Showing posts with label journal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label journal. Show all posts

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Update on the weight loss journey and a reunion.

It has been several weeks since I started a health and wellness journal.
Several readers have asked me to elaborate on what I write in it.


The daily habit helps me try and stay accountable
it acts as a motivator...

It is a convenient way to document my thoughts,
to track my Weight Watcher Points and to record my weight.


Its been a busy few days
so writing has been brief and done just before bedtime. 


I like to set the mood before writing by lighting a scented candle
brew a pot of decaf tea
(caffeine later in the day does not contribute to my sleep)
I will sit in the quiet and reflect upon my day.


Here is an excerpt from the journal when I started...
A few snippets
my weight
the meals.


I often add any food temptations
 how I coped or did not cope with them.

The exercise that I did that day.


Thoughts of gratitude, things that made me smile, quotes that inspire...
the journal is very personal and I am free to write a rant if I so desire.


When I write first thing in the morning 
I often write my goals for that particular day.
If I start my day with a positive theme it continues throughout the day.

It also helps me to exercise if I put my fitness gear on right after my shower.
This is a signal for me to get that out of the way before commencing with the rest of my day.
Exercise is on the agenda and I am not going to change into my dressy clothes
until I go for my walk or do my kettle bell workout.


Fruit makes up the bulk of my snacks and is the basis for any dessert.


I track my WW points with the handy counter.
If you are keen to change or influence your health and wellness
I firmly believe that a journal can help.

The support that you get at WW meetings is incredibly helpful 
if you are struggling with your weight I would not hesitate to recommend WW.

My weight is not moving very much and I admit that I am feeling frustrated...
I may be signing up for WW again but plan to up my exercise first.


I try not to obsess about a few extra pounds
 but I do feel much better, 
have more energy 
and like how my clothes fit when I am lighter.

A reader emailed me about a gym in Oak Bay that offers classes for 55 and older 
they have exercise machines and a punch card is available for a modest cost 
so I have made an appointment and will see if it is something that I would enjoy.



A bunch of former alumni got together for a reunion at the home of one of the teachers.
There was a great turn out and it was lovely seeing so many of the staff.
We all worked together at a local community school and it had been quite a few years since we had everyone gathered together.
So much history, so many shared experiences and oodles of memories.
The animated chatter and laughter filled the afternoon to the brim.
XO

How was your weekend?
~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Monday, January 23, 2017

Dinner in the dining room of The Humble Bungalow...

We are fortunate to have a decent sized dining room in The Humble Bungalow.

In the home where I grew up, we had a sardine can sized dining room where guests were squeezed in around a table, and once you were seated you had to stay until the meal was over.


The white fairy lights are plugged in for special occasions
opting for simple white Sophie Conran china 
and
French Bee glasses.

There is plenty of crystal and Royal Albert china tucked away in the buffet.
Those pieces come out for bigger gatherings like Christmas and Thanksgiving.


Fragrant freesias from Thorn and Thistle Flower Merchants,
my favourite spot in town for fresh flowers and plants. 

We gathered together with darling daughter and her husband to watch their honeymoon video.

For starters
a plate of cheese, crackers, fig jam and olives were served.


Beef tenderloin cooked on a bed of mushrooms 
in a black bean Asian fusion sauce. 

Recipe is in Susan Mendelson's cookbook page 135 
(I cannot find her recipe online and for copyright reasons I cannot print the page so I hope you can find a copy of the book in your local bookseller or library)


Served with green beans and garlic mashed potatoes.
The garlic mashed potatoes are from The Barefoot Contessa's Paris cookbook 


Mixed fruit and berry crumble which we topped with coconut ice cream.
I used Ina Gartens's basic recipe from her Paris cookbook 
substituting apples for the plums.


Late Evening Tea Time
decaf Yorkshire Blend and a scented candle.

Time to reflect on the day
count my blessings 
then write in my journal.


It was a lovely evening...


Today
Mother and I walked the Esplanade this afternoon 
then we went for a coffee.
Our usual cafe was closed for holidays.

The blue skies and sunny weather were a tonic 
I am feeling a bit unsettled and persnickety.

I seem to have developed 
a headache
after purging our filing cabinet 
which took me several hours...
and 
has left me with a stack of shredding
that I need to attend to in the morning.
(UGH!)

We
also need the dishwasher motor to be replaced
we could opt for the whole new machine but I do not think that very green or eco friendly so we will replace the broken bits and hope for the best.


I plan to wake up with a fresh attitude
brew my cafe creme
sit and reflect on the good things.

Then
put on a crisp white shirt, pearls and my NYDJ boyfriend jeans
and seize the day!

Do you ever have a day where you just feel like someone has hijacked your life?
Don't be shy...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Saturday, January 7, 2017

Wellness Journal...recollections from the dark moving towards a brighter future.

Have you ever kept a journal?


When I was going through a rough patch in early menopause I wrote in a gratitude journal and found it very helpful and soothing. Making note of 5 things everyday that I was grateful for was a positive attitude shift. This simple exercise was surprisingly very motivating and ultimately incredibly empowering.


Back then, my weight was "out of control" my self esteem was at rock bottom.
I had hit a wall...and felt overwhelmed and powerless.


When I was in the thick of it,
I had NO CLUE whatsoever why I was feeling this way.

Looking back, I now realize what was happening to my body and why my emotions were all over the map.
Menopause can cause so many ups and downs and unfortunately it does not come with a guide book to help us navigate this path.

I was not in tune to my own body.
I was giving so much time and energy to others who needed my help,
that I neglected to take care and do what was needed
in order to stay balanced, happy and healthy.

The tell tale symptoms were there...
low energy
stress
sleep disruptions resulting in fatigue
mood swings
mind fogs
food cravings that resulted in binge eating loads of carbs and chocolate

"Oh Woe is Me!" felt like my mantra.
I'm not proud of this period of my life but it must have happened for a reason.
This experience taught me a lot of valuable lessons...
it taught me how to establish boundaries and I had to learn to say no.
Very difficult for someone who was raised to give before receiving.

Shifting my focus from obsessing over my symptoms,
I took charge...
reading books on menopause, fitness, healthy foods and meditation.
It was hard work, took time, but I needed to do something to turn things around.
Acceptance and action was much more attractive over self loathing and self medicating.


So back to the journal...
it was a powerful tool in my journey back to wellness.

The journal was instrumental in instigating change.
So I am reinstating my habit and am starting a new journal.
It will be wellness and fitness focused and I will write in it every day.


Documenting my weight, walks, workouts, weight watcher points
and making notes of any emotions that may be contributing factors that threaten to derail my success and giving myself a written pat on the back when I succeed.


BTW ~ The kettle bells are an amazing workout and I am devoting 30 minutes every other day to this new routine, while still trying to walk everyday.


Will you join me on this road to wellness?
All you need is a
pen and some paper...
let's make our journals a beautiful and gentle record of our continued journey to better health.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~