Giada in 2016

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.

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Giada
Posts: 66
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 9:47 am
Location: South Africa

Giada in 2016

Post by Giada » Wed Jan 06, 2016 1:55 pm

A very belated Merry Merry and Happy Happy to all!

Christmas with the family was lovely - it was a talk-fest, laugh-fest, swim-fest and yes, of course, an eat-and-drink-fest (the eating and drinking was relatively contained, however). Since then, I've been struggling to get back into the real world of No-S and habit, habit, habit. And, as if things are not bad enough, we have plans to go away to the West Coast from Sat to Wed, staying with family. Now, before you start seeing palm trees, white beaches and drinks with silly umbrellas, think wind, wind, wind. Actually, it's a beautiful part of the country, but harsh, and many people have only fishing to rely on for an income. When the wind blows, they can't go out on the sea at all. The picturesque boats on the beach hide a lot of poverty. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to this trip - I know the area only from short visits there, and would love to explore it in more detail. And if there's fresh crayfish on the menu (a West Coast speciality) I'll have that, thank you very much.


My eating has not been wildly bad, but definitely not green-worthy. Somehow, since all my fails involved having 'real' food (as opposed to junk food or sweets), I feel less 'guilty' about it. Do any of you feel the same?

Having said that, I had an ice cream yesterday. It's summer, and the entire country, it seems, is experiencing a heat wave - temps of 40C and higher seem to be the norm at the moment. The ice cream did not last long :oops: :oops: but it was absolutely worth a red.

Anyway, it's back on the wagon for me: I want that green!

Giada
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Location: South Africa

Post by Giada » Thu Jan 07, 2016 5:38 am

Yay, a No-S green after too long a string of reds. Red on the walk, though, and a (light) green for SG.

My plate at dinner was embarrassingly full - lam chop, toastie, potato salad, broccoli . I had lunch earlier than usual, so I was really ready for dinner. No breakfast - it was too hot to eat. My water consumption has been through the roof, recently - and I'm a good water drinker in general.

It started raining at about 6 last night, and is still drizzling on and off - we're all grateful. The whole of the country is suffering from a really bad drought, and most farmers have not planted anything - the farms that look like deserts are heartbreaking.

A perfect day for catching up on cleaning and decluttering...

wahine
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Location: New Zealand

Post by wahine » Thu Jan 07, 2016 8:50 am

Yay back on habit -good for you.

40C sounds hideous. I hope the houses are insulated and airconditioned (unlike here, but we don't get that kind of heat).
Kate

eschano
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Post by eschano » Thu Jan 07, 2016 5:14 pm

I also always have a tough time going back to NoS after a holiday but I take courage from the fact that it does indeed get easier quickly :) Well done for breaking the red streak.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

Giada
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Location: South Africa

Post by Giada » Fri Jan 08, 2016 4:26 am

Thanks, eschano!

Kate, our homes are generally geared to be cool in summer - but cool is a relative concept. We about 10 mm of rain in total, which cooled things down dramatically. Still bone-dry and extremely hot elsewhere, though.

Yesterday was green for NoS and SG, red for my walk, which means an unhappy dog. I should have a long talk with myself...

wahine
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Post by wahine » Fri Jan 08, 2016 9:32 am

Is your dog big enough to make you feel safe at night? I imagine you'd have to walk in the cool of the evening.
Kate

nettee
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Post by nettee » Sat Jan 09, 2016 7:44 pm

well done on your successes yesterday. hope you are enjoying an S weekend
3 tasty meals a day and loving it

Giada
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Location: South Africa

Post by Giada » Wed Jan 20, 2016 6:00 am

Back again! With all that's been happening, it feels as if my 'real-world' 2016 only started on Monday.

The five-day visit morphed into a random road trip - no complaints from me! We spent less time than planned on the West Coast, then moved inland: first the Tankwa Karoo (hot, desolate and utterly beautiful), then two days in a beautiful little village in the Little Karoo, and two days visiting friends, also in the same area (better known as the middle of nowhere).

No-S-wise things could have been better, but it also could have been much worse: no sweets or snacks, but I had seconds a couple of times. Very little in terms of exercise, except a walk on the farm, and climbing a hill in search of fossils.

Monday and Tuesday were green for No-S, red for SG and keeping the BWD happy :oops:.

Wahine, BWD is big enough - but my evenings are not my own, so I try to take us for early-morning walks.

Thanks for popping in, Nettee - you are doing so well on your 21-day quest!

wahine
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Post by wahine » Wed Jan 20, 2016 8:16 am

Welcome back! Sounds like a great holiday.
Kate

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Jan 21, 2016 4:07 am

wb--sounds like a really fun time!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

Giada
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Location: South Africa

Post by Giada » Thu Jan 21, 2016 11:30 am

Thanks, Kate and Linda!

Yesterday was a green No-S day - despite the fact that I had bought low-fat yoghurt instead of the normal full-cream for my breakfast smoothie. (Yoghurt is about the only thing that I make myself eat - I don't like the taste of milk and only have a tiny amount in my coffee - so I see yoghurt as my biggest source of calcium, and that thin, watery stuff really doesn't do it for me :( ) Lunch was tuna with mayo, dinner was a kudu steak with baby potatoes and beetroot salad. A smallish plate, but a delicious one.

Red for walk and SG - just don't seem to have the energy to do so, and yet I know that's what I need to feel more energetic.

I'm feeling sorry for myself at the moment (but in a whiny, poor-me sort of way): it's really hot, and I'd love an ice cream. Can't drink any more water - I already slosh when I walk. Just grin and bear it, Giada - it'll be winter soon enough. And I hate complaining about the summer heat: I complain enough about winter, and I feel a bit spoilt-brattish when I do that about summer, too.

Better day tomorrow, eh? Or maybe I should just get away from the laptop for a while and do something that does not involve words.

Giada
Posts: 66
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 9:47 am
Location: South Africa

Post by Giada » Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:44 am

Last post was on Thursday...

Friday was a green, food-wise, but red for walking and SG.

The weekend was fine - we had friends over on Sun, when we braaied a yellowtail - I had seconds and snacks. Since lunch was latish, I didn't have any supper.

Yesterday was a Sick day - I started feeling very jittery, shakey and had the cold sweats from low blood sugar, so had an extra egg on a cheese roll. Feeling much better today. No SG.

Big news: we had some rain early on Monday morning, and a slight drizzle - almost like heavy dew - throughout the day. About 15 mm in total. Not quite the end of the drought, and the Western Cape gets its rainfall in winter, but it broke the heat at least. And any rain when the entire country has been experiencing a drought is more than welcome. BWD had a short walk (I've really been neglecting her: playing with her in the garden is not the same as taking her on a long walk.)

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Jan 26, 2016 5:07 pm

Sorry you weren't feeling well. Hope it has passed. Yay for rain and for dog walks!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

wahine
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Location: New Zealand

Post by wahine » Wed Feb 10, 2016 7:58 am

Hey Giada, hope you are feeling ok?
Kate

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