It is, literally, a dark and stormy night. The wind is howling and throwing around debris outside. My neighbor’s dog just shouted out a couple loud barks, echoing across the yard making things seem even more desolate. April has been (for the most part) unseasonably cold. So cold, that I needed my winter coat and wooly scarf to run my Sunday errands today. Inside, the house is warm and quiet, and I am grateful for these few minutes to reflect on my day.
There is no secret to losing weight and living a healthier lifestyle, so much of it is based on routine. Making a change stick happens when we create new helpful habits. I’ve written about the habit loop if you want to read more. Anyway, these habits seem to begin as mini-goals, that eventually just became part of my everyday life. Here are a few examples that I now regard as my Sunday rituals:
- Food shop and menu planning. I am careful to buy a variety of foods because I don’t want to be bored by the foods I eat. However, these are some helpful staple items:
- Joseph’s Pita Bread
- Boars Head deli meats (Ovengold Turkey) then something else
- Fage Greek Yogurt
- Fresh vegetables, Fruit
- Lean meats
- Cleaning, cutting up, and bagging a variety of vegetables. This week I have:
- Cauliflower
- Cherry Tomatoes
- English Cucumbers
- Carrots/Celery
- Snap Peas
- Mini-Peppers
- Laundry and laying out my work clothes for the next day (picking out outfits is more fun than it used to be)
- Spin class (either 8:30 am or 9:45 am)
- Pack and (pre)track my breakfast and lunch
I think AESOP had it right, there are ants and grasshoppers in this world, and I think I’m a grasshopper who tries her best to be like the ants. So, even though I did all these things, I didn’t make the best use of all my time and now I have some feelings of remorse. Ever feel that way? That sinking feeling like maybe you don’t have everything you need but it’s too late to do anything about it. In the past, these feelings of anxiety may have presented as a craving for a late night snack. The thing is I”m not hungry, just a little anxious. It’s just a feeling, it will pass – that understanding is a very big deal for me.
I’m doing well with my personal challenge to get activity in each day. Saturday I walked my dog for 25 minutes; today, spin class for 60 minutes. I like this, it’s a fun little diversion and it’s good for me, so it’s a win-win.
So, my last words for this post are to remind you that every time you take some time to care for yourself you are doing something amazing for the people you love the most. The healthier and happier you are the more you can offer them. You are worthy of self-care and that’s the truth. More tomorrow….
Getting to Goal 