Alcohol Free Is What We Want to Be! Thursday, April 25

New Challenge: CARING April 1 - May 31

“Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care" - Buddha

This challenge is about caring about and for yourself. So often we get caught up in taking care of everyone else that we don’t give ourselves the care we need. Or we give up caring about ourselves. A variety of reasons and for no reason, it just happens. The hard part is to recognize it and once you do, it is hard to explain because very few want to acknowledge it. You get kudos for taking care of others, not so much for taking of yourself. Not caring about yourself can leave an emptiness that you may try to fill with food and alcohol. The emptiness remains, just stuffed down. We want and need more for ourselves. So let’s begin!

Treat yourself the way you’d treat someone you love.

Love yourself first and the rest will follow.

Focus on health and well being

So how do you begin to care about yourself?

Eating fruits and vegetables sounds like a plan. So does drinking water!!

Walking up a flight of stairs without gasping for breath. Your heart will thank you.

If you don’t want to be AF then restrict the amount and limit the days you will allow yourself a drink. But remember if 10 is not enough, one is too many.

Start with baby steps. Making too many changes at once can be discouraging so start small. Have you been slacking on flossing
daily? Then start making it a ritual. Do you drink soda for energy? Start cutting back by one.

Treat yourself to something you enjoy. Buying the store brand face cream will sit on the counter. If you have a favorite, budget it in as a necessity….better than buying alcohol! Maybe getting a manicure or pedicure is important to you yet you deny it for yourself. Ask yourself why.

Make a list of indulgences that aren’t food or alcohol and start sprinkling them into your life.

Ask for what you need. Too many times we get into a funk and we don’t ask for help. You are loved and we want to help each other.

Curb all the justification. Sometimes you just have to do something because you want to do it. You don’t have to explain yourself!

Think of your successes….add three things that went well today to your daily journal. What?? you aren’t journaling? Journaling is caring!

LET THE CARING BEGIN!!

Out the door in 2024!

THE EIGHT GOOD HEALTH GUIDELINES
1. Eat at least five servings of vegetables and fruits each day.
2. Choose whole-grain foods, such as brown rice and oats, whenever possible.
3. Include two servings of milk precuts – low fat (1%) or fat-free – each day.
4. Have some healthy oil (olive oil, canola, sunflower, safflower or flaxseed each day.
5. Ensure that you are getting enough protein by choosing at least a serving or two of meat, poultry, fish, eggs or dried beans each day. Many dairy products are also good sources of protein.
6. Limit added sugar and alcohol.
7. Drink at least 6 8-ounce glasses of water a day.
8. Take a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement each day.

NUTRITION ACCOUNTABILITY
Drink more water: 48 oz
One or more fruit daily: Y
One or more vegetable daily: Y
AF: (mostly alcohol free since August 16, 2006): 6471; ANIM: 1 (021221)
AIM: N
ANIM: N
Fitbit Goal/burned: 2170/2245
JUST JOURNAL!

HABIT ACCOUNTABILITY

Move Accountability: 3, 11,600+ steps, 250 steps 7/8 hours, packing, walked at the airport, laps in basement
Sleep Accountability: 1, trouble falling asleep on the plane, no Fitbit score, stress management 85
Nutrition Accountability: 3, chicken curry, plane snacks, chocolate mousse
Macrosfirst: Protein: 54/137, Carbs: 134/100, Fiber: 25g Net Carbs: 119, Fat: 43/45, Calories: 1072/1353
Happiness Accountability: 3, enjoyed the day, exciting to be on the trip, read on plane
Habit Accountability: 3, drinking more water than diet Coke
Check in Daily Accountability: 3, I'm here!
Time Management Accountability: 3, packing, travelling to airport, waiting for takeoff
What did you do for yourself today? Reading, on an adventure

Please post a NSV (non-scale victory), LSP (little sign of progress), PA (positive affirmation) or motivational quote: “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” ―Michael Jordan

Start weight, April 1: 168.8
April 8: 168
April 15: 167.8
April 22: 166.6
April 29:
May 6:
May 13:
May 20:
May 27:
End of Challenge, May 31:

2024 Goals:
11,000 steps each day: 112/114
At least 7 hours sleep: 54/114
Lift weights twice/week: Wk 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13:only once, 14, 15, 16, 17:only once
Blue dots: 101/112 (no longer tracking)
Starting weight: 179.8
Get to the 160's: March 10, 2024
150s:

It's a good thing that our flight didn't leave until after 7pm b/c it took me all morning to pack and take care of last minute stuff around the house. We drove to Cory's place to park, the Uber showed up within 15 minutes and got us to the airport in one piece. The traffic was terrible as always in Atlanta. The line for security was short, so we had about 3 hours to kill before the plane left. I had never flown Virgin before, very nice people, economy seats were comfortable enough. We got blankets, pillows, and headphones. We had a choice of chicken curry on rice or rigatoni. I had the chicken curry, figuring it would be a better choice for protein. It was pretty good. DH got clammy shortly after we ate, had a regular Coke and felt better, so I guess his blood sugar must have dropped. He didn't eat as much yesterday as he usually does, so lesson learned there. I read until around 11pm, wasn't sleepy, but tried to sleep anyhow. I dozed a bit, but apparently didn't sleep enough for Fitbit to track it. The full moon was beautiful to see out the window of the plane. I was amazed how quickly it got light around 5-6 this morning. London Heathrow airport was busy and chaotic, but we made it through Immigration and got our bags without any problems. There was a Globus rep waiting for us with a driver to take us to the hotel. It was about an hour drive to our hotel which is very nice, new and modern. We got here about 11:30 London time, we've checked in but our room isn't ready yet, so we're hanging out in a coffee shop in the lobby. The concierge has our bags until the room is ready. We are very close to Westminster Bridge and the Abbey. As soon as our room is ready we're going out to walk around a bit.


Jan- WTG 11/11, PU, stretches, blue dot, AF, good day, bulbs in ground. It's good that you got an early start. I did read House Rules, enjoyed it very much. I really liked My Sister's Keeper. DH's jeans did not show up before we left, I doubt he would wear a kilt though, LOL.

Liz- Good to see you here.

Vicki- Sorry your regular water aerobics instructor wasn't there. Happy birthday to DS, GL shopping for DH. Yay for Murphy, glad you've seen online activity from Murphy.

Carole- WTG for the workout, lots of steps at work.

Cathy- WTG having a plan for eating in Beirut with Rosalie.