And the weigh in today shows....I'm down .5 pounds form last week. It is getting a little frustrating to see so little progress when I've been doing so well with reducing calories. However, the bitter cold and wind had me less active, yet again than I should be. I really need to be able to walk and walk and walk. Still, no weight gain is good, and not plateauing is even better. I'm trying not to just say to hell with it, like I do too often when I try and lose weight and don't see results quickly. It took years to get to my highest weight, and it might take years to get to my healthy weight again. I'll never get there though if I really do say to hell with it and stop paying attention to what I eat and drink and get too sedentary again.
My mind has been playing games on me. I keep going back and forth between good days and bad. I've realized my bad days stem often from things not in my control at all, or things not even directly impacting me. My state of mind is very much connected to my family, and the moods, issues, stresses, each of them carry and share. I'm not saying they are dumping their stress on me, but I do feel their stress and it weighs on my mind that I can't fix it. It's unfair that I put so much of my positive mind state on their lives. When they have things happen that are good and exciting, I get a positive jolt of happiness too. Unfortunately that means I feel their disappointment too hard when something doesn't pan out. This is all just life stuff. Everyone's fine overall, but it would be nice to just have calm waters and avoid choppy seas even if it's unrealistic to expect some smooth sailing.
Other than the dining room and living room, every room is in chaos yet again as I get up this morning. I'm going to chuck a bunch of things into the recycling bin from the kitchen-old saved plastic ware, periodicals and newsletters and stuff that we never invited into our home but yet is here, that has just cluttered the kitchen. I did a little tidying up after work yesterday, and that helped a bit, but I swear stuff multiplies. My office is chaos too because I've been using the bed to sort clothes that will be either boxed and labeled to save, thrown, or donated of my daughters. I've also got things my daughter hauled home that she needs to go through again, save, purge or donate. It's a good thing there is a "blur" setting on the meeting cameras. With two more April weekends, and making that last weekend of April (technically into May) I can keep plodding along minimalizing my house before we really get to spring.
I had to shake my head when I perused Pinterest and online home magazines looking for ideas to reuse and repurpose things in my house before officially deciding to purge. I found the phrase "cozy minimalism" popping up and sounded like my intent. Of course then I googled directly, and low and behold, book upon book suggestions pop up, plus pictures of rooms I would never describe minimalist in the slightest. I guess I'll just keep finding my own style, purging more unless I really love something or it is really practical, and eventually I'll have my shaped up home-minimalist by my definition. 
Is this cozy minimalism?
My daughter is off meeting a friend for coffee in a bit so I can crack on myself. I'll get my green beans ready for tomorrow, and then a good clean out of the refrigerator before sweeping and mopping. It's another unseasonably cold day. We may head to see the new Fantastic Beasts movie today and then all have a cozy night in. That's my Saturday Shape Up -not much to report, but acknowledging things are a work in progress.
No I wouldn't consider that minimalist of any kind. Way too many pillows and objects. However it is much neater than my home is currently. Things do tend to multiply...I'm looking at my side tables right now. One has mail and notes, the other has various knitting and crocheting projects, yarn, etc.
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend!
It's neat, but my living room is more minimal than that, and I want more gone! The accumulation happens in our kitchen and I hate it!
DeleteThat room is not what I consider minimalist at all. But, it is certainly not my style. I do like more "clutter," but not the messy, thrown about kind.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. I think your describing comfort clutter- things that make you happy and make it homey. I agree- a well loved book, a craft project going on, puzzles- good clutter. Stacks of mailings we didn't ask for, junk mail, messy clutter.
DeleteI am trying to get rid of that "cozy minimalist" nowadays. My goal is to be able to dust and clean easily. So neat surfaces with not much on them is what I want.
ReplyDeleteDusting around lots of figurines, and business is no fun. I like though pictures I like, things that make my home my home.
DeleteThat room is a little too cluttered and busy for my taste. I wouldn't consider it cozy minimal at all. Have a great day Sam!
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot going on. I'd probably be able to relax, but would struggle living there. I hope your day was good.
DeleteYou seem more angry and frustrated than usual. I think Practical Parsimony noticed too, as she deleted her post and a follow up reply. I understand that you are trying to find your way but I have also seen multiple times, that people do share what has helped them in their journey and only want to suggest it because it might help you with yours. Striking out at your readers is a little harsh. Although, you probably won't publish this either and I'm fine with that. I just wanted to point out that you, in your frustration, are striking out at the people that care about you almost as much as family. I hope your Easter is lovely and I hope we see warmer weather next week. Ranee
ReplyDeleteSo another place where tone in comments is lost. I posted Parsimony because she was not insulting or rude, and I like the sharing aspect. I was agreeing with Linda saying as I didn't ask for advice, I was free to ignore. I was trying to explain my mindset that while it might work for her, might not fit me. She was polite in her comments and I came off rude. Not my intent.I appreciate you calling me out in that, Rae.
DeleteWell done on the weight loss (however small). I always find I give up on trying to diet because I seem to be so hormonal that I can lose 5 lbs in two days and then put back 3 the next day. Probably true really because of water retention (or anything else I can think of)!
ReplyDeleteIt was something. I weigh in officially once per week, but fluctuate everywhere weighing almost daily. I swear I look at choclate and weight pops back on some days.
DeleteEating patterns are personal and what works for one person does not work for another. Keto works for me as long as I stay true to it, I have found a. million ways to get off of it recently though. I am starting back full force on Tuesday. I would start on Monday but I always seem to flounder if I start Monday. No idea why.
ReplyDeleteI could live with that room if it had a little more color.
It's a battle that seems similar yet unique to each of us. I'm interested in learning by reading research, trying things I might be able to keep doing, and so it seems abandoning too soon. I find that room nice, but not minimal.
DeleteYou know my feelings SAM. I had 'advice' emailed to me, telling me how wrong I was to eat porridge for breakfast, and that I'd be better with the cooked breakfast I'd made for my family because I shouldn't eat carbs. I absolutely disagree, as I have high blood pressure, a heart condition, a dad who died at 55 of a massive heart attack, and I'd successfully lost 98 pounds and kept it off for years, had only regained 6, and had carbs for breakfast every day of my weight loss journey.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth I didn't think you were rude in your reply, just acknowledging that what works for one, doesn't work for another.
I think I probably came off huffy, pissy perhaps. I tried to be a little funny " you said I could ignore you so I will"...I have had good feedback from Rae before, and if a comment was deleted, I must have crossed a line. I do know what you've experienced too. I had a comment one week that went on for paragraphs on how they never had to think of losing weight because they use food as fuel and not entertainment or friends. They said I seemed obsessed with failing and if I stopped acting like a "stupid cow" I might actually lose weight. Yeah, that one I didn't publish.
DeleteI’ve noticed that when I am really busy the clutter takes over and drives me nuts until I can sort it out again. Congratulations on losing the half pound. That is a win in my book. I love going down rather than up on the scale.
ReplyDeleteYes! Busy, and I get forgetful. I set something down and think I'll bring it upstairs or put it where it belongs and forget about it. I had a " fun day" yesterday with my daughter following eating out Friday, and now Easter today. I'm really hoping for walking weather.
DeleteIt's so hard for me to lose weight, mainly because of my messed up life schedule. I get up at 2am, eat breakfast at 4:30am, our lunch at work (cafeteria) is 9:30am, so by the time I get home at 2pm, I'm starving and I eat, eat, eat. Then shortly after, it's time to make dinner and I'm in bed by 7. So, I'm trying to just eat at 2pm and asking hubby to make his own dinner. When we are off together, we eat our big meal at lunch and then just a snack for dinner. It seems to be helping keep me from gaining at least. As for that photo of cozy minimalism. I think it's just a new "hashtag" to jump onto these days. Decorator pages are probably losing viewers, so they are jumping on the bandwagon trying to pretend they are minimalists to appeal to younger people who are not as materialistic. Just my observation, for what it's worth.
ReplyDeleteThere's hundreds of variations of life that makes weight loss work or not.I live with one, sometimes two with high metabolisms. That's a meal wrench right off the top for you. I think your hashtag observation is spot on. Maybe most of us have just decided we'll do our homes the way we like and unless selling, could care less what the magazines say.
DeleteI just finished a refresher course on metabolism and it wasn't optimistic.
ReplyDeleteIt's tough to lose weight; the body/brain is dead against it. Good luck.
I'm finding it hard, but will keep working. I originally typed trying, but it's work that it will take.
DeleteI once read that one needs to walk 4km to use up 500 calories, I always think of that when I'm tempted to eat between meals.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I've seen exactly the same room described as "Scandi Style" - I'm more ecclectic maximalism - not sure if that exists except in my own house! xxx
I know two Oreos is 100 calories and I can eat them like popcorn so don't buy at all. I just get unrealistic expectations about how quickly I should be able to lose weight.
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