Taking care of ME

I am very glad to say that I'm taking the rest of the week off work to concentrate on ME. I needed a break and decided this was the best thing I can do. At first, I was going to go away for the weekend with my daughters. But after thinking about it (and realizing they have plans of their own....) I think it will be best to stay home and do some things for myself. It's easy as a working mom to neglect myself. Every once in a while I have to slow down and take care of ME.

My husband is taking a trip to see his folks in Washington state. I wish I could join him but work and school just didn't cooperate this time. So, without my hubby for the weekend I'm trying to figure out some fun things to do. I plan on getting some running in. I might even visit one of the state parks for a hike. There will be a BBQ championship in Nashville also this weekend that sounds like fun. I haven't made any definite plans yet but am keeping my options open. I'm sure that it will include rest, relaxation and running.

What do you do to recharge when you feel run down?

Weekly goals review

It's almost Friday and I thought now is a good time to revisit my personal goals from earlier in the week.
Here is a link to that post, in case you missed it...http://lovinglifeintn.blogspot.com/2011/06/goals.html

Fitness Goals. I have to say that I am proud of myself for working out this week. I have stuck to my calendar and completed every workout that I planned. That's progress. In the past, some weeks I would only do 1 or 2 workouts, depending on my schedule. My new work schedule rocks too! I do have to work on Fridays now, but I'm much happier and healthier just knowing I'm not overwhelmed by being a workaholic. I am happy that I was able to stick to the fitness plan this week. It's a great feeling to log workouts on my calendar. I am still trying out some of the local gyms in the area. I hope to make a decision by the end of the weekend.

Healthy eating. I have done well with my healthy eating this week. I managed to bring my lunch every day and I made sure to bring lots of healthy, unprocessed food. Today was a little tough because we had an office lunch. It was catered by Jason's Deli. I was glad to see a platter of fresh fruit and veggies to have instead of chips. The sandwich platter was an assortment of different sandwiches and wraps. Lunch was fine, but there were desserts too! A co-worker made a homeade cake that was absolutely scrumptious! I had a small piece plus one chocolate brownie. The next challenge....trying to eat healthy during the weekend.

Time for me. I feel that I have accomplished this goal also. Several nights this week, I took the time to listen to my relaxation music before bed. I also took a detox bath by candlelight. I didn't have time to schedule a massage, but I was able to relax on my own.

So, overall I feel this has been a good week and I applaud myself for staying on track. You Go Girl!!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Rest Day

According to my schedule, today is a rest day for me. I'm happy about that.





I have been religiously working out 5 days a week now and look forward to those rest days! Especially when I over do it some the day before. I did a running workout at Murfreesboro Athletic Club last night.

I chose a treadmill in the Cardio Theater room. That has to be the coolest thing! It was a good workout for me even though it seemed as my pace slowed down some. The running seemed easier to me. I really love that! I AM getting stronger. I noticed my leg muscles were getting stiff last night before bed and this morning they really feel tight! I need to stretch more, obviously. Mental note taken.

I'm looking forward to going home after work, sipping some herbal tea (or possibly a glass of Merlot) and taking a detox bath while listening to my "chill" music. Ahhhh!

What is your relaxation routine?

Monday

It was a busy Monday. I didn't sleep well last night so I was tired all day. Even though I drank almost an entire pot of coffee, I seemed to be walking around in a daze!!

After work, I came home and ate leftovers from the large feast I cooked yesterday. I can't say it was all healthy, but it was very good. Even the second time. We had BBQ chicken, white beans, sweet potatoes, turnip greens and cornbread. Comfort food!

I hope Tuesday will be a less stressful day!  Time for meditation and relaxation. Ohm....

Manic Monday

What a Monday! I was very overwhelmed most of the day with so much work that I couldn't get caught up. I really don't like days like that. I even resorted to closing my office door for most of the afternoon. The bummer was the meeting that ran long during my lunch hour and got me off track. And I ended up working late to try to finish the things that were top priority. Whew! Now, I'm home and starting to relax a bit. 

I have been known to be a "stressed out" person by nature. But I had learned ways to deal with it, or so I thought. Some days are worse than others. And I wasn't too bright in choosing my career as an accountant. I think its one of the most stressful jobs out there. So tonight I will try to remember the ways to deal with stress and see if it works. Wish me luck!

What works for you?

The "Me" movement

I just joined the ME movement! Here's a link to the webpage for more information.

http://nurtureprinciples.com/the-me-movement/pledge/

I am all about setting goals and doing my best to stick to them. Especially when the goals are about taking care of myself. Therefore....I pledge to take care of myself during the holidays this year. It's easy to get stressed out over family dinners, shopping, and December is the month I have more family members birthdays than any other month. I will make sure to plan time for myself during the stressful times that the holiday season can bring. I have set 3 goals:

1. I will be more mindful of what I eat and try to stay on track. but i will not feel guilty if i indulge occassionly. 
2. I will stay active every day and continue training for a 5K. I will celebrate small victories and not stress over obstacles. 
3. I will schedule time for me - time for relaxation, alone time doing things i enjoy in a non stressful environment. i'm working on a "mom cave."

What a wonderful idea! Being able to set goals to help me remember to take care of ME!

"Mom cave"? The "mom cave" is an idea I have for creating the perfect room for relaxation, a tranquility room. I imagine a room with comfy seating, lots of pillows, scented candles and relaxing music playing softly. A mini fridge for wine to be chilling and one wine glass. (It's for me, right?) A massage chair and foot spa are other additions that I feel are necessary. I began getting relaxation massages a few months ago and I cannot tell you how much they have helped me. I suppose my "mom cave" is representative of the feeling I have after getting my massage. I almost forgot....one small detail. There are no kids or husbands allowed. I don't feel that I would need to use the room very often, but how wonderful it would be after a stressful day!

So, here I go. I pledge to take care of ME!