Saturday DECEMBER 10th Weekly Check-In
HEY EVERYONE!!
So (this is a "tad" late today) but..... HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?! How has your week been? We are only TWO "Official" weeks away from the "end" of the Holiday Challenge. How do you feel you have been doing with it? Do you feel you are developing better habits? For those of you that have been sticking to it, do you feel that you can "keep up with it"?
For everyone else...how have you been doing?! How has the past week been for you? How has December been for you? The cooler weather, exericsing, eating healthier, mental/emotional health? Can we help you with anything?! LET US KNOW!
@tranquilForever68 @Countrygirl1231 @WhimsicalDancer @amazingsunshine91 @Nethersong @windflowers @hippie_boo @PoliteOcean @Idonotthinkanyonecares @lovingBanana5204 @M432 @Casscass @IcedPhoenix @TripleChances @AdiAdaJaz315 @Countrygal @Elon @Rosieee22 @Mellietronx @Mfai @Helping2findAway @CoffeeAndCaring @Alexaners7734 @Soleena @savannah67 @BridgetAileen @wouldyoubesokind @HalliwellSister @brilliantshoe @AffyAvo @SecretNotes26 @PuppyLove13 @wylycyote @SunshineNaina @Unicorn2015 @Solitaryshadow @SadMe70 @LonelyAngels @redpanda101 @dapperRaspberries5277
I'm hanging in.... been doing well with the challenge past two weeks. I tried to choose things that I knew I could stay on track with or were most important to me. Today is my 'Rest" day so I haven't really done any "exercises" today. But I did manage to get up and get out and do a little shopping which involved "walking around"...... And then took a nice drive around the city looking at different Christmas Lights and decorations with my husband (and our little puppy). Which was good for the mental/emotional well-being...It was a good day for some "self care". I got my "Holiday" Mani-Pedi yesterday, I notice my skin has seemed rather "dehydrated" the past few days. I imagine its a cross between the cooler weather and the increase in the indoor heating. So, I;m sure that also means its high-time to take extra better care of my skin as well. I think sometimes we forget about our "skin", moisturizing the right way, pampering it the way we probably should. I plan to try to get in some better lotions/creams, and do some skin massage. As well as increase my fluids. Sometimes our mental or emotional health if not at its best, keeps us from doing the "little" things that we need to do for ourselves. I would like to start making that a habit again of practicing better skin care. We only have ONE body to live in after all~ 
it's been okay, i guess. i've achieved one of my goals once, so i'm definitely trying to improve that! thanks for organising this challenge, though; i'm drinking more water than i usually am, and am making the effort to go exercise, which is awesome. good luck to all :)
@windflowers
That is AWESOME to hear! Proud of you for participating, and hanging in there. And its great that you are drinking and exercising more. Way to go, keep up the great work! Good luck to you! 
Do you feel you are developing better habits? For those of you that have been sticking to it, do you feel that you can "keep up with it"?
I think drinking more water is becoming more of a habit. Making sure to use my water bottle, keep it with me, wash it out, fill it up, etc is becoming easier I guess? The other challenges (exercise, plank, going to bed at 10:30) are not becoming habits, and it's hard to keep up with them. I guess I've lost some motivation with the exercise and plank, and the bed time thing was a little ambitous for me from the start. I'll keep trying.... going to bed before 12 midnight might be more achievable...
@lovingBanana5204
Absolutely lovingBanana,... its always best to start with "smaller" goals and then perhaps work your way up to the bigger ones. I see we are both "night-owls". I know "that for me", I couldn't just right out say "I'm going to make it a point to go to bed at 10:30" (especially if you are used to going to bed at 1,2 or 3 am! lol.... (but, an AWESOME goal for yourself could be to start laying down and work your way up to be in bed by midnight). Perhaps once you get used to "that", then you can perhaps go to 1130, then 11, then 1030 if that is your ultimate goal!
But, you have been doing great in this challenge... Give yourself the credit you deserve for trying and for continuing to hang in there! Don't give up.
@PoliteOcean
Thank you so much. I will aim for midnight for now and see how that goes and then work my way up if I can.
I have been doing amazing not eating fried foods or sweets!
I have been slowly increasing the time I spend exercising each day.
@Doglover1991
Thats great Doglover!.. And improvement that you make is better than "no" improvement at all.... and small steps eventually lead to bigger steps! You can do it. You got this! Keep up the great work!
@PoliteOcean Thanks! Each day has been a good day for making sure that I slowly achieve my goals.
The second week has been harder than the first, as expected. One of the three challenges, squats, is proving difficult just because it gets boring, so I had to change it a bit just to keep it going. But since the range of exercise gets expanded, it's not exactly a fail, is it. I actually feel more interested to get regular exercise back into my life, and eating better. (But it's too early to judge.)
The other two challenges, journal and good chocolate only are going smoothly, they're make me think but not struggle too much.
The really difficult part starts today. Let's see what I'll have to say next week!
@Soleena
You can do it Soleena!! Keep going, hang in there! And its ok to swap out one exercise for another so that you "Don't" become bored. As long as you are moving or improving in some way (and its great that you are taking something from this challenge!)~ Keep up the great work you've been doing!
@PoliteOcean
I'm sure I can figure out some way around it :) Thanks!
@PoliteOcean I've been doing pretty well as food goes. I have been having a hard time fitting in exercise though. I have a busy work schedule, but luckily I am on my feet for 8 hours.
@PoliteOcean
I'm just going to rant a bit. December's been OK. I have so much to do. I keep saying how much I have to do and how tired I am and I just sit on my bum and look at time pass by. But my mental health overall has been merciful and I'm doing well. So I guess I'll jsut take it as and however I can and do the best I know.
@Elon
Feel free to "Rant" anytime... .thats what this Check-in is about ;) And yes, I know what you mean. And all you can do is just "that" ....(the best you can do)! 
@PoliteOcean
Thank you. Hugs. 