We are about one week into our challenge and we have already had a big celebration to “contend with”…Easter.
I hope you understand… it’s an EXCELLENT thing to do these challenges while REAL LIFE is going on. There is no such thing as the perfect time! In fact, I cannot think of any month in my calendar where there is not a holiday, a birthday, a shower, an out of town event, or another celebration that is going to present it’s own particular challenges within a 30 day period. I am certain your schedule is the same so don’t forget that part of any nutritional challenge is how you INCORPORATE those non-conventional days and still achieve your goals!!!
Are you learning to PRACTICE MODERATION during these occasions or are you walking into these events with the mind of a binge eater?
My Journey…
The truth of the matter is that perfection for 30 Days is no match against a lifetime of consistency. Therefore, even a jump start is an exercise in not only goal achievement but goal maintenance. Your best results will come when you not only stop believing that all the suns and moons in the universe must align in order for you to begin changing habits but also when you practice becoming comfortable with how and when to deviate from normal routine.
I can’t boast about scale weight b/c I actually don’t own a scale and don’t want one back in my house. I’ve got pictures and a pair of jeans that give me all the feedback I need. Besides “skinny jeans” that don’t feel tight a surprise bonus has been finding that my belly is staying flat with Isagenix whey protein. I have fought bloating and inflammation for a long time and had to eliminate whey protein completely for about 6 months opting for vegan protein powders instead. I wasn’t holding my breath w/ Isagenix but was willing to experiment. Glad I did!
My Meals:
For the past 13 days, I’ve been doing 2 shakes + 2 meals. Did I follow this “format” Easter weekend…yes and no. I began Saturday like any other day but great friends + great basketball + great wings = guiltless stray from routine. Not sure if the sweet & spicy or the teriyaki wings were my favorite but the ranch and honey bbq were excellent too. If you haven’t bought wings from Best Wings on Blue Springs Road, you haven’t lived yet. Sunday wouldn’t have been complete without a small slice of cake either. No crazy binge, no over the top sugar coma…MODERATION.
As of right now, I don’t have anything on my schedule which would require me to veer off my jump start. I am definitely in “create new habits” mode so I look forward to predictability at the moment.
My Workouts:
2 full rest day
2 heavy lift days (think: Vain)
3 metabolic training days (think: Drenched, Punch, TRX, 20/20/20)
I let go of traditional cardio a long time ago and have zero desire to return to it.
What to take out of what I do…
Follow the outline KEEPING IN MIND that your ultimate job is to personalize a routine that is healthy for your body, drives results, keeps your hunger at bay, and your energy high. Even though we are only one to two weeks in you cannot regiment yourself to the point of misery because those results, however dramatic they might be, are transient at best. Easter, birthdays, weddings, etc are not only part of life but come often enough that you can neither skip out on every celebration nor approach each occasion with reckless abandon. If results are to stick for good, you have to learn to incorporate these non-conventional days or weekends into what you are creating.
