Shrinking Assets Team Chat - NOVEMBER 2021
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We have finally transitioned to fall here in Texas. Put away shorts and pulled out the long pants. It’s been rainy and dreary for a few days and I don’t know if it’s because of the change in weather or what, but I just want to eat everything! I need to find better sweet, and salty, snack options. I’m just kinda running through anything and nothing is satisfying. I’m going to sit down and try to research some options. Any suggestions appreciated!5
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Accountability & Regret post
Hi everyone. Hope it’s alright to share this here. As the subject line says, this is for accountability and something I regret.
Right now, I feel like CRAP!!! I feel so horrible. My stomach is bloated and OMG the feeling is not fun. It’s very painful. Never had this kind of pain before.
Well, it all started on Halloween. I have been eating nothing but candy since Sunday. I mean a lot of candy and that is something I don’t do. Normally will have a few snack-size pieces once a week. (Between 3-5 pieces.) Not every single day. Twix, Snickers, Jolly Rancher sticks, Twizzlers. You get the picture. To add to this candy binge eating session, other than the fact I did not realize what was happening or why this was happening is the fact I have not been drinking a lot of water.
Last night was so painful. This morning I was still hurting. At first, there was shame because I know better. Then thought to myself, no don’t fall into that shame nonsense. Be accountable and share with your group. That’s what they are there for. We all fall in some way shape or form.
I am happy because I’m being honest and holding myself accountable but goodness gracious do I regret this. All I want is for this feeling to leave. This is going to affect my weigh in but I will be okay with that.
Thanks and have a good day!!!!!
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Nature003Life wrote: »Accountability & Regret post
Hi everyone. Hope it’s alright to share this here. As the subject line says, this is for accountability and something I regret.
Right now, I feel like CRAP!!! I feel so horrible. My stomach is bloated and OMG the feeling is not fun. It’s very painful. Never had this kind of pain before.
Well, it all started on Halloween. I have been eating nothing but candy since Sunday. I mean a lot of candy and that is something I don’t do. Normally will have a few snack-size pieces once a week. (Between 3-5 pieces.) Not every single day. Twix, Snickers, Jolly Rancher sticks, Twizzlers. You get the picture. To add to this candy binge eating session, other than the fact I did not realize what was happening or why this was happening is the fact I have not been drinking a lot of water.
Last night was so painful. This morning I was still hurting. At first, there was shame because I know better. Then thought to myself, no don’t fall into that shame nonsense. Be accountable and share with your group. That’s what they are there for. We all fall in some way shape or form.
I am happy because I’m being honest and holding myself accountable but goodness gracious do I regret this. All I want is for this feeling to leave. This is going to affect my weigh in but I will be okay with that.
Thanks and have a good day!!!!!
You're right @Nature003Life, we are all here to, not only help keep each other accountable but to also help each other through the not so great times. Getting healthy is not a straight line, it's more like an up and down roller coaster. One bad week cannot ruin a weight loss plan only giving up can do that. The horrible feeling will pass and you'll be right back on track. Don't give up. We got this!!4 -
I'm truly sorry about last week not logging. I'll just have to be honest, I felt really down about the lack of being able to stick to cals. I haven't consistently logged for a long time. I've just really spent time thinking about why I can't. There's been some days in the past where I just wanted something and couldn't cuz of cals. I would spend days thinking about it, like let's say a hot chocolate. I would keep trying to fit it in, and then realize if I had it I would go over, so I would save it for the next day, and this kept happening and I would almost get depressed about it. I have learned over time that maybe I was too strict with cals and this is why I couldn't stick to it.
Years ago, a friend of mine on here set her cals to 0.5lbs loss a week. I remember how she kept saying it was slow but it was working. I always remember her posts about it - and I think I will try the same. I think I just get in my head it has to be fast or nothing, so I set the cals for 1 or 1.5lb loss per week and then freak out if I go over. This is what gets me depressed - over food! I know this isn't right.
I've been thinking over the last few months actually, what is wrong with higher cals and slower weight loss? Wouldn't it better to slowly lose something over time than stay the same or gain? This is what I gonna try.
Please carry over 239.6 to last week's.
Now to reset my cals based on this week's weigh in after I indulged in Halloween candy, not gonna lie lol.
Wednesday Weigh In
KittyInBoots17:
PW: 239.6
CW: 241.0
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@Nature003Life Bravo for sharing your struggles. I know I can relate. @leni1us has it right. It goes so up and down sometimes. Hopefully the down is more than the up. Hang in there. We can do this!!
@KittyInBoots17 I have to add in exercise most days, Kitty, or I'd never stick to my calorie limit. I know how many calories I burn when I swim and hike, so I can plan extra food on those days. I usually add back in half the calories. I do have one indulgence meal a week where I can have anything I want. That makes it so much easier for me to control the cravings, knowing if I really want it, I can have it as long as it's only part of that meal. Keep going!!3 -
I’m currently in the ‘Goal Zone,’ maintaining my weight at 120-130. So, I weigh-in weekly but the number is not included in the average for our Shrinking Assets team. If I go over 130 for two weeks in a row, I’ll return to regular weigh-ins that count towards the group statistics.
PatriceFitnessPal
Weigh-in Day: Thursday
PW: 122.7
CW: 122.2
SW: 168
I’m pressed for time this morning but I appreciate the thoughtful comments and insights posted this week! I’ll respond to some of the questions (e.g., snack ideas) and heartfelt reflections about the daily struggling of building healthy nutrition and fitness habits later today, but I agree wholeheartedly with @cobluejay and @leni1us.
It’s great to be in this difficult but rewarding process of self-improvement with you all. This week has been a tough one for me and I gained strength knowing others faced similar challenges. As @leni1us reminded us, it’s not always a straight line to our goal. I believe we’re more likely to get there together so I’m sending positive energy your way. We’ll walk along this winding path — and crawl along or support one another as needed. Best wishes team!6 -
@cre804 - What are some of the sweet and salty snacks you enjoy now but want to supplement or replace? I’m listing some of the items I snack on here and look forward to seeing other ideas!
Sweet: I eat a lot of fruit (e.g., pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, banana, kiwi, etc.) with a tablespoon or two of Greek yogurt on top. You could also use a small amount of whipped cream to make it feel more ‘special’ and I add some nuts for extra protein so I feel full longer. It feels like I’m eating a sundae! Layering a little whipped cream between apple crisp or peach cobbler can be good, too. A fancy serving glass can make it feel as though I should savor every bite 😋. I eliminate added sugar, half the recipe portion, or just heat up apples without the ‘crumble.’ I also make banana, pumpkin or zucchini bread with reduced sugar.
Other items I eat when craving something sweet include: dried mango, raisins (plain or covered with vanilla yogurt), dates, figs, dried cranberries, and chocolate covered almonds or a bite-sized chocolate that I eat with intention in limited amounts. In the summertime, I enjoy frozen fruit bars (e.g., lately strawberry or pina colada) or a low-calorie smoothie (e.g., Tropical Smoothie’s Detox Island Green 🥰).
During the winter, I’ll usually have hot chocolate or heat up apple sauce with a little cinnamon sprinkled on top. I sometimes have a no-sugar Klondike crunch bar, which makes portion-control easier. If I scoop ice cream out of a gallon container, I often get carried away with ‘evening out the top’ and eat more than I should 🙄. Occasionally I’ll buy a smaller ‘pint’ size and, for some reason, it seems easier to plan a few servings (maybe to make it last? Or maybe because I’m making better decisions at the time of purchase?).
Salty: My favorite salty snack is Japanese seaweed sheets or the snack size (more expensive) servings of seaweed flavored with teriyaki, sesame or wasabi. I also love steamed edamame sprinkled with sea salt. I recognize that many people may not like the texture of seaweed but Japanese rice crackers might be a good alternative to chips or higher calorie crackers. My son loves veggie sticks but I prefer popcorn or pretzels if I’m choosing an alternative to chips. Everything bagels are an indulgent treat for me. Half an everything bagel makes a good snack but I usually eat a whole one.
Our family also enjoys pickle snacks, Aldi sells snack-size bags or we pickle various items and keep them in the refrigerator. Cucumber with salt - or dipped in hummus - tastes great to me, too. I love any veggies dipped in hummus, which is easy to make ir buy. I’ve been meaning to make some homemade tabouli to have with pita bread - or sprinkle in sandwiches and on salad - but it’s still on my ‘to do’ list.
My husband and sons love beef jerky as a salty and savory snack - and so does our dog! I’ve been wanting to try the tuna ‘cups’ that some people make in small cupcake tins prepared as snacks. I think they would satisfy a salty craving — but maybe not. I tend to lean toward savory and umami flavors so I’m starting to wander here! 😬
Instead of eating a snack, I’ll sometimes have a cup of chai or mint tea to satisfy me when I’m not sure what to have and suspect I’m eating due to boredom, tiredness, procrastination, or some other emotion. If I still want something after drinking the tea slowly and with purpose - while reflecting on some underlying reason for the craving - I’ll try a healthy snack.
Sorry for the long list but I hope you find an idea or two worth trying.1 -
frankwbrown
Friday
PW: 233.0
CW: 234.1
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pipsqueak34
Friday
SW: 143.6
CW: 142.62 -
Marni3369
PW: 238
CW: 239
I was afraid this was going to happen. After all the fluctuation in my weight last week due to being sick, I figured the big drop last Friday was somewhat artificial.
The upside... My middle number didn't go back up.
Next Friday I will be traveling and not able to weigh in. I will weigh in on Saturday instead but for next week only.
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@Nature003Life - It sounds as though you experienced some serious physical discomfort after eating the candy; so, it might be a helpful memory to prevent feeling like that in the future. One bad day of eating isn’t going to sabotage your overall progress! I hope you can release the shame. You did a great job facing the feelings of shame ‘head on’ by sharing your experience here. Good for you!
My father used to say guilt (or in this case, shame) is a wasted emotion and he advised us to put our energy into learning and using what we learn to improve. His approach really helped me realize that reflecting on what didn’t feel good is important, but only in terms of learning and informing my next steps. You really learned - and grew in perspective - from that ONE bad day. So, maybe it will ultimately be useful to you. Keep going. Keep practicing. Keep improving. And, congratulations on using ‘crisis’ as opportunity!2 -
Justanotherloser007 5'3 48 yo SW 277 in 2013
PW: 185
CW: 182.4
@cre804 I know you want ideas for snacks, but in the summer I am a cherry addict. After that, I just add flavors to my coffee with sweetleaf, which is no calories.
@KittyInBoots17 Hey Kitty! I hope you find a plan that will help you ((hugs)) I set my calories during the week to a 1-ish lb loss and eat back some of my exercise calories. (I realize this week looks like a winner, but the Doc is messing with my thyroid meds in case they are creating some of my mental fog - so I really felt like I had an assist for the past week) But more importantly, I do Sunday's differently.
Something like this may help you. Since I had 147 lbs to lose at the beginning, my strategies have always been to keep an eye on maintenance. What will it take *if* I lost the weight to keep it off forever? I decided to set my calories on Sunday - to a generous 1500 calories what might be maintenance at my goal weight. (Actually it will be more like 1400 cal if that - cuz I am short and older and sedentary and that does not including the calorie efficiency after you lose significant weight - the body is tricky). Also, if I want to eat back all my exercise calories I do it! I realize some people call these "cheat days" I call them "maintenance days". Partly because it is the plan, and partly because if I use language like "cheat" I feel licensed to do whatever I feel like doing - and that always leads to the poorest choices for me.
Yep, some Sundays I could theoretically eat 1800 calories!! Normally I hover at 1500. Just being able to have that one day, helps a lot. All the goodies that I do not eat or even deal with ever, on Sunday's - within reason - I can have. I still count my calories, and weigh my food, and walk in the morning - because when I get to maintenance I will need to do this for a while to get a feel for where I am at calorie and exercise wise. It is common for me to make a keto cake, or some keto cookies on Sunday (hubby is diabetic). If *item* is the whim for the week - Sunday is when I make happy plans to eat it. I do pay attention to how full I am, however I am not as strict with macros on Sundays. I do notice that the more junk I have, the less nutrition I am actually getting then I will be hungrier. My higher oil lower carb diet has really made me generally less hungry - and pretty much even one sugary snack can make me feel ALL THE HUNGRIES all over again. Which sometimes is a thoughtful price I pay. But of course, now that I know that, this is not a price I am willing to pay all the time. No one wants to feel hungry all the time!
Going slow is not the end of the world some people think it is. Losing slower, is just that - losing slower. But I feel you have way less craziness in the control department and I feel you are setting yourself up for success when you do get to maintenance. I don't know if you know anyone who lost a bunch of weight only to be so glad they were no longer "dieting" then gain it all back (5 family members not even counting friends). Slower helps you keep it off in the long run from what I have read, and I have seen the faster losers not keep their losses so I am willing to try.
Personally, I don't want to go through this AGAIN. I would really really like to learn how to keep the weight off the first time around. So if that means it takes me longer than all the unsuccessful people I know, so be it. I will take however many years it takes me to do it, then I will be on maintenance. Maybe something here will help you help you out my .0000000002 cents.
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@KittyInBoots17 - Your message above really resonated with me because I also had a tough week, mentally, last week. My computer crashed and the darker days seemed to come a bit suddenly. I started switching my clothes for the colder season and the house felt messy and disorganized. I’m also getting ready to transition my exercise routine for the winter and work was busy. The combination of stress and change made me think way too much about food as ‘comfort’ and it took a lot of extra energy to self-talk myself out of sabotaging week. A couple of days, I decided to eat at maintenance level, rather than worry about a deficit for the day, and somehow I still ended the week down .5 pounds.
I had to drive to a computer center to recover my data and I really wanted to stop for a latte and piece of pumpkin bread at the nearby Starbucks to ‘accompany’ me on the drive home. I had to remind myself that the evening dose of caffeine would just feel worse in the long run because I might have trouble sleeping. I tried multiple strategies in addition to the self-talk - such as eating one extra Reese’s peanut butter cup and logging it ahead for the next day - as a way to stay within my daily calories on a particularly ‘down’ day. Sometimes that works for me (e.g., when I know I have a more intense workout the next day and everything will even out). However, it didn’t work this week because I wanted the same snack the next day. So, it just prolonged the inevitable!
Similar to @cobluejay, I typically find that I do well when I can burn 200-300 calories through exercise, which allows me to stay within my daily calorie target with a snack included. I felt very relieved when I was able to recover my computer data, focus on catching up on work tasks, and reduce my stress (and inflammation!) by rewarding myself with better self-care options (e.g., I booked a massage and took a hot bath to relax). At the end of the week, I would have been satisfied with a slight gain or staying the same weight, so I was surprised at the slight loss!
I like your idea of setting your weight loss goal at half a pound per week. When I stopped worrying about a particular timeline - and realized I was making lifelong habit changes - it was a positive game changer for me. My maintenance level nutrition and fitness goals have not really changed compared to my behavior when ‘actively’ trying to lose weight.
Right now, I set my calorie target a little lower than my maintenance plan because I don’t measure my food rigorously. I just guesstimate the calories — though I try to overestimate calorie intake while underestimating my exercise calories burned, since I read most people do the opposite and find it difficult to lose weight. I might have to pay more attention to weighing and calculating my nutrition this year as I work on building my strength and flexibility; but, releasing any weight loss ‘deadline’ plans - and focusing on sustainable habits instead - helped me tremendously. I’m wishing you the best as you try the ‘slow but steady’ approach to losing .5 ponds per week!5 -
Hi team!!
First, I want to apologize for the crappy job I have been doing as Captain. My focus has been elsewhere, which is obvious.
I will be beginning my new career Monday... I am sure this will occupy a great deal of my time. Secondly, I am still very active in AA -- my sobriety is WAY more important to me than my weight at this point. I will be 90 days sober Sunday I have been juggling many balls, and this is the one that I have dropped. Again, I would like to apologize.
With all this being said, I would like to step down as Captain. I have filled this role for several years and am quite stale. It is time for some fresh, new whippersnapper to take the reins. I would also like to be on the cheer squad for a bit. Maybe till January.
PLEASE someone step up and take this position. It is not very time consuming. It would be perfect for an office worker who can drop by 10 min a day or a retiree looking to fill some space in their day.
My hopes:
More structure.... Hopefully the new job will provide less idle time for me to find things to shove in my mouth. I want to come back in a bit and be an active team member -- not just the absentee captain that enters weigh ins on a spreadsheet.
In the short run, I will miss you all. I will miss the community here. I do want to stay on cheer so I can stop by when I can.
Love to all,
Beka8 -
Cre804
Friday
PW 192.0
CW 192.0
Rocking the maintenance again. /s
All in all, considering we had out of town company and a wedding over the weekend, I guess I’ll take it. I’ve been struggling with eating all the things but it’s been a bit better today. Just have a lot on my plate at the moment so it’s hard to focus on eating right. On the bright side, I haven’t eaten out all week so that is encouraging!6 -
@Beka3695 I’m pretty sure I speak for all of us when I say we really appreciate all that you have done for this team and community. The balls in your real life are a lot more important to juggle than us online folks, so I’m actually glad this is the ball you dropped and focused on your health, career and family instead
I’m hoping we can find a new awesome captain for the team! As I understand, the motivator position is also open. I don’t know if this is allowed, but I’d like to nominate @PatriceFitnessPal to take either position - Patrice, your messages are always insightful, motivating and helpful to others on this team so I think you’d do a great job leading the team also in a more official setting of course other team members would do a great job as well and seeing anyone step up would be awesome!
@Nature003Life I agree with Patrice about the physical discomfort memory - I’ve had that crappy too-much-candy-feeling enough times in my teenage years that I eventually noted how bad it felt and realized candy is not good for me, and I rarely even have it anymore. I sometimes have a couple of pieces from my husband’s bag if he gets some, but my maximum amount is maybe 5 pieces and I’ve successfully stayed this way for more than 10 years. Chocolate and ice cream, on the other hand, are a whole different deal…
Re: the snacking conversation. I really need to stop buying chocolate and chips, and start leaving healthier snacks on the table. I’m thirsty and hungry all the time (hello, breastmilk production!) and I stuff whatever’s on the kitchen table into my mouth whenever I walk past it. One day I had cherry tomatoes and blueberries lying around, so I ate them, but most days it’s been chocolate and chips. Based on this, it seems like a no-brainer I eat what’s on the table, so I have to keep healthy stuff on it.8 -
Anniesquats100
Friday
Pw 169.2
Cw 168.25 -
Jazzadesigns
Saturday
PW: 215.9
CW: 215.8 (-0.1)
I had asked for a pass this week since I had a work conference and ate over my calories and had a few treats (and alcohol). But since I had a loss I figured I’d post it. I hope that’s okay.
October was my worst month on my weight loss journey so I need to get back on track. Like @cre804 I feel like the colder weather had me eating more. And this is the first year ever that I didn’t participate in Trick or Treat. I felt guilty about not giving out candy, but it really helped me as I am not eating left over candy every day like I usually do. Halloween usually kicks off my holiday season of over eating. But I have to remember that Thanksgiving is only one day out of this month and I should stay on track the rest of the days.4 -
Hi everyone! Sorry for weighing in so late in the day. Daughter is starting a new job and needed a few things. Stepped out with her and completely forgot about it.
PW: 275
CW: 276.6
That's not as bad as I thought it would be. Thought I was going to see 280 again.
Thank you everyone for your words of wisdom and encouragement. I am feeling better. Dealing with it head-on. No, I do not feel shame. Let that go when I shared it with you guys. Still a bit bloated. Doing a little better keeping track of what I eat and how much water I drink.
I do not look at candy the same way lol. Actually, get nauseous looking at it. That reminder is stuck. Goal for November is still to get to 270. I know I can do it.
Have a good rest of the day everyone!!!!!
It's a nice day to smile. Or as my co worker says; smile, youre awesome. 3 -
Next week is going to be interesting. My husband goes back to work on Monday, which means we can no longer split the ”night shift” with the baby 50-50 and then sleep in. Instead, I have to manage nights and his workdays on my own with the baby, so that’s going to be a big change. Luckily he’s working from home, so there’s no time spent on commute. Unluckily, our daughter keeps getting fussier and fussier, compared to the first week when she slept 6 hours straight several days in a row… I’m hoping for that to come back!2
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