April 27

2

Replies

  • calvin20874
    calvin20874 Posts: 1,125 Member
    4/27

    Exercise: 130 minutes
    Tracking: yes
    Calories: under
    Pass days used: 3
  • @donna25trinity I love this!

    I know if we just stick with UAC and not give up on ourselves we will get thru the storm. I think the fact we are honest about it is the biggest step and I hve no doubt u will come back stronger than ever!!! Xo

    Thank you for the encouragement and I think you are right!
  • @TerriRichardson112
    So much wisdom there - indulging temporarily but then snapping out of it and getting back to healthy habits. Not indulging too much. Having a small treat every day so that you don't feel the need to go crazy. Listening to your body.

    I really try to do all those things, but they are all out balance right now somehow! Thanks for confirming that is the path, though. I will keep trying.
  • I try to treat each day as an ordinary day if there are celebrations such as our daughter’s birthday this weekend and a mom daughter day on Monday I will try to moderate some of my food choices. I may also spend a little more time on the rower or spin bike but these are only a few times a year. Each day I try to look at as an ordinary day.

    That is such an interesting way of thinking about things @snowshoe072 . "An ordinary day" - so that means that if it's your birthday or something like that you just say to yourself "It's just an ordinary day" and so don't use it as an excuse to eat a lot? How does this work in practice?

    Thanks.
  • @Jana_2020 thanks for just saying you're struggling with me. It helps to have company. And yes, having the treats around for the kids makes it harder. Though the specific treat I am struggling with right now, matzah bark or "Matzah crack" the kids aren't even eating! Only I am eating it. The only saving grace is that it's almost gone!

    I can deal with their ordinary treats most of the time. It's the seasonal treats that really get me. And something like halloween candy doesn't really get me either - I mean I'll nibble on an extra mini candy bar a day while it's visible but nothing out of control. It's the homemade seasonal stuff that is really really delicious...
  • ✅✅✅
    I prelog and plan celebrations. I feel physically and mentally bad when I overeat so its a win win to figure out what I really want and fit it in. Some of it is really just not worth it. Like the folks offering things at work.

    I try to prelog and preplan celebrations too when I can. If we're going out I will review the menu on the restaurant's site ahead of time and make a plan. But I think the fact that I am so dependent on that may make it harder when I can't do it - I think I need to learn better how to make decisions on the fly too.

    For Passover I did inquire about the menu ahead of time, but my stepmother, who was hosting, said that one aunt had agreed to bring the side dishes and another aunt was bringing the deserts and she didn't even know what they were bringing.

    And then we did some wandering and finding food spontaneously, which also led to difficult decision making.

    The more I think about this the more I am seeing how much I have set myself up to fail this month, in a big picture sense, and maybe rather than beat myself up about it I should think about how not to set myself up like this again!
  • ideas2 wrote: »

    For me, eating while celebrating something has at least two levels, influenced by the social context. I am an introvert who is often out of my comfort zone with the number of people and the level of stimulation at parties or other gatherings for celebrations. Often I attend those gatherings more out of a sense of obligation than a true inner desire to celebrate in that manner. Being aware of my feelings, being mindful and accepting that that is how I am, has been helpful to me. The other thing is planning which exceptions to my usual eating might be ¨worth it¨ if I really want to celebrate. If I am not mindful, I can end up hovering over the food table ¨enjoying¨ (keeping my mind occupied) with the food as a distraction at a large gathering or taking extra on my plate or ordering something indulgent and not fully savoring it. Our cultural expectation is that we eat more and ¨indulge¨ at these times (whether we want to or not.)

    @ideas2 there is so much good wisdom in what you wrote here that I feel like I need to save it and read it over before every social event! Much of my weight loss journey has been during covid where the events like this have really been limited, and that has helped quite a bit. But now that we are emerging somewhat and getting together - wow, it's hard for all the reasons you say. And what you say about the after-effects actually being harder - yeah, I think that's what I'm struggling with right now, back home and still indulging. Wow.
  • jamcnewman wrote: »

    I have long struggled with how much of a big deal I make about the eating and food aspects of holidays and celebrations. I have always been overeager to make the most delicious food and to feed everyone. I can skip eating a lot of it myself, but I have become more aware about how unhealthy it is to be so obsessive about food and particularly how I seem to use it to show love.
    ...
    I am not helping myself or my family when I keep making so much of the focus about food. I am still learning. 🥰

    Thanks for this @jamcnewman and thanks for the birthday wishes.
    I am still mostly not hosting the big gatherings and the ones we have at home are I think more moderate.
    But I should still think about what we are teaching our kids in terms of food = celebration = love - is that the link we want them to have? But on the other hand I don't want them to feel like they can only get delicious food out of the house or like they have been deprived, because that doesn't set up a good dynamic either... hard!


  • I have learned to focus on the occasion instead of the food. I have come to hate the feeling of being sick, etc. the next next day. Therefore, eating in moderation goes for celebrations.

    I really like that as a mantra "focus on the occasion instead of the food." It is true that my body has not been feeling great this month with all the crap I am giving it.
  • I am definitely a recovering celebratory eater ;) The problem with my prior ways is that EVERYTHING was a celebration. I still feel these urges to enjoy every moment of life through food but I manage through this with the following general tactics:

    -Have a plan before the celebration. If I know what the food will be, pre-log and pre-track. If I don't, go in at least knowing I'm going to mentally select portions that will fit within my remaining calories.
    -Define what is a true celebration and set myself to just below maintenance calories on that day to give myself a bit of space to enjoy.
    -Find other ways to enjoy life. I used to get SO much of my daily joy from food. I still love my moments I eat and find a lot of pleasure in it, but I have to keep that in check. Sometimes it just requires mental discipline when all else fails as it can be super tough but I've just gotten to the point where the outcome of making choices has become so motivating it trumps the joy I used to get from overeating.

    That all is SO great @ashleycarole86
    Especially the last been - remembering what you are doing this for, and that trumps the joy of overeating. That is what I really need to believe and focus on. Thanks.

  • I cope with these days by remembering some basics that I have learned over the years: portion sizes, avoiding high fat/sugar food, majoring on veggies where possible.
    But principally, try not to make food the main event. Enjoy time with others (may be difficult with your father-in-law @ideas2) and find activities to enjoy.

    I like this a lot @lesdarts180 and makes me think about how I am arranging things. How I should really focus more on enjoying time with others and actives with others and just less on the food in general. Sounds like a very fun day at the theater and awesome to get in your steps!
  • Weds April 27
    Exercise: 15 minutes MommaStrong and 40 minute walking - really good to get back to the MommaStrong
    Tracking: Planned the day and mostly followed the plan, but estimated on the 2 treats we had in the house - Matza bark and birthday cake. Did have only half the amount of birthday cake that I'd had the two days before
    Calories: Judging from the scale, definitely over

    The only thing saving me is that the Matza bark is almost gone and the cake is starting to taste old. I think today might be the last day of those two things and then I can get back to normal I hope I hope!

    Thank you all so much for your wisdom! Sorry to go crazy with quoting, but I feel like I just took a college course in exactly what I am struggling with and I just needed to highlight everything. I continue to learn SO MUCH from this group!
  • Jan1936
    Jan1936 Posts: 467 Member
    3 x yes

    I totally struggle with "celebratory" eating and "I deserve it" eating. Working on other ways to celebrate and reward/treat myself that is not the quick fix that food is. Also trying to keep fresh berries and other decadent healthy foods around for the sweet treats.. work in progress.
  • enlightenme3
    enlightenme3 Posts: 2,419 Member
    ✅ Exercise - 1 hour of Jazzercise and a hike
    ✅- Calories -
    ✅ Tracking -

    Closed all my Apple watch rings today
    8 Pass days used

    Documenting consistency (if there is a P=instead of number its a Pass Day)
    UAC: P-2-P-P-P-5-6-P-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-P-18-19-20-P-22-23-24-25-P-26-27

    Social gatherings and vacations are my downfall because I don't have my tools with me (food scale, knowledge of what is in each dish, etc.). Generally there is alcohol involved (not a lot, but my friends are all big wine drinkers) which lowers my decision-making about food. I enjoy hosting and I am known as a good cook, so I do tend to try to impress - which is generally not low-cal. With leftovers, it is usually a one to two day blip. I really have to remind myself that even if I go over calories or stop tracking for the day, that's not an excuse for an all-out binge. Just because I don't record it doesn't mean there aren't consequences. I'll admit to being hard on myself the next day or so, but with more and more knowledge about my body and the impact of calories and exercise, I'm getting better at buckling down for the next week.

  • jamcnewman
    jamcnewman Posts: 3,973 Member
    Champion behaviour @seilidhe reporting in. I hope your son is doing better? 💛

    @Caroline_slowandsteady Keep moving forward with the focus you are giving this. You are learning so much about yourself and how to help yourself be successful. 🌼

    Well done on a successful day @enlightenme3 @Jan1936 @Maggie_MJ @calvin20874

    Sounds like a lovely day out @lesdarts180 and such sensible advice. Thank you. 🌟

    So great to read an update Teresa — enjoy all the moments with your family. 🥰 @Mrs_Hoffer