umbramirror Member

@AnnPT77 Thanks for this. Definitely helpful! @kshama2001 I think I would have to wear a balaclava to be fine under 40, no joke. The rest of my body is fine, but my face gets so cold and bright red. It's actually ridiculous. What do you wear when you go hiking? Just out of curiosity. I love to go hiking and will do so very…

You're prrretty. <3 Edit: I will always need a partner in mischief, though it's an ongoing role that's difficult to fill properly. You up to the task?

Increase my lifts, build muscle, and drop body fat. I would like to ease into maintenance in 2020 and do a proper recomp. I also want to increase my NEAT and try to get in some more hikes and walks with my partner.

@shorepine that's awesome! That's a pretty darn good burn for at the desk activity. Killer. I could use some warming up too... it's pretty chilly in my office. I usually put on my sweater and keep my hands under my butt periodically to keep my fingers warm when I'm not typing but this would be a lot more efficient!…

Ah, totally forgot about that! I'm a marathon runner in that category. Gold medalist. *Dusts off shoulder.* I COULD wear more pants but I like wearing skirts sometimes. I'm just fancy like that. ;) lol I think they would allow an under desk cycle. I'm considering getting one actually since a previous poster mentioned it. I…

Thanks so much for this suggestion! I love it. I might get this actually! Very cool.

You're so very welcome. >:) <-- I don't mind being a "bad" good influence. ;) Whoa... how are you not sweating over there? We're at 36 today... I'll trade ya!

Same here... what a baby I am. EXCEPT just now, I decided to go take a walk anyway. Only 20 minutes and then I started getting very cold but better than nothing! It was kind of nice actually. I'm planning on maybe adding a short circuit of body weight exercises towards the later half of the day when I can't walk at all.

Lucky you! It would be so convenient if my workplace was near home. I also have an hour break so I do have a bit of time to get in some activity. I usually would walk around while talking to my partner on the phone. I sometimes consider walking out in the cold but then I take a step outside and I'm like... nope! I don't…

@hesn92, we do have an awkward spiral staircase that goes from the entrance to the top floor offices. But really, I have no reason to use it unfortunately. I was doing some push-ups in my office and then the boss walked by, which felt a little awkward but I guess I could do some things like that. :D That's an interesting…

I went through something very similar, except at 5'6". I set my original goal at 145 but as I reached that weight, my body seemed to want to keep losing and I was actually having trouble stopping at that point. It wasn't until I reached about 130, that I started to consider taking maintenance seriously. I lost another 5…

I completely agree! The peanut butter is delicious and creamy rather than dry like Reese's. Justin's I think even makes individually portioned cups but I haven't seen them in stores in my area. Anyway, yum!

I really had been wanting Reese's lately and decided to have a pack of Justin's dark chocolate peanut butter cups instead. I wouldn't say they're necessarily healthy, but they tasted more wholesome and I found that I actually prefer them!

I wonder the same thing as well. I don't understand how I am a 0 or even sometimes 00 in pants/jeans and an XS in tops, when at this size I was probably a 2-4 in high school, still wearing an XS top. I can barely find clothing that fits me now, with everything being too large. I'm lucky to find tops that fit me that I'm…

You look incredible! What a transformation, seriously! Also, I love that phone case. <3

Oh... I'm sorry to hear that you're not happy currently with your weight. Hey, but at least we're both back on track! :wink: Doesn't it feel great to know that each action you take towards your goal is bringing you one step closer there and not backwards? I love knowing that since I have gotten back on track, there is…

@GaleHawkins, I'm happy that you found a method that works for you! That must have taken some serious dedication and perseverance. I'm still experimenting with what constitutes a balance in life and I hope I can one day find as much comfort in that as you have. Thanks for the inspiration! @AnnPT77, You're right, I do know…

@ElizabethKalmbach, thank you again for the concern but I only felt those symptoms for a portion of one day following my last binge and they were not reoccuring. If they did last for quite some time, I would definitely see a doctor. Thank you again for your advice and supplied information. @cheryldumais, congratulations on…

@Keladelphia, thank you so much for sharing your story, it really resonated with me. It seems that we are both very familar with this binging and restricting cycle, unfortunately. I am so glad that you were able to "beat the cycle" (don't really like the phrasing I chose but I hope you'll get the point) and sucessfully…

I just wanted to quickly thank everyone that has responded so far. I haven't been able to respond to all of your wonderful, insightful messages because I have become a bit busy but I just wanted to stop in to tell you that I have read most of them and I appreciate every word. I will respond and thank you accordingly as…

@ElizabethKalmbach, thank you for asking but no, I don't actually have a physical illness, only this disordered thinking and eating that led to me overwhelming my body so much that I developed symptoms that mimic a physical illness. I will definitely keep track of this all. I can't see a doctor unless I really have to at…

Everyone's advice is so helpful. I'm finding it incredibly difficult to become comfortable with the idea of maintaining with the way I feel right now. Everything in me is telling me to restrict, to get back down to where I was. It's my mind and body's first reaction to bloat and heaviness, to try to compensate with…

I would like to do this, but since I haven't been truly successful with maintenance I don't know that my actual maintenance calories are. For a week or two, I did try 2100, and that seemed to be going fine, but I was also more active. Now, I have a desk job and the inactivity is difficult for me, even if I do for a walk…

Thank you to everyone who has responded. You have no idea how grateful I am to be reading all of this and how insightful it has been for me, as well as supportive. For just a bit of additional background if this helps someone in the future, is that while I have been having several days of binges, I haven't changed my…

Yesterday: Pre-workout snack: Homemade pumpkin spice protein bar with dark chocolate espresso drizzle Post-workout breakfast: Protein smoothie (Amazing Grass protein superfood powder, banana, pumpkin puree, peanut butter, 0% skyr, unsweetened soy milk, and pumpkin pie spice) Lunch: Chopped kale and spinach, grilled salmon,…

Name: Umbramirror Age: 29 Height: 5'6" Total weight lost: 110 lbs Time it took to lose: 15 months How long in maintenance: 2 months Maintenance weight range: 124-128 lbs Average weight recorded from 2018: 147 lbs Average weight recorded from January: 160 lbs Average weight recorded from February: 155.4 lbs Average weight…

I started off today with a Detour oatmeal bar (cookie dough) before my run, and followed up my run with a protein shake (ON extreme milk chocolate whey protein, banana, quark, PB2, instant espresso, and unsweetened soy milk). I want to start cutting out bars unless they're homemade (after I've finished my stash though :D ).

Homemade barley flatbread sounds awesome. I'd like to try to make some!

Pre-workout snack: Detour oatmeal bar (cookie dough) Post-workout breakfast: Protein smoothie (ON extreme milk chocolate whey protein, banana, quark, PB2, instant espresso, and unsweetened soy milk); coffee Lunch: Omega-3 kale salad with edamame, white balsamic grilled chicken with arugula and strawberries, raw red bell…

Pre-workout snack: Homemade pumpkin spice protein bar with dark chocolate espresso drizzle Post-workout breakfast: Protein smoothie (Amazing Grass vanilla protein superfood, nectarine slices, pumpkin puree, quark, peanut butter, pumpkin pie spice, and soy milk) Morning snack: 6 oz. matcha latte with soy milk Lunch: Spinach…