One of many Christmas cards made--and I'm not done! I copied from http://nicepeoplestamp.blogspot.ca/2011/09/serene-snowflakes-christmas-card.html. All stamps and paper are Stampin' Up!
Okay, so Christmas isn't until tomorrow, but it's Christmas Eve, which is when Christmas starts for me. I'm not sure how it came to be a tradition in my grandfather's family, but they always opened gifts on Christmas Eve. (Family was from Prussia; might have had something to do with it.) My grandmother (who had grandparents from Prussia) went along with it, which means my mom grew up with it and I have grown up with it. With my mom living nearby and my in-laws out of the country for winter (snowbirds!), my husband, our kids and I open Christmas gifts with her and my step-dad Christmas Eve at their place (but we reserve some for home Christmas morning!).
In any case, the challenge is done. I completely dropped the ball yesterday on it, so I guess I stopped on Saturday. And how do I feel today? Crummy. I feel puffy and my nose is running--but not like a cold--and I'm thirsty and my IT band is burning on both sides (didn't even do yoga yesterday).
Given it's the end, time for a bit of self-assessment:
How'd I do?
Not bad. I have a few rough days, but overall, food consumption was much better, fruit and veggie consumption is up and muscles have been strengthened.
What could I have done better?
Planning would have helped make sure raw consumption and overall fruit and veggie consumption was where I would have liked it to be. For the exercise aspect... I really did do as I had aimed to do, except for missing a day here and there. I think my next challenge has to include doing the Egoscue exercises to help get my body in balance. I think a lot of the walking around in my winter boots is why my IT band is acting more, more so than too many reps. The Egoscue exercise ought to help!
What's next?
Well, it's Christmas, so a bit of a break until my next challenge. But... I haven't yet done any of the baking I was planning on doing and now I'm kind of rethinking it. Once I start on something sugary, especially after a short break, I seem to go overboard, especially when I'm lacking sleep, which I severely am these past few days. I had way too many candies, for example, yesterday. I'm sure that's got to do with how blech I feel today, but the wheat might have something to do with it, too. But my tired mind is rambling: I was wanting to make the Better than Butter Tarts from "How It All Vegan" and some gluten-free Rice Krispie squares and some dairy-free shortbread (and raw vegan Nanaimo bars, but they're awfully complicated and I don't have the ingredients that I need), but I'm now rethinking it. Maybe just pick one? (Butter tarts! :D) After Christmas, I will settle on another goal. Gluten/wheat-free is definitely a part of it, at least for the bulk of the time. Trying even more raw recipes--including as part of meals for families--is another part. I've already started putting together a raw veggie plate that gets set out on the table before all the other food and it's getting all eaten up. Salad--that would be a good starting goal to have with each supper.
Enough of this Christmas Eve ramble. Have a very Merry Christmas! And if you were doing your own challenge, why not share how you did? :D
My household exchanges gifts to each other on Christmas Eve, as well as with my hubby's side of the family. The kids open their gifts from Santa on Christmas Day, and then we are off to my parents' house to celebrate with my side of the family. I totally understand the gifts on Christmas Eve thing.
ReplyDeleteI am so proud of how well you did with your challenge, especially during the holidays. That's the time of year when I eat my worst. I can't resist vegan fudge, even when it is made with powdered sugar. So good. Besides that, I ate okay.
Mmmm ... raw vegan Nanaimo bars are so good :-)
Well, now I'm regretting not having made the raw vegan Nanaimo bars. lol. I guess the recipe is available all year and while it's a Christmas tradition, there's nothing stopping me from making it sometime in the near future, is there? ;) lol.
DeleteI am eating so horribly today. :( Candies and lebkuchen and... Must stop. I always feel so blech afterwards.
I did some research: apparently, quite a few European countries have a tradition of opening gifts on Christmas Eve, including Germany. My German roots are alive and well. ;P My husband had only ever known Christmas morning, so it was a bit of an adjustment when my mom moved close and we started doing Christmas Eve, but I think he's gotten used to it.