Accountability Sunday: Resolution Progress for the Week v. 5

Bye, bye January

January is gone, and we start my least favorite month.  Hello February, maybe we can make peace this year?  You certainly couldn't be any worse than January was weather wise (knock on wood):

My iced over back yard

Fortunately, we are back to more normal weather and will be in the 60's for the next few days, thank goodness!  I don't know if the cold weather was to blame or not, but I was tired most of the week and took advantage of the 2.5 days I had off to read and nap in the afternoons.  Hibernating, perhaps?  I just finished these two books, both were fascinating.  I could have sworn I read In Cold Blood before, but apparently not.  Watching the movie Infamous, which was based on the Plimpton book, sparked my interest in the subject matter. 

Image Source:  Santiago Casares

Image Source:  Tower Books

Consequently, this wasn't my most productive week, but I'm still doing pretty good with my resolutions:

• eat better:  start cooking more and eating out less
• exercise more: practice yoga/Pilates again, use a standing desk at work
• declutter house
• no buy on makeup/beauty items Jan-March:  can develop a wish list and purchase one or two items from it in April

I've been finishing up the slow cooker meals I made earlier in the month and froze, so it's definitely time to look for some new recipes to make this week. 

Both exercising and using my standing desk at work feels routine now, and I'm feeling really good about the progress I've made in this area.  While my goal was not to lose weight, I do believe the eating healthier and regular exercise has resulted in some weight loss, as my pants are starting to get a bit loose.  I hope that trend continues, but I'm not going to obsess over numbers and have deliberately avoided the scale for that very reason.

I incorporated two of my more traditional Pilates dvds this week, but I think only one of them will continue to see use.  The "Simply Pilates" is indeed a bit simplistic, although I do think it's emphasis on form and breathing is good for beginners.  It just didn't feel intense enough or present much of a challenge.  The "Yoga & Pilates Total Body Toner" is better, and I like that you can do a total body workout or do shorter segments focused on a specific body region. 
 

Decluttering suffered this week, as my energy levels were low and my desire to sleep greater.  I've got an area already picked out to focus on next, however, so hopefully progress will be noted next week.  On the plus side, I was happy that I didn't throw away my ice scraper in a decluttering frenzy, as it was a necessity last week and you can't really buy those around here.  So there's a plus!

I also made it through January without purchasing any makeup or beauty items, nor do I feel deprived.  My subscription boxes definitely help out in that area, so hopefully February will not introduce any overwhelming temptations.  I've also got nothing to add to my wish list this week.  So, not my strongest week, but a great month overall!