This April I Will...
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katlinmariel wrote: »1. This April I will go to the gym at least 3x a week
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: signing up for classes at my gym, have my mom and boyfriend be my accountability partners
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: driving right by the gym everyday after work, I keep my clothes in my car so there is no reason not to stop
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible): ideally everyday, but so I dont set myself up for failure, Im starting small
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit: logging my workouts and seeing the calories I ate that day disappear
6. What help do you need from us: add me! interact with me! I thrive off of seeing other people succeeding, its so motivating and inspiring. I feel like I'm letting myself and others down if I don't put in the effort to commune and interact with those who put in the effort to do that for me.
7. What does success look like to you at the end of April: feeling more comfortable at the gym and finding at least one class I enjoy
April 1 - information about my company's corporate account at LA Fitness
April 2 - signing up for LA Fitness through work
April 3 - My first gym session! I used to be a runner, and when I got on the treadmill I realized how far I had fallen from where I was a couple of years ago.
April 4 - My mom and I have plans to go to the offered yoga class at 4:30 today. It'll be my second time ever doing yoga so I'm a little nervous about it, but I'm excited to try something new!
April 5 - I went out of town with my boyfriend to see his parents for the weekend, so I didn't really have access to a gym, but we did try to get moving and walked around town for an hour or so. I mean.. we were also sharing a large blizzard from Dairy Queen.. but at least we did something. Also the blizzard was delicious
April 6 - There wasn't much movement since we drove back home that day. We got home at 11pm and I was exhausted so I just went straight to bed.
April 7 - I meant to go to a spin class that morning, but I was just so exhausted from the drive the night before that I slept in a little and went to the gym to run later in the day. It was only about 30 minutes, but Im honestly so proud of myself for even going. It would've been so easy to just say "Im too tired" but I got off the couch, put my clothes on, and walked into the gym liked I owned the place. Walking through the gym gives me a weird confidence that I lack in other areas of my life.
Thank you all so much for your words of encouragement so far! It really means so much to me. You are all such wonderful people and appreciate everyone who reached out.
@MadisonMolly2017 @nebslp I loved yoga! I plan to go back at least once a week. I just love the energy of group classes. Its like everyone is there to help but also just minding their own business. Its a good balance.
@texasgardnr I am very lucky to have a mom with likeminded goals, and a gym that's so conveniently located right between work and home. If I didn't have those things, I'm not sure I would be able to do it.4 -
@katlinmariel , congrats on getting to the gym 3 times in spite of the car trip. That’s a major win the first week especially!3
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themedalist wrote: »We haven’t had Declutterfest in awhile. Anybody up for some spring cleaning?
Finally!! I was so happy to see the possibility of another Declutterfest!! I've been slowly doing some indoors decluttering off and on over the last several months. I almost have a 'donate' box filled. Actually I always have a donate box available for my spontaneous or semi planned declutter moments.
But I would love a spring Declutterfest, for sure!! It is always so much more fun to do it together and to read what is being accomplished, as well as to encourage one another!
:flowerforyou:
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themedalist wrote: »We haven’t had Declutterfest in awhile. Anybody up for some spring cleaning?
YES, YES, YES!
I have so much to declutter, I don't even know where to start this time. It's been driving me crazy. I was just thinking this morning that i need to set my timer for 15 minutes and just focus on one pile of clutter at a time. Just 15 minutes a day until I finish it. I have about 3,472 magazines stacked up all over my house....okay, slight exaggeration, but I truly am a magazine hoarder and I need to do something with them! So that will be first. Oh, and the tupperware cupboard! How on earth do you keep the containers stacked neatly and where do all the lids go??? And....well, the bathroom cupboards and drawers.... *sigh*1 -
Log all food:
4/1:
4/2:
4/3:
4/4:
4/5:
(Kept mental note)
4/6: (Kept mental note)
4/7: (Kept mental note)
4/8:
Got busy and lax over the weekend. My husband and I were running so much and had so much going on, that I mentally kept note of what I ate and remained mindful but not as good as if I had tracked. SO MAD at myself! But it's a new day and a new week and I'm back at it! I guess you have to just let Life happen once in a while too...
Everyone is doing so great! I love reading all the posts today! So inspiring!
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@katlinmariel, good job getting in some walking activity while out of town as well as going to the gym for a run later the next day after returning home! It is so easy to skip doing something purposely when one's routine is different or when one is exhausted after a long travel time. Well done on both counts
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1. My goal for this month (This April I will...") go to sleep earlier (starting first with before midnight) than I have been (have been... way after midnight for sure :noway:)
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: (I don't have this figured out yet)
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: (i also don't have this figured out yet either)
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible): 5-6 days a week to start with.
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? If it is early enough I'll read a bit, using my timer to know when stop. Maybe I ought to pick out a book that I only read at night before sleeping???
6. What help do you need from us? Your wonderful encouragement as individuals and as a group is always a blessing .
7. What does success look like to you at the end of April? To see improvements as a whole throughout this month. Eventually leading to a routine earlier bed time. And an establishment of a night time routine over the course of time.
So far: Last full week in March: 7/7 lights out before midnight
First week in April, including March 31: 4/7 lights out before midnight :yawn:
:flowerforyou:
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PackerFanInGB wrote: »themedalist wrote: »We haven’t had Declutterfest in awhile. Anybody up for some spring cleaning?
YES, YES, YES!
I have so much to declutter, I don't even know where to start this time.... Oh, and the tupperware cupboard! How on earth do you keep the containers stacked neatly and where do all the lids go???... *sigh*
The last several weeks I was either reading Dana K White's first book that I had got from the library, or her blog or watching her on YouTube. Either way somewhere along the line she addressed the Tupperware cupboard! The last time my Tupperware cupboard looked really nice (not decluttered but really straightened out) was by my grand daughter a few years ago.
Anyway, Dana says that she learned to only keep the number of 'Tupperware/ plastic containers' that fit into the designated cupboard/ shelf when they were stored with their respective lids always ON. That was it! No more than that.
So I challenged myself to do just that. I took everything out including the colander and stacked mixing bowels, the little kids plastic cereal bowels and cups which have always lived in that cupboard, plus several other plastic things like an oldie goldie yellow Tupperware strainer that has been around forever, and often used even now. Plastic is obviously the theme in that cupboard. And it is a low cupboard so that my children could, now my grand children can, get things out for their own use.
I got rid of every container that did not have a lid/ every lid that did not have a matching container. Then I was forced to decide which containers I literally used all the time and put their lids on them. Then I could only keep how many would actually fit into the cupboard... after restoring the colander and mixing bowels (combination of plastic ones that I've had since the kids started playing with them as babies, and my mother's stainless steel set of mixing bowels all nested together, and the little kids bowels/ cups and so forth. (I also decluttered everything in the cupboard to what is actually used now)
The idea, Dana says, is to let the size of the cupboard determine how many or much of something we keep or use. The lids on all the time mean we won't junk up the cupboard searching for a lid and pushing everything around, and then not re-straightening it out right then because we are in the middle of cooking etc.
So far it has worked. The only thing she says is to make certain that the container/lid is perfectly dry before snapping on the lid and storing it again.
For about two weeks or so my Tupperware cupboard has looked exactly how I set it up and anything I want I can see and get out. I did buy several additional smaller round Pyrex glass storage containers that I like for somethings more than the plastic. Those are stored in their own cupboard, with their lids on. Interesting note here... for years I've stored my glass containers with their lids on, in an upper cupboard. That cupboard NEVER gets messy and I never loose a lid. Is there truly a correlation going on here....? Time will tell, but so far it is amazing.
:flowerforyou:2 -
@PackerFanInGB, It IS a new day and week, so it is good that you are back at logging. Also you didn't just decide that, nope, no logging today for no good reason, like you wrote.... it was life and it happens. And you were doing your best to keep a mental note. You are doing awesome!! I'm proud of you .
:flowerforyou:2 -
@texasgardnr Thank you for the Tupperware cupboard tip. I think that is a GREAT idea! I think I declutter this cupboard at least once a year when I get really angry with it (literally angry...I throw stuff on the floor like a toddler throwing a tantrum when it all starts falling out as I open the door). I'm going to go through it again and get rid of anything that doesn't fit in there with a cover, just like you suggest. I think my biggest struggle is that my husband, who is retired so is home all day, saves every single jar and every single plastic container we empty. Not even exaggerating. Every cottage cheese container, Yogurt, soft butter, olive or pickle jar...everything! And it all gets put in that cupboard, stacked inside each other with lids thrown only God knows where.
Maybe I need to attack it from another angle by asking him to go through it with me and decide which ones he actually uses and which ones I can toss. Maybe he'd be more mindful if he sees how much JUNK we actually have in that cupboard!?
It's kind of funny how our roles have reversed since he retired. He is now the hoarder around the house, and I come home from work and want to throw it all out. Dynamics are definitely different since he retired.
Thank you again for the tip! It's a great idea and I'm going to put it to use this weekend.
Also, thank you for the encouragement about my "bad" weekend! I still feel terrible about it because now I'm struggling to get back into that mindful place. But I never give up.... xoxo2 -
katlinmariel wrote: »katlinmariel wrote: »1. This April I will go to the gym at least 3x a week
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: signing up for classes at my gym, have my mom and boyfriend be my accountability partners
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: driving right by the gym everyday after work, I keep my clothes in my car so there is no reason not to stop
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible): ideally everyday, but so I dont set myself up for failure, Im starting small
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit: logging my workouts and seeing the calories I ate that day disappear
6. What help do you need from us: add me! interact with me! I thrive off of seeing other people succeeding, its so motivating and inspiring. I feel like I'm letting myself and others down if I don't put in the effort to commune and interact with those who put in the effort to do that for me.
7. What does success look like to you at the end of April: feeling more comfortable at the gym and finding at least one class I enjoy
April 1 - information about my company's corporate account at LA Fitness
April 2 - signing up for LA Fitness through work
April 3 - My first gym session! I used to be a runner, and when I got on the treadmill I realized how far I had fallen from where I was a couple of years ago.
April 4 - My mom and I have plans to go to the offered yoga class at 4:30 today. It'll be my second time ever doing yoga so I'm a little nervous about it, but I'm excited to try something new!
April 5 - I went out of town with my boyfriend to see his parents for the weekend, so I didn't really have access to a gym, but we did try to get moving and walked around town for an hour or so. I mean.. we were also sharing a large blizzard from Dairy Queen.. but at least we did something. Also the blizzard was delicious
April 6 - There wasn't much movement since we drove back home that day. We got home at 11pm and I was exhausted so I just went straight to bed.
April 7 - I meant to go to a spin class that morning, but I was just so exhausted from the drive the night before that I slept in a little and went to the gym to run later in the day. It was only about 30 minutes, but Im honestly so proud of myself for even going. It would've been so easy to just say "Im too tired" but I got off the couch, put my clothes on, and walked into the gym liked I owned the place. Walking through the gym gives me a weird confidence that I lack in other areas of my life.
Thank you all so much for your words of encouragement so far! It really means so much to me. You are all such wonderful people and appreciate everyone who reached out.
@MadisonMolly2017 @nebslp I loved yoga! I plan to go back at least once a week. I just love the energy of group classes. Its like everyone is there to help but also just minding their own business. Its a good balance.
@texasgardnr I am very lucky to have a mom with likeminded goals, and a gym that's so conveniently located right between work and home. If I didn't have those things, I'm not sure I would be able to do it.
April 8 - My mom and I went to the gym for some good old fashioned bodyweight works outs and Oh. My. God. My legs. My poor, poor legs. The only way I can sit down is to throw my body on the desired surface. Its so painful but also a weirdly nice feeling. It feels like progress. I did learn though that at some point I messed up my right knee, as it feels almost like damaged cartilage when I squat. Maybe I'll try a brace or compression sleeve and if it gets worse I'll go to a doctor or something and see what's up.
April 9 - Today I'm going to the gym for some running. I've started the C25K app and I really love it. I've had to ease up a bit on the running since I'm not as in shape as I used to be, so the practice of slow running has also come in handy. Almost like a jog, but more running-y motions. It feels a little silly running at 5mph at first because you feel like if you're running you should be RUNNING. But ya girl runs out of breath easily and slow running has really made a difference. I can go the whole run time or more just by slowing down a bit. I've come to realize its not really a race. Maybe I'll up my time when I complete the program!3 -
texasgardnr wrote: »@themedalist, @PinkyPan1 and @prgirl39mfp I'm so glad that there are others who are continuing from last month to focus on more sleep or starting this month! That will be my focus this month again.
@lindsayann135, First of all welcome! I like your goal of tracking your good/drink and staying within your calorie limits every day.
@nebslp, I've listened to audio library books of several of the Younger Next Year books. They have encouraged me to go further and move more/ longer, and have made me aware of more things regarding my health, especially at my age.
@77tes, I like your reward of giving yourself an emoticon in your food notes! That creative and so much fun.
@MadisonMolly2017, your habit of continuing to make art/play with your art supplies etc is such a fun and rewarding habit for you. You are showing me that habits can also encourage the creative and fun side of us... that I tend to put on the back burner too often.
@LeslieW77, Welcome!! You have a lot going on in your life, and sitting less and moving more is the perfect way of dealing with stress and helping you feel better... and so much more! You made me giggle when I read "I love "sneaky exercise".
@prgirl39mfp, I'm so glad to see you here again!!!! I have missed you. I like your two fold goal of sleep and healthy eating!!
@PackerFanInGB, you did so well with your goal last month, and had really great results that it will be exciting to see even more wonderful results as you continue on in April. Yay that your burgundy-colored work slacks are not tight anymore! Awesome NSV!!
I also loved what you wrote about moving during commercials. I have always disliked commercials, and for many years now we all turn the sound off during them (unless it is a really funny one that someone likes
) (I taught the kids to do this when they were very young way back before we had a remote control, and my husband has also been doing it also since the kids have all grown up and have left the nest, basically because it made me happier :laugh: . Now with NetFlix there are no commercials 
) so I have to randomly get up and move since I'm so used to it! Well, way back then I decided why would I sit and watch a mute commercial when there are so many things that I have to do with 4 little ones in the home. So that's how I started getting up during commercials. Just a random back story 
@katlinmariel, I really think that is so smart how you made your goal to go to the gym 3 times a week. That is very do-able! That is so cool that it is on the way home from your work! That is awesome that you mom will go to a yoga class with you!
I really wanted to read carefully through the posts so far before it got too late, but now it is. My husband had a very late night from a job that was quite a distance away, so I decided to respond tonight while I could. Well He is finished eating so I will rinse the dishes and leave them to wash in the morning...(this goes against the habit that I had created years ago :noway: ) so that I can go to sleep before midnight (which is slowly becoming more important to me). My DH injured his foot the other day so it is time to give him ice for it, and he can put the ice pack away when his program is over.
I will post my This Month I Will... tomorrow. :yawn: .
:flowerforyou:
@texasgardnr
Thank you for all your comments for us!
The reason I’m posting & setting goals for my art is I’m at or very close to my final goal weight- I know I still need to focus on maintenance for the rest of my life, but I know there have to be other things I do that bring me joy the way food did more in the past. Decluttering worked for 2-3 years off & on, but now I just occasionally redo a drawer or a section which takes just a couple of minutes. Ie it’s mostly done.
Exercise does, being healthier does, but the creativity & color really make me happy. Seeing friends & making new friends also makes me happy- the art gives me an avenue to do that!3 -
4/7 exercised & house-cleaned so I could make art guilt-free this week!
4/8 went & sketch / painted in Japanese Garden! 1st time with new teacher who gave great feedback (add shadows a bit more). In the afternoon I met with a creative friend for coffee & added the shadows & journaling about the morning.
And went to evening art club meeting.
4/9 Added stamped words to yesterday’s piece (after taking photos lol.)
Spent several hours on a floral watercolor...added white acrylic spray over cherry blossoms of yesterday’s piece.
Used my phones photo editing tools to improve BOTH images - cropping, adding frames.
Took pics of new version &
Also manipulated that on my phone.
I’m having fun.
Shooting for average Really Works for me!
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MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »
The reason I’m posting & setting goals for my art is I’m at or very close to my final goal weight- I know I still need to focus on maintenance for the rest of my life, but I know there have to be other things I do that bring me joy the way food did more in the past. Decluttering worked for 2-3 years off & on, but now I just occasionally redo a drawer or a section which takes just a couple of minutes. Ie it’s mostly done.
Exercise does, being healthier does, but the creativity & color really make me happy. Seeing friends & making new friends also makes me happy- the art gives me an avenue to do that!
I LOVE this! It was such an eye opener to think of using "other things I do that bring me joy the way food did more in the past". That makes so much sense because creativity and fabric make me happy. And I have to add raking and weeding and wandering outside to that happy list. Thank you, @MadisonMolly20173 -
MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »
The reason I’m posting & setting goals for my art is I’m at or very close to my final goal weight- I know I still need to focus on maintenance for the rest of my life, but I know there have to be other things I do that bring me joy the way food did more in the past. Decluttering worked for 2-3 years off & on, but now I just occasionally redo a drawer or a section which takes just a couple of minutes. Ie it’s mostly done.
Exercise does, being healthier does, but the creativity & color really make me happy. Seeing friends & making new friends also makes me happy- the art gives me an avenue to do that!
I LOVE this! It was such an eye opener to think of using "other things I do that bring me joy the way food did more in the past". That makes so much sense because creativity and fabric make me happy. And I have to add raking and weeding and wandering outside to that happy list. Thank you, @MadisonMolly2017
@nebslp
Thank you SO much❣️
Yes, nature of all kinds is a huge Joy for me. Painting nature is double fun as is exercising in our beautiful world. Double fun!
And Music! Let’s not forget music!🎼
It’s important to allow & even insist we take the time to do things that bring us joy. Because food will always be easier & ever-present.
Big hugs to you & this amazing group.3 -
After sending that, I had a BIG ah-ha!
Decluttering our home took me 3-4 passes about once every 5-7 years & I didn’t really get there until the last 3 years &Marie Kondo - not keeping what fit in the house, but what brought us joy. life-changing.
Keeping our home organized & rejuvenating now is SO much easier. Still takes occasional effort to recycle some old magazines, file some paperwork, pitch things from a drawer that has gradually gotten overfly. Now, I enjoy observing how and if we use things, and inventing ways to make it easier to get the things we use most often.
SO..
Losing my 75 pounds “took me 3-4 passes about once every 10 years & I didn’t really get there until the last 3 years & MFP, NOOM, My Net Diary, Apple Watch, FITIV app & the whole baby Habits approach. Having others who are going through the same issues & reading from folks about their experiences in maintenance have been life-changing.
On the brink of maintenance, I see a parallel here, too: “Keeping my weight down, healthy eating &exercise up are all SO much easier. Still takes occasional effort to make sure I have the right foods in the house, not eat out, keep exercising. But it’s SO much easier than when I was changing my habits, mindsets, perfectionist ways... Now, I enjoy observing how I’m doing and inventing ways to make it easier to do the little things that will help me maintain.”
We can create the life we always dreamed of!5 -
texasgardnr wrote: »themedalist wrote: »We haven’t had Declutterfest in awhile. Anybody up for some spring cleaning?
Finally!! I was so happy to see the possibility of another Declutterfest!! I've been slowly doing some indoors decluttering off and on over the last several months. I almost have a 'donate' box filled. Actually I always have a donate box available for my spontaneous or semi planned declutter moments.
But I would love a spring Declutterfest, for sure!! It is always so much more fun to do it together and to read what is being accomplished, as well as to encourage one another!
:flowerforyou:
Ok, Declutterfest 2019 is ON! Let’s start on Monday. I will put up a new thread for that this weekend. I’m glad people are excited. I am too!4 -
Thanks everyone @themedalist @77tes @MadisonMolly2017 @nebslp @texasgardnr @PackerFanInGB @PinkyPan1 for the nice welcome messages. Sorry if I missed anyone.
Sleep has been great. I had taken naps as well during the day when I feel like I am not rested enough. Yesterday I had a very bad eating day. OH my! It felt like I was on a roll, I just could not stop eating. I guess being home all day, off from work and just laying on the sofa prompt me to just open my mouth and fill it with food. Had plans to go out but the weather did not cooperate. Already meal prepped for the rest of the week. I work nights this week so I am hoping I can stay on track.
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prgirl39mfp wrote: »Thanks everyone @themedalist @77tes @MadisonMolly2017 @nebslp @texasgardnr @PackerFanInGB @PinkyPan1 for the nice welcome messages. Sorry if I missed anyone.
Sleep has been great. I had taken naps as well during the day when I feel like I am not rested enough. Yesterday I had a very bad eating day. OH my! It felt like I was on a roll, I just could not stop eating. I guess being home all day, off from work and just laying on the sofa prompt me to just open my mouth and fill it with food. Had plans to go out but the weather did not cooperate. Already meal prepped for the rest of the week. I work nights this week so I am hoping I can stay on track.
@prgirl39mfp
You prepped!
You will definitely do this!
Prepping is 97% of the battle!
Cheering you on!4 -
themedalist said:
Ok, Declutterfest 2019 is ON! Let’s start on Monday. I will put up a new thread for that this weekend. I’m glad people are excited. I am too!
[end quote]
Hmmm...I need to figure out which declutter area will come first. I think maybe the basement, or should it be going through my journals that I keep wanting to censor parts of before anyone sees them and worry about whenever we go on a long trip (I share ALL emotions... good, bad and the ugly). Or maybe it could be my computer files (downloads, emails I want to print out, etc.) @themedalist it's good thing you gave us a few days warning! Thank you!2 -
I'd like to give an update on my goal: 45 minutes of aerobic exercise 6 days a week and keeping my heart rate in desired range based on Younger Next Year recommendations.
I have been getting 45-120 minutes of deliberate activity daily but I hit a snag when I tried to keep my heart rate at the cardio level according to my fitbit. I was feeling really discouraged and my success was tied to my fitbit reports of # of minutes in the cardio range. Then I saw my note to myself from YNY with the expected HRs and realized I was doing fine in spite of the fact that I wasn't always reaching 45 cardio minutes on my fitbit during my activities. I beat myself up when it would register only 30 or 40 minutes. Working to have a more active lifestyle shouldn't cause stress. I do things that I enjoy and if I'm walking along and my heart rate slows down below the "cardio range" I should embrace that because it means that I get to spend a couple minutes stopping to enjoy the view or examining a newly dug animal den, or taking a great photo of a new spring arrival (bird or flower). I guess the lesson for me in this is to not make my goal a source of stress. Tiny habits are the starting point and placing my expectations too high will lead to frustration and feelings of giving up. Remember the "brush one tooth" theory. I'm not going to lower my expectations, but I will enjoy my goals more when my expectations aren't so rigid. Tiny habits lead to bigger and better things without frustration and feelings of failure.
And this has been my random thought of the day:)3
