Elastigirl

Rambling thoughts : In mid January, I started a reverse diet. The first week, I just tracked my calories, to see how many calories I was eating. Then I started, very slowly, adding calories. I am now eating about 350 calories a week then I was in mid January. I have maintained my weight ( totally shocked me) I lost about 1 .5 inches around my belly and about 2 inches around my waist. Some of that could just be that in December I was eating all the sugar , and I reined that in in January. The reason I started with adding calories is that (supposedly) it will make it easier once I cut. Instead of my daily calorie goal being 1,500, I can do 1,800, or even a bit more since I will be more active now that the weather is warmer. I plan to do this for 6 weeks, and then go back to maintenance-reverse diet for 6 weeks or so. So far, I am happy with the reverse diet. Looking at myself in the mirror, I do think I have gained muscle. And I can lift more than I did. It does seem to work to have sped up my metabolism. I know some people say this theory is bonkers. But, the plan of just eating less and less wasn't working for me, so I thought I 'd give it a try. The whole time, I've been pretty consistent with resistant training. Working out is fairly easy for me to be consistent in, it's the food part I struggle with. I'm taking next week off, then I will start my cutting phase. I was actually feeling a little anxious about it. I stopped and tried to think through what was causing that, and what I have control over and can manage. 1) Worried about feeling hunger Obviously, I will be more hungry then when I was eating as much as I want. That doesn't bother me. It's that feeling that I am just constantly thinking about food that I don't want. I can do a few things for that: A calorie range : This give me a bit of leeway, I can eat more if I am hungry Know the first week is tough, but it gets easier Cut a little less, and lose less weight, or maybe add in some steps to offset 2) Fear of failure When I first lost weight, it seemed fairly easy. And I felt all the endorphins when the scale was going down. But, when I was struggling, the opposite happened. I'd read fitness tips about how it was because you weren't consistent enough, or not being strict enough in your tracking. So, I would double down on that, and then burn out super quick, and feel like a failure. To help; Remind myself how much stronger I am Remind myself how much more mobile, and graceful I am Keep my plan the same for at least two weeks. If I'm not seeing a change, just keep the same course for at least two weeks before I change anything Remember this is a long term plan, it may happen slowly, but that's okay 3) Burnout I am planning to do the cut for 6 weeks, but if after 4 weeks, I'm burnt out, I can stop. Do about the same level of tracking as I do now. When I eat at someone's house, I guestimate.That's fine. I do weigh my food most of the time, but sometimes I'm in a hurry and it doesn't happen. I know what serving sizes look like. That's all my rambling. If you read all this , thanks, and I hope it may help.

Bible before screens; yes dressed before breakfast; Yes, and I even snuck in a quick morning walk No screens 1 -4 : fail. I did great on this the first week, with that great first week motivation, now I am struggling.. Might have been too big a step. Worked out today. It went well.It's short rests, which is super hard for me. But I am improving, so that's encouraging

I often have a case of the Mondays😊 thanks, yeah,I need to do some refiguring on the goal

Glad the interviews are going well. Sounds like you are managing well even with the change in routines. Some weeks are just like that.

Thanks. It was motivated by chatting about a video posted (by Everstorm I think?) on creativity. And how creativity happens when we actually give our brain space to be creative. Yep.

Monday happenings Bible before screens:yes dressed before breakfast; yes weekly to do list; done no internet screen time between 1 and 4: Nope, failed this one. No excuses, Just felt like scrolling and I did. Also had one of those well I already failed the goal, so what's the point now . I might have to tweak the goal wording a bit. Did my workout. I feel like my shoulder is a bit sore.DOMS or maybe a bit more. Hurt right after I did the shoulder shrugs. That's the exercise I tweaked it on before. I think I should keep it to about an RPE of 5 or 6.As soon as I get tired, I roll my shoulders forward, and that's when the muscle gets strained. Monday brain: I did the wrong exercise. I read what was written (flys) and then somehow my brain converted that to presses. Also, I completely overlooked one exercise. I remembered it later in the day and did it. Ah, well, my Monday brain was working hard.😀 I made this pie yesterday for Easter;Vegan Chocolate Pie - Karissa's Vegan Kitchen (karissasvegankitchen.com) It was very good. Today we had 2 1/2 pieces left over.. After my workout, I had one piece, I threw the half piece away, so I wouldn't be tempted to eat it later, and left the remaining piece for Mr. Incredible

Sounds like a great weekend. We are still pretty cold at night here, so I'm trying to hold off on planting

Been a bit since I updated. This week was busy. Friday night was churhc, Saturday was getting dinner ready for Easter Sunday, and going to game night. Then Easter Sunday, which was church and having family over. I did not track calories either day.Saturday because I was busy, and Sunday because I don't track on holidays. Goals Goal 1 : "Turn Around": Continuing habit of Bible before screen My tracker says 3/5. I think I actually did it more, and just forgot to check the box. Goal 2: "Bright eyes" Levelling up on habit of getting out workout clothes, now that winter's past and" I'm no longer living in the dark", goal is to actually get dressed before breakfast .First half of challenge I'm aiming for 2/5 days. then I will go for 3/5 4/5-! Goal 3: "Every now and then I get a little restless and dream of something wild:" Give myself time to dream. Chatting with @Harriet about how too much screen time sucks out our creativity. I want more time to dream and be creative. No screens (unless I'm using them for creativity in something tangible like scrapbooking) from 1-4 in the afternoon 2/5 and other days were at least partial. This is also just helping me delay scrolling at other times. Hoping to break the habit of just automatically scrolling when I have downtime . Goal 4 : "Together we can make it to the end of the line" I'm continuing my reverse diet. Right now I'm at a good point with my calories , so I just plan on maintaining that. After we return from our trip, the following Monday I will start my cut. Plan is to continue tracking calories and keep at it for 6 weeks Despite Easter Sunday feasting, scale still maintained. I counted calories during the week, but not on the weekend. I meant to on Saturday, but was just super busy. But , food on Saturday was pretty much normal

Woot for the inches lost! Sorry, not supporting you on your wish for clouds/ rain on eclipse day.Since we are flying there, I'm hoping the weather changes and we have sunshine. So far, the forecast is in your favor.😀

Good for you for figuring out a workout plan that worked for your schedule this week.

I bought a waffle iron so I could make gf waffles, because a life without waffles was just too sad.

Praying your mom's surgery goes well. S

Sounds like some fun (but dizzy) movement practice.

Yay for all the wins!

Sorry about the bad dream. I hate bad dreams.Even when you wake up and know they aren't real, they are hard to shake off. I will have to check out our Subway to see if they have rice bowls. I knew they had salads. But it was mostly just iceberg lettuce, which is so not filling.

I hope the meds kick in and tomorrow you feel a lot better. And tonight you get a good night's sleep. I hate it when I'm sick and coughing at night.

Yesterday I remember the no screens at 1:30 , while starting at screens (supposed to start at 1:00) But I then stopped then. Not sure why my reminder isn't going off. Went on a walk with my friend. Today I did my workout. It's only a 30 second break between sets, which is hard for me. A good challenge though. Still have quad DOMS, though they are less. I did no screen between 1- 4. It's really more no Instagram, or Facebook. I looked up a recipe, and a recorded calories at MFP, and listened to a podcast. The main thing is no scrolling. It's so tempting. As soon as I logged my calories, my first instinct was to scroll Instagram! And several times during that three hour time span, I was tempted, I chose this time as it's an easier time to avoid scrolling, as I'm busier. So, yikes, I spend way too much time.And it's such a default to go to after I am working on the computer. I did get dressed before breakfast.

Gotta aprreciate the singing and the costuming of this group. Thanks. I'm sure my family is hoping I play this while we watch the eclipse.😉

Fun challenge theme! I'm trying to cut donw on the screen dopamine hits too, and replacing with better activities.

Here to cheer you on!

It is a good karaoke or sing in the shower song. Thanks Thanks

I've read that too. I might experiment with that a bit. Organic foods that have not been sprayed with glyphosate

I did a GetFitWIthRick walking video today. After I finished, I didn't turn it off and the next video came up.I t was Jane Fonda with a room full of people in 80's workout clothes! So apparently, YouTube is going along with my 80' s theme.😀 Last week , we spent the last part of the week staying at my mother in law's house. My brother-in-law is her caretaker, and he was away. So, we went and stayed with her. She is in her 90's. Legally blind, hard of hearing, not very mobile, but very kind and sweet. Anyway. I planned the meals and brought snacks to fit my goals. However I didn't track but did more intuitive eating.. At home, I usually separate out the meat and veggies, so I can weigh the meat .And I weigh my the carby foods. But, I was trying to combine things to make it easier for her to eat. I also forgot my food scale.I determined it would be a good practice for me not to be overly dependent on my routine ( I can easily veer into that) and just eat intuitively. When I weighed today, I was still the same weight. I had done two workouts before we left, so I just did walking and some mobility work while I was there. Mobility work is pretty much like hot yoga, because the house is heated to 82 degrees.🙂 Back at home. Today I did the first workout of Phase 3. I am really enjoying this workout program(Mindpump Anabolic) it is set up in three, three week phases. First phase is low rep heavy weight, second is higher volume, third is higher volume less rest. They have a lot of the same exercises, but each phase has a few new ones. It's enough different to make it interesting, but not so different that it takes up to much brain power to use. One of the nex exercises was sissy squats. Those are tough. And my quads have all the DOMS. I did not want to get back to tracking today after my break, but I did Bible before screens :yes Workout clothes on - YES no screens between 1- 4. Nope I totally forgot about it. Then I was looking at NF at about 3:45, and I remembered. Oops. I thought I put it in my habit tracker, but it didn't save or something. Now , it is in my habit tracker and I have a reminder set for 1:00.

I should dig through my old photos and find a pic of me in my best hair days. Hi there! Hi!

Hope you feel better soon.