Day 8 - Post-Holiday Reset - AMAW/CAMAW - Back to Basics

Morning Restart folks! I'm a little late getting the thread started today...my telework keeps interrupting me...lol!

How are you doing? I know that each of us are here with our own set of goals and that's okay! In my opinion, it isn't about being perfect all the time (although that is great!), it's about sticking around, continuing to make good or better choices and learning from our slip ups and from each other. This is the rest of our lives post-WLS! It isn't the 30-day magic diet or exercise plan that we and the rest of the world have done for years.

I also wanted to add that OH has been such a great place for me in the last 2 years to see what works for real life people, not just the surgeon, the nut or FB's advice. That said, I have found that not everything that works for other people works for me. Each of our bodies is different. Our lives, our habits, our metabolism, our genetics, our pouches. What I have found important is to come back every day and keep working to find what makes me most successful. It is the day-to-day commitment to make my life different and better in so many ways.

Where you have been spot on during this challenge or whether you feel like a complete failure, log in, tell us what is really happening, your successes, your struggles, what you've learned. This is about you and your mind and body, not about winning a prize for most pounds lost. Well...that's MY take on this

For me, I haven't been perfect. A few bites of sweets have happened, but much less than it did during the holidays. I've cleared out the baked goods, which is helping. I switched from baking cookies & cakes to baking doggy treats (if anyone wants a sample for your canine kid, I'll send you a bag). Fulfills the fun factor without adding calories for me. I've also been better at planning smaller portions of fruit, which has good vitamins and fiber but also alot of sugar/carb calories.

Where I am doing really well is with switching my fluid intake. With all of my stress with work & DW's illness, all I have wanted for months is lots of black coffee and donuts. I've stopped buying donuts (there is a DD in my office building!) and I've been reducing my coffee and drinking more plain water. I already feel better, less stomach acid and more energy.

Uping my protein percentage and grams is a work in progress. I always get at least 80 grams, but I'd like to get it back over 100 grams and 50-60% of my intake. It should help with building muscle too.

Okay, here's to Friday folks! I had started this by setting our goal for January 8th (a week from NY). Weigh in about whether you want to add on more days!

Day three is in the books. The morning coffee is still tough to drink black but I am finding the afternoon isn't an issue. We have a Nespresso at home and that makes the coffee so foamy that it feels creamy even when it isn't.

Good morning Janet. Yesterday was a good day. I have not been perfect during this challenge, but I am a lot more mindful. I am thankful for this board and for you and knowing that we aren't alone.

Mindfulness is a great place to start and it can lead to better decisions in the long run! Keep with it!

I am glad you mention the finding what works for you aspect. I am still working every day to figure that out!

For success, it is a life long necessity!

Down another half pound this morning! This is much easier now that the holidays are behind us! Too many sweets - too much restaurant eating - during those couple of weeks. Now I'm back to the grind - more normal (for me) eating, and back to my regular exercise routine, too!! I already feel a million times better!!

Way to go for getting back on track!

I decided to post my menus over here over the course of this reset, since we all have roughly the same goal (to reset!!):

3 years 7 months out:

B: homemade coconut Greek yogurt with 1/3 mango

MS: coffee with half & half, protein shake blended with a handful of frozen cranberries

L: homemade cottage cheese

AS: we're going to a movie - so if DH gets popcorn (which he often does), I'll probably be eating some of that, so no afternoon snack needed!

D: 2 TJ's chicken sausages, 1/2 C broccoli salad

ex: don't know that I'll make it to either of the two yoga classes offered this morning, so I may just go to the gym and do 30-45 minutes on a stationary bike just to get moving...

Looks like we had the same idea today with TJ's chicken sausages! Which ones do you like best? I tend to get the sun dried tomato or Italian.