ninelives

So... I went down in flames the second week. Again. The second week! How lame is that? But, as practice for the next challenge - which will also come at a phenomenally bad time of year for me with school beginning in August, I am going to try to finish this challenge by doing my check ins here. That one will be practice for the next challenge... etc. But I only fail if I quit. Well, if I quit and stay quit. My problem seems to be the temporary quitting. Because that can certainly set me back a bit. But I had a reason. (I always have a reason!) The problem is that there will always, always be a reason to not follow through. This particular reason was a combination of a sore ankle and a very emotional end to the school year - my kids are switching schools and we are all leaving friends behind. So I gave myself some time to heal emotionally and physically. But I have to find a way to realize that I must push through reasons while also giving myself grace to sometimes prioritize differently. I am kind of a mess - trying to juggle all of the things in my life well. Too many plates to spin. I drop them a lot. I have to try not to drop the most important ones - my faith, my family. But my health has to come in there too. I have too often fallen back on the reason (sometimes a reason, sometimes an excuse) of caring for my family. So, I'm trying again. I sat down last night and wrote out my goals - all of them - what I want to do, and what I want to be. It seems so simple when it is all out on paper, and then I actually put some of the things on the calendar and it looks pretty, (different colors!) but it starts to look more complicated. And then there's the daily grind of actually doing those small things that make a difference in the long run but just SUCK to do every day. Seriously, when I see "Run" on my calendar and I think, "Aren't my toilets awfully dirty? That is probably more important." When the fact is I need to do BOTH. And then I get overwhelmed and paralyzed. Those two go hand in hand for me - overwhelmed/paralyzed. But yesterday - in the middle of my planning, a friend called and said she had heard I'd been running and did I want to train together? Is that a sign or what? So I begin. Again. Back to my challenge: Track the spending. - This is going... well, I'm good at tracking, but I have been overspending, and that needs to stop now. This week - nothing that is not in budget. NOTHING. Track the Calories. - Down in flames. Nothing has happened with this for a couple weeks. Back to it! Track the running. (Which means I need to run!) - Starting again on Tuesday. Scaling back a bit to get going again. Track my priorities. - I'm doing better here! I'm sorry for being a flake here. But this challenge is a learning process for me. It's a new community and I don't know many of you, and I don't have a ton of time to read and comment. I wish I did. But I'll just sit in my little corner of NF and make tally marks and talk to myself. That's okay too. Happy progress to you all, friends!

Week one recap: Calories. 60% - 4/7days Spending. 100% Priorities. 100% Run. n/a I did great out of the gate. Perfect days Monday, Tues, Wednesday. Then there was Thursday. Thursday was a very emotional day for me. Wednesday night a couple of my older kids showed themselves to be idiots, then Thursday was the last day of school for my younger set. We are moving to a different school next year, so it was very emotional for all of us. It was one of those days where I had a choice to stay together emotionally or to stay on top of my eating. Eating lost the battle. Friday and Saturday followed suit, because I was in over my head dealing with the emotions in the household (from idiot children and ending of school) and also pulling together a party for 100 on Saturday for my daughter's high school graduation. I was stressed. Excuses? Maybe. But also a little bit of reality. I can't do it all. I don't even know what "It All" is. Lesson? I felt like crap from eating like crap. I knew ahead of time this emotional, stressful week was coming. Next time maybe I can pack myself a few easy snacks to will keep me going. I did stay on top of my spending all week. I get gold stars for that. I didn't run at all, due to my ankle. Tomorrow I am going to attempt an easy run and see how I do. I am finding that my ankles are just going to be really picky about the shoes I wear even when I am not running. Yay for comfort. Boo for saying goodbye to some cute shoes. Plan for week two: Today I am doing a not-quite-a-juice-fast. Primarily fruits and veg, in unlimited quantities. I'll probably have some chicken later on to tide me over through church. I had a ton of gluten/grains on Th-F-S and a feel horrible for it. I plan to run twice - ankle permitting, and wear ugly shoes the rest of the time. I will stay on top of spending and priorities.

Calories. Spending. Priorities. Run. 6/5 - day three: Calories - check. Logged as best I could, I guessed at a couple of servings instead of weighing. Spending - balanced checkbook as planned, I'm working this into my mornign routine, which should be fairly easy for the summer. Priorities - This one is so hard! I pick three things a day that are my top priority to get done. But I have a tendency to pick things I think should be a priority and not those that actually are. But I've been trying to do them anyway and learn to set the priorities better. Run - No, make that limp. Stupid ankle. If I'm not in pain on Friday, then I will walk my running mileage on Saturday. But if it still hurts... I guess I'll try to go in to the Dr on Monday.

Great goals! You can do this!

Calories. Spending. Priorities. Run. So far so good. Yesterday was a skin of my teeth kind of day, but I made it through and still came in under calories. We have my daughter's graduation party on Saturday and I kind of suck at party planning, so I'm a little (okay a lot) stressed out. Plus it is the last week of school for my little kids and they are moving schools next year so I am grieving the change a bit. I'm going to miss my friends, and so are they. My snacks yesterday were pure candy, but I still came in under calories, so that is at least a little good. I haven't run this week since I am nursing a swollen - but curiously not very sore - ankle. It looks better today. My next run is scheduled for Saturday, but I'm not sure now if I am going to run or just walk that day. Thoughts? Priorities and spending are on track. But this is proving to be extra hard. This will definitely help me change some behaviors. I picked good goals - attainable but ones that make me stretch a bit. Onward!

No, no, no, no!!! I woke up this morning to a very swollen ankle. Sigh. Who has time to elevate a foot? I don't know what I did. The last couple times I ran, both ankles were sore, but not terribly so. I took ibuprofen and went about my day as usual. I ran on Saturday, but wasn't as sore. Then yesterday afternoon I noticed some swelling. This morning my foot is big enough that my shoes are too tight and my socks constricted my ankles a bit. Mildly sore but not bad. Not limping at all! I did spend a lot of time in dressy shoes this weekend... (Flats, but not cushioned or supportive) so maybe that is a factor. Regardless, it means no run tomorrow. My next run is planned for Saturday, so maybe I can stay on track there. Otherwise though, I'm working at my goals. Focus, focus, focus!

Thanks! I think I am a little crazy, but just like any of the stuff we do around here, you have to work up to it.

I love your gumption! You can do this- no, you are already doing this. You can take it up a level!

How did you like "Made to Crave"? I just started one of the authors other books, "Unglued", but I've been looking at made to crave. But then there is that whole budgeting part of my challenge. I need to finish some of the books I have stockpiled on my kindle! I'd be interested to hear what you like about it.

Past is past, right? I began the last challenge and did pretty decent with my goals, but I did very, very poorly with checking in. I have reasons (excuses), but don't we all? So that one was practice. This one is for real. Who am I? Mom of 9, Wife of a great guy, trying to get healthier, etc. Other things about me? I love to read, I'd watch TV if I ever had the time, (Dr Who, Fringe, and yes - Downton Abbey), I do beading (jewelry), write on my blogs, bible study, play board games, try to stay out of the Arizona heat. Kids range in age from 1 year old to 23 years old. All are currently living at home, so I cook a LOT too. Anyway - My challenge this time - it's all about the tracking. 1. Track. the. Calories. - Myfitnesspal and me haven't been getting along very well lately. So we will be making amends and spending a lot of time together. I do best when I can plan my food the night before, so that is part of it. Food must be tracked for the FULL DAY to count. Track 38-42 days = A, 34-37 days = B, 30-33 days = C, 26-29 days = D, <26 days = F. Reward +4 CON 2. Track. the. Spending. - Budget must come under control. We're switching the kids schools so spending could go wild this summer. Money must be spent on paper first, then IRL. Budget, budget, budget! The hard part of this for me is going to be tracking the envelope changes. Using the envelope system, sometimes money has to be shuffled. But unexpected things come up - so how can I grade myself here? We'll try unplanned spending...no, that won't work. Checkbook register and envelopes updated daily. It's not a perfect measurement of this, but it will have to do.Same as above: Track 38-42 days = A, 34-37 days = B, 30-33 days = C, 26-29 days = D, <26 days = F. Unbudgeted transfers from savings bump me down a full letter grade. Reward +4 WIS 3. Track. the. Priorities - Last time this was a really good reset, and I need it more than ever now, since we have just been through some big stresses that shook me up a bit. I am focusing on setting my 3 big priorities each day, and completing those PLUS this time I am adding my daily chores. So I'm kind of rolling two into one here. A Completed Day includes at least 11/15 daily chores* done (gotta have a little wiggle room!) plus ALL THREE big priorities done. 38-42 days = A, 34-37 days = B, 30-33 days = C, 26-29 days = D, <26 days = F. Reward +3 CHA 4. Run. In the last challenge, the one that I didn't really finish, I did succeed in getting my running up to 3 miles. That includes my warm up and cool down and a couple brief walks in there, but it was worlds of progress. I'm not really going to be picky about not stopping or not including my warm up, cool downs. My goal this time is 4.5 miles. 4.5 miles = A, 4 miles = B, 3.5 miles = C, 3 miles = D, <3 miles = F. Reward +3 STA, +1 DEX And goal 5 doesn't really count as a goal, because it is this very challenge itself - to check in at least 3 times a week, more if possible. And to support you all in your challenges too. But I'll be tracking myself in this as well. *Daily Chores = Bible Study/Plan day, Two or more loads of laundry, tidy bedrooms, Kitchen AM/PM, Meds AM/PM, Make Dinner, Joy Dare (Thankfulness journal), Get fully ready (Shower, dressed, makeup), Read to kids, Checkbook, Fold Clothes, Bible Verse Review (Memory work), Get kids to practice piano, school work with kids (summer will just be some reading and flashcards), Tidy bathrooms. SO each day I need to get at least 11 of these done.

Plan to eat is a good website for planning, recipe management and grocery list. But it does take work to get going (entering your recipes, or at least the ingredients) although you can import recipes directly from any web page, so that helps. I use that a bit but I mostly use my google calendar. I have a monthly menu that is just entered as events and it repeats every month. I have a winter version and a summer version for variety and seasonal foods. In the details of each event I list my ingredients. It doesn't make a list for me like plan to eat does, but it just works better with my brain, if you know what I mean.

I promised myself I would check in here today.. It's getting late so here goes. I've cranked down on the diet. I need to widen my repertoire a bit, but that will come with time. On target for calories, lowered the carbs, lots of veggies. Quit coffee. Wait, what? Yes, if I can't have sugar in it (rather a lot of sugar, thank you) then I just don't want it. Exercise: Bbww done today. Pushed a little harder and got another push up in. Yay. Baby steps. 3 high priorities. Bad. I only got one of them done today. But tomorrow is another day.

I'm running 30 min, 3x weekly, beginner body weight workout on alternating days, Sunday is rest day, or just take a walk.

Two reasons for not wanting to diet: 1. I love my junk food 2. What if I work really hard and nothing happens, and I can't even go back because I would gain even more weight? Number 2 is coming true for me. Three weeks in, I am ONE POUND down. One. Effing. Pound. I am working out almost every day, eating healthy food - under my allotted calories, drinking water like crazy. And No, I'm not just "Building muscle, because you know that weighs more than fat" because my clothes still don't fit at all. Not the least bit looser. I am so discouraged. I have no choice but to go even more strict. Gluten is gone. I'm going full Paleo with the exception of my rice protein powder in my smoothie. I want to go back to bed.