Love all your updates and experiences!

HUGS Kswl!!

I've been dieting since January when I got a bad cholesterol report on a blood test. Nothing emergency, but we'll see in another six months if I can do anything about it through exercise and diet and some supplements . . .

So far I have lost 17-18 lbs. The first ten was pure pandemic stress eating so came off fairly easily, just stopped binge eating bad things and drinking . . .

Now I am at the point where it is becoming more difficult. So, I bit the bullet and joined Noom yesterday. Not really because of Jo's thread, but they had a 3 months trial offer so . . . whatever. I am not a good person when it comes to fussing with my phone and tracking, but I do look at my phone to kill time sometimes when the TV commercials are on, or in the AM or PM in bed, so I can do all the Noom things then. So far it is very easy to track the calories so it has helped me make better food choices. Also, the recipes are pretty good, and it does help me figure out what to eat to fit in with my diet. I did "sort of" know, but the added precision of Noom might help me shed the last stubborn ten . . .

It is also helping me to remember to eat more fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, my ongoing problems with IBS make that difficult. Not impossible but difficult. I am not supposed to eat raw fruits and vegetables, ironically since I love them . . . but I can eat cooked ones . . .

As for getting new clothes, well it is a good thing I have been losing weight because I was getting to the point of having to buy all new clothes in a larger size if I didn't stop gaining . . . If I actually get to my idea weight, I will be able to fit into a lot of my old clothes, but I'll be satisfied if I can just hold my weight at the "Not overweight" range, which for me is 145. My ideal goal would be 138, which is 11 lbs. more than I weighed in high school, and 23 more than I weighed in college. Neither time was I underweight or too skinny, so I think these goals are reasonable for my age . . .

I started wearing my husbands clothes, I gained so much weight! 🤣 I'm following this thread...

Another one looking at 145 for a goal, I am 5'9 and about 155, I hope. I don't have the strength of character to double check right now.

I'm in. For me step one is prepping vaggies to snack on and give me a feeling of being full. That is done.

Step two is planning a menu for the week, that is done too (eye of round, salmon, pork tenderloin, halibut, tuna steaks.) All served with salads and raw veggies. No breakfast, poached eggs, tuna or full fat yoghurt for lunch with an apple, or berries.

Step three is having dark chocolate in the house for the sweet urge, ordered that just now.

If I stick to this plan, I drop weight quickly. If I succomb to my love of bread, well things slow down considerably and I lose patience, but not weight.

I will have my husband look at my weight in the morning and use that to report back whenever we reconvene.

Thank you for this support, Funky.

Bread...therein lies a problem for me along with pretzels. I only eat really good bread though and not daily. Still, it seems things are easier when I take it out completely. I tried to do a no bread, no sugar clean up for the month of May...I have failed at that, but I persevere.

Jmck, life was easier before good bread was widely available in this country ;-)

I'm in. I saw a picture of me this weekend that horrified me. Yes, the angle was awful, but in this picture, I easily look 50 lbs overweight. And no, I am not exaggerating. And no, I'm not showing it to anyone. I felt like crying. It really was that bad.

I want to lose 10-15 lbs. to get to 130ish. I was always thin, then got skinny during my divorce and have since gained 15 lbs since getting married. Covid didn't help. My clothes feel unflattering (see note above) and I generally feel stuffed into them. I am going to join Noom this week. Dh and I tend to eat well, but even our healthy choices can go south (taco salad with turkey, cheese, beans and olives isn't really low cal.) We do a lot of fish and chicken. Just have to be more mindful. I'm going to stock up on fresh cut veggies and dark chocolate too.

We can do this!

It's great to see so many motivated to focus more on healthy eating, activity and just generally taking good care of ourselves. Kswl, I am especially amazed at all you are doing while also tending to your DH and your mother-- but you are so right, we need to be healthy and strong to support our loved ones and, well, all life's challenges.

I too have stocked up on veggies and fruits-- and spring water. That's fairly normal for my grocery list-- just in higher proportions. I have a variety of sweet tomatoes and baby persian cucumbers for snacks and snackier meals. I do have some sugar-free jello -- it's leftover from my dental surgery lol.. don't judge me lol!

This is the perfect time of year for a switch-- and knowing we're in this together will help keep me motivated... I appreciate your posts and enthusiasm! 💗🍏🥦

Count me in. I've lost 22 lbs since March. Off one medication and working on one other. I've been reading up on the difficulty of losing weight after the age of 60 and have been incorporating some of the suggestions. My biggest issue is lack of movement that the pandemic took it to a whole different level.

I have NO excuse. Park is 1 block away, brand new treadmill that has been collecting dust for almost one year, work from home, set my own hours. (This was wrote as accountability.)

It's on in 2022.

I am trying something new this week-- i am adding breakfast. I often have oatmeal at lunchtime but I am trying to recharge my metabolism (which has always been sluggish) so I am shifting my oatmeal to 9am (I get up at 5am-- so still not eating first thing in the am). I have so many beautiful berries which are a great source of vitamin c, minerals and fiber-- they really make for a nice, low calorie breakfast. No sweetener.. just organic oats, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries + sliver of butter.

Great thread!!! Are we going to do a weekly check thread?(So this one does not get unweildy?)

I do not know how many pounds I am down…because I had not weighed for a couple of weeks….but after the weekend mountain climbing/bike riding/ Scottish festival walking weekend I had, I am down 4 lbs from my last memory of a weight.

The key? We only did coffee with heavy whipping cream(HWC) in the mornings, then burned LOTS of calories hiking 1140 feet of elevation in 2 hours, then down. We drank an afternoon coffee, then split a ribeye steak (my portion was about 4 oz), a trout filet, and a salad (no croutons, bleu cheese dressing) , I had 3 stalks of asparagus, and a few sips of DH’s beer.

Got up early the next morning, made some coffee, hiked another mountain (mostly stairs for about 3 miles…), did the festival, etc. Ate a sausage and grilled chicken on a stick. Possibly a beer.

Sunday, we biked down to the restaurant and split a western omelet, then returned to the festival. DH’s customer was finally in town(the whole purpose of the trip was to entertain him, but he had driven to Maryland to pick up his DS from college, and got stuck there an extra day…), so we oomed back to the hotel on bikes, changed clothes and checked out, then drove back down to the grounds. Ate a little BBQ brisket, then headed home, and stopped at our Mexican place, where we had beef chicken and shrimp fajitas(no chips, no totillas, extra guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo).

I am motivated, I think. LOL. We have a big hike coming up in 3 weeks, twice as long and high as the one we did Friday!!

Weekly works..

I am not a big breakfast person when I first get up. One of the things I have instituted is drinking a glass of water first thing in the AM. I have to take my thyroid medication anyway, and wait 30 min. before eating so that works out perfectly. I usually only do coffee first thing, and then later around 10 AM when hunger hits I eat a light breakfast. I really have to front load my water consumption to earlier in the day, otherwise I will be up half the night going to the bathroom and that sometimes leads to not being able to fall back asleep . . .

So here's more of a Noom report. So far I haven't found the app too intrusive, but it's only day 3. The meal calorie/food-type tracking is quite easy. I've done meal plans and calorie tracking before, but never with an app. What is good about this is I can adjust it as the day goes on, which is better than having a set meal plan on paper and then life intrudes . . . too easy that way to make a bad choice and not see the consequences . . . The recipes are pretty good and I like that I can automatically log them. Helps me figure out what to make with what I have in the fridge . . . lots of options . . . I also like that it does a breakdown of the kinds of calories you are eating, again, helps me make better choices. And for some reason, logging my meals is making it easier for me to discipline myself as far as eating more vegan meals. I'm not going to give up full-fat cheese, the lowfat is tasteless, and I can eat low fat dairy like cottage cheese or neufchatel or lite sour cream, but not the nonfat. Again, tasteless so just pointless calories. So now, I really am aware of how I have to ration that stuff . . . I already knew but without the logging it was easier to tell myself it was ok to eat dairy more than once a day . . .

I started in with the steps thing. It is amazing that it is automatic tracking my steps with my phone. I probably shouldn't like that, but so far no insidious consequences. Time will tell. Once I log in a couple of walks, I'll know where in the neighborhood I can walk for how many steps. My neighborhood has no good walking spaces, the roads are ratty and no sidewalks and busy streets and lots of barking dogs and other noisy stuff to annoy me and distract Josie. She needs more exercise too . . .

l pink, the Noom sounds good. For inside exercise, go to YouTube and search Lesle Sansone’s Walk At Home. It was really good for getting DH started. It is easy to branch out from there to some dance or higher impact workouts, free.

Progress: My sister visited a few days last week. We were attending a wedding over the weekend, and I didn't want to indulge in foods that make me feel bloated and blah. I was successful--I felt really good in my dress, and with that, just relaxed and had fun. A friend is "dragging" me to an intro to pickleball class this afternoon. I'm dreading it, but need to give it a try. My sister encouraged me to get a kayak, since I'm 2 blocks from a river. A few other friends get together to walk each week, etc. I've got a good social circle of healthy influences.

Challenges: Weightlifting. I hate it. I do it, but I can easily find excuses not to. Lately, my shoulder has been aching, and I'm afraid I may be developing another frozen shoulder (I've had 2 in the past). It's likely that I'm not, but it sure can be an excuse to not pick up that dumbbell.

Pink, about 5 years ago, I used an app to track calories (MyFitnessPal?). It was in its early stages, and so entering foods was tedious and time-consuming. It was the best deterrent for me... I turned down so many snacks because I didn't feel like entering them into the app. It very much made me aware of my eating habits and the foods I chose.

I also try to avoid foods that make me feel bloated-- and avoid overeating because I am already carrying extra weight and that isn't comfortable. I don't need to add the discomfort of bloating to it. I am working on better recognizing when I am full vs "this tastes good, i want a bigger portion". I can always save for later/tomorrow.

@Feathers11, I LOVE kayaking-- i don't do it much anymore but my sister kayaks almost daily through the summer and early fall. It's good for both body and soul! I do hope you aren't going into another bout with frozen shoulder-- I too went through 2 rounds with it and it was awful. I am now 58 and haven't had it in a few years. I have had bursitis in my hips with the recent weather changes though (I even had bursitis in my childhood-- the youngest case my ortho had ever seen!)

Something @Sueb20 shared really resonated with me. She mentioned that when she used a food tracker, she became too obsessed with food. I have had the same experience in the past and gave it up for that reason. I am using one now-- I think it's a really good way to compare options and be aware of patterns-- but once I am back in a good summer food routine, I will probably drop it.

I love reading the progress that several of you have made and the conviction of all to self improvement and health! I have struggled with my weight for years despite daily exercise (mixture of lap swimming, running, weight lifting, hiking) and having lost some of it pre-pandemic, I put it back on again. I had my blood work done as I do annually and noticed my numbers had crept up over the last two years. I'd been avoiding the scale and I got on and I was not happy when I got on again.

My doctor recommended I try intermittent fasting and I've been doing the 5:2 method since January. In addition to the two fasting days, I have stopped eating lunch entirely because I found that I'd mentally trained myself to want food at lunch even though I was not truly hungry. Instead I'll try to eat a sensible snack late in the afternoon if I feel real hunger or otherwise just breakfast and dinner. I have lost a significant amount of weight but I have some more to go. I am down 1-2 clothing sizes and I feel fantastic. I did buy myself 2 new pairs of jeans becase I needed them and a new dress just because. I don't want to buy too many clothes before I hit my final goal, but I do need a few clothes to feel comfortable going out.

My progress has certainly slowed as I get closer to my goal weight, but I'm going to keep at it. I am a little uncertain what maintenance mode will mean for me, but one thing is clear: I need to weigh myself at least every few days to avoid letting the weight creep up again. I will keep exercising every day and keep trying to make good choices with food.

Great progress, Pricklypear! I am down 1-2 sizes also (depending on brand) and just got new jeans also. I really needed them -- I have bought tops but they are pretty adaptable to losing weight. My jeans were falling off!

I don't feel fantastic yet-- but that will come. So glad YOU are feeling fantastic! That is really the best reward!

Okay, I'm in.

Starting today, I'm doing these two things:

• Toning my upper arms. Two or so years ago, I started noticing I didn't like the photos of myself in sleeveless dresses. I used to play tennis (never very well) a few times a week, and I guess my upper arms and shoulders stayed toned mostly due to that. I'm at a great weight right now, so that isn't the issue, but I've got the dreaded batwings. So I've taken a day 1 photo, and I'm planning to follow a few different 'upper arm toning' videos on YouTube for at least thirty days and then I'll take another photo and see if I can see any progress.
• The second thing I'm going to do is stretch/strengthen my back. I've gotten about as much out of a chiro and other things as I can, and really my back is so much better than it was at its worst. But I still have pain and stiffness every day, and I think I might be able to improve things through consistent effort at strengthening my core and back/hip muscles, as well as improving my flexibility. So here, too, I'm following a few YouTube videos and will see how things go.

It'll be great to have this thread for accountability and the kind of encouragement that comes from doing things with others. Thanks for starting this!

Best, tennis does not solve batwings, ask me how I know. You have to work the triceps through pushups and the like for those lovelies to be gone.

I’m in as well! I have a slim build and weight gennerally stays on the low end of the ideal range for my height, but I was diagnosed with osteoporosis last year, so I need to work out with weights more. I also need to do more cardio and get more steps. I am working with a personal trainer 3x weekly, but definitely need some more accountability for the steps/cardio.

Random thoughts - Some have mentioned full fat foods - i have gone back to using full fat cream cheese and yoghurt because what I didn't know is that when fat is taken out sugar is then added to replace the lost flavour. And I would rather have the extra fat and the marginal increase in calories than the added processed/manufactured sugar.

I eat breakfast mid morning as I run early most mornings and so I don't eat lunch until maybe 2:00. So what I've started to do is have part of my lunch (always the same thing 1/2 a diced apple, 1/2 cup cottage cheese and some Fibre 1 sprinkled on top for the crunch and extra fibre) and then having the rest as my late afternoon snack which might be half a muffin or an orange. I just needed to eat smaller meals and to eat smarter.

Goals are less coffee, more water and more fruit which I actually don't like and to stick to smarter choices with a goal of feeling better.

I'm 5'8" and weight 138lbs (yes I used to weight a lot) and while feeling better is my goal I wouldn't mind losing 2-3 pounds.

As I have been running 4 times/week for 45 years pretty consistently, go to a strength trainer twice a week for the last 15 years, hike twice a week and walk my sons golden three times a week - adding more exercise is not an option for me so I have to adjust my eating habits to accomplish my goal and you guys are going to help and force me to do that. I do happen to love exercising and love just getting out there with friends.

So no more cranberry sourdough bread!

@blfenton I similarly stopped trying to eat "low fat" options. I do try to monitor the quantity/volume of higher fat foods since they tend to be higher in calories than say vegetables, but I also completely agree that often there are extra sugars added to compensate for the flavor loss in reduced fat foods. I also think fats are an important part of satiety (for me certainly) and it's helpful to eat some amount of fat (nuts, dairy, etc).

Ever since I’ve made a point of having protein and fat with breakfast, I am totally satisfied until lunch even with a relatively small breakfast. For example, my quick and easy breakfast is a norwegian crispbread with almond butter (fat + protein), sometimes with a handful of berries. Or a smoothie that includes almond butter or MCT oil (and protein powder, almond milk, and berries).

Just opened this thread and it is great timing. Look forward to us all supporting each other on our journeys to improve our physical and emotional health.

My weight has crept up over the last year or so, more since I injured my left ankle, then broke a toe and just when I saw doing better and started walking again last week, I injured my right foot. The injuries are not the full story, I have not been eating the healthiest either. At this point I need to lose at least 12 pounds. Started Weight Watchers again today. I have done WW before, lost 17 pounds about 5 years ago. Still below my starting weight from back then, but I am getting close. Feeling hopeful that this will go well. I do have a cruise vacation towards the end of June, not expecting to stay fully on plan but will try not to go crazy.

Another here who is not interested in breakfast. I love breakfast foods, just not in the morning!

I like the idea of a weekly check in ✅

I've spent the past couple months going twice a week to Stretch Zone and I can't even begin to tell you how much I love it. I can't continue it, but it's been great so far and has helped me get into a habit of stretching in addition to exercise.

This os timely as I’m dealing with bursitis in my hip preventing most of my exercise. Finally got a referral to PT and hoping to get some relief. Add that to hypothyroid, and my scale is going up, not down😭

So - your collective voices told me not to have that third cup of coffee today and told me to drink more water. Any reason you didn't stop me from eating all that leftover vegetarian pizza from last night?

Spanish, I discovered this video last week, immediately implemented his suggestions and felt like a new person the next day. I'm still working on my lower back, IT bands, and glutes with a foam roller and ball; things are still tight from a long road trip but the pain is gone. I never got this relief from PT and resorted to two cortisone injections, one which gave relief for 8 mos but the second one only 3 mos.; I'm hoping I can now manage the flare-ups on my own. I've watched dozens of videos and his explanation of why hip bursitis develops makes more sense to me than anything I'd seen or read before. (Apologies for the segue. ;) )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viBFsVCZJJI&list=PL7-BimVFd8yAUGZgLnMzqA8S0W7fXqxA1&index=4

https://yourwellnessnerd.com/treatment-for-hip-bursitis/

@1929Spanish-GW I have had bursitis off and on my whole life-- starting in 3rd grade. The only thing that has helped me when i have a flair up is aspirin-- just aspirin, no other NSAIDs. My ortho also recommended building up my leg/glut muscles.

Thankfully mine doesn't flair up that often anymore but I have had a run of it this last month-- I blame my loss of muscle tone since working at home and the extreme temp changes we've been experiencing this spring. Hope you find some relief!

Thanks Funky. I appreciate it.

One more who doesn't do breakfast. I don't like to eat early. Most days I do a meal around 11:00 (it could be breakfast food or more like lunch) and then dinner in the evening. I will usually eat a snack mid afternoon of fruit, nuts or a few bites of cheese.

I am short and curvy so just a few pounds is really extra weight for me. I am always struggling with/watching my weight.. Besides that, we really try to eat clean and healthy. We do indulge in treats occasionally (and are doing that too much right now!). We will spit a dessert. I don't know when I have eaten a whole dessert. Sweets are my downfall and I can't have them in the house.If they are there, I will eat them - it's as simple as that.

Right now I want to work on these things:

- limiting the number of "treats"

- up my water intake

- add in weights to my exercise routine (which is basically walking)

- flexibility (I have a problem with tight hips)

Somehow I've reached the point in life that weight is no longer a problem - hopefully that won't change. It hasn't always been the case but I just don't eat that much any more and neither DH nor I care for rich, fattening foods. I don't love exercise though and have to make myself do that for strength, flexibility, balance and cardiovascular health. I shoot for every other day but I wish I was more enthusiastic about it. Sometimes I think I would be if I wasn't an above knee amputee but in reality I didn't like it even when I had two real legs. There were just more activity choices then. I prefer to get exercise doing something fun or productive vs boring exercise that accomplishes nothing useful.

I just signed up for a trial on a new Yoga club here! I go Thursday morning for the first class, which is a Buti class; a blend of dance and yoga. Tonight is bicycle night, and my goal is to get 20 miles in, barring any thunderstorms!!

Edit: The California Speed School Motorcycle training was at the track, so we got a late start. I did 5 miles around the parking lot, then 7. 35 on the track, then the rain started. DH picked up a rotisserrie chicken and we made some guacamole.

Yes. When are we going to do something?

Not sure what you are talking about feathers?

I have upped my exercise routine and feel good about that.

I have been trying to add extra exercises for the last couple of years but usually depression sets in and that put the kabosh on that.

I have reintroduced omega-3 in the form of a plant-based oil into my diet and for some reason I feel better like a load has been lifted. I know it doesn't work for lots of people but it did for me this time.

Unfortunately I tend towards situational depression and have been unable to get on medication quickly enough for it to help. I've never been able to shake it without meds though so I was always in a quandary. When you only need it intermittently it is difficult to figure out for me at least.

I didn't even realize that I was lightly depressed for the last month or so until week 3 of the omega-3s. That is the only change I made and there is definitely a difference in mood.

Maybe with increasing my exercises and doing some weightlifting as well as weight-bearing exercises I might be able to nudge the excess weight off my body.

Funky,

Great idea for a thread. Congratulations on your successes. It is a good thing we are typing not talking though, because I'm not talking to a person who effortlessly lost 40lbs. 😜

Like many, I have gained weight over the pandemic. Some of it was the change in routine, some of it was pants without zippers, and I think some of it was mild depression. It is so rare for me to feel depressed that I didn't really recognize it, till I looked at a list of signs. I sometimes feel very hopeless (in a macro sense, looking at our world today). I have lost interest in things (particularly reading books, which I have been rabid about since I was a preteen) and sometimes have to force myself to do things I used to love. And my sleep hygiene has been awful. I wake up earlier than I ever did, but I have difficulty falling asleep. I'm not sure what to do about it, other than, as Cher says "snap out of it!" I think the lost times of COVID impacted me more than I knew.

I'm a vain person but my biggest concern is health, like most of us here. Being as healthy and active as possible is, I think, very important, as "senior citizenship" is only five years off for me now. Tracking has always worked for me, but I agree it can lead to obsession. I agree too that making sure your have protein and fat at every meal helps with satiety. I don't think exercise in itself has a terribly significant impact on weight, but it is very important for health and wellness and happy aging.

So, I'm in for a change. My Peloton is dusty, so I can at least ... dust it. And I think I might try a week of dinners that consist of any grilled protein and a salad. Keep it simple.

Thanks for the nudge Funky and good luck to all.

I was visiting with a friend last night, and we were just sort of generally talking about problems and issues we faced (we're the same age, our parents were also HS classmates) including health and well being. My friend is a psychotherapist but she ended up having a special needs child and specializing in running group homes for mentally challenged adults. In the end, I said that I couldn't discount the role that depression was playing in my health and motivation. I'm not so depressed I can't get out of bed or do anything, but my energy and output has steeply declined. We discussed the role of medications. I'm not against them, but I asked my friend the question, "Maybe a lot of this is just how one feels at our age. We've seen and done a lot, society and the community around us has changed and continues to change. Maybe this is what old age just feels like . . . "

I've still lost some weight, but the last ten pounds, as I mentioned, are going to be a real challenge. It isn't an eating issue, it is an energy issue . . .

Pink, your connection with her is so sweet! LOL "what old age feels like."

I used to be 100% dead set against medications, but they do work for some people. In my case, I know I have no good "reason" to be depressed (not that it works in any logical fashion like that) and I was thinking that maybe a gratitude journal would be a good practice for me.

You guys are getting me motivated to make a change in eating habits - or actually a reversion to an old habit. I never used to be a breakfast eater, but that changed when I got married 20 years ago. Now it's just a habit, although I do try to be healthy about it (usually oatmeal and a grapefruit). I think I'm going to try 16:8 intermittent fasting from 11-7 or thereabouts and see if that sort of clock management is helpful.

My DBF does a complete fast two days a week, and that seems to help him maintain. I don't know if I'm ready for that. We'll see how the 16:8 goes.

@l pinkmountain I don't know if this could apply to you, but I had to go on a low dose of thyroid medication a few years back. I was feeling low energy and needing to sleep during the day, especially on the weekends. Complete world of difference once I started the thyroid medication. Side note: I had to increase my dose a few years ago (probably when I gained weight) and I've since had to decrease my dose with my weight loss.

@jakabedy it's so interesting how we are socially conditioned to eat together and to fall into eating habits whether that's really what our bodies want or not. I hope IF works well for you too!

Yeah, I've been on thyroid hormones for decades. I get a blood test every nine months to check my levels. That's how I found out my bad cholesterol was high, this last time I had a full blood panel along with checking the thyroid hormone levels.

Oh also @jakabedy I started with just 500 calories 2 days / week and have recently switched to complete fasts most of those 2 days / week to push myself past a plateau. I definitely think slowly getting used to longer periods of fasting is helpful. There is no way I could have done 36 hour fasts right away. And hopefully it goes without saying that people with histories of disordered eating should probably consult a physician before attepting any kind of fasting, intermittent or otherwise, because I am definitely not a doctor. I am hopeful that to maintain I won't need to do 36 hour fasts 2x / week, but I anticipate I will likely need to continue with some level of fasting to maintain.

Not sure if anyone's mentioned this yet, but when I was slicing my first watermelon of the season last night I thought I'd share this for a diet tip.

I buy a small watermelon and cut it into serving size slices, about an inch thick. I snack on it during the day when it gets hot and I need something to quench my thirst and help to keep my stomach from growling. I was so tired last night I ate some for dinner.

It's the perfect weight loss snack, IMO. Mayo on Watermelon

I don't normally suffer from depression-- but i definitely have good and bad days. I tend not to eat if i am stressed or upset -- but for some reason today, all i wanted to do was eat. It's ironic because the news has made me physically ill-- but still i wanted to eat for comfort.

I had a larger serving of oatmeal today with a large number of berries -- plain steel cut with just a tsp of butter so not the worst binge i could go on. Also had watermelon that I grazed on through the afternoon (there you go, @Oakley). I need to break this new-found need for food as comfort right here. I can see how it would get out of control.. luckily, i didn't have much to over indulge.

As for IF, I have had good experience with it. I am IF now but I did see weight loss when I started IF-- and definitely experienced in increase in energy and general mood. Unfortunately, the weight loss tapered off with time but I did feel good and energized for as long as I continued.

other than, as Cher says "snap out of it!" I think the lost times of COVID impacted me more than I knew.

Amen to this. I too have never felt particularly depressed in my life, but I am really struggling with focus and attention. I have two super interesting writing projects waiting for me to get sarted. One is practically a guaranteed success by my standards (ironically it's about mental health), and yet, it sits forlorn. My husband just had a new MacBook Pro delivered to me yesterday as a not so subtle, c'mon, get moving. The second project is a long shot, but one that is near and dear to me, so just completing it would be a personal win, and again, not working.

I'm trying. I've been more mindful about what I eat for several days now. I'm not weighing in just yet, but I feel the teensiest bit lighter. I'll take it.

Mtn-- I missed your post above until just now. I had very similar experiences through covid-- and they mostly went unnoticed because for a good portion of the pandemic, I was 120% focused on work. I was not nearly as active-- I was indifferent to food and inconsistent with my meals (very likely the reason i lost weight). I didn't take a shower or get dressed every day and I didn't have good sleep patterns -- I would fall asleep around midnight, if i was lucky and then back up and working by 5am. This pattern continues to some degree even now.

I never really experienced either depression or anxiety in my past but I definitely had mild forms of both through the pandemic-- and recently a short run with anxiety again. Like Mtn, I didn't know the signs to recognize it or see it creeping in. I think my disinterest in food was likely a sign-- also my inability to sleep or focus on reading. I know now, in hindsight, that when i turn to a run of mysteries, it's a sign that I am not doing my best. Mysteries are my comfort food.

My hope is that eating well and taking better care of my sleep and physical self will make me less likely to experience the anxiety and mood shifts. Kswl's post really struck me-- of course, she has more serious challenges and concerns with her DH's and mother's health issues but she is right. Now is the time to take good care of ourselves so that we can face the challenges ahead-- our own and those our dear ones and our communities are facing. THIS keeps me much more motivated right now than anything. (Also the jeans in another size smaller that are waiting for me to try on!)

It’s really a great motivation to do something together, guys. It’s like a challenge, but, you know, it’s actually a challenge, right? I love that because discipline is the only way to succeed!