challenge | BulgingButtons

March 13, 2015
by BulgingButtons 2 Comments

Healthy Challenges Update – A Slug With a Cold

I bring you this update with a belly full of ice cream. I’ve been on a sweets binge lately, and it’s not good.

I’ve also been kinda sorta sick for about a month now, and it’s making me feel a lot like a slug. Yes, I’ve been to the doctor, and he thinks it’s viral, but it just keeps hanging around. UGH. So I just keep hanging around and waking myself up at night coughing and sniffling and then I feel like a zombie during the day. The whole thing is rather unfortunate. And annoying. And getting OLD.

As I was feeling sorry for myself, it occurred to me that I haven’t really been keeping track of my challenges, so maybe it’s time to revisit them. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Stay away from Starbucks – Generally still accomplishing this one. I did have a week a while back where I went more than once, and that got me to go cold turkey again, so overall I haven’t been there much in 2015.

2. Eat more fruits and vegetables – Hmm, not so great, but not so terrible. I used to go days on end without any produce passing my lips, but now I generally try to have at least ONE fruit or vegetable a day. I know it’s not much, but it’s still better than nothing. I need to work on this one.

3. Stay away from the drive-thru – Overall I’ve done well with this one too. I’ve gone through a couple of times for a quick breakfast, but not nearly as much as in the past. We’ve been making a lot more meals at home and not eating out so much, so this one is pretty much a victory.

4. One Soda per Day – Most of the time I adhere to this one, but sometimes I don’t. Most of the time, though, I do. As the weather gets warmer I have to make sure that I bring enough water bottles to school, though, because I get really thirsty!

5. Move More – Fail. I’m a slug. A couch potato. A lazy butt. I don’t want to exercise. I don’t want to get outside and enjoy the gorgeous weather we’ve been having. I want to stay in bed and read, or better yet, sleep. UGH. Must. Shake. This. Cold.

So there you have it, some successes, some failures, and a lot of stuff in the middle, as usual. What are your challenges, and how are you doing with them?

February 9, 2015
by BulgingButtons 2 Comments

Weekly Challenge Number 5 – Move It!

With a new week comes a new challenge. This week I’m committing to moving more. I have to get my tush in gear and force myself to get moving, which is crazy, because we’re having some of the most wonderful weather of the year here in my little corner of the world. So here’s the challenge in simple terms: Move It!

I’m perfectly content on the couch or in front of the computer. As long as my brain is engaged, I’m generally pretty happy. My body, on the other hand, gets the short end of the stick. The older I’ve gotten the more I have to force myself to exercise. I’ve never actually LIKED to exercise, but there were activities that I enjoyed enough to keep me moving.

One of my favorites was, and still is, swimming. Well, to tell the truth, I don’t really swim as much as I used to. Now I prefer to walk and jog in the water. I even find myself doing some of the old routines that I used to lead. Yes, I was a lifeguard and an Arthritis Foundation certified water aerobics instructor. The thought of me ever being any type of fitness instructor is laughable, but it’s true, I swear it.

Another activity I used to enjoy was volleyball. I even belonged to a co-ed team once upon a time. Oh, it was strictly for fun, and any exercise benefits I might have enjoyed were completely negated by the beer and wings afterward, but it was a blast. And yes, I stank at it.

I stank at aerobics too. I think it was called aerobic dance in those days, and it involved a striped leotard (pink and grey), a pair of Reeboks, and leg-warmers (of course). To this day I can’t hear Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams” without thinking to myself, “Grapevine!”

These days a walk around the park is more my speed. It doesn’t matter, though, as long as I get out and do it. Who is joining me this week?

February 7, 2015
by BulgingButtons 7 Comments

I Drank Two Sodas and I’m Not Ashamed to Admit It

It happened yesterday. I was working away quite diligently when I realized I was thirsty. It happens. I drank a water bottle in the morning, then enjoyed my delicious Diet Coke (with lime, of course) at lunchtime. By around three pm I was really thirsty, specifically for a cold refreshing soda. What to do?

I could have taken a drink from the drinking fountain in my classroom (the one that all the germy little students use) but for some reason that just didn’t seem appealing. It was soda I was after, particularly soda with a little boost of caffeine.

You see, I had just come from a training session that was slightly less than exhilarating. It was nobody’s fault. The information was valid, it just a) wasn’t really new to me, and b) didn’t really have a practical application for what I do. That combination of factors, plus the sleep deficit that generally catches up to me by Friday afternoon, caused to be feel, shall we say, slightly drowsy.

I wanted a Diet Coke.

But the challenge. The “only drink one soda a day” challenge. What about it? Would I be able to live with myself if I drank two whole cans of soda in one day?

Turns out the answer to that question is, “yes.” Here’s why: I made a choice. It was a conscious decision to have a soda. I was thirsty. I was looking for caffeine. I thought over my options and decided that an ice-cold soda from the vending machine was the best choice at the time. Should I start bringing along extra water bottles as the weather heats up? Absolutely. But am I worried that I’ll fall back into my mindless soda guzzling ways because of one can of Diet Coke? No, I am not.

The whole purpose of the challenges is to help me change habits one step at a time. So far it’s been going surprisingly well. Since I began this nonsense, yesterday’s soda situation was the first time I’ve “broken” any of the “rules.” My one failure? An extra 12 ounces of soda. No biggie. My successes are way more important in my book.

Each week I’ve declared a new challenge and each week I’ve succeeded. Not just for the week, but for the long haul. So far I’ve quit Starbucks cold turkey (and saved a bunch of money), upped my intake of fruits and vegetables (and discovered that my sweet tooth is a demon), and curbed my soda habit (making me appreciate each one, but lessening my desire for it). I’ve also gone a week without a single trip to the drive-thru; any drive-thru. I did stop in to McDonald’s for oatmeal and an iced-coffee one morning, but I parked and got out of the car to do it. It was a deliberate action, not a mindless whim.

What are some of the health and eating habits you have that need tweaking or replacing? How are you handling them? What are some ideas for next week’s challenge? I’m taking small steps, but they’re all going in the right direction, and they add up. Come along with me, and share your successes, I’d love your company.