Tag: MLselfcare

Here’s my 2016 workout overview. Shout out to @veggielife for the template!

My motivation is strongly linked to my stress/frustration levels. Work was unbearable before I switched jobs in June and working out was the only release or sense of control I had at times.

Switching jobs, moving, and moving with T were all good things and I tend to get lazier when I’m happy.

In November I really didn’t like how my clothes were fitting so after Thanksgiving I started doing shred. Now that the Holidays are over I’m bucking down on making healthy food choices. Cutting out unnecessary sweets and limited my alcohol intake.

I’m hoping 2017 looks good on me!

News I already know

Working out and eating well for a few days in a row MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER. Also it makes you want to continue to work out and eat well. 

Taking small steps in the right direction can easily turn into bigger steps. I was quickly able to turn unnecessary sweets and alcohol – they won’t make me feel better and I rather keep up my momentum. 

I’ll keep my alcohol indulgences to the weekends and the sweets for only when I really will savor it.

Weight-related real talk

94monkeys:

Feel free to skip this post if it’s not your jam. 

Back in June I decided I was going to try to lose 4 pounds for
my wedding and then just maintain my weight where I was. You can read that post
here although it’s really long and dithery (also tw: wedding talk I guess). Well,
I never ended up losing those 4 pounds but I kept my weight right around where
I was in time for the wedding. Surprisingly, the threat of not being able to
fit into the nicest dress I’ve ever owned was a strong motivator. (Maybe this
doesn’t happen that much but I came across MANY stories of people with
last-minute dress woes.)

Since the wedding I’ve gained about 10 pounds in a
combination of general laxity, stress eating (mostly job related and election
related) and binge eating (same). I don’t like it. To be fair, this is somewhat
new territory for me, as in my life I haven’t been the person to freak out over
10 or so pounds; mostly I would just gain weight and then be in denial about it.
But here is my thought process, first negative motivators, and then positive
ones.

Keep reading

I am one to rarely reblog, but tumblr and being part of community is so important. I’ve felt so alone in falling off the fitness and wellness wagon. I’ve felt embarrassed and depressed. However knowing that I am not alone it not only comforting, but motivating. 

94monkeys is someone I care about and I’ve followed her journey via tumblr since summer 2010. She is someone I’ve gotten to know offline as well (and had the pleasure of going to her wedding, where she looked stunning, not just on the outside, but her soul was radiating). Thank you for sharing, love you!

Pre-Work for 2017

Hi Tumblr, 

Remember me. I know it’s been a while, but I’m finding my way back. 

I plan on spending these last weeks of 2016 to prep for ensuring I set myself up for success in 2017. Between adjusting to a new job, new commute, new town, new house, and first time cohabitation it’s been hard to find balance and thus very stressful. 

I’ve also still been fighting nagging Plantar Fasciitis, which finally lead me to buy shoes from The Walking Company which are helping (first one pair then two, now I have four pair). However they all have a chunky heels and as someone who has always worn the flattest shoes possible my calves and ankles are adjusting to being elevated on a regular basic. 

Plus my Fitbit HR and Fitbit Aria scale crapped out, thankfully Fitbit is sending replacements for both that should arrive soon, but I’ve been without my Fitbit all November and my scale has been “broken” since I moved in August (the issues was with the wifi syncing due to a new network which impedes it’s ability to display your weight – weird). Which means I’ll weigh myself for the first time in months soon…scary. 

Basically I’ve given myself an excuse to throw a full blown pity party which has involved not working out and eating junk when I want to. The holidays and change of weather are also stressors for me, so I hoping to at least try and do some “pre-work” before kicking off an effort to re-find my balance in January. I always love a new year to reset.

I have been prioritizing sleep lately (hi stress and a bought of mild depression) and I need to GET CONTROL. At the end of the day nothing is terrible in my life (in fact my relationship with T and actually being comfortable financially are freakin’ wonderful), it’s just all so new and that in and of itself is the root of my stress. I feel like Jessie from Saved By the Bell “NO TIME, THERE’S NEVER ANY TIME!” The reality is when I get overwhelmed I procrastinate, it’s one of my ugliest habits/vices.  

I went to a “Manage Your Stress, Take Charge of Your Life”  session at work yesterday sponsored by AHealthyU which is through HR (and one of my favorite things about working at AU are lots of workshops, cooking demos, classes, etc). We filled out a “Perceived Stress Scale” and did a “Stress Vulnerability Inventory”  which helped me frame a plan.

  • I need/want to exercise – and it’s okay if it’s not running (I’ve defined myself as a runner for 6 years, but it’s okay if I shift due to injury)
  • I need/want to meal prep and focus on what I’m eating (I’m strongly considering joining Weight Watchers at Work, a new work friend goes so it would be nice to have a buddy, a new group starts in late January)
  • I need/want to get back to both blogging here and writing in my paper journal which I’ve neglected for mooooonths (both of these are my best spaces to think/plan/reflect)
  • I need/want to better manage my time and prioritize 
  • I need/want to find a church, I got out of the habit of going to my old church, but now that we’ve moved I want to explore churches (which I have done in January of 2010 and 2013 to help me recenter and I lucked out finding great churches)
  • I need/want to do the foot and ankle conditioning program/exercises my podiatrist gave me which I have slacked on

I’m New York bound this evening for the first time since June/July. I’m thankful that I decided a few weeks ago to spend the extra money and fly. I don’t need the added stress of a white knuckled 4.5 hour drive turned 7 hour drive to deal with. I get to see my sister tonight then, Long Island tomorrow. Plus with flying I get to come back Friday night and have the weekend home with T. T is staying in MD with Freddie and doing Thanksgiving with his family. This is the first time we’ve been apart since we moved in together in August which I also think will be good. I do miss just being with just myself sometimes and I know I need to create “me” time in order to focus on getting back on track. 

Shout out to A who inspired me through her journey back to blogging to transform an email I was writing to her into a blog post.

Knowing my limits

There is a big difference between excuses and recognizing limits – which is sometimes a hard concept to grasp when it comes to myself. 

I signed up for the Army 10 miler on May 25. I interviewed for a new job less than a week later and started said new job within a month of the interview. I then moved in a house with my boyfriend in a new part of town. Couple all of that with it being SUMMER and hot as blazes in the DC area with the fact that I’ve had a nagging heel/PF/Achilles issue since last fall that I’ve been treating only with mild success. 

I am firing all cylinders all the time these days. Faking it until I make it at work, fixing up the house bit by bit, navigating a new routine with T, creating a new personal routine from commute, to eating schedule, to working out schedule, to social time with friends. 

A few weeks ago I looked into deferring the Army 10 miler until next year, but they don’t do that. I also missed the transfer window. I thought I could force myself to train up to at least walk/run it – but my heart isn’t in it, my body is flat out tired, and I’m really trying to mend and overcome this heel issue. 

I randomly posted on FB yesterday about maybe not running the race and who may want my bib (”illegally”). Within minutes a friend who joined the Army in his 30s inquired. He is super pumped, I made some of my money back, and most importantly I took the pressure off myself. Running is something I love and for it to be overly weighing on my shoulders wasn’t good. 

I’m free from the commitment to train and “race.” I feel lighter and happier. I’m going to try and get to body pump 2-3x week and yoga 1-2x a week plus walk/run as my heel allows. I want to focus my extra energy on being a good manager, girlfriend, and friend right now. 

Healthy Wednesday

  • Got up and ran/walked 3 miles this morning
  • Went to the dentist for a cleaning/check up (new dentist, due to new insurance and new part of the area). Got the usual crap about not flossing and also have a cavity (I’ve had very few in my life thankfully). I need T to make me floss. He got invisalign last month and he’s been obsessive with his teeth, so I really have no excuse.  
  • Went to lunch time yoga today

AAAAAND just realized it is Wednesday and I for to weigh in! Tomorrow it is. 

Running Slowly

Please sing “Falling Slowly” from Once in your head as I am whilst writing this! 

I got up early to run before work. I actually planned to get up earlier, but sadly it was still dark at 6:15, so I snoozed another 30 minutes until there was day light. I don’t mind running before the sun with a headlamp and vest, but since i don’t know my neighborhood well I figured it was best to wait. 

I had mental plans to run 3 miles this morning, but thanks to dropping the spare house key in a crevasse between the house and the sidewalk (thankfully BEFORE I locked the door or else that would have been baaad) I was frustrated and behind schedule.

I started with about ~8 minutes of walking/yogging (y on purpose) as per doctor’s orders. Then ran/yogged/walked out and back for the 2 miles. I hate how out of shape of I am, but I gotta start somewhere. 2 miles in 28 minutes. I feel good about getting out and active before work, but I also feel like HOW IS IT ONLY 10:15AM?! 

In other news I started my anti-inflammatory meds over the weekend. All of the side effects hit me: dizzy, stomach ache, numbness of the feet/legs. The doctor said that might happen, so he advised me to take half a pill with breakfast and half with dinner. I still feel weird, but I’m going to give it a few days. I’ve also made it a point to put my inserts in all my non-sandal shoes since I got them last week. 

Something’s afoot

Went to see a new podiatrist yesterday (new insurance with the new job). 

He had a different approach to my PF/heel pain (and it didn’t hurt that the doctor was cute). He didn’t xray me, he looked at my foot, pressed places and asked about pain, asked me to stand barefoot, examined my arches, wiggled my foot around, etc. 

He came to the conclusion that my achilles are super tight and that is the root of the issue. He also said just based on how my feet are, I am prone to PF. 

He gave me some basic inserts, prescribed me an anti-inflammatory to try out, and insisted I stretch daily – especially first thing in the morning. He didn’t think another round of cortisone was a good idea since it’s only provided 5 weeks of relief the first time I had it and did nothing the second time. 

So the plan is to trying and really get strict about stretching. My routines has been a disaster lately among all the life changes, but with the Army 10 miler coming in a month and the fact that I want to remain active the rest of my life I need to treat my foot right.