Challenge Four: Sleep · Research

Sleep =Larger Bank Account

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Bed picture

Good news. I’ve discovered how to get rich.  You can get rich too.  According to this article in Money magazine sleep deprivation cost money. I’m working on getting more sleep so as I get more sleep the money will start rolling in to me. The Accountant told me that my train of thought did not follow the classic logic pattern for using  if and then statements.  I prefer my reasoning.  Sleep =Larger Bank Account

I’m reading a book called The Promise of Sleep. The author talks about what to do when you can’t sleep. Instead of laying in bed for an hour staring at the clock, you get 20 minutes. If after 20 minutes you can’t sleep, you get up and do something boring like washing dishes or scrubbing walls.  This might be a good thing as I will have sparkly walls and a clean kitchen. In all seriousness, I have noticed that since starting my routine of being in bed by 10:30, I have gotten more sleep than I used to. I’m not up to 8 hours a night yet, but I am getting closer.

Challenge Four: Sleep

Time Travel

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I did great on my first night running through my little let’s get ready to sleep routine. I did some stretching, brushed my teeth, thought happy thoughts etc. I  did great  until I actually was in my bed.  You see someone forgot to tell my brain that it was suppose to stop thinking of stuff. So, it was more like 11:30 p.m when I finally fell asleep. I did however come up with an interesting idea for how to build a time machine.  Apparently, time travel is more exciting than sleeping. If any one wants the details, let me know.

So today,  I went to the library to find a book on what to when you can’t fall asleep. Can you believe it? They are all checked out with other patrons.  Thank goodness you can buy a sleep book at the book store. I have a new strategy to calm my little mind when trying to sleep. If it works, I’ll write about it tomorrow. If not, I will tell you what my mind created instead of going to sleep. Happy Dreams!

Quote for the Day

“I think I can, I think I can.”
~ The Little Engine That Could

Challenge Four: Sleep

My 4th Challenge: An Introduction

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I am a night owl. I could stay up all night and sleep all day.   This would be fine if I didn’t have a  job  that requires me to smile at 8:00 a.m. What is my challenge? My goal is to be in bed by 10:30 every night.  Now, some of you may think that this challenge sounds easier than drinking spinach juice or climbing stairs. It is actually hard for me, because I have a lifetime of staring at the ceiling stressing about the ticking clock.

The Practical Reason

I asked the Accountant if he knew of any benefits of sleeping. He  said, “Four out of every five scientists agree that there are no known benefits to having a good night sleep.”  I laughed and then I went to Google and researched what sleep does for the body. I’m impressed. Sleep is amazing. It is like a super drug that does your body good. In the next few days, I will share some of my research.

The Philosophy Reason

“I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I’m awake, you know? “–Ernest Hemingway.

Mr. Hemingway wrote a lot of books so who knows may be I will get a book written after this challenge. The quote made me laugh, but in all reality a good night sleep does make you feel better about the world.

 

 

 

Challenge Three: More Vegtables

What I’ve Learned from 3rd Challenge

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It is hard to believe that I’ve just finished my 3rd  challenge. I have drunk a green smoothie every day for 13 days. Here is what I have learned along the way.

1. The recipe is important

When I first started making green vegetable smoothies, I threw anything that looked healthy into the blender. Needless to say, the result was me feeling as green as the things I put into that blender.  I learned very fast that the recipe makes all the difference. Life is like that as well.  It is easy to accomplish something if you have a plan to do it. If you see some one else who has accomplished something you want to do, ask them how they did it. The recipe is important to achieve something great.

2. Ask your friends for help

I put out an urgent plea for help and my friends sent my some delicious green smoothie receipes. It made life a lot better. Life lesson: Don’t do things all by yourself. There are other folks who want to help you.

Keep Going Quote for the Day

“There are two rules in life. Number one: never quit. Number two: Always remember rule number one” –Duke Ellington

Come back tomorrow to find out what my next challenge will be. I’m getting excited. It will be  the hardest challenge yet.

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Research

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Veggies

My Research

Since I’ve started my little challenges, I have been trying to read more about nutrition and healthy living.  I’ve found that a lot of sites try to sale you their vitamins and shakes.  It can be hard to separate the real nutrition information from the sales pitch. I’m not against supplements. In fact, I’ve taken vitamins myself for many years. I’m just looking for a site that gives me some solid information to use in my journey to improve my health. After much searching, I’ve found my health web site. Thank you to the dear folks at  Harvard.  I love your public health web site. It is great.  The Accountant and I have tried a few of the recipes on the site.

I was especially encouraged by the research page  that said even small changes like sleeping more and cutting down on soda can cut your risk for diseases.  If you need me, I’m going to be taking the advice of the educated Harvard folks. I’m going to bed. Sweet Dreams.

Challenge Three: More Vegtables

Spinach

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If anyone ever gives you a choice between a hot fudge sundae or a  spinach juice, choose the sundae.  I’ve found out that I don’t really like the taste of spinach juice. I’m sure my insides are very happy. I can imagine every little cell in my body  screaming with joy to get nutrients, but my taste buds don’t like the flavor of spinach juice. It is kind of funny, because I like cooked spinach.

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Keep going Quote for the Day

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
– Thomas Edison

Challenge Three: More Vegtables

Success

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Thank you to every one who sent me a recipe. I know I can survive this challenge now. I was a bit worried, because my first green smoothie was terrible. I almost gagged. This one is good though.  You should try to make it at home.

2 cups of water

1/2 head spinach

1/2 head of romaine lettuce

3 sticks of celery

1 banana

1 pear

Put it in a blender and imagine all of those little vegetables making you healthy. It made enough smoothie for two so the Accountant got to drink some as well. I’ve discovered a trick. Things taste better in a fancy cup. Day 4 is now done. I have 9 more days left.

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Reader Question: I know you are finished with the climbing stairs and eating at home challenges, but are you still doing those things?

My Answer: It is kind of funny. I’m  not consciously trying to eat dinner at home or climb stairs. However, I have caught myself since the challenges ended  taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I think having to focus on something so intently for 13 days makes it easier  to do it in my every day life. The Accountant and I have gone out to dinner once since the first challenge.  It felt like a special treat.

Challenge Three: More Vegtables

Introduction: My 3rd 13 Day Challenge

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I recently watched a great documentary called Hungry for Change. In the documentary, it showed a girl drinking a vegetable smoothie so she could eat more veggies every day. She was smiling and seemed so happy drinking down her vegetables. I want to be a happy smiling girl ,so I decided to make  vegetable-fruit drinks for the next 13 days.  Here is my first attempt to make a green smoothie.

I looked in my refrigerator and anything healthy looking I put in the blender. I had lettuce, celery, Brussels sprouts, blueberries and  a pineapple chunk. Yes, it tasted very green.  I think I need to go online and look up some recipes for how to make vegetable smoothies taste good.  Dear Readers, please send recipes to me. I need help with this challenge.

Day One

The Practical Reason

Fruits and vegetables have many health benefits. I’ve read that vegetables can help with your digestion, prevent a bunch of diseases and can keep your skin looking young. Sign  me up for all of those things.

The Philosophy Reason

Each week, I buy fruits and vegetables at the store. I eat some of them, but much of the produce spoils before I can finish it.  I throw out the moldy tomato that we didn’t eat, and I wonder about all the energy and time that went into the tomato. The farmer that planted it, the workers who picked it and put it on the truck or grocery shelf.  I think about the time I spent at my job to earn the money to buy the tomato.  So much energy and time and I’m dumping that tomato into  the trash.  I’ve wondered how many good things I’m letting go to waste.   I am hoping that making these green smoothies will help me waste less food.

Challenge Two: Stairs

What I Learned from my 2nd Challenge

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For the last 13 days,  I have been climbing stairs.   I’ve learned a few things.

1. Take one flight at a time

It is pretty easy to get discouraged when standing  at the bottom of 13 flights of stairs. The trick is to get started and only focus on one small step at a time. The first few days of climbing stairs were really hard. I wanted to quit after flight four. This leads me to the second thing I’ve learned.

2. It easier to do something hard with another person.

I was lucky, because my hubby came with me. He also did the 13 day challenge and  climbed 13 flights of stairs each day beside me.  When I got tired, he would tell me to keep going.

3. Some people are going to laugh at you. It happens.

Some folks will look at you funny when you are trying to improve yourself. The trick is to ignore them. We had more than one person tell us where the elevator was while climbing up and down the stairs at the hotel.

My new challenge starts tomorrow. It will be another 13 days to a better me. I’m excited.

Climb the Stairs

Quote of the Day

It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.
– Albert Einstein