Anyone else waiting until after the holiday?

Staying in my fitness routine is the only thing keeping me sane tbh. There's no right way. *hugs*

Yes, no...maybe...kinda. My eating hasn't been particularly off in regards to nutrition, etc but I've put on about 15ish Lbs this year...a lot of that is attributable to an injury that laid me out for about 5 months from May through September which is when I put on pretty much all of that weight. I wasn't really able to do anything...even just going for a walk was impossible as I was in a walking boot for a couple of those months and even before I got put in the boot, it was a chore just to get up and walk to the bathroom.

In October I started walking again pretty much daily about 3 miles and my weight stabilized and I've held steady the last few months. I've been off and on with my bike...October was ok, November and December have thus far been unseasonably cold for NM, with more snow than usual as well. I don't mind walking in the cold, but I hate cycling in the cold because the wind chill just makes it that much colder when I'm going 18-20 MPH.

I ordered a new direct drive smart cycling trainer which arrived yesterday. I will be getting back into things come the new year with some structured cycling programs. I can't really start until the new year because I took my road bike to the shop yesterday as it needs some TLC and I won't get it back until the 30th. Then it's off to the races. I'm going to have to start slow since I've been off the bike for so long save for a casual ride here and there. I'm hoping we will have live cycling events again this coming season, so I'll need to start training in January to get caught up...if we don't end up having events, oh well...I'll be back in pretty good shape fitness wise come May. I've done very little structured training on the bike the last couple of years, and it's time to get back at it...when I was actually training, I had my best results fitness wise.

I likely won't have to do a whole lot with my diet as I've been maintaining this heavier weight now for a few months...I just have to make sure I don't compensate with more food, and I'll probably cut out a snack or two.

I empathize: So many discouraging things this year, I'm betting most people had ups and downs . . . then downs from the downs, even.

I've been doing OK-ish on the weight/fitness front for some reason (don't look the gift horse), but other areas definitely have slid badly (Jane's post resonated, WRT to that part, as well as the "don't wait for future date" thing also true for me, though I know it works for many).

I'm not really mostly goal motivated, so trying to figure out how to make some improvements. From experience, I know that it'll help a bit that we're past Winter solstice. The increasing day length, and (oddly) seeing indoor/outdoor plants responding to it as well, tends to help me break out of Winter doldrums, which are certainly still in the mix with the "special for this year" things.

Hang in there, work your plan, betting you can do this! Meantime, happiest possible holidays to you and all!

The majority of my MFP friends have vanished. I'm really hoping they're all planning to start fresh in January!

I made this year a positive for me. For the past few years I've focused on the success of my clients. Well with my gym shut down and no clients, I decided to focus on me. And after 3 months of honey do list at home, the next few I focused on eating less and working out more intense. And since June I have missed a workout and am now down over 40lbs. And looking much leaner like I did in my mid 30's. But again, I'm an optimist in bad times or situations. I look for opportunities where people might think something is bad, and make good out of it somehow. It's why I'm never stressed.



A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Hugs, Reenie.

ReenieHJ wrote: »

Maybe it sounds like just another excuse but I've never been one to say start and make it immediate. I have to psyche myself for it, such as pick a day, stock the fridge, that sort of thing.

My low weight for 2020 was 132ish(can't remember exactly? )but now I'm looking at losing at least 25#. Yes, it's been a he!!uva year for stress eating. I feel slobbish, slothful, old, unmotivated, lazy, all those depressing negative adjectives. So I'm picking Sunday to start once again with logging calories, working up to an exercise routine I can stick with. By then all the enticing foods will be gone and I can do my grocery shopping on Sunday, like I always do. Restock with healthy stuff. (Ashamed to tell you how many veggies I'm skimping on now)
So....that's where I'm at in this process. It makes me angry that I let it go so much this year but being not able to take it back I can only look forward and make changes.

I don't think it sounds like an excuse, and that's pretty much how I am too. I don't think there's anything wrong with deciding to start on Sunday or that somehow you should be compelled to start on one of the days even people already cutting cals tend to take off.

Also, give yourself a break. This year really has been incredibly hard for so many people, and we've all reacted in our own ways. I'm tempted to be mad at myself too, since I have stuff I wrote for myself early in the year (pre all the covid stuff) about turning 50 and making it really motivating for getting super fit, and I also reacted to everything by dealing with stress in unhealthy ways and instead of using my more flexible schedule (work wasn't less, but no commutes and so on), I stayed inside more than I needed to and was much less active. When I finally came out of this in November, I specifically wrote that it was tempting to be full of regrets about the wasted time, but that's never helpful--I think it's better to try to just be understanding with yourself like you'd be with a friend, and also to see if there's anything to learn from the whole thing.

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and find getting back to it really enjoyable (I've been surprised at how I am mostly feeling really good about it, even the counting cals again bit, and trying to focus on liking the process in different ways).

I am waiting as well. Had received the okay from my therapist to start counting again just a few weeks ago. I had been on a "no counting allowed" period for a long while due to increased anxiety and depression. Counting makes that even worse. Holidays make that even worse. Covid makes that even worse. Having to tell my family I will not be spending the holidays at their homes because of Covid? Well, I have had full on panic attacks. So I decided that right now is not the time to add stress/anxiety to my life. Hopefully once the holidays are over I can get back to counting.

We (wife and I) took a few days to indulge - alcohol, which we mostly gave up to diet, junky foods we wouldn't normally eat, etc. As of this morning we were like "enough already!" and I'm writing this post on a short time-out from my exercise machine. Honestly I think stress eating makes everything worse, and staying on plan and working out makes everything mostly better. Wish I hadn't wasted those three days with all that junk food - it didn't do anything for me. Glad to be back on the train. The way I look at it these days, you can either be stressed and fat, or stressed and in shape, I'll take the latter.

Knowing that things “didn’t count” during the holidays wouldn’t be good for me. Consistency is key for me. I do have a few days at maintenance (and a little over) these few weeks as opposed to my usual small deficit for a recomp.

This year has been hard for so many of us. And I think for my area (Southern California), things will get even worse before they get better. 😞

All you can do is what you think is best for you. If starting now would be too much stress, then wait. When I start to beat myself up over eating too much, I do the math—it takes 3500 calories to make a pound (over maintenance). Well, that’s pretty hard for me to do in a day. Even with the pint of Cheesecake Factory ice cream I have in my freezer for tomorrow. 😃

Logging and working out helps maintain what’s left of my sanity. My routines have been a blessing for me with the lack of stability in the rest of the world.

PROCRASTINATION IS THE ASSASSINATION OF MOTIVATION

Basically, this is an out because one isn't motivated enough to do it now. EVERYONE has great intentions at the beginning of the year. How many usually stick to their resolution? About 5%.

Just start now. Even if it's not the best start, the point of just taking on the responsibility now sets you up better for when you're "more serious".


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition