Gimme A Break!

Some days you need to give yourself a break!  I am delighted to report that I spent this afternoon doing absolutely NOTHING!  

Before doing nothing, I had my training session this morning so I did get my workout in.  It wasn't an incredible session for me, but I did pretty well.  I think the key part of the session was discussing how I've been feeling these past 10 days on the lower-protein diet.  The three of us (remember my husband and I workout together with the trainer) talked about how changes in food can have broad influences - such as how I've been feeling more hungry, tired, bloated, gassy, irritable.  We also discussed how the scale probably wasn't changing because of my body's adjustment to the new diet and because I had a digestive tract filled with salad.  It felt good to discuss different challenges, side-effects, and options.  At the end of the hour, we agreed that I'd try another week of the plan as-is because I want to give my body a little longer to adjust.  After that week, if I'm still feeling hungry, I'll look at increasing my servings of oatmeal.  We also talked about taking off a cardio day and substituting another strength-training day.  By the time I left the gym, I felt like I had a better hold on my options as well as the energy for dealing with them.

Despite feeling good upon leaving the gym, I also was feeling low-energy in general - my body was telling me that it was wiped out!  As soon as we got in the door, I went to lay down "for a bit" while my husband took a shower.  Two hours later, I got out of bed.  Wow!  I must say I felt much better after that little nap, though I probably could have slept some more if I'd let myself.  While I did have things to work on this afternoon, I opted to curl up on the couch with my husband and watch a couple movies instead.  I didn't have the computer out or the phone within reach.  The only distractions were bathroom breaks and grabbing snacks.  What was amazing was that I didn't fall asleep either - often when I'm in a "doing nothing" phase my body seems to shut down.  

I'm the kind of person that thrives on being busy and doing things.  There are always projects to be created and chores to be completed.  I have a hard time just sitting on the couch - instead, I'll "putter" around while watching TV.  If I had pushed myself to work on projects, I think my body would have shut down on me.  I wouldn't have been able to focus on the activities at hand and instead would have gotten frustrated with myself.  I wouldn't have enjoyed myself and would have simply succeeded at making myself upset and cranky.  That's not what the weekend is meant to be about.

So, I left the dishes by the sink and the laundry in the hamper.  My craft project remains untouched on the dining room table, probably until next weekend.  My e-mails have not been replied to.  My paperwork is postponed until the workweek begins.  Despite still having many things on my "to do" list, I'm not focusing on what I "should" have done or feeling guilty about being "unproductive" today.  I made the choice to give myself a break.  I listened to my body and prioritized my well-being over any misplaced sense of obligation.

Tonight, I'll enjoy a mug of decaf tea, read a bit of my book, and aim for a good night's sleep.  Then, when I wake-up tomorrow, I'll hopefully be all energized and ready to tackle the day!

Food Log:

• Meal 1
• 2 egg whites with red pepper, onion, and salsa
• 40g oatmeal with cinnamon, vanilla, and a bit of Splenda
• Meal 2
• BIG salad
• 3oz chicken
• 2 tablespoons salad dressing
• Meal 3
• Apple
• Light string cheese
• 1oz almonds
  
• Meal4
• BIG salad
• 3oz chicken
• 2 tablespoons salad dressing
• 40g oatmeal
• Tablespoon of peanut butter

Exercise:

• Time: 60 minutes total-body strength training with trainer
• Calories: 350+

Today's Weigh-In: 144.5