[One of many, I might add.]
I know you were all waiting with bated breath since I promised this to you yesterday, so here goes! This is in no way complete, and has/is/will evolved/ing/e. I also love suggestions and encouragements!
1. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
Credit here.
Simple enough right? It's not so simple when you're allergic to quite a few fruits and vegetables (i.e. carrots, plums, apples, pears, etc.) I don't understand it fully, I am not entirely sure which ones I'm allergic to and why, but I do know my throat gets itchy and it's entirely uncomfortable and I have no interest in repeating that feeling. So. One must find other fruits and veggies to enjoy. This involves significantly broadening my horizon, to try things I always thought were weird/gross, and finding new recipes to transform such weird/gross things into exceedingly delicious and still mildly healthy menu items. Like:
- Brussel sprouts. [Who knew, right? Actually delicious!]
- Leeks. [Maybe not actually the most nutritious vegetable, but still, something new!]
- Spinach. LOTS of spinach.
- Chard. mmm.
- Bananas, bananas, bananas. [Okay, not new, but a daily part of my diet now.]
2. Eat more grains.
I mean, not whitebreadwhitepastawhiterice kind of grains. I mean quinoa, brown rice, couscous, all those sorts of things. Who knew they were actually delicious AND nutritious! [It helps that the recipes I have been using call for butter. But, we must slowly ease into this sort of thing, my friends.] My favorite grain item so far is from Trader Joe's - surprise! It's their Harvest Grain Medley.
Photo from here.
I eat that stuff for dinner, and then lunch for the next two days. It's pretty good - go try it! I have yet to try quinoa by itself - but it's on my to-do list, for sure. Does anybody have some very good recipes for that, to ease us into eating these tree-hugger type foods? [Kidding. Slightly.]
3. Exercise at least five days a week.
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Mostly, this entails running. At least for me. I ran the half marathon last year, which some of you might remember, and I plan on running it this year [yes - I let my secret slip!]. I've come to enjoy running in so many different ways. I enjoy how healthy I feel, the way I crave healthy foods, how appropriately tired I am at the end of the day yet how much more energy I have overall...the list could go on and on. This part of the plan will be MUCH easier now that spring is [sortof] here and summer is just around the corner.
But, this could also include doing Jillian Michaels DVDs, or even exercise routines you can find on your OnDemand! This morning Paige and I did Jillian's Yoga Meltdown workout. It's not exactly relaxing, but it is a good workout, and I like it better than her 30-Day Shred. [Maybe because it's slightly easier. So sue me.] By using this 30-minute videos, I get exercise into the day without feeling the pressure of having to run outside/in the rain/on a treadmill, and I can do them in my home, maybe before bed or if I have a little extra time in the morning. [We'll see how long this lasts, of course.]
4. Do more Yoga.
Credit here.
This is sort of a part of number 3, but requires it's own bullet because of how important yoga has become to my relaxation/anti-stress routine. I have found that I'm not a good relaxer on my own, so I need the structured breathing/stretching that yoga brings. I don't do it as often as I should, mostly because I don't belong to a studio and don't really like the DVDs I have. But it's something I plan on investing in more and more since I can see the physical and emotional boost it adds to my life.
5. Less computer time.
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| From twentysomething. |
This one is incredibly hard for me. I don't just mean computer time - I mean cell phone, in some ways even the television, and anything else that's technology-based. It saps energy from me, and I could be on the computer for HOURS. HOURS I tell you! I'm terrible at limiting my computer time, and now that I spend all day on the computer at work, it really does make me feel exhausted, strained, and like I can never step away from it because there'ssomuchtodo.
No more. Of course I want to find time to blog, upload photos, etc. - and I can't do all those things at work. But I need to create time for those things after I create time for reading, sleeping, praying, journaling, and exercising. Not to mention spending time with real people.
The moral of the story is: I need to take a less intense, more leisurely, and self-aware approach to life. By doing this, hopefully I will become less stressed, less fatigued, and more able to enjoy the smaller, simpler things in life. Including the presence of those around me, and what excites them.
Thanks for reading my shortbutlong list! I'd love to hear any suggestions you may have, things that have worked for you, and what YOU are doing to make your life thatmuch less stressful.
Happy Wednesday!
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