I know the scale isn’t everything. The numbers do not define me and it is all about how I feel and finding a healthy weight. However that being said after a few weeks of back and forth and small nudges of zero point somethings. I did the happy dance this morning.
Admittedly it is a small bathroom so I also hit my funny bone on the sink, but still, it was a happy dance.
I know the weight loss is good, and I am always going to be thrilled when it is a week where I lose more than three pounds, but it is more than that. with my weight loss I have been in a rut lately. I put in the effort but nothing seems to change. I know that this happens periodically and i just need to tweak things. Unfortunately this time it wasn’t my body getting used to a new level of food and exercise it was that things beyond my control kept knocking me off my plan.
Now I will be the first to admit that yesterday my plans were sent into a wood chipper and sprayed across the landscape in an effort to conceal the crime against planning. However my food and exercise plan stayed in tact for the week.
So this morning’s weigh in felt like a much needed validation that if I just keep sticking with it and getting back up every time I get knocked down things will progress.
You have no idea how much I needed that. Or if you read this often, maybe you do. It felt like such a huge win.
The stats
Starting Weight: 246.0 lbs
Last week’s Weight: 231.7 lbs
This week’s Weight: 228.3 lbs
Lost this week: 3.4 lbs
Lost thus far: 17.7 lbs
I know there is still a long way to go but for the first time in a long while it feels like I am actually moving forward instead of standing still. The scale may not be the end all be all but sometimes it can provide much needed validation. I am going into my Friday feeling better than I have for quite some time. This was exactly the pick me up I needed.
This week was a bit of a mess to be honest. There was rain, there were allergies and my babydoll got taken down with a nasty sinus infection. Meal planning went out of the window. As his sinuses drained and he coughed and sneezed his through and mouth became really raw. So most of the food choices were things that his stomach would take and that wouldn’t hurt his mouth. He also didn’t really want full meals this week so there were a lot of little meals when he felt he could eat.
For me that also meant I lost track of all of my calorie count and food intake. I snacked, I ate at strange times and there was little actual planning. It was a week to get through. And it did show on the scale. I am heavier than I was last Friday and I can accept that. It is not unexpected and in fact given the situation I would be kind of shocked if I didn’t gain any. I am just going to accept it. And so, the stats.
Starting Weight: 246.0 lbs
Last week’s Weight: 230.4 lbs
This Week’s Weight: 231.7 lbs
So there was a 1.3 lbs gain. quite honestly, I am okay with it. I don’t like gaining weight but this week was just out of my control. That I can accept. I’ll redouble my efforts next week to make up for it, but this week I am just exhausted and looking forward to sleeping in on Saturday morning. That is my goal at this point. After that, I will regroup. Have a great Friday my darlings. Next week will hopefully be more within my control.
Oh yes my darlings the scale is once again moving. I know it didn’t move as much as I liked but it did move. And that itself is always a relief. This week was interesting as far as exercise went. there was much rain so there wasn’t a lot of out door activity. However, I managed to make it to my morning workout every day this week.
That’s right, five days in a row with no talking myself into hitting the snooze button until the last possible second.
Which I will admit is quite the feat. I do not like mornings. I just don’t. I am comfy in my bed and really don’t like getting up. I have no problem staying up later to get something done. Personally if I could wait to roll out of bed around eight thirty to start the day and then just work later in the day to make up for it, i would.
However i do not live alone and the world can not just run on my schedule. (although really who got to decide the morning people ruled the world? I think they just made that decision before the rest of us were awake. maybe threatened to take away our coffee or something).
As much as it pains me to admit it, I do feel more awake even without my coffee after I have done my morning exercises. For me the trick is to start them before I am actually fully awake. So before bed I put ot the exercise clothes. Then when the alarm goes off I roll to the bathroom and then straight into the work out clothes before i have a chance to rethink it and head back to bed.
Then i am already in the clothes so i feel like I might as well just get it over with. For me that works best. I may feel more awake after the workouts and i may know it is good for me and I even may see a difference in the scale, but I am never going to be a huge fitness enthusiast. I am a reluctant participant. I’ll do it because it is good for me, but it will never be my happy place. Still it is helping me out, so I will continue. I am also pleased that the stiffness and sore muscles have also faded. On Monday I am going to add one extra exercise to my list and see what happens. I haven’t increased for a while and I think it is time. I go slow, and that too seems to work for me.
The stats
Starting Weight: 246.0 lbs
Last week’s weight: 231.3 lbs
This week’s Weight: 230.4 lbs
Lost this week: 0.9 lbs
Lost thus far: 15.6 lbs
And so the journey continues. I hope that where ever you are on your journey to a healthier you, that you are feeling good with yourself today. remember to celebrate the little things. this week i am celebrating the fact that i managed to get up and fight the urge to hit the snooze alarm, instead making it to all my regularly scheduled workouts. It is a small thing, but it will have big consequences if I make it a set habit.
I know 0.1 lbs of loss is really just explained by me exhaling before I got on the scale not an actual weight loss. I can’t actually complain too much though. I didn’t really get my exercises in this week. I know I feel like a slacker.
And having to write down that I skipped my exercises this week is part of the reason that I started these posts to begin with. It is my version of accountability. When I tell my babydoll I didn’t do my exercises, he shrugs and reminds me it was a good week. If I tell my mom, she says, Oh I’m sure you will do better next week. If I mention it to one of my friends trying to lose weight the response is usually, “Me too!” or a replay of what exercises they did.
While I love the support and companionship, and understanding, it really doesn’t help me. Having to write it down here actually does help me. Usually it keeps me on track because I know i am going to have to write things down on Friday morning and admit to the world what I did or didn’t do. Not that the whole world is watching, but it is the internet, and once something is on the internet it more or less exists forever. And when I have to write that I skipped my exercises, it always makes me work that much harder the following week.
I bet you didn’t know you were part of my weight loss plan, huh?
Surprise!
The thing is losing the weight is something i am doing for me and my health. Everyone in my life loves me for me. I am lucky that way. I have also developed a bit of an intolerance for people who do judge my worth by my weight. So it is sort of part luck, part design. Don’t get me wrong, I have several of those weight judgement people in my life and unfortunately they are not exactly removable from my world, but they are kept at arms length and my inner group of people like me no matter what size of clothes I am wearing.
But that love and acceptance doesn’t help me when I veer off track. Hence the weekly weight confessional. For me having to write things down also keeps me cognizant of it. There are things I let slide if I don’t have those reminders. Some of the things I let slide are things I don’t want to do. And trust me, I am not a morning person. Getting up earlier than usual to get my workout in before the work day starts doesn’t make me a happy camper. I feel better once it is done, but i don’t like the getting up part. I’m good when I am in motion, but getting in motion is the tricky part.
This week, it was a hurdle I really didn’t get past. I worked late because of last week’s issues as I tried to catch up. And I didn’t sleep all that well. Most mornings this week, I skipped my morning workout and hit the snooze button as many times as i could get away with before I had no choice but to roll out of bed. It was just that sort of week. I hate admitting it, but there it is. I know why it was, and I know that next week, I will do better. I can be kind enough to myself not to mentally beat me up for it. But I also don’t want to have to write this again next week.
The Stats
Starting Weight: 246.0 lbs
Last week’s weight: 231.4 lbs
This week’s weight: 231.3 lbs
Loss negligible.
And so here is where I leave you. Now we can all get on with our Fridays and I can start planning ways to make sure that I get up on time in the coming week. I’ll see you back here nest week to let you know how I’ve done. Happy Friday.
Good Morning and welcome to the weekly weigh in. I was hoping that as my weight stayed the same last week that this week I would see a drop. Instead there was a slight increase. Not much of one and to be honest not enough of one to make me feel worried.
I think more than anything, this week’s weight is a reflection of my week. Usually it reflects the effort that I put in, or at least I always hope it does. Today I think it is reflecting the stress level. For me any time i feel stressed I seem to get a little heavier. It is though my weighty concerns actually have mass behind them.
While this week was nothing compared to the stresses of last week, it was a week filled with work related annoyances. Mostly of the computer variety. I know it is mostly my fault, I need to remember to go through and purge files more often and to schedule a monthly clear out so things run smoothly. Which I haven’t done in quite some time and the build up was in part why things got bent out of shape,
The fact that in addition to my regular work i am trying to finish out a manuscript to get it out to receive it’s final edit and read through just sort of piled on to the feeling of being overwhelmed.
I know that the computer isn’t actually sentient but I swear it chose its moment to go down well.
So stress this week. I did my exercises, but I also worried. And I am slightly heavier at the end of it. I am sure there is some sort of lesson about not letting things get to you in there, but honestly, i am going to be like this until the draft of the manuscript is completed. Usually I work under less of a time crunch for these things, but I have a looming deadline that is more firm than I usually face and I really won’t relax until it is done. Luckily, that isn’t too far away. I’m just going to be stressed until then, especially now that I am a little behind.
But soon, the deadline will be here and then I can breathe again.
The Stats:
Starting Weight: 246.0 lbs
Last week’s Weight: 231.4 lbs
This week’s Weight: 231.7 lbs
Change: +0.3 lbs
Lost thus far: 14.3 lbs
And so back into the fray we go. At least I know it isn’t for that much longer. It is the one benefit of a tight and set in stone deadline. when it is done, it is done. And when it is done, the worries and stress will fade and I will at the very least feel internally lighter no matter what the scale reflects. So there is that to look forward to. And now, off we go. Have a great Friday, Whatever it is you have planned today.
They say beauty comes from within. And so today, it is inside we are going. One of the things I have always had issues with are my guts. I have a very slow metabolism. I like to thing that as my tastebutds like to savor flavors, my innards like to savor neutrients.
As amusing as that image is, it is less amusing when you have to feel the effects of it. And as we are talking about the inside, I will have to admit that my body does not like releasing gas either. In either direction although when it does release it tends to go up rather than down. Admittedly that does mean that I often feel as though there is a giant softball sized bundle of gas trapped just behind my sternum. Which is just as uncomfortable as it sounds.
And so I tend to try all sorts of different products to sort of settle things down. The item I am trying now is the OLLY Metabolism Gummy Rings.
According to the website…
he secret to a mighty metabolism? Here’s the in’cider scoop. These delicious gummies help boost digestive health, improve metabolism and rev energy production. The best part: our Apple Cider Vinegar contains the “mother” (strands of protein packed with gut-friendly probiotics) so you can get all the benefits of ACV without having to drink it.*
I know the thought of eating a gummy to lose weight is a very appealing one. However I did choose to try these out because of the apple cider vinegar. When I was little constipation was a routine feature of my life. It is actually less so as an adult. One of the things I was given to drink then, and still make now when I need it, is a homemade remedy.
The homemade version we used for a constipation cure is One tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar, Two tablespoons of lemon juice and eight ounces of water. It is not the most pleasant of tasting drinks so I always put in a straw and just suck it back as fast as I can. About half an hour later, the bathroom is my best friend. This is not a concoction to drink when you have to be away from a restroom. It is my emergency constipation cure.
When I saw that this Metabolism Gummy had Apple Cider vinegar in it I figured it was possible it could help me out. The container (retail $19.95) has a thirty day supply and today I am taking my last gummy in the jar. For the past month i have taken one each day. with my mind thinking about my constipation cure, I started the thirty days on a day where I knew i wasn’t going to be leaving the house for a meeting. It was a day, I would be home and I am glad I did.
The first one worked a bit like a slow acting version of my homemade concoction. After about an hour, I found myself visiting the restroom. So i was very glad that I scheduled my start at home. I did have some concerns about a daily dose. The second day there was a need to be near the bathroom, but it was less than the day before. By the third day a more normal course had been resumed. I think that was my body purging and getting used to the gummies.
Taking them regularly sort of regulated my insides. It was just the first that blasted through like human Drain-o.
Once I adjusted, I did find that I was also a bit more regular and I felt less bloated and my guts less cramped. I also had a lot less trouble with trapped gas. So I burped more this month than usual, which wouldn’t normally be something to be happy about. But for me is a very good thing. I had fewer problems this month with my guts than I have for a while.
As for the taste…much better than my homemade concoction. It still has the vinegary tang I would expect, but the sugar of the gummies brings out the apple. They are sweet but not quite candy sweet. They are pleasant to eat, but i would never mistake them for a candy gummy ring, which is perfectly fine with me. The jar tells you not to eat more than one a day and I can say while I am fine with eating one a day, I don’t find myself wanting to reach for a second.
While i will probably still try other items, This is definitely a repeat purchase item for me. I will continue to take it as long as it continues to work. I’m sure i will try other things, but for now, I think this is going to be my standard. I don’t think it helped with any weight loss this month, but it certainly made me feel better, and when I feel better, i am more inclined to exercise. It isn’t a magic weight loss pill, because such a thing doesn’t exist. But it does help me feel a lot better. The OLLY Metabolism Gummy Rings get two thumbs up from me.
There is a strange sort of routine developing. Have you picked up on it because I certainly have. I lose a pound or two and then stay at the same weight for two weeks. Then I lose a little more weight only to stay at the same weight for two weeks.
To be honest I am not mad at it. As long as it stays consistent then I am fine with two weeks at the same number. i am happy I am not gaining anything, so there is that. I have no idea why it is happening, but as long as I feel healthy and the weight is slowly declining, I am fine with the trend.
It does make me curious but the only thing I have to blame is the weather. I think that on the days where my sinuses are acting up even if I can walk i put a little less effort into it. So on the days where my sinuses are fine I put more effort into it. I’m betting that somewhere along the way ot balances out.
But that is just me trying to figure things out. For now, I am happy with the over all trend. The weather has turned cold again, however that isn’t really the part that bothers me. The part that gets me is the wind. It has a way of knifing down the through and spearing into the lungs. I’d like to say it wasn’t this bad last winter but the truth is that while the wind is probably the same as it has always been, it is my lungs that are different. This past summer I had a go round with Covid and ever since then I’ve noticed the wind seems to hurt my lings just a little bit more.
It isn’t a debilitating thing, but it is something that has bothered me since then, that never bothered me before. This morning I did go on a walk but that wind, more than the cold forced it to be a shorter one. I think until it settles down I am going to look into more of the indoor exercises.
The stats:
Starting Weight: 246.0 lbs
Last Week’s Weight: 231.4 lbs
This week’s Weight: 231.4 lbs
Chance this week: 0.0 lbs
Lost thus far: 14.6 lbs
And so with that, I have to admit that i feel pretty good (minus a slight sore spot on my lungs. It will warm up soon enough and I will be fine. And then the world will continue. Have a great Friday everyone.
I know last week I was okay with the weight staying the same, but this week I was worried that it would again stay the same. Happily, it did not. The downward trend continues. Personally I am very happy with this week’s weight because this was a week of rain and varying temperatures.
Not only did that mean that the park and walking trail spent much of the week submerged, but it also meant that my sinuses were not happy. weather changes just cause me to get stuffy and to have a headache. It is not really me being sick because I can take a quick sinus tab and drink a lot of water and I will be fine for the day. I’ll feel a little hazy because of the medicine, but otherwise I am fine.
Until I try to exercise.
Then as soon as I get moving my nose starts running. No matter what medicine i took. I know it isn’t, but somehow that always makes me think my brain is leaking out of my nose. I know that isn’t how it works, but it feels like it.
And so exercise of any sort was a bit hit or miss. I will say that I went onto the My Fitness Pal App and logged every single thing i put into my mouth this week just to try and stay on top of things. I think that might have been my saving grace as far as diet went.
The Stats:
Starting Weight: 246.0 lbs
Last week’s Weight: 232.4 lbs
This Week’s Weight: 231.4 lbs
Lost this week 1.0 lbs
Lost this far: 14.6 lbs
My one thought for this week is to hope that the weather evens out. I don’t care if it is cold or if it is warm, I just want consistency so my sinuses are not constantly adjusting. Is that too much to ask? Maybe. we’ll see. For now though, I am happy with the weigh my weight loss is going, despite the weather and my sinuses.
No my darlings it is not Deja vu. This is the same weight as last week. To be honest, while I would always like to see the numbers shrinking, I am not terribly surprised. Last week I lost nearly three pounds which for me is a lot in a week. Usually I have a big loss and then not so big a loss the following week. I’m okay with that. If that trend holds up I will be fine.
This week was also very strange as far as exercise went. I managed to get a few walks in and I did about 40% of my indoor exercises. I know 40% is something I can work on but there was very little sun this week and with the flip flopping either my sinuses were running like a faucet. while I got stuff done this week there were days where breathing was sort of an achievement all it’s own.
So I am impressed there was no weight gain. That makes me feel good.
I owe that to keeping track of everything I ate. (I am using the My fitness pal app as my food diary.) I don’t know if this is a factor of getting older but if I just watch what I eat and limit my calories, I mange to not gain weight not lose it. It is only when I have a Wonder Twins Activate movement with exercise and calorie control that thigs start to move.
Perhaps that is another reason I am not terribly surprised there is no movement. It was more of a hold the line sort of week. with luck things will dry out next week and I can edge back into a decline in the scale numbers. For now, I feel content with what I have done. Part of that content may be the sinus meds kicking in and the ability to draw in deep breaths for the first time this morning, but I am not worried this week. It is only if the scale stays static for multiple weeks that i start to worry.
Everyone knows that drinking water is good for you. It keeps you hydrated, makes your skin look good and is excellent when you are trying to lose weight.
One of the first things I found out when i started working out and trying to live healthier is that sometimes I mistake being thirsty for being hungry. Sometimes just having a little bit pf water makes me realize that I wasn’t actually hungry at all. Which means I consume less in the way of calories, which I find really nice.
The trick is convincing myself to drink more water. I use several tactics. One is that I find water to sit less heavily on my belly if it is carbonated. As I don’t want to run out and get a bottle of sparkling water every time I need a drink, I purchased a Soda Stream. I’ve actually been using it for years and it is one of my favorite items in the house. It is a purchase I will never regret making.
But I don’t like drinking from the large water bottles that the machine takes. They are great for making the water fizz, but not so much for drinking. I can drink from them but I find that if I just use the bottle to carbonate the water, the bottles last longer.
To drink I will often use a glass. I am quite fond of a stemless champagne flute as my glass actually since it makes my water feel far fancier than it it. To this I will often add a twist of lemon or lime to the glass so the water seems almost cocktail like.
However when I make my water in this fashion I tend to sip the water. So I reserve the champagne flute for evening water consumption. I have also found recently that my water consumption has been slipping and I am trying to get uit back to where it needs to be.
Enter Smartass and Sass. They are a subscription service and do have a monthly box. They also have an on-line store where you can purchase various item, usually from one of the boxes. Recently I took advantage of one of their sales to puck up this water botte/glass.
I am sure it is listed as a water bottle, but i think of it as a glass. The container itself is made of glass and it dishwasher safe. I really prefer glass bottles as they are not only easier to clean but they last longer because they don’t retain off flavors and scents over time. Sometimes I add flavors to my water, other times I don’t. I like that to be my choice rather than the water bottle’s.
Over the glass is a silicone sheath so the glass will not become slippery. The lid is wood, bamboo with a silicone band to keep it in place and a silicon liner for the hole for the straw. I love that the straw hole is lined with silicone as it will help keep the lid lasting longer. The hole in the wood for the straw is often the weak point and I have had several unlined wooden lids for bottles that simply took a beating from everyday use. With the lining I think it will last longer.
The lid fits in snuggly, although I wouldn’t pick the bottle/cup up by the lid. The straw is also a reusable plastic. I love that the lid comes all the way off. It not only aids in cleaning (while I will send the bottle through the dishwasher I won’t put the lid in as it will last longer if I just wash that by hand.) It also lets me add thongs from Ice to fruit if I want.
The bottle/cup itself holds 17.5 ounces of fluid. I think this is a fantastic size. It means that it will not only hold a lot of water, but it fits my hand well. It is quite comfortable to use. All in all it is a very well thought out design.
And for me, it is good to look at and good to hold, both of which encourage me to continue drinking from it throughout the day. For me though the straw is the key to getting me to drink more water. I find that when I drink through a straw I tend to drink more. I don’t know if there is some sort of physics involved, if it is the memory of fountain sodas needing to be drunk before the ice melts or if it is just how I drink liquids, but I will drink more, faster with a straw.
Which means that with the purchase and use of this Smartass and Sass Water Bottle/cup my daily water consumption is back where it needs to be. This is going to be a favorite for quite a while.
Ms. Mimsy Reviews 