Thanks for a great update although I have been wondering how that new job is going and if the job and Black dress code is still working well for you.

Laughing at DH scaring you with his cleaning challenge- can he speak with my DH. He needs extra motivation as we are downsizing in preparing to move closer to our daughter. It is amazing and scary how much stuff people collect over a 42 year marriage and life in the same home for 34 years.

Happy to hear you are doing well on new eating plan. A friend is doing well on keto diet but I am not a big meat eater so its lost on me. I just have to keep away from processed foods- too bad I love them so much.

Thanks for deodorant tip. I have tried crystal and didn’t like it. Currently using Tom’s of Maine unscented- less stuff in it.

Enjoy rest of summer and please don’t be in a hurry for summer to end;-)

Very interesting post, Lisa. I am busy right now, but have marked this one as a favourite and will return to it later--also to see if there are some extra tips in the comments, which I haven't read yet. Glad to hear that your decisions work for you. Thank you for your tips on deodorant. I will check whether the Weleda deodorant is available here. I really hope it is, as I have had the same frustrating experienceso as you had.

Great report, but where is the picture of your signature cut and color. Curious minds want to know!
I have tried keto diets of various types successfully, although in the end I like fruit and legumes too much to be fully committed. I do totally understand how it can be easier to be on strict diet than a moderate one. I am like that also. Congratulation on your success with decluttering your space and your mind!

I came to read about your July updates and then ended up ordering deodorant from Amazon and trying hard to follow all the information related to diet/fasting. Waves at Carter.

So much information! I feel uninformed. But I am always interested and want to learn as much as possible. I have done 24-hour fasts in which we limited our caloric intake to 500 calories. I have never fasted beyond that. I certainly am interested in trying though.

Congratulations on all your hard earned accomplishments, LisaP.

Shevia - my "signature hair" is the short pixie with longer bangs I've been sporting for awhile now. No more longer back, layers , no longer top - just short all over and a longer bang. Bleached blonde/white highlights on natural roots. I have been using a rose gold "metallic" colouring shampoo lately too which is a fun way to switch up the colour with no permanent commitment. Re: the keto diet, I agree with you about fruit. That's been the toughest part. I do miss apples and bananas , pineapples, and mangos. Legumes and beans were always too hard to digest anyways, so I don't mind not feeling compelled to eat them anymore

I’m not doing a ketogenic diet but I’ve been no beans and no grains for the last three months. The beans seem to exacerbate joint pain and all grains seem to cause overproduction of stomach acid.

I’ve lost six pounds each month for the last three months and that’s with trying to eat as much as possible. I eat fruit and squash and potatoes and sweet potatoes but not starchy veggies related to soybeans like like green peas or green beans. I’m at a good weight for my frame and I’m hoping that my weight will stabilize soon.

Sounds like your enjoying this transition in your life -- owning your style, instead of letting it own you!

So glad to hear things are on track for you! I'm interested in the keto way of eating. I don't really eat much fruit and do not crave sweets so aside from bread, I wouldn't have to give up too much to try it. I decided to order the monitor in fact - thanks Lisap! I see that it can also be used for a quick check of iron in blood and that would be so helpful for me if it's true.

I'm curious as to which rose gold shampoo you're using -- is it Overtone? I keep seeing ads for their new metallics. It looks fun, but my hair is so dark it'd be a very subtle effect, unless I felt like bleaching...

La Ped - can't remember the shampoo brand and it's not nearby at the moment ....but it only works on bleached hair.

3style - interesting...thanks for sharing that info!

I LOVE this positive thread, and thanks for the deodorant tip.

Lisa p, how wonderful to be in a position to edit your life and know what you want and not want. It makes all the difference, and good job getting there.

YES to your signature 'do because IT IS. No more faffing....

YES to creating a "uniform" for other parts of your lifestyle.

YES to outfit repetition.

YES to not chasing the next trend and look you think you "need".

YES to editing your home and thinking about the future.

YES to good health.

YES to feeling satisfied with what you have, appreciating it - and enjoying it.

Ohh, thanks for the deodorant recommendation. I’ve been trying out lots of different ones, but not found the right one yet!

I love food and cooking and do eat for enjoyment. But I’m also a T1 diabetic and eating Low carb/high fat helps me get really great control. I don’t do keto because I’ve found that I need slightly more carbs, which I get from vegetables, fruit and nuts mostly. If you can get keto to work for you that’s great. There are some studies pointing to keto not working for some women in particular, but lower carb does.

My Mum is downsizing. She keeps giving things to me!

Lisa, I did the decluttering month in June. Mr. SF didn't. We still have lots more to do. I am impressed that both of you are doing it.
It all sounds very exciting. Downsizing can be a release. (From what? Well, I guess that depends on the person.)

I plan to check out the deodorant. Thanks for the recommendation.

This is a great thread that I'm reading with interest! Thanks for starting it, Lisa.

DeAnna - wow , way to go! That's a big achievement ! What is a cut-the-carb flat sheet? And is your T/Th fasting a 16/8 fast, or a 24hr fast?

Interesting update. I'm glad the new diet is working for you. I'm always trying to declutter my house but it's a losing battle with 3 kids. School starts in a couple weeks and I always try to get their rooms and desks cleaned out before the new school year. They have so many toys that they don't play with until I want to get rid of them and then all of sudden they're all favorites.

Cut the carb is a company that makes a flat sheet like a low carb tortilla. it can be used for wraps, taco's pizza the possibilities are endless. for our fast we have breakfast lunch and dinner Monday and do not eat again until Wednesday breakfast, and repeat Thursday. We have only coffee and water or a cup of bone broth on fasting days, but its hot now so really no bone broth for me. I usually loose about a pound a week. I do drink a lot of water and with the summer heat I have had to do power-aid zero. I am freezing now in the ac, and some times go outside to warm up a bit. I do enjoy this way of eating. Never going back.

I needed to read this today. I just talked with my a.a. sponsor about how I need to start applying the steps (to recovery from alcoholism) to delicious empty carbs and shopping for anything (clothes, shoes, building materials, decor, groceries, you name it)

So seriously, reading this was so on-time and on-point. Thank you for the inspiration!
And I'm going through the hormonal perimenopause stuff (ten years after surgically induced actual menopause) and am struggling with weight gain. So this information is on time and on point. Thank you for sharing your experience, strength, and hope with me as I start proactively dealing with the same issues. Changing my perspective on clothes from buying to experimenting with what I've bought; and considering keto or something other restive diet; these are things I hadn't thought of. I needed you this morning and my Higher Power made it happen.
XOXO