Sunday, November 24, 2013

Weight Watchers

For real though (Pinterest)
With the holidays coming up, I guess it is normal to hear about the different diets people are on and how they hope to "be good" over the holidays. To me, food is part of the holidays, why would you want to limit it?

There are too many diets. There is always a switch of what is good for you and what isn't. Then there are the people who diet during the week only to gorge on the weekends thinking that's somehow healthy.

The worst is those who lament over what they've eaten as if it's destroyed their life. If you are so worried about the weight that eating a donut is going to make you gain...don't eat the donut. Otherwise, enjoy the pastry and move on with your life.

The majority of people like to say they are dieting for their health when really it's for vanity reason and shame those not dieting for how many calories they consume a day. For me, I can tell when I feel heavy or sluggish and I will cut things out of my diet for awhile. 

If I made a real effort, I probably could lose the five or ten pounds that I could stand to let go, but I enjoy eating too much. If I'm eating poorly one week, I will make a conscious effort the next to cut it out. But when did everyone become so hyper-sensitive to food?

I plan to embrace the holidays, all of it, even the food. Especially the food! I'm over the weight obsession. Just be healthy and happy and move on to more important things in life.

Off my soapbox now.

50/50 Challenge Update: Movie #71: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire -- Book #23: Family Pictures by Jane Green (an easy read if you're going to be traveling). Also, I actually received The Dinner in the mail for free from Random House, so I probably will make an effort to finish it now.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Praying on Sunday

I've been doing a lot of praying lately. Actually, it's been going for awhile now I feel. I was baptized and confirmed Catholic, but I don't go to church. I don't like the routine of it. Big shocker, I know. But even when I went for my friend's wedding, they had a mass and the words have changed. The responses that I had grown up with repeating every Sunday are now different and it's like, but for what purpose?

So far the new Pope seems pretty cool and creating real dialogue within the Catholic community that isn't constantly surrounded by negativity, but other than that when it comes to church I have realized, it's just not for me. Don't get me wrong though I do have faith and I definitely believe in God. More importantly, I believe in asking God for things.

Now I know what you're thinking. Oh, you're the kind of girl that just talks to God when you need something. Untrue, my friend. But if there is one thing about God, it's knowing that it's okay to ask for things, that is what you're supposed to do. Ask for things without guilt. I pray for guidance every night. It's the number one thing I ask for. I thank God every morning for a new day. That routine of prayer is more comforting for me than Mass ever was. I actually had a dream God sent me a rainbow last night. Sounds hokey, but if you focus your energy in that way you'd be surprised at the little things you start to notice.

I am more specific now when I ask God for things. I don't ask often but when I do I get exactly what I want. It's not always right away but I can always feel when the time is right to ask. Since it has been proven to work on more than one occasion I think that's what's helped my faith become stronger. 

This really isn't a rally cry for church or religion or even God for that matter, but it is Sunday. It's a good day to reflect on the week behind and the week ahead. I have a lot to be thankful for and I like to give credit where credit is due.

50/50 Challenge Update: Movie #66: The Usual Suspects; Movie #67: Thor; Movie #68: The Dallas Buyers Club; Movie #69: The Best Man Holiday; Movie #70: Herblock -- Book #22: The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister; Book #22 1/2: The Dinner by Herman Koch (for the "it" book of the moment, it got rather dull for me, had to quit)

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Guilt-Free Relaxing

This one seems to have the right idea.
My day went like this: wake up, have Starbucks brought to me, eat Jack-in-the-Box tacos, watch "Morning Glory," take nap, eat Chinese takeout, do laundry, write. Hope your day was as rough as mine. The "extra hour" that Daylight Savings brought really let me feel like I had a chance to relax today. Or, maybe I just made the extra effort to walk away from my laptop and phone. I caught up on my DVR; I read magazines that had begun to pile up; I just lounged. It was fantastic.

I was starting to wonder if I forgot how to relax. Where it had been so easy to be lazy in earlier years, now I tend to get a nervous tic like there is something I am forgetting to do and that is why I have extra time. How awful is that?! I fill nearly every minute of my day to get something done. I have to schedule time to do the things I enjoy. And I have to schedule them after I have done the things on my to-do list or they I won't be able to give it my full attention. Pretty pathetic really. 

I'm better under pressure and better with a lot on my plate, but I'm beginning to realize that it doesn't seem that balanced. I work my ass off and then squeeze in 20, 30 minutes to read or watch bad tv or just do something just for me before I feel guilty like there is something else I should be doing. How many of you feel this way? Please tell me I am not the only crazy-wired nutcase who forgot what it's like to relax and not feel guilty. 

For my own sanity (and the sanity of those around me), I am going to make a better effort to slow down, to find a better balance. Any tips?

50/50 Challenge update: "About Time" Movie #65; Nine Inches by Tom Perrotta Book #21.