Refocusing Habits from 2017

2017?
As in, two years ago? Why are you even going back that road. Valid thought. Was it yours?

Any time a year ends, I take a moment to look at what I did differently. I look for growth, victories, and evaluate the negative moments. 2018 was a wonderful year but in analyzing both, 2017 was a year of routine. Food, exercise, and all around life happenings. Actions that I look forward to incorporating back this year, 2019.

I journaled my meals. Something I still somewhat do, just not so consistently. I used my planner as my journal and used a different color pen to notate “treats”. This allowed me to look at the week as a whole and pinpoint the days I splurged. I didn’t analyze this to beat myself up, but rather look for common trends. For example, I tend to be 100% game for a basket of tortilla chips, salsa, and margaritas on Wednesday evenings. Why? What happens on Wednesday that shifts my mindset for the comfort that Mexican food restaurants bring me? Keeping track of these things really helped and I can’t wait to consistently get back to it!
I dedicated 30 minutes of my lunch to a walk around the parking garage. It doesn’t take me an entire hour to eat. Heck, it doesn’t even take me 30. Therefore, I would split my lunch, put a podcast or Netflix show on, and walk the garage before I ate. This helped me get my steps in and left my mind refreshed for the second half of the workday. I sit at a desk all day working in excel and looking at numbers, often rising only to walk 50 feet to the ladies room. When I took the time to get fresh air and movement, I felt so productive.
I meal prepped soup and shepherd’s pie every week for our lunch. Thankfully, we don’t tire from eating the same meal day after day. Each Sunday we slept in, enjoyed a cup of coffee together, and then I went to town prepping a basic sweet potato shepherd’s pie and a double batch of sausage, kale, and potato soup. I haven’t completely strayed away from this habit but I admit that I can’t remember the last time I had shepherd’s pie. Every week, lunch was taken care of. Lunch is the only meal of the day I know that I can commit to. Breakfast depends on how awake I am and dinner can often end up being a free for all. Having that one meal, ready to go, helped with our schedules but even more so, our minds. If we pressed the “easy button” for dinner, we knew that we already had a strong day which encouraged us to keep on or gave us the grace to say “can we have more chips, please?”
I walked Rosie every day. It helped that we lived in an apartment which meant that we had to take Rosie out. We walked this route every day after work which equated to 2 miles. Good for her, and good for me.
I ate a lot of vegetables. Every meal, half the plate. Lot’s and lot’s of veggies. Asparagus, spaghetti squash, kale, collards, salads, and lettuce wraps.
I had breakfast pretty much every day. I “logged” a lot of eggs and asparagus, eggs and spinach, and my morning breakfast hash. This, in conjunction to prepped lunch, totally had weight in my days.
I cooked, a lot. We ate out once or twice a week and when grilling season came, it was all pool… all Saturday. I can look at my 2018 posts and see how much I cooked this year. I miss being in the kitchen, with all my gadgets and ideas, converting the classics to a paleo version. Taste testing, forming recipes, and posting them here. I miss having home cooked meals. I’m so already there in the kitchen this year.

Pulling out the 2017 Erin Condren was exactly what I needed. When my Grandpa passed and the home began being cleaned, we found years of wall calendars that my Grandma kept. She notated events, gatherings, and her basic daily life moments. At the time, we all giggled and thought “why?” but I get it now. Sure, a year of food in writing when there are tons of apps available is a little old school and keeping them is just clutter. Within these planners that I keep are memories– “Carnitas with Jeff and Kayla. Don’t forget cheese.” I distinctly recall that dinner at our apartment followed by Spades and chat about the upcoming delivery of their first child, Lia. Now, they have two and the months between our visits grow longer but seeing it in my planner, two years later, gives me the feels.

Plus, I can say exactly where I was…eating, on x day, around x time which comes in handy when you’ve watched and listen to a lot of true crime television and podcasts!

What are the habits you formed throughout the years that you plan on refocusing this year? Maybe a particular family dinner, an exercise class, or even self love action? I would love to hear all about it below!