Easy??

Sorry for posting so late, it has been one of those days. May I tell you about it?

I went to work, nothing unusual there, except that it is the end of the quarter tomorrow and ALL OF MY STUDENTS want to see their grades. Forget the fact that I posted their grades on the door (well, not individual grades for assignments, which they should already know because I tell them their grades, but cumulative grades). 

So, I am pulling up grades and explaining why they got this grade on that paper, or this grade on that Seminar...and it is just taking all my patience. 

And then I of course have those students who want to turn in late work to push up their grade. Sorry buddy, we should have been having that conversation weeks ago. 

AND I am still grading essays and Socratic Seminars.

AND I had to bake cupcakes for a mini bridal shower we are having at work tomorrow. That required (another) trip to the grocery store to pick up what I forgot a few days ago.

.......

But in good news, I did not reach for the chocolate. Much like teachergirl found success in not getting donuts, I am somehow managing my stress and not eating my feelings. 

Look at me, I am growing (figuratively).

There won't be anything really substantial in this posting, except that I survived today.

Hope your day was a little easier...

Messy...

I, like teachergirl, have nothing substantial to write this week. Yesterday was the last day of the quarter and I have spent the last six days grading 103 essays.

But, what I can offer is a bit of advice:

Don't allow your goals to be sidetracked because you are super stressed or busy (underlying confession: I was a mess this past week).

So, I have started fresh with food that will actually benefit my body and getting enough sleep so that my mind actually works...

We can all have bad weeks, right?

Take Care!

I am a teacher. Did you know that (I think you do)? I teach 10th grade English (please don't judge me on my poor grammar and misspellings, I like to take a break from such things when I blog) and I love my students. Really, I do.

It seems as we get more into the school year, there is a phrase that I keep hearing on repeat:

Make sure you are taking care of yourself...

At first, it seemed like a silly bit of advice. Of course I am going to take care of myself. I'm not married, don't have children, I have one roommate and sometimes I have a dog (shared custody). Who else am I going to take care of??

But, as school has picked up, I find myself forgetting myself. Don't ask me when was the last time I went to the gym. Don't ask why I have Kabob Palace on speed dial. And don't ask how much sleep I'm not getting at night.I think as we get caught up in the hazards of life, we forget that in order for things to run as smooth as possible, we need to be in running as smooth as possible.

So, I offer a challenge to those of us who are neglecting ourselves (yes, I see you in the back of the room. I am talking to you). Instead of overwhelming ourselves with a need to be fixed right away, I challenge us to do one thing this week for us. And keep it up for the week.

Go to bed early. Have a salad for lunch instead of a cheeseburger. Go for a walk. Pray (for the spiritually inclined). Do something that makes you happy.

Me? What am I going to do? Well, I think that I am going to start moving more. We are having beautiful weather in DC, perfect for biking and being outside. I will update you next time on how I did...

Post a comment and let me know what you plan to do.

Stress Management Tips

Well I'm back. And my world as I knew it has been completely turned upside down. Almost three weeks ago, we welcomed Avery Rose into the world. She weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces and was 22 inches long.

Wow! Things are very different with two babies. I definitely have some learning to do and have been asking all the mommies of two or more I know. My biggest struggle has been figuring out how to keep my cool since the stress in our house has increased about ten fold.

Here are a few things that I've learned so far...

1. When you feel in the dumps (physically, mentally, or all of the above), don't forego everything and end up a bump on the log. Try to maintain a couple of your daily tasks--dishes, laundry, making the bed, whatever. It's hard to feel bad about for yourself when you can look at your day and say that you accomplished something.

2. Be sure to drink lots of water. This will help fend off stress related headaches. Plus I've noticed that when I'm thirsty I am a lot more irritable.

3. Take your vitamins, include some extra Vitamin C. Stress has been known to weaken your immune system, so protect yourself and your family with some C.

4. Don't make any plans you can't break. Whether you just had a baby or you're working to finish a project for school or work, when you know you're entering a stressful time, try to avoid making plans you can't break. This will reduce the added stress if you need to reschedule.

5. Sleep.

6. Take a walk.

7. Finally, laugh. Laughter reduces stress and can lower your blood pressure. Fake it if you have to. Chances are that your fake laughing will be so ridiculous that it won't be fake for long.

A Little Help...

When I checked my email this morning, I had a message from Weight Watchers: Come back and you can get a month free on the Monthly Pass.

For those of you who don't know, the Monthly Pass is a pass that allows you to attend unlimited meetings and have access to the Weight Watchers website (eTools). Weight Watchers has several different payment methods, but I like the Monthly Pass because you pay once a month ($40) and works out cheaper than pay-as-go.

It was like Weight Watchers was reading my mind. With the summer ending and school starting, my eating and exercise habits have been horrible!! I could blame stress...heck, I could blame a lot of things, but the truth is, I can only blame myself. And my laziness.
I know that different people follow different weight loss/maintenance plans. I subscribe to the Weight Watchers mentality because it fits my lifestyle. I like the flexibility of the points system and feeling like I am not on a diet (remember that this is a lifestyle change,...).

What works for you? How do you manage to "stay on plan" through the stress? I'm not asking rhetorically, I really want to know. Fill me in on what keeps you going...

Meanwhile, I will go back to my Weight Watchers meetings (I actually really enjoy them, I have a really funny leader) and work on my goals (one of which is to reach my goal weight by March, just before Spring Break. Wish me luck!)

*Weight Watchers has not asked me to advertise for them. I just like their program.

"The More I See, the Less I Know"

So...how did it go last weekend? Did you do any of the things I suggested to avoid weekend weight gain and keep your eye on the prize (healthy living in case you forgot)? I was able to stick with most my goals, but I did fall short on a couple of them. Which ones? Well, starting the weekend off right with a healthy breakfast was one of the major steps I missed. Live and learn right? But notice the sequence of steps I took. Designate goals. Write them down. Act on them. Refer back. Learn from mistakes (but try not to beat yourself up about those mistakes) and work to repeat the successes.

Things are getting crazy in this area of Gator Country. My husband graduated college two weeks ago, which my in-laws and my parents came to town for. We have been working on a lot of home decorating projects and I have so many more in mind. We have also been preparing for school to start back up for both of us. My husband got a whole two weeks off and now it's time for him to head back to campus for graduate school, which means we are running around shopping for laptops, textbooks, and various random supplies. That's on top of the necessary back to school purchases I need to make (Hello fall fashion. I've missed you in this heat). On top of all that, throw in working jobs, working jointly on health and fitness, doing things for church, doing things for family, blogging, and planning date and family nights. It's enough to stress a Gator out.
   
--In the interest of full disclosure...my husband is and always has been, a 'bama fan. I think their mascot is an elephant or a laundry detergent or something. Just kidding! Luckily, as long as the teams aren't playing each other, he knows a good team when he sees it...and he cheers for the orange and blue (plus all his tuition money supports the Gators..so it's only good business sense).--

I've shown you all my workout calendar before, but as I mentioned in that post, that is where I note workouts -after- they are completed. That calendar is just a visual for me that demonstrates my accomplishments (like the chore chart with star stickers my mom had me use when I was little). For a short time, I tried writing the workouts on that calendar in advance...but plans change. Workouts schedules change. And I am far nerdy to look a calendar with things constantly marked out and rewritten. So that calendar is a measure of completion rather than future goals and appointments. Instead, I use Google Calendar to keep my daily life organized. I can organize events by type (personal, work, school, fitness, church, etc). I can add and delete as needed. I can check it easily on my phone. Overall...I love it. I would show you a screen shot of my calendar, but all of my client appointments are listed on it. Because I work with clients with various disabilities (who might not appreciate their names being plastered all over the internet), and because I often have 3-5 appointments a day - it just won't work.

In looking ahead at the coming weeks (and all the appointments on the calendar), I have to remember to avoid stress. I am sure it is the same for many of you. Fall is always the start of so many new things. We all see so many changes in our daily lives and sometimes it can affect us negatively. It may affect our health or it may put fitness goals on the back-burner.

As a chronic headache and migraine sufferer, I have to diligently avoid overloading myself. Too much stress...can trigger a headache. Working through lunch and missing a meal...can trigger a headache. Not getting out of the house/office for fresh air and fitness...can trigger a headache. The clock hitting about 3pm during the summer in Florida...well, you get the point. So how do I work to avoid this stress with so many things to do? I schedule. I plan. I remain flexible to changes in plans. I note when things get completed...and I ask for help when they just aren't going to.

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I am skipping my "Links to Health" section today to discuss one last health related topic that I think is really important (completely unrelated to stress, fall, or Gator football)....For those who don't know, I am a strong advocate of Alzheimer's disease research and support. Two of the most important people in my world battled Alzheimer's disease, and it is a pain and suffering I hope that others may someday be able to avoid.

Alzheimer's disease affects millions of Americans and their families. This disease robs spouses of their companions, and children of their parents and grandparents. Often, it can also erode the health and financial resources of caregivers.

I just signed a petition calling on Congress to make Alzheimer's disease a national priority. Will you add your voice and support?

Here is the link

Your signature will be delivered to Congress on September 21, 2010 World Alzheimer's Day. (Put it on your calendar!)

To encourage you to show your support, I have come up with a small prize for one of you who signs this petition. It's a surprise because though I want to encourage you, I also want you signing the petition because you believe in the cause. But it will be good! After signing, leave a comment before Sunday at 6:00pm est, letting me know that you have (we're going on the honor system here). I will post the winner Sunday evening and contact you for your address.

Together, we can make Alzheimer's a national priority.

Thanks!
-Meg