College Campus Visit

Annika is growing up!

We did a college tour with her today.

She's excited to grow up and leave home. 

Where does the time go?

A Challenge

My wonderful daughter reminded me of a commitment I had made before Christmas, and then abandoned.
My new Level Up Goal is to revitalize that commitment.
Ugh!
I will not eat until my stomach growls.
Grrrr.....

Cutting through the confusion

I can't remember all of my new habits anymore, so I downloaded an app on my phone. It's called Way of Life Habit Tracker. That might help.
Winter is hitting hard. I had a gray day Monday and Tuesday. But it's sunny today--both outside and in my head.
I've got projects to do!

Practicing Thankfulness

Our snowblower stopped working today.

I chose to be thankful.

I'm not a gym membership-treadmill type of person. If I'm going to exert effort, I want to see something result from it. 

In the summer, I do yardwork. Now it's January. I chose to be thankful for the opportunity to work and to have a visible result from my effort. 

And I met my step goal!!!!

And then, Iko somehow came untied from the tree, and ran off to the neighbors. I was afraid for the lives of their free-range ducks. In panic, I chased her, and caught her knocking on their door, seeing if her friend Lily could play. 

When we were safely home, I starting looking for things to stress eat. BUT, I used mindfulness, noticed what I was doing, and got my water bottle instead. 

I think that it's the tiny decisions like this that will form habits and become a healthy lifestyle change.

Iko and and her friend Lily, on a warmer day.

Moderation

Every diet I've ever been on, and there have been lots of them, starts with a list of what to avoid and what to eat.
I can follow a list like that for about 3 days, unless I'm really motivated, then maybe a month or two.
So, what is the root of the problem?
I've seen some dogs eat everything in sight, even swallow socks whole. I've seen other dogs eat just enough food to satisfy their hunger, and then try to cover it when they are finished eating. Iko and Keiko mostly eat to satisfy their hunger, unless we are eating something that Keiko really wants. Then she will go tap her communication button that says "hungry." She wants yummy things! If Iko isn't hungry, she just won't eat. How can I learn to be like Iko?

My goal of the day is to consider the word moderation before I eat.

Proverbs 23:2-4 The Voice (VOICE)

2 If you are the type who eats too much too fast,
    do whatever is necessary to curb your enthusiasm for food.
3 Also, do not eye the ruler’s delicacies,
    for the food may not be what it seems.
4 Do not overwork yourself just to become wealthy;
    have enough sense to know when to quit.

Maybe Keiko and Iko are trying to tell me something!

Water

I read somewhere that when fat it released from the body, it turns into water and carbon dioxide. The premise of the article was that if you want to lose weight, you should drink more water and breathe more.

I don't know if it's true, but pretty much everything I've ever read about weight loss and healthy living says that drinking more water is important.
I   don't   like   water.
There, I admitted it. I like liquids with flavor: coffee, tea, juice, pop, sparkling water....
My dogs drink water. They will even drink mud-puddle flavored water.

Here is my new Level Up My Health goal. 

I will drink one of these per day. With water in it. And ice. Gotta have ice.
My plants remind me that every living thing needs water. They remind me by dying when I forget to water them. That's a morbid thought. I think I will go water myself.

Move More

Today I was able to walk in the woods with two giggly girls and three delightful dogs. 

When I got an icy patch on the path and fell, I figured out my new movement goal. I'm going to get down on the floor and get up again twice a day. It's not as easy to get up from the ground as it used to be, before I gained all this weight.

Here is a picture of Tempo, one of my Doggy School students. He's learning step by step. Every week he learns a little more. What an inspiration!