
So, my April was so-so.
I was pretty good on the diet front, not good at all with exercise – LAME – one day? Pfft.
I think this is because I have not been paying enough attention to my chart, and I had some depression issues again – thank gad the sun is coming back. I am going to rethink my anti-vitamin-D-pill thing and order some vegan ones if I get in a bind again, or just continue going to the tanning place.
ANYWAY, I have been feeling grand.
This month on my chart is:
D – diet – this time meaning 80/10/10 and not just “raw” – raw for me is easy-peasy. So, now I am just doing it gung-ho, my only other food included being nori, just at first. I love nori and yes, it does look delicious to me seeing it on a beach, and yes I could make a meal of it – sometimes I will eat a whole package on its own. I’m also going to do what I did when I initially went raw and that is to stick to it 100% for 30 days and see how I feel (I felt so awesome that I knew it would be for life). I took a “before” picture, too, so I can show my progress physically!
W – writing – this meaning in my blog or in my journals. Mostly I want to write in this here bloggo (I hate the word blog but it’s a funny sounding word at least).
F - this meaning writing FICTION. I stopped setting a time frame for myself – this was becoming too daunting and I always wanted to do other things and would get distracted. Now I just plonk myself in front of the page and write with no real agenda. If I write for 5 minutes, it counts. If I want to write more (and I usually do), then yay! It all adds up.
E – exercise. Of some sort, every day. Exercise is never a waste of time – in fact, I LOVE to exercise. Sometimes I forget this and if I push myself to just start (same with writing) I often want to keep going.
Something awesome I noticed yesterday was this:
About 12 years ago when I lived on Vancouver Island, I decided I wanted to see if I could become a runner. This was one thing I said I would “never” be able to do, and the quote “You must do the thing you think you cannot do” would repeat itself in my head, and so I decided that because I had a lot of time on my hands, that I would start running. There were a lot of gorgeous parks and forests, so it was quite lovely to go out and have this goal. I also had seen my reflection in bad thrift store lighting and was appalled at my appearance, therefore starting me into health + fitness madness.
So I started walk/jogging and could not go for very long with the jogs or runs. I wasn’t eating very well of course, and limiting my calories, still eating fish and bread and whatever else – lots of chocolate chip rice cakes. Eventually I got bored with it and went back to my sedentary hobbies. I didn’t seem to improve much, either. I could go a minute or so and would be so out of breath – this had happened since childhood and I would do everything I could to get out of running track or anything sporty. I thought I had asthma and had an inhaler that I used once – I thought it would allow me to run or exert myself more – it did sweet fuckall.
So yesterday I decided to take my dog out and go for a jog. I used to go out walking quite a bit last year when I lived near some beautiful trails. This was one reason I went so much – now I don’t live near anything but big expensive homes, so to go somewhere pretty I have to drive first.
ANYWAY, I took my pooch out and started to jog – and I just kept going, and going, and going. And even if I got a bit winded, I took a break. I only needed to break for a few seconds and could go more.
I realized that there was a huge difference even from last summer, when I was still eating heavier raw foods. I have been far more outdoorsy and sporty since I went raw, but lowering the fat in my diet has been an even more amazing aspect. Last month I was eating salt and heavier foods again, but I have recommitted to the low-fat approach. I just feel better on it. I feel more energized and clear and SO creative. I want to feel that way, always. I also want to be lean, and eating salt and too many nuts makes me bloated! Yuck. (I have been so bloated I thought about taking an April Fool’s photo because I looked pregnant).
Watching Freelee and Kristina on youtube really makes me motivated. So does Durianrider, listening to Doug Graham, and all sorts of raw foodists. I am constantly inspired.
And so my little chart is going to be the pinpoint for my goals – so far it’s kind of been off to the side of my desk, but I am going to make it more of a focal point of my day – something I do before bed. I am also making myself go to bed earlier – it’s tough because my body rebels – as I am falling asleep, I realize it, then wake up
Another thing I’ve been doing is starting my morning thinking about things I love about my life – positive things – this is what I do WHILE I am still waking up (my grumpiest time of day) – also I have made it a point to stop complaining. A few years ago I read a book called A Complaint Free World
that really impacted me – it’s pretty hard to go a whole day without complaining, let me tell you! (Try it). But I have been pretty successful, and something I noticed about when I was doing these things before, is that I was a LOT happier.
It’s much easier to make goals in spring. I say let’s make our yearly resolutions in April or May, when we feel renewed! If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, I think you’ll be more likely to succeed with “New Spring Resolutions” instead of new years’ ones. Just a tip
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If you like my chart, you can download my blank one here!