Alcohol Free Is What We Want to Be! Friday April 26

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): 6472; ANIM: 1 (021221)
AIM: N
ANIM: N
Fitbit Goal/burned: 2170/2033
JUST JOURNAL!

HABIT ACCOUNTABILITY

Move Accountability: 4, 12,800+ steps, 250 steps 4/8 hours?, walking at the airport, sightseeing
Sleep Accountability: 3, slept well, <7.5, Fitbit score 85, stress management 85
Nutrition Accountability: 3, yogurt and granola bar on plane, ham & cheese croissant at hotel, fish and chips, carmelized peanuts and almonds
Macrosfirst: Protein: 48/137, Carbs: 120/100, Fiber: 12g, Net Carbs: 108, Fat: 57/45, Calories: 1185/1353
Happiness Accountability: 3, enjoyed the day, exciting to be on the trip, read before bed
Habit Accountability: 3, drinking more water than diet Coke
Check in Daily Accountability: 3, I'm here!
Time Management Accountability: 3, travelling from airport, waiting for room, walking Westminster area
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: “If you believe it’ll work out, you’ll see opportunities. If you don’t believe it’ll work out, you’ll see obstacles.” ―Wayne Dyer

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: 113/115
At least 7 hours sleep: 55/115
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:

We ended up not waiting for our room to be ready and went out to explore the Westminster area. It's just a few blocks to the Westminster bridge over the Thames and we can see Big Ben from the hotel, which is the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge. The sidewalks are wide, but crowded and chaotic with people going in all directions, some fast, but lots of tourists taking pics, etc. There are several vendors on the bridge selling sausages and carmelized peanuts and almonds. The London Eye is by the bridge and just past the bridge is Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, several parks, lots of statues, including one of Churchill. We walked around, took lots of pictures, bought some carmelized peanuts and almonds to munch on the way back. We got our room key cards and they delivered our luggage shortly thereafter. The room is very nice, modern, with 2 twin beds. The bathroom has a separate tub and shower, the tub is as big as a coffin. We don't actually have a window to the outside but there is a window to an atrium. We're on the ninth floor and there is a great view on the bridge and Big Ben from a window near the elevator. When we were getting settled I plugged my electrical adapter into the outlet but when I tried to plug in my laptop cord, it tripped the power to about half the outlets in the room. So I contacted concierge services who sent up an electrician who of course told me not to use my adapter and showed me which one I should have bought on Amazon. Not helpful, but there is one US outlet in the room and I brought a power strip, so all is good. I bought a set of 2 adapters for use on the trip. One is for the UK, the other for the other countries we are going to. Hopefully I have better luck with the other one. We rested for a bit then went back out to get dinner. It had started to drizzle, but wasn't too bad with our rain gear. We went to a tavern that had fish and chips. I ordered the fish, DH got the pie and mash, a chicken meat pie over mashed veggies with gravy. I was served a piece of fish that was about a foot long, with fries and fresh peas on the side. The fish was good (I ate about half), but I liked DH's meat pie better. The tavern was busy with mostly people having their after work pints. We were told it would be a 20-minute wait, but it ended up being only about 5 minutes. We were at a table crammed in the corner near the dumbwaiter for the dirty dishes next to the bar. So we didn't linger after we were done eating. Walking back we got to hear Big Ben toll the 6 o'clock hour, I need to catch it on video to record the sound. We're here until Sunday morning so that shouldn't be too difficult to accomplish. When we got back we watched a bit of TV (DH is missing MSNBC and channel flipping). I actually napped awhile then got up to take a bath. The tub was comfortable other than it was too long for me. I was is bed by 9:30 and slept well. I'm glad I brought a sleep mask bc the lights in the bathroom are either on or off and door to the bathroom is glass.

It's almost 7:30 am here, DH is still sleeping. It's in the low 40's. The weather is supposed to be good today, so we will probably try to do a lot of sightseeing and rain is forecast for tomorrow.


Jan- WTG steos 11/11, PU, stretches, blue dot, AF, being inspired to making better choices. Love that DH brought you a cardinal feather and the dream you had about your Dad. Hope knitting was fun. I so need to get to Aldi! We are on our own until Sunday when the tour officially starts. Globus does have an office here at the hotel and we can buy excursions from them. I would like to go see the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels, but haven't figured out whether to arrange it through them or go on our own. I'm also thinking about doing a bus tour where you can hop on or hop off. That might be a good activity for tomorrow if it rains.

Cindy- Glad Queen Carolina is still in residence. Hope the motivation for the Costco run, etc. comes soon.

M-W Word of the Day

burgeon 
verb | BER-jun

What It Means
To bourgeon is to grow or develop quickly—in other words to flourish, blossom or sprout.

// The trout population in the stream has burgeoned since the town implemented its laws against overfishing.

"I look to 2024 with a renewed commitment to Progress”
“Out the Door in 2024”

NUTRITION ACCOUNTABILITY
Drink more water: daily goal 70: 60 oz
One or more fruit daily: 2
One or more vegetable daily: 3
Sober Spring AF: 117

Fitbit Goal/burned: 2,000/2,444

JUST JOURNAL!

HABIT ACCOUNTABILITY
Move Accountability: Step goal 8,000: 9,050 steps, 10/11 hours, 40 PU, 6 floors, stretches, toe touches, AP
Sleep Accountability: 6 hours, 79 sleep, 84 stress, some crazy dreams so just got up before 6
Nutrition Accountability: 29/23 pts 21 weeklies oatmeal, apple, banana, mushroom swiss burger, salad, small custard, chicken fajita 1NA beer
Fitbit Macros: calorie goal @1500/ 1,586 calories, 48% Carbs, 33 fat, 21% protein 108 left
Happiness Accountability: 5 feeling happy, thinking about vacation,
Habit Accountability: Exercise bar 3/4. Morning routine,tracking
Check in Daily Accountability: 5 I'm here!!
Time Management Accountability: 4 Knitting, lunch out, outside time, cleaned up backyard, moved pots, planted, made dinner, read in bed
What did you do for yourself today? 4 TV time, knitting, planting flowers, shopping, outside time, read in bed
Please post a NSV (non-scale victory), LSP (little sign of progress), PA (positive affirmation) or motivational quote. “A beautiful day begins with a beautiful mindset" Unknown


CHALLENGE START WEIGHT 4/1/24: 198 officially at WW this morning 
April 8: 197.8
April 15: 197.5. at home this morning.
April 22: 197.5 at home
April 29:
May 6:
May 13:
May 20:
May 27:
End of Challenge, May 31:

Good morning. Had a nice day yesterday. Went to knitting but had forgotten my sweater pattern at home so finished up an easy hat I was making. Then out to lunch. I ordered the lunch special that is supposed to be a 1/2 sandwich and a side. The daily special was the burger and I wondered how they gave you a half, well it was a whole! Glad I got the salad as the side and it did taste good Then had a small chocolate custard, which shows my determination can be easily swayed. With my low point breakfast and dinner, it all actually worked out and I had no other treats or junk. When we made the fajitas DH cooked up all the cut up chicken breasts from the package and we bagged 2 nice sized bags to put in the freezer to take on out trip. Now we can just heat it up for burritos or salads in the van and less mess with the cutting and cleaning it up. I hope to get some more easy things like that prepped to the road as I don't want to get into the habit of "it's late, let's just eat out". I've decided I'm not getting a scale to take with, if I can't track some days it won't be the end of the world. Will feel good to let a few things go and just see how I function. Not sure what all the plan will be for today. Want to get some groceries, need a big saucer to put under my strawberry pot on the patio and then I can fill it and add the plants I bought. I made one hanging basket yesterday, cleaned up in the back. DH helped me pull out an old bench that was here when we moved in and I liked it in the garden area. But now the slats are breaking and when we took it out I liked the open space. He first said we could replace the seat and I said We could take it to the dump, with my old chair cushions! Who am I? I also put some empty pots, a wagon cart I have, and a tree we have in a pot up on marketplace and someone wants to come get some of it today! Yay. I just had so many odds and ends, different colored pots, some of those big black ones that trees came in. I tried tomatoes in them and they're fine, but just look, uggh. Chilly and windy out today so may buy some things to plant, but not do the work until tomorrow when we're supposed to be back up near 70. Sis sent a message that she stopped by the county office up there and picked up the county fair booklets, she is actually going to enter some things this year! I told her to let me know a day next week or weekend that we could meet in Marinette for lunch and I'd get my book. I can get it online but don't want to print so many pages and I like to write in it, figuring out my photos etc. Then I have a list of what I hav e already entered for other years. Guess I better get moving. I did watch part of the football draft last night with DH. Was happy with the Bears picks, and waited to see our Oregon Quarterback get picked by the Broncos. Have a great FriYay all. Check in later. Jan

Amy Have a fun day exploring town. Loved your picture and can't wait to see more. Sorry DH is missing the "news" or whatever that might all be called. Hope you can get in all the tours and adventures you want before leaving on Sunday. Sounds like you are going to go with the local fare, try new things and just have fun. Did DH have a pint or two? Sorry about the converter and hope you have better luck in the other countries. Fingers crossed you get a little sun somewhere. Thanks for still getting us started!

Cathy That sounds like some crazy traffic! Glad you got home safely. Yay for some new outfits and clothes.

Waving hi

Hi all. Just having some couch time before dinner. I ran my store errands, found the pot saucer at the nursery, Walmart didn't have any that were big enough. Went by the bank, got some groceries and we're just defaulting to hamburgers for dinner. It started raining about an hour ago and I suggested soup but DH won out with burgers. We got the Barbie movie on DVD from the library to watch, so that will be tonight's entertainment. Been knitting on my sweater and getting the last sleeve done, of course while I was out I went to Joanne's and found my fuzzy pom pom's and had to buy some yarn that I'm going to work on knitting a teddy bear with Not working can sure be expensive, ha ha. No other big news. DS and GF were headed back to NY today and will attend the wedding of a family friend tomorrow. They keep going to weddings but still no talk of one of their own! Hope you all have a nice, relaxing Friday evening. Jan

GG Sorry Jack didn't get to play in the game but yay for seeing and hugging DS on his birthday. I'll be curious to hear what DH thinks about the new Subaru's if he drives some. I'm just guessing he may be like me and not like all the bells and whistles that are now standard. It dings when you cross a line, dings when the car in front of you moves and you don't start right up. It slams on the brakes if it thinks you're not going to slow down in time. Some of the things you can turn off but not all. It still scares me when it randomly tries to think for me and makes noises. Sounds like you had a really nice luncheon at church. Fingers crossed for DD and the house offer. I've been mixing the FF cottage cheese into my scrambled eggs for the extra protein, not bad

See you in the morning.