01/17/2019 Thursday

One more - the chalkboard backsplash:

Liz-I love, love your apartment! But...now I'm curious about your MA home!

Shirl-Singapore, wow!

Devon-sounds like you accomplished a lot with the counselor. I too am kind of speechless at the idea of...just be happy and accept myself? I mean, I feel like I have come a long ways in that regard--but then I wonder if it's just based on my weight loss and is it fair to feel like I'm more accepting of myself if it's only because I'm at x weight, if that makes sense. Because currently I'm struggling a little bit, and feeling like I need to do something to improve. And then that makes me wonder where the happy line between acceptance and improvement lies? Hmmm. Thank you for provoking thoughts.

Shel-working on that fitness blog for me?! haha. I dream. I could never do what you're doing, but it's so exciting! We don't really have a lot of the same opportunities here in flat, warm(er) Oklahoma, but between you and my friend *****cently moved to Boulder, y'all have gotten me motivated to be at least somewhat more active. I forget, did you do yoga? I really want to do something and I'm so inspired by people like you who do SO MUCH!! But then I don't know how to start. Starting doesn't seem as sexy or exciting

Diane O.-Snow looks to be headed for us this weekend as well. And dangerously cold temps. But it's Oklahoma, so that means tomorrow we'll hit 60 beforehand...so I cannot complain too much! Planning perhaps a beef stew.

Weight: 176 something. How the heck did that happen? Well, I mean I know, but...

I think I may start loggin in on MFP if only to be aware of what I'm consuming.

I was so tired after my dinner last night. So maybe it wasn't so sad that Becca went straight down. Tonight we'll get some playtime.

What are your thoughts on fasting? I notice it has gained quite a lot of popularity, especially "intermittent fasting." I know some people will do like a 16:8 where they fast for 16 hours, then might eat ONLY between 12pm-8pm. So obviously there are some advantages to this like: you limit the calories you can eat (theoretically) by only being able to eat anything at all during certain hours. I think this would be a poor idea for me. I think it would encourage me to fit as much in during those 8 hours to "store up" for when I'm hungry. For me personally, I think knowing that I can eat whenever helps me to need to eat less. I also wonder because my parents would skip breakfast (and sometimes even lunch) but would make up for it at dinnertime, and snacks, etc. HOnestly, I wonder if most people aren't pretty close to this schedule if they skip breakfast! My parents are only slightly overweight (maybe 20-30lbs. max ever) but it's interesting.

16:8 fasting? I could live with eating from 12-8, but I don't think it would reduce my calories. I could easily skip breakfast but I think I'd catch up later. And if it meant skipping coffee with creamer I wouldn't survive.

Exactly. I think this is a fairly typical American diet, anyway. And even let's say we did modify that greatly and just had a 4-5 hour window, say 1-6 or 2-6, while I think that would have to eliminate/reduce some calories, my WHOLLY NONSCIENTIFIC feeling is it's just playing into the giant portion sizes, etc. we as Americans already do. Now I do think my personal snacking has increased far too much. But one meal a day? No thank you

Research varies on the benefits of fasting. For "normal" people fasting seems to help maintain weight, regulate blood sugar levels, etc... However, for many people with histories of disordered eating (e.g. obese, formerly obese, bulimia, anorexia, etc...) fasting has been shown in some studies to trigger disordered eating and consumption of additional calories.

If you think about intermittent fasting, it's probably best to know into which category you fall. Personally, for me intermittent fasting results in over eating at my first meal of the day. From that point on it's hard for me to get my blood sugar back on the straight and narrow, which means a glut of on and off eating for the rest of the eating period.

Yep. This is me.

Ugh I wish I could just be normal sometimes. But I guess it's just me.

I hear you. I do! However, think about it this way: Where's the fun in being NORMAL? Yes, I have my issues, but how unbearably BORING it would be to be NORMAL.

I prefer my whacked, dysfunctional, crazy, artistic, compassionate, loving, intelligent, eccentric, opinionated, outspoken, melancholy, manic self to BORINGLY NORMAL any day of the week!

Absolutely! What the heck is normal anyway? Some would think my SIL was a normal eater but I'm pretty sure she doesn't take in enough protein each day and 1/2 her calories come from vodka/tonics.

I naturally do a 16:8 fasting (I get up late and like to eat dinner at 5 and usually stop eating after dinner) and it's never helped me maintain! I can do a lot of damage in 8 hours...

Greetings Winter Warriors

Goodness Ocean Diane, be careful out there! Sounds like a kind of scary snow experience. Being snowed in can be fun but not in the car!

We are having a big storm here too - sort of on and off in our neighborhood - but there has been a lot of thunder and Tesla is wigged out. Might need a chill pill. But even though its fairly calm at the moment on our street, the ocean is raging and the harbor is closed. Crab season just started but the boats are not going out. Fortunately this storm is only a day or two. There is a web cam on the Trinidad Pier if anyone wants to look. Its a few blocks from our gallery.

Well looks like DH is having hernia surgery tomorrow. Scan did show some gall stones but they don't seem to be acting up. Another blood test today. And another scan ordered for a cyst on kidney which is usually a benign nothing thing. So we show up at he hospital at 7:20 am. I am plotting how I can nap in the waiting room but by the time they get through all the pre op I will be wide awake.

Liz love the photos. You are indeed a gifted decorator. And hey I could read and translate the french ingredients on your chalk board. Great idea. It would be funny that your DH thought you stole his pj's if it weren't for the implications.

I need to go out to the store and the bank but think I will wait out the downpour which has started again. But can't wait too long - nearly out of coffee!

Hmm, fasting is an interesting concept. The problem with it is that the minute I decide I can't eat for so many hours then that's all I can thing about - wanting to eat. I suppose it works for some people but what's the difference between that and the advice to eat three meals a day with no snacks? I always used to skip breakfast for just coffee in the working world but when I got home it was dinner and snack snack snack.

Well all, stay warm and dry and hydrated. Diane S