karinajean beats the terrible horrible no good very bad winter of quitterdom

[karinajean]

I am probably being a little harsh on myself here, but last challenge was pretty tough, and I'm having a hard time mentally adjusting to the new 4-week circuit. I aimed big, got sick, and fell down on my expectations. That, plus I'm stupid busy at work, stupid busy focusing on TKD, and the kids, and the house, and ugh I feel like the holidays were JUST OVER and now I'm SO BUSY and ugh I need a break for pete's sake!
 

 

I feel like I have had a couple of weeks of terrible, horrible, no good very bad days.

Now, y'all know I'm super sparkly and super cheerful, but did you know that one of my coping skills is to pitch kind of a little quiet fit and stomp my feet for a few seconds until I feel better about myself?
 
I am ALREADY feeling better about my poor pathetic challenge showing last month.
So it's WORKING.
 
and now I just need to keep it up so I can get my feet back under myself for February Challenge.
 
 
CHALLENGE GOALS:
SHOW UP.
that's it.
every day I'm going to show up and post a tiny thing.
I think I can do that!
 

I'll keep up my routine stuff, which is logging calories and tracking foods, making sure to hit a bunch of exercises, etc. in accordance with my fitness milestones. I also have adulting milestones, in an effort to not be as overwhelmed by all the little things I'm working on.

 

 
FITNESS MILESTONES THIS MONTH
* Black Belt Test -- 2/20. practice test at a date to be determined before then. So practice all the things I know all the time. This is my primary goal for the challenge.
* 5K Winter Series Runs -- 2/7, 2/21. So, run, so I'm not a schlub on the course and dying.

* Hula Hoop Class! -- there's a nearby instructor and she's teacing on Monday 2.29. I know, that's next challenge. but I'm still looking forward to it, so I'll track it here.

 

ADULTING MILESTONES THIS MONTH

* sort out conference schedule for work - a couple of options, not sure if they'll seriously consider me for all of them. need to do some leg work early this month b/c the first one is in March.

* house! party! 2/27! means we need to be CLEAN! we made GIANT steps forward no the house niceness project last weekend. next steps: * drywall attic (not me personally) * have dead tree chopped * rearrange boys room * keep my room clean and neat * finish reorganizing craft room and keep it neat.

* buy concert tickets to concerts I want to attend

* redo family budget with input from end of year salary increases
 

 

I still am holding in reserve the option to move to Australia.

 
 
I mean, that's always an option, right?

[Lightning]

I'm with you on struggling to adapt to a 4-week format.  Unfortunately, I'm also with you on getting side tracked and sick last challenge.  So, let's call the last challenge a practice run!

 

I would like to move to Australia with you.  Now.  Also holding out for Ireland so I can live in a castle and frolic with the fairy people.    Not giving up on that one.

[sylph]

Here, here, here! (of course)

[Elastigirl]

I like the way you broke your challenge into milestones. Sorry you were sick last challenge, but from my end it still looked like you accomplished a bunch.

[Priscillia]

Haha I love that's it's just show up!  You already do a ton of stuff and habits you've built from other challenges  Here for the regular Karina awesomeness!

[joedog]

Hiya, KJ! Sorry I sort of fell off the planet for a couple of months. I'm back and here to cheer for you! 

[raptron]

Now February will let you concentrate your awesomeness into one beautiful challenge, I know it.

[starpuck]

Ditto ditto.   I got sick and fell off last challenge too.  And also am still adjusting to 4-weekers.

 

But duh, shoulda known.  TWINSIES!

[karinajean]

I'm with you on struggling to adapt to a 4-week format.  Unfortunately, I'm also with you on getting side tracked and sick last challenge.  So, let's call the last challenge a practice run!

 

I would like to move to Australia with you.  Now.  Also holding out for Ireland so I can live in a castle and frolic with the fairy people.    Not giving up on that one.

 

I LOVE that it was a practice run, that is totally inspired. 

 

Here, here, here! (of course)

 

yay yay yay! 

 

I like the way you broke your challenge into milestones. Sorry you were sick last challenge, but from my end it still looked like you accomplished a bunch.

Haha I love that's it's just show up!  You already do a ton of stuff and habits you've built from other challenges  Here for the regular Karina awesomeness!

 

thanks you guys! I feel like I've got a pretty good routine right now, and no capacity to learn anything new at this moment in time, so maybe if I focus on big picture and shift goals towards milestones it'll be a little less boring to track, and have a better natural flow.

 

Hiya, KJ! Sorry I sort of fell off the planet for a couple of months. I'm back and here to cheer for you! 

joedog! dear, you got your things, no worries. and also I was not that much here the last few weeks so. we can BOTH start fresh.

 

Now February will let you concentrate your awesomeness into one beautiful challenge, I know it.

I took a page from your book and cleaned out the sink tonight! it was AWFUL. thank you for inspiring me.

 

Ditto ditto.   I got sick and fell off last challenge too.  And also am still adjusting to 4-weekers.

 

But duh, shoulda known.  TWINSIES!

apparently grouchy old lady twinsies who are totally resistant to change! YOU KIDS! AND YOUR CHANGE!

[karinajean]

so! I didn't do any exercise today and I ALSO ate ALL THE THINGS. I started out moderately with yogurt and jam for breakfast and then moved on to the empanada special at the lunch counter across the street from my office (complete with rice and beans and plantain), then I came home and had one lb of ground beef in the fridge that needed cooking. I had planned to make my beloved gramma's beloved swedish meatballs recipe, but my Aunt couldn't find it anywhere, so I thought I would wing it. I found a slightly fancier than necessary meatball recipe (that included bread crumbs and chopped onion - I am fairly sure that gramma probably mixed in a packet of onion soup mix into the meat instead), rolled the meatballs and fried them in my trusty cast iron skillet, and then just as I was pulling them out to make the gravy I realized that we are actually TOTALLY OUT of condensed cream of mushroom soup. so, I ended up making some pretty fancy swedish meatballs - I made a roux with the pan drippings and some butter and flour, added in vegetable broth and heavy cream, cooked it down a little, and then tossed the meatballs back in to cook for a few more minutes. while I was doing this, I washed all the dishes and cleared out the sink. I also mashed some potatoes but because I'm lazy and the potatoes were really little I didn't bother to peel them so they were a little rustico.

desired dinner dish: comfort food with condensed soup mixes.

actual dinner dish: organic swedish meatballs with fresh chopped onions, panko, and paprika in a delicious cream sauce made from organic heavy cream and vegetable broth served over rustic mashed potatoes with a spring mix salad.

it was SO GOOD.

also tonight I am listening to dubstep because Twelve had a dance audition for hip hop, and they asked him to freestyle dance to a song with shifting tempos, and it TOTALLY floored him. he was like: I really don't know what to do. so... I decided that we should listen to more cray music while I'm cooking dinner and have lots of little dance parties to practice. I seeded a pandora station with skrillix and have been thumbs upping the songs that shift the tempo around.

anyone got some amazing hip hop / dub step songs with shifting tempos? that would be AMAZING! I'm serious about this dance party scheme.

I'd like to get up and run tomorrow morning, so, maybe I will. And then there's tkd in the evening. dinner tomorrow will likely be much less elaborate. (eggs? freezer tamale? who can tell?) My head is feeling waaaay better, just regular seasonal post nasal drip to deal with and that is a HUGE relief.

[starpuck]

Oh KJ... you asked me about dubstep.   LOL.  I'm not a super fanatic, but I have a few that I get a kick out of.

 

Harry Potter Theme

 

White Satin (Moody Blues)

 

Eyes on Fire (overdone, everyone has heard this dub)

[raptron]

Bahaha, I love that you wound up UPGRADING dinner because you didn't have the things you were looking for. Classic. Looks very delicious.

[karinajean]

Today was hectic and I'm in bed trying to go to sleep so: I did NOT go running. I DID go to tkd and got there early for some extra practice. My highest belt form got no comments from my instructor! That's a big deal, she is really particular. We had ramen For dinner. Cleaned a little and I'm fading fast.

Sent from my iPhone while riding a unicorn through the cosmos.

[karinajean]

^ running = nope. I gotta show up in bed a little earlier. I'm exhausted

Sent from my iPhone while riding a unicorn through the cosmos.

[raptron]

Sounds like you need a GO TO BED ALARM to match your WAKE UPPPP alarm.

[Lightning]

Any chance you can get in a run later in the day? I'm not a fan of moving quickly so trying to convince myself to wake up early to run would be a hard sell. Although it sounds like you are pretty wiped out by the time you get home.

[Twilight]

I believe in you!!

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Sounds like you need a GO TO BED ALARM to match your WAKE UPPPP alarm.

 

I'm doing that with my FitBit alarms.  

[karinajean]

Sounds like you need a GO TO BED ALARM to match your WAKE UPPPP alarm.

 

but I DOOOOO and I just haven't been paying attention to itttttt!!!!

 

Any chance you can get in a run later in the day? I'm not a fan of moving quickly so trying to convince myself to wake up early to run would be a hard sell. Although it sounds like you are pretty wiped out by the time you get home.

 

mostly I try to get the exercise out of the way first thing in the morning, because it turns out that maybe I have really long working hours? (though honestly I wonder sometimes if this is a NYC metro situation compounded by a consultants situation.) I dont' get out of work until 5 officially, and can often work until 530 or 6 getting things done. The days I do get out, it's because there's a special kid thing that I need to pick Twelve up from or for. and once I'm home I'm making dinner or doing things with the children and I've just lost my mometum.

 

THOUGH I do have some luck sometimes squeezing in a run in the evening, on my way to somewhere else.

Mostly I'm really over committed.

 

I believe in you!!

 

thank you dear one! <3

 

I'm doing that with my FitBit alarms.  

 

I have one currently on my FitBit, I had it on my cell phone before.

[karinajean]

so today was thursday, which is my longest most ridiculous day. I got home tonight and had a full on pity party as I opened up my laptop and finished Just One More Thing for work. But! I did go a little early to tkd, so even though Twelve couldn't go today (he fell on his knee and really banged it up - he's so clumbsy right now that he's either about to grow 6 inches or he's just becoming embattled by hormones) I had a really nice time and spent about 40 minutes before class doing forms, and then had a lot of forms IN class too. that was great, I love doing forms, and we don't do them that regularly.

 

then I came home, scarfed some food, did just One More Thing, and now I'm going to go climb into bed. I'm exhausted. it's been a long week and I super need to get more rest.

 

BUT. here's what I'm thinking about lately: my weight is pretty steady right now at around 180. I don't really have the capacity to mix up my exercise regimen at all. I generally eat just at about my calorie goal, but I've been creeping over. my goal is still restrictive, set to lose 1/2 a lb a week (which never REALLY worked for me, maybe because I'm not that precise about tracking). maybe I should creep up my calories a little over this challenge and see if I can get it higher without seeing a swing in weight. will my metabolism support it? I would hope so!

[Mad Hatter]

Breathe... You're doing brilliantly!

Also awesome food upgrade.

[Priscillia]

Mmmm healthy comfort food.

 

I'm no expert with anything calorie wise, but if you want to experiment I'd say go for it.  Plus you might end up less tired with the extra considering how packed your days already are.

[MasterOfCows]

I think it depends.  How are you feeling with where you are right calorie wise right now?  Tired (more than normal)?  Is it taking longer than usual for any DOMS to go away?  Feeling generally beat up?  Then I would up the cals and see what happens.  If not, I'd just hold the course and I bet you'd get a whoosh fairly soon if losing weight is still on your radar.

[Elastigirl]

I vote for upping your calories. Personally, I've found the .5 pound deficit to be the worst of all worlds. Not really losing much (if any) fat, and not enough to gain muscle. You've been in deficit for a long time, I bet your body and will power would really enjoy the break. Do it for a month, and see what happens.  I bet eating at maintenance will help you build muscle, and then you can do a deficit and lose some fat.

[Lou_be_Lou]

Cheering you on!!!!!!

 

Yep, I found you.... Stalking is commensing.....