Winter Pagan Fitness Challenge Update

This week was better than last. While I still had more snacks that I normally do I have not had a Diet Coke or any other type of soda or carbonated beverage since last Sunday. So, one full week without those added chemicals in my diet.

The first two days were only hard because I had a headache. The funny thing is, I don’t even miss it. I whined about quitting because I really did like my Diet Coke, however, now that I quit drinking it my skin is not as dry, I am not as hungry all the time and I don’t  worry about what the artificial sweetener is doing to my body. So total victory there!

At my Weight Watchers weigh-in I was down 1.6 pounds which makes me very happy!  I have 10 weeks left before I go home to visit my family and friends on the East Coast. I am so excited. It has been several years since I have been home and I am seriously missing it. Last time I went home, I was about 5 pounds heavier than I am now. This time I want to be about 10 pounds lighter than I am right now J

If I actually follow the Weight Watchers plan and start tracking what I eat I know I can easily do that. The great thing about Weight Watchers is that I can still have my Red Wine, still go out to lunch with the girls at work (this is one of those dreaded holiday weeks), still enjoy great tasting food and manage to lose weight. All I have to do is track what I eat so I don’t go overboard!

Since this is a holiday week I have formed a plan of attack. I am better prepared for the week of lunches and am actually looking forward to them!

No Yoga for me again this week. That is still a total fail. My focus was on letting go of the Diet Coke. I did manage to get to the gym 4 times this week for a total of 16 broom points! That is something that I really enjoy now. One of the great things about no longer drinking Diet Soda is that I now drink lots of water!

This week’s Mini Goal was to readjust my goals if necessary.  

Original Goals

Earth: I plan on focusing on eating a balanced, natural food diet. I want to eliminate some of the processed foods that I eat. This will be a gradual and ongoing process

Update: So far I am doing this. I rarely eat processed foods anymore so I would consider this goal met!

Air: I will be adding Yoga into my exercise routine on a regular basis. Yoga is great for the mind as well as the body and I believe this will be a great benefit for me, helping me to lessen the effects of everyday stresses as well as strengthen my muscles.

Update: This has not been met but I want to keep it as a goal. When I do Yoga I love it. I think it is an effective, overall, exercise for the mind and the body and I will keep at it until I have managed to incorporate into my life.

Fire: I plan on earning 150 broom points - minimum! I try to get to the gym between 3 and 4 mornings each week and work out for about an hour each time. In addition to this I will be working on my Etsy Shop as well as my other artistic endeavors, Art is my passion and that is something I will be focusing more on in the coming months.

Update: So far I have earned 80 out of 150 and I am on track to earn another 76 before the end of the challenge. I am still working on items for my Etsy shop. I have several items complete and will be adding them to the shop soon.

Water: I will be upping the amount of water I drink and eliminate that darn Diet Coke. I know it is full of chemicals, I know it is not the best drink for my body so I will be saying goodbye to my longtime favorite beverage so that I can improve my health - I believe it will be totally worth it!

Update: Achieved! Now to maintain it

Spirit: Achieving the above will nurture my mind, body and soul. Meditating on my goals, working towards them and achieving them is what I consider my holistic approach to this challenge, encompassing all of the elements in my goal to be healthy and fit.

Update: I still have some work to do on a couple of goals and need to continue with the others so I am well on my way to achieving this goal as well. I will be adding additional meditation time as that always make me feel  more in control and focused, as well as less stressed and more relaxed!

Overall, I am feeling pretty good. Now to keep it going!