Day 100 - Well At Least I Started Cooking...

Hmm...apparently when you move to a new apartment and don't own any kitchen stuff it is somewhat hard to start your "Eating Healthy" habits.

I moved into my new delightful apartment on May 31st and am feeling pretty set up. However, I did not anticipate that owning pots and pans does not a kitchen make. In fact I learned there are a number of key kitchen utensils that are a must:

- A cutting board
- A spatula
- A stirring spoon
- A can opener
- Measuring cups

So far I have bought 2 of these 5 things and was able to cook my first meal last night! Breanna is in town so I knew it had to be a vegetarian dish and turns out stir fry is the best way to eat lots of veggies in a yummy way. Last night's meal:

- Angel hair pasta (I recommend Barilla Plus - I think they are fortified wheat noodles. They are delicious)
- Snow peas, green peppers, carrots, green onions, red onions and broccoli all cooked up
- Stir in Lawry's Stir Fry sauce (so easy. so delicious.)

And voila! I had dinner!

Lessoned learned? When you move to your very own apartment you are unlikely to have all of the cooking utensils you need. HOWEVER. It is still possible to cook a basic meal. No cutting board? Cut on the plate (carefully). No measuring cups? Eyeball it. No can opener? Don't buy canned goods yet. :)

I have also been able to make myself lattes on a fairly regular basis. Although steaming milk has been a bit of a fiasco because I do not have a little steaming cannister so I have been steaming it directly in the cup. Sort of messy.

Anyhow...I'm definitely getting there. I have identified my grocery store of choice (on the way home!) and I keeping a very detailed list of all the cooking utensils I still need. More to come!

Day 79 - Healthy Days Ahead

Post GMAT life has allowed me to have sufficient time to relax, travel, visit family and friends and chill in general.  It has been fantastic.

But now it's time to start with some new goals!  

I am moving on Saturday to my very own apartment (I've never lived alone!) which is a natural time to start re-setting goals for the summer.  Lately I've been reading a lot of health and food magazines (free subscriptions at work + airport travel = me totally caught up on the latest health & wellness trends) leading me to want to set my next goal around my health.

Now I would not say I'm a totally unhealthy lazy person, but I think there is definitely room for improvement in my approach to my overall "wellness."  Specifically I'd like to focus on what I eat.  I'd like to eat more local and less processed foods (o the irony of my current occupation) as well as cook at home a lot more.  Until now I was hesitant to cook a lot with roommates around.  I could never remember what food was mine and it seemed like I was always buying butter even though there was no way I ate that much butter in 2 weeks.  Eventually I just stopped buying groceries.  But living alone - EVERYTHING will be mine!  

So specific goals for improving my eating habits:

• Eat breakfast at home each morning, bring lunch 3x a week and cook dinner at home 3x a week
• Go grocery shopping once a week for that week's planned meals
• Try to shop at the Farmer's Market for produce
• Attempt to grow a few things - specifically I'm thinking basil and small tomatoes
• Understand what my caloric intake should be - this I can expand upon a bit.  I am definitely not trying to "watch my calories" or cut calories or anything like that since I'm a fairly small person.  But as a runner I know that I need to be getting a certain number of calories every day to keep up with all the energy that I burn and I'm just not sure what that number ought to be.
• Educate myself on how to shop sustainably as well as how I can incorporate local, organic and natural trends.  However, I have a feeling I will not be purchasing too many organic products because I simply cannot justify the price yet.  Perhaps once I learn more...
• Take the proper vitamins to supplement my diet.  I definitely need to be taking my glucosamine - I have the joints of an 80 year old woman.  

I think that's a good start.  

To close I thought I'd share some suggestions I read in the June edition of "body + soul" magazine on some easy switches to make in your diet.  The idea is that the alternative is equally as satisfying but much healthier.  Outlined below for your enjoyment!

1. Instead of white potatoes try sweet potatoes
2. Instead of croutons try walnuts
3. Instead of mayonnaise try avocado
4. Instead of button mushrooms try shiitakes
5. Instead of milk chocolate try dark chocolate
6. Instead of iceberg lettuce try romaine lettuce
7. Instead of cream cheese try almond butter
8. Instead of all-purpose flour try whole-wheat flour
9. Instead of vegetable oil try canola oil
10. Instead of sour cream try yogurt

Day 63 - Goal 1 Complete!

I'm happy to announce that I have completed Goal 1 - GMAT is finished!  Walking out of that testing center yesterday I felt very accomplished (and relieved).  Huge weight off my shoulders.  I'm happy to say that my hard work paid off and that I'm pleased with my score.  I definitely came a long way from where I started and it feels good to know that setting goals and being diligent about sticking to those goals are habits that are rewarded.

I'll probably reflect more later in the week, but I thought it was important to at least document that I have completed my first goal.  (In a mere 63 days :) ).  

Day 42 - Light at the End of the Tunnel

There is something totally mesmerizing and surreal about running along Lake Michigan when it's completely foggy.  You can't see any of the lake but you KNOW that it's right there to your left.   You can smell it and you can sense it and that's all you really need.  When it's misty and rainy the sound of your breathing is magnified in your ears and you can almost run with your eyes closed.  It's fantastic.

I'm feeling good.

I have exactly 3 weeks until test day.  I took another CAT test today and went up 50 pts.  I know exactly what I need to focus on and sharpen over the next couple of weeks.  There are a few things that have helped me remain focused and on task with my studies.

Schedule and Re-Schedule

If you are a compulsive scheduler/list-maker like me you probably tend to make much too lofty of schedules and to-do lists.  The problem with this is that once you start to get a little off track the whole thing gets off course and you feel overwhelmed with just how off schedule you have become.  So I've started a new policy where I make a schedule - and then at the end of the day I revise the schedule going forward for anything I didn't get to that day.  And I just keep revising. I've found it's just nice to constantly keep the tasks top of mind.

  

Ignoring Peer Pressure

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not all that fun lately.  Justin has even started calling me Bo-Lo.  But I really don't care that I'm sort of boring lately.  My friends will still be my friends in 3 weeks.  I see no point in half-assing this test.  I've already invested the time - so I need to see it through.  I'll be fun May 11th.

Sobriety

It may seem obvious, but staying sober on the weekend (or the weekdays for that matter) frees up an ENORMOUS amount of time.  I don't think I realized how much time fell into the black hole of un-productivity that goes hand in hand with being hungover.  Even just a little hungover means getting up closer to 11a rather than 8a or 9a.  Waking up crisp and ready to attack the day is much more conducive to studying.

Tell Someone - Tell Everyone

I actually picked up this tip from Leo.  I was hesitant at first.  A month ago I was sort of quiet and shy about telling people that I was taking the GMAT because I didn't want people asking me about it and then wondering how I did in case I didn't do well.  But I've found that by telling people I feel all that more invested.   Every time I tell someone it's a reminder to myself that I've set a goal that needs to be accomplished.  May 10th.  That's the date.

So that's that.  The test isn't over but I can FEEL it almost here.  So I'm just going to stay the course until the finish line.  

Day 30 - Regaining Clarity

I won't pretend that Chicago has the most beautiful weather.  

Half of the year is a combination of wet, cold and windy while the other half of the year is a combination of hot, sticky and humid.  The weather rarely stays at a pleasant temperature one way or the other for much longer than a few days.  While this is definitely an irritating feature of Chicago climate there is one major plus.  The first true day of Spring.  

Last week fell sort of into the camp of wet, cold and windy and then all of sudden on Saturday the sky opened up, the temperature soared to 60 degrees and the sun shone brightly.  Everyone in Chicago was outside shopping, running and eating.  People were happy and you could feel the collective sigh of relief that "YES.  Winter must finally be over.  We did it.  We GOT THROUGH IT."  

I bring this up because for me weather is often closely correlated with how I feel in life.  The beautiful weather on Saturday totally re-charged me and gave me an opportunity to take a fresh look at my progress on my goals.  Lately I have been working a lot and studying a lot leaving me to feel like I've just been trying to GET THROUGH IT.   And the good news is that I have been getting through it and I have clarity now that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Spring is almost here.  

Progress To Date:

• I have been studying consistently for the GMAT, which means a little each day (some days a lot).  I have been keeping up with the homework assignments pretty well and have a clear understanding of what I need to work on.  I signed up for my test date and know what I need to do until then.
• I have been avoiding goal ADD.  For me that means NOT trying to improve other areas of my life simultaneously.  I have not been running.  I even sold my bib for the Shamrock Shuffle because running is not a focus right now.  It can come back into my life in May.  Unfortunately that also means I haven't been doing basic things like grocery shopping or laundry - but o well.
• I have been prioritizing.  GMAT is #1 right now and work is #2.  Work is fighting hard to be #1 but I won't let it.  Focus.

Now that I've had an opportunity to reflect on my progress I'm feeling good about the outlook.  I should be totally done with Goal #1 - GMAT - by mid May.  30 more days of what I've been doing - not bad. 

And then I can move on to Goal #2. 

Day 18 - Focus or Obsession?

I have really been hunkering down and focusing on Goal 1 the past week or so.  I've started my GMAT class and have been trying very hard to do a little each day.  I just completed my 3rd class session and am feeling pretty good. 

In order to be focused and orderly about pursuing my goal I have been trying to follow some basic Zen rules.  Not multi-tasking, not having Goal ADD and setting specific milestones.  So far I have incorporated some studying into each day, scheduled my "Ultimate Practice Test," scheduled my actual test date (this gave me a minor anxiety attack), took off some days from work just prior to the test and prioritized my study schedule.  Focused?  Yep.  Check.

But when does it start to cross the line from being very focused to being borderline obsessed?  I mention this because I think I've been displaying some "obsessed" symptoms over the past couple of days.  Case in point:

• I brought my course book to work and actually photocopied an entire practice set.
• Further - I then worked on this practice set whenever I had "free time" at work (aka my lunch hour or while I waited for a database pull)
• I choose studying over dinner
• I have started reading my pocket reference book on the bus rather than my very interesting "leisure" book
• I've totally stopped running and removed myself from running commitments - I sold my race ticket to my friend Steve today
• I've been contemplating "How much sleep do I really need?" 

Is the GMAT taking over my life?  I actually woke up last night at 4am feeling sort of awake and I thought "maybe I should do a practice set?"  

Hmmm.

So I'm at the point of asking - am I focusing or am I obsessing?  Is there a difference? 

Day 12 - Maybe I Don't Want to Be "Connected"?

Yesterday morning Justin and I were walking over to the train when I realized "Hmm...where's that bulgy black thing that tells me the time?" Also known as my cell phone. "Guess I left it at home..?" Justin (clearly confused how I could forget something equivalent to leaving my head at home): "Well don't you need it?" Me: "No. Not really."

And it was true. I don't really need my cell phone a lot of the time. In fact, on the many occasions that i have lost/broken my phone I've rather enjoyed that week or so where I am not instantly available. I don't feel so tethered.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those people who advocates dumping all electronic devices in order to "purify" one's life. But I am interested in the power of simplifying.

For instance, since I didn't have my phone with me yesterday I traveled all the way from work to my GMAT class (about an hour commute) just quietly thinking. I normally would have filled this time with catching up on the phone or texting little snippets to Justin, but since that wasn't an option I just sort of hyped myself up (a calm hype) for taking my diagnostic quiz by clearing my head. And then once I was at class I was so focused on our litte diagnostic I wasn't really thinking about anything but each problem at hand. Even during the break I didn't think "I wonder if anyone has called me today" How's that for focus?

Point being - I think I've decided that "unplugging" yourself occasionally can really help calm and focus at the task at hand. Being connected to a lot of things can be distracting much like multi-tasking dilutes performance. While I still think there is a time for doing a few things at once, I'm getting more in the camp that when it's time to focus - all distractions must go.