30lbs to lose... Started AGAIN yesterday (Darn Lockdown Snacking)

@MommaGemz LOL! How true! Hubby and I were just discussing this - what the heck happened to us? I was baking (and eating) goodies at least once a week! Combine that with 12-hour days of planning and teaching lessons on-line (I'm a high school teacher) and we both look like we just came out of the dryer fluff cycle!

I try to avoid casseroles for the same reason as you - too hard to measure accurately. Love your idea of the deconstructed "not fried" rice. I might steal that idea for dinner tomorrow. Tonight is jumbo shrimp sautéed with zucchini, yellow squash, sweet pepper strips, and diced tomatoes, served over farfalle pasta. Heavy on the veggies.

As for exercise? Still swimming, aerobics, or stationary bike. I need to get some free-weights in there, too!
Have a wonderful Monday!!

Definitely has been a stressful couple of days for me. I am a part time hairstylist and have to shut down again. I wanted to go for the comfort food, but so far I have not. It does help to have good choices available. Thank goodness 2 years ago I start to do data entry in an insurance office, so I am not working full time in a salon.

And on a exciting anxiety side, my youngest son found out he passed his AP Calculus test, so he is trying to change some of his classes. I just hope he gets what he needs.

Have A Great Tuesday!

@mommagemz Thank you! I have a better hold of my emotions today. The biggest step for me is to recognize why I am reaching for those comfort foods and tell myself I don't need it to feel better. My son finished his senior year strong and has handled this year with stride. I defiantly can learn from him He was able to change his classes yesterday and get the classes he wanted, now I just hope he has a good college freshman start.

It has been so hot that I have used it as an excuse not to exercise, time for some self motivation

I feel for you, @MommaGemz - I like my quiet time too! I don't suppose you can trick your husband and the kids into having a movie night whilst you sneak off and sit in a dark room by yourself...?

You're doing great. And might I request more photos of your cute cat?

The scales and I are not really friends at the moment (frustrating when I've hit my calorie goal consistently) but I'm still plugging on and hoping it will all sort itself out eventually.

Food has also been a coping mechanism for me - it's been a comfort, it's been a reward. I'm tired and I'm bored and I like food, and I can almost feel the old me reaching for something I cannot afford calorie-wise, but I also have enough self control not to do it. It's a bit like living with a ghost - it's hard to explain, really. Maybe a better analogy is the sliding doors theory - where your life could go in a very different direction if you just got on the train that day.

I can almost see what would happen if I kept eating and eating, versus if I stay on the journey.

It's for our health. That's something I try to remind myself of daily. Sure, I'd like to be thinner, and I will freely admit if I ever hit goal weight, I'm going to stare at myself in the mirror and preen like a peacock, just because I'll be able to. But really, the reason why I'm really making these hard choices, is so I live longer and happier.

As we head into the weekend - have a great one, everyone.

@MommaGemz She really is a beauty. I have a lot of respect for how cats just fit into whichever inappropriate space they feel like!

Logging keeps me honest. I have a love-hate relationship with it. I hate logging, because of the effort involved, but I know if I didn't log everything, my portion control would be out the window and the weight would creep up again. It's difficult living with greedy eyes!

@kel_E It's actually amazing how far you can get in life without stopping to question why you do certain things, and if that's really the best idea.

Everyone always says you should find a workout you enjoy as a form of exercise... For the second time this week, I've made a type of rosti! Honestly, grating veg can be a real workout, and my arms are tired. My Garmin is very pleased with me for once.

I get so exhausted during the week, so I'm doing a little bit of batch cooking to get ahead. I've just made carrot soup, and it's under 100 calories a portion - I might not have the time or inclination to make a proper lunch in the week, but I can totally ping some soup in a microwave.

I think I'm starting to find my groove, food-wise. Every time I do a grocery shop, the amount of pre-prepared stuff goes down and down... I might actually be starting to enjoy cooking again. Last time I cooked for fun was probably about a decade or two ago. You know what? I was considerably thinner then, maybe this lockdown cooking is going to work out for me.

They're talking about sending us back into the offices to stimulate the economy, as the lunchtime traders are going out of business. But as bad as I feel for them, I don't think I want to buy their food anymore. I'm starting to really enjoy my own cooking, and what I really really enjoy, is knowing how many calories are in it. I like knowing exactly how many calories I have left over, so I can then spend them on something nice without feeling guilty or going too far over or under, because I have all the facts at my disposal.