A one year commitment….

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  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    12/27/2023 - day 19
    Travel day - 7 hours in car
    Ate over goal but under maintenance.
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    Ate below maintenance but above plan
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,204 Member
    6m7rg4kkfv wrote: »
    Ate below maintenance but above plan

    You're doing a smart thing, knowing your maintenance number. As you know, anything under maintenance (even if over goal) is still an expected fat loss. Once you have 4-6 weeks of experience data (calorie intake, weight lost), you'll know whether the maintenance calorie estimate is valid for you or not, and can adjust if necessary.

    You're doing well so far, IMO. Keep up the goodness!
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    Thank you so much Anne - leaving tomorrow for a travel day, then my birthday and then new years and finally a clear road ahead of me 😀- I’m optimistic, and I feel that’s truly half the battle l!
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    Day travel day - kept to my plan in spite of 6 hours in the car. Just two more holiday challenges left before an extended calm period. I have a strong sense of optimism that this new year will be a very good one in meeting my health goals.
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    Ate above goal but below maintenance - I gave myself a little slack as I turned 54 today.
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    Day 23 - New Year’s Eve - my last over maintenance for a while…. I know the holidays haven’t been perfect, but better than if uncontrolled.
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    edited January 2
    Day 24 -
    Weighed in -209 lbs no change from last week. Also measured my waist. 44 inches…
    Not so bad considering the remainder of travel and celebrations.
    Food was below goal. Got some physical activity in my shop as well.
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    edited January 3
    1/2/24 - Day 25. A very good day. Food was under control. Well under goal.
    Went to the gym and took one of those boot camp workout classes.
    It was a little humbling, but fun and challenging.

    First day back in the office after my vacation and I really feel mentally strong, confident, in control and optimistic!

    So…so far so good for 2024….
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    1/3/24 - another strong day. Hit my calorie goals. A bit sore from the exercise class last night - I may just relax for the rest of the evening.
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    Rough day, but I hit my fitness goals. Hopefully the needle on either the scam or tape measure might move a little come Monday.
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    Day 28 - under goal. 😀. Starting not to feel those hunger spikes as much 👍
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    Day 29 - had a dinner / night out so I wound up eating very light for breakfast and lunch. I met my goals -again the intense hunger cravings are easing up - so is the chronic pain in my left foot which has been troubling me since November…
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    Day 30 - hard stay on track with the poor weather and and a lazy day … a bit of food temptation … got some woodworking done and spent some time with my older son when the weather broke a bit we went to the gym and did some laps in the pool and hot-tub to chase away the grey dreary snow / slush outside. Eating was as per plan.
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    Day 31 - weighed in … down 3.2 pounds from last week. Nice to see the weight come off - took a yoga class for the first time tonight- it was interesting but also showed me Joe much I need to work on flexibility, and yeah I could see my big old fat tire around my waist….this will shrink a little with each coming week 💪
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    Day 32 - met my goal today with the help of one of those ‘boot camp’ exercise classes. Feeling back in the grove in spite of a stress full work weekend. I do have two upcoming challenges this weekend - first on Friday my younger son’s birthday party. (Family party’s are always hard -but good ) then on Saturday I’m doing a road trip upstate with my older son helping him move back for the semester.. this involves 6 hours up , six hours back- a night in a hotel and lots of Eating out. I’ll do the best I can - feeling optimistic it will be ok … 😀
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    @CoffeeCastle - thank you VERY much.
    It’s probably a boring read most days but putting out in public both keeps me internally accountable (and commuted for the year!) and if sharing the real ups and downs proves a little useful to others then I am very pleased.

    Day 33.
    Not a great day fitness wise, but a good day over all.
    Had another lunch out with my older son as I am trying to squeeze in as much time with him as possible before he goes back to college this weekend. Also, due to some developmental stuff, he doesn’t have friends to hang out with he is back, plus I genuinely enjoy is company…. on the negative side I bend my own rules a little food wise when he is home, he loves trips to our local bakery (I have gone with him several times but have been good during this break )
    Ate above goal but below maintenance,
    What got me tonight was I didn’t get to exercise off the excess I needed to hit the goal. Got out of work too late for my preferred gym class. When I got home I was a little tired after dinner, just layed in the bed for a min to shut my eyes before changing out of my suit and onto my gym clothing .. well 3 hours later I woke up with a rumpled suit and the gym window closed…😳 I suppose it was my body saying I needed the sleep more than anything else!
  • henridw2095
    henridw2095 Posts: 1,179 Member
    Love your thread! You might enjoy this monthly group, many of us post daily narratives and I learned a lot from others. The social aspect keeps me coming back too. We have daily topics.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/145828-ultimate-accountability-challenge-january-2024
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    @henridw2095 Thank you! I just joined the a different group for now but will keep your suggestion in mind.
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    edited January 12
    Day 34 - food was at goal. The day was good. Work was uneventful, and I feel optimistic about the future. One of those fancy outdoor clothing catalogs came in the mail and I saw a new ski shell jacket that I have decided to get if I can fit into a true medium next season. I can already see it on… just time, work and will power.
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    Day 36 - did the 6 hour ride trailing / miles behind my older son to go back to school. Stayed back far enough so I couldn’t see his driving and told him to only call me if he needed me - to pretend he was doing the ride completely alone - the idea being a simulation of that, but in this case if he needed me I was still there and close this time…next time doesn’t need the extra space for stuff I’m confident he can do the ride solo - it’s a bit as it goes through NYC (2 major bridges and a tiny part of manhattan) then the craziness of all the roads in New Jersey once you get off the George Washington bridge… then a few hours of mountain roads… pretty… but ya gotta pay attention)

    We stopped for food and also just got back from dinner after setting up some stuff in his house - college rental houses are … well … an adventure…
    One interesting thing - after all that food yesterday, I did not feel very hungry at all for a good part of the day - usually I feel hungry regardless of what was eaten the day before - I think this is a good sign… also I noticed the habit (don’t want to call it pressure ) of eating when with someone else because they are. If I did the trip alone, I wouldn’t have stopped for food at all, but since I was him, when we did stop and was around all the food and I didn’t want him to eat alone… thus maybe a Pavlovian response ? But I got a little hungry and ate, Same with dinner - I just split an order of nachos… and I was fine.
    We will have breakfast tomorrow and I will drive back … then I expect a block or a few weeks without lots of parties or travel - I plan to use that as my diet ‘sprint’ or more realistically and extended period of reasonable consistency… but for now, I’m going to enjoy the last few hours with my older guy before his world gets really busy!

  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    Day 37 - did the 6 hour car ride back home.. it was a mixed bag as I partially enjoyed the solitude and looking forward to a better diet Rythm but at the same time already missing my older guy.

    One nice thing about long car rides it gives you time to think as the mountains pass by while I was listening to German metal music (please don’t judge, sometimes my mood calls for that 🤪)
    One thing that hit home is how soon my younger guy will finish high school … him an I are going to fly out to Arizona to look at a college for him… but the fact that in about 7 months he will also away hits home…

    Hey I didn’t eat my feelings about it, so I will take that win… Made acceptable food choices for being on the road, tomorrows weigh in will be interesting- I suspect my Friday indulgence and just ‘digested food retention’ due to traveling will result in a gain, but we will see…



    Also- it’s striking to see how bad a few hours of uncontrolled eating like I had on Friday can kill several days of 500 calorie deficits - all that cheese, and ice cream cake … thank god I didn’t pile any booze on - if there is one thing I feel I definitely got under control in the first 36 days was eliminating booze except for the very rare social occasion and then just one or two at the most… a glass of wine or rum drink with a dinner wasn’t so bad unto itself, it’s the fact it took out any drive to move / go to gym after and it also lowered the willpower to avoid sweets.. at the moment I think continuing dryish January after the month is over is a good idea…
  • CoffeeCastle
    CoffeeCastle Posts: 24 Member
    I’m doing the “kids are going to college soon” thing as well right now. Definitely emotional. I get that
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    edited January 16
    Day 38 - was off from work so spent some time in my shop. Started to cut few joints on the legs for my new workbench. Also decided to finally start the restoration of one of the handsaws hanging on my wall for the last 5 years - I looked up and said - that’s that… today is the day. The saw is at least 70 years old and probably closer to over 100.. got the rust off the sawplate, and now I’m in the middle of fixing handle.. trying keep the signs use while removing the signs of neglect… kinda like my own body restoration project 😉. It feels good to give something a second chance to do good work rather than being left to decay so much it turns into garbage (the body analogy continues ). Most important I am engaged is some physical activity… all that sanding, sawing and chiseling … keeps me off my backside, almost log worthy…

    Calorie wise food was ok, but the quality could have been better as I eating the last of the leftovers from my younger son’s party.

    Back to work tomorrow 😒
  • whimsy38
    whimsy38 Posts: 158 Member
    Hey! Wondering how you are doing?
  • 54ShadesOfBlue
    54ShadesOfBlue Posts: 262 Member
    @whimsy38 - Better today. The sun came up :-)
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,204 Member
    You're doing great. I like that you're sticking with your plans, but being realistic about modifications when needed to accommodate twists and turns in routine.

    Sticking with the process is the main factor in success, I think. An off day here or there is less of an issue, especially if - as you're doing - we think about why the off days were that way, accept it if it was worth it, and modify plans going forward if we think another solution would be better on another future day in similar circumstances. And then keep going.

    Keep thinking, keep experimenting, keep on keeping on: That's perfect. I'm predicting that you succeed. :flowerforyou:

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