Just a quick update to let you know that the appraisal is done. The house looked and still looks so nice and clean. 16 bags and 1 full can of garbage, plus 3 recycling bins and 2 collections of cardboard boxes (also for recycling) to the curb. That's still not all of the garbage, but there are a lot of leftover computer parts that I have to figure out how to dispose of those correctly....
My goal is to have the house on the market by the end of the year, which is when I figure my husband will not be able to work any more...
And I managed this WITHOUT stress-eating! Very proud of myself. Even if things don't work out well, at least I know that I did my very best, and I know that my husband also tried really, really hard and my kids went above and beyond my expectations.
Progress as of today: 43.5 lbs lost so far, only 2.5 lbs to go!
This is a quick entry today because I should be cleaning in order to prepare for the appraisal.
I'm not sure I entirely trust the number on the scale.
Have made a decision not to participate in any more Fitbit challenges this week or next. Then I will re-evaluate.
This was a stressful week at work. If my daughter didn't have Monday off, I would be going in this weekend to open up contracts. But since she DOES have Monday off for President's Day, she can come to my work and open the contracts for me. There are 5 of them waiting for her...
So I am definitely going to have to start thinking about how I'm going to maintain a work/life balance this season, because this seems very early on to be having to come in on weekends. Nevermind that my boss took 3 days off this week and 3 of my other co-workers either didn't come in at all or left early on Friday, leaving me and one other co-worker who doesn't answer the phones.
Progress as of today: 43.5 lbs lost so far, only 2.5 lbs to go!
Random thoughts for a midweek log-in:
Am I becoming too obsessed with the number on the scale?
Just realized that I've been sober since July 2016. WOW!
Today was a hungry day, and probably not because I was actually hungry, but rather because of the stress at work and overall fatigue. NOT GOOD.
After this week, I'm going to take a break from Fitbit challenges with co-workers. There's one guy that gets so many steps that it's not even fun or motivating. He's always 20,000 steps ahead of me, and then I'm usually 10,000 steps ahead of everyone else. I don't want to win, but I want a competitor that pushes me to do more. Nobody in these challenges is doing that. And so it's just added stress -- and more numbers to obsess about.
House is getting appraised on Monday. Please wish us luck. Major cleaning over the weekend.
New gym has opened up down the block from me. Too far to walk but a nice bike ride. Wish I could afford to belong to a gym. I might go check it out just to see what the terms would be... *sigh*
Progress as of today: 40.5 lbs lost so far, only 5.5 lbs to go!
Good luck on your house appraisal.
I do understand your need to break away from the fitbit challenge and i would have prob done the same at this point. yeah, no need to keep on when you got what you wanted out of it. Take the break. I always like mixing things up...when it's always the same, it's boring.
You never know, maybe the gym is in your future. Especially if you were to be committed to go..
As I prepared to step on the scale this morning, I started to think: What if this is it? This might be the number I'm meant to be at. Again, still hoping to see 145.0 on the scale, I was somewhat pleased to see that I am back down to 146.0 again but it's not the 145 that I was hoping for. Isn't that silly? It's really all the same thing, but just seeing that 5 on the scale would be great...
One thing I changed this week was having a protein shake in the morning, after my morning exercise, rather than a carb breakfast. I still have my container of oatmeal at the office, just in case I felt that the shake wasn't enough to hold me until lunch, but I haven't touched it this past week. I'll stay on the protein shake until I've used up the whole (big) container and then re-evaluate.
Weight training did not happen this week, mostly because it is not yet an established habit with me, and this week was just too stressful. I canceled the "fashion intervention makeover" with my co-worker this week as well, and she was actually fine with that too. We're supposed to go (resale) shopping this coming up Thursday.
So my husband is trying to lose weight. Last night I made a take-and-bake pizza for the kids, and the Mr. had beef for dinner. I had a slice of pizza and raw vegetables to go with it. That's pretty much been my approach to meals (except breakfast) thus far: regular meals with more vegetable options so that I eat more vegetables and less other stuff.
BUT now we're faced with making menu changes for my husband -- to lose weight (low carb) and also to reduce his inflammation (gluten-free). I don't know that he'll be able to do either plan 100% all the way, but right now, for where he's at, any modification in either direction will help, I believe -- we have to start somewhere. Anyway, I have some anti-inflammatory cookbooks waiting for me at the library to pick up today to learn more. (Going to the library is one of my greatest pleasures in life.)
I read somewhere that 80% of weight loss is what you eat (20% on exercising). It is my hope and belief that by modifying my diet to be more compatable with my husband's, that will help me get my numbers down into the 130's, which is where I ultimately want to be and maintain.
Progress as of today: 40.5 lbs lost so far, only 5.5 lbs to go!
Maybe I should only weigh in once a month... Hmm...
Suggestions?
PS Nurses are so cool!
Protein def helps me with hugner and cravings. On the days I eat more carbs at work, i get hungry so much faster. But lately, it's all I want (higher carbs). I am just giving in lately ... it's still healthy, just higher carb - like my cooked cranberries with peanut butter on a wrap. light on the protein, but def not as satisfying as when i have cream cheese on a wrap with turkey pepperoni - that's higher fat and protein and more satisfying.
Your approach for reg meals with more veggies is the same approach i use. It works for me. I can say, 100%, this will (as long as it remains in my control) my way of eating for life. this has been the only way for me to eat large quantities and not gain loads of weight.
as far as your hubby, please remember something that you had to learn also and so did i - LITTLE CHANGES little at a time...your hubby will have a very hard time making all changes at once. So, maybe you do NOT have to make all these changes for him at once...if he were to just eat more veggies and less of the other stuff - JUST LIKE YOU DO! - he CAN lose weight...and this i am sure will help with inflammation.
veggies are amazing. perhaps your husband is open to learning this.
A midweek post from Donkey, but I just HAD to share:
So Mr. Donkey and I went to the orthopedic surgeon today to get a consultation about hip replacement surgery. I think my husband thought he'd get the go-ahead and be scheduled for surgery.
Doctor walks in and says, "Lose 50-60 pounds and come back and see me. Then we'll do the surgery. It will be easier on me, it will be a whole lot easier on you."
OK that's not the only thing the doctor said, but fellow DD's, I have been telling my husband to lose weight for YEARS. I know what it feels like to carry a baby in the 9th month and how difficult everything -- sleep, sit, walk, stand -- becomes... and that's what my husband has been doing for the last 5 years or so, and then complains about how much pain he's in. HELLO!!
So I think he might do it -- or at least try. Well... maybe. My husband uses food for everything: enjoyment, pain management, depression, you name it. It's his drug of choice :-(
Progress as of today: 40 lbs lost so far, only 6 lbs to go!
have a wonderful day.
thank you for the mid-week update D-J!
I hope your Mr. Donkey can find an exercise that isn't too painful that will assist in weight loss besides just watching what he eats. I'm sure every little bit of weight loss will help. Good luck.
Well, at least the numbers are headed back in the right direction... I was so hoping to see 145, but that didn't happen.
It was a crazy week, but I am happy (?) to announce that I won the "Workweek Hustle" Fitbit challenge at work. I have a co-worker who really pushes me to exercise more (because of his numbers). Unfortunately he had a death in the family this week, so he didn't go to the gym for a couple of days. Otherwise he would have totally won the challenge. But that's what I need is someone whose own performance challenges me to step up my game. Too bad it's only cardio...
So a couple of major things that happened this week:
After submitting our paperwork to one lender, I found out that we really don't qualify for any refinancing programs that will solve our problem. So now we are back to working with our current lienholder (bank) to find a solution. This sucks becasue we've already tried that once and the guy basically told me that our house isn't worth anything, so give me all of your savings and we'll charge you an insane interest rate for a new loan that basically keeps us right where we are now - except with higher mortgage payments. No thanks. Why would I give you all of my money, just so that you can charge me a bunch of more money AND you can take what little money we have to save a house that you're telling me is worthless?
Secondly, fed up with the medical treatment he's been getting, my husband decided to see a new rheumatologist for his Ankylosing Spondylitis. I went with him. I think we were both relieved that she was very frank in saying, You're not going to get any better. You are beyond the point of trying to slow down the AS, regression is now out of the picture, no more biologics (Humara, Embrel, etc. - which are VERY expensive and such a hassle to get approved by the insurance company), now we're in a new phase of the disease, which is more symptom & pain management, rather than active treatment.
So I am taking Tuesday afternoon off to go with him to THAT doctor's appointment -- I have tons of questions if we're going with the surgery -- and then to my own doctor's appointment with the eye doctor. My daughter has an appointment too, because her eyes have been bothering her a lot, with strain and headaches.
Of course, this means that I will fall behind at work in emails, deadlines and opening up time-senstive contracts. Great, just freakin' great.
So it will be a very difficult week ahead...
Progress as of today: 40 lbs lost so far, only 6 lbs to go!
Congrats on winning the Fitbit challenge!! Hope you can work out a good rate for refinancing. Seems like everybody's house has declined in value. :(
Also, a big congrats to winning the work challenge! that's awesome! It means that fitness is pretty important to you!
Well, my plan to try to eat less totally backfired, as my weight is up a pound.
I know that's not much, but kind of discouraging. Hormonal shifts might have something to do with it. (Ovulation, O how I both love and hate Thee...) Also, I was hungry Friday and had a BIG salad for a late dinner (date night with the husband which I wasn't in the mood for, but for morality's sake I agreed to go), and maybe that wasn't so great for a Saturday morning weigh-in. It was as though I had hit the end of my rope for my "eating less (carbs)" plan and could not hold on one more day for my "eating splurge day" (which is less restrictive).
Took a positive step with our financial situation and submitted all of the paperwork to the guy who is going to work with us to refinance the house. I told him that we need to know ASAP if this is going to work or not, so that we can approach mitigation with our current lender if it doesn't. Either way, we're really screwed, but if refinancing works, then we know we'll keep our house - at least until we can sell it in a couple of years.
Going to spend some time this weekend doing some research on upper body weight training. I loved the YouTube suggestion, so that's where I'll start.
Still trying to find some inner peace... The state of affairs in the US and how it is affecting other peoples has me feeling just sad. I don't even know where to go with any of the other emotions (anger, frustration, shock, etc.), so I'm channeling them all into an overall feeling of sadness :-(
My boss comes back this week from a month-long vacation in Florida (where it's nice and warm and sunny -- all the things that Illinois is not, this time of year). And while I'm glad he'll be back, in a way, it was kind of nice not having him around too. Still, it's better that he'll be back.
They did a fashion intervention with me on Friday at work. I will be going shopping with one of the ladies I work with so that she can find an outfit for me that will fit me properly. I would rather not do this, but when she suggested that we go to the thrift shop to start, then I was on board. I don't like to spend a lot of money, especially on clothes. I do not want to do this, but I want advice from my co-worker on a different matter altogether, so I'm hoping that this will be an opportunity where I can talk with her about it.
So my focus this week will be weight training, getting readjusted to having the boss back, and cleaning the house for the upcoming appraisal. The last one will be the hardest.
Progress as of today: 39.5 lbs lost so far, only 6.5 lbs to go!
I am very stressed out by what is happening in the US. Every day it seems a new horror story. I dread getting up in the morning and getting online to see what disaster has developed. Makes me want to drink even more beer!!!
First, you know that a pound of fluctuation should be taken with a grain of salt. Even now that my weight is staying lower than expected, I take it with a grain of salt too knowing that it's because i'm eating lighter at night and it's after i drink the Apple Cider Vinegar drink in the AM which takes everything out of me - lol - liquids and all...!!!
So my point - don't let a lb of fluctuation kill you....it could also be hormones and water weight - especially if you had more salts or something? Never let the # on the scale discourage you though - discourage you from continuing the healthy habits that you have committed to so far. Remember to keep up your head and lately i repeat this kind of thing "I am worth it - I am worth sitting up straight at my desk at work and holding my body up and tall and not slouching or walking around with my head to the ground..." You are worth the changes you have made...so don't let the # on the scale derail you.
Oh, I also lately have been eating more. Even if one week is slightly up, you can do well the following couple weeks and you know it balances out :-D
I am hoping for good things for you and your house. You work hard and you mean always well - you deserve the good to come back to you!
Try not to make the weight training complicated at first...remember that if something is EASY it means you will probably continue to do it...make things too challenging or too much of a change at first and it will be hard to stay committed. That's what i do with my routine. I have decided for a long time now - weights routines are not an option but a standard. It's not a choice but mandatory that i keep my 3x a week goal (full body all 3 days - same routine all 3 days). and by committing to doing this routine and taking the "choice" out of it, it gets done. It's not a choice anymore that is yes / no - but part of my job. it's a committment. I do not skip unless i am very sick (or sore or something along the lines where exercising will actually hurt and not help).
Yes - politics. I agree. I will not say any more or say my opinions - but only that whatever side everyone has chosen to stay on - nobody seems to have changed their opinions and everyone is angry at the side that they are not with. A very divided country. Scary times also regarding this...
WOW...a month! In my industry, those types of vacations are not allowed. In my industry, generally, it's shorter trips, more often, so that your face is seen in the office here and there and not continually out. nice that he was able to go.
How nice the ladies are giving you a fashion "treat!"....and i like how it involves low cost to go along with your beliefs.!!!
Overall – I work out 3x per week. Each workout is at least 48hrs apart as recommended when doing weights so that muscles have time to grow in between the workouts.
I specifically choose to do a longer workout, working my full body each time, because I like being able to go to the gym 3 days per week for approx. 1.5-2hrs and get it all done and not have to go to gym more often than the 3 times.
Body workouts include: upper body exercises (shoulders, arms / back / chest), abs exercises, and lower body (legs) exercises. I start off using dumbells and doing pushups, I always do “circuit” style training so I alternate between at least two exercises at a time and do not rest a ton at the beginnings of my workouts. After doing some arm stuff, I move to leg stuff to take a break from tired arms. After that I do some abs, go back to arms or legs and sometimes go back to abs. Whenever arms or legs get tired, I simply switch to the next body part and this is a successful way for me to work my whole body during all my gym workouts. My workouts are always the same, the order can change that I do the exercises, but – I am always trying to increase weights. Once in awhile I do add in an extra exercise or take one out.
I do several exercises that only include dumbells which I will share with you Donkey so you can do all the ones I do – which use the dumbells since I do quite a bit with them. Definitely: 1. tricep curls (I do not do these but it’s a good one), 2. bicep curls, I also lay on my back using them and 3. bench chest flies..will show an image. 4. triceps press (for the triceps). It’s an exercise over your head for the triceps.
For all these exercises aboe I use the same weight – around 30lbs…for the press over my head holding one weight with both hands, it’s only 30lbs total over my head, not both weights…I’ll be posting a photo of these exercises. All can be done either standing or seated / laying down depending on the exercise (chest press is laying down on back). This is FOUR exercises right here that I’m coming up with quickly. Another great exercise for you to do is planks (this doesn’t involve weights). Try to do a plank for starting 30 seconds at a time, keeping your abs engaged. Do the 30 second plank 3 times, resting for 30 seconds to one full minute between sets.
All exercises should be able to be done for 3 sets. For each set, the repetitions should be done 10-12 times. Then u rest around 30 seconds to 1 minute. Or you can do a biceps set then do triceps then biceps, then triceps, then biceps, then triceps! Then, after completing 3 sets for each, move onto the Bench chest flies (I don’t usually alternate an exercise with these). So in addition to the 4 arms exercises, I have mentioned planks. If your knees are good and legs, feel free to also add in 3 sets of squats. My legs are weak and I’m still doing squats without weights added. Just my own body weight is more than enough.
I have given you six exercises. I’ll actually give you links to videos to show you what I do…sometime within this week! happy to help and advise you! feel free to ask questions as you go! I enjoy helping and assisting you!
I do way more exercises than these, but these are the dumbbell ones and also two body weight ones for you.! : !
It has been an interesting week, and I'm really interested to see how this week's changes will affect Saturday's weigh-in.
I planned to write a new entry several times this week only to run out of time or forget to follow through completely, but I'm excited about the changes I've incorporated into my routine -- or am trying to incorporate. I'm such a creature of habit that it's hard, when introducing something new, to make it stick long-term.
Anyway, I did set up my weight bench in the basement and brought down my 5lb dumbbells at the suggestion of Horn of Plenty to get started. Yesterday was my first day and I did bicep and tricep. Tomorrow will be another weight day. Starting very minimally at first -- mostly due to lack of creativity and time. I didn't think I did much but I can feel the dull ache in my arms today. So I did do something. I'd like to do more though exercises for chest and back too. Have to be careful with shoulder exercises due to an old injury. (Probably from careless weight traning in earlier days...)
Secondly, I have tried very hard this week to eat less. I have found my endeavors make me laugh sometimes during the day. I don't know how successful I've been with this. I don't think I've been eating less, just less carbs, and oh boy can I really tell. I found that I must have almonds at around 11am -- this does not change. Around 3pm I feel like a mouse looking for the cheese the cravings get quite strong.
I'm not sure I should even be cutting back on anything, since I have still been losing weight without these changes. Oh well, the scale and time will tell.
Wedding ring still too tight. I fit into the professional wardrobe I was working towards initially, but you know, pantsuits just aren't my thing. I think I need to get into a new mindset about taking the time and putting forth effort on my appearance. I'm too casual -- but very comfortable. And grateful that my boss doesn't say something, although I think he would probably like me to dress up a little more. :-/ He's too much of a gentleman to say anything about it though.
My dear fellow DD's, mark this week in my diary as the week that I came to realize that we're heading into the real estate season again, already. Earlier in January, I would run out of work to do, and come to work with not that many emails. Now I receive multiple contracts over the weekend, my email load is getting higher (although it's still quite manageable), and this week was the first week that I had to stay late a few days to get things done.
So now is the time to get a game plan in place for a better work-life balance. And I think that one of the things I'm going to stick to is to work no later than 6pm, even if it means having to come in on the weekend for half a day.
Progress as of today: 40.5 lbs lost so far, only 5.5 lbs to go!
proud of you for not settling and continuing to care about the work / life balance. proud of you.
and yes, start with the two exercises and when those become a habit, you can definitely add in more exercises. you rock.
It's not good to work until you are sick...so i am proud of you for your ability to shift away from that.
remember to care for you - our work coworkers will never tell us that. it's up to us as adults to manage it.
Got my old weight bench set up downstairs this afternoon!!!! Now I just have to find my dumbbells. I have from 3lbs up to 20lbs, and then I think I have a curling (short) bar and plates of various weights, but initially, my plan will be dumbbells.
Look out Donkey fans -- I may have to change my name to "Muscle-Mama" (lol) :-)
Progress as of today: 40.5 lbs lost so far, only 5.5 lbs to go!
In terms of implementing the dumbbells, if you want to make it as simple as possible to start and keep up, go for 3 sets bicep curls and 3 sets tricep exercise (each set between 10-12 reps) of a weight that works for being able to do it that many times. My guess is that a weight of 5-10 lbs somewhere in that range is good for you.
I want to hear more once you begin.
So start with those two exercises, i can then give you more :-) that you can do with dumbells. I have a t least 4 exercises i do with dumb bells only.
so start with at least these two...i'd say do those two moves for 2-3 weeks before adding another one into the mix. I promise you this is great for you!
I am 4 pounds away from what I weighed when I got married and I still cannot fit into my wedding ring. One of my co-workers suggested that perhaps the joints in my fingers have changed since 21 years ago. If that is the case, or if I have indeed accumulated excess skin/flab from this last weight gain, then I may just have to decide to have my ring resized. Or forget it.
I should be able to set up my weight bench this weekend, but need to think about actually implementing weight training.
Progress as of today: 40.5 lbs lost so far, only 5.5 lbs to go!
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I will commend you for not stress eating...and for more writing something that sounds very resolute, logical, and sensible.
You are remarkable and you are smart and resilient.
You are empowering and you have inspired me by reading this post this morning. Thank you.