LittleTurtle - Focus on Fun

[LittleTurtle]

I wrote and rewrote my damn challenge so many times over the past couple weeks that I don’t even know what.  All I DO know is this (quoted from my previous challenge wrap-up):

 

Last thoughts:  I need to take some time to regroup, rediscover my motivation, and most importantly - learn to listen to my body and take it easy when I'm feeling run down.  I have GOT to stop being so competitive and just have fun.

 

I need to lighten up and remember that I should be enjoying this!   

 

I must remind myself on a daily basis that I can’t have fun unless I feel good, and I won’t feel good if I eat like crap and skip out on workouts. 

 

It drives me CRAZY when my brain tells me, “Hey, Turtle!  You know what would be so fun right now?  Eating a giant bowl of Fettuccine Alfredo and then going out for ice cream! YAAAAAYY!”  So I think, “Yeah, you know – you’re right, that DOES sound like fun!”  And then I spend the next three days feeling absolutely miserable and unable to have any kind of fun because my body feels bloated, sluggish, and achy.

 

Here’s the thing.  I know what foods to avoid if I don’t want to feel like crap.  I know that as long as I’m doing some kind of exercise – I’m going to feel better.  But writing down how and when and what and why hasn't been helping me at all lately.  I tend to get too hung up on the small things and suddenly, it feels like a chore rather than something I look forward to doing.  You know – life happens, and it sometimes sets me back which leaves me feeling totally defeated and negative…especially if I don’t get an “A” grade for the week.

 

Somewhere along the line, I lost my passion for running.  This doesn't mean I should quit my journey altogether (which is how I've been feeling lately), it just means my quest is taking me in another direction.  I can still run…but if I don’t feel like doing it, there’re a slew of other activities I can choose from.  For instance, I've decided to join a gym.  It’s only a block away from our house, it’s very inexpensive at $29.99/month, they don’t make you sign long term contracts – which is great if I decide it’s not a good fit for me, and they have an Aquatic Center that seems fairly quiet during the times I would be able to go.   Now…is it just me or does swimming for exercise totally feels like cheating because it’s so much fun?!

 

And there it is – fun.  I’m a turtle for crying out loud!  I've loved water ever since I took my first swimming lesson as a child.  Once I’m in, I never want to leave!    

 

MAIN QUEST - FOCUS ON FUN!

1. Swim, yoga, walk, jog, strength train – whatever it is, lighten up and enjoy!

• Aim for 3-4 times per week

2. Indulge slightly every now and again, but don’t binge.

• Allow a max of 3 small conscious choices per week.

3. Laugh every day.

• Write down one thing that makes me laugh every day.

 

GRADING

I’ll be using my spreadsheet system again.  This helps me tremendously more than grading because I feel it helps me learn and grow as I’m able to refer back and see where my struggles were and how I might go forward from there.

[Gobnait]

[Heidi]

I love the title. Can't wait to see what you do.

[Sunmage]

Sounds great!

 

Welcome back!

 

Swimming lines for exercise gets boring quite fast for me

It is absolutely excercise! Since you are a turtle you have to go for it!

[Taijibum]

I have to sub you because I have a pet turtle. Little turtles are the best!

[Heidi]

Love this.

Go you!

via smoke signals from my Fire

[idealistinfire]

I adore swimming - in lakes and oceans and rivers. I feel a little cheated swimming inside But either way, it sounds like more fun than running in winter!

And I'm with you on the sentiment behind your goals - being able to be silly and have fun is suppose to be one of the benefits to exercise, right?

[Nusuth]

A couple of hours for the challenge to start !   Got your bathing suit ready ?

 

[LittleTurtle]

Well, it's Challenge Eve for me, so here we go!

 

 

Sounds great!

 

Welcome back!

 

Swimming lines for exercise gets boring quite fast for me

It is absolutely excercise! Since you are a turtle you have to go for it!

Thanks!

 

It's always interesting to me how a certain activity can be tedious or dreaded for one person while the next person is unbelievably passionate about it.  I always assumed that everyone loved being in the water as much as me!  

 

I have to sub you because I have a pet turtle. Little turtles are the best!

Does your pet turtle have a name?  

 

Love this.
Go you!

via smoke signals from my Fire

Thanks, Heidi!  

 

I adore swimming - in lakes and oceans and rivers. I feel a little cheated swimming inside But either way, it sounds like more fun than running in winter!

And I'm with you on the sentiment behind your goals - being able to be silly and have fun is suppose to be one of the benefits to exercise, right?

I totally feel cheated swimming inside too, but it's my only choice during our Montana winters.  Brrrrr!  

 

A couple of hours for the challenge to start !   Got your bathing suit ready ?

 

Too cute!  And yes!  I have it laying out right at this very moment!  

[Ripple]

Love this - what is the point of leveling up if you aren't enjoying life along the way? Good luck with your fun challenge, I'll be watching! 

[LittleTurtle]

Here's my LAUGH OF THE DAY:

 

So...Sundays are my lazy days.  And I mean REALLY lazy.  I'm talking like sloth lazy 95% of the time.  So, anyways...I synced my Fitbit this morning at 7:30 a.m., and I had already taken more steps (at 7:30 in the morning) than I'd taken ALL DAY on Sunday! 

 

It was sad and funny at the same time.  

 

Love this - what is the point of leveling up if you aren't enjoying life along the way? Good luck with your fun challenge, I'll be watching! 

Thank you!  

[LittleTurtle]

LAUGH OF THE DAY:

 

I grabbed one of my duffle bags to put all my swimming needs in for when I go to the gym.  Well, anytime my cat sees me grab a duffle bag, he immediately thinks I'm going away for a day or two and freaks out.

 

When I had my back turned, he jumped in the empty duffle bag and attempted to "hide".  I can only assume that he thought I wouldn't see him and I would take him wherever it was he thought I was going.  

 

Well, I left him in there for a moment pretending I didn't know where he was, and he popped his head out of the bag like a Jack-in-the-Box.  I laughed so hard at that little weirdo!  The best part was…after I started laughing, he did it a few more times like he knew he was being funny.  It was by far the best way to end my hectic day. 

[LittleTurtle]

So I totally forgot to write down my LAUGH OF THE DAY yesterday.  Though I do remember feeling very happy which was a bit odd because the temperature was sub 0 and there is snow on the ground.  Normally the cold weather makes me feel blue, but I felt wonderful yesterday!  

 

I've done yoga three times this week and have enjoyed every minute of it.  Tonight, I'm going swimming and then sitting in the hot tub.  

 

I'm trying to decide something about my diet habits.  I can't figure out if I should count a small serving of home-made pasta as an "indulgence" because I try to avoid wheat, or if I should only count eating out as an "indulgence".  I'm working that out in my head for the time being, but I'm leaning more towards any meal that isn't home-made counting.

 

Anyways...that's all for now.

[Ripple]

 

I'm trying to decide something about my diet habits.  I can't figure out if I should count a small serving of home-made pasta as an "indulgence" because I try to avoid wheat, or if I should only count eating out as an "indulgence".  I'm working that out in my head for the time being, but I'm leaning more towards any meal that isn't home-made counting.

 

I think this depends on what your diet goals are, and what the impact of the homemade pasta has on your goals. If wheat doesn't bother you and the pasta isn't getting in the way of your larger diet goal (to lose weight, to feel better, to eat "clean", or whatever else your goal is) then I say it's completely fine to not consider it an indulgence. However, if making the allowance for the pasta is going to hurt whatever your goals are, then it's better to count it as an indulgence. 

 

Love your laugh of the day stories - the one about your cat almost made me do a spittake (I had a mouth full of tea!). Too cute! 

[Gobnait]

Choosing the indulgence is tricky.  Ripple has the right idea.

 

I'm loving your laugh of the day as well.  So jealous of the hot-tub.

[LittleTurtle]

Dang it!  I forgot to write down a Laugh of the Day yesterday too!  I'm going to need to get into a better habit of this.  

 

 

I think this depends on what your diet goals are, and what the impact of the homemade pasta has on your goals. If wheat doesn't bother you and the pasta isn't getting in the way of your larger diet goal (to lose weight, to feel better, to eat "clean", or whatever else your goal is) then I say it's completely fine to not consider it an indulgence. However, if making the allowance for the pasta is going to hurt whatever your goals are, then it's better to count it as an indulgence. 

 

Love your laugh of the day stories - the one about your cat almost made me do a spittake (I had a mouth full of tea!). Too cute! 

 

Choosing the indulgence is tricky.  Ripple has the right idea.

 

I'm loving your laugh of the day as well.  So jealous of the hot-tub.

 

Ah.  Thank you for these insights.

 

I've been thinking a lot about this the last day and a half or so, and here's what I think:

 

I'm not really looking to lose anymore weight.  I hit my goal over a year ago, and I've maintained very well.  I fluctuate a few pounds here and there, but I don't get too worked up about it.  I know that if I eat things like cereal with a lot of fiber in it, I feel pretty miserable.  Also, large amounts of sugar do me in, but I usually stay pretty mindful of what I eat in general (it's not necessarily clean, but I avoid most processed junk and fast food places).  Normally, when I go off the deep end, it's because I've been uber strict with my diet and lose my mind.  If I only eat wheat in moderation and only for a maximum of one meal per day - it doesn't seem to bother me too much.  

 

That being said, I will be making a note in my spreadsheet about the times I do eat wheat to see if I notice any patterns.

 

Another thing I've noticed with my eating habits is that if I let myself become too hungry - I eat like it's my last meal.  It's like I become possessed and I can't eat fast enough.  I must be very mindful of eating slower and giving myself enough time for my brain to register that my stomach is full.  I think if I can master that - I'll be on a better track.  

 

There's just such a fine line for me between just enough and too much.  My brain doesn't operate in "moderation" a lot of the time - it's all or nothing.  And I can't go with nothing, because that is what makes me binge on all.

[Ripple]

I totally sympathize with the all or nothing diet mentality - I struggle with this massively too, and struggled even when I was at a healthy weight. 

 

You indicated some interest in trying Whole 30 on my thread - I will say that I think Whole 30 is really helping me to overcome a lot of my struggles with food, including the feast or famine struggle. I've not yet had a moment where I am STARVING... my Whole 30 meals really do seem to stick with me until the next meal. It's also really nice to not spend so much time evaluating my eating habits/struggles - I'm eating according to the meal planning guide and since I'm never super hungry I never have to make food choices with low willpower. 

 

p.s. - I'm amused that you call yourself "cooking challenged" but you make homemade pasta - I have always been far too intimidated to try making homemade pasta, it seems terribly complex!

[LittleTurtle]

LAUGH OF THE DAY

I'm premenstrual at the moment and feeling a little emotional.  I was watching "Driving Miss Daisy" with my boyfriend tonight but had forgotten how it ended.  Well, the ending made me tear up quite a bit and I felt a wave coming on like maybe I wouldn't be able to stop.  My boyfriend must've noticed so he says (at the moment in the movie where Hoke is feeding Miss Daisy her Thanksgiving pie), "Now watch really carefully, because this is where he hits her in the back in the head."

 

I haven't been able to stop laughing since.

 

I totally sympathize with the all or nothing diet mentality - I struggle with this massively too, and struggled even when I was at a healthy weight. 

 

You indicated some interest in trying Whole 30 on my thread - I will say that I think Whole 30 is really helping me to overcome a lot of my struggles with food, including the feast or famine struggle. I've not yet had a moment where I am STARVING... my Whole 30 meals really do seem to stick with me until the next meal. It's also really nice to not spend so much time evaluating my eating habits/struggles - I'm eating according to the meal planning guide and since I'm never super hungry I never have to make food choices with low willpower. 

 

p.s. - I'm amused that you call yourself "cooking challenged" but you make homemade pasta - I have always been far too intimidated to try making homemade pasta, it seems terribly complex!

The concept of trying Whole30 intrigues me, but also scares me to death.    Your dedication to it is nothing short of amazing!  That's why I love following you…it makes it seem less scary.  

 

As far as the "home-made" pasta…I only cook the sauce from scratch.  The noodles were boxed Vermicelli.  This would be another reason I consider myself "cooking challenged".  LOL!

[Ambisagrus]

I love your challenge -- we get so very hypercompetitive with ourselves, as though our life really should look like a spreadsheet with every box checked.

 

Recently had a friend offer good advice on indulgence -- he said, go ahead and do it but have half as much. You get the satisfaction without (as much) of the guilt.

[green eggs]

Hey Turtle,

 

It sounds like you are doing well, and your cat is adorable

 

I love your goals to have fun. So important.

 

Your eating patterns sound like mine. Wheat doesn't bother me in small doses, but 3 meals a day for four days in a row, and I suffer. I'm going to be struggling with this over Christmas and New Year when I'm staying with family for a whole (friggin') ten days. I love them, but they think my eating habits are weird and "forget" to accomodate them. Since I'm not hugely allergic I eat what is in front of me (who wants to be "that" guest who always has an allergy/sensitivity/"don't like that" complaint?), but I do try and make sure there are groceries at home which mean I can do breakfast or lunch on my dietary preferences. Unfortunately that often means my family think I'm ungrateful for what they're providing. Aaaaaaaaaaargh!!!

 

Anyway, less about me and more about you... Great goals. Keep at them.

[LittleTurtle]

LAUGH OF THE DAY

I purchased a cordless handheld vacuum cleaner today.  Just a bit ago, I was in the bedroom putting my pajamas on when I heard my boyfriend turn it on and say, "Turtle, come quick!"  I ran around the corner to see what was going on only to find that my boyfriend was vacuuming our cat.  The best part:  The cat looked like he was very much enjoying himself.      

 

 

I love your challenge -- we get so very hypercompetitive with ourselves, as though our life really should look like a spreadsheet with every box checked.

 

Recently had a friend offer good advice on indulgence -- he said, go ahead and do it but have half as much. You get the satisfaction without (as much) of the guilt.

Thank you.  I like your friend's advice!    Also, I had to chuckle at your comment about people feeling like life should look like a spreadsheet, because that's exactly what I've been doing for the last few challenges.  

 

Hey Turtle,

 

It sounds like you are doing well, and your cat is adorable

 

I love your goals to have fun. So important.

 

Your eating patterns sound like mine. Wheat doesn't bother me in small doses, but 3 meals a day for four days in a row, and I suffer. I'm going to be struggling with this over Christmas and New Year when I'm staying with family for a whole (friggin') ten days. I love them, but they think my eating habits are weird and "forget" to accomodate them. Since I'm not hugely allergic I eat what is in front of me (who wants to be "that" guest who always has an allergy/sensitivity/"don't like that" complaint?), but I do try and make sure there are groceries at home which mean I can do breakfast or lunch on my dietary preferences. Unfortunately that often means my family think I'm ungrateful for what they're providing. Aaaaaaaaaaargh!!!

 

Anyway, less about me and more about you... Great goals. Keep at them.

I hear you about holidays around the family.  Last year, when I was really super into Paleo, my family would say things like, "Come on!  Live a little!"  It used to be exhausting, but they've since come around and leave it alone now.  

[Nusuth]

LAUGH OF THE DAY

I purchased a cordless handheld vacuum cleaner today.  Just a bit ago, I was in the bedroom putting my pajamas on when I heard my boyfriend turn it on and say, "Turtle, come quick!"  I ran around the corner to see what was going on only to find that my boyfriend was vacuuming our cat.  The best part:  The cat looked like he was very much enjoying himself.  

 

cats ^^   they have like a Zen³ 

[LittleTurtle]

I think I've been lying to myself this past week.  I need to cut WAY back on wheat.  I'm feeling sluggish and bloated this weekend.  Tomorrow, I want to go full Paleo for a week or so to reset.

 

And with that - I'm off to the store to buy fresh fruit, veggies, eggs, and the like.

 

Oh wheat…why do you hate me so?!  

 

Sugar is out too.  Sugar is the devil, but I already knew that...

 

 

 

LAUGH OF THE DAY

My boyfriend is sitting on the couch watching "Martha Stewart Cooking School".  She was making a dish called Osso Buco, and when the dish was prepared, she put it on a plate with the garnishes, and my boyfriend (talking to the television as though Martha could hear him) asks, "Well, aren't you going to cut into it so I can see what the inside looks like?"  The scene then transitioned to the next dish without us seeing what the inside of the Osso Buco looks like, so he yells, "Oh, you bitch!"

 

It just struck my funny bone...

[LittleTurtle]

I've decided to add a Side Challenge:

Get 7,500 steps in per day at least 5 days per week.  I've been toying with this idea for awhile now, but if I don't announce it here, I won't hold myself accountable.  I know that 7,500 steps doesn't seem like a lot, but I have a desk job and it is very difficult for me to get away...even to go to the bathroom!  I swear, if I'm not at my desk, people freak out.  Plus, my FitBit doesn't count anything like yoga or swimming.  So even though I'm getting activities in several times per week, my step count is often low (especially because I haven't been running lately either).  

 

 

Day 1 of Full Paleo

Breakfast - 3 scrambled eggs with sliced olive and mushroom; 1 small banana

Lunch - 3 oz tuna; fresh strawberries, carrots, celery, and broccoli; 1 oz cashews

Dinner - TBD

[I am Eve]

 

I wrote and rewrote my damn challenge so many times over the past couple weeks that I don’t even know what.  All I DO know is this (quoted from my previous challenge wrap-up):

 

 

I must remind myself on a daily basis that I can’t have fun unless I feel good, and I won’t feel good if I eat like crap and skip out on workouts. 

 

It drives me CRAZY when my brain tells me, “Hey, Turtle!  You know what would be so fun right now?  Eating a giant bowl of Fettuccine Alfredo and then going out for ice cream! YAAAAAYY!”  So I think, “Yeah, you know – you’re right, that DOES sound like fun!”  And then I spend the next three days feeling absolutely miserable and unable to have any kind of fun because my body feels bloated, sluggish, and achy.

 

Here’s the thing.  I know what foods to avoid if I don’t want to feel like crap.  I know that as long as I’m doing some kind of exercise – I’m going to feel better.  But writing down how and when and what and why hasn't been helping me at all lately.  I tend to get too hung up on the small things and suddenly, it feels like a chore rather than something I look forward to doing.  You know – life happens, and it sometimes sets me back which leaves me feeling totally defeated and negative…especially if I don’t get an “A” grade for the week.

 

Somewhere along the line, I lost my passion for running.  This doesn't mean I should quit my journey altogether (which is how I've been feeling lately), it just means my quest is taking me in another direction.  I can still run…but if I don’t feel like doing it, there’re a slew of other activities I can choose from.  For instance, I've decided to join a gym.  It’s only a block away from our house, it’s very inexpensive at $29.99/month, they don’t make you sign long term contracts – which is great if I decide it’s not a good fit for me, and they have an Aquatic Center that seems fairly quiet during the times I would be able to go.   Now…is it just me or does swimming for exercise totally feels like cheating because it’s so much fun?!

 

And there it is – fun.  I’m a turtle for crying out loud!  I've loved water ever since I took my first swimming lesson as a child.  Once I’m in, I never want to leave!    

 

MAIN QUEST - FOCUS ON FUN!

1. Swim, yoga, walk, jog, strength train – whatever it is, lighten up and enjoy!

• Aim for 3-4 times per week

2. Indulge slightly every now and again, but don’t binge.

• Allow a max of 3 small conscious choices per week.

3. Laugh every day.

• Write down one thing that makes me laugh every day.

 

GRADING

I’ll be using my spreadsheet system again.  This helps me tremendously more than grading because I feel it helps me learn and grow as I’m able to refer back and see where my struggles were and how I might go forward from there.

 

 

Turtle, you are such a wonderful inspiration!

I think that many of us are strict, and too strict at times and then we just spiral a bit out of control. I remember you writing about this before and deliberating about the control over your diet etcetera. 

It should be fun, I couldn't agree more!! I think fun also helps us maintain balance.

Also, the daily laugh, what a smart and generous enterprise. Good for you and for us.

 

Have you continued on the yoga track these past days?