It’s time for another goal check
As we enter a new season…and the end of another month…it’s time for a goal check and a chance to connect with the What’s Been On Your Calendar (#WBOYC) gang.
Health and fitness
September progress
- Increase the number of days in which I eat no more than 13 grams of saturated fat. I will call this a success if I reach 15 days by the end of the month. I haven’t done as well on this as I had hoped. We’ve eaten out more than usual this month, which makes it challenging to accurately track saturated fat and to keep the number low. As of the writing of this post, I have managed 10 days under 13 grams of saturated fat. That means, I’ll need to achieve five out of the six days remaining in this month. Fingers crossed that I can make that happen!
- Increase my average daily produce consumption by one serving a day, for a total of five. I’m hovering at about 4.75 servings of produce per day at this point. If I can fit in an extra serving per day for the rest of the month, the goal is still doable.
Lessons learned
I am definitely getting a feel for how much saturated fat is in many of the foods I regularly eat, and I have a better handle on how much produce I typically consume, as well as ways to add more. I’m also re-learning that eating healthy when eating out requires extra effort. As always, moderation is the key. Some days, you want what you want…and that’s not always low in saturated fat or high in produce…and that’s okay. The important thing for me is being intentional about my choices, and I have done that this month. So I’m claiming the win.
October goal
In accordance with my overall goal to reduce highly processed foods, I have decided to quit purchasing canned Diet Coke. I will still drink fountain Diet Coke on occasion as a treat, but will no longer keep it in my home.
Joy
September progress
Celebrate the beginning of autumn…my favorite season…by putting up a few decorations, enjoying a pumpkin treat, and getting out a sweater or two. Mission accomplished! The weather is still pretty warm where I live, so I haven’t had the opportunity to put on a sweater, but I have surrounded myself with other autumn-themed treats. Here’s a small sampling.
Lessons learned
Autumn is still my favorite season, and pumpkin really is my super food!
October goal
Take a photo representing something for which I am grateful each day of the month.
Learning and growth
September progress
Continue with the mindbodygreen coaching course. Mission accomplished. I have completed all of the coursework to date and passed each weekly quiz. I conducted three more coaching sessions and had another positive faculty review.
Lessons learned
I can do hard things…and sometimes I choose not to. I have no regrets about my decision to enroll in this course and give it everything I’ve got, but once the course is completed (in November), I may take a break from committing to something this challenging…or time-consuming…for a while. There is a reason I retired.
October goal
Continue with the mindbodygreen coaching course. In addition to the weekly coursework, this will include three more coaching sessions, a faculty review, and making up a class that I will miss while I am on a mini-vacation. (See October’s Relationship goal below.)
Relationships/connections
September progress
Be fully present for the many fun things I have on the calendar during September. MIssion accomplished! I was blessed to have numerous family gatherings this month, and I made a conscious effort to savor those times and truly be in the moment. I did such a good job that for the most part I didn’t stop and take photos, but I did get these of my lovely sister when she and her husband stayed with us one weekend.
Lessons learned
I have a wonderful family. Okay, I already knew that, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded on occasion. Also, the greatest gift you can give others…and yourself…is your undivided attention.
October goal
Take a trip to San Antonio, Texas with one of my sisters. Reservations are made, and I am very excited!
Your turn
So that’s what I’ve been up to this month and a little of what I am looking forward to in October. Now it’s your turn.
- What have you been doing in September?
- Do you have any fun plans for October?
- What else is on your mind? Anything at all; I just love to hear from you.
You’ve made good progress on your food and drink goals. I don’t drink soda but I know it can be difficult to break the habit. I wish you well.
My September was dry and crunchy [drought conditions] until yesterday when it became cloudy, rainy-ish, and blah. I usually adore September but this year the weather got me down, too many dying lawns and bushes.
Maybe October will live up to its fall hype. 🍁
I don’t drink large amounts of soda, Ally, but I figure less is definitely better in this case. We had a dry and hot September too with one brief cool spell (relatively speaking). The good news is the nights are cooling off, so that gives me hope. Here’s to Mother Nature realizing what season it is soon!
Hi Christie – it’s good to see that you’re heading in a positive direction with all your goals – and also being practical about allowing a little leeway in the mix. Lovely seeing you and Cindy in your matching shoes (I can see why you both bought them – very cool). Good luck with the coaching course and with your October goals – I hope you share a few of those gratitude photos in your next post. x
Thank you for the encouragement, Leanne. Those matching shoes are very comfortable too. That’s what attracted me to them, especially for travel. I suspect some of the gratitude photos will make their way into my next goal-update post. Perhaps they will ease me back into Thank You Notes posts. I’ve taken a lot fewer photos recently, which lead to the demise of that monthly series on my blog. I hope you are having an enjoyable week!
I have almost given up diet soda completely. Every once in a while I will have a fountain Diet Coke but I am not drinking anywhere near the amount I once drank. We drink a lot of Crystal Light flavored water and PC loves Clear American sparkling water at Walmart. He is drinking MUCH more water since we discovered Clear American.
Enjoyed seeing you and your sister together. Hope you guys had a good weekend. Will you be going to San Antonio with her or another sister? It is a fun city and October will be a great month to play tourist there.
I should follow your good lead about eating saturated fat. And I really need to cut back on sugar. But I don’t wanna!!! Ha!!
Made a summer bucket list and haven’t looked at it again. I know we did a number of the things on the list but all of the goals I had for projects around the house remain undone. Maybe we can bump them to fall.
I haven’t had Crystal Light in quite a while, Leslie, but I did used to enjoy the lemonade. I am going to San Antonio with the same sister who came to visit me recently. We are both in points of our careers and family-raising where we can get away more easily than my other siblings.
As for your summer bucket list, sometimes I think the act of creating the list sets the intention in your mind, and you do things you otherwise might not have, even if you never look at the list again. Here’s to a happy, productive fall!
I hear you on taking on something that is quite time consuming as the course sounds and then reminding yourself ‘hey I am supposed to be retired’. I found last year that was the case with my volunteering as an Ambassador for Head and Neck Cancer Australia. Because of my nature I gave it far more of my all…and then wondered why I felt tired….
I can see you are enjoying this coming month and the season.
We have had hot and cold days in the last week..it’s called Spring here in Australia.
Take care
Denyse
Ha ha, Denyse. Even though we live across the world from each other, we share an unpredictable spring in common. We have a saying around here, “If you don’t like the weather in Utah, just wait a minute.”
Hi, Christie – Thank you for linking up with us a #WBOYC. I’m not sure if it just my computer but I could not open your post from your linkup (I received an error messaged saying “ChristieHawkes.com refused to connect.” It could be just be my computer, but I was able to open the other linkups.
Donna
It’s not you…it’s me, Donna. Several people are having difficulty reaching my site from InLinkz. I believe it has to do with my security settings, but so far, I haven’t had any luck adjusting them to make it work. I do appreciate your extra effort in coming to visit my site directly.
Hi, Christie – Thanks for letting me know. I was able to get into all of the other InLinkz sites but I do understand about security settings. I am confident that most readers will go to your site directly as I did, and you could always add your url link underneath your comments on our host posts.
Donna
You’re welcome, Donna. And thanks for the suggestion to include my url in comments.
Hi Christie you are certainly kicking goals and I didn’t realise you were so close to finishing your course. Well done. I just adore the Autumn (Fall) colours so you have made my day including some photos. Have a lovely October, we have just planned a short getaway for the end of November which will be here before we know it! Thanks as always for supporting #WBOYC?.
Isn’t it so nice to have something fun to look forward to on the calendar, Sue? It’s part of the joy of those experiences…and then of course the fond memories and photos afterward! Thank you for hosting #WBOYC. I always look forward to that as well.
Hi sis, I really enjoyed our time together, as well. I’m so grateful for you and all of my family. I can’t wait for San Antonio.
You’re doing great on your health goals (all your goals really).
I was so strict about eating healthy for a little bit that when my daughter came over with homemade white rolls I almost denied myself. Then I thought, hey-they’re organic! And thoroughly enjoyed it! Moderation in all things, right?
I love our family too, sister! I am happy to hear that you are making room in your eating for treats…especially homemade ones!
Hi Christie, this is inspiring to read of your efforts and I agree it’s very hard when eating out. We’re away from home for 7 weeks and I’m telling you it’s hard to stay on track – but all things in moderation!
I love that we’re a ‘gang’, that made me smile 🙂
Thanks for being part of our #WBOYC gang x
Wow, seven weeks, Debs. That is a long time to be away from home, but as you say, moderation is the key. I meant “gang” in the nicest way. I’m glad you took it with a smile. Thanks for being one of the leaders of this very friendly #WBOYC gang!
You’re doing so well with your goals – another set of wins. I love how pumpkin is such a thing in the US. Here we have it in soup, roasted, in salads, and sometimes in scones, but that’s it. Thanks for linking up with us again this month.
Thank you for the encouragement, Jo. Pumpkin is a big thing in the states. I enjoy it both in savory and sweet snacks…and, of course, as a decoration!
Impressive going with your goals Christie 🙂 I’ve largely given up on diet sodas too. There was a time when I could not function with one or two ice cold diet cokes a day during the hot weather. If I fall of the wagon now, I feel digestively “off” so I’m reminded why it’s a good idea to stay away.
I’m looking forward to getting into October and not only because I love the season. I’ve been dealing with a couple of big clients at my day job for a few months now which have required intensive levels of availability and handholding which I didn’t sign up for when I moved to part-time working. They should both soon be at the end of the changes and I can go back to a normal, and properly balanced, life once more.
I imagine I may also eventually give up Diet Coke altogether, Debs. For now, I’m changing the mindset from a daily drink to a once-in-a-while treat. I always said I would never give up my evening sweet. After making the switch to more healthy options most nights, I’ve found over time, I crave the sweet treat less, and unless there is a special item I want to savor that night, I skip the treat and just have my hot drink. It’s funny how you really can retrain your tastes.
I hope that October is more relaxing for you than the last few months have been and that you can enjoy the season.