Healthy Pony.. .Team Pony Sign Up

[Ponyfan]

I need to lose several pounds as well. I was doing good at first and lost a few but the weight has come back on me as well. Mostly because I find it very hard to make healthy choices while at work when I might get less than 10 minutes to eat.

Don't give up Artemesia Floc. It's really hard sometimes to keep up healthy habits when you have a lot of stress going on in your life. In the first rounds of healthy pony I thought I'd never get started on healthy habits. I had good intentions but after a few tries I felt like giving up but Crowning Glory encouraged me not to give up and to keep trying.


I remembered last night that I didn't eat any cookie cake at work when someone offered me some. I really wasn't hungry at the time but I think refusing a piece of cookie cake might deserve a reward.


Ponyfan

[Crowning_Glory13]

Ponyfan, I am so glad I could inspire you:( I needed to hear that:) and yes passing up a cookie cake deserves a reward...i don't know if I could do that. You also took on small portions and no seconds...you need to reward yourself.

Kiwifluff- I am so behind on projects too. Some gifts in october!!!

Stromness I hope you get that job.

Kiwi, I love this time of year. All the awesome holiday treasures:)

G litterball, way to go o. The gym. I think I was panting with you. You are right we all need to be kinder to ourselves:)

Nessa16, the gym sound awesome, I want a warm pool:) thanks for being so uplifting.

Artemesia, take each non smoking moment day by day. It's not an easy habit to work on. In a relationship it is ok to have alone time. Married 10 years and me an my hubby do that for ourselves from time to time.

The reflect on September challenge has these participants.
1. Ponfan
2. Glitterball
3. Stromness
4. Artemesia
5. Kiwi

If I missed you let me know. Reflect on September and post is all you have to do. Sunday is the cut off day. I check Monday morning to help with time changes:)

To practice my audition I did sing and do piano for 5 days strait. Still could not get my voice back, and I pushed it and brought my cold back. I could tell you all the things I did wrong, but having a cold, and not auditioned for anything for 4 years, I am proud of how I did:) I get a part great, if not i won't cry, but will try again:). I could not ask for a better audition.

Got a job interview, but lower pay. Currently I am working in one state and living in another state..so I have to pay so much in taxes. This job would lower that. I hit a huge financial bomb. My surgery for my miscarriage was only 40% covered by my insurance. It cost so much my bank account is almost to double digits...thats with 2 incomes. So I am in debate about getting a second job for the holiday season. My husband i looking for better job (should have done it sooner) sorry he has been complaining about his job for months...he has said he has been too lazy to do it. Now he tells me I need to do receptionist work because I get paid more. I live working with kids, and I have worked as a receptionist for different variety of jobs for 8 years. Everyone was abusive to me, expected way more if me with no pay or benefits. I used to help out in car sales receptionist. I helped sell multiple cards, and it was my job to process the paperwork and payment. But no bonus. The salesmen got a 50% spiff but I got my normal wage even though I did 90% of the sale. I even felt with borderline harassment, but my husband this alk I do is play with kids and need to make more:( if I could just get music students problem would be solved...sorry for the rant. I am just getting ready sell stuff to make ends meet and feel I am the blame. In 10 years I have always told I don't make enough or do enough...i normally work 2 jobs. Sigh to be a downer.

Right now my goal is spending no money, no pony movie, just working in sales. I probably get 2 jobs, so I might not be on much.

[Pokeyonekenobie]

My September was okay, I guess.  I did a lot of walking because of the work challenge but I didn't do any of it on the treadmill, like my goal was.  So I guess that's where I need to try and improve this month.  I did work a little on some art projects, but I didn't get as many done as I wanted.  So I'll be trying to up my work on those in October as well. 

Not looking forward to Monday.  As part of our "Staff Development Day" at the library where I work, we will be touring a library in a neighboring county that was recently built because we are beginning the process of building a new library.  Problem is, it's the library where I used to work.  I quit without notice because of severe bullying by my direct manager and I know that she is now working in the building we will be touring.  After I left, four of my co-workers also quit without notice.  (She was terrible enough that if she had been pushed in front of a train, we would have had a party to celebrate.)  It will take a lot of willpower to be civil to her if she attempts to talk to me.  If I manage to be civil, I may reward myself with ponies or ice cream. 

[Crowning_Glory13]

Good luck...whew. that is a tough spot. There is nothing wrong with a polite nod and ignore all eye contact. She will be too afraid to say anything to you.

[Kazzellin]

A month+ late, but I'd like to join in, if I may?

[Crowning_Glory13]

Of course you can:)

[glitterball]

Yikes, this has turned into an essay again!

Stuck under a spoiler to save space   

September Reflection

Spoiler

Goals >
watch my diet / exercise / log my eating habits / clear the old house at my leisure

External Influences that affected my Goals >
feeling upset at quitting old gym / missing buddies / scared of the new place as a newbie
disruption to exercise routine from changing gym
suddenly realising it was not too late to get the house market-ready (so TOTALLY rushing to complete works)

Dealing with External Influences >
Gym:
Being brave enough to quit the old and join the new - taking that first step in actually driving over and chatting to the coaches
Feeling like the first day in a new job when you know nobody and having to ask so many questions
very nervous at my first session after seeing some of the long-standing members smash-out some aggressive gymnastic moves and heavy weightlifting (eek) but the coaches scaled-down the routines to fit my level
just going for it and accepting that I had to do evening sessions as part of my foundation introduction to the new gym (I usually do early-mornings as my routine).

Old House:
Not the best time of year to sell - (spring is best) but Sept/Oct is still do-able. The thought of potentially having things wrapped-up by Christmas was a boost - especially as I am still paying bills for the property for now.
Daily visits to the property with an action plan to do certain chores each day, the final result being a house visitor-ready and the garden cleared of "jungle" and unkempt trees.

Things that helped me:
Driving around my area to see what houses are for sale gave me a mental boost and kicked my butt into getting in the house-buying groove - I could see what the sale of the old house plus our own house together could potentially yield - putting that money together could get us a bigger house and pay off a lot of mortgage - which made me excited!
Stumbling upon some tree surgeons who were free that day to fell and chip the trees and old logs suddenly got things moving - all of a sudden, the long-time jungle was cleared and the large garden exposed! A physical and mental boost for me!
Dad driving over on some days, he took ages sorting through old paperwork stuff, but just having him there felt nice as I was not alone and could drive to the dump multiple times a day without having to lock the house up - plus Mum got him to bring me some yummy sandwiches, too!
Meeting an old work-mate at the gym plus having him attend the same morning sessions as me - seeing a familiar face relaxed me more (as well as stressed me a little - he is superman at the gym, I am certainly not, lol!)
Doing that beastly run on Friday, being the last one in my group to get through all the exercises and one guy (who had already finished) running the lap with me to help push me along - it was so sweet of him and I still feel like crying at his kindness! Then the group cheering me as we got to the end - then realising that I had done it in 18 mins 25 sec approx, well within the 20 minute allowance!

Satisfied with this month? What could I have done better?
Honestly, I feel that I have really pushed myself this month so house / gym stuff I am very satisfied with 
logging food / exercise: I have been constant.
Food - a few wobbles, especially during "hormonal" times, (for my sanity I need to allow myself a bit of junk!) but logging all the naughty foods has still happened. A few days when we went out to see friends and ended up at restaurants - always tricky as you don't quite know the calorie contents etc but I tried to choose as wisely as I could without being a "diet bore". 

October Goals
Gym / food / food-logging - carry on as normal
House - main house/garden already visitor ready  so next phase is clearing the junk from the detached garage. Potential buyers don't need to see the inside of that so we can crack-on with getting through old furniture, hoarded mildew drapes, cushions, rugs... then going through the boxes of trinkets and ornaments and working out how to dispose of them. I reckon my plan will be to make piles of things that straight-away we know are going to be dumped (especially the bulky stuff) as it will clear space the quickest.

 

ETA:

Artemesia Floc - quitting smoking is hard (not that I ever smoked but my parents were chain smokers!) that fact that you WANT to quit is half way to goal! My Mum managed it but said her main problem was the routine that she followed when she smoked - reaching automatically for her handbag, when certain tv programs finished, after driving somewhere, that;s what made it tricky for her. Sorry to read you are having a stressful time with your boyfriend, hope things work out for you both!

Kiwi - great to see that September improved for you towards the end of the month! 

Ponyfan - argh the temptations of naughty food at work  well done for resisting!

Crowning_Glory13 - voice still not 100%? I am hoping your cold shifts soon. How exciting about the job interview - and if you should get it, I am hoping that after all those complicated taxes are taken that you are left with a decent wage. So sad to read about the miscarriage op and I feel it is so unfair that only 40% of your bill was paid for by the insurance, especially in such a sensitive situation. We are so lucky in the UK with our NHS, all UK nationals are entitled to free healthcare, whether you are the Queen or homeless, it may have long waiting lists and not be as "luxurious" as private healthcare but without it I am sure both myself and daughter would not be here (she was spine-to-spine and got stuck during natural labour + we were rushed to have an emergency c-section, scary times).
Ach, sales environments. So angry that you did all the legwork and the reps got all the commission  I reckon you should apply for THEIR jobs as you already have at least 90% of the skills! Then you would only need 1 job as you will be flying with all those bonuses!

Pokeyonekenobie - awkward... could you chat to your new work buddies to explain the situation so that you are not left alone with her, should you bump into her? One rule - "stay classy" - hold your head high, smile, remember that you are better than her! (Hold the thought of that after-train party lol)

Kazzellin - welcome aboard! 

[Ponyfan]

Thank you everyone. Taking the small portions and refusing cookie cake  was something I did without really thinking about it. I will have to decide on a reward. I'm on a low budget right now and don't have a lot of extra funds.

Crowing Glory, I should have mentioned you inspiring me before. I had a lot of extra health insurance costs that I had to pay last year that my insurance didn't cover. It is no fun. I'm sorry to hear that you did a lot of the work and your hard work went unnoticed and other people got the credit. I feel like that sometimes. Especially when I stay late and make sure everything looks nice for the next day. I have been caught by other staff members staying over and hour late (that I don't get paid extra for) and being told to go home. Every once in a while someone will tell me thank you for making sure work looked nice and I feel appreciated that someone noticed.   I think many jobs that include watching/taking care of children are work but might not look like it to someone not involved in the field.

Welcome Kazzelin. I hope you're able to find a motivational reward that works for you. I need to work on this as well as I need something I can look forward to but that won't break the bank or be so far off that it loses its appeal as a reward. In one round of Healthy Pony I tried telling myself that I would open a new DVD set that I bought and watch a few episodes. That method only worked for about a day when I realized I couldn't wait to meet another healthy goal to watch more episodes.

Glitterball I think you've done well for September also.   Eating healthy while eating at restaurants isn't easy and I  have to admit that I don't always chose the healthiest option myself. 

Pokeyonekenobie, I can't imagine how you must feel that you might see this person again. I think you deserve a reward after Monday as well.


Ponyfan

[Crowning_Glory13]

Thanks for all the support and letting me vent. I was about to boil over and that could be worse. Trying to get my ebay going and for some reason it won't add a listing??? It bumps me out and then I need to log in again.

[nessa16]

Thank you for the encouragement glitterball.

Artemesia Floc, it's hard to be in a relationship where both have things that they are working on emotionally or mentally. Don't give up. I don't envy anyone the job of quitting smoking, it's hard. Take it slow, have you tried nicotine substitutes like gum or patch to help with cravings?  Your new clothes sound great. It's always nice to get yourself something once in awhile, especially if you need them anyway. As for the running, I know your pain. I struggle with motivation to exercise. Is there an activity that you like better than running, something that you see as fun, not work? I enjoy walking better than running. It may not be as great for improving cardiovascular health but it actually is similar in burning calories, and has health benefits too.

Ponyfan, good work on avoiding the cookie cake (didn't know that could be a thing).

CG, it sucks that your husband makes you feel that way. You need to be happy with your job too. It really bugs me when I hear this inequality between partners, especially when one should be worrying about his or own job but cites being too lazy to do it! I am sorry to hear about the miscarriage. As an OB phone nurse, I work with many patients who have or are going through it. It's unfortunate that you needed to have the surgery, especially since it sounds like 60/40 split.  Positively, I am glad that you're happy with your audition.

POK, CG is right, that's a very tough spot but extreme politeness and avoiding eye contact is best. Don't want to give your current employer/coworkers reason to speculate on your professionalism.

Welcome Kazzelin! Good to have you!

Glitterball....wow, just wow 😳 ! You are killing it. I love your organization and attention to both goals and progress. I strive to be like you.

I will need to come back to report on myself, especially given my novel.

[Ponyfan]

We all need to vent sometimes. 

So far I had a healthy breakfast (two boiled eggs with a little butter substitute and salt) and carrots and a little  dip with my lunch.

I’m trying hard to resist getting an extra snack right now.

Ponyfan

[Crowning_Glory13]

Went on a walk to day. So I got a point. Ate well another point. I gave been knitting so 1 point, and I got 5 items of my weekend list finished. So I am up to 23/100...slowly I will make it to opening big Mac. I am working on a child outfit for knitting. Needed a break from my other projects. I won't have the yarn to finish, but that is ok. Be a reward once we get our funds back on track. Husband wants to eat healthier so that will help. I gained 2 students today!!! So i have 3. Slowly gaining students. That will so help this month.

[Ponyfan]

It sounds like you had a good healthy pony day Crowning Glory. I know you will earn enough points to open Big Mac. I am kind of stuck on a reward for myself right now as I have a low budget and what I really want (new BAB pony) I can't get for a while.

I ended up eating a small snack and 3 very small pieces of candy but still ate pretty healthy today.


Ponyfan

[glitterball]

So yesterday - I got "hormonal" and decided that it would be a "try to relax" day in that I could eat a bit more naughty stuff (but only if I logged it in my diary).

This I did. We had a Mexican-themed meal (tacos, fajitas etc) but I loaded mine with LOTS of shredded fresh lettuce + tomatoes to bulk-up on the more healthier side of things. Dessert was mixed fruit salad + Dream Topping (less calories that real cream) but I also had a tiny portion of my Mum's fruit crumble with a spoon of icecream-van icecream (just so happened the local van stopped outside our house just as we were about to eat so I bought a little tub of My Whippy to share!).

My little girl overheard my "girl-talk" with my Mum and gave me the chocolate part of her Kinder Surprise egg - aww so sweet of her - I could not refuse lol (she never eats the Kinder chocolate anyway) a rare time when I eat chocolate too, but needs must 

The result was that I was about 450 cals over budget for the day, which is not too bad when I consider how good I was all last week. Not going to beat myself up over it! I already decided not to weigh myself this week as it is "hormonal week" and my body does weird stuff like water-retention that tickles the scales the wrong way 

So, it is now Monday morning, enough of the relaxed food attitude and back on track today being healthier + eeek a gym session in an hour. On a lighter note, I visited a car boot sale yesterday morning - no ponies found, BUT I found a posh winter woollen jacket by a company called Hobbs (Kate Middleton wears their clothes) and got it for just £5! AND it was in a smaller size than I normally wear and it fits like a glove - so there was my little reward 

 

Ponyfan - good healthy snacking and how about a relaxing reward like time-out for a dip in the tub surrounded by pretty candles?

Crowning_Glory13 - you are building up your points nicely and YAY for new students! Bah, Ebay was put on this earth to vex us...

nessa16 thank you!  you flatter me!  looking forward to your update!

[Stormness_1]

Guys, I've been super bad at posting, I need my backside kicked! I had a good week considering I felt really crap, but I'm not scoring, because I don't want to bring myself down - I did virtually nothing but keep a positive mindset!

But this week.... OMG GUYS, I GOT THE JOB!!!