Category: Life, etc.

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We eat what we eat, repeat, repeat.

I’m not a doctor. I don’t purport to have a lot of knowledge as it pertains to the medical field, I’m not a nutritionist…I have degrees in psychology, but not the kind that pertain to food or physical health. All that said, I do have a fair bit of observational skills and something I have always known about myself is something I’m now seeing in others during this Great Sequestering of COVID-19. The observation I have made is that whatever we eat at the beginning of the day will determine what we eat for the rest of the day. If we start with water, we’ll drink a lot more water. If we start with coffee, we’ll drink more coffee. This seems logical with beverages since we get a taste for whatever that first drink is, but the food piece is where it gets interesting.

What if you start your day with a donut? Am I saying you’ll eat more donuts during the day? Well, I suppose you could but it’s more about the likelihood that you’ll now eat more sugar – or more sweets. What if you start your day with green beans (don’t judge me, I can eat green beans at any time of day)? Well, I have experienced more likelihood to eat more veggies – or at least avoid sugary treats.

While I know this about myself and try to start my day according to my goal for the day (related to food), it has been fascinating to see it in my daughter and husband. As such, I’m generalizing to the entire population – because that’s how the best advice happens right? 🙂 If you are someone who is looking to make a change in your eating habits (or your health in general), I think a really easy, small change is to start your day how you want to end it. If you want to end your day healthily, start it that way. Don’t start with the donut; start with a spinach and egg omelet. If you think you drink too much coffee, start with WATER in the morning. I know a lot of you are trying to come out of COVID fitter than you started, but fitness is also made in the kitchen. Small changes in how you start your day can have long-term effects on how you end your day – and your long-term goals.

Your routine is their routine

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It’s been awhile since I wrote a blog because while I have many topics, I find there to be a myriad of things that I do instead or blogs that already exist on the topic.  That said, I find this to be an interesting time in our lives (and history) and thought I would offer some perspective.  We are in the midst of a Coronavirus pandemic.  Apparently coronaviruses have existed previously, but this particular strain has taken off with a vengeance.  As such, we find ourselves home, socially-distancing, quarantined, etc. with no known target for a return to “normalcy”. 

I work from home and during the summer I have Mack home with me during the day.  When I say I work from home, I don’t mean the stereotype the internet portrays where I “work” and then do chores or goof off.  I am on the phone almost all day, hosting presentations, and other than lunch pretty much in my office permanently.  When Mack first started staying home with me for long periods of time it was an adjustment.  She is used to being able to ask me questions whenever she wants, request assistance at all times, etc.  It was a lot for her to learn that she needs to knock to come into my office or adhere to a schedule. 

Mack was already used to not being allowed to interrupt while I’m working out or making pottery.  Sure she can visit and chat with me, but she isn’t allowed to ask me to do something that would make me stop what I’m doing.  It is the same with her summer schedule, and now her “quarantine” schedule.  You see, when you follow a routine your kids will WITNESS that routine.  They will adjust and adapt because kids are wholly more flexible than adults.  If you are consistent in the way you structure your day, their day, etc., they will pick up on it after awhile.  Is it immediate?  Absolutely not.  Does it eventually kick in?  Yes.  The consistency comes in all forms though – consistency of the schedule, consistency of your reward/punishment system, etc.  If you allow electronics for someone one day and deny it the next day, then you have gone against the very foundation you are trying to lay. 

I guess my point is that none of this is perfect.  We aren’t all teachers.  We aren’t all patient.  Some of us might try to kill our spouses/loved ones (or at least wish it upon them) when this is hitting the peak.  We can make it easier on ourselves.  Set boundaries, set expectations, and then follow-through on them.  We’ll all make it out alive, we’ll all hopefully be healthy, and we might even learn something about ourselves.