Month Seven Update for 101 Things in 1,001 Days
February is always a difficult month for me. The days are still short and the weather is usually dreary and cold. The shortest month of the year never feels short enough to me! I was glad I had the 101 project to keep me busy.
The current political situation and war sure didn’t help either.
Reframed Goals This Month: 1
30. Arm strengthening program has been changed to a more generalized Strength Training, because the classes I am now taking build strength for arms, legs and core, and also work on flexibility and balance. I have already upped my weights from 3 pounds to 5 pounds. Have also added a completion marker. This goal will be considered completed when I have achieved consistent workouts 2x/week for 6 months. That should be long enough to build a permanent habit.
My instructor asked me, can you get out of a chair without using your arms, and I said yes. And then she said, can you do it 12 times in a row. Well, turns out I can, but I definitely feel it in my legs and core! That’s what my classes are meant to do - keep me from losing the ability to do ordinary things so I can maintain living independence.
New Items Added This Month: 1
14. Write at least one Wheel of Time fanfic.
Goals Failed/Deleted This Month: 1
29 e. Ride bike 30 minutes daily
This goal was a struggle for me from the get-go and I finally decided to mark it as a Fail. However, all is not lost, as the strength training classes I’m now doing also work the legs a lot.
Goals Completed/Achieved This Month: 1
28. Goal: swim a mile per session
I achieved this one! Back in June when I started swimming I could barely manage two laps. Now I'm swimming 35 with ease, a full mile. I'm leaving the sub-goals open for now, though, as I'm thinking they will prove helpful.
Current Items Actively in Progress: 15
8. Read 50 books
Halfway there! Still nose deep in the Wheel of Time book series. I finished books 4, The Shadow Rising and 5, The Fires of Heaven, plus the novelized prologue,New Spring. I signed up for the 2022 LJ Alpha-Book Bingo so my mini-reviews of these books are on that post. Check the book bingo tag if interested. I update monthly.
Also decided to do a Star Wars fanfic Alpha-Bingo for 2022 and have read two stories toward that goal.
11. Post monthly to muncle
Well, oops, I seem to have missed a month here. No posting in February.
12. Try 10 new foods/recipes
I made several new recipes this month, although I’ve certainly eaten all of these dishes before, just never before made one of them: low carb chicken parmesan. This did not turn out well, all my fault. It was edible but not the yum I had hoped for.
27 c. Lose weight
I continue to hover in a narrow range around the 190 pound mark. This happened a few years back when I lost my first 30 pounds and I couldn’t seem to drop past ~220 for the longest time. I think my body/metabolism does a reset every 30 pounds and I’m stuck here for the foreseeable future. Or maybe it was the surgery in November and my body is still healing from the trauma. I’ll stay on my dietary track as much as possible, and someday the whoosh will come and I’ll start losing again.
To keep my motivation going, I track non-scale victories like inches lost, smaller clothing sizes and lower blood pressure and glucose numbers. My health is really improving.
31. Focus on diet
I dropped the specific daily nutritional requirements and am instead just focusing on eating a simple higher protein low carb diet with portion control. There isn't really any completion marker defined for this one, just a permanent reminder to continue to eat as healthfully as possible for my needs.
32. Track blood pressure
This continues to do well. Between retirement and losing some weight, the blood pressure has really come down. Average bp for the month: 102/65. Six months ago it was 108/66, so this is pretty stable without medication.
33. Track fasting blood sugar
Doing better this month. The monthly average is 113. Compare that to the 143 average six months ago! I am hopeful that it may soon drop low enough that I can start weaning off medication.
34. Drink 32 ounces of water daily
Getting easier to do, as I build habits. I drink a 16 oz bottle of water in each exercise class and swimming session, plus 8 ounces with my vitamins and another 8 ounces with my main meal. I just need to remember to drink that extra bottle of water on days when I don’t work out.
41. Organize and backup digital files
Working on this, but not very hard. It feels so overwhelming because I have files on multiple devices. Need to pick one and get them all organized and then schedule regular backups. I’ve learned the hard way that just one backup location isn’t enough. Especially with the threat of cyberattacks looming.
43. Clean/organize drawers, cabinets and closets annually
This has turned into a monster project. The kitchen is finally done and it is time to turn to the closets.
44. Assess seasonal wardrobe
Well, not only did I assess my spring 2022 wardrobe, I practically replaced it entirely, due to weight loss. I couldn’t be happier to have a better fitting wardrobe and pretty spring colors!
58. Install pullout shelves in lower cabinets
I ordered a 3 drawer insert for one lower cabinet and it was delivered on February 28th. I’m going to need help installing it, though, so am waiting on my neighbor to have a few free moments. Am excited, it looks great.
72. Monthly dinners with K
Working around Kathleen’s schedule is always challenging. February turned out to be impossible, what with her holidays with family and that dratted part-time job. We have a tentative date set for March, at least. Back to zero on my completion count, though, after missing a month.
83. Post monthly 101/1001 updates.
And here is the seventh monthly update.
84. Bi-monthly letter to F
Another set of old-fashioned paper letters exchanged.
The master list can be found here
The current political situation and war sure didn’t help either.
Reframed Goals This Month: 1
30. Arm strengthening program has been changed to a more generalized Strength Training, because the classes I am now taking build strength for arms, legs and core, and also work on flexibility and balance. I have already upped my weights from 3 pounds to 5 pounds. Have also added a completion marker. This goal will be considered completed when I have achieved consistent workouts 2x/week for 6 months. That should be long enough to build a permanent habit.
My instructor asked me, can you get out of a chair without using your arms, and I said yes. And then she said, can you do it 12 times in a row. Well, turns out I can, but I definitely feel it in my legs and core! That’s what my classes are meant to do - keep me from losing the ability to do ordinary things so I can maintain living independence.
New Items Added This Month: 1
14. Write at least one Wheel of Time fanfic.
Goals Failed/Deleted This Month: 1
29 e. Ride bike 30 minutes daily
This goal was a struggle for me from the get-go and I finally decided to mark it as a Fail. However, all is not lost, as the strength training classes I’m now doing also work the legs a lot.
Goals Completed/Achieved This Month: 1
28. Goal: swim a mile per session
I achieved this one! Back in June when I started swimming I could barely manage two laps. Now I'm swimming 35 with ease, a full mile. I'm leaving the sub-goals open for now, though, as I'm thinking they will prove helpful.
Current Items Actively in Progress: 15
8. Read 50 books
Halfway there! Still nose deep in the Wheel of Time book series. I finished books 4, The Shadow Rising and 5, The Fires of Heaven, plus the novelized prologue,New Spring. I signed up for the 2022 LJ Alpha-Book Bingo so my mini-reviews of these books are on that post. Check the book bingo tag if interested. I update monthly.
Also decided to do a Star Wars fanfic Alpha-Bingo for 2022 and have read two stories toward that goal.
11. Post monthly to muncle
Well, oops, I seem to have missed a month here. No posting in February.
12. Try 10 new foods/recipes
I made several new recipes this month, although I’ve certainly eaten all of these dishes before, just never before made one of them: low carb chicken parmesan. This did not turn out well, all my fault. It was edible but not the yum I had hoped for.
27 c. Lose weight
I continue to hover in a narrow range around the 190 pound mark. This happened a few years back when I lost my first 30 pounds and I couldn’t seem to drop past ~220 for the longest time. I think my body/metabolism does a reset every 30 pounds and I’m stuck here for the foreseeable future. Or maybe it was the surgery in November and my body is still healing from the trauma. I’ll stay on my dietary track as much as possible, and someday the whoosh will come and I’ll start losing again.
To keep my motivation going, I track non-scale victories like inches lost, smaller clothing sizes and lower blood pressure and glucose numbers. My health is really improving.
31. Focus on diet
I dropped the specific daily nutritional requirements and am instead just focusing on eating a simple higher protein low carb diet with portion control. There isn't really any completion marker defined for this one, just a permanent reminder to continue to eat as healthfully as possible for my needs.
32. Track blood pressure
This continues to do well. Between retirement and losing some weight, the blood pressure has really come down. Average bp for the month: 102/65. Six months ago it was 108/66, so this is pretty stable without medication.
33. Track fasting blood sugar
Doing better this month. The monthly average is 113. Compare that to the 143 average six months ago! I am hopeful that it may soon drop low enough that I can start weaning off medication.
34. Drink 32 ounces of water daily
Getting easier to do, as I build habits. I drink a 16 oz bottle of water in each exercise class and swimming session, plus 8 ounces with my vitamins and another 8 ounces with my main meal. I just need to remember to drink that extra bottle of water on days when I don’t work out.
41. Organize and backup digital files
Working on this, but not very hard. It feels so overwhelming because I have files on multiple devices. Need to pick one and get them all organized and then schedule regular backups. I’ve learned the hard way that just one backup location isn’t enough. Especially with the threat of cyberattacks looming.
43. Clean/organize drawers, cabinets and closets annually
This has turned into a monster project. The kitchen is finally done and it is time to turn to the closets.
44. Assess seasonal wardrobe
Well, not only did I assess my spring 2022 wardrobe, I practically replaced it entirely, due to weight loss. I couldn’t be happier to have a better fitting wardrobe and pretty spring colors!
58. Install pullout shelves in lower cabinets
I ordered a 3 drawer insert for one lower cabinet and it was delivered on February 28th. I’m going to need help installing it, though, so am waiting on my neighbor to have a few free moments. Am excited, it looks great.
72. Monthly dinners with K
Working around Kathleen’s schedule is always challenging. February turned out to be impossible, what with her holidays with family and that dratted part-time job. We have a tentative date set for March, at least. Back to zero on my completion count, though, after missing a month.
83. Post monthly 101/1001 updates.
And here is the seventh monthly update.
84. Bi-monthly letter to F
Another set of old-fashioned paper letters exchanged.
The master list can be found here