Logging in from my phone so this will be short.
This afternoon, husband and I are going away to a bed and breakfast for a couple of days of relaxing (for me) and thinking. I'm not sure this is what my husband has in mind but oh well. I feel like I need to recharge and center myself, because work is already getting busier, and I will get busier before I get slower...
So staying keto strong will be a challenge, but hopefully not too stressful for me. Just have to make the best decisions for myself that I can. Won't be exercising, but I've been feeling some"heaviness" (fatigue) in my legs, so it's time for a rest. I do plan to walk, if I can but only as a means to relax and decompress.
So no weigh-in this weekend, but will be starting with heavier winds when I get back into town on Saturday.
Going into work an hour earlier to get stuff done. Was on my bike at 5:02a. It's harder to get myself out of bed earlier, but I really do appreciate getting started with my day earlier. It's a good thing.
Progress as of today: 54.5 lbs lost so far, only -4.5 lbs to go!
Not feeling so great today. Still feeling the effects of Friday night (DARN IT), and woke up to my back and left-butt really sore and achy. Riding my bike this morning didn't help relax the muscles any, so I was going to take Aleve. But I started with the higher doses of iron pills -- 2 pills on an empty stomach: BIG MISTAKE. Felt so sick to my stomach. So I might take an Aleve later on, once I think my stomach can handle it. I can tell that something's "off" because I absolutely want NO coffee whatsoever. I'm also way behind in drinking water -- which is also probably why I'm not feeling good, but IDK if my stomach can handle even THAT. I'm trying wataer right now, so I may be on my way to feeling better.
My left eye has been bothering me too, so I put in some moisturizing gel in it. It feels better now, but working that gel into dissolving was unpleasant.
Gosh I feel like I'm falling apart here today! But I'm glad that I tried the higher iron dosage today, because I won't do that again. I'll take the pills at night, so that I can sleep through the nausea, because no way could I go to work feeling like I did this morning.
I hope to do a little keto food prep for the week today.... I don't know if I'll get to it.
Progress as of today: 54.5 lbs lost so far, only -4.5 lbs to go!
You can do this, J donk! :)
Good idea to help the eye along before it gets worse? does it feel better??
Don't worry, try to rest this weekend a little extra if you can :)...group outtings lol, never what you expect them to be! :)
i have to improve my cardio so much but i feel if i just try to train, for just under a year, i can reach the minimums...i hope.
otherwise, i'll just stay in the electrical union and continue my own training as i always have. i'd rather not think this way, but, it's so hard to improve right now...however, if i use my vacations and sick days more as a purpose to train and not travel, it can be done :) if i use the sick / vacation days for training, i'd miss far less workouts due to planning problems and busy schedules. so, that's the plan after Paris...when the vacation / sick days come back in April & May. less travel, more effort for physical training...i'll see what kind of dent i can make in this cardio. back to training for the 2 "obstacle" race types of courses involved...well, speed tests i mean.
Making this a quick entry this morning. I plan to update later on today. I was only OK with today's weigh-in. I mean, yes, I'm glad that I had a lower number, but for not having a proper dinner last night due to last night's work-related bowling party where they had a million non-keto pizzas, and being more disciplined and not having to deal with so many hormones, I had TRULY hoped to see something like 129.0.
OMG last night's bowling party for work... I know I can't let this get me down, but it seems like this one event has already totally thrown off my whole weekend. I desperately need my weekends, and now this. Stayed up way too late, because we HAD to bowl 3 games. Didn't get to bed until 11pm. Woke up late and tired. My throat is very tight, like I'm getting sick. Not good. I am glad that I went, but a fine example of too much of a good thing. And I did not appreciate there being only pizza. WTF. I had a baggie of cheese, lunch meat, and then baby carrots, so I did eat something, but that's not really a dinner. *One thing I learned though is that for whatever reason, Queen Bee *really* has it out for Associate Attorney. I do NOT know what her problem is but it's like she never misses an opportunity to get out her stinger.
This afternoon, Mr. Donkey and I are going to the movies with his veterans group. It is free for us, but it's not a movie I really wanted to see. I seem not to enjoy many movies any more. I don't have the attention, and I start taking apart dialog, camera shots, lighting -- rather than experiencing the movie overall. But maybe I'll get a nice nap. Or maybe I will end up enjoying the movie. It's about a disabled veteran played by Bryan Cranston (from Breaking Bad). But then there's the overwhelming smell of popcorn to deal with...
Ya know, I feel like I owe a HUGE apology to my fellow DD'ers who have struggled, because I am really feeling and living it right now. I feel like maintenance is more of a struggle than the actual weight loss!
EVENING EDIT: I promised I would update again, so here I am. The movie was actually a good time, and my husband really liked it, so that made me double-happy. In fact, I think just sitting and relaxing for 2 hours was MOST helpful for me. I went into the movie feeling drained, emotional, anxious. I came out feeling rested, happy, and relaxed -- even though I didn't fall asleep at all!
Dinner was keto except for the 1/2 banana that my daughter didn't eat because it was "too brown" (not really). Because today is my relax day, I had 2 dark chocolate squares (about 130 calories) and about a dozen almonds. Now I am going to do my upper body workout and then get ready for bed. (I'll start the heavier weights in March - ready to see some poppin' muscles!)
The kids just left to go get frozen yogurt, so I'm going to sign off and get upstairs, started on my workout, so that I don't have to be around it.
ADDITIONAL EVENING EDIT: Just wanted to add that my left butt is so sore from overusing it at bowling last night - enough to the point where sitting down becomes a slight challenge, LOL...
Progress as of today: 54.5 lbs lost so far, only -4.5 lbs to go!
I'm glad you brought some food with you to bowling. I gotta tell you, whenever going to group events or even get togethers (like with my cousins last week), it's like you can always plan to be out later than you would have liked. Me and you, who like our alone time and time away from crowds, i understand why we like to leave and just get back to our home lives. but, it's great you went!
and for instance the chocolate things i made, the pb cups, they have a lot of cals since they are simply made with chocolate, peanut butter, and coconut oil. all such heavy stuff. but the good thing is they don't rocket your blood sugars.
i find though, in the mornings, that i prefer some real sugar these days at work. that i need it to get me going...so i may start experimenting with some other items. just gotta think what i want to make...
i know what you mean about movies. i don't like all genres. action = no way jose! really i just like the documentaries, some comedies, and romance.
i have even, last summer, stopped a movie close to the end bc it was so BORING! lol.
when i used to watch movies with ricky at his apt, we'd take breaks every 30min-1hour so we didn't have to sit still for too long! lol
I completely get wanting to have real sugar. I really do. Today, on the drive to the theater, I was thinking how really addicted I am to sugar.
I have a recipe for flaxseed crackers that I REALLY want to make soon - sounds yummy for when I want something crunchy.
Wednesday was a HUGE DRAMA day and did not have time to log in, unfortunately. Hey, it was either log in or do upper body weight training, and I'm proud to say that I did my weight training! I'm kind of sacrificing my lower body weight training by logging in now, but I'll still get it in tonight.
Work drama: Queen Bee called Associate Attorney an ass in front of everyone, and that pissed off Nice Lady in a BIG way. THAT won't be forgotten for a long time, I tell you.... Nice Lady is too nice to say anything about it, but when she's mad at you, you KNOW you did something wrong. And I agree -- Queen Bee was way out of line on her comment -- on so many levels.
In addition to this drama, I had actual drama relating to my work -- scheduling real estate closings and trying to get everyone ready for that is not as easy as one might think -- and on top of that, I had an unexpected 2-hour software training session PLUS had to leave early for my doctor's appointment! Yesterday was NOT a quiet day for me.
So the doctor tells me that I'm pretty anemic, so I have an appointment to get an ultrasound and then an appointment with a GI doctor, to see if I need to get scoped. I'm either losing too much blood during TOM (time of month) or I'm losing blood through my GI tract and just haven't noticed. This could probably explain why I feel drained a lot of the time, even with lots of food and good sleep. I wonder if this has to do with that "heavy leg" feeling too. I'm not sure if it relates to having thinning hair, but I guess that's why my nails continue to split even after taking biotin, collagen, etc. I'm pretty sure the problem is uterine and not GI related but I guess that's what the tests will determine. In the meantime, I'll be taking even more iron to try get my levels up to where they belong.
Last night I did upper body weight training, and I've decided to move up to my next higher dumbbells which are 15 lbs. I probably won't be able to do many reps, but that's how lifting heavier works. I just have to tell myself that this is OK, that significant work is still being done, even if it's not a certain "set" number I have in my brain. Once the 15 lbs becomes "too easy", then I can re-evaluate. I am not sure I want to buy anything heavier than that, but I definitely have time to think about that, because using 15 lbs dumbbells will definitely be a challenge for these noodle arms of mine.
Progress as of today: 53.5 lbs lost so far, only -3.5 lbs to go!
i also am loving your switch to the higher dumbells. you can still do a 3rd set of your routine with the lower weights and do it slower to work on form and the slower pace will also make it more difficult and challenging, so it's another way to work things, if you still have that lighter set you can still make use of them right now...
i agree, the only wait to get better and improve is to remember you to push yourself at the next level. i also am moving up in weights for one of my lighter weights exercises. i'll write more of it later.
and nice to hear Q bee's attitude bit her in the a$$$$$.
Very cool that you are moving up to the 15lb dumbbells! Progress! Also very impressed with your determination to keep going even though you weren't feeling like you were getting what you needed out of lifting heavier. Keep at it! Those results are coming!
A little more snow today, and then rain or freezing rain later on. I am leaving work early today to go to the doctor's for a follow-up appointment, to go over my blood test results. The vitamin supplements I'm taking have already made a huge difference - at least in how I feel - but if she thinks I need prescription strength stuff, then OK... at least for a while. I didn't see anything else in the blood test results that raised red flags to me -- like thyroid issues, blood sugar, etc. But we'll see what she says.
Tonight is upper body workout. I've been wanting to work my abs every night, but on nights that I don't do weights, I forget to work the abs. I did some quick reading on what it takes - eating wise - to get that really lean appearance. It's not really practical for where I'm at in life right now. Would like to see more "pop" in my arm muscles though. I guess that would mean serious higher weights.
Work continues to be drama, especially since we're slow right now, so there's time for whispers and stuff. However, I am getting a better sense of the dynamics of certain co-workers.... Although I do not think I am wrong in certain assessments, I now understand why certain things are the way they are, so if that's what it takes to make people run efficiently, then so be it. That is to say, we all have our vices. I can only change me --- and I'm not even sure I can do that much to change myself, LOL. I am a crusty ol' Donkey, after all, stubborn and ornery.
Progress as of today: 53.5 lbs lost so far, only -3.5 lbs to go!
my abs are better than they were any other year, and i do less for them.
abs were never my strong suit. but, as i keep pushing my ability with the situps and as i keep progressing in lunges and other leg work and keep walking with cardio, my abs are progressing ANYWAYS! so, i learned that less is more.
and the less fat you have, the more you see the abs. yeah, it's true they are made in the kitchen.
at work i don't usually sit with great posture. i feel if i did, my abs would be even better, except, i would rather sit comfortably. i do realize also i do not stand well on public transportation or sit well as the bus and train seats are sorta uncomfortable for short people...so right now i just leave it alone and work on my abs at home, and try to walk with good posture overall.
I thought about what your wrote, about abs being made in the kitchen.... and I think I like food too much to be THAT disciplined for chiseled abs. Wah wah!
But my core is STRONG. It's amazing how strong it is. A while back I took part in a plank challenge, it was a 30 day challenge, and you had to work your way up to a plank-off on the last day - basically holding the position for as long as possible. I lasted 5 minutes! It was amazing, and I learned something that day... I AM Strong. I might not always look or feel strong, but there it is. The proof.
So I will keep on working the abs, but I do not think that I want to be that disciplined with eating to get that kind of definition.
Getting back on track to what worked for me before. Stepping back from being so focused on "keto" and doing what works for me -- which is still essentially keto (more keto than low carb/high fat, which apparently is something different).
Had a good lower body weight workout last night. Debated on whether to have a piece of chocolate after dinner or after workout, but then realized that I didn't really need it, so I just got ready for bed. I feel like I slept well - FitBit says I did, too - but I did wake up with a little "heavy leg" feeling, probably from the weights. So I kept my morning bike ride long but lighter.
My son was saying that when he went for his latest physical for his military re-entry that there were guys there that looked like they could snap bodies in half, but he still looks quite skinny (to himself). Boy do I feel his pain! And he HAS bulked up a quite a bit with the upper body on top, but to look at him you wouldn't think that he could do serious bodily harm -- know what I'm saying? He's still long and lanky, even with the added upper body muscle he's managed to train into. So this afternoon, if it's slow at work, I think I'll read up on how to eat for a leaner body.
Progress as of today: 53.5 lbs lost so far, only -3.5 lbs to go!
I'm very glad you are sticking with the weights. I do wake up with tired legs sometimes after doing lower body exercises the night before.
Well, as your son gets older, it will be increasingly easier to keep bulking :) he has to start somewhere, and, at least he's not a fatty ;) i know what you mean. he's up against guys that lift weights since they were in HS or were extremely athetic then which makes it easier for them now to gain in the msucle...i get you. they have prob been doing it much longer (even if his age, they have trained a little longer or had some extra weight / muscle to start with!)
I'd remind him of the progress he's made. and that anything is possible, but to not overtrain or try things that are too heavy too fast or it will just injure him.
i'd remind him that he can get to where he wants to be, by being consistent like you are! you're a great role model in this area for your son!
consistency is key :)
i'm not relating this experience to your son, as he HAS been training and he's a lot younger with more potential to grow stronger. two very different parts of life, your son and I.
I'm just saying that compared to my workplace, i look great and fit. but put with with a different population and all of a sudden i look weak or out of shape comparatively.!!!!!
most important is to not compare too much. to remember how far you have come. and try to go on your own journey at least somewhat!
I understand what you are saying about the comparisons though, and I completely agree.
Had to shovel this morning, even though I heard someone go out last night to shovel around 10:30p. Even though it is not above freezing here, the sun is out and is managing to start melting snow off the sidewalks and driveways, at least. On my lunchtime walk, I started feeling more hopeful and optimistic. (Almost) Looking forward to bowling with co-workers this Friday. Looking forward to my/our getaway next weekend. I must remember this, though, when it starts to snow again on Wednesday, especially since I have to drive to my doctor's appointment follow-up on the slick roads.
Wedding ring was tight this morning. Definitely feeling bloated - and I do not think this is water retention. I planned out my meals with LOTS of vegetables, and a grapefruit and stewed cranberries (sugar free - not too many of these). Tonight is lower weights workout.
My son said the nicest thing to me last night: "I'm so sick of all this keto food! Mom, you look fine!"
Progress as of today: 53.5 lbs lost so far, only -3.5 lbs to go!
Is the bowling during after work Friday or in the afternoon? that sounds fun!
i'm glad you got out to walk and that you continue thru winter. it's the only way and it's what we all do at work, too. It's very important to keep walking and take a moment out from your desk during the day!!!!
It is snowing yet again. We are expecting 3-4 inches today. It will snow on and off throughout most of the day. It looks like it's lightening up a bit, so I am working up to getting out there.
Just so you know that it ain't easy for me either, I did struggle again last night. Sugar free chocolate I made with baker's chocolate, coconut oil, and Swerve.
I made peach flavored gummies last night, and today I plan to make another full batch of stewed cranberries. The cranberries often take the edge off of the sweets craving at the end of the day. I am toying with makimg a keto chocolate cake, but I think with the way I've been struggling, I'd better hold off another week.
I've also been struggling at work, so I decided that I need a mini-vacation from work. My husband is looking into a bed-and-breakfast, and frankly, this whole process is stressing me out - LOL!
I volunteered at the legal clinic on Saturday, and again - struggling. Hard to find joy, short on patience.
Plans for today: Shovel, read, make cranberries, fold laundry, make fathead dough batch, upper body weight training.
EVENING EDIT: Struggled at lunch, after shoveling. Finished off the sugar free chocolate - due to a stressful conversation with my husband. Yes, completely stress eating. I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS. However, afterward I had had the chocolate, and then a proper lunch (in that order), I actually felt full. I don't often feel full after I eat. Hmm...
I went out and shoveled again at around 2:30p, when it had finally stopped snowing. It started up again this evening, though, and I could go back out there again to shovel if I was so inclined. I am not, because I want to get in my upper body weights and then get ready for bed.
It's a little later right now, because I decided to make the cranberries after all. That is the only thing I did not get done, and then I decided that I would like to have this as an available dessert after all.
My conversation with my husband was stressful and discouraging, but aftewards, I realized that everything will be OK, whether I stress about it or not. So that helped me not stress about it any more.
Tomorrow is a bank and mail holiday, so it should be fairly quiet. Queen Bee is taking the day off (because it's a school holiday too). Wednesday is my follow-up doctor's appointment at 3:15p. I think I will try to leave work at 1pm if I can. I want to see if it's being at work that's causing me to feel burned out, or if it's just this never-ending winter weather.
Progress as of today: 53.5 lbs lost so far, only -3.5 lbs to go!
I am so sorry you got the snow again! holy cow!...i'll write more later, but i gotta tell you, I'm feeling like i want to just be home today too.
PS - i also made cranberries!!!! i have one more bag left in my freezer! If i see any at the store today or tomorrow, i might buy some more! they were so tasty all season. lately i enjoy them with full fat greek yogurt. so good.
the fathead dough - which recipe? can you send it or give me a link to that one?
oh and your sugar free chocolate recipe is similar to the one i saw for the reese's cups and interestingly, the chocolate chips i have that are made with stevia have an even simpler recipe, melting them, adding pb, and adding more melted choc on top. too simple i think to be great, so i'll use the recipe that includes coconut oil and some sweetener too.
today i'm light on plans, so yeah, it's been a nice day home - but i'm glad i have several low cal options here at home. ..like have a few chocolate chips (stevia) and other options rather than eat a whole thing of cookies. i have options = easier to follow thru. I understand how you feel. also the labor of the shoveling may induce some hunger!
https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/fathead-pizza-crust-low-carb-keto-gluten-free-nut-free/
I usually add onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning or oregano to the mixture, if I am making this savory. Maybe top with chia seeds, sesame seeds? I recently bought "Everything But The Bagel" seasoning - the toppings on those "everything bagels" - and that's delicious!
If I were making this sweet, I suppose you could add something like cinnamon.
I use this as flatbread -- only made pizza once. My daughter dips this in her hummus. I could see spreading cream cheese on this. Perhaps peanut butter if you made a sweet version.
Try to keep on with the job and to keep your life interesting to a degree outside work!
With the burnout feeling, try to keep your passions. like your cooking and preparing new and typical things you like :)
i think that everyone is a little fed up with the Winter season and i do feel that people are not as positive this time of year....
This is not working. Whatever I'm doing - it is not working. I've gained beyond the parameter (limit) I set for myself for "winter weight". My pants are starting to feel too tight and don't fit me properly. Hormones and cravings were crazy this week. Funny how I woke up on Friday and felt like I was starting to feel back to myself -- like a wearwolf turning back into a human, almost. Hard to explain, I guess more like a tornado starting to dissolve back into a whiff of air, maybe.
So here's looking ahead to a more normal week. I can only hope that the scale follows suit.
I told myself that I would stick with the heavier weights through the end of February. I'm committed to doing that, so that will not change for now.
I'm re-evaluating the keto thing. I did better on a low carb/healthy fat/lean protein diet than I'm doing on keto -- at least as far as numbers on the scale went. I'm not ready to switch off of keto, but definitely doing some soul searching to see if this is the right thing for me. Kind of along the lines of the self-discovery I made about intermittent fasting - if a cup of coffee with cream in it will keep me from eating longer, then USE IT as a tool -- who cares if it's not "technically" fasting.
This whole week might just be a blip in the journey - hormones, miserable weather, bloating, work drama, my kids' futures -- in which case, it would be hasty to make changes right now.
Progress as of today: 53.5 lbs lost so far, only -3.5 lbs to go!
i am supportive of the intermittent fasting / prolonging breakfast ideas. yes.
use everything you learned to make things best for YOU!
Happy Valentine's Day!! Trying hard to stay positive today. My FitBit says that I got enough sleep but I am really feeling TIRED this morning. I really must try much harder tonight to get to bed earlier.
My rings are tight this morning - so retaining water or gaining weight. My dress pants for work are starting to feel too tight for my comfort level, but I have sensory issues... so it may be that either the pants are actually fitting the way they are supposed to (quite often the case with me) or it could be an underwear issue. Or I'm gaining weight - LOL.
Just gotta keep where I'm at until Spring arrives. Today is supposed to be a warmer day at 46F, so I hope to get in a nice walk at lunchtime.
AFTERNOON EDIT: Breaking my rule again about logging in at work... because the boss has gone home early, and I have pretty much nothing to do. I will be leaving soon myself.
I've been craving sugar big-time today. And I have upper body workout tonight - UGH. We'll see how the evening plays out - whatever happens, I truly do want to keep my food in check and get to bed early. Both of those would be great Valentine's Day gifts to myself.
Progress as of today: 56.5 lbs lost so far, only -6.5 lbs to go!
Finally it's warmer by you! We also reached just around your temp today, but colder than that for most of the day (around 40F here).
I'm also working on maintaining till Spring. Like you, my goal is more to "lean up" thru developing more muscle / retaining my muscle / working on gaining strength!
Some of my coworkers weren't in great moods today. Either due to memories of divorce or that the guy one is seeing hasn't been as loving as he has used to be...for once, i'm in a good position myself (actually semi dating someone). so, it's a nice change :)
also, with the chocolate / sugar craving you are mentioning, remember, a little taste can go a long way. meaning, a little taste (i tend to even buy single servings of truffles at a deli for like 50 cents, and have it with coffee). or the cooked cranberries do work with a keto chocolate and coffee, etc. try to listen to your body a little, it will probably help you out. just my advice based on past experiences going too long carb for my body...
like you, the goal for me is for decent sleep :)
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I hope you and your Hubby have a wonderful weekend and enjoy staying at the B&B! Have fun!
horn_of_plenty on 02/28/2019:
have fun with your hubby, something relaxing is the best "medicine." i've been feeling similar to how you sound here as of late! i'm glad you are getting out of town for the weekend. where is the B&B? close by?
no matter what, enjoy the time away. and realize you have a lot of options / choices and you can choose whatever you want (with food) and if you cannot find someting, you can go get it... :) ENJOY! :)
Madison, Wisconsin is about a 2 hour drive from where I live in the northern suburbs. :)