Need to Lose 100 LBS -Robins Thread !

nsk1951

Saturday Check-in.
I didn't step on the scale this morning. Forgot all about it.
...This past week contained 2 remembrance dates ... 59 years ago I was a bride. 44 years ago I was a single mom attending my brother's wedding. Both men are passed away. But the memories of those two happy days from long ago sure did make me smile when I looked at the photos and remembered them as clearly as if they had occurred just the other day.
... The Farmer's Market is opening back up next Friday. I hope to get some local raw honey and local maple syrup, Grade A. If those vendors don't come this year then I will need to hunt for local sources.
... I spent a happy afternoon visiting my sister one day this week. We are both in the twilight of our lives and it's amazing how when we talk we seem to find more memories to share with one another that one of us has forgotten and the other one has recalled. This day we were remembering a favorite man who spent a lot of time with us back when he was growing .. and when I got back home I remembered we had both forgotten that that it was his birthday that very day! ... Carma brought those happy memories back to us ... or maybe it was Serendipity that did it.

I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend and that you get to see a parade, have fun out in the sun ... and remember why we have this memorial celebration each year ... to honor in memory those who served and fell in the service of our country.

JNettie73

Just a quick check in. I went to my favorite nursery this morning and stocked up on some plants that I need to put into pots. It's been a week since I restarted using my food scale and logging everything I ate with more accuracy. I am so excited. I stepped on the scale this morning and noticed I am 1 lb away from my lowest recorded weight from December. I am 2 lbs away from Onderland! I am so incredibly proud of myself.

I hope everyone is doing well!

Melwillbehealthy

@JNettie73 congratulations on your wonderful weight loss. I’m very happy for you. I’m also anxious to get to Onderland, but it will be a little while before I can do that. I will weigh myself tomorrow and see if I’m still losing. I’m trying my best, but my weight loss is erratic at best. I could get discouraged if I let myself. A couple of days ago, this doctor, who I don’t really know, told me it’s really hard to lose weight at my age. He said this to me right after I told him how I was counting calories and trying to exercise more. That’s all he said. He doubted I could do it. I was surprised and wondered why….
what I’m doing IS working, even if it is working slowly.

Melwillbehealthy

We’ll, I’m very happy. IAM still losing. It was a small loss this morning, just half a lb. But I believe it’s a real loss on the scale.

JNettie73

@Melwillbehealthy
I am sorry you had that interaction with a doctor. You are doing a great job! Congratulations on your loss! Have you noticed any NSVs yet? (Non Scale Victories)

Melwillbehealthy

Thanks! Yes, I have noticed that I can put on my own socks now. Also, a friend told me she thought I’d lost weight. She doesn’t know I’m trying to lose. That was nice.

MovinNow

Hi all, I’m new to MFP, and have about 120 lbs to lose. I’m 62yo woman caretaking my mother. I found this thread very encouraging. Working on slow weight loss (this time), want to keep it off. Hardest thing for me is carb/sugar cravings at night. I would appreciate any tips!
Thanks (real name Karen argh yes like the memes…)

nsk1951

Welcome @MovinNow ... I'm glad this thread has been encouraging. I'm in agreement .. low weight loss is the way I go about losing weight as well. Sometimes it's too slow, and when that happens I chalk it up to practicing maintenance ...
... As for the carb/sugar cravings at night ... I have had issues with that as well and have related it to the types of food I ate earlier in the day, or even the days just before. Very seldom is it because I am hungry. Also, I have become convinced that for myself,, the only way to stop those cravings is to not eat the foods that I have identified as being my 'triggers'.

The way I came about identifying those foods is by keeping a pretty detailed journal for a while, and then repeating the journal activity periodically. I record what I ate, the time I ate it, how I was feeling that day ( if there was an out of the ordinary circumstance I made a note of how I felt emotionally.) I don't do that detailed of a journal every day, but do for a week or two at a time ... however, I always log my food, every day. ... What, when, how much.

Hope this helps.

PS ... SLOW weight loss!

Melwillbehealthy

@MovinNow welcome Karen. This thread has been around for years and is very helpful and motivating. I get cravings at night for something sweet or crunchy. I’m handling it by having some kind of fruit available to me. I do try to eat fruit earlier in the day as I’m diabetic, but sometimes I give in as I feel if it’s between losing weight or eating something really carb heavy and not losing, the safer option for me at this point is to continue to lose weight. Then, I can get the diabetes in check, and maybe even eliminate it. I know there’s controversy about this, but I’m choosing to be optimistic.
Another thing that sometimes works is eating almonds or sunflower seeds. I find them very filling even though they’re not sweet, I end up satisfied.
I haven’t given in to a real sweet craving since my diabetes diagnosis a few months ago. Last night my husband brought home ‘cruffies’ from Farm Boy. They’re a cross between a donut and a croissant! I did take a close look at the lemon filling oozing out of them, and kept on walking by. My health means too much to me now to blow it on a whim.

JNettie73

@Melwillbehealthy
Those are fantastic NSVs!!! You are doing amazing!

@MovinNow
Welcome! My advice is to make small changes at a time. Set yourself 2-3 achievable goals. Once you master those add in additional goals.
I agree with what everyone else said. Slow weight loss is the way to go. You want to set up healthy habits that you are able to maintain the rest of your life.

@nsk1951
Interesting you way that about the cravings being related to foods you eat during the day. I have never thought to look at that angle. But it makes perfect sense. My cravings, which lead to binge eating, has typically been related to stress and my emotions.

Melwillbehealthy

We’ll ladies, today didn’t go as I had planned food wise or with exercise. This morning, As I was struggling to put on my bathing suit for a swim, I realized the pool was closed, so that was the end of that. Then, I spent the rest of the morning cooking, yes, healthy food, but a little too much of it. Then, I couldn’t rouse myself to do anything else except order magazines for my grandkids. Finally, the good news was hubby and I performed in our choirs spring concert. It was free for anyone who wanted to come. We’re an older group, who make a lot of mistakes but have a lot of fun. I’m the music librarian, and it’s been a lot of work this term as we have a new director.
It’s a busy week, with dinners out and I’m worried about what’s going to happen with the scale. I really hope I don’t end up gaining. I’ve got to fit some swimming in somewhere.

nsk1951

@Melwillbehealthy ... My suspicion is that if you are having dinners out that the scale might creep up a bit just because restaurant or other peoples cooking is not like your own, and the portions of more items of food on your plate. ... I once had a friend who generally ordered the same meal every time in restaurants ... a large salad bowl with a grilled chicken breast on it. And she ate every single morsel of it with deep relish. But then, she never made that particular dish at home, so it was always a treat.

@JNettie73 ... I used to, at one time, describe myself as an 'stress eater' as well ... however that is not really what I am. I finally recognized that when I am under a great deal of stress, that I tend to run on adrenaline and don't want any food at all. Same thing when something knocks the socks off me emotionally. It's once the crises or event has subsided that I have to be careful what I put on my plate.

AFM ... I had a 'bad' mammogram this week and will be having an Ultrasound guided biopsy of two spots next week. My stress level is high right now ... maybe there will be a drop in the scale come Saturday (LOL)

MovinNow

@Melwillbehealthy and @JNettie73
Thanks so much for the welcome and encouragement. My first goal is to focus on tracking everything I eat, which is already helping me to eat better. Second goal is tracking water. Already seeing changes and feeling better. Thanks for the tip for evenings-I’m going to get some sunflower seeds and almonds, and prepackage so they are ready in one serving size for the evening cravings.

MovinNow

@nsk1951
I’m praying for your biopsy. I am high risk for breast cancer and have had two biopsies, so I understand how nerve wracking. Try to do some deep breathing, and be good to yourself.
Hang in there 🌅

nsk1951

June Goals
Since I am always most motivated 'at the beginning' of anything ... I like to think about my goals for the brand new month stretching it's long way ahead of me ... of course healthy weight topics are only some of the thoughts that I dwell on. For the purposes of this thread, It's how I am going to advance towards getting closer to actually losing/having lost 100 pounds.
Gosh ... looking back, I see that this was already over a dozen years ago and I am still not at goal! That's depressing! Too bad the computer crash I had a number of years back cost me all my old files, cause I had saved a lot of records from both MFP and those I'd created as documents and spreadsheets. However I found one that was 'a new start' .. after reading this one, I'm not surprised that I am still only at the half-way mark!
I slack off, I slip into over-eating or eating too often or eating too much at one time. This causes me to be a yo-yo weight-loser ... lose some weight, gain that and a bit more back ... Well, not any more! I USED to gain a bit more back. Now a days I only gain part of what I lost back before I reign myself in again.
So ... what am I going to focus on in June? Not slacking off!!! How am I going to do that? By setting more realistic goals. Just ONE! Well .. OK, TWO!
This June, I will continue the feeding schedule I have been using however
This June, I will focus on eating small portions

nsk1951

@MovinNow

Thank You.

Melwillbehealthy

@nsk1951 I’m so sorry you’re having to wait to find out your test results. I know how stressful that is. It’s not a fun situation to be in. Hang in there as best you can.
I liked what you said about being motivated by the start of June. I’m also trying to lose over 100 lbs. and it can be overwhelming. It’s good to break it down into a smaller timeframe.
@MovinNow It sounds like you’re totally on the right track. Tracking my food is the most important thing I do for my weight loss right now. It sometimes makes me stop overeating before I hit a total binge.

Good news, I don’t think I gained weight after eating out these last couple of days. I’ll weigh in a couple of days. I preplanned what I would eat. Restaurant food is definitely loaded with a lot more hidden calories than the food I make at home. Also, boy is it expensive now!
Oranges at our grocery store have become so expensive now that I buy one or two at a time. The quality is so disappointing for the price🥹. I’ve been paying around $1.75 for one, dried up orange.

MovinNow

@Melwillbehealthy -

Great job preplanning your food before you go out. I need to remember that.

Have you had a chance to get in the pool yet? I just rejoined a ymca water exercise for arthritis/injury or anyone looking for a gentler pace. I’m going tomorrow even though I feel HORRIBLE having anyone see me in a swimsuit at this weight. But it feels WONDERFUL to be in the water, where gravity isn’t pulling me down. Also, after 60, I realize no one is really paying attention, as we are all different shapes and sizes. So it’s a fairly comfortable uncomfortable…

So @JNettie73 , thinking about setting a couple of measurable attainable goals:

June Food goals
1. Track consistently
2. Measure accurately (1/2 cup of rice is ridiculously small in reality compared to my estimates)
and
June Activity goals:
2. Get to pool exercises at least 2 times per week
3. low back stretches/strengthening each morning first thing

I feel like these are reasonable, attainable, and accomplishing them every day will make me feel good!
I wish there was a place in mfp to track these types of goals. I’m looking for other apps (ios) to track these types of goals. Let me know if you have any experience to share.

Good night from the West Coast!

nsk1951

Saturday weigh-in
I stayed the same this week from last.
A good thing about that is I have had a (pretty much) stead weight every day this week instead of it going up and down by several pounds. I attribute that to two things: the new medication for my blood pressure is keeping my edema at bay AND my calories have been consistent all week, within about 50 calories day to day. ... so now, I can rely on the amount of food I consume to maintain and will be able to see how my shifts in amount consumed affect the loss. I don't intend to change the foods I consume, only the portions.

@Melwillbehealthy ... cudos on the good meal planning while on your trip.
Citrus is getting into it's most expensive season, I think. The grocery stores in my area often sell those bagged varieties on sale where they come out to about $0.75 a fruit .. but you need to be careful because there is often one or two in the bag that is starting or has gone bad. I usually don't buy them in the warm weather months.

@MovinNow ... nice June goals.

@JNettie73 ...2 pounds from Onederland last week! WOW ... that is such a great accomplishment.

Melwillbehealthy

Hi All,
Yes, I did get to the pool a couple of times this past week. This morning I swam for an hour and never got tired. Something is happening 🤗. I think I’m gaining a little strength even though I’m not strength training. I see the dr. Tomorrow. I want to talk about my blood pressure.
Went to a picnic birthday party for my granddaughter yesterday. I provided sandwiches and fruit. I ate them and kept within goal. The scale lost a lb!
Never giving up!