Lara Ess Starting Out

[Lara Ess]

Hi, Lara, 48yo wife and mother of a 17yo anxiety challenged boy here.

 

I found a great program a year ago to help balance out my peri-menopausal hormone roller coaster and lost lots of inches and a decent lump of weight, got fitter and stronger, but still struggling with some mindset issues (uncontrolled snacking, especially when I either have a very good loss or a poor loss for the week), consistency with daily movement and my weight loss slowed down because of it. I looked up intermittent fasting (which I have tried, struggled with and failed in the past), and wanted to give it another go as a "trick" to get things moving in the right direction again. Stumbled on Nerdfitness and it sounds like a fun and really positive and informative way to help me reach my goals, with or without fasting. I am already on track for many beginner goals, so I hope I have not set too many for myself this round.

 

I like sci fi and fantasy TV shows, action movies, playing really, really old computer games (original Tetris and Civ 1), writing romantic stories, hiking in the wilderness, coastal walks, exploring my country (Australia).

 

My current main quest is to get down to a healthy size (Australian size 10 or Small) and to have the energy to do all the things a normal person does every week.

 

Supporting quests for this challenge period:

1. Do not buy or eat any junk snacks (substitute fruit if needed)

2. Go to bed by 11pm every night

3. Plan a menu for the week ahead before shopping on Saturday morning

4. Fast 16/8 every day

5. Continue to walk 10,000 steps every work day and walk at least 20 min on non-work days

6. Continue to drink 8 glasses of water on work days, and drink 8 glasses of water on non-work days

[Lara Ess]

I started IF last week and only found this challenge section today so this is an update on my challenge quests for week 1 (last week, Sat-Fri):

1. Avoid junk snacks - Starting this week

2. Bed by 11pm - Starting this week

3. Weekly menu - Starting next Saturday

4. 16/8 IF - Completed week 1 successfully - struggled a bit in the afternoon/evening before dinner, need to bring some fruit to work to prevent snacking on junk when I get home this week

5. 10K steps M-F, 20 min walk w/e - Sat 2253, Sun 9771, M 8604, Tu 10421, W 8672, Th 10208, F 93332 - week 1. Room for improvement, need to plan better for weekend walks and topping up on bad weather weekdays

6. 8x daily H2O - Weekend poor, M-F complete, need to try 2 glasses at a time on weekends to get it done.

[Lara Ess]

1. Day 1 down

2. Start over tonight!

4. Day 3, Week 2 complete

5. Sat 1526, Sun 2008 - really need to move on the weekends!

6. Sat poor, Sun - win!

[Cheetah]

Welcome to the Rebellion!

 

You have really solid goals; I'm sure you'll have a great challenge. 

 

Intermittent Fasting works well for some people, and not so much for others. 

 

Good work so far; keep it up!

[Lara Ess]

Thanks Cheetah! It didn't work for me last time. I think I lasted 2 days and felt like I was going to faint. But after reading more about it, I think I was one of those who had to already be on a healthy journey before I started IF. I am still getting used to it and think I need to maybe add half a protein shake around my 3xweekly workouts, but it's working incredibly well so far (day 11 today).

[Lara Ess]

1. Caved in to chocolate in the afternoon Tue - have to bring an apple to work tomorrow!

2. 11pm curfew - Mon win (10:40pm)

4. Fast Week 2, Day 4 - win

5. Mon 11,817 steps

6. Water - Mon - win

[Lara Ess]

1. Win - brought an apple to work to ease afternoon cravings

2. Win - 11pm curfew - Tue 10:30pm

4. Win - Fast Week 2, Day 5 (added water+sugar-free protein powder shake with workout)

5. Win - Tue 10,305 steps

6. Win - water - Tue

[Cheetah]

You're doing great this week!  Keep it up!

[Lara Ess]

1. Win - apple at work before late lunch

2. Need to get a better story happening to keep my interest - went back to Civ1 late, bed 11:30pm

4. Win - Fast Week 2, Day 6

5. Win - 11,178 steps

6. Win - water Wed

[Lara Ess]

1. Win - no snack today

2. Need more motivation to get this one down. Bored at work doesn't help!

4. Didn't quite make 16 hours ~ 15 hours due to 2 hour delay on food delivery last night! Still OK with 15 hours.

5. Win - 11,414 steps

6. Win - water Thu

[Lara Ess]

1. Win (posted in advance)

2. Win, 10:40pm

3. Busy Saturday morning prep for friends birthday at our place, delay planning to Sat night, then shop Sunday

4. Quitting IF - hardly any loss in lb or inches in 2 weeks, feeling light headed a lot and unable to push as hard as I did before in work outs. Think not enough food/protein over 24 hours, too low cal, going back to old way of Paleo eating, but trying to trick myself by saying I will fast between meals (I lost 12kg in 12 weeks before last Christmas by eating low carb Paleo b/f and lunch, mod carb dinner, not snacking and only eating a small bite of treat at Christmas functions until actual Christmas Day).

5. Did not quite make 10k steps, but close enough to count it as a win - 9,696 steps - way too hot to walk extra when I got home (38C!)

6. Win

[Cheetah]

Look at all the wins!  Great work!

 

IF is definitely one of those things that works for some people and not others.  

 

Keep it up, you're doing awesome!

[Lara Ess]

1. Win

2. 11:15pm Sat - entertaining friends at our place until 10pm - needed to unwind a bit

3. Win - delayed until Sunday morning, but all done!

4. Off track with diet Saturday - breakfast and lunch OK, but lots of dessert!

5. 20 min walk at 10:15pm with hubby after guests left!

6. Win

[Lara Ess]

1. Win

2. 11:10pm

4. Stuck to low carb Paleo today

5. 25 min walk

6. Win

[Lara Ess]

Mon:

1. Win

2. 11pm

4. Stuck to low carb Paleo until after dinner - Rowan made gingerbread men at school - ate 2

5. 9778 steps

6. Win

[Cheetah]

Keep it up; you're doing great!

[Lara Ess]

Tue:

1. Win

2. Win 10:40pm

4. Didn't do too badly for meals but Japanese for work function left me starving and ate junk in the afternoon...

5. Win 10827

6. Win

[Lara Ess]

Wed:

1. Losing the plot - bought and ate Christmas choc from fundraiser stall

2. Win 10:20pm

4. Meals good, choc after lunch not so much

5. TBA (was running late this morning so missed my 20 min walk to the park, too hot in afternoon 33C) 8030 steps

6. Win

[Cheetah]

18 hours ago, Lara Ess said:

1. Losing the plot

 

I glanced back, and you've got a solid streak of wins on this goal.  Don't let it throw you that you made a different choice one day.  It's what we do most of the time that counts.  Progress, not perfection.

[Lara Ess]

1. Not sure if this goal is realistic for this time of year anymore. I might bench it, try to limit it to not turning into a binge and start again after Christmas.

2. Win 11pm

4. Still good for meals, got some goodish snack choices available now at least

5. Win 11, 464 steps (even walked through the river that our street became and went for a morning walk with an umbrella!)

6. Win

[Cheetah]

There's nothing at all wrong with adjusting your goals as you go along.  Every experience teaches us something about ourselves.  Keep up the good work!

[Lara Ess]

1. No binges today

2. Win 10:50pm

4. Good meals, 2 small snacks

5. Win 10224 steps

6. Win

[Lara Ess]

Sat:

1. No lunch, but snacks at games night

2. 11:15pm

3. Win

4. Good b/f, was out all afternoon and evening so not so great, but didn't overeat

5. 20 min walk across park to games venue

6. Win

[Cheetah]

Sounds like a good weekend!

[Lara Ess]

Mon:

1. Not too bad - Paleo snacks only

2. Win 10:45pm

4. Good B/f, good lunch (out for work group lunch) but added dessert, minimal dinner

5. 7,800 steps - too tired by the time I got home to make up the steps

6. Win