Baby Steps

Lately I've been feeling very busy and tired.  Nothing out of the ordinary is going on, just the day-to-day minutae that piles up in a big to-do list.  I truly believe that living a healthy life will be worth the effort, but each step that needs to be taken is one more thing on the to-do list.  I'm losing steam, and I don't want to lose steam.  I know I posted about this already, but it's still happening.  I have to find a way to grab hold of this process and keep the momentum going.  I don't want to get up at 5:00 a.m. to go to the gym.  But I did it once last week and it didn't kill me.  I don't mind preparing my lunch and snacks ahead of time to take to work, but I do resent the time it takes.  I feel like I have a limited amount of free time and do not want to give up the pieces of it that these activities take up.  But the reward will be an increased enjoyment of every day with increased energy, increased athletic ability, and let's be honest, smaller size.  And a longer life to enjoy these things. It's important, and maybe I'm just being whiny and lazy.  Life is full of obligations and responsibilities, and this commitment to healthier living is an obligation and responsibility to myself.  Going to the gym once or twice a week is not enough, and eating on-plan 60% of the time is not going to cut it.  I guess it's time to go back to the basics.  And take baby steps.  Not token baby steps, but things that matter.  Move more and eat better.

Planning Ahead

I used up all my weekly points allowance (the extra points you can use anytime during the week) today at lunch.  I always do that!  The first day of the WW week I use 'em up.  Sigh.  Goal for next Thursday... don't do that!  So for dinner I had a pretty good salad and a sweet potato.  And I've already prepared tomorrow's lunch tote contents:

• salad of mixed butter lettuce, cilantro, 1/4 avocado, 1/2 cup kidney beans, splash olive oil, splash lime juice (same salad I had for dinner tonight);
• 3 sticks of string cheese to be snacked on throughout the day;
• sandwich of 2 pieces Sara Lee De-Lightful multi-grain bread, 2 tbs Naturally More peanut butter (only 2 points per serving, people!!) and all-fruit strawberry jam/spread; and
• unsweetened applesauce.

We'll see if that holds me.  Sounds like plenty.  For breakfast I'm planning on 1 piece toast with coconut oil for my fat (don't knock it 'til ya try it) and a fruit smoothie made of: frozen cherries, spinach, skim milk, PB2 because I'm already getting plenty of fats tomorrow, and agave nectar.  And dinner will be crockpot pot roast (I think it's a lean cut, I don't see any fat on it) with salad and a sweet potato.  No gym planned tomorrow but there will be a little yoga at lunch possibly.  I plan to go to the gym Saturday.  I need to work on my water intake, too.

For me planning ahead makes a huge difference. How about you?  Are you planning for tomorrow to help stay on track?  Or does it help you at all?  Maybe you have a good routine down pat and don't need to plan it anymore?

Back On The Wagon

So this morning my alarm went off at 5:00 a.m.  I was in the gym before 6:00 for a slo-mo 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer, then home to shower and get ready for work.  I didn't leave myself enough time to pack my lunch this morning, so I should pack tomorrow's lunch tonight so that's already taken care of for tomorrow morning.  Lunch was a small selection from a grocery store salad bar, and two Smart Ones quesadillas (four points each). 

And I went to Weight Watchers.  Weigh-in was tough; I gained 2.2 lbs this week.  That's 3.4 lbs in two weeks.  Yikes!  So I was extra glad I worked out this morning.  And I tracked everything I ate today. 

Aaaannnndddd I'm back.