Daily Accountability Challenge!

@DawnCumm sometimes I dream of being left alone for days with just books to read. 😅

Yesterday was a good day. The plan kept changing and yet I still did really well.
My three things for yesterday:
1) I did a 4 mile walk on the paved trail
2) On that trail I passed 3 restaurants and even while hungry stuck to the snacks in my pack (water, apple, popcorn and peanut butter crackers)
3) I went to bed at 8pm.

Hey all!

Today we didn't do a lot but that's still a good thing.
1) Went to church and met a visitor who is also recently down 80 lbs. We discussed devotional books with a weight loss focus.
2) Ate well all day. Daughter wanted tacos so I had a taco salad. We have cake leftovers and I stayed with half a piece.
3) Worked on learning more types of cross stitch. I can't snack during TV or movies time if my hands are stitching.

Bonus #4 - I got in a good nap after lunch. I always love days I can get in a nap.

Yeah I agree, come one and all.....let's keep each other accountable!

Still on house arrest until the doc releases me....so hopefully that will happen soon. I do think they might make me do this for another week, but we will see tomorrow.

1) got dressed, LOL, and walked outside - been in pjs since the medical issue
2) ate a lot today but still stayed within my calorie count - that includes one glass of wine with gnocchi
3) made a huge to do list for once I am free - veg garden clean up and readiness, along with everything else that needs to be done, and there is a lot! We are on five acres, so I have much to do.

Feeling way more optimistic today, pain is low, and I am not doing too bad considering I am bored and all I think about is food.

Come on everyone! I'd this the usual 3 week drop off wager New Year's? Are any of you still here?

My 3 positive things today:
1) I kept within my calorie range again today
2) I helped my fairer bake cookies. We burned a few and will have to redo them tomorrow but it's still fun.
3) I picked up more library books today and that always makes me happy.

@3moons3 In short things are chaotic right now. I love all your positive things though! Congrats on the weight loss!!!

Good morning all!

My 3 things yesterday:
1) I went to my bigger book club (since I'm in two). I loved getting together with all the other ladies. Talking and commenting on the book we recently read. Thoughts, triggers, opinions. It was fun.
2) At book club I stuck to my boundaries. Normally only a few snacks are around but being January (and everyone had resolutions to read apparently) it was 17 of us and almost everyone brought a snack. I felt a little sad with my little plate and no desserts but I was really proud of myself because I stayed in my calories even with the unexpected.
3) I baked cookies (for last night's gathering and today's gathering that is coming up) and only ate one. I didn't even feel more than a passing temptation after that. Like, it was really good but since I had already eaten one I could wait for later.

@3moons3 I'm happy to share what I'm doing but I don't know that it's anything new under the sun.

First, I keep a calorie range. Rather than saying "my goal is "x" number of calories, I have a range so on a low day I'm at one spot and a high day I'm somewhere else but my average is in the middle. For me, my range is 1200 to 1800 and as long as I'm in that range I'm happy. Most days I'm about 1500 calories but I need a low and high. My brain just likes having the wiggle room to move around.

Second, I walk almost every week day and get in other high intensity cardio (like Zumba or the elliptical) at least 3 times a week. If I'm feeling brave enough and have time I will also go into the "iron forest" at the gym and use the weights and machines but I always feel so self-conscious in there.

Third, If I have a bad meal, bad day or bad anything I remind myself that nothing is really "bad", get more exercise if I'm able, and start over from the moment I stop. Also, if I catch myself mid-binge and make myself stop I log everything and see how bad it really was. Sometimes it was pretty bad. Sometimes I surprise myself and it wasn't as bad as I thought.

Fourth, I have those boundaries that I've been working on. I know how you feel about boundaries but it works for me. I keep that range of calories. That's a high and low boundary. I also try to not eat until after 10am and stop at 8pm most days. This one is a soft boundary, it is occasionally broken, but when it is I keep the hard boundary for calories in check. The only thing I allow, other than water, outside that time frame is a single cup of coffee in the morning. Even that I try to wait unitl 8am. The later I start the easier it is to not eat all day. If I have an event that day I try to hydrate a LOT and keep my other calories pretty in low. Stick with soup, salad, small protein shakes, etc. That leaves me all my calories for the event.

Fifth, This is a HUGE one for me and I didn't really have it properly until recently. Accountability. Not just in the forums (unless that works for you) but a person in your life that you can call when the bag of chips is calling or the ice cream sounds way too good. I have a group of friends that I've been doing this with recently. We text every day. We check in every day. If someone doesn't text for more than a day or two the rest of us call and text and ask if they are ok. When I felt like I just wanted to eat everything I texted and vented it all out. I felt better and they were encouraging. When I'm having a great day and eat everything I want and I'm still on my low end of my calorie range, I text that too. Often we share photos of our meals or snacks. That personal accountability makes a huge difference.

Something else is that I try to keep my overall carb and sugar numbers in check. That plays into my being diet and exercise controlled diabetic. However, so many snacks and unhealthy foods are high in carbs and fats that I think just naturally keeping that in check helps keep my weight in the right direction. If I chose grilled chicken instead of breaded and fried it saves carbs & fat that can cause me to spike but also saves on the calories. A lot of that goes hand in hand.

Last thing, always have healthy or pre-portioned go to snacks for when you absolutely have to have something. I keep shakes in the fridge ready to go made with protein powder and almond milk (I add my skinny syrups or other flavor powders too for fun flavors). I love sweet mini peppers salted and filled with salsa (it's better than the tortilla chips and I still get my salsa fix). I keep veggie straws around. They might not be a ton healthier but I get many more pieces in a serving and I am a volume eater when I'm snacking. I have single serve bags of chips, slim jims, mini cereal bars. All things that are either already portioned into a single serving or items that are naturally healthy.

OK... one more thing. Find swaps! Instead of mashed potatoes I do a blend of half potato and half turnip. Instead of dip made with full fat sour cream and mayo I use light sour cream and nonfat plain greek yogurt. I add lentils to my taco meat and learned water chestnuts will add a crunch to any salad. Plus water chestnuts absorb the flavor of whatever you cook them in. If you love something and it's bad find a way to make it better without sacrificing all the flavor. I hate when people think diet food is just salad. Most of my "diet food" doesn't look like diet food. If it's boring no one will stick to it.

Sorry this got so long. I was trying to think of all my things that work.

Thanks Linny! Reading it all together was very helpful, and motivating. I know I can on going & do it too. My issue with boundaries may not be with boundaries at all, but with the over-arching concept, or even the word? Will have to think about that and about boundaries vs. meddling (is that the opposite?)...esp. meddling posing as 'caring'. Also, I'm pretty rebellious, and rebel most against myself, or so it feels.

Good for you Dawn! 1.6 is great, and 1200 can be hard. Just don't over-do on the cleaning...better a slightly dirty house than another hospital visit. I know I'm prone to over-doing when given/have the boundary (ha!) or limit not to do too much.

My 3: 1) did some collage; 2) fed the birds (a cardinal is working the seed tray right now) 3) shoveled snow last night at 10pm, as I hadn't moved much after sleeping in, and finished the whole drive in half an hour because only a couple of inches had fallen.

Today to do: still lightly snowing, so more shoveling, else, @least 30 min, low-impact; basement; project coding #4 above would be that I've already coded lessons for the day

Love the dog reading even that is amazing!

I did go cray with food yesterday but surprisingly did stay within my calorie count.....still feel like I went a little overboard on snacking.

1) stayed on count, ate celery with salsa versus chips, and caramel rice cakes (2) for dinner dessert.
2) able to sit outside in the sun for a bit, I am not good being stuck in the house, so this was so nice. Still a little cool but so worth it.
3) cleaned up the house, just was careful to do it slowly as I have about five more days of no bending or raising of blood pressure, while I heal. Did feel good to put all our crap away. Amazing what you can pick up with your bare feet, LOL

Kids and grands coming for dinner so today will be tough but already posted what I believe I will consume and as long as I stick to it, I should be ok. Keep it up peeps!

Yesterday was ok… I did go over my allowance of calories but there were positive components.

1) started a hair treatment as it is super thin from when I started menopause over ten years ago. So feeling optimistic. Fingers crossed.
2) got to hold my youngest grand since my surgery. Love that little monkey.
3) enjoyed playing cards with my other two grands, really enjoy our Sunday gatherings.

Need to dust myself off and get my food controlled better. Feel like I am slipping a little and as I can’t move yet that is concerning.

I think maybe my mood needs to improve diet wise. Should be a lifestyle and not a huge effort.

Dawn, I was just thinking before I read your post, re: my Sunday's calories, I was careful but normal, but even so only *just* a few calories under max., and that was with being careful, i.e.: small slices for bread at breakfast, veg & protein for dinner, only half a serving of dressing on my salad, a cheesestick and 3 apples for lunch & dessert total, and was not enough protein, in other words that this definitely *was* an effort, and how is it supposed to be a sustainable lifestyle when in the future I'm not totally focused on weight? I guess I will just always have to be focused, to some extent, to stay on track. Or come up with a more streamlined plan to get more streamlined. As to your health, only til week's end, Dawn...yay!

Linny, I love how social you are...I can't be that way any more in my current life circumstances, so I live vicariously a bit through hearing your social doings. Great pic!

So Sunday I went quite a bit over, kind of by design, and yesterday, was on track. Did 20 min of low-impact both days, as only scant snowfall, and the contractors did no work. This morning the contractors just arrived, like an hour and a half late, but that gave me opportunity to shovel that scantness that over a few cold days didn't melt but built up into like a half-inch. It was SO cold. As I had only gone out to originally wheel the hurby-curby (trash/garbage) to the curb, and maybe spread a little of yesterday's salt around on the leftover icy patches, I *did* get in an extra 25 minutes of movement, and early for me to, so that's #1 for today; #2 isn't something I am doing, but just counting my lucky stars that I'm not in the home of my ancestors (Ukraine) where they are dealing with super-cold weather, WITHOUT heat for much of the winter. I saw on the news a picture of an old guy who had to have half his foot removed because it was so frost-bitten. So many people suffering there. I was reminded of this because, as I was not prepared to spend any time outside, I didn't have on my scarf and my ears are only now thawing out. and even with my thinsulate special expensive gloves some of my fingers got cold and numb. #3: Today I will go and pick out my Rx which I've been out of for too many weeks. Also will hit trader joe's on the way home...spent some time online yesterday looking up low calorie suggestions of their specific product line. 3 things from yesterday & Sunday...made some progress on my coding project, even as I kept going with lessons & now have enough done to have 2nd project to also do, but won't start until first is done; 2: did low-impact 20's (not 30, but oh well) both days; 3: is pre-shopping for TJ's. Have a great week!

hi! I have been doing this a long time off and on. But I also need motivation. I am detrmined to get healthy.

Wecome @nanacutler

I don't normally eat breakfast any longer except on Sunday since I'm at church until later in the day. However, when I did I would grab a piece of fruit and some sort of protein like a slim jim, jerky, microwave a piece of turkey sausage, etc. Also, I've never understood limiting ourselves to just "breakfast" foods. If we can have breakfast for dinner, why can't we have lunch or dinner for breakfast. You can always make yourself a wrap or sandwich the night before and take that with you as well. Or freeze breakfast burritos and just microwave them for a moment before you head out.

When I first started losing weight I would make a crock pot full of soup every weekend. All different kinds. Then I would have that at my office for breakfast and as a starter for my lunch. It helped keep me full, added veggies to my morning and I could control what I had vs grabbing something on the go.

If you enjoy eggs you can hard boil them, peel them and have them for a few days at a time. If it has to be grab and go then things like peanut butter crackers, higher protein or higher fiber granola bars are a good bet. They still have a good bit of carbs but it's offset some by the extra protein & fiber bonus. I've also been known to make an extra hamburger with dinner and eat it on the go in the morning or a piece of chicken. Again, I don't always stick to a traditional breakfast idea.

Recently, on Sundays, I've been eating turkey sausage on a Joseph's Oat, Flax & Wheat pita with sugar free apple butter. It's kind of my Sunday morning not so guilty pleasure breakfast. The pita is only 60 calories, two sausages are about 110 calories and the sugar free apple butter is about 10 calories. All pretty healthy ingredients and I can have my sandwich for under 200 calories. The pita has only 9 carbs, of which 2 grams are fiber, and 6 grams of protein.

You two seem to be doing well, congratulations!!! I am hanging in there too.....tomorrow I can slowly start back to normal.....yay!!! Won't be back at the gym until next Monday but I can do some stuff around here. I agree, we should all be thankful for where we are and how we live. I cannot imagine how horrible it is for those in Ukraine, breaks my heart. : (

Yesterday I, 1) stayed on target but was still able to have an amazing curry dinner. Yay! 2) told my family about my emergency, did not want to scare them too soon as my niece is moving to Germany and I wanted her settled before I worried them at all. So proud and happy for her, so finally I let them know. 3) did a fair amount in my home, cleaning, fixing stuff, brushing my hairy dogs, washing floors....etc. made me feel a little better as i have been out of commission for so long.

Keep up the good work! Not sure what happened to all the others who initially commented on this post, or even the lady who started the tread, but glad there are a few of us still here.

@DawnCumm The person who started the thread never posted anything else again and isn't an active user. I had looked in the beginning of January. Her loss. Our gain.

Welcome again Janene fellow Aquarian, you can call me Selene...happy early birthday to you, and I get it, my 60th is in a week. But I'm still in my 50's for that last week lol. Great you've found movement that works, and how lucky to never have to worry about car problems! All here are pretty active too. Dawn & Linny both go to the gym and do walks, I'm working on making a home gym, and try and do lots of functional fitness like snow-shoveling (about to go out now & do some), gardening and hiking during the warmer weather, and need to get my old, old, old stationary bike-chain fixed; I had been using it regularly when I last lost a lot of weight. I'm usually on in the late nights, but having a bathroom remodeled has shifted the whole household's hours, to some extent.