Week one, accounted for
small systems, honest results
I am, at my core, a Type B person trying to build a Type A life. I have big ambitions, genuinely, and an equally impressive ability to get in my own way. So this year I’m doing something I don’t do naturally, which is building actual systems. Small ones. Boring ones. The kind that apparently are the difference between wanting things and having them.
This is what that looks like right now.
The morning routine is the thing I’m most proud of. I wake up to my Hatch alarm, something I’d been wanting for a while and my husband came through on Christmas morning. The light comes on and I wake up without dread and without difficulty, which is new. I’m also really trying not to look at my phone first thing, which if you know me is its own achievement. First thing I do is scrape my tongue and take my levothyroxine, which has to be taken on an empty stomach before anything else happens. Then I let the dogs out, try to get a few minutes of morning sun, and get on the vibration plate for ten minutes. I know how that sounds. A little woo woo. But it regulates my nervous system in a way I can actually feel, so I’m keeping it. After that I make my way to hot lemon water, breakfast, and coffee. I’ve been making coffee at home lately, just two shots of espresso with almond milk and two teaspoons of maple syrup over ice. I’m obsessed with it.
Breakfast has been rotating between a buckwheat and cabbage bowl with eggs, chicken sausage if I’m moving fast, or egg tacos. I’m paying a lot of attention to what I’m putting in my body right now because of the Hashimoto’s, and these feel like choices I can actually sustain. That said, on the quick days I’m fully aware that I’m basically just eating protein and carbs and quietly ignoring the fiber situation. It’s a work in progress. Hello vegetables, I see you, I’m coming for you.
I’m also trying to do a Proverb or two in the morning and spend a few minutes praying. The Proverbs part is going fine. The prayer is harder than I expected. I haven’t done it consistently in a long time and getting back to it feels a little like trying to start a conversation with someone you’ve been avoiding. I’m going to keep showing up to it anyway.
For movement I’m using the Ladder app, specifically the Endure team, and I can’t say enough about it. I choose three workouts a week, low impact, manageable weights, no crazy HIIT stuff that leaves me wrecked. It works with my body instead of against it, which matters a lot when you have an autoimmune disease. I fit the workouts in on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays when I’m working from home and have a little more flexibility in my day. In the evenings I try to get out for a walk, about half an hour, roughly two miles. It’s not a ton. It’s exactly what I have the time, energy, and attention span for right now, and I’m done pretending that needs to be more than it is. I also get horse time in on Mondays and Wednesdays when I’m up near the barn. This combination of movement feels sustainable, which is the whole point right now.
The biggest win this week, honestly, was the Foqos app. If you’ve heard of Brick, it’s a similar concept but completely free. You can block specific apps during certain hours, set up profiles for different parts of your day, and lock yourself out using either NFC tags or a QR code. I went the QR code route and distributed copies to my husband and a couple of friends so I have to physically track one down to override it. It sounds extreme but so was spending three hours a night watching other people live their lives. I finished my first Substack post this week. I’m writing my second one right now. The Foqos app gets partial credit for both of those things.
What I didn’t do: I still haven’t called my orthodontist to reschedule or my TMJ doctor to book an appointment. Both have been sitting on my to-do list long enough to be embarrassing. They’re going on next week’s list and I’m saying it here so I actually do it.
That’s week one. Not perfect. But real progress, and I’ll take it.
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What I’m into right now
Ladder app / Endure team - This is my workout program and I genuinely love it. Low impact, three days a week, built for people who want to move without destroying themselves. Worth every penny.
Foqos app - Free social media blocker that actually works. Set it up, distribute the QR code to someone you trust, and suddenly you have self control. If you want to go the NFC tag route instead, I have those linked in my Amazon storefront too.
Hatch alarm - The light-based alarm that makes waking up at six AM feel almost pleasant. There are also more affordable options on Amazon that work on the same principle and I have those linked too.
ACOTAR and Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas - I finished Throne of Glass and now I’m reading through ACOTAR before her new books come out this year. Fantasy was not something I would have predicted for myself but here we are. Reading on my Kindle Paperwhite so I can go as late as I want without waking my husband.
Magnesium Breakthrough - My magnesium supplement of choice right now. I notice a real difference in my sleep when I take it consistently.
LMNT electrolytes - I use these when I need a boost, especially on workout days. No sugar, clean ingredients, actually tastes good. I’m currently obsessed with lemonade and pink lemonade.
Thorne NAC and Selenium - Both part of my Hashimoto’s support protocol. I’ll talk more about the full supplement stack in a future post.
