Home from almost two weeks away and I think — most likely due to my mid-vacay illnees — the scale didn’t move much if at all. I do need to get serious now about my goal to lose 10 lbs by February (and keep it off during my month-lond stay in FL). Since the vacation didn’t end up being as physically active as I’d planned, I feel like a slug. Also, jet lag.

I will say that all the fresh, clean air, especially on Vancouver Island, was pretty therapeutic!

So glad you were able to enjoy the outdoors and fresh air even with the ilness whammy, Sue!

Last week was pretty busy -- which was good in some ways and challenging in others. I am adjusting my routines as we move into fall-- we have lovely but cooler weather this weekend and this coming week will be cool also. I am looking forward to making some soups and wearing long sleeves. As far as my weight loss, I am feeling good about my eating and am feeling better. I am still not really "seeing" my losses from this last year but going through my fall clothes, it is clear I have dropped sizes. I am sure my brain will catch up and see it soon ... but in the meantime I am sticking with it and trusting what others are saying. :) I also made a hair appt which generally makes me feel better about my look! I have a few weeks to wait so I am thinking I'll use AI to try some shorter styles. Not sure I am ready for that change just yet but I'll test it out :)

@Sueb20 weclome to the cult! A few of us here are doing online Mj together, meaning to post about a larger group.

@Funkyart, well dropping sizes is pretty concrete! Maybe you will see it more when yu try on new clothes. I am toying with a new hairstyle, too, maybe you should start a post! I am not sure I trust AI. It simultaneously fawns over me but also keeps "correcting/fixing" my face any time I want to try a mockup. Like way to offend someone.

It’s nice to have a holiday weekend. Just I back from the Y where I did the Group Power weights class. Whew it was super challenging. They change the routine every month so most of it is new. It was really too hot for DH to grill or use the smoker, so maybe in a c ouple of weekends it’ll be better. We have Iron Maiden next weekend so that will be busy.

Got a new blood pressure monitor and my BP has been averaging 110/70 so I will take it. It is always elevated when I go to the doctor, so I do need to check it at home.

Ha.. Mtn! I generated an image for a project back in July -- I love the woman AI created. In fact, I want to BE her. She looks a lot like me but is younger, her face is thinner and I am pretty sure she is friendlier LOL ...

<removed image>

Love the pic, Funky, and your kitchen is lovely too! 😉

Crazy, huh? LOL The apron and the eyebrows are real.

Its like across between Mary Engelbreit and Sandra Lee, LOL

Big milestone for me this morning. I have a series of "100 goals." 100 countries (check), 100 Pulitzer winners (check), 100 Nobel Prize winners, even 100 Good Deeds (though tracking those somehow seems not in the spirit, but I digress).

Last September I joined a gym and started doing weight training with a trainer. My goal was to go 100 times, but I didn't even set a time limit. Just 100 times, whenever, and if I wanted to, after that I could quit.

At first, I only went when my trainer's schedule meshed with mine, and that was sometimes only every other week! Then last May I decided I wanted to hit 100 sessions within a year of when I started, so I upped my sessions by going myself and or with DH. Today, 3 weeks early, I reached 100 1hr sessions!

And of course, I also added in spin, which is now a 3x a week habit for me. I habit stack it with going to a fave grocery store in the same complex.

TBH, I don't think it has had as much of an impact on weight or even size. The biggest impact is I sleep so well and have become more of a morning person (given when spin classes are most frequent). I also do it for heart health and energy.

Going forward, my intent is to do strength or cardio every other day.

Congrats Mtn on the 100 milestone! 💪

I’ve had an active morning of Pilates at the Y and virtual Zumba at home. Classes are pretty booked at the Y’s today though they have a reduced schedule for the holiday. It is finally less hot so it feels nice outside

lol really? Mary Engelbreit and Sandra Lee?? ouch!

I took the AI image down because it is a younger, thinner representation of my face. Not all that helpful as I am struggling with the changes in my appearance.

I am sure I have sime elements of body dismorphia but I think the bigger issue is that I am focused on specific things that others arent (or they are at least polite enough not to mention) ... wrinkles, loose skin on my face and neck, limp hair. I'll get past it -- in the meantime, my health is improving and I am moving in the right direction.

Yes, a young pretty homemaker like Sandra Lee, and the homey kitchen setting with the apron made me think of Engelbriet art?

Sorry I missed the picture!

For me, I'm very frustrated. I decided not to weigh myself every day last week. It was kind of a forced thing because my scale needed to be charged and I kept forgetting to do it. I was actually feeling good all week. Working out every morning. Eating well. Feeling good. Got on the scale when it was finally charged and I am at the high end of where I've been for a long time. Like not even a 1/2 lb gone.

This is not good for me because it causes me to not be motivated AT ALL. We went out to lunch with friends visiting us from NYC on Sunday. Got pastry from our favorite bakery in Princeton to bring home for dessert. I never have dessert after lunch. But I did. And I had more of it after dinner. And I also bought breakfast pastries that I've had for breakfast the last 2 days (thankfully they're now gone so can't do that tomorrow). Oh and didn't work out the last 3 mornings.

Sigh.

Will try to get my head right and get back to working out tomorrow morning. 31 days to Mexico.

I cannot be an adult around a scale. It's really stupid but I just cannot be trusted to react appropriately to its random vicissitudes, so I can totally relate.

@jsk... didnt want to be secretive lol. I just know the image makes my face look much thinner and very much younger so it felt dishonest! It does look like me-- my family/friends love it --but AI sent me back in a time machine! I asked it to add 10 yr and 15 lb but the only visible change was to my bustline lol

I'll remove the image again after a bit .. it's like a book that is "loosely based on a true story" lol. Even my necklace and pendant were redesigned.

For me at least, and I've seen it on others, too, AI actually tweaks my features unbidden. A filter is one thing, but when it actually changes you and not just enhances, it's kind of rude! And weird.

Most current image AI does not treat your face as a fixed photograph that must remain untouched. When I make an outfit mockup from your photo, the image model often effectively re-renders the whole person, even when the instruction is “change only the clothes.”

That explains the problem you've noticed in our mockups: your face can remain recognizably you-ish while your eyes, jawline, age, hair, body proportions, skin texture, or expression subtly—or sometimes not subtly—change.

• Your photo is a reference, not necessarily a locked layer. The model uses it to guide the new image rather than literally cutting out your unchanged face and pasting it into the result.
• Changing clothing can cause regeneration of adjacent areas. A new neckline, jacket, collar, hair overlap, shoulder position, etc. may cause the model to reconstruct the neck/head region too.
• AI tends to “normalize” faces. When reconstructing pixels, it may unintentionally smooth skin, alter facial proportions, change makeup or make someone look younger/different.
• Full-body mockups make it harder. Your face occupies relatively few pixels in a full-length image, so maintaining exact facial identity becomes more difficult than in a portrait.

Yeah, to be fair, I like my image -- she's a character with her own name so doesnt need to BE me. In fact, I like her ... I wish i was her! lol

Oh I totally understand @Funkyart. Didn’t mean to guilt you into adding it back, but thank you! She’s very pretty and I’m quite sure you are too.

I usually have a decent relationship with the scale. Or at least I used to. I thought a week not weighing would be good but apparently not.

My relationship with the scale changes --- I am not weighing right now. In another few weeks, I might be weighing daily.

I'm in the midst of a remodeling project, and I'm easily annoyed when things are not in their place. I only got to the gym twice last week, but I stayed active with lots of walking and bike riding. I'm taking a long view. I'm usually in a rush this time of year to wrap up projects that are weather dependent, and once winter hits, I'll have more time for the gym. I'm fine with that.

My eating has been stable. Tracking over the spring and summer has really helped with this, and I've made some permanent changes, especially in terms of protein choices.

I feel like I need some goals for this fall... working on figuring out what would be challenging yet still manageable. I look back on some of my prior goals, and I've only partially met many of them. Overall, I'm in a good place, though, and am grateful for that.

The thing about goals, is just having them is a step, right? It gets you headed in the right direction.

Glad I met my 100 goal, as I am now down for the count for a bit! I got up to turn off the A/C and prompty fainted. I woke up when I hit the ground. Thankfully I am just bruised but it's pretty darn ouchy.

I will discuss with my Dr. but pretty sure it is due to my hypotension. I was lucky to never have high blood pressure even at my heaviest, and now at my lower weight I tend to have low blood pressure. Dr. says there is no need to treat but I should sit for a bit before I jump out of bed. I also may not have been hyrdating enough.

Glad you’re ok! Yes, get that checked out, just for peace of mind.

DH and his creativity with veggies and protein. Lemon EVOO from Sciabica and White Balsamic . . c / Trailrunner

Wow @mtnrdredux_gw hope it is nothing more. Yes to fluids and stabilizing when changing position. 🙏

Oh @mtnrdredux_gw that's scary. Almost certainly nothing but worth checking out.

I have had episodes where I was sure I was going to faint after falling asleep on the couch and getting up to go upstairs to bed. One time, DH found me on the kitchen floor. I hadn't fainted but I knew if I didn't lie down I would. I'm sure I scared the cr@p out of him!

Yikes, Mtn .. that is scary and hopefully not frequent! Glad you will follow up on it but I agree it likely isnt anything serious. (You know, with all my medical background and certifications (NOT) lol. )

I have been woozy and had vertigo but Ive never fainted. My mom has fainted more than once from dehydration so you may be on to something with staying more hydrated.

I have fainted 2x in the last year after never having fainted in my life. Fortunately I was already at a medical place both times. Now ”vasovagal response” is in my chart.

Glad you didn’t get too injured, Mtn.

Ouch, Mtn! I’m glad you are ok after fainting. Those kind of things can be serious if you hit your head or land on a vulnerable bone. I think you’re likely correct about the dehydration coupled with the low BP, but do check it out.

Sueb, I am also a MahJong beginner. DD is really into it and has been teaching me and my SIL. She has had a good friend who has been playing for a long time who has played with us a couple of times. She has very helpful with the rules, playing faster, etc. I’ve been playing solo at home just to visually learn more about what to do, strategies, and such. DD says my engineering mind tends to make me overthink. She’s right and I’m working on doing better. I’m going to a 3-hr guided session in a couple of weeks.

Sorry for the sidetrack below!

I am in the midst of looking for a "Spahjong Weekend" to take my DD as a Christmas present. (There, I said that word. I hope @kswl is happy. PS It is still summer. In NYC, they didn't even start school until yesterday). I will start a separate MJ thread.