I'm sure my schedule is alot like everyone elses. It's a mad dash from 6:30 am. Get kids ready, take to school, go to work, pick kids up, homework, make dinner, play with kids, bath time, bedtime, wheeeew it's 8:30, 9 pm. I finally sink down in my couch and grab the remote while a load is going in the dishwasher and in the washing machine! My husband and I usually have a beer at the end of our day. Just one and I instantly feel better. We enjoy sitting catching up, drinking a cold one and watching a favorite show. But I want to cut that one out. I'm cutting back on carbs and trying to lose weight. Drinking beer is not conducive. So, what do you do at the end of the day to signal to your body to chill out?
Sleepytime tea sounds like a fantastic idea
Mmmm... my husband makes the best warm milk (with or without whiskey).
I actually play some solitare on my phone either on the couch with the TV on in the background or in bed. It allows my brain to rest, you know?
junk tv, a hot bubble bath, and finally an awesome book!
and a cup of sleepytime tea.
:) khairete
S.
My husband works late most nights, and my youngest goes to bed at 7:00. My youngest is almost 8 and my oldest is 14.
We start relaxing at 6:30. By then we've eaten dinner and have cleaned up the kitchen together. At 6:30 we all curl up on the couch and watch "Wheel of Fortune," and then my youngest goes to bed.
My oldest and I have some quality time together then. We chit-chat for awhile, and then we will often read. We each read our own books, but we tell each other about them. We also both love drinking hot tea in the evenings like others have mentioned.
After an hour or so, we will each get on our computers and check email/facebook for a bit until my husband gets home. Then we chit-chat with him for a bit and watch a little TV before heading to bed.
I love our quiet evenings.
*As for trying to cut things out, we're giving up sugar (or at least cut out as much as we can), alcohol, caffeine, and meat for lent. It's going to be tough, but I think we'll feel so much better. Good luck with your goals, too!
I read. Nearly every night.
Crash into bed! haha... Our schedule is very similar - up at 5:30 and on the go until 9'ish. When all the kids are in bed I do one last sweep of the house and just fall into bed - usually out cold by 10 :\ haha
TV, hot tea, good book. Sounds like Suz :)
We get a snack, sit down on the couch together and watch tv. And if I am lucky then I get a leg rub and that is always relaxing :) Then it's off to bed because hubby wakes up really early for work the next day. And then all the crazy starts over again before we know it!
Honey get yourself a glass of red wine....less than 100 cals I have a bottle of Barefoot Zinfandel (red, not the blush) and I believe 4oz is about 92 calories. Also, exercise really relaxes me. Maybe start with yoga while the wine is chilling or yoga, a hot bath and then the wine.
Also, some friends and I are using www.myfitnesspal.com for weight loss. I've lost 8lbs so far. We hold each other accountable and cheer each other on. If you don't have any friends that will join in with you, inbox me and I'll send you my username so you can send me a friends request.
I read. Sometimes I have a glass of wine, but rarely. Warm tea to sip, without sugar.
We don't have a TV, as we found it was destroying your lives by disconnecting us. My husband thought I was crazy to sell it, as he was addicted, but it turns out, he's a better, calmer man and we actually connect after the 4 kids go to sleep.
My husband's cousin, who is a man, takes a bath at night. He has a flat screen attached above the tub and he'll sit and bathe to wind down from the day. (I had to share that, since we don't usually think of men bathing.)
a cup of instant decaf coffee...made with milk.
or a glass of ice water.
the important aspect for me is to be sure to have a quiet room...no tv, just my book & drink.
We do the same thing you and your husband do, minus the beer. We plop down on the couch, turn on what we call 'mindless t.v' (more for back ground noise) and recap each others day.
Maybe surf the web, read a book, play angry birds. Just sitting on the couch together does it for us.
Sounds like a nice ritual you and your husband have. Perhaps you could just have a "green tea" or something similarly healthy and keep the rest the same??
Sometimes take a bath, watch tv and read mamapedia... Chi tea.. Or diet caffeine free coke... Sometimes a snack like string cheese, apple and peanut butter. I am trying to stay away from chips my weakness!
After the kids go to bed I workout for a little bit while watching TV. Then I have the rest of the night to relax and just watch TV. I refuse to eat anything after 7:30pm at night and if I want something I usually just have tea.
Our kids are 15, 12 and 9. They start showers at 7:15 and are done by 8. They all go in their rooms at 8 and can't come out! That is their 'quiet time' and when our quiet time starts...lol! They don't have to go to sleep, but they do have to be quiet and stay in there. They are usually asleep by 9 which is when I check on them, shut off lights, make sure they are ok, etc. So hubby and I can watch tv and get caught up. We don't drink at all but we are snackers and we are trying to cut back as well. Its hard when its become such a habit. Maybe we can try the sleepytime tea also! =)
You relax much the same way I do; chill in front of the tv for a few at the end of the day. I don't like beer so I usually do it with a glass of wine :) In the past when I was watching carbs and wanted a drink, I drank vodka with Crystal Light.
Save the beer for Friday nights; you can still enjoy it, just not as often. Or why not split a beer with hubby, poured into separate chilled mugs?
