Summer of Heroes - June 2017 Lifestyle/Weight loss Challenge

[JacksLilWench]

Happy 1st of June!

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Question of the day - Introduce yourself, tell us about your goals for this month, your long term goals, and your strategy

Monthly goal notes - Smart model
· Specific (simple, sensible, significant).
· Measurable
· Achievable
· Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced).
· Time bound

I like adding behavior goals, as sometimes the scale takes time to reflect the effort and if you are doing your best, it's all that you can do anyway!

Long term goals

Decide What You Really Want. Most people set up too aggressive monthly goals, and underestimate what can be achieved in longer period of time. I often in the past focused on short term goal without having a long term vision of how I want to live and who I want to be. Achieving specific weight by vacation, having no long term plan, forgetting balance on vacation, feeling terrible after. I think if you honestly ask what do I really want, the answer will be way more than I want be x weight. I want to be healthy, confident, energetic, I want to be able to do things I like doing, I want to wake up in good form, to enjoy my food but not have it center of my life, to enjoy the way I move. In 20 years still enjoying theme parks, beach walks and yoga. I want to be great example for my son and hopefully fit to enjoy grandchildren and be good example for them one day too.

Spend few minutes visualizing what your life will be and all the things you will do after practicing your healthy living for years. Define a compelling future, because whatever you focus on, you move towards.

Repeats don’t think about the color blue, don’t think about the color blue, don’t think about the color blue. All you can think of is the color blue! Having the compelling vision to refer to will make it easier to do the things when your motivation runs low

Tell us about your short term (monthly) goals.
Give yourself long term vision!
Focus on what you want!​

Have a super healthy and happy 1st of June all! Make it your month!

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Hello! I'm Kaiti, and I hope it's not too late to get in for the month! My monthly goal is to lose five lbs, and my long term goal (probably a year or more) is to lose 60 lbs! I cant wait to get started with this group- I've so enjoyed doing these in the past, and truly missed them <3

 

[JacksLilWench]

June 2 - Happy Friday!

"All or nothing rarely gets us all! It usually gets us nothing"

Question of the day: When, in your previous experience you felt that it was easy for you to stick to the diet/way of eating plan? What can you do to make it easy for yourself this month? When is it hard? Is it anything you can do to not be hard for you to stick to the plan this month?​

There are things that we can't control -for example, when I was 23 and had no kids to look after! That ship is sailed. But there are many things that can be done. There will be similar question on exercise, so this is only focused on food.​

I always feel more in control when I meal prep, and I need to get ack to that. There's a great website called sweetpeasandsaffron.com that has some great meal prep recipes and tips. It's hard most of the time, unless I plan. I'm a nursing student with a part time job as a CNA, a side gig with It Works, and a boyfriend, so I HAVE to plan! . My plan is to figure out what I want to make, and prep everything for the week for lunches. I'm usually home for dinner, and keep fish and rice on hand because it's so easy to make.

 

[4Mickeys]

I am in .... but have to dash to make breakfast and get to Hockey .... I will be back to catch up!

 

[HappyGrape]

This sounds like a cop out answer and I promise I am not blaming him, but before I was married was the best for me diet-wise.

It doesn't at all! Honestly even seeing how much a male can eat, or what kind of calorie expenditure they have without doing nothing can be annoying! So unfair!

 

[HappyGrape]

Day 3 Do the thing and you will have the power!

Don't try this at home!

Quote from The Art of Weight Maintenance
"What I’ve found is that it’s less about being motivated than it is about being conditioned with your habits — having the keystone habits in place that will keep you doing those things even when motivation is waning, which it will. One of the biggest misconceptions is that you have to feel motivated in order to do the behaviors necessary to keep you at your goal weight. I have found just the opposite to be true; if you do the behaviors, you then receive motivation. You feel better. Those behaviors bring on a determination to do more healthy, positive things"


Question of the day - have you made a specific daily commitments to your health? Minimums, base line that yous stick to even when life gets crazy? Motivation is so unreliable and often comes after we start doing what we have to do. If not, would you like to think about what are the minimums you are willing to set yourself as standards for yourself day after day, even if you don't really feel like it?

Have a healthy and happy Saturday all
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[HappyGrape]

The commitments I set up for myself last year were

basic minimum level

10 000 steps. My average last year was over 15000 per day, with very few days under 10 - usually days that I did not feel well. However, 15000 isn't always realistic - but I always find the time for my minimums (Unless I am unwell).

I track on mfp daily. Even if I estimate. Even on vacation. I find it keeps me aware and honest about it. Even when I go over.

I do at least two workouts in the gym. I intent to do body weight exercise while on holiday

At least 2 of my 3 main meals have 50% veggies or veggies and fruit.

This is only baseline and really won't keep me in great shape. It did however serve me well for about 10 months maintenance. I would think about how can I increase the standards I set up for myself today and update tomorrow.

ideal level

13000 to 17000 steps
5 weekly strength workouts
2 yoga classes
I have between 0 and 500 calorie deficit in the end of the day
I don't go over my calories, at all
I don't eat when I am not physically hungry
80% of my food is whole food
I don't eat after dinner (oh man, I wish I am better at that! it would be a breeze for me if this becomes a basic minimum).
I don't over eat

I didn't held up to my ideal standards this winter, but I did my basic minimum and happy that it kept me at a form I am content with. Somewhat

Off to the gym at 8 am today. I really feel good progress in the gym, regardless of the annoying scale and I think I may hit the shops and reward myself with new workout outfit after!

 

[4Mickeys]

Question of the day - Introduce yourself, tell us about your goals for this month, your long term goals, and your strategy

Hello everyone - I feel like this month started without me! I am Sam, 44, from Australia - so whilst you all celebrate the Summer of Heroes it will be Winter of Heroes for me - but I don't care I will take a Superhero fix any time of the year . In fact I think its a perfect time to hear from our Heroes again after they helped up kick the year off - like a 6 month checkin . Okay I am the biggest I have ever been, got this way from life long bad habits that caught up with my former skinny self I work full time and have 3 teenagers to run around after.

My goal for this month is to get back to healthier eating AKA stop eating way too much take-out junk food!

So my smart goal sounds something like this ..... Eat home prepared food for breakfast, lunch and dinner 85% of the time for the month of June (30 days - 90 meals).

My strategy for the month is to meal plan, shop for the meal plan in advance and pre-prep as many of the ingredients in advance as possible.

My long terms goals are to look and feel healthier, to feel energised and wake up looking forward to what there is to do ahead that day (rather than the current exhausted, drag my sorry unhealthy self around). I of course want to drop lots of weight in order to rediscover some self-esteem/confidence.

When, in your previous experience you felt that it was easy for you to stick to the diet/way of eating plan? What can you do to make it easy for yourself this month? When is it hard? Is it anything you can do to not be hard for you to stick to the plan this month?

It was easiest when I made the time to make meal plans. When I am tired, busy, overworked, emotional it all goes out the window!

So there have been lots of times where he sits next to me and eats an entire pizza while I'm crunching on a salad and some grapes or something. But he can't be on this journey with me in some ways because it would be unhealthy of him to lose weight. So I've been working on my self control and allowing myself just a bite of his pizza to satisfy my craving, then focusing on my goals.

Whilst it can be good to have others on the journey with us - it is still an individual journey that needs to be done for ourselves (because you are worth it). But on that note there is still skinny unhealthy and it may help for you to cook the same meals for you and DH (because really... who wants to be preparing lots of different meals) but up his protein and/or serving size to meet his portion needs in order to not lose weight.

I find it all hard-trying to change a lifetime of food habits...again. DH bringing home doughnuts, kids coming in with pizza, NOT eating the popcorn at the movies,BTW-wonder woman last night was great!, making sure I get my steps in...

I hear you!! Glad to hear you enjoyed Wonder Woman - good timing with our Summer of Heroes June theme this month

Question of the day - have you made a specific daily commitments to your health? Minimums, base line that yous stick to even when life gets crazy? Motivation is so unreliable and often comes after we start doing what we have to do. If not, would you like to think about what are the minimums you are willing to set yourself as standards for yourself day after day, even if you don't really feel like it?

I haven't - to be honest I have fallen off with any of the good minimums and self-expectations this year compared to last year. I really need to set some minimum activity standards - some days I am very sedentary.

Okay - I need to start thinking about dinner - Have a great weekend everyone

 

[Lady Marie]

Currently my bare minimum is going to orange theory 3 times a week. That's it. I can handle that. Bonus points for eating perfect or squeezing in a yoga class (I did this morning, yay!).

For the summer I want to have a minimum of going to the beach 2 times per month. Between my vitamin D deficiency and the overall peace and relaxation I get from it, I am seeing what a darn shame it is that I live a mile away and never go! Kinda a mental health minimum, but relevant to overall wellbeing. I think I will buy a beach parking pass which will make me want to "get my money's worth" out of it LOL! Another money motivator!

 

[HappyGrape]

Day 4!
No question of the day today. I leave you with my favorite weight management quote, and wish you a very a happy and healthy Sunday! It doesn't have to be one or the other - you can choose to do both
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[Zhoen]

Hello, Dearies!

This website lags *SO* badly for me most of the time, which is so frustrating. But last night, it was honestly a good thing, because I was in a rotten place emotionally. Ya know those psycho, freaked-out, losing-their-minds parents you see at Magic Kingdom around 4 in the afternoon? They’ve spent months of planning and income hoping to give their kids a great memory, and they are overwhelmed and overstressed and it’s not working out and the kids are whining and everybody is a mess?

Yeah, that was me yesterday, minus the “Magic Kingdom” part. But it *WAS* trip-related (somebody got into the clearly labelled “treats for the trip” box and gorged on cookies that are special and rather hard to find around here.) So it’s a good thing the site was being bad so I didn’t vent all over the place. Instead I went for my walk.

But now I’m days and days behind on the questions, but hopefully in a better mental state to answer without sounding like a flaming ball of “screw this.”

So…

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Tell us about your short term (monthly) goals.
Give yourself long term vision!
Focus on what you want!​

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I already mentioned wanting to get to a 40lb loss before we leave for vacation at the end of the month… so that’s the shortest of short-term goals. I’d like to reach “normal” BMI by the end of this year, which is lofty, but possible, and a longer-short-term goal. Of course after that there will be the challenge of figuring out, as Happy Grape said above the “best weight” that I am happiest at, which is Long-ish term, and for the rest of my life, I suppose. LONG-long term, I’d like to be strong and healthy for my NEXT big trip, going to Australia in 8 years. That’s for my 50th birthday, and something I’ve been wanting forever and ever… so I’ll need to be healthy enough to travel, strong enough to explore, and well enough in the meantime to work and save money to pay for it all.

Question of the day: When, in your previous experience you felt that it was easy for you to stick to the diet/way of eating plan? What can you do to make it easy for yourself this month? When is it hard? Is it anything you can do to not be hard for you to stick to the plan this month? ​

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Ya know how people say “don’t sweat the small stuff?” I disagree. I find that focusing on the small stuff works best for me. It’s like if you’re coloring a mandala and you focus on this box, then the next… pretty soon the whole picture is done and you’re like “how did that happen???” (literally, it’s a form of hyperfocus/meditation.) Like all the 12-step groups say, “One Day at a Time.”

I tend to have the best results when I just focus on getting my macros for the day, staying in my range for the day, getting in my time and calories of exercise for the week (ok, I suck at that one…) and when I do all that, the scale tends to take care of itself. And I’m always surprised!

What makes it hard (and this is this month straight through to September) is the family being around. I have *NO* problem eating a whole can of (no salt added) spinach if that’s what I need to get my calcium, fiber, and potassium and still make my calorie range. (Seriously, Popeye called and told me I need to join a support group.) Needless to say, the kids aren’t on board with “canned spinach for dinner.” I do well with planning, they are walking, talking chaos. Seriously, you now that “Mayhem” guy on the insurance commercials? I don’t remember sleeping with him, but these kids are definitely his offspring!

So, this month, July, and August will be the most challenging of the year. I have 2 more days of freedom, then Wednesday and Thursday they have half-days… then it begins. Offspring underfoot 24/7… DD13 is on a new medication that is infamous for causing weight gain, and it’s happening to her, so focusing on helping her with HER moderation may help ME focus on MINE. Or not, time will tell. And I don’t plan on tracking, resisting, or doing anything at all “good” from June 23-July 8th. Not happening. My only exercise will be walking around the parks and “4 ounce curls” (which means picking up a cocktail and putting it in my face!)

Question of the day - have you made specific daily commitments to your health? Minimums, base line that you stick to even when life gets crazy? Motivation is so unreliable and often comes after we start doing what we have to do. If not, would you like to think about what are the minimums you are willing to set yourself as standards for yourself day after day, even if you don't really feel like it? ​

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I’d love to say “yes, I have great habits…” but that is only true for the past 5 months. Once I reach my goal, maintenance is going to be a big challenge for me… but I *AM* enjoying the gif of Chris Evans and his lovely muscles… I could just sit here and watch that allllllll day. (Probably NOT the healthiest of habits to start.)

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[HappyGrape]

H Once I reach my goal, maintenance is going to be a big challenge for me… but I *AM* enjoying the gif of Chris Evans and his lovely muscles… I could just sit here and watch that allllllll day. (Probably NOT the healthiest of habits to start.)

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He does, right?

 

[HappyGrape]

5th of June
Today I suggest a topic Change. Have you ever made a permanent, and if not temporary change? Moving somewhere, leaving a bad habit as smoking, leaving a bad relationship, career change? What made you do it? What made you attempt the change? Did you get it right from the first time? How did you feel about the thing you left behind?

Is there anything from past experience in achieving permanent change that you can take and apply to weight loss and fitness goals? What in your current habits, or pasterns that keep you away from where you want to be you want to leave behind.
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Fun Question - if you had one day only to visit one Disney Park only in any country or state - which one would you choose?
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[HappyGrape]

guys, I hope you are ok with the lack of marvel stories - I am trying to come up with thought provoking questions and I feel it is better to focus on good topics, as I have no big chance of getting good theme stories even if I try!

I will come back tonight to answer my own question

 

[piglet1979]

Question of the day - have you made a specific daily commitments to your health? Minimums, base line that yous stick to even when life gets crazy? Motivation is so unreliable and often comes after we start doing what we have to do. If not, would you like to think about what are the minimums you are willing to set yourself as standards for yourself day after day, even if you don't really feel like it?

I try to get 10,000 steps a day and this month I also want to track my food in MFP. Well so far I don't think I have done either. We got lazy last week with the kids gone and took the time to just relax. I am back it though this morning. We also prepped stuff to make a salad and cut up the watermelon. So I am hopping for a good week.

Today I suggest a topic Change. Have you ever made a permanent, and if not temporary change? Moving somewhere, leaving a bad habit as smoking, leaving a bad relationship, career change? What made you do it? What made you attempt the change? Did you get it right from the first time? How did you feel about the thing you left behind?

Is there anything from past experience in achieving permanent change that you can take and apply to weight loss and fitness goals? What in your current habits, or pasterns that keep you away from where you want to be you want to leave behind.
​

I did make a career change 9 years ago. I worked at a daycare as the assistant director. It was a horrible place to work. I loved the kids and would love to still work in the infant room and hold the babies all day but the owner was a nut job and made the job very stressful. She would never pay employees well enough to keep them or to run the center right. Also, everything was about money. We were never allowed to buy anything for the center and heaven forbid we order office supplies. I wasn't looking to get a new job (I hate change) but this one feel in my lap. My neighbors best friend had an opening where she worked, so I applied and got the job. She was my boss but only for a few months thankfully because she was not a great boss. 6 months after I started i got A new boss and he is awesome. We have worked together for almost 9 years now. I love what I do and I am very happy to here.

Other then that we moved every 5-7 years growing up. The house I live in now is the longest i have ever lived in a house. I am inching to move too. My husband really has never moved so we disagree on needing to move. Really I just want a house where I can park my car in a garage and have my own bathroom in my room so I can lock both doors and go to the bathroom in peace.

Fun Question - if you had one day only to visit one Disney Park only in any country or state - which one would you choose?

I would say Disneyland. I will get their before I die. I finally got my husband on board. We have talked about doing a Cali trip after the kids graduate (in 7 years). We will start at the top or bottom and work our way to the other side. This would include Disney.

 

[piglet1979]

This week is going to be tough. My daughter came home from my in-laws not putting any weight on her ankle. This is at least over shadowing how she is feeling with not taking allergy meds. So today we will get into the ortho (it is an old injury) and Thursday is the allergist. We also have 2 baseball games as well. I need to stay focused this week and eat what we have at home and get to the rec when I can.

 

[4Mickeys]

I’d like to be strong and healthy for my NEXT big trip, going to Australia in 8 years. That’s for my 50th birthday, and something I’ve been wanting forever and ever

Yippee - I hope you get here! We are hoping to come back to DL and see some more of the US in the next few years but I said to the kids the other day if we didn't get there before they could take me for my 50th! which is in 6 years. If we are still chatting away on here - we can do a Dis meetup DownUnder

guys, I hope you are ok with the lack of marvel stories - I am trying to come up with thought provoking questions and I feel it is better to focus on good topics, as I have no big chance of getting good theme stories even if I try!

Your QOTD's have been fantastic - I think you are closer with your theming than you think - Wonder Woman made a big change leaving her home and family.

Is there anything from past experience in achieving permanent change that you can take and apply to weight loss and fitness goals? What in your current habits, or pasterns that keep you away from where you want to be you want to leave behind.

I know that once I make my mind up and dig my heels in I can achieve so many things. I just can't seem to do that with shifting this weight though - at times I just think its laziness (takeout food, treats and lack of activity) and others I think it is partially related to my mental health and self-esteem

Fun Question - if you had one day only to visit one Disney Park only in any country or state - which one would you choose?

DISNEYLAND - always DL for me - I think it is just that is the one I grew up dreaming of going to.

DD and I are watching a replay of the Manchester One Love concert on TV to my friends around the world - just felt like we should spread the love.

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

Have you ever made a permanent, and if not temporary change? Moving somewhere, leaving a bad habit as smoking, leaving a bad relationship, career change? What made you do it? What made you attempt the change? Did you get it right from the first time? How did you feel about the thing you left behind?

I have made lots of changes in life. The ones that made the most impact on my life were when we moved from Maryland to Las Vegas. I was in my early 20s and we wanted to try something new and a company offered DH a lot more money than he was making. It was so much more stressful than I had imagined. I also found out I was pregnant the day we got there so that didn't help. We only stayed there for a year but I am glad we did it, I learned a lot and I think we found our independence out there. I was also a smoker then and quit as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I had tried many times to quit before, honestly they were half hearted attempts, but I never went back after having kids.

Is there anything from past experience in achieving permanent change that you can take and apply to weight loss and fitness goals? What in your current habits, or pasterns that keep you away from where you want to be you want to leave behind.
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Yes I just need to do it and not let my feelings get in the way. I give myself a pass for feeling depressed or angry and that needs to stop. I have done it before and I can do it again.

Fun Question - if you had one day only to visit one Disney Park only in any country or state - which one would you choose?

I would pick California Adventure, my favorite Disney park!!

guys, I hope you are ok with the lack of marvel stories - I am trying to come up with thought provoking questions and I feel it is better to focus on good topics, as I have no big chance of getting good theme stories even if I try!

I love your questions, very thought provoking

 

[HappyGrape]

I was also a smoker then and quit as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I had tried many times to quit before, honestly they were half hearted attempts, but I never went back after having kids.

I was thinking about smoking myself. I was smoker for over 5 years, and I used to smoke a lot! I made few attempts and there was definitely a boiling point when I was annoyed at myself and I said enough is enough, I am done with this! I sow smoking as dirty habit and my failure to get rid of it as sign of weakness. I felt weak doesn't sit well with who I am and it can't continue.

But more interestingly after I stopped smoking, nearly 12 months later I relapsed. I smoked after a funeral. I was really sad, and I thought smoking will help. It didn't. I think this was the day I actually found out I am no longer a smoker. I found that benefits that I assigned to smoking were not really there. This was 2003 December

Relapse number 2. 2011 I got a new job, more money, cooler people I thought. We were working long hours, and going out a lot drinking. I am no drinker but even 2 drinks 3 times weekly is too much. I was trying to fit in, everybody were out smoking and that's where the good chats happen. I don't know how long did I manage to deal with it. I was ill all winter, I was smoking only on nights out. At the end I felt so unhappy I left the job, I completely stopped drinking and the smoking that went with it. I would say this relapse was about 6 months, few cigarettes on each night out.

I left the job and I felt back to myself so soon after.

I guess what was interesting is that some things we need to deal with more than once. I never got as bad smoker as I was pre 2003. I hate the smell of smoking now and it never crosses my mind. I hate it 2011 too, but I was just fullish. Sometimes smart people do silly things for no good reason.

Perhaps it's little unrealistic to think I can figure out way of eating and it will work forever and it will always be busy and I won't have some challenges.

The second thing for me was I need to reach a point where a behavior is just inconsistent with who I view myself as. 2015 when I looked at my pre vacartion, post holiday vacations weight loss, weight regain + few kg, weight loss and weight regain for the last few years I felt I have had it. Even if I don't loose another pound, weight regain was so upsetting and on and off diet were so not what I want to do year after year - I had to commit to moderation, including on vacations.

I can honestly say my 4 day Spanish trip was little relapse. I was really stressing out over my DH scan results, and... I didn't honor my commitments to myself. I found it hard to deal with the fact after

But as per smoking, one small exception doesn't really undo all good work I have done before or predict how it will be in future.

 

[HappyGrape]

Your QOTD's have been fantastic - I think you are closer with your theming than you think - Wonder Woman made a big change leaving her home and family.

Yes, that's exactly why I chose her!!!


lol... not true but I couldn't resist. I need to see the movie soon

 

[HappyGrape]

This week is going to be tough. My daughter came home from my in-laws not putting any weight on her ankle. This is at least over shadowing how she is feeling with not taking allergy meds. So today we will get into the ortho (it is an old injury) and Thursday is the allergist. We also have 2 baseball games as well. I need to stay focused this week and eat what we have at home and get to the rec when I can.

It will be tough for me too. DH is away in London, and that itself is stressing me out! I have to manage on my own 3 days, dropping DS in school, picking him up, commuting to work, figuring out how to get to my son's school play, bringing him to football on Wednesday evening. Work is busy as there is big change happening this Saturday, which i may have to manage! The only chance to get to the gym is tomorrow morning and I really need a rest day so I am not sure what to do. I will be able to go Friday alternatively. I also need to help with homework, cook few meals for the week but am so tired running around without downtime for days - I find it hard to get up and going.