Ruff's Recommitment journal

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Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby Ruff » Tue Apr 27, 2021 2:40 am

I have slipped over the last year. I am still vegan, but the sweets and treats are creeping back in (again....this is not the first recommitment I have had to make) I lost 100 pounds or so about 8 years ago and reached around 145 at my lowest, and drifted back up to a steady 150. I blipped a few times but got back to 150ish before getting into too much trouble. And here I am again! 163 pounds.

I just saw a photograph of myself and I am shocked. I seriously do not want to look like that. Admittedly I am on top of a mountain, during a mountain race, but it is not the exhaustion in my face that worries me, its the rolls of fat showing through my running gear.

I know how to do this, I am an old hand at this, and I know it works. So, where do I go wrong? Shall I count the ways?
1. nuts and dried fruit. Fine in a race BUT ONLY in a race, (or training over 2 hours duration) not whenever I 'fancy a little something'.
2. Home baking, always vegan, but not always oil free.
3. added salt. Yes, I know a little is fine, but I add salt and add salt and add more salt....
4. Bread. I make my own wholegrain sourdough breads, and very nice they are too. particularly with my homemade jam....quite happy to eat fresh bread at any time of day, hungry or not.
5. Chocolate...nuff said.

So no surprises that the weight has been climbing despite training for mountain races. I did the Mt Oxford a week again and have not run since. I have just entered Mt Somers race in October (spring/early summer here) so I have all winter to train and lose weight. I would like to get down to my 'racing weight' of 145 pounds at 5'7" (BMI of 23) I would love to go lower but I am trying to be realistic here. Goal, 154 pounds by 13th October. (race 30th October, 59th birthday, 13th October)

Calorie density is the key to the kingdom. It worked before and it can work again.

so here I go, back on the wagon. I shall try and call in here daily because having to report ones transgressions in public seriously helps. I have no idea why as I dont know you people in person, but it does.
Katie

My testimonial. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38433
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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby tinathescreamer » Tue Apr 27, 2021 3:51 am

I would love to weigh 163 lbs, haven't been there in 30 years. I'm like you, I know what to do. I lose some then the treats start creeping back in. Good luck in your journey. tina
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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby Ruff » Tue Apr 27, 2021 11:42 am

tinathescreamer wrote:I would love to weigh 163 lbs, haven't been there in 30 years.. tina


Hi Tina, thanks for dropping by. When I started my weight loss journey 10 years ago I weighed around 110kg (242 pounds). I lost it over 2 years, getting down to 145 at my lowest, and settling around 150. I remember getting under 75kg (165 pounds) for the first time and it was a huge milestone. I just dont want to go back there again. Its a case of stopping the rot before I put it ALL back on again. Plant based whole foods works, and it works even for the post menopausal which is saying something. Slower of course, but it works.


Edited to add...Tina! I'm in Christchurch! I didn't realise you were another Kiwi!
Katie

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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby Ruff » Tue Apr 27, 2021 11:23 pm

Day 1, fine so far, its almost supper time which is potato and lentil soup, which I will have over spinach.

Breakfast, Porridge with fruit.
Lunch. salad with new potatoes.
snack, cold oats with home stewed fruit (apples and peaches from the garden, stewed with just a splash of water, no sugars) and homemade cashew milk.
Supper (not eaten yet) potato and lentil soup over spinach.

Not hungry, and I have not even been tempted by the muffins (vegan, with sugar and coconut cream) I have made for my husband and adult daughter. Its surprising how quickly one can fall off the wagon...but also how quickly one can get back on again.
Katie

My testimonial. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38433
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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby Ruff » Thu Apr 29, 2021 2:54 am

quick check in, only got 5 minutes, just want to record my food.

Breakfast: Porridge with fruit
Lunch: Big salad made with rice and beans and lots of salad veg, with a humus style dressing. (home made)
Snack: Raw oats and stewed fruit.

No supper because I went to aikido and now its 9pm and its too late for me to eat.

Exercise. AM, 4km run on the beach
PM. 2 hour aikido class.
Katie

My testimonial. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38433
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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby ~Skye~ » Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:34 am

Hi Ruff! Nice to meet you! Thank you for your comment on my journal - I have decided to start a new topic for a new beginning. The thought of sharing the next phase of my journey with you has helped me frame the "task" ahead more as a quest, than some odious project foisted on me by forces I cannot control. So thank you for reaching out! Congrats on avoiding whatever baked thing you avoided. (I can't even give it the power of naming it! lol)

~Skye~
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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby Ruff » Thu Apr 29, 2021 2:16 pm

Reframing the journey as a quest! I like that, Skye.

I have been wondering who I am. I have seen myself in relation to someone else (daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend....) for so long it is interesting to think who I actually am in relation to myself. And I think this might be the quest I am on.

I am 58 years of age. I will be 59 in October. The aim of the quest is to discover my true self by my 60th birthday.

I have some starting points. I know I love the mountains, and I am a trail runner. I am also a physically challenged athlete, as I have drop foot in my left foot. This is from a spinal injury following an accident, and is unlikely to improve. I am therefore a slow runner, and I run in a leg brace. I know how lucky I am not to be in a wheel chair.

Weight comes into this journey. I am a lean strong runner. Unfortunately I seem to have buried that part of me in a comfy coat of fat. Lets get things straight here, I am not obese. I am not even technically overweight, with a BMI of 24.5, but I am certainly not lean. I had a huge weight loss with McDougall between 2012 and 2014 when I lost around 100 pounds. I had a starting weight of around 240-245 pounds (I didn't know exactly, I estimated from my last known weight.) I went down to around 145 pounds. I maintained for about 5 years and then slowly drifted back up with a few downs as well. My high point, post weight loss was 176 pounds. Today I am 161.2. I dont have a goal. My goal is to find my strong, lean runner.

So this is a quest, an adventure, stepping out again, along known paths at first, and then hopefully carrying on into new trails. I have companions, my husband, my adult kids, my friends in real life and my fellow travellers in cyberspace. I have champions in my team, Dr McD and Mary, Jeff Novick, Doug Lisle, Drs Cambell and Esseltyne, Jane and Ann Esseltyne and their wonderful recipes. I have tools, my cookbooks, my running shoes and my amazing running leg brace, and my computer linking me to fellow travellers.

I have travelled this way before, the difference this time is I would like to go further. I want to move into new territory, and then put down roots and live there. I hope to have many companions in my new territory, some are there already, and some will be travelling with me, or following the footsteps we leave behind us.

I can do this, we can do this. The longest journey begins with a single step. Lets go!
Katie

My testimonial. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38433
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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby Ruff » Sat May 01, 2021 3:13 am

I have joined the MWL group, and have just posted a starting weight. I have to weigh on Saturday as we are almost a day ahead here.

Today I did 2 hours of aikido.

food. breakfast, porridge and fruit.
Lunch big salad
snack raw oats and stewed fruit
supper. pumpkin curry and rice.

Gosh I love my oats!
Katie

My testimonial. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38433
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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby ~Skye~ » Sat May 01, 2021 6:19 pm

Who am I? It is a fundamental question that gets asked so, so, so much. But I think as you hint here that there is rarely any guidance on what is a useful way of thinking about it. We know what to look for when thinking about food, or poetry, or scientific reports, but how should we consider the question of who we are? Congrats to you for thinking of who you are in relation to you! Just don't forget, (and based on your comments about companions I don't think you are) that ultimately we are all connected.

I wish you good travels on your quest!

~Skye~
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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby Ruff » Sun May 02, 2021 11:37 am

You are right Skye, we are all connected and it is vital to take our journey with companions. I am a deep introvert, but even so I need companions. But I also need time totally alone, and need to plan for that. I have been married for almost 32 years to another introvert, and we have 3 introverted adult children.Running helps with this, it is often a solitary sport.

Anyway, onwards. yesterday was the same food as usual. I seem to have settled into a sort of 4 meal day, with a mid afternoon snack as a mini meal 4. It is different on aikido nights because I dont have supper, but then I have a larger lunch instead, plus a snack before I go. I need to think about volume. As a post menopausal woman I dont have the luxury to indulge in volume eating.
Katie

My testimonial. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38433
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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby squealcat » Sun May 02, 2021 3:59 pm

I read your testimonial Katie. Thankyou for that !

I have fallen into a rut the last couple of weeks and need to correct myself before it is too late. I belong to the MWL group and look forward to seeing you there!

I am about 10 years older than you and love to walk. Usually my daily walks are about 3 miles and I just walk alone on my street. Occasionally some wildlife appears (deer, turkeys, rabbits etc ) and I enjoy watching for them. No earthquakes here is Michigan (USA) except for maybe two in my lifetime that were not even noticed by me but were a big story in our local news .

Anyway, just wanted to say hello and I look forward to meeting up with you on the MWL board and here in your journal. I, too, plan to post daily or almost daily as time permits.

Have a good week !

-squealcat
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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby Ruff » Mon May 03, 2021 2:57 am

Hi squealcat, thank you for dropping in. I have seen you on the MWL group. Lets recommit together. We know this works, we just have to work the programme.

today was a good day, an aikido day so no super.

Breakfast.Hot Porridge and fruit.
Lunch. Soup (didn't need to start with soup...soup is the meal)
snack/before aikido. cold oats and fruit.

exercise, 2 hours aikido.

Tried earl grey tea with no milk today (I normally have cashew milk) This was NOT a success......
Maybe I just need to get used to it, I'll try again tomorrow.
Katie

My testimonial. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38433
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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby Ejeff » Mon May 03, 2021 7:00 am

If you keep drinking the tea without the cream you should get used to it.

My experience...I was a coffee with cream drinker. Switched to decaf coffee as caffeine really affects my sleep. After a while didn’t enjoy coffee just black so much, I realized I liked the smell of coffee more than the taste.

Now I start my day drinking a couple mugs of either very weak green tea, herbal tea or ginger water. I have found it was mostly the habit of enjoying a warm drink that I needed. Perhaps you will find the same, although I would say you need to have your drink without cream for at least a couple weeks to get used to it.

Erin
"The more disciplined your environment is, the less disciplined you need to be. Don't swim upstream."
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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby squealcat » Mon May 03, 2021 1:43 pm

Just wondering what aikido is ???? I am curious. :nod:

-squealcat
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Re: Ruff's Recommitment journal

Postby bunsofaluminum » Tue May 04, 2021 8:20 am

Woo hoo! You're getting back in gear! It will come off, and even menopause can't stop it, using MWL. I'm proof of that. And yes, chocolate, as much as we love it, is doing us no favors.

I'm proud of you :) your re-gain stopped pretty quick, and you're taking strides to reverse it. Well done, Katie!
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