Calendar Collector

As the end of the year rolls around, I start collecting calendars. I use the Google calendar on my computer/phone, but I like having physical ones around. ALL around *Ü* ... my gym, office, kitchen, bedroom. I can usually find cute ones (I like landscapes, flowers and quotes best) at the dollar store starting around October. The trick is then remembering where I've put them once January starts up.

We always do an extended family photo calendar. One SIL started that tradition ages ago. A physical one just for the parents. Then Hubs took over and digitized it, which made making multiples for all the families as easy as ordering extras. I took it over one year (as I have a little more time than he does) and then another SIL took over the task. It's always fun to unveil it each Christmas and know it's hanging in all our homes.

Another calendar I invest a little more in ($$ and time picking it out) is my "gym" desk calendar. This tradition started three years ago I think, when #1 son gifted me with a small daily calendar. I had been recording my daily workouts in a little notebook, tearing off the pages to transfer my numbers, trying to remember to date them so I could remember which went with what day. Replacing the notebook with the desk calendar was a great move ... the date was already imprinted, and I had cute pictures/quotes for each day too. Now I make sure I buy a desk calendar every year with this purpose in mind. This year, I selected the "You Had ONE Job" one, with funny photos and oopsies to make me laugh, while providing me a daily page to record my workout numbers. I keep a hanging wall calendar there on the side wall of the gym as well.

#1 son (his first Christmas back home after his Mexico mission) again bought me a little desk calendar, which I do keep on my desk (the little kitty one). I also have a hanging monthly one there by the side. We keep a little calendar next to the main desk, one in the laundry room (garage door exit), one in the master bedroom and a couple in the kids rooms.

This year I also overbought, forgetting I'd already picked up plenty. After hanging them in every area imaginable (within reason) I still had a few leftover that I gave away to family on New Year's day. Maybe THAT will be a new tradition too ;)

For family notations, where I actually write up everything ON the calendar - we use the family one in the kitchen. It's central. It's got the family photos, and I keep the calendar even after the year ends,  as a record.  They are always fun to look back on.  At the end of each month, I get to go around and flip all the monthly wall calendars. I like seeing the new quotes or pretty pictures to inspire me for the coming days. 

Are YOU a calendar collector?

Looking Toward 2017

A new year means new calendars!

 

I am a digital gal ... I do use Google calendars for planning and scheduling, but I still love physical calendars all around the house. As the year winds down, I start keeping my eyes open for inexpensive options (score at the dollar store!) and I stock up. Then the trick is remembering where I put them when the new year starts (one year I had to buy again because I couldn't recall where I'd put them!)

We have an annual tradition on my side of the family going back 20 years now. Started by one of the daughter's in-law, then passed around throughout the years (my hubs did it for a few, then a different SIL, I did it last year). Moving to digital creation (then sending in for printing) several years ago made it a snap to simply order additional calendars so that each family could have one in their home.

So that's one new calendar!

I keep one in the den, one in my gym, one in the bedroom, on by my desk. I like pictures of flowers, or pretty landscapes, or inspirational quotes. I grab one for each of the boy's rooms (classic cars, NBA teams. The little boys have actually liked one with cats). 

The family photo calendar in the kitchen gets a lot written on it. As the year ends ... not only is the calendar a keepsake for the photos, but for the schedules input upon the days. I LOVE looking back at old calendars. Seeing all the basketball games, the derbies, the doctor visits, the vacations. Just a quick glance can bring back memories galore.

At one point, I really tried to keep an "exercise" calendar ... noting my elliptical, Zumba, etc ... but while I keep all the info in an excel file, I haven't been able to keep it updated in calendar format.

However, I do use a little desk calendar to help me keep track of my workouts. In the picture above, you can see the yellow shell of my 2016 page-a-day calendar. It's been stripped bare! I kept it on my treadmill downstairs and each day, as I'd do a workout (or two or three or more) I'd write the stats down on the back and use the paper to transfer the info upstairs at the end of the day.  With 2016 ending, I needed a new calendar. My last year's "Happy Notes" was fine, but had been a little disappointing. Some days featured great inspirational quotes but others were just silly stuff ... "draw a picture of something that makes you happy" or "smile, it's a frown turned upside down"... I don't know, I guess even with needing content for 365 days I thought the makers could have featured more quality stuff.  

This year ... I'm going in knowing it's silly. I bought an "It's Different Every Day" page-a day calendar and I'm excited for the new, fun daily giggle. Here's a peek at day one (which incidentally, has two 20min elliptical sessions and two 10min ones ... yes, I started 2017 with an hour of elliptical, even on a Sunday!)

  

I'm prepared with my calendars! 

I switched them all out. 2017 here we come ...

Looking Back, Looking Forward

Well, it's 2016! A new year. 2015 wasn't the best for me. I wasn't super satisfied with my weight when I started (around 155) and ended up the year 10 pounds over that. I'd actually been even higher in late Fall, which is weird, as Sep/Oct are usually good months for me (with the kids back in school, the return to routine). It's when I had my low in 2014. 

Here's a quick glance at the weight graph for 2015 ...

... and how 2015 compared to the last several years (starting in 2013)

I didn't do an official "annual" review post here (well, I guess THIS is it), but I did stick all my picture collages from each month on my family blog for an annual post there. It's fun to look back at the year. Now, this did require me to get all my monthly updates up to date (hanging head, I just barely did October and November.)  At least my  December  post was prompt.

Pictured up top is my cute little desk calendar for 2016. For me, it's a fitness calendar. I keep it in my gym. Each day I tear off that "day" and check out the inspirational quote, and then write my workout stats on the back, then transfer my numbers to my excel file upstairs. My son gave me a small desk calendar last year (Jan2015), and that replaced the plain notebook I had been using. I love that these are already printed with the date ... as sometimes I'd forget to write that down, and when I had a bunch of little papers around, I couldn't remember which one went with which day!

I haven't felt well for the past month or so. Not "sick" sick, but definitely not 100% and it has affected my exercise (unfortunately not my eating). My steps slipped, I fell on my Fitbit friend list. Instead of Zumba multiple times a week and an hour of elliptical, I just got a bit in here and there.

I'm still not feeling "back" ... but with school in session again, the return to the routine, I'm hoping to start the year strong and have a good 2016.

Calendars & Keeping Track

 As 2013 was winding down, I started keeping my eye out for some calendars for the new year. I knew I'd have one for the kitchen (an annual family photo calendar is created each Christmas) but I want one by my desk, and one in my gym ... I always forget the date when I'm writing up my daily workout notes.

I've always loved calendars. I'm picky with my pictures, but I'm always able to find something I find beautiful or inspiring. Through the years, I've used calendars and day planners to write down my days. I think I like calendars more for looking back on, then for planning. I have a big box with all my old calendars. I can pull one out, glance over it and remember what life was like at a glance.

Because I have these calendars hanging on a wall, sometimes writing on them is a little tricky. So for several years now, I've printed out a simple calendar and I use that to record our "life". This isn't really for planning, but to provide a visual of the month. I keep it color coordinated for the different activities. These are small, clean and easily scannable to keep a back up on the computer as well. (BBP/BBG are basketball practice/games, just in case you were wondering *Ü*) 

I keep track of my workouts in an excel file. I also have my "streaks" calendars, but this year I thought I'd also try keeping track of my activity on a simple calendar, where I could see everything at a glance.

Here's the year so far ...

Does a calendar/keeping track help motivate you?

Streaks

I have a new app I really like ... it's called "Streaks" and it's great for keeping track of workouts or other goals. I found it first either in a magazine or on a "great fitness apps" website, I can't remember which. But when I saw it again in use on a fellow blogger's post,  I decided to invest. It does cost money, a whole $2. But I'm thinking the kids might use this app as well, to keep track of reading or other items. It's got endless possibilities.

So I spend some time entering old information to get a nice visual of my life since I started on this journey. I've kept all my information, in an excel file, and also in the Day-to-Day journal entries. My first "streak calendar" I made was to keep track of when I had achieved my daily activity goals. That would be 22,000 steps, 1000 burn from dedicated exercise, 3000 total burn for the day, 100 active minutes (I have these listed in the sidebar at right). I also have a food intake goal of 2000 calories, but that is more of a guideline for me as with my activity I could often eat more and still have my 500 deficit. As long as I didn't go over that, and met the other goals, I gave myself a check in the "Good, Got to Goal" chart ...

You can see I've been a good girl! 

It's pretty obvious at a glance, that Sundays are not a goal day.

Either a scheduled day of rest ... or I just can't make it! 

They rarely get an x.

I thought about making a calendar for my elliptical use ... but I'm pretty much on my elliptical every single day. Even if I limited it to days of 100minutes+, it would then pretty much look the same as the "Goal" chart. I thought I'd track my days on the stationary bike. In the past, I rarely rode the recumbent.  But since discovering digital reading, and how easy it is to read and ride a the same time (see my post here), I've been putting a LOT more time in. More than I even thought before seeing this visual ...  You can also see from the graph above that you can customize your calendars with different colors and themes.

I also made a calendar to track my strength training days. I did the 30DayShred in July, finishing up August 10 (I took weekends off, so it was six weeks rather than 30 days in a row). I just wasn't sure whether to include those workouts as "weights" ... or only go with MY 60minute full body workout. Hmmmm, I'm still deciding. What do you think? You can also customize your calendar with how many days you can miss and still keep your streak. With weights, you should have a rest day in-between, so I put it at every other day, although I think three times a week is really the most I ever even hope for. 

Hmmmm .... what else can I track with my new Streaks calendars? Maybe something more food related, as I certainly struggle more with the eating than I do the exercise. Perhaps recording days I actually get a fruit or vegetable in my food diary ... or limit my snack calories to 500 (these would be good goals for me, and SO tough!) I could survey sleep stuff, like getting to bed before 10:00, or up before 6:00.  Perhaps something fun, like dates with hubby (can we get one in every week?) or oversee my loads of laundry. With five active boys I feel like I'm doing wash every single day, but am I really?

Does this app sound like something that would motivate you in your fitness or life?  

Do you have an app that keeps you on track?