SparkNB's Journey to Fitness

Major tracking: foods, hit goals everyday; exercise-hit goal of at least 10 (mostly 30 or more) min; h20 - didn't meet as well as others, but that's okay (injury yesterday, plus other issues) Consistency will be key: Member Comments About This Blog Post v 1CRAZYDOG Good job. 1534 days ago v CD4994568 Good on You! You have the start of quite a number of streaks. 1535 days ago v NANCYPAT1 Good job. It's the REPEAT part that's harder.

          I've just restarted focusing on my health & fitness, and, though I had been a little active with some long walks since January, I had mostly been side-lined due to illness for the last few months. I was finally newly (re-)motivated, & inspired, to really make a commitment to restart because of some little but annoying pains I have because of my weight, plus a change of mood into a glimmer of positivity which I just grabbed and held onto, and the slow realization that I desire change, and don't have to be stuck where I am. Part of that is my thyroid issue - I felt stuck, sluggish - part of it is the season-it just seems easier in the summer, especially this year, after the intensity of the last few seasons. Timing is everything, in life, & apparently in weight loss. I already eat a mostly plant-based diet from being a veg for decades, though I have some binging issues & portion control issues, and a sometimes (often?) insatiable sweet to...

  So I harvested some young milkweeds from the lawn that were gonna be mowed down anyway; they had escaped the garden, where we leave them for the monarchs (plus the flowers have a LOVELY scent). Chopped & cooked them today, sauteing with artichoke hearts & marinade, plus coconut oil, garlic, first harvest of basil & heirloom cherry tomatoes, on top of protein-plus-pasta. I LOVE basil w tomatoes, or as pesto, which means it's really summertime when the harvest (or local farmer's market) provides enough; sometime I even get wads of it at the grocery store or when I'm at a town that has a TJ's or WF. Anyway, it was good, looked like nice asparagus shoots, very green, tasted a bit like a cross between broccoli and young dandelion (but not bitter). When tracking my food tonight, I had to enter milkweed into the nutrition information in the foods database, which I found online. If you ever want a 'look-up nutrition info' point, search milkweed: 2 cups hav...

Planting new seeds-3p: programming, politics (tho no Resist groups on sp), physique: which will be sp-food tracking   especially & oa (90 in 90), online & off Word/Challenge for 2017: focus Summer is a hard season to be uncomfortable. My sleep is way off too. Haven't been able to reset, but took thyroid after several days/weeks? of not, so that may help. Member Comments About This Blog Post v METALBABE Way to show up! You have quite the plan in place - I'll be cheering you on the whole way! 1539 days ago v CD5745313 I'm so glad to see you back and blogging again. June is a great month to reset and take control. Hang in there! 1541 days ago v 1CRAZYDOG 1541 days ago v CD4994568 You have a plan and that is the best thing! 1542 days ago v P61763 Thanks for sharing 1542 days ago

Feeling sparkalicious: !sparkalicious fitness: muscles a little tight and sore - from being more active Goal for week: keep ramping up my activity, increase steps/day; don't overdo cuz either injury or stoppage !sparkalicious food: making more healthy & aware food choices, w healthier indulgences Goal for week: log all food; keep on track, continue sugar challenge* sparkalicious folks-connected to others Goal for week: more connections (oa & spark & tech groups, garden volunteer), deeper connections (local friends, outta town family), increase kindness by not taking bitchbait (shes who will not be named) - gotta figure out how not to allow button pushing make me react - doing research on techniques now *Sugar challenge since last blog: was more aware of sugar tempatations & cravings, which are often very visual to me (I already knew outta sight outta mind was a thing with me, but re-iterated - have decided to turn away when evil ads in my face on screens & in pr...

  For the Taming Sweet Tooth 21 day Challenge, I'm required to journal: "This whole week (and for the rest of this challenge), you will keep track of your sugar cravings": So today: my big downfall is sugar & I was confronted with it in several ways: -at breakfast, I 'gave in' with my daily bread I had raspberry (my fave) but instead of jam, I had a fruit spread - costs more, but better for ya. Still cheaper, & more convenient, than the fresh fruit, which I do love (love all fruit, one of my saving sweet graces). Often I've been skipping it & just have bread with butter or peanut butter. -at lunch, I gave in & just had a half piece of a cheesey brioche bread (like a cheese danish, my fave) that someone else brought into the house, & was literally right in front of me on the table (I later moved it out of the way). Was good, & I was able to appreciate it, even with only a half serving; I don't tend to buy as many mainstream baked goo...

  nspired by article on Organization: www.sparkpeople.com/reso urce/motivation_articles.a sp?id=1992 "10 Ways to Get Organized for Weight Loss Great Reasons to Change Your Environment" Implementation: Exercise Appts Plan Foods Weekly Bedtime & Morning Routines Mindful De-stressing Orderliness [gives space for creativity] Member Comments About This Blog Post v CTUPTON   chris 1540 days ago v JIBBIE49 I love the clips on YouTube of the OCD Cleaners. They are over the top, but yet my mother always said "It is easy to clean a clean house" and "Every thing should have a place, and everything should be in it's place." She didn't like to look for things and she was right that having a lot of projects undone causes stress. 1898 days ago v CD5745313 Orderliness! Oh yeah, my life could use a dose of that. Motivation - That's the reason for my daily login here - no matter what! Keep that re-start going! 1899 days ago v 1CRAZYDOG 1899 days ago v CFOX12...