Shape Up for March Weekly Update

My weight today was 160.8 lbs.  I did a bit better than last week on Sunday; I ate only 62 WW points (also within weekly point totals) and got 6 hours of sleep.  Next week I am going to get 8 hours for sure, in hopes of continuing this weight loss trend - I am down 2.4 lbs and need only 1.8 lbs over the next two weeks to make my goal!

I missed Judo on Thursday because I had a cow with a breech birth.  We saved the cow but lost the calf.  Aside from that, I am still 100% on Judo and gym, 3/8 and 12/17 respectively.  I realized that, to make 17 gym visits, I will need to go to the gym on one of my Judo days.  I think I'll go tomorrow and do something light like a stationary bicycle.

Saturday Shopping and Challenge Updates

Another week, another grocery run.  Mr. Goat made a midweek run which skewed my budget a bit.  Between his run and this one we've now spent 78% of our food budget.  I generally shop every Saturday, so I plan to shop next Saturday for the whole week, even though most of the week is in March.  So the food budget will be a bit tight, but I think do-able.

I've spent 50% of my non-household food expense for the month; a tank of gas for each car, and $4 for Turtle Bug and Tar Spray (excellent at removing both) to detail Mr. Goats car for Valentine's Day.  (His present was having his oil changed, inspection sticker updated, and a detailing by me.)

 I've also done the two oil changes, two inspection stickers, and the rear brake pads for my car that were the motivation for cutting the budget this month.

My toy budget spending remains over by 49%.  Luckily for me, Infiniti is running a special where you get $20 off every $100 you spend on maintenance, so my brake pads did not cost as much as estimated, and I did not have to dip into savings even a little to pay for it.  So far the no-spend challenge is a success - we'll see if I can make it work all the way to the end of the month.

On the Shape Up for March challenge, I have been moderately sucessful.  I missed Judo on Thursday tring to save a calf, but aside from that I am 100% in both Judo and gym.  That puts me at 3/8 for Judo and 11/17 for gym.

On a completely unrelated note, halfdozendaily has some cute napkins up for sale on her website, and she is giving a set of four away free.  Head on over there and give her some comment love to be eligible to win.

Pine Cone Research Looking for Peeps

Pine Cone is a marketing company that pays $3 a survey.  I usually get 1-2 a month, and they take 10-20 min to complete.  About twice a year I am selected to test a free sample of something, for which I am paid another $3. It's not much money, but it's not much time either.  They recruit new people occasionally, and they are recruting now.  Follow this link to register.

A Few Days Late and Half a Pound Short

My official weigh-in in the Shape Up for March Challenge for Monday, February 14th was 162.6 pounds, down .6 pounds.  I now need to lose on average 1.2 pounds a week to meet my weight goal.  I attribute the slow loss to (1) eating almost 100 weight watchers points on Sunday (still within my points, but will give my weight a bounce the next day) and (2) getting only 4 hours of sleep on Sunday night (I always weigh heavier with no sleep.  I have no idea why).  If I'm not doing better next week, I'll worry about it then.  I'm also still 100% on gym and Judo.

As for the No Spend Challenge, I haven't done a great job of tracking this week, but I'm pretty sure that all we've spent money on is gas, so we should be good.  I'll get back on this tomorrow, as I have a cow in labor atm and (hopefully) Judo to go to after she delivers.

Rest Day

This is my rest day.  I didn't spend anything and I didn't work out.  I used almost all of my WW points this week, but didn't go over.  Tomorrow will tell if that was enough to cause me to lose this week:)

Saturday Shopping

Another run at the grocery store and 47% of my grocery budget is now gone.  More than one third of my money was spent on cheese alone, which is a real eye-opener.  I'd better not let it go to waste, because this stuff is expensive!  Fortunately, today that won't be a problem, as the majority of the cheese will go on this weeks half-dozen frozen pizzas (currently in the process of being made).  Twenty-one pizzas left to go to break even on the pans!

My computer is back up, but the damage to the no-spend challenge is significant.  49% of my toy budget is spent; the goal was zero.  And I used the toy budget again today to buy a raffle ticket from some kids outside the Wal-Mart.  Somehow it's like breaking a diet - once you're off in a big way, the little indulgences seem less significant.

Speaking of diet, the Shape Up For March Challenge is going great.  I've made it to the gym four times this week, and to judo twice, putting me at gym: 6/17 and Judo: 2/6.  Also, I have 70 weekly/activity Weight Watchers points remaining, and my week ends on Sunday night, so I'm confident that I can stay within my points for the week, even if there are sugary Valentine's day treats at church. (I'm torn between hoping there are and hoping there aren't.)  I also had a goat get out onto the highway today, and spent a good fifteen minutes running around after him, thus giving me extra, unplanned calorie burning.  Wasn't that nice of him?

No-Spend, Computer Dead Edition

Good thing this was a no-spend month! I woke up this morning, turned on my computer, did about 5 mins or work, and then the screen went black. I tried to reboot, and it wouldn't acknowledge that I was pushing the reboot button - never a good sign. Cracked it open, all the fans were working, took out the hdd that had been giving me crap earlier and replaced it. Didn't fix problem. Listened to sound it was making, diagnosed motherboard. Husband agreed that it was motherboard, so now have a new one on the way, aa well as new memory that's compatible with it. So much for not spending the toy budget. I'm currently typing this on the very inadequate keyboard of an iPad (cool looking, great for streaming Netflix, not so good for any sort of real typing) but that won't really fly for the rest of the month. I haven't got the total on my damage; I'll have to update that tomorrow.

I did make it to the gym, so I am 4/17 days on that. Swimming doesn't feel like much of a workout, but it really takes it out of you a couple of hours later. It doesn't seem to melt off the pounds like jogging, but it's far more sustainable on the joints. So it's become my new favorite workout. What's yours?