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For those who are new or behind, I found out a few things during the last challenge that I’m hoping will help me going forward with goals. My main goal is weight loss, for health reasons as well as I want to look good naked. I work from home, so making sure I have enough movement in my day as well as not eating "all the unhealthy things" is important. Checking in to hold myself accountable is key to this being successful, I don't want to have to post bad news here. I struggle to get enough sleep so that shall remain on the list until it's no longer a struggle. I've been a workaholic as long as I can remember, mostly because of past experience and not wanting to have to count on anyone for things I need. D (my wife for those new here) and I have had many conversations about this. She understands my feelings because she's the same way, but we also know the importance to our relationship for us to be able to depend and count on each other. This is a very long winded way of saying that we need to remember to step away from work and have some fun, riding our motorcycles are a huge part of this for us, and for right now our every 4 week trips to FL also count towards this. The Plan... Cardio - Treadmill or Rowing 3x a week, and one kettlebell workout a week Update - Post in thread three times a week. Track - Sleep (7 hours a night) and Food (Just track) Extra - Rides, 5k's, events, and life events go here Done - 🌈 Not Done - ❄️ Let's do this! ETA: (To possibly be added to) 4/10 - Spring Sprint 5k 5/21 - Terrain Race 6/12 - Summer Sizzler 5k 9/25 - Fall Finish 5k

My last several challenges have been less than stellar, things are not going the way I would like at home and stress eating is a thing...I need workout endorphins to be a thing instead. I know this, but often times take the easy way out. Not only is my other half not encouraging when it comes to eating and helping out anymore. Now I get guilt trips when I go to the gym, or if I do 5k's if they're on a day she happens to have off work It's not like she has a regular schedule I could go by when signing up for them. I'm really trying not to let the lack of support I have at home derail me any longer. For those that are new to my thread, I'm semi-addicted to 5ks, used to be 95% Paleo but have fallen off lately. I work as an accountant for a minor league baseball team. Season is crazy but I love my job! Off season is slow and can even be boring at times Last challenge I hired a personal trainer, he is aware of my limitations (I have RA, nerve damage in my neck from a car accident) and is working with me to lose weight and get into shape. I also booked a cruise for my next birthday (my 50th in October 2019) so I have a reward, now lets work on the goals! So yes, back to the goals I have by 50! I want to be able to run (yes run) a 5k, I want to complete a 10k, and I want to start looking to do a 1/2 Marathon. I want to lose about 45 lbs, or fit in the size I could wear when I weighed that just 7 short years ago. I want to be well on my way of having our debt paid off, by this time next year I want to only have the house, cars, and the big CC left, and the CC should be over 1/2 way there, oh, and the student loans...I'll work on those after I get the rest done. So, in order to meet these goals this is what I'm going to do: - Watch what I eat, the restrictive way of eating doesn't work for me since I am not the only one eating it. (I was doing plant paradox previously) Challenge goal, don't eat like an ass - Start working out again. I want this to be habit and second nature. Get to the gym! If I make excuses and don't go then do a bodyweight, kettlebell workout, or get on the treadmill at home. Challenge goal, get to the gym at least three times a week minimum, aim for five workouts a week total - Pay off 'one more' thing...I 'snowball' our debt to try to get it eliminated. I had this done for the most part then we bought the house, and everything we needed for it, etc...happened and it got a bit out of control, just need to continue working it till it's gone. This is almost done on the ones that can be paid off in a challenge and getting to the point it's going to take more than one challenge to pay them off completely. Challenge goal, finish paying off the last one I can pay off in one challenge and start on the next one. Don't go overboard at Xmas and make it worse! Bonus challenge goal(s), checking in here, I get busy and forget at times but I'm aiming for three days a week to not get off track. Domestic Rangering, since I have no help on this front either start using the Clean My House app I have again to keep me on track. I am in a house this year so that makes some things stressful, but I used my annual bonus to pay off some of the smaller things and used it to get things like decorations, etc...will use the rest to purchase gifts for the holiday so it doesn't derail the budget. The raise I got will help offset the increase in insurance and give a little bit more to put towards stuff in the upcoming year. I want to get back into candle making as well, I have a few friends with shops and that do craft fairs that we could split cost and help bring in more income.

Okay, so a friend of mine posted something rather profound on Facebook the other day... "You don't have to change your attitude in order to change your actions. You change your actions and your attitude will slowly change." To which someone commented they had heard it phrased as "Act as if until you become." Which breaks down to "Fake It Till You Make It..." I do not have to love getting out of bed to work out...I just have to DO it! Making excuses is not going to get me to my goal, working at it, even when I don't really want to at that time, is going to get me to my goal. So, goals this round: 1. Lose weight - I want to lose 20 lbs by my birthday (which is the Saturday after the challenge ends) 8 weeks away...I did say want, but we're going to give it a shot... I already eat >95% Paleo...for the next 8 weeks there will be no cheats, I have a bad habit of taking a mile when given an inch. I've started doing yoga when I get home, not sure why it took me so long to start doing this but it needs to continue... I feel better when I get up and work out, I've found a kettlebell routine that needs to happen 3 days a week (no idea why this took so long either...), cardio (elliptical till the chiropractor says otherwise) the other 3, will rest on one day, probably Sunday but we will see...I have 2 or 3 5k's coming up as well. Need to do better at getting enough water, I drink plenty of coffee and green tea, but I notice a difference if I don't drink water2. Work on course - Homework, each lesson has about 6-8 assignments, need to do one a night every night. 3. I need to continue leaving work on time so I have opportunity to do this without stressing myself out more than I am... That's it, going to keep it fairly simple until school is done...the usual inappropriate comments and blatant flirting will still be here, of course... Leaving you with this thought because it's a good thing to keep in mind

I've always had a thing for mirrors, just not in the way most people think...While I cannot stand to look in one, mirror images of something are like my personal quirk...most people pay attention to the repetition like 12/12/12 in dates...I look for the mirror like 5/1/15 (yes, that is why I chose that day to get married ) This is my 11th challenge - my 'mirror' challenge (okay, I know, but for the purpose of this it is!) I have a short term goal to lose 20 lbs by my birthday, which is 10/31 (explain much? LOL) while I know it shouldn't matter, it will help me make peace with what I see when I look in the mirror...will also help me not have to buy new clothes because these are getting snug. The only real issue I have with food (besides that I love it) is my occasional cheats (aka ice cream) occasionally become too frequent! These need to be limited to no more than once a week if that. Otherwise we're very good about staying Paleo. I've started getting up and working on the elliptical again, which is cleared by my chiropractor...I really want to start incorporating kettlebells in there too a couple times a week...nothing outrageous to start, just the basics. I need to continue to work on the work-life balance...I can easily stay at work till 7pm, that's not healthy, especially considering I have an hour drive (one way) I've been doing fairly well at leaving at 5:30, earlier on days I have to see the chiropractor...the world has not come to an end and nothing imploded...I need to continue this...also need to continue to work on my course so I can finish by the end of the year, at least 30 minutes three days a week. So, goals this go round are 1. limit cheats, no more than once a week 2. continue working out at least 3 times a week, work on incorporating kettlebells 3. continue to leave work on time and work on course this is working towards my longer-short term goal of losing 20 lbs, without losing my mind in the process (assuming I had one to lose) Track in MFP to get a idea of how much protein and carbs I am consuming, as well as calories