Posts Tagged ‘Ten in 10’
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…
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!
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…;-)