Soup on Sundays and Easy Movement Planning for the Week (-2)

The second I moved away from my "low thinking" plan, it fell apart a little. Ugh.

The more I realize that this isn't about fitness, diet, as much as it's about my mindset, burnout, and an overloaded central nervous system- the better off I'll be.

This isn't programming a diet and weight loss plan like other people can do. This is about recognizing that I am an isolated caregiver and that if I don't do something different, I'll keep getting the same stuck result.

I have lost 2 pounds and while that's better than gaining weight, if is wayyyyy too slow of progress for the amount of time passing.

source: stock photo

Making a huge pot of soup on Sundays with homemade bread has been a saving grace. It's barely cool outside as Autumn approaches and I am already craving hearty stews and warming crusty bread.

It's because they bring comfort and that's missing in my life.

Isolation and loneliness are not cool to talk about, but they are very real. Very very real.

It's Monday and I am coming into this week with a 1/2 pot of stew left, a few pieces of that Sunday made crusty bread, and a good attitude.

I thought I was ready to follow along with workout videos, but I am not. 

I'll do what I've been successful at and that's setting a timer and lifting weights and dancing around for 45 minutes. Feels foolish because I am not following a "plan" but it's better than the alternative which is me just sitting at my desk ruminating and looking up 1000 articles and actually getting nothing at all done.

I have reminders set everyday this week to come and post an update. I think it's the only way I'll be consistent. I don't want it to feel like one more thing to do. 

I want to keep the original energy of why I started this blog in the first place. 

1. To have a digital diary of what I am doing to start caring for myself
2. Document my weight loss
3. Hopefully make someone else in similar shoes feel less alone.

Sending you so much love and light. I'll post my 7 minute to 21 minute routine structure tomorrow.

I don't need to be excited by my life right now

Getting on auto-ship for anything other than coffee is a mistake.

I do enjoy protein powder, but not as much as I enjoy food. The sodium is also quite high, so now I am on a mission to eat it up. I'm not a fan of wasting things so here goes...

The past few days the scale hasn't moved, but I don't care because I am feeling better in my body, sleeping better (long way to go here), and all around feeling healthier.

I am tracking my weight daily, and my calories. These are things I wasn't doing. It's not that difficult (tedious yes), but not hard. 

What's hard is being 65 pounds overweight, not having anything to wear, staying inside on beautiful days because I am uncomfortable in my body, and breathing hard going up two flights of stairs.

I've renegotiated my definition of hard.

I'm a step-by-step Type A person, so for anyone whom this could help...

Current Daily Plan:

1. Wake up
2. Balance scale (my scale is off but I won't buy a new one so I use a weight (whose weight I know) and adjust what the scale says to have an accurate account of my weight
3. Make a hot cup of pour over coffee (light roast iykyk)
4. Get dressed in basic (sometimes unwashed 🤫 ) exercise clothes- or clothes to exercise in
5. Sit at kitchen table and write in my journal, eat coffee, plan the day, look at financial balances most days, plan some of my calories for the day (including a small treat for mental health)
6. Pre workout + creatine before exercise in my living room/ dining room / study room / bedroom

I'm really clinging to my groundhog theme for this summer. I don't need to be excited by my life right now.

If something starts to feel too exciting, I reevaluate.

This is what led me to being 65 pounds overweight. 

Silent caregiving

Hiding.

Isolation

Emotional pain.

I needed excitement and I found it in vegan processed sodium filled junk food.

Now, I have 65 pounds of toxic sludge inside my body and cells, and I remind myself that I need some self-discipline and self-respect in order to see what I've done myself, and make a safe and calm plan for changing it.

In 2026, it's almost controversial to say these things, but I will continue to say them.

It's OKAY to want to lose weight and be healthy.

It's OKAY to be in a struggle season of life, but still want to take care of yourself somehow someway.

It's OKAY if your weight loss and wellness journey doesn't look like the "4 am, matcha on the beach" images that social media shows.

Use this quiet, silent season of yourself to slowly get started.

You are not alone. 

Groundhog Day Fitness and Food Plan

Burnout means I need to make as few choices as possible lest I quit it all and eat cashews out of the bag at midnight while watching YouTube.

The problem with YouTube, exciting foods, etc. is that it all highjacks the dopamine pathway in the brain.

Food be good, but not exciting on a daily basis. 

When I was my fittest and most healthy, my vegan plate was basic. A little boring. And standard. 

I wasn't aiming to win culinary awards, and I wasn't working to impress anyone (not that I am now either, but you get my point). 

There's something to be said for knowing what to expect, keeping your grocery shopping mundane, and prepping some foundational things each week. Truly.

stock photo

Note to self: Make things as boring as possible for the foreseeable future. Got it? Thanks

Boring plans:

1. Same boring low-dopamine nighttime routine - I am still trying to have  a nighttime routine. Around  5 pm I run out of steam for everything and just want to watch tv and think of absolutely nothing.
2. Try to find boring meals and jazz them up with sauces and don't think about it. I've let food be way too "fun" and that's why I want to keep eating and eating when bored/sad/happy etc. I obviously need to stop this
3. Tracking my calories and macros. I don't care what people say about this being "bad" or "unnecessary" for  vegans or anyone. Well, to ME it IS necessary. And, it's also very boring

So long as I can create conditions that check off most of my mini goals for the day. It needs to feel like Groundhog Day.  Anything else and my brain is highjacked by dopamine and needs and wants everything to be exciting and fun. 

I've done it that way, and it doesn't work for me. 

So, here's to a boring day of eating and exercising.