Back on track....tomorrow. I'll be back to work after 2 weeks off and that will help me curb my snacking. The 2 courses of prednisone did NOT help my junk food intake over my break, but I'm committed to getting back on track. I'm up 4 lbs, which is probably half prednisone water weight and half fat. Gotta get that back off and then I'd like to lose 6-8 on top of that. Still coughing and will see the Dr again this week and fingers crossed I can get away with no more prednisone! Gratefully I love exercising and we take a 2 mile walk every morning before work no matter what...except for rain...can't do rain and my dog hates it. When the weather is decent we try for an after dinner walk as well. I'm still doing a lot of Pilates as I get my hours for my certification...it's gonna take a while 150 down, 350 to go...sigh...

I've had covid since last Tuesday. Didn't know it until Thursday when I got a sore throat. Fun times. No exercise :-(. Didn't eat for 2 days. Was starving when I started eating again. No exercise and eating a ton. Hopefully I will get over this soon. Happy New year everyone and the best to you and your family!

Hope you are feeling better and back to normal soon, Yeonassky!

I‘m going to join in because I really need to get back on track. I have been eating way too many carbs and drinking too much wine. I do Pilates three times a week, but really want to start walking again. I retired recently, so I have no excuse (other than a cedar allergy which is kicking my butt right now). Thanks for this group Funky.

Yeonassky, I hope you feel much better soon!

Glad to have you join us, @texanjana!

This morning I made a huge pot of vegetable soup and while I was at it, I also made tonight’s dinner so it just has to be heated up later. The soup will be my lunch all week! I have no problem eating the same lunch every day.

The soup has chicken broth, cannellini beans, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, celery, kale, onion, garlic, and some pesto sauce stirred in at the end. It was supposed to have green beans too but I forgot to buy them.

This is dinner. I made it over Thanksgiving week when all the kids were home and everyone really liked it.

https://www.skinnytaste.com/ground-turkey-skillet-with-zucchini-corn-black-beans-and-tomato/

Your soup sounds delicious, Sue-- I find it so much easier to stay on track when I have soup ready to go. Is it a specific recipe?

@Sueb20 that soup sounds perfect! I can eat the same lunch every day too when it’s that good!

I’ve made that other recipe. She has some great recipes for sure.

Here is the soup recipe: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/261632/vegetable-weight-loss-soup/

Thanks, Sue! It actually looks amazing too! So bright and colorful!

It was tasty and kept me full til dinner time!

I sprinkled on a bit of parmesan. Sent this pic to a friend saying ”rehab day one.”

I posted this earlier, but it doesn’t seem to be showing up. Now, hopefully it’s not a double post:)

@yeonassky - I hope you feel better!

@Funkyart - thanks for the thread - I really do enjoy coming here to read everyone's goals and progress. It's nice to have a like minded group to start out the year!

I feel good about where I'm starting the year. The Holidays were fine. I'm satisfied with my diet and have kind of dialed it in to what I think works for me - concentrating on protein, plant products and stable blood sugar. And eating well most of the time:) Consistency over perfection for the long haul.

Now, my liquid diet needs some help - I need to drink way more water. I really just don't like it, and for some reason, large amounts of plain water gives me an upset tummy. But, I can add in sparkling water and my LMNT and be fine. And that's what I need to do.

I am "trying" Dry January. We'll see. I really want to do it again - I 've done it several years. But I have a hard time in social settings without a drink in my hand. And then I get in the habit of a glass or two in the evenings while making dinner. And it all adds up. I really do think alcohol is the last step to a truly healthy lifestyle for me, so I'm going to focus my attention there.

For exercise, I am going to try to add in more body weight exercises and weights. That seems to be really key and I definitely am not strong. I put this in the goals thread - getting up off the floor. I am going to sit and lie on the floor more, forcing myself to continually get up. It seems like a key component to good aging, and better to start young while you can still get up! My legs are ok, but my core is weak.

https://www.bluezones.com/2020/07/why-the-okinawan-practice-of-sitting-on-the-floor-is-linked-to-health-mobility-and-longevity-how-you-can-practice-it-at-home/

@gsciencechick- this is a bar I really like and it has 16 grams of fiber - It has 28 carbs, so maybe too much for you? But I do this for breakfast sometimes with chicken sausage, or I split it with DH for a dessert sometimes. I really like it, but it does have a lot of fat, so I'm not sure how it would fit in to your macros. But passing it along in case. Most of my fiber comes from this or chia and flaxseeds in my smoothies, so they are pretty high fat too. I did switch up to the low fat chicken sausage with them to get the protein up and the macros in line for me.

papasteves.com

I like the idea of getting on the floor more -- it is definitely easier for me to get up after my 50lb loss but I am still not always graceful lol. I too blame my loss of strength in my core (and also bursitis which I have had off/on since my childhood).

I really try to stay on top of the fiber game-- as my body gets very sluggish without water soluable fiber. I know I have mentioned this before, but there are some really easy ways to add fiber to your diet.. one of my favorites is Split Pea & Barley Soup - it is easy to make and delicious! Split peas have 50 g of fiber in 1 c uncooked and barley has 32 g in 1 cup. I add carrots, celery and onion to round out the fiber. If you don't like split peas-- add barley to your vegetable soup, chicken or beef soup, or a salad. You can also make a breakfast cereal with barley and apples. So many options.

There are some surprising foods that are high in fiber -- just become familiar with the list of high fiber foods and mix the ones you enjoy into your rotation. I add raspberries to my oatmeal (and my vodka lol) for the 8 g of fiber/cup. I keep apples and/or pears in the house for a snack or a light meal. Rolling these (or similar) high fiber treats into my normal rotation of veggies, beans and whole grains really gives me a fiber boost. I also add benefiber to my coffee in the morning if i feel like I've been slacking.

@Funkyart I did not know that about split peas! wow! I’m going to make some soon.

Fresh green peas are high in fiber too-- I don't remember the specs but they are higher than Broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, etc.

@Funkyart and on a different note - I made my first thai for two last night - It was so good and very easy, It was last minute so I used Garbanzos for the protein, carrots and peppers for the veggies and served it over cauliflower rice. DH had already eaten, so I just had the leftovers for lunch! Thanks for the great tip in the gift thread. And the individual pouches are so nice - definitely a great little gift.

Following up on the fiber discussion...

https://hubermanlab.com/dr-layne-norton-the-science-of-eating-for-health-fat-loss-and-lean-muscle/

It's a loooong podcast, as his usually are. But they do address the importance of fiber in a very specific way. I also benefited from the discussion about timing of protein intake.

Legomom, he has a podcast on alcohol, too. He basically tried to find some redeeming value in it, and there simply isn't any. It's depressing! But an eye-opener.

@Feathers11 - I've listened to both of those podcasts:) I really like his material. Layne Norton was the one I listened to on protein, and then I downloaded his app for a few weeks and saw the difference in the amount of recommended protein and what I was eating.

I listened to the alcohol one a few months ago when it came out. Nothing new there of course:) I know there is nothing good about alcohol, but it was a very scientific approach that was good to hear. Especially its effect on the brain. I've always just rationalized it as a worthwhile lifestyle enjoyment thing. But lately, I can really notice the difference. And although I am good at moderation when I do drink for the most part, it's the consistent drinking of a glass or two most days that puts me over what seems to be healthy.

Thanks for the feedback on the Thai for Two packages, @legomom23! I haven't heard back from any of those I gave them to -- but I did keep a few for myself. I was really pleased with the way they were packaged and they were perfect fillers in the packages I had to mail out in boxes.

Which did you make? I think I have a panang curry and a green curry ... and maybe a pad thai.

I made the Panang Curry. Used all the paste and it wasn't too spicy for me when I combined it with the cauliflower rice. It was really good - and took maybe 10 minutes since I used beans and didn't have to cut up or wait for protein to cook.

I am feeling so virtuous this week. Tonight’s dinner, 11.9 g fiber per serving.

https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252413/bean-barley-soup/

Tonight our oldest DS is ”moving home” through the weekend because he is having his tonsils and adenoids removed. I hope I can be strong and not eat the ice cream that I buy for him!

Re Dry January: DH and I have decided that Saturday nights don’t count. I am not a daily drinker but I do like a drink when we go out to dinner.

Sue-- I was looking at that soup recipe too. I don't have fennel in the house so will make a it later this week if you like it.

I have a little over a 1/2 lb of ground chicken so I will make a small pot of italian wedding soup tonight. Even with whole wheat orzo it's not so high in fiber ... but I am committed to reducing food waste in 2023!

Well, I’m going to be winging it a bit — grocery delivery brought a barley-lentil-split pea mix instead of regular barley, and I’m too lazy to go buy a replacement, so I’ll just use it. And I also don’t have fennel…

I survived the holidays with only one real cheat day.

Like others above, I've been on the fibre bandwagon. I started about 6 weeks ago and it has been wonderful, so far. It really helps that we are empty nesters now, so I can make what I like (DH is good with whatever). I am going to listen to the podcast for interest, but I am already sold.

I recently heard someone say that those that are most successful at weight loss and keeping it off, limit themselves to the same meals. I can see this being helpful for me.

I stopped swimming the last 3 weeks as the pool moved to holiday hours and, with my DDs home it just didn't get done. I'm going to try to start back today.

I can feel my knees and hip missing the exercise. I read that joints don't have blood flow to keep them healthy. They need sonovial (sp?) fluid and the way to keep that moving around is by low impact exercise. I sure notice a difference when I'm swimming regularly. Our public pool is underused and I'm often the only one there. It's still hard to get myself there now that it's freezing outside, but 2x a week seems manageable.

SKIP the barley bean soup. It just wasn’t good. Bland and boring. Maybe the fennel would have helped, I don’t know, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Bummer, Sue .. but thanks for the update!

I have been thinking about tomato juice ever since I had an amazing bloody mary at brunch last week. I use tomato juice in some of my soup broths but was never big on actually drinking it. I was thinking that I'd give it a try as a morning hydrator or an afternoon snack-- but to jazz it up with the lemon juice, celery seed, pepper etc that I love in my bloody marys.

A google search shows that there are a lot of health benefits ... are there any downsides I am not thinking of? Anyone else drink tomato juice regularly?

Funky, for a while, I enjoyed low-sodium V8 juice. It was filling, low-calorie, and satisfied my savory craving. I don't see a downside, but make sure what you choose doesn't have too much sodium and other junk added.

eta, for exampe, low-sodium V8 has 140 mg sodium per serving, whereas regular Campbell's tomato juice has 680 mg sodium per serving.

I don't like tomato juice, so I've never tried it, but for me I think it would be a glucose spiker. Any liquid carbs pretty much do me in. It's actually pretty shocking on my CGM. I tried some N/A beer that only had 4 carbs and had a pretty significant raise. That's not the end all be all of any choice I make, but that is what happened. And I'll probably still have the N/A beer - because Dry January. I could probably have tomato juice with a meal maybe as a mocktail, or after a meal, but I think if I drank it on an empty stomach it would just make me hungry from the blood glucose effect.

Of course, YMMV, that is just me :) We all find what works for us! I would venture to say it's probably healthier than Diet Pepsi! :)

I have been tracking my weight most every day in an app called Happy Scale and went back today to look at some reports it generates. I've been tracking since late March. Sometimes I get discouraged - like the last couple months because it seemed I'd hit a plateau, but when I go back and look at it by the month, I have averaged between .4 and .6 pounds loss per week other than the month of October where I gained a pound. I lost .9 pounds per week in July when I was playing so much pickleball.

It just made me happy to see that even when I thought it wasn't really working lately, I was still making consistent progress. Sometimes when the loss is that slow it's easy to get caught up in ups and downs instead of seeing the big picture.

DS read about this for his pre-diabetic diet. He chose cranberry juice as it did not seem to spike his blood sugar at all. Everyone is different and he is pre-diabetic.

Yeah, I should have ementioned I would drink the low sodium tomato juices --- but I did look into it and it is apparently one of the few juices that does not cause a blood sugar spike. In fact, there are early studies showing that it can help reduce blood sugar spikes. Probably too early to know for sure but it does fill me up ... and I think I can learn to like it with lemon juice, pepper, etc. I don't imagine drinking it every day but I can see enjoying it here and there ... even without the vodka ;)

Did not know that about tomato juice! That’s good to know. Glad you found a new drink you like.

I've been making these bars to have as a sweet treat. They are incredibly high in fibre and fill me up so I am not tempted to snack after dinner. I cut them into small pieces and even then often only have half.

https://runningonrealfood.com/homemade-energy-bars/

@legomom23 I didn't do a comprehensive search and, as you know, people respond to various foods differently so I want to be careful about passing on recommendations. I did learn that tomato juice can also reduce clotting and risk of DVTs ... I have not yet had issues with either but I have a genetic clotting disease and am one of the few in my family (of those who have the disease) who has not had a clotting incident and who is not on a blood thinner. I think it is worth a try-- though when I am focused on healthy eating, I generally eat at least one tomato a day. It may be overkill?

Daisy, those bars look good! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

I am on the search for a healthy, low sodium caesar salad dressing recipe-- I make a great vinaigrette but I don't have a caesar dressing in my arsenal. I will be helping out with feeding/caring for my nephew (who loves caesar salad) with stage 5 kidney disease next week so it will be a bonus for both of us. Please let me know if you have a tried and true recipe!

Daisy, I wonder if those bars are kind of like an Rx bar. We keep a supply of them on hand for portable snacks.

The Rx vanilla almond butter is delish, too. I wouldn’t call the bars delish, but they are filling and don’t contain any weird ingredients. I should try your recipe, though.

DH made this last night. It was very good!

https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/tuscan-style-chicken-soup/

Tonight I made a really easy vegetable chili with black beans, garbanzo beans, canned diced tomatoes, red and yellow bell peppers, onions, chili powder, and cayenne. We had it with blue corn tortilla chips which felt kinda like cheating but they were organic and had only 4 ingredients. (Trying to eat mostly whole foods but if we do eat something processed, my goal is fewer than 5 ingredients.)

Also, DS was told to NOT have dairy for the first few days after surgery so I gave all our ice cream to our neighbor so it wouldn’t be screaming my name from my freezer. I can hardly hear it from my neighbor’s house.

@pricklypearcactus Congratulations on a great year! Wonderful to look back and see how far you’ve come. I’m glad you are finding such success with your digestive issues.

@Sueb20 both those soups sound yummy. I made a bean soup of sorts yesterday- cleaning out the frig and pantry. It turned out pretty well, and was good for breakfast and lunch today.

Wow, what a great update, pricklypear! It shows we are in it for the long game. I keep seeing things on IG and YouTube to remember that the small changes add up, and it’s more important to be consistent.

SueB20, I also have the Rx bars. I have used them when I was running late/stuck somwhere without a healthy meal. This brand was recommended by an RD. It’s hard to find those that don’t have too many carbs and enough protein and yet taste OK. They are available on A.

Doing OK this week. Had my Pilates lesson, and we feel my balance is getting better. Yesterday was a good fiber day since I had the falafel. Need to move forward on the weight progress now that the holidays are over. I kept bouncing around the same 2 lbs. I can work from home today and will probably go to the Y for cardio strength for 55+.

I don't have much to report but here it is.

My weight has not fluctuated except for a mysterious two pounds. I didn't expect it to. Although I fantasize about getting rid of those last 25 lbs...

I was sick since last Thursday and rung in the new year with covid. Today on the 8th day I tested negative so can mark that on my Belt. My symptoms were a medium cold including a very sore throat and dizzy spells.

I'm so relieved I'm over all that silliness.

In fact I'm jumping for joy. I can continue along with upping my exercises. This I can do since I can't seem to lose weight.

I especially can't wait to get back to running. I spend most of my time running out of breath but I still continue to run. Someday I won't be out of breath for the whole four blocks. :-) I still increase the length of time I run for each week. Despite the fact that it is a real chore to run it still feels good. How weird is that.

I meant to say what I am the least interested in getting back to but I will is push-ups. My deplorable too few push-ups. Oh well maybe there will be improvement on that too someday. I'm determined to continue with it though.

Happy 2023 everyone!

I'm glad you got a negative test, Yeonassky!

I finally shipped my last one back to college yesterday. Now it really feels like a new start. But my kids being home really wasn't the issue this time, as they are healthy eaters. I mostly cooked and kept healthy food in the house, and they seemed to survive. (But they do eat A LOT.) It was going to parties and others' homes where food was available that a. I didn't cook and b. I don't usually eat.

Now it's time to focus on exercise and developing the strength and muscle that I had pre-Thanksgiving. I'll join you in jumping for joy, Yeonassky.

So glad to hear you are feeling better, Yeonassky! Isn't it amazing how exercise becomes such a part of your daily routine that even when sick you want to get out there! I am not there currently lol.. but I have been in the past and will be again. Best wishes in the new year and with your increments with running and pushups!

Prickly what a great feeling to look back at the last year and to see your accomplishments right there in the mirror! What really stands out to me is that you say you feel "strong and fit" ... and that you have significantly reduced your digestive issues. Those are the kinds of changes that impact your quality of life! I am impressed and so happy for you! Well done!

And prickly's post reminded me that we all have been here posting and sharing experiences since what? May? It has been so very helpful to have this forum to share experiences, articles, recipes and successes! You all have kept me focused when I want to throw up my hands ... and inspired when I think I just can't eat another cucumber LOL. Thank you all for coming back here week after week! ❤️❤️❤️

So I can't really explain my update this week-- but I am down 4lb since 12/31 --- 3 lb lower than my lowest weight in 2022. I definitely cut back on the indulgences, but I really didn't expect to see any losses-- in fact, I am pretty sure my calories were higher than usual! I can't explain it but I am just really glad to see a loss after 4 months of very slow progress.

Aaaaggghhhh! As I said above, I finally found and committed to an exercise that works for me (swimming) and the public pool near me has changed hours and are no longer open evenings. The only other pool nearby is closed for repairs for 6 months. I'm investigating private pools, but it was divine having the whole pool almost to myself most evenings. I guess I they didn't feel the same way as me about only have one regular customer. Oh well.

Funkyart, that's wonderful! That's often how weight loss goes for me. I'll see no change for awhile and then all of a sudden it shows up. Unfortunately, it works the same for gaining with me and by the time it suddenly shows up, I'm at the point that feels impossible to get rid of it again.

Congratulations, Funky, and thank you for continuing to post these weekly threads.

Daisy, I am sorry--that's a huge letdown.

Funky, That is wonderful! I am so happy for this pleasant surprise.

Daiy, What a huge bummer. People can be so inconsiderate!

Daisy, so sorry to hear-- as I remember, Pricklypear also had to deal with pool hours changing in a way that wasn't convenient. I love swimming and would love to add it to my exercise routine. Unfortunately, I don't have any options that are convenient for my schedule (complicated by the fact that I do not drive). I was a competitive swimmer when I was young and I'd love to get to a level of fitness that would allow me to swim -- it was such a great way to improve strength and was also great for "getting in the zone". To think that I used to "warm up" with a few miles before starting my actual training!

Hopefully this is a short-lived change and they return to evening hours as spring approaches!

ETA: and thank you all for your kind thoughts. I really don't believe the losses the scale is showing-- but then I also didn't believe the lack of movement over the last 4 months either LOL. The barrier I just broke was a weight I'd held for about 5-6 years. I think I tend to plateau at weights that I had maintained for an extended period in the past. I've seen no studies suggesting this is true but it has played out for me numerous times in the past. Do you see the same?

Daisy so very sorry. It is so difficult to do these things as is and to have the flow disrupted is so annoying. I've often fantasized about a wave pool. They are expensive and some of my equipment has been languishing so I can't justify it. I'm working on using my current equipment too but not there yet.

Funky congratulations. You are just going to have to continue to lose weight on my behalf as well :-). No pressure though.. :-).

Wow, what great updates!

Yeonassky, just be careful with getting back to exercise post-C. You want to start very very slowly. If you were only moderately sick then at least 7 days after your symptoms resolve.

Oh yeah, I miss our campus pool. It has been off since last February due to a variety of issues, the first of which was a deer broke through the window and got in the pool! It was able to be pulled out then it ran off. Then they had to totally drain the pool, make sure it was clean from glass, the health department had to inspect it. This took a couple months! Then it was found it was leaking, losing water, so that was another+ huge thing. Now that is fixed and the heater is broken but should hopefully be fixed soon. It is a super nice pool, and it feels good to go in the warmish water which is usually around 84 degrees.

Oh yeah, those wave pools/swim spas are incredible. It seems they are about $30K though! But the going rate for an inground pool here is $70K and higher. It is much cheaper for me to use the campus pool, which is free for me. I think I can also use the Y since I still have a membership, but those pools are packed. You need a reservation and it gets filled ASAP.

I've been better on fiber this week! Realizing that I can have some avocado which adds some fiber.