Krissie at Questions for Dessert has several November projects going on. One of them is to be thankful. I’m rubbish at setting and keeping goals, but maybe given that I don’t have the focus on work not, I need to set some to keep me on track in November.  I hate, loathe, despise and resent November (it’s a gloomy, cold, dark month, if the SAD is going to be bad, this will be when it hits and Stef’s anniversary is at the end of it). So Krissie’s plan to be thankful is one I’m going to adopt.  There are some other things I need to look at as well so I might as well try and reset my thinking now, rather than wait for the sun to come back next year.

Attitude

With thanks to Krissie for the idea and inspiration, this month I’m going to post once a day about something that I’m thankful for, to remind myself how well off I am.

Fitness.

I have to be honest, I’ve failed to maintain the shape I was in before unemployment. I haven’t exercised and I’m looking and feeling fat and out of shape. That has to change (I can’t afford new clothes and I’ve thrown away the ‘fat’ clothes.  This month is also the start of the 6 week bootcamp with Jem. I’m enrolled in it (thanks Ma for the early Christmas present!). In addition to the twice weekly bootcamp sessions, I will run three times a week (I’m going to start with the C210K again). There will need to be some changes to my diet. I need to start eating right and not slipping. So that will happen. I know Jem well enough to know his basic requirements for diet. Lots of lean protein, eat 6 times a day (little and often) and not coffee or booze. I’ve been cutting back on both and only drinking them Friday, Sat and Sunday (baring last night’s LCS event), however, I can hear Jem telling me that’s almost half the week. I can’t live with no coffee in my world, so one cup of coffee, once a week. I have a couple of birthday parties in November so I’m going to give myself 3 days in the month when a glass of wine is acceptable go dry for the rest.

Money, money, money

This weekend, I did a massive shop. The freezer is full and I want to use what’s in it, therefore I will only be buy fruit and vegetables. So in November I won’t spend more than £20 a week. So £20 for food, going out etc. And as the month goes on, I’ll have to get creative about birthday/Christmas presents etc. Which leads to Murphy’s Christmas present, I need to put in some serious sewing to finish it by Christmas, so am going to commit to 10 hours a week sewing (it’s great for keeping my hands out of the fridge too!)

Let’s recap this. In November, I will:

• Find something to be thankful for everyday
• Run 3 times a week
• Improve my diet (eat mindfully, cut down on carbs, sugar and processed food)
• Cut out the coffee (one cup of coffee, once a week)
• Put the bottle of wine down (no booze for 27 days in November)
• Stop mindless spending (£20 a week on food and socialising)
• Sew for 50 hours

That should keep me busy and hopefully get me back to happy.