Everyday Systems

Happy birthday!

I grew up in Cottonwood-- we had a few acres on the Verde River-- pretty much paradise for a ten year old kid! Wave to the red rocks for me! Are you going to Oak Creek?

Yes, Happy Birthday! And Sedona is so gorgeous; it is certainly the proper environs for celebration, even if it's just staring at the cliffs. How long does it take you to get there?

Happy Birthday, Linda!

Happy birthday to you and your daughter!

Happy Happy Birthday!

oh, happy birthday to you and your daughter!!

it was my son's bday on the 9th!
i just love people born in may - my son and my bf are both born in may and quite a number of friends...

keep being yourself!! you rock!

Thank you all for the bday wishes!! Kaalii, my other daughter's bday is May 9th! Oh and our little dogs bday is the 8th and yes we celebrate our dogs bdays too. Crazy month for us!

It's been a weird week. I haven't had a single green day. I'm just feeling really resistant to doing much of antything lately. I've been slacking off on everything lately-- housework, to-do list ect. It's not like me and I'm hoping it's just a temporary glitch. Maybe it's menopause? I even fell asleep in the middle of the day two days in a row.

I'm not sure what to do about my resistance to,NoS. I keep feeling like this ultra-strictness does not feel like normal eating yet I'm pretty sure if I don't stick to NoS, I'll regain all my weight. There's just no perfect answer.

Anyway I'll figure it out. Soon hopefully.

Break: handful nuts
Lunch: BBQ chicken salad, sf tea
Red: couple bites baked sweet potato
Dinner: adobo chicken, quinoa, salad
Red: lollipop, 2 caramels, several mango/ginger candies

1 hr yoga

Maybe your mind and body are just taking a bit of a break after lots of activity?

I have a hard time being compliant in April / May with Easter / birthdays for lots of us / anniversary - weird how all the best people are born around now

I kind of decided that what I'm doing with No S is trying to eat moderately, not "normally". I won't hijack here, but might talk more on my own check in.

hey, linda! how are you?


you wrote you also had a glitch... i hope you are fine...
and you are missed here!

I thought maybe something was wrong with my mail, but no, you haven't posted for awhile.

Are you finding some mods that work?

What is NOT normal is for humans to eat willy nilly with abundant food available and not gain weight or have eventual problems. Without scarcity, cultures do not stay slim unless they have self-imposed habits of limitation, though they don't usually see it as burdensome limitation, and eating is usually meal-based.

I'm hoping you're having so much fun or meaningful activity that posting just doesn't fit in for now. Hugs!

Hi oolala & kaalii!

Thanks so much for checking on me. Been a crazy time for me. Busy w/ bdays, graduation, activism and then I had to get my daughter ready for her 8th grade trip to DC. I've also been having some weird health issues (my ears been blocked for weeks) which is making exercise difficult.

My weight is up a bit but I'm back on track today. I just can't do NoS right now. I'm tired of having guilt for wanting a piece of fruit in the afternoon or a bite of cucumber when I'm prepping dinner. I'm feeling the strain of having to be perfect. Being on any kind of plan right now just makes me want to scream. The good news is I'm still doing something that resembles NoS. Three meals but less rigidity. It feels healthy to me to be a little more relaxed about it all.

I haven't posted because I didn't feel like hearing all the reasons it's a bad idea. I will of course keep an eye on my weight and if it doesn't work out then I'll get back on the Vanilla train. For now it seems good but I know it'd never be possible if I didn't get my meal habits down first. I guess it kind of feels like taking off the training wheels.

-39 lbs

Break: smoothie
Lunch: turkey burger, plain yogurt w fruit
Snack: nectarine, cherries
Dinner: bowl of chickpea curry w rice , glass wine
Snack: cherries

Hope everyone is well!

I'm glad life is full, hope you enjoyed the birthday season.

I'm sorry if I made you feel judged for commenting on your "normal eating" post, I really didn't intend it that way. I was more mulling over stuff in my own head. That's why I took it over to my own thread instead.

I feel very badly over this, as it feels like maybe not the first time that I've commented in what I thought was support, but obviously made you feel unwelcome in your own thread. Perhaps it is my poor turn of phrase when writing messages? So, anyway, I'll shut up now, but please know there is space on this board for all sorts of mods and I don't think anyone will come to tell you that what works for you is a bad idea!

Oh gosh no iron you did not!! I actually forgot all about that post! 😊

You've been nothing but supportive and encouraging so nothing to feel badly about at all!

I will probably continue to post just to make sure I dint go to off the rails.

Thanks for your concern but it's all good!

Linda

Glad to hear that everything is pretty much ok. You sound in good spirits and that's what it's all about.

Glad to see your check-in, Linda . I think it sounds very reasonable given the length of time you've been doing No-S, and like you said, if it doesn't work out, you know how to do Vanilla.

just like merry says...

hey, and so great to hear from you, linda!
so great to be in the place of noS where you feel you might take the training wheels off... looking forward to reaching it myself one day maybe...

Thanks you guys but my little experiment has failed miserably. My weight is slowly creeping up and my reflux is really bad. Even just a few pounds effect it so hopefully I'll start to feel better soon. My obsessive thinking about weight/diet is returning too so yeah NoS may not be a perfect fit but it's better than any alternative.

Honestly, I think I just needed a little break. All that rule following just gets to me somehow. I'm a free-spirit when it comes down to it. I think I was also frustrated that after all this work and pounds off, I still wasn't thin. But really since when is life fair. I mean how's it fair that I live in a big house with a pool and jacuzzi tub while someone else is living on the street? I mean give me a break, I really can't be feeling sorry for myself. So much to be grateful for, right?

I think I'd be better to focus on getting fit and strong and I'll be happy just to maintain what I've lost so far. Without NoS, regaining my weight seems inevitable and I really, really don't want that.

So back on the horse and all that. I just wish I could figure out how to get my S days under control. Why that is still such a problem for me I don't know.

Thanks for the support even during the times I need to stray a bit. Looking forward to getting back on track.

-38.6

Please don't blame yourself. I honestly don't believe it's natural for MOST humans to be slim without some kind of scarcity, imposed either by nature or culture, including health culture. Don't torture yourself with the examples of people who seem to do it so casually. When you look at this population and most others, they are really a minority, and some of them don't stay that way, so the numbers are skewed toward the young.

Something I figured out for me about difficulty with S days comes from the fact that holding back on the extras is not quite as obviously different in pleasure as giving in, the way it can be on N days. There's something subtly different when the permission is there. The lack of contrast has been tripping me up for a long time without my getting it. Meaning that it takes effort to not snack or eat more sweets, and it often doesn't feel pleasant in the interim to have to hold back. It just turns out that NOT doing that leads to even more unpleasant feelings for me, so I keep working at it. I want it to be pleasant very quickly after I decide not to eat! But it isn't, so it can be easy to get caught in resentment. I suspect that the resentment is actually a strategy by the brain as a way to keep the habit. In one way, it's actually logical because it used to be to our human advantage to lay on fat when we could. It would get drained off during the shortages. So our brains making thoughts that it thinks is protecting us by getting us to eat more dense food is reasonable. But now we have to use the prefrontal cortex to impose our own shortages. Yet they can make us feel so much better eventually, since the body tends to feel better with less mass. Plus there's just less wear and tear on the systems when they're not processing so much food incessantly. Anyway, that one has made sense to me, and it's been affecting my habits.

I don't know if this is helping or not. 'Cause then there's dang people like Churchill (I just saw the movie about him) who worked in the Parliament until the October before he had the stroke (at 90) that killed him in a few weeks, and he was probably close to morbidly obese and probably rarely felt one lick of regret over what he ate or how he looked.

Oops, I'm fomenting sedition again.

I wish I could remember the writer who talked about the stages long term maintainers go through, often taking years to get to the point at which they say, okay, this is what I need to do, this is what I'm willing to do, and then do it. Most people float in the limbo forever, and a fair number pay a high price. You have already beat the odds getting where you are.

In any case, I'm glad to see you.

I'll respond more later but wanted to say a quick thank you! What you said helps me with that internal struggle I have about wanting to trust my wants.

Anyway thank you for your support and wisdom!

Linda

A green day--yay!

Feels fantastic although the time between lunch & dinner was a struggle. I made it though.

Break: smoothie
Lunch: tuna on sandwich thin, watermelon, plain yogurt w blueberries
Dinner: beet burger, chips, guacamole, watermelon, cherries, glass wine

Exercise: oops

Thanks again oolala. I struggle with wanting to be thinner on one hand & thinking its a ridiculous goal on the other. I do well with the structure of nos but I hate for anyone to tell me what to do so I tend to want to rebel a lot. I had originally started nos because I was desperate for some sanity. I got that and it was amazing but then I started to lose weight. That was/is fantastic too but it's kind of addicting.

You go down a size and it's a rush. You start to wonder if you could go down another size. You get a compliment and it's a big ego boost. You look for more boosts. But once I started to plateau those good feelings were gone. I'm neither fat nor thin yet I still have to stick to this rigid structure. I guess it was starting to feel like a raw deal.

Of course until I tried the alternative and was reminded of what a nightmare that was. 24/7 obsessing. Yikes no thanks. Bloated from permasnacking? I'll pass. I guess I needed to be reminded of why I started down this path in the first place. And I need to remember nobody is forcing me to do this. I chose this path because I felt it was the best solution to my problems. It's about self-care not some philosophical feminist debate.

Anyway, I'm back on track and I wrote my list to remind myself of why I'm doing this. It only has three things on it.

1) Sanity & freedom from obsessive diet thoughts
2) To allow my body to reach a healthy weight for me. (Maybe I'm already there, maybe I'll slowly lose a bit more over the next couple of years).
3) To help my reflux (overeating and late night snacking are horrible triggers).

That's it! Feels great to go to bed on an empty stomach.

The research shows that people might start a diet to lose weight but they rarely keep it up for that. If the eating changes don't bring other kinds of rewards, they won't stick with it, even if they do get thin.

Newbies on the Spark maintainers' team talk about being scared that they will gain weight back since they aren't getting the reward anymore of loss. I secretly always think, but aren't you happier eating this way? Are you just waiting to bust out and eat what you want? Don't you get to eat what you want sometimes anyway? Unless you've found out that what you want doesn't really please you before, during, and after eating it?

I can't claim to be perfect on this. I can still catch a look at myself in the mirror at dance class and have an automatic criticism about the size of my thighs jump into my mind. I try to immediately curse the damn media images of women with aytpically thin thighs. I wouldn't expect to have thinner thighs if I hadn't been inundated with their images my whole life. This is especially indicting when I'm at the lowest weight of my adult life. (But my eye catches the sight of thin older women in public, too, and fleeting thoughts will come about how they probably never had to really think about what they ate. I don't consciously try. I don't know how to get rid of that. I just try to divert my thoughts.) But knowing I'm pretty much eating how I'm willing to helps, too.

I think relapses can be very useful for clarifying motivation, mostly seeing what the eating options and their consequences are. It doesn't mean you have to think that what you choose to do is glorious, just that it gets you more of what you want than what you're giving up.

lpearlmom wrote: I chose this path because I felt it was the best solution to my problems. It's about self-care not some philosophical feminist debate.

Anyway, I'm back on track and I wrote my list to remind myself of why I'm doing this. It only has three things on it.

1) Sanity & freedom from obsessive diet thoughts
2) To allow my body to reach a healthy weight for me. (Maybe I'm already there, maybe I'll slowly lose a bit more over the next couple of years).
3) To help my reflux (overeating and late night snacking are horrible triggers).

That's it! Feels great to go to bed on an empty stomach.

LOVE the bolded and your 3 reasons. Congratulations on a green day .

Yeah it was a good reminder. I hope I don't come across as constantly thinking about my weight. Mostly I feel good. Mostly I don't even think about my appearance. I'm too busy living my life. It's just when I come across a full length mirror or a photo of myself. Then I struggle with acceptance. Although, I did see a photo of myself in a fitted dress from my daughters graduation and thought I looked good. Progress maybe.

Anyway today was good and green so yay! Having an external way of knowing how much to eat is not necessarily a bad thing. It frees up your mind for other things. When I'm not doing NOS, how many 1,000 of times to I ask myself if I should eat or if I should continue to eat. It's exhausting.

I have so many things I rather focus my energy upon. Things are crazy busy. I've taken on a lot of leadership roles within my activist groups. I really enjoy it but I need to make sure I don't spread myself too thin. I will need to make some choices on exactly how my time will be best spent.

Summer is here so that means my kids are home and getting stuff done is even more challenging. But it's been going pretty well. So far they've been busy with sleepovers and hanging out with friends. When my youngest daughter is bored she reads so that's good. They'll go to camp for two weeks and I'm having fantasies about cleaning out my closet. Is that weird??

Break: smoothie
Lunch: turkey & avocado sandwich, watermelon, sf tea
Dinner: pesto chicken, salad, mashed cauliflower, piece of bread, glass wine

Feels good to eat sanely again.

so great to read that you are doing so good!
oh, yes, the mental space occupied by obsessing ove food that noS frees is amazing...

I'm glad to hear the body stuff doesn't completely rule you. I know it can sound like it because this is the place you vent about it. But it's pretty rare to find a woman content with her appearance. Maybe I should run a vacation spot where there are no mirrors and I'm the only one who can take and look at photos of the participants, which I can send them after the vacation. No make up allowed; hats and scarves for those worried about their hair. But not necessarily camping. Hmmm...

I may post a blurb from Brad Pilon in which he says whatever eating and exercise plan a person uses, she should be able to implement it, then detach and relax. Eat the meal, enjoy it, then move on to the next thing. Exercise, then same thing. He says don't bring the gym home, if that applies.

I'm not there yet.

Linda, you are not the only one that fantasises about your kids being out of the house so you can do a decluttering project! Oh the wild life we lead

Hope you are enjoying the start of Summer, and that your reflux is improving.

I keep forgetting to say thanks for putting me on to "A Slob Comes Clean". I've been listening to the podcasts while I clean house and it is super motivating and makes a lot of sense to me.

Meant to say one of my childless colleagues picks a room during every school break and completely declutters and reorganizes everything. I wish she would come help me!

lpearlmom wrote: You go down a size and it's a rush. You start to wonder if you could go down another size. You get a compliment and it's a big ego boost. You look for more boosts. But once I started to plateau those good feelings were gone. I'm neither fat nor thin yet I still have to stick to this rigid structure. I guess it was starting to feel like a raw deal.

This thought resonates with me so much. I've only had short plateaus, and I think when I hit a long one (whether after achieving my goals or in the middle), I might go through a time of feeling this way too. (When I would hit plateaus with calorie counting, I always felt that way--of course, the work of calorie counting was inversely related to the length of plateau before I felt it was a raw deal!) This is another good reminder that since I know eating this way is helpful long term--that it's also the maintenance plan--I need to keep other (and in some cases more important) goals in mind besides weight loss to continue sticking with this long term.

lpearlmom wrote: Summer is here so that means my kids are home and getting stuff done is even more challenging. But it's been going pretty well. So far they've been busy with sleepovers and hanging out with friends. When my youngest daughter is bored she reads so that's good. They'll go to camp for two weeks and I'm having fantasies about cleaning out my closet. Is that weird??

LOL, I can totally relate to wanting a quiet house to get some project done!

lpearlmom wrote: Feels good to eat sanely again.

YAY!

Thanks oolala! Yeah it really only happens when I'm trying on clothes in the dressing room or catch an unflattering photo of myself. Weighing can trigger body dissatisfaction too but I'm getting better at recognizing normal fluctuations.

I realize now that for me sticking to NoS takes away the obsessing and exercising helps a lot with body satisfaction independently of whether or not I lose weight. That's probably the best reason actually that I can think of for exercising as often as I can.

Lol Merry & iron--glad I'm not the only one. I think I will tackle a few things while they're gone. It'll be nice to do it in an Unhurried way.


Merry: I don't know why sticking with something that is relatively easy starts to get to me after awhile. I think I feel like if I'm doing this, I have to be doing it perfectly. I think having that mindset that this is for the long haul helps though. If I have a few red days here and there that's normal and all part of still being on NoS. It doesn't have to be perfect but I do have to be honest about it. I need to embrace the Mark it and move on" mentality instead of feeling like I need to jump ship entirely.

The last few days have been good. Thurs & fri were green. Yesterday we had a big BBQ for Dh's office staff. We make a TON of food so I chose to only eat from 2-7 while the party was going on. It worked out fine. I got lots of goodies but didn't overdo it.

The party went really well. I met a lot of people I hadn't met before. Sometimes when I'm nervous I drink too much but I kept it to two or three drinks. Yay!

-42 lbs (looks like a lot of that was water weight)

Sat: brisket, ribs, sausage, bread, potato salad, coleslaw, corn casserole, chips & dip, smoked olives, smoked nuts, cake & cookies. Jalapeño margaritas.

Oh, yum, your party food sounds awesome!

Sounds like a good party strategy, I'll have to keep in mind for future reference.

Thanks iron ! Too bad you don't live nearby, I'd happily share leftovers!

Oolala's post got me to thinking about how looking back at different turning points in my life, I can see that it usually happened because I was willing to take a risk. When I was in college, I decided to do a college abroad program in Art & Lit and I met some lifelong friends, lost a bunch of weight & gained confidence.

Later I joined the rowing team which gave me a sense of belonging, discipline and well I met my husband. Going to culinary school boosted my self-esteem and taught me I can do anything I put my mind to. This latest risk of getting involved in politics feels like a wild ride.

I'm way out of my comfort zone--speaking in public, meeting with important people, organizing important events. Sometimes I barely recognize my life. It's pretty amazing but I wonder if it'll end or become something I continue to do for many years.

Anyway, just needed to get my thoughts on paper so to speak. Today was good. I met with my neighbor whose running for office and I'm hoping we can pull off this win. I didn't overdo it with my food. First sane Weekend maybe um ever? Yay!

Break: small bowl of potato salad, few chips and dip (I know)
Lunch: 1/2 bagel w/ cream cheese , watermelon
Dinner: salad w/ chicken, hard boiled egg, watermelon, bagel, small margarita

All going good here. Just really busy with girls home plus all my activist stuff. Dh said it'd sure be nice if I was getting paid for all this but it's worth it to me. It's so important. Plus, maybe it'll lead to a paid position at some point. Who knows?

Monday and Tuesday both green plus managed 15 mins of exercise each day. Weights up a little due to pms.

Have a great day all!!

Hard work from people like you is so important to any democracy, and the world at large. I'm so amazed by your effort!

I'm still wondering what a jalapeño margarita is like! 😜

Thank you iron--it's very rewarding!

Lol lily. They're very yummy: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina- ... pe-1940934

Sad day today with the shootings of our GOP. Extremists like this give us all a bad name. This is not what we're about.

Anyway, had a green day today. Been eating heavier food than normal but keeping it to 3 plates so hey, it's all good.

Break: bagel w cream cheese
Lunch: large salad w/ chicken, sf iced tea latte
Dinner: 3 shrimp tacos, refried beans, chips & guacamole, margarita

Exercise: walk 1 hr.

Green day:

Break: handful of almonds
Lunch: Cajun chicken salad, bread
Dinner: poke bowl, nectarine, glass of wine

Exercise: none


Feeling a little burnt out. Luckily, we're going to Tahoe next week so I'll get a little break.

Wow! I would love to go to Tahoe!!

Your meals make me look like a glutton

Looked you up on IG. You look great and those girls are such beauties!

Lilybig

Aww thanks for sweet comments Lily! My girls are pretty great. I'm very fortunate. I love that they don't seem to have any food/body issues although I think it's doubtful they'll have zero in this society.

My youngest went through a chubby state when she was 9-10. I decided to just ride it out and trust her body to find a healthy weight. Well she's twelve now and is neither underweight nor overweight. It's funny though when I was 10 I was chubby too but felt a lot of pressure to lose weight. I went on my first diet w my parents help. Weight has been a struggle ever since.

Btw, yesterday was a pretty light eating day for me. My plates have slowly gotten lighter over the last four years. It was important I ate a lot at meals in the beginning because that's the only way I could keep from snacking. I looked at a sample day from my early NoS days and it was quite different from how I eat now. Here is it:

Break: bowl of cereal, 1 banana, 1 piece bacon, large %latte
Lunch: chicken pot pie, 1/2 avocado, corn chips, 1 yogurt (I wasn't at all stuffed afterward)
Dinner: chicken pot pie, broccoli, mac& cheese, glass of milk & glass of wine

Very excited about Tahoe!

That's encouraging to me to hear that your plates have gradually changed over 4 years. I hope that happens for me.

I think it's a natural progression auto although as I recall, you ate pretty lightly as it was, no?


Today has been a little emotional. Mostly hormones I think as its that time of the month. Boy, it's such a weird feeling. Almost like I'm on drugs. I tend to feel vulnerable & raw and I tend to feel like my social standing is shaky.

It used to rule me but now I recognize it for what it is and know it will pass. Usually in a day or two. I have to remember it's not a good time for major decisions.

Other than that it was good. Got some shopping done & then went to my daughter's dance recital. They did a great job!

Break: 1/2 bran muffin (big one), watermelon, chai latte
Lunch: Thai chicken salad, handful chips w/dip
Dinner: bowl of BBQ brisket chili w/chips, watermelon, 1/2 egg salad sandwich, glass of wine
Dessert: 2 lollipops

I find I really like keeping to 3 meals on the weekend but just eating heavier foods & more of it than I normally would. Permasnacking never feels good to me.

Had a fun Father's Day. We went w/ dh to the musical instrument museum and then came home so the girls and I could make him dinner.

Definitely ate a lot. Looking forward to tomorrow. Really wish I could get into a good exercise routine. Way too hot for anything outside--120 expected this week! 😡

Break: 2 cookies, 1/2 bran muffin
Lunch: chicken soup, roll, energy bar, large chai
Dinner: steak w/ basil aioli, smashed potatoes w/ chives & parm, cloud bread, salad w/ Roquefort dressing
Dessert: ice cream, 2 cookies, 2 lollipops

This might seem out of the blue but it's in response to something you said awhile back on "returning." You are starting to see that no one is making you do this. YOU are the one choosing the system because it does something for you that other ways of eating don't. It's not trying to torture you. You are not doing what someone else says to do because of them, and even if you were, there is nothing wrong about following useful advice that fits. Most successful people in all areas had mentors who helped them get where they couldn't have gone on their own. And I think you see most of the time that you are not being deprived of anything more pleasurable than what you get in return. This doesn't mean there won't be resentments along the way, but maybe they are just part of the old pattern trying to hang on with whatever ammunition it thinks will work. Boy, that one had me for the longest time, and still does with regard to the food available out and about. Why can't I get a reasonable plate of food (which to me means generous vegetables and not a pitiful cup of greens and a few tomato pieces) at a reasonable price? And the moon, too, please?

I am impressed with your being so enterprising. But I'm on a trip, so I'm off the hook for now.

Yes, I also think I got some of my issues around food when I was young. I was teased quite ruthlessly by my brothers. I look back on pictures of me and I wasn't the humongous fat pig they teased me that I was, but it stuck. My parents were always dieting as well. My mom survived on pots of coffee most likely to avoid eating.

I remember my dad eating food and spitting it out to avoid the calories! (That technique was short lived thank god)

When I think of all the time and energy spent on trying to control food!

My brother used to call me "big cow." This when I was 9 years old. I later saw a picture of myself from then and didn't recognize myself because I was thin in the picture. It couldn't have been me because I wasn't a big cow! I can only assume he was jealous because I was tall for my age and he was short. But I didn't stay that thin; high end of BMI scale at high school graduation and before any diet. But it was also the age of Twiggy and after. Slow climb up from there.

Oh gosh you guys. I so relate. My sisters favorite insult was to tell me I was fat yet pictures show me just slightly chubby. Nothing to be too concerned about. Both my parents constantly dieted. My sister used to do the spit it out thing. My mom still engages in a lot of diet/fat talk. It's annoying but I ignore it.

Oolala, definitely am open to advice about most things. I think with food I just got so sick of telling me how I should eat. Also, eating is such a personal thing bit seems unlikely that there'd be a one size fits all solution but I guess that's where all the little mods come in. I just kept having this feeling like I wanted to make NoS my own by giving it my own twist. I feel like if be more motivated to stick with ot somehow.

I have tweaked things slightly in the last couple of days but not ready to talk about it yet. Rather wait and see if it sticks.

Break: smoothie
Lunch: double veggie burger, plain yogurt w fruit and nuts
Dinner: chipotle veg bowl, chips, glass wine

Exercise: 15 mins floor work

Just remember that No S is not completely its own entity. It's not really a "diet" that Reinhard made up. It's based on principles that have kept whole cultures slim, probably including many people who would have gotten chunky left to their own whims. It's also true that those cultures don't stick rigidly to meals, but their HABITs of moderation make it more natural for them NOT to go too far with nibbles. Until we are very, very secure in comfort with strict moderation at meals, our nibbles ris;k escalation very easily.

OOPs.gptta go!

lpearlmom wrote:I just kept having this feeling like I wanted to make NoS my own by giving it my own twist.

I think of your twist as the lollipop twist! That always makes me smile when you post about having a lollipop or two!

Lol Merry. I do have a special attachment to those See's candy lollipops.

Oolala: I know all that stuff logically. I was just speaking about how the irrational side of me sees things sometimes.

Having a hard time. It's hard to explain but after months of feeling on top of my game socially, I can feel things starting g to slide. I'm starting to stress about little things I've said or done here and there and it's adding up. I guess maybe the honeymoon phase of my new social life is over and reality is kicking in.

I'm also feeling discouraged politically. So much negativity is happening everyday. It's hard to stay optimistic. Yesterday we lost the special elections in Georgia to top it off. Trump is destroying our democracy. How can people still support him? I just need a break I think.

I'm going to try to stay away from Facebook & the news for a few weeks. Ugh.

Well at least this week has been green so far.

Well done on keeping green so far, especially when you are having a tough week.

lpearlmom wrote:I'm also feeling discouraged politically. So much negativity is happening everyday. It's hard to stay optimistic. Yesterday we lost the special elections in Georgia to top it off.

I was thinking of you yesterday when I read the news about the GA 6th. I think taking a break from reading the news / social media is really healthy. The media loves to go for the most sensational (and usually negative) headline, and too much of it can really make it hard to stay positive. Also, remember that a lot of politics is local, so what feels like a referendum on national issues to us could actually be influenced by a lot of other local issues for those voters in that area of Atlanta.

Also, activism is a really long game. We remember historical movements for their famous speeches, and their huge marches, but not much attention is paid to the thousands of people who worked patiently for months and years in support: getting the word out, getting the vote out, organising buses and beds. But without all that, none of the big stuff would have happened.

Thanks iron: I definitely needed to hear that today. I really need a break from the day to day stuff but am keeping my energy for 2018.

Feeling a little better but exhausted. Still have a lot to do to get ready for our trip. Wish we could just throw everything in the car and go.

Red day :/ was s conscious decision but thought I'd enjoy it more. My weight is stuck around -40 lb. Think it's from all the eating out I've been doing. So much salt!

Break: smoothie
Lunch: bento box
Dinner: Chipotle chicken salad w guac and chips
Red: few extra chips & guac, 1.5 bundtlets

So now I have been googling bundtlet. It looks like a little cake with a spider made of icing on top? Are they nice? Another thing to add to my list of American food I have never tasted, like twinkles

Hi wahine! Yes, it's mini bundt cake. There's a place near me that makes the best ones: http://www.nothingbundtcakes.com/products

Twinkies on the other hand are not the best quality. I do however have a recipe for a homemade version if you're ever interested.

Another red day... So busy getting ready for our trip that all I really had time for was a couple handfuls of something here and there. So no proper lunch. Then we went out to dinner and I hated my salad so finished off my daughters dinner instead of eating mine.

It should be a pretty active vacation at least so hopefully I won't gain any weight.

Break: bagel w cream cheese
"Lunch" granola bar, handful of nuts, nuts while at a meeting, a couple crackers, couple more nuts, a peach
Dinner: 1/4 chicken salad , 1/4,veg burger, several fries, 2 margaritas

Well, if my Tanita bodyfat scale can be believed, I gained some muscle in only 5 days! I wonder if I can sell the "tourist fitness program" somewhere.

Absolutely oolala! We've been bike riding, hiking, paddle boarding, kayaking & even played a little beach volleyball! So much to do in Cali, no wonder I gained so much weight when I moved to AZ. I'd forgotten how good it feels to be active. The gym is boring, but all these activities are fun!

My eating hasn't been too terrible either. Kind of stuck to NoS with some sweets here and there. Tuesday was my MIL's bday and she hired a private chef to come cook us dinner. I had some S worthy cake & homemade ice cream. The next day I had another slice for dessert.

Today we rode our bikes for several miles and along the way was an ice cream shop my friend had raved about. I decided ahead of time that I'd split one w/ DH. It was good but not amazing. After dinner, I went a little nuts with dessert but actually don't feel overly stuffed so am okay with it. Hoping tomorrow will be an N day but we're driving to Big bear and staying there till Sunday when we drop off our girls for camp.

I'm dreading going back home because I promised myself I'd deal with the piles of paperwork I need to file & go through. Ugh, adulting sucks.

Break: 1/2 whole wheat bagel w avocado & tomato
Snack: shared ice cream cone
Lunch: spaghetti squash w marinara sauce, small piece of bread
Dinner: grilled chicken w kimchi on ww bun, watermelon, salad, wine
Dessert: tiny piece chocolate cake, ice cream, grilled banana, 1/2 cookie

Exercise: 10 mile bike ride

I forgot where you've been on vacay. Tried scrolling back but getting ready for bed.

When you go back, let's support each other to get paper stuff done.

I was on a fast trip from MN to CA last week and shot through AZ. Stayed a night in Lake Montezuma. It was 103 at 6 pm! But I'm not telling you anything new. I did go out for a walk about 8 pm. It was so dark by the time I headed back that I couldn't find the house (Airbnb) I was staying at! I had to ask a neighbor and flag down a car. They were very helpful. It was balmy by then, but it was clear exercising during normal hours would be VERY challenging. Yet the outdoor trades go on.

P.S. Was it you that asked someone why she thought she had to scroll down on her own thread to get to the last entry? Because I have to do the same thing. Is there a way for me to go to my very last entry right off the bat?

No hurry to reply.

Hi oolala, would love some support. I'll probably commit to a couple hours a day or maybe just a certain area or something.

We rented a house by the lake in Tahoe and are now in Big Bear. We were with dh's family and had a great time. I don't get along that well with my mil but decided to make an extra effort to be kind. It worked... For awhile.

Then the last night my youngest daughter told me she had overheard my mil say to me in a clothing store that my daughter "says she's a size small but I don't think so". I was so upset because it felt like body shaming to me and because she clearly favors my older daughter. She also has a tendency to just never believe anyone period.

I got myself so worked up that I couldn't sleep & confronted her in the morning. I didn't handle myself as well as planned and felt badly about it. I apologized and then she told me the only reason she said that was because my older daughter said they were the same size and that she was a medium. Oops 😊

I felt pretty stupid but at the same time the rest of my feelings were valid and I explained to her the many remarks about my youngest she's made in the past that have upset me. She also invites my oldest daughter to stay with her but not my youngest. She's even taking her to NYC in October. She says she'll take my youngest when she's older but I doubt it.

Anyway it's all very awkward. Why do I have to be so easily upset? I wish I could just let things roll off my back but it's not me. Oh well.

Yesterday we drove 8 hrs to Big Bear & ended up snacking a lot so no N day for me. Back to it on Monday though.

Today so far:

Break: veggie omelette, fruit, ww toast
Lunch: a couple of nuts, tea latte

My sister owned a house in Big Bear for awhile while she and her husband were still working. They drove up every weekend. I visited only once. I could see how it would be very relaxing and a respite from the heat, especially at night.

I know what you mean by confrontation. It's so much harder than it sounds in the books!

Re:scrolling. TX! Of course it makes perfect sense now that I think about it.

I love big bear!

Things have been good despite no green days this week. Well Tuesday was 4th of July and yesterday was Dh's bday. Mostly I just had extra fruit between meals.

I picked up a little gem of a book called mini habits & it's really helping me. You pick 4 mini habits that are laughably small and anything you do beyond that is considered bonus work. My mini habits are:

1. Drink a bottle of water between breakfast & lunch
2. Eat 1 piece of fruit at lunch
3. Do one sit-up
4. Do 1 30 sec HIIT

Each one has led to doing more than each mini habits. The book has interesting info about nutrition and exercise. I actually agree with most of it but it isn't about following his beliefs. It's more about applying the mini habits to whatever fitness/eating goals you may have.

A lot of great info on motivation & willpower. It's super interesting and really fits with how my brain works. I really didn't think they're were any books left about eating/excercising that could actually teach me anything new or worthwhile. A pleasant surprise!

It's helping me take the long view too. I realize how good I feel eating healthy, and exercising moderately and eating my 3 meals. Something clicked yesterday where this puts me on the path for a health & a good relationship with food. The little fluctuations in my weight are not what matters. I dont even feel like weighing anymore. If I'm feeling good, why do I need a number to confirm that? I think I'll try monthly weighing for awhile.

Yesterday:

Break: smoothie, watermelon
Lunch: tofu, brown rice, grilled veggies, avocado, plain yogurt w fruit
Dinner: butternut squash parcels, quinoa w almonds, gazpacho
Dessert: frozen bananas soft serve (throw it in food processor)

Exercise: 30 sit ups, 15 mins of cardio

Breakthrough! Sounds delicious.

Thank you oolala!

Today was good. I'm so enjoying the peace and quiet but am feeling a little guilty about not missing my kids more. I guess it's because I know how much they enjoy camp but I also realize that I let them stress me out too much. I need to work on this.

Maybe if I was calmer and more relaxed about everything, they would be too. There's so much drama in our house w/ the two girls and I feel like I make it worse by getting so upset by it all. I just want them to have happy memories about growing up. I'm actually feeling a little panicked about my daughter starting Highschool. I keep thinking about how I only four years left to make up for all my past mistakes.

But enough dark thoughts for now....

Break: ww bread w/ ricotta & honey, watermelon
Lunch: large salad, slice of bread, Apple smoothie
Dinner: leftover grilled chicken, grilled veggies, quinoa, yogurt w/ fruit

Exercise: 40 sit-ups, 10 push-ups, 3 HIIT intervals

Don't feel guilty--just enjoy the peace and quiet while you can! Recently we had a family conversation where it came out that secretly we all want the house to ourselves, LOL! Even my extrovert husband! He thought he'd want just a day. Kids wanted 2-3 days. Me...I think a week would be good, LOL! It doesn't mean we don't all love each other. Sometimes a break from people can be a good thing. Enjoy guilt-free .

I know I read recently that empty-nest syndrome is not as widespread as it used to be,and I'm talking about when the kids actually do leave, not the fact that young people live at home longer or come back.

Have you ever talked with your daughters about whether they think they'll have happy memories? But even if you do, take any negatives with a grain of salt, as it's easy to have the tough times, especially if they're recent, stand out in their minds (as well as ours). Besides, there's only so much you can control in terms of setting up the conditions for happy memories. And different kids have different perspectives, which can change over time.

At the same time, I think I know what you're talking about because as I've shared on my thread, I have a lot more drama with students at work than almost any other teacher on campus, so I can't put it all on the students. It isn't always that the other teachers don't have similar expectations, although some are SO lax it's ridiculous by almost anyone's standards, but that they are less riled by the problems. Or they feel so justified that they don't fault themselves at all.

Good times!

This is why I say all the time that food is easier than life, at least for me. It's 10x at least easier not to eat than not to get rattled.

BTW, the real estate investment organization that I first went to to learn about it all said the only unhappy owners they knew managed their own properties. My hat's off to anyone who can do it, (though I "manage" the other side of my duplex, and I'm a little intimidated by my tenant! But she's not big trouble.)

oh, linda, i have the same thoughts about my son growing up... but, as someone put it funnily, we have to leave/make some work for the psychologists to do, too!

Thanks you guys.

Merry: It's nice knowing I'm not the only one that needs a break from their kids. im an introvert so I guess my desire for peace and quiet makes sense. I think it's funny you guys all fessed up about it. Very healthy to be able to talk about stuff.

Oolala: I guess I could ask my kids. That's a good idea. We do have a lot of fun especially when DH is around. He's able to make things light & fun no matter what but I hate having to depend on him. I'm probably being a bit hard on myself as I imagine you may be doing too. But I guess it's good that we try to self-reflect and improve.

Kaalii: lol I love that.

My mommy instincts seemed to have finally kicked in a bit. They've taken a bus from camp to LA where they'll be for another week. I was excited to talk to them & am looking forward to seeing them next week.

I'll admit I'm still looking forward to having another few days to myself. I guess it's just because everything is just so much easier. I do feel like I need to make some changes. I probably take on too much & don't get my kids to help out enough. I also could be more relaxed and not get so upset about their fighting. We'll see.

I planned a special day for dh yesterday for his bday. We went to the art museum and then checked into a hotel in Scottsdale for the night. I booked dh a massage and then we met some friends for a six-course meal. Afterwards we had a drink at the hotel bar before calling it a night. Was nice to reconnect. It's so important and was so happy to see dh having such a great time.

On the downside, the not weighing thing is making me a bit nervous. I've been eating very healthy but more than usual and I feel like I've gained a lot of weight. Doubt I could gain too much in a week but I guess I'm going to have to weigh more often for my sanity. I'll shoot for just not weighing every day. Maybe a couple times a week. That way I can still get a little break at least some of the times.

We all need breaks sometimes, Linda. You are such an amazing mother; I am always blown away by the elaborate parties/outings/sleepovers, and on and on.

And I'm glad you and hubby got to enjoy each other. Just want to put a little comment in, too: it's a simpler task for him to make family activities fun -- he is hardly ever with them. You're with them 24/7 for the most part. I don't mean to disparage him; that's great that he is happily involved and loves/cherishes you all, but just know that mommas got the main job. Haha.

You're a treasure.

Awww thanks auto, you really made my day. And yes you're right about my dh.

In fact, one time we were in the car with the girls and two of their friends. They were all chatting loudly non-stop and DH looked at me and said "how to you deal with this all day long?" I had totally tuned it out because it was so normal for me but his reaction did make me laugh.

Thx again.

My mother always says that one of the most relaxing things is time by yourself in your own home. I pretty much never get any, but I love it if I do get an hour here or there, as does my highly extroverted husband. Enjoy!

I really admire the way you parent your kids so consciously and intentionally. It is such a hard and rewarding job. My best friend is struggling at the moment with parenting her high intensity eldest girl, and she sent me this blog post. Really reminded me how much unseen effort there is behind the scenes in every family.

Ugh, I really feel like I've gained 10 lbs. I hope my mind is just playing tricks on me. Will weigh tomorrow and feeling very excited to get back to my N days.

Break: bagel & cream cheese, chai
Lunch: veggie burger on ww bread, handful chips w dip, banana
Snack: nuts, another handful corn chips
Dinner: falafel sandwich, hummus
Dessert: 2 lollipop

Exercise: 40 sit ups, 1 HIIT

Iron: I think we were typing at the same time but thank you. For your kind words and for that beautiful poem. Boy did that hit me hard but in a good way like we all go through this and it's okay.

Thx â¤ï¸

Weighed this morning. -36 lbs 😱

Trying not to panic. I guess that extra fruit I was eating between meals really added up.

Going to have a green week.

I swear I don't know what's going on but I feel like I'm retaining a huge amount of water or something. I just feel super bloated. It's weird though because I've actually upped my water intake. I dunno--pms? Menopause? The heat?

I hope I get back to at least -40 lbs. soon. We're going to LA for my MIL's bday party & I want to fit into my dress. Also, I'm taking my mom out to Brunch in my hometown for her bday. The thought of going back there is giving me a mild panic attack. Too many memories but hopefully I won't run into anyone I know....

Break: smoothie
Lunch: veggie burger w avocado & tomato on low-carb bread, plain yogurt w/ fruit & nuts
Dinner: grilled Asian salmon, tofu & broccoli soup in lemongrass, coconut broth

Exercise: 50 sit-ups, 5 30 secs HIITS

Don't panic, you've got this! Thinking good thoughts for you for a relaxed, green week.

Thanks iron! I'm pretty sure it's at least partially related my cycle. I'm putting my exercise in now because I tend to forget what I did by evening. 😊

I'm planning to work on my paper piles today but ugh, all I want to do is crawl back in bed and read a good book. Oh well!


-36 lbs ðŸ˜

Break: smoothie
Lunch: leftover soup, plain yogurt w fruit, 1 date bite, sugar-free chai
Dinner: tofu, broccoli & quinoa bowl, salad w salmon & avo, glass wine
Red: ate a bunch of cherries after dinner




Exercise: 60 sit-ups, 15 push ups, 3 30 secs HIITs, 20 bicep reps ea arm

There's no way you overate by tens of thousands of calories, so it has to be water. Still not comfortable, though. The predictable ways of getting rid of it fast are pretty diet-y; best not let them mess with you. How's your fullness levels between meals? I think you'll figure it out.

It can be distressing to see just how much of our time is spent being concerned with meeting standards we have for our identities, yet it is the nature of one part of our brain never to let us be satisfied. Every mystical tradition is about bypassing that feature. Nice work if you can get it. Apparently, people with naturally high happiness baselines have less activity in that part of their brains. It's mostly dumb luck, though even they benefit from "happiness" strategies.

I think following each other here is a happiness strategy.

oolala53 wrote: I think following each other here is a happiness strategy.

I agree! And yeah I'll probably always be a little unsatisfied with my weight. Maybe it's better to just kind of accept that and move on. I'm just not willing to eat in the way that'll get me super skinny. I love to cook, I love to eat. It's not a crime, right?

I watched part of the movie Embrace, an Australian movie about body acceptance. It was very inspiring and moving. I hate that my girls have to deal with all the crap that comes with being a women in this society. It's a lot.

Anyway, it is what it is. I have healthy, happy kids, a husband that loves me just the way I am, friends.... Why should I care? Madness!

-38.2 lbs

Break: toast w/ ricotta cheese, watermelon
Lunch: Asian salad w/ tofu & edamame, nectarine
Dinner: grilled portobello mushrooms w/ cilantro dip, plain yogurt w/ fruit

Exercise: 1 hr walking, 2 30 sec HIITS, 20 sit-ups

I suspect that every historical phase had some standards people thought they had to meet, and experienced some distress over. It may have had more to do with cooking or even qualities of character for women of the lower classes in previous times. But I do know that one psychological researcher claims that it wasn't until the Renaissance and the emphasis on personal freedom that there was also a new sense of the importance of a personal identity as well. We know from literature that kings, warriors, and others had standards to live up to, but it didn't seem as important for the peasants to do much besides accept their lot and honor God. There was no sense that everyone was supposed to be enterprising and ambitious trying to change their status. I don't think.

I wonder if there was any sense then that a lot of adulthood was just getting over childhood. Maybe it's always been like that.

Guess I'm showing my hand here.

Well I don't think I want to go back to that either.

I do know that exercise makes everything better. It really helps with my body image no matter what I weigh. Today I bought a really cute sundress. The kind I always want to buy but think I'm too heavy to wear. It shows off my curves but it actually looks really cute and I feel great in it! Definitely a step forward for me.

Tomorrow we go to LA to get our girls. I officially miss them and really proud of how well they've been doing. My mom called me today and told me they've been wonderful. She also said they're really missing me and excited to come home. That made me very happy!

Break: smoothie
Lunch: 2 small fruit & nut biscuits, smoothie, nectarine
Dinner: steak & salad, glass wine

Exercise: 75 sit-ups, 20 push-ups, 2 30 sec HIITS, 10 squats

I'll wave and maybe you'll see me down here in San Diego.

Oooh, enjoy getting your girls back home! Good for you on the Sundress .

Oolala: Did you see me waving back?

Merry: thank you! So happy to have them home. They seemed to have matured a bit and are just really calm & happy right now. I'll enjoy it while it lasts!

Ugh, I'm not doing too good. My weight is still up despite increasing my exercise & having a pretty sane weekend. Not sure what's going on but I need to just stay the course. I'm also just feeling very overwhelmed & unfocused. It's probably just typical post vacation let down. I hope I can get my butt in gear tomorrow.

Oh and my iPad was stolen so I'm having to do everything on my phone. :/

Okay this too shall pass.

Break: smoothie
Lunch: piece of toast w avocado, couple crackers, chai
Dinner: poke bowl, smoothie

Exercise: several laps around the gym track, ran 2 of them; 20 crunches, 30 back exercises

Keep on going, the scales will catch up in the end

What a shame about your iPad, that sucks!

Aw, that's too bad about your ipad. I'm sorry.

I'm terrible at doing anything on the phone! I need my computer!

I dont' see how people can do everything on their phone. I don't see the same thing on screens and often can't get to linking icons.

But it will pass, you're right 'bout that.

Thanks you guys! I need to break out my old lap top. It's slow as molasses but will be easier to type on at least.

Wow I'm struggling. I cannot remember the last time I had a Green Day & I stopped weighing on Tuesday because the scale was permanently stuck on -37.2 lbs.

I've been cramping & bloating & having dark moods. My daughter told me my new haircut made me look like the mom from the Brady bunch and it pushed me over the edge for some reason. I had a nice little cry and that night I dreamt we had another baby. I woke up in the morning and my dark mood had finally passed.

I still feel weird physically even though my period isn't due for two more weeks. Maybe it's the start of menopause? I don't know. Sorry for tmi but really hoping I can get my head back in the game. I cannot gain this weight back.

Part of it might be seeing my sister for the first time in three years ... who knows.

Break: 2 pieces we toast w pb
Lunch: chicken kebabs , salad, fruit
Snack: several pices of chewing candy
Dinner: chips & guac, glass wine
Dessert: frozen yogurt, large cookie, 2 lollipop,

Exercise: 5 sit-ups , 1 HIIT

Hell, Linda -- when I read your post, it was so much like what I'm feeling like!! In like 4 different ways. Wow. Hang in there -- I think you're amazing, I know you'll feel better soon.

Here's a morbid nightmare I had: I dreamt I was pregnant at 40. As I was freaking out about that news, it sunk in that the baby would certainly have fetal alcohol syndrome because I had been binge-drinking for many weeks. Yikes! I was sure glad to wake up from that horrific nightmare.

Oh boy that's quite a nightmare auto! Still that moment you realize your nightmare is just a dream, is the best feeling ever.

I so relate to how you're feeling auto. Women have so many pressures to be perfect in a million ways at once. We have to be perfect mothers, have amazing careers, beautiful, perfectly kept homes, have a close-knit group of friends, maintain the romance in our relationships, have interesting hobbies, cook delicious, nutritious meals for our families, and find time to take beautiful pictures of our perfect lives so we can post them on Instagram and Facebook. All that and we're still suppose to make time to look like models that don't even look like their photos. No wonder we often feel like failures. It's impossible to be all things, all times.

I once had a therapist who told me to lower my standards and I'd be happier. I thought she was crazy at the time but maybe she was on to something. Or maybe we can just focus on being good at a few things at a time. When our kids are grown we can add a couple more things.

Or maybe I can stop worrying about what everyone else thinks and focus on what I think?

I ate a ton today. Very sleepy and bloated/crampy.

Still fully plan on getting back on track on Monday though.

Break: smoothie
Lunch: 2 bean tacos, nectarine
Snack: lollipop, caramel, nectarine , handful nuts
Dinner: Chipotle chicken salad, guacamole & chips
Dessert: several mini heath bars

Walked several laps around the track, ran 1.5 laps, 15 weighted crunches, 15 back exercises

What is it in the last week? I've been totally off the rails, and have not weighed today (Monday here) to avoid facing up to things. I think I'll take oolala's advice and only weight after at least 3 successful green days.

Hope you have a better week this week and get on track again.

Omg I know iron. I just read your thread and think there's something in the air for sure. I'm guessing it'll pass as quickly as it came though right?

The good news is that I'm feeling so much better emotionally today and the fact that my dark mood has completely lifted has made me feel tremendously grateful. So scary to be feeling so low.

Part of why I'm feeling better is because I finally got around to doing our bills and that's always such a relief. Also, I discovered DH has an unexpected bonus and that's always a nice feeling. It's funny how my mood is so contagious. Everyone else in the house picks up on it and it rubs off on them. Unfortunately the reverse is true too.

I'm also finally learning how to deal with my oldest daughter. I've discovered it pays to have a thick skin and not react to her little remarks. When I don't react her mood blows Over quickly and we can get on with things. Also, when I only get upset at the big stuff, it has more of an impact. Let's hope this lasts. We haven't had a fight in days!


The downside is that my eating has been crazy out of control today. I don't even remember what I ate but suffice it to say I've been pretty much eating non-stop. I know my weight is going to be high tomorrow but I need to know where I stand. I'll keep in mind a lot of it will be water weight.

I did do a very minimal amount of exercise at least.

Tomorrow will be green!

Eggs w tortillas, cookie dough, bowl of soup, part of bagel w cream cheese, bite of Tuna melt , grilled chicken, salad, pita bread, hummus, potato salad, cookie dough, chocolate toffee cookies

-33.2 lbs 😱

No place to go but up...

Break: smoothie
Lunch: veg sandwich, salad, nectarine, cherries
Dinner: eggplant "meatballs" on ww pasta, salad, wine

The only way is up, baby! For you and me now...

Sorry, feeling a little silly this afternoon. I've been inspired by you, so I bit the bullet and weighed this morning as well so I know where I stand Now on to a green week!

Ooh, good news on surprise bonus, awesome!

lpearlmom wrote: I'm also finally learning how to deal with my oldest daughter. I've discovered it pays to have a thick skin and not react to her little remarks. When I don't react her mood blows Over quickly and we can get on with things. Also, when I only get upset at the big stuff, it has more of an impact. Let's hope this lasts. We haven't had a fight in days!

This is so awesome! Good for you. I know it's hard sometimes, but you're doing so well. (I can't remember where I heard it, but early on in my parenting I heard someone say that arguing is an act of cooperation--so ironic! But I tried to keep that in mind when I was tempted to get drawn in.)

Lol iron--silly is good!

Thank you Merry! It's such a relief to realize I don't have to take the bait. It really diffuses the situation quickly. You're right we can't fight if I don't cooperate with her.

Well yesterday I did I a stupid thing and decided to try to skip some meals. All day all I could think about was food & by mid-afternoon I was starving. I started snacking & ended up having dessert after dinner too. I hate this kind of chaotic eating/thinking so I guess it was a good reminder of what I don't want to go back to doing.

I can't tell you how excited I am to have three meals today. It's such a reassuring thing. Not quite sure why I'd want to give it up. Oh right for quicker weight loss. Well we know how well that's going to work out. My plan is stick to vanilla & continue with my mini-habits.

Mini habits:
1. 1 sit up/day
2. 1 30 sec HIIT / day
3. 1 bottle of water between break & lunch (I have glass bottles at home)
4. 1 serving of freggies at each meal.

I'm hosting a meeting tomorrow of about 11 ppl. Feeling nervous and much to do today!

Onward!

Hi Linda--
I hope my posts haven't been the reason you tried to skip any meals. I am "skipping" breakfast but oolala and I agree (hehehe) that my multiple milky coffees are basically a breakfast.
Glad you are feeling better!

Hi auto! No don't worry it wasnt your breakfast skipping that inspired my stupidity. Just me in a panic but I got over that quickly. I'm pmsing so extra crazy hungry. Yesterday felt like torture. 😬

Back on track today. Green for me. Woot!

Break: toast w cream cheese, cherries, 2 pieces turkey 🥓 (awwww breakfast!)
Lunch: large salad w nf dressing, 4 pieces sushi, sf chai
Dinner: veggie burger, ðŸ’

Exercise: walked 1 hr, ran 2 laps, 10 crunches

Hi ipearlmom, just been reading through your latest posts and wanted to pop in to say that I am somewhat in awe of your committment to exercise! It is something I really struggle to get motivated with, I know I 'should' but find it so much easier not to! I know you feel you've been struggling a little lately with your weight, I just thought you should know that you're streets ahead of me on the exercise front and I admire you for it

Thank you Bluebel! I'm not exercising all that much but it is more than I have for awhile. It's all because of this book I read called minihabits. You pick a ridiculously easy habit to dobtowards your larger goal. Since I wanted to exercise each day I picked 1 sit-up & 1 30 sec HIIT (like a sprint). Anything above that is considered bonus. You want bonus points but they're not required.

The fact is that once you're doing 1 sit-up, you kind of figured why not do a few more. And then it feels good so you do a few more but really no pressure if you want to stop at anytime. It's a pretty cool concept.

He also talks about how guilt really messes with ones commitment to eat a certain way. The guilt of breaking your plan usually creates more eating than if you just ate the darn thing and moved on (mark it & move on). So if you're really having a strong craving he says to pick 2-3 delaying tactics and then promise yourself if you go through your list and still really want the food, you eat it without guilt. So I picked drinking a glass of water, running in place for 30 secs and waiting 10 mins.

Sometimes at night I'll crave s piece of candy so I'll go through my delay steps. Often by the time I go through everything I'm over it & just ready to go to bed. The couple of times I ate the candy I got to do so without guilt so it didn't lead to more eating. Strangely it works.

Anyway all that being said, I had a pretty over the top weekend. Blech. Can't fail an s day though right ? Bring on Monday!

Oh dear, 2 more days and my daughter starts High school! How did this happen ?! 😬😳

Ipearlmom that does sound interesting, I will try and find the book, maybe it will finally get me moving!
Good luck with your daughter starting school. I have struggled with each step my boys have taken moving schools, seems they are much more adaptable than me though!

Onwards.