If You Have More Than 3 Priorities You Don't Have Any

A professor said this in class one day and it has taken on a whole new life. I am a person who always has way to many irons in the fire and directions to go. This year I am pouring all my focus into 3 things:

My Health
My Finances
My Relationships

Life is what you make it and I believe taking control of these three things will make my life the best version. This blog is primarily about the first focus area but it incorporates some of the third, so in the spirit of rounding things out I would like to share a bit about the 2nd. I have worked in non-profit for over a decade and that equals being broke for over a decade.

My goal by the end of January 2011 is to pay off all non-school related debt (including Christmas), save $1500 in my IRA, up IRA contribution to $50 per month and, begin contributing 10% to my 401K again.

This is all on my current salary, one that happens to qualify me for section 8 and food stamps. I am also looking for ways to increase this income. I plan to start free lance writing, taking photos again, in the summer bake cookies to sell, possibly start a gift wrapping service around Christmas, and a friend and I are brain storming ideas for a magazine. I have also been applying for more lucrative jobs that utilize my degree. I am open to all kinds of ideas big and small.

I am gonna try to figure out those countdown boxes and post both my weight loss and debt loss progress.

Day 5

VERY BAD DIET DAY

Didn't really keep track lets just say it included, pizza, a Chinese buffet, freakin brownies and way too many calories. I had to work a double at work and I would like to blame the overeating on being awake too long but I was in trouble long before the extension.

Good Stuff: Did take Big B supplement, made fresh baked "french fries" to go with home made turkey chili and it was yum, pretty sure I got all the overeating out of my system by going sooooo overboard.

Stuff to Improve: Well everything, walk Jersey longer, workout, PLAN meals, stay in calorie range, use overeating resources and strategies, sleep ...

Stuff I Learned: I have to have a plan!!!! Overeating is NO longer comforting to me it is quite the opposite, which is a huge breakthrough and the more healthy things work and the more I recognize eating doesn't the closer I am to being free!

Sunday Update w/ Weights and Measures (1st ed)

Starting Stats:

Smallest part of waist: 37"
Biggest part of belly (around belly button): 41"
Hips: 44.5"
Bust: 43"
Chest: 38"
Right Thigh (at largest part): 25.5"
Right Upper Arm (at largest part): 12.75"
Total inches: 241.75"

Weight: 206.4

Today:

SPW: 36.5" (-.5")
BPB: 39" (-2") (WOOOOHOOO!!!)
Hips: 44.5" (no loss but that might be good maybe I am building a booty yay!!)
Bust: 44" (I did this one twice to make sure I don't know how they got bigger)
Chest: 38" (it's all rib cage I am not sure how much it will really change)
Rght Thigh: 25" (-.5")
Rght Arm: 12.5" (-.25")

Weight: 205.4

I was pretty stoked/ suprised by the results considering it wasn't a full week and the last couple days I have been way over on calories I can't wait to see how things go next week!! The excitement of learning and doing better each day and week is exciting.

Day 4+

4 AM 1/4 Bagel and PB
12:30 PM eggs w/ feta and spinach
1:30 PM 1/2 Turkey Burger
6:00 PM Chickpea Tangine, Frozen Yogurt and Big B/Kefir Shake
10:00 pm Sonic Burger w/ mustard 1/2 small tot
10:30 PM - 2:30 AM Alcohol and LOTS OF DANCING!!!!!
3:30 AM Jimmy John's
5:30 AM 1 slice pizza

Another day of way too many calories but I burned tons on the dance floor. I made bad decisions in the late night hours but I did GREAT the first half of the day. I have decided to use this as an opportunity. You may notice that 3:30 and 5:30 AM are after mid-night I have decided to switch up how I calculate a day. From here on out a day will be from when I wake up to when I go to sleep just like the rest of the world. It makes more sense and it keeps me from using the mid-night dividing line for leverage.

Good Stuff: Hanging with shortie and her friends at brunch, sharing info about clean eating and localharvest.com, dancing the night away with so many amazing friends, possibly starting dancing salsa again with Gahdeer, singing REO Speedwagon in bed w/ Beau when I couldn't sleep

Stuff to Improve: Walk Jersey longer, wake up for Project Poolside, have a specific easy to remember plan for eating when I know I will be drinking

Stuff I learned: Kona has a good turkey burger and walking is as important as sleeping (see previous post)

Walking as Important as Sleep

Great article on the importance of walking. I will definitely try to make my walk with Jersey longer now and make them a bigger priority. It will be good for both of us. I will add my walk time length to the daily report.

Day 2 (a little late) and 3 (kind of on time)

Day 2

12:30 AM Salmon Wrap (yummy)
3:45 AM Turkey and Bean Chili (yummy again; gets better each day as the flavors marinate)
6:30 AM Little bit of popcorn and small bowl of cereal
4:00 PM Jersey longer walk
4:30 PM Kefir and Granola
7:30 PM little bit of chips and fresh guac
8:30 PM Chickpea Tangine ( SO FREAKING GOOD I AM PROUD OF THIS ONE!! )
11:15 PM Chocolate Snack Pack

Total Approx. Calories = 1600

Good Stuff: I am really liking cooking my own healthy food and I am getting better at it all three recipes this week turned out yummy. Took Jersey on a longer walk it was finally nice outside :)

Stuff to improve:
Calories still a bit high and sugar content is sky high. Should have gotten in a workout but didn't.

Stuff I Learned:
If it looks like a cucumber even though it is labeled a zucchini it is a cucumber but its okay because cucumber does taste good in Chickpea Tangine

Day 3 NOT A GOOD DAY FOR FOOD AND EXERCISE but a great life day

12 AM Lasagna and a Brownie
2:45 AM Brownie
3:30 AM SNACK ATTACK 2 bites cookie 2 small pretzels and almond butter toast
2:30 PM short Jersey walk
3:30 PM Juice and Kefir Shake with Big B
4:15 - 7:15 PM Movies with Beau (Avatar in 3D)
8:00 PM Spin Pizza w/ the family (pizza, salad, wine, and gellato yeah right I am on diet)

Total Approx. Calories = Way to many but a ball park figure = 2300 ish

Good Stuff: Had a great night w/ Beau and Family, Movie was good, I laughed a lot, and I really enjoyed the meal that doubled my daily calories it was not some food controlling me binge (well minus the brownie issues early on).

Stuff to work on: One word; BROWNIES!

Stuff I learned: When I have the munchies I need to go straight to a high protein high fiber food with good fats and it ends the grazing decreasing the feeling of failure.

Maximize Your Happiness Potential

Great article on taking control of your own happiness with great practical ideas about how to lift your mood, maintain a positive outlook, and reap all the benefits that come with it.