A few people have asked me what I've changed, so I thought I would share. Disclaimer: I am in NO way trained to help anyone make any kind of decisions about nutrition and exercise; I leave that to the professionals, and so should you. I'm just sharing what I've been doing that has helped me take back control of food and fitness.
1) I drink my water. When you are exercising to the point of being thirsty and sweating, it's so important. If you know me, you know I hate water, so this has been a challenge. At first, I squeezed lemon into my water all day long, but now I can stomach it without lemon. I don't measure or try to reach a certain amount, and I'm sure that some days I drink less than others, especially if I'm particularly busy at work. I just drink enough to feel very hydrated. I am not going to lie; I still drink diet sodas as a treat on occasion. I'm not all good.
2) Portion control! Every single time I say that phrase, I think of a certain Prince song from the late 90s...you know which one I'm talking about. And if you don't, you might be better off anyway (Although that is a legit jam...Prince is the shit!). That's my biggest issue with eating...I struggle to stop. So, for now, I'm eating all things that are portion controlled. I confess...sometimes that means processed. BUT...if I buy something processed, it's organic, non-GMO stuff (read: EXPENSIVE). I might have a tuna fish sandwich for lunch on Pepperidge Farm "Very Thin" bread, with a tablespoon of light mayo, and a salad. Every single part of my meals are controlled. This has really helped me understand the difference between being full and being stuffed--which is what I've leaned toward in the past. It's important to me, however, to be able to live a normal life. This means going out for meals with friends and enjoying myself without worrying about sticking to a diet or ordering something I don't really want. What I've learned is that I physically FEEL better when I eat healthier and less. For instance, I went to dinner this past weekend and ate a fairly large helping of fries and part of a hamburger, and I was miserably full, to the point of thinking that eating like that isn't worth it.
3) I don't eat the meals I cook. I don't eat what my family eats. My kids are both scrawny; although they get plenty of veggies and fruit, I don't skimp on fats for them, which doesn't work for me. I thought I would be very disappointed by this, but I'm surprisingly okay. We spend plenty of time together in the evenings; I refuse to feel bad about not literally sharing a meal with them.
4) I gave up snacking. I was a big time snacker. Huge. I quit cold turkey. If I feel like I need something to eat, I drink a glass of water. If I STILL feel like I need to eat, I assume I probably do, and I eat something, usually an apple or Greek yogurt. If I'm working out that day, especially if I know it'll be tough, I'll eat an energy bar. Most days, I don't need to snack. If I feel like treating myself, I do eat popcorn before bed. We started making our own popcorn on the stove this past year and I'll never eat microwave popcorn again. A tiny bit of sunflower oil...delicious snack that doesn't leave me feeling totally guilty.
5) I gave up SWEETS! This is the craziest one for me. If you know me, you know that I have always loved sweets. They're my downfall. I have seriously given them up. I literally looked at the bowl of Halloween candy on my table and did not eat one single piece. It was a first, I can assure you. Now I'm not crazy; on holidays, like Christmas and Thanksgiving, I ate dessert. We made cookies and I had a few. I'm not saying I never eat anything sweet; that's extreme and I'm not interested in extremes. But on a daily basis, I really try hard not to eat sugary stuff. An unexpected and pleasant result is that when I DO eat something sweet, it's almost too sweet for me.
6) I break a sweat most days. I have a history of either working out religiously OR controlling my diet, but never together. This time, I'm working on both at the same time, and I couldn't be happier. When I can't get to the gym, I try to either run near home or do some weights/exercises at home. Even if all I have is a short 20-30 minute window, I try to do something active every day. Bonus: Anderson works out with me when I have to do it at home. A 5 year old working out is hilarity at its best. You should see his squats and planks. :-)
I think most importantly, I've kept the parts of my life that are important to me while still working on my health, and even without giving up certain things (ie. BEER), I'm still seeing noticeable results, both physically and in my endurance. If I want to go to a brewery with friends and have a few drinks, I do it. If a friend invites me to brunch, I go. I am working very, very hard on not feeling guilty about it when I eat meals that are "bad". I tell myself that I don't always eat that way, so there's no reason to stress about it. I pick up with my controlled diet and exercise and move on. I know that if I wanted to be hard-core sculpted, or a truly competitive athlete, I would need to give up some of those things--but they're meaningful activities for me. Social things that I truly enjoy. So I don't. And I'm okay with that.
So that's it--that's how I got here. I love where I'm at; I can wear the clothes that are in my closet, I can do an entire class of any kind without having to stop or huff and puff. I can tell that my entire body is stronger than it has been in a very, very long time--maybe ever. I feel capable and present in a way that I haven't been.
Tell us about you--what's your routine? Regimen? I love to hear about how others are doing it...
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