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This April I Will...

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  • katlinmariel
    katlinmariel Posts: 9 Member
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    katlinmariel wrote: »
    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 :smile:
    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!

    April 10 - Well I had plans to go to the gym, but here I am, still at work. I have a date night planned with my boyfriend at 7 (to see The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, in theaters for one night only.. any fellow film buffs in here?), and I just don't see myself making it to the gym and back home in time to leave. I'm trying not to be disappointed in myself, because it was kind of out of my control. I guess I have already hit my goal of three times this week. But I'm very nervous that if I miss today, I'll push off tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day.. you get the idea. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed going until today came and I couldn't make it. More importantly, of course it was the one day my best friend surprised me with a delicious, high/empty calorie lunch, so I can't even work those calories off. Tomorrow will be a better day.
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,998 Member
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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. 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*
    texasgardnr wrote: »
    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:

    ^ I did exactly this. One cupboard. We wash & recycle what doesn’t fit. Works great!
    themedalist wrote: »
    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!

    @themedalist
    Thank you! That will be fun!
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,998 Member
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    Update April 10
    Went to morning art group. Used colored pencils over a black & white version of the flowers I painted yesterday. Cut it in 1/4’s. Nice greeting cards!

    Then to a class to help figure/create out your Artistic path. I’ve already gotten some insights! We also did an exercise with lines that I continued this evening.
  • nebslp
    nebslp Posts: 1,649 Member
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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. 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*

    I had a big stack of magazines that I recycled about a year ago. I literally counted them so I could see my progress. I had over 50 to start with, but it felt like 3,472😂. I set 5 or so magazines at a time on the table next to my chair and went through them while watching the news or during commercials. When those 5 were gone to the recycling box, I would put more on the table. I ended up with only a handful of articles that I kept. It took months but I kept at it. It felt so good to know there was an end in sight, especially when I got to the final 5.

    For food storage I use leftover plastic bowls from butter and such and have one drawer to keep them in. The drawer is fairly small. I keep a shoebox on one side in which all lids go into and I stack the bowls inside each other on the other side. 2 or 3 times a year or when I can’t get the drawer shut anymore I go through and make sure every bowl has a lid. Then I recycle the bowls that don’t fit and the extra lids. I also have a place for my larger bowls on a cupboard shelf since they will never fit in a smaller drawer. It works for me.
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,212 Member
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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. 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*

    15 minutes a day will get you to your goal, @PackerFanInGB!
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,212 Member
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    nebslp wrote: »
    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:)

    Love this update, @nebslp! New habits shouldn’t cause us stress. They should help us, not make us feel bad. Making expectations reasonable makes it more sustainable. And it’s the habits that we keep doing that change our lives.
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,212 Member
    edited April 2019
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    I wanted to give you an update on my seedling habit, getting more sleep. Overall, it’s going very well as I’m now averaging 6 1/2 hours of sleep according to my Fitbit. The breakthrough observation I’ve had over the last two weeks is that I feel so much better when I get 6 1/2 hours of sleep than when I get less than 6 hours. I’m happier, more productive, my memory and recall are improved and the day just plain goes better! I’ve had a couple days this week when I only got about 5 1/2 to 6 hours of sleep and oh my… what a difference! It’s not that I can’t function on less sleep. But my day won’t be optimal.

    The other thing that I’ve noticed is that I want and need my post work hours in the evening. Work is crazy right now as it’s our reporting season and it won’t settle down until mid June. Normally I don’t get home until after 7pm, but Wednesday I didn’t get home until closer to 8:30. I didn’t want to forgo my evening habits and routines which are relaxing, just to be in bed by 11. But I sure felt the difference the next day! So I need to keep my focus on getting to bed by 11, but allow for some flexibility when there are curveballs.

    Please know I am reading your posts and cheering you on, but weekday posts are tough for me, especially right now. After 9+ hours of staring at a computer all day, when I get home I need a screen break. But you all are doing GREAT!

  • PinkyPan1
    PinkyPan1 Posts: 3,018 Member
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    I slept 8.5 hours last night.
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 7,816 Member
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    I’m keeping up with my April goal of staying under my fat goal for 3 days per week, but the rest of the week isn’t so good. We see what Easter week brings. It will be busy with a concert to attend on Wednesday, Good Friday service, and Easter Sunday festivities. I LOVE @nebslp ‘s idea about finding other things to do besides eat. That’s what got me started dancing. :)

    @nebslp, you are doing great! Sometimes our goals can be unrealistic. Keeping up a sustained heart rate is pretty tough. If you stop to cross the street or pick something up, your heart rate drops.

    Glad you are getting better sleep @PinkyPan1 and @themedalist, it is so important and so hard to manage.

    @katlinmariel , congratulations on a full week of C24K! That’s some real progress.
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,998 Member
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    April 12-14 added more details to Lines piece with black pen & circle template.

    Took a photo of it & opened it in Repix art app & played. One of the tools took a section off-center back to white. Printed it & then enlarged to 8.5x11. (I wish it was still the larger size ~ 12x 14 or so.)

    Looked at it, added greens & a touch of red to the leaves...made a copy.

    Kept looking at it & decided to go with my first idea of adding a face.

    Found one in my photos & printed it, enlarged. Drew it in new page. Held that under my leaf image, played with placement as I relaxed after walk & Ex Bike, decided on one. Moved to light tablet traced key lines of face with black pen.

    Painted face. Copied.

    Later on, darkened sone lines (eye lashes, eyebrows etc)

    Played with 5x7 matted frame on it.

    Now looking to see what needs changing.

    Love it.

    I also did a couple of unrelated little things. Texture rubbings over a mandarin orange red netted bag with a cluster of 5 yellow-orange-brown Inktense pencils.

    Some colorful w/color doodles in 4 squares.

    I purchased 7 used art books for $20 on Saturday. I’ve been reading & studying. Going to do some contour drawing this week!

    Also watched 2 more lessons of a nature painting class!

    I read in one of the books of an artist who begins randomly (like me) and then keeps working to make it into a painting. I always thought I should have a clear vision, but I realize my approach can lead me to that vision. So, I might actually do this leafy portrait again, now that I know where I want to go!

    #DevelopingMyProcess
    #Following/CreatingMyPath

    I hope you have a wonderful week!
    Maddie 💕
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 7,816 Member
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    @MadisonMolly2017 I love that you record your process and share it with us. You are indeed following/creating your path! <3
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,998 Member
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    77tes wrote: »
    @MadisonMolly2017 I love that you record your process and share it with us. You are indeed following/creating your path! <3

    @77tes thank you for this! I’ve wondered if I should or not, but I’m building this daily habit & it keeps me focused on that!

    Thank you so much!💕
  • PackerFanInGB
    PackerFanInGB Posts: 3,335 Member
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    MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »
    77tes wrote: »
    @MadisonMolly2017 I love that you record your process and share it with us. You are indeed following/creating your path! <3

    @77tes thank you for this! I’ve wondered if I should or not, but I’m building this daily habit & it keeps me focused on that!

    Thank you so much!💕

    I absolutely agree with @77tes ! I read every single line of what you do. I even have it all envisioned in my mind...right down to picking up new-to-you used books on Saturday!

    Please don't stop unless you decide you want to! :)
  • PackerFanInGB
    PackerFanInGB Posts: 3,335 Member
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    April has not been going well for me. I have gained almost 4 lbs. I was doing so awesome in March and felt so proud.

    I found out almost 2 weeks ago that my stepdad has bladder cancer and has refused treatment. My mother is heartbroken. I am heartbroken for them both and myself, and I'm a "fixer" so want to help. But I live 7 hours away from them. So, I'm kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place on this one.

    I've been eating and only journaling part of the day. At night I have been mindlessly snacking on things that I know I should not be eating mindlessly.

    I needed to tell you this because I need to be accountable. I know emotional eating is not going to help and has, in fact, hindered. I need to stop letting my emotions win all the time.

    So, today, I have logged every single bite, and I will continue to do that until I go to bed.
    Tomorrow, I will do the same thing.

    One day at a time....one hour at a time....one bite at a time.

    I love this group. You are all doing fantastic and inspire me in ways you probably don't even realize.

    xoxo

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