Winter is Coming

cricketpower
cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
Ah... winter.

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That word stirs up a mixture of pictures in our minds ~ some joyful and beautiful... some depressing and ugly.

I'd like to invite anyone out there who finds themselves struggling through this time of year, to join me in a thread of accountability and hope.

Let's celebrate our successes! And let's explore our downfalls.

My past experiences show me, without a doubt, that I am at my best when I feel the support of a group. So I'm here today to put myself out there ~ to create that accountability as I recommit to low-carb, and to provide that support to anyone else who may be searching for the same.

Sometimes you just need to know someone cares... sometimes you just want to shout something out... but you have to have someone to shout it to! Maybe it's something small, that you wouldn't create a whole thread for. Maybe it's a thought or idea that you want to bounce off of others.

Really, whatever is on your mind. Share it here. I'll be here, and I care. I hope others will join me. :)
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Replies

  • What a nice post! I'd be thrilled to join you. Winter is already here in the north. Brrrr!!!!
  • cricketpower
    cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
    What a nice post! I'd be thrilled to join you. Winter is already here in the north. Brrrr!!!!

    Thank you! :)

    Yes, I've been feeling the effects here at 40 degrees north for awhile now. Yet I realized today that winter solstice is still over a month away.

    One of the best tools in my arsenal to get through the past several winters has been low-carb / keto.
    That feeling we have ingrained to "stock up for winter" is not meant to last the entire time!
  • Ive noticed am a lot hungrier in the fall/ winter and the time change is always a big adjustment. I was just looking out the window at the snow and dead vegetation. I guess I needed a reminder there is always something lovely as a beautiful blue jay landed on the fence around my butterfly garden.

    I need to remember what a great took keto is when the winter blahs hit!

  • cricketpower
    cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
    Very sweet and thoughtful.
    I’m just looking forward to holidays and family time. I seem to be much more in a holiday spirit this year than ever before.

    Thanks! I admit I do have my own selfish motives, as well, though. We're all in this together. ;)

    I have always said it's January & February I could just do without. Everything is busy and mostly good with the Holidays. Then I'm just completely over it and ready for spring ~ warmth & getting some SUN.

    Today was a decent low-carb day. No grains & no sugar. Although I seem to have a death wish again with roasted salted peanuts in the shell. That stops now. It's mindless eating, and my gut pretty much hates me for it.

  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    I'm fine with a lovely winter (as in the photo in your OP) but it's mud month here late Nov/early Dec which also occurs late Feb/early March. At those times, I get outta here. Isla Mujeres is calling my name in a very short while. And I haven't even tried my swim suits on yet. Maybe after another week of strictness... :s
    1vb1k3tc7u3u.png
  • cricketpower
    cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
    We are about to hit Summer here! Woohoo

    Lol... I knew there'd be people on the other side of the world! That's cool. ENJOY! :)

  • cricketpower
    cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
    canadjineh wrote: »
    I'm fine with a lovely winter (as in the photo in your OP) but it's mud month here late Nov/early Dec which also occurs late Feb/early March. At those times, I get outta here. Isla Mujeres is calling my name in a very short while. And I haven't even tried my swim suits on yet. Maybe after another week of strictness... :s
    1vb1k3tc7u3u.png

    Oh, that sounds amazing... we haven't had a vacation in a long while. And nowhere like that. Maybe someday!

    And I love the pic. I'm sure you'll look just like that when you try on your suits -- we all do, right?! :D

  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    Hahaha, about 30 years ago, yes. :D
  • cricketpower
    cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
    A few good low carb days in a row now & feeling good! :)

    Haven't had any peanuts since that first day. That is one of those foods my body has told me in numerous ways (time and time again) that I need to stay away from. My husband brought a bag home... I was strong & confident the first night he sat munching on them. "Nope, no thanks! I have a problem with those." Next thing I know, I'm on here posting about peanuts. Lol. I swear I don't even know what happens in my brain with things like that ... but I am thankful that my body always reminds me pretty quickly.
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 7,018 Member
    Happy Thanksgiving!

    z52ysiactq5u.jpg

    Nope, there's nothing low-carb about these "towels" as my 11-year-old calls them (that's turkeys gone wrong, they look more like owls) :D but he worked hard on them and I think they're super cute.

    I hope you all have a wonderful day!

    :joy:
    That's adorable all around.
  • cricketpower
    cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
    We had our first winter snow recently. The best thing about winter it forces me back into the house so I can better study the many subjects of interest that I have. 5 news books came yesterday so I am going to have to make time for the new Keto book that came recently.

    Since they all relate in some way to the body, mind and soul connections of human health and it seems like I have to read each page 3 times before I can move to the next page. The cool part being 67 and a student my entire life of diverse and hard subjects the more I read the more I understand from my lifetime of reading. Thankfully Keto is positive for short and long term memory. :)

    @cricketpower thanks for sharing the beautiful photo. It is so peaceful.

    @GaleHawkins good to hear from you!

    I share with you the love of learning... as I think many of us here do. My Amazon cart is full of so many great books I may never get to ~ as new books just keep being added all the time. The learning never ends... but there just aren't enough hours in the day most of the time. You're right ~ that IS an advantage of winter. Sitting down with a good book goes right along with our tendency to slow down a little bit.
  • cricketpower
    cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
    Definitely feeling the benefits of sticking to low-carb for the past 6 days (and no, I didn't eat any part of the "towels"! Lol.)

    It's always a good sign when I have to go back and look at the calendar to see how many days it's even been. That means I am not white-knuckling through this in any way.

    I got some low energy and that lightheaded feeling while moving furniture on day 4. Immediately downed 1/4 tsp of salt ~ good to go.

    This is what my body needs and every time I stray, it lets me know. It's just a matter of making the decision to recommit, and then following through. I think it has to be a decision. When we make a decision and there is a feeling of finality about it, we can move on to thinking about all of the other important things in life besides food.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    Winter is also coming in April 2019. Game of Thrones Season 8, I'm a big fan of the series so far.

    I go off of low carb for holidays. I just try to eat reasonably and more veggies, spices, avocados, eggs, and other nutrient dense foods than I ever ate before.
  • cricketpower
    cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
    Winter is also coming in April 2019. Game of Thrones Season 8, I'm a big fan of the series so far.

    I go off of low carb for holidays. I just try to eat reasonably and more veggies, spices, avocados, eggs, and other nutrient dense foods than I ever ate before.

    Finally ~ a fellow Game of Thrones fan comments!

    Yes, I had that in mind when I chose my thread title ... and yes, I read it in my mind in that deep, dramatic voice from the show. :D

    I am the exact opposite -- I think I've been low carb / keto through the Holidays every year for at least a few years now. It makes life less complicated for me, as it removes the mental struggle of: "Do I eat that? Man, it looks good. Yeah, but if you eat it then you'll just want more." Etc etc.

    I don't miss that. And I especially don't miss the symptoms that inevitably come along with it when I decided to go ahead and eat whatever it was.

    But I have serious carb problems! Lol. I'm glad you've found a system that works for you. That's all that matters. Thanks for stopping in. ;)
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    I'm hoping they don't mess the series up by killing off the wrong people, that would be a tragedy. Cersei can go.
  • cricketpower
    cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
    I'm hoping they don't mess the series up by killing off the wrong people, that would be a tragedy. Cersei can go.

    I am definitely going to have to watch the last episode (or two) again before the new ones start. There has been so much time gone by now, I don't even remember who was where and what the heck was even going on. :D

    It's really the only show (besides Jeopardy, lol) that my husband and I have actually watched together and looked forward to. We didn't even know when we were watching that last episode that there weren't going to be any more. Then I was like, wait -- that was the season finale? Then I looked it up and saw the news that it was going to be a LONG wait for more. Good thing I've been too busy with nursing school all this time to really care!

  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    edited November 2018
    I have seasons 1-7 on video and will rewatch most of them. There are only 6 episodes left but they will be around 90 minutes each so like 6 movies. The only tv I really watch is baseball, football, game of thrones, and movies. Good luck on going to nursing school, I hope you get good grades.
  • cricketpower
    cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
    I have seasons 1-7 on video and will rewatch most of them. There are only 6 episodes left but they will be around 90 minutes each so like 6 movies. The only tv I really watch is baseball, football, game of thrones, and movies. Good luck on going to nursing school, I hope you get good grades.

    Thank you! :)

    I'll be graduating in about 2 weeks. Grades have been great ... but there is still so much to learn. And the big exam in January to actually be a licensed RN. It's been a wild ride ~ and not much time for Game of Thrones ... so I guess it's okay that they took a break. Not that anyone asked my permission. Lol. ;)
  • nikoba
    nikoba Posts: 291 Member
    edited November 2018
    I love this post and thread! It gave me the warm and fuzzies reading through. I'm an emotional eater and have been a yo-yo over the past few years (which I know is soooper bad). I lost both of my parents over the past year & a half, and the process of watching them fade contributed to my weight gain. But, to put a positive spin on the loss...I now have so much more time to dedicate completely to rebuilding myself. I feel a sense of hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.

    Granted, it's only day 2...but even the process of going grocery shopping Sunday in preparation for the winter storm that hit the midwest, and taking the time to cook a proper meal felt really satisfying. The last year has been filled with a lot of fast and convenient food, that it's felt like ages since I've slowed down and cooked. It felt really comforting to be making cozy chili on a cold winter night with a little dance party with the dogs in the kitchen.

    Full disclosure...I'm one of the few who have never seen one episode of Game of Thrones. I have however seen this spin off, that I find hilarious:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Krz-dyD-UQ
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    That was hysterical!
  • cricketpower
    cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
    @nikoba I am so sorry for your losses. That sounds like a rough patch, for sure. :(

    I'm glad, however, that we could give you the warm fuzzies! Congrats on this new chapter, taking better care of you. It's a good feeling. Welcome!
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    Good luck on the exam!

    That was a good bad lip reading.
  • andied23
    andied23 Posts: 3 Member
    Thank you! :)

    I'll be graduating in about 2 weeks. Grades have been great ... but there is still so much to learn. And the big exam in January to actually be a licensed RN. It's been a wild ride ~ and not much time for Game of Thrones ... so I guess it's okay that they took a break. Not that anyone asked my permission. Lol. ;)

    Good luck with the exam, as an RN, I can tell you it’s not SO bad. And the learning definitely never stops, you’ll quickly learn nursing school teaches you how to pass the exam, nursing teaches you how to be a nurse. Lol.

  • cricketpower
    cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
    andied23 wrote: »
    Thank you! :)

    I'll be graduating in about 2 weeks. Grades have been great ... but there is still so much to learn. And the big exam in January to actually be a licensed RN. It's been a wild ride ~ and not much time for Game of Thrones ... so I guess it's okay that they took a break. Not that anyone asked my permission. Lol. ;)

    Good luck with the exam, as an RN, I can tell you it’s not SO bad. And the learning definitely never stops, you’ll quickly learn nursing school teaches you how to pass the exam, nursing teaches you how to be a nurse. Lol.

    Yes! Thank you so much for your post. :)

    I definitely understand exactly what you are saying. At clinicals, I have paid close attention to what is going on with the nurses, and my instructors. It often feels like they are running full-blast with ease, and I am like a baby just taking those first wobbly steps. Lol. But I know I can get there.

    Nursing school has been an intense mixture of humbling and confidence-building, all at the same time. I don't think that will ever end. There will always be room to improve, grow, and learn -- and I love that.
  • rmcswain9372
    rmcswain9372 Posts: 6 Member
    I love to use winter as my time to evaluate where I am in my weight loss journey and readjust just in time for spring and summer. When I have a goal, I do so much better. We are going to Hawaii in April for spring break, so I have to stay strong through the holidays and the pits of Jan and Feb when the days are short and the weather is bitter.
  • cricketpower
    cricketpower Posts: 1,460 Member
    I love to use winter as my time to evaluate where I am in my weight loss journey and readjust just in time for spring and summer. When I have a goal, I do so much better. We are going to Hawaii in April for spring break, so I have to stay strong through the holidays and the pits of Jan and Feb when the days are short and the weather is bitter.

    Yes -- I know what you mean about having a goal! I was quickly gaining fat after jumping (not falling) off the carnivore wagon, and allowing myself to get into the carbs again. When I realized there was NO way I was going to fit into the white scrubs I had to purchase for pictures back in July, that helped me to get back on track with low-carb. Our pinning ceremony is December 15 and I have to bust out the white scrubs again for that. ;)

    I don't *really* have a weight loss goal, though. This is about long-term health for me. My body gives me all SORTS of signs when I am headed in the wrong direction, and it can be a little scary. If I hadn't been "mostly" low-carb since 2012... I can't imagine where I'd be today.