Week Forty: Skidding to a Stop

Remember the slope from last week? This week's focus was on stopping the slide. But, unfortunately, there are skid marks when you gain too much speed going downhill.

Image by 5598375 from Pixabay 

But success feels so good.

This week was about stopping the skid. It's hard looking back to see how far down the hill the slide took you. I was pleasantly surprised that my fall wasn't as far down as I thought, though I did see the consequences of my actions this week. So let's take a look at the numbers.

Original numbers:        4 weeks ago:            Now:              Difference:

Weight 363 lbs.                326                      328                      +2

Biceps- 23"                    19-3/4"                19-3/4"                 same

Chest- 61-1/2"                  59"                   58-3/4"                 -1/4"

Waist- 58"                     55-1/4"                 57-1/2"               +2-1/4"

Hips- 69-1/2"                62-1/2"                 62-1/2"                  same

Thigh- 32"                        31"                   30-1/4"                  -3/4"

Neck- 18"                     17-3/4"                 17-1/2"                   1/4"

I'm happy to say that I stuck to my guns this week. I was out of bed by 6:00am. I ate smaller portions. I put the chips on my plate instead of eating out of the bag. I had a salad for one of my meals and soup for others. Seconds weren't an option, though I did slip yesterday at dinner and immediately regretted it because I felt so full and bloated. Ugh.

I didn't get out as much as I wanted. We're in the middle of a heatwave now, so I won't be going outside until this weekend. I'll be active in my air-conditioned house instead.

I'd forgotten about an online writer's conference I'd wanted to attend, so I signed up for it last minute. It was four days long, from Wednesday to Saturday. The first and last days, I was sitting in front of a screen for about eight hours, but I was listening and taking notes for nearly twelve hours straight on Thursday and Friday.

So much for being active. If my brain was my body, I'd be a stick by now! It was worth every ache in my back and butt!

This week's goal is to stay the course concerning food and be upright as much as I can during my waking hours. My feet have swollen up a lot because of inactivity, and the house got a bit messier in my absence, so I'll have plenty to do between writing posts and other writing endeavors.

I'll never run out of housework to do!

Am I upset by the two-pound gain? Not really. I've gone off track the past two months, and I figured the weight would be one of the consequences. I'm not thrilled, mind you, but I'm delighted it wasn't more. Only consistency and determination will get me back under 326 pounds.

I've been looking at my overall progress, and I'm beginning to see a behavioral and dietary pattern. Lose, plateau, gain a little, lose, plateau, gain a little...but the loss numbers always beat the gains. Always. It also looks like I'm due for a loss- if I behave myself.

I'm looking forward to this month because we plan on visiting the mountains for a good trek and outdoor cooking over a campfire. There's nothing like walking out in the fresh air of a mountain forest. I feel terrific about the future in IF and the health of my body- and mind!

Week Thirty-Nine: I Want It All

I loved sledding.

There were two hills the neighborhood kids loved to sled down in winter at the local park; one had a slight slope but went far, and the other had two steeper drops but a level spot in the middle. I decided to avoid the steeper drops because the lesser slope looked a lot safer.

Boy, was I wrong.

Image by Pezibear from Pixabay 

It started out slow and steady. At first, it was fun! But then I started gaining speed and found I the slope had no level spots to slow down. By the time I'd gotten to the bottom, I was going full tilt and out of control.

Luckily my brother was there to catch me before the trees caught me.

He convinced me to try going on the steeper double sloped run, and though it was a bit scary going down the first hill, I leveled off and went down the second, not-so-steep hill. By the time I'd gotten to the bottom, I could stop myself.

The past week was a similar experience with Intermittent Fasting.

Last week, I said I'd walk more. I did, but not at the park. I walked around the huge warehouse of a store as I went grocery shopping. I walked a little as I did errands. When I went to the park, my daughter came with me, and instead of walking, we fed the fish. I'd even gotten food for the geese, but I think we were later than usual because the geese were gone for the day.

On a good note, I'd gotten a lot done around the house!

I promised myself I'd get up when my husband did, and so far, so good. But like the slopes, I was going downhill fast. I was awake but wasn't getting out of bed for hours. I don't mean an hour or two, but hours as in at least four. I broke my record by staying in bed for over five hours this morning.

Five hours. 

I'm confessing this because I feel like I'm on that slight slope and going downhill faster and faster. I need to hold myself accountable. I've been having fun on the slope, but the ride downhill is starting to get scary.

This week, I wanted it all. I've been finding all kinds of reasons to eat more than I should. I wanted to eat many different things, but I didn't want to give up regular portions. I've been reasoning my way out of smaller servings, to the point that my husband noted that I ate a lot this weekend. 

No, don't get mad at him, folks; I asked him to tell me when he saw my backsliding.

I'm realizing that I'm headed down that slope faster than I thought. 

Unlike the slope, I have the power to put on the brakes anytime I want to. I control this ride, no one else. I have to make changes, and not all of them are food-related.

Do you want to know what I was doing for five hours this morning? I was watching videos on my phone. Not even educational videos- Just human interest stories, funny clips, and intriguing, time-wasting junk. Honestly, I can also add phone games to the time-sucking list, but I've limited my gameplay well, so I'm not spending a lot of time or money on them anymore.

But those videos must go. Especially in the mornings when I'm susceptible, thinking I have some time to kill. Between my eyes opening and getting out of bed, time seems to fly.

I'm so mad at myself- this blog is usually done in the early morning, not in the afternoon!

Have you ever self-sabotaged yourself? I've done it more than I'll admit, even to myself. I'm not going to let this setback keep me down though. I'm going to take that anger and turn it into the energy I need to get my lists done. I'm fighting fat, and it's not going to win! Not this time. Not ever.

This week, no more laying/sitting in bed for hours. Any portions I give myself will be in smaller bowls and plates. The only exceptions to this rule are brothy soups as a main meal and salads that are the main meal. Chips are put on a plate for a side dish, not to be directly eaten from the bag. No seconds on anything. 

I intend to go outside more, away from the house if possible, even if it's for a walk around the block or to feed the park fish. Just getting away from a house full of food for an hour can keep me from doing something stupid. I might even add a few outside chores to the list. I need to read instead of watching TV when I take a break- I can read outside if it's cool enough!

Have you found yourself backsliding, afraid you won't make it? That's the beauty of the IF journey. It's not a sprint- it's a lifetime marathon where you get to set the pace. There's power in the ability to make your own choices. Don't turn your frustration and anger toward yourself or others. Put that energy into positive changes that will benefit your life and those around you instead! 

For now, my energy is spent in getting this house in order and caring for my family. Your priorities might be vastly different, but the goal is the same. Turn that energy you used to berate and damage yourself into something that will make you and the others around you thrive. 

We can beat fat and get healthier- together!

Week Thirty-Eight: Loosey Goosey

Being at home is a bit more challenging than I thought it would be.

My schedule no longer runs my life; my life runs my schedule. It's as loose or as hard as I want it to be, and that's part of the problem.

I prefer my time to be firmly scheduled. But it's been loose as a goose lately.

Image by Here and now, unfortunately, ends my journey on Pixabay from Pixabay 

I'm lazy at heart. I like to get things done at my speed. I want that speed to be fast, but it isn't, and I know it. Then I get frustrated with trying to do too much and wind up sitting on the couch streaming Meerkat Manor.

This is why hard schedules don't always work. I try to do too much in one day, then I'm too tired to move two days afterward.

This week I decided not to give myself time restrictions but to make a list instead, doing three must-do's and three should-do's. It was working!

And then the weekend happened. Unfortunately, I forgot to make a list for Saturday and Sunday, and since my husband was away for a four-day Christian men's retreat until Sunday night, I was smack in the middle of Loosey-Gooseyville.

I've learned that giving myself free rein is a bad idea. For example, I got take-out because I wanted to treat myself. As a result, I ate more than I should have. Instead of cleaning out the entire living room of clutter, I did one section, decided I needed a break, and allowed that break to last for the rest of the day. 

Saturday, I had to take my daughter to work because her bus wasn't running (someone forgot the busses run differently on the weekends), and I realized I hadn't been out of the house almost the entire week! So I filled up my water bottle, grabbed a book, and decided I needed to go for a walk in the park.

I needed to walk. Housework wasn't doing enough for me physically. I also have some coy food for the park pond dwellers. I knew they recently stocked the pond with carp, and I loved feeding them. 

But wait, I hear you ask. Why the book and the fish food? Aren't you supposed to be walking? 

Yep. I sure am. 

I also know I've not been walking as much as I did when working, and my back and legs are misbehaving again. Back spasms aren't fun, so taking a book with me allows me to walk farther if I get to rest on the benches and read a little. I can end the walk by feeding the fish. 

I didn't need to read as much as I thought, and by the time the walk was over, it was starting to get hot. I got the fish food from the van and walked over to the pond. A family of geese was there, sitting on the opposite end. These geese never usually approach humans, so I tossed a handful of food in the water, waiting for the fish to nibble at the food.

The geese decided they wanted to meet me. Well, meet my food.

I was surprised- these were wild geese, and for the last few years, they wanted nothing to do with people. But they waddled right up to me like I was their new best friend.

They knew me from the times I sat by the pond. But this time, I had food. So I tossed some to them. They didn't seem very interested at first but ate enough that they wanted more. I got bold and decided to try hand-feeding them.

The leader hissed but nipped me a bit as he ate, the second wanted me to toss it, and their third was a sweetie and a bit shy as he ate daintily from my hand.

They wouldn't let me feed the fish.

By this time, my back was hurting a lot, and it was time to go. I rested my back as I drove home, and when I walked in the door, I was ready to tackle a few chores. Being outside and going for a walk definitely helped- in every way!

I keep telling myself I'll get up when my husband does, but I wind up staying in bed hours longer than I need to, just to avoid going downstairs and be tempted to eat sooner. Down days are getting harder. When working, I waited until I got home- usually around 3:30pm. But being in the house makes me want to eat sooner, and I find myself eating closer to 2pm. 

Walking in the early mornings would be a good habit for me. I just wonder if I'll actually do it. Maybe mid-early mornings after some light chores, like washing dishes or laundry and straightening up the bedroom? Sounds like a plan for tomorrow. As for now, I don't even have my six-item list together yet!

Time for me to get moving!

Week Thirty-Seven: Chugging Along

This has been a pretty productive week!

The impact on the house wasn't as profound as I'd liked, but all other aspects went surprisingly well. My week was spent cleaning up messes that aren't seen regularly, like reorganizing dresser drawers, doing laundry, and cleaning bathrooms (okay, that room is seen regularly, but not the medicine cabinets within it). 

I've been a lot more mobile, and I'm finding I prefer my fasting down days better than my not-so-fasting up days- except for the weekends. Weekends are usually pretty awesome! 

When I eat less, I feel thinner. That makes me feel happier, stronger, and better about things in general, so I put more energy into getting things done. 

For once, a positive track!

Image by David Mark from Pixabay 

Even on my weekday up days, I still feel like chugging along, though not at the same speed as my down days. Speaking of chugging, I've also gotten into the habit of taking a water bottle with me whenever I'm driving somewhere. It really helps to resist the food smells when I'm doing errands! And if I take a big swig of water before I go food shopping, I'm less likely to get things I don't need.

Yesterday was a prime example. 

I was supposed to be writing this blog, but my daughter was job hunting, and since I had errands to run anyway, I put off the writing to supposedly get my errands done earlier. 

Hah!

I wound up leaving the house around 8am and didn't get home until almost 3pm. People seem to know when I'm out driving and ask me to do all sorts of things—people, meaning my husband and daughter. Things, meaning errands I can do that will save them a lot of time and trouble. 

Do I mind? Maybe a little. But that's mainly because it wasn't in my plans for that day. I wound up blessing my whole family because of it, and it kept me from eating until I was supposed to. Win-win for everyone.

My daughter also got a job on the spot, so the day was much more fruitful than expected. The downside is I lost my house-cleaning helper, who does all of my heavy lifting for me. 

Maybe I ought to add weight training to my household exercise regime? Muscle burns fat...right?

I also learned that I need to start scheduling things. Being at home can be a major time sink if I'm not careful. I don't want to go back to sitting on the couch for half the day again- no, no, no! 

I used to schedule things for the entire day, but if you're a mom/wife/homemaker, you know how well those schedules work. So instead of planning times for anything and everything, I've gone to my good old standby- the Daily List. Three Must-do's and three Should-do's. No more, no less. 

This blog post was the first on my Must-do list today!

I've started planning meals as well. My husband is working a lot of OT and does ministry on the weekends sometimes, so meal planning is essential. Kinda hard to cook anything you forgot to defrost the day before. Not that I've ever done that. Heh.

After this post, I'll be cutting up potatoes and carrots to pour into my crockpot, along with a (defrosted!) lovely pork roast dolled up with spices and a bit of butter. Dump-and-go meals are awesome, especially when I'm booked for the rest of the day. Both my husband and I will eat well tonight!

There's no looking back. Last month? Already forgotten. I'm looking forward to the future- and it's a great view!

Week Thirty-Six: The Good, The Bad, and The Fluffy

What a month!

Three out of four weekends were considered open-ended eating days. Two of them were spent on weekend trips, and the last was a holiday weekend. The results were mixed- some expected changes and some surprises.

Image by klimkin from Pixabay 

The Good- I never ate myself into a stupor. Though I ate a lot and those windows were non-existent, I didn't eat until I was a bloated Jabba the Hutt. I also behaved myself during the week, sticking to my regular regimen of up and down days, eating one or two meals on those days. I also switched out my fasting days to fast during the long drive up and back from New Hampshire to get our daughter from college. 

That worked out better than expected, as we made fewer stops for both food and the restroom.

The Bad- I ate a lot. I had seconds. I finished off the leftover bacon from breakfast. Twice. Hey- it's bacon, people- I'm human, after all! I also indulged in one too many Lindor chocolates on more than one occasion. The problem with that is, I found out that eating too many of them causes the nearly same results as taking ex-lax. Good thing I found that out after we came home from the nine-hour road trip.

I love my daughter, but she has many of my old bad habits, and it was hard not to eat when she wanted to. I really enjoyed all of those family breakfasts together and missed them when the weekends were over.

And the extra bacon.

The Fluffy- Since yesterday was Memorial Day, My husband was home from work. No work, no weigh-in, because I need the freight scale. So I measured and weighed myself this morning instead. Good thing, too, because I felt really bloated yesterday!

Here are the numbers:

Original numbers:        4 weeks ago:            Now:              Difference:

Weight 363 lbs.                326                      326                      same

Biceps- 23"                       20"                    19-3/4"                 -1/4"

Chest- 61-1/2"                  59"                      59"                      same

Waist- 58"                     56-1/4"                 55-1/4"                  -1"

Hips- 69-1/2"                62-1/2"                 62-1/2"                  same

Thigh- 32"                    28-3/4"                    31"                   +2-1/4"

Neck- 18"                     17-3/4"                 17-3/4"                   same

Not bad for three weekends of chaos and a gimpy knee.

Yesterday wasn't a fully down 'down' day, but I ate a lot less than I normally would have for a regular day. To be honest, I'm glad that month is over! I'm ready to get back into my good routines and get a lot more done around the house.

As for my knee, the tendon is much better, and I'm almost 100%. So that means I get to do a lot of housework and decluttering now that my daughter is home with all of her stuff.

There's so much to do here- who needs a gym?