Beauty

[Foxxee]

I've been lightening the load.  Last year at this time, I gave 37 good sized boxes to Purple Heart.  Have 12 boxes ready to go with more to be sealed for pickup in 2 weeks.

There will be more for Spring and Summer.

Grass isn't growing under my feet.   

[geezerette]

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@Foxxee wrote:

I've been lightening the load.  Last year at this time, I gave 37 good sized boxes to Purple Heart.  Have 12 boxes ready to go with more to be sealed for pickup in 2 weeks.

There will be more for Spring and Summer.

Grass isn't growing under my feet.   

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@Foxxee 

Wow!  Good job! 👍

[just bee]

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@Foxxee wrote:

I've been lightening the load.  Last year at this time, I gave 37 good sized boxes to Purple Heart.  Have 12 boxes ready to go with more to be sealed for pickup in 2 weeks.

There will be more for Spring and Summer.

Grass isn't growing under my feet.   

---

@Foxxee 

Now that's something to feel good about.  I'd feel better today if I'd been able to donate the things that ended up in landfill.  I do feel better that things are gone, but I regret the waste.

My fault.  Should have jettisoned it all before the fire.

You're doing it right!

[Shanus]

@rnmom   In an effort to curb all the temptation to purchase large quantities of food, especially snack stuff that's not the healthy kind, we limit our trips to Sam's to paper goods, Saran Wrap, etc. No food items. If I end up at the grocery store w/ a small bag of unsalted veggie chips, it's just a momentary slip, not a catastrophe. However, a 5 lb. bag eaten over a few weeks? Not good. 

We've always eaten healthy. I'm better than DH. I have to watch carbs since Diabetes is rampant on both sides of my family. I stay on a modified Atkins eating plan...the last phase in the back of the book. I don't need to lose weight because I exercise so much. As I get a few years older, I foresee that ability slowing down and will have to be more diligent with dieting. 

I've always believed if the bad for you food isn't in the house, you can't eat it. I cheat a little when we go out. Those portions are served in a limited quantity & no doggie bags allowed. 

I don't eliminate any food groups...just makes you crave them. I try to fill up on protein, veggies and salad at meals and then if still hungry have "some" of the potato/rice/pasta on my plate. I'm mindful to have whole wheat products, brown rice instead of white and sweet potatoes. 

You can do this @rnmom ! The first few weeks are tough. It does get easier. 

[just bee]

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@geezerette wrote:

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@just bee 

😱

Ooh, a little too depressing visual for me.  Can we find a more uplifting way to describe our desire to lighten our load?  In fact, now that I think about it, even the word "purge" has a negative connotation.  

How about looking at this from a different viewpoint?  I wonder if we all have been concentrating too much on the negative, and thus unintentionally beating ourselves up over past purchases and choices.  Can't we do this in a positive way?  It may work better.  Like, instead of thinking of all the delicious junk food we have to give up, think of how much better we're going to feel, and therefore, how much more we will be able to do and enjoy.

We  need to figure out how to make the things we want to do be fun, instead of concentrating on how much we're "giving up". Nobody wants to do anything that smacks of drudgery, work, or sacrifice.  But we all like the fun, happy stuff!  Isn't that why we buy or eat in the first place--to try and make ourselves happy

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@geezerette 

All excellent points.  And that's what we've been missing around here.  Whenever we'd try to have fun, it became work.

We need to bring fun back in 2020.

[just bee]

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@rnmom wrote:

Happy New Year everyone! 

I am so glad to be able to talk to all of you, my "online friends". 

I have a few more days to splurge before I try to start my new healthy eating plan. I still have junk in the house but I just need to learn how to say "no". Sugar and sweets, especially chocolate, are my main downfall, and I think I just need to quit cold turkey for a few weeks and get it out of my system. I definitely think that the sugar is an addiction, the cravings are real, and I feel like I need to detox. I know it will be hard but I'm hoping I'll feel better in the end. 

Hubby just bought a brand new, fancy treadmill and I need to make it a point to try to use it and get off my behind at least a couple of days a week. Even if it's only for 15 minutes, I am so out of shape and need to try something. 

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@rnmom 

It's hard to cut out sugar because it's in everything.  I didn't think I could give up Skippy but I did.  I think we need to really take the time to read labels and consider the ingredients in what we consume.  For that matter, the ingredients in what we're using on our bodies.

Most of the candies and cookies in the grocery store are garbage.  Like BH says when I stock Halloween candy: That's not real chocolate.

If you truly love chocolate it will be hard to give it up.  You might try treating yourself to some really good chocolate.  A little bit goes a long way when you've got the good stuff.

A little treat for getting on that treadmill.  You'll feel the difference.  I forced myself to move this morning and I can feel the ow.

[Beauty$Junkie]

It is a time of joy and if 'it' ain't bringing it, it is going.  At my age, I can no longer save anything for 'good'.  Time to enjoy it or jettison it.  I did gain a new word in my vocabulary so off to a great start. 

[geezerette]

Well, maybe "fun" isn't exactly applicable to all situations.  It's hard to think of how to make broccoli more fun than candy bars!  But just getting back to the attitude of focusing on what the broccoli is going to help you achieve--feeling well and stable, and thus able to not only go out and have fun or to better deal with the unpleasant things in our lives that we all must.

It's all in how you look at it.  Years ago I had to go on a very restrictive diet, which ended up lasting for a few years.  I was constantly complaining about what I was missing out on.  (Like a kid whining, "But Mom, everybody else is doing it!")  The OG would take just so much and then shake his head and ask me what was I missing?  Pain?  Lethargy?  I ate like a horse whenever I wanted and was healthier than I'd ever been.  I was thin and active.  All I was missing out on was the propaganda that everyone else was consuming (literally).

Unfortunately, while he was a "glass half full" guy, I've always been a "glass half empty" person.  Not saying I can't change, or at least keep trying to change my attitude.  But it is hard.  Maybe we can keep encouraging each other.  After all, we're not the only ones that feel this way.  Just look at all the new threads about turning over a new leaf and decluttering or dieting.

[just bee]

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@Shanus wrote:

@rnmom   In an effort to curb all the temptation to purchase large quantities of food, especially snack stuff that's not the healthy kind, we limit our trips to Sam's to paper goods, Saran Wrap, etc. No food items. If I end up at the grocery store w/ a small bag of unsalted veggie chips, it's just a momentary slip, not a catastrophe. However, a 5 lb. bag eaten over a few weeks? Not good. 

We've always eaten healthy. I'm better than DH. I have to watch carbs since Diabetes is rampant on both sides of my family. I stay on a modified Atkins eating plan...the last phase in the back of the book. I don't need to lose weight because I exercise so much. As I get a few years older, I foresee that ability slowing down and will have to be more diligent with dieting. 

I've always believed if the bad for you food isn't in the house, you can't eat it. I cheat a little when we go out. Those portions are served in a limited quantity & no doggie bags allowed. 

I don't eliminate any food groups...just makes you crave them. I try to fill up on protein, veggies and salad at meals and then if still hungry have "some" of the potato/rice/pasta on my plate. I'm mindful to have whole wheat products, brown rice instead of white and sweet potatoes. 

You can do this @rnmom ! The first few weeks are tough. It does get easier. 

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@Shanus 

Excellent advice.  I agree: If it's not in the house you can't eat it.  We do have more control than we think.  It requires some discipline: Stick to the shopping list and only hit the aisles where those items are stocked.  You already know which aisles to avoid.

I don't eliminate food groups either.  I just try to watch the portion size.  You're right about filling up on salad.  I can fill a bowl with assorted greens and vegetables and feel full.  And that keeps the amont of linguine I consume at a minimum.

[just bee]

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@Beauty$Junkie wrote:

It is a time of joy and if 'it' ain't bringing it, it is going.  At my age, I can no longer save anything for 'good'.  Time to enjoy it or jettison it.  I did gain a new word in my vocabulary so off to a great start. 

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@Beauty$Junkie 

That's how I feel, too.  I don't want to sound morbid but, at 60, I feel I have a time limit.  The "I'll use this one day" thing is pure fantasy.  I'm at the point where I know I won't.  And having it sit there, reminding me of that, really doesn't help.

Joy is key.  I used to scoff at Marie Kondo and her idea of keeping only what brings you joy.  But I had to implement something like that after the house fire.  I'd pick up an item and if I didn't feel something positive I let it go.

It will be interesting when we get back into the house and unpack the items that were saved.  I really can't remember what's in those boxes.  If I don't feel positive about them when I unpack, they'll have to go, too.