Monthly Milestones 2017 {4}

Today is the fourth Monthly Milestones of 2017 (posted a week early because I will be on vacation next weekend and unable to post then).  If you want to share a milestone post, just leave a comment below with a link to your milestone post, and I'll pop over and visit it and leave a comment, and hopefully some of my other readers will, too. :)  Normally, Monthly Milestones, where I will be giving you updates on how I am doing physically, mentally, etc., will go live on the first Saturday of every month, though sometimes I may be a day early or late depending on circumstances.

Here is how I am doing as of today:

1. My weight is down another 3 lbs.!  I am so excited that my weight loss continues.  I've not been down to 210.5 lbs. or less in about 6 years, and I'm down about 20 lbs. since Thanksgiving.  Being aware of portion sizes, drinking enough water, avoiding sugar and caffeine, avoiding junk, and being active have paid off!  My biggest goal is to be down under 200 lbs. for my birthday in June, so here's hoping I can do that and beyond! :D
             
2. The weather is thinking about getting warmer, but it's also been rainy and windy.  I like to identify spring in Michigan as having an identity crisis.  It can be almost summertime warm or wintertime cold, and all within 24 hours.  It can go from rain to snow to sleet to any other choice of precipitation within hours, too.  We are dealing with rain and rain/snow mixes right now, but the weather is warming up a bit more.  The wind still has it's days of being insane, but that, too, is dying down a bit.  As I can, however, I get outside and walk.  My other source of activity is spring cleaning.  It keeps me busy, and that's not a bad thing! :)
    
3. I have to stay on top of my diet and exercise.  It is so easy to get off track when I am losing weight, and it is mainly because I feel like I can cheat a little and it's ok.  It's not.  It really messes with my gut, my health, my sleep - everything.  I do find that I do better if I allow myself a treat per day that is not completely horrible than when I deny myself all together.  It keeps me from overdoing later.  I'm glad to have figured that out.  I think it has spared me from going off the deep end too much.  It's hard to find the right balance - it's taken years for me - but it is so great once you find it!  It makes life enjoyable, and eating, too.  It doesn't feel like you're sacrificing too much, and that's the only way you stick with anything, I'm finding.  If it feels like a chore, you're less likely to continue doing it.
        
4. I'd dealing with some cramping in my legs and some vision/hearing issues off and on along with some viral/seasonal allergy things, but otherwise, I'm doing well.  I'm not sure what the source of the cramping is, but it may be in part due to the higher level of activity.  I'm sure that part of it is dietary, but I haven't quite figured out the source yet.  I'm sure I'm lacking a vitamin or mineral somewhere.  It's probably potassium, so I'll have to work at trying to get more of that in my diet.
   
   The vision and hearing issues are what they have been for the last several months.  I have an eye doctor's appointment next month, so I will talk with my eye doctor about that when I see her.  I will see my regular doctor later this summer, and will talk with him about the hearing again, and he may refer me to an ENT.  We'll see.
   
   Viruses and seasonal allergies have been just horrendous since fall.  I guess it's the right combo of weather conditions to make all those things thrive.  I am grateful I've been able to avoid the doctor for myself, and that any viruses have been short-lived.  It's amazing how eating better and being active help with those things!
   
   We've not been back to the chiropractor yet, but we hope to do that soon.  The walking and stretching that my chiropractor recommended months ago does help, though.  That's a blessing for sure!
   
   Also, I want to thank all of you who have kept me and my family in your prayers.  It means so much.  Without your prayers, I don't know where I'd be, and I know those prayers have lead me to answers I wouldn't have found any other way.  Thank you so much!  Keep them coming! :)
   
   
5. It's Spring Break for the next week, and I hope to be able to work on the blogs a bit.  I am hoping to get some recipes ready to post on Natural and Free that will go live in the future (probably one per month starting in  April and going at least a few months out).  I am not sure what I will be able to post here, but I will at least do Monthly Milestones.  We'll see how much I get accomplished.  I've got a lot planned for around the house, too, so I may have too much ambition and not enough ability.  At any rate, we'll see what happens! :) 

That's about it for now.  How are you doing?  Are you reaching your goals?  Have you tried something new?  Come up with a new recipe?  I hope all is going well with you, and I hope you will leave a comment sharing your thoughts and/or milestones (with a link to your post, if you wish).  As always, I wish you the best of luck in all you do, and hope you will return soon! :)

(This post was originally posted on my original site, Fibro, Fit and Fab!)