It was a busy week. I didn't feel that great. Things...got in the way?! Whatever the "it" was or whatever the "things" were that popped up, the basic result was a BAD health week! I only exercised on Monday night! I made poor food choices ALL week! I really fell off the good health "wagon"! And to make it worse, last night-our date night-was a dinner of prime rib and lots and lots and lots of wine! Which of course makes today a day of nursing a hangover AND placing the desire to eat greasy fattening food at an all week high!
How does "it" happen? Is "it" inevitable? The "it" of course is the "break"in determination! The loss of diet focus and commitment. Does everything suddenly change? Will I ever make it to the 125 pounds I desperately want to reach? Will 130 now be the "new" 125...? So, is the desire to lose weight greater than that of the desire to hang out, not exercise, and not care about the quality or quantity of food that I put in my mouth?
Iiiittttt'ss hhhhaaaarrrrd to lose weight! Its haaarrrrrd to stay healthy. Its hhhhaaaaarrrrrd not to eat the brightly colored cupcakes or whatever the "temptation" is for you. Its hhhaaarrrrd to not to drive to the fast food restaurant because you just didn't have time to pack a healthy lunch earlier that morning. "It's" of course not really MY fault. Its "life's" fault. I can't possibility take it personally. I won't take it personally! I refuse to take responsibility for "it"!
Hellooo! It's a new day! It's time to take responsibility. Assess the damage but not dwell on the past. From here on out, I will make new exercise and diet commitments and hope for the best. I will realize that "breaks" occur but they don't have to derail everything! I am taking responsibility for my own health and well being!
I've realized that PLANNING makes a huge difference! I've learned how little exercise "bumps" don't have to become exercise "mountains"! I've realized that if I don't have time to go to the gym for a full workout that I can do a short run instead. I can do some boxing on the punching bag that I have at home for 15-20 minutes in place of a full 30 minute bike ride. I've realized that when I'm not feeling up to my "normal" self or if I can't do my "normal' workout that SOMETHING is better than nothing!
Another realization: having healthy choices on hand makes eating healthy much easier and anxiety eating less likely to occur. Actually, I call anxiety eating "guilt eating". Its a much more accurate description of what's happening. You feel guilty because you didn't workout. You feel guilty that you didn't do the healthy food shopping. You feel guilty that you had pizza delivered instead of cooking a healthy less fattening meal. You feel guilty that bad choices are easily made! But, PLANNING takes time and executing "the plan" takes effort. Scheduling time to do the shopping and etc. has got to be an intricate part of "the plan". It's similar to scheduling exercise into your day. Its true things pop up but with a plan in place it helps to reduce the "pop up" effect!
One other MAJOR realization I have had is that REST is so important to ME and my mood and my energy level! Lack of rest effects everything in my day. I am unfortunately, an 8 hour (minimum) uninterrupted sleep gal! I HAVE to turn things off and go to be bed! Whether that be the the TV or the "stuff" rattling around in my head. I've realized that without proper restful sleep that not only do I make bad food choices but I put off exercising as well as all of the other items I have in my plan! Basically, nothing gets done and my best laid plan goes out the door! I've always been jealous of those people that function and function well on 7, 6 or less hours of sleep! But, reality is what it is and I'm an 8 hour sleep gal!
So, rather than look back on the week as a failure, I've decided to look back on it as a learning week. I've realized that unless I take responsibility for my health failures I can't take credit for my health successes. Failures and successes are part of the journey. I've realized my health is just that, a journey. I've had a long history of "less than ideal" health and lifestyle choices so it will take a while to change those en grained bad habits into new and better habits. The journey toward better and healthier choices is on... and THAT is inevitable...
How does "it" happen? Is "it" inevitable? The "it" of course is the "break"in determination! The loss of diet focus and commitment. Does everything suddenly change? Will I ever make it to the 125 pounds I desperately want to reach? Will 130 now be the "new" 125...? So, is the desire to lose weight greater than that of the desire to hang out, not exercise, and not care about the quality or quantity of food that I put in my mouth?
Iiiittttt'ss hhhhaaaarrrrd to lose weight! Its haaarrrrrd to stay healthy. Its hhhhaaaaarrrrrd not to eat the brightly colored cupcakes or whatever the "temptation" is for you. Its hhhaaarrrrd to not to drive to the fast food restaurant because you just didn't have time to pack a healthy lunch earlier that morning. "It's" of course not really MY fault. Its "life's" fault. I can't possibility take it personally. I won't take it personally! I refuse to take responsibility for "it"!
Hellooo! It's a new day! It's time to take responsibility. Assess the damage but not dwell on the past. From here on out, I will make new exercise and diet commitments and hope for the best. I will realize that "breaks" occur but they don't have to derail everything! I am taking responsibility for my own health and well being!
I've realized that PLANNING makes a huge difference! I've learned how little exercise "bumps" don't have to become exercise "mountains"! I've realized that if I don't have time to go to the gym for a full workout that I can do a short run instead. I can do some boxing on the punching bag that I have at home for 15-20 minutes in place of a full 30 minute bike ride. I've realized that when I'm not feeling up to my "normal" self or if I can't do my "normal' workout that SOMETHING is better than nothing!
Another realization: having healthy choices on hand makes eating healthy much easier and anxiety eating less likely to occur. Actually, I call anxiety eating "guilt eating". Its a much more accurate description of what's happening. You feel guilty because you didn't workout. You feel guilty that you didn't do the healthy food shopping. You feel guilty that you had pizza delivered instead of cooking a healthy less fattening meal. You feel guilty that bad choices are easily made! But, PLANNING takes time and executing "the plan" takes effort. Scheduling time to do the shopping and etc. has got to be an intricate part of "the plan". It's similar to scheduling exercise into your day. Its true things pop up but with a plan in place it helps to reduce the "pop up" effect!
One other MAJOR realization I have had is that REST is so important to ME and my mood and my energy level! Lack of rest effects everything in my day. I am unfortunately, an 8 hour (minimum) uninterrupted sleep gal! I HAVE to turn things off and go to be bed! Whether that be the the TV or the "stuff" rattling around in my head. I've realized that without proper restful sleep that not only do I make bad food choices but I put off exercising as well as all of the other items I have in my plan! Basically, nothing gets done and my best laid plan goes out the door! I've always been jealous of those people that function and function well on 7, 6 or less hours of sleep! But, reality is what it is and I'm an 8 hour sleep gal!
So, rather than look back on the week as a failure, I've decided to look back on it as a learning week. I've realized that unless I take responsibility for my health failures I can't take credit for my health successes. Failures and successes are part of the journey. I've realized my health is just that, a journey. I've had a long history of "less than ideal" health and lifestyle choices so it will take a while to change those en grained bad habits into new and better habits. The journey toward better and healthier choices is on... and THAT is inevitable...
