Countdown #9 - Coping Strategies

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

List YOUR reasons/excuses on why YOUR diets and exercise plans have not been well executed in the past. OK that might be too long a list, so give 3 or 4 reasons and for each reason write a strategy that will keep you on track or cope. Let's learn from our past behaviors and make this our best Challenge ever!

Here are mine -

Diet Reason - Don't stick to a routine with meals - will eat out or not prepare a suitable meal. I am busy, get hungry and lose control about what I will eat.

Strategy - Make a weekly meal plan. Take along a suitable snack and drink. Always have a quick meal in the fridge to heat up. Drink V8 juice. Shop for groceries regularly. Think about saving $ by eating at home.

Diet Reason - When I am tired I am more impulsive about what I eat.

Strategy - Always have a quick meal in the fridge to heat up and apple slice for snacks. Drink hot chocolate.

Exercise Reason - Don't stick to a routine with exercise - travel, family obligations, tired, doing something else.

Strategy - Exercise is like 'my job' now. I need to improve my heath so I can continue to lead an active lifestyle. I must do it daily regardless of whatever else I am doing, I need to get stronger.

Exercise Reason - Don't like sticking to a plan, low impulse control?

Strategy - Accept that sometimes it is boring and do it anyway!

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Getting Settled In! With Photos

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Here I am in front of the house after the exterior was painted.



Meet our closest neigbors



I am learning to cook fresh vegetables (not frozen). I made tasty green beans. I love the local freggie store!



This is Daughter 2, who is having her baby Jan. 16th. She lives close by. Daughter 1 is having her baby Dec. 26th in Las Vegas. Guess where we are spending Christmas and New Years?



We had a 3 day getaway to Washington. This is Peace Arch Park that we pass through on our way back to Canada.

Our house is so empty that the man who did the energy audit today asked when we were moving in. He thought we met him here to unlock the house and let him in. We really did get rid of a lot before we moved!

We signed with a design and build company to do renovations on the house. They will start in February and will be finished in May. The windows have to be done next month, as it's quite cold in the house. In May we will get furniture.

Tonight hubby is out playing pickleball. I watched it on youtube to see what it was about and decided it wasn't my thing. I will spare for bridge on Wednesday nights.

I joined the Newcomers' Club, I am out with little Kennedy doing preschool things, and we joined the local recreation center and a local church. We are getting to know people around here. It's nice to go to the pool and have someone smile when they see me!

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Success is Measured By Just Doing It!

Friday, November 04, 2011

A couple of years ago I listened to iTunes - Dr. Traci's Monday Morning Motivator and was inspired by her thinking. I have since listened to these 57 podcasts many time. My favorite is Lower the Bar (released 1/25/10). It was on my mind when I decided to start my 56 day exercise streak. Basically lower the bar and you can raise your chance of success.

FYI - It's a free podcast on iTunes, no iPod needed just listen on your computer with a free iTunes account.

So today is Day 4 of my daily exercise streak. Length of time and intensity doesn't matter, just doing it is all that counts. So today I walked about 30 minutes. In the past when I was doing an exercise streak I did the same thing everyday. If it was going to the gym or walking 5k on the trails. This time it does not matter what I do as long as I get some type of exercise.

My recent weigh ins -

10-01: 219.0
10-08: 217.8
10-15: 216.0
10-22: 215.8
10-29: 215.2
11-04: 214.0

I joined the Newcomers' Club and a couple of subclubs. The women in the Club are very friendly. Any place feels like home when you have a few friends.

Happy Weekend!

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Just Added Another Celebration to the Calendar!

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

We are learning more about the West Coast culture. Halloween is a big deal here and lasts several days. All ages dress in costumes, decorate their yards and houses, carve pumpkins, have parties, fireworks, etc.

Thursday I helped out with the kindergarten field trip to the Pumpkin Patch. It was fun to be with hundreds of excited kids and take home some pumpkins. Saturday night we had friends to dinner, and were surprised when they arrived in costumes and gave us a beautifully carved pumpkin they made for us. By Sunday we were getting into it - trip to the $ Store for pumpkin carving tool kit, a princess tiara for me and fireman hat for hubby. We carved our pumpkins, put an orange bandanna on Kali and taught her to retrieve a plastic severed hand and took a few pictures. Monday morning I helped at the kindergarten class and wore my tiara. Last night we were stocked with candy and ready to meet the neighborhood kids. I was concerned we would have leftover candies, but by 8 PM we'd have 100 kids and all the candy was gone. We blew out the candles in the Jack O'Lanterns and shut off the lights and listened to the fireworks.

Where we lived before, shopping was limited, and things like eye glasses never went on sale. Yesterday glasses were on sale 1/2 price, so hubby and I each got a pair and he got prescription sunglasses too. Those 3 pair of glasses in total were less than he paid for his one pair of glasses 3 years ago.

We ordered the new windows for our house which will be installed in 6 weeks. The exterior was painted a couple of weeks ago and new laundry appliances are on the way so we are getting started.

I was looking at the recreation center online brochure to find more activities to add to the water aerobics I am doing. I want to start a daily 8 week exercise streak, so that means everyday till Dec. 26th. Even a 10 minute dog walk will qualify as exercise. I am not setting the bar too high, success will be measured by just doing it!

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Living the Happily Ever After!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Living on the west coast and pursuing new interests, wow still hard to believe. I have an entourage now, my 3 year old grand daughter and hubby. I have little Kennedy 4 days a week and hubby 7.

Each day is different but to make it work, we do have some structure. In the morning we go to the gym, and I go to water aerobics while hubby takes Kennedy to Roaming Rascals, an indoor playground for pre-schoolers. Then at 10:30 we switch, I go to Roaming Rascals and hubby goes to the gym, so we all get our morning exercise. Other days we go to Strong Start, the pre-kindergarten elementary school program, and hubby and I trade off there too as the gym is a short drive away. Through Kennedy we are meeting parents and grandparents. At water aerobics I am getting to know a few other women.

This Saturday night we are having 4 long time friends over for dinner. We have limited furniture so it's definitely a kitchen party! Next week I am going to the Newcomers' Dinner and will get signed up for Bon Appetite and card nights. I am looking forward to meeting new friends!

My weigh ins this month -

10-01: 219.0
10-08: 217.8
10-15: 216.0
10-22: 215.8
10-29: 215.2

I still have a very bad cold, 3.5 weeks now. Yesterday I rested after exercising and today feel better. Today we are going to shop for a washer and dryer. The existing appliances are old and the dryer does not shut off - yes my jeans all shrunk and I can't wear them!!!

I am living the happily ever after and working at it everyday to establish good routines and habits.

Have a wonderful weekend and sleep in if you can!

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