Well Trained Bodies - 2/26/17

[Granny_Weatherwax]

It's the beginning of a new week. How is it going? I've had some ups and downs but I keep moving. 

 

I struggle with comfort food. Actually it's not really food because my main comfort items are chai and hot chocolate. I simply love my warm beverages. Chai is what gets me going in the morning. It's what I crave when I am stressed (there's nothing like absorbing the warmth of a hot mug and inhaling the aroma of cardamom and vanilla). At night I reach for a mug of cocoa (I recently discovered a new brand at The Fresh Market; it is delicious). Yesterday, after I won my first 4.0 USTA tennis match, I headed to Panera for a chai for the hour drive home because, yes, chai is my treat for when I do something well.

 

I have tried substituting a variety of herbal teas but they just don't give me the same feeling of comfort. I end up doctoring it with so much sugar or honey that I should have just had chai. I can go without chai and I have done chai free challenges just to make sure I am in control and it's not a bonified addiction.

 

I designed a cup that reads "If at first you don't succeed, chai, chai again." Yeah, so much for that no addiction thing.

 

I know the chai provides lots of empty calories and I'm drinking my extra weight. When I make chai at home, which is the usual, I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk (30 cals a cup) and the lightly sweetened Organic Chai  (no artificial sweeteners) from Oregon Trail. When I'm out and about it's whatever the local coffee shop has on hand with either almond/hemp/coconut milk.

 

--

This week my goals are to keep getting to the Y and working on strength training. I'm up to 10 pushups on a 45 degree incline. I can feel my back and shoulders getting stronger but not at the pace I would like. I'm getting out what I put in, though, so there is no one or nothing to blame. I'm going to pull back on my cardio (treadmill, stairclimber, stationary bike) and make sure I go to the other side of the Y and use the free weights and machines.

 

What are your goals? Do you have any stumbling blocks? Do you have any triumphs to celebrate?

Edited February 26, 2017 by Scoutermom

[OneStepAtATime]

O.k. I'm back.

 

I understand the issue with needing warm beverages and liquid addictions. I was doing Hazelnut cappuccino in the morning and chai at noon plus herbal teas and Irish breakfast tea (with loads of milk) and English breakfast tea (with loads of milk) and green tea at various times of day and regular coffee with milk.  Plus glasses of milk.  Milk is my weakness.  I love milk.  I could scarf a gallon of the stuff in a day (but I don't).  When I am at the store, I buy one gallon for the rest of the family and one gallon for me or they would hardly get any.  Yeah, I definitely was drinking a lot of my calories.

 

This week my goals are to slowly get started on daily exercise again.  I stopped when I got sick.  And hopefully sleep better.

 

I've still been doing well with my original goal of cutting down on caffeine.  Only one cup of tea and one cup of either coffee or cappuccino or chai per day instead of bunches.

Edited February 26, 2017 by OneStepAtATime

[Soror]

Scoutermom- if the Chai at home just uses unsweet milk I would indulge all you want, do you even use a full cup for that? Even if you did you could drink 3 cups a day for right under 100 cal, that seems like a low-cost guilty pleasure to me. Now, if you are heading to hit chai when you go out I'd watch that as i bet those are super high in cal and sugar, I'd not want to do that maybe more than once a week. YMMV.  Great job on the push-ups, it is hard building upper body strength!

 

(I do my chai w/ about a tsp of honey and 1/3 cup. unsweet almond milk, which brings it to about 30 cal, I don't feel guilty about that)

 

My goals here are mostly to keep on, keeping on. Food has been good, I've really been enjoying yoga and lots of walking. I've been slacking on strength work, with so much of my time and brain power going towards yoga it is hard to keep my focus on anything else. Of course, I do some strength work in yoga but it has been light lightly. Walking is just required to me, good for the body and mind and it is great for the kids too. 

 

Anyway, this week's goals- 

- hit at least 1 yoga class through the week

-do yoga at home 3x+

-walk 4+ (ideal is every day but life happens, we'll see)

-continuing tracking food- food goals- auto-immune paleoish but an eye towards making sure I don't drop too low carb, getting in plenty of produce & water

-bodyweight strength training 1x

Edited February 26, 2017 by soror

[DawnM]

Stumbling block:

 

My knees hurt.  Not sure what to do about that.  do I push through?  DH says maybe instead of the treadmill I should do the ski machine.  

[wintermom]

I used to get ice caps and stuff like that at coffee shops, but then I looked at the actual content and calories, together with the money I was wasting, and my motivation for them dropped to zero.  I can make a much more healthy drink at home for way cheaper and not drink down my money and empty calories.  FYI, chai tea latte is especially high in calories. I didn't know that. No wonder they taste so good. ;)

 

https://globalassets.starbucks.com/assets/94fbcc2ab1e24359850fa1870fc988bc.pdf

 

Edited February 26, 2017 by wintermom

[Greta]

Stumbling block:

 

My knees hurt.  Not sure what to do about that.  do I push through?  DH says maybe instead of the treadmill I should do the ski machine.  

 

 

It is so hard to know when to push through and when to back off.  For me, it's ankles instead of knees, but the same question remains.  Variety is always good, so I'd say maybe mix in some ski machine, some elliptical, some AMT, or whatever equipment you have access to that is lower impact, and see how it goes.

 

My knees did protest a bit when I started lifting weights (squats).  But I pushed through on that one, and they got stronger and they don't hurt me at all now.  But with cardio, it's different.  So many more reps, and more impact of your legs hitting the ground.  So I play it safer on cardio.  

[Granny_Weatherwax]

My chai is mostly at home and it averages about 80 cals a cup. Going out for chai is a treat, although I did have two this week. One after paying off our car and the other after my tennis win. I know I have to be careful with coffee shop chai. Those cups can be 300+ cals.

 

DawnM - I would back off the treadmill for a while and find another activity. My DH's chiropractor told DH that using the treadmill is the worst exercise possible. The rotation of the tread is unnatural and distorts the natural motion of the human body. This guy believes that the stairclimber is the best machine to use if a machine is the only option. The preference is using the real outdoors for running, especially hills and valleys. If a treadmill must be used it not be used at speeds greater than 4.0 mph or the maximum walking pace of the user.

[Greta]

Scoutermom, I'm very much addicted to my coffee in the morning and my iced tea at lunch, so I understand the importance of "comfort beverages"!  

 

 

 

What are your goals? Do you have any stumbling blocks? Do you have any triumphs to celebrate?

 

 

My goal last week was to get back into my normal routine of an hour of exercise every day (after being sick and missing two weeks).  That didn't exactly happen (only got in three and a half hours for the week), so this week my goal is, you guessed it, to get back into my normal routine of an hour of exercise every day.   :001_smile: 

 

I definitely lost some ground by being sick for so long.  Just prior to getting sick I had reached a new personal best on the leg press:  200 pounds.  At my workout on Friday I was barely able to do 160.  So I'm hoping to get caught up quickly, but I don't know how well that will go.

 

I'm also adding a new goal (which I mentioned in the previous thread) of getting 10 servings of fruits and veggies every day.  I've put on a couple of pounds in recent weeks, so I'm hoping that will help take them off again (the idea being:  more fruits and veg, less grains and starch).  Hmmm, maybe I should reword that:  the goal is to get back to my previous weight and to be as healthy as reasonably possible, the plan for doing so is to eat more veggies and less bread.

 

No triumphs to celebrate currently, but I'm hoping that will change by the end of the week!  

[Garga]

Working on three fronts:  

 

Exercise: Walk on the treadmill a few extra times a week and at a greater incline.

 

Eating:  Adding protein to my breakfast.  I don't have the willpower to get rid of the stash of chocolate I have, but once it's gone, I won't replace it.

 

Sleep:  Get to bed by 11 for now, though my ultimate goal is 10.

 

 

 

 

[Garga]

My chai is mostly at home and it averages about 80 cals a cup. Going out for chai is a treat, although I did have two this week. One after paying off our car and the other after my tennis win. I know I have to be careful with coffee shop chai. Those cups can be 300+ cals.

 

DawnM - I would back off the treadmill for a while and find another activity. My DH's chiropractor told DH that using the treadmill is the worst exercise possible. The rotation of the tread is unnatural and distorts the natural motion of the human body. This guy believes that the stairclimber is the best machine to use if a machine is the only option. The preference is using the real outdoors for running, especially hills and valleys. If a treadmill must be used it not be used at speeds greater than 4.0 mph or the maximum walking pace of the user.

 

 

Drat!  Well, I use it for 3 mph or less, so maybe I'm ok.  It's just either too hot or too cold or too pollen-y to be outside.  Plus I have to be fully dressed and have my keys and a phone and keep a sharp eye on my surroundings so I feel safe.

 

So much easier to pop on some running shoes and hop on the treadmill at any time of day.

[Greta]

Drat!  Well, I use it for 3 mph or less, so maybe I'm ok.  It's just either too hot or too cold or too pollen-y to be outside.  Plus I have to be fully dressed and have my keys and a phone and keep a sharp eye on my surroundings so I feel safe.

 

So much easier to pop on some running shoes and hop on the treadmill at any time of day.

 

 

Where I live it is far too hot to exercise outside for much of the year -- and during the short cool season, the junipers are in bloom, so there's that pollen-y problem here too!  So if it weren't for cardio machines in air-conditioned buildings, I'd be in trouble!  :D

[Greta]

Trying to get back into running, with the goal of just a mile a week to start, because of my irritable ankle.  Today was only my second attempt.  Last time, I ran one mile and my ankle felt uncomfortable but not painful.  Today, again only one mile, but my ankle felt better.  Yay!  (Oh, and I also walk two miles each time:  walk half a mile on sidewalks to the open space area which is just perfect for a warm-up, then run one mile uphill on dirt trails, walk one mile back down, walk half mile back home.)

[Carrie12345]

It's Daytona Day.  Dh bought tons of junk food.  Instead of gorging or depriving, I made my own carefully measured serving of nachos, lol.  That counts, right?!?

[Granny_Weatherwax]

One and a half hours walking through the woods, crossing logs, and having fun.

[SparklyUnicorn]

did not make it to the gym this weekend...I have a nasty sore throat and my body hurts so....

 

just hoping none of this gets worse because I have too much to do this week

 

 

[Laurie4b]

Stumbling block:

 

My knees hurt.  Not sure what to do about that.  do I push through?  DH says maybe instead of the treadmill I should do the ski machine.  

 

I would not "push through" joint pain when you don't know what it is. Pain is an indication that something is wrong.  I am a big proponent of seeing an ortho for hurting joints! Around here, you can get an appointment for a new injury/problem in a day or two. It's a risk/cost benefit type of thing. If you have an actual problem in your joint and you make it worse by "pushing through" then you could end up sidelined for quite a long time. If it is something relatively easily fixed (many joint issues are if you catch them early), you'll be on your way to a stronger self. (PT referrals are great for getting a good routine set up.) 

 

 

One of the most common causes of knee pain in women is disproportionately strong quads compared to hamstrings and the muscles on the sides of the thigh. The quads pull on the knee cap too much and aren't countered by the other muscles. That has an easy fix if you catch it early in just adding exercises that strengthen the other muscles. 

[Laurie4b]

Joining in for the first time.

 

Sunday is a rest day for me. 

 

Starting last Oct, my weight started to creep back up after a 60 pound weight loss that I've kept up for a few years. I got up to 8 pounds above what had become my new lower set point. So I am working on bringing that back down. Currently at +6.

 

My goals:

Log my food and shoot for 9-10 servings of fruits/veges per day.

Make sure the kids put any of my trigger foods that they bring into the house some place where I don't see them as soon as I walk in the kitchen. (I don't buy them, but the kids (older teens) do. 

Aerobic something or other (typically hikes or Zumba) 1 hour 4x. The weather is supposed to be nice so that will be pretty easy to do. 

Strength training 3x Tu, Th, Sat. I am trying to increase the number of push-ups I can do. I worked a year to be able to do 1 full one, but have plateaued at about 3. 

Edited February 26, 2017 by Laurie4b

[2ndGenHomeschooler]

After I posted last night about my successful week I went and finished the ice cream. 🙄 Why did I do that? Fortunately, there wasn't much left - maybe a serving. That's my sister's strategy. She doesn't eat the junky snack foods she loves until they're almost gone. That way she can't go overboard.

 

Today is a rest day for me but I have been thinking through my plan for next week. I weighed myself today and did all my measurements so that I can track my progress over the next month. I haven't lost any weight in 3 weeks now which is frustrating. I haven't taken any measurements so far this year but I was pleased to see that they were all about the same as after my first Whole30 a year and a half ago and the other low numbers I had recorded over the past few years. I expected them to be higher. I weighed about 5 pounds less though when I had those lower measurements. Not sure what's up with that? Maybe I've added muscle? At any rate it confirms that I need to track my progress with measurements and not just weight.

 

My diet goals are basically the same. Eat lots of vegetables and protein, stay away from processed foods and added sugar, drink a bunch of water. I like the idea of 10 servings of fruits/vegetables a day. That seems like a lot though. Do you count beans/legumes as a vegetable or is that it's own thing? What do you consider a serving?

 

Tonight I tried to make myself a chicken and rice soup with the chicken stock I'd just made and the leftover brown rice in the fridge. I sautéed my veggies and added them to the broth and then dumped in the leftover rice. As I dumped it in I realized it smelled awful. I guess it had been in the fridge longer than I thought. I was looking forward to that soup too. At least I hadn't added the chicken yet. I made a chicken salad with it instead and stuffed it in a bell pepper. It was good but I wish I hadn't ruined the soup with bad rice. 😒

 

For exercise I'm changing things up and going to some Beachbody workouts we have. I'm going to alternate days of Insanity and RevAbs. Insanity is HIIT and RevAbs uses weights so I think they'll mix well. I'm going to look at their schedules tonight and see if I need to adjust the order at all. I've done Insanity once before and I've done most of RevAbs. They're much tougher workouts than what I've been doing. I want to do them but I'm a little scared too. I know I'll be pretty sore the first week at least. Also, last time I did Insanity I was ravenously hungry constantly. I didn't end up losing any weight (although my strength, endurance, and flexibility improved significantly) because I ate constantly - and not great stuff either. This time around I know more about healthy eating so hopefully I can do better with that.

Edited February 27, 2017 by 2ndgenhomeschooler

[lynn]

Sunday: bbod t25 cardio core and 5mile walk

Monday: BBOD Chalean extreme lean circuit 2 and T25 beta 2.0

Tuesday: t25. Beta Rip't circuit

Wednesday: t25 dynamic core and 5 mile run/walk

Thursday: T25 upper focus and 5mile run/walk

Friday: no excuse just lazy

Saturday: everyone home on the internet bbod kept stopping to load so I did Bob harper kettle bell inside out

Edited March 4, 2017 by lynn

[Greta]

I like the idea of 10 servings of fruits/vegetables a day. That seems like a lot though. Do you count beans/legumes as a vegetable or is that it's own thing? What do you consider a serving?

 

I've been asking myself the same questions! I think that I am going to count beans/legumes. I don't eat massive amounts of them, because my body can only seem to handle them in small quantities. But they contain folate and magnesium and other good stuff, so they are beneficial.

 

When I did this before, I didn't measure serving sizes really precisely, but kind of eyeballed it. A piece of medium sized fruit like an apple, peach, or orange, would count as one. Smaller things like berries and grapes, about a handful. Most veggies I would count about half a cup as a serving, except leafy greens, more like a cup on those. I wanted to keep it quick and easy, so I just guesstimated serving sizes, and made little tick marks on my calendar.

[2ndGenHomeschooler]

I've been asking myself the same questions! I think that I am going to count beans/legumes. I don't eat massive amounts of them, because my body can only seem to handle them in small quantities. But they contain folate and magnesium and other good stuff, so they are beneficial.

 

When I did this before, I didn't measure serving sizes really precisely, but kind of eyeballed it. A piece of medium sized fruit like an apple, peach, or orange, would count as one. Smaller things like berries and grapes, about a handful. Most veggies I would count about half a cup as a serving, except leafy greens, more like a cup on those. I wanted to keep it quick and easy, so I just guesstimated serving sizes, and made little tick marks on my calendar.

Ok. That makes sense and seems doable. That would put me somewhere around 8-10 servings today. I'll make that a goal for this week too.

[Soror]

hourish of yoga this morning, walk sometime with the kids today, maybe yoga class tonight(not sure on our schedule it is Scouts night), maybe some bodyweight stuff

 

We'll just have to see how the day goes with school and everything.

 

I took it pretty easy yesterday, did a bit of yoga in the morning. The kids wanted to go on another adventure but after 3 days in a row of big adventures, I needed a day off. Of course, there was cooking and cleaning, then I took 2 of the kids shopping. I found a couple of new workout shirts(at Goodwill from Target) :) Not that I really need any but I'm getting a bit tired of the ones I have and my extra weight right now has expanded my chest giving me massive cleavage in a lot of my tops, not so good when you are up front teaching, especially with kids!!!

 

I readjusted my med schedule yesterday as I had tweaked it after my last increase and I was having some issues with fatigues at different times, I don't know if it was tweaking the timing of the dosage or I just needed a day off but yesterday was better and I woke up this am feeling pretty good. I will be upping my meds today, I am upping every 5 days until I get back up to a certain level then I will be retesting to see how my numbers are, that will be in about 2 wks. I was really off on my last tests so I doubt I will be back to where i need to be but hopefully getting closer.

Joining in for the first time.

 

Sunday is a rest day for me. 

 

Starting last Oct, my weight started to creep back up after a 60 pound weight loss that I've kept up for a few years. I got up to 8 pounds above what had become my new lower set point. So I am working on bringing that back down. Currently at +6.

:

 

We are in a similiar boat, my fall weight gain was from illness and a wonky thyroid. I'm at +8 now. 

I've been asking myself the same questions! I think that I am going to count beans/legumes. I don't eat massive amounts of them, because my body can only seem to handle them in small quantities. But they contain folate and magnesium and other good stuff, so they are beneficial.

When I did this before, I didn't measure serving sizes really precisely, but kind of eyeballed it. A piece of medium sized fruit like an apple, peach, or orange, would count as one. Smaller things like berries and grapes, about a handful. Most veggies I would count about half a cup as a serving, except leafy greens, more like a cup on those. I wanted to keep it quick and easy, so I just guesstimated serving sizes, and made little tick marks on my calendar.

That is how i count too, I think those are standard serving sizes.

 

After I posted last night about my successful week I went and finished the ice cream. 🙄 Why did I do that? Fortunately, there wasn't much left - maybe a serving. That's my sister's strategy. She doesn't eat the junky snack foods she loves until they're almost gone. That way she can't go overboard.
 

 I do that sometimes too. I make the family cinnamon rolls from time to time but usually don't eat them(maybe a coupe of times a year). If I do I wait until they have been served and had seconds before I get any. I think that is fin

Edited February 27, 2017 by soror

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I made it to the Y this morning. 35 mins cardio (even though I said I wouldn't), I also did strength training - Lat pulldowns, low rows, assisted pull ups, military barbell press (went up from 30# to 40#), rotary torso, and back extensions.

 

For breakfast I had egg whites with mushrooms and a bit of cheddar cheese and a 1/4c cottage cheese with a couple tablespoons of organic natural jam. Of course, I had my cup of chai.

 

For lunch I'm taking a large pink lady apple and a cutie.

 

I haven't planned dinner yet but I'm leaning toward some kind of salad.

 

I'm also planning on walking my dog this afternoon.

 

There's my plan. Let's hope I can stick to it.

[Greta]

Well, I stupidly forgot to set my alarm last night (and my hubby is too nice to wake me up - he knows that if I'm sleeping late there's a good chance that it's because I have a terrible migraine, so he lets me sleep) so we had to kind of rush through our weight workout this morning, and I didn't quite get a full body workout in.  I did do:  squats, romanian dead lifts, pec flys, overhead shoulder press, and biceps curls.  So not too bad!  Theoretically I should go back to the gym later today with my daughter, so maybe I can get in some back and triceps work then.

[wintermom]

I went cross-country skiing with my 2 youngest boys and our homeschool skiing friends up into the nearby "mountains" where the snow was still good. It was amazing! The scenery was spectacular, the sun was shining, and the snow was excellent. We only had time for 1 hr of skiing, but it was wonderful. We did a combination of skate-skiing and classic technique. There were a lot of hills, so it was an excellent work-out going up and loads of fun going down.  :D

 

I can testify to the fact that skate skiing is excellent for developing a strong, tight butt.  :laugh:  I've never been this toned in this region before. 

[BooksandBoys]

I went cross-country skiing with my 2 youngest boys and our homeschool skiing friends up into the nearby "mountains" where the snow was still good. It was amazing! The scenery was spectacular, the sun was shining, and the snow was excellent. We only had time for 1 hr of skiing, but it was wonderful. We did a combination of skate-skiing and classic technique. There were a lot of hills, so it was an excellent work-out going up and loads of fun going down. :D

 

I can testify to the fact that skate skiing is excellent for developing a strong, tight butt. :laugh: I've never been this toned in this region before.

Wintermom, your posts make me feel so wistful.

 

I ran three miles today and ate on plan, but I'm having some strange stomach pain that's very annoying!

[Laurie4b]

Been logging food today. Am up to 4 -5 servings of fruits/veges, so will need a lot at dinner!  ETA: Got in 10. 

 

Just got home from an hour of walking & jogging. I do it in HIIT fashion after warming up, so jog a minute, walk 30 sec or so, etc. Did 20 min of jogging, which was my goal. 

ETA: added planking

 

Edited February 28, 2017 by Laurie4b

[rainbowmama]

I walked 6.5 miles today. I still hope to get yoga done today, but I feel so exhausted. However, when I get my yoga done, I feel less sore at night and sleep better. Skipping makes it just that less likely that I'll do it tomorrow. But oh, how I want to just collapse after I get the kids to bed tonight!

[wintermom]

Wintermom, your posts make me feel so wistful.

 

 

 

Just wait for the -20 degrees threads I may post if the temps drop to their normal range. That wistfulness will turn to thankfulness you live in a warmer place! ;)

[Laurie4b]

I walked 6.5 miles today. I still hope to get yoga done today, but I feel so exhausted. However, when I get my yoga done, I feel less sore at night and sleep better. Skipping makes it just that less likely that I'll do it tomorrow. But oh, how I want to just collapse after I get the kids to bed tonight!

 

Congrats on the long walk! How long does it take you to walk that far? 

 

I don't know if this will work for you, but I have found that consistency with doing *something* is better than the all or nothing approach I had had previously. For instance, if I couldn't do my whole strength routine, I used to do nothing. Now I will do a portion of it, if only a small portion. It kind of keeps my "foot in the door" or something ;)  and I end up much more consistent in the long run. 

[Soror]

Walk with the kids in the afternoon. It was pretty laid back, nothing too intense, Found a tree to climb and ended up hung up by my shirt but I managed to unhook it without landing on my head. 

Yoga class in the evening.

 

Today I woke up a touch early and didn't go back to sleep so I didn't feel like getting going. The weather is supposed to be fabulous so I hope to get a nice walk in.

 

I am not sure if I am tracking my food today, it is Mardi Gras so I will be splurging some. I will eat some cookies at poetry time and I'm trying to think of something special to make for supper. Tomorrow is fasting.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I have one word to describe this morning ...fudge.

 

I weighed in and those 4 precious pounds that took 6 weeks to lose are back. I couldn't believe it.

 

I cannot tell you how sad, disappointed, and depressed I am. I have worked out 41/44 days. I have tracked my food/cal intake 36/44 days. I know I am not overeating to the extent that I would have gained 4 freaking pounds. On average I am eating about 1600 cals a day. That dratted MFP tells me I should have lost 10 pounds by now. There has got to be something wrong with my metabolism, hormones, something. And lest you think I am cheating on my eating, I am not. My DH is helping me and he is floored as well. He isn't as meticulous as I am and he's lost 6 pounds.

 

I was so disappointed with my weigh in that I skipped my AM workout. I still had a sensible breakfast - egg whites with mushrooms and a bit of cheese, and my chai with unsweetened almond milk - and I plan on working out later after my morning class but...I just don't know what to think. I really thought I was onto something this time.

 

[trulycrabby]

I have one word to describe this morning ...fudge.

 

I weighed in and those 4 precious pounds that took 6 weeks to lose are back. I couldn't believe it.

 

I cannot tell you how sad, disappointed, and depressed I am. I have worked out 41/44 days. I have tracked my food/cal intake 36/44 days. I know I am not overeating to the extent that I would have gained 4 freaking pounds. On average I am eating about 1600 cals a day. That dratted MFP tells me I should have lost 10 pounds by now. There has got to be something wrong with my metabolism, hormones, something. And lest you think I am cheating on my eating, I am not. My DH is helping me and he is floored as well. He isn't as meticulous as I am and he's lost 6 pounds.

 

I was so disappointed with my weigh in that I skipped my AM workout. I still had a sensible breakfast - egg whites with mushrooms and a bit of cheese, and my chai with unsweetened almond milk - and I plan on working out later after my morning class but...I just don't know what to think. I really thought I was onto something this time.

The scale isn't always a good judge of weight loss when you are exercising. Exercise changes body composition by increasing muscle mass, so even if you lost fat, the scale may not show a decrease in weight. My advice is to ignore the scale and use your eyes and your clothes to determine if you are losing fat. :grouphug:

[Soror]

I have one word to describe this morning ...fudge.

 

I weighed in and those 4 precious pounds that took 6 weeks to lose are back. I couldn't believe it.

 

I cannot tell you how sad, disappointed, and depressed I am. I have worked out 41/44 days. I have tracked my food/cal intake 36/44 days. I know I am not overeating to the extent that I would have gained 4 freaking pounds. On average I am eating about 1600 cals a day. That dratted MFP tells me I should have lost 10 pounds by now. There has got to be something wrong with my metabolism, hormones, something. And lest you think I am cheating on my eating, I am not. My DH is helping me and he is floored as well. He isn't as meticulous as I am and he's lost 6 pounds.

 

I was so disappointed with my weigh in that I skipped my AM workout. I still had a sensible breakfast - egg whites with mushrooms and a bit of cheese, and my chai with unsweetened almond milk - and I plan on working out later after my morning class but...I just don't know what to think. I really thought I was onto something this time.

 I agree with crabby that it is a good idea to keep track of measurements and how clothes fit, not just the scale.

 

Also, things to consider when you have a sudden increase-

 

- where are you in your cycle?

-are you really sore?

-did you eat any bloating foods? Lots of salt?

 

All of those things can make my weight bounce. Your body could be messed up, btdt, but don't let one bad reading lead you to despair, look at the long patterns.

[rainbowmama]

Congrats on the long walk! How long does it take you to walk that far? 

 

I don't know if this will work for you, but I have found that consistency with doing *something* is better than the all or nothing approach I had had previously. For instance, if I couldn't do my whole strength routine, I used to do nothing. Now I will do a portion of it, if only a small portion. It kind of keeps my "foot in the door" or something ;)  and I end up much more consistent in the long run. 

 

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that yesterday, it took almost three hours. I'm very pregnant and walk with my kids, so we are slow. Actually, at this point, I'm often slower than the three year old. However, thanks to being very pregnant, it's still decent exercise for me. 

[Greta]

I have one word to describe this morning ...fudge.

 

I weighed in and those 4 precious pounds that took 6 weeks to lose are back. I couldn't believe it.

 

I cannot tell you how sad, disappointed, and depressed I am. I have worked out 41/44 days. I have tracked my food/cal intake 36/44 days. I know I am not overeating to the extent that I would have gained 4 freaking pounds. On average I am eating about 1600 cals a day. That dratted MFP tells me I should have lost 10 pounds by now. There has got to be something wrong with my metabolism, hormones, something. And lest you think I am cheating on my eating, I am not. My DH is helping me and he is floored as well. He isn't as meticulous as I am and he's lost 6 pounds.

 

I was so disappointed with my weigh in that I skipped my AM workout. I still had a sensible breakfast - egg whites with mushrooms and a bit of cheese, and my chai with unsweetened almond milk - and I plan on working out later after my morning class but...I just don't know what to think. I really thought I was onto something this time.

 

 

:grouphug:  I'm sorry that you're so disappointed and discouraged.  It does stink.  One thing to keep in mind is that your weight can vary by as much as two pounds depending on whether you're dehydrated versus well-hydrated versus retaining a bit of water.  Another thing:  DON'T compare your weight loss to your husband's.  Easier said than done, I know, but the unfair truth of it is, men almost always lose weight more easily than women do.

 

Also, if you're gaining muscle at the same time that you're losing fat, the scale may not budge.  I wish I could find this article that I read online several years ago, but I don't remember the details well enough to find it.  It was written by a personal trainer and diet coach, and it featured one particular client that he'd been coaching for several months.  When she first came to him, she weighed 155 pounds but had a high-ish body fat percentage and was out of shape.  He showed her before and after pictures, and in the after she had a whole new body:  she looked STRONG with lots of muscle tone, and very little body fat.  But she weighed exactly the same: 155 pounds.  Different clothing sizes.  Different life!  But the same weight.  So, please, don't get too discouraged, because you may be adding lean mass, and that's a good thing!  Hang in there!

[Greta]

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that yesterday, it took almost three hours. I'm very pregnant and walk with my kids, so we are slow. Actually, at this point, I'm often slower than the three year old. However, thanks to being very pregnant, it's still decent exercise for me. 

 

Don't be embarrassed!  That distance would take me over two hours for sure, and I'm not pregnant!

[Laurie4b]

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that yesterday, it took almost three hours. I'm very pregnant and walk with my kids, so we are slow. Actually, at this point, I'm often slower than the three year old. However, thanks to being very pregnant, it's still decent exercise for me. 

 

Pregnant with kids along? You go!  :hurray:

Edited February 28, 2017 by Laurie4b

[Laurie4b]

Today, the plan is to do weight training & a walk. It's gorgeous outside. 

 

I am realizing that my sleep has been moving in the wrong direction which may be what is affecting my weight right now. I wake up about the same time each day, but am going to bed later, so only 6 hours of sleep the past few nights, maybe longer. But I know that sleep has a huge effect on weight loss/gain and I am doing other things right. So tonight, in bed by 11; lights off by midnight. 

 

ETA: Got 10 fruits and veges in. Very encouraged by my strength-training workout. (I do not love strength training. I do it because it's good for me, but it is not inherently interesting like a hike or Zumba. So I often put it off or only do part (but part is better than none.) I did one more push-up than I've done before, so that made me happy. And I hit a new level on deadlifts, too.) 

Edited March 1, 2017 by Laurie4b

[scrapbookbuzz]

My exercise yesterday was walking through the Detroit airport! And if you've ever flown through there on Delta you know

it's quite a hike to reach your connecting flight!

 

Haven't done much of anything yet today but my legs are bothering me a bit. Tomorrow, if the weather is decent, I may go

for a short hike. I will also spend an hour or so "weeding" (collecting dandelions from) my friend's yard.

[rainbowmama]

The kids and I did a four mile naturalist led hike this morning with our homeschool group, though my three year old made sure I didn't hear anything the naturalist said. I hoped to get another mile this afternoon, but the kids struggled to find rain gear and eventually we ran out of time. Hopefully I'll squeeze in some yoga before bed.

[Greta]

Got in an hour of cardio today at the gym.

[2ndGenHomeschooler]

I have one word to describe this morning ...fudge.

 

I weighed in and those 4 precious pounds that took 6 weeks to lose are back. I couldn't believe it.

 

I cannot tell you how sad, disappointed, and depressed I am. I have worked out 41/44 days. I have tracked my food/cal intake 36/44 days. I know I am not overeating to the extent that I would have gained 4 freaking pounds. On average I am eating about 1600 cals a day. That dratted MFP tells me I should have lost 10 pounds by now. There has got to be something wrong with my metabolism, hormones, something. And lest you think I am cheating on my eating, I am not. My DH is helping me and he is floored as well. He isn't as meticulous as I am and he's lost 6 pounds.

 

I was so disappointed with my weigh in that I skipped my AM workout. I still had a sensible breakfast - egg whites with mushrooms and a bit of cheese, and my chai with unsweetened almond milk - and I plan on working out later after my morning class but...I just don't know what to think. I really thought I was onto something this time.

 

My weight can fluctuate by as much as 5 pounds depending on where I am in my cycle. It's incredibly frustrating. My DH can also lose 5 pounds just by thinking about losing weight. It really seems unfair when I'm struggling and one cheat meal puts me up 5 pounds. The only thing we can do is keep trying. I read an article a few years ago (maybe the same one mentioned above) telling the stories of a couple of women who had lost several dress sizes but very little weight. I try to remind myself of that when the scale is not cooperating.

 

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that yesterday, it took almost three hours. I'm very pregnant and walk with my kids, so we are slow. Actually, at this point, I'm often slower than the three year old. However, thanks to being very pregnant, it's still decent exercise for me. 

 

That's impressive! walking that far while pregnant and with small children in tow is definitely exercise!

 

 

Yesterday I did the first RevAbs workout. It wasn't too bad and it helped loosen up my sore muscles from Saturday's workout and karate class. I also took the kids ice skating. I drank tons of water, took my vitamins, and ate 10 servings of fruit/vegetables. I will admit to eating a bowl of applesauce at 10pm to get the last serving in. It's not terribly hard to eat that many servings a day but it does take some thought. I was pretty full too so this will be a great strategy as I start these harder workouts that make me so hungry. Filling up on vegetables will hopefully save me from eating stuff I shouldn't.

 

Today I went to karate class again. It was a tough hour and a half. The sweat was dripping off my face and I don't sweat easily. Tonight I did the first Insanity workout. It is an appropriately named workout. I've done it before and remembered correctly how hard it is. I was pretty slow today and not really keeping up with them at all. In the last circuit I could barely do some of the exercises. I was pretty tired already though. I hope I'm not too sore tomorrow but that is probably wishful thinking.

 

I also ate 10+ servings of fruit/vegetables today. I still have a little more water to drink before I go to bed.

[GoodGrief]

I'm entering the second of three weeks of the Ultimate Reset program. The next two weeks are all vegan. There is a lot of cooking/meal prep involved in this endeavor. It is kind of a pain, as I am not the sort to make entirely different meals every day, but I really have enjoyed trying all the new recipes. Tonight was a sweet potato/roasted red pepper bisque and roasted asparagus with toasted almonds, and I was shocked at how much I enjoyed it.

 

I've also noticed that avoiding sugar for the most part over the last 7 weeks, I just don't feel as hungry or have that low blood sugar feeling that I typically get, even though I am eating less (and less often) than I typically do. Everything feels more stable.

[DawnM]

I'm entering the second of three weeks of the Ultimate Reset program. The next two weeks are all vegan. There is a lot of cooking/meal prep involved in this endeavor. It is kind of a pain, as I am not the sort to make entirely different meals every day, but I really have enjoyed trying all the new recipes. Tonight was a sweet potato/roasted red pepper bisque and roasted asparagus with toasted almonds, and I was shocked at how much I enjoyed it.

 

I've also noticed that avoiding sugar for the most part over the last 7 weeks, I just don't feel as hungry or have that low blood sugar feeling that I typically get, even though I am eating less (and less often) than I typically do. Everything feels more stable.

 

I love eating Vegan, and when I did, I felt fantastic, but I don't have time for a lot of meal prep right now.   And my family doesn't want to be Vegan.  So I have two meal preps.  

[DawnM]

I am going to a weight loss center today and will probably join.

 

I can't see to stick to anything unless I have the accountability.  Maybe/hopefully, this will help.  I have so much weight to lose, and I am more motivated now that we are discussing moving back home, and I was quite overweight when I left there to come here, but I am now 25 pounds OVER that weight now.  I need to at least get to where I was when I left!

 

I was at a good weight when I married.  I gained weight (50 pounds) with child #1.  I was able to get 25 off, then child #2 came.  I still was able to maintain the same weight.  Then suddenly I gained 20 pounds and it never came off.  Then I gained another 25.  That isn't coming off.

 

So, essentially I have 75 pounds to lose, although I would be ecstatic to lose 50.

[ashfern]

I took 2 weeks off (first week I had the flu, second week I was still too weak to do much). Started a new program this week, Focus T25. It's hard because of the time off and I'm still coughing some. It's a 10 week program so I hope it doesn't get too boring doing the same 5 routines. 

 

My problem is still food. If I lived alone or didn't have to cook for the family it would be easier. They like their carbs (rice, pasta, bread, etc) and that stuff just makes me stay fat. I've been looking into doing a low carb/keto diet. It's just hard to change eating habits. Especially when I do 90% of the shopping and buy good stuff and then DH goes out and buys crap.

[DawnM]

I took 2 weeks off (first week I had the flu, second week I was still too weak to do much). Started a new program this week, Focus T25. It's hard because of the time off and I'm still coughing some. It's a 10 week program so I hope it doesn't get too boring doing the same 5 routines. 

 

My problem is still food. If I lived alone or didn't have to cook for the family it would be easier. They like their carbs (rice, pasta, bread, etc) and that stuff just makes me stay fat. I've been looking into doing a low carb/keto diet. It's just hard to change eating habits. Especially when I do 90% of the shopping and buy good stuff and then DH goes out and buys crap.

 

I am going to meet with the folks today at the weight loss clinic.  The fact of the matter is, I plan to come home and tell the family:

 

Get the CRAP out!  You can have X and X (mostly plain chips and oreos) because I don't like them.  But I will NOT be making you a different meal anymore.

 

You get a lean protein, a starch on the side, and a vegetable that I too can have.  

 

If you want dessert, I will no longer be making any, you can have fruit or oreos, or you can make your own dessert, but I will NOT have it around.  

 

Honestly, even though my husband thinks I just need to exercise more, he is on board with changing eating habits and does support having more fruits and vegetables and far less junk.

 

So, that is what I will be doing.

[Greta]

 

I've also noticed that avoiding sugar for the most part over the last 7 weeks, I just don't feel as hungry or have that low blood sugar feeling that I typically get, even though I am eating less (and less often) than I typically do. Everything feels more stable.

 

Yes, avoiding sugar has the same effect on me!  It helps me control my appetite, and I'm far, far less likely to have any reactive hypoglycemia episodes.

 

 

 

My problem is still food. If I lived alone or didn't have to cook for the family it would be easier. They like their carbs (rice, pasta, bread, etc) and that stuff just makes me stay fat. I've been looking into doing a low carb/keto diet. It's just hard to change eating habits. Especially when I do 90% of the shopping and buy good stuff and then DH goes out and buys crap.

 

I did keto for about 12 years and it was great.  I loved it.  I kept my weight at my "perfect" level without feeling hungry or deprived.  It also really strengthened my weak immune system, and had a number of other benefits.  It didn't work for me anymore once I hit perimenopause, but that might not be an issue for you.  I would certainly encourage you to give it a try if you're interested.  

 

 

I am going to meet with the folks today at the weight loss clinic.  The fact of the matter is, I plan to come home and tell the family:

 

Get the CRAP out!  You can have X and X (mostly plain chips and oreos) because I don't like them.  But I will NOT be making you a different meal anymore.

 

You get a lean protein, a starch on the side, and a vegetable that I too can have.  

 

If you want dessert, I will no longer be making any, you can have fruit or oreos, or you can make your own dessert, but I will NOT have it around.  

 

Honestly, even though my husband thinks I just need to exercise more, he is on board with changing eating habits and does support having more fruits and vegetables and far less junk.

 

So, that is what I will be doing.

 

 

I think that's a great plan.  I don't try to control my hubby's and daughter's eating - they are free to buy or make what they want.  But I don't buy or make the junk food for them!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Dawn - I get it. Completely. I would love to move back home (it won't happen) but not at what I look like now. I hate going for visits because I know the first thing people mention is how I look. I also know that it is a topic of conversation as soon as I leave.

 

I hope the accountability of the clinic is what you need. If there is anything specific we can do for you on this thread, let us know. 

-

 

I got over my meltdown yesterday and decided to keep moving forward today. I was at the Y by 6:30 am and walked inclines on the treadmill (began at 3 and worked up to 13), used the stair climber, and then did some strength training. DD, a friend, and I are going back to the Y tonight to workout again so I kept it a bit light this morning. We are beginning the Wall Sit challenge today. If anybody here wants to join, you are welcome.

 

I'm having a good breakfast - 1/3 c cran-grape juice, 3 egg whites, 1/4 mushrooms, 2 slices canadian bacon and a cup of chai. The chai is actually 2/3 c unsweetened almond milk and 2/3 c lightly sweetened Oregon chai. (Edited: I had to add a tsp of sugar) For lunch, I'll have an apple and a cutie and drink as much water as I can. For dinner, I'm planning on a salad with grilled chicken, pine nuts, raisins & lite Sweet vidalia onion dressing. I have baby carrots for a snack.