Nadia B Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Um that's huge. HUGE. How wonderful that life makes us step back and see things in a retrospective. Having goals and working to achieve them without getting lost in the possible future daydreaming is the sweet spot, isn't it? I am using daydreaming deliberately here, because we both know how it can be pure hell. Hell we put ourselves through. Food boredom hits LadyM. Welcome to the club, about time to stop induce excessive drooling of your fellow forum members with your cook up lists. Enjoy the weekend. Lots of biking and sunshine I hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 8, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 8, 2015 Lots of rain and storms in the forecast, but we think we can squeeze in our 50-mile bike ride between raindrops Sunday morning. We shall see. I think we're sticking to pavement this time, so a little rain shouldn't be too much of a problem, anyway. OMG you guys, my massage was all I had hoped and more. I call this woman the body whisperer. No joke. She can see and read things that are totally spot on. And she was telling me about how my tissues are inflamed through my middle, that my body is holding onto fluid and air right now, and that if I'm feeling out of sorts, I should start to feeling like I'm in my own body again very soon. I hadn't really articulated any of my fears and weird body consciousness lately, and to hear that really helped. My body is in transition in so many ways, and it was wonderful to feel supported. Grounded and relaxed and practically ready for bed. Glad I cleared my social calendar after the massage. I look forward to extra rest! Also, a bird shit on my head when I walked home from the massage. An appropriately funny metaphor for my week. "A reminder it's a good thing elephants can't fly," was my dad's response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Laughing so hard about the bird shit! Glad you could find it funny. Being on the way home from somewhere, as opposed to being headed somewhere, makes it easier to find the humor. Woot for a glorious massage! Hope you got in your 50 miler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 11, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 11, 2015 Lots of walking this weekend, but no bike ride. Too much rain yesterday. And it worked out for the best. My body needed rest big time. I didn't even make it to barre Saturday morning. Felt like I'd been hit by a truck. Back to it today, though, and hoping to feel strong after two days' rest. Thinking about adding bootcamp this evening, too. Very excited about my trip this weekend to Philly. Did some shopping yesterday for new dresses and that was tons of fun. But now I've learned the dress code has changed from formal to business casual? WTF is that? I googled it and still this concept does not compute for me. The best I've come up with is to wear my pewter sequined jersey dress with flats (scored a darling metallic Frye pair yesterday at TJMaxx for $65!). Food on a travel week can be tough, but I think I have what I need to get by. Kale, romaine hearts, red and green cabbage for quick greens; sweet potatoes, celeriac, fennel, parsnips, beets, zucchini for roasting if I get around to it; salsa verde chicken and aidells sausages ready to go; cod for curry I've decided; venison for meatballs or taco meat; eggs and already sautéed mushrooms with roasted peppers to combine with frozen spinach and sun dried tomatoes for an egg bake. Didn't do much cooking over the weekend, but I have stuff ready to prepare for quick meals. Oh, and mango and avocado to mix with shrimp, cilantro and lime juice for a vibrant pseudo ceviche. I know, I know. This is food boredom, LadyM? The benefits of being a glutton at heart. . . . Still feeling bloated, but trusting that it too shall pass. As soon as AF arrives. Lots of self care on tap should help the old self talk in the lead up to the gala. Facial and hair appointment Wednesday. I will feel good, dang it, even if I must fake it 'til I make it! Seriously, people. Please weigh in on the business casual question. I'm quite baffled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Sounds like you were smart to take it easy this weekend, it will mean a much better week, I think. Hahaha! I'm laughing at your food boredom for sure. You would die of the food boredom at my house! So glad you are looking forward to your visit out my way. As for your question, what is the event again? That might help decode business casual for me. In my mind, business casual might look like a sheath dress (maybe with a cardigan), blouse or shell type top with a pencil skirt - something along those lines? Honestly, as a woman, business casual means just about anything you want to wear in my mind - no jeans, no capris, but really quite open. I picture men wearing either a polo style shirt or a button down shirt, no ties, with khakis or dress pants. I often try to figure out my level of casualness (ok, I know that can't really be a word...) based on what I expect the men to be wearing. Ugh, formal to business casual is a huge change... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjena Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Agree with Sara on the dress code - sheath dress or top and skirt. But, sequins with flats and a cardigan could work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 11, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 11, 2015 Thanks, Jen and Sara. Cardigans keep coming up. But as a shamelessly fashion forward English professor I'm terribly averse to cardigans. It's the opening gala for a dear friend's new business, which is an expansion of his wedding planning business. He's completely renovated his historic farmhouse and property in Lancaster County to be a self-contained wedding venue, from bride prep to ceremony to reception. It will be indoor/outdoor. And I have a reputation to uphold for being stylish. That's a key bit of information, too. I have a sleeveless peridot colored Banana Republic sweater with pearly beading near the neck that I thought I might wear with white pants--and my new white/silver ballet flats. Could pair it with a 3/4 sleeve white blazer as well. But I'd need to go find the right pants. Any other thoughts? I appreciate your weighing in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 You can definitely sub in a cute jacket/blazer for anywhere above you saw the word cardigan. Ha, I love a nice jacket, but have a tough time finding something that works with my physique and that doesn't look like I should be going to Accountants Anonymous. So I often end up in a cardigan, especially since my office is always arctic temps. For a wedding venue opening, I think the sequin dress sounds awesome. Business casual sounds off for that event, I'm thinking more Day Wedding. The sweater, white pants outfit also sounds great, very springy. Again, because of the type of event it is, I think you can up the ante a little and go a little more dressy than a typical business casual, if that's what you want. Bring on the style, Lady! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadia B Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 I like the white pants idea big time. Maybe you can find a nice pastel colored sweater and a statement necklace. Beading on the sweater will do the same job, I suppose. Do you have bold pattern pants/interesting color that's in? Then you can keep the top super muted while shiny flats will be spot on. I really like this look and I find that these type of pants are super relaxed to wear. Sequin dress is bold. I would probably think of a thin pashmina or a light vest to tone it down if you realize that people went way more casual than you expected. Are dresses or skirts out? I think that a shirt dress can be a great piece to wear or a A-silhuette skirt. They are always a show-stopper. There is one girl that has fantastic style, her blog is atlantic-pacific (instagram blaireadiebee). She is really daring but I can't get enough of her posts. Check it out? There might be some scrolling to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 11, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 11, 2015 Thank you!! I love the idea of finding bold pants to wear with the flats. Dresses and skirts are definitely a possibility. Good idea with the pashmina. The sequined dress is jersey, scoop neck, and a muted metallic, so it's not quite so bold. But I don't want to stand out for the wrong reasons. I just wonder what others will wear. The only reason I know about the change of dress code is because I asked. Others may turn up in formal attire! Ugh. There was a pretty white sheath 3/4 sleeve dress at TJMaxx yesterday. I thought it wasn't dressy enough when I thought I was shopping for a formal event, but maybe that coupled with my gold glittery cardigan with rhinestone buttons would work. The dress has gold zippers on the sleeves for added interest, too. Hmmm. So many possibilities! Also, love that instagram rec, Nadia. Thank you! So pretty!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 So what did you find/decide on??? Inquiring minds need to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 14, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 14, 2015 So what did you find/decide on??? Inquiring minds need to know. OK, I think I've decided. It's supposed to be sunny and high in the upper 80s, so I'm going with a tea-length kelly green sleeveless chiffon dress with a 3/4 sleeve off-white blazer if needed and my new metallic/white Frye flats. I'll wear my funky chunky natural pearl and crystal necklace with matching earrings and call it good. Thanks again for all your help! Really looking forward to this trip. Full report when I get back, I promise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 That outfit sounds perfect, hope it turned out. Weather wasn't as great here as they had forecasted, so hopefully it held out where you were. Can't wait to hear all about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 19, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 19, 2015 The event was magnificent, I had a lovely time with my dear old friends, made a few new ones, and felt utterly comfortable and happy with my wardrobe. Was especially happy to be wearing flats! And I didn't need the blazer, which got held up at the dry cleaners. Picked up a new one that was a little too casual at H&M in Philly that I also didn't wear, but now I have a fantastic new beige slim lapeled blazer. Win win. My eating, however, hasn't left me feeling quite as good. I stayed as compliant as I could most of the time, but I indulged in dessert twice, and drank way too much coffee. I'm feeling that terrible backslide and am determined to get back on track. But I'm away this weekend, too, so it's not a good time to start a new Whole30, and I'm not sure that's the best way back right now. Still thinking on it. But this is life for all of us, no? Navigating and staying a chosen course beyond Whole30. Melissa Hartwig has been doing a great job leading the way in that regard with her instagram posts. I like what she said about buffet eating. Her rule is you must eat two clean plates before having a dirty one. Meaning, fill up on compliant good stuff and only then decide if there's anything really worth off roading for. It's a good rule of thumb in general. And it's one I followed, pretty much. But I noticed myself falling back into all-or-nothing thinking, and that bothers me. I'd start off the day reasonably well, with eggs and bacon and coffee, but then I wouldn't eat until dinner. And famished, I would still make reasonable choices. Until it came to dessert. When I made like a vacuum cleaner and sucked up everything in the vicinity--which meant lethal sugarfatglutendairybombs. No bueno. The sugar dragon is fierce. Writing this helps me understand that slaying that dragon once again must be my priority. It strikes me now that part of the problem was having a dearth of veggies, which is often the problem when I'm not eating at home. That's a tough one to fix. I'll do my best to make up for those missed veggies this week at home, and try to do better this weekend, when I'll likely have more control over my food since I'm staying with a friend who likes to cook. Got back to the gym yesterday and had a good workout after my flight. Back to it again this morning and then barre in the afternoon. That's all good after three days off. But it's time to start cutting. My portions had been creeping up even before my trip, and my reliance on sweet bars led to increased sugar dragon ferocity. Back to reality. Getting real again with myself about what my triggers are and the choices I need to make to feel, perform, and look best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 So glad to hear you had such a good time with friends! I am sorry to hear that you are having some struggles around food, but as always, I'm impressed by your thoughtfulness and intent to keep yourself on track. Knowing your triggers is important. I agree about not enough vegetables leading to bad places. I'm a bit concerned about this when I go to Ireland. I eat a lot of veg and feel like a crazy person to ask my sister to stock so much for me, especially with tiny European appliances. But 10 days is way too long to be totally off road. I'll have to think about this. Thanks for sparking good conversations in my head! Good luck getting back on track, especially with your upcoming trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjena Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Happy to hear you had a fun time! Also sorry to hear about the awakened dragon! It's humbling, isn't it? To see how fast we can revert. Eat all the veggies this week! Sara - find a market every day to stock up on veg! I'm jealous. I've never been to Ireland but would love dearly to go someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 21, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 21, 2015 Sara, you can always get plenty of cabbage and carrots in Ireland, anyway. Eggs and rashers for brekkie will do nicely (personally I don't feel like I need loads of veg in the morning as long as I stay away from carbs overall). And I forgot where your sis lives. Any of the bigger cities are incredibly cosmopolitan anymore, full of the food benefits of multiculturalism. Jen, yes, it's very humbling! And that's always a good thing in the long run. All the veggies, yes--great advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 My sister is in County Cork, about 45 minutes from Cork City. But she lives in the middle of nowhere (ha, just like me)! Lots of farms! The good news is she has chickens, so an abundance of fresh eggs. She is so accommodating and I know she goes to the grocery store what seems like a ridiculous amount to me (I think that's a European thing and also why they can manage with the small fridges). So I'm sure I'll be fine. Jen - left you an Ireland note in my log. Hope the veggies have been good to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 21, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 21, 2015 And so I've followed that advice and it's done right by me. Two heads of cabbage down and nearly all the zucchini and frozen broc/cauli mix are gone. I didn't even have to grocery shop for this truncated week. Hooray for that. I probably could have used more starchy veg, but oh well. Feeling like I have my body back after these days of getting more veg, template eating, and generally adhering to my routine. Body is sore from three bootcamp classes and three barre classes so far. Also have been walking as much as possible--to and from work, gym, barre. All good things. These final weeks of the term are a whirlwind, made more so with the weekend travel, but it's a nice break from routine. Still working on how to keep those breaks in routine from derailing me. At least now when I'm derailed I can get back on course much quicker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Glad you are feeling back on course. Lots of veg and lots of movement does the body good! Good luck with your end of term whirlwind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 22, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 22, 2015 Well, I stepped on the scale and my weight is definitely up. Doing my best not to sweat it too much. I know there are a lot of shifts and changes happening with my thyroid adjusting to no meds and that it's far more complex than "gaining weight." Even my massage therapist had mentioned the way my tissues were "holding on." I also know that I've had a few too many bouts of undignified eating over the past six weeks or so, which is when I've put on the weight. Information. It's all information. And my aim is to do something productive with the information. I'm also happy that I'm checking in with myself about what's going on when the scale is five pounds up instead of waiting until it's 15 pounds up, like I have in the past. Inspired by Nadia's comment about her recent W30 in a thread about pre and post wo food, I'm going to focus on a single thing. And that single thing is to eat to satisfaction and not overfeed myself. That's it. Of course in addition to adhering to my usual self-imposed guidelines for when not on a whole30: a template that looks like lots of veggies, some lean protein, a little fat, and a decent portion of starchy veg with meal 3. I'm also using whey for workout food and right now I'm going to continue with it--though that may change. This weekend away may be challenging, but it also may not. It is such a relief to not drink alcohol. It makes everything else easier and doable. A good reminder. A few opportunities to drink are coming up and part of me is interested in seeing what it's like to have a fine glass of wine with dinner here or there. But we shall see. My body is sore, especially my legs and feet. Barre always gets me. Barre+bootcamp gets me harder. Walking stairs right now is brutal. Bike riding and yoga on the agenda this weekend in Pittsburgh. Plus a baseball game. My first of the season! So excited. Summer is coming, summer is coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjena Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Information is good as long as we don't let it set our moods. You seem to be handling it well. Have a great weekend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 25, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 25, 2015 Back from Pittsburgh. Weather was beautiful, but it was one of those trips in which I just spent too much time with someone I get along with better when we aren't sharing such close quarters for days at a time. Kind of weird. But still, it was good. We tried out a local yoga studio that had a $10 for 10 days of classes special and it turned out to be a hot power yoga joint. I think part of our problem this weekend was that we were overheated, tired, and cranky from all the power yoga. Not my favorite. But he liked it and he's been completely yoga averse. Maybe it will be good for him. We had a good balance of cooking and eating out, I think. I did eat Arabic bread one day and sushi twice. I'm feeling the bloat. Definitely craving a diet sweep this week. Not quite ready for a Whole30, but I will return to my best version of the template that I mentioned in my last post. Sticking to whey, fish, and fowl for protein this week; lots of greens and other veggies; root veggies with meal 3; and lower end of the template for fats. My intention is that it be easy if not downright effortless. I also think my body needs more cardio. My plan is to add a short easy run on Wednesdays and Fridays, and a long bike ride on Sundays in addition to bootcamp and barre and walking. We'll see how it goes. I've booked a massage Friday as my "reward" for sticking with my plan until then. Really hoping I can get on top of this and start to feel consistently good again. It's hard to do with all this travel, but things will quiet down for at least a few weeks. Maybe focused meditation again would help me get my groove back. And more sleep. I'm feeling tired. A little worried my thyroid is struggling a bit on its own. I see FMD in a week. I know she'll have some answers and assistance. All right. Back to the grind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted May 26, 2015 Author Moderators Share Posted May 26, 2015 Feeling so much better after plenty of sleep in my own bed. Tough bootcamp this morning, but I felt strong. Also realized that in addition to continuing to avoid alcohol over the weekend, I didn't indulge in any sweets at all. Sometimes I'm not as good at giving myself credit for positive choices as I am critiquing what I could have done better. But I did well on that front, as well as getting in plenty of movement. Even though I didn't love the yoga, it was a good workout; and we did plenty of walking, too. Never did get in a bike ride, but that's OK. So, sticking to my plan this week and keeping my eye on that massage Friday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 A good night of sleep can definitely be mood altering! Sounds like a good weekend and that you did do well while away. No sweets is great, especially because I could see myself "treating" with a sweet, because I didn't have alcohol. Hope your plan gets you back to feeling good again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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