‘Starting on Monday’ actually started on a Thursday with 6 little words – “Can we be online diet buddies?”
The text came from Ana, the owner of this blog, to me and Robin.
With a resounding YES from Robin it began.
Texts back and forth with plans, ideas, hopes, fears… already discussing cheats and rewards. But the big thing. We have to share photos of our scales. Now girls, I’m tall so I’m using that excuse for knowing I’ll be the heaviest of the 3 of us. But I trust my girls and I know they won’t care if I’m 200 pounds or 600 pounds.
The plan:
- Start on Monday.
- Use tiktok exercise videos for ideas and move at least 20 minutes a day to start.
- Meal prep.
- Share scale photos every Monday and Thursday.
- No pot unless you’ve exercised (not my rule, but it’s certainly a valid reward!)
All three of us have home-life issues to tailor our plans to.
Ana has a hungry teenage kid.
Robin has a foodie husband.
I have a bodybuilder/blind husband, so our food needs are very different and I have to plan for both since he can’t be trusted with knives or flames!
If you’ve started a diet, you know it’s EXPENSIVE! First you need to toss all your delicious snacks and junk food. Then you shop… Quality proteins, veggies, fruit, etc. Are so expensive! One trip to Costco… $270 later I still need to get the little stuff.
My plan goes like this:
Breakfast – protein shake.
Lunch – salad with meat/chicken/fish from dinner the night before. I’m going to add lots of interesting toppings and textures to keep them from getting boring, including any dressing I want. Boring salad = failure.
Dinner – meat/chicken/fish (cook extra for lunches!) with veggies and MAYBE a half of a sweet potato or half cup of rice.
Snacks I haven’t planned for yet, but I’m also on Ozempic and really don’t get hungry much if I eat actual food.
So, yeah the Ozempic…
Any one who knows me knows that I lost a lot of weight (70+ pounds) years ago. It stayed off for a few years then I had a foot injury followed by another injury that kept me out of the gym. At that point I was doing serious weight lifting about 3-4 times a week with cardio… so I was careless with my eating because I was so good with working out.
That meant that the weight came back fast and furious and I gained all I lost plus 4 pounds.
That’s when I went to the doctor after reading about Ozempic and she agreed to prescribe it.
The first few weeks were a dream on it. Lost 21 pounds, felt great, was eating whatever I wanted but the drug made me full fast so I was eating only a little of everything.
Then my husband gave me Covid and I lost my job… On. The. Same. Day. That screwed everything up. But I didn’t gain weight. I just didn’t lose.
Then my gallbladder decided to jump into the fray and I started a new job. I was unprepared for both and stopped Ozempic in case that was the issue with my gallbladder (it wasn’t). So I gained back about 4 pounds.
Finally the text. “Can we be online diet buddies?” and my motivation is back!
I need this. I hurt when I’m heavy. My hips, knees, back, neck, everything. And we won’t discuss my libido (that’s for another post) is non existent when I’m fat.
I’m excited to start this journey again! My goal is 160 pounds. At 5’8″, with big hips and thighs, that’s sustainable for me. Last time I got to 149 (after starving for a week to fit into a dress) and I know I can’t do that again.
Wish us luck! And if you’re Starting on Monday, let us know what your plan is so we can try all your good ideas!
Lori is a 51 year old grandma with a Navy daughter and a college son. She lives in South Florida with her husband of 21 years and her old stinky dog, Zeus.
Jen Sully says
My biggest issue is living with my mother. She wants to lose weight too, but her husband is a snacker and a picky eater, so we would have to buy separately from what is for him and what is for us. There’s always cakes or pastries around too. I have put in her Sam’s Club shopping cart “suggestions”, like pre-made salads, yogurts and granola, and chicken breasts to prep for salads. I also want to try to talk her into a gym membership. We have 2 gyms nearby, and if she gets a membership with a guest pass, then we can go together and push each other to actually go and move. My biggest downfall will be when I’m at Disney, since I am a foodie and want to try all of the new things they have each season. The upside to that is all of the walking that goes with Disney, Florida may be mostly flat, but Disney is not. We will figure it out. Hopefully if I do binge I can work it off with exercise or use it as a cheat day.
Ana says
I always had this issue with my ex. He STILL buys junk and keeps it here for when he visits. He thinks he can hide Milanos in the back of my pantry, but I can always find them! Granola is super high in sugar so be careful. Find better choices so you aren’t tempted. Maybe you can go for a walk with your mom every night after work? Or start doing home workouts together.
Lisa says
I love this idea since I too, am struggling with weight gain….menopause, covid and a new job have not helped me fit exercise into my weekly routine and I look and feel terrible. Lori’s goal is my starting goal and I’m four inches shorter than her😳 I need to be about 150 in the end. So first goal is to get moving, limit carbs to hit the first 20 pound goal.
Ana says
My goal is just to get to Onederland for now! Set small goals. Do you have an accountability partner? Sending each other photos of the scales is very helpful!