Sept. 21: success.
Sept. 22: success.
Sept. 23: success.
20 out of 23 successful days so far! I may have a drink at trivia tomorrow, but that should be it for the month. This weekend was busy but it was all free/cheap activities. Saturday I went on a long walk with a friend, Sunday we went to a kid's birthday party (who didn't need prezzies so we just gave him a card we already had on hand), and Sunday night AS & NT went to a show and I stayed home (the kids went to bed before they left, so it was super mellow alone time!).
I hit my 8,000-steps-per-day goal for the work challenge; now I just need to do 10,000 steps per day for two more weeks, and I get a $50 Zappos card!
I was really good with calories all week until Saturday and Sunday, and really good with doing a lot of walking until Sunday. Still, I knew a couple bad eating/exercising days could set me back on the scale. So I was relieved that I lost a fraction of a pound at my Sunday weigh-in! Not enough to register on my sidebar, but enough so I didn't feel like an idiot for ruining all my hard work with two bad days.
Winter clothes shopping went well on Friday. I'd budgeted about $135, and I spent $76 on two pairs of slacks and a skirt. (The pants need adjusting, but AS will do this for free, bless her.) This is good because I stocked up on herbal teas (which I don't use grocery money for unless we're doing really well in that category), and I want to buy myself some treats at the Asian grocery store today (definitely some black bean & mochi cakes, Malaysian instant coffee-tea and maybe a few other things). So I may need to save up again before I can get more clothes.
I really only need some work shoes and some new bras now, and that should get me through the winter. Oh, and I should check my winter gear to see if anything needs replacing. I think I'll just need gloves. I do have shoes, bras and gloves, but the first are worn out (soles feel uneven and may not be completely watertight anymore), the second are too big to be comfortable/flattering/supportive, and the third are fine for early winter but not really insulating enough for super-cold days. So I can wait indefinitely, but these are eventual needs (or at least strong wants).
I guess that's all my news. I have some things I keep meaning to do, like trying to sell and/or donate some books, and donate some clothes and a crib bumper. Week after week I keep putting them off; seems like all my free time is taken up with everyday stuff. Oh, and I MUST do the UK taxes this week! I can do some prep at work if I get down time. (Come to think of it, should've used the half hour I just spent writing this! Oops!) I guess life will slow down at some point and I'll be able to catch up on extra tasks like that.
No eating out
September 24th, 2012 at 07:45 pm
September 24th, 2012 at 09:10 pm 1348521045
Do you feel healthier or hard done-by for no restaurant treats? Consumer's Magazine publishes articles on sodium & fat in popular meals at several well known chains like Ruby Tuesdays, Applebees, Biaggi etc. who have easy to replicate dishes without all the preservatives, sodium, fat etc. If the plan is for dinner out - Consumer's suggest looking at restaurant websites for special features, 2 for one, major Monday Specials, special menus and even share an entree since they are so huge.
September 25th, 2012 at 01:50 am 1348537828
September 25th, 2012 at 02:00 am 1348538410
I will definitely go back to eating out, but still very sporadically. I have no desire to go nuts and eat out 3 meals a day or anything.