Jayniana Jones

Too funny. I totally had the same image come to mind. I'll have to share with my hubby because I think it's an accurate image when I'm in the "I NEED CHOCOLATE NOW" mode.

Hey Chloe, I took a peek at your character and it looks great. I'm inspired to get mine setup, probably this weekend. For your knee's sake I hope you didn't do anything serious to it. I tore my acl from doing a jump sidekick in taekwondo. Surgery repaired it, but it took awhile before I could do any lunging yoga poses. Since it sounds like your knee is getting better, have you tried putting a folded blanket under your knee when you need to rest on it? Focusing on some of the floor poses may help progress on your flexibility (forward fold, cobra, boat pose). Doing tree pose, mountain pose, or other standing poses with a chair or wall would be okay. My daughter and I did a kundalini meditation series today that was almost completely done on the floor with only moving the upper torso. I need to go, but I can see if I can find it for you if you're interested. Also, what's your novel about? Rewrites are tough, but you still got time to get it submitted. Have a great day.

How are things going? I'm catching up on my forum reading and found you. The youth group adventure thing sounds fun. Celebrate your success of overcoming the obstacle of not trusting because you eventually did. Putting more trust in people is challenging and hard to measure. However, maybe some of the trust struggle is also related to control? Maybe doing small experiments where you delegate a task to someone and trust that it is going to be done. Observe your internal response of the result. Trust happens in small ways almost daily. For example, if you cross the street you have to trust that the car will stop or stay stopped. If you ride an elevator you have to trust that it is going to bring you safely to the floor you want. If you are a passenger in a car you have to trust the driver knows what they are doing without you side seat driving (this is one I have to work on because my hubby, a very patient man and good driver, here's me stomp on my imaginary brake pad when I'm not driving). You may come up with other ideas once you get going. I hope you are doing well on your progress. Talk to you later. Brandy

So in catching up on all my reading... I might have a helpful tip during those heavy duty chocolate craving months. I'm a chocolate nut and find that when stress is elevated or it's that time of the month, I will eat everything and anything chocolate that I can find. It seems to be a terrible circle because the more chocolate I eat, the more I have to have, which then results in sugar crash. In my quest for an alternative, I found chocolate brownie Larabars. However, I wasn't fond of the price and where I live it requires a 40 minute drive one way to get one. Homemade is super easy. It uses dates, cocoa, walnuts (or any other nut), and, if desired, chocolate chips. Throw it in a blender or food processor with a bit of water. Place about 2T - 4T in a snack bag, press it, toss in the fridge and emergency chocolate is on standby. Here's the recipe: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/08/12/hot-fudge-brownie-larabars/. I'm not a fan of dates on their own but in this recipe it adds sweetness. I double the cocoa and minimize the chocolate chips to make them healthier. While these aren't an alternative to go crazy and eat regularly because dates have a high sugar content because they're a fruit, it's much better than any chocolate junk I find and eat when the craving strikes. For some reason, it also curbs the intense longing for chocolate. I love that Heimdal wants to join you in yoga. My dog loves when I'm on the floor in down dog, puppy pose, or table top pose. It results in slobbery kisses and often him going under me. I'm training him to stay on a blanket and watch, but he's a young one and likes to join in.

Progress from last week. My daughter and I completed a 30 minute yoga session everyday. I bought these shiny emoticon stickers to post on our calendar. The two of us love the look of one week with lots of smileys. So we figure we'll try again this week to add more smileys. My aussie's walks have been about 2 miles. A few times we've marched through snow. He didn't care to walk on Saturday, but the five days of walking had been met. Hot chocolate exceeded my goal limit last week by one. I had the cup without thinking about my number until it was already made. I wasn't strong enough to dump it when I realized my error. Not a huge deal, but I need to learn to keep track. My novel only got attention 6 days. Not bad considering the things I juggle.

I'm a bit behind on posting my intentions. However, I have been writing down my progress in my log book. My huge goal is to be able to do the things assassins can do. However, this time around I decided that taking the path of the Druids will get me to being the beginning skills of assassins. My goals for this month are: -Yoga three days a week. My daughter and I are trying to do something everyday with yoga, but I don't want to sabotage myself if we miss a day. - Walk with my mini-Aussie five times a week. The weather has shifted to below zero temps and my motivation to go outside has plummeted. - Limit myself to hot chocolate 3 times a week. I'm having it nearly everyday and the kind I'm make is delicious with dark chocolate melted in. I plan to modify the recipe, but figure I could replace it with decaf tea because honestly I just want something warm to drink. - My life quest this round is to work on my novel at least 15 minutes everyday. The goal is to restart a daily writing habit instead of spending long hours on weekends working on it.

Wow! I'm totally impressed that you were able to walk into the Cheesecake Factory and not have cheesecake. Kudos to you. It sounded like your day was loaded with temptations and you did well. I haven't seen the movie yet, but my hubby is itching to go. Glad it's good.

Thanks. I hadn't thought of telling everyone ahead of time I'm going to workout. Geesh, sometimes my brain doesn't see the obvious. I have a mini-australian shepherd. Here's a pic: You can't see it well in the photo, but his eyes are blue.

Sorry, my "puppy" is 1 1/2 years old. I do multiple sessions a day. Most of our walks are around 30-45 minute sessions. He's pretty high energy. I've noticed if I skip a day of walking with him, he's a bit hard for my other family members to handle.

This week was a bit rougher than others. I managed to maintain walking my puppy about 4 miles per day. My in-laws moved in for the first part of the week and I found it hard to squeeze in workouts other than walking because my daily workload doubled. I spent a good chunk of the time preparing meals, visiting, and feeling like I had to provide entertainment. Looking back I should've just told everyone I was going downstairs to workout and not to bug me, but felt I had to be running for everyone. Grr. I love 'em, but next round of the challenge I need to figure out how to voice what I need. I managed to regroup a bit yesterday and did yoga between catching up on my work I missed while everyone was here. Overall, this definitely wasn't a perfect week workout wise, but I'm glad I got in what I did.

Quick update: I just got back from a walk through the magical forest with my aussie. The intention was to have a change of scenery from our usual route. It turned into an unexpected adventure when I tried to cross a creek. The ice is very thin, but I figure it wasn't too deep so I should be okay to cross with my boots. What I didn't count on is this is the first time my puppy has seen ice. He didn't want to cross and by the time I realized it, I was committed in my leap. I tried to make an adjustment and my leg slipped into the creek. Turns out it was a lot deeper than I expected. Thankfully, my boots are a bit higher than average so it didn't get filled with ice water. My puppy on the other hand wasn't impressed. He got pretty wet. Oops. My week had a rough start. I had a night of insomnia and the recovery of lost sleep messed up my routine. As long as I don't skip Friday's workout, I'll still meet my goal. My teens continue to join me for most of my workouts. My son is progressing very quickly in his assassin's prowess. Today he leaped off a stump and did a parkour roll. The responsible mom in me had a heart attack. The normal mom in me smiled at his goofiness. I'm not sure I aspire for that sort of stunt because I've broken enough bones in my body and don't need to do anymore. I hope everyone else is doing well. It's hard to believe the challenge is almost done.

Thanks. There are rough spots, but we've learned to take things one day at a time. Overall, if you didn't know she had cancer, you'd think she looks pretty healthy.

Thanks. Thanksgiving was great. My parents are on a eat healthier kick (my mom has cancer and needs every bit of good energy she can get) so it was a meal like any other day of the week with the exception of my grandma's apple pie. I got my workout in before we left to visit family. I roped both my teens into joining me. They enjoyed it because we had mini-competitions. I'm working on building the strength to do the 10 second wall handstand. They are working on the strength to out do me in push-ups. Earlier this week, I dug out my Zumba Xbox 360 game and let my kids watch as I attempted Latin dance moves. It's hilarious because I feel extremely awkward and seriously lacking in musicality. Of course, anyone who laughed at me had to try it too. My daughter joined me for a few. She was a good sport about it. My hubby is into Crossfit and has a nice set of barbells in the garage. When I've watched him in the past I've felt intimidated by the size of the weights, especially when he lifts them above his head and lets them drop. He's been prodding me to give it a try for a few years. On Wednesday, I did my first dead lift. Then I did another and another. I lifted just over half my body weight. I think I could've done more, but his next set of plates went up over twenty pounds and I worried I'd overdo it. Maybe I should've tried, but I worried about injury because I've hurt myself in the past doing things that were beyond my ability. I'll table it for next time. I met my goals for the week and plan to have a few bonus days of activity just because I'm enjoying doing different things. Enjoy the day.

Oh, how I can relate about time flying. My first attempt I had daily food logs as a goal and struggled with keeping it up. Don't worry too much about perfection. I think the best strategy is to do what you can, breathe, and celebrate little victories even if they don't align with your original goal. It looks like you are doing great on reaching your other goals. Awesome! I haven't done the Angry Birds workout, but if you want to ease into a more intense activity level, you may want to peek at the Bodyweight Brigade Level 1 workout. I've been using it this round. As I've gotten stronger, I've been setting mini quests like "be able to do all the push-ups for one round" or "hold plank for 20 seconds." It has helped me focus on technique. However, I wouldn't recommend doing what I did the first week: I did Workout A one day and then Workout B the next. My muscles were really stiff and it took me a few days to recover. Most days I can complete the three rounds of the workout with warm-up and cool down in or around 30 minutes. Unless my son exercises with me, then it goes a bit longer because the movements are new to him. By the way, I read your profile and your goals and found myself saying "Me too" to large chunks of it. In general I'm pretty active and prefer to do activities that don't involve treadmills and such. My reward for completing this challenge is to go rock climbing. I used to be regular climber at gyms and outdoors. Then I got married, moved away from climbing gyms and good outdoor areas, had kids, and then didn't start thinking about climbing it until last year. The nearest gym is about an hour and a half drive, but I figure it'll be a fun celebration. Although, I will confess I did contemplate cake being my reward instead. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving and that your friend's wedding plans run smooth. Have a great day.

That's a cute pic and made me smile. Thanks.

You are doing great. I think you're approach is a great one. I'm surrounded by chronic dieters. They get so focused on the scale and it not moving that it adds to discouragement and frustration. Keep going.

I hope today went better for you. I hate days when everything seems to be an uphill battle. I loved the humor pics and the idea that things could always be worse. My little aussie has been obsessed with our bed and shredded all of our sheets in about two weeks. Granted the sheets were old (like 10+ years) and probably tore easily, but I didn't really want to buy new ones... but at least he didn't shred the mattress and I have new sheets arriving soon! Good job on doing little things that get your closer to your ultimate goal. How old is Heimdall? I'm assuming his picture is the Christmas tree one on your profile page. Enjoy your Saturday or what is left of it.

I enjoy your storytelling flair. Congrats on keeping up with your goals. When I first read them I was thinking you were going to try to run 60 miles in one blow. The thought made my legs ache just thinking about it. I'm a bit envious of your desk. I cleared mine yesterday for my daughter to use. The empty desk was a beautiful sight. Then as soon as she was done, the white surface was once again hidden beneath a trove of treasures disguised as work. I love orderliness, but find in some areas it is an endless battle. Keep up the good work.

Haha. Cute kitty. Last night I finished my first pen drawing for the challenge of making time for me and my art. This is my third drawing I've ever done using a pen. I'm pleased and a bit surprised with the results. Below is a small version of what I finished. The original size is 8" x 5". I'm off to do yoga. Enjoy the day.

It's been a nutty week with me running all over. We're down to one car thanks to a deer and so I'm cramming more things into my day while I'm out. Yesterday, I missed my usual walk because I had to take my grandma (also my neighbor) to the ER. It was an all day affair. She's okay (sort of), but last night I collapsed mentally. I know it's okay, but in comparison to my month of October with family members this was nothing. I'm an emotional eater and before I thought things through, I made brownies (a recipe that only yields a bread pan amount instead of a 9x13) because it felt like a brownie day. In the past, brownie days were anytime I was depressed, upset, stressed, mad, angry, or happy. I haven't made brownies in forever and ended up overcooking them just enough that they were dry. Ironically, I didn't like them which is the first time that has ever happened. So, I in a round about way, I saved myself from eating the whole pan. Whew! Today was another day of running. I had to do the errands I had planned to do yesterday today. I got home and found lots of reasons not to workout including updating my profile on NF. Then I poked around the forums a bit and realized that if I didn't do my workout today, I wouldn't be able to complete my goal this week. It felt wrong to sabotage myself like that, so I got it done. I'm so glad I did too because I had a mini-quest in my logbook to do all ten push-ups for each round of the warm up and bodyweight workout A and I did it. I also held plank for 30 seconds. Two mini-quests in a day feels pretty good. Plus I'm still on track to make my goals this week. I think seeing all the posts of everyone else helped me suck it up and do it. Thanks.

Hey there, I had this great idea to jump over to your log and see how things are going and what you're up to since you tend to comment on my and holy Toledo you are doing great! I'm impressed with your persistence and determination. AWESOME! I totally wish that I was in Florida today. I walked my sweet puppy in 32 degrees and windy flurries in Wisconsin. Usually, I'm aware of the wind chill, but I'm glad I had no idea while I marched by the empty soybean and cornfields. If this week is all stickers for you I'll join you in the happy dance.

Thanks for the words of encouragement everyone. My son grinned when I gave him the high five. Last week went well. I made my goal (including the drawing). It's not finished, but I hope to finish it up this week. I'll post it when I'm done. I just finished up my first workout for this week with my son. It's definitely helping to have a workout buddy. Our puppy got in the cheerleading mode and barked as we did our step-ups on the stairs. This week, I plan to do a few of the mini quests. I hope everyone is doing well.

Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement. I almost skipped today's workout (which originally was going to be yesterday's but I spent it mostly on the road), but I asked my son (he's 12) if he wanted to join me. Once he said yes, I couldn't back out. He's excited to build strength for being able to do video game stunts in real life and snowboard tricks. It was definitely more fun to workout together.

Hey everyone, I'm behind on posting my status. I'm attempting my 6 week challenge again. My last round fell apart towards the end because of family health emergencies. I found myself struggling to stay current on my workout, eat non-emotionally, and not sink into depression. I tend to be a major people pleaser and put myself last especially when other people need care. Looking back on what went wrong last time, I fell apart because I didn't have plans in place to take care of myself when my original schedule wasn't realistic to maintain. My huge goal is to have enough strength and flexibility to do tricks on my slack line. I'm most excited by the Assassin's guild because the quests are more challenging for me. I want to go from weighing 178lbs to weighing 155lbs. (The end weight represents what I was before I tore my ACL and felt my best.) I'm not a huge fan of focusing on a number, but at the moment I think it is the most measurable. For this six weeks I plan to do the following: - Do the bodyweight workouts 3 times a week. - Yoga at least one day a week. I'd like to shoot for twice a week, but I tend to take on too much and then struggle to stay afloat. - Work on my art at least one hour a week. I'm taking a self-paced course on drawing with pen and would like to make time for this. The measurable item would be drawings when the six weeks are up. The objective is to teach me to make time for myself. -As a mini-quest, I'd also like to post in the forums at least once a week. Just to build the habit. That's the plan at the moment. For week 1: I completed two workouts of the bodyweight brigade and walked my mini-Aussie 21 miles.