The first three weeks of this month, I participated in Prevention magazine's 21 day transformation challenge. For the challenge, I had to cut out all sugar, including fruit, for four days, then I gradually added back natural sugars while holding to a clean diet. I feel that, going forward, cutting down on added sugars is doable.
The exercise portion of the challenge had us working toward 150 minutes of cardio a week (that's about 30 minutes five days a week), and a 15 minute full body interval workout three times a week. I can only walk about 3 minutes before my low back starts complaining, so far, but my body has been loving the workouts.
A positive side effect to the workouts: I was walking down the hallway in my yoga pants and a pink sleeveless shirt, and I thought, "I look good!" I couldn't yet see the changes in my body, but I could feel them. A psychological side effect of the workouts was that I really felt good about my body for the first time ever.
This is something that food and clothes have never given me. Even though I have always known I'm pretty, I had never had that much body confidence. I feel as though I can just stop trying to lose weight at some future point when I feel healthier, and just maintain my confidence with regular workouts, regardless of my size.
The best part is I won't have to be a slave to the scale and reach some arbitrary point at which I'll magically gain confidence. I can have it NOW.
Wishing my readers good health, and God bless!
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Friday, May 22, 2015
Overcoming Hurdles to My Success
In my previous post, I mentioned that I had some... issues... that attempt to prevent me from doing what I want to do. They are not permanently disabling as long as I try to work with them. They just make my progress slower and more difficult.
My oldest hurdle is psychiatric. I battle depression and anxiety, however with medicine and good coping mechanisms, I win the battle with depression more often than not. My battle with anxiety is more difficult; sometimes I get frazzled (my term for an event that is a step above "anxious" and a step below "anxiety attack"). Becoming frazzled sometimes puts me out of commission for an hour or a day. My ways for dealing with this are taking a nap, retail therapy (even if I don't buy anything), Zentangle, or going back to my room and listening to an audiobook. Thanks to Zentangle, I have not needed to take my "as needed" anxiety medication since October 2014.
I also have a sleep disorder called "idiopathic hypersomnia." Because of it, I need more sleep than the average 23 year old woman, about 10 hours a night. I can survive on fewer hours for a few days, but I really need to regularly get my 10 hours of shut-eye. Idiopathic hypersomnia also means the part of my brain that controls alertness does not function properly. Unfortunately I am severely allergic to the best medication for this disorder, Nuvigil or Provigil, so I take an extended release stimulant medication twice a day. Why not just self medicate with caffeine? I've tried that. Any more than a twelve ounce coffee makes me jittery, and doesn't really affect me in a positive way at all, so it's not worth it.
My psychiatric issues, combined with my sleep disorder, make it difficult for me to make big changes quickly. First, I'm tired almost all day. Second, my psyche or subconscious likes the path of least resistance, and if I push too hard, too fast, I will get frazzled or dizzy. So I make small changes, and focus on the positive effects of these changes to train my psyche to feel differently. As I push, my symptoms will increase, but as I hold my ground, my symptoms subside, at which time I push again and continue the cycle.
Because of the necessity of making slow progress and going at my own pace, I cannot go get a job tomorrow and expect to be able to keep it; however, by following the plan of progressing slowly, I could theoretically be able to get and keep a job within a year. Neither can I take a full time class load. The most classes I've been able to take is 3 different classes with no more than an hour break between. I haven't taken any classes in a year because I have to pay for them myself, I'm on a fixed income, and I just haven't saved up enough.
I don't mean for anyone to pity me because I have these hurdles. I'm working on overcoming them, and I will succeed. These hurdles will never be removed unless God intervenes, and I'm ok with that. I just need to live my life to the glory of God, He will help me to succeed.
Have a good day and God bless.
My oldest hurdle is psychiatric. I battle depression and anxiety, however with medicine and good coping mechanisms, I win the battle with depression more often than not. My battle with anxiety is more difficult; sometimes I get frazzled (my term for an event that is a step above "anxious" and a step below "anxiety attack"). Becoming frazzled sometimes puts me out of commission for an hour or a day. My ways for dealing with this are taking a nap, retail therapy (even if I don't buy anything), Zentangle, or going back to my room and listening to an audiobook. Thanks to Zentangle, I have not needed to take my "as needed" anxiety medication since October 2014.
I also have a sleep disorder called "idiopathic hypersomnia." Because of it, I need more sleep than the average 23 year old woman, about 10 hours a night. I can survive on fewer hours for a few days, but I really need to regularly get my 10 hours of shut-eye. Idiopathic hypersomnia also means the part of my brain that controls alertness does not function properly. Unfortunately I am severely allergic to the best medication for this disorder, Nuvigil or Provigil, so I take an extended release stimulant medication twice a day. Why not just self medicate with caffeine? I've tried that. Any more than a twelve ounce coffee makes me jittery, and doesn't really affect me in a positive way at all, so it's not worth it.
My psychiatric issues, combined with my sleep disorder, make it difficult for me to make big changes quickly. First, I'm tired almost all day. Second, my psyche or subconscious likes the path of least resistance, and if I push too hard, too fast, I will get frazzled or dizzy. So I make small changes, and focus on the positive effects of these changes to train my psyche to feel differently. As I push, my symptoms will increase, but as I hold my ground, my symptoms subside, at which time I push again and continue the cycle.
Because of the necessity of making slow progress and going at my own pace, I cannot go get a job tomorrow and expect to be able to keep it; however, by following the plan of progressing slowly, I could theoretically be able to get and keep a job within a year. Neither can I take a full time class load. The most classes I've been able to take is 3 different classes with no more than an hour break between. I haven't taken any classes in a year because I have to pay for them myself, I'm on a fixed income, and I just haven't saved up enough.
I don't mean for anyone to pity me because I have these hurdles. I'm working on overcoming them, and I will succeed. These hurdles will never be removed unless God intervenes, and I'm ok with that. I just need to live my life to the glory of God, He will help me to succeed.
Have a good day and God bless.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Intrigued by Minimalism
Yesterday I started listening to the audiobook version of Minimalist Living: Decluttering for Joy, Health, and Creativity. I've become interested in practicing a measure of minimalism after realizing I simply have too much stuff. My clutter is basically all over the house, and I'm stuck in the cycle of taming it when my dad insists I clean it up, without going to the root of the issue, which is that I simply have more than I need. So my clutter grows like kudzu, and instead of taking control over it, I simply manage it.
Stuff is fun to have. One can even argue that acquiring stuff is good, and I agree... to a certain extent. I will never be an ultra minimalist, pairing down my belongings to 100 (or even fewer!) items. I don't care how many different belongings I have, as long as they don't run my life or get lost in storage. According to the author of the book mentioned above, my feelings toward stuff is a valid minimalist ideal. The key is acting upon my feelings.
One person that embodies some of the aspects of minimalism is my grandmother. She makes her home a reflection of her and Granddad. She doesn't really care what people think, or about "keeping up with the Joneses," or having the latest technology--unless she or Grandad really wanted something. Grandma's and Granddad's attitude of making their belongings work for them instead of working to maintain too many things, and otherwise making good choices, allows them to enjoy retirement and follow some of their passions. Grandma likes to read when she's not keeping house. And although she spends most of her day with chores, her load is much less because she has no clutter. This way of living also frees them financially because they only have to pay to maintain the things they need, instead of, perhaps, maintaining extra gadgets and belongings that they don't use or don't even really want. In this way, while they are not rich, they live richly.
I think my grandparents' positive example of minimalism is something for me to strive for. I can live my dream and live it well, and deal with whatever life has thrown at me, if I minimize my ties to stuff.
Some benefits of practicing minimalism, as it applies to my life:
Back to the subject of the book I'm listening to; the author often makes two things clear: one must act on what he learns in her book--the book itself is not magic; and that one must make minimalism work for them.
Here is the link to buy Minimalist Living on Amazon, available in Kindle, paperback, and Audible versions:
http://www.amazon.com/Minimalist-Living-Decluttering-Health-Creativity-ebook/dp/B00H9J8C64/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1432156191&sr=1-1&keywords=minimalist+living
I am not gaining anything from you following the link and purchasing the book.
I end this post by asking my readers to pray for me as I try to actually implement my own version of minimalism. I often find it difficult to find the energy or motivation to actually clean (as to the reason why... that's another blog post).
Until next time, God bless and have a great day!
Stuff is fun to have. One can even argue that acquiring stuff is good, and I agree... to a certain extent. I will never be an ultra minimalist, pairing down my belongings to 100 (or even fewer!) items. I don't care how many different belongings I have, as long as they don't run my life or get lost in storage. According to the author of the book mentioned above, my feelings toward stuff is a valid minimalist ideal. The key is acting upon my feelings.
One person that embodies some of the aspects of minimalism is my grandmother. She makes her home a reflection of her and Granddad. She doesn't really care what people think, or about "keeping up with the Joneses," or having the latest technology--unless she or Grandad really wanted something. Grandma's and Granddad's attitude of making their belongings work for them instead of working to maintain too many things, and otherwise making good choices, allows them to enjoy retirement and follow some of their passions. Grandma likes to read when she's not keeping house. And although she spends most of her day with chores, her load is much less because she has no clutter. This way of living also frees them financially because they only have to pay to maintain the things they need, instead of, perhaps, maintaining extra gadgets and belongings that they don't use or don't even really want. In this way, while they are not rich, they live richly.
I think my grandparents' positive example of minimalism is something for me to strive for. I can live my dream and live it well, and deal with whatever life has thrown at me, if I minimize my ties to stuff.
Some benefits of practicing minimalism, as it applies to my life:
- More room in the house
- Fewer boxes to rummage through when looking for something
- Knowing that at least most of my clothes fit
- When I move out on my own, less stuff to bring with me
- When preparing to move out, less stuff to discard at one time
- Easier to clean
- Possibly, fewer allergies
- Financially, making my dollars count
- Preparing me for life on my own and with my own family, when I may have to live with less out of necessity or love
- Less to lose and have to replace, if something happens and I lose everything.
Back to the subject of the book I'm listening to; the author often makes two things clear: one must act on what he learns in her book--the book itself is not magic; and that one must make minimalism work for them.
Here is the link to buy Minimalist Living on Amazon, available in Kindle, paperback, and Audible versions:
http://www.amazon.com/Minimalist-Living-Decluttering-Health-Creativity-ebook/dp/B00H9J8C64/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1432156191&sr=1-1&keywords=minimalist+living
I am not gaining anything from you following the link and purchasing the book.
I end this post by asking my readers to pray for me as I try to actually implement my own version of minimalism. I often find it difficult to find the energy or motivation to actually clean (as to the reason why... that's another blog post).
Until next time, God bless and have a great day!
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