December 4
Mrs_Hoffer
Posts: 5,194 Member
Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes?
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day?
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank?
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day?
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank?
0
Replies
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The Importance of Tracking
In the final analysis, The Ultimate Accountability Challenge is all about SELF-AWARENESS;
OWNING the choices you made to eat / not eat something, or be intentionally active / intentionally inactive.
And (this is the important bit!) coming to recognize your individual, unique PERSONAL PATTERNS. Those common, recurring elements that are there when things go right, and also what seems to always be around when you are triggered to repeat some not-so-right choices.
What did you do well today, that you can repeat tomorrow?
What did you do not-so-well today that you could TRY A NEW APPROACH on tomorrow?
How will you even know what those patterns ARE?
(hint: see image above
)
That’s why we ask that you track / report.
So that you are collecting data. So that you have something concrete to look back at (once you have some emotional distance) and analyze for recurring patterns.
Once you spot a pattern, you can tap into or add to the collective wealth of experience here.
Tell us that “This kind of thing often sets me off – what helped others when faced with something similar?” Adapt any suggestion that appeals, to make an (even) better match to your own circumstances / tastes / personality.
If someone else posts a question, and YOU have faced that in the past.... throw out the lifeline! It might be the very tweak someone else needs to spark an adaptation that best fits their own circumstance.
Try / track / analyze / adjust / repeat (as often as needed).
Until you hit “Succeeds for me!” Then just keep repeating “what worked for YOU” over and over .
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Saturday Dec 4
Exercise: Yes - dancing (80s themed party)
Calories under: Yes
Tracked all: Yes
(1/3 used)9 -
@BMcC9 - great opener. Sometimes I wonder how long it’s going to take me and how old I’ll be before I have this figured out and under control. Yesterday was a classic fail that could have been disastrous but fortunately I was able to stop before it became so. Rather than go into the long story, I’ll just say I was frustrated, a little angry, and grabbed some crackers and cheese as a snack instead of a multitude of healthier and lower calorie options. I did manage to end the day with 10 calories to spare, not including whatever I burned on my 5 mile walk that morning. The win was that driving home from a concert (our first since the pandemic) hubs said he wanted to treat me to ice cream and I said no-thanks because I knew I didn’t need it, and I knew it would put me over on calories. I think he couldn’t believe what he’d heard because I NEVER turn down ice cream! It feels really good waking up this morning knowing that what could have been disastrous, I was able to contain.13
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I know we don’t post weights here, which I like because it’s helped me realize that if I take care of the 3 goals of the UAC, the weight will take care of itself. Unfortunately, I’ve been so hit and miss on the 3 goals, that my weight loss has stalled. Using the happy scale app, my average weight weight fell below 200 in June for the first time in 12 years. In November I hit an average weight of 195.7. While that’s not a lot of progress, I am thrilled I’ve kept it below 200. However, I’ve been inching up and for the first time, my trending graph is showing red. so in order to turn this around and hold myself accountable, I’ll be posting my avg weight in a spoiler this month. Goal is 195 by Christmas. And @mshawski - when I can make it (not if), I’ll be wearing my new ring on Christmas Day!Dec 2 - 198.1
Dec 4 - 197.114 -
I am reposting a picture I put in yesterday ... I want you to reeeeeeeealy LOOK at the dips in the Reality Map. Notice that (apart from the first one) the dips are actually higher up the total slope than the starting point. And that each one requires a different kind of strategy to get past.
This is why tracking is important.- It is concrete proof of how far you have already come.
- Getting through each mini-goal - just to that one next flag -gives you a SERIES of successes that help populate your personal tool-chest of Success Support Strategies.
- It reminds you that "this kind of strategy worked for me on THAT problem / how can I apply that personal strength in a different way to THIS problem?"
- The final flag ISN'T the top of the hill. There is More To Life than this one Main-For-The-Moment goal.
Go forth and Live Your Best (for YOU - nobody else but YOU) Life!
8 -
DEC 4 - Pass day
Exercise ❎4 -
✅✅✅. Great post @bmcc9. Very insightful.6
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Great topic! I like data but wouldn't say I'm particularly good at the analytics side of it. Probably the only take-aways for me are that eating beyond my calories/macros generally don't show up the next day, more likely in the next 2-3 days. This has derailed me in the past because I will eat a cup of ice cream and weigh the same the next day. So on day 2 I'll say to myself, "I can have ice cream again since it didn't impact my weight when I ate it last night." Of course, we all know that this is not how things work around here!
I am still in search of patterns in my macros that I can gleam something from. I'm probably generally around 17% - 20% protein, 50-55% carbs and the rest fat most days. I have to be SO deliberate in what I consume to even get to that level of protein. Although some of the advice on these boards are to not worry too much about the macros and just focus on overall calories, I am hoping that consuming more beans/legumes, eggs and greek yogurt will keep me satisfied so I don't end up getting the munchie either late afternoon or late evening (vegetarian diet).
I have no idea if that truly is the case or whether I'm better about telling myself that I don't have the budget for those snack calories. Perhaps I'm better at letting myself feel hungry at times.4 -
04/12/2021
Today was nearly a pass. I went to my daughters for lunch – which meant nearly 4 hours driving. So my exercise was 5 minutes cardio in the morning, another 15 minutes in the evening and a short walk. Lunch was difficult to estimate but I did my best. Calories were OK as I had quite a good “bank balance” of calories.
I’m going to try to get a few more minutes light walking exercise before I go to bed as my step count is under 9,000.
We had a good time – my DIL was there with her two children (and her mum on a visit from USA) and I took my mum – it was the last time we will all be together for a while now as DIL is going home for an extended visit from December 20th to mid-April.
My daughter got her Xmas tree up and the children decorated it! Sorry, I don't seem to be able to post pictures.
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Thanks @BMcC9
Tracking for over 6 years has given me great insight into how to progress and what to focus on.
✅ - Exercise 20+ Minutes: 86 minutes, walking/dancing/flex
✅ - Calories within budget
✅ - Tracked everything
2️⃣ Pass Days left
7 -
I am reposting a picture I put in yesterday ... I want you to reeeeeeeealy LOOK at the dips in the Reality Map. Notice that (apart from the first one) the dips are actually higher up the total slope than the starting point. And that each one requires a different kind of strategy to get past.
This is why tracking is important.- It is concrete proof of how far you have already come.
- Getting through each mini-goal - just to that one next flag -gives you a SERIES of successes that help populate your personal tool-chest of Success Support Strategies.
- It reminds you that "this kind of strategy worked for me on THAT problem / how can I apply that personal strength in a different way to THIS problem?"
- The final flag ISN'T the top of the hill. There is More To Life than this one Main-For-The-Moment goal.
Go forth and Live Your Best (for YOU - nobody else but YOU) Life!
3 -
3x yes today. I had a great walk over the local forest and moorland, my legs are feeling it now but it was great to get into the middle of no-where and just have nature for company for a few hours :-)
0 pass days still7 -
Saturday 4 December
Exercise ❌
Calories ❌
Tracked ❌
Well today was a great big fat fail! 🤣
December is going to be a nightmare for using up passes quickly and I know I will get through them within the first week of December but I will continue to post, continue to try & continue on my weight loss journey.
I refuse to give up but also refuse to beat myself up because of this time of year is full of festivities, catch ups, eating & drinking!
2/3 pass days used9 -
Done all three. Tired I feel like I am catching a cold good night7
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Exercise -walked 30 minutes
Under calorie budget (1650)? Yes 1632
Tracked everything I ate and drank? Yes
5 -
Pass day #1 - unplanned. Spent much of the day at family’s houses and I haven’t mastered how to say no to my mom/aunts when they want to feed us. Must work on that.
Also my trainer says my “sore quad” seems more likely to be an IT band injury so… 😬. Probably not running much this week and hoping I get rested enough to get through the 4 mile race I’m signed up for next Saturday.8 -
biketheworld wrote: ». And @mshawski - when I can make it (not if), I’ll be wearing my new ring on Christmas Day!
Love love love this! ❤️ You got this! 💍
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December 4
✅✅✅
Today's exercise was a 62 minute walk5 -
December 4.
Yes to all 3. My Fitbit said I had 34 minutes of activity. Between house work and shopping I will count it. All of my Christmas decorations are upstairs so tomorrow I will be getting a little more activity.7 -
✔️✔️✔️
0/3 pass days
Took my grandbaby to the lights at the zoo. We had a good time, but the zoo was far too crowded for me. It also makes me excited for the lights of James Island. Our local light spot. They are so pretty and there is not the people zoo feeling.I thought my hubby was going to have a PTSD moment. We all made it and I had fun with my babies.6 -
December 4
✅ Exercise - walking
✅ Calories
✅ Tracked
0 Pass Days Used4 -
✅ exercise - barely managed 20 minutes of running on a treadmill before being called to pick up my very unhappy toddler.
✅ calories - maintenance week
✅ tracking - did the best I could as I ate out for lunch and dinner.
My husband and I went to see a movie; first time since our son was born, over 2 years ago! It was so nice 🙃
I thought the day was going to be a pass day as we had planned two meals out and cinema. Both meals were healthy (fish & veg) and we only took coffees into cinema avoiding all the snacks. It was the perfect date ❤️10 -
Saturday dec 4
Exercise- yes, worked in the house for 2 1/2 hours. Got kitchen counter tops rearranged, all my house plants fertilized and trimmed. Christmas tree put up, and some light cleaning done with couple things moved around.
Logged/tracked everything I ate- yes
Stayed within calories- yes
2/3 days used7 -
Pass day today eating out for my daughters 21st, (her birthday was on the 2nd) I'm not fully sure of the calories in the food so I done a best guess and logged what i thought it was, went over calories due to sticky toffee pudding and didn't have the chance to get any exercise in either
Dec 5th is my birthday, I will see if I can do any better
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@Healthymumlife i feel ya! I'm in the same boat. The first 2 days of dec turned out to be pass days (not feeling well) so right off the bat I lose 2 days. Not to mention now we've got all the Christmas "goodies" staring us in the face. I agree, it is going to be a rough month. I figure even if I do use up my pass days as long as I keep going it will seem like practice for next month lol. But tracking has really helped me to see where my empty calories are coming from (got to stop the late night snakin)
We've got this...we can do this!9 -
✅ Exercise - 1 hour of Jazzercise
✅ Calories -
✅ Tracking -
Closed all my Apple watch rings today
0 Pass days used.
Getting ready for travel and for social events over the next week. Keeping UAC principles top of mind.8 -
Exercise: Tracking: Calories: 7
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Dec 1 🥾⚖️💪🏻🫀🧂🕉😴
Dec 2 🥾⚖️💪🏻🫀🧂🕉😴
Dec 3 🥾⚖️💪🏻🫀⬆️🕉😴
Dec 4 🥾⚖️💪🏻🫀🧂🕉😴
I exercised, calories under, and tracked all Dec 1-4.
But things have been rough:
Dec 2 & 4 sodium was *just* okay & led to increased mouth hunger. Dec 3 sodium was high (processed foods) & led to more mouth hunger today. I thought for sure my calories would be over, but they weren’t.
I have to admit that eating one sugary-salty-fatty food Dec 1 that I usually don’t eat led to a salty-fatty-crunchy Dec 2 (and finishing it Dec 3.) And then to a third food Dec 3. Processed-pseudo-fried-Salty.
Today was all good, but I had to keep from making it a 4thday in a row.
I was *this close* to taking December “off” something I have not done since Jan 2016. Danger! But tonight I sat down with all my notes on what I’d eaten & much to my surprise, my calories were fine, low even. My steps are crazily high.
It’s shocking & humbling to see that after years of maintenance & carefully weighing to the gram, I might have given up over just 4 days. Very shocking.
I truly am like an alcohol w/ that first drink, I’m embarrassed to say, but better to announce it & remember this experience going forwards.
Of course with the extra sodium, the scale popped up, which didn’t help & made me think I’d eaten too much (I hadn’t.)
“My name’s Maddie, and I need to keep my sodium & refined sugar to low levels in order to be healthy & happy.”12 -
I just saw your brilliant opening post @BMcC9
All of what you wrote is essential. And when you hit the 3 year 3 month or 5 year maintenance point, keep doing it. Gather the data even though it feels tiresome after almost 6 years.
It’s essential that I do this. I now know unequivocally that I love being healthy & happy and I will not remain so unless I fully track every single day.
A small price to pay7 -
✅ Exercise - Skiing; Stairmaster
✅ Calories
✅ Tracked5
