automated eating tracker

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.

Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Thu Nov 01, 2018 2:18 pm

Haha yes, Octavia, I have read that book! :-)
I liked it, and then later, found the podcast, but didn't even realize for a bit that she had been the author. Now I found a free Audible Original with her doing live counseling. I love it. Even when the relationships are extremely different than anything I'm familiar with, it's fun to see how the principles for healthy relationships remain constant and determine how/whether conflict will be resolved. What a brilliant idea, by the way, to record live counseling of identity-protected couples. An awesome tool for others to learn from.

Speaking of relationships.... ahem. Last night I messed up on two fronts. First, I yelled at Challenger12 for all the money he has been spending on Fortnite ($68 in October). He does extra chores to earn money, but I hadn't realized that he had been literally spending it all on that video game. I can't afford to pay him for chores like that, but that's not his fault. So I will have to apologize to him this morning. Grrr. That kid doesn't accept apologies without gleefully rubbing it in, so I will be eating crow more than I'd like.

And if that wasn't enough, then I lit into Sexy (after kids in bed) about not being strict enough with Challenger when he was little. It started when (once again) Sexy contended that Challenger is just the way he is -- all nature -- and that we couldn't have brought him up to be nicer. I disagree, although I agree that Challenger's temperament is uniquely independent, lol. The crux of my resentment is:
*Sexy always fought me down and would tell me to trust his judgement when he would go easy on Challenger.
*He even undermined me and told me my own approach to Challenger was what was causing the defiance/escalation, etc. when Challenger was about 7 and was getting really defiant.
*But then, when Challenger started treating Sexy the same way he had been treating me for years, Sexy started to resent and get angry at Challenger. It's like he doesn't apply the same generosity of expectation to Challenger now that he is an adolescent.
*So, ironically, I had been begging to be stricter with him for all those early years, and now I am arguing for more empathy for the kid.
*I don't like that Sexy thinks that Challenger is just a "bad" person. It's like this black and white painting of our wonderful (yet Challenging) kiddo.
*I would like acknowledgement that it was painful for me to have Sexy tell me to back off with discipline years ago, and then to have us move forward from here more on the same page for these teenage years.

Actually, after re-reading all of that, I don't think I owe Sexy an apology. I RARELY express any anger toward him (he feels attacked extremely easily), and I was just being honest and sharing my feelings. I didn't say anything ugly or mean. Just stuff he disagrees with, and also shared my hurt (which he just got defensive about and didn't acknowledge my hurt from years ago).

I think I will send him an email; he usually responds better to that and then I can craft my language in a non-attacky way.

But Creator9 and I had a great time trick-or-treating. And then we listened to Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place.

Speaking of Creator9, he has thrived with the gentler hand of Sexy. I am GLAD that Sexy encouraged me to back off with Creator. Just goes to show that all kids are different. Challenger needed a firmer hand, and now we have to figure out these adolescent years starting from a weaker position.

Thursday, November 1st!
127.8
NoSEating
B: coffee w/milk
L:(will be) yogurt w/berries, mixed nuts, carrots/celery
D:(will be) tuna salad (grilled cheese w/ tuna sandwiches for kids)
update: this meal was quite tasty! salad greens, onions, avocados, cheese, tuna fish, pickles, mayo.

NoSloth
walk/jog with dog

NoSpending
no plans - oh that reminds me that yesterday I bought a coffee impulsively because I was so frustrated with my students. I literally told them I needed a coffee to cheer me up and that I would be back in 5 minutes. It was a good decision because when I got back to the class, I was able to be upbeat and positive with them and try to reteach the material they were confused on.

RaisingReaders
I think we might finally be on chapter 11.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Fri Nov 02, 2018 2:51 pm

Friday, November 2nd

128.4
NoSEating
B: coffee w/milk
L: lunch with friend at japanese restaurant - ordering without pasta or rice will be tricky because the menu is in japanese. I have put in a call to a dear friend to get suggestions for what to order
update - friend suggests suki yaki, if available, or yaki kobi, which is basically chicken kabobs
update: I think I messed this up. Ordered fried chicken but didn't consider that it is breaded. Sigh. And I wasn't hungry all afternoon so I think it was much more food than my body typically gets mid-day.
D: (will be) yikes - not sure. tonight is grocery shopping and I'll get junky take-out for others but need to plan ahead for me.
Update: finished off the last bag of salad w/avocado slices and cheese and a lot of dressing. :-)
Surprisingly filling.

Minefield today!!! Plus my kids don't have school, and I have in-service day where there will be crappy food available at all the meetings.

NoSloth
walk/jog with dog
no biking this week

NoSpending
will buy lunch today - $40 bought friend's food too omg I just realized I should have left $30 instead of $40. Well, that waitress got a huge tip! :lol:
Costco spent $197
Keurig Coffee K-pods -$32 (those pods are expensive but Sexy really prefers them to making a large pot in the morning....)
long underwear for Creator9 (he looks adorable in it)
wine for the week - $32
veggie tray
bananas (use in kids' morning smoothies)
3 bags of different kinds of salad
milk
quart freezer bags
Coke Zero (impulse buy)
some kind of frozen pastry puff for kids' desserts this week (Creator begged/impulse)
hot dog buns
frozen lasagne
hamburger patties
olives

bought gas $27
bought whole pizza to feed the fam dinner tonight $11; ignoring food that isn't part of my plan is getting easier, I have to say. I barely even think about it - it just isn't an option. Sometimes I do get a moment of panic as I think - "What will I eat? If I don't find something satisfying, then I will be vulnerable to overeating or eating mindlessly" if I know there is junk like pizza or Halloween candy or.....creme puffs.... in the house. :roll:

RaisingReaders
fail last night and not feeling much more motivated tonight
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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

Post by lpearlmom » Sat Nov 03, 2018 2:06 pm

Just wanted to say sorry about the parenting troubles. DH and I don’t argue too often but when we do many times it’s him critizing my parenting and me being defensive about it. It’s hard stuff. I do think he’s right about being firm but calm but it doesn’t mean I’m able to do it. Ugh, parenting is no joke.

On the upside, it’s impossible not to mess up our kids in one way or another. That’s just life but the fact that we are there for our kids, our thoughtful in our parenting styles (even if we mess up a lot) and let them know how loved they are goes a long way. They will turn out just fine in the end. 💜
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sat Nov 03, 2018 2:49 pm

Thank you so much for your encouragement, Linda!
I did end up writing Sexy an email; he responded super well and we both felt closer once we'd communicated better. It's funny how much better we do with conflict when we write to each other....not sure if that is something unique about our relationship or not, but it is definitely a good tool to have when things go sideways for us.

Saturday, November 3rd
128.8

S Days!

This morning there was a piece of chocolate on the counter (from my lunch friend yesterday) and I thought, "why not? It's an S Day" and then thought, "nah - not worth it. There's always more junk to be had later" and I threw it out.

SDayEating
B: coffee w/milk, eggs & bacon and maybe some hashbrowns I think
L: Goal - skip lunch because I am NOT hungry right now and I want to build up an appetite to enjoy my burger tonight.
mid-day dessert: a very fun local egg nog taste-testing with kids and me. Both samples were delicious. Everyone but me liked Sample A best (Twin Brook Creamery); I preferred Sample B. When we looked at the ingredients, Sample A had been thickened with guar guar and carageenan and Sample B had not. Sample B (Grace Harbor Farms) also included whole eggs rather than just egg yolks. Probably my most fun "S" in a long time.
D: burgers with massive fixings (update - was DELICIOUS - I am good at these now!)
desserts: 3 mini-snickers bars (yes from kids' Halloween supply), definitely yummy & worth it. :-) oops but then mindlessly ate 2 more later. those ones didn't feel good or worth it. Ah well.


SlothDay
no walk so far, but the dog is SO much better from his autoimmune illness that he is needing lots more exercise! So I think I'll hook up the bike attachment today and try that out again with him - it's been since June that he's been able to bike, so I'll have to be careful.
Update: Took the sweet dog for a run. I went running for the dog, let's be clear, not to give myself exercise :P

SpendingDay
I need to go to the local grocery store for a few items, but no other plans
Update - spent $50 at grocery store on yogurt, lunch items for kids, and a few things like mayo, hot dog buns, and 1 tomato. Oh, and the egg nog that we delightfully taste-tested later. Can you believe one tomato this time of year can cost $2.50?
Sexy bought some socks and a pair of shoes for Creator9 on Amazon.

RaisingReaders
jimineychristmas I've been failing a lot in this category in recent months
update - we read for a whole hour last night. Phew. Guilt was building on this.

It's been a nice day - got caught up on grading, worked on my budget, took care of some deep cleaning, and now I'm sort of half-watching football and looking at mini-Aussie puppies. Haha! Despite how much trouble IssueDog has been, I still want another. It's a thing I have, I guess.
Last edited by automatedeating on Sun Nov 04, 2018 1:57 pm, edited 7 times in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

Imogen Morley
Posts: 1022
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:11 pm

Post by Imogen Morley » Sat Nov 03, 2018 7:13 pm

I think the crucial factor why people tend to resolve conflicts faster when communicating via e-mail or some other form of writing is that one can fully and clearly express one's thoughts without being constantly interrupted by the other (angry) person.
Prior to getting married, my husband and I lived in different cities for 10 years. Now I've finally learned what hot temper he has!

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sun Nov 04, 2018 2:35 pm

Imogen Morley wrote:Prior to getting married, my husband and I lived in different cities for 10 years. Now I've finally learned what hot temper he has!
Whoa! LOL!!! Tell him to write you a letter when he's mad, haha.

Sunday, Nov. 4th
129.2

SDayEating
B: coffee w/milk, veggies w/dip
L: (will be) chicken liver & onions!!!! Can you believe it? But I've been reading so much about how nutritious liver is that I am going to give it (another) try. I've been reading that I should a) soak it in milk for 1-2 hours first; b) don't overcook it; and c) sprinkle bacon bits on top! I tried it many years ago and of course didn't like it. I don't expect to like it today, but it's really the equivalent of taking a high-dose multi-vitamin. Indeed, I guess you have to be careful to not eating liver every day or you'll get toxic levels of vitamin A, lol!! And it has 50% of daily requirement for folate in one ounce. Sheesh!
Update - it was much better than I had expected! Yes, it does have kind of chalky texture, but the flavor from the bacon and onions made it all quite satisfying.
Update - holy cow! I ate 4 oz of liver with 2 pieces of bacon and 1/2 an onion. And I have never felt so satisfied for so long! I am not kidding - it had me googling "satiety of liver" and other goofy phrases. Anyone else familiar with this strange experience? It was like eating "anti-craving" food, which is the ultimate irony because I had flashes of "if I force down this liver I will rebel and eat junk all night". Um. No. Like absolute no.
D: (will be) giant salad that I bought at Costco and today is its "best by" date. I should have checked the date when I grabbed it. But I'm too lazy to return it.
dinner update - tortilla chips + 2 containers of guacamole
dessert: egg nog. update - as fun as this was, it actually tasted too sweet!
I need to avoid the mini-snickers from the kids' candy because it seems to trigger me and then I overeat.

SlothenDelights
Half thinking I might walk the dog to the DogPark this morning. Not very motivated. We'll see. Update: Slothenly Sunday and it felt great. :-)

NoSpending
No plans but I need to update budget after a few purchases Sexy made yesterday.

RaisingReaders
Another chapter planned for tonight. I'd like to have a real habit that at 8pm, it's reading time. And basically for the rest of my life, have 8-9 be dedicated to stories, whether for my kids or eventually just for me. Maybe not both kids will listen every night, but I bet I could burn through a lot of books if I really made that a life habit. There are occasionally nights when we aren't home or are just getting home at 8, but mostly it could work.
So we are on Ch. 12 of Incorrigibles. I'd like to list some books I'd like to work through with Creator9 over the next couple of years. Not listed exactly in order of "bucket list", but definitely Gregor, Harry, and Gandalf are top of the heap. :-)

*Gregor the Overlander Series (5 books, we have read the first two)
*Harry Potter (7 books, we have read 4)
*The Hobbit
*Incorrigible Series (6 books, we are currently in the first one)
*Ender's Game
*Wrinkle in Time (and I'm OK just doing the first one and not the entire series for this book)
*Over Sea, Under Stone (Dark is Rising Series)
*Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel -- this is a great 6-part series. I am in book #2 personally, and I think it's good enough to read out loud. It has a Percy Jackson feel a bit in that it ties in a lot of ancient magic mythology and characters in with teenagers experiencing great powers. I think the writing is far better than Percy Jackson.
*The Mysterious Benedict Society (I think there are 4 in this series -- Challenger12 and I only read the first 3)
*Maze Runner Series - maybe. It's a great series for boys, but the writing is pretty so-so. My time is probably better spent on other books
*Percy Jackson Series - great fun, although also not the best quality writing
*Hunger Games
*Redwall - here is a book that I have wanted to read to both kids and still have not succeeded with either. ;-) I just feel like -- if they could just get hooked on the story they will love it!
*Watership Down - a book that I read in my early 20's and adored. I have never read it to kids though. Not sure if it's as good as I remember.

Does anyone think I've absolutely left something off that deserves to be on here? (note - things I've already read to both kids are left off this list; e.g. Narnia)
Last edited by automatedeating on Mon Nov 05, 2018 3:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

ladybird30
Posts: 1118
Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by ladybird30 » Mon Nov 05, 2018 3:25 am

The first book I can remember making a real impression on me (at about 7) was Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf.

A Wrinkle in Time also made a big impression.

Loved Watership Down and reread it until my copy fell to pieces.

My second grade teacher read the Hobbit to us at lunch times.

I grew up in a household of readers, and the weekly trip to the library was part of my childhood. Still do it nearly 60 years later.

I eat liver regularly, until it starts tasting bad. Then I give it a rest for a while. I'm not sure if it induces more satiety than any other nutritious meal. Possibly.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

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

Post by lpearlmom » Mon Nov 05, 2018 5:52 am

So funny about the liver. I’ve never had liver and onions but I love chopped liver.

DH and I do so much better when we talk through text. We are so much more reasonable with each other. I think it takes a lot of the emotion out and I just generally feel less vulnerable. It’s a great technique!

So jealous of all your good reading. I stopped reading to my kids a couple of years ago and they just don’t read that much on their own anymore. Makes me sad as I was always an avid reader. Ah well.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Mon Nov 05, 2018 3:59 pm

Thanks ladybird for the book suggestion -- Clever Polly! I'm looking it up as soon as I'm done posting.

Linda - and here all this time I thought "chopped liver" was just a phrase. LOL! It's a real meal! I will have to look up how to make that. I have another 8 oz. of liver in the freezer for next weekend. Also, I struggle with this book-reading (as my thread testifies). Plus, Challenger12 doesn't read much on his own despite all my role modeling. It's a tough thing with parenting. Different times, for sure.

Also, and for another post because I've got to run, Creator9 dealing with anxiety again (at night), and Challenger, I'm realizing, never thinks of anyone but himself. Parenting woes.

Monday, Nov. 5th
128.0

NoSEating
B: coffee w/milk
L: yogurt w/berries, mixed nuts, a few veggies from the veggie tray (plan is to eat the rest of them up for lunches throughout the week - kids ate a lot of it over weekend but there's always plenty left)
D: (will be) that old salad that I still need to eat. :roll: Also spaghetti/beef bowl with hidden liver pate!!!! Stay tuned to see if the kids notice. :twisted:
Update - too tired to risk the liver. So just regular spaghetti for fam/beef bowl for me. I have gotten pretty dang good at these beef bowls: giant salad + avocado + cheese + beef + onions + container of guacamole + garlic salt + pepper. Really hits the spot and I often can't even finish it.

NoSloth
Great walk/jog with dog. He was so happy this morning in the pouring down rain. :-)
I REALLY want to get in some after work movement; I think it helps keep me awake in the afternoon and more energized. Still not biking because my elbow is still so painful. Especially hurts during the night after being in one position for too long.

NoSpending
$300 due tonight for Challenger12's basketball team. :shock:

RaisingReaders
Chapter 12 finished in Incorrigibles
We are nearing the end and then we will start Book 3 of Gregor
Last edited by automatedeating on Tue Nov 06, 2018 2:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

TexArk
Posts: 804
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:50 am
Location: Foothills of the Ozarks

Post by TexArk » Mon Nov 05, 2018 5:20 pm

Just stopping by to thank you for taking the time to be a cheerleader for folks around here. The new members and returning NoSers need this from more of us.
24.7 bmi Feb. 2019
26.1 bmi Sept. 2018
31.4 bmi July 2017

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Tue Nov 06, 2018 2:47 am

Ah, thanks Tex! I go through periods where I spend a lot of time reading other threads, and then periods where I simply don't have the time.

Speaking of not having time, big changes are coming that I will need forum support to stick with my good choices. Tonight, I couldn't believe it, but I had a hankering to go through the McD's drive-through. I guess the stresses of our intensifying schedule (more on that in a moment) combined with Creator9's meltdown last night (and he's still kind of a mess)......well......you know me and stress = poor food choices. So. I need to stay the course, and practice developing these good habits when things aren't rosy.

The schedule is crazy - just look at this (and I only have 2 kids!):
3:15 Creator9 ready for school pick up
4:30 Creator9 to piano
5:00 Creator9 pick up from piano
5:00 Challenger12 ready for school pick up from school basketball
7pm Challenger 12 to basketball practice for county league
8:30pm Challenger pick up from bball

So I resisted the siren call of fast food, and managed to make dinner when I got home at 5:30, and got kids fed by 6:15 or 6:20. I wanted Challenger to be able to digest his food before he leaves for his second practice.

So. Schedule. One stressor.

Stressor 2. Creator9 had sort of a panic attack last night! He threw up twice, and his legs were shaking, and he felt he would never be able to fall asleep. I sat with him for 90 minutes, trying to help. I think he's afraid of dying. Unfortunately, I am too so I doubt I'm much help there. In fact, although I always try to hide it, he probably picks up that fear from me. Sexy came in to help and within minutes sweet Creator9 was able to go to sleep.

This anxiety (although milder than last night) first appeared about a year ago; in fact, some of you may remember we homeschooled him for a while (at his request) and the anxiety literally vanished. Now here it is back again and none of us (not him, not his parents) want to homeschool. But he needs some coping skills.

Stressor 3. Challenger12 brags to his friends and doesn't seem to think of anyone besides himself. Ongoing problem of feeling like I'm raising an entitled brat, nothing new to ponder like the Creator9 anxiety.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Tue Nov 06, 2018 4:02 pm

Tuesday, Nov. 6th
128.3/BMI 23.5

NoSEating
B: coffee w/milk
L: (will be) yogurt w/berries, mixed nuts, cut veggies
D: (will be) big salad + tuna fish (this will be tough tonight, because I'm taking Creator9 through a drive through after school for he and I to have a "date afternoon" since Sexy out of town and Challenger off for a roadtrip school bball game.

NoSloth
walk/jog with dog
maybe I can fit in exercise between 6:30 and 7:30 while Creator is in Trampoline Class.

NoSpending
$7 for Challenger12 to get food on ferry tonight (also packed him ridiculous amounts of food)

RaisingReaders
I'm optimistic we will finish Incorrigibles tonight
Last edited by automatedeating on Tue Nov 06, 2018 4:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

eschano
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Tue Nov 06, 2018 4:44 pm

Parenting woes can be so tough! And I totally get how they could lead to fast food. Can you imagine that the two McDonalds we had around my town closed so we have none now? Otherwise I’d be there all the time ha!

I hope you find solutions to your woes! Sorry no advice here as mine are so much younger.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

Imogen Morley
Posts: 1022
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:11 pm

Post by Imogen Morley » Tue Nov 06, 2018 8:29 pm

Sounds like you have a lot on your plate right now. I can only offer sympathy - as in Eschano's case, I'm at totally different parenting phase and those kinds of challenges are still (way?) ahead of me. Still, Creator9's anxiety really struck a chord with me. I have similar kinds of panic attacks when I'm feeling really unwell (the underlying cause is, most probably, the fear of dying, as you said), and they suck big time. Sending my virtual hugs to him! One thing that helps me when I feel like I'm going to faint or hyperventilate is to start doing something, anything, that occupies my mind as well as my hands: a very small and simple cleaning task, for example. Breathing exercises and such have always made me focus on what was going on with my body, and only increased the panic. Cleaning might not be a viable solution for a boy his age, of course, but maybe you could come up with some small task for him to perform during anxiety attacks that would get him out of his head and body, so to speak?

alene1
Posts: 533
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 1:06 am
Location: Washington state

Post by alene1 » Wed Nov 07, 2018 1:14 pm

I'm sorry about the parenting challenges! It can be so hard sometimes. My daughter is in her twenties and struggles with anxiety, and it's really hard feeling helpless to help her. I hope you can find some strategies to help soon.

I'm enjoying reading your journal and I will have to look into the NoSpending habit a bit.

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Wed Nov 07, 2018 1:59 pm

Thank you Tess, Imogen and Alene! Creator9 is feeling better now, but he was pretty glued to my side yesterday. At least the physical symptoms (stomachache) subsided. Good suggestions, Imogen - I appreciate that a lot. I found an article with a whole variety of suggestions for things to say to him when he feels like this, and some coping skills to teach him (some were just what you suggested).

Alene - my NoSpending tracking has evolved over the years. I started it pretty strict - literally NoSpending on S Days. I'd do all my shopping, online or otherwise, bill-paying, etc. on the weekends. But now, with the kids in so many activities that need to be paid during the week, I've sort of suspended that and just make sure to write down what I spend here. I pay bills whenever I have a nice chunk of time (I like to to do it, actually), and I use a great budgeting app called YNAB. I do grocery shopping once a week, two different stores, with a LIST. That's essential, and I don't go until after I've made the weekly menu. Oh, with Amazon, I do try to "put in the cart" and not purchase until the weekend. Probably 60% of the time I realized I don't need anything by the time the weekend comes around. I do very little clothes/etc/type shopping, so I just track it.

Wednesday, Nov. 7th

127.8

NoSEating
B: coffee w/milk
L: (will be) yogurt w/berries, mixed nuts, cut veggies
D: (will be) tuna salad again (grilled tuna melts for kids, Sexy out of town)

NoSloth
walk/jog with dog

NoSpending
Last night, stopped at the thrift store and spent $15 on a new purse and a couple shirts. My old purse was literally falling apart so this was fun. Also bought Creator9 McD's last night since it was just him and me. Challenger12 got home at midnight from an away basketball game....eek. While cleaning out my old purse, I found 2 coffee gift cards so I'm excited to stop on my way in to work this morning to get coffee. That's rare for me these days. Maybe 2 times a month? Always a nice way to give myself a pick-me-up.

RaisingReaders
Creator9 and I didn't finish the Incorrigibles. We hung around downstairs for too long, and by the time we started, he fell asleep in about 15 minutes. Oh, well. Maybe tonight.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Thu Nov 08, 2018 3:12 pm

Thursday, Nov. 8th

127.3/BMI 23.3

NoSEating
B: coffee w/milk
L: (will be) yogurt w/berries, mixed nuts, cut veggies
D: (will be) probably take-out again for Creator9, not sure for me. Sexy and Challenger12 gone tonight. OK, so Sexy returned in time for dinner. We ordered Indian take-out and I had three bowls of lamb something. It tasted good. I specifically asked the lady for an entree that didn't have a lot of sugar in it. I added a little rice to each bowl. So a fail/sort of S Day/do what it takes day. I don't feel one smidge of guilt. I guess I needed this. I had a horrible morning and broke down at work and started a cryfest. My coworkers were supportive and funny; but I still realized I couldn't teach in that state. I went home sick for the day. I cleaned for an hour, took an epsom salt bath, and then slept for 3 hours! When I woke up, my husband had returned, I picked up a kid and the take-out, and came home. Sexy did the evening transport.

Update - well then later after drinking wine -- I ate a piece of pizza. That part I have regret about...

I am just still upset about my a-hole 12 year old, my anxious 9 year old, and my weird health reports (which I haven't discussed yet on this thread - still investigating options and haven't had time this week to log about).

I hid the Xbox remotes and put a note on the xbox to the tune of -
you can earn back your f-ing electronics when you are:
*nice to your brother with words and body
*nice to your mother, especially at drop-off and pick-up
*don't complain about visiting relatives or chores
*respect property of others' - parents' wallets, brother's computer, and parents' pillows

NoSloth
Extremely short walk with the dog

NoSpending
Most likely take out for kiddo

RaisingReaders
We finished the Incorrigibles last night; will start Gregor #3 tonight. Maybe we'll listen on Audible and build with legos while we listen.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Fri Nov 09, 2018 1:10 pm

Friday, Nov. 9th

129.4/BMI 23.7 - up 2 pounds from yesterday's Indian food 3 bowls + a piece of pizza :shock:

NoSEating
B: coffee w/milk
L: (will be) yogurt w/berries, mixed nuts, cut veggies
D: (will be) Chicken caesar salad (kids and Sexy will also have lasagne)

JustMoveIt
walk/jog with dog

LowSpending
Big spending day - menu and shopping to do tonight
Starting a new thing - allowances for kids. These will not be tied to chores (in our house, electronics are the reward for finished chores). Each week, Challenger12 will get $12 and Creator9 will get 9. Of that $$, they will each give $1 away. They can give it to a charity, to our church, or mail it to a friend or relative with a note. They will save 50%, which I know is more than adults typically can do (haha that's an understatement), but my plan is to use this as a way to facilitate them to save for some of the things they want but don't have the "saving" stamina yet. The "saved" dollars will go in the bank that is at my local grocery store - $6 for Challenger12 and $4.50 for Creator9. Which leaves Challenger with actual cash to spend of $5 a week and Creator with $3.50. Challenger12 needs a new chromebook for his homework (he broke his old one), but he doesn't seem willing to focus on saving for it, and then he just keeps using his brother's. And Creator wants to save up for a PC.

RaisingReaders
Failed to read last night; Sexy back home and Creator9 fell asleep on the couch at 8pm. He has been so tired and strange feeling this week. Part of me wonders if he's going through a growth spurt. Also eating more.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

alene1
Posts: 533
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 1:06 am
Location: Washington state

Post by alene1 » Fri Nov 09, 2018 2:26 pm

I know it's tough when our kids are moving into their teen years. I had a really tough time too. I felt so sad at times, wondering where my sweet boy went. :( But they do come out of it, and my adult children are wonderful. Trust that you are teaching them well how to be good people, and try to pick your battles. I damaged my relationship with my son with all my nagging. I'd say we've recovered now, but I regret it. It's so hard though because we want them to be good people, and we want them to be nice! Hang in there, and hugs to you.

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sun Nov 11, 2018 3:48 am

Thank you, Alene! I will strive to find that balance between holding firm boundaries and still letting my kids follow their hearts.

Saturday, November 10th

129.3
I feel huge today, but probably mostly because I ate like cray-cray.

S Day Eating!
B: So, the day started out very nicely -- a coffee w/milk and then I drove to the car dealership, dropped the car off for a few things (poor car is 18 years old and has seen better days), then walked with dog to work. Got there, and dang it!! there were pastries from a nice new bakery in the copy room! On SATURDAY!!! They were left from yesterday, when I didn't even bat an eye at them!!! But then, here they were, on an S Day, when I was at work and feeling a bit sorry for myself. So .... ergh. Ate an orange spice muffin (at least it was normal sized and not one of those huge ones they make these days) AND THEN I ATE A SCONE. Sigh. On the bright side, I got 3 solid hours of work done (with doggie at my feet) and the dealership called right when I was wrapping up. Walked back to the dealership and picked up the car.
Got home, had taste-test chocolate milk for lunch. :-)
D: spontaneous date night with Sexy. Got a big blue cheese burger and added some fries, since it was an S Day.
Dessert: more chocolate milk.

Moving
Probably walk/jogged 6 miles, so that was good. Dog seems fully recovered from his severe illness over the summer and he is feeling his oats! I had to run a lot more than I would have liked in order to keep up with him, LOL.

Spending
Date night, a deck of cards (Sexy and the boys are playing card games as I type. I played for a bit but then begged off)
Also bought a new wallet on amazon w/ a little lanyard
Oh, and how could I forget the $130 I spent on my car? My little Toyota Corolla is so old but it keeps running. That said, it's become a sort of $-pit for repairs. All the little plastic parts keep breaking.
Which brings me to.... I had a nice time budgeting this afternoon. I actually filled all my YNAB budget categories as needed for November. I even had $93 left over that I put in my "puppy" fund #inmydreams. That means all of the next paycheck, on Nov. 25th, will be put for December. So we are not living paycheck to paycheck, lol, but paycheck to every other paycheck. Improvement, right? :lol:
Oh, so I was going to say that I looked at car prices for used Toyota Corollas that are a few years old. I could maybe save up $10,000 or so to buy one within a year, if we keep being careful AND we don't have too many crazy extra expenses come up. Gar! This is what I think every year, and here I am with two old cars and never saving enough for a new one.
Nevertheless, I actually felt pretty hopeful about our family's improvements finance-wise today.

Reading
Ugh. Fail again.

Oh. Challenger12 update. He got so mad today (because of the removal of the Xbox remotes for an indefinite period of time) and PUNCHED the window/blinds. Totally broke our blinds, which we had spent about $1000 on 2 years ago when we thought the kids were big enough to stop destroying blinds. :evil: Not the first time something like this has happened. While I was at the car dealership and at work, Sexy was home with the kiddos - one of them who was building to a frenzy of frustration about being disciplined for being so unkind to the family. Sexy sent me the funniest test -- "Home with Brooder & Bottle-Flipper". So.... Challenger12/Brooder and Creator9/Bottle-Flipper. We've got our reality show names all set and ready to go.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sun Nov 11, 2018 3:59 pm

Sunday, Nov 11

130.4 (highest weight I've seen in a month....)

S Day!

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, blonde flat white on walk to church with Creator9.
L: (will be) taco salad at a mid-season NFL football-themed party with friends. I will have a massive helping of taco salad, but no desserts (update - ate a brownie & a cookie). To survive the desire to eat chips the entire time I am there, I will bring my own tea & diet coke (update - I did have some chips and guacamole & pico de gallo). This often helps me resist urges to overdo it on food. Should I bring my own lettuce (update - I brought Caesar salad)? They'll have lettuce, right?
D: (will be) nothing
desserts: ended up eating a donut hole (damn!) and an ice cream cone (for some reason, that felt fine, no guilt).
Weird eating day. A rare experience for me when I planned to restrict my S Day fairly severely. Ended up with complete failure. Guess that taught me a good lesson.

So sad, but today needs to be a very controlled S day. Wish it didn't have to be this way.
Last night, after having chocolate milk, I almost fell asleep from the sugar/insulin rush. I didn't test my blood sugar (still out of strips) but I bet it was ugly, based on my body's slump.
I have to remind myself that I am NO happier (indeed, less happy) when I eat crap like the muffin and scone I had yesterday, or when I have pizza. Muffiins don't even taste good to me. Pizza at least I can find delicious (depends on the pizza, of course).

Moving
will walk to church this morning with Creator9. It's 45 minutes. We'll stop at grocery store to get him a donut & cocoa.

Spending
no plans. I was looking at a book recommended by a friend about parenting, but I managed to resist.

Reading
Will tonight be the start of Gregor #3? Who knows, based on my abysmal record this week. :roll:
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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

Post by lpearlmom » Mon Nov 12, 2018 4:49 am

Sorry about the crazy eating days. I’m right there with you and weight is also up but I know it’ll come down over the week.

I love that sexy has a sense of humor about the boys. I think that helps so much with parenting. That 12-13 age range is tough. They are really seeing the world differently and are wanting to separate themselves from us while maybe feeling conflicted about it at the sane time. This seems to result in a lot of anger. They really are seeing the world for what it is and hate to feel manipulated in any way. Rosebud will call BS on me now and I realize I just have to be straight with her about things instead of trying to influencing her in a round about way. Anyway that’s my take on this age but maybe it’s different with boys?

Don’t you love Toyota’s? I’m on my 4th Toyota. The last forever. Although I guess they eventually need replacing like anything else. Glad you’re feeling good about your finances.

Hang in there. You’re doing great!

Linda
Last edited by lpearlmom on Mon Nov 12, 2018 3:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

alene1
Posts: 533
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 1:06 am
Location: Washington state

Post by alene1 » Mon Nov 12, 2018 3:01 pm

Sorry the day didn't go as planned. Sometimes it backfires when we consciously restrict. Maybe just think about what your body really wants and needs, and then let it gently move back down to a more comfortable weight. Food and our emotions have such an interesting relationship!

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Mon Nov 12, 2018 3:52 pm

Ah, thanks for the parenting encouragement, Linda. I so need it right now.

And you are absolutely right, Alene! All my plans backfired!

Monday, November 12

130.3

Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: (will be) yogurt w/berries; broccoli, and mixed nuts
D: (will be) burgers w/ all the fixins - oh my I overate! I'm not sure how that happened - we have this meal a lot and I usually feel perfectly satisfied when I'm done. Hun.

Moving
walked w/ dog to and from work - about 5 miles
I did this because my school is closed today, but for some reason my kids have school..... so it will be quiet at the office and I can bring doggie.
Dog had a great day. There were a few people in the office after all and he got to say hello to everyone. He loved it. On the way home we stopped at the dog park and so he had a pretty much perfect dog day.

Spending
Need to get $300 cash out to pay for Challenger's basketball. Still haven't done that.

Reading
We started Gregor last night, but now I can't find the book!!! So we listened on Audible, but I'm frustrated.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:21 pm

Tuesday, November 13th

129.4

Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: yogurt w/ berries; mixed nuts
D: big bacon cheeseburger w/tomato, onion, pickles, lettuce & mayo

Moving
walk/jog with dog

Spending
Taking Creator9 for ice cream after school to celebrate his good report card (especially behavior). Challenger will be at an away game.

Reading
We finished chapter 2 of Gregor last night. Maybe another couple chapters tonight.
Last edited by automatedeating on Wed Nov 14, 2018 4:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

jenji
Posts: 661
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2017 5:00 pm
Location: Cambridge

Post by jenji » Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:39 pm

I have a couple of book suggestions. My kid really liked the Wings of Fire series, as did her friends. She read it in 6th grade, I think. Some other novels she liked a lot were Fortunately, the Milk and The Inquisitor's Tale. Also, if it doesn't have to be fantasy, everyone in her grade seemed to like Brown Girl Dreaming, which the teacher read aloud to them in 6th grade. It's prose poetry, so a relatively quick read. I know my kid's teachers are always trying to get her to read outside the fantasy/sci fi realm, to broaden her horizons. She loves Harry Potter, too. Nowadays, she is on to young adult, but will still dip back into the middle grade books occasionally.

And I know you are looking for read alouds, but I'll also throw out that one thing that helped me keep her interested in reading was to buy graphic novels, sometimes of books that she never would've read otherwise. She read Macbeth as a graphic novel. (I think she was interested, too, because Macbeth is mentioned several times in the lyrics of Hamilton, and she is very into that musical.)
I'm a 53-year-old mom and non-profit CEO
I am 5' 7.5"
Began No S at 184#, BMI 28.4 - 9/25/2017
Current weight: 181#, BMI 27.9, 12/19/2022

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Thu Nov 15, 2018 12:25 am

Jenji, Thank you for the book suggestions! Much appreciated. I especially think Creator9 might like Brown Girl Dreaming - he enjoys poetry.

Wednesday, November 14th

129.2 - I'm on board with all my NoS friends that are looking to find peace with maintenance over the holidays!!

Eating
B: latte (gift card)
L: yogurt, berries, mixed nuts
D: (will be) date night, I think. I'll go for a piece of meat and veggies, if possible. Update - not only did we not get date night, I ended up at the "pancake feed fundraiser" for my kids' badge group. Yep, I ate pancakes and sausage and almost within minutes had a headache. Ugh.

Moving
walk/jog with dog

Spending
date night $, also had to order Creator9's Christmas musical costume

Reading
Maybe Gregor tonight. Last night the family watched Jeopardy until almost 9 and then it was too late to read. Sometimes the OCD part of me gets frustrated about that sort of thing.

I went to get blood drawn this morning for my upcoming nephrology appt. I can't remember if I posted here that my dietary changes did NOT correct my hypercalcemia. Indeed, despite doing everything "right", my calcium excretion was pretty much identical to 6 months ago. :evil: Anyway, that's discouraging, but at least my dietary changes DID correct my prediabetes and my blood pressure. So still worth it to have changed. Plus I enjoy my food more now, and feel better overall.

Oh, but back to my story - so the lab didn't have my order from the doc. I guess they had faxed it to the wrong number or something. So I get out to the car and felt tears prick my eyes. I managed to get ahold of myself, but I am so teetering near the edge! Just too much going on. Our family is TOO BUSY. On the other hand, I can't figure out what to cut out. It seems unfair to to Creator9 to not be in as many activities as Challenger12, but Challenger 12 really needs to stay busy. So. Here we are.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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

Post by lpearlmom » Thu Nov 15, 2018 5:49 am

So sorry you’re feeling overwhelmed. That’s not a good feeling.

Well can you cut out the school activities? We literally do none of the school activities and I just give money or supply donations now and then. I’m a total slacker parent in some ways but happier for it.

Also your kids will have different needs, not identical needs so not everything has to be idenentical as long as each of their main needs are being met. Does creator care that much about having the same amount of activities or is there some other need he rather have met?

Also sorry about your test results but glad the food changes are helping in the other areas.

Big hugs. You’re a great problem solver and am sure you’ll find a way to create a calmer life for yourself if that’s what you crave.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

Soprano
Posts: 1184
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:56 pm
Location: UK

Post by Soprano » Thu Nov 15, 2018 7:09 am

Oh so sorry you were near to tears. I actually left work the other day and cried half the journey home.

Sometimes letting the tears flow really helps

Hope you feel better soon

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

jenji
Posts: 661
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2017 5:00 pm
Location: Cambridge

Post by jenji » Thu Nov 15, 2018 3:02 pm

This must be the time of year! I felt tears come to my eyes yesterday from embarrassment and frustration. I was on the phone with someone and glad it was not in-person.
I'm a 53-year-old mom and non-profit CEO
I am 5' 7.5"
Began No S at 184#, BMI 28.4 - 9/25/2017
Current weight: 181#, BMI 27.9, 12/19/2022

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Thu Nov 15, 2018 5:07 pm

Oh, gosh. You guys are great! I feel lifted just reading your responses. I'm not alone in losing my sh*# sometimes. :-)

Linda, Creator specifically wants to do the activities he's involved in (piano lessons, a trampoline class, and this boyscout-type local group). However, he is so much easier-going than Challenger that he won't complain as much if he doesn't get to be involved. For that reason I only JUST started him this year in the boyscout-type group and the trampoline class. Generally, his desires get overshadowed by his much more demanding older brother. So I'm sure you get why I feel like I need to try to accommodate him. He has very different interests, for sure, than Challenger - but lots of interests, nonetheless. What I have done is cut back on piano to 2-3x/month, and the boyscout type group is only 2x a month. Trampoline is once a week. So if he were my only child, it's actually not that crazy. But when there are two (haha!), then everything goes wild!!! My husband's family had 6 kids, and so they simply couldn't afford to do all the things they wanted to do. In some ways that's a blessing!

Challenger is currently on TWO different basketball teams. The overlap of the two teams ends the second week of December. We were given some information about the two teams to think things wouldn't be as hellatious as they are schedule-wise. Ah, well. So I just need to hold my breath until the middle of December and then things will be busy, but not "kill me" busy. I need to be more willing to ask help from Sexy, too. I know I try to do too much sometimes.

And (sorry to ramble on this subject but this is therapeutic for me) - I can have a schedule all worked out but that schedule has me RIGHT on the edge of being unable to juggle. So any tiny thing (or not so tiny) puts me into collapse mode - for example, the car running out of oil last week, the lab forgetting my blood draw slip this week, or the ongoing concern about one of our cats that has a respiratory infection (it appears) and everyday I wonder if it's time to take him to the vet. Or even something fun - like we went to a party last Sunday - so I am STILL behind on laundry from last weekend! OK, I'm OK, just need to share my woes.

All of that and I realized I didn't even log today:

Thursday, Nov 15th

128.8

Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: (will be) yogurt w/ berries, mixed nuts
D: (will be) tuna fish salad (tuna melts for kids) I am determined to make dinner tonight for the family. We've been out for dinner almost the last two nights. I have a window from 4:30-7pm where I will be home tonight.

Moving
Didn't even try to walk dog this morning. Had to fix lunches for kids and dart out to the lab for blood draw (repeat of yesterday, but yesterday I did do the walk and ended up running like crazy to get ready in time).

Spending
$300 to coach tonight. No other plans. Resisted the urge to buy a "flex notebinder" (yes I have a thing for office supplies; in fact, I forgot to mention that Tuesday night I bought some new flaire pens and page tabs for my lecture notes)

Reading
Creator and I read Gregor for 15 minutes last night. Once again, Sexy had the TV on with kid stuff - kid jeopardy and then survivor. Yes, I do feel some frustration to him. It makes me read less and makes the kids stay up too late.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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

Post by lpearlmom » Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:11 am

Oh I gotcha and sorry if I was being preachy! I totally understand because my oldest is the one that doesn’t complain so I do worry she’s not getting as much resources as she deserves sometimes. Rosebud will bug and bug till her needs and/or wants are met.

I’m also waiting till December so our schedules will calm down a bit. We’re almost there & some day they’ll be able to drive themselves!

Big hugs and yes ask sexy for more help!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Fri Nov 16, 2018 1:58 pm

no worries Linda, I didn't think you were being preachy at all. I just have so much to say about all this gunk inside me and I feel better after I write it all down.

Friday (yes, I woke up so THRILLED it's Friday and I don't have to take anyone ANYWHERE tonight!), November 16th

128.3
I gotta throw this out there -- my weight actually doesn't fluctuate that much when I'm eating pretty much the same things and drinking lots of water every day. I see a very predictable downward trend M - F, and then a ~2 pound gain over the weekend. The situation goes a bit wonky if I eat a lot of starchy foods, but otherwise I could have predicted before I got on the scale that it would have said 128.3 since yesterday it said 128.8, and I ate my normal food yesterday. Tomorrow it will be (assuming I'm green today) 127.8 or thereabouts, Sunday 128.8, then Monday 129.5. There. Those are my predictions, lol. I suppose I'll have to buy you all a beer if I'm wrong.
In other words I go up or down by about 1/2 a pound from day to day. In my book, those are not big fluctuations. Maybe it's because I'm so short to begin with. :-)

Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: (will be) yogurt, berries, mixed nuts. I was out of some of my yogurts (I mix 4 different types together - Zoi is high fat; Siggi is high-protein; and Grace Harbor Farms & Alexandre are balanced. All that was left was Alexandre's, which is delicious, but it's not as fatty or proteiny as the Zoi or Siggi. So, I think that's why I'm so hungry this afternoon. Also it was the very last of the nuts, so not a full portion.
D: big salad from Costco; take out for kids - I sort of feel like failing tonight. I already ate my giant salad and it's only 4pm. :shock: So I am fixing a cup of milky coffee to head into the evening hours.

Moving
walk/jog with dog

Spending
Shopping Day

Costco - $140
wine for the week - $24 (seems to have settled in on this and it is working well)
2 bags Caesar salad
apples
milk
eggs, 2 dozen
toilet paper
paper towels
cat food
frozen blueberries
sliced cheese
chocolate-covered almonds - kid lunches

Local Grocer - $40
veggie tray - kid snacks
carrots
onion
tomato
yogurt for the week
hamburger buns
granola bars - kid lunches
oreo cookies - kid lunches

Reading
Fail last night. Seahawks were playing Thursday night football. :-)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

Angel1
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2018 1:11 am

Post by Angel1 » Sat Nov 17, 2018 10:12 am

Hi automatedeating!
Thanks for that tip you posted at my check in.


I love reading. I wish I had more time to do it! When I have a vacation, I read and read and read. My husband can't understand how I can just do that all day. He has set a personal goal to try and read 1 book per month.

worth it
Posts: 458
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:47 pm

Post by worth it » Sat Nov 17, 2018 3:47 pm

Hi auto,

You are just so darn relatable! I found myself wanting to say, “YES! I feel like I lose my s&*t, ALL THE TIME... from some silly little thing that is seemingly unrelated to what is actually going on around me.â€

You should totally be a writer, or write a blog- I’d read or follow, for sure! But then, maybe it would change things if it added any kind of pressure? Aaah, who knows? I’ll stop mumbling. It’s just that I see such strong talents with the people on this board- I think THIS is why I really keep coming here. I just love smart, talented, people and I’m fascinated (and inspired) by how we all live and figure things out.

Anyway, thanks for sharing your diary with us (as always). It always helps me out too! 😉

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sat Nov 17, 2018 4:05 pm

Welcome to my thread, Alene! The Reading I talk about is reading to my kids, in case that wasn't clear. And lately it's been a big fail. Grrr.

Thanks Worth! LOL, I think we were just writing on each other's threads at the same time. :-)

Funny that you mentioned the writing thing - I had a long post a few weeks ago about that very topic. The pressure of one more obligation was what sort of dissuaded me. That said, I'm starting to get some creative juices going for revising one of my lecture worktexts for my students. I have written all of my lecture notes for my classes (I don't require textbooks). It's kind of like a coloring workbook; we color and label things during class. :-) Yes, it's fun for me. But I've been getting a new idea to have my typed notes have coloring directions embedded. Anyway, I digress. The idea is still percolating.

Saturday, November 17th

128.6 (um, not what I had predicted .... but then again, I did fail last night and have some popcorn)

S Day!

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, a little bit of Creator's smoothie (basically my yogurt & berries that I have for N Day lunches - but I add a banana and make it into a smoothie for kids some mornings)
L: burgers w/ all the fixins'
snack - tortilla chips & guacamole
dessert - vanilla ice cream
snack - popcorn

Moving
No plans, although maybe I should swim at the birthday party? Creator's been invited to a swimming party and I'll be staying because I still don't trust him in the water without me there. So maybe I should just swim a bit too.

Spending
Will have to buy a present for the birthday party

Reading
Sigh. Gregor with Creator? What a bad week this has been for reading to my kids.
Last edited by automatedeating on Sun Nov 18, 2018 8:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sun Nov 18, 2018 4:51 pm

Sunday, November 18th

S Day!

128.8

Eating
B: sausage, eggs & hashbrowns
Linner: beef salad bowl (spaghetti for kids) - a very satisfying and enjoyable meal. The combo of onions, guacamole, beef, and salad hits the spot.
dessert: (will be) vanilla ice cream

Moving
walked to church

Spending
no plans, unless Challenger decides to walk to church with me. If so, I'll let him get a donut and cocoa on the way - lol and then invariably I will end up buying a delicious blonde flat white. :-)

Reading
Already read a chapter of Gregor with Creator!! Yay for success after a long string of reds.

Creator9 went to a super fun swimming party at the YMCA yesterday. I had to stick around because a) it was a 30 minute drive away; and b) Creator9 doesn't have a lot of stamina swimming - I especially worry when he is rough-housing in the water. But he did great, and many of the boys from his class were there. So neat to see him forming friends and having a good time. He has always gotten along well with other kids, but he has not formed close friendships. Honestly, he doesn't seem very peer-dependent. I guess that's a fine and even potentially a strength, but it is SOOOOO vastly different than Challenger12 that it seems strange to me.

My goodness, both of my boys have a very strong sense of self. This morning, Challenger12 was complaining, complaining, complaining about some family plans today that interrupt his own personal plans. He is very compelling and we often give way to him, letting our whole family revolve around him and his strong demands. This is not good! We are not giving in today, but it is always a battle. I told Sexy - "Challenger is very good at advocating for his needs." LOL. Understatement. And yes, btw, I find myself calling him "Challenger", at least in my head, a lot - not out loud, although the temptation is there. It is such a good name for him. He challenges rules and conventions; he challenges himself to perform at the very highest level in everything he does (well, except chores that I ask him to do, haha); he challenges those around him to have logical reasons for their beliefs and choices.

I wanted to give a link to a new nutrition study that recently came out. It is SO well done - amazing quality for a nutrition study. And I've seen several threads lately about weight maintenance, so this is timely (and a wonderful study, I might add)
Summary - In a group of people maintaining weight, metabolism is HIGHER on a low carb diet (20% of calories) than on a moderate or high-carb diet (40% and 60%, respectively). To the tune of 200 calories a day! And, in the group of people with the highest insulin secretion (meaning - people that are more insulin resistant and statistically more likely to get type II diabetes) the effect was the greatest! The most insulin resistant people burned 400 calories more EVERY day just by restricting carbs.

Here is the link to the original article if you love reading this sort of thing (like I do). The methods section makes me as satisfied as a delicious yogurt, lol.

https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k4583

The New York Times also has a layperson's summary, if you'd prefer that:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/well ... eight.html

Word! I love it!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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

Post by lpearlmom » Mon Nov 19, 2018 5:25 am

Glad the swimming party went well. I’m not a very overprotective mom but I was always very careful about watching them around water. Everyone has pools in AZ so was something we had to deal with a lot. Accidents can happen so quickly. It’s crazy. Pretty awesome that he’s forming those deeper friendships though!

Really funny that you’re calling your son challenger in your head now too. Your description of him reminds me so much of Rosebud. I do always say that she’s got a first born child’s personality so that makes sense.

Hope you got your white flat!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Mon Nov 19, 2018 3:43 pm

Linda -- Imagine if Rosebud were ACTUALLY a first-born, lol!!! I was a lastborn that wanted to be a first-born. That can be a tricky child to raise!!

Monday, November 19th

130.3 -- update: my predictions were not right on my weight. I guess I fluctuate a bit more than I thought!

Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: (will be) yogurt, berries, carrots, walnuts (switching to pure walnuts because didn't realize almonds have such high oxalates and I've been trying to limit those - no sacrifice because I actually love walnuts far more than almonds)
D: (will be) yikes!!! teach until 2 then meetings until 6. Sexy is doing kid-pick up piano drop off piano pick up and first b-ball pickup. Then dinner at 6:30? and then to 2nd b-ball at 7:30. What will I eat? OK, calm yourself Auto. I have an entire bagged Caesar salad in the fridge. I can put some tuna fish on there, or possibly even have time to bake some pork chops (which had been the original plan until I realized the cray-cray of the evening.
Update - had a very satisfying spicy chicken breast on the caesar salad. I'm good.

Moving
Great walk/jog with dog on this beautiful crisp cold morning. Need to come up with a name for dog. I considered "issuedog" because of his myriad health issues, but that does not encapsulate his sweet personality at all. Thinking.

Spending
No plans! Oh - I think ladybird had recommended Clever Polly & the Stupid Wolf! - and it just arrived from Amazon! Thanks for the recommendation!

Reading
Yes!! We read for at least 45 minutes last night in Gregor. This time to the Underland Gregor's mom & his little sister accompany him. His bat friend is ill and the Bane is growing like a weed!
Last edited by automatedeating on Tue Nov 20, 2018 3:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

User avatar
Octavia
Posts: 901
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2015 8:01 pm
Location: UK

Post by Octavia » Mon Nov 19, 2018 8:56 pm

Hi Auto,
Haven't checked in for ages, so just wanted to pop by and say hello.

Wow - is it the time of year? I too started crying the other day. Was in a cafe with DH, and he started asking me if I'd sent all these work-related emails (eg. nagging people to pay me, and the like). I am feeling so overwhelmed at the moment that I just started crying. I was tired of trying to act OK. I do think that we need to cry, but we tend to put it off because it's so inconvenient. There's always a reason not to - the kids are there, you're in public, you're wearing heavy-duty mascara, or whatever. We just don't get the privacy we need, to just express that "it's all too much" thing.

I struggle with my schedule, and I only have the one child! I'm awed by those of you who cope with more. I'd like to do a FlyLady-style list of meals for the week - to cope with those complicated days when we all have to eat at different times - but that is just one of the many things I want to do but can't get round to it. All those "shoulds" start to become oppressive. Actually on that day when I was crying (Saturday) I coped by deciding to drop ALL expectations of myself. I decided that I would just be the sort of person who doesn't get round to doing stuff; I'd just do what was under my nose. The next task, and nothing else. It helped. Actually I do have a motto for these times: "Be more crap". ie. let your standards go right down! For instance, last weekend, I promised to go to someone's concert but didn't go and didn't apologise. :oops:

Anyway, it strikes me that you cope incredibly well with work, life, kids, No S, everything! Hope the week goes well. x

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Tue Nov 20, 2018 3:07 am

Octavia wrote:Hi Auto,
There's always a reason not to cry - the kids are there, you're in public, you're wearing heavy-duty mascara, or whatever. We just don't get the privacy we need, to just express that "it's all too much" thing.
So true, Octavia!! I think if I had more quiet time to myself, I'd cry when I need to and then get it out of my system.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

jenji
Posts: 661
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2017 5:00 pm
Location: Cambridge

Post by jenji » Tue Nov 20, 2018 4:54 pm

Octavia wrote:Hi Auto,
Haven't checked in for ages, so just wanted to pop by and say hello.

Wow - is it the time of year? I too started crying the other day. Was in a cafe with DH, and he started asking me if I'd sent all these work-related emails (eg. nagging people to pay me, and the like). I am feeling so overwhelmed at the moment that I just started crying. I was tired of trying to act OK. I do think that we need to cry, but we tend to put it off because it's so inconvenient. There's always a reason not to - the kids are there, you're in public, you're wearing heavy-duty mascara, or whatever. We just don't get the privacy we need, to just express that "it's all too much" thing.

I struggle with my schedule, and I only have the one child! I'm awed by those of you who cope with more. I'd like to do a FlyLady-style list of meals for the week - to cope with those complicated days when we all have to eat at different times - but that is just one of the many things I want to do but can't get round to it. All those "shoulds" start to become oppressive. Actually on that day when I was crying (Saturday) I coped by deciding to drop ALL expectations of myself. I decided that I would just be the sort of person who doesn't get round to doing stuff; I'd just do what was under my nose. The next task, and nothing else. It helped. Actually I do have a motto for these times: "Be more crap". ie. let your standards go right down! For instance, last weekend, I promised to go to someone's concert but didn't go and didn't apologise. :oops:

Anyway, it strikes me that you cope incredibly well with work, life, kids, No S, everything! Hope the week goes well. x
I love this motto! I will tell myself to "Be more crap", too.
I'm a 53-year-old mom and non-profit CEO
I am 5' 7.5"
Began No S at 184#, BMI 28.4 - 9/25/2017
Current weight: 181#, BMI 27.9, 12/19/2022

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Tue Nov 20, 2018 5:03 pm

Tuesday, November 20th

128.5

Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: yogurt w/berries, walnuts, carrots
D: pork chops & salad

Moving
no walk this morning. I overslept until 7! Stayed up too late last night grading.

Spending
No plans

Reading
maybe another chapter or two in Gregor.

Follow-up with nephrologist today. :? I need to write a list of questions because I always forget everything once I'm actually in the office. Visit went fine. My bp was 118/75. I couldn't help but grin. And that was after a very busy afternoon! So my dietary interventions have really changed my health -- BP is great, Blood sugar is great. But this calcium leak is a problem. Not only does it lead to kidney stones (which is how my problem was discovered) but it is likely causing my bones to lose density faster than normal. So the doctor really wants me to take the thiazide medication, which will lower my calcium excretion. But gosh, I see conflicts here -- diuretics like thiazides are typically used to lower BP -- so in order to take enough of this med to stop my calcium leak I would pass out from low BP. So my dose is aimed at splitting the difference, basically. Also, I really don't like the idea of being on a drug for the rest of my life, especially one that increases the risk of diabetes. :evil: But I also don't want to get osteoporosis!!! I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I'm typing half-asleep right now. What a busy day. My eyes are burning and my brain is foggy. Happy Thanksgiving everybody.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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

Post by lpearlmom » Wed Nov 21, 2018 6:21 am

I like that Octavia. I once had a therapist suggest that I lower my expectations of myself. At the time I thought that was ludicrous but really it’s pretty brilliant. If you can easily meet your expectations then you’ll feel better about yourself, right? Besides who are we trying to impress with all this perfectionist stuff anyway. Okay, I’m talking to myself here...

Great about the bp & glucose levels but sorry about the calcium. It’s good you’re not the type of person that takes meds willy nilly and amythat you’ve worked so hard to avoid diabetes and bp meds but sometimes they’re really necessary and helpful. A lot to think about though I know. Hope you get to enjoy some vacation time. 🦃Ÿ¥§ðŸ·
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Wed Nov 21, 2018 3:56 pm

Thanks Linda. I'm feeling better this morning - yesterday was just insanely busy!

Wednesday, November 21

128.4

Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: (will be) on the road, but I packed my usual yogurt, berries & walnuts & carrots - also packed kids' usual lunches.
D: (will be) whatever the fates hand me. My mom will probably make something like spaghetti or lasagne that I don't eat on N Days. So, I'll do my best. She usually has a salad so I'll bulk up on that and try to find some fat & protein to eat with it (all without anyone noticing my efforts, haha)

Moving
Second day in a row with no morning exercise. Too busy. I did tell my sister we will all join her tomorrow morning for a 3 mile Turkey Trot. :-)

Spending
No plans!! Oh my travel day? Seriously? Well, maybe a latte at some point? Or stop for kids' beverages? That would a RECORD to not spend $$ on a 5-6 hour car ride.

Reading
No reading last night, but that was sort of planned because of everything needing to get done before heading out today. Instead of Gregor, I'm going to read Clever Polly to Creator at night while we are in Oregon. :-)

We'll be back in town Saturday night, which will leave me Sunday to get caught up on schoolwork + housework + grocery planning. :shock:
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Fri Nov 23, 2018 6:54 pm

Wed -
B: coffee w/milk
L: Yogurt & berries walnuts & carrots
D: caesar salad & pulled pork

Thur - Thanksgiving S day
B: coffee w/ milk
L: yogurt plain
Snack - deviled eggs
Big meal - turkey, gravy, potatoes, green bean casserole, roll
Dessert: cheesecake

Fri -
B: eggs bacon & a small but of hashbrowns - coffee w/milk
Snack/lunch/dessert - popcorn at movies!
D: turkey, potatoes
Dessert: cheesecake

Sat -
B: coffee with milk
L: On road lunch: yogurt
D: Sigh.McDonald's burger & fries. Not a fail, since it's an S Day, but sort of a fail, because I really try to make better choices these days. But I think I used up all my willpower over Wed/Thur/Fri and today my travel + family-weary body gave in to its comfort-food cravings. And. Of course. The food wasn't that good or satisfying and now I regret my choice.
OK. So mark it and move on.
And the day wasn't over yet! Then I ate a bunch of Doritos and a bowl of ice cream! That part at least was delicious (unlike the junky lunch I had)

Moving
Mostly sedentary but I did do the Turkey Trot Thursday morning! And jogged almost the whole 3 miles. I couldn't believe I could do that!

Spending
Ugh! The good - didn't spend $$$ on the drive down Wed.
The normal - had to buy gas, bought a few food items for my parents, paid for movie, movie snacks, and then spent a ton of $$ at an arcade -- laser tag, hologram VR games
The bad - on the way back today, I stopped TWICE at McDonald's. First for the kids' lunches, then once for me while I waited for Challenger's game to start.

Reading
We did really well - have been loving Clever Polly & the Stupid Wolf! Creator is liking it so much that he read one chapter out loud to Challenger and me in the car. *smoochable* Also listened to the Hobbit on Audible in those last few minutes before we fell asleep. Creator slept in my bed and Challenger on a cot on the floor. I have always treasured those road trips where we are all in the same room.

So. Home finally tonight. Challenger's team got creamed at their basketball game and the coach yelled at them for about 10 minutes. Sheesh. They are in 7th grade and my Challenger always tries his hardest (as I'm sure my forum friends are not surprised to hear about my intense son), so I no-likey. I'm definitely not the parent that is all into these sports. I have a love-hate relationship with team sports for kids.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sun Nov 25, 2018 3:34 pm

Sunday, Nov.25th

S Day

128.3 (I totally must be dehydrated?! I bet it will catch up with me tomorrow)

Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: cinnamon twist donut
D: yummiest burger ever. I guess being away from home and not eating normally - I really missed a nourishing burger. Guacamole, tomatoes, onions, cheese, hamburger, pickles, a toasted buttered bun. It's just heaven. My favorite meal these days, no question. I was reading that one theory about overeating is that people eat a lot when they are seeking nutrients. Well, that meal hits them all. Totally satisfying.
I need to make my menu before I figure what I'll make for meals today. Our Seahawks (football team) play at 10am this morning! Sheesh that is early!
Update - menu made, shopping finished.
snack: (will probably be) tortilla chips & guacamole
Dessert: (will be) vanilla ice cream

Moving
I'm going to try some various bodyweight exercises. I was inspired by Over43 and by Jen to begin looking into some ways to incorporate resistance training into my days. That said, my elbow is still hurting and I'm waiting (impatiently) for it to heal. I'm interested in incorporating daily bodyweight exercises for basically six movements: pushups, pullups, squats, leg raises, and supermans. Last summer I finally could do a real pull-up (and 2 chin-ups), but I haven't worked on them in a while. And I always assume squats will hurt my knees, but perhaps slow bodyweight will work for me. My neck is a constant source of pain with new activities, but these activities don't seem like they would hurt my neck like putting an actual bar on my back would. So. Thoughts percolating.
Oh, and I'm thinking about calling the dog HappyHerder2.

Spending
l suppose I need to make a grocery list and go shopping today. Not feelin' it though.
Done - spent $175 at Costco, but mostly non-food items like dog food, shampoo/conditioner, laundry detergent.
Sexy did the local store shopping for me, so of course (sigh) he bought lots of junk/extra items. I'm OK with it, though - saved me some serious time on this last day before we head into the week.

Reading
Last night we listened to the Hobbit until we fell asleep. We still haven't even gotten through the first chapter without falling asleep, lol.
Last edited by automatedeating on Mon Nov 26, 2018 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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

Post by lpearlmom » Sun Nov 25, 2018 4:48 pm

Oh my gosh, coaches yelling at kids does not fly with me. I guess it depends upon how often it happens and how well it’s balanced with the positives but I did have to file a complaint about a coach once.

I’d say you did pretty well on spending. You do not want to know how much we spent hosting thanksgiving. Was A LOT!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

ladybird30
Posts: 1118
Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by ladybird30 » Mon Nov 26, 2018 2:42 am

automatedeating wrote:
Reading
We did really well - have been loving Clever Polly & the Stupid Wolf! .............

So. Home finally tonight. Challenger's team got creamed at their basketball game and the coach yelled at them for about 10 minutes.
So glad you enjoyed CP & the SW. It is a treasured memory for me. On the downside, no child (or adult for that matter) deserves that kind of verbal abuse.
(That comment is aimed at your child's coach).
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Tue Nov 27, 2018 12:51 am

Thanks for the book suggestion, Ladybird! And hopefully my son's coach will reign it in so I don't have to go all Momma Bear on him.

Monday, Nov. 26th
127.3

I had a horrible experience last night. I took my first thiazide for my kidney issue, and my blood pressure plunged to 75/59! I was throwing up all over the kitchen and couldn't even walk. I feel like it was kind of a close call!! I called my doc and I'm still waiting to hear back, but I doubt I'll be taking that med again!
Update - sorry I didn't clarify that my blood pressure returned to normal by morning. I think I had a huge adrenaline spike when I saw how low it had gotten -- my body was fighting hard. Anyway, I'm fine now, but I won't deny it was scary.

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, latte when I got to work
L: yogurt w/berries
D: tuna & cheese melt on toast w/ a salad Sexy is going to make dinner. He has been so nice. During the night when I got sick he fixed me a salty broth to help my BP go up, and then he drove me and the kids to work and school (I was well enough to work, but still too dizzy to safely drive).

Moving
Was still too sick and exhausted to do a dog walk this morning, but I'm feeling good now. After work I did my first Elements workout. I actually paid for it (I know, probably shouldn't have spent the $$). But now I have it, and I'm determined to finish all 8 weeks of the course.
Elements, Week 1 Day 1:
Each day I'm supposed to "Ponder" on my workout. What better place than here, lol? So, this first day was kind of assessing where I'm at - I noticed that the wrist exercises felt fabulous, as if my wrists were thankful for the attention. Shoulders and scaps seemed angry and frustrated at me. Hips were surprisingly nimble. Calves were surprisingly tight.

Spending
Yes, spent $100 on this Elements program. :oops:

Reading
Polly a little bit in the car, but didn't read at bedtime. I did notice Creator has started listening to the Hobbit on his own, now, so I think I might have successfully hooked him on that one. :-)
Last edited by automatedeating on Tue Nov 27, 2018 5:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Post by sharon227 » Tue Nov 27, 2018 2:55 am

What happened with the medicine??? Very sorry to hear about the reaction, hope things have stabilized and you got a good answer from your doctor.

ladybird30
Posts: 1118
Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by ladybird30 » Tue Nov 27, 2018 4:44 am

OMG, your BP was low. Hope you get it all sorted out.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Tue Nov 27, 2018 5:08 am

Thank you Sharon and Ladybird.

I'm 100% fine now. It was just a scary couple of hours. I think a combination of a massive adrenaline rush from my freaked-out self + my husband's administration of a very salty broth helped me recover. I felt kind of sick all day but I'm back to normal now.

I think I'll just have to either not take this medicine or possibly try to start with a lower dose.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Tue Nov 27, 2018 3:38 pm

Tuesday, Nov 27th

127.9

Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: yogurt w/berries
D: beef bowl w/onions, guac, tomatoes, cheese (spaghetti for kids)

Moving
great walk/jog with HappyHerder2.
Elements Week 1, Day 2

Spending
no plans

Reading
No reading last night. Maybe tonight we can get back to Gregor after being away from it for a week due to holiday travel.

Sexy has proposed a Dry December. His brother and his wife are in, so I guess I better do it too, haha. I know from my own experience that it is MUCH harder to stick with it if Sexy isn't also on board, so it's best for us both to be a team on this. December though!!!! What a cray-cray month to try this. :shock: :roll:
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Post by sharon227 » Wed Nov 28, 2018 2:07 am

Glad you're feeling OK now! And sounds like you had a good N day!

Soprano
Posts: 1184
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:56 pm
Location: UK

Post by Soprano » Wed Nov 28, 2018 5:39 am

Dry December sounds like a real challenge, good luck
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

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

Post by lpearlmom » Wed Nov 28, 2018 5:58 am

Dry December?! 🤦ðŸ¼â€â™€ï¸
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Wed Nov 28, 2018 3:52 pm

Haha Soprano and Linda! I know - it's super silly of us. I'm going to aim for 75% compliance and consider myself a beast if I accomplish it.

One thing in our favor is that we don't go to many parties in general, even around the holidays.

Wednesday, November 28th

127.3
Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: yogurt and berries
D: DATE NIGHT!!! WHOOOO-HOOOOO! Quesadillas for kids. I will aim for a piece of meat and a salad. Often my best restaurant choice still ends up being a burger. Update: had an AMAZING lamb burger and salad. Pure eating pleasure.

Moving
nice walk/jog with HappyHerder2 this morning. We were approached by an aggressive German Shepherd (in the dark at first I thought it was a coyote). HappyHerder was amazing! He froze and didn't whine or try to run to the dog (like he usually does, because he loves other dogs exceedingly and annoyingly, haha). Anyway, he gave all these calming signals - total freeze, head turned away. I also froze, knowing that's what I'm supposed to do. But I couldn't believe how well HappyHerder handled it. Eventually the dog's owner got the dog back, but I had myself quite a nice adrenaline rush this morning!
Elements - Wk 1, Day 3
Last night's workout was rushed and not very satisfying. Literally just not enough hours in the day sometimes, despite my best intentions.

Spending
Bought an ornament kit for Creator and I to do this weekend for a party ornament-exchange (OK, so yes we're already going to a party. :roll: )
Gearing up for Christmas spending. I have $500 budgeted for Christmas, and I will buy everything online to carefully track spending. I go over most years, but I am determined to stick to my budget carefully this year! I can do this!

Reading
Creator and I read another chapter in Gregor last night, despite the fact that I was so tired I could barely focus on the words. Victory!

Listening to a philosophy book on tape for my morning walk lately. Dude, that is deep stuff!! I have already re-listened to a couple of chapters. It's about pursuing meaning in life, and what it means to have a satisfying life, etc. The most recent chapter was about telling the truth, and how lies can build until we end up with societal horrors like Hitler or Mao or Stalin and the many murderous things of the 20th century. Heavy. So. Today's goal: Be honest!! It's hard to do at my work; for a variety of reasons I don't share my true self. This forum probably knows many of my true values better than my co-workers.
Yesterday, when a co-worker was criticizing her parents' use of butter in their diet, I shared my personal conviction that saturated fat is unfairly demonized. It felt good to say it, even though the co-worker was shocked. Oh well. I think more of me for being honest. :-)
Last edited by automatedeating on Thu Nov 29, 2018 10:20 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

Soprano
Posts: 1184
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:56 pm
Location: UK

Post by Soprano » Wed Nov 28, 2018 6:03 pm

Good for you re the honesty :)

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

ladybird30
Posts: 1118
Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by ladybird30 » Thu Nov 29, 2018 6:09 am

I spent over 30 years carefully cutting off all the fat on my meat until I read the Cochrane review "Reduced or modified dietary fat for preventing cardiovascular
disease" by Hooper et al, 2012. After that I decided that if saturated fat had any effect on heart disease, the effect was so small as to not be worth worrying about. It didn't appear that human trials had proved that cutting out animal fat would make you live longer. Now I enjoy the fat on my meat, in moderation.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

jenji
Posts: 661
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2017 5:00 pm
Location: Cambridge

Post by jenji » Thu Nov 29, 2018 4:24 pm

My friend taught me the phrase "say what you mean, but don't say it mean." It is a challenge for me to say things that feel confrontational - my personality is conflict-avoidant - so I do repeat that to myself sometimes.

And, side note, I love butter and buy expensive organic, grass fed butter and cream-top milk from my farm share.
I'm a 53-year-old mom and non-profit CEO
I am 5' 7.5"
Began No S at 184#, BMI 28.4 - 9/25/2017
Current weight: 181#, BMI 27.9, 12/19/2022

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Thu Nov 29, 2018 10:28 pm

Thanks guys! I've been shocked to pay attention to how often I am not totally honest - primarily to avoid things - conflict, hurt feelings, or long conversations.

Thursday, November 29th

127.3

Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: yogurt w/berries, walnuts & carrots
D: salmon burger with guacamole, onion, cheese, tomato & cheese; giant salad

Moving
Great jog with HappyHerder this morning. I can't believe that I actually sort of jog now. It's still more of a jog/walk/stop sort of thing, because I just follow the dog (don't tell Caesar Milan, haha) and go at his pace. And his pace is jog, then stop & sniff, repeat.
Elements, Day 4 - yesterday didn't get to finish, but the workouts are simple enough that this afternoon I think I can finish Day 3 and then complete Day 4. Yes - finished these (short & simple) workouts. Noticed that my upper back is very suspicious of my motives when I do the "lounge chair" stretch, which targets my upper back. Also, noticed my gluteal medius muscles are sore & tight. I think it's either caused by more running or these elements workouts. They seem so easy, but I think they are targeting just what they are supposed to. I'm looking to be more injury-resistant and to have great mobility and functional strength.
Today in Anatomy Lab I surprised myself (and my students, lol) by standing on a table and leading everyone through the various muscle actions. We all got more exercise!

Spending
No plans. Last night I spent a ton - date night + I did a bunch of Christmas shopping. I'll need to balance budget and see where I'm at as soon as I get a few moments.

Reading
Last night read one Gregor Chapter. Continuing tonight.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

User avatar
Dandelion
Posts: 696
Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 2:42 am

Post by Dandelion » Fri Nov 30, 2018 4:23 am

I have been realizing how much I don't say as well. This past Thanksgiving really highlighted that for me. :(
'I do think the way to a full and healthy life is to adopt the sensible system of small helpings, no seconds, no snacking, and a little bit of everything. Above all, have a good time.' Julia Child

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Fri Nov 30, 2018 10:52 pm

Holding too much in can be tough, Dandelion! I feel physically ill sometimes at meetings in which I can't say anything but I completely disagree. Ergh.

Friday, Nov. 30th

127.7

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, latte on way to work (gift card!)
L: yogurt w/berries, walnuts & carrots
D: (will be) big tuna fish salad - pizza take-out for family

Moving
jog/pause with happyherder
(will do) Elements Day 5

Spending
shopping tonight
added up christmas spending and I've already spent over $300. $500 is the limit, so we'll see....

Reading
Gregor one chapter last night (while Creator was in the tub)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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

Post by lpearlmom » Sat Dec 01, 2018 6:22 am

I always have trouble sticking to our holiday budget and there’s no way I could keep to $500!

Btw, I do the same things with my dogs. I figure their walk is the most exciting part of their day so why not let them fully enjoy it. ðŸ¶
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sat Dec 01, 2018 2:51 pm

Linda - If I can just reign in my holiday spending and keep reminding myself that it's worth delaying gratification so that we can save for a family vacation. Oolala would probably tell me to repeat that to myself every day!

Saturday, Dec. 1

127.8

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, eggs, bacon & hashbrowns
L: yogurt w/berries
Lunch 2: guacamole and tortilla chips, a few of Creator's fries
Dessert: 1.5 peanut butter cookies (from a neighbor - they brought them over as a surprise). It's shaping up like a sort of wild S Day. I'm trying to analyze where this desire to eat....just to eat.....comes from. I know we all experience it sometimes, and too much restraint/control often can precipitate this.
D: (will be) neighborhood holiday party - probably lots of great snack food options! Creator and I are making ornaments for the exchange.
I read an article from 1985 (haha) about rats that excrete too much calcium (like I do). They were able to correct it with Vitamin K supplementation. I'm going to look into this further. I get to do another urinalysis in a couple of weeks and I am considering two experiments I'd like to do.
Experiment 1) Fasting. I would fast for the entire 24 hour urine collection. If my calcium excretion goes down, boom - I'll consider incorporating more fasting OR at least I'll confirm that not snacking isn't damaging my kidney function. If it goes up, yeeks. But in either case, it's a good experiment.
Experiment 2) Vitamin K2 supplementation. I would hope it will help keep my calcium in my bones, where it belongs. :-)

I'm sitting on the loveseat typing this - I have two cats on my lap and the dog right next to me. Isn't it funny that I'm always wanting another dog? You'd think I'd be entirely satisfied with the ones I have. It's like mommas that just want more babies, despite being plenty busy with the ones that already have! We just like taking care of living things, I guess. :-)

Moving
No walk/jog today, but I see deep-cleaning in my future. :lol:
Elements, Day 5 - didn't get this done yesterday. Despite the low intensity, simplicity and shortness of this workout, I am struggling to fit it into my very full days. Mornings are best but I prioritize my walk/jog and then have to be very efficient to get ready for work & school with kids. My thought was I can fit it in before dinner, but I have struggled - either by truly not even being home or by feeling like I want to get other stuff done at that time. Nevertheless, I am only 1 day behind and Day 6 is "active recovery" - just stretching.

Spending
Possibly a few more Christmas things
ended up eating out at a Mexican restaurant after Challenger's basketball game

Reading
Didn't read last night.

Oh, and today is Day 1 of Dry December. :shock:
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Post by sharon227 » Sun Dec 02, 2018 2:53 pm

At least for me, the holidays and dark days of winter combine to make me want to eat a lot more. Part of it is seasonal darkness, but another part of it is that after saying "no" so many more times to holiday treats during the week I feel I'm "entitled" to more food on S days.

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sun Dec 02, 2018 3:34 pm

I totally think you're right on both counts - this weather!!! + we are already working our willpower muscles for 5 N Days (N could stand for "NO!!" instead of normal, haha)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sun Dec 02, 2018 6:28 pm

Sunday, Dec. 2

128.9

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, bacon, eggs & a piece of toast
L: salmon
D: tortilla chips & guacamole
dessert: vanilla ice cream
dessert: 2 mini-snickers

Moving
Spontaneously took Happyherder on a long walk/jog in the woods. That kind of energy on an S Day is really new to me. I credit my better diet and my less stressful work.
Didn't get Elements done yesterday like I meant to. Maybe today?

Spending
More Christmas shopping online.

Reading
Read one chapter of Gregor last night. Plan to tonight too - update, yes, read chapter 12
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 03, 2018 4:53 pm

Monday, Dec. 3

129.0

Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: yogurt w/berries, broccoli, carrots & walnuts - suffered from mild abdominal cramps much of the afternoon. I'm thinking it was the broccoli and walnuts. Those walnuts were already bugging my gut a little, but the addition of the broccoli - not a good combo
D: beef, onion, cheese, guacamole bowl, added an egg too - all on a big salad (spaghetti for kids/fam)

Moving
walk/jog with HappyHerder2.
Plan to do Elements work-out this afternoon at 4:30, before making dinner. Grrr. Didn't do it. Clearly time is limited in my days. Trying to fit one more thing in has really opened my eyes to just how very little freetime I actually have.

Spending
no plans

Reading
Plan to read chapter 13 of Gregor tonight.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Tue Dec 04, 2018 2:59 pm

Tuesday, Dec. 4th
128.8

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, 2 fried eggs and 2 pieces of bacon (starting a new thing to see if I don't get so hungry before dinner - also the nuts were giving me afternoon indigestion + they are high in oxalates, which is bad for my kidney stone risk). Also just trying to eat more eggs. Vitamin K2 is in the yolks and I'm trying to get more of that, also to help my bone density that is diminished due to my frustrating hypercalciuria. Life is an experiment.
L: crisis! Out of favorite yogurts! (will be) yogurt w/berries but I need to stop at store on way to dropping kids off at school.
D:(will be) tuna salad for me; lasagne for fam

Moving
nice walk/jog w/ HappyHerder2.
Also - did Elements workout! It's such a funny work-out. The 3 main moves are Bear (walk on floor like a bear, straight legs), monkey (squat jumps to side to side), and frogger (squat jumps forward). They are pretty tough to do for more than a minute or so. I also like that the program does lots of wrist stretches, which I need to improve my elbow pain (I think, anyway).

Spending
nothing planned

Reading
Read a 1.5 chapters of Gregor last night

Stuff on my mind
wrap presents
finish shopping
reserve for challenger's party
kids' dentist appts
bunch of thank-you notes I need my kids to write
the true dirtiness of my house right now is grossing me out. Every nook and cranny seems to need a good scrubbing. It's been getting to me progressively over this quarter. Not necessarily feeling motivated, but knowing it needs to be done.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

eschano
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:25 pm

I have no idea how you get so many things done! I remember since the first time I read your thread how brilliant you were with all your systems going at once!
Thank you so much for your kind words and advice on my thread
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Wed Dec 05, 2018 2:28 pm

nice of you to say that, Tess, but I think the reason I have to have more "stated" goals each day (than the rest of you) is because I tend to drift into "read and reflect" mode and not get any actual stuff done, hehe. I like to live in the theoretical. Sometimes I need to have my feet on the ground. And a super system I need to add is something like FlyLady, but I've tried and failed multiple times to get a "cleaning" system. Just not for me, I guess. I have reasonable success with making my kids do (a few) chores, but it comes at the expense of using up all my domestic willpower. I seriously think if I didn't hound my kids so much about electronics and chores that I would have far more energy to clean my house properly. But the training of those little creatures to become civilized for society is a bigger priority for me than a properly-cleaned house. It does bug me though. A lot. That said, some deep-cleaning is my biggest goal for the week after final exams.

Wednesday, December 5th

127.8

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, 2 eggs & bacon
L: yogurt w/berries
D: I brought home a rotisserie chicken. Sexy is in a horrid mood, so no date night. Probably from Dry December, haha. Unsatisfying virtual-plating night: lots of dark meat chicken (Sexy prefers the white meat) and then 1/2 a bag of kid's Doritos because I knew I needed more but was lazy and tired. So technical fail. I try not to eat processed foods during the week. All in all, a week of unsatisfying dinners.
Lasagne didn't work out last night, I ended up with a tuna fish salad.

Moving
I am SOOOOO tired this morning. I ended up slouching down on the couch to type this, rather than going jogging with dog. Poor HappyHerder. Maybe I'll just go for a few minutes right now. Already put my running clothes on but then sat down on the couch in exhaustion. Update - got out there with HappyHerder! Our walk/jog was even close to the same distance as a normal day. We both feel better for it.
Elements - Active Recovery Day is the goal

Spending
Need to buy yogurt - never did yesterday. Also STILL need to finish Christmas shopping.
Update - yes, done with yogurt replenishment grocery trip

Reading
Read Ch. 14 in Gregor last night. Tonight chapter 15 I hope.
Last edited by automatedeating on Thu Dec 06, 2018 2:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Thu Dec 06, 2018 2:04 pm

Thursday, December 6

126.2

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, 2 eggs & bacon
L: yogurt w/berries (finally have all my regular yogurt supply replenished)
D: (will be) lasagne - finally? for the kids? Which means what should I have? I am really sick of salad. I want a burger. Hey - maybe I could make burgers if I do an early dinner (since it gets dark so early it's hard to see to grill, haha). Well, it's also freezing today (in the 20's) so that is not fun-sounding. But still. It's a good option when what I'm really craving is a good burger. Nobody(!) has an evening activity tonight!!!!
Update - had a great burger! :-) Sexy and I went on a date (we had sort of a bad marriage day yesterday....ergh) and I had a bacon cheeseburger and french onion soup. Delicious!

Moving
Walk/jog with HappyHerder hopefully to be followed by Elements, Day 2 (yep I failed again on this yesterday). I'm sensing that I will just need to do this program at my own pace (which the program actually said is just fine) because there are simply days I don't have that much time for ME. And the little ME time I have I like to a) walk/jog w/HappyHerder; and b) type in my journal here! :-) Almost everything else is an obligation (and honestly, I put showering and fixing my hair in that category!)
Finished most of Elements work today. Also spontaneously got some scissors and chopped 4 inches off my hair. Yeah, I do that kind of thing. I'm ready for a big change - either a pixie cut or maybe just some layers and shorter. I have curly hair and sometimes straighten and sometimes go with it. I'm in a bold & sassy go with it phase. Tomorrow is my normal hair appt so I'll leave it to my steady stylist to clean up after my crazy cutting. :wink:

Spending
Last night I spent OODLES finishing up Christmas shopping. I still need to budget and see if/how much over I went. I splurged to have things gift-packaged by Amazon, which is expensive, but I don't want relatives opening boxes and not knowing it should go under the tree. But that was .... let's see 6 people, at ~4 bucks/gift-packaging, so $24 splurge on that. Worth it. Well, let's see the damage when I finally have a moment to reconcile balances.
Uh - date night spending

Reading
Read Chapter 15 to Creator and Challenger while they were shooting baskets in the bedroom. We all had fun but I'm not sure how much Creator was actually listening (Challenger already pretty much has the series memorized)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

worth it
Posts: 458
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:47 pm

Post by worth it » Fri Dec 07, 2018 9:56 pm

Hi auto,

Sounds like you are doing well. I love your story about chopping off your hair- I dream of having the guts to do it myself, but never do it! Lol! And, I LOVE a pixie cut, but don’t think it’d work for me... Sigh. But wish I could... 😀

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Fri Dec 07, 2018 10:34 pm

Thanks worth it! :-)

Friday, Dec. 7th

127.5

Eating
B: 2 eggs & bacon, coffee w/milk
L: yogurt & berries
D: (will be) uh..... turned out I brought home Papa Murphy's pizza. I got a regular one for kids and Sexy, and bought a special one for me (and Sexy would like it too) - thin crust, creamy garlic white sauce, ground beef, pepperoni, green onions, and extra cheese. I ate three delicious pieces, feeling quite proud of myself. Then Sexy declared that it wasn't actually a thin crust after all - that they had messed up my order. :roll:

Moving
No walk/jog this morning

Spending
Continue to buy a last few items. Very nearly done! Or done! :-)
Also - hair appt today

Reading
didn't read to kids last night
and didn't read to kids tonight, either
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sat Dec 08, 2018 3:29 pm

Saturday, Dec 8

S Day!

126.8

Eating
B: coffee/milk so far - probably bacon, eggs, maybe hashbrowns later
L: I have two options - bring my yogurt and save $$, or eat at restaurant in Seattle with Creator. He and I are spending the day there with my sister and her granddaughter (they are passing through due to a very long flight layover). Update - I ate my yogurt for lunch. Creator had a hot chocolate and nothing else.
D: will definitely be at a Seattle restaurant. Update - ended up at a McDonald's. I was disappointed but I understand; my sister is traveling with an exhausted travel-weary 4-year old. So I had a burger.
Today will be tricky eating-wise, but I haven't planned much or worried about how to do it since it's an S Day.
Home now - dessert - ice cream.

Moving
Nothing formal planned, but I will be walking a lot today.

Spending
Sheesh today will be expensive. Gas to Seattle; Parking ($25 for day?); Underground Tour with Creator - $35 (I have been wanting to do this with him for a long time and I think he's finally old enough to appreciate it - I've never been!); lunch for at least Creator and maybe me; Lyft or Uber ($30 is my estimate for the day); Pacific Science Center (yikes if we do IMAX too..... $60?); dinner at restaurant or on the road (my sister will probably want to go the Cheesecake factory or something like that)

My sister is 10 years older than me. Her oldest daughter is a recovering heroin/meth addict and so my sister has been raising her granddaughter (who is 4) for the past 2 years. They are returning from a visit to the rehab center, which is why they are flying through. It's all pretty sad, and I kind of wonder what sort of emotional state they will be in when I see them. My hair stylist told me it will be good to get them doing something fun after that. But I hope it doesn't feel forced.

I just updated my YNAB budget. I am done shopping and spent $600 on Christmas! Not bad! If I need to finalize any stocking stuffers, I'll swing by the Dollar Store.

Reading
Maybe tonight back on track.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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

Post by lpearlmom » Sun Dec 09, 2018 3:09 pm

Oh wow so sad to hear about your niece. Addiction is a horrible thing. I hope she beats it.

Great job on your Xmas spending! It’ll be worth it when you get to take that family vacation.

Enjoy your trip to Seattle. We did the underground tour in Portland and really enjoyed it!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sun Dec 09, 2018 3:54 pm

Thanks Linda! The day went really well and it was great to see my sister and the little one.

Portland has an Underground Tour? I grew up in the Portland area. How can I have not heard about that? :shock: Will have to check it out!

Sunday, Dec. 9th

128.3

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, 2 fried eggs & 1 piece toast
L: Nachos w/cheese, guacamole and yogurt + extra chips & guacamole (ate a lot of food!)
D: Taco meat & tortilla chips, cheese & guacamole
dessert: (will be in like 5 min) vanilla ice cream!

Moving
No plans
oooh, baby. Got a wave of energy and I jogged halfway to Challenger's basketball game (about a mile) - then Sexy and Creator picked me up. I felt pretty cool. Then I jogged/walked the whole way home (over 2 miles) in the pouring rain. I felt ... pretty cool. :-) Seriously, all - when have I had energy like this? It's got to be the weight loss, the better sleep, the richer nutrition, the reduced stress.

Spending
Costco and Local grocery this morning
$138 at Costco & $68 at local grocery

Reading
Tonight! Yes! Will! :roll:
Last edited by automatedeating on Mon Dec 10, 2018 3:46 am, edited 5 times in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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

Post by lpearlmom » Sun Dec 09, 2018 5:26 pm

Oh wait it was Seattle! 🤦ðŸ¼â€â™€ï¸ I keep getting those two trips mixed up. See what happens when you turn 50? 😊
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 10, 2018 3:38 am

Got it, Linda. :-)
I'm scared of our forum. It's been taken over by Zombies. Do you think they can see me in here? I feel like they want to eat my brains.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

eschano
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Mon Dec 10, 2018 7:02 pm

😂😂😂auto! I know, the spambots never got to the daily check in before?

Really sorry to hear about your niece and hope the visit goes well!
Brilliantly done on the spending to!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 10, 2018 8:53 pm

The day in Seattle was great, Tess - thanks for the well wishes!

Monday, Dec. 10th
129.2

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, 2 eggs & bacon
L: yogurt w/berries
D: (will be) tilapia and salad

Moving
walk/jog w/ HappyHerder2.
Elements later!

Spending
bought a drip coffee

Reading
will I? will I? Challenger finished The Boy in the Striped Pajamas last night. I could tell he was affected but he tried to downplay his emotions.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:34 am

Tuesday, Dec. 11

127.9

Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: yogurt w/berries
D: pork chop w/sour cream, carmelized onions & green salad & a piece of toast

Moving
walk/jog w/HappyHerder.
Then I did Elements Week 2 Day 3! Yay for me! I did Bear, I did Monkey, I did Frogger! :-) My trick was to do it at work in my office before coming home. Of course, Sexy picked up kids today from school so I had the luxury of more time at work.

Spending
Nothing so far - no plans

Reading
Ummmmm? I'm a bit derailed on this system right now. And I think maybe Creator is taking a break too and just enjoying his audiobooks at bedtime. And Sexy has been making up stories with Creator almost every night, so I guess I've just been off the hook lately. I still feel guilty but I've been doing this long enough I know it is just a bit seasonal. Normal.

I've been feeling really good about my routines, my job, my kids, my health, my marriage. I like typing this because it's so easy for me to share my struggles, but I have a harder time celebrating the good times.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

Soprano
Posts: 1184
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:56 pm
Location: UK

Post by Soprano » Wed Dec 12, 2018 7:15 am

Great that you are feeling good about life, celebrate that with us :)

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Wed Dec 12, 2018 3:48 pm

Thanks Soprano. :-)

Wednesday, Dec. 12th

127.2

Eating
B: coffee w/milk
L: yogurt & berries
update - sheesh I am dying of hunger today. Not sure why. Guess I rapidly got used to having eggs for breakfast!!!! Think I'll survive by getting a latte this afternoon.
D: (will probably be) date night, and if I stay true to form, I will be a heat-seeking missile in search of the perfect burger. Update - yep, I zeroed right in on the 1/2 pound (!) burger! Blue cheese, carmelized onions, bacon, delish!

Moving
Nice walk/jog with HappyHerder.
At work today plan to do Elements when I feel burnt out on seat work. It's Finals' Week - everybody grading and so I even am wearing workout clothes and bringing slippers. :wink:

Spending
Date night

Reading
Well, I'm reading, haha. Not to Creator though.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Thu Dec 13, 2018 3:18 pm

Thursday, Dec. 13th

127.5

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, 2 eggs
L: at a restaurant w/ friends - I looked at the menu and plan on getting the bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado and feta salad and asking for extra feta - update - I got the lamb burger after all. It was good but not outstanding.
D: I am not hungry at all! That burger totally filled me up. So, when I get hungry I'll have my side salad (brought home from the lunch)

Moving
Nice walk/jog with HappyHerder in the rain. It was pretty windy and in the dark that made some things a little more spooky. We also took a different route than normal, so we weren't sure sometimes if something was a utility pipe or a monster.

Spending
Restaurant lunch with friends from work

RaisingReaders
I won't be reading tonight - have Creator's Christmas Play/Concert and then I will be doing the late pick-up for Challenger's basketball.

Got a ton done at work yesterday. Felt great. Lots more things I plan to do today. These are some of my favorite times at work - after finishing up all my grading for the quarter (and submitting grades), I get to plan and work on the upcoming quarter in large chunks of uninterrupted time. And, since we don't homeschool anymore, all of next week the kids will be in school and I'll be able to go to work. Although, I also need to attend to my VERY.DIRTY.HOUSE. You know how people always say, - oh my house is messy but not dirty. - well, folks, my house is dirty. Like gross shower, unwashed floors, and nasty stove and fridge. I can tell you that since you aren't coming over. :twisted:
Last edited by automatedeating on Fri Dec 14, 2018 12:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

eschano
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Thu Dec 13, 2018 10:35 pm

Hahaha, my house can get like that for sure!
Hey, loved reading how you feel great. Good to share the good times!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

ladybird30
Posts: 1118
Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by ladybird30 » Thu Dec 13, 2018 10:56 pm

Somehow housework always slips down my list of priorities - there are so many other things that I would rather be doing.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

User avatar
Octavia
Posts: 901
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2015 8:01 pm
Location: UK

Post by Octavia » Fri Dec 14, 2018 12:55 pm

Hi Auto! Hope you’re well, sorry I haven’t checked in with you for a while.

Well. I am the queen of the dirty house. I often have what Flylady calls ‘stinkin’ thinkin’’ - ie I think ‘they’ve messed it up, why should I clean it?’ But the top of my cooker is often gross, also the kitchen floor. I find bits of food under the sofa, left by DD. Anyway, the other week I came up with a fabulous plan, that I would do one non-essential ‘fly routine’ (I used to subscribe to fly lady) a day, in addition to the essential stuff such as shopping, cooking, washing up, moving stuff off the beds so you can go to sleep etc.. So...these non-essentials included dusting and cleaning window sills and panes; hoovering in bedrooms; cleaning kitchen floor, and various other things. My system lasted one week. I was then forced to confront the fact that the mere essentials already take up a large proportion of my day, more than I realised. It was an interesting experiment but I think I’ll go back to being a slob. :lol

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sat Dec 15, 2018 4:14 pm

I KNOW Octavia - it's true that the essentials of living take up most of my time. There has been an INVERSE relationship between the amount of time I spend menu planning & cooking with the amount of time I spend cleaning.

And I ALSO relate to the "stinkin' thinkin'", although I stubbornly think I'm right -- after all, what good will I have done for my kids if I do it all for them? I stubbornly insist they do chores, although they do poor work (that's also not good training by me, I guess, sigh....), and getting them to DO the chores saps all my energy for more in-depth cleaning these days. Grrr.

Well. Today should be good. We are going to "breakfast with santa" at our favorite local golf club. Totally out of character for us to do this, and we are surprising the kids. Challenger12 will NOT be excited, but he does eat a lot, so the food should at least make him happy, haha. Creator9 will be in heaven.
Update - it was fun! We took a family pic with Santa, had a nice breakfast, and decorated christmas cookies.

Then, Sexy will be off with Challenger for 2 basketball games so he'll be gone from 12 - 6. I decided to stay home so a) Creator doesn't have to go this time; b) HappyHerder doesn't get left alone all day; and c) I can wrap presents and maybe clean a little!!!

Update - very satisfying day so far! I got ALL the presents wrapped (including Challenger's birthday presents for his birthday next Friday). Also cleaned the entire upstairs and I'm caught up with laundry. Then, Sexy texted that friends are coming over tomorrow for lunch. Oops, maybe I should have focused on the downstairs, which is totally gross. Plus, Creator put up the tree and ornaments and um, well, yeah it needs some work.

But the day is not yet over! When Sexy gets home, we'll be heading to an old neighborhood friend's party...just sort of for an appearance. Leave the kids home and swing by for an hour or so.

Yesterday, btw, the site was down for me. I tried logging in a couple of times. I wonder if Reinhard was doing some work on it or something.

Friday
Eating - coffee, yogurt, pork chops, salad
Moving - no walk!
Spending - Office Depot stuff for my classes (~$50)

Saturday
127.5

Eating
B: eggs, french toast, biscuit & gravy, coffee w/cream
L: tortilla chips & guac, hot dog
dessert: 3 chocolates from Creator's Halloween candy
D: Christmas party food. :-) I ate a ton - plate 1: cheddar cheese slices, summer sausage, 2 jalapeno poppers, a pile of cheese dip + tortilla chips. Plate 2: more jalapeno cheese dip + more tortilla chips
desserts: 2 sugar cookies + 1 s'more

Moving
Lots of cleaning

Spending
$45 on the Santa breakfast
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sun Dec 16, 2018 6:59 pm

Sunday, Dec. 16
S Day

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, 1 egg, 2 bacon
L: grilled burgers w/ friends and tortilla chips w/guacamole
D: cheese dip & tortilla chips
dessert: ice cream

Moving
Creator9 and I finally finished all the Christmas decorating this morning + lots and lots of cleaning continues. The upstairs has been reasonably deep-cleaned, but the downstairs is still gross. Hopefully the friends love us enough to deal. :wink: I actually think things look really cozy (hygge, as Tess might say), but just lots of deep cleaning still to do this upcoming week. Also Creator and I finished wrapping all the presents yesterday and having everything ready to travel to Grandma & Grandpas next Sunday.

Spending
No real plans, but Sexy might run to store to get a few things for our lunch with friends today.

Reading
Creator and I have a definite date to read together tonight. I even told him we're doing it so I must must must!
Last edited by automatedeating on Mon Dec 17, 2018 3:25 am, edited 2 times in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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

Post by lpearlmom » Sun Dec 16, 2018 8:00 pm

Wow you’re being super productive! Great job! You’re in such a good groove with everything. I hope to be there soon.

Gl with the reading tonight. I know you’ll squeeze it in somehow!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 17, 2018 3:36 pm

Victory for reading! Creator and I read two chapters of Gregor. And now I am determined to stay in the saddle with it.

Monday, Dec. 17

128.3

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, maybe an egg?
L: Mexican restaurant. I looked at the menu and think I should order either the guacamole fresco salad or the carne asada. Update - ordered guacamole fresco and also had tortilla chips and salsa
D: beef bowl for me/spaghetti for kids - update - overate on cheese dip and tortilla chips with this meal.
All in all, a big eating day. I felt like the S Days carried over into Monday.

Moving
walk/jog with HappyHerder

Spending
lunch with a friend + may do grocery shopping (didn't go over the weekend)

Reading
chapter 18 of gregor is the plan - update - yes. :-)
Last edited by automatedeating on Wed Dec 19, 2018 12:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

User avatar
Octavia
Posts: 901
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2015 8:01 pm
Location: UK

Post by Octavia » Mon Dec 17, 2018 11:49 pm

Wow, you have been busy! Go Auto!

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Wed Dec 19, 2018 1:01 am

Thanks Octavia. :-) LoL, I think all of us have to get a lot done this time of year, but the rest of you don't seem to have the obsessive desire to track it all like I do. One of my joys is this thread.

Tuesday, December 18

130.0

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, scrambled eggs & bacon
L: latte
D: salmon burger w/tomato, onion, cheese, mayo, pickles

Moving
great walk/jog with HappyHerder -- listened to DietDoctor podcast

Spending
Well... Sexy and I had a "date day" - we went out to breakfast and then to the casino. But, we actually came out ahead ha! So our date day was free! :lol:
And shhhh, don't tell our kids where we went. :wink:

Reading
Looking to finish Chapter 19 tonight, maybe start chapter 20. Creator starts his basketball league tonight + then has trampoline class, so I think he might be in need of his alone time (he still plays by himself and talks to himself in his room) when we get home. But we'll see.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Wed Dec 19, 2018 3:18 pm

Wednesday, Dec. 19

127.2/BMI 23.3 (honestly, I'm thinking that I've shrunk and I need to reevaluate my weight at 5'1'' - but oh well, using the same height (5'2'') gives a valuable reference point at least)

Fasting Blood Glucose: 91 (yep, finally spent $75 and bought more strips yesterday)

Morning Blood Pressure: 114/70 (happy smiles & grins - this is down from 130-140-s/90's! Huge change)

While considering metrics, I've lost 2 inches off my waist at belly button, and 2 off my upper waist (I like to think of this one as my "liver measurement, haha). Also 1 inch off each thigh. Sadly, my chest is also smaller - down from a C cup to a B cup. But that's what it was before I gained weight, so my chest was "artificially inflated" by my weight gain. :wink:

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, sausage and egg and cheese breakfast sandwich
L: yogurt w/berries - yikes! Left this at home. :-( Update - I zipped home to prepare this. My blood sugar only went from 81 to 95 after this meal. Not bad at all!
D: tuna melt - grilled cheese for kids. Well, actually ended up having to return to work while Challenger is at basketball, so I bought a latte to tide me over. Now I'm pretty full and it's already 5:30 so not sure what I'll eat later. Update - had tuna melt as planned.

Moving
Overslept and missed HappyHerder walk, so I will try to do my Elements program at the office instead.

Spending
I might buy a latte, but not sure - actually ended up buying a breakfast sandwich. Update- yes bought a latte at 4:30pm when I had to return to work.

Reading
Missed last night, but I think we'll be back on track tonight.

Kids had their school spelling bee today. Creator got out on "Leopard" (he put leapard") and Challenger got out on "ruefully". It was pretty fun and I was proud of Challenger for doing it. His teacher had asked him to and he had first said no because he was too embarrassed and afraid his classmates would mock him. I'm proud of him for doing the hard thing (rather than the easy thing). Character building for him. Creator, on the other hand, loves to be in front of the crowd, so he had fun but it didn't "require" so much of his soul to do it.
Last edited by automatedeating on Thu Dec 20, 2018 3:33 am, edited 2 times in total.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

ladybird30
Posts: 1118
Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by ladybird30 » Thu Dec 20, 2018 1:08 am

Congrats on the good stats - a nice reward for your efforts.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Thu Dec 20, 2018 5:48 pm

Thanks ladybird. :-)

Thursday, December 20th (tomorrow is Challenger12's birthday! He will become Challenger13!)

127.2
Fasting Blood Glucose: 83 8)

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, blonde flat latte, 2 eggs
L: yogurt w/berries
D: taco salad - beef, onions, tomato?, guacamole, cheese
Creator has basketball 5 - 6:30 and then Challenger has concert 7 - 8:30
so I guess I need to fix the meal by 4:30. ??

Moving
fun walk/jog with HappyHerder listening to Bulletproof podcast interview with the Wheat Belly author.

Spending
already bought a latte and some apples, yogurts, and cupcakes for Challenger's classroom.

Reading
Tonight is too busy! Creator has also been staying up too late just fiddling around. I need to get him on a better schedule. I think he's overstimulated.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Fri Dec 21, 2018 3:00 pm

Friday, Dec. 21

127.5

Eating
B: coffee w/milk, eggs & bacon
L: yogurt w/berries, 1/2 portion. I'm trying this because I think it might be giving me heartburn (maybe because of its high fat content?). Then had tortilla chips with cheese & guacamole.
D: chicken caesar salad from Costco, pizza for the boys (Challenger's birthday party - we reserved our local indoor sportsplex and they'll be playing basketball.
dessert: I plan to have a piece of the costco birthday cake.

Moving
Nice walk/jog with HappyHerder. There were downed tree branches everywhere. We had a huge windstorm yesterday and many people are without power (luckily, we did not lose power). Also, the moon this morning!!! Oh my goodness it was full and yellow and very low in the sky. So to the southeast I could see Venus, super super bright, and to the northwest the yellowest, gigantic moon! I listened to "Game-Changer". The chapter was about how brain-altering drugs (like LSD) can actually be useful in small microdoses. Haha.

Spending
Will have to buy multiple pizzas, sodas, & the cake at costco, also will need to get a tablecloth and some other stuff like that.

Reading
Yes! I read chapter 20 to Creator last night.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

Post Reply