A Photo a Day Challenge

So for those of you not familar with this activity called Photo a Day Challenge where you follow a set of rules and basically take a photo everyday in regards to whichever regime you chose. For example some people have done 365 days a year photo of themselves in the same spot or their pregnancies or growth of pets or children etc etc. Then create a neat video that shows the transformation that occurs in 1 yr.
Lately in the past few months a new crop of photo challenges has grown where you do a months worth of photos. 1 everyday based on a pre-determined list of words. I have been doing one since March and April that was created by an Aussie blogger name Chanelle aka FatMumSlim. I came across this I think around late Feb when an old friend from MSSD started posting these photos on her FB status. I commented and she tagged me for March's Photo a Day Challenge created by Fat Mum Slim that seemed to be for twitter and then later instagram app. I don't use twitter and Instagram is not on droid platform yet so unable to use it on my phone. Instead I posted on FB and have been doing so ever since.
The first month of March I cheated a few times by uploading a photo from online google search which I stopped by the middle of the month because it left me feeling guilty and lazy! Like geez I can't even just take my own photo?  I even once took a photo of my laptop screen of a visual gram of the word Moon which I felt is still was cheating so that was the end of that. I also think for March I may have forgotten like once or twice.
This month I am proud to say I took every single one of my photos! My only problem is I was sometimes late posting them. Never more than 1 day late! Either I wanted to take a specific photo but I had to be at the right place at the right time. For example my photo for April 'looking downward' was taken the next day and totally worth the shot! But this coming month of May I am going to try not to do that or to post late for any reason.
I started this photo a day challenge for 2 reasons. One it seemed like fun and a great way to have a little creativity everyday. Two, I read somewhere in order to create new habits or discipline ones self, is you have to do it at least 21 days. Research shows that's how long it takes to form new habits (so for those of us looking to change unwanted behaviors) just tell yourself, if I can do this for at least 21 days straight I can really make this change. Its true because most folks whatever is, a diet, exercise, though patterns we start off strong at the gate (1st week) all enthusiastic and touting why we're doing it. Like 'Bob, you know I'm going run a mile everyday! For real. Its good for your heart and I wanna get rid of this spare tire! Doc says I need to lose 30 lbs...' etc etc, your friends and family are supportative telling you can do it, rooting you on. But then the 2nd week comes by. And reality has sunk in. Its not as fun or rewarding as you thought it be. Your family and friends are still somewhat believing you, that you'll stick to it. You may even have 1 or 2 people in your life already shaking their heads and you overhear them say 'I knew Bob wouldn't REALLY do it!'
Then the beginning of the 3rd week arrives. This I say is the make or break point. Either Bob will just give up because now no one cares whether he does or doesn't do what he vowed he'd do or he has come up with all these 'valid' reasons why it can't be done (work, kids, got sick, bad luck, etc etc) then stops doing his commitment/goal
Or
Bob realizes, 'Hey, I'm not doing this for anyone else but myself. I am not going to get a gold star while I am working towards my goal. But I know when I get close or reach my goal, then not only will my love ones noticed but I won't care because I did it for myself.' But the flattery helps ;]
I figured if I could do this monthly photo challenge and this is when I actively started exercising then I could prove to myself that I am CAPABLE of making long lasting changes!
As for exercising I did get off track around Passover time. But I'm happy to say I'm back on track and have been exercising pretty much 3-5xs a week for the past 2 months. With maybe a week or two where I wasn't as active as 3-5xs a week. Between bad luck with the car, suddenly walking everywhere and a LOT less free time at home I had to readjust. But I adjusted. When I started to exercise again with only 1-1.5 week break my body knew it and I couldn't do as much as before. Plus I felt bad I wasn't as active and I already noticed my arms are looking a LOT better.
It also doesn't help because I am eating out more during the work week which slims down my bank account faster but fattens up my waistline quickly! I have really worked hard at not eating out and making healthy meals at home. You should've seen all the stuff I brought yesterday!
Yellow onion, red onion, 3 kiwis, 1 large container of strawberres, a spring mix of lettuce, 2 avocados, 2 regular mangoes, 2 champange mangoes, frozen chocolate covered bananas, large box of tomatos on the vine which actually smelled good, bag of carrots, and a few small snack size packet of celery with ranch dressing or apple slices with peanut butter
:]
A year ago maybe 1/4th or 1/2 of the above I would've brought at the same time. 2 yrs ago less than 1/4th and before that maybe an avocado or a box of strawberries. I've always been a berry girl and alway brought those all these years! Glad I've expanded my repotaire (sp?) of fruits & veggies!
In other news, I've been staying longer at work to do my lessons and grades because I am unable to really do it at home. This has been my 1st weekend in god knows how long that I didn't have the stress of work dangling over my head. I still have a lot of work to do but it will have to wait for the work week which starts tmw! My plan is working *evil cackling* goodbye expensive microsoft & anti virus protection software...Goodbye updating and maintaining a PC! W00t! Goodbye to having to shell out my hard earned money to do my job that I am not adequately paid or given benefits to ;}