2023 Healthy Lifestyle Discussion.

[busymom]

Ok, back to within 1 pound of my pre-Christmas weight.  I'm continuing to exercise an hour each day.  I'll do what I gotta do...

[flamingo]

It’s been awhile since I’ve checked in here. Oops.

My travel schedule for work has been crazy, but the last time I weighed in I was down a couple pounds. Not bc I’m getting in lots of exercise, though I’m still hitting at least 10k steps a day. Not bc my diet has been great, though I do try to eat somewhat decently. I think it’s bc I’m just eating less over all. A lot days I’m working thru lunch, so then have a later afternoon meal which counts for both lunch and dinner. 

Only 2 more work trips this month, then I’m mostly home until August. Right now, I’m looking forward to that, haha. 

[busymom]

I FINALLY hit my pre-Christmas weight this morning.  The weird part is, I've been exercising an hour a day all week, until yesterday when I had too many projects at home to exercise (unless I got a good workout from going up & down the stairs as I worked on my list).  Only took close to 3 months, but hey, I'll take it.  

[ners]

Weekly check in

Hit step goal.
Water intake a little less than last week.  Needs improvement.
Eating after 9:00.  Needs improvement. 
In bed by 10:30 on work nights I think only happened once this past week.

This week's goals
50,000 steps.
Increase water intake.
No eating after 9:00 PM
In bed by 10:30 on work nights.


01/01/19 177.2
01/01/20 165.2
01/01/21 169.0
01/01/22 167.2
01/01/23 172.2
02/01/23 173.6
03/01/23 173.8
03/06/23 175.2
03/13/23 175.0

[Lizard Queen]

I forgot my update Monday. My weight was the same, last week was insanely busy so didn't exercise as many days. As of yesterday, my schedule is looking much better, and I ran 8k last night. My weight was down this morning, but I then went to the office, and someone was retiring, and there was cake involved. I should have skipped my 2nd office day this week for more reasons than that, but it's over and done now. Have a great rest of your week, all!

[Iggy aka IG]

Mar 15, 2023 17:28:29 GMT -5 Lizard Queen said:

I forgot my update Monday. My weight was the same, last week was insanely busy so didn't exercise as many days. As of yesterday, my schedule is looking much better, and I ran 8k last night. My weight was down this morning, but I then went to the office, and someone was retiring, and there was cake involved. I should have skipped my 2nd office day this week for more reasons than that, but it's over and done now. Have a great rest of your week, all!

[ners]

Weekly check in

Hit step goal.  Water intake needs improvement. Food choices needs improvement.  
 
Goals for week

1. 50,000 steps
2. Increase water intake (last week's average was 34.9)
3. No eating after 9:00 PM
4. In bed by 10:30 

01/01/19 177.2
01/01/20 165.2
01/01/21 169.0
01/01/22 167.2
01/01/23 172.2
02/01/23 173.6
03/01/23 173.8
03/06/23 175.2
03/13/23 175.0
03/20/23 177.4

[busymom]

Well, my scale has been all over the map in the last week.  Doesn't help that we ate dinner about an hour late last night.  I can easily add 2 pounds the next morning when we eat late.  So, hoping for better weather this week so I can get outside & move.  

[Lizard Queen]

Mar 16, 2023 18:09:25 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Mar 15, 2023 17:28:29 GMT -5 Lizard Queen said:

I forgot my update Monday. My weight was the same, last week was insanely busy so didn't exercise as many days. As of yesterday, my schedule is looking much better, and I ran 8k last night. My weight was down this morning, but I then went to the office, and someone was retiring, and there was cake involved. I should have skipped my 2nd office day this week for more reasons than that, but it's over and done now. Have a great rest of your week, all!

Aww, shucks. Thank you--that's how I feel. As someone who never was able to run any distance before in my life, this feels like big personal accomplishment.

[Lizard Queen]

Mar 20, 2023 10:43:33 GMT -5 busymom said:

Well, my scale has been all over the map in the last week.  Doesn't help that we ate dinner about an hour late last night.  I can easily add 2 pounds the next morning when we eat late.  So, hoping for better weather this week so I can get outside & move.  

My weights been all over this week, too. Only down 0.4 this week, although I was down a couple more pounds earlier in the week. Just gotta keep plugging away at it, I guess. Hope this next week goes better for all of us.

[Ava]

Well, I've fallen from the healthy lifestyle discussion and from the healthy lifestyle altogether.

I regained some of the weight I had lost last year. Now I'm slowly, very slowly, eating healthy breakfast, some healthy lunchs, exercising again.
I am overdue for a doctor's visit, way way overdue for the gyno, eye doctor, and I also need to go the dermatologist.

I need to see the gyno for a check up, but also to see if the anxiety and daily crying are related to some hormonal changes. I recently hit 50. I still have my periods, but they are shorter and irregular. I hope my issues are hormonal. It's a possibility. If it's not hormonal, it means is caused by some imbalance in my brain. Which means a psychiatrist and medication. 

Going to the doctor overwhelms and scares me, is sort of a phobia I have.

So, to avoid getting stressed, I decided to make one appointment per day, then the next and then the next.
Calling insurance to verify coverage, calling doctors' offices to make appointments. All that also gives me anxiety and stress.
Yesterday I started by calling my primary doctor's office. Got to leave a voice message. Did not hear back. Today I called again. Left another message. Did not hear back. They even changed the recording. Now it starts with "healthcare workers are overworked and under a lot of pressure, so please be kind and patient." Something like that. Then it gives you the dial options.

Even getting an appointment is getting difficult. I know dermatologists are giving appointments 6 and 8 months out. I'm not on any kind of rush, but that it's amazing it takes so long to see one.

I hope my primary doctor and the gyno are not booked so far out.
 

[daisylu]

Well, I fell off the wagon and it backed up and ran me over. Stress eating at work was the culprit, but that is almost over as I am transitioning out of the facility and into a corporate role. Working at getting back on track now, but a lot of damage was done. From a low of 191 back to kissing 200. First goal is to get back on track with water intake. 

[Iggy aka IG]

Ava and daisylu 

[Lizard Queen]

Down 2.2 this week-yay! Still have some catching up to do for the weeks I didn't lose a full pound, but I'm not doing anything drastic. Just making better choices, and mostly avoiding the things that make me gain weight. The big key for me is letting myself be a little hungry sometimes. Not starving, but also not snacking whenever I get the urge. I figure that little bit of hunger is the time when I'm actually burning off the excess. Also, upping the protein/raw veggies--the other key for my body to lose weight.

Anyway, hope you all have a great week! We can't change the past, but we do have the present in which to make our choices!

[giramomma]

Here. Because I should be.

Goals:

42K Steps

Eat 4 fruits/veggies a day

I probably should be completely tracking my food intake. Right now, I don't think so.

[busymom]

The scale has been all over the place this past week.  Nothing good to report (ups and downs), but I'm staying in it to win it!

[Ava]

Mar 27, 2023 11:45:01 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Here. Because I should be.

Goals:

42K Steps

Eat 4 fruits/veggies a day

I probably should be completely tracking my food intake. Right now, I don't think so.

Welcome!!!

[Ava]

Just came back from the doctor.
Sigh. It was bad. I expected it to be bad.

Fortunately, blood pressure, heart rate, etc. are normal.
A1C 8.1. That's really bad. It was 6.4 when I went in August.
I haven't been taking care of myself.
Going to the doctor today was the first step in the right direction.
Weight up, from 222 to 237. Sigh.

She asked how I was doing, and I told her the truth. She's my doctor, after all.
I've been having anxiety, sadness and a lot of crying for no obvious reason.
She ordered a thyroid test. She said if the thyroid is out of whack, you could get symptoms like that. It was fine the last time she ordered a test. But that was in January 2022.

She also switched me from the metformin to Ozempic. I told her I was so down I wasn't even taking my pills regularly. The Ozempic is a once-a-week injection. Should be easier than a pill.

She said Ozempic is excellent to control diabetes, kidney function, brain function, the heart, and even helps you lose weight.
So I have to pick it up from the pharmacy later today. The doctor said they may not have it, and if they don't, she'll give me another one, don't remember the name, but it's similar to Ozempic.

I have to schedule my lab work right now. I hope my kidneys are fine. I'm kicking myself for letting go of my health, and at the same time I'm glad I've made an appointment with the doctor, so I can get back on track.

She ordered my first colonoscopy. Waiting for a call to schedule it.
Lab work, the Ozempic. I have to go visit my doctor again in about 4 weeks, just before my vacation.

Made an appointment with a gyno. It's for early June. She's highly recommended but booked solid until mid May, when I 'll be on vacation out of the country. So I made an appointment for early June.
I will tell her about my anxiety and crying. I have a strong feeling it may be hormonal.
She will be able to help me if that's the case.
I know someone who was experiencing something similar to what I'm going through. Her gyno prescribed some contraception pills, even though this lady is about my age. She told me the pills changed her life. We go through a lot with menopause and hormonal changes.

If it's not hormonal, then the next step will be a visit to a psychiatrist. It may be a chemical imbalance in my brain.

I mean, I'm able to function normally. I wake up, work, clean the house, go out, do groceries, have a social life, etc. I smile a lot and keep calm. Those that don't know me well would say I'm fine.
But I'm tired of crying, feeling anxious, etc. It's exhausting. It's no way to live and I want to find a solution to this.

[Ava]

I'm going to schedule lab work, eye doctor's appointment, too.
I have booked the visit to the gyno.
Now I need to do an appointment with the dentist, and also want to see a dermatologist. Haven't been to one in ages.  

I feel like an 80 years old. Doctors appointments galore 
But the reality is that I have been postponing it for a long time.

Thing is, it's never one appointment. Now I have the lab work, then the gyno will order a mamo and who knows what else, etc.

[Iggy aka IG]

Ava I am so sorry.  I hope the different medicine helps you.  

Regarding the colonoscopy, because I try to avoid sugar, I ate/drank sugar free Jell-O, chicken broth and sugar free popsicles.  I also drank sugar free G Zero and Powerade.  Of course, everyone should check with their medical professional.

[Ava]

Thank you Iggy aka IG
I knew it was going to be bad. So I went in with my eyes open.

Now I have the lab work scheduled for tomorrow morning. I'm dreading my doctor calling me afterwards with the results. I'm sure my numbers will be bad. But it has to be done.

I made the eye doctor appointment, have the gyno appointment.
The dentist can wait until I come back from vacation, because I went in November, and everything was fine. I just need the 6 months check up.

I'll try to book a dermatologist tomorrow.
There's a shortage of dermatologists in this area, so appointments are months out. I'm in no hurry, so I can wait for the appointment itself. 
I have enough medical visits on my plate right now.

I just want to book now because the more I wait, the longer it will be until I can see the dermatologist. 
The wait for some specialists is getting out of control. I tried to book a dermatologist in December 2021 and the earliest day was in August 2022. Then I forgot all about it.
So, I'm sure I'll have a long wait to see a dermatologist.

[seriousthistime]

Yep, the older we get, the more medical specialists we have in our health arsenal.

PCP, dentist, ophthalmologist, gyno, cardiologist, gastroenterologist, dermatologist, podiatrist ... hoping not to add too many more to my personal arsenal. 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Have I really not posted in this thread since January? Yikes! Well that's indicative of how my last few months have gone. I have officially put on 15 pounds since August 2022. I am back to my highest weight ever -- including pregnancies. I started a new job in August, and it has been incredibly stressful. Seriously, my goal is to make it through a full week without crying at work. I don't meet that goal most weeks. Anyhoo, lots for me to work on. 

[seriousthistime]

My WW goal was 140.  I made goal a few years ago, became Lifetime, and bounced around within a few pounds until recently.  

I recently went into a WW studio and weighed in at 143.  The nice receptionist noted we gain weight after a certain age, so I needed an updated goal.  I went with 141, so at 143 I didn't need to pay and retained my Lifetime status.  And Lifetime members don't need to weigh in until sometime in early 2024 now.

I bounced around between 140 and 143 for the next few months.  But due to much eating and drinking misbehavior (vacation, celebrations, road food) I am now, as of this morning, at 145.   

There was a Jenny Craig tv commercial some years back.  It showed a woman walking into a store dressing room with a few bathing suits in hand.  She goes behind the curtain, and soon the viewer hears a top-of-lungs scream.  I felt the need to scream like that this morning. 

Instead I'll just join this thread for the accountability.  WW has now closed the studios near me.  It's not that big a deal for me, because I managed to bounce around near my goal for a couple of years without entering a studio.

My go-to for weight loss is a vegetable, bean, and quinoa soup, and also cutting back on wine. And my way to cut back on wine is to not buy it and bring it home.  It's a treat, consumed only when out with friends. 

[busymom]

I feel you are very brave when you go to the doctor, not because you're at your best with weight, etc., but because you know you need to check on what is going poorly.  There's nothing wrong with seeking information on how to improve your health.  

[Ava]

I'm now reading the paper that came with the Ozempic.
I'm a little confused.
For the next few days I will continue with the metformin until I can figure out how to apply the Ozempic.
If I can't figure it out by Monday, I'll stop by my doctor's office so they can teach me how to do it.

I'm optimistic about this medication. The doctor thinks it will be great for me.

Yes, you fall you have to get up and keep walking.

It's very, very hard for me right now. I've never feel as lonely in my life, and loneliness kills.
There are so many things I need to figure out, so I decided to start with the most immediate need. Doctors' appointments and doing the best I can for my health.

[Empire the P.A.]

I was at the doctor’s office Wednesday and I saw in the waiting room that Ozempic was being advertised heavily. There were booklets and coupons for it. I did gain about 7 lbs from my lowest weight of 145. My ideal weight would be 140 and losing 12 lbs seem unattainable. I have to be more consistent with eating healthy. My a1c also went up to 7% so not too happy with that. I confessed that I was baking too much and sampling the goods too generously. So instead of baking my white breads I was at the market and bought whole grain wheat. Small changes right?

[Ava]

I gathered my courage and went to Quest online to see the results of my test.
The sugar in blood measure is off the chart. I expected that, the doctor had already done my A1C and we were aware of that. Still, it's scary to see it in red in the results report.

Then there's another measure, I don't know exactly what it is. It's also in red, I got a 9 and the normal range is 10 to 30. The doctor will explain because she always calls when she gets the results.

The rest of the test came back green.

I'm so overwhelmed right now. When I'm stressed and I have problems, I overeat. Somehow, I have to change that because I can't have my blood sugar so high.

[seriousthistime]

I'm pleased that the weather has been good enough to allow me to take a walk, most days.  I am registered to walk a 5K in July.  I can walk a 5K without training for it, but it will be easier if I'm walking regularly, and especially if I can lose a few pounds by then.

I've been eating healthy but may be consuming too many carbs.  At least I haven't broken into the ice cream.  Berries and bananas are my go-to fruits, and luckily the grocery store has plenty of those in stock. 

I placed my scale in a location where I remember to weigh myself each day.  So far the scale shows gradual weight loss. 

[ners]

Check in

Missed last week's check in.  Debated if I should do today's check in.  I will just say the last 2 weeks have not been good in regard to my goals.  

Here are this week's goals:    

1. Water intake average of 35 ounces or more.
2. Steps 50,000.
3. In bed by 10:30.
4. No eating after 9:00 PM


01/01/19 177.2
01/01/20 165.2
01/01/21 169.0
01/01/22 167.2
01/01/23 172.2
02/01/23 173.6
03/01/23 173.8
04/01/23 177.2


Have a good week everyone.