January 2021 Monthly Report

January 2021 Monthly Report

It’s been a while since I’ve done a monthly update. Since I’ve missed writing them so much, it’s a perfect time for a revival. So here it is, my January 2021 monthly report.

I used to have so much fun with these type of posts. It was an opportunity to talk about what’s going on in my life and how things are going. It was also fun to show off all the delicious food I’ve been eating with mouth-watering food porn pictures.

Not only are these posts fun, in many ways they also keep me accountable. Back in 2018 when I accepted a buy nothing challenge, I used to document what I bought (and didn’t buy) every month, making sure I was on track with my goals.

While I’m not necessarily doing a buy nothing challenge this year, I still want to make sure I’m aligning my lifestyle with my goals and values.

Let’s see how I’m doing…

 

Family

Family is always my top priority. I really value the time I spend with my family.

One of the silver linings of 2020 was that there were many days I was able to work from home. This gave me even more opportunity to hang out with my wife and daughter, which I am incredibly grateful for.

The weather this January was actually very pleasant here in San Diego. 70 degrees and sunny most days. We took full advantage of this by going out for  most of the weekends.

We went to beautiful parks where we enjoyed having a picnic.

Of course we also hung out at the local beaches too.

Minimalism

This month we did a lot of decluttering.

My wife cleaned out a spare bedroom in our house that we had been using as a place for storing our daughter’s old baby stuff. We donated a lot if that stuff through our local Buy Nothing Project community.

The whole process reminded us of how much unnecessary clutter there is in our physical space. It also freed up some my wife’s mental space because decluttering that room had been on her to do list for quite a while.

Seeing all of our daughter’s baby stuff was also a reminder about how much she has grown. Now she’s running, climbing on things, exercising, and talking in full sentences with thoughts that make sense. Kids really do grow up fast.

 

Fitness

For several months now, I haven’t gone to the gym. My exercise and workout routine is now primarily running in the mornings and doing body weight exercises like pushups and pullups throughout the day.

Interestingly, our daughter often sees us working out at home and she tries to emulate us.  It’s really cute. She regularly does lunges, squats, and modified pushups with us.

She even does some yoga like child’s pose and upward dog!

Reading

One of my goals this year is to read more books.

I know some people easily read twenty books a year. One of the tricks I’ve been told was to make reading a habit and read every single day. So I’ve made it a goal to read about twenty pages a day. By doing this, hopefully I can read a 200 page book every other week or so. We’ll see.

Currently, I’m reading Stop Physician Burnout: What to Do When Working Harder Isn’t Working by Dr. Dike Drummond, MD. who is also known from his website thehappymd.com. I’m actually almost done with the book. I may write a more detailed review in the future, but overall it’s a great book that lays out tools, tactics, and actionable strategies to help prevent or remedy burnout.

Next on my reading list is Deemed Unworthy: Being A Doctor Is Not Enough by Dr. Robert Leroy Butler III, MD. This book interests me because I enjoy reading about people who have a completely different perspective and life experience from me. I also think it’s compelling because it discusses racial inequality, which is very relevant given recent events and calls for more equity, inclusion, and social justice.

There’s a few other books that I’d like to read which I may reveal later.

 

Food

Overall, we ate a lot of healthy food in January.

If you recall from my 2021 New Years Resolutions, I’m trying to eat more healthy food with the goal of losing the remaining bits of belly fat that seem so stubborn.

In addition to intermittent fasting, I’m eating meals with lower net carbohydrates.

Nowadays, many of meals look like this with a lot of avocado, kale, and hemp seeds.

One day we made a vegan Caesar salad with some chickpeas tossed in.

Look at all of these delicious avocados. I don’t think there’s enough hemp seeds though…

Eating salad every day gets kind of boring. Sometimes I change it up by mixing in some high protein, low net carb edamame noodles.

The meal below has 7g net carbs, 35g protein (all plant-based protein obviously), and 20g fat (mostly healthy omega-3 plant based fats)! Coconut aminos, toasted sesame oil, and seasoned sesame seeds add a ton of delicious flavor.

When I do incorporate carbohydrates, I try to use whole food starches like potatoes and sweet potatoes.

While I avoid refined sugars and carbohydrates as much as possible, it’s okay to have a cheat day every now and then. Here’s a picture of the delicious vegan French pastries that my wife bought for my birthday.

 

Final Thoughts

There you have it. My January 2021 monthly report.

Getting back into the groove of writing these types of blog posts is so helpful in many ways. Yes, it is fun and it keeps me accountable for my actions each month.

But one of the best things about writing is that it gives me a moment to reflect on everything that I am grateful for in life– family, health, food, and so much more.