Day 7: Decisions

Agency is a great thing.  I can't blame anyone else for the choices I make.  And I can choose to change!  It's beautiful.  Today I chose to Eat to Live.  And of course I felt much better.  So I think I'll try it again tomorrow! :)

Healthy:
S: 7.5 hours
E: pm yoga
W: 148
11:30 greens, chili, salsa, banana
4:00 Indian Cauliflower Stew (from carrieonvegan.com...delicious soup!), and apple

Debt-free/minimalist:  Sticking with the budget! Susie is trying to do her wedding for $500!  Inspiring!

Day 6: One of those days

I over ate today.  A lot.  But stayed plant-based.  So that's an accomplishment.

Healthy:
S: 6-7 hours
E: n/a
W: 147.2
11:40 3 banana, walnuts
5:30 salad with fiesta mix, banana
7:00 lots of coconut curry (yay!  I make food that helps people enjoy eating veggies!), chips and salsa

Debt-free/Minimalist:  Simple non-spending day of church, family, and friends.

Day 5: enough

I have a hard time saying "no," or "enough is enough."  But I've had enough.  I don't need to stay up this late watching movies.  I don't need to keep procrastinating my thesis.  And all I can do is enough, if I'm depending on God to make up the rest.

Healthy:
S: 6ish
E: pm yoga, kid wrangling
W: 143
10:40 banana and walnuts
1:00 tomatoes, mixed greens, fiesta mix with lime and cilantro tomatoes...delicious! green apple
6:00 India Palace veggie coconut korma
9-2:00 grapes, bananas and walnuts, chips and salsa

Debt-free/minimalist:
Need to say "no" to things I don't need/want.

Day 4: Enduring

I was/am super tired today, but I didn't give in to eating non-ETL food.  I wasn't really even tempted.  Blessed.


Healthy:
S: about 6 hours
E: pm yoga
W: 145.4
7:30 banana
11:30 mixed greens, tomatoes, palta, chili, banana
4:00 broccoli, 2 apples

Debt-free/Minimalist:
It feels good to not spend money when I don't need to.

Day 3: Expect Miracles (and revised goals)

I was going to title this "Unexpected Blessings," but in the temple this evening, I felt inspired to "expect miracles."  They truly are everywhere!  One of mine today was my weight loss.  I'd been expecting some, and thought I would weigh about 145 when I got on the scale.  For some reason, I was thinking that yesterday I had weighed 147.2, so when I weighed in at 146.2 this morning, I thought I'd lost 1lb.  Nope!  I lost 3! I know that it will slow down as I get closer to my goal weight, but I'm feeling great too, and am loving it!

This go 'round of my ETL challenge, I added a goal.  Usually, I have a goal about doing essentrics, and sometimes cardio, and often a sleep goal, in addition to my Eating to Live.  This time, as I was writing my blog post about my goals, the thought came to add gratitude, or "give thanks," to the list.  I am so grateful that I did and that I was blessed to be inspired to add it.  I think it's making a huge difference in my outlook.  I'm seeing the good that's happening now, instead of focusing on not being where I want to be eventually.

I'm simplifying my goals...I would love to do cardio and essentrics every day, but it's not going to happen right now, with baby Xander coming tomorrow, and thesis-writing to be done.


My revised goals:
1) Eat to Live
2) Move daily (essentrics and cardio optimally; pm yoga por lo menos)
3) Give thanks.


Healthy:
S: 4.5
E: pm yoga
W: 146.2 (-3 pounds!)
8:15 banana
11:45 lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms and onions, cilantro, dal; grapes.
3:50 broccoli, grapes, apple, banana

Debt-free:
Didn't buy the crates I was considering.  Don't need them.

Minimalist:  Simplified goals! :)

Day 2: Victory Jar

As I was cleaning out my peanut butter jar a few days ago  (done with the jar, done with peanut butter for a while!),  a thought came to make it a Victory Jar.  I've never heard of one of those before, but here's what I think I will do with mine.  Every day, I  put a sticky note in my victory jar with the day's date, and a blessing that being plant-based or making another healthy decision gave me that day.  (I may also make a companion jar, a Motivation Jar, with quotes and other reminders to help me on days that may be hard to remember why I'm doing this).  It may be more energy, it may be the courage to stand up for something that I know is right for me...any thing that has made me victorious, and one step closer to being the healthiest I can be.  I just realized, too, that having a Victory Jar will help me with my goal to Give Thanks!  :)

I haven't decided exactly what I will do when my jar gets full...go get a massage, or put some $ towards a kitchen gadget that I would like...or just get a bigger jar!  :)  Stay tuned!

Healthy:
S: 6 hours
E: a little pm yoga
W: 149.2
7:30 banana
11:30 greens, mushrooms and onions, cilantro, tomatoes, palta, dal; grapes
4:00-6:00  banana, broccoli, carrots, apple, pumpkin with almond milk and honey
7:00 few bites of dal (to avoid having to put those few bites in a container), and a banana.

Debt-free:
Check in the mail from insurance company=the last little bit of my emergency fund!  Super blessed.

Minimalist:
Beth's moved out of my room again.  I'm loving the empty space!  AND I threw more things away, and have two DI boxes.  Hooray for getting rid of things I don't love or need!

Day 1: Battle for Freedom

Here's why I keep trying:

God's Greatest Creation


And here is my latest plan: 45 days for freedom

October 15-November 28

1) ETL 100%
2) daily essentrics
3) 20 minutes of cardio daily
4) Sleep 7 hours as many nights as possible.
5) Give thanks.


Healthy:
S: 5 hours
E: pm yoga
W: 153.4
7:30 banana, walnuts
11:30 greens, tomatoes, cilantro, dal, grapes
3:45 broccoli, apple, pineapple


Debt-free:
Budgeted today...it feels good to tell my money where to go! :)


Minimalist:
Organized school pictures.