The last few weeks have been focused on changing my liquid diet to a more healthy and hydrating one. Week 4 got me thinking a lot about relaxing and just what puts my brain at ease. So, what DOES put my brain at ease? None of the above. However, I know that running and nature do. The difference between walking into Walmart and walking up to the Cascades is like heaven and hell if you ask me. What do you think?
The reason I put this goal on the list in the first place was for a few reasons. First of all they just don't seem like happy places with their underpaid employees, grumpy shoppers and runaway shopping buggies. I can specifically remember a very unhappy moment of my childhood being when I was hungry inside of a shopping mall and just to make sure no one will ever have to see that side of me again I'm not going anymore. Thank you mom for buying me a pretzel that day, I still think it saved my life.
The second reason I put this goal on the list was to support the little guy or small businesses and to try not to obtain so much junk! My dad always did a good job of teaching me the difference between things that we want and we need in life. When it boils down to the basics, we really don't NEED that much. Food, good health, good people and a good nights sleep. Here is what registers in my brain when I walk into a big box store like Walmart or Target.
The second reason I put this goal on the list was to support the little guy or small businesses and to try not to obtain so much junk! My dad always did a good job of teaching me the difference between things that we want and we need in life. When it boils down to the basics, we really don't NEED that much. Food, good health, good people and a good nights sleep. Here is what registers in my brain when I walk into a big box store like Walmart or Target.
I would rather contribute less to the second picture so I'm going to stop going to the first. The third reason for this goal was to cut out the nasty food. All you need to do is watch Food Inc. or Supersize Me and you'll get a pretty clear picture of why. Even compared to fast food in many other countries we continue to support a very low standard on quality and health while maintaining a much higher standard for quantity.
I have made efforts in the past to not go to these places but now they are cut off completely, of course with the rare occasion that I might have a flower delivery inside the mall in Christiansburg. You better bet I won't be buying anything though, not even a pretzel. So no more soda, liquor, wal-mart, target, shopping malls, or fast food chains till 2015!
End of Week 5 Update
I have made efforts in the past to not go to these places but now they are cut off completely, of course with the rare occasion that I might have a flower delivery inside the mall in Christiansburg. You better bet I won't be buying anything though, not even a pretzel. So no more soda, liquor, wal-mart, target, shopping malls, or fast food chains till 2015!
End of Week 5 Update
Fortunately Blacksburg likes to keep their chain restaurants low key so I didn't feel like I was being bombarded with fried food billboards and dollar menu deals all week. I did run into a little speed bump however. One of my coworkers Katlyn brought up the question, does Starbucks count as a fast food chain? Now I wouldn't say I'm an avid Starbucks zombie but when I occasionally feel the need for a cup of coffee that is usually where I get it. I felt myself starting to find excuses why it should not be included and then remembered the first thing I had written on this website about how this year was about change. No excuses! Shortcuts would only make things harder later on, so Starbucks is out too.
It was because I accepted this change that two days later at Mill Mountain Coffee I ran into one of my favorite college professors, Dr. Mike. We talked about my project for a little bit and he got me thinking about the word "rituals." Most people probably don't consider many things in their life to take place in a ritualistic fashion. Ritual implies that we wouldn't ever miss it, something very serious, almost ancient in a way. I would like to think of this project as a reformation of my daily rituals. Rather than grumbling out of bed and throwing on my clothes to get to work on time I now wake up and in somewhat of an excited state, grab Me P and my tea cup and march straight upstairs to get to work on being healthy for the day. Dr. Mike always has his freshman class do an experiment going through their week and calculating where they are spending their time whether it be the gym, facebook, library, or even just walking back and forth from class. So what rituals take up 24 hours of your day?
I ran across a picture online this week and I want to talk about why it scares me. I like to call it the McMerica photo.
It was because I accepted this change that two days later at Mill Mountain Coffee I ran into one of my favorite college professors, Dr. Mike. We talked about my project for a little bit and he got me thinking about the word "rituals." Most people probably don't consider many things in their life to take place in a ritualistic fashion. Ritual implies that we wouldn't ever miss it, something very serious, almost ancient in a way. I would like to think of this project as a reformation of my daily rituals. Rather than grumbling out of bed and throwing on my clothes to get to work on time I now wake up and in somewhat of an excited state, grab Me P and my tea cup and march straight upstairs to get to work on being healthy for the day. Dr. Mike always has his freshman class do an experiment going through their week and calculating where they are spending their time whether it be the gym, facebook, library, or even just walking back and forth from class. So what rituals take up 24 hours of your day?
I ran across a picture online this week and I want to talk about why it scares me. I like to call it the McMerica photo.
As the caption reads, this is a photo of the Contiguous United States Visualized by distance to the nearest McDonald's. This scares me for a few reasons.
1) There are no lines in this picture, yet it is a perfect outline of our country. Look closely, you can clearly pick out the Floriday Keys, Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes and tons of cities. What are we Ietting define us as a country? I sure don't think if you made the same map with health food stores you would be able to tell it was the United States.
2) I had a hard time naming the places that didn't have bright spots. The only one I could really make out off the top of my head is the Everglades.
3) This photo is from 2009, it is now 2014.
All in all Week 5 was a success. Not going to these places is going to take more discipline planning meals and where to buy things but in the end will bring me much more happiness and therefor health as well. On to week 6!
Week 5 Totals
Soda - 0 ounces
Water - 15.85 Gallons
Liquor - 0 shots
Tea - 28 cups
Trips to bad places - 0
1) There are no lines in this picture, yet it is a perfect outline of our country. Look closely, you can clearly pick out the Floriday Keys, Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes and tons of cities. What are we Ietting define us as a country? I sure don't think if you made the same map with health food stores you would be able to tell it was the United States.
2) I had a hard time naming the places that didn't have bright spots. The only one I could really make out off the top of my head is the Everglades.
3) This photo is from 2009, it is now 2014.
All in all Week 5 was a success. Not going to these places is going to take more discipline planning meals and where to buy things but in the end will bring me much more happiness and therefor health as well. On to week 6!
Week 5 Totals
Soda - 0 ounces
Water - 15.85 Gallons
Liquor - 0 shots
Tea - 28 cups
Trips to bad places - 0