A New You 4/06

There is no way to correct typos or errant thoughts on a new topic....I forgot(insert sheepish smiley face).

I have absolutely no oomph at the moment, can't summon up any enthusiam for the 'new me'. I think I am still in winter hibernation mode

Nice to see you back Hope

and smoking...

Two of the very few vices I don't have!!

I'm working towards improving the quality of the food we eat at the moment (along with other frighteningly green isues). I'm looking at the organic veggies more often and buying them more as a result, and I've recently started buying organic milk. I think my next step might be to drag myself to our local farmer's market each month and test drive some organic meats. Somehow it's easier to contemplate a farmer's market when the sun is shining and the weather's a teensy bit warmer.

still have my usual vices though - junk food and irregular medication taking. I don't see that it's going to get any easier to give all of this my attention either. If I didn't do it when I was 'just' a homemaker and full-time mother, I'm really not likely to do that when I add to that (not replace!) the entire backend office systems of a large new startup company. I think my main focus is still going to be on keeping up the quality and quantity of 'real' food we eat, taking the tablets as often as I can, and drinking more water. Again, it's easier now it's a bit warmer and sunnier and I don't feel like huddling in a blanket in front of the fire.

I have a bottle on my desk now which needs refilling, so I've been doing reasonably well with this the last few days. I don't drink more than two or three cups of tea a day, and I rarely drink Coke now. I keep in some bottles of cloudy lemonade that I like (it's also cheaper) so I tend to forget the Coke! Until they have a good special offer on.

As usual my moderate approach is the one I'm attempting to stick to. Don't try to make radical changes because it's much less likely you'll stick to them. Certainly is with me!

Kerri.

After I posted earlier, I remembered a couple of small changes I am making.

I have been making an effort to cleanse, tone and moisturise. I know that soap irritates my skin and causes dry patches, but I generally wash with soap anyhow because it's quicker. Recently, though, I have been using Oil of Olay cleanser and witchhazel on a dampened cotton wool as a toner. Night times I use Oil of Olay moisturiser, but during the day I am using an Avon cream that is supposed to make me look youthful or something.
My skin is much softer and plumper as a result, and I have no dry patches

I am also making an effort to eat properly. I am on a very low food budget right now which strangely has resulted in me eating better than usual - less convenience foods and goodies, for a start. I've also been eating three regular meals a day now for a few months - which is a real big thing for me. I'm even eating bran flakes every morning, I just do it automatically now, it's a habit.

Things to focus on for the next week? Um... my eyebrows need seeing to, and I fancy a pedicure. I coloured my hair last week so it's looking quite good, it could do with a trim but finances won't stretch there at the moment. I trimmed the fringe (bangs) myself the other day, which is how I noticed the eyebrows need doing

Coffee....I drink probably half a dozen mugs a day of decaff. Should I be giving it up, even though it's decaff? I don't have sugar anymore either, but I do have creamer in it, don't like it with milk. I know I should increase my water intake, but it's so hard when the weather is cold! I drink pints of it in the summer.

Alright then, plans for the next week or so - drink more water. How about two coffees a day and four mugs of water? And the pedicure and eyebrows. Will that do?

Hope, yes, food is VERY cheap here. Most people I know (including me and DH) take home half of any meal we order in a restaurant. I admit I would feel a bit cheated if I got a restaurant meal in the US and didn't have lunch available for the next day as well. I certainly couldn't eat a whole restaurant dinner except when I took prednisone.

Kerri, I actually tend to do better at pill-taking when I have an outside schedule imposed on me. It helps me keep track of time. Maybe that will happen to you....

And Honey, I did read in the newspaper that decaf might raise cholesterol, and I'm pretty sure most creamer contains trans or saturated fat which also raises cholesterol. So, sadly, you might want to at least switch to milk, or drink decaf tea instead.

As for me-- I haven't been paying enough attention to eating in the past week, but I've been pretty good about keeping up my physical therapy exercises for my foot. That's getting better.

My hair is in great shape. I actually had a professional trim it last time, and it looks good!

Eating, well, I sure am eating! But, I'm also running lots so I don't stress about it. I love veggies anyway, and tend to eat quite healthy 80% of the time or better, so I figure, that's fine for now.

I am running 15-20 miles a week. My legs are to die for! Except hairy. I feel really strong and am taking it slowly in terms of resting every other day and not increasing my milage too quickly. Slow and steady=no injuries! The marathon is May 28th.

Coffee-One high test cup a day with cream! Well. Umm. I'm drinking my stinkin coffee and nothin nobody says is gonna stop me! I am not a morning person so coffee is my motivation to get out of bed.

I have cut way down on the wine, because I can't run if I drank the night before. So, that's good.

Sleep is my big problem area right now. The time change messed me all up. I just can't seem to fall saleep at night even though I am very tired. So I am quite sleep deprived right now and it has a negative effect on my mood. I'm a mean, nasty, old woman today. And I have very little energy. And a bad attitude.

So There.
-Jo

I did a lot of walking yesterday and today and my foot is MUCH better than it was. The physical therapist put some kind of miracle tape on it ("K tape" whatever that is) which lasted two days, and it relieved the pain almost instantly and now hardly hurts at all. I can walk at normal speed, even!