be healthier

i didn’t do a darned thing concerning this goal, except think about what i wanted to do.

yesterday, i discovered erik benson’s (aka buster mcleod) list of bests healthy challenge. it was very inspiring, i created my own version:

http://www.listsofbests.com/list/23824/compare/nelanj

with this list of bests, i hope to utilize 43T more productively. Gotta re-organize my goals … break ‘em down, etc.

I hope you all are doing well.

And congrats to Stine and Rob Williams for accomplishing this goal.

Go, team, go!

http://www.mutualimprovement.com/2006/12/health_diet_exe.html

you all probably already knew this.

Here I am getting ready to add an update about where I’m at with this goal, and it looks like almost everyone has fallen off the wagon in the past couple of months!

Like you all, I need your support. And I believe I’m ready to come back.

:: knocking on wood ::

It sounded cool, and I’ve been waiting all week to learn more. The program is not rigid, but gives guidelines to follow. And you’re doing it along with one of the newspaper’s reporters.

Get healthy challenge

Along with the reporter, you check in once a week.

In the paper version of the article, they highly recommend you visit:
AHA for guidelines, tips, assessments, etc.

So I’m gonna try it.
What’s cool: I’ve convinced my husband to join me. :)

Tomorrow it’ll be six months since my mother died. In that time period I’ve lost 12-14 pounds.

All I did was reduce my portion sizes and try to stay away from fun foods as much as possible.

I’d like to lose at least 20 more pounds.

Yes, there needs to be exercise.

For anxiety, I started doing a ton of reading. That’s slowed down quite a bit lately.

Wish there was more positive actions I could report.

I hope you all are doing well.

Right now, I feel like taking a break from 43things and all of its offshoot sites.

Don’t know exactly why.

Who knows, I might be back sooner than I think.

But for now, I’m gonna take a break.

Good luck, Everyone, with attaining your goals!

ellie

on the physical note:

• not only did we do a lot of walking - much more than i have been doing - we also did a ton of sitting in cars … that ol’ driving thang.

• also, weighed myself this morning and have gained three pounds. it was discouraging. though i’m hoping some of it might be muscle … am not going to slip into denial.

my husband and i were out west this week, and we don’t have a laptop for fast internet acess. my hubbie has one of those really old apple notebooks that weighs a ton and needs a modem and phone line to access the internet. we don’t even bother.

anyway, here’s the update with hopefully glimpses of the week prior:

• physical: last week, i did start taking the stairs at work again. this week, we did a ton of walking, including walking part of a mountain trail sans sunscreen. we would have walked the whole trail, but i didn’t want to get sunburned.
  I’ve been continuing to eat as healthy as possible. It is possible to do even when traveling. Though I may have had too many Starbuck’s café lattes!
  Oh! I received those two DVDs from The New York City Ballet … workout 1 and 2. I hope to follow one of these DVD workouts this week.

• mental: I’ve been doing all right. Seemed to be in a strong state during this trip, which was essential during the first part of the trip.

• emotional: The week prior I was doing all right, though the closer we got to our trip, the more freaked out i became. I was on a mission to complete important tasks, and was literally shaking Monday morning when I began. Thankfully, I had some wait time, and used some breathing exercises to calm down, and self-talk to remember that I have acccomplished tasks of far greater importance and challenge. That seemed to help. Once the work was complete, I was ready to have some fun with my husband and our friends.

• spiritual: Completing that task lifted a great weight. Exploring nature always is wonderful. We spent a day in the LA area, and self-toured the Schindler House. What an inspiration. We also went to the Getty Center , which has a beautiful garden designed by Robert Irwin.
  Just spending time away was good for the spirit.

this week has been mixed:

• physical: this has been the strongest area this week. i’m continuing to eat well overall. had a treat mid-week. have done some exercising, but not three days yet. treated myself by purchasing the New York City Ballet’s two workout DVDs, which I know will be awesome. Sounds like they are just like being in a class sans a mirror. Can’t wait to get started with them.

• spiritual: have had some relaxing meditative moments, because i need to calm down. my husband and i were out in nature yesterday most of the day.

• emotional: it’s first week of pms, and i’ve been feeling impatient and intolerant. cranky. and i’m feeling frustrated about “taking the slow path to ‘being healthy.” i want to dive in now. hence, doing some meditation.

• mental: it’s been a middle of the road week. though early in the week, i did a sudoku puzzle of same level as been doing, and i whipped through it. i don’t do a sudoku puzzle every day, so this was quite surprising.

goals for coming week: attempt to increase exercise; if feeling cranky, try to remember to stop, and meditate.

it was under the entry of fellow “be healthier” chum. here it is, again:

• physical: Not sure of the time frame … I’ve lost six pounds from the last time I stepped on the scale. A pair of shorts I couldn’t fit into a month ago, I can wear now! Haven’t tested any pants. Though I always carry a water bottle with me, I’ve been drinking more water.

• mental: Don’t believe I’ve done any mind-strengthening exercises this week; however, I’ve had a lot of new information to process and comprehend.

• emotional: For whatever reason, I’m feeling strong right now. Odd considering my mother hasn’t been doing well this past week. I haven’t been eating for emotional reasons. Eating when I need to eat, and not to the point of getting full. The meals have been relatively healthy.

• spiritual: This week has been a very busy week. Literally haven’t had time to relax until after I post this entry. Will enjoy some quiet time with my husband. Otherwise, I’ve had at least two dynamite spiritual conversations this week. They both happened the same day.

goodness, i wonder if i forgot to hit the “save entry” button.

just a quick summary of this past week:

on all fronts … physical, spirtual, mental, emotional … i had a super week. got much accomplished; felt strong.

and i’m down six pounds since the last time i weighed myself (uncertain of when that was).

Peace to you all.

ellie

This has been a decent week overall.

• physical: walked with my husband once to that starbuck’s just over a mile way. down at my husband’s family cottage, we canoed and did some light hiking.

• mental: played sudoku once this week … not stellar. working can sometimes be a mental workout … in the creative and mathematical realms. i’m re-working a long-term project which needs thinking outside the box.

• emotional: the mind-body challenges were good this week. it was all about being positive. am still working on them, but they are helping. so is posting my daily five-things-i-am-grateful for in the “happiness manifesto” team.

• spiritual: being out in nature has been helpful here. from having a damsel fly climb on to my finger and hanging out during our canoe trip to picking up and holding a northern water snake (non-poisonous, yet aggressive when feeling threatened) to attempting to commune with two baby squirrels and an adolescent raccoon. being amongst nature is truly good for me.