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Challenges — Not for me

25 July 2012 by Aya

If my attempts at challenges have taught me anything, it’s how unfit I am for them. Excruciating laziness and extreme lack of discipline play a fairly significant part in this, but the amount of stress that immediately converges over my head is also a pretty big detraction. If there is one thing that I have wanted to avoid lately, it’s been stress, and no amount of trying to “better” my life is worth it if ultimately all I feel is endless tension and anxiety. Which is what tends to happen when I make drastic changes to my lifestyle.

So, here are quick summaries of how I failed in each part of my challenge:

The paleo diet lasted maybe twenty-three hours. I started off by telling myself that I wouldn’t be too strict with it, anyway, and so was at the outset quite lenient with what I actually allowed myself. It didn’t take long for the leniency to go completely awry, and for my eating patterns to revert back to the eastern European, flour-based ones I’d maintained most of my life. So I cannot comment on the benefits (or otherwise) of the paleo diet this time.

The no-technology challenge lasted a little longer. I want to say five days, but I’m afraid I’d be lying. I started off by using Google (and not the library’s array of Encyclopaedias) to search up information on certain topics that were important to me at given points in time. Then I spent a few minutes on Youtube to waste time before being picked up by a friend, because I was too lazy to open a book. And then I felt an inexplicable pull toward StumbleUpon (to which I am fairly certain I am addicted), and so before long, I’d completely violated the no-technology rules. I succeeded in not sending any text messages well over a week, though, before extenuating circumstances (read: an immature prick who is virtually incapable of communicating in any way other than through typing out grammatically incorrect, thoughtless, senseless messages) made that difficult to maintain. But, even so, I actually haven’t been texting as much as usual, which is better than no change at all.

The not-spending-money thing lasted longer than anything else, and only collapsed when a friend of mine found herself in distress. I treated her to lunch (it was the least I could do). Afterward, I found myself in situations where I was foodless but hungry, and not spending money would have meant exposing the general public to my crankiness (always a risk). So I capitulated. And then I once again started throwing my money away on the daily trivialities that I had been trying so desperately to avoid, namely Second Cup coffee, magazines, and (of course) food.

To be perfectly frank, I stopped trying to go along with my “Super-Challenge July” less than two weeks into July. I’ve just been too lazy (and slightly embarrassed) to actually tell you about it. I’m thinking that, from now on, whatever lifestyle changes I make will be subtle, and I won’t write about them anymore (since you don’t really get anything out of it). I need to rethink the theme of this blog. I recently paid the annual site fee, and I’m starting to question the justification that I’d had at the time for doing so.

Anyway, hope your July was more productive and interesting than my own. Hopefully I will post something again soon (and hopefully it will be interesting). Stay tuned.

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Super-challenge July!

26 June 2012 by Aya

Well, it’s that time of year again (although, quite frankly, it’s ALWAYS that time of year for me): challenge time! July is coming up, and I’m thinking of making July a super-challenge month, wherein I undertake a bunch of challenges to see 1) how I fare, and 2) if the changes required by the challenges are worth incorporating into my life permanently.

If you have been following my blog over the past year, you might remember the other two challenges that I publicly tried (and failed) to complete: the Paleo challenge, and the no-technology challenge (which dates back to last summer). Well, guess what? Both challenges are coming back! In the month of July I will undertake the Paleo challenge, a slightly modified version of the no-technology challenge (I believe I called it the anti-21st century challenge, right?), and a new challenge that stems from my lack of employment and rapidly depleting funds.

So, without further adieu, I will try to list all the details of the three-part challenge as concisely as possible. Some of my terms will require further explanation, which they will receive in future posts (and I’ll be sure to link those posts back here). In the meantime, here is what I shall be undertaking as of the month of July:

Start date: 1 July
End date: 31 July

Part 1: Paleolithic Diet Challenge

You guys already more or less know the gist of this one (if not, take a peek at some of my earlier posts about it), but here’s a brief summary: no grains, legumes, dairy, sugars, processed oils, or anything else that has gone through some sort of modification before hitting grocery stores. Allowed: meat, fish, eggs, greens, vegetables, fruit, berries, nuts and seeds. Of course, preferably organic, but I’m kind of broke, so I’ll do my best, but no promises. Exceptions: Now, as I’ve mentioned before, I work with alcohol, and therefore have to frequently drink it; as such, the only time that I can consume alcohol is when I am at work. Otherwise, no.

Part 2: Reduction of Technology Use Challenge

This challenge is going to differ somewhat from the one I undertook last year. The main difference is going to be that I will be keeping my cellphone, although my use of it is going to be restricted. The specifics:

  • No use of the Internet for ANYTHING other than checking email (this I can only do once a day), using Craigslist/Kijiji to search for jobs, and occasionally putting up new blog posts. The only exception: Google Maps for finding directions to new places. (Oh, and paying bills.)
  • Cannot watch TV (whether on the TV or computer). I will give myself one movie per week; otherwise, I will have to find some other form of entertainment. (Not that that should be too hard; I’m not big on television, anyway.)
  • Cannot use text-messaging feature on my cellphone. I can’t stop people from sending me messages, but I will not reply via the same medium. If I have to talk to someone, I will call them. (This, by the way, is coming on the heels of ten days of receiving non-stop text-messages meant to start and maintain conversations. Why? Why do you try to have conversations via text? If you’re that keen on writing instead of speaking, send me an email. Otherwise, if you’d like to talk to me, then call me so that you can actually talk to me! That way a three-minute conversation won’t take an entire day!) (Only exception: if the text I receive is from my boss.)
  • I will give myself full use of my iPod.

This should be interesting, actually. Oh, Google…how I’ll miss you.

Part 3: Frugal Challenge

I go out a lot. It’s really stupid. And the problem is, the more I go out, the more I want to keep going out. This needs to stop, because I do not have the type of money this kind of excess requires. So, for the entire month of July, I cannot spend a single penny on going out. Not one. No going out to eat, no going to the movies, no traipsing from one cafe to another because I can’t sit still at home. I’m going to have to get to know the parks in my area really well, because that seems to be the only thing around here that’s free. Now, the two exceptions:

  1. If friends would like to take me out and treat me, that’s perfectly fine. Just be aware that this is not a “you-pay-now-I-pay-you-back-later” type of deal. If you’re paying for me, you’re paying for me, plain and simple. Otherwise, choose an activity that does not require spending money. (Shouldn’t be too hard.) (This will be great, actually: I’ve been going out so much lately, that it’s been downright exhausting. Maybe this way I can cut back on my socializing and get a little bit more me time.)
  2. Travelling costs are not considered money spent on going out. The cost of getting somewhere is money spent in a perfectly acceptable manner. It’s the money spent once at the location that’s the issue.

Well, those are the rules for my Super-challenge July. I wonder how long it will take until I break them. Unlike my other challenges, though, if I do go against the challenge at some point, I’m not going to quit and start over; instead, I will make a note of when, why, and in what way I disobeyed the guidelines, and then at the end I will report, and we will determine if toward the end I got better or worse.

If you’d like to join me in this challenge (or in just one of the three) let me know! It’s always great having challenge completion buddies. Makes things a little easier.

Hope you’re enjoying your summer!

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I’m coming back…I promise

30 May 2012 by Aya

Hi all, 

This is not going to be a very interesting post, just an explanatory one. I know that I haven’t written anything in a very long time, and I apologize. However, circumstances have been such that I have not had any motivation to write. Though I will not go into the details, about a month ago, the person closest and most important to me passed away due to an ongoing illness. Partly as a result, I have found myself to be very unproductive and unhealthy ever since. 

I am determined to change that, however, and though I’ve already started down the road to betterment, it will take a little while before I can reach my ultimate goal. Until then, bear with me. 

My blog will be undergoing some changes, as well. “Back from the Past” will probably disappear as a separate section, while a new one for health will be added. I’m debating whether or not I should change the appearance of the blog itself, and would gladly take your input on the matter. The main aspect of the blog will still be my random little (and not-so-little) articles, though I know I have not written anything of any actual worth in well over a year. Hopefully that will change. Perhaps I will be able to find a better theme for them (though no promises). 

In the meantime, thanks for your patience.

Best, 
Aya 

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Pick Up Your F*cking Feet!

1 March 2012 by Aya

I have a question: how difficult is it to lift your feet when walking? Why is it that certain people find it acceptable to drag their feet along the ground with every step they take? Were they not taught that that’s probably not a good idea? (In case you weren’t, see reasons below.)

This has always bugged me, but only recently have I found myself growing truly aggravated whenever the sound of dragging feet reaches my ears. The reason I bring it up today, though, is because of an incident that damn near drove me insane this morning:

I was walking to one of my classes from the subway station. The moment I exited the latter, I heard that sound behind me. Out of all other sounds, it stood out the most, and ground on my nerves. I tried to ignore it, but it became harder and harder for each passing minute. I turned around a few times and gave the offending girl a slightly dirty look, conspicuously looking at her feet — an obvious hint that she should PICK THEM THE FUCK UP. But she either didn’t get it, or just wanted to spite me; she kept dragging them — loudly, and with every single step she took — and, as luck would have it, she seemed to be tailing me. I wished that she would disappear into one of the buildings along the way, but no — it turned out that she was heading to the very same building as I.

Several times I had to hold myself back from whirling around, stepping right up to her, and screaming into her face: “Stop being a lazy ass and pick up your fucking feet when you walk!” But, being the cultured person that I am, I did no such thing.

And I regret it still.

Seriously, though, if you’re someone who drags their feet when they walk, you have got to stop. I’ve compiled a short list of reasons as to why that might be a good idea:

  • It’s unattractive – makes you seem lazy and sloppy.
  • The sound is annoying as fuck. You will thoroughly aggravate the vast majority of those people in your vicinity who have to endure your foot-dragging.
  • It’s bad for your shoes. Can you imagine how much quicker your soles will wear out just because you don’t have the decency to lift your feet?
  • You burn fewer calories than if you were to walk properly.
  • More than anything, though — IT’S ANNOYING AS FUCK!

Just saying.

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Failure #2

27 February 2012 by Aya

The Paleo diet does not seem to be for me, because I have failed yet AGAIN. In fact, so awful was my failure this time, that the last one starkly pales in comparison.

After the birthday celebration for my dad, I was unable to hold back from the leftovers. Then I flew out to Edmonton for a few days, and what I ended up consuming there will probably give me nightmares for several weeks. Today I promised myself to be healthy again, but it just isn’t happening. I’ve got other, more important thoughts on my mind.

I’m not setting another date for a third attempt yet. In fact, I think that what I’ll do is stop boring you with the details, keep trying to do the diet, and when I manage to make it last for thirty days, I will let you know the details of my venture.

As for now – bread, butter and cheese await in the kitchen below.

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Exception Day – a.k.a. I get to actually eat!

21 February 2012 by Aya

Today is Day 8 of my challenge, and though it has been difficult, it has thus far been successful. I won’t lie – there have been several instances where I have wanted to simply give it up. And if I were to continue on with my little experiment through tomorrow, that’s precisely what I would have done. Instead, I have thought of another solution:

Tomorrow, 22 February, will be an exception day in my 30-day challenge. It will not be an exception day in that I will be able to eat whatever the hell I want; no, rather it will be an exception day where I will take part in my father’s birthday celebration, which will require eating some homemade foods that will contain dairy and/or processed foods, as well as cake.

Of course, I could try to restrain myself and continue my challenge in spite of these celebrations, but I know myself too well to think that I would last. If I were to try to restrain myself, the regret of not having eaten such delicious food during a familial celebration – an infrequent occurrence as it is – would gnaw at me incessantly, until I completely caved in and binged on unhealthiness – thereby completely negating whatever progress I have made – well before the deadline date. Instead, I think it would be better to put on pause my challenge for one day to appease my family (and myself), and then to recommence the moment the celebrations have come to an end.

Now, a few rules (of course) regarding this exception day:

  1. The exception applies only to the duration of the celebratory birthday dinner; it does not apply to the rest of the day, throughout which I will have to maintain my healthy vigil.
  2. The exception does not apply to leftovers. I can eat the food that is in front of me while sitting at the table during the celebratory dinner; however, the moment the celebrations have ceased, the exception expires. Even if there is leftover deliciousness (and especially if there is leftover cake) in the fridge, I am not to touch it, irrespective of how much I want to.
  3. The exception is not an invitation to pig out on unhealthy deliciousness. I have to restrain myself from completely pigging out. I will eat a little bit of everything (no more – though of course no less – than anyone else at the table), and then will force myself to be satisfied.
  4. As a result of the exception day, the overall challenge end date will have to be pushed back one day, and will now be 16 March, 2012.

And now that this prospect awaits me, I most excitedly await tomorrow evening.

But Iam interested to know the following: do you guys think this is fair? Or will my doing this completely undermine the challenge, thereby resulting in a failure? Do you think that, if I want to take part in tomorrow’s celebrations, I should begin the challenge anew?

Let me know!

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Bye-bye Dairy

18 February 2012 by Aya

So, it is day five of my challenge, and so far, I have not caved in to my temptations. Instead, when I have felt hungry (which is damn near all the time), I have turned to the foods on my permitted list.

Particularly my beloved cottage cheese and yogurt.

I have neither seen nor felt any difference in how I have been feeling lately (compared to pre-diet), however, and I’m starting to get concerned that, in giving myself leeway in following the paleolithic guidelines, I’m undermining the entire experiment. This concern has caused me to make the following decision:

Scratch all exceptions from my Rules; I’m going to be following this Paleolithic Diet the way it was intended to be followed. In case you don’t want to go back to my first post to peruse the rules and figure out what I’m completely cutting out (though I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t want to do something so exciting), I will reiterate here what I had decided to permit myself, and what I will now no longer be able to consume:

  • Legumes: green and yellow beans; peas.
  • Dairy: cottage cheese; yogurt.
  • Grains: oatmeal.

My initial reason for letting myself eat these foods was mainly my lack of competence in the kitchen, and virtual inability to feed myself. I felt I was limiting myself enough as it was, and needed at least SOME variety to help me get through the day. Now I’ll have to go without, and figure out how to subsist on the true cave(wo)man diet.

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