In the past, my goals have probably been a bit too "big" {I put that in quotes because it is so relative...} for my current state of being. In other words, I was setting myself up for disappointment and failure.
So I'm starting small. So, so small. If for no other reason, to feel a teensy bit accomplished ;-)
So here we go - June's goals {a week late!}:
1. Keep up with the Summer Shape-up and lose weight! Enough said on that one. So far, so good!
2. Hang at least 1 thing on our walls. We've been there almost four months... and haven't hung a single thing... unless you count bike racks in the garage ;)
3. Create our Summer Fun list! Last year we made one and we did pretty well - definitely need to get this done ASAP!
Ok, now I'm pumped up to get all of this done this weekend... watch me GO!
Showing posts with label Goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goals. Show all posts
Friday, June 7, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
What's Working for ME
I've made a real committment to eating better and sticking to a fitness routine as of late, and it's been paying off - to the tune of 6lbs lost! I'm nearly to the weight I was at the start of last summer, which I'll take. This year started off so rough with me in the body {okay, and mind} department, and this shift in thinking, eating, and exercising has been GREAT for me mentally and thankfully now physically as well.
I'm committed to losing 30lbs by the big 3-0 this December, so I'm on my way! Six down, 24 to go :)
A few things that are working for me:
1. The return of the 5:30am alarm. People are always *shocked* that I get up at 5:30 to exercise, and it makes me laugh. What other time of day would you like me to fit it in? I'm either working, cooking, cleaning, or spending time with my husband and child. Exercising before work {and before any of those demands get to me} ensures that I get 'er dun and have the rest of my day to take care of everything and everybody else. And frankly, I'm just too tired to put any big effort in at the end of the day. Plus, you get used to getting up early {and then you end up freaking out on Saturday morning when you think your alarm didn't go off, until you realize it's Saturday and you don't have to get up that early!}.
2. Meal prep and go-to meals. A no-brainer, really. Meal planning and prep is so beneficial in so many ways, but I've always had a hard time getting on board with it. Mostly because I was trying to change it up to often. Lately I've been sticking to salads for lunch {see next item on the list}, then a simple protein {usually grilled BBQ chicken} with a carb {rice or baked potato} and salad for dinner. I cut and wash lettuce a few times each week - thanks to the OXO salad spinner hubby got me for Mother's Day! - along with veggies to add to the salads. I'll also slice up some fruit to enjoy throughout the week {a la fruit salad... fruit - fruit salaaaad...} and marinade some chicken. For lunch I'll pack a salad with either grilled chicken or some lunchmeat, then have a cup of yogurt and a piece of fruit. Easy peasy. Dinner is quick and easy on the grill. Voila.
3. SALAD, gone gourmet. Way back when I did the South Beach diet, I spent the first 2 weeks choking down plain salad. It was so hard to eat and I never felt satisfied. I loved {and still love} restaurant-prepared salads, so I knew I could like eating salad as a meal, but I had such a hard time eating salad at home. As of late, the lightbulb went off and I thought "I'll just recreate restaurant salads at home!" Dur. So that's what I do. I make my salad like those I have at a restaurant. Lately, it's been a cobb salad - lots of romaine, broccoli, cucumber, red pepper, hard boiled egg, sprinkling of cheddar cheese, 1 slice crumbled bacon, grilled chicken and lite honey mustard dressing. Delicious and satisfying, with lots of veggies and protein!
4. Having a PIC named VIC. Vic was shaping up and dropping pounds for a 24-hour endurance race over Memorial Day weekend {24 hours of BURN}, so he was committed to cutting out the junk and getting off our butts. That made it so much easier for me to stick to my routine and good eating. It's always good to have someone to hold you accountable; it's even better when you live with that person {and they see you nakey!}.
5. Summer! It's FINALLY here {2 months late!}. The rain has ended, at least for now. Nothing better to remind you that you will need to eventually wear shorts and tanks. Better shape up those legs and arms! Not to mention the sweating... oy. You know summer is in effect in NC when you stand there doing nothing and sweat profusely. I'll take it any day over winter, though - no complaints here!
This week I started the Fitnessista's Summer Shape-Up, and it's been going well so far! She provides a workout plan along with instructions and pictures to help you out. I love her blog!
So that's what I've been doing lately. Habits I hope to keep up to keep myself and my family on track.
Have you made any changes lately that are working for you and your family?
I'm committed to losing 30lbs by the big 3-0 this December, so I'm on my way! Six down, 24 to go :)
A few things that are working for me:
1. The return of the 5:30am alarm. People are always *shocked* that I get up at 5:30 to exercise, and it makes me laugh. What other time of day would you like me to fit it in? I'm either working, cooking, cleaning, or spending time with my husband and child. Exercising before work {and before any of those demands get to me} ensures that I get 'er dun and have the rest of my day to take care of everything and everybody else. And frankly, I'm just too tired to put any big effort in at the end of the day. Plus, you get used to getting up early {and then you end up freaking out on Saturday morning when you think your alarm didn't go off, until you realize it's Saturday and you don't have to get up that early!}.
2. Meal prep and go-to meals. A no-brainer, really. Meal planning and prep is so beneficial in so many ways, but I've always had a hard time getting on board with it. Mostly because I was trying to change it up to often. Lately I've been sticking to salads for lunch {see next item on the list}, then a simple protein {usually grilled BBQ chicken} with a carb {rice or baked potato} and salad for dinner. I cut and wash lettuce a few times each week - thanks to the OXO salad spinner hubby got me for Mother's Day! - along with veggies to add to the salads. I'll also slice up some fruit to enjoy throughout the week {a la fruit salad... fruit - fruit salaaaad...} and marinade some chicken. For lunch I'll pack a salad with either grilled chicken or some lunchmeat, then have a cup of yogurt and a piece of fruit. Easy peasy. Dinner is quick and easy on the grill. Voila.
 |
| Big serving bowl o' fruit, which lasts us the week |
3. SALAD, gone gourmet. Way back when I did the South Beach diet, I spent the first 2 weeks choking down plain salad. It was so hard to eat and I never felt satisfied. I loved {and still love} restaurant-prepared salads, so I knew I could like eating salad as a meal, but I had such a hard time eating salad at home. As of late, the lightbulb went off and I thought "I'll just recreate restaurant salads at home!" Dur. So that's what I do. I make my salad like those I have at a restaurant. Lately, it's been a cobb salad - lots of romaine, broccoli, cucumber, red pepper, hard boiled egg, sprinkling of cheddar cheese, 1 slice crumbled bacon, grilled chicken and lite honey mustard dressing. Delicious and satisfying, with lots of veggies and protein!
 |
| Mmm salad. |
4. Having a PIC named VIC. Vic was shaping up and dropping pounds for a 24-hour endurance race over Memorial Day weekend {24 hours of BURN}, so he was committed to cutting out the junk and getting off our butts. That made it so much easier for me to stick to my routine and good eating. It's always good to have someone to hold you accountable; it's even better when you live with that person {and they see you nakey!}.
5. Summer! It's FINALLY here {2 months late!}. The rain has ended, at least for now. Nothing better to remind you that you will need to eventually wear shorts and tanks. Better shape up those legs and arms! Not to mention the sweating... oy. You know summer is in effect in NC when you stand there doing nothing and sweat profusely. I'll take it any day over winter, though - no complaints here!
This week I started the Fitnessista's Summer Shape-Up, and it's been going well so far! She provides a workout plan along with instructions and pictures to help you out. I love her blog!
So that's what I've been doing lately. Habits I hope to keep up to keep myself and my family on track.
Have you made any changes lately that are working for you and your family?
Monday, July 9, 2012
July Goals {a lot late} and June Goals Review
To break up all the vacation posts, I thought I'd throw in a normal{ish} post, too. I'm really trying to become a more regular blogger, regardless of who/how many people actually read it. I kind of enjoy having a written record of everything going on in our lives.
A quick review of June's goals:
1. Lose at least 10lbs. FAIL. Big, FAT F-A-I-L. We bought a new scale and Vic and I began weighing ourselves daily. We shared a chuckle when we both realized that we are almost exactly {within tenths of a pound} the same weight as we were at this time last month. As in, zero pounds lost. There were ups and downs all month {we went on vacation, afterall!}, but we ended where we started. I will say that the daily weighing is helpful - it really keeps me accountable and motivated. I'm totally ashamed that June went by without any loss, so I am really going to make July count!
2. Cut the junk. Mildly successful. We don't really have junk food in the house, and I'd say that on the whole, we cut out some of it... but there's a lot of room for improvement. Work in progress.
3. Fill the frames/get working on our family photo album. FAIL. So bad. Nothing was accomplished in this arena. After our vacation, I now have even more photos to sift through and pick from... will this ever get done?
4. Have a great vacation! SUCCESS! Good family memories, beautiful weather everywhere, and minimal strife = successful vacation. We tried to make the best of where we were and we were all able to relax, bond, and spend time together.
June went by in the blink of an eye, especially with all the planning and preparations for the vacation {and the vacation itself!}. It's so hard to believe that July 4th has come and gone, and we are truly in the depths of the dog days of summer {how 'bout that heat, right?!}. We've crossed several things off of our Summer To-do List, but there are still several things we're looking forward to :-)
With that said, I give you my July goals (so late, once again...):
1. Lose at least 10lbs. Like I said, this will be on the list until further notice, although hopefully not much longer!
2. De-clutter the house/our life. Valentino was spoiled on vacation, of course - he came back with a keyboard {it used to be mine when I was a [not so] musical kid} and a box full of trucks and cars, plus all the things I bought him to occupy him on the trip. Needless to say, the kid's stuff is everywhere. Our house is bulging at the seams {although, when I see houses on Hoarders, it doesn't look quite so bad...}, and we've GOT to get rid of some of it. We're planning on getting a storage unit for some of the things we want to keep but don't immediately need, but I don't want anything going into storage that is JUNK. What's the sense in that?!
3. Seek guidance. I have several personality and intrapersonal issues that need to be dealt with. I can't seem to figure them out on my own {nor can I even understand what exactly they are}, so I'm going to get some therapy. I've heard good things about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy {CBT}, so I'll be looking into something in that realm. We've also been talking about attending church on Saturday evenings, which I'm hoping we can do one of these weekends... perhaps some spiritual teaching would be good for me? We shall see...
4. ENJOY SUMMER! As I said, we've done several things on our Summer List - a road trip, swimming, days at the beach {3 so far!}, hiking, fireworks, playing in the sprinkler... we LOVE summer in this household! We're hoping to continue to make the most of every warm, sunny day. We're also hoping to keep as up-to-date as possible with the TOUR! Vive le Tour! {We're on Stage 5 as of now... I think the riders are on Stage 9. We'll get there... eventually!}
Edited to add: I've also taken up dry brushing my skin before showering. I've done it twice now, and my skin feels so much softer. A small side goal I have is to keep that up as well as become a better flosser :-)
A little factoid to end on:
I read this last week, and it really hit home for me. I often feel like, with the hustle and bustle and rush of everyday, I run out of time to *be* with Valentino and really listen to what he's saying and give him my undivided attention. I'm working on being more aware of this and totally plugging into him when I can. I've also started keeping a notebook of funny things he does/says, because sometimes {although I hate to say it}, I completely forget.
Something I really hate to say to him:
"We don't have time for that."
I'm going to make time for that instead.
A quick review of June's goals:
1. Lose at least 10lbs. FAIL. Big, FAT F-A-I-L. We bought a new scale and Vic and I began weighing ourselves daily. We shared a chuckle when we both realized that we are almost exactly {within tenths of a pound} the same weight as we were at this time last month. As in, zero pounds lost. There were ups and downs all month {we went on vacation, afterall!}, but we ended where we started. I will say that the daily weighing is helpful - it really keeps me accountable and motivated. I'm totally ashamed that June went by without any loss, so I am really going to make July count!
2. Cut the junk. Mildly successful. We don't really have junk food in the house, and I'd say that on the whole, we cut out some of it... but there's a lot of room for improvement. Work in progress.
3. Fill the frames/get working on our family photo album. FAIL. So bad. Nothing was accomplished in this arena. After our vacation, I now have even more photos to sift through and pick from... will this ever get done?
4. Have a great vacation! SUCCESS! Good family memories, beautiful weather everywhere, and minimal strife = successful vacation. We tried to make the best of where we were and we were all able to relax, bond, and spend time together.
June went by in the blink of an eye, especially with all the planning and preparations for the vacation {and the vacation itself!}. It's so hard to believe that July 4th has come and gone, and we are truly in the depths of the dog days of summer {how 'bout that heat, right?!}. We've crossed several things off of our Summer To-do List, but there are still several things we're looking forward to :-)
With that said, I give you my July goals (so late, once again...):
1. Lose at least 10lbs. Like I said, this will be on the list until further notice, although hopefully not much longer!
2. De-clutter the house/our life. Valentino was spoiled on vacation, of course - he came back with a keyboard {it used to be mine when I was a [not so] musical kid} and a box full of trucks and cars, plus all the things I bought him to occupy him on the trip. Needless to say, the kid's stuff is everywhere. Our house is bulging at the seams {although, when I see houses on Hoarders, it doesn't look quite so bad...}, and we've GOT to get rid of some of it. We're planning on getting a storage unit for some of the things we want to keep but don't immediately need, but I don't want anything going into storage that is JUNK. What's the sense in that?!
 |
| Valentino and his keyboard - he puts on shows for us hourly. |
3. Seek guidance. I have several personality and intrapersonal issues that need to be dealt with. I can't seem to figure them out on my own {nor can I even understand what exactly they are}, so I'm going to get some therapy. I've heard good things about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy {CBT}, so I'll be looking into something in that realm. We've also been talking about attending church on Saturday evenings, which I'm hoping we can do one of these weekends... perhaps some spiritual teaching would be good for me? We shall see...
4. ENJOY SUMMER! As I said, we've done several things on our Summer List - a road trip, swimming, days at the beach {3 so far!}, hiking, fireworks, playing in the sprinkler... we LOVE summer in this household! We're hoping to continue to make the most of every warm, sunny day. We're also hoping to keep as up-to-date as possible with the TOUR! Vive le Tour! {We're on Stage 5 as of now... I think the riders are on Stage 9. We'll get there... eventually!}
Edited to add: I've also taken up dry brushing my skin before showering. I've done it twice now, and my skin feels so much softer. A small side goal I have is to keep that up as well as become a better flosser :-)
A little factoid to end on:
There are 940 Saturdays between when a child is born, and when he turns 18.
I read this last week, and it really hit home for me. I often feel like, with the hustle and bustle and rush of everyday, I run out of time to *be* with Valentino and really listen to what he's saying and give him my undivided attention. I'm working on being more aware of this and totally plugging into him when I can. I've also started keeping a notebook of funny things he does/says, because sometimes {although I hate to say it}, I completely forget.
Something I really hate to say to him:
"We don't have time for that."
I'm going to make time for that instead.
 |
| I'll definitely be making more time to build sweet Lego houses with him! {Check out the guard! He has a shovel!} |
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
June Goals {a little late}
I ran after work today and I don't know why, but I am seriously wiped out now! I did my usual 4 miles around the lake, but the effort was really hard and I felt sloppy. I'll blame it on being P -5 days ;-)
Workouts since my last post:
Sunday: 14 mile bike ride with Vic pulling Valentino in the trailer {it was mostly leisurely, but a nice calorie burn nonetheless!}
Today: 4 mile crappy run
I'm planning on hitting the gym tomorrow morning then squeezing in a bike ride after work. Burn baby, BURN!
Amazingly, June has started - I cannot believe summer is in full swing already! I absolutely love summer and I have a feeling this will be the best summer yet!
Time for June's Goals:
1. Lose at least 10lbs. Ultimately, I need to lose at least 20lbs to be close to my "ideal" weight. That being said, this goal will continue to stay near the top of my goal list until it's been acheived completely! I'd love to exceed the 10lb mark in June, especially with vacation and beach trips coming up {in addition to our *hopefully* big plans in July!}
2. Cut the junk. Vic and I are working together to eat healthier and to be more mindful of what we eat. We're going to keep junk food and soda out of the house, and only allow them every once in a while when we're out. So far, so good :-)
3. Fill the frames/get working on our family photo album. I started our gallery wall back in, oh... January? Several of the frames are empty or have temporary pictures in them. I need to get on Snapfish and order some prints to fill the frames, but I keep putting it off. I also need to get to work on the MyPublisher photobook that I have a LivingSocial coupon for.
4. Have a great vacation! It's going to be interesting - between a long road trip {12 hours} and my unpredictable-ish family - but I know we're going to make the best of it. I'm hoping that the weather is nice and we can visit Frankenmuth {a German-themed city} while we're there, as well as check out some of the other local attractions {zoo? Kensington? something great I don't even know about?}
Let's hope I can improve upon my goal failure rate from May!
Workouts since my last post:
Sunday: 14 mile bike ride with Vic pulling Valentino in the trailer {it was mostly leisurely, but a nice calorie burn nonetheless!}
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| He's grown a bit since the first time we put him in there! {Take note of the lunchbox full of snacks - of course, we never leave the house w/o it!} |
I'm planning on hitting the gym tomorrow morning then squeezing in a bike ride after work. Burn baby, BURN!
Amazingly, June has started - I cannot believe summer is in full swing already! I absolutely love summer and I have a feeling this will be the best summer yet!
Time for June's Goals:
1. Lose at least 10lbs. Ultimately, I need to lose at least 20lbs to be close to my "ideal" weight. That being said, this goal will continue to stay near the top of my goal list until it's been acheived completely! I'd love to exceed the 10lb mark in June, especially with vacation and beach trips coming up {in addition to our *hopefully* big plans in July!}
2. Cut the junk. Vic and I are working together to eat healthier and to be more mindful of what we eat. We're going to keep junk food and soda out of the house, and only allow them every once in a while when we're out. So far, so good :-)
3. Fill the frames/get working on our family photo album. I started our gallery wall back in, oh... January? Several of the frames are empty or have temporary pictures in them. I need to get on Snapfish and order some prints to fill the frames, but I keep putting it off. I also need to get to work on the MyPublisher photobook that I have a LivingSocial coupon for.
4. Have a great vacation! It's going to be interesting - between a long road trip {12 hours} and my unpredictable-ish family - but I know we're going to make the best of it. I'm hoping that the weather is nice and we can visit Frankenmuth {a German-themed city} while we're there, as well as check out some of the other local attractions {zoo? Kensington? something great I don't even know about?}
 |
| From our last visit to Frankenmuth in December 2008. It was seriously cold and drizzly/snowy, but we had fun {Sidenote: my legs look [were] so much skinnier then!} |
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| I look creepy, but German, right? And 4 years younger, of course. |
Saturday, June 2, 2012
May Goal Re-cap/Life update extravaganza!
I know you've all been dying for an update on my super-exciting life ;-)
I'll start by stating that I've decided not to run the 1/2 marathon tomorrow morning, and it's not for a lack of training or desire to do. Basically, it boils down to not wanting to spend the money for the entry fee when we've got a trip at the end of the month to pay for {on top of a car to maintain, a dog to take to the vet, etc.}. It just didn't seem like a wise financial choice. Also, I didn't like the fact that this particular race didn't donate to a specific charity, nor did all runners receive a medal! I want a medal for my first race, darn it! I'm still doing my training though, and I do plan on participating in a half marathon sometime this summer/fall.
Workouts for the week:
Saturday morning - 8 mile run
Monday morning - "strongest man" workout
Wednesday morning - 20 minutes stair stepper/12 minutes elliptical
Wednesday evening - "strongest man" workout
I ran 6 miles this morning, plus we went on ~1.5 mile hike today. I'm planning on riding my bike tomorrow morning. In fact, my plan is to ride my bike a lot more now that I'm not actively training for the 1/2, though I will definitely be keeping up with longish-distance runs.
I cannot believe that May is already over. Time to recap my May Goals:
1. Stick to my training plan. SUCCESS! Aside from the planned 10-mile ride last Saturday {I dropped it after realizing that I wasn't going to do the 1/2, plus I got a late start and was very sore from early-week workouts}, I kept to at least 2 short distance {at least 4mi} runs during the week and a long run on Saturday mornings. It felt GREAT!
2. Lose at least 10 lbs. MOSTLY FAIL. I lost about 5 lbs, although we just got a new scale yesterday which weighs in 7 pounds heavier than the one I was using {talk about a blow to the ego!}. I need to start hardcore counting calories and sticking to my mindful eating plan better.
3. Complete the Photo-a-day Challenge. FAIL. I fell off before the first week.
4. Plan a cookout at our house! FAIL. Well, unless you consider an impromptu Memorial Day cookout with our neighbors and their kids.
So all in all, I didn't do so hot with those goals. However, the first two were most important to me, and I mostly succeed at them, so I'm good with that.
Four things I love about this week:
1. Long weekend/Short work-week. We didn't do much for Memorial Day (hung around the house and with our neighbors), but it was glorious. The weather was so nice and having an extra day off from work was well-deserved.
2. Having an inquisitive child. Valentino has been asking questions about everything. "How do the clouds get full of water {and cause rain}?" "How did someone get up there {on the water tower} to do that {graffiti}?" "How do binoculars work?"
3. Being busy at work! Call me crazy, but even though it was nuts for me at work this week, I was sort of enjoying it. Each day seemed to fly by!
4. Fresh fruit. I loaded up on watermelon, raspberries, blueberries, and cherries when I went grocery shopping. We've been enjoying all our favorite fresh fruit all week long. Can't wait for those summertime Carolina peaches - they are like candy! SO sweet and delicious!
We had a great day today, and I hope to be back early next week with a weekend update and June's goals.
I'll start by stating that I've decided not to run the 1/2 marathon tomorrow morning, and it's not for a lack of training or desire to do. Basically, it boils down to not wanting to spend the money for the entry fee when we've got a trip at the end of the month to pay for {on top of a car to maintain, a dog to take to the vet, etc.}. It just didn't seem like a wise financial choice. Also, I didn't like the fact that this particular race didn't donate to a specific charity, nor did all runners receive a medal! I want a medal for my first race, darn it! I'm still doing my training though, and I do plan on participating in a half marathon sometime this summer/fall.
Workouts for the week:
Saturday morning - 8 mile run
Monday morning - "strongest man" workout
Wednesday morning - 20 minutes stair stepper/12 minutes elliptical
Wednesday evening - "strongest man" workout
I ran 6 miles this morning, plus we went on ~1.5 mile hike today. I'm planning on riding my bike tomorrow morning. In fact, my plan is to ride my bike a lot more now that I'm not actively training for the 1/2, though I will definitely be keeping up with longish-distance runs.
I cannot believe that May is already over. Time to recap my May Goals:
1. Stick to my training plan. SUCCESS! Aside from the planned 10-mile ride last Saturday {I dropped it after realizing that I wasn't going to do the 1/2, plus I got a late start and was very sore from early-week workouts}, I kept to at least 2 short distance {at least 4mi} runs during the week and a long run on Saturday mornings. It felt GREAT!
2. Lose at least 10 lbs. MOSTLY FAIL. I lost about 5 lbs, although we just got a new scale yesterday which weighs in 7 pounds heavier than the one I was using {talk about a blow to the ego!}. I need to start hardcore counting calories and sticking to my mindful eating plan better.
3. Complete the Photo-a-day Challenge. FAIL. I fell off before the first week.
4. Plan a cookout at our house! FAIL. Well, unless you consider an impromptu Memorial Day cookout with our neighbors and their kids.
So all in all, I didn't do so hot with those goals. However, the first two were most important to me, and I mostly succeed at them, so I'm good with that.
Four things I love about this week:
1. Long weekend/Short work-week. We didn't do much for Memorial Day (hung around the house and with our neighbors), but it was glorious. The weather was so nice and having an extra day off from work was well-deserved.
2. Having an inquisitive child. Valentino has been asking questions about everything. "How do the clouds get full of water {and cause rain}?" "How did someone get up there {on the water tower} to do that {graffiti}?" "How do binoculars work?"
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| He loves his binoculars! They were his Nonno's |
4. Fresh fruit. I loaded up on watermelon, raspberries, blueberries, and cherries when I went grocery shopping. We've been enjoying all our favorite fresh fruit all week long. Can't wait for those summertime Carolina peaches - they are like candy! SO sweet and delicious!
We had a great day today, and I hope to be back early next week with a weekend update and June's goals.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
May Day! May Day!
I love May! Here in North Carolina, it signifies the beginning of summer - and, judging by the 90* temperatures due to start tomorrow, we're right on schedule! Our family loves summer and {almost} everything it brings - long, warm days, trips to the beach, bike rides, being outside, playing in the pool. We have a lot planned this summer, and the fact that Valentino is at such a fun age means this summer will be one of the best ever. By the end of the week, I hope to put together our "Summer To-do List" {I refuse to call it a "bucket" list - to me, that's what you do before you die, not what you do on a normal, day-to-day basis!}.
I'd love to make these {all found on pinterest}:
But in reality, our list will look like this {but handwritten}:
I have a rough draft in progress, and I bought myself some Crayola markers, now I just need to get 'er done.
4.5 miles was on the dockett for last night's run, and I did 4 {~44mins}. It was sticky out and I was starving, so the effort was hard and sweaty - my running started out strong, but petered out at the end. Today calls for a 3 mile run or cross-training, and I plan on doing some cross-training by doing the ZWOW #1 workout - more on ZWOW in another post :-)
May GOALS:
1. Stick to my training plan. Like I said in my April wrap-up, I am sticking to the long run, and usually to the 2 shorter mid-week runs, but I'd like to adhere to almost entirely. So far this week, so good.
2. Lose at least 10 lbs. This is totally acheivable in one month, so I'm aiming low in hopes of blowing past that goal :-) I plan to keep up my running {see goal #1}, incorporate HIIT workouts {via ZWOW workouts!}, and stick to better eating/calorie counting.
3. Complete the Photo-a-day Challenge. I LOVE instagram, and I love this idea. I've started out the challenge a couple times, but then forgotten about it. I hope to keep it up this month, and post my daily photos here on the blog. {BTW, gramfeed is awesome for quickly and easily saving your instagram photos to your computer!}
4. Plan a cookout at our house! I've wanted to do this since we moved in, and I think we're finally ready to host a gathering at our home. Yes, our house is small and not really set up for entertaining, but our yard is good-sized, so if it's mostly outside, we can handle it. I have lots of ideas for food and activities for the kiddos, and I'm really looking forward to putting it all together.
I'd love to make these {all found on pinterest}:
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| Source |
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| Source |
But in reality, our list will look like this {but handwritten}:
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| {This from the land of nod blog, but the link in pinterest didn't work} |
I have a rough draft in progress, and I bought myself some Crayola markers, now I just need to get 'er done.
4.5 miles was on the dockett for last night's run, and I did 4 {~44mins}. It was sticky out and I was starving, so the effort was hard and sweaty - my running started out strong, but petered out at the end. Today calls for a 3 mile run or cross-training, and I plan on doing some cross-training by doing the ZWOW #1 workout - more on ZWOW in another post :-)
May GOALS:
1. Stick to my training plan. Like I said in my April wrap-up, I am sticking to the long run, and usually to the 2 shorter mid-week runs, but I'd like to adhere to almost entirely. So far this week, so good.
2. Lose at least 10 lbs. This is totally acheivable in one month, so I'm aiming low in hopes of blowing past that goal :-) I plan to keep up my running {see goal #1}, incorporate HIIT workouts {via ZWOW workouts!}, and stick to better eating/calorie counting.
3. Complete the Photo-a-day Challenge. I LOVE instagram, and I love this idea. I've started out the challenge a couple times, but then forgotten about it. I hope to keep it up this month, and post my daily photos here on the blog. {BTW, gramfeed is awesome for quickly and easily saving your instagram photos to your computer!}
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| Day one: peace |
4. Plan a cookout at our house! I've wanted to do this since we moved in, and I think we're finally ready to host a gathering at our home. Yes, our house is small and not really set up for entertaining, but our yard is good-sized, so if it's mostly outside, we can handle it. I have lots of ideas for food and activities for the kiddos, and I'm really looking forward to putting it all together.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Weekend re-cap and April goal wrap-up
In true weekend fashion, this weekend flew by. There was a lot to catch up, but we accomplished a lot and mixed in fun and family time, too. I was super surprised to return home from work on Friday to a beautifully mowed lawn/pruned bushes, as well as a completely re-chipped backyard {our backyard is too shaded for grass, so instead of dirt/mud, we have wood chips which need to be refilled about once/year - see picture below!}. Despite feeling tired from a hard week at work, as well as keeping an eye on Valentino since he stayed home with him, Vic had seriously busted his butt to make our yard look much, much nicer! Once I got home, we went to Home Depot to buy some trim to complete the neat-ness of our yard, then we enjoyed a pizza dinner at Amante Pizza {so good!}, followed by a stroll through Fresh Market and a delicious cookie for each of us. It was a simple, but very nice evening.
After a horrible night of sleep - Valentino was very restless; he woke up twice {1AM and 3AM}desperately wanting to watch cartoons - Saturday started off with an exhilirating 7 mile run {~1:15, which is sub-11 min/mile - albeit slow, it makes me happy} while Vic finished installing the trim in the backyard. It was a cool, cloudy day, so a trip to the mall was in order. We strolled around and I ended up finding a few things for Valentino at 77 kids {my favorite place to shop for him!}. I also needed more Optimum Nutrition protein powder, so I picked some up on sale at GNC. When we got home, Valentino and I planted the impatiens in the front garden bed, as well as his zinnias in the yogurt cup ;-) We ended the night with Chipotle - double chicken burrito for him, chicken burrito bowl with brown rice for me, leftover pasta for the kid.
Sunday morning, I had grand plans to be super mom - clean the house like crazy, do all the week's shopping, take Valentino to the library, prep food for the week, bake muffins. Let's just say I did half of that. I was exhausted from staying up too late and I had a splitting headache made worse by a mischevious little boy. I did dishes and laundry, then we headed to Old Navy and Target to do some shopping. I got some serious deals at both places. For $42 at ON, I picked up 5 pairs of socks, 2 tanks, and 2 tees for Valentino, plus a super cute dress for me. At Target, I signed up for the Target RED debit card {where you get 5% off of your purchase when you use it - score!} on top of coupons and I ended up saving over $22 {on things I would've purchased without the discounts anyway}. After dropping off the groceries and eating lunch outside, Valentino and I stopped at the library to return/pick up books - the kid LOVES the library! We came home and I literally worked up a sweat cleaning up the house - putting away winter clothes, rearranging drawers, folding 83,209 articles of clothing - washing dishes, vacuuming, cleaning up toys. It all needed to be done so bad - none of us could stand all the clutter and "projects-in-waiting" that were hanging out in every corner of my house. All in all, YES - there was/is/will always be more that needs to be done in our house. BUT, it's presentable and usable for now.
On the eating front: This is day two of being super strict, sticking to a "plan." Yesterday I was so conscious of everything I ate. Grilled chicken for dinner instead of hot dogs. No popcorn/cookies/food while watching TV. I went to bed hungry - stomach growling HUNGRY. I know that's what I need to do to lose the lbs though. So far today has also been successful, and I am VERY committed to staying "clean" {okay, now I totally sound like an addict. a food addict, that is}.
Today I have a 4.5 mile run scheduled after work, then we're having a grilled turkey breast, mashed potatoes, and broccoli for dinner.
Since it's the last day of April, I'll wrap-up my goals:
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| The boy LOVES to help out around the house! |
Sunday morning, I had grand plans to be super mom - clean the house like crazy, do all the week's shopping, take Valentino to the library, prep food for the week, bake muffins. Let's just say I did half of that. I was exhausted from staying up too late and I had a splitting headache made worse by a mischevious little boy. I did dishes and laundry, then we headed to Old Navy and Target to do some shopping. I got some serious deals at both places. For $42 at ON, I picked up 5 pairs of socks, 2 tanks, and 2 tees for Valentino, plus a super cute dress for me. At Target, I signed up for the Target RED debit card {where you get 5% off of your purchase when you use it - score!} on top of coupons and I ended up saving over $22 {on things I would've purchased without the discounts anyway}. After dropping off the groceries and eating lunch outside, Valentino and I stopped at the library to return/pick up books - the kid LOVES the library! We came home and I literally worked up a sweat cleaning up the house - putting away winter clothes, rearranging drawers, folding 83,209 articles of clothing - washing dishes, vacuuming, cleaning up toys. It all needed to be done so bad - none of us could stand all the clutter and "projects-in-waiting" that were hanging out in every corner of my house. All in all, YES - there was/is/will always be more that needs to be done in our house. BUT, it's presentable and usable for now.
On the eating front: This is day two of being super strict, sticking to a "plan." Yesterday I was so conscious of everything I ate. Grilled chicken for dinner instead of hot dogs. No popcorn/cookies/food while watching TV. I went to bed hungry - stomach growling HUNGRY. I know that's what I need to do to lose the lbs though. So far today has also been successful, and I am VERY committed to staying "clean" {okay, now I totally sound like an addict. a food addict, that is}.
Today I have a 4.5 mile run scheduled after work, then we're having a grilled turkey breast, mashed potatoes, and broccoli for dinner.
Since it's the last day of April, I'll wrap-up my goals:
- Lose at least 5lbs. In progress... I'm down about 2, but that's from Saturday morning until now. I don't really count that.
- Keep to the 1/2 marathon training schedule. Partial success... I've stayed on schedule with my long distance runs on Saturdays {even while on vacation}, and for the most part I've done 2 additional runs/week, so I'm mostly keeping up. BUT, my intention was to totally stick to the plan.
- Add money to savings. SUCCESS! I've added a fair amount each paycheck, and I smile in pride when I see our savings account balance. YAY!
- Get stuff DONE. SUCCESS! I purchased a calendar to use for meal planning, and so far we've stuck to it. I put away our winter clothes. I planted flowers. All small things, but it feels good to get them DONE and off the list. Still on that list - get my car fixed. Doh.
"If it's important to you, you will find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse."
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Baby steps
Thank goodness this has been a short week. Though travelingand road trips are fun, they are tiring and leave much laundry and *mess* to betaken care of afterwards, plus you lose a weekend of productivity. It’s worthit to get away, but since becoming a full-fledged adult, I now totally understand “needing a vacation from your vacation,” no matter how short said vacation is.
On a long-term basis, my plan is to:
Sticking to my training plan has been a flop as of recently (which is becoming a horrible trend…). I ran Tuesday night {4 miles, 43:33},but so far that is it. I plan on running 4.5 miles after work today as long as the rain holds off. Tomorrow I hope to either attend 5:45am spin class or hop on my bike after work for a session on the hills. Saturday morning will be my long run for the week – 7 miles, which will be the longest I’ve ever run. I’m actually really excited about reaching that milestone!
With May just days away, I’m feeling the “summer’s coming” pressure. I’m not losing weight and I’ve really begun to accept the fact that I need to make some major changes, starting in the food department. I am a classic “boredom eater,” – when I’m bored, my mind immediately tricks me into thinking I need to occupy my mouth. Having a sedentary job, this happens often, and even though I snack on “healthy” foods, they’re all calories in the end.
I saw this last night on pinterest and I was really inspired:
If you want something you’ve never had, you’ve got to do something you’ve never done.
{For me, I want a firmer body – something I’ve never had – so I need to do things – exercise more/better and eat less/better – I’ve never done}
Even though, for me, that quote would apply more for the exercise portion of my life, it’s sparking me to make some eating changes {I’ll cover the exercise portion in another post – I have an exciting, but scary, plan!}.
First, I’m trying to really scale back what and how often I eat. So far:
· I’ve moved my morning yogurt from 10am to lunchtime. I’m not sure that when I eat the yogurt is that important, but I’m trying to train myself to not NEED something between breakfast and lunch.
· I’ve been chewing a lot more gum, especially when the munchies hit.
Initially, I want to:
· Give up eating after dinnertime too – no evening snacks while watching TV NO MATTER WHAT. {no popcorn!} Up until the past couple years, this wasn’t an issue – I never ate in front of the TV. I blame Vic for getting me addicted to popcorn!
· Quit carbonated drinks {particularly soda}altogether. Yes, they are delicious, but on top of empty calories or artificial sweeteners, they make me feel bloated and gassy. No thanks!
· Quit coffee. I didn’t start regularly drinkingcoffee until I started working at my current job. Once I was working full time (and taking care of a young child after work on my own), I needed something toget me through the day – coffee was it! Now, it’s a daily habit that costs $$ (such a waste!) and isn’t all that great for my body, even though I get NF/SF lattes. I only drink ~1 “cup”/day, so it’s not a constant thing, but I don’t want to do it anymore. I have some packets of Starbucks VIA iced coffee at home. Once those are gone, I really want to be done w/coffee for good.
· Brush my teeth right after dinner, to hopefully ward off after-dinner snacking.
On a long-term basis, my plan is to:
· Eat more “cleanly” by eliminating a lot of processed foods and sugar from my {and my family’s} diet.
· Incorporate more vegetables into my diet. I struggle with this a lot because I literally gag on many raw vegetables, and there are few cooked vegetables that I will tolerate.
· Reduce the amount of meat my family consumes.This will be a challenge, as chicken is typically the center of all our meals. Personally,I would love to be meat-free. I don’t especially care for it {I already don’t eat beef – so I’d have to eliminate poultry and pork}.
· Cook dinner at home at least 5 days/week. I purchased a wipe-off calendar yesterday to aid me in meal planning. I’m already psyched to plan and pre-prepare our meals for this coming week!
On the non-weightloss/exercise-related front, while skimming livingsocial and groupon for deals on a family photographer {anyone have some affordable photojournalistic-style suggestions?}, I came across a deal for mypublisher.com - $19 for a DeluxePhoto Book. I've nixed the idea of having prints made of all our photos, then stuffing them into albums - they're so bulky, and in the end - expensive! Ever since hearing about mypublisher on YHL, I've decided that creating yearly "yearbooks" of our family pictures is the best idea. Now I just have to get on that for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011!!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Friday Love!
Although I despise and cringe and shutter when I hear (or read) "Happy Friday!" I feel it necessary to say "Happy Friday before Easter!" (somehow, "Happy Good Friday" just doesn't seem right - I secretly want to post this someecard that I saw today, but it is highly inappropriate!).
Everyone's always giving three or five reasons why they love something. Well, my favorite and lucky number is 4, so I bring you my top FOUR favorite things this week!
Everyone's always giving three or five reasons why they love something. Well, my favorite and lucky number is 4, so I bring you my top FOUR favorite things this week!
- Coming to terms with renting. We've gone back and forth since our lease contract expired last February (we're now month-to-month). Our rental now is affordable and in a wondeful area, but our neighborhood is, well... interesting. It can get a little wild at times, and it's not always pleasant. However, the rental market in Raleigh is so tight and competitive - as soon as a rental is listed, it's snatched right up. Plus, rent is going up. This is due to 2 facts: a. Raleigh is the 5th fastest growing metro area in the country b. with lending rules tightened, people can't/aren't buying homes as much as they used to and they end up renting instead. We've come to terms with the fact that, until we are able to buy a house, we'll be staying put and saving up. This has been good for me, as I now wish to make our little home as comfortable and ours as possible.
- Springtime is here, which means more activities! Egg hunt last weekend. Birthday party and Easter this weekend. Cycling will be in full effect in no time. Soon there will be strawberry and blueberry picking, trips to the beach/MD/MI, and SUMMER! I absolutely love April-November in NC! I've started compiling our "Summer 2012 List" (of things we want to do over the summer) and I'm getting so excited!
- My Grandma. My Grandma and I have always been close. I spent a ton of time with her when I was younger, and she and I have always kept in touch since I've become an adult. She has been the most constant person in my life, and we have a deep connection and bond. I'm always amazed at how she immediately knows if something's wrong, just by the tone of my voice. Now that I have my own child, she has been an amazing Great Grandma too! Valentino calls her several times a week, and she happily chatters with him about his day and all kinds of other silly things (sometimes I feel bad because he's being a little pest to her on the phone, but she insists that she just loves hearing his voice). She frequently sends him cards and small gifts in the mail, which is always ecstatic to receive - just yesterday she sent him a box stuffed with books and fun Easter things, including a sweet little Easter bunny that he slept with last night :-) Even though they haven't seen each other since he was 2 (which I'm sure he doesn't remember) they too have an amazing bond already. It really makes feel so blessed to have her in our lives.
- My awesome husband and son. Valentino practically begged Vic to buzz his hair on Monday, and I finally gave in. I just didn't want to let go of my baby's beautiful blonde locks. Once the buzz was complete, Vic and I just stared (and continue to stare even now) at our beautiful son. With the mop of hair gone, we can see all his features so clearly and we are both amazed by his perfect skin and features. He is one good looking boy! It makes me feel so proud to know that the two of us have created and molded this child who is so beautiful inside and out, and I am so excited to someday hopefully create another sweet little being with Vic. We may have our differences, but in the end, we are a great team and we balance each other wonderfully.
- Lose at least 5lbs. Enough said. Summer is so close (since it basically starts in early May here in NC), and I'm in no shape to be seen in anything put long sleeves and jeans. Fudge.That brings me to #2...
- Keep to the 1/2 marathon training schedule. This week was a bust. 5 miles on Saturday, 3.5 miles on Tuesday. The rest of the days? Couldn't get myself out of bed (except Thursday - I had all intentions of going to the gym, but Valentino got me up at 4 and I fell asleep in his bed until 6). SO embarassing and shameful. However, I have been doing more pushups and arm exercises at home (and my arms feel it bigtime), so there has been some improvement in my work. But not much, nor enough. Tomorrow calls for another 5 miles. I WILL be out there pounding the pavement, you can count on that.
- Add money to savings. We have so many things that we want (like a bike rack/hitch for the car so that we can haul our bikes) and so many places we want to go this summer (MI trip in June, beach weekends, trip to the mountains), so it's really important that we start socking away some cash to make these things possible.
- Get stuff DONE. Procrastination is my middle name, so I'm resolving to actually take care of things. First on the list - meal and budget planning. For meals, I want to create a theme for each day (pasta, mexican, grill, etc...), and then get groups of recipes for each theme and rotate them out. For the budget, I'm going to take some advice from this lady, who has a family of six that lives on $28,000/year! AMAZING and so inspiring! If they can do it on so little, I'm sure we can figure out ways to shave our spending. I also need to get my front end fixed, which I screwed up by having a stupid accident in February (where I re-ended someone.. time to kiss $500 goodbye!). I know getting these things done and off the "to-do" list will make me feel so much better.
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