As promised, I’m checking in after week two of joining the Healthy Dog Healthy You 30 day challenge. Another week has gone by and it was a pretty good week. I faced some weather challenges however did the best I could, considering the circumstances. In some cases I had to take it easy and focus on hydration and in other cases I had to improvise due to rain.
Week 2 – Challenges
The first part to the week through Tuesday it was quite hot in the New Jersey/New York City area where I am. Monday and Tuesday temperatures were in the upper 90s. Ugh. Hot and muggy is the worst. I documented this on my Instagram page. As a result I didn’t make my 10,000 steps goal everyday during the work week as I hoped. And on Saturday at the end of the week it was a dreary rainy day outside so I improvised and kept exercise light and did an On Demand indoor workout for 10 minute. I also tried a beginner yoga video however, that was a fail since I was unable to perform most of the poses. I’m not the most flexible person, so I improvised along the way and just tried to focus on my breathing. That’s about all I was in the mood for by end of the morning on Saturday.
Week 2 – Achievements
I’m happy overall with my achievements because I’ve been able to alter my routine to fit in those extra steps. It’s hard to break bad habits and in this challenge I’m finding a way to make it a priority to get my steps in. I nailed my 10,000 step goal on 3 days out of the 5 days I set my goal for. One of those days happened to be on the hottest days. My steps can be attributed to a busy day of running around at the office, not because of roaming the streets of NYC on a steamy day. I reached my goal 3 days out of 5 days and that makes me feel good.
Noticing small changes
I have noticed two small changes since completing week two. First, I notice that when I go to sleep I’m sleeping MUCH deeper than before. I’ve never had a problem falling asleep however it has definitely been a while since experiencing that deep REM sleep. One thing I need to work at better is getting to bed earlier so I get more hours in. Getting your sleep on is important!
The second thing I notice is I have slightly less pain in my feet at the end of the day on my commute home. I also feel like I have a smidge more energy throughout the entire day to keep going. I haven’t noticed any weight loss however I know I have room for improvement to make on that. Seeing results on the scale isn’t a quick thing, especially if you are trying to do it the right way. And that’s okay. This leads me to the last point.
Weaknesses & Goals for Week 3
My weakness is carbs and sweets. That’s my downfall. Sweets. I don’t have these things everyday however if I crave it I don’t deny myself. So this is a big goal I need to work on. Also liquid calories. I’m guilty of having coffee with cream for sure or a latte in the afternoon. That’s a goal I need to work on that’s easy to decrease caloric intake. Exploring new recipes and finding healthy substitutes for high calorie foods is a great way to be able to not deny myself treats but rather make tasty food with healthy substitutes.
Final thoughts going into Week 3
My goal for week 3 is to nail my goal of 5 days at 10,000 steps per day. I also want to incorporate new exercise like weight training. I have weights at home to start with. Losing weight is one part, but eating clean, toning and tightening is the other half of the equation. Two weeks down, two weeks to go!
Are you interested in joining the 30 Day Healthy Dog Healthy you Challenge? You can join anytime and it’s FREE. You (and your dog) also can enter for your chance to win giveaway prizes. To learn more details and enter, visit the Sarcastic Dog blog.
Comment & share below. What challenges do you face when trying to get in shape?
