[Shello]

3 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

I know right?   

[Shello]

Thursday

I fasted fifteen and a half hours.  Lunch was a set time since I catered lunch for my staff during our quarterly meeting.  We ordered Panera.  I got the BBQ chicken sandwich and some chips.  I debated bringing in some baked chips from home or having fruit with it since it's higher calories than my usual lunch but that idea didn't win.  I kept snacks to a minimum in the afternoon though and was very busy with meetings anyway.  I did have some popcorn chips once I got home.  I ate out of the bag but even counted as I ate them to stick to a serving size.  Dinner was open since we weren't sure if DDGs son was going to make it over to watch the US game or not.  I had a different meals plans if he was there or not.   he didn't show up so I cooked Bourbon apple chicken brats in the air fryer and made some fresh hashbrowns.  I toasted hot dog buns, added the hashbrowns that I was careful to keep held together like a patty, then added the brat, topped with muenster cheese and broiled until gooey.    We called them hashdogs and they were very good.  I made some green beans for an easy veg win and then we just paired with baked chips for a super easy dinner.  I skipped any dessert and had 13 calories leftover.  I did do a booty workout from the app, which helped with calories.  

 

That finishes up the week.  Overall it was a great week.  I ate in a deficit every day, average 145 calories under daily.   Despite that the scale barely moved at all.   I didn't get any walks in and only 3 workouts but daily movement happened for 5 of 7 days.   I know the scale will eventually catch up but the coming week is going to be a tough week.  DDG;s brother is coming into town.  That usually means at least 1 dinner out with the family, possibly 2.  Plus DDG and I had plans for a birthday dinner out later in the week.  The schedule is up in the air and will interfere with getting workouts and activity in too.  I am batch cooking chili so I'll have a good option for nights we don't go out.   I also realized it's the final week of the challenge coming up and I still haven't tackled all the declutter I set goals for.  I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend.  

[Snarkyfishguts]

Decluttering in time for the Chinese New Year! This is good luck! DOOO IT!   

[Shello]

12 hours ago, Snarkyfishguts said:

Decluttering in time for the Chinese New Year! This is good luck! DOOO IT!   

Yeah!  I planned it this way!  No, not at all. 

[Shello]

I worked on putting more stuff I’m back in my redesigned closet. There are some jackets I haven’t worn in years but I still struggle to get rid of them. Why is this so hard?! 

[Snarkyfishguts]

7 hours ago, Shello said:

I worked on putting more stuff I’m back in my redesigned closet. There are some jackets I haven’t worn in years but I still struggle to get rid of them. Why is this so hard?! 

Why are you holding on to the jackets? Do they make you happy? is it a going out thing that you would've worn before the pandemic? There are loads of good reasons to keep a good jacket. 

 

Unless it makes you unhappy when you see them. Then donate those jerks. 

 

 

 

[Shello]

2 hours ago, Snarkyfishguts said:

Why are you holding on to the jackets?

I usually wear softer cardigans to work if I need to layer or cover up a tank top in a meeting. I always struggle to find more fitted work jackets. I have a few that I’ve found over the years but I rarely wear them. It usually means I’m wearing something underneath I CAN’T wear at work without the jacket and I get too hot to be committed to wearing a jacket all day. And they’re not as comfortable as cardigans. 
 

2 hours ago, Snarkyfishguts said:

Do they make you happy?

Not generally. 1 does. I got up this morning and tossed 3 in the donate pile and saved my favorite in case I need to up my professional attire game for a meeting. 
 

Thanks Snarky! 

[Ranger Hal]

On 1/27/2022 at 6:58 AM, Shello said:

Peach had a flat tire so when I got home I taught her how to change it.  I know how to change a tire but have never actually had to do it myself.  I'm glad she got an opportunity to do it now so she's prepared. 

Well done! My mom showed me how to change a tire once when I was a kid (pre-driving age) and I remembered enough to do it on my own 15 years later when I got a flat with no cell phone service and 30 miles from the nearest town. It's an important skill to have, even if it's rarely used.

[Snarkyfishguts]

4 hours ago, Shello said:

I usually wear softer cardigans to work if I need to layer or cover up a tank top in a meeting. I always struggle to find more fitted work jackets. I have a few that I’ve found over the years but I rarely wear them. It usually means I’m wearing something underneath I CAN’T wear at work without the jacket and I get too hot to be committed to wearing a jacket all day. And they’re not as comfortable as cardigans. 
 

Not generally. 1 does. I got up this morning and tossed 3 in the donate pile and saved my favorite in case I need to up my professional attire game for a meeting. 
 

Thanks Snarky! 

You’re welcome! I’m proud of you!

[Shello]

On 1/29/2022 at 2:29 PM, Ranger Hal said:

Well done! My mom showed me how to change a tire once when I was a kid (pre-driving age) and I remembered enough to do it on my own 15 years later when I got a flat with no cell phone service and 30 miles from the nearest town. It's an important skill to have, even if it's rarely used.

It’s a nice skill to have if you never need it. It’s a terrible skill not to have if you do need it. 

[Shello]

Friday

Typical day. Fasted fifteen hours. Ate the usual with a few mini Reese’s. I was too busy again for afternoon snacking but I if a banana on my way out the door.  I placed a grocery order to pick up on my way home but it was late. I used the time to go for a walk around the neighborhood once I got home.   followed a different path than usual. I was trying to avoid walking along the busy road and stuck more inside the neighborhood. It added another small hill and was 1.75. 
The walk set me up for a good end to the day. I had a totinos pizza for dinner and then had room for some extra after dinner snacks with 160 calories left over.  DDG was busy at the apartment with one of his kids. I spent the evening catching up on trash TV. 

[Shello]

Saturday

DDG stayed at the apartment so I had most of the day to myself.  I slept in a little but not as much as I'd like.  I was up a lot in the middle of the night.  I busted Peach in a lie about where she was and now she is uber grounded.  I did not sleep well.   She had planned to sleep in but I woke her when I woke up and made her help me with some errands and made her clean her bathroom.  I fasted just over sixteen hours and then made myself some hashbrowns and 2 over easy eggs served over cheez toast.  It was excellent!  I cleaned the other bathroom and picked up a little around the house since we were having DDGs brother over Sunday.  I spent a little bit of time watching trash TV but then I spent most of the evening organizing the closet.  We still don't have the shelves since IKEA was out when we were originally there and we haven't made a trip yet.  I needed to make sure I knew exactly what pieces I needed when we go finish up.  I sorted all the clothes that were left into categories and made a plan for where it will go.  I did sort 28 items to the donation pile (3 jackets, 6 bras, a pair of slacks, 2 corsets, 2 robes, and the rest all tops) but I'll need to go through each category and declutter for it to fit in the spaces I've decided*.   

 

My workout schedule is up in the air this week so I took the opportunity of a free afternoon and great weather to get one done.  I had some lunch when I got back while I relaxed, ham and cheese and backed chips.   DDG did end up making it over in the evening.  That was up in the air too.  We chatted to catch up on our weekends and then he helped me clean up the mess I'd made 'organizing'.  We were both only slightly hungry and it was getting late so I just reheated the last tiny portion of creamy pasta and we made some garlic bread.  I had 145 calories left over.  

 

*I've since changed my mind already.  I was planning to add one more rod for hanging and then 2 rows of shelves across the top, but I think I can get my hanging to fit in the space I have now and I'll add a section of extras shelves.  It will have more drama that way and it's an excuse to buy more bins and baskets.  

[Snarkyfishguts]

1 minute ago, Shello said:

She had planned to sleep in but I woke her when I woke up and made her help me with some errands and made her clean her bathroom.

Yessssssss. Cleaning is a useful discipline tool. So productive. My mom did this too, and it was worse than doing nothing but as an adult I was grateful because I knew how to do stuff 

[Shello]

9 minutes ago, Snarkyfishguts said:

Yessssssss. Cleaning is a useful discipline tool. So productive. My mom did this too, and it was worse than doing nothing but as an adult I was grateful because I knew how to do stuff 

It's such a great tool.  And you just don't get to stay out 2 hours later than you are supposed to and lie about where you are at and then expect to sleep in.  

[Shello]

Sunday

I had planned to sleep in to make up for the poor night sleep the night before but it didn't work out that way.  I did sleep in a little.  DDG is an early riser, against his will, so I joined him on the couch but we both ended up back in bed for the morning.  We were having people over for both the US soccer game and a football game so we had to get ourselves moving eventually.  We ran a few errands and then I made us turkey bacon sammies with some baked chips.   We didn't quite fast sixteen hours but dinner the night before was late and light so it was a challenge.  We did get over fifteen hours.   We had just enough time to finish the finale of TMinHC and we were quite disappointed.  His brother from out of town flew in and stopped at the house to watch the games, as did DDG's youngest.  I put out some snacks on a charcuterie board and tried not to each too much.  I logged it the best I could but it's hard to keep track.  Dinner was chili; I made a touch or two too spicy but it was good.  I did require a couple of mini Reese's cups despite not having any calories left.  It was either that or leave my mouth on fire.  I went over by 145 calories.  No fitnessing happened other than the morning shenanigans so there were no exercise calories to help me out.  I'm not concerned though.  My daily average is a healthy deficit and I've not had many days over calories this challenge so far.  

[Shello]

Monday

Yesterday did not go as planned.  This whole week is up in the air since DDGs brother is in town and nothing is ever planned ahead.  

 

The plan: the usual ham and cheese for lunch, hummus, little bit of candy.  Then something reasonable for a snack, maybe, as I had to leave early for class too.  Then a walk since the weather was gorgeous.  Then I'd have enough calories to snag the leftover pizza Peach left in the fridge.   I still would have been under goal for the day.  

Reality: The dog snagged a claw or something and limped around over the weekend.  I took her to the vet over lunch leaving no time for the usual lunch at work before my meetings so I grabbed Jimmy Johns.   I got a little sub though. I did get their chips rather than baked chips because I figured there was plenty of room.  Banana for afternoon snack.  Last minute dinner plans with DDGs family out a 'fancy' pizza place.  I went there straight from class and got home late so there was no time for a walk.  And I ate way more pizza than what was leftover in the fridge.  I went over by 230 calories.  C'est la vie.  I did end up fasting over 16 hours since I was busy at the vet so there's a win.  And a lovely dinner with a couple of DDGs siblings and his mother.  

 

I got home late but still debated going out for a shorter walk, staying closer to home.  Then thought maybe just a workout from the app.  Then I figured just yoga to call in the bare minimum but I figured I'd only be half assing that even so I just rested on the couch.  But pre-migraine symptoms developed quickly and I just went to bed early.  

[Snarkyfishguts]

Ow! I hope your head is okay!

[Shello]

17 minutes ago, Snarkyfishguts said:

Ow! I hope your head is okay!

Thankfully I have been migraine free today (knock on wood)

[Shello]

Tuesday

Things were back on track and it's probably the last day that will be on track before closing up this challenge.  I logged all my expected meals for the day and it was extremely low.  It wasn't necessarily on purpose; I was just planning a usual day.  I logged snacks for a snackbox and even had a little trouble filling it to get to a good calorie target.  I fasted fifteen and a half hours and had the usual for lunch and then 2 mini Reese's followed shortly by a 3rd.  I had most of the afternoon snacks logged - some grapes and some cheese and crackers.  I didn't particularly need another snack once I got home but I had room and I wasn't planning to eat until after my workout and I wasn't ready to workout yet so I had some popcorn chips.  Dinner was the last of the stir fry.  There was a bit more chicken left over than I expected so I just heated it all and adjusted the log and still had room for another Reese's.  

 

I planned for a walk, the one I punted from the day before, but the wind was biting cold.  I settled for a workout from the app.  I've been sticking to the same set of workouts that the app shuffles for me.  But this time I found another set of shuffled workouts so I picked a cardio pilates workout.  I enjoyed it enough.  Peach was home for a bit after school until she had to go to dance.  Just as I sat down to hang out she got up to get ready to go.     My internet company had an outage so I dug through the DVDs and found a movie to watch, Chicago.  I didn't particularly enjoy it but had never seen it.  The DVDs are likely to get purged soon so I'm glad I still had them around anyway.  DDG was at his apartment with his brother but we chatted by text most of the evening.  I read a little before bed and just went to sleep early.  

[Shello]

Wednesday

The birthday celebrations have begun.  One of my employees brought treats into work for my birthday.  I did manage to fast just shy of sixteen hours and have my usual lunch.  But then a slice of cheesecake and a frosted sugar cookie for dessert.  There was also a family dinner with DDG's family, no relation to my birthday. They didn't even know it was my birthday.  Dinner was at 6 at one of DDG's sister's restaurant.  The family all sort of straggled in over the course of an hour or two.  We kept adding tables and seats and basically taking over part of the dining room.  The sister that owns the place wasn't even there; her and her husband are out of town.  They were short staffed too so they struggled to keep up with our drink orders and couldn't take our order for sometime after everyone was there.  DDG's mom usually eats before old-lady O'Clock so I ordered some chips and queso as an appetizer to help her.  I finally ate dinner around 9 and had a breaded chicken sandwich with bacon and cheese and some fries.  I shared the fries with DDG though and left some behind so that helped.  Since I've basically closed the doors on this challenge since it's near the end and there's a lot of birthdaying and other celebrating going I went ahead and gave my calorie target a bump.  I still came in 60 calories over.  No fitnessing happened but I did just barely hit 2400 calories burned and technically was still in a deficit.  DDG went to his apartment and I went home to an empty house.  How sad.  But it was already pretty late and my internet was restored.  I crawled right into bed and watched some trash TV there barely staying awake for a single episode.  

[Sloth the Enduring]

[Shello]

16 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

Thanks! 

[Shello]

Thursday

It was kind of a hard day.  Peach wasn't feeling well and left school....again.  I had to deal with my ex.  Luckily it wasn't a negative conversation in any way but just having it stresses me out.  My mom called me for birthday but spent most of the time criticizing my parenting.  That sucks on it's own but also having holding back that the reason I hesitate when it comes to discipline is because she was strict in the wrong ways and I have trouble executing it in the right way.  I left work over lunch to take Peach to the doctor for something else.  We did grab some Jimmy Johns when we were out.  I was hungry and I've bumped my calorie target up to maintenance for the break between challenges so I got my old usual turkey and bacon with bbq chips.  When I got back to work I found out flowers had been delivered while I was out.  DDG ordered me birthday flowers.  A couple hours later I got another call from the front desk that I had more flowers, also from DDG.  I asked him if he had a stroke and forgot about the first order.  But no, he was just spoiling me.  They were definitely a highlight in my workday.  The morning had been stressful and then there was just a lot of stupid in the afternoon and I was drained.  I did have another slice of cheesecake and a frosted sugar cookie.  

 

By the time I got home I was beat.  DDG and I had reservations for dinner still but not for a couple hours so I just crawled into bed.  Once he got home we just snuggled and chatted until it was time to head out.  Had we not already had plans and not been my birthday I might have suggested we just skip dinner or just have cereal or something.  DDG even suggested we stay in if I was tired but we went out anyway.  I had a couple cocktails and food was good.  We ordered an appetizer of breaded and fried brie with a fig and cherry compote.  It was amazing.  I ordered a lighter dinner though, a turkey bacon sandwich and brussel sprouts.  I only just now realized I it was essentially the same as my lunch only better.  I had debated between that and their French dip.  Had I realized it I may have gotten the other.  I was still over my calorie limit by 125  despite setting my goal at maintenance.  No fitnessing happened but I did exceed 2400 calories burned so I was still in a deficit if not by much.  

[Sloth the Enduring]

Being within 125 calories on your birthday is pretty amazing.  

[Snarkyfishguts]

OMG BIRTHDAY!!! I hope you celebrate well into the weekend! Happy birthday!