TTC after loss penguins get fit & healthy in 2020

@tortiecat @LASandOtto I'd be keen to know what the snack recipes are like too. I made (and bought) Deliciously Ella balls before for snacking and they were delicious, that's another option. They tend to have high sugar content (dates etc) but they're obviously natural ingredients so not as bad as demolishing a Mars bar! I'm doing good now, no snacking apart from fruit, but I will struggle close to AF so need some contingency plans in place!

I weighed myself today and I'm the same weight as on 19 Dec (I weighed myself before Christmas to see how much I put on after all the parties and eating Christmas food). I put on 3 lbs and managed to lose it all between 27 Dec and now. I'm shocked! Don't think this pace will continue, but it's given me a big boost now! Xxx

Happy Friday all-it sounds like you are all doing so well!

All the talk of delicious sounding healthy food on here is making me hungry I had a home made stir fry with lots of broccoli and prawns last night, and no sugar at all after my breakfast Danish so I feel yesterday was a success. Today's lunch is salmon and roast veg and I am going to barre class (likely to be painful after two weeks off).

Will you let us know how the bites are @LASandOtto? I am going to attempt these soon: thefertilitykitchen.co.uk/2018/02/17/raspberry-almond-muffins/

@LASandOtto @MissSparkles81 Soups from Fertility Kitchen recipes are out of this world. LASandOtto your dinner sounds super yum! Might make this next week.

Right, off to do my 15 mins HIIT as we speak, feel so good after a good night sleep. Little things ❤️ Have a good day, girls, happy Friday! Xxx

@BunnytheBlueWhale you can unfollow and mute people on insta too. I actually have a seperate instagram for my weight loss stuff. I find keeping it seperate really helps.

@BunnytheBlueWhale your soup sounds lovely. I have a soup maker that I might dust off and make a batch up tomorrow. Love homemade soup 😀

@LASandOtto those bites sound gorgeous.

@MrsMGE ooooh 6am start!! Well done you! I am off tomorrow but usually I am up at 6 for work. The thought of doing a workout at that time would kill me haha 😂

Im not sure if any of you are on instagram but I have been following actionhappiness and they post monthly calendars with daily prompts to help you think about gratitude. I really want to give it my best shot ❤

I also signed up to a 3 month online subscription to ww. Hoping the change of plan will help me refocus on my eating again. Fitbit charging as we speak.

Oohhhhhh @MrsMGE sounds like a yum dinner!!

We had Alaskan Salmon roasted in the oven with a fresh ginger and soy dressing, roasted butternut squash and a cucumber Chili side salad! Very YUM!

I'm going to make these on the weekend - thefertilitykitchen.co.uk/2019/03/17/cherry-almond-bites/

They sound delish!!

Enjoy the 6am workout tomorrow sister x

Day 1 done! I had chicken, sweet potato & green veg for dinner. No sweets today, and even managed to go without my usual cereal bar in work. Came back home late from work so no cleaning tonight, but instead I'm off to bed now. Early night and a HIIT start tomorrow at 6am 💪 Well done for all the small and big changes you made today, girls, let's keep it going xxx

@tortiecat @MissSparkles81 I really like the idea of the gratitude practise too. I dabbled with meditation and Buddhism last year (feels good to talk about 2019 as last year now) and gratitude it a big topic.

@MrsMGE you go sister!!!! That's a good effort for one day!

At my day party yesterday I ended up dancing my way to 17k steps - fuelled by 2 vodka soda limes, 4 bottles of water, and a couple of ginger beers. Felt really great this morning, as opposed to my friends who were mostly hanging 😆 I dare say, I even felt smug!

Been for a walk and had a nice soup for lunch!

Just ordered a ton of food from Ocado - going to try mostly vegetarian and vegan recipes from Jamie Oliver, Riverford, and Fertility Kitchen. Will keep you all posted!

Tomorrow I think I'll do a run before work and then crack on with the day!

How are all the other doing??

Xx

@Tortiecat Thanks 😊

I'm just back from my lunchtime walk, we did very well, 7k steps today already 💪 I'm actually planning to blitz the house when I'm back, I'm full of energy. And not hungry!!

I feel exactly the same as you, I used to be a lot more upbeat and happier and I think I've had enough of all the sadness and I'm trying to recover my happy attitude. Obviously we've been through something very tough so it's never going to be the same and we will have sad days, weeks or maybe even months, who knows. Maybe we won't have them anymore. But I now feel I'm on the way up overall, and the worse times don't mean I'm taking a step back, I'm still climbing up. My DH has a wicked sense of humour and I now find that I can laugh again, genuinely. We laugh every day and I feel so much better for it. We're better together as a result xxx

Also I think a focus on gratitude is a great idea and will do the same. Prior to losing my son, I was a really cheerful and loving soul...I feel that is far from the case now. It have found it a real struggle most days to see the good in people and situations and my sense of humour seems to have abandoned me! My bereavement counsellor has suggested that keeping a gratitude journal might help with the downward spiral somewhat, so I am very keen to give it a go.

Afternoon ladies - happy new year to you all.

Well done @MrsMGE on your 6am workout + protein shake! Hello @MissSparkles81. 8 stone weight loss is incredible - you must be incredibly disciplined! I had a Danish pastry for breakfast, but you have both inspired me to have a salad and go for a walk at lunchtime (no work wife sadly) and do some yoga this evening.

Talking about my mental health I am also taking part in 366 days of gratitude where I find something to be grateful for each day.

Hey everyone ... popping in and joining in on the healthy challenge.

Im 38 and looking to get back on track with my eating after having a mc in November. I had weight loss surgery in 2017 which was very successful and I lost 8 stone. Ideally I would love to lose another stone.

Everyone thinks that weight loss surgery is the easy way out but let me tell you its far from it. It only physically stops you from overeating not what kind of foods you eat.

So my goals are to cut out the carbs again and up my protein and get back into exercise.

I am hoping that it helps with my mental health whilst ttc 💝

Ladies, started the day well, 6am, DH, Joe Wicks (on YouTube) and I, HIIT done! Then I realised we've run out of milk 🤦🏼‍♀️ so had a water-based protein shake for breakfast instead of porridge. No bread! Boom. I feel pumped for the day, wish me luck as I might be starving by 10 am 😂 My work wife and I are going for a walk this lunch break too. Have a lovely day all 😊 xxx

@Shefliesonherownwings Oh, wow. I could have written that myself, I agree with every word you wrote. My father did the same thing to me after the MMC and it sounds like we've been through something very similar. I too went to counselling in December and it has helped me realise a multitude of issues when it comes to him. I don't want to say we'll never have a relationship but if we do, it will be very limited, a couple of nice hours if DH and I are in the country where he lives, and that's it. Honest truth is that it was not speaking to my mum that was weighing me down, whereas he's a toxic person and I've concluded I'm better off either without him or just having limited contact. And that's fine, whatever works and makes you happier is OK.

I echo your sentiment re the New Year. I try to think that hopefully the babies we lost are not the only ones we'll ever going to have and there are happier years ahead of us than the year just gone. Moving into the New Year is bringing us closer to this happiness. ❤️

Well done for doing the gym today! I've been pretty good today, starting my exercise routine tomorrow at 6am 😊 xxx

We actually stayed up last night until about 2pm just watching TV, we didn't even acknowledge midnight but I was very aware that as much as I had been wishing for 2019 to be over, moving into 2020 felt like Isla was moving further away from us which made me sad. It's no longer the year we found out I was pregnant, no longer the year I carried her, felt her move and prepared for her arrival and no longer the year we lost her. It's another milestone passing without her here.

Today I feel a little brighter. Getting healthy in body and mind is giving me focus. I have been to the gym today and even though it was hard to be there and physically my fitness is dire, I felt good for doing it. I also want to stop spending money on things I don't need and focus more on quality ethical buying. Like you guys, I am overloaded with toiletries and have plenty of clothes I barely wear.

@MrsMGE your post really resonated with me. I am currently not speaking to my dad after he really upset me the night before and day of Isla's funeral. When I later told him how I felt, he turned it round and said I am always blaming him for everything, no apology or anything. I'm not surprised by this, I've had over 30 years of him being a controlling narcissistic bully. I'm just disappointed he couldn't be supportive at this time. If we do speak again and resume a relationship, although i'm not sure I want to right now, it will be a very different one to before. I'm not the same person I was two months ago and I need to be selfish and do what is best for me now, not what other people want me to do. I want to learn how to not be such a people pleaser and not be so concerned about what other people will think of me because I just end up hurting myself. DH and I start our bereavement counselling next week so i'm hoping that will be one of the things I can work through with the cousnellor.

@BunnytheBlueWhale I see. That's a very wise piece of advice. Anxiety is a hard thing to decrease. We've discussed so many different ways to cope before, but ultimately it needs time. Be patient with yourself like you are with everyone else.

Re cosmetics, I have too much as well. Currently trying to stick to buying my staple products, occasionally a different lipgloss etc. I also bought a load of reusable face wipes about a year ago which I wash in the washing machine. I actually compared how good they were vs using the usual cotton pads with micellar water and they were just as good. Never had any breakouts and saved myself a fortune, plus the pads don't go to landfill. I recommended to all of my friends. Xxx