Chat room - what's on your mind?
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chelseynikole9618 wrote: »I’ve been going for walks in my neighborhood daily now for 2 weeks, and walks at my favorite park 3 times a week. I live in the Pacific Northwest but I go for walks rain or shine.
For sure here in the PNW if you're going to walk, you HAVE to do it rain or shine. Liquid sunshine today.
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I haven't been chatting much here lately, but not because of non-interest in y'all: I'm enjoying reading the updates. My life has been remarkably uninteresting to the outside observer!
I've been slacking off a little on my Winter activity routine due to fatigue (unexplained) lately, and also going through a series of tests that I hope will eventually help with that and some vaguely mysterious back pain. But I'm still machine rowing and stationary biking, and trying to re-establish a lifting routine. That last always slips off first, because I have to admit I like it least. (Sigh.)
Other than that, I've been mostly Winter hibernating in my house, trying to chip away at going through heaps of books accumulated over the years and winnow some out to donate, as well as ditto for clothes, plus recycling stuff that isn't donate-able. Progress is slow.
I hope everyone else is doing well!
Random happy things in the spoiler.Indoors, one of the orchids is flowering (Zygopetalum Redvale).
Outdoors in my yard, even though it's only February, there are lots of snowdrops, lots of Tommie Crocus, a few Winter Aconite, and just today some rock garden iris (I think this one is Iris reticulata 'George'):
That's not a great photo, but at least I got one before the white-tail deer chomp them. Evidently they're tasty, if you're a deer.3 -
My daughter lives about 45 minutes away from North America's largest cross-country skiing facility, so she took us up there on Sunday. My first time doing that in 30+ years, so I'm definitely feeling every muscle that I used.
Decided to finally cook up a spaghetti squash that has been sitting on the counter for a few weeks. I read on a cooking blog that I follow to cut the squash through the equator vs from the stem and that you get longer strands. I don't know about the longer strands, but the squash was the perfect consistency - sort of like al dente flour pasta (350F for 45 minutes). Topped it with a chickpea broth. Not the most attractive dish but pretty delicious.
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So nice to hear from a lot of you!
@chelseynikole9618 you have a LOT on your plate! And I don’t mean food…making a commitment to better nutrition and exercise has lifted my mood a lot. There are complex connections between mood and healthy lifestyle and it’s important to stay on track for me to not slide into a sluggish and less happy mode. I am also getting back into running.
@AnnPT77 I hope you can get to the bottom of your fatigue! Unspecific symptoms are always unsettling. But great to hear you’re sticking to your routines. Personally I enjoy strength training the most. I like the rower too and wish I had the time to row on the river. I struggle with the treadmill (and am waiting for the mornings and evenings to be brighter to run outside).
@enlightenme3 this looks delicious!
My maintenance week is going well. It’s interesting to try how I might eat eventually and it’s becoming clear I will have to watch my fiber intake (I gravitate to lots of veggies and also had some black beans and grains). I ended up at 90 g fiber the other day and can tell that’s too much.
On the PMS front, my birthday is coming up and my husband is getting me the newer Apple watch that does cycle tracking. I took a look at my manual cycle tracking and think it’s slightly less regular for the last year or so, suggesting I’m actually in peri-menopause. This time, my period started a few days early. So I will eat at maintenance a few more days and then get back to cutting calories.1 -
@mtaratoot i will admit today was a bit more rain than I was willing to walk in! It was coming down this evening in my area.
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@henridw2095 speaking of cycle tracking, I’ve been tracking mine on Fitbit for years now, and I’ve been pretty regular since having my daughter back in 2016 until this week! I started my period on day 17 of my cycle just after my ovulation week. That’s two periods in one month! I’m shocked and not feeling great at all. I wonder if anyone else has experienced period issues after a change in diet. I went full vegan from being just vegetarian in December. I also just started back on intermittent fasting. Thinking a trip to my obgyn is in order.0
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@chelseynikole9618 I have also always had pretty regular cycle, but in the past I‘ve had a few hiccups due to diet changes or intense stress. I‘ve started my period a few days early two times since I started dieting last summer, but in my case it could also be aging. I will take your cue and make an appointment as well. Possibly also with my PCP, since the bad PMS started after my thyroidectomy last spring.
Talking about periods, I‘m on the second day of mine and completely derailed again (hundreds of calories over budget and didn’t care to track). This happened last time too. I also had a really tough time focusing at work (on top of a meeting that rubbed me the wrong way), leaving me feel super discouraged. 🫤. Tomorrow, I‘ll try to get my head back into the game.0 -
chelseynikole9618 wrote: »@mtaratoot i will admit today was a bit more rain than I was willing to walk in! It was coming down this evening in my area.
I was just the opposite!
I did not go down to walk in the mud through the park, but I put on rain pants, rain coat, and muck boots and walked into town to get mail, then by a grocery, and then home to drop that off. Later I rode my bike out to see friends, and when I got home and it was dumping, I went for another walk to get my daily steps in. I was behind from taking care of getting taxes done. That was a real bother, but it is DONE.
I did close up the window on my car after unplugging the fans. I figure with the over an inch of rain forecast for tonight, more water would be coming in than was going out as vapor. I'm trying to dry out the carpets after the A/C evaporator drain got clogged and flooded everything.0 -
@henridw2095 friend I am on day 5 now of this period that came ten days early! I’ve derailed a few days this week but i feel better about getting back on track tomorrow. I am in my early 30s so I don’t know if it’s a factor of age for me or just diet change and stress.
@mtaratoot today I went for a nice 3 mile walk with my partner. But boy was it windy this evening! I’m in seattle to be specific, and it doesn’t pour down here often but it’s been very windy. I just bundle up and walk anyway usually.0 -
@chelseynikole9618 I hope this passes quickly and things normalize for you! I‘m back to cutting calories from today onwards…0
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Hello plant based friends!
It is a long time since I’ve given news.
I was trying without success to create a calorie deficit in January and February and was a little bit defeated.
I knew I would fast between March 1st and 7th and wanted to start the fast around 66kg.
Well that didn’t happen. I started the fast at 69kg.
Today was the end. It was wonderful. The weather was cold but sunny and it was possible to walk for several hours every day. A spiritual experience with my husband.
I coughed a lot and hope my immune system was focusing on my asthma !!
Now I have lost a big chunk of weight (6,5kg) and the goal is to eat healthy and carefully to only take back the half of it.
I have succeeded in the past years so I know it is possible ☺️
And you guys how are you doing in your weight journey ?1 -
@Maya440 glad your fast was a success!
I‘ve had a stressful and very busy last few weeks, but the weekend will be relatively relaxed. I will probably cook and clean/declutter. Most likely another frittata, some braised leeks, and sweet potatoes. I also have a fennel that will most likely end up on a sheet pan.
I have decided to decrease my calorie deficit. I have lost 26 lbs now and am at a healthy weight and all other parameters are at least acceptable (or at least not concerning). My new net calorie goal is most likely still a 100-250 kcal deficit (1910 kcal net), so I might be losing a pound a month. That would still take me to the lower end of my goal range by November or so. I am not sure I will go that low. Slowing down the weight loss should allow me to get used to my new weight range (sometimes surprising to see myself in the mirror). Needless to say, I‘ll be here, tracking nutrition and calories.
I‘ve been pushing the strength training more (working with a coach once a week and 1-2 x alone). It’s my favorite exercise (other than yoga). Still jogging, but only twice a week and still as slow as possible. Since I started jogging, my heart rate has dropped quite a bit. I dropped yoga, because it’s too much.2 -
Hey friends! Thought I would pop in with a check in. But first, @henridw2095 its always a fun feeling to see a slim and healthy version of yourself in your reflection. I’ve been there a few times and always gained it back. But now that I have a good support system online and at home I feel confident I will get the weight off and keep it off this time.
@maya440 what sort of fast did you do?
I’m intermittent fasting between 16-18 hours 5 days a week right now and the scale seems to be moving. I went down 7 lbs in my first 10 days. But I’m going to wait to check back in on the scale for 2 weeks or so. Maybe longer. Frequent scale check ins tend to discourage if it fluctuates too much.
I finally ended my random second period of the month! It lasted 9 days and I felt awful but I still managed to go out for my daily walks. My partner has recently started joining me a few days a week and it’s been nice. He is great motivation! He’s recently joined me in my getting fit journey. The support makes it easier.
Anyway I start a new part time job on Monday. I’m going back to being a barista while I’m in school. My full time job in special education was taking a toll on my body. I was always sick, I had COVID three times since January of last year. Needless to say I’m looking forward to getting back to work after taking a little over a month off to recover from my most recent bout of COVID.2 -
@chelseynikole9618 I have lost 25-30 lbs once a decade since my twenties (this is my third time)…
This time, I approached it as a lifestyle change rather than a diet! I am also committed to tracking indefinitely (I enjoy it and it’s the only way that works for me).
You have a lot on your plate, but it sounds like you’re making smart changes. 🫂1 -
I find your weight loss journey really inspiring @henridw2095.
the way you present things I’m sure you will be successful with a smaller calorie deficit. I was wondering about yoga because you had done the challenge in January right ? and myself I would like to add a little bit more yoga into my routine, but I must admit that together with Triathlon training and the family and the job it’s getting too much. I was thinking about 10 minutes before I go to bed…
@chelseynikole9618 i’m really sorry about all your covid episodes. I empathise I had a pneumonia last year and then Covid I was also really not well for almost 2 whole months.
We followed a seven day fast following the protocol of Buchinger. basically it’s 100 mL carrot juice in the morning, 200 mL green juice in the afternoon, plenty of water and slow and gentle exercise. The first time we did it was in 2018, and since then we have done it once a year. It’s a therapeutic fast so it’s not only for weight loss but more as a preventive behaviour against degenerative illness or cancer or inflammation. I also find that it has a very great and beautiful spiritual side, especially since I do it with my husband and we find ourselves back during this period.1 -
@Maya440 Maybe try 10 minutes of yoga before bed? I still do a few yoga inspired stretches after my workouts (reclined pigeon, runners lunge) and also to warm up (plank to down dog to low lunge with twists to warm up shoulders and hips). I did the 30 day challenge in January (can’t remember if I eventually completed it, probably almost).
Cleaning up our 7 guinea pigs is physically quite a lot as well (everything is on the floor and it takes me a little more than an hour to clean them on weekdays and longer on weekends, it’s a bit crazy). Everything together just felt that it’s backfiring and draining me, rather than promoting my health. I think it would be the same if I were to add three days of running to three days of weight lifting. So I do shorter cardio stuff with my gym workouts and a 30 minute run about once a week. Our guinea pigs are all older and there will be a time when they’re fewer and less work. So hopefully I can get back to yoga then. I really like doing yoga, more than running.2 -
I did 10 minutes yoga yesterday evening 😃. while it took me some effort to start once I was doing it it was nice. I slept very well.
Today I’m babysitting my niece who is three years old and we go together to a birthday party of another niece, 14 years old. I will prepare what I’m gonna eat since it’s only day two after the fast and I eat limited food (that is fruit, vegetables, potatoes and rice). Next week I will reincorporate legumes and nuts and then finally bread and pasta.
I wish you all a nice Sunday ☀️2 -
Hi there.
The day with my niece was great and I had a good healthy day food wise.
It is surprising that I am not hungrier after the fast. It will come in the next days I suppose.
Tomorrow I go for a lunch with my godmother who turned 60. I have chosen a place where I know I can have a very good vegan quinoa or grain bowl. This will be with salt however (I had not reintroduced salt after the fast yet).
I hope I can bike in the morning, there will be rain but most probably in the afternoon.3 -
@maya440 I intermittent fast not just for weight loss but also to hit autophagy in order to clean out the “bad” cells to reduce cancer risks and such as well. But I feel I could benefit from a longer fast.
I took a peek at the scale and it was discouraging although I’m staying under calories and moving my body daily (hitting 12k steps+, 1-2 45 min walks a day). Decided to challenge myself to not look at the scale until April 1st!
Also I start my new job tomorrow. I’m super nervous because I haven’t worked in a coffee shop in a long time. Going back to the service industry from working in a public school is a bit nerve wracking. However I feel good about not breaking my fast till after I get off work at 2pm (it is a short training shift).0 -
Ah yes, working and being busy helps a lot with fasting, I agree.
I wish you good luck for your first day ! Let us know how it was
A bit too much nuts for me today but otherwise healthy so far.
I was not able to bike, it was (and still is) rainy. I will go to the club swim workout tonight.1 -
My first day went great! They have a vegan breakfast sandwich, lunch panini, and vegan drink options which is always a plus. It’s a nice 2 mile uphill walk home from work which I will be doing often. I plan on packing workout clothes to change into when I get off as my work attire is dressy / corporate.
Today the sun is shining now, and we’ve got highs of 60° F in seattle this week with sunshine! I’m excited to go to the lake for picnics and long walks. Spring + summer in Seattle is my fave 😍
Yesterday my fast lasted 22 hours. Today I broke it after 12 hours. It’s okay, it’s balance, and over all I’ve fasted 90% of my days since starting this journey to a long term healthy lifestyle.1 -
Oh and Maya, cashews are my weakness! It’s so easy to overindulge so i feel you!0
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@chelseynikole9618 great to hear your first day went well!
I love nuts too, and when I derail, it’s often with a lot of nuts. I‘ve had pretty good control with walnuts, pecans, cashews and I typically have them around now, for my breakfast oats or for parmesan sub (cashews and pine nuts). The one type of nut I can’t have around are roasted peanuts. I used to be the same way with peanut butter, but have learned to control that most of the time.1 -
Oh YES spring. I can't wait. The winter here has been particularly rainy and grey.
Today was ok and I could bike between 2 meetings but it is not yet warm or really sunny.
Today was a difficult day eating wise. After the bike I was famished and ate unplanned bretzels and bread. I was not at all hungry for diner anymore so at the end I was in my calorie budget but not the way I planned or like.
Tomorrow is again a bike day. First I work at the office and then go directly to meet my bike friends. I will need to manage the cravings post bike. It is one of my trigger. I will let you know, that will provide me with some accountability !2 -
I definitely understand going in on bread after a workout lol. My vice is sourdough avocado toast after a workout!! I had to stop buying the blueberry coffee cake from the bakery because it was such a delicious trigger.
Today it was beautiful and sunny again, I got two walks in! I absolutely love spring time. However next week our temps drop back down with cloudy skies. I’ll be relishing in the 60s (°F) and sunny weather this weekend! My favorite place to walk is the beautiful park with an ancient forest you can hike through. There’s a paved walking trail around it as well. It’s right on the lake and so beautiful.
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Walking in forest is the best.
What have you planned for the week-end ?
I had an excellent Thursday, both food and activity wise. I started this Friday with a short run in the sun. It will be rainy this afternoon. Now I have to work half a day (and I procrastinate a bit lol).
Tonight and tomorrow evening are party evenings so that week-end will be tiring... but fun !
I have saved a portion of yesterday's diner for this evening (where we go there will be plenty of drinks but only french fries and burgers to eat). Lunch will be my usual potatoes, veggies, hummus. I had an egg (from my own chicken happy in my garden) and an avocado for breakfast, after the run.
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I‘m up early making a tofu frittata to celebrate that the replacement of my broken food processor arrived.
I haven’t figured out how to schedule this weekend, but will have to work a little on both days. Cleaning up the guinea pigs, working, and at least one gym day may not leave a lot of time to relax, so my challenge will be to make time to relax every day (including today and on Monday).3 -
Walking in forest is the best.
Yesterday, a friend drove up from the city an hour south of here to break out of her routine.
We then drove over to the other side of a ridge in the coast range and several times across the same river to get to a trailhead that goes up to the west side of that land trust property I like and have written about here several times and shared photos.
We went there because I remember it being sunnier - out of the canopy of the forest. I forgot how well-maintained the gravel trails are. Not one spot of mud on my pants or even boots! We hiked farther than I thought she would want to, so we got up to the viewpoint I often hike or walk to from the east side up a creek and across a ridge. It was a very nice day for both of us.
It was about 7.2 miles with about 1400 feet of elevation gain overall.
The day before that I went up a trail that, if I've ever been on it before, was at least 20 years ago. I have no idea why I don't hike there more often. It's really close by. It goes through some nice forest, and is on trails not roads. The main trail up is kind of "the highway" with a well-engineered trail that has side rails and has gravel on most of it. It goes up from a City park on the other side of town. My initial plan was just to go up and back on that same trail. It would have been a bit short of seven miles.
When I left the park and entered the research forest, I grabbed a trail map. Good thing. When I got to the top, I used both that map and the GPS on my Garmin fitness tracker to see some other trails and found my way back down using some very much less used trails. Some were pretty muddy. They went through a diverse forest, or I should say a diversity of forest stands. It was very nice. I saw almost nobody else.
At the trailhead, there was one vehicle. I went up and saw nobody. As the trail crossed a forest road on the way back, a single rider on a gravel bike went by. Then, once I was within a mile of the end of my hike, I saw two people going the opposite direction. That's about it.
When I got back to the park, I opted to do one more loop up to the top for another nice view of town before heading around the back side of that big hill and to my vehicle. It was just over ten miles and about 2100 feet of elevation gain. I will for sure go back there. I targeted it because it's so close AND it is lower elevation to keep me out of the snow. I did walk across just a little snow near the top, but it was manageable.
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I love all the forest photos! What an awesome hike.
we have even more sun on the forecast through the weekend, so I will definitely spend some time relaxing at the lake (but first a 3 mile walk / hike).
Today I opted to walk home from work. My goal is to walk home after every shift unless I’m just exhausted. It’s 2 miles steady uphill (I may have mentioned that) and it felt great! I walked to the store just now for dinner (a mile round trip) and I’m making a vegan pasta inspired by carbonara for dinner.
Y’all today marks 23 days of consistent walking and using this app. I’m truly so happy because it feels like a real lifestyle change this time.3 -
@chelseynikole9618 that‘s great. I also approached it as a permanent lifestyle change this time (started 8 months ago), it’s more tedious, but also more sustainable.
I‘m beat. Love the forest photos. We don’t have forest in Chicago, but we do have Lake Michigan. I had a brief jog along the lake during lunch today. I don’t carry my phone on my runs, so here are some older photos from a few weeks ago.My goal is to jog three times a week, but it’s hard to coordinate with strength training.
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