Wellness Wednesday 12.2019: Final Goals Update

Welcome to Wellness Wednesday 12.2019, the last wellness post of the year!  Reviewing for one last time, my progress on the wellness goals I established waaaay back in January.  Had really hoped to earn 5s in all areas but afraid I have fallen short in a category or two.  Let’s see how I wound up.

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY 11.2019

So thankful to my friend Natalie at Natalie the Explorer for coming up with our Wellness Wednesday series and the optional topics for the past 2 years.  I truly believe I am healthier for participating with her.

PHYSICAL HEALTH  5.0 (Holding steady)

We had struggled some in November to get our booties to the gym.  PC and I both gained about 3 pounds but have gotten back on Weight Watchers and back to the gym.  Overall this was probably my most consistently successful category for the year.

• Work back to running 5K  (want to run more regularly again) – Registered for the YMCA Thanksgiving Turkey Trot but it was pouring rain on Thanksgiving morning.  Knowing that we were leaving two days later to visit our parents, we decided not to risk possibly getting sick from running in the cold rain.  I was bummed.  Didn’t get to wear my tutu.  Or my turkey trot tee.  Accidentally snapped this photo on the treadmill at the gym today when I was trying to see the name of the artist singing on my Spotify playlist.  My neck looks like a linebacker’s!  Really isn’t as thick as it appears here.

• Lift weights (at least 4x a week) –  Every time we hit the gym.  On average about 4X a week.  Along with stretching, an abs routine and some kind of aerobic activity.
• Walk 7,200 steps a day and 3 stories (build walks back into my daily routine) – We have been walking and hiking every weekend which gives me a boost to my weekly step and story totals.

NUTRITIONAL HEALTH – 5.0 (HOLDING STEADY)

Keeping this goal a perfect 5.0.  My lifetime WW weight is 138 and I have gained back up to that so want to lose just a little as a buffer for my Christmas eating plans!

• Eat more veggies and fruit (and cook meals at home 4x a week) – With our 3 pound weight gain last month, we are tracking our Weight Watchers points again.  Just home from the commissary this afternoon and have lots of home cooked meals planned, and soup-chili-stew.  But also bought ingredients for holiday cookies, pies and desserts. Hope to behave the next 2 weeks leading up to Christmas baking.  Made this sloppy Joe stew last night.  Easy and delicious.  Recipe coming.

• Drink 75 ounces of water a day (pretty good at this already) – Always.
• Alcohol and sweets on weekends –  Ate too many sweets on our trip but didn’t drink!!  With the exception of one glass of wine.

MENTAL HEALTH – 4.5 (Up .5 points)

Going to bump up my score here to end the year.  I have read more in 2019 than I have in years.  Have enjoyed a number of brain building and creative activities.

• Work puzzles and play word games, practice Spanish (Wordscapes, Word Classic, jigsaw puzzles, Brainscape/Duolingo) – Still doing this but need to step it up a bit.
• Weekly art date (do something creative or attend something artsy) – Scrapbooking, painted more rocks and heading to buy supplies to make Christmas/New Year’s cards.  Have enjoyed Bible journaling again with my gratitude journal 25 Days of Bible Verses for Praise & Thankfulness: A Christian Devotional & Coloring Journal.  

• Read 3 books a month (in order to meet my Goodreads goal) –  About to finish our virtual book club choice Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.  Just lacking a few pages in The Weekend by Suzy England, who is a friend of my sister Valerie.  Just started The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo.  Reading and studying 25 Days of Bible Verses for Praise & Thankfulness for this season of thankfulness.  Will be continuing our virtual book club into the new year.  Would love to have YOU join our virtual book club group!  Holler, if you are interested!  We now have 72 members!!

• Quiet time 5x a week (M-F, bonus points for the weekend) – Packing my Bible, devotional and journaling materials to-go with me on the days I can’t get to it first thing in the morning.

• Attend church more regularly (at least once a month) – Yes, and would like to join a connect group.  Maybe the married connect group.
• Gratitude journal before bed – Incorporating this in my quiet time for now.

RELATIONSHIP HEALTH – 4.5 (Holding steady)

PC’s job situation has been worrisome and while we were blessed to learn he was hired for a job here in El Paso, he has not heard another word since.  We don’t know when he starts and can’t get anyone at the new unit to answer his emails.  In addition, we have had some very difficult days since his mother’s car accident in October.  But we are being kind and patient with one another and hoping to be a blessing to others this holiday.  Took this selfie on Thanksgiving.  My tee says “Fitness?  More like fitness whole pumpkin pie in mouth!”

• Unplug at 9:00 pm – Beginning to be more conscious of this again.  Trying to get on top of blog posts so I am not always doing them the night before!!
• Date night 2x a month (bucket list activities) – We enjoyed a number of activities from my autumn bucket list, here and now from my 2019 mini Christmas bucket list.  But we are being more selective about our date nights – going to see only the best movies, eating out only occasionally.
• Skype with Brennyn/Cady & Lauren/Lucia (read books to my babies) – I will have all my girls under one roof and caught up in one huge family hug in 16 days!  So much we want to do together, but nothing more than just love one another, talk, hug, kiss, snuggle.  I cannot wait.

MAINTAINING HEALTH – 4.5 (Holding steady)

• Use sunscreen on my face daily (moisturizer with SPF) – Have taken better care of my complexion this year.  But still need to get into the dermatologist to have a full body scan to check all of those moles and freckles and polka dots everywhere.  You can see some of those polka dots on my face, here.

• Floss – Stopped using the cordless water flosser but will get back at it. I am flossing the old fashioned way.
• Take vitamins and minerals daily (multi, vitamin B, C, D – LMNOP – flaxseed oil, biotin, magnesium, probiotics) –  Yes and have not been sick (knocks on head) for a long time!!

FINANCIAL HEALTH – 5.0 (Up .5 points)

• Save money for Christmas – Yes, I did this!!  And until now, I haven’t touched what I’ve saved but the time has come to play Santa!
• Pay off Amazon card – Done.  And my Loft card, too.  My credit score is smiling.
• Have money in my checking account at the end of the month – Yes, pennies.  But a penny is a penny, right?  Opened a money market savings account, contributing more to my IRA, and saving more each month.
• Looking for a part-time job – Still helping with Lucia for a little extra money several days a month and have been subbing a couple times a week.  Lauren’s due date with Camila is the first week of January, so I will need to help out more than ever.  And then we’ll see about VIPKids or a part-time job.

Your Turn

How did you wind up doing on your goals for Wellness Wednesday 12.2019 and the year?  Won’t you share something you are most proud of in your efforts toward a healthier you?  And if you have a wellness related blog post, how ’bout linking it up with us?  Then take a few moments to stop by the blogs of some of the others.