First, deep apology for my day job keeping me too swamped to check blogs during the day and NaNoWriMo keeping me too busy to make up for it in the evening. Normally I do a little of both, but this week I've gotten to a very pathetic few. My work deadline is Monday, so things should then improve.
The exercise plan is ROCKING! Monday was a personal (pairsonal?) best. Jackie and I, out 58 minutes, ran 30 of it, with our longest interval at 11 minutes. There are still three of us participating, but our third is not quite so keen on the running, so sometimes we loop back. She is working a second job for the holidays, though, so we also are trying to do our running days when she can't be there. Our practice has been running/walking intervals 3 days a week, then power walking 2-3 more, each time 45-60 minutes. And we really ARE doing great. I'm very proud of all of us (I can say that, yes?) and I am incredibly grateful for having wonderful neighbors who have kept me going when I probably would have given it up as too much effort otherwise.
Yesterday was month 2. It was not nearly as big as month 1. In month 1 I lost 12 pounds. In month 2 I love 4.5. So it is the right direction, but I know for a fact I've petered off in effort. I've been REALLY hungry. I think this is the winter compulsion to pack on some body fat. What my body seems to be missing is I already HAVE body fat. I don't NEED to pack it on. I haven't kept my food diary in 2 weeks either (and I definitely need a spanking). I am not giving up—I am still making a point of good choices, and avoiding BAD choices. I just have not been as diligent on volume control.
I am 1/3 through, which I think is pretty good. I feel pretty good. I still like it. I feel proud of much of it. It's not as clumsy as I have sometimes feared in the in-between. So that's good. I am able to edit about 40 pages a day, so I should be in good shape. I ALSO had help offered from three amazing, fabulous friends who I LOVE! And should be in good shape to incorporate their feedback when I get it the 21st.
Last weekend I had an AMAZING run. I wrote 14000 words in 3 days. Do you know what I learned? I really LOVE writing sprints. I had been struggling for a few days (this work deadline was leaving me lackluster when I got home) but the idea of a sprint allowed me to set aside the time and totally BLOCK everything else. Heck, Saturday, all on its own, was almost a 6000 word day (something I've only done twice before). Yet I did that ALL in three one-hour writing sprints. (I hope to hit 40K tonight)
I really like the story so far, though I suspect it will be 70K before done, so while I have no doubts I will win NaNoWriMo, I will probably not be done with the book at that point. Given the rest of the month's challenges, I think I can hit 60K, but that's about it.
We're looking at a weird year. Hubby is our cook. I've never made thanksgiving dinner. In fact the only regular Thanksgiving fare I've ever made is pie. Hubby has to work that day. He is a home health aid and his client needs care every day. I tried to convince him to do Thanksgiving another day that weekend but he got really weird about it. I'd about decided the kids and I would have a Harry Potter marathon and eat baked brie, summer sausage, and crackers (these would be our splurge foods). But then I talked to my mom.
My uncle was in the peace corp in Botswana MANY years ago and ended up marrying a woman from there. They've lived back and forth—they are now in the states. But my aunt has a cousin with a daughter who is now on exchange in Kalamazoo—two hours from me and THOUSANDS of miles from anyone she knows. So we are having this distant cousin to our house. I'm excited to meet her—I think it will be a great cultural experience for my kids, and she is indeed family. But it means putting together a Thanksgiving dinner.
Hubby will make the stuffing and cranberry the day before. We will just make a turkey breast. And then I will do the beans and mashed potatoes. (my daughter wants to make the pies). I'm excited, but a little nervous. I don't want to muck up her only US Thanksgiving!
So now you know all about ME! Tell me something about YOU!!!
23 comments:
Glad I'm not the only one finding this month a juggling struggle (I fantasise about lying on the floor underneath my desk chair with a pair of earplugs in and going asleep).
Congrats on the couch to 5k! I've tried that a couple of times, but didn't have the discipline to stick with it. I was doing it alone - I think doing it with friends definitely makes you more accountable.
Decided to accept all the changes in the doc you sent and read it fresh on my Kindle. I finished my freelance work yesterday, so I'm gonna get stuck in today. I'll highlight any typos I find, then transfer them to a clean copy for you to integrate. :o)
Baked brie... *drool*!! Love baked brie and baked camembert too *extra drool*...!!
Yay for keeping up your exercise regime and all that weight lost!! Time to get NAKED!!! Hooorah!!
Take care
x
That's awesome that you are sticking with the diet and exercise. I am inspired. :)
I like making Thanksgiving dinner with my kids. It's more about cooking together than how good the food turns out. And it gets better every year.
You are one buys gal. Keep up the good work. and congratulations on your weight loss. Send some my way. :)
DAH! i LOVE that friends! i totally run like phoebe!
congrats on all the getting healthy stuff! i really need to work on that. and you are sailing through those edits!!! and NANO! i've been blown away seeing your nano progress!
good luck on the thanksgiving, it'll be cool no matter what, just remember to show that it isn't about the turkey, it's a bout the pie err i mean thankfulness. yeah. it's about the thankfulness...
It's good to hear the news!
I'm so excited for you about fitness. Great work!
And you've inspired me. I was sitting here thinking exercise now or write?
I'm going to go for a run first.
Good for you for sticking to your plan. I wish I had the tenacity.
As for Thanksgiving, I'm trying to get the family to rally around Grilled Salmon, but it's not working. They want turkey, and I'm just not that into it.
This month is pretty crazy for everyone I think! Definitely for me. I'm looking forward to it being over! Luckily (I guess?) we Aussies don't do Thanksgiving so I don't have to worry about that. hehe
WTG on your NaNo word count!! Looking pretty awesome from where I'm sitting! (and yes I am sitting...on my couch...like a good couch potato should!)
Christine-definitely helps to have a couple friends! I enjoy walking enough I would do that on my own, but the push... not so much...
Jessica-thank you so much, sweetie!!! Sounds like a perfect plan!
Jenny-Mmmmmmm Yes, I could eat brie daily if not for the cost and fat. As it is, though, defitely best for just a splurge.
Tonja-that's awsome to cook with the kids! I will see if I can enlist mine. Daughter probably will until we start fighting. Son, I have my doubts...
Teresa-thank you!
Vic-YES! About the pie... erm. teehee. And we joke about that Friends episode--I'd look lik that if I had more energy...
Lisa-good for you!!! Go Go Go!
Anne-I'd totally prefer salmon, too. I can live with a turkey dinner once, but for days on end? Not so much. And I like the salmon better by a long shot. Family though, is very anti-fish...
Trisha-the up side of Thanksgiving when it is is that the Christmas stuff doesn't really start escalating until then. I think it almost might be crazier in Christmas prep than food prep.
You always wow me with your stamina!! Wow. So impressive. I've finally been squeezing some workout sessions back into my schedule and, man, does it make a difference! I think your Thanksgiving dinner plan sounds totally do-able. Even for a not-enthusiastic cook, I think it's pretty hard to muck up a turkey breast -- they are so yummy! Good luck on all!!
B
It sounds like you're doing awesome with everything. I can't imagine doing all of that and NaNo. I even stopped editing this month for it.
I know what you mean about being hungry. Perhaps all that brain power needs to be fed more. :)
Yay on the jogging thing. That's freaking awesome! Keep at it. Woot.
Writing sprints are amazing. I can't believe how many words you can get pounded out when you have to report in every hour with your total. It's really inspiring.
We meet on Twitter all the time at #nanotramps and do sprints. Come on by any time!!!!!
Though, I'm done with NaNo since I got my Awaited first round edits I'm still cheering everyone along. It's super fun!
Had to take a coffee break after this post. You wore me out!
Awesome writing weekend! I really believe NaNo is in November because those who started it hated college football and cooking :)
Keep up the good work.
Something about me? I'm from Idaho Falls, Idaho...the same small town where the gunman who shot at the White House is from (the one that hates Obama and is the top story of many news groups).
What a piece of shit town I come from...that is all.
Hart, I doubt you could much up Thanksgiving dinner. And after reading all of that I feel like an underachiever...
way to go Hart! sounds like you are having a fabulous fall so far! and hey...I'll join you for running..I'm lame as sh*t at it though!
have a great Thanksgiving.
Your neighbor
Liz
Congrats on doing so well with NaNo!
I definitely haven't been very productive this month, but I'm glad that you are doing well.
You are so crazy busy and productive! And congrats on the weight loss, but I wonder if one reason you're always hungry is that sometimes, when the body isn't getting enough of a certain nutrient, the brain will tell the body to keep eating. But finding out which exact nutrient that is can be tough because each body is different. Good luck!
You're an awesome Couch to Keg buddy! Love the blog today and I am so happy that we're there to push each other every day! Great job on NaNoWriMo too!
Hart - I'm fairly certain no one can muck up beans and mashed potatoes. And you're crazy for taking on so much at one time. Hope you make it through intact!
erica
Hey! Great update! Hope you have great thanksgiving!
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