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.

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Happy 1st day of November. Anything is possible this month. I'm starting out the month 0.2 lbs heavier than I was on Oct. 1st. Basically stayed the same. But as I mentioned yesterday, I got rid of all the bread yesterday so no more sandwiches. Until my check comes I'll be eating single serve "completes", rice & tuna, and beans in the crock pot. I do have some meat substitutes for the beans right now but I won't be buying more of those when I buy groceries again. As I also said yesterday, I intend to start buying groceries weekly instead of 99% once a month. This way I can actually eat healthier. I can buy salads (premade) that won't go bad before I can get them eaten. I get the premade ones instead of having to buy up all the ingredients to make them myself. And I'll get eggs to make my egg muffins ( just eggs & bacon bits). I'm trying to walk more so that will be a continuing goal. I want to make different choices than I have in the past so I'll see better results. I'll see how this month plays out.

I'm starting November up, 202, but I just got home from vacation plus lunch out with friends yesterday, so my regimen begins today and I expect to lose that vacation weight. I have to, because I see Nephrology mid November.

I think most of my vacation weight gain was from dining out and travel eats. My dad actually eats portion-appropriately at home. A half sandwich for lunch. Cereal for breakfast.  I did have chips there. He gets into the chips too much.

I don't think I have a full fledged cold but my sinuses are congested and I need to take something for that.  Its the difference in climates and traveling. Heck, its been unseasonably warm here and now its going to get cold.

My sinus's get worse this time of year as well with all the pollen. Hope you get to feeling better Teri. And I'm sure you'll get the weight back off. You know what works for you.

Happy November! Time is flying by.

Teri, I hope you feel better. Traveling always makes me a little sick too. One, it's tiring. Two, you're around more people and come in contact with more shared surfaces. A few days of being home should set you right.

Vicki, hang in there. All you need is just a few foods that work for you, and then just eat those. One thing I learned is that I only need variety in one meal a day, and that's our family dinner each night. Otherwise I eat the same breakfast, same lunch, and same small snack each day. Why mess with success

Margaret, I've done those consultations with trainers too. And you're right, they are ridiculously expensive.

I've been a lifelong exerciser, but what really hit home for me this year is the truth of the phrase "you can't out-exercise a bad diet." I mistakenly used to think that if I was exercising, I then earned the right to eat more freely. False. This mentality caused me to gain weight, got me no where with weight loss, and took up a lot of my free time as I felt I had to exercise all the time.

Now I exercise less often and with less intensity, and instead I manage my food intake. When I do exercise, I don't use it as a free pass to eat freely. And now that I'm not feeling like I need to exercise everyday, I have so much more time. Exercise is simply how I stay strong, but is not a part of my weight loss. What a personal wake up call!!

I'm starting November at 141.1. This was my weight on October 28, so it's in alignment with where I've been lately. 

Last night we got about 30 trick or treaters. I ate zero Halloween candy. I don't really like it, but in the past I would have eaten a tiny bag or two of M&Ms, because I would think "oh, it's Halloween, why not," but this year that's just not where I'm at. Plus, I wanted to be able to say in this chat group today that I ate no candy, Lol. So thanks for the motivation, ladies :)

I was going over my monthly progress for the past 11 months and it's been a ride to be sure. I'm hoping to have finally broken out of the 240's for good. I'm 238.2 today. To show you what I mean, look at the 1st day of each month for me:

Jan. 249.3                 May. 250.8             Sept. 247.4

Feb. 248.7                June. 253.2            Oct. 239

March. 250.3            July. 249                Nov. 239.2

April. 250.8               August. 250

It's definately time to stay in the 230's for awhile.

Vicki, but you DID hit the 30s! Its important to not forget this.  Fact: weight loss is another way to say yo-yo! 

I'm still tired from my trip plus the sinus infection I came home with. I'm not pushing myself to do more than the minimum, like dishes and laundry. I don't think its an infection but my sinuses are blocked and my ears hurt a little. It started at Dad's. The bedroom AC was blowing right on me! 

I hope you get to feeling better Teri. Sinus infections are no fun.

I do agree I've made progress, even though very slowly. I'm just hoping I can manage to get into the 220's by the end of the year.  My goal would be to be around 225 by Jan.1st, but anything in the 220's or lower would make me happy.

Well, I'm starting out the new week at 238.2. We'll see what the week has in store for me.

All I can say about Nov 1 and 2 is that I survived.

no Halloween candy for me, either, Heather.

last Monday I ate way more gluten than I should and then ate chocolate late at night. Both of those together cause terrible heartburn but I wasn't paying attention. I spent the night regretting it, and basically hurled up a lung. So Tuesday I was wiped out, and every day since then I cough up the phlegm my body coated my abused esophagus with. 
So I'm sucking down cough drops, avoided gluten till Friday and am still avoiding chocolate.

Friday I started working at HR Block again, with a six-hour shift. Saturday a seven-hour shift. So I was tired. I did not do any of my activities. I did feel rested today with the extra hour of sleep. I started to go to church, but had to stop for gas on the way, and had not dressed well enough for the COLD pelting rain! I thought the Costco gas station would be ok, since there is a roof, but there was so much wind that I got quite wet, enough that I decided the wise thing to do was to turn around and go home to change and get warm. 
 

Teri, I think you are doing great! I believe enjoying your dad was more important than staying strict with food. And you didn't gain much.

Vicki, wow, I think those first day weights show that in spite of fluctuations, your trend is down! And you are going to catch up and pass me soon! This morning I can't remember what the scale was exactly but I think it was 234 point something. And I started the year below 220, so I really want to get back there!

Heather, I need to take your words about not out exercising a bad diet to heart. On the other hand, I want the motivation to exercise... both the trainer and the doctor say that the walking will increase metabolism to help with weight loss, and with BP. Also I know I have to get some muscles back just for feeling capable.

Today I received word that my Dad fell at church and cracked his pelvis. He is in the hospital tonite. His friend/helper Rachel is with him. The jury is still out on whether or not surgery will be necessary. I sincerely hope not. He is so adamant to stay independent that Rachel had to talk him into going to the ER!  Its hard for me to consider that just a few days ago we walked around his neighborhood.

Teri, I'm so sorry about your dad. I hope it won't require surgery. I'm glad he has someone there that can help him. Will you be going back?

Margaret, I'm sorry the gluten is bothering you. At least you know what the problem is so you can watch out for it.

I hope the H&R Block work won't tire you out too badly.

I know what you mean about the exercise too. That's why I have my old exercise bike in the front room so I can ride it while watching TV. It's easier than me trying to walk all over creation. And even though I don't do a lot at this point, I think any exercise is better than none. It's just too easy to settle in my chair and read or watch TV. I have to make myself get on the exercise bike. I know you don't need to exercise to lose weight but I do feel by speeding up your metabolism  it causes you to burn more fat, plus over time it gives you more energy. I'd love to be able to get down on the floor and do all the exercises I used to do, back when I was losing a lot of weight just before I went into menopause fully. But these days it's difficult to get down on the floor in the first place, but then I play hell getting back off of the floor. Because I can't put a lot of weight on my left hand and wrist, I can't just flip over on my knees and use my hands to push myself up onto my feet. I have to be close to my chair so I can hold on to the arm of it or brace my elbows on the seat of it to lift myself up. That's also why I take showers instead of baths. It's extremely hard for me to get out of the tub if sitting down in it. There's just nothing on the right side of the tub to grab on to since it's level with the wall. And the tub is narrow so I can't turn well enough to grab the left side with both hands to get up. So I stick with showers. But I do miss bubble baths. I wish I had grab bars but the suction ones don't work and apt. complex won't allow the metal ones that screw onto the tub. Anyway, the point is that for me, getting down on the floor or tub is out of the question for me at this time. Maybe if I do manage to get this weight off, it'll be possible then. So for now, I have to do exercises I can either do standing up, or do chair exercises, or ride the bike. 

I've been cutting way back on my eating since the 1st of the month. Not crazy about feeling hungry but I'm trying to drink more water to keep that from happening. Right now, if I had it in the apt. I'd probably eat my weight in junk food. Luckily I don't have anything like that in the apt. But I do hate feeling hungry. And it's not that I'm not eating because I am. But I'm craving the bread I got rid of. Hopefully those cravings will pass soon.

No, Vicki, I won't be flying back out to Tucson.

I do hope he'll heal quickly.

Thanks!

I ended up going to the store this morning and buying some groceries to help tide me over until my SS# comes. A couple things I bought I really shouldn't have, but I'll work it into my eating plan. At least I have a little more variety.

Yesterday morning: 234.4

crazy busy day. Stopped for food and ended up eating stuff like a donut! 
after choir just crashed, fell asleep way earlier than I meant to, including before taking pills. But I'm up way earlier than usual. 
 

scale: 234.8, it's the doughnut, since I had plenty of steps at the thrift store.

now I need to figure out what to pack for my 8-hour shift! We don't get a designated break, just grab food when there is a no show or between clients.

Margaret, take something like a banana and a protein bar for while there. Easy to eat when in a rush but good for you too. Or a small container of trail mix. All give you energy.

I'm 240.4 today. Doing the yo-yo-ing thing. Hopefully tomorrow it'll be back into the 230's again.

My Dad will be moved to a rehab facility for 5 weeks. He's motivated so I bet he'll work hard to meet goals and get released!

I'm back down to 197.8 from my vacation gain. 

I'm glad he'll have help Teri. Glad your weight is back down.

One of the more foolish items I bought yesterday was a bag of cheezy dorito's. Bad decision on my part. Not just the sodium count but it brought on Gerd so bad last night it was after 4am before it settled enough for me to try to sleep. But that wasn't enough to convince me it was a bad idea. I thought it messed with me due to the time I ate some, so decided to have more with lunch today. Bad idea! Now I'm just hoping the Gerd eases up by the time I'm ready to go to bed. I've taken some otc meds for it and I have baking soda water if I need it. And the rest of the chips are in the trash. I won't be buying them again. The pure acid in my throat with the burning and forcing me to cough isn't worth it.

I took a peanutbutter oatmeal thing, which I need to make more of. I don't eat bananas because they have so much potassium, which is not for me with my blood pressure med. I also ended up leaving for lunch because the stuff for the cats was in at the vet, and so I took my lunch break and went to Wendy's and got a baked potato, ok, I got the bacon and cheese baked potato, but that is still way less sodium and calories than an actual combo with hamburger and fries. The Wendy's is right across the street from the vet. And if we had been busy, I would not have gone, but we were not at all busy.

Those baked potatoes are good. It's been a very long time since I've had one.

Yeah, Vicki, sometimes a bad case of gerd is what it takes to convince!

That's so true.

Well, my numbers are up (242.4) which isn't too surprising. I've been eating some things a little heavier in sodium than I had been so I'm retaining a good bit of fluid. Going to try and stay as low in sodium today as I can and see what happens.

My a/c went out again. This is the one that was brought in from another apt. to replace my dead one. Seems this one ices up really badly. Had to cut it off to let the ice melt. Maintenance said they do that when they're low in freeon. He said he'd bring me in a new one today (they ordered some). Thank goodness I had fans for all day yesterday and during the night, plus the temperature hasn't been quite as bad ( upper 70's/low 80's). Due to no decent screens on the windows, opening windows aren't an option.