Pacing

Eating healthy and being fit isn't a race, unless you're actually preparing for a race. What I mean is that there's no set finish line when you're actually done. There may be times when you shift your focus or modify your intensity, but the underlying intention is still the same. Regardless of where I am in my life and what I may be doing, it will still be important to me that I live a healthy and fit lifestyle (on a general level). So when undertaking this lifestyle, I want to make sure my efforts are realistic, manageable, and maintainable. 

When I evaluate the way that I'm eating, I don't feel deprived. These are food choices that I can be comfortable with making each day for the future as far as I can see it.   I could follow an even stricter plan, but I don't think that would really be sustainable for my long-term goals.  Sure, I could do it for a couple of months and drop a lot of weight, but what about after that?  Chances are I'd fizzle out and the weight would come back.  I'd rather find something where I can sustain my efforts for the long-term and I can maintain any progress that I make (strength, weight-loss, etc).  I found it interesting when my husband talked about pushing his way through his new plan. Sure, anyone can do anything for a brief enough period of time. But doing it for the long-haul takes more than a bulldozer. (I'm not saying this is necessarily his approach but more where my thoughts go when considering differences in approaches.) 

For me, it's more important to set the stage for a long-term success than to blast through a mad dash and probably burn out.  I definitely wasn't as intense with my efforts when I started but I definitely was consistent with those efforts. As I maintained my efforts, both with eating and exercising, I was able to increase the intensity and still remain consistent. It's another way of building tolerance or endurance. Another bonus is that with a longer pattern of behaviors, it's that much easier for me to get back into that pattern when I've strayed off-plan. 

While I really do respect anyone's efforts to live a healthy lifestyle, I am even more impressed when someone's able to make it a consistent part of everyday life.  That's not to say that I don't admire efforts unless they're successful - believe me, I've been on and off the wagon MANY times throughout my life.  I think it's more that I have an appreciation for what those long-standing efforts entail and that I'm impressed with anyone's long-term dedication to such an undertaking.  But even the most hardcore, life-long health/fitness fanatic had to start somewhere.  I can't help but admire every single person who steps up to the starting line and takes that first step.  Just remember that it's a life-long marathon, not a 50m dash, so pace yourself for the long-haul!

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites
  
• 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• Meal 2:
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt 
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 3:
• 3oz chicken
• Peppers and onion
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 4:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 5 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1tbs coconut oil

 Exercise: None - window at work got eaten up. Figured I'd be more productive and less stressed if I stayed in the office.  Then, toward the end of the day, got the starting of a tension headache (probably from staying in the office!), so I opted for some quiet time with my book once I got home.

 

 Weigh-In: 147.6 / 147.4