I Need a Repair Week

Happy Monday everyone!

I hope you all had a great Halloween weekend. Mine was tons of fun- almost a little too fun if you catch my drift. After three days of late-nights, parties, eating mostly variations of cheese and bread (grilled cheese, mac 'n cheese, pizza), and sugary drinks I feel bloated and sort of gross.

So this week I'm proposing a repair week. It's kind of like a detox, except less formal and less extreme. I'm thinking of it as getting myself back to where I should be health-wise. This week I vow to:

• Eat three sensible meals a day and some snacks, instead of waiting until I'm starving and then stuffing myself (not that I ever do that).
• Drink tons of water and tea to stay hydrated.
• NO pop. This is always hard after a few days of drinking tons of it.
• Make most of my meals at least half vegetables or fruit. Catsup doesn't count.
• Get back on track with running- I think I only got one run in last week. Eep.
• SLEEP. 8-9 hours a night. Easier said than done.

All simple stuff, we'll see how it goes.

PS: Unexpected silence last week due to a series of massive projects due and some power outages at my apartment (fun fun). Hopefully this week will be better :)

Snackage

This week is uber busy for me which means instead of sitting down to three square meals a day, I will probably be doing a lot of on-the-go snacking.

To keep myself from devouring muffins at the coffee shop between class and work (and the lab, and more class, and more work...) I compiled a little list of my favorite snacks to eat when I don't have time to sit down for a meal, much less cook one.

My current faves:

• Spicy paprika and garlic almonds.
• Raw almonds and dried cranberries.
• Yogurt. Blackberry, apple cinnamon, blueberry, peach, anything but strawberry (for some reason, I hate strawberry yogurt).
  
• Chocolate milk and a banana.
• String cheese and an apple.
• Peanut butter and banana sandwich, especially if the bread is toasted and the PB is melting (mmm).
• Leftover tomato soup with chili spices, black beans, and corn (especially good when it's cold).
  
• Scrambled egg with spinach, chopped onion, and bell peppers- this is about as close to cooking as I'll get this week.

For lots of other snacking ideas, I go here.

Your turn: what are you fave on-the-go snacks? I can always use more ideas!

Let's make a list...

Awhile ago I read an article in one of my favorite magazines that equated running a business to life. In it, the author discusses 10 common business strategies that can be used by everyone.

I won't paraphrase the whole article* here, but there were two "strategies" that I found particularly life-changing:

• #1: Identify your core values. Companies list what is truly important to them so that those things can guide their decisions- that's something we can all do.
• #2: Understand your opportunity cost. Time, energy, and money are not unlimited resources. Devoting yourself to one thing (opportunity) means detracting from another (cost). For every minute I spend on my blog, that's one less minute spent studying. The trick is to balance costs with opportunities.

The other day I was thinking about this article and I decided to figure out what my core values were. So I pulled out some paper and listed the things that were important to me (not the things I think should be important to me, the things that actually are), in descending order. At the top of the list were values like giving to others, my relationships with the people I love, my education, my health and financial stability, etc. Toward the bottom of the list were things like my hobbies, my ever-expanding makeup collection, my clothes.

Then I took a look at how I devoted my time, energy, and money. In short: not very efficiently. Even though I know what's really important to me, I devote most of my time to less consequential things. To some extent, I think we all do that.

The good thing is, knowledge is power. From now on, I'm going to try and use my values to guide the way I use my resources. That's one of the reasons I wanted to switch the focus of OHP- so that I could spend more time on the important stuff. And I've got my list taped up on my mirror now, so that I won't forget what's important to me.

Readers- what do you all think of this new plan? And a challenge to you: make a list of your own (you don't have to share it with us).

*For the curious, the article was titled "10 Business Strategies to Organize Your Home Life" by Patrick Lencioni, and it was in the Feb.2009 edition of Real Simple Magazine. I highly recommend looking it up on their website.

Fitness Confessional: I Don't Stretch

Lately I read an article (which I promptly lost, or I'd reference it for you all) about the importance of stretching. We all know that stretching is good for us because it helps maintain flexibility and reduce muscle and bone injuries. But how many of us actually do it?

I, for one, rarely stretch. The last time I stretched regularly was a year ago when I still did daily yoga. Even before a run, I'll maybe spend 2 minutes stretching my calves before I head out the door. But just as an experiment the other day, I tried full-body stretching before my run, spending a good 10 minutes making sure my arms, legs, and shoulders were all loose and ready to go. Wow did it make a difference! I felt like I had SO much more energy at the start of the run, probably because I didn't need to spend the first five minutes warming my muscles up. Also, stretching out my back and shoulders after spending the day hunched in an office chair really seemed to help my posture (which is terrible).

So now I'm making the resolution to stretch more often, perhaps even daily. And I wanted to hear from you all: do you stretch very often before or after a workout? What about on the days you don't work out?

Let's Discuss: Birth

Has anyone been keeping up with the blog Pacing the Panic Room? The author Ryan Marshall recently wrote about his wife's at-home water birth, and I found it totally fascinating (you can check it out here).

I'll admit that I've never been much for the idea of at-home births. I've heard enough stories to know that even normal, healthy births often require emergency medical attention for some reason or another. Often the window of opportunity for that attention is mere minutes- meaning that even a quick car ride to the hospital could put off treatment long enough to put someone (mama or baby) in trouble. And while, yes, our great-grandmothers may have successfully given birth to 12 children at home, it's probably not a coincidence that their rates for infant mortality and birth complications were a lot higher.

That said, reading the Marshalls' birth story still has me intrigued at the idea. Maybe as our medical knowledge of birth and its risks increase (and as we develop medical technology that's easily transportable), safe home births will become a reality for more women. And being able to give birth in a comfortable, familiar environment versus a sterile hospital DOES sound a lot better.

I thought I'd open the floor up for discussion: what do you think of home births? How about the recent increase in birthing centers, which are designed to give the feel of a home while being close to medical help if needed? I'd love to hear opinions! Just remember to keep it nonjudgmental, we're all friends here :)

Personally, I feel like we still need more impartial, unbiased information. What's the risk of birth complication in a normal pregnancy? How about a pregnancy with slight complications? Will being at home increase any of those risks or decrease them? If the risk of complication is low assuming there is a midwife present, then maybe home birth is a viable option.

Running Playlist

I never had a workout buddy until Ernie. All through high school track, I used to run solo, just me and the road. Then a couple of years or so ago, I found Ernie and it was love at first sight.

Ernie is my ipod.

I inherited him from Nathan, who moved on to a newer and better ipod. Ever since I got him, I've been totally addicted. I love having music that I can carry with me, especially when I'm running. It's like fast, upbeat songs make me forget (well, distract me from at least) my tired legs and side stitch, so I can run faster and longer. And it turns out I'm not making that up- some research studies have found that people burn more calories when they work out to music.

So in the name of calorie-burning, here's some of what I listen to when I run:

The Rolling Stones- Jumpin Jack Flash
Franz Ferdinand- Take Me Out
Franz Ferdinand- The Dark of the Matinee
Muse- Stockholm Syndrome
Muse- Hysteria
The Clash- Should I Stay Or Should I Go
The Mars Volta- L'Via L'Viaquez
Michael Jackson- Smooth Criminal
Modest Mouse- Dance Hall
Creedence Clearwater Revival- Fortunate Son
Queen- Another One Bites the Dust

...and that gets me through just about any workout :)

What songs do you listen to while you work out?

Image by Per Briehagen via Runnersworld

Sunny Days

Yesterday I spent the entire day lazing around the local pool with my sister and cousin. I haven't been to the local pool since I was a little girl, and I was surprised by how much it changed. What used to be just a regular pool now includes two huge water slides, diving boards, and a lazy river that you can float on for hours. Of course, there are some things that never change: kids were still running around screaming and splashing their parents, the snack stand was quickly selling out of $2 popsicles and $3 bottles of water, and the teenage lifeguards were all lying around in their getting deep brown tans.

For reasons of health (skin cancer!) and vanity (wrinkles!) I avoided tanning the whole day. I was actually pretty impressed that my sunscreen held up to the hot afternoon sun. I got zero sunburn and barely any tan, which is what I was going for.

Here's what I used to protect my pastiness:
Neutrogena Pure and Free Baby Sunblock has high SPF and is water resistant. It's designed for babies but ideal for adult skin too, especially sensitive skin as the physical blockers are less irritating than traditional chemical ones (and more green-friendly). The sunblock goes on white like most physical blockers, and it takes some rubbing to get it to sink in- this will probably leave a white cast on dark skin. But it was gentle and kept me from frying all afternoon.
Blue Lizard Australian Suncream for Sensitive Skin is one of the few sunscreens with high SPF that my face can tolerate without breaking out. It has SPF30 and is water resistant and, like the Neutrogena one, this takes some rubbing to get rid of the initial white cast. It also goes on really sticky, but that fades after 10-15 minutes and it leaves my face less shiny than most sunscreens do. I like it because it's stable, chemical-free, and inexpensive (~$10) so that I can actually afford to use it.
As for everyday protection, I like to use a moisturizer with SPF. Right now I'm using Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion with SPF15. I wouldn't dare use this on a day where I'm going to be outside a lot, but for normal everyday running-around, it works for me. It's inexpensive ($11 for 12oz.), easy to get ahold of, and easy to slap on in the morning.

What about you all: do you wear daily sunscreen? What do you rely on for sun protection?

All images: drugstore.com

The upside to the economic downturn...

Yesterday I picked up a copy of the August issue of Real Simple and I really loved the article "anything for a buck" by Julie Rottenberg. It details how before the economic crisis, the author used to deal with scrutiny for her penny-pinching ways but now that the economy is in a constant downturn, her frugality is much more accepted. I like how she finds the silver lining to our economic woes through its effects on our society. I too have always thought that, while it's not a good thing that people are losing their jobs left and right, it has spurred some positive social changes. Being spendy is no longer the popular thing to do, extravagence is seen as wasteful, and conservation is back in a big way. I've never been much for extravagence anyway, and I think that this current economic climate has forced us as a society to question our values. Are things really that important? Do we really need the latest this-or-that, especially if it won't be popular in two months anyway? Studies have already showed that recessions are better for people's health by reducing work hours and increasing healthy habits like cooking at home, and maybe they're better for our wallets and bank accounts in the long run as well. While I naturally would love for the economy to pick up a little (so, ahem, the government will stop trying to cut my college grants) I also hope that we can come out of this a little financially smarter.

I know I have some very intelligent and thoughtful readers out there, so I'd love to know what you all think of this. What positive effects have you seen from the economic downturn?

PS: Have a great weekend everyone! And if I haven't commented on your blog lately, be patient. I'm still catching up on all the reading I missed last week :)

Image by Howard Sokol via allposters.com

Leg Therapy

I normally don't have too much of an issue with tired legs. I run and walk a lot, and I'm rarely bothered by soreness. But this week, after working at a department store (read: on my feet for 6 hours at a time), weight lifting for the first time in years, rock climbing, and running more than usual, my legs are shot. AND I work at the department store again tomorrow, so it'll be another 5 hours standing. Oy.

When I ran track in high school, we used to do ice baths or, worse, showers alternating between hot and cold for sore muscles. It's kind of excruciating at first (if you hate being cold like me anyway) but it really does help.

I also discovered this nifty little leg gel from The Body Shop. It's made with peppermint oil, which is supposed to cool and help revitalize your legs (without some of the nasty ingredients in Icy Hot, or the funky odor). I won't say it works miracles, but it does cool my legs and moisturize them a little bit without being at all greasy or smelly. And bonus- the smell of peppermint is supposed to be an instant mood-lifter.

Share your sore-leg cures with me in the comments!

Name three good habits!

Random red panda, because it's cute and I was blanking on pictures.

After all the confessions yesterday (if you missed it, scroll down) I thought we maybe needed some extra positivity. So what are three GOOD things that you do for yourself?

Here are mine:

• Drinking water- I love water, plain and simple. You know how you're supposed to go through 8 servings a day? Well I go through about 15, easy. I carry bottles of cold water around with me everywhere (I'm drinking one right now, actually).
• Activity- I genuinely love moving around. Being stationary for too long actually makes me more tired than moving does.
• Goofiness- I'm pretty much a dork all the time. And to be honest, I really don't mind that. It makes me happier and (I hope) makes others laugh. Which is so much more fun than being moody right?

So there you have it, I'm a goofy runner who loves water. What're your good habits?

Have a good weekend every one!

Red panda image via Wikipedia.

What's your worst habit?

We all have bad habits. I have more than I could possibly list- everything from nail biting to procrastination. But what do you think is the one that impacts you the most right now?

For me, it's not getting out of bed in the morning. Every morning is like a fight for me, because I never want to get up, even when I've had plenty of sleep. On a good day, I will only hit the snooze button two or three times. We don't even need to talk about what a bad day looks like.

I know to some extent it impacts me because I never get things done in the morning. This morning I wanted to blog, make a real breakfast, maybe take a quick jog before work at 10am. I did none of that. Instead I got up just early enough to run out the door with a glass of juice and some string cheese (breakfast of champions).

The good news is technically I could turn my habit around. The bad news is that it's really hard to tell that to my sleepy brain, especially on those days I technically need to get up at six.

Your turn: what's your bad habit? Sugar? Shopping? Wasting time reading blogs (*wink*)?

Image via Domino.

How do you work out?

I've been thinking a lot about workouts lately. Probably because I have no more classes until mid-September and that gives me a lot more time to think about getting healthy. Maybe because I spoke to my mom the other day and learned that over 75% of her parents' generation have died of heart disease related conditions (eek) or cancer. Also, probably because it's hot now and I feel like the Pillsbury Doughboy in my tank tops (not to mention bathing suits). So today I thought we should discuss working out.

I'm not super structured when it comes to working out. I don't have a training plan, I just tend to work out when I feel like it and leave it there. Right now my work outs look a little like this:

Running: I've always been a runner. I was in track in highschool (800m, woot) and I never really lost running as a hobby, though I run more sometimes than others. Right now I run probably 4-5 days a week, depending on how stressed I am (I actually run more when I'm stressed). Usually my runs are pretty casual- I'll head out with my ipod and just let my feet lead me wherever until I get tired enough to turn around. Most of the time I don't even time myself. When I have glanced at the time, my runs are usually between 30 and 45 minutes in length, so not super long but not terribly short either. How hard I run usually varies too- I run faster when I'm stressed and slower when I just want to enjoy myself. In case you can't tell, I'm super casual about my running, and I get to wondering whether I should start planning out my runs better. But I've learned that when I plan them, they start to feel like a chore.

Yoga: This is something that I picked up last spring, when I took a yoga class at my university. For awhile there, I did yoga almost every day. It was amazing for muscle tone and posture, two things I struggle with (not to mention obvious psychological benefits). I've let my yoga slip away lately, to the point where I almost never do it anymore. But it's something I hope to bring back over the summer when my schedule is (hopefully) less hectic. Anybody know of any good yoga DVDs?

Rock Climbing: Okay, so this is something I just started doing once a week as of two weeks ago and already I LOVE it. I'm pretty lucky in that my university has a huge climbing center not too far away from me, and I'm thinking of buying a rec pass just so I can have access to it over the summer. Rock climbing is a great upper body workout for me, namely because I have almost no upper body strength. Not to mention, it's just plain fun. I'm encouraging all of you who have access to a climbing wall to give it a shot- I'm planning on going once a week over the summer if I can get ahold of a rec pass.

Those are pretty much my three primary workouts right now. I'm also thinking of picking up swimming over the summer, especially if I do get a rec pass, since my university has several swimming pools as well. What are your favorite workouts and how do you stay healthy? Got any fun suggestions for me?

PS: Thanks for all of your well wishes last Thursday as I went in for my job interview. I got the job! So now I'm a sales associate and fitting room attendant at a large department store in addition to my usual part time job, which means I can actually pay my rent over the summer. Woohoo!

Image by Per Breiehagen via runnersworld.com

Do you meditate?

About a year ago I took a several classes on yoga and meditation and absolutely loved them. They made me feel so connected to my body and much more focused and calm. After the classes, though, I never really kept up with the practice because it seemed like it had to be time-consuming to be really effective. But then today I stumbled on an article which found that certain types of meditation showed significant results in a short period of time: after only practicing 20 minutes a day for 5 days, the participants showed improvements in focus, depression levels, anxiety, and the ability to deal with stress. How cool is that?

Which got me thinking that maybe I should look into this whole meditation thing again. What do you guys think? Have you ever tried yoga/meditation?

If you're interested, you can read the article here. It goes into more detail about the exact type of meditation used and the results found.

Image via Yoga Journal- where you can find lots of cool yoga and meditation advice.

20-Minute Workout

I've been trying to get my booty (and everything else!) in shape more lately but time has been a huge issue. With a thesis, two jobs, and classes, it's hard to find the time or energy for working out. Running is pretty easy to squeeze into a day (it takes no time to lace up and head out the door) but strength workouts are a bit trickier because they usually involve, you know, going to the gym. Lately my best friend has been the 20-minute workout over on Real Simple's website. It really does only take 20-minutes and while it's not the most intense workout you'll ever do, it works every body part. It also takes minimal equiptment (weights and a chair) so it's easy to do at home between classes and work, which I love.

What quickie workouts do you know of?

(PS: I'm posting more than once today to make up for a slow week so check out the post below too!)

Image via realsimple.com

How often do you work out?

So today I went to the doctor to get checked out for a possible thyroid issue, and I found out that *gulp* I weigh about twelve pounds more than I did last summer. I hardly ever weigh myself, so it came as a bit of a shock to me. But then I realized that with all the stress eating I've been doing this year (think candy, lots of it) and the fact that I've cut waaay back on running (from almost every day to...maybe once a week) I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised. I'm not too worried, since I'm still within a healthy BMI range. Still, it made me realize that I really need to get back on track health-wise.

And that put me in the mood for a little workout discussion:

When I'm not being a lazy-butt like I am now, I generally do a little running several times a week and some yoga poses (planks, in pariticular) for stretching and strength. Sometimes I'll use free weights I have at home, but I'm pretty casual about it. I live right next to a university gym for which I have free admission, but I don't like working out in a crowded gym all that much, probably because I'm way too self-conscious around all the buff gym junkies.

Your turn: how do you work out? Are you more casual or structured? Do you prefer the gym or your home/outside? And what types of workouts do you do (yoga, pilates, strength, running)? I'd love to hear if anyone has tried an "alternative" type of workout like bellydancing- those classes sound so cool!

PS: Has anyone tried programs like Body by Glamour or the Self Challenge? I'm curious about these, but I don't know how well they might work since I'm less worried about weight loss and more worried about getting back on track.

Image via self.com

Sleep Makeover Update: Week Six

So a month and a half ago I started this sleep makeover hoping I would eventually get to 7 hours of sleep a night and a much earlier bedtime. Well this week, in addition to sharing where I am now, I thought I'd do a little before-and-after comparison:

• Before: Averaging 5 hours a night. Now: 7.07 hours (score!)
• Before: Average bedtime of whenever I fell asleep (usually around 2-3am). Now: 12:30am on average. Not exactly where I want to be (I'm aiming for 11pm) but much, much closer.
• Before: Sleepy and grouchy almost every day. Now: Not sleepy during the day anymore, and (usually) not grouchy :)

Honestly, I feel so much better since I've started sleeping better. I'm still not a morning person, but I don't fight getting up as much anymore, with the exception of when it's really cold outside. I don't feel as irritable, and I don't eat as much junk food during the day. Okay, I eat some junk food, but not as much. And now, I'm wondering how well I could do if I started aiming for 8 hours a night. New goal, anybody?

Weekly bedroom pic: this is another one from the former Domino website (rest in peace). I originally saved it because I LOVED how they arranged the pictures over the bed. I only hope one of these days to be able to do a casual-but-still-balanced picture arrangement like that. I also really love the bird on the pillows and the cool lamp next to the bed. What do you all think?

Alright, readers, tell me: how do you sleep normally? Am I crazy to aim for 8 hours?

As always, you can read the rest of my sleep makeover posts here.

Can we discuss body image for a sec?

True story: yesterday I was in Target checking out the super cute bathing suits (okay, and I was supposed to be buying toothpaste, but shhh) and over heard the lady next to me talking to her daughter, who looked to be maybe 8 years old or so. And I thought "cute, a mother-daughter shopping excursion". It was so adorable when the girl very seriously informed her mom that she should get the "one with the spots" (a navy blue polka-dotted bikini, girl had good taste). At which the mother replied...

"...Mommy is too digusting and fat for that suit."

Um, what?

I generally try to focus on things that make me happy for One Happy Panda, but every now and then I feel the need to share something that just bothers me. The fact that some women feel so bad about their bodies that they'll call themselves "disgusting" in front of their daughters makes me so sad. Because you know, young girls pick up on their body image from the women they look up to, like their moms. And some day when that girl hits puberty and becomes a perfectly curvy size 8 like her mother, how is she going to feel? Disgusting and fat?

I'm not innocent of putting myself down in front of others. I used to do it all the time. But eventually I realized that body image is contagious. When you put your body down, other women (and men?) feel the need to do the same for their bodies. Happily, it seems to work in the reverse too. When you're happy with your body and take care of it, other people do the same.

So in the name of universal body happiness, can we all agree to give our bodies a little bit of the love they deserve?

PS: Speaking of polka dotted bathing suits, I think the one above (from VS) is totally adorable. And on sale. Tempting.

Sleep Makeover Update: Week Five

Okay so my Thursday sleep makeover post is a bit late today because I (ironically) slept in this morning and didn't get anything done before work. And I'm putting it in bullet form because it's not really coherent enough to make paragraphs.

• My first week back in classes after break, and I got *drumroll* 6.7 hours a night! So close to my goal of 7, but not quite there. That's also an hour per night less than last week, but last week I didn't have any classes.
• It's also almost an hour per night more than when I started the makeover- a huge improvement.
• I've decided that one of the things that really helps me most is switching off the computer and tv well before I go to bed. When I'm up on the computer right before bed, I have a much harder time getting to sleep.
• I've realized that I'm a complete scaredy cat. Every single bump or creak in the night wakes me up and has me convinced that someone is definitely breaking into my apartment, and then I get too creeped out to sleep. Which is bad when you live in an old apartment building with 7 other tenants (lots of bumps and creaks).
• White noise really helps drown out the scary bumps in the night.
• I still suck at going to bed early, and I don't even know why I find it so difficult. My average bedtime is now about 1am, which is actually a 2 hour improvement from when I started, but still isn't early enough. I'm aiming for midnight by my next update :) Wish me luck!
• I don't feel as energetic as I did last week- all the more incentive to get back up to 7 hours a night!
  

PS: What do you think of the bedroom above? I'm actually kind of digging the tree branch headboard thing they've got going on there. Not sure what I think about what appears to be a grasshopper hobby horse. But I love the overall natural feel- nature always makes me feel relaxed (all the more reason to get flowers!).

As always, you can read the rest of the sleep makeover posts here.

Sleep Makeover Update: Week Four

via Domino

Well it's sleep makeover makeup time. To recap, last week (during finals) was the first week I saw real progress, getting very close to my goal of 7 hours on average. Aaaaand this week...

I did it! I got 7.07 hours of sleep on average.

Of course, I am on spring break, which makes it a lot easier to get sleep. And the bad news is that while I slept more, I still struggled with going to bed any earlier than 1am. But still, this is progress, right?

Next week will be a bit of a test because not only do I work early part of the week, but I have morning classes too. No late mornings here! But I don't think it will be too bad- if anything, it will force me to go to bed and get up more consistently, which should help.

I also have some more incentive now: sleep makes me feel great!

• I get lots more done during the day, so I feel more accomplished.
• I have more energy to work out and I'm not downing sugar to stay awake, so I feel healthier.
• I know that sleeping puts me in a much better mood now :)
• AND- remember when I brought up the acne/insomnia link a couple weeks ago? Well, my skin has looked a lot better lately! That's not necessarily what I started this sleep makeover for, but it's such a huge bonus since my skin has been stubbornly bad lately. I'm so excited by it!

We'll see how next week goes when I'm back to being a responsible adult and getting up in the mornings.

You can see the rest of my sleep makeover posts here.

PS: I know you all like canopies, but what about more alternative headboards? I think the yellow canvas on the one above is super cool.

Sleep Makeover Update: Week Three

I'm very excited this week because I can actually report progress with the sleep makeover. :)

You'll remember it wasn't going too well last week when I got an average of only 5.4 hrs of sleep a night with a 2am bedtime. Well the good news is that the stats have gone up, way up: 6.7 hours of sleep a night on average! I got at least 7 hours on every night but two- Tuesday I just could NOT fall asleep and last night I had an exam to study for. The time I went to bed didn't improve a ton to be honest, and I still went to sleep around 1:30am on average. But it's a half-hour improvement and I was very close to the 7 hours a night I wanted, so I won't complain.

I can already tell that there is a huge difference between my well-rested self and my sleep-deprived self. I'm a lot more grouchy when I'm sleep deprived (like today) and I eat a lot more junk food, too (I'm eating a PB&J right now). My well-rested self is so much happier, that alone is worth it, not to mention that I had more energy to do healthy things this week like cook actual meals (vs. mac 'n cheese) and work out. So while I still have lots of progress to make (especially in the time of night I go to bed), I can see how this would benefit me a lot if it became a consistent thing. So that's my motivation for the week ahead.

Next week is spring break for me so I get to relax with NO classes. Though I know I'll probably stay out late a few nights with friends, my goal for the week ahead is to go to bed earlier overall. Especially since in a week and some days I will start in with morning classes almost every day of the week *duh duh duh*, so I want to be prepared for those. And since it's spring break, I don't really have an excuse for being sleep deprived, right?

Also, I haven't seen any improvement in my skin due to getting more sleep. If anything, I'm breaking out now more than ever. Guess I have to be patient, huh?

PS: For all you canopy (or faux-canopy) lovers out there, I found this picture on the Domino website. I love how big and bright the room looks thanks to the gigantic mirror and light fabric. Also, loving how the canopy looks like clouds. What says you?