So far this week I have missed some workouts. The kids were sick so I spent the downtime at home tightening schedules, doing laundry, and reorganizing cabinets and drawers. You know, fun stuff… Now I have whatever cold my husband and kids were passing around. But I still lost weight. Not a lot but enough to realize that my body is doing what it is supposed to be doing and just maybe I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. I still worked out but about half as much as I usually do. I may have overdone it yesterday because I don’t have enough energy to do any classes today.
But I am going to get all I can out of these last few weeks so now is the perfect time to fall back a little and reassess. I am about 7 pounds from my goal for this competition so I’m going back to my food “uniforms” for the balance of the competition. I call them uniforms because I eat basically the same things for each meal like our kids dress for school. They wear khakis and polos everyday. It makes for an easy conversation about what they are wearing to school today. I’m going to focus even more on making every workout count as my time becomes more limited. Eliminating food options was an easy way to capitalize on less workout time.
Please don’t think I didn’t work out. On Monday I only worked out once, Tuesday I worked out twice, yesterday I worked out for three hours so I know those seven pounds (and probably more) are within my reach but I’m realizing how much of my daily life is exercising. I do not want anyone to think that I’m taking it easy or that this is easy. Those three workouts from Monday and Tuesday and the three I planned for today made me realize how much I really do. It no longer seems like something I do in addition to everything else it kind of just fits in. Yes, I’m sure my house could be cleaner and I have a Cornell West Reader I really should read but I also like fitting into age-appropriate jeans and walking to and from our children’s’ school without getting winded.
I have a lot of fat to lose before I am satisfied and I know this contest is over in a couple of weeks but I will consider it a win if I get to my halfway point by October 7th. So this really is just the beginning for me. I am definitely on a mission because I have other goals for my birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Without this experience I am not so sure I would have set such lofty goals during some typically huge eating days. But with all that I have learned about myself I’m amped because New Year’s is going to be really new for me!
It sure is harder when life gets in the way, isn’t it? I read recently that people who eat the same things for 2 meals a day, every day, lose weight more rapidly because the choices are cut to one major meal a day. I like your analogy to the school uniforms. Setting goals certainly helps you see what is possible. Stick with them and remember that Thanksgiving and Christmas are just short periods of time where all the wrong foods can call your name. Just hang in there and Dec 31st will look great! Good luck in the last couple week of the contest.
You are inspiring at every Zumba class! Thanks!