LYN ~ here are some ideas that might help a bit; some I have already tried with success. Maybe focusing on something else might help; just eat as healthy as you can in the meanwhile, and some of those pounds may slip away without notice!
KEEPIN' THE WINTER BLUES AT BAY ...
Strange, we never look within ourselves where the cold emptiness begins. Ironically, the solution exists inside where we can find greater control and empowerment through positive perception. Seeing every day as a good day with its special distinguishing moments creates peacefulness and clarity.
And for those of us who demand immediate gratification, we can change our perception immediately whether at work or at home. It can be as simple as: rearranging a few knick knacks, where we usually sit at the kitchen table, or moving a chair or lamp from here to over there.
Here are some more tips to help you change your perception of winter and bring warmth and light into a chilly life:
-- Raise the blinds and let the light shine in. Sit by the window look out and gaze, or read. Feel the warmth.
-- Try eating more hot soups and stews. Add beans and lentils to your diet. These hearty meals are both comforting and nourishing. (If you use canned soups pay attention to the amount of sodium as many ready-made soups are high in sodium.)
-- Go outside to reset your biological clock. Let natural sunlight counteract SAD. Appreciate the winter landscape: the “tree architecture” that we never notice when the leaves are flourishing, or the feathery ornamental grasses swaying in the wind. Sometimes, when it's sunny, I just sit outside on a chair and soak in the rays for awhile.
-- Exercise to stimulate and bring warmth to your body. Many of us are bored with treadmills and stairmasters that go nowhere. So, change up your routine; and try something new.
-- Dress warmly and go for a brisk fitness walk. If you can get to the shore, a walk on the beach is peaceful and inspiring. Try some new classes in Pilates, Yoga, Belly Dancing, Salsa and Weight Training. Join a league to participate in fun team sports. Get a buddy to exercise with or make friends in fitness centers.
-- Connect with sunny people. Do volunteer work. We tend to get isolated in the winter and keep to our igloos. Get out and see positive people who appreciate you and if you can’t get out, use the phone or email.
-- Bring tropical plants into the house. Their gracious leaves and greenery will lift your spirits and give you a taste of eternal summer. Get ones that take very little care like the Snake plants (tall spiked leaves); the name sounds worse than it is.
-- Look at the color orange which is cheering. No need to repaint your home; just put something orange on the desk or your coffee table. (Note: we did repaint our place with off white with 'French butter' cupboards; and winter sunshine yellow; pearl blue; and lilac; and the difference was amazing. People constantly remark how bright and calm our place is now)
-- Try a warm glowing candle light meditation. Light a candle in the evening and stare at the flame for about 30 seconds to a minute. Then close your eyes and breathe to your own natural rhythm and see what comes up for you in meditation.
-- Personally, I also like to listen to calming music, read the PSALMS from the Bible, write poems and songs, journal, and/or sing: I find all of them uplifting in themselves.
-- Give yourself an auto-massage. Warm some inexpensive olive oil in the microwave and massage your body from head to toe. Long strokes for the limbs, circular strokes for the torso. Make sure to massage the temples, and using your thumbs, do windshield wiper movements under and over your eyes. Feel the warmth pervade your body. (*what a great idea*)
-- If I change my seat at the kitchen table, I really see things from a different perspective. I might notice something new in my field of vision. If I rearrange paintings or furniture, I see them with a fresh eye and appreciate them differently. When we are beset by winter doldrums, long nights, clearly we need to let the pendulum swing the other way to restore the balance.
-- Try adding bright things to your home; red or yellow roses; other pastel-colored flowers; pretty mobiles or chimes; bright cushions, pillows, and comforters. I find this really made a difference in my home; gives a cheery atmosphere.
-- Simplify your home, room by room. Clean out the clutter and donate what you have not used in years. In winter, we tend to contract and go inward. Use this indoors time to organize your home for the new year. Sharing with the needy can give you a sense of purpose and community, which can warm the spirit within.
PS ~ even just adding florescent bulbs and lights to your home can brighten things up immensely; we did that all through our home and it has made a huge difference. We just use regular bulbs in lamps when we want some ambiance.
Hope something here helps a little ...
ROSEBUD
Winter Blues/motivation problem
