Yes, I know I said I would be posting more frequently, but I guess that life has gotten the best of me lately. I will be posting as often as I can, so sit tight and keep reading!
I realized that I haven't done a March goals post yet, so I thought that would be a marvelous way to start the week!
I'll start by recapping my February goals so you can all see how they went.
1. Kick carbophobia to the curb
I have to admit that I didn't make huge strides in this area. My meals have gotten a little more carb-rich, but I know I could still make improvements. The saving grace for me in this area has been my morning oats, my big plates of squash and the occasional pasta dish. I also have a bag of rainbow quinoa that I will be busting into very soon (I will be reviewing it as well!).
 |
| I think this was the biggest bowl of carrot cake oats I've ever made. It was scrumptious :) |
2. Read more
Save a few exceptions, I have not been doing the best with my reading. I blame Netflix and their fabulous selection of addictive TV shows. I managed to get all caught up in Community over reading week, but I made the mistake of "trying out" "one episode" of Mad Men and then becoming completely addicted. Note to self: when you are in the middle of a stressful semester, don't start a new show that has 6 seasons and hour-long episodes. Bad call Devon, bad call.
3. Find a good coping mechanism for stress
This was one that I actually forgot about, but it ended up happening by accident. I did have quite a bit of stress last month, but I found that my best coping mechanism was talking to friends. Whether it was skyping, texting or a good old fashioned chat, my friends were the ones who kept my stress at bay. Thanks guys, you know who your are :)
4. Keep on planking!
This was one that I quit pretty early on in the month. I was up to planking for about 7 minutes, but I started to notice some lower back pain and thought that holding planks for a very long time may be aggravating the problem. I still do shorter planks and lots of dynamic core work, but I probably won't be attempting to hold one position for a ridiculous amount of time anymore. It's not a lot of fun anyway :)
***
So my February goals didn't turn out to be the most successful ones I have ever set, but the marvelous thing about monthly goals is that there's always next month! So here are my March goals:
1. Go easy on the boozing
I can already see that my social calendar for this month will include many nights of indulgence in the alcohol department. Between the concerts, parties and St. Patrick's Day (which for university students is a total s*** show, for lack of a better expression), I will be spending many nights out on the town with a glass of something in hand. I am not a huge drinker by any means, and I usually control my consumption, but I want to have a good time with friends and occasionally, I go way past my threshold. I can deal with the occasional headache, but I don't want to have any mornings where I wake up full of regret with no recollection of the previous night. Hey, I know this is a healthy living blog, but I'm 22, these things happen...
 |
| Sometimes my roommates and I get silly... |
 |
| My first (and last) glass of wine in India. I should have just waited until I got to Europe. Yuck. |
 |
| Petite girls should not, I repeat, should NOT drink buckets full of rum!! Bangkok, you got the best of me that night... |
 |
| I love sangria... |
2. Get back on track with school
The week before reading week was absolutely brutal for me school-wise. I was stressed out of my mind and felt like I would never finish everything I needed to get done. When it finally came to an end, I decided to spend my whole week off relaxing with sleep, yoga and Netflix. The problem is that I have been back at school for a whole week now and haven't been able to get together any motivation! Usually, I am the kind of person who starts things as soon as they are assigned and stays on top of her work. Lately though, I have been a little (read: a lot) lazy in that department (damn you, Mad Men!). Starting today, I am going to get back on track and start working away at my numerous assignments so that I don't go insane when I realize that all of my term projects are due on the same day and I haven't started any of them!
3. Eat more intuitively
I am a creature of habit, and the way I eat is no exception. I am getting much better at listening to my hunger and eating what I want when I need to. However, I sometimes forget to listen to my body. Lately, I have been eating when I'm not hungry, just because I feel like I should. I am usually hungry not too long after my meals and need to have a snack, but even when a meal keeps me fuller than usual, I tend to snack out of habit. Sometimes I just eat more than my body wants because it's what I would usually be hungry for, not because it is what I am hungry for at the time. I need to get better at just listening to my body, stopping when I'm full and eating again when I get hungry.
4. Go to yoga twice a week
Hot yoga is one of my favourite things, yet I have been terrible about going lately. I know that I need to get back into the habit of going regularly and I will feel a lot better. I'm aiming for twice a week.
5. Smile more
This is something that should be a permanent habit, but sometimes when things get rough, my smile is the first thing to go. However, there is nothing more inviting than someone with a big smile on their face. I know that the more I smile, the more approachable I am as a person, the more enjoyable I am to be around and consequently, the happier I am. No matter how hard things get, always keep smiling :)
And with that said, I hope you have a marvelous Monday. Keep smiling, friends :)
