make a habit, break a habit link-up #8

lauren and i were just discussing how crazy it is that we have been hosting this link-up for SEVEN months! this link-up marks our eighth, and it is just blowing my mind. i have really enjoyed reading everyone's posts and making small goals for myself along the way.
look out for a giveaway to celebrate our 3/4 birthday next month (yes, 3/4th birthday IS a thing!).

as far as goals are concerned, between going to tampa and china and being slammed with grad work, my goals just did not stand a chance. i am looking forward to making more time this month for my self-improvement (even though it is ridiculously busy - i can count on my hands how much "free" time i have).

last month
make a habit: yoga everyday!
nope.

break a habit: cussing/cursing/swearing.
i was doing well with this until last week. there seems to be a correlation between stress and swearing with me!

this month
make a habit: workout 3 times per week!
i said in my #fitnessfriday post that i was going to ease into walking once a week, but i know i can push myself. instead, i will be doing circuit resistance training every monday (i started today!), wednesday, and friday. i'm ready to get stronger and see some toning!

break a habit: cussing/cursing/swearing.
i NEED to do this!!!!

what habits are you making and breaking this month?
link up below with lauren and i between now and april 10 at 11:55 pm.
the link-up will go live on the first monday of every month to share goals and progress!

how it works: 1) link up your post on what habits you want to make or break and progress you've made towards last month's. (link directly to your habit post! that means no homepages or unrelated posts - please and thank you!) 2) make new friends! visit at least two other Habit Makers and Breakers and give them some love! 3) include our snazzy button below or link back to your hosts in your post so other people can join in on the fun. (don't forget to follow us as well so you don't miss out on any new and exciting habit making or breaking news!)

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<a href="http://thepinnacleproject.blogspot.com" title="The Pinnacle Project"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlOFr5Z0z2Oh9Z_3uOjF8BBrlWoMGFpQoPahl2Cq482qeTJH9XDEXI1ICUw10smbG2qPRlA0zpzzY_5zSeYYZSU4AfWSUUSCLN3ZyRxkP3ZSzJyk-PiovZTzxCxJZORMLnopLERu3Z5Dh/s250/makeahabitbutton.png" alt="The Pinnacle Project" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

#fitnessfriday | this week's weigh-in

i am super excited to share my progress for the week! if it seems like i am only posting hair and fitness stuff, you're correct. i'm still getting my china posts together! #soonandverysoon

anywho, i met and surpassed my dietbet game goal (156.9 by april 8) and i am 22.4 lbs down since i began my anti-candida journey on march 1!

beyond weight loss, my body is actually feeling like it's starting to like me. i haven't gotten sick despite the disrespectfully drastic weather changes, which ALWAYS made me sick in the past. my bloating has decreased immensely and i feel much, much lighter. my feet also feel much better, and i can finally stand to be barefoot for around 30 minutes before the pain comes. i can breathe much better, and i am less winded when i take the stairs.

in pairing the diet with weigh down/intuitive eating principles (and now intermittent fasting! more on that later), i finally feel in control of my eating. even though the diet is really hard, i will eventually be able to reintroduce some old foods back. if i get the go from my doctor, i can start on april 15!

i also randomly took this quiz and a few others to verify, and i found out i am mostly mesomorphic (62%) and less endomorphic than i thought (38%). i always thought i was an endomorph based upon pictures, but i've actually been reading the descriptions for and viewing pictures of fit mesomorphs. both have been spot on for me when i'm in shape with the exception of a few characteristics i possess that are definitely endomorphic. the workout plan for promoting lean muscle mass for mesomorphs includes light cardio, yoga, and regular resistance training, which is absolutely perfect for me!

so my goal from now until the end of april is to walk 30 minutes in my fat-burning zone once per week; i will increase it to twice in may. this doesn't seem like much, but i haven't done any real exercise since my injury, so i want to ease into it.
slow and steady!

in pursuit of:

adopting a healthy way of eating that will heal my body

how is your journey coming along?

linking up with jill

An InLinkz Link-up

#fitnessfriday | this week's weigh-in

there have been a few times this month when i have lost complete hope in eating my diet. it's so incredibly strict (and i have been following it very strictly) and despite the fact that i have been experiencing so many benefits -- less bloating, no indigestion, shortened colds, etc -- it's just been hard sometimes to have to list off all of the things i can't eat.
today's weigh-in made it totally worth it.

as of today, i am less than 0.5 lbs from a 20-lb weight loss since march 1! whoop!
my goal for my dietbet game is 156.9 by april 8, so I will hopefully hit that tomorrow.

i have to say that dietbet has definitely played a huge role in my success, and no, i am not advertising for the site in any way. it's just nice to be in a group of people trying to reach literally the same goal (4% in 4 weeks) when no one around you is on a weight loss journey. and i have been ridiculously motivated to get my entry fees back. i refuse to throw away that money -- i'm a poor student!

in pursuit of:

adopting a healthy way of eating that will heal my body

how is your journey coming along?

linking up with jill

An InLinkz Link-up

make a habit, break a habit link-up #7

february always seems to fly by, but this one was ridiculously fast!
2015 is over 1/6 done!!!!!
i did a pretty decent job with making and breaking habits for this month, though i definitely didn't meet all of my goals, as i was super busy with minnesota, black history month program advising, and being sick for the past week.
in any case, i think i am still well-prepared to tackle tampa later this week for the ACPA convention (can't wait for palm trees and more respectful weather!), and china after that!

last month
make a habit: take the bus less!
guys, i took the bus 5 times this month. FIVE. i used to take the bus twice a day! i've been walking everywhere within walking distance. half of my rides this month were to head into a neighboring city. i think i have officially broken my bus habit.

make a habit: yoga everyday!
definitely did not happen. i think i practiced once the entire month. so sad.

break a habit: cussing/cursing/swearing.
for the most part, i have stopped! i did get super mad/irritated twice this month so a couple words slipped out, but that's progress.

this month
make a habit: yoga everyday!
trying this again!

break a habit: cussing/cursing/swearing.
i need to get through this month without incident and actually accomplish this!

what habits are you making and breaking this month?
link up below with lauren and i between now and march 10 at 11:55 pm.
the link-up will go live on the first monday of every month to share goals and progress!

how it works: 1) link up your post on what habits you want to make or break and progress you've made towards last month's. (link directly to your habit post! that means no homepages or unrelated posts - please and thank you!) 2) make new friends! visit at least two other Habit Makers and Breakers and give them some love! 3) include our snazzy button below or link back to your hosts in your post so other people can join in on the fun. (don't forget to follow us as well so you don't miss out on any new and exciting habit making or breaking news!)

<div align="center">
<a href="http://thepinnacleproject.blogspot.com" title="The Pinnacle Project"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlOFr5Z0z2Oh9Z_3uOjF8BBrlWoMGFpQoPahl2Cq482qeTJH9XDEXI1ICUw10smbG2qPRlA0zpzzY_5zSeYYZSU4AfWSUUSCLN3ZyRxkP3ZSzJyk-PiovZTzxCxJZORMLnopLERu3Z5Dh/s250/makeahabitbutton.png" alt="The Pinnacle Project" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

make a habit, break a habit link-up #6

excuse me, february, but how are you here?
2015 is over 1/12 done already. i just cannot.
last month wasn't THE best in terms of my habits, but i did make progress on everything i set out to do.
this month is all about prepping my body for china next month. with a permanent foot injury, i need to make sure i really get back into the groove with stretching and rebuilding my strength. we're going to be doing A LOT of walking and no great wall is going to conquer me!

last month

make a habit: complete a fast!

this didn't happen :(. i will try this again another time.

make a habit: yoga every week!

i missed a week.

break a habit: cussing/cursing/swearing.

much, much better. i have gone FULL days without doing it at all, and when i do, it's 3-4 words. this makes me sound like a heathen basking in mediocrity but this is amazing progress for me!

this month
make a habit: take the bus less!
i am only giving myself a pass to take the bus twice per week. i want to build up my walking strength, especially because i now have the orthotics i need!

make a habit: yoga everyday!
i'm kicking it up and making it a permanent part of my morning or evening routine. the longest i've done it daily is two weeks, and i want it to last forever!

break a habit: cussing/cursing/swearing.
would love to end february having broken this!

what habits are you making and breaking this month?
link up below with lauren and i between now and february 7 at 11:55 pm.
the link-up will go live on the first monday of every month to share goals and progress!

how it works: 1) link up your post on what habits you want to make or break and progress you've made towards last month's. (link directly to your habit post! that means no homepages or unrelated posts - please and thank you!) 2) make new friends! visit at least two other Habit Makers and Breakers and give them some love! 3) include our snazzy button below or link back to your hosts in your post so other people can join in on the fun. (don't forget to follow us as well so you don't miss out on any new and exciting habit making or breaking news!)

<div align="center">
<a href="http://thepinnacleproject.blogspot.com" title="The Pinnacle Project"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlOFr5Z0z2Oh9Z_3uOjF8BBrlWoMGFpQoPahl2Cq482qeTJH9XDEXI1ICUw10smbG2qPRlA0zpzzY_5zSeYYZSU4AfWSUUSCLN3ZyRxkP3ZSzJyk-PiovZTzxCxJZORMLnopLERu3Z5Dh/s250/makeahabitbutton.png" alt="The Pinnacle Project" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

make a habit, break a habit link-up #5

happy new year!

can you believe that it is ALREADY the first monday of the year?!?!
i am so excited for 2015. as my pastor says, this will be the year of restoration, and i will be claiming some things i've lost!
i am excited to set some new habits this month, and i hope you will join in with lauren and i!

last month
make a habit: oil pull everyday!
i didn't do this EVERY day, but quite a bit! i will be continuing this in the future!

make a habit: stick to the schedule!
check! i got EVERYTHING done on time and i got to leave school to come home a week early because of it!

break a habit: hitting the snooze button.
check! haven't hit it since i set this goal!

this month

make a habit: complete a fast!

i want regular fasting to become part of my world. fasting, for me, provides immeasurable clarity and restores my abilities to attune myself to my body and spirituality through discernment of what is truly important and valuable to me.

make a habit: yoga every week!

i really need to go, not only to help with the healing of my feet, but because it's so much easier to tap into that clarity when i take the time to truly focus on my body and mind.

break a habit: cussing/cursing/swearing.

i don't want to bring my sailor mouth into 2015. i've done much, much, much better with this over the past year, but i am ready to drop it for good!

what habits are you making and breaking this month?
link up below with lauren and i between now and january 11 at 11:55 pm.
the link-up will go live on the first monday of every month to share goals and progress!

how it works: 1) link up your post on what habits you want to make or break and progress you've made towards last month's. (link directly to your habit post! that means no homepages or unrelated posts - please and thank you!) 2) make new friends! visit at least two other Habit Makers and Breakers and give them some love! 3) include our snazzy button below or link back to your hosts in your post so other people can join in on the fun. (don't forget to follow us as well so you don't miss out on any new and exciting habit making or breaking news!)

<div align="center">
<a href="http://thepinnacleproject.blogspot.com" title="The Pinnacle Project"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlOFr5Z0z2Oh9Z_3uOjF8BBrlWoMGFpQoPahl2Cq482qeTJH9XDEXI1ICUw10smbG2qPRlA0zpzzY_5zSeYYZSU4AfWSUUSCLN3ZyRxkP3ZSzJyk-PiovZTzxCxJZORMLnopLERu3Z5Dh/s250/makeahabitbutton.png" alt="The Pinnacle Project" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

#fitnessfriday | 6-month hair and body goals

can you believe that it is almost december?
2014 is almost over! i can't get over how quickly this year passed by, and i am kicking myself for being almost exactly where i was last year in terms of my weight.

i have noticed that for me, being regimented and consistent are the keys to success in pretty much all areas of my life. i am not one who can do "moderation." i am not one who can "take a break." i plan ahead and my calendar is my lifeline.

the one and only time i was successful and sustained my weight loss was when i ate a ketogenic diet, and the success stopped immediately when i decided i would try to include carbs back in "in moderation" last june - not because i really wanted them (because my sugar tooth and my carb cravings had vanished a long time before and i was happy and satisfied), but because i thought i was doing it wrong by not being "moderate." the subsequent carb cravings led me back to gulping down steroids and antihistamines because once i got back on sugar, i couldn't stay away from wheat, and i have a serious wheat allergy.
and now, i've been rewarded with the side effects - extreme bloating, random and increasingly frequent break-outs, and an overall feeling of a lack of control.

low carb ketogenic diet (march 2014) vs now (november 2014)

it is beyond embarrassing to post this because i see how close i was to goal in march - i had 5-7 pounds to go and for the first time, i felt in control of my body and my relationship with food.
well, i'm not going to do what i'm doing now anymore. i am extremely carb-sensitive, and it only takes a little bit to completely throw me into binge mode, and i'm just done.
i lost a ton of weight successfully, i tried to reincorporate sugar, and now i know for sure what works for me and that i'm just going to be one of those people who needs to stop trying to fix what isn't broken. it wasn't hard and it didn't feel restrictive at all once i got through the first two weeks, and i know that it will be a permanent lifestyle change this time around.

the same is true for my hair.
when i stuck to one regimen consistently during my transition, my hair thrived like crazy. my hair is doing fine, but i really want to improve its health, and it's hard to determine the factors affecting it when i keep changing things.

so, my hair and body goals are simple: be regimented and consistent.
from dec 1, 2014 to june 1, 2015, i will follow a low carb ketogenic diet and follow a consistent roller setting regimen.

i will resist making any changes unless i notice negative effects from my diet or regimen. i will resist joining in on new challenges, trying to crash diet, or anything else that will detract from my plan of action. it is hard for me to stick to things because i am continually researching new methods, products, and techniques, and i want to try them all on myself.
no more.

my goal is to have my hair and diet regimen completely finalized by the next #fitnessfriday so that on december 1, i will be ready to go and get things done. this is not to say that i will stop what i am doing on june 1, but i am challenging myself to stick to both for six months without wavering. i pray that i will be rewarded with a healthier body right on time for summer and healthier hair with lovelier, thicker ends that can withstand summer heat and pool and salt water.

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

adopting a healthy way of eating that will heal my body

An InLinkz Link-up

make a habit, break a habit: one week update

don't forget to link up your goals with lauren and i! the link-up is open for the habits you want to make and break for september until wednesday at 11:55 pm!

i have to say that i am super proud of myself for totally kicking ass on part of the exercise habit i wanted to build. i have been completing my daily runs/workouts using the nike+ app, and i am super excited that i have been making legitimate progress with running faster and longer every time i log in.
unfortunately, that's pretty much the only habit at which i've been excelling.

source

i was really good about breaking that technology habit at first, but i found myself falling back into old patterns of bringing my computer and phone to bed, particularly on the weekend.

i am recommitting to leaving those things away from my bed! 

since my schedule changes pretty often, it is hard to make a set time to put my computer away for the day, especially because i may be pulling an all-nighter. i can, however, refuse to bring it into bed with me just like i refuse to complete schoolwork in my dorm room. the energy in my room is finally one of comfort and peace because i have chosen to separate it from my work space. i just want the energy around my bed to emanate the same!

and i totally didn't make it to yoga last week... :(. i am, however, scheduled to go thursday and i am going to make this (AND the technology thing) happen!

how are you doing on your goals?