Back to School and Back to Workouts

I can't stay I love working out, but I will say that it's obvious when I don't. Energy levels get zapped, my belly feels fully, and I plan old feel yucky.

Now that the girls are back to school it's time for me to get back in shape. Signed up for a workout FB group and pulled out my weights, resistance bands, and mat. The Lil' Diva has a punching bag now, so I can use that. I also ride my bike for a bit. It has been very busy, so doubtful I'll get in a daily workout; but if I manage four days a week I will be happy.

The Busy Mom's Year in Review

We are heading into a new year tonight and that's the perfect time to consider the year we are leaving behind.

As far as business goes, it's been great:

I sold a little over $2.9 million in real estate in 2016. That's a 66% increase over last year. Honestly, I don't track my numbers religiously. It's the people I meet and help that motivate me to do more. My manager is the one who brought it to my attention as he was pulling year end reports. Not sure what 2017 will look like yet, but I've been refining my systems and setting up geographic farming to increase my productivity and numbers. My business plan is in order and I'll have my first business planning meeting of the new year coming up soon. 

In other exciting news, my third children's book was released. 

Though writing has taken a back seat to real estate, I'm still active in a local writing group, sit on the planning conference for the Write Angles Conference, and blog at a variety of sites. 

Thanks to the 21 Day Fix and my Beachbody® coach, I lost 14 pounds this year and got to my goal weight of 110. This has been a year of eating better, exercising more, and changing how I shop at the grocery store. 

At The Busy Mom's Daily we shared a handful of book reviews, some recipes, and a few tips along the way. We posted 29 Mailbox Monday posts and 5 Wordless Wednesday posts. The electronic newspaper, "A Busy Writer Mom's Daily," continues. I've made a few changes to content sources, so it might look different. 

As far as the family goes, the Lil' Diva is now 15 and the Lil' Princess is 13. How did I end up with two teenagers? They dance. They sing. The youngest plays soccer and violin. And though you can't tell from this photo, they are both beautiful. 

Then there is Dad--the guy who keeps us all together. He's the voice of reason amid the chaos. He's the dedicated family man who wakes up five days a week to put in 12 hours of work so that we can do what we like to do, support the charities we like to lend a hand to, and make sure we are well taken care of. 

We can't forget our furry beasts that give us so much joy and more than a few laughs.

A little elf told us that we will be adding a dog to the mix soon. 

As we head into the new year, it is my sincere prayer that it will be a year filled with blessings, health, and much happiness for all of you.

New Year's Resolution Update: Why Is It So Hard to Stay the Course?

Why? All I want to know is why it is so hard to stay the course? I've participated in three Beachbody challenges so far, and with each one my participation lessens. Here are some things that are interfering with my success. Maybe writing it down will help get me back in the game.

Reason 1: Hectic Schedule

When I started working on my goal of eating better and exercising, my real estate business was on a brief hiatus. I had worked hard all year, so by the end of November I needed a break and wanted to spend more time with the family for the holidays. 

Real estate is notoriously slow at the end of the year and into the winter, so no big deal. Well, that didn't last. Not only did I sign up some new buyers, I'm really busy because the spring market is coming. So, my mornings are usually dedicated to marketing. 

The kids also went back to school and all their activities after New Year's Day, increasing demands on my time.

Reason 2: Tennis Elbow

It seems I have developed tennis elbow in my writing arm. The doctor says I need to reduce how much I use it, especially texting. Um, did I mention this is my writing arm? Oh, and we real estate agents spend a good part of our day texting and emailing. 

At this point, I can't lift anything heavy with my right arm. I have a brace, so that helps, but lifting weights is out of the question. 

Reason 3: Bummed Out

If you checked out my Facebook page, you'll see I won a sales award. In my first full year of selling real estate I was Top Selling Agent in my office one month and took home the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley's Bronze President's Award. 

But.....

There was this one other award that I was eligible for, and I was only eligible for it this year. I didn't win. I'm really bummed. There were many reasons I wanted this award, but someone else beat me. Actually, I don't know where my sales were compared to the other newcomers in our area because they don't tell us.

I'm thrilled for the winner, but I didn't realize how much I wanted to win until I lost. 

Reason 4: Overwhelmed

I've really tried to focus on giving of my time and talents the past couple of years. At this point, I am simply stretched thinner than a thong bikini over an elephant's bottom. I dropped one committee this week and one of my commitments ends this spring. That will certainly help, but I need to take some time to assess what I am involved in and why,

Promise to myself for next week:

• I am going to get back to time blocking and writing my exercise time in my calendar.
• I am going to follow up with the doctor to see if physical therapy is in order.
• I will let the loss of that coveted award go. I must look forward, not back.
• I will start assessing my volunteer commitments. 
• I will start drinking more water again.

New Year's Resolution Update

As you know, I made a resolution this year to exercise and eat better. As such, I joined a Facebook group that offers workout routines, recipe ideas, and other helpful tips to keep me on track.

The first two weeks of challenges were successful. I joined another challenge this past week, but failed miserably. I only managed to get two workout days in. Now, my goal was to exercise three days a week when the new year started, but I've been doing better than that. It wasn't until this hectic week that things fell apart. Looks like some fine-tuning of the schedule is in order.

The good thing is that eating healthy foods is becoming easier. Over the past five weeks less junk foods and processed foods have made it into the shopping cart and more fruits and vegetables and organic foods have been brought home.

Even though it is impossible for me to make things ahead on the weekend (Realtors work weekends), I can usually make one or two meals and use them throughout the week to stay on track. I also keep the refrigerator stocked with Greek yogurt for snacks. I usually boil seven eggs all at once, so I can add some protein to my breakfast. 

This week I want to focus on getting back to exercising five days and drinking more water. 

Wordless Wednesday

New Year's Resolution Solution

In an effort to stick with my goal of eating better and exercising more, I have joined the New Year's Resolution Solution group on Facebook.

With meal plans, daily workouts, recipes and tons of encouragement, we are working to get our bodies ready for summer time. My beach body coach is one of my high school classmates. She's been doing it for a couple of years. While I won't be doing the Shakeology part of the program--I can't stand shakes--I've already done some grocery shopping that is much better than my usual fare. Added more fruits and vegetables this week too.

Wish me luck!

New Year's Resolutions -- My Thoughts and Your Thoughts

It's that time of year again--time to make your New Year's resolutions. For years I avoided this because I have little willpower to stick with them. It seems silly, however, for a goal oriented person like myself to simply avoid them because they are tough. In reflecting on past resolutions, I realize I haven't treated them enough like my other goals. They are too vague: lose weight, eat better, exercise more (Who am I kidding? Exercise at all.).

For the record, I was underweight most of my life. Until after the birth of the Lil' Princess I was thirty pounds too light. So, now I am at the top range of--or depending upon how much I indulge, a few pounds over--what would be normal weight for my height. I just can't stand that all of it has settled into my middle and my skin is flabby.

This goal might sound silly, but it's part of my feel better, look better, eat better goal; and I figure my vanity will push things along faster than my desire to eat better and exercise.

So, in the spirit of making 2016 the best year ever, here are some S.M.A.R.T. goals for the new year.

GOAL 1 - Lose 10 pounds by June 30.

During this past week, I've signed up for the Eat This, Not That newsletter. I bought books this past year that I never had time to read, so I am thinking this short newsletter will be more effective. Today, I already made a list of foods/drinks that can help me shrink my belly and a list foods to avoid. I don't expect it all to happen at once, but baby steps. In addition, I am a visual person so this list should help. I might go so far as to create a board with photos to hang in my office as a reminder.

In order to truly make a difference, I have to:

Smaller goal: change my grocery shopping habits. While 2015 showed some improvement in what ends up in the grocery cart, there's still too much sugar, too little good fiber, and a bit too much sodium. My work schedule has created an environment where I depend on pre-packaged foods too much. I also need to stop buying soda. It's my one true vice. I really love it.

Smaller goal: There's going to need to be some better time management going on so that I can prepare meals ahead of time. If I keep Friday nights free--not always something I can do--I can make that a meal planning evening.

GOAL 2 - Find healthy recipes....and actually make them. 

I enjoy healthier options when we are out. I'm just stuck in the same old eating habits at home that I desperately need to break. So, I am thinking find a new recipe on a Friday night and then buy the ingredients during my regular grocery shopping trip.

GOAL 3 - Keep healthy snacks around the house.

Packaged healthy snacks can get expensive, but we need to start somewhere and I know my time won't allow me to make my own. I also plan to buy more fruit that I can easily carry with me to the office.

GOAL 4 - Exercise three mornings a week. 

This is going to be the toughest goal. I don't enjoy exercising and I never seem to make time for it. The reality is that if I don't do it first thing in the morning after dropping the girls off at school, it won't happen. That also happens to be, however, my prime time to get most of my work accomplished at the office because no one is around. My goal is to exercise Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7:45 to 8:15. 

Smaller goal: Time block my calendar as a visual commitment to exercise.

Smaller goal: Use quieter, upstairs office space to accomplish more when in the office. If I am going to make exercise a reality, I need to distance myself from distractions. There is a new office space upstairs where I work which will allow me to not be distracted by so much office commotion.

Smaller goal: Substitute a short walk if exercise can't happen. The mall has a walking group and I have an ideal neighborhood to walk in when the weather is warmer. Not sure I would walk if it was too cold out, but we'll see.

I really think that is all I can work on right now. This will take a major commitment as it is to change some horrible habits.

So, what about you? How do you feel about New Year's Resolutions? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Avoid them altogether? Please share your thoughts. Also, if you would like an accountability partner, we could have a weekly check in time.