Major March Motivation thread

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Replies

  • SherryRueter
    SherryRueter Posts: 3,379 Member
    Workouts:"
    Monday: IRON series - Legs
    Tuesday: IRON series: CHest and Back
    Wed: IRON series: Cardio and Glutes


    Great workout. Planned my food for today, which was a little difficult as work is bringing in Chick FilA, and my daughter and I go out to eat on the 1st Wed of the month. Thankfully, we are choosing a deli that has their nutrition online. Then I plugged in other foods to meet the budget.
    What I noticed is that when eating 2+Meals out, we get in more breads and less veggies. Thus less fiber, which means hitting the daily recommended 25+grams is NOT happening today without concerted effort.

    My mom and brother met with the Lawyer yesterday to get a few things shored up and started on the transfer of assets to my mom. So, last night I got to talk to my mom for a good 30mins. She sounded okay. Today is her busy day at the senior center. I am SO thankful she is the leader of the Senior center as almost ALL of the ladies there have lost their husbands as well. What a great support team for her! And I remind her...if they can do it, and survive, SO CAN YOU!

    Oh, and last night I went to a church ladies activity where we planted a bowl garden (paid and brought home).... met a lady of the curch that is around my age and told her that we had to do a meet up sometime and just take a walk. I hope she can become my first friend (since moving to memphis, I don't have any lady friends).

    Also thinking of going to ZUMBA tonight to see if I can start to make some friends there also.


  • spl8
    spl8 Posts: 101 Member
    @SherryRueter - I liked the pilates! Who knew there were so many different ways to work the core. And the group in the class seem really nice with good camaraderie.
  • SherryRueter
    SherryRueter Posts: 3,379 Member
    Totally messed up yesterday. WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY!

    Its over and done. I beat myself up most of last night.
    on to today.
    Started with a 10min mindfulness meditation.
    then a 45min Elliptical ride.

    Now at work.
    Lunch is packed, -not hungry so just had my protein shake.

    I've thought about checking in more often. moreover, I need to do some mind work. One slip up leads me to "F" this. which ain't good for my body or my mind.
  • CeeBeeSlim
    CeeBeeSlim Posts: 1,359 Member
    Yeah @SherryRueter. It happens to all of us. Just shake it off - it’s over and done with now. What worked for you in the past? It may be a bit rocky before you get your mojo back but you WILL get it back.

  • SherryRueter
    SherryRueter Posts: 3,379 Member
    @ceebeeslim - what i've tried in the past doesnt' seem to be working because my mindset is off.
    So, I'm listening to some mindset stuff.....Following a few new ladies on instagram that are more about Mindset and manifesting.
    The better you feel, the more you can give
    What daily habit do you need to do today? Stop thinking about the habit you need to do next week.

    Give yourself the best selfcare, self talk and positivity. Talk positively to yourself. Give yourself a pep rally each morning and manifest your best self.
    prioritize your goals
    prioritize your choices
    prioritize your time spent
    prioritize your energy

    What choices do I have that I need to prioritize?

    and...prioritize your protein. Prioritize to have some at each meal. It will take a little bit for your metabolism to adjust but, your cravings will diminish.


  • Antiopelle
    Antiopelle Posts: 1,184 Member
    @SherryRueter: I have an app called Anki, that reminds you every day (or whenever you set it) to read some study flashcards. I have flashcards with my "Why's" and "what if's". Every morning, I get a reminder to read them and it won't go away until I did. It forces me to be mindful about what I am doing. Maybe this can help you?

    From my side: I had a crazy 3 day onsite meeting at work, where I knew I would struggle: luscious breakfasts and wonderful buffets galore. I was planning to do some portion control, but I completely lost it. Danish pastries at breakfast, chips and dessert at lunch, and two portions of brownies after an evening bbq... just let me say it didn't go well and I've gain a pound. Also, I felt so incredibly tired and sluggish yesterday, and I'm pretty sure it's at least party because of eating all that crap.

    Anyweeeez... I've logged it all (approximately because one never knows how it's really made), I've owned it and since yesterday I'm back to normal. Oats for brekkie, healthy sammies for lunch and a well portioned dinner. I undid two weeks of effort in three days, but that's how it is.

    So I have put my big girls panties back on :lol: and I am so ready for the weekend !

    Enjoy it all when you get there ladies !! :kissing_heart:
  • RobinAlex666
    RobinAlex666 Posts: 144 Member
    Age: 28
    Height: 5'8"
    SW: 160
    End of month GW: 153.5

    3/2: 155.3
    3/10: 155.7
    3/16:
    3/23:
    3/30:
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,085 Member
    @SherryRueter my daily "power list" has - literally - been life and health altering. Fitness and healthy eating aside, it has been elemental in lowering my stress so significantly it has had major positive impacts both mentally and physically. I know I've talked about it before, but if you think it might help, I'm happy to share some details on how it functions and why I believe it worked so well for me.
    In other news, I got some awesome news yesterday FINALLY passing the application process to sit for the PMP exam! It took 3 tries, and after getting audited on my first one, the rest are all auto-audited, so it took some doing and digging for me to get approved, but it finally happened! Exam is scheduled for May so that I have plenty of time to study and do tons of practice tests since that's really the key element for me, understanding how they write questions and how you need to approach them. I was studying late last year into this year a bit as well, so I've got a head start on that. Getting the certification will make me a lot more marketable to potential clients as I really want to get this business off the ground and running - it's making money, but as a one-man show right now, and I have a much bigger vision for it lol.
    SOOOOO glad it's Friday though, for some reason I've just been tired this week. No good reason for it, other than lots of little things and I think just hitting that stage in the new lifestyle where all the newness of it has fully worn off, but the results are still slow coming, so in that stage where things drag on a bit - but determined to stay disciplined and focused - I've made a ton of progress, and excited to see where it can take me from here!
  • CeeBeeSlim
    CeeBeeSlim Posts: 1,359 Member
    Proud of myself today. Lowest weight since holidays 2021 (never got past the holiday weight gain and just kept going up). Plus for two moments last night I forgot my IF schedule requires me to stop eating at 9:00. At about 9:30 I went for a handful of cashews, was still under calories, remembered my fast and put them all back. Later when my mom asked for some cheese and crackers, I reached for one triscuit and also put it
    back. Heading home next week so hope once I reunite with hubs I can keep it going 🙏🏽🙏🏽🤪
  • SherryRueter
    SherryRueter Posts: 3,379 Member
    edited March 2023
    @SherryRueter my daily "power list" has - literally - been life and health altering. Fitness and healthy eating aside, it has been elemental in lowering my stress so significantly it has had major positive impacts both mentally and physically. I know I've talked about it before, but if you think it might help, I'm happy to share some details on how it functions and why I believe it worked so well for me.
    I would love that

    And congrats on passing your PMP!!! Awesome
  • SherryRueter
    SherryRueter Posts: 3,379 Member
    The good news is that I didn’t gain weight this week. The bad news is I’m 112 … so technically I have 8# to lose. Trying to show myself grace and be mindful on portions. Also signed up for a 28 day challenge to start the week of the 26th. I’ll be on a cruise the week of the 22nd
  • SherryRueter
    SherryRueter Posts: 3,379 Member
    @antiopelle. Thanks for the app.
  • k8richly
    k8richly Posts: 268 Member
    49yrs old / 5'3"
    SW: 145lbs in 2019
    GW: 125lbs but strong and flexible or maybe 120lbs?

    Mar 1: 132.5lbs
    Mar 5: 132.4lbs
    Mar 12: 132.2lbs

    Slowly but surely getting back to where I want to be. Making good (or better) decisions with what goes in my mouth. Had a setback on the fitness front with a pulled hamstring in ball hockey on Monday. But my boss and the universe conspired to make me rest it by giving me So Much Work this week that I was basically sitting at my desk for 10-12hrs a day. It was terrible but with some strategic stretching my hamstring is already feeling great and I went for a wonderful slippery/snowy 40 min trail run yesterday in the sunshine. My knees and back were starting to tweak so I had to walk the end, but at least I got off my butt and away from my desk. The dog was happy too. 😊

    Kids are on March break this week and we'll be doing a little road trip. Hope to keep good habits and better choices going regardless of where we are!

    Re protein, I've been really trying to up my intake closer to 100g a day or 30%. It's not easy! Egg whites and steak for breakfast, protein bars and shakes etc still doesn't always get me there. Any tips from your protein pros?
  • Antiopelle
    Antiopelle Posts: 1,184 Member
    You are all doing extremely well, I'm proud of you ladies !!

    Monday morning and time for some stats:

    * I got 76k steps in despite the three day onsite work meeting - I'm still ok with my yearly goal
    * continue to read Becks flashcards: check
    * 2 fitness sessions: none as I had no time really
    * 1 PT session every 2 weeks: nope
    * Lose a bit: from 74 (163 lbs) to 72,5 (160 lbs) : I've gained 0.8 kg and I'm now back at where I was last month :tired_face:
    * Diving and bicycle rides according to weather: one short dive with hubby on Saturday; assisted him with his 30k training on bike on Sunday.

    And I've finally bought my new diving drysuit. It was long overdue - for years - as my old one was bursting at the seams (yeah, I know; I literary grew out of it...) and I really needed a new one before the end of April as we are leaving for a diving trip. My whole aim was to be at maintenance weight before buying it, to be sure it was going to fit, but alas. So last weekend, we went to the shop anyway and I was going to try one. I started with the same size I had now, and lo and behold: IT FITTED !! Snug yes (very) and I could certainly do with some less weight to have it fit perfectly, but I decided there and then that I wasn't going to buy a larger size. So there it is: I am the proud owner of a new and expensive suit that I need to fit in, so I am now super motivated to get those last stubborn kilo's off. OFF!! :blush:

    The gameplan is simple: stop lacking on my gym sessions, and eat back only half of my exercise calories. Basically what I have been doing until two weeks ago. It worked - slowly but surely - so I just need to go back to that.
  • spl8
    spl8 Posts: 101 Member
    Weekly Check In
    59 yo, 5'7"
    SW (12/2022) 160
    Week 1 (02/27): 151.6
    Week 2 (03/06): 150.8
    Week 2 (03/13): 149.4
    GW 139 (or thereabouts)
    Goals for March: Stick to my 10K training plan. Get under 150. Start pilates class. Continue yoga and regular home strength workouts.

    I am so excited to be under 150 again! Running and pilates are going well, but I need to up my game on strength training.
  • SherryRueter
    SherryRueter Posts: 3,379 Member
    Loved this @Antiopelle
    The gameplan is simple: stop lacking on my gym sessions, and eat back only half of my exercise calories. Basically what I have been doing until two weeks ago. It worked.
    Such SOUND ADVICE.

    My TOP 5 Protein:
    + Hard Boiled eggs
    + 1 egg mixed with 15g protein powder + salt/Vanilla. Mix up and bake (I use a donut pan). Makes splendid treats. Top with PB or I use a little coconut oil. Or yogurt.
    + Vanilla Greek Yogurt + Blueberries.
    + Chicken Breast with a little Orange Sauce. (I mean, I'm going to eat some carbs anyway...why not!)
    + Tuna Packs (Love starkist tuna creations


    My best results came from HiGH protein, where I did NO fruit 2 days on 1 day off. (Probably because the protein put me in a calorie deficit..... and I ate A LOT of fish (so I didn't really want to overeat).
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,085 Member
    edited March 2023
    My weekend was pretty active - Saturday was a riding lesson followed by about 4 hours on the bike, then yesterday took my dog hiking in the damp - we avoided the rain, but one super slick creek crossing over sheer rock face took both of us out - couple bruises but nothing alarming. I felt slightly mollified when the dog with four-wheel-drive ate "poo" going over it behind me lol.
    This morning got the "urgent" filling taken care of on the one tooth. Nothing else urgent, although a couple teeth that due to cracks will eventually need crowns, but until they are sensitive, no real urgency. Which is good, because I can shuffle all that dental money into my liquid savings.
    Busy getting ready for race season as well, so it's been a little crazy, but my task list is at least keeping me focused!
    Looked back at some of my old lifting records that I still had stored in my little clipboard, and in 2019 I was the most consistent for the longest period of time (until covid hit) with working out and lifting, and it looks like my last one was still in there - I'm not quite up to what I was then, but I'm just a few weeks shy of matching most of those (and/or exceeding them) so that was a good feeling.
    Looking into what kind of program I want to follow once I'm not really linearly progressing anymore...have had a few suggestions, doing some research to see which way I want to go. Have a feeling in another 2-3 months I'll have started to hit that point, so want to know which direction to head.
  • SherryRueter
    SherryRueter Posts: 3,379 Member
    Listening to a pod cast , losing 100 pounds.
    She metions : When your 12 yr old says "i'm not motivated to do my homework" what do you do as a partent? You tell them, that's too bad and that they have to get started on it. Regardless of their "FEELING" like doing it or not. Of course they would rather play video games.

    Food is just like that. Our inner child says "I don't feel like eating healthy" I would rather have *insert junk food". I would rather over eat. So ....remembering that, I need to be telling my self "That's too bad that you don't feel like it." and just get started on doing what I should be doing.

    also found this:
    Over eating and cravings are sometimes a queue that we are under hydrated.
    Having protein earlier in the day tends to curb cravings and over eating later in the day
    distracted eating causes you to get less joy from your meal, as you get "amnesia" and don't quite remember eating it.
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,085 Member
    @SherryRueter yup, discipline really is key...as crass as he can be, I think that's something I love about Andy Frisella - he's open and honest about the fact that he often doesn't "feel like" doing what needs to be done. That he battles with depression and trauma. But gets up and does the things anyways. Which really is the element that our society has pushed aside, along with our natural inclination to seek "comfort" yet that comfort trap - so dangerous (speaking from my personal experience on that one).
    ~~
    According to my Fitbit, I slept GREAT last night, longer than usual, and better than usual - but I have been fighting a case of the sleepies all day so far, even with coffee. This is one of those days the only reason anything is going to get done is because of my power list LOL.

    Totally unrelated, Best Buy is on my poo list - they will never get another dime of my business unless I'm going into a store and dealing with something already on the shelf and a real person. Their online stuff is a nightmare, and I'm still sitting here 2 weeks later waiting on an almost $1K refund for a laptop that never made it to me because they are partnering with a BBB "F" rated delivery service that has been proven to steal electronics and resell them - yet they keep on using them.....WTF Best Buy?!?
  • Antiopelle
    Antiopelle Posts: 1,184 Member
    I completely agree on the discipline part!

    @Honeybadger302: I hope your refund arrives soon; this is some nightmare stuff indeed !!
  • RobinAlex666
    RobinAlex666 Posts: 144 Member
    Age: 28
    Height: 5'8"
    SW: 160
    End of month GW: 153.5

    3/2: 155.3
    3/10: 155.7
    3/16: 155.0
    3/23:
    3/30:

    I started using protein powder and creatine and my weight lifting abilities have greatly increased. @k8richly if you're interested, I use Ghost brand whey protein powder. I chose the coffee ice cream flavor and mix it into almond milk and then I throw in some ice cubes that I made out of coffee :)
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,085 Member
    @SherryRueter my daily "power list" has - literally - been life and health altering. ....I'm happy to share some details on how it functions and why I believe it worked so well for me.
    I would love that
    I'll shoot you a Mail msg
    ~~~~~
    44, F, 5' 7"
    GW: 128-135(ish - TBD)
    SW 01-2023: 157.6
    3/1/23: 152
    3/8/23: 151.6
    3/15/23: 151.0

    Weight is trending on point. Took a closer look at that old lifting record, and realized right now I'm matching or even slightly exceeding most of those lifts - which totally explains why my linear progression is slowing! Going to have to dig deeper into lifting plans before long though, maybe have one more 6 week rotation of this plan, but have a feeling I'll be starting to hit the proverbial wall on the classic newbie lifting plan and will have to transition to a more intermediate lifting plan - not something I've had to do before!

    In other news, I've been able to renew my place as a 1st Phorm Legionnaire - happy to have that going again, just working on how best to integrate it into everything else I'm doing and carve out a little time for that each day (or on the weekend to prep content for the week(s) ahead which might be the smarter thing to do).
  • mandycat_florida
    mandycat_florida Posts: 60 Member
    Can someone enlighten me about "Beck's flashcards?" I'm assuming these are part of Dr. Judith Beck's work but I can't find anything online specifically about flashcards, just her books. I'm interested because for certain topics flashcards are pretty much the limit of my toddler attention span.
  • k8richly
    k8richly Posts: 268 Member
    49yrs old / 5'3"
    SW: 145lbs in 2019
    GW: 125lbs but strong and flexible or maybe 120lbs?

    Mar 1: 132.5lbs
    Mar 5: 132.4lbs
    Mar 12: 132.2lbs
    Mar 19: 132.4lbs

    I call this tiny scale increase a "win" since it could have been far worse. We had a great family road trip for March break this week. But the scale reflects hours in the car, plus eating out at restaurants where good choices were difficult, plus my teen has been making treats like brownies and leaving them on the counter. Sigh. I tried to stay active but the weather also wasn't great. Getting back to the routine this week. Fersure.

    And thanks all for the protein tips! I need to practice making hard boiled eggs as i love them but can never do it just right where the shells come off easily. Any suggestions?

    Hubby bought a protein powder that doesn't dissolve well in liquid (hot or cold) so it's gross and grainy. I'm going to try using it in baking recipes (replacing a portion of the flour) and hope to use it up that way - pancakes, muffins etc. But need a new kind for drinks and so will look up Ghost brand @RobinAlex666 !
  • mandycat_florida
    mandycat_florida Posts: 60 Member
    k8richly wrote: »
    49yrs old / 5'3"

    "And thanks all for the protein tips! I need to practice making hard boiled eggs as i love them but can never do it just right where the shells come off easily. Any suggestions?"

    One of the 42,348 ways I use my Instant Pot is to hard boil eggs. They come out exactly the same every time and all but jump out of their shells. Six minutes under pressure, six minutes natural release, then straight into a bowl of ice water. Bah-dadda-da-boom.
  • CeeBeeSlim
    CeeBeeSlim Posts: 1,359 Member
    Been away for a bit. Was prepping for and then made the road trip back home. Here for about two weeks before I bring my parents back. Was heading steadily down until two days ago when I gained half a pound. Ordered in Indian food - first meal not eaten at home in months so I’m sure that’s sodium. Back at it!!!💪💪
  • Antiopelle
    Antiopelle Posts: 1,184 Member
    Can someone enlighten me about "Beck's flashcards?" I'm assuming these are part of Dr. Judith Beck's work but I can't find anything online specifically about flashcards, just her books. I'm interested because for certain topics flashcards are pretty much the limit of my toddler attention span.

    Your assumption is right and I guess you can't find anything online as it is the core of her theory and she wouldn't put it up on the net for free I guess :smile: .

    The flashcards are very personal, but these are mine:

    * an "Extra" card that reminds me that I'm in good flow and should be proud; that I always should eat mindfully and that I need to keep up with MFP
    * my "Aiaiai Caramba" card that reminds me that if I slip up it's not the end of the world and I simply should pick back up there and then
    * the "oh well" card that said that sometimes in life you have to do things that you don't like but you just accept it and move on
    * "Cravings" remind me that they will diminish the moment you decide you are absolutely not going to give in, but they will increase when you stay indecisive.
    * "Hungry?" to be mindful of the difference between real hunger (emergency), craving or a stomach rumble
    * "Excuses": a list of all the excuses I've used in the past ( It will go to waste, I'm celebrating, I'm upset and just don't care, etc...
    * "Reasons": all the reasons why I've started to diet to begin with and why that matters to me

    Just give it a try and see if it helps :smile:
  • Antiopelle
    Antiopelle Posts: 1,184 Member
    CeeBeeSlim wrote: »
    Been away for a bit. Was prepping for and then made the road trip back home. Here for about two weeks before I bring my parents back. Was heading steadily down until two days ago when I gained half a pound. Ordered in Indian food - first meal not eaten at home in months so I’m sure that’s sodium. Back at it!!!💪💪

    It sure is sodium, you didn't gain a pound by just one meal ! :smile: You've got this !
  • Antiopelle
    Antiopelle Posts: 1,184 Member
    My weekly check in:

    * I got 93k steps in due to some heavy spring gardening. Saturday was an unexpected beautiful day and we went out to the garden and completely remodeled one of the flower beds. Despite being very sore on Sunday morning, we got back to it and did our inside spring cleaning. This morning we woke up in a clean house and well arranged garden. Love it !
    * continue to read Becks flashcards: check
    * 2 fitness sessions: only one :neutral:
    * 1 PT session every 2 weeks: done and the good news is that my PT was very surprised at the range of motion of my shoulder. I really did very well and my shoulder is almost completely healed. Hurray !!
    * Lose a bit: from 74 (163 lbs) to 72,5 (160 lbs) : I've lost the 0.8 kg that I gained last week and the last three days were even lower, so I'm very optimistic on that front. It won't be the 72,5 but stil...
    * Diving and bicycle rides according to weather: one long bicycle ride on Thursday. No diving as I had my tooth drilled and it had to heal still - better safe than sorry.

    The coming week will be overcast and full of rain, perfect for the garden but not so much for my mood.