I Have Energy

[disappointed_lesbian]

The biggest change in my life is the increase in energy. I think I've already posted about the boost in energy I experienced after I started keeping my Internet router covered up with a metal bucket. I've not gotten another boost by having a daily B6 supplement.

What's sad is that I should have noticed years ago that this supplement could help me. Peanut Toffee Buzz Clif Bars, which is pretty much the only thing I've been able to rely on for energy ever since the insomnia/IBS thing started, contains a high percentage of the RDA for several B vitamins. It also contains green tea extract. Like I dumbass, I persisted for years in my assumption that the green tea extract provided the energy I got from eating this bars, despite the fact that I never got any energy boost from green tea, even super-concentrated green tea (I've tried brewing multiple bags into one cup). I've been suffering fatigue for nothing for years. I assumed the fatigue was due to my lack of sleep. Even with imperfect sleep, my daily energy levels are terrific.

Sleep, however, is finally getting better. I'm going to bed at a normal hour now. My schedule had gotten so off-track that I was having to wait until four AM to go to bed. I figured I may as well try some chronotherapy. What I did was shift my bedtime three hours later each day: I started off going to bed at 7 AM, went to bed at 10 AM the next day, etc. It was weird, mildly depressing towards the end, and I slept even less than usual on every one of those days (I still had insomnia, of course).

Now I'm working on my insomnia. I've had to shift my days, change my habits, to accommodate my new bed time. No more late evening walks because they prevent me from falling asleep at 11 PM; they were fine when I wasn't going to sleep until 2 AM. These earlier walks have turned up a new problem: noise. The streets are nearly empty if I go out walking after eleven PM; there is a disturbing amount of engine noise pollution if I'm out earlier than that. So I have to avoid the main road, which restricts my walking routes, which impacts adherence to this daily walk routine because I get bored with the same walking routes.

I tried applying for a loan so that I could get a treadmill, but I was denied. It seems that credit companies cannot find information about me, probably because I've changed my name. So I have to make this walking thing work if I want to maintain my weight or even lose a bit more.

Speaking of my physique, I'm quite happy with the progression of my chest. My waist and forearms are still skinny and weak-looking. I don't know what to do about them. My body fat percentage is still something of a struggle even though I'm still not overweight. I'm always stuck trying to lose these last few pounds. I can't decrease my calories much more without suffering, so exercise and supplements have to fill the gap (I am planning to try L-Carnitine, which affects fat mobilization, if I recall correctly). I do find maintaining my weight easier at this point, however.

With the increased energy, I'm more productive and quick-witted. It's much easier to study my 6 languages now, and I finally had the idea to split them up so that I'm studying three per day. I guess I didn't have the brain power to come up with that before. I'm still having trouble fitting Arabic in, however, but at least that's a matter of time and not a matter of energy. If I get the insomnia fixed, I'll be spending less time in bed, and that should help.

I've got my bench press up to 80 pounds as of today. Incredible. I seem to have hit another plateau, however (seems like I have monthly plateaus with bench press), so I might have to go back down to 68 lbs. and work my way back up to keep improving.

There are a couple other updates on my life, but I need to get to bed, maybe I'll try to get in 5 minutes of Arabic.