~*~Witchy Weight Loss & Support ~*~ "Losing" to Lughnasadh - Page 2

[_ktg_]

Missing all of you  as I am just dipping my toes back into being on the internet once again after my "blissful" 3-week vacation from work, which then turned into a vacation from the computer.

I am still at 185 which is great since I did not gain any or lose while on vacation despite eating not the best for the most part. 

I have picked up my terrible soda addiction again, so I'm working on weening myself back off.  At least it's not diet and is just regular stuff.  

I have added to my diet a nice glass of milk kefir in the morning and I'm hoping to get some water kefir grains which may help kick that soda habit once & for all.  I *love* bubbles  and sugar

I haven't had a chance to ride my bike to work this summer yet - out of sheer laziness but I am walking and all my gardening landscaping is ... well it is a lot of work so I'm not stressing. 

I'm off to do a bit of meditation (or snoozing in the sun) over my lunch to recharge for the last half of my workday. 

[Aubergine68]

Welcome HeckedyPeg/Marcelle!  How interesting that you are studying Chinese medicine!  

Sot true that we know what we need to do and just need to commit to it!

My way out of the sugary coffee drink habit was making my own out of ingredients I feel good about.  Right now, it is almond or coconut milk and stevia with cold coffee and ice in the blender.

Millie ,that sauce sounds wonderful!  I want stuff from my garden to come ripe so I can make some!  Raw salsa with onions, tomatoes, peppers garlic and cilantro is my summer fave - will have to plant more cilantro so I'll have some ripe when my tomatoes finally come ripe!

I have gotten my yoga books and cards out this week and gotten back into doing a few poses every day with my children.  Something about high summer always makes me want new yoga mats.  Will have to garage sale - I'd love to have 5 or 6 good ones and new would be pricey.

We are FINALLY looking forward to a dry weekend, just as my 3 week break begins.  I've had the boys clearing the yard of toys and setting up the tent for sleeping out and the firepit for cooking out.  It's going to be great!

I cleared off my patio and am contemplating arranging my potted flowers around it to make a sort of circle.  Tonight, I want to be outside and spend some time with that full moon.  Barefoot, too, mosquitoes or no mosquitoes.  

ktg, nice to hear from you!  Welcome back!  We missed you!  You sound refreshed after your much-needed and well-earned vacay.

[Millie Ivy]

hey all!  I had the most beautiful weekend, I just had to share.

I've been really upping the physical activity the last month or so. I am getting a little addicted to my daily walks and yoga, hurray!  A side effect is that I'm tired and ready for bed early, and wake up refreshed at about 6:45-7  and I just have enough time to get 45 minute walk in before dh heads off to work.  Another side effect is that my crazy high alcohol tolerance has shot way down. (I don't like, drink to my grave or anything, but my husband and I enjoy wine with dinner, and with a HIGH tolerance it's just hard to moderate and I really want to be someone who can enjoy a glass and then not refill, you know?) I've had 1-2 glasses and then switch to water and tea just because I feel like it, not because "oh, I shouldn't have more because I shouldn't"  does that make sense? 

I'm now taking yoga classes towards my teacher training, just my practicum portion, none of the specific modules yet, but I'm doing the prereading and have some really awesome books, I'll share later as I delve into them. 

So yesterday I had this "unlocking" moment after class, and I was just overwhelmed with joy.  I haven't had something like this happen this strongly before.  It's like I got so happy (I was driving) that I started laughing and tearing up like a maniac. :-)  Then, the normal feeling of the last few months of stress burdening and tightening me up just sort of ...passed through me?  I still thought of the stressful situation but I wasn't, um, attached to it, I guess.  Has anyone experienced anything like this?  It was beautiful.  I'm trying to retain and remember that feeling as I head back into the fray.

I also got to spend the afternoon with some other fiber artists from a cooperative group I'm a part of online.  One of them drove up from Houston, another is from Buffalo, and we all met in Arlington, tx (an hour drive for me) at the another's mini farmette and played with baby goats, a nd sheep, and donkeys.  I came home with a fleece to process and some mohair from her goats.  And another spindle.  It was really a lovely way to spend the day.

Anyhoo, now I've got a million things to get done in the next few days, and I'm going to try to remember not to get dragged down by any rough stuff, because I will have beautiful days and moments again!

Oh, and mom made gazpacho with grilled shrimp and some peach/blueberry tarts (gluten free, grain free) with coconut ice cream last night. hoo boy!

[Aubergine68]

That sounds really neat, Millie!

I have not had a purely joyful moment like you describe, but I want one of those.  I have had moments where I have spiritually understood the reasons why I held on to the weight after my last baby and felt ready to let it go.

We are painting our kitchen today.  I made a crockpot of black beans with onions and celery and a little lard on the weekend and a big bowl of raw chopped onions, peppers, tomatoes, cilantro and garlic dressed with lemon juice and vinegar (sorta like a salsa, but I mix it with lettuce and eat it as a salad.)  I've been eating a cup of beans baked with cheese and all the salsa-salad I want for lunch.  And then blueberries for a snack.  Mmmmm.  I could eat this way forever.  I'm proud of myself that I didn't just say 'Well the kitchen is a mess, let's get takeout!"  My husband is saying we need to cook rice more often, but the beans are enough carb for me, I guess?  I'll have to make sure to put a pot on for him.

I got 30 Day Shred from the library for the third time and finally tried it.  It was hard and it took me three days to get over the pain from the first workout enough to try it again, but I think it was an awesome workout and I'm going to buy a copy, I think.

[Millie Ivy]

yeah, beans would be more than enough carbs for me, as I don't eat grains OR legumes.  Though I will occasionally do properly prepped legumes.  But you know your own body best. :-)  I'd rather get my starch from the lovely local potatoes I get than rice.

but oh a bowl of beans sounds lovely. !!

My lunches are often leftover meat and veg, or a salad with loads of veggies, eggs and meat.  Or breakfast at lunchtime because I fasted, or smoked oysters, hb eggs, pickles, tomatoes, and lf carrots. 

I love my food.  it makes me so happy!

[Aubergine68]

158.8! (at home, down 2.4 pounds from 11 days ago).  This is the first day in many years I've seen a number on the scale that was not representing an overweight bmi for me.  

I was stalling with the weight loss and cut out beans and stopped slacking on the exercise for a couple of days and that got me going again....I will probably avoid the beans for a bit and then add them in again when I have lost the last few pounds and am trying to maintain.

How's everyone else doing?

[Millie Ivy]

Doing great over here!  I was really tired the past couple days and didn't workout/walk and, due to kids and life had to skip yoga classes.  But I think the break was good for me, back at it full force today with a great class and a long walk, despite the heat.

vacation in a couple days!  I have about 8 hours of work to do today with fiber to get myself ahead of the game with deliveries before I leave.  Lots to do, but it's fun.  And we are heading up to my grandparents for their 60th wedding anniversary. <3

My mom wants me to work with her a little everyday teaching yoga while we are gone as she has lost much of the flexibility she used to have, so that's good practice for me (teaching) and good motivation for me to keep it up while we travel. 

Also, on the witchy front, I've been feeling a spark again for the first time all year.  really feeling pulled into a regular observance.  Feeling very happy right now. :-)

In the next two weeks I'll probably have some stuff crop up with the ex, but I think it'll all work out fine.  i might be moaning about it here a bit. lol

[HeckedyPeg]

Originally Posted by Aubergine68 

Welcome HeckedyPeg/Marcelle!  How interesting that you are studying Chinese medicine!  

Sot true that we know what we need to do and just need to commit to it!

My way out of the sugary coffee drink habit was making my own out of ingredients I feel good about.  Right now, it is almond or coconut milk and stevia with cold coffee and ice in the blender.

Thank you, happy to be here :)

Good suggestion about making my own coffee drink! I have some reusable cold cups that would be perfect for this!

I enjoy studying Chinese medicine, though at times I feel like I'm memorizing a phone book! I think the Taoist approach to nutrition/diet/lifestyle is pretty intuitive- it definitely takes into account the whole person and all the constitutional factors that often make our more Western diet "fads" fail for some and do so well for others. 

Does anyone here follow any kind of food philosophy; like, traditional foods or paleo or vegetarian? I'm just curious! DH and I are leaning more towards traditional foods, specifically sprouting, and I've been wanting to make some water kefir and start making our own bread on a regular basis. 

[Millie Ivy]

Yes, I do follow a "philosophy" of food.  Raised vegetarian and always trying to be veg as a young adult for health/animal rights rreasons left me fat and unhealthy.  I would always go back to a fairly conventional "whole foods" diet which didn't cure anything well either. 

Then I found traditional foods, after going gluten free.  Felt a ton better and felt spiritually whole in regards to my meat eating for once.  I feel part of nature more now. Feeds my soul!  I do better on lower carb through and discovered Paleo/Primal about 16 months ago and never looked back.  I plan on eating this way for life.  My skin/weight/hormones/muscleature/energy/moods and just everything is worlds better than any other time of my life.

hth!

[_ktg_]

Checking in - as I've been struggling to get back to 185 and my old eating habits this month. Seriously - quiting soda is one tough   Now I've put myself on a "star chart" with the kiddos to see if I can finally be done with this little monkey on my back.  I love earning "stars" for working out (1hr), meditating (30min) and not drinking soda   I just need to figure out what to cash them in for - hmmm ideas anyone?  I'm stuck on either some FEs or ooooh my water kefir grains...mmmmmm

Got to see my new MD - as we are switching MDs as a family and it was one of the best MD experiences I've had.  He is a total "I want to see the whole picture" kind of MD, and likes to attack problems with some of the more basic solutions (sleep, diet and exercise first!)  We talked about diet, and how I managed to lose a nice amount of weight (he thought I gained it first b/c of my thyroid issues )   He embraced my low gluten - since I know I am not completely gluten free yet - diet and we had such a wonderful chat about it too with all the hype about it as now a "fad" diet to lose weight.

Food philosophy - hmmm I think mine is right now - primal-ish, with dashes of traditional foods, and low grain, along with trying to be mindful of the seasonal foods available. I just love food so it's tough for me to put a finger on my philosophy.  I like simple, I like complex, I love veggies, and love meats.  Grains - well I could do with out some, but they are tasty too.

Now I'm rambling  - but here it is in a nutshell - I love foooooooooooooooooooooood  (in a voice like Po from Kung fu Panda)

Oh and do we need to start a new thread to help us skip into Samhain?

[Millie Ivy]

Skipping to Samhain is a great idea!  Or Slimming to Samhain or Stronger by Samhain?

Strong IS the new Sexy, you know. ;-)

turns out my maintenance needs to be "reduction" for just a while.  I've put on a couple (like 5-8) this summer (lots of good local food, baby!) and would like to get back into fighting shape.  So I'm limiting the carbs I was getting (fruit, potatoes, honey) for a while, which works like a charm for me. 

ktg I love your description of your food philosophy!~  That's so me as well.  I run a food coop with my mom and sis and we just adore good food. It's super beautiful, isnt it?

[_ktg_]

Samhain thread is now up for all of us!!