Enjoying the Little Things
Posted in The Life of the Historian and tagged with Contentment, Food, Swimming on August 30, 2010
It’s now been two weeks since I started the Game On! Diet.
(Sidenote: I hate that it’s called a “diet”…especially since we’re not using the diet portion.)
And it’s been an interesting two weeks at that.
One of the first things I noticed was how much depriving myself of my usual self-indulgences increased my pleasure. I love ice cream and Diet Dr Pepper, but it having it daily regularly doesn’t make me enjoy it more. It made me enjoy it less…it wasn’t a treat anymore.
Day 1 of Game On! (see, I didn’t use the D-word!) I had an evening snack of Cinnamon Life with skim milk. And it was heavenly. While I was eating it, I was completely in the moment, enjoying every bite and sip from the bowl.
Day 2, I had part of a plain bagel with a little cream cheese that was out of this world. My usual Panera bagel, the Cinnamon Crunch, wouldn’t have been that good.
Day 3, I had some canned pears that were quite scrumptious.
And by Day 4, I was enjoying every bite of my unsweetened applesauce.
By week 2, I was back in the pool. While I have to fight through the first few laps, I love to swim. Something about the rhythm of it (stroke, stroke, breathe, stroke, stroke, breathe) and the way that the water turns all sounds into background noises. In the pool I’m alone with my thoughts, without distraction. Exercise without sweat, without strain. In cleansing waters.
So why haven’t I been doing it more often?
I’ve greatly appreciated this opportunity to enjoy the little things. I don’t want to forget that.
Photo by ƒernando
Twitter: okvillage
Says:
August 30th, 2010 at 8:32 am
glad you are loving it!!
August 30th, 2010 at 8:55 am
So good to hear it is going well!
August 30th, 2010 at 9:36 am
Lifestyle changes are hard, eh. Stick at it though.
I tagged you. See my blog for details http://sedshed.blogspot.com/2010/08/10-things-that-make-me-happy.html
Twitter: BestofFates
Says:
August 30th, 2010 at 10:44 am
I love when something makes me appreciate the little things!
August 30th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
E-mail me some of that motivation please. Good for you! I love to swim too. Used to be on a swim team in high school, you know, eons ago! Cheers to your continued success!
August 30th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
I wish I knew how to swim. I just know how to dog paddle and that’s about it.
Twitter: unputdwnables
Says:
August 30th, 2010 at 10:28 pm
I did a diet (that was really a non-diet) this summer too. I haven’t blogged about it yet, but am going to review the book. Although I really dislike that it has diet in the name (it’s the Kind Diet), because it’s more of a lifestyle than a diet. I agree… we load up on sugar now-a-days like it’s out job. Taking it out of our eating habits allows us to actually enjoy the natural food more as well! Keep it up! :)
August 31st, 2010 at 9:08 am
That makes so much sense! I have found myself eating candy (after having eaten plenty of other stuff) and then asked myself “Why did you eat that? You didn’t enjoy it very much.”
I’m going to check out the Game On Plan (ha! no d-word)… AFTER I finish reading more of your posts and getting caught up with you.
Have a wonderful day!
August 31st, 2010 at 5:02 pm
Sarah: Very hard. Went to the store last night, and everything I used to buy was jumping out at me. If it weren’t for the game, I probably would have bought at least one of them. Yay for the accountability!
Jennifer (Mommy Mambo): I was bummed yesterday that I forgot my swim bag at home and couldn’t go! Tonight, though. =)
September 1st, 2010 at 8:07 am
I love this and am totally smack talkin’ your roomie right now! GO RONNICA!