Disclaimer: This blog is solely for my own benefit. That I post my goals, accomplishments and failures publicly on my blog is because I want to hold myself to a greater accountability. If seeing my failures and accomplishments help you in your quest for good health, it makes my writing this all the more special. If my words bore you, cause you to feel the need to judge or ridicule, or makes you ask why I am writing this in the first place – then just move along without unnecessary comment. Dimming someone else’s light will not make your light any brighter.
Oh, March…. March was personally an amazing month. I watched a live performance of Steve Martin. I hugged Elvira mistress of Macabre. I found my third Great Grandfather Robert Jacob McCombie. Ok, that third one is a stretch, I DID find his grave. What was not great is that I slid some weekends with my eating habits (travel and healthy food seem to be a difficult combo for me) and struggled during the weeks with what I can only liken to sugar hangovers or maybe carb overload for poor food choices on the weekend. After cutting some things out or drastically reducing their levels, I feel almost like in hangover mode on a Monday when I over indulge on those recently removed those items.
I have two relatively calm (no travel planned at this moment) months. So, I hope to reflect on these difficulties and learn from the hard parts. Summer looks to be busy as hell already. I need to make sure I have this on lock(ish).
I hope you are living the best version of your healthy. Have any tips for me? I would love to hear them. Let me know in the comments below.
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Physical
Mar Progress: I had a Thai session this month. Every fourth training session will be a “Thai massage”. But it is not a massage like you would normally think of a massage. It is basically Jen bending and stretching my body in an assisted fashion, working out the kinks and elongating my muscles. It is my fave session of the month. I was able to get in 2 of the 4 available studio class sessions. One week my head was congested and I was unsure if it was a cold or allergies and I did not want to take a chance spreading a creeping crud and the other was missed because I was still off kilter still from a diverticulitis flare up. I am very thankful that the yoga is bringing about a greater sense of flexibility. I can feel it in my day-to-day activities. In addition to Thursday studio sessions I want to find a good video to do at home. I am sure it will be Rodney Yi, it is always Rodney Yi.
During the last week of March I transitioned to Jen being my personal trainer in the gym on Mondays instead of the one-on-one yoga sessions. I will continue my studio yoga sessions on Thursdays. Mondays we will meet for gym circuits. Fourth Mondays will be Thai massage. I will also be hitting the gym on weekends now that the weather is warming up and the skydivers will start the season. As much as people (including myself at times) give Planet Fitness scorn – it is a convenient way to ensure I have access to gym equipment no matter where I may find myself. Being in Athens and Huntington as much as I am, there is a PF in each of those locations. They have almost the same equipment in all of their facilities. It offers convenience and consistency.
I need to consistently have crockpot dinners ready for Mondays. Because of the timing of my getting out of work and the 45 minute drive to Athens, it is just more convenient and also keeps me in check on what I am eating.
I set up four alarms on my phone for weekdays. They go off at 9AM, 11AM, 1PM and 3PM. It reminds me to get up and do a lap around the facility. Sitting at a desk for over eight hours each weekday is not the healthiest way to spend your weeks. I had that in mind this month as I added the alarms. Lap 1 I try to get in 500+ steps, Lap 2 600+ steps, Lap 3 over 1000 and Lap 4 whatever I can get in for the sake of time.
During February, I lost 3 lbs for a total of 11.7 Jan 1-Feb28 (my numbers were a little skewed last blog so I created a spreadsheet for purposes of accuracy). March I was even less successful in loss, coming in at 1.2 lbs lost. Yesterday I had it in my head that that meant 14 pounds total. That was incorrect (of course) – with the new spreadsheet, I realize that it is a 12.9 lb loss since Jan 1st. Still a loss.
Things to think about: I would like to incorporate at least one epsom bath each week now that I am weight training to pull the sore out of my muscles. All four weekends in April I will be at the dropzone so I have decided to bring my bike so that I can get in some alternative physical fitness to balance out gym and yoga times.
April goals:
- Home workouts are still an obstacle. I was not motivated to clean the basement because March was a blur of activity.
- As above, the rail-trail in Gallipolis was not accomplished.
- Time management skills. Not sure how to “goal” that but it is def something I learned this month that I need improvement on.
Physical Areas Needing Improvement:
- Flexibility and Balance are improving, April will add Strength
- Tone without unrealistic expectations
- My vision has improved some but I still have HORRIBLE blurry spells – I need to figure that out soon
Physical obstacles:
- Body Image Issues
- Time Management
- Lack Of Resources
- Sustainability
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Nutrition:
Mar Progress: I killed it on the water goal. I have wrapped my water intake around the alarms for my every-two-hour-walks at work. By the time the first alarm sounds I have had a work coffee one metal container (20 oz) of water and then before each alarm goes off I make sure to drink one metal container of water. During work hours I consume on average (including two large cups of coffee) 100 ounces of fluid, sometimes more if I take afternoon tea. Most mornings I make sure to drink water with my breakfast (along with a cup of home coffee). I have gotten in a TON of steps walking to the bathroom during this phase. When I have a workout or yoga, I make sure to drink extra containers of water. I failed on the weekends while traveling though. I will make sure to do better on that front in the future.
I have not given up on eating nuts (minus cashews and peanuts). I will be adding walnuts to the mix this month. I normally eat one banana and one apple each day (morning and afternoon snacks). In March I ate more salads. I meal prepped for my breakfasts and used some of those ingredients in my salads/self-soups as well. I feel like (other than travel weekends) I have my food intake on a better level. There is a ton of tweaking I plan on doing now that the warmer weather is coming along and grilling becomes an option. I hope to make strides on food health.
I set AM and PM alarms to remind myself to check my blood sugar and I still suck at it. I took 20 AM blood glucose samples through March. The average reading over those is 143. My average stayed close to last February’s 141. There were two afternoons I felt off, knew my food choices were poor and when I tested my BG the readings were 246 and 373. I cannot let that happen. If I know that something is going to make me feel like shit I need to remind myself to remove that “something” from my catalog. Or to do something to compensate for it (eat something sweet, water intake and physical activity should be higher). I am giving myself through April to get by BG game on point and then I will ask my GP for an A1C test to compare to previous years and weights.
Things to think about: With the start of the skydive season upon us, would it behoove me to take Eddie’s grill to the DZ as my weekends there will increase? I could make breakfast and lunch on the grill with ease.
April Goal:
- STILL – I need more regularity in daily testing of blood glucose in the AM and seriously in the PM – my BG levels are a priority for me and I need to start acting like it
- Most of my March goals were not met because of increased weekend travel – still on docket is to clean out the garage freezer and meal plan on a monthly scale
- USE MY FITNESS PAL TO TRACK FOOD INTAKE – sheesh
Nutritional Areas Needing Improvement:
- Borderline Type 2 Diabetic
- Planning and Preparation
My nutritional obstacles:
- Time Management
- Lack of resources
- Sustainability
*****
Mental Wellbeing:
Mar Progress: I am two hours shy on finishing Dracula on audiobook (Tim Curry and Alan Cummings are AMAZING). I would have finished it entirely had I not started jonsin’ for upbeat tunes on my drive.
I had two manicures during March, one pedicure. I also found a person who cut my hair to my liking. I want to get on a 6 week rotation for a haircut and mani/pedi with an additional mani at the three week marker. Nothing glamorous. Just cleaning up the cuticles as I tend to pick at them and make my fingers raw.
Riding on the tail of the overhaul to my office, I cleaned out the tupperware cabinet and refrigerator at the end of the month. The clutter in both were killing me.
I started buying myself flowers every week. Because I am a cheap date, I buy them from the soon-to-be-discarded bin. I clean them up and put them in a vase and the colors at my sink make me happy. I am glad I added this self care item to my rotation. Relatively inexpensive and they smell amazing.
Bobby and I have decided to go on a trip to Florida in maybe July and I am so looking forward to planning that out.
Things to think about: A new art/passion wall in the library is in the works. I have an old pull down style map (like you would find in a schoolroom) of the United States I want to hang. I will be using pushpins to mark locations I have visited. Different colors for different trips (one color for genealogy trips, one color for Bobby and I trips, other colors for places I have been to earlier in life). I need to figure out how I want it to look once completed.
March Goals:
- Think about those self confidence items I need to add to my rotation
- ACTUALLY meditate
Areas Needing Improvement:
- Anxiety / Depression
- Follow Through (was plumb tickled with myself for 31 posts about females for Women’s History Month!!)
- Sparking Joy
My Obstacles:
- Body Image Issues
- Time Management
- Lack Of Resources Sustainability
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March thoughts: I am still looking forward to warmer weather and more daylight. March, as far as weight loss, was stagnant. With the move to weight training in the gym, I am hoping to see greater improvements at the end of April.
Husband and I enjoyed Steve Martin and are now planning a summer trip to Florida. I love months where Husband and I can find our together-joy!.
See you in April with hopefully a positive update!
For now, here are some March photos….
Thoughts and Ponderances 