Alcohol Free Is What We Want to Be! Monday, July 8

Labor of Love
NEW CHALLENGE
July 5 through September 2

The word labor implies a specific task or effort, many times painful or arduous. A labor of love is doing something because you really want to, not because of any monetary reward you might get for it even though it involves hard work.

This challenge is all about a labor of love, reminding yourself to love yourself so it becomes your norm.

How often do we do something for someone else because it makes them happy and in turn makes us happy. But as the saying goes “how can you love someone else if you can’t love yourself”.

There are many ways we don’t show ourselves love. We are harder on ourselves than on anyone else. We go over and over “why did I drink too much” and the ever popular "if I lost weight I would be so much happier”. We are not showing ourselves love by overeating and over drinking, we are doing the opposite. To start, give yourself grace and tell yourself yesterday is done, tomorrow isn’t here, so let’s deal with the present.

We worry about so many things, things we have no control over. Resilience, happiness and freedom comes from knowing what to care about and what to not let us get bogged down. Let go of things that do not work for you, help you, or encourage you. It is hard! You want to be a good person but be good to yourself first. Send out positivity but give yourself positivity.

We all have bad days, nothing goes right, nasty people out and about, stress levels are over the top and you have no control. This can be true in many ways but your control is to step away, love yourself.

Journal it, put it down on paper, and then let it go.

So each morning give yourself an affirmation. Here are some suggestions:

#1. I am worthy.
#2. I am enough.
#3. I am beautiful inside and out.
#4. Even my “flaws” have good and helpful aspects.
#5. I love and approve of myself.
#6. I am delighted with who I am.
#7. I fully approve of who I am, even as I better myself.
#8. I approve of myself and love myself completely.
#9. I am happy in my own skin and in my own circumstances.
#10. I am surrounded by love.
#11. I am treasured for who I really am.
#12. I am worthy of happiness and love.
#13. I enjoy my own company as I get in touch with my true self.
#14. I am at peace and happy when I’m alone.

It may sound like Stuart Smiley but go with it!

Good afternoon! I’m working on my house room by room. I’ve attended a zoom and have a goal for the day. And I’m going to remember it! Had a great time with Rylee as always. She discovered what yard sales are like, and we found a good one! We brought home a jeep with a travel trailer for the Walmart knock off American girl dolls, and it also included 4 dolls and accessories. The plus for me was she played with it the rest of the day! 😉 I don’t plan on leaving the house today! I need to continue progress on my cleaning, but just wanted to say to Cindy, DS really needs to set boundaries with FG. Are you being affected by Beryl?

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 products – 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: 64/75 oz goal
One or more fruit daily: Y
One or more vegetable daily: Y
Dairy: Y
Healthy Oils: Y

AF: (mostly alcohol free since August 16, 2006): 6535
AIM: 0
ANIM: 1 (021221)
Fitbit Goal/burned: 2170/1504

HABIT ACCOUNTABILITY

Journal: Y
Move Accountability: 2, 4,100+ steps, 250 steps 3/8 hours, loading and unloading car
Sleep Accountability: 3, slept well, 8+ hours, Fitbit score 93, stress management 69
Nutrition Accountability: 2, banana, protein shake, protein bar, Egg McMuffin, chips, cheeseburger, M&M's, cookies
Macrosfirst: Protein: 76/137 (21%), Carbs: 153/100 (42%), Fiber: 15gm, Net Carbs: 138, Fat: 59/45 (37%), Calories: 1443/1353, 90 over, better day
Happiness Accountability: 4, enjoyed family time, good to be home
Habit Accountability: 3, tracked, more water
Check in Daily Accountability: 3, I'm here!
Time Management Accountability: 3, family time, riding in car, packing/unpacking, stitched
What did you do for yourself today? time outside, reading, stitching

Please post a NSV (non-scale victory), LSP (little sign of progress), PA (positive affirmation) or motivational quote: “When life gives you Monday, dip it in glitter and sparkle all day.” —Ella Woodword

Start weight July 5: 160.4? Mom's scale
July 12:
July 19:
July 26:
August 2:
August 9:
August 16:
August 23:
August 30:
Yay we have done great! September 2
Celebrate! Final weigh in:

Great success!

2024 Goals:
11,000 steps each day: 175/188
At least 7 hours sleep: 90/188
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, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26
Starting weight: 179.8
Get to the 160's: March 10, 2024
150s: June 24, 2024
140s:

The drive home yesterday went well, nice weather, if hot, traffic not too bad. Waze had us bypass Nashville and part of Chattanooga. We stopped at McDonald's for breakfast, ate snacks in the afternoon, and stopped at the Varsity for cheeseburgers when we were almost home. I did some stitching in the car, we got home around 6:30. I did a bit of unpacking, watched some TV, went to bed and slept really well.

I've been to water aerobics, walked, got most of the unpacking done, and had lunch. The neighbor just brought over some tomatoes. I have a bunch of small green ones at the moment. By some miracle I weigh less than when we left for Indiana, even though I ate terrible and didn't get much exercise most days.

I’m back. I got the main level done. I still have stuff on the steps to carry upstairs and want to pick up my room. The grands room will definitely have to wait for another day. I have to figure out how to make the new purchases fit! I also need to go over my Bible school material for next week. I’m feeling tired and my feet hurt! I don’t have very many steps though. 😔 Part of my goal was to do some kind of activity. Maybe I’ll do a walking video, because I’m sure not walking outside! Oh, big news! Rylee lost her first tooth!

Amy: It sounds like you enjoyed your trip! Was your dd in the flag shirt? I love to dicker!

Jan: Glad you’re home! My thoughts on the debate were that Joe definitely looked lost and Trump just couldn’t quit bragging about himself. What a mess!

Carole: We don’t discuss politics with anyone. I actually had someone want to start a discussion in our women’s Bible study. I said absolutely not! She wasn’t very happy with me!

Cathy: How hot is it in your neck of the woods?

Hi All!

This is a friend/girl story, feel free to ignore.

Been a long day! At about 2:30 AM friend/girl had a melt down, texted DS who came downstairs and then because he couldn't get her to calm down, asked me if I could help. I was already awake so no harm but after 30 minutes she finally stopped crying. The crux of it was how she does so much for others but no one reciprocates/cares about her???That is what I gathered. She is on sertroline but I told her I think she should get counseling. Several things have happened that makes me think she suffered some trauma as a child.

Okay, everyone back to bed by 4 am. I need to be functioning by 7:30 because I need to go to Dallas. Check the traffic by 8 and a car carrier has flipped on the highway blocking all three lanes. Hazmat needs to be called in. Check another route and DS comes downstairs and says he will definitely drive. He checks on her in the office and she is out cold. SHe is well aware that I need to go to the doctor's and for that matter she was suppose to be at work by 7 AM. DS leaves a note basically saying pull the back door tightly shut when you leave. He doesn't hear anything from her but then at 11 AM she texts to say she isn't feeling well, is dizzy and then texts 30 minutes later saying as I was putting my stuff into the car I got dizzy and fell, rolling my ankle. Once we get home I offer to take her to the doctor's, no, then I tell DS to give her orange juice to perhaps help the dizziness. I seriously don't know what to do.

So at this point, don't drive if you are this dizzy. DS can drive her car and I will follow. No she thinks she will be okay. She doesn't want to overstay her welcome.....ummm....you came over Friday and don't leave till Monday afternoon though we had to leave the house! Read the room! But on a serious note, I do think she needs counseling and her issues are beyond our capabilities. I'll share another story on another day. I'm not trashing her, I feel very badly for her and that is where DS gets his broken bird syndrome from and oh,  DH had that too.

Amy, thanks for getting us started. Yay for weighing less after vacation! Glad that you were able to sleep well last night, enjoyed water aerobics this AM, yay for nice fresh tomatoes from your neighbor. Glad Bill, Sookie, and Annie did well.

Jan, glad that you are home but sounds like you are returning soon to the cabin! How did DH do on his own?

Vicki, whee for Rylee losing her first tooth. When DS lost his first tooth we were living in Mississippi and the teacher gave him a tootsie roll piggy bank with of course tootsie rolls. Umm how about bubble gum tooth paste? Yay for getting the first level done. I didn't get much done this weekend with company. I just don't have stuff I can ask her to do.

Carole, glad you had a good workout. Yay for winning! Do you send DH off to get stuff while you shop? Other than talking politics with DS we keep rather quiet. DS definitely needs alone time...only child syndrome? And being the only girl in my family I definitely loved me time.

Cathy, hope your review went well!

To delay going home DS and I stopped at the grocery store. Bought shaved black forest ham and swiss cheese, makings for salad and coleslaw. We also stopped to pick up work from his friend. Then DS got the text from F?G she was still at the house. DS seriously wanted to go out to lunch but my knee was aching miserably. The eye surgeon visit went well, retinas are doing okay. Tomorrow I have PT and I dread it. I always lose time afterwards but I am so achy. Friday I see the ortho surgeon and going to chat about quitting PT. Of course, I can just do it.

Enough rambings!

Hugs to all, Cindy