Wednesday, April 20th

I think the more research you do and the more you read on the issue of "metabolism" the more you understand how complex of an issue it truly is. I put metabolism in quotes because I think we tend to lump many factors of metabolic issue into the catch all of metabolism, just as for many years all visual processing disorders were referred to as dyslexia.

As formerly obese people it is not only a slower metabolism that works against us, but our bodies which have through obesity been programmed to fight for a higher weight, which makes it much harder to maintain a "goal" weight. One of the reasons documented for regain with "natural" weight loss is that the body begins to over produce ghrelin to get a newly thin person to eat because the body functions best in and needs homeostasis. Sadly, our bodies are programmed to think obese is our internal stable. It takes a long while for our bodies to adjust to the new normal. 

The good news is that we can after much time create a new homeostasis for the body in our weight. It takes diligence and time. What most of us will never have again though is a fully revved up metabolic rate. We can enhance our metabolic rates through weight bearing and muscle building exercise and with High Intensity Interval Training which has been proven to cause an acceleration of metabolic rate for many hour after the exercise has ceased. 

Like you, I had to make peace with with my lot in life when it comes to food and calorie intake. It's the truth in which I have to work. I've learned to work with it because working against it for 40+ years didn't work so much! 

Happy Hump Day !!    Shel... I don't care how strong your mojo is.... I'll be using my braking system before 120 !!!

We had a lock down called yesterday when I "ran to deliver something" less than 50 feet from our administrative office section of the high school complex. Protocol requires us to take shelter in the nearest lockable area, so I hunkered down in a biology classroom.... without my cell phone.... or water.....or food, for close to two hours, while state and local police cleared the building.  The teacher and students were fabulous and, thank God, the threat of an active shooter was unfounded.  It did put me on edge the rest of the day, because I got so behind in my eating/drinking routine.  Our administrative meeting ran late, due to the debrief, and I got to the fresh fish market after what I had planned for dinner was sold out.  I was hungry, angry and tired... 3 out of 4 ... and there was a display of fresh lemon pound cake and Scottish short bread.  My obese girl told me that enough was enough and I deserved a treat.  I deserved to eat NOW.  I SAW the need to self soothe... I felt the need for instant gratification.  I was able to anchor to how hard many of you are working to detox and replace active obese thinking with recovering obese thinking and that snapped me out of it.  I made it out of there by the skin of my teeth. Couldn't even stay to make another fish choice.

     Have a great day.  Still reflecting on Bonnie's post, and Devon's response.

The lockdowns in the schools are necessary, I know.  But, I hate how common they have become.  I am glad that it (and your resolve) turned out aok.  

Yes, it is curious about the 120.5.  I have been eating more high fats and protein as the scale drifts down.  Maybe I will need more. It will never be a problem to add more calories when peanut butter exists in the world.

I'm not convinced, tho, that it is a change in fat weight.  In the last week or so, the knee to ankle part of my legs have shrunk. There is now a gap between the top of my boots and my ankles that didn't exist before.  As my watery-sister, you know that minor water ebbs and flows can make a big difference in weight.

  Doctors have always zero'd in on my thickish ankles, looking for trouble.  I always thought they were just fat since they have always looked like that, even as a teen.  However, the docs kept insisting there was water retention, tho apparently innocuous.  Anyway, I suspect, for now, the water has flowed out.  In my experience, water that flows out, will eventually flow back in.  

Anyway, I'll keep weighing and thinking and very slowly adjusting. And, I'll continue to post, trolling for feedback.

113 and holding. Still feeling a bit triggered so food choices aren't stellar but I'm not overeating. 

Trucks, trucks and more trucks!  That's what DH and I talk about these days lol.  Who knew??  We have one out for an assessment right now.  To make a long and definitely funny story short, this truck is a real bargain and just what we need - but a mouse lived in it for awhile!  DH set mouse traps in it last night to ensure there are no more inhabitants.  I haven't heard about the result yet!!!

198.5 Two days of detox down. 

I feel like I can manage calorie counting today, so will give it a try. I try to not count calories during the first two days of detox. That can be a bit intense and I just wasn't in the mood for being that intense. 

Been dealing with those damned headaches for a week now. Yesterday's was intense for a while. Broke down and took ibuprofen (because that is what rids me of these headaches. Tylenol has never worked well for my headaches. I try to manage with Tylenol, but when it gets too bad I have to take the ibuprofen. Two of my docs say NO to it, but Dr. C says it's okay. I'll go with Dr. C for now. I do try to avoid the Advil, but sometimes I just need it!)

Truth is truth and truths can change with time and experience. 

Hope we all have a day that turns out to be just what we need it to be. 

Greetings introspective vsg people.  

131 today. At least I am not stress eating over my mom's caregiver situation. Maybe a little extra wine which could become a bad habit.

Bonnie I do agree that some of us have lower metabolic rates and just can't eat as much without gaining weight. I once had a resting metabolic rate test and it was 936 calories if I were to just lay in bed all day. My doctor didn't even believe the test results - thought it was a mistake. But I am betting its true.  You could get such a test. I got mine at a health club in San Diego but I think the bod pod can do it.  I maintain on 1300 to 1400 calories a day.  Yeah I am kind of a slug - don't move around and am not a highly animated person.  I need to build some muscle mass. Some people just naturally have more.  I think I was born sort of an amoeba.   So there are differences in people. But we gotta play the hand we are dealt.  At least I was born with some intelligence and other talents so I am just not going to bemoan my bad card on the metabolic issue. At least I have Dr. C as my cheerleader.  Anyway I hope you can make some sort of peace with this and not let that 10 pounds spoil your life.   Easy for me to say at age 64 where I wish I had one of those 1920 bathing suits that covers me up. Maybe I will just get a wet suit since I can't take the sun anyway.

All the best to you and all. puppy visit tomorrow. diane

Diane is your brother going to fly out to sort out mom's living arrangements?

Yeah I told him he has to go this time. He is better at dealing with the crazy roommate and he is killer good at just getting things done. We kind of have to have some plans in place before he goes there. Several options appear to be possibilities.    Older brother will help too and he lives back there but is not good at business matters.   diane

It's good this doesn't all fall on you.  Hugs

Hi All!  I didn't have time to read through all of the posts today, but needed to post, as I haven't for a few days, and it gets easier to stay away, which is not the direction I need to go in.  Food has been an off and on struggle still.  Today's been less of a struggle, for which I'm grateful. 

I will try to catch up and plan to be here again tomorrow.  Thinking of all of my journey family. 

Hugs, Mary