Tuesday September 19

Weight 115.5, calories 791. I haven't been sleeping well the last couple of nights and it has been really tropical feeling as Jose approaches (the two may be related).

Max, DD's new dog, apparently has a barking problem (they are in an apartment). So some training is in order. I hope they can conquer this quickly as he does appear to be a real luvbug (was snuggling on the couch with DD his first night). He also pulls a lot when they walk him. I suggested a gentle leader, as we used to use that with our beagle and it kept her from pulling me over in her young days (no need now).

Interesting how now that it is official that I am leaving work, I am already pulling away from company news when I wasn't before they gave me notice last week. I found myself deleting emails about the future and barely listening at a "Town Hall" meeting yesterday. Lots on consternation amongst people about who I am going to transition work to. I can't do it with someone in my department because there is no way to know who will still be there and in which roles.

Have a Totally skinny Tuesday!

Good morning all ! Upper end of my five pound range. This stretch of hot, muggy weather is causing water retention issues, so I'm not too concerned. I don't think we had a stretch of weather this warm and dry all summer !

Liz, how is DH doing with all of these storms marching up the coast ? I've read that animals and Alzheimer patients are among the population who can have significant orientation issues with extreme fluctuations in air pressure.

LOVED teaching Reiki yesterday. One client is a certified massage therapist, and the other already has Level l, so they had an extensive base to build on. It felt so "right" to be training again !!

Ann... my favorite fruit and vegetable stand closed for the season...I need to find a new supply to keep my quota up. Joey... glad to hear your daughter made out well. Carbon, Linda, Dave.... where are you ?

Enjoy every moment of your day !

Interesting question about DH, because he hasn't felt well the last couple of days, but can't really explain why. Maybe that's it!

Weight: 133.2
Macros: Cals - 1,360, Carbs - 168, Fat - 39, Protein - 64, Fiber - 20
Veggies/Fruits (goal 8): 5
Sleep (goal 8 hrs.): 8.5
Exercise: None

Yesterday's macros (low cals, protein, fiber) and V/Fs due to my Big City road trip. I'm glad to be home again and close to veggies in the fridge and fruit on the kitchen counter.

My therapy session yesterday was edifying -- learned about a concept called "self-efficacy," which means the belief or self confidence that you have the power to produce an effect (including reaching your stretch goals) -- in essence, competence.

Although I've always had that trait in spades regarding academics, work, career, etc., I've absolutely NOT felt that way throughout my life about controlling my weight or leading a healthy lifestyle. Not unusual for a person who's been overweight and obese all her life, eh?

But now, after 3+ years post-op and going on 2 years of weight maintenance, I feel like short-term weight regain is something I CAN conquer. All I have to do to be assured of my ability to manage temporary weight fluctuations is to look back at these last few years of daily and Monday morning weight records of MFP. Yes, my weight goes up sometimes, but then it comes down again, when I cut back 200-300-400 daily calories for a week or two.

It's also no shocker that self-efficacy is important when dealing with one's own health issues. Research about self-efficacy also finds that the more successful you are in an area of life the more successful you will continue to be, which sounds incredibly duh!, i.e., "past results predict future results." But that doesn't mitigate the power of that fact.

If you're into Wikipedia, here's an interesting, not-too-long post that contains lots of footnotes and links to more material: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-efficacy

Weight dropped quite a bit to 158.8 today due to a heinous stomach virus I got Sunday night. Blah. Is there anything worse?

I had exactly 6 saltines, 1 sprite, and 3 sheets of graham crackers yesterday :(

Still feeling quite weak and tired. My not make it a full day of work today.

Yuck! That's a lot of overnight dehydration and pooping!

Long, long ago I had a boyfriend who, while traveling through Afghanistan, came down with a horrific dysentery and almost died. During 24 hours he lost 30 pounds. Seems impossible, but he swears that's the correct number.

Be kind to yourself.

BB, sorry you are not feeling well. Get some fluids and rest. Take care of you and the wee one. Diane S

Greetings All

138.5. I am in gaining mode and not happy. I have just been too much of a slug and liberal with wine. Gotta back it up and get to the gym. Gallery duty today and I have to call in yet again to see if I have to show up for jury duty. Everybody gets called all the time around here as there are not that many people plus kind of high crime. DH sat on a jury where this guy robbed a bank wearing a black plastic trash bag and no shoes. He was caught with the money and trash bag and convicted. Fled on foot in his stocking feet!

Hope you east coast people will be ok in the hurricanes. Sounds like Maria is coming up north to your area Liz. Interesting about the air pressure changes. Seems reasonable that it could impact people especially sensitive ones. And Liz glad you are backing away from all the work stuff. Not caring about all the news and gossip is a good sign of being ready to go.

Diane O, glad you are enjoying teaching again. Must be fun.

Ann, interesting comments about competency. That was one thing my surgeon did was to convince me I could do this after I told him I had pretty much been able to accomplish anything I set out to do except weight control. I've gotten off track lately and need to get after it. Don't want to be a fatty again. You really should post your comments on the main board as every other day someone pleads for help as they are struggling and don't know what to do. No magic bullets out there. Just determination and taking responsibility.

Yoo Hoo Carbon, Dave and others, report in please. And new people and lurkers please chime in.

Well fall is definitely in the air here. However, my birch trees in the back yard have not started to turn and usually they turn early. We moved here in late august years ago and I thought they were dying because they were starting to turn at what seemed to be early. Most trees here are conifers so we don't get a lot of fall color like the midwest. I should catch some on my trip next month.

Well take care. I am going to try these noodles made out of lentils tonight. DH will probably hate them but they are high protein..

Time for more coffee. Diane S

I pay a lot of attention to NOAA information on tropical storms and hurricanes because I have worked in commercial property insurance for so long. Jose is going to bring us some wind and rain this afternoon and tomorrow but not bad. Maybe 2-4 inches of rain and maybe 50 MPH winds. It is too early to tell what Maria is going to do yet.

Once again a dry by....

Weight okay. Stable in that "little bit above where I was feeling comfortable" range. Am having a lot of difficulty managing what needs to get done and am feeling some stress about puppies, placing pups, etc... Some stress is really an understatement. Not going to lie. It's not something I expect a non breeder or non dog show person to understand so I won't go into detail, but let's just say I'm at odds and dealing with an internal struggle I hoped I would not face. Oh, well....

Eating is not great, but not awful. Had a fleeting moment of, "I will never be able to get control of this so I might as well embrace it." You know - the whole being fat thing.

Hoping to keep my head above water for the next several weeks. Once October rolls around, I should be feeling a tad better and far less stressed.