School staff health and well-being thread1

[Monkeytennis97]

Hello all! Welcome to any school staff looking to improve their diet/exercise in 2021!

Last year I lost 5 stone and my BMI dropped from 42 to 28. My aim this year is to drop another 2 stone to get into the 'normal' weight category and to improve my stamina with jogging.

Welcome all!

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot I think anger is probably a normal response to the frankly horrible situation in which we find ourselves. We are all under enormous pressure at work and still trying to juggle everything at home whilst coping with the ongoing anxiety over covid. Each day seems to bring worse news and trying to steer our families through it and putting on a normal face for our children both at home and at school is taking its toll.

I know my fuse is very short these days, and I put it down to anxiety and stress. We are simply being spread too thinly. I don't know what the answer is, but you are definitely not alone.

No clue @RuleWithAWoodenFoot I would usually suggest exercise! I get it a bit too, but think for me it’s my age...

Managed to be ok for a few days now. Docs putting me back on background insulin though as tablets just not cutting it still....

Decided that rage was all about the endless consistent undermining of my profession in almost all parts of life. All over twitter and MSM constantly about how shit we are. Anyway, builders going to start our extension in 5 weeks. That has cheered me right up. Means I have a screen related diversion - pinterest.

Oooh exciting! We moved into a very old house that needs complete renovation over a year ago. Finally went out to tender to builders today... feel like we might finally move forwards!!!

We did that with our last house - I had child in the middle of it, we were completely skint for so long. We've had planning permission on this house for 2 years, just couldn't face doing it quite yet. Am ready now. We have a 1960s box, but on a v posh road. So, we're going big modern extension. Will be my 5th renovation project, but not done a modern thing before. Hence pinterest again - haven't really got a clue how to do the decor. I bloody love decorating houses. Perfect diversion for me.

Also, my dad getting jabbed tomorrow.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

Also, my dad getting jabbed tomorrow.

Whoop whoop!

I’ll know where to come for decor inspiration🤣

Right off to bed for me - trying to get some sleep. I want to run but am worried about it being icy... other people seem to go though....

Morning all - just done the dreaded Saturday morning weigh in and I appear to have lost 2lb, although I feel so disgustingly bloated I find that hard to believe. I think that makes 11lb now (started at 16st1 and am now 15st4). My face looks a bit thinner but I think it will take a while for any loss to show elsewhere, as I have such a lot to lose.

Hope you're all OK.

Hi all. I've just had someone be really rude and patronising (to my mind anyway) on my usual diet thread so may come seek refuge here.

I lost just over a stone and a half in the first lockdown through intermittent fasting and being more active and in September joined the gym.

From September on (ie. back at work) I just bounced and up and down really within a band between my lowest weight that year and a few pounds higher. November lockdown and gyms closing saw that go to shit and gained a bit and then it was chaos at school in Decemeber and then Christmas and gyms closed again.

Currently I have regained about 10lbs of what I lost in first lockdown and summer which is depressing. Going to try to do 5:2 plus calorie count on most other days.

I can identify with the rage - I'm not generally an angry person but have occasional bouts of rage now either because of work or media stupidity or just people being twats in the way that the events of the last year have revealed some of them to be. May also be perimenopausal

Welcome @TheHoneyBadger - I lost a bit in lockdown 1 but promptly put it all back on again as soon as I was back in school full time. I'm trying low carb this time and so far it's working well. I tend to unintentionally fast every day (16:8) as I have never liked breakfast.

It's very easy to get angry looking at media coverage of the world in general, and I'm not sure what the solution is, short of hiding away from it all.

Me either.

I'm not a breakfast fan either so fasting comes relatively easily but I'm attempting to not leave it so long before eating now as a bit of an experiment to see if that means being less ravenous late at night. I've just made veg, noodle and egg stir fry for ds and I and eaten a small bowlful as I was suddenly feeling like eating crisps or nuts but diverted it into a meal. Mixture of a little bit of physical hunger and a fair bit of grrr. Maybe I'm an angry eater.

I used to avoid most news reporting for the sake of sanity and blood pressure but started consuming it more when covid kicked off and I found myself reading articles every day. I then eased back away from it and tend to just read what gets referred to on the staffroom thread but only if I feel up to it itms and to ignore what I think it's quickly to become nonsense.

Eg. I just knew they'd never manage to get through lft testing instead of isolating so after the initial wtf stopped reading the nonsense and stayed in my confidence that that was too insane to ever be allowed to happen despite how useless and populist our government is. Luckily my reality radar proved right and even they couldn't push the overton window that far into the realms of insanity.

I have bought some books and have started reading, 'when things fall apart' by pem chodron (she doesn't capitalise on the cover so my laziness is justified). I definitely need a bit of a buddhist reminder for my mental health.

Oh and I have to be a bit careful and stay conscious in upcoming times because I'm going through an antidepressant meds switch which can be a bit of an emotional ride but will hopefully help in the long run.

Well done @HarrietDVane I’ve stayed the same this week (so still 8lbs down) but have stuck with it so hoping for a drop soon... maybe not enough water for me?

Fingers crossed the transition to new meds is smooth for you, @TheHoneyBadger.

@MrsHerculePoirot It's frustrating when you stay the same for no apparent reason, isn't it? I hope the extra water does the trick.

I am having a very lazy day. I'm trying to convince myself that it's beneficial for my mental health. I'm not sure it is, really. I have a stack of school stuff to tackle and the house is a tip. DH has retreated to bed with a migraine and the DDs are ensconced in their rooms. But I'm lacking the motivation to do anything.

@HarrietDVane it’s deffo worth it! I’ve just come and laid in bed for over an hour. Just because!

It's mostly a lying in bed day for me too I'm afraid.

I have taken the dog for quick wee walks a couple of times. Planned a remote lesson and done a bit of marking and cooked a decent lunch but mostly been in my bed. Saturday seems to be my wiped out day.

I need to mix things up because I'm not really a regular routines person so my ideal would be 5:2 days twice a week, 900+ deficit a few days a week and one day eating to maintenance calories - so a total of about 7000cals deficit a week which allegedly is 2lbs loss a week. This is my plan to get started with.

Got a feeling Saturday will be my eat to maintenance and be a bit of a slob day.

I'm in the low end of obese so it's not as drastic as it sounds. If I'm moderately active rather than proper exercising I burn about 2100cals a day because of my size - add in a couple of brisk walks and it's 2300. Days when I worked and went to the gym (please god let them open again) I'd easily burn 2700 in a day.

I would really like to lose the regained weight quickly so I can feel like I'm making progress again.

How about a brisk 15-20 minute walk MrsHP. It can be really good for switching mental state and might help you sleep after an inactive day. I'm going to do it myself about 8 before putting the dog to bed so long as it's not still bloody raining.

🤣 too late @TheHoneyBadger just seen this now! It’s blowing an absolute gale out there... and has been most of the day! Tomorrow we’re off on a long walk with the kids!

Ok I'm starting officially on Monday but weighed in at 12 stone 11lbs yesterday. It's all gone a bit Pete Tong. I made some bread yum yum so that was a fatal error and still haven't been out for a walk. Must must go today. Need motivation! Going to set a target of 12,000 steps today and 1800 cals. From Monday I'm aiming to do 12-15k a day and 1700 cals until March. Really want to get back to 12 stone 5lbs before being back in Covid Petrie dish.

Enjoy your walk today MrsHP. Blueish skies here.

Monkey we're similar weights. I got down to just under 12 and then put a load back on over the last few months in and out of lockdown and gym closures and Christmas of course. It's depressing having to lose the weight you'd already lost once but stamping my feet isn't getting me anywhere

I’ve done short little runs/jogs every day in feb so far... but my eating has gone to pot. Perhaps I can’t control both at once 🤣🤦‍♀️

I'm yawning on the sofa with ds but trying to convince myself to take the dog out for a good stomp. Well done on the exercise mrshp. One change at a time maybe.

I’m going out again today with kids so have out on my running stuff when I got up!

We’ve finally gone out to tender and have various builders popping round so taking kids out when some come. So fixed time, kids know and therefore can’t change my mind!

Right, I'm going to do 100 days without sugar. As in, refined sugar. This also includes ketchup and BBQ sauce, but doesn't include fruit as a sweetener in things like yoghurt or porridge.

Last time I did this, partner did 100 days without booze... we were super fit and healthy and I was pregnant by the end, so let's hope that doesn't happen again!

Need to take control of the chocolate eating. Not putting on weight or anything, but also not sleeping very well and feeling a bit meh. Think stopping sugar might help.

Ate the last of my birthday present truffles last night, so there is no chocolate in the house that I feel I need to eat. Just having first coffee without chocolate syrup in it. Boo.

Just made ds hot chocolate. Can't imagine having sweet stuff in the morning. I'm black coffee and water only in the am hours.

Good luck with the no sugar. I've lost nearly 2lbs this week and have gained half a pound of muscle so I'm calling that a win despite knowing I could've done better if I hadn't fallen into a mountain of fish and chips and chocolate biscuits the other night.

Non work day so just ds's school work to get him through. Hence the hot chocolate. I need to get my steps up and do some kind of resistance training today. Feeling a bit spacey due to the meds switch process-see how I shore up my excuses before I even start?

Went for a run/jog/walk with kids so that’s four days in a row.

Did end up with donor meat and chips for tea and an argument and stand off about dinner 🤣 all friends again now!

Welcome Rule! I'm low carbing at the moment so sugar is off the menu here as well. Unfortunately I had a slight 'incident' with some cake and chocolate earlier in the week which may have derailed my weight loss this week, but I'm back on the wagon now.

I am rubbish at exercise but am forcing myself out for a brisk walk every lunchtime (otherwise school will take advantage and expect me to supervise the class all through lunchtime). I'm also pacing the perimeters of the playground throughout break duties. I probably look insane going round in circles but it's getting my step count up!