Daily accountability and check in

mikeyrowlands · July 5

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Well within my calories yesterday but ate well, I actually had a really tasty deli salad box from Sainsbury's, Butternut Squash, Bhaji, Coconut spicy slaw.

I did have a swim, it got a bit busy for a small pool so I didn't stay long.

Friday, I'll pick up some lunch at the train station at 2pm and avoid fast food later as zi won't get home until 7pm.

I don't think there are many plans for tomorrow, so I'm gonna go and do one of the things I used to love the most. Go for an early swim, sauna and steam, then poached eggs, avocado and sourdough bread.

gotime326 · July 5

Day one here! Scared I will fail, but am damn sure I am going to try! I've had bad family stuff going on for months and I have been eating and drinking myself into a coma. Time to cut the crap and get my P90X body back!

mikeyrowlands · July 6

Love the username, it is indeed go time ✊️

You can do it, join me here and share your journey too. It really helps me stay on track and it gives me a chance to scan through other posts.

Emotional/Stress eating is my weakness too. You can make changes however small, it's impossible to 'fail' you just go again the next day, and then again the next day

My post yesterday actually inspired me this Morning, I was tired this Morning, slept well but I had a nightmare getting home, no trains south from Newcastle, so I either had to wait an indeterminate amount of time, or take a chance, so I jumped trains east instead and then came down the other coast, got home at a decent enough time too.

I was about to jump in the shower and I thought 'why', I had wanted to come and have avocado and eggs, so here I am, been for a swim, sauna and steam and now poached eggs and avocado - amazing.

Also down to 17.1 this week from 17.7.

mkksemail · July 6

mikeyrowlands wrote: »

Hope the MFD went well, can't underestimate the benefit of good sleep, I chase it constantly.

So, it's 103, I was hoping to celebrate/announce 100 but have been in London. Definately eating and drinking way too much, although a much needed work break.

If only steps were the be all - 18k, 9k, 23k, 13k, 15k, 11k, 7k. You wouldn't think I had bone spurs and tendinitis in both ankles.

Reflecting on this thread, it's been great to follow mkksemail tackling the MFD and the regular check ins have been much appreciated 😃

It has given me a place to drop in after journaling and try and stay on track, sometimes its like the paddle in my hand while trying to ride up the creek 🤣

So, the next 100 days, I've got to make some physical progress, I'm not getting any younger and it'll be harder to attain a level of fitness.

Back to tracking today.
Gym tonight hopefully.
8 hours sleep.

The below was today's Stoicism. This really resonates in the sense of the 'ruling power' if I put my body to work and treat it well, it will respond in kind to the challenges of life.

When I let life grind me down and wear me out, there are no resources to fight back.

It is like a fire mastering all that fall into it.

"
Wherever it is in agreement with nature, the ruling power within us takes a flexible approach to circumstances, always adapting itself easily to both practicality and the given event, It has no favoured material for its work, but sets out on its objects in a conditional way, turning any obstacle into material for its own use. It is like a fire mastering whatever falls into it. A small flame would be extinguished, but a bright fire rapidly claims as its own all that is heaped on it, devours it all, and leaps up yet higher in consequence.
"

Congratulations on passing your 100 day mark, MikeyRowlands! And thankyou for the nice mention, you made me smile.

Day 65 of logging for me, and day 99 since I started my 10k/day stepping again - however, I broke my streak in the last couple weeks. I had a terrible bout of food poisoning, my last day of normal eating was a week ago Friday. I finally stopped barfing by Tue, and pooping green by Thu, but my stomach is NOT interested in eating still. I finally had a half serving of a meal last night, my first food that wasn't toast, saltines, bouillon broth, diet ginger ale, toast, a banana, or herbal tea, in 8 days. 🤢

My Round 3 of my Prolon FMD fast is scheduled to start on Monday. Two days ago I had decided to just skip this round, and count my gastrointestinal illness as my Round 3 'fast', however ... my stomach seriously is still *not* interested in eating, so I may just proceed with it. I'll have the other half of my dinner from last night, for dinner tonight, but lunch will still be toast or broth or saltines or banana or maybe I'll go wild and throw in an apple, we'll see (lol). We do have a dinner date with some friends tomorrow night at a sushi place - no chance I'll be eating sushi no way no how. But one of the group is a vegan, and she confirmed there are vegan menu options, so I'm sure I'll be able to find something to eat

.

I made my steps goal again on Wed, and each day since, so even tho it's not a steps streak anymore, technically, I'm still counting it as 99 days, because 99 days ago I got off my butt and stopped nursing a knee injury, and found ways to 'fake step' to my daily goal instead

. (And 33 days after that, I started logging my food again. Baby steps ... any positive movement carries you closer to your intentions, right?)

I haven't caught up on the rest of the thread yet, but the mention made me stop and smile, and I thought this is where I should reply.

Okay, catching up the rest.

Cheers,
mk

mkksemail · July 6

mikeyrowlands wrote: »

... The below was today's Stoicism. This really resonates in the sense of the 'ruling power' if I put my body to work and treat it well, it will respond in kind to the challenges of life.

When I let life grind me down and wear me out, there are no resources to fight back.

It is like a fire mastering all that fall into it.

"Wherever it is in agreement with nature, the ruling power within us takes a flexible approach to circumstances, always adapting itself easily to both practicality and the given event, It has no favoured material for its work, but sets out on its objects in a conditional way, turning any obstacle into material for its own use. It is like a fire mastering whatever falls into it. A small flame would be extinguished, but a bright fire rapidly claims as its own all that is heaped on it, devours it all, and leaps up yet higher in consequence.
"

PS - wow, whoa, love this. Yes, a small flame would be extinguished, but a bright fire rapidly claims as its own all that is heaped on it, and uses any obstacles into material for its own use. LOVE this.
.

mkksemail · July 6

mikeyrowlands wrote: »

Thanks, I'll check that book out, just picked up a physical copy of ultra processed people at Euston. Love a good self help book that can sit on my shelf unread.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

mkksemail · July 6

mikeyrowlands wrote: »

109, listening this Morning to a podcast with Dr Georgia Ede, about processed foods and the effect on glucose levels and also vegetable oils, really interesting. A good motivator to reduce them. My wife had bought a tasty looking cheesecake last night and I managed to avoid having a slice.

Instead, I took my field notes for July up to bed and did some journaling.

Increased my average sleep from 6.3 to 6.6 hours on average, I think that this was boosted by a week of holiday where I was able to sleep in.

I'm trying to decrease my screen time (the field notes is great for this) it went up from 5.5 to 6, probably due to the traveling for work and holiday.

I'm definately back on the tracking wagon today, starting with my delicious breakfast that I've loved for a while now and ideal for work.

50g of steel cut oats in a little glass jar, 30g of protein powder, 3g of creatine and a large sprinkle of chia seeds, so tasty and sets me up decently for the day.

Mikey, could you remind me again what are the field notes? Are they related to the journaling? Do you free-journal, or do you use prompts, if you don't mind me asking. I've never been a journaler, but there are so many benefits to it. I was reminded of the habit again, as I practice my Turkish. I started learning Turkish last December, language learning influencers recommend journaling in your target language, as a way to help you progress. Obviously I need to make it out of the A1 level before I can contemplate such a thing (heh), but I think I'm going to try

.

Also, I know you've mentioned your go-to breakfast a couple times. I noticed you don't add anything for flavoring, I'm guessing that comes from the protein and creatine powders, yes? What flavors do you like?

I used Orgain Protein Powder in my morning cuppa (shh don't get offended, I know tea is your national drink lol!). I like all the flavors, pretty much.

- mk

mkksemail · July 6

mkksemail wrote: »

... my first food that wasn't toast, saltines, bouillon broth, diet ginger ale, a banana, or herbal tea, in 8 days. 🤢

Update! Just expanded my 'menu' to pitted dates and almonds, while I was browsing and reading wooohoooo .... Although it's past 2p here in Maine/US, and I just had 1z of each for my breakfast. Not a lot of progress on the stomach being interested in food front, but some, I suppose

- mk

mkksemail · July 6

mikeyrowlands wrote: »

Also down to 17.1 this week from 17.7.

🎉🎊🥳 Nice! Well done, you!

- mk

mikeyrowlands · July 8

Yeah the flavour definately comes from the chia and protein, the current one is a chocolate powder but it's not too overpowering.

Field notes are great. It's a small pocket sized pad that has maybe 40 total pages. I have got a dot matrix one, a bit like bullet journaling.

I've sketched out some pages each month. A calendar page, a daily list of habits, sleep, reading, calories and mood. I've got a page tracking my spend and a page of wins/gratitude.

I've then got a couple of pages week to view with a few lines each day.

It works for me as I love taking 5/10 mins to work through some of these things, I have free flowing pages where I just scribble thoughts or ideas.

I've had a5 journals in the past, but having the fields notes with me in my pocket makes it so much easier, I do a new one each month, so I can swap out the format, try a new approach or whatever.

-

Was listening to a podcast this Morning, a couple of really great ideas.

- Social media break. Weirdly I don't do a lot of social media but I open it and scan the couple of people I still follow, very little actually interesting and usually end up just scanning shorts and burning my time and braincells.

I'm gonna try this week not to even open those apps.

- Have a summer project or challenge.

I'm going to try skipping of all things, the host mentioned it, I'm travelling again this week and thought, I can actually have a rope in my case and try it either in the Morning or evening.

I'm going to pick one up later from a store near the hotel.

- Slow down.
Listening to Daniel Kahneman talk about having single 'focussed' projects, setting expectations and thinking about how much you can reasonably expect to get done.

I spend a lot of time wired brain going 100mph, I struggle to unwind and end up making bad choices.

I'm going to try a few strategies this week to just slow down, be more realistic with myself and honest with others about what is reasonable.

I didn't do a great job of tracking this weekend but I've done plenty of steps and movement, done a tonne of jobs and chores that Mrs R had for me and I know I was well within my calories.

I'm aiming to lose again this week, good choices for dinner and breakfast, hopefully some skipping or other movement.

Funnily enough, where I stay on this trip, there is a rooftop hot tub, it looks out over the town and is a great feeling when it's a bit cold outside but the hot tub is warm and you can look out at the view. Maybe I'll pick up the rope, do 20 mins of cardio and reward myself with a trip to the roof.

Anyway, about to board, thats enough rambling for today, whatever everyone is doing, have a great one.

walkintofit · July 8

hey Mikey, ive been a lurker on your page, like your style of writing. I'm not a writer but a reader so here I am. Field notes is a good idea. I should so something like that. Lost my hubby of 47 years in December. Been a huge struggle. gained weight.. hate that. Kinda think I am like a garden Nome right now looking and not doing much. Barely coming back to life. I work in a big box store and walk a lot there. That is a basic bio. oh ya I'm from Idaho

mikeyrowlands · July 9

Hi – funnily enough, I tapped this post out whilst enjoying a coffee and lost it twice. Ive actually taken 10 mins to do it in work and email it to myself so I can post it a bit later 😊

I’m so sorry to hear about what you went through, how hearbreaking. Glad to see you on here though, even if you are lurking and taking a little something from my posts. They were intended originally just to force me to count the days and add a bit about what I was (or wasn’t doing), I think its grown into more of a space for a journal/braindump, I’m definitely not a writer but I am really glad that you have been able to take something from them.

Why don’t you try the gratitude/wins log, use a sheet of A4, a pad, your phone or whatever – just make a list of 3 things that went well, you enjoyed or that you are grateful for – it can be anything, I often just put ‘coffee’ because the coffee in that moment was amazing and it gave me a moment to reflect on and is just something to count as a win. It gives me a couple of positive things to kick off the day with.

The habit list is just a list of things I want to do better at, more sleep, reading, tracking my calories and my mood, it is sometimes just a data entry exercise but Im trying to use it to get better in those areas.

Don’t be too hard on yourself, you aren’t a garden gnome, you are here reading my posts, starting to think about changes – that’s a massive positive in itself, take small steps and take time.

walkintofit · July 9

Thank you mikey, it brought tears to my eyes, ya its a good idea to write the daily wins down. that way I can see I am moving forward instead of stuck in the garden gnome spot. Coming out of intense grief is a tough thing. I bought a book called fk death , comes with a workbook. I really liked the title, has some great spots to write things down. Moving forward with it.
My son's are in the professional world. We helped them get through school to better themselves. They are in the 40's now. I have 7 grands and 1 great grand.
I'm facing an empty house. so strange too. Close to retirement, all plans have changed. have to make a new plan by myself.. (kids live far from me).

right now: a good coffee
next: a walk in the neighborhood
turn on the ac as its going to be hot:100 degrees

mikeyrowlands · July 10

That's exactly it, reflect on those small moments and enjoy them. Someone said to me years ago, any given moment, the sun on your face, a nice coffee, a walk, the sun dappling on a river, you cab never experience them again. You can be in the same place and see something similar, but that moment is unique and that's what I capture, the small daft moments that touch me there and then.

This week has been a success so far, healthy lunch and dinner, skipping is a no because I've got ankle tendonitis, stayed within my calories though, just gotta navigate the trip back today.

Didn't make the most of my chance to sleep last night and ended up tired today but it's fine I'll grab something to eat before driving to the airport and make good choices. I've got water in the car at the other side.

Make a last minute decision this Morning to shoot across to Isle of Man to celebrate the 40th of one of my oldest friends, he always turns up for me and I should make the same effort for him.

Anyway, off to the office until 2pm when I'll be free again. Have a great day all, smash it.

provence9 · July 10

Hi Mikey,
I just started reading your posts. I am also a fan of Stoicism. It has helped me through some tough times. It sounds like you are doing a great job on your journey. Have a great day!

walkintofit · July 10

When I let life grind me down and wear me out, there are no resources to fight back.

Been thinking about this quote.. yes this is me rn. time to take fight back and not life win.
one task I did yesterday: i tossed hubby's slippers and 1 bath robe. Oh ya that tore me up big time.
I cried n cried. still gives me pain today thinking about it. I went over my calories due to 4 mixed drinks.
Grief sucks

todays action plan:
get up and move
mow the lawn this am.
enjoy the sunshine on my back.

walkintofit · July 11

Bout had a collapse in the yard yesterday, too hot. Made it into the house and got some gatoraide to drink. Note to self take more breaks in the heat. No alcohol.
lawn mowed and watered
to do list
finish cleaning the kitchen
spend some time outside

elithea175 · July 11

hello, i’m brand new and trying to figure things out. just came over from fitbit food tracking and things are so different here! i’m sure i’ll get it eventually…

i saw that this was a place to check in daily?

mikeyrowlands · July 12

Walkintofit, oh no, hope you are OK, water water water, don't let it put you off the mowing though, it's a great feeling once done.

110 today, it's been a decent week, yesterday was a write off but hopefully I've got some calorie credits in the bank from the week. Realised, after a holiday with my wife, a work event and then trips for work, I've had 11 nights out of the last 25 at home.

Booked a last minute trip tomorrow to see a great pal, I wasn't going to go due to the amount of away time I've had but great friends are hard to come by, he always shows up for me and I should be there to celebrate with him.

I definitely feel better this week, my belt feels more loose and I feel a bit more light on my feet, I won't make the gym tomorrow as I've got to jump on that boat, but I can jump on the scales.

I've added today's Stoic quote too, love this for today, getting after it, do I even have a list for today or am I winging it again 🤣

Have a great one all, smash it to bits.

Quote

walkintofit · July 12

Make a decision... get up and make 1, just 1. That is my beginning since December 6th. Ok that was 2 decisions. Like the quote.
Does it mean I can be passive aggressive? lol
Recovered from the heat incident with no side effects. Came home from work and did the dishes before I sat down. Some reason sitting makes for a no- doing evening. From talking to other co-workers they are doing the same thing or worse. One goes home and puts on her pjs and gets into bed. That is a hard no for me. I want to be more flexible than that. Don't want to act my age either! 2-3 more years till retirement.

Daily accountability and check in

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