Besides the negative feeling Every. Time. I. Turn. On. The. TV. or radio, we've got negative feelings swirling around the office again, big-time. Last week our much-loved Finance Manager resigned, and I just heard that our also-loved HR person is threatening to leave. Those events happened after a "town hall" meeting where our dear but bereft General Manager tried to tell us that yes, we've been in a funk, but the time to get out of the funk is NOW.
Guess what? No one's gotten out of the funk. Nice try, mister.
Meanwhile, the suits from the Motherland are here this week. I haven't received my 2016 bonus. (Maybe I've been enrolled in the Jelly of the Month club?) My manager (who also hasn't) said she "has a gut feeling" that something's afoot. She advised resume revisions for the both of us.
Just lovely.
Worse, though, is the ABSENCE of any interesting-looking jobs on the job boards. I use Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and have daily email alerts set up with more than one service... and just don't see anything that makes my heart flutter. One or two things, maybe, but I'm afraid to apply to them because they're located downtown, and I really really really don't want to add that interstate commute back to my life. That's the main thing. Remember I said? The reason I think God put me HERE, is the location. I am hesitant to give that up, even if it means not leaving this terrible, terrible company. That's crazy! But it's my truth right now. I don't know which companies in Cobb County (northwest Cobb if I'm being picky, which I am) would actually hire a writer.
And part of me doesn't even want to be in Marketing anymore, which makes this a career-change job search, which is a lot harder. Especially when you don't know what you're changing TO. hahahahahaha. Oh, dear.
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In other news, the Whole Life Challenge is going so well so far. Giving up bread and cheese hasn't been as hard as I thought. I mean, it's hard, yes, but there are enough good things we can eat, like bacon, salsa, avocados, even rice to an extent, that I don't feel totally deprived. And I just LOVE that there's no COUNTING of calories burned, or calories eaten. Just eat, if you're hungry. Approved foods. It's such a relief to not have to count out how many nuts/quinoa crackers/tablespoons of something. Of course, you're not supposed to go overboard, but it's just not that hard.
I posted this on the challenge, but want to record here that I already feel much less bloated and, well, fat. I was really feeling FAT after Christmas. I'm feeling less so now. Yesterday I wore some pants I have been relying on as comfortable ("fat pants"), and now they feel too loose. I weighed myself today and it appears I've lost 2 pounds in this first week, but of course "weight loss is just a nice side effect" on this plan - it isn't supposed to be about that. ;) (It totally IS about that.) My knees hurt less, when I get out of bed or go up and down stairs.
Today I did a Core/Abs workout (only 10 minutes, as required), and man, it got my heart rate up, too! Felt good, and I'm going to feel SORE tomorrow, I can already tell. That's what I want.
Please nobody comment on the word "fat." It's just a word, it's in my head, I know I'm not actually FAT but, you know. The negative voices in my head have used that word. I'm working on "healthy" and "better" and "toned" and "marvelous." :)
Dinners this week include:
- Grilled chicken wings, which were delicious but my house STILL smells like smoke. I'm surprised the smoke alarm didn't go off Sunday night. With celery and carrots, and spanish rice from a packet for Shawn and the kids.
- Turkey Chili. Family staple. Yum, yum. No saltines.
- Tilapia. Think I'm going to use this recipe, though I don't have tomatoes or green onions. Maybe heat up some rolls for the rest of them.
- Smoked sausage (chicken sausage for me), mac and cheese (not for me), and salad or broccoli. Easy night.
- Some type of baked chicken breast. I can't remember what I wrote down at home. Maybe chicken parm? So I'd make one without cheese, for me. See? This diet isn't that hard, even with a family to feed.
Tuesday, January 31
Monday, January 23
Health Kick 2017!
It's the first full week of the Challenge! I'm excited about it, and curious, and really wanting to do well and get all 35s! (5 points per habit, and there are 7 habits each day.) Most of the habits are EASY: 50 oz. of water, check. 7.25 hours of sleep, pretty easy usually. Mobility/stretching, no problem. Reflection, why sure, I'll journal for you! Even the Lifestyle practice this week is easy -- it's to write down 3 goals every day, by hand. They don't require that you DO the goals, just that you write them. (Sneaky, aren't they? Getting you to see those goals every day... Obviously it'll make you want to start working toward them... clever, clever tactic.)
The food restrictions and exercise are the hard parts for me, but as I said, I'm enthusiastic right now, and hopeful for some great, visible results, so we'll see.
Man, our weekend was bonkers. We never really got to relax. We're in that stage of life, I guess. Saturday Kate had an 8:00 am basketball game, and Alex had his piano lesson at 9:00. Then Kate and I went to the Girl Scouts' Mother-Daughter Tea at 11, and Alex had to help at the school's Open House since he's on Student Council. Everyone was home by about 4:00, and I rushed to Publix to do my shopping (WLC prep and weekly meals!). I made it home by 5:30, just in time to throw the cold things in the freezer/fridge, change clothes, and go out to dinner to celebrate Shawn's birthday! What a whirlwind. Nice that it's always a lonnnnng meal there; we actually got to SIT. Also nice that red wine isn't forbidden on the WLC level I'm playing -- I enjoyed myself a delicious glass of Cabernet. Ahhhhhh. The kids enjoyed their first fondue and we were SO FULL afterwards.
Then Sunday was our regular Mass time, which eats up the entire morning, and at 2:00 we made the drive to Alpharetta to watch the Falcons win the NFC Championship!! It was so fun! What a great game. The Packers played terribly (thank God). So now we're really, really excited for the Super Bowl! I will undoubtedly get zero points for nutrition on February 5.
The food restrictions and exercise are the hard parts for me, but as I said, I'm enthusiastic right now, and hopeful for some great, visible results, so we'll see.
Man, our weekend was bonkers. We never really got to relax. We're in that stage of life, I guess. Saturday Kate had an 8:00 am basketball game, and Alex had his piano lesson at 9:00. Then Kate and I went to the Girl Scouts' Mother-Daughter Tea at 11, and Alex had to help at the school's Open House since he's on Student Council. Everyone was home by about 4:00, and I rushed to Publix to do my shopping (WLC prep and weekly meals!). I made it home by 5:30, just in time to throw the cold things in the freezer/fridge, change clothes, and go out to dinner to celebrate Shawn's birthday! What a whirlwind. Nice that it's always a lonnnnng meal there; we actually got to SIT. Also nice that red wine isn't forbidden on the WLC level I'm playing -- I enjoyed myself a delicious glass of Cabernet. Ahhhhhh. The kids enjoyed their first fondue and we were SO FULL afterwards.
Then Sunday was our regular Mass time, which eats up the entire morning, and at 2:00 we made the drive to Alpharetta to watch the Falcons win the NFC Championship!! It was so fun! What a great game. The Packers played terribly (thank God). So now we're really, really excited for the Super Bowl! I will undoubtedly get zero points for nutrition on February 5.
Friday, January 13
More (new) food
Through Christmas break and New Year's, our fridge stayed full. I think I served leftovers for more than 6 meals while my parents were here (mostly lunches, but some dinners, too). But it has all finally dwindled down and we're down to bare bones on this Friday, mostly because I never have time during the week to make a grocery run - do you? This morning for breakfast the kids got the last of the frozen mini pancakes, and Gatorade, because there was no juice in the house (and they don't drink milk). In their lunches they have oyster crackers as a side item. "They're just like goldfish!" I told them.
The Whole Life Challenge hasn't started yet but I'm spending a little time on Pinterest today (and did yesterday) trying to come up with 2 or 3 weekly dinner menus that we can all live with. Some things will be our usual favorites (with modifications for me), and others will be new, because it's good to try new things. I am a little worried that the grocery bill is going to shock me, since I'll have to check brands for added sugars and that probably means buying the fancy-pants versions of staples like spaghetti sauce. I also anticipate getting sick of salad with plain protein and oil and vinegar, which will probably be my go-to when I'm out of ideas. But here's a week I came up with yesterday:
Monday - Salmon-Asparagus foil packets with rolls (obviously I won't eat a roll). Good thing the kids like salmon, although they're used to maple-syrup-glazed. Hopefully lemon and garlic will be acceptable as an alternative.
Tuesday - we're still going to have basketball practice/gymnastics on Tuesdays, so it'll be fast food. Not sure how I'll handle that, except maybe to eat a HUGE lunch on those days.
Wednesday - Spaghetti, with the aforementioned fancy-pants sauce, as well as zucchini noodles for me, made with my new spiralizer! I bought a manual version, not an expensive one, so I may hate using it, but I'm willing to give it a shot.
Thursday - Burgers, with homemade patties or an organic, sugar-free brand of pre-made (Bubba Burgers makes a grass-fed version). I just won't have a bun. Or chips. Or french fries. Sob! Maybe I'll make a chunky guacamole with tomatoes and call it a salad. (How I LOVE that avocados are allowed/encouraged!)
Friday - Chicken Drumsticks, oven-baked with a spice rub, brown rice, arugula and green beans. I think everyone will LOVE these, although they're supposed to cook for an hour, which is more than our weeknight time-budget usually allows. We'll see.
I'm also going to have to really plan out breakfasts and lunches. That means making SOUPS on the weekends to freeze, and maybe scrambled egg things, too.
And this is just the food! Never mind fitting in exercise every day, and journaling, and getting enough sleep, as the WLC requires! It's going to be a 2nd full-time job.
The Whole Life Challenge hasn't started yet but I'm spending a little time on Pinterest today (and did yesterday) trying to come up with 2 or 3 weekly dinner menus that we can all live with. Some things will be our usual favorites (with modifications for me), and others will be new, because it's good to try new things. I am a little worried that the grocery bill is going to shock me, since I'll have to check brands for added sugars and that probably means buying the fancy-pants versions of staples like spaghetti sauce. I also anticipate getting sick of salad with plain protein and oil and vinegar, which will probably be my go-to when I'm out of ideas. But here's a week I came up with yesterday:
Monday - Salmon-Asparagus foil packets with rolls (obviously I won't eat a roll). Good thing the kids like salmon, although they're used to maple-syrup-glazed. Hopefully lemon and garlic will be acceptable as an alternative.
Tuesday - we're still going to have basketball practice/gymnastics on Tuesdays, so it'll be fast food. Not sure how I'll handle that, except maybe to eat a HUGE lunch on those days.
Wednesday - Spaghetti, with the aforementioned fancy-pants sauce, as well as zucchini noodles for me, made with my new spiralizer! I bought a manual version, not an expensive one, so I may hate using it, but I'm willing to give it a shot.
Thursday - Burgers, with homemade patties or an organic, sugar-free brand of pre-made (Bubba Burgers makes a grass-fed version). I just won't have a bun. Or chips. Or french fries. Sob! Maybe I'll make a chunky guacamole with tomatoes and call it a salad. (How I LOVE that avocados are allowed/encouraged!)
Friday - Chicken Drumsticks, oven-baked with a spice rub, brown rice, arugula and green beans. I think everyone will LOVE these, although they're supposed to cook for an hour, which is more than our weeknight time-budget usually allows. We'll see.
I'm also going to have to really plan out breakfasts and lunches. That means making SOUPS on the weekends to freeze, and maybe scrambled egg things, too.
And this is just the food! Never mind fitting in exercise every day, and journaling, and getting enough sleep, as the WLC requires! It's going to be a 2nd full-time job.
Tuesday, January 3
Starting 2017
The New Year (Year-End) Review... I feel pressured to do it, for some reason, though it isn't critical. I tried to do some thinking about 2016 during the holiday break and New Year's weekend, and here's what I came up with. The good stuff:
They loved their Christmas presents, btw.
Goals from 2016? Well. I didn't do much work to get out of this job that I don't love, but other things shifted a little AT the job, as mentioned, so I'm waiting. And I decided, I am here for proximity to the kids' school, for now, and that's enough. Acceptance. (I still get email alerts for new jobs, and sometimes still read them.) Right now, I'm trying to take initiative and be professional in my work responsibilities. It's not easy. I'm also appreciative of my team members, who are also friends.
For the New Year, Mom and Jill and I are going to do the Whole Life Challenge together, starting on the 21st. I think it's going to be hard. I'm trying not to dread it (and dreading it). But I need something to help jump-start me to a better mindset about food. I don't want to continue my bad habits in 2017. Habits like:
And beyond that, I (am resolved to STOP picking up my phone at traffic lights, and) just want to maintain my place right now, and my "project," which has kept me sane and happier the last several months. Walking, meditation, calm but firm parenting. Acceptance. Contentment. Curiosity. Those are my words for the year.
- Our Aussie cousins' visit in January
- In April we saw Mom and Dad, on the way back from their trip to France
- May, I traveled by air for the first time in AGES, to Seattle for Jilly's birthday weekend (sadly leaving Shawn to drive the kids to Nanny's in the middle of a bout of strep throat). Jilly and I had a blast, touristing and eating and having heart-to-hearts
- June included, like always, a kid attending camp at Winshape (Kate) and then our beach trip
- July, despite missing some of Alex's birthday due to the trip, was my trip to Germany, an eye-opener and good time, both professionally and personally (I was honored/surprised to be the person that my manager chose to share her Catholicism/God/Divine Inspiration/Faith story with, and thought, maybe that's why we were in each others' lives all along, that one conversation...)
- August was the beginning of my personal health quest to walk for at least 15 minutes, as many days as possible. I've kept it up with various levels of success since then. August also saw my work-life change dramatically with the departure of the same manager, who generally caused me stress and anxiety. But to balance that good thing, the start of school meant we had a hard time transitioning Kate to a regular bedtime again. We will work harder to avoid that mistake again in the future.
- September, we hosted Tom and Dominique and their kids, and Angie and Scott and their kids, with a super-fun dinner party at our house, and then went to a Braves/Nationals game the next day; we threw a grand party in Pensacola for Mom's 70th; and I invited the SJCS Moms to my house for a wine night, which was so fun. 3 parties!
- October, we hosted our family who was evacuated from South Carolina for Hurricane Matthew. Fun to see them; strange week overall with their different schedule/routines than ours. But it was a good thing to do, the only right thing, obviously.
- And November and December we hosted the holidays at our house, with Mom and Dad and then Mom, Dad, and Jill.
They loved their Christmas presents, btw.
Goals from 2016? Well. I didn't do much work to get out of this job that I don't love, but other things shifted a little AT the job, as mentioned, so I'm waiting. And I decided, I am here for proximity to the kids' school, for now, and that's enough. Acceptance. (I still get email alerts for new jobs, and sometimes still read them.) Right now, I'm trying to take initiative and be professional in my work responsibilities. It's not easy. I'm also appreciative of my team members, who are also friends.
For the New Year, Mom and Jill and I are going to do the Whole Life Challenge together, starting on the 21st. I think it's going to be hard. I'm trying not to dread it (and dreading it). But I need something to help jump-start me to a better mindset about food. I don't want to continue my bad habits in 2017. Habits like:
- Eating chips and salsa, standing up, after getting home from work when I'm really hungry
- Cheeze-Its
- Chocolate at work, chocolate at home
- Relying on Pizza and Pasta and hamburger buns for every weekly dinner menu
- Fast-food and Mexican for lunch every week
And beyond that, I (am resolved to STOP picking up my phone at traffic lights, and) just want to maintain my place right now, and my "project," which has kept me sane and happier the last several months. Walking, meditation, calm but firm parenting. Acceptance. Contentment. Curiosity. Those are my words for the year.
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