I have newly discovered that I am not only human but that it is also OK to make mistakes! Therfore, every week I will be keeping a journal of progress made as well as my total fails since I suspect there will be a lot of those.
In the like of the great George Costanza, I am trying to go against every single one of my instincts and do the opposite of what I would normally do! Part of My Great Challenge is to reach new levels of humility and the ability to admit fault. It's all therapeutic if you ask me, but does it really work? Time will tell!
I am not going to boast about great, fantastic nor amazingly enlightening results, week 1 was only a partial victory.
Goal #1: Increase water:
It is not a secret, water is good for you! It is definitely good for me and in order to motivate myself about increasing my water intake, I purchased this water bottle at Walgreen's:
It is said you are supposed to drink 8 glasses of water per day (8x8 oz = 64oz) and conveniently enough, this is exactly 8 glasses. Yes, I know, it is a chunk to carry!
So on days 1,2 and 3, I did pretty well, I took my bottle to work, originally filled up from my Poland Spring water cooler. Then I realized we have one at work and I might as well use their water rather than mine (I am cheap like that). I did observe and experience some good results. Apart from the constant bathroom breaks, I did notice that my face, in particular my jawline, was less puffy, I did feel more energetic and less bloated.
On day 4 however, I forgot to take my bottle to work! So guess what happened? I returned home that day feeling sluggish, seriously bloated, having realized my liquid intake was limited to coffee and diet soda. Coincidentally (or maybe not) I also stopped watching what I was eating and that went on for the rest of the week!
Lesson learned:
Water intake is connected to food intake in particular whether I will deviate from my goal.
So I went online to re motivate myself at the beginning of week 2 and this is what I found this article about the benefits of drinking water (click on the link):
11 benefits of drinking water
Interestingly, the brain consists of 90% water...depriving yourself of water results in dehydration of the brain, totally makes sense, and therefore performance on every level is reduced/affected. No thank you!
Adjustment made:
I will purchase another bottle to stash at work, so if I forget mine at home, I will have a back up! And to make the water more enjoyable, I will add just a sprinkle of Crystal light (not the full dose) to give it some taste.
Goal #2: reducing carbs:
If you have ever experienced short lived motivation that crashed just like that, mid air, you will appreciate this: days 1, 2 and 3 were filled with energy and awesome spirit and then chocolate showed up out of nowhere, I swear it did on day 4, thus causing day 5 to be reconsidered and of course, 6 and 7 followed suite with the revenge of the great white bread and the chocolate covered pretzel ice cream!
Foodwise I started with awesome good intentions to really watch what I was eating. I said I would not go on a diet because diets are something I can do very well, quite impressively I might add, the issue however has always been post dieting maintenance ...You know, when the pounds come back with their extra friends. I have completed every diet, just name one, Idied went through it. And diets work, they really do, because starving yourself to 1200 calories or under per day will make you shrink, no matter how you call it. I have discovered though that fat cells have memory, and a good one no less, so they want to go back to the good old days and be prepared for the next round by stockpiling a bit, you know, just in case. So, I am not going on a diet! I am done with that nonsense!
Instead I watched what I was eating and replaced danger foods with better/healthier choices. The first few days went very well, I cooked veggies, chose proteins as snack rather than the usual slab of Nutella over processed bread. Then something happened (I stopped drinking water) and deviated from my goals. The rest is history.
Lessons learned:
1. I deviated because on day 4 and 5, I did not drink any water! Ah Ah!
2. If I deviate, I use it as an excuse to let everything else fall apart wanting to start the clock over instead, the following week.
Adjustment made:
DRINK THE WATER! Also, write what I eat. I have to accept that it is OK to deviate, but instead of surrendering to gluttony, I need to pick myself up and move on.
Goal#3: Earlier bedtime routine:
Reporting a massive fail on goal #3 here. This bedtime routine thing has been my toughest one since very young. I find it difficult to go to bed before 11 PM, a remainder of my college days I guess. I also suffer from insomnia, and over the years I have found that generally going to bed early was never a good idea for me!
However, having some major health issues and concerns lately, I figured perhaps it would behoove me to catch additional ZZZZs!
Our bedtime routine has been the same for years, we put the kids to bed at 9PM, cleanup and what not until maybe 9:30PM. Then we are on the computers quite possibly until 10:30PM or later. Seinfeld reruns (two of them) and there you have it, we usually hit the pillow by midnight, waking up at 5:45AM. Insane!
These days, it has been the both of us falling asleep while watching TV! Whoever wakes up first is in charge of ensuring the other gets to bed too! Last night it was Scott who woke me up at 1:30AM! So much for earlier bedtime routine!
Suddenly it hit me! THIS is why older folks buy these horrendous looking recliners for their living room!
Lesson learned:
Nothing on TV is more important than sleep, and if it is, there is always DVR!
Adjustment made:
If I need to be in bed (lights out) by 11 PM, I better get my act together by 10:30PM!
Week 1 has had a few lessons and adjustments. I am starting week 2 with the same goals:
1. drink more water
2. watch what I eat - less carbs
3. go to bed by 10:30PM
I am not adding any new goal because obviously I have to make baby steps here. Alas, until I tackle these goals, I am not moving on to more ambitious ones in the like of prepping for the NYC Marathon!
And I know someone else who has struggled her entire life to get her act together...
Sophia.
In the like of the great George Costanza, I am trying to go against every single one of my instincts and do the opposite of what I would normally do! Part of My Great Challenge is to reach new levels of humility and the ability to admit fault. It's all therapeutic if you ask me, but does it really work? Time will tell!
WEEK ONE - GREAT CHALLENGE GOALS
1. To increase water intake
2. To reduce bread and other refined carb intake
3. To increase sleep with earlier bedtime routine
I am not going to boast about great, fantastic nor amazingly enlightening results, week 1 was only a partial victory.
Goal #1: Increase water:
It is not a secret, water is good for you! It is definitely good for me and in order to motivate myself about increasing my water intake, I purchased this water bottle at Walgreen's:
 |
| 1.89 Liter or 64 Oz. |
It is said you are supposed to drink 8 glasses of water per day (8x8 oz = 64oz) and conveniently enough, this is exactly 8 glasses. Yes, I know, it is a chunk to carry!
So on days 1,2 and 3, I did pretty well, I took my bottle to work, originally filled up from my Poland Spring water cooler. Then I realized we have one at work and I might as well use their water rather than mine (I am cheap like that). I did observe and experience some good results. Apart from the constant bathroom breaks, I did notice that my face, in particular my jawline, was less puffy, I did feel more energetic and less bloated.
On day 4 however, I forgot to take my bottle to work! So guess what happened? I returned home that day feeling sluggish, seriously bloated, having realized my liquid intake was limited to coffee and diet soda. Coincidentally (or maybe not) I also stopped watching what I was eating and that went on for the rest of the week!
Lesson learned:
Water intake is connected to food intake in particular whether I will deviate from my goal.
So I went online to re motivate myself at the beginning of week 2 and this is what I found this article about the benefits of drinking water (click on the link):
11 benefits of drinking water
Interestingly, the brain consists of 90% water...depriving yourself of water results in dehydration of the brain, totally makes sense, and therefore performance on every level is reduced/affected. No thank you!
Adjustment made:
I will purchase another bottle to stash at work, so if I forget mine at home, I will have a back up! And to make the water more enjoyable, I will add just a sprinkle of Crystal light (not the full dose) to give it some taste.
Goal #2: reducing carbs:
If you have ever experienced short lived motivation that crashed just like that, mid air, you will appreciate this: days 1, 2 and 3 were filled with energy and awesome spirit and then chocolate showed up out of nowhere, I swear it did on day 4, thus causing day 5 to be reconsidered and of course, 6 and 7 followed suite with the revenge of the great white bread and the chocolate covered pretzel ice cream!
Foodwise I started with awesome good intentions to really watch what I was eating. I said I would not go on a diet because diets are something I can do very well, quite impressively I might add, the issue however has always been post dieting maintenance ...You know, when the pounds come back with their extra friends. I have completed every diet, just name one, I
Instead I watched what I was eating and replaced danger foods with better/healthier choices. The first few days went very well, I cooked veggies, chose proteins as snack rather than the usual slab of Nutella over processed bread. Then something happened (I stopped drinking water) and deviated from my goals. The rest is history.
Lessons learned:
1. I deviated because on day 4 and 5, I did not drink any water! Ah Ah!
2. If I deviate, I use it as an excuse to let everything else fall apart wanting to start the clock over instead, the following week.
Adjustment made:
DRINK THE WATER! Also, write what I eat. I have to accept that it is OK to deviate, but instead of surrendering to gluttony, I need to pick myself up and move on.
Goal#3: Earlier bedtime routine:
Reporting a massive fail on goal #3 here. This bedtime routine thing has been my toughest one since very young. I find it difficult to go to bed before 11 PM, a remainder of my college days I guess. I also suffer from insomnia, and over the years I have found that generally going to bed early was never a good idea for me!
However, having some major health issues and concerns lately, I figured perhaps it would behoove me to catch additional ZZZZs!
Our bedtime routine has been the same for years, we put the kids to bed at 9PM, cleanup and what not until maybe 9:30PM. Then we are on the computers quite possibly until 10:30PM or later. Seinfeld reruns (two of them) and there you have it, we usually hit the pillow by midnight, waking up at 5:45AM. Insane!
These days, it has been the both of us falling asleep while watching TV! Whoever wakes up first is in charge of ensuring the other gets to bed too! Last night it was Scott who woke me up at 1:30AM! So much for earlier bedtime routine!
Suddenly it hit me! THIS is why older folks buy these horrendous looking recliners for their living room!
Lesson learned:
Nothing on TV is more important than sleep, and if it is, there is always DVR!
Adjustment made:
If I need to be in bed (lights out) by 11 PM, I better get my act together by 10:30PM!
Week 1 has had a few lessons and adjustments. I am starting week 2 with the same goals:
1. drink more water
2. watch what I eat - less carbs
3. go to bed by 10:30PM
I am not adding any new goal because obviously I have to make baby steps here. Alas, until I tackle these goals, I am not moving on to more ambitious ones in the like of prepping for the NYC Marathon!
And I know someone else who has struggled her entire life to get her act together...
 |
| 1960 - Never seen before picture of Marilyn Monroe on the set of Time for Love. The picture is going on auction this week. She's just fabulous! |
weakness is what interferes with work and study. if you feel weak, then you should:
ReplyDelete1) seek medical help
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3) be positive