A bit behind

Hello ladies- So I am thinking my challenge is going to be actually writing in the blog itself. Can that be? Sorry it has taken me so long to get a word out but I have working hard on my challenges! Plus working hard at keeping baby Homlish in the womb for a bit longer. So now that we are on the start of week 3 (right?) I have down 6 swims so far. I have 2 more planned for this week. So not bad progress there. As for the cooking I am definitely better at just the cooking from home as opposed to the cooking from my cookbook but either way have logged about 5 good cooking nights that I would count. Favorite so far is the Parmesan crusted fish with tomato and artichoke sauce. Need some motivation in this dept I think. And no needlepoint yet to work on so that challenge is still side lined. More to come....

Blogger: Johanna
Status: 5/30

So no run for me on Saturday. I am beginning to learn that Saturday mornings just aren't good for Erica. This is three Saturdays now that I have missed. However, I did get a run in with Dori last week, and two walks. Yay! Tonight either Nate or I are going to yoga, and if I don't go to yoga I'm determined to get a run in.

How's everyone else doing on their challenges? Alden, any yummy recipes to try? Barb, how are your workouts going? Kelly, sent out any notes? Rachel, did you ever narrow in on a single challenge? :)

The Start of Week 2

Blogger: Dori
Status: Yoga 4/30 TV 2/30

So I am starting to think that my tv watching goal is going to be the hard one to do. I gave myself some strict rules about it - it only counts as a night without tv if I am at home and COULD watch TV but I consciously decide not to. Weekends are shot for sure and I have to watch SOME TV during the week. It will be interesting to see where I end up.

As for the yoga - I got 4 classes in last week which I am super happy about. I wanted to go today but Geoff's car is in the shop so I am stuck at home without a car. I may try and go tonight but we will see. I am waiting for my Madonna arms to appear... not yet :) I am also happy because I got 2 runs in along with my yoga classes so I feel like I really getting back into my working out routine again! YAY

Good luck this week ladies!
Dori

Darn Sour Patch Kids

Blogger: Kelly
Date: September 18, 2008
Time: 3:15PM

So I sent this in an email but never actually published it . . . so I have 2 challenges for the 30 Until Turkey.

1) Write 30 hand written notes to people in my life. It can be a card with a note inside or a full letter or whatever . . . only things it cannot be are: 1) electronice and 2) typed :)

2) Complete 30 days between now and Turkey day where I do not eat any candy . . . this does not stop me from having dessert or other sweet items this is just to focus on candy because I am the total person that walks by our front desk and grabs 4 individual Bit o' Honey's and then goes back later and grabs 2 individual twizzlers and 3 individual Swedish Fish and then on my way out grabs some individual Laffy Taffy. If I was only completing one of those drive-bys I would say whatever but it is usually all 3 (and sometimes 4 or 5). Rachel, you will appreciate this with our talks about if you are not comfortable eating it in public then you should not eat it - our receptionist goes to lunch everyday from 12:30 to 1:30 . . . you got it, I will go down again during that time and pick up more so she does not know it is me. Uh yea, I would call that a problem!!

UPDATE:
#1: Bought 3 cards that I need to fill out and send onto the respective party . . . so really 0 out of 30 but I have at least made a move in the correct direction.
#2: I am really 2 out of 30 but I was truly hoping to go 30 days straight but last night I just mindlessly starting munching on Sour Patch Kids and there goes the 30 days straight . . . so now just 30 days.

I will have to work on that spreadsheet . . . I love it!

Turkey Spreadsheet

Oh Rachel, don't wish for things like spreadsheets, because you know I'll make it happen... Here's the link to our official google 30 by Turkey spreadsheet. Ladies, check your e-mail account you signed up under and look for the invite to edit the document. Let the graphs begin!

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pdgNQvHHaptQ5aUliKEvTCw&hl=en

What one can learn from Adam Sandler...

So I watched a semi-dumb movie last night that hit home a bit. I hope I'm not ruining a movie you've been dying to see. The movie is "CLICK" (I think) with Adam Sandler. The gist of it is that Adam Sandler is working his buns off so that he can get promoted so he can make more money and spend more time with his family. He's a workaholic and keeps cancelling on his family. Then he gets a magical remote control for his life (yes that is the dumb part) and realizes he can fast forward through parts of his life. So he keeps fast forwarding through life so he can hurry up and get to where he is promoted so he can spend more time with his family and give them everything thing they want. But the remote gets programmed based on behavior - so if you'd fast forward to get to one promotion/raise, the remote automatically fast forwards through life to get you to the next promotion/raise.

In his mind, he's just going to fast forward a few months to get to the next level...but really he gets there and then tries to get to the next level and next level.

Bottomline he misses his kids growing up, he doesn't spend time with his parents before they die, his wife divorces him because he's always striving to get to the next level. And he never changed behavior after the first promotion...he was then fighting the next work battle.

The MORAL of the story is you have to change behavior now to get what you want now. NOT put it off until you've attained something AND THEN assume you'll change behavior then. You may have lost your chance by then.

SO what you can learn from Adam Sandler is that 30 till Turkey is the perfect way to start changing behavior now instead of waiting....well I'll start eating better once this project settles down, if I can only finish these 1000 deliverables then I'll start going to the gym.

That said - pending answer to Johanna's question on what day we start (I think the 15th?) - I have gotten in one workout. I signed up for Colorado Athletic Club and got there early last night, worked out for 15 minutes (ok I'm never REALLY early) and then had 1.5 hour long tennis practice. So 1 of 30.

As for food, I've started to eat some of my nutrisystem leftovers, but still haven't managed to grocery shop. I think my original goal was to eat what I brought with me 30x. I think I need to be a little more strict. Perhaps I can take it up with the Board tonight. Maybe 30x eating within my WW points? (Not that I'm counting at all.)

And I need to add 30x days that I do not do work once I'm home.

I wish we had an excel list to track our 30 till Turkey goals.

OK thanks, Adam, for showing me the way. Here's to being healthier and happier TODAY.

So far so good...

Blogger: Dori
Status: Yoga classes 2/30, No TV 2/30

I made it to my 2nd yoga class today. So far so good. Because of the full moon this week, we did a heart opening class. Back bends during noon hour nearly made me faint! I had to buy a second Yogitoes mat because I can't guarantee I will do laundry every day.

Monday night I didn't watch TV for the 2nd night. Last night I hunkered down to catch up on some quality tv (Gossip Girl and Rachel Zoe Project). Geoff walks in and is like "what the heck happened to no TV?" I told him 30 nights before Thanksgiving -not consecutive... that is just crazy talk! I am trying to better myself but I am not that good - yeesh.

Dori

Confusion Reigns

So is our challenge from the 15th to Thanksgiving or the 9th? I'm confused.

2 down, even if one is LAME

Blogger: Johanna
Date: 9/16/2008, 1:33 p.m.
Status: 2/30

No run for me on Saturday, as planned with Dori and Kristen, because Erica was all off schedule. Nothing like spending the day with Grandma and Grandpa Levene and not getting a nap to totally throw off a baby. I did make it to Tallgrass Spa with Margo Saturday afternoon though, and let me tell you ladies, I LOVE that place, and we all know I'm not a spa person. But I digress...

Sunday Nate and I took Erica for a walk to find the "back way" to daycare so we can walk her sometimes. I get to work from home every other Friday now, so knowing how to get Erica to daycare safely in her stroller is a good thing to know. It wasn't a long walk, or an impressive walk, but I did get my butt out of the house, so it counts.

Tonight Dori and I are meeting for a run. I forgot my sports bra, so it may be a painful run, but I'll do the best I can. If all goes well I'll go by Sports Authority before we run, but really, all never goes well.

Dori, I hope Geoff LOVED his massage last night. :)

Massagy Anyone?

Blogger: Dori aka Blogmaster-5000

I love my husband Geoff A LOT - so I've decided to give him 30 massages, or as like to call them, "massagy's". I figure I'll give him a good rub down tonight after that intense Monday Night football game where the Cowboys served up a good old fashioned beat down on the Eagles ... hee-haw!

I can't wait to tell you all about it tomorrow ladies!

--BM5K

Day 1 Success

Blogger: Dori

1 yoga class down, 29 to go! I made it to the noon class today and it was great. We were focusing on how your body reacts to holding poses for longer periods of time. I had a really hard time with it - my mind kept wandering to the things I should be doing, going to do, what the lunatic guy beside me was doing, the other dude blowing his nose, etc.... Just forcing myself to "be present" was a really good exercise for me. I tried not to get frustrated with not being able to get into side crow or for barely being able to hold crow. I am certain that I will have so many breakthroughs over the next 2 months.

What has made me the most excited is everyone else who has joined in the challenge. My mom is walking 30 hours, my sister is coming out of running retirement, my aunt Barb is walking 30 times, and my mother in law is walking. So great! My aunt called it the "Oprah effect" - HULARIOUS!

Now I am going to try and avoid the stupid TV tonight - which shouldn't be too hard since Geoff is likely going to be watchign Monday night football.

Good luck tomorrow ladies!
Dori

Lame Weekend

....but off to a good Monday start!! Well, I'm actually happy that our 30 Until Turkey challenge didn't officially start until today. Last week was miserable. I worked out ONCE! Once is not ok!! I won't waste my breath on the list of reasons why I didn't work out - they all boil down to lack of motivation. HOWEVER! This morning, after a terrible night's sleep for no apparent reason...I woke up with Miles at 5:15 am...proceeded to think up fake excuses for why I couldn't go workout "I have a call at 6am I didn't know about! Darn, I can't workout!" or "I didn't sleep all night, I really don't think it's wise for me to go Miles" or "I have cramps". Haha - I really was going to bail...I wanted to keep sleeping SO bad! Meanwhile, Miles is like a workout robot. The alarm goes off and he's up - no snooze, nothing. Who is this man? Here's the worst part about this scenario though - once I decide to bail on a workout, I can't go back to bed and sleep without feeling guilty. Rachel and I experienced this time and time again when I lived in Denver. So - instead, I dragged myself out of bed and turned on every light in the house to convince my body that I could do this. I put on my workout clothes and headed to morning bootcamp! YAY! I did it!! Funny sidenote: our bootcamp place is called No Excuses Fitness, what a great name! Anyway, I literally may not be able to walk the rest of the week, but I did it!!! This sounds like a small accomplishment for some, but it is pretty huge for me. Now, the harder part...do it again 2 more times this week. No excuses.

Well not a very successful weekend

Blogger: Dori

Since I discovered that the 30 until Turkey officially doesn't start until tomorrow at my yoga studio, my eagerness to go to class has decreased slightly... I did not go all weekend and I watched a RIDICULOUS amount of TV... Tomorrow is a new day. I am looking forward to our Board Meeting on Wednesday and hope Barb had a fabulous birthday celebration weekend!!!

2 or 3 down, many to go

Hi Ladies, just doing a quick blog this Sunday morning before the craziness starts. I love signing in and reading everyones thoughts, it is great! So a quick recap for me this week on a couple of goals. I have 2 swims down since we started and 1 recipe, aiming for the 2nd recipe tonight. I have to say that Kelly brings up a good point and that doing 30 new recipes is quite challenging and alot of food...I also do not like to eat leftovers. So maybe this should be 30 nights of cooking at home instead of takeout. I will monitor this and see how it goes. The swimming has become a bit easier since Thursday when the doctor said this was all i was allowed to do...but don't be fooled it is still a mind tease everytime I think about it. And Barb I would love to take up the needlepoint challenge, I just need to find the right design which has proven to be a challenge. If anyone knows of good places to look for these let me know, so far I have been out of luck. Maybe I am picky. So that still remains a hunt and a challenge.

As for all of your challenges I LOVE them. I love that Dori is trying to watch less TV, that would be a hard one for me as that is my wind down when working out or at the end of the day. Johanna I think 30 workouts is perfect for you, it is hard after baby and this is the perfect thing to get you going again. I have a feeling it will come back quicker than you think. Rach, working out and healthier living is a great motivator for you to feel better and Kelly I think 30 days of following your points and allowing yoruself only 30 treats between now and T-Giving would be challenging enough!! You have done such an impressive job so far with the weight watchers my hat (or whatever) is off to you! I understand the fear of going backwards so I think this goal would keep your mind at ease. Barb, glad to see you chimed in, I am shocked I was not the last one! Thanks for all your great comments! Is yours exercise as well? Maybe it should be getting 30 things checked off your wedding list, yeah!!! That would be fun!

Ok, all for now. Happy Sunday everyone!

Late Arrival...

I had no idea how much activity was going on out here in the blogosphere while I was working like a maniac this week! I apologize for the late arrival.

Ladies, your posts have been inspiring and entertaining...this new blog is an incredibly exciting addition to the Board.

So let's take a quick minute to recap our goals:
Dori: Become an ex-tv-junkie, well rested yogi
Kelly: Become the healthiest girl on the planet
Alden: Reach platinum super-mom status
Jo: Learn to "Just Say No"
Rachel: Transform in to the BIONIC WOMAN!? RACHEL! For the love...you made me tired!

OK, just joking...I love every single one of your goals. In fact, I want to pick out a few that sounded really amazing to me.
Kelly: I think your letter-writing goal is simply brilliant. Sending out hand-written letters could only bring you back good energy. Maybe that's what you need! Imagine how happy the person receiving those letters will be! Makes me smile.
Rachel: Avoid buying food. If you can commit to this, I think it would be brilliant for you. It would solve several goals at once.
Alden: Pick the cross-stitch one! How sweet to spend 30 days focusing your time on the new baby...with your feet up...relaxing!
Dori: Yoga is perfect for you - enough said. Om. Namaste.
Johanna: Your comments on the work out goal are right on. It makes you feel good, which is exactly what a new momma needs.

So now I need to proclaim MY 30 Until Turkey Goal! I've been thinking about this quite a bit since Dori suggested it. Many ideas have come and gone, but the one that really makes sense is to simply pledge that I will work out 30 times before Thanksgiving. I know, boring...but just like Johanna, I am realizing how crucial this is to my overall well-being. It has now been exactly 2 years since I crossed the finish line at Ironman (Sept 10, 2006), can you believe it!? Truly, I don't think I have worked out consistently since then and it makes me sad. All the fitness and dedication I once had has slipped away. I became one of the Ironman finishers who drop off the face of the work-out world!! I blame injury, I claim work as the culprit, I swear I will do it "next week"...but it hasn't happened yet. Two weeks ago, Miles and I participated in the Nike Human Race 10K. I started off grumpy and annoyed that I could not possibly run a full 6.2 miles, and finished smiling and invigorated. THAT is the feeling I need to cultivate in my every day life!! Happiness! With the stresses of work and an upcoming wedding, I know deep down that the best thing I can do for myself is to GET UP and MOVE! I don't care what it is - run, bike, swim, yoga, lift, bootcamp, walk, anything requiring a sports bra...but I am going to be active 30 times before Thanksgiving come hell or highwater...or earthquakes or mudslides!

Need some help with challenge framing . . . board I call on you

Okay ladies . . . so I know that I have been non-committal on my challenge and in my head I have kept going back to trying 30 new recipes by Turkey day but Johanna is right . . . it is a lot of recipes and additionally the majority of those recipes would be for a single serving and basically I have decided that it is a good concept but trying to deliver on it when I would only make 1 serving, remember the whole hate leftover thingy, is not a challenge I am willing to take right now. So now I have started to think that maybe my challenge should be to make some overall health changes . . . as you all know I did Weight Watchers and lost the 12-15 lbs that I had been carrying around for the last 6 or so years - ever since I thought you could eat a Chipotle burrito a day if you were training for a marathon, even though you only averaged about 4 to 5 miles most days of the week, uh that does not even counteract the rice in the burrito . . . okay well enough about that but I made Lifetime at WW about a year ago and I have been extremely committed to eating well about 85-90% and allowing the remaining for indulgences BUT lately my tummy has been acting up and it seems like the worse I feel the worse I eat or is the worse I eat the worse I feel, either way it is a vicious cycle . . . and though gaining the weight back is a concern (have already put on 4 lbs) right now I just feel awful and need to do something about it. So the issue with this is that I am not sure what the challenge should be . . . is it stick to my WW points and get in all the 8 GHG (Good Health Guidelines) each day for 30 consecutive days? is it eat well 90% of the time for 30 consecutive days? Is it only have 30 indulgences between now and Turkey day? Is it something else? Additionally, I also need to think about getting more sleep. I know that it is not fair for the lady with no husband (during the week), no kids, and no crazy work deadlines to complain about not getting enough sleep and wanting to take it on as a challenge but I am starting to feel the pain . . . so is it get 7+ or 8+ hours of sleep 30 times before Turkey day. Help a sister out :)

Hope everyone is starting to finalize their challenge and is beginning to define a game plan for succeeding. I really like the blog.

One down...

Blogger: Johanna
Thursday September 11, 2008 9 AM
Status: 1/30

So I have decided that 30 workouts is my goal. I find that sad and pathetic given the shape I was in at this point last year, but I need to re-start from somewhere, right? Last night I met Rachel and Dori in the middle of their 8 mile run, and managed to go just over 4 miles, and pushed Erica the whole time in her jogging stroller. It was also Erica's first run!

My hips are sore today, but I feel much more centered and grounded. I swear working out is my Prozac, my Ambien, and my Zoloft all wrapped up together and available without a prescription. Not to mention the fact that last night I got to run with two of my favorite therapists, who talked me out of throwing myself, my husband, or the whole family off a cliff. It's amazing the issues you can get worked out in an hour or so of running with friends.

Sorry ladies for hijacking the conversation, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I felt so much more centered and calm and in control after our run, I was able to go home and rationally talk through how Nate and I were going to be able to better handle the work/daycare/home life situation. It's the first time in days I've been able to talk about things and not break down crying and screaming. We made dinner together, and played with Erica, so beginning to end, it was a great evening.

Love you guys!

1st Yoga Class... sort of

Blogger: Dori
Wednesday September 10, 2008 10PM

So my noon meeting today was canceled and I actually made it to the noon yoga class. It was a great class that focused on hips and hamstrings - I was basically broken at the end. On my way out of the class I saw the 30 Until Turkey sign and it doesn't start until Monday Sept 15! Oh well our challenge has started now and I am just getting warmed up for next week :)

I am thinking we need some sort of reward to encourage us to meet our goals! Spa trip? Shipping day? New purse? something?????

So many challenges, so little time

Blogger: Alden
Wednesday September 10, 2008 2:08PM

Well ladies, this is a first for me. The whole blog thing, i am feeling very tech savvy today! I ,like Kelly, had other thoughts about what this was when Dori first brought up the whole blog thing. I assumed it would be a blog about our longer term goals, such as what we really want to do in life. Ouch. Scary when all I can think about is adding another little body here to the Homlish house pretty soon and how crazy things will get. But then I realized what this was really all about so my mind started wandering for different reasons. Will I really have time to do 30 things considered a goal by Thanksgiving, will I have time to do anything, what would my goals be (does losing 30lbs by T-giving count, hehe), how could I choose just one, could Mark help me, etc. So I have come up with a few for the meantime and I will most likely work on a few simultaneously. I can not promise what will happen when baby comes but i will do my best and for sure keep blogging about my days activities.

So here are a few of the ideas that I have come up with
- I like Kelly want to try 30 new recipes; these can be entrees, apps, or desserts. I have a cookbook from the Canyon Ranch that I really want to start cooking out of b/c it is so much healthier than we eat now. Would love to say that all recipes would come from this but we will see. This is Marks vote for my challenge by the way, we are always trying to come up with things here.
-simultaneously finding 30 new dishes for the boys. They always eat the same things and I am constantly trying to get them something different
-Swimming 30 times before Thanksgiving; working out is not my issue but getting in the pool for some variety is.
-Once baby comes getting him/her out of the house 30 times before Thanksgiving. Not sure if this includes drop off/pick up from school or not
- I really want to needlepoint something for the baby as I did this for Caden & Beckett. So the challenge would be to find one I like and actually sitting down 30 times to work on it by Thanksgiving.

So my guess is we will work on the recipe one first. Does it count if I get the ingredients and Mark and I cook one night as a team? Next would be getting out of house with baby and third would be the needlepoint. Until later ladies....
-

Decided! At least partially...

Blogger: Rachel
Wednesday September 10 12:57PM

OK, I decided that for sure I am doing the following:
1) working out 30x DURING the week (including Fridays)
2) 30 days without buying food - eating what I have packed for lunch, what I have at home for dinner, etc.

Still deciding on budget - 30x reviewing financials? I think that would be a good one!!

Looking forward to 1 of 30 on Goal #1 tonight - 8 mile run with Dori and Jo-pants. Already bought food today, so that one's out for today.

Back to work!

Oh shoot, I was going to do something for work too.

Still Undecided

Blogger: Kelly
Date: 9/10/08

I am still undecided about my 30 Until Turkey challenge . . . I am leaning towards trying 30 different recipes but I will have to ponder it a bit more . . . I have to think about whether it is full-fledge entrees or if it can be anything - appetizer, side dish, entree, dessert - I am leaning towards anything because then if I am lagging behind I could check 4 off in one sitting, 12 in one day :) I know, I know . . . is that really the point of the challenge. I will have to continue to ponder with a final decision by the end of the week.

Ladies, I believe that Dori is the only one that has fully stated her challenge (yoga) and I think Johanna's is about 75% decided (working out) . . . so looks like we have some work to do before week's end because right now we are only at 33.33% decision rate :)

This is exciting!!!

Disaster Already

Just noting that it is now 8:57pm and I am leaving for the airport to buy a voucher ticket to go to LA (hooray) for Molly's Birthday. BUT that means that I will have to open the laptop when I get home or else go to work at 3am to get things completed. Hmmm, I wonder if I could get up at 3am? I think the work-goal, could be calling!!!

Good night and good luck tomorrow, girls!!!

Day 1 of 30 Yoga Classes Until Turkey

Blogger: Dori
Tuesday September 9, 2008

Well Day 1 is done and I still have 30 yoga classes to go... not off to the best start. Today was actually supposed to be a running day but I had another crummy day at work and before I knew it 4:00 rolled around and nothing was done. I "thought" about going to the 7:30PM class but to be honest with you I am so sore from yesterday that I don't think I could even do a downward dog!

I already know tomorrow is shot... I have a noon meeting so that class is out and then I am meeting Rachel to run 8 miles for dinner. Thursday... well that is looking bleek too as I have to go into the office that day so no noon class and then Geoff is going out that night. Perhaps I need to try and do a 6AM class... which actually may be a really good thing for me. If I don't do morning classes, I may be doing 2-a-day classes come November to get all 30 in :)

I think I am going to try and have 2 goals actually:
1) 30 yoga classes before Thanksgiving
2) 30 nights of no tv and going to bed before 10PM... I am a complete tv junkie so this is a good one for me to do. In fact, if I go read my book right now instead of watching the new stupid 90210 that i have taped, I could actually maybe get up for the 6AM yoga class!!!

Wish me luck tomorrow!

So many goals...so much potential??

Blogger: Rachel
Tuesday September 9 8:24PM

I think I can achieve Kelly's suggestion - NOT run 30 times before Turkey Day. But I guess I've been achieving that for a while. There are so many things - I feel like Dori's original list spoke to me, as many of them are what I wrote down recently (ok yesterday) in my little green notebook. So I'll share some of those and decide from there. (Please note: some of these may seem like odd "goals" to other functioning adults.) OH MY - I just discovered the small bag of gummi bears in my gym bag when I reached in to find my key to my desk to get out the little green notebook. You may have noticed some hidden goals in the previous sentence - like 1) don't buy candy on they way back from the gym (or eat 2 sample caramel apple pieces while the girl rings you up) and 2) don't work at the office until 8:29pm or later since I'm technically still working.

Well let's see if these types of things are on my little green notebook goal list:

• Eat in a healthy way - don't eat it if it will embarass you to tell your friends (e.g., eating two microwave meals in bed or stopping at McDonald's on the way to dinner or ordering a large Anthony's pizza and finishing it in two days or less), little/no fast food (is Chipotle I had for dinner fast food - yet another thing NOT to get on the way home from the gym), order normal sized meals, don't take home food unless you'll really eat it for a DIFFERENT normal meal (e.g., don't take home the two pieces of pizza from Proto's lunch with Dori and eat them within the hour).
• Act like an adult - stick to budget, pay bills, know how much money you have, wear sunscreen, do dishes, floss, brush my teeth if I eat late night (note #1), wear face & body lotion so I don't age at a ridiculous pace, put sheets on my bed ON the day I do laundry, go to the bathroom prior to emergency pee, etc.
• Ok I'm pulling the budget stuff to a separate goal - stick to budget, pay bills, know how much money you have, don't buy all of everything in one month (e.g., $453 glasses, baby presents, new cell phone, internet/cable service, plane ticket to LA, birthday gifts, etc.)
• Exercise during the week - I have 5 days listed, including weights and cardio (can be tennis or a run or whatever)
• Be active on weekends
• Write down what I eat and spend every day - Oh crap, I'm behind, I stopped with snack at office yesterday and failed to write down those pesky $453 glasses. OK now it's updated in the little green notebook.
• Some relationship ones that I don't think I'll use as my goal

So there you have it...my list of stuff. The obvious ones for me are (plus a few more):

• Workout (anything)
• Review spending, purge receipts, balance budget
• Not sure about how to do an eating one - eat well 30 days?
• Put on lotion (I mean seriously how hard is that?)
• Ooh ooh, maybe don't snooze on my alarm (not that I have a real alarm since the phone-toilet incident)
• Be thankful for all the good stuff I do have (health, friends, awesome family, stable job, shiny hair, nice house, access to good food, etc.)
• Do not work at night - finish work and do not re-open laptop for work

I'm looking for feedback! Is it too much to pick two??

Erica's Mommy - formerly known as Jo-Pants: I think the workout is more in your control, but the "saying no" is more empowering. Not sure if you can hit 30 though??

I'm excited for the challenge. Thank God for the Board.

Erica's Mommy

Blogger: Johanna
Tuesday September 9, 2008 5:26PM

Hmmm, 30 things before Thanksgiving, huh?

There is a huge list of things I'd like to commit to that just aren't reasonable right now: running, yoga, eating 5 vegetables a day, calling a friend, and drinking 3 liters of water a day. There is a list of things I should do but are beyond my control right now: get to work on time, not freak out every time something doesn't go right, or stop and count to 10 before I react. Then there is the list of actual achievable goals: eat dinner, feed my baby, sleep, and shower. (Although showering is a stretch. Come to think of it, I didn't have dinner last night either... My life is a wreck.)

I know I'm deep in mommy land because I can't imagine doing 30 things that will make ME feel better, because I know that means I'm sacrificing Erica time. So I'm going to try to pick something that will make her life and my life better. Right now I'm looking at two options.

1. Working out, any work out. Walking, hiking, running, swimming, yoga. Whatever I can fit in
   
2. Saying "no" when something comes up that just isn't good for me or my family

Both of these things will lower my stress level, and make me a better person and a mom. The first one is more under my control, because I don't need anyone to ask me to do something I don't want to do. I also know I'm more balanced and better able to deal with things when I'm working out. However, the second one is really the major source of stress in my life, both on a personal and professional front, and really there isn't a lack of demands being made of me that I don't want to do. Also, I've already managed it once today!

What does everyone think? Does one seem like a better option than the other?

30 Until Turkey . . . What now?

Blogger: Kelly
Tuesday September 9, 2008 2:57PM

When Dori first proposed the idea of starting the 30 until Turkey challenge . . . I thought piece of cake, I will run 30 times. At my current running schedule I would be done by about the 10th of October, awesome challenge complete. Then the reality of the challenge, it was pointed out that I had to 'challenge' myself and not continue doing something that I already do, i.e. my challenge could not be to run 30 times before Turkey day. Now the real challenge started . . . WHAT?!?!?! I am still trying to determine exactly what to do but I have some thoughts . . . As Dori described whatever it is that I settle on I will have to do it on average 3 times a week until Turkey day. I will determine what my exact challenge is by the end of the week but I have some thoughts: 1) try out 30 new recipes; 2) do not eat any candy/sweets/processed sugar (cookies, cake, candy dish at work) for 30 days - not straight but over the next 2.5 months; 3) write 30 personal notes (no email - snail mail if needed) to people in my life and tell them something that makes them special to me; 4) etc. Let me know if you have any thoughts about what I could do or how the above could be modified. I am excited to decide on a direction and get started.

I look forward to seeing what each board member selects as their challenge and I look forward to reading about their ongoing steps, tribulations, and ultimate success . . . even if success at the end of the day is deciding that completing 30 new recipes before Turkey day was stupid and undoable :)

30 Until Turkey

Blogger: Dori
Monday September 8,2008 10PM

I had a very crummy Monday morning. I decided that I needed to tap into my inner calm to hopefully turn the day around. There is a yoga studio about five minutes from my house that I have been meaning to go to so I decided to head over to their noon class. The class was exactly what I needed today - it was challenging, I focused on being present and left my work problems out of my practice, and really pushed myself.

At the end of the class, the teacher announced that they had a challenge for everyone who was interested. The challenge is called "30 Until Turkey" where they challenge you to attend 30 yoga classes between September 9th and Thanksgiving on November 27th. Immediately my answer was "YES" and I signed up. I got in my car and immediately thought that this doesn't have to just be a 30 Until Turkey yoga challenge, I was going to invite my friends and family to have their own 30 until Turkey.

I got home and immediately emailed "The Board of Directors" and invited them to challenge themselves over the next 80 days. What is "The Board of Directors" you ask? Well it is my close knit group of friends who gets together for dinner, wine, and conversation once a month. It started out as a "wine drinking club", but we decided that it was much more then that. Each of us uses "The Board" to be a sounding board for issues, keep us accountable for decisions we have made, give us honest feedback, and to be there for whatever we need without judgement. Besides, there always seems to be at least one of us who is pregnant which made the name awkward. The Board is quite excited about the challenge. They are all going to think about what their personal challenge is going to be for their "30 Until Turkey" and then post their progress here.

With that, we send the challenge out to you. What are you going to do over the next 80 days? Perhaps it is working out 30 times, maybe it is not working in the evening 30 days out of the next 80, honestly sticking do your diet, writing down each dollar that you spend, making your bed, doing push ups, flossing your teeth, whatever!!! You need to pick something that is a challenge, will make a positive impact on your life, and will make you truly proud of yourself for sticking to it. Anyone can do it - you, your significant other, your kids, your parents... everyone!

Declare your challenge in the comments and give us updates as you go.

Turkey Day here we come!!!