Snapdragon's check-in

Counting carbs/calories is a drag. Obsessive scale stepping is a recipe for despair. If you want to count something, "days on habit" is a much better metric. Checking off days on a calendar would do just fine, but if you do it here you get accountability and support. Here's how. Start a new topic in this forum called (say) "Your Name Daily Check In." Then every N day post a "reply" to that topic as to whether you stayed on habit. A simple "<font color="green">SUCCESS</font>" or "<font color="red">FAILURE</font>" (or your preferred euphemism if that's too harsh) is sufficient, but obviously you're welcome to write more if you want. On S-days just register that you're taking an S-day. You don't have to do this forever, just until you're confident you've built the habit. Feel free to check in weekly or monthly or sporadically instead of daily. Feel free also to track other habits besides No-s (I'm keeping this forum under No-s because that's what the vast majority are using it for). See also my <a href="/habitcal/">HabitCal</a> tool for another more formal (and perhaps complementary) way to track habits.

Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating

Post Reply
snapdragon
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Location: midwest

Snapdragon's check-in

Post by snapdragon » Mon Jun 02, 2014 5:28 pm

All right here I am AGAIN!!!! I keep falling off after a few weeks so going to pursue it yet again. I always really mean it when I start up again. I think it is time to improve all areas of my life. I am entering an exciting phase of life. In the fall, my youngest child will start all day kindergarten. That will mean it will of been sixteen years of having little kids around. It's a big deal!!
I went to a counselor last week to get help for my ADD, I have not had treatment of any kind since I was 18.... it has been affecting all areas of my life and just taking the addmisions quiz was a real shock to both myself and my husband. I am taking more tests on Friday so wish me luck! I have spent a large part of my life being told that ADD doesn't exist, or that medications are bad ect... but I am done with avoiding situations because of this. I am going to follow directions of a doctor that specializes in ADD and live my life.
He made a point about how I live my life with intent, truth is I have the best of intentions but things collapse and fall apart. I don't know if things are going to fall apart again, but for now I am going to get back up and keep going.

So starting with baby steps vanilla No S.

P.S. parents and grandparents give your kids extra hugs and kisses. An 11 year old girl in my community died in a freak accident over the weekend while camping with her family. A tree fell on her tent and she was crushed to death. Her father was pinned down by the tree and her 14 year old brother had to get help at 3 AM. Awful.
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

snapdragon
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Location: midwest

Post by snapdragon » Tue Jun 03, 2014 12:20 am

day 1 Success!

since I like to read what others eat I will post my food.

B- breakfast slider (slider bun, egg, cheese, ham) cherries, coffee
L- ham sandwich, salad
D- tortellini with pesto, and chicken, garlic bread, red peppers

A little full from dinner, but working on habits here.

exercise- bootcamp class
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Tue Jun 03, 2014 1:16 am

Hi, snap!

I've been listening to The Willpower Instinct. It reminded me of the importance of knowing your reasons and keeping them in mind. I know it helped me to have a list and read it every day for months. Those thoughts would pop into my head at appropriate times in a way they had not before. I still have a copy of them on my desktop.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

harmony
Posts: 268
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2009 4:29 pm
Location: MN

Post by harmony » Tue Jun 03, 2014 2:43 am

Welcome Back! :D :D :D

snapdragon
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Location: midwest

Post by snapdragon » Tue Jun 03, 2014 12:29 pm

Thank you Ohlala. I have an advantages for losing weight list, and helpful responses in my phone with an alarm to read it every afternoon. Perhaps a har copy in my purse would be helpful. Too embarrassing to leave lying around for husband and kiddos to find. Ha ha. But I can look at the lists and see update it too.
I am trying to figure out how to play audio books from my phone seems like that might be a good one to look into.

Hi Harmony! Thanks for the welcome back!!!!
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Tue Jun 03, 2014 2:37 pm

I don't have a smart phone. It does seem that they can be an advantage for this kind of thing. I think it would be good if there was one that sent random messages, too. Maybe I'll think one up and make my millions.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

snapdragon
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Location: midwest

Post by snapdragon » Wed Jun 04, 2014 1:19 am

I have not had my smartphone for a whole year yet, but could hardly imagine life without it! I was 37 before I got my first cell phone (two years ago) and I have have come to rely on it so much!

A fail today. I had a few handfuls of Cheetos as I was preparing dinner then thought what the heck and had two muffins after dinner. The good news is I stopped myself after two muffins.

Did the bare minimum exercise today, walked around the block, and packed a pic nic lunch and took my son fishing at a forest preserve with my husband.
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Wed Jun 04, 2014 5:04 am

Beating the WTH response is a kind of victory in itself. Nice going!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

Simpless
Posts: 100
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:21 am

Post by Simpless » Wed Jun 04, 2014 1:09 pm

Looks like you are doing great, snapdragon!

I like the idea of putting advantages for losing weight in my phone and reading them. I think I'll try that! I have a smart phone but I'm a little embarrassed to say I need a little help from my daughter with all it can do :)

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Wed Jun 04, 2014 1:58 pm

BTW, a willpower book I'm reading says that when you acknowledge your progress, it's essential to remember at the same time why you're making the changes. So being reminded of why you're doing it is doubly good. It can help stop slips and reinforce the sacrifice you may feel you're making. If tech can help, yippee!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

snapdragon
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Location: midwest

Post by snapdragon » Thu Jun 05, 2014 2:32 pm

Hi simpless, hehe I have to get help from my kids too sometimes. The other day a mom was asking me for help sending an email from her phone. I couldn't help her with what she needed!

Ohlala I used to scoff at the "give yourself praise" part in the Beck book, but find it's good to see I am not doing EVERYTHING wrong.

That said another fail last night. Had spaghetti for dinner, and kept picking at it as I was cleaning the kitchen. I did stop myself before it turned into a binge.

Took another fitness class for exercise.

B- breakfast sandwhich, a little cottage cheese and a few blueberries.
L- taco salad
D- spaghetti and garlic bread.

I was starving after class so had a largish breakfast.
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

snapdragon
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Location: midwest

Post by snapdragon » Fri Jun 06, 2014 12:12 am

Good day! I was busy and productive all day yet somehow my house is still a mess..... How does that happen?
I feel good about today becuase I started getting anxiety this afternoon looking at out schedule for the summer. My oldest is taking finals and I don't think she is taking them seriously, she is so used to breezing through school her lack of study skills are starting to catch up with her. Looked at ACT prep courses she can take this summer. I don't normally do lots of activities over the summer but we are so booked this year! Driver's ed starts the first day of summer vacation and it sorta builds up momentum from there. I thought summer was for relaxing lol! .......wow that was a bit of a tangent.. I feel good becuase I stuck to the plan and did not stress eat.

B....breakfast sarnie coffee 1/2 banana with sun butter
L.....taco salad 1/2 banana with more sunbutter
D.....portillos Italian beef, fries, watermelon with lime juice.
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Fri Jun 06, 2014 1:47 am

Hi Snapdragon!
How many kiddos do you have? I'm guessing at least 4! :)
Thanks very much for the comment on my thread about the Mysterious Benedict Society! That is so cool that you are reading it right now, too!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

snapdragon
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Location: midwest

Post by snapdragon » Sat Jun 07, 2014 12:14 am

Hi Auto! I have four kids. They are kind of spread out in age. I have a highschooler, Jr. High, student, a grade schooler, and a preschooler. It's a lot to keep up. That's the beauty about No S! Something I don't really have to keep track of.
I took my ADD quotient test this morning and it was torture! Really. It seemed like it would be so easy, I almost stopped in the middle of it. The lady said that some people do indeed quit in the middle. Another useful piece of information to get to a solution!
I had quite a fail today with dinner and seconds, big seconds. This is my Achilles heel.
B- went out had a veggie skillet. Eggs veggies and cheese over hash browns.
L- 2 muffins
D- Armenian pizza aka Lahmajoon salad watermelon, noodles.
No exercise today either..... Completely exhausted.
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

snapdragon
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Location: midwest

Post by snapdragon » Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:28 pm

Ok this whole last week was a disaster. Cannot wait for Monday to "reset"
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sat Jun 14, 2014 2:12 pm

Well, good for you to check-in despite your "disaster". The more I think of it, though, that's a pretty harsh way for you to talk to yourself about what was probably a really rough week. I like how the weekend gives us the opportunity to "reset" on Monday as you put it.

4 kids: any possibility the week was the last before summer break, or something super busy and stressful like that?
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

snapdragon
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Location: midwest

Post by snapdragon » Tue Jun 17, 2014 11:43 am

Thank you automated for your kind words. Last week was the first week of summer vacation for my kids. Tuesday was my oldests last final exam. My
Inlaws arrives Tuesday (from the UK) which is also stressful. I also had "that time of the month" so yeah it was stressful.
Yesterday was a success, and it felt good to eat healthy! Although I made gyro for dinner that was packaged. It tasted good but made poor husband sick- but he had thirds.
B- egg tacos, watermelon, coffee
L- retried beans, tortillas, cheese, salsa, sweet potato chips grapes.
D- gyros, baked fries

Glad I'm back.

P.s I am reading the second book of "incourragable Children" more for me than kids. My son only wants to read shark/ giant squid books and my girl is really into Katie Kazzoo.
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Tue Jun 17, 2014 1:21 pm

haha too funny about the Incorrigibles. :)

The Mysterious Benedict Society is so good that I want to keep reading after I'm done with my out-loud reading! I somehow restrain myself. 8)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

snapdragon
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Location: midwest

Post by snapdragon » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:59 pm

Wednesday a fail. Just got the late night munchies- I had a nice dinner though.

B-egg tacos coffee
L- salad and tortillas
D- pork chop, roasted potatoes, sautéed squash and tomatoes.

Feel better today but not sure what's for dinner.
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

eschano
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:53 am

Lol snapdragon - same for me on Wednesday but hey, mark and move on :)
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

snapdragon
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Location: midwest

Post by snapdragon » Tue Jun 24, 2014 1:39 pm

I had a good Monday.
B- egg taco, golden dew melon, coffee
L- salad with lots of feta and olives
D- chicken parm, baked potato, salad, fruit

A short bike ride. Pieces of my ancient bike kept falling off as I rode so I didn't want to go to far!!!!

I am grateful for making it yesterday. I wanted to eat late at night but got over it. Big sigh of relief.
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

User avatar
Dandelion
Posts: 696
Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 2:42 am

Post by Dandelion » Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:58 pm

Now I know that anytime I don't know what I want to eat, I should just come look at your thread. So many great sounding meals :)

My kids are very spread out, too. But in my case, they're so spread out that it's easier.
'I do think the way to a full and healthy life is to adopt the sensible system of small helpings, no seconds, no snacking, and a little bit of everything. Above all, have a good time.' Julia Child

snapdragon
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Location: midwest

Post by snapdragon » Tue Jun 24, 2014 4:23 pm

Thank you dandilion!
Somebody gave us a playstation 4 and a game. It only comes with one remote so lots of chaos right now! I am about to pack the thing up and give it back!
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

snapdragon
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Location: midwest

Post by snapdragon » Thu Jun 26, 2014 1:41 pm

Mon an Tuesday success! Wednesday failure. At late night serving of leftover pasta and two handfuls of these dark chocolate acai drops. Felt like crap last night! Still feeling it this morning. Not going to beat myself up over it though. Moving on.

Note to self: I need to read my "advantages of sane eating" regularly again. Looking forward to my in laws leaving so I can get on with summer fun. They don't like to do much so we are stuck around the house. I think the boredom and stress of cooped up kids adds to the stress eating.
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

Post Reply