Make a Change - Learning to Love Exercise

I have sooo been failing in my recent challenge to exercise.
The problem is, that I still haven't completely changed my sleeping routine, which means I'm really stuck for the times I can exercise. Grrr!! Changing food habits is so easy, but sleeping at the right times is not!!

However, yesterday I actually found a solution! We had friends coming for dinner, and our house was looking a bit worse for wear, so I spent about an hour rushing around vacuuming, mopping floors and scrubbing toilets. Surprisingly, it was a great workout, and I accomplished some housework at the same time! So, while twenty minutes of heavy housework each day may not be equivalent to 20 min of exercise, an hour must be pretty close, and I needed to be motivated to do both. So I have revised my exercise  challenge to be:

1 hour of housework exercise each day.

I'm pretty excited about this, and feel I will accomplish much more!


Update: I have just finished an hour an a half of housework exercise! Woohoo! House looks good, back feels good, feeling invigorated and happy with myself, I'm on a roll now!

xx

Make a Change - Time to exercise!

In my Thursday Make a Change series I have cut out fizzy drink and cake, have been reading my scriptures, and trying to sort out my sleep habits, but, one thing I haven't tackled yet, is adding exercise to my routine. You had to know it was coming!

 The thought of it is not thrilling me. This is why I feel compelled to announce my challenges here. Seeing them on my blog reminds me daily that I am meant to be doing them! 

The food challenges have been easy. The sleep ones, not so much. The scripture one, so-so. And the exercise one is probably going to be a disaster. But, as I've said before, my hips don't lie, and I really have to reign them in! With a bit of luck I may even look like this some time (ha!)

So the challenge is to exercise for 20 minutes a day.

Doesn't matter how, doesn't matter when, or where. Just 20 minutes of working the body every day.

I'm puffed just thinking of it. (It might actually be invigorating. I hope so!)

And I start today. Join me if you dare! xx 

(http://joemartinfitness.com)

Make A Change: Waking Up Early

Each week, lately, I have been taking a look at myself and making a change.

I gave up fizzy drinks...easily, there is no nutritional value in them whatsoever!

I've been reading my scriptures, and taking notes!

I've been trying to go to bed at 10.30pm (not really working, but I have been getting to bed before 12 which is better, at least)

I've given up cake...pretty easily, except I reached out for a muffin the other day, and had to mentally slap my hand to back off!

And now I'm trying for Waking Up Early. I usually wake up about 7am, but I'd like to get up at 6am. I really enjoy that extra hour of sleep, but I need to get more of a move on in the morning.

So starting tomorrow, I will be an early bird!

 (Image from someprints.com)

What time do you wake up in the morning?

xx

Make a Change - No more cake!

Here I am again with another life-changing decision - no more eating cake!

Oh gosh, this is a hard one, but I've got to make some more changes in my sugar intake,

and I think I can handle this one.

 So, although I watch Cake Boss

and Ace of Cakes all the time

 and adore apple pie,

and muffins

and banoffee pie

I am stopping my intake of cake TODAY!

Instead, I am just going to look at them!

Good news is, that I still haven't had any fizzy drink since I decided to give that up. Yay me!

But I am still working on my going to bed early routine

I will endeavour to keep trying to make these changes to create a better, healthier me!

Do you think you could give up cake?

xx

Make a Change: Sleeping Beauty

I have been making a few changes this year, trying to do a project a week (I will let you know how that's going soon), and making challenges for myself.  My challenges and projects seem to work better if I announce them on this blog, as I feel I am accountable to the world, in a sense.

Today's new challenge is to: Be in Bed by 10.30pm.

Those people who know me pretty well will be smirking at this stage and thinking that I'm going to fail miserably at this, as I am a notorious night owl but hey, I've got to give it a go. I've tried to challenge myself to go to bed before 12am, and before 1am, and it works sometimes, but mostly I just get caught up doing 'stuff' and then it's 2am again. I'd really like to break this habit!

So it's the beginning of a new month, and today is the day. I have half an hour and then I need to be in bed.

I'm sure you all know how much support through comments help, and this is my hardest challenge to conquer, so, if you have a moment, wish me luck - I need some cheerleaders! Also let me know if you want to attempt this challenge too - there are possibly some other night owls out there who feel the midnight hour is the best time to play, and would like to make a change.

I feel like I'm at Sleepaholics Anonymous writing this post, (or perhaps not so anonymous!) and hopefully this will be the season for changing my sleeping style. I'm crossing my fingers!
I'm going to keep a log here of what time I go to sleep each night, to see if it keeps me motivated.

Bedtime Log
March 1st - 10.36 pm (pretty close)
March 2nd - 11.11pm (I know, I know, but, hey, it's Friday)
March 3rd - 10.48 pm (not bad)
March 4th - 9.30 pm (asleep about 1.10 am - fail!)
March 5th - 12 am (man!)
March 6th - 11.38pm (hmm)
March 7th - 11.55pm (sigh!)
xx