Goals for July

It's July 1st, which means it's time to reflect on the month of June and the progress I made on my goals as well as set new goals for this month!

June's Goals

1. Get into the 180's

2. 15 runs in June

3. 90 oz water per day

4. Track w/integrity EVERY DAY!!

I'm happy to report on each of these goals!! WOOHOO!

Get into the 180's

I'm happy to report that as of this morning I'm fluctuating between 189 lbs and 188.4 lbs!  I recorded the higher of the two for HappyScale!  This means I met my milestone 4 and can start work on Milestone 5!  Slow and steady wins the race!

15 Runs in June

I'm counting this one done -- on a technicality... technically my "Month of June" started mid-week, So I'm counting all the runs that week instead of just the calendar mark.  Training calendar trumps actual calendar, right?

90 oz Water Per Day

This one is a bit tricky -- I didn't necessarily track the water I drank... I just made sure to drink a LOT especially after a hot run or after being in the humidity for a while.

My Go-To mug is a 32 oz double wall insulated deal that I refill multiple times per day.  I also fill it to the brim with ice at each refill, so the actual water content may be significantly less than the 32 ounce mark.

Moving forward, I'm just going to keep pushing water...

The silver lining is that I haven't had pop (or soda if you're southern) in a long time.  Well over a month -- so this pushing water focus is helping in that arena.  I'm a long time diet coke addict, but realized it was slowly killing me so I've since reformed.  I now obsess over coffee, tea, and water.

Track with Integrity every day!

I nailed this goal -- and I can honestly say that it's so much easier when I'm doing the 21 day fix meal plan.  I usually can bust through all my portions for the day and still have points leftover.  Cooking at home helps with this too -- as it gives me more control over what I add to the food, how my meals are prepared, and how big my portions are.

I'm trying to fall into a rhythm with eating that goes something like this:

• Breakfast - eggs or a smoothie
• Snack - Protein shake if I workout in the AM, coffee + fruit if I workout later that day.
• Lunch - Leftovers, a Big salad with lots of veg + protein, or avocado toast w/egg
• Snack - Fruit usually, or I skip it if my lunch was sufficiently large.  My go to around this time if I'm starving is an apple with almond butter.... mmmm
• Dinner - Protein + veg + carb,  I like to designate a carb to this meal time.  Something about having a carb at dinner helps me feel full and satisfied, even if it's just a half cup of rice.
• Dessert/Snack - Date Rolls (homemade), Greek yogurt w/ honey & nuts, or skip if I'm full.

Goals for July

1. Crush my Runs!!  (As planned)
2. Be active every day!! (Workout, run, or active recovery - yoga, pilates, foam rolling, stretching)
3. Drink up!!  (Water, water, water, unsweetened tea, water, water, coffee...)
4. Hit Milestone #5 -- 180!

I've got this!

What are you goals for this month?

Did you crush your June Goals?

What's your rhythm for meals throughout the day?

Weigh in Wednesday #9

It's that time of the week again!  Where we run to the bathroom four or five times, strip down to nothing, and hold our breath on the scale...  Nah just teasing -- I only do two of those three things... ^-^

Goals from Last week

• Eat single ingredient foods with every meal.
  • This went pretty well -- there were only a few meals (mostly when we ate out) where I wasn't super sure how the foods were prepared... I'm going to keep practicing this, and become more and more aware of how I'm fueling my body.
• Workout out every day!
  • This definitely happened -- As my mileage increases, I'm feeling the mental fight starting where I feel like I shouldn't run and workout on the same day -- but strength training means I'll grow stronger!  This has to be a part of my routine!
• Be Grateful each day
  • While I'm definitely grateful, this goal needs more practice as well.  I am blessed each day with so many thing - my husband, my job, my family, and my health - I'll have to incorporate a ritual to make this more of a focus.

Results from Happy Scale

Last week, my moving average was 190.9 and my 10-day-best was 189.6

This week, my moving average is 190.6 and my 10-day-best is 189.6... not much of a change, but I'm THANKFUL that it didn't MOVE UP!

  

This means my moving average is .3bs less than last week's!  It's also worth noting that my 10 day best weigh in (189.6) happened again this morning!  (Post run, so I'm sure I'm closer to 190.6 right now...)

 

I have to remember, when I feel discouraged or rushed, that these changes are for the rest of my life.  Health and nutrition are a top priority to me, because many of my long & short term goals require it.  There's no way around it.

The rate at which I'm losing weight and gaining strength don't matter as much as the rate at which my mindset has changed.

Points Breakdown

GOAL/ACTUAL/+ACTIVITY

Monday - 30/23/+6

Tuesday -30/38/+3

Wednesday -30/33/+7

Thursday - 30/40/+5

Friday - 30/33/+3

Saturday -30/46/+8

Sunday - 30/39/+0

Totals:  Goal - 210, Actual - 252, Activity - 32, Weeklies - 49

This means I ended the week with 39 leftover points!!!  Compared to last week's 22, this feels like I'm moving in the right direction!  Essentially, I only used 42 of my weeklies and no activity points -- so I think I'm at a place where I don't need to swap my activity points for food.

Somewhere on social media or youtube or somewhere, I heard someone remark about how they don't, "train for treats" -- because they aren't a dog!  I had never heard it put like this before!  They were arguing that the mindset of having to earn calories by working out crazily created a dangerous mindset where food had more power over you than it should.  

Instead, this person argued, the focus should be on giving the body what it needs when it needs it (carbs after exercise to replenish glycogen stores, protein to build muscles, etc...).  The idea was that treats or cheat meals are earned by living a life that is otherwise healthy and nutritious.  This is like when all those nutritionists say that certain treats can be a one in a blue moon occurrence in an otherwise "healthy diet".

To me, treats aren't earned in the gym -- they are a part of my training plan and mental health.  Where's the fun in eating well and exercising if that means I can't indulge once in a while?  :-P

Goals for this week

1. Eating - 21 day fix + WWSP tracking.  I decided that this week will be a SmartPoints week to see how I do with smartpoints.  I won't be trading in my activity points, but I'll still track them.  I'll also be saving most of my weeklies for my cheat meal - though I'm not entirely sure what it will be yet... we'll see.
2. Exercise every day - I am currently running 4 days a week and will incorporate strength training, yoga, and pilates.  Becoming a ninja is hard work -- but worth it!
3. List what I'm grateful for each day - I have a hobonichi planner, which if you're unfamiliar is a cross between a planner and a journal.  In it's pages for the next week, I will write what I'm grateful and be thankful to have the opportunity.

How did your weigh in go this week?

How did you strike a balance between nutrition and treats?

How do you stay mindful of all your blessings?

Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Marathon Monday #8

Good Morning and Happy Monday to you all!  It's Marathon Monday, so let' start with a peek at how I did last week.

Planned/Actual 

Planned:  

Monday - No Run, Total Body Cardio w/ weights

Tuesday - Run 20 mins, Upper Body Strength

Wednesday - No Run, Lower Body Strength 

Thursday - Run 20 mins, Pilates & Ab Workout 

Friday - No Run, Cardio without weights (Plyo)

Saturday - Run 20 mins, Total Body Strength

Sunday - No Run, Yoga + Active Recovery & Foam rolling (if needed).

 

Actual:

Monday - No Run, Total Body Cardio w/ weights

Tuesday - Run 25 mins, Upper Body Strength

Wednesday - No Run, Lower Body Strength 

Thursday - Run 25 mins, Pilates & Ab Workout 

Friday - No Run, Cardio without weights (Plyo)

Saturday -  No Run, Total Body Strength

Sunday - Run 25 mins, Yoga

How'd it feel?

This week felt GREAT!  I felt so strong one day, I randomly decided to do a cartwheel... for literally no reason other than to see if I could do it.  I cleared the furniture in my little living room and then BOOM -- Cartwheel!  The cartwheel was so shocking that I immediately did it again, and again, and then texted hubby while he was at work to tell him.  The second he got home I had to show him!  He was super impressed... and then I challenged myself to a handstand using the wall for support

As I was propping myself up with bent knees into kind of a pike position on the wall (see beginners handstand exercises), hubster came right over and grabbed both my ankles -- effectively getting me into the perfect full handstand position with him steadying me.  I was so proud that we did it all again!!  I could definitely feel this in my shoulders and arms later that night and into the next day or so, but it was so worth it.  My new life goal -- become a ninja... handstands are just the beginning!

The only workout where I felt a bit gross was Saturday's Total Body Strength.  Hubby and I spent the day out and about - which lead to some bad eating choices.  I'm calling this a treat day, because we are all human, but working out after eating handmade potato chips = greasy burps and indigestion.  Gross.

In fact, I was rocking the "bad eating tummy" all weekend and into today.  Had heartburn all last night due to some KFC that hubby wanted after church.  My mistake was in ordering the BBQ dipping sauce with my chicken selection.

However, through all of this, I still tracked my WW points and kept it within my points allotment -- so I'm calling it a win!  **More details on Weigh in Wednesday!**

This week's Plan 

Monday - Run 25 mins, Total Body Cardio w/ weights

Tuesday - Recover, Upper Body Strength

Wednesday - Run 30 mins, Lower Body Strength 

Thursday - Run 25 mins, Pilates & Ab Workout 

Friday - Recover, Cardio without weights (Plyo)

Saturday -  Run 40 mins, Total Body Strength

Sunday - Recover, Yoga

As far as eating, I still plan to do the Weight Watchers + 21 day fix combo -- by allowing myself little treats that keep me within my points allotment, I feel this is a more realistic nutritional plan.  By still focusing on fruits, veggies, and protein it's easy to stay below the 30 points I'm allowed per day -- since fruits and veggies are 0 points.  I feel well fed, so I'm going to keep it up for one more week -- as I take these things a week at a time.

How did you do this week?  

What was your training like?  

What's your favorite way to cross train

Weigh In Wednesday #7

This past week's eating plan was based on the 21 day fix eating plan (4 servings of protein/veg, 3 servings of fruit/carbs, etc...).  Meals were designed around these while tracking using WWPP.

For exercise, I did my training runs but also incorporated the 21 day fix workouts.  My idea was to try this for one week to see how it felt... and I have to say, it felt pretty good.

I felt so good and so successful with this combination that I'm doing it again this week!

Goals from Last week

1.  Eating 21 day fix plan
   • This went well!  I was not striving for perfection, but this eating plan emphasizes portion control (which I tend to cheat) and clean foods (power foods).  By trying to get all 4 servings of veg and protein and al 3 servings of fruit in each day, I found myself eating really well.  I didn't feel hungry, but when I felt like indulging - I just made sure it fit into my points for the day/week.
2. Meditation
   • I took time to meditate most every day.  Some times it was just on the run - zoning out and letting the music flow.  Other times, I used the Headspace app and took a 10 minute meditation break.  It's getting easier, but as far as how it impacts the rest of my day, we'll have to see with continued practice.
3. 21 day fix workouts
   • This went well!  I've found myself in different places each day -- a few days working out was a challenge, others it was a joy.  It was nice to just press the play button my DVD player and go.  I can definitely feel these workouts today though -- will need to stretch more.  With all this extra time in the summer, it's really a nice commitment to work out every day -- every. single. day.

Results from Happy Scale

Last week, my moving average was 193.4 and my 10-day-best was 192.6.

Today, my moving average is 192.0 and my 10-day-best is 191.0!

As far as progress towards my goals/milestones, my next goal is to get below 190 -- this makes 189 a milestone.  2 lbs to go!!

My weight trends are all "in the green" - meaning I'm trending down.  In the past 90 days, I've only lost 3.6lbs, which is due to gains and losses canceling out the effort.  I'm determined to keep these all green and moving!

The most exciting change is under Predictions, where it now says that I'll reach my 189 Milestone in 25 days (instead of over a Year!!).

Points Breakdown

GOAL/ACTUAL/+ACTIVITY

Monday - 30/30/+1

Tuesday -30/37/+3

Wednesday -30/34/+2

Thursday - 30/43/+5

Friday - 30/38/+7

Saturday -30/42/+6

Sunday - 30/54/+3

Totals:  Goal - 210, Actual - 278, Activity - 27, Weeklies - 49

This means I ended the week with 8 leftover points!!!  Compared to last week, this is such an improvement!

Goals for this week

My goals for this week are similar to last week -- because why change something that I feel good about and that worked for me?

1.  Eat based on the 21 day fix and WWPP
2. Meditate!
3. Workout based on the 21 day fix workouts and include the training runs

How did your weigh in go this week?  

What have you found that's worked?  

Have you ever merged together programs like this?  

Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Marathon Monday #7

Welcome to week 7 of Marathon Training -- it's Marathon Monday, so let's review how last week went

Planned/Actual

Plan - 4 runs

• Tuesday - 5 min walk, 5 min run, 3 min walk, 8 min run, 3 min walk, 5 min run, 5 min walk
• Thursday - 5 min walk, 10 min run, 3 min walk, 10 min run, 5 min walk.
• Friday - 5 min walk, 22 min run, 5 min walk
• Sunday - 5 min walk, 22 min run, 5 min walk

Actual - 3 runs

• Tuesday - 5 min walk, 5 min run, 3 min walk, 8 min run, 3 min walk, 5 min run, 5 min walk

• Thursday - 5 min walk, 10 min run, 3 min walk, 10 min run, 5 min walk.

• Saturday - 5 min walk, 22 min run, 5 min walk

How'd it Go?

Even though I didn't make all four planned runs, I'm really proud of myself for this week.  I worked out EVERY SINGLE DAY -- including the days when ran.  I challenged myself to try a week of the 21 day fix workouts as well as mostly the eating plan (focusing on getting all the servings of fruit, veg, and protein in each day, but still tracking WWPP each day).  

I have to say, I'm feeling really strong... so I'm going to try it again this week.  

This week's plan, Running & Workouts

Monday - No Run, Total Body Cardio w/ weights

Tuesday - Run 20 mins, Upper Body Strength

Wednesday - No Run, Lower Body Strength 

Thursday - Run 20 mins, Pilates & Ab Workout 

Friday - No Run, Cardio without weights (Plyo)

Saturday - Run 20 mins, Total Body Strength

Sunday - No Run, Yoga + Active Recovery & Foam rolling (if needed).

How did your week go?  

Do you get all your planned runs in or do you have challenges like me?  

How do you incorporate workouts into your week?

Just for Fun Friday

Summer time means having lots and lots of fun!

This week, the fun is in the planning!  

Hubby and I have been invited to spend some time with his folks this summer.  They are renting a cabin by a lake and it'll be my first time (even though they've been doing this for years).

My M.I.L. called today and booked the dates for the cabin while I booked dates for a rental car.  Now that things are reserved, it's so exciting!!

Vacation = motivation!

Picture this, my M.I.L. on speakerphone chatting with hubby and I while I rummage through my drawers and closet to find my swimsuit.  Once I find the little bugger, I (of course) try it on.

Nothing like a reality check to MOTIVATE!

Knowing that I'll be seeing hubby's whole family [and knowing they'll be seeing me in my swimsuit as we spend time by the lake] is a great appetite and craving suppressant.  It's also great for workout motivation.

Girl Time

There's been a lot of girl talk and girl time as well.  This weekend, a very dear friend of mine will be coming over for mani/pedi/scary movie/sleepover time!  Hubby will be away for the weekend, so it'll be just us girls!!

What are you doing for fun today?  

Do you enjoy having girl time?

 When was your last vacation?  Do vacations motivate you towards healthy choices too?

Let me know (with some details please!) in the comments below ^_^

Thursday's Thoughts & Things

Good evening all!

Here are some thoughts from my Thursday

Why does Pilates feel like so good?

After days of strength training and running, my dabbling in pilates today felt AMAZING.  The stretching and lengthening of my tight muscles make me feel relaxed (like I do after a yoga session) but working some of my minor muscles and my abs also felt like I was actually toning... Not that yoga or stretching isn't toning, it just doesn't feel like a toning/strengthening workout.

I really liked the feeling of engaging muscles that hadn't been worked in a while and will definitely include a pilates workout into my routine next Thursday!

"Rolls" & creases - NSG

NSG = "No Scale Goal"

I thought of this randomly today, but I wanted to set a no scale goal for myself.  Normally, fitting into my clothing or looking better in certain outfits is my loose goal.  Today, I thought a better goal, which is a tad more specific, should be to no longer have a belly "roll" or a crease created by my belly fat hanging over my waistband!

Maybe this is a bit too much info, but my belly is my absolute least favorite body part.  It's always been my trouble zone since I'm technically an apple shape.  Whenever I start gaining weight, you can immediately see it round my tummy.  Unfortunately, it's also the last thing that starts to shrink when I lose weight. 

Having a round tummy (a la Winnie the Pooh) limits me in certain yoga poses and pilates moves -- simply because my gut prevents me from bending all the way. 

I'll reach this No Scale Goal, not when I hit a certain number, but when my tummy shrinks to the point where there's no longer this "overhang" or "apron" of fat creating a crease where my waistband is.  (Does this make sense?)

Snap-Obsessed!

Relatively recently, since I'm not one of these young hip types, I've become obsessed with Snapchat!  The fun filters, disappearing chats, and daily stories have helped to fill the void that comes with summer time. 

I love using it as an accountability measure - snapping moments in my workouts or pics of my meals and sharing with all my friends makes me want to make better choices!

Also, the occasional pup pic -- because my doggy love is strong.

 

What are some of your thoughts from today?
 Do you set "No Scale Goals" for yourself?
 Do you have any trouble zones where you see your weight gain? 

Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Weigh in Wednesday

Good Morning Sunshines!!

It's weigh in Wednesday - which means it's the day of the week where I reflect on how things are going, how I'm feeling, and how the scale moved this week.

Results from Happy Scale

My moving average today is 193.4 -- which means a +0.4 change in weight.  My 10-day best is also +0.4... So I'm going to call it a gain of 0.4lbs.  

According to Happy Scale, my weight trends are a gain of 0.4lbs.... so yeah...

I'm not entirely surprised, as I ate a bit more than normal this week, but I do want to acknowledge what this means for hitting my next milestone... An extra month??  Aww Heck Naw!  This makes me determined to prove Happy Scale WRONG! :D

Points Breakdown

My Weight watchers week starts over each Monday, so I'll list the final points score for each day during the calendar week.  I'm following Points Plus, which means in addition to the 30 points per day I can swap activity points and have 49 weekly bonus points.  For each day the score will be:  GOAL/ACTUAL/+ACTIVITY

Monday - 30/46/+0

Tuesday -30/39/+5

Wednesday -30/37/+4

Thursday - 30/41/+2

Friday - 30/46/+8

Saturday -30/66/+0

Sunday - 30/51/+3

If you're keeping score, then my week totals were 210/326/+22.  If you take what I ate (326) and subtract what the goal was (210) AND  take away the 22 activity and 49 bonus, then you'll see my overeat was 45 points!!

After seeing this in black and white, I'm glad my gain was only 0.4lbs!  

Goals for this week:

First, I will to eat according to the 21 day fix plan -- but while still tracking and monitoring how I feel as I eat.  This means a focus on whole foods (power foods) like veggies and fruits as well as lean sources of protein.

Second, I will incorporate meditation into my routine daily -- with a focus on being fully present throughout the day (especially while eating).

Third, I will include 21 day fix workouts on days when I'm not schedule to run & strength workouts on days I do run.  For example, yesterday I ran in the morning and did Back & Biceps later that night.

How was your weigh in this week?  

Do you incorporate meditation into your routine?  

How do you balance workouts (strength v cardio, etc...)?

Tuesday's Treats

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday!

Here's how I'm treating myself today

Meditation

I started using a mediation app called Headspace.  It's free to download ( I have a iphone, not sure about android) and there are in app purchases available for further study.  It requires 10 minutes of meditation a day that can be done sitting in a chair or on the floor just about anywhere.

At home Manicure!

To save a bit of cash, I did my nails at home (again) -- What do you think?

 

Morning Run

Even though it required getting out of bed early, my morning run today was definitely a treat... because I was able to beat the heat!

Girlie Day out!

A friend of mine is fighting cabin fever by filling her days with shopping, spa treatments, manicures/pedicures, and ladies lunches.  Today, I'm tagging along for the fun!!

How are you treating yourself?

What are some ways you take time for yourself through the day/week?

Have you ever tried meditation?

Let me know in the comments below!

Marathon Monday #6

Happy Marathon Monday to you all!  

Today marks the start of week 6 of my 26 week marathon training cycle.  You can find more details by clicking "Current Training Plan" above.

Here's how Last week Went

Planned -- 4 run/walk sessions of 35 min

Actual -- 3 run/walks sessions *pictures below from my Garmin Connect*

The south is being just pummeled by storms -- which means missed runs or runs in the torrential downpour.  While I didn't always avoid the rain this week, I did actively avoid the storms because lightning is real and real scary!

This week's Plan

The plan is the same for this week as it was for last week -- Hopefully the rain will hold off and the storms won't scare me away!

How did your week go?

 What are your goals for this week?  

How do you handle the rain/storms??

Weigh in Wednesday #5

How'd it go?

This week was full of ups and downs and less than mindful or "on point" eating.  It showed on the scale.

+0, -0

Same as last week and that's unfortunate. 

Here are the weight trends:

Goals for June

• Get into the 180's
• Drink 90 oz of water each day
• Run 4 days a week
• Track with fidelity daily!  

I'm hoping that focusing on tracking this month will mean a better result each week.  There's a possibility of seeing family towards the end of July or early August -- and this is a huge motivator for me to lose weight.  I always want to look my absolute best and be my fittest self when around family, because there's always so much I want to do.  When I'm chunkier and less fit, I'm sluggish and just want to sit, talk, and sleep.

There's also another reason to feel motivated to run & eat right this month -- some friends are training for their first ever 5k race!  I want to be supportive, so I'm training as well and trying to find a race we can all do together.  I'm extra competitive, so pushing myself for an upcoming racing deadline is just the ticket to get me laced up even during these hot and humid months.

What are your goals this month? 

How was your weigh in this week?

What keep you motivated during training cycles?

Tuesday's Treats!

Today ended up being a busier day than normal for me.

I started my day by oversleeping which is probably why I felt rushed all morning.  Then I went on my run and showered/got ready super quickly.  I had video conference scheduled for 9am which was thankfully pushed to 10:30am, but I just barely made it.  The whole thing took about an hour and then I was able to catch lunch and errands with a friend.

To start my treats, I purchased a few new eyeshadows and more nail polish remover (all for around $7 at the drugstore!).  We looked and looked for some new sandals for my summer wardrobe -- but couldn't find any in the stores nearby.  

Then, once I was home and snacking, I found these gems on Amazon

They were on sale for $29.95,. which was right in my budget.  I'm hoping they'll last for this summer for date nights or girls days where my "go-to" Old Navy flip flops would be too under dressed...

How are you treating yourself this week?  

Do you run in the morning or at night?  

What shoes are your current "go-to" shoes?

Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Weigh in Wednesday #4

So thanks to some of the great bloggers I follow, I found this new app to record my weigh each day -- Happy Scale.

It takes your daily weight fluctuations and gives you a moving average weight.  Here are my results from this week:

Here is my overall weight loss progress...  The app breaks your weight loss goals into milestones and lets you know when you hit each one.  It'll also tell you how long before it predicts you hit your next milestone if you keep going the way you're going.

This prediction section is what has me the most focused -- "What do you mean it'll take me 6 months to lose just a few pounds??!!!" is what I keep screaming in my head.  Then I realize that each time I enter my weight, this predicted time shrinks a bit (at first it was well over a year!!) -- Second, with this app -- each day matters!  If I have a "bad day" and eat like crap, it'll affect the predictions.  If I have a great day, it'll affect the predictions.  This has changed my mindset a bit (since with WW you weigh in ONE day) -- but I think it's for the better.

I'll have to remember that every minute of every day matters and it'll either help me reach my goals or not!

How often do you weigh in?

Do you get this idea of moving average?

 Do you think every day counts or that a cheat day here or there is okay?

Marathon Monday #4

This is week 4 of my marathon training and it's the first week back without worrying about re-injuring my side.

Here's the plan for this week:

Tuesday - 30 min walk/run

Thursday - 30 min walk/run

Friday - 30 min walk/run

Sunday - 30 min walk/run

There will also be three strength sessions and a yoga session mixed in.  Not to mention some housework *Cleaning & organizing*.

What are your plans for runs this week?

How is your training going?

Do you do any crazy spring cleaning?

Just for Fun Friday

This week, Hubby and I are cooking new recipes for our Just for Fun activity.

We're preparing Steak Au Poivre with Mashed potatoes, onion rings, and an iceberg wedge salad for supper.  Such extravagance means lots of prep work, so I'm glad that the Hubster is on board for helping.

Planning these recipes and excitedly chatting with the Hubster, made me shift into Domestic Goddess Mode!!

Made some homemade applesauce

 

And some Chocolate Chip Cookies

Then passed out!

What did you do just for fun this week?

Do you and your spouse ever cook together?

What's your favorite recipe??

Thursday Things

Here are some things I'm thinking about this Thursday (and this week)...

Thirsty Thursday

I'm focusing on hydrating today!  Starting with coffee and water, then moving on to ensure I drink a full 96 ounces of water today...

Diet Pop has been creeping into my life again.  I know it's terrible for you, but it's SO GOOD and that's bad...

Other people's marriages

Our dear friends have been struggling in their marriage for as long as we've known them.  While my own marriage is by no means perfect, I can see (from few glimpses I have had and from the outside looking in) errors that I've made myself.  I feel compelled to help -- but it's coming across as meddling and inserting myself where I don't belong.

This morning, I woke up from dream arguments I'd like to have with her -- to get her to see his point of view.  That's when I decided, it's not my marriage so it's not my fight.  She's entitled to feel the way she's feeling and so is he.  Who am I to butt in??

My folk's marriage was far from perfect.  They literally didn't speak the same language from the beginning, so miscommunications happened and they happened frequently.  Now, after 30+ years, communication -- and assurance of understanding -- is a huge priority with the two of them.  They make each other a priority, which is really sweet to witness.  

My own marriage is far from perfect, but hubby and I have adopted some of the same priorities as other successful marriages -- or just things we liked.  This includes putting each other first, not going to bed angry, and making sure we are actually understood.

To be a good friend means to listen and be available -- I've been selfishly/arrogantly trying to "fix" their mess, which is not my job and not my prob.

New plan -- pray and listen.

Other people's kids

Hubby and I only have our fur baby --  no human children, yet...   But we do have strong opinions about how we would raise our own children, because of my anxiety about it.  We've had long and detailed discussions because it's one of the steps I've needed to feel better about it. (I've gone from "never ever" to "maybe").

Lately, our dear friends have been more present in our lives (due to my above mentioned arrogance, and butting it...).  This means we've spent more time with their kids -- who are being raised differently that hubby and I were raised.

To be completely fair, all kids are raised differently because we are all unique.  Even in the same house with the same parents, individuals will be individuals.

My mother was strict as F*** with me as a kid, more so than with my siblings.  Our household maintained some more traditional aspects of Korean life including respecting elders, being seen and not heard, and being very afraid of your parents.  While this is not an ideal parenting technique, it meant that we were far from "brats" -- at least in public space.  

I know this because my mom was constantly complimented in public (grocery stores, salons, doctor's offices, schools, etc...) about how well behaved we all were.  It was fear -- to this day I don't want to make my mom angry EVER!   Our soldier like behavior was a point of pride to my mom, so OH BOY did we get it on the very few occasions where we acted up and "embarassed" her.  [If you've never seen the Joy Luck Club, it provides some insight into this.]

The exposure to other people's has really been helpful in allowing me to know what I absolutely don't want in my own family -- and what I absolutely do want.

Resting/Healing and Impatience

I haven't been running due to my side healing -- wearing my favorite running sports bra would mean pressure/friction right in the middle of the injury, so I'm supposed to wait until it is completely healed (or two weeks, whichever comes first).  This Saturday marks 2 weeks and I've been so impatient!

In the meantime, I'm incorporating walking, weight lifting, and yoga (things that don't cause me to sweat or wear running sports bras...) to keep me from going stir crazy!

What are some things you're thinking about this Thursday?

Do you react to other people's marriages?

 What about other people's kids?

Are you impatient like me??