athousandwords

I think I gained weight just reading this. 😆 No lie, it sounds amaaaazing. I'm always a zombie the day or two after DST - hopefully you get back into the rhythm soon enough!

Yay! We can be KB friends!! You're completely right - but now I'm going to waste the rest of my day on Society6 picking art. 🙈

Week 5 - Monday Macros: 💚 Run 3/Walk 2: 💚💚 Water: 💚 Strength: 💚💚 That's right - the fourth goal has finally made an appearance! Just to refresh your memory: So I'm already a couple weeks behind on this goal, but the home gym has been more-or-less set up and yesterday I finally got around to putting together a program to follow for the next challenge. I based it loosely on the Nerd Fitness Dumbbell Division guides that I bought way back in 2017? (maybe earlier??) but added in some kettlebell movements because I want to play around with that and took out the pull ups because I don't have a bar (...yet). I decided that next challenge I want to workout M/T/T/F and focus more on strength than the cardio I've been doing. So I have 4 workouts planned - arms on Mon/Thu and legs on Tues/Fri - and I'll run for 20 minutes after each (or maybe walk? haven't decided yet). Here's the breakdown (critique welcome!! 🙏🏻) I tried it out this morning with just light weights, trying to get the form right, and then a quick 20 minute run, and I liked it! It was nice to lift again, I liked being warmed up for my run, and my running pace was better than average (which makes sense since I was doing less distance than I normally do). I was on a time crunch this morning; I needed to be on my computer by 8:15am and I was happy that I started at 7:15 and wrapped up in time, although I didn't do all the sets of TGUs because I was still going slowly to learn the movement (with a shoe). Also, I promised @Laghail a picture of my home gym setup, which is not very interesting or inspiring, but it exists and I'm happy for it. The bike+trainer is my husband's, the mess is mine. I love the mat - it's a very generous 4x6 so there's plenty of room for yoga or weights. Eventually we'll hang a TV on the wall across from the treadmill, but for now I usually just use a tablet or my phone to watch something.

Literally yesterday I was putting together my next challenge 😆 I think I'm going to skip zero week this time around and just go right into it.

I used to make overnight oats and then just microwave them for a minute to warm them up (particularly in winter because I didn't like eating cold oatmeal, but I didn't have the time to cook in the mornings). If you're anti-microwave, I bet you could do overnight oats with a slightly lower water to oats ratio to start, then add some boiling water like you're used to in order to finish them off in the morning. (Some googling is telling me that rolled oats are better for overnight "cooking" than steel cut, but it is possible with a higher water ratio.)

Jan 08 - 182.8 Jan 15 - 183.4 Jan 22 - 181.6 Jan 29 - 180.8 Feb 05 - 180.4 Feb 12 - 180.2 Feb 19 - 177.2 Feb 26 - 176.6 Mar 04 - 177.6 Mar 11 - 177.2 Not super happy with this, but it feels accurate - the scale has been bouncing around between 176 and 177 all week. I was hoping I'd see a little more come off, but my eating wasn't the best this week so I guess this is where we are. Final goal for the challenge is 175 which is still possible (I saw 174 on the scale last week but apparently my body decided that was a fluke) so I guess we'll see how this next week goes.

Week 4 Wrap Up Macros: 🤍💚💚💚🤍💚❤️ Run 3/Walk 2: 💚🤍💚💚💚🤍❤️ Water: 💚💚💚💚💚💚❤️ Generally a good week, but wtf happened on Sunday? 🤨 I don't know, I blame the time change. So macros were pretty good the second half of the week - on Friday DH and I went out to see Dune 2 and ate our weight in popcorn, and then weren't hungry for dinner, so that obviously was not a day where I hit my macros. On Saturday I did well even though I had dinner at Book Club, so I'm proud of myself for staying on track! And yesterday was actually so, so close but I wasn't watching my fiber as closely as I should have been and didn't hit my target there. Alas. I did my walk on Thursday and a 3mi run on Friday, but then on Sunday I just didn't prioritize getting out for a run. It was just a busy weekend day and my sister came up from North Carolina that evening so I spent a good chunk of the day getting the house ready and dinner prepared. I think normally I would have run in the evening, but I was catching up with my sister instead, so no regrets there - except for drinking water. Oompf. But at least I did well the rest of the week. Final week of the challenge and I'm ready for this one to be done! I got my kettlebell delivered last week and I want to play around with some swings this week and see if I can work that into the next challenge. And I have my 8k race this Saturday, which I don't really feel well prepared for, but I'm sure adrenaline will take over and I'll do fine. But since I'll be driving down on Friday and running on Saturday, I don't think I'll get all three runs in this week either - probably just the two.

Week 4 - Wednesday Macros: 🤍💚💚 Run 3/Walk 2: 💚🤍💚💚 Water: 💚💚💚

Week 4 - Tuesday Macros: 🤍💚 Run 3/Walk 2: 💚🤍💚 Water: 💚💚 I ended up just switching my run to Wednesday (spoiler: I did go this morning, so I'm caught up again!) and it was probably a good thing because miss 4 took forever to put down to sleep last night, and I have a book I need to be reading for Book Club that I made pretty good progress in after she finally did go to sleep. This week's looking good so far. Perhaps a small consequence of my weekend binge is that I'm feeling super snacky and keep eyeing the leftover cupcakes from the birthday party on Sunday. But the kids will polish those off today and then I'll be free of temptation staring at me. As for the snacking, so far popcorn is hitting the spot without adding too many carbs or calories. I'm kind of shocked to look at the calendar and see we only have a week and a half of this challenge left! Meanwhile, I haven't made any progress on this goal, despite the carpet in the basement being finished now: SO. I just impulsively bought an adjustable kettlebell on Amazon because I've been curious about trying them out, and hoping it will spur me into doing some strength work. And I guess finding a program will come next... (recommendations?? 🙏🏻)

If you wouldn't go normally and are only considering it because it's your birthday, I'd pass. I think your idea of sampling pastries at a cafe with friends sounds delightful! Congrats on making progress with your moving prep goal - looks like some rewards are in order! 🤑

Same! I wonder if you could swim with a latex glove over your hand to keep the bandage dry?

Week 4 - Monday Macros: 🤍 Run 3/Walk 2: 💚 Water: 💚 Slowly getting back on track with walk and water at least, and today is shaping up well for macros after eating up all the leftovers yesterday. Hubby is heading out of town for a few days, which somehow makes it easier to focus and buckle down. I'm a little off schedule today (Tuesday) because I meant to go for a run this morning but it was pouring rain and the 6yo is home from school today. So I can go tonight after the kids go to bed, or maybe I'll just switch my rest/run days and go for a run tomorrow when both kids are back at school. 🤔

Love the new hair color and congrats on closing out your sleep hygiene goal!

Having just hosted a birthday party on Sunday and planning to host another in April... wise decision. 🫠 👀 Might have to check this out for the kiddo...

Love this! ❤️ Nice work on the lifts; glad you're happy with the effort! Beautiful deck too!

Excellent! My not-so-hot take is that soups are the salad of winter - that is, the easiest and tastiest way to get in a lot of veg. Congrats on your superhuman swimming!

The sun definitely helps. Counting down the days til spring! 🌻

I did this recently with a hobby that I just never found the time for. It's freeing to get that mental energy back and not have the guilt weighing on me to make use of the supplies. Hopefully you'll get some money back but at least you have some breathing room now to let in time for things that bring you joy! Great job on the week!

Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone! 🥳❤️😊 Week 3 - Wrap Up Macros: 💚💚💚💚🤍🤍❤️ Run 3/Walk 2: 💚💚🤍💚❤️🤍❤️ Water: 💚💚💚💚💚❤️❤️ This week looked just as I expected - I had a strong start to the week and then gave myself some slack to enjoy my birthday and miss 4's birthday. The whole weekend was a lot of fun: my husband took the day off on Friday and we hung out at a winery, then had some friends over for pizza and pie and games. On Saturday, miss 4 and I went out to brunch with a good friend who was also celebrating a March birthday, and then we got our nails and hair done. The birthday party on Sunday was chaotic and a lot of work, but she had the absolute best time playing with her friends so it was all worth it. 🥰 The one goal I wish I hadn't let slip was that water goal! I started today feeling like I'd been run over by a truck; I'm so dehydrated. Headache, achy, exhausted. 🥱 Going to be pounding some water today to make up for it. I thought I'd get right back on track today, but honestly, we have a lot of leftovers of some of my favorite foods from the weekend, so I'm going to just let my macros slide again for another day and enjoy the last of it. I need to meal plan and grocery shop for the rest of the week anyway. And we don't have anything really planned for the weekend so it should be easy to keep to my goals the rest of the week. I am going to go out for a walk and enjoy the beautiful 60F weather though!

Well done! Sometimes I find I drop a pound randomly after a day of heavier eating - like it gives my body permission to let go or something. Who knows, bodies are weird! 🤪

Jan 08 - 182.8 Jan 15 - 183.4 Jan 22 - 181.6 Jan 29 - 180.8 Feb 05 - 180.4 Feb 12 - 180.2 Feb 19 - 177.2 Feb 26 - 176.6 Mar 04 - 177.6 Had a very similar week to @Jarric apparently - kept calories low enough in the first half that I actually hit a new low weight (174!) for my birthday on Friday. Happily gave myself some slack for the weekend and didn't track at all for the first time in 2 months. Had some favorite foods, grazed, drank alcohol, generally enjoyed myself without going overboard. I'm up today as expected, but honestly happy that I'm solidly in the 170s now even on my heavier days. Main thing I'm feeling is dehydrated. Gonna chug water for the next week as well as getting calories and macros back in line.

Week 3 - Thursday Macros: 💚💚💚💚 Run 3/Walk 2: 💚💚🤍💚 Water: 💚💚💚💚 So the good news is that my executive functioning seems to be working again. I just started an new project at work, and over the last two days I've gotten the first major task done. With it has come increased dopamine (yay finishing stuff!) and some laundry folded and some dishes done. So we're on an up cycle at least. I've hit my goals for the week so far and I'm happily prepared to let loose a little this weekend. Still planning to track, just knowing that I won't be paying strict attention to those macros. I'm hoping to go out for a run tomorrow, but I already know I'm going to skip Sunday's run because I'll be too busy with party business. And with that I'm probably signing off for the weekend. I'll check back in on Monday!

Literally me at the start of every 5 week challenge vs me by week 3 😆😭 I just bought a small bag of chia seeds at the store and I've been adding them to soups, yogurt, and oatmeal and such to increase fiber. I followed this recipe and let 2 tbsp sit with 1/2 cup of whole milk and some maple syrup overnight. It wasn't like the most delicious thing I've ever eaten, but I don't mind that tapioca-boba-texture and it was easy enough to gulp down in the morning and get some fiber in.