I started sleeping a little more regularly again, so that helps. I didn't sleep as much as I would have liked last night because my dog woke me up needing out this morning. Yet 4 hours and 47 minutes total after the 154 restless minutes were removed according to my fitbit is better than the 2-3 hours I was getting most of last week. I have my exercise and eating planned out today. I don't have all the foods selected yet, but I have a general plan of mostly fruits and veggies with some addition of lean protein.
I set up the schedule as I was falling asleep last night so all I had to do was figure in times when I woke up today depending on when that was. I like waking up with a plan of the order things will go in for the day. It helps me get started and helps me follow through a little better.
First up was a short walk with my dog after we got up. This one was only about 1/4 to 1/2 a mile, but we have a couple more planned for today, so that is ok. She had been knocked out sleeping again almost ever since.
Then, it was time to take my weigh in scale photo for the Mandy Ingber Yogalosophy DietBet. I have to wait until someone gets home to do my body shot. Yet, I wanted my weight from when I first got up (well after a short walk with the dog because doggy bathroom needs come first). I could have done this the past few days, but my weight had been up a little since the weekend and I wanted it back down to my current normal area before starting the game. I didn't eat too poorly over the weekend, but did have rice a couple times Saturday and Monday and it makes me retain fluid for a little bit.
Then, I got a banana and a Greek yogurt for breakfast. I need to break myself of the Bolthouse Farms Blended Coffee Protein Plus habit, but I will work on that in time. I poured a cup of it too. I really try to eat clean most of the time when my kitchen is stocked with fresh fruits and veggies. I know there are better options than the Protein Plus, but I find that if I eliminated every single thing all the time, I would stray from my plan more and would eventually quit it all together. This stuff is so yummy, that I feel if I start my day with it, I stay on track well the rest of the day and stay away from sugars and junk a lot more often. I do try to practice moderation in anything that's not fresh or wholly nutritious. I limit myself to 1 cup of this per day or vary rarely 2 cups. If I consume anything else that's not very nutritious, I usually only have 1/4-1/2 a serving. I realize I can't eliminate everything all the time because I would be miserable and I want a plan that fits my life and is sustainable for me.
That being said the doggy and I came back to bed so she could rest and I could eat and catch up on my DVR a little bit. The doggy has been sleeping. (I am so in love with her we just adopted her March 14, after losing our last one on December 23). We are still in the getting to know each other and each other's routine phase. I have been checking in on social media reading and posting in some areas and still haven't finished the breakfast yet. However, I still have the Greek yogurt to eat and I will enjoy that while I watch a show or two. What can I say, I am slow to get moving a lot of times.
After I finish eating and wait an hour or two to let it settle, then I am going to be up for starting Day 1 of the Yogalosophy Y28 Revolution. Day 1 has a 20 minute cardio option included. I am going to start with a 3-5 minute video from the Dance Fitness with Jessica channel on Youtube. I discovered her when I started the Dance Fitness with Jessica DietBet last week. I am not much of a dancer and never have been, but I have always though it would be fun to try even if I look like a fool. I can't wait to just get my body moving. I know I should do more, but I am very good at trying too much too fast and overloading myself and quitting everything when I get overwhelmed by it all. Therefore, I will start slow with just 1 short video. Then, I will follow the Yogalosophy Routine using the Practice with Coaching video on Gaiam TV.
After that I think it will be time for a light lunch. I may have a couple of scrambled eggs because I can't stop thinking about scrambled eggs today. I picked up a fresh dozen of brown eggs from the local deli that sells Amish foods late last week and that sounds pretty good. Either I will have those or a Quest Bar or a 22 Daily Mocha Mantra Bar.
Then, it will be time to go for a 1.5 to 2 mile walk with my dog. We typically do a 1.5 to 2 mile walk just about every day sometime in the afternoon or evening. Getting her has really helped me reach my Fitbit Step Count goals without having to walk in place or without walking laps in the kitchen or upstairs bathroom.
Side note on that. Towards the end of November, something in my mind clicked that I was ready to start getting more exercise and to start eating better. I was ready to start using my Fitbit to push me to reach the step goals instead of just looking at my number at the end of every day. When I got the fitbit in April, I set my goal to 7,500 steps a day and met it about 3-4 times a week. I started tracking my food just to see how much I was actually eating. I started losing weight a little and did well for almost 2 months and then around my birthday in June I just kind of stopped. Well I looked at my stats, and I saw that i averaged about 1,000 to 3,00 steps per day. I decided to set a goal for myself then that would get me moving more, but wouldn't be too extremely difficult. I wanted to ease back into it. Then, someone in the Facebook Fitbit Friends Group told me her plan. She said she set a goal and strove to meet it every day for 30 days in a row. Then if she missed a day she would start her count over again at day 1 the next day. She said from there after every 30 days of meeting it she would increase the goal some. I took this to heart and started with this plan too. I set my goal to 5,000 which was more than I was getting, but not too much for me to strive for. I find that setting small attainable goals helps boost my confidence when I meet them, so that then I feel more empowered to increase or add to my goals over time. I am very proud to say that this method has worked for me so far. I finished 5,000 for 30 days and increased to 5,500 and finished it for 30 days. Then 6,000 for 30 days and then 6,500 for 30 days. Yesterday was day 30 at 6,500. I haven't missed a step goal in 120 days so far. Today is my first day with a 7,000 step goal. I am ready to keep going! There were days I was so tired or sick that I didn't feel like getting out of bed, but I thought of my days in a row streak and just kept getting up and walking until I got there; even if that was my only exercise. I kept moving. Having my new dog really helps make it a lot easier now.
Back to my plan for today. I don't know if the 1.5 to 2 mile walk will count towards cardio for me for my Y28 Day 1. I may count it and the 3-5 minute video if I am wiped out and super tired after that. Walking is a form of cardio I know, and my town is very hilly and my doggy can have me moving quickly at times (she even has gotten me to start jogging a tiny bit here and there a few times and I am not a fan of running - even though I was an athlete as a child & teen).
However, if I am not too wiped out after the dance video, Yogalosophy & 1.5-2 mile walk, I think I want to use my AeroPilates Reformer again for 15-20 minutes tonight for some full body strengthening. I am really loving using it again and the new pull up bar I got for it really works my upper back, upper abs and arms a lot more than I have been up until this point. I love the way my body feels when I am finished with an AeroPilates work out and when I wake up the next day. Then if I am super energetic, I may even use the cardio rebounder on it for 10-15 minutes.
I may not fit in any exercise with the AeroPilates today. This is an optional addition to the workout depending on how I feel.
I will also be eating dinner before or after the AeroPilates if I fit it in today. If not, dinner will probably be 1-2 hours after the longer walk with the dog. I am not sure yet what I am going to have for dinner, but I am thinking it will have maybe an apple, some green beans and corn involved. Perhaps a salad with the organic half and half spinach lettuce mix I have in the fridge with a little bit of my left over orange chicken I made in the crock pot Saturday for added protein. I don't think I would put the green beans or corn in it, but I could put the apple and maybe some dried cranberries and some little sweet angel cherry tomatoes in it.
What I will do tonight before bed though is take my dog on another short walk for about 1/2 a mile that we often take before bed. She likes to make a quick loop around the neighborhood again before bed and we call this our bedtime loop. She is ready to sleep and ready for bed after this for sure.
I have spent a lot of time typing this and using social media and the timing is now off on when I had originally had these things planned for today, but that is ok.
I have one short walk down. I need to eat my Greek Yogurt. I want to watch at least one thing from my DVR before I get started on my Y28 Day 1. I will do one Dance Fitness with Jessica video from YouTube first to get my heart rate up and then I will finish the Yogalosophy routine. Then, I will eat a light lunch with probably another banana and a tangerine and to either a protein bar or a couple of scrambled eggs. Next up after lunch is a 1.5-2 mile walk around town. Then maybe or maybe not AeroPilates for 15-30 mins (depending on whether I add cardio rebounder or not). The AP is optional on today's plan depending on the time and how I feel after the walk. I will have dinner and another short walk before bedtime with my dog. I think today has already started off to be a good day and will continue to be a good one!
There is also an add-on from Mandy Ingber in the Yogalosophy DietBet for day 1. I will have to check and see what that is again and will probably do that last thing before I get in bed to finish off my day with something to boost my metebolism into the night while I sleep.
I woke up feeling so much stronger today and it felt awesome to have a plan already when I woke up. Even though I have only done part of it so far and the times are getting later and later for each step as I spend so much time blabbing online. I will get everything done today (the only part that's optional for me is AreoPilates and that depends on time and my level of energy after the 1.5-2 mile walk) and I feel great!!!
I hope everyone is having a great day & a great week.
In Love and Light
Blessed Be
Amanda