NO NONSENSE November 2024

baconslave
baconslave Posts: 7,018 Member
There's a statistic that goes around: something like over 25% of people will gain weight between Halloween and New Year's. It's Holiday season. We're busy with work, school, get-togethers, and shopping. We all have a lot on us, including whatever crisis is after us at the moment! :tired_face: It's easy to just say "to heck with it" and cave. And wake up on New Year's Day and looking in the mirror, unhappy with what extra weight we've gained. It happens to the best of us.

During my first LCHF holiday, I checked the weight chart, and I had lost 13lb (almost 6kg) between Oct 31st and my birthday (New Year's Day.) It's possible to not only NOT gain but to LOSE weight during the holiday season.

Planning ahead and keeping an eye on the basics are two of the most important focal points if we want to keep on the up and up in the face of all the junk, goodies, and other nonsense rampant this type of year.

Some people choose to handle this time of year completely on-plan, supplementing low-carb recipes for all our bad-ol' favorites.


What I've done in the past is to pick 1 or 2 events that were most important. For me it was Christmas Eve and New Year's Day (my birthday). I enjoyed those celebrations. Once the day was over, the indulgence was OVER. I brought home no leftovers to continue the nonsense. I picked specific things I was going to have, not ALL THE FOODS. I told myself that at bedtime, the day was over and when I woke in the morning, it was back to the routine. The rest of the days during that period, I planned ahead to stay on-plan. For those other events I didn't select, I either ate before-hand, or brought on-plan dishes to them. The 1st year, I lost 13lb between Halloween and New Year's. The 2nd year, I was very close to goal and lost the 2lb needed to reach my goal weight.

Hey, this time of year can be A LOT. But we can make it work. Together we'll figure this out.

But this challenge is also about monitoring our plan Basics. Focusing on nailing the Basics is what makes the difference.

Consistency + Persistence + Time = Success

Any low-carb plan is welcome. Just post your monthly goals and beginning weight (if you are just planning to maintain through the month, like me, that's cool, too) and check-in daily or weekly with how well you did. Alternately, if you are focusing on keeping to fitness goals instead, that's certainly welcome. After all, this is YOUR challenge.

The Basics:
Staying under carbs
Staying under calories
Logging and measuring
Getting in exercise/movement if that's one of your goals
Keeping an eye on electrolyte levels
Getting enough water
Planning ahead


Share recipes, problems, thoughts.
Fight back against all the NONSENSE life throws at us this time of year. Especially this year! :triumph:

Replies

  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,326 Member
    My November goal is to go to a new goal weight 5 pounds less than my current goal weight along with continuing to workout according to my existing workout plan. I am not really set on getting to my new goal weight in November, just really getting the weight moving down and closer to it since I wouldn't be looking to lose more than half a pound a week. Then there is the constant goal of staying in Ketosis by eating little or no carbs.
  • zdin85502
    zdin85502 Posts: 3 Member
    My November goal is to keep my Carbs under 110gram on daily basis.
  • tishsmith101
    tishsmith101 Posts: 1,671 Member
    I had a great month September and got complacent, made bad choices in October. So for me...
    November will be all about...

    The Basics:
    Staying under carbs
    Staying under calories
    Logging and measuring
    Getting in exercise/movement
    Keeping an eye on electrolyte levels (noticed a big difference in how I felt yesterday after fixing this)
    Getting enough water
    Planning ahead

    Weight goal aiming for -4lb.

    I do have some great keto recipes in my back pocket. Need to start using them again and will share daily if I can remember ;)
  • jgot2lose2
    jgot2lose2 Posts: 35 Member
    Hello, I'm Jen - Nothing like getting back on the low carb train right before the holidays. But there's no better time to start (again) than right now and try to plan for the challenges.

    Monthly Goals: November's habit is: food tracking.... everything.
    - Tracking ALL food and drink daily, no matter how inconvenient it is or how tired I am. This includes thanksgiving.
    - Measure, measure, measure - everything.
    - Stay within macros each week. If I go over one day, right it the next.

    Best of luck to everyone!
  • tishsmith101
    tishsmith101 Posts: 1,671 Member
    My trainer asked us all to join her in a daily challenge this month and I haven't done it yet!!!! I am currently being a slacker and need to break out of it. Getting on the scale right now to motivate me-ok, better than I expected at 170.5. Writing the challenge on my white board and putting a couple alarms on y phone to move today.
  • tishsmith101
    tishsmith101 Posts: 1,671 Member
    Still 170.5 and still have not done my challenge yet. But I did clean out two closets this week!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,326 Member
    I have been doing a good job on staying in Ketosis. Less good on losing weight. The numbers have actually been going the other way. I am pretty sure it is because I started running on our treadmill. I have never been much of a person for running, but I wanted to do something different. I did some searching on Youtube, and found IBX Running. I originally wanted to simply do some Interval running, but then I saw longer walk/run programs. I tried them, and was surprised I liked them. Then I figured I would try a beginner running video. I liked it as well. The running means muscles I have not normally used in this way are experiencing a fair amount of DOMS, so I know they are retaining water. I will see how thing progress. As I said in my monthly goals, I am not looking at losing quickly, and I am not freaked out by temporary weight gain. On the positive side, my blood pressure is even better with the running added on. If it continues this way, I should be off the final half pill I still take.
  • tishsmith101
    tishsmith101 Posts: 1,671 Member
    @rileysowner excellent news! I tried jogging a couple years ago but tweaked my left knee and popped an IT band. I keep getting C25K reminders on my phone so maybe I will check out IBX running, sounds interesting. Going to start my trainer's challenge right now and put it on my white board. I'll have to do five days of double rounds to catch up though LOL.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,326 Member
    @rileysowner excellent news! I tried jogging a couple years ago but tweaked my left knee and popped an IT band. I keep getting C25K reminders on my phone so maybe I will check out IBX running, sounds interesting. Going to start my trainer's challenge right now and put it on my white board. I'll have to do five days of double rounds to catch up though LOL.

    I have never really liked running. I did it when I had to. This time I seem to be enjoying it. I still wouldn't consider myself a runner, but my weight program is a strength program, and it really doesn't do much to get my heart rate up for more than short bursts when I am lifting. It is great for building strength, but I want to get my heart rate going. Running does that. Cycling would be my other choice, but I am enjoying the running right now. If that changes I will switch to my cycling trainer.
  • tishsmith101
    tishsmith101 Posts: 1,671 Member
    Strength class yesterday then out to dinner with old friends last night. Only ordered some chicken pot stickers and no alcohol. Got in two round of the trainer challenge, will do two more today.

    Supposed to be Day 1 10 incline pushups, 20 squats and a 30 second plank then add 1/1/5 sec each day. Today will be 'day 3 and day 4' so 12/13, 22/23 and 40/45 sec.
  • moelewiswolf
    moelewiswolf Posts: 2 Member
    Hi I'm Moe . Just starting back with both low carb and accountability.
    November Goals
    Daily logging of all that enters my mouth
    Weigh and measure
    Lose 5#
    Daily exercise: walking, or curling
    2x week weight training
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,326 Member
    Hi I'm Moe . Just starting back with both low carb and accountability.
    November Goals
    Daily logging of all that enters my mouth
    Weigh and measure
    Lose 5#
    Daily exercise: walking, or curling
    2x week weight training

    Good goals. All the best. Keep us updated on your progress.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,326 Member
    Weight is coming down again. I am remaining in Ketosis according to my breath meter, and my exercise is on point. Overall, I am pleased with how this month is going.
  • tishsmith101
    tishsmith101 Posts: 1,671 Member
    Ran into a couple things last week causing me to discontinue by trainer's challenge. However I did get to strength and yoga classes yesterday. Will see if I can come up with my own daily challenge starting tomorrow (pretty sore today LOL).
    Weight is steadily coming down in small amounts which I prefer.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,326 Member
    Ran into a couple things last week causing me to discontinue by trainer's challenge. However I did get to strength and yoga classes yesterday. Will see if I can come up with my own daily challenge starting tomorrow (pretty sore today LOL).
    Weight is steadily coming down in small amounts which I prefer.

    While I like the idea of challenges, as they can push one out of complacency, at the same time, trying to achieve them can also cause one to push too far. That is especially true for me now in my 50s. I am still learning to really listen to my body, and not get so focused on meeting the goal of the challenge that I ignore other things that can cause issues physically or mentally because of it. I pushed a little too had in my own goals a few days back, and am still working at recovering from it. I didn't injure myself, thankfully. I just drained myself further than I should have in terms of my energy reserves. I am feeling somewhat back to myself today, but not enough to do my weight workout this morning. I plan on doing it when I get home after work.
  • gerripo
    gerripo Posts: 11 Member
    It's been almost a year since I checked into MFP and my weight is proof positive that I stayed away far, far too long. Grrrrrrrr. Back at it, I guess.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,326 Member
    gerripo wrote: »
    It's been almost a year since I checked into MFP and my weight is proof positive that I stayed away far, far too long. Grrrrrrrr. Back at it, I guess.

    I can identify with that comment. That was me about 2 years back. After about 100 pounds loss, I was trying to figure out maintenance with some limited success. Then I looked at what my body looks like, and decided that I needed to go back on a small deficit to let the last of my fat slowly go, so I am not in maintenance at the moment, but in terms of healthy weight, I could go into it and be fine. It is more a matter of wanting to get those last changes done. I can say from my experience in the past and this time, maintaining is far harder than losing. I know when losing it doesn't feel that way, but for the number of times I and others have failed at maintaining, I would say that is the case.
  • tishsmith101
    tishsmith101 Posts: 1,671 Member
    Nov starting weight 172
    Current weight 169

    Was sore for two days but now good to go. Might walk laps in the pool at our gym.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,326 Member
    Not a great eating day yesterday. I was about 875 calories over my calorie budget. On the positive side, the macros were great, very low carb, lots of fat, and decent protein. Back to it today, although at the moment I am not hungry at all. I will see when I get hungry again since even with a calorie budget, I still only eat when hungry. That usually works out to once a day, but if I am not hungry before I head to bed, I will wait until morning. I have stuck to my weight workouts, although my low back is getting tired. I am currently doing a weight program focused on strength, and it is lifting heavy weights for me (3-5 repetition range). My plan was to do this for 6-8 weeks. I built in lots of rest days, as my 58 year old body does not recover from maximal exertion like it did when I was younger. This week will be 6 weeks, so I am debating going to something with slightly lower weights and more repetitions to allow my connective tissues and the like to catch up to my muscle strength. With my back getting tired, I am thinking 6 weeks has been enough. When I discovered this program, it did contain the advice to only do it 6-8 weeks a couple of times a year.
  • stormywxs288
    stormywxs288 Posts: 812 Member
    Hey everyone, I've been absent without leave (AWOL) from this thread since September, but I'm back now and excited to hear your thoughts on healthy lifestyle choices again. I'm currently on day 166 of my Carnivore experiment. I initially decided to try the Carnivore diet for 60 days, but now, I'm 5 months and 16 days into it.

    I've introduced some carbs into my Carnivore diet. I've started using limited amounts of fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi, which serve as prebiotics for my gut health. I must admit that I’ve occasionally given in to my sugar cravings. I still struggle with some bad habits I've accumulated over the past 74 years.

    Anyway, I’m glad to be back and I look forward to listening and contributing for the remainder of No Nonsense November and beyond.