Accountability buddy

I am on the struggle bus this week, to be completely honest. My goal is to eat decently and to be really self aware of stress eating. I have three retirement parties to go to in the next two days, which means three opportunities to eat ice cream and cake. That will require some will power. I've been keeping with my smoothies for breakfasts and veggie meals for lunch. Working out has been pushed aside for the most part. I am planning on trying to get to the gym tomorrow after work. I will not beat myself up over this, I am literally doing the best I can to not fall apart completely. I repeat that to myself on the reg, lol. I also cite the first line of the serenity prayer to myself. I am a control freak and I have to remember that there are some things I cannot control, and that is ok!

Anyone, not a very inspirational or uplifting post today. I guess I will spokesperson for fighting the good fight even under less than ideal conditions. To add to PatriceFitnesspal's post, what are some hurdles you have to overcome to reach your goals and how are you handling them?

Stay strong, look for the positives, let people support you. Find the serenity to accept the things you cannot change, courage to change the things you can and the wisdom to know the difference.

If there is anyone who is interested in being an accountability buddy with a 34 yo female, my SW is 248 my GW is 150. I have tried so many times in the past, but never had anyone to say "youre doing great, keep going" or anything like that so I would just give up and think to myself, I'll just be chubby my entire life. I would love someone who is willing to text and see how we did that day what our biggest gain was or our biggest struggle for the day. I am not picky when it comes to sex of the buddy, I just would love to have someone to talk to who understands the journey I am on.

@brittanyschlie87 and @cactusgyrl - Welcome! It’s great that you matched up with a direct accountability buddy so quickly! How is everything going for you? Feel free to keep posting your goals and checking in with progress updates on this thread, too, if the additional support is helpful.

@highmaintnance - I also find a lot of strength in the Serenity Prayer. It’s such a great guide for navigating life and deciding where to invest our limited time and energy. I always appreciate the persistence you and @drollings2019 demonstrate and it encourages me to keep pushing forward through tough days … or weeks!

I am also facing some disruptions to my usual schedule, @drollings2019, so I am impressed that you were able to make adjustments mid-week to refocus on meal planning, etc. I traveled to visit a friend in Charleston, SC, and my sister and another friend joined us their from Boston. Although there were a couple of times I went off track (e.g., brunch was delicious) it was fun to see everyone and they are a good influence on me. One friend is working hard to maintain sobriety, so it benefited all of us by not drinking as a way to support her. Personally, I don’t drink much anyway but it’s definitely something that adds a lot of calories during social events, which I really noticed as we moved out of pandemic isolation after being vaccinated.

Last night, I attended a really nice birthday party for a fellow rower. I tried to plan ahead by eating some protein before the party, and that helped me resist a cheeseburger. I still ate the lobster roll, which added some calories to my day but felt like a reasonable trade off. In the past, I definitely would have eaten both the mini-cheeseburger AND lobster roll. Instead, I sampled a few healthy items (e.g., gazpacho and a spinach appetizer) and passed on the cheese plate and sugar cookie desserts. So, concentrating on quality over quantity- and indulging in only things I wouldn’t usually have available at home - has helped me find some balance. The mojito definitely put me over my calorie target for the day but I still stayed within maintenance range. So, I’m calling it a ‘win.’

@highmaintnance - I think the example above represents the hurdle I have to overcome to meet my goal. Like you, I’m facing some upcoming parties, celebrations and changes to my routine that could threaten my success. I’m trying to focus on the positive aspects of these events. While food and high calorie drinks are often part of the celebrations, they are not the fundamental reason we are coming together. So, I’m going to make an extra effort to connect with the people instead of the things. I’m not sure if this approach will work but, over the past year, I’ve learned more about the relationships I want to nurture. I’ll try to pay attention to the positive ones and continue to declutter my life of the negative ones. Thanks for posing the question that got me thinking about this!

I’m glad your husband was able to find a workout bench for a good price @drollings2019. It sounds as though your workout space is coming together. Congratulations on cleaning out garage items to make room for the equipment. You’ve made great progress in meeting your goal!

How’s everyone doing this week? I’ve signed up for an extra class to help increase my activity level in August because I have some travel and routine changes that I need to compensate for … I hope my plan works! Best wishes in reaching your goals. A new month brings a clean slate! Go get those goals, Accountability buddies!

@kiay131982 - It’s wonderful to see an update from you! I’m glad to hear your dog training is going well. It must be rewarding to do work you enjoy. Best wishes on setting and achieving your nutrition goals!

@renaegry - I hope you enjoyed your family time. I’m so glad to see so many Accountability buddies posting updates. This is a busy month of transitions for me, as my sons prepare to return to college, etc. We’ll soon settle into a Fall routine so I’ll enjoy their visit while I can! Best wishes for the coming week.

@drollings2019 - Good for you! It really helps to plan ahead as a way to get through tough times. I seem to stall at milestones, especially at 10 pound increments, but consistency pays off. So, I’m confident you’ll get there! I’m also wishing we could extend the summer season. I’m much more active in summer so it feels like more work to exercise during the colder months.

Fall is a beautiful season here so I’ll just focus on enjoying it … since it seems so short-lived. I remember how much more pleasant the summer evenings were when my children were younger because we didn’t have to balance homework into the mix, and there were fewer sport practices/ activities, so the children played more freely. They did pretty well adjusting back to the familiar structure of the school-year but it was much more work for me!

I hope you can find a way to continue the walks that you enjoy so much!

Hi all! I’d love to add more accountability buddies to my list! I’ve struggled with my weight for about 20 years and have had periodic success, but have always “fallen off the wagon.” I’m on a new journey though with tons of support I never had before, including a weight loss doctor, a dietician, a weight loss support group, a therapist— I feel like I’m really building a team to help me meet my health and fitness goals!
Please feel free to add me as a friend so we can be a mutual support to each other! 😁

Welcome @jkreutzfeldt and @azgz6!

I’ve had success posting weekly goals here. Usually, we use this space to report on our progress, reflect on adjustments we need to make to improve, and encourage others to achieve their goals, too. Sometimes people also reach out to others with similar interests or circumstances and partner up for more direct support.

I ‘ebb and flow’ in my comments in the ‘Friends’ section but try to be supportive so feel free to send me a friend request if you want. You can also share your goals and progress here.

@jkreutzfeldt - It sounds as though you’ve assembled a strong circle of support. Great steps forward! I’ll look forward to hearing more about the short term targets you’ve set for yourself with your nutrition and fitness team!

Hey!! I think it depends on your current intake. When I started strength work I upped my calories, felt really against the grain but actually the results happened much faster! When you eat too little your body fights every change, when it's nourished well it works with it x

@kiay131982 - Thanks for your feedback on the question I posed about adjusting my daily calorie target during the maintenance phase. I think I’m going to add some weightlifting once the rowing season ends in October or November. I’m hoping I can make the behavior switch as a replacement activity so it feels more seamless.

@drollings2019 - How has your walking schedule adjustment been going since your work hours changed? Did you decide if it works better to use the treadmill indoors or shift your walking time to the evening so you can continue to enjoy the outdoors?

I like your attitude of leaving the past in the past and moving forward. As many MFP members have demonstrated, consistency over time leads to success. So, every new decision we make is a chance to get back on the path toward becoming the person we want to become.

Tomorrow is my weigh-in day. I’ve been staying within my daily calorie target but I’ve noticed the percentage of fat has been higher than my macro-nutrient goal. I’m aiming for 50% carbs, 30% fat and 20% protein so I’d like to improve the balance by lowering my fat intake. In the coming week, I’ll focus on eating more nutritious meals so I don’t end up snacking too much.

If you get a chance, let us know how you’re doing. Are there any challenges you’re working to overcome? Have you had some success, no matter how small it might seem, that you are proud to share? What are you learning along the way? Best wishes getting through the mid-week push toward the weekend!