Hello, Gals and Gents!
Do you believe me when I say, I wanted to come and add an entry every single day in the last few weeks. But I keep forgetting or something happens and I get distracted... Hey but... better later than never, I'm here now, right?!
So, lots of things going on... I mean... It's purely mental I guess, because physically speaking we are pretty much restricted to the limit. We can't go out much, stores are either closed or restricted to essencial goods... Online businesses are thriving now because any other way to buy clothes, toys, home stuff, is not possible.
Policemen are encouraged by the government to identify people out on the streets, ask for proof of address as it's not allowed to go far to take the dog for a run or exercise outside. These are allowed activities, but only in the surroundings of home and for short periods of time.
So people are getting additional stress with this as many can't even show a proof of address because all the governmental offices are also closed so if they have to change address or anything on their ID cards they are screwed. Same goes for me, I am carrying a simple bank letter that came to my current address, because my official ID address is not this one. My son's ID card has been expired for months and they don't care.
Putting all this to context, I am confined in my home with a bored 5 year old (almost 6, yay) and a 3 months old puppy who wakes me up every single night and early morning. I am doing remote work, but it's constantly interrupted by them. So, my life resumed in one sentence: I'm on survival mode, mentally and physically speaking.
Eating is still OK but I feel I eat too much, and gyms are closed of course. I am not able to go out to exercise because I am alone with the kid and going out with the kid is not the same. We can play around and walk but it's not the rigorous exercise I was used to and my body craves for as the most efficient form of stress relief.. If I tried to do my routine outdoors, it would end in a disaster because I would be interrupted and that's what I hate the most, due to my conditions (OCD and ADHD), so I would just become upset and frustrated, even more than I feel 24/7 because of this whole situation...
So, basically that's it. Oh, and remember about that romance with the American guy I wrote about. That's over. We haven't spoken since end of November and that's about right, given that I found out he had been wooing other(s) at the same time. Yet another deception to my romantic CV.
I hope everyone is doing okay.
Cheers!
Kat
Here's a belated Christmas picture:
Have a great weekend, all!
Love and Respect yourselves, take time to perform some self-improvement every day! :-)
Love ya all, Warriors!
Oh... long time... too long.
I changed computers and I kept forgetting to come and write another entry!
Anyways, not much changed... I keep on track, losing weight and volume. Many people notice now and keep congratulating me. Well, been there done that, I hope it won't come back again though. I don't want to be ungrateful or sceptical, I accept all the congratulations with full heart, I just try to not get overwhelmed by all these things. I am aware that the last time I managed to get down to normal weight from morbid obese, I certainly got on the high horse. I want to avoid anything like that, this time. It's a lifestyle. Not a diet. It's dedication and hard work. Not obsession.
Gym is going awesome, I keep progressing - and this is why I love HIIT and any interval training so much. Progress is pretty much evident and measurable. Not like swimming, I hated swimming because I felt zero progress, I just felt like a brick in the water all the time... but with gym, I can say I progress when I manage to lift more, do more repetitions, or increase the interval of work and reduce the interval of rest. That's the thing.
Food-wise, I'm better now. The medication is settled now, and I feel that eating is not an issue anymore. I don't go lower than I should, and I don't go over the recommended limit (by MyFitnessPal).
Oh and guess what, I ordered leggings and all sorts of stuff online. In the meantime, my older gym clothes started fitting again so I'm overly happy I don't have to spend a fortune on a proper sports bra! Hahaha!
Christmas is coming, and I know this will be a very atypical year and celebration for almost everyone. I wish you all the best and honestly, take it easy, because the more we manage to "behave", the faster we get back to "normality" - if that will ever exist from now on!
Our little town is decorated heavily though, here are some images for you:
yeah, it totally is a lifestyle. I have gained and lost 2x in my life. I do NOT want there to be a third time!! :) For all the same reasons...it's just so difficult to do the process again and again!
it's nice to hear you are enjoying being back and fitting into the smaller sizes! congrats to you!!!!
Hello all :)
So, it's November now, and it's time for a new lockdown. It's still partial here in Portugal, but anyway we are not going anywhere.
My town and this region all together is still not a "red zone" but I have no doubt it will change later on. Cases are growing and overall, the outlook is grim. Everyone stay safe and be cautious and responsible.
On a personal tone - everything is going well. I'm still going to to the gym three times a week and it's been perfect so far. I am progressing, losing weight and volume. I feel great, I feel sore (from gym) and I feel that my clothes are getting bigger, haha.
Work is still tough... I have little time for anything else and personal quality time is only when I go to the gym. The rest is dedicated to work and family, and my personal life - work balance is still effed up (sorry). Company promised to hire new people, we'll see.
I hope everyone is doing great. Cheers and here's some photos after Daylight Saving Time is on, and it started to darken really early. These photos are from 6-7 PM time except the middle one which was taken a few weeks back ..
next, your photos are outstanding! that quaint one of a kind shop, with those beautiful umbrellas over the tables! so pretty! what does the shop sell? coffee and cake or other food?
Hi girls and boys!
I'm doing great! My app says I've been logging my food for 108 days straight. In total, I lost almost 13 kgs (28lbs), which is great. I still don't measure by weight though, my feelings are the most important. So far, I feel better... I feel my knees don't hurt anymore, I feel more flexible and movement is anyway easier and flowing better.
I'm back to the gym, and I feel very good and positive about it. It's my 3 times a week little death, as I am doing HIIT (high intensity interval training) sessions and I'm pushing for myself hard. I get compliments from people all the time, it's so comforting.
The rest - still the same, lots of work, and lots of stress at home... I try to really take these "easy" or better, solve them. I do my best and I don't let my stress influence my newly regained well-being. One day, I believe, I will be in harmony and balance with everything. It's just not now.
Cheers :)
Kat
A photo of my gym & pool from the outside in the evening... and a nice quote for all of you! :)
30lbs or whatever you lost is GREAT. so all the work you put in has been well worth it!
it's so wonderful that your own body, your knees, feel better. that is very important.
Heyyyy everyone!!!
I'm sorry I haven't been posting lately! I am so really busy. There are both good and bad things going on with me. First, work is killing me. I have been working from early morning to late night, including weekends and holidays. Unfortunately this will be the tendency until things don't stabilize after a key colleague left us. So my sleeping time is very reduced now and sometimes I literally pass out on the bed while I'm browsing the phone or something.
On the good side, I stood up for myself and said... ok, if I have to do overtime and weekends, I may as well as go back to gym and do something for my health before I go crazy. So I just went back to gym, they don't do "unlimited gym" now, they only work by booking so I actually have to tell when I go and they have 1h30m slots from 7h30 to 21h30. It's still fine. I am adopting to this. I booked for the whole week but sometimes I cannot go at a given hour so I call them and reschedule for later. It's been working and I haven't skipped any yet. I hope it will be like this. As I was before! Yay!!!
I'm doing basic cardio for warm-up (cycling or rowing - these are the only things I actually like and don't hurt my back...). Max 20 minutes of this, but mainly less. Really, just to warm up. After that, I do HIIT training. So, I restarted with the GymBoss again. It has been my loyal companion for CrossFit and HIIT and Outdoor trainings.. I really dislike counting reps, and I tend to over-rest between exercises or reps so for me this works to optimize trainings. I started with 2 times 6 exercises 30 seconds intense 30 seconds rest. I managed to raise this now to 24 minutes, means 4 times 6 types of exercises, but same 30-30. So my goal is to change this 30-30 to 40-20, and ultimately 45-15, but I have to go slow. I am monitoring my heartbeat too with Polar watch and I've been producing very high peaks so I better not push it over 180 bpm. I often hit above 200 this week on some high intensity exercises.
I have been doing really well with healthy eating, and the medication is now set, I think my body got used to it. I am focused and I actually do only 100% healthy eating. Sometimes I accept a small cookie or a sip of chocolate milk from my kid, but it is what it is, not a meal. I mainly do protein-rich meals and low-carb. I like low-carb. The only thing I used to miss (not the case right now) are the potatoes. If rice and pasta would suddenly cease to exist on the planet, it would be perfectly fine for me. They never were in my top10 fav list. My problems were: overeating and sugary stuff. I could eat a whole cake at once. Now, I don't even want them. I look at them and my brain doesn't show any signals. It's very good actually. My doctor called me this week, and she asked me if the ADHD medication had any effect on my weight. I told her - definitely. I explained this to her and she said it was expected and she was glad it turned out to be beneficial to me on this level too.
So.. as I haven't been obsessing about food, and for the first time in 39 years I feel that my relationship with food is balanced and healthy, I ...... Got myself a scale! I have been really reluctant to know my weight. I actually have no clue what was my starting point so I just set an approximate value. Pity, but yeah. So, guess what! I've been writing my food jornal in the MyFitnessPal app, and it says I've been doing so for 90 days. And in 90 days, I lost 21 pounds! It's awesome! It's not too much, and it's not too few. It's just really perfect for it.
Hey, some photos from my town, at night.:
I'm glad that you have found a little happiness in your online relationship. No judgment here. We all need a little something in life that is happy and gives us hope, that helps carry us along when the rest of life is chaos.
I love your pictures, especially the last one!
i'm sorry you are so stressed at work. it's even harder now with COVID as i'm sure most workplaces do not want to hire extra workers and are trying to "make do" with what they already have.
Stay in this positive outlook. i'm glad you are going to the gym, bettering yourself, and not just "bettering the company."
ADHD meds do the same for me... No appetite suppression but better organization and decision-making. Including food.
Hey Girls and Boys!
I'm sorry I haven't been writing much lately. Unfortunately, since my colleague left work, I've been having nightmare workdays. I've been literally working non-stop for two weeks. A week ago, on Saturday, I even threw up out of stress, in the morning. Now I feel much better.... Work is calmer now, it has to be, otherwise I would go crazy.
So, eating-wise, all is good. I've been on track and never once fell off track or cheated or overate etc., because I simply didn't feel the need. I also eat more balanced now, so I don't get the message from the MyFitnessPal app that I haven't been getting enough calories daily.
Next step... big one... I decided to weigh in. I am so scared, but I feel the need to quantify myself and for once I'm not scared of falling off track out of frustration of pure scale numbers. I just want to know, because doctor will ask, and I want to see if I'm going in the right direction or not.... I guess I am because my feelings are positive.... I feel more energetic and moving is simplier now. I also feel my stomach more flat and bloating only comes when I am near that time of the month (like right now, haha).
Picture time! We went to the beach yesterday!
wow! the view of the beach is so beautiful! here, by me, it's sometimes not possible to have that view from above like you do!
do you have a balcony at a beach club? how did you take this photo? where were you?
I'm so sorry to hear about work. I have no easy answers. I've been in a similar boat lately. Not good. Hang in there!
Hey, everyone :-)
How are you all! I'm doing great. I can't write everything down on a public forum but I feel positive about the future. :-)
Healthy eating is going on well, I'm still failing the daily calorie limit (I'm still eating less than I should) but I'm trying to get food that make sense and contribute for my wellbeing...
I will try to post pictures later... :-)
so nice to hear from you and most importantly that you are feeling positive. that's important!
it takes awhile to change eating habits, so don't feel too terrible. it took me YEARS (not days, not months!)
I hope your good fortune continues to shine!
Hey Guys and Girls!
I'm doing great. Today is my birthday. I'm a bit busy because work is being extremely demanding nowadays, and I usually forget to come here. :-( I become really mentally exhausted by the end of the workday.
Eating is going on well, I mean, I should have healthier choices (I eat healthy normally, but not cooked meals so I feel some nutritients may be missing!) ... and maybe a bit more. The other day I managed to have some exercise and yesterday I had a nice walk outside at night. I really felt like I needed some time alone, for me, with my music.
Normally, it would be the season of medieval fairs in Portugal. All of them were cancelled due to coronavirus situation. Here's an old one to remember of those days:
I took this photo some nights back:
Work has been so time-consuming for me as well, which is why I didn't comment much the past 1-2 weeks. In fact, I'm glad I went away to visit my son, as the break was so nice.
We also had the medieval fairs here! it would take approx 2 hours to drive there and was loads of fun, just like the picture you posted...
Hi Girls and Boys!
The hot weather keeps on. The wounds I had on my arms are gone finally, which is great.
The clean eating is going fine, I'm still not eating enough but eating, and no excess at least.... I feel happy and energetic, so I'm not worried. I also feel less slugish and much less tired, which is AWESOME actually. Remember - I don't measure this journey in numbers. I follow my feelings.
lovely photos. nyc doesn't get so pretty like this!
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Nice picture Kathy....and your little one is adorable! It sounds like Portugal has it even harder than the states....I'm sure it is hard staying in all day with a small child that needs to get out and play. Where I live we can still go out but with mask restrictions.....Glad to see you back.
grannyannie on 01/28/2021:
Cute pic, Kat.
Scotland is on total lockdown again until mid Feb (or longer). We haven't been encouraged to turn people in but it does happens - especially if people have parties. And you can pay a fine.
Jacky82020 on 01/28/2021:
Lovely photo!
legcramps on 01/28/2021:
Sorry to hear of your struggles. We too have restrictions on households and will be fined if we are found in the company of those who do not have the same home address. It's been a tough year, hasn't it? [hugs]
Donkey on 01/28/2021:
Cute picture!!!!
My state is starting to open up again, because the positivity rates are low enough to do so. I'm so surprised to hear this, because all I see are people doing foolish things. I am currently quarantined, because my daughter tested positive. On and off, I've been feeling kind of anxious. That was me Monday and today. But I am fortunate to know that I have a job and an end-date. So I will just push through these feelings. That HAS to be tough with a little one, though.
Maria7 on 01/28/2021:
Oh, what a sweet picture of you and your son, Kathy. You are both gorgeous! Thank you for what you wrote to my last post. I will comment to it after I finish this first. Our state, South Carolina, is not on lockdown but the nursing homes are, and I haven't been allowed to go inside my Mama's nursing home for 10 months now...can't give her a hug, nothing. I visit her at her window most days and she always asks me when am I coming inside? I always take her a bag of her favorite foods. This is tough on everybody. Hubby and I do not eat inside restaurants, nor do other things we used to do, to stay safer. Only the Lord knows when the pandemic will end. In the meanwhile, happy that you and your son are doing well. Take care.
Horn_of_plenty on 01/28/2021:
HELLO! thanks for sharing your photo...i never put your name together with your face...realizing now who you are from fb... :) or maybe i forgot bc it's been awhile since you posted here!
your son is a mini of you! you look so much alike!
i hear that in France, also, they are much stricter, like your country, than the United States. we are free to go out and do as we please, still. stay well and healthy!
hehehe :=)
Maria7 on 01/29/2021:
Hope you are having a good day.