Simplification

I've found that this journey into a healthy lifestyle has, in large part, been about simplification.

Yeah, I don't know what theclothdiaperreport.com is, nor do I care...but this is EXACTLY what my mantra has been lately.

Scientific fact: This cures cramps.

Simplification of my diet: If you can't read the ingredients, don't eat it.  Unless it's a Dove chocolate square and you have wicked PMS and/or cramps.  Then go ahead and eat it.  Simple as that.  (There's a little more to it than that, courtesy of my nutritionist, but really, that's the general idea.)


Simplification of my exercise routine: it went from sporadic or nonexistant to steady and predictable.  This sounds monotonous and horrible, I know, but it's anything but.  When I say "steady and predictable," what I mean is, I know I will go to the gym every day (that's the goal...6 days out of 7 is more realistic for me...gotta give myself a day off just in case, that way when I do make it in every day I feel extra awesome!).  What I do at the gym is different just about every time.  If I'm with my personal trainer, I know I will sweat my face off until I feel like I'm going to fall over, though going in to it I never know what he's going to make me do.  It's simple though...he chooses, and I do it.  On days I'm by myself, I either recycle one of the dozens of workouts he's made and written out for me, or I do cardio.  Or both.  It's simple: I show up, work out, and go home.

Am I the only one who thinks this graphic looks like they stripped the skin off the Incredible Hulk?  That's actually the only reason I chose this :)

Simplification of my life in general: If I don't wear or use something on the reg, it's going to Goodwill or the junk store.  Books I've read but am not in love with?  Gone.  Old clothes that no longer fit or that just aren't my style?  Gone.  Kitchen gadgets that are taking up all my counter space?  Gone.  I'm still working on this, but my goal is that everything in my home should be either beautiful or useful.  Hopefully both.  No room for extra crap that's there just for the sake of being there.  Extra things to clean, extra things to dust, extra things to find places for.  Every extra item in my home is a needless distraction and takes time from the things I need to be doing and want to be doing...cooking, working out, studying, spending time with my husband, friends, family, and diggity dog.

Cutting out things that aren't conducive to my goals: You may not know that in addition to pursuing new goals in health and fitness, I'm also a graduate student.  This means I have no money for anything extra and no time/patience for anything I don't need to be wasting my time on.
Por ejemplo...
My husband and I got rid of our cell phones over a year ago and rarely miss them.  Yes, it was nice having the internet in my purse.  The GPS was super convenient.  Candy Crush was addicting.  But we both started to feel tethered to our phones.  Reachable at all times, dependent on them, addicted to them.  So we cancelled our plans.  A couple of months ago, I decided to get a cell phone again.  I hate it.  Now, the cell phone that I purchased is just a Tracfone...nothing fancy, but I can call and text and (theoretically) use the internet if I need to.  I bought it in May and I've used it twice.  Seriously, the thing came with 10 minutes on it and I still have 6 of them.  And yes, smartphones have buttloads of amazing health and fitness and nursing and grad school related apps that would likely enhance my life, but I'm doing just fine without a phone.  Once you cut a $200 monthly bill out of your life, it's really hard to justify adding it back in.

We just cancelled Netflix.  I will really miss The Walking Dead, but will Netflix help me meet or exceed my goals of working out daily, losing weight, and maintaining my 4.0 GPA for as long as humanly possible?  No, no it will not.


Time Warner Cable.  First of all, I hate them, but we need the internet and a landline (since we are cell phone-less as discussed above).  Basic cable came with our condo rental, and we decided to get the extra "premium" channels.  I will miss Girls and Nurse Jackie, but again, will HBO and Showtime help me meet or exceed the aforementioned goals?  NO.  I have no room in my life any more for things that don't contribute to the cause of making me better, so cable went away also.


Now, if you have cable, and Netflix, and cell phones, and extra stuff in your house, THAT'S FINE.  I'm in no position to judge anyone else's life (unless you're seriously a hoarder, and then it would come from a place of love and concern, because that shit isn't safe).  I just know I need to streamline as much as possible.  My little family, my education, and my health are my top priorities in no particular order (and besties, please know you are included in the family portion of that list) and everything else best be getting out of my way.

Also, if you have Netflix, you should probably give me your password so I can sneak in an episode of The Walking Dead once in awhile.  I promise not to judge your "Recently Viewed" list too harshly. :)