I have not been posting or reading much on the blog lately -- seems my time has just been completely jammed up with other stuff....So this afternoon I read a lot of the older posts just to see how things are going out there. Looks like just about all of us are in the same boat -- trying to stay motivated....
I found one thing that has helped me a bit. I had posted before that part of my problem is that I do not get up early enough in the mornings. Our alarm is on our radio/CD player. We set the radio to the classical music station, and there is no "snooze" button. Sometimes the "beautiful music" just lulls me back to sleep; most of the time I am just not ready to get up, so I lay there for way too long. To help combat that problem I have been setting the alarm on my cell phone for 10 minutes later than the radio alarm -- I leave the cell phone on the dining room table. This has made a big difference. I find I will actually get up because I do not want to hear the annoying sound of the cell phone alarm. So that is good -- I am getting up and getting things accomplished in the mornings.
Also, we are of the Orthodox faith. This year we have decided to fast around the two holy times of year -- Christmas and Easter. We have a new priest at our church that we really like, so we have been putting a bit more effort into our spiritual selves. Actually, the fasting periods at Christmas & Easter are supposed to last for 40 days. This means no meat, no dairy for over a month. We are going to fast for 2 weeks (almost everyone I know cheats like this -- there are not many people who do the entire 40 days). It has been a bit over a week, and I can tell I have lost a pound or so. (Haven't gotten on the scale -- frightened!!!)
We have an Orthodox calendar, and it is surprising how many fasting days there are throughout the year. There are times where it is a day or two, and other times where it is a week. It occurred to me that if I were to fast according to the Orthodox calendar, I probably would not have a weight problem.....
We are going to end our fast on Dec.19 -- we should go until Orthodox Christmas, which is Jan.7. It will be interesting to see if I have lost any weight -- perhaps I will decide to stay on it until Christmas (??).
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3 comments:
If you don't mind me asking... what kind of "Orthodox" are you?
When I married Pie I was baptised Greek Orthodox. And if that calendar is anything like yours - wow! It seems like at least once every week or so there is a day or longer for fasting.
(I will confess that I do not follow the religion closely)
I am Serbian Orthodox -- which is really the same thing as Greek, except you guys went with the Dec.25 Christmas, but we still share a different Easter than Catholic and Protestant Christians. We Serb Orthodox are the same as Russian, Ukranian, Latvian, etc....
You should check out an Orthodox calendar sometime....pretty strange.
Hey! I'm Greek Orthodox although I adore my culture, I am pretty bad about going to church, etc. We all are in my family (which I mean, immediate and extended, which if you are Greek your extended is pretty much your immediate family too! :)
I am a Vegan and have lost about 18 lbs since starting it in March 09. I went by the book, Eat to Live. Check it out, it's pretty similiar to the Ortho fast. :)
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