Alene's Check-in

Counting carbs/calories is a drag. Obsessive scale stepping is a recipe for despair. If you want to count something, "days on habit" is a much better metric. Checking off days on a calendar would do just fine, but if you do it here you get accountability and support. Here's how. Start a new topic in this forum called (say) "Your Name Daily Check In." Then every N day post a "reply" to that topic as to whether you stayed on habit. A simple "<font color="green">SUCCESS</font>" or "<font color="red">FAILURE</font>" (or your preferred euphemism if that's too harsh) is sufficient, but obviously you're welcome to write more if you want. On S-days just register that you're taking an S-day. You don't have to do this forever, just until you're confident you've built the habit. Feel free to check in weekly or monthly or sporadically instead of daily. Feel free also to track other habits besides No-s (I'm keeping this forum under No-s because that's what the vast majority are using it for). See also my <a href="/habitcal/">HabitCal</a> tool for another more formal (and perhaps complementary) way to track habits.

Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Tue Dec 24, 2019 2:30 pm

December 24th, 2019

Weight: -1.6 ~ 44 to go
Exercise:
Steps:

Thoughts on food and life: I had a good class yesterday, even though I have a pretty bad cold. I'm glad I went. My coaching consult afterwards went well. We're going to focus on body fat loss mainly instead of weight. That sounds good to me. We'll meet again in 6 weeks and then in 12 weeks I'll do another InBody scan to see where I am. It's all very motivating.

I got all my wrapping done last night, which felt great. I made a yummy dinner of lemon chicken, baby potatoes, and steamed carrots. I did use a bit more butter than was optimal. I'll try to work on that. ;)

I'm going to get in a good walk or a workout this morning before we head to my step-son's house for a visit and meal. It should be a really nice day.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Tue Dec 24, 2019 3:32 pm

Hey - hope your cold starts to resolve! That can be pretty frustrating, especially when you have a lot of fun things you want to be doing (and I include the Orange Theory in the fun things list!).

Merry Christmas Eve! I have wrapped everything I have here, but I am still waiting on a couple of Amazon items today! :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

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:25 pm

Auto, I hope you had a great Christmas with your family. I'm thinking about going to the doctor to make sure there isn't some underlying infection going on. I have pretty much had a cold since about November 2nd with a few days here and there where I felt it was about gone. Yes, Orange Theory is definitely in the "fun" category! I want to be able to give it my all.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:33 pm

Wednesday, December 25th, 2019

Weight: -1.6 ~ 44 to go
Exercise: 1H walk
Steps: 10,253

Thursday, December 26th, 2019

Weight: -2.2 ~ 43.4 to go
Exercise: Orange Theory
Steps: 11,109

Thoughts on food and life: Hmm, that darn scale finally moved down today. That is after two days of holiday meals and higher calorie days. It's interesting. Maybe the habits I'm working on instilling are slowly but surely working their magic. Needless to say, I was very tickled to see that number today!

We had a wonderful Christmas with my family. We had a brunch with waffles, eggs, ham, sausage, and champagne. We enjoyed opening presents, and even though I didn't hold my GS, I enjoyed watching everyone else, and just being with him. He is such a little love.

DH and I took a nice 1H walk after dinner and then headed home. It was a great day.

Today I'm going to head up to my classroom to do some organizing, and computer work. It will be so nice to have the quiet and get things done with a long stretch of quiet, uninterrupted time. I'm actually looking really forward to it. I've been enjoying my time off, but I'm also really ready to start working on my teaching goals.

I have a 4:30 Orange Theory class scheduled today. I'm hoping I'm feeling pretty good by then. In the morning colds always seem worse. Wishing everyone a good day!
Last edited by alene1 on Fri Dec 27, 2019 1:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Thu Dec 26, 2019 3:39 pm

Those quiet days prepping in the classroom can be very rejuvenating to our work, that's for sure. Hope you get a lot done. And I hope the heat is on for you - sometimes I have to use a space heater on the weekends. :-)
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Fri Dec 27, 2019 1:58 pm

Auto, that quiet time at school is so rare. I do so much better without distractions!! The heat was on, thank goodness! :D

Friday, December 27th, 2019

Weight: didn't weigh
Exercise: 40M walk
Steps: 9,209

Thoughts on food and life: I had a great OT workout yesterday. I was really proud of myself. During our all-outs I was full-on running on the treadmill! It felt really good to push myself. I tend to be easy on myself and not want to be overly challenged. We were on the rowing machine quite a bit too, between weight sets, and that is super challenging too! I burned 495 calories and got 33 splat points. The points are for minutes spent in the orange and red heart rate zone.

I went up to school and got quite a bit of organizing done. It felt really good. I plan to spend as much more time as I can at school before break is over, but not so much that I don't fit in lot of fun too. :) I went to the doctor and she said my lungs sound like bronchitis. She recommended some really good OTC meds to help and I felt a lot better yesterday. No coughing in bed last night.

Food was a different story though. I don't know exactly what was going on in my head. I went out to the doctor early in the morning and then went grocery shopping. I got donuts even though I wasn't hungry. I know that with a change in routine and no schedule I have always struggled. The freedom and being alone may have triggered it. I also got chips in the afternoon and some candy before I went into school. This is the first time I've had that kind of binge in a long time. I'm going to re-focus on filling out my food/emotions journal and doing my morning yoga to feel more in tune and connected to myself. Hopefully it was an isolated incident. I didn't get on the scale today.

Today will be more time at school and at home working on work stuff, some housework, and probably a walk for exercise.
Last edited by alene1 on Sat Dec 28, 2019 2:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:31 pm

What you did eating wise yesterday totally matches what happens to me from time to time. For me, it's being thrown off routine (as you said for you too) plus some sort of emotional casting around for comfort (in your case, being sick for awhile set the stage perfectly for that emotional need). It's going to happen occasionally; we can just note it and be encouraged that, with patient reflection on the causes/triggers, it does happen with less frequency over time.

BTW, my dear friend just got diagnosed with Walking Pneumonia! She had gone to Urgent Care twice and each time they just told her it was bronchitis. :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

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sat Dec 28, 2019 2:28 pm

Auto, yes, along with the lack of structure and routine being sick almost certainly played a role.

Oh my, that's scary about your friend! I am keeping a close eye on how I'm feeling and if I have a temperature.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sat Dec 28, 2019 2:38 pm

Saturday, December 28th, 2019

Weight: -.8 ~ 44.8 to go
Exercise: Orange Theory - 488 cals - 23 splat points
Steps: 8,665

Thoughts on food and life: Well, the old scale caught up with my eating behavior the last two days. It's sad to see it but I know it's what it should be. Honestly, my body is pretty good about handling extra calories compared to some people, so I feel pretty lucky. It could have been much worse!

Yesterday was an okay day. I wasn't feeling the greatest in the morning or early afternoon. I did get some things done, but also was reading in bed and then got some of the sweet Christmas trail mix my daughter gave me out. I ate quite a bit of it. I threw the rest of it away. It really wasn't worth the calories at all. It was just there and available.

Auto, I bought the Diet 101 book you recommended. I didn't read it cover to cover but I read quite a bit and then skimmed the rest. The biggest thing I gleaned on first read was the habit people acquire after doing low carb for a while. You get in the habit of eating high fat, and thinking that a lot of fat is a good thing. But now that I'm eating moderate amounts of carbs, that isn't a good combination. It really made me look at my current diet and see where I can make some changes. I'm also thinking about getting another glucose monitor. I have one in storage but I have no clue where it is. After reading the book I'm really curious what my post-meal blood sugars might be. It was an interesting read and definitely got me thinking about some things I want to take action on.

Tracking my calories/macros has also been a very good thing. It is bringing to my awareness what and how much food I'm putting into my body. There are a lot of little painless tweaks I can make that will make a difference in the long run. I will start with those.

Today I'm going to OT in the morning, and then we're going to a movie and probably out to dinner afterwards. I'm going to fit in a little work for school this morning too.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sun Dec 29, 2019 3:17 pm

Sunday, December 29th, 2019

Weight: -.8 ~ 44.8 to go
Exercise: none
Steps: 4,170

Thoughts on food and life: Yesterday was a really good day. I spent a good chunk of time working on school stuff in the morning, and then got in a good OT workout. It was a strength day, so we focused on heavier weights. My biceps are talking to me today! I really liked the instructor yesterday. She was very motivating.

We went to a movie and out to dinner, and I was very happy with the way I balanced out my day of eating. I knew I was going to have a big meal that night, so I ate lighter the rest of the day, and no evening snack. I think many people do this naturally, but it is something I'm learning to do. Tracking is really helping me become more aware of the big picture. I'm really going to focus on being patient and being satisfied with building my sustainable and pleasurable habits, allowing the weight loss to come slowly and steadily.

Today will be school work in the morning, a cardio dvd or walk probably, and then we're off to visit my daughter and her hubby for an early dinner and to see Little Women. I'm really looking forward to it. We're doing a lot of driving this break, but it's worth it for the experiences and spending time with family.

I want to spend one more day of break focusing on school. We're probably going to do a hike one day too. Then spending an early New Year's with DH's son. Probably going to pop in and see the grandbaby too! Okay, off to get some things done!

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Mon Dec 30, 2019 3:19 pm

Monday, December 30th, 2019

Weight: -0 ~ 45.6 to go
Exercise: Orange Theory - 482 cals - 28 splat points
Steps: 9,350

What went well yesterday:

I got a good amount of school work done
I didn't have any snacks last night out of habit
I tracked my food even though I didn't feel like seeing the number

Thoughts on food and life: Still fighting this cold. I'm definitely moving in the right direction, but I'm sure tired of being sick! We had a big early dinner yesterday, and it was very salty. Even though we were done eating for the day at 3:45 my weight is up today. Doing some journaling this morning about my eating out, and my triggers for binge eating that have been keeping my calories too high for any weight loss, and this week, led to weight gain. Moving into this new week I am aiming for greater awareness of potential triggers in my day, and actions I can take to avoid them or work through them successfully. I really want to start this train moving down to my healthiest self. I also need to start giving myself credit for what went well instead of always focusing on what didn't go well. I will add that to my check-in here.

Today I'll be working on school stuff, going to OT, and hopefully getting a hair cut. We're thinking about getting a new car, so we may go looking today or the next few days. That would be exciting! :) Reading to get to it now.
Last edited by alene1 on Tue Dec 31, 2019 3:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 30, 2019 4:06 pm

I like how you are wanting to also focus on the positive. There is a lot of positive here! You are really doing the best you can to take care of yourself in many facets, from work stuff to exercise to nourishment with food. You're finding your stride, even if it feels a bit bumpy right now. :-)

Oh, and about Diet 101 - the author definitely highlights that point about the need to decrease fat if we increase carbs! It was pretty scary to me about how many dieters end up worse off (metabolically) after a low-carb diet. The author seems to be a fan of The Zone diet for those people that don't need to lower their carbs (as much) for blood sugar regulation.
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by ladybird30 » Tue Dec 31, 2019 6:03 am

Happy New Year Alene. I find that self knowledge helps with habit change, so keep up the good work in that department.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Tue Dec 31, 2019 3:36 pm

Auto, thanks so much for your encouragement about doing a lot to take care of myself. I needed to hear that. I do feel like I'm finding my stride. The results will come with time. I have actually always felt very good with a Zone'ish style of eating. Balanced well. I'm looking at my macro percentages and tweaking a bit as I go.

Ladybird, thank you. Self-awareness is really critical I think to making changes. I read somewhere that if you want to change it, track it. We need to know what we're doing in order to make changes.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Tue Dec 31, 2019 3:43 pm

Tuesday, December 31st. 2019

Weight: -.8 ~ 44.8 to go
Exercise: none
Steps: 4,104

What went well yesterday:

I got in a great workout
I kept my food in the calorie zone
I got quite a bit done for school

Happy New Year's Eve all! Hard to believe we're at the last day of this year. It's been a great year in so many ways. I'm very excited for what 2020 will bring, and especially for what I'm going to create.

Yesterday went very well. I ate below my calorie range, and had a very good OT class. I didn't feel ultra-energetic, but I managed to get in a good workout and pushed myself as much as I could. I finished up some important school work, which felt good. I also went and looked at a possible new car. It's not a necessity but my current car has almost 150,000 miles on it. It would be very fun though! I drove a Mazda CX-3 and it's so zippy, comfy, and fun to drive. It doesn't have a lot of back seat room or cargo space, but I am realizing that I don't want a practical car. :lol: I like sporty and fun to drive. Of course DH is the practical one and prefers a bit bigger with more cargo space and a few more perks. That totally makes sense, but I really enjoy driving a fun car that makes me happy. We'll see.

We're going to go see grandbaby for a little bit tonight and then on to my DH's son's NYE get together. It should be nice and we hope to be home by 11:00 or so. That's late for me!!

Hope everyone ends this year on a great note. See you in 2020!
Last edited by alene1 on Wed Jan 01, 2020 4:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

iflytoohigh
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:20 pm

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by iflytoohigh » Tue Dec 31, 2019 4:47 pm

Good job on the good workout! I've found it very difficult for me to adhere to a workout routine... I know I must do better about that. I hope you have fun seeing your grandbaby, and I'm wishing you a wonderful new year!

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Wed Jan 01, 2020 4:18 pm

Thank you! Wishing the same for you.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Wed Jan 01, 2020 4:23 pm

Wednesday, January 1st, 2020

Weight: -0 ~ 45.6 to go
Exercise: 4M walk + Orange Theory (526 cals and 36 splat points)
Steps:16,889

What went well yesterday:

I planned out my day and tried to balance my food with the heavier eating I'd be doing in the evening

Thoughts on food and life: Happy new year all! I'm excited about the year and feel I've got a jump start on where I plan to go. I'm building momentum, gathering information, and beginning take the actions needed to get to where I want to go. I'm planning some time for quiet and reflection today, an OT workout, and some errands and work around home. It should be a nice day. Tomorrow it's back to it!

Again, realizing that meals out are the biggest driver in my calorie intake being too high for weight loss. My goal is one meal out a week. I'm tracking that now, so the awareness should help.
Last edited by alene1 on Thu Jan 02, 2020 2:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

iflytoohigh
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:20 pm

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by iflytoohigh » Wed Jan 01, 2020 5:30 pm

Happy New Year! I can honestly say that quiet time is so important for me to have a good day. I work as a teacher, so I have to start my days early, but I always rise even earlier just so that I can get an hour of total peace and quiet. I'll sometimes walk my dog at 4:30 AM in the pitch black, because you hear nothing--no cars, no people, no dogs barking... it's just total bliss and peace. It helps set my day up for success and relaxes me. It's great for mentally planning my day and preparing myself for any hurdles. I love it! :) I hope your quiet time is equally helpful.

As for eating out, it's crazy how sneaky calories can be with takeaway meals! I think once per week is a good goal. I'm sure you can do it, Alene. Good luck and have a great day!

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Thu Jan 02, 2020 2:28 pm

Ifly, I love early morning too. Coffee and quiet is a wonderful combination.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Thu Jan 02, 2020 2:41 pm

Thursday, January 2nd, 2020

Weight: -8 ~ 44.8 to go
Exercise: none
Steps: 6,217

What went well yesterday:

I really took myself out of my comfort zone in OTF class. We had some long "push" sections and I did more running than I have in years!
I ate very well and hunger was so manageable and comfortable.
It was really nice to get outside and enjoy a walk at the wildlife refuge.
I had a small Perfect bar for a snack instead of a regular-sized one and felt perfectly satisfied.

Thoughts on food and life: Oh, just to vent a little here, I am so frustrated about my scale! I've been thinking it was weird that I always have the same 2 or 3 weights basically the last month, but today out of curiosity I put my glasses back on and weighed a second time, and I was up .8 lbs.! What! Did it again and the same thing. This scale really must not be very accurate. I ordered a new one this morning, but it's super annoying that I haven't really known my true weight all this time. I'm sure it's in the ballpark, but still!!! Anyway, vent over and moving on.

I had a great day of activity yesterday. DH and I took a 4 mile walk and then I went to my OTF class and hit a personal best for calories burned and splat points. I really pushed myself and I was proud! Calories were right in range and I felt good hunger-wise.

Today it's back to it!! We don't have regular class but we're doing a literacy night tonight instead. We're doing some trainings and other things during the day.
Last edited by alene1 on Fri Jan 03, 2020 2:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

iflytoohigh
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:20 pm

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by iflytoohigh » Thu Jan 02, 2020 3:00 pm

Congrats on the extra running! Sounds like quite a lot of wins for the day. And yes, scales being fickle drives me nuts, too. We have a type that randomly needs to calibrate itself, so sometimes I'll step on it and the number seems significantly higher than it should. I always just take a deep breath, step off, then back on for a second go. Usually it's 3-5 pounds less, which is nice, but it's obnoxious that it randomly does this. Anyway, my own rant aside... let us know how that new scale performs, haha.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Fri Jan 03, 2020 2:36 am

oh my gosh you two - those scales sound frustrating!

And I'm with you both on loving my early mornings. And ifly - I LOVE walking my dog in the pitch black. It's like I have the whole world to myself for a few minutes. :-)
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Fri Jan 03, 2020 3:01 pm

Friday, January 3rd, 2020

Weight: waiting to weigh with new scale
Exercise: Orange Theory - 472 cals - 26 splat points
Steps: 9,146

What went well yesterday:

Our room at literacy night was a hit. The kids really enjoyed the playdough and sensory table Pete the Cat activities.
I ended up overeating but it could have been much worse. No secret eating.

Thoughts on food and life: I'm feeling so negative this morning. Frustrated about my weight, tired from being awake worrying for a long time, frustrated that my two teaching assistants just do not jive at all, and it's really creating a non-peaceful energy in my classroom. The hard part is that it's totally a personality thing. Not something we can talk out and make better. She just grates on everyone's nerves. She's sugar sweet and it's not an act. She really is ultra-positive. But she is also very forgetful and doesn't pay attention to the big picture very well. Always focusing on what is going well right in front of her while the rest of the classroom may not be going so well.

We also had a teacher training yesterday about our small group time, and it ended up making me feel like there is so much I need to be doing differently. Just not a great day overall.

I have so, so many blessings and good things in my life, and I really want to adjust my attitude. Going back to daily affirmations, probably more yoga and meditation, would be very good for me.

Today is a prep day. I have a lot to do, and hopefully I can use the time wisely. I need to focus in on my to-do list and not chat with my teaching assistant. Fridays I just have the one that I get along well with. It's always so nice when she goes home and then I can have quiet! Hopefully tomorrow I will be feeling happier. I have Orange Theory this afternoon and that will be good for me.
Last edited by alene1 on Sat Jan 04, 2020 1:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Fri Jan 03, 2020 3:26 pm

waiting to weigh with new scale
Ha! This made me laugh! Hope you love your new scale! I've been using the Renpho scale for about a year and we are happy with it.

About the teaching frustrations: I totally get it. I think we are kindred spirits that way. It's almost like we care too much, ya know? But all we can do each day is our best, and we can't give up all the balance in the rest of our lives. Prepping nonstop isn't a good way to live, either. Your presence and caring for those children is always going to be more important than the ideal planned day. Relationship always trumps organization. And I'm not saying organization isn't important - but I have to remind myself to focus on relationships with my students because otherwise I remain entirely immersed in the science content.

I hope today goes better for you.
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sat Jan 04, 2020 1:55 pm

Auto, thank you for that reminder. I absolutely know that building relationships is so important. I think once I get better processes and routines in place then it will be much easier and better.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sat Jan 04, 2020 1:58 pm

Saturday, January 4th, 2020

Weight: -0 ~ 45 lbs. to go
Exercise: none
Steps: 7,640

What went well yesterday:

I got quite a bit done with organizing and prepping
I had a good workout at OT and pushed myself, especially on core exercises. I can feel myself getting stronger!! :)
I had a nice evening with the hubby
Eating went very well. Hunger was very reasonable. Felt good.
Last edited by alene1 on Mon Jan 06, 2020 1:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.

iflytoohigh
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:20 pm

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by iflytoohigh » Sat Jan 04, 2020 3:40 pm

I'm glad your hunger has been reasonable! Sorry you've been dealing with frustrating peers. I am an adult educator (although my master's specifically is in public health), and I have an assistant who is practically useless. I found out my company is hiring me a second one, and I'm very nervous about this. I don't want to be overbearing during the interview process and come across as exceptionally picky about the applicants, but I do NOT want another assistant like my current one, nor do I want one whose personality will exacerbate issues with my current one. I know it'll likely work out in the long run, but it is frustrating when you supervise/oversee a small team of people, and they just don't work well together. So, I relate to your sentiments and am praying for a positive outcome as we find me a second assistant. Ugh, I'm dreading next week's interviews already...

Anyway, this isn't about me, lol. Since you weighed in, it sounds like your new scale arrived. How are you liking it? What type did you get? Sending you positive vibes for an extraordinary weekend.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sun Jan 05, 2020 4:18 pm

Hi ifly. There are a lot of teachers around here! It's nice to have the comradery. It's so awesome when you have a great team of people that create good energy together. I hope your new assistant can help create better energy and productivity. I'm afraid I'm not going to have that this year. But I will do the best I can to keep things positive and encourage the same in my assistants.

I got a Renpho scale. I really like it and it seems very sensitive and accurate. It got great reviews online. It measures body fat too but it is WAY off! I got it done at Orange Theory and it's vastly different. I know it's way too low on this scale, so I'm just ignoring it. I'm getting my BF% done every 3 months at the studio, and I'm going by that.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sun Jan 05, 2020 4:27 pm

Sunday, January 5th, 2020

Weight: -.2 ~ 44.8 to go
Exercise: 40M walk
Steps: 9,156

What went well yesterday:

I had a nice visit with a friend who came down to visit
I had two meals out but had a salad for one of them
DH and I had a nice date night with dinner out and seeing a movie
I discovered some things about what makes my body feel best nutrient-wise
I got my meals planned for the week and we went shopping. All stocked up!
I got my cat's nails clipped! :) Long overdue.

Thoughts on food and life:

Overall a good day yesterday. Lots of fun and some work done too. Calories were on the high end, but the scale moved down just a touch. I am so happy that I have my new scale. Even just a tiny bump down can be encouraging and create some positive momentum. With some experimenting I'm doing I feel like I have found my sweet spot in terms of nutrients and calorie level that will make me happy, body, mind and spirit. That's pretty big! Now it's all about consistency. That is the key. Consistent action based on what I know about myself. Tried and true. Persistent. One day at a time, and not expecting quick changes. Slow and steady truly does win this race, and I need to remember that every day.

Today I'm going to do some school work, a load of laundry, take a walk, and have some time alone. I really feel the need for that today. That darn rain is coming down, but as soon as there's a break I think I'll get out and get that walk in. A long walk alone is so therapeutic and just clears out the cobwebs. Here's to a great Sunday for all.
Last edited by alene1 on Mon Jan 06, 2020 1:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by Soprano » Sun Jan 05, 2020 4:36 pm

I love to walk, enjoy

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

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Mon Jan 06, 2020 1:46 pm

Thanks Soprano. The sun peeked out at me for a little while and I took the window for a nice walk.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Mon Jan 06, 2020 1:55 pm

Monday, January 6th, 2020

Weight: -.6 ~ 44.4 to go
Exercise: OTF - 375 cals + 2 splat points
Steps: 10,475

What went well yesterday:

I had a great conversation with one of my co-workers when I went into school for a little while. It made me realize how much I miss that connection with other women since I have moved here. She is a person I could become much better friends with. I will put in the time to nurture that relationship. Other than my fellow-teachers and co-workers, I don't really have any friends outside school. I have many friends and family that live near my former city, but it's about an hour and a half drive to get there. I'm going to put more focus on this. Orange Theory will be a great place to make some new friends. I'm going to make an effort to talk to at least one woman each class. I'm sure others are feeling the same way that I am, wanting to connect.
I got in a 40M walk. It felt really good to get outside, and have some time to just let things flow quietly in my mind.
I went up to school and did some work.
I did some needed school work at home.
I made a really nice dinner with a new recipe. I like making the Sunday night meal a cozy, comfort food type of meal. Still healthy though!
I stayed in my calorie range, and felt good both energy-wise and emotionally. Enough structure and enough freedom to make mind and body happy.
DH and I had some good connection time.

Monday is here! I have a very busy week ahead at school. But I also have a nice balance of 3 OT classes planned and a trip down to see my mom and sister, and have a girls' night. Wine, dinner, and some pinochle afterwards. Mom loves playing. I'm feeling good and ready to tackle the week. Scale was down .4 this morning for a total of .6. I am very pleased to see the downward movement.
Last edited by alene1 on Tue Jan 07, 2020 1:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

iflytoohigh
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:20 pm

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by iflytoohigh » Mon Jan 06, 2020 8:35 pm

Alene, I can really relate to your sentiments about friendship. My husband and I tend to move every few years (he is pursuing his doctoral degree, so we've done the last two moves for research purposes and now for him to finish his program). As a result of us having a fairly transient lifestyle, it's become hard for me to build many lasting friendships. I've had a few very close friends, both male and female, but I feel like I always have to leave them behind, so I've found myself slowly growing colder towards the idea of becoming too attached to people. We have been at our current residence for a year now, but we will be moving again in two years for his post-doctoral placement. Sigh.

Anyway, I hope that you can build some wonderful friendships! I very much miss having a good friend or two to invite over and just talk with. As it stands now, I've made decent acquaintances through work that I see on occasion, but it's pretty much just me, my hubby, and our little caravan of critters, lol. I'm hoping this upcoming move will be our last!

(Wow, that was quite the confession from me based on one part of your post, LOL. Oops...)

Teammoney
Posts: 120
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 6:43 pm

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by Teammoney » Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:49 pm

I moved a lot too so I feel your pain. I weirdly always ended up making friends with other people who just moved to town and now and also took up bizarre hobbies (not to make friends but because I’m a curious person) that lead to some lovely friendships. Good luck!

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Tue Jan 07, 2020 12:52 am

How lovely that you will go see your sister and your mom (and play pinochle!).

I am really impressed with your OT workouts, and now your determination to make it a social occasion. Very good!

I'm making Italian chicken breasts in my (new) Instant Pot tonight. Proud of myself, can't help it. :-)

Ifly and Team$ - it is HARD to make friends once we are adults out of school..... and moving.... When my husband and I moved to our current location, we had a 6 month old and no friends. 14 years later.... we do have friends, we really do, but we are so busy with work and kids that we just don't foster friendships like we (maybe?) should.... I always wonder if I'll regret it later, but alas, it kind of is what it is!!! I do get a little jealous of friends and relatives that have super close friends from way way back.
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Tue Jan 07, 2020 1:58 pm

Ladies, thanks for the commiseration on making new friends. I'm very thankful I haven't moved very far away and can still see my closest friends semi-regularly. But it's important I find some new local friends too!

Auto, what did you season your pork tenderloin with? I wasn't crazy about the rub I tried. The pork itself was nice and tender though! Have fun with your instapot!

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Tue Jan 07, 2020 2:05 pm

Tuesday, January 7th, 2020

Exercise: none
Steps: 6,863

What went well yesterday:

Morning class went quite smoothly, and the kids got back into the routine surprisingly well.
My most challenging afternoon student did better than his first week of school. Still spitting, hitting, pushing, trying to bite, but there was some improvement! I need to focus on that.
I went to Orange Theory yesterday even though I felt really emotionally drained and low energy.
I had extra snacks during afternoon recess, but didn't let the snacking continue on through the day.

Thoughts on food and life: I decided not to post my weight change every day. It's discouraging me. The calories are trending down, so I know the scale will follow soon. I had tomato sauce last night and it bumped up a little.

My new, challenging student is really hard. I just end the day feeling so defeated and ineffective. Part of the problem is that I keep looking at the negative instead of the positive. I'm going to start writing a list each day of what went well with him. I think that's why I had zero emotional and physical energy at class yesterday. I'm going to try taking the later class so I have time to decompress, drink some green tea for a little extra energy, etc, and see if that helps. Mondays are just hard anyway. Working on being more positive, and looking for the positive, is a big focus for me this year. I don't want to be a negative Nancy!! Good day to all.
Last edited by alene1 on Wed Jan 08, 2020 1:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Teammoney
Posts: 120
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 6:43 pm

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by Teammoney » Tue Jan 07, 2020 2:21 pm

Hi Alene, sorry if I missed that but what age are the children you are teaching? Primary or senior? I am having a bad day with one of my toddlers so can only imagine a difficult older child 🤦‍♀️ and when they are not even your own - I’d probably not be very good at dealing with that.

iflytoohigh
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:20 pm

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by iflytoohigh » Tue Jan 07, 2020 6:30 pm

I think that's a great idea to not weigh daily, Alene. I've found for me, it's better to do it once a week. That way, the random fluctuations won't discourage me. I'm sure if you take several days between your weigh ins, you'll find that you're trending downwards overall! You're doing so great. :)

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Wed Jan 08, 2020 1:56 pm

Teammoney, I teach special education preschool, 3-5 year olds. They can be very tiring and challenging, but it's so rewarding when they grow and make progress!

Ifly, thanks for the encouragement. I'm trying to just look at all the data I'm gathering as information, and not taking it too personally. I weigh what I should weigh each day because of the food, sodium intake, and exercise of the previous days. It's not something to get mad about, just data. I'm tracking the data to see what the trends are and what my numbers need to be to gradually release extra body fat and become my healthiest self. I'm trying to be curious and not mad when the scale doesn't cooperate! ;)

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Wed Jan 08, 2020 2:09 pm

Wednesday, January 8th, 2020

Exercise: Orange Theory - 521 calories - 35 splat points - killer workout!
Steps: 12,533

What went well yesterday?

I got my challenging student on the bus peacefully with a bee stamp!
I ate well and stayed close to my calorie range.
I felt much more positive and encouraged at the end of the day, which led me to feel so much better all evening.
I got my big work meeting done, and can cross that off my list for the week.

Thoughts on food and life: I feel good this morning. I feel really encouraged about the day yesterday, and excited for Orange Theory tonight. I'm going to try a different time to hopefully have better energy. I have work to do after work, so I'll stay late and do that and have some dinner there. I'm doing the 7 PM class, so I'll have some tea for a bit of extra energy. I'm feeling some new strength in my core area, and that feels awesome! We do a lot of different core exercises using the Bosu ball, and the TRX bands. It's good to stretch myself, because I really wasn't doing core work with my at-home dvd workouts.

Yesterday my little friend at school pulled the fire alarm and all the classes had to go outside until the fire department came. :lol: That little rascal! Overall he had a better day though, and that encouraged me so much. I just want to be effective and help him to grow and learn how to be a good friend and citizen.

Okay, gonna get to it and get to work early. Happy Wednesday!
Last edited by alene1 on Fri Jan 10, 2020 3:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Thu Jan 09, 2020 12:59 am

He pulled the fire alarm!!?? That's like something out of a movie! :wink:
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

Whosonfirst
Posts: 538
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:32 pm

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by Whosonfirst » Thu Jan 09, 2020 4:16 am

alene1 wrote:
Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:33 pm
Wednesday, December 25th, 2019

Weight: -1.6 ~ 44 to go
Exercise: 1H walk
Steps: 10,253

Thursday, December 26th, 2019

Weight: -2.2 ~ 43.4 to go
Exercise: Orange Theory
Steps: 11,109

Thoughts on food and life: Hmm, that darn scale finally moved down today. That is after two days of holiday meals and higher calorie days. It's interesting. Maybe the habits I'm working on instilling are slowly but surely working their magic. Needless to say, I was very tickled to see that number today!

We had a wonderful Christmas with my family. We had a brunch with waffles, eggs, ham, sausage, and champagne. We enjoyed opening presents, and even though I didn't hold my GS, I enjoyed watching everyone else, and just being with him. He is such a little love.

DH and I took a nice 1H walk after dinner and then headed home. It was a great day.

Today I'm going to head up to my classroom to do some organizing, and computer work. It will be so nice to have the quiet and get things done with a long stretch of quiet, uninterrupted time. I'm actually looking really forward to it. I've been enjoying my time off, but I'm also really ready to start working on my teaching goals.

I have a 4:30 Orange Theory class scheduled today. I'm hoping I'm feeling pretty good by then. In the morning colds always seem worse. Wishing everyone a good day!
Hi Alene, Just wanted to stop by and say hello. What is the Orange Theory Class? Seeing that you're a step counter, my wife had Dr. Phil on today and his subject was a woman obsessed with doing 100K steps every day. She jogs around her coffee table most of the day or evening to get her count. I didn't watch it.
https://twitter.com/SipeEngineering
Current weight(9/2020)-212 lbs.
Goal Weight- 205 lbs.
NoS Goal: >= 80% Success days

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Fri Jan 10, 2020 3:29 pm

Auto, yes, it was like in the movies! We had to laugh. He almost pulled it again yesterday.

Whosonfirst, Orange Theory is a fitness studio. The classes are 60 minutes long, and you are coached through treadmill blocks, weights blocks, and rowing machine blocks. Pretty intense, great music, and fun to see all your data displayed on the boards during the workout - heart rate, calories burned, etc. Thanks for coming by.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Fri Jan 10, 2020 3:35 pm

Thursday, January 9th, 2020

Exercise: none
Steps: 6,553

Friday, January 10th, 2020

Exercise: Orange Theory - 482 calories - 21 splat points
Steps: 9,408

What went well yesterday:

I got my challenging student on and off the bus with some tricks up my sleeve.
I had a great visit with mom and sis. Really fun just to drink wine and visit and vent a bit.

Thoughts on food and life: Oh my, what a day yesterday. I was just so done. Such a challenging situation at school. I'm so thankful that I have today without kids and the weekend to recoup and gear up for another week. Time to think about new ways of doing things to bring better success.

Today is prep time and meetings at school, and then Orange Theory at 4:30. Going to the 7:00 class on Wednesday worked so much better. I definitely need time to settle and center before trying to do an intense workout.

We get to babysit my grandson this weekend. I can hardly wait!!! First time. We're also meeting my daughter and SIL for coffee and maybe a walk with them and their pups. I'm so looking forward to that.

They put in the floor on our house! Yesterday they did some framing and it's very exciting. We'll go out tomorrow morning and see what all they got done today.

Hope everyone has a great weekend if I don't get back before Monday.
Last edited by alene1 on Sat Jan 11, 2020 4:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Teammoney
Posts: 120
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 6:43 pm

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by Teammoney » Fri Jan 10, 2020 5:09 pm

Sounds like there are lots of exciting things happening. Very happy for you!

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Sat Jan 11, 2020 12:40 am

How they are managing to make progress on the house in this rain (and snow in my area!!!) is beyond me, but I'm happy for you! :-)

And I always love to hear the excitement and joy you have for time with your daughter and husband's family, too. And the pups, of course!
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by lpearlmom » Sat Jan 11, 2020 6:19 am

Yay on the babysitting and new flooring. Teaching is tough. Don’t know how you guys do it but I really admire you all.

Have a great weekend!

L
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sat Jan 11, 2020 4:23 pm

Auto, once they get the roof on they will dry out the wood with heaters and fans. They test it before they put on the drywall and it has to meet a certain standard. No snow here, but it's been raining a lot this week. We are due for snow on Monday. We'll see! Yes, I love to see my family. I wish I lived closer but I'm thankful I'm not farther away!

Teammoney, thank you! Yes, lots of great things going on here. :)

Linda, it can be wonderful, and it can be pretty awful sometimes. It's an emotional rollercoaster, but worth it. I love the kids and really want them to grow and progress.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sat Jan 11, 2020 4:30 pm

Saturday, January 11th, 2020

Exercise: none
Steps: 4,478

What went well yesterday:

I got all the assessments done that I needed to to share at my teacher meeting yesterday. That was a bit weight off my shoulders. I felt relieved.
I brought my own snack to the teacher meeting and had that. Often there are a lot of snacks there and it's really annoying! I did have 2 mini peanut butter cups but I felt okay about that.
No stress eating in the afternoon, which is my most challenging time of day. But Fridays we don't have kids, so it's pretty calm and peaceful!
I had a good workout at OT and got a good calorie burn. I hit a PR of 5.8 miles an hour on one of my running intervals.

Thoughts on food and life: Feeling so much better to have gotten my assessments done that I've been working on the last few weeks. They are very time consuming, and have to be entered into the computer one click at a time through all the developmental areas. It's the first time I've done it as this is a new curriculum and assessment process for me. I got my data printed out and ready to share with the other teachers, and it felt like a real accomplishment!

Today will be a great day. Heading out to the property soon to check out the progress, and the blue sky is peeking out. It's pretty windy but no rain. Then home to get ready and then heading out to the Seattle area. I think we'll stop and take a walk along the at the wildlife refuge, then have some coffee and then meet my DH's son and my daughter and her husband for an early dinner of Thai food. Then it's off to babysit. Yay! Can't wait to kiss those little cheekers. :)

Wishing everyone a great weekend ahead.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sun Jan 12, 2020 4:08 pm

Sunday, January 12th, 2020

Exercise: none - I was planning a walk but the weather never really cleared. Showers on and off.
Steps: 6,960

What went well yesterday:

I got my meals planned, and my grocery list made.
I had a lot of fun with my family and my grandson.
I ate a just right amount of food and enjoyed it a lot

Thoughts on food and life: Great day yesterday with family. It was so fun watching my sweet little grandson. He did great, and we really enjoyed him so much. Nice to see my son and DIL too.

Today I'm going to get out and take a walk when we get a window of sunshine in the early afternoon. Grocery shopping, laundry, and some tiding too. I'm also going to stop by school for a while and do some work. The Seahawks game is on late this afternoon, so I'm going to watch that too! Good time tidy the extra bedroom and fold clothes.

Looking forward to a new week to keep practicing my stress management skills. I'm going to come up with some strategies to try today.
Last edited by alene1 on Mon Jan 13, 2020 2:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Sun Jan 12, 2020 4:23 pm

During stressful Seahawks game I always get a lot of laundry folded. :lol:

I like how organized and balanced your weekend sounds. I really hope that carries over into your (very challenging) workweek. As I read your entries, I often get a sense of peace come over me. I know that you have some really tough times with your work, but you seem to handle it all with a lot of perspective and wisdom.
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Mon Jan 13, 2020 2:52 pm

Auto, too bad the game ended like it did, but at least they really rallied and Marshawn got in some good plays! It is a real compliment to me that my posts give you a sense of peace. I think this journal helps me to organize my life and thoughts and give me a certain stability. Your steadfast presence here has been a true inspiration to me, and gives me a steady feeling that I know you'll be here, taking care of your health and well being, and I want to follow suit!

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Mon Jan 13, 2020 3:02 pm

Monday, January 13th, 2020

Exercise: Orange Theory - 498 calories - 33 splat points
Steps: didn't pick up my steps

What went well yesterday:

I got all my shopping done and I'm ready for the new week.
I got my laundry and tidying done.
I managed my afternoon hunger/snackiness quite well, and had my evening snack then instead. It was a day where I could have nibbled a lot while I watched the game.
I talked to my son who lives in Japan over Facetime. We had a nice visit, and it's always so good to "see" him.
I started reading my new book, the Gratitude Diaries. It's one year in the life of someone who decided to be grateful instead of grumpy. ;)

Thoughts on food and life: Yesterday was a really good day. I got quite a bit done and also had quite a bit of down time. I told DH about my gratitude book and that she writes down at least one thing each night that she was grateful for that day. We're going to do the same together in a shared notebook at bedtime. He's on board and I think it's going to be a really good thing for us!

We have a 2 hour delay for school. Turns out we really didn't need it, but it's nice for me! That means no morning preschool, so I'll be able to go in and get a lot done. That will be awesome.

I've been very gradually bringing my food intake down, and that's going fine. I had gotten in the habit of eating quite a few more calories than I used to. That is going just fine, and I know as I continue this and time goes by, my body will being releasing this extra body fat it has been carrying. I'm not feeling deprived, and I know that less food is the amount my body truly needs to be at its healthiest and happiest.

Off to it! Monday, here we come. May it be a good one for all! Wish me luck as I try some new strategies to handle my challenging kiddo this afternoon and avoid stress eating.
Last edited by alene1 on Tue Jan 14, 2020 2:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Teammoney
Posts: 120
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 6:43 pm

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by Teammoney » Mon Jan 13, 2020 5:13 pm

Sounds like you are doing so well and like you, I have a lot of faith into the process too.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Tue Jan 14, 2020 2:47 pm

Thanks Teammoney! I'm pleased with the way things are coming along. :)

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Tue Jan 14, 2020 2:52 pm

Tuesday, January 14th, 2020

Exercise: 30M walk in the snow
Steps: 9,162

What went well yesterday:

I had a great workout. I pushed myself to a new PR for speed on the treadmill.
I only had 4 students yesterday in my afternoon class. Heaven! :) I really enjoyed my teaching and time with the kids.
Eating went well. A bit over calorie target but it was for legitimate hunger, not emotions.

Thoughts on food and life: Snow day! The roads really aren't too bad but they canceled school today. I'm going to go to Starbucks and work on some more assessments this morning. I'll get in a little light cardio at some point probably. Maybe I'll work on some decluttering today too. We're going to go out to the property and check on the house progress this afternoon. They have almost all the interior walls done now!
Last edited by alene1 on Wed Jan 15, 2020 3:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Tue Jan 14, 2020 3:02 pm

Hurray for a quiet afternoon class yesterday and a snow day today!
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Wed Jan 15, 2020 3:21 pm

Wednesday, January 15th, 2020

Exercise: Orange Theory - 489 calories + 26 splat points
Steps: tracker didn't work

What went well yesterday:

I was hungry and in Target in the snack aisle and I started to plan a binge. I picked up 3 packages of snacks that looked delicious. I was walking up to the check-out line and made a decision that I don't want to live like that anymore. I set them down and went to the checkout. I was so happy both then and at the end of the day that I made that decision.
We had a great walk on a nearby trail up in the snow. So beautiful.
I got some misc. planning and shopping done.

Thoughts on food and life: It was great having a snow day yesterday. I didn't get much done, but did enjoy the day. We also went out to the property after our walk and things are really coming along! They're working on the garage now, and have finished all the interior walls.
Last edited by alene1 on Thu Jan 16, 2020 3:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Wed Jan 15, 2020 3:31 pm

Alene - what a huge victory on putting the snacks back!
From my experience, when I would have those kinds of desires to "buy all the fun snacks" it was at times when I felt a little overworked, overwhelmed, and off my schedule. I was subconsciously looking for a way to get a quick dopamine hit.
Even now, years after breaking many of those types of habits, I experience the "buy the fun snacks" urge when I need to relax and disconnect from my responsibilities and my worries. I don't have a perfect substitute for the need; food is a quick-acting drug that things like walks, baths, naps, books, friends, etc. can help, but they are not as quick-acting. But it is so worth the change long-term.
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by Soprano » Wed Jan 15, 2020 6:37 pm

Well done Alene putting the snacks back!

Auto I so understand using food for a dopamine hit. So close to it today.

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

Teammoney
Posts: 120
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 6:43 pm

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by Teammoney » Wed Jan 15, 2020 10:13 pm

Brilliant! That’s a huge step. Well done!

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Thu Jan 16, 2020 3:30 pm

Thursday, January 16th, 2020

Exercise: none
Steps: 5,702

What went well yesterday?

I got quite a bit done on my assessments.
I had a good workout at Orange Theory.
I had some nitro cold brew coffee that I really enjoyed.

Thoughts on food and life: Thinking about my tracking my food and how it has been so helpful for me as an awareness tool. My weight is beginning to go down, and I am so thankful for that. It brings an awareness of what I'm putting into my body, and the amount of fuel I'm taking in. Without it I tend to be an ignorance is bliss kinda person. But it also creates this feeling of numbness and being out of touch with my heart and emotions. A focus on it throughout the day. I can't figure out what the connection is exactly. Maybe a removal of some of the freedom and spontaneity that I have when not tracking. I'm not sure. I don't like it, but I don't know what to do about it. Maybe stepping up the yoga, meditation, quiet introspection time alone would help. In theory, I can just plan the day in the morning, which I do, and then not have to think about it all day. It's frustrating to me. It's kind of like this black and white thing - free and easy, or planned and structured.

We went out to dinner spur of the moment yesterday. My plan is one meal a week out, and just ordering what I feel like. That means when the weekend comes and if we do go out, which we probably will, I will be choosing something healthier and that isn't a calorie bomb. :wink: It's good for me to practice doing that. Going out to a meal doesn't have to mean that your throw caution to the wind and just eat whatever. I want to be intentional in my life. It's one of the things I'm focusing on in the different areas of my life. Exercise, teaching, eating, everyday choices I make.

We're two hours late today, so that means no morning preschool. I'll have time to go in early and work on an IEP I need to write for tomorrow, as well as assessments. Those things are just a thorn in my side!! Can't wait to be done with them. I have the hardest time disciplining myself to sit down and do them.

I am feeling like I need more time alone. More time to just be, and not be on my phone and on Facebook. Time to contemplate, breathe, be with myself. I find it hard to maintain my own identity and focus on who I am and I want to be while being married and living with someone. You always have to take someone else''s feelings and needs into consideration. Hopefully I will find my balance. Luckily DH also likes time alone, but he is also a person who feels most connected when we have quality time together. Maybe that is part of the key. Quality time instead of just hanging around the house together. I get antsy and I'm kind of a go, go, go social person, and he isn't that way. He is much more content with less busyness. It worked out fine when we lived separately an hour apart while we were dating. lol It's good to think about and work on ideas.

Okay, better get to it. Happy Thursday all.
Last edited by alene1 on Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Thu Jan 16, 2020 3:36 pm

Auto, thanks for the support I like what you said about the dopamine hit. I'm sure that's it. I think it was the combo of being hungry, and it being a snow day with no structure.

Soprano and TM, thanks for the cheering! It's very appreciated.

Teammoney
Posts: 120
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 6:43 pm

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by Teammoney » Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:41 am

Hi Alene, time on my own is also a big thing for me. I get it late at night which cuts into my sleep but it is the only that works for with my early risers. I need it daily at the moment and am so grumpy without it! Before kids I would go out for long walks by myself or just to a coffee shop with a book and journal every Saturday morning while DH did stuff around the house and it worked well for us. I’m sure you will find a rhythm.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:27 pm

TM, things change in a big way when you have kids!! I'm in a place where I have a lot of free time and flexibility. :)

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Sat Jan 18, 2020 3:24 pm

I love time to myself. Crave it like water! Sometimes I wonder if I'm the type of person that shouldn't have had kids. That said, I do the best I can - I'm just not a natural mom (like ALL my sister-in-laws, lol!!). I look forward to having good health after my kids are grown up and being able to do a lot of my hobbies. My mom always gives me the massive guilt trip about soaking it all up, never taking it for granted. I don't appreciate that guilt trip! Remind me, everyone, NOT to do that to moms when I'm older.
Sorry Alene - that was a thread hijack for sure! :roll: :mrgreen:

All that to say, I completely extoll your desire and efforts to foster your alone time (and your deep inner life, which you obviously value and need time for)! :-)
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Tue Jan 21, 2020 3:06 pm

Back to check in soon. All is well! :)

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Fri Jan 24, 2020 2:44 pm

Auto, it sounds like we both really value that alone time for quiet and introspection. I think it's what allows us to really thrive and feel happy in the rest of our lives.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Fri Jan 24, 2020 2:51 pm

Friday, January 24th, 2020

Exercise:
Steps:

I've been away because I joined Noom a week ago, and that has been sucking up my time and energy. I'm so, so pleased with the experience so far. It's hard to explain, and as usual I am short on time, but I will get to that this weekend! But I really miss journaling here, and I think it's a really important part of my journey, so I'm going to make the time!

Due to meetings I haven't been to OTF this week. I'm going today at 4:30. It will be good to get back and get a workout in. I will probably feel my absence in the difficult of workout! ;)

Still struggling hard with my difficult student. We had some better days but then yesterday was rough. My whole class is being upended and other students who had grown so much are going back to old habits. It's very distressing. The new teacher is starting in the next week, and he will be moving there. I feel so relieved but also bad for the new teacher.

Weight moved down a little bit this week as I am learning the Noom system. There is a very valuable psychological, habit building structure built in which is wonderful. It's based on cognitive behavioral therapy. It's taking time to learn and get into the flow, but I am indeed learning! Patience is important as I get into the groove with it. I need to keep thinking about the positives each day, and set the scale off to the side. That will come as I get more aligned with my program.

We have a brunch at school this morning that my classroom is in charge of, so I better get to it! Back probably on Sunday to fill in more details. I hope everyone has a great Friday!

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Fri Jan 24, 2020 3:20 pm

Have a great Friday and I hope Mr. Difficult doesn't pull any fire alarms or anyone's hair, either. :wink:

Noom sounds really useful!
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by lpearlmom » Sun Jan 26, 2020 2:59 pm

Sorry about the difficult student. Noom sounds interesting. Looking forward to hearing more. I havent worked out in forever and know that first one back is going to kick my booty!

Hope you’re having a great weekend!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sun Feb 02, 2020 5:11 pm

Auto, Mr. Difficult moved on to his new classroom on Wednesday. I have to say it was a huge relief. I have been getting cold sores pretty much one after another since he came to my class. The new teacher started and he moved there as planned, and I am doing all I can to support her in the transition. I feel like I couldn't focus on all the other important things I want to do in my classroom while I was dealing with him. I really do need more skills and information on how to manage and teach students with that degree of behavior issues. I'm taking some classes this month!

Linda, try and find something you love and baby step your way to more frequency over time. :) Thanks for coming by.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sun Feb 02, 2020 5:22 pm

Sunday, February 2nd, 2020

How is it February already??? Time is just flying by. It's been a good month though. Time for some updates!

My youngest son who is living in Japan finished his computer programming bootcamp and has been offered his first job in the field. He's still mid-interview process with a few other companies, so he will make a decision by the end of the week I'm sure. That means he should be able to come home for a visit shortly!! I can't wait to see him. Last time was in July when he was here for our wedding reception.

Orange Theory is going great. I hit a PR for my treadmill speed of 7 miles per hour on our 1 minute all-out. I had a runner's high going on after that workout. Felt so good to push myself and improve. No kids on Fridays so I have more emotional/mental energy to give in my Friday afternoon class. I'm going 3 days a week plus at least one walk each week. Feeling good about my total steps for the week when I follow my routine.

Noom is going great. I really, really love it. I have several FB groups I'm part of, as well as the daily tasks and writings I go through each morning on the app. I'm being put in a group as well, which should happen tomorrow. We have a group coach who guides the group, asking questions, etc. Hopefully mine will be a good fit with people I can connect with. Weight is down 1.2 in two weeks. I'm actually just fine with that. I'm learning a lot, and if I continue losing at that rate or hopefully a bit faster as I learn and streamline my habits, I will reach my health goals! I may be turtleing it on this journey, but I don't care. I can't explain exactly why I love it so much, but I do. I feel different. I feel supported. I feel like I am learning a lot about myself and about the habits I need to create along the way to make this forever. I feel like Noom and Orange Theory are my perfect duo!

Today I'm going to get lots done around the house, my weekly grocery shopping, and finish up my student growth checkpoints, finally! This has been such a monkey on my back! Gonna throw that baby off today!! :lol:

Happy Sunday to all.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Wed Feb 05, 2020 2:49 pm

Wednesday, February 5th, 2020

Exercise: none
Steps: 7,543

What went well yesterday:

Back story - I have had a few challenging days. I got an email Monday morning about my teaching certificate from the district office. It was a group email to all that had certificates needing renewing in the next 4 months. For some reason it just set me off like wildfire. I got really worried that somehow I had let things lapse or had credits I would need to get by the end of June. The tone of her email was almost chastising. Telling us not to wait till the last minute to renew, etc., etc. I had bought some mini blueberry bagels to have with my afternoon snack, and I tore into them like I hadn't eaten in days. Afternoon recess when the kids were out was another repeat of snacking, though not as frantic. Obviously there was something there that was a major trigger for me. I think it was being treated like a little kid, like I was incompetent, like I wasn't taking care of things properly. Whatever it was was really upsetting and made me feel like I lost total control. The rest of the day wasn't good either, and then yesterday I started out with another snacking morning during recess. Kind of an emotional hangover from the eating day before. Eating to try and feel better and find some stable ground somehow.

I was able to get a hold of myself, the me that is in touch with what I want for my life, and my eating life too. I tracked and ate my planned meals and snacks the rest of the day. Got on the scale this morning, and have food planned for the day. So what went well was that I was able to recover from the morning, fall back into the habits I'm creating, and end the day well.

This is not going to be a linear process. I'm going to have really good days, some days that aren't great, and some off days along this road. As long as I keep moving along, building and reinforcing the habits I want to instill in me for good, I will get there. I just need to not be discouraged by the blips. They are just blips, not my old normal. I got this. I am doing this. I am changing for good.

Thoughts on food and life: I have a class today after school. Those are challenging for me as they have a big basket of snacks, I'm tired and mentally fatigued from the day of teaching, and I want to be at home! I have a plan in place for managing it well, and expect it to work well. I'll report back. That's it for now as I need to get to it! Happy Wednesday!
Last edited by alene1 on Thu Feb 06, 2020 2:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Wed Feb 05, 2020 3:26 pm

You have a great attitude about this. In another life, you could have been an engineer. :-)
It is all just data - if we can respond less judgementally to ourselves, we do so much better!

Hope today goes really well for you. Your school is SOOOOOOO lucky to have you.
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Thu Feb 06, 2020 2:40 pm

Auto, thanks for the encouragement. I'm trying!!

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Thu Feb 06, 2020 2:47 pm

Thursday, February 6th, 2020

What went well yesterday:

I had a great day of eating, and stuck to my plan! I felt great about my class. I made a plan and stuck with it. Healthy day of eating, and I felt very satisfied.
I felt very snacky after dinner, but I had my planned snack and that was that. I was totally fine with no hunger in bed.

Thoughts on food and life:

My son is coming home next Thursday!! Yay, so happy! He's living in Japan and I haven't seen him since July of last year. That's the longest we've gone without seeing him. He gets to meet his new little nephew too. So fun! He just got his job offer after doing his computer programming bootcamp, so he is lined up and ready to go with that when he gets back. I can't wait to see him.

The scale was down this morning. Very happy to see that. If I'm lucky I'll be down 3 lbs. in 3 weeks since starting Noom. My week ends on Saturday. We shall see. I'm going out to Mexican food tonight but have a reasonable and delicious dinner planned and one drink. I've been having these delicious frozen Greek yogurt bars called Yasso bars. So yummy and very light! My fave so far is the salted caramel.

Okay, better get to it. Last day of the week with kids!
Last edited by alene1 on Sun Feb 09, 2020 4:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Thu Feb 06, 2020 2:53 pm

Have a great work day + fun evening out! Amazing and wonderful that you will see you son again soon. Happy Hugs!
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sun Feb 09, 2020 4:11 pm

Sunday, February 9th, 2020

It's been a good week, overall. I feel like I've spent the last 3 weeks creating a foundation and some new habits that are starting to stick. If I average a half a pound a week for these first 4 weeks of Noom, I will be very happy with that. I expect that things will move a bit faster than that as I continue on, and have that time and learning under my belt, but time will tell. I am definitely eating less food, and realizing that I really didn't need all that I was eating. It was just habit, and the false belief that my body needed more food than other people. 8) I'm continuing to go to Orange Theory 3 times a week most weeks. I am having to get more creative with some busy weeks coming up and classes after school, but it's very important to me. It's very good for me to challenge myself both physically and mentally. I want to be tougher, more resilient, and not to baby myself. I can do hard things!! I'm seeing some changes in my body too. More definition in my arms and quadriceps, and a stronger core. I want to see what will happen after a whole year of OTF! I am committing to a full year of Noom as well. So often in the past I have started and quit things, but not this time. This is sustainable, and I am learning so much about the mental and emotional side of things with my daily tasks and articles. Feeling really good, and I'm ready to be patient and stay the course, and watch my body get stronger, leaner, healthier, more vibrant and agile. Those are my goals.

We had two of my kids and their spouses over yesterday. We took them out to the new house to see the progress. Fun to share it with them. Then we all went to dinner. My grandson did pretty well, but he's getting a cold and was a bit fussy. Poor little guy! I got my meals planned for the week and did my grocery shopping.

I'm planning on a nice walk today. The sun should be out!! Probably going out to the new house for a bit, and probably some time up at school as well. I'm all planned for Valentine's week, and it should be a lot of fun! Okay, time to get to it. Happy Sunday!

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:59 pm

Monday, February 10th, 2020

Exercise: none - just didn't have it in me to do Orange Theory
Steps: 8,922

What went well yesterday:

I got in a great 1 hour and 20 minute walk with my hubby. It was beautiful out, and it was so amazing to see the sun again!! I got all my weekend chores finished up, meals planned, groceries bought. Workout clothes are ready and laid out for the week. Tonight is Orange Theory.

I have been identifying the points in my day that historically stress has been a big factor in my food choices. During the weekend any overeating isn't stress-driven, but pleasure-driven. I'm working on that separately! :) My recesses, after school, and during long Friday meetings or after school classes are the times I struggle. I'm creating strategies and routines to settle myself, de-stress, and move through those times without using food, and coming out the other side feeling more relaxed and centered. I'm tracking and journaling beginning this week for those 3 times each weekday that are challenging, how it went, what strategies I used, and whether they were successful. I am narrowing things down and shining a light on what I am doing and how I'm trying to manage so that I can create new habits and neural pathways and let my brain forget the old patterns that have kept me struggling for so many years!

One of the things I've been doing if I feel a bit of hunger or an urge to eat at an unplanned time is to tell myself, "I need a bridge." A bridge to get me to the other side of this feeling. The bridges I have been using successfully are a big drink of water followed by chewing a piece of gum, and having a cup of tea and sitting down for a few minutes. The water and gum seem to be the quickest and most effective so far. It's like changing the channel, and the chewing seems to help relieve stress. I'm going to be trying a lot of different strategies and I'll find the best fits for me.

My weight was down this morning, and it made me happy. I'm ready to have a great Monday!
Last edited by alene1 on Tue Feb 11, 2020 1:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Mon Feb 10, 2020 3:21 pm

Love this idea you are using of "I need a bridge". Is this a concept from Noom?

Wasn't the sun just so heart-warming yesterday?! I was kind of in 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

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by Soprano » Mon Feb 10, 2020 7:09 pm

Love the bridge idea. You are doing a lot of work that will support your new habits. We'll done you

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

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Tue Feb 11, 2020 1:24 pm

Auto, I was in heaven with that sunshine! Felt so good to see the blue sky. :)

Soprano, thank you. I feel like I am really moving in the right direction, little by little.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Tue Feb 11, 2020 1:37 pm

Tuesday, February 11th, 2020

Exercise: none
Steps:6,872

What went well yesterday:

I used tea and an Aura meditation to release tension and bring myself back to center during morning recess. It felt really good!
I solved an ongoing problem I was having with one of my teaching assistants.

Thoughts on food and life: Yesterday was a typical Monday, with the usual stress and children that had been away from the routine since Thursday. Chaotic and felt out of control at times. I always forget all the little things we do each day to make things run smoothly by the time Monday rolls around. Then, after a less than stellar Monday it all comes back to me!! :wink: There are so many moving parts and little routines we need to stay in to help the kids transition smoothly through the day. I need to write them all down so that I can be sure to utilize them on Mondays!!

Anyway, a rough day. Didn't feel very successful with the way things went. Kids not that engaged in our circle time. The energy that I bring makes such a difference. I need to be doing more novel and interesting things with them to keep them engaged. When I do we all have so much more fun! We're all happier. I did great during morning recess, but I made the mistake of powering through afternoon recess instead of trying to release some of the tension and relax. That continued to build and then after school I had a stressful conversation with my TA and it just put me over the top. I think the main driver of my frustration was not feeling successful. Feeling like things were out of control and I hadn't handled them well. I know I can't control everything, but it's my job to set us up for success and use what I have learned about these groups of students to make each day the best it can be. Chalking some of it up to being a Monday, but it just didn't feel good. I had a major binge yesterday after school. My husband was gone till late at a class and it set me up for having all that time and a change in routine to eat poorly. Felt yucky and bloated and not a good night. But the good news is that today is a new day and I'm going to take what I learned and use it!!! I also subscribed to Aura's premium service so that I can use as many of the meditations as I want each day. I really do love Aura. I love that it asks me how I'm feeling before it selects my meditation each time. I think that could be a real key for me if I use it regularly. It felt really good yesterday and I could feel my body relaxing.

Happy Tuesday to all. I'm going to make it a good one!
Last edited by alene1 on Wed Feb 12, 2020 2:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:30 pm

I know that things on Monday were rough, but your spirit shines through from that very difficult place that you work!! I think all of us reading your entries wonder how you manage to stay so upbeat when your job is incredibly demanding. I think you just might be a saint. Your patience must be off the charts.

Wonderful about finding Aura a good fit, and using it during the morning recess.

I hope today is smoother overall.
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Wed Feb 12, 2020 2:52 pm

Thanks Auto. You are very kind. :) My patience waxes and wanes depending on the day. Yesterday did indeed go better for me.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Wed Feb 12, 2020 3:02 pm

Wednesday, February 12th, 2020

Exercise: OTF - 431 cals - 17 splat points
Steps: 11,279

What went well yesterday:

I successfully negotiated both recesses, and just had my planned snack after my meeting after school.
I used Aura, deep breathing, and tea at morning recess, and Aura and deep breathing at afternoon recess.

Feeling a bit blah this morning. I was in an annoyed mood last night due to my TA's continued unhappiness about our co-worker and not enough time to get her tasks done without staying over and working for free. We're trying to figure out a good system, but her hours just aren't enough time to get in her breaks and get ready for the next day and the PM session of class. I am helping too, but I think she likes to do it herself. I have to say it's really draining to me. I just want to figure it out and be done with it!! I suggested a new system that we tried yesterday, but she seemed terse and stressed while we were using it. She doesn't feel our co-worker is doing her share. Sigh. Just wanna stop talking about it! There's enough stress without adding this to the pile. Sorry to complain here, but I'm just over it! We'll try the new system today and tomorrow and then talk about how well it worked on Friday.

Class went well yesterday overall. My after-school meeting was good too. Hubby is getting sick so he has been a bit off and not in the happiest mood. That kinds of stuff does affect us too. I try not to let it!

On a much more positive note, my son is coming in on Thursday night, so I'm going to go and see him after work at my oldest son's. Can't wait!! I'll get to see my GS for a bit too. :) It will be so fun to see them together for the first time. I'm going to make it a great day!! Yes I will. :)
Last edited by alene1 on Thu Feb 13, 2020 3:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Wed Feb 12, 2020 6:53 pm

Please don't feel like you're complaining. It's your journal here to write what you want! No need to apologize.

I'm so excited for you to see your son! I can only imagine the happiness you must have in anticipation of getting to give him a giant hug after not seeing him for so long.
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Thu Feb 13, 2020 3:03 pm

Thanks Auto! His plane is landing in a couple hours. We're all going to do dinner tonight. All the sibs reunited! :)

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Thu Feb 13, 2020 3:10 pm

Thursday, February 13th, 2020

Exercise:
Steps:

What went well yesterday:

I successfully negotiated both recesses and after school with tea, Aura, breathing, and a small planned snack. I am breaking my behavior chain little by little!
I had a good workout last night and hit a PR on the treadmill.
The day with kids went well.

The scale moved down a bit this morning. Yay! Turtle-paced is fine. I am moving in the right direction and learning and growing. We have our party today at school. Valentine bingo, exchanging cards, and decorating sugar cookies with frosting and a variety of sprinkles. Should be lots of fun for the kids. I woke up with a sore throat. Oh no! My husband has a fever this morning. Not good. I sure hope I don't get the flu.

Tonight I'm heading to my son's house to see my youngest son and the rest of my family. Together again! Wishing a good day to all.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Wed Feb 19, 2020 2:44 pm

Wednesday, February 19th, 2020

Exercise:
Steps:

I've been on President's Week break Monday and Tuesday. So strange to be starting my school week on a Wednesday!! But only 2 days with kids this week and that will be a nice little break. I've had a lot of fun hanging out with my son and my family these last 4 days. Lots of meals out and also several binges. The binges have really been ramping up. I've come to the conclusion that tracking my calories really isn't a healthy practice for me. I don't know exactly why, but it keeps me from truly relaxing and connecting with my "true self," my heart. I'm always on alert and focused on numbers. I'm still going through the Breaking Up with Binge Eating course, and they have been telling us that throughout. "Dieting" and recovering from binge eating don't generally co-exist together. Instead it's focusing on eating 3-4 meals a day, having 30-60 minutes of hunger before each meal, and a variety of healthy habits. Her book Lean Habits has all the habits to incorporate for reaching and living at a healthy body. I'm going to focus on those again. Yesterday I did that and didn't feel an urge to binge. Many of her habits are very similar to No-S!

My focuses:

Eat 3-4 times a day
Exercise 5+ times a week
Hunger 15-60 minutes before each meal
Plenty of fruits and veggies
Continue my meditations/relaxations at school during recesses/after school - break that behavior chain

I'm going to continue reading my Noom articles. They are more about science and psychology of getting to and being at a healthy weight. I find them extremely helpful and healthy for me to read.

I went to a Body Pump class on Sunday morning. So fun! I really loved it. I'm going to slowly let go of Orange Theory and do my local gym classes instead. Much less expensive and I can focus more on weights, which I love. I'm going to continue incorporating interval training though. I think I'll look for an app to do it at the gym myself on the the treadmill. Okay, time to get to it!

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Wed Feb 19, 2020 2:51 pm

Resistance training is so awesome for you, and that's cool that you like it! I am not a fan (I get a little bored), but I would do it if my life weren't at a point where going to a gym is too schedule-challenging. That's why I use bodyweight exercises at home, which I do actually enjoy. Pull-ups, push-ups, handstands, squats, broad jumps, L-sits, etc.

Muscle mass is the best predictor of longevity.....!

I was thinking of you (of us!) yesterday with the sunny skies!!! And today more of the same! 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

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Mon Feb 24, 2020 2:09 pm

Auto, I do really enjoy strength training. Especially doing DVD's or live classes. Just doing it at they gym, not so much! You're right that maintaining our muscle mass is so important for our health and strength and agility. The sun has been so lovely! A real mood-booster for sure.

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Mon Feb 24, 2020 2:16 pm

Monday, February 24th, 2020

Exercise:
Steps:

Here we go again! Monday has arrived. I had such a fun weekend. I got to spend time with my son, and my other kids too. We had some really nice family time. My heart is full. I just wish that we got to do that more often. My youngest son just adds something that isn't there when he isn't. But we just have to savor the time that he is here with us visiting.

I got in a nice walk yesterday, and walked around Seattle a bit too. We had Thai for lunch and then went out to Molly Moon's for ice cream. Steps were over 12,000.

I've created a weekday and weekend plan for my eating that doesn't include calorie-counting, but does have a structure to it. I am going to run a 6 week experiment and see how it goes. I'm working with my body's natural hunger cycles and not creating undue resistance by going against that. Also, honoring my body and my spirit in the way that I eat and move. Feeling really good about it.

Today will be a very busy week. I have classes T, W, and Th after work this week. I won't be done until 7:30 two of those nights. No fun! Will just have to make the best of it. I'm going to exercise today, Wednesday, and Friday, but that will probably be it until the weekend.

Okay, time to get to it!

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by automatedeating » Mon Feb 24, 2020 2:28 pm

You sound rejuvenated and ready to tackle this week. Go you!

BTW, I guess I do a little of what you said - a structured eating plan (no counting of anything) that honors my eating rhythms.
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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Fri Mar 06, 2020 9:25 pm

Thanks Auto! I like the way you describe it, "honoring my eating rhythms." :)

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Fri Mar 06, 2020 10:09 pm

Friday, March 6th, 2020

Exercise: 30M walk
Steps: 12,451
Eating Pattern: 3M + 1S

Thoughts on food and life:

I'm going to try to get back to mostly daily posting here. I've been sick and a bit distracted, but foresee more time in the mornings to post here since I'm not tracking food anymore.

I'm still practicing and refining my eating rhythm, but I feel like I've found a very good pattern that my body and mind both feel comfortable with. My weight has moved down a bit, and that is very encouraging. I'm finding more peace and balance in my life without tracking food. It does something to my mood and mindset that I don't like. I can focus more on life now, and not food.

Other than being sick, things are going well. The house is coming along very well. We had the electrician and plumber out this week. Next up will be the siding and timber framing in the back of the house. It's getting exciting!!

I can't remember if I posted that I'm not going to go to Orange Theory anymore. I felt like my life was revolving around my workouts, and the commute to get there and back. I was actually much more consistent when I was doing my home workouts. So back to them I go! I have a huge selection of workouts that I like, with a wide variety of challenge levels. I'm good to go. I need to build my momentum back up. I'm aiming for 10+ minutes a day, at least 5 times per week. Step goal is at least 8,000 per day.

That's all for now. It will feel good to get back to regular posting here. :)

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

Re: Alene's Check-in

Post by alene1 » Sat Mar 07, 2020 1:57 pm

Saturday, March 7th, 2020

Thoughts on food and life: I had a good day yesterday. I had a nice walk and it felt really good. I'm excited to get back to my workout dvd's. I'm planning on a cardio/weights dvd today. We'll work out at the house a little, and I'll do some shopping and misc. stuff around the house. Not too much going on. All is good.
Last edited by alene1 on Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Post Reply