I had an “interesting” weekend. When I say interesting I mean not great and stressful. I had a massive headache all day Saturday and that never happens to me. Last night, after lots of drama I didn’t want to deal with I watched Stranger Things with my teenager. The night for me ended at 12:15. I was unable to fall asleep until past 2AM. I woke up at 6:30AM. I figured for sure the scale would yell at me; and I was ok with that. I was strong all weekend with my eating and moving, my goal was to see 164 by Monday morning, and guess what? I weighed in at 164.8! I might be a transient number but it was there and I took it!!! It’s beautiful. And now I am adjusting my new short term goal to be 160 lbs. I am beyond proud of myself. This is the first I am doing this without have a weekly I need to go for ice cream snack. I have just been on track. Last night I had apple crisp but it was because I knew it was sugar and apples. I am going to avoid desserts with flour. I have been eating banana chocolate oat muffins for dessert and yes they are not that sweet but I feel good about it like I had “dessert” when I am done. I will keep on this path. Fighting the good fight. Ok I need to organize school work!
Daily Weigh-in
Sodium
Maybe its because I am old, or maybe its always been this way and when I was younger I didn’t notice it as much. But yesterday I went out for lunch. I tried to get something as simplistic as possible but I did get bacon on it. Something I stopped eating and I also made homemade meatloaf for dinner. I will try the meatloaf again but no bacon for lunch see if it makes a change. I notice that process foods or food high in sodium cause a weight fluctuation, to go up. There are certain types of foods that I can guarantee will cause me issues, frozen pizza, restaurant foods, potato chips, frozen lasagna, fried food, etc. You get the idea! It’s not about the quantity, I almost immediately see the difference on the scale.
In this journey one of the tools that I love is my fitness pal, I have always really liked that. Another one I used to use when I didn’t use an app, was daily plate on live strong. But what I love most about my fitness pal, at the end of the day, if you click the button complete your day. It will show you where you will be in five weeks if you have days like this. It gives you hope when sometimes you are not seeing a lot of results on the day to day. It goes to show that consistency in your habits will make changes to your body.
Weight loss and menopause
Two years ago I had a hysterectomy. I didn’t go through menopause, as I still have my ovaries. So there are still hormones there but things are definitely different. I was doing some research about weight loss for women over this age and they were saying it was important to avoid flour based foods but also to avoid dessert / sugar.
And I will be honest with you all my life I have managed weight loss but also including a daily dessert. And also I just witnessed a friend who clearly suffers from hormonal issues do a strict died that included no dessert for 8 months and she didn’t lose a lot of weight. It’s odd to me. I have been dieting and exercising and the scale has only gone up. And my the band around my chest for my sports bra is actually tighter. I think the foods we have are trash. Today I will try switching it up but really, maybe I will wait, because maybe its my lack of sleep. All I know I feel hungry as heck! My body is like what are you doing! I am sticking it out and will do my best. My first goal is 165 lbs. And I have a feeling that will take a couple months based on how this is going. I am pretty excited though tomorrow is measurement day and I hope to see something there.
So anyway I feel like I am being doom and gloom. My goal is to cut out dessert to see if it helps. At the same time I am like oh gawd why. LOL. I’ll try to move things around try healthier options. I love having a shakeo for breakfast but again I am not seeing anything happen on the scale. I wonder if oatmeal is a better option with shakeo for lunch? And one meal with meat for dinner. I made an amazing chili yesterday. I will try this out today. Tomorrow may be better too because I can get better sleep. The 10 hour work days are hard for me.
Accounting 101
I decided to start walking part out of being so unfit, my blood pressure has been increasing, I am 30 pounds overweight, and I have been so depressed. I am not sure what kick started for me? I also quit drinking my daily coffee, sometimes that is the combination that helps wake me up. I have been doing 1 – 2 miles a day, just walking. I know it’s not much but after not moving much this past year due to a knee injury its enough. I am one week into this. My depression has been lifting slightly, and that is huge. You can’t do anything else while that is sitting on top of you. I have been sporadically trying to lose weight. Trying intermittent fasting, plant based diet, and not counting calories but just being restrictive. And none of it works for me. If you have read any of my older entries you will know this to be true. I love the benefits I read about the intermittent fasting, and I completely believe it. I also believe in it due to spiritual reasons. Perhaps if I focused less on the self part and more on the prayer while doing it, it’d be more useful.
But anyway, I have found the best way for me to get healthier is to focus on my accounting. I guess if you think about it, it makes sense. We live in this crazy time of being surrounded by unhealthy foods, not just in terms of being full of sugar but also the chemicals (that do who knows what?) If you don’t manage your business, (body), then your body will be running rampant. Let’s be real there are people out there that don’t need that level of management, and perhaps those people are just very disciplined to start. I am here to say I am ready for this focus in my life. Despite being busy in all other areas of my life. And despite that I hate my job and I am miserable there! It’s like I thought if I punish myself by being sad, or my moping around would justify that I need to move on from the job and to say oh this job is so unhealthy for me I am even unhappy with this.
So HELLO, I can be happy in my life and not want to stay at a job and still take care of myself. Still continue studying the things that are important to me.
So back to the original idea of my post that I need to account for my fitness, body, calories, and weight. That if I don’t watch this I will gain or get out of shape. It’s my nature and its required for me. I am not one of those who just naturally do this. So I have already started by:
- Weighing in daily (I have only gained so far!!)
- Measuring weekly
- Tracking steps and fitness
- And keep my head on with being positive about my journey
In the past when I have done this it takes me a few weeks to find a place / pattern that actually starts weight loss. That I am currently only gaining is really strange to me and I am wondering if I am having a thyroid issue. I am going to stay with his and track my information strictly to see if I can find balance before seeking medical help. I am excited about this journey and I know some do not believe but I plan to use prayer for the fasting times. That is the worst for me around 8pm at night!
Day 2
A friend is always starting over with fitness and health. He is the best, and he always says the same to me that he feels like he is always starting over. I feel that way too. The pandemic threw us all off and the years that followed did as well. So I am back trying to practice balance to achieve weight loss, to get to my healthy ideal weight. I have started to experience weight gain health problems. Acid reflux, pain in my joints, and back. First stop goal is 160 lbs. I weighed in today at 165.6 lbs.
My goal is reduce my daily calorie intake but I’d also love to start running again. That would be amazing. For breakfast I had an egg, half of an avocado, one piece of toast and butter. I love the butter. I am guessing that the avocado for me this the throw away to reduce the calories but it was on the counter and going bad. I am hoping to come up with a low calorie dinner that is fulfilling. I am thinking about making my own veggie wrap, heavy on the veggies. I might make a baked chicken in the crockpot today to go in it..
So none of my clothing fits me. And when I say none, I mean even the stretch leggings have a muffin top over them. I’d blame working remote and the 10 hour days, and though it plays a part it is my own issue. So it’s summer time. This is when its easier to get on task with things. In the fall she goes back to school and it starts. So I will try my best to get my life in better order and be prepared for that. It’s time to start researching meal ideas that are good for weight loss.
By the way, I am looking forward to doing measurements.
up 10 pounds
About a month ago I had decided to cut out dessert and sweets. I wanted to see what a difference it would make on me. The first few days I noticed the scale went down and I had a headache. Then I started feeling more hungry. I wanted to eat more in other areas. It could have been a psychological thing but I started gaining. A girl I follow on youtube has talked about this, when she denied herself too much she’d want to eat more. So I lasted about two weeks. And I really don’t know how or why but somehow during this time frame I gained back the official ten pounds I had lost last year. I am back up at 164 lbs.
I want to start by saying, I care and I want to lose it but I am also at a better place. There are a few reasons why. I have had a few things happen in the past two weeks that have awakened my mindset. In 2003, I went through a cognitive behavioral therapy (cbt) program that changed my life. I suffered from anxiety and depression and struggled to hold a job. After this program I changed my life. I have struggled through the years still with it. But after leaving a long time job I had floundered for years. The past four years have been so hard on me. And my state of mind has really diminished due to this. I have been struggling. A chatted with a friend and she noted to me that I was in such a negative self mindset. And a light came on. I have been. And I am not perfect by any stretch but she made me realize that I can pray and read the bible but how I talk to myself is damaging my whole life. It was that day I decide to refocus my efforts on cbt and finding joy. I picked up a book called Renew by Julie Winter and started working on finding joy. I don’t need to punish myself because I think I am not doing enough or not good enough. That will only give me misery.
So then I stumbled on noom again. I have written a few reviews about noom and I still feel similiarly about the program but I also believe sometimes we need help. Sometimes a guide in life can help us get on track and refocus our efforts. Noom has updated the program since when I tried it the first time back in 2019. One of the things I loved about the program initially was that it was very positive. I have decided to try this option again and work on positive psychology paired with faith. After I found this I stumbled on a video that also was enlightening. A gentleman was speaking about the importance of prayer and not being gluttonous as a christian. I am sure there are readers who are not believers I wasn’t until the past couple years but I am a believer now and it never occurred to me to pray before a meal. To slow down and be mindful of what God has given us and pray on the meal. This was a big slap in the face. So it’s interesting to me how things happen, that I was feeling so much self hate over my body and weight and God brought me the tools to help with that and my new job.
Reduce my resting rate
I am exhausted today. I had a horrible night sleep due to staying up to watch tv. I need to get back on track learning this
stuff for work because I know nothing. When I am overwhelmed I give up. And that is where I am and I am wondering if another
opportunity out there exists that I am even capable of. What if I am meant to be jobless and homeless. I am tired today. So
its Friday at least. I was going to go out tonight but I am thinking about just staying home, I mean whats the point? When
someone just slowly drifts away and treats you less and less why bother? I am so tired and to go out then stay out later while
being so tired and do what? Listen to a bunch of garbage talk that never gives me more care or respect. No thanks. I will
cancel today telling him what I feel and its tired and not good. So of course because I got crap sleep the scale went back up
and I figured that would be the case. Interesting if I sleep later it reflects my weightloss? If I don’t it doesn’t. Weight
loss is slow but it’s not a race its a healing process
On the quitting coffee front, this is fascinating to me. It’s been a little over 30 days. The biggest difference I am seeing
is my resting rate! I was averaging 59-65bpm, which is low but for me that was on the higher side. In just thirty days I am
not seeing resting rates of 53-56bpm. I started doing step this week in coordination with walking daily. What’s funny to me is
my knees started out really sore but they are actually feeling better as the week goes on. Like they were sore the first
couple days doing step. I ordered additional knee support, I hope it will be in soon. The coffee jones is starting to fade as
well, which is good because I figured that’d never go away. I still have days when exhaustion hits me and I need sleep but not
like in the first few weeks. I am excited about this change I feel like it really helped me to kickstart this change in my
life to being more healthful.
161.8!
Weigh in for today, is…. 161.81 I think in about three weeks I will be at 159. This is great news am I am moving right
along in a positive direction. I was going to reduce my calorie intake but I am just going to keep at this and work out
regularly. Eventually I will get there. It took me a lot of years to gain the weight slowly and I will work to reverse this.
In other news I was looking at my resting rates because it interests me seeing this direct correlations with no coffee and my
heart. When going to sleep at night my heart rate isn’t as high. I wonder if I am snoring less. I will keep at my fitness as
well as healthier diet and see what other changes I notice. Yeah I want to look good and fit into a better size while feeling
good about myself but I also like that my body is reflecting the healthier changes. I was using tdee calculator and it
recommended a low cal number based on my sedentary life but I tend to think since I have been pushing for exercise, even if
mostly just walking that I am not sedentary. This week I did start step as well. I love Jenny Ford Fitness, and I highly
recommend her videos. She has a ton of them and I appreciate that she loves step as much as I do.
Stubborn weight
I will be 47 soon, and weight loss is definitely not easy. When I first started I was at 165, dropped down to 163, went back up over 165 and now I am at 164. I have been watching my calories but not ridiculously so. I wonder if I need to be more stringent. I hate getting really tight on this. I have been eating around 1200-1400 calories per a day. And I realize a calorie isn’t just a calorie. So I am wondering what I need to mix up here to see more significant results. It’s okay though I feel good that I am trying now instead of NOT. The opposite leads me to a place of despair and porkiness. Weight loss is not easy that’s for sure. So here I am back at that place, the truth is this is what I need to do always. Not sometimes but always. I am always fascinated there is a girl I follow and she eats around 1900 a day and she is trim. She works out yes but I don’t get it. I’ll keep trying.
I cut out coffee which gave me cream several times a day. I cut out sugar from my coffee years ago. I cut out eating cheese recently. Nothing happens lol. It’s kind of funny. Definitely makes me think that my system is screwying probably due to all the chemicals and crap we have here.
And it’s on…
So, I have been eating better and exercising for the past week or so. I did my zigzag day and gained 1.4 pounds. Which brough me back to my starting weight. I am guessing based on calories ingested it was more an issue of dehydration, as I ate pizza and drank alcohol. But I am thinking about weight loss that I would like to try for a week. I like having eggs during the week, but I am wondering if they are high in hormones. I would suspect that they are since what it is! I am going to try a week of plain toast. I cut coffee and cream and stopped with cheese on such a regular basis. My guess is that I am imbalanced (and old). So that is my new plan just for a week to see how it pans out. I will get some muffins and bread.
It is funny how disappointed I get when I am trying to lose weight, with how slowly it comes off. I hear about people who just portion their meals and lose weight. I stay the same. Ok, wait I get so defeatist. The truth is it comes off it I just slow. I need to work at adjusting though. And I also wonder if I am not being honest enough with myself over my calories. I will work on making sure I document everything.
Coffee Quitter…
And my journey continues. The first week was odd, almost euphoric! I wonder if it was the newfound blood going to my brain! This week I have been down, but I still feel great about the choice to quit. I am calmer but I still have anxiety. I had headaches on Wednesday and all week I had vivid dreams. So, one thing I know causes those dreams is hormones. Also, according to research, I have done it has to do with getting better deeper sleep because your body does not get that when you drink coffee! The reason the dreams tend to be longer and vivid is because your body is trying to stay in the REM sleep state longer due to the deprivation of it from the coffee.
I have been tired but not as tired as I was the first four days. It fascinates me the withdrawals that happen when you quit. I put the coffee machine away and I gave my brother my unopened bag of joe. I am just officially done. I was hoping that coffee being gone with wake stuff up in my body for weight loss. I know there are claims it helps but it never helped me in the past. The biggest thing it did was suppress my appetite while trying to put off eating. But then I would be ravenous later.
Calorie Hacks 