Last month I introduced you to my completely made-up diet called The Sparkle Plan. Check it out here. The Sparkle Plan consists of big and small goals. The big goals are to keep you motivated throughout the year and the small goals are your monthly objectives. Here are mine:
Big Goals
- I would like to lose 25 pounds by the end of 2014.
- Run a 5K.
Small Goals – Month 1
- Since my back is still getting better I can’t do too much in terms of exercise (which is killing me!). But once I get the green light from the doctor, I’m going to start small. I would like to do 30 minutes of exercise 6 days a week. It doesn’t even have to be 30 straight minutes. Just purposeful movement for 30 minutes. Dog walks not included.
- No eating after 9pm.
- We are on M&M overload in my office. I don’t want to deny myself completely. So I will allow myself one day to have some M&Ms. The other 4 days I’m at work = no chocolately goodness for moi.
If only I looked like her!
I know you’re all dying to find out how I did. Big, deep breath… here goes.
The bad news is that I didn’t lose any weight this month. The good news is that I stayed at the same weight. What in the hell am I talking about? Well, turns out that straining one’s back takes longer to heal than I would have liked. So exercise was not easy to do without reinjuring myself. (And apparently I shouldn’t try shoveling my car out of the snow either.) In the exercise/eat healthy balance, I’ve always been better on the exercise front. That means if I didn’t gain weight and I wasn’t working out that I did much better eating. Yay me!
Eating after 9pm – for the most part, I rocked this goal. There were a couple nights I derailed – a couple birthdays, one night involving the movies and wine afterwards and one night when I seriously forgot to look at the clock. Silly Kerri! But overall, I’m happy with this one.
M&Ms – same here. I rocked it. Giving myself one day to have them helped me not see my goal as a challenge or a threat. I could have M&Ms one day, so the other four days weren’t hard to get through.
Now, it’s time for the Month 2 Goals.
Small Goals – Month 2
- Continue the no eating after 9pm and M&Ms only one day a week.
- Walking doesn’t seem to hurt my back and my doctor cleared me for it, so I’m vowing to walk three times a week for at least 40 minutes – either outside or on the treadmill at the gym.
- My arms are beginning to resemble large balloons filled with pudding. So I’m going to do 10 pushups (yes, of the girl variety) a day, as well as arm circles.
- You don’t even want to know what my mid-section looks like. Seriously! I’m going to do 50 crunches (in various forms) a day.
I watch a lot of television. Proudly! Goals #3 & 4 are designed to do on commercial breaks. We’ll see how it goes.
Your turn – I want to know how you did! If you made a goal last month, share in the comments your challenges and successes. If you’re new to The Sparkle Plan, feel free to let us know what your goal is now. Or just give us all a supportive box of chocolate. Wait, no! I meant give us an internet hug. 😉
*I am not a doctor or anything close to a doctor. In fact, I wouldn’t even be able to play a doctor on TV – too many technical words. Always consult your own physician before embarking on any fitness or eating plan.
Good luck on month 2! rock it!
Thanks Jan-poo! 😉
I signed up for KerriMermaid’s Sparkle Plan in January, but I didn’t do as well as I’d hoped.
I didn’t lose my two pounds, but I’m being positive about this because I didn’t GAIN any either. It’s freaking hard to lose weight in the winter! I’m adjusting that goal for one pound now. I’ll keep you posted…
No eating after 9 pm has been mostly achieved. The only problem is when my kids have soccer and we don’t get home until after 8:30. When I have my act together, I feed them as soon as they come home. It helps me to keep motivated to feed them earlier so I don’t have to eat after 9. So, pretty okay with that one.
And I finished revising the first half of my NaNo book, so I achieved that one. And I’m chipping away at the second half. I should be done next week.
My exercising is nonexistent. I did some lunges while I was brushing my teeth, so Yay, Me! And sometimes I kick runaway soccer balls out of my kitchen. And I shoveled a narrow path from my porch to the car at the end of the driveway. Good enough exercise for me for now.
I’ll see how February goes…
But, Congrats for you with the M&Ms. Still don’t understand why walking the dog isn’t considered exercise. I’m counting it for you. So, you rocked the exercise goal.
Hey, with multitasking exercise stuff…do some pushups against the wall in the shower while the conditioner is in your hair. Love that one.
And butt crunches while driving. Marching in place while drying hair.
Oh, I’m loaded with the good multitasking exercises. I tried marching in place while putting on my clothes, but that didn’t end well. (Foot got caught up…)
Yay Kim-Mermaid! No gaining weight = goodsauce!
You know I love multitasking so this is right up my alley. I’m thinking squats while I open my bottle of wine. Wait a minute… 😉 Ha-ha!
By the way, I think you are right and I’m reconsidering walking the dog as exercise. Yesterday, Harry and I went on a 2 mile walk. Up and down hills too! That should totally count!
I’m glad you’re finally seeing my point. A two-mile walk? And you weren’t counting it????
COUNT IT!!!
Hahaha! Okay, okay, I’ll be altering that goal in my month 3 post just for you! 😉 Also, who decided to deliver freaking Girl Scout cookies today? Samoas = soooo tempting!!!!
Kerri – Hurrah for the Sparkle Diet Plan! I confess, I completely forgot about the Plan! However, I did immediately CANCEL my top-level Weight Watchers subscription, and back off to the web-only plan. And I haven’t even checked in with that this past month!
So, how did I do? Terrific!
– Instant Cream of Wheat is my new breakfast staple.
– I was in a big traffic accident on Jan 17 and walked away without injury (the car didn’t).
– I refrained from pity eating.
– I have not been allowed to exercise since the accident.
– I’m also not allowed to shovel snow (grrr).
– I subscribed to WTSO, where wines can be bought at discount online.
– Valentine’s Day was a caloric splurge beyond belief.
– My car is still not back from the shop!
And, with all of this, my weight is stable! I’m going to celebrate by cancelling my WW subscription entirely. That’s $42 back in my pocket every month and, with this car accident costing $$$ in out-of-pocket, it’s money I need.
Sparkle on, mermaids and friends! We can do this and shine!
Ahhh, Susan-Mermaid, I’m so sorry to hear about your car accident! Take care of yourself! But I’m proud of your stable weight. Go you!
Fabulous job, Kerri! I’m proud of you!
As for me, I don’t have any weight goals at the moment 🙂 but I suppose I should throw in an exercise goal for the next month. How about: working out three times a week? I can do that, right? As for my word count goals, I’ve been right on target. I hope to continue that in the next month.
Working out three times a week is a great goal! And I’m proud of you with your word counts. Go Pintip!!!
I love your goals!!! You Go Girl!!! Maintaining weight can be just as hard and rewarding as weight loss 🙂 I honestly have not set any goals but I can fit into a lot of my post-pregnancy pants, not all, but most 🙂
My goal for the next month is to continue to focus on fiber, through a daily fiber boost. In March I will also be fasting from sweets and fried food beginning the 5th.
Thank you for your inspiration!
Fitting into pre-pregnancy pants seems pretty awesomesauce to me!!! Oh you and that fiber! 😉
Kerri and the sparklers – I like it! We sound like a band! 😉
Congratulations on mastering your control of MnM’s! If this were me, the one day a week I’d eat them it would be a king size bag!
I vowed to sweat more and I’ve done a great job so far. If it’s a mess outside, I just pop on my iPod and walk laps inside my house. Also Jillian Michaels kicked my butt the other day. 😉 I like her.
You’re so funny, Carlene-Mermaid! I also like Jillian. If I went on The Biggest Loser, I would totally want her for my trainer. I’m proud of your sweat! 😉
I think you did a fabulous job! I think you look great just the way you are but totally supprt your efforts.
Just my two cents, but I say add a goal of no more saying or writing mean/negative things about your own body! Why be a bully to yourself?
I love that idea, Jenny! Totally sparkling at the thought of “no hatin’ on my bod!”
What a great idea. My goal for next month is to do my Plank exercise 6 days a week and walk 4 days a week. Oh, and finish the final revisions on my WIP.
Fabulous goals, Stephanie! Good luck with the planks especially. Those are always hard for me. Let us know how you did next month and thanks for stopping by! 😉