I’m on a major “health” kick. I don’t just mean my diet, either. I mean everything. These are my basic goals for current healthy living month:
- No alcohol the first week, limited after that
- floss (most) every day
- drink a pitcher of water daily
- sleep 8 hours a day
- add in more weight lifting and yoga to routine
- following a “diet” (more on this in a bit)
- set up work schedule better (and get shit done!)
- very limited eating out
- save money
I’m on day 4, and the only thing I’m royally fucking up on is the saving money part. I’ve spent gobs of money in the last week (about $400 at REI alone). Ouch!
Basically, I’m trying to change my mindset about…everything. Being a bit more responsible and concious about my decisions regarding my health. Rather then just saying “fuck it” all the time as I have been, I’m trying to treat myself with more care. I like it when I feel healthy and strong, rather then tired, dehydrated, and hung over (surprise, surprise). My mantra for this health kick is “Perfection Doesn’t Exist“. Seems strange, but I have a tendency to set stupidly high goals, fail slightly, and then bag the whole thing. Rather, I’m thinking of this as a process toward a greater goal : long term health and feeling great about myself.
Part of this, of course, is fixing my diet. I’m “on a diet”, but I’m more interested in seeing how playing with the percentages of macronutrients effects me (mood, energy, concentration levels, etc). Right now I’m shooting for 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat, and consuming about 1,600-1,800 calories a day. Getting enough quality protein (that isn’t all soy) is stupidly hard when you’re vegetarian.
Before this, I was consuming vast quantities of beer and sweets. The first 3 days I was dizzy and light-headed; I basically felt like I was buzzed/half-asleep all the time, particularly in the afternoon. However, I woke up this morning feeling great. I think I was going through sugar withdrawals. I really feel that sugar is like crack. Once I break out of my no-sugar habit, it’s like WHAM! I want it all the time. Once I stop for a few days, which can be very hard, I don’t want it all anymore. So bizarre.
Other then avoiding processed sugar and alcohol, I’m also avoiding added salt and wheat (except sprouted). It took about a day and a half of eating like this to notice some serious results. My stomach immediatly flattened out (hm, imagine that, vast quantites of sugar, salt and beer makes one bloated), and all my sugar cravings went away.
At some point in the near future, however, I’m going to want to go out with friends. I’m thinking more dinner parties and tea parties will be in my future. Also in my future: growing vegetables and more cooking. Hopefully I won’t kill everything right away.
