Accountability buddy

PatriceFitnessPal

My cousin and her three children came to visit this past week. She is driving from Texas to New Hampshire to vacation with her family. So, she stopped here in Virginia (just across the river from Washington, DC) for a couple of days to break up the long trip. I wanted to make sure she had a comfortable and relaxing stay. It was chaotic and exhausting but my heart is full of love and appreciation for my crazy family. 🤪 I want to respond in more depth to all the thoughtful posts but today is my birthday and my former colleagues are getting together for lunch and I’m a bit pressed for time. My husband and sons made dinner reservations at a Korean barbecue restaurant to celebrate tonight, too. Clearly, it will be a high calorie day but the amazing thing is I’m not really worried that I’ll exceed my maintenance level target. I have a fairly confident sense that I’ll eat a bit more than usual but not overeat.

This feels like tremendous growth for me and this MFP thread has been a huge help in making the transformation.

So, I just want to send a note to all my Accountability buddies to let you know how much I appreciate your encouragement, support and gentle accountability reminders. Things are going well and I’m looking forward to posting an update soon! Best wishes for the coming week and I hope we can all continue to make this space a place of reflection, learning, and growth for others! 💕💗💕 Enjoy!!

drollings2019

@PatriceFitnessPal Happy Birthday! Hope you enjoy your day and your meals!!

highmaintnance

@drollings2019 your "small steps" sound great. I also love that you and your husband are working together for meal plans and I really love that your kids are helping out by picking meals. Great support!

@PatriceFitnessPal Happy Birthday! I hope you enjoyed your celebrations.

I'm posting early today because the stress has hit already this morning at work. This week is going to be tough, but I have to make a plan on how to deal....other than eating sweets every time I get overwhelmed, lol. So, let's focus on some good things: Friday I went to the gym and did an acceptable amount of cardio, then I went to the movies with my daughter and only ate two small grabs of popcorn. Saturday, I ate at home despite being really busy and yesterday I got 19k steps in. I didn't make it to the gym Saturday or sunday but I walked outside a lot (I'm dog sitting). I can't wait to get in some strength training with my cardio; I think I'm ready to venture to that part of the gym now. I've started logging some of my food intake again. I used to be militant about it when I lost a lot of weight long ago, but I got super burned out and overwhelmed by it. I'm trying to baby steps back into it. I must practice what I preach and not make too many big changes all at once.

I hope everyone is getting the week started on a good note. If not, I hope you can turn it around.

drollings2019

@highmaintnance if only we didn't have to work, right? I got so much done this weekend and stayed on track pretty well. Now I am back today, ready for another stressful week and feel like I am starving already Good luck this week with the stress and the added strength training. I am doing mine at home, but I am going to start working on these arms tomorrow.

highmaintnance

@drollings2019 Yes! If only we didn't have to work, had personal chefs and trainers, lol. We can dream right?! Do you have free weights or some sort of machine at home for strength training?

I did ok today food wise. I ate a lot of good things, mostly fruit, but I ate what was easy for supper. I really wish there was a restaurant near me that I could get some good roasted veggies I could grab to go. I hate roasting them myself, not sure why.

PatriceFitnessPal

I’m finally catching up after a busy week and then back-to-back-to-back meetings yesterday!

These days, I’m trying not to let work consume me. Late nights and weekends at the office led to many vending machine snacks and take-out meals until I realized how unproductive it was. I couldn’t focus because I was so tired. I thought I could get energy by eating something but, the food usually wasn’t too nutritious - and what I really needed was a mental and physical break - so, I often felt exhausted and stressed. When I became the project director/ team leader, two of the people I supervised were trying to get healthier so we tried ‘walking meetings’ to communicate our progress and coordinate on tasks while walking around a park or green space (a historic cemetery) near our office. That worked well for awhile but lost momentum.

Now that I have my own business, it’s much easier to plan around a meal and fitness schedule that works for me. Sometimes I work at night and on weekends now but it’s because I enjoyed the day and took the break I needed for a healthy mind and body. I’m really grateful for the change and have to remember how unhealthy the stress is for me. I have a habit of offering to do ‘extra’ things that the clients don’t ask for so I’m trying to keep quiet and tamper down my ‘pleaser’ tendencies so I don’t get overloaded.

drollings2019

@highmaintnance I just have free weights and find a workout based on whatever I want to target that day. I like the gym and would probably get better results, but I have no idea what I am doing and just seem to stick with it more at home.

My pre-planning this weekend has really helped so far this week. Monday's we are really busy and I don't have long after I get home before we leave. So I put some chicken in the air-fryer and already had a salad made up. It was way better than eating fried bowing alley food and snacks. I took my big bottle of water and stuck to it. The cravings were there, but I didn't give in!

I did however make excuses not to workout last night and that makes me mad today. It was supposed to be a cardio night but when we got home, the home run derby was on for baseball and I wanted to watch that. We watch it in our garage, right by my treadmill...so there was no excuse. I just didn't do it. Then I got up this morning and started to make excuses on why I couldn't do my morning walk. But then I remembered why am am doing this, put on my workout clothes and went for that walk. I also weighed myself and saw another loss, so that was motivating. My first goal is just to get out of these 190's. I have been stuck here so long gaining and losing the same few pounds, but never getting below 190. When I weighed myself this morning, I was at 192 which is the lowest I have been in a long time.

Happy Tuesday!!

PatriceFitnessPal

@highmaintnance - You motivated me to cook a bunch of roasted vegetables and freeze them so I don’t have to spend an hour preparing them on a busy night. While visiting my family in Boston last month I stayed with my aunt and uncle. My aunt has a beautiful garden with tons of vegetables so we enjoyed simple and delicious meals — just some fish or meat and plenty of fresh vegetables on the grill. It made me realize that I could eliminate carbohydrates sometimes and not even miss them. I looked into it again after seeing your post and here’s what I found about preparing and freezing them, in case you’re interested:

“Roasted vegetables are the perfect thing to make ahead of time for easy dinners or meal prepping. Make a bunch and save them for later!

To store: The best way to store roasted veggies is in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.

To reheat: They’ll be best if you reheat them in the oven each time (5 minutes at 450°F should do the trick), but you can quickly heat them up in the microwave if you’re in a rush.

To freeze: You can also freeze them if you want to keep them for a longer period. Keep them in a freezer safe bag, and to reheat, let them thaw in the fridge, then reheat in the oven. Kind of like homemade frozen veggies! Super easy and convenient.”

(Source: https://www.thecookierookie.com/easy-roasted-vegetables/)

highmaintnance

@drollings2019 that's great that you are able to workout at home. I have a few things but not motivation to do a complete workout at home. Congratulations on the loss! There's nothing more motivating than seeing results.

@PatriceFitnessPal thanks for the info! I need to try that. I don't turn on my oven in the summer and I haven't mastered cooking veggies in the air fryer to my satisfaction. Probably because I just guess everything instead of looking up actual cooking directions, lol.

Yesterday I had a really good day until the evening. I let stress get to me and I bought ice cream and went over my calories, fat and sugar. Boo. But like I said, my eating improves as my movement increases, so I'm just going to continue building up my exercise time and the stress and stress eating will follow.

Here's to the middle of the work week; may we all kick *kitten* and get through it.

drollings2019

Today I ordered a new scale and I can't wait to throw the other two I have away. I really hope this one works as well as the Amazon reviews said it does. The two I have never take consistent measurements. I can step on and off 3 different times and get 3 very widely different weights. They both do the same thing and neither of them read the same. It is very frustrating and makes it very hard to track progress. So they are going in the trash!

My day today feels off. I have been pretty consistent with my walking breaks and water intake, but I spent two hours at the eye doctor with the kids. I didn't get my walking break or my lunch break and I left my water on my desk. Now I am all thrown off. I guess I am just a creature of habit. Now if I can just get back on track for the rest of the day!

PatriceFitnessPal

@drollings2019 - I hope you were able to get your day back on track but, if not, today is another opportunity to start fresh. I’m also thinking about buying a new scale. My son mentioned that he might want to have one for his dorm room so I’ll probably give him the current one when he returns to school in mid-August. I haven’t done any research yet but I’m wondering how accurate the scales are that calculate body fat. I’m in my ‘maintenance’ range now and want to start focusing on building more muscle. Did you decide on a scale you like?

@cnathan5 - It’s taken me awhile to catch up on some of the earlier messages posted but I also find weekends are the toughest time to stay accountable. I’ve been doing better now that summer is here because I get out more during the warmer seasons. I’m like a bear — active in the warm months but prefer hibernating in winter when the days are shorter. How are you doing this weekend? Have you set some weekend goals for yourself? Today, I have a personal trainer appointment to help keep me accountable until I can build my own habit.

@highmaintnance - I’ll have to look into reading Brene Brown’s book. I’ve seen a couple of her TED talks - and think modeling vulnerability is an important aspect of leadership and learning - so “The Gifts of Imperfection” sounds as though it might be worth reading. I’m planning a trip to the library on August 1st to donate a bunch of books and I’ll add that one to my list for checking out.

I LOVED 💗 your description of going to the gym as feeling similar to starting a new school. I’m so glad you soon realized you DO belong and smiled ear-to-ear at the image of you strutting out like a supermodel — perfect! 🤩 I’m (virtually) meeting you at the doorway and delivering a high five to help celebrate your victory! 🙌

I hope everyone is doing well. Enjoy your weekend and best wishes in meeting your goals!

drollings2019

@PatriceFitnessPal I went with the Renpho scale. It had pretty good reviews on Amazon. They compared it to other scales that were a lot more expensive and said it was comparable, and it was on sale for $20. The weight measurements were consistent. It has an app that is easy to use and does calculate body fat, among other things. I can't really attest to how accurate all that is as it is not something I have tracked before. Although, after my initial measurements, it's something I should have been tracking! I am excited to start measuring it now though.

stewartt3260

Uuugh I need major motivation to get back on the grind. I just got so distracted and now I’m just not feeling it but want too if that makes sense. I’ll take all the help!
Thanks

PatriceFitnessPal

@drollings2019 - Thanks so much for the tip!

@stewartt3260 - Welcome! I find it easiest to start with a small step when I’m trying to build momentum. Changing one small behavior - that’s only slightly ‘better’ than my current behavior - helps me build positive habits into my daily routine overtime. That way, it doesn’t feel like a huge disruption or getting back ‘on the grind.’ What is one (or two) little change(s) you can make now that are likely to help you achieve the larger health goal(s) you’ve set for yourself.

You might have a different approach that has worked for you in the past, so no pressure to try these ideas but here are a few things that worked for me in the beginning:

-I started by tracking the calories I consumed using the MFP app. You can even start by logging just one meal a day if it feels too overwhelming to log everything.

-After I had a better sense of portion sizes, and noticed some foods that weren’t worth the number of calories to me, I made small substitutions in my diet. For example, I might have eaten an egg sandwich for breakfast, previously (2 slices of toast, egg, cheese, ham or bacon). Now, I typically have an egg on toast instead, eliminating the extra slice of toast, cheese and slice of ham.

-The calorie and portion size awareness led me to recognize when I tended to overeat, feel tired, etc. and test out different solutions. I found that I was snacking while cooking dinner because I was hungriest in the late afternoon - between lunch and dinner - so I reserved about 250 calories (saved at breakfast as described above) to intentionally plan to satisfy my craving for an afternoon snack. Sometimes I’ll enter a few different options so I can check out how the various foods affect the overall macro-nutrition for the day. Usually, I need to add more protein to get the daily balance I set. So, I might choose yogurt instead of fruit to help keep my energy level consistent.

-To address my habit of looking for something sweet after dinner, I sometimes have a cup of mint tea, chai with oat milk or some other type of mindful replacement. I find that I usually build one sweet snack into the day but now I might eat one chocolate with my tea or have a very small slice of cake over 3 days instead of eating it all on the same day. In some ways, I feel as though I enjoy it more by eating it 3 times instead of once. Knowing I can have it later - and don’t deny myself anything in particular - reduces craving considerably for me.

Best wishes on your journey. We all have different goals but we’re here to support one another along the way. How’s everyone doing?

PatriceFitnessPal

@stewartt3260 — I just realized that all my examples are about the nutrition side of the equation but your goals might be oriented to building muscle or increasing cardio to improve heart health, etc….

My approach to increasing exercise is to combine activity with social time. I started walking with a friend during the pandemic. My son and I complete a 10 or 15 minute daily abdominal workout, which is really showing results overtime and I love sharing this little bit of quality time with him each day. I row a lot in the summer with a local group and also a bit in the spring and fall (weather permitting) but still need to find a winter group. I play soccer in an (old people) adult league, which I’m accountable to during the ‘official’ spring and fall seasons; but, the optional summer and winter ‘pick up’ games feel more intimidating because I’m not very skilled. My regular teammates are wonderful and supportive but some of the other experienced players can be a bit more judgmental. 😬 I still participate sometimes and I guess that’s one way to get better! I can’t improve if I don’t practice (so, I just motivated myself to go tonight!)

Everyone is not the same, of course. So, while I’ve managed to portion my sweets, others might feel triggered by sugar and find it difficult to limit. You’ll need to find what works for you but I thought I’d reflect a little on the changes I’ve made so I don’t slip back into old ‘bad’ habits as I transition to maintenance.

My own goal is to gradually increase my calorie intake by about 200 calories once I reach my target weight of 125. I’m feeling a little worried about adding calories and the possibility of seeing the number climb back up the scale. I’ve stalled often over the past year and a half, which I’d like to reflect on more eventually in response to an earlier post from @drollings2019, to help get into the transition mindset … I’ll save it for another day since I’ve rambled on long enough already! 🙃 For now, here’s a brief update:

I weigh 128.5 now and my maintenance range will probably fall between 125 and 130. I’m planning to schedule a body scan once I hit my goal weight so I can start focusing on body composition. At first, my goal date was the end of 2021 but I might be able to achieve it a little earlier because I’m more active in summer. So, I think I’ll try to reach 125 by my next doctor appointment in October. She was thinking about ordering a bone density scan during my last visit. Now that I’ve turned 55, it would be great if she would prescribe it, so I don’t have to pay out-of-pocket for a body fat scan (since I think one scan covers both measures). Anyway, we’ll see what happens. I’ve reflected far more than anyone wants to read today! 🙄 Thanks for being here, Accountability buddies.

What’s working for you? What have you learned?

highmaintnance

drollings2019 wrote: »

@PatriceFitnessPal I went with the Renpho scale. It had pretty good reviews on Amazon. They compared it to other scales that were a lot more expensive and said it was comparable, and it was on sale for $20. The weight measurements were consistent. It has an app that is easy to use and does calculate body fat, among other things. I can't really attest to how accurate all that is as it is not something I have tracked before. Although, after my initial measurements, it's something I should have been tracking! I am excited to start measuring it now though.

That's what I have and I love it!

Well my birthday came and went and I survived, lol. I even found a frozen meal at kroger that I love. The brand is Purple Carrot and it's just a veggie bowl with a maple chipotle glaze. It's a great thing to have around if you don't feel like cooking veggies with supper, or as a meal for lunch at work. I haven't been to the gym in a hot minute but that's because on top of all my own responsibilities, I volunteered to watch my ex-husband's parents' dogs last week while they all (including our daughter) went on vacation. I'm all done with that, so I will be back at it. Thanks for the virtual high five @PatriceFitnessPal !

drollings2019

@highmaintnance I liked it so much I also ordered the body measuring tape. It is supposed to be here tomorrow. I hope it works as well as the scale does. And Happy Belated Birthday, I hope you got to enjoy it!

drollings2019

So, I have started working on a big life purge. I don't like to hold to on to things that don't have value to me anymore, but I have a whole lot of junk sitting around. I have a garage, shed and basement that I am going to be working on. My goal with my purge is to make room for a weight bench that both me and my boys can use. I might be able to make some money for it too! Probably the most important is my mental purge. I am trying to get rid of all the negative thoughts that I have about myself. I am not the same person I was 20 years ago (before I had kids) and never will be. I don't need to continue to compare myself to that person. I've told my husband when I say something negative about myself, he needs to call me out on it. Then I verbally have to tell him something positive about myself He say's positive things about me all the time, but I don't always believe them about myself. But I am making progress every day and I am happy about that!

magz72

I am looking for an accountability partner. I was thinking of starting a FB group where we could share workouts, meals, progress, etc. I just started PiYo yesterday and need to lose around 20 lbs.

highmaintnance

@PatriceFitnessPal just went through a purge to make a workout room (I'm pretty sure). I love purging; my daughter used to get so upset when I would make her pick some of her toys to give away, lol. I love your plan to fix your negative thinking, and I love that your husband is helping!