Rozska

So--the fifth week, I did okay. There was one day when I didn't manage 8000 steps--only did about 7200. I was planning on taking a walk, but then I started writing, and when I looked back up, it was 11:30 PM and I wasn't about to go out walking then. But I've averaged *way* over 8000 steps. I've had to throw out about half my box o'lettuce this week-not because it went bad in my fridge, but because half of it was already bad when I bought it! Yuck! I hate that. Slimy lettuce just creeps me out. I only worked out on Tuesday. But I'm still counting two workouts for the week. I bought sixteen 50 lb bags of mulch and spread that around the front and back yards, as well as cleaned off then painted the front and back stairs. I worked pretty much non-stop from 11 AM to 7 PM for three days in a row, being very physical. I'm looking forward to Monday and sitting! One night I didn't meditate: A killer migraine was barreling down on me. I sat for 2-3 minutes, in severe pain, and decided I didn't need to do that anymore. But all in all, I'm pleased with the challenge, my progress in it. This week...We'll see. I may only get in one workout. I leave to go out of town Saturday AM. May not make my steps that day (7 hour car ride...) We'll see.

So the next hellish week is over! Yay! I'm back home. I spent last week in San Francisco, for the day job. I'm glad that I got one workout in while I was there. I was planning on doing a second one, then the stomach thang that had hit the office hit me too. I did do 8000+ steps per day. I had a huge salad for lunch every day. I meditated every night, and almost every night, 5 minutes felt like it was far too long. I'm going to keep doing that though, keep meditating. I'll be back home for the next two weeks, the last two weeks of the challenge. I live in Seattle, and it's unseasonably warm here this week. I'm going to the air conditioned gym on Tuesday to do my workout. I may only do one workout again this week. I will, however, be doing a bunch of work around the house. I need to paint the front and back stairs. I'm buying more than ten 50lb bags of mulch, hauling those around and spreading them as needed. I'm cleaning out one part of the yard, heavy weeding, etc. That may end up counting as one of my workouts, on Friday. I hope that everyone else is still in the challenge and making progress!

Last week was kind of made of suck. I didn't do much of my challenge. I was kind of sick on Monday and Tuesday, so only half a work out. Wednesday I got hit with a freight train of a migraine. Thursday I was still out of it, and though I was better by Friday, I still didn't work out. I didn't get my steps in on Wednesday with the migraine. And I didn't meditate. I didn't finish my lettuce, because I was too busy on Sunday to eat lunch -- barely made my bus to get to the airport. This week is better. I've been walking (10,000+ steps today.) Had a big salad for lunch. And I worked out tonight, doing my usual bodyweight workout. I threw a towel over the bathroom door for doing chinups. I also did some body rows, using the desk. Last night I had difficulty meditating. For the first time, five minutes seemed really, really long. I also had difficulty falling asleep. I figure the two are related. Hopefully tonight will be better.

Today is my normal workout day. I'd say I only did half a workout, though. Monday, I felt like shit. First, I was all headachy. By mid-afternoon, I had a wicked sore throat. By the end of the day, my chest hurt and my muscles ached. I figured I was coming down with something bad. I napped for 2 hours after work, and did the bare minimum that night. (Still managed 8000 steps for the day, but just barely.) I also ate a couple oranges (Vit C FTW!) took some herbs that usually help me, and went to bed early. Today, Tuesday, I felt better. Not 100%, but much better than Monday night. My throat is still a little sore, but I don't feel as though I'm coming down with something, more like I missed a bullet, or it just grazed me, and now I'm recovering. So today, I just dug up a bush and moved it. It's called a Vanilla Plant -- Sarcococca Ruscifolia. The poor thing was getting too much sunlight. It needs full shade, and it was getting 2-3 hours of hot, afternoon sunlight. It was something of a workout, digging out the root bulb, digging a new, much bigger hole, and carrying the bush (it was heavy!) So I only count this as half a workout. I'll get a full workout, and I'll try to get another half workout in, before the end of the week. I continue to be on track, though, for everything else. Next week, I travel for the day job. Buying a box o'lettuce won't happen -- because I won't be home. Instead, I decided to sub in the goal of eating a huge salad for lunch at least three times next week. There's a Lee's Deli right close to the office, where I can get a good salad for lunch, so as long as I do that at least three times next week, I'm golden. But everything else I should still be doing.

I don't know if I'll increase the time. Not for the first 6 weeks, for sure. Not because I don't think I can do it for longer, but saying, "5 minutes before I go to sleep" is easy time to find. Saying, "10 minutes before i go to sleep" is harder, and more of a mental stumbling block. I want to keep it to 5 for now, but at some point, probably the next challenge, I'll go for 10.

Yes, we are! I don't comment often, but knowing that the others are there in my division has been immensely helpful.

Get back up on that horse! One day doesn't a failure make. Failing means you stop. You haven't stopped. You had one bad day. Go you!

This week has been good, but BUSY. I am really hoping that in another week or so, my life is going to calm down. But I've kept up with all the things I said I would. --box o'lettuce -- this forced me to do grocery shopping (amazon fresh FTW!) even while I was insanely busy. --2 work outs -- I dug up and moved a tree this weekend, so Tuesday's workout was a bit rough. We'll see how today's goes, because I *will* workout today, so I will have two this week. --Walking 8000 steps -- have been getting up and walking for a mile in the mornings. This has really helped me get the steps in. --Meditating -- Every time the timer goes off, after 5 minutes, I'm surprised. And I still think this is helping me in the rest of my life. I've discovered something I'm going to keep doing forever. I hope everyone else is having a good week! I get daily digests, so I have kind of been following. This weekend I'm packed busy, but maybe next week things will slow down... (And yes! I have kept up the writing as well. One chapter finished, a second to go.)

Good luck with the next week! And with the pushups! Once I built up the ability to be able to do them, I discovered a love of doing them.

Great job on week one! I'm also working on the chin ups. I can do pull ups, but not chin ups. Not yet. We'll both get there!

Keep it up! One week down, only five more to go!

It's the end of week one, time for an accounting. Buy and eat a box o'lettuce -- I bought the box on Tuesday, and I'll buy a new one this Tuesday. Because this box is almost empty! Just one more small salad to finish it off, which I'll have tomorrow. And buying that box of lettuce also means I'll buy other food, that I'll then eat. I keep thinking of this goal as the pebble that starts the Stone Soup and keeps on giving. Work out twice a week -- Nailed it, primarily because I knew I'd have to account to y'all if I didn't. Walk 8000 steps per day -- There was only one day when I thought I wouldn't make it. I walked (a lot, and quickly) while brushing my teeth just to get to 8000 that day. But this was more difficult than I thought it would be. Meditate 5 minutes per day -- This continues to be surprisingly good for me, reminding me to breathe at other times. I honestly think I've acquired a new habit for life. I turned in my final class assignment tonight (I was taking a class in interior book design) so that's over. I'm just about finished with some of my extra side work as well. My life should get significantly less busy, starting Wednesday, I believe. Which is good, because I need a break. I also finished 8000+ words on the novel for the week. Only about 20,000 more to do (hoping to finish by the end of June.)

Did you know that y'all are awesome? Cause you are. Today I had very little will to do my workout. I've been in training for the last two days (Git Foundations.) I'd used all my willpower making myself pay attention to the class. I had very little left. And willpower is a finite resource. Normally, I would have blown off my workout. But I knew that y'all were holding me accountable. So I went ahead and did my usual BW workout anyway. I'm now doing 20 full body pushups without a break for both sets (so 40 pushups total.) I did four pullups. My overhead press was kind of lame, but my plank was a breeze. I may, in the next week or so, start upping the time on that. Plus, for walking, I went and took the long way home from the cupcake shop. (I didn't have a cupcake. I did have an affogato. And I wrote 2000 words.) So I'm close to 8000 steps. So thank you for all the encouragement, and for being here, and helping me make my goals.

Wilted greens in the morning with eggs are definitely FTW! It kind of makes me feel like I'm at a fancy hotel or restaurant having breakfast when I do that.

Woo hoo! Congrats on getting your stuff up on your Etsy shop! That's a major accomplishment! Cute stuff, too.