One Step at a Time
- Thread starter AnnSparks
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AnnSparks
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@LaMaria lol, alright, I'll keep the posts coming then xD And snacking is definitely a challenging habit to break! But I'm sure you and I will figure out a way to get past it ^
@aiminglow exactly! Every little bit is a successful step in the right direction.
Today's Update
Didn't sleep well last night so my energy level has been low today, plus it's been overcast and somewhat snowing throughout the day which kept me at a lower energy level. So I didn't do anything with the horses today since if they were to act up, I wouldn't have the energy to deal with it. Instead, I spent about 10 - 15 mins roughly in the morning on the bike as a way to get my body doing something and hoping it'd get my energy up. Didn't work. So I focused on my art today. But this evening, I did spend 30 mins on the bike again so I have still gotten in some exercise.
When I bike, I do tend to sit up straight for a good portion of it since I can tell it works my mid section as well and today I definitely felt it. About 10 mins in and my abbs/stomach whatever you wanna call that area, was starting to ache a bit. So I take it that using the bike is definitely proving to be a success in working my body which is good.
I've also watched a few youtube videos of people that weighed 600+ lbs and its insane what they go through, both if they lose weight or don't. It's helped give me a bit more motivation to get in better shape as well as to actually cook proper meals instead just having sandwiches most of the time. So next time I go shopping for groceries, I'm going to buy stuff to use to actually cook proper meals and have a list made before hand.
@aiminglow exactly! Every little bit is a successful step in the right direction.
Today's Update
Didn't sleep well last night so my energy level has been low today, plus it's been overcast and somewhat snowing throughout the day which kept me at a lower energy level. So I didn't do anything with the horses today since if they were to act up, I wouldn't have the energy to deal with it. Instead, I spent about 10 - 15 mins roughly in the morning on the bike as a way to get my body doing something and hoping it'd get my energy up. Didn't work. So I focused on my art today. But this evening, I did spend 30 mins on the bike again so I have still gotten in some exercise.
When I bike, I do tend to sit up straight for a good portion of it since I can tell it works my mid section as well and today I definitely felt it. About 10 mins in and my abbs/stomach whatever you wanna call that area, was starting to ache a bit. So I take it that using the bike is definitely proving to be a success in working my body which is good.
I've also watched a few youtube videos of people that weighed 600+ lbs and its insane what they go through, both if they lose weight or don't. It's helped give me a bit more motivation to get in better shape as well as to actually cook proper meals instead just having sandwiches most of the time. So next time I go shopping for groceries, I'm going to buy stuff to use to actually cook proper meals and have a list made before hand.
alligatorob
Respected Member
Biking is real good exercise, and fun. It's how I started exercising last fall, back when I didn't think I could do any kind of exercise.
Good to see you doing well, and stay away from those "youtube videos of people that weighed 600+ lbs", I find them depressing. That is not you, and never will be! Your weight has peaked at a whole lot less, and is getting lesser all the time.
That's good to notice those kinds of patterns--i find it's those little things that really add up
A great plan!
AnnSparks
New member
@aiminglow I live out in the country so theres no noises to keep me up at night lol. Honestly, it's most of the time due to my youngest cat that I don't get some decent nights sleep. She just turned a year old last week but since my habit for so long has been to get up at 4 - 5 am, she tends to wake me up around those times still. Some days I can ignore her and fall back aslpee, but the next time she's more insistant and won't leave me alone until I give the cats breakfast. So she's the main reason I have days that I don't sleep properly, though she's been getting better about it.
@alligatorob I never thought of those shows as depressing, but now that you've said, I can see how they could be. I'm naturally a more positive person so I guess that's why I tend to see them as motivational in one way or another.
Other
I've been watching a few more weight loss related shows and I think something I'm going to work on is going for walks in the morning since the weather is starting to get nicer again. That way I get some sort of fresh air and exercise since other than the horses a bit with the bike, I still spend a lot of time just sitting.
I'm also starting to eat better starting today. I still have some not so good foods around, but that's why I just eat a little of it at a time and not all at once. I've also started a little book/journal to write down what I eat and how many calories were in the meal so that I can learn how much I actually eat and what I need to eat. And once my food is low again, I'm going to buy new groceries with a specific shopping list and only get what's on that list and start on cooking those healthier meals. I'm also starting to drink tea again since I remember that seemed to help the last time I drank green tea in the mornings.
@alligatorob I never thought of those shows as depressing, but now that you've said, I can see how they could be. I'm naturally a more positive person so I guess that's why I tend to see them as motivational in one way or another.
Other
I've been watching a few more weight loss related shows and I think something I'm going to work on is going for walks in the morning since the weather is starting to get nicer again. That way I get some sort of fresh air and exercise since other than the horses a bit with the bike, I still spend a lot of time just sitting.
I'm also starting to eat better starting today. I still have some not so good foods around, but that's why I just eat a little of it at a time and not all at once. I've also started a little book/journal to write down what I eat and how many calories were in the meal so that I can learn how much I actually eat and what I need to eat. And once my food is low again, I'm going to buy new groceries with a specific shopping list and only get what's on that list and start on cooking those healthier meals. I'm also starting to drink tea again since I remember that seemed to help the last time I drank green tea in the mornings.
I grew up on a farm. We always slept with open windows and sometimes we´d have sleepovers with town kids who would reliably freak out about "all the noise" outside. Birds singing, cows mooing, chickens laying eggs... Whereas they were used to the soothing sound of passing cars That´s excellent! Keeping track of what you eat and planning ahead for your next shop is great.
AnnSparks
New member
Alright, so today marks roughly a week since the last more serious update.
This morning I weighed in at 214 lbs. So not much of a difference, but I did still lose 1 pound and that's better than nothing. Also, I'm not surprised it wasn't more simply because it wasn't till friday that I got a better idea of how I was going to go about things from this point forward. I didn't work with the horses quite as much either since I wanted to just spend some relaxing time with them more than worry about a workout or anything like that.
Yesterday I did try using a piece of equiment to help strengthen my core but today my knee is quite sore from it so I don't think I'll be able to use it. I'll post a pic of it since I have no idea what it's called. So that eliminates one thing for workouts, but that's alright. I have other things I can do. But today is going to be a relax day to give my knee a chance to recover since it's quite sore. Might go for a ride on one of my horses depending on how I feel later, but that's about it.
So ya, that's about it for an update for the overview of the week and how much I've lost.
So this is the exercise equiment thing I used that I don't know the name of. You put your knees in the black holes and hold onto the handlebars and use your core to swivel back and forth. I could feel it working my core, but sadly my knees don't like it.
Did go for a few walks around the stables and brought this big guy along and he really enjoyed the change of pace it seemed. So I think I definitely need to take him on more walks. Taking the horses for walks also keeps things more interesting for me too so there's that too.
And finally, 2 pics from when I was just chilling with the horses. The barn cat is super friendly and came over and made himself at home on my shoulder haha. He was purring and rubbing against me and in general, just chilling there as I fed the horses and walked around. Definitely made my day.
This morning I weighed in at 214 lbs. So not much of a difference, but I did still lose 1 pound and that's better than nothing. Also, I'm not surprised it wasn't more simply because it wasn't till friday that I got a better idea of how I was going to go about things from this point forward. I didn't work with the horses quite as much either since I wanted to just spend some relaxing time with them more than worry about a workout or anything like that.
Yesterday I did try using a piece of equiment to help strengthen my core but today my knee is quite sore from it so I don't think I'll be able to use it. I'll post a pic of it since I have no idea what it's called. So that eliminates one thing for workouts, but that's alright. I have other things I can do. But today is going to be a relax day to give my knee a chance to recover since it's quite sore. Might go for a ride on one of my horses depending on how I feel later, but that's about it.
So ya, that's about it for an update for the overview of the week and how much I've lost.
And finally, 2 pics from when I was just chilling with the horses. The barn cat is super friendly and came over and made himself at home on my shoulder haha. He was purring and rubbing against me and in general, just chilling there as I fed the horses and walked around. Definitely made my day.
AnnSparks
New member
Got nothing better to do so I'll add in another update for how today went.
Have been counting calories and such so breakfast hit 300 cals, lunch was 360 cals, and supper was 240 cals. I had a snack that was about 200 cals combining all that together still leaves plenty before I'd hit the 1,400 cal limit which I was hoping for. This means I get to have a cookie or two that my grandma made without going over the calorie limit so I still get to eat something tasty. Also, I don't eat the cookies quickly. More like a bite every couple of minutes and have an hour or two between cookies so that it feels like I'm eating more of them than I actually am and that way not only do they last longer, but I also am able to control how much I actually intake.
Haven't done much in the way of exercise since like I said, today was a rest day. Thankfully my knee feels a lot better than it did in the morning. Tomorrow will be interesting though since I have to travel to the next town over to pick up tax papers and pick up some things for my grandparents that they need/want. So I probably won't have time to work with the horses, so I'll probably go for a walk or ride the bike in the morning to get my exercise in that way. I'm hoping to also be able to pack some snacks/food to avoid buying lunch while in the other town so that I can stay in my calorie limit.
So ya, that's the update. Short and to the point.
@LaMaria
It actually doesn't hurt at all to kneel on. Quite comfy actually! My left knee (uninjured one) feels totally fine. My right knee would hurt a bit if I kneeled the wrong way but otherwise fine. It was my arms and shoulders that got sore before my knees did surprisingly.
And I'm glad you liked the pics with the cat! He's super floofy! And soft
Have been counting calories and such so breakfast hit 300 cals, lunch was 360 cals, and supper was 240 cals. I had a snack that was about 200 cals combining all that together still leaves plenty before I'd hit the 1,400 cal limit which I was hoping for. This means I get to have a cookie or two that my grandma made without going over the calorie limit so I still get to eat something tasty. Also, I don't eat the cookies quickly. More like a bite every couple of minutes and have an hour or two between cookies so that it feels like I'm eating more of them than I actually am and that way not only do they last longer, but I also am able to control how much I actually intake.
Haven't done much in the way of exercise since like I said, today was a rest day. Thankfully my knee feels a lot better than it did in the morning. Tomorrow will be interesting though since I have to travel to the next town over to pick up tax papers and pick up some things for my grandparents that they need/want. So I probably won't have time to work with the horses, so I'll probably go for a walk or ride the bike in the morning to get my exercise in that way. I'm hoping to also be able to pack some snacks/food to avoid buying lunch while in the other town so that I can stay in my calorie limit.
So ya, that's the update. Short and to the point.
@LaMaria
It actually doesn't hurt at all to kneel on. Quite comfy actually! My left knee (uninjured one) feels totally fine. My right knee would hurt a bit if I kneeled the wrong way but otherwise fine. It was my arms and shoulders that got sore before my knees did surprisingly.
And I'm glad you liked the pics with the cat! He's super floofy! And soft
alligatorob
Respected Member
Good for you on the calorie count, that's what I do and it has been a great help to me.
Like your cat pictures. I have never seen an exercise machine like that!
Like your cat pictures. I have never seen an exercise machine like that!
I am surprised but I´m guessing it´s a good sign for your knee. Well done on the calories!
AnnSparks
New member
So today has been pretty interesting! I was planning on traveling to the next town over to pick up my tax papers and stuff so I figured I'd go for a ride in the morning to get in my exercise. Well, I ended up getting in more exercise than I meant to lol.
I went for a trail ride but Sam decided to have a fit when we came a small bridge. There were lots of spins, backing up, and stumbling into off the path into the snow side ditch/field thing. He shuffled sideways and did all kinds of things to make it so he wouldn't go forward. He even launched himself over a snowbank back onto the path and I nearly fell off. I lost a stirrup and was off balance, but somehow I managed to stay on and finally got him to calm down. At that point, I got off since I dropped my phone in the snow when he did his little jump launch.
I did finally get him across the bridge by leading him (still a bit of resistance on his end but a lot less) and was able to hop back on him a little farther down the trail and we finished our ride. By the end when we were back at the stable and I got off, my legs felt like jelly. So I definitely got my workout in for the day lol.
As for food, I've actually eaten less than I thought. I've eaten roughly 765 cals total today. So I'm probably going to have another cookie or two since I have plenty of calories to spare and have those. Not actually feeling too hungry though.
So ya, that's how my morning went. Rest of the day was uneventful. Oh! But I did buy myself a new fish buddy lol. He's a dumbo eared beta fish. He now sits on my desk next to my computer to keep me company while I write out stuff or draw. And even though I've had him only a few hours so far, he's already made me smile lots. And having things around that make you happy are the best way to handle being stuck by yourself for long periods of time which also keeps me more likely to stay on track with my health goals.
New fishy. He has no name yet.
And pics from during my ride. Part of the trail goes through town so I like to think that seeing my boy out and about in town helps cheer up some people and kids. I know if I was a kid, I'd be so excited to see someone riding by or simply just seeing the horse go by really lol.
I went for a trail ride but Sam decided to have a fit when we came a small bridge. There were lots of spins, backing up, and stumbling into off the path into the snow side ditch/field thing. He shuffled sideways and did all kinds of things to make it so he wouldn't go forward. He even launched himself over a snowbank back onto the path and I nearly fell off. I lost a stirrup and was off balance, but somehow I managed to stay on and finally got him to calm down. At that point, I got off since I dropped my phone in the snow when he did his little jump launch.
I did finally get him across the bridge by leading him (still a bit of resistance on his end but a lot less) and was able to hop back on him a little farther down the trail and we finished our ride. By the end when we were back at the stable and I got off, my legs felt like jelly. So I definitely got my workout in for the day lol.
As for food, I've actually eaten less than I thought. I've eaten roughly 765 cals total today. So I'm probably going to have another cookie or two since I have plenty of calories to spare and have those. Not actually feeling too hungry though.
So ya, that's how my morning went. Rest of the day was uneventful. Oh! But I did buy myself a new fish buddy lol. He's a dumbo eared beta fish. He now sits on my desk next to my computer to keep me company while I write out stuff or draw. And even though I've had him only a few hours so far, he's already made me smile lots. And having things around that make you happy are the best way to handle being stuck by yourself for long periods of time which also keeps me more likely to stay on track with my health goals.
That sounds scary with Sam's refusal at the bridge! Glad neither of you were hurt in all that. Is that a common thing for horses to be scared of bridges?
I am sure people were very happy to see you and Sam go by! I know I would be!
Beautiful fish to add to your nice animal family
I am sure people were very happy to see you and Sam go by! I know I would be!
Beautiful fish to add to your nice animal family
What a lovely idea, that your exercise (and Sam's!) will also act to cheer up some window-watching child!
But Sam refusing to cross the water - is that new? If so, I wonder what triggered it? Is the creek noisier, as spring advances somewhere upstream? And as you say, that made quite a workout for you.
Fish are so beautiful - and the grace of their movements is entrancing to watch - very calming and meditative.
But Sam refusing to cross the water - is that new? If so, I wonder what triggered it? Is the creek noisier, as spring advances somewhere upstream? And as you say, that made quite a workout for you.
Fish are so beautiful - and the grace of their movements is entrancing to watch - very calming and meditative.
AnnSparks
New member
I'll just respond to you both at once @liza and @aiminglow, since your questions are pretty similar.
The bridge is actually a grate type of bridge. So you can see through it down to the bottom. There is no water there yet since it's still too cold for the lakes, rivers, or creeks to thaw out. So it's just snow. It's honestly mostly just a really deep and steep ditch (though looks flat and even with all the snow in it right now). I literally have to take about 3 steps to get over the bridge so it's very short.
This kind of bridge messes with most horses because you can see through it. So it's kind of like an obtical illussion for them due to how they see things differently than us. So while we can understand that there's a grate there and it's safe to cross and we won't fall through, horses see it as there's something there, but they can also see the ground under so they become very unsure if they can actually step there and cross or not.
Although, sometimes the water around a bridge makes it scary as well. I had a mare last year that was only scared to cross a bridge if there was water under it. If it was just over a dry ditch or something, she didn't care. So sometimes certain horses are just being weird with why they refuse at bridges.
Also, no, refusal at that bridge isn't new. I've never ridden him over it before, but the last time I led him over it, there was a very minor reaction to it. But he seems to lack confidence when he carries a rider since he spooks more when being ridden versus led, so that's something I'm definitely working on figuring out how to solve.
This is roughly what the grate part of the bridge looks like except also a deep green color (so it blends in more with the grass during spring and summer). Also the one on the trail is at least twice as wide as this one with different railings. But this is to give you an idea of what him and I are up against with his spooking.
The bridge is actually a grate type of bridge. So you can see through it down to the bottom. There is no water there yet since it's still too cold for the lakes, rivers, or creeks to thaw out. So it's just snow. It's honestly mostly just a really deep and steep ditch (though looks flat and even with all the snow in it right now). I literally have to take about 3 steps to get over the bridge so it's very short.
This kind of bridge messes with most horses because you can see through it. So it's kind of like an obtical illussion for them due to how they see things differently than us. So while we can understand that there's a grate there and it's safe to cross and we won't fall through, horses see it as there's something there, but they can also see the ground under so they become very unsure if they can actually step there and cross or not.
Although, sometimes the water around a bridge makes it scary as well. I had a mare last year that was only scared to cross a bridge if there was water under it. If it was just over a dry ditch or something, she didn't care. So sometimes certain horses are just being weird with why they refuse at bridges.
Also, no, refusal at that bridge isn't new. I've never ridden him over it before, but the last time I led him over it, there was a very minor reaction to it. But he seems to lack confidence when he carries a rider since he spooks more when being ridden versus led, so that's something I'm definitely working on figuring out how to solve.
This is roughly what the grate part of the bridge looks like except also a deep green color (so it blends in more with the grass during spring and summer). Also the one on the trail is at least twice as wide as this one with different railings. But this is to give you an idea of what him and I are up against with his spooking.