Rescheduled

I rescheduled my PMP exam until later in December. I didn't have enough time to study and do well. I've made out a schedule and a plan, so hopefully I can find some focus and get to it!

Goals and stretch goals

Good morning and happy Friday - we made it!

Thank you for the comments and good thoughts - we all go through rough patches - at work, in relationships, it's just a normal part of life. It is hard to compartmentalize, but it's important to not let the stress from one area bleed over and negatively impact other areas of our lives - at least not too much or all the time!

After dinner we went to Planet Fitness. We were both feeling cold and tired and wanted to hibernate. I walked on the treadmill for 20 minutes. That's it - no tire flipping, no beast workout, just 20 minutes of brisk walking. At the end we both felt so much better! And we both slept better than we had in days.

There are 6 weeks left in the year. I would love to lose 6 pounds by year end, but that's not really realistic - still, that's my stretch goal. My goal is to get under 145. Since I weighed 148.0 this morning, that is a goal of losing at least 3.1 pounds - so a half pound a week. That feels doable.

I lost 1.8 pounds this week. I've been bouncing a lot, but that's some good downward progress - especially in a tough week. I've worked out 4 days and am going to the kettlebell gym in the morning, so I'm hanging in there. Maybe with tears and some snacking, but I'm not throwing in the towel by a long shot!

Have a good weekend!

Not exactly true

In my last post, I said I didn't know what's going on. Not exactly true. Work sucks and my job stress is at an 11. I need to learn to compartmentalize work and leave it at the office because it's only going to get worse until I get a new job. I need to focus on doing the things I need to do to take care of myself and my family. Stress eating and stress in general isn't helping - it's hurting. Thankfully I have that appointment with the counselor in a couple of weeks. Hopefully that will help.

A bunch of stuff, not much studying

Besides work, I've gotten a lot of things accomplished the past couple of days, sadly studying for my PMP is not among them. I can't seem to focus. Not sure what's going on.

Le sigh.

Just ugh

Work was beyond frustrating yesterday. I just ran out of the proverbial spoons. Had insomnia. At 3 AM I felt something akin to despair. It was scary because honestly I'm dealing with some stuff but nothing of that magnitude.

I am feeling better today. Still stressed and a little overwhelmed, but better. This is the article with the meals I used to make breakfasts:

https://greatist.com/eat/healthy-freezer-meals

I made the breakfast quesedillas, bagel bombs, and oat bars.

Take care of yourself.

Awesome workout

Brad at the gym has had shoulder issues and recently had surgery. I told him what the doctor thought might be my potential issue(s), and he gave me exercises that were safe as well as some great rehab type stuff. It was a terrific workout!

One challenge is that my husband is not as much of a morning person as I am. Additionally, his time table is much tighter than mine, so I am generally in charge of getting his breakfast while he takes a shower. While I am perfectly happy eating the same thing 5 days in a row, he gets bored. And I like to get out at a reasonable time as well. 

I found some prep ahead freezer safe breakfasts and picked 3. That way he has a nice selection and a good 2-3 weeks worth of breakfasts in the freezer - more if I mix in something else from time to time. Win!

I saw this in an email the other day and I thought it was perfect.

If you aren't where you want to be with something, why not start now? :-)

Have a great weekend!

Two steps forward, one and a half back

It's so frustrating how you will do so awesome for days and days, then drink a beer and poof, the scale is up a pound. Drinking lots of water and limiting carbs today.

This week has been nuts. My boss is out for the week - on an actual vacation with his wife, so naturally stuff is blowing up. LOL.

Did my mid week food prep yesterday so I have breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners to get us through until the weekend plus.  So yay me! Going to the gym this evening, so I will let you know that the trainer has to say about workouts with my shoulder.

In other news, I got a haircut at lunch today.

Take care.

Too much reality!!

One of the things we came home to was a bill from the IRS. UGH!! I swear some days I feel like we will never be out of debt, let alone get ahead. Le sigh. Oh well, we will deal with it. Ugh, I say, ugh.

In other news, thanks for commenting Paula! My shoulder is feeling better! I haven't been lifting weights, but I've spoken with the trainers at the gym and they are going to help me with a plan. I have been doing cardio. My weight continues to creep down, but downward it is moving. So that is good!

I am taking my PMP exam on December the 9th and I need to buckle down and study. I am dreading both the studying and the taking of the exam.

Here is a lovely shot of today's breakfast. Clearly I should be a food stylist. LOL

Yogurt with some raw oats, raspberries, chia seeds, and a sprinkle of granola. I should have added some nuts but I forgot. Oh well. It was yummy!

Take care.

Back to reality

I am back from a lovely vacation with my husband. We went to the mountains! We went to the beach! We had alone time, time with family, cooked in, ate out, went to an SCA event and ended it all with the Jewish festival. Even though we did a lot, it still managed to feel largely relaxing.

Win.

argh

Well, I am on vacation. I saw my doctor. No bone chips, but I can't get in to see the physio until November 19th, so I am pretty freaking demoralized about that. :-(

Rocking it like an octogenarian

So last week I was carrying the recycling out and I tripped and fell. I landed on my hip, but put my left arm out (the one not carrying the recycling tub) to help catch me. I was a little sore, but no biggie, right? Except my left shoulder never got better, and has actually gotten worse. So today I broke down and went to the doctor. For x rays and a referral to a physio later, I still don't have any answers, just some good cream and the knowledge that we are working toward getting answers. The x rays are to rule out the possibility of any bone chips. She thinks its probably a torn labrum muscle or tendonitis of the rotator cuff. Who knew you could get tendonitis from a sharp impact? So I will find out. In the meantime, take it easy on the arm and no upper body lifting. UGH.

My Venezia jeans

I wore my size 14 ancient Venezia jeans yesterday and they were very loose. Those jeans are ancient - from the days before they added spandex to jeans, so they have zero stretch. So maybe I'm getting smaller even though I'm not really losing much weight? I dunno.

Here is my weight chart for the last few months:

06/21/19	151.7	-1.7
06/28/19	152.4	0.7
07/05/19	152.5	0.1
07/12/19	151.6	-0.9
07/19/19	149.6	-2.0
07/26/19	151.5	1.9
08/02/19
08/09/19	154.1	2.6
08/16/19	155.2	1.1
08/23/19	153.6	-1.6
08/30/19	153.5	-0.1
09/06/19	153.4	-0.1
09/13/19	151.3	-2.1
09/20/19	152.0	0.7
09/27/19	149.4	-2.6
10/04/19	150.9	1.5
10/11/19	151.0	0.1
10/18/19	150.4	-0.6
10/25/19	149.4	-1.0

So basically 4 months to lose 2 pounds. When I look at it that way, I get really demoralized! Then I think of the stuff that has gone on and the fact that I have maintained my loss - that's pretty good! There are 9 weeks left in the year - I won't get to goal. OTOH, there isn't a finish line, this is my life and I just need to keep making forward progress - including learning how to deal with stress in healthier ways to successfully maintain the weight I have lost.

I'm just feeling 2 minds of the whole thing I guess.

I need to fire my cleaning gal and I hate it but there is also that. :-(  She's the daughter of a friend but it just isn't working out and instead of being a help it's become still yet even another source of stress in my life and frankly I have enough of those without voluntarily taking more on. T says he will do it but realistically he won't so I need to find someone else. Ugh.

Tomorrow I am going to the gym and then just doing stuff around the house. Sunday I am helping make lunch at church - I haven't done that since we re-opened so I am excited about that. Volunteering brings me joy.

Have a good weekend!

I think we skipped fall

I fell like we've moved directly to winter. It was 39 this morning. Thank goodness for fleece pajamas. In other news, T and I have vacation next week - fun is soon to be afoot! :-)

Tonight is kettlebells.

Take care.

Wednesday already???

This week has been pretty busy, but not too bad. Monday I was in the office and went to Anytime Fitness and used the elliptical. Last night I went to Master's and did kettlebells.

It didn't take too long, but it was intense and I used heavier than usual weights, so I felt like I got a good workout. I sent what I had put together for the challenge to Elle, so we'll see what she says. Anyway, I am having fun working on it! I will keep you guys posted.

That's about all I know - just the usual stuff.

Take care.

Oh my gosh!

So I went to the gym yesterday and worked out (which is kinda the point of going to the gym). I spoke with Elle. We are developing a 6 week long class/ challenge that will kick off in January based on the concept of high volume kettlebell swinging. I will come up with each week's workout. Each week we will make a video of me doing the workout and we will do it in the gym as a group 3 times with me helping facilitate.

I am going to be helping teach kettlebells in a real gym y'all!!

Feeling Stuck (again)

This:

07/05/19	152.5	0.1
07/12/19	151.6	-0.9
07/19/19	149.6	-2.0
07/26/19	151.5	1.9
08/02/19
08/09/19	154.1	2.6
08/16/19	155.2	1.1
08/23/19	153.6	-1.6
08/30/19	153.5	-0.1
09/06/19	153.4	-0.1
09/13/19	151.3	-2.1
09/20/19	152.0	0.7
09/27/19	149.4	-2.6
10/04/19	150.9	1.5
10/11/19	151.0	0.1
10/18/19	150.4	-0.6

The 2.6 gained mid August was vacation. The 1.5 early October was prednisone. But still, the reality is I've been hovering around 150 FOREVER. It's time to get it over with already! I need to move to 145. No days off, no cheats, no bullshit excuses until then. Period.

Have a good weekend.

Big accomplishment

When I packed up my house in 2011 to move to Florida, I donated a lot of clothes that didn't fit. I also packed up a bunch in tubs where they have remained. Until today. Today I unpacked the last tub. There are 4 pair of jeans and 1 shirt I think are too small, and 2 shirts I'm not sure I like the fit. Those are all in a single dresser drawer waiting a decision whether I hang onto them or they get donated. But there are no more clothes in tubs waiting for the day I finally lose weight.

Whoops

I didn't mean to drop off the planet - just been busy and focused on other things and hadn't blogged, but everything is fine.

I finished my last class on Saturday, so now I just have to finish my certification package and schedule the exam. My son and his friend are coming up this weekend to help with a few projects around the house - yay! I am looking forward to having a weekend to work on some stuff around here and not think about that work type stuff. :-)

One thing I have managed to do is pull out my fall/ winter clothes:

Saturday I went a bought a couple pair of slacks, so I think I'm okay on the pants front. I could use a pair of navy, but they aren't necessary. I knew I had a lot of tops, I just wasn't sure what fit. So I pulled it all out and tried everything on.  Good times. I have a large pile of stuff to donate - it either doesn't fit or I don't like it. I have enough. Not saying I might not look at tops here and there when I got thrift shopping with mom, but I don't *need* anything. So that's nice. We are moving from our satellite office back to the main office, so I will have to start wearing business casual every day. Sigh.

I am getting together with Elle Saturday after the regular workout to discuss my class she wants me to teach. I will keep you guys posted. I may be making a video!!! If they post it on the facebook page I will let you know.

Have a good day!

Workout

I haven't done as much with the fitness challenge as I would have liked, but last night I finally made it to CrossFit. I did it! Tonight I am going back to the kbell gym, but it was fun to do something different with different people and get out of my comfort zone.

My weight is still a bit up, but I took my last antibiotic and prednisone last night. Hopefully we can turn this bus around.

Overall, feeling better.

Take care.

Things I am doing to take care of myself

The good news is it looks like my boss will be staying through the end of the year! Yay! The (lack of) transition had me worried as this is our busiest time of year. I am still sad and have some concerns, but I feel less stressed about it. He is the best boss I've ever had and I love our team. I have some concerns about how things will be moving forward. I'm working dealing with that uncertainty & stress.

I've watched my eating in spite of being sick and the family stress, and I am thankful of that. Eating won't solve anything, it will just help me ignore it for a little while.

Lastly T and I have been struggling with some issues and after some tough but heartfelt conversations we are taking steps (together and individually) to address them. We deserve to do better for each other, and we are committed to working on it. His mom is home, he seems to be settling in to his job, and we can identify and work on these things now before they become bigger, tougher issues.

I went to the gym last night. As you guys know, I love going to the gym, but before I ever joined I was swinging a kettlebell on my own. I began reading a blog over a decade ago and loved what the author was doing. I read her routines, taught myself by watching videos, copied her routines, made my own routines, and embraced her philosophy. Fast forward and she is now a trainer & author (Tracy Reifkind).

Last night I told Elle how if it hadn't been for having a kettlebell under my desk, these last couple of weeks would have been tough and how awesome it is that I know how with 1 bell, a tiny bit of space, and 20 minutes I can craft a great workout for myself and I wished I could share that. So we are going to do a class at the gym! Can you believe it!? I am going to help develop/ teach a class at a gym!?!? Shut the front door!!! How neat is that?????

Anyway, I am definitely having my ups and downs - on the scale and in my mind, but I'm doing okay.

Take care of yourself.