Steps
7/24 6,001
7/25 8,071
7/26 4,716

@jessicakrall8 Great weekend my youngest son is in town until Tuesday from GA spending time he's helping paint our hallway and getting lots of golf in with my husband
I'll be a grandma any day now!!
Other than that cleaning laundry, etc

Pupowl wrote: »

I was planning to write a post about it earlier, so I guess I will do that now. This isn't aimed at anyone at all of course, just my personal feeling. I haven't really checked in with the group here because I don't feel it matters very much. There is little interaction going on in the group and I feel it has gotten worse since we lost the newsfeed. It started to feel like I was talking to myself and I didn't get much out of it. Writing a post every day takes time and I don't feel like putting that in anymore. I have been thinking about other ways to get some encouragement or something, but I am not really sure where to look for it. If I could afford it, I would go back to the gym. But life just keeps getting more expensive and I want to prioritize saving money for now.
I have started making tiny daily vlogs on a new youtube account I created as a way to 'journal' and in the hopes it would help keep me accountable since I am talking to the whole internet. Although nobody is watching them as of now, I do enjoy making them. Since it is just a few minutes of talking to the camera (I don't show my face), it doesn't take a lot of time. Hearing yourself back is really weird though.

I think part of the 'problem' is that I am on support and not weighing in for the group. It is possible I will go back to being more active here once get my groove back and I am back to weekly weigh ins, but for now, it just feels a little pointless. I might also just post some pictures instead of writing since that takes less time, but I am not sure yet. Anyway, I am still around and still reading posts every day, just quiet myself. Again, I am not 'blaming' anyone in the group for this. I understand we all have our own lives. This is just how I am feeling about it at the moment.

@pupowl I just thought things were slowing down because kids are out of school and everyone is busy with vacations and such...I try to answer back when I can, but my schedule has been wonky lately with our move to the new building where I work and dedication celebrations...Monday we have a ton of dignitaries from outside of the US coming from international headquarters, and locally we have the Governor of the state, mayor of the city, news crews, blah, blah, blah coming...so getting ready for that has taken a lot of my time and focus. Never, NEVER doubt your worth within this team...I for one LOVE reading your daily posts...especially your pictures and stories about Tinus...I'm sorry if you've felt slighted. Also, I agree about the weigh ins and I'm currently in the same boat. Trying to get my head on straight and get back to the work...taking it in baby steps...haven't faltered with my exercise, but nutrition has been my downfall...getting better though.

I saw all of that to say...if posting the links to your daily vlogs is easier and you want to share them...post the links...and those can be your daily posts...if it's not something you want to share with this group because it's for another source, then I get it...but don't even think no one is reading your posts and caring about them (and you)...I certainly do. I'll try to pay more attention...

Love you bunches and bunches like bananas!!!
Jessica

Angmarie28
Fridays
Prev weight-183.6
Current weight-187.6

Not sure what my weight is doing, ugh

angmarie28 wrote: »

7/19-9,322
7/20-10,712
7/21-12,678
7/22-14,617
7/23-12,682
7/24-12,963
7/25-10,751
7/26-11,546

Sorry i got behind. Been working everyday. Have had only 1 day off in 3 weeks.

@angmarie28
No worries...you've had a tough few months, so I was considering all of that before sending you a reminder. Thanks for catching up. My work schedule has been insane with all the recent move and changes...I'm looking forward to a week off at the end of Aug...it can't come soon enough, so I can relate. Hang in there!!
Jessica

jessicakrall8 wrote: »

@pupowl I just thought things were slowing down because kids are out of school and everyone is busy with vacations and such...I try to answer back when I can, but my schedule has been wonky lately with our move to the new building where I work and dedication celebrations...Monday we have a ton of dignitaries from outside of the US coming from international headquarters, and locally we have the Governor of the state, mayor of the city, news crews, blah, blah, blah coming...so getting ready for that has taken a lot of my time and focus. Never, NEVER doubt your worth within this team...I for one LOVE reading your daily posts...especially your pictures and stories about Tinus...I'm sorry if you've felt slighted. Also, I agree about the weigh ins and I'm currently in the same boat. Trying to get my head on straight and get back to the work...taking it in baby steps...haven't faltered with my exercise, but nutrition has been my downfall...getting better though.

I saw all of that to say...if posting the links to your daily vlogs is easier and you want to share them...post the links...and those can be your daily posts...if it's not something you want to share with this group because it's for another source, then I get it...but don't even think no one is reading your posts and caring about them (and you)...I certainly do. I'll try to pay more attention...

Love you bunches and bunches like bananas!!!
Jessica

@jessicakrall8 It is also possible that is why it has gotten quiet. Though we did lose a bunch of people after the newsfeed went away. Anyway, I don't want anyone to feel bad for not replying or something, that is not why I made my post. I just wanted to explain why I have been quiet lately and this is simply how I am feeling at the moment. Nobody is doing anything wrong and I don't feel slighted. We all use the group in different ways and that is totally fine! Maybe I am just in a bit of a slump right now and I will be back to posting in a little bit, I guess we will see. I hope things will quiet down at work for you soon and that we can both get back on track with our food. I will think about what I want to share here, the videos feel very cringe, lol. Thank you for the nice words.
@frankwbrown Thank you, I appreciate it! Please don't feel pressured to reply. As I said above, there is no wrong way to use this group. Just do what you are comfortable with.

Good morning all! I know that I haven't participated as much as I would like, with the house problem and my MIL passing away it feels like I've spent the last two months in the car. 😞 It's been all I could do some days to post my steps. With all of the traveling, eating poorly and not exercising I've gained almost 10 pounds since early June. Hoping to get back into a groove starting tomorrow. Yes, I am driving again today. 😕

Like the others I enjoy reading your posts. I rarely reply from my phone (old eyes and fat fingers) so typically only post during the week when I'm at my desk.

I wouldn't have thought the news feed change would affect the forum participation. 🤷‍♀️ I rarely went to the feed because it was another place I had to click on. I'm already in 3 groups here so just go to those groups. I guess I am in the minority there Not surprised. 😂

Anywho, long winded way of saying that your posts are read and appreciated, especially when we don't have a chance to post ourselves. I think groups like these sort of ebb and flow with people coming and going. We appreciate you @Pupowl and @jessicakrall8 being our anchors. 💕

Congratulations on leading the Shape Shifter team this week @Krysless2, @cre804, and @frankwbrown! At a time when the overall F2F group gained weight, you all managed to represent us in the winning categories — lost pounds, percentage of body weight, honorable mention, etc. — Keep up the good work!

Hi Shape Shifters! I’m back from my camping trip and appreciate everyone reflecting on what we can contribute and get out of this community forum space. I didn’t use the news feed very often because it felt limited to me. Most people just seemed to post superficial comments like — “way to go” or “good burn.” Maybe I wasn’t creative enough to come up with quick motivating comments, but I feel more connected to this group when there is an active core of people sharing ideas, triumphs, and tribulation. I agree that there’s been less interaction lately, with most updates documenting steps or weigh in reports.

So, I welcome the opportunity for self-reflection and ideas for reinvigorating the group.

We don’t really need the MFP staff to provide another forum if we shape the community and interaction to meet our needs. In fact, I like having one less place I feel obligated to visit in order to support MFP friends/ members. I think this space can be anything we decide to make it.

What can we do to make this space more enjoyable, motivating, or [fill in the blank here about what would better fulfill your vision or need]?

When I was one of the team motivators, I posed some questions to the group. I’ll try to dig up those responses so we can see if they still resonate with the current Shape Shifters. The group definitely changes over time as people meet their goal or leave for other reasons. Thanks to everyone who is reflecting on what we each bring to the group, and what we value about it. For me, it’s a way to intentionally spend some time thinking about my vision of the person I want to be in terms of nutrition and daily movement.

I used to look at my weekly tracking data once a week and check my progress toward my goals. So, I’d like to revisit that habit again to see if it helps. This year, I set goals for each of the 8 dimensions of wellness. As a result, I’ve been concentrating on other areas of my life I want to improve and it’s interfered with my physical health goals, which I reflect on here. I set up separate calls with a friend and another person I met through an alumni network for accountability in the area of my financial wellbeing. I also joined a class for entrepreneurs since it’s been a real learning curve for me to move from public service and non-profit work to establishing my own consulting business. I’m not sure if it’s the right path for me because I have trouble with business development and asking for money, but those skills are absolutely necessary for spreading the work I really believe in for making a positive difference in the lives of children, families, and communities.

Anyway, I know we all have competing interests, commitments, and obligations that require our time and attention. So, I try to keep my comments here focused on physical health, nutrition, and exercise. Is anyone interested in the other struggles I face exploring and shaping my identity now that my children are adults and nobody wants to hire a 58 year old woman despite feeling I have a lot of experiences to contribute? If so, I have plenty of jumbled thoughts and insecurities I’m working through 🙃 but the topics aren’t really on point for this forum — as many of us chase that elusive life balance!

To continue on with the conversation, I'm sorry I haven't been more engaged as the Team Motivator
So as we come to the end of July, that means August is the last month of the 3rd Quarter and that much closer to the end of 2024
How are you doing with the goals you have set? Do you set new goals every month? Or do you continue with the ones you are working on?
Here's an article on Setting Goals

https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-set-goals-and-achieve-them

Let us know what you do to keep going, give your goals a refresh and where you are with them

jessicakrall8 wrote: »

looneycatblue wrote: »

I purchased Daisy brand 2% Cottage Cheese from Costco, good price... however I can't stomach the texture, seems as if they added some sour cream to it... just too creamy. I love Knudson's with chopped cucumber, salt & pepper for lunch... but this one just doesn't work for me.

I don't want to waste it. Does anyone have any ideas what I can make with it? I saw a cheesecake recipe that sounds good... but I am hoping for something more calorie friendly

@looneycatblue You can use cottage cheese instead of ricotta in lasagna, either with meat or veggies...hope this helps. Only thing I could think of...
Jess

I ended up making the cheesecake, it was egh... might have been better if I had used granulated sugar as it called for, thought I had some but was out and substituted powdered sugar... I still have 1.5 cups left to use up, might try making a smoothy with it.