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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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Jan 27, 2016 4:55 am

Yesterday was good but forgot to check in. Went to the gym with DH for the first time in a long time and it felt really good. Hoping to go tomorrow as well. I'm feeling a little better about things but I cry for a good hour every morning. So weird to be feeling all these emotions after suppressing everything for so long. So much better to feel than be numb though I can tell you that much. Tomorrow I see the therapist. Definitely no mascara for me. It's going to be tough I know it.

Break: tropical green smoothie, coffee w/ creamer
Lunch: boca patty, stir fry veggies,handful rice chips w/ cashew cream
Dinner: bowl of broccoli soup, greek salad, glass of wine

Exercise: 25 min walk w/ dogs; 10 min strengthening
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

osoniye
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Post by osoniye » Wed Jan 27, 2016 6:51 am

Hope all goes really well with the therapist. That's a great step in the direction of self care. I wish you all the best!
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

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Post by wahine » Wed Jan 27, 2016 8:08 am

I went to a counsellor a couple of years ago and burst into tears as soon as I got in the room! So definitely no mascara. But a really good thing to be doing for yourself. I hope it is really helpful.
Kate

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Post by Queenie » Wed Jan 27, 2016 1:40 pm

So much better to feel than be numb though I can tell you that much.
You sound like you're right on track, and at a perfect point to work with a good therapist. You're already making progress:

* Noticing that you do like the book club mom, and there were one or two other people you mentioned that you felt good about.

* Realizing that it's better to feel than to be numb.

* Ready to be over the drama.

Tomorrow I see the therapist. Definitely no mascara for me. It's going to be tough I know it.
One way I try to reframe my self-talk is, when I catch myself saying something's hard or tough, I rephrase it as "not easy" and this is how I say it:

It's not easy. But it will get easier and easier.

That wording helps me feel more stable about it.

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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Wed Jan 27, 2016 8:10 pm

Good luck Linda!
xxxxxx
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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Post by natj » Thu Jan 28, 2016 1:23 am

Linda,

I am hoping all goes well tomorrow with your first session. I think of all the support that you give to us on this board (and no doubt your family, even more) and believe it will be great to have someone give you some of that same kind of support.

I'm wishing you nothing but the best!

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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Jan 29, 2016 1:43 am

Thanks so much cookie, kate, nat, sonya & Queenie!

Queenie: reframing it like that does really help so thank you for that.

Nat: thank you so much! your heartfelt remarks always lift my spirits. :D

Well, I wish I could say it went well but it was not the best first session. I think it's because I had originally called about martial issues and that is her speciality. By the time my appt came around, I realized the issues went much deeper than that but she was very dismissive of the things I wanted to focus on and it just didn't feel very validating.

I can see that she would be very helpful in dealing with martial and family issues but I know I need to heal some of this past stuff that I never dealt with before I can focus on anything else. In the past I would have just continued seeing her and dealt with it but now I'm learning to seek out what I need so I called a different therapist that specializes in past traumas. She can't see me for another week so it's going to be tough but I know I'm on the right track at least. I'll get there.

Today was tough. I'm trying to process all this stuff in my head and so it's hard to be present for my family right now. I can feel myself shutting down again and I just so do not want that again. Hopefully, working with this new therapist will help me. Anyway sorry for being such a downer. Things will get better I know.

Break: chia pudding with granola and fruit, coffee w/ creamer
Lunch: boca burger, greek salad {vegan}, handful beanito chips w/ salsa
Dinner: 4 pieces sushi, bowl of thai lentil stew {vegan} topped w/ avocado & beanitos, skinny mocha

Exercise: 25 min dog walk; 10 mins strengthening (Went to gym yesterday and did cardio--yay!)
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by natj » Fri Jan 29, 2016 2:37 am

Ok,

Well, you took the first step and it wasn't exactly what you expected... on top of that, it was a tough day eating wise.

However, I saw a "silver lining" in all this (ugh-I'm sure you are not feeling like there was)-2 major examples of self care- reinforcing your personal boundaries by selecting another therapist; and exercise.

Even in the midst of everything, you are still looking out for yourself! That is an accomplishment to be proud of.

Because of all the work you've done, I don't think you will let yourself shut down completely. Maybe there will be days where you take a step back, but then they'll be 2 steps forward.

I look forward to seeing YOU move forward! Tomorrow will be better.

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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Jan 29, 2016 3:43 am

Thank you so much nat! Really needed to hear that right now. Yes, definitely all good signs that I'm finally seeing I'm worth fighting for.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by Queenie » Fri Jan 29, 2016 4:06 am

natj wrote: 2 major examples of self care- reinforcing your personal boundaries by selecting another therapist; and exercise.
+1 on giving you respect for that.

Not to mention, a good day of No-S meals. (At least, they looked like good meals to me. natj called it "tough eating wise" so maybe I missed something.)


I think it's huge that you recognized that the therapist is not a fit and you've already contacted someone else.

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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Fri Jan 29, 2016 12:07 pm

Hi Linda - you're doing great work with yourself - not least with your awesomely delicious meals!

I should think your 'set point' is just as well to stay where it is for the time being - you've got a lot of other work going on inside of you. Many non-medical people believe that all this emotional stuff is stored in our body tissues - so it sound like a major release might be in your near future! Hang on in there and keep feeding your body good nutrition.

My set point - I don't know if it's truly settled at a lower point - it certainly seemed to after the 7 day juice challenge. There's an S weekend coming up - I'll see what happens. But it's definitely going in the right direction - and so is yours!
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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Post by lpearlmom » Sun Jan 31, 2016 4:36 am

Thank your so much Queenie! I really appreciate your encouragement and yes I think I'm finally learning to be a little more assertive in the self-care department. My food was fine but I had mentioned on nat's thread that I was feeling like the structure was too much which happens to me from time to time. My inner rebel trying to take over.

Cookie: I think you're definitely right that I should kind of just let things with my weight alone for now. Maintaining my weight loss during this crazy time probably needs to be enough right now.

Well speaking of weight, my weight was up a couple of pounds yesterday (-38.2). I'm not going to stress about it. Just need to stay the course right now and the rest will take care of itself.

Last couple of days were tough. Dealing with flashbacks and other crazy stuff but feeling calmer today. Last night, Dh's partners took us to Binkley's which is our all time favorite restaurant in Arizona. Definitely had to be an S event as we had a six course meal with wine pairing. I had two cocktails while we waited for one of the couples to show up and I might have been a tiny bit typsy by the end of the evening but it was super fun.

I woke up today and knew I needed an all out over the top S days. I think I've been trying to restrict too much even on S days. I thought my weight would go down w/ calmer S days, but it kind of seems like the opposite. Maybe I really need my S days to be a free for all in order to have those super strict N days. I don't know but it definitely felt good to let loose today and while I ate a lot of junky food, the amount wasn't all that excessive.

break: banana, toast, 3 veg sausage, 3 pieces chocolate
lunch: 1/4 of huge bag of kettle corn, large sugar free chai
dinner: large plate of chinese food plus soup, 2 glasses wine
dessert: 2 small bowls of ice cream w/ fudge
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by osoniye » Sun Jan 31, 2016 6:43 am

Thanks for stopping by my thread and for the birthday greetings!
Glad you're enjoying your S's this weekend.
(Sorry to hear about the flashbacks... imagine that will improve with the therapy, but that the only way out is through-?)
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

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Post by clarinetgal » Sun Jan 31, 2016 8:33 pm

I think it makes sense to have wild S days from time to time. I have read this, and I have sometimes found it to be true, that occasionally having a big eating day can 'shock' your metabolism and result in the scale going down a little bit. Sorry about the flashbacks.

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Post by Strawberry Roan » Sun Jan 31, 2016 10:08 pm

I agree, have read many, many times that an occasional high calorie day after being very diligent does indeed shock your system as it realizes that there is no need to go into starvation mode and hold onto any of that dreaded fat. Speaking of my dreaded fat, of course, not yours. :D So, the weight loss can continue knowing that there is indeed the possibility of food on the horizon.

You are doing great, just keep on keepin' on.

By the way, we gobbled on bagged kettle corn yesterday! It was the Aldi's Fit and Active line and very, very, good.
Berry

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Post by lpearlmom » Mon Feb 01, 2016 6:03 am

Thank you sonya, heather and strawberry! Yeah I think I was starting to resist the idea of S days but am now realizing they are a really good thing both physically and emotionally. This weekend was a doozy so my body is certainly shocked! Maybe I don't need to go quite that crazy next weekend but definitely does me good to relax the rules for a couple of days each week.

Thanks for the supportive comments re: flashbacks. It sounds so dramatic but I don't really know how to describe these episodes I've been having. I think it's probably a good sign though. I'm finally starting to process things I've been in denial about. I'm still not totally sure what happened but hoping my therapist will help me make sense of it all.

Anyway today was a snackathon for sure. Not the best way to handle an S day but like I said, I think I just kind of needed to go there for a variety of reasons. So looking forward to getting back to N days tomorrow!

Break: toast w/ butter, vegan muffin, coffee
Lunch: leftover chinese food, granola
snack: more granola...(made a big batch today)
Dinner: 1/2 mashed chickpea sandwich, handful of chips w/ salsa

It doesn't look like so much once I write it down (which is why I write my food down in the first place--it calms me), but it was all that dang granola!

Berry: I love me some kettle corn--mine was the full fat/sugar kind.
:oops:
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by wahine » Mon Feb 01, 2016 9:40 am

"kettle corn" - something else I need to look out for next time I go to the US :wink: it must be nice if you all like it.

Your weekend doesn't look excessive at all on paper you are right.
Kate

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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Feb 02, 2016 4:45 am

Hi Kate, yes kettle corn is dangerously good especially when it's made fresh at a fair or something. Definitely give it a try.

-34.4 Ugh, worrisome but not exactly surprising given my weekend.

Today was good though. Felt so good to eat moderately.

Break: granola w/ fruit and almond milk
Lunch: boca patty on low carb bread w/ avocado and tomato, bean chips w/ salsa
Dinner: mushroom-spinach lasagna with tofu ricotta and eggplant noodles, cashew queso dip w/ chips (all fit on one small plate, no piling), 2 glasses wine

Exercise: 15 min walk, 10 min strengthing
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by wahine » Tue Feb 02, 2016 7:39 am

Looks yummy. Cashew queso dip sound interesting.
Kate

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Post by Queenie » Tue Feb 02, 2016 6:34 pm

Felt so good to eat moderately.
Yeah, I love it that that feels good!

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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Feb 03, 2016 5:16 am

Thank you Kate. The dip is so good and really good for you. I've posted this recipe before I think but here it is in case you're interested:
http://blog.lululemon.com/vegan-life-af ... she-glows/

That's the basic recipe I use but I tend to change it up each time. This time I used canned tomatoes and peppers instead of marinara sauce. I also added smoked paprika, a jalapeño and extra garlic. You can also use cooked butternut squash in place of the carrots if desired. Either way it's quite good and my whole family loves it. Yay!

Yeah Queenie, I think that's why S days are so necessary. It's such a good reminder of what we think we want but don't really if you know what I mean.

Anyway today was good. I feel like I've kind of evened out emotionally and that's a good place to be. DH and I doing really well. I think what I struggle with most is trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life now that my kids are getting older and all that. Hopefully i will figure out something I can get excited about.

Break: berry and spinach smoothie w/ little granola stirred in--so good!
Lunch: salad w/ butternut squash, wheatberries and tofu, skinny mocha
Dinner: black bean and spinach bowl over quinoa, couple....glasses wine

Exercise: 20 min walk
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by wahine » Wed Feb 03, 2016 8:40 am

Thanks for the recipe. I love dips. Will have to try it.
Kate

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Post by clarinetgal » Wed Feb 03, 2016 11:43 pm

I'm glad you're in a good place right now! That dip sounds delicious!

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Post by osoniye » Thu Feb 04, 2016 5:00 am

lpearlmom wrote:That's the basic recipe I use but I tend to change it up each time. This time I used canned tomatoes and peppers instead of marinara sauce. I also added smoked paprika, a jalapeño and extra garlic. You can also use cooked butternut squash in place of the carrots if desired.
Hi Linda- I know I could try to make this, but I just want to come and eat at your house!!!
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Feb 04, 2016 5:23 am

Np kate--let me know how you like it!

Thank you Heather! Yeah that dip is a good example of how to do vegan dairy substitutes. I think this is better than the real thing as it just has more depth of flavors and no tummy ache from the dairy to boot!

Aww thank you Sonya that is such a sweet thing to say. I sometimes think how fun it would be to host a NoS party one day. :)

Today was good other than the fact that my girls fought like crazy and DH and my youngest really had a rough time as well. He thinks she has a problem with feeling entitled and that we need to be firmer with her. He's probably right but I'm so weak with her. She is my baby and I tend to have a lot of blindspots where she's concerned. All I see is her goodness!

Break: gym rat smoothie w/ granola stirred in, coffee w/ creamer
Lunch: mushroom spinach lasagna {vegan}, handful bean chips w/ guac, skinny mocha
Dinner: Jerk sloppy joes w/ coconut creamed spinach {vegan}; hummus w/ veggies, olives, glass of wine

Sloppy Joes were amazing!
http://www.theppk.com/2012/04/jerk-slop ... d-spinach/


Exercise: 30 min hike w/ dogs

It's such a pain getting the dogs in the car and driving with them but so nice to walk out in the nature instead of our usual neighborhood walk. There's even a couple of spots I feel comfortable letting them off leash which is awesome because my big 100 lb dog is a puller on the leash but once off leash she's the perfect angel. She never goes ahead very far, checks to make are I'm close behind her every few mins and when I stay stop she stops immediately. It must be her wolf instincts kicking in. I can picture her running in a pack and making sure everyone stays together.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by Queenie » Fri Feb 05, 2016 3:52 am

Yeah Queenie, I think that's why S days are so necessary. It's such a good reminder of what we think we want but don't really if you know what I mean.
Oh, that's a great insight. Yes, I know what you mean. Thanks!!!

You have some lucky dogs!

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Post by lpearlmom » Sat Feb 06, 2016 12:58 am

Yeah Queenie, my dogs are the best. I woke up kind of grumpy this morning but Dh had the day off so we took the dogs on a little nature walk. It immediately lifted my spirits and set the mood for the rest of the day. It's hard to be in a bad mood when you're watching happy dogs frolicking through fields and splashing in water.

Then I took my dead iPad to the Apple store and they told me they were giving me a brand new iPad for the price of the dead battery-yay! After that I went to lunch at my favorite sandwich place and found out I had enough points for a free sandwich--woot! It's the little things right?

-38.4 lbs.
My weight is pretty much right where it was last Friday. I was feeling a little discouraged as it seems like my weight has really plateaued but then I had a brilliant idea. I decided Monday I'm going to reset my Quantum Scale and start w/ a new goal.

I haven't decided if I'm going to try for 10 or 20 more pounds yet but there was something so motivating about seeing it go from zero to -1, & -2, -3 etc. I was also very determined not to see any + numbers so I think that's an added motivation when starting back at zero. Anyway I'm excited about this kind of fresh start although I am a little tempted to eat a lot over the weekend so my weight is kind of artificially high on Monday. I'll try to resist the temptation.

Break: low-carb vegan coconut french toast, 2 veg sausages, skinny mocha
Lunch: avocado and veg sandwich, baked chips, skinny mocha
Dinner: (will be) chipotle salad, glass of wine (maybe)

Yeah I ended up having 2 skinny mochas today because basically I'm weak. I went to Barnes and Nobles in the morning and then Target later in the day. Both have a starbucks in them and I find it almost impossible to walk past starbucks without buying a coffee. Weak@!

Exercise: 25 min walk w/ dogs
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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CDee
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Post by CDee » Sat Feb 06, 2016 1:18 am

38 pounds! I am so looking forward to seeing that kind of loss.

Great work!

That coconut french toast sounds yummy!
I believe I can do this!

Starting at a size 14 (Jan. 2016)
Current size is 14
Goal is a size 8

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Post by Merry » Sat Feb 06, 2016 7:37 am

Hang in there through the plateau! You've made such wonderful progress. I hope your new goal refreshes & helps you shake loose of this plateau--I know those are so discouraging.
Homeschool Mom and No S returnee as of 11-30-15.
2 years and counting on No-S.
29 lbs. down, 34 to go. Slow and steady wins the race.
Respect Moderation

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Sun Feb 07, 2016 5:26 am

Thank you Cdee! You're right, 38 pounds is a lot and it's important I don't lose sight of that. The french toast was really good. Here's the recipe I used:
http://www.theppk.com/2008/10/fronch-toast/

But I used low-carb bread and I dipped it in shredded coconut for extra flavor.

Thank you Merry. I do think this re-start will help me. I think I'm going to just go for 10 pounds and hopefully call it a day. It just seems never to be quite enough huh?

-39.2 lbs woot woot!

Today was good. I saw my new therapist and she is so awesome. She's exactly what I need right now so I know this is going to be super helpful. I'm so happy to have some help finally.

Today went well eating wise till about dinner then my whole family kind of over did it because the food was just so dang good.

Break: 1 pancake, 3 mini vegan muffin omelets, 1 veg sausage, 1 flat out (low carb wrap thingy), berries
Lunch: 2 small bowls popcorn, banana
Dinner: ton of indian food, 2 glasses wine
Dessert: 1 vegan brownie, ice cream w/ fudge--okay this was good!

Tomorrow we go to Renaissance Festival, I'm excited!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

RAWCOOKIE
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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Sun Feb 07, 2016 4:31 pm

I'm very glad to hear that the new therapist feels right - good luck with that Linda!
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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Post by lpearlmom » Mon Feb 08, 2016 5:25 am

Thanks Cookie! Glad to have found a good fit for me.

Today was so much fun. It was my girl's first time going to the Renaissance Festival and they absolutely loved it. One got a henna tattoo and the other had some fancy hair braiding done. We all got jewelry, saw some cool shows-jousting, birds of prey, etc... And of course we ate a bunch.

I'm pretty darn full but overall I didn't do too badly. I listened to Reinhard's podcast regarding S days on Friday and it really helped me to have a better mindset. It's funny but I've really avoided reading to much about NoS theory. I think it's because I spent so much time in the past reading about diets but never really sticking too them. That's because reading about them was so much more fun then actually doing them. With NoS, I wanted to focus on the doing and not overthink it too much. Well I think that's served me well but now it might be good to listen to podcasts for specific situations.

Anyway, one thing he said was that what we often perceive to be a wild S day is only wild in comparison to our new moderate way of eating. In the past it would have seemed normal perhaps. Also, he mentioned the importance of planning special treats instead of just permasnacking all day because you can. Well I know that is obvious but stupidly i really hadn't been doing that. I had trouble coming up with any treats I was really craving but still having that mindset was helpful.

Break: granola, fruit, skinny mocha
lunch: 1/2 piece of pizza, shared spinach dip w/ bread, 2 margaritas
snack: couple bites of falafel , glass of wine
Dinner: 2 shrimp tacos, chips and salsa, chai tea
Dessert: 3 or 4 small vegan brownies

exercise: a lot of walking!

Looking forward to tomorrow and starting w/ a fresh start on the scale.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by osoniye » Mon Feb 08, 2016 6:02 am

Hi Linda,
That Renaissance Festival sounds like loads of fun! Glad you were able to enjoy it with your girls.
That's super that you have found a good fit for your therapist. Makes all the difference in the world.
I totally agree about planning special treats instead of just permasnacking all day on S days. It puts me in the right mindset and makes returning to N days "normal" and not a big effort at all. I hope it goes really well with the adjustment of the scales to a new goal. Sounds like fun... I am trying to get back to the weight I was at my 1 year check in, but I seem to bounce around getting closer and farther away. It would be nice to be back there by my 6 year NoS anniversary in May!
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Mon Feb 08, 2016 5:17 pm

I slid into a bit of a permasnacking mode this weekend - and I didn't feel good for it either! I'm definitely going to revert to planning my S day treats!
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Feb 09, 2016 5:14 am

Hi Sonya! It is so much fun. The people that work there have to go through these long training sessions and are required to keep in character the entire time, they're working there. So they speak in the accent from that time and they can't use paper plates, etc.. Everyone is just in a happy playful mood. It's really awesome.

I hear you Cookie, so much more enjoyable when we have 3 plates plus a few really special treats.

So I zeroed the scale today and had the scale secretly take my weight. I forgot to do it till later in the day though so I'm guessing my weight was pretty high esp after the weekend. Anyway, that's why I decided to go for the 15 lbs instead of 10 lb. It's all a bit of a game but I'm hoping it'll help to renew my enthusiasm.

My plan is to have VERY firm boundaries. No tasting at all when cooking because this is my weakness. Also I'm going to try to stick to 14 mins/day of cardio, plus a little minor strengthening 2x/wk (push ups/sit up etc). We shall see!

Break: yogurt, granola, coffee
lunch: veggie burger, creamed spinach, chips & salsa, fruit
Dinner: Large salad w/ salmon, bread, carrot ginger soup

Exercise: none, my dog had a sore paw so I took it as an excuse not to exercise :/
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

RAWCOOKIE
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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Tue Feb 09, 2016 9:34 am

Phase II - I like it!

I like posting my weight each day, because I never know how anyone finds their exact 'true' weight - I don't think there is such a thing. I kind of take my average as my weight. Anyway - I'll be cheering you on!
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

Queenie
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Post by Queenie » Tue Feb 09, 2016 5:17 pm

I saw your footer in a post you made on another thread. Cool that you're restarting, and doing it from zero weight. I've never heard of that but it's a fascinating idea.

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Feb 10, 2016 5:35 am

Thanks cookie! I think it definitely makes more sense to take an average. For now I'm only changing my weight (below) when/if it gets lower.

Queenie: I know it seems a bit weird but my quantum scale lets you re-start it anytime so I thought it would help me stop feeling stuck. Anyway we shall see if it helps or not!

The new zero tolerance rule is pretty awesome though. I found it so freeing having such clear boundaries. It almost makes me wish I could have a second chance at raising my kids as I know my boundaries haven't been firm enough with them. Anyway I digress.. But it's kind of like how I felt when I first started NoS. it was so freeing not to have to answer the question of whether to eat or not 1,000 times a day. When I was cooking I'd have to wrestle w whether something was a legitimate taste or not and that lead to nibbling which lead to me having internal debates with myself which can all be very exhausting. Now I just don't eat, taste, nibble period unless it's on one of my 3 plates a day. Awww.. My brain is free to enjoy other thoughts. Yay!


-2.8 lbs

Break: granola w almond milk & fruit, skinny mocha
Lunch: boca burger on low carb bread, salad, chips & salsa, skinny mocha
Dinner: falafel wrap, hummus

Exercise: 14 min home routine
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

Queenie
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Post by Queenie » Wed Feb 10, 2016 10:42 pm

I know it seems a bit weird but my quantum scale lets you re-start it anytime so I thought it would help me stop feeling stuck.
Weird in a good way. I think it's terrific.

And look at the weight melting off already.

I don't have children but I have noticed your consistently thoughtful, caring comments on the board. You manage to be supportive without "shoulding" on anyone.

It's a lucky child to have a mother like that.

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Feb 11, 2016 2:55 am

Oh wow that's about the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me Queenie so thank you. It's so hard being a parent, I really struggle with feeling like I could be doing better pretty much every day.

Anyway today was good. Our propane tank ran out on us suddenly last week so I've been unable to cook for the last severals days. I never realized how much I enjoy cooking. I was having withdraws! Was really nice to be able to put a meal together for the family. And especially nice not to have to worry about tasting or not tasting. I just did not and boy did dinner taste that much better--yay!

I'm kind of stressing out because when we were at the Renaissance Faire, they were showing these greyhound rescue dogs and my husband and daughter became very interested. Well one thing lead to another and now they're bringing a dog for a "meet and greet" Monday night. All the sudden it's happening very quickly. And what if we don't think the dog is a good fit? I'm going to feel so badly turning him down. He is six years old and probably really needs a home.....ugh. Stressing! Okay breathe...it'll be fine.

Oh yeah and on Saturday we are hosting a rattle snake education BBQ. Yeah I know weird!

Break: gym rat smoothie w/ granola stirred in, skinny mocha
Lunch: boca burger in low carb tortilla w/ vegs, chips w/ hummus, banana
Dinner: piece of enchilada nirvana, chips and guac, couple...glasses wine

Exercise: walked dogs 20 mins; row machine 14 mins
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

wahine
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Post by wahine » Thu Feb 11, 2016 6:46 am

[quote= I have noticed your consistently thoughtful, caring comments on the board. You manage to be supportive without "shoulding" on anyone.

It's a lucky child to have a mother like that.[/quote]

What Queenie said! I definitely agree, you are really thoughtful and supportive. Also anyone who thinks they are doing a really good job of parenting probably just lacks insight!

Yay for the eating, I won't try to translate your menu into Italian for you!

If you are interested in a cautionary tale about our own part greyhound form a shelter I can provide you, but I don't want it to be like when you're pregnant and everyone tells you their worst stories. Dogs are lovely creatures and it will most likely be fine!

Hope the rattlesnake education barbecue goes well.....
Kate

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Feb 12, 2016 5:44 am

Ahh thank you Kate! I really think most people like to figure things out for themselves so try not to be too pushy but of course I really want to be helpful at the same time. It's a tricky balance!

And on that note, appreciate you asking first before freaking me out too much. It's pretty much a sailed ship at this point anyway and I'm pretty sure my daughters would throw me overboard if I tried to stop it. We aren't getting it from a shelter though. He's from a greyhound rescue organization that specializes in matching people up. He's six years old and has been living with his foster mom for awhile so hopefully she will be honest about any potential issues.

I guess we will see but yes I'm nervous it'll end up a disaster! Of course probably can't be worse than our last dog who liked to bite everyone, had surgery, climbed a wall & got hit by a car....ended up w diabetes which required 2 insulin shots/day for the latter years of his life. Yes we are no stranger to problem dogs!

Anyway today was good and bad. Good--got a lovely haircut & pedicure and my mammogram results came back negative. Bad--my daughters had a particularly ugly fight which ended up with all of us in tears and Dh has been working so much this week that I've barely had 5 mins to talk to him. And we've done zero party prep--not even the shopping. Oy!!

Oh well the party will come together some how.

Break: granola w almond milk & fruit
Lunch: avocado & veg sandwich, baked chips, skinny mocha
Dinner: piece of enchilada casserole, 5 pieces sushi, chips w guacamole

Exercise: walked dogs 25 mins
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

wahine
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Post by wahine » Fri Feb 12, 2016 9:46 am

Dogs are great for consistent exercise and they are SOO HAPPY when you even start putting your shoes on.

Phase 2 looks like it's going well.
Kate

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Sat Feb 13, 2016 5:38 am

I know Kate ! They are very good at making me feel guilty on the days I try to skip their walk.

Exhausting day. Dh worked late again so I had to do all the shopping for the bbq....with four girls in tow at that. My cart at Costco was so heavy, I had to use all my body weight to get it to roll forward.

I did get a little prep done but not much. I have jalapeños soaking in tequila for the margaritas, I made the sauce for the coleslaw and some dip. Lots to do tomorrow still including making 15 lbs of my famous chipotle potato salad. None of which is vegan but oh well. I'm not stressed though for some reason. Probably because everyone coming is the down to earth sort or maybe I'm just maturing...finally.

Break: granola w almond milk, skinny mocha
Lunch: veg & avo sandwich, grapes, skinny mocha
Dinner: chipotle scald w guacamole
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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CDee
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Post by CDee » Sat Feb 13, 2016 6:54 am

A BBQ sounds exciting!

What do you put on your veggie sandwich? Do you use any king of bean spread. I am trying to think of something else to put on my big guy's sandwiches (He's almost 6 and according to him I must say big). I have to find a way to jazz it up so he doesn't know he is eating beans.
I believe I can do this!

Starting at a size 14 (Jan. 2016)
Current size is 14
Goal is a size 8

clarinetgal
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Post by clarinetgal » Sun Feb 14, 2016 9:05 am

I hope the BBQ goes well, and I hope everything works out with the dog!

RAWCOOKIE
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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Sun Feb 14, 2016 12:26 pm

Am I reading this right - are you down 6.2lbs since 9th February already?!?!

Enjoy your weekend!
:D
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 » Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:01 pm

Hi CDee! My girls love hummus or any kind of bean dip but I don't usually put it in their sandwiches. They do eat chickpea sandwiches pretty much every day at school. They love it and never seem to tire of it.

Here's my recipe:
2 cans of garbanzo beans
5 tbs mayo (vegan or reg)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 minced sweet onion
1/2 diced dill pickle
Salt to taste

Just mash up beans with mayo till consistency you like. (I use a potato masher). Stir in the rest of ingredients. I put it in bread w tomato, lettuce and sometimes avocado.


Thank you Heather the Bbq was fun but I drank too much. The dog comes for a visit tomorrow. My daughter is beside herself with excitement. Hopefully it'll go well!

Hi Cookie! Yes & no about the weight loss. I am down that much but I took my initial weight after I'd already eaten 3 meals so it'll really be the next 10 pounds that really matter.

The bbq went really well. Dh smoked ribs and sausages, I made chipotle potato salad, jalapeño coleslaw and then we had chips and dip, baked beans and fruit. I also made my famous jalapeño margaritas. Those were a little too good and I ended up drinking more than I should have.

I get so incredibly social when I drink. I talk to everyone, make instantaneous friends, exchange phone numbers etc. At least I didn't get overly flirtatious which can sometimes happen too. I don't know if I have a drinking problem. I don't feel the need to drink everyday but in social situations I have a very strong urge to drink and then I usually drink too much. I just need to learn to feel more confident without drinking. Anyway I'm going to try to abstain from drinking the next two weeks and see how hard it is for me.

Have no idea what I ate yesterday but know it wasn't much till after everyone left. Today is definitely turning into a snacky over the top kind of day. Blech! I'll try to reign it in if I can though.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Feb 16, 2016 7:08 am

Wow stressful day! My girls have lice &#128561; And we have our new greyhound. We thought he was just coming for a meet & greet but apparently we looked like a good home because they said we could basically keep him. He's a very sweet dog but my other dogs aren't 100% sure about him just yet. My big dog wants to play with him but he doesn't seem to know how. My little dog just seems confused. I'm really not sure about this yet!

Eating wise was fine and I didn't drink any alcohol which is good because my puffiness from sat night is finally going down.

Break: granola w almond milk and fruit, coffee w creamer
Lunch: double veggie burger on tortilla w hummus, bean chips w salsa, skinny mocha
Dinner: veg burger on sandwich thin, small bowl of granola & berries

Exercise: 25 min dog walk
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

Queenie
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Post by Queenie » Tue Feb 16, 2016 6:19 pm

So sorry to hear about the kids! UGH.

Sounds like your BBQ was a success. I'd love to have dropped by and joined your buffet line. 8)

Glad you're back on track with N-days.

Good luck with your girls' hair/heads.

Queenie

LoriLifts
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Post by LoriLifts » Wed Feb 17, 2016 12:20 am

EEEK LICE!!!!

Greyhounds rock!

'Nuff said..
Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables.

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CDee
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Post by CDee » Wed Feb 17, 2016 12:37 am

Thanks for the recipe. If I can get it to not look like beans I think he will eat it.
I believe I can do this!

Starting at a size 14 (Jan. 2016)
Current size is 14
Goal is a size 8

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Feb 17, 2016 5:22 am

Thanks queenie & Lori! and

It's so weird. I never had lice growing up & my girls never had it till we went to public school. Not sure what's up with that but it's definitely a pain. Seems like we have a handle on it now though thank goodness.

I had a little meltdown over the dog today because it suddenly felt very overwhelming to have one more thing to care for, worry about & manage but he really is a pretty cool dog. He's leashed trained, potty trained, uses the doggie door and mainly wants to just hang out all day. I'm mostly worried about my other dogs adjusting but they seem to be handling it pretty well. *deep breath*. I'm sure after a couple weeks I'll feel fine about it all.

Today went well. My girls were home but were actually pretty cooperative. My youngest is still in disbelief that we actually got another dog and is definitely on her best behavior so that's an added plus.

Break: chia pudding w granola & berries, coffee
Lunch: lentils w avocado, hummus w handful of bean chips, skinny mocha
Dinner: pad Thai noodles (used no carb noodles) w broccoli & tofu

Okay I love pad Thai & this recipes rocked. My daughter asked to have the leftovers in her lunch. Yay!
http://www.theppk.com/2013/09/everyday-pad-thai/



I'm feeling really good about not having wine. I guess I just need to prove to myself I can do this.

Exercise: dog walk 25 mins
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Feb 18, 2016 5:57 am

Okay day... Felt very anxious about little stuff. When it's a lot of little stuff it starts to feel overwhelming to me. I'm feeling a little better now. My mom is coming tomorrow. I always love having her but I feel like I have to put on a happy front with her. Not that she wouldn't be understanding but I just have trouble showing her that side of me. I just don't want her to worry I guess.

I did feel like having a glass of wine to help relax me but I didn't. I looked up recommendations for moderate drinking & they seem quite doable. For woman no more than 10 drinks/week (seems like a lot!), 3 non-drinking days (good idea), no more than 2/day and 3/day occasionally is fine. The part I felt was really helpful was no more than 1/hour which will be a good guideline for those times I tend to overdo it--out to dinner with friends or at party.

I hope I'm not freaking anyone out with this drinking talk. I'm definitely not an alcoholic or anything. I just want to make sure it never gets to the point where it's a problem for me. That would be horrible for my children to have to deal with.

The good news is my weight was down a little more today which might be an extra benefit of skipping my wine. My goal for this week is -7 lbs and I'm almost there. Yay!

Break: gym rat smoothie, coffee
Lunch: lentil bowl w tofu & broccoli, scoop of hummus w chips, skinny mocha
Dinner: black eyed peas tacos w collard greens (v good)

25 min walk (w all 3 dogs!)
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

wahine
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Post by wahine » Thu Feb 18, 2016 10:21 am

Actually I would find 'no more than one per hour' challenging to stick to if I was out to dinner or a party. I will try to keep that one in mind.
Glad your new dog seems happy :D
Kate

RAWCOOKIE
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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Fri Feb 19, 2016 11:59 am

The UK guidelines on alcohol are tighter - I had a single-serving (one large glass) bottle of wine on Valentine's Day (I think it was 185 ml) - and I was surprised to see it had 2 units of alcohol, and that was the daily amount for a women. If I did drink, I'm pretty sure I'd drink more than the recommended amount!
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 Feb 20, 2016 5:23 am

Hi Kate & cookie! Yeah I'm not overly concerned with exactitudes here. I think 2-3 of whatever size I consider normal drinks 4x/wk is probably fine. No measuring necessary and yeah 1 drink/hour might be a bit hard but if I could learn to slow down & pace myself a bit, that would help keep things sane. I'm just trying to keep things at a reasonable level while still allowing myself a bit of fun & relaxation. A glass of wine really does help me unwind and loosen up but a whole bottle is just abusive.

Anyway it's been nice knowing I don't have to drink but I do notice more anxiety without my nightly glass of wine. I guess I need to find other ways to relax. My friend called me today to very stressed out and wants to come over Sunday night for some wine. I'm debating if I should join her or not. It would be a week without wine but I was trying to go for two. I'll see.

I'm kind of dreading this weekend. I'm just tired of making so much progress with my weight during the week only to be mostly erased during the weekend. How annoyed would I make everyone if I said I wasn't taking any S days till I reached my -15 lb goal? Cuz I'm pretty sure that's where I'm headed...

Break: gym rat smoothie, coffee
Lunch: small Mediterranean salad; cup of veg soup; skinny mocha
Dinner: small plate of Indian food

Oh and dog is sweet as can be and no more lice--yay!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

osoniye
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Post by osoniye » Sat Feb 20, 2016 8:56 am

lpearlmom wrote:How annoyed would I make everyone if I said I wasn't taking any S days till I reached my -15 lb goal?
Hi Linda,
I wouldn't be annoyed, but I might be slightly concerned! I'd hate to see you get real frustrated with that. You know, sweets/snacks/seconds are optional on every S day... might it not be wise to take one S day at a time?
That said, I do skip S's a fair amount of the time, but it happens when I'm happy with what I'm eating, and don't feel the need, rather than the rush to lose weight faster (and it could be argued I'm not losing weight fast enough!). By all means, put your effort into the basics of 3 yummy, satisfying plates of food every day of the week.
I don't know if you're still on SP, but I read a page there the other day which you might find interesting, on a closely related topic. http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_publi ... 3#comments
Re: your wine loving friend- it might be an idea to skip the wine and see what it is like to be present to her without the extra effects of alcohol. I bet it would change the dynamic in an interesting way... let her know you're doing this 2 week thing for you and that you are happy to listen to her without it-? Just a thought.
Glad the dog is settling in. Hope you have a great weekend, with or without the S's!
Last edited by osoniye on Sat Feb 20, 2016 1:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

RAWCOOKIE
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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Sat Feb 20, 2016 9:18 am

osoniye wrote:
lpearlmom wrote:How annoyed would I make everyone if I said I wasn't taking any S days till I reached my -15 lb goal?
I second that! I'd be concerned - what's the rush? S days are important psychologically - and restriction leads to rebellion/resentment/failure.... dangerous water to swim in!

How about considering a mod of one S day a week, or just 1 S event on each of the two S days? Although even those are a bit risky - you've been successful on No S - why not just keep going with it?

PS thanks for that link Sonya - that was a really good read!
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

gingerpie
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Location: Pennsylvania, US

Post by gingerpie » Sat Feb 20, 2016 5:22 pm

How annoyed would I make everyone if I said I wasn't taking any S days till I reached my -15 lb goal?
I'm third in line with "not annoyed at all" but certainly curious about why you think you need to do that. I also noticed this:
I do notice more anxiety without my nightly glass of wine
And I'm wondering if that's related to your need to loose weight faster.

It seems like you've had a lot of changes and quite some emotional upheaval in the last few weeks/months. I'm thinking now is a good time to go easy on yourself.

As always, kind regards and good luck

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Sun Feb 21, 2016 7:15 am

Thanks all for the feedback/concern. My weight was up a little bit this morning (probably from salty Indian food) so I decided it'd be pointless to skip my S days. I had a good momentum going till then and that's why I was thinking of skipping S days. Since the momentum was lost anyways, S days seemed like a good idea. It was a very sane S day at that though.

Thanks for the link Sonya but I don't have a goal date just a goal weight. I find it helpful though I know others may not.

Hi ginger! The anxiety is just me and the normal stressing I do about stuff. The wine was masking it more than I realized though so that's an eye-opener.

My mom wanted a glass of wine tonight so I poured her some but was easy for me to pass up so that was a good sign. Not sure about my friend tomorrow. We don't always drink when we're together in fact we often don't but in this situation it will draw attention to the fact that I'm not drinking and I just don't feel up to explanations. Oh well I'll figure out a way around it.

Other than that a good day. My daughter scored her first goal & they won their game. Then we went shopping & to lunch with my mom. Tonight we hung out and watched movies and cooked dinner. A really nice time.

Break: vegan muffin, coffee
Lunch: med salad, 2 mini cookies, sugar free chai
Dinner: 2 pieces of quiche, salad
Dessert: 2 soy ice cream sandwiches
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

gingerpie
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Post by gingerpie » Sun Feb 21, 2016 12:53 pm

Perhas you could order a "fancy" non-alcholic drink ( Shirley Temple springs to mind but there are others) or get the ingredients to make your own. You try new recipes all the time so it shouldn't be too glaringly obvious.

Hope you have a nice time.

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Sun Feb 21, 2016 8:42 pm

Okay, I'm behind, but WHAT woman? I feel like I've missed a few months of Downton Abbey.

WHAT is in that jar with the chia pudding and mango/banana cream on the link you gave? Those brownish flake-like things? That looks incredible!

And Linda, does Oh She Glows have any tapioca recipes? I've read it has a lot of resistant starch. I'd like to know of alternatives to the pudding of my childhood. I'm admitting I'm being lazy by asking you, but I think you are into it these days, so it may not be a sacrifice to help me out.

Im curious to know when you have these talks with DH and kids, do they voice complaints, too? What is it like to handle those?

I have been going to therapy for a few months. It has been humbling but useful.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

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

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Sun Feb 21, 2016 10:21 pm

I hadn't even seen your email of 12:17 until just now! Kismet.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

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

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Sun Feb 21, 2016 11:22 pm

oolala53 wrote:Okay, I'm behind, but WHAT woman? I feel like I've missed a few months of Downton Abbey.
Lol! I know always a lot of drama here. The woman is this lady my dh works with whom I became concerned about. She's a drug rep of a company that has these speciality items he needs for surgery that the hospital doesn't carry. So whenever he does this very specialized technique (not a lot of other docs do it apparently) he has to text her and ask her to bring her equipment. So he ends up seeing her a few times a month (she stays during the operation apparently).

Anyway, I found out after the fact that she was at this conference dh went to a couple of months ago. They went out to dinner (in a big group) and stayed out late drinking. I read his texts (I know) and discovered quite a lot of texting back and forth much of it not relate to work although it often started off with a work question. There was some minor flirtation but the whole thing made me feel so uncomfortable. I had this awful, incredibly strong feeling that something just wasn't right. In fact I was pretty certain this was the beginning of the end for us. Oh and yeah I checked her out on Facebook--single mom, 10 years younger than me, gorgeous. Total cliché right?

Well this lead to a lot of discussion. A lot feelings came up and old issues we needed to work on became apparent. Also I realized I had a ton of personal crap I've been avoiding dealing with so hence the therapist which will hopefully help.

I think things are good now. He says he'd never jeopardize what we have for a night of passion, that he has absolutely no interest in anyone else but me etc. I believe him completely but there's something about this woman I just do not trust. I have no idea why but it's the weird gut feeling that's just so hard to ignore. Now all the texts between them are very cut & dry and only about work so if she was interested in more before, hopefully she gets the hint now. I don't know I wish she'd just go away for good but doesn't seem like that's going to happen anytime soon.

Anyway.... On to simpler topics! Cooking, my favorite distraction. The chia pudding is kind of like a yogurt substitute I make. Chia seeds are a natural thickener so if you put them in almond milk overnight with a little vanilla extract and honey, you get a thick, milky substance. I like to add granola and fruit to mine. It looks like Angela has it mixed with mango-banana soft serve and granola. The soft serve is just frozen bananas, frozen mangos and a little nut butter whipped in the food processor (so good!).

The only time I've used tapioca is when I make vegan chocolate chip cookies. It calls for a little tapioca flour and really seems to add something special. I was just thinking about making chocolate pudding with a recipe in my vegan with a vengeance cookbook so I'll let you know if it's any good.

Oh and DH gets very honest with me about my faults. It's hard to hear but I know he's usually right. I mean he knows me better than anyone. Usually I cry and need sometime alone to process it. With my girls it's more complicated but they do voice their complaints.

So glad therapy is helpful although difficult. I really commend you for going. This new therapist only has Saturday available so I'm having a hard time getting there but hopefully soon.

Sorry for the novella!!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Mon Feb 22, 2016 6:04 am

Ginger: thanks for the idea! My friend didn't come over but we took my mom out to dinner to a place I always order the skinny margaritas. I got an Arnold Palmer instead which felt a lot more special than Diet Coke or plain water so it did the trick. I think it's good for my kids to see that I don't always have to have a drink whenever we go out to eat.

Unfortunately, DH got called into work before the food even came so I let him take my car and we had to über it home after we ate. I felt badly because he said he barely ate all day. Boy, he works hard.

My mom goes home tomorrow and I'm just so ready to have some alone time. It's hard being an introvert sometimes!

I ate a lot today. I probably shouldn't weigh tomorrow. It's funny, I was reading over my old check ins and boy to I go back and forth about S days. I'm pretty sure I'll never come to a final answer on that one. Probably the kind of thing I'll just need to be flexible.

Break: vegan fruit muffin, coffee
Lunch: leftover Indian food, cashew queso dip w chips, sugar free chai (huge)
Dinner: veggie burger, fries, Arnold Palmer
Dessert: banana soft serve w vegan choc chips
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Feb 23, 2016 2:30 am

My mom left today and it's always a little bittersweet. I'm happy to have my house to myself but still sad saying goodbye.

Been feeling under the weather the last couple of days. I had a bit of a red day but maybe it can just be an S for sick day? Was a nice day though. Dh came home early so we got to spend time together. I cleaned out the frig which always calms me for some reason. I also filled the food with frig & my gas tank is filled. My girls didn't fight today. My dogs blood work came back negative (thought she had valley fever). I really do have so much for which to be grateful.

I didn't feel up to cooking so just got some pre-made stuff at trader joes which means less clean up too. Win-win!

Break: gym rat smoothie (I really should start working out again if I'm going to keep drinking these &#128522;)
Lunch: piece of broccoli quiche {vegan}; cashew queso dip w veggies, skinny mocha
Dinner: pad Thai noodles w pan seared tofu and steamed spinach x2

I don't usually look at calories but happened to notice them on pad Thai noodle package and ended up taking less than I normally would to compensate. Well I was still hungry after I ate the first bowl so ended up just getting another serving. Calorie counting always messes me up!

Exercise: walked dogs 25 mins
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Feb 23, 2016 5:15 pm

Okay so I woke up this morning and was disappointed with my weigh-in -4.2. I then realized I'm putting too much emphasis on the scale. I also thought about what Sonya said and re-read the post about weight date goals. Okay I don't have an exact date but I'm still focusing too much on numbers and everything he says still applies.

I really need to focus on the process. Eating my 3 meals, keeping them satisfying and healthy and figuring out a way to incorporate some exercise into my life. If I'm doing this that's really all I can do. I don't believe in starving myself or exercising myself in an extreme way so whatever I weigh is what I should weigh and it's fine.

So I'm only going to weigh myself 1/week just to make sure I'm not totally going off track and I'm going to focus on the habits, not the scales. So thanks to everyone who was I think trying to point this out. I do listen even if I'm initially dismissive. Here's another great article I found on not having weight goals: http://www.niashanks.com/dont-have-fat-loss-goals/

Okay this will be weird for me but good for me too I think!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by Queenie » Wed Feb 24, 2016 3:54 pm

I noticed that your footer switched from weight to size. I like that a LOT.

And congratulations on being size 12. I see you started at 18/20. I started at 16/18 -- and I'm still 16/18. : ) Right now I'd be thrilled to be a 12. But I can imagine that when I'm a 12, I'll want to be smaller.

Just saying, your journey looks like a very successful "during" from my perspective.
I cleaned out the frig which always calms me for some reason.
I love having that energy in my orbit! I've been postponing clearing out the fridge for the longest time. I'm still not ready to hop up and do it BUT I feel a flicker of hope that, one of these days, I just may do it (and not hate doing it).

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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Feb 25, 2016 4:50 am

Thanks queenie! Yeah it's time to stop hyper-focusing on the scale I think. I zeroed my scale (again) today because I think weighing myself on a wens is a good baseline. I like the idea of once a week weigh in. Once a week is plenty.

Size 12 is not a bad place to be. I think I look pretty good actually and having some curves is a good thing. I think focusing on some fitness goals might feel more empowering and hopefully tone me up a bit too.

I got this new ballet workout book that I did today and I think I could really get into it. It's mostly floor work with a lot of stretching and strengthening which I think will be really good for my stiff muscles, back pain and stress levels. We shall see!

Break: soy yogurt, granola, fruit, skinny mocha
Lunch: Thai veggie burger on low-carb bread, small bowl of yogurt, granola, fruit, skinny chai
Dinner: queso bowl with kale {vegan}; small green salad

Exercise: 25 min walk; 1 hr ballet routine

Too much of the coffee drinks but I've stuck to the no alcohol thing so that's good. Boy, that glass of wine on Sunday is going to taste good!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by Queenie » Thu Feb 25, 2016 10:05 pm

lpearlmom wrote:I think weighing myself once a week is a good baseline. I like the idea of once a week weigh in. Once a week is plenty.
But what do think about weighing yourself once a week? :D :lol:

Just kidding! :mrgreen:


I'm impressed with your activity level with that new workout. Nice work.

And a really nice No-S week.

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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Feb 26, 2016 5:25 am

Lol Queenie! Can you tell I'm trying to convince myself it's a good idea? Not to mention I'm usually writing these things in bed, half asleep about a quarter till midnight. &#128522;

Today was good. Everything went smoothly. My hair looked good, my kids didn't fight and everyone seemed to enjoy dinner. Oh and it was a beautiful day although I stayed inside most of the day. Not sure why I don't get outside more. It really does lift my mood.

Break: green smoothie, coffee
Lunch: salad, skinny chai
Dinner: chickpea curry w peas over quinoa, edamame hummus w veggies & chips, grapes

Exercise: 25 min walk; 30 min ballet routine
(Thx for noticing my exercises queenie. I was going to try for an hr 5x/wk of the ballet but I think 30 mins is going to be more realistic.)
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by clarinetgal » Fri Feb 26, 2016 8:05 am

Hello! I'm just catching up on your check in. It looks like you're doing great! I love your emphasis on size and habits! I like your fitness routine, too. I've slacked on fitness since my surgery 6 weeks ago (although I have been walking), and I would really like to start toning again.
Keep up the good work!

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Post by lpearlmom » Sun Feb 28, 2016 3:44 am

Hi Heather! I'm really liking the ballet work out. It feels really good and I like that I can do it anywhere. Here's the link in case you're interested: http://www.amazon.com/Ballet-Beautiful- ... ul+workout

She does have videos but being the Netflix addict that I am, I prefer to do the exercises from the book while I catch up on some shows. &#128522;

Yesterday went well. My weight was at 0 which is good. Means I'm Maintaining. I ended up eating really light and woke up this morning feeling really good--lean, flat tummy etc. I was going to weigh myself to confirm that my weight was down but then I decided I don't need the scale to give me permission to feel good in my own skin. If I feel good then I feel good & I should just enjoy it.

Today was fun. Went to my youngest daughters soccer game & they won--yay! She's having 3 girls sleepover and they are very good at entertaining themselves so I've got a bit of free time to myself (dh & older daughter out). I've been reading and catching up on Portlandia so a very relaxing day. The only work I've done is making a batch of vegan brownies. Yum!

I ate a good amount but nothing too crazy. I also did squeeze in a short walk so that's good. Today is the last day of my 2 week abstaining from alcohol. Yay I'm happy to know I'm fine without drinking but really looking forward to a glass of wine tomorrow night. I definitely feel like I will appreciate it more now and will make sure I never get to the point where I have to give it up completely.

Break: oatmeal w fruit, skinny mocha
Snack: couple handfuls of granola
Lunch: avocado & veggie sandwich, bbq rice chips
Dinner: chipotle salad w chips
Dessert: vegan brownie
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:13 am

Omg... Major over the top day. Was kind of a blur, I barely remember what I ate but it went something like this..

4-5 choc chip pancakes
2 pancakes
Couple bites of curry
Skinny mocha
4 handfuls of cashews & macadamia nuts
Square of teriyaki tofu
Large bowl of chipotle potato salad, small plate of grilled veggies, 2 glasses wine
Medium bowl of coconut milk ice cream

I'm so over these kinds of S days. I think I'm just too black & white and am going to need some serious intervention. New S day strategies in the works for sure.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by ironchef » Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:11 am

I hardly ever get the chance to pop in here, but wanted to say hi, and well done over the past few weeks doing some hard work on your personal stuff with your therapist, getting exercise and taking a break from alcohol.

Ugh, over the top S days are much less fun to live than they sound like on paper. I still have them every so often, and I've come to believe they're there to remind me why I generally go for moderation! I really like your "one plated snack, one plated dessert" approach, or oolala's "only in company" idea, but so far have been too lazy / unmotivated to implement them.

Sometimes when we're using a lot of energy and willpower on something (like not drinking), things pop up in other areas - like an over the top S day? I've been crazy stressed the past few months since my son broke his leg, and I've really noticed how much that has impacted other things, like exercising, eating moderately on S days, keeping the house sorted, etc. But that's life, we can't prioritize everything.

Anyway, hopefully in a month or two I'll get another chance to catch up on your thread and cheer you on! The way you and your DH have changed your lives and your eating is nothing short of remarkable, and always inspires me to read :)

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Post by Queenie » Tue Mar 01, 2016 5:39 am

Yesterday went well. My weight was at 0 which is good. Means I'm Maintaining. I ended up eating really light and woke up this morning feeling really good--lean, flat tummy etc. I was going to weigh myself to confirm that my weight was down but then I decided I don't need the scale to give me permission to feel good in my own skin. If I feel good then I feel good & I should just enjoy it.
FABULOUS!!! Hat's off to you, Linda.

The previous three weekends I was at my friend's house in another state, to help her pack for a move. And we had three meals each day (plus modest treats).

Now that I was home this past weekend, I ate junk for some meals (doughnuts for breakfast, popcorn for lunch) and it just wasn't satisfying.

I think I need the three meals -- and then having a snack or a treat will be icing on the cake. Instead, if I have "icing" for meals, it feels lousy.

Not that I meant to come to your thread and talk about me, me, me! :oops:

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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Mar 01, 2016 5:40 am

Hi iron! It's so good to "see" you--I really miss your insightful comments but also glad that you are busy living the rest of your life. I have no life, that's the problem!

Today was kinda crappy but not gonna bore anyone with the details. I felt ill most of the day from yesterday's over indulgences. I've decided upon the following S day mods:
1) S event every sat night from 5-10 pm
2) can also take S events on Friday or Sunday night if we go to dinner but they last only while I'm at the restaurant.
3) otherwise the rest of fri, sat & sun follow all N day rules.

I'm just putting it here to make a note of it. This is just an experiment and I'm not looking for any constructive criticism at this time.

Breakfast: vegan muffin, coffee
Lunch: veg burger w avocado on low-carb bread, small spinach salad, skinny mocha
Dinner: 1 large sweet potato & black bean enchilada w cashew cream, handful chips w scoop guacamole

Exercise:25 min walk; 30 min ballet routine
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Mar 01, 2016 6:19 am

Thank you Queenie! I think we were posting at the exact same time because I missed this post somehow. Anyway I totally agree about treats needing to be treats and not meals.

Also totally fine to talk about yourself on other ppl's threads. It's all part of the back & forth right? I do it all the time&#9786;&#65039;

Thanks for stopping by!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by Queenie » Thu Mar 03, 2016 6:20 am

lpearlmom wrote: I'm just putting it here to make a note of it. This is just an experiment and I'm not looking for any constructive criticism at this time.
I like how you made that clear.

And I'm interesting in hearing/reading how your S-day mods work for you as you put them into effect.

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Post by clarinetgal » Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:05 am

I love your S day mods! I hope they work out for you!

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Post by lpearlmom » Sat Mar 05, 2016 5:01 am

****WARNING: MAJOR SELF-ABSORBED RANT AHEAD!!****


Thank you queenie. I figure it's better than being dismissive after the fact.

Thanks Heather-- Ill let you know how it goes.

Today I was at 0 again which I think is pretty cool. I like just maintaining for now. It's much less stressful then trying to lose weight. I've had little fails all week but nothing major and I at least did the minimal amount of exercising each day. I love the weekly weighing. Really nice to not worry about that number most days.

I've stuck to my plan of moderate drinking and have a little app to record everything. (Saying When). It hasn't been especially hard but on the days that I don't have a glass of wine my anxiety is much higher and I seem to care way too much about what others think/say. I never realized how a glass of wine really takes the edge off of my moods. Going to stick to my plan though and hopefully find new coping methods for my non-drinking days.

The last several days have been very stressful. (I feel like I say that a lot!) First we discovered rodents in the attic in which I'm practically pathologically afraid. So I've been dealing with the exterminators and sorting that all out. Then I had just some drama with my daughters friends mom and more drama with my friend who is crazier than me even. I think both are sorted but this is why I just don't want to deal with people most of the time.

And I realized best friends are not a good thing. At least for me, they're not. They alsways end in drama! This friend that I had the drama with was already calling me her bff and telling me she loved me. I've known her awhile but we real,y don't know each other that well. So those should have been red flags for me. I tend to pick these friends that have a lot of ongoing drama in their life and they dump it all on me. Really it's my fault because I think initially I like that feels of being needed and feeling like I can save them. Maybe also it makes me feel very sane & together by comparison. But they are horrible friends. They do not reciprocate very well and they have a way of undermining you and chipping away at your self-esteem. Ugh!

I'm sticking with healthy relationships and no more bffs! I can't completely drop this other woman because she's our tenant and her dh is friends with my dh. Oh yeah plus dh might do surgery on her. Oh what tangled webs we weave. But I will never ever again tell her anything personal about myself again. I made the mistake of telling her about that woman from dhs work and she ended up looking her up on fb (I know!). Well, she went on and on about how gorgeous this woman was and how dangerous that was and how strong my dh would have to be to resist her. Not once did she reassure me. Not once did she say anything like oh but you know he loves you and would never do anything like that or you're pretty too so don't worry about it. Nope she just went on to say how interesting it was because her and this woman had a friend in common and both belonged to some online club etc. really?! Awesome. My self-esteem took a huge hit after that but I'm okay now.

Okay had to get that off m chest. Today eating was okay. We did go out to dinner. It was family style so I didn't stick to one plate but didn't go too too crazy either. The food was disappointing though so that's always a bit of a bummer. Ah well next time.

Break: gym rat smoothie, skinny mocha
Lunch: small green salad, 2 handful nuts
Dinner: lots of Thai food, 2 glasses wine

Exercise: 15 min walk
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:22 pm

8) is it safe to come out now?

You did well to go out for a family dinner (even if it was disappointing food) and keep to 3 meals for the day - well done!

Thanks for supporting me on my thread - hope you have a good S weekend too (whatever your parameters/mods are) - (oh, I just realized - I think Friday night is one of your S events now - well, cool, you stuck to it!)
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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Post by Queenie » Sun Mar 06, 2016 3:10 am

Good grief -- what a jerk she is. If only there were an exterminator who could get rid of the likes of her.

You have a healthy outlook. I don't blame you for confiding in someone who seemed like a friend. But she sure showed her true colors.

I hear you that she became too friendly, too fast. It can feel rude to keep someone at arm's length when they talk up friendship.

But now you are aware of some friendship 'red flags' to recognize if someone acts that way again. That's healthy.

The conversations and self-work (couple-work) you and your DH have had over the past months show that he's committed to you and to your marriage. He values you and his relationship with you.

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Post by lpearlmom » Sun Mar 06, 2016 5:47 am

Hehe yes cookie I think so!

Thanks so much Queenie, a toxic friend remover is exactly what I'm in the market for! Yes it was quite an eye opener for sure. I went to lunch w a different friend yesterday and was like okay this is what a healthy friendship looks like. She's very kind and supportive and there's a nice back & forth, give and take kind of thing. It was quite a contrast. I was like healthy (her), NOT healthy (other friend). I'm learning!

I finally got to my therapist today and it was just really so amazing & healing & insightful. I'm just so grateful to have found her. I felt so much lighter after working with her and know this will be super helpful. *phew*

Today went well eating wise. I liked just having part of my day a free for all. I think it's just really more than enough for me to try to manage. I know some ppl fall nicely into a normal, healthy style of S day eating but I think having such a chaotic eating history is making that process take too long. Maybe if I get the 5 hours down I can try for longer periods of time. I tend not to overdo it when I'm at a sit down restaurant so that's why I've included those as possible exceptions to my weekend eating. I guess I'll see how tomorrow goes. It should be interesting because we're going to a spring training game and will mean virtual plating for sure. Anyway here's today:

Break: granola bar, banana, skinny mocha
Lunch: veggie burger, chips & guac, skinny mocha
Dinner: small ramekin of olives (ate while cooking), large bowl of mole chili (vegan), chips & guac, 2 glasses wine
Dessert: 1/2 carton (pint) of chocolate coconut ice cream

For some reason I was absolutely stuffed after dinner. I mean it was a lot but my fullness felt way out of proportion to what I ate. Maybe my body is changing.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Mar 08, 2016 5:06 am

Big fat red day...not sure why but it's been awhile since I had a full on red day. Pms? Stress? Curiosity? Who knows but it I surprised myself by being overwhelmed with guilt about it.

I guess I just really don't want to go back to my former chaotic style of eating. I was just thinking how nice it was to go be able to just throw on a pair of shorts & tshirt and go to the baseball team with my family without feeling the least bit uncomfortable. There's something so nice about feeling normal although I guess that makes me sound a bit narrow minded. Anyway I do not want to regress and today was a good reminder of how much better it feels to just stick to my 3 plates.

Break: green smoothie
Lunch: mole chili {vegan}; handful chips; orange, skinny mocha
Red: tasted some cookie batter, ate several bites of hummus
Dinner: veggie burger on pita with grilled veggies & hummus
Red: 2-3 pb oatmeal choc chip cookies {vegan} Ok those were good.

Doesn't look so bad on "paper". I was trying for a weekly checkin but I do think I do better with the daily check in so will try for that.


Exercise: 25 min walk
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by clarinetgal » Tue Mar 08, 2016 5:08 pm

No, your red day doesn't look too bad. I'm glad you were able to have some time with a nice friend, to make up for the crummy friend.

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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Mar 09, 2016 5:35 am

Thanks Heather!

Today is stress stress stress! Getting everything ready for vacation this week plus getting taxes done on Thursday plus my kids have like a zillion projects due this week plus dh has been working crazy long hours plus plus I'm pmsing which means I'm super-sensitive, irritable and prone to depression.

Some guy cut me off today and I started mumbling cuss words under my breath like a crazy person. my daughter just looked at me and I said " yeah this is what pms looks like and it ain't pretty."

Anywho.. Regardless of what happens at the accountants on Thursday, I'll be on a plane to Hawaii this weekend so that's something. Hopefully my mil won't drive me crazy. Okay I really need to work on this gratitude thing.

Break: 2 pieces toast w pb, watermelon, 2 veg sausages, skinny mocha
Lunch: veggie burger, hummus w chips, orange, skinny chai
Dinner: mole chili, watermelon, chips w hummus

Exercise: 15 min walk; 14 mins ballet exercise
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by Queenie » Wed Mar 09, 2016 12:37 pm

It's pretty significant when we can SEE that we're under stress and we're reacting to it. I find that a few meditation breaths can do wonders. It's doable while driving.

Admittedly, it's been so long since I've had PMS that I don't remember what it's like... :shock:

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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Mar 10, 2016 4:21 am

Thx queenie. Today was much better. I got everything ready for my tax appt tomorrow and feel a lot better just facing it and having everything organized. Last year we ended up owing so I'm really worried that'll happen again. But going through everything I realized he made an unusually high amount that year due to having no partners. Was way too stressful though so I'd rather have him happy & home more. Also hopefully it'll mean we don't owe so much this year. We also have a lot more write-offs this year so that'll help.

Either way by 11am tomorrow, it'll be resolved one way or another so my stress levels should be significantly improved. I did sort of have an aha moment today when I realized that my expectations might be in fact getting in the way of my own happiness. I mean life is often difficult and full of challenges. It's normal for problems to continually come up, for kids to fight, for toilets to clog, for friends to be less than perfect. If I can adjust my expectations to something more realistic, I won't be so upset when things do go wrong. Instead I can look for the blue bits and happy spots and enjoy them that much more when they do come my way.

Anyway today was good. I did end up eating a few bites of my daughters leftover dinner but other than that was green.

Break: gym rat smoothie, coffee
Lunch: teriyaki tofu square, hummus w handful of chips, small handful cashews, skinny mocha
Dinner:veg Chipotle salad w guac (no dairy or meat) plus couple bites of daughters rice bowl, 1.5 glasses wine

Exercise:25 min walk dogs--so not relaxing as one dog is a puller (100 lbs); one barks at all the neighborhood dogs (20 lbs) and the other goes very slow and likes to stop every few feet. But somehow we get through.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Mar 11, 2016 5:41 am

Big fat tax refund check coming my way--woot! So relieved that is done. Now I have to focus on getting ready for my trip.

A lot to do tomorrow but not too overwhelming. I got the house ready for the house sitters, did all the laundry, and even cleaned out the frig.

I can't wait to just do nothing but lie on the beach, read a book and drink fruity cocktails all day.

I'm pretty sure my weight is going to be up a bit tomorrow as I've had a couple red moments and larger than normal plates this week but it's all good.

Break: oatmeal w berries, nuts and almond milk
Lunch: Thai cashew quinoa bowl, skinny mocha
Dinner: seared cauliflower steak w 2 pieces bread
Red moment: couple bites of daughters salad

Exercise: 25 min walk
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by RAWCOOKIE » Fri Mar 11, 2016 12:42 pm

Wow! have a great time in Hawaii! I hope you can unwind and enjoy your husband and family too.
love
Gill x
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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Post by FarmerHal » Fri Mar 11, 2016 1:23 pm

I read through the last couple pages of your check in! I just want to say you are doing a GREAT job wading through all that life is throwing you!

I feel a bit like we are kindred spirits, as I am an anxious person, too, a worrier and take on other people's issues. I have learned not to get too emotionally involved lately, as it ends up with bad friends and broken hearts.

I have this one new friend/neighbor who is very, very negative, who has put me in a bad mood about a potentially good situation for DD, for which I will have to help out (a high-level horse for DD's riding). It's a GOOD thing, but she has made me feel like it's a burden! :(

I like how you are using your size vs. weight! Thats a hang-up for me! I think I'll switch to that instead.

You're doing great though, size 12 is a size I haven't seen since I was 19!

:)

Hang in there and ENJOY HAWAII!!
{FarmerHal} ...previously Shamrockmommy...
Vanilla NoS... Making good habits.
Restart 12/2015, size 22
3/2016 size 18
1/2018 size 18

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Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Sun Mar 20, 2016 8:18 am

Oh gosh Hal I so relate to your friend situation. Ugh it's so hard to cut ties with certain ppl i.e. Neghbors but do your best to slowly distance yourself from her. Life is too short to spend time with ppl that drag you down. Heck, I rather be alone!

My friend situation is so complicated and I don't know how to distance myself from her. She actually texted my dh to ask him for a gynecologist recommendation while we were in Hawaii (she knew we were there) and when he sent her a pic of a rainbow over the ocean as like a hint " I'm on vacation, don't bug me with med questions" she responded with a sexual innuendo ("eyes rolling in the back of my head"). Or at least that's how I interrupted it. I'm afraid I'm never going to be rid of her *sigh*.

But I digress. I'm back from Hawaii and we had an amazing time. We snorkled, hiked, played in the ocean, watched the whales, flew kites, collected sea shells and spent a goodly amount of time in the jacuzzi drinking cocktails. The only downside was the food. We were on Molokai which is a tiny island with not a lot of good choices. We ended up cooking a lot but the grocery stores were pretty sad.

Still I managed to overdo it but not too badly. I stuck mostly to my 3 meals with one or two treats per day. It was pretty impossible to stay vegan but I tried to keep one or two meals per day vegan at least. I'm worried about what the scale is going to have to say tomorrow but I'll handle it.

It felt so nice to be able to wear shorts and a bathing suit without feeling sel-conscious but I still long for more. I just want to look in the mirror with a little more satisfaction. I don't want to be so easily hurt but someone's comments or lack thereof regarding my looks. In short I'd love to lose a bit more weight and mostly just be a bit more fit. I don't know but I'm going to spend more time at the gym.

Okay it's past 1 a.m. So I'll have to catch up on everyone's threads tomorrow.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

osoniye
Posts: 1257
Joined: Sat May 22, 2010 2:19 pm
Location: Horn of Africa

Post by osoniye » Sun Mar 20, 2016 9:28 am

Welcome home, Linda!
Glad you had a really good vacation. It sounds wonderful!
I'm sure any weight you picked up through eating different things will go away when you get back to your normal routine.
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

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

Post by oolala53 » Sun Mar 20, 2016 1:47 pm

Sounds like a lovely vacation. When I lived in Iran, another American there who had traveled extensively, said it was the most beautiful place she had ever been.

It does seem it might be hard to be vegan unless you were to eat an awful lot of fruit. Or what do I know? I guess there would be plenty of potatoes from Maui... Did you have any poi?
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

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

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

Post by lpearlmom » Sun Mar 20, 2016 8:24 pm

Thank you Sonya! Weighed today and I'm only up 2.8 lbs. woot! About an average weekends gain so I'm thrilled. Dh is up 7 lbs and I really think I gained less because I'm used to the weekly relaxing of the rules (s days) whereas he's not.

Oolala it is really pretty. (I have pics up on my Instagram @lpearlmom) Not sure it's the most beautiful place I've been but it's certainly up there. Such an interesting history too as it used to be a leper colony.

I was able to eat vegan when cooking for just me but harder when we had shared meals. I had cereal with soy milk most mornings but on the last morning dhs mom implored me to use the eggs which she paid $40 for (a dozen) so I made migas for everyone and thoroughly enjoyed it. For dinner one night I had seared tofu and grilled veggies, veggie stir fry w rice another but most nights I had fish and we ate poke almost every afternoon but no poi (doh!).

I really missed having plentiful grocery stores and am going to try to take the plunge to total veganism. Hopefully it doesn't reduce my already dismal social life to nil.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Mar 21, 2016 5:10 am

At least you're not going raw. That's a real crowd pleaser.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

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

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

Post by lpearlmom » Mon Mar 21, 2016 5:20 am

oolala53 wrote:At least you're not going raw. That's a real crowd pleaser.
Lol, oolala I promised, promised my family to never go that route. I don't see that happening but then again I never thought I'd go vegan either.

Today went really well but I'm exhausted. We got up super early to go pick up our dogs from the doggie hotel because we missed them so incredibly much! They were so excited to see us. I think maybe the thought we were leaving them there forever. :/

Anyway feels good to be home but not looking forward to dealing with the mundane realities of life. I.e. Bills and scrubbing the stove! I'm determined to take a yoga class tomorrow. I even made my girls' lunches tonight so I'd have more time in the morning. I really need to make time for myself.

Break: shelled out bagel (yep, I'm one of those ppl) w toffutti cream cheese, onion, tomato & capers, 1 veg sausage, skinny mocha
Lunch: same bagel thingie, Apple
Dinner: 1 piece of chickpea & broccoli casserole, spinach salad, 2 pieces Edame/tofu nuggets
Dessert: 1 lollipop
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Mar 21, 2016 2:53 pm

I might be willing to go almost any route if someone would do all the meal prep for me, even though I don't hate that part of it. I went to a raw restaurant once that had some wonderful warm soups. I just wasn't inspired to run home and figure out how it was done. :roll:
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

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

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