For the first time ever, I am not in sleep debt. And I have proof. Feast your eyes on this:
That’s right. I’ve managed to cancel all of my sleep debt this week. Can I keep it up? Only time will tell.
How much sleep debt have you accumulated? Are you ever able to “catch up”?
So the first full month of Fitbit tracking has ended. How did I do? Not bad, but I think it’s important to note where I started.
I activated my Fitbit on March 9. At the time, these were my stats:
Walked: 1,200 steps per day
Consumed: 1,931 calories per day
Burned: 2,005 calories per day
This would explain why my weight rarely fluctuates. I burn only a little more than I eat, and I live a very sedentary life.
My goal for April: Move more and sleep 7 hours a day.
Tracking my progress on the Fitbit definitely made me feel more accountable, which in turn forced me to increase my activity levels and decrease my serving sizes. By the end of the month, these were my stats:
Walked: 2,515 steps a day
Consumed: 1,575 calories per day
Burned: 2,399 calories per day
Lost: 2 lbs.
As for the sleep goal, well, the results were less than stellar. In March, I averaged about 5.5 hours of sleep a day (damn you, sunlight). In April, I raised that up to 6.24 hours a day. Not quite the 7 hours I was going for, but I guess it’s a start.
My goal for May: Move more and sleep 7 hours a day.
Wish me luck.
I recently signed up for Hello Fresh, a food delivery service that helps make planning, purchasing and cooking meals a little bit easier.
I discovered the site via EarndIt, which is similar to a frequent flyer miles program, only instead of purchasing goods/services to receive discounts for travel, I earn discounts on healthy and fitness-related goods/services for every bit of exercise I do. EarndIt is connected to my Fitbit, a device that tracks my exercise and sleep habits. The more steps I take, the more points I earn. The more points I earn, the more healthy items I’m able to receive.
Which brings me back to Hello Fresh. Basically, the way it works is this: Chefs create five healthy and delicious meals. You pick three that interest you. On Thursday, a box will arrive in the mail with the recipes you selected — plus all of the ingredients. The vegetarian box costs $59/week, the classic box (featuring meals containing meat and fish) is $10 more. Each box feeds two people so it works out to about $11/person. And, delivery is free.
With my EarndIt reward, I received a $20 discount off my first Hello Fresh box. It arrived this week, and I immediately started cooking. The first dish, chicken chickpea pilaf with a hint of cumin, was a HUGE success. M and I both loved it, though I topped his dish with cilantro and mine with the toasted almonds. We’ll definitely be eating that one again soon.
The second recipe I tried was beef bulgogi (seen below), a Korean dish that included marinated beef, broccoli and brown rice. I didn’t particularly care for it — brown rice is too chewy — but it was fun to make. Plus, we still have some pork burgers to try later. Next week, I plan to order the sesame nectarine chicken, flat iron steak with beans and spicy shrimp linguine.
If you’re interested in trying Hello Fresh, you can buy a Fitbit, exercise your butt off and get the EarndIt reward (all of which I would endorse). Or, you can just visit the Hello Fresh website, sign up and save $20 by using the PROMO CODE SDA3RJ. Note: Delivery is currently limited to about 30 states, so be sure to check the map before subscribing.
As noted a few weeks ago, I’ve been invited to give a presentation at the 2013 Society of Professional Obituary Writers Conference in Toronto. My topic is “The Future of Obituaries,” and I need your help.
How do you think the dead will be remembered in the years/decades ahead? Standard news obits? Audio/video obits? Obit podcasts? Online memorials? Or something else entirely? And how do you want to be remembered?
I would love to hear your thoughts & ideas. If you have a few moments, please leave a comment below or drop me a note in e-mail.
Thanks!
I believe that good should always triumph over evil.
I believe if you dream big and work hard, you’ll achieve great things.
I believe in laughing until I can’t breathe, singing loudly, cooking with abandon and dancing whenever the mood arises.
I believe there is never enough time to read all of the books on my “to read” list.
I believe a stocked pantry makes you feel safe, particularly during a storm.
I believe in the magic found in darkened movie theaters, old boneyards, used bookstores, big beach houses, quiet libraries, no-kill shelters and the Scottish Highlands.
I believe dinner should be served at midnight and breakfast should be served in bed.
I believe in organ donation, voting, safe driving, common courtesy and tipping well.
I believe the seasons should be celebrated, preferably with fire.
I believe curiosity is the golden ticket to adventure and knowledge.
I believe that tea and pie will cure most of life’s ills.
I believe in destiny and true love.
I believe the night is where inspiration waits until she can be coaxed into the moonlight.
I believe we should all aspire to have obit-worthy lives.
And I believe in chocolate. Sweet, dark chocolate.
What do you believe?