It has been a while since I wrote a straight up health and wellness update, so I thought I would mention a few things going on with me. As I said in the posts I wrote about Seasonal Affective Disorder and Staying motivated in the wintertime, I had fallen a bit off the rails as far as my goals were concerned.
I did purchase a lightbox, and I love it! I know it’s kind of late in the season, but the box seems to help. The small square shape screen simulates sunlight (without the UV rays). It is really bright since I have to be at work by 5am and the sunrise isn’t until almost 730am right now. I plug it into my desk when I get in. It seems to work better than coffee for helping me wake up, and since I have been doing this, I rarely feel like I need to take a nap as soon as I get home. There are two screens white light, and blue screen. Since I have almost the complete office to myself in the morning, I usually use the white until sunrise then switches to blue when my coworkers start to arrive. The white screen bothers them. If I had my druthers, I’d actually go even brighter. I had no idea how light-starved, I appear to be. But if you also think you might have SAD, I would strongly recommend a lightbox. Mine was only $39.99 But next winter I may get an even bigger one. (Coworkers beware)
As far as intermittent fasting goes. I am hit and miss I have had some good days where I am able to run my goal of a six to eight-hour eating window. My odd work hours of 5am to 330pm help. My brother was blessed with my Father’s physique ( I got my Mom’s), so he doesn’t have any weight issues. He does do fasting for more extended periods than I do. (He just finished a five day fast last week.) He wants me to do a two day fast. I have only managed a couple full 24-hour fasts, but I always manage to crack. It really isn’t the physical barrier that is stopping me but the psychological ones that do me in. I really want to master this because I feel a two day fast might be important in helping me develop self-discipline. What are your thoughts?
I am still vegetarian/vegetarian about 80% of the time. (mostly vegetarian because I have gotten into the habit of having eggs for breakfast, but I only have meat maybe once a week if that) I’d be able to go completely meatless if it weren’t for the fact that one of my housemates is a master griller and another is doing KETO and mostly eats all protein. Never underestimate the value of getting your house on board with you when your dieting. It can be a huge factor as to why you may not be able to stick with your plans. But April (and perhaps real bonafide Springtime) is coming and come April 1st, I plan to reboot my efforts. (and I’m not fooling)
Now that I have my lightbox my energy is improved. On workdays, I would come home, nap, have supper, maybe do a blog post and go to bed. Now that my energy has improved I am able to reincorporate swimming into my schedule. I also plan to walk a lot once it gets warmer. So how are your fitness goals for 2019 coming along? I would love to have a conversation with you in the comments.
