It’s beginning to feel a lot like fall.

Yesterday I about cried.  Hunni went out to walk the dogs at 7AM and there was frost on the grass…and I couldn’t get out of bed.  Not because my back hurt or anything but because it was soooooooo cold in our apartment and I didn’t know where the closest sweat shirt was so I could go to the bathroom.  It was not a pretty sight.  I did manage to make it out of bed and get ready for church but it kind of made me realize that although summer never showed up fall is here (even if the calender says she’s not). 

This is where I live but I didn't take the pic.

So for me I had to think about how fall was going to change life.  Sure fall happens every year but this year is different.  All the previous years I was either in school (undergrad and seminary) so fall marked new classes or I was teaching and the same thing was true.  Fall was the end of freedom and the beginning of responsibility.  And last year we were done with seminary but right about this time I was still recovering from surgery.  In fact as of this date a year ago I had just been released from the hospital and Hunni took me home in a long sleeved race t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants.  I looked like a hot mess (is that supposed to be good…i never know 🙂  ).

 

But this year is different.  I’ve had a full year of health and wellness and now fall kind of has a different meaning.  I worked all summer and now I’ll work all fall so that’s no different.  I exercised, I ate healthy (with a few exceptions for chocolate and junk), and I just lived life.  Kind of strange for me.  So I wanted to think of how I could use this change of seasons to motivate me to move forward like it used to when I was the student or teacher.  There has to be a motivation here instead of the opposite where I want to sit on the couch under my snuggie and do nothing but drink hot tea and eat soup while watching football and reality TV…. Okay so I still do that on a Sunday afternoon after church but I don’t it to be my life.

 

So here are my challenges to myself this fall to make sure I don’t put on some extra poundage for “warmth” and slack off on the exercise because “its too cold.”

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  Rodney and I are going to get strong! (wait he already is)

  Do yoga at least 3 times a week.  I bought a new power DVD with Rodney Yee (the “man” in yoga).  And I found a studio that offers hot and heated yoga about an hour from here that I want to try to go at least once a month.  I love that mind clearing, Jell-O, relaxed feeling. 

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  Seriously my favorite channel on TV.

  Get in cardio at least 4 times a week.  This may seem like a lot for some but for me it’s moderate.  I’ve done as much as 7 days a week before so I know I can do 4 no problem.  I have a gym membership, DVD’s and FitTV to help me do this. 

• 

  Doesn't it look so alluring just laying there.

  Stop the Diet Coke habit TODAY!  I’ve been saying that I’d stop drinking the crack after I got back from Colorado.  Well we got back on Friday at midnight and then I had to make it through the weekend.  SO today is my official stop day.  I’m freaking out because I need caffiene but I just made a nice pot of half-caf french vanilla biscotti coffee that I should enjoy.  It will be hard but I’m doing it!

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  So maybe I won't sleep all day but I wish I was.

  Build easy to cook/warm/hearty and healthy meals.  Hunni and I actually looked at my WW cookbook on saturday before our groceries trip and picked out a bunch of great soups, casseroles and stews we can make in the crockpot.  I love the smell of dinner being done when I get home and they will be a life saver when it comes time for Kettles.  Kettles is when time goes of Fast Forward for The Salvation Army.

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  No not really...but the bunny is cute. 🙂

  And finally, takes some ME time.  For me this does include the exercise because I do it for myself but it also means continuing to work on my quilting, reading great books I have on my want list, writing more emails to friends, calling people I care about, and visiting people.  I have a trip to see FAME with a friend in Holyoke this weekend and I need to do more of that or I get isolated and eat.  So for now it is all about ME -(and Hunni too because he needs to take care of himself too).   Funny side story:  I kind of like Toby Keith’s music, don’t hate me…it makes me giggle.  Well we were trying to do a group project in seminary about selfishness and we wanted to do a choreographed kind of dance but none of the other girls could come up with a song.  So I suggested the Toby Keith song “Its all about ME” and it went perfect. We got and A!  😀

 

So there you have it… I’m actually looking forward to fall now with new goals in mind instead of keeping with the old ones that weren’t exactly working all the time.  What are your fall goals?  What do you want to do this season?