Sandylion

I went to the gym! I have been enjoying my home space! I still have not made that damn lasagna... but I have also not eaten out, so this is a win! Yoga has not been attainable because I have been tooooooo sore from going to the gym on Monday. I also hurt my wrist warming up on the heavy bag, so anything bearing pressure on the wrist (like...everything) has been painful so I have been taking it easy. Should be able to do this tonight though! Lets see if I can prioritize going into the Christmas madness.

*muah* I will catch up with you later my lovely!

Hey Michi! Looks like you are tackling some big stuff this challenge. Good for you! I hear ya on family drama/challenges. I also suuuuuper here you on eating all the time when you are bored at home! My work situation has been slower then expected and I am at home more than I want/expect to be. I find myself... cleaning/tidying keeps me from snacking. But of course, that can get out of hand as well and turn into a maladaptive coping mechanism too... but so far its working for me I think everybody gains a bit of weight during winter... keeps us warm, right?? Take care and hope you find some Christmas joy

Rock climbing went really well! Actually didn't hurt my feet at all. Made me feel very...very out of shape, but didn't hurt my feet! I think actually because the shoes are so constricting that its pretty ideal because it does not put any stress on your foot tendons because the shoes are so tight. Its a fantastic sport and I highly recommend trying it out if you are at all interested. I never actually got around to making the lasagna because I got taken with this southwestern black bean salad that I made with avocado and quinoa. Turned out delicious! I also made a huuuuuuge pot of chicken and vegetable soup because there was a great sale on chicken at the grocery store. I know, not vegetarian, but I balanced it with the black bean salad and also some really delightful chocolate banana tofu pudding. So, I have been pretty successful lately with a few things! I've resumed a home practice of yoga. Have not been close to making it a daily practice, but having it back in the schedule is a huge win! I also made a quasi meal plan, but life has still not resumed a normal rhythm so I am finding this challenging. I am starting a new job and its rather a bit slower to get going then I expected so I find myself kind of floating around. I am a person who needs a bit of a routine, and I don't have that. I have been doing my foot physio pretty regularly, and my feet are feeling much better! Yesterday at a Christmas party I danced for a couple hours and my feet felt ok! They were a bit sore after a marathon cleaning session at my apartment, but thats expected because its a basement with concrete floors so its hard on anyones feet. My apartment is now all unpacked and mostly how I want it. Still a few things hanging around that I want to get rid of, but Its a comfortable space for me now. Its been a long time since I had a home space that was really comfortable for me, and its great. I look around and smile because its starting to feel like home. Failures of the week: Still have not made it to the gym! There has been so much snow that I am allowing to be an excuse, and its really silly because I am Canadian. Snow is a fact of life and really shouldn't be an excuse not to get out and do stuff. Went out for food far too much, and ate far too much!! I am such a stress-eater, so if I am at all uncomfortable for whatever reason (like a date with a cute guy...) I stuff my freakin face, or don't eat at all. This time, it was stuff my face. Gotta stop with this! I managed last night at a Christmas party to leave half of a really delicious cheese cake because I was full, so that is progress! This week: Make a lasagna Do more yoga Get to the freakin' gym! Stop making excuses... Enjoy Christmas prep! Enjoy my home space

Hey everybody! So I have been home for almost 2 weeks and it has been a whirlwind! Its nice to feel missed, but I am dizzy from having so many social engagements! I have been eating vegetarian + fish approximately 70% I would guess. I have not been nearly as loyal to calorie tracking or cooking as I wanted to, manly because I have been so busy being social. I should have expected a certain level of craziness after getting home from 2 months away. And now I am jumping right into Christmas craziness, but I am settling in and determined to make good things happen! Accomplishments: Osteopath and physio for my feet. They are getting better! Haven't had any sharp pain in a few days! Still veeeeery achy though. Did get to the climbing gym, but only once. It was humiliating but also totally awesome! Have been making a concerted and real effort on the vegetarian front, and that has made me feel good about what I am eating. I have accomplished a lot of "life" stuff like unpacking in my apartment, and dealing with all the adulty stuff I neglected before and during my trip, so that is good! Failures: Only once to the gym... this is sad in almost 2 weeks! Have not done yoga... at...all.... Have not made a meal plan... have eaten at home less than 40% of the time, so planning has been hard. Plan for this week: Do some yoga, silly! Its good for you! Make an awesome vegetarian lasagna and a batch of this interesting sounding chickpea and spinach dish I found that will make a nice lunch. Get to the gym! Continue on with physio and stuff to get these feet up and running.

Hello adventurers, This is my first challenge in a while and I am happy to be coming back! In this challenge I am going to be recovering physically from walking the Camino de Santiago, which was amazing but left me with pretty severe tendinitis in both feet. I would love to list off all the incredible activities I am going to do, but when standing and walking are limited, it's tricky! So, we will focus on diet! And the needs work so this is good. 1) Embrace the veggie. Eat vegetarian food more. Week 1- 2 days, Week 2- 3 days, Week 3- 4 days, Week 4- 5 days. 2) Meal planning for the win. Twice/week sit down and make a grocery list and meal plan for the next 3-4 days. 3) Yoga 3 days/week. The stretching will help the tendinitis I think, and it is gentle exercise. 4) test out how weight lifting and rock climbing feel on the feet. I would like to get to have both of these back in my life, but not sure how the feet will tolerate it. This week, Week 0, I am still in Denmark at a friend's house so will not be starting too much. I am going to do some meal planning and cooking for them though, which helps get back in to that. Can also do some yoga, though without a mat the floor feels so hard! No pressure though, will see how it feels.

Ooookay week 3 day 7 summary. The week started out strong, but I got swamped so need to collect myself. Had another weekend crazy filled with social stuff. I'm so tired! This little introvert needs a break! And I've got 3 birthday parties next weekend! *sounds of strangling*. I may ditch everyone and high tail it outta here.... 1) we ran out of batched breakfast which was a challenge. I did do breakfast cookies which turned out more successful then I even hoped, so I think a B+. We have to get going on his we batches today but I think we are both struggling from not enough down time and it's hard to keep on form and be gracious to each other when we start getting a little short and not on top of our game. 2) the later half of the week was not very productive around the house. Thankfully the grass is all dead so hasn't minded not being mowed, and we haven't been home much so really not that bad. Sitting at 32 points, and will likely get a few more today and I will update the tally. I think probably a B- 3) I got in 3 meditation/pray sessions in. I felt fuzzy and unfocused so then it's really hard to sit and try to just be... But I did try, however unsuccessfully. God understands C+ 4) I had a couple of real victories here, that is showing a change in priority and attitude. I am still hopeless in social settings where food is everywhere... I am really trying to reframe my thinking and thus feelings here. It's a slow slog. I'm going to say a D- again. Now, on to prep for the week! Muah!

I have been thinking about applying to a position in the hospital but there are very few jobs right now, and none for my specialty. I have to think on it a bit. But you are definitely right, there are less dramatic, more realistic options for change! I wouldn't say I can frequently. I am a life-time devoted dabbler. I see something, I hunk it's cool, so I want to try it out. A close friend of mine got me in to a community garden and we had a metric crap tonne of tomatoes and I didn't want them to go to waste, so I figured it was time to dabble in canning and I made salsa. It was AMAZING!! So imagine my disappointment when my next foray into salsa, feeling like an experienced pro star, was severely underwhelming. So, this year I've got 12 or so tomatoe plants, so we will have to see again what can be done about it! I did canned beets too, but am told that they are extremely atypical. I think they're pretty good. My grandma used to do peaches and I looooooooove them!! I don't think they would last 3 years for me! They fermented one year too. Accidental peach wine; apparently it was amazing! My my chores turned into picking up a half shift and then baking breakfast cookies... So the dust, she is still there! Still waiting...waiting...waiting.... Lol

Week 3 Day 3 Yesterday I had a bit of an anxiety crisis and a vocational/future plans crisis. I'm a nurse in home care and the industry is really messed up and negative. I am just really sick of dealing with the negativity. I've decided I want to run away from nursing to be a yoga instructor. Nice and realistic, right? Lol. Anyway, yesterday was good. 1) all meals were from batches. Today I will have to make a new lunch batch, and 7FG will be on breakfast batching. My dinner rice and beans crock pot turned out really good. I used the last of the salsa I canned last year. We didn't like the salsa that well, but it turned into a tasty dinner! It was nice not to have to pre soak and cook the dried beans too, but made the whole concoction black, which isn't most beautiful. 2)8.5 points yesterday and 5 already today . I am going to take on some of the chores I've been avoiding This afternoon (ugh, dusting!) and maybe do some decluttering. We'll see how time goes and how much time work ends up taking. 3) had a great prayer/meditation/praise session with my home group. Definitely feeling more grounded this week. 4) my treat yesterday was... Digestive cookies! And I turned down peanut butter chocolate chip 'energy balls'! I actually feel like things are coming together a bit! Yay for habit-forming! My awesome nerd-friend Starpuck came and visited last week, and I have to tell you, she is such an inspiration! I feel like never has anything been truer than how people you hang out with influence and inspire. Starpuck has inspired me! And next time she visits (or we visit her) I am going to be able to keep up better! I'm so tired of saying "back when I was fit I could..." Or "3 years ago I could..." I want my pride back, my strength back, and my physical capabilities back! And we are N that right road!

*high five fellow declutterer* looks like things are going well so far in your challenge!

In Canada we are constantly switching back and forth. I find I'm pretty ambidextrous except for temperatures. I can't do F. Anyway, 1 g/lb of lean body mass is what have heard from the nerds I know who lift and stuff, or 1 gm/kg of total body mass. I am huuuge into pulses right now. So cheap, so nutritious, so tasty, and such variety! I've done a big batch of some kind of pulse salad at the beginning of each week. They keep nicely, and it makes it convenient. I've got this lentil, black bean chickpea number on the go right now. Bit of kale, cranberries, and an apple cider and avocado oil vinegrette. How many hippy points does that get me!? It's my fave so far. If you Google tri pulse salad you will find the recipe. Namaste!

The happiness hang-over, or nerdsads. i miss you already! 7FG has been asleep since 7pm. He was chipper when I picked him up from work, then zonked after dinner. Also, I did not know you never have had Vietnamese food before. How exciting! Next time we are doing Indian for sure. It might have to be a tradition now that we find a new ethnic food every time you come. Which means you have to keep coming back also, you're kicking ass and taking names. I love it!