The scale didn't move this morning but I wasn't surprised. I am just going to keep moving forward and try to add as much fiber as I can. I have been craving veggies so that shouldn't be hard. I do think something I am eating is causing inflammation. I suspect the culprit is pre-made diet iced tea that I slipped back into the last 2 weeks (I was out of my 3L spring waters). I am off that as of today.

I have a few questions with regard to the 30 plant items goal --

• Do herbs count? I am assuming a sprinkle wouldn't-- but a pesto sauce might let me count basil?
• Does the flax seed in my oatmeal count?
• What about red vs green peppers .. or orange popper cherry tomatoes vs beefsteak? I know they have different nutrient levels but ids it enough difference to count as distinct items?

I am really only curious -- i doubt i will count regularly but will definitely make the effort to mix them up.

@Springroz looking forward to hearing about your experiment and results!

@Funkyart I don’t want to make myself out to be the only source here:) I think it’s a worthy goal in any manner you try.

I count all types of peppers as just one, same with onions. But I count greens separately. I believe fresh herbs count as 1/4, but the amount in pesto might be more. Dried herbs don’t count.

I personally also only count it if it’s a serving size. I eat 2 T of flaxseed, so I count it. If you have 1 T in your oatmeal, but do that twice a week, then I would count it for the week. Oats count as well!

Here’s another listing with examples-

https://www.gemmasampson.com/blog/30-plants-a-week

Thanks, again, @legomom23! I accepted a last minute bbq invite so there go my well thought out chopped salad plans for dinner. Tomorrow is a new day!

I was knee-deep in a closet cleanout when the invite came in-- I am clearing out a ridiculous number of items. All things from my highest weight are going-- as well as a lot of clothes I haven't reached for since before the pandemic! More later this week.

I had a pretty good week, and an ending to a successful month. I hit 20 pounds lost since I started this journey a little over 5 months ago. I'm thinking a lot about the paper towel analogy in last week's thread - I think the next 10 to 20 will really see a big change. I guess we'll see in another few months at this rate :) I've lost maybe a chin and a half, so that makes me very happy!

I think July was a better than usual month because of all the pickleball - sometimes we play for 2-3 hours, so the exercise really adds up. Not sure I can keep that pace up just with life and schedules, but we'll see.

I am doing better with my resistance training, still lots of room for improvement there though. But, I started and found a little routine I'm willing to do, so that's progress.

Eating is going pretty well. Focusing on lots of plants but trying to keep my protein up. Such a conundrum when you listen to all these podcasts! I just can't decide on the meat thing. I feel better with protein, and I'm trying to eat quality chicken and beef and not processed or cured. So, that's the plan for now. I've been itermittent fasting - skipping breakfast a lot, trying to eat more on big exercise days, less on rest days.

I'm going to try to focus on the liquid portion of my diet next month - more water, less nights with wine. Hmm, think I've said that before :)

Glad to hear that everyone is doing well.Legomom, that wine is a hard one.

Doing well on my eating plan, was happy with how I well I stuck to it this week. Excercise not as good. While I was not a complete fail, I could have done better. Yoga class once and excerciseing to YouTube viudeos a couple of times with one walk thrown in. Another couple of weeks and I will have my walking buddy back, that will really help.

I'm making progress with exercise and gaining strength, and I really felt this over the weekend when working on a landscape project that involved flagstone. My body aches right now, in a good way, and had I not increased weight training the past 6 weeks or so, I would not have made it through the weekend. This is an incentive to keep moving.

Eating? I indulged more than once, and the scale shows it. But because I didn't ingest the amount of calories needed for fat gain, I know it's inflammation, which I can manage with a few days of correction.

Jill302, my walking buddies are so important to my health! Those are good influences to have, and I'm glad you'll have yours back soon.

Funkyart, yes, you no longer need those old clothes. You're moving on, and it's OK to enjoy a bbq invite.

Legomom, I'm taking my DS back to college tomorrow, and on my drive back, I'll listen to your previously mentioned podcast. I'm looking forward to it. I, too, struggle with protein.

When I picked up DS last week (he tested positive, and quarantined at home), I listened to another podcast on the way to his place. The podcast discussed the benefits of intermittent fasting on longevity. I really hope anyone who's curious about intermittent fasting researches it further. Out of all of the lifestyle changes I've made in my life, IF has had the greatest impact and has proved to be the easiest to follow. There is an initial 3-4 week period of adjustment. But, once over that hurdle, it's simple and flexible.

👍To everyone

Love this thread, all the great info and the camaraderie. My time is super limited these days and often this is the only thread i read :)

I have noted a few folks concerned about their protein-- I never much worried about protein. I don't eat a lot of meat normally but I am pretty sure I was getting enough protein between meat, beans, cheese, nuts and grains. However, since my dental work started last fall, my protein consumption has dropped significantly.. I can't eat yogurt or most other dairy sources of protein so I was basically left with eggs (which I did have a few times a week). I should probably keep a closer eye on my protein for awhile-- in the last month, I have been able to add back some limited meat, beans and nuts... hoping I am back to no limitations within a month or so.

I knew I hadn't lost weight in the last few weeks and my tracking app confirms I have been steady (with minor ups and then back downs) since 7/18. My eating hasn't changed much but I am going back to tracking temporarily to make sure I didn't slide in more calories unintentionally ... also, my water consumption is way down so will be focused on boosting that as well. I am not discouraged-- in fact, it just challenges me. I am determined to show some losses this Sunday!

@Feathers11 IF has been so helpful to me-- I feel so much better when following IF. I have more energy and I am much more calm/able to handle stress better. I noticed the latter most when I first started a few years ago in the middle of an intense, high-stress work project. It was a fairly easy transition for me but I have slipped out of it... either eating oatmeal in the am or grabbing a late dinner or snack in the evening. I am glad you are seeing so many of the positive changes too! I just committed to starting back today-- thanks for the nudge!

Legomom, I listened to the podcast yesterday while driving. So interesting, and also so motivating. Really good information about the importance of a diversified plant-based approach to eating, and how some "diets" can be quite damaging to our health. He also explains so clearly the relationship between our gut health and our brain health. I enjoyed his approach to wanting to *really* educate people for their own health. Long podcast--I listened to it in 2 sittings so I could digest all the information. Thanks for sharing it!

For those interested, I'll post the links Legomom shared in last week's thread for convenience:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/51AAu7k2IlKzybyWCoE4YY

https://theplantfedgut.com/about/

https://www.theguthealthdoctor.com/how-to-get-your-gut-loving-30-plant-points-a-week/

Meh about sums up my efforts lately. I just got back from my summer cottage where I always feel my best. No tv, lots of kayaking, walk my dogs four times a day, walk or bike most places, read. But then I broke my elbow and couldn't bike or kayak anymore and the last 2.5 weeks were spent with my parents in residence. They are 89 and in great shape for their age, but I never realized how much work goes into making their lives easier. Huge hat tip to everyone who cares for elderly parents (or spouse.) My dad's hearing is shite, despite hearing aids. His memory is starting to fail, at least short term. It took living with him to really notice as he hides it well. I made all meals for them (with the exception of breakfast where they made their own coffee and heated the scones that I made, lol.) My eating wasn't great--not terrible--but drank more wine. I'm up 2-3 lbs. Don't get me wrong though, I am so grateful to have had the uninterrupted time with them but am equally grateful for my now quiet house. Now that I'm back, I'm going to try to eat better and work will guarantee that I'm walking a lot.

I'm sorry this sounds so whiney, but I am so thankful that I have all of you to vent to.

Great discussions!

This week I am bouncing between 139 and 138 so that indicates to me that I can maintain the weight following my current routine. That was why I picked 138 as a weight goal, thinking it would be a modest health goal to keep my weight below 140. However, I really could lose 5 more libs and it would be best for my appearance. 138 was a compromise because I thought it was realistically achievable. Ideally I'd like to keep my weight below 135. I've weighed as low as 108 in my lifetime and was between 110 and 115 until I hit 40. As I have mentioned before, the only way I am going to realistically maintain a lower weight is by upping the exercise.

So, apropos of that . . . here's a rant and another example of why I detest walking in my neighborhood. I was at an outdoor play with my Dad and when I got back my husband told me that while walking our dog by one of the sketchier houses in the neighborhood with some problematic teens, he spied a HANDGUN laying in the ditch in front of the house! He didn't touch it but he did not call the police because he did not have his phone with him. True to his introverted form, he just went home and did nothing. But it really upset me. There are plenty of nice normal people in our neighborhood but enough sketchy ones to turn me way off to walking around. Add this latest incident to the two dog bites and now having to carry dog spray due to the number of people letting their dogs run wild, traffic and mosquitoes and no sidewalks or other nice walking surfaces. and it is just one big BLECH!!

However, I did think of a way to incorporate some exercise into my daily routine. I have to take a thyroid pill in the AM and wait 30 min. before eating. My normal routine is to sip my morning hot beverage (no more coffee or tea for me, sigh) and try to wake up. Often that is when I visit this site. I am usually not that peppy but since I'm not ingesting caffeine, sitting around drinking fake coffee isn't going to make much of a pep difference so I can just as easily wait out some of the 30 min. on the exercise bike, which is what I did this morning. We'll see if I can keep it up. Also trying to finish cleaning out the guest bedroom to make space for yoga in the evenings.

Funky, I have to tell you that drinking is one of my hardest diet challenges. I would say that it is most likely beverages that caused me to put on all that excess weight, and beverages are the most difficult for me to abstain from, since I don't like water and need to drink. Also, I am allergic to aspartame in diet sodas, and I have to say, it is terrible for your gut and other body organs. I cannot prove it, but diet soda didn't do my gut any favors and my current attempts at healing it are fine but it's easier to not damage something often than to fix it. And I was a modest diet soda drinker, no more than one a day. I now drink flavored soda water instead. I'm not supposed to drink fizzy water either, but I only do one a day . . . sigh. I have tried the infused waters, they are ok but as I mentioned, something about water makes it tough for me to drink enough of it. I drink a lot of roobios tea, I like that pretty well. Not a fan of herbal teas unfortunately, not sure why since I love growing herbs. Drinking enough liquids and ones without calories is my biggest diet challenge outside of exercise.

For example, today I had two cups of teeccino fake coffee with 2% evaporated milk and 1 tblsp of Bailey's in one of the cups, and then a pineapple carrot muffin with walnuts and a handful of almonds. That put me at almost 500 calories, On a 1200 calorie diet that is almost half the daily count, leaving 350 for each subsequent meal. Not a lot. So I will pay for my splurging today, and sweets don't even fill you up!! One can easily consume 300-600 calories a day by drinking sweet drinks. That adds up to lbs gained and fast. Today was unusual for me, but prior to starting my diet, it would have been a typical day, two cups of sweetened coffee with milk . . . or Bailey's. Another thing I would drink is wine and cider in the evenings during the winter, heated up. No more, sigh. I can't even really realistically indulge even for one day like I did today, and then starve myself for the rest of the day. Just doesn't make sense. Instead, I have to keep trying to up my intake of fruits and vegetables. That takes time to prep them. And shop, because fresh stuff doesn't keep forever, you have to use it up and replenish it at a regular rate. Another challenge I have is I hate my local grocery store options. I used to live three blocks from a farm market and I enjoyed walking down there and getting stuff, killing two birds with one stone, healthy foods and exercise.

I'd love to bike more, but the country roads around here are narrow and dangerous because there isn't a lot of traffic and folks often drive around without paying much attention to the road.

Jo, Keeping it real =/= whining.

Ironically, I have been absent from this thread because all I have to offer is, nope, not getting anywhere. Want to hear my fab excuses for the millionth time?

LOL @Zalco/bring back Sophie! we all have spans of time like that... but I am sure that if one area of your healthy lifestyle goals is lagging, that you are doing something positive in another area!

@l pinkmountain - I gave up sodas a number of years ago-- I never drank sugared sodas so calories weren't the issue. I just didn't like feeding all those chemicals in my body. Fortunately for me, I love iced tea and infused waters. Every once in awhile I will have a diet ginger ale/ root beer/fresca but it is rare. Not even once a month. I also gave up Crystal Light for the same reason. I get that you don't like herbal iced teas or infused waters-- but maybe you just haven't found the flavor combinations that work for you. I have to drink something.. so might as well be something you enjoy!

@jojoco I hope your elbow is healing well and that you can soon start back to your normal activities-- but don't rush it and give yourself some grace as you continue to heal! Love that you had time with your parents .. I am sure it meant as much to them as it did to you. Still, it is so very hard to recognize that our parents are declining.

@legomom23 congratulations on hitting 20lbs lost!! That's fantastic! And seeing face gains is so awesome!

@Feathers11 that's wonderful that you could actually feel your physical capability has improved from your hard work! Honestly, that might be one of my favorite aspects of when I'm in a good exercise pattern. Feeling more capable and strong and capable of doing (almost) anything.

@jojoco I'm sorry about your broken elbow and corresponding setback. I'm confident that now that you're back and able to eat better and walk more, I'm positive you'll be back on track in no time.

Exercise has been really good this week: kept up my regular 4x swimming and 3x running. I even added a long hike on Sunday even after I took my dog running that morning. A friend (from swimming ironically) invited me and we had a wonderful hike in the mountains through peak wildflower season. It was so lovely. But my legs were wrecked for 2 days afterwards. I'm doing ok on weight lifting. Still doing it, but it would be better if I added another day or 2 of that. My eating was so-so. I did very well limiting alcohol intake, which is definitely part of my health goals. But I can think of a few meals that were unhealthy / too many calories. Trying to buckle down this week with healthy meals every meal. I'm anxious about some dental work I will be having done next week that could impact my ability to stay on track with food since I often end up with days or even weeks of pain after dental work (sensitive teeth?). Additionally I am looking forward to having my bloodwork checked after significant weight loss and discussing my most recent GI tests to come up with a treatment plan for the new things that popped up after my last treatment. Trying to stay positive and motivated.

Thank you again for these threads. I really appreciate the community.

@Feathers11 I'm glad you enjoyed the podcast. It was long! But I guess he had a lot to say:) I found it very motivating as well. Focusing on things I should/can have instead of things I can't has proven good for me. Building meals and days around the food I'm trying to eat doesn't leave much room for the bad stuff. I'm not sure if I can solely contribute improved gut health to a better mood, but I do feel better mentally. Much happier - more optimistic really. I'm sure it's all the things - better food, stable blood sugars from testing with my glucose monitor, more exercise. But whatever it is, I'm grateful for it!

@l pinkmountain I am so sorry about your neighborhood walking situation. That's awful and does make it harder to exercise. I like your idea of doing it right in the morning while you're waiting on your meds to digest. I think I heard about it on this forum - the tiny habits method. When you incorporate a new habit you want to have into something you already do every day. Because I keep hearing how great/important/necessary résistance and weight training is - maybe you could work in a short routine every day too? That's what I am still trying to do with resistance training. I'm doing it more, but not enough. Haven't yet found the perfect time/place/routine. But I get you on the walking thing - I am so lucky to have a safe and pretty neighborhood to walk in. It's become kind of my therapy exercise - a long walk with my health podcasts keeps me motivated!

I gave up Diet Coke about 6 - 8 weeks ago I guess - it was a biggie for me! I switched to Zevia and unsweet tea, and of course water, and bubbly water. So far Stevia is getting the thumbs up from the health people. I'll be sad if I end up having to give that up too! I don't drink coffee, and I'm pretty addicted to my morning fizz. It took me awhile to develop a taste for it, but I do enjoy it now.

@jojoco _ I'm sorry about your elbow! I hope you heal quickly. My parents are both in their late 80's and doing good for now. But, eventually that won't be the case. I'm glad you were able to spend time with them.

@pricklypearcactus - Great job on all the exercise! Hope your tests all go well and your dental work goes easily for you.

@Feathers11 - I've been learning more about intermittent fasting. I do find it pretty easy to do, and from wearing a continuous glucose monitor I know it's good at bringing down and keeping blood sugar levels low. I've added a few Instagram accounts about fasting to my feed so I can keep it at he forefront of my mind. I have to remember not to mindlessly snack though - and that certain things really add up. Sometimes I'll grab a handful of something in the morning or after dinner without even thinking I'm supposed to be fasting.

Before I started making all these changes - I used to take my dog walking at the park in the mornings, and we would go through the drive through and I'd get a Diet Coke and hashbrowns. Now, before my CGM I'd think - we split those - so I only had about 120-130 calories - that's really nothing. And. we're going for a short walk. It's basically a wash:) But - my blood sugar would spike - so no more fasting benefits even though sometimes in my head I'd count that as a fast since I barely ate enough to count as breakfast. I know logically I should have known that - HA - what could possibly be good about a drive through hash brown, but I was really into calorie counting as the sole thing for weight loss, so I thought it wasn't that big of a deal.

Funny story - Since I gave up splitting bagels and hashbrowns with my dog a couple days a week - he lost 10 pounds! We're both much better off :)

@l pinkmountain I am so sorry that your neighborhood is so unfriendly to exercise. I can certainly understand. I have been a runner (not competitive, just for exercise) for a long time and for a while I lived in a neighborhood where loose dogs just kept attacking my last dog. She ended up becoming very reactive because of it. Now I mostly feel safe in my current neighborhood. However, I have decided that I'm going to contact animal control about one house in my current neighborhood. They have a huge dog that is only sort of behind a fence. The driveway is cut into the hillside and the fence makes an L shape to the edge of this retaining wall, but doesn't actually enclose it. I run by on the other side of the street and this dog curves around the fence and barks ferociously. Then it's on a corner so I have to run by the house and the dog has been slamming itself into the vinyl fence such that it's bowing out. I am terrified the dog is going to get through. After reading my county nuisance laws, I think I need to report this before I or another dog walker/runner gets hurt. Also, I cannot believe a handgun was just lying in the ditch in your neighborhood!! That's insane! I am somewhat comfortable in proximity to firearms (can handle, shoot them, etc) but I cannot even imagine seeing one just in the ditch where a child or a malicious person could just grab it. I think your idea to use the 30min in the morning for exercise is perfect! I find I stick with it the most when I have time allocated in the morning. Also, I'm curious, does alcohol not upset your digestive system? When I had to cut out coffee, tea, soda, hard to digest foods, I absolutely had to cut out alcohol during that time too. I think I went for about 2 years with no alcohol to let my stomach heal.

@legomom23 the intermittent fasting and benefits to blood sugar are so interesting. I am really hopeful my next bloodwork shows that IF has been beneficial to me. I'm doing 5:2, but also trying to eat just 2 meals per day on the 5 "normal" days since eating too much every day was what made me gain weight in the first place. For example, today I'm fasting. It's 5:00pm and I've had only water and black coffee. Yeah, I want to eat if I think about it, but honestly I don't really feel hungry. And doing this regularly has really helped me feel physically better about going for periods of time without eating. Before I would feel nauseated and edgy if I didn't eat breakfast. I suspect some of it was that my body was used to getting constant bits of fuel vs getting used to intermittently getting fuel and learning to regulate itself when it's not being fueled. I am not a nutritionist or doctor, but I've definitely read articles saying IF can help with blood sugar / insulin resistance, inflammation, and long term health (such as reducing risk of long covid). I am hopeful I can keep up with IF and have it as a tool in my toolbox.

I know I am repeating myself but I have had such positive experiences with IF over the last few years, I don't know why I ever stop it! (I usually stop because of work schedule and convenience) Glad to see others are seeing the same. @pricklypear, you are following a different interval than I do-- later today I'll have to look into the variations. I forget the name of the one I am doing but it's basically eat between 12pm and 7pm each day and fast outside that range.

I returned to tracking for a week or so just to make sure I am not exceeding my target calories (since I haven't lost weight in a few weeks). I aim for 1000 calories a day-- not to exceed 1200. I am trying to be sure to capture condiments and such accurately-- evoo, butter, half and half, etc. It hasn't been that hard to stay in range unless.. i go out to eat (extremely rare), i have cocktails, or a birthday/celebration meal (4 this month!). But even then, with some planning I can stay close.

I am curious/wondering what a typical menu looks like for those of you watching calories. If you don't mind sharing, it may give me ideas. I have been sticking to the same basic rotation. I am also getting warnings that my protein is short many days so looking for some ideas there too... and of course hitting more plant-based options to hit 30/week!! (I'll share mine later this afternoon-- gotta run now)

@Funkyart I think your IF regimen is more common with people doing IF. Either way my understanding is that we reap the benefits of using time as a tool to restrict our calorie intake and also the health benefits of fasting. I've also been exploring doing some 36hr fasts instead of eating the 500cal allocated to my 2 fasting days. I'd read that there might be some benefits to our digestive and immune systems doing some longer fasts. I've certainly read of people doing far longer than I have.

In terms of menus @Funkyart, on my 5 normal days I typically eat a breakfast of oatmeal with berries and cottage cheese. I don't eat lunch but if I'm hungry, I'll allow myself to eat some small snacks lunch time or afternoon. Often it's raw veggies and some dip or sometimes some cheese or nuts or crackers with dip (hummus or a greek yogurt thing I found). While I do sometimes go out or do takeout, I try to cook most of my dinners. I think I shared in another post some dinner salads I like. Otherwise it can be just about anything. Tandoori baked tofu and veggies. White bean and leek soup. Tempeh curry. Veggie enchiladas. Cauliflower and lentil tacos. I like to explore lots of new recipes to keep myself motivated to cook. I'm a vegetarian so my meals probably look a little different than those that eat meat. On my 2 fasting days if I do eat, I will wait until late dinner time and then eat something like roasted or steamed low calorie veggies (cauliflower, brussel sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, etc) and either eggs or tofu. In some ways, the fasting days take some of the stress off in terms of trying to plan yet another meal.

Also, I just wanted to share something I'm excited about. As you can imagine, my weight the day following each fasting day is lower than other days. I don't count that as my actual weight, but look at it as a trend compared with previous weeks. So even though I am several pounds above my goal weight, I am excited that the last two weeks I've hit my goal weight on fasting days. And this morning I actually surpassed my goal weight. So hopefully that means overall I'm trending in the direction I want.

I also have a lot of anxiety around what my weight and fitness will be after summer. Unfortunately the excellent morning swims I've been doing 4x / week will have to be rescheduled after Aug 15 when kids go back to school and my pool decides to close morning lap swimming time. I have no control over it, but it's frustrating. Why not keep the pool open for the adults that swim every morning instead of keeping the kids open plunge time open? Oh well. I'll figure something out.

@pricklypearcactus yes, I knew there were multiple versions of IF but the one I follow is the most common-- and also the easiest lol. I am definitely curious about the others-- and if they have additional benefits. There is a TON of info out there, i just need to dig into it. I have a thyroid that is basically dead which greatly impacts my energy, general health and metabolism. Medication helps but it isn't 100%. I suspect that is why I saw such amazing improvements when I first started IF (back at the beginning of the pandemic).

Also, yes-- your salad recipes were great! I didn't remember who had shared them but I am eager to try some/riff on them.

One of my issues with meal planning is that I cook for one-- and my work days are not really variable, but how much time I have to prepare lunch or dinner varies quite a bit. I found i was wasting a lot of food by planning too many aspirational meals. I have pared down my grocery deliveries quite a bit as a result.

Note: my list is limited and incredibly boring due to food limitations-- it will expand quite a bit when my dental work is completed next month.

Lunch.. I typically keep them simple OR plan for leftovers from the prev day. Some recent lunches..

• Steel cut oatmeal loaded with berries, tsp butter no sweetener
• Chicken or tuna salad with a couple of slices of summer tomatoes or my fav Kumato tomatoes
• Chopped salad with some combination of chickpeas, black beans, raisins, tomatoes, pico de gallo. (I am still fairly limited in what raw veggies i can eat-- but hoping the list will grow very soon!)
• Open face sandwich with Dave's Killer Sprouted Grain bread (70 cal/slice), thinly sliced organic turkey and tomato

Dinner

• Roasted veggies in a tortilla (veggie fajita style or toasted in a quesadilla w/cheese) w/refried beans *
• Brown rice with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, shallots, sm amount of parmesan
• Chopped salad - as above
• Scrambled eggs w/herbs & shallot with a veggie side (asparagus, broccoli, whatever)
• Baked fish with steamed broccoli and/or cauliflower (overcooked for dental reasons)

* i especially love vegetarian mexican dishes..

Snacks - not really a big snacker -- which explains why ive been eating less fruit. I need to add them back into meals.

• watermelon, orange, plum, peach, berries, etc - I try to get at least 2 fruits in a day but have been lagging lately. I am lucky if i get in 1 every other day. :(
• rolled organic no fat turkey
• PB on a slice of Dave's Killer Sprouted Grain toast (only if i haven't had bread elsewhere in the day)

My calories have been in the 1000-1100 range the last few days. Some of these items can't be combined with each other without exceeding my target.

@pricklypearcactus this month brings a lot of frustrations for you-- between your dental work and pool closing. I think it's great that you are thinking about it now.. you can plan foods that will work for you when your teeth are sore .. and maybe find a location with an indoor pool (though SO much prefer an outdoor pool!). Here we have a few options-- only one gym has an indoor pool but we have a YMCA and a YWCA.. and also at least a few hotels offer memberships to their pools though the winter months. You have been so driven and successful to date, I am sure you will come up with ways to stay on track! :)

I am not back on track yet. Similar to Jo, I spent almost two weeks at our beach house where I am usually pretty active. But long covid is still messing up my life. I exercised one time, I think? But…I promised to not eat fries and I only broke that promise once. And had ice cream once. I have not gotten on the scale since I got home.

I do think I am getting better, but still don’t have my normal energy level. The heat and humidity isn’t helping.

Inspired by eld’s post about pilates, I scheduled an intro pilates class for late this month. Hoping a structured class will push me back into regular exercise.

Thank you for the encouragement @Funkyart! I'm feeling hopeful that this dental work will be minimal in comparison to some I had earlier this year. But I'm still going to shop and prepare to make soft foods for a few days. I do have an indoor pool I use, but between the huge surge in people swimming since the pandemic and the steady reduction in hours allocated to lap swimming, it's been getting harder and harder to find a lane. I've been pretty good about keeping it up (even before my recent focus on weight loss), but it definitely brings an extra level of stress.

Oh @Sueb20 I am so sorry that long covid is impacting you so much! I hope your body just needs a little bit more time to heal. It sounds like you did a great job with what you can do. I hope the beach house was a great way to unwind. (Also, I'm very jealous that you have a beach house. How wonderful!) Good luck with your pilates class!

Baby steps. I had the call with the wellness coach, and she said yes to reach out to the weight management clinic. I do need to reduce my carbs down and she suggested glucose monitoring to see what foods are spiking my blood glucose. Do any of you have a glucose monitor, particularly a CGM? I'd be interested in what brands you use. I know how they work; some of my students have them. I have prediabetes. I think I would prefer a CGM vs. doing fingersticks. My weight isn't really changed. We are going to NYC this weekend for the RATM shows so I will be doing lots of walking.

Also got a robocall I need to schedule my 5-year colonoscopy.

ETA: speaking of bodybuilders, have your seen train with Joan? She is also on IG.

@gsciencechick, @legomom23 is using a CGM. Maybe she can share some info with you. I am overdue for my colonoscopy and an eye exam! I can only handle one medical focus at a time lol. Have fun in NYC.. and hoping they have better weather than is predicted for our weekend!

I am finally down a lb today-- first loss in almost 3 weeks. I suspect going back to IF sparked the loss. I also think that returning to calorie counting helped as well. Entering my planned meals into Myfitness allows me to make swaps if I see the calories inching up. Most days this week were at or below 1100 calories..

@Sueb20 glad you are starting to get some of your energy back. I hope you enjoy pilates-- I have only ever done the videos but I really enjoyed it and I was amazed by how quickly I saw results. I bet it will help bridge the gap until you are up to more energetic workouts. Pilates does work you but doesn't require the same stamina that cardio workouts require ime.

Have a great day all!

@gsciencechick - Yes ! I have been wearing a CGM for about 5 1/2 months now on and off. I got mine privately from a group called https://www.levelshealth.com/ which is also where I found my wonderful nutrition/health coach who I meet with through Zoom. If anyone is interested in knowing more about levels or my coach let me know.

The CGM was really life changing me for me at the beginning. I was not prediabetic by the numbers, but I was overweight by about 40 pounds and on the borderline for everything - blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. All were still in range - but just in range. And I was frustrated with everything weight loss. So I decided to spend the money on something completely different and give something new a chance.

I learned a lot wearing it - you can't cheat a CGM - it's in your arm:) There's no figuring calories wrong or forgetting to log something the old way. The results are in black and white how your body reacts to everything you eat - how you slept, exercise, hot showers. It's all there. I learned that oatmeal and beans aren't the best for me even though how healthy they are. No rice or whole grains, corn, etc. Fruit - wow - it was a spike. Healthy berries, same. But I learned how to eat and incorporate them into my diet and it helped me avoid foods that were not doing me any favors. I did not want to see those numbers. In fact - I just read on my coach's instagram yesterday that oatmeal is the first thing her clients give up. I still eat beans, but a half serving at a time.

At first I ate a lot of meat and cheese because the numbers were better, but I've learned to incorporate a lot of fiber and veggies since then. But I can tell the lower my spike, the more satiated I feel. No hunger rebound. And my mood is so much better - I think keeping blood glucose levels stable is helpful - but I also exercise more, etc. I can't separate that out

I have been wearing a libre 2 - there's a phone app for it, but all my info is imported into the levels app which then analyzes it in their own way. They give you a daily score. They run a strict metabolic ship:) You are aiming for no or low spikes from food - like 20 points or less, and readings between 70 nd 110 all day long. That is the GOAL, not where anyone with any issue is going to start. But it was motivating to me to try to get a good daily score. It can be discouraging too though.

Anyway, I think wearing a CGM is very eye opening and it helped me with my food choice discipline- it's the last time I ate fried chicken:) That was quite the glucose spike! I highly recommend it for any time frame you can get one.

Here's another podcast if anyone is interested - this is the medical director of Levels talking about metabolic health - so clearly their passion. I don't know enough to understand if metabolic health is truly the answer to all health problems, but this is a very thoughtful podcast.

https://lewishowes.com/podcast/the-key-signs-youre-not-healthy-how-to-fix-it-with-casey-means-md/

Thanks, Legomom23! I definitely want to look into it, and it should even be covered by my insurance.

Slightly OT, but some of the comments above remind me of an article was reading today.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/21/opinion/cancer-complaints.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article

And came across this:

Kathyrn Norlock, a professor of philosophy at Trent University who has written about the ethics of complaint, argues that mutual complaint can fall under the umbrella of “affective duty,” which she describes as “expressing that we’re both emotional beings together.” It’s a kind of emotional heavy lifting that I think of as “showing up.”

The author makes good points about whining and also that we should not dismiss other people's gripes as insufficient. Whine away!

Funky I totally hear you on the "one medical problem at a time" issue. That's one reason I put off getting a colonoscopy, I knew it was going to be something I would have to futz with for at least a couple of days. While I was working I just didn't think I had the time to devote to it. The prepping really takes 2-3 days because you really should start to "clean out" your colon well before you start the liquid diet or drinking the noxious prep stuff. And it took me a couple of days for my body to readjust after subjecting it to all that disruption. But, having a look and knowing how beat up my gut is has been additional motivation for healthy living and eating. That along with high bad cholesterol.

I also had to deal with my failing eyes, weird growths on my skin (not cancerous, just weird), troubled teeth, a weird internal itching problem I have from nerve inflammation, side effects of the shingles vaccine, chronic sinus inflammation, etc. Right now I am in a holding pattern, nothing body-health wise has cropped up this week!

I agree that there is a place for complaining and venting. Certainly cancer patients get a free pass.

But, I am not sure how helpful complaining is when it comes to figuring out an exercise routine that can work for you.

There are numerous ways to fit in a routine. Honestly even something like hula hooping takes up very little space.

I understand Pink’s frustration about walking her neighborhood, that is a given that can't be changed. But, there are other possibilities I am sure that can be explored.

One of the main ways I find time and space to exercise is not participating in these discussions. That's why I tend to type a lot when I do. But I am becoming scarcer and scarcer here, NBD. I have a pretty busy life, and I have had to make time to do the things I need to do to lose weight like find and prepare healthy foods, take time out to hydrate, exercise etc. In order to maximize output for productivity in other areas of my life, I am having to maximize utility of time spent on things. I love some of the links here, gives me some podcasts and videos to look at while exercising or doing other mindless housecleaning chores. I guess that's the only reason I bother to still check this board, the occasional gems I find in the posts. Of course to "pay it forward" I try to help others and post information, that's why I bother participating, but I don't really have to, I have plenty of other actual community building work I am involved with IRL.

I only have a few mins and have only scanned the posts and haven't read Mtn's links just yet .. but I am sure all of us posting here are balancing the benefits of getting support/information with the time that could be used for work/chores/exercise etc. No judgement on anyone-- at least not from me!

I'd like to believe this thread is a "safe" zone to talk about anything related to our paths towards better help-- including our struggles. I have learned a lot from these threads and made changes in my own approach thanks to the suggestions and nudges from all of you. I credit finally losing a lb today to restarting intermittent fasting ... and now I am going to finally unbox/assemble the weighted hula hoop thanks to @eld6161 mentioning it today.

@l pinkmountain I hope you continue to find value in the thread -- even if it is only for the occasional gems of information. I know I have been inspired by your successes and achievements but surely understand if you are too busy to participate often. There are no participation requirements :)

For those trying or interested in trying IF for weight loss , here is a link to the latest Harvard Health newsletter (7/28/22) that describes the most recent weight loss study on IF . The upshot of the article is that IF is beneficial for cardiometabolic health but is not a proven pathway for weight loss.

I have been following my eating regimen faithfully and am back to my pre-pandemic weight. Today I baked for the first time since Easter. I made lemon ginger scones with a lemon rum glaze, sprinkled with nutty granola. I made the scones half the size called for in the recipe, meaning each is now 210 calories instead of 420. Of the 16 I made, I had one, DS2’s GF, who is here helping me watch Andrew, had 2 and DH had 1. DG is packing up two for DS, and I saved one for Andrew’s afternoon snack and boxed the rest up for our neighbors who were very happy to get them. So for 210 calories I was able to enjoy baking, enjoy eating, and enjoy giving. win, win, win!

Love that, KSWL! There are so many things sweet and savory where just a small portion is "enough" to satisfy and can fit into a lower calorie diet.

I shared this before in previous IF threads but I did lose weight without and changes in my diet when I first started IF.. but it was in the first weeks and didn't continue. I am no dr and i haven't read the newsletter (yet) but I would guess it was a metabolic kickstart for me (i have abysmally slow metabolism) .. but what I know has made a difference long term is that I FEEL so much better when doing IF that I have and expend more energy. I don't really know why I go off IF intermittently .. but it's always great when I jump back on it!

Thanks for the mention of the newsletter @Kswl..though I am not seeing a link?

Thank you too @mtnrdredux_gw for the link to the article.

In general, for me, successful stints at a regular exercise routine have been with a partner. Of course that is one of the tricks of motivation, and for me, an extrovert, it is a big "reward" motivator. Not likely to happen now between covid and a general downgrading of the social offerings in my community. Perhaps at some point it will go on the upswing. Meanwhile I am hoping to eventually check out the links posted here for some ideas of online fitness classes/workouts. I'm almost done fixing up the guest bedroom as a workout room. The exercise bike we have on the porch is creating my opportunities for everyday cardio akin to walking.

Also in general, I haven't found online support conversations that motivating in a whole host of areas on my life. Online "how to" videos on the other hand, have been fab. That's a whole component of Noom, (an online support community) that I'm not using much. Please don't misunderstand, I'm not dissing them AT ALL, it's just for me, the activity is the thing that motivates, so the act of checking in, participating, skimming, trying out some suggestions, just knowing I have fellow travelers out there trying to reach some of the same goals, is far more useful than reading all the posts. I would not mind at all if folks skipped my posts! :) I also have not found the Noom text/readings all that helpful. They are loaded with ideas and information, but few of them are things I don't already know or things I am already doing or know that I should be doing. I do however love the recipe section, really helps give me ideas of how to use up bits and bobs of ingredients I have in the fridge. I appear to be the only one between hubs and I who is motivated to move leftovers out of the fridge and onto the dinner table.

I've so far lost 24 lbs since January, which isn't exactly a breakneck speed but hopefully it will be permanent. That is without much of an exercise routine. Ideally I'd like to lose 6 more lbs so the big push now is to find an exercise trick that sticks. Maybe when I have time I will report back. Meanwhile I'll be attempting to utilize some of the links here!

The only tip I can add for this week is that artichoke hearts are surprisingly good in white bean and chicken chili, and McCormick had some seasoning packets on sale and we got a low salt one and they are also surprisingly good. Due to having to watch salt intake I usually go with my own seasoning mixes.

Apropos of what's useful to spend time on and what's not, with regards to dieting and exercising and eating and living healthy, an interesting article popped up on my news feed today, something I sort of already knew but didn't know it was called the "Pareto Principle." I first was exposed to it through Stephen Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" book, another great read. The idea is that if one can unlock the secret to the most effective strategies, it is better to spend time implementing them than waste it on the others, as far as producing output. I was also exposed to an idea called "Strengths Development" also in leadership. That idea is that it is far easier to take optimum advantage of your natural strengths than it is to try and develop skills and strengths that don't come naturally for you. That doesn't mean that you can't develop other strengths, it's just that spending time "plusing your pluses" results in faster positive outcomes and over time they can add up to significant benefits.

https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/advice/improve-your-life-with-the-80-20-rule/?utm_source=pocket-newtab

It also showed up on my Noom readings feed yesterday, the idea that if you pair something you don't like to do and are therefore not motivated to do, with something you like to do, you can create good behaviors faster, easier and with more lasting results. That's why for me, a "reward" is time with friends, because as an extrovert, that's what energizes me. So in the healthy lifestyle realm, an exercise class is a good motivator, exercising with a partner or friend, cooking with and for others, etc. The pandemic has been tough on us extroverts . . .

@l pinkmountain 24lbs is a huge reason to celebrate!! Congratulations!

@Kswl from weight loss standpoint, I understand IF to be on par with calorie counting in terms of effectiveness, when done right. In the same way that if you count calories but don't do it correctly, it won't be successful, IF still requires a calorie deficit to see weight loss. I view it as a tool in my weight loss / fitness tool box. It's a way for me to reduce the calories I take in by reducing the window of time when I'm eating. But if I eat brownies and bowls of icecream because it's "in my window", it's absolutely going to fail and blow up in my face. For me, IF has also helped me better recognize actual hunger vs the "mouth hunger" that I often feel where I want to eat something but really am not trully needing fuel. I started IF in January and I've lost about 33lbs, which has been more effective and straightforward than any of my previous attempts to lose weight. My understanding is also that scientific studies have demonstrated decrease in inflammation from periodic fasting, and recently better covid outcomes. I think like any dietary decisions, your mileage may vary depending on how you implement it and what works for your body.

While the pandemic has NOT been a positive in my life, one of the unexpected benefits is that my needs as an introvert are now met much more fully than ever before. Along with that, working from home fulltime has saved me a LOT of money. Looking just at transportation, I save on 10 or more uber trips a week (minimum of $500/month). The downside is that I don't get the extra activity running through the building/up and down floors to meetings.

Sorry it's been especially hard on you, iPink. Hopefully things improve enough in your area that you can feel comfortable grabbing a buddy to walk in a park... an/or feel comfortable returning to your senior community center gym.

@pricklypearcactus I agree with all you wrote above.. but especially this>>

IF has also helped me better recognize actual hunger vs the "mouth hunger" that I often feel where I want to eat something but really am not trully needing fuel.

I regularly scale back dinner because I am just not that hungry-- in the past I would eat a "dinner-like" meal just because it was what was expected.. and what I was used to. I also learned that after dinner snacking was absolutely not necessary.

I’m sorry, I forgot to post the link. here it is:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/should-you-try-intermittent-fasting-for-weight-loss-202207282790

This morning's weigh-in shows a total of 35 lbs lost!!! Whew weeeee. I am back to pre-Covid weight and feeling much better about things.

While I still don't have a true exercise routine, this week I have had several contractors in giving bids on work that has been put off. While some would think this is not something worth mentioning, for me getting up and dressing, walking the house with the contractors, going to Lowes/Home Depot multiple times is so much more activity then over the last 2 years. Small steps. Overall health and quality of life has increased 50% from 2021.

@JustDoIt congratulations on 35lbs lost!! That's fantastic! I love that you're feeling better. I love hearing that your quality of life has increased so much!

@Kswl that's so funny that now that I'm looking at the article, the very first line absolutely says exactly what I was saying.

When trying intermittent fasting, both the quantity and quality of what you eat during your eating window matter.

Time restricted eating, or intermittent fasting, is a tool to use to combine with managing the quantity and quality of food. Additionally, I think anyone with a history of disordered eating should consult their physicians before considering it. I can absolutely see how it might be triggering for some. The article also points out the importance of pairing resistance training with diet to avoid lean muscle mass loss. I think diet is one of the biggest components of weight loss, but balancing that with exercise is even better. It's a great article!

Pricklypear, the message is in the conclusion:

“After a full year, 118 patients successfully completed the study, with similar rates of adherence to the diet and composition of the diet between the two groups. Both groups lost a significant amount of weight: an average of about 18 pounds for the time-restricted eating group and 14 pounds for the daily-calorie-restriction group. The difference in weight loss between the two groups was not statistically significant, nor was there a significant difference in weight loss among subgroups when sorted by sex, BMI at baseline, or insulin sensitivity. The resulting improvements in blood pressure, lipids, glucose, and cardiometabolic risk factors were also similar between the two groups. This trial provides strong evidence that, all else being equal, restricting the eating window alone does not have a substantive impact on weight loss.”

The more information we have the better off we all are. IF may be helpful for people who have certain types of eating patterns that a fasting schedule can disrupt to their benefit. That is certainly not in dispute. It should not, however, be viewed as a primary means of losing weight.

Interesting.. I didn't know that there were folks doing IF alone to lose weight. I mean it would be great if that worked lol.. but not even a little surprised that it doesnt.

My doctor actually recommended IF. I did not find it difficult at all as long as I was at home. However, since I am on two types of medicines that require that you take with meals, I had to increase my number of meals.

I wish I had more to contribute to this thread. I haven't gained weight and I haven't lost weight. That for me is really good and I appreciate that I am still able to do the intermittent fasting. The hypoglycemia makes it hard but not impossible

I am continuing with my mini exercise and maximum walking program that I've been doing for several years now.

I hope if I even if I can't lose weight then I can gain more muscle. It's a fine balance for me as my system doesn't allow me to have a strenuous exercise program. If I do that I would have to eat more ..

We have a good friend, a retired doctor, who has practiced IF for about ten years now. He has lost a significant amount of weigh during that time. When we saw him after he’d started his program we asked him lots of questions. He said his restricted eating window had the unexpected result of giving him a lot of extra time. He was no longer able to play tennis so he decided to walk with his wife, morning and night. They walk about ten miles a day, and he attributes the weight loss to that— but the IF was his impetus for the walking, so there was a definite positive outcome through that chain of events.