Expat in NZ - That is a very modest upward change and you posted a big drop last week, so I wouldn't worry too much over it, Lindsey, so long as you are adhering to the recommendations. Of course, moving those last two 95s up toward 100 would be one way to spur progress.
Happy Holidays!
NancyNancyR - Clearly you kept your health goals near enough to the forefront to post a loss for the week! I'm happy you were able to vanquish the "ghost of Christmas past!" Sorry to hear you are dealing with chronic pain, as well; those daily "pop-ups" are no fun at all.
With the holiday past, now is a great time for renewed focus on those recommendations that would benefit from more attention in continued service of your important goals.
Veganjo - That gradual, "little by little" downward trend in weight makes sense if you are maintaining an overall pattern of behavior that puts your daily consumption just under "equilibrium." Did the lasagna you were planning on work out well for you this week?
Rebecka22 - Down a pound! Nice work not letting those deviations derail your whole week, and remaining mindful of the recommended behaviors, even while venturing "off track." I wholly agree that losing 9 pounds during the month of December is a big accomplishment! Congrats to you!
Tian-De - Cheers for tracking and evaluating consistently, and setting a solid plan of action! Would having several days worth of soup/salad/fruit to start meals prepped and ready help make that recommendation more easily adhered to at breakfast and dinner? Removing the chips from your immediate environment should definitely help to avoid them.
Keep aiming to make each day and week better than the last.
AnneG - Great progress, both for the week and the month! Your attention to the fundamentals is serving you well.
AnneG wrote:I want to be very mindful of my choices and eat consciously rather than thoughtlessly or out of habit. I plan to slow down and enjoy my food instead of eating in a frenzy and concentrate on savoring experiences with family rather than food. I have a lot of fruit on hand and will always have MWL options available.
Excellent intention, supported by the necessary planning and preparation.
AnneG wrote:Walking has been a great experience this week and I have really enjoyed longer times outside. I am looking forward to continuing those over the next 10 days! Yesterday I walked with umbrella in hand but it was still an enjoyable experience.
Fantastic!
texaslil - Ha! Huzzah for producing a "Christmas miracle!" You didn't let "a few" cookies continue to multiply, Laila, and it sounds like you are well-prepared to face the rest of this week.
squealcat - Hang in there, Marilyn! Since you feel like overexposure to recipes for rich food, cooking videos, and "a little bit" here and there started a spiral, taking steps to eliminate those triggers can turn that spiral around. Staying away from non adherent recipes and videos is a solid step in that direction. Do you recall any differences in routine, preparation or environment on the 2 days that were "perfect" vs. the other 5?
wstokes - Kudos for confronting that "brutal reality!" The degree to which our decisions and behaviors are aligned with the MWL 10-Point Checklist definitely makes a difference in regard to the results we see. 42 lbs lost since the end of last year is REAL progress, and I can understand the desire to protect that and continue toward your ultimate goal. Personally, I find it pretty difficult to allow for lapses and not have them lead to trouble, but I know for some people, planning those lapses in advance, and getting specific about the parameters of what you will or won't do, how much, how often, &c. can be helpful. Have you tried that in the past? If so, how did it work for you? That could inform the path forward.
Artista - Don't despair, Nancy! I second your inclination to focus on consistency in adhering to the guidelines and give that some time to produce the results you seek. Omitting the flaxseed and soymilk, scheduling some moderate activity for each day, and making breakfast 50/50 seem like the most apparent moves to spur more rapid progress. Keep in mind that fruit can work for the 50/50, too.
Marla - As you say, a very solid week right up until Christmas Eve.
Do you think anything in particular tipped the scale toward those unplanned indulgences? Getting straight back on track post-celebration is exactly the right approach. Have a wonderful holiday and a lovely week!
CindyD - I take your meaning about feeling you look the same as back in June, and agree that is a distortion (we humans can be pretty weird, indeed). You've attained admirable results, and it is definitely worth taking time to acknowledge and be mindful of your efforts and the fruits thereof. Keep it up!
cmcavazos - Cheers to surviving the holiday celebrations, Christine! Now that the "food frenzy" has passed, renewed focus on the fundamental recommendations will keep things going in the right direction. Hooray for a healthy, MWL 2021!
jkcook - Down a pound! For a week filled with celebrations, and the attendant richer foods, that seems pretty good. Now is a great time to refocus and move those percentages of adherence upward. Enjoy your adherent french fries!
Hope410 - Goodbye to 2.4 lbs and kudos for all the 100%s!
Hope410 wrote:Still needing to work in exercise everyday. This and bread and popcorn are areas that need better compliance, so that is my goal to work toward this week and in the new year in order to make these new habits.
Seems like a sensible and manageable goal; are there any adjustments to your environment, preparation or routine that might aid in achieving it?
carwex - You are getting so close to that goal! It is lovely that you were able to enjoy celebrating with your loved ones, without troublesome cravings or other setbacks. Cheers for getting right back to MWL! I really love the convenience of frozen diced onions, too! It sounds like you are continuing to build a routine that works for you; I'm sure the ever-present soup and salad are a great support.
josietheschnauzer - It appears you did pretty well staying within the constraints you established for your holiday celebrations, Elsa! I find that the addition of richer foods to my diet often makes me "feel" more hungry than usual, but I will say that I tend to have a somewhat bigger appetite in cold weather, as well. Enjoy your run! One foot at a time into a NEW YEAR!
PonysPlants - No need to feel any shame, Naomi, but thank you for staying accountable! Sorry your holiday plans were cancelled so abruptly. The immediate effects (both on the scale, and in the way we feel) of some indulgent meals can definitely be shocking. The good news is that renewed attention to the recommended pattern of behavior can reverse those effects. It feels pretty great to have MWL as your "normal," right? Making today an improvement over the past is what it is all about! I am feeling MUCH better, thank you for asking, and for your kind words.
chef16 - Holding steady, Doreen, and on the other side of Christmas relatively "undamaged!" If you can, take a little time to plan your best approach for getting through next week, so you can make things easier for yourself. Interesting observation that staying on track may feel easier in the new year, as so many other people start to focus on their health (at least for a while). Happy New Year to you, too!
Growing a Pear - Very nice loss! And great job with your "cumulative tightening" and confining indulgences to Christmas dinner. Recognizing that you can settle in to adherence without feeling deprived seems like an important realization. Oat "pudding" for the win! Reducing "decision points" and having a well-appointed fridge both seem like excellent supports for your adherence. I'm sure making meaningful progress with your exercise goals (and the recommendations overall, for that matter) feels very gratifying. Onward to 2021!
Gimmelean - It is fascinating how lousy a "big no" can make us feel, right? Fantastic job taking immediate action to stock adherent foods, be mindful of your motivation, and return to the recommended pattern of behavior!
Gimmelean wrote:Saying no felt so much better mentally and physically than not thinking at all and feeling guilty and lousy from eating the wrong things.
This really resonates for me; for some of us, saying NO consistently makes everything much easier. Your observations about seasonal, social, and pandemic related changes in our environment, routine and activity level making increased focus on behavior necessary seem astute to me.
lmggallagher - 7 thumbs up support the observation that you did OK over Christmas week, Michelle! Those well-meaning (or maybe not so well-meaning) acquaintances can certainly toss some hurdles in our path at this time of year; great work disposing of those tempting baked goods after a single bite. Between your neighbor, Instacart, and the See's candy, the universe was really conspiring against you (free Pomi tomatoes, though
). I applaud your exercise of restraint, Saint or not!
GreenFroG - All the rich foods that tend to abound during the Christmas holiday can definitely wear upon our "willpower." Making a point to recognize the specific triggers that took you off course seems wise; being mindful of those particular challenges can make things easier in the future. Cheers for staying accountable by posting today, and setting the intention to get back on track. Any direct steps you can take to ease your path back to adherence?
CUgorji22 - A 1.4 pound loss and six 7/7s makes for a pleasing week, indeed! Slow, steady progress can be very advantageous, Chesca. I tend to forgo restaurant food, but I would imagine finding somewhere with a take-out menu that requires simple, easy adjustments for adherence, rather than more involved changes to a given item would make that "battle" less fraught. Of course, finding somewhere that fits that bill, AND satisfies the rest of your family may be a tall order. I've had reasonably good luck with Asian restaurants in the past. Definitely moving in the right direction with that progress toward your exercise goal. Congratulations to you for making your birthday such a HUGE success! I think it is awesome that you planned an adherent meal that left you so satisfied, and made a point of keeping your focus on quality family time as a highlight for the day. Very well done! I would encourage you to continue with the group for January, since you feel it will be helpful. You can weigh-in and report on those weeks when you are able. That trips sounds like an excellent opportunity to do some planning, and get some ideas for how to make things work "on the road."