Well, March is over. So how did I do on the Trim the Fat challenge? Eh.
1. Spend no money unless necessary - Despite my desire to hold off buying new pants, I didn’t hold off. I purchased a pair of curdroy pants from the thrift store as well as a long flowy pretty skirt (part of a very old attempt to be more feminine). Husband purchased new black pants for PT job as thrift store didn’t have any.
An aside: Also I am admitting it here loud and proud that I love farmer style clothing. I love plaid. I love curdroy. And after a discussion from some of my female friends this weekend, I love overalls (don’t own any right now). Friends are endlessly amused at the number of plaid shirts I own, but there is no denying it. I love plaid. It covers the dredded chest headlights of which I am a constant victim to, and it covers up the size of chest acreage.
2. Leaner food consumption - This was a complete failure. We went out to eat twice (then paid for it dearly with my food poisoning episode which resulted in me going without food for over 2 days…so there was some leaness here). I also got many containers of orange juice and first set of organic oranges. I really need to figure out what we can and cannot eat based on moral, ethical and societal issues. Its all in my head and since I have a bad memory, this is not a good reliable source. And I ate almost no greens.
3. Less electronic stimulation - As I’ve mentioned on other blogs, we went back to candle light nights during the weekends after Green Bean posted about Earth Hour. This meant that I couldn’t read before bed, but I definetly was able to drift off into sleep easier. I also spent nearly every weekday not using my computer at home. I tried to have one completely free tech day at home. This is challenging because friends have learned to only communicate via email since we don’t have a landline and don’t use our cell phones too much. This is difficult in making constantly changing plans.
4. Trim my bodyfat - This turned out to be unexpectedly challenging. On one hand, I lost about 5 lbs by puking all over the bedroom (on the carpet!) and bathroom over the past few days. So I am mildly alarmed. But I did make an attempt to bike more. For one, the weather was nicer. However….this may just be me and my frustration coming from living in the same place for too long…but the drivers in this city of brotherly love are impossible!!! The blocks are so short, so why do they speed up between blocks, honk and scare us out of our skin? Why don’t drivers check their rear view mirrors or side view mirrors before opening up the door and nearly dooring me (or poor husband who did get doored). Why are tinted windows legal? Why do I have to breathe from a tail pipe? We got so frustrated that we’re taking a break from riding.
And yes, this means I am apprehensive about living in LA. But I want to try out the city for at least a year. At least there will be a whole new set of a$$holes to deal with. So it will be exciting. I am also trying really hard to be positive and happy, but I am still a grumperella.






You know, the clothes aren’t a huge issue as long as you wear them. If, by buying them, other clothes are just gonna sit around unworn, then you could declutter them to even it out.
When I was first changing my eating, I wrote up guidelines and posted it on the fridge. It helped remind me when the memory got foggy.
Food poisoning is not an appropriate way to lose weight…but you know that.
The more I hear about it, the more I like the candlelight night idea. What do people do during that time? We found it was too dark to read. For my sweetie to practice his mandolin, he had to use one of the hand-crank flashlights to see the music.
I hear you on bad drivers. My sweetie’s current commute is only 2 miles but he’s found walking much more low-stress than riding. Even so, he still had close calls regularly. Can you believe they usually occur near the hospital and always involve hospital staff?! They are absolutely horrible about running lights, cutting off peds and cyclists, and speeding.
Good luck with the No Shopping Challenge! I think the entire green blogosphere has signed up for it.
Comment by Chile — April 2, 2008 @ 11:18 am
FYI to everyone: I was kidding about losing weight via food poisoning. Its not fun and for the first time in my life I am now terrified of eating or drinking anything. And I never refuse food.
As for candle light activities, my husband and I are huge chatterboxes. We spend nearly all our time together talking to each other. One of us usually puts the other one to sleep by the time bed time rolls around. I don’t know…what others do, but talking takes up alot of time.
Also if I’m working on an easy knitting pattern, I knit.
Comment by Beany — April 2, 2008 @ 11:34 am
Overalls are fine. Skin tight denim halteralls (like overalls only with a halter top) and nothing underneath? Not fine. (Yes, I did see a woman wearing exactly that the other day. Welcome to my world.)
Comment by arduous — April 2, 2008 @ 12:27 pm
halteralls with nothing underneath == eww!
Comment by Beany — April 2, 2008 @ 12:43 pm