace it because that company went out of business. Sorrow.
Can you have it altered and taken in?3 -
Hi all
I have been terrible at logging and checking in. Not self sabotage as I haven't really been overeating and I've been running a lot, but only tiny changes on the scale to show for it. I'm going to have the rest of this week to try and get back into logging, and then commit to logging every day in December. Any ideas for how I can motivate myself to do it, or anyone willing to nag me, please let me know!
In terms of IF, I do it more or less naturally. I don't eat breakfast so I have my first meal around 12.30, with tea only before that. I do have tiny amounts of milk in it, they add up to about 12 calories so I just can't imagine my body does much with it! If I don't have tea, I would eat, so it works for me. I am trying to limit my eating to nothing after 8, although sometimes dinner slips by later than that. I agree it's a lot easier on work days when the routine really helps!4 -
Ugh..old habits came back this back week. It totally explains how I put on 3lbs! I am back on track. I need to work on adding in more exercise. that will really help
here are my stats for the month
goal was to lose 5 lbs, after this week I didn't hit it, but I have seen what I need to do to be successful and not compromise too much.
Happy holidays all!
SW: 243
Nov 7: 238.6 (-4.4)
Nov 13: 237.2 (-1.2)
Nov 19: 236.6 (-0.6)
Nov 27: 239.9 (+3.0)
Final loss for the month: 3.4
First milestone: 200 lbs
Final: 175lbs4 -
An affirmation:
I have lost 63 pounds. And that's a heckin' great accomplishment. I deserve to be happy and proud of myself for the work I've done.
A complaint:
None of my dresses fit. My favorite fell off me! I can't replace it because that company went out of business. Sorrow.
Can you have it altered and taken in?
Maybe. It's a weird design with a lot of elastic. I can look into it, but its probably not in the budget til next year.2 -
💜Hello, everyone! It's been a couple of weeks since I've posted on here! So sorry for not checking in. But I LOVE all the activity on this Novemeber group! You guys rock!!!
I'm moving abroad this Saturday to live in Asia for a year and the packing and running to consulates and last minute doctors' appointments and general life stress coupled with holidays has thrown me off my game.
I'm going to be posting a new December group this Friday (as the weekend is full of a 23 and a half hour commute to my new home)! I will definitely be seeing you all there! 💜10 -
RavenStCloud wrote: »💜Hello, everyone! It's been a couple of weeks since I've posted on here! So sorry for not checking in. But I LOVE all the activity on this Novemeber group! You guys rock!!!
I'm moving abroad this Saturday to live in Asia for a year and the packing and running to consulates and last minute doctors' appointments and general life stress coupled with holidays has thrown me off my game.
I'm going to be posting a new December group this Friday (as the weekend is full of a 23 and a half hour commute to my new home)! I will definitely be seeing you all there! 💜
My goodness that is a big change! Good luck with your move! See you in December :-)1 -
Height: 5'6"
SW: 236.4 (9/8)
10/31: 220.7
11/6: 218.8
11/13: 216.8
11/20: 214.7
11/27: 212.9
11/30:
Nov Goal: 214
November Goals:- 96 oz water/day (doing better; somewhere between 80 and 96)
- strength training 3 days/week (this did not happen, again)
- cardio 4 days/week (I had three last week)
- increasing my protein intake (this is going well, but I have a lot of room for improvement)
- intermittent fasting, starting at 10/14 but would like to get to 8/16 (I am at 8/16 now; this is going well)
After a wild weekend with the scale, I am happy with my loss. I had increased for a while due to salt and heavier foods on Saturday and Sunday but it came back down after two days of going back to my regular weekday meals. I know should not check my weight on the weekend, why do I do it?? I have had some highs and lows of thinking I absolutely can do this and worrying that I will start increasing again, even though I know I am well below maintenance for the most part. Intellectually I know it is just water weight but I still have an emotional reaction to it. Just glad I didn't let my emotions lead me to giving up and eating poorly.
My goal is to get through tomorrow and Friday without too much damage. We have 20 people for dinner which somehow translated into 4 pies and one gingerbread cake. Since dessert is my weakness, I am going to limit myself to a taste of each on Thursday and then nothing after that.
I know we have people from around the world on this thread. Wishing all who are celebrating a Happy Thanksgiving. Here is what I am very grateful for this year:- After years of thinking about losing weight and frankly not believing I could, I met a trainer who told me I could absolutely do it. I couldn't afford the trainer but took his advice and got started.
- My body has responded to my efforts. This would be so hard to continue without that positive feedback and I feel for all of you who have struggled with plateaus over the past month. So glad you all have kept going.
- I found all of you. I don't have people to share this experience with, and I am not a big social media person, so the idea of posting on a forum like this is very new for me. But I feel like I have found my soulmates - people who are struggling with the same demons I am and who are so open, honest, helpful, and supportive. Every post made on this thread has taught me something and is changing how I approach this journey. So thank you all!
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@Terytha - Congratulations on hitting the 63 mark! We are weight loss twins - I hit 63 today too! Cheers to us!
@RavenStCloud - best of luck on your move. I am forever indebted to you to for starting this monthly post. I found you back in July and you friended my right away - which led to a whole lot of more friends that added up to a network of support that has sustained me these 177 days of logging. I'm excited for your adventure and can't wait to hear all about it!
@aliciap0116 - Look at you exceeding your own weight loss goals! I know you are going conquer Thanksgiving. I love that you took the trainer's advice, even if you didn't hire him. He would be so proud of you!
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@RavenStCloud good luck with the move! Thanks so much for creating this thread, it's my favourite!2
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orangequilt wrote: »@RavenStCloud good luck with the move! Thanks so much for creating this thread, it's my favourite!
agreed, it's the only one I check daily!2 -
@Terytha Maybe you can find one similar or even a new favorite. Budget wise do you have any good thrift or consignment shops in your area? Keep being proud of the loss..you are doing great!
@JMNagain First thing I do in the morning is come here to check my news feed. I scroll through to read how others are doing, offer encouragement, and learn from them. Staying connected here really helps keep me motivated to do my best and also lets me know I'm not alone if my day isn't going well.
@GroverBlue78 It's great that you've looked at how you can improve on ways to meet your goals. Losing is a process and there will be goals met and goals missed. I know you can be successful.
@RavenStCloud Thank you for group. It has been such a part of my success and is my daily go to. The new move sounds exciting. Wishing you an easy transition.
@aliciap0116 Great work on exceeding your goal early and not letting those water numbers sabotage you. You've been very focused and it shows in your numbers. Take time and enjoy each delicious bite of your dessert sampler.
Tomorrow the only food I'm worried about over indulging on is Momma's dressing. I honestly don't eat most of the foods we are having. My plan is to stick with the turkey breast, green beans (not the casserole kind), and a small amount of dressing. The only dessert I care about is peanut butter pie so I will eat a tiny piece of that. The hard part is there will be left over dressing in my fridge for hubby. I want this weight loss more than I want dressing is my mantra. Our extended family Christmas when we have all the yummy finger foods will be much harder for me.
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Love your mantra!
Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels 4 -
@RavenStCloud, good luck with your move! I hope it’s a smooth transition. Thank you for creating this thread
To everyone else, happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate. I’m sending warm thoughts to those who struggle with food on days like this, I’m trying to go in with a positive mindset. Generally I always get so down on myself for overeating on days like this, but I am hoping to really listen to my body and stop eating when I’m full versus stuffing myself to the point of being in pain.5 -
@RavenStCloud Safe travels and I hope your moves goes smoothly! Thank you again for creating this thread. I find myself coming back a couple times a day to read everyone's posts! The amount of support and inspiration is simply amazing! Looking for to December's thread as well!
@speyerj and @Terytha I have joined you in the 63 lbs lost! Such a great feeling! I have a lot more to lose but I wouldn't thought even this was possible when I started.
@aliciap0116 You are killing your goals! You should be proud of yourself!! I am sure you are going to push through the holiday without any real set back!
@bluffgirl67 I have a similar game plan for Thanksgiving. I have to have some dressing. Going to measure it and enjoy it! I also plan on having a small piece of chocolate cream pie. I am trying not to stress over it too much! Peanut butter pie sounds wonderful. I'm glad I dont have that temptation! It sounds like it would be worth having to exercise for!! You have been killing the exercise!! It's inspiring!!
@torihudson6 Listening to our bodies tell us when we are full is exactly what I am hoping I can do. It's not only painful to stuff ourselves. I always beat myself afterwards. Kind of takes away the enjoyment of having such good foods. I hope you enjoy your holiday!
It is so nice to be able to share our thoughts, worries, successes, and our struggles with each other. I didn't know how much I needed this kind of support until I joined the September thread and have followed each one since. Looking forward to hearing how everyone fares tomorrow!!4 -
Good morning and Happy Thanksgiving if you are celebrating!
Just popping in for a quick look, then back to the furious food prep! @RavenStCloud, thank you for starting this thread, I've been inspired by the ladies on the thread and it's been a great help to me.
I have found inspiration in a variety of places - some posts here on MyFitnessPal, and in books or articles I've read.
I'll go back to them to reread every once in a while to remind me of why I'm on this journey or to reinforce my new habits and ways of thinking.
One somewhat surprising passage for me is from Daphne Oz, in her book/cookbook Relish. She wrote frankly about her relationship with food and her struggles with weight when she was younger. A lot of what she had to say was similar to my own thoughts and feelings, and of the many things I can say stuck with me, the following statement is one that sticks with me: "Every bite after the first tastes the same."
For me there are so many things packed into that one statement. Underlying the words, to me, is the question why are you eating? For sustenance? For pleasure? Or something else?
A lot of my meals are still consumed without much thought at the time of consumption. That's why I meal prep - the thought is put in at the time I prepare and portion out the food, so that when I'm busy I don't have to expend the mental energy of asking myself the questions. I enjoy everything I've made, so I don't necessarily need to slow down when I'm eating lunch at work, for example.
But at a special meal, when there is so much to choose from, I apply this mantra. I can taste what I want to. Savor that first bite, knowing that the next bite will taste the same. I decide if it's worth having more bites - and how many more bites - for something I find that's really delicious.
So, @bluffgirl67, if you truly appreciate your momma's dressing (and it sounds like you really, really do!) then have what you want and enjoy every forkful. And even if you don't eat as much as you have in past years, leftovers give you more opportunities to savor her recipe for a few days to come!
I hope everyone has a wonderful day, whether you'll be sitting down at a feast later or if it's just Thursday!5
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