Need to Lose 100 LBS -Robins Thread !

mnwalkingqueen

hey guys, just doing a quick stop in. I will read through the post and comment later I have been doing really crappy eating lately and last week the scale showed it. I was up 5 pounds. I will say I don’t like not having a scanner because I’ve learned that things that other people have put in is not always accurate to what is on the label. Also, I know that I have not been paying attention to calorie count for a while it’s been about a month but I am still logging because I need to watch my sodium so I can stay off my medication. However, eating out for the last three weeks has not helped with my blood pressure at all. I think my car being stuck in the shop for the last week has been a blessing in disguise for my food intake, but who wants to deal with a car repair.
I’m not sure who asked a few weeks ago to keep them up-to-date with how it’s going with only eating when I’m hungry. Well at first it wasn’t so hard and then I got this false sense of I can do this, this is a breeze well, it’s not really a breeze that false sense of I got has made it so I tend to overeat at times. I know the over eating is my own self control that I need to work on more. Here’s an example on the weekends we get up and we go for like a 6 mile walk then I come home and eat breakfast and I don’t eat again until I’m hungry, which is usually about 4 PM but because I stop eating at 7 PM every night I tend to pig out between four and seven. I don’t know what the mental block is. I’m still trying to figure it out.
If you have a good self-control it is probably gonna work great for you. I just have to get better self-control it has helped me realize how I just eat because I think you’re supposed to even though I’m not hungry. example of that is during the work week eating breakfast before work, eating lunch at break time, and eating dinner I feel you’re supposed to eat lunch because it’s lunchtime but half of the time I’m not even hungry at lunchtime.

JNettie73

Starting weight: 270 March 2021
Total loss to date: 61.2

October 2022 Start Weight: 212
October Goal Weight: 208
Ultimate Goal Weight: TBD

October 2: 211
October 9: 209.2
October 16: 209.4 (TOM)
October 23: 208.8
October 30:

I am now at my lowest weight that I hit in January! I am starting to think about what my goals for November should be.

On Friday I woke up early and managed to get some of my Friday chores completed and some started before I brought my daughter to the bus stop. I also managed to get my room emptied and cleaned out. I threw out 3 big bags of garbage! It was an all day process through. I had a lot of bags that I had brought from my mother's house here. Going through that stuff was tough because I came across a box of my dad's things. My dad was my person, I took his passing really hard. Finding his stuff in those bags shattered me. I could not shake my sadness for the rest of the day. I miss him a lot.

The weather here has been a bit odd. My weather app has been telling me it the night temperatures were not going lower than 47. However, I woke in the morning to 39 and frost. That sent me into a panic. I had not prepped any of my plants to bring back in yet because it wasn't supposed to get that cold. I had to quickly spray them with neem oil and start bringing in my trees and aloe. Thankfully I was able to get them in and that one frost didn't ruin them.

In February I will be turning 50. I started thinking about it. By the time I am 50, as long as things keep going the way they are now, I will be in Onderland. I am a bit excited about that thought. I am so so so close!

@mnwalkingqueen
Self control is something I struggle with too. I find that I have to measure/weigh everything and log it. When I don't my portions tend to slowly get larger and larger and larger. Before you know it those behaviors get worse which lead me to being here. We have not taken out the Halloween candy yet. Between what my husband bought for the trick or treaters and what my daughter will get... I am concerned I won't have the will power to resist snacking on all that candy. I went downhill last October/November. Halloween was the start of it followed by all the winter holidays and birthday celebrations.

nsk1951

JNettie73 wrote: »

Self control is something I struggle with too. I find that I have to measure/weigh everything and log it. When I don't my portions tend to slowly get larger and larger and larger. Before you know it those behaviors get worse which lead me to being here. We have not taken out the Halloween candy yet. Between what my husband bought for the trick or treaters and what my daughter will get... I am concerned I won't have the will power to resist snacking on all that candy. I went downhill last October/November. Halloween was the start of it followed by all the winter holidays and birthday celebrations.

JNettie, I know you were directly responding to MNwalkingqueen with the text I quoted above .. but I just had to pipe in with this observation that occurred to me as I read your words ... ALL my weight gain during the years I was gaining occurred between Halloween and New Year! It was usually 10-20 pounds and I'd get most of it off during the rest of the year. Over time, losing less than I had gained added up! And up!! And up!!!

mnwalkingqueen

@nsk1951-Great observations about yourself. Loved that you looked back at Sept and your accomplishments.

@JNettie73- Hugs my friend for the feeling of sadness you had. It is always hard to go through loved ones things. Great hoals that you wrote down. Monthly pics are a great idea! Great NSV at the farm with your kiddo. I will pray for your Halloween self control. My issues are eating out when I have food at home cuz I am lazy or it takes my stress away like a coping bad habit.
@Jaysfan82- Congrats on your loss and welcome.

Well I have had a starting weight many times over the years. My latest starting weight is…
Feb 2022 285 highest weight ever

Oct 15th- 238 up 4lbs from last weigh in 2 weeks prior.

My goal is to get back to eating at home. Trying not to stress eat.

I ran in short spurts when walking Riley today. He loved it me not so much. Last time I ran was 10th grade I used to run mile and 4 by 100 relay. I am sure my form was not pretty. I would run half block and walk other half of the block.

nsk1951

Hi all ... I missed my Saturday check-in post ... kind of forgot what day of the week it was! LOL .. it's not funny, more ironic ... that so many of us do seem to 'lose some marbles' as we age!

Along those lines, I am starting a new volunteer venture that the activities coordinator at the Senior Center has been encouraging me to get involved with ... it's to be an activity companion for a person with Alzheimers at the once a month morning activity session held at a local church that is nearby. .. I was supposed to be there this past Monday but our wires got crossed so my first time will be in November. I need to attend a one day training session next week. As described to me, my job would be to partner one-on-one with a person who has Alzheimers (but can get themselves to the bathroom and back on their own) ... It's to be on hand throughout the activity and lunch to help them out with it. I'll know more about it after I actually get to participate.

My weight loss efforts are at a stand still. I'm just not really adhering to any kind of program and have stopped tracking weights and measures of the foods I am eating .. I'm simply keeping a diary of what I ate and about how much .. Like ... soup/pasta bowl Romaine with EVOO, ACD, tomato. OR ... 5" hoagie roll with baked eggplant in pasta sauce. And this past week I had bought Halloween candy and so this entry found its way into my log; '20 mini's of Halloween candy: kitkat, smarties, hershey's, reese's'.

I had a doctor's appointment on Monday and my dressed weight with shoes on was up 2 pounds over what it had been 3 months ago. Another blood pressure and diuretic medication change was made and now I am getting used to the new meds and routine. The doctor wants me to take all my meds at one time instead of dividing them between AM and PM as I have been dong for years. I'm slowly moving each medication from it's usual time slot by 1 hour a day until they meet up at a new set time of day ... which I had to decide on when it would be. The doctor have any suggestions as to the best time of day to take them .. anything that worked for my personal routines as long as it was consistent to that time of day. .. Consistency ... that's always been a challenge for me.

And gosh, I am feeling so chatty this morning as I write this ...

Does anyone else keep a person Blog on MFP? There was a notice that come November 17 you will no longer be able to post one and all of them will disappear on Nov 21 because that feature is going away. It was recommended that if you want to save any of your personal blogs to print them out or save them in another format on your computer.

Only 2 more Saturdays for the organic farm produce CSA bag. The mall across the street is going to move to an indoor Farmers Market for November and part of December and the farm I have been getting my weekly bag of produce from has said they will be there to sell their produce .. but I don't think I will shop from them. I have found I like the size and quality of 2 other produce sellers better and hope one of them will move to the indoor Farmers Market. Their produce is not organic, but it is more varied in offering and of a quality you would find in your grocery store instead of the discard pile! I will definitely not be investing my hard earned money into the CSA farm share program next year! A 'Learning experience' with it is what I had wanted and certainly did get it!~

Current weight 224.6
Highest ever: 282
Lowest since working on losing weight: 213 ...
Dream goal .. Once upon a time it had been to lose 120 pounds by the time I turned 70. Now it is to get into the 100's on the scale before my 78th birthday year ends. ... Time flies, excess pounds stay! Bad Habits re hard-wired, New Habits are flighty. Lessons are learned .. especially this one: self-rumination solves no problems.

Have a great everyone ..
Talk to you in November! Niki

JNettie73

Starting weight: 270 March 2021
Total loss to date: 62.8

October 2022 Start Weight: 212
October Goal Weight: 208
Ultimate Goal Weight: TBD

October 2: 211
October 9: 209.2
October 16: 209.4 (TOM)
October 23: 208.8
October 30: 207.2

My monthly goal check in:

• Weigh and log all my food - Achieved. I may have missed one or two days of accurately weighing - nights my husband prepared dinner or we ate out. But all in all I did it.
• Increase weights for strength training from 3lb to 5 lbs - Achieved.
• Continue to work on improving my tolerance for step aerobics working up to doing at least 45 minutes on level 2. Not Achieved. I found I could tolerate 30-35 minutes but anything more I became really bored and found myself constantly checking the time on my Fitbit. There were a few days I skipped this or only did 15 minutes of it due to aches in my knee and foot. Over all I am pleased with my progress I have made on my step so I consider that a win!
• Focus on my water consumption. Not Achieved. My goal is to drink two of my 32 oz water bottles a day. Most days I have been drinking one some days one and a half.
• Clean out my art/workout room and move the dvd player in. Half Achieved I was able to get my room cleaned out. Now I wait on my husband helping me move the dvd player in. I have to move a heavy dresser in order to plug it in. He said he would help me last weekend but then we never got around to it.

I lost 4.8 lbs this month! I am really pleased with my progress. I hope I can keep it up with the holidays approaching quickly. I am getting really excited that I am so incredibly close to Onderland. My 50th is in February. As long as I can avoid the holiday pounds from now until then I will be there! Originally I had hoped to lose 100 lbs by my 50th. That isn't going to happen. But I will gladly embrace Onderland!!!

@nsk1951
The holidays are always very challenging with all the delicious temptations. One plus that I have going for me is avoiding those foods for such a long time my taste is changing. I took my daughter to trick-or-treat street Friday evening. She gave me a piece of her candy, a twizzler. I took a bit and realized I did not enjoy it as much as I had in the past. I am hoping the same holds true when more temptations are in my face calling my name. LOL

We always host holidays. I have been discussing it with my husband these past few days. I have no idea what I am going to make. Our guests don't eat WFPBNO like I do and are used to my old way of cooking. My old way of cooking is not good for my health. I've been concerned about coming up with a menu that is a happy balance for everyone.

Your volunteer work sounds like it is going to be a great experience for not only you but the person you are working with. I hope it works out well for you!

Thanks for the info about the blog. I used to blog on here but stopped when my daughter came along. I tried a few times to go back to it but I couldn't figure out how to blog again. I wonder why they decided to stop that feature. I also wonder if they are going to eventually bring it back and make it a part of the paid version of MFP.

@mnwalkingqueen
Thank you for the kind words. Two days after cleaning my room out and finding my father's belongings I received a text from my neighbor. They were supposed to come here for dinner however that morning her daughter's father passed away unexpectedly. Her daughter and my daughter are best friends. His passing brought up a lot of feelings in me that I had when my dad passed. My heart breaks for them. It was difficult going through it as an adult. I can't imagine having to go through that at such a young age.

I find I struggle with eating when I am alone. I tend to eat more out of boredom and am constantly looking for things to do to prevent that. I used to stress eat however I think, or at least hope, I have gotten that under control now. It really is challenging!

Congrats on the running!!!

nsk1951

@JNettie73 ,,, What I read in the blog discontinuation announcement said that MFP was always looking for better features and part of that was to get rid of those that were not being used by many people. However, you may have hit on something with your musing about if it will come back one day as part of the premium version.

You have been doing really great in your weight loss efforts! Onederland on the horizon! ... I'm not certain I know what WFPBNO eating style is. I looked it up .. Whole Food Plant Based No Oil ... Good luck finding recipes to share with guests. They may be more work for you than plopping a fowl or chunk of red meet into the oven. You can do it! I saw many delicious looking foods during my online search.

That meal plan is very interesting and I know I could never follow such a meal plan because of my insulin resistance. Well, actually, now that I know the correct labels for the handful of co-morbidities I have, it's actually Metabolic Syndrome! ... I need to keep carbs low and struggle to keep them below 130 grams a day. ... If I let myself, I could easily consume 2 or 3 times that much because I love all types of produce, legumes, grains, and nuts and seeds! The meat products I do eat tend to be the garnish on my plate rather than the entree! The only oil I use is from olives. I'm not fond of the other nut oil flavors so I tend to just stay with the one type and use it sparingly.

@mnwalkingqueen, I thought of you as I read a thread on here about ways to save on the budget and it brought back memories of how I ended up starting a food budget ... It was many years ago and I was a working gal back then, like you are now. More of my meals came from either Tim Hortons breakfast menu or the workplace cafeteria counter and definitely the cafeteria lunches! I recall it was when I was always running short of cash and having to take more from the ATM that finally got me to save the receipts and keep track. I was horrified to see that I spent more than twice for prepared foods than I did for the entire grocery store bill (when I logged it all) ... That got me to change my ways!

Suddenly I was bringing brown bags to work for lunch and snacks, and making breakfast burritos and hard boiled eggs for fast breakfasts! .. And guess what? Not only did I start to save money but I also started to lose weight! I'm all for home cooked meals!

AFM, Today I spotted a post about a Challenge beginning November 1 to run through January 31st .. and I joined it! ... I have pledged to myself publicly on that forum to lose 10 pounds. We'll see how I'll do. The challenge was calling for 15 pounds but that was not mandatory and you could set your own target goal. I just find new starts so invigorating, mentally. The plans! The drams! ... now the hard part .. .the follow through~

JNettie73

Happy November!

Starting weight: 270 March 2021
Total loss to date:

November 2022 Start Weight: 207
November Goal Weight: 203
Ultimate Goal Weight: TBD

November 6:
November 13:
November 20:
November 27:

November Goals:

• Add abdominal exercises to my routine
• Add leg exercises to my routine

I am pretty pleased with my October progress. I see and feel a difference in my body. Though to my surprise when I did my measurements this morning I didn't get the results I had hoped. A lot of measurements stayed the same. I'm not going to let that get me down though. As my dad always said "Rome wasn't built in a day." I am going to add in 2 new exercise goals this month - adding ab and leg exercises into my routine. I plan on alternating legs with my strength training/ upper body routine. I have not decided on how frequently or even when I am going work the abdominal exercises in.

My other thoughts for the month are playing around with my strength training and try increasing my weights to 8 lb. I don't know if that will be a permanent change, just for certain exercises or if I am staying where I am for now. I've been toying with the idea of increasing step aerobics to level 3. I am going to take the month and figure out where I am going to go with it.

@nsk1951
Yes, WFPBNO stands for whole food plant based no oil. Sorry, I should have shared what the acronym stands for before posting it.

It would seem like it is more work for me but actually is more challenging for me to plan and make meat based dishes for our guests. I've been vegetarian for roughly 30 years and WFPBNO for the past 1.5 years. My daughter is also vegetarian, my husband is not. My husband is very easy going and will eat whatever I make.

I always make dinner before I go to work so all my husband has to do is put it in the oven to cook. (He works from home on the days I am working.) Tonight's dinner is Vegan Butternut Squash Lasagna. I've never tried this recipe before. Of course I had to taste the filling (spinach based) and the sauce as I was prepping it. It was so tasty. I am looking forward to dinner tonight!

WFPBNO has helped me tremendously with insulin resistance. I've actually lost my diabetes diagnosis!

mnwalkingqueen

@nsk1951- I’ve been losing marbles for a while now😉😄. your volunteer activity sounds so fun. I feel like that disease would be like the movie 50 1st dates. Good luck with your medication changes. I hope all goes well. I also have been like you, and not adhering to much of a plan with food. And indoors farmers market. That sounds so much fun. I love the farmers market. we must’ve been thinking of the same things because when I went grocery shopping this week, I saved all my receipts and I’m going to see how long the food will last. My plan is also to only eat out on Saturday and Sunday for I’m not really home those days.

@JNettie73- wow look at you achieving goals left and right so proud of you. And even the goals that you feel you didn’t achieve on still you improved. That’s awesome! I wish I was that motivated to have a ton of goals set but then I know that I wouldn’t adhere to it. congratulations on the weight loss and what a great goal to have for your 50th birthday. My goal for my 50th birthday in March is just to have money to do some thing other than the normal go to the casino and out to lunch. I wanna do something exciting and fun. I’ve only hosted a holiday time once and we did a little bit of what I like to eat and a little bit of what the other people like to eat. I even cook the turkey and I can’t stand turkey I didn’t even have a single bite. I realize I eat a lot more in the cold weather months and unfortunately, in Minnesota we have like 6 months of it or more. OK so I had that squash risotto that I talked about a few posts ago. I now have a question what is risotto made of is it just rice? it tasted like rice, and then they had cut up pieces of squash mixed in it was good.

AFM-
I am adding sit ups to my routine this month. I’m going to try to do 15 assisted bed sit ups in the morning and at night. I noticed that as the weather gets colder and I am not outside as much I don’t get as much walking in, so adding some things.
I also have a plan to try to eat at home Monday through Friday and only eat out on the weekends if I’m not at my house. If I’m at my house I will eat at home. You know my sister bought me a Whirley Pop stove top popcorn maker for Christmas last year. I thought it was slow down my popcorn eating, but it actually increased it because it taste so much better than microwave popcorn. I like drizzling Sriracha over my popcorn.
are you able to freeze fresh cranberries? I love cranberries, and I thought I would buy some extras around the holiday if I could freeze them. I don’t know much about that type of stuff.

JNettie73

@mnwalkingqueen
Thank you! I hope you are able to do something extra fun for your 50th! I'm a bit excited that we are birthday neighbors both reaching our 50th!

Risotto is typically made with a short grain rice such as arborio and is cooked in a broth. You can add whatever you like to the rice. I love risotto. It really is delicious!

You absolutely can freeze cranberries. I do it all the time. I buy a bag of whole then toss it in the freezer. When I want to use them I take out the amount I need and toss in what I am cooking. The whole ones tend to be a bit tart so you may want to add something to sweeten them up a bit if the tartness is not your thing.

I have a stove top popcorn maker too. We love popcorn. I've never tried sriracha on it though. A few months ago I picked up a cheesy jalapeno pop corn topper from Walmart. It isn't WFPBNO compliant but sure is tasty on popcorn! Some times I add a chili lime seasoning to mine. It's so good!

What are assisted sit ups? I don't know anything about them and would love to learn more.

nsk1951

Saturday Check in on Sunday morning!
I lost .9 pounds this past week ... that means I'm still in the maintenance side of things. My weight can shoot up or down over 3 pounds a day ... and so I watch the trends instead of what the scale says at any one time. The trend says I am staying the same.

Well, at least I am not into a slow gain like an online friend of mine who has been an inspiration to me since 2019 with her weight loss. She lost 97 pounds and has been struggling this whole past year as well with a rebounding weight gain that she's trying to halt and turn around. We are both in our 70's ... and we have both been battling our overweight for decades. I'm cheering her on as she works to lose and I'm cheering myself on for that same reason as well!

The last farm CSA pickup for me occurred yesterday. I can't say I'm sorry to see that subscription end. The people at the place were all very nice, and I feel kind of bad for having a negative attitude about the program this farm provided this past year. They worked hard, and hard work is always wanting to be recognized. Too bad the product fell short.

Yesterday was also the training session for volunteers for the Alzheimers Respite sessions that I am joining. I came away from that feeling unsure that I can physically do the job. It's not that I need to physically handle the person who I would be buddying-up with for the morning or activities and then lunch .. but I would need to take them by the hand or arm and lead them to a bathroom or to where they need to be if they were having a hard time getting there. As I am in need of a rolator walker myself to walk anywhere, I don't have a free hand to guide anyone. Plus, when I first stand up from a sitting position, it takes a bit of time for my feet to be able to take a step, and my steps are slow and halting for the first dozen steps or so ... an Alzheimers participant could be in danger during that time. ... I voiced my concern and the other volunteers that were there for the meeting assured me that they all help one another and to not worry about it and give it a try. I've decided that I would attend the next activity session as an assistant to the volunteers and see how it goes before making up my mind to fly solo or move on to another form of service.

@JNettie73 and @mnwalkingqueen ...I also freeze cranberries every autumn to use through most of the year. I love to add it to porridge being cooked (either in a pot on the stove or in a deep bowl in the microwave). I also use it to make cranberry sauce in small quantities for almost every time I have roast poultry!

mnwalkingqueen

@JNettie73- I was thinking about going to Ireland for my birthday. I found this travel group where it’s less than 10 people per travel. However, then I start thinking about how much it would cost me to have somebody watch my dog I don’t live in the best neighborhood so then it’s hard to find people to come and sit at your house. and then none of my friends wanted to go to Ireland. I really am hoping that I do get to do something good and fun. I was thinking maybe a trip to Vegas I’ve never been and I love the head and being my birthday is in March. It’s not exactly warm in Minnesota. I am so glad that I can freeze cranberries. That makes me excited. I love that they’re tart. I usually make cranberry butter or cranberry cream cheese. I usually buy them to make cranberry fluff at Thanksgiving. Last year I actually found a cranberry short bread cookie recipe. But let me tell you I don’t like how dry shortbread is so my recipe is slightly different. I got a chili, lime popcorn seasoning with my popcorn maker. However, it was very salty and not at all what I expected nor should I probably be having that much salt being that I literally eat popcorn every day. OK I call them assistance sit ups because I cannot do a set up on my own. I lay diagonal on my bed, where my feet are touching the floor then I sit up, squeezing the corner of the bed with my thighs to pull my self all the way up into a sit up position. That’s why I call them assisted sit ups.

@nsk1951- it’s nice that you have an online person that you connect with that’s around your age that you can cheer on. I’m sure it goes both ways as far as her supporting you too. Congratulations with the weight loss this week I know that you have been feeling really down about that. The other volunteers at your meeting sounded so positive and how they handle the situation that arise. I understand your concern though and I think it’s good that you’re going to participate before making a final decision. I hope it works out for you is sound like something so positive in many ways.

AFM: I’m actually sad that the cold weather has come upon us now for good. That means at least five months of not being outside as much. I am going to try to go to the mall of America every weekend and walk inside just to keep up with some decent exercise. plus I joined a christmas 10 K walk that Has to be done by January 1. I will have to do that walk inside for sure. I hadn’t weighed myself in a few weeks maybe almost a month. I’m glad that I have gone down a few pounds maybe I’m getting back on track. I love Christmas all the lights and Christmas trees and music. Just love it all… My favorite place to volunteer is allowing us to volunteer now that Covid is quote un-quote not as bad. And I also get to pick my family to buy for which is exciting. My issue this year is deciding if I want to try to buy a fake Christmas tree or continue to buy a real one. The tree lot that I buy from my tree has never been more than $50. I can’t buy a fake tree that cheap even though I get it it will last over time. I just don’t know if I have the patience to fluff the tree out every year. My mom’s tree looks worse and worse every year because she doesn’t like fluffing it as much anymore. I can’t wait for the election to be over tomorrow. I’m so sick of seeing all the ads on TV that are lies against everyone. Anyways, have a good night friends.

JNettie73

Starting weight: 270 March 2021
Total loss to date: 63.6

November 2022 Start Weight: 207.2
November Goal Weight: 203
Ultimate Goal Weight: TBD

November 6: 206.4
November 13:
November 20:
November 27:

I've been having a rough past few days. It started Thursday with a sore throat, covid negative. It progressed into sinus issues. We had a change in weather where it went from cooler weather to very warm again. I think the change in temperature, change in seasons and all that good stuff triggered my allergies. Not feeling well also triggered a lot of snacking and over eating. My exercise has not been where it normally is. I have not touched my weights since last week and I am struggling with step aerobics so I've been sticking to my bike. I didn't get on the scale on Sunday because I was afraid to see the results. I did my best yesterday to eat on track and drink plenty of water. I stepped on the scale this morning and to my surprise I had a loss! This not only was surprising but was very encouraging.

Last night for dinner I made pineapple brown rice and sauteed peppers and onions in a bit of water. I lightly seasoned them with salt and pepper. We also had salad and my husband had a pork chop. Our dinner was so simple but incredibly delicious.

@nsk1951
I am sorry to hear that you have concerns about being physically able to volunteer. I also think it is great that you are going to give it another chance and see how it goes before making a final decision. I hope it works out for you.

I am sorry to hear your friend is struggling with her weight after her loss. Is she on MFP? I am glad you both are cheering each other on. I feel it is very important to have that support on this journey.

@mnwalkingqueen
We had a similar issue with our dog and vacationing this past summer. I didn't want to board her anywhere because of the situation of her coming to us when my mom passed. I thought it would be too traumatic on her. I also felt guilty asking my neighbor to come over and take care of her on top of my other 4 animals. Though they assured me they would and it would not be problematic on them. We ultimately decided not to do our annual summer vacation due to her. We felt the timing was just not right. She is doing so much better now though. I think we will be able to take that vacation next year. One thing my cousin suggested is to hire a dog walker to come. She does that with her dog. Where I live we have several reputable companies who do that and it isn't terribly expensive, according to her. Maybe you can look into something like that for your dog?

Thanks for explaining the assisted sit ups. I have a workout bench. When I first started laying on it to do weights I found I couldn't sit up at all. I had to either call for someone to help me or I had to roll off of it onto the floor. I was quite a sight. Though I have found in time I have improved greatly. I can lift my legs up and kick them down fast to get enough momentum to sit up. I am still quite a sight. That is the main reason why I wanted to add abdominal exercises into my routine this month. LOL

I love Christmas just like you do! When my daughter and I were driving home from gymnastics last night we spotted a few buildings and houses with their lights on. It was really exciting. I actually am listening to Home Alone right now and have been listening to Christmas music since Halloween ended. There is something about Christmas that is just so magical and special for me. It brings me so much joy.

nsk1951

Saturday Weigh-In on Friday: again ...
It's still not good. I'm still not losing any weight. And it's no wonder why ... because I eat too much food for the amount of energy I expend ... But that's not what I want to talk about today. The weight is what it is ... at least it's not creeping upward. It will come down once I finally get the things that are keeping me from doing the things I need to do from getting in my way to do the things I want to do ... sounds kind of like a Catch-22 scenario. Does anyone even remember Catch-22 and what it means?

Lately I've noticed that my insulin resistance is worsening. For me, that means more mass in my middle .. a bigger stomach area that is so very unattractive when I am sitting down. When I'm upright, there is no lap to push that frontal mass up, but when I'm sitting I have a stomach that sticks out in a mound beyond where my breasts stick out to. That makes for a big slope appearance from the side. Looks not bad looking straight face on, or down onto my lap ... but the side view strikes a grimace to the face. That side view tells the tale of too much carb and everything else and not enough activity. It's the profile of someone who sits 90% of the waking day and lays in bed the night long.

It's the kind of profile that makes old ladies make unkind remarks that you can overhear and feel hurt about. It's the kind of thing that brings you up short, like having cold water splashed in your face. It happened to me for the second time within the past month at the Sr Center lunch program the other day. As it dawned on me that I was being commented on I first felt embarrassed, then hurt, then angry, and then spiteful ... I'll just not go to those lunches anymore! Well ... that's just cutting off my nose to spite my face, isn't it. After all .. why do I even go to those lunches? It's certainly not because the food is so great. Actually, even though it's dietician approved, it's not the greatest quality food. And the meals are higher in carbohydrate than they are in protein. There is no added fat to the meals either. So that all makes it even higher ratio carbohydrate than anything else. Not the kind of food I ought to be eating, and may even be partly the cause of the increased insulin levels. Still ... I like the companionship of the group. The reason it gives me to primp myself up a bit and venture out of my senior apartment twice a week for an hour of talking to people and engaging in something social and fun. There is always some little activity to join into after the meal is done. There are always people there who are in at least the same, if not worse, physical shape than I am and even though we need carts to help us walk, we engage in the activities more so than the people who can ambulate nicely on their own two feet. ... So I don't want to stop going to them. I just want to get some control over eating the food that's provided. The meal is inexpensive enough that I ought to be able to forego my 'don't let food go to waste' mentality and leave some of it on the plate. And turn down a serving of added desert when it's offered because it's a special treat day. Then those old biddies won't look knowingly in my direction and nod to one another, or hold their hands in front of their mouths as they lean in and whisper something while tipping their head in my direction. And if they do, and I notice it, I can tell myself that this is motivating, not hurtful.

I told myself this morning, when I realized I was still smarting over it ... Let this be the reason why you continue on with your struggle to lose weight and trim down, and not the reason you isolate yourself.

Well .. that was a rant, I guess. I hope it cleared my mind. I hope it let me love myself once again.

nsk1951

Sunday morning ... and feeling better.
Had one of my favorite breakfasts today ... one I splurge almost half my daily calories on about 3 times a month. No one else in my family will even consider it because it's a lot of stuff in one sauce pan but to me it's a cross between a porridge and a dessert breakfast that goes so good on a cold morning. Whole wheat cream of wheat and old fashioned oats (half a serving of each measure for a 1 serving recipe) combined with a cup of low fat milk, a 2-Tablespoon measure of unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey's natural), and cooked till bubbly. Then a handful of walnuts (1/4 cup) and 2 handfuls (1/2-cup) of frozen blueberries tossed in and cooked until it thickens up, melts those berries and warms the frozen walnuts. It is so yum to me. Better than chocolate pudding. Better than plain porridge. A balanced meal in one pot. Today the milk in the fridge was low fat so I whisked in an egg into the milk before heating it.

Supper will be chicken soup and a salad.

nsk1951

Tuesday morning ... weigh in day for a thread challenge on this app. The weight has been changing in ounces, the scale gives a different result based on where on the floor it sits ... cannot figure it out cause the floor is level and smooth. I think it's time to consider replacing that one, which I bought back in 1994 when I was decorating my new home, which I bought in 1993. That house is sold now, and I moved into a senior apartment in April. ... A new scale would make a nice housewarming gift for myself.

Anyone have a scale that they love and would recommend?

nsk1951

Saturday Morning check in and talk-talk.
We have such a short list of folks who post on here and our frequency is 'not often' that I feel like I've started using this thread as a personal chat board! I do hope my posts aren't a bore for you all. If so, please just move on. I do like to read yours when you post on here. Makes me feel like we're a part of a team; and I like being a member of a team.

Well .. I did it ... I gave in and joined a weight-loss 'club'. .. It will cost me $15.00 a month and I could have done it all on here at much less cost; but I wanted to try something new and different ON TOP of posting on MFP. The program I joined doesn't count calories, and I do. But I want to see if following the new program for a period of time will shake things up and get me moving in the right direction again.

And so far, I don't know if it's the new program or the season or what ... but I am lighter today. Still 8 pounds away from my lowest weight this year, but it had gotten to almost 15 pounds over! And the weight started stabilizing the further I got my self discipline under control with all the goodies people share in the community. There's one tenant who was leaving Reese's Peanut Butter cups for everyone on almost a weekly basis. Then there's the one who likes to leave a small candy treat outside the doors of some of us. And then it got to that I was picking up a bakery package every week while grocery shopping! And then there was the change in medications. And, the Sr Center lunches I attend a few times a month are so pleasant, but. oh. so carb heavy and always include a dessert! ... And I just got LAX! I wasn't controlling the food I ate around all of these things.

This mornings weight was 223.4

JNettie73

Starting weight: 270 March 2021
Total loss to date: 65.2

November 2022 Start Weight: 207.2
November Goal Weight: 203
Ultimate Goal Weight: TBD

November 6: 206.4
November 13: TOM
November 20: 204.8
November 27:

Sorry I missed getting on here last week. We've been quite busy these past two weeks.

I had a scare Friday afternoon. My husband was working in the office and my daughter was at school, I was home for the day. In preparation for the upcoming holidays I decided to clean the turtle tank. I had the rocks from her tank boiling on the stove, the tank was scrubbed and filled back up with water and our turtle was hanging out in my daughter's bath tub. (She wanders and hides if I put her on the floor.) I was at the sink scrubbing her filters when suddenly I heard a loud pop, like a transformer blew. It was so loud and made me jump! I noticed my power went out. I picked up my phone and texted my neighbor to see if they lost power. They didn't. I called my husband and told him something was wrong and I needed him to come home. At first I thought I lost power to just the den and kitchen but then noticed the entire house was out. The explosion I heard shook me, I was trembling. My neighbor hurried over to see if she could do anything to help me. (I have the best neighbors who are like family to us.) We couldn't get the circuit breaker to flip the switches back. Thankfully when my husband got home he was able to do it and get power back on. He mentioned that it looked like the stove is what triggered everything to go out. He ended up completing the rest of his work day from home, thankfully his job is extremely flexible. Once I finished rinsing the rocks and putting everything back in the tank we pulled out the stove. I wanted to check the outlet that it is plugged into and make sure everything was fine. When we did we noticed a pungent electrical smell coming from the back of our stove. Our outlet was fine but our stove was not. Super, just shy of a week to Thanksgiving and we have no way to cook for our guests. We were able to buy a new stove and it is scheduled to come next Wednesday, late afternoon. I had planned on doing all my prep and cooking Wednesday since I am off from work. It looks like it will be a late night of cooking for me. Talk about cutting it close.

I've been doing well with my eating and exercise (cardio) though I've been slacking on strength training. The scale has been cooperating with me, which is exciting. At this rate it looks like I will be in Onderland by my next doctor's appointment and Christmas! This has been such an interesting journey with a lot of ups and downs. When reflecting on my journey the one thing that stands out to me is no matter how things were going I never gave up. Even on my worst days I brushed myself off and tried again. I am really proud of myself for that.

JNettie73

@nsk1951
I know exactly what you mean. I look one way when I am standing. When I am sitting it is like I am a completely different person, its shocking. I came to this realization when my daughter took a picture of me with my phone.

I am sorry to hear the women at the center aren't the kindest group of people. People can be so cruel. It is very disheartening. Is it all of the women there or just a select few? If it is just a select few, I suggest continue to go but only socialize with people who make you feel welcomed and liked. If it is everyone there then, personally, I would not go back and try to find something different to join in on. I truly hope it gets better for you there and you can continue to go and have a good time.

I have this scale. I like that it is pretty to look at, easy to clean and use. It doesn't have any fancy features like measuring body mass and linking to an app. But it serves its purpose.

https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Digital-Bathroom-Measure-Tempered/dp/B01HI1W1V4/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=scale+for+body+weight&qid=1668948445&sprefix=scale,aps,76&sr=8-12

I enjoy reading your posts. I agree I do feel like we are part of a team. Though I do wish more people participated in this thread though. I miss the days of how it used to be with several members in here.

Congrats on joining the weight loss club. I know you mentioned that it doesn't count calories like you do. What does the club focus on? Congrats on being lighter! I am happy for you.

I can relate with how one thing leads to another. That is exactly how I felt last Fall. I was doing so well then Halloween hit and I indulged on the left over candy. Thanksgiving followed with Christmas on its tail then the winter birthday celebrations and my mom passing. I felt like it was just one thing after another that derailed me. Sometimes life is very challenging. I've learned to do a lot of reflecting where I just sit quietly by myself and deeply think about events, their influence on me and how I could handle them differently. Then I take the strategies I come up with and put them into action.

mnwalkingqueen

@nsk1951- I say catch 22 all the time. I was always taught it was your damned if you do and damned if you don’t a catch 22.
I’m so sorry. The women at your luncheon thing are making you feel that way. I struggle with the same thing if I stand sideways in the mirror, I feel like I’m so fat and haven’t accomplished anything but if I stand straight on, I look great.
your warm breakfast sounds like a delicious meal. no scale that I actually love I just have a glass scale that at the time could hold up to 300 pounds. My house has so many uneven floors. I have to set it exactly in front of my toilet or I’m either leaning up or leaning back.
I hope you enjoy your new group that you joined for weight loss. It’s nice to have lots of support people who are trying to do the same thing. I am there with you. I got a little lax also and for me that’s not good because it takes me forever to get back. However, I know we can do it.

@JNettie73- thanks for the idea about the dog walker. Part of my issue is I don’t wanna leave my house empty for a week or two. I don’t live in the best of neighborhoods. I hired a couple people before from Rover. However, it’s not letting me see who they were or they’re not housesitting anymore.
OK, getting a new stove is not fun and spendybut as you were telling your story, I kept thinking oh my gosh it’s the turtle something happened to the turtle. You’re a pretty good storyteller.

AFM:
I didn’t weigh in this week. Honestly, it was so cold here that I didn’t want to get out of my pajamas and stand naked in the cold. Yes it’s cold inside my house also because with the cost of heat going up to 35% I can’t afford to keep my house as warm as I used to so I have been dressing in layers and stud .
I have decided for Thanksgiving that I’m not going to do what I normally do. I feel like me and my friend are drifting apart and she annoys me more than she makes me happy so I don’t want to spend Thanksgiving with her family. I actually am going to work for a little bit because you can make some really good money that day and then I have decided that I’m going to have Chinese food and watch Christmas movies. I might even go to the casino for a little bit after I’m done working .
I’m finding it really hard now that the cold weather has sat in to eat healthier. I just wanna eat all those cold-weather comfort foods. Versus the fruit and vegetables. I know I can still eat vegetables because I can eat frozen vegetables and warm them up. It’s just a mine thing that I have to get out of . Yeah today the windchill here is -5 and the temperature is 18° with 17 mph winds. Yeah it’s not feeling too great. It’s too cold at the dog doesn’t even really want to go out and go to the bathroom but he knows he has to. Anyways, I agree I look at you guys as a community and friends and I love hearing what you have to say. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and I probably won’t post before then.

nsk1951

Here's to everyone having an enjoyable Thanksgiving Day tomorrow. It's such a nice tradition to set a to the stage for so many things besides the big feast. (big and delicious)

I always loved the tradition we had where everyone took a minute to think of one thing they were thankful for, and to listen to the others at the dinner table coming up with their 'thankful for' statements. For most people it would be the same thing ... family, friends, good health. There would always be someone who was grateful for the food. And usually at least one would try to find something that would bring a laugh from around the table. ... what ever it was, it was good to remember that there are things in our lives to be grateful for and to acknowledge that gratitude.

@JNettie73 ... Oh My Gosh ... your stove exploded at the electric line! Thank goodness your house didn't catch fire, nothing went rocketing across the room, and that no one was hurt.

@mnwalkingqueen ... Chinese Food is as good as any other to have for your Thanksgiving meal ... as long as the food you are serving yourself is something you enjoy and put together. One of my favorites is a spicy bean curd dish with brown rice. Lots of veggies in that one.

AFM .. On Monday this past week I finished my first week on the new weight loss program I have started. So far, I still like calorie counting the best ... and recognize that neither program stops me from eating what I want nor does it stop me from overeating. Well .. it's not so much that I am overeating, because I don't ever stuff myself (except at holiday party dinners) it's more that sometimes the foods I choose are very high in calories. To eat those and stay within a calorie range that allows for weight loss I would have to either go hungry or learn to eat those foods in more moderation than I am wont to do. It's a learning curve for me.

Looking forward to seeing where the next weeks will lead.

nsk1951

November mornings have ended today. Tomorrow will be December. I weighed myself and was 225.0 even. .. that actually results in a small gain for the month ... boo-hoo-hiss! ... I started November off at 223.6 and was up all month, with the average daily weight being 226 with a high of 228 during the fluctuations in weight. I haven't been out of the 220's since June ... but I'm still trying.

The thing is .. I don't want to go extremely low carb. I've been telling myself that maybe I ought to do it just to lose weight and then I can try to reincorporate the foods I gave up to achieve that loss ... but that's how I got obese in the first place. My mind just doesn't want to put my body through all that losing and gaining. As long as I end the year lower than when it started ... especially given that holiday gatherings and special food offerings are in the mix for the next few weeks.

nsk1951

I made an 'artisan' bread loaf today that I started yesterday. It came out better than the no-knead sourdough starters I tried to master a few years back ... and I kinda think it ended up being a sort of sourdough anyway. It baked up better than other's I have tried in the past, but is still just a bit on the dense side. Still, it tasted real good and is low in calories ... The finished bread weighed in at 26.6 ounces and that's from using just 3.5 cups of all-purpose flour, 1.5 cups of warm water, 1 tsp of rapid rise yeast and 2 tsp of kosher salt. ... It had to sit for anywhere from 5-8 hours before starting the final rise before baking but I ended up running out of time yesterday and put it into the fridge for the evening.

I was cooking up a storm in the oven so it was very warm in the kitchen and the bread was rising too fast ... But then I pulled it out at 1:30 AM and put it back on the counter to warm up and rise some more at a coolish room temp.

I had 1.7 ounces of it this morning to mop up my egg yolks from breakfast ... and it was crusty and tasty. But it was a small piece of bread ... just the corner from half of it. Now to keep myself from diving into it over and over again! I'm wanting to make a bread pudding with fruit and need it to stale up a bit before using it for that.

mnwalkingqueen

@JNettie73- warm bread pudding is my favorite dessert with vanilla ice cream on top.

December has been a really rough month for me so far and I’m glad it’s almost over. I have been missing because I have been mentally exhausted. My car is been in the shop three times a week each time where I don’t have a car because nobody has enough staff. I just got my car back on Friday and I am not even sure how long it’s going to last me but I’m praying that it last me long enough to save up some money to use towards another car.
My mom has decided that she does not want to do a holiday with me this year. She’d rather do things with other people. It’s just really hard because Christmas was my dad‘s favorite holiday and we always did things together as a family for the last 20 years and my dad has been dead two years now and my mom acts like holidays don’t matter anymore. She’d rather be around other people than her own family. Part of me should be happy about that because she’s so toxic to me but it’s sad and lonely. so this is the first Christmas that I will be completely alone and honestly, it really sucks. With all that stress I have been not paying attention to my food intake and because it has gotten so cold here in Minnesota and the snow has been falling like crazy. I haven’t been able to exercise much either. My scale no longer works. It needs new batteries for because I don’t have a car. It’s not top priority to get batteries. I know I have gained weight because my pants are super tight but I’m not sure how much I have gained.
I hope everybody has a good holiday for Christmas and new year

nsk1951

Sorry @mnwalkingqueen, to read that you are having struggles. Somehow this time of year (what with the holidays, and the short cold days) makes coping harder to do. ... I hope you have some relief from your stresses soon. Also, that you end up having a peaceful, hopeful, healthy and happy Christmas all on your own. And that if someone does end up celebrating with you then it is someone who brings you joy.

nsk1951

I'm feeling fragile today. I completely misremembered a doctor appointment this morning ... it's written down in several places and I confirmed for it yesterday via internet ... I saw many times that it was for 9:40 this morning. So why, this morning was I so certain that it was 10:40? I think I even remember looking at it (9:40-10:40) .. so why did I only see the 10:40 and arrive at 10:30 so as not to be late? Beats Me! ... I was so positive that I was right on time. Gosh almighty! ...

There was one other patient who came in while I was at the front desk who close enough to me to hear our conversations. When the receptionist stepped away from the desk, I pulled out my cell phone and checked my calendar ... Yep, I was late. The other patient started talking at me .. not to me ... because she started talking about 'dementia' and how her father had it and was always forgetting or mis-remembering things like appointments or where he put something. ... She was, basically, saying that I had just exhibited a symptom of dementia. ... And here's the reason I am feeling fragile ... I am frightened that this woman may be right ... I might be getting into that kind of mental disability. Oh My Gosh! Panic mode.

I am a volunteer at a local Alzheimer's Respite program at a nearby location where we keep a group of people occupied and active in a social setting for about 4-5 hours once a month so their care givers can have a few hours off. We socialize with them, help then with crafts and games and lots of other activities that all take about 10 minutes. We serve a snack, we serve a lunch. It's like being in a room full of grown up, and mostly aged, children .. except it's not children who have not yet developed their mental abilities; it's grandma's and grandpa's who are losing theirs. There are even folks who come who aren't in the grandparent age bracket yet, sometimes not even in the retirement from work age!

Well .. if that is what is starting to occur inside my brain ... one form or another of dementia is always a possibility for someone like me ... who has been obese and diabetic for a few decades, who is in the geriatric age bracket, who suffers poor sleep patterns, who has hypertension, who has a heart vascular condition .. BUT .. that does not mean that I do have it or that if I do then it will grow rapidly. Or grow rapidly enough so that it becomes the primary medical condition I need to monitor and manage and live with. ... And, thank goodness that I am a volunteer in that program ... it helps me to see what care-givers face and what those with the condition face. ... And for now, I will put my slip of clarity this morning off to a stress filled day yesterday and over-extended hours of sleeplessness. ... and talk to my doctor about it when I finally do show up for that appointment with her that we rescheduled today.

mnwalkingqueen

@nsk1951- Hope you were able to talk to your doctor. That must have been scary for you.

AFM- being alone at Christmas was really bad. I weighed myself this morning and I am up 13 pounds from my last weigh in. I already know it was because I chose to eat poorly and I didn’t exercise as much. Back to 250lbs

nsk1951

mnwalkingqueen wrote: »

@nsk1951- Hope you were able to talk to your doctor. That must have been scary for you.

AFM- being alone at Christmas was really bad. I weighed myself this morning and I am up 13 pounds from my last weigh in. I already know it was because I chose to eat poorly and I didn’t exercise as much. Back to 250lbs

Gosh ... I know you are feeling 'bad' because of being alone for Christmas and the recent weight gain. It happened to me too! I'm back up in the 230's ... and it all happened that I have been struggling since June's low weight. I ate an abundance of treats that I had prepared to take to a family gathering for Christmas that was canceled because of the blizzard ... and even with sharing much of them with some of my neighbors, I ate, and ate, and ate some more! ... Why do we let ourselves fall into these set backs? Good thing we have the gumption to get back up and try again. One of these times it will stick!

mnwalkingqueen

@nsk1951 - I know that our struggles will get better. I listen to a seminar on January 1st about weight loss. I learned that a lot of our setbacks are because weight loss starts from the inside out. It’s just not the mental part about we’re going to do this this time and we’re going to try hard. It’s also about understanding your triggers and how to work through them. I know it’s all stuff we already know but after gaining that 13 pounds I just needed to hear that. For me it wasn’t the treats. I like to make treats for other people but I’m not a fan of them for myself. It’s going from eating two slices of pizza on pizza night to an entire large pizza. Going to your favorite restaurant and not just having a burger and fries, but having cheese curds for an appetizer and then the burger and fries and a dessert .
Cheers to a new year new accomplishments.

nsk1951

Two slices of Pizza at one time? Only if I'm sharing a pizza with someone outside my home. So I know the angst of consuming an entire pie by yourself.

I hate to do it, because I'm a lover all bread products; but the thought has been weighing heavily on my mind that baked goods of any sort ought not be in my grocery cart ever again! ... That feels a lot like 'cutting off my nose to spite my face' thinking ... and not really a solution at all.

The better thing to do is to make gradual and small changes. Yes, bring less baked grain products into the house; in smaller amounts; less often ... but also attempt to eat smaller portions ... even if just by a small amount .. of all the things I consume. And continue making those sensible choices when it comes to food of all types. And eat a little less overall.

Of course, last nights two dessert bowls of mini pretzels with a side of a up to 1/4 cup of yellow mustard was not a healthy snack. I regret, this morning, having gone for a second helping because I mindlessly gobbled it up just as much as I had the first bowl ... which I willfully served up for the desire of it.

Small steps. One step at a time. Keep it simple. Remember what worked before, do it again. Never Quit