Tag Archive | New Year

Shrink Yo’Self Assignment – Dear Me. In 2013.

Jan6

Shrink Yo' Self in 2012

Dear Me. In 2013.

The Assignment:

“For this week’s project, I want you to close your eyes. (Well, after you read this.) And pretend that it’s January — of 2013.

One full year ahead.

And when you think about January 2013, think about where you are sitting. What you look like. Where you are. Think about all the things you did in 2011. How far you’ve come. The goals you’ve reached. The obstacles you faced in 2011. The things you learned. Visualize where you will be. Physically, mentally, emotionally. I know you don’t have much to go on since we’re not even out of January 2012 yet. But that’s kind of the whole purpose.

Now, ”future self” (*this is me waving to your future self and saying “Hi!!!”*), go ahead and write ”current self” a letter. Tell yourself what you’ve done in 2012 and who you’ve become. Tell yourself about all the scale and non-scale victories you’ve had. Anything that you think is valuable for your current self to know, go ahead, tell it.

Write the letter to yourself like it actually happened. No hypotheticals. Because “future-self” actually knows what went on in 2012! You have to trust her (or him)!! Channel “Future Self”. So that’s what it is this week. “Future-self,” write “current-self” a letter about what 2011 is like and what you hope for 2013.

This is one of those things you can actually hold in your hand when January 2013 comes around and you can see for yourself just what you’ve done. I am sure you will agree with yourself on that day and maybe even surprise yourself. Because you’ve got 11 more months to make it real. And you will. Because you rock and because you’re you, and ps. I already know what you’re made of. (And because future me told me so.)”

January 6, 2013

Well Kathleen, I must say that it has been an interesting year.  While I sit here in our new backyard with Queenie on my lap in Aptos I couldn’t be happier.  The Boys are getting ready to head back to school after the holidays after another amazing Christmas and New Years.

Last New Year we spent it at the Manning’s and boy did we miss them this time around.  Skype is so great though, because we get to keep in great touch with them.

Some other fun things that we did this year…

  • We bought Season Passes to Disney for the family.
  • I started riding bikes to school with the Boys.
  • Alex passed me up in my shoe size.
  • We did 3 more run/walks.  This time with the whole family.
  • Andrew found a new job in the Bay Area finally and we got to move back to California!  Wow, I never thought that would happen.  That was probably the best thing of all.  Better late than never.
  • I stuck with Weight Watchers.  Kim and I went diligently every Sunday (sometimes Mondays) and I lost 40 more pounds!!  I feel fantastic!
  • Bikram this year has changed my life.  I am flexible, energetic and happy all the time.  The new studio in Aptos is fantastic too!
  • Paladin is doing much better with his Valley Fever and we hope to have another great year with him.
  • Queenie and Rogue had another litter of puppies.  We found them all great home and boy was I tempted to keep one.

At the beginning of the year I started 3 new Challenges.

1) 100 ounces of water a day.  I am still drinking those 100 ounces of water a day and I feel great.  It really helped with getting the weight off and keeping my skin healthy.  With as much Bikram and Bike Riding that I have been doing, some days I drink over 150 ounces.

2) Shrink Yo’Self 2012, which ended on February 28th.  My goal was to complete all of the assignments and lose at least 5 pounds during the Challenge.  I did it!!  I was so happy!

3) 52 Small Changes. Each week was a new Challenge.  I completed them all, which I was amazed!  It is so hard for me to keep with something that long, but I did it and I feel great on the inside and look great on the outside.

Being able to walk and ride my bike to the beach has been a huge thing for me right now.  I not only get exercise, but I am reading more and my depression is finally gone.  The ocean does wonders for Kathleen.  🙂

On a very cool note… that bathing suit that T said that I would never fit into that sits in my drawer… IT FITS!!!  Woo hoo!  I will post pics when I get a chance.  That just made me feel even more fantastic.

Well, it has been one amazing year and I am so looking forward to 2013 and seeing what it brings me and the family.

Love,

Yourself – Kathleen.

xo

I LOVE ME!

52 Small Changes – Week 1

Jan2

52 Small Changes from The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans started a new group at their community, The Hood. I’m so excited about this challenge as I am a horrible goal keeper for myself and I think that this will give me a good start.  There is a book called “52 Small Changes: One Year to a Happier, Healthier You” and as a group we are going to go through and make small changes in our lives! These changes involve getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, remembering to breath and exercise, etc.

“The 52 Small Changed Program is designed to encourage small, yet meaningful, changes that will ultimately lead to the big change of living a happier, healthier lifestyle. The idea is simple: make one small change per week for 52 weeks and at the end of the year, you’ll be healthier and happier.”  If you want to get on board with this challenge go here for details (there is a giveaway for the book as well). I know that I would love to win the book at the end of the week.  If not, I am planning on uploading it to my Kindle.

Starting today with Week 1

“Drink an adequate amount of water each day to maintain a healthy level of hydration.”

This week our small change and challenge is to simply drink water. I love this change because I know drinking the proper amount of water is a great way to drop a few pounds right away. If you are dehydrated, your body will retain water. If you are hydrated, your body will release the retained water. Plus, you’ll feel better and look better.  When I don’t drink my water I feel it immediately the next day.  I get constipated and my skin starts to look rough and sometimes break-out.  If you know me, that is a rare thing for me.  Stay hydrated people!

The most popular and easy way of figuring how much you should drink is to take your weight and divide it by 2. That’s the minimum! If you’re exercising, drinking Cosmos, Beer, tea, soda, etc… stop!  This is about Water, so get on it.  Water is the very best think that you could ever give your body.  So this week, let’s drink our water!  🙂

xo

2012, or the Twilight Zone?

Jan1

Happy 2012!!

My last Blog was on November 15th, yikes!  Crazy busy? Totally lazy? Who the hell knows!  What I do know is that I am here today, typing away, feeling good and making good choices.

It is New Years Day… holy crap!  2012 already! I am happy and mad all at the same time.  I am going to stay on a positive note though and write about what good things I have done for myself today…

I laid in bed until after 2 p.m.

I had Pho with my family for the first time together, ever!  It was so great!  We ordered the large bowl of Pho An Sen’s most popular and chowed it!  We even got a second bowl.  To my chagrin, I didn’t tell our Boys what they were eating until AFTER we had finished.  I just wanted them to taste it and if they loved it to eat it up.  They did!  Then I told them that they were eating Beef MeatBalls, Beef loin, Beef flank stake, Beef round steak, Tripe and Tendon.  They thought about it for a moment, then said, “When can we come back?” I love them to death!!

Ice Cream with the family after lunch/dinner.  My first ice cream scoop in over a couple of months. Yum!  I love mint chip ice cream.

Joined the #100ozChallenge on Twitter today.  My goal is to get though January and most likely just head on through to February as well.  I am goal challenged, so this is a good start for me.

I also joined Shrink Yo’Self in 2012 {new challenge} | The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans LLC. for the Shrink Yo’Self in 2012 and also the 52 Small Changes: One Year to a Happier, Healthier You – The Hood.  These two look fantastic as well.  Simple.  2 great challenges to get me going again and they look like they will work well in conjunction with each other.

I have been terrible about going to Bikram and miss it terribly.  I am going to try to get back on my schedule again by next Monday.  That is my exercise goal.  Going at least 2 times a week.  I need it badly.

As I enter into my 13th week of Weight Watchers I must tell you that I have lost 7.2 pounds in 2011 on the program.  That puts me at a total of 11.2 for 2011.  2012 I will be kicking it up a notch.  When it comes to this time next year I want most of the weight off.  I don’t want to feel like I haven’t accomplished something.  I should be able to do this.  Exercise, food and water.  How hard could that be.  Go Kathleen Go!

Well, here is to the New Year and great things to come!  🙂

xo

WordPress Post a Day/Week #8 ~ How do you stay entertained when you are snowed-in?

Jan10

How do you stay entertained when you are snowed-in?

I haven’t been snowed-in in years.  the last time was when my 4 Boys were little.  My youngest was probably 4 months old.  I drove to visit my Sister in Pollock Pines, CA.  It was just after Christmas.  My Sister and I went up to Tahoe with the Boys and my Niece, Brittany.  It was just before New Years.  We got snowed-in a the hotel.  I think tha we were staying at the Hyatt maybe, I don’t quite remember.  The cool thing about getting snowed-in in Tahoe is there are a ton of things to do.  Especially at New Years!!  We played in the snow during the day.

Wendi and I had the most amazing New Years Eve that year!  My Friend, Richard, came to visit and was trying to get out of Tahoe that day to spend New Years Eve with his girlfriend.  Well, he didn’t make it and stayed and spent it with us.  The 3 of us spent the night dancing, watching go-go dancers, laughing, drinking cocktails and just having a blast!  That was the best way to be snowed-in!  🙂

xo

WordPress Post A Day/Week #1 ~ New Year Resolutions

Jan2

Happy New Year!

Since it is New Years Day I thought that I would blog a little about how I feel about New Year Resolutions. I have never been a “resolutions” type of person. Shit, I can’t even set a goal for myself and keep it half the time.  I love listening to others though… go to the gym more, eat less junk food, spend more wisely, lose weight, etc.  Nope, not me!  I find it easier for myself to just live life day-day-day, minute-by-minute.  Don’t get me wrong, I have GREAT intentions for myself.  I just like to keep it real, then I am not disappointed.  I take good care of myself and those around me.  I have a great life, so I try not and complain.  I have my issues, but isn’t that what life is all about?  I think so. I always think back to the movie What About Bob… baby steps!  That is what life is full of, baby steps, new roads, left turn and maybe then another left turn after that, accidents along the way and then finding the escape route to the road with something new and amazing.  Live life, live it happy, live it feeling amazing with yourself, say I love you, shine, love yourself first, smile, laugh, hug all the time and everyone!!  🙂

xo