Day 460, I Can!

 
“I believe I can do anything.”
 
The little engine affirmed, “I think I can! I think I can!”  We are empowered when we believe we can.  A recent breakthrough in my weight loss program leads me to have faith that I can, after all, lose the fifteen pounds I set out to remove on Day One.  However, think not that I will then go away.  I plan to continue this blog while maintaining my weight loss with a renewed effort to enhance my mood and energy for 2020 and beyond.  Stay tuned.
 

Wednesday Morning

 
Preparing For My Day
 
5-10 things I am grateful for:
  • the Internet
  • Grammarly
  • my new mouse
  • my next-door neighbor
  • having the Internet work again
 
comments, feelings, ideas, moods, and empowering questions:
I can handle a bad day because things will always get better.  -KaeLyn Morrill
 
 
0-100
comments
mood:
80
better today than it has been the last few days
energy:
60
a bit tired from getting up around 3 AM
 
accomplishments:
 
accomplishment
the reason it is important
next action(s)
1.
I replaced my defective mouse with a fast new one.
Upgraded equipment
Enjoy it.  Maybe slow it down.
2.
I progressed with my JV Life Tracker project, toward upgrading it for a new Google platform.
Programming ability
Rewrite the deprecated parts of the code.
3.
I have read 28 books so far this year.
Knowledge
Make Table of Contents mind maps of the books you read.
4.
I have practiced mindfulness 70 of the last 73 days.
Benefits of Meditation
Continue!
5.
Benefits of Affirmations
Recite them aloud when possible.
 
I am encouraged by my blog’s stats.  People must be coming back, and I am getting new visitors as well.  How can I make my blog fresh and alive for all the oncoming readers?
 

Weight Loss in December?

 
My goal and the purpose of this journey is to lose 15 pounds without sacrificing mood or energy.  Last night, I binged during my 15-hour fasting period.  Thankfully, I did not gain a lot of weight.  I would like to prevent occurrences like that, but perhaps it is just a reaction from my body to protect me from losing weight too fast or too much.  Whatever it may be, I want to continue with my program without beating myself up about what happened.
 
My favorite mind map is Achieve 50 kg, where I have mapped out my plans for losing weight.  Currently, I weigh 52.3 kg, so I have 2.3 kilos yet to go.  I can do it! 2.3 kilos does not sound like a lot.  However, a kilo is a massive amount.
 
Realistically, December may be a hard month in which to lose weight.  However, if I can prevent a typical holiday weight gain of six pounds or so, I will be grateful, and I can continue my efforts next year.  Do you have your own December weight loss tips?  Please share them in the comments.
 

Exercise

 
Exercise is a challenge for me.  My chiropractor prescribed four moves, which improve fitness and do not take long to do.  Here is my exercise log since November 27, 2019.  I am working on becoming regular again.  I was developing consistency with this ritual earlier this year when my husband fell on my knee and injured it.  I abandoned my routine for several weeks.  After about a month, my joint healed, and now I can resume what I was doing.  Here is a mind map showing things that may help repair a knee joint.  I checked off what I am doing lately.
 

Fiber/Sugar

 
In the Achieve 50 kg map, you may notice the fiber/sugar graph.  It is just above three o’clock on the map.  I asked Cronometer’s support staff if they would generate a chart like this for us.  They said they would if it became a popular request.  Dr. Robert H. Lustig, M.D. said the ratio of fiber to sugar is the ‘keys of the kingdom’ against metabolic disease.  Removing all sugar in your diet may take away too much of your pleasure.  However, reducing your sugar intake will paradoxically strengthen your taste buds, making nuts, for instance, taste sweet.  Find the right balance for you.  Monday, I made a third batch of nut bread, and it is fantastic for raising your fiber/sugar ratio.  It also fits in the ketogenic diet.  Here is the recipe:
 
Nut Bread
 

Thursday Afternoon

 

Physical Therapy

 
My husband had physical therapy today.  The therapist came in the rain.  She seemed a bit discouraged; she talked to my husband about his drinking, telling him his balance would be far better if he could even reduce the amount.  However, I do not think he has any intention of changing, at least not right now.   The young physical therapist continued with the therapy though somewhat half-heartedly.  I do not know of anything that would change my husband’s behavior, except maybe a DUI, and since he is not driving anymore, he will not get any.  I just want to love and enjoy him, and I do.
 

Sleep

 
I have a more serious problem right now, which is getting enough sleep.  I woke up again at about 3:30 AM.  This afternoon, I took a long nap, which compensated for the lack of sleep.  However, I would like to get my slumber at night.  My doctor’s office called yesterday, saying I need to lower my intake of thyroid hormone.  I could be having trouble sleeping due to hyperthyroidism.  If that is the problem, it will take a while to resolve.  Wish me the best.
 

Gratitude

 
This morning I spent some more time with my gratitude practice:
 
Preparing For My Day
 
5-10 things I am grateful for:
  • the clothing Jacque gave me;
  • my computer’s new mouse, which works so much better;
  • our bonded relationship (with my husband);
  • my relationship with Jesus;
  • my desktop and laptop computers;
  • our Androids;
 
comments, feelings, ideas, moods, and empowering questions:
I may want to decorate with butterflies, which have the aesthetics of joy, including vibrant color, variety, and lushness.  They are wild and part of nature, have symmetry and balance and are light and elevated.  The metamorphosing insects burst from their cocoons with delightful curves.
 
 
0-100
comments
mood:
50
I am still on the edge of depression.  Maybe my gratitude practice can snatch me out of it.  I look forward eagerly to breakfast.  It can be challenging to fast 15 hours. Cronometer has a new fasting feature, which I am trying.  It displays that 14:23:29 has elapsed since the beginning of my fast
energy:
60
I have some energetic vibrancy, but I am a bit distracted.
 
accomplishments:
 
accomplishment
the reason it is important
next action(s)
1.
I got dressed, made up, tweezed my face, and walked in the first- floor hallway this morning.
Walking relieves depression, Looking good helps too.
Pay more attention to your appearance earlier in the day.
2.
I made some more nut bread.
Excellent fiber/sugar ratio.
Excellent omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.
Keep some on hand as much as possible.
 

Friday Morning

 

Weight

 
It was satisfying this morning to see that my weight has gone down to 51.55 kg from 52.30 kg.  I will probably reach my goal sometime in January.  I am excited that my program is working.
 
A family member has expressed concern that I am getting too thin.  However, I have some belly fat and love handles that I want to get rid of.  Throughout my life, I have never stored much fat on my arms, calves, or buttocks.  It will not do much good to try increasing the fat in these areas.  Instead, the fat deposits on my middle, the type of fat that is the most metabolically dangerous.  I plan to continue with my program, even though I have run into some opposition.
 

Speaking

 
Since getting married, I have not spoken my prayers and affirmations aloud.  I would like sufficient privacy to do this daily.  However, I do not have it.  What can I do?  Immaculée Ilibagiza of Rwanda found a room in a church where she had the privacy to pour out her heart.  That developed her spirituality and preserved her sanity in a post-war country.  What would be right for me?  My husband does not like me to close the doors to my office.  However, he is often asleep and may not even notice.  I could do that.  I could repeat my ten affirmations aloud.  Once I spoke them while in the kitchen.  My husband asked me what I was doing.
 
There.  I closed the office door temporarily and heartily recited the 10 Positive Affirmations I like to do.  I hear no stirring from my husband.  Let me see if he is still sleeping.
 
I sneezed when I went into the bedroom.  My husband is awake.  However, he said nothing about the noise.  Maybe I can do this occasionally.
 

Exercises

 
I am not implying you should do the same exercises I do.  Even in my ebook, Joyful Vibrance:  Transform Your Body Image, Energy, and Mood!, I suggest designing an exercise routine for yourself, using mine as a possible model.  I did my four chiropractic exercises just now and logged them in my Exercise Log.  They take less time to do than the routine in my book.  Whether they are sufficient for my level of fitness, I do not know, but they seem to be helping my back.  Choose your exercises to match your current and desired level of fitness.  I recommend keeping a log.
 

Sunday Afternoon

 
 
Yesterday, I went out with my husband to buy a Christmas wreath for the front door.  We also purchased a tinsel tree.
 
With a decoration on our door, I can feel the Christmas Spirit more.  The lush wreath is composed of 1) energetic, vibrant color, 2) freedom-loving, natural-green pinecones and conifer spines, 3) playful, brightly-hued, shiny globes, and 4) blossoming poinsettias.  The pine needles burst forth, giving the aura of celebration.
 
These are some of the elements of design that engender joy.
 

Pizza

 
My husband asked me to order pizza when we got home, so I did.  It is not so great for reducing, but there are ways to minimize the damage with the help of the Cronometer app.  Choose a selection with vegetables, and digitally weigh each piece you consume.  Last night, I ate 164 grams of Eugene Supreme Pizza. That was too much!  Fortunately, I did not eat more, and I did not eat anything else for the evening.  It was fun, though, so I do not regret it.
 

Default Food Plan

 
I organized a daily menu to be my default food plan.
 
 
It has a fantastically complete nutritional profile:
 
 
If this plan is too expensive for your budget, I understand.  You can probably find less costly alternatives.  One economical and very nutritious choice is split pea soup.  I plan to make that from time to time.  Notice the lack of meat.  It is not vegan because there are eggs in the nut bread.  Its vegetarian quality may make it affordable for you.
 

What Is The Best Way to Spend the Holidays?

 
What is the best way to spend the holidays?  I think expressing your authentic self is essential.  Be original.  Do not do the same thing your friends, family, and neighbors are doing.  Do not try to do everything.  Doing so will exceed your budgets of time, energy, and money.  Do something unique each year to help you remember that year.  Also, do at least one thing that is traditional for you, so you can feel the Spirit of Christmases past.  Keep enjoyment as your top value.  You want vibrant joy in the season.
 

Candy

 
I offered to buy my husband Christmas candy last night, but he did not want any.  I am grateful for that.  Candy is not necessary.  If you need it, you may want to consider making your own with honey instead of sugar.  Experts say there is no difference between honey and sugar, but I have found the former to be less addictive.  The past few days, I looked over the profiles of multi-millionaire and multi-billionaire heirs and heiresses.  Those who are entrepreneurs are often in candy or ketchup businesses.  We do not need to enrich their coffers even more by purchasing a lot of candy.
 
I have a honey candy recipe I like a lot.  Let me see if I can find it.  Here it is, thanks to the search function in The Journal.
 
Coconut Chocolate “Fudge”
 
1 cup almond butter
1 tsp. vanilla powder
.5 tsp. salt
.25 cup cacao powder
1 cup coconut flakes
.25 cup raw honey
.25 cup melted coconut oil
 
Combine all ingredients, and let it set up in the freezer for half an hour.  Cut up in chunks and freeze.
 
It may not be the best for reducing, but if you go easy on it, weighing the chunks on your digital kitchen scale, it will be okay.  It will satisfy a sweet tooth.  Enjoy!
 

Music

 
I miss my ebony, baby grand piano.  I am thinking of getting a piano keyboard for my computer.  My husband does not care much for the music as he has hyperacusis, even worse than I do.  I have one CD of Christmas music of Gladys Knight in iTunes and one CD of classical Christmas music from Jacque.  My Christmas sheet music and my other CDs are in my storage unit.  That means, who knows where they are?  I have my LDS hymnbook, which has some traditional Christmas songs.  However, I have no keyboard to play the music on.
 
I could listen to the radio.  Some stations play continuous Christmas songs throughout the season.  Let me find a station.
 
I found a Christmas music link from AccuRadio with many types of Christmas music.  All right, now I have some variety, at least for listening.  I will have to take extra time before becoming a performer again.
 
What else is there?  I could go to church.  However, my hyperacusis does not make that very pleasant.
 
I seem to enjoy Classical Christmas with orchestral and vocal solo holiday music the most so far.  Let me continue to explore.
 

Sunday Evening

 

Dinner

 
It is almost getting time to put my dinner in the oven.  I do not want to eat too late, or I have to eat late tomorrow for breakfast to get my 15-hour fast.  However, if I eat too early, I cannot go without food through the evening afterward without eating before bedtime.  After a few iterations of intermittent fasting, I think the ideal time for me to eat is at about 5:30 PM.  I am still working on a 15-hour fast every day.  You can see my log here.  It may seem pathetic to keep trying and failing.  However, my body seems to reward me for trying, and it really rewards me for succeeding by shedding excess weight.  I think it is worth keeping up the effort.
 

Prayer

 
 
EVENING Prayer
 
Dear Lord,
 
I can do this!  On this journey, I can shed 15 pounds.  I must confess I have sometimes lost my even mood and vibrant energy, but I have been cautious to keep my top values in mind.
 
For December, it looks like my readership numbers are exploding by about an order of magnitude.  I pray that my readers will let their friends and family know they can find useful material here on http://www.joyfulvibrance.com.
 
According to Grammarly, my blog posts are now engaging.  If I cannot interest my readers, of what use is my writing?  I pray my readers will leave relevant comments.
 
Lord, help me to make these holidays joyous ones.  Writing blog entries about joyful vibrancy during the season of joy may be an oeuvre of art.  Help me rise to the occasion and delight my audience.
 
I do not have long to achieve 50 kg.  Help me to do that soon, then elaborate sound strategies for stabilization.
Maintaining a weight loss can be as challenging as attaining one.
 
Lord.  My husband is shaky and tired today.  He has not had much of an appetite and has not even wanted to watch the winning Broncos game.  What can I do for him?  I still have not enticed him to take a bath or shower–for months.  My powers of influence appear to be sub-par.
 
I can do something.  I do not know just what yet.  However, we have a shower therapist coming in this week.  During her last therapy, my husband sat in the tub on the shower chair–without water.  That will come later.  I am praying, Lord, that my husband will have the desire to wash.
 
I also pray that my readers will have a joyous season and that they will keep coming back.  Every day, I learn more.  In high school, my teachers told my parents that if everyone were like me, there would be no need for teachers.  Instructors can help, however.  I am grateful for the influence of many excellent mentors in my past.
 
Amen.
 
If you would like to join me on this journey from the beginning, please start with Day One.
 
 
 

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