Making My 40's Count

[PunkyCindy]

Hi, I'm Crystal! I am starting out fresh in a new journal because I haven't been here in years and because I'm turning 40 in 6 days, so it just feels right. I am back here because I had some success losing weight here before, but life happened and I gained back all the weight I had lost, plus extra. I'm back here for accountability and so I can stay motivated.

I was athletic as a kid but gained some weight around 5th grade when I stopped skateboarding and rollerblading. I struggled with an eating disorder after that and became scary thin. From about 14 to age 17 I maintained a healthy weight and no longer struggled with my eating disorder. I got pregnant at 17 and gained a lot of weight during my pregnancy. I have struggled with my weight since then and have had periods where I lost weight, but I gained it back each time, plus more.

In 2011 I lost from my highest weight of 245 lbs at that point down to 185 lbs and then I gained it all back. I went from 245lbs down to 210 lbs, then in March of 2012 I joined this forum and got down to 180 lbs. After that, I got in a wreck and was out of the gym for a while and gained weight again. I got back in the gym and started losing again, but then I had a bad bout with plantar fasciitis and started gaining again. After that, I mostly just went back to life without trying to lose or be healthy most of the time with short bursts of unsuccessful weight loss efforts in between.

At the beginning of this year I reached 275 lbs. I decided to try again. This time I chose to start doing an activity I always regretted stopping, and that's skateboarding. I had the time of my life for a few months and my 14-year-old son even started skateboarding with me. I was losing weight even though I wasn't focusing hard on it and I was having so much fun, but I suffered a major injury 6 months ago that has stopped me in my tracks. I sustained a major ankle sprain, both a high and low sprain at the same time. After 6 months I am not completely healed and my range of motion in my ankle is horrendous. I am rehabbing it, but progress has been slow. Since the injury I gained back the little bit of weight I had lost and a couple of weeks ago I reached 275 lbs yet again.

As I said earlier I turn 40 in 6 days and I feel like I'm fighting for my life. My 14-year-old son is going to be lifting weights with me, and I felt like I needed some accountability, so I'm here trying again. I am down to 268 lbs as of this morning. I am excited to see what I can accomplish and am hopeful that I can make lasting changes. I'd love to make my 40's the best decade of my life.

Some things I'd like to accomplish in the next year are to lose a significant amount of weight (overall goal is 125 lbs, but I know that will take more than a year), start skateboarding again, lift consistently, get a handle on my nutrition, and compete in a race of some sort if my injury progresses to where I can do that (a mud run is the ultimate race goal).

Weigh-Ins
12/14/2021 - 268 lbs

My old journal - https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=144018781

[hendrixfreak70]

On phone so not sure which forum, but I assume it’s a lady one. Either way, dazzit brah. I’m pulling for ya! You got this! Keep hustlin’ cuz!

[PunkyCindy]

Starting over - 275 lbs

[PunkyCindy]

On phone so not sure which forum, but I assume it’s a lady one. Either way, dazzit brah. I’m pulling for ya! You got this! Keep hustlin’ cuz!

Thanks for the encouragement, this is pretty embarrassing, but it's worth it if it helps me stay on track. (In the fat loss logs this go around btw.) Thanks again for stopping by.

[xsquid99]

Accountability starts with you, and its definitely not about motivation but more about discipline. Nobody is motivated all the time, but discipline will keep you on track when motivation fails you.

Get a food scale and learn to count calories using the help of an app or online calorie tracking site, it will help you in the long run. Counting calories was the single biggest eye opening part of weight loss for me, and after doing it religiously for a year I got pretty good at estimating and have kept my weight off for over 5 years now. You cannot estimate your intake effectively until you gain some experience with how to properly count and track what you're eating (and drinking).

Start here: https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=173439001

Good luck!

[PunkyCindy]

Accountability starts with you, and its definitely not about motivation but more about discipline. Nobody is motivated all the time, but discipline will keep you on track when motivation fails you.

Get a food scale and learn to count calories using the help of an app or online calorie tracking site, it will help you in the long run. Counting calories was the single biggest eye opening part of weight loss for me, and after doing it religiously for a year I got pretty good at estimating and have kept my weight off for over 5 years now. You cannot estimate your intake effectively until you gain some experience with how to properly count and track what you're eating (and drinking).

Start here: https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=173439001

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice. I already know how to weigh and measure food and log the calories/macros. It's actually the only way I've had any success in weight loss. I struggle with maintaining that regimen long-term, which is why I decided to log here again. I had to sit and think about what worked for me when I was losing and this is it. I struggle with depression and exercise helps me combat that, so when I'm out of the gym I'm fighting an uphill battle and that is when I normally stop doing what is working. When I can exercise calorie counting and logging come a little easier. I'm hoping to stay on top of that this time around. I'm working out with my son and logging here for accountability and motivation because when depression creeps in "discipline" goes out the window a lot easier. I understand what you're saying about waning motivation and about accountability starting within, but part of that is also knowing when to get outside help. Thanks for stopping by.

[PunkyCindy]

Today was a good day. I wasn't hungry at all and I felt great all day. No exercise today other than my stretches for my ankle rehab.

calories - 1569
protein - 58g
carbs - 196g
fat - 67g

I eat mostly vegetarian but I am a pescatarian so I do eat some seafood on occasion. I am calculating my protein requirements based on my goal weight for now since I'm obese, so ideally I'll need 87.5g of protein a day. Some days I have more, some less, but I'll worry more about that later. My main concerns right now are building the habits of food logging, exercising, and staying within my overall calorie consumption goal.

[paulinkansas]

Stick with what you are doing. Last week I had some pentecostal minister that wanted to rent a place from me. I explained that they go to refinery contractors.

[PunkyCindy]

Today was a good day again. The scale was down 2 lbs from yesterday so I was 266 lbs, but I'll take the official weigh-in on Fridays, so in the morning. I wasn't hungry today and did well with calories. I did my ankle rehab exercise today and plan to lift tomorrow then I'll have a 2 day rest and lift mon, wed, fri of next week.

calories - 1552
protein - 48g
carbs - 208g
fat - 59g

[PunkyCindy]

Today has been a good day. I worked out today. I did my ankle stretches and I lifted for the first time in a while. My ankle wasn't ready for weighted squats of any kind so instead of goblet squats I did body weight squats. I was slightly favoring my uninjured ankle due to the lack of flexion in the injured one.

calories - 1665
protein - 55g
carbs - 218g
fat - 63g

Workout:
bench
60x8
90x3
80x6
80x4
80x4

bodyweight squats 3 sets of 10 (not enough flexion for weighted)

Pendlay Rows
60x10
60x10
60x10

Planning to add on more exercises as I can.

[PunkyCindy]

I was 266 lbs this morning so I successfully maintained throughout my birthday and Christmas. I have not been logging calories but have been trying to strike a balance. I will begin logging again tomorrow and on the 1st I will join the fat loss challenge that's starting here.

[PunkyCindy]

By the 31st I was back up to 270 lbs and today 1/5 I am down to 268 lbs. I am hoping to hit 265 by Friday and to be more consistent in logging food. It is so hard to form new habits. One step I'm making today is changing my go-to breakfast from an egg sandwich. It will lower my calories and carbs quite a bit.

[PunkyCindy]

Edited because I mistook when the last time I posted here and had forgotten I'd tried the gym since my injury but could not keep it up. I wanted to have accurate info in this post.

I am currently at 275 lbs. I started back tracking calories this week and have lost 4 lbs so far.

Coming back here each time I fail is hard, but here I am.

[PunkyCindy]

I enjoyed Thanksgiving. Weight today was 273 lbs. I'm logging using mynetdiary app. I really like this app. I'm just doing CICO right now.

[PunkyCindy]

Weighed in at 270 lbs this morning.

Today's Meals

1 - greek yogurt - 140cals

2- humus, pita, olives- 377 cals

3 - honey bunches of oats cereal with almond milk - 290 cals

4 - cottage cheese and diced peaches - 185 cals

5- vegetarian taco salad - 514 cals

6- no sugar added hot chocolate - 67 cals

total cals - 1573