Today is a New Day

I'm feeling good today. I've been sticking to my meal plan pretty well and I've gotten to the gym several days this week. I feel like I'm finally back on track after all the chaos of the holidays and the race. I'm just one of those people who just cannot get their shit together unless EVERYTHING is together. For example, when I got back from Mexico, my mother-in-law was in town and I just couldn't clean and get my house in order because I felt like I needed to 'host' for her. I just couldn't go about my normal business because having her in the house just threw everything off. After she left, I got my house together and finally started getting everything ready to get back on track, but then a friend of mine came into town to run the race also. I hadn't seen him in YEARS, so we hung out a lot and I had to neglect all my other responsibilities. Also because of the race, I couldn't exercise like I normally do (don't want to risk injury and tire your body out pre-race) or eat like I normally do (no calorie restriction, etc because I needed to carb load for energy before the race).

I made creating a meal plan and grocery shopping a priority that weekend though, which has been a life saver. That is probably the only reason I have been able to get my shit together this week. I planned healthy meals and did all my shopping before my friend got into town Saturday. Then, after the race I started washing all my gym clothes so I would have something to wear to the gym this week. That planning and preparation really paid off and is the reason I'm feeling good today. I put myself first and made my health a priority, which resulted in a lot of endorphins being released at the gym. I've made it to the gym that past 2 mornings before work for 1 cardio session and 1 full body lift session. It just FEELS good to be back on track and back in the saddle. Back to my normal way of life. *GASP* Eating healthy and exercising is my 'normal way of life'? Shocking.

It's amazing how life can change in just a few short years.

My plan right now is to not put too much pressure on myself. I'm just going to try to get to the gym as many days a week as I can (ultiimate goal is 6, but I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't make it) and try to make the best food choices I can. I find that if I don't put rigid constraints on myself (i.e. I HAVE to go to the gym 6 days a week!), that it's easier to voluntarily do these things. If I put a rigid constraint on myself, I usually end up rebelling and totally going off the deep end. If I give myself the option that if I don't really want to go or can't go for some reason, it's ok - then I don't feel so much pressure, it seems more like fun and voluntary rather than forced. Same with the food, I try to make the best choices and eat the healthy stuff, but I'm not going to go ballistic if I go over my calories one day or eat something that wasn't in the plan for that day. Less pressure, more happiness and fun. It's basically just a mind game I play with myself and it seems to be working so far.

I'm going to be weighing myself on Friday to get a gauge of where I'm at and then I probably won't weigh myself again until some time in February. Again, a small mind game I'm playing with myself. When I weigh too often, I get obsessive about the number on the scale. That little number can send me into a downward spiral in a split second if I see something I don't like and the next thing you know, I'm stuffing my face with peanut M&M's. Even if it was just a fluke thing, like water weight or the million other things that can cause you to retain weight. Thus, I've decided to stop the insanity and weigh once a month. I'm going to gauge my progress on how I feel and how my clothes fit. I want to make it less about weight loss and more about health. Weight loss is temporary but health is for life, isn't it? That's what they say this is supposed to be, right? A lifestyle change? Well I can't make a permanent lifestyle change for a goal that's only temporary, can I? Yes, another mind game. LOL!

So yes, (1) try to get to the gym as many days a week as I can and change it up to keep it interesting, (2) try to make the best food choices I can at all times and (3) do it for health because that's what really matters.

I'm good at playing games with myself, eh?