January/February Weight Management Challenge

[emily_in_nc]

104.0

Very happy with that as I have a sore ball-of-foot and have been unable to do stair climbing or any walks other than short ones. I think the stair-climbing (tile on concrete) brought it on, so I won't be doing that again. And I'm wearing shoes inside our tiled condo all the time now, as it hurts to walk barefoot. Even yoga hurt on Wed. At least riding doesn't bother it, since on my beach cruiser bike I am more behind the ball of my foot on the pedals. Hoping I don't start gaining again due to less activity!

[goldfinch]

110.2. Happy with continuing back in the right direction.

[yellow]

117.4, and that is even with a trip to Vegas and minimal exercise.

[murielalex]

Bah. 156.6. I'd been dropping steadily for the past couple months. The past week and a half, I've been struggling with any loss, and even had a couple pound gain. I'm weight training three to four days a week, and have started to do some slow riding back on my bike, but my ankle injury has really been affecting me (stood on it for too many hours at a blues festival a couple weeks ago), so I'm wearing a boot most days and need to avoid putting weight on it. I really should use my Concept 2 rowing machine that's just sitting in a corner of my house to get some cardio in, but I'm being really resistant for some unknown reason.

I don't know if this is true, but I have a fuzzy memory of reading somewhere that if you were at a certain weight for a long period of time, it's like a set point, and you tend to plateau at that weight while trying to lose. If that's true, my current stuck point would make more sense to me as I was between 154-158 for years in my early 40s.

[shootingstar]

I seldom answer here, simply because I know lots of people here are trying much harder (than I) to lose/maintain their weight. As for my weight I am not totally sure: 96-98 lbs. My scale has not been totally accurate. But I have been surprised I haven't gained more weight up to now. Now, I've had a cold for past 2 wks., it's been snowing off and on with melting in between for past 2 months. So not sure what's going on with me.

[Crankin]

I got my Well Fed cookbook today. I love most of the recipes I've seen.
I probably won't be into cooking for 2 hours every Sunday; to me, that would seem like work and would cut into my play time! I don't mind cooking when I come home, actually. It's relaxing for me. DH will often start veggies roasting or cook during the week, so except for a few things, I doubt I'll be making large batches. I always plan my meals and buy accordingly for the week, anyway. I also don't like eating the same thing a few days in a row, as in left overs. Maybe one lunch after a meal, but that's it.
I like the fact there's different ethnic dishes in this cookbook.

[Catrin]

I got my Well Fed cookbook today. I love most of the recipes I've seen.
I probably won't be into cooking for 2 hours every Sunday; to me, that would seem like work and would cut into my play time! I don't mind cooking when I come home, actually. It's relaxing for me. DH will often start veggies roasting or cook during the week, so except for a few things, I doubt I'll be making large batches. I always plan my meals and buy accordingly for the week, anyway. I also don't like eating the same thing a few days in a row, as in left overs. Maybe one lunch after a meal, but that's it.
I like the fact there's different ethnic dishes in this cookbook.

The recipes are awesome I do a lot of pre-cooking on the weekend, but only because I get home from work <3 hours before bed. The "hot plate" approach allows me to really mix things up, and I like that. I steam-saute a wide variety of veggies and protein in advance so I don't have to eat the same thing each day.

[goldfinch]

Bah. 156.6. I'd been dropping steadily for the past couple months. The past week and a half, I've been struggling with any loss, and even had a couple pound gain. I'm weight training three to four days a week, and have started to do some slow riding back on my bike, but my ankle injury has really been affecting me (stood on it for too many hours at a blues festival a couple weeks ago), so I'm wearing a boot most days and need to avoid putting weight on it. I really should use my Concept 2 rowing machine that's just sitting in a corner of my house to get some cardio in, but I'm being really resistant for some unknown reason.

I don't know if this is true, but I have a fuzzy memory of reading somewhere that if you were at a certain weight for a long period of time, it's like a set point, and you tend to plateau at that weight while trying to lose. If that's true, my current stuck point would make more sense to me as I was between 154-158 for years in my early 40s.

It isn't so much a set point but it is very tough to lose weight and to keep it off for a number of reasons. Hormones that regulate appetite end up out of whack, at least for a period of time. Genes are a significant both in weight gain and weight distribution. Conditioning is a factor. Etc.

[Crankin]

Catrin, I get home pretty late, too (6-7 3 days a week and 7:30 one day), but somehow, I've adjusted. I am home later in the AM now, so sometimes I get some part of dinner ready then. On the days I don't go to the office, and just see a couple of clients, I have more freedom to make things that require more work. We started eating later when I quit teaching; it's been 5 years, and if anything, I'm thinner now. However, I think I eat less at dinner now.

[Catrin]

Catrin, I get home pretty late, too (6-7 3 days a week and 7:30 one day), but somehow, I've adjusted. I am home later in the AM now, so sometimes I get some part of dinner ready then. On the days I don't go to the office, and just see a couple of clients, I have more freedom to make things that require more work. We started eating later when I quit teaching; it's been 5 years, and if anything, I'm thinner now. However, I think I eat less at dinner now.

It sounds like it works well for you I leave home at 4:50 am and get home at 6-ish pm (sometimes much later), so I don't have much time at either end of the day for cooking. For years I just ate the same thing which wasn't much fun, THIS way I get the calories and nutrition I need, and a nice range of variety. I've also found I enjoy my cooking time during the weekend, there is something relaxing about it.

[Crankin]

Glad someone else thinks cooking is relaxing. I always have.
Funny, once my friend we ride with came over for dinner during the week, when her DH was away. She was incredulous when she saw what we were making and asked if we always ate stuff like this! They mostly eat sandwiches/salads during the week and she saves her cooking for one-two days during the weekend. I've always seen good meals/cooking as something important, probably because my mom did. It didn't matter to me that I was working; it still seemed important. I remember once my grandmother expressing shock that I didn't just feed my kids hot dogs because DH was often away on business during the week when they were little .Like that would make a difference! Both of my boys and my brother are also great cooks, so I think it really does depend on your family's view of food, unless, like you did, you decide to change it.

[shootingstar]

I do find cooking mindlessly creative and relaxing. I always have. But then I'm either cooking for myself or for both dearie and I. I even sometimes like the hunt at the grocery store, since sometimes I shop at ethnic supermarkets/stores ...Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Middle Eastern. I don't consider grocery shopping totally boring..it's like seeing things differently ...to me.

I do now try to eat before 7:00 pm or earlier. It helps that I live close to work..a 20 min. bike ride away. That helps with managing my weight..by not eating supper too late.

[Owlie]

Glad someone else thinks cooking is relaxing. I always have.
Funny, once my friend we ride with came over for dinner during the week, when her DH was away. She was incredulous when she saw what we were making and asked if we always ate stuff like this! They mostly eat sandwiches/salads during the week and she saves her cooking for one-two days during the weekend. I've always seen good meals/cooking as something important, probably because my mom did. It didn't matter to me that I was working; it still seemed important. I remember once my grandmother expressing shock that I didn't just feed my kids hot dogs because DH was often away on business during the week when they were little .Like that would make a difference! Both of my boys and my brother are also great cooks, so I think it really does depend on your family's view of food, unless, like you did, you decide to change it.

It's funny. Growing up, my parents tried to have a hot dinner on the table every night. They'd cook two big batches of whatever over the weekend and then reheat it, and make the veggies and starch while it was reheating. When it came to actual cooking, though, my mom views it as a chore, though I think this has changed somewhat since I left home. My dad looks at it almost as a hobby. He likes playing with spices (he who wouldn't eat garlic or onion until he met my mom!). I...do a bit of both. I like playing with food, so I'll make up a big batch of chicken breasts with different seasonings, spaghetti sauce, soup, stew or whatever over a weekend. If it's winter and I'm not doing much at work/school, I cook quick stuff (eggs with spicy tomato sauce, stir fry, pizza...) but I have fun with it. (Of course, there are days I'm too tired to eat anything other than cereal, but...)

It's actually the same in my boyfriend's family. His dad LOVES cooking. If it stays still long enough, he tries to grill it. He loves experimenting with veggies. His mom, on the other hand...she says she likes cooking (and she's not a bad cook!), but she doesn't have the energy. Doesn't help that she's an incredibly picky eater. BF takes after her.

[Chile Pepper]

122, so up one this week. I'm actually quite pleased it wasn't more. I was traveling last week, so the diet was sidelined.

I love to cook, and I do a lot of it. My boys are 14 and 11, so I bake a lot for them, and my DH and I love good food, so dinners are generally fairly elaborate. I tend to eat more on the weekends, but I also have my longest bike ride on Sundays. I also compensate for the heavier dinners by eating mostly fruit and yogurt for breakfast, salad for lunch, and veggie juices in the afternoon. If I need something more, I try to eat lean proteins.

[Chile Pepper]

I leave home at 4:50 am and get home at 6-ish pm (sometimes much later), so I don't have much time at either end of the day for cooking.

Wow! That is a long day! What kind of work do you do? Do you have some breaks during the day?