I'm back!

My 2 week break turned into a 6 month break and it’s evident on my waistline (and my attitude about life, I am sure). For the last 6 months I have not been as active in going to the gym, I haven’t been hiking as much (I blame medical issues and the Arizona sun for this one), I haven’t been carb cycling, and I’ve consumed my years’ worth of allowable sugar. I think part of the issue was my motivation, but where did that change? I got social. From April 2012 until about March 2013, I didn’t hang out with people, I didn’t go out on dates, I didn’t care about having “friends”. Then I started caring. I met new people. I created friendships I wanted to maintain. I learned that maintaining friendships takes time. I became more interested in boys (I learned that boys take time too, and patience). All the energy I had devoted to my journey to be a better me was now focused on being social. I still haven’t found my healthy balance, but I’m not happy with my waistline, and I’m ready to finally hit that goal.

I have ONE class left until I graduate with my Masters Degree in Public Administration (go me!), but the best part is how excited I am for this last class: Nutrition Coaching. Ah! Isn’t that perfect? Between school and bagpipes and friends and boys and church and work, things have been BUSY. I am so excited to combine school with being a healthy ME for this last class, and then allowing the part of me that was focused on school to be focused on my fitness and nutrition. I am only on the first chapter of my textbook, but it has already helped me. The authors recommend making a 3 month plan during the first coaching session. I read that and thought “I can do anything for 3 months”. And I can, I know I can because I have done it. So what could I do for the next 3 months to help me get out of this rut and get back to being proud of myself?

1) Workout 8 times a week

2) Carb cycle

3) No processed sugar

4)Drink 80-90 ounces of water EVERY DAY

So here is my plan:

Monday: Workout morning and evening, low carb day

Tuesday: Workout morning and evening, high carb day

Wednesday: Workout evening and go dancing, low carb day

Thursday: Workout evening (sleep in from dancing), high carb day

Friday: Workout morning and evening, low carb day

Saturday: Do something FUN that gets me moving (hike, dance class, sports, rock climbing, etc...)

The crappy part of this plan is that I am not working out today. I wasn’t feeling well at ALL last night and have had some shin pain for a couple of days, so I didn’t bring workout clothes to work with me. So, I will have 6 workouts this week instead of 8, but I can do everything else. I have already prepared my food for the week and I’ve got my water on hand. I think the processed sugar will be the hardest thing this week, giving up social activities to workout will be the hardest thing next week. I need a boy to take me on a date to the gym, that would solve some issues. Or I need friends who just want to hang out at the gym at 4am in the morning, that would help too.

I am disappointed in myself. I can do better than this. I AM better than this. I want to feel better about myself and the decisions I am making. I want to be in peak physical condition. I want to look athletic (I was getting there, and then I just stopped trying). I want to be PROUD of myself. I am going to work hard EVERY SINGLE DAY for the next THREE months to be proud of myself. When that 3 months is up I will re-evaluate. If working out 8x a week was too much for me to also be social, then I’ll figure something else out. If I have more time and energy I can give to myself, then I’ll spend more time on my fitness goals. But I have my plan for the next 3 months, and I am sticking to it.  

I am going to give myself 2 weeks of doing this before I weigh in, then I’ll start my weekly weigh ins again. I know I am close to 200lbs right now, if not there, and I want to be UNDER 200lbs before I weigh in again. 2 weeks. I can lose roughly 6lbs in those two weeks and that should at least put me under 200lbs. I can’t wait to be under 180.