A Private Replace (My 12 months of No Sugar, Weight Loss, Castor Oil, And many others.)

Final 12 months, I shared fairly a couple of private updates all year long, however whereas I used to be excellent at posting month-to-month updates throughout the first a part of the 12 months, I sort of slacked off throughout the second half of the 12 months. So for these of you who’ve been asking for updates, let me get you caught up.

Effectively, I did higher than I believed I’d, however not so good as I wished to do. The actual fact is that I did nice for many of the 12 months, and I got here so near engaging in my aim. However for some purpose, when December rolled round, all bets had been off.

And I preserve a bowl on the nook of my desk within the studio…

For many of the 12 months, I used to be capable of stroll proper by the bowl with none temptation in any respect. In my thoughts, they had been extra of a colourful little ornament than a deal with for me to get pleasure from. So I had every kind of self-control for eleven months.

However for some purpose, as soon as December hit, all bets had been off. It began off with me permitting one or two Starbursts a day, considering to myself, “It’s effective! I’ve self-control now!” Then that elevated to 5 a day. The following factor I knew, I used to be grabbing Starbursts each time I’d stroll previous the bowl. And earlier than I knew it, I had plowed by way of half of a three-pound bag of Starbursts all on my own in a matter of about 2.5 weeks.

I don’t know why I began doing that. I went the entire 12 months with Starbursts within the sweet bowl, and I by no means touched them. They had been for company solely. However December introduced the “it’s the vacations” mindset, and I let my guard down. After which a couple of days earlier than Christmas, that “it’s the vacations” mindset that I used to justify the Starbursts consumption additionally advised me that it was okay to take pleasure in different sweets. So I fully blew it in December. I made it eleven months, and misplaced all management over the past month.

It’s effective, although. I’m nonetheless very pleased with myself. No less than I made it for eleven months, and I discovered that I actually might have an entire lot of self-control and willpower on the subject of sugar. Earlier than final 12 months, I felt helpless and uncontrolled when it got here to sugar. I felt prefer it was an impossibility for me to say no to dessert when it was obtainable, or to go up candy treats within the checkout line on the grocery retailer. However saying no to these issues for eleven months made me notice that I actually am in management. And I can say that since Christmas, I’ve regained most of that management again. I did have a couple of bits of carrot cake that my brother purchased and shared with us throughout lunch on Wednesday, however for essentially the most half, I’m again to saying no to sugary treats.

I gained’t be making the identical decision for 2025, however I do plan to maintain the candy treats to a minimal this 12 months, and I really feel like my very strict 2024 has proven me that I can proceed on with out a lot sugar in my weight loss program with out feeling like I’m lacking out. However this 12 months, I gained’t attempt to restrict myself to solely six “cheat” days for the entire 12 months. I’ll permit myself to have the cake on birthdays and particular events, whereas aiming to maintain my regular each day weight loss program sugar-free.

I really feel like I can and can do this going ahead. About ten years in the past, my New 12 months’s decision was to surrender Dr. Pepper for a 12 months. I went from consuming solely Dr. Pepper all day day-after-day to having none for nearly a whole 12 months. However I by no means went again to that Dr. Pepper behavior. Ever since then, I’ll have the occasional small Dr. Pepper, however it’s probably not a part of my life anymore. And all it took was that one 12 months of strict no-Dr. Pepper to interrupt me of that behavior. I plan to have that very same end result from my almost-year of no sugar.

A twenty-pound loss (or a thirty-pound loss since mid-2023) is one thing to be pleased with. On the identical time, I really feel like I might have executed so a lot better had I actually caught with an train program. I finished doing my kettle bell exercises in some unspecified time in the future throughout the summer time. After which as soon as I packed up our house fitness center to have the ground and subfloor changed, and all of our fitness center gear bought stashed within the nook of the sunroom, I severely don’t assume I labored out a single time for the remainder of the 12 months. I didn’t even a lot as go for a stroll or choose up a kettle bell.

So whereas I began off the 12 months robust with my exercises, that solely lasted about six months. Had I caught with that, I really feel like I might have made an entire lot extra progress on my well being objectives throughout 2024. I’m pleased with my progress, however I’m additionally a bit of disillusioned that I didn’t keep dedicated.

However I’m not going to get too down on myself for it. Twenty kilos for the 12 months (and 30 kilos within the final 18 months) continues to be nice progress. I nonetheless have a protracted approach to go (about 70 extra kilos) to satisfy my final weight reduction and well being objectives, however the starting of a brand new 12 months is a good time to get refocused and make a renewed plan.

To succeed in that aim, I do must discover a place to arrange my little treadmill, and I must dig my kettle bells out of the nook of the sunroom and place them in an space the place I’ll see them and use them day-after-day.

However then my bonus sister began making a castor oil/tallow balm and requested us to strive it out. As soon as I attempted it, I caught with it and by no means went again to the plain castor oil. So now, I exploit her castor oil/tallow balm day-after-day on my face and neck, and I discover it really works superbly beneath my make-up.

However after I began having points round my chin space that the castor oil/tallow balm wasn’t serving to, so I went seeking one thing to assist these areas, and that’s after I got here throughout this Rescue Balm. It has executed a beautiful job at serving to to appease these downside areas (once more, it was dry, itchy, tough patches), and it’s additionally extremely moisturizing. So now my routine is to make use of the Restore Balm on my face and neck at night time whereas I sleep, after which I exploit the castor oil/tallow balm throughout the day.

I’ve observed an enormous distinction in my pores and skin with this new routine. Firstly of the 12 months, I used to be so discouraged with the dry, wrinkled pores and skin that I used to be seeing on my face. I do know that wrinkles include age, however I plan to struggle them till the day I die. 😀 My new routine has made an enormous distinction, and I’m nonetheless seeing these effective strains and wrinkles minimized with these merchandise. Here’s a image I took simply this morning, proper off the bed. No make-up, no filters, no retouching, no modifying.

So once more, right here’s me in January of 2024 in comparison with this morning.

Facet be aware: Please ignore my lips. That’s my new downside space. I used a new-to-me product (that lip stain that goes on shiny blue or purple after which wipes off to disclose a gorgeous, long-lasting colour) that I had an allergic response to, and my lips have been swollen, painful, and peeling for the final couple of months. They’re lastly feeling regular once more, however they appear like an entire mess.

I do nonetheless use castor oil straight out of the bottle after I use my castor oil pack on aches and pains. Castor oil is magic in a bottle, and I’ll all the time preserve some round. I’m simply now not utilizing it straight out of the bottle on my face as a result of I really like the combination of the castor oil with the tallow for my face.

I feel these are all the updates y’all requested for, but when I missed one thing, let me know! I’m wanting ahead to persevering with my well being and weight reduction journey this 12 months, and I’ll preserve y’all up to date alongside the way in which.

Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I rework and adorn 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.