The New Normal ...

It hit me tonight that I've really got a new pattern of life.  It's not that much different than before but it is indeed different in a way that is good for me.

Before I started this journey my average week day:

7AM - wake up to alarm... sit up in bed trying to will myself awake

7:05AM - zombie like walk downstairs, let dogs out ...stumble to get coffee started & fill up dog food bowls.  Prep cereal or toast with peanut butter - usually throw a banana in.

Photo Credit: www.pbfingers.com

7:10AM - thank God for coffee, pour in huge mug with about 1/4 cup of liquid coffee mate.  Grab breakfast and make zombie like walk down to the basement.

Photo Credit: www.battermanphoto.com

7:15AM - I'm on the couch with the TV on eating my breakfast and slowly sipping my coffee & watching the Today Show as zombie like trance wears off.

Credit: www.thesaleminsider.com
PS:  I MISS ANN CURRY!!!! 

7:55AM - Growly and reluctantly get up and let dogs out.  Grab more coffee and coffee mate.  Let dogs in and herd them all upstairs to my office.

Photo Credit: www.islandprovisioning.bz

8AM - Groan as I start work still in zombie like state.   Work... work ... work... work...

10AM - Let dogs out ... get more coffee / coffee mate.  Let dogs in, herd them back upstairs.  Work ... work... work...

Photo Credit: us.123rf.com

12PM - Let dogs out ... grab 'meal bar' or quick nuke a quesadilla or grab a hand full of baked tostitos and throw cheese on top - again, nuke.  Let dogs back in.  Grab diet soda or splenda sweetened ice tea & 'lunch' and herd dogs back upstairs.  Work ... work.... work... work...

Photo Credit:  farm4.static.flickr.com

3PM - Let dogs out ... grab snack of some sort - hand full of baked chips or some string cheese - usually 3 pieces or crackers like wheat thinks or cheese its - reduced fat of course!  Let dogs in, herd upstairs.  Of course bringing my snack and more diet soda or tea with me.   Work ... work ... work...

5PM - Hear Hubby come home, let dogs out of office to run down and greet him.  Work... work... work...

6:30 PM - Growly about how much work there is left do quit for the day and head downstairs.   Let dogs out.  Fill up their food bowls.  Then yell down to hubby (on couch in front of TV in the basement) "What are you doing for dinner?"  (translation - are you going to run out to a restaurant and pick us up take out or do I need to actually make myself something?)  If yes ... bug Hubby about being hungry now and not wanting to wait until he goes out to get food or breaks down and we order Jimmy Johns.  If no ... nuke a quesadilla or go for the chips and cheese again ... or even sometimes cereal or popcorn for 'dinner'.   If motivated for 'healthy food' nuke frozen weight watchers meal or add mushrooms or chicken to my quesadilla.  If REALLY motivated do a basic stir fry of vegetables and chicken or beef.  (rare)

By 7PM - I'm on the couch eating while watching TV.   Tv ... more Tv... and more Tv....

Photo Credit: optimalhealthresource.files.wordress.com

8:00PM - Let dogs out.  Grab snack or dessert of some sort - popcorn, crackers, cookie or brownie - all 'reduced fat, low calorie or high fiber' with added vitamins and such... grab diet soda or tea.  Let dogs in ... herd back downstairs ... More Tv...

9PM - Let dogs out ... grab diet soda or tea.  Let dogs in ... herd upstairs to bedroom.  Read book in bed.

Photo Credit: skinnymom.com

By 10PM - Lights out / try to sleep ...

10:30PM - mind racing usually about work ... still trying to sleep ...

11PM - finally fall asleep but wake up three or four times during the night regularly

Photo Credit:  img.webmd.com

New Pattern: 

6AM Wake up right before alarm goes off, hit snooze once but don't fall back asleep - just enjoy some doggie cuddle.

You know you'd stay in bed to cuddle this face too! 

6:15AM Wide awake - herd dogs downstairs, let them out, turn on coffee.  Fill their food bowls.  Let them back in.   Fix breakfast - no "regular" yet - can be anything from whole wheat pancakes to quinoa to oatmeal to eggs with veggies to whole wheat toast with all fruit jam.   Coffee usually with whole milk and a little maple syrup.  

6:20AM Downstairs on couch eating breakfast and sipping coffee but now wide awake actually paying attention to the news.

6:45AM Let dogs out.  Warm up coffee mug (no longer drinking full mug during breakfast) with a little more.  Let dogs in and herd upstairs.  Work ... but actually productive in the morning b/c I'm AWAKE!

7AM  Poop.  Dude - it is like CLOCKWORK!

Photo Credit: etc.usf.edu

10AM Go downstairs, let dogs out.  Grab water.  Let dogs in.  Herd back upstairs.  Work...

12PM Go downstairs, let dogs out.  Make lunch - leftovers from dinners or make glass of fresh juice - usually 4 carrots, 2 apples and some ginger.  Let dogs in.  Herd back upstairs.  Work ...

Photo Credit: naturalfemina.files.wordpress.com

3PM Go downstairs, let dogs out.  Grab water.  Let dogs in.  Herd back upstairs.  Work...

Photo Credit: runstreet.com

5PM Hear Hubby come home & let dogs out to greet him.  Start thinking about how much more time I need to put in before I can get downstairs and start dinner.

5:30PM Remind myself the work will still be there tomorrow.  Head downstairs, feed dogs.  Flip on little iPod boom box in kitchen and jam while I get the planned recipe out and review.   Clean any dishes in the sink to make room for the mess I'm going to make cooking.

Photo Credit: static.moo-shop.com

5:40PM Cooking!  Dogs at feet hoping for my messiness to pay off.  Dinner is usually something with a good deal of fresh vegetables.  Whole grain tortillas are a regular as is real cheese.  Sometimes meat but that's about as rare now as veggies used to be!

Between 6:30PM & 7PM Dinner is finished.  Bring plate down to Hubby as he happily accepts being served  / spoiled.  Head back to kitchen, put away leftovers.   Grab my plate & drink (usually some whole milk or water) and eat on couch usually talking with Hubby about the recipe / dinner instead of paying attention to TV.  

7:30PM Head upstairs with empty dishes.  Let dogs out.  Flip back on the music and clean kitchen / load dishwasher, start dishwasher, etc.  When let dogs back in they are at my feet hoping for any final scraps that may fall.

Photo Credit: us.123rf.com

7:50PM Grab small dessert - chocolate power ball or piece of primal fudge or another glass of fresh juice or tea with a little honey - and head downstairs.  Play on computer on Pinterest finding recipes, catching up on blogging or researching kitchen gardening for beginners while Hubby watches TV.  Sometimes watch show or movie on Netflix.   Oh and of course cuddle time with dogs!

How could you resist?! 

9:00PM Head upstairs, let dogs out.  Rinse any final dishes / glasses used and leave in sink for when dishwasher is free again.  Let dogs in.  Go upstairs to bedroom.  Read book in bed.

10:30PM Realize that I need to stop reading and turn out the lights or I won't get my 8 hours (which I no longer feel like I need as desperately as I used to but I know it is also about taking care of myself) so lights out and close my eyes.  No problems falling asleep!   No waking up in the middle of the night!

Photo Credit:  www.drinkingdiaries.com 

Like I said ... it isn't a HUGE change - much of the pattern remains the same.  But the differences are clear in both what I'm doing and how I feel.  And just 1 1/2 months in ... I wonder what my average weekday will look like at 6 months ... at 1 year?