Theophilus Starts Healing

[theophilus]

My final challenge of 2019 got derailed by one of those nasty colds that makes grown men act like whiney children around the clock for four weeks.

 

 

So, as I've been thinking through 2020 goals and challenges, the theme of "healing" seems particularly fitting. I'm also interested in reshaping my thinking from goals and achievements to wellness and sustainability. When I put goals in front of myself, I can zero in on them (which is great), but it also means sacrificing healthy habits in other areas of my life. I'd like to get to the place this year where my habits consistently serve my own physical and emotional wellness. In keeping with sustainability, I'm going to start very small in week one, and incrementally each week.

 

 

Physical Goal 1: Cut back on caffeine

 

 

During finals last semester, I ramped up to 2+ coffees a day: at least one big one in the morning and another one in the afternoon. On particularly long days, an 8PM coffee was in order. This isn't to say anything of the soda for lunch or in the afternoon.

 

Week 1: No soda

Week 2: No caffeine after 6 PM

Week 3: Replace afternoon coffee with green tea

Week 4: Replace morning coffee with green tea one day

Week 5: Replace morning coffee with green tea two days

 

Physical Goal 2: Log my foods

 

 

I started doing this in December and had great success. Then I went to visit family for Christmas... I'll get back to consistently logging my food this challenge.

 

Week 1: Log at least 4 days per week

Week 2: Log at least 5 days per week

Week 3: Log at least 6 days per week

Week 4: Log every day 

Week 5: Log every day and hit calorie goal at least 3 days

 

Physical Goal 3: Start moving again

 

 

I'm running a Ragnar in May and I've got a ways to go before I'll be able to handle the distance

 

Week 1: One run (any distance) 

Week 2: One run (2+ miles)

Week 3: Two runs (2+ miles/ea)

Week 4: Three runs (2+ miles/ea)

Week 5: Three runs (at least one 3 miles)  

 

Emotionally Goal 1: Practice mindfulness and meditation

 

 

Week 1: Two 5-minute meditations

Week 2:  Three 5-minute meditations

Week 3:  Four 5-minute meditations

Week 4:  Five  5-minute meditations

Week 5: Four 5-minute meditations and a 10-minute meditation

 

 

[Xena]

Great to see you back again!! The ramping up of goals could be quite a challenge.  A lot of us start strong (ish) and then fade out a bit. I'm pretty impressed that you are going to ramp up and go after it!

[theophilus]

19 hours ago, Xena said:

Great to see you back again!! The ramping up of goals could be quite a challenge.  A lot of us start strong (ish) and then fade out a bit. I'm pretty impressed that you are going to ramp up and go after it!

 

I'm hoping that by starting small, it'll all seem much more manageable. Rather than trying to do 4 runs a week out the gate, every week I just need to add one more. We'll see though! 

[theophilus]

Week 1 recap:

 

Caffeine: managed to avoid soda. Still consuming too much caffeine but at least the sugar intake is down as a result. 
 

Running: actually got out twice this week for two miles each time. We caught a huge break in the winter weather up in New England this weekend, so I couldn’t resist the opportunity to run outside. 
 

Food: Logged five days this week. Getting back into the groove with this. It’s amazing how burdensome it seems at first, but then after a couple of days gets worked into the routine so nicely. 
 

Mindfulness: did two short guided meditations focused on being generous and patient with one’s self. Definitely something I struggle with doing, but feeling encouraged that growth in this area is possible.  

[Xena]

Great job this week! Sounds like the meditations were a good fit.

I know what you mean about the tracking. It's easier to do consecutive days, especially if you have some repeat meals!

[darna]

On 1/12/2020 at 10:57 PM, theophilus said:

Week 1 recap:

 

Caffeine: managed to avoid soda. Still consuming too much caffeine but at least the sugar intake is down as a result. 
 

Running: actually got out twice this week for two miles each time. We caught a huge break in the winter weather up in New England this weekend, so I couldn’t resist the opportunity to run outside. 
 

Food: Logged five days this week. Getting back into the groove with this. It’s amazing how burdensome it seems at first, but then after a couple of days gets worked into the routine so nicely. 
 

Mindfulness: did two short guided meditations focused on being generous and patient with one’s self. Definitely something I struggle with doing, but feeling encouraged that growth in this area is possible.  

 

awesome week. keep going!

 

[theophilus]

Mixed bag this week. Hit my caffeine goal of no caffeine after 6 PM. But I did regress and had a Diet Dr. Pepper one afternoon. I logged my food four days instead of five, so pretty close there. It was brutally cold most of the week which made running a challenge. I got one run in, but it was less than two miles. Since my runs last week were 2+ though, I’ll cal it good cumulatively.  No meditations this week. Which is a real bummer. Mrs. Thophilus and I are in the process of making some pretty big decisions and I’m feeling pretty maxed about it all right now. (Long story short, we moved across the country so I could go to law school and have always gone back and forth about whether we’d stay here after graduation or move back to where our families are. There’s a chance for me to spend my third year at a school back home and if I’m going to apply to do that I have to do so by the end of this week.)

 

Really hoping I can lean into the challenge this week and let these healthy habits be the outlet for my stress rather than slipping back into old bad habits. 
 

 

[Xena]

8 hours ago, theophilus said:

Really hoping I can lean into the challenge this week and let these healthy habits be the outlet for my stress rather than slipping back into old bad habits. 

 

It's hard to do when you really are maxed out, but to the extent that you can fit it in, it does help.

Best of luck in your decision too. Although it sounds stressful, it sound like a nice option to be able to consider.

[theophilus]

PSA: Do not watch hilarious bird videos on your phone while walking  down stairs.  

 

 

 

Rolled my ankle/bruised my foot pretty hardcore doing just that early last week. Between that and classes starting back up again, I've been disconnected not just from NF but from my goals as well. Rather than going back and trying to catalog my successes for the last couple weeks, I'm just going to pick up with week five this week. Here's to finishing strong!

 

 

[Xena]

I wanted to click "sad" and "ha-ha" at the same time.

Hope your ankle and foot start feeling better soon.

And absolutely yes, pick up where it feels logical to pick up.

[darna]

15 hours ago, theophilus said:

PSA: Do not watch hilarious bird videos on your phone while walking  down stairs.  

 

Rolled my ankle/bruised my foot pretty hardcore doing just that early last week. Between that and classes starting back up again, I've been disconnected not just from NF but from my goals as well. Rather than going back and trying to catalog my successes for the last couple weeks, I'm just going to pick up with week five this week. Here's to finishing strong!

 

 

 

hope your foot gets better.

onwards and forwards. 'with you on finishing strong!