Getting in Shape for Christmas 2020

[Holiday_Mom]

My weight was the same. Dh and I are going to challenge one another this week. with exercise. He surprised me with a Fitbit today. He has had one for a couple of years now and uses it daily. I'm hoping this helps me to put the focus on taking care of me better.

 

[liltattoo]

liltattoo ~ Thanks for sharing that great resource! I'm very interested in the YouTube videos to use when we travel. I only viewed about a minute of one video, and it appears that she doesn't use music. Is that right? That might be a big draw back for me, but I'll give it a try.

I'm also going to be trying Classical Stretch with Miranda Esmonde-White. They are on PBS. As I recall, hers may not have music either but beautiful scenery.

She doesn't use music for a couple of reasons. The first is she'd rather you use your own, if you want to listen to something it should be something you enjoy. The second is that she talks through the whole thing. Mainly it's about the exercises and why we're doing them. Also, a lot of her stuff is about mindset and why moderate is better than the hard core exercises. I didn't think I would like that format either but I've learned a ton of stuff on how to talk to myself and how to set goals.

 

[teachermomof2]

I have been doing Leslie Sansone for 30+ minutes/4-5 days a week for the last 7 weeks. I can certainly tell a difference in my body and the way my clothes fit. I also feel better physically. Tasks are easier and I have greater stamina. I have not weighed myself because it just frustrates me. I hope to continue once school starts, but I do know that if I get 10k steps a day and eat correctly, I can maintain.

 

[MinnieCo]

I've been given a great opportunity. My husbands health insurance and work cover a program called OnTrac, they consult on your health and ask what various aspects would improve your health and then make resources available to you. It's normally like $700 a month, but they pay for it all. The majority of my health issues all come down to weight, therefore weigh management is where we are going to focus. To me the program is free and for one year I have access to a personal health coach, I'm forgetting the exact numbers, but I get to meet with a dietician and a therapist to help me in my journey. Years ago a friend told me, you are great at loosing it, but you suck at keeping it off. It's true. If I have a goal or commit to a plan, I can do it! It's the constant maintaining that I suck at, so I need to address those issues with a therapist I think. Now besides that, our aquafit classes opened back up, so I'm so excited. I had a cervical fusion in early January and after my 6 week appt I was approved to go back in the pool, went for 2 weeks and then the shut down happened. I was so bummed. In the mean time, some weight creeped back up and the arthritis in my good knee also recently started acting up. So both knees went out, which limited walking and I couldn't get in that dang pool!!!! Now, it's outside for the next 4 weeks and it can be cool in the mornings in September here in Colorado, but I'm going 5 days a week...REGARDLESS!! As long as weather is permitting and the teacher is there, I'll be going. That's my big goal this month is to be in that pool every weekday! So I'm not putting any number on my health journey, but it's a high number. Right now, I have a closet full of clothes that are too tight by 5 or 10 pounds and because I got rid of all my 3x clothes 2 years ago, I have to shed a few pounds in the next month to fit into all my fall and winter clothes. Not having anywhere to go makes it easy to stay in baggy shorts and a t-shirt. I start working elections in a month, which means I'll have to be presentable..lol..they don't want me in my Nike shorts and lacrosse team t-shirts..that's' for sure! So I'm here gals...I'll be checking in.

And Pamela, I've done 3 successful rounds on Whole30, so I hope you did it. It's one of the hardest things I've ever done, but so eye opening. If I could maintain it realistically year around I would. I say I'm going to live an 80/20 ratio afterwards, but I don't. I'd love to give up some of those things most of the time though, knowing how much better I feel, but it's so dang hard!!! Balance is key..and I have to find that. For me, it's an ALL OR NOTHING..and that's so not good.

 

[Holiday_Mom]

Michelle,

I think you've got a good plan going there.

 

[DahliaDoll]

Michelle ~ That such a wonderful opportunity for you. So glad you are taking advantage of it.

I had a rather carb-load week, so yesterday, I was more careful with carbs and did a 3 mile walk with DH and then a little slower 1 mile walk with DSisIL. Happy results this morning show that I'm down 2.5 lbs. for the week (on our lighter scale in the trailer), with BMI at 22.5. It will be interesting to see what our home scale reads tomorrow morning.

 

[Holiday_Mom]

I gained two pounds. I'm hoping it is from the exercise that I've been doing these last two weeks. I'm finding the challenges with my dh and the Fitbit have been a great motivator.

 

[MinnieCo]

I did make it to my aquafit class all 5 days. The negative was that on Monday and Tuesday it was a tad chilly. Like Monday morning it was in the high 50's, but to keep warm I wanted to stay in water up to my shoulders. To do that I had to walk on my toes alot becuase I'm so short and it hurt my foot after the fact. Normally I work out in the 4 ft area, so I can touch toe to heel like I"m suppose to. So come Wednesday I had to stay on the noodle in the deep end and not walk on my foot. I get a work out that way, but bummed I couldn't do the same as everyone else. BUT I WENT!!! This week it's not going to happen. If you can believe it, parts of Colorado are getting SNOW. So tomorrow it will be about 89 and then Tuesday 40 if we're lucky. So I will NOT be going to the outdoor pool...for a couple days. I'll probably only make it Monday and Friday. The last 2 years we've had hot Septembers so it made sense for them to try and keep us out there through September, so we could swim. We're not set with the county to go back to indoor swimming until October. Not sure how this will play out, but I'll be there if weather allows.

Since I posted last, I did meet with my dietician via tele-health and the therapist. Both asked what I wanted out of their services and I said hey, someone offered them to me for free, so I'm not exactly sure, you tell me, how you can help ME..hahaha The dietician sent me a meal plan, but that's not going to work I already know. Having two grown men in the house makes it very hard....If she gives me an outline with specifics about calories, what nutrients she wants me to have I'll make sure it happens, but I really don't want to cook two different meals anymore. I did that with WHOLE 30 and it was difficult. I can do it some, just not everyday. I want to get to a point where I'm at a happy medium feeding us all the the same thing and me adapt a bit when needed. I learned on WHOLE 30 that I can live without cheese. It's what suprised me the most.

Oh..and the dietician gave me a suggestion for a scale. I'll share it here, because for $23 it's an awesome tool. If you connect it to your smart phone it tells you all kinds of things. Never thought I'd be happy and excited to open a scale that came in the mail. Here's the link... Ya'll keep up the good work. It's nice to read everyone's journey.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081H59ZLB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Holiday_Mom]

That is awesome that you showed up, Michelle! Maybe you can get in walking on those days you can't get to the pool...

but I really don't want to cook two different meals anymore. I did that with WHOLE 30 and it was difficult. I can do it some, just not everyday.

Can you make small changes in your everyday eating habits? For instance, I have to watch my glucose level. So I took away sugar from my coffee little by little. Week 1 - maybe no sugar for 2 of 7 days. Week 2 - 3 of 7 days with no sugar, etc. Three years later, I take no sugar in my coffee except either on Saturday or Sunday and that is if I remember.

I've also had to read labels of foods that I buy. There is a lot of hidden sugars in things like ketchup and tomato sauce and bread. I also look at foods that are high in carbohydrates. I cut out the extras out as much as I can but I will eat the carbs in moderation if they are fruits and vegetables.

Keep up the good work!

 

[DahliaDoll]

Michelle ~ I appreciate the link for the scale. Unfortunately, I already purchased a new one about a month ago. Darn!

About your menu planning ... DH and I lost weight this last year mainly by cutting carbs. We were on a specific diet (a really old one ... Scarsdale ... Whole30 is similar but much more restrictive), but it shows you how to eat normally. One thing I love about the prescribed menu plan (for 2 weeks) is that it is "real food" that I can buy at the grocery store and feed to my family (or even guests). I can add carbs for those who want it ... baked potato, pasta, bread, rice, etc. The dinner suggestions are basically a lean protein (meat, poultry, fish) with a salad. Perhaps if you need to fix something for your family that you shouldn't eat, like a casserole or something, you could make that on a day that you have some leftovers you could eat for your own dinner (leftover chicken with salad) to avoid making two meals. Or on the flip-side, feed your family the leftover high-carb dinner and fix yourself something different. Maybe with two grown men to feed, there's no such thing as leftovers. LOL Make a double batch so there will be.

I think cutting empty carbs is key. You can add a few carbs back into your diet when you've lost the weight.

It's kind of a never-ending battle. You need to change to a lifestyle eating plan, so it needs to work now and forever.

Hope these suggestions help! Wishing you WELL!

NOTE: Another idea! Teach those guys to cook!

 

[Holiday_Mom]

I lost those two pounds this week. Now to keep them off...

 

[MinnieCo]

Thanks for all the hints everyone......I'll be on my new plan for about 2 weeks. The dietician agreed that the prescribed meal plan was not a good option for me, so she's given me the nutritional guidelines she wants me to follow and I can cook within those perimeters. Man, week one was tough..I WAS HUNGRY. I lost nearly 5 pounds and she told me if my loss is that high again, she's going to up my calories. I have a feeling that's going to happen, becuase even with not logging my food this weekend during constant activities where I didn't control the menu, I've still lost nearly 4 pounds and I won't talk to her till Friday. The weight loss is good, but not when my whole morning is spent thinking about food. Literally last week I couldn't focus, so I adjust my breakfast and loaded up a bit more.

The downside (sorta) is I got called into my seasonal job a month early. That means no pool till after the election in November. Once it cools off, if my knee allows, I'm going to spend my 30 min lunch hour trying to walk.

I've done good with the balance between the family and my needs. I knew they wanted italian subs tonight, so I double cooked last nights dinner and had that again tonight. Sunday I prepped my breakfast and lunch for 3 days to make sure I get my veges in and that worked well. Prepping is a huge key!!!

This weeks challenge will be that I'm at a scrapbooking retreat for 5 days and it's always a food fest. Then when I get back Monday I won't have meal prep time for the work week. So I'm not sure what I'll do at t his point, I'm just gonna have to wing it, because I barely have time to back tonight, let alone plan my meals. Lots of quick restaurant options around the hotel, so I'll seek out some low calorie options like some asian food or Noodles and Company where I can get zucchini noodles in a dish vs Pasta. I'll defiantely be skipping the high carb breakfast options in the hotel!

Okay...done with that. I hope everyone else is hanging in their. I'm 50 and I seriously feel like i should have this figured out. Hopefully the counseling sessions I get with this program with help me figure some of that out.

 

[DahliaDoll]

How's everyone doing? I'm managing to maintain my weight loss and keeping up with exercisiing. So far, so good.

Since this thread is so quiet, I suspect some of you may not be making the progress you would like. If you re-start now, perhaps your motivation and will power will be raised to help you get through the holidays.

 

[PamelaG]

Since this thread is so quiet, I suspect some of you may not be making the progress you would like.

You really hit the nail on the head there.

 

[Miss JoDee]

Thanks for the reminder to keep on track. This is the hardest time of year for me. I am afraid to bake merely because the temptation is very hard to resist. That one bite would be snowball into many bites. The breads, cookies, cakes, etc are my comfort foods. Thinking we won’t celebrate holidays with family will lead to wanting to comfort myself by eating what I shouldn’t. Then there is DH who enjoys sweets also and not making bake goods for him is denying him enjoyment. Hopefully, I can make it to December and only bake enough for the holiday. I truly struggle.

 

[Myron's Mom]

I’ve been struggling with either my teeth issues, back pain, or vertigo here. I’m back on the treadmill starting all over again this week. I had worked my time and speed back up and then had another set back. Makes me grumpy and frustrated. I haven’t gain any weight but I feel so much better when I get a full workout in. Will bump my time and speed up on Sunday again. Hopefully nothing gets in my way.

 

[missjane]

If my journey is going anywhere, it's going in the wrong direction.

 

[Holiday_Mom]

After 9 weeks or so of walking an average of 2-5 miles a day, 5 or 6 days a week, I'm happy to say that I'm progressing along nicely. I started to track my calorie intake vs. calories burned and saw that I need to change my eating even more. For the most part, I've been not been eating after 7 pm. That helps me out a lot. I have one more pound to get to my goal.

 

[PamelaG]

If my journey is going anywhere, it's going in the wrong direction.

I'm going in that direction with you!

 

[DahliaDoll]

...That one bite would be snowball into many bites. ...

One of my diet motos: The easiest bite to resist is the first one!