Traci’s Daily Check-In

[Traci0829]

I tried to bring back my old check-in thread but it was messed up from when the system changed over. I need to bring back the sanity of regular meals with all the other chaos and confusion that is going on now. I am at a normal weight and BMI, I just spend way too much time thinking about food, etc.
I copied this along time ago from someone’s thread, but I don’t know who (please take credit if it’s yours). I’ve carried this around on a card for years.
“3 meals a day! No Snacks! No Sweets! No Seconds! (I add no Standing or Secret eating). This is sane eating. This is normal eating. You have to change your thinking. Food is not the problem, how you eat is. Change your thinking, change your life. Choose to be moderate. Moderate living brings you sweetness that no food can.”
Today would be a fail because I had some oatmeal and tortilla chips after lunch! So tomorrow will be my day 1.
I’ve never been consistent with check-ins so let’s see how this goes.

[automatedeating]

Hi Traci!

[Traci0829]

Hey Auto! Thanks for stopping by. I still read the forums almost daily and you are always an inspiration!

[Traci0829]

Tuesday was a shaky success with some virtual plating...Virtual plating tends to be the slippery slop that leads me astray.
Wake up coffee at 5:30
B: 2 eggs cooked in butter with 1/2 avocado, sugar free hazelnut latte with coconut milk
L: sunbutter protein ball, apple with cinnamon, cheese and rice crackers, almonds and raisins
D: almond flour chicken fingers, salad, tortilla chips, bite of granola bar
Exercise: 4 mile run, 2 mile walk, 1 mile meander with my kids

[automatedeating]

Love the exercise break-down!!!

[Traci0829]

Wednesday
Still a little virtual plating...I’m giving myself grace this week
5:30 Coffee
B: smoothie with all the things blended in
Coffee
L: apple with cinnamon, almonds (guessing 2 servings), protein bar, 4 crackers and hummus
D: turkey burger, homemade bake “fries”, salad, 1 can sparkling rose, sunbutter ball
5 mile run, 1 mile jog with my daughter, 1.5 mile walk
+2.2lbs from my goal wt.

[Traci0829]

Thursday: fail
Everything was fine until after dinner, but I still didn’t have a total WTH...
Coffee
Sugar free hazelnut latte
B: smoothie (almost was more like Brunch time)
L: almonds and raisins, crackers and hummus
D: chicken sausage, sweet potatoes with bacon, salad, sparkling rose
After dinner: a few tortilla chips, a few almonds and raisins, small scoop of coconut milk ice cream
Running break down 3.5 mile with hubby (faster) 1 mile on my own (slower), 1 mile with my daughter (even slower); long walk with my kiddos
2 10 minutes Pilates/yoga videos
Weight +1.2

Friday (so far):
Coffee
Sugar free hazelnut latte
B: smoothie
Lunch was more like a snack: some almonds and raisins
D: grilled chicken, salad, chips and guacamole.., sparkling rose
After dinner fail a few chocolate chips, granola bar, I think I did have a few more almonds

Run: 5 mile social distance run
2 10 minute Pilates/yoga videos
Also a few mini walks with my kiddos

[automatedeating]

5 mile social distance run

This made me laugh - yikes, what if social distancing required us all to be 5 miles apart.....

[Traci0829]

I'm always so inspired by the regular posters here. Even though I rarely check-in, I am a regular reader. Saying Hi and hoping to be a bit more consistent here. I'm at my desired weight and my cardio regimen is a no brainer, but I really need to work on some strength training and fix the snacking habit that crops up when I am stressed or in a mood. I end up not eating enough real food and that zaps my energy level. I'm also working on watching my caffeine intake and keeping my rose habit in check!

[Traci0829]

I had to go into work early, so I just had a second coffee and waited until I got home to eat "breakfast".

B: smoothie, a few almonds, 1/2 of a Lenny and Larry's protein cookie (this should be considered an "S", but I forgot that I was trying to get back on teh vanilla no S train after I started eating it)
L: turkey on a sprouted grain wrap- it was late so I was trying to keep in light for pizza
D: pizza- 1 piece of an extra large pizza, salmon salad then totally flaked that I was doing no S and has some chips, peanuts and craisins, dark chocolate

5.72 mile run @ 9:08 pace
Steps:
Caffeine/Coffee: 2 cups
Alcohol: 1 glass of rose

[automatedeating]

Nice run!

[Octavia]

Wow, 5.72 miles, Traci! Steady on, old girl! That is amazing.

Have a great weekend.

[Traci0829]

Also posted this in February challenge:
I'm starting a new habit or eliminating a bad habit each month in 2021. I gave up alcohol for January (and plan to continue on with this for at least 100 days, maybe for the year). I noticed that I started snacking A LOT again in January, so I going with no snacking for February. I'll try to limit my virtual plating and sweets, but I mostly want to eliminate the afternoon snacks and evening animal cracker habit I've developed since giving up my daily glass of rose! Honestly, if I update this every day, whether I am successful or not, I will count it as a win as well!
February 1: B: smoothie, L: turkey wrap, apple, TJ's fig and nut bar, 1 square 95% chocolate, D: Kale gnocchi with pesto, carrots, hummus, crackers 2 small square 95% chocolate ***also had a fair amount of sparkling water and gum and 2 cups of coffee with SF hazelnut creamer
February 2: B: same; L: same, but no bar, 4 tiny squares dark chocolate; D: homemade chicken fingers, salad, bowl of tortilla chips, few bites of chocolate hummus.

[lpearlmom]

I did a 100 day sober challenge a few months ago and it was a great experience. I did it on Soberiestas which was nice because you so it with other ppl and therefore have a lot of support.
https://soberistas.com/

[Traci0829]

Thanks, Linda! I'll check that out!

February 3: S day/wonky workday Wednesday. I had a snafu and forgot part of my lunch. Generally, I don't have a place or time to eat my entire lunch on Wednesdays. I travel between school buildings and see students at all times of the day. I may just make Wednesdays a floating S day/mod day where as long as I only eat what I packed then it will be green.

[automatedeating]

On days I don't drink alcohol, I invariably eat more junk. I hate that cycle.... so good luck with kicking your snacking!

[Traci0829]

Auto, that is 100% my pattern! That's why I was so off with my snacking in January. I started using way too much stevia this month (in my sparkling water with lime juice) and I think it is totally messing up taste buds. I've read it can impact your blood sugar, but the research is mixed.
So...
Wednesday- s-day
Thursday- fail (it involved lots of animal crackers!)
Friday- fail- protein bar and extensive virtual plating at lunch

[Traci0829]

I think I'm going to try my check-in thread again. I feel like I need to work on my bad habits. No S always feels like it helps. It's been almost a year and never stay super consistent.

[Traci0829]

Looks like today was not a success according to the original rules. I'm calling it an S day, as in a Snow day!! My kids were off school and I was working from home and I was a bit off!!!

[Traci0829]

I have not been feeling too well. I'm hoping the structure of No S will help. I love reading through all the success threads and hope one day I can also achieve that success. I am also noticing when I drink alcohol I feel absolutely awful. Even if it is one glass, I just don't tolerate it right now. I will also track here my glass ceiling- which is 0 until I am feeling better. I am hoping to go 100 days without any alcohol. I don't drink that much, but it's enough to make me feel junky.
I'll check in on Monday.
Made brownies today and they were sooooo yummy!!!

[ladybird30]

Hi Traci - I gave up alcohol over 40 years ago because half a glass made me nauseous. Don't miss it, and it isn't a problem socially. So all the best with your alcohol decisions, whatever is the right choice for you.

[Traci0829]

Ladybird- thanks for the encouragement!

This week has not been super successful, but I would say my general awareness is better, and only on Friday did I really get off track. Wednesday and Thursday were just too much virtual plating at dinner, but Friday I had some of my kids' Valentine candy as well as cereal in the midafternoon. Oh, and more candy after dinner.

I hit a red zone weight twice this week. I'm realizing in my mid-forties, I can't get away with permasnacking, regardless of how much I exercise and walk during the day. I keep remembering you can't out-exercise a bad diet and good diet habits are much more sustainable than trying to go out and walk or run off a bad day of eating. Moderate eating + moderate exercise= freedom.

I'm been having some unnerving and nagging health issues that seem to diminish when I avoid the junk that comes with snacking. I currently struggle with coming up with a default lunch that is warm, light, and comforting. This often throws off my afternoon, because I am often not satisfied with my current choices.

My goal is to keep checking in even if I can't get a green day!

[ladybird30]

I too can't get away with the sort of eating that I used to do when younger.

I find that grazing and permasnacking can also be a reaction to eating too lightly. One way to stop a bout of grazing is bigger meals until the urge subsides. Trying to make up for grazing by eating more lightly at meals in counter productive as it leads to more grazing. Took me a long time to realise this.

[Amy3010]

Hi Traci, how has it been going? I have been working on giving up alcohol for the past few years, and after several challenge months at various times, something finally clicked and I have been able to pretty much let go of it, mostly because I really see how much better I feel when I am not having wine. But it took time and practice to get to that point.

[Traci0829]

It's been a while!
Amy, I feel like what you said in your comment! Each time I cut alcohol out or cut back I realize how it does not make me feel great. I had definitely cut way back, but since it's January it seems like a good time to take a break for now.
I've been rather snacky lately, so I think I will try checking in again on the regular!!! My weight is in a good place, but I've been pretty tired and having a lot of ups and downs. I think as a result of not eating real meals. I've never been great about consistently checking in, but I am going to try!

[ladybird30]

Welcome back Traci.

[Traci0829]

Last week I had no green days
On the upside, I'm doing well with low caffeine. I'm trying to cut back to 1 cup daily to help with my anxiety. I may try to log that here as well as low alcohol. I had one glass of wine on Saturday on date night. I am hoping for a better week this week with no s. I had to get a retainer to fix a gap in my back teeth, so I think that will be a good reminder not to snack. I have to remove the retainer to eat and brush before putting it back in.

[Traci0829]

Monday-Thursday- Green
Friday- last minute S day/S event, went to coffee/lunch break with a coworker at a local coffee shop (first time this school year!), decided to enjoy in-house bakery treats.
Sat- 1 glass wine, S day

[Amy3010]

Well done on the green week! What do you think made the difference for you?

[Traci0829]

Well, I have not been so successful since a few weeks ago. I think I should probably be more daily with my check-in!
Amy- I think I lost my initial momentum. I am hoping for a better week this week!!!!

[Amy3010]

Checking in daily could be something that helps - I hope you find your momentum! I am looking for lots of green in February, too! Let's do this!