60-Day Challenge Check-In 5/26-6/1

Comments

[hedra]

Blogging going well, but making me notice some things I haven't posted about. Which is good, but uncomfortable.

DC meetup with caramama was a GOOD bit of exercise, so ... back on schedule.

[paola]

Have realised that I need that afternoon sugar fix more than I want it. I start to get really hungry by around 6 without it and me and hubby usually eat past 8. Over the weekend I made Noah's favourite 'Far Breton', a baked custard with prunes we discovered in Brittany last year, which is actually healthy and not too sweet (contains flour, eggs, milk, prunes and sugar- I reduce the quantity). I indulged in the mid-afternoon and it kept me going till dinner time. Those other lovely natural sugar snacks are just not enough to keep me going till dinner time I'm afraid. And seeing that the mid-day indulgence doesn't cost in terms of weight gain, why the hell am I doing it to myself. As long as it's healthy.

Mental: pretty good. Noah has been home with a cold for the last two days and seeing he is having his usual 3 hour nap in the afternoon , rather than 1 or none, he is such a pleasure to have at home. And guess what, I'm not stressed as I don't have a grumpy, toddler-beating 3 year old to deal with. Shame he has to go back to kinder tomorrow.

[michaela]

Physical: I make my grand return to yoga class tonight! Clothes are already set out and I have arranged other stuff so that I *will* be there. And it's a slow-flow class, which will be perfect for my still-recovering lungs... I have to say, I never realized how debilitating pneumonia could be in an otherwise healthy person!

Mental/emotional: wow, has this been a week for, umm, learning about myself. Followed my dr's protocol to slowly wean off the z0l0ft I've been taking since my bout of PPD last year. Thought I was doing fine... until I really wasn't. Needless to say, no close time w/ the husband as I was alternately flying off the handle and sobbing. So, waiting for the dr to call me back w/ new dosage info. And trying not to beat myself up for needing the meds. (Side note: I would *never* think less of a friend for being on them -- why is it so effing hard to accept it for myself??)

[Moxie]

I've been rocking the retainer. Only three nights missed so far.

The journaling has completely fallen by the wayside. I've been knitting instead. Which is creative and soothing in a different way, so I'm cutting myself slack on it. Of course, I *could* be posting about my knitting on my opened-but-never-populated Ravelry.com account...

[Moxie]

Michaela, I think going back to yoga will help you wean off the Z0loft. The core exercises in yoga will help regulate glucose which will regulate your hormones. (That's why T-Tapp works so well to maintain/improve mood. And pilates, too.) So upping your goa, Omega 3s, B-complex, and magnesium intake should help you get off the Vitamin Z.

And of course you want to get off--why take a med long-term if you don't need it anymore? It's not about being weak--it's about managing your body sensibly. If you were recovering from surgery *of course* you'd take painkillers. But once you were completely healed from the surgery it wouldn't make sense to keep on with the painkillers. Same thing to me.

[enu]

I did not make my marks this week! Swam a dismal ONCE. Slogged through perhaps 45 pages of the book I'm reading.

Resolve to do better this week!

[Clementine]

Physical: I feel like my core is getting stronger. Many days I still don't eke out the 5 minutes to do any actual exercises, but I'm going a good job of being mindful of my posture and muscles, especially when walking or doing yard work.

Mental: I've made some progress on gentle thinking about how I'm doing. Last week wasn't so great, as I started to worry about not doing enough at work. But I had a bit of a breakthrough, I think. @Hedra had written about the tentativeness that children show after being complimented for an innate trait. I think I've been acting on that for years. Just this weekend, my Mom commented that I'd be fine at work because I am so quick ('smart'). Well, there are plenty of days I don't feel smart, and that comment didn't make me feel good--like I couldn't do it. When I rephrased it in my head to be that I'd be fine at work because I work hard, it felt a lot better. It's funny how that tentativeness works to hold me back.

I'm also taking on a quote from Knitting Daily that they use to encourage people to try new things even if they might not turn out right: "Be fearless."

@Moxie--I also find knitting to be very relaxing and meditative. It also gives an immediate, visible, and tangible result of effort and attention. As much as I like my job and love my children, the results of time and attention with them are much less immediate. (my Ravelry account isn't populated, either)

[Lisa]

Physical: Doing great! Have exercised consistently. In addition to T-Tapp, I have added the elliptical machine back into the mix. I do a t-tapp and 30 min on the ellip. I feel really good. OH! And I just received t-tapp Tempo for Torso and did it for the first time last night (from the $10 promo last week). I LOVE it! 30 minutes and fun exercises!

[Joceline]

Wow. I've been avoiding checking in, because...I've bombed. Out of town, usual excuses, and then after about two days of success with the challenge, I had some rather shocking news. It turns out that I'm pregnant, and that means #2 will be 16 months behind #1. I really need to get it together with the fruits and veggies, now that I am growing two children (still breastfeeding), but I've been sick and have eaten Cheerios for the last 4 meals. I'm hoping that posting here now will give me the kick start I need to focus on these goals, which seem even more important now.

Here's to the next week of success (whenever I can choke it down!)

[ada]

Physical - missed my last 2 TTapp workouts. I'm trying to do BWO+ every other day. However, I'm not feeling bad about missing those workouts as I've also started walking - a lot - every day.

I'm participating in the Global Corporate Challenge. Its a walking challenge, based out of Australia, where my company just happens to have several offices. I'm walking on a "team" with 6 other people from my company. The goal is to walk 10,000 steps every day for FOUR MONTHS!! Sat & Sun I walked over 15,000 steps - so hence the no TTAPP. I'm feeling pretty good about all this exercise I'm getting.

Mental - just trying to be more aware of what's going on around and in me. Its not going so well, but I keep plugging away.

[ada]

Physical - missed my last 2 TTapp workouts. I'm trying to do BWO+ every other day. However, I'm not feeling bad about missing those workouts as I've also started walking - a lot - every day.

I'm participating in the Global Corporate Challenge. Its a walking challenge, based out of Australia, where my company just happens to have several offices. I'm walking on a "team" with 6 other people from my company. The goal is to walk 10,000 steps every day for FOUR MONTHS!! Sat & Sun I walked over 15,000 steps - so hence the no TTAPP. I'm feeling pretty good about all this exercise I'm getting.

Mental - just trying to be more aware of what's going on around and in me. Its not going so well, but I keep plugging away.

[Madeleine]

Physical: I just did my T-Tapp, but it was my first in a week. Once a week is better than nothing. I also did a bunch of walking at the end of last week, which made my knee a bit cranky, which was my excuse for skipping T-Tapp on Monday. Anyway, onward and onward. I need to go in to the gym I'm quitting and quit. They just charged me for this month and I DON'T want to pay again next month.

Mental: Doing pretty well with not freaking out at my daughter to get ready to go out. Not perfect, but pretty good.

[rw]

Joceline! - your story is practically my story! Went out of town, fell off the T-tapp routine, ate like a mama bear at mom's house because of celebrations, etc. and now, it all makes sense as to why I'm ravenous all the time because I'm BFing and preggers, too, (I'm estimating they're 18 mos apart - haven't seen OB yet). I wasn't even sick and I've been scarfing down Cheerios. Maybe it's a craving and that's OK?
PHYSICAL: I started back up on T-tapp yesterday...ordered the full workout to supplement the basic workout I've been doing. Can't wait for it to arrive. Went grocery shopping this morning so I can cook decently later today. This time around, I'm getting nauseous, so trying to cut myself slack by ordering fairly healthy, yummy takeout so I'm not in the kitchen too much.
MENTAL: I created a really good book list and the first book I picked to read happens to be really engaging so I've been enjoying my reading time during her naps. I don't get out of the house enough though. One thing at a time.

[WireGryphon]

Physical: I completely fell off the no-salting bandwagon. And I'm feeling all bloaty as a result.

Mental: doing great on this one - being kinder to myself. Including not beating myself up over failing at my physical goal. Picking myself and getting right back to it is so much more productive!

[Katie B.]

Congratulations to Jocelin and RW!

Physical: Doing pretty well at the basic level, actually (although I skipped brushing a couple of times in the last week). Not doing so well on the part where I'm supposed to use this medicated mouthwash half an hour minimum before brushing... but hey, I'm brushing!

Mental: Just too darn fatigued to get my journaling/blogging done. I haven't even gotten the pictures off my camera for the next post I have planned, and those were taken Sunday! I'm trying not to beat myself up about it - sleeping early to late with a couple of naps a day doesn't leave much time, but I still think I should be able to get it all done, "it" being actually pretty minimal.

[virgo]

Mental: the goal of living in/remaining in the moment has been going great. It's something I can do *all* the time now. And what a relief to not think/worry about stuff that already happened. And a relief to spend less time worrying/planning what I'm going to do. It has allowed me to really be aware of the smallest details of my days with 4.5 month old DS.

Physical: not doing so bad. Could be eating more fruits & veggies, in addition to focusing on not eating bad carbs.

[Charisse]

Mental: finished Kindred and "No One Makes You Shop At Wal-Mart", which is actually about game theory. Reading "American Nerd" by Ben Nugent.

Physical: oof. I guess I've been getting some leaves, but not making a lot of progress on reducing the seeds in my food chain.

Had a nasty cold last week and didn't make yoga at all, feeling the need desperately--maybe I'll try & go tomorrow.

[Catherine]

Physical: so, so good -- I routinely drink 5-6 glasses of water a day now, and the diet soda consumption is way down. Though I still have that panicked, deprived feeling if I think about this challenge in terms of cutting back on soda -- and instantly want to drink nothing but soda -- so I'm still telling myself that there's no limit to how much I can drink as long as I have my water, too.

Emotional: Okay -- not meeting my intimacy-with-my-husband goal according to the numbers, but doing way better than we would be if it weren't for this challenge. Closing on our first house, defending the dissertation, plus a slew of serious health problems in our immediate families means we're spending a ton of time traveling, in the hospital, and otherwise under stress, which typically prompts both of us to avoid intimacy. So, yeah, we're having sex at least once a week through all this so that I don't lose face on Ask Moxie. Romantic, right?

Oh, and Michaela, good luck getting off the meds, but I did want you to know that I owe my sanity and my daughter's health and happiness to the 30 mg of Prozac I take each morning. Would it be nice not to need them? Sure -- but I also have come to realize that for me, part of being a responsible adult and a good mother is being okay with the fact that my brain chemistry, for now at least, needs tweaking. I just wanted to put that out there because I'm sure Moxie's right about yoga helping with your mood (I so miss being able to go to the gym every day), but I know that the self-loathing part of me instantly misread her comment as a suggestion that non-pharmaceutical remedies are always the better choice, and that being on antidepressants is obviously undesirable. Which is *not* what she said or intended, I know, but since you implied that you're already feeling bad about not getting off the Zooloft as fast as you'd hoped I just wanted you to know that for me, even if yoga were a better choice, it's a moot point: for now, I need those meds. So I take them.

[pnuts mama]

not so bad this week- been eating better, happy that i'm definitely not as swollen as i was w/ pnut at this stage of the game, but am starting to get super uncomfortable. this kid has definitely dropped- i can feel him jamming into my bladder. ugh. but almost 35 weeks is awesome and we're hoping for at least one more- so!much!left!to!do!, better for him, and still cherishing the "not having a newborn in the house" phase yet.
also been managing my emotions better, i think. not flying off the handle as much, which is really great. also nesting, not the manic energy right before labor, more of the "eww, that's the grossest thing i've ever seen, let me clean it immediately" nesting.

and one more chapter in that awful book to read and then i can move on wrapping up a section of a chapter for review- not too bad.

congrats to all the newly-pregnant mamas!! yay!

[Suz]

physical: 5 hours of exercise last week, 3 hours so far this week.

mental: no journal. I need a new mental goal.

Michaela-I just went off my zoloft. I had been on it for 10 years. The side effects can be brutal! I took 4 full months to taper down my dosage and still put up with a week of crazy brain zaps and double vision at times. Some people just really need to wean slowly. And, it's important to remember that these physical side effects can overwhelm you emotionally, therefore making you feel like you need the drugs. Talk to your doctor about SLOW weaning. Also, I did my weaning according to my menstral cycle, which seemed to help. Good Luck and keep an open mind. If you need it, you need it. Don't beat yourself up and recognize that it might just be a part of your life for awhile. Maybe you can reassess your need for the drug in 6 months, or a year or 5 years. Just remind yourself to give yourself a break and ease off on the to-do list, just like you would encourage a friend to do!

[Joceline]

That makes me feel better, RW! Having just finished my umpteenth bowl of Cheerios right now (with blueberries this time!), and flopped on the living room floor while my son crawls all over me, I needed to hear that someone else is in the same boat!

Congrats!

[caramama]

I'm doing okay with my servings of fruits/veggies. I think this week, I've probably hit it all week so far.

The goal for charting is not being met. I was at least trying to pay attention to my body's signs, but I'm so stressed right now that my body might be a little kooky. At least we aren't trying yet.

And I can't believe I'm missing out on Moxie's posts, and the comments, this week! I really wanted to keep up, but I can barely keep my head above water this week. Oh well, maybe I'll get a chance next week... while I'm at the beach with dial up... Not likely!

[Natalie]

So far I've gotten in 2 workouts this week, and my body is feeling a little stronger. Also rode my bike to the garden shop to pick up a few flowers to plant in the pots on the front steps. That doesn't quite count as exercise, since the terrain is mostly flat and the garden shop is just over a mile away. But it felt good to do, and it was nice not to drive.

My daily music-making goal is more like 5-6 times/week. My heart and hands are happier even if I skip a day, so I'm not going to worry about it - just try to find ways to make it easier to play every day!

[ada]

I have completely fallen off the bandwagon this week. I have missed 3 TTapp workouts now. And I don't see how I'll squeeze one in today.

[JB]

Phew. We are here in Spokane -- moved in, about half unpacked, crucial systems functioning (kitchen, laundry, naps, ha ha.) Three-year-old not sleeping, baby cheerful and happy. 50 percent is pretty good, really, but it feels like hell on wheels when I get up for the tenth time at night because my daughter is itchy/hot/cold/shirt is inside out/needs to go potty/thirsty/inarticulate weeping (that last one is me.) Lots of fun activities with the kids before they go into day care at the end of June, and slow unpacking since it is so much less critical than packing was. Trying to be calm about it and develop new routines. We've found the park, a couple of blocks away, and that's good for all of us. I am feeling pretty good about my mom skills these days.

Fruits and veggies are way, way easier here than they were those last few stressful weeks before the move. So easy that they are almost not a challenge. I'm doing great. And I have contacted a grand total of three neglected friends since the challenge began. I declare this one, so far, considering the circumstances, a grand slam.

[jbq+h]

oops.

[&BabyMakes75]

Physical: on and off biking to work but am trying... yesterday I ordered a seat for my bike for my son so I could bike him to his pre-school next week. I hope for good weather so I can do that!

Mental: I'm trying to demonstrate that "I am worth it" by packing my own lunch rather than grabbing something for lunch that'll give me "food hangover" in the morning. Been doing so-so on that. Will try again.

[Coach Factory]

Usually two people are together, love each other or the like.