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Minimalist May - Day 19

I’m loving the sun at the moment. Waking up to beautiful blue skies is a big deal when you live a frequently grey Britain. The fact I could spend it at home is another bonus. I spent a good hour learning some skills in Procreate that I had previously forgotten about. I'm working on a project to draw a picture of my son from a few years ago. I think it will look great once I have finished the picture. DietBreakfast - Porridge pot Lunch - Half a pepperoni pizza (my wife had the other half) and three onion rings...

May 19th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - May 18

Today was a beautiful day with plenty of sun. It is very rare to have a childless weekend, but this weekend is one of them. The first few hours of the day were used for getting my son to his Scout adventure trip, so I had a busy and productive day. DietI skipped my breakfast because there was a lot to sort out in the morning. For lunch, I had bacon on a sub roll. As my wife and I were alone, I decided to take my wife to one of her favourite places to eat in the evening. The...

May 18th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Days 16 & 17

Time to celebrate the weekend. I had a day off on Friday, and it was a great opportunity to get next week planned ahead. The benefit of working a four-day working week means I can focus on work/life admin. The reason I didn’t post yesterday was there wasn’t anything to really report. The other reason was I went to bed early, meaning I could focus on my energy levels and not writing past a time I thought was too late. Today, I have sectioned the updates into Thursday (THU) and Friday (FRI) to avoid confusion. DietTHU - I had the...

May 17th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May: Update

It has been seventeen days since I started my Minimalist May challenge. There have certainly been some challenging moments so far. Here is a quick rundown of how the experiment is going for me. DietOf all the things I chose to do for Minimalist May, cutting out the snacks have been the hardest challenge by far. However, I have succeeded. One thing for sure is I know my most vulnerable time of the day is directly after work when I know there is a seven-hour gap between meals. I’m starting to think it is comfort eating. I have lost over...

May 17th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 15

I’m half way there. Technically, tomorrow lunchtime will be the halfway mark. I’m excited to end this challenge. I’m not sure what will be staying and what will go at the end of this experiment. I’ve lost half a stone in fifteen days. Ideally, I would like to see my weight drop to fourteen stone by the end of the month. DietI was back to the porridge this morning. Part of me wanted to add a little drop of sugar into my porridge, which I knew would be wrong of me. I resisted. I settled with a veggie stir-fry with...

May 15th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 14

Today went better than expected after yesterday’s minor struggles. I appreciate the daily prompts from my Apple Watch to move more and complete my rings. It’s these little nudges that remind me of the goals I have set. DietI treated myself to some brown toast with low-fat spread this morning. My body needed a change from the repetitive porridge pot I have been having. At lunchtime, I tucked into a gorgeous chicken tikka curry at work. As I already had meat for my midday meal, I opted for a Quorn chilli with rice in the evening. I’ve noticed I have...

May 14th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 13

This will be a short one. The day went according to plan. I am worried that it could unravel at some point because some urges are starting to creep back. DietI don’t even have to mention what I had for breakfast. It was the same old. I went for the veggie meatballs and pasta at lunch. In the evening, I had a salad with chicken. Of course, there were no treats throughout the day. FinanceNothing spent. In fact, I actually gained because my car insurance emailed me to say I have overpaid, so they will be sending me £74 (approx.$93)...

May 13th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 12

Every so often, you simply need a day to rest. Having the perfect weather helps, too. I managed to get both, so I'm happy about that. There were a few changes to my routine today. Nothing too drastic, though. DietI started the day with my porridge pot for breakfast. For lunch, my wife had made me a cheese sandwich on a sub roll. In the evening, I get a mozzarella, spinach, and tomato parcel with rice and salad. It is only now that I appreciate I did not add bread and other fatty foods to my challenge because it would...

May 12th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 11

Today was a warm day and I spent it completing a REC (Rescue Emergency Care) first aid course. The course was great. I had a laugh with my colleagues, who are always supportive. DietPorridge pot for breakfast, tandoori chicken roll for lunch and chicken salad for tea. There were no temptations today, even though I did plenty of physical activities throughout the day. FinanceNothing to report. I didn’t spend a penny. CaffeineWarm water around 10AM like I over the last two days. No temptations. Happy days like yesterday. ExerciseI completed my press-ups and a one-minute plank in the...

May 11th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 10

I had a day off work to recharge my batteries. Being at home allows me to take a step back to see what is going on in my life. DietI eat less when I am at home. This is actually a great thing. I was able to keep my intake to a minimum. A small bowl of porridge in the morning, vegetable couscous lunch and spinach tortelloni for tea. Today was my veggie day. FinanceBeing at home is always good for me because there are no temptations to spend, especially now as I have a few goals in mind. In...

May 10th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 9

I have to say, hot days make me want to give it all up and enjoy my life. There were a few challenges, but I got through it. DietI struggled with my food today. It was the meals that were the issue. My school do the best cornflake on a Thursday and it is my favourite dessert at work. I was so tempted. Luckily, I walked away from the canteen hatch, observing the people around me enjoy their desserts. On my way home, I was starving. I nearly headed to shop for a snack. However, I knew I would be...

May 9th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 8

This will be a short one. Today was very much like most of the week gone by. DietStuck to not eating anything on the ‘naughty’ list. Around 4PM, I was starving and I managed to wait until 7PM for my gorgeous, homemade lasagna. FinanceNo money spent. I managed to deposit £100 (est.$125) into my savings account. CaffeineAnother day completed without touching a hot drink or anything carbonated. I got a headache about 2PM, but it went away after an hour. I watched a YouTube video from the Infographic Show, detailing what happens when you quit caffeine. This explains a lot...

May 8th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 7

Today marks one week since I started the challenge for May. In that time, I have formed some positive routines and lost four pounds in weight. DietAgain, I had a successful day on this front. The only exception is a Muller low-fat strawberry yoghurt at lunch. I slipped up here. However, 6.2g of sugar (and no added sugar) isn’t going to hurt my efforts right now. FinanceNothing to report apart from avoiding any expenditure. Month on month, I am doing a lot better, so I believe my focus is helping me towards saving more money in May. CaffeineYep. I did...

May 7th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 6

The people who make the Brite app reached out to me with a premium account to try their all-in-one service. I already have things in place for tasks, calendar, notes, etc, through other apps. I thought Brite would be the perfect app to track and journal Minimalist May progress. My Brite setup will focus on my physical and mental health. My habits and goals have been set up. Tasks and events for the goals, such as planned meditation and workout were set up yesterday. I’ve enjoyed the guided meditations, Pomodoro sessions and Brite Insights. Thank you to Brite for supporting...

May 6th, 2024 challenge

Maybe Todoist isn’t the answer

My month with Todoist has gone relatively well. I have ranked up with Karma points, reaching professional quickly. Most of my goals were met within the predicted timeline, too. My bet was on Todoist to boost my focus and manage all the areas of my life. Unfortunately, that bet was in vain.I noticed Todoist’s natural language processing has got better since I last used it. In addition, scheduling a recurring task from a specific date in the future is a lot easier to configure. Previously, I had to explore forums and tweets to know what exactly I need to create...

May 6th, 2024 applications