We’re now 5 months into 2024, and I’m 5 months into my decision for the yr of not consuming sugar. I can hardly imagine that I’ve made it this far with out sugar. (I explained what I mean by “no sugar” in this post.) Going 5 months with out consuming sugar is sort of the feat for me, however on the identical time, I obtained previous the arduous half a very long time in the past. It was actually simply these first couple of weeks of the yr that had been troublesome. As soon as I obtained previous these cravings, and into my new regular, giving up the sugar hasn’t been troublesome in any respect.
That’s to not say that I haven’t had moments of problem. There have been about two separate events over the past 5 months after I’ve been actually tempted. A kind of instances was an emotional response. Consuming has all the time been an emotional consolation for me, and there was one time after I was feeling actually confused and needed so badly to bury my face in cake, or cookies, or ice cream, or one thing sugar-filled. And one other time, it was just because folks introduced an abundance of sugary treats to our Wednesday evening gathering, and so they simply all appeared and smelled so good. However each instances, I obtained by means of it with out giving in, and I used to be so grateful and amazed at my newfound self-control.
Simply because I’m not consuming sugary treats, that doesn’t meant that I’m not consuming something candy in any respect. As I shared final month, I’ve added some fruit again into my food plan. I don’t eat a whole lot of fruit, as I’m nonetheless making an attempt to maintain my internet carbs comparatively low, however one piece of fruit a day appears affordable. I additionally nonetheless take pleasure in my tea each day (sweetened with stevia), which I’ll by no means hand over. It’s my favourite beverage, and it goes a great distance in direction of assembly that want for one thing candy.
Additionally, a few months in the past, I shared with y’all about my new favorite electrolyte drink called LMNT (in addition to a e book referred to as The Salt Repair that makes the case that fairly than getting an excessive amount of salt, most of us are getting too little salt). If you missed that post, you can read about it here in my two month update. Properly, since then, LMNT has come out with a brand new bubbly model of their electrolyte drink, and oh my gosh, I LOVE IT SO MUCH!! The grapefruit is my favourite taste, and I can’t get sufficient of it. I’ve to make use of a lot self management to maintain to ingesting just one a day, as a result of if I had my approach, I’d drink nothing however bubby grapefruit LMNT all day lengthy each single day. 😀 Anyway, should you’re on the lookout for a scrumptious electrolyte drink with out all of the sugar and pointless components, check out LMNT. I like each varieties — the packets and the brand new bubbly drink — however the brand new bubbly drink actually helps to fulfill my candy tooth in addition to any soda cravings. It’s the afternoon deal with that I look ahead to each single day.
I really feel like each month, along with sharing my progress on my 2024 decision, I additionally take this time to share with y’all what I’ve realized about well being and wellness basically within the final month. So let me share with y’all of the factor that has had the most important impression on my wellbeing this final month.
I comply with a number of medical doctors and well being/wellness/health folks on Instagram. (I nonetheless haven’t been capable of finding the lymphatic specialist who I comply with, however I’m preserving an eye fixed out for her for these of you who requested.) Anyway, a type of folks I comply with is Dr. Tyna Moore. Till a few weeks in the past, I solely adopted her on Instagram and had by no means taken a take a look at her longer interviews that she doesn’t with folks on YouTube. However about two or three weeks in the past, I got here throughout one interview that basically caught my eye, so I listened to it. After which I listened to it once more. After which I listened to it a 3rd time. It was all about how light affects our health and hormones.
For some time now, I’ve been struggling to get by means of my days. The alarm would go off within the morning at 7:50, and I’d hit snooze. Then snooze once more. And once more. And once more. After which someday round 8:40 (perhaps later), I’d begrudgingly roll away from bed, feeling exhausted and dreading having to get began on my day. I’d spend the morning doing issues I wanted to do — get Matt up and onto his Theracycle, write a weblog submit, get Matt off of his Theracycle and into his recliner, make lunch, and eat lunch. And by the point I had all of that performed, I used to be exhausted, and would usually go to sleep in my recliner as quickly as I used to be performed consuming.
Then round 3:00 or 4:00, I’d begin working, however I’d battle to remain targeted. I’d usually take a “break” to scroll Instagram, solely to appreciate that 45 minutes had handed, and I had wasted all that point doing nothing however mindlessly scrolling. Then in some unspecified time in the future round 9:00pm, I’d get a surge of power, and work till 11:00pm. Then I’d shut up for the evening (wash brushes, put away paint, put Cooper outdoors for the final time, get Matt prepared for mattress, and so forth.), after which lastly crawl into mattress round midnight. We’d watch a present whereas I labored on the pc for about an hour-and-a-half, after which we’d lastly fall asleep round 1:30am. Then at 7:50am, the entire course of would begin over once more.
However after watching that video (three time), I made a decision to place a few of her ideas into motion, and let me let you know, it has been life altering! For the final two weeks, I’ve been waking up (with out an alarm!) at 7:00am. I rise up and go outdoors, put my naked toes within the grass, face the solar, and simply absorb the morning solar (even on overcast mornings) for no less than 20 minutes. After which I am going inside and get Matt located for the morning, make some breakfast, after which get my day began. After which at sundown each day, I flip off all the overhead lights in the home, and placed on blue blocking glasses.
Since I put on glasses, these are the ones I bought for myself (affiliate hyperlink). However Matt not often wears his glasses, so these are the ones I bought for Matt (affiliate hyperlink). And let me let you know, these items make a large distinction! Inside about half-hour of placing them on, I can really feel myself enjoyable, like my nervous system is simply being washed with calmness. After which I begin closing up for the night at 9:00, and I’m in mattress by 9:30. We nonetheless watch a present (we’ve turned down the brightness on the TV within the bed room), and I nonetheless work on my laptop (with the brightness turned down), and by 10:45, we’re able to get to sleep.
These modifications haven’t simply been a matter of shifting my schedule a few hours earlier within the day. If that had been the one distinction, I don’t know that it might be well worth the effort. However since I began doing this — up early within the morning, toes within the grass, getting early morning solar, overhead lights off at sundown, and blue blocking glasses on at sundown — I really feel a lot completely different. I’m sleeping a lot deeper at evening. I get up feeling rested and able to rise up and get my day began. I really feel energized and targeted all day lengthy. By the top of the day on Saturday, I spotted that I had gone all afternoon and night with out taking a look at my telephone even as soon as. I used to be simply so targeted on engaged on my venture that scrolling Instagram hadn’t even crossed my thoughts.
Since I began doing this, Matt has observed an enormous distinction in me. On about three completely different events, he’s stated, “I’m simply so impressed with you recently! You could have a lot power, and also you’re getting a lot extra performed nowadays!” I instructed him that I actually really feel supercharged. I don’t understand how else to elucidate it. Supercharged. That’s the one phrase that involves thoughts. I look ahead to mornings (which has NEVER occurred to me prior to now) and having my 20 minutes within the solar with my toes within the grass, after which I look ahead to getting my day began after that. I want I might categorical to you the way radically completely different and uncharacteristic that is for me. For so long as I can keep in mind, I’ve been an evening owl who hates mornings, and I’ve a sense that I’ve broken my well being an hormones in consequence. However I believe I’m effectively on my approach in direction of rectifying that now.
So with all of that, you would possibly suppose that I’ve seen an actual distinction on the size this previous month, proper? Properly, no. 😀 I’ll be very trustworthy with you. With all of the stuff I’ve realized and put into observe — every part from The Salt Repair, LMNT, early morning solar, shutting down with sundown, and so forth. — I really feel like what I’ve actually realized is the best way to take pleasure in just about any meals I need to eat with out gaining weight. 😀 That’s probably not the lesson I needed to study, and but, that’s the way it has labored out. And that may be an excellent lesson to study and put into observe if I had already misplaced all the load I must lose, and was simply seeking to keep. However I nonetheless have about 75 kilos to lose, so I’m approach untimely in placing this into observe.
The underside line is that I obtained lazy over the past month. I did lose 1.5 kilos over the month, for an total weight lack of 27 kilos since January 1st. However I actually wasn’t disciplined at throughout this final month. I loved the truth that I didn’t have to actually watch what I ate, and the size stayed the identical. I didn’t need to train, and the size stayed the identical. And I believe it’s as a result of I’m getting my circadian rhythm again on observe, and that’s serving to to stabilize all of these hormones that do all types of vital issues in our our bodies. And since a type of hormones is insulin, I’m in a position to be slightly extra relaxed with my consuming with out seeing the quantity on the size go up. However this month, I really want to get again into the swing of issues. I must get again into “weight reduction” mode in order that I can attain my aim. I should be far more conscientious about what I’m consuming, and far more diligent and disciplined in figuring out. That’s the one approach I’m ever going to succeed in my aim. So right here’s to a way more disciplined June! (June can be my birthday month. My birthday isn’t till the top of the month, however I’m nonetheless undecided what I’m going to determine about birthday cake. It’s my favourite sugary deal with!)
Anyway, I’ll depart y’all with this January 2024 vs. Might 2024 comparability.
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I rework and beautify the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.
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