Anyone else waiting until after the holiday?
ReenieHJ
Posts: 9,724 Member
Maybe it sounds like just another excuse but I've never been one to say start and make it immediate. I have to psyche myself for it, such as pick a day, stock the fridge, that sort of thing.
My low weight for 2020 was 132ish(can't remember exactly?
)but now I'm looking at losing at least 25#. Yes, it's been a he!!uva year for stress eating. I feel slobbish, slothful, old, unmotivated, lazy, all those depressing negative adjectives. So I'm picking Sunday to start once again with logging calories, working up to an exercise routine I can stick with. By then all the enticing foods will be gone and I can do my grocery shopping on Sunday, like I always do. Restock with healthy stuff. (Ashamed to tell you how many veggies I'm skimping on now)
So....that's where I'm at in this process. It makes me angry that I let it go so much this year but being not able to take it back I can only look forward and make changes.
Wishing all of you strength and good luck getting through the holidays, leaving you with continued and renewed motivation.
My low weight for 2020 was 132ish(can't remember exactly?
)but now I'm looking at losing at least 25#. Yes, it's been a he!!uva year for stress eating. I feel slobbish, slothful, old, unmotivated, lazy, all those depressing negative adjectives. So I'm picking Sunday to start once again with logging calories, working up to an exercise routine I can stick with. By then all the enticing foods will be gone and I can do my grocery shopping on Sunday, like I always do. Restock with healthy stuff. (Ashamed to tell you how many veggies I'm skimping on now)So....that's where I'm at in this process.
It makes me angry that I let it go so much this year but being not able to take it back I can only look forward and make changes.Wishing all of you strength and good luck getting through the holidays, leaving you with continued and renewed motivation.
37
Replies
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Reenie, if anyone’s got this, you do.
You were one of my motivating crew when I started, when I was doing a lot of lurking.
Would return the favor tenfold, if I can.
2020 has flat out sucked. I’ve had nine months of “not a problem, I can deal with this”, and one of gloom. I think it’s the insistent politics here in Georgia- ads, mailers, texts, calls, doorhangers, random strangers at the door.
Whatever is weighing your heart down right now, I hope it lifts and you find yourself light as a feather and able to find your way again.
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Reenie - you can and will do this! 2020-- is a year that we ALL wish would just BE OVER---- Start when you are ready and don't feel ashamed or even angry with yourself-- I know i have to do some re-thinking and getting my mojo back as well4
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Interesting. I would never equate "depressing negative adjectives" to you. You're often so light and more often than that transparent!
You've got a plan so that's a start. Now all that's left is to start 😉5 -
Staying in my fitness routine is the only thing keeping me sane tbh. There's no right way. *hugs*13
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Everyone I know, including me, has struggled this year. If it hasn't been with food/weight/fitness, it's been something else substantial. I have spent the past week or so reviewing where I'm at with various things and recommitting to certain behaviors (and committing to do LESS of some other things that have somehow crept in and become regular habits!).
I am not a "wait until . . . " person because I know that is something I will use to justify procrastination. But that's just me and you know yourself best. It sounds like you've got a solid plan and there is some value in setting a date when you know you're not going to be surrounded by enticing foods.
Good luck!7 -
Yes, no...maybe...kinda. My eating hasn't been particularly off in regards to nutrition, etc but I've put on about 15ish Lbs this year...a lot of that is attributable to an injury that laid me out for about 5 months from May through September which is when I put on pretty much all of that weight. I wasn't really able to do anything...even just going for a walk was impossible as I was in a walking boot for a couple of those months and even before I got put in the boot, it was a chore just to get up and walk to the bathroom.
In October I started walking again pretty much daily about 3 miles and my weight stabilized and I've held steady the last few months. I've been off and on with my bike...October was ok, November and December have thus far been unseasonably cold for NM, with more snow than usual as well. I don't mind walking in the cold, but I hate cycling in the cold because the wind chill just makes it that much colder when I'm going 18-20 MPH.
I ordered a new direct drive smart cycling trainer which arrived yesterday. I will be getting back into things come the new year with some structured cycling programs. I can't really start until the new year because I took my road bike to the shop yesterday as it needs some TLC and I won't get it back until the 30th. Then it's off to the races. I'm going to have to start slow since I've been off the bike for so long save for a casual ride here and there. I'm hoping we will have live cycling events again this coming season, so I'll need to start training in January to get caught up...if we don't end up having events, oh well...I'll be back in pretty good shape fitness wise come May. I've done very little structured training on the bike the last couple of years, and it's time to get back at it...when I was actually training, I had my best results fitness wise.
I likely won't have to do a whole lot with my diet as I've been maintaining this heavier weight now for a few months...I just have to make sure I don't compensate with more food, and I'll probably cut out a snack or two.6 -
I've just signed up with the intention of preparing now to start tracking in January. I'm off work until the 4th and it's the perfect time to work out meal plans, try new recipes and batch cook.
Like you Reenie, I think I have a better chance of success if I plan it all out beforehand. The UK is all fun and games at the minute with various lockdowns, tiers of restrictions and the added bonus of Brexit looming, which are all impacting shopping (or rather, shoppers) and I want to keep my trips to the supermarket to an absolute minimum. Plus, there's lots of chocolate under the tree with my name on it!
DD9 -
I empathize: So many discouraging things this year, I'm betting most people had ups and downs . . . then downs from the downs, even.
I've been doing OK-ish on the weight/fitness front for some reason (don't look the gift horse), but other areas definitely have slid badly (Jane's post resonated, WRT to that part, as well as the "don't wait for future date" thing also true for me, though I know it works for many).
I'm not really mostly goal motivated, so trying to figure out how to make some improvements. From experience, I know that it'll help a bit that we're past Winter solstice. The increasing day length, and (oddly) seeing indoor/outdoor plants responding to it as well, tends to help me break out of Winter doldrums, which are certainly still in the mix with the "special for this year" things.
Hang in there, work your plan, betting you can do this! Meantime, happiest possible holidays to you and all!9 -
springlering62 wrote: »Reenie, if anyone’s got this, you do.
You were one of my motivating crew when I started, when I was doing a lot of lurking.
Would return the favor tenfold, if I can.
2020 has flat out sucked. I’ve had nine months of “not a problem, I can deal with this”, and one of gloom. I think it’s the insistent politics here in Georgia- ads, mailers, texts, calls, doorhangers, random strangers at the door.
Whatever is weighing your heart down right now, I hope it lifts and you find yourself light as a feather and able to find your way again.
I'm with you as a fellow Georgian. I can feel my blood pressure go up with every text message, Political Call that shows up on my caller Id, commercials, and mailers. I started counting the mailers, one day we got 15 mailers, that is usually all that is in the mail box. I took the emotions out on them at the mail box one day and had a tiny tantrum, growling and ripping them up! I have started stringing beads (making beaded mask necklaces) in the evenings to keep my attention away from the commercials and snacks.
But to the topic of conversation, I am trying to start some small changes this week, and plan to go all in next week! Thankfully I have lost a tiny bit this year, but really need to focus to make the changes I want to make.6 -
The majority of my MFP friends have vanished. I'm really hoping they're all planning to start fresh in January!6
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Maybe they’re like me. No gifts, no kids visiting, so I’m taking a holiday and eating any darn thing I want thru Christmas. Some has been worth it, some not, and I’m already looking forward to getting back on the stick. My diary is a total and intentional cluster this week and I’m OK with that.10
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I made this year a positive for me. For the past few years I've focused on the success of my clients. Well with my gym shut down and no clients, I decided to focus on me. And after 3 months of honey do list at home, the next few I focused on eating less and working out more intense. And since June I have missed a workout and am now down over 40lbs. And looking much leaner like I did in my mid 30's. But again, I'm an optimist in bad times or situations. I look for opportunities where people might think something is bad, and make good out of it somehow. It's why I'm never stressed.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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@ninerbuff I soooo need your attitude!!
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Hugs, Reenie.Maybe it sounds like just another excuse but I've never been one to say start and make it immediate. I have to psyche myself for it, such as pick a day, stock the fridge, that sort of thing.
My low weight for 2020 was 132ish(can't remember exactly?)but now I'm looking at losing at least 25#. Yes, it's been a he!!uva year for stress eating. I feel slobbish, slothful, old, unmotivated, lazy, all those depressing negative adjectives. So I'm picking Sunday to start once again with logging calories, working up to an exercise routine I can stick with. By then all the enticing foods will be gone and I can do my grocery shopping on Sunday, like I always do. Restock with healthy stuff. (Ashamed to tell you how many veggies I'm skimping on now)
So....that's where I'm at in this process. It makes me angry that I let it go so much this year but being not able to take it back I can only look forward and make changes.
I don't think it sounds like an excuse, and that's pretty much how I am too. I don't think there's anything wrong with deciding to start on Sunday or that somehow you should be compelled to start on one of the days even people already cutting cals tend to take off.
Also, give yourself a break. This year really has been incredibly hard for so many people, and we've all reacted in our own ways. I'm tempted to be mad at myself too, since I have stuff I wrote for myself early in the year (pre all the covid stuff) about turning 50 and making it really motivating for getting super fit, and I also reacted to everything by dealing with stress in unhealthy ways and instead of using my more flexible schedule (work wasn't less, but no commutes and so on), I stayed inside more than I needed to and was much less active. When I finally came out of this in November, I specifically wrote that it was tempting to be full of regrets about the wasted time, but that's never helpful--I think it's better to try to just be understanding with yourself like you'd be with a friend, and also to see if there's anything to learn from the whole thing.
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and find getting back to it really enjoyable (I've been surprised at how I am mostly feeling really good about it, even the counting cals again bit, and trying to focus on liking the process in different ways).
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Well after reopening in October and then shutting down again till Jan 4th, it's taken a toll. Mentally I'm just fed up with staying at home (I'll likely NEVER retire because I can't sit still for very long) but am still staying positive by studying some of the new info out there on training techniques by others. Time I don't usually have because I'm usually pretty busy with life and my own job.@ninerbuff I soooo need your attitude!!
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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OP, I’m exactly where you are. I was at such a good weight in the summer and have since gained back what I lost. I too need to prep and plan before getting “back on track”. Sunday is the day, and I’m truly looking forward to it!3
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Diatonic12 wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »Maybe they’re like me. No gifts, no kids visiting, so I’m taking a holiday and eating any darn thing I want thru Christmas. Some has been worth it, some not, and I’m already looking forward to getting back on the stick. My diary is a total and intentional cluster this week and I’m OK with that.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10815393/calories-of-bread-crust/p1
Merry Christmas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsg3HW9z8Is
Do. Not. Pull. The. Billy. Bass. Card. On. Me.
My adult kids are obsessed with Billy Bass. My daughter in Germany even tracked one down over there to show her husband because he didn’t understand.
Now they send me YouTube’s of some engineer who has rigged his Billy Bass to lip sync and shake fins to anything he wants.
Some people have waaaaaay too much time on their hands.
BTW is it just me or does BB sound like Grandpa Simpson in that clip?0 -
I am waiting as well. Had received the okay from my therapist to start counting again just a few weeks ago. I had been on a "no counting allowed" period for a long while due to increased anxiety and depression. Counting makes that even worse. Holidays make that even worse. Covid makes that even worse. Having to tell my family I will not be spending the holidays at their homes because of Covid? Well, I have had full on panic attacks. So I decided that right now is not the time to add stress/anxiety to my life. Hopefully once the holidays are over I can get back to counting.8
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I just decided to shift a few pounds a couple of days ago by tracking. I had a little grief/stress creep and it’s as good a time as any, but I’m not feeling festive and am not planning on the season being anything out of routine, which will certainly make the difference.4
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We (wife and I) took a few days to indulge - alcohol, which we mostly gave up to diet, junky foods we wouldn't normally eat, etc. As of this morning we were like "enough already!" and I'm writing this post on a short time-out from my exercise machine. Honestly I think stress eating makes everything worse, and staying on plan and working out makes everything mostly better. Wish I hadn't wasted those three days with all that junk food - it didn't do anything for me. Glad to be back on the train. The way I look at it these days, you can either be stressed and fat, or stressed and in shape, I'll take the latter.12
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springlering62 wrote: »Reenie, if anyone’s got this, you do.
You were one of my motivating crew when I started, when I was doing a lot of lurking.
Would return the favor tenfold, if I can.
2020 has flat out sucked. I’ve had nine months of “not a problem, I can deal with this”, and one of gloom. I think it’s the insistent politics here in Georgia- ads, mailers, texts, calls, doorhangers, random strangers at the door.
Whatever is weighing your heart down right now, I hope it lifts and you find yourself light as a feather and able to find your way again.
Wow thank you!! I don't recall ever being part of anything remotely motivating. 
Sunday's looking better all the time. I'm actually getting sick of Christmas junk food and looking forward to some plain fruits/veggies.
There is always going to be something that stresses us or weighs us down; I just need to come up with totally different stress-busters. 8 -
springlering62 wrote: »Reenie, if anyone’s got this, you do.
You were one of my motivating crew when I started, when I was doing a lot of lurking.
Would return the favor tenfold, if I can.
2020 has flat out sucked. I’ve had nine months of “not a problem, I can deal with this”, and one of gloom. I think it’s the insistent politics here in Georgia- ads, mailers, texts, calls, doorhangers, random strangers at the door.
Whatever is weighing your heart down right now, I hope it lifts and you find yourself light as a feather and able to find your way again.
I'm a texter - sowwie!
Here's a tip - do whatever the text says to optout and do not otherwise engage. That should be the last text from that organization. Unfortunately for you, there are multiple orgs. But a handful of STOP2QUIT or whatever they are looking for should put an end to texts. However, doing anything other than opting out will only prolong the agony.
You Georgians are way nicer than Floridians and I often get a lot of "please stop texting me" and lots of other words but just STOP2QUIT and that org should indeed stop 2 -
I would like to add good for you for starting again Sunday instead of waiting until January. Even if you are not perfect, just start getting back into some of those habits that worked for you before. Be careful of the "all or nothing" mentality.
But we have all been there. I was so good and hit goal and maintained for about 8 months, and then I went on like a 3 week binge. I've been back on track for about a month and am about 3 pounds above where I want to be (but still in my goal range) and I'm trying to be proud of myself for not letting the slide last longer (which would have happened in the past). But I was really beating myself up for a while, and I told myself I had to be kinder to myself if I was going to get back on track. So be kind to yourself - you can do this!!5 -
Knowing that things “didn’t count” during the holidays wouldn’t be good for me. Consistency is key for me. I do have a few days at maintenance (and a little over) these few weeks as opposed to my usual small deficit for a recomp.
This year has been hard for so many of us. And I think for my area (Southern California), things will get even worse before they get better. 😞
All you can do is what you think is best for you. If starting now would be too much stress, then wait. When I start to beat myself up over eating too much, I do the math—it takes 3500 calories to make a pound (over maintenance). Well, that’s pretty hard for me to do in a day. Even with the pint of Cheesecake Factory ice cream I have in my freezer for tomorrow. 😃
Logging and working out helps maintain what’s left of my sanity. My routines have been a blessing for me with the lack of stability in the rest of the world.5 -
Maybe it sounds like just another excuse but I've never been one to say start and make it immediate. I have to psyche myself for it, such as pick a day, stock the fridge, that sort of thing.
My low weight for 2020 was 132ish(can't remember exactly?)but now I'm looking at losing at least 25#. Yes, it's been a he!!uva year for stress eating. I feel slobbish, slothful, old, unmotivated, lazy, all those depressing negative adjectives. So I'm picking Sunday to start once again with logging calories, working up to an exercise routine I can stick with. By then all the enticing foods will be gone and I can do my grocery shopping on Sunday, like I always do. Restock with healthy stuff. (Ashamed to tell you how many veggies I'm skimping on now)
So....that's where I'm at in this process. It makes me angry that I let it go so much this year but being not able to take it back I can only look forward and make changes.
Wishing all of you strength and good luck getting through the holidays, leaving you with continued and renewed motivation.
i hear ya sweetie. i lost (originally) 130ish pounds. over the past 2 years, and mostly over THIS year, I've gained back 50. things are not looking good. But, I did it before, I can do it again, and so can you ((((hugs))))11 -
callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »Maybe it sounds like just another excuse but I've never been one to say start and make it immediate. I have to psyche myself for it, such as pick a day, stock the fridge, that sort of thing.
My low weight for 2020 was 132ish(can't remember exactly?)but now I'm looking at losing at least 25#. Yes, it's been a he!!uva year for stress eating. I feel slobbish, slothful, old, unmotivated, lazy, all those depressing negative adjectives. So I'm picking Sunday to start once again with logging calories, working up to an exercise routine I can stick with. By then all the enticing foods will be gone and I can do my grocery shopping on Sunday, like I always do. Restock with healthy stuff. (Ashamed to tell you how many veggies I'm skimping on now)
So....that's where I'm at in this process. It makes me angry that I let it go so much this year but being not able to take it back I can only look forward and make changes.
Wishing all of you strength and good luck getting through the holidays, leaving you with continued and renewed motivation.
i hear ya sweetie. i lost (originally) 130ish pounds. over the past 2 years, and mostly over THIS year, I've gained back 50. things are not looking good. But, I did it before, I can do it again, and so can you ((((hugs))))
YOU WILL!! No time like a new year to make it happen. You certainly don't want all that hard work to go to waste. You had the will and mindset before, you will find it again. Good luck!! Best thing for me to get back to it is the logging. It seems like once I get that under my belt for a few days it's easier to stay on track. 5 -
I feel you. I did really well for the most part, still lost but these last 2 months I needed a break from counting and logging. That break put me up about 5-6 pounds and I want to get a hold of this before it puts me right back where I started in Dec. 2019.
I also need to get my veggie game back up, I need to stop eating out/eating TV dinners and cooking 99% of my meals again. I canceled my gym membership mid-Summer and I just purchased a spin bike, and I’ll join the peloton app so I can take classes once it’s put together on Tuesday. My exercise has mostly stayed on point, except for when my body and mind made the winter blues transition (thank God, I’ve finally crossed that bridge). So now I have something to do when I don’t have zoom dance classes.
I think 2020 was a beast to most people. I lost my job and started grinding/clenching my teeth in my sleep which has caused some dental issues. Thankfully, I’ve found a new job and I’m slowly working on getting my dental issues under control. I think if you survived 2020, that’s a huge win and something to be proud of.3 -
PROCRASTINATION IS THE ASSASSINATION OF MOTIVATION
Basically, this is an out because one isn't motivated enough to do it now. EVERYONE has great intentions at the beginning of the year. How many usually stick to their resolution? About 5%.
Just start now. Even if it's not the best start, the point of just taking on the responsibility now sets you up better for when you're "more serious".
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
7 -
Given that she said the plan was to start Sunday and it's Sunday, a lecture isn't really needed.
Plus, I actually don't think there's anything wrong with not starting on Christmas or immediately before, that just seems unrealistic, and not "not being motivated enough." (I also think motivation is less the issue than discipline and creating habits and for some of us planning helps with that a lot.)
I started back (mostly with a focus on exercise and logging again) in mid November, but I also knew I was not going to bother having a deficit or logging on Thanksgiving (I know some like to log every day no matter what, but personally I don't tend to eat some crazy number of cals on holidays but do hate having to estimate a bunch of different dishes when I normally make logging easy and fun by actually weighing when I cook, something that I don't do if cooking for a holiday feast, even apart from there being dishes others prepare).7 -
I feel you. I did really well for the most part, still lost but these last 2 months I needed a break from counting and logging. That break put me up about 5-6 pounds and I want to get a hold of this before it puts me right back where I started in Dec. 2019.
I also need to get my veggie game back up, I need to stop eating out/eating TV dinners and cooking 99% of my meals again. I canceled my gym membership mid-Summer and I just purchased a spin bike, and I’ll join the peloton app so I can take classes once it’s put together on Tuesday. My exercise has mostly stayed on point, except for when my body and mind made the winter blues transition (thank God, I’ve finally crossed that bridge). So now I have something to do when I don’t have zoom dance classes.
I think 2020 was a beast to most people. I lost my job and started grinding/clenching my teeth in my sleep which has caused some dental issues. Thankfully, I’ve found a new job and I’m slowly working on getting my dental issues under control. I think if you survived 2020, that’s a huge win and something to be proud of.
Your dentist may have already given you a guard but if not, after I lost the one my dentist made for me, I bought this:
https://www.amazon.com/DenTek-Comfort-Fit-Protection-Nightime-Grinding/dp/B002WTCK4Q/3
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