2012/2013 Week 7

Week 6 Recap

I find it...funny maybe is the right word...that I started this project 7 weeks ago with one of my big goals to lose weight and all I've done is gain 10 pounds. There is a part of me that says I should just give up for that fact alone. I try not to listen to it because it's also the same voice that feeds my depression. So...I try to think of the good things I have so far achieved in 7 weeks:

-I wrote 50,000 words. -I made my own Halloween costume -I have finally gotten my sugar habit under control -I have been eating more vegetables -I'm now in a mindset where I need to exercise and stretch on a daily basis. It feels wrong (in a physical sense) not to. -I have been spending less time idly on the internet. -I haven't fallen into any deep pits of depression. It has been rather even keel. -I've stuck with this for 7 weeks...it means I'm actually committed to making myself better.

So, what's my plan for my losing weight goal?

First, even though I have my sugar habit under control... meaning I can stay within an allotted amount each day...I realize 3 servings is too much. That's about an extra 600 calories a day that is nutritionally unnecessary. I'm going to start cutting back slowly. Instead of allowing myself 3 servings a day, I'm going to change that to 2.5 servings. It's a small change, but if I stick to that for a few weeks and then taper it down again, gradually it will work to my benefit.

I need to do more intense cardio. I have started this project using a small pedal bike. Knowing what I know about exercise physiology, I knew at the start that it wouldn't be enough to actually benefit me in a cardiovascular sense. However, walking is out of the picture because of my foot and an actual stationary bike was also out of the picture because of my knee. My foot is still messed up (but under control...as in not getting worse) and my knee has been feeling good. So, I'm going to gradually reintegrate the stationary bike. I'm going to start off with 10 minutes two days a week and increase it each week. I want to eventually reach 30 minutes 3-4 days a week.

Lastly, my portion control, while more in control than it used to be, is still not adequately controlled. I just need to keep at it and make sure I'm measuring things and keeping within reasonable portions.

So, there's my plan.

Week 7

Weight – 274. I gained a pound.

Depression Self-Assessment – I scored a 6.

Piano Goal for November Results – I am about 90-95% there with the Old English Court Dance and 85-90% for the Clog Dance. I'm considering this a success.

Piano Goals for December -

1. Learn Beethoven's Theme from Rondo a Capriccio as best as I can.
2. Be able to play Old English Court Dance without looking at the sheet music.
3. Be able to play at least 50% of the Clog Dance without looking at the sheet music.

Writing Goal for November Results – I achieved my goal and wrote 50,000 words!

Writing Goals for December – I will most likely need to revise Goal 11 (write first draft of one of my NaNo 2012 novels) because I'm unsure if I want to pursue my time travel or mermaid novels. I really like my medieval fantasy novel idea, but I first need to create the world before I even begin to think about writing this novel. So, my goals for December:

1. Finish rereading Fire Dragon
2. Reread Belleview Chronicles
3. Continue world building for my medieval fantasy novel
4. Sit on my other two novels and think about them.
5. Reread 1st draft of When They Were Young and decide if I'm going to continue working on a revision this year.

So, I'm also throwing in there When They Were Young, my 2010 NaNo novel that's in the revision process currently. I haven't worked on it for over a year but it's one of my favorite novels.

Spend Less Time on the Internet Goal for November Results – So, I didn't meet this goal mainly because NaNo had consumed my life. That's ok, I'm not going to fuss over it too much.

Spend Less Time on The Internet Goals for December – I've got several projects for this month:

1. Make a new cover for my ice pack.
2. Make paper snowflake garland to decorate my apartment.
3. Make glitter tree garland to decorate my apartment.
4. Make my Christmas wreath

I really like getting back into craft type projects. I used to do a lot of them when I was a kid, but fell out of crafting when I became an adult. My creative side is currently singing happily.