As promised, I will share my own with you. I hope that by writing them here it will help me stay committed and also serve to inspire and provide support to you in your journey, whatever that may be.
First of all, I would like to set a goal for the benefit of you (at least I hope it benefits you), I will be writing and updating more frequently on my blog. I have gotten much feedback about getting more content up on a weekly basis - so that will be my first resolution.
Second - Tied closely to the first, I am going to try and get my website launched by the middle of February. I understand that the blog can be tricky for you to use and want to make that easier. I'd also like to offer you more content and variety.
Third - This one is for myself and my own personal life - I am going to try to cut down on my nighttime junk food snacks (yes I'm a junkaholic as hypocritical as that sounds). I adore food, especially the sweet, salty and carb-loaded. I'm not saying I will be eliminating all those tasty treats (let's be honest, food is one of the greatest pleasures of life), but I do plan to cut down my intake and substitute with healthier options.
Starting with small manageable changes will be best. For example, substituting potato chips for air popped popcorn with olive oil and switching from white pasta with cream sauce to whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce.
Resolutions can be tough, especially for someone like me who remains very 'set in my ways' but I think that by keeping your mind focused on the goal and how good it feels to achieve what you're after, the sacrifice will be well worth the results.
Cheers to you for a Happy New Year and Successful Resolutions!
I’ve loved running for as long as I can remember. I was a competitive runner in high school and college. I trained hard and my dream of making the Olympic team was within my reach when I suffered what could have been a career ending injury.
But today I’m enjoying the fit lifestyle again. I’m working toward my MBA and hope to have a career in fitness. I've started this blog hoping I can inspire someone else. Whether you’re in a fitness rut, working your way back from an injury, trying to begin an exercise program, or enjoying your fit lifestyle, I would love to hear from you. Send me an email or post a comment and tell me where you are in your fitness journey.
I'm totally on board with the healthy eating. As a university student, it is so easy to choose the easiest cooking route ie. subway, pasta, and constant cereal. By the end of my first semester and cross-country season i was completely devoid of energy. Over the break I've turned to healthier albeit a little more expensive organic options like using buckwheat or quinoa flour instead of white flour for breads, and eating power oatmeal instead of cereal (my love affair with Lucky Charms had to come to an end). I smoothy possibly everything in sight, and freeze just about as much as I can for the times I don't feel like preparing a meal. My question, however, is a little off topic, but I'm just beginning my second semester,continuing my workouts like snowshoe running, regular running, and plyometrics, but when I woke up this morning I was exhausted! Literally all i could think of was sleeping, I ended up taking a 2 hour nap, and am concerned that i haven't ran, or worked out all day (so far a scheduling conflict, and yet I'm sitting at my desk not really wanting to move away and do a workout). Is it possible to be quite eager to run, but the body is just like "not today"? I rarely listen to my body, and sometimes need my parents to push me to take a break, but how and when will I learn to figure that out for myself without feeling guilty?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your time!
--Marina
Hi Marina,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your feedback, I'm so happy to hear about your 'overcoming of the freshmen diet'. It's funny, I had the same problem when I was a cross-country runner in college, after my first season, improper nutrition choices left me lethargic and slow.
While I am not a fan of depriving myself, I try to eat all the healthy necessities first in my day and allow myself to snack on treats at night (although it has beecome out of hand, hence my resolution).
To address your question, I think there are two parts to this:
First you said you are feeling exhausted and tired - I would not worry at first, this happens to everyone, especially in January when it's cold and dark in the morning and the holidays are over etc. (ever hear of the January blues?). It is hard for everyone, but by the sounds of things you are already extremely active and workout a lot! You may just be burned out. I know a lot of athletes who complain of exhaustion and lack of motivation. I know I have experienced this - if you push your body too much and too often without a break, it's like a car and runs out of gas. You likely need a few days to relax. In fact, your 'off' days are crucial and very effective in allowing your body to recover and restore.
To address your second point of 'guilt' for not working out. I completely understand, I was like this for many years (being a competitive athlete especially in a sport like running will do that to ya ;). As you said, your body talks to you and although sometimes hard, you must listen otherwise you risk things like injuries or the burnout I just described. Easier said than done, I know but you just need to tell yourself that it's okay to relax for a few days, and that the world won't end if you miss a day.
Ask yourself the worst thing that could happen. By the sounds of things, you push your body very hard and it just needs a rest. As much discipline as it takes to get to the gym, for some of us (including myself) it takes even more to take a break and not feel guilty. Just think, once you've had a break you'll feel more refreshed and appreciate getting back into it.
I promise you won't fall out of shape or gain 5lbs if you skip a couple days.
Final Words, if you are finding you can't break the exhaustion after a couple days after you've taken some rest, I would see a doctor, you could be anemic (have low iron), which results from too much exercise and not enough nutrients (esp iron) in your diet.
In the meantime, curl up to a good book and some hot tea or get out and socialize ;)
Let me know how you feel in a couple days and thanks for your comment!
Amanda
In a charming little coffee shop in Manhattan’s West Village, Amanda and I happened to be sitting next to each other and struck up a conversation. As it were, I was three quarters through my latest diet. At sixty-six years of age no one was more surprised than I that I had lost over twenty pounds in just six months and still losing, as I approached my goal of thirty-five pounds. I had gone from a thirty-eight inch waist to a thirty-three inch waist; and am now certain I will get myself back to that thirty inch waist I had begun to think was history. Over the years, I had been up and down with weight, but after five years of writing a book – entertaining, wining and dining – this had been the most I had ever accumulated.
ReplyDeleteActually it was Amanda who got the subject rolling by telling me of her health regimen, this blog, and her goals in the health and fitness area. We spoke for about an hour. I was surprised that she and I had a similar philosophy with regard to weight reduction and fitness. Here are a few key points that we shared.
1) No amount of exercise alone, nor diet alone will get you in to shape. A steady combination of both is key to your success – reduce those calories but do it sensibly.
2) Balance, balance, balance. A balanced regimen of food categories is crucial to maintaining consistent weight loss and keeping the weight off.
3) Don’t deprive yourself of anything. If your calories and food selection are in order, once in awhile satisfy that craving for dessert or a rich sauce. Just make certain it is once in a while and keep the treats to small portions. A tiny dish of ice cream or dollop of dessert, a smidgen of your favorite sauce will satisfy, and you’ll be back on your diet feeling less “deprived” and fortified to get back on the diet wagon.
4) With regard to that evil we call belly fat, there may be no better exercise for reducing that waistline than a brisk walk or run. But keep in mind, that waistline reduction requires dieting as well. It takes both.
So that’s about it for now. I’ll keep you guys up-to-date on my progress and maybe, when I reach my goal, post before and after photos.
Amanda knows her stuff!