Post: #1

I'm doing really good. After the new year's eve party I woke up at 7 o'clock Already drank 2 glasses of water, and now it's time for my weetabix+milk breakfast. NO MORE chicken-bacon-mayo bagette and no more coffee which was practically sugar with a hint of coffee

I have some questions too, need to do some research. Green or fruit tea count when I think about my daily amount? And I already walk minimum 25 minutes every day, sometime double, sometimes triple as I decided to give up the bus for shorter distance. And some other small things like I will use the stairs wherever I can. Does this count as an exercise too?
What else?

No more aspartam, junk food, alcohol and sweets. More fruits, more vegetable, more dairy products, more herbs and spicies instead of too much salt. At weekends I will cook to myself and maybe try to organise a sort of come dine with me club

Daily meditation. I found some really good guided ones on youtube. As I need to wake up at 4:30 on working days I will meditate in the evening.

Another thing, I read somewhere an interesting idea about diaries. When you write it directly before you go to bed, your brain will be full of those things what you wrote. That's why you need to write positively. Not what you haven't done but what you achieved even if it's not true. For example you meet a guy but too scared to talk to him, you can write - Today I met this gorgeous guy. I smiled at him and when he smiled back I said hi to him and I felt so brave - something like that. And your brain will go to sleep with positive feelings. I dunno , does this make any sense at all?

Post: #2

Hey Susannah!
I don't know if those teas would count, I know Celes said tea in general but not sure how green or fruit tea is different from black tea. I would say your walking and the stairs would count, I count anything that gets my heart rate up for 10 to 20 min.
I like the diary idea! I may try that one! Hope you have a great day!

Post: #3

(01-01-2011 05:02 PM)SusannahNorrington Wrote:  I'm doing really good. After the new year's eve party I woke up at 7 o'clock
Daily meditation. I found some really good guided ones on youtube. As I need to wake up at 4:30 on working days I will meditate in the evening.

Another thing, I read somewhere an interesting idea about diaries. When you write it directly before you go to bed, your brain will be full of those things what you wrote. That's why you need to write positively. Not what you haven't done but what you achieved even if it's not true.

so you could make do with 7 hrs of sleep approx. congrats!
About the diaries, i've read something similar in Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret". Before you go to bed you try to recollect the entire day in your mind's eye. Now repeat this again in the mind's eye but this time imagining the real scenarios going the way you liked them to be. This is one of my resolutions this year.

Post: #4

(01-01-2011 07:29 PM)rohit.kshirsagar Wrote:  

(01-01-2011 05:02 PM)SusannahNorrington Wrote:  I'm doing really good. After the new year's eve party I woke up at 7 o'clock
Daily meditation. I found some really good guided ones on youtube. As I need to wake up at 4:30 on working days I will meditate in the evening.

Another thing, I read somewhere an interesting idea about diaries. When you write it directly before you go to bed, your brain will be full of those things what you wrote. That's why you need to write positively. Not what you haven't done but what you achieved even if it's not true.

so you could make do with 7 hrs of sleep approx. congrats!
About the diaries, i've read something similar in Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret". Before you go to bed you try to recollect the entire day in your mind's eye. Now repeat this again in the mind's eye but this time imagining the real scenarios going the way you liked them to be. This is one of my resolutions this year.

Probably I read it in the Secret I couldn't remember. But thanks for the reminder, I'll read it again.

Post: #5

Sounds great!

Thanks for the recollection tip Susannah and Rohit in Diaries. Brings up positivity in all of us

Post: #6

Love your thinking on the diary part...end your day positively and what you have achieved, thanks for that one will keep it in mind.

Post: #7

Optimism is the key...but where ARE you, susannahnorrington? Please come back!

Post: #8

(01-04-2011 06:56 AM)rocket Wrote:  Optimism is the key...but where ARE you, susannahnorrington? Please come back!

Im here I don't know how it works for everybody but Im having difficulties when I would like to go out with friends. In London you can go to coffeeshops, sandwichbars, pubs. But how can I keep my rules? no coffee, no alcohol, no ready-made food.

Post: #9

You can try to get your friends support by letting them know your goals. You can always try to incorporate different activities with your friends so instead of sitting in the coffee shop- try take the coffee and go for a leisure walk or- try schedule a walking date instead?

Post: #10

Today is Jan 4. The first day at work which was a challenge as we have some "destructive" habits there. On days like this we bring in some chocolate , home-made cake. Unfortunately I couldn't refuse it, but I kept my limits and told them no offence but this was the last time for me to take any sweets.
And I didn't have a chicken/bacon baguette either ( one of my new year's resolution ) only porridge. For lunch I had creamy chicken soup. And for dinner a salad- tomato, cucumber, olives, rockets and some beetroot. I'll have green tea later, and that's all. Im feeling fine

I also work on my mental hygiene with positive affirmations . I guess it works well as one guy at work asked my number lol

Post: #11

YEA!! Good choices on the food, girl. If you have healthy going-out places, then that's the place to steer your friends. Even places with a HUGE menu usually has some healthy options these days...if they're not your usual haunts, maybe you could add one a week to your 21-day planner and enjoy a meal out. After all, you're going to want to continue all these healthy habits beyond the 21 days, so it's good to have new options. You never know when that guy will call

Post: #12

Well the good thing about having a challenge in the beginning of the year is that none of your friends would be surprised when you tell them about your resolution to eat healthy. In fact, I think they'd respect you more for making an effort to stick to it by steering your meetups to healthier locations. You might even inspire some of them!

And I was about to congratulate you on practicing positive thinking, but from what I read about the guy at your workplace, I think you're already reaping the benefits

Ash Menon,
Designer, Programmer, and Personal Development Junkie
For more articles on personal development and being better at being you, go to http://www.ashmenon.com

Post: #13

ashmenon, go to bed!

Post: #14

Smoothie and fruits weekend ahead.
Strange but the people around me don't respect my decision to be healthier. So I need to be more strong than ever.

Post: #15

Hi Susannah,

hope you could keep it up despite the bad influence from outside

BTW, I answered your question regarding how I'm trying to cut internet time down in my journal.

Best regards
Ralph

Post: #16

Finally I succeed to log in again. I don't know why it didn't work for days. Anyway Im back. Apart from my daily walking- 30 minutes- I started doing exercises too and bellydancing to keep me fit.
On food front it was quite a failure, I can start it again
I talked with my friends and colleagues to ask their support and not to force me to eat what I don't want.
So bring it on the new start

Post: #17

Hi, Susannah -- just reading through your blog -- getting to know more of the final DHL participants since our blogs got consolidated into the final lap.

I was moved to write you because I see a lot of that behavior, too -- with colleagues bringing in food, trying to get everyone to eat their junk....and I'm afraid some people just are plain jealous. They see someone (you) striving and making improvements -- it pricks their own conscious because they know they should be doing the same thing, but they are not at the place in their lives yet for dealing with it. And let's face it, lots of people get uncomfortable with change so they would rather have the old Susannah back, you know? I think that is especially true with friends -- they are afraid if you change too much it will pull you away from them, you know. If they are comfortable in their unhealthy habits, the new Susannah is just too much of a threat.

Stay strong! If you have gang of friends that are pressuring you, it might be a good idea to go to them separately and explain what you are trying to do. Sometimes individuals will rise to the occasion but gangs won't. Also -- a tip for the office --- it's amazing to me how unobservant people are. When everyone is making a fuss about wanting people to take a piece of cake, candy, what ever --- I take a small one and stand around and socialize for a few minutes to be part of the groups -- then quietly discard the plate. It seems wasteful, but after all, no one should be eating that junk anyway!

CDee