ICANTODAY's SparkPeople Blog

On Artificial Beginnings

Wed, 1 May 2013 11:12:06 EST

On the first day of the month, it's tempting for me to sum up the previous month, or to look ahead at the new month with a sense of hope. I used to believe in the idea that "today is the first day of the rest of my life" but recently I realized that I don't anymore.

In our lives we carry with us the people we've known, the places we've been, and all of our experiences. We trail behind us all the habits, thought patterns, and behaviors we've discarded, and we are ever-growing beings...

Is Huddling Uncool Now?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:37:28 EST

When I first joined SP and started looking at teams a few years ago, I noticed that the huddles were always humming. These days when I drop in I'm very often the first (and only) to huddle. Maybe I'm just on some low-traffic teams? What gives?

The Fear of Confrontation

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 10:48:10 EST

Tell me about your experiences with confrontation.

I don't run toward a fight, but I will confront a person or situation when correction or clarification are needed, and I am very confused by people who will let others run over them just to keep the peace.

So tell me what you think.

Minimalism

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:55:08 EST

I've been moving toward a minimalist lifestyle for awhile now, and I'm definitely enjoying owning fewer things. Any other minimalists out there?

Respecting Time and Contributions of Others

Tue, 9 Apr 2013 11:15:08 EST

I had a frustrating experience on SP not long ago. I'd rather not go into great detail because I don't think it's relevant, but I learned some lessons that I plan to remember when I'm dealing with others.

-People are here on SP of their own volition. They are not being paid, and they are not paying to be here.

-Communities are about support and enjoying each other's company.

-Running an activity as though it is the participants' job, rather than an enjoyable p...

Body Media/Fitbit Users

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:23:30 EST

Tell me a little bit about why you like your device. I'm not sure I want/need one but I'd like to know more.

Running Out My Feelings

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 19:16:12 EST

Today my feelings were a little hurt, which made me angry. I stewed for about an hour, and then I decided to go for a run. I just got back, and the only thing that has changed about that situation is me. I just don't care anymore. I like how going out for a run lets me work all of those feelings out without trying to think them through or rationalize them. If it's a real problem, I'll have an opportunity to deal with it later, but if the problem was my state of mind, then it's solved. Love it...

Does Anyone Still Drink Koolaid?

Thu, 3 Feb 2011 20:23:37 EST

I've been drinking koolaid for about 22 years now, with almost no days off! I use the regular mix but I don't put sugar in it, I love how tart it tastes. I was just thinking about how I've been drinking it since I was old enough to have kid drinks. Crazy how the years pass!

After a Three-Day Hiatus

Tue, 1 Feb 2011 21:31:22 EST

I'm back! I took a little break from food logging (although I haven't gained any weight so I must be starting to get a sense of how to stay in range without the tracker), and now I'm feeling the momentum pick back up. I was worried that I was going to go off track entirely, but a few days off from focusing seems to have rejuvenated me rather than encouraged me to veer off course. Go me!

I hope everyone had a great weekend and that your week is going well so far!

212...

Productivity! Uh...

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:15:59 EST
The new year's binge of turning over a new leaf is finally starting to subside for me, as I realize that I don't have to be accomplishing something every. single. second. that I am awake. If there's something that needs to be done and I have the time, that's one thing- it's another thing entirely to go looking for things to accomplish in my limited and very needed free time. I have spent the last three weeks in the "eyes on the prize" mindset, and I've got to say, I have a new respect for peo...

Local Weight Loss Challenge

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:41:14 EST
The timing of things is funny sometimes.

Just today I was thinking about how I am just starting to consider losing momentum. I logged into SP but I wasn't jazzed about reading any articles and I just wasn't feeling it today. I came home and did the body test on the Wii Fit Plus and then spent the rest of the evening reading a book.

Then, just before I got in the shower, a friend sent me a link to a weight loss challenge event the local Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring, ...

Eureka!

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:22:34 EST
My boss and I like to have discussions about semantics- how words are used, what they mean, what people mean when they use them a certain way. After reading a Dilbert comic the other day, we found ourselves talking about the difference between motivation and incentive. The internet was, of course, useless, offering the two as synonyms. I guess they are to an extent, but I had a nagging feeling that there was a fundamental difference. I just figured out what it is.

Incentive is some...

Any Sulfate-Free Shampoo Users Out There?

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 20:53:10 EST
I'm interested in going sulfate-free, but so far the shampoos I have tried have left me a little on the limp/greasy side. I know sulfates are what make shampoo lather and I'm prepared to live without lather, but I don't want to look all greasy for my trouble either. Can anyone recommend some shampoos to try?

Throwing Some Strength Training In

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:03:28 EST
I'm still feeling just a bit blah today, so to mix it up I did my standard 30 minutes on the Wii Fit Plus and then a couple of sets of modified pushups. I don't think I've done pushups since elementary school- remember the President's Physical Fitness Challenge? My, those were the days. (Well, the early 90's days, anyway.)

I saw an Adidas miCoach package that I'd really like to buy, but I checked myself when I realized that I have a $20 pedometer that I shelled $$ out for last summ...

Playoffs? Playoffs?!!!??!?

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:33:22 EST
Hubby's been watching football all day and has informed me that the Packers are going to the Super Bowl this year. I don't care who they end up playing against, I want Green Bay to win!

I hope y'all had a great weekend and that this week is a good one for all of us!

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Dairy Queen and Their Tricky Tactics

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 20:36:17 EST
Today I decided to treat myself to a small M&M blizzard from my local DQ. It's small, it's ice cream, it's M&M's, everything sounds good right?

Wrong.

I went to add my delicious tasty into the SP food tracker, and the M&M variety blizzard wasn't in there yet. I decided to head out to the DQ website, get the data, and add this sucker in. I can't be the only sparker who loves her some M&M blizzard.

4

Y'all. Look at this thing.

<...

So, I Noticed Something Today

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:44:07 EST
I was at work for about an hour, long enough to get my big task for the day completed, and then I went home sick (yep, still have cement in my sinuses, no dice on that DVD today either, although I did get 30 minutes on the Wii Fit in). I ate lunch at home, and had one of those duh/aha moments. When I eat at home or bring my lunch to work, I eat a reasonable amount of calories. When I go out to lunch with my coworkers, the wheels come off the darn wagon. Every. Single. Time.

What b...

Bah, Sick Today!

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:41:08 EST
I was really jazzed to try the 10 Minute Solution: Belly, Butt & Thigh Blasters today, but my body has decided to mutiny, and I've either got a cold or some kind of sinus infection. Sadly, I feel mostly fine but my nose seems to want to crawl off my face, and no dice on exercising when I can't breathe through my nose at all! I managed to get ten minutes in on the Wii Fit Plus today and that's just going to have to do.

I did push through work today, though. I have my own cube and we...

Leslie Sansone is Awesome! (Also: I Have Been Lying to My Wii Fit)

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:21:46 EST
Yesterday I received two new exercise DVD's that I ordered last week: 10 Minute Solution Belly, Butt & Thigh Blasters, and Leslie Sansone Walk at Home 5 Mile Fat Burning Walk. Today after I got home I decided to give the Sansone DVD a try. I did only the first mile today, but whew! It was a workout, and it was fun too! Leslie is very likable. Since I have zero sense of rhythm, it also really helps that she said right from the start that it's not about that and not to worry about using the sam...

Went Out for My First Interval Training Today

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:19:37 EST
Today I had a pretty good day at work, and then on the way home I got an email that just utterly set me off. I was fuming, and it was not a good feeling. Usually my way of getting through that is to sit down at the computer and write an epic screed about the incident, and then save it somewhere where I am the only one who will ever read it.

Today, I decided to exercise instead. I carry a Palm Pre phone and recently I found an app called intervalGym while browsing through the app c...

Nothing Tastes as Good as Skinny Feels: Highly Irresponsible Crap

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 18:28:16 EST
I've got to vent on this one. Today I heard someone comment that "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels."

My head just about exploded and I had to leave the room.

I know that quote is commonly attributed to (or at least used in discussions about) Kate Moss, and quite frankly, that ought to tell you everything you need to know about how messed up that mindset is. Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels? Really? Is that what people are using as a motivational phrase? Yike...

A Good Day Today

Sun, 16 Jan 2011 22:26:08 EST
Lots of time on the Wii and some nice warm sunshine today... I hope the temperature is on the upswing. Hope everyone with the day off tomorrow has a nice day. I know I will!

Cross Your Fingers for Me!

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 13:19:51 EST
Hubby and I just noticed some problems in one end of the house that make us think there is something wrong with the foundation. Any positive thoughts for a low-cost problem would be appreciated!

304

Sleep and Stress Challenges

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:31:21 EST
I think I picked a good time to join the Sleep Challenge Spark team and a bad time to join the Stress Challenge Spark team- I could use a kick in the pants to improve my sleep habits, but aside from discontinuation symptoms from quitting the Pristiq this week, I haven't really had an appreciable amount of stress! I'm not complaining though, I know it's a blessing.

I hope everyone had a great week!

212

Sleep Journal 1/13/11, Stress Journal 1/13/11

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:07:58 EST
Sleep:

1. Work up @ 6:00 on Wednesday morning.
2. Laid down to sleep @ 9:15 Wednesday night.
3. Took a shower, put on jammies, read the Kindle for awhile.
4. 3 servings Big Cheez-Its @ 7:00 tonight.
5. No exercise today.
6. No alcohol today.
7. Had 1 cup of green tea @ 8:00 this morning.
8. Took birth control, multivitamin, and calcium supplement @ 6:00 this morning. Took Hyland's allergy tablets @ 7:00, 1:00, 4:00, & 8:00.
9. 1 nap, started ...

Day Three, and I'm Free!

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 19:09:18 EST
Feeling much better today, and I'm never going back!

104

Medication Detox, Day 2

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 21:57:08 EST
Doing better today. I feel better when I drink water, so I went nuts on the H2O today. I guess I had too much because a sip of water triggered an epic puking spell after lunch today, but oddly enough I felt better after that. There may be a light at the end of this tunnel- hopefully it isn't a train.

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Weaning Off the Pristiq

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 18:30:26 EST
I'm trying to get off my anti-depressant, and hoo boy, it's tough! Need your good thoughts if you have some to spare.

304

Keep On Going

Sun, 9 Jan 2011 15:42:07 EST
My weight keeps moving back and forth between 153 and 154, and I just keep reminding myself that I can't sprint through a marathon. If I build good habits, I will eventually see a change. This is where we start to see that "immediate gratification" mentality emerge- I've been doing this for a week, why aren't I slim and gorgeous already? 20

Seriously though, I'm sticking with it. Even if I look the same, I feel much better!

A Good Day for Exercise

Sat, 8 Jan 2011 12:51:40 EST
Once it gets a little warmer, in an hour or so, I'm out for a mile of brisk walking. I love days like today, it's so pretty out. I hope everyone's having a nice Saturday so far!

First Full Weekend of the New Year

Fri, 7 Jan 2011 20:22:27 EST
While it's on my mind- for you chocolate lovers, the Dove Promise chocolates are saving my sanity these days. Five of them make up a serving, and that's one generous portion of chocolate, let me tell you! Throw in a handful of almonds or walnuts and you've got a tasty and (almost completely) guilt-free snack.

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Just Dance 2 for Wii?

Thu, 6 Jan 2011 19:01:40 EST
Does anyone have this game? I saw it on Amazon the other day and it looks like a ton of fun. Should I get it?

Naptastic

Wed, 5 Jan 2011 20:22:54 EST
I've always been a big advocate of naps, mostly because sleeping is one of my favorite hobbies. But this evening's nap went a little overboard... cross your fingers for me that I'll get to sleep at a decent time!

Health Psychology

Tue, 4 Jan 2011 20:24:19 EST
This class term I'm taking a Health Psychology class, and I talked up SP in the discussion board, since the point of this week's reading is that in most cases, our behavior is what determines how healthy we are. Hopefully a few classmates will join... I like spreading the spark!

Back to Work

Mon, 3 Jan 2011 20:56:32 EST
Today is the first day of the first regular-length week I've worked in awhile. I did pretty well on my food intake and exercise today, and I hope everyone can report similar results. 2011 will be a great year for everyone, I'm sure.

306

43 Things

Sun, 2 Jan 2011 10:11:51 EST
Does anyone else out there use the 43 Things website? My username there is icantoday.

New Year, Same Me- and That's a Good Thing!

Sat, 1 Jan 2011 12:34:39 EST
I know a lot of folks think of a new year as an opportunity to recreate themselves- but I'm not one of them. I like who I am, and because of that, I want to do the right thing by my body, this vehicle I've been given to carry my mind anywhere it wants to go. I think today is a great day to start new habits, but this time next year- I want to be the same person, because I like her!

Busy Day Today

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 11:03:20 EST
We're having friends over for NYE tonight, and there's lots to do before then. Got to get the house decluttered, start some baking, and drop some things off at the Goodwill drop box.

I hope everyone has a happy and safe evening, hope to see you all in 2011!

I've Definitely Done Better Today

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:14:22 EST
Yesterday's Pizza Hut catastrophe, tasty as it was, put me on guard against making a similar mistake today. I'm still well within all my ranges, and I don't feel deprived. Falling off the wagon can be delicious, but getting back on it is much more rewarding.

Overindulgence, Thy Name is Pizza Hut!

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 20:06:27 EST
All you can eat salad bars are maybe not such a good idea?

Oh well, tomorrow's another day.

211

Resetting My Spark Streaks for 2011!

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 21:04:11 EST
The other day I thought, I should reset my streaks measurements for 2011. If I really want to see how well I do in a year, that is probably the best way. I'm really excited for Friday to get here so I can reset those goals!

My Only Resolution for 2011

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 20:29:50 EST
I will drink my 8 glasses of water a day in 2011. That's the only resolution I'm going to make, and I'm going to focus on it and do it. Wish me luck!

Resolutions- Productive, or a Waste of Time?

Sun, 26 Dec 2010 14:47:00 EST
I have this internal discussion every year. Should I make resolutions for the new year, or not? Do you make resolutions? If so, what are they? Leave a comment or link to your blog entry.

Merry Christmas

Sat, 25 Dec 2010 16:44:01 EST
Today was very nice- hubby and I slept in, and then we opened presents and ate. We just bought a big new bed, and that put a pretty big dent in our budget, so we called that the big gift and just got small things to open this morning. I got him a new Makita lithium ion battery cordless drill, and he got me a new Wii game and an Amazon Kindle. Then he made Christmas dinner (I'm generally better off staying out of the kitchen when it comes to big meals). Y'all, we did a good job with portion co...

Christmas Eve

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 12:11:24 EST
Each year we have my stepdaughter for Christmas Eve, and when she wakes up in the morning we do Christmas for her. Santa did well this year- she got a unicorn Pillow Pet, a new art easel, some Barbie stuff, and a clock radio that has a projector in the top of it that casts stars onto the ceiling. Hubby also got her a new game for her Leapster 2. Tomorrow she'll have Christmas at her mom's house, and after that they're going to Florida to see the grandparents. Lucky girl! Santa never came to s...

Learning to Love Almonds

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 19:45:10 EST
I recently noticed that I consistently fall short of my daily protein recommendations, so I am trying to incorporate more of it into my intake. The easiest way seems to be by adding nuts to my diet, so I started out last week with a jar of almonds. They have never really been my favorite thing to eat, but a serving size is 28 almonds, and it is nice to count out a handful of them onto my desk at work and just keep reaching for one and eating them without having to worry about the damage I'm d...

A Good Start to the Day!

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 09:56:52 EST
As soon as I was dressed and ready to leave the house this morning, I did a quick walk around the block. It's only 1/3 of a mile (about 7 minutes of walking at my pace), but it got my heart going and now I feel ready for the day.

I hope everyone has a great Saturday!

No Internets? Oh Noooooo!

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 19:59:35 EST
When I get home from work, my habit is to sit down and update all my SP stuff- not today! The internet at home was on the fritz, and being a creature of habit I definitely lost my equilibrium. It's back now, for the moment at least.

Hope everyone had a great day!

Okay Day for the Diet, Not Okay Day for the Emotional

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 18:32:47 EST
I'm on target with the food and exercise today, so that's good.

Someone pulled a temper tantrum this morning and did their level best to hurt my feelings. The thing they did was downright funny, but the intention behind it did sting a little bit.

Tomorrow will be better.

Are We There Yet?

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:59:51 EST
The Christmas shopping season is killing me- is it over yet?