Join the No Cave November Holiday Challenge Here!

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  • Bailey Paull-BairdBailey Paull-Baird Member, Moderator, Practitioner, AFS Staff admin

    My goal is to continue with my "Tree of Change" leaf goal of doing at least 2 cardio workouts per week, right now that consists of at least 1 FS class and 2-3 1 mile runs on the treadmill. I definitely don't want to lose momentum with that goal over the holidays since I have been doing so well and I know I'll need the cardio with all the extra holiday calories 😊

  • Sawyer Paull-BairdSawyer Paull-Baird Administrator, Moderator, Practitioner, AFS Staff admin
    @Gayle Grady
    I love that!  You are recognizing something you're struggling with, and setting a goal that works with that, not against it.  I also love the creativity of the goal.  Excited to hear how this goes for you =).
    Sawyer Paull-Baird BS CSCS ACSM-EP PN-Lvl1
    Agent of Change / Fitness Innovation & Education Coordinator
  • Brook AdamsBrook Adams Member, Practitioner admin

    @Lisa Baumgarten Get that mile a day girl!!! Also I hope your Oreo costume was a blast at your Halloween Dance event! Sounded like a winner to me!

    @Gayle Grady What a creative goal! It is impressive to see you think outside of the box and find something that really resonates with you. That is exactly why the challenge isn't about weight loss. You are going to make your mindset so much healthier just with a daily goal that is so specific to YOU. Keep up the awesome work and creative thinking!

  • Zach OttmanZach Ottman Member, Practitioner, AFS Staff admin

    You took the words right out of my mouth @Alyssa Romig! My goal is to be more consistent with my waking and sleeping times. Normally I'll get at least 6 hours per night, but I'd like to get closer to 8 hours if I can. Now I just need to slow down on the Netflix/Hulu binge-watching sessions.

  • Corinne AlbrechtCorinne Albrecht Member, AFS Staff Rank ✭8✭

    @Emma Sheffert Emma!!!!!!!!!!!! Why are we so much the same? 😅 I need to work on that 100% as well. Want to be my accountability on that front? :) Clint will deffo appreciate it hahah

  • Rose StachowskiRose Stachowski Member Rank ✭4✭

    Ok here goes my goals:

    1. Get to AFS 3x's a week, been doing that the last couple weeks. Will continue.
    2. No unconscious eating. Do you ever eat and not realize it, or you say one piece of that Halloween candy then you noticed you eat .......Well a lot.
    3. I need to change things up. I usually watch TV at night, but now it's dark so much earlier. This is were the unconscious eating comes in.
  • Emma SheffertEmma Sheffert Member, Practitioner, AFS Staff admin

    @Corinne Albrecht YES PLEASE!! Make sure I am making eye contact with people and not looking at my phone :) You have my permission to yell at me.

  • Darcy BlakemoreDarcy Blakemore Member Rank ✭5✭

    My commitment is to get 8 hours of sleep every night. I am struggling with this all the time. I'm tired my brain just won't shut off. I feel like I have a mlon things to do even though I am really tired! Any suggestions?

  • Corinne AlbrechtCorinne Albrecht Member, AFS Staff Rank ✭8✭

    @Darcy Blakemore ugh, been through years of sleep issues--I know the feeling! I do a lot of things to try to minimize my sleep issues; it's genuinely like a ritual, but honestly, going to bed should be! The sooner you prep your brain for bed time, the less your thoughts will race. Here's what I do:

    • Only use my bed for sleeping -- no reading in bed, no TV in bed, no computer use in bed, nothin'! My brain only associates the bed with sleep, which means it's better prepared to be quiet :)
    • Reduced screen activity before bed time -- ideally none at all, of course, but I'm not perfect 😅 I do use programs that lessen brightness/use sepia tones to help reduce the eye strain and brain activity, but the best thing is just turning it off. I try to play with my pets or listen to ambient music in the living room at least 30 min before bed!
    • WEIGHTED BLANKET. I cannot sing enough praises for my weighted blanket. I feel like I unlocked a secret level of sleep I never could reach before 😆 Of everything, this has helped the most by far.
    • White noise machine + good smells (essential oils, incense, candles) -- the noise helps drown out my thoughts and the calm smells slow things down for me. Obviously don't burn anything while sleeping though!
    • When I'm having a particularly difficult time falling asleep bc of my thoughts, I adjust my thoughts to the dream I want to have. It's more fun to fantasize about being at Disney World than whatever thing made me anxious that day, and before I know it I'm asleep!

    I could probably write a novel about all the things I've tried hahah so let me know if you want some more tips 😝😴

  • Darcy BlakemoreDarcy Blakemore Member Rank ✭5✭

    @Corinne Albrecht

    This is Awesome. Thank you. I am going to try every single one of these ideas. Can you tell me what weight you got for the blanket? I looked at them but wasn't sure. Right now I have a full comforter folded in half for weight! I have been taking Melatonin and it's still not helping. I'll let ya know how I do this weekend!

    I also saw @Chris Eskin November challenge about journaling. I thought I might try that idea also an hour before bed. Get all my thoughts and day out on paper.

  • Corinne AlbrechtCorinne Albrecht Member, AFS Staff Rank ✭8✭

    @Darcy Blakemore I have a 15 lbs blanket and I'm 130 lbs (which I only mention bc it's relevant to choosing haha). My parents got mine for me and they followed a guide of it being 10% of your body weight plus a couple lbs, a little higher if you're comfortable with that. It's the perfect weight for me, though I've used a 20 lbs one before and enjoyed that too! As an aside, if you're worried about being too hot under the blanket, through some magic it never makes me feel too warm 🤩

    I tried melatonin and benadryl in my most desperate times and neither of them helped me either hah so I hope some of these work for you!!!

  • Darcy BlakemoreDarcy Blakemore Member Rank ✭5✭
    edited November 2019

    @Corinne Albrecht perfect Thank you. I will try the blanket. I am worried about being to hot. I am at the Premenopausal part of my life and get hot flashes like crazy. I just started taking Black Cohosh to help. Thank you again for the info. Weighted blanket is on my Christmas wish list.

  • Angela JohnsonAngela Johnson Member Rank ✭6✭

    Happy Sunday FitFam,

    Made it to the thread just before tomorrow's start/deadline; woot woot. #levelup #badgeearner

    My goals for No Cave November are:

    1. Catch myself before eating the same item of food 3 days in a row. Currently I will drive to Panera to have a toasted PB&J or to Zingerman's Roadhouse to have a deboned fried chicken breast - so - it feels like there's only up from here.
    2. Along the lines of #1: limit eating out to 3 days a week. I've allowed travel to be the reason that I'm not grocery shopping and allowing that just lands me at Justification Station.
    3. Get up in the morning. Up until 2 months ago - I was always awake between 5am - 830am at the latest. Presently, I'll stay up until 12am-2am then sleep until a time that is concerning me.

    Life, ya'll.

    Signed, sealed, deliver(ing),

    Angela Johnson

  • Corinne AlbrechtCorinne Albrecht Member, AFS Staff Rank ✭8✭

    @Darcy Blakemore best of luck!! This isn't the one I have, but it came to me highly recommended before I had mine! It periodically goes on sale so keep an eye on it 😊 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075W8HC3W/?tag=carolinemoss-20&th=1

  • Alyssa RomigAlyssa Romig Member, AFS Staff Rank ✭5✭

    @Darcy Blakemore There's a company that makes cooling weighted blankets (Blanquil). The cover is super soft and removable as well, so you can wash it! They are definitely more pricey but I've heard nothing but rave reviews. Here's the site if you want to check it out. https://myblanquil.com/collections/weighted-products/products/blanquil-chill-cooling-weighted-blanket-w-removable-cover?utm_source=Google_Ads&utm_medium=Cooling&utm_campaign=Search%20-%20Blanquil%20Chill&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI29eWov3z5QIVchitBh0vwA9UEAAYASAAEgI_kvD_BwE

    As a side note, my husband is a hot sleeper and he has a similar weighted blanket like the one Corinne sent and he LOVES it. He sleeps really well with it and hasn't complained about being hot.

  • Angela JohnsonAngela Johnson Member Rank ✭6✭
    edited November 2019

    @Darcy Blakemore: the below is an investment financially, though may help you in the long run -

    1. Blackout Curtains to mitigate light => ECLIPSE Blackout Curtains
    2. In bed support to mitigate personal movement => Serta 3 Inch Soothing Cool Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper + Serta Classic Cool Gel Memory Foam Pillows. (Both products are routinely on sale at Kohls). *The weighted blanket that @Corinne Albrecht introduced has a similar dual effect; sensory input + mitigates movement.*
    3. Digital Reduction => Sleep with your cell phone outside of your bedroom; utilizing a wall or small digital clock to tell time.
    4. Choose Sensory Calming Decor => avoid bright colors in your bedroom. Select colors such as warm green, warm blue, or grey.
    5. Keep up those AFS Exercise Classes => <3

    Bummer that the melatonin does not work for you. I've utilized melatonin for 2 years now, and did have to switch the brand once to find a more positive fit. Currently using Nature's Bounty Quick Dissolve 3 mg.

    Best always,

    Angela Johnson

  • Chris EarlyChris Early Member, Practitioner, AFS Staff, Foundations Course Member admin

    @Darcy Blakemore I agree with everything that has been said and I will add one more thing. I am VERY sensitive to light(any kind). I will close my eyes and still able to see it/ see the blinking and it drives me CRAZY!!! So for one christmas I got a face mask and it took a little bit to get used to, but let me tell you. I have had the best sleep since getting that. Some nights I can go to sleep without it, but its on nights that I am having a really difficult time that I wear it. One other thing is make sure that you limit caffeine(if you consume it). I would recommend watching 1- the total amount in your day and 2- when the last point of consumption is. I have found "for me" that having caffeine after 5pm and it makes it so much harder to get to sleep. Typically I try to not have any after 3-4, but I am not perfect 😜

    Hope this helps

  • Devin TarrantDevin Tarrant Member, Moderator, Practitioner, AFS Staff admin

    So happy to see everyone on here setting goals through the holidays with us. Very excited to see what we can all accomplish this holiday season!

    My goal is to avoid all sugary treats (no added sugars...plain fruit might make its way in). I chose a "black and white" rule for myself to keep it easier. If I don't have any sweets, I don't miss them. If I have "a little", I want "a lot", haha I always feel better waking up after a holiday party knowing I controlled those urges so cheers to a mentally strong holiday season!

    Good luck everyone!

  • Tricia NaultTricia Nault Member, AFS Staff Rank ✭7✭

    Ok, my goal is two fold, and I'm challenging @Brook Adams to join me on the second part!

    1. I will do FS classes AT LEAST 3 times a week. 4 is better but I am being realistic with my schedule, the AFS schedule, family schedules and holiday schedules.
    2. I will not succumb to superfluous treats and desserts during the next 7 weeks. I will plan all indulgences, such as cake on my FIL's birthday and my husband's birthday, pumpkin pie with cool whip on Thanksgiving, no pop, no dessert for breakfast (yes, it's a thing), no ice cream, no extra servings, no grazing and no candy. @Brook Adams we had done something similar for a month so let's see if we can do it again for longer 😁
  • Trent TaylorTrent Taylor Member, Practitioner, AFS Staff admin

    I'd like to get in at least one Cardio sessions per week:)

  • Darcy BlakemoreDarcy Blakemore Member Rank ✭5✭

    @Chris Early thank you. I just bought a face/eye mask. It is taking sometime to get used to it but I'm liking it. Now if I can just stop the Cat's from head butting me to wake up lol. I did sleep 8hrs last night. I need to stop my H2o at like 7pm. No caffeine for this girl 😊. I'll let ya know how the mask goes this week. Have a great week.

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