I am so tired. I am heating up my futon now. Well, actually it's a dryer. It makes it soooo incredibly comfortable. I just fall right off to sleep. It's super early, only 7 p.m. but I had an early morning and not much sleep last night. Out in a bar again with workmates but had NO alcohol, no cigs. Is that like super or what? I had no problem getting up at 4:30 even though it was like 11:30 when I got to sleep.
Well, here's where I stood this morning. So, tomorrow morning will register another day notched if I do the things and I WILL!
The Sunshine Challenge is done, so I'm going to start a new thread soon. Arabella, where are you??!?!?!?
Sunshine Challenge (COMPLETE!!!! )
Day 21 completed no pauses allowed
No Booze
Day 17 complete no pauses allowed (started Nov. 5)
No Smoking (Started Nov. 5)
Day 17 complete no pauses allowed (started Nov. 5)
No Sugar
Day 15 complete no pauses allowed (started Nov. 7)
Write-it-down Challenge
Day 11 completed no pauses allowed (started Nov. 11)
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modcat -- Sounds like you've got the baby down for the night! Great work on the calories! Heh, mod, I was just kidding, of course, on the threads. Wasn't sure if you thought I was serious or not....
I think that bread basket coming out is such a bizarre idea. Whenever I'm in the States I get annoyed at it, and the fact that the food takes so long usually to be served (the places I've been at least) that the bread becomes more and more tempting because you're hungry! Glad there is absolutely no such thing here.
Sunni -- Congratulations on successful liftoff! I had never heard of Zumba but looked up some videos and it looks so fun. Too bad I am hopeless at dancing and would need weeks of private tutoring to do anything. I am way too self-conscious. Good luck on the new challenge as well!
ktgk -- Yes, you certainly may! Best of luck!
Quix -- Wow, Quix, you're really moving along on your challenge. Has it really been two weeks already? Cheers for the .8 down this morning.
No, no Thanksgiving for me here. It's just another workday, as is Christmas. Fine with me, as it just means more eating. I used to love the two holidays. Used to go to NYC every year for the Macy's parade and dinner at my grandmother's. Ah, those were wonderful days.
You know, you're right about the working out. I do! But, I overeat. I am realizing how much I consume in calories. I am so glad that's the case though because it means if I CAN keep to a calorie count I can lose weight. It is NOT impossible. I have just gotten too used to a lot of food it seems. This time around, the journaling is helping me to realize that. I haven't been taking my measurements. It's just another thing to get obsessed about. I obsess so easily. No kidding. The scale is bad enough. I do feel my clothes fit better, though they are tighter in some places. Ah, heck, I have simply been eating too much and putting on muscle. It truly is muscle because my strength is back up. I used to do power lifting, not competitively, but I should have. So, when I hit the weights, I really hit them. Then I go out and eat too much and, voila, I soon look like a sumo wrestler. Perhaps someone should drop a weight on my head...or did I do that already?
Journaling challenge (no pauses allowed):
Day 5 complete (began November 17th)
Stretching challenge - stretch everything out every day (no pauses allowed):
Day 5 complete (began November 17th)
I did my couch to 5K run this morning - I have completed Week 4 now Feels good!
AND my voice is gone. Good thing there are a couple weeks left till the concert or I'd be sitting this one out. I'm croaking, here.
But that's no excuse for not posting. Now I'm going to do something radical -- I'm just going to post a single challenge, no pauses. Tomorrow will be Day 1. Too late today -- I'm doing okay but haven't tracked. And that's my challenge. Journal my food. 21 days, no pauses.
I really do everything else pretty well anyway, exercise regularly, drink the water, get lots of fruits and veggies. But I definitely eat more when I'm not journaling my intake. And maybe, with just this one thing, I'll be able to manage 21 days? No journaling on Christmas but no excuse for not making 21 days before then.
Red, I've thought of doing the same thing -- hair dryer to the bed to warm it. If I'm out in the evening, especially sitting somewhere, I'm often too chilly to get to sleep. I got flannel sheets and PJs this year and they really help but mmmmmm... a nice warm bed would make me feel pampered. Even if I do have to do it myself.
Quixotica, yes I do self-treat with Reiki but not as often as I should. After I was attuned, I did it every day for 21 (no kidding -- that's what you're supposed to do). At the start, I made a list of chronic health issues, aches and pains, etc. It was amazing how many things on the list were gone by the end of the 21 days. And I continued to self-treat fairly regularly for quite a while after that and one day noticed that I didn't need my glasses/lenses any more at the computer. Well, eventually I slacked off on the treatment and lost the improvement again.
And I thought, you know, that's something obvious and concrete, measurable. It seems probable that there are a lot of other improvements happening simultaneously that I'm just unaware of because there's not such a clearcut, "visible" difference.
You know, I think I'll have a cup of echinacea tea and then go self-treat.
everyone else! Hope all are having a lovely weekend.
Okay - first of all - congrats Red for acing the sunshine challenge.
I'm stumped for a challenge, y'all, I mean - I could do a "do mindless nothing at the computer for hours each day" and get through 365 days, no pauses...
I would like to do more on the food and exercise front - and I don't know if I'm just whiny or if my mono is really preventing me from liftoff.
No Booze
Day 18 complete no pauses allowed (started Nov. 5)
No Smoking (Started Nov. 5)
Day 18 complete no pauses allowed (started Nov. 5)
No Sugar
Day 16 complete no pauses allowed (started Nov. 7)
Write-it-down Challenge
Day 12 completed no pauses allowed (started Nov. 11)
Sunshine Challenge (COMPLETE!!!!)
Day 21 completed no pauses allowed
Not bad, eh? Eighteen days....18!!!..... off booze and cigs, 16 off sugar. And I haven't become a recluse either. I've been to parties. I've been to bars. Without the above two. It's not that hard. (she says smugly until the next relapse...) Clarity is the name of the game. If the only thick fog I have to wipe from my brain in the morning is sleep then I can do it.
Well, my weight is down from the mind-boggling high (my mind is easily boggled...) of recent. I guess it was the whoosh fairy at last. Still, it only puts me back where I was, so no excitement here. That said, I must have more muscle and the roll around my waist is less... .... It's strange how you can lose weight around your waist from the back like, the sides and so and because you have the front still, it just hangs there looking ultra disgusting and doesn't make you feel much better because you still have to wear concealing clothes. That said, why do I expect miracles for a couple pounds' difference? Why? Well, because I do, that's all, so there! In any case, as I said last post, I am coming to the realization....like how long does it take you?!?!?... that I am simply consuming too many calories. I have all these little "snack bombs" that pack a wollop of calories, with no real nutrition. So, of course, they don't fill me up, they just rack up the calories AND they wreak havoc on my weight-loss plans. What do they fill? Some need? Some emptiness? They fill something, I don't know what....probably just the hole in my head.
So, I am going to attempt to ratchet up the awareness of the calories I take in every day. Last night, at the store, I was checking out calories on the label, something I hate to do because I know all the things I really want are super high. I mean, who wants a comfort apple or a comfort stick of celery, especially in the winter. I did think a nice mug of herbal tea would be nice but couldn't find any once I was home. Must get some.
Ok, enough drivel. Caffeine, time on my hands, enough sleep, it always goes straight to the mouth...
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econ -- Good one! How far along does Week 4 make on your Couch to 5k run challenge?
mod -- How did the day pan out?
miriam -- Thanks for the congrats. I hope this challenge shook up something in my head that will make me a bit more apt to clean things continuously until waiting till it is beyond disgusting. As for new challenges, well, really only you can tell what you need to work on. Surely there is something that you need to tackle but don't see yourself able to. Those are the things of challenges. If it seems overwhelming, try to take just a bit of something or the essence of the mindset needed to accomplish something and make that into a challenge, like I did with the cleaning. You don't have far to goal so your habits are probably not that far out of line. Then again, I don't know. What thing would you like to change about your eating or living, lifestyle habits? Tell us all the gory details and we'll help you!
Arabella -- There you are! What's this concert you're talking about? Did you mention that on this thread? Well, I do hope you get better. Sounds awful. Did you warm the bed? I didn't mean a hair dryer, I meant an actual futon dryer. Here's a link: http://www.mitsubishielectric.co.jp/home/futon/ (Oh, I see the link doesn't go to the page I want. You have to click on the fourth box from the top on the panel at the left with arrows.)
You can either spread out the blue sheet, which then fills with hot air, and put the covers over it or you can wrap the futon around the blue sheet, which really fluffs it and kills mites, which love to live in futons. I know, gross, but I'm sure they're a problem with bed mattresses too. Don't know if you can buy these dryers in the states, probably.
Anyhow, your new challenge sounds great. What happened to the other one you had, the one where you come in and post a challenge for the day. You could do that even if you were sick, right? No? Anyhow, good luck on journaling. It sounds easy but it's not. It's so easy to say, I'll write it down later and then never get around to it. I know. It's what I'm doing now, a journaling challenge, that is.
Last edited by redballoon; 11-22-2008 at 07:30 PM.
I had no problem getting up at 4:30 even though it was like 11:30 when I got to sleep. 
Heh, mod, I was just kidding, of course, on the threads. 
Wasn't sure if you thought I was serious or not....
I had never heard of Zumba but looked up some videos and it looks so fun. Too bad I am hopeless at dancing and would need weeks of private tutoring to do anything. I am way too self-conscious. Good luck on the new challenge as well! 
Best of luck! 
Perhaps someone should drop a weight on my head...or did I do that already? 
everyone else! Hope all are having a lovely weekend. 
moving on down the line....
.... It's strange how you can lose weight around your waist from the back like, the sides and so and because you have the front still, it just hangs there looking ultra disgusting and doesn't make you feel much better because you still have to wear concealing clothes. That said, why do I expect miracles for a couple pounds' difference? Why? Well, because I do, that's all, so there! 
In any case, as I said last post, I am coming to the realization....like how long does it take you?!?!?... that I am simply consuming too many calories. I have all these little "snack bombs" that pack a wollop of calories, with no real nutrition. So, of course, they don't fill me up, they just rack up the calories AND they wreak havoc on my weight-loss plans. What do they fill? Some need? Some emptiness? They fill something, I don't know what....probably just the hole in my head. 
NEW thread started!!!
