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Time to Reevaluate the Challenge

So as the month of August comes to a close, it is time to reevaluate my challenge, chose new rules and incentives, and decide how to proceed from here. For the past two months, I have rewarded myself weekly with the ultimate prize, a trip to Disney, at the end. Moving forward, I have decided to limit my incentive rewards to monthly gifts. While I will be sticking to the same rules, I will plan for one day each month as my "Off-Day." I was terrible at following rules 8-13 during the month of August so I am going to strive even harder to meet my new goals.

My new challenge will last until December 31, 2017 and I will attempt to follow all 14 rules every day for all four months. I will continue blogging daily and weighing myself on Wednesday mornings to track my progress. During this challenge, I will also strive to focus on my food as part of my mental health since bloating and weight gain effects more than my physical body. My goal for the next four months is to work out three times per week with twice during the work week and once on the weekend. Workouts can be gym classes, walks in the neighborhood, trips to theme parks with extra walking, Pilates video at home, or anything else that gets me moving more than normal. For my stress levels, I am going to spend more time crafting and reading, attend church services, and try to find a new club or group to join. One of my biggest downfalls currently is ignoring my weekly routine on weekends by skipping meals and sleeping less and I am hoping to avoid this as part of my mental health focus. Through this entire process, I hope to learn more about myself and my body as I am not just focusing on my eating habits but rather my entire lifestyle.

Rules:
  1. No Packaged Sweets
  2. No Vending Machine Purchases
  3. No Baked Goods
  4. No Ice Cream or Fro-Yo or Popsicles
  5. No Artificial Sweeteners
  6. No Soda, Fruit Juice, or Mixed Alcoholic Drinks
  7. No Food Truck Meals or Sides
  8. No Fried Foods (not prepared at home)
  9. No Delivery Pizza 
  10. One Glass of Wine or Beer per Week
  11. No Fast Food 
  12. No Carbohydrate Dense Snacks or Meals (i.e., bagels & croissants)
  13. No Cheese Based Meals (i.e., mac & cheese & Alfredo) 
  14. One Restaurant Meal per Week

Off-Days:
  • September 29
  • October 31
  • November 23
  • December 25
Weekly Challenge:
  • Workout three times per week
  • Weigh-in every Wednesday
  • Maintain good eating habits on weekends
  • Attempt to attend weekly church service
  • At least one quality evening with my husband
Daily Challenge:
  • Read at least 15 minutes
  • Do something creative (knitting, sewing, coloring...)
  • Stretch or practice Yoga each morning
  • Take vitamins
  • Focus on sleep quality and stress levels
Rewards:
  • September: Night Out in Austin
  • October: Class at Hammer and Stain
  • November: Trip to St. Augustine 
  • December: Day at the Spa
Goals:
  • Lose five pounds by December 
  • Reduce my bloating and IBS symptoms
  • Avoid processed foods and learn more about nutrition
  • Develop a sense of community 
If you plan to follow along with me in my new challenge, please let me know your rules and goals in the comments below so we can hold each other accountable!

Over and Out,
The Girl with IBS

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