Are you looking for support on your health and fitness journey? If you are, then this thread is for you.

There are no expectations in this forum. Post as often as you like. Post anything that you feel is relevant to your own personal health and fitness goal. Here are some ideas:

• Monthly health and fitness goal
• Daily health and fitness goal
• Progress (or setbacks) in reaching your goal
• Personal stories about why you are joining this topic
• Healthy recipes that you feel others will enjoy
• Links to articles or books that you feel others would find helpful
• Food Choices (healthy or unhealthy)

Remember, your health and fitness journey is your own. There is no one program, method, or philosophy that is right for everyone. This thread is for support only.

I'm going to continue adding a new positive habit for the month of June.  I've done this before, but not consistently.  I'm going to start a journal and every night record "what I'm grateful for - or how I saw God today."  I hope to be more consistent about recording something every day.

Continuing these habits:
Jan:  Meet Step Goal 6/7 Days (10K)
Feb:  Start Day With Prayer
Mar:  TV Off By 9 p.m. / or limited to 3 hours after 6 p.m.
Apr:   Read For A Dedicated 30 Minutes/Day
May:  Eat Out No More Than Six Times/Weekk

And continuing the established habits of Intermittent Fasting and the Gym 3 times/week.  I'm also drinking a minimum of 80 ounces a day of plain water.

For the most part I am happy with how I am doing on these new habits.  Thank you, Melissa, for creating a thread where we can encourage one another as we establish positive/healthy habits and meet our individual goals.
 

at least for now...

May was an incredible month.

• I interviewed for a job in Iowa (no word yet on whether I got it) that would start in August.
• I sold my house in KY (signed the closing papers May 31)
• I made an offer on a new condo in Iowa. (under construction; won't be finished till August.) Offer was accepted.
• I filled out the retirement paperwork to retire from this job as of July 1.
• I finished the spring semester of teaching, with finals and all that
• I started the summer class I'm teaching

Throughout, I did keep up the habits of the thyroid pill (which has made SUCH a difference to me!) and the intermittent fasting. I did have a few Diet Cokes, but nothing like I used to do, and I think it may be ok as an infrequent treat. I didn't even try to add a new health habit for May, and I won't for June either. The goals here are simply mental health, to purge and pack. (I don't have to be out of my current house until June 10, and my daughter has really helped me make good purging progress in May. But now it is really time to start boxing! We started actually putting stuff that is moving to Iowa in boxes about two days ago. Hope we can get it all done before Pod goes away on June 7!)

Goals for June 1:

• Teach class
• Pack or purge everything on or in dressers in my bedroom. 
• Pack the stacks of "keeper books" into boxes, and label for the Pod.
• Check on Retirement Paperwork since I need a monthly pay amount officially set up to get the loan for the new condo.
• IF schedule, Eat only between 6 am and 8 pm. (generous today, but less eating time later this week.)

Happy June everyone. May wasn't a really good month for me both physically or emotionally and weight wise, the scales showed it. I'm up 4.3 lbs. from May 1st. If you read my messages in May you'll understand what was going on. Not making excuses; it is what it is, and this month I plan to do much better. Waiting for a call back from the pharmacy, letting me know meds I requsted have been filled. Those will help a lot.

 My goal this month is to focus more on what I can do and not so much on what I can't. I know if I put my focus on losing the weight I can do it. So I'm going to push myself this month hard to drop 10 lbs. There will be no eating out this month so anything I eat, I fix. And I don't need to get like a linebacker, or someone that can't eat again within a reasonable time frame, so I don't need to eat as muchas I can when I do eat. Noone is taking my food away, it'll still be here when I get hungry again. I'm going to practice eating more mindfully from here on out.

 Exercise wise, I'll do what I can. I do have an exercise bike and will start using it daily.

 I will also try to post here daily so you'll know how things are going.

Noone is taking my food away, it'll still be here when I get hungry again. -  I have to remind myself of this often Vicki.  Ironically, I don't think I've ever been in a situation where anyone was taking food away or where there wasn't enough food, but I still sometimes find myself eating too much like I'm afraid it will be gone if I don't eat it now.  Crazy thinking!

I think you have a really balanced plan for June.  Having a plan is the first step toward success.

Margaret, I'm tired thinking about all you have to get done.  Sounds like you are moving out of your house to a temporary location until the move to Iowa in July.  Too bad you can't rent back from the buyers of your house so you only have to move once.  Can't imagine trying to teach a class on top of all the moving stuff.  I can understand why you aren't setting any new goals or starting any new habits.

Not a good eating day for me, but I can stay within my IF window at least.  I'm meeting friends for Mexican for lunch and then another friend who is visiting from out of town asked me if I could meet for coffee and pastry later this afternoon.  She used to live here, but moved to Indiana a few years ago.  She's back here visiting and we wanted to find a time to get together and catch up.

I'll get my 10K steps, and hopefully make the gym later too.

Wishing y'all a day filled with successes.

Vicki-to focus more on what I can do and not so much on what I can't. That's a good positive mindset.

For June I am going to continue on with my previous goals but I feel I don't need to track them any longer as they are pretty much habits now...

At least 48 oz of water
Exercise 4x/week
Only 1 pop/day
Quiet time every day
Read 1 chp of a success book every day
Fast 8pm-Noon
Clean something everyday

My new goals for June will be things I used to do but have gotten away from:

Read 30 min/day (stole that from Lisa & this will really help me w/ my downsizing books goal)
Eat in at least 5 out of 7 dinners (breakfasts & lunches are not a problem, we tend to eat out for dinner too much lately)

As for weight loss: I chose in May to weigh in on 5/1 & not weigh in again until today just to not be obsessed with the scale. On 5/1 I was 125, today I was 124.4. Not much loss, but I'll take it b/c May was a crazy month for us with wrapping up the school year & our oldest graduating. His grad party is this Saturday & after that things should slow down & be "normal" again. I already have my dinners planned for this week & I grocery shopped yesterday so this week should be a success. My weight loss goal is to be 122 by 7/1.

Now that I think a little more on it I think I will continue to track my exercise. I want to make sure I hit 4x/week at least & seeing it down on my tracking calendar will help me not blow it off.

I wish you all the best on your goals & habits this month!  I love a fresh start!

Shayla, I sort of feel like I don't have to track some of these things either because they are really habits now, but it does help me to commit daily to the IF schedule and the gym and my steps.  That way I don't just "try" to do it, I actually "plan" to do it.

Happy to let you steal my 30 minutes a day reading.  I've enjoyed that so much.  It's a good break when days are crazy busy, and I love seeing the progress made in a book.  A page or two at night before I go to sleep doesn't show me much progress, and seeing the progress encourages me to read more.  So, most days get a little more than the 30 minutes.

Lisa-I am going to have to work hard to allow myself the 30 mins during the day. The break will be good for my mental health. I have been reading at night before bed but that leads to me falling asleep & not much read if any at all. 

Welcome! 

June Goals:

• Write morning pages
• Enjoy morning birdsongs with my coffee
• Do everything with a purpose
• Be mindful and moderate in everything I do

Shayla, it's sometimes evening before I can take the time, but I am trying to do it earlier than bedtime.  Otherwise I almost have to stand up and read so I don't fall asleep.

SLEEP IN - I am so tired from little sleep the last two nights. 

Something is biting me - it looks like spider bites. They swell up and are itchy and I wish I could catch the culprit in action. I have one or two bites active all the time since about 3 weeks ago. As soon as one heals I get another. I can only assume it is because the packing right now is involving cleaning remote closets and cupboards and purging and I am disturbing something. Also the dust! I am sneezing all the time!

Let's see:

Goals for June 2:

• IF schedule is to eat between 12:30 and 7:30 pm tomorrow.
• purge and pack all craft supplies.
• grade for my class and post the test review questions

How I did on the June 1 goals:

Goals for June 1:

• Teach class DONE
• Pack or purge everything on or in dressers in my bedroom. NOT YET, BUT MIGHT STILL!
• Pack the stacks of "keeper books" into boxes, and label for the Pod. NOT YET, BUT MIGHT STILL!
• Check on Retirement Paperwork since I need a monthly pay amount officially set up to get the loan for the new condo. NOT YET, BUT MIGHT STILL!
• IF schedule, Eat only between 6 am and 8 pm. (generous today, but less eating time later this week.) DONE

Lisa-Otherwise I almost have to stand up and read so I don't fall asleep. Okay this made me laugh! I can picture us standing next to our bed but not in it just to get those minutes/pages in! 
 

Here's a healthy recipe I made for dinner last night & I actually liked it just as well as leftovers for lunch today. 

Beef,Broccoli,Mushroom Stir Fry

Good morning.  Happy Thursday!

I did pretty good yesterday since I had Mexican lunch out with friends and then met two other friends for coffee and pastry in the afternoon.  I avoided the chips - don't start is the key here for me.  Then later I chose just to have fancy coffee, cold brew with some kind of vanilla cream, and skip the pastry.  I just ate some yogurt later before I went to the gym.  This morning's weigh-in showed me exactly the same as yesterday morning.  Actually, exactly the same as I've been since last Sunday.  I'm going to have to be okay with that for lthis week, since every day has eating out obligations.

In spite of all the eating out obligations, I should end the week with only my 6 allowed eating out per week.  I am going to a baby shower on Saturday and then a dinner in the evening for my closest friend's 65th birthday.  I'm not sure if I can not eat at all at the shower, but it won't be a meal at least because it's 2:00 in the afternoon.

I did get my steps yesterday, although it was hard.  Somehow my morning ended up very sedentary.  I didn't go to the gym until 6:00 p.m. and I didn't do any real walking/cardio while I was there.  Just worked out on the machines.  I think I might skip today and go tomorrow morning though.  My muscles are sore right now, especially my glutes (butt) and arms.

So, today's goals are - IF Schedule (eating 11-7); 10K Steps; and my new habit of recording "how I saw God today" before I go to bed; and, of course, continue all those other new habits since January, and drink my 80 ounces of water.

Just finished my 2 mile walk. I wanted to get it in before it gets much hotter. 

Lisa-you have great discipline! You did really well yesterday with no chips & no pastry! I'm with you on not starting on the chips. Once I start I just keep popping them in my mouth while I'm chatting waiting for the food to arrive. And usually I'm quite full by the time the food arrives b/c of all the chips, salsa, & queso! 

Margaret, I'd be all freaked out if I was getting bit up by spiders.  Of course, I'm sure you are not exactly complacent about it.  Kind of frustrating not to know where they are so you could 'exterminate' them.

I think the idea of 'purging and packing' is what keeps me in my house, even though I am so over home ownership.  I suppose the day will come when I am over it enough to do the purging and packing, but I'm not there yet.  Of course, Margaret, you have a good motivator in that you are moving to an entirely different State.  Kind of a new beginning in a new season of life when you retire.

I can picture us standing next to our bed but not in it just to get those minutes/pages in!  -  And, that's commitment to the goal.  Lol

The best time for me to take that 30 minutes and read is mid-late afternoon when I'm beginning to lose my energy and motivation for doing the days tasks.  I usually want coffee, or an ICE w/Caffeine, about 2:30-3:00, and I can tie that to the reading and make a nice break in a sometimes busy day.

Wishing all of you a GREAT and SUCCESSFUL day.  Talk to you later.

I chose pretty well at lunch today - salad at least.  Then I did eat dinner, but at home and it was pretty reasonable.  Made my steps.  Opted out of the gym to give my muscles a chance to recover.

I have a headache now though that I think is sinus pressue.  Glad I already read for 30 minutes earlier today and I even already recorded in my "journal."

Now I think I'm going to take something and go to sleep, hoping to wake up in the morning headache free.

I should be catching up in the June TBR thread, but there are 29 posts I haven't read and I just don't have the energy for that.  I'll have to try to do better over there tomorrow.

So that is one good thing that happened today.

Mostly just setbacks everywhere else. I MUST pack more tomorrow!

I did keep to the IF schedule.

June 3 goals:

• finish all the goals from Today that didn't happen
• IF schedule-eat between 12:30 and 7:30
• pack contents of entertainment center.

Good Morning Ladies, Hope you're looking forward to the weekend. They're saying we're going to get a good bit of bad weather this weekend because of that tropical depression. A lot of rain and wind. Yesterday started our hurricane season so it's starting up early.

I started back on the anti-depressants June 1st and I can already see a difference, especially in my eating. Before the pills I'd have spells of eating everything not nailed down. Now I'm having to make myself eat. Have no appetite at all. So I'm able to keep to a daily calorie amount with ease now.

Sleep wise, that's still iffy. It makes me want to sleep during the day and I'm sleepy at bedtime but still restless. Hopefully that'll regulate once I have more of the meds in my system.

Hello everyone. I weighed 128.8 this morning. I tend to hover between 125 and 130. I can feel that I've already eaten too much salt today. I had cheese grits for breakfast and chicken salad for lunch. Then I broke down and made some instant lemon Jello pudding. I ate two graham crackers. I'm going to cook David some pork chops on the Blackstone griddle for supper. I'll bake some potatoes and make a salad. No rolls tonight.

Emotional Well-Being: I've had the blues all day. On Monday, I finally broke ties with my mother who resides in a nursing home about an hour from here. She was mentally and physically abusive to me and neglected me often growing up. I don't know if she is narcissistic or bipolar, but since she's been in the nursing home, it's gotten worse. She calls demanding that I do things for her--go get her cigarettes, take her back to the farm. The latest (on Monday) is that I take her to her HS reunion this weekend. I told her no--she's bedridden and requires two aides to get out of bed. She hung up on me when I told her no. My brother coincidentally called her later in the day, and she said that I was selfish and weak. He called me and told me. He only calls her once a month and never visits her. So, I called the director of the nursing home and told her that I would remain her POA, but I would not visit or speak to her on the phone. I'm thinking about writing her a letter. I know it won't change her, but it might make me feel better.

Margaret Y. (frogslady): I like that you post your daily goals here in the mornings. I might start doing that as it might motivate me.

Me:

• Wrap a FIFO book to mail tomorrow
• Write a note to a PBS friend for the June Postcard/Notecard Swap
• Fold some laundry
• Dry some laundry

Hello all. I have slipped the past two weeks but am back and going to reassess my goals to get back on track!  Headed out for the day but will be back later to list those goals to help keep me focused.

Hello! I didn't weigh this morning as I forgot. I fixed sausage and biscuits for breakfast this morning. I've met my water goal for the day, but I'm going to continue to drink water today. 

David and I went to the post office this morning to drop off some notecards for the June Swap and two books--one from the May TBR thread and one for FIFO. I just need to mark them mailed. I also picked up two packs of cigarettes for my mom. I'm going to mail them to her with a short note. 

I wrote my morning pages this morning, but not as many as I wanted to as I slept late and I could tell that David was ready to eat.

Today's Goals:

• Eat healthy--plenty of vegetables for supper
• Drink another 33 ounces of water
• Make sure that I get 5000 steps in 
• Read for at least 30 minutes
• Go to bed and (hopefully) sleep soundly
• Wrap some books to mail next weekend
• Write some letters (one to Mom)
• Fold some more laundry
• Make some bookmarks

Hello Debbie D--we know that we're growing when we re-assess our goals. We become complacent if we don't evaluate and reflect.

Late in the day, but I'll check in here anyway.  Hope y'all are doing well.

Margaret, glad there are no new spider bites - at least there were not yesterday.

Vicki, I saw you were getting a lot of the weather from the tropical depression.  I haven't paid too much attention because I felt pretty sure we weren't going to be impacted.  Maybe some rain later today or tomorrow.  I'm considering a cruise in November and I asked a friend about going.  Her first question was "when does hurrican season end."  I know not until November 30, but I don't remember too many storms in November.  Besides - do the hurricanes really know they can't come on December 1 because the season ended???  LOL

And, what do you know, I mentioned rain and here it is.  I'm going out in about 30 minutes and I really hate driving in the rain.  Maybe it is just a quick shower and will move on.

Glad you are seeing an improvement with the meds Vicki.

Melissa, write the letter to your Mom.  Even if you end up deciding not to mail it, you will feel better for having written it.

I see you decided to send a note with the cigarettes you bought your Mom.  :)   I hope it does help with your wellbeing even if you don't think it will have any effect on her.

Raining really hard.  My hope of it passing over quickly might be fading.  :(

I made signs to put on my refrigertor and pantry doors that say "Do the benefits outweigh the costs?  Don't believe the lie!"  I must say they've been pretty effective, but it's only been a few days.  Hopefully, I don't get so used to them being there that I don't read them anymore.

And, I have a cool "how I saw God today" to record this evening.  I got the time for the baby shower mixed up and so I arrived 30 minutes late.  But, as a result, I didn't eat any of the food they had.  Initially I thought maybe I would at the end, but then I realized that was a blessing from the Lord to keep me from feeling pressured to eat.  I had eaten lunch at home before I went, and tonight I'm eating Mexican food out.  Hoping I can be strong and avoid the chips, but regardless I will feel like today was a win.

I forgot to watch this post and just realized it. A lot of chatter I have to catch up on later tonight. My granddaughters just arrived for dinner, a movie and a sleepover. I'll be back.