I wanted to reflect on the eating part of my journey. Part of my "diet" approach is to cut down on white carbs. I'm not counting anything, but just try to make better choices, focusing more on fruits, vegetables, and protein (nuts, beans, meat). Carbs like sweet potato are OK. Rice and unprocessed white potato with skin are OK in modified amounts.
So I was doing pretty good, but then last weekend my son graduated from high school, so I went off of the low-carb for Saturday celebration cake, Saturday dinner, and most of Sunday.
On Monday, I was back on plan, because as Horn of Plenty says, it's the getting back on track that's the most important. OMGosh, at work -- at my very stressful job -- by 4:30pm, I was ready to tear people's heads off. In fact, before low carb, when I'm at work, a lot of times at around 3:30pm I would kill for a potato chip. when I got home, it was all I could do to stop myself from going to the freezer and taking out the leftover grad cake and eating the whole thing. But I didn't!
On Tuesday, I felt much better, but then it hit me that Monday was about carb withdrawl. So I learned something about myself. When I turn back to the carbs, I have to really get back on track ASAP and it will be hard, but worth the effort. "To eat in a way that honors myself."
Progress as of today: 9 lbs lost so far, only 22.5 lbs to go!
Not happy with this week's weigh-in --- up 2.5 pounds, but I'm hoping that's due to water weight, considering extenuating circumstances of what was on my plate the night before weigh-in.
So, to help me over the busy summer months, the boss suggested that my daughter pick up some hours at the firm, because our new hire is making so many mistakes. During her training, my daughter texted my husband (Dad) that if she had my job, she would shoot herself because it's that bad. "All she does is sit in front of her computer and scream." --- Yep, I probably do, between computer problems with Outlook continually locking up and clients who decide to change their mind but don't tell me, it gets pretty darn frustrating.
Still, it was quite refreshing and yet alarming to see someone else's perspective.
Progress as of today: 9 lbs lost so far, only 22.5 lbs to go!
I want to say that your daughter is young. Please do NOT go by what she observes at work. Most people do not LOVE their jobs. But you do need to work to make money and live the other portions of your life that are outside of work...
You seemed to be doing much better with your work, and you've been positive. That's why i struggle to understand why this entry had to be this way? Be confident! You can do this & are doing this.
Maybe the only thing is to try to be more positive at work? Set a good example for your daughter?
Hey, i'm not there, so i know my advice may not be applicable, just trying to help :)
No weigh-in this week, although this is probably the time that I need it most! With my son's graduation from high school, visiting relatives, and being away from home, my low-carb & vegetable options have been limited. Plus, I was at the point where I needed to just relax and enjoy.
I'm grateful for this long holiday. I'm tempted to go into the office a little bit today, but not really. I need a holiday. I wish I could do this every month -- take an extra day off for a long weekend, but if I did, I would come back to over 100 emails. So that's a no-win.
We did hire someone who I thought could eventually cover for me in my absence, but she is really not capable of doing anything other than data entry.
It just occurred to me that I might feel a little Zen if I took walks in the morning. It's hard to get up early though when you're exhausted and dreading the work day ahead.
At any rate, I'm going to enjoy today, that's for sure!
Progress as of today: 11.5 lbs lost so far, only 20 lbs to go!
You sound happy in this entry. Happy and more carefree. keep going this way, you are doing really well right now.
Congrats to your son on his graduation - that's a HUGE accomplishment and you must be so proud of him.
well, i'll say if you can get enough sleep, try for a few little walks in mornings. maybe try it 1x in the week only...then move on to 2x. The walk may only be 10-15 minutes at first. It's a big change to not walking in mornings.
Just checking in to mark the 10lb loss milestone of my year of self-improvement. I'm about 10lbs away from a fabulous, professional waredrobe (handed down from someone else who lost weight).
Still struggling to find a work-life balance, but not going to give up.
Progress as of today: 11.5 lbs lost so far, only 20 lbs to go!
work/life balance will always be a struggle, but it's up to you to either let it bring you down....or for you to overcome it and continue to strive for it. it's always a challenge between work & personal freedom which i guess work makes impossible? but it's worth it to rise to that challenge...!
I CAN DO IT!!!!!!!
Random thoughts and happenings this week:
I had not planned on weighing in this morning (because of hormonal fluctuations which can throw off a weigh in), and I'm not sure why I did anyway -- I guess because I felt compelled to stick to this and weigh in -- good or bad. Pleasantly surprised to see a loss -- my efforts have paid off!
The change in my eating has paid off with a small but significant weight loss (significant to me). I have joined in my "dieting" co-workers in eating better: more fruits and vegetables, less meat,definitely less bread, more water. It has been hard because when I'm stressed out at work, all I want to do is reach for a bowl of chips. This week was one of my co-workers' birthday, so there was a delicious cake but I didn't have any, and felt much better for passing.
I'm doing some reading on living a more balanced life - internally, if not externally. I suppose you could say that the readings are along the lines of Buddist thinking but I've found them helpful in putting things into perspective. I try hard now to decompress for 30 minutes after work before eating... chatting with my family, maybe drinking a little wine or some seltzer, just letting the stress of the work day melt away before sitting down to dinner...
I didn't have time to make a lunch on Friday, and nobody was going to the deli (so that I could get a salad), so I decided to go home for lunch. I'm so glad I did! It was a beautiful day, and I took the opportunity to enjoy it on my way home. Had a much healthier lunch than I would have had I stayed at work. And enjoyed the beautiful weather on the way back to the office. I'm thinking this might be something to incorporate on a regular basis: go home for lunch once a week.
I have more plans for my self-enrichment, which I will begin to add gradually. On my list: regular exercise (good for the body, mind, and soul), practicing Spanish to become more fluent (a promise I made to myself 3 years go that remains unfulfilled), taking a course of study (either self-guided or a structured but free/fun class online) to learn a new skill.
I have more thoughts I'd like to add about my work life, but I don't want to post them now in this entry as it would detract from the positive points I've mentioned here outside of work.
Progress as of today: 8 lbs lost so far, only 23.5 lbs to go!
When i slimmed down for my sister's wedding, i was able to do so because i believed it was possible. I am trying to go back to this mindset now!
Our power to succeed rests a lot in our minds and what we think we are capable of. Proud of you!....you are doing great. Keep thinking this way, and don't forget about the good you are achieving within yourself.
I haven't posted in a while because I keep forgetting to weigh in. In one sense, this is good because it means I'm not obsessed over numbers, but that's about the only silver lining. Truth be told, I'm having a hard time staying focused, staying committed to taking better care of myself and to improving myself - as evidenced by teetering around the 180lbs mark, no consistent exercise pattern, and extra snacking at night after dinner.
Work has become very stressful. Very busy, a new co-worker, very busy, a computer that keeps crashing, and very busy. My workload seems to have doubled, even though we have this new gal to help take over some of my tasks, which she has (albeit not very well). I know that this will not be forever, since the real estate season tends to taper off in September --- to a manageable "busy" rather than this out-of-control busy I'm at right now.
I'm so busy doing what I do at work, that I'm not allowed to learn other aspects of law, such as helping people set up small businesses or be more involved in estate planning. This is not good at all, because these are 2 areas that would help me find a better job if I remain a legal assistant. That my professional growth is being stifled is NOT good.
All of my co-workers, except the new girl -- who eats so fast at lunch: wolfs down a pork chop lunch in 10 minutes - yikes! -- and my boss, are on a mission to eat better and lose weight. It's hard for me to join them because I get so stressed out by the middle of the afternoon that I reach for the chips, but I know that is just self-defeating. So I'm going to make a serious effort to eat better this coming week to establish a new habit.
And I'm going to take some steps to find a new approach to handling all the chaos around me. If I could just keep my mouth shut, focus on my work, and not get involved in all the other drama and distraction, things might get better. On the otherhand, it might become overwhelming if I'm silently carrying all of my burdens alone.
What I really need is a new job with insurance benefits, and I'm looking but nothing has come by since the last application I made. I realize now that what I needed to do was not "dumb down" my resume but make it more customer-service oriented rather than production oriented. I have been making changes to my resume in my head but not on paper yet. Challenging and interesting but definitely not an activity that would contribute to the relaxation and calm that I so desperately need right now.
Help....
Progress as of today: 6.5 lbs lost so far, only 25 lbs to go!
Weighed in and hopefully I can stay in this lower set of numbers again, but I can tell you that I did not get to the 170's in a good way: too much stress and discontent at work led to less eating. Still have not managed to incorporate exercise into my daily routine.
I need a new job. I did not get an interview for the job I applied for a week ago, but now I know that the next time a job pops up, I need to re-do my resume to "dumb down" a little bit. In the meantime, I'm grateful for the job I have, although it's very stressful and not healthy. I need insurance, but I also need to earn as much as I possibly can right to save, save, save, in anticipation of when my husband stops working due to his illness.
I'm sorry, I don't have anything more encouraging to write at this time. I feel very scattered and disorganized, diet-wise, health-wise, job-wise, family-wise, life-wise. No plan other than to get through each day.
Progress as of today: 7 lbs lost so far, only 24.5 lbs to go!
I think if you think more positively about yourself & that you can get thru the current job, all will be a little better for you. Even if you didn't get down to the 170's in a healthy way, i'm sure it's still OK that you lost around 5lbs. think of it as weight that is lost and work from there? That's only my suggestion...
Is there a way to make your work less stressful for yourself so that you don't have to leave?
I didn't realize your husband is sick. I send my regards and sympathy to him & you.
I wish you good things :) and warm thoughts.
Holding myself accountable: Did not weigh in for a week or two. 2 weeks ago I was up to 181.5 and last week I weighed in at 180.0.
Not ready to post anything of significance other than to say that my work-life balance is all out of control. Not sleeping well. Today the anxiety was so bad at my lunch break that I thought I might be starting to have a heart attack but the sharp pain never came. Almost went home but stuck it out. Ended the day on a better note though.
Hoping things improve soon. I know I have the power to do this. Just have to find a way to get from point A (anxiety) to point B (better).
Progress as of today: 6.5 lbs lost so far, only 25 lbs to go!
Sorry about the anxiety. I can relate as well. While driving to & from AC, it sprung up on me. But now I know I can fight them back down completely, thankfully. I have the tools thank gosh. But I feel you Donkey. It is tough at times...but you are doing good.
Keep being accountable and making good choices. Be proud of yourself for doing well despite the challenges.
I was surprised for such a good weigh-in this week, but I was happy to see a new set of numbers.
Here's a humorous story that I hope will benefit others: I don't have benefits at my current job, although I get a decent salary. I work for a small business, whose owner is making plans to slip into semi-retirement, and I have decided that I don't want to work for the person he hired to take over the day-to-day part of the practice. So I applied at a large institution for less pay but fantastic benefits.
Anyway -- this happens every time I try for a new job -- the only thing I need now is to have my nails grown back really quickly (I'm a bad nail-biter) and lose 50lbs. Then I will be "interview ready" to take on the world. LOL....
So for those who are younger, please learn this lesson from my bumbling life: don't put off things now, waiting for things to happen in the future before you make those changes that are healthy for you today -- because I know there is no way I could ever possibly lose 50lbs before they start calling for interviews (if I'm fortunate to get selected for interviews).
At my last job, I worked in an extremely stressful environment with a killer commute. When I started working at the place I work now, I promised myself that I would take better care of myself, i.e. walk more, lose the weight I had gained, sleep more, etc. Here I am 20-30lbs heavier, not walking more, and not practicing good sleep habits. Yes, I'm happier but somewhere along the way, I set aside the promises I made to myself and lost my way,
So all I can do is focus on now and the future.
Progress as of today: 8 lbs lost so far, only 23.5 lbs to go!
Back to my original thought - I urge you to have confidence in yourself & know you are fully capable of what you wish for yourself: You say you are surprised at the loss - be proud. It's YOU who as a matter of fact did make it happen. Nobody but YOU. You can do this.
okay...next. I feel you. I feel for you. I'm talking now about when you write about "losing 50 lbs...to be interview ready." Oh, do I feel for you! I know what you mean. But I urge you once again this - be sure of yourself. No matter what your weight, your confidence is what people notice at the interview. Trust me.
I thank you for your tips at the end of your entry. Your advice is well taken. It's true what you write that we shouldn't put off the things we want till we are older. Or put off the things that are important to us because we somehow get into a rut with a new job. Me too - new jobs need time to get used to - for us to learn how to make a new schedule that works, etc. So yeah - in my life too I have gained / lost weight based on where I was at work-wise and job-wise. But your advice is well taken. What you say makes perfect sense - do not let changes in your life also affect your weight - try to rise above it - care for yourself & your health just like you care about getting a new job / learning your job. Do not put yourself second. You say it right. I may not be commenting fully based on your advice, but this is my take on what you wrote based on my own experiences.
Oh...and lower pay but excellent benefits sounds worth it!
This week has been nothing but discouraging, topped off by a 1.5 pound gain. How defeating it is to have to write higher numbers on the progress chart.
Although it was a very hard week, I have a lot to be thankful for: my husband's trip to the ER and subsequent exams could not find anything wrong with him. Also, because I missed an entire day of work tending to my husband and then the next day my computer did nothing but crash after crash after crash, I truly have a new respect for anybody who has to work 12 hour shifts.
Also, if I realize that I should have done things differently than I did in the past, maybe that means I've acquired some wisdom, which is a good thing and will serve a purpose for me in the future perhaps. No good can come from beating myself up for past mistakes.
Probably the biggest conclusion is that i need to keep my work-life balance in check. This past week, it was totally out of whack, and everything was compromised. I must strive hard to keep that balance in my life. It will benefit me and my relationships with others and the world much better in the long run.
Progress as of today: 4.5 lbs lost so far, only 27 lbs to go!
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You know, i'm gonna comment now because after reading this entry, i must add my "two cents."
I used to be more extreme low carb. And it actually was more difficult than eating more carbs and staying on track...what i'm saying is, carbs are good. I do not recommend staying low carb unless it's really balanced with the high fat and everything...
when i eat carbs, i have sometimes noticed a very dramatic shift to a more positive mood. I don't eat a ton of carbs, but i usually do include them in my meals more often. Though in small amounts still.
like, at lunch, my carbs might be a small 100-120 cal bag of popcorn. or on other days, i may eat a butter small bag of popcorn 200 cals. i do eat normal amounts of carbs like that at times. That's just the carb part of my lunch. there's also the protein and veggies...
but like i was saying, if you are really run-down or miserable, adding in some carbs (the whole grains are a great idea as well as sweet potatoes) may help lighten your mood and help you feel better. it's proven somewhat...
MyGiftedLife on 06/05/2016:
I can so relate to the stress at work job -- my time is 3pm-ish EVERY day... I try to pack tons of good snacks, but when I'm not able, it's extremely difficult to stay the course.. CONGRATULATIONS for doing it on Monday!!! WOW!! That's great.. And, I do agree with Horn of Plenty... I too try to stay away from a lot of carbs, but when I do have some, I notice my mood is better too, and it helps me stay course.. I have to remember that..
So proud we're all working towards these goals which will make us feel so much better.. Have a great night!!