Day 2

nana6799

Good Morning All!!

I hope yesterday was a good day for everyone. I hope that those of you that have been couch potatoes, got up, moved and started engaging in your new life in positive ways.

Thank you to those that posts. I really enjoy reading about your issues, victories or whatever might be on your mind. Please, more of you share!

This week is my recovery week from exercise. It is recommended that you take this recovery week about every 6 weeks or so. The last one I took was, I believe, in October, when I started The New Rules Of lifting for Women. I just finished Stage 1, a week off, then I start Stage 2. However, I am training for a 5K on Sunday's, Tuesdays & Thursdays. I feel that I can not interrupt that training. So, yesterday, after my training jog, I did do the 50 jumpingjacks. A couple of months ago, I would not have been able to do that. I hope all of you gave it a try too!

"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit." Helen Keller

"It's time we put thoughts of lack behind us. It's time for us to discover the secrets of the stars, to sail to an uncharted land, to open up a new heaven where our spirits can soar. But first we'll have to make changes. And lasting change happens in infinitesimal increments: a day, an hour, a minute, a heartbeat at a time. And the change I'm encouraging you to make with me is fundamental. Take a deep breath. We're going to learn to become optimists.

Now be assured. Optimism, like the happiness habit, can be learned. Start today with a little experiment. Smile at everyone you meet. Today expect something good to happen to you no matter what occurred yesterday. Realize the past no longer holds you captive. It can only continue to hurt you if you hold on to it. Let the past go. A simply abundant world awaits."
Sarah Ban Breathnach

Yesterday, we just started to talk about "Compassionate self-discipline....

Compassionate self-discipline is simply allowing the intelligence and generosity that is your authentic nature to guide you in every moment. "Choose in-the -moment presence over the habitual patterns of a conitioned mind" This conitioned mind creates and maintains the reality of each individual. Conditioned mind is framing your life. Rather than "it" being in charge, calling the shots, making the decisions about what you do, what you eat, whether or not you are going to be happy or have a good day, realize that "you" can have your own present-moment experience of life and take control.

So the question is not "How do I become more disciplined? The question is "How do I learn to live in the present?"
Cheri Huber

"I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." Thomas Jefferson

brittlynn8907

I really needed this today. Most of the time when I mess up with my eating and exercising, I feel like it's just because I can't do it and it's hard for me to get back in that frame of mind where I can. Thank you for sharing this! This really helps me understand that it's just my state of mind and that I can change that!

redlrider

Thank you, I enjoy reading your post. I'd like to share in hope that with my story, I can help, as well as be helped. I've just begun this journey again, for the umpteenth time, (mid November.) I started out slow, but now i'm picking up speed and seeing real results I haven't seen in years. I'm excited, I'm hopeful! I'm committed to this new way of life, but with that said i'm in a bubble of sorts. I'm 4 mins from my gym I go nearly every day, my husband and adult son fend for themselves when they don't like what I'm cooking for dinner, it makes it very easy to stick to a routine. Thanksgiving was a breeze I controlled everything if i don't buy or make it, i cant eat it, lost 2 pounds.
Well in a couple of weeks all that is going out the window. We are traveling by car (24 hours) to visit family for Christmas for a week. We haven't been home for Christmas in 8 years, Its a lot of family. I'm scared. This week could undermine my progress. I'll have no access to a gym, no control over what types of food and how its prepared with lots of treats I'm sure, enough to temp a saint let alone me. I want this new life that is ahead of me, if i can get thru this... I know I can get thru anything. My doubts come in all my past attempts and failures. Being around so much family, grandkids and well sadness, I lost my mom a couple years ago; it's going to be hard to face these challenges. I guess i'm asking for words of encouragement; any tips on handling the overwhelming temptation? I guess I just needed to say it to make it more real. I'll try my best to check in with mfp that will give me some hope getting thru the week. Thanks for listening.

cchhome

Holiday eating is going to be tough for me too. I'm going to try to head for the veggie and fruit trays, if there are any, and when the treats come out, try to avoid being near them and keep my hands busy, playing games, or doing puzzles, crafts, whatever. Keeping my water glass full and near....that's all I've got. Oh, pack a lunch bag for the drive so you don't get drive thru!!!! I am terrible at drive thru! Best of luck to you!

redlrider

Holiday eating is going to be tough for me too. I'm going to try to head for the veggie and fruit trays, if there are any, and when the treats come out, try to avoid being near them and keep my hands busy, playing games, or doing puzzles, crafts, whatever. Keeping my water glass full and near....that's all I've got. Oh, pack a lunch bag for the drive so you don't get drive thru!!!! I am terrible at drive thru! Best of luck to you!

Thanks for your suggestions. I'm going to take my protein drinks and bars with me for the long drive. I'm hoping to walk around the parking lot while the others are dining on Hamburger and fries. I hope its not snowing. lol

Jojo2k11

Something I learned when I was doing Weight Watchers is that in the event you can't get away, try to find low calorie items at whatever eating places your family stops at. Because I'm constantly on the go, I've found that most places, even fast food spots have a salad of some type and a vinaigrette or low fat something.

And when you reach your final destination for the holidays, I definitely agree: veggies, fruit, anything not covered in sauce. And remember, you can use your hand as a measuring guide. I need to brush up on this as well but here is a link that will hopefully help: http://www.hearthealthyonline.com/fitness/weight-loss/hand-guide-portion-control_ss1.html

Keep a glass of water or tea in your hands so you don't feel compelled to have a plate. You can buy the little packets of tea, crystal light, or low calorie something to keep in your purse so you can have something tasty too.

Above all, enjoy your family!! You're going to see relatives you haven't seen in years! And you never know, you might be able to get a little morning walking group together so that you can bond, enjoy where you are, and enjoy those you are with. You are determined and I'm sure you'll do well! :flowerforyou:

jbnl1991

It will be hard for you not to be close to your gym, but there are other options. Perhaps another family member is on a quest for a healthy holiday. You could team up for a walk around the block or a walk around the mall/big box store. When my sister visits, she joins me at my yoga class. Most gyms also have one day passes you can buy. There are a lot of reasons why the "I am traveling for a week and can't workout" excuse won't fly! Print out this original post and take it with you. You can be optimistic!! You will plan ahead and make good choices. You will find another relative who is also trying to refrain from eating the entire fruitcake. And even if you don't find someone, you can still do it. You may feel alone, but you won't be. We will be just a log-in away for motivation!

ImprovingEla

Today got the better of me, but thanks for the posts and notes, I took your writings from yesterday to heart and started to write a few things down, so maybe next time I go through my "motivation - Book" first before throwing it all out of the window for the day!
However, I can not change today, but I will make better choices tomorrow!
That said: Good night! And to all the others out there: Have a better day than me and stay strong!

nana6799

Great tips and recommendations girls!! They are so good that I really don't have any to add. They were right on!

I am happy to see people posting, helping and encouraging one another!

annasgyal

Recovery week? This concept is new to me. Could you explain more of this concept?

nana6799

annasgyal:
So glad you asked! This is from the book New Rules Of Lifting for Women Authors Lou Schuler and Cassandra Forsythe, M.S.
I do recommend this book!

They said" that you should take an occasional week off to give your body a chance to recover fully." My words here: Now, if you aren't doing weights and other real strenuous exercies, then, possibly, a week off ever now and then is no big deal.

He goes on to explain," Connective tissues have a smaller blood supply than your muscles, and take longer to adapt to strenuous exercise. The extra week away from heavy lifting gives them time to catch up."

"Your nervous system gets fatigued along with your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This is something exercise scientists have only recently begun exploring, (this book was written 2007) so there aren't yet firm guidlines. But strength coaches like Alwyn (he designed the workouts in the book), and longtime lifters like me understand that sometimes you have bad days in the gym, even though your muscles have had plenty of time to recover, We often call that "neural fatigue", which is a fancy way of saying the body is willing but the brain has other ideas."

"Bones also need time to make adptations. The strain of lifting causes your body to put down new collagen fibers. Those fibers eventually harden into functional bone tissue. It's a month-long process, so by design that adptation of your bones to heavy lifting lags behind the recovery of your connective tissues, which itself lags behind the recovery of your muscles. And the recovery of your nervous system is a wild card. The best insurance that everything recovers and rebuild itself is to take a week off from time to time."

Thanks for asking...it is important to ask questions like that!

Factory_Reset

@redlrider: this will be my first christmas without my mom. Just typing that makes me sad. I've found, for me, that exercising helps with my missing her. There are days I don't want to do anything, so on those days I've found I work a little harder while exercising. I may be phoning it in at first, but after about 10mins I'm all in. Back in Oct I took our older 2 daughters to see Justin Bieber and the next day I was just miserable. I wanted my mom. To tell her all about my night out with my girls(they're 7&9). Had my Insanity workout to do too. My hubby and I did that program together and on that day I was literally crying during the whole warm up. He asked if I wanted to just cancel the day, but something about working really hard helps me get it all out....even if I'm crying. Try to enjoy your time with your family, especially if you don't see them very often. Using your hands has a measuring guide is excellent advice. If you find yourself feeling down, if you're able to, I would go for a walk to at least help clear your mind. And try to not be too hard on yourself. We all stumble at times, but it's what you do after that really counts......so don't give up!

And Fredda: I don't know if I could take a week off from exercising. It might push me over the edge.lol.Will have to keep that in mind when I'm done with turbofire though.