weather + traffic = RANT... and some other reflections

I think I'm going to start tracking my commute time, this is getting ridiculous.
I don't think my drive has been less than 1 hour and 10 minutes any day yet this year!!!
this morning it was 1 hour and 28 minutes... UGH!!! it should be illegal to spend that much time in the car each day. I am dreading going home tonight. last night I explored all over the escarpment :) takings some really cool back roads, and almost had a few run ins with tractors :)

I also think it should be illegal for people to drive without snow tires, or to drive with HUGE piles of snow on their cars. They can not possibly see out their windows when their cars are completely buried like that. GRRRRRR, also, if you dont feel confident driving in this weather STAY OFF THE ROAD. Some people (typically in Toyota Corollas, for some reason) drive 20Km an hour in an 80 zone... what the F&%$#!!!
these people also have a foot of snow on the hood of their car and the back windscreen is completely covered AND they are driving around on thread bare summer tires.

it is ironic, since the weather is causing the difficult drive and the weather is the whole reason I drive the distances I do for work :) ahhhh

must take a deep breath and just forget about the drive....

wow it says it is -22 in Guelph but only -14 in Oakville, that is a BIG difference for 60 kms... hopefully it warms up in Guelph today so Bridget can get out at recess.

So anyway, sorry about the rant... back to the topic "Learning to Lose".

so far My Move More Eat Well has been going strong, but like with anything, yesterday I had had enough, so I chose to not get my steps in. I am glad I didn't, I needed a rest day, and chose to go to bed early instead :)
On Tuesday when I went to the gym, (and I hadn't 'worked out' in 3 weeks), Tracey put me through the gears, lunges, squats, wall balls, ball slams etc... and my rear end and hamstrings are screaming (for joy!!!) that I am back at it... it does make for some uncomfortable moments walking downstairs, sitting down, or moving in general :) so taking a night off from the 6000 steps is OK in my mind. Tonight I will double my 6 and do a minimum of 12,000 :)
This is really what I am trying to avoid. I want consistency in my moving .... I want to make sure I actually do something every day, so I will try harder next week :)

Better than I was

So I wasnt perfect yesterday... but
On my way home, sometimes I am STARVING, and in the past I stopped at A&W or Tim Horton's and grabbed something from the drive through.
I didnt do it, even though yesterday I was starving, tired, the drive was brutal (401 pretty much shut down), I DIDNT DO IT!!! yay me
so despite not getting my minimum number of steps in, eating (*a bit) over my points.
Overall, I was pretty good :)
and Im taking that and celebrating it for all it is worth.
I am embracing not being perfect, but being better than I was in the past.

Totally slipped my mind

Wow, this never happens.
I FORGOT to publish my hugely successful weigh in from Saturday!
@WW = 206.0lbs

I am down 0.8lbs!!! that is amazing considering I was sick and I really didn't stick to my plan all that much. I am excited for this week, where I hope to have a consistent week tracking everything I eat, hitting the 6000 step minimum, drinking all my water, getting my sleep etc... Tune in for next Saturday when I'm telling ya, BIG things will happen

oxoxoxox

I just had to share this

Today Bridget and I were creating art :) and doing crafts. Bridget decided to do an amazing picture of some shrimp, and I copied her. I love how both pictures turned out. the colours POP off the page.

Bridget's

Mine

Day 5 MMEW Jumpstart

So day 5... and I am totally bringing my A game!!!
I am doing well at this.
My main Healthy behaviours that I am trying to nail are:
- Drink my water
- 7 hours sleep
- minimum 6000 steps
- track all my food intake ***( This is my One thing this week)


I am finding the steps really hard to get in.
I reduced my goal by 2000 steps, but I want to make sure I HIT it everyday.
I would prefer to get 6000 steps in every day, than 12,000 one day, and 2500 the next.
I think if I can really get this Move More piece into my daily ritual, then I can up it to 8,000 then up to 10,000 :) ( I really want to be at 10,000)
My fitbit 'thinks' I have an 8,000 step a day goal, but my MMEW Jumpstart goal is 6,000.
again, if I am able to hit 6,000 everyday (especially when the temperature is crazy and the snow is getting deep, and winter has settled in for the LOOOOONNNNNGGGG haul) 6,000 is I think a great goal.

So today's MMEWJ homework was to figure out ways I feel nurtured, where I feel peaceful and relaxed.

I think that I feel nurtured by doing this, by writing things down.
I know I feel great when I plan... and I spent about an hour last night (yup, 9:30pm on a Saturday night I was planning my meals and activity for the week) Ben was watching football, Bridget was asleep and I was feeling really motivated. I need to grab those moments when I am motivated and make the best use out of them... and I totally did.

The new WW 3 month trackers have a great section at the beginning of each week where you plan your week, it is called "My week at a Glance"

I find this the BEST tool ever... it allows me to look at what's going on with me and the rest of the gang (Ben & Bridget) and plan around this.  I have a pretty boring daily 'menu' I have some type of soup/chili/curry/stew for lunch everyday. Right now I have Mexican veggie soup, Chickpea and veggie curry, Turkey and Veggie and Beef and veggie chili in the freezer. (I make big batches and freeze them). This means that my 'soup' everyday is really mixed up and yummy. So don't be fooled what looks like the same old same old isn't actually all that boring.

I'm listening to an old Roni's weigh podcast, and really finding it motivating. She is talking about when she started, she made small changes like paying attention to portion sizes and staying within her points... these were the things she started her healthy lifestyle with. She emphasizes that she didn't just jump all in and eat quinoa, chia seeds and do cross fit and run marathons all at the same time... So, this gives me hope. One step at a time. My healthy habits that I am working on will get me to my end goal and establish the healthy routines I need to stay on this lifetime journey.

Part of me is dreading tomorrow, because of the snow (eek!!!) but I am excited about tomorrow, because I get new homework from MMEWJ :), I get to get back into a normal routine at work :), I get to eat well all day!!! and I'm going to end the day by hoping on the Elliptical. (just noticed a spelling error in my tracker)

So here's looking toward the future, my new mantra comes to mind ... Move Forward...

Day 2 of Move More, Eat Well Jumpstart

205.4

So I survived the 'holidays' (so to speak)... I got sick, and I firmly believe it was because I got out of my routine and didn't get enough fresh air and exercise!!! (the true elixir of health = exercise)
It turns into a vicious cycle, you get sick, you stay indoors which makes you more sick for longer :( excuses be damned... 2014 is going to be the best year ever.

Tonight I am going to make turkey soup from the Christmas Turkey carcass that is sitting in my freezer... I can not wait. In my humble opinion homemade Turkey soup is the best part of a turkey dinner.

So Let's get this thing done!!!

Today I have all my ammunition, I am firing with all cylinders , , I am totally doing this.

My Daily Good Habits are:
1. Track all my food = so far so good
2. Sleep min. 7 hours = unfortunately I didn't get this, I only got 6.5, but I think it is because I have been sleeping so much over the past 5 days because of my cold... I woke up at 6 am and practically jumped out of bed... so I don't think I am tired.
3. 2 L of water = so far so good... I've had 2 herbal teas and am starting on my first Litre as I type.
4. min 6000 steps = this one might be hard... it is FREEZING out today, -18 degrees Celsius and the wind chill says it feels like -29 (wind chill warning in effect!!!) not a day to go for a stroll at lunch.
5. Gym 2x per week =  I will try to go on Friday night, and will to to the indoor track on Sunday for a 5K run/walk
6. slow down my eating = constant
7. Oatmeal for breakfast = NAILED IT
8. forgive myself = constant

Tonight I need to:
- fold laundry
- take my measurements for Move More Jumpstart
- take a photo of me in my running shoes... folding laundry? :)
- Make turkey soup

Today is just getting started, but I feel very confident that I will get through today with minimal setbacks :)
Yay day 2 of this experiment!!!
I need to get this move more thing sorted out... elliptical tonight while watching the new episodes of misfits?
Perhaps

Day one of Move More Eat Well jumpstart

So today is New Year's Day!!! 2014
I am feeling much better, but am still sick :( I have a head cold, but can now function, unlike on Monday and Tuesday when I could barely keep my eyelids open.
I will weigh myself tomorrow, since I totally forgot this morning.

Today is Day one of my Move More, eat well jump start.
the activities I am supposed to do today include:

1. complete "This is My Story" spanning approximately 2 cards, I need to write about my health and fitness story to date... Mine was one card, and I have chosen a photo of me after running my first 5k.... I am beaming!
   
2. complete "The One Thing" Card - choose one health or fitness related thing I am going to focus on for the first 7 days of this class. (I KNOW EXACTLY what I am going to write here!!!)
   
3. complete "The One Word" Card - one word to guide me through the next 7 days of this journey. this word is to help me focus on my goal.
4. complete "The Daily Good Habits" Card - track good habits here
   
5. "The numbers card" - take out my measuring tape and get to it :) (eek, this is hard)
   
6. a photo of me - DONE

Lets get this done :)

*** I added the photos on Jan 5th, 2014