week13 #WWW

well friends, this is it. the end of the winter wonderland warriors challenge. did the last few weeks fly by or is it just me? so what the hell happened over the course of this challenge?

goals:

1. eat more fruits and veggies (five servings per day)
2. cook more; use pantry stock
3. work out more, consistently (three times per week)
4. lose last 7.2 pounds; complete six weeks of maintenance
5. keep in touch by writing letters
6. read for fun more
7. blog regularly
8. work harder on grad school
9. stay on budget
10. get back on regular work schedule

assessment: surprisingly, i did quite well! i've found a solution for getting in my fruits and veggies, which also became a part of my cooking more goal. i picked out at least two recipes every week to try. if there wasn't a veggie included, i made sure to add one. i ate a lot of broccoli, peppers and green beans :) i also made a decent dent in the pantry stock; neal even started making quinoa on a regular basis to help out. things are getting a tad better every day :) the letter writing didn't go as well as i liked, but i did try to keep it up with those who wrote back. my budget was also a  bit shaky. i reassessed to make sure all was going smoothly, but i went a little bit over in some areas this month. it all balances out, but next week is going to be tight... reading, working out and blogging were not as consistent as i would have liked. partially because of schedule issues, partially because of motivation issues. i'm still working on both factors... the remaining goals (dropping final 7.2, being a better student, being a better employee) were my worst three. my weight loss has been bouncing all over the place. i don't know what to expect week to week, which is more frustrating than anything else. days i expect to be up, i'm down. days i expect to be down, i'm up. best part? in either direction, it's always more than a pound. i'd be less perturbed if the increments were small, but gaining 2.4 is a kick in the face. i remind you that i used to average net gains of one pound per month before weight watchers. so when i gain one pound in a week, it's a big deal for me. i've been doing better with homework towards the end of the challenge. it helps that i'm working to keep the As i have already earned. can't fuck it up! conversely, the work schedule has tapered off as the challenge wound down. thanks to all kinds of shit and my own laziness, the last three weeks have seen me late more days than not. i think i've fully adjusted, sleepwise, to DST. i just need to find the morning motivation to get out of bed. spring goal: no checking twitter before work? maybe

final question: Do you feel like you had a productive winter? yes :) i realigned my priorities, and got shit done for a change. i really think this challenge was the kick in the ass i've been needing for a lot of things. i am SO excited for the spring fever challenge. i don't know why, but having challenges is always my best motivator. i should probably get on goal setting now... i hope those of you who also participated had a successful 13 weeks. for those who didn't, i hope you had a good regular winter  :)

via we heart it

{i can't wait for it to be warmer so i can enjoy some iced chai lattes}

my progress plus all the weekly questions on skinny (goals 1-4) and desultory (goals 5-10)

[crossposted]

week12 #WWW

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help achieve your goals?
2. With one week left, what is your plan?
3. What was the highlight of your week?
4. Did you have a down point? If so, how did you push past it?
5. Fun Question of the Week: What's your favourite television show from the past? Presently?

question 1: planned out my meals to get in my fruits and veggies. did my cooking early since i was leaving for the weekend. got in my workouts despite the weekend away (including some strength training, which i haven't done in months). managed to shake off some of those last few pounds

question 2: keep on keeping on. the dc fit week classes will cover my workouts for the week, i've got most of my meals for the week mapped out and i'm starting to scope out new recipes for spring. hoping to transition smoothly into the spring challenge without screwing up all i've done in the winter challenge :)

question 3: getting an interview request and spending the weekend with my honey :)

question 4: i have had so many, but i keep going thanks to my awesome support network (online and offline). the bumps won't matter once i reach the end of the road. that's what i try to remember as i go along :)

question 5: i don't have one favorite cause i love tv lol. awesome shows i could watch on endless repeat: buffy, say yes to the dress, sex and the city, community, pete and pete, the closer...

{have i mentioned how excited i am for this week? helloooo, full calendar :)}

my progress plus all the weekly questions on skinny (goals 1-4) and desultory (goals 5-10)

week11 #WWW

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?
2. There are two weeks left in this challenge – what goals are you making priority?
3. Many people are on or heading into Spring Break right now, do you find it easier or harder to stay on track when your routine disappears?
4. Tell us something positive about this challenge. Could be something that happened to you, you did, you realized…etc.
5. Fun Question of the Week: The clocks sprung forward this weekend, does the time change mess you up or do you just go on like nothing happened?

question 1: how is it my weight loss goals have become the easy ones? even though i'm not losing the way i want (and various new tricks aren't helping), i'm sticking with it. eat your fruits and veggies. done. cook yourself lunch and dinner. done. workout. done (with help). i've even got the pantry looking halfway decent these days. there's actually room for everything cause we've been eating from the stockpile :)

question 2: i'm consistent on two of my three goals, and i'm trying to stick to the workout schedule better. top priority has always been dropping the weight, and it's still the main goal (3.4 to go) since it refuses to shake loose for more than a week

question 3: aaaaaaaaargh no routine makes me freak out. i love having the downtime and freedom, but i always get so lost without the structure of my normal stuff. i am looking forward to the upcoming break (one more week!) since i signed up for a few classes. might as well try some new things for free :) granted, my issue with classes is the gym membership, not the classes. i enjoy group exercise, but there are few places around here that will let you take classes sans membership. that's just not in the budget

question 4: i've started filling up my recipe box with some really awesome recipes. some stuff is quick, some more elaborate. i have recipes great for dinner guests or just me. and, because i make multiple recipes at once, i'm learning to reduce the amount of time i spend in the kitchen by taking my time during prep... well, i guess i should say i'm learning to prep instead of cooking things as i prep them

question 5: another aaaaaaargh! my whole internal clock is all fucked up. woke up yesterday feeling like shit because i was too hot. then i was up all night because i just wasn't tired. so getting up today was difficult. i fell back asleep for an hour and ended up being late for work. NOT cool. it's going to take me a week or so, but i should eventually adjust

via we heart it

{i have some great looking spring and summer recipes to try in the coming months :) maybe they'll make it in the recipe box}

my progress plus all the weekly questions on skinny (goals 1-4) and desultory (goals 5-10)

week10 #WWW

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?
2. New month! How are you feeling with the end of the challenge coming up soon?
3. What would you change differently about this challenge for the Spring Fever Challenge beginning soon?
4. What have you learned about yourself during this challenge (or past few months)?
5. Fun Question of the Week: Do you enter contests? Have you ever won one?

question 1: i had a fruit or veggie at every meal :) apples for breakfast, bananas for lunch and peppers/broccoli/green beans/artichokes with dinner. spacing them out majorly helped. plus i doubled up on my veggie servings at dinner. one cup is not as giant a portion as i always think. plus i had a lot of yummy leftovers to munch on. clearing out the fridge also reminded me i need to clear out the pantry. so instead of making lunch or dinner for the week, i just focused on something for the weekend. hello tomato soup and grilled cheese :) more on them later. these week's meals are: frittatas and milk (breakfast), banana and peanut butter on whole wheat bagel (lunch) and whole wheat pasta with green beans (dinner). i love me some carbs. which of course means i really need to stick to my workouts. this week was hard. did my wed workout and felt FANTASTIC afterwards. then had a meeting thursday, ran errands friday and spent all of saturday catching up on things. needless to say that working out got put on the back burner. i eventually got my lazy tush up to walk, but that was about it. at least my minimal workouts from the week before paid off. let's hope this week is a repeat

question 2: so crazy that we're nearing the end. i love you, winter, but you've been extra bitchy this year. i'm getting pumped for spring, and should start writing down my spring goals... can "wear more flowy dresses" be one of them? ;)

question 3: the only thing i would change is the set number of goals. i plan to keep most of my current goals and add new ones for spring. i'm not sure how many, but i know adding another 10 would be difficult. i really liked how the WWW challenge was set up though: pictures, questions and all :)

question 4: that i can actually get back on track if i put the effort in. i know all the stuff we're taught at weight watchers, but sometimes it's hard to keep up with doing it all. admittedly, if i had to choose between watching what i eat and exercising, exercising would totally lose. i do like working out, and i usually feel amazing after i do. but i also know how much energy it requires to get me from point A (the bed) to point B (working out). my life would be easier if i could do it all with just food, but i know it's just not enough for me

question 5: i do, depending on what the prize(s) is (are) :) i actually just won a print from silly grrl, and it arrived this week. so totally cute! i also won a year of food network magazine last year (which reminds me, i need to renew heh) from another blogger. gotta love free shiz ;)

{i couldn't think of anything inspirational or whateva. sooo instead you get pic of my darling boy :)}

my progress plus all the weekly questions on skinny (goals 1-4) and desultory (goals 5-10)

week9 #WWW

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?
2. Today's the last day of the month - how do you feel you've done in February?
3. What is your go-to favourite meal to cook? Share the recipe if possible!
4. Share a quote or saying that is inspiring you today.
5. Fun Question of the Week: What's your make-up routine? Wear any? Lots? Do you have a must-have?

question 1: i cheated. there, i said it. i was supposed to workout twice last week, but instead i lumped it into one 90minute walk yesterday. i crossed the goal off on my list anyway cause technically i hit my time goal. i know i'm only cheating myself, but i just didn't have the energy. my back still hurt on wed so i gave myself the morning off. then i just didn't have any motivation until sunday. le sigh. this week i'll do better. 3x a week goal is in effect. eek! i did have the motivation to cook though, even after a brunch in baltimore and a meeting on campus. i made breakfast for the week and a dessert :) i'm a little bummed though. half my breakfast was a bummer monday because i heated it up and added a little milk. didn't realize the milk had gone bad so everything was soaked in gross. at least the little frittatas were yummy. recipes are coming. swearsies! fruits and veggies were a small struggle, but i got them in. this week goes up to the five a day. hold me ;)

question 2: i am over the shortness of feb. whoever designed the calendar must've been drunk :p buuuuuut ON TO SPRING. i miss my bare thighs lol. flip flops and dress weather are coming :D oh, and my birthday is a little over a month away *squee*

question 3: kraft mac and cheese. or baked salmon with couscous. or spaghetti. i like stuff that's easy peasy. i've been expanding my cooking repertoire, but i still prefer the basics

question 4: nothing in particular inspiring me today so i'll just share a quote from one of my favorite icons, ms. marilyn monroe "imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." i am thoroughly ridiculous

question 5: no makeup for me. i don't have the patience to put it on or take it off :p

via peppermint park

{might as well post a photo of my secret lovah. full figured, unashamed and gorgeous}

my progress plus all the weekly questions on skinny (goals 1-4) and desultory (goals 5-10)

week8 #WWW

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?
2. Pretty much everywhere this past week experienced some mild weather – did this change have any effect on you?
3. Walk us through your ideal workout.
4. What happened in the last week that you have to brag about?
5. Fun Question of the Week: Spring Fever has hit the stores… what’s your favourite thing to shop for in the Spring?

question 1: tried a few new recipes this weekend. one i'm really looking forward to eating tonight. did not enjoy the mac and cheese soup as much as i thought i would; i may have added too much carrot giving it a weird texture... got my veggies in every day, even though i struggled a little fri and sat. not sure how i'll do at this week's weigh in since i ate a ton those two days. went to a funeral fri, and took jesse to medieval times sat. i'm hoping my workouts help curb any gains. granted, i may have overworked myself on sat. decided to do rev abs, and def strained my back muscles. my right side was so tense afterwards, and now my entire left side is super sore

question 2: it's been weird here. beautiful warm days with super intense wind. didn't notice much change in my mood or motivation for my health goals. it did make my commutes less grouchy though :)

question 3: ideal? cardio and strength training combo that pushes me. i like a challenge, and i don't mind getting sweaty. if you look cute after finishing a workout, you aren't trying hard enough (or you're made of plastic, barbie girl)

question 4: sometimes i use time with my boy as an excuse not to stay on top of things. we only get 48 hours together so i'd prefer spending as much of that time snuggling and such. i worked out, cooked and did some homework this weekend. jesse was playing games (or sleeping) most of the time so at least we were in the same room. we also cooked dinner together again - britt's cheesy garlic mash and steak :) super yum with ciabatta rolls

question 5: i'm so super excited about sundresses. i never used to be much of a dress person, but i've totally fallen in love. they go so well with flipflops :D

via we heart it

{this week was gorgeous, and this pic makes me think of the upcoming warmer months :)}

my progress plus all the weekly questions on skinny (goals 1-4) and desultory (goals 5-10)

week7 #WWW

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?
2. What goal are you doing best on?
3. What goal do you have to push yourself a little more to complete? What is your plan to do so?
4. We’ve talked about who pushes us to do better with our goals – is there anyone/thing that hinders you?
5. Fun Question of the Week: Happy Valentine’s Day! Do you have any special plans for the day? It’s okay if you think it’s a Hallmark holiday that you wish to boycott!

question 1: what a joke last week; i'm so frustrated with myself. the only goals i managed to meet were trying new recipes and eating three servings of fruit/veg every day. i only worked out once, and i gained last week. which means, i won't hit goal this week (unless by some miracle i lose 4.2 pounds by 630pm on wednesday). it hurts insanely to be so close yet so far from where i want to be. i don't want to spend the next few months fighting the same pounds over and over. it's just too hard to stay focused when everything makes me angry

question 2: oddly, getting in my fruit and veggie servings. every week, i decide on my meals for the following week, including what recipe(s) i'll make. if the recipes don't have a veggie, i make sure to pick up something at the store. now that i'm up to three (well four, starting today) servings per day, i've tacked on a fruit with breakfast. since all my favorites are out of season, i've been getting frozen and canned stuffs. adding another serving seems like a daunting task at first, but i always manage to find a way to work it in. now if only i could get my water intake to be as consistent...

question 3: working out. i've already scheduled the time. i already have all the workouts. i just need to effing do them. i didn't even want to walk, which would've allowed me to read blogs and get some activity at the same time. instead, i couldn't be bothered with the treadmill. this weekend will be a small challenge since J is coming down, but i know i need to stick to the schedule as much as possible. i'm the only one stopping myself from doing what i know needs to be done

question 4: i am my biggest obstacle. it's so easy to talk myself out of something and let discouragement get the best of me. last week was so trying, and i felt so defeated. all of it is my own doing so i need to just snap out of it

question 5: i don't really care about valentine's day itself. it's my friends birthday, which is far more important to me. J and i'll be celebrating over the weekend, and i do have a surprise for him. but i don't make a huge deal, and i haven't "boycotted" in years

via we heart it

{things i'm trying to remember this week}

my progress plus all the weekly questions on skinny (goals 1-4) and desultory (goals 5-10)

week6 #WWW

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?
2. New month! Fresh starts! How are you feeling in February?
3. Are you competitive? Do you find that seeing how well {or not so well} others do pushes you?
4. What is your favourite outdoor winter activity? {Southerners can answer winter if they visit the snow, or just what you like to do outside}
5. Fun Question of the Week: What would be your ideal way to spend a Saturday night?

question 1: bought a couple cans of pineapple to get my fruit fix. do you know how hard it is to find fruit in its own juice without added sugar??? it's effing ridiculous. apparently, dole is the only company that doesn't automatically put everything in syrup or artificially sweetened juice. i really wanted some pears, but none of the ones i saw came au natural. bastards. i picked up a couple more cans for this week along with some frozen broccoli. yum :) i successfully made polenta and veggie soup this weekend. i am l-o-v-i-n-g slow cooker recipes. and i think i'm getting the hang of multiple recipes in an afternoon. soup took five hours, polenta took two and the salmon (to go with the polenta) took 40 min. i had everything cooked, separated and in the fridge without feeling like an insane person moving in a thousand directions at once. on the workout front, i've decided that the week before my period should be all about the walking. i turbo jammed on wed morning and was sore until sat. stupid muscle fatigue; my uterus is stealing all the good nutrients. for my long workout sat morning, i walked on the treadmill. 90 min and 3.74 miles later, i felt energized and not achy. then i was on my feet for about six hours for the afternoon cooking (totally counted it, too). this week, i think i'll do a short workout with nfl training camp on wed and two turbo jam workouts on sat. i really do prefer the more active workouts when i'm not pms-ing. if i'm gonna workout, i want to be pushed to the limit and sweaty as hell when i'm done

question 2: pretty positive about many things. even with pending annoyances (see end of post), i'm not worried about this short month. i stepped up a couple of my goals last week, which is scary and exciting. the process may be slow, but i'm getting to where i want to be. that's what keeps me happy and focused :)

question 3: LOL i was totally thinking about my competitive nature while reading shannon's post from last week! was kinda hoping you wouldn't ask cause i'm an asshole. whenever someone has a success, i want to mention my success, too. not necessarily to one up that person, but to point out that i'm also awesome. i can usually reel it back, and send my unbegrudged congratulations. because i really do think you are all amazing! i know i don't necessarily have to work out every day like shannon (damn. she worked out more in one week than i did in all of january!), but knowing how well she's doing makes me want to push myself further. some days, it keeps me from giving up on myself

question 4: first would be a huge snowball fight. second... kissing my boy in the moonlight while it flurries. total schmoop city, but i think there is something so romantic about snow falling. other than those two things, i don't wanna be outside for too long. if i am, it usually means shoveling :p

question 5: right now i'm craving calm and quiet. curling up under a big blanket with some tea and a book. if i'm with J, it's a slightly different story...

via we heart it

{i picked my positive pics this week before opening amy's email. first big assignment of the semester + upcoming meeting with my 2nd least favorite prof is giving my brain an ass kicking at the moment. must remember this isn't over yet, and i haven't lost}

my progress plus all the weekly questions on skinny (goals 1-4) and desultory (goals 5-10)

week5 #WWW

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?
2. January is coming to an end! How do you think you did in the month of January? Review time!
3. Do you feel like your motivation is tapering off now that a month has passed, or are you just as motivated as the beginning of the challenge?
4. Who/what inspires you to keep going?
5. Fun Question of the Week:  What is the first thing you think of/do in the morning?

question 1: green beans and organic pasta sauce saved my veggie eating tushie. this week is going to be a bit rougher. i didn't buy any produce (trying to stick to the budget) last week so i have to do it today. because of the budget, i only picked up chicken last week. i attempted to make chicken noodle soup sans recipe in order to use up the egg noodles i bought ages ago. it was a psuedo success. i essentially boiled the chicken in chicken broth, added shallots and cooked noodles. unfortunately, the broth separated so it wasn't very thick. no worries though. i whipped up another batch of the chicken and quinoa using the last of the celery, onion and chicken broth. i dumped the broth from the soup into the quinoa instead. the chicken and noodles were still delicious :) too delicious in fact. i ate most of them up over the weekend, even though they were supposed to be my dinner for the week. oops. i have leftover cooked noodles so i'll probably eat those instead. my problem was that i didn't divide it up. i didn't think i had enough small containers so i lumped the chicken/noodles and noodles in bigger ones. won't be doing that again... workouts? i shoveled on thursday so i could go to the office. it took me 30 minutes, and i worked up a sweat. counts :) unfortunately, because of that snow i had to shovel, i have no clue what my weight is this week. the snowstorm hit wed night so meetings were canceled, and i totally spaced on weighing at home. let's just assume, i'm the same

question 2: WAY better than i thought i would. having only missed one workout and one weigh in is not too shabby. of course, i gained the week after the one week i missed my workout, but i'm over that. i managed to stick to an eating plan that left enough wiggle room for me to go out for drinks/dinner multiple times. i got back in to my favorite routine of morning workouts on wed. i'm feeling more comfortable in my own skin even though my body hasn't changed much in the last few weeks. overall, health/bodywise? i think i'm doing great :)

question 3: i am absolutely determined to reach lifetime by the end of this challenge. my motivation is up and down (more down this week thanks to my uterus gearing up for its hostile takeover :p), but i'm not letting that overshadow my resolve. this week i'm stepping up my workout (now twice per week) and veggie/fruit goals (three per day) to keep moving forward. it's still on

question 4: my mom. if it weren't for her, i don't know where i would be. i most definitely wouldn't have joined and stuck with weight watchers without her constant support. even before i was ready to change myself, she was nudging me. she could tell i was not a happy michelle, but i hadn't faced it yet. a mother always knows, whether we know it (admit it) or not. going to meetings with her definitely made things easier. she struggles, but she's there every week, cheering and reflecting. i'm also inspired by my meeting groups and other bloggers. hearing everyone's stories, positive and negative, reinforces my desire to keep going. there's the cliche "it takes a village to raise a child", but i think it takes a village to do anything. we all need support externally for when our internal support starts to waiver. when we start to have doubts, there is someone to put things in perspective. without you all, i would not have been this successful at this point in my life. thank you

question 5: "don't wanna" i hate getting up in the morning. i usually check email and twitter on my phone before i even get up to pee :p

{see that?! for the first time in about six months, i am NOT eating out this week. happy belly and happy wallet :)}

my progress plus all the weekly questions on skinny (goals 1-4) and desultory (goals 5-10)

week4 #WWW

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?
2. How are you feeling about the goals you set for yourself? Overwhelmed? Too easy? Just right?
3. Do you prefer to exercise inside or outside?
4. Are you a self-starter or do you need a little push?
5. Fun Question of the Week: Why did you decide to start a blog?

question 1: since i didn't work out in week2, i worked out twice in week3. i've been getting my veggies in still (yay broccoli and green beans!). i added two more recipes to my repertoire. unfortunately, i gained last week. disappointing, but i'm still using it to fuel my motivation for this week

question 2: these goals are manageable; i just need to do them. it's my non-weight goals that i'm struggling with. who would've thought that would happen? i guess i'm more determined to work on my health than anything else right now. how funny to think about how my level of commitment has changed in the last two years...

question 3: inside. i'm a wuss and don't need the extra weather related excuses. i like going to the gym (especially when i have a buddy) or bustin some moves at home. i hate being outside in the elements unless i'm walking to the bar. oh how i miss undergrad. speed walking five blocks to the bar... meandering home after last call

question 4: i tend to need a little push, but some days i need a BIG push. i know i'm more likely to work out if i make it the first thing i do after waking up or getting home. no checking my phone for tweets/emails. no checking the mail for bills or my victoria's secret catalog. no seeing what craziness the tivo has suggested we might like. put on your workout clothes. grab a glass of water. pop in a disc. MOVE MOVE MOVE... yea i kinda have to drill sergeant myself some days. i wish there were an elf who lived in my pocket and would remind me of all the healthy things i should do. "morning walks good. cupcakes for lunch bad." cause my internal elf isn't always reliable ;)

question 5: i started this blog because i thought i was boring/annoying my friends with constant "i lost a pound" updates. this blog became a record of my progress, complaints and self perception. though it's hard to say if i'll keep blogging here once i hit lifetime and all that jazz. i blog all over so this specific one may not be necessary at that point

{from just october 2010 to january 2011. difference of 6.8 lbs. look at that progress... poor shrinking boobies}

my progress plus all the weekly questions on skinny (goals 1-4) and desultory (goals 5-10)

week3 #WWW

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?
2. Do you find that your motivation/mood changes in the winter? If so, what do you do to help/avoid it?
3. Do you have any advice for your fellow challengers on staying on task?
4. What day{s} of the week/month do you find it difficult to stay on task/motivated?
5. Fun Question of the Week: If you were going on a road trip {longer than a day} who would you take with you? Where would you go?

question 1: well... i eated my veggies, i cooked two new recipes and i had a huge loss. i did not get my cardio on this week. i was exhausted wed so i skipped the morning, intending to work out in the evening. that also didn't happen. same as thursday evening, saturday morning and yesterday. absolutely no motivation. even with my brand new wii workout games. sad, but true. the veggies are getting a wee easier since the recipes i've tried have included one serving. yea, potatoes aren't the best veggie, but they're still veggies. i also managed not to go too overboard with drinks. i went out twice, only having one full drink both times. i also had a shot on saturday, but i declined follow up rounds

question 2: my motivation changes throughout the year so i don't notice any particular change associated with the winter. the week before my period is the hardest because i'm always tired and cranky. if i'm annoyed enough though, i work out my frustrations with the wii or treadmill. did not happen this time around *shrug* i think not having a gym membership helps me in a weird way. i've stocked up on stuff to work out at home so it's less hassle when i actually do want to workout. sometimes having to change clothes, drive to the gym and hunt a machine was enough to kill my motivation. two factors eliminated decreases my self-sabotaging most days

question 3: making lists works for me. i know some people have been talking about that, too. i write in my planner what i want to accomplish each day, and cross things off as i go. i also keep sticky notes on my home laptop (thank you, windows7) with an overall list of tasks. i delete each item as i do it :) plus visual aids, of any kind, are a big one for me. i'm more likely to pay attention to things i can see in front of me. sometimes just laying out my workout clothes is enough to get me in them and on the treadmill after work. i also love my weight watchers charts because i can see how far i've come and how far i have to go whenever i need a reminder

question 4: sundays! even though the weekend is one never ending lazy day, i am more likely to get shit down on saturdays. i'm a huge football fan so the last few months have been full of football sundays. i spend most of the day, on the couch in my jammies. so saturdays have become my get shit done days. any cooking, cleaning and laundry have to get done then or they won't get done at all

question 5: funny you ask: neal, cross country. we're taking two weeks this summer for a roomie/bestie road trip. we haven't decided when, where or how, but we're doing it. it's going to be awesome... or one of us may not come back alive ;)

{i am going to kick some ass this week because i can't reach my goals by sitting on my own}

my progress plus all the weekly questions on skinny (goals 1-4) and desultory (goals 5-10)

week2 #WWW

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?
2. Are any of your goals repeat offenders (i.e., have you made them before and not succeeded)? If so, what do you intend on doing this time to ensure you achieve them?
3. Do you have a support system in place to help you achieve your goals?
4. Are you a planner when it comes to meeting your goals, or do you tend to “wing it” and hope for the best?
5. Fun Question of the Week: Who knows about your blog? Are you on blogger lockdown or do the “real” people in your life know about your blog/read your blog?

question 1: eat more fruits and veggies? i ate all my roomies bananas and added raisins to my morning oatmeal. it's not exactly two servings, but it's a decent start. i bought more bananas for more snacks; i also bought green beans on sale for dinners. cook more? oh, hell yea. i was only shooting for one, but i pulled four together this week. grocery trip on friday; cooking all of saturday afternoon. not too shabby for a girl who hates to cook. i also have to thank leslie for assisting in the recipe choosing process.i did not realize how many recipes i'd actually gathered together over the years. mostly because i pull them and promptly forget about them. i started with a one inch stack of recipes, which i separated (breakfast, appetizers, etc) to make it easier on myself. the cooking itself was less than fun, but i survived. the three dishes i made smelled awesome. i tasted very little as i'm trying to curb my scavenging ways. recipe four will be made wed night as lunch for the rest of the week :) working out? i did 20min on wed, and my new wii games arrived that afternoon. i didn't pick them up from my parents until fri, but i was stoked to try them out. of course, i didn't actually get around to doing that because of the cooking and wild card football.... shed final pounds? down 0.6 as of wed :D this is great (especially after a weekend at J's and in a week i'm usually up), but i need to step it up if i'm gonna stay on schedule for lifetime

question 2: of the above? eating more fruits/veggies, working out more and drinking more water are always on my list. this is my attempt to make those things part of my good habits so they can finally get off the list :p

question 3: my support system continues to be my close friends, family, bloggers and tweeters. i adore my cheerleaders, even when i don't always believe their compliments

question 4: lol have we met? i plan and overthink everything! it's one of my issues with accomplishing goals. i spend more time worrying about the how and when that i never really get to the doing. i need a game plan for almost everything. i winged it for the crazy cooking, which i regretted almost immediately. cooking three meals with different times and oven settings was not fun. i killed my leeks and may have overcooked the quinoa. for all the other goals, "just do it" needs to be my new mantra

question 5: my college friends know, and i linked it on facebook one time. i'm definitely not hiding, but i'm also not waving it under people's noses. the tiny narcissist in me refuses to keep blogging a secret... except for that one blog

{i had to go with two photos this time. that's my fridge full of goodness. soup and chicken on top; salmon with potatoes on the bottom. the other photo is the clean kitchen. if neal had cooked all day, the kitchen would be a disaster zone for a week. i cleaned and put away every single item i used on sat :p}

my progress plus all the weekly questions on skinny (goals 1-4) and desultory (goals 5-10)

week1 #WWW

this week's questions:

1. What are your ten goals for the WWW challenge?
2. Why did you choose them?
3. Are you making a New Year’s Resolution beyond the WWW challenge?
4. What does this challenge mean to you?
5. Fun Question of the Week: What did you do when the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve?

questions 1 & 2:
(weight loss/fitness)
1. eat more fruits and veggies. i've majorly fallen off the bandwagon so my goal is to eat my five servings per day. gonna start with two per day and work my way up

2. cook more, try new recipes and use the crap in our pantry. i am a creature of habit, but i keep pulling wonderful recipes that i never use. i want to start cooking more just so i can say i tried. i also want to clean out the pantry. we have so much stuff that just doesn't get used. most of it's neal's so at least i'm not wasting my money :p

3. working out. training for the komen walk forced me to workout at least three times a week. guess how much i've worked out since... my goal is to get back up to three times. i won't be walking 18 miles in a day, but i'm gonna do something. i just bought wii fit plus and nfl training camp to push me. the plan is one short workout and one long workout with either turbo jam or rev abs plus one game workout each week

4. become lifetime on weight watchers. i have 7.2 lbs left to go, which is a little over a pound a week for seven weeks. and then i'd have six weeks of maintenance. how convenient that the WWW challenge is 13 weeks ;) i plan to use the above goals to get me to this milestone

(relationships)
5. keep in better touch with friends. hannah always sends letters when she's bored at work, and i get super happy getting them. so i'm going to start writing my own letters to friends at least once a month. a "happy birthday" on facebook and christmas card are not cutting it

6. blog regularly. since (re)starting grad school, my posting has dropped off because it's a lower priority. however, i miss it. i don't have any particular schedule i want to keep between all my blogs. i just know i don't want my last substantial post to be from two months ago. for now, the goal is twice per week on my main blogs and once per week on my side blogs

7. read more. this is more about making time for myself without a computer or blackberry involved. i have sooo many books i want to read, but "never have the time". lies of course. my free time is spent tweeting, watching netflix and napping. not terrible, but i tend to feel like a waste of space after. my hope is to one day read all the books on the banned books list because i think banning books is asinine. for now i'm starting with just finishing a book. back in the day, i would never dream of picking up a book until i had finished the one prior. somewhere in the last four years (six if i include the ever daunting unabridged count of monte cristo), i got sidetracked by too many books. i finished the girl with the dragon tattoo and the girl who played with fire so i have finally turned back to  jonathan strange and mr norrell. after that i'm going to finish only revolutions (i blame this book for my waywardness) and make another stab at the count of monte cristo. once i finish these, i'm going to start in on the books i've bought/received in the last three months

(profession)
8. work harder at grad school. i'm trying to be a better, more focused student. so far i have not done very well because i'm still a lazypants. i am going to spend more time in the library, take productive advantage of downtime at work and spend more time acting than planning. the semester doesn't start for a couple weeks so i'm going to attempt to get all my lazy out beforehand

9. stay on budget. i started goals to save money for each semester of grad school. mostly the goals are filled with VA money [the old man's a vet so i get dependent benefits], but i will eventually have to pay something out of pocket. i refuse to take out another education loan so i've been saving a couple hundred each month in anticipation of those costs. in 2011, i want to ramp up my savings goals, even the nonschool ones. based on 2010's numbers, i am going to readjust my original projected budget. i am not changing my deposit schedule, but my hope is to slowly increase the amounts over the next three months

10. get my work hours back on schedule. this is a little but extremely necessary goal. i tweet all the time about being a terrible employee, rolling up as i choose, and i'm over it. starting this week, i am going to get back on an actual schedule. no more "oh i got her at 930/945a, i'll just stay until 6p" bullshit. i hate getting home late evening so i need to start getting my ass to the office before 9a again. if i try hard enough, i can get back on my "out of the office at 4p on fridays" plan 

questions 3: nope :)

questions 4: it's a kick in the face reminder that i can improve if i really want to. i've gotten tired of my own whining, and i need to do better. new years always have a rejuvenating quality. so i'm attempting to harness my newness for positive change before old bad habits set in 

questions 5: kissed jesse, opened a bottle of sparkling cider and put on another movie. it was perfect

{we celebrated our 1st anniversary on saturday: spaghetti with homemade meatballs and sauce, homemade red velvet cupcakes and donnie darko}

[crossposted]