Made it through Monday!

 

Monday January 9, 2023

The construction zone down the block is starting to look closer to finished.  It's been interfering with my neighborhood walking routes since Halloween, and yes, it was here that I got my pretty pink shoes all muddy, too.  Of course, had I followed the rules and not tried to cross it, this would not have happened.  Mea culpa.

The HVAC guy came to change the filter at the last part of the two hour window they gave me for his arrival.  Took less than five minutes.  Once he was on his way, I sipped my biocoffee, started my fast, and then took myself for a walk, which is when I snapped that photo.

Over the weekend Lacey posted a photo of their celebration of Son's graduation with his MSW.  Now they are in the "getting enough hours and his provisional licensure" phase.  I've got my fingers crossed for that waiting game, while he's still working at the same outfit that sponsored his practicum.

Intermittent Fasting reading:

I have moved beyond the Fast section, beyond the Feast section, into the "Repeat" section of the book, Fast. Feast. Repeat. by Gin Stephens.  She's a fan of measuring progress as one goes along, which is a keystone of what one repeats.  Her four measurement items:

• Daily weigh-ins, but only look at the trends.  This can be done either with an app or by calculating for yourself a rolling average.
• Measurements, the waist being most important.  Waist/height ratio and waist/hip ratio.
• Taking progress photos, preferably in same clothes, and preferable in "real" clothes, so they can be shared (PG) when you are the success story!
• A pair of "honesty" pants, deliberately purchased a size or two smaller, and trying them on every week or two until they fit, then buying a new pair of honesty pants smaller again.

It strikes me that these are good for when one is looking to lose weight.  I have done daily weigh-ins for many years, and am quite familiar with the daily fluctuations, it doesn't freak me out.  

I have started doing waist measurements, because the idea is to improve my health, and waist measurement is a good indicator of reducing risk for several things.  

I took progress photos once upon a time (2010 - 2012), but haven't done it in a while.  I take them occasionally, but back then I took them every month, and compared the one from a year prior, and they showed clearly growing fitness even when I didn't think I'd changed at all.

The one item "new to me" thing is the honesty pants.  I have NEVER bought clothing to shrink into, and I'm not willing to start now.  

Take what applies to wherever you are in the process, and leave what doesn't work, but her one important message to folks following along the IF lifestyle is that if any one (or more) of these indicators shows progress, you ARE making progress, no matter what the others may show.

Clearly, the author is fighting against the discouragement folks feel when they are in a hurry for change!

But for me, regardless of ANY of the measurements, I am looking at the health benefits in how I feel, how I sleep, and yes, I can see and feel fitness returning.  

The Pep Talk:

Here's hoping we're all doing the basics of good health:

• Hydrate
• Nutritious food, enough, not too much.
• Activity, outside if possible to get an added benefit.
• Calming influences like music, meditation or spiritual practices.
• Breathing, and
• Getting well-deserved rest, at the end of the day, secure in the recognition that whatever of this you have done, it is sufficient for today.

Life is good.  Spark on! 

💖✨🔥