Instead, I’m opting for a new personal philosophy I’m calling The Clean Life. I’m sure I’m neither the first nor the last person to come up with this concept, but for me, it’s a brand new way to live my life.

I’ve identified five areas in my daily life that will be clean – free from clutter and confusion. I’m making simple choices that will release me from this fortress I’ve spent years building around myself. Finally I’m ready to break down all those barriers are start leading a simpler, cleaner life.

Here’s how it works:

Eating
I’ve been overweight my whole life. Part of it is emotional, part of it is simply because I love food. As a chef, this is a great thing. But as a person, having the extra weight is not healthy.

Last month while lounging on the couch eating popcorn at my neighbor’s house, I watched an Oprah episode with people who’ve lost 100 or more pounds. I was astounded by the passion and perseverance with which they lost the weight and felt inspired. I even joined Oprah’s Million Viewer Challenge, and made a commitment to myself to change the way I eat.

Borrowing a copy of Bob Greene’s Best Life Diet, I decided it was time to really examine what went into my body. For the next several weeks, I will avoid soda, white bread, white pasta, trans fats (hydrogenated oils), fried foods, alcohol, high fructose corn syrup, and high fat dairy products. Instead, I will increase my consumption of fruits, vegetables, low fat meat, and low fat dairy. I’m embarrassed to admit that over 60% of my daily calories used to come from simple carbohydrates.

There are advantages and disadvantages to being a chef. After pouring my heart and soul into a meal for my clients, I’m too exhausted to cook for myself. Many times I’ve found myself cobbling together an inept meal from the freezer and the pantry. But all that has changed. I’m now planning out my meals and making every bite count.

Exercising
Getting married is certainly a good motivation for losing weight. Who wants to look fat in their bridal dress?!? A couple months ago I joined the gym right across the street. Now I don’t have any excuses for not going when it’s so close. As part of my joining fee, I receive five free personal trainer sessions. Together with my trainer, we’ve created a great workout plan of cardio and strength training. Five days a week, I’m sweating over the elliptical machine or putting all my energy into one last set of dumbbell curls.

To cement my commitment to exercising, instead of shimmying into a sequined dress on New Year's Eve, I joined 3,000 fellow Portlanders for the Nike First Race. Kicking off exactly at midnight, revelers and the health conscious ran or walked the two courses along the waterfront. What a great way to ring in the New Year!

Already I can feel the change. Even though I haven’t really lost any pounds, I feel lighter in my shoes and happier in my body. My stress level has plummeted and I sleep better at night. Who knows, maybe in a month or two, I’ll be ready to try on wedding dresses!

Consuming
After living in Paris in small, tiny apartments, I realized how easy it is to live with a minimal amount of stuff. I arrived with only two suitcases (just what I could carry on the plane), and when I returned to the US, I had three.

Once I settled back into my home, it occurred to me that I had way too much “stuff” just sitting around and gathering dust. Imagine how much money I could have saved by not buying it all. It took me a full month to clean out closets, boxes, hiding places, and drawers. Four carloads to Goodwill later, I already felt lighter.

This year, I plan to reduce my “stuff” by another 25%. I’m only keeping things that I really want and need AND that I use on a regular basis. If I haven’t worn it since I’ve been back from Paris, it’s heading to Goodwill. If it’s been sitting on a shelf for the last two years, chances are, I don’t need it.

This also applies to my spending. I found a pair of Gucci sunglasses the other day that I fell in love with. If this were PP (pre-Paris), I probably would have bought them in a heartbeat – even though I already have a fully functional pair in my purse. Being self-employed gives spending a whole new meaning! Plus if I’m working so hard to clean out my house, why would I want to fill it up again with things that are nice-to-have?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still giving my credit card some good exercise. I do buy things I need when I need them. I’m just taking the time to think about a purchase before I plop it down at the sales register.

Thinking
I spend way too much time thinking about the past or worrying about the future. This is the main reason I toss and turn well after midnight. I keep thinking about all the things I have to do tomorrow or next week, wondering if I’m going to get them all done in time. But the time I spend thinking about what’s next prevents me from enjoying what is. Even when I treat myself to a restful massage, my mind keeps spinning ahead waiting for my body to catch up.

So instead of thinking about what’s coming, I’m going to concentrate on what’s here. Being present in every situation and dealing with things as they come makes things much less complicated!

Recycling
I’m surprised how much trash I generate as one person. So often I don’t think about throwing something away. But once I’m rid of it, someone else has to deal with it. And just because I’ve thrown it away doesn’t mean it’s gone.

I plan to recycle everything I can this year, down to little plastic containers that the pickled ginger comes in from takeout sushi. Every piece of paper goes into my recycling bin, even my gas receipts and gum wrappers (minus the gum of course). I’ve noticed that my recycling bin is full before my garbage can, and soon I’ll need to get a bigger bin and a smaller trash can!

So that’s the plan for now. I’m sure I’ll add to the list as the year marches on. But one thing is for certain – this is no resolution; it’s a way of life.

6 Comments  Leave a Comment