spooky

Inventory Exercise: 30 minutes walking completed. No Yoga yet. I think I'm putting it off because it's hard. But I need to embrace discomfort. That will probably be my goal for the next challenge. I'm not going to set a time quota on Yoga because some is better than none. Meditation: 10 minutes completed Writing: worked on essay and creative writing. Water: 1.5L so far, will be finished soon. Food: 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 cup coffee, 8 oz cocoa (with fats), 1 minneola, 1 large salad (romaine lettuce, 2 hardboiled eggs, 4oz chicken breast, 1 slice red onion, 1 sliced persian cucumber, 1 sliced mini red bell pepper, 2 tbsp fried onions, 1/2 avocado, homemade balsamic dressing), 15 grapes

need to remember this: exercise is not a free pass to eat whatever. That is a mindset I want to leave behind. Today has been fine on the food front though.

Sounds like some of your previous goals have become habits. So considering the title of your thread this is a Good Thing. Maybe some part your brain hasn't caught up to the fact Stress Time is over for the moment and is picking on something that used to be an issue to stress about? Aside from the stomach issue (ugh I've been there) it sounds like things are going pretty well. Keep going! Stomach issues aside you're doing great! Doing without stressing can be nice .

It has been a slow morning. I'm feeling the Friday. Got to get myself in gear. Finished The Gambler last night. Loved it. There are a couple of short stories in the collection so I'll read those next. Overcast morning. I find it comforting. Goals: Exercise: 30 minutes walking +20 minutes Yoga Meditation Writing: Essay and Creative Mindful Eating: Just coffee so far Water: Notes: Maybe I'll do a little painting today.

End of Day Checklist: Exercise: C25K complete (4/7) An addition 30 minutes of walking after dinner. Meditation: 20 minutes complete (4/7). Writing: Worked on essay and creative writing (4/7) (3/7) Mindful eating: 2 hard boiled eggs, 6 oz chicken breast, 5 romaine inner lettuce leaves, 3 minneolas, 1/2 cup strawberry halves, 5 hershey's bliss dark chocolate minis, 2 sweet potato fries (from yesterday), 1 chocolate power-bar, 1 coffee with fat-free half and half, homemade chicken noodle soup, 100 yogurt bar. Still too much sugar, but better today than yesterday. Water: 2+ L Going to read a chapter of The Gambler then go to bed.

Dinner time update: Exercise: C25K complete (4/7) Meditation: 20 minutes complete (4/7). Had a very nice meditation session today before therapy. Writing: Worked on essay and creative writing. I've been trying to fit the creative writing in earlier in the day, didn't want to keep putting it off till bedtime. It's just as much of a priority as academic writing. Mindful eating: better today. 2 hard boiled eggs, 6 oz chicken breast, 5 romaine inner lettuce leaves, 2 minneolas, 1/2 cup strawberry halves, 3 hershey's bliss dark chocolates, 2 sweet potato fries (from yesterday), 1 chocolate power-bar, 1 coffee with fat-free half and half. Going to have homemade chicken noodle soup for dinner. Water: 1.25 L down. now off to have some soup.

I've done this like ~5 times on the oven I use all the time and have been using for over 15 years. You are not alone. Loved your list of temptation's you've resisted. Keep up the great work!

Thanks for the kind words! I will have to check in on your thread!

C25k complete, had 2 hard-boiled eggs after. Love the way that my neck relaxes after I run. Then I can get all the cricks out. Finished .75L of water. Mantra for the day: You can't outrun your fork. All the other goals are going well, just need to focus a bit more on making good dietary choices. The apple bacon chutney grilled cheese last night didn't help. It was delicious though

today's goals: Exercise: C25K Meditation: Writing: Essay and Creative Water: Food: Cup of coffee (with non fat half and half) to start the day other: Therapy today at 2pm.

was so exhausted last night I didn't update. yesterday's goals: -Exercise: Complete (70 minutes) -Meditation: Complete (20minutes) -Water (1.25 L) -Mindful eating: not as good yesterday, need to start writing down what I eat in this space again. -writing: worked on essay and creative writing. Now to tackle today!

I ended up making sweet potato fries seasoned with garlic olive oil, lemon, season salt, pepper, onion powder and nutmeg. In the oven now. I need to remember this: Getting in the kitchen helped me empty my head, and I did get work done on my paper while waiting for the potatoes to soak. When I cook I just do. I don't think. My head is empty. Cooking frequently is a must for my mental health. I'm proud that I managed to get my day back on track using the two hour block system. In the past I would have let not starting earlier in the day keep me from starting at all. That's a big step.

Mid-day update: Exercise: Complete (3/7) 60 minutes of Pilates Meditation: (3/7) Got a nice 20 minutes in but then was so relaxed after it ended I stayed in bed and took a ~30 min nap. Took me out of my 2 hours blocks Writing: the main task for block 3, get 1 point of notes on notecards written. Just have to get started Water: 1 L down, 1 to go Mindful Eating: much better today. Does anyone know of any interesting sweet potato recipe's?

Week 2 Day 3 Goals: -Exercise (pilates) -Meditation -Writing (essay and creative) -Mindful eating -Water 2 hour blocks FTW.

Another recipe. This banana bread always stays moist (I think because of the honey). So good! Just made some for my mom. It's her favorite. Banana Bread Recipe 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 tbsp honey 1 tbsp cinnamon 1 tbsp nutmeg 4 bananas 1/2 cup all purpose flour 1/2 cup coconut flour 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup slivered almonds 1/2 cup butter 2 eggs combine ingredients in bowl, bake for 25-30 minutes. Toothpick should come out clean, but the texture is still soft and batter-like.

early evening -exercise: complete, 30 minutes C25K, 20 minutes walking on a incline -meditation: doing this after dinner (complete) -water- .5L left (complete) -mindful eating, still around my calorie goal but still too much sugar. oh well, most of it was fruit or nuts. -writing: the essay is closer to done. I will finish it tomorrow. I've done quite a bit of work on it today so i still feel good about the work I put in even if I didn't finish. Need to write a sentence in my story. going to have some of the recipe posted above for dinner. 2 hour blocks in full force today and it helped me have an insanely productive day. So it's back again tomorrow for sure. It gives me just enough time to wander with the right amount of boundaries.

Seconding the CPAP machine. My dad uses one and he notices the difference when he doesn't use it. I notice the difference too, he's a lot grumpier when he doesn't use it.

Thank you SO MUCH for your post. This is definitely another post I will return to when I feel stuck. It really helps to know that the grades aren't really as big a deal as they seem right now. This challenge is definitely helping me work on my fear of failure. I will definitely have to try kale in my next smoothie (after I pick up some kale haha)!

ingredients: -6 medium/large zucchini -1 spaghetti squash -2 yellow squash -1 sweet yellow onion (or as much as you want) -1/2 of a leek (ditto above note on onion) -1 shallot (again as much as you want) -3-5 carrots -2 cups of spinach -5 cloves of garlic (can be pre-minced) -4 tomatoes on the vine -1 large can crushed San Marzano tomatoes -garlic olive oil -seasoned salt -pepper -parmesan -white wine -asiago (optional) okay the recipe has two parts, the "noodles" and the veggie mixture. pre-heat oven to 450 degrees, spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray For the "noodles: -cook spaghetti squash in the oven, skin side up in the pan, entire surface rubbed with a light coating of garlic olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. About 40 minutes. Scrape out flesh "spaghetti" put aside in a bowl. -using a vegetable spiralizer make thick zucchini noodles and yellow squash noodles reserving the last third of the zucchini/yellow squash for slicing into rounds. for two reasons 1. so you don't cut your fingers trying to twist the zucchini into the spiralizer (like I did) and 2. so you can add it to the veggie mixture on the stove. Heat water to a boil in a large pot on the stove with a dash of salt. Boil zucchini and yellow squash noodles for 2-3 minutes. Add to veggie mixture in pan. Add spaghetti squash noodles. For the veggie mixture: Roughly chop carrots, shallot(s), leek(s), onion(s), zucchini slices, and yellow squash slices, chopped tomatoes and place in an extra large frying pan coated with garlic olive oil and cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes. add minced garlic, seasoned salt, and pepper. At ~20 minutes (or when veggies start to brown) reduce the vegetables in white wine. once both are mixed together in the pan pour into the casserole dish. Cover with the San Marzano tomatoes. Top with shredded parmesan and asiago. Bake for 20-25 or until top is golden brown. that is a ridiculously long recipe. But you can basically throw as many veggies as you want in there. I'll probably add broccoli and cauliflower next time. Added pictures!

Oh hai fellow hockey fan!

I made ALL THE PROTEIN this morning. Chicken breast and beef patties should last the rest of the week, will freeze whatever isn't eaten. Also made hardboiled eggs (thank you Egg Genie!) I have been making it a point to only pick out fresh foods (fruits,veggies, meat, cheese, milk, eggs) when I go to the market. It's helping me eat a lot less junk. Trying to use fruit as a substitute for sweets but I still am having too much sugar. Mmmmmm sugar.

Week 2, Day 2 Goals: Exercise- C25K, I have decided to repeat week 1. Instead of judging myself for repeating the program I'm proud that I know how to pace myself. A positive mental change for sure. Meditation- Writing- already started working on my essay, trying to make this the first thing I do every day. I think I can finish this revision today! This essay isn't that long and my feelings are that if I'm saying what I mean to say clearly and directly it is good enough. My main goal is to finish this revision today. Mindful eating- 1 cup coffee, 16 oz of homemade smoothie (full fat greek yogurt, vanilla protein powder, bananas, strawberries, raspberries, mango, pineapple, 1 cup of milk) Water-

Okay Week 2, Day 1 Exercise: complete, 60 minutes pilates Meditation: complete, 20 minutes Water: complete 2+ L Mindful eating: complete, under daily calorie goal writing: worked on essay, will write one sentence before bed, counting this as complete Notes: Made a ton of chicken breast (grilled and pan seared), a triple squash noodle lasagna/casserole (my own improvised recipe). Pretty tired right now. On to the next!

You are going to rock Week 2! I believe in you <3 <3 <3

8fit sounds really interesting. Small bites FTW! Short segments give me a totally different perspective on time. You can get a lot more done in ten minutes than you think. Also great job keeping up with your fitness goals even without constant NF check-ins! You got this