March 10
Mrs_Hoffer
Posts: 5,194 Member
Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes?
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day?
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank?
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day?
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank?
1
Replies
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Enjoying A Healthy Lifestyle
The last few topics have really reminded me how important it is to find the things you truly enjoy along your "healthy lifestyle journey".
Speaking of that journey, and the image I chose, I can't help but have a little fun with it. I mean, what IS that journey? What is the destination? What does it look and feel like when you get there?
I suppose from the picture it looks like ecstatic leaping high into the air and being carried by brightly colored balloons over fields of gold amid even cloudy skies! How dreamy it must be to get there! It must feel so amazing!
Ok, enough of that.
What I am trying to talk about is the long term nature of this "journey to health". Similar to how @biketheworld showed that despite ups and downs, you can trend downward by not giving up (at least not for long if you do give up). Also motivation, similar to yesterday's topic from @SummerSkier . As well as habits, be they regular or otherwise some preparatory thing you keep on your "tool belt" to use when appropriate.
Ok, I can already hear the snoring so I'll get right to it (which for me probably means several more paragraphs, apologies in advance).
Despite my own many ups and downs, by finding healthy foods and activities that I truly enjoy during "on track" cycles, I find myself able to maintain some of those healthy foods and activities to some degree even during the "off track" cycles. Some of these you can call habits, but not all of them are habits. They're just things I enjoy eating or doing in general.
The best part is that when I get back "on track", I already have a number of foods and activities at the ready to implement into whatever plans I am starting up. And each cycle finds me learning/discovering even more things.
While I understand it is not as simple as Googling "healthy things I will find enjoyable", it is something that I feel is very important to do for yourself. If you are only following some other plans, just to hit goals, and not truly, and I mean truly enjoying those things, then stop doing that, search for things you will enjoy. Maybe that means looking at things from a different angle.
For example if you can't find a perfect lasagna replacement that is healthy, maybe you should stop looking for lasagna and instead find foods you find delicious that are also healthy. Perhaps after a while of eating truly enjoyable foods that are healthy you won't care as much for lasagna any more? Just a thought. 🙂
It's harder to go "off track" if you are enjoying what you do. And even if you do go "off track", surely you will still do some of the enjoyable healthy things which will reduce the setback.
So, now a question.
On a scale of 1 to 10 (and be brutally honest) how much enjoyment do you get from your chosen exercises and foods? If it's not a high score, do you have any thoughts why it might be that way, and how you might be able to make your healthy journey more enjoyable?4 -
Thursday
Exercise: Yes (walking)
Tracked all: No
Calories under: No
(1 pass day used)
This was not a planned pass day due to a nice reason. It was a fail pass day. I had thought I had made such great changes and was on a new level of mental strength and decision making. But it seems I had just not been left alone with a pantry.8 -
Good morning such great topics that make me think this week so with that said I will be back later as I need to reflect on this question/thought of the day.5
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I'm going to answer the question ahead of posting my results for the day since I know I'll probably too tired to answer tonight. My exercises of choice are Jazzercise and walking. I score Jazzercise a 9 out of 10 and walking a 7 out of 10.
Over the years, I've done a variety of exercises: aerobics, running, walking, cycling, tennis and Jazzercise (basically aerobics + core). I've learned that I am a social exerciser - can't find the motivation to run by myself - and therefore some type of class suits me. Prior to the pandemic, I had been attending my local Jazzercise classes for about 15 years and always enjoyed seeing my friends there and the workouts. Since the pandemic, classes have been almost 100% virtual for me. I could attend in person, but choose not to. What I discovered during this time is that if I can't have the interactions with my friends, then the enjoyment I get comes from the instructor. The franchise owner and person that I take most of the classes from is the BEST. She makes every class fun - call outs to people attending, theme classes (olympics, Valentine's day, musical artists birthdays, etc.), and just a really fun personality.
When I do my daily walk, it is usually by myself listening to a fun podcast or occasionally with my husband. Going with my husband is more fun since we chat about things, but overall walking is a pleasant activity, but not something I truly get excited about.6 -
Thursday
Exercise: Yes (walking)
Tracked all: No
Calories under: No
(1 pass day used)
This was not a planned pass day due to a nice reason. It was a fail pass day. I had thought I had made such great changes and was on a new level of mental strength and decision making. But it seems I had just not been left alone with a pantry.
the good news if you compare all the GREAT days you have had for a long time to one day which was off you will see in the long run you ARE strong and you ARE making great decisions. The important part is not to put yourself on a roller coaster and think you have to punish yourself with eating nothing tomorrow because that will definitely start messing with you
@WhatMeRunning this is a wonderful topic. And it is critical because it is the difference between success long term and regaining over and over again.
It did make me think in that a lot of folks keep asking me if I am going to get another horse. they assume that I loved riding. The truth is I loved Bandit. I miss my exercise at the barn but running is also quite a high (altho yeah) sometimes it sucks) As far as food. I try very hard to make sure I am not restricting things I love but over the years the things I love have definitely changed, Saying NEVER is always a good way of making things a bad decision.
For today. 3 check marks prelogged.
0 pass days used so far.7 -
Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? Yes Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes?
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day?
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank?yes
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day?
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank?yes5 -
On a scale of 1 to 10 (and be brutally honest) how much enjoyment do you get from your chosen exercises and foods? If it's not a high score, do you have any thoughts why it might be that way, and how you might be able to make your healthy journey more enjoyable?
My exercise of choice is walking, and I enjoy it because
It’s free .
It’s at any time that suits me.
Doesn’t require equipment, I always wear appropriate shoes.
Its calming
And it can be as long or short as I need it to,be today.
My food is what it is. Since I don’t live alone and can’t be bothered to make more than one provision it has to be acceptable to both of us and our health issues.6 -
Yes x36
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✅ Exercise: 65 mins
✅ Calories: under goal
✅ Tracked
Remaining pass days: 3️⃣
Scale of 1 - 10?
I’m happy exercising alone or with others, so have no problem with motivation. It’s just something that brings me great joy.
My exercise of choice is 💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼 Any music with a good beat works for me. Dancing is my happy place. I’m first on the dance floor and last off it.
(Scale? 10)
Walking comes a close second, especially if it’s along the shore, in woodlands, or in the mountains.
(Scale? 9)
Aerobic/yoga/tai chi etc are also enjoyable.
(Scale? 8)
Food wise?
• it’s a 9, simply because I still occasionally make stupid choices, and my body usually gives me grief because of it.
• I enjoy my food. I love cooking, and chose to eat home-cooked meals, lots of veg, and fresh fruit.
• I have no forbidden food, but chose to have small portions of treats like chocolate, nuts popcorn, etc.
• There are foods that I no longer enjoy, I don’t eat anything which I don’t like.
• I track and balance my macros/micros.
• If I do overindulge I don’t stress over the resultant bump up in weight. It’s just cause and effect! 😝6 -
10/03/2022
Exercise – yes bike ride and cardio
Tracked – yes
Calories – yes
0 pass days used
“On a scale of 1 to 10 (and be brutally honest) how much enjoyment do you get from your chosen exercises and foods? If it's not a high score, do you have any thoughts why it might be that way, and how you might be able to make your healthy journey more enjoyable?”
Before I retired, I was doing Bodypump twice a week and I really enjoyed it. I have also at different times done waterobics and a variety of aerobic style classes. I do prefer a class with an instructor. I like the group dynamics and the encouragement. However, soon after I retired, I developed arthritis in my left knee and the physio I saw told me to stop Bodypump. I had been suffering from OA in my hip for some time and what with one thing and another I gave up exercise classes. That, and other issues, led to me piling on the weight until I reached a turning point in 2018 and made decision to get fit and healthy again.
Now I enjoy my bike rides (10/10) but I also go to the gym (2/10) and I do quite a lot of short Utube cardio workouts (8/10). So overall quite a good score for my chosen exercise. I use the resistance machines in the gym because I know that the weight-bearing exercise is vital to protect my bones and strength but I can’t say that I enjoy it.
My foods / diet I would score high, because I can please myself. I have a good mix of careful days/weeks with days out and holidays, so overall a score of 10. Living on my own and being able to afford food that I enjoy is key.
7 -
Exercise: Yes
Tracked: yes
Calories: yes
(0 pass day used)6 -
Love this opener @WhatMeRunning (no snoring over here) and thank you for the great questions - they really made me think! I know for a fact that this time is different for me is because I stopped trying to make myself do anything (exercise, eating plan) that I didn't like or couldn't see myself doing indefinitely. My goal is sustainable lifestyle change through habit development. There are no "naughty list" foods anymore. No pushing myself with workouts I hate. I see daily movement not as a calorie burner but a way to boost my mood and enjoy a break. I love walking (10 on the scale) and enjoy doing it daily. I was doing strength and MetCon workouts before that were just too rigorous (5) and now I work in strength a few times a week at a pace that works for me (8). I love dancing, too (10)!
With food, overall I'd say 7 because I've done away with a "naughty list" but am still learning to eat only when actually hungry and not just on a schedule or because I pre-logged a meal. Food urges are far less tempting when I know I can have them whenever I want and have planned for them. There are foods that I'm working on eliminating not because they're "bad" according to whatever diet plan but because I feel bad physically after eating them. It's a work in progress!
✔︎ 20+ mins exercise (39min walk)
✔︎ Within calorie budget
✔︎ Log everything
Consistency Tracking (☘️=3 ✔︎'s, 🏴☠️=pass):
☘️-☘️-☘️-☘️-☘️-🏴☠️-☘️-☘️-☘️-☘️-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31
Passes used = 1 / 3
Habits I'm continuing to track this month:
✔︎ Morning meditation
📿-📿-📿-✘-✘-📿-📿-📿-📿-📿-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31
✔︎ Drink >64oz water (110oz and counting! have had multiple days well above 64oz and have experienced many benefits in hunger/cravings, energy, digestion, joints, mental clarity...)
💧-💧-💧-💧-💧-💧-💧-💧-💧-💧-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-318 -
Thursday
Exercise: Yes
Tracked: yes
Calories: yes
1/3 pass days used
5 -
✅ Exercise: 30 mins
✅ Calories: under goal
✅ Tracked
Remaining pass days: 3️⃣5 -
March 10
✅✅✅
For me, walking and running are 10's, even the sucky sort of running. While I may not want to do it (especially the speedier stuff) and feel like I'm going to die, it's the act of doing it and NOT dying, and then feeling the effects afterwards that make it enjoyable. Running is surely not for everyone though. I never thought I would like it. I do hope I get to run again someday, but I also love walks which get me by.
I also love jump squats. 🤪 I think for the same reason as the speedier running stuff, except I can get it over with much faster, yet still have the crazy boost in cardio, etc. Just 3 sets of as many jump squats as I can do in roughly 30-45 seconds until fatigue sets in, and basically in the blink of an eye I got an incredible workout in, but the kind that should only be done once per week (maybe twice for those tough enough). Oh, and those are one of my secrets to running, particularly for hill training. It also gave me a butt for the first time in my life according to my wife. Those are 10's also.
Weights are mixed for me. Mostly it's a 5 and I have to push to keep myself regular with weights. But strangely a couple movements I seem to enjoy, squats and bench press. It seems so stereotypically grunty male-ish, but yeah, something about those two make me feel good when I do them. But I still have to work to get them in with a weight routine with other movements. Otherwise I would just do only those regularly and wind up with some weird bulky imbalanced form.
Yoga and stretches I'm really not too interested in, like a 3 perhaps. I have to make myself do that. Although some balance items like kicks and leg lifts/holds in all directions are very fun. I actually do those impromptu once in a while and look like a weirdo with my leg stuck out, I'm sure. Those are another secret to my running, I'm convinced it's what has prevented many falls and injury.
Indoor cardio like treadmills or elliptical I just can't enjoy, sadly. I wish I could enjoy it more, I could benefit from an elliptical machine at home with my feet still recovering to a certain degree (I can walk again at least).
Foods, I have a number of healthy things I have picked up over the years that I cycle through. I tend to go through periods eating one certain way, or sets of foods, and then switching to other things. So the variety is key.
I rarely have no healthy options to eat. There are times I eat less healthy items though. Considering there was a large chunk of my life where nothing I ate was really healthy, I'm doing absolutely magnificent despite an occasional indulgence. I'm good with that.
Sometimes I get on a nice streak and can go a nice long time eating very healthy. Last year was a great example diving in and checking out clean keto. I was able to do that and enjoy it.
I simply can't regularly eat anything I don't enjoy any more. I've been that way for quite a few years now. I had a lot of difficulty upping my WFPB earlier this year. While I had some successful raw vegan experience and go to things, I wanted to incorporate grains, legumes, etc. I found some things I liked and some I didn't. So it was a success. But anyone peering into my diary the last few weeks has surely noticed a change from January through mid February.
So foods for me are generally a 10 for regular foods in my rotation. The unhealthy indulgences better be a 10 otherwise what the heck am I doing?
Although I might rate all these girl scout cookies at a 9. I like them, but like the concept of supporting scouting more. They honestly aren't the world's greatest cookies though. But I do enjoy certain ones and have a firm rule to buy any time any scouts are selling them. It's a bit more complicated now with so many scouts in the extended family selling. These cookies will eventually all be gone though (thank goodness). They are my reward for large walking calorie burns (800-1000 cals).5 -
Thursday, March 10
Exercise: Yes - 40 minutes Body FX Figure 8 - Disco; 38 minutes DDP Yoga - Stand up
Tracked all: Yes
Calories under: No
1 pass day used4 -
All three done.
My favorite exercise is spinning as I can slap on some headphones or crank up the tunes rattle the windows and ride away. Or I can chill with some nice classical girls a leisurely ride4 -
March 10 - 2 pass days used
Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? Yes 30 minutes of recovery stretching this morning. Yesterday's leg workout was intense
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? Yes
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? Yes
I decided early in my weight loss journey that I would find workouts on YouTube. I started with Pahla B Fitness, it's moderate and was 20 to 25 minutes. I do it right away in the morning. I am going to rate this type of exercise a 10 because I consistently work out, I see results. I have recently added HASFit and Fabulous50s and Shine Dance Fitness. The weather varies where I live in Montana makes it very difficult to walk outside. For instance today it was 12 degrees and the wind was blowing 30 miles per hour. I will put walking a 7 because of the weather and safety.
4 -
For my cardio I give it a 10; I like doing dance workouts, kickboxing and walking; I think they are enjoyable and fun to do. For strength training (weight lifting) I give it a 7 just because the session is slow and a bit boring to me so I don't enjoy it as much, but I will say that I do like the results I get when I do lift weights.
For my food, during the weekdays I will give it a 9, it's good but I keep it super simple and I eat pretty much the same thing on these days. Now on the weekends it's a 10, I take more time to prepare something nice like maybe a new recipe I haven't had before or i go out and have a nice meal within my calories for the day.
✅ Exercise
✅ Calories
✅ Tracked
1 Pass Days Used5 -
Date: 03/10/22
Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes 👍🏻
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day 👍🏻
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank?👍🏻
(Documenting consistency (if there is a P=instead of number its a Pass Day)
UAC: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31
March goals
1 Miracle Morning ~ S.A.V.E.R.S
2 Wake up EARLY for meditation
3 Yoga (4 times weekly)
4. Minimum sweets (work them in my calorie goal)
5. 30 day squat challenge3 -
Yes x3.
I used to push hard with workouts. If it wasn’t a long sweat session, then does it even count? I can’t be bothered with that anymore. I stick with things I enjoy - walking is a 10 when I can get outside. Walking, kickboxing and low impact videos indoors is less enjoyable - 7. Weight lifting is a 9. Biking in the summer is a 9. Food is 10. I pretty well eat all the same stuff as I always have (my hubby cooks and I don’t complain!), just portions that fit into my calorie goal.4 -
Exercise-30 minutes
Tracking- all
Calories- in range
2 passes remain2 -
Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? yes
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? yes
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? yes2 -
✅ Exercise: 55 minutes swimming, 45 minutes walking
✅ Calories
✅ Tracked
0 pass days used ( )
Being brutally honest, some of what I am eating is a 7-9 on the pleasure scale, which is where I like to be. (For me a 10 is not usually a good thing---that is the ¨bliss point¨ of hyperpalatable food that makes me desire to have more than what is good for me... I prefer 9s which are things that give me a lot of pleasure to eat but that I can be satisfied with a serving or less.) But I am also in the process of trying to develop extreme healthy habits from a ¨food as medicine¨ perspective. I read recently that it is a fallacy that we eat what we like. In reality, it says, we come to like what we eat a lot. In the hope that there is truth in that, I am currently trying to eat 1 cup cooked or three cups raw green leafy vegetables at every single meal or snack. Some of which (like kale, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, and beet greens) I really currently don´t find a lot of physical pleasure in, only the pleasure of feeling good about my food choices. I make sure I eat those first when my hunger is highes to get the most pleasure out of them, but being generous I can probably only give them a 5. We will see if this is sustainable or not--- it is probably only sustainable if what I read is really true and these eventually moved up to at least a 7 for me.
On good days, swimming and walking are 10s. And there are other days when maybe they are only 7 or 8 and I am relying on that ¨feeling good about making healthy choices¨ more than just the innate pleasure of the activity.4 -
3 x yes today.
I'm so busy (and stressed) right now that I hardly have time to post let alone participate in discussions. I expect it to be this way until sometime in May unfortunately but I still intend to meet the three rules of UAC and post each day.5 -
Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? 25 minute walk, 46 minutes Peloton, 5 minutes stretching
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? Yes
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? Yes
Pass days used - 1/3
Exercise:
Walking - in nice weather, 10/10. In winter, 5/10 but I still do it to a lesser extent
Biking (outdoors) - 7/10. Hoping to build this up this year but the stress of pedestrians on shared pathways and motorist rage is stressful to me.
Peloton (indoor cycling) -10/10.. feel like an athlete again
Everything else - ebbs and flows, I only really do other things as I feel like it
Food for me is a 10.. is it perfectly healthy? No...but I am in a mentally pleasant place with my control over it and that's all I can manage for now. I love food, I eat what I like, and my struggle is not eating way too much of it.4 -
yyy3
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Thanks for your opening post today @WhatMeRunning and helping to cause me to think through some things today. I keep pining for what isn’t and can’t be (winter and Covid) and have been in such a funk.
On a scale of 1 to 10 (and be brutally honest) how much enjoyment do you get from your chosen exercises and foods?
Food: 10. I love to cook and bake and really enjoy creating healthy options. I am very fortunate to have the means to buy and prepare high quality healthy food for my family. I can and do manage my calories to include a glass of wine when I feel like it. I don’t feel deprived. I promised myself that I wouldn’t do anything that I wouldn’t or couldn’t sustain. ✅
Outdoor walking: 10 in every season except winter, when the score is 4
Indoor Treadmill walking 6
Dance workouts (Apple+ and Zumba Gold): 8
Stretching and core: 8
If it's not a high score, do you have any thoughts why it might be that way, and how you might be able to make your healthy journey more enjoyable?
Winter walking outdoors: I hate the icy sidewalks, the mealy snow with deadly ice underneath, and the really, really cold wind and weather. I am terrified of falling and can’t really get a great heart rate elevation at the rate I can travel on ice. Spring will come and I need to stop trying to make this work for now. Outdoors for fresh air and sunshine. Stop trying to get my exercise this way. Wow - why didn’t I decide this sooner? 🤦🏼♀️
Walking indoors: I liked it a lot more when I did it earlier in the day and walked (via YouTube) in Hawaii, Greece, Italy, and on the coastal walks of Britain. I can re-arrange my schedule and have just done so to allow this to happen.
And keep on with the exercise I am enjoying. When warmer weather comes, I will be back in the outdoor pools and the water jogging and swimming lengths will be so wonderful.
💡 Thanks for my “wake up” Chris!3 -
✅ Exercise - 1 hour of Jazzercise and a neighborhood walk.
❌ Calories -
✅ Tracking -
Closed all my Apple watch rings today
1 Pass days used
Documenting consistency (if there is a P=instead of number its a Pass Day)
UAC: 1-2-3-4-P-6-7-8-9-P
Tonight was my social event. I did everything that I had planned: did my workouts, got 600+ move points on my Apple watch and ate fairly low cal prior to the event (<400 cal for the day). Once at the event, did fairly well, but still quite hungry so indulged when we got home. The wine and cheese definitely put me over calories.3 -
Thursday March 10
✅✅✅
46 minutes of exercise (combination)
10,000+ steps
No pass days used to date in March3
https://youtu.be/g83v1m2P4_g[/spoile]
