I didn't weigh this morning-- was feeling a little too tied to the scale. Just going to focus on a good healthy week and see where I am in a day or two. I did pretty well with my goals last week except for getting on the treadmill .. or doing any exercise. I did walk quite a bit yesterday but I was dizzy and nauseous the whole time. I am hoping we'll get my glasses figured out in the next few weeks so I can eliminate that from the equation-- but I need to be honest, it isn't the only reason I am not getting more activity in. It is a big one-- but I have a big mental hurdle to get over too. I know from experience that I won't continue to lose and tone and build strength without exercise. I need to just .. do it.

I spent this morning making hummus with sweet potato in it. Yum! Pretty good. Problem is....my husband is really sticking to ALL this healthy eating. He's lost 10lbs in the last month....I haven't lost a pound. I keep binging on chocolate chips. He didn't need to lose any weight. He looked at me the other day and said, "Losing weight is so easy." 😂

I am having decent success, now that I am back on my "program". Down almost 5 lbs in the week. I had a couple of struggle days, due to stress.....but I managed to avoid the free Mother's Day ice cream scoop at the plant nursery on Saturday, and that small success bolstered my resolve for the rest of the weekend!

I concentrated on my water intake, and hope to continue that through the week!

5lbs in a week is a big drop! Congratulations on sticking to your program despite stressors and temptations, Springroz!

Jill302, I hope you continue to have a great trip .. and that you can get your steps/gym time in while at sea! I haven't been on a cruise but I understand they offer a wide array of options-- temptations for sure but also lots of fruits and veggies. Enjoy yourself and make good choices when you can!

Nicole, chocolate chips aren't my thing but we all have our weaknesses. The best thing I have done is to get rid of/don't buy the things that tempt me more than my will can handle. Congrats to your DH .. not just on his losses but on sticking to the healthy foods.

Not much to report here .. I didn't snack at all yesterday while visiting with my mom and family. It helped that I just didn't like the snacks enough to stray. I did have a few cocktails but they were reasonably low calorie.

I am trying to work on a meal plan/grocery order for the week but am pretty distracted and uninspired this morning. I know it is the key to staying on track all week so gotta focus here before the end of the day.

Up one pound from my maintenance weight due to take out food yesterday.

Getting back on track today.

Trying to be mindful to drink more water today.

I am trying to always remember to up my water when I have anything processed/takeout. It seems to make a difference-- but I am not yet as consistent as I'd like to be. Water is a constant effort for me.

Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day, Eld.. and all other mothers!

I can't believe this thread started a year ago! Just the fact that we have been cognizant and trying for a year is impressive.

I think my week was ok :) It all starts to run together. Now that the weather is nicer, I am playing a lot of pickleball. I added some strength and flexibility exercises to my daily rollup/pushup routine to try to get more of that in. Still tweaking that some to make the most effective use of my time.

The thread on growing old just reinforced my plan to try to be healthy, above all else. I want to lose weight, and I want my skin to look good, but most of all I want to age being as strong and independent as I can to enjoy a long, active and healthy life. So, when the scale doesn't cooperate, like this morning, I can rely on other positives. Of course, things can happen, can't be naïve. But there is also a lot in my control.

I have noticed, what I believe is some better insulin sensitivity with my CGM this time. I haven't been wearing it a lot, but this time it does seem I can eat more carbs than when I started. A regular serving of beans no longer spikes me. Yesterday I had potato chips while waiting for dinner - still no spike. (Not sure that's a good thing - HA! ) In fact the only spike I've had was from my nonalcoholic wine substitute. Liquid carbs of any sort are not good. That's a conundrum - don't want the alcohol, don't want the sugar.

I am still way too attached to a scale number, so I will continue to work on that. It was really the first thing I wanted to start this post with - I am up today. Not sure why I give it so much power, but I really do.

Hope everyone has a great week!

I am having a hard time being consistent with healthy eating, although I am pretty consistent with exercise especially now that spring is here. We have just had too many family celebrations this spring! And we are going away in about two weeks so... But my clothes are fitting well so I don't think I'm gaining weight, just not losing which I am okay with for the moment. DD is coming home today and her BF is coming to visit for a couple days too, so of course I HAD to buy some Tate's cookies and I can hear a muffled voice calling my name from inside the package. ..

I agree it is wonderful that everyone is working for one year to keep healthy. I am still being very consistent with my exercise but probably I'm eating too much right now. I have been walking less so I am struggling with the balance. This week I walked quite a bit so we will see what happens with the scale. I actually gained 3 lb and hope they go away very fast. As a matter of fact I will run faster and harder away from them :-)

To that end I have added jumping Jacks and skip rope to my routine and that seems to be sticking. I keep on having in the back of my mind other challenges that will add to my exercise routine. I would like to consistently do a posture exercise program. I do not want to get too slouchy and I can tend to do that.

Also my dream fantasy is to go to a weightlifting trainer and get a program put together for my specific body needs. I'm hoping that I can get DH to do the same. He has seasonal affective disorder and one of the big things they say is to have a very good weight training program. It helps to maintain your system much better if you have muscles everywhere not big muscles but just well defined and working muscles.

Anyone see this? https://www.today.com/today/amp-video/mmvo174399045701

Martha Stewart, 81, in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

I listened quickly as I am preparing to run out for an appt -- but something she said really hit me. Huda mentioned that Martha's confidence was part of what stood out in the photo.

I know for me, even though I am still overweight, I know the days I feel good about my progress-- when I feel good in my clothes, I look better than the days I am down on myself or not feeling great in my clothes. It is part of the reason that I am buying some new clothes (limited and on sale) as I lose weight. I FEEL more successful when I feel good.. and visa versa.

Thanks for sharing, Legomom! It really is impressive and a good story.

Funny story on confidence - We had a family celebration last weekend and took some group photos. My go to spot in big group photos is always the back row where the majority of my body is covered and I stick my head through an opening. Or if that's not possible, I would pull my son or husband partially in front of me. Well, last weekend, I sat on the arm of the chair in the front row:) So unlike me it makes me laugh when I look at the pictures. I was definitely feeling it that day!

Lego, haha, I try that approach too but since I’m short I always get pushed to the front.

Speaking of photos, I have a gap between two front teeth, not the middle two but just to one side of them. It seems to have actually gotten wider over the years so I am finally, finally seeing an orthodontist about invisalign in a few weeks. I have been talking about it forever, even posting about it here, but what pushed me to finally do it was finding myself stressing about DS wedding photos getting my ”good side.” I thought, this is ridiculous, if it’s gotten to this point let me see if I can fix it. Maybe if I get invisalign it will also encourage me to think twice about everything I eat, since it will involve an extra step!?

Good luck with your appointment Sue! Haha yes everything that makes us conscientious about eating is a good thing. It might work.

This is one of the websites for exercises that I am doing for posture. I also do the LYTP exercise. I like it because it can be a stand-up or a sit-down exercise. I like this one with a stabilizer ball but my sister sits in a chair and does it due to her balance problems.

https://www.healthline.com/health/guide-to-better-posture-exercises#first-week

LYTP exercise

https://youtu.be/AuIyONH795k

One year! WTG, everyone, and especially Funky!

Those posture exercises look good but many people cannot do a full plank with arms and legs fully extended (straight) and have to start on their elbows and knees. Full planks are not comfortable on my wrists so I still mostly do them on my elbows. I just did child’s pose and some other stretches after Zumba since I want to work on my lower body flexibility. I had Pilates on Sunday to make up last week when I was sick, and I will go tomorrow. I finished the syllabi and Blackboard for the two summer courses. Now I need to work on other reports as well as my conference presentation, so there’s still ”enough” to do over the next few weeks. Need to go change out the catboxes, not one of my favorite jobs.

WTG for going in front for photos and then checking into Invisalign. I’ve ordered some new clothes for my conference trip. I wish my weight was a little lower, but daily progress and I am certainly down from last year at this time, so that is super important to keep in mind. Last year I told myself there is no reason why I couldn’t be down in weight one year later, and here I am.

Oh Sue...good point on the invisalign. My teeth have shifted and in photos one front tooth looks much whiter and more prominent than the one next to it (which it is shading). My dentist talked about invisalign when i mentioned it but I hadn't really looked into it. The tooth really bugs me in photos and if I have those guys in my mouth maybe I will stop putting other stuff in there.

In the past year I have lost a small amount of weight, but have changed my body quite a bit due to my Pilates adventure. I'm now almost 400 hours in on a 600 hour training program. I have passed 2 of 3 extensive examinations...one to go! It has been good for my body and my brain in so many ways. I'm glad I went for it, even though I wish I had done it decades earlier. But, never too late! I just hope I can keep up with my practice once the program is over. I've been looking into some equipment of my own for home, but yikes the expense is one thing, but most manufacturers of quality equipment have wait lists in excess of 6 months!

Everyone participating has made thoughtful choices about changes they can live with to better their health. We should all be proud!

wow @jmck_nc - that is really impressive. Pilates sounds like an amazing workout - mentally and physically. I'm so glad you found it.

And, yes to the Invisalign - much less snacking I'm sure. I hope you both get that set up. I have some cosmetic teeth issues as well - but I haven't gotten to that stage - yet. I have thought about it though.

I have been doing a lot of posture exercises - it's safe to say mine has always been poor. I thought it was a weak core, and it has gotten somewhat better with lots of strength work, but not great. Then my chiropractor friend saw me last week and reminded me AGAIN of these upper back stretches I'm supposed to be doing. So, I started them again and it really is helping. And it feels so good. I think mine is upper back and neck weakness more than core. But definitely something I need to work on.

Jmck_nc so glad that you are continuing with the Pilates Journey. Admire you very much. I have always thought that Pilates and yoga shape you more than a lot of things do.

I'm glad I'm not the only one on the posture Journey. Poor posture is definitely my middle name. I'm trying but I constantly have to remind myself to stand up straight and to check my posture against the wall all the time etc. I love the idea of telling myself a year from now that I did it I got my posture back in line. So to speak.

We are still low carbing and fasting here. The scale was stuck for quite a while but it is moving again. Not only that but the clothes are fitting looser and I am down a size. Amazing how motivating how that can be to continue on.

DH is pretty sedentary but we have been walking every night. We listen to a book on tape together and only listen to it while walking. He actually suggests the walks most nights now.

Congrats to all of us for sticking with our habits for a year!!

Congrats, Rnmom .. down a size is a big achievement! Congrats too on finding a way to spark your DH to enjoy walks!

I have developed a habit that I may come to regret. I have been keeping peppermint lifesavers in the house the last few weeks.. I don't love that I am eating sugar but they are definitely keeping me from wanting a snack when bored and they are getting me through busy days when I don't/can't stop for lunch. I don't have a lot of them and not every day.. usually between 0-3 a day. They don't spark cravings and even if I have a really bad day and grab 5, that's only 75 empty calories.

Still... I know it's not a great habit. Tell me all the reasons I shouldn't replace my, now empty, bag!

Replace them with sugar free. You can’t overeat those because if you do, you’ll get a tummy ache. Or at least that’s what happens to me.

Empty sugar carbs like that wouid probably just keep my glucose numbers up higher than I prefer. That’s why I personally wouldn’t snack like that.

BUT, I’m all for finding what works for you and substituting for better solutions to old habits. So, if it’s moving you in a better direction, stick with it. I’m on the search for a good nonalcoholic wine. Last night I had 8 carbs worth mixed with 21 ounces of club soda over a three hour period, and I still registered a small spike. Empty sugar calories are the worst for me! But, I do think that spike was better than real wine, so there’s that.

This is kind of a vent - I'll start out with the positives - I am getting stronger. And that is super important as we age. It is a goal. And I feel good about the way my body is moving better. It feels good to be stronger. I feel happier when I exercise. I still have so much room for improvement, but I do feel like I am moving forward. The weights I can lift now are more than when I started. My pushups are better.

BUT... :)

Three months ago I started working with my trainer. I only go once a week, and I can't go when I travel, so it's not like I've been all in. But I I have made an effort in that time to concentrate on protein and resistance/weight work throughout the week. She did a full body scan with measurements the first day and today I had a comparison scan. First - seeing an unedited 360 degree scan of yourself is eye opening in itself :) But in these three months I was up 3 pounds. I was down 2 inches in the bust and one in the hips. I had a loose t-shirt on the first time, so I can't get a true comparison on the waist and the bust might not be that big of a change. NO real change in biceps or thighs or calves. I'm a little sad about it. I mean I guess data is always helpful - if what I'm doing isn't working, then I need to do something else.

I'm going to continue with the resistance, because it is good for me. But I don't want to just get stronger. I think I'd like to get smaller. And maybe that's not a healthy mindset. All my life I have been tuned into the number on the scale. Up and down, a big number, a smaller number, a number always more than DH because we are almost the same height and built entirely different. Why do we give numbers so much power? This time I wanted the inches to be smaller. Why can't I see the health and strength progress I've made? Why do I have to force myself to say the positives first instead of those being the lead in my journey?

Anyway, vent over. I am going to keep on with the strength training because it makes me feel good and I know it's good for me But, maybe tweak my diet some and see where I get, because I still can't give up on that weight number:) What a mindset I've worked myself into all these years.

I always think that when I'm in that quandary I have to remember that you need five to 10 positives to equal one negative. It takes that much for your mind to balance things out. Our minds hang on to things that could endanger us or make us sad etc to protect us apparently. Yuck!

For me the scales are a huge negative. I am trying to count each squat and each lunge as a positive. And now each skip rope and each jumping jack are also positive. That's cheating I know but I believe in that kind of cheating for real. :-).

Plus I think the scale numbers lie in that they don't display the health benefits.

Ok- you know what? an inch decrease in hips is almost a whole size on a lot of size charts. That’s actually pretty good progress!

Yes, Legomom! .. and remember too that your body shape is changing all around. Inches, lbs we all look to them as markers of progress because they are easy to see, easy to measure but they are so singularly focused. A 14" bicept of mostly muscle is so much different than 14" bicept of mostly fat.

I get the same way. I am disappointed if the scale doesn't move enough .. today the scale didn't move but magically and with great ease I moved a hole tighter on my belt. Go figure.

You have the very best marker -- you are moving better. You are stronger. These are big accomplishments! It isn't enough to lose weight without being healthier and stronger. You are doing ALL of the above.

I totally get your frustration but we both need to keep our eyes looking forward to our goals. Yes the shrinking numbers feel good but we are in transition. It's not all numbers!

Thought I'd share a few things helping me these last few weeks.. all are fairly low in calories and higher in protein!

Steamed or grilled shrimp - I eat them solo for a quick lunch or also in a caesar salad. So easy and good. This will I have pesto so I'll toss them in pesto for a salad recommended on another thread.. shrimp, pesto and tomato slices.

Chicken burgers -- I have a recipe I love for rosemary chicken burgers but it adds mayo to the burger to keep it moist. Instead, I have been getting Bell & Evans frozen chicken burgers (just chicken, salt and pepper). They cook up in only 10 min from frozen and they are decent .. a little bland.. but they are chicken .. shrug. They are easy and quick-- something I've appreciated lately. I got pesto to put on top. I am sure I'll love that.

Scrambled eggs and asparagus - less fussy than an omelet (though I do them too when I am not rushing) .. very simple and the asparagus has been great lately. I add fresh oregano and just a touch of fresh grated parmesan

Scale moving again. 58 lbs lost. Yea!

Ordered weights in order to strengthen ankles. I have a fear of falling due to previous fall. (This is just one excuse I use to justify not walking.)

I had to "Liked" all comments as everybody had good points. Great job all.

Great work, @JustDoIt! And great plan to use weights to strengthen your ankles! I am thankful for pretty strong/solid ankles but I know many who struggle with old ankle injuries or just "looser" ankles. I am told that you tend to break bones or strain ligaments -- those who suffer ankle twists are in the latter category. I am in the former.

Sorry for my delay in getting this week's post up-- will do it very soon.

OOPS - Just realized this was last week's post. I will post on the new one.