Women 200lb+, Let's Stay Motivated This March!!!

Omg....

It took me this long to figure out how to find my bookmark for this group!

So I am back

SW: 222

Goal weight: 170

Here we go again :)

I'm hosting a movie night tonight. I tend to host them about every 2 weeks unless things get too busy (April I'm only hosting it once). All my girlfriends come over and we potluck all the food. We pretend to watch the movie while doing a lot of talking and just enjoy each others company. The kids run upstairs or outside and my husband checks on them once in a while to make sure no one is killing each other. There are about 3 kids aged 5 to 7 and the rest are 10 to 13. So they can mostly watch each other. I have been stressing out because this will be the first one I've hosted since starting to wear the Dexcom. When I told a few friends that I was stressed they offered to bring some lower carb / sugar options. So not a bunch of noodles, rice, potatoes, and desserts. Part of me feels bad because I worry they are giving up stuff they wanted. The other half of me had to admit that I have an amazing tribe that is willing to help me through this hump and figuring out what I can and cannot do.

@kiteflyer105 I like your homework assignment. I've been struggling with an almost fear of eating since I started wearing a CGM last week. Watching the numbers go up and down has been causing anxiety for me. I had a friend essentially lay out the same type thing for me on Sunday. When she saw me and I was having a meltdown. She also said to really think about how far I've come. How much healthier than I was in the past, even if that past was 15 years ago. Not skinnier, not weight, not all the other numbers. Just how much healthier in an overall sense I am. What I can do physically or where my mental health is at too. Because it all ties together in the end.

pamperedlinny_Do you think broccoli slaw would be good in an egg roll in a bowl? Yours looked good. CupcakeCrusoe-Thank you for your kind words. I don't enjoy all the excess work. I have disordered eating, so does 50% of the population. I know how to unhealthfully lose weight, but I want to be healthier. When I was on Weight Watchers, I could lose 10 lbs a month. I can't currently walk 1.5 hours for 4x a week.

My larger goal is to have normal eating without all the diet culture noise in my head. I will get my emotional needs met in other ways, instead of numbing my feelings. I will have a notebook of tools and skills, I can use…Sometimes I feel weird for posting this, but I know someone can partially relate.

I think my hardest lesson to learn will be body neutrality. I am not pushing product. My therapist introduced these to me. I wish I would have known about these a long time ago.

I think the hardest part are the skills I needed to learn younger were stunted by my BED. NO time like the present. Lol.

https://www.amazon.com/Body-Positivity-Card-Deck-Appreciation/dp/1683732944

https://www.amazon.com/Making-Peace-Food-Card-Deck/dp/1683734483/ref%3Dpd_bxgy_thbs_d_sccl_1/147-5016161-7004442?pd_rd_w=fq70Q&content-id=amzn1.sym.dcf559c6-d374-405e-a13e-133e852d81e1&pf_rd_p=dcf559c6-d374-405e-a13e-133e852d81e1&pf_rd_r=JTE9R5MYPXWEETD1J6V5&pd_rd_wg=Mfkeo&pd_rd_r=6a7fcdcd-983c-46fb-afa7-b0eaf268a987&pd_rd_i=1683734483&psc=1

Eating Disorders are about everything else, but the food.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1589390441/dbt-bundle-dbt-worksheets-dbt-cheat?ref=search2_top_narrowing_intent_modules_top_rated-3&pro=1&logging_key=25358e4c9b01a73751906db68a78de8738a8b7fd%3A1589390441

Love the comments in this group. I'm new today. My goal is to lose 50 pounds and then rethink it. Since gaining weight, I have struggled taking it off (approximately 15 years). I'm 62 yo with a slow thyroid and gave up working out daily back then. I have tried meds for weight loss, weight watchers (I think is a great plan), weight loss clinics, etc. I would lose weight and then stop it and gain weight back. 🤨 I have decided to do a calories in/calories out method and move, move, move (at least four days a week for 30+ minutes each. I feel this is something that can be used throughout life. Motivation has picked up since my goal to lose weight, but in the past it has been very, very, low. 😥. I am hoping my goals will stay strong so I can have some success losing and keeping it off. Loving the warmer weather, able to get out and walk now. That's a great plus!

Thanks for this group!

Happy Thursday!

I live outside of Greenville, SC… between working, doing all the things, and watching the wildfires spread, it's been a long week already. Thankfully, I think we live far enough out that we won't be evacuated. However, my husband works a bit closer to that area (we live 30 or 40 miles from the fires at the moment) and he said his office smelled like smoke all day. That's really not great, especially as he works in a hospital complex. There was ash falling on downtown yesterday too. The wind is blowing the other direction today though, so not as bad today. Fingers crossed we get rain soon. It's disconcerting knowing people that are evacuated and seeing the haze in the sky, even from my neighborhood.

Last night was the first time I went out in a group and had to figure out what to eat without making a big fuss about it. I hate being the special order or the only one not eating or whatever in those situations. I don't mind asking for something instead of rice if there is an option for it already on the menu. I just don't want to cause a stir either. We went to a local brewery and food hall for book club and I asked the woman at the Thai-Viatnamese Fusian spot for lemongrass chicken and mixed vegetables. She told me the mixed vegetables was really a salad, not a stir fry, and was I sure. I told her I just needed to avoid the rice and virmacelli noodles because of some blood sugar issues. Immediately, she said I could get the bok choy and mushroom special, with the chicken, and instead of rice they could upcharge $2 for extra of the bok choy and mushroom stir fry. It was soooo good and she was so nice with making sure I understood what I was getting and how it would work for my needs without any sort of big deal. I will admit that entire venue is one of my favorite and everyone I've ever met working there is amazing. The owners are super sweet and only bring in great people. Still, it made my night to just be "normal" and not make an issue.

If you knew that I scanned all the menus for all the places before we went last night. 😂 I sooo wanted to hit up the loaded baked potato place or the Indian place. It was hard to be good, until it wasn't.

Tonight is my daughter's chorus concert. It's the big one they do with all the schools in her district putting their chorus groups together. She's in 5th grade, so this will be the last one like this she gets to do. I'm hoping she goes into the chorus program for middle school, but I don't know if they do the same all district performance when you move up. I think it's just the 3rd to 5th grades.

I'm trying to figure out a dinner plan since we're out the door within 40 minutes of when I get done working today. I should have started the crockpot this morning, but didn't think of it at the time.

@voni763 Welcome! Walking is always my first and go to exercise. I enjoy being at the gym or taking group aerobic classes when I have a friend or buddy. I hate going alone. But I will sometimes just put an audiobook or music on my headset and take off around my neighborhood.

@CupcakeCrusoe You just reminded me I have some frozen raw shrimp at home! My husband and daughter don't love shrimp, but I can always tell them to fend for themselves and throw something together for myself with shrimp.

@mrspuppyface that doesn't sound silly at all. I have had a ton of body dismorphia issues too. When I was really young I was always naturally thin. My mom was a bit obsessed with her weight too and that never helped me much with how I saw myself. Then my hormones went haywire and I put on 100 lbs inside a year without any real changes. By the time I was 20 I was almost 300 lbs. About 16 years ago I officially hit the 300 lb mark and really started working on myself. Since they I have been down to 191 lbs twice, but never stay there (my hormone disorder just makes it almost impossible). I've averaged being between 230 to 240 for 15-ish years though. When I look in the mirror I see that 300 lb person. When I buy clothes I'm still surprised I'm not grabbing a bigger size. It's really hard to see your true reflection when you expect to see the worst. I've been fighting it a long time.

Friday weigh in...

SW: 222 GW: 170

3/28/25 Weight: 220.4

Not feeling great lately physically so trying to sort things out. Mentally doing a bit better and trying to find some part time work. Retirement sounded wonderful but I think mentally, I need to do something social a few days a week. Fingers crossed!

@kristinwoods919 Way to go! Impressive :)

@mrspuppyface I can totally relate. Love your name by the way.

@CupcakeCrusoe You are doing great!

Have a great week everyone.

Morning all!

The school concert was great. I loved seeing all the kids and how big they are all getting. Most of them don't even look like kids anymore. I'm was not prepared to be seeing most of the 5th grade girls looking like teenagers already and most being between 5' to about 5'5" already. 😲 Were we all that grown when we were 10 or 11????

Tonight my daughter's friend is spending the night again since they have a volleyball game in the morning. They asked for spaghetti for dinner. Also, we usually celebrate chorus or strings concerts or big events with a trip to Sonic for a milkshake. We didn't go last night so that the girls could go tonight tonight. My sugar stayed around 170 to 180 all overnight and just for some reason hasn't gone down at all since about 8pm last night. (Both a blessing and a curse having the CGM.) I told my husband I'm not sure how to manage both pasta and ice cream within 2 or so hours of each other.

Our last trip to Sonic I was high for what seemed like hours with a random weird spike about 4 hours later too. He gave some suggestions that I'll probably take. The one good thing about venting to my husband about my diabetes is that he gets it. His mom and his aunt both had severe issues with theirs and he was their caregiver for years. His dad and uncle passed away and he was the oldest kid. So when his brothers grew up, got married, and moved on, he stayed home and dealt with all the appointments, medications, his aunt leg amputations, and all the rest.

Tomorrow is volleyball and then the fantasy book club is meeting at Taziki's Mediteranian Cafe. Since it's a chain with locations throughout the US, I can pull up the nutritional info and check the calories, carbs, sugars, etc. I'm thinking the Shrimp Feast plate and instead of the rice and salad with dressing I can swap out for grilled veggies and grilled asparagus. Then I'll still allow the pita side that comes with it for a smaller amount of carbs.

@ Mandi98U I’m sorry to hear about you struggling with Mounjaro. How long have you been on it? I keep hearing that this one, Ozempic, and other diabetic injections can cause stomach issues for up to the first 6 weeks until your body adjusts. Currently, I’m only on Glipizide pills daily. I know there is a chance if my sugars don’t start coming down that we might be looking at those type medications too.

@ rorymason Almost everyone I know that retired either ended up getting a part time job or starting a serious hobby that takes up some time and mental effort.

@ CupcakeCrusoe Dance Party at the gym sounds amazing!

Keri

71 years old

Challenge Starting Weight: 260 (May 2024), Pre-retirement weight 262 before May. UGW: 167 (healthy weight for a senior woman my height)

5'6" Tall

As to weight loss I am hovering in the mid 240s and keep losing the same 3-4 pounds. I am in my smaller aquafit suit since I am down to the weight I bought it at. I have to start the weight loss going again.

I do check-ins when I lose:2/27: 244.8 (low for February)

3/5: 245.

3/31: 245

*1 session a week of Aquafit (50 minutes) ✔️

*1 session per week - long walk (60 minutes) not every week

*4 sessions per week of 30 minute walks and 7 minute exercise for strength, stability and flexibility More like 2 per week and only 1 strength training session

*1 day of rest

March Goals:

🍀 get out of the 240s No

🍀 drink more water ✔️

🍀 keep sugar intake low ✔️

🍀 keep making healthy meals at home with only 1 day a week meal out ✔️ except for the last weeks

🍀 see exercise plan above No

🍀 increase general activity level with cooking, cleaning, gardening going to the basement once a day. Some improvement here

Above see my evaluation of the month. I actually did fine during my birthday week but then we had to do our taxes and they aren't simple. They are done but we ended up going out for dinner more. I logged and it wasn't the calories. It was just not making healthy meals at home. The meals out for my birthday were okay since they were nicer restaurants that make healthier meals. Last week I gained 5 lbs but as you can see as of today I lost that by mostly eating at home. I made this meal I made once before that was so yummy. It was lamb stroganoff with mushrooms and spinach.

The health highlight of the month is I found a great book on health that addresses diet. It is called the Whole Body Reset by Stephen Perrine and is written for those of us over 50. AARP published it. There has been a lot of good research in the last few years that really hasn't gotten widely disseminated related to what works for those who are older. I am just over half way through the book. Basically it says that older people need more protein since our bodies do not process it as well and fiber. We need to keep or improve our muscle mass so it addresses exercise as well. Some of what I am reading I have seen before but this is confirming the science and putting it in a way that helps one follow its recommendations. I knew I needed more protein but have struggled with getting more in my diet. I avoid beef and turkey because they have too much iron for me. My body doesn't slough off excess iron. I have red meat about once a week and as much fish that is safe relative to mercury. I read Outlive by Peter Attia last summer but I wanted more information on nutrition than he gives in his book so this book is addressing that and confirming my own research last year and early this year on nutrition. So I have been working on increasing protein and fiber in my diet. I was already working on fiber by upping fruits, vegetables and my carbs are whole carbs. I have also made sure I am getting healthy fats and staying away from processed foods and unhealthy fats. I have really gotten down to a minimum of refined sugar. What I need to do better on is exercise but I have improved that since I retired. I am just not where I want to be (see above).

I will be reading through some of your posts since I only post when I lose and I hadn't lost this month.

NIce to see @pamperedinny and some new faces.

@mmatchalatte nice accomplishment

@kiteflyer congrats on completing ED coaching sessions. Thanks for posting some of the helpful tools you learned.

@CupcakeCrusoe I identify with your story of the worse weigh in. I went up to 250 a few days ago after being out of them (the 250s) for months. However I was starting back down the next day. Phew. I am happy that you are getting back to what works for you. I too am accepting that I am back down to where I started the month at.

@kiteflyer I m not sure I know how to do unhealthy weight loss but I am into healthy weight loss too (I've only lost 20 lbs that way). I had a hard January and February too but I am sorry to hear about your depression. I am glad you are doing better this month. I am really working on my stamina too. I have more to do but am improving. It looks like you have a plan and better weather will help.

@pamperedinny I usually don’t stream. I am a reader. However this month I got stuck on a show and I was so glad when I finished it. I also saw a movie or 2 I had heard about. I am back to reading again. My youngest who is in a program for apprentice carpenters made me a raised planter. So I am going to start growing some herbs. They say if I pay for the lumber they will make me another which I plan to use for vegetables. I usually get too busy to plant each year but with being retired I am hoping things will work this time. I like the idea of knowing what is in your food. Nice that your tracking showed up in weight loss. I like the recipe you posted.

@kristinwoods what nice progress you are made this month.

@voni763 I believe that logging food and tracking calories works but calories in/calories out doesn’t work for me. I find it is what I am eating. I had the same calories a week ago but we had to eat out more than I’d like. I gained. I am eating the same calories and maybe more this week but healthier whole foods cooked at home and I lost the 5 lbs I gained the week before. It is important to have fruits and healthy fats in your diet and they help you lose along with protein, and vegetables and whole grains and carbs. Exercise is number one for health and longevity but it isn’t that helpful for weight loss. I am careful not to over count the calories out due to exercise. I do think general activity level is important too.

@mrspuppyface Thanks for your inspiring post.

@Mandi98U I have a friend who has Type 2 diabetes and needs hip surgery but she weighs too much and they wouldn’t put her on any medication to help until recently even though that is what these medications were for diabetes as opposed to weight loss. But it isn’t helping much with weight loss. Her Dr said for her to track on MFP and when I was helping her figure out how to log I think she is under eating calorie wise. The exercise will be good for you regardless of whether it helps you lose or not. You can sabotage your weight loss with undereating. I lost 20 lbs on MFP and then hit a long plateau in which I tried everything eating less, exercising more changing up things etc. What worked finally was eating more. I lost another 20 lbs by going slowly back to maintenance calories. I still lost weight and then after a rest of 2 weeks I went down to a more reasonable deficit with a lot more knowledge about how my body worked. But the economic downturn ended and I went back to fulltime work as a fulltime parent so the weight loss effort took a back seat.

@rorymason I retired last summer. I am not at the stage that I have a routine yet. I have a lot to do first. I am thinking about joining a walking group at the zoo more for the socializing and giving some structure to the week. I wish there were more part-time jobs that are interesting. I think it is ideal for parents. Fulltime work was killing me and that is why I retired. I am eating better and being more active. However I do miss some things about working.