Peace, Love, and Getting Healthy

A blog that was designed to help me on my journey to a healthier lifestyle but is also full of all the randomness that is me.

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I need to up my step game, but I am excited about what I have already accomplished.

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My dinner was so awesome! I hate to cook, but I am so proud when I actually do.

[mymonthlyworkoutchallenge]

Welcome to April’s Challenge!!

This month you will be working in groups to achieve points by working out in order to make your group number one!

Each Group Will Be Representing a charity.

In honor of the group that wins with the most points I will donate $25 dollars to the groups charity!

You Have Been Challenged…

You are challenged to work out as many days as you can, and keep track of the time length of your workouts.

Please keep in mind this is a healthy competition to stay motivated with working out. Please do not try and do more than your body is capable of doing, just to win. Stay comfortable, and be healthy about it.

Each week you will submit to me the days that you have worked out detailing what activity you have done to work out and for how long.

I will post weekly updates on where the standing of each group is.

How Do I Get Points For My Group?

You can achieve points based on the below point system in regards to time length of your workout.

15 - 20 Minutes = 4 Points

21 – 30 Minutes – 6 Points

31 – 40 Minutes = 7 Points

41 – 50 Minutes= 9 Points

51 – 60 Minutes = 11 Points

61 – 90 Minutes = 13 Points

91 – 120 Minutes = 15 Points

Over 2 Hours = 18 Points

*Note you have to do at least 15 minutes to considered starting off towards working towards points.

How Will This Be Tracked?

This will purely be on the honor system. So please no cheating, and don’t ruin this for others by lying.

I will ask that Monday - Sunday you keep track of your own workouts and times.

At the end of Sunday/ beginning of the following Monday you will then message me or *e-mail me your weekly results so that I can mark them down.

PLEASE include the number date, time length, associated points per day, and overall added total.

*I have had a created e-mail for almost a year now specifically for this challenge that you will be given the information for at a later date.

You need to have specifics for each day, just so I know how you achieved your points

Example:

3/2 (Sunday) - 40 minutes walking = 7 points

3/2 (Sunday) - 30 minutes Gym = 6 points

¾ (Tuesday) 15 minutes jump roping = 4 points

*It is possible to earn more than one set of points in a day if you do different activities

HOW TO ENTER:

If you would like to be a part of Aprils challenge please  REBLOG or  COMMENT on this post with your 1-4 choices (*see above for details)

**If you reblog with no comment I will assume you are just boosting and I thank you**

You have until the end of April 2nd  to sign up for this challenge.

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I went on a hike today. It was basically a clusterfuck from start to finish, but it did have some fun parts. I think I got my steps in today.

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I am done posting pictures of myself

This nasty porn blog, https://itizhhtnsyoc.tumblr.com/, decided to steal my most recent photo, delete my caption, add a skeezy caption and a sketchy link, and reblogged it to their site. I feel super gross and will never post another picture of myself on this site again. I will also be deleting all photos of myself that I have ever posted. @staff needs to help get my picture off that blog. I have never been the best at maintaining an online presence, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to delete my whole blog.

For the record, I don’t care if you have a porn blog or follow porn blogs, just don’t steal other peoples pictures and make them nasty.

[phoenix-inthe-flames]

Best laid plans

I had to postpone my meeting with the trainer until tomorrow. My oldest had to stay home because he's sick so I had to make an appointment with his doctor. Poor little guy has strep again, but at least the strep doesn't occur as often as it did before he got his tonsils taken out. As for me, I didn't have the world's healthiest lunch and I can't make it to the gym, but I plan on getting a workout in this evening. I rescheduled my appointment with the trainer for tomorrow evening (when my husband will be home to watch the kids) and I will get a workout in then. I refuse to let this setback stop me.

[mymonthlyworkoutchallenge]

At last week one tracking is complete and up for your viewing pleasure!!!

As of right now THE REAL CONTENDERS are a force to be reckoned with!!

But really awesome job for last week everyone, you all are rocking some amazing numbers!

Remember the next tracking will be from the 6th-12th.

Happy getting that sweat on everyone.

@erikarunsforherlife, @watch-me-be-a-better-me, @hiitmetogreatness, @less-flower, @lovechangingbody-blog-blog, @emar3083, @shrinkingbacktolife, @fitandjiggly, @moretufflesspuff, @coffeeandfitblr, @wishfulthinkingallthetime, @itismylifeitismystory, @losingit-alloveragain, @evolutionofacosfitter, @th3blackestberry, @alwayslookforwardnotback, @kriopatra, @rozigetsfit, @crystalfindsherstrength, @williamson531,  @cappuccinodiaries. @allyisapunkrocker, @missymaemae, @lil-miss-confidence, @buffalospirit, @reinventingaesthetic, @itismytimenow, @phoenix-inthe-flames, @greensgrainsgains, @lilblackcloud2015, @nietzchesabyss, @wiserstrongerbetter, @just-anka, @road-runnnerr, @tobefitforme, @autumnfitness, @helloweightwatcher, @learningtolovetherun, @alliesveggies, @thatwifelife, @fatmaninalittlesuit, @fullmetal-fitblr, @runnersandheels, @poetryandmovement,  @i-go-bananacrazy, @10monthstochange, @killdreamz, @nezya, @hippieninjapunk, @boo-badger, @theotherstephencobert

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Way to go, Contenders! You all did great! Come on Fitians, we got it this week!

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I'm pretty excited about this!

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January 2, 2017 (posted a day late)

I am very excited to say that I managed to do the second day of my yoga challenge! Today was harder than yesterday. I am really not good at kneeling. I have a surgery scar on my knee and even after 12 years, it HURTS to be knelt on. I have to kneel on a pillow to make it bearable (the yoga mat does nothing, nothing I say) but even that doesn’t really help. I did make it through, though, even if I had to rest and get off my knee here and there. I am proud of the decision I made to try yoga for the month. I will have no problem completing day 3, but day 4 will be a challenge. I go back to work on the 4th and I haven’t done a fantastic job in integrating exercise into my working day life...but I am committed so I will figure out how to get it done :-)

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FMLS90

Last month I stopped doing the FMLS90. I actually haven’t been on tumblr since either. I kind of figured I should explain, just in case anyone noticed my absence.

Last month my father passed away suddenly. Last month to the day, in fact. I couldn’t concentrate on the FMLS90 after that, even though I love the challenge. I couldn’t really do the social thing at all, let alone online. I am still struggling with being social, but this has always been a problem for me.

I am thinking about starting to post on tumblr again, but it will probably be more journal style to chronicle my journey. I have signed up for a local Turkey Trot 5K and have started the C25K again. Baby steps towards a healthier lifestyle.

Even though I do not plan to go back and complete this FMLS90, I would most likely do the challenge if it is ever started again in the future.

[phoenix-inthe-flames]

FMLS Days 52- 54

I am so glad that this weeks is over. I have run out of ways to say “I can’t answer this question”. Also, it has seriously been a bummer because it has brought to the forefront that I never travel, though I desperately want to. Anyway, here is the last of this week.

Day 52, Friday -  Share any tips you have learned to help overcome specific travel challenges like long flights, train rides and car rides.

I really don’t have any. Try to pack some healthy snacks/water to take with you. That’s really the best I’ve got.

Day 53, Saturday - Imagine a perfect fitness vacation where you could have fun and actually get fitter- what does it look like to you?

I could imagine a place with beaches so that I could walk & swim. I would also love a place with trails through wooded places so that I could hike. That would be amazing for me!

Day 54, Sunday - Weekly report time! Weekly reports are a critical part of my success so far. They are a form of public accountability and can help you make adjustments as you go.

I’m not going to lie, I overslept and went straight for the coffee. I didn’t weigh in this week. I think I will wait until next week. This week went well until Wednesday. My son had mega amounts of homework (in 1st grade!) and my husband had meetings so I ended up ordering a pizza because I couldn’t cook and help my kiddo with homework simultaneously. I also had some take out yesterday. I’m still working on not using convenience as a crutch as I really want to get healthy. I was able to get a workout in Friday night. I was super excited about that. No real workout yesterday, though. Hopefully today :-)

[phoenix-inthe-flames]

First workout in forever

You guys, I just did a 20 minute zumba workout after I got my kids to bed. This is huge! It may not seem huge, but I never (and I mean NEVER) have energy to workout after I get the kids to bed. I usually sit on the couch with my husband and chill until I can’t stay awake any longer. I probably would have done the same thing tonight, but my husband went to a friends house to help him and I was alone in the house. I seriously thought about enjoying the quiet and not doing anything. Maybe watching a girlie movie, at most. But, I realized that my body won’t change until my mind changes and I really need to change my mind. This does not mean I am cured and I will be working out every night after the kids are in bed, but it does mean that I took a baby step forward. Maybe I will step backward again, but I took that step forward tonight. Now to sit on the couch, drink my water, and watch my girlie movie.

[fatgirlgetsfitatlast]

Happiness...

The Ancient Greeks’ definition of happiness:

 “The joy you feel while striving toward your potential.”

source livehappy.com

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FMLS 90 Day 48-51

To be honest, I have kinda been avoiding these this week. I really don’t travel much and when I do it is for work and not for fun. I would love to go on vacation but I just don’t have the money. Ever. Ever ever. If I were to go on vacation I would totally treat myself and not care about fitness because the vacation thing is so rare I wouldn’t want to tarnish it’s vacationness with anything from reality. When I do go out of town it is for work and I am usually so dead exhausted (I don’t sleep well in hotels with people that aren’t my family) that I am surprised I manage to make it to the conferences let alone the gym. Here is my update. It’s really lame.

Day 48, Monday - When you are on vacation, do you usually “treat ‘yo self” or try to eat healthy?  I haven’t gone on vacation since 2011 and even then it was visiting family out of state. Generally we did fast food so that we didn’t eat them out of house and home as they were letting us stay there for free. It wasn’t so much treat yo self as it was cost efficient and trying not to be rude. We did take them out for a decent dinner as a thank you, that was a treat kind of a thing.

Day 49, Tuesday - How do you deal with snacking (both eating and drinking) while on a road trip? Any tips to help drivers stay awake? Again, we don’t road trip and the work trips I take generally don’t take so long as to need a snack. I don’t know, get a good nights sleep before you go and have someone else in the car that can nap while you drive and drive while you nap.

Day 50, Wednesday -  Do you exercise while on vacation? What tips do you have for staying active?  Whenever I go out of town I take my workout stuff but I never end up working out.

Day 51, Thursday - Tell us about either a fitness / travel win or a fitness travel loss and what you learned from it. Seriously, I never travel. I can’t answer this!

[phoenix-inthe-flames]

Pumpkin chocolate chip waffles for breakfast! 🎃 Yum yum.

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FMLS 90 Days 48 & 49

Day 48 -   Give your best tips for getting more / better quality sleep. Also reflect on any lessons learned this week.

I am sorry, I just don’t have any. If I had tips, my husband would get better sleep I promise you that. I guess the best thing I can say is to unplug before going to bed. Shut down the technology and keep it away from your room. Best advice I can offer, but maybe not the best advice for everyone.

Day 49 - Weekly report time! Weekly reports are a critical part of my success so far. They are a form of public accountability and can help you make adjustments as you go.

You can make these as simple or as complex as you would like. A Basic sample report is below. A complex sample report can be found here.

Basic Weekly:

Weight: 257.6

Gain / loss from last week: -3.2

Gain / loss from baseline: -3

What went well during last week that I should continue? I avoided most fast food. I only relied on the convenience once and I refrained from suggesting it even when I knew dinner would be later than normal without it.

What did not go well that I want to change? I didn’t get as many steps in and I didn’t do any planned exercise. I need to get up and moving. I think I am going to try to make movement a priority this week.

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FMLS90 Day 47

Day 47- How easy is it for you to fall asleep? Do you have any issues staying asleep?

I stay up until I am ready to drop. I generally fall asleep very quickly.

I would sleep better if my husband slept at the same time as me, but he really does have sleep problems and often doesn’t come to bed before 2 am. Then he wakes me up when he comes to bed. Most of the time I fall right back to sleep but not all the time.