Amy's Checking In Again

[Amy3010]

It was good, Ellis, thanks for asking - we were busy with the girls and then we enjoyed our little weekend away, came back and started right back at work again. It always takes me a few days after being away to get back into my normal eating/sleeping/exercising routines, but I'm in the swing of things now.

Foodwise, working on pre-planning my meals for the day ahead on N days and my basic No-S habits throughout the week. Not perfect by a long shot, but as I mentioned before, focusing on consistency over the long haul, without beating myself up about slips.

[Ellis]

Sounds like you enjoyed it to the max! And I get it, it's a challenge to get back to the normal routine after, but you are doing great!

[Amy3010]

Thanks, Ellis! Last week was all over the place (lots of red) but it made me realize how much better I feel when things are more reasonable. Being all over the place does not feel good, even though in the moment whatever it is (snack, wine) seems like a good idea.

The coming week will be stressful at work, but I am determined not to let it completely derail my habits. I will pre-plan my food each day (I sat down yesterday and picked out a couple recipes for the week ahead and got the groceries for them in). Fingers crossed!

[automatedeating]

Hope your stressful week is going as smoothly as possible!

[Amy3010]

Thanks, Auto! I am gritting my teeth to get through this week at work as team leader. The biggest thing is the way it affects my sleep - I wake up and start ruminating about all the things that will need to be taken care of, or about things that happened the previous day. Feeling like I didn't get enough sleep makes me feel more stressed. Sigh.

Monday was great, it felt really good to have a good plan and just stick to it; Tuesday less so. Red for snacking

Which feels demoralizing, waking up tired and bummed about having to mark red. But I just have to get right back to my plan and my habits and keep going. Not starting over, but getting right back on the horse and continuing. Being consistent in most of my habits most of the time, instead of chasing perfection.

I have my food plan for today written down, and will do my best to stay with it. Will get my exercise in, because even though I feel crappy, I know it will make me feel better to have done it. The thing is, it always feels better, in the end, to have done what you promised yourself you would do.

[Ellis]

Amy, sleep is definitely so important! I really admire your persistence in making it work! And I completely get what you mean about exercise—it feels so satisfying to check it off the to-do list, haha.

[Amy3010]

Thanks, Ellis!
Rabbit rabbit rabbit...first day of a new month on a Monday, and then it being September...can't get any more shiny and brand new than that
Going for lots of green this month!

Pre-plan for food today:
B: overnight oats
L: spinach salad w tofu, tomato, avocado, cucumber, pumpkin seeds
S: 3 dried figs + 30 g nuts
D: vegetable quiche + salad

Exercise: walking (5 km)

[Amy3010]

Mon Sept 1:

Pre-plan for today:
B: o. oats
L: salad w/ avocado, kraut, black beans, tomato, cucumber, hummus
S: figs/nuts
D: tofu "ricotta" stuffed shells w tomato sauce, salad

Ex: walk (6 km)

[pinkhippie]

Hi Amy!

I lose sleep over work too and it is so annoying! I will either wake up in the night, remembering something I should have done, or thinking of something I want to do, or I will wake up early and won't be able to go back to sleep. I hope for September you start getting more sleep! I have noticed that sleep really affects my hunger and my will to stick to my plan.

[Amy3010]

Hi Pink, thank you! Yes, lack of sleep is a huge factor in hunger and willpower... I have always struggled with ruminating keeping me awake at night, ugh.

Yesterday just on the edge of green - my planned snack turned out to be different...my son just got offered a job in Paris (about four hours by train or car from us, so it will be a big change for all of us) and we were here with our DIL on the phone with him, so I put out crackers, olives and hummus. Stuck to a reasonable portion, so I am giving myself grace for that because I stuck to my dinner plan and did not let the exciting news completely derail my evening (it definitely could have, I am for sure a celebratory eater )

Pre-plan for today:
B: soy yogurt w blueberries
L: salad w/ chickpeas, hummus, ...
S: Nakd fruit/nut bar
D: tofu, potatoes, broccoli

[Sammybunny711]

Oooo a job in Paris sounds both daunting and exciting!

[Amy3010]

Yes, Sammy, it will definitely be both - and we will miss the luxury of having them close by. But we are thrilled for him, it's a big opportunity.

Yesterday: green!

Pre-plan for today:
B: Overnight oats
L: hummus/kraut/cucumber sandwich
S: figs/nuts
D: tofu curry w roast veggies

Ex: biking to work and walking the dog

[Ellis]

Wow, the job offer in Paris sounds exciting! Do you always have a planned snack or just sometimes?

[Amy3010]

Hi Ellis! I always plan a healthy snack, usually fruit and nuts, sometimes a Nakd bar (if I am out or at work in the afternoon). It's my one big mod

I have a streak of green going this week, and I do not want to blow it today. Pre-plan:

B: o. oats
L: leftover tofu curry, basmati rice
S: Nakd bar
D: salad plate w/ chickpeas, avocado, kraut, hummus, veggies...

Ex: strength workout + biking

[Sammybunny711]

Hi Ellis! I always plan a healthy snack, usually fruit and nuts, sometimes a Nakd bar (if I am out or at work in the afternoon). It's my one big mod

I have a streak of green going this week, and I do not want to blow it today. Pre-plan:

B: o. oats
L: leftover tofu curry, basmati rice
S: Nakd bar
D: salad plate w/ chickpeas, avocado, kraut, hummus, veggies...

Ex: strength workout + biking

This all looks delicious. I really wonder if I need to start having a planned snack...If I'm going to binge, it's ALWAYS in the afternoon.

[Amy3010]

You know, I used to struggle so hard between about 3:30 and 5:30 pm, when I would start making dinner. It often led to me to snacking anyway, on unhealthy crap, or eating way too much at dinner or overeating in the evenings... So at a certain point, I decided to include a healthy, planned snack as part of my definition of green. It has helped me enormously.

Like Soprano noted on your thread, sometimes going too long between meals can set you up for a binge situation, if you're susceptible to that (I definitely am).

I just popped in here for some extra motivation - had dinner but am feeling that celebratory Friday feeling, and I just really want to end the week with green and have my first fully green week in a LOOOOOONNNNGGG time Had my huge filling salad for dinner and am now enjoying a cup of tea. The kitchen is closed til tomorrow! Wishing everyone a nice weekend

[Sammybunny711]

You know, I used to struggle so hard between about 3:30 and 5:30 pm, when I would start making dinner. It often led to me to snacking anyway, on unhealthy crap, or eating way too much at dinner or overeating in the evenings... So at a certain point, I decided to include a healthy, planned snack as part of my definition of green. It has helped me enormously.

Like Soprano noted on your thread, sometimes going too long between meals can set you up for a binge situation, if you're susceptible to that (I definitely am).

I just popped in here for some extra motivation - had dinner but am feeling that celebratory Friday feeling, and I just really want to end the week with green and have my first fully green week in a LOOOOOONNNNGGG time Had my huge filling salad for dinner and am now enjoying a cup of tea. The kitchen is closed til tomorrow! Wishing everyone a nice weekend

My dietitian is totally good with me having a healthy planned snack, but I can NEVER limit myself when I start snacking. I just go insane with it. It's honestly easier mentally to do only 3 meals, but perhaps my next leg of the journey will be to start having the healthy, planned snack and ONLY that in the afternoons. Hmmm.

[Ellis]

It's really great that you found out a planned snack would help you that much! I always like to read about other peoples mods. I think the key is to NOT feel deprived, and if that means no-S + a small snack, then great!

[Amy3010]

Thanks, Ellis I also love to read how other people make No-S work for them with mods. In the end it is about figuring out how to eat moderately and sanely for the rest of our lives, and this is going to be different for everyone.

[Ellis]

It sure is! I sometimes share no-S in conversations about weightloss and it's funny how differently people react. Some have a "gotcha" moment, it makes sense for them and some are horrified, haha.

[Amy3010]

Horrified, LOL And to think there are so many things so much more extreme than No-S...

It feels so good to have a fully green week on my HabitCal, I'm going for another

Pre-plan:
B: o. oats
L: Seitan cutlet, broccoli, salad
D: Amazon bowl (veg, black beans, quinoa, avocado, mango)
S: Book club mod: 1 slice of Julia's cake at book club (book is "The Enchanted April", it was good!)

Ex: yoga class, biking there and back

[Amy3010]

Am logging yesterday as a non weekend S day... I went beyond what I had planned

Back to normal programming today. Pre-plan for today:

B: blueberries w soy yogurt, ground flax
L: salad plate w beans, hummus, avocado, veg, kraut...
S: Nakd bar
D: tofu, broccoli, potatoes, salad

Ex: yoga & walking

[Amy3010]

First green day of the week yesterday

Pre-plan for today:
B: o. oats
L: salad plate w beans, veggies, hummus, mango
S: Nakd bar
D: tofu, quinoa, green beans, salad

Ex: strength training, biking

[Amy3010]

After one green day, two red days...

Going for green again today!

Pre-plan:
B: o. oats
L: leftover mushroom/spinach/chickpea pilaf, cucumber
D: veg lasagna, salad
S: small serving of dessert my son made and is bringing over

Ex: strength training + walking

[Sammybunny711]

Looks like you're doing great, Amy! Way to go!!

[Ellis]

You got this! Can you see a pattern as what makes your day a red day?

[Amy3010]

Thanks, Sammy and Ellis...what generally pushes me into the red zone is being at loose ends in the afternoon and evening, and then giving into urges to eat off plan. I am going to do better this week! I am tired of letting myself down.

[Soprano]

You've got this Amy, we are all rooting for you

[Amy3010]

Thanks, Soprano

Yesterday was green - Monday is usually my most consistent eating day of the week. Let's take that Monday energy forward another day!

[Soprano]

Well done

[Amy3010]

Thanks, Soprano - I realized yesterday after posting that a big part of my disappointment when I don't do well is also rooted in not wanting to let folks here on the boards down, either... The support really helps and is appreciated!

Another green day in the books yesterday! Plus another realization: I do better if I can have my dinner early, say more around 5:30 than 6:30. But not always feasible with other people.

I am still pre-logging my food, but in a notebook for the time being.

[Soprano]

Whoop well done on green again. It's becoming a habit!

Jx

[Ellis]

Well done! And I feel the same, early dinner days are, for some reason, easier.