Women 200lb+, Let's Be Extra Awesome This August!!!
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Thanks! @AlexandraFindsHerself1971
Totally agree with you - I just need to do it! I loosely make plans so that I have a general idea of what I need for my grocery run. But nothing concrete. Using the crockpot twice a week is usually what I try to do as we tend to have leftovers.
I'll be good one week, and then not have a plan for the next week and just try to wing it! And I'm not someone who enjoys cooking (recipes are my friend if you catch my drift lol), so I don't do so well when I don't already have something picked out.
I'm not really a snacker. My kiddo is usually ready to eat once we walk in the door, so it can be a mad rush to get him fed. He's in a needy phase and my husband isn't home yet so I have to keep him occupied. So he eats, we take an evening walk, and by then it's pretty much time to get him down for bed. So sometimes I don't even get started on "our" meal until after he's asleep - so after 7.
I like your weekend idea! I'll give that a try this weekend. Even if I can get things chopped/cut/etc. that would make it easier to get a meal together during the week.5 -
Good morning! This week is a very busy week between work and back-to-school activities even with virtual classrooms in our area. @speyerj - I don't envy your husband in these times. As a parent, I know my children do better in the classroom, but I do not think that's a risk we should be asking our teachers, administrators, or children to make. They shouldn't be the canaries in the coal mines. I hope all goes smoothly for him as we move into back to school.
Knowing we'd be short on time - I did my best to pre-plan the week's meals and did some food prep yesterday. Also, it's my 20th wedding anniversary so - yippee! We are going out to dinner on Friday night to celebrate so that might be a little more indulgence, but my goal for our dinner is to celebrate the company I'm in (my wonderful husband), make healthy choices and be mindful about what I'm eating so I don't end up stuffed.
Today was my weight in day. I'm up by 0.4. Been hanging out between 271/272 for two weeks now. Trying not to sweat it or be discouraged as I'm 1. feeling better, 2. more in control of my eating, and 3. keeping active. That's where my attention should be, not the number on the scale.
I also started on my emotional eating workbook. I got through Chapter 2. I've always known I was an emotional eater but identifying the root of that was never something I was able/willing to confront because of the emotions that come with it. So far, it's an easy read and the exercises have been good.
Sending out love to all of you on this 3rd day of the month
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I've tried it.... stirfry makings can be bagged in a ziploc in the cooler and just dump into the pan. It makes it very quick.
And I frequently get an entire pork loin and cut it up myself; so many loin chops, so many large chunks (General Tso's) so many thin slices (ginger pork) and so much to roast whole for roast pork. But I do a five-week menu plan so I can do that.3 -
@mmdeveau I completely agree with you. I do not consider my modifications to my diet and exercise routines a "diet". I'm making permanent changes to how I live my life. I only included the word "diet" in my question about a diet/deficit break since "diet break" seems to be the commonly used term. I never anticipated taking a break from eating at a deficit until I started feeling really hungry and tired a few weeks ago. Mentally, I haven't felt the need to take a break from eating at a deficit. A while back, I did read the thread that @eliezalot mentioned. Maybe it's time to read it again. If I do take a deficit break, the only thing I would change is the number of calories I eat each day. My exercise, eating patterns, logging food, etc., would not change. That's the same thing I anticipate if (when!) I reach my yet-to-be-determined goal weight...no changes other than number of calories. But changes in the number of calories has been happening all along this journey. When I redo the guided setup after every 10 pounds or so, my calorie goal is decreased by about 50 calories so I guess I should be used to a changing calorie goal.
For those of you at or near goal your goal weight, if you did NOT take a deficit break, how long were you/have you been in a deficit without a break? I had never heard of the concept of a deficit break until I joined MFP. I just assumed I would stay at a deficit until my goal weight was reached. The hunger and fatigue has passed after just continuing on with my routine through those few bad weeks. I guess I'm still debating the purported benefits of a deficit break versus continuing on with a routine that has worked for 15 months so far. I know in my head that increasing the number of calories I eat during a deficit break should really change nothing. I guess I'm just worried that more calories will lead me to eat less nutritious food more often than I currently do. Maybe proving to myself that that won't happen is reason enough to try a deficit break.
Sorry for all the rambling. I guess I'm just trying to sort out my thoughts. Thanks again to all who have responded to my questions!4 -
Ignore the title of the book because the book is packed full of great information..it’s become our food bible for sure!
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@MuttiNM - I didn't take a diet break. I kept a 1000 calorie deficit for a year. The month of June I decreased it to a 500 day deficit. Now I'm trying to eat at maintenance, but I'm probably still eating at a 250 calorie deficit based on my slow weight loss.
I had planned to make March "Maintenance March" because It was Portland Dining month and I had a vacation and out of town conference planned, but then Corona happened -all those plans were canceled and so I just kept up with the deficit.
I had heard about diet breaks and practicing maintenance, but I really didn't think I needed a break. Things were working out well for me and my weight loss wasn't stalling. But as I started doing endurance training in preparation for running the half marathon, I realized that I needed to give my body more fuel - I didn't have enough energy to run for 90+ minutes on a low carb diet,1000 calorie deficit (even with eating exercise calories). So while I didn't go to maintenance, I slowed down my weight loss and increased my carbs.
So, you know the guy AAdam who writes the physiqonomics blog? The one who wrote the article referenced by @eliezalot about scale weight fluctuations earlier in this thread? Well, I actually emailed him this very question back in May. And he ANSWERED it in his next blog! Here was my question and his helpful answer:
"Q:) I've heard recommendations that one should eat at maintenance for a month or two for every 10% of body weight lost to 'reset' their weight set point. The idea is that this will result in more permanent weight loss. Is there any science to back up this claim? I've lost 100 pounds over the last year by eating at a consistent calorie deficit and never had the desire to take a diet break because I don't feel deprived. My diet feels sustainable and I feel prepared for maintenance when the time comes. I'd hate to think I've set myself up for failure because I didn't take diet breaks along the way. What do you think?
A:) There isn't any science to back up that specific claim. That is, weight set points can be reset by manipulating the diet. And neither will there be because you can't.
Just to clarify, when I say you can't reset your weight set point, I'm referring to the idea that intermittent breaks from the diet cause physiological changes to occur that eventually make maintaining a lower body fat percentage 'effortless' (according to the claims).
The only way to establish a new set point–and I use that terminology very loosely–so you can maintain a lower level of body fat is to build good habits that are conducive to weight maintenance. Regular exercise (structured workouts and daily movement). Ensuring the majority of your diet is filled with whole foods that are nutrient-rich and consuming adequate protein.
With all of that said, diet breaks are still something I recommend and use with my clients.
We know dieting leads to some hormonal downregulation that can make it harder to stick to the diet. A short diet break could, potentially, help reverse some of the negative side effects of dieting.
And if a 1-2 week break increases energy levels and lowers hunger, it helps improve adherence and motivation for the next round of dieting.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, it gives the client time to 'practice' maintenance. People become so obsessed with losing weight that the thought of never eating in a deficit is alien to them. Forcing them to increase calories and practice life after dieting reminds them of the ultimate goal (spoiler: it's not the weight loss).
But whether you decide to implement a diet break is up to you. If you feel fine and things are progressing, then keep dieting for as long as you need to and implement a break when it makes sense, like coinciding a diet break with a holiday. You know, when we used to do stuff like that."
His answer was really reassuring and also gave me permission that next month when my energy did start to flag, that it was okay to start eating more!
So, in short: You do you. If you think its time for a deficit break, than it's time. If things are going well, keep going, until they aren't anymore.
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@speyerj Thanks so much for your reply! It was very helpful. And how cool that he answered your question!
I'm not exercising as much as you are but I did drop my deficit from 1000 a day to around 750 a day a little over 2 months ago. And last week I decreased it just a hair more to around 650 a day. When my daily calorie goal became about 1250 or so, it just seemed harder to stick to, so I decided to decrease my deficit. Slower and sustainable is better than faster and miserable!
Anyway, like I said, the hunger and fatigue of a few weeks ago has seemed to pass. I'll monitor things for a few more weeks and see if a deficit break makes sense for me in September or October or not. Good to know I should be okay going through to maintenance without a break if that's what I determine is right for me. I still have a long way to go, so even if I don't do a break soon, there's a chance I'll do one before I hit maintenance. Thanks again!4 -
@nebslp Thanks for the idea. I'm going to roll with and go from here. It's just a number and nowhere near as important as the one on my scales. One of those nagging reminders like my pants are tighter with being back over 200lbs again.
@speyerj Happy Anniversary! The stress your hubby and all teachers must feel has to be difficult. I know they all want what is best for their students but I worry about the risks of in person after seeing situations like that camp in Georgia.
@MuttiNM During your break use maintenance range. If you want to log do so and if not at least sign in (but don't be like me and lose the streak lol). Taking the time to sign really helped even if I did gain some back. I think if I had stopped signing in the gain would have been more. Do what will help you both mentally and physically at this point in time.
Yesterday I only did 10m on the elliptical. I wasn't able to exercise early in the day which I prefer and by the afternoon my knees were shot. Ever little bit helps though. Today I was able to hop on in the morning and got 20m done without too much effort. Seeing as it has been a few months I was very happy to still be able to get that much in. Weights will probably be another story though. I plan on trying my 5lbs but may have drop back down.
Hope your day has been a good one
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Age 66
Highest weight 254 lbs (August 3, 2020
Goal weight 160lbs
Goal weight loss 1.5 lbs per wee
Individual Goals: Log all food, every day
*Eat all calories between 8 am and 6 pm
*Create a list of distractions for when I am craving sweets!
*Evaluate the risk of swimming in a public pool during COVID pandemic
I have just re-connected with MFP after seeing the attached picture at a recent family gathering. I have been dealing with RA and probably using it as an excuse to not lose weight. Just met with a Weight Loss physician today and am highly motivated to start this journey, but know I will need support along the way and have always struggled with asking for the help I need. I am both excited and fearful to get going so any helpful tips you have would be appreciated! Also I am new to posting on a message board, so suggestions for that would be greatly appreciated!6 -
I did not walk today but this is what I'm doing this evening:
1) Stand up desk
2) Foot Peddler
3) Drinking water
4) Tracking my food
I slept all day because I work nights and I spend work sitting and talking on video chats so get little exercise. Yesterday I created a "stand up desk" with large plastic bins on my table where I put my laptop and another large computer monitor. It works great! Every little bit of moving helps since today I did not go for a walk. I may use my under the desk foot peddler at some point during my shift tonight. Drinking more water is also important to digest and "move it through" the system. Tracking my foot helps me stay honest about what I eat. These are things I'm thinking about as I wake up and will get ready to work in a few hours.4 -
Johnson55805 wrote: »Age 66
Highest weight 254 lbs (August 3, 2020
Goal weight 160lbs
Goal weight loss 1.5 lbs per wee
Individual Goals: Log all food, every day
*Eat all calories between 8 am and 6 pm
*Create a list of distractions for when I am craving sweets!
*Evaluate the risk of swimming in a public pool during COVID pandemic
I have just re-connected with MFP after seeing the attached picture at a recent family gathering. I have been dealing with RA and probably using it as an excuse to not lose weight. Just met with a Weight Loss physician today and am highly motivated to start this journey, but know I will need support along the way and have always struggled with asking for the help I need. I am both excited and fearful to get going so any helpful tips you have would be appreciated! Also I am new to posting on a message board, so suggestions for that would be greatly appreciated!
Welcome! This is a wonderful and supportive group! I love your idea of creating the list of distractions, and also your plan to evaluate the risks of swimming. Our public pool has been kept at only 50% capacity and I've been going either when it first opens or about 45 minutes before it closes at night. It's been a life-saver for exercise and for the mental benefits. I hope that you're able to visit your pool as well!3 -
@bluffgirl67 nice to see you. I like that you have 3 cardio days and 2 strength/yoga days. I am trying to get in 2 strength training days a week and cardio the rest to add up to 5-6 days of exercise.
@wanderlight Here is what my old chair was like:
Here is what my current chair is like. It isn’t that comfy just I can get in and out of it without spilling my drink:
I swam in the Guadalupe River.
Thanks for posting the Hamilton Dance Workout @pamiede. That should be fun.
@BrownSugar I like your post maybe because I do a lot of this. I like spicy hot food. I also drink ice water. I agree that coffee and tea have beneficial aspects to them. I do need to stand up more ever since I broke my leg I haven’t built up the amount of standing time I did before.
This Monday morning was very different than before. I started looking at job options even though I did that this weekend. I also contacted past supervisors for references. I haven't read the news and I didn't exercise until my husband was done with work and we could take a walk. I am checking in here rather late as well. I did find out that I do not have to do 3 job contacts a week until September for unemployment. So I only need to apply to jobs I want. I did log my breakfast at least. Anyway I do not like how this is throwing off what routine I managed to establish for myself.5 -
@speyerj Thank you for the well wishes! All exercise has been put on hold after a bit of an issue this weekend with the pregnancy. We're OK, just a big scare. Today I have all my symptoms in full force and I've never been so grateful to be so sick to my stomach. I've let my anxiety eating slip back in and need to nip that in the bud again. I want to keep things healthy and steady. No real junk food cravings but I really don't need to eat that block of cheese in 2 days.9
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Today was better with following routine. I read some news and got in my strength training. I haven't worked on job applications. I went with my daughter to get things we need.2
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I'm getting small routines rebuilt at the new house. I am autistic and have ADHD, so routines are necessary components of my life, but new house means things are different; for one thing, I have to allow for the fact that I don't have a separate dressing area that I can turn on a light in while leaving the bedroom dark. Fortunately I can take down, brush out, and put up my hair in the dark. (It's all by touch anyway)
Once he gets a job and we have income coming in again, I'll be able to join a gym and have that routine again too.4 -
I'm 55 years old, 5'4", 100 pounds overweight, with bad knees and plantar fasciitis. I was raped 6 weeks ago (yeah, unbelievable that someone that looks like me would be raped) and I'm feeling so disappointed with myself that I have let my body go to the point that I was not able to put up a good defense. I need to put my anger and my feelings into my work out. I would like to hear from folks who have a lot of weight to lose like myself. Thank you.
SW: 244
CW: 244
Goal for August: 10 pounds
Drink water/No soda
Exercise and/or walk daily
Log food intake
August 11:
August 18:
August 25:
Ultimate Goal Weight: 14514 -
I'm 55 years old, 5'4", 100 pounds overweight, with bad knees and plantar fasciitis. I was raped 6 weeks ago (yeah, unbelievable that someone that looks like me would be raped) and I'm feeling so disappointed with myself that I have let my body go to the point that I was not able to put up a good defense. I need to put my anger and my feelings into my work out. I would like to hear from folks who have a lot of weight to lose like myself. Thank you.
SW: 244
CW: 244
Goal for August: 10 pounds
August 11:
August 18:
August 25:
Ultimate Goal Weight: 145
Hey @Lucerne2,
I just wanted to say hi. I'm also 5'4 and am looking to lose between 80-100 lbs. I also wanted to say I'm so sorry that you went through such a horrible ordeal. As a rape survivor myself (21 years ago), please know the act of rape has nothing to do with what you look like. It's an act of violence and control, pure and simple. I was 148 pounds and very athletic when I was raped but I can promise you it didn't matter what I looked like. What does matter is that you are still here and that you survived. All my love and welcome to the group
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Here is a photo I took of my "stand up" desk I created at home. I'm proud to say it is better for me - not only do I burn more calories but I can move around, stretch my legs & back and feel better & more alert standing here working on my computer. I make video chat calls for Amazon to their employees all night long and it's quite monotonous. It's a temporary job and I'm burning out on it and seek another job - hopefully in my neighborhood.
I found a link that tells how many calories burned just by standing and I figure that in five hours total standing every shift I could burn about 890 calories each day.
Here is the link in case anyone's interested in figuring out how many calories they burn by standing: https://startstanding.org/calculate-calories-burned-sitting-vs-standing/
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I'm 55 years old, 5'4", 100 pounds overweight, with bad knees and plantar fasciitis. I was raped 6 weeks ago (yeah, unbelievable that someone that looks like me would be raped) and I'm feeling so disappointed with myself that I have let my body go to the point that I was not able to put up a good defense. I need to put my anger and my feelings into my work out. I would like to hear from folks who have a lot of weight to lose like myself. Thank you.
SW: 244
CW: 244
Goal for August: 10 pounds
Drink water/No soda
Exercise and/or walk daily
Log food intake
August 11:
August 18:
August 25:
Ultimate Goal Weight: 145
I just wanted to say hi and welcome. This group is wonderfully supportive and I hope you'll check in often throughout your process.4
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