March Mindfulness Challenge 2023
baconslave
Posts: 7,021 Member
Life is...well....it's LIFE, isn't it? It can be good. It can also be busy, frantic, and sometimes, downright chaotic. We are pulled so many directions but so many situations and distractions. When do we have time to breathe, let alone live in the moment?
So this month, I think it would be excellent to challenge ourselves to incorporate mindfulness into our journey to health. Plus, it works with the whole alliteration thing.
Morwenna Ferrier (writer for the Guardian) defines the new fad-term "mindfulness" this way: "The whole ethos of mindfulness is to encourage people to live in the moment. The theory goes that we are so busy trying to block out past worries and anticipate future ones that we rarely concentrate on enjoying what we are doing at the precise moment we are doing it. Devotees claim mindfulness can be applied to everything from walking and running to sex and eating." http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jun/23/mindful-eating-how-to-get-more-from-your-meals
But I challenge that it isn't only about enjoyment. It's about AWARENESS. That's how we diagnose the elusive issue we carry, the sneaky ones that fly under our radar, but continue to throw a wrench into our efforts. So much about success in weight loss and health is about healing our dysfunctional relationships with food and other things in our lives, so we are free from the impetus of stress and emotions that often spurs us to sabotage ourselves.
So in that vein, the challenge is to practice some form of mindfulness by pausing and observing what happens in our heads and bodies when we eat or exercise, to be aware. And maybe then we can enjoy our journey more and discover any hang-ups we've missed and lock them down.
And, of course, being mindful of the Low-Carb Basics:
So. Let us know where you'd like to apply mindfulness this month, to whichever food or fitness or health area is applicable to your life.
But anyone who doesn't want to mess with "mindfulness techniques" and just wants to carry on what they were doing on the challenge last month, feel free to join, too. Paying attention to what we are doing is being mindful anyway.
So this month, I think it would be excellent to challenge ourselves to incorporate mindfulness into our journey to health. Plus, it works with the whole alliteration thing.
Morwenna Ferrier (writer for the Guardian) defines the new fad-term "mindfulness" this way: "The whole ethos of mindfulness is to encourage people to live in the moment. The theory goes that we are so busy trying to block out past worries and anticipate future ones that we rarely concentrate on enjoying what we are doing at the precise moment we are doing it. Devotees claim mindfulness can be applied to everything from walking and running to sex and eating." http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jun/23/mindful-eating-how-to-get-more-from-your-meals
But I challenge that it isn't only about enjoyment. It's about AWARENESS. That's how we diagnose the elusive issue we carry, the sneaky ones that fly under our radar, but continue to throw a wrench into our efforts. So much about success in weight loss and health is about healing our dysfunctional relationships with food and other things in our lives, so we are free from the impetus of stress and emotions that often spurs us to sabotage ourselves.
So in that vein, the challenge is to practice some form of mindfulness by pausing and observing what happens in our heads and bodies when we eat or exercise, to be aware. And maybe then we can enjoy our journey more and discover any hang-ups we've missed and lock them down.
And, of course, being mindful of the Low-Carb Basics:
- Planning ahead!!!
- Staying under carbs
- Staying under calories
- Logging and measuring
- Getting in exercise/movement if that's one of your goals
- Keeping an eye on electrolyte levels
- Getting enough water
- Planning ahead!!! Oh, wait. I said that already? Yes, I frickin' did. Because you must! "Failing to plan is planning to fail."
So. Let us know where you'd like to apply mindfulness this month, to whichever food or fitness or health area is applicable to your life.
But anyone who doesn't want to mess with "mindfulness techniques" and just wants to carry on what they were doing on the challenge last month, feel free to join, too. Paying attention to what we are doing is being mindful anyway.
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Need more help with the "how" of mindfulness? I've created a list of links. Some repeat the theme but add something. There a couple that apply to mindfulness in general terms. But understanding the concept can't help but aide us in applying it to our reason for being here on MFP.
Start with this, garnered from zenhabits.com
"Benefits?
Reduced over eating. It’s been a while now since I went to bed feeling bloated and over stuffed. Which is great in itself but also means that my ‘muffin top’ is pretty much gone when I wear my favorite jeans.
Increased enjoyment of food. As a food scientist, I’ve always considered myself a big fan of eating. Now that I’m on the path to mastering the art of mindful eating, I am finding a new found respect for food and am gaining far more pleasure from meal times.
Improved digestion. Digestion begins in the mouth with the action of saliva. If food isn’t chewed properly it means that there’s more work for the rest of your digestion system. I may be imagining this, but I think I’ve also noticed I have less gas now that I’m eating mindfully.
Being satisfied with less. Linked with reduced over eating, the real benefit here is being able to trust yourself to feel satisfied after one or two squares of chocolate so there is no temptation to scoff the whole block. Suddenly there’s no need to deny yourself the occasional treat which makes for a far healthier relationship with food.
Ready to change the way you interact with food?
How to master the art of mindful eating:
1. Start small. Like all new habits, it’s best to set realistic expectations. Choose one meal or snack each day and commit to focusing on mindful eating at that time.
2. Stop multitasking at meal times. It’s really difficult to focus on eating if you’re doing other things. Set aside time for eating without other entertainment.
3. Only eat at the table. Another way to minimize mindless munching is to get into the habit of only eating when you are sitting down and able to give the food your full attention. No more snacking on the run.
4. Appreciate the appearance. While we’ve all drooled over gorgeous food porn in magazines or online, sometimes we forget about the beauty of the food we are about to eat. Taking the time to notice sets the scene for mindful eating.
5. Focus on each mouthful. Think about the flavour, texture and even the sound of the food in your mouth. Focus on how much you like, or dislike these sensations.
6. Chew. While it can be overkill to go to the monastic extreme of 100 bites per mouthful, make sure you chew your food enough so that it is well broken down before you swallow.
7.Use cutlery and put it down between mouthfuls. It’s much easier to take smaller portions when using a knife and fork. Of course if you feel like you’re having a ridiculous Seinfeld moment eating a chocolate bar with utensils, then skip this step but do put the bar down in between bites so you can focus.
8. Talk and share. One of the joys of eating is sharing a meal with loved ones. It can be challenging to incorporate mindfulness in a social situation but not impossible. Turn the focus of the conversation onto the meal while you are actually eating. Share what you are experiencing in terms of flavours and textures, likes and dislikes. At first this may seem a little weird but trust me, you’ll soon find yourself having fun with it.
9. Go for quality not quantity. By choosing smaller amounts of the best food you can afford, you will not only enjoy it more, you’re far more likely to be satisfied without having to over eat.
10. Make time to prepare your own meals, preferably from fresh ingredients. The cooking process can be as relaxing and enjoyable as eating if you let it. For me, the peace of mind that comes from knowing exactly what has gone into my food makes any hassle worthwhile."
The links that follow might be helpful. Please do share any links you personally come across, and I'll add them to the running list. Let me know if any are broken. I haven't had time to check through them. Busy busy.
https://zenhabits.net/what-is-mindful-eating/
http://zenhabits.net/mindful-eating/
http://stress.about.com/od/dietandsuppliments/a/mindful_eating.htm
http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/a/mindfulness.htm
http://jamesclear.com/stay-focused
http://jamesclear.com/zanshin
http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/11/29/magic-of-mindfulness/
https://blog.daveasprey.com/rick-hanson-forgetfulness-mindfulness-techniques-hardwiring-happiness-243/[/quote]
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I will keep doing keto and IF... I will meal prep every Sunday... I will not be doing my home gym ...(my foot is giving me a lot of problems (the rod that he put in on my 3rd surgery is giving me issues ( I see him soon) I hope to get more than 6 hours of sleep (foot is keeping me awake a lot )0
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My name is Mary, 65 from Pennsylvania.
Been MIA for a few months but still logging in everyday since I started MFP 5/14/21. Trying to get back into the swing of posting on my threads I've been in for awhile. 657 continuous days today in a row since I started MFP.
Unfortunately lost my mojo and gained a lot back but not all Thank God! Need to get back on track and focused. I bought a NEW to me, gently used, Commercial PreCor EFX 835 Elliptical. It was delivered the beginning of November, as others here know I wore my previous 10+ year old one out from my extensive workouts. Back up to 150 minutes on my 3 days off per week.
Good to see some familiar names here and glad to see some new ones too!
Heaviest weight 255 lbs, twice. :-(
9/14/20-255 lbs
5/14/21-232.2 lbs
4/6/22- 147.6 lbs (107.4 lbs lost) I did NOT have a surgery. Did Keto.
8/1/22- 167.2 lbs
12/1/22-198 lbs
1/1/23- 213.4 lbs
2/1/23- 207.4 lbs
3/1/23- 201 lbs1 -
Excellent challenge! I rarely remember to come into Groups anymore, but this one hits home as I have been developing a "chart" for myself to use to pay better attention at the 4 pillars of health given how closely they are related. If I don't manage my stress or eat properly it affects my sleep... lack of sleep affects my energy to exercise and increases my stress. Terrible vicious circle! I have no expectation that I will be doing all of the things on all of the days, but it will help me be more mindful!
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gr8 chart @kimberwolf71
along the lines of stress management, i also use an idea of 'mental strengthening' every day - it's a rather broad category of activities/skills to deploy to help me move move forward, for example ~ time to improve mental health, reduce stress, strengthen motivation, ponder new ideas/skills, assess current steps and strategize next steps. De-stressing with 'emotional bubble baths' - taking a minute or 2 to dwell in positive/happy memories or future events/goals - and particularly, as often as needed, checking negative thinking..... consciously redirecting thoughts from past/difficult problems, acknowledge and release them, turn and embrace positive/future ahead.
i realized when i quit smoking that I was looking backwards, totally focused on what I was giving up and feeling terrible, kind of stuck thinking about all the ways i loved to smoke and being miserable. One day, I had a thought - what if I look forward and embrace all the better things headed my way, the benefits that would come from quitting and staying quit.
It's a skill to recognize when we are dwelling in the difficulties of quitting smoking or to stop EXCESS/OVEREATING. So, i try to consciously do things every day that help me mentally, emotionally keep going and support all the positive actions and benefits losing weight will bring. kins of a little jedi mind trick.3 -
I need to focus on slowing down while eating so I’ll give mindfulness a try this month. Along the same lines as @LifeChangz, I’ve been tryin to reflect at night about what I’m grateful for that day. I haven’t been consistent but have found it takes my mind off the negatives from the day. For nutrition this month, I’m focused on high protein and daily fasts of at least 16:8. I’m cutting back on cardio and focusing on strength to see if I start to notice more body recomp.2
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My name is Mary, 65 from Pennsylvania.
Been MIA for a few months but still logging in everyday since I started MFP 5/14/21. Trying to get back into the swing of posting on my threads I've been in for awhile. 657 continuous days today in a row since I started MFP.
Unfortunately lost my mojo and gained a lot back but not all Thank God! Need to get back on track and focused. I bought a NEW to me, gently used, Commercial PreCor EFX 835 Elliptical. It was delivered the beginning of November, as others here know I wore my previous 10+ year old one out from my extensive workouts. Back up to 150 minutes on my 3 days off per week.
Good to see some familiar names here and glad to see some new ones too!
Heaviest weight 255 lbs, twice. :-(
9/14/20-255 lbs
5/14/21-232.2 lbs
4/6/22- 147.6 lbs (107.4 lbs lost) I did NOT have a surgery. Did Keto.
8/1/22- 167.2 lbs
12/1/22-198 lbs
1/1/23- 213.4 lbs
2/1/23- 207.4 lbs
3/1/23- 201 lbs
3/5/23- 200 lbs Elliptical Thurs, Fri & Sun 150 minutes for just over 10 miles each session. Finally glad to see a drop. I was hoping for Onederland though. Oh well, it's inevitable. Can't complain about 7.4 lbs since 2/1, in 4 1/2 weeks.
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@taylok23 ~ how's the 16:8 going? I have found focusing on what I am grateful for the day has really helped as well. Very different than focusing on all the bad... find i sleep better! bonus!
ouch! @Megan_smartiepants1970 ~ sorry you are going through that with your foot.... pain is tuff/exhausting.
welcome back @swimmom_1 ~ wow, that's some log-in record! are you back on a keto approach? I'm also getting going again.
about day 4 here, appetite a bit better today.0 -
@LifeChangz when I hit the 18 hour mark I am starting to feel the need to eat but before then I do fairly well fasting. Sometimes I wake up feeling hungry but after a few sips of coffee that normally goes away. My scale is being a lying *kitten* over the last several weeks so I need to grab some measurements to see if maybe I have a non scale victory to keep me motivated. I’ve had some sugar cravings off and in but avoided buying any goodies at the store yesterday even though it was so tempting.
I’ve decided to cut back on my daily walks and replace with 3 days of HIIT to mix things up along with my variable resistance training I’ve been doing over the last 11 weeks. Although with the weather turning nice, I’ll likely join my neighbor for a stroll and some girl talk to stay sane but we aren’t breaking land speed records by any means!1 -
@LifeChangz Yes I am. But just recently increased my Protein a bit more and I've never really ever tried to get the full amount of fat that Keto says to. I just let that fall where it falls. I try to stay about 12 net carbs +/- a few. And 1000-1200 daily calories max except on my work out days I usually have 200-400 extra. They are my treat days but I'm still with a decent calorie deficit.LifeChangz wrote: »
welcome back @swimmom_1 ~ wow, that's some log-in record! are you back on a keto approach? I'm also getting going again.
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Our weather has turned cold again making it hard to get outside for walks. I have finally kicked my bug to the curb though and am being mindful and the chart is up on the fridge! Come on exercise!!!! My missing puzzle piece!2
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Taking stock of what I can do to change my body. I've not had any significant change in weight or measurements in 8-10 weeks. I am getting stronger and happy with that but would like to see a difference in how my clothes fit regardless of the scale. I'm going to commit to 16:8 IF for the rest of the month starting tomorrow. I think it will encourage more mindfulness and I'm willing to give it a chance.
@taylok23 I may be seeking tips from you
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I’ve been doing a lot of research lately and as I’m in my peri menopause years I want to ease into this experience with as little disruption to my life (and the poor souls around me). So I’ve landed on cycle syncing, which entails fasting and eating to support your hormones throughout the month. I read Fast Like A Girl and thought I’d give it a try. Why fight your body’s cycle when you can work with it?
@tishsmith101 i’ve got some literature I’ll try to post on breaking a stall. I haven’t tried it yet but it might be worth a shot.2 -
I’ve been doing a lot of research lately and as I’m in my peri menopause years I want to ease into this experience with as little disruption to my life (and the poor souls around me). So I’ve landed on cycle syncing, which entails fasting and eating to support your hormones throughout the month. I read Fast Like A Girl and thought I’d give it a try. Why fight your body’s cycle when you can work with it?
@tishsmith101 i’ve got some literature I’ll try to post on breaking a stall. I haven’t tried it yet but it might be worth a shot.
I'm going to check that out, I think. I have been slowly collecting peri symptoms every year and these past 2 have gotten harder and harder. I can't seem to keep this stupid 10-15 pounds away, even if I manage to get them off. I keep floating back up to them. And I can't manage to lose anything right now. I'm just lucky to be maintaining. Cranky and dissatisfied and snackiness is off the chain!
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I'm not able to post a PDF here otherwise I'd share my fasting guide I've downloaded from a program I'm trying out. It's through the BSB Tribe and is called Healthy Clean Keto Weight Loss program. She touches on carb cycling/cycle syncing and has tips on breaking stalls, fasting and dealing with the brain side of food issues. I haven't gotten to that part yet but am looking forward to it. So I'll give the cycle syncing a try over the next couple of months and see what my results may be. I'll keep you posted as I've not been able to drop more than a few pounds and am stuck for the moment (or for quite a while if I look back at my weight over time). This seems to be where I land so maybe my setpoint is trying to tell me something. Or it could be consistency too. We shall see!1
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I was in chemical menopause in 2012 (48) for my hysterectomy then again in 2014 (50) during chemo. Luckily I've never really had any pronounced symptoms like night sweats etc., but dang, that midsection gain is REAL. Had my hormone levels checked last year and they are fine. I'm going to research the cycling info, sounds intriguing. IF 16:8 is going well the first two days. I just had to mentally commit to it.2
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@taylok23 ~ think "cycle syncing" is the thing most plans miss - i always had a definite pattern to weight loss (saw it when i tracked daily for about 4 months one year.) I kept exercise and calorie loads the same (calorie deficit for weight loss). So, about 3rd day was always the lowest. So I measured that day month to month for real w/loss. I would lose most easily like first 10-15 days, then hold or hardly lose about 10 days, then definitely hold/increase for the last week. start cycle, have a water woosh and compare morning day 3 to day 3. i was surprised by that... and it also showed my cravings went voracious the last 5 days or so.
when I measured over the month cycle, that's when my total overall loss matched the calculators/estimators for calories to eat for a 1 or 2 lb/loss per week x 4 weeks. I often shot for for 1 lb per week with my calorie load - so it was totally distressing to see weight hold or increase... especially when I did not extra eat that last tough week and gained water weight so scale went up.
for symptom management (crazy cravings) the last week, i started bumping cals up to 'maintain weight' level the last few days if I needed to when i struggled.... added in larger evening snack, increased some portions. what I found was though - how much i ate didn't really alleviate the cravings - just a few days there I just couldn't get full - so did other things - nice baths, exercise with strength training at end to bring the body into a calmer state.
the problem during the menopausal transition is the menstrual cycle goes wonky and/or missing, so i continued to track the gap, note cravings/water retention.... oh and the crankies, lol now, after, i don't see a hormonal cycle, but i never did encounter anything in 'diet' books to account for this.
@tishsmith101 ~ (hugs) ~ tuff stuff there! i went thru similar 2019. What surprised me is that my wicked hot flashes stayed with me and have finally eased a bit over this last year. Asked about that, they said they could last til my '80s! I am so not up with that idea, lol... imagine they will just continue to taper - and now I am getting the opposite problem - bone chilling knee knocking cold... starting to feel old.... lol3 -
@swimmom_1 ~ getting enough fat has been a thing for me too - after years of doing no fat or not much, it's a totally different mindset. I now add whip cream to coffee, things like that - feels so indulgent. Ranch dressing ~ my new best friend! lol - have never done 'net' carbs....
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I’ve been doing a lot of research lately and as I’m in my peri menopause years I want to ease into this experience with as little disruption to my life (and the poor souls around me). So I’ve landed on cycle syncing, which entails fasting and eating to support your hormones throughout the month. I read Fast Like A Girl and thought I’d give it a try. Why fight your body’s cycle when you can work with it?
@tishsmith101 i’ve got some literature I’ll try to post on breaking a stall. I haven’t tried it yet but it might be worth a shot.
@taylok23 perimenopause is a demon for me. I will definitely have to look into cycle syncing and see what I can do with that. Have very gingerly tried carb cycling, but those higher carb days seem to really kick start cravings for me... and keto level kick starts a weird mental thing about restriction. Trying to maintain carbs around 100g is helpful for me personally, but not the hormone stuff. Everything is worth a shot!0 -
tishsmith101 wrote: »I was in chemical menopause in 2012 (48) for my hysterectomy then again in 2014 (50) during chemo. Luckily I've never really had any pronounced symptoms like night sweats etc., but dang, that midsection gain is REAL. Had my hormone levels checked last year and they are fine. I'm going to research the cycling info, sounds intriguing. IF 16:8 is going well the first two days. I just had to mentally commit to it.
Did your current hormone levels get compared to where they may have been at previously? Just because they fall into the "normal" range doesn't mean that is normal for you. I have all the symptoms minus the night sweats, but my hormone levels are also "fine". I have been encouraged to follow adrenal support protocols, weight training, focus on quality sleep and nutritious food.
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Update on me ...Just found out on Thursday that I have yet another infection now I know why my foot/leg has been hurting ... I am on medication for it ...if it doesn't get better then I will have a 4th surgery and he will replace the rod with a different metal .. I swear it is never ending ughhhhhhh5
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oh no, ouch!!! Let us know @Megan_smartiepants1970. if you can just get through the infections, surgeries and heal up!!!2
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@megan_smartiepants1970 hang in there! For anyone interested in cycle syncing, the gist is this. One the first day of your period thru day 10 go strict keto, longer fasts like 17 hours and go heavy on weights, HIIT or running. Your body can handle it at this point. Day 11-15 shorten fasts to about 15 hours, add a few more healthy carbs like a sweet potato or squash and ease up a bit on the harder exercise. Days 16-19 go back to keto and a longer fast. And finally in days 20-28, no fasting, easy exercise like walks and yoga and cycle those good carbs. Dr Mindy Pelz has some YouTube videos outlining this or her Fast Like A Girl book. For anyone already in menopause I’ve seen it suggested to use the moon cycle (full moon being day 1). Seems witchy but I dig it!2
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My name is Mary, 65 from Pennsylvania.
Been MIA for a few months but still logging in everyday since I started MFP 5/14/21. Trying to get back into the swing of posting on my threads I've been in for awhile. 657 continuous days today in a row since I started MFP.
Unfortunately lost my mojo and gained a lot back but not all Thank God! Need to get back on track and focused. I bought a NEW to me, gently used, Commercial PreCor EFX 835 Elliptical. It was delivered the beginning of November, as others here know I wore my previous 10+ year old one out from my extensive workouts. Back up to 150 minutes on my 3 days off per week.
Good to see some familiar names here and glad to see some new ones too!
Heaviest weight 255 lbs, twice. :-(
9/14/20-255 lbs
5/14/21-232.2 lbs
4/6/22- 147.6 lbs (107.4 lbs lost) I did NOT have a surgery. Did Keto.
8/1/22- 167.2 lbs
12/1/22-198 lbs
1/1/23- 213.4 lbs
2/1/23- 207.4 lbs
3/1/23- 201 lbs
3/5/23- 200 lbs Elliptical Thurs, Fri & Sun 150 minutes for just over 10 miles each session. Finally glad to see a drop. I was hoping for Onederland though. Oh well, it's inevitable. Can't complain about 7.4 lbs since 2/1, in 4 1/2
3/12-23 205 lbs. Too many carbs lately. Elliptical HIIT setting on Friday & today (Babysitting on Sat) 150 minutes each day, just over 10 miles each day.
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Having a hard time getting back on keto. But fighting. Bouncing 200-210 range. Started walking again. Then it started raining again (California).
@baconslave - I printed out your mindful-eating list. They are so important and I've totally forgotten them. Going to paste the list on the fridge to remind me before each meal.
Also, right now the "What the heck, I already blew it" or "What the heck, I'm fine, it doesn't matter" are derailing me. Need to switch the mentality to "I don't need it" or "Not really hungry, y'know" or "Isn't it amazing to be satisfied with so little"...
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kimberwolf71 wrote: »tishsmith101 wrote: »
Did your current hormone levels get compared to where they may have been at previously? Just because they fall into the "normal" range doesn't mean that is normal for you. I have all the symptoms minus the night sweats, but my hormone levels are also "fine". I have been encouraged to follow adrenal support protocols, weight training, focus on quality sleep and nutritious food.
I never had them tested before so no way to know. I'm currently at one of my body's 2 set weights so I have to make changes if I'm going to push through it. Today I am adjusting to the time change. Very little sleep last night but I have a strength class at my trainer's that should perk me up.2 -
Last week's mindfulness results. No surprise that I really have to pull up my socks on the exercise bit. It will not be today as I had to the most disrupted sleep last night over and above the time change. I am liking the intermittent fasting and I may narrow the window on that soon. I quickly realized that I needed to recognize chores on my list. Accomplishing tasks really provides a sense of calm for me and I track the "above and beyond things" not daily dishes type stuff.
Have a great week everyone
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@kimberwolf71 really do love that chart. I had something similar but just for workouts and couldn't make myself use it consistently. But this inspired me to try another approach.
Made some low carb coconut blueberry bread over the weekend, so yummy!2 -
Happy to report that IF is a working nicely for me and I can keep it going. I was worried about how I would do on the weekends and it was fine. My Thur night spin classes have been challenging and I like it. The instructor makes us work hard at pushing us out of our usual routines and comfort zones.2
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wonderful, both of you @tishsmith101 and @kimberwolf71
hard to believe we are middle of March - and it is a fun weekend to go do green things ~ gotta keep walking the talk! I have been using the food tracker to help me figure out carbs - it's going well this month.
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