It’s the first Friday in June – wow!
Memorial Day passed without the Holiday ~ no parades or BBQs, somber or otherwise. Lock-downs continue, with “social distancing,” face masks and the like. I’m in Michigan where businesses are just now beginning to re-open but haircuts are banned (you can’t make this up).
Here are 5 randoms from my world view ~
1 ) Daily walks – what started in winter has continued and daily walks have saved my sanity. I get away from the laptop to admire landscapes, pets and flowers while enjoying podcasts as I meander the neighborhood.
Lilacs in May
2 ) Lifelong learning ~ In addition to podcast learning and regular reading, another AHA lesson of late has been realizing AGAIN how much I love being home and how compatible Hubbs and I are. We have our little rhythm going; part of the day is spent together, part not, and we like and need both the connection and the time apart. I can’t imagine what this “stay at home” time would have been like had I been sheltered in place” with someone other than him. 🙂
3 ) Ch-ch-changes I feel my body changing, adapting to and craving daily exercise. My FitBit registers the “jump” in activity, from 5-6K/daily steps to 12-13K daily. On rainy days I use my rebounder inside. As a result, no “Quarantine 15” for me – actually, the reverse – I’ve lost lbs & inches, some due to exercise but most due to intermittent fasting, otherwise known as “time-restricted eating.” No longer noshing throughout the day, I drink black coffee/water in the morning, open my “eating window” when my body signals that it’s hungry, usually somewhere around 12:30 -2pm. Later, I enjoy dinner, listening for the “sigh” (your bodies’ signal it’s satiated) and stop, “closing” my eating window around 7-8pm. Since I give my body a daily break from constantly digesting, fasting is healing and restorative. Think of it as letting the cleaning lady in to do the heavy lifting for you – she clears the junk away ~ As a result my clothes are bigger, I’m smaller, and my eyes, skin & hair are brighter.
I feel ah-mazing! The best part? It’s. Free. 😀
4 ) Dogs & cats ~ 76 days in and I’ve yet to see one dog unhappy with the “stay home/stay safe” order. I see cats in sunny windows; everyone is adapting. Below is my pal, Chief, a favorite from my walking route:
5 ) In Summary ~ the first half of 2020 brought us Russia-Gate, impeachment attempts, COVID-19, Murder Hornets, Civil Unrest & Riots ~ this about sums it up:
So, how’re you doing?
I have tried intermittent fasting. How long have you been doing it for? I didn’t keep it up for long.
hi Mrs. ESTJ, I realized I was already doing it last year when left to my own devices – on weekends I’d drink coffee and never eat until early afternoon. But I’ve been daily fasting since January 1st. Down 13lbs & inches effortlessly. The key is the “clean” fast – no flavors in tea or coffee – just black coffee or unsweetened teas or water during fast/mornings. The flavors/fats stimulate an insulin response which creates early hunger. Clean fast, once used to it, makes IF easy peasy. If interested I recommend reading “Delay don’t deny” by Gin Stephens.
Thanks for commenting! MJ
Thanks for the reading tip. I’m part of a Facebook group on this so have read lots of back and forth on the clean fast and even whether medication interferes with a clean fast. Do you fast at weekends too?
Yes – every day 🙂 It was on weekends that I first realized that I wasn’t hungry until much later anyways. The Clean fast is absolutely key, and this is coming from a (reformed) Half n Half in the coffee drinker! MJ
Cool. Maybe I’ll go back to it. I used to get quite a bit of exercise during my commute in the morning. Now that’s gone, the pounds have found me again.
Understand – for me exercise feels good and gives me strength and flexibility – but if I want to lose the lbs I have to clean up eating habits. following IF has made that simple ~ MJ
I love this post emjay. It portrays your positive attitude and gives me inspiration.
Thank you, Dor. Good to hear from you again! Hope you’re doing well through all this craziness~ MJ
Still laughing. LOVE YOUR CLOSE!
… seriously that would be the drink ~it would be served with a whisper, “and hope you have TP b/c there’s been a run on it, nationally…”
What a year this half year has been! Thanks DK! ~ MJ
really really funny!
well thanks for visiting – and commenting 🙂 That last clip was a must-share. Have a great day~ MJ