Healthy Holidays 2016 Sign-Up

This is the official blog sign-up for the Healthy Holidays Challenge being hosted by myself, Leah, of "My New Ending".  :) 

Information and guidelines for this challenge are on this post:  Introducing ... Healthy Holidays Challenge 2016.  There are a few guidelines since there will be a drawing for a prize box at the end of the challenge.  

If you have signed up on my Instagram account (@mynewnending) you do not have to set your goals here, but you may if you'd like.  I'll have check-in posts every Friday, beginning September 23, both here and on Instagram.  

My goals this season are as follows: 

1. I will exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes, 4-5 days a week.  No specific type, just something intentional that gets my blood moving.  
2. I will track my food at least 6 days a week.  I am currently following Weight Watchers to help me stick to some boundaries and get this extra weight back off.  However, I originally lost 70 pounds by learning to eat better and eat less of higher calorie foods.  No matter what I ate I just tracked it, and that's my goal for this season.  No matter if I'm over my points (calories) I will track it.  
3. I will drink at least 32 ounces of pure water a day.  I LOVE coffee, and even hot tea in the winter, and I can easily get sidetracked by diet sodas, but I've been feeling the lack of water hydration lately.  So, this goal needs to be set.  I have a 32-ounce water bottle I love to use and my goal is to empty it at least once daily.  
4. I will enjoy the holidays, but not forget my new ending in life includes making the best choice for ME -- whether that's having something in moderation or saying no.  Holidays are emotional times and I need to remember to do what's best for me;  and not fall into people-pleasing mode.

The more I think about it, the last goal is probably the most important for me.  I have thoughts I'd like to share another time about why that is so important.  

If you're unsure about what goals to set, or think any goal will seem crazy to someone else...well, check out my previous post on how nervous I was about the goals I set -  Setting My Challenge Goals. 

But if you're ready, comment below and let me know if you'd like to join the challenge and what your goal(s) are for this holiday season. 

Setting My Challenge Goals

Today is the day.  Today I posted my goals for the Healthy Holidays Challenge on my Instagram account.  To be honest, I would have posted them on Monday, but I had to take a minute to seriously think about what I could realistically commit to.  

Interestingly enough, this week's Weight Watchers meeting was about planning for success.  Talk about perfect timing.  I wanted to share with everyone at the meeting about my challenge in case anyone locally wanted to join me, but I didn't have the opportunity, and since it's not promoted by WW it may not have been welcome without prior permission anyway.

Buuut....I digress. 

Setting goals for myself was hard, because I didn't want to (A) set goals I couldn't stick to and/or (B) set goals that might make others think I was being too strict.

Yeah.  Let's repeat that. 

"I didn't want to .... (B) set goals that might make others think I was being too strict." 

What?!  Isn't that crazy?  But it's true. 

I found myself worrying I would set goals that would make others think, "During the holidays??  You want to make sure to track your food?? "  etc. etc. 

But in actuality this completely contradicts the whole reason for this challenge.  

The point of a challenge is to challenge ones self and to work hard; for me it is also about accountability, encouragement and supporting one another.  

So, setting goals to challenge myself and then worrying I would be criticized for said goals is crazy thinking. 

In years past I have observed this challenge, and others before it, challenge myself and others to keep somewhat of a focus on living a healthier life while still enjoying the goodie-laden, full-scheduled holiday season. 

And not once did that support ever include shaming.  

Instead every week was about accountability and encouragement to do better.  That encouragement helped me to keep focus and I look forward to it doing the same this year.  

Maybe on another Instagram post I'll share how I came to set my goals, how I have made the decision that focusing on the basics is what helped me lose weight and maintain it in the past and how I personally can't put off what's best for my body just because Christmas is coming.  Some years I can, but not this time.  

That's probably my people-pleasing self writing the above paragraph.  While editing this post I realized I most likely do not need to write a post explaining why I chose the goals I made, do I? 

Wow.  

Anyway....

I feel challenged, as the hostess of this challenge, to be a leader and set an example.

I want others to know that I'm here to work hard next to them, but also to encourage them to enjoy this season without added guilt.  

So, now that I've gotten over my [apparently still lurking] insecurities about being honest I shall proceed with an official blog sign-up post next.

Oh, and because I know you're probably curious.... 

I hope you can join me in this challenge, but if not... keep checking in here and hopefully you'll find some encouragement from my journey.  

NOTE:  If you don't need/want the pressure to sign-up officially I will be posting a free printable by the end of the week that you can use to write out your goals and check in on them yourself as these final months of 2016 progress.

Introducing ... Healthy Holidays Challenge 2016

It's that time of year again!  With fall barely beginning to peak out in some parts of the country, the Halloween candy is filling the aisles, the fall (and even Christmas) decor is stacked in the craft stores and men and women who worry about their health are already beginning to talk about how they will make it past the mounds of candy, baked goods and food gatherings. 

Well, if I may offer a suggestion... 

But first a little back story:  For a few years in the beginning of my weight loss journey a blogger did a "Hot 100" challenge to help us focus on our health during the last 100 days of the year.  Then it stopped as life took over. 

Because it was so motivating for me, last year I thought it would be nice to revive that concept and I hosted my own challenge.  It seemed to go over real well with the participants (you'll hear from a couple next week) and helping others enjoy the holidays without throwing caution to the wind in turn helped me as well. 

Plus, all participants, who stick with it, will be entered to win a healthy prize package at the end of the challenge! Woot!  Free stuff! [grin]

Here are the details: 

Challenge begins:  Friday, September 23, 2016

Signup:  Here on the blog or on my Instagram account @mynewending on the "Commitment/Goal Announcing" Post. 

Challenge Guidelines:

1. You must set at least one health-related goal for yourself.  It is your choice if you'd like to pick a goal that challenges you for the seasons or that will help you simply stay on track throughout the season.  
2. Feel free to pick more than one goal.  One year I picked a physical goal and and emotional goal.  Be creative, really think about what YOU need to help yourself stay healthy while you enjoy your holiday season. 
3. Check in every Friday with an update to how you are doing with your goal(s).  I will have a Friday post up both here and on Instagram for you to comment with your update. 
4. You may miss up to 3 check-ins/updates to be eligible for the drawing at the end.  So, three weeks you can skip an update and still be in the challenge.  (This helps especially during Thanksgiving weekend and Christmas weekend and any traveling)
5.  No shaming of others, including yourself.  If you need to challenge yourself, fine, but please let's be civil and remember we are all in this together. 

So, think about it and look for a formal "commitment" post next week to sign up.  I hope you can join me! 

My Current Views

 Well, hello there! 

You know it's been a while since you blogged when you can't remember what you last talked about. [grin]

Our girls are moved, safe and sound and appear to be having the time of their lives.  Someone asked me if they have commented on the levels of homework or class work and no, they haven't.  I think the Advanced Placement classes they took last year prepared them well for hard classes and lots of homework;  either that or it's too early to tell. 

Instead I hear stories about things like the kid who read ever. single. label. on his clothing while sorting in the washers at the dorm laundromat and how fun it is to get together with friends on the weekends.  I'm getting good at using SnapChat too.  lol

Books are on the shelves now, just need to hang wall decor. Woot!

Meanwhile we have also moved and are done with that stressful mess, well...done cleaning the old place.   I'm about 75% settled in the new one.  Yeah, if I can help it I like to move in and make a place home asap.   

In case you care why it was stressful (I don't think I've ever been as stressed in a move as I was this time.) An apartment became available early, so we could move by the end of August (versus by September 15th), but it put us in a stressful state trying to pack and move and clean all in about 10 days, with my husband not having a weekend day off.  

I'd say we shouldn't have done that, but when we got our full deposit back and we've saved on extra rent from an overlap that would've occurred this month... I guess it was worth it.  

I was walking so fast my camera was shaky. Ha!

Now that the move (or moves..) is (are) done I feel settled and more focused on my health.  We only moved 5 minutes from our old house, which thankfully still leaves me close to my gym.  Yay!  So, I've been back there and today I went for a walk at a park down the street from my house.  I ran into many walkers and a runner or two.  It's still very warm and humid here in the mornings, but being outside is so refreshing.  

I'll leave you with this quote that was on the display during my Weight Watchers meeting this week.  We were to look over our summer and see what we could change or would do the same.  

It gave me some things to think about and hopefully I'll share them along the way, until then..I'm doing better. I'm alive and now I need to fold laundry and maybe hang up some wall decor.  :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Changing Routines

Note:  This is a photo-less post, because I'm squeezing some blogging in between packing boxes. :)

Hi!  I'm alive and the girls are moved and settled at their colleges! :)

It continues to be quite busy around here, because we are also now moving.  However, it's working out pretty good -- the second college student move ended and we came home with perfect time to focus on our own move.

I also feel more ready to focus on my health.  One of the things I am working on is making sure to get some exercise in daily.  To make it as regular to me as my morning devotions; so necessary that I feel lost if I skip it.  

To be honest, exercising is easy for me when I don't have a lot going on, but when I get busy it's the first thing to go.  I don't always regret that, as it is sometimes what my schedule requires, but I know intentional exercise is key for me to be healthier.

Making sure to get exercise in has required me to rethink my days a little and I'm finding that it works out nicely if I get it done directly after taking my son to school.  This means I come home and do my devotions after exercise, which I was hesitant to do because I like to start my day with devotions before any distractions set in.  

When I'm at the gym, or walking, my mind begins to think about the day and it takes a bit of focus to block it all out for just a little longer to spend some time in prayer.  However, I've followed this new schedule for a few days and it's gone just fine.

Changing up my routine is a little uncomfortable, but I think as I really think about what's important to me and make decisions to take care of those priorities I will be a better person for it.

I Choose Better

Cute bowl make everything taste better!

We have a new leader at my Weight Watcher meetings and I'm falling in leader love.  She's ultra peppy and motivating, she has lost weight two times and understands the struggle not only to lose, but to maintain, and most importantly... she believes in us.

As she discussed the weekly meeting subject of optimism I leaned over to my WW friend and commented, "She makes me think I can do this.  (old leader) made me feel okay for not doing so great, because she understood life struggles, but this lady makes me want to try harder." 

Later when I realized I have now lost the 4 pounds I gained during my trip to Arizona I was even more inspired that I can indeed get back on track.  

In fact, I found myself eating my grapes as a snack as I prepared lunch (and was starving!! the quick sugar was helpful I'm sure...)

But then today a food challenge of sorts hit me.  Nothing serious, but I knew what I had to do.

Lunchtime came and I had to decide between a bagel and cream cheese and a bowl of lower fat cottage cheese with toast broken in to it (it looks messy, but it's one of my favorites!!) I chose the cottage cheese mix.  

Can I have the bagel?  Yes.  I have room in my calorie/points budget for it, but it would've taken a great chunk out of my day.  

Do I really need a bagel?  No.  That's a lot of carbs for someone who isn't doing heavy cardio right now and my body, my blood sugar is what came to mind actually, will feel better having the cheese and toast. 

So, I chose the better. 

And for the first time in a long time I was proud of my choice.  Not because I haven't made some good choices recently, but because I told myself no to something I actually wanted to have but wasn't the best choice for me.  

And that better choice felt so good. 

It was a glimpse into what used to be my "new normal", and it gave me hope that I will be there again. [insert contented sigh] :)

Recuperating and (Re)Focusing

Well, look at that!  August is here.  We knew this summer would be a busy one and, indeed, it has been.  Grab a cup of your favorite beverage...I have a bit of catching up to do.  

Moving daughter #1 to her new college hometown went well.  Saying that final goodbye was so hard, but not because I wasn't happy for her or excited at her opportunities ahead... The night before her sister and I would leave to return home I felt nerves and anxious like the night before a race.  

I texted a friend and said I feel like I do before a race, "Just get me over the start line and everything will be fine."  I just wanted to get over the actual "goodbye" and then I felt I'd be fine.  

Bye for now!

And I was.  And I am.  

Oddly enough, the hardest part about the first week with her gone was catching up on sleep.  I was exhausted last week.  It's like I needed a vacation to recoup from the vacation.  I guess stress will do that to you.

But she is nicely settled and I feel more like my normal self now.  It's been fun hearing about her adventures with friends and sending and receiving texts about things, like what to wear to the job interview.  She got the job, by the way.  Woot!  We won't have to pay for gas and groceries for much longer.  lol 

And now I'm settling down into as much a routine as one can when there's another child to move to college and a move for our own household in the works.  

My son tried capturing this beautiful sunset as we went to look at an apartment one evening.

Yes, as if there isn't anything else for me to to, we've decided to downsize and use what we'll be saving in rent and utilities to pay off some debt.  We also want to start looking for a house to buy.  This is a first for us and I'm excited about the process.  The best part, for me, is since we'll be downsized and be paying off debt, if the house buying process takes a while I won't mind, because we'll be using that time to continue to pay off debt. 

You can tell I'm excited about this debt-paying thing since I've mentioned it like four times in the last paragraph.  LOL  :D 

I'm also excited to get more focused on my weight again.  

I'm lying. 

I actually teared up in fear yesterday talking to the new WW leader after the meeting.  She is a spunky leader with a story very similar to mine and when I told her I didn't raise my hand at her, "How many of you will make it to goal weight?" [insert rah! rah! 120% positive enthusiasm] 

She asked why and I explained, "Because I can't imagine weighing 145 pounds."  I explained I had maintained 160-165 for a year and a half, but the thought of getting any lower just frightens me.  As I shared the latter I felt this wall of fear creep up to protect my heart and emotions.  

I'm good at sharing my story and not being nervous, accepting failures come, etc. etc., but my heart started pounding a mile a minute as I spoke with her.  We agreed the battle is in the mind and I just looked at her with a nervous smile and said I would work on speaking positive words.  

On my way home I also added, "Take it one day at a time."  When I started with WW back in April I told myself my goal was to get through one day, and then through the next day.  Each day added up and I saw regular losses.  

Unfortunately, I'm still not good with juggling staying on plan and planning graduations and moving, etc.  I know it's a laziness of sorts, but I also think it's a space thing.

I only have the capacity to focus on so many things at once.  But before I go on about how I working through choosing what to focus on, just be assured I am including my health at the top of that list. 

While fear of failure may threaten to overtake me when I think about reaching a weight loss goal, the fire of determination that I refuse to be 232 lbs again is still there.  Pushing me on.  

Because, if you've been around here for any length of time you already know...I. refuse. to. quit. 

So, here I am.  Living well, enjoying my summer that will fall in the books as unforgettable I'm sure.  And if you made it this far... kudos and I hope you enjoyed your beverage along the way.  [grin]

Thanks for stopping by!