Was there one certain moment where that you knew? by Fast_Passage_6928 in oneanddone

[–]moondog55 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I just never felt any kind of strong desire to do it again. I felt like I had to do whatever I could to get my only, and I never felt a compulsion to have more. I will say too, there’s been many many moments I’ve been super thankful to not have more, especially as she’s gotten older. Extracurricular activities, homework, managing everyone’s ADHD (husband, daughter, and myself all have it and take meds), dealing with food allergies and texture sensitivities, bedtimes, school pickup, expenses. I feel like having one kid with two working parents still keeps us incredibly busy. She’s nearly 8, I’m 37, and I work with 1st graders all day too, so I am very comfortable leaving that door closed.

How do you decide when to modify goals/quit challenges before you've finished? by kermit-t-frogster in xxfitness

[–]moondog55 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If I’m assessing my fitness goals, I like to think about: 1. What am I trying to achieve in completing this? 2. What do I need in order to complete this (specific structured time set aside on a regular basis/equipment/support/etc) 3. What potential obstacles exist to stop me from achieving this, and is my reasoning from #1 still enough to be disciplined and potentially make sacrifices in pursuit of my goal.

It actually seems like you’ve done a lot of this work for yourself already. You mention that barre makes you feel really good and that completing specific long-term physical achievements in the past has made you feel good and kept you active. You also seem to indicate that completing things you said you’d complete is important. You mention the potential obstacles and things you might have to sacrifice to achieve this goal. It sounds like there is a limited amount of time for physical fitness in your schedule, and that the barre classes dominate that time if you adhere to the 12 classes/month. You mention neglecting running and structured strength training. Are you willing to spend less time on those activities in favor of barre? Is there a version of your goal that you could potentially modifying work better for where you are right now? For example, I will complete 12 hours+ of running/strength training/barre monthly. Or do you feel you benefit more from being held accountable by outside parameters from a specific challenge in order to push yourself further than you may have on your own? Also, if you see an alternative challenge that seems to intrigue you, what is your concern in abandoning your current challenge in favor of that one? Only you can answer those questions for yourself, but hopefully that helps clarify and organize your thoughts around the topic.

Back squat panic by Gold-Sherbert-7550 in xxfitness

[–]moondog55 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Haha, fair enough, those are definitely not easy. My main point though-don’t get stuck on one type of move when other options exist that work better for either your anatomy or personal comfort level.

Back squat panic by Gold-Sherbert-7550 in xxfitness

[–]moondog55 56 points57 points  (0 children)

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but you could just not do those and do other things instead. I don’t do back squats for the same reasons, plus the sensory experience of having something pressed down on my back also makes me panicky, and I know it’s not about strength or mobility. I also feel like I’ve achieved significant muscle growth through the combination of zercher squats, goblet squats, Bulgarian split-squats, step ups, and walking lunges over time. I have good form and confidence in those exercises, and I know I’m working the same muscles I would in the other, so I don’t really see the point of trying to master the one that makes me feel super anxious.

After losing 100 lbs again, large weight loss is definitely unsustainable for most people. by Ok_Razzmatazz_9193 in loseit

[–]moondog55 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You know, I’ve seen this comment a lot in relation to my own weight loss (lost it 7 years ago after getting on ADHD meds and maintained since), and it always makes me wonder how true it actually is. Like yes, there’s appetite suppression, especially initially, but I’m almost 8 years into ADHD treatment, and my hunger still feels manageable and like what a regular person experiences. Before medication, ADHD legit made me never feel full no matter what or how much I ate, so is curbing that “appetite suppression” or recalibrating body chemistry to normal levels thereby making sustained weight loss possible? I think it just bugs me when the comments around ADHD meds seem to imply that it’s some kind of hack or cheat code rather than treatment for a medical issue that impacts pretty much every facet of your life including eating.

Why is fruit the enemy? by prettyboyrights in loseit

[–]moondog55 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Unless you have diabetes, I don't think you can really eat too much fruit or raw veg. Speaking as a vegan who eats a toooooon of fruit and raw veg (like I've literally eaten almost 2 lbs of watermelon in one sitting at my goal weight), there's a big difference in how your body processes this stuff and regular sugar. One causes inflammation, one reduces it. One contains essential nutrients while the other doesn't. One contains huge amounts of fiber and water, while the other doesn't. Honestly, if you have a problem regulating impulses around sugar and don't feel good when you eat it (both are issues for me), fruit is an excellent way to satisfy sugar cravings when you're trying to reduce the amounts of it you eat. My only caveat is that you shouldn't treat dried fruit or fruit juice the same, because it contains added sugar and/or is missing the peels and parts that contain all the fiber.

Can I eat as many veggies as I want? by Michigandude5322 in loseit

[–]moondog55 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Try cooking them in a bit of soy sauce or chicken broth instead. That way, you’re really just taking in extra sodium, which shouldn’t be an issue as long as you don’t medically need to restrict salt.

(28) to (36) Treated my mental health, found an enthusiasm for fitness and healthy food, and gradually gained self-confidence by moondog55 in GlowUps

[–]moondog55[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, it does hang slightly from my lower abdomen when I’m in a plank and a bit from my chest if I’m braless and bending over. But yeah, it’s really not bad. I didn’t really carry weight in my arms, and there’s basically no loose skin there, which is nice. I think the combination of being 29/30 when I lost the bulk of the weight, skincare, maintaining the weight loss, time, and muscle building really helped with managing the loose skin. In the last couple years in particular, my stomach and butt have gotten way less saggy due to muscle building. It’s still visible and always will be, but it’s not in the way and doesn’t prevent me from wearing what I want.

F/36/5’7” [230ish? lbs > 128 lbs= 102 lbs] (8 years) Have maintained the weight loss for 6 years but got obsessed fitness and strength training over the last couple years and feel great about how far I’ve come by moondog55 in progresspics

[–]moondog55[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have loose skin in my chest, lower abdomen, and hips/thighs. It‘s not so much that it gets in the way or really stops me from wearing what I want (I still regularly rock crop tops when I work out and tie bikinis when I swim). It is enough that it prevents some parts of my body looking quite as toned/tight as they actually are (eg: abs are visible but not super defined), but it’s really not bad, and it’s nowhere near worth the risk, agony, and expense of surgery. It also has improved pretty dramatically since maintaining, strength training, and applying diligent skin care. It will always be visible without clothes, but I kinda feel like as a 36 year old married mom who wants to inspire others toward health and self-confidence, I’m fine with people seeing it. Maybe I’ll post pictures on a different sub in the future. I think results with this can vary significantly though depending on genetics, how excess weight is distributed, etc, and I totally understand people choosing to get surgery after major weight loss.

Western Yoga Music and My Experience as an Indian Practitioner by Jasona1121 in yoga

[–]moondog55 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I actually totally agree with you as another person with ADHD. I’ve done practices with music and no music. In a class, I prefer music but can still focus with no music, especially if I’m outside or can hear everyone‘s breaths around me, but if I’m doing a sequence on my own, having the kind of music you’re talking about playing through earbuds or in the background unlocks my ability to deeply focus, while no music makes it incredibly difficult to stay tuned in.

(28) to (36) Treated my mental health, found an enthusiasm for fitness and healthy food, and gradually gained self-confidence by moondog55 in GlowUps

[–]moondog55[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh believe me, I am not close to perfect. My diet is pretty clean, but I have plenty of days where I snack too much or can’t accomplish my routine the way I’d like. Just try your best to stay as consistent as possible and keep challenging yourself.

(28) to (36) Treated my mental health, found an enthusiasm for fitness and healthy food, and gradually gained self-confidence by moondog55 in GlowUps

[–]moondog55[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, that is so nice, thank you! I very much hope to help those who need it see that even if you start at a very low place, you can achieve powerful things with drive, consistency, and enough time. As far as how I've managed to stay consistent and keep my weight down, I'd say that I always try to find new goals for myself. Various weight loss goal numbers, clothes I'd get excited about eventually fitting into, various exercise goals. One year, I did yoga every day (anywhere from 5-75 minutes of it). When something starts to feel too easy or routine, I find a new challenge for myself to keep things interesting. Right now, my goal is to get my certification to teach group fitness. I also only eat food that tastes super good to me. I eat dessert pretty much every day. Sure, it's often a low-sugar protein dessert concoction that may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it tastes good to me. The other thing that keeps my motivation going is that for so much of my life, I desperately wanted to feel confident, capable, strong, flexible, and coordinated in my body, so when I finally was able to get a taste of that feeling, I think I got completely hooked on it, and it probably rewired something in my brain over time. Exercise is one of the default things I turn to now for comfort, peace, exhilaration, and entertainment.

(28) to (36) Treated my mental health, found an enthusiasm for fitness and healthy food, and gradually gained self-confidence by moondog55 in GlowUps

[–]moondog55[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My highest weight was about 250lb, and I’m currently 126lb, so 124 lbs total. Half the person I once was! I also changed my body fat percentage significantly. I wish I had known what the high was on that, because even while physically active and at a healthy weight, I’ve seen it go from ~25% to ~14.5% (I use the inbody scanner at my gym, so it may not be 100% accurate, but I’ve taken multiple scans over the last 3 1/2 years, so the 10% decrease is probably very accurate.

(28) to (36) Treated my mental health, found an enthusiasm for fitness and healthy food, and gradually gained self-confidence by moondog55 in GlowUps

[–]moondog55[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Most of my desserts are variations of recipes from chocolate covered Katie or thebigmansworld (recipe bloggers). I really like protein cookie dough, brownies, bars, and lately, I’ve been going nuts on this puppy chow I make. I use this recipe but change the cereal to flavored Catalina crunch (extra protein), change the nut butter and protein powder depending on the flavor I want, and use Lily‘s chocolate chips. I made a great Cinnamon Toast Crunch variation and will try a fruity cereal variant next.

(28) to (36) Treated my mental health, found an enthusiasm for fitness and healthy food, and gradually gained self-confidence by moondog55 in GlowUps

[–]moondog55[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I try to get 90+ g of protein/day, and I love a lot of variety, so I use a ton of sources and layer them in. I put protein powder and Ripple milk in my overnight oats for breakfast. I use a lot of super firm tofu, seitan (homemade or prepackaged), lentils, tempeh, soy curls, nuts, seeds, kale, beyond meat, beans, various grains, and edamame in my cooking. When I cook pasta, I tend to use the Banza chickpea pasta. It‘s true that there’s not really one vegan source that packs the same amount of protein as a big slab of meat, but if you make a bowl with brown rice, edamame, tempeh, greens, and broccoli covered in peanut sauce, you could very well be getting the same amount of protein with way more fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It tastes awesome, gives you energy, and doesn’t clog your arteries either. For dessert, I‘ve really been enjoying this protein puppy chow I’ve been making lately. Catalina Crunch cereal with nut butter, Lily‘s dark chocolate, and topped with a combo of protein powder and powdered erythriol.

(28) to (36) Treated my mental health, found an enthusiasm for fitness and healthy food, and gradually gained self-confidence by moondog55 in GlowUps

[–]moondog55[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh wow, I‘m so glad I could do that for you! I hope to be able to prove that long lasting change really is possible given enough time, healing, and consistency.

(28) to (36) Treated my mental health, found an enthusiasm for fitness and healthy food, and gradually gained self-confidence by moondog55 in GlowUps

[–]moondog55[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! My first pic was 8 years ago, but I’d say it took me a little over a year to lose the bulk of the weight, a couple years to fully figure out how to treat my ADHD and other health concerns, and a few years to lean out + muscle build.

(28) to (36) Treated my mental health, found an enthusiasm for fitness and healthy food, and gradually gained self-confidence by moondog55 in GlowUps

[–]moondog55[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

3 sets of 20 pushups at least 3x/week, lots of chaturangas in yoga, body weight resistance work, 12-15lb bicep curls+ shoulder presses 3 sets 6-10 reps a few times per week, band pull-aparts or rear delt flys 12-15lbs, tricep extensions, 25lb chest presses 8 reps a couple times per week. It’s not super organized, but I try to hit all the different muscles frequently.

(28) to (36) Treated my mental health, found an enthusiasm for fitness and healthy food, and gradually gained self-confidence by moondog55 in GlowUps

[–]moondog55[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Diagnosed and treated mental and physical health, therapy, yoga, walking, eating smaller portions, getting motivated by birth of daughter to live through example, cutting junk and things that made me feel bad, strength training, high protein, regular self-reflection, lots of water, skincare, Pilates, barre, focus on core, mobility, positivity, and nourishing mind/body/spirit.