melissatwa's Journal, 24 Apr 20

Good for you! I find daily weighing motivating 

Thanks, Groatmeal! Until yesterday, I had not recorded here for close to three weeks. I'm really hoping for this "motivation" you speak of! 😁  

identify the trend just from my experience. I weigh sometimes twice a day out of my obsession with numbers and tracking and it's up and down a whole lot. but like watching stocks every day in the end it's the overall trends I need to focus on. just a thought. I gain roughly 2 to 3 pounds morning to evening.  

Yes, busjwanie! Knowing the trend is super important. It is just too easy to let go when not paying attention, which has been my experience! 😁  

Yep. Guilty of that too. Put on 10 pounds of fat. That's why I'm weighing everyday sometimes twice.  

💪🏻💪🏻 

Sorry for not being too supportive lately Melissa, haven't been on FS much other than to log. I think I've seen somewhere recently that establishing sustainable good habits and eliminating (or even reducing) bad habits are key to sustainable maintenance. If I might be so bold as to offer a suggestion, look at activities that you can do on a daily or weekly basis that are enjoyable, fun and beneficial and prioritize them over habits that aren't so beneficial. I know that the input side is more important calorie wise, but myself and many others have found that the output side is mentally and physically just as important to sustainable fat loss and maintenance. Hope you find your groove again and wishing you long term success!! 

Ty, Eva!! Steven, thank you so much for your words. They really are helpful, and I think exactly right. I think it is not being able to sustain my good habits right now that contributed to my stumbling. Frequent gym trips, hauling my teens around, working, 10 mile walks with my friend, hikes, entertaining... These things fill my world yet aren't possible right now. But just thinking of thst now makes me pause and not feel quite so bad. The trouble is those good habits have been pushed aside of late with sitting, baking goodies, worrying about family, eating because... There is a void of other things to do that interest me.  

I ran out of screen! 😁 Anyway, I'm going to really work at it! I went on a long walk "with" a friend the other day while chatting on the phone. That worked! 😁 I'm getting cleaning and gardening done! Today I feel so much stronger after a few days on track! Again, thanks so much, Steven! I'm going to keep looking for the "habits" I can focus on forming even during this strange time!  

Melissa, a piece of advice that is often given is to make a schedule for your day. I once read an astronaut who said that he even planned some parts of his day in 5 minute-chunks. Of course, we don't need to reach this extreme, but I find it useful to prepare an approximate schedule for the whole day. This way, when that "I don't know what" comes up that would lead me to raid the fridge, I can look at the schedule and decide what I'd better do. 

That is a good thought, Eva! Even if not a tight schedule, I can make a "do next" list. I already use "to do" lists, but giving a little more thought to when and how long sounds good! 😁  

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻You've got this!