Monday, November 22, 2010
I will NOT....
eat the chocolate covered raisins in my lunch cupboard. I will not, I will not, I will not! 4pm is officially the hardest time of day to stick to my plan.
Motivation
Finding different forms of motivation can be the difference between success and failure. Motivation is the force that pulls me out of my warm bed at 5am (when it's still dark and the house is asleep) to fit in a workout before the workday. It's the little voice in my head telling me that pastry on the counter will only make me happy while I'm eating eat, then I'll be full of regret - and empty calories.
So....how to stay motivated when your 'diet' is actually a lifestyle change?
~My blog.
~Fitness / Nutrition books & magazines: By reading about how the choices I make impact my health (and waistline), I ensure that this is always on my mind. When tempted to make an unhealthy choice, it can be a lifesaver to remember a quote from a Dr/nutritionist/fitness expert on why I should make the effort to take care of myself
~Weekly weigh-ins: No nasty surprises at my yearly physical! By weighing myself weekly I notice changes before they get out of hand. Bonus if the number has gone DOWN since last week. I wouldn't want to ruin all my hard work!
~Discussing fitness & nutrition with like-minded people.
~Morning workouts: Starting my day off with a cardio session, before I've even had breakfast! This has to be one of the best motivators for me. It's so important to put myself into the right mindset from the moment I wake up.
And the biggest motivator of all? Reminding myself that I'm doing this for ME. If I make unhealthy choices, I'm only depriving myself of feeling/looking the best that I possibly can.
So....how to stay motivated when your 'diet' is actually a lifestyle change?
~My blog.
~Fitness / Nutrition books & magazines: By reading about how the choices I make impact my health (and waistline), I ensure that this is always on my mind. When tempted to make an unhealthy choice, it can be a lifesaver to remember a quote from a Dr/nutritionist/fitness expert on why I should make the effort to take care of myself
~Weekly weigh-ins: No nasty surprises at my yearly physical! By weighing myself weekly I notice changes before they get out of hand. Bonus if the number has gone DOWN since last week. I wouldn't want to ruin all my hard work!
~Discussing fitness & nutrition with like-minded people.
~Morning workouts: Starting my day off with a cardio session, before I've even had breakfast! This has to be one of the best motivators for me. It's so important to put myself into the right mindset from the moment I wake up.
And the biggest motivator of all? Reminding myself that I'm doing this for ME. If I make unhealthy choices, I'm only depriving myself of feeling/looking the best that I possibly can.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
I would do much better without weekends!
It's so difficult to eat clean away from home. During the workweek I can do just fine, by packing myself a cooler with 2 snacks and a lunch. This allows me to make sure I always have a large supply of the food I need, easily accessible at all times. Weekends test my willpower for sure.
Friday: Went straight from work to the mall to get my hair done. Try finding healthy eats at the food court! For dinner I'm supposed to eat lean protein, and 2 servings of green veggies. Closest to be found was at Bourban Street. I had chicken, brocolli, and green beans. The problem: it was obviously all cooked in some sort of oil. And you just KNOW it wasn't extra virgin olive oil ;) Had this with lots of water, and a pepermint tea while I was having my hair done.
Saturday: Oatmeal for breakfast w. flaxseed and 1 scoop vanilla protein powder. I brought an apple and some almonds with me to the mall, as I was spending the day shopping with my mom. Lots of water again. Then there was the pizza for dinner at my girlfriend's house - which I ate and REALLY REALLY enjoyed. So I realized I will have to make peace with not being able to control what food is available to me when I'm not at home. I refuse to be that person who forces their dietary restrictions on other people when they're at their house. Or worse (or maybe just as bad) the one who just doesn't eat when they're at other people's houses - which would just make me look like such a snob. I figure if I'm really careful the rest of the time, then I can allow myself these little indulgences.
Sunday: Back to normal, since I was at home all day, decorating for Christmas :)
This was a real accomplishment for me. Eating something that's outside of what I'm allowed, and getting right back to working hard to accomplish my goals. Lesson learned, and now I can start off my week confident that one slipup doesn't have to mean completly throwing in the towel.
Friday: Went straight from work to the mall to get my hair done. Try finding healthy eats at the food court! For dinner I'm supposed to eat lean protein, and 2 servings of green veggies. Closest to be found was at Bourban Street. I had chicken, brocolli, and green beans. The problem: it was obviously all cooked in some sort of oil. And you just KNOW it wasn't extra virgin olive oil ;) Had this with lots of water, and a pepermint tea while I was having my hair done.
Saturday: Oatmeal for breakfast w. flaxseed and 1 scoop vanilla protein powder. I brought an apple and some almonds with me to the mall, as I was spending the day shopping with my mom. Lots of water again. Then there was the pizza for dinner at my girlfriend's house - which I ate and REALLY REALLY enjoyed. So I realized I will have to make peace with not being able to control what food is available to me when I'm not at home. I refuse to be that person who forces their dietary restrictions on other people when they're at their house. Or worse (or maybe just as bad) the one who just doesn't eat when they're at other people's houses - which would just make me look like such a snob. I figure if I'm really careful the rest of the time, then I can allow myself these little indulgences.
Sunday: Back to normal, since I was at home all day, decorating for Christmas :)
This was a real accomplishment for me. Eating something that's outside of what I'm allowed, and getting right back to working hard to accomplish my goals. Lesson learned, and now I can start off my week confident that one slipup doesn't have to mean completly throwing in the towel.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Back on Track - Day # 2
Okay, so summer is a terribly difficult time for me to follow my own rules for a healthy diet. In typical 'all or nothing' fashion, I used a few small slip ups as an excuse to completely derail my efforts.
Obstacles over the summer:
-Stampede
-BBQ's
-Weddings
-Baby Showers
-2 weekends at my uncle's cabin
I've decided I need to whip myself (back) into shape quickly before the Christmas holiday season starts. Of course, that will come with a new set of hurdles to overcome without betraying my body. I figure by starting now, rather than an empty 'resolution' in January, I'll be in a better mindset to say no to more of the indulgences that Christmas brings. It's backwards, yes, but my mind works like this "I'm already __lbs away from my target, so what's a few more ____?"(insert Christmas treat here) or "I've been working my butt off and am feeling really good. There's no way I'm going to ruin that by eating ______" Like I said, all or nothing.
With this in mind, I'm back on Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet (Cooler # 1) - starting yesterday. This is to be followed for a max 1-2 weeks, and promises dramatic results.
Rules:
-1 serving/day oatmeal or brown rice or quinoa *topped w. 4 tbsp flax seed
-1 serving/day sweet potato or regular potato
-1 /day apple or pear
-4-5/day green veggies (cucumber/spinach/green beans/broccoli/etc)
-16 cups water/day
NO: sauces, dressings, oils, butter, juice, dairy
Yes, it's terribly difficult to maintain willpower. However, I know it's only 1-2 weeks so that helps. Surprisingly, I'm not hungry - just so bored from the lack of food choices. I'm on day # 2.
Obstacles over the summer:
-Stampede
-BBQ's
-Weddings
-Baby Showers
-2 weekends at my uncle's cabin
I've decided I need to whip myself (back) into shape quickly before the Christmas holiday season starts. Of course, that will come with a new set of hurdles to overcome without betraying my body. I figure by starting now, rather than an empty 'resolution' in January, I'll be in a better mindset to say no to more of the indulgences that Christmas brings. It's backwards, yes, but my mind works like this "I'm already __lbs away from my target, so what's a few more ____?"(insert Christmas treat here) or "I've been working my butt off and am feeling really good. There's no way I'm going to ruin that by eating ______" Like I said, all or nothing.
With this in mind, I'm back on Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet (Cooler # 1) - starting yesterday. This is to be followed for a max 1-2 weeks, and promises dramatic results.
Rules:
-1 serving/day oatmeal or brown rice or quinoa *topped w. 4 tbsp flax seed
-1 serving/day sweet potato or regular potato
-1 /day apple or pear
-4-5/day green veggies (cucumber/spinach/green beans/broccoli/etc)
-16 cups water/day
NO: sauces, dressings, oils, butter, juice, dairy
Yes, it's terribly difficult to maintain willpower. However, I know it's only 1-2 weeks so that helps. Surprisingly, I'm not hungry - just so bored from the lack of food choices. I'm on day # 2.
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