The Bear Necessities! April 2019 W.I.S.H Goals

[Zhoen]

I am thankful for my 3 wonderful children, they have made me who I am, they are by far the best thing I have ever done. Yes I have made mistakes along the way - but I am very proud of how they are growing up. I am thankful for the close relationship that we have. My little family didn't end up as it started but we are okay (mostly) and are determined to keep growing, healing and supporting each other.

This makes me think of Lilo and Stitch.

Always having a camera with me, thanks to cell phones

It's amazing always having a camera, isn't it? And not having to pay and wait for pictures to develop (and not turn out?)

Hi, I'm Lizanne a single lady living in Seattle WA,

Lose 10 pounds... I'm "leaning in" this month!
600 hundred minutes of exercise... carried over from the other challenge.
Eat healthfully... this means a couple things: good nutritional balance, calorie control and staying away from the foods that I don't tolerate well.

Oh there you are!!! I was thinking you were sleeping in, enjoying NOT being on a work trip for a change! Hopefully the extra stability/predictability of being at home for a couple of weeks will help you reach your goals!

Sorry for being so sappy but this news has really hit me hard. I can't image what her family is going through. I also seem to be very emotional this week.

Nope, you're feeling a connection to your co-worker, and sharing those feelings with us! Connection. Sad news, to be sure, but I'm glad you have that friendship, and I hope the prognosis will be good. With her husband in preacher-school (sorry, don't know if it's seminary, bible-college, or something else...) you know they'll be getting lots of prayers, which will be a comfort to them.

This week, I am specifically thankful that my sister found out that she will be done with her residency in time to join us for a week at the beach. So that means, my baby nephew (along with my sister and brother-in-law) will be staying with us for a week on vacation. No distraction of work, no household chores, just relaxing and spending time with family! I'm so excited and can't wait!

I also like the idea of Thankful Thursdays so much that I decided we would do it in my classroom. So this morning, my students had a chance to share with a partner something that they were thankful for and we will continue this routine every Thursday for the rest of the year. So thanks for the great idea @Zhoen!

Vacation with a baby! Yay!!! Sounds wonderful!

As for gratitude, I wanted to add it because I'm really, REALLY bad at it. I *want* to live a life of voluntary simplicity and authenticity... but it's so easy to fall back into the bad habit of comparing and feeling bad about what I don't have (that I don't even want, but somehow it still feels bad, if that makes any sense...) So I need to practice. For years I would try, but it would come out wrong-- "I grateful I have a house, BUT it's a wreck. I'm grateful for my children, BUT..." So that's a habit I'm trying hard to break.

I'm thankful for flexible crossing guards. They are truly the worst part of my job, and of course this morning I had one call out and even though I have a lot of subs, nobody could work this morning. I had to walk a few blocks to a corner where two work and steal one and show him where the empty corner was where he was desperately needed. I'm thankful he was willing to move.

I'm thankful for crossing guards, too!

And instead I'll share that we had the seasonal Strawberry Poppyseed Salad with Chicken has returned to Panera!

Oooh, that sounds really good... My kids love Panera, but I haven't tried that one. Field trip!!!!


@sjrec Hehe! I was trying to explain card catalogues to my kids the other day! Isn't amazing how much easier research is now with google? No card catalogues, no quarterly guides to periodicals... they have NO idea how easy they have it! Funny thing, those old cabinets go for some serious cash on the antiques/decorator market... I always imagine that when you librarians realized that google was here to stay and card catalogues were obsolete, you had a big, messy party, pulling out the pins and throwing the cards up in the air with abandon, mixing the author cards with the topic cards with the title cards just because you COULD... making snow angels in the piles of cards on the carpet... Don't disillusion me! Just let me have this...

 

[Zhoen]

For OFoodie Friday we will be changing up our meals (finally!)

Lunch will be turkey sanwhiches - simple but yum

Gotta love simple! Maybe it was because it was white bread, or maybe it was because it was free (or maybe because I was about STARVING...) but I had a turkey sub when my kiddo was in the hospital and it was soooooo yummy...

 

[verleniahall]

Gotta love simple! Maybe it was because it was white bread, or maybe it was because it was free (or maybe because I was about STARVING...) but I had a turkey sub when my kiddo was in the hospital and it was soooooo yummy...

For 2 WEEKS we have had chicken for 2/3 meals - I am SO sick of chicken

 

[piglet1979]

Definitely no need to be sorry! And, unfortunately, I can relate. We have a teacher whose wife has been battling breast cancer for about 5 years. They just recently discovered that it has spread to her lungs and is terminal. He has taken the rest of the year off to spend time with his wife and their 2 boys (6 & 14). There are just no words. I absolutely can not imagine what their life is like right now. And another reason for me to be extremely thankful for my family and our health.

Nope, you're feeling a connection to your co-worker, and sharing those feelings with us! Connection. Sad news, to be sure, but I'm glad you have that friendship, and I hope the prognosis will be good. With her husband in preacher-school (sorry, don't know if it's seminary, bible-college, or something else...) you know they'll be getting lots of prayers, which will be a comfort to them.

Thank you everyone. I am trying to think positive. Hopefully they will hear form the doctor early next week.

It's Foodie Friday!!! Did you make anything new this week? Try anything new even if you didn't actually make it? Bonus question- What is the most "exotic" food you've tried (healthy or otherwise)? Did you like it?

Last night we had a boring but great dinner. It was smoked kielbasa. We use the turkey ones to be healthier. We just cut them so they are like bite size and heat them in a frying pan. We make rice, corn, broccoli, black beans, and cheddar cheese to go with it. We make it like a salad. I don't eat the beans or cheese but it is still good. You can dress it up however you like too. It is a quick and easy meal.

For the bonus question, I am a very boring eater. I will not try anything adventurous. Trying fish and a avocado might be the adventurous for me. I found I do like avocado but I can't get over how it looks to eat it especially guacamole. I am not a big fish eater and what i have tried I was not a huge fan of. DH does not eat fish either and and DD claims she does not eat fish but loves fish sticks. DS loves fish. He gets to eat it at my in-laws or when we go out to eat. We will not make it. I don't eat at my inlaws much as they always try to get me to eat weird to me stuff like quail. They had it for Thanksgiving once. They would be the ones that hid the weird stuff and don't tell me about it so I will eat it so I am always very skeptical of food at their house.

My mom grew up on a farm and that is what they ate. They had cows, chickens and pigs. They also ate food with no flavor. This is how I grew up too but without the raising and killing our food. DH was the opposite. They cook with a lot of flavor. It took me a little bit to get used to it. I almost could not eat the food at DH's the first time I ate at his house because there was so much spices. I have grown to like spices now and us them often.

 

[PollyannaMom]

My adventurous food this week was seaweed:



It was OK, not a new *favorite* but certainly not as bad as DH (who declined to try it) predicted.

 

[Oneanne]

I am thankfully for my health and the health of my family. This has been weighing on me since yesterday when I some news from a co-work that has become a good friend. She has been sick for a few weeks and the first initial thought was cancer but the tests came back negative. While I was out last week she started to get more symptoms and they did a CAT scan that showed a mass in her chest. It was biopsied on Monday so no real answers yet but everything is pointing to Lymphoma. She is younger then me with an almost 1 and 3 year old. She is such the sweetest person too. When I was going through all of the issues last year with DD she was always someone for me to talk to. The day after DD was in the ER because she couldn't out of one I, I was a wreck. When I came into work she asked me right away how she is and I just cried and she gave me such the biggest hug. Her husband is going to school to be a preacher so it will be really hard for them if she is out of work for some time. She may not be able to get FMLA either since she just took it when she had her DD last May.

Sorry for being so sappy but this news has really hit me hard. I can't image what her family is going through. I also seem to be very emotional this week.

So sorry to hear this is happening to your friend.

 

[Oneanne]

Foodie Friday

This isn't something new for me, just visual proof that I've cooked for myself this week: personal sized Naan pizza with red sauce, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and some Italian seasoning. Easy-peasy. I usually make these with Greek pita, but tried Naan this time... I like the way the pita crisps up better.



I did make something new this week, but forgot to snap a pic. We had a team potluck and I made a new-to-me salad with grapefruit segments and chunks of avocado over butter lettuce, and sliced almonds sprinkled on top... up to that point pretty healthy, but then I slathered on Maple Balsamic dressing. I wasn't sure folks would go for grapefruit, but it all got eaten and was called "righteous", so I'm going to make it again for Easter.

Had a belayed woohoo yesterday, my biz trip for next week got canceled, and what we call a "declare" for changes in the project that will affect the overall timeline are pending. We're pretty sure we know what the declare is and if correct, it will be a very good decision.

Weekly goals check-in:
lost 2 of 10 pounds
76 of 600 minutes of exercise done
eating healthy... a mixed bag. Have stayed away from eggs/chicken, have greatly reduced dairy, still consuming a lot of sugar.

Edited to add unusual foods: I'm very lucky to have a culturally diverse work group, so when we have team potlucks there are lots of new things to try. Not really unusual for most people, but I always avoid peppers... this past weekend jalapenos were included in something I ordered for lunch, so I thought I'd try one to see if I really don't like them. Yep, I really don't like them.

 

[sjrec]

Happy Friday, everyone! Loved reading everyone’s updates.

Something new I tried this week was cooking a whole chicken in the crockpot. I always thought it would get mushy, but I came across a recipe that suggests balling up foil and setting the chicken on that. You rub it with your own spices so much less salty. We really liked how it turned out. It had a popper so I didn’t have to worry about it over cooking.

We’re pretty adventurous eaters-and living near the Eastern shore we love all kinds of seafood. We did have goat on a trip to Jamaica-

 

[piglet1979]

Not great news today. My co-work got her diagnosis today. It is indeed Hodgkin Lymphoma. We were in a common area when she told me so I didn't get a chance to really talk to her. I did want to make her with people around. I can't talk about it at work because this is her story to tell if she wants to so I came here to just talk about or get it out. Trying really hard not to cry at my desk so people don't ask me what is wrong. I am not doing a good job of it though. So I am going to dive back into work since I have a ton of stuff to do.

 

[Oneanne]

Not great news today. My co-work got her diagnosis today. It is indeed Hodgkin Lymphoma. We were in a common area when she told me so I didn't get a chance to really talk to her. I did want to make her with people around. I can't talk about it at work because this is her story to tell if she wants to so I came here to just talk about or get it out. Trying really hard not to cry at my desk so people don't ask me what is wrong. I am not doing a good job of it though. So I am going to dive back into work since I have a ton of stuff to do.

Oh Piglet, so sorry to hear this. Sending hugs and healing thoughts to both of you.

 

[PollyannaMom]

It is indeed Hodgkin Lymphoma.

So sorry to hear that. Fingers crossed that they caught it early and she does well with treatment.

 

[sjrec]

Not great news today. My co-work got her diagnosis today. It is indeed Hodgkin Lymphoma. We were in a common area when she told me so I didn't get a chance to really talk to her. I did want to make her with people around. I can't talk about it at work because this is her story to tell if she wants to so I came here to just talk about or get it out. Trying really hard not to cry at my desk so people don't ask me what is wrong. I am not doing a good job of it though. So I am going to dive back into work since I have a ton of stuff to do.

Heartbreaking. I’m so sorry. There are so many good treatments out there-please don’t lose hope.

 

[Spencer Wright]

Hello! My name is Spencer. I am 29 years old, and live in Delaware County, PA. I am currently trying to work on various fitness goals to REALLY get in shape.

My goal starting in late January was to be able to run 5 miles in 40 minutes (8 minutes per mile) and complete 10 pull-ups by May 5th (the day of my first cruise). I did a 'check in' on March 24th, and did 9:31 per mile, and averaged 7.67 pull-ups over 3 reps! So I was quite happy with this.

However, within about an hour (about 1pm) I felt AWFUL, and by about 6pm had severe chills and sweats, and a 102 fever. Two days later the doctor informed my I had influenza, and while I only missed three days of work, I am still far from %100. I work in Center City Philadelphia, and walk from my office at 20th and Market to 30th street station, and yesterday got pretty winded. I did get back to the gym this morning, and have a VERY long way to go to get back on track (god forbid I have one thing that goes right).

So I will stay positive and focused this month and see if I can meet my goal. I think tomorrow I will skip the gym, but try running on the Schuykill Trail in Philly on Monday (which I love), and see how it goes. I did sort of rediscover Gloria Gaynor, and Cher's Abba cover album (don't judge me ). So that combined with some Eartha Kitt, and I have a pretty high energy list. Music REALLY helps me get a really great work out. So maybe next Sunday I'll test again and see where I stand.

In the meantime, I gotta start learning more about Navigator of the Seas (RCL) for my upcoming cruise on May 6th! After all the planning that goes into WDW its strange to not have every little thing planned, but I still wanna have a general plan of course.

 

[michigal23]

Hi My name is Laura. I’ve been on this weight loss / being healthier journey (battle? struggle?) for about 5+ years now . Back and forth and back and forth. Now we have a DW trip booked for August, and in order to not be passed out on Main Street from exhaustion and heat stroke and chaffing pain, I’ve really got to get serious about this. DH is on bored with me, too, so that should help. My ultimate goal is to drop at least 40 pounds. It’s going to take some time, which I think is the most frustrating part. Why can’t I just bibbidi bobbidi myself into my dream bod? .

Anyways, I’m rambling ...

My goal this month is to drink my water, go to the gym at least 6 times, and stick to our dinner meals we have planned.

 

[glss1/2fll]

I don't remember what I ate on Friday! I had lunch and dinner out Saturday and today had lunch out. Yup. Been a crazy weekend. Usually things are so quiet and boring! Saturday I left the house at 8 AM and got home at 10 PM. I was helping a girlfriend get her in-laws house ready for an estate sale. It's a huge job. I only left her house for lunch and dinner and got over 10,000 steps. I was so tuckered out at the end of the day! I probably went up and down the stairs a million times! The group of us are going back Tuesday after work to make sure Saturday we just arrive and throw open the doors!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Hi My name is Laura. I’ve been on this weight loss / being healthier journey (battle? struggle?) for about 5+ years now...My goal this month is to drink my water, go to the gym at least 6 times, and stick to our dinner meals we have planned.

to the thread!!

 

[PollyannaMom]

OK, guys, for Motivation Monday this week, I need advice!

I'm here mostly for maintenance - keeping fit enough to participate in things I enjoy, not gaining weight as I age, that sort of thing. But my DH has expressed an interest in losing a larger amount of weight, so I'm going to be walking the delicate tightrope of cheerleader. I want to help him stay motivated without sounding overly critical.

His challenges are stress eating, not feeling full on "suggested portion sizes," and a strong sweet tooth.

If you've been there with a family member (or your own family members have helped or hurt your progress) please help me figure out what to do/not do, say/not say, etc. Thanks!!

 

[Zhoen]

Good Morning, Dearies!!!

Happy Motivation Monday!!!
(And for my clever time travelers in the other time zones, aren’t you glad your Monday is already over???)

I hope everyone’s “Whatever Weekend” was full of only the most fun type of surprises, and zero eye-rolling teenagers muttering “…. Whatever…” (but if you had the second, send them here, I’m digging a pit to throw all of them into and they can come out when they’re human again…)

It seems like the weekend flew by, and here we are, already on the 8th!!! So that is what is motivating me this week, so much to do and a finite amount of time. What are your mini-goals this week to help you reach your big goals? What are your priorities?

 

[Zhoen]

For 2 WEEKS we have had chicken for 2/3 meals - I am SO sick of chicken

Hehe, we seem to have a ton of chicken in the meal plan this month, too! My late brother-in-law used to say grace with a rhyme about it, I can't remember the whole thing, but it was all about the different ways to cook chicken, and it ended with "we've had it grilled, we've had it stuffed, but goodness, ain't we had enough?"

Last night we had a boring but great dinner. It was smoked kielbasa. We use the turkey ones to be healthier.

We keep kielbasa in the freezer for cheap/easy meals, but we end up getting both kinds, the turkey kind and the "normal" kind (It tastes sooooo much better, but is more than double the calories, so I just get both and alternate...)

My adventurous food this week was seaweed:

View attachment 392815

It was OK, not a new *favorite* but certainly not as bad as DH (who declined to try it) predicted.

Hehe, I tried kale chips a year or so ago, total no-go!

I did make something new this week, but forgot to snap a pic. We had a team potluck and I made a new-to-me salad with grapefruit segments and chunks of avocado over butter lettuce, and sliced almonds sprinkled on top... up to that point pretty healthy, but then I slathered on Maple Balsamic dressing. I wasn't sure folks would go for grapefruit, but it all got eaten and was called "righteous", so I'm going to make it again for Easter.

Had a belayed woohoo yesterday, my biz trip for next week got canceled, and what we call a "declare" for changes in the project that will affect the overall timeline are pending. We're pretty sure we know what the declare is and if correct, it will be a very good decision.

Weekly goals check-in:
lost 2 of 10 pounds
76 of 600 minutes of exercise done
eating healthy... a mixed bag. Have stayed away from eggs/chicken, have greatly reduced dairy, still consuming a lot of sugar.

Edited to add unusual foods: I'm very lucky to have a culturally diverse work group, so when we have team potlucks there are lots of new things to try. Not really unusual for most people, but I always avoid peppers... this past weekend jalapenos were included in something I ordered for lunch, so I thought I'd try one to see if I really don't like them. Yep, I really don't like them.

Oneanne, good news on more time at home, and the pizza looked yummy! Can't wait to see a picture of your salad at Easter! Great job on the 2 pounds! That's awesome!

Fun jalapeno story (I don't care for them, either...) One of the places I've lived was in San Antonio, Texas, where they actually have a store in the airport dedicated to selling pepper-products to tourists heading home from Texas... I'm not sure it that's where the guy went shopping, or what, but H tells a story about how one time this guy at work was sharing peanut brittle on the night shift, and he waited until AFTER everyone had it stuck in their teeth and the slow burn started to mention that it was JALAPENO peanut brittle... see, stuff like that is why so many people have trust issues...

Something new I tried this week was cooking a whole chicken in the crockpot. I always thought it would get mushy, but I came across a recipe that suggests balling up foil and setting the chicken on that. You rub it with your own spices so much less salty. We really liked how it turned out. It had a popper so I didn’t have to worry about it over cooking.

I loved my crockpot when I was working full-time, and was always looking for new recipes to try for it! I had a recipe for whole chicken, but I don't think we ever actually tried it... glad you liked how it turned out! Lately I just use mine for beans...

I don't remember what I ate on Friday! I had lunch and dinner out Saturday and today had lunch out. Yup. Been a crazy weekend. Usually things are so quiet and boring! Saturday I left the house at 8 AM and got home at 10 PM. I was helping a girlfriend get her in-laws house ready for an estate sale. It's a huge job. I only left her house for lunch and dinner and got over 10,000 steps. I was so tuckered out at the end of the day! I probably went up and down the stairs a million times! The group of us are going back Tuesday after work to make sure Saturday we just arrive and throw open the doors!

I feel ya on the "don't remember" thing! Sometimes the weekends just get away, don't they? It sounds like you had a super-productive day on Saturday, though. Isn't it weird how much easier it is to clean and organize OTHER people's stuff, instead of your own? I used to volunteer at a place where the time would just FLY by as we sorted and organized and made things look nice, then I'd come home, look at the clean laundry waiting to be folded, and just think, "NOPE!!!"

 

[michigal23]

OK, guys, for Motivation Monday this week, I need advice!

I'm here mostly for maintenance - keeping fit enough to participate in things I enjoy, not gaining weight as I age, that sort of thing. But my DH has expressed an interest in losing a larger amount of weight, so I'm going to be walking the delicate tightrope of cheerleader. I want to help him stay motivated without sounding overly critical.

His challenges are stress eating, not feeling full on "suggested portion sizes," and a strong sweet tooth.

If you've been there with a family member (or your own family members have helped or hurt your progress) please help me figure out what to do/not do, say/not say, etc. Thanks!!

I don’t really have much advice, but my own DH seems to be very similar to yours. And I always feel like I have to walk that fine line of being supportive and encouraging or accidentally crossing over to being hurtful. What about something like a friendly competition of daily steps or water intake? Small little challenges that can be helpful overall.


As for my own motivation Monday - I downloaded an app called “Done” to help me keep track of three simple goals each day. 1) water before coffee 2) exercise and 3) eat my veggies 3 times. So far I’ve checked off 2 of those goals.