Fall '11 Bootcamp - Week #2

@geri - thank you it's like listening to myself - but sometimes so much easier when it comes to someone else i have to give myself some credit that since the beginning of 2009 i've been VERY good at staying mindful, knowing that being human does NOT mean depriving yourself of anything (that just leads to regret and resentment!), and it was only until the INSANELY stressful/ busy summer that i had where i really let myself go (but again, it was a conscious decision - i didn't have time to plan meals or log cals, i barely had time to sleep, so i allowed myself the two months and tried to do as much as i could in the meantime!) that being said, i think that's why i was a little hard on myself for not staying in my cals both friday and sunday - i just want to get back on track and really get this weight off again (mostly so that the new wardrobe i bought back in 2009 fits perfectly again haha) and because it's one of those thing i just want to prove to myself - that i can because i've done it before, and i'll do it again - i know i will, this is just how life goes

as to your comments about traveling and "events" i do believe that these are the most difficult things when trying to be "healthy". my strategy is two-fold (and often works, though it's not foolproof). if it's an event (like tailgating and football gatherings) i try to bring healthy options - the veggies and dip, the low cal turkey chili, etc (or even just reduced fat cheez-its or something, at least it's better than 1000 chili dogs haha) - but i ALSO allow myself some of the bad stuff, but just a little. when im really staying mindful, i've gotten REALLY good at this for parties. i bring my flavored vodka and selzter (60 cals a bev) and i save upwards of 1000 cals for all night munching i ALSO try REALLY hard to get a workout in before going to the gathering - even if i do go over my cals that day, i always feel better that i did something GOOD for my body earlier in the day (and usually it also means i get to eat more calories so that's nice too haha). traveling is obviously harder - especially when you don't have a lot of great options. i try to do small yoga workouts in hotel rooms if that's my only choice, try to choose homemade sandwiches over fast food, and basically just guess on calories but try to just consciously choose the "better" option (whatever that is). it might still be worse than usual, but staying mindful is always better than nothing!

also, i tend to look up food that i ate on MFP - sure i don't know how many cals were in my friend's bruschetta at her party, but i cal take a look at the average MFP entry for bruschetta and get a good idea. most things i can find (like yesterday i found a homemade turkey chili that had all the same ingredients as ours, a homemade mexican dip made with the exact same ingredients, etc), this helps me "guess" more accurately so that i have some idea what im getting myself into

@nikki - thank you as always for having so much confidence in me! i really appreciate it! i know i will be ok too - sometimes i just need to slap on the butt from you ladies to remind me as for school - TRUST me i know how that stress can result in immobility (in all ways). i had several mental breakdowns this summer while trying to teach four days a week, write my dissertation proposal, run my dissertation studies, work on two other projects, etc etc - it's overwhelming and the easiest thing to do is just stop caring - about anything! now of course, i don't recommend this i didn't do as well as i would have liked to with balancing everything this summer, and as a result im the heaviest ive been since i lost all the weight in 2009 - but i also know that LIFE HAPPENS! there are times in our lives where we just can't devote to be as diligently healthy as we'd like, and that's ok - that's realistic. it does take focus and energy to get and stay on a healthy path, and sometimes the energy you have HAS to be devoted elsewhere. but that's ok. you just need to remind yourself that YOU ARE A HEALTHY PERSON you are someone who knows what it takes to BE healthy, you are someone who CARES about being healthy, and as a result you can never LOSE that! no matter what happens in your life, you will always know that you can return to healthy - it won't ever abandon you (even if you chose to abandon it for a little while)

that's the way i've looked at everything and it results in WAY less guilt, more realistic outlooks, and ultimately more success for me

ok i gotta get movingggggg! hope you ladies have a wonderful start to your week!!