'Tis the Holidays!!
Holy smokes, guys!
Thanksgiving is in less than two weeks!! And I am cooking. Which actually isn't such a big deal for our party of two plus the little people, but I really need to avoid the internet because my menu is set and I don't need anymore ideas. I've been working on the grocery list, and my plans are to really splash out. I don't eat like this a lot so if I am going big, I am going BIG.
That said, I have plans.
I was scrolling through my phone recently and came across some pictures that I took of myself way back in March. I had finally had enough so I took these sobering photographs as motivation to start and stay the course on my journey.
Here's the thing: it's all about follow through... Getting started in January, or right before an event, can be a great motivator, but the real key is the follow-through... the motivation to keep going even when you're tired and no longer excited about the work. Because yep, it's work. But you know what- getting comfortable with the uncomfortable is possible, doable, kinda cool. Eight months and over a hundred workouts later, I have made so much progress huffing and puffing in my home gym aka the living room and it hasn't been pretty. This is through not enough sleep, crazy schedules, kids, not feelin' it, kids, lol.
But I want to live my best life.
When I sit down and define success in regards to my health and wellness, it's with the understanding that I won't sacrifice anymore than I "have to." For example, enjoying a cookie or two when I feel like it. I won't even call this way of thinking "balanced" because it's more like LIVING. Which is not to say that I am on the slippery slop of enabling myself, but I have gotten to a good place where I won't derail my efforts if I do have a little something something.
Here's what I have been doing: tracking my food intake by using portion control containers (I didn't buy my containers from this company, but they're pretty standard). Using these containers has removed the (often misguided) assumption around how much I am eating. It's not just, "I need to eat more veggies," it's putting an actual number and amount behind that statement. The same with water. "Oh, I drink a lot of water" I assumed, but in reality not so much. There's that whole drink half your body weight in ounces philosophy, and I wasn't coming even close to a quarter of that. Now I aim for 80-90%. So this is where I am- tracking my food with the occasional extras (that I don't abuse).
Which brings me back to the holidays. Yes, I am going to eat from my portion containers. For the meals surrounding the holiday one. And even then, I won't stuff my face like I used to. I don't like that overfilled feeling and every time I try for "just one more bite," it's never worth it. I will also be keeping up my workouts because they are a part of my day now.
I feel like I have been successful on this front for two reasons:
1.Those pictures. I felt so self conscious about still looking like I was pregnant. My belly button doesn't help because it's still distended, but working on that. It's a hernia and I am seeing a doctor about it in a few weeks.
2. I think it's better to start an intention on a random, non-special day so as not to get caught up in other people's momentum. We can all do hard things. Don't let fear of starting or pushing yourself past where it's comfortable stop you. I think the challenge to be won is when we ignore the voice that wants us to stay on the couch, and instead change the dialogue to getting on the couch AFTER the workout...
Here are a couple of motivational videos that I have come across over the past few weeks:
I am not doing this training program, but this video is totally motivational. I recently suggested to a friend that she might like to try a beachbody workout because most of them have a modifier. Without looking, she declared that the mods weren't enough. Y'all, just try. Give yourself five minutes to just be vulnerable and try something new. It could prove uncomfortable, but would you be mad at yourself for giving it a shot. Maybe. And you can still declare "I knew it wasn't going to work."
But. You. Tried. And you've planted a seed...
This video is all kinds of crazy, but you know women can be just as badass as men...
Here's my music wrap-up, which we can all use a little of these days...
Thanksgiving is in less than two weeks!! And I am cooking. Which actually isn't such a big deal for our party of two plus the little people, but I really need to avoid the internet because my menu is set and I don't need anymore ideas. I've been working on the grocery list, and my plans are to really splash out. I don't eat like this a lot so if I am going big, I am going BIG.
That said, I have plans.
I was scrolling through my phone recently and came across some pictures that I took of myself way back in March. I had finally had enough so I took these sobering photographs as motivation to start and stay the course on my journey.
Here's the thing: it's all about follow through... Getting started in January, or right before an event, can be a great motivator, but the real key is the follow-through... the motivation to keep going even when you're tired and no longer excited about the work. Because yep, it's work. But you know what- getting comfortable with the uncomfortable is possible, doable, kinda cool. Eight months and over a hundred workouts later, I have made so much progress huffing and puffing in my home gym aka the living room and it hasn't been pretty. This is through not enough sleep, crazy schedules, kids, not feelin' it, kids, lol.
But I want to live my best life.
When I sit down and define success in regards to my health and wellness, it's with the understanding that I won't sacrifice anymore than I "have to." For example, enjoying a cookie or two when I feel like it. I won't even call this way of thinking "balanced" because it's more like LIVING. Which is not to say that I am on the slippery slop of enabling myself, but I have gotten to a good place where I won't derail my efforts if I do have a little something something.
Here's what I have been doing: tracking my food intake by using portion control containers (I didn't buy my containers from this company, but they're pretty standard). Using these containers has removed the (often misguided) assumption around how much I am eating. It's not just, "I need to eat more veggies," it's putting an actual number and amount behind that statement. The same with water. "Oh, I drink a lot of water" I assumed, but in reality not so much. There's that whole drink half your body weight in ounces philosophy, and I wasn't coming even close to a quarter of that. Now I aim for 80-90%. So this is where I am- tracking my food with the occasional extras (that I don't abuse).
Which brings me back to the holidays. Yes, I am going to eat from my portion containers. For the meals surrounding the holiday one. And even then, I won't stuff my face like I used to. I don't like that overfilled feeling and every time I try for "just one more bite," it's never worth it. I will also be keeping up my workouts because they are a part of my day now.
I feel like I have been successful on this front for two reasons:
1.Those pictures. I felt so self conscious about still looking like I was pregnant. My belly button doesn't help because it's still distended, but working on that. It's a hernia and I am seeing a doctor about it in a few weeks.
2. I think it's better to start an intention on a random, non-special day so as not to get caught up in other people's momentum. We can all do hard things. Don't let fear of starting or pushing yourself past where it's comfortable stop you. I think the challenge to be won is when we ignore the voice that wants us to stay on the couch, and instead change the dialogue to getting on the couch AFTER the workout...
Here are a couple of motivational videos that I have come across over the past few weeks:
I am not doing this training program, but this video is totally motivational. I recently suggested to a friend that she might like to try a beachbody workout because most of them have a modifier. Without looking, she declared that the mods weren't enough. Y'all, just try. Give yourself five minutes to just be vulnerable and try something new. It could prove uncomfortable, but would you be mad at yourself for giving it a shot. Maybe. And you can still declare "I knew it wasn't going to work."
But. You. Tried. And you've planted a seed...
This video is all kinds of crazy, but you know women can be just as badass as men...
Here's my music wrap-up, which we can all use a little of these days...
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