The 28 Longest Days of My Life: Week Two

Tweet

It’s already the end of week two of my 28-day undertaking and it’s actually been pretty swell. My energy levels are high and I’m peppy as all hell! And apparently I’m rhyming inadvertently (I’ll stop now). Another side effect of sober February: domestication. I’ve spent way more time in my kitchen, tidying and re-tidying my bedroom and perusing recipes and organization hacks on Pinterest. Times are a-changing!

Like I said, my energy levels are up. I’ve been waking up earlier and, surprisingly, I’m even more lively in the evening. I’ve learned pretty quickly that not drinking makes my sleep a whole lot more restful. Drunk sleep might seem deep and restful, but it’s nothing compared to 100% sober sleep. Being more rested has made me a lot less irritable. I’ve noticed it with my boyfriend, at work and with my lack of annoyance at the general public. Honestly, I thought I’d be more irritable without beer in my life, but surprise, surprise, I’m not. I play Ultimate Frisbee on Sunday nights (go Spin Doctors!) and have even noticed a change in my attitude and behaviour there. Like I said last week, Saturday was my go-to going out night and Sunday mornings (if we’re being honest, Sunday afternoons) were often met with unquenchable thirst and a foggy mind. Obviously, this affected my game. Waking up rested and having a halfway decent breakfast makes a really big difference. I’m much more enthusiastic on the field and am way more pumped about playing in general. Last game, I even had a decent amount of energy afterwards. Yes, I craved the post-game beer that’s become basically ritual, but instead I cooked up some bok choy and seasoned it with a marinade I found on Pinterest. Yes, that is a thing that happened. Who am I?!

When I mentioned I’d become domesticated, I meant it. This past week alone I made soup (sweet potato-peanut), cookies (chocolate chip with walnut and chia seeds) and spaghetti sauce (you know, for spaghetti). I’ve really enjoyed the cooking and baking (and obviously the eating), but one downside to this is that I’m running out of vessels in which to hold all of my concoctions. My fridge is jam-packed and I can’t shake the hankering to whip out my slow-cooker and create some kind of messy, delicious comfort food. It makes me feel like I’m accomplishing something. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve always liked cooking (especially when it involves my slow-cooker and/or an enormous pot) but I haven’t been this gung-ho about cooking in… forever. I feel like an Italian grandmother (a 24-year-old anglo-saxon Italian grandmother).

Goal for the coming week: use that Energie Cardio pass! That way I can expel some of my peppy energy in a way that doesn’t involve a giant boiling pot, countless containers and a bunch of calories. I’m halfway through the challenge already and feeling good! Though it feels like it’s going by quickly and I am enjoying myself, knowing that I’m still two weeks away from having a sweet, delicious sip of a malted barley beverage makes it feel like forever. And forever is a long, long time.

Check out Brittany’s first week HERE. The Jean Lapointe 28 day challenge can be found HERE.