Awesome August Challenge - Week Four Update

I’m ready for the last few days of this Awesome August! I plan to finish strong.


I’m feeling 90%. I pushed it a little bit in the gym yesterday and feel pretty good today. I’ll probably do the same today -- a full hour, but with a less intensity.

Ugh! I confess that my sleep/bedtime goals were simply awful. I was lucky if I was in bed by 11:30 pm. I’m going to do my best to have my lights out by 10:30 pm for the rest of this month.

My fun activity was yesterday. We spent the evening laughing and talking. It was great! I also tried a new dish/recipe. I’ll upload pics later.

Awesome August Update – Week Three

Week Three was a rough week. I wasn’t feeling well. I think I had the flu. As a result, I stayed out of the gym and I focused on lighter exercise, light weights, and yoga at home. I wasn’t feeling too well on Thursday so I did not attend my meditation group, but I did keep up my home practice. I do feel the lighter exercise routine was beneficial. Even though I did not burn the amount of calories I’d like, I wasn’t eating as much either. It will all balance out.

I had a great time with a friend on Saturday. While my spirit really wanted to spend hours walking around enjoying the festival, my body just wasn’t having it. We ended up going to this little Vietnamese/Thai restaurant because she wanted me to try this soup. She claimed the spices would knock out the bug that was plaguing me. She was right! It was just what the doctor order! Unfortunately, I can’t remember the name. It was a spicy broth with bits of white-meat chicken, lots of garlic, and lemongrass. I broke out in a sweat right at the table. Sunday I saw the movie ‘The Help’ with my good friend Jennifer. It was a wonderful end to a rough week.

My sleep/bedtime has been okay. I am getting in the bed but I have been reading for at least an hour. I really think I have some type of mental block about going to bed before 11.

I’m feeling much better and ready for another awesome week!

P.S. Lastly, my tweeting has been off. I need to get back in the groove.

Awesome August Update - Week Two

Another awesome week in August for me! Last week I focused on meditation, stretching, and yoga. I know I did a really good job in this area because I was sick all weekend. I must have released some serious toxic energy! It started Friday afternoon when I started feeling really tired. That evening I had a nice therapeutic pedicure and Saturday I attended a meditation workshop. I received many confirmations and revelations during the workshop.


By the middle of the afternoon session, I started sweating and feeling dizzy. I wasn’t sure if I was going to pass out or vomit. I sat in the restroom for a good 15 minutes. I then sat in the reception area to cool off. Once I felt I was present and back in my body, I returned and manage to make it through the last two hours. Yesterday, I canceled my plans and stayed home to rest. I’m still feeling a bit off. I’m going to do some grounding meditation today. I also plan to do a light workout session in the gym today.

Awesome August Update - Week One

Happy Monday! Let’s see:

1. My meditation practice was consistent. I sat on the cushion for at least 15 minutes each day. I also attended my meditation group on Thursday night.

2. I hit my exercise goal exercising for a minimum of 60 minutes (can you say overachiever?) and burned at least 400 calories each session. My legs are sore! My knee is bothering me a little bit. This week I want to put more emphasis on my stretching routine.

3. Hydration. I could have done better in this area. I’m not tracking my water intake every day. There were a couple of times I thought I’d finish my water only to find my bottle on half full on the kitchen counter or my night stand.

4. Sleep. I am most proud of my achievement in this area. It was a struggle but I did it. One or two nights I was 10 minutes or so late get in bed but I did it! The only problem I had with going to bed by 10:30 pm is that I found myself tossing and turning until midnight and waking up at 5. I’d eventually go back to sleep until 7. It is weird how my body has gotten used to so little sleep. I do feel a bit better.

5. Play. Saturday night I attended a birthday celebration at an Indian restaurant. Food, friends, and fun! What more can I say about that?

Awesome August Challenge

Today is the first day of Healthy Loser Gal’s Awesome August Challenge. I’ve decided to fine tune a few healthy habits I’ve been working on for the past few months. One of the things I need to focus on is consistency.

1. Prayer and meditation. While I do this on a regular basis, I want to schedule dedicated time for my spiritual practice.

2. Exercise. I want to continue working out for at least 45 minutes, burning at least 400 calories per session five days a week.

3. Hydration. This is a HUGE challenge for me. I am going to drink at least 64 oz. of water each day.

4. Sleep. I am very hesitant about putting this one in writing. However, it needs to be addressed. I am not getting adequate sleep. I’m going to take a tiny step here and commit to going to bed by 10:30 pm, Monday – Friday.

5. Play. There is a HUGE opportunity in this area of my life. I work between 40 – 70 hours a week. While I had made some improvements, I need to be more consistent. I will make sure I schedule a play date each week.

Okay, I've marked my calendar to post an update next Monday.  Let’s do this!