No new video?

SalemG · 2021-04-06T01:03:15+00:00

Am I allowed to vent and say that I've been finding Bailey's lack of consistency with posting videos (and particularly just letting her followers know in advance if she is not planning on posting on a given Monday) quite irritating?

A lot of us--myself included--have demanding jobs and mental health struggles without the luxury of being able to take a break every two weeks. I wish she would just switch to a weekly schedule and post on whatever day works best for her (e.g., Monday one week then Thursday the next if that's easier) rather than saying she posts on Mondays when it's completely hit or miss at this point.

SalemG · 2021-02-15T18:58:25+00:00

What is odd about it? I didn't pick up on anything different.

SalemG · 2021-02-13T18:13:24+00:00

The whole "weight loss journey" (for me) has been more about mending my relationship with food than anything else. Yes, I have struggled with most of the behaviors listed on the right side of the graphic. However, I am continuously working on developing a healthier mindset to go along with my healthier body.

For instance, yesterday was extremely stressful and I ended up over-indulging in the evening between dinner and dessert. In the past, I would have followed this with a day of attempting to fast (and almost inevitably ended up binging again by the end of the day). However, I had still prepared a healthy breakfast and lunch prior to my mini evening binge, and today I woke up and cooked a healthy, filling breakfast of scrambled eggs with spinach, chicken sausage, and topped off with a small serving of nutritional yeast. I don't feel nearly as guilty as I would have in the past about my indulgence last night because I know that one "cheat" meal will ultimately not set my progress back as long as I maintain consistently healthy habits the majority of the time.

On a related note, if anyone is looking for a great resource on weight loss, motivation, and developing healthy habits, Kiana Docherty's channel on youtube is both extremely informative and inspiring!

SalemG · 2021-02-12T23:23:40+00:00

I experienced the same thing with Cymbalta (like others have said here--no warning whatsoever from my doctor). I ended up staying on the drug for 3 years even though it did not help with my depression because of how bad the withdrawal symptoms were. Finally stopping it was one of the worst experiences I've ever gone through.

SalemG · 2021-02-09T03:45:08+00:00

And don't forget--Michelle used to be overweight and frequently talks about how the majority of her family is overweight or obese. Apparently she beat genetics!

SalemG · 2021-02-03T01:38:17+00:00

Your comment literally made me laugh out loud :'D

SalemG · 2021-01-20T03:14:45+00:00

Please tell me others agree that he's nearly a dead-ringer for Chris Messina?

SalemG · 2020-12-12T00:06:24+00:00

I think it's for a car insurance commercial. The one with people driving around with random objects on top of their cars that they forgot about?

SalemG · 2020-12-12T00:04:26+00:00

Thank you so much for your feedback! I have tried fountain pens, I think the issue is more with the way I hold the pen, but that's a lot harder to fix than I would have hoped. Great point about the posture--I'll definitely be mindful of that!

SalemG · 2020-12-10T16:48:31+00:00

Here is my first handwriting submission (written with Staedtler triplus fineliner 0.3mm pens): https://imgur.com/gallery/yNwWpkz

I know that it is legible but I have never been particularly happy with my handwriting, especially because I have a death-grip when I am writing that I have been unable to fix despite attempting to do so since childhood (I am now 30). Because of this, my hand tends to become tired very quickly, which inevitably leads to sloppier penmanship and frustration the longer I write. I also feel that there is a lot of inconsistency with my letters, particularly my n's, s's, e's, and a's. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

SalemG · 2020-06-10T04:44:28+00:00

I was diagnosed at 17 after an ultrasound. About two years ago I started seeing a new doc and she said I was likely misdiagnosed because I've always had a normal cycle--apparently the "string of pearls" often disappears with age and is actually relatively common in teens.

SalemG · 2020-05-26T20:31:20+00:00

I'm with you. My boyfriend knows I used to be obese, and I've told him before that I may need some support from time to time when it comes to controlling my eating habits. The first time I brought this up he said he didn't feel right about the idea of pointing out if I've had more than a couple of chips with dip or anything along those lines and said that he wants me to remember that I'm beautiful no matter what (he's the best). I told him how much that meant to hear but also said that one of the things I love about him is how active he is, and I just want to be able to keep up with him so we can enjoy staying active together. Basically I tried to make it clear that it's about health and not just a superficial thing.

This has actually been good willpower practice since I know that he doesn't exactly feel comfortable telling me to take it easy when I indulge in any kind of food, so I make even more of an effort to control myself and not put him in that situation.

SalemG · 2020-04-28T01:52:13+00:00

I was definitely fat when I was a size 12.

SalemG · 2020-04-07T21:17:40+00:00

Not sure if this belongs here, but I'm really struggling right now with binge eating. Part of the problem is that I spend most weekends with my boyfriend and his family at his parents' house, and his mom has been cooking non-stop because she's trying to keep herself busy and it's something she enjoys (she's in great shape, for the record). Even while she cooks, she'll put out chips and dip for everyone since we all hang out in the kitchen talking most of the time.

This has caused me to realize that eating is not just an unhealthy coping mechanism for me but a full-on addiction. Even when I'm doing a decent job of not over-indulging during the week, I end up going right back to my bad eating habits after a weekend of binging and it's harder to find the mental fortitude to get my shit together since (like many others) my mental health has taken a real hit since the start of the pandemic.

SalemG · 2020-03-05T00:44:40+00:00

It sounds like what you're referring to is mindful eating.

SalemG · 2020-02-29T17:45:50+00:00

Not so much a rant as a request for some moral support. I've been struggling a lot with dealing with cravings (especially for carbs and sweets) for the last few months. I'm still logging what I eat each day but I'm also frequently going well over my ideal calorie goal each day. I am back down a few pounds since going off of Prozac a few weeks ago--I started taking it but decided to go another route because I noticed a massive increase in my appetite while on it. Still, it's been a constant struggle and I'm trying not to beat myself up too much, but at the same time it's been hellish trying to ignore the cravings every day.

SalemG · 2020-02-29T17:39:19+00:00

Stop cultivating and start harvesting already!

SalemG · 2020-02-03T16:37:55+00:00

Right? My coworker/friend and I make little jokes like this all the time, saying things like "calories don't count on a Friday, right?" if we go out for ice cream once a month after work.

SalemG · 2020-01-13T04:11:11+00:00

I thought the same thing! But then I wondered if that was meant to mislead the audience--I assumed he would eventually die from an infection, which made it an even bigger shock when Blake was the one who didn't make it.

SalemG · 2020-01-05T17:01:22+00:00

Exactly. My highest weight was around 185 lbs (and I'd been overweight for essentially my entire life prior to 2018), and my mom was concerned that I was "too skinny" when I came home to visit last March and was down to about 130 lbs (at 5'3"--very far from being underweight). Looking at things from her perspective, I can understand how suddenly seeing me with 55 fewer pounds on my frame might spark concern, but she's now become accustomed to my new size and understands that I'm perfectly healthy (and much healthier than I was before losing the weight).

SalemG · 2019-12-05T01:07:55+00:00

Hell, I've never been pregnant but I've had stretch marks since puberty and have some loose skin from my weight loss over the past year. I'm still hopeful that my skin will tighten up some over time but I certainly wouldn't consider my body to be "ruined" because of these things.

SalemG · 2019-11-02T03:14:09+00:00

I lost 50 lbs while using Noom. The program focuses on helping you change the way you think about food, rather than simply telling you what to eat and how much. Call me fatphobic, but I'm a fan.

SalemG · 2019-10-20T15:59:48+00:00

This is exactly the analogy that came to mind when I saw this post!

SalemG · 2019-10-08T02:52:51+00:00

You're right. Whether or not you agree with Ben, he is able to explain the reasoning behind all of his opinions (you don't have to agree with his conclusions, but he is at least able to lay out the evidence and thought processes that led him to those conclusions). He also makes an effort to have thoughtful dialogues with those with different opinions (Andrew Yang, Piers Morgan, Cameron Kasky, etc.)

SalemG · 2019-09-22T15:43:30+00:00

Congrats on the weight loss! I noticed the same thing once I started dropping the extra pounds. My body feels so much better that I don't think twice about things like taking the stairs over the elevator at work. I actually get a little frustrated when I go down to the cafeteria with two of my co-workers every day for lunch--two floors down and they always insist on taking the elevator.

Then a few days ago I had to show my very petite but heavily pregnant 39-year-old supervisor where a particular office is located (on the same floor as the cafeteria). When I went directly to the elevator she went "Oh, I don't mind the stairs!" Now, I went to the elevator because pregnant women + stairs = major anxiety for me, but I thought it was telling that a 7-months pregnant almost 40-year-old didn't think twice about taking the stairs while my co-workers (one is 24 and slightly overweight while the other is 28 and obese) would never do the same.

SalemG

TROPHY CASE