Archive for the ‘Ten in 10 Challenge’ Category
One more week, huh? Not bad. All in all, a good experience, but with tweaks could be much better. Ah, well. That’s the point. Improve little by little to get where you’re going…
This week had a little bit more depression in it again so I ended up losing via just not eating. But the sun’s been shining full-strength here in Ohio the last three days and I didn’t see snow in the forecast. Things are looking up! (But being depressed *is* a good appetite suppressant LOL).
No fries or pop
No fries–easy. No pop…well, I had two Jack & Cokes with my brother yesterday at Grandma’s 80th birthday party. So the pop was there but I consider it a necessary evil. I could have had diet, but grandma only turns 80 once…
Walking the Dogger
Much to her pleasure, dogger got two walks this week. I’m going to shoot for three walks this upcoming week. I don’t know what my schedule holds–haven’t looked it over–so we’ll play it safe with the anticipation of doing more if it’s feasible. It’s so nice to see sidewalks.
30 Minutes of Workouts 5/7 days
According to my newly refreshed sticker calendar, I worked out four days. Not bad. I’ll take that. This week I’m really shooting for five since I’ll be heading to Vegas on the 20th. Of course I won’t lose much between now and then, but I do want to go into it just plain feeling good. Not good enough to take a swimsuit but good enough.
Yoga/Meditation
I did do a yoga session this week and felt all the better for it. I also did a short meditation. Ya gotta start somewhere. And last night I perused the weekly yoga class schedule from my favorite studio thinking I might take a class a week. You never know. Spring is in the air.
Next week is the finale for this ten week session and I hope to leave it with a bang. Of course, that means I’ll start the next one with a bigger bang. Looking forward to new goals and more weight loss…
It’s really hard to believe I’m still going on this. I do admit to being excited that I’m almost near the end, though. Not so I can revert back to my old self, but because the goals I set for this time haven’t been the ones I really need to help me work toward that ultimate weight loss by April 2011.
Still, I amaze myself because my mind is slowly but surely moving toward better ideas (exercising even when I don’t feel like it, eating better, being knowledgeable of what’s going to help me keep my momentum). That’s a definite plus. You can never have too many allies on your side, especially mental ones 
No pop or fries
I resisted the urge of fries. We hit that corner bar after the hub’s team lost their last tournament game for the season. I was kind of hungry but not starving. The norm is to get a sandwich and fries, but instead I got the sandwich and applesauce and really didn’t regret it even when the boy and the hub had their boats of fries there. I know I can have them another time, but I don’t need them every time. If I keep eating the way I’ve always eaten, I’ll always have the same weight issues I’ve always had. (Damn, I make myself sound smart LOL).
No pop. No problem. I don’t even think I had but one diet this week.
Walking the Dogger
No dogger walking though we did play outside before we got another dump of snow last night. Another dump expected tonight. You know, that groundhog is not holding up his part of the bargain. I want spring and I want it now.
30 minutes of workouts 5/7 days
Uh…yeah. Actually, I planned at the start of the week that I would finish my Wii Active 30 Day Plan this week but alas, others had different ideas. I had meetings and games and shopping to do which leaves me little time in the evening. I just don’t/can’t exercise after about 5pm or it keeps me wide awake. Plus, that’s when I’m making dinner. I didn’t exercise any day this week (with the Wii) except today.
But I did keep my walking at lunch schedule. Every day but Weds., and that’s because I was at an all-day teacher’s meeting so it wasn’t an option. But tomorrow I plan to totally bust out and do *2* (the last two) Wii Active workouts to end this first cycle of the 30 Day Workout. Not a bad idea considering today was day 50 LOL.
Yoga/Meditation
I did do a yoga session last week. WHAT? Yep, you heard me right. After an ab workout, I rolled out the mat and fired up my favorite Rodney Yee tape. I didn’t feel like practicing on my own for some reason so I brought him along. He reminded me that my thighs have grown and that I need to do this stuff more often. I’m hoping to. I need to develop the mindset of daily practice, that’s all. Easier said than done.
All in all, a reasonable week that would have been stellar had I worked out. Ah well, there’s next week. March. Wow. Time flies…
You know, that I’ve kept updating my progress (and, more importantly, been seeking to make progress) for seven weeks is nothing short of miraculous in and of itself. I don’t normally give up on my NY Resolutions, I just normally don’t set them. But the New Year came at just the right time to provide me with the incentive that I needed, so I ran with it for once. Let’s see where it’s gotten me.
No fries or pop.
Now, after all my crowing and strutting about not eating or liking fries, I treated myself last night to some. Hubby’s basketball season is over and we went out for one last dinner at the only place who has GOOD fries. You know, those skinny, burning hot ones just like the ones at the fair you slather with salt and vinegar? Yeah. Those ones. I treated myself to a basket of those (shared with the hubby) in honor of his season. Here’s the rub: Those are really the only fries I like, and that will probably be the last time we visit that bar until maybe once or twice in the summer when they open their patio. I’m not seeing this as a setback or a failure, I’m seeing it in terms of the dieter’s lifetime mantra: everything in moderation. I ate them with the full knowledge that today, I’m going to be eating very light (hubby gone all day for basketball tournament scouting duties) and the kid and I are munchers, not meal eaters. I might have a few bowls of cereal today and call it three squares. I’m also planning two workout sessions and, if it gets decent outside, a walk with the dogger. (WOOHOO!) So I fit those fries into my plan and am not looking back at all.
Pop–no worries. Only had one diet soda this week.
Walking the Dogger–touched upon. Will attempt today. The temps are going up, the piles of snow melting down (from 4 feet to 3 feet LOL) so the hope that spring will be here in the next few weeks is a high-riding hope in both her heart and mine. Mental note: don’t make dog walking a goal in the winter months. Just plain stupid.
30 Minutes of Workouts 5/7 Days a Week
January and February are basketball months and I haven’t been completely true to the 5/7 days part. Some weeks it’s 3 days, some 2, but what’s important to me is that I haven’t completely tossed aside exercising once I hit the first bump in the road. I’m an all-or-nothing perfectionist, meaning that if I set a goal and I hit one snag on the way, I just give up. I don’t reassess, I don’t do my best to get around it and go on–often, I just give up (with a lot of internal bitching and moaning to go along with it.) This year, I’ve really set my mind on NOT allowing that to happen and I’m proud to say that despite weeks with one workout or only two, I have kept going, picked up the slack and not let myself down in terms of working out. Of course, it’s helping that I’ve lost about ten pounds and a couple of inches, so I can see the progress that I’m making even if my mind is stuck viewing the failures of not meeting the ‘per-week’ goal.
Basketball season has only tournaments left, which means hubby’s team will have two games maximum. This is great for me because it means I can refocus my efforts on MYSELF and my workout plan, not traveling to games and doing all the stuff the coach’s wife has to accomplish.
Yoga/Meditation.
You know what I’ll say. I’m sucking here, and sucking beyond bad. I’m not too angry with myself, though. My daily schedule just hasn’t cooperated. I think what this will take is some pre-planning on my part. I have the thought that I’ll just unroll the mat at a random time every day and it never happens. But, if I approach it the way I’ve been approaching the workout plan, it might very well gain steam and become the part of my day that I want. Again, with all the time constraints of the basketball season slowly ebbing away, I will have time again to work on myself, and this needs to be factored in to that equation.
Nothing much else to report. I didn’t weigh myself on the Wii this week–this week was a strange one all around. I’ll be mustering the courage to step on the balance board next week so I’ll bring back some type of report. Maybe even tomorrow but don’t count on it…
Can I be honest? I’m putting 5 & 6 together because these past two weeks I really haven’t been able to remember much of anything–least of all what I’ve done workout-and-diet wise.
I probably could if I’d have kept up the stickers-on-the-calendar approach, but most of the last 14 days is a blur and not for a good reason.
What I find most important to report is that I really didn’t stray too far from goals. In addition to personal issues, the last two weeks were literally the busiest of the year (for all of 2010 I’ll bet) in terms of things to do and places to go. Snow days caused the hubby’s basketball team to reschedule games, in a one-week span, on a Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Add to that a parent-teacher conference (to which I only had one parent show up…disappointing), training a new student teacher, a holiday I hate passionately and another smashingly busy week of games and more conferences, and it’s a wonder I’m even alive to give a report.
But I am. Forgive the brevity of my points here but I want to keep up appearances
I did have fries, once, the Friday after the second “bomb” dropped on me. I had about ten fries from my kid’s dinner and yes, I did it with the full knowledge of what I was doing. I am an emotional eater and it was easier to stuff those things down than resist. I didn’t enjoy them and probably won’t eat any more again.
No pop.
Dogger isn’t getting walked until May. We’ve got about 4 feet of snow outside from a wicked storm and our streets aren’t even plowed. That was a dumb goal. Good for dogger, dumb taking the season into account. I’ve promised her I’ll make it up to her in the spring. We walk practically every day from spring to winter so she’s not too angry.
Working out–when I can. If I have an open evening I work out. I don’t know what that’s amounted to over the past two weeks–maybe four workouts total. I am working out with the Wii, still, Wii Active in specific, so Bob Greene’s whiny voice makes me feel all kinds of guilt when I don’t give my all. Wish he’d never heard of squats and lunges, but what can you say?
I’m cheating myself on the yoga. Yes, no time, as indicated above, but no real gumption to do it. I really think meditation would be more beneficial for me given my current issues but I have done neither. Freaking slacker.
I’m looking forward to the end of this ten week challenge and the start of a new one (yes, a new one). My goals seem sorta out of touch with what I need to do and need readjusting. Just like my life. If only life came in easily digestable ten week chunks….
Wow, hard to believe I’ve stuck to any kind of resolution for more than the time it takes me to take a nap. While I’m not seeing the quantity of results thus far, I am seeing results. Luckily, that keeps me slightly motivated. That and fear of humiliation created by social media pressure here at the blog.
I’ve decided to change two of my initial goals. Yes, I know–we were to stick to them through the ten week period but I really feel they’ve changed permanently for me, and frankly, they’re too easy. So today will be my last fry and soda report. After today, I’ll be changing them to something that should help my results, even if minimally, toward even more health benefits. Read on to find out…
Eliminate fries and soda from my diet.
Done and done, with ease. I’ve had so much success I thought maybe I should put “candy” or “chocolate” in their place but that’s not going to happen. What I’m swapping in is “two ab workouts a week.” Yes, I could do three or four, but the next few weeks are ridiculously busy for me, so two will suffice. I’ll add a third when things settle down, probably the last week of February.
The workout plan I’m on (Wii Active 30 Day Calendar, if anyone cares) doesn’t seem to have an abs component. Sad and odd, so I need to supplement it with my own. I have several ab workouts as well as loving FitTV workouts. That’s realistic for me.
Walk the Dogger Daily
Woefully inadequate this week, when temperatures were below zero for most of the week. Not an excuse, but it’s not enjoyable and I compensated by wrestling with her for fun. This week it’s supposed to warm up, so I’m hoping that leads to a few more walks. Probably not the smartest goal to set in the winter. Duly noted for next year.
30 Minutes of Workouts 5 of 7 Days a Week.
I did five workouts this week, though Wii Active only recorded four since we had a power surge that shut things down about 25 minutes into the workout. I am feeling a difference from the Wii Active. Legs are feeling stronger, more flexible and the shoulders and arms are as well. Movement feels good. I’ve been extremely loyal to my lunchtime 20 minutes of walking at school, too. Even on the day I got a new student teacher I walked. No excuses not to.
15 minutes of yoga/meditation 5 of 7 days.
Yikes. You probably see the theme of “I wish I could, but” in this slot. I am stretching much more but I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as yoga. I am making a more deliberate effort to start and end my days with some positive ruminations, so if you’re being technical, that could be considered meditation. I wish I had a decent yoga studio nearby to make this easier. I really do miss yoga.
I’ve also decided to add a little extra to the posts: my weight. Actually, that’d be a lot of extra, if you think about it. Today’s Wii Fit Plus reading was 335.0. Down from the 348 (Dear god, say it isn’t so….) of several weeks ago, but not as much progress as I’d like to have made (and feel I’m making). My goal is another half-pound by next Monday, but I am hoping to blow that out of the water with a reading under 333. My first major goal is to hit 200. At 200, I’m good. I liked myself at 200 before. Enough so that I didn’t really work to get any lower….then. Times have changed and I want to ultimately end around 160. Sounds like a lot to you girls who have legs the size of my fingers but for me, that’s going to be as healthy as I can get. I can’t even imagine what I’ll look like then. I like 200. Maybe I’ll just stay there…
Are you sensing a theme to my updates? Like they’re getting later every week? Hopefully this weekend I’ll be back to Saturday postings. My last few weekends have been terribly busy–as in out of town busy–and I just haven’t had the time to catch up. But I am still working hard…
Last week was slightly better than Week #2, you know, the one I said was the second worst week of my life. It was mildly acceptable and I made it through. I’m still grappling with the issue, and I know I will be for some time to come. It’s not something that is easily solved or cleared up–let’s say that. I’m facing it daily and each time it pops up, it’s like I’m literally stepping on a rollercoaster. I’m either thrilled–arms in the air–with how I’m dealing with it or I’m plummeting to the valley of a hill and the bottom of my stomach is falling out.
The good news (if there is any in all of this) is somewhat sadistic. Since I found this out, I have zero desire to eat. And by zero, I mean zero. Not in self-medicating with donuts, no wanting to cram myself full of ice cream (I’m not really an ice cream fan anyway), not sneaking through drive-thrus randomly around town to cover the hurt feelings with garbage. No, I have literally been forcing myself to eat for most of the last three weeks. As a result, I’m down three notches on the belt (but the scale hasn’t really moved–and that pisses me off). I find an odd sense of sadistic pleasure in the fact that I’m losing weight because I’m facing a major life issue. How weird is that?
Anyway, on with my progress report. I’ve got other good topics saved for upcoming posts so you’ll have to tune in!
Eliminate fries and soda from my diet
I took a sip of the kid’s pop when we went out to eat the other night, but out of sheer habit. I needed something to wash down a bite of food and I was out of beer. Please. I only have about one or two a week. I just couldn’t do another water, and didn’t want to drink caffeine at 11pm. So I did slip but immediately after I did, I realized my mistake. HOpefully won’t happen again.
Walk My Dog Daily
I hate that I’m not doing this daily. I really need to get my attitude adjusted because Dogger needs walking more. Period.
30 Minute Workout 5 of 7 Days
I’m trying to remember because it looks like my stickers may not have made it on every day. Monday and Tuesday, yes. Weds…had to take the kid somewhere after school. Thurs, had to shop for a new formal dress which was Saturday night’s activity. Friday, no–had a game. Saturday out of town. Sunday I did two workouts, so that’d bring the total to 4. Not quite five but not zero either. And yes, I work out even though I’m only eating one or two times a day. And you thought the starvation was sadistic.
15 minutes of yoga or meditation 5 of 7 days a week
This and dog walking need to take priority. I really need something to slow down the brain and live in the moment. I really do. And with my powerwalking still continuing at lunch, I need a little more stretching than the workout is giving me.
I am still powerwalking, though yesterday I only did 9 minutes compared with my usual 20ish. Our schedule is screwy at school and that was my ONLY free time the entire day. And by ONLY, I mean the only time to pee, check email, get materials and lesson plans and everything copied. So I compromised because I didn’t want to miss the streak but I had things I absolutely had to do. Add to that training a new student teacher and you have the makings of a mental disaster but I managed. I even came home and worked out. Oh, I should get a sticker for that…;-)
A few days late and mega-dollars short. Sue me!
Last week was, hands-down, the second worst week of my life. The first was almost exactly one year ago when my brother nearly died three separate times in a span of three months. That’s not something a big sister (he’s seven years younger than me) should have to endure, especially because I adore that little bugger (even if by “little” I mean 31 year-old bugger”).
What’s amazing is that I kept myself together as well as I could–physically, emotionally, food-wise and everything. Sure, I sucked in a couple of ways (when depressed, I can starve myself for weeks. I don’t feel hungry so I don’t eat. Period.) but I kept my eyes focused on the long term, the goal of meeting 40 with a decent body and successful stint on the weight loss wagon.
Here’s how I fared on those initial Ten in 10 Goals. All in all, I’m pretty satisfied (but know there’s room for improvement).
Eliminate fries and soda from my diet
Not even an obstacle. Not tempted once. I think I had one or two diet sodas, and even then they weren’t that great. If only the rest of my goals were as easily met…
Walk My Dog Daily
The part that stinks about this goal is when I don’t achieve it, I let the dogger down, too. We did walk at least three days, even though I forgot to put my “dog walked” sticker on my calendar. I know the hubby walked two of those days with us to the park. Now that all the snow’s melted here and the temperatures are above thirty, there’s no excuse not to meet this one daily. I know Dogger is happy to hear me say that.
30 Minute Workout 5 of 7 Days
Let’s see. I know I did Monday and Tuesday, not Weds, Thurs and off Friday-Sunday. Friday would have been impossible with hubby having a game, but Saturday I could have done one early, before leaving for all-day basketball tourney. Yesterday, no reasonable excuse. None. I even remember thinking about it a couple of times. When it was really time for me to do it, the kid had a bunch of friends downstairs. I workout upstairs, on the Wii Active, and it requires jumping and jogging. Here’s why I didn’t: embarrassment. I didn’t want those kids to hear me pounding my heavyweight fighter body on the floor (their ceiling) and making comments and thinking about how fat Jason’s mom is. That was my final excuse. Of course, I can make it up today (within one workout on the Wii Active Calendar) by doing two workouts today. I can do that…if his friends are gone.
15 minutes of yoga or meditation 5 of 7 days a week
For a woman who claims to love yoga (I do) and touts the benefits to all her friends whenever they will listen (I do) I have been LOUSY at this goal. Lousy is actually too generous–it gives you the impression that I’ve actually done something when I have done precisely nothing. Yes, that’s right. Nothing. Not even the Wii Fit Plus–since I’ve been doing the Wii Active exclusively, the Fit Plus has fallen by the wayside. This is one part of me I need to change a lot. Given the demon I faced this week, I need that silent meditation time more than I ever have at any point of my life. And I normally enjoy meditation. What’s in my way? Discipline. I need to go to bed about twenty minutes earlier so I can stop by the cushion for a short session or work a couple of minutes of yoga in after my Wii Active workouts. No reason I can’t start today. I deserve it and I need it. What else needs said?
One positive addition to my day that’s not on my Ten in 10 list has been that I’ve been walking–power walking–at lunch time. Instead of going straight from the 6th graders to a bowl of soup, I strap on my iPod touch and do a minimum of a mile around the school. I’m hovering around the 15/14 minute mile, which is good for me given that I have to dive between groups of kids at some point. The walk leaves me not hungry for lunch, which, given the demon, I’m not hungry for anyway. I’ve been eating a lot less (sometimes nothing, which I know isn’t good but, frankly, I don’t care. It won’t last) and saving my small lunch (usually a bowl of cereal and a piece of fruit) for my planning time two hours later.
The mid-morning (around 10:20) has been doing me a world of good. I feel better, warmer, stronger when I get back. Other teachers have commented and admire my determination (and don’t say a thing about how hard I’m sucking wind by the end of my laps). This was when I had planned to do yoga during my day but the walk is working for me. This week, now that the snow has melted, I might be able to take it outside around the block. We shall see.
That’s my week in a nutshell. How about yours? Am I still the only person still working toward my goals in the new year or are some of you finding success as well? I haven’t weighed myself this week, mostly from laziness. I’ll do that and let you know (why would you want to know if I don’t even want to know?!) And I’ll do better this week. I promise!
Since I signed up for the Ten in 10 Challenge (10 weeks of working toward healthy goals) and blogged about it last week , I’m feeling the social media pressure to give an update as promised. Not that I’m resisting…I actually have a little bit of good stuff to report.
As you’ll recall, my Ten in 10 goals were as follows:
Eliminate fries and soda from my diet
I did perfectly on this one. Had two almost-errors but took the upper hand in diverting disaster. Hub and kid wanted to do Roosters after a basketball game (remember, it’s not the fries I like. It’s the gallon of jalapeno cheese sauce and bacon on top of said fries) but I convinced them to go somewhere else. And at that same game, I asked the kid to get me a diet Pepsi and he brought me a regular. I haven’t had regular Pepsi (hate the stuff) since Michael Jackson’s commercials convinced me to give it a try (God rest his soul. I so miss him still.) I put it in my purse and brought it home. I really needed the caffeine, too, but managed without it.
Walk my dog daily
This one, according to the stickers on my calendar and the foot of unplowed snow outside, hasn’t happened daily as planned. Looks like I managed it 2 of 7 days–not good news for me or the dogger. Will try harder this week. The snow makes it treacherous as not only does the city fail to plow our street on a regular basis but some of my neighbors have never heard of a snow shovel. And dogger needs it. Will do better this week.
30 min workout 5 of 7 days a week
Have done well on this one. Even on days I didn’t think I would. Tuesday-Thursday and yesterday I did well, Monday I did 20 minutes of walking at lunch but didn’t do anything at home. Today I’m planning another Wii session. I went against my rule of not buying any more Wii games and got the Wii Active yesterday because of raves from friends and online reviewers. I really do like it, and really do like the 30 day workout plan option. Of course, that’s because yesterday was Day 1 and everyone likes Day 1 of anything. I get one day off a week so that will make me accountable.
15 minutes of yoga or meditation 5 of 7 days a week
Yikes, not so great. I’ve tossed in a few yoga poses but not 15 minutes a pop. I will work on that more also. I’ve come up with a very strong writing plan, and part of my writing plan is to begin with some yoga/meditation to get the brain focused–let’s hope those work together well. And the Wii Active workout from yesterday (lots of squats) left me slightly sore, and I know triangle and side angle poses will help loosen up those thighs.
On a good note, my Wii weigh-in racked me up at a loss of 2 pounds since my last weigh in. I’m encouraged by that–I am sweating in my workouts–but I’m not 100% convinced it’s real loss. I have been waiting to weigh in after school hours and I know my body well enough to know I weigh a few pounds less in the morning than the afternoon. Another mini-goal is to start weighing in daily on the Wii when I make coffee (around 4:30) before writing to get some consistency.
I think that’s it…for now. Let’s hope next week my report comes back even better…
I might be a real smarty-pants in general but I have a very strong belief the in fact that there are opportunities all around you to help you meet your goals once you set them in place–you just gotta open your eyes.
I had no more than posted Technically, I Didn’t Screw Up…Yet…and surfed to a few various foodie sites online than a I serendipitously stumbled across Lori Lange’s RecipeGirl.com website and her Ten in 10 Challenge.
In a nutshell, Lori’s put together a healthy challenge of sorts where you choose the behaviors/goals you feel are most healthy for you and work to achieve them over the first ten weeks of 2010. Weight loss is only a fraction of the goals listed by the participants.
She officially started yesterday but left the door open for folks to join whenever they want to/discover the challenge. Find all the info and details here on her blog, then join us.
My goals? I already told you yesterday–weren’t you listening? Here’s the run-down:
Goals for the 10 Weeks:
Eliminate fries and soda from my diet
In addition to not really being a fry girl (we’ve discussed this), I’m not really a soda girl. I’ve actually given up pop in the past–gave it up for all of 2002 (beginning with Buckeye tailgate season ’01), but I’ve come back slowly. With the exception of Coke, I don’t even like pop. How much sense does that make?
Walk my dog daily
I’m pretty sure my daughter (dogger) will love this. She’s a walk-a-holic and I’ve been seriously lax on this for a few months. Even if it’s only a 12 minute jaunt through the neighborhood park, it counts.
30 min workout 5 of 7 days a week
This will be anything from Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred on demand, a Bodies in Motion DVD, A Chalean Extreme workout or a half-hour of fun with Wii Fit Plus. I know that if I cement one workout into my workout time, I’ll give up. I hate boredom.
15 minutes of yoga or meditation 5 of 7 days a week
I deserve this and owe it to myself. I was a yoga junkie a few years back and have never felt more myself than when fully stretched and mentally focused. I’ve been reluctant to get back into it because A) I don’t have a local studio anymore, and B)I can’t devote an hour or two at a time to practicing like I used to. But this isn’t about what I can’t do, it’s about what I can do. And what I know I can do is 15 minutes a day of a triangle, downward dog or warrior pose to feed my body and calm my brain. Chances are, I’ll keep going once I start. It’s not about minutes, it’s about doing.
This should cover it for the next ten weeks. My plan, like Lori’s, is to check in with the blog once a week. Saturdays seem as good as any day, so that gives me a week to put off putting up my stats. Ha!
I’m relying on you all to keep it quiet about my slip on the fries last night. Besides, you can’t prove it…
Any of you participating? What are your goals? Let’s commiserate…ermm…support each other…;-)