Women 200lb+, Let's Be Extra Awesome This August!!!
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I've been a lurker all month and have been so inspired by all of you and your hard work! Really hope there is a continuation into a September group as this feels like a very supportive and safe place to land! Thanks for the motivation and I look forward to joining you all for September!5
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aliciap0116 wrote: »Can it really be weigh-in Wednesday already???
49 years old; 5'6"
SW: 236.4 (9/8/19)
7/31: 191.6
8/7: 189.5
8/12: 188.3
8/19: 189.5
8/26: 191.3
My focus this month has been on stress management rather than a weight goal. I am a little disappointed with the gain but attribute it partly to TOM.
I saw the cardiologist yesterday. We worked on a plan to make my heart as healthy as we can and I will go back in 3 months for additional blood work and to reassess. I thought I would share my plan here for those interested.- Current state: Despite low cholesterol (140 total) and normal LDL (98), I have low HDL (32), high lipoprotein (a) (basically sticky LDL molecules), mild heart disease overall but concentrated in one artery so am at the 97th percentile (to the bad) for my age and sex, and a heart murmur. I need to get an echo cardiogram for the murmur. The plan is to get me as healthy as possible to offset the hereditary lipoprotein (a) issue that can't be addressed with diet, exercise or medication.
- Medication: He is putting me on a low dose statin to bring down my LDL and baby aspirin on MWF to make my platelets more slippery. This should bring my LDL and HDL more into balance.
- Diet: He recommended a Mediterranean diet, including fish several times a week. Focusing on fruits, veggies, and whole grains, and avoiding saturated fats and partially hydrogenated oils. Avoid red meat; poultry is okay occasionally but is not the best source of protein for me.
- Weight loss: He would like me to continue losing weight, targeting 2 lbs a week if possible. So I need to step things back up.
- Exercise: He recommends 40 minutes a day; he was happy with walking and the exercise bike for an exercise plan.
- Sleep: I have a CPAP that I have not been using regularly. I will make an appointment to adjust to masks etc and make this a priority.
- Relaxation: He said taking time to rest and relax is part of my job right now, especially since I have been experiencing a lot of anxiety lately.
- Supplements: Currently I take a multivitamin, D3, turmeric, fish oil, and a hair/skin/nails supplement. I am adding plant sterols, sugar free Metamucil, and K2.
So there are my September goals.
Overall, I think this is a plan I can live with, and other than the medication, it reflects what I was aspiring to before all of this. It just makes the need to take action a little more pressing. After taking August to focus on stress management, and getting my head in a better space, the timing is good.
In other news, I had volunteered several months ago to participate in the Moderna COVID vaccine trial and got a call yesterday. My cardiologist and PCP both think I should proceed with the trial as it is low risk. The blind trial will randomly assign 50% to get the vaccine and 50% to get the placebo and then I have to track symptoms and provide blood work and samples for up to two years. Even if I don't get the vaccine it will feel really good to take an action that is helping science.
Wishing you all a good week!
This is so insightful! I'm really glad you got a good, clear plan of action from your doctor. And how cool that you're participating in a vaccine trial! It will be a wonderful thing when a vaccine is cleared, tested, and found effective for this thing.2 -
@aliciap0116 That is a very comprehensive plan! It must help a bit to know that you are taking all the steps you can to improve your health. Good luck with it!
That's really interesting about the vaccine trial. Will you ever find out if you got the vaccine or not or is that something that is never revealed to the trial participants?
@MuttiNM, @speyerj and @wanderinglight Thank you all; it is a big relief to have a plan. I was spinning for a while with worry.
Re the trial, it is my understanding is that it is a blind trial, so they will not tell me whether I have the vaccine or the placebo while the trial is going on. But I imagine they would have to tell me once the vaccine is approved so that if I was not one of the people who received it, I could then get it. I would also want my doctors to be able to find out in case I did contract COVID or something else came up. So I have a few questions for them on Monday!2 -
Wednesday weigh in
Highest weight: 435 (11/1/18)--lost 50 lbs. by the end of 2018 but got off track and gained back almost 31 lbs.
SW: 415.8 (4/17/19)
7/31: 220.6
8/5: 220.6
8/12: 216.2
8/19: 214.2
8/26: 213.6
8/31:
Aug. GW: 213.6
GW: 160 (then reevaluate)
Weekly exercise goals (still working on revising these):
- bike ride or exercise bike 5 times per week - 5/5
- strength training (including core specific exercises) 2 times per week - 2/2; increased weight on a couple of exercises last week
- chair yoga 4 times per week - 4/4
- steps onto aerobic step platform twice a day at least 3 times per week - 4 days last week; plan to increase reps again this week
- bonus: 3 hikes last week
One of my trips to my parents was canceled so I ended up getting all my planned exercise in. Maybe not on the usual day but I got it done eventually. This week there should only be one trip so hopefully the exercise part of the week will be good.
Reached my August goal weight today even though my loss for the week was small. Lately it seems like my losses are up and down and up and down. I really wish they'd be a bit more consistent but I know that's not how this works. I can still wish for consistent results, though!
Hope you all are well.2 -
@eliezalot I too have plantar fasciitis but much much less since I started wearing birkenstock sandals, with the arch support, a nurse friend told me about it and it really made a difference. Even if they are not your style, you could wear them to go for a walk! The other thing that helps is to roll a golf ball under your heel. Hopefully the inserts will help too. I used to get it more in summer when I was wearing thin-soles shoes.
@aliciap0116 sounds like you have a good plan to keep your health on track, and thanks from all of us for volunteering for the vaccine trial! Hopefully a vaccine isn't too far away for everyone.
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bluffgirl67 wrote: »@CupcakeCrusoe I'm happy your daughter is doing better. I know having a sick kiddo can be a real stress.
@KeriA Good luck on your job interview.
So started emotional eating last night after I closed my log. I probably added another 400-500 cals and still in that phase today. Yesterday was my 53rd bday and the first of many firsts without my Momma. Most of you know how close we were so it was a very difficult day. One bittersweet moment was finding a birthday card for me she had fixed up in April. Reading it of course brought up so many emotions and opening up floodgates again. Today is lost log wise but that doesn't mean all is.
Happy Birthday @bluffgirl67 You get the whole week including a weekend to celebrate. You get years to grieve from your loss. My mother is a bit of a narcissist so it was my Dad that was hard for me to lose but that was very long ago. My mother has improved. Anyway I am glad you had a mother that you were so close to. I am so sorry that you are missing her now. You have done so well getting back to taking care of yourself. Give yourself the time you need. You will be back making progress with this soon. Take care.5 -
The job interview went well. I am sure I have plenty of competition though. I got my thank you notes out right away and got a positive response from the head guy. Anyway that is done and I will hear back early next week. I feel good. I got a bunch of things done after it. I have more to do today especially my 2nd strength training routine for the week. I wanted to do it yesterday but had too much to get done. In the last year I have been sitting down when I have repetitive cooking tasks like chopping onions. I have not built back my length of standing time I had before I broke my leg a few years ago. I need to do that. So I have resisting sitting down to cut up things etc. I made Lamb Korma. I am sure it isn't as good as AlexandraFindsHerself's but it was good. This is the 2nd dish I have made this week inspired by people from this thread and another for tonight. Anyway the point is that I was active cooking yesterday afternoon. Today's meal is in the slow cooker so I will get it out of the way earlier in the day.
I have been better at getting my water since Monday's ultrasound and chugging 32 oz of water. I have had a few days of lower calories and am back down to my low. I am hoping if I can keep this up I will actually see some progress. My loss from yesterday was 2 lbs. Anyway I think this interview has changed my attitude for now. I realize although I don't count on getting it I also realize I could and they want me to start right away. They are swamped. So I need to be prepared in case I do get an offer next week. I am going to use this motivation for all it is worth to get organized. Such as getting my art room ready. I may need a better place to work. They said that with working remotely it has made them rethink their policies on this. Before they allowed one day a week to be remote. Now they are considering more days a week. It has benefits to productivity and to work/life balance and to environmental impacts with reductions in the commutes. I would have to take a ferry to work. I decided the commute was acceptable because I could get a walk or 2 in on the ferry. So whether getting the job or no this interview has benefits in my getting things ready to work at a job or at my art.
I still have medical tasks to do too. I plan to get 2 done today. Hope all have a great day!5 -
Hi Everyone! My name is Maddie and I've decided to continue my weight loss journey this month.
🖤 My start weight is 215
🖤 My current weight is 210
🖤 The heaviest I've been is 223
🖤 My goal is 170
I'm looking for friends to add on here and a support group to be a part of 😊😊😊4 -
I am looking for a supportive group to help keep me on track and accountable. I have had success in the past when I was accountable to someone such as a coworker who was also on the same journey as myself or while working with a coach. I am unable to afford a coach or program at this time so I am hoping to find some supportive peers to check in with.
A bit about myself: I am 35 years old, married 15 years, and have two kids (6 and 8). One is diagnosed on the autism spectrum and the other is currently in the process of being diagnosed. I do have a lot on my plate as they have therapy 3-4 afternoons per week which I have to participate in, I have gone back to school myself for a 2-year program which just started in May, plus the usual children’s activities, husband, and house to tend to.
I do have time in my day to exercise, but I often fail to even start. Or I start and call it quits after a short time. This morning I decided to go for a run, but I quit at 20 minutes despite having nothing but time available this morning. I just wanted to be done. We do walk for half an hour with our dog every evening so that is one thing I can count on daily when the weather permits.
I am currently at my heaviest now, 224. Last summer I was at 189 and I ran a personal best time in a half marathon and I felt amazing. But I ended up with a foot injury a week later and the weight crept up to 200 over Christmas. Then COVID happened and I found myself sitting down 8 hours of the day homeschooling my kids or working on my own school, and here I am at 224.
The kicker for me was in our backyard pool last week my 6-year-old asked me why I am so big “like this” and pointed at my stomach and legs. Then asked why I don’t look like the other mommies. The need to make changes is there… I just can’t seem to keep myself accountable. I am 5’2. My doctor said I should aim for around 130lbs, or a bit more if I am going for some muscle, which as someone who generally enjoys distance running, would benefit me. So, I figure I have around 90lbs to lose.
My first target is to get below 200 again. I need to clean up my eating habits immensely as I do a lot of evening snacking and it is not healthy things. I need to get into a consistent routine with running and cross training. Riding my bike once a week would be one target also. I do like biking, at least while there is still no snow on the ground. Yes, I said the S word - I live somewhere where it snows most months of the year.
I hope this is the right thread for me. I looked over a few, but I wasn’t really sure where to try.
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@bluffgirl67: I hope that you've been able to have a happy birthday. Give yourself all the time you need to grieve. I knew that I'd be dealing with a whole lot of feelings after I left my husband in 2018, and so while I knew I needed to lose weight, I didn't even want to try dealing with the feelings changing my eating patterns would bring up while still dealing with the emotional fallout of ending 25 years of marriage. About a year after I walked out I was in a position to do that. So go gently with yourself right now.2
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@pliskit - welcome! Yes, this is a great thread for accountability. A lot of us track our weight on this thread weekly and post health (and sometimes mental health) goals which we also track weekly. There's a new thread every month - I've been posting here since July of 2019. It's made all the difference in the world.
I am also a runner. Like you I had a history of running when I was thinner, but injury and then weight gain got me off track. When I tried to take up running again while 90 pounds heavier it was unbelievably hard. I couldn't run even for 6 minutes. I'm impressed you were able to do 20 this morning. You are just starting out and running with extra weight is more strenuous. Set up a training plan for yourself to get you back to where you were and make your training plan progressive. Running/walking intervals is a great way to build endurance and speed. You'll get there.5 -
@pliskit - welcome! Yes, this is a great thread for accountability. A lot of us track our weight on this thread weekly and post health (and sometimes mental health) goals which we also track weekly. There's a new thread every month - I've been posting here since July of 2019. It's made all the difference in the world.
I am also a runner. Like you I had a history of running when I was thinner, but injury and then weight gain got me off track. When I tried to take up running again while 90 pounds heavier it was unbelievably hard. I couldn't run even for 6 minutes. I'm impressed you were able to do 20 this morning. You are just starting out and running with extra weight is more strenuous. Set up a training plan for yourself to get you back to where you were and make your training plan progressive. Running/walking intervals is a great way to build endurance and speed. You'll get there.
Oh I have never been thin. lol When I trained and ran the half I mentioned above I was between 210 and 190. I have run 8 half marathons at 190-210lbs since August 2017. I do have proper running programs to follow. I just don't lol My problem is actually sticking to a plan and following through. The longest I have run in the last 6 months is 7km. But I am currently running more like 3km. Because I just give up or pick a short route.3 -
Good to meet you @pliskit ! I run/stumble from time to time too, just a slow 20 mins here and there. I do find that my leg muscles are quite strong from carrying all that weight around, so that can be a plus for running as the weight comes off. This is a lovely supportive group, looking forward to seeing you around.3
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I don't totally know hown how to connect with people on these forums, but this group is definitely for me. I'm 290, 43 y/o, had a baby last year, have a 10 y/o disabled child and an 8 y/o typical child. I need to lose weight to improve my overall health. I would real enjoy a buddy to commiserate with on this journey.5
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Also, will there be a new discussion thread doe September? I may get the hang of this by then. (The.m community discussions that is.)2
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i lost a whole pound this week.
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@AlexandraFindsHerself1971 - You're wise to listen to your body over uninformed opinions. Often times people mean well when they say to "push yourself" but it's not that simple. Pushing too hard, too fast is bad for your health in other ways. Fingers crossed for your boyfriend's job opportunities.
I miss going to the gym too! It's been a while for me, but they aren't open here currently anyway. Well, we make the best of our resources in the here and now! I did some furniture tetris in my tiny studio apartment to make room for activities such as:
-stretching
- lifting small freeweights
- using the mini-elliptical
- dancing
- running in place
- jumping jacks
- yoga
- pilates
So now I have a little space but have yet to begin forming a routine. Truthfully I feel a little scared to start, even though I once loved to enjoy a vigorous work out. It's been an especially hard time these past few months. I spent so much time feeling exhausted, sick, just all-around crummy that my brain seems to be stuck on the idea that exerting myself too much will trigger a flare up. Your advice is timely- if I take it slow and steady, I can do this.
Related, but on another note... I want to incorporate a daily walk around the neighborhood. In early spring I developed agoraphobia (fear of public places) after a traumatic event happened. [Content warning for sensitive readers] Someone had stalked me and attempted to break in. Then COVID happened. So now being away from home, especially alone, has been very difficult due to PTSD.
Previously I was a very independent type of person; commuting each day by public transit, working in a public role, attending college. Now I'm essentially relearning how to feel safe out in the world. It's not easy knowing that beyond my door are very real COVID risks and people in general on edge these days. And if I'm being honest I feel embarrassed by my body, having rapidly put on weight this year. Not much in my closet fits. I've always been big but this was a binge eating blow-up that made even my "fat pants" too tight. What's most important is that I'm safe and well today not how my body looks. Anyway, that's in the past.
Like you made mention of with exercise, starting small and slowly building up your stamina without overwhelming oneself is key. So I have been taking out the trash, doing laundry in the building wash room, and getting mail for the past few weeks successfully. Yesterday I walked alone and made a purchase at the corner store for the first time in 6 months! It's a big NSV for my mental health. Still working on getting connected with a therapist who fits my insurance and specific needs as a client.
With that in mind I have been doing a great job this past week eating well. Nourishing your body also nourishes the mind. Lots of veggies, fruit, protein, and modest portions for around 1700 calories per day. I'm enjoying all this cooking and the silver lining to dishes...you burn some energy doing them!
8/17/20 SW: 250
8/28/20 CW: 244
6lbs loss : )11 -
I don't totally know hown how to connect with people on these forums, but this group is definitely for me. I'm 290, 43 y/o, had a baby last year, have a 10 y/o disabled child and an 8 y/o typical child. I need to lose weight to improve my overall health. I would real enjoy a buddy to commiserate with on this journey.
Welcome @balaff you can certainly commiserate here...and ultimately celebrate I hope! When it comes to connecting with people, most are friendly and supportive. We all share a common goal to improve our health. Feel free to add me as a friend.3 -
@Sweatpants_Sassy : You are doing just the right things. We didn't get here overnight, we won't get out of it overnight. I am really proud of the work you've done to let yourself move more in your apartment, and I'm proud of you for eating good, real food in sensible portions. That's what it takes to lose weight.
I understand about being embarrassed by your body. Part of the reason that I cover up so much is that my body is not what I want it to be or like. I am waiting impatiently for the day that my waist measurement is smaller than hip and bust, because most clothing styles I like require the wearer to have a waist.
Therapy will give you tools to work on your mental assumptions while you work on your body. I believe very strongly in therapy.
@SFFirebird: Good job! It always makes you feel good to get on the scale and see it moving in your preferred direction.
@balaff :Good to meet you! This is a wonderful group of very wise and compassionate women. I think you'll like it here.4 -
@Sweatpants_Sassy I am so sorry you experienced that traumatic event - that is absolutely terrifying. I suffer from PTSD as well and understand the constant struggle. Some days I wake up and before I even open my eyes my heart is racing and I'm sick with anxiety. It's heartbreaking how a single event can utterly change one's entire life and outlook. I loved reading about your successes, like purchasing from the corner store and walking alone! I hope you'll continue to share here. And I am so happy you recognize that being safe is the most important thing right now, not the shape of your body (although I believe in your ability to change that too)
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@ChrysalisCove guess what I put in my meal plan for this upcoming week. Sweet potato gnocchi. I found a recipe with ricotta cheese in it.
How was it?? 🍽
(Sorry, I’ve been out of town)
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I just found this thread and am really looking forward to joining you inspiring women in September. I'm 39yo and a few weeks ago was at my highest ever non-pregnant weight (230) and I need some accountability. Feel free to add me as a friend, especially if you have an open diary as I am always looking for food ideas. I've got a 9yo and a 4yo and work full-time in a university IT dept.4
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My kayak arrived! My kayak arrived! I love her so much!! Here we are together on the San Antonio River in downtown SA yesterday 😍
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@AlexandraFindsHerself1971 - Same here, about wanting clothing to look a certain way when worn. Shopping and finding my size available anywhere is a big motivator. Online wishlist window shopping for clothes I could someday wear can inspire me to stick with my habits.
For the record I believe in beauty and style at every size. It's about how you feel and express yourself that counts in my book, big or small. However it can't be denied that manufacturers don't cater to plus size bodies well. Unless you have a fortune for specialty made clothing it can be hard to express yourself and be comfortable when carrying above average weight. I want to feel confident in the dressing room and beyond.
@wanderinglight - That kayak trip looks like a blast! Thanks for sharing the beautiful view. Enjoy the sunshine and your time on the water today.
Thank you both for your empathy, insight, and support. I was hesitant to share but now very glad I did.
welcome @amina71016amina71016 : )5 -
I lost a good friend today to breast cancer. I am devastated. My heart is breaking❣️ Cancer sucks ... just needed to share.15
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@Sweatpants_Sassy: Exactly. I have friends who are big and they are extremely comfortable wearing a pencil skirt. I'm excessively uncomfortable about the idea, until my belly doesn't stick out and my hips don't bulge. It has nothing to do with what everyone else thinks, and everything to do with my own comfort levels.
@pamiede: I'm so sorry! Cancer does suck. Wishing you comfort and peace.3 -
@pamiede so sorry to hear about your friend xxx
@Sweatpants_Sassy so sorry that happened to you, and well done on starting to regain your confidence with the outside world. It's a funny old time out there at the moment. Everyone I know has a new level of anxiety going on. Hugs xxx4
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