Progress report

At the risk of making this blog even more boring for my readers...

We are now in our fourth week of the New Year, and I must say I am doing better on my "projects" and goals than I thought I would. I thought I would share a progress report:

• I have eaten breakfast every day in some form for the past two weeks: sometimes a banana, sometimes some yogurt, and on days when I've overslept a banana while running to the station (eating while walking/out in public is of course a big no-no in Japan so I try to be discreet in order not to shock my elderly neighbors). I must say that I have noticed a change in my energy level and I will definitely try to continue this. (I hesitate to write this because I don't want to jinx it, but I have also noticed that my pants are looser!! Yay!)
• I have taken the first step toward joining a gym. A new one is opening in my neighborhood in April, and I have made a "reservation" to "sign up." The price scares me, but I try to tell myself it's an investment in my health and my future.
• Although this is probably one of the least "cool" things a woman in her 20s can buy, I bought a crock pot and I am loving it! I can make a big batch of food on the weekends with minimal effort, and the leftovers help me avoid the temptation to eat trash for dinner on weekdays after I come home for work late and exhausted. I have tried to avoid recipes that require a lot of pre-packaged seasonings and broths that are high in salt, so I feel that this is a much more healthful option than what I used to eat.
• Although I have yet to see concrete results, I have taken proactive steps toward accomplishing the mission that Ali, Mayuko, and Tari know about.
• I have been making an effort to purge my apartment of unnecessary stuff by giving it away, donating it, or selling it. This is going to be a bigger and more long-term project than I thought.

And my new project for this week is.....(drumroll, please):

To wash my face every night!

Yes, I know this is a very basic thing that everyone should do, but I haven't been very good about this for the past couple of years. Whenever I feel tired or lazy it's been too easy to just brush my teeth and then call it a night, but my skin has suffered. The extra five minutes a night to wash my face before bed definitely count as an investment in my future as well!

Wish me luck!