Tag / new lifestyle

by Janet

IF.IS.IT.

It’s been about 50 days since my last post on Life: from A to Z and I’m happy to be back and coming at you with some of my latest news…

“I” is for Intermittent Fasting

I’m happy, and almost reluctant, to report that I’ve been experimenting with Intermittent Fasting for just over a month and my weight is back down to what is was at the pre-COVID mark. While that number is still too large (see my old progress report here), it is TWELVE pounds lighter than I was when I started the 16 hour fasts in early March.

Bottom line: My weight is where it was on March 9th, 2020, right before the pandemic shut me down and binge eating and television watching became my new go-to sport.

That being said, I am SUPER jazzed about bringing back my New Lifestyle, New Me series because I’ve been making some life changing discoveries. First and foremost, when I spent my time and energy focusing on food—as in what I should eat, when I should eat, and how much I should eat (not to mention macronutrients and all of that other stuff!!)—then “food” became my primary focus, which made it almost impossible to NOT eat. Food, food, FOOD… THAT is what was ruling my mind this time last year.

I don’t want to get into any particulars on intermittent fasting because it’s so popular these days and all one has to do is Google search it or look for smart phone apps and all of the details and info are right there at your fingertips. What I WILL say is that fasting, unlike dieting, has allowed my brain to NOT think about food. With that little reprieve, I’ve been able to put my mind to better use by learning about cravings, habit loops and reward-based learning (Dr. Judson Brewer has some great stuff).

It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we DON’T put our minds to it. Ha!

Anyway, that’s about all for now. I’ll be back soon enough. I have 3 weeks left of classes and then I’ll be graduating with my Bachelor’s degree!! Yipeee!! Summer will be a time for fun, laughter and celebration and—God willing—a time to throw off the old masks and live life to the fullest.

About the Image

Speaking of masks, I created the featured image for this post because the mask is supposed to represent “fasting,” not COVID. That’s why my nose is exposed. To add to that, the image of me was taken quite a while ago, maybe 10 years or so, and when I found it I was thrilled at how thin and healthy I looked. I added the mask (obviously) with Photoshop, and then did a little manipulating with some of my cool iPhone apps to make it look like a sketch. I’m sure that at the time the photo was taken I probably hated the image. That’s just the way it always is (and I’m sure I speak for many women on that).

And I think I learned something when I found that old thing hiding in a soon to be deleted digital folder—I learned that we’re not always as “bad” as we believe we are. We think that we are too fat, too old, too skinny, too wrinkled, too young, too short, too tall… and the list goes on and on… but when we look back with fresh eyes we realize that all we’ve really been is WAY TOO hard on ourselves. So just stop.

“There is nothing in nature that blooms all year long, so don’t expect yourself to do so either.”

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Have a beautiful evening and I’ll see you all soon!

—Janet

by Janet

No Strings Attached

Commitment means staying loyal to what you said you were going to do long after the mood you said it in has left.

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

I absolutely love that quote. If I had to live by it—on the other hand—I’d be in big trouble. Ha! A part of me is joking, laughing at my own shortcomings; mainly my failure to finish many of the projects that I start, while another part of me—the softer side—is practicing self-love and acceptance.

Maybe I like the quote because it seems to know how I operate (and many of us perhaps). Moods can dictate our lives if we let them. Anyway… believe it or not, that was actually a lead into an update on my New Lifestyle, New Me project.

According to my calculations, it’s been 135 days since my journey began. If anyone remembers, by week two I had lost 5 pounds and purchased my fitness tracker… naively looking forward to counting my daily steps, and stepping my way into weight loss.

AND THEN WE WERE QUARANTINED.

Now, I’m not complaining or spouting out excuses here… but this shit is crazy! In the course of my walk with God, and my recovery over the past 4 years and 4 months, I think that—for the first time ever—I fully understand the serenity prayer, and what Paul really meant in Philippians 4:11 “… for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

I’ve grown accustomed to “unforeseen” circumstances, but never could I have imagined something of this magnitude. Of course, I’m not sure if the virus is the REAL culprit for the major interruption, but let’s just say—for the sake of keeping it simple—that it is.

I like to think creatively. What that means—to me—is that when the unforeseen comes my way, I figure out ways to adapt to it. Commitment may mean staying loyal to what I said I was going to do but that doesn’t mean I can’t change the end goal!

Honestly, I gained the 5 pounds back, and a few more on top of that since quarantine set in. Am I upset with myself? Not at all. I’ve had a lot of time to think. I realized that every time I sit down to look at my life, I try to think of ways to make myself better! I’m all for personal “growth,” don’t get me wrong, but what’s wrong with me the way that I am??

That being said, I’d have to say that my New Lifestyle, New Me project looks a little different today. I still want to make healthier choices, and I still want to avoid being sedentary, but the end goal, the thing that I really hope to achieve, is to love and accept myself, unconditionally… no strings attached.

Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.

Brené Brown
by Janet

Recalibrating

Would you believe that tomorrow marks the beginning of WEEK TWELVE of my New Lifestyle, New Me project? Wow! It feels as though I’ve lost part of my life somehow—like my wall calendar has this huge red “X” scratched across the month of April or something. And half of May too!

Not to worry. As of today, there are still 532 days for me to hit my first “weight loss” goal. So… I’m in the process of recalibrating. All of this “stay at home” time has given me an opportunity to think, and to get to know myself a little better. I’ve noticed that I still have this default mode that makes me want to emulate other people. I’m not talking about the desire to be fit, there is nothing wrong with that—what I’m talking about are the numerous methods one can use in order to “get” fit.

When you think of fitness, what comes to your mind? Running? Aerobics? Joining a gym? Actually, I do have a gym membership that’s on hold due to COVID, but that’s another story. What I’m trying to say is that most of these ideas are default answers. They’re the things that automatically come to mind when thinking about fitness (or just being “active”), but they’re not necessarily things that I enjoy doing. When I set this change in motion, I wanted my new lifestyle to be different, to be fun, and—last but not least—to be adventurous.

I’ve been reading a book about prayer (thank you Collette) and something the author said really stuck with me. A lot of people put off praying because they think that they need to have everything in order before they pray. But the truth of the matter is… it is “through” our prayers that we begin transformation, and start getting things in order. It’s like putting the cart before the horse. It’s not a huge surprise either. I know people who to do house “clean-ups” before the housekeeper comes to clean! That’s actually the perfect analogy.

I mentioned a while back that once I weighed a little less, and was more limber, I wanted to sign up for some dance lessons. After reading that little tidbit on prayer, I realized what I had actually said in my statement… I wanted to get in shape, before getting in shape! What a bunch of phooey.

We’re in the beginning phase of “re-entry” here, so things won’t be happening right away, but I’m feeling good. Mid-June looks like a good time to start my own new phase—a new adventure—giving me 30 days to do my research. The goal is to start with a simple stretch class. I LOVE to stretch!

Anyway, the point I’m trying to make here is that it’s time to “DO” the things I love—NOT to plan and prepare, and “get myself in order” so that one day I can do what I love. Life is too short for that.

It’s time to dance!

Thank you for reading… I hope you’re all doing what you love!!
—Janet

The featured image is something that I chose because it makes me feel calm. A beautiful rose, whose petals are slowly unfolding to form a wonderful pattern… like a beautiful dance.

Word of the Day Challenge: Dancing