Healthy Pony It's the home stretch

[Artemesia's Garden]

Just a reminder with the challenge. You start when you want to start it. You just have to do something for 7 days in a row. This is hope that we can make a habit out of something. You have until healthy pony is over to try and complete it:)

Arte: I know your mental state can be hard. I fight with mine too. Before I would go to interviews I would write down good things about me. "I am smart, I did good on my resume, I work very hard, I did good on my make-up, etc" so I would read before my interview over and over again. I would keep the positive vibe with me through the interview.

OK I will try to do job related activities for the next seven days.  This is day 1 because I just finished another job application.  I will search different places for job adverts every day and keep up my fitness because I know it's good for my confidence.

Thank you I will try that.  I've tried thinking of anwsers to common questions and writing those down but they are often wrong and I just get stuck trying to remember things. This idea sounds much better.

I'm sorry to hear about your depression and husband's schedule.  I had a semi-nocturnal boyfriend for a while and it sucked.

[banditpony]

Day 1 of dieting... Here we go!

So much going wrong in my life it's not even funny. >.<

[aquamarinemolly]

I think I'm ready to start my challenge!  One of my three goals for healthy pony was to reintegrate strength training back into my workouts in a way that I enjoy (because if I don't enjoy something, then I won't do it!) I'd like to start with a 1 week core clinic!

One of the reasons I struggle with weight training is that it makes me feel more dense and heavy in my body (I prefer to feel feminine and flexible)...but strong abs and back support good posture, and never add bulk, so it seems like an ideal place to start. I've pinned a bunch of core workouts, including the classing "8-Minute Abs" so for seven days in a row, I'm going to add some core training to my workout ...and FOR YOU GUYS <3 I'll do it wearing pony shirts! ::brace yourselves, gym selfies incoming!::

Thank you so much for this challenge Crowning Glory, this really is a great way to establish new habits.

My other goals were to sign up to run a 10k with a friend and learn some new recipes for preparing healthy (not boring) meals...those still need some work but I'm still running regularly and at least I've started.

Post Merge: July 19, 2016, 06:08:44 AM

Day 1 of dieting... Here we go!

So much going wrong in my life it's not even funny. >.<

:: Good luck bandit, I'm sorry things haven't been going great. You're starting something new today, so that's definitely going to help!

[Kitkumi]

Yesterday was a pretty good start to my challenge. I finished up a pendant that had been sitting on my work desk for a few weeks, and then this morning for day two I sat down and tackled a keychain that had been sitting there for just as long that I wasn't sure how best to make. Both pieces were requests from a friend of mine, so I figured that I should start my challenge by working through my small backlog of items before I started working on new items to add to my etsy store. And just for fun, some pictures!

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I also got out and walked yesterday for about an hour, though it was too hot and humid to go any longer than that. I shouldn't have gone out mid day though because I ended up getting way to over heated and felt sick the rest of the day. Upside, I felt bad enough that dinner was super light, and I had no want to snack at all Silver lining? I'm feeling back to normal this morning though, and I plan to put more focus on exercise I can do in the house through the day, and then go out to walk once it gets cooler in the evening.

@Raspberry Brulee- Healthy cooking can be so much fun, and if you find the right recipes boring is not an issue. Pulled turkey is one of my favorite dishes to make, just because it is really lean and filling, and you can turn it in to a million other things (like soups, sandwiches, stuffed vegetables, etc.) so the flavor profile doesn't get boring. Also congrats on running regularly! I'm sure by the end healthy pony you'll be more than ready to sign up for a 10k

@banditpony - Sorry to hear that things aren't going well at the moment *many hugs* Hopefully starting a new routine will help shake off some of the bad and replace it with good!

@Artemesia Floc - I hope that your job hunting is going well. Applying for a job has always freaked me out and can be really stressful, but Crowning_Glory13's idea of repeating positive things about yourself before hand is a super great idea! And if it is still stressful, read your positive notes about yourself out loud. Sometimes hearing someones voice, even if it is just your own, can really help decrease negative feelings.

   

[Artemesia's Garden]

Today I emailed my volunteering supervisor to book in some more sessions, and I also heard back that I've been shortlisted for a new volunteering role within University of Cambridge Museums.  I have been relaxing too.  massage yesterday, beach today and I drove 140 miles.  I'm a learner and this is monumental.  I might even pass my test in November!

[retrogradenova]

So my general plan was to post my updates on Mondays. I've been putting off posting for the last two days, that may give you a hint as to how good my week was.

It started out really well, I was doing a bit of walking, got daily sketches done the first two days. Wednesday started out good, but as the day went on lots of little things got in my way of getting things I wanted to do done. For example the post office closes early on Wednesdays, which I didn't know. And I came back from the post office to find the dogs had gotten into the trash and spread it throughout the house. It was very frustrating. I tried drawing a charmander for the first time, as I have had pokemon on the brain. It makes the sprites from the original games look like the Mona Lisa. I need to work on my pokemon drawing skills 

 I tried to show my friend the sketch of Cool Breeze I did, and he criticized it very harshly, specifically commenting on how I should have more of a finished piece when I spent more than an hour on it. I didn't really feel like doing any sketching after that.

The bright side of the week, I did nearly get my first custom done. The wet weather slowed things down as the sealant wouldn't dry. I'm hoping to finish her up in the next couple days. I also had a really nice time with my husband at the mall on Sunday, after I got an eye exam. I'm now wearing contacts for the first time since '09 and they feel great. It makes me really happy to be able to see when trying to put on make up.

Monday I tried to talk to my friend about how he hurt me with his criticism, but he only doubled down on it. I spent the rest of the feeling really down as I tried to digitally ink some of my sketches from the week before. I've spent the last couple days questioning my abilities as an artist, and what it means for my life if I don't accomplish anything with it. I don't think I've been this depressed since 2012. I've been trying all day to bring myself out of it. I tried talking about it with a different friend, but all he keeps saying is that I need therapy and that my other friend was right. Now all I want to do is curl up in bed again. 

Anyways I'm sorry if I'm being too negative with this post. Issues of self-doubt are really hard to conquer and I'm really struggling right now to be positive.

[Artemesia's Garden]

Retrogradenova, that does sound a bit harsh. Maybe they are being super critical because you're thinking of doing it professionally. You need some friends you can rely on for unwavering support, some who will be honest even if harsh but be very wary of so called friends who undermine you, compete with you or otherwise dent your self esteem. Keep setting your own goals and do the best you can. Maybe you will never know if you can make it until you start working for clients.

[JazzMatazz]

I've been getting outside more but second hayfever season just hit full force with the corn tassels so it means me being stuck in side more

[aquamarinemolly]

I've been getting outside more but second hayfever season just hit full force with the corn tassels so it means me being stuck in side more

Blargh, that's the worst! It's as if nature is getting in our way...Any medications that help manage the symptoms? My mother suffers terribly from hayfever too, I know it's the WORST. 

[banditpony]

My diet has been going great. I've strangely not been hungry even though I cut out all processed foods. (Usually I feel miserable for the first few days.) I miss rice and all the good yummy bad foods. u_u; taking it day by day, this won't last forever.

I tried to show my friend the sketch of Cool Breeze I did, and he criticized it very harshly, specifically commenting on how I should have more of a finished piece when I spent more than an hour on it. I didn't really feel like doing any sketching after that.

Don't show your art to that friend anymore, people can give crits but be nice about it. My highschool bestfriend put down my art and it pretty much made me give up... which, honestly, it wasn't that bad-- I just needed to improve. She was just being blunt, but it was hurtful to me.

[Artemesia's Garden]

Just a quick update as I need to get up early tomorrow.

Yesterday I did general job searches and found a few things to apply for.  I also helped my friends with their allotment and ate dinner with them, making a new art contact in the process. Today I started on the interview task for next Friday and went for a swim.  This is all in between sobbing uncontrollably.  But I'm coping. Hope everyone else is doing well.

[Crowning_Glory13]

I just want to give everyone hugs. Not only are you working towards your own goals, but you are also helping each other. I so glad I started doing this again.

Way to go on those working on the challenge. I have had to start over a couple times, but each try I go a little longer.

Raspberry Brûlée : "I don't enjoy it, I don't do it" was the best thing ever said:) I might use that for more things in my tasks. I can not wait for the gym selfies with pony shirts...I wish I could find pony clothing.

Kitkumi thanks for being positive here. It's a joy to read your posts. Your jewelry was neat. I can not wait to see more. Progress pictures can help motivate. It helps me when I do big knitting projects.

Arte: you are doing some great things in your progress. If in your posts I hear more positive notes. You do have some great advice.

JazzMatazz: sorry you are stuck inside. It's hard dealing with the outside elements. Running in place while looking out a window can help get you outside but not miserable. I run in place during commercials if I feel like binge watching tv.

Sorry it has been a while. I have a heart condition. There is nothing I can do it just randomly speeds up and slows down. Sometimes it's too fast or too slow and I end up in hospital...or bed rest. Lucky no hospital as I can not afford it, but I was confined. So I have not gotten much in my goals done. This did help me finish a knitted hat with kitty ears for October.

[banditpony]

CHALLENGE!! I am throwing in a challenge! You can gain FIVE VOTES!

Here is the challenge. You have to so something for 7 days in a row. It can be anything.

o_o took the challenge, and did it! I walked an average of 3.5miles each day. ; Worked through my anxiety and just did it... through terrible humid weather. I think it's such a good activity but I don't think I can do it on weekdays due to family. :<

:') The bummer part of it is that pokemon go didn't work 3-4 days during those walks. All those eggs I could of hatched, lol!

[Kitkumi]

CHALLENGE!! I am throwing in a challenge! You can gain FIVE VOTES!

Here is the challenge. You have to so something for 7 days in a row. It can be anything.

o_o took the challenge, and did it! I walked an average of 3.5miles each day. ; Worked through my anxiety and just did it... through terrible humid weather. I think it's such a good activity but I don't think I can do it on weekdays due to family. :<

:') The bummer part of it is that pokemon go didn't work 3-4 days during those walks. All those eggs I could of hatched, lol!

Congrats! That is a really impressive total each day, especially in this heat! And I fully agree about Pokemon Go. I've been using it to motivate my own walking as well, and those days where it would hardly work was hard lol. Hopefully you caught some awesome things when it was working though.

My update for the week: I managed to finish my own challenge this week too! I wanted to do work on jewelry/etsy projects and get at least a step of the process done each day. This also helped motivate and help me focus on the small backlog of projects I had accumulated and had scattered around in various states of 'done' lol. I managed to get through my entire backlog, and was able to start on some new shop pieces, so I'm really going to try to carry this motivation in to the coming week as well (shared the first two pieces I finished earlier this week, but here is everything I was able to get done all together)

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I also did mildly well with motivating myself to exercise. The heat in our area is killing me, I've never dealt well with it, so I didn't get to go out for any super long walks at any point like I wanted, but I broke out the DDR Mario Mix my mom got me for christmas last year (such a throw back, I love it!) and played for a few hours on Wednesday and Thursday , and did about a half hour of weight lifting on Tuesday and Thursday. Starting this Monday I'm going to try to get on an every day schedule where I do some cardio workout on one day, and weight lifting on the other, with Saturday being a rest day.

[aquamarinemolly]

I hear you Kitkumi! weight lifting is such a struggle for me too. For some reason, it makes me feel more heavy in my body, like I'm more dense. Stronger too of course, but usually I am happiest when I feel light, flexible and free...and I can DEFINITELY testify to how much fun DDR is! I remember playing it with my roommate freshman year in the basement of the dorms, and we were both sweaty and sore the next morning! It's a great workout and so much fun <3

Keep going for those COMBOS!