Cleaning up: Spilling over high tea January 2017

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

Hello 2017 (again — we first said hello in last week’s Weekly Wrap, which you can read here). I love a new year. A clean slate. A do-over. A chance to shake things up.

Speaking of shaking things up, I didn’t have a Friday Five ready today and I had other things on my plate today. But this post was mostly written, so I’m going ahead and posting it . . . even though the linkup doesn’t go live until tomorrow. Check it out — see what your blogger friends would tell you over their hot beverage of choice.

So let’s just get right down to it and I’ll let you know what’s on my mind lately.

Confessions of a Mother Runner

Today I am joining up with Coco and Deborah for their ultimate coffee tea date.

cocoa3
I’ll take hot chocolate . . . cause, winter 

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I’d tell you that while patience might be my word for 2017, consistency is a good one, too. I am going into 2017 hoping my ShinTekk will help keep my legs happy (it’s working so far!) and that I will be able to be more consistent with my running.

Four times a week seems to be the sweet spot for me — my runs during the week don’t have to be super long, so they’re easier to squeeze in. I’d like to work up to slightly higher weekly mileage in 2017, and I do mean slightly — I’d love to have another great year of running, and trying too hard doesn’t always get great results.

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I’d tell you that every year I think early winter will be a great time to really hit that strength training. And every year it doesn’t happen.

I blame my clothes. No, seriously! It is just such a hassle to change out of a gazillion layers and into workout clothes. And then change back.The solution seems simple, right? Just stay in workout clothes all day! Except it is often too cold to walk the dogs in my leggings during the winter. Not to mention 12 pairs of claws clawing at that delicate fabric.

But lately I’ve found the sweet spot in getting into workout clothes (or working out in my pjs) first thing in the morning, since I don’t walk the dogs until later in the day most days anyway.

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I’d tell you while we’re speaking of clothes and the winter cold, I think we had almost as much snow this year as last year before winter even started. And that’s just a slight exaggeration. Darn that almanac!

Of course this is the winter I decide to train through for the first time in six years.

And yet . . . oddly enough we haven’t had that much snow. A little bit here, a little bit there, then it warms up and most of the snow melts. I can handle that, but winter’s also just getting started.

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I’d tell you that I realized the other day that normally I try to leave most of the housework to the afternoon. Only problem? In the short winter days, I have zero desire to clean house in the afternoon.

The solution, again, is obvious — attack it earlier in the day. And yet somehow it doesn’t seem to be getting done.

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I’d tell you that although I didn’t go nuts over the holidays, I was still steadily gaining weight. Thankfully I managed to lose a little bit of it finally and am free again at WW until February. Hallelujah!

I just really concentrated on cutting back on the sugar and pushing the fluids this past week. I may or may not have sucked down my weight in buttered popcorn at the movies last weekend.

I’m really not sure if the weight gain was due to just being in a rut foodwise (I was) or hormonal swings . . . still. But I am very happy to have another free month in the winter — I always struggle in the winter.

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I’d tell you I may have had an aha! moment about eating and the scale. Sometimes I’m a really, really slow learner. Which can be a good thing — sometimes slower sticks better.

Take this with a grain of salt, because I had a good weigh in this week, and if I hadn’t, I might not feel the same way. It’s not about the number folks. Of course the number can make you crazy sometimes (raises hand).

But . . . it’s about your habits. Create good habits, stick with them the majority of the time, and you’ll be successful — in pretty much anything — eventually!

Tea? Iced Tea? Coffee? Decaf? Or something else?

Are you still in the great! it’s a new year mode or has winter already worn you down?

How do you motivate yourself to do the things that need to be done?

What’s the last blog you read?

58 thoughts on “Cleaning up: Spilling over high tea January 2017”

  1. It doesn’t matter what time of the day or what season it is, I never want to do housework 😉 Now I want some hot chocolate. Yay for being free for weight watchers!

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    1. It still seems easier to do when it’s lighter & warmer. Of course I’d rather be doing other stuff!

      I’m free at WW about 80% of the time, but in the winter I struggle with it. Maybe this year is the year I make it through all year free!

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    1. I have actually been decluttering a little here & there. But that’s not cleaning to me. I suppose it is, but I’m talking about things like dusting, vacuuming, cleaning counters . . . it’s not that I don’t want a clean environment, but it’s hard to squeeze in!

      When I lived in VT winter DID last to May some years. Thankfully we’re further south here and it’s not as bad. Not that it’s good! Although so far, knock on wood, we missed this most recent storm.

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  3. Lol the housework comment obviously strikes a chord with lots of people including me! But I have pondered this myself. When it’s light outside, I’m happy (as much as you can be) to do housework. It seems normal and natural. When it’s dark outside, switching all the lights in just doesn’t cut it. I just don’t feel like housework. So yes summer, housework anytime from 5am to 10pm, no problem, in winter if it ain’t done by 3pm it’s probably going to get left until the weekend…😄

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      1. Er Um you will need to wait until next week😳😳 I slept through my alarm and hubs ended up leaping out of bed to deal with the child and his transport. Oops!

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  4. UGH to housework! I hear ya about changing clothes so many times! I applaud runners who participate in the run streaks. For me that is a lot of work to change clothes and run for just a mile and then all the hassle of changing again! Stay warm Judy!

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    1. But I’m pretty sure you don’t have a livein cleaning lady, so there’s still stuff that’s gotta be done. Unless you turn a blind eye to it like I do. 😉

      You know, we all spend our money in different ways. If I really wanted a cleaning lady, we could afford one. That’s the way I grew up (my mom had one once a week). But I’d rather have cute running clothes!

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  8. I definitely hate the rigamarole of changing clothes, so I workout first thing in the morning and only have to get dressed once. I am easing back into my healthier habits. I had to turn down donuts and cookies at work this week.

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  9. In that way it easier to run after work, but then you have to carry so much stuff. Often the forecast changes and you are unprepared. UGH!

    I have always trained in the winter. The last few haven’t been bad but I have run in below zero temps. You just get it done. The hassle for me is finding clear places to run.

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    1. Single digits are about as low as I go & if it’s that cold, no sun &windy — that’s why I have a treadmill.

      There’s a reason I don’t usually train through winter! Doesn’t mean I don’t run through it.

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  10. I always struggle with strength training, it’s not something I can do on my own because I have no idea what I’m doing! I was signed up for boot camp class but gave up…after work I just wanted to go home!

    Hopefully you’re able to hit those goals of yours. That’s great that the weight loss is going well.

    We’re having our first real snowfall today, it’s so pretty that it’s actually motivating me to go outside and run…go figure! Enjoy your weekend 🙂

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    1. Ok, that is kind of weird. Thankfully we didn’t get the snow . . . just the cold.

      I used to work out with a trainer long ago, and I have belonged to gyms on & off — I have a decent idea of what I’m doing, anyway.

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  11. A non-running goal should be to get my house in order. I mean really I keep saying this but it never truly gets done. I live with a painter and my house needs painting so bad. Maybe this will be THE year!
    I’m staying away from the scales a few more weeks anyway. I tend to gain over the holidays although I did pretty good at maintenance for a lot longer than most years.
    I’m still bummed my half this morning was called off BUT seeing and feeling temps in the teens, I’m secretly glad. I’ll deal with how I’m going to make up the miles at a later time!

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    1. Heck, my house is never in order and I don’t really have much of an excuse other than I don’t like to do it. But I’ve been working at it slowly. A little here, a little there . . . and of course your house isn’t painted. Cobbler’s kids and all that.

      Of course you’re bummed! You trained hard. I get not wanting to run in the cold (and definitely not ice), but still, it’s so sad to train hard & not see what happens.

      But maybe you’ll find a race you’ll crush!

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  12. I definitely agree with you about consistency- but I struggle with it so much myself! I think I let myself act like a bear in the winter: workout less, eat more…and then punish myself come spring! I have to take your advice and start now, slowly and surely throughout the season is probably way better!

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  14. Winter only just started in Tennessee where I am – so I’m loving it today! Winter is also my “summer” so to speak – this is the time of year when I can take vacations and spend time working on my race goals, so winter is basically what I live for!

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  15. I’m totally over winter too. while we haven’t had a ton of snow (though we did get about 8 inches this week), it has just been brutally cold!

    I’m with you on the changing clothes to workout. I used to go over my lunch hour for a quick workout and mid-day pick-me-up, but lately, I just don’t want the hassle!

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  17. When it comes to working out, I really need to tackle first thing when I wake up. Otherwise, it rarely gets done. It’s so easy to get home and immediately fall into veg-mode. I wish this were only true in the winter, but it’s definitely worse when the sun sets so early!

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  18. Oh how I hate winter…especially once the holidays are over! I really don’t want to do much of anything this time of year except drink coffee, watch TV and eat. This is why I tend to put on an extra layer of insulation around my midsection every year…although, it’s much easier for me to blame my menopausal body these day! 🙂 But, this too shall pass, hopefully …sigh….

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    1. I think a lot of us feel that way about winter. The ones who love it? They’re just crazy folk. 🙂

      I do gain weight every winter. Like clockwork. I try real hard to minimize it — it’s so easy to put on, so hard to take off!

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  19. Patience and consistency are definitely great words to focus on! (I need to work on both! 😛 )

    I’m with you on it being a huge hassle to have to change out of 410928 layers. x_x I’ve taken to wearing my workout clothes under my work clothes so I can just take the top layer off and bam! Off to the gym!

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  21. As of late, I’ve been doing to strength training in my PJ’s at night. Don’t judge, LOL! Housework is something I used to enjoy honestly, but balancing a career and a home by myself has been a little tough this year. I try to do ‘something’ each day, even if it’s just wiping down the counters or taking out the trash.

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    1. I think there’s absolutely nothing wrong with doing exercise in pjs. Obviously!

      I do take out the trash. 🙂 Wiping down counters . . . I used to be in such a routine with that, but I’ve lost my way. 😦 6 months later with Bandit/parents and still trying to settle into a new normal.

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  23. It took me a lot time to get on the strength training wagon but now I can’t imagine not doing it. It has completely changed my running and I have started loving it almost as much as running. As for cleaning, I have a service come in and do it. I never make time for it so if I didn’t have someone come in it wouldn’t get done. But when I do things like laundry I do it before I go to work because I know I won’t do it in the afternoon.

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    1. I do ST because I know it’s good for me and because I know it keeps me from looking too fluffy. Can’t really say I crave it, not after doing it for decades, but it’s so important.

      I have laundry going as we “speak”.

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