Well, it's that time of year again. This Friday, I celebrate my "golden" birthday, turning 31 on the 31st. (Nifty, huh? I only just realized this.)
Last year, on the six months running up to my 30th birthday, I went through a major revisiting of my life: my career, my hobbies, my apartment (which I redecorated) -- pretty much everything except my love life (still very happily married to my husband of nearly three years). I was on my best behavior: Dressed up for work each day, eating well, exercising, organizing my "free" time so that I could write and craft my heart out. I was a woman on a mission.
This year, I find myself in an odd situation, having accomplished several of my missions. I've written. I've traveled. I've spent enough energy (and money) on redecorating for now. I've even found a new role at work! Now I want to relax -- and not like a drink at happy hour or a picnic outside. We're talking wanting to wear yoga pants to work everyday, wanting to eat junk food whenever I so please and wanting to watch TV and read books as much as my little heart desires.
Not all of these things are necessarily bad, of course. I work at a tech company, where yoga pants are acceptable (if not exactly great for career progression), and reading is an arguably healthy habit (if it doesn't result in spending all day in bed in PJs). But overall, I'm leaning on serotonin binges. It's not healthy. I've spent the last month of my 30th year being a little lazy and, yes, gaining a little weight. It's not a trend I'd like to continue.
So as a birthday gift to self this week, I'm spending the last three days of my 30th year on a sugar cleanse. I'll hate everyone for the next 68 hours, but I think it'll be worth it. I did this successfully only once before, when I was trying to figure out what was upsetting my tummy by following a strict "elimination" diet for 10 days (read: rice, veggies, lean cuts of chicken) -- and I felt amazing when I was done.
This week I'm just focusing on no added sugars: no corn syrup, no brown sugar, no raw sugar, no agave, no honey. I'm allowing myself to have fruit (baby steps, people!) and dried fruit as needed in "crisis" mode. It sounds, on paper, like not a huge step -- but if I listed out all the added-sugar foods I'd had in the past three days, I'm sure most of you would be horrified. I know I am.
Three days isn't quite enough, but I'm not going to kid myself about this weekend. I fully intend to eat birthday cake and drink birthday cocktails (or at least some champagne) to celebrate. But maybe after getting my sugar surges out of my system, I'll be able to get through the festivities with fewer slices of cake -- and in, or at least en route to being in, my favorite jeans.
And perhaps that will be enough inspiration to continue.
Last year, on the six months running up to my 30th birthday, I went through a major revisiting of my life: my career, my hobbies, my apartment (which I redecorated) -- pretty much everything except my love life (still very happily married to my husband of nearly three years). I was on my best behavior: Dressed up for work each day, eating well, exercising, organizing my "free" time so that I could write and craft my heart out. I was a woman on a mission.
This year, I find myself in an odd situation, having accomplished several of my missions. I've written. I've traveled. I've spent enough energy (and money) on redecorating for now. I've even found a new role at work! Now I want to relax -- and not like a drink at happy hour or a picnic outside. We're talking wanting to wear yoga pants to work everyday, wanting to eat junk food whenever I so please and wanting to watch TV and read books as much as my little heart desires.
Not all of these things are necessarily bad, of course. I work at a tech company, where yoga pants are acceptable (if not exactly great for career progression), and reading is an arguably healthy habit (if it doesn't result in spending all day in bed in PJs). But overall, I'm leaning on serotonin binges. It's not healthy. I've spent the last month of my 30th year being a little lazy and, yes, gaining a little weight. It's not a trend I'd like to continue.
So as a birthday gift to self this week, I'm spending the last three days of my 30th year on a sugar cleanse. I'll hate everyone for the next 68 hours, but I think it'll be worth it. I did this successfully only once before, when I was trying to figure out what was upsetting my tummy by following a strict "elimination" diet for 10 days (read: rice, veggies, lean cuts of chicken) -- and I felt amazing when I was done.
This week I'm just focusing on no added sugars: no corn syrup, no brown sugar, no raw sugar, no agave, no honey. I'm allowing myself to have fruit (baby steps, people!) and dried fruit as needed in "crisis" mode. It sounds, on paper, like not a huge step -- but if I listed out all the added-sugar foods I'd had in the past three days, I'm sure most of you would be horrified. I know I am.
Three days isn't quite enough, but I'm not going to kid myself about this weekend. I fully intend to eat birthday cake and drink birthday cocktails (or at least some champagne) to celebrate. But maybe after getting my sugar surges out of my system, I'll be able to get through the festivities with fewer slices of cake -- and in, or at least en route to being in, my favorite jeans.
And perhaps that will be enough inspiration to continue.
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