Challenges

Lately I've been thinking about goals, challenges, and things like that.  What do I want to achieve?  I've been through a lot with all the ups and downs/roller coaster of how to eat over the years.  With as hard as it has been with that roller coaster, I have learned so much and actually made a lot of progress.

I try my best to be optimistic :)

So, I've been thinking... I want to do my first realistic, weight loss/diet goal that will last a month.  My first real 30 day challenge.

Rules:

Follow the 80/10/10 rules.
Smoothies for breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Salad for dessert.
Exercise at least 30 minutes per day.  No excuses
No beer
No booze
No preservatives
Drink at least 3L of water per day
Consume at least 3000 calories per day

I feel like I should write more down, but when you really look at it... It can look kind of scary.  But like I mentioned before, I've been through this so many times.  I know everything about it, just haven't put my knowledge to the test.  So I guess this is what it's really about.  Testing myself.  I've done it all, but never together at one time.

I have a feeling I'm going to feel beyond amazing.  And I don't just mean nutritionally feeling good.  I'm thinking spiritually, emotionally, personally....So many different ways.

I'm really scared about doing it though.  That's the hard part.  Why am I so scared?  I have done it so many times before.  They never really felt like I would actually achieve though.  Basically, I guess I felt like a failure, even though I didn't want to fail.  And I ended up failing.  I have failed a lot.  And every time, it feels worse and worse.  It's like a vicious cycle.  Just lots of negatives leading into more negatives.

I've been reading a lot of books on personal development.  I think this is what has been motivating me to write all of this down.  I've been wanting to do the things that make me feel good and happy.  Following these guidelines should put me in this place of where I want to be physically and emotionally.  I'm gonna look so good and feel so good.

Those are long term dreams though.  So, to try to get more serious, I want to just try it for 30 days.  It's a challenge.  Just to see what it's like.  I have a feeling I'm going to feel so much better about it than I ever really have.  I think I will have a much better effect than I ever have dreamed of.

I want to do this starting February 1st.  I know the month is short, and I didn't plan it that way, I promise.  I think I am scared because I have failed so many times in the past.  But at the same time I feel like I will achieve more because I'm starting to put what I've learned into motion.

It's late and this popped into my mind and I felt like writing it down.  So I'm sure I just rambled on for a long time, but oh well.  I'm working more on being more "me" and that's ok.  In fact, I'm really looking forward to more of these types of post.

Some Changes

Hello again!  I wanted to share that I've been making some changes in my life.  As I have mentioned before, life has been busy.  It's been crazy!  There were some things that just needed to be worked on and one of them is my eating lifestyle.  

It just wasn't working out.  Things weren't going well with my family.  I think I was just trying to do too much for them.  I wanted them to eat like me and it wasn't working.  So things have been switched up a little bit. 

I was trying to get my family to eat a more gluten free vegan diet.  Like I said before, that wasn't working out!  Recipes weren't coming out good, they all missed certain foods, many food items were getting wasted, and too much money was being spent.  So I took a few steps back.  

I started drinking coffee again, some alcohol, and much more cooked foods.  Since starting a new job I have also incorporated some supplements to my life.  Exercise is very important to me, yet I wasn't doing it at all.  Recently, I've started incorporating that in.  

Overall, we're a happy family again.  I'm trying to work on more meals that can be shared and we all will enjoy.  This means that I'll just put aside what I want and fix it up how I want compared to everyone else.  For example, I don't want the meat in spaghetti so I'll just put some noodles and sauce to the side before the meat goes in.  It works!  

Also, instead of trying to force my family to do something they don't want to necessarily do, I will let them see my progress, educate them more in a proper way, let them see how good I feel overall.  Sometimes my husband will find something on the internet about factory farming and share it with me.  I end up telling him that that is another reason why I don't want to eat meat.  Not only is it sad for the animals to die and in the manner that they die (and live for that matter), but factory farming is just so wrong and corrupted.  It's so frustrating and I just don't want to be apart of it.  

I have to mention again how happy I am to have my blog back.  It's not like it got taken away or anything.  I just needed to take a few steps back is all.  I got a fresh restart!  This year for me is going to be great, I can just feel it!  I'm staying positive and motivated and look forward to all my adventures making progress!  

Cass

I miss you blog!!!

Hey there!  I miss this blog so much.  When I just checked in I noticed that I haven't even been here since October!  There were just some things that happened and I haven't been back here.  I think about the blog often though.  

Around the holidays it is just so crazy.  All of our birthday's, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years.... I'm still not done yet with the whole ordeal!  Only one more birthday to go!  Thank goodness.  And, thankfully, my husband doesn't want to do anything at all.  Which, I think is kind of sad.  But at the same time, it's his birthday and he can do whatever he wants.  Or the lack thereof.  Which does make it easier for me.  However, I feel at a loss because I've been going so much for so long...  But now I'm just rambling!!

Other things happening, I got a new job!  Woohoo!  I'm working at a place where I can practice what I've learned in school and help people achieve their health and fitness goals.  Yay!  I'm really excited about it.  Can you tell?  Plus I'm still working on my NeriumAD business.  I'm really trying to get it off the ground.  

So ya, very busy around here.  I will start posting once a week at least.  Things are still going to get crazy busy as sports for the kids are coming up.  

Oh!  One thing I would like to post is that since I started keeping track of my weight and measurements as of September 30, I have lost 7 pounds and over 8" all over my body!  Woohoo!  I'm still going stronger than ever and look forward to more weight loss and a more fit body.  

Well, that's about all for now.  I'm so happy to be back here again.  *HUGS*  

Let me know if there's anything you want me to write about or if you have any questions!

Cass

Pic/motivator for the day: