Linda's daily 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.

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gingerpie
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Post by gingerpie » Wed Jun 24, 2015 12:07 pm

Hi Linda, I'm sorry your having a tough go of it. I totally get the money worry thing. We count pennies constantly but budgeting really works and the pay off is that we do have a nice emergency fund and a fair sized nest egg built up as well as 3 (miniscule) College funds. We also enjoy a vacation when we want and my husband and I really grow together working towards our goals. Budgeting and planning and achieving goals with my husband also gives me a sense of control which greatly reduces anxiety.

This is a long winded way to say, I get it :? We don't use an app. We just sit down together make lists, prioritize and plan a budget. Then we do our best to stick to it. One trick we use is to syphon off any money we want to save immediately. It goes straight into the appropriate account and we never see it in our checking account. My favorite trick for the household money is to only shop when we really need something. I never enter a store just to browse our check what is on sale.

Hope you Are feelIng more on top of things today.

PS: we don't use an app but my husband did create an excel spreadsheet so we could get a clear picture is where it all goes.

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Jun 25, 2015 4:22 am

Thank you SO much ginger! You really inspired me to get off my duff and deal with this head on. I remembered that I made a budget way back when and with a few tweaks I can make it work for our current needs.

It just takes a little bit of awareness & effort to stay on track but so worth it. Today instead of eating out to lunch, the girls and I went home and made lunch. We also washed the dog instead of taking her to the groomers and we even got supplies to do our own nails. It's good for our kids to learn how to do stuff on their own and we actually had a lot of fun.

Btw, I realized how spoiled I sound! I don't think I'll be suffering too much with a budget. Luckily, we do have a a little college fund started for each of our girls but that's about all we're doing right. Never too late to change though!

Today was good but a little bit of a red day. I got up early & had a small bowl of yogurt before running errands. When I came back my girls had made me breakfast because they knew how stressed I've been. It was so sweet I couldn't turn it down so just ate half of it. I also picked a little while cooking. Not too bad though overall.

Break: yogurt w fruit & nuts, sm
1/2 piece of toast w jam, banana spread w sunbutter, chia seeds & strawberries
Lunch: grilled chicken on sandwich thin, chips & salsa, melon, iced sm
Dinner: red green bean salad w walnuts, hummus w cucumbers, vegan burger, 2 wine spritzers

Girls at a sleepover tonight. DH & I had fun making dinner together & watching a movie--yay!!!!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by ironchef » Thu Jun 25, 2015 8:32 am

lpearlmom wrote:Thank you SO much ginger! You really inspired me to get off my duff and deal with this head on. I remembered that I made a budget way back when and with a few tweaks I can make it work for our current needs.

It just takes a little bit of awareness & effort to stay on track but so worth it.
I have a rough budget as a guide, and from time to time I track more closely to tighten up my spending habits. However, I'm no good at detailed tracking all the time. Instead I track a few key things:
Years until house is paid off
Months worth of expenses in our rainy day fund
Years until I can retire
Value in the kids education savings accounts
Any other short term goals (e.g. saving to afford a holiday or big purchase)
I check these things about once a month or so. If any of them fall behind where we want them to be (e.g. Minimum 6 months expenses saved in rainy day account) then I track more closely for a while until everything is back on track. Just an option if you find that long term you don't sustain detailed tracking.

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Jun 26, 2015 3:09 am

Thanks for sharing what you do iron. Money is such a taboo topic. Seems like people rather talk about their intimate love lives rather than money matters at times which makes it hard to know how other people handle all this stuff. Unfortunately neither DH nor I are good with money so we tend to be in denial about a lot of this stuff.

Well today we had a heated discussion about money. It was hard but productive actually. Up to this point I've handled all the money stuff and it's incredibly stressful to carry it all alone. The few times that DH has wanted to jump in, I haven't been organized enough to allow him to do this. So my challenge now is to get organized enough that I can share this burden with DH and we can finally be on the same page. Phew--tough stuff. But will be worth it I know. Luckily with the girls going away for two weeks this should give me the time to get organized.

Other than that today was good. Girls were gone all day so I got a lot done--new tires, oil change, car washed & a thorough cleaning of the frig. I realized how much food we waste and have decided not to do the CSA anymore. I'm also going to try daily shopping for just what's needed instead of a big weekly shop. I'm going to try to plan dinner based upon what we have instead of my usual weekly meal plan. I think this will help reduce waste/cost and I will enjoy the spontaneity/creativity that this will entail. I live 5 mins away from good grocery stores (sprouts, trader joes) so it's not a problem to go most days.

Break: yogurt w fruit, nuts, skinny mocha
Lunch: low carb wrap w hummus & tomatoes, iced sm
Dinner: chicken & steak kebabs, sautéed mushrooms, barley, 2 wine spritzers

Writing this while sitting out by the pool watching the sunset, listening to music & sipping wine. DH is with me. Life is pretty darn good despite the usual stressors.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by eschano » Fri Jun 26, 2015 8:46 am

I'm glad you are talking about money. I remember automatedeatings money system which was also great but too hard for me to do.
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ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Fri Jun 26, 2015 10:25 am

As tough as it is, it is great that you're talking and dealing with the money stuff head on. In hindsight, one of the best things for our finances as a couple was Mr chef losing his job in the 2008 GFC. It sucked massively at the time, but it forced us to work hard together on money stuff, and proved how little we could live on if we had to. Not that I recommend layoffs and stress as a financial management technique!! The experience took a lot of the taboo out of money stuff for me - I got pretty good at being frank with people about what was going on with us.

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Post by gingerpie » Fri Jun 26, 2015 11:55 am

Big stuff Linda, I'm glad you're working together. It makes it a lot easier. If you're interested: We first decided how much we needed to save then looked at the remainder to see if there was enough to live off of. If you do it the other way around it often seems like there is nothing to save. Also, other than the mortgage we carry no debt. (not even the cars) We sometimes use the credit card for convience in payment but the money to pay it off is already in hand.

Not that you asked but I'll share anyway :? Money management has been a bit like no-s for me. It has evolved into something bigger than itself. I started off with a very functional attitude towards it but now my worldview had changed allong with it. For example, I used to believe in "quality" products. That it was worth paying more for "quality". Now I believe in what I call functional mediocracy. It is a term I made up to mean that I don't really need the $10 potholders that match the tea towels that match the curtains that match the couch that match the carpet. I just need the potholders that are thick enough to safely pick up the pot. Our newest area of exlporation is the idea of living minimally. I mean tiny house minimal. :shock: we'll probably put that off 'till the kids are out of the house though.

Anyway, good luck in this adventure we call life.

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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Fri Jun 26, 2015 10:25 pm

I need to apply some 'everyday system' techniques to my budgeting too - I've had a better-paid job for the past 6 months, and had all sorts of plans for saving - but it's all gone on 'living' and buying experiences. This month it caught up with me in the shape of two unpaid bills, which will now mean that July is lean! I wonder if another 'NoS' might be no spending!
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Sat Jun 27, 2015 2:09 am

Thanks you guys for all your awesome input!

Eschano: I know I couldn't do autos no spending during the week either. Heck I can barely go a day without at least buying a coffee. I think I rather work within a budget instead of having no spending days though.

In fact I put my grocery money for the week in one envelope & my entertainment money in another & will live off of that for a week. This envelope system has worked for me in the past but unfortunately it's not all Im going to have to do to get on top of this issue. To say I'm feeling overwhelmed by it all is a extreme understatement but I have to remember I'm stronger than I think I am. I never thought I'd have a clean, organized house but now my kids call me a clean freak. I never thought I'd be able to go a day without snacking yet I've been going most days without snacks for over a year now. I never thought I'd be able to lose even 5 lbs but now I'm at -30 lbs so I know I can get a handle on this financial stuff. I'm just not sure where to begin but I know I'll figure it out.

Iron: awesome that you used a difficult situation & turned it into something positive instead of sticking your head in the sand and giving up. You definitely inspire me to do this and can see how important it is to have an open dialog about this with dh.

Ginger: I love what you say about changing your world perspective. I pride myself on having quality things but suddenly all those designer purses in my closet seem ridiculous esp when my favorite purse is from target due to its practicality. You definitely seem to have it together big time in this area and I really admire that. Some day!

Raw: I hear you! I've been with DH since he was in pre-Med and with each pay raise I thought okay now our money problems are over but yeah no. We just spent more *sigh*. Okay but it's never too late to learn. I hope!

Well other than feel some continued stress about the financial tasks looming ahead, I had a good day. I'm down exactly -30lbs and it feels great. I'm continually surprised with each new pound lost and keep thinking a plateau must be coming but maybe my body really wants to be at a lower weight. Maybe it's because I'm not trying to get to an unreasonably low weight. Who knows but I'll take it!

Was a fun day. I had a friend over and her two girls swam with mine. Then I took my girls for their yearly check ups and everything looks great. I'm so pleased this dr doesn't comment on my youngest's weight. She's got an athletic build and weighs more than my oldest who is on the thin side. But they're both beautiful and healthy. The doctor complimented me on what a great job I'm doing with them. Really felt grreat to hear that.

-30 lbs woot!!!

Break: cereal w almond milk, fruit, hmsm
Lunch: low carb turkey wrap, baked chips, iced sm
Dinner: curry chicken salad, 2 wine spritzers

Yeah I will get back to the gym one of these days *sigh*
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Sat Jun 27, 2015 3:42 am

-30! Woohoo!!
Well done Linda :-)

Just keep chipping away at the money stuff and you'll get there.

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Post by osoniye » Sat Jun 27, 2015 4:49 am

Hi Linda,
Thanks for stopping by my thread with encouragement.
Wow, you're doing great. 30# down is really an accomplishment! (And it seems to be related mostly to good choices of 3 plates, rather than exercise, which fits with what seems to be what research is showing these days.)
I've been fearing a plateau for you, as they are so common, but you seem to be really on top of eating yummy food that really is the right amount for you to keep up consistent weight loss. Yay!
Just curious- do you measure out the cereal and almond milk at breakfast to get the "serving size" on the box, or do you use your bowl as your guide? (On the rare occasion I eat cold cereal in the morning, I tend to measure, but am not sure if that is out of control or not.)
Well, keep up what you're doing, it's working so well!
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Sun Jun 28, 2015 7:35 am

Thanks iron! :)

Thanks Sonya--I'm pleased my discipline has paid off. No I never measure/weigh my food. I often check calories before I eat at a restaurant on N days but at home I'm always eating reasonable stuff in reasonable amounts so no need for all that hyper viligence. I still have a lot to lose and will probably plateau at some point but will cross that bridge when I get to it!

It is kind of nice that I'm losing weight without the exercise. Now I can focus on exercise for being healthier & feeling better instead of a chore in order to lose weight. I wonder what the optimal amount for health is?

Today was pretty good. I went a little overboard tonight but that's what S days are for right? We went out with friends for sushi and gelato afterwards. Was really fun just letting lose & blowing off steam.

Break: 4 ww vegan pancakes, peach
Snack: lollipop, iced sm, nectarine
Dinner: sushi, glass of wine, 2 martinis
Dessert: small gelato, few bites of ice cream, bite of pizza
:D
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Mon Jun 29, 2015 4:39 am

Another good day. Definitely ate more than usual but no stuffed/sick feelings so I think I did okay.

My nieces are coming tomorrow. I feel a bit nervous because I don't know them very well. Also a lot of my weird feelings about this have to do with my complicated relationship with my sister. She's not coming though so will be good to get to know her kids without her presence making me feel uncomfortable.

I did manage to get my girls completely packed and ready to go for camp so I won't have to worry about that while their cousins are here. I also have every day they're here planned out meals and all. Crazy but it helps me to feel calm.

Break: oatmeal with fruit & nuts, hmsm
Lunch: low carb tortilla pizza, nectarine
Snack: iced sm, lollipop
Dinner: veggies w dip, 2 fish tacos w chipotle cream, refried beans, 2 sangrias
Dessert: tiny bowl of ice cream, lollipop
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by eschano » Mon Jun 29, 2015 3:09 pm

Oh wow, Linda, it's so great to read up on your success! That is amazing. Well done.

Best of luck for having your nieces over.
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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Jun 30, 2015 6:51 am

Thanks eschano! Crazy night. Long story but my nieces will be arriving 4 hrs later than expected. I still haven't left for the airport in fact and it's almost midnight--ugh! Tomorrow should be interesting with 4 sleep deprived kids.

Other than that today was good. Got a lot done getting ready for our guests. Girls even cleaned their rooms and DH cleaned out his closet--yay!

Break: 1/2 bagel (hollowed out) w cream cheese, sm
Lunch: wedge of cheese, 2 handful nuts, nectarine
Dinner: soup & salad, iced mocha
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by eschano » Tue Jun 30, 2015 9:32 am

Oh no! I hope you get some sleep.

Yay for decluttering though :)
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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Jul 01, 2015 6:07 am

Thanks eschano! Didn't get home till 2:30am but slept till 8:30am so not too bad.

The visit is going well and the girls seem to be enjoying themselves so that is good. I feel a bit exhausted though and I feel like there's no end in sight. After this we drive to LA for a couple days then back for two weeks while the girls are at camp. Normally I'd be looking forward to some peace & quiet but now that I'm using this time to tackle our finances, I'm kind of dreading it. Maybe I should give myself a week off and deal with everything the 2nd week or something? Dunno.

Red day....

We went to the fancy movie theater today--recliners, blankets, waitress etc and they hand you popcorn when you first sit down. My plan was to eat 1/2 and then just 1/2 my lunch. Well that plan didn't work. I ate the whole (small) bag plus most of my lunch. Then we made wood fire pizzas and I lost count of how many slices I had. Oh well, one day shouldn't wreck me too much!

Break: egg white/vegan chorizo wrap, coffee
Lunch: small bag popcorn, 3 chicken salad wraps
Dinner: 6 (I think) tiny pieces of pizzas
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Wed Jul 01, 2015 12:57 pm

As a master of procrastination, I'd vote for the other way around - do your financial stuff the first week then reward yourself with a week off. Then you don't spend your week "off" with this hanging over your head, and you don't risk putting it off a few extra days and then skipping it entirely. I promise once you get your teeth into it you'll get it done in less than a week. These jobs always look worse than they really are.

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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Jul 02, 2015 6:50 am

Yeah you're probably right iron!

Today was fun. We took all the girls to the waterpark, came home, had dinner & watched a movie. Everyone seems very relaxed and are getting along. I want everything to go well so badly that I feel like the stress is making me utterly exhausted. I feel like I may just crumble into a million pieces on the inside but on the outside I'm being the perfect hostess, daughter, mother, wife...ugh I need a break. Tomorrow they leave. I can do this.

Break: yogurt w nuts
Lunch: 3/4 veg & avocado sandwich, iced mocha
Dinner: chipotle salad w chicken, margarita, 4 cherries
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by eschano » Thu Jul 02, 2015 9:41 am

Thinking of you Linda! I hope you have a great day today and then you're done.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

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ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Thu Jul 02, 2015 11:37 am

Sounds like a great day, and I'm sure they had a wonderful visit. Just hang in there one more day!

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Dandelion
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Post by Dandelion » Thu Jul 02, 2015 5:45 pm

Sounds like you did well. I could so relate with the trying to be the 'perfect' everything. It's so hard for me, and with people staying with us a week or three at a time, I never seem to make it :(
'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

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Jul 03, 2015 4:34 am

Thanks iron, eschano & Dandelion! Three weeks would drive this introvert straight to the funny farm!

Well I made it and did my very best to make sure they had a nice time. Everyone seemed slightly cranky this morning so I decided to go to the musical instrument museum where you basically walk around with headphones on and listen to music from all over the world. The last room you get to pound on drums and swing at a gong. This way all those that wanted to keep to themselves could.

On the way back we dropped everyone off at the airport and I have never been so relieved. My sister just has amazingly high expectations of herself and everyone around her. It makes it impossible to relax around her and even though she wasn't there, I felt like everything would be reported back to her. Her kids are trained to be extremely polite, well mannered and driven so it's also hard not to compare my kids or actually my parenting which is just much more relaxed.

I hate the phoniness though of all this forced politeness/properness (my kids are well behaved but not in an over the top "fit for a queen" way) and I hate how when I'm around her I find myself becoming the person she wants me to be. I don't feel like me anymore but it's so easy to fall into this people pleaser role. I feel like my only other option is to rebel against all her expectations but then that feels inauthentic too. It's maddening I tell you and this is why I avoid her like the plague. This is why having mini versions of her here for three days was so hard. And yes I'm aware how insane I sound but needed to just get that out! Why do I even care in the first place is the real question/problem.

Okay anyway onward! Tomorrow we go to LA and I need to get everything ready for our house/dog sitters & road trip. It should be fun though. DH & I are staying right on the beach & the girls are staying at their grandparents.

A little bit of a red day today too..so weigh in tomorrow should be interesting. I had to virtually plate lunch because we were in the go. Then I tried to do it for dinner but it got a little out of hand.

Break: turkey bacon wrap, sm
Lunch: energy bar, fruit, veggies w dip
Dinner: salad, handful chips, large yogurt w fruit & cereal, couple bites of chicken, couple bites of guacamole
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Sat Jul 04, 2015 6:44 am

Wow that was quite a venting session! Okay all better now! In Santa Monica, dropped the kids off at grandmas and are enjoying our ocean view hotel room by...watching tv--yay! No but we did take a walk on the pier and had a drink at a local bar. Was fun. There's so much activity and so many interesting, diverse people. I love it. I miss the beach and the weather and the interesting people but not the best place to raise kids. Things moved way too fast for me growing up. I'm lucky to have carved out a normal adult life for myself. A lot of people I grew became drug addicts and spent time in jail.

Anyway this time alone for dh & I is really good. I'm glad we did this especially since Sunday is his bday.

-31 lbs --woot woot!

Break: 1/2 hollowed bagel w cream cheese, sm
Lunch: chipotle chicken salad--no dressing or cheese.
Dinner: plate of middle eastern food, glass wine, big fancy cocktail
Last edited by lpearlmom on Sun Jul 05, 2015 11:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Sat Jul 04, 2015 10:52 am

Sounds gorgeous, really nice that you and your husband can enjoy a break together. Enjoy!

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Post by lpearlmom » Sun Jul 05, 2015 5:30 am

Thanks iron!

Fun day! Brunch w family then walking around Santa Monica. Dinner at this cute little Mexican place right on the beach with the best guacamole & margaritas. Went to the pier to go on rides & watch fireworks. Ended the night with drinks by pool after mil took girls back to her place.

Brunch: hollowed out bagel w cream cheese, fruit, coffee w cream
Snack: iced mocha
Dinner: chips & guac, burrito, 2 margaritas
After dinner: Martini, mocha

Boy most my calories are in beverages!
Last edited by lpearlmom on Sun Jul 05, 2015 11:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Dandelion
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Post by Dandelion » Sun Jul 05, 2015 6:20 pm

That sounds like fun :)

I find I drink a lot of calories in hot weather. I had always heard it was a terrible thing to do - but the weeks I lost weight the best, where the weeks I drank a lot of sweetened drinks. I didn't plan on it - it was just hot and I didn't feel like eating, but I was thirsty. Go figure, huh?

I"m a fairly relaxed kinda mom - but my kid is well mannered and polite. What his British grandparents think of the way he is being raised may be another story. Fortunately if they think we're lax since we 'moved to the colonies' (no, they don't say this - it's my idea of a joke) they keep their opinions to theirselves (too polite not to).
'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

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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Jul 07, 2015 4:52 am

Yeah sometimes our bodies know best Dandelion! I think I need to cut back on the alcohol a bit though. Sometimes I think it's not good for my mood swings.

Dontcha just love judgmental grandparents? There's so many different ways to parent and I don't think one way is necessarily better than another barring the obvious extremes of abuse and neglect of course! (Btw, I didn't know you were British or is that Mr Dandelion?).

Yesterday was crazy! My battery died in LA on the way to taking our girls to the camp drop off spot. Luckily we were at my mil's house and she drove all of us. We got the girls off (I miss them!) and then went out to dinner for dhs bday with his mom, sister and bro in law.

Drove home today. Tomorrow need to started tackling the dreaded finances. Going to start by filing the huge pile on my desk. Ugh!

Break: egg white & spinach wrap, sm
Lunch: package of beef jerky
Dinner: large bbq chicken salad (low fat), 2 glasses of cranberry juice (for medicinal reasons)

Feeling like I want to cut down on my coffee, alcohol & sugar substitutes for some reason. Just kind of a hunch that I'll feel better mentally & physically. I'll give it a try & see.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

eschano
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Post by eschano » Tue Jul 07, 2015 8:51 am

I'll be thinking of you when you are tackling your finances! It will be easier than thought.
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Post by gingerpie » Tue Jul 07, 2015 11:03 am

I've been dealing with my paperwork/office work by setting the timer for 1 hour of workime per workday. When it's over, I quit and start again tomorrow. I do it 5 days a week, just like no-s. I like the system because I have distinct start and stop times so I don't feel quite so overwhelmed, and, it's been very successful. I've gotten a ton of work done this summer with little or no stress.

I also highly recommend cutting back on alcohol (I can't speak to sugar substitutes because I've never used them) Establishing my glass ceiling has been the best dietary change I've made in years. I sleep better and I feel better both physically and mentally. At first I didn't really *feel* the feel-better part but I noticed that I felt worse after breaking the glass ceiling. Now, after several months of successes I'm noticing the better. Hope that makes sense. It seems a bit convoluted. :)

As always, good luck and have a nice day. [/i]

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Post by eschano » Tue Jul 07, 2015 12:37 pm

Gingerpie, I feel the same about coffee. The first two weeks are always incredibly tough, then I notice I feel more tired a few hours after the coffee high than without coffee and only now do I feel generally more awake.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
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clarinetgal
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Post by clarinetgal » Tue Jul 07, 2015 5:23 pm

I certainly hear you about judgmental grandparents. My ILs used to be terrible about making comments about my parenting. Thankfully, they have gotten a lot better about it.
Good luck on cutting back on alcohol, coffee, and sugar. I don't drink, but I am a terrible coffee addict, and I'm trying to cut back on coffee, because of reflux.

Heather

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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Tue Jul 07, 2015 8:25 pm

Good luck with the finances lpearlmom! Thanks to your post about finances a while back, I checked out the financial systems on here, and have set up a budget using a template that was posted by another NoS-er. Reality check!

:!:
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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Post by Dandelion » Tue Jul 07, 2015 9:50 pm

Oh, they don't say anything or even act as if they disapprove. It's probably just me inventing things to worry about

Mr and Son are British by birth, I am by naturalization:)
'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

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Jul 08, 2015 5:16 am

Thank so much eschano! I'm just trying to cut back a little. No cold turkey for me. We'll see how it goes.

Ginger: thanks for advice/encouragement. Especially love the advice to set a time limit. It really helps me to have an end point. I did 2 1/2 hrs of filing today and then just called it a day. Made a dent but still have a lot to go.

Awesome raw cookie! Do you mind sharing the template? I need all the help I can get.

Heather: I've been getting a little reflux too lately and is part of the reason for wanting to cut back on coffee/alcohol. It's hard!

Dandelion: I'm terrible about imagining what others are thinking about me. My imagination really gets away with me.

Today was a bit of roller coaster. Started out feeling stressed and on the verge of depression but dug my way out and am feeling relaxed and much better. Crazy how much can change over the course of the day. I'm susceptible to depressive episodes. It doesn't happen often but really sucks when it does.

Luckily I've learned to recognize the beginning signs and can usually turn it around. Things that help are taking concrete steps to deal with stuff that's weighing on me, exercise, swimming, outside time, watching funny movies etc. I did all those things today and think I'm okay now. *phew* (Btw, Hector and the pursuit of Happiness was a wonderful movie if anyone's interested.)

Break: yogurt w nuts & fruit, tea w milk
Lunch: veg burger on sandwich thin, grapes, wedge of cheese, tea
Dinner:bowl of turkey chili w s cream & handful of chips, wine spritzer

Exercise: 35 mins of cardio; 1 set ea stomach & back--yay!!!

It's funny because I was thinking cutting back on alcohol & coffee would help w my depression issues but all I could find was opposite research. Moderate coffee & wine intake associated w less depression. Coffee is also associated with a lot of other positive things like lower Alzheimer's and heart disease. So I guess I'll have to see what works for me and keep moderation in mind.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Jul 09, 2015 5:08 am

A little bit of a red day but not too bad. It's the first day in awhile I haven't had to deal with putting out fires (rental property issues, car breakdowns etc.) and I'm finally starting to relax a bit. I also spent another couple hours filing paperwork and am starting to feel a little better about that situation as well.

Watched quite a bit of tv while filing and discovered some really good shows--catastrophe (Amazon show), Scrotal Recall, & Veep. Nice to have some time to myself. I miss my kids a little but know they're having a great time.

Break: yogurt, nuts, fruit, tea w milk
Lunch: veg burger, chips & dip, nectarine
Red moment: naked smoothie, handful of cherries
Dinner: spinach falafel lettuce wraps, cherries, 2 glasses wine

exercise: 35 mins cardio & 1 set ea--abs, back

Going to try a yoga class tomorrow. Been awhile since I tried something new on my own. Will be good for me.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Jul 10, 2015 3:33 am

Really good day. Starting to remember who I was pre-kids. I'm just one of those moms who gets totally and completely absorbed in the act of mothering. I completely lose myself in the process and I know we're not suppose to do that but it's just the way I operate.

Anyway, starting to wonder if I should do a little more with my life. I've had plenty of opportunities to do so in the past but it just hasn't appealed to me more than taking care of my family & home. I sound so traditional but I'm not. I'm definitely a feminist but I just haven't had the energy to do it all like some women do. I cherish my alone, quiet time too much to work all day & then come home to an active, bustling household.

But I'm wondering if maybe it's time to spend some time doing things unrelated to being a mother & wife. To maybe nuture that other side of me a bit. Maybe drawing, going to art museums, delving more into my decorating interests. I don't know but am worried once the kids come back I'll just be swept up into my passion of mothering & forget about the rest. I guess that's okay though too. They'll be grown & gone someday. Hopefully I'll still remember who I am!

Anyway, emotionally feeling really good!

Break: cereal w almond milk, tea
Lunch: kale salad, 3 pieces sushi, 2 falafels, sm
Dinner: chipotle salad w chicken, wine

Exercise: yoga class--loved it & can definitely see myself doing it again.

I guess my no coffee, no wine experiment is officially over. Oh well! I think the important thing is to stick to my 3 drinks (of anything) total/day. A little worried about weigh-in tomorrow with a red day and a big lunch today but who knows.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by osoniye » Fri Jul 10, 2015 4:10 am

lpearlmom wrote:I guess my no coffee, no wine experiment is officially over.
Hi Linda,
Thanks for stopping by my thread.
It is interesting, the debate about the effects of alcohol and caffiene on the mind and body. I hope it doesn't take away from your feeling of well being, but it seems to be a reasonable part of life. I always feel encouraged when I see your eating log and know you're enjoying a glass or 2 of wine or spritzer with dinner... it is such a testimony to how we can LIVE and enjoy a wide variety of food and drink, and still meet our goals on NoS.
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Sat Jul 11, 2015 5:52 am

Hi Ms Sonya! Yes being able to have coffee or a glass of wine definitely makes it all much more doable for me & just feels more civilized! I think it comes back to old moderation once again. When I overdo it in the drinking it effects my mood the next day. If I drink too much coffee, I can't sleep and messes me up the next day. But moderate amounts elevate my mood so just need to be responsible.

Unfortunately, I didn't lose any weight this week. I'm feeling slightly discouraged. One week without losing isn't a huge deal but if it continues I may have to up my game a bit we'll see.

Had another tiny red day but other than that was good. Yesterday I did a couple more hours of filing and getting close to finishing. Today I started doing the finances for dummies workbook and was actually really helpful. It first has you look into your fears about money and what may be holding you back from properly managing it.

I actually had a couple of good insights. Growing up my mom was a single mom & we didn't have a lot of money. I realized I may be afraid of showing her up so I mess our finances up. Also we weren't exactly starving but I just never felt secure like we were always on the verge of losing everything. I realized that maybe I don't feel deserving of feeling financially secure.

Anyway I realized that I need to face these fears & that feeling financially secure will take awhile but it's definitely a huge priority that is worth the effort. I found a great website YNAB which I think was mentioned on here before (auto or eschano maybe?) and can see it will fit my needs perfectly. There's still so much to do to get organized and to learn but I can do this if I'm just patient & persistent.

-31 lbs
I hope this isn't a start of a plateau. I wish I was just at the maintenance stage already. Ah well, I'm not giving up.

Break: green smoothie
Lunch: soba noodle broth bowl w chicken, sm
Dinner: skinny chicken enchiladas, salad, 2 wine spritzer
Red: handful nuts, 2 chips
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Sun Jul 12, 2015 7:47 am

Break: 4 cookies , nectarine, coffee w cream
Lunch: veg burger on sandwich thin, yogurt w fruit & nuts
Snack: 4 lollipops
Dinner: chicken & avo salad, 1/4 stuffed pepper, 2 margaritas
Dessert: 1/2 large piece chocolate cake, mocha
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Mon Jul 13, 2015 5:15 am

Dh had to work today. Lots of quiet time, TV watching, reading & thinking. Thinking how I should be doing more with my life but don't really want a traditional job. May look into taking some interior decorating courses again.

Definitely overdid it today. Not looking forward to weigh-in tomorrow.

Break: yogurt w fruit & cereal, coffee w cream
Snack: couple handful nuts
Lunch: large smoothie, fruit, handful of nuts
Snack: 2 lollipops
Dinner: 5 zucchini pancakes, quinoa, salad
Dessert: 4 cookies, fruit

Exercise: 40 mins of weights & cardio
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Jul 14, 2015 4:46 am

Another quiet day. Ran a few errands then did a couple more hours of filing. Unbelievably, I'm still not done. I made dh & I dinner and then we floated in the pool with our wine glasses and listened to music. Was so peaceful & relaxing. I miss our kids but been really nice to have some time to ourselves.

Strangely enough my weight didn't go up over the weekend. Seems to really like it here. Uh oh...

Break: cereal w almond milk & fruit, skinny mocha
Lunch: veg burger, chips & salsa, nectarine, coffee w cream
Dinner: buffalo chicken chili w low-carb chips & crab guacamole, wine

Kinda overdid it at dinner. Oh well.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by ZippaDee » Tue Jul 14, 2015 1:39 pm

Hi Linda! Popping in to say HELLO! I've spent a little time reading through your check in thread and you seem to be doing awesome! Congrats on your weight loss!
"Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there some day." ~Winnie the Pooh ~

A Flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms!

Diets Don't Work.

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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Tue Jul 14, 2015 5:31 pm

Hey, I've been doing a budget since you first raised the topic of finances - this week I've pretty much run out of my 'allowance' for food, until Friday - and am having to be very creative with my cooking!
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Jul 15, 2015 5:13 am

Thank you ZippaDee!

Oh boy the budget is my latest obsession rawcookie! I've been using the ynab software and it's pretty awesome I must say. It's been a huge eye opener. It's a little depressing to see how many expenses we have every month and how fast everything goes but it's so nice to know exactly what is going on financially. It's forcing me to make hard decisions about where to spend money but I think we can finally get out of our messy situation.

I even had a dream that I spent something not within our budget and was panicking. It reminds me of the early days of NoS when I would dream about eating something off-plate. This actually gives me a lot of hope because now I feel very relaxed and confident in my NoS habits. I can visualize a time when I'll have a better grasp on our finances and it'll be second nature to me as well. I guess good habits do help to build other good habits--yay!

Anyway pretty good day today. I met with a friend who pretty much talks non-stop about her ex-husband every time I see her. It's exhausting! Then dh drove me crazy trying to find something and tore the office closet apart--ugh! Other than that was good. Did 2 more hours of filing and no I'm not done yet. Determined to finish tomorrow !

Break: toast w cream cheese, sm
Lunch: quinoa & turkey chili, iced sm
Dinner: salad w tuna & nf dressing, nectarine
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Wed Jul 15, 2015 6:26 am

:) well done! That's very inspiring - it would be so 'relaxing' to know that an Everyday System for budgeting could take care of all those spending decisions! The reality check is both scary and reassuring - being in control is a good place to be.

I've been on the cusp of bankruptcy before now - then I was 'saved' by a small inheritance which enabled me to pay off everything and start again. But I've got no safety-net financially now - and that does make me anxious.
Last edited by RAWCOOKIE on Wed Jul 15, 2015 2:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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Post by ironchef » Wed Jul 15, 2015 11:08 am

Go Linda! Knowledge is power. Now you know where the money goes you are in charge!

I know it can be depressing seeing all your income going straight back out the door. One thing that helped us a lot was to question every bill. Not just the discretionary stuff like family outings or groceries, but the big fixed expenses. I got comparisons and re-quotes on our mortgage, all our different insurances, internet, phones, etc. It's a fair bit of work, but in the end saved literally thousands per year. Even simple things like going back to our home and contents insurer and saying "hey, we've never claimed in 8 years, is this the best you can do?" - they came back with a requote for $200 less in premium for the year.

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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Jul 16, 2015 3:58 am

Iron and cookie: you guys are right. It's a little overwhelming to face these things but it is really going to mean less sleepless nights in the end.

I wish we could start over cookie! The hardest part is facing all the debt we've incurred. Just bad decisions but I'm confident we can start chipping away at that now. I'm contemplating cutting back on some luxuries like our weekly cleaning person and gardener. Maybe I can step things up a bit so I need less help around the house. I just feel badly because our cleaning lady has been with us forever.

I was super lazy today but I figure next week the girls will be back and thngs will be back to crazy busy so I might as well enjoy a little relaxing time. Tomorrow I do need to get a lot done though and Friday morning I have to drive to CA and stay the night in a hotel by myself. So not looking forward to that but excited to pick up my girls Sat. I hope they're having fun. Two weeks is the longest theyve ever been away from home.

Break: nf plain greek yogurt w fruit, nuts & cereal, coffee w cream
Lunch: 1 low carb chicken enchilada, yogurt w/ nuts, 2 nectarines, nf iced mocha
Dinner: kung-pao chicken w/ zoodles (really good!)
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/08/kung ... r-two.html

Purposely skipping wine for a couple of days. Just want to make sure it doesnt become a habit I cant do without. So far no problem!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Jul 17, 2015 4:03 am

Break: 2 veg sausages, toast, coffee w cream
Lunch: salad w chicken, grapes, iced sm
Dinner: 2 low-carb chicken verde wraps, grapes , 1 glass of wine

If I haven't lost weight tomorrow, I'll know Ive officially hit a plateau.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Sat Jul 18, 2015 12:34 am

In lake arrowhead (mountains in CA) staying at an adorable B&B and using this time for serious reflection. I feel like my life needs to be fuller but I don't know what to do. Work part-time? Take art classes? Volunteer? Write? Take up yoga? All of the above?

I worry that if I take something more on things on the Homefront will fall apart (Dh works a lot) but I worry if I don't do something else, I'll lose my identity. I guess the obvious answer is to just take on a little bit and see how it goes. Maybe nothing with a huge commitment. *sigh* why can't I figure it out? Why do I feel so guilty being a sahm?

Anyway it's beautiful up here & been good for me to remember I can do things on my own. So excited to pick up my girls tomorrow!!

-32.4 lbs

Well things seem be still moving in the right direction so that's awesome. Even though I'm still losing weight, I seem to be stuck at this size 14. Of course it really depends on the brand. I tried on an xl Ralph Lauren top today & it fit. Then I tried on a large Karen Kane shirt and it fit w plenty of room to spare. Oh well I'll stick w the scale and what I see in the mirror.

I am determined to enjoy my body at -50 lbs instead of trying to lose even more weight. I think I'll be at a good healthy weight not model skinny by a long shot but it's important to just learn to be happy with where you are at some point. I hope to refocus my energy to getting fitter not thinner at that point.

Break: egg white & spinach wrap, sm
Iced tea
Dunch: turkey & avo sandwich, fries, 2 glasses wine

Exercise: walking along the lake
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Sun Jul 19, 2015 5:01 am

Break: banana
Lunch: turkey burger, sm
Snack: small green tea frappucinno
Dinner: chipotle chicken salad plus part of daughters rice bowl
Dessert: bowl of frozen yogurt w fudge & whipped cream

Feel like I ate too much these last couple of days but I guess it's all relative. It's only a lot compared to what I normally eat now but it's quite a bit less than my old S days. I guess it's the new normal.

Hopefully Monday's weight won't be too high.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by r.jean » Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:39 am

Maintenance is progress has always been one of my mantras when I start getting the urge to worry about that last 15-20 lbs I would like to lose. I am also a size 14 much of the time although I am happy that I am also a size 12 in some things.

This is a far cry from the size 18s I was squeezing into pre NoS and the insane eating habits I had!

It sounds like you are doing a great job.
The journey is the reward.
Maintenance is progress.

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Post by clarinetgal » Mon Jul 20, 2015 8:31 am

Linda, You're doing great! I can totally understand about wanting to find your own identity as a SAHM. That is why my community bands are so important to me. I can take care of my boys, but still have my 'me' time, and continue to maintain and improve my skills on my clarinet. You can always try out some other activities you know you're good at, and see if one or more of them are worth pursuing more seriously.

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Jul 21, 2015 10:26 pm

Ugh Internet was down for a couple of days. Boy does our family rely on it a lot. Yesterday was a red day for me. I had a really good day but my girls had ice cream for dessert & I couldn't resist taking a few bites. I swear I think part of the reason I did that was because I knew I wouldn't be doing my check-in later that night. This check-in has been so helpful to my success due to all the supportive and helpful people. So thanks!!

Anyway will check-in tonight with a green day I'm sure! 😀
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Jul 22, 2015 4:13 am

I love that you have such a passion for music Heather. You're right it's important to have an outlet. I think I'm going to sign up for art classes as well as volunteer at the art museum.

Thanks for the encouragement r. Jean! I'm just wondering how much more I'll need to lose before dropping another size. I don't know why size 12 sounds so appealing to me but I guess it feels like I'll be officially out of plus-sizes.

Although, Wikipedia says plus size is 16 & up while plus size model magazine says its 12 & up. At the same time there's a plus size model that's a size 8? I guess it's all really random and I shouldn't be so concerned with numbers. To top it off, yesterday my friend asked me if I shopped at Torrid. I felt kind of insulted because it's a plus size store. I wanted to say hey I'm a size 14 now. I can shop in the regular section of most stores now! But she's quite a bit bigger than me so I didn't want to insult her. *sigh* Clearly I have issues!

So much for my green day plan! I did great all day till after dinner. My daughter made cookies and I had to "taste" one which apparently meant eating the cookie in its entirety. Luckily it was a small cookie & I did not let one cookie turn into 5 cookies but still!

Break: yogurt w homemade granola & fruit, coffee w cream
Lunch: 1 piece zucchini pie, handful granola, nectarine, iced sm
Dinner: picadillo http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/01/croc ... dillo.html , barley, & roasted lime-cilantro cauliflower http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/11/cila ... lower.html

Red: 1 small choc chip cookie

The cauliflower was SO good! Everyone had seconds (except moi of course). I'll have to make a double batch next time. We usually eat dinner in the kitchen around the island but lately we've been eating in the dining room. I've really been enjoying it. So much more relaxing and we definitely talk more and for longer. Yay for family dinners!

Also, my girls are really getting into cooking. Yesterday Talia made sautéed mushrooms to go with our dinner and today Zoe made lunch (pasta w tomato cream sauce) for her and her sister. Zoe announced that she's a vegetarian now. I'm totally supportive but just want to make sure she gets enough protein. Maybe is just a phase?
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by eschano » Wed Jul 22, 2015 4:13 pm

Lovely to catch up with your thread - doing well!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

natj
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Post by natj » Thu Jul 23, 2015 2:11 am

lpearlmom,

That recipe looks so delicious! I like the idea of crockpot meals- very convenient and healthy as well.

I hear you on the Torrid comment... I'm a size 12-14 too and have been offended before when a friend of mine asked me if I got a pair of jeans at Lane Bryant. I guess I just thought that I looked big boned instead of plus sized?? Who knows, but it was hard to hear that after being as low as a size 4-6 at one point.

Thanks for stopping by my thread earlier. I look forward to cheering you on- Congrats on all of your success! That hard work and persistence has paid off, but you also look like you are enjoying the ride, which is very inspiring!

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Jul 23, 2015 6:36 am

Thanks eschano--good to see you back!😀

Yes natj, I love slow-cooker dinners! All the work is done by about 10am and your house smells delicious all day long. Can't really beat that!

Today was pretty good but feel like I've eaten a lot this week. Not expecting a loss but we'll see. Also, my oldest daughter & I are butting heads (as usual). We just cannot seem to get through a single day without at least one major conflict. It's frustrating. Oh well.

On a positive note, we've been doing awesome with our ynab budget. It's amazing how much it's helped to reign in our spending. There's still a lot of organizing and gathering of info I need to do still but at least our spending is currently under control.

Break: yogurt w granola & fruit, coffee w cream
Lunch: 1/2 crab & avo panini, bowl of tomato soup, iced sm
Dinner: mushroom panini, garlic mashed sweet potato, sw salad, wine

30 mins cardio, 1 set stomach & back
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by eschano » Thu Jul 23, 2015 1:12 pm

I'm so glad you found a good budget app! As for teenagers: I think every mother would like to skip that age if it were possible ha!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

tacodiscos
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Post by tacodiscos » Thu Jul 23, 2015 1:16 pm

eschano wrote:I'm so glad you found a good budget app! As for teenagers: I think every mother would like to skip that age if it were possible ha!
I'm a high school teacher and I always tell the parents: I am positive they're better to adults at school compared to how they are to you. Haha! I hear they can be pretty rough to parents. I guess I was to mine now that I think of it.
Start date: 7/21/15, apx 180lbs
2/5/16, -16lbs, 164

clarinetgal
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Post by clarinetgal » Thu Jul 23, 2015 11:46 pm

I'm glad the budget app is working for you! I an SO not looking forward to the teenage years, although it may be different with boys. Yay for family dinners, and that's great your girls are showing an interest in cooking!

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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Jul 24, 2015 6:53 am

Thanks for the empathy you guys. Unfortunately she's only 12 but yeah definitely like 12 going on 16. Oh well a lot of it is my fault but I'm working on how I respond to her. Today went much better!

The budget is going well although it took quite a hit after our Costco trip today!

Break: granola w yogurt & fruit, coffee w cream
Lunch: veg burger w turkey bacon (I know), bean salad, nectarine, sm
Dinner: bowl of fish curry, iced sm

Pmsing which usually means weight will be up a bit. Find out tomorrow.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Sat Jul 25, 2015 6:29 am

Weird day. Dh's car broke down on the way to dinner. We'd planned a special family night out to a great restaurant so it was definitely a bummer. We weren't able to eat till about 3 hrs later & settled on the Cheesecake Factory because it's close & open late. I was too starving by the time we got there to pass on bread & shared appetizer but still overall not too bad.

My weight was up .4 lb this week but I'm not surprised considering its that time of the month & my week was less than perfect. Still I have a feeling these last 18 lbs are going to put up a fight.

Break: granola, yogurt, fruit, sm
Lunch: small popcorn, d coke
Dinner: 1 piece bread, 2 pieces shrimp, large salad, 2 glasses wine
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Sun Jul 26, 2015 11:30 pm

lpearlmom wrote:My weight was up .4 lb this week but I'm not surprised considering its that time of the month & my week was less than perfect. Still I have a feeling these last 18 lbs are going to put up a fight.
So impressed that you are taking this all in your stride and keeping your thinking positive and your efforts consistent. I think you might be surprised by where your body will take you, especially when school routine starts again and you have an easier time getting exercise consistently into your weeks.

Some other thoughts - if you do plateau here for a while, is that actually ok? If your body needs some time to adjust before losing more, wouldn't you rather maintain at 32lb lighter, than maintain at your starting weight? Aren't there benefits already, considering how far you've come?

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Post by lpearlmom » Mon Jul 27, 2015 5:53 am

Thanks for the encouragement iron! I feel so much better at this weight and so yes I think I'd be okay if things went super slow from here on out. I'm so much more comfortable in my own skin and more self-confident. Anything more at this point is just gravy.

At the same time, I do want to see if I can reach my goal. I think you're right once school starts again and I can get back to my good exercise routine, it will help a lot. Things are kind of stalled at this point and that's okay.

Anyway, was a good weekend. Ate more than usual but nothing crazy. Even my treats were on the healthy side--granola w choc chips, chocolate zucchini bread etc.

The budget is going pretty well but I never realized how much money we spent on food. We only have $75 left for our eating out budget & only $230 for groceries. That has to last us 10 days. Oh well we have a frig/freezer full of food so we should be okay.

I woke up kind of down this morning. The usual suspects--friendship issues, feeling like I should do more w my life etc. Not sure why I continuously beat myself up. This happens to me after a period of extreme busyness/ socializing. All the sudden everything is quiet & I feel like I have no friends/life. I did manage to snap myself out of this nonesense by the end of the day. Why can't i just enjoy what I have?

Break: granola w milk & fruit, tea w milk
Lunch: rice chips w dollop of s cream, fruit
Snack: 2 pieces of zuch bread
Dinner: turkey lettuce wraps, green Thai papaya salad, veggie chili, skinny cocktail
Dessert: large piece of zucchini bread
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by eschano » Mon Jul 27, 2015 8:54 am

Chocolate zucchini bread sounds amazing Linda.

I think you'll reach your goal but if plateau's do happen than it's good to be prepared :)
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

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Post by natj » Tue Jul 28, 2015 3:29 am

Hi Linda,

I find it so hard to believe you could have any difficulty with friendships! You are someone who lives by example and provide such encouragement to newbies like me as well as to No S "veterans".

I hear you on that "stirring of the soul". For me it's a feeling of wanting to make some type of contribution or valuable use of time... I have a few years left in my current career (for financial reasons), but wonder what I will choose after that time is up- I just want something DIFFERENT. I've been thinking about this for a few years now, so I hope that you find something that makes you feel great a lot sooner!

Anyway, your food looks fab, as usual! I'm interested in those rice chips you have from time to time.

Thanks for stopping by my thread and giving me some (much needed) encouragement!

Have a great week!

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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Jul 28, 2015 4:35 am

Thank you eschano! I think I'll make it too. It may take awhile but that's okay. I'm not exactly suffering. :)

Thank you natj! My friendship issues are so complicated. I think I just have trust issues and the minute I sense flakiness or any kind of mean girl traits, I run the other way. I just do not want to waste my time on people that I don't thoroughly enjoy being around. I guess that's not necessarily a terrible thing but every once in awhile I look around & realize I'm back to square one--again!

I feel like one of those girls that cannot hang on to a relationship with a guy yet that's never been my problem. It's just female friendships. I think I just need to learn to be more tolerant. I mean I'm certainly not perfect. Why do I expect it of others? I actually suspect it goes way back to high school trauma when all my friends ditched me right after my father passed away. I was a mess. I never got over it. I need to get over it.

That being said, I do have a couple really good friends I adore & trust implicitly so just need to build upon that and I'll be fine.

Oh and I have no idea if I'll find something else to fulfill that sort of existential angst I get. I agree natj, it's about wanting to contribute something more to the world. I hope you find something. If you come up with a good idea, let me know!

I am giving myself little challenges to help me get out there & try some new things. I wrote a bunch of ideas to try down on little pieces of paper, folded them up and put them in a paper bag. I pick them out one at a time & after I complete the challenge, I pick the next one. I've done this in the past & really enjoyed it.

The first one I picked was "do something cultural 1x/wk for one month". So tomorrow I'm taking the girls to see a play. It's a dinner theater showing of Legally Blonde so maybe not exactly high brow but should be fun still! Next week I'm taking them to the art museum. We'll see after that. Hopefully something musical.

Break: egg white & soy chorizo wrap, sm
Lunch: 1 lettuce wrap, Thai papaya salad, nectarine, iced sm
Dinner: basil-peach chicken (so good), brown rice, salad, small glass wine
Red moment: sliver of banana bread my daughter made (I'm having trouble not having a taste of the things my kids make as I really want to encourage their cooking but I need to stop).

Natj: the rice chips are from trader joes. Or I thought they were rice chips but upon further inspection, they're really made from potatoes. Anyway they're low-fat & quite good!
http://www.whatsgoodattraderjoes.com/20 ... chips.html


Here's the chicken recipe too if anyone's interested. It came out super moist!
http://www.tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/ ... n-breasts/

Wow I must be tired. I had to edit that post like 20 times! ☺ï¸
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by natj » Wed Jul 29, 2015 1:56 am

Hi Linda,

LOVE the idea of the to do's from the grab bag. So fun and your girls get the benefit of new experiences. Sorry to hear about how you were treated after your father passed away... I can't imagine ever getting over the intense feelings around that time.


Thanks for the link to the rice chips, or whatever they are :D ! Gotta love TJ's! I was into the seaweed snacking "paper" things for a while but need a new something to crunch on, and these could be just the ticket! The chicken looked yummy too- chicken gets the "boring" label in my house, but this looked almost...exotic. It will be a weekend recipe for sure.

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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Jul 29, 2015 6:26 am

Thanks natj! It's okay we were just all kids unable to handle a hard situation. Everyone has something they've been through that's hard. Just life but def makes me keep ppl at arms length which can be tricky.

I love TJs too & we go through the seaweed snacks pretty fast around here esp the wasabi ones. Yeah the chicken was def good. I know some ppl think chicken is boring but I never have. I guess I just think it's a good vehicle for flavors.

Today was okay. I know my girls are super bored right now. I'm trying to keep to our budget but if you don't spend money in the summers here there's pretty much nothing to do. I am not good at thinking of creative stuff to do indoors and it's way too hot to go outside right now! Oh well we did have fun at the play tonight. It was super cute and gave the girls a chance to dress up which they love.

Break: granola w yogurt & fruit, homemade sm
Lunch: veg burger on sandwich thins, lentil salad w 4 crackers, melon
Dinner: salad, linguine w seafood, wine

Really need to stop the picking of food while I'm preparing meals. It's usually just a stray piece of celery here & there but it's a slippery slope and technically not NoS so I'm going to work on this for 21 days starting tomorrow. I'm going try not to even taste for seasoning while I cook which goes against everything I learned in culinary school but I think I use it as an excuse to eat off-plate. I mean as long as I follow the recipe it should be fine and if not I'll make a note in the recipe for next time. I'm excited to have clear boundaries again. Next I can work on getting back into some kind of exercise routine again. Yay!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Jul 30, 2015 4:22 am

Green day 1

Good day! I'm finding the whole budget thing really interesting. It's a little like NoS in that I really enjoy my treats so much more than when I don't have boundaries. Today I went to get my hair done and she charged me a lot less for which I had budgeted. I celebrated with an iced latte which I previously thought I couldn't afford. I never enjoyed a latte quite so much!!

Break: ww toast w pb & honey, hm sm
Lunch: low-carb chicken wrap, small yogurt
Dinner: turkey taco salad, nectarine, iced skinny latte
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by kwerp » Thu Jul 30, 2015 6:35 am

Sounds like a good day Linda. :)

Re: friendships with women, I think sometimes things that shape us will just continue. I tend to get along better with men. I think it was due to be mercilessly picked on by girls when I was younger, but boys never seemed to do so maliciously. It's hard to unlearn something like that.

I think it's also pretty easy to befriend guys. What you see is what you get most of the time. It still feels like we live in a society where women pick each other apart.

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Post by clarinetgal » Thu Jul 30, 2015 4:50 pm

Linda, You're doing great! Good job on sticking with your budget, and it was nice you got to enjoy the extra latte! I love the idea of picking out new challenges to accomplish. I'll have to copy you and Eschano. :D

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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Jul 30, 2015 5:28 pm

Thank you kwerp for the support & for sharing your experience. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. It's not easy talking about these things but it's important. Growing up is hard and girls can be so mean. I really try to keep an eye on my girls at school but I'm worried they might try to shrug stuff off and act like it doesn't bother them so just trying to keep the lines of communication open for now. It's important we teach our kids not only to stand up for themselves but for anyone they see being picked on as well.

Also I think you're right about some things you just don't get over. I think I'm better off just accepting this is part of me and trying to work around it instead of ignoring it till it finally rears its ugly head. I have a fairly new friend coming over today. She's very genuine and seems very loyal so I'm hopeful but cautious. It's funny because she's not original from the United States and I continually find I get along with foreign ppl best. Maybe it has something to do with us both feeling a little different from the rest. 😊

Anyway thank you kwerp for your input & have a great day!


Heather--thanks so much for the encouragement. I'm really enjoying the little new challenges and find something esp. fun about the randomness of the grab bag. Have a great day!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Jul 31, 2015 4:44 am

Fun day! On the one hand my girls are driving me crazy with their fighting. On the other hand I'm so impressed with how much their growing up. They're really learning to be responsible young ladies. My youngest even made dinner tonight. I helped her but she planned it and def did her share.

Break: ww pb toast, sm
Lunch: shrimp salad, nectarine, iced sm
Dinner: homemade veg burger on sand thin, salad w blue cheese dress, baked apple, skinny cocktail

Weigh-in is tomorrow. *fingers crossed*
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Fri Jul 31, 2015 12:41 pm

Good luck for your weigh in!

I wanted to share with you that I've just completed the first month sticking to a 'strict' budget - and it felt SO good to end the month with no worries! I've spent an hour doing my budget for August - got it all sorted - and feel really 'in control'!

Thanks for raising the topic of budgets in the first place - which led me to finding the budget thing on here - it's all about moderation in every area of our life, isn't it!

:)
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Jul 31, 2015 3:22 pm

-34 lbs--yay!!!

I'm down 2 lbs since last week and definitely feel like I've turned a corner. All my pants have been falling off me so I think I'm ready to go down a size. I'm so thrilled! Size 12 probably sounds big to some ppl but it sounds positively tiny in my eyes. It feels like such a relief to be in a "normal" size. I guess I've been carrying around more shame about my weight than I realized.

I disagree with how society judges ppl for their size but it's hard not to internalize that to some degree. Right or wrong, though I feel better at a smaller size. Still I am happy that I'm not trying to get down to some unrealistically small size and I'm certainly not starving myself.

Cookie: so happy to hear the budgeting has been helpful to you as well! It's made me so aware of our spending habits and so nice not to be stressing about money all the time. I keep wondering why I haven't done this sooner but the same can be said of NoS. You're right moderation rocks. :)
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by tacodiscos » Fri Jul 31, 2015 3:58 pm

Yay!! Great news!!
Start date: 7/21/15, apx 180lbs
2/5/16, -16lbs, 164

ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:44 pm

Oh Linda, I'm so happy to read this update. Well done!

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Post by natj » Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:00 am

Linda,

You rock! Congrats on turning that corner- what accomplishment. Good to know you weren't "stuck" at your current weight and I hope this keeps your confidence high about reaching your goal. Totally awesome!

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Post by r.jean » Sat Aug 01, 2015 4:40 am

You are doing really well and I bet your girls will have healthier and saner food habits because of the changes you have made as well!

It is so fun when you finally realize that you cannot wear those baggy clothes any more and start getting new sizes.
The journey is the reward.
Maintenance is progress.

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Post by lpearlmom » Sat Aug 01, 2015 6:02 am

Thanks so much taco, nat, iron & Jean!

Dh is being presented an award tomorrow so I had to do some shopping. By habit I went straight to the plus sized section. I soon realized everything was too big so I made my way to the regular section. I'm still not able to find a dress that looks good on me but I did find two pairs of pants (size 12!) and two cute shirts (large not xl!).

I don't know if I'll ever enjoy trying on clothes but it's definitely becoming less horrifying with each shopping trip. I do think I need to get back to the gym though. I'm definitely lumpy & bumpy but overall I feel great in my new clothes.

Break: pb toast w banana, coffee w nf creamer
Lunch: chipotle salad
Dinner: chicken mole in corn tortilla, beef stroganoff over noodles ( our friend brought us food although I had already made dinner so I had a little of each).

Red moment: couple of bites of nf froz yogurt
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by clarinetgal » Sun Aug 02, 2015 7:35 am

That's great that you're out of the plus sized section, and good for your DH for getting an award. :D

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Post by lpearlmom » Mon Aug 03, 2015 4:39 am

Thanks Heather! I was super proud of him. Was for his teaching skills at work in which I know he takes a lot of pride.

Well I definitely ate a lot this weekend. Not up to my eyeballs kind of eating but much more than N days. It's funny how even when I eat more, the quality of food is still quite high. I enjoy a bit of chocolate here & there but other than that I'm reaching for fruit, granola & nuts for S day snacks.

It's nice to know that some habits carry over into S days. Now if I could just lose the desire to snack and if I could get my exercise habits going again, I'd be all set. Oh well, it's good to have things to work towards.

Break: 3 pumpkin pancakes w syrup, nuts, chocolate chips, coffee
Lunch: lentil salad, crackers, 2 pancakes
Snack: nectarine, nf mocha
Dinner: tuna poke w avocado, eggplant rollatini http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/09/best ... -with.html
Dessert: 2 nectarines, 1 lollipop

I'm certain my weight will be up a bit tomorrow. Par for the course.

We have some friends coming tomorrow. Dh is doing surgery on the husband and since they live an hour from the hospital, they'll be staying the night. Last time they were here I was down about 25 lbs down & disappointed by their non-reaction. I've lost almost another 10 lbs since then so I'll be curious to see if they notice but I need to not care either way. Of course, they might be a bit distracted by the surgery/recovery. I guess the world doesn't always have to revolve around me. ☺ï¸
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by gingerpie » Mon Aug 03, 2015 12:14 pm

Hi Linda, I've noticed both you and one other poster have commented on wanting to get into an exercise habit. I happened to come across this idea from John "The Penguin" Bingham and thought it might be helpful.

The Penguin's 2015 100 Days Challenge:
http://100dayschallenge.org/wp-content/ ... oepdf2.pdf

It was developed with the idea of running in mind but of course it could be used with any exercise habit you are trying to build. My idea is to combine John Bingham's shoe with Reinhard's green, yellow and red instead of just black. It will make the shoe more interesting and also take into account rest days and fail days thus (hopefully) ensuring that one wants to complete filling it in even after a failed day.

Take care,

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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Aug 04, 2015 3:48 am

Thanks ginger pie! What a cute idea. Maybe we could start a 100 day of exercising thread? I'll probably need to start next week when my girls are back in school.

Well I was up 2 lbs as expected but today was a pretty light day so I think it'll be fine.

Our friends surgery went well and it's fun having them over but exhausting. I cooked so much today that my entire kitchen counter is covered with dishes sitting out to dry (overflow from the dishwasher). Tomorrow is definitely going to be a leftover day.

The budget has been tricky these last few days and I've had to move a few things around in order to make it work but because of the budget I've not bought SO many things I normally would have bought. Also, instead of stressing the last few days before payday, we have a nice little cushion, plenty of food in the frig, gas in the tank, bills all paid etc. things improving little by little.

Break: plain yogurt w fruit & cereal, coffee w nf creamer
Lunch: plain yogurt w fruit & granola, iced sm
Dinner: 1/2 bowl of gumbo; 1/2 bowl of chicken & orzo soup, 2 figs, wine spritzer
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by eschano » Tue Aug 04, 2015 8:39 am

Linda, I'm just catching up with your thread and what an amazing read! I love love love your challenge idea and may use it for date nights - to put things we want to do together on paper in a box and then take one out every couple of weeks! I'm already excited!

As for size 12 - I mean, I know this is not a typical diet but I believe most of us have come here to achieve some sort of weight loss, even the super slow kind that makes you mentally healthier! So woohooo!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Aug 05, 2015 3:10 am

Thanks so much eschano! The challenges are fun! I'm taking my girls to a museum event on Friday night for my cultural challenge and my newest challenge is to sign up for an Art class which should be fun/interesting.

Our friends left today and so nice to have the house back to ourselves. I just don't do well with having other ppl in my space 24/7. Oh well I did my best to be a good hostess. Oh and they did notice my weight loss but only after I mentioned it several times. Uh yep I'm a big dork.

Anyway, we have plans everyday this week to keep the girls from going crazy with boredom and then next week school starts so I can have a little peace & quiet! Of course then I have to deal with the morning craziness & homework blues. Oh well it's always something.

Break: green mango smoothie, coffee w nf creamer
Lunch: 1/2 falafel sandwich, 2 dolmas, dollop of hummus
Dinner: 2 curry chicken sandwiches on sandwich thins, figs & watermelon, 2 glasses wine.

Super hungry after dinner still but had a glass of wine & was fine. Looking forward to breakfast!!

Exercise: 25 mins cardio, 1 set stomach & back
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Wed Aug 05, 2015 7:50 am

:D well done with the budget! I'm wondering how I'll manage if my salary falls (I'm on a temporary contract that end 31st August)
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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Post by natj » Thu Aug 06, 2015 2:25 am

Linda, I'm cracking up reading your post. Totally know how you feel on two accounts: 1. I'm NOT a good hostess outside of a day or so. We tend to have a lot of family guests and I'm always so relieved to have them out of the house! 2. I would definitely want some... validation? (doesn't feel like the right word) about my weight loss if I had lost 34lbs! It's such an accomplishment that I would feel proud of, not to mention its something I would start to wonder if maybe they were ignoring the weight loss on purpose? Anyway, thanks for the giggle!

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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Aug 06, 2015 4:23 am

Thank you cookie! It's hard getting used to telling everyone no (even my dh whose the breadwinner) but the reduced stress is well worth it. I like the ynab app because you save a little aside for "rainy day" stuff. So I have a spot for Birthdays and Vacations and other big expense that only come a once or twice a year. Eventually this will be another big stress reliever. Yay!

Nat: so happy someone else can relate. It is weird they didn't say anything esp since they were raving about dhs weight loss. We've lost the exact same amount. First I thought it was because my clothes were too baggy so I came out in shorts and a tshirt later. Nothing. Finally I put on my best bathing suit and walked around in that (we were going swimming). That's when they finally said something. Ha!

Today was really good. Both the girls had friends over and everyone got along wonderfully. They pretty much did they're own thing all day so was very peaceful. Then somehow they both miracously got invited to a sleepover yay!

Break: granola w almond milk & fruit, sm
Lunch: small bowl of pasta w pesto & shrimp;
Dinner: turkey burger on sandwich thin, 2 latkes, yogurt w fruit & granola

Exercise: 25 min cardio; 5 min abs/back
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by ZippaDee » Thu Aug 06, 2015 12:14 pm

Hey Linda! Just want you to know how extremely inspiring you are to me! You are doing this thing sensibly! Love that!! You go girl! :wink:

Years ago I lost 60.lbs (and soon found them again)...my mother in law never said a word to me about my weight loss....nothing, nada, zip!!! Now, she often makes the comment "have you lost weight" when I very obviously have NOT! Go figure. :roll: I decided long ago that her hang up with my weight is HER problem. I choose to put her on ignore....about a lot of things other than my weight too. Ha! :wink: Glad your company finally noticed your significant weight loss. You are doing awesome!
"Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there some day." ~Winnie the Pooh ~

A Flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms!

Diets Don't Work.

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Aug 07, 2015 6:49 am

Thank you Zippa!! So interesting about your mother-in-law. That can be such a challenging relationship but I love your "putting on ignore" attitude. Sounds so freeing and I think I may have to try that out-thx!

Today was good. Spent lots of $ on school supplies, clothes, haircuts etc but I made it all work within our budget so I'm actually feeling pretty good about it all.

Also got really good news today about dh! When he was first admitted into the hospital after his heart attack his blood sugar was v high & definitely in diabetic range. The doctor told him to try diet & exercise for 3 months and re-test. He lost a bunch of weight and went on a very low-carb diet. At 3 mos his blood sugar was much lower but still on the high side so he was told to re-test again in 3 more months. He added a little more carbs but continued to lose a few pounds. He eats super healthy and moderate to low amount of carbs. Well he re-tested the other day and his blood sugar is now in the normal range!

I'm SO relieved and happy for him. I know this was a big weight off his shoulders so to speak. It's amazing what diet & exercise can achieve!

Break: iced skinny almond latte, low-fat muffin
Lunch: quinoa & kale bowl, sm
Dinner: chipotle chicken salad

Exercise: 30 mins home rountine which basically entailed me doing laps in our house, some free weights & yoga movements. So not relaxing as everyone was asking me where things were and other stuff while I was trying to exercise. Ugh! But committed to this 30 mins for 100 day thing so trying my best!

Tomorrow is weigh-in. Fingers crossed!!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by clarinetgal » Sat Aug 08, 2015 6:40 am

Linda, I'm glad your weight loss is getting noticed! That is great news about your DH!

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Post by lpearlmom » Sat Aug 08, 2015 7:02 am

-33.2 lbs ugh! (up .8 lbs) no Bueno!

I know I know I know...it's just normal weight fluctuations ... But I was just so dang diligent this week and even added exercise back into my routine. Then again it seems like my weight always goes up a little at first when I start exercising again so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.

Today was just okay. I came SO close to having a red day that I can't believe I actually made it. The quality of food at lunch & dinner was really poor and left me unsatisfied so when we went to the movies I really wanted the sweet satisfaction of some candy. I even bought a whole pack of junior mints and stuck it in my purse. I thought about the candy while sipping my monster diet coke but decided I'd feel worse if I had a red day so I told myself I could have some at 12:01 am and I stayed strong. It's almost midnight now but I'm in bed and can't see myself getting up for it anytime soon though you can bet it'll be on my breakfast plate come tomorrow morning.

I'll be okay. Just need to regroup. This has happened to me before and I've still continued to lose weight. It's not linear & it's not fast but it's definitely continuing at a steady pace towards my goal. I have no doubt I'll get there.

Break: granola, yogurt, sm
Lunch: piece of pizza, salad (Peter piper not exactly gourmet)
Dinner: salad, 2 handfuls of fries (tried a new restaurant--so disappointing)

And like 5 gallons of diet coke. Yep.

Exercise: 30 mins home routine.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

clarinetgal
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Post by clarinetgal » Sat Aug 08, 2015 7:15 am

That's too bad. It could be the exercising, since you just added that to your routine. I'm sure it's just a brief fluctuation, and you'll be fine. :D

RAWCOOKIE
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Location: Cornwall, UK

Post by RAWCOOKIE » Sat Aug 08, 2015 8:41 am

:D Well Done Linda! OMG - you described that struggle so well! I wouldn't mind betting you don't even want candy for breakfast!

HOORAY!
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

osoniye
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Location: Horn of Africa

Post by osoniye » Sat Aug 08, 2015 2:52 pm

Enjoy your junior mints at breakfast (if they're still appealing)! You're still doing great on habit, and I'm sure this little weight gain blip will settle in to slow, steady loss again.
See anything good at the movies?
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

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lpearlmom
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Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:59 am
Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Sun Aug 09, 2015 7:09 am

Thanks you guys!

I did end up eating a few jr mints in the morning ...and the afternoon and the rest just before bed. I also had a decent breakfast, smallish lunch and huge dinner, drinks & shared dessert. A very hearty amount but not a ridiculous amount. Still if I ate like this every day I'd surely gain every single pound back in no time flat.

I'll try to keep tomorrow moderate and hope for the best come Monday.

Ate: food & a lot of it

Moved for 30 mins in a enjoyable manner.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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lpearlmom
Posts: 4812
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:59 am
Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Mon Aug 10, 2015 3:49 pm

-31.2 lbs ugh!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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