Skiley

Thanks...next time I go to the store I'm gonna get some organic mint tea if I can find it. I was gonna walk/run outside today, but it's snowing here and there's ice under the snow...too dangerous. I work from 12:30-11 pm at night. We have a gym at work with v. nice equipment in it and even showers. I joined along time ago cause it's only $20 a month, but I have yet to try it. My goal is to go at least once this week. I don't want to cancel my membership until I at least give it a try.....glad you're going strong...especially with the water and choc/coffee goals. Have an awesome week! Sara

Going back to modify my goals a bit. I just got a good scale (my husband got it for free . So I will weigh myself today and post my weight and measurements. Maybe even take a before picture...ugh...but I know it's motivating and good to be able to SEE a difference. I've done it before....even though I am more after attaining health than being at a certain weight...I'm enough overweight that a goal of dropping 10 lbs is good for this first challenge. I decided that I'm not good at holding myself to "make a list" or "do the shopping" on a certain day every week...too many variables...the main one being that right now I don't have good control of my finances....so, I don't have the money I need every Tuesday ..not yet anyway. I'm changing this goal to simply making one new Paleo recipe each week--trying to find recipes that I'll want to make on a somewhat regular basis. The 2nd part of my goal is to do one thing each week to make my kitchen more Paleo ready...like, adding a new spice, making a condiment to have on hand for the week (like Paleo mayo, or Primal hot cereal, or paleo crackers, etc). I'm pretty good at eating Paleo most of the time. Mostly when I slip up it's because I don't have pre-cooked meals and snacks ready. Gonna change that in these next 5 weeks. I've been doing ok with my drinking. I haven't bought any wine to drink at home alone...though I did have one night where I went out with friends and stopped at my brother's on the way home and drank more wine...felt crappy the next day. On Sat nite I went out with my husband...had a delicious beet salad with 2 glasses of red wine...which is fine except for the expense of it....right now I think I'm good with how my current "drink less wine" goal is set up. Hopefully, I'll want it less and less. We'll see..... My finances goal for the next 6 weeks is good. It's a scary subject for me, so I gotta tackle it at a rate I can handle. Already behind because I don't wanna deal....but vow to catch up and reach my goal. I need to feel strong in this area of my life. It's taken up WAY too much of my mental energy for like the last 30 years...and not my good mental energy.... Now I gotta figure out this whole point/grading thing. Might have to simplify it....kinda confused. Will look at it closer tomorrow when I don't have to work.....

Yeah, I stay out of lululemon and other high end workout wear places. It's best I don't go in there because then I'd just obsess over what I wish I could afford to be comfortable in..for now, my old Hanes sweats will have to do!

I know what you mean about winter weather. I'm in Minnesota. It's snowing right now. Very pretty, but screws up my plan of doing my walk/run outside today..I'm ready for spring. I had a good first week too. I just found this site a few weeks ago, and heard about the challenge the day it started. I wasn't fully prepared, but I decided to join anyway and deal with the details as I go. I've been doing Paleo for a while....not perfectly, but improving all the time. That chicken you made sounds delicious.I don't do crossfit yet--but I think I will in the future. Keep up the good work!

It's good you're just jumping back in. One thing I've finally learned is that it's always better to be doing something instead of not doing something because you can't do whatever it is perfectly! I started a day late and need to come up with a point/grade system too...but the important thing for me is to get going and fine tune the details along the way....so, glad you're here! Sara

So you've been having some challenges lately, but should be proud of how you've made the best of each situation. I was just thinking the other day that it would be fun to get a perm. I haven't had one since probably the early 90's...but your experience makes me pause...lol....today's food plan looks delicious. I'm going to make some good food in the next 3 days. Keep shining! Sara

Thanks for the input. You're right...I have myself worked up because I'm thinking about the big ugly task ahead and letting that keep me for taking the first step. I will have that talk with him tomorrow. Bills are due, so it's a good time to address the topic....like, hmmm, where did all our money go last month that paying bills is hard this month?....I'll feel better if we are track our spending and are accountable to each other. I'll let you know how it goes!

Had a good weekend. Worked 10 hr days. Stuck to Paleo because I had cooked extra food so I had something to pack for lunch and dinner each day. Didn't workout--but not worried about it. Ready to put more effort into this challenge starting tomorrow! Mostly happy with my first week efforts--but I'm going to fine tune my goals and figure out my grading/point system.

Keep up the good work--hope you have another A week. No reason anyone needs to see pictures of your house. You're doing what needs to be done! Sara

Good job so far. Someone would definitely be dead if I tried to give up coffee.. I love mint though. Maybe I should try mint tea. What brand is good? I drink lots of water too. Never really crave soda, but sometimes I drink it for a treat. I'm just starting too...slower than lots of people on here, but I know I can't overwhelm myself. Once I have the basics down, I can have loftier goals! Have a great weekend! Sara

Doing well with diet and exercise, but not so well with money goal. Spent kind of a lot in the last couple days. Need to come up with a plan so I don't keep doing that. It seems like the more fearful I am about something, the more reckless I am, or the more I avoid the topic. That approach does not solve anything or even help the situation...when am I gonna learn from my mistakes and change my behavior? Hopefully, I'll get up the courage to address it with my husband soon.

I did pretty good today. Ate Paleo...just had another small glass of OJ like hesterday and 5 mini Hershey dark chocolate bars. Drank lots of water. I brought my clothes to work to try and work out in our company facility for the first time. I had to work in a different department unexpectedly and didn't get a long enough break to do it. My goal is to do it next week. No excuses! Feeling in control and like I'm going to get somewhere in the next 6 weeks. Haven't addressed the money issue really....gotta do it soon. Otherwise, it's a fail and I really do want that aspect of my life to improve.....

Thanks Una...will check out punch fork.

I decided I'm going to post my daily progress here. I am not good at consistently logging everything I eat and everything I do. So I think writing stuff here will be good. I had a good day today, even though I drank too much wine last night..I did a 30 min. Hiit workout---ran outside in the cold and on icy sidewalks. I was careful. Ate Paleo all day...my only slip was a small glass of Simply OJ. Made some chicken in the crockpot and packed my lunch for tomorrow. I'm well prepared meal wise for the next 4 10 hr days I'll be at work. I'm bringing my workout clothes to the office tomorrow. We have our own gym. I joined in August and haven't used it once...I have my reasons which are really just excuses. I need to get in there and try it. I'm not much of a gym person--but I joined because it was only $20 per month. I gotta Just do it! So far,I'm feeling motivated and successful since I started this!

I make a primal hot cereal recipe from Mark Sisson's Quick and Easy meals book. It's almonds, pecans, 1/2 banana some coconut milk and cinnamon. Put it all in the food processor till it's the consistency you want. I make enough to last 2-4 days. On busy mornings,or days I don't want eggs, I just heat some up. Love it. Sara

I'm transitioning to Paleo too, but do allow myself white rice sometimes. Like at Chipotle! Like the grading system. I gotta take some time and figure that out for my challenge.. Good luck! Sara

Keep up the good work! Sara

Good goals. Mine need a little tweaking but I have to do some thinking first. Focus on the things you're doing right! Lot's of people on here are super educated...kudos on that aspect of your life. Good luck! Sara

I hear ya on the room full of crap. I have several of them. Today, I started chipping away at it and it felt great. Put some stuff in a box to donate. Also doing the caveman diet and love it. Trying to gradually get my family on board. Good luck w/TM!

Good goals. Know how you feel about getting out of bed in the morning. I'm not a morning person, and especially am not so during our Minnesota winters. Hope to change that...but not ready to yet. It does help to have the workout done first thing...I did it that way some years ago and my days always went better. Good luck! Sara

Yeah, each day is a new start. Focus on your progress and you'll make it to the rink! Sara

I'm making a recipe called chicken adobo which I guess is a classic in the Philippines. All that's in it is soy sauce, (I'm using gluten free) water, vinegar, garlic and bay leaves. I'm hoping I like it because it sure is simple to make. Plus, I have a Pilipino grandson who's almost four. (I'm one of those young grandma's nobody can believe is mother of five and a grandma of 2! ).

Super good goals and plan of action. I totally get the difference between tough and hard. I think you'll do great! Sara

Ughhhh..the bad news is, I drank too much wine last night. I went out to eat and had a healthy salad with grassfed sirloin steak and 2 glasses of red wine, and a v. small serving of butterscotch pudding...that was all fine. But then I stopped at the liquor store, bought a bottle of wine and took it over to my brother's house and we split the bottle...it was fun, but I feel like crap today. The good news is...I did my HIIT workout for 30 minutes outside today. After doing a full body workout with free weights the other day, I'm just too sore to do it again today....I remember the soreness from when I used to do weights a few years ago,and I know I can push past it, but today I'm just too queasy from all that wine... Today, I've stuck to my Paleo eating. All except a v. small glass of Simply Orange juice. Packing my meals for work tomorrow and going to bed early....feeling like I know I will do well this challenge. Change really needs to happen in my world!

Jo2926... I'm thinking about doing a reward system, cause yeah, i do want to have fun with this challenge! For this week I need to keep it simple and just make sure I stick to my plan! I need to change my Paleo shopping and cooking goal--it's too ambitious for right now. I'm changing it to just doing some Paleo cooking so I'm prepared for the next day or so. I get overwhelmed trying to plan further ahead than that! I made Paleo mayo...enough for the week. Tonight I'm making some chicken in the crockpot...hopefully, I'll figure out what works best for me! I'll see how this week goes and then maybe I will come up with a more specific goal for Paleo meals. Thanks for the suggestion and for stopping by my thread!