Ups and Downs Over the Years

As I reflect on the past 20 years ... there have been a lot of ups and downs. In life and on the scale. During the early married life and five children, I wasn't tracking, but weight went up over the years. Our last child was born in December 2005, and mid-2006 is when my official weight-loss journey started. It's interesting to see the scale shifts laid out across a timeline. 

My high was around 175/180 (other than pregnancy) That's where I was when I started recording my first data points (weight, steps, calorie counting). I lost almost 50 pounds and hit goal weight/135. The next few years had little ups and downs, and honestly, as long as I stayed under 150, I felt pretty good.  During this time I stayed active, mostly elliptical and treadmill (some weights) in our home gym, lots of walks with the littles in the stroller, even some soccer meet-ups. Some climbs, corrections, but by the end of 2012 ... back up.  It's the eating ...

I recommitted in 2013 ... back to tracking calories in MFP.  In 2014, I added Zumba. Starting just once a week at my local church, then adding more classes until I was going Mon-Friday, with some evening/weekend classes too. Still using the treadmill/elliptical/weights in the home gym. Some early success, then up/down/up/down, with the down never really where I wanted (under 150).  I was pretty much at my high/180 (the end of 2019 had been tough, with a death in the family, a car crash, broken bones, depression/anxiety issues) when Covid hit ... and that cancelled my Zumba classes and affected motivation. Up even more ... the dreaded 200.

Snoring was actually the impetus I needed ... I'd been on the receiving end and suffered through a partner's snores at times through the years. Hubs has enough trouble sleeping, so this stressed me out a lot. This round, I added in IMF (Intermittent Fasting) as well as calorie counting and tried to up the activity/exercise. I think IMF helped, just "turning off" for a time, not allowing mindless eating. I was also uber busy with #5's basketball and helping #4 with school.  I'd just turned 50.

I almost got to goal ... and then started putting the weight back on (yes, I got lax in my calorie counting and fasting windows. And I started making sourdough...) About as quickly as it came off, it was back on again. 

As 2022 started up ... New Year and all that, time to recommit. Then I had a seizure. We didn't know what had happened, but I hit my head as I went down. Ambulance/ER and then recovery. I was okay, but my activity never quite got back to where I had been. Still getting in the quantity, but not the quality (walking slowed, less intensity/adjusted moves at Zumba).  Hubs had great success in weight loss during 2022 (and while he's had some small ups and downs, he's stayed very fit and trim).  Pickleball was an added activity ... with the family when weather permitted, and with a ladies group on Thursday mornings. 

I got a bit back into my groove ... for some reason, despite holidays/birthdays, I seem to do better during the colder months: Oct/Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb ... seriously, maybe something to do with Daylight Savings? Then in April of 2023 ... another seizure/ambulance/ER. Both times I cracked my head, requiring stitches/staples. 

At the end of 2024 ... another dip, thanks to a return to MFP and IMF. Sometimes, it just clicks. I could control my appetite. I even did some 24+ hour fasts, which I'd never been successful at before. But like the other "v" cycles ... the down was followed by an up. Starving all the time, couldn't even keep an 18-hour fast, and a 24-hour seemed unimaginable. Constant cravings. Not wanting to track my failures (giving up attempting IMP and MFP). 

And here we are. Again. Labwork from a recent doctor visit showed a high A1C, cholesterol ... not really surprising. It's the eating. If it weren't for my activity level, it would likely be worse. Considering trying the GLP-1 medications out there, it sure seems to be working for so many. I could SO use the help with the eating issues. I had let my thyroid medication lapse, so I'm back on that and as this is my cyclic "good time" we'll see how I do the next few months on my own, then ... we'll see. Reading up and getting acquainted with the options and requirements.  I'd so love to see the 150s or below, and stay there!  

2025/Q3 ~ What I Was Watching (July/August/September)

If I'm down on the treadmill or elliptical in our home gym ... I have a show/movie on to keep me entertained and motivated. Hubs and I also often wind down at the end of the day getting in a tv series or movie. I enjoy keeping track of what I'm watching, so here's the list from the third quarter of 2025.

Eleven movies. I got into a bit of a "musical mood" ...

The top three were with Hubs upstairs, eight downstairs in the gym.

• Come From Away: On AppleTV. Hubs and I had gone to the touring musical and really liked it. This is a filmed version of the stage play, so exactly what you see if going to it live (but you can also have subtitles and closeups!) Several of the actors here were the same ones we saw. 
• RENT: I'd watched this before, and I'm very familiar with the music. Made Hubs sit through it with me ;) 
• Nonnas: Hubs and I didn't have anything picked out, and I recalled seeing an ad for this and had noted it had pretty good reviews. Cute.
• Extract: Several big names here ... weird story. Didn't love it.
• K-Pop Demon Hunters: I'm not sure where I heard the song "Golden" but it was STUCK in my head and I love it! I figured I needed to give the movie a go ... I enjoyed it. 
• Matilda: I'd watched the original movie not long ago. Here I went with the musical version ... not one I liked that much. 
• La La Land: Rewatch ... like it, don't love it (so why did I rewatch it?)
• Waitress: I'd seen the movie version and ... struggled with some of the storyline. I hadn't thought I'd watch this musical version, but I decided to give it a go. I actually quite enjoyed this (even though I still struggle with the infidelity storyline). 
• Dear Evan Hansen: I've heard the title but really didn't know anything about this ... I liked it. Maybe one song hit home. 
• Legally Blond: I have seen the original movie, thought it was cute. Had to turn to YouTube for the musical version. Glad it still had subtitles. I really enjoyed this!
• Oklahoma: Back in my high school musical days, I played Laurie in Oklahoma. That was 35+ years ago. I was surprised that some of the lines/music was still totally in my head, and other parts I'd forgotten. Surprisingly darker than I remember ...

Television Series ... We still had AppleTV for most of this quarter. I'd gone to cancel after our 3-month promo (from buying a new phone I think?) was up, and was offered two more months at $6.99 I think? I did cancel it before being billed full price, although Hubs is interested in the latest season of The Morning Show (episodes still dropping ... I prefer to wait until all episodes are out before starting). 

• For All Mankind: Seasons 2, 3, 4 ... I'd already watched the first three seasons, I hadn't realized there was a fourth. I introduced it to Hubs, and we watched the first season together last quarter, and finished up the series (so far). The first two seasons were the best. 
• Wednesday: Hubs and I had watched Wednesday (S1) last year, and he cued it up as the second season dropped. I wasn't feeling it though, and he picked up on that and was okay dropping it. I'm not sure how far we got into it ... just a couple of episodes I think. 
• Sugar: I hadn't heard much about Sugar but saw it was rated fairly highly on IMDB. Interesting and fun "detective noir" and ... I totally called the twist (even though I was half joking when I said it). While we liked it, I don't think we'll be watching a second season (if there is one). 
• The Couple Next Door: I got a little deal on Starz, and tuned in to this show getting a bunch of buzz ... I didn't make it through the season though, gave up on it.
• Acapulco: This was super cute! A little bit of a "Princess Bride" feel with the telling of a story, then shifting into the story. Just so many fun things. I started S2 and I'm not exactly sure why I didn't continue on, I guess I just needed a change (and then cancelled). I think I'll come back to this at some point.
• Bad Sisters: A murder mystery ... definitely making us watching suspect everyone. I wasn't really surprised at the reveal. It was good.
• The Buccaneers: Definitely felt like this was playing off of Bridgerton's success. I liked the first season okay, but had to push a little to finish and am not planning on continuing on. 

So, that's a What I Was Watching wrap-up!

2025/Q3

July, August, September ... not a good quarter for the scale and stuff. I can't say there was really anything going on that I can try to blame. Life is fine, even pretty easy.  Still struggling with the plantar fasciitis, although it hasn't gotten any worse, and doesn't keep me from my Zumba, pickleball and home gym (it DOES keep me from walking around barefoot, at least without a limp). Mentally I gave up on the eating ... very little tracking or fasting, some very bad eating days. The scale shift isn't really surprising. 

It's actually just a tiny bit under where I was last year for Q3.

I usually post graphs from my Stridekick app, but for some reason it didn't input several days in August ... so we get Fitbit graphs this quarterly report. Average and Total Steps/Minutes.

... at this point in the quarterly report, I generally show my "calorie intake" graph, and my "fasting" calendar. But ... if I don't really have enough data to generate a graph, well, then there aren't nice images to share. I did try to get back on board with both MFP and IMF at the end of September. 

Here's a look at LifeCycle ...

Unlike the previous quarters, I manually added in my treadmill, elliptical, and weights  (all done in the home gym, so they don't get auto/GPS-tracked like other activities away from home). It's just interesting to see how my treadmill time stacks up against Zumba and pickleball. 

My Oura ring gives a few interesting quarterly insights ...

The first is INACTIVE time. And yes, 9-10 is a common exercise hour for me.

Sleep, zzzzzz ...

... and snoring. I forgot to track a few nights.

A little peek at the family for July, August, September ...

... and of course, my Reading Recap. All books are rated and reviewed on GoodReads and The Storygraph. #jenBsBooks  I have a separate "What I Was Watching" post ...

In 2020, and last year in 2024, Q4 I managed to get some scale success ... with even more positive movement with the following new years. Maybe associated with the shift/Daylight Savings? As both these previous times it then fell apart after April. We'll see what the coming months bring!