52-Week Challenge: Week Seven

Well, I successfully completed last week's challenge:  taking a multivitamin. . . mainly because I've been doing that every day for almost 2 years. ;)  BUT--I did step it up and begin to take a probiotic supplement in addition to my multivitamin.  However, I can't really tell much of a difference yet.  Perhaps it takes a little longer to make a noticeable difference in your "digestive health."  But, without getting too descriptive, I'll just say that I was already pretty "regular" even before the probiotic.  So, for all of you who said you have already been taking one, did you have a noticeable change in your digestive health after awhile?  If so, how long did it take?

How about those of you who began taking a multivitamin this week?  Did you notice a change in the way your body felt?  I've been taking them so long that I actually feel different if I don't take it.  Maybe it's psychological, but I swear I feel a little icky if I haven't taken one.

Anyways, onto week seven.  This week's challenge is:  "Keep the Outside. . . Out."  This involves enforcing a strict no shoe policy in your home, even for guests.  Think of the ground you walk on outside and WHERE you walk.  Then think of taking all the dust, pollen, mold, and dirt from the ground outside and spreading it around on your carpet and floor inside.  That is essentially what you're doing when you don't remove your shoes when you come inside.  Pretty gross, especially now that I'm down on the carpet a LOT with a little one. . . who rolls around on the carpet and then puts his hands in his mouth.  *UGH*

The author suggests creating a "buffer zone" near the most used entrance in your home, where you can remove your shoes and transition from an outdoor environment to an indoor environment.  She makes some suggestions about things to include in this area:  a shoe scraper, an outside mat, an area rug, a bench, and hooks or a coat rack.

I'm already pretty good at remembering to take my shoes off (mainly just because I'm OCD clean), but I'm going to take the extra step and make a rule about NO SHOES in the house WHATSOEVER.  I know I can control myself---getting my husband on board with this might be another story.  I'll do my best.  I also think I'll invest in an area rug for our "buffer zone."  Our most commonly used entrance is the garage and, even though we live in the desert so there is very little mud and dirt tracked in, I do find myself having to sweep and mop this area CONSTANTLY.  An area rug might help capture the dirt and make clean-up even easier.  And maybe stepping on a soft rug will make me THINK of the carpet and then remember to take my shoes off?  More importantly, maybe it will remind my HUSBAND! ;)

One last thing before I go:  are you all remembering to keep up with ALL of the challenges we've had so far?  It's important to keep doing each challenge and build on them each week in an attempt to make them a habit.  Just because a challenge is finished doesn't mean you're off the hook!  Try to make an effort to keep going.  In case you need a reminder, here are the challenges for the past 6 weeks in no particular order.  Hope you're all still doing them!

1.  Drink more water.
2.  Keep a food journal.
3.  Take a multivitamin.
4.  Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night.
5.  Have an optimistic outlook.
6.  Get routine activity every day.

Good luck!