Doing a happy dance
A few thoughts, in no particular order:
Yesterday I decided I couldn’t face the lunch I’d brought. Sadly, my curry did not freeze very well and the veggies were mush. So I threw it out and bought lunch in the cafeteria. I picked a bad day – very little looked good. I ended up with a slice of pizza. After eating said pizza, I remembered we were having home made lasagna for dinner! That’s a bit much on the Italian for one day IMO.
Once I got home, I had to run an errand, meaning I wasn’t able to get outside and enjoy the lovely weather – much to my disappointment. I ran my errand, popped the lasagna in the over (I’d made it last Sunday), and went to the guest room to do yoga and swing my kettlebell.
While doing yoga, I had an epiphany. See, I was doing yoga but thinking about walking. That’s the way my yoga practice has been since I started. Originally, I wanted to do yoga every day. Now, my yoga is only like 20 minutes long, but every day still felt like a tall order. I found myself not enjoying it. Part of yoga is practicing being present in your body and in the moment – and I wasn’t accomplishing that. So I decided to try to do yoga 3 days per week, alternating with my kettlebells. That seems more reasonable. I think I will be able to focus better and hopefully it will feel like less of a chore. Having come to that decision, I happily kicked butt on my kettlebell workout!
I didn’t have my after dinner snack yesterday (I was still full from the lasagna and salad), but I did decide to have a real beer. So I did!
When I got up this morning (and I slept in because I was tired from my sleepless night the night before), I was down 1.2 pounds. Sometimes I need to just stay the course and not get tense about the scale. I am exercising regularly and eating much better – I’m feeling better and the weight will follow.
My goal for January was to lose 5 pounds (1 pound per week). I lost 4.8. Given that this was my first full month of planning and tracking in quite a while, I consider it a success even if I did technically “miss” my goal by a tad. So what?
In January I was able to re-establish my habit of neighborhood walking. I established a kettlebell routine. I revamped my after dinner snack habits. Through trial and error, I have figured out what I can eat on a weekend to go up a little or maintain my weight loss. Because there are foods that I don’t want to be a regular part of my daily eating, but I like them and don’t want to eliminate them from my life. And we do enjoy going out to eat some on the weekend.
That feels like a success to me!
Have a great weekend!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The tiredest mommy in the whole USA
A sushi haiku:
Made sushi one time.
Now, I make reservations.
Because….well….I can.
Most nights I will briefly wake up. I generally fall back asleep quickly, but once in a while I have a hard time. Last night was one of those nights. I woke up at 3 AM having some odd dreams:
I was a cat. Me & a group of other kitty cats were taking a rescue diver course. We had to swim to a small island from Tahiti (where we were). When we surfaced, we realized that the navigator had totally messed up and we were back where we started – a sandy beach in Tahiti. So we decided to call it a day and lay on the beach with frozen libations. Mmmmm.
I woke up wanting to go back to Mexico! And then I couldn’t get back to sleep. I was hungry, so I had a slice of cheese and a little bit of orange juice. Didn’t help. I didn’t have my snack last night (I wanted to lose that 0.4 pounds – which I didn’t).
So, I got up a 4:30 and cleaned my kitchen and then took a walk. I sincerely hope no one finds me face down, drooling on my desk at some point today.
Hungry and tired – that’s me.
I am having a hard time with yoga. I know there is a payoff, but right now I really want to see progress on the scale, so I’d rather spend my time walking than doing yoga. But if I wait until I feel ready to do yoga, I will always have an excuse available. Gah.
Have a good day!
A sushi haiku:
Made sushi one time.
Now, I make reservations.
Because….well….I can.
Most nights I will briefly wake up. I generally fall back asleep quickly, but once in a while I have a hard time. Last night was one of those nights. I woke up at 3 AM having some odd dreams:
I was a cat. Me & a group of other kitty cats were taking a rescue diver course. We had to swim to a small island from Tahiti (where we were). When we surfaced, we realized that the navigator had totally messed up and we were back where we started – a sandy beach in Tahiti. So we decided to call it a day and lay on the beach with frozen libations. Mmmmm.
I woke up wanting to go back to Mexico! And then I couldn’t get back to sleep. I was hungry, so I had a slice of cheese and a little bit of orange juice. Didn’t help. I didn’t have my snack last night (I wanted to lose that 0.4 pounds – which I didn’t).
So, I got up a 4:30 and cleaned my kitchen and then took a walk. I sincerely hope no one finds me face down, drooling on my desk at some point today.
Hungry and tired – that’s me.
I am having a hard time with yoga. I know there is a payoff, but right now I really want to see progress on the scale, so I’d rather spend my time walking than doing yoga. But if I wait until I feel ready to do yoga, I will always have an excuse available. Gah.
Have a good day!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
An fyi, and a message from the big cry baby wanna-be
Our company has completed their announced layoffs, and I wasn’t impacted. Yay!
I’m afraid I’m going to have to trim back my evening snack. For the first time, I’m up a bit on the scale during the week. Now, I don’t lose every day, but that increase makes me wonder whether I need to trim back on my evening snack. I’ll try to make something lower in calories next week. Ugh. I will trim it back, but I’m NOT giving up my evening snack!!!
I got a yoga DVD from Netflix yesterday – “Yoga at any size” or some such. I was going to do it this morning. I previewed it yesterday – it was nice to see the poses done by someone 1) larger and 2) not as flexible as the lady in the current DVD I’m using. It gave me a better idea of what I should like while doing the poses. I didn’t like the voice over (why wasn’t the instructor talking us through it?) and the music was the equivalent of new age elevator music, but I do want to try it. After seeing the scale, I went out for a walk instead. I’ll do yoga this afternoon. No, really. Really.
I increased my kettlebell workout yesterday. Oh. My. God. I was doing two sets of work 2 minutes/rest 2 minutes. Yesterday I added a third set, for a total workout time on 12 minutes. I thought I was gonna die. I barely made it through the third set. My back hurt. I sounded like I’d been running from Freddy Krueger. It was HARD! But I love the fact that I can get a super intense workout in a short time, in my own home.
The boy is so heart broken over the Jeep – mom was saving it for him. He really wants to get it fixed. It’s not (probably) the most practical thing to do. He’s had a lot of changes in his life, and he’s always been terribly sentimental, I don’t know. Practical versus what the heart wants. Not sure what my mom is going to decide. He just sat at the table last night and cried. It broke my heart. This is the first time in his life he’s helping make an “adult” decision – and he and my mom are both having a tough time.
Hope you have a good day!
Our company has completed their announced layoffs, and I wasn’t impacted. Yay!
I’m afraid I’m going to have to trim back my evening snack. For the first time, I’m up a bit on the scale during the week. Now, I don’t lose every day, but that increase makes me wonder whether I need to trim back on my evening snack. I’ll try to make something lower in calories next week. Ugh. I will trim it back, but I’m NOT giving up my evening snack!!!
I got a yoga DVD from Netflix yesterday – “Yoga at any size” or some such. I was going to do it this morning. I previewed it yesterday – it was nice to see the poses done by someone 1) larger and 2) not as flexible as the lady in the current DVD I’m using. It gave me a better idea of what I should like while doing the poses. I didn’t like the voice over (why wasn’t the instructor talking us through it?) and the music was the equivalent of new age elevator music, but I do want to try it. After seeing the scale, I went out for a walk instead. I’ll do yoga this afternoon. No, really. Really.
I increased my kettlebell workout yesterday. Oh. My. God. I was doing two sets of work 2 minutes/rest 2 minutes. Yesterday I added a third set, for a total workout time on 12 minutes. I thought I was gonna die. I barely made it through the third set. My back hurt. I sounded like I’d been running from Freddy Krueger. It was HARD! But I love the fact that I can get a super intense workout in a short time, in my own home.
The boy is so heart broken over the Jeep – mom was saving it for him. He really wants to get it fixed. It’s not (probably) the most practical thing to do. He’s had a lot of changes in his life, and he’s always been terribly sentimental, I don’t know. Practical versus what the heart wants. Not sure what my mom is going to decide. He just sat at the table last night and cried. It broke my heart. This is the first time in his life he’s helping make an “adult” decision – and he and my mom are both having a tough time.
Hope you have a good day!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Eating isn't the answer
Item the first: My cell phone bill is set up on recurring billing, charging to my Amex. The card expired, but did they contact me to say “Hey. Your card expired.”? Of course not. Instead they called to say my account was past due. Gee, thanks. They also wanted me to pay the next bill 2 weeks in advance (uh, no). Saunooke called and they said we didn’t have to pay in advance. I got the card info updated online, but hello??? Be a little proactive and you would’ve gotten my money on time.
Item the second: Last Wednesday an 18 year old girl (talking on her cell phone) ran a stop sign and slammed into my mom’s Jeep. The Jeep is totaled. The insurance company has offered her $900 below blue book. If she wants to keep the Jeep and have it repaired, she has to pay 25% of that back to keep it because the insurance company has (in effect) already sold the car to a salvage company – she has to buy it back.
Isn’t America great? Someone hits you, so let’s set up the system to make sure the innocent victim gets extra shaft with that.
God I get pissed when people upset my mother. Good thing none of you are going to see me today. I’m in one of those moods where yoga doesn’t cut it – I need to put a couple thousand rounds through a machine gun. Or get somebody in a triangle and squeeze their throat. Or kick someone in the head. It’s a good thing I’ve given up martial arts because today I would have zero restraint. These are the days I truly miss my machine gun. *sob*
I went online to look at the cafeteria menu - they have cheese tortellini with garlic cream sauce for lunch today. That sounds better than the lentil soup I brought. But it won't change anything. But it would sure taste good.
Ugh.
Item the first: My cell phone bill is set up on recurring billing, charging to my Amex. The card expired, but did they contact me to say “Hey. Your card expired.”? Of course not. Instead they called to say my account was past due. Gee, thanks. They also wanted me to pay the next bill 2 weeks in advance (uh, no). Saunooke called and they said we didn’t have to pay in advance. I got the card info updated online, but hello??? Be a little proactive and you would’ve gotten my money on time.
Item the second: Last Wednesday an 18 year old girl (talking on her cell phone) ran a stop sign and slammed into my mom’s Jeep. The Jeep is totaled. The insurance company has offered her $900 below blue book. If she wants to keep the Jeep and have it repaired, she has to pay 25% of that back to keep it because the insurance company has (in effect) already sold the car to a salvage company – she has to buy it back.
Isn’t America great? Someone hits you, so let’s set up the system to make sure the innocent victim gets extra shaft with that.
God I get pissed when people upset my mother. Good thing none of you are going to see me today. I’m in one of those moods where yoga doesn’t cut it – I need to put a couple thousand rounds through a machine gun. Or get somebody in a triangle and squeeze their throat. Or kick someone in the head. It’s a good thing I’ve given up martial arts because today I would have zero restraint. These are the days I truly miss my machine gun. *sob*
I went online to look at the cafeteria menu - they have cheese tortellini with garlic cream sauce for lunch today. That sounds better than the lentil soup I brought. But it won't change anything. But it would sure taste good.
Ugh.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Results may vary
This week I lost 0.6 pounds. In general, I've been losing about a pound and a half per week. My target is to lose (on average) 1 pound per week - not too fast, just an easy pace. Since my weight post weekend was up less than it has been, I've wondered what I did differently. One thing different this week is that I ate meat for lunch - I had the greek chicken thighs (which are yummy). I normally eat vegan until dinner time. So I'm wondering if that made a difference. In any case, I have lunches in the freezer for next week (leftovers from stuff I've made at home). They are mostly vegan and the ones with meat have just a little (they are soups), so I'm curious to see if that makes a difference.
I won't say this is a "bad" result - it's a result, and I can tweak it based on what I observe. I'd like to lose a bit more quickly, so back to the vegan lunches. (Which I like perfectly well anyway!). We are leaving this afternoon - this morning I got up and did kettlebells. I didn't do yoga - I simply ran out of time. The weather is nice (40) and I am headed out to take a walk. I won't post again until Monday, so have a great weekend!
This week I lost 0.6 pounds. In general, I've been losing about a pound and a half per week. My target is to lose (on average) 1 pound per week - not too fast, just an easy pace. Since my weight post weekend was up less than it has been, I've wondered what I did differently. One thing different this week is that I ate meat for lunch - I had the greek chicken thighs (which are yummy). I normally eat vegan until dinner time. So I'm wondering if that made a difference. In any case, I have lunches in the freezer for next week (leftovers from stuff I've made at home). They are mostly vegan and the ones with meat have just a little (they are soups), so I'm curious to see if that makes a difference.
I won't say this is a "bad" result - it's a result, and I can tweak it based on what I observe. I'd like to lose a bit more quickly, so back to the vegan lunches. (Which I like perfectly well anyway!). We are leaving this afternoon - this morning I got up and did kettlebells. I didn't do yoga - I simply ran out of time. The weather is nice (40) and I am headed out to take a walk. I won't post again until Monday, so have a great weekend!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Too much of a good thing
This morning, I brought in a 2.5 cup Tupperware full of steel cut oatmeal and fruit. I would guess 1 cup fruit and 1.5 cups oatmeal. Too much! I ate maybe 2/3 of the oatmeal over a period of time and I am done! The rest will go in trash. A shame, but it makes no sense to overeat it either.
I am using this yoga dvd at home currently: http://www.askyogimarlon.com/dvd-beginner.html
I have done the 2 beginner and the strength segments. The strength segment is hard! After reading her web site, I get the impression that you are supposed to do them in order, and do one until it becomes not too difficult, then move on to the next. Oops! I want to mix these up with my stretch video: Tamilee Webb’s “Beginners Stretch for Flexibility”. So, maybe I will do Beginner 1 of yoga 4 times, then do the stretch. Hmmm. This yoga is not coming easily!
Progress on the yoga and kettlebell fronts feels slow – maybe because I am starting out at such a novice level. Walking is progressing more quickly – the 1 mile loop is becoming much easier and I have begun to pick up the pace. I did walk yesterday afternoon – it was quite cold, but the roads were dry. This morning it was 17, so I just stuck to yoga!
The scale this morning showed the weekend pound “weight gain” gone, plus 0.6 additional pounds along with it. Yay! I guess tomorrow will be my “official” weigh day since I won’t be here Friday.
I made this last night for dinner:
Stuffed Eggplant
2 large eggplants
1 pound Italian turkey sausage without cases (I used breakfast sausage cause that’s what I had – I think ground beef or turkey would also work)
1 pkg of baby bella mushrooms, chopped (or white, whatever)
Shredded cheese (I used cheddar/Colby)
2 large onions, diced or chopped
1 cup chicken stock, heated
3 cups herb-seasoned dressing cubes (I used Peppridge Farms cornbread)
garlic powder and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Slice in half and cook the 2 large eggplants. (I did this over the weekend and then stuck them in the fridge until last night.)
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Saute mushrooms, onions, and sausage with in a skillet. Add garlic powder and some pepper. Once the sausage is cooked, add the chopped innards of the eggplant.
Now stir in the dressing cubes and the hot chicken stock. Stir very gently. Pam a casserole dish (rectangle works best) and place the eggplant “shells” on the bottom. Cover with the mixture (mine seriously overflowed the eggplant, so I just filled the casserole) and top with grated cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until hot & cheese is melted.
I served this with just a salad and it fed me, the hub, and 2 teenage boys (with leftovers!) If you’re doing low carb, you could leave out the stuffing and broth and you’d still have a lot of food. The boy claimed he “hates” eggplant, so he left the purple shell, never wondering what happened to all the insides! Heh heh heh
This was really good and the guys asked me to make it again – and I will!
Hub is on the mend – he stayed home from work yesterday, but he went in today. School was running on the regular schedule today, so things around here are back to normal. Tonight I’ve got to get ready for my trip!
This morning, I brought in a 2.5 cup Tupperware full of steel cut oatmeal and fruit. I would guess 1 cup fruit and 1.5 cups oatmeal. Too much! I ate maybe 2/3 of the oatmeal over a period of time and I am done! The rest will go in trash. A shame, but it makes no sense to overeat it either.
I am using this yoga dvd at home currently: http://www.askyogimarlon.com/dvd-beginner.html
I have done the 2 beginner and the strength segments. The strength segment is hard! After reading her web site, I get the impression that you are supposed to do them in order, and do one until it becomes not too difficult, then move on to the next. Oops! I want to mix these up with my stretch video: Tamilee Webb’s “Beginners Stretch for Flexibility”. So, maybe I will do Beginner 1 of yoga 4 times, then do the stretch. Hmmm. This yoga is not coming easily!
Progress on the yoga and kettlebell fronts feels slow – maybe because I am starting out at such a novice level. Walking is progressing more quickly – the 1 mile loop is becoming much easier and I have begun to pick up the pace. I did walk yesterday afternoon – it was quite cold, but the roads were dry. This morning it was 17, so I just stuck to yoga!
The scale this morning showed the weekend pound “weight gain” gone, plus 0.6 additional pounds along with it. Yay! I guess tomorrow will be my “official” weigh day since I won’t be here Friday.
I made this last night for dinner:
Stuffed Eggplant
2 large eggplants
1 pound Italian turkey sausage without cases (I used breakfast sausage cause that’s what I had – I think ground beef or turkey would also work)
1 pkg of baby bella mushrooms, chopped (or white, whatever)
Shredded cheese (I used cheddar/Colby)
2 large onions, diced or chopped
1 cup chicken stock, heated
3 cups herb-seasoned dressing cubes (I used Peppridge Farms cornbread)
garlic powder and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Slice in half and cook the 2 large eggplants. (I did this over the weekend and then stuck them in the fridge until last night.)
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Saute mushrooms, onions, and sausage with in a skillet. Add garlic powder and some pepper. Once the sausage is cooked, add the chopped innards of the eggplant.
Now stir in the dressing cubes and the hot chicken stock. Stir very gently. Pam a casserole dish (rectangle works best) and place the eggplant “shells” on the bottom. Cover with the mixture (mine seriously overflowed the eggplant, so I just filled the casserole) and top with grated cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until hot & cheese is melted.
I served this with just a salad and it fed me, the hub, and 2 teenage boys (with leftovers!) If you’re doing low carb, you could leave out the stuffing and broth and you’d still have a lot of food. The boy claimed he “hates” eggplant, so he left the purple shell, never wondering what happened to all the insides! Heh heh heh
This was really good and the guys asked me to make it again – and I will!
Hub is on the mend – he stayed home from work yesterday, but he went in today. School was running on the regular schedule today, so things around here are back to normal. Tonight I’ve got to get ready for my trip!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Snow
I walked 3 times yesterday because I figured the odds of me being able to do so today were small. We got snow overnight. Our roads don’t get cleared, so they’ll be treacherous until the wet stuff is gone.
This morning I got up, did yoga, swung my kettlebell, then fixed breakfast and got dressed at a leisurely pace. I got hub to drive me in today (I hate driving in bad weather), so there was no need to rush. He was staying home from work (he has my cold), and the boy and a friend were hanging out at the house. I hope I have enough to feed 2 teenagers, just in case.
Normally I would walk at lunch but 1) my walking partner is out of town and 2) I used my lunch break to watch the inauguration in the auditorium. More 2 than 1 – I can walk by myself!
Still haven’t lost the pound the scale went up after the weekend – gah! I will try to be very careful with food while out of town since exercise won’t happen on Friday or Saturday. Hopefully that darn pound will be gone tomorrow.
I made some vegetable soup over the weekend to go with my lunch. Every once in a while I make something that is just plain lousy. This was one of those times. When I get home, that stuff is going in the trash! It was foul. Ick. I guess that happens, even to the best of us! *lol*
Saturday I am having lunch with a lady I “know” from a yahoo group we both joined about 7 years ago. It will be the first time I’ve ever met an “internet friend” in real life! My mom was shocked I knew anyone in Toccoa – I didn’t mention that I only know her online. I wonder if my mom will think that’s weird? Probably!
Driving in tomorrow will likely be worse since it’s supposed to be in the teens overnight, so I’ll plan to drive (carefully) and come in a little late tomorrow.
Have a good one!
I walked 3 times yesterday because I figured the odds of me being able to do so today were small. We got snow overnight. Our roads don’t get cleared, so they’ll be treacherous until the wet stuff is gone.
This morning I got up, did yoga, swung my kettlebell, then fixed breakfast and got dressed at a leisurely pace. I got hub to drive me in today (I hate driving in bad weather), so there was no need to rush. He was staying home from work (he has my cold), and the boy and a friend were hanging out at the house. I hope I have enough to feed 2 teenagers, just in case.
Normally I would walk at lunch but 1) my walking partner is out of town and 2) I used my lunch break to watch the inauguration in the auditorium. More 2 than 1 – I can walk by myself!
Still haven’t lost the pound the scale went up after the weekend – gah! I will try to be very careful with food while out of town since exercise won’t happen on Friday or Saturday. Hopefully that darn pound will be gone tomorrow.
I made some vegetable soup over the weekend to go with my lunch. Every once in a while I make something that is just plain lousy. This was one of those times. When I get home, that stuff is going in the trash! It was foul. Ick. I guess that happens, even to the best of us! *lol*
Saturday I am having lunch with a lady I “know” from a yahoo group we both joined about 7 years ago. It will be the first time I’ve ever met an “internet friend” in real life! My mom was shocked I knew anyone in Toccoa – I didn’t mention that I only know her online. I wonder if my mom will think that’s weird? Probably!
Driving in tomorrow will likely be worse since it’s supposed to be in the teens overnight, so I’ll plan to drive (carefully) and come in a little late tomorrow.
Have a good one!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Loving my lunch
I made this recipe for lunches this week:
http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2009/01/greek-chicken-thighs.html
I did a few things different: I used an onion instead of shallots (cause that’s what I had) and I just put a lid on it and finished cooking it on the stove. I added the feta after I’d portioned it out into my containers, and I put in some whole wheat pasta. Delicious! I will definitely try more recipes from this web site!
I made this recipe for lunches this week:
http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2009/01/greek-chicken-thighs.html
I did a few things different: I used an onion instead of shallots (cause that’s what I had) and I just put a lid on it and finished cooking it on the stove. I added the feta after I’d portioned it out into my containers, and I put in some whole wheat pasta. Delicious! I will definitely try more recipes from this web site!
Weekend
I had a really nice weekend. Hub got off work 2 hours early on Saturday. Breaking things up (shopping over 2 days, cooking over 2 days) meant that the pace seemed much more relaxed. Yesterday we sat down and had pancakes together. We went out to Panera Bread for lunch. We took time to talk. We rented a couple of movies to watch. The pace was really nice. Last night we sat & had popcorn & beer while watching “Trailer park of Terror”. It was just very nice.
This morning I got up and decided to walk. It was 33, and since we may get snow flurries today and tomorrow, I wanted to take advantage and walk while I could. It was very foggy, giving the world that soft, hushed feeling. I’ll do my yoga this afternoon.
Yoga is going to be a challenge. With walking, I’ve been able to see rapid improvement. With yoga, I’m very much at the baby food stage – I am amazingly inflexible! I’m struggling, which makes it hard to focus during the practice. I clearly have a ways to go. A long ways. I’m glad I have dvds to do at home – at least it will be a bit of a start before I start taking classes. That may sound backwards, but Bikram yoga is challenging! I’d like to get a little progress going before I begin. I am determined to stick with it. I think doing yoga yesterday morning helped to set a nice pace for the day, and I’d like to keep that going.
Have a good one!
I had a really nice weekend. Hub got off work 2 hours early on Saturday. Breaking things up (shopping over 2 days, cooking over 2 days) meant that the pace seemed much more relaxed. Yesterday we sat down and had pancakes together. We went out to Panera Bread for lunch. We took time to talk. We rented a couple of movies to watch. The pace was really nice. Last night we sat & had popcorn & beer while watching “Trailer park of Terror”. It was just very nice.
This morning I got up and decided to walk. It was 33, and since we may get snow flurries today and tomorrow, I wanted to take advantage and walk while I could. It was very foggy, giving the world that soft, hushed feeling. I’ll do my yoga this afternoon.
Yoga is going to be a challenge. With walking, I’ve been able to see rapid improvement. With yoga, I’m very much at the baby food stage – I am amazingly inflexible! I’m struggling, which makes it hard to focus during the practice. I clearly have a ways to go. A long ways. I’m glad I have dvds to do at home – at least it will be a bit of a start before I start taking classes. That may sound backwards, but Bikram yoga is challenging! I’d like to get a little progress going before I begin. I am determined to stick with it. I think doing yoga yesterday morning helped to set a nice pace for the day, and I’d like to keep that going.
Have a good one!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The story so far
Overall, a very nice weekend thus far. Friday I was able to get to a couple of grocery stores, which made Saturday easier. Saturday after shopping I did a little bit of my cooking and my mom came over - she gave me a hand with dishes and I gave her a hand with making a jacket for her dog (he's a rat terrier and needs a jacket, but he's a weird size so she has a tough time finding anything for him). We had a good visit.
Having some of the cooking already done has made Sunday much more relaxed. This morning I got up, did yoga with my new Rodney Yee dvd, and then went for a walk outside. It may rain later, so I wanted to make sure I got that in. Yesterday I swung my kettlebell. I tried to do yoga, but I made the mistake of attempting to do it AFTER my kettlebell workout - which didn't work!
It's not quite lunch time and my cooking is mostly done. I'm going to sit down and work on my dresses while hub and I watch a movie. We may get snow in the next couple of days! At least it's warmer - this moring it was 33, which was higher than it ever got yesterday.
Overall, a very nice weekend thus far. Friday I was able to get to a couple of grocery stores, which made Saturday easier. Saturday after shopping I did a little bit of my cooking and my mom came over - she gave me a hand with dishes and I gave her a hand with making a jacket for her dog (he's a rat terrier and needs a jacket, but he's a weird size so she has a tough time finding anything for him). We had a good visit.
Having some of the cooking already done has made Sunday much more relaxed. This morning I got up, did yoga with my new Rodney Yee dvd, and then went for a walk outside. It may rain later, so I wanted to make sure I got that in. Yesterday I swung my kettlebell. I tried to do yoga, but I made the mistake of attempting to do it AFTER my kettlebell workout - which didn't work!
It's not quite lunch time and my cooking is mostly done. I'm going to sit down and work on my dresses while hub and I watch a movie. We may get snow in the next couple of days! At least it's warmer - this moring it was 33, which was higher than it ever got yesterday.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Discretion is the better part of valor (or something)
I had planned to get up and walk this morning. Given that the temperature this morning was 30 and tomorrow same time it will be 12, it seemed like I should take advantage of the weather.
Yesterday when I got home from work I took a nap for a half hour, and still managed go to bed at 9, so clearly I’m still battling this cold. I walked (indoors) yesterday at lunch, and plan to do the same today. But this morning I decided to just sleep in.
Not a lot to say – things are plugging along. Made a good dinner last night. Had a snack afterward – the store had my beloved “Faux Milwaukee” (the no alcohol beer) again, they’d been out for a couple of weeks and I was having to drink O’Douls. Gah.
The boy is going out of town with his grandpa and hub will be working on Saturday. I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend.
I’m a little concerned because the next weekend mom and I are going out of town. We’re headed to Georgia to visit my great aunt. We’ll be spending one night in Toccoa with a friend of my mom’s and the next night we’ll be staying in a hotel in LaGrange. I’m less worried about eating on the road that I am the evenings. I’m trying to think of something easy but satisfying I can pack for myself in case I want a snack in the evenings.
And I’m concerned because I have my nice little routine going and I’m afraid an out of town trip will knock me off kilter.
No answers, but I need a plan!
I had planned to get up and walk this morning. Given that the temperature this morning was 30 and tomorrow same time it will be 12, it seemed like I should take advantage of the weather.
Yesterday when I got home from work I took a nap for a half hour, and still managed go to bed at 9, so clearly I’m still battling this cold. I walked (indoors) yesterday at lunch, and plan to do the same today. But this morning I decided to just sleep in.
Not a lot to say – things are plugging along. Made a good dinner last night. Had a snack afterward – the store had my beloved “Faux Milwaukee” (the no alcohol beer) again, they’d been out for a couple of weeks and I was having to drink O’Douls. Gah.
The boy is going out of town with his grandpa and hub will be working on Saturday. I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend.
I’m a little concerned because the next weekend mom and I are going out of town. We’re headed to Georgia to visit my great aunt. We’ll be spending one night in Toccoa with a friend of my mom’s and the next night we’ll be staying in a hotel in LaGrange. I’m less worried about eating on the road that I am the evenings. I’m trying to think of something easy but satisfying I can pack for myself in case I want a snack in the evenings.
And I’m concerned because I have my nice little routine going and I’m afraid an out of town trip will knock me off kilter.
No answers, but I need a plan!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Testing my resolve
Sorry for not posting yesterday – I was home sick with a cold. I had a splitting headache, luckily by this morning that symptom had gone away. I still feel tired, but am generally on the mend.
I broke through the Sunday 2 pound gain and sent a half a pound along with it. Hurray!
It’s getting cold here in the next day or so – lows in the teens and highs in the low 30s. That means it’s time to put the new workout room (aka “guest bedroom”) to the test. Not sure if I’m up to the kettlebell yet – I’ll walk this afternoon and wait and see how I feel in the morning. Tomorrow may be warm enough to walk – it just depends on when this cold front moves in. I have cardio options that don’t involve going outside, but I haven’t bothered with any of them yet since the weather has (thus far) been bearable. That’s about to change!
I finished my book on “The Structure House Weight Loss Plan” – I highly recommend it. It’s not really a diet book – it’s more about changing your life to reduce your need to use food for non-nutritive reasons. Good stuff. In some ways it reminded me of the Happiness book I’m reading now – several overlaps. Which kinda makes sense if you think about it…..
Sorry for not posting yesterday – I was home sick with a cold. I had a splitting headache, luckily by this morning that symptom had gone away. I still feel tired, but am generally on the mend.
I broke through the Sunday 2 pound gain and sent a half a pound along with it. Hurray!
It’s getting cold here in the next day or so – lows in the teens and highs in the low 30s. That means it’s time to put the new workout room (aka “guest bedroom”) to the test. Not sure if I’m up to the kettlebell yet – I’ll walk this afternoon and wait and see how I feel in the morning. Tomorrow may be warm enough to walk – it just depends on when this cold front moves in. I have cardio options that don’t involve going outside, but I haven’t bothered with any of them yet since the weather has (thus far) been bearable. That’s about to change!
I finished my book on “The Structure House Weight Loss Plan” – I highly recommend it. It’s not really a diet book – it’s more about changing your life to reduce your need to use food for non-nutritive reasons. Good stuff. In some ways it reminded me of the Happiness book I’m reading now – several overlaps. Which kinda makes sense if you think about it…..
Monday, January 12, 2009
Sing it with me, “Progress, Not Perfection”
This was one of those weekends where it feels like fate is conspiring against you. I was so looking forward to sewing Saturday afternoon. Friday night, hub was too tired to go with me to the grocery (I don’t like to go alone after dark). I woke up early Saturday and did the Friday night stuff before the usual Saturday stuff. This meant that 1) I would need to exercise later in the day and 2) I was running late. If I thought I was running late then, well, it was nothing compared with how late I was running after I locked the keys in the car!!! Yeah, one of those weekends.
Despite many (minor) annoyances, and not getting to spend my time as I wanted, I declare this weekend a success on a number of fronts.
1. I weighed myself every day, rather than being afraid of the scale.
2. I ate mindfully. I ate some things I consider ‘treats” (homemade pizza!), but ate healthy portions and used good quality ingredients.
3. I exercised every day.
4. When I found myself getting upset Sunday afternoon, I talked to my husband, told him what I needed/wanted, then went to the guest room to swing my kettlebell! When he came back to check on me, I had a huge smile on my face.
5. I spent quality time with my family, and I told them how much I enjoyed that time.
Did I overeat? Yes, after dinner Sunday. Does the scale show a gain? Yes, it was up 2 pounds this morning. Am I freaking out? No, I did many things well. Sunday could have easily been a disaster when I found myself getting upset. While I did overeat some, I also used exercise to deal with my frustration.
So, progress!
This was one of those weekends where it feels like fate is conspiring against you. I was so looking forward to sewing Saturday afternoon. Friday night, hub was too tired to go with me to the grocery (I don’t like to go alone after dark). I woke up early Saturday and did the Friday night stuff before the usual Saturday stuff. This meant that 1) I would need to exercise later in the day and 2) I was running late. If I thought I was running late then, well, it was nothing compared with how late I was running after I locked the keys in the car!!! Yeah, one of those weekends.
Despite many (minor) annoyances, and not getting to spend my time as I wanted, I declare this weekend a success on a number of fronts.
1. I weighed myself every day, rather than being afraid of the scale.
2. I ate mindfully. I ate some things I consider ‘treats” (homemade pizza!), but ate healthy portions and used good quality ingredients.
3. I exercised every day.
4. When I found myself getting upset Sunday afternoon, I talked to my husband, told him what I needed/wanted, then went to the guest room to swing my kettlebell! When he came back to check on me, I had a huge smile on my face.
5. I spent quality time with my family, and I told them how much I enjoyed that time.
Did I overeat? Yes, after dinner Sunday. Does the scale show a gain? Yes, it was up 2 pounds this morning. Am I freaking out? No, I did many things well. Sunday could have easily been a disaster when I found myself getting upset. While I did overeat some, I also used exercise to deal with my frustration.
So, progress!
Friday, January 09, 2009
S.H.I.F. (So Happy It’s Friday)
When I got home yesterday, I just collapsed across my bed. I didn’t take a nap (I should have). I was that tired. Luckily, I went to bed early and slept really well. But I am very much looking forward to some down time this weekend.
My weight had drifted down a bit today. The irony is I weigh what I did last Friday. Lesson learned: It takes a week to undo a weekend’s poor choices. With that fresh in my memory, I’ll do better this weekend than I did last!
I’m walking at lunch (inside, it’s freezing!). Tonight I am doing part of my grocery shopping and maybe some yoga, but I’m not freaking out if I just go to bed.
Have a good weekend!
When I got home yesterday, I just collapsed across my bed. I didn’t take a nap (I should have). I was that tired. Luckily, I went to bed early and slept really well. But I am very much looking forward to some down time this weekend.
My weight had drifted down a bit today. The irony is I weigh what I did last Friday. Lesson learned: It takes a week to undo a weekend’s poor choices. With that fresh in my memory, I’ll do better this weekend than I did last!
I’m walking at lunch (inside, it’s freezing!). Tonight I am doing part of my grocery shopping and maybe some yoga, but I’m not freaking out if I just go to bed.
Have a good weekend!
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Progress of the invisible sort
Since I’ve gotten back into a regular exercise routine and gotten back to healthier eating, I’ve seen a number of improvements: the bloat I had constantly over the holidays is gone, I am sleeping better, my sinuses are clear, my heartburn is gone, my clothes are looser, I have more energy in the evenings. Sadly, the scale isn’t moving. That is what gets me so frustrated – when you do everything “right”, yet the scale won’t budge. And all these great things are going on, but I’m mad that I still get so peeved about the scale – like it’s so much more important than all those other improvements.
Gah! What a mind game weight loss is……
There is HUGE progress on the exercise front: just a couple of weeks ago I started out walking the “short” loop. One day I missed a morning walk, so I “doubled up” in the afternoon and walked the medium loop (which is roughly twice the distance of the small loop). It was tough, but I did it! I was so excited I called my husband. :-) I am now walking the medium loop regularly, sometimes more than once per day. And I am back to walking at lunch time with my walking partner here at work. So, I’ve gone from “zero” to “significant” on the exercise front!
This morning I did an abridged version of my already abbreviated kettlebell routine. I was still pretty stiff from the other day – I did enough to get those muscles firing and warmed up. I didn’t hurt myself, but if I’m still sore after 2 days, then I did a little too much. I just get so excited about weights – I’d forgotten how much I love the feeling of lifting weights. I also walked the medium loop – it was 35 degrees, so not too bad!
There’s been a lot of improvement on the food front as well. I am almost always consistent about preparing a healthy breakfast and lunch to bring to the office. That had slipped a bit over the holidays, but that is generally quite consistent. But I’d let the evening snacking and weekday beer creep back in – not good. Both affect my sleep. I now have a planned snack and a non-alcoholic beer. I feel much better in the evenings – and in the morning when I’ve gotten a good night’s sleep!
I just need to stay focused on all the positive improvements and how much better I’m feeling and have faith that the scale will follow.
Since I’ve gotten back into a regular exercise routine and gotten back to healthier eating, I’ve seen a number of improvements: the bloat I had constantly over the holidays is gone, I am sleeping better, my sinuses are clear, my heartburn is gone, my clothes are looser, I have more energy in the evenings. Sadly, the scale isn’t moving. That is what gets me so frustrated – when you do everything “right”, yet the scale won’t budge. And all these great things are going on, but I’m mad that I still get so peeved about the scale – like it’s so much more important than all those other improvements.
Gah! What a mind game weight loss is……
There is HUGE progress on the exercise front: just a couple of weeks ago I started out walking the “short” loop. One day I missed a morning walk, so I “doubled up” in the afternoon and walked the medium loop (which is roughly twice the distance of the small loop). It was tough, but I did it! I was so excited I called my husband. :-) I am now walking the medium loop regularly, sometimes more than once per day. And I am back to walking at lunch time with my walking partner here at work. So, I’ve gone from “zero” to “significant” on the exercise front!
This morning I did an abridged version of my already abbreviated kettlebell routine. I was still pretty stiff from the other day – I did enough to get those muscles firing and warmed up. I didn’t hurt myself, but if I’m still sore after 2 days, then I did a little too much. I just get so excited about weights – I’d forgotten how much I love the feeling of lifting weights. I also walked the medium loop – it was 35 degrees, so not too bad!
There’s been a lot of improvement on the food front as well. I am almost always consistent about preparing a healthy breakfast and lunch to bring to the office. That had slipped a bit over the holidays, but that is generally quite consistent. But I’d let the evening snacking and weekday beer creep back in – not good. Both affect my sleep. I now have a planned snack and a non-alcoholic beer. I feel much better in the evenings – and in the morning when I’ve gotten a good night’s sleep!
I just need to stay focused on all the positive improvements and how much better I’m feeling and have faith that the scale will follow.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
It seemed like a good idea at the time
Today the cafeteria offered a “build your own soup” bar. Given that it’s January, a hot bowl of soup sounded yummy. So I planned to buy lunch today. I chose the tofu & veggie broth & all the veggies. The only problem was that I was starving less than 2 hours later! So that didn’t pan out so well. I went back after my dental appointment and got half a chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat. It’ll be just enough to tide me over to my afternoon snack.
Speaking of dentist, I was afraid I was going to have to have a root canal, but no! Turns out my gum had receded a teeny bit, but everything looks good – I just need to treat the area with some stuff to de-sensitize the area! Woot! Yay for not blowing all my dental benefits in January!
I slept in this morning. For one, I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t get back to sleep. Why does this happen??? For two, it was pouring. I took an extra long walk after lunch – outside even, which was nice. I really needed it because I was sore form that darn kettlebell! This afternoon I will either walk again, or at least do my stretch tape.
Hub is back to work after 5 days off – he is working 10 hour days, Wednesday through Saturday.
Well, I guess that’s about it for today. Back to work!
Today the cafeteria offered a “build your own soup” bar. Given that it’s January, a hot bowl of soup sounded yummy. So I planned to buy lunch today. I chose the tofu & veggie broth & all the veggies. The only problem was that I was starving less than 2 hours later! So that didn’t pan out so well. I went back after my dental appointment and got half a chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat. It’ll be just enough to tide me over to my afternoon snack.
Speaking of dentist, I was afraid I was going to have to have a root canal, but no! Turns out my gum had receded a teeny bit, but everything looks good – I just need to treat the area with some stuff to de-sensitize the area! Woot! Yay for not blowing all my dental benefits in January!
I slept in this morning. For one, I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t get back to sleep. Why does this happen??? For two, it was pouring. I took an extra long walk after lunch – outside even, which was nice. I really needed it because I was sore form that darn kettlebell! This afternoon I will either walk again, or at least do my stretch tape.
Hub is back to work after 5 days off – he is working 10 hour days, Wednesday through Saturday.
Well, I guess that’s about it for today. Back to work!
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Rain, rain, thanks!
This morning, the alarm went off at 5. I hit snooze, turned over, hit it again for another 5 minutes, and then got out of bed at 5:15. It was raining really hard when I woke up this morning – and I’m glad! It was 45 degrees, and if it hadn’t been raining, I would definitely have taken advantage of the warm weather to get outside and walk. But since I couldn’t I had to work out inside!
See, when I got the kettlebell workout dvd for Christmas, I sat down and previewed it, so I would know what to expect. But I hadn’t done it yet. Since I had no other option, I did it this morning. (Hey, use whatever works!)
The dvd has an intro section which shows the various exercises, a warm-up, 3 circuits, and a short cool down. I walked through the intro (which I won’t need to do again), the warm-up, and did most of circuit 1. After today, I should be able to do the warm-up and the entire circuit 1. It doesn’t sound very hard, but kettlebells are an extremely intense workout. Add to that 1) I’m out of shape and 2) last time I overdid it with the kettlebells and really hurt my back – and I don’t want a repeat of that.
After the kettlebell dvd, I put in a stretch vcr tape and did most of that (until it was time for me to get ready for work). I need to go ahead & get out of bed at 5 in order to finish the stretch tape. Or next time I might do one of the 20 minute workouts on my yoga dvd.
My muscles feel like they got in a good workout, hopefully I won’t be too sore.
This morning, the alarm went off at 5. I hit snooze, turned over, hit it again for another 5 minutes, and then got out of bed at 5:15. It was raining really hard when I woke up this morning – and I’m glad! It was 45 degrees, and if it hadn’t been raining, I would definitely have taken advantage of the warm weather to get outside and walk. But since I couldn’t I had to work out inside!
See, when I got the kettlebell workout dvd for Christmas, I sat down and previewed it, so I would know what to expect. But I hadn’t done it yet. Since I had no other option, I did it this morning. (Hey, use whatever works!)
The dvd has an intro section which shows the various exercises, a warm-up, 3 circuits, and a short cool down. I walked through the intro (which I won’t need to do again), the warm-up, and did most of circuit 1. After today, I should be able to do the warm-up and the entire circuit 1. It doesn’t sound very hard, but kettlebells are an extremely intense workout. Add to that 1) I’m out of shape and 2) last time I overdid it with the kettlebells and really hurt my back – and I don’t want a repeat of that.
After the kettlebell dvd, I put in a stretch vcr tape and did most of that (until it was time for me to get ready for work). I need to go ahead & get out of bed at 5 in order to finish the stretch tape. Or next time I might do one of the 20 minute workouts on my yoga dvd.
My muscles feel like they got in a good workout, hopefully I won’t be too sore.
Monday, January 05, 2009
A little bit of gratitude
Yesterday morning, hub and I got up and walked the dogs together (except the chihuahua, who indicated that she preferred to stay home). We hadn't done that in a long time, and I really enjoyed it.
My husband made a delicious dinner on the grill last night - steak, chicken, shrimp, and scallops. That man can sure grill. And all I had to do was make a salad & bake potatoes! :-)
This morning it was 51 degrees! Hey, it's not lasting, but I'll take it! I got up and walked, and enjoyed it. And I walked at lunch with my friend - I missed her over the holidays!
I'm excited about yoga, but also a little scared. I have a stretch tape, and a basic yoga dvd. I think I'll do the stretch for a couple of weeks, then do the yoga for a couple of weeks - hopefully that will help me prepare.
Hey, if I learned to like cottage cheese and oatmeal, I can learn to like yoga! And honestly, I'm gettign to an age where I realize how important this kind of stuff is - I sit on my butt all day. Use it or lose it!
Hope you have a good day!
Yesterday morning, hub and I got up and walked the dogs together (except the chihuahua, who indicated that she preferred to stay home). We hadn't done that in a long time, and I really enjoyed it.
My husband made a delicious dinner on the grill last night - steak, chicken, shrimp, and scallops. That man can sure grill. And all I had to do was make a salad & bake potatoes! :-)
This morning it was 51 degrees! Hey, it's not lasting, but I'll take it! I got up and walked, and enjoyed it. And I walked at lunch with my friend - I missed her over the holidays!
I'm excited about yoga, but also a little scared. I have a stretch tape, and a basic yoga dvd. I think I'll do the stretch for a couple of weeks, then do the yoga for a couple of weeks - hopefully that will help me prepare.
Hey, if I learned to like cottage cheese and oatmeal, I can learn to like yoga! And honestly, I'm gettign to an age where I realize how important this kind of stuff is - I sit on my butt all day. Use it or lose it!
Hope you have a good day!
Sunday, January 04, 2009
A very nice day
First, thanks for the kinds comments. I knew if I didn't write it down, I'd "hit the fridge" (Which I didn't!)
It ended up being a very nice weekend. We got a lot of things done - the Christmas is down, the house is cleaned, the cars are serviced. I have to say, the best thing that got accomplished was that I made time to sit & talk with my husband.
I mentioned I've been reading a book on happiness. I've realized a couple of things: in 2006, I put on some weight due to stress (that was the last time MIL got fired & she moved in with my mom, I started a new job, hub's business was uneven). Then in 2007 I gained even more weight. That was the year he began working those crazy hours.
The weight isn't the point - it's just a physical symptom. I realized that at some point I fell off my own list of priorities. Forget about doing things that made me happy - things I felt passionate about. I wasn't even taking care of myself! My well was dry and I never filled it. I just became more miserable, but kept doing the same thing, over & over.
No wonder I had a bad attitutde - I spent 2008 being punished - by me! I feel like I'm beginning to get a bit of perspective- like I haven't been noticing and I've finally popped my head up for a look around!
Anyway, when we talked today, hub was totally supportive. He wants to help me make more time for me, and spend more time doing things I enjoy. It felt so good to say those things out loud and have him be positive about what I felt I needed to do.
I wish I'd realized earlier what was going on, but better late than never.
First, thanks for the kinds comments. I knew if I didn't write it down, I'd "hit the fridge" (Which I didn't!)
It ended up being a very nice weekend. We got a lot of things done - the Christmas is down, the house is cleaned, the cars are serviced. I have to say, the best thing that got accomplished was that I made time to sit & talk with my husband.
I mentioned I've been reading a book on happiness. I've realized a couple of things: in 2006, I put on some weight due to stress (that was the last time MIL got fired & she moved in with my mom, I started a new job, hub's business was uneven). Then in 2007 I gained even more weight. That was the year he began working those crazy hours.
The weight isn't the point - it's just a physical symptom. I realized that at some point I fell off my own list of priorities. Forget about doing things that made me happy - things I felt passionate about. I wasn't even taking care of myself! My well was dry and I never filled it. I just became more miserable, but kept doing the same thing, over & over.
No wonder I had a bad attitutde - I spent 2008 being punished - by me! I feel like I'm beginning to get a bit of perspective- like I haven't been noticing and I've finally popped my head up for a look around!
Anyway, when we talked today, hub was totally supportive. He wants to help me make more time for me, and spend more time doing things I enjoy. It felt so good to say those things out loud and have him be positive about what I felt I needed to do.
I wish I'd realized earlier what was going on, but better late than never.
Friday, January 02, 2009
Frustration
I hate it when a plan goes awry. I had 2 goals for today: take down the Christmas decorations and get the grocery shopping done. I sit at home with no car (it's getting an oil change) and the boxes for the decorations weren't taken down before hub took off to pick up the boy - he wanted to go to the Alltel store TODAY because his phone was messed up, and hub said okay before consulting with me.
Anyway, I'm feeling frustrated. I've taken a walk, taken a bath, and generally tried to stay out of the fridge. I took a day off work go get stuff done and now I feel it was a total waste.
I hate it when a plan goes awry. I had 2 goals for today: take down the Christmas decorations and get the grocery shopping done. I sit at home with no car (it's getting an oil change) and the boxes for the decorations weren't taken down before hub took off to pick up the boy - he wanted to go to the Alltel store TODAY because his phone was messed up, and hub said okay before consulting with me.
Anyway, I'm feeling frustrated. I've taken a walk, taken a bath, and generally tried to stay out of the fridge. I took a day off work go get stuff done and now I feel it was a total waste.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Resolutions
Happy New Year! I think resolutions get a bad rap - yeah, a lot of folks set unrealistic goals without taking any time to think about how they intend to achieve them, then get frustrated, quit, claim resolutions don't work, and cease making any.
A goal without a plan isn't a goal - it's a wish. As in "I wish I had a million dollars". When you start thinking about how you are going to get/accomplish something, then you begin to understand what resources it's gonna take to achieve it. Then you can set priorities. Then you're getting somewhere! Your wish/fantasy/dream is becoming a goal.
My initial thought on the close of 2008 was "thank goodness." Honestly, it felt like a crappy year. But when I look back, it wasn't crappy. What was crappy was my attitude. My husband and I remain employed, our family is healthy and intact, we've made strides on some goals 1: being greener 2: being debt free. We have an emergency fund. Our marriage is closer because we are communicating about money and making plans together far more effectively than we ever have. My son has adjusted wonderfully to public school.
Sure, some things haven't been optimal: my fitness level has declined, the economy stinks, my MIL lost her job, the boy's grandpa moved away and he won't be able to see him weekly any longer. Some of those I can control, some I can't. What I can do is control my reactions. I feel better about the economy knowing we end the year with less debt, fewer bills, and more money in the bank. I have a plan to improve my physical fitness, which I acted on immediately, rather than waiting for some artificial start line. Why wait for the new year when this is for the rest of my life?
Let's face it: I borrow trouble. I'm not a negative "oh no, my glass is half empty" person. I'm a "Yeah, my glass is half full but something is gonna come along and shatter that glass any minute" kind of person. I worry, I fret, I create scenarios. Being prepared is good, borrowing trouble is bad.
If I could only list 1 resolution for 2009, it would be this: "I resolve to improve my attitude." Think about the benefits - better relationships, more happiness and enjoyment at work and home, less stress, better emotional AND PHYSICAL well being.
This isn't some abstract dream - I've already begun to take action. In 2008 I signed up for an online course called "Awakening Joy" (which I never did - of course!). Well, I went and downloaded the materials and I began to read a book that was recommended reading. (Which I had ordered way back when and never opened!). I am walking. I switched back to the no-alcohol beer - fewer calories and better sleep!
Let me tell you a story. As you know, we scaled back for Christmas this year. I got one gift from hub, and several small things from my mom. One was a necklace she had, which she gave to me because she thought I could wear it with work clothes and she didn't wear it often. I didn't take my stuff out of the living room, and when the guys cleaned up, they threw it away. The trash was picked up yesterday.
I looked, I called my mom in case she'd taken it home in some of her stuff by mistake. I even called the hub (in tears) while he was at work. When he got home I'm sure he expected to find an angry, emotional, upset wife. Instead, he came home to dinner almost ready and some hot miso soup (he'd been working outside and was frozen). He asked a couple of questions about whether I'd looked certian places and if I had found it.
I decided there was no point in getting angry or upset with or at him. What would it accomplish? The necklace is gone. Yes it was very nice, but it wasn't expensive, it wasn't a family heirloom, and we can't get it back. Let it go.
I know I won't become like the Dalai Lama overnight. But I can do a better job of thinking and consciously choosing my reactions.
Instead of that negative feedback loop I mentioned a few posts ago, I want to create a positive feedback loop where thinking and choosing what is good for me leads to feeling better emotionally and physically.
Happy New Year.
Happy New Year! I think resolutions get a bad rap - yeah, a lot of folks set unrealistic goals without taking any time to think about how they intend to achieve them, then get frustrated, quit, claim resolutions don't work, and cease making any.
A goal without a plan isn't a goal - it's a wish. As in "I wish I had a million dollars". When you start thinking about how you are going to get/accomplish something, then you begin to understand what resources it's gonna take to achieve it. Then you can set priorities. Then you're getting somewhere! Your wish/fantasy/dream is becoming a goal.
My initial thought on the close of 2008 was "thank goodness." Honestly, it felt like a crappy year. But when I look back, it wasn't crappy. What was crappy was my attitude. My husband and I remain employed, our family is healthy and intact, we've made strides on some goals 1: being greener 2: being debt free. We have an emergency fund. Our marriage is closer because we are communicating about money and making plans together far more effectively than we ever have. My son has adjusted wonderfully to public school.
Sure, some things haven't been optimal: my fitness level has declined, the economy stinks, my MIL lost her job, the boy's grandpa moved away and he won't be able to see him weekly any longer. Some of those I can control, some I can't. What I can do is control my reactions. I feel better about the economy knowing we end the year with less debt, fewer bills, and more money in the bank. I have a plan to improve my physical fitness, which I acted on immediately, rather than waiting for some artificial start line. Why wait for the new year when this is for the rest of my life?
Let's face it: I borrow trouble. I'm not a negative "oh no, my glass is half empty" person. I'm a "Yeah, my glass is half full but something is gonna come along and shatter that glass any minute" kind of person. I worry, I fret, I create scenarios. Being prepared is good, borrowing trouble is bad.
If I could only list 1 resolution for 2009, it would be this: "I resolve to improve my attitude." Think about the benefits - better relationships, more happiness and enjoyment at work and home, less stress, better emotional AND PHYSICAL well being.
This isn't some abstract dream - I've already begun to take action. In 2008 I signed up for an online course called "Awakening Joy" (which I never did - of course!). Well, I went and downloaded the materials and I began to read a book that was recommended reading. (Which I had ordered way back when and never opened!). I am walking. I switched back to the no-alcohol beer - fewer calories and better sleep!
Let me tell you a story. As you know, we scaled back for Christmas this year. I got one gift from hub, and several small things from my mom. One was a necklace she had, which she gave to me because she thought I could wear it with work clothes and she didn't wear it often. I didn't take my stuff out of the living room, and when the guys cleaned up, they threw it away. The trash was picked up yesterday.
I looked, I called my mom in case she'd taken it home in some of her stuff by mistake. I even called the hub (in tears) while he was at work. When he got home I'm sure he expected to find an angry, emotional, upset wife. Instead, he came home to dinner almost ready and some hot miso soup (he'd been working outside and was frozen). He asked a couple of questions about whether I'd looked certian places and if I had found it.
I decided there was no point in getting angry or upset with or at him. What would it accomplish? The necklace is gone. Yes it was very nice, but it wasn't expensive, it wasn't a family heirloom, and we can't get it back. Let it go.
I know I won't become like the Dalai Lama overnight. But I can do a better job of thinking and consciously choosing my reactions.
Instead of that negative feedback loop I mentioned a few posts ago, I want to create a positive feedback loop where thinking and choosing what is good for me leads to feeling better emotionally and physically.
Happy New Year.
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