April 2023 W.I.S.H.-Showers-Flowers and Health!

[PAsFab5]

 

[glss1/2fll]

@ShannyMcB I am so so sorry for your loss.
@newski_mom

I'm Linda, an empty nester from the Pacific Northwest. Monday I am going to start doing yoga at o'dark thirty again. Can't say I'm looking forward to getting up so early, but I have missed my on line classes these last two months. DH won't be pleased when I tell him I'm going to start going to bed even earlier. It'll be good for him, too, since he's out of retirement and working again. No more sleeping in!
I also plan to be much, much more mindful of eating--especially at work. Way too many treats make their way to my desk! I think back to when I first started working there and I never snacked--until I figured out I devoured everything in sight when I came home. Then I added some almonds to my day. I'll go back to that and if I think I'm hungry I'll make some tea!

 

[Oneanne]

I really enjoyed Nia yesterday, a lot. It was basically a bunch of old women twirling around and flapping their arms... my people.

I thought yesterday was going to slip away without me accomplishing any of the pre-Easter things I had intended to do. But I'm happy to report I made myself go out to the back porch and once I started it was game-on and I got thru all of the cleaning and reorganizing I had intended. This morning I've already started fluffing inside the house, including stuffing eggs to see if I need to get more candy. I actually need more eggs.

The big self-care plan for today is to go see 'The Lost King' movie which is a true story about a woman finding her voice while she searched for (and found) King Richard the Third's lost grave. It is playing upstairs in the fancy room, always and added bonus.

 

[newski_mom]

Hi Shannon, 40 years old from RI.
Going to skip the entire intro today as I am exhausted. Yesterday my mom passed. So my goal for the next few weeks is to not stress eat my way through the mourning process.
Today is busy with activities for the kids so that should keep my mind busy and their spirits lifted.

I'm so sorry about your mom - I feel like that is one of the worst losses we can have.

It's a great group!

I'm also 52, living with DH and DS (22) near Boston.

Tell your son he's not alone! Mine also came home after two years. (He graduated HS in 2019, so he had one "normal" semester at college, but then didn't feel like he was getting enough out of distance learning. He took some time off, went back, then ultimately realized it was the wrong school, not just the pandemic. He's working near here to save money for a bit.




I'm not really big on April Fool's Day, but my friends' (at the time 5yo) twins were very excited about it a couple of years ago - planning tricks to pull on their parents, etc. I'd been helping them with homeschooling, so DH agreed to follow me over there and tell the kids he was there in my place as their "substitute teacher". He really got them, and they talked about it for a long time after.


Goals:
My goal this month is to work on both physical and environmental health. - Besides sticking to my treadmill routine (and adding some outdoor exercise as the weather begins cooperating) I'm working on decluttering...again (I've had some good starts, but not a lasting routine yet). I feel like clutter weighs me down emotionally, which gets all tied into physically.

Thank you for all of the welcomes! And thank you for the story about your son. I've told me son everyone has different paths - some are straight from point A to point B and some zig zag in between on their way there.

I didn't really post a goal yesterday, but I'd like to lose at least 5 pounds this month. I should hopefully be able to lose more than that, but I'll be happy with a 5 pound loss as it at least means I'm heading in the right direction!

 

[Oneanne]

MONDAY MOTIVATION

New month, new week, new start... what is motivating you today?

 

[PAsFab5]

Happy Monday Everyone!!

I know this is against “the norm” but Mondays are the easiest day for me when it comes to eating/moving. It’s the only day I am in the office so all my food is prepped the night before and I even track it ahead of time so no surprises. I have nothing to do on my lunch break but walk, so I get 30 mins of walking in (unless it’s raining) so it’s a good “reset” for me after the weekend.

DDs baptism was beautiful and I am so proud of her. Yesterday was a great day

We saw Disney on ice with my nieces and nephews on Saturday and it was such a great show! So glad we could go and that I could gift them the tickets for their birthdays. I heard several times “This is the best birthday gift EVER” *Aunt melts into a puddle*

I hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoys this Monday!

 

[Oneanne]

Overall I would consider yesterday a mixed bag eating wise. I snacked on a couple pieces of candy while I was stuffing Easter eggs, which threw off my morning calorie count. Then I had a late lunch of grilled salmon, broccoli and smashed potatoes... all good nutritionally but according to FitBit it was high calorie. It took the rest of the day to earn enough calories to cover it, but I didn't have dinner.

So not the best distribution of food, but pretty good quality. This morning I was down a pound, which is good because this is one of the weeks during the month where I padded my goal to -2 pounds, instead of just -1.

For motivation this week, have to admit its a little tough getting going this morning. I needed to run to the store before work to get some milk and when I stepped outside it was snowing... great big heavy flakes. In April. Ugh. There's no Pilates class today, so I'm really going to have to work for my calories and steps.

 

[piglet1979]

Hi Shannon, 40 years old from RI.
Going to skip the entire intro today as I am exhausted. Yesterday my mom passed. So my goal for the next few weeks is to not stress eat my way through the mourning process.
Today is busy with activities for the kids so that should keep my mind busy and their spirits lifted.

I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with your and your family.

 

[piglet1979]

Hi, I'm Becky and would love to participate in your group! I'm 52 and from a small town in the midwest near St Louis. DH (56) and I will have been married for 32 years in July. We have 3 kids DD26, DD24 (25 on the 25th of this month) and DS20.

Both DDs are living their best lives about 40ish minutes away in St Louis. DS graduated high school in 2020 and moved off to start his freshman year in the middle of the pandemic. It was a terrible start for him. He stayed there for 2 years, but has now moved back home and is playing catch up at our local community college. He's taking classes part time and working part time and it seems to be working well for him. He's still figuring out his path, but I've told him - I feel like I'm still figuring out my path some days lol!

In 2020, DH and I decided to lose weight. I've struggled with mine forever it seems. I'm like the stories above. I felt so big in high school, but really wasn't at all. I just had tiny friends that I compared myself to. I too would love to get back to how "fat" I was in high school lol! DH on the other hand has always been tall and never overweight at all. Around 2018, he started gaining weight and had put on more than he was comfortable with, so he started cutting back. Shortly after, I joined him and he lost about 30 and I lost 50. He was back down to where he needed to be, but I still had a ways to go. For some reason, when he stopped losing, I started gaining. It's such a mental thing with me

At this point, I was back to almost my high weight in 2020 and started counting calories again about 3 weeks ago. That's how we did it last time and I know it works for me. I did it in 2020 and I know I can do it again!

Anyway, that's a lot of rambling, but I hope to get to know all of you better as we become healthier together!

Welcome to the group. This is a great group to be in.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Yikes on the snow, @Oneanne!

New month, new week, new start... what is motivating you today?

I must admit - not much. I just grabbed leftovers from the fridge for lunch, so there wasn't a lot of thought there.

I had some motivation earlier and got a bunch of things done around the house, but the next thing I have to do is paper/computer work, and I'm soooo not in the mood.

 

[piglet1979]

I am Stephanie from Northeast Ohio. I have been married for 18 years with 2 kids. DD is 15 and DS with be 17 on Friday. I was always the skinny one in school but thought I always had a stomach. Looking back I wish I could be that small again. I only weighted 95-100 pounds (I am also only 4'9") through high school and most of college. I started gaining about the time I got married and started working a semi desk job. I worked at a daycare so there was still a decent amount of moving. After having my kids and switching jobs to a full time desk job I just continued to gain weight. I would lose 10 pounds in a year and then gain it plus more back. I have never lost more them 10 pounds each time I have tried to lose weight. I am now at my heaviest and it needs to change.

We leave Friday for Disney. The kids are marching in Magic Kingdom on Easter with their marching band. DH and I are going as well but it will be like the first vacation without them. I will get to see them hear and there though. DD is already packed and ready to go. DH is about halfway there and DS and I are nowhere close. Can you tell which kid is more like which parent?

My goal this month is to eat out less, work out more and lose 2 pounds.

 

[newski_mom]

MONDAY MOTIVATION



New month, new week, new start... what is motivating you today?

A new month does seem like a clean slate! I'm not much of a weekly meal prepper, but I try to make myself what I call egg bites every Sunday to have for my breakfasts during the week. We usually go to my inlaws for supper on Sundays, but we didn't yesterday and it threw my routine off. I forgot to make them until it was about time to go to bed. I decided to stay up to make them and I'm so glad I did. Odd as it seems, it just starts my day better when I have them for breakfast.

If I don't, I tend to drive through McDonalds and get a sausage mcmuffin (which I love), but they are 400 calories compared to my 180 calorie egg bites lol! It just leaves me so much more room for dinner in the evenings!

Anyway, I'm trying to build off the motivation that I had last night to stay up and make my breakfasts for the week knowing it would be a good base for the entire week.

 

[Summer2018]

I have two eggs every morning. What do egg bites consist of?

 

[Summer2018]

I'm happy to say that I maintained my weight over the weekend! I'm going to work hard this week since Easter is my monthly cheat day. DH brought home a boatload of Easter candy, fortunately not my favorite Russell Stover jelly beans. I told him to hide the candy. I want no part of it. I'm saving my calories for brunch on Easter at my favorite restaurant.

 

[newski_mom]

I have two eggs every morning. What do egg bites consist of?

I started with this recipe, but I only use eggs, bacon bits and shredded cheese - have I mentioned that I'm a lazy cook

https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/scrambled-egg-breakfast-muffins/

 

[Oneanne]

TUESDAY TOPIC: High School

Comments about high school and body image seemed to resonate with most earlier this week, so let's go back there and examine some more. Plus, I love revisionist history where someone takes a fresh look and challenges the historical status quo... let's be those 'someone's' and reframe some of our high school histories.

Where did you get your teen age cues on body image?
Did you read the teen beauty magazines and did they have an impact on your self image?
Did you have a favorite movie or TV star you tried to emulate?
Are you still carrying any image distortions with you, that formed in high school?
How about writing your teen aged self a love letter?


And bonus if you have a picture from high school you'd like to share, so we can all give young you some love.

 

[Summer2018]

Where did you get your teen age cues on body image? My petite peers who had narrow hips and eating disorders along with my family who had unhealthy relationships with food.
Did you read the teen beauty magazines and did they have an impact on your self image? Absolutely. I read Seventeen Magazine and collected the huge fall issues of Vogue for many years.
Did you have a favorite movie or TV star you tried to emulate? Farrah Fawcett in my early teens and Madonna in my late teens and twenties.
Are you still carrying any image distortions with you, that formed in high school? Definitely. Funny thing is that I forget how big I am until I look in the mirror. I’m shocked every time!
How about writing your teen aged self a love letter? Sounds complicated but I will have to work on that.

This is my senior year of high school. I’m on the left. I am short wasted which is not very flattering when high wasted jeans are in style, but I did love my long legs. I thought I had the widest hips in the world and I hated them. The girl next to me had the typical body type of narrow hips that made me feel fat.

 

[Oneanne]

Where did you get your teen age cues on body image? My petite peers who had narrow hips and eating disorders along with my family who had unhealthy relationships with food.
Did you read the teen beauty magazines and did they have an impact on your self image? Absolutely. I read Seventeen Magazine and collected the huge fall issues of Vogue for many years.
Did you have a favorite movie or TV star you tried to emulate? Farrah Fawcett in my early teens and Madonna in my late teens and twenties.
Are you still carrying any image distortions with you, that formed in high school? Definitely. Funny thing is that I forget how big I am until I look in the mirror. I’m shocked every time!
How about writing your teen aged self a love letter? Sounds complicated but I will have to work on that.

This is my senior year of high school. I’m on the left. I am short wasted which is not very flattering when high wasted jeans are in style, but I did love my long legs. I thought I had the widest hips in the world and I hated them. The girl next to me had the typical body type of narrow hips that made me feel fat.
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You look beautiful! And love the Farrah Fawcett hair!

 

[newski_mom]

Where did you get your teen age cues on body image? I'd say mostly from other kids that I went to school with. Also, my family is mostly all built the same and it was just talked about a lot. Looking back at my mom, she was not overweight either, but she always felt big because she wasn't petite with a small build.
Did you read the teen beauty magazines and did they have an impact on your self image? I think the only one was Seventeen magazine and I'm sure it did. Oddly enough, when I was in high school (late 80s), big hear was all the rage. I had that naturally lol - curly, thick hair
Are you still carrying any image distortions with you, that formed in high school? I think my main one would be that I always thought I was fat, so I became fat. Kind of like we get what we think we deserve. For some reason, I have pretty good control on the rest of my life, but just haven't conquered the weight issue.
How about writing your teen aged self a love letter? I think I would just tell myself that you are so much more than your pants size.


And bonus if you have a picture from high school you'd like to share, so we can all give young you some love.

I think this is my freshman year of college, but I couldn't find any older ones on my computer and I'm not at home to access other pictures lol

 

[Oneanne]

Where did you get your teen age cues on body image? I'm not really sure. As mentioned before, my Mom and Doctor were on me to lose weight, but that was from a health perspective. What bothers me about it tho is that it was at a time when my body was transitioning from a girl to a woman (aka puberty) and I did thin out as things shifted around.
Did you read the teen beauty magazines and did they have an impact on your self image? I also read Seventeen religiously and got the super sized fall Vouges. And I think my Mom must have gotten Cosmopolitan because I remember reading it but it surely wasn't something I would have chosen on my own. I was really in to fashion so I wanted to wear all the clothes, but I don't remember thinking I should look like the models, altho there's no way that message couldn't have been there.
Did you have a favorite movie or TV star you tried to emulate? Not when I was in high school.
Are you still carrying any image distortions with you, that formed in high school? Yes, but kind of in reverse same as Summer has mentioned. I don't think I am as heavy as I am and I don't think I look as old as I do (these past few years have been brutal on the aging front), until I really study myself in the mirror or in pictures.
How about writing your teen aged self a love letter?
Dear 1974 Lizanne,
It is OK, you are OK, everything is OK. You're actually kind of cute, but even more than that you are a good person, smart and funny. The kids you think are all smarter and cooler than you? They aren't. They are trying to figure this teen age thing out, same as you. Relax. Have more fun. Expand your social circle, there are kids out there who want to be your friend and you can help each other along the way. Oh, and when R asks you if you've ever thought about going out with him... it isn't a hypothetical question. He's asking you out. Say yes.
Love 2023 Lizanne

The pictures in my high school annual are not great quality but here I am, front and center, with all the fashion going on... who wears beads to high school (this girl, evidently) and check out those white paten leather platform shoes.