WEEKLY HEALTHY LIVING CHECK-IN NOVEMBER 2ND, 2019

** I started off the week with my Birthday which was on Sunday..... but I kind of celebrated the entire weekend. I totally got off track as I only wanted to treat myself on Saturday and maybe something small on Sunday (My actual Birthday) but.. it kind of spilled-over into both days.... By the time Monday Came it was challenging to get back on track.... But... I totally enjoy the weekend, No regrets, great time with my family, great gifts, great food, Scary Movies, Shopping, Dinner etc....Grateful~

** Monday started off my week getting back to teaching my Fitness classes and trying to get back on track with portion control and eating well again... Which started out well, but I guess I was still in "Birthday Weekend-Mode" because by dinner I "caved into my cravings" after a long day of teaching classes~ ....... Then I finally put my foot down and realized It was starting to get a little out of control. And decided to be "stronger" than my thoughts and immediately got back on track the next day. (Continued with workouts, activity, and things that motivate me to do better)~

**As the week lead up to Halloween, it turned MUCH colder in my area... Almost overnight freezing temps! (A huge change from the 90 degree weather we had just a short month ago!)....~ We had NO trick-or-treaters for Halloween (which was ok b/c we didn't plan for any).. but not even "one" knock on the door!?!... So that was a first~ Morning walks are going to start being a challenge with the changing weather... and I'm finding I'm doing much more poorly getting water in because I'm just not as thirsty~ I also find I want to start getting a little more "laid-back" in my day since it will be getting darker sooner..... So those are things I will have to continue to work on as well...

** Today I intend on a typical Saturday, No major plans, try to hit up a morning Zumba class, maybe a little shopping and dinner later on.~

HAPPY WEEKEND~

@PoliteOcean happy belated birthday ocean!

this past week has been.... quite stressful. I had to study A LOT, but also had some stuff planned with family and friends so i was always on the go. I was not really able to stay on track with healthy eating since i had PMS and whenever i do, i am hungry all the time no matter what i eat. But this time i wasnt mad at myself, and followed my instincts. Though i tried to choose healthier alternatives to the ones i was craving! My brother is also currently visiting us, he is living in another country far away, so thats pretty cool too!

November....I am feeling quite nervous about it. I am writing 9 exams in november and i am pretty stressed

I am so excited for holiday season! My goals for these holidays are still enjoying all the food and treats but in moderation.

My halloween was amazing. I went out with my friends, the city was full of people!! We went to a bar and just walked around the city together. I usually dont enjoy coming home really late but this time it was worth it!

My highlights this past week: spending time with friends and family.

My struggles were school and stressing myself too much.

my weekend plans are... studying (lol) and a friend of mine is visiting me tonight!

i definitey dont like the clock system right now (we already set it back one hour), because it gets dark so early! it gets dark around 5:30pm and then i always feel like the day is over.

@PoliteOcean Good morning Ocean! November is going to be a really great month for me! I have my son's birthday and of course, Thanksgiving! My state doesn't recognize the time change but that's a really good reminder to everyone so thank you! I also have another goal for this month which is just to continue on my meditation streak! I just hit a 12 day streak last night! I hope you have a good weekend!

@PoliteOcean This week went pretty well. Monday I hired a new caretaker Veronica. I decided to change my strategy. Instead of giving her an important assignment right away, I want to give her a couple of small assignments first and see how she does before giving her an important assignment. She passed the first assignment with flying colors. Tuesday my physical therapist came over. My financial condition has improved. I've also found a way to get new friends outside of 7 cups. I've been very socially isolated for the past 2 and 1/2 years ever since my ex-fiance Lauren broke up with me. Saturday (today) is my birthday. I ordered Thai food for lunch. My sister is going to give me a 2 lb bag of candy for my birthday. Not much drama for this week, which is good news, it means things are getting better and looking up.

@PoliteOcean

** The past week has been kind of neutral. I felt moments of the depression lifting and could sort of glimpse a light that I'll be able to get out of it but still feel very much in the grips of it.

** This month I'm mostly looking forward to being in the states for Thanksgiving for the first time in years. While I've loved sharing Thanksgiving with folks abroad, it'll be so nice being home for it. Also looking forward to seeing this month if the diet I've been trying will eventually help with my migraines.

**In October I started seeing a therapist, eating 'healthier' and working part-time. All things that I think will help with my mental health this month.

** My goals for the holiday season are to spend time with people who mean a lot to me and try to be a present as possible. I will try to stay on track with this new 'diet' but not at the expense of missing out on holiday celebrations. I also have a goal to reconnect with long-distance friends who I haven't talked to while I've been really depressed.

** Halloween was okay. I worked during the day (with kids at a school) so that was crazy. I spent time with my mom which is always a struggle for me but I think I did well putting up emotional boudnaries and enjoying the time for what it was without bringing up all the past issues in my mind. We went to the place where I used to trick-or-treat as a kid and haven't been in a couple decades, it was crazy to be there as an adult.

** Highlights this week would be moments of feeling like myself; video chatting with a friend overseas where I used to live, playing with my dog, finding joy in cooking. The struggles were chronic fatigue, especially today, struggling with stuttering (I've been having a rough streak with my speech, making everything more difficult), and working through past trauma in therapy has been exhausting.

** Don't forget to SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK "ONE" HOUR~~ What are your weekend Plans? Do you prefer Daylight Savings time, or the other way around? How does this change affect The weekend has already started, today I gave my dog a haircut and read a lot. I was feeling pretty tired. Hopefully tomorrow I feel up for something... I checked out season 2 of Handmaids Tale from the library so I'm looking forward to watching that. I'm not looking forward to the time changing, I don't like it being dark so early in the evening. I struggle with seasonal depression especially so I'm a little anxious aboutthe shortening days.

**I'm still taking all the same supplements (ashwagandha, B complex, Omega 3 EPA emphasis, 5-HTP, multivitamin..) and sticking with this diet that could possibly help 'cure' my migraines. Not eating sugar, gluten or caffeine has been hard for me but I'm sticking to it pretty well. The only times I've 'cheated' were having a cupcake at wedding and having a piece of candy on Halloween. I'm pretty proud of that because I thought this would be impossible for me. Getting completely off caffeinated coffee is still not something I'm adjusted to but I think I'm handling it okay. I'm hoping I can start working out again this week.

Hi,

**Hey there Everyone~ How has this past week been for you?

All in all a mixture of exhausting, but better as before.

**This is our "FIRST" Check-in for the Month of "NOVEMBER"~ What things are you looking forward to in this New month ahead?

I hope to improve my strength and get some things done, I would have liked to do for some time.

**What things do you feel you can take with you from "last" month to continue to stay on track "this" month?

Not much.

**With this being November, we are now officially entering the "Holiday" Season~ What are your goals and plans to stay the course for yourself the remainder of this year?

I plan to get my apartment ready and create a nice environment for myself.

**How did your Halloween go? What did you do? Did you pass out candy, take kids to trick or treat, attend any events?

In my country, Haloween is not celebrated like in the English speaking world. Some people do it, mostly younger people, but the majority of us see it as an American thing that was started for the reason of making money only. It is also seen as a pagan festival. My family celebrates Reformation Day on the 31st October (which is a free holiday in several of our states) and remember the Protestant Reformation and all the good gifts that came with it: Freedom of Religion, and especially the great increase of individual education that made our country the "knowledge society" (as we call it) we are today.

**What have been your "Highlights" Or "Struggles" over this past week?

Mostly struggles with my health. Hopefully, it gets better in the coming days.

** Don't forget to SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK "ONE" HOUR~~ What are your weekend Plans? Do you prefer Daylight Savings time, or the other way around? How does this change affect you?

I hope that the EU will stop the whole DST thing. There are plans to do that. I never liked the change of times, because my body needs weeks to get used to that. And I know lots of people who feel the same. I only know one person who likes DST.

**What would "YOU" like to talk about or share with us?! WE want to hear from "YOU"~

I like these questions. They help me to reflect and order my thoughts. Thank you

Hi, just checking in. I am new to this community so I don't feel ready to talk too much just yet. I will be checking out the forums and maybe I will feel like sharing more in the next check in. I just need to feel a little more comfortable.

Hope you all are having a great week and reaching any goals you may have set.

Hey there Everyone~ How has this past week been for you? This week was easier than the past few weeks

**This is our "FIRST" Check-in for the Month of "NOVEMBER"~ What things are you looking forward to in this New month ahead? Looking forward to practising cooking healthier foods (except on Thanksgiving). I am also looking forward to visiting a close friend next week, whom I havent seen in a long time

**What things do you feel you can take with you from "last" month to continue to stay on track "this" month? In October, I worked on setting boundaries and being assertive in regards to getting 'me time'. I started taking evening walks, and exploring different music than I normally listen to. I hope to carry all of these things with me into November.

**With this being November, we are now officially entering the "Holiday" Season~ What are your goals and plans to stay the course for yourself the remainder of this year? I will be planning my day ahead, on the evening before. Changing up my walking path to keep it interesing and challening. I will also be looking for oportunities to make healthier decisions. My goal is to bring my weight down and my energy level up, so that I can make the most of next spring and summer. Im also hoping to work on improving my short-term memory, though I'm not sure how yet.

**How did your Halloween go? What did you do? Did you pass out candy, take kids to trick or treat, attend any events? I stayed home to pass out candy, but no trick-or-treaters showed up! So I took the oportunity to get some stuff done, then relaxed. It was very restorative.

**What have been your "Highlights" Or "Struggles" over this past week? I have had some anxiety and agitation, and I noticed a bit of brain fog hitting me, but I didn't let it get me down.

** Don't forget to SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK "ONE" HOUR~~ What are your weekend Plans? Do you prefer Daylight Savings time, or the other way around? How does this change affect you? The clocks in my house are hard to reach, so it was a little inconvenient. But I did enjoy that extra hour of sleep :)

I want to take a moment to thank you, @PoliteOcean, for hosting these weekly check-ins. I dont always post, but I usually read the post and use it as a guide for reflecting on the week. It has been helpful in several ways, and I appreciate it.