Accontability thread - week 30/2024 (July 22-28)
Hi everyone,
For the past couple of weeks, Phoenix22k, enigmaticOcean8813, and I have been messaging each other in this community to support one another and share our daily progress (or doubts). Unfortunately, after two weeks of continuous replies, we realized it was becoming a bit challenging to keep track of all the responses and posts. When replying to a specific post, the response appears directly underneath, while replying to the main topic (accountability) pushes responses to the bottom. Although this system makes sense, after many replies, especially when using the 7Cups app instead of the desktop version, it was becoming difficult to follow all the responses. There was a real risk of missing something important and not providing each other with the right support and responses.
Therefore, we've decided to create a new post for each week. By doing this, and seeing new accountability posts regularly, we also hope that others might see them and want to join our support group. I imagine the previous post, with so many replies just among us, might seem intimidating and not leave much room for new contributions.
All this long (and boring) introduction is to say... Welcome to the new accountability thread for week 30/2024, from Monday, July 22nd to Sunday, July 28th.
@Phoenix22k
@enigmaticOcean8813
Accountability for Thursday 25th
Quite a
good day today too.
I started my day with a 5 am run. The first km was quite difficult since the day
before I went to the gym and my PT went quite hard on leg exercises. So I told
myself “just 5 k today, don’t exaggerate as you risk injuring yourself and you
don’t want that. So listen to your body”. From the 2nd km on, legs
started to feel better and move faster. So my brain went “you’re only going to
do 5 k, so we can try to keep up a slightly faster pace”. Long story short, if
we take out the 1st km and we consider it just a warm up, I
basically smashed my PR on the rest of the run. I don’t think I would have had
the energy to do more than 5 k, but I really happy for how they turned out. And
I closed my training with a slow and relaxing walk with my dogs before heading
to work, so perfect start of the day.
Had all my meals as planned, including dinner which I didn’t think I would have been able to do, since I was home alone. When nobody sees me, I tend to eat less or do something quick and incomplete since it’s just for me (I cook very well if it’s for others, but not if it’s just for me – it’s like I am not worth doing so much for my own). But I was strong and also ate 83 out of 85 grams of bread as indicated in my plan. I had never gone above 70 grams before.
I spent the night cleaning, tidying up and
listening to a podcast, which might seem boring and obsessive but for me was
actually a perfect night!
@Turtleonmyleftarm,
Hi, Turtle. I'm sorry I've been away for a few days. We've been busy getting our house ready to move, and we've had some showings. And on top of it, we're going away to see our children and grandchildren for a few days. So I won't be in close contact for a while, but I'll do my best to check in with the two of you.
I am just so impressed with your exercise and diet regimen that I wish I had the energy and probably the age and stamina to keep something like that up. The one thing that you wrote that really struck me was that you had all your meals as planned. And maybe it's the planning that's important, which I don't often do.
And yesterday, I really fell off the wagon. For two days, I had been doing pretty well, and so myself put on a little bit of weight. But when I stepped on the scale this morning, I was all the way back down to where I was originally. So it's like starting over again for me. But I know carbs are important for running, so eating 83 out of 85 grams of bread is important.
And hats off to you for a perfect night. It will be hard for me to be in touch. Maybe just a quick note at the end of the day, because I will be at my son's tomorrow, and I will have to use that awful phone app. I won't have a laptop with me, but I will be thinking of you and your really good progress.
eO8813
Hi Ocean!
No need to apologise! It’s great you’re busy (it takes away the attention from our bodies and food thoughts) and I am happy you’ll be visiting your children and grandchildren for a few days, it’s lovely you have the chance to spend a little time with your loved ones.
I am glad you managed to put on a little bit of weight, please do not see the fact that you’ve lost it as a negative thing. Our bodies change day by day, the best thing would be checking the weight after a little bit of time (like once a week or every two weeks) and see the trend rather than the exact number. If you only focus on a day’s specific weight you might stress yourself and as a result even lose some… So please don’t weigh yourself too much, and rather focus on how you feel. How are you feeling recently? Any change on that?
@enigmaticOcean8813
Thanks for sharing Ocean! I completely understand when things come up and if you are not able to comment each day. When/if you are able your input is always welcome!
I just know from myself, like journaling, I get into a habit for awhile and then stop, and I wanted you to know your thoughts and journey are read and appreciated. I wish I could help more than just being some words on a page, but know that you are in my thoughts and I'm wishing you the best.
Good luck with the transitions this weekend. Try and focus on the moments you are spending with your family!
@Turtleonmyleftarm
Awesome job listening to your body and resting! Ahhh leg day... I train those once a week and have come to appreciate it more, but not my favorite work out! So much strength is tied to our legs though so it is helpful. I'm glad you are able to build in relaxation/recovery naturally. "Listening" to your body is key, and it is a part that will help with your nutrition journey also.
As usual, I can so relate to the cooking. I really do enjoy cooking meals for others, I worked part time at a cafe and it's nice to see satisfaction and joy through others when they eat. I think part of this is because I do not quite feel that joy when I eat, or make them things I wouldn't eat, so perhaps I am living through their experiences.
Sounds like a good day. Keep thinking of how well you are doing and try to focus on one-day at a time!
Accountability for Friday 26th
No running or sports for me today. My body needed some rest, and I also had to do some errands so it was a different day than my usual Fridays. During the day I tried my best to stick to my plan but I was really busy so I didn’t have my snacks and also lunch was slightly off, but I told myself that I need to accept that not all of my meals can be perfect. For dinner I met with my parents for my mother’s birthday and we ate together and watched the Olympic opening ceremony. I didn’t eat much because I knew there was going to be cake, but I tried everything and didn’t stress out too much. Well, not as much as I would have done a few weeks ago (I still stressed, but a little bit less).
On a positive note, I still hadn’t bought my “treat” for being good last week and I bought myself a new pair of sunglasses 🕶️ and I am truly happy! Tomorrow I will go to the cinema to see Deadpool & Wolverine as a treat for this week
@Turtleonmyleftarm
"Still stressed, but a little less", hey that is amazing! Learning to be comfortable with the stress I think is a big part of recovery, and especially not letting it ruin your day. With today being a recovery day for you I think you modified your meals accordingly and sounds like you made the right decisions there. Great compromise as usual!
I'm sure you look great with the sunglasses! When you put them on think about how you "earned" them, by challenging yourself and growing. That may help them feel even better!
I'm going to check out Deadpool as well! Though not until next week. I have 5 more days of summer school and figure it will be a great way to "end" that part of my summer. So no spoilers yet!
Well deserved and nice treat, Turtle! I forgot about the weekly treat pact we had made.
I am off to see family, I know eating will be off b but at least I have our group in my pocket 😅 to check in with.
Accountability 7/26
It was another good day. I'm feeling much better and have my taste/smell back! Also tested negative for COVID so I'll be able to teach the last week of summer school, and tomorrow I have a family reunion so I will not feel as though I'm risking everyone's health.
Great workout in the AM. I'm adjusting a little more to heavier weights to try and build some muscle. Part of this yes, is a goal to try and get a "look" but not entirely. It is also motivation to eat properly as I will need my calories and healthy meals to fuel properly. I also am hoping that since I've been binge-free for awhile that any inflammation/water weight will go down. I'll try and think of this as a healthy experiment.
Breakfast good, Lunch good, was able to fend off some temptation with old video games I used to play and reading, Dinner good. Though I just napped and rested afterwards until I formally went to bed.
Tomorrow, family reunion. I have my meals planned out for that and know there will be temptations but I am confident I can control myself. The challenge is usually afterwards... when no one is around. So tomorrow's obstacle, embrace time with my family, and RELAX afterwards in a healthy manner.
Great report, Phoenix!! How wonderful, I too am headed to a family reunion.
Tell me, when you talk About f temptation do you mean binging?
@enigmaticOcean8813
Enjoy your time with family!
Yeah, that is what I am referring to when I say temptation. For me, it is a slippery slope. If I have a bite of something I do not feel "good" about, I often feel like my entire day is ruined and that triggers a binge. I know this is a habit I need to work on, and mindset.
So temptation for me, is to indulge in that sweet treat that will lead to a binge session essentially.
I dislike sweets and have for years. My temptation is a bag of pretzels Chex Mix, or some kind of pub mix. If I don't stop b myself I can really binge and often accompanied by wine or whiskey.
More lately, I will I have one pretzel and stop myself. I just don't know moderation, which is the healthy approach to food.
Accountability 7/27
A nice day spent with family at my reunion. Most of my family there knows I try to watch what I eat, so it was nice not feeling "judged", openly at least. It also was my cousin's birthday so they brought a cookie cake for her to enjoy. I declined and felt fine about this. There was a point when my uncle who cut the cake said "I cut pieces for everyone who didn't take one?" and I told them it was me and just no thank you.
I had a great workout in the AM with a longer run, and my meals were not even that different yesterday but I felt bloated/fuller in the evening. Not entirely sure why this is the case, perhaps my body's digestion is just still getting used to things. Trying to just think positive and realize that it is not necessary making me "fat" or anything. It is just a sensation and the image I project is all in my head.
Still, stuck to my healthy meals and feel good about things. Starting to look forward to each day and the "challenges" of eating as obstacles like when I am competing in my races.
Love to all and hope you are having a nice weekend!
Hi Phoenix,
I am so happy your family reunion went smoothly and that nobody judged you or pushed you to do something you didn’t want. Most of the times when someone says “thanks I don’t want the cake” people normally start insisting. It’s refreshing to read everybody accepted it and went on. And great job for recognizing you didn’t need/want that and simply say no. It shows great control and respect for your body.
I would like to thank you for writing about your body getting used to eating differently and so that feeling full/bloated is just a feeling and not actually being fat. It’s something I know but can’t really get for myself. Reading it said by you, made me think about it a little bit more and I think I will try to associate that feeling with you and your message in the future, as a “reminder” of how I should look at this…
Sending much love ❤️
Accountability entry for Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th
Started my Saturday morning with a 11 km run where I did my PR on the 10 k. I normally do my longer runs on Sunday but since I knew we were going to the cinema that night and I would not have been in my best shape on Sunday morning, I decided to switch up my workouts.
I ate well the whole day. Since I knew the night was pizza + cinema, weeks ago I would have eaten less to compensate, but this time I didn’t. I chose the lightest possible pizza (without cheese, with grilled vegetables) but still… I’d say it was a victory.
What wasn’t good was that I decided to wear a light, breezy dress since it’s so hot these days. 99.9% of the time, if I am not home alone or out running, I wear jeans. And yesterday evening I remembered why I don’t do dresses. I spent the entire time focusing on how the dress was falling on my belly, how even if it wasn’t tight at all, I could still see the outline of my belly. I would look at other women’s bodies and they had perfectly flat bellies underneath tight dresses, while I was there with a larger one and I could still see that my belly wasn’t flat. I was so uncomfortable the entire night!!!
luckily the cinema was pitch black, and Deadpool was so funny, it made me forget my clothes and belly for a couple of hours.
This morning I had my normal breakfast, in spite of the pizza the previous night and the fact I felt fat. But I must say it’s all due to the fact I always prepare it the night before, otherwise this morning I would have probably bailed out.
Had lunch too, and now I am relaxing a little bit after a Sunday spent cleaning up and stocking up the freezer with several meals for the week.
Good for you on f the pizza victory! I do the same thing all the time. Eat a lot, then compensate the b next day by not eating a lot or severely restricting what I eat. I am my worst enemy.
You are doing great! Keep it up!
Thanks Ocean! How is it going at your children’s? Are you having a good time?
Everyone has arrived, so that is good and the little hone are getting along well (4, 3 years old). Food is a problem for me and the side effects are still a problem. We left meal planning to our kids so everything j is way out or delivery which I hate and not really good for me - can't apportion meals correctly.
I should not complain. We are all together.
I thought I responded to this a few minutes ago. The little ones (4yo, 3yo) are getting along famously. Food is a problem as most meals are out, which I don't like. I should not complain as we are all together.
@Turtleonmyleftarm
Are you in the Olympics? Cause you are scoring some huge victories recently! You certainly deserve a gold for the last few days.
Your compromise with the pizza was great. I think that wanting to eat healthily yet also enjoy the idea of pizza and having a "healthier" slice is a great compromise. It shows courage in yourself for trying something that you may not have eaten in the past, or felt bad about, but also respect for your body/mind.
I also imagine that you looked just fine in your dress. In fact, people were probably looking at you wishing they had a certain image/ect. But I know it is hard to tell ourselves that. I have read multiple times that we tend to compare ourselves to others and don't realize that others are also constantly comparing themselves as well. It is sad that our culture has done so much to promote this, and the best thing to do is just accept where we are. NOW IF ONLY I CAN TAKE MY OWN ADVICE! Hahaha.
Again great work! I'm jealous that you got to see deadpool. That is going to be my gift this upcoming weekend and I'm already counting down!
@Phoenix22k
Ahahah your sentence about the Olympics really brought a smile on my face!
Thank you 🥰
We are sooo good at giving each others' advices, and not really being able to follow them, right? 😉
But you're really helping me Phoenix. I know it might seem stupid or you might think I am exaggerating this, but I really think about you sometimes and I try to think about what you'd write me, or what I would write you if you were in my shoes... And it helps!!!
I am grateful we found each other!
I agree too that we have found each other.
I've been trying to respond all day, but the 7c app has been all weird unveil a few minutes ago
Accountability 7/28
Had a really nice Sunday. I went to the amusement park with my sister and her family and really enjoyed it! I had eaten lunch before hand, as food is way to expensive there and not the healthiest anyway, and felt fine. Since my previous days of success I just enjoyed the rides much more and the time with my nephews. I'm glad I got to go, and that it was in a reasonable time-frame for me. I was able to still get home around 6:00 and have a healthy dinner, get to bed at a good time.
While at the park I tried to not compare myself to others. I wore a tank top, and I'm in pretty good shape so felt confident. But compared myself a little to the other guys and their physique. But I also tried to think to myself, how many people may be comparing themselves to me? Not gloat, but I have been told I am handsome and am in pretty good shape. So I'm sure there are some out there doing the same. In the end it is none of my business and I cannot know, but it helped me have some confidence and not fixate on others as much. So... a win perhaps? Perhaps an unconventional one.
I am heading back to summer school tomorrow and just keep telling myself 5 days and I'll be back to some "real" summer vacation. Also... definitely going to make it my treat to see Deadpool this weekend! @Turtleonmyleftarm also inspired me with her sunglasses and I do want a new pair of workout/running shoes, so maybe that can be a future gift.
Looking forward to cheering you all on this upcoming week! I'm guessing a new Thread will be made.
@Phoenix22k
I am also glad I inspired you with my sunglasses (I forgot to mention they were sunglasses for running, so your future gift seems even more connected!).
I'll now go and create the new thread for the new week and I am sooo looking forward to seeing it fill up with our amazing victories!
Hooray for the great report! And good luck in summer school @Phoenix. What are you studying?
@enigmaticOcean8813
Thanks! I am actually the teacher myself. I teach mathematics and for the summer it is Algebra I and Algebra II. The classes are really small in the summer so it is nice and not too stressful.
End of August... the "real" year begins!
Good luck with the summer classes. How old are the students? When I taught college, I never taught in the summers, spending the time focussing instead on research.
