Hello March :)

 

 

     Happy March! Spring seems to already be here, though it does not officially start til the 20th.  I am quite looking forward to a new season. I've already put away the winter clothes and shoes and got out the lighter brighter wardrobe. I've got 3 big goals for March:

• Project Management Certificate

I've been flirting with project management for years and finally made the commitment and bought an online course. I am not a known fan of online learning, but that seems to be the most popular option these days. The course package has 10 modules and I hope to finish all 10 this month.

• Sit/Stand workstation

I finally got a sit/stand station at work!  I wrote a post back in November 2013 and after 4 months of waiting, this dream has come true!  I look forward to figuring the sit/stand ratio and reporting back on this.

• CrossFit Open

5 week of 5 workouts- I am nervous, but excited.  I had a plan to work on pull-ups and then the zombie flu struck. Weeks later I still don't feel 100%. I am totally not prepared, but going to do my best. 

   
     So those are my big plans for March.  What do you have planned for Spring?

Feeding the Inner Nerd

   

      Lately, my inner nerd has been longing to learn something new.  I tried to get into a Project Management class and that did not work out. So my next choice was anatomy. My inner nerd is random like that!  Turns out I will be studying both.

     First up, I got a Baron's EZ Anatomy and Physiology book.  I've tried studying anatomy before- even got the coloring book, but I could never stay focused.  This book is basic and has quizzes at the end of each chapter, so I should be able to do it. My goal is to get through all 23 chapters in February and then move onto Kinesiology. Kinesiology for Dummies is not yet published yet- I am not even kidding- I hope it comes out in March though.

     After missing the registration for an online community college class in Project Management, I found an online class through Career Academy.  I actually found it through Groupon for $99. The series of 14 classes are online videos and exams.  I have a year to complete and will get a certificate. So take that community college! Seriously, though I am excited. I have been wanting to get a Project Management certificate for several years and this seems like a a perfect storm of opportunity. Fingers crossed.

     Learning is my version of having a hobby. This is probably why I like to read so much. Also, my MBA is 5 years "old" now and I just feel like it is time for some new goals. Wish me luck!

Upcoming Athletic Endeavors

    2013 has been an athletic journey for me. It has been two months since the box jump injury.  I took two weeks off of CrossFit and came back at a very modified pace. By modified, I mean no running, jumping or lunging and very light weights.  I also had to walk two 5ks.  It provided a good reset and gave me a chance to really concentrate on form.  Fortunately, I am now almost 100%!  Good thing because, I have five 5ks and a CrossFit competition from September to November.  It is time to start training and setting some goals.

     For the 5ks, I would like to get below a 30 minute time. I keep missing it by a minute or two.  Of course, I am off my game since I walked the last 2 races. But five more races is plenty of time to get going again.  I just need to get back on track and hustle just a tad bit more- like 30 seconds less per mile.

   The CrossFit competition, I will be doing as scaled (because I still can't do a pull-up!!!).  So the first goal is to be able to do 10 pull-ups consecutively using a blue band.  Right now I can do 2 and then need a break.  My second goal is to up my mental game. My energy is being used up by emotion and I lose focus.  I need to control my thought and figure out how to get in the "zone".   One great resource I found was Mindset by John Kim.

     My third goal is to keep myself in check. Sometimes all that I want to do, overshadows all that I have accomplished.  Improvement and progress are key, but you also have to celebrate.  I also need to schedule in rest and recovery.  This is a lot of competitive activity for a three month period.

     I'll end with my praise for Salonpas Pads. They are like icy/hot stick-on pads that help relieve pain.  They are amazing! I used them for my back aches and box jump injury.  I was not born an athletic, but I am learning :)

Staycation Projects

     I decided to take a week off of work and work on all the things I have been "too tired" to do. While I want my vacation to be restful, I also wanted it to be productive. My problem is I have a million to do items. I could spend the whole week doing one chore after another.  I needed to prioritize, so I listed everything out and picked the most important things and created "projects" for each day.

Project #1: Update Resume

    It probably says something that the first thing I do on my day off is update my resume. I've been browsing job postings for months, but haven't take any action to find a new job. Even if there was something I wanted to apply for,  I am completely unprepared.

    I went to the library and got a couple of books that had resume samples. I worked in Human Resources for 4 years, so I know that format and design are important, especially when you are reviewing hundreds of resumes. So I did the fun part first and cleaned-up the look of my resume. Then I got to work on updating and adding work history. You really need to tailor the resume to the job, but I now have a solid base resume that is ready for customization.

Project #2: Wardrobe & Makeup

     I have to confess I let my work wardrobe get really pitiful. I was wearing faded cardigans, fraying shirts, unhemmed pants and tattered shoes (not all at once).  I almost convinced myself I was minimal and not giving into consumerism. The truth is I find shopping for clothes hard. I was not born with a fashion bone and really haven't developed how to dress myself stylishly. Also my makeup was in a sad sad sad state.

     I do have a "uniform" for work that works: pants, blouse, cardigan. A couple of months ago I bought some quality slacks, but failed to have them hemmed. So first up was getting that done. Then I got online and ordered what I could, but I did also have to go the mall (I really dislike the mall).  My project was to get everything together and organized: go through my clothes and get rid off/throw away things, make sure I have the right accessories, etc. I am not going to lie, this was a chore. I envy people that love fashion.

Project #3: Urban Gardening

     I've been learning a lot about the quality of food and the urban farming revolution.  While I would love to have a vegetable garden, the reality is I live in an apartment. I did a sunlight map and found my patio gets only about 2-3 hours of direct sunlight everyday. That means I can have an herb garden, so that is what I will have.
   
     I did plant an herb garden in the Spring, but it needs some TLC. The rosemary, cilantro and oregano died. I got more of those herbs and some Stevia and lemon verbena. I also read up on what each herb prefers in terms of sunlight and water and then positioned them in the patio accordingly. This may not sound very exciting, but it is a start. One day I will have a yard or a patio that gets sunlight and I will have a garden of herbs and vegetables. It made me happy to do what I could.

Project #4: Preparing to Move

     At the end of the year, I will mostly likely be moving. Boo! I love my currently apartment (except that for the lack of sunlight), but it is eating up all my disposable income. I am fully enjoying the time I get to spend here, but need to prepare to move on.  I got a For Rent book and made a list of potential apartments to look at in September.  I really hate moving, so even that small step was a big deal.

Project #5: Errands

     Oh errands!  A million done and million to go. It is never done. I got my truck an oil change, went to the post office, the library, grocery shopping and Target. I felt accomplished but also exhausted.

     Having done all those productive things, I also did some fun and relaxing this. I sat by the pool a lot, hung out with friends and went to CrossFit and yoga to my heart's content.  It was a good week!

The Happiness Podcast

     Recently I discovered this gem, Happiness Cheat Codes- the podcast that gives you the cheat codes for the game of life.   Founder Larry Pitts says, “I thought it would be really cool to try to create specific tasks based on the findings from researchers that might actually make people happier.”   I have been following along on the happiness missions.

     Each week I tune in to a brief podcast where Larry describes the mission and difficulty levels.  For example, Mission 11 was to write about your best possible future self:

           Easy- write for 20 minutes 2 times in the week
           Normal- write for 20 minutes 3 times in the week
           Hard- write for 20 minutes 4 times in the week

     I chose to do the Normal level and wrote about my future self in 5 years, 15 years and 30 years. I started with 30 years first, following the adage “begin with the end in mind.”  Coincidentally, I had been thinking about writing out a life plan and so this was the perfect assignment. This mission helped me to describe my ideal future. It was actually stressful at first, but once I got done I did feel happier. I wrote in one block of about an hour, rather than the 3 sessions of 20 minutes.

     I am enjoying these weekly mini challenges.  There is also a FaceBook page set up for people to share and converse about their experiences.  The Podcast can be found at http://happinesscheatcodes.com or you can subscribe through iTunes.  If you are looking for a way to incorporate some change into your busy life, give this podcast a try- it’s fun!

Crossfit Games Open 2013: Goals & Expectations

The CrossFit Open is worldwide fitness competition- five workouts (called WODs) over 5 weeks from March 6 to April 7, 2013.  WODs are posted on Wednesday must be completed by Sunday.  Anyone can enter, even those who don't CrossFit, hence it is called The Open.  Over 100,000 people from around the world are registered for The Open this year- that includes me!

For most of us, it isn't about winning. It is about putting yourself out there and giving it your all.  The workouts are going to hard- really hard!  But CrossFit is always hard. If it is easy, you are doing it wrong.

My only goal is to the complete all 5 workouts to the best of my ability.  I will either finish the workout or keep trying until I hit the timecap.  If there is a skill I can't do (i.e. pull-ups) , I will just try and try until the clock says I can stop trying.  In this case, success is not winning, it is doing.  This is more of a mental than physical challenge for me. I have made so much progress in my physical abilities, but my skills are what they are.  The real test is my mental game- do I have the tenacity and drive to make it through a competition, when the odds are not in my favor?  Someone has to come in last (in the world), that might be me. I am okay with that.  

I am extra fortunate that CrossFitt Centurion (CFC) is a participating affiliate and will be hosting the workouts on Thursday and Saturdays.  CrossFit is about community, just as much it is about competition. So together we will get through this and some of us may even make it to the next round.  Top competitors from each region will move onto The Regionals.  The Regional winners move onto The Games and the winners of The Games are declared "The Fittest People on Earth." 

For me, participating in The Open is scary and exciting!  I watched the workouts last year and thought- I'll never do this! Ha! Never say never! I'll be blogging about my experience over the next 5 weeks.  Two of the Tour de Fit races fall within this time period, so I will be running a 7k and a 5k also!  Wish me luck! 

 

*WOD= Workout Of the Day.  My follow-up post will be titled Open WOD 13.1, 13.2.....
Link to CrossFit Games http://games.crossfit.com/

Intentional Athlete

Currently, my fitness includes CrossFit, yoga and running a monthly 5k.  I’m not especially hardcore at any of those.  I do these things because I enjoy them.  Recently, someone referred to me as an “athlete” and that proved to be a game changer.  I’ve always admired athletes, but never thought of myself as one.  So, I looked up the definition, in case they changed it.

Athlete:  A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.*

In sum, athletes have skills and apply them to physical activity and competitive events.  The definition doesn’t say anything about being hardcore or winning, which I guess I have subconsciously assumed. Interesting- I do meet the definition of an athlete!?!?!  Still, I don’t feel like an athlete, because my participation in multiple physical activities was not intentional.  However, with my new mindset of what an athlete is, I have plans of athletic intent:

•  I signed up for the NorCal Tour de FIT Series, which is a series of 10 races.  After you complete the first 5 you get half and medal. When you complete the remaining 5, you get the other interlocking half of the medal.  Race bling!  The Tour de Fit is part of my overall goal to do 13 races in 2013.

• I am a registered competitor in the 2013 Reebok CrossFit Games Open.  The Open is 5 workouts, over 5 weeks.  The workouts are announced weekly on Wednesdays and you have til that Sunday to complete them.

     I feel very comfortable and confident with the running goals.  With the Tour de FIT, the races and dates are laid out and I get to pick the length (5k for now, maybe 10k later in the year).  With the CrossFit Open, I have no idea what I am agreeing to do and I am not even sure if I can do them.  The unknown is quite scary, but I am determined to complete all 5 workouts to the best of my current abilities (fingers-crossed there are no pull-ups).

Athletes participate in events that test their skills and themselves.  It is a combination of courage and intent that transforms a person interested in fitness into an “athlete.”  My personal challenge is to endeavor in these competitive events without attachment to outcome.  Defining success as completion rather than “winning”.  Then I can say without hesitation, “I am an athlete.”

NorCal Tour de FIT Series:  http://changeofpace.com/tour-de-fit/

2013 Reebok CrossFit Games Open:  http://games.crossfit.com/article/welcome-2013-season

*http://www.thefreedictionary.com

***This post is dedicated to Nikki M. for calling me the A-word!***

Resolution: Better than Yesterday

This past weekend I did a Resolution 5k Run.  At the end of the race, you got to write down a resolution and it will be mailled to you in July so you can access your progress. My resolution: Work towards doing an unassisted pull-up.  I would have loved to written: Do a pull-up but, according to the research, woman can’t do pull-ups. 

In a recent study, researchers at the University of Dayton put 17 women through a training program to increase strength in those magical pull-ups muscles.  After three months, only 4 of the woman could do a pull-up.    Researcher were very surprised, but came up with several reasons pull-ups elude woman:

*Lower testosterone means woman develop less muscle then men

*Woman typically have higher levels of body fat

*Also if you are taller or have long arms (this applies to men too), you are at a disadvantage

I have being trying to do a pull-up for over a year now, so reading this article should make me rejoice.  It’s not failure, it’s biology!  But the fact is, I see evidence that doesn’t support this every day at CrossFit. Most women, I know, can do pull-ups! And every trainer at my box fully believes that I can too.  Finally, this article gives me an out…but I don’t want an out, I want a pull-up. 

An unassisted pull-up was a 2012 goal that was not fulfilled (I even asked Santa for a pull-up).  Focusing on doing a pull-up brought me endless frustration and no real progress was ever made. So this year, I am changing tactics.  My goal isn’t a pull-up. It is to work towards being able to do a pull-up.  I am shifting the focus to the process rather than the result.

A trainer gave me two things to work on: doing strict pull-ups with bans to build my pull-up muscles and strengthen my wrists/grip with some dumbbell exercises.  I also found the tips in this video helpful :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP9CemlbImQ

Will I get a pull-up in 2013? I honestly don’t know, but I am sure as hell going to reach my goal of trying!

“Why Woman Can’t Do Pull-ups” article link: 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/why-women-cant-do-pull-ups/

Holidaze

I heard a doctor say that before the holidays, Neurology is busy and after the holidays Psychology gets really busy.  Seems the stress of the season brings out people’s ticks and spending time with family requires a counseling session.  The most wonderful time of year has become a survival skills test of modern life.  Why do we do this to ourselves? 

I think the biggest problem is we try to celebrate it too much.  In a concentrated frenzy, we shop for gifts, decorate, and cook for Christmas.  There are work parties, friend’s gathering and family traditions.  (Just from work alone, I got four invites for holiday parties!)  By Christmas Day, you’ve already been celebrating Christmas for 3-4 weeks.   All the sparkly lights and sugary treats become a holiday blur and it stops being fun and starts being a chore.  How do you enjoy the holidays, while not driving yourself mad?

Being on my own this season has made me very conscious of making good choices to be able to enjoy the holiday season.  My major revelation has been prioritizing what is not important and minimizing the time spent on it: 

-          Christmas cards. I skipped this. I admit, I was very tempted (to feel obligated) to send Christmas cards, at least to those who sent them to me.  I resisted.

-          Decorations. I started to rile myself up over decorations and then realized, decking my house out was not all that important to me. Instead, I volunteered to decorate the office.  I get to see lovely holiday decorations five times a week.

-          Gifts.  Shopping for gifts is a chore.  So I got my shopping done early. I simply asked people what they wanted and shopped online, as much as, possible. The day after Thanksgiving, I was at the post office, mailing off boxes.  That’s right, Rani Claus brings you exactly what you asked for!

-          Holiday parties.  I scheduled the important ones first so that I didn’t end up trying to juggle my time.   I also said no thanks to some invites.

I know, I sound a little grinchy.  Like the majority of people, I really want to enjoy the holidays, but the list of “to-dos” and “should dos” has become a burden.  I minimized or eliminated the things I wasn’t really enjoying.  I was left with time to focus on the people and things, I do enjoy:

-Spending quality time with family.  I used to go back to Hawaii for Christmas, but people were busy there too. To spend time with them, I practically had to follow them around while they did the Christmas chores.  Now, I plan my Hawaii trips during non-holidays for maximum quality time.  I direct my attention to the family I do have here.   My sister and I have an annual Christmas lunch with my Aunty.  This year, there are some popular Hawaii entertainers coming to Cali to do a Christmas show, which my sister and I got tickets too! So I get quality family time and taste of Hawaii.

-          Event Traditions.  There is no shortage of events you can participate in for the holidays. Instead of trying to do them all, I decided to pick a couple and really enjoy them.  My picks for this year are Holiday of Lights at Folsom Zoo and ice skating. Ice skating last through January, so if I don’t make it before Christmas, I will be okay with that. 

-          Christmas Feast.  I try to make good eating choices prior to the holiday. By saving special food for the special day, it is well- actually special.

-          Sweets and Treats. Oh the temptations are endless, but I have my favorites like- peppermint mochas. Yes, I realize you can get these year round, but I only get them during the holiday season. That makes it taste even better.  It is amazing how much the little things matter.

So far my post-Thanksgiving time has been manageable. I suffer some residual guilt for saying no to party invitations and not sending out Christmas cards.  But mostly I relish the calmness that allows me to enjoy this season.  This may be the first Christmas, I’ve actually had time to enjoy since childhood.

Sugar Shakedown

Confession: I am a sugar addict. Sugar is my white powder of joy. It presses all the happy buttons in my head and then leaves me with the worse headache/hangover, but I always go back to it. This is the time of year where sugar starts ruling my life. It starts with Halloween candy and continues with all the holiday treats right through New Years. I indulge and spend two months in total sugar intoxication.

I walked by the co-workers desk and saw that the Halloween candy is already out!  This means if I start right now, it will be three months of sugar time!  This is not good.   And you know what?  Halloween candy is not actually that good. I mean it was good when I was a kid, but I have more “refined” tastes now.  So I decided to boycott Halloween candy.  I smugly high fived myself for stopping the downward sugar spiral. Go me!

However, I was still eating cupcakes, raspberry truffles and chocolate cheesecake, which were not in violation “no Halloween candy” policy. Oh and there was also a dark chocolate bar from Trader Joe’s.  You see sugar finds its way into my life (into all of our lives) in so many different ways. It is sneaky. The sugar fixes go on and on until not eating sugar actually hurts- oh the withdrawals! As my co-worker pointed out, the best cure for sugar withdrawal is to eat more sugar. 

This needs to stop! How can I best fight this battle?  Saying no to sugar forever is not realistic. I want to be able to enjoy sugar, but not let it be in control of me. Often I let sugar be an emotional decision.  I have developed a million ways to justify why I deserve a “treat.”  A treat needs to actually be a treat, not a daily occurrence.  I don’t want to be a sugar addict.

I don’t know the magical plan for getting sugar under control, but I do know my first step is to start making smarter sugar decisions. Here are some things I’ll start with:

• Quality sugar- skip the crap sugar products.  If I am going to indulge it has to be worth it.
• No more keeping random sugar in my home.  If it is there, I will eat it. If I want sugar, I need to go out and get it.
• Plan sweet treats so I have something to look forward too.

Sorry sugar, you aren’t the boss of me anymore (I hope).

Summer 2012

Happy Summer Solistice! The first day of summer- yay!  The weather heated up sometime ago, so I am pleasantly surprised that the "actual" summer has just begun. Time seems to be moving more quickly with each year and how my time is spent seems a little unclear. So I decided to set some goals for my summer. This is my attempt to catch those fleeting moments and form them into a bigger purpose.

Goals for Summer 2012

1.  Be my "Best" self. The best I ever felt was during my 30 Day Challenge. Good nutrition led to good sleep and that led to good CrossFit performance. On top of that I wrote in my journal daily to hash out my day. So my first goal is to really take care of myself. Eat good foods, get enough sleep, and write in my journal. This should give me a solid base for the rest of my goals.

2.  Master the box jump. There is a 20" wooden box at CrossFit that is vexing me. Sometimes I can jump on it and sometimes I can't and the difference is all in my mind. These are my new spirit breakers and I am determine to jump on the box without flinching. Here is how it is suppose to go:
http://www.livestrong.com/video/5306-box-jumps/


3.  Give my best performance at the CrossFit Centurion in-house competition "War of the Centurions." I have never competed in an athletic event in my entire life, so this one is kind of a big deal for me. I expect I will learn a lot about myself. 

4.  Learn to grill like a pro.  I already ordered my grill and can't wait to get started. I loved grilled meats and veggies, but have never really grilled myself. Time to learn!

5.  Make and follow a budget (that includes savings).  Since I moved in January, my financial management could best be described as "by-the-seat-of-your pants."  I actually manage millions of dollars for a living, surely I can do it for myself as well (and there is much less than a million to manage for myself :).

6.  Watch all episodes of BattleStar Galactica & Caprica.  I used to make fun of people who watched BattleStar Galactica. I apologize. This is good stuff, but getting through 100ish episodes is a commitment!

7.  Have more "do nothing" time. Summer inspires lazy days. At least once a week, I want to sit out on my patio and just do nothing.  This is harder than you think, life is busy.

8.  Write a weekly blog post.  Some weeks I am inspired to write several posts and then there are dry spells. I want to be more consistent and write regularly, especially when it is hard to write.

9.  Put more effort into work.  Lately work has been a J-O-B. Dreading something is no way to spend 8 hours of your day.  Plus I (finally) have a really great boss. It is time to step up.

10. Have great hair and wear earrings. Coming back from vacation, I feel trashed and out of shape. It is so tempting to cover myself in a paper bag and avoid mirrors. Instead, I am going to focus on "not my body." So here is to highlights and shiny objects to help get me through this rough patch.

30 Day Challenge Reflection & Wrap-up

"Cleanse" completed.  After about two weeks, it stopped seeming like a "challenge" and more just how I live my life. Guess it really doesn't take that long to form new habits.  So how did I do?

Challenge #1: No Eating Crap Food

This was actually a lot easier than I thought. Did I have cravings- yes, but surprisingly they can be resisted!  My family and friends were very supportive of my efforts. Work, however, was/is an island of temptation. I realized that treats pretty much show up on a daily basis and if I am not careful, everyday is treat day.

I did have a temporary period of naughtiness the weekend I ran the 5k. I went out to dinner with my sister and had a lovely dessert (see picture below) and then after the race I had a burrito and pinkberry. But I realize this is the true definition of a "treat". A once in a while experience, enjoyed to its fullest. So I enjoyed my "treats" and then got back to business.

Did I experience life-changing results? No, not after 30 days. The benefits were rather subtle and sometimes pointed out by other people. I felt more clarity of thought and had noticeable improved energy levels. Cravings came and went and I stuck to my goals.  I found that I do have willpower, if I approach things from logic rather than emotion.

The worst part of the "cleanse" is that I have to acknowledge that dairy and I can not be friends. It upsets digestion and causes skin havoc. Am I saying good-bye to cheese and ice cream forever?  Probably not, but they defiantly won't be making daily appearances in my food choices. I had always suspected this, but it is now confirmed.

Overall, I find that my eating habits are now dictated by thought rather than emotion. Eating or not eating something is a logical decision- it is on my plan or it isn't. I realize approaching food from an emotional standpoint turns everything into a battle of will. I usually give in, lose the battle and then food becomes all the more an emotional decision.

So where do I go from here? Vacation, of course. After my 7 days of carnage, I will probably come crawling back to healthy eating for recovery. I definitely feel better not eating crap!

Challenge #2: Journal Writing

I actually missed a day of journaling. By that I mean, I not only forgot to journal, I missed rehashing my day.  Of course I remembered this just as I had nicely tucked myself into bed, so I had to resist the urge to get up and journal. Sleep is more important than feelings (sometimes).

I did do all 6 types of journaling (diary, self-improvement, reflective, art, dream and gratitude).  Finding the time once a day to review your thoughts is a good thing and not that hard. This never felt like a chore. Sometimes writing 2 pages a day felt like a chore though.

Will I continue to journal?  Definitely. On a daily basis? Maybe, if I don't pressure myself to reach a certain length. Somedays I want to write a book, other days a tweet. I will do what serves me, since the journal is for me.

The 30 day challenge was a good experience for body and mind. I can see myself inventing and participating in new 30 day challenges. Maybe a new one each month. Hmmmm.....

Here is the heavenly treat that was so worth waiting for. A unique take on a  S'more: chocolate cake, whipped toasted marshmallow meringue and a graham cracker inspired cookie. Delicious!

30 Day Challenge Check-IN

Challenge #1: No Crap Food

Days 1-3 went smoothly. Tinges of cravings appeared, but they disappeared as quickly as they came.  Day 4 presented the first challenge, when I forgot my pre-approved snack. Thankfully I had some macadamia nuts that I keep for such emergencies. Day 5, I just felt over all more tempted to cheat, but I didn't. Some leftover cookies winked at me and I just kept walking. Day 6, I challenged myself by going out to dinner with a friend and letting her choose the restaurant. I did have a bite of her dessert (mint chocolate chip ice cream), but I stopped at one bite. This is a definite improvement, usually if I give myself an inch, I take a mile.   Day 7 went smoothly, so the first week went much easier than I expected.

The second week was full of temptations.  There were leftovers at work, a pinata full of candy, a plate of brownies and cake! I stuck to my plan over and over again. It was hard to resist in the moment, but then the moment passes.  I had an intense craving for pizza and decided to try a paleoish version of pizza.  I say paleoish because I did put cheese on it. I figured since I resisted tubs of candy and plates of brownies, I should enjoy some cheese.

Recipe for Paleo Pizza Crust:  http://everydaypaleo.com/2010/08/04/everyday-paleo-pizza/


Challenge #2: Journal Writing

I thought writing 2 whole pages a day would be hard. The first few day, I made notes on my iPhone through out the day to make sure I had stuff to write about. By day 3 it was actually hard to keep to 2 pages. Once you let it flow, it flows.  I have found I break my writing sessions into a couple of times a day just and that just help me sort my stuff out better. I am much more aware of how my day is shaping up.  So far most of my journal writing has been diary, reflective or goal progress style. In order to get the other styles in, I may have to do more than 2 pages. Journaling rocks!

30 Day Challenge- Body & Mind

I finally got my patio set up this weekend and it feels like I have added another room to my house. I love this outdoor space that is available with the warm weather! The change of seasons has also made me reflect on how things are going in my life. I need a cleanse. Not the juice-drinking meditate all day kind. I need one that fits into my active life. So I came up with my own "program"- a 30 day challenge to help me refocus on nutrition and mental clarity

Part 1: Stop Eating Crap

My eating habits have been slipping into dangerous territory for the past couple of months. It is like I was celebrating anti-Lent: 40 days of indulgences. It started with some Easter candy, then some cake, a burger, a burrito, a little pinkberry and before you know it every day is a treat day. 

So here is the plan for the next 30 days- get back to eating real whole foods like meats, eggs, veggies, fruits, nuts, and healthy fats (grass-fed butter, olive oil, and coconut oil).  I am also going to have to allow coffee and some dark chocolate.  I have been eating this way for over a year now and it works, but I see myself veering too much and it is time to straighten my nutrition out.  I mean, why am I working out 6 days a week and then eating crap foods?!?!

I am enlisting the support of my friends and co-workers. Basically, making sure everyone knows Rani should not be eating crap. I hope that posting it online will help me stick to it.  This is a pretty simple plan, but for some reason I expect it to be a struggle.

Part 2: The Journal Project

Lately, life has so busy, the days melt into each other.  I pledge to set aside some time each day to journal- at least two pages. I got the idea from "101 Creative Writing Exercises" by Melissa Donovan. She says journaling makes you more observant and self-aware.  I need to take some time out each day to self-reflect and make sure all this effort is leading me somewhere good. 

I like that she describes six different ways to journal and I will incorporate all the styles at least once in my 30 day program. Here are the different types of journaling: 

1.  Dear Diary: recounting the day events.  

2.  Self-improvement:  setting a goal and then writing about your progress (Woot! I've got this one covered with my 30 day challenge).

3.  Reflective Journaling: recounts events like a diary except you add a twist by putting events into context and give them a deeper meaning (kinda like what I try to do with this blog).

4.  Art Journaling: experience an art piece (i.e. painting, movie or music) and write about it.  I like that she mentions using fine art or something from pop culture. I think this one will be really fun!

5.  Dream Journal: recording your dreams and trying to figure out what they mean. Honestly, I dread this one because 1) I don't usually remember my dreams and 2) My undergraduate major was psychology and my least favorite professor taught the dreams course, which I managed to get out of because he went on sabbatical. Well I guess I've avoid dream journaling for as long as I could.

6.  Gratitude Journal: this had been a popular one in recent years where you write down all the things you are thankful for. In yoga class the instructor will often ask us to focus something we are thankful for. Generally bacon comes to mind, because I go to yoga before I eat breakfast :)

So that is the two part program. My 30 Day Challenge is from April 30 to May 29.  I will do a check-in mid-way and at the end. Wish me luck!  Let the cleansing begin...