Let's be practical. Ninety days may be a limited time, but I think I'll make it the ninety days I'm actually home. I did my Legs & Back/Ab Ripper, and ate according to plan until 3:30pm, then closed the door on the house and the program. I'll get back on the wagon when I return. Granted, I'm not going hogwild - eating every dessert on the menu, requesting a motorized cart to ride down the hall to my hotel room, demanding others lift even my pencil. But I already pack everything but the kitchen sink. I don't need to add protein drinks, protein bars, recovery drinks, food scale, chin-up bar, complete weight set, gym shoes, workout sheets, yoga mat, an extra chair, DVD player...you get the picture. I'd have to rent a U-Haul, just to leave for the weekend!
By the way, before I left, we ventured into new territory of a different sort. The dinner we didn't recognize! Did you know that swordfish tastes like salmon-flavored pork loin? And quinoa (which is spelled so oddly that they have to print a pronunciation guide on the front of the packeage "Say: 'Keen-wah'") tastes like corn-flavored rice, only in little round bits instead of grains. Soba noodles are quite good, even though strands of hard winter wheat doesn't sound very appealing.
Nevertheless, I made an educated decision to step out of P90X for a predetermined period of time. Without guilt, and no intention to repent afterwards. So when an opportunity for "Bunny Tracks" ice cream presented itself, I accepted. And when I was offered lasagna for supper, I ate it. (Some of the best lasagna I've ever had, by the way!) I have thirty-six more hours of freedom, then I'll buckle down again without regret. See you then!
~Stick to it!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Day Eleven
Seriously considered quitting. I may hate Ab Ripper, but it's twenty minutes of nonstop action. It may hurt, but you don't have time to stop and think about it. Yoga? Feels like a lifetime of hanging upside down in "Downward Dog" (hands/feet on floor, arms/legs straight, tush skyward, brain exploding and shoulders/hips threatening mutiny.) Not to mention the reason it's ninety minutes in the first place is because you hold each pose til you collapse, allowing for plenty of time to contemplate every possible meaning of the word insanity. (Yes, another "Pirates" paraphrase - I can't help it!)
Three times I hit pause, drank water, and pondered getting on with the rest of my life minus Yoga X. My to-do list has about twenty things on it, it's already past noon, and I don't need this kind of stress in my life. But, innate stubborness took over and I finished. Maybe not with the quality of last time, but it's done.
Not only does the long haul require physical fortitude, it requires mental fortitude as well. Perhaps more so. And I just didn't have it today. It's tough to "Bring it" when half your energy is focused on reaming out someone for their faults. (Mentally, of course, as he's at work. Wise decision on his part!)
My Better Half (MBH) and I may be perfect for each other, but we are not perfect. And the innate stubbornness that helps complete exercise becomes a hindrance in relationships. Most of the time, we agree that there really are two right ways to do things and it doesn't matter which way we do it. But sometimes my way is the BEST way, so why would we even consider doing it any other way? (Ok, so his way would work, too, but my way is still better. So there. Does that sound childish? Don't answer that.)
Actually, better is probably a relative term. Depends on perspective, and goals, and values. And when it comes right down to it, my way is mostly better just because it would be better for me. So now I'm selfish and unhelpfully stubborn. I would eat to calm down (I have realized that I am an emotional eater, which is one of the reasons why I need P90X in the first place!) but I'm so full from breakfast and morning snack and second morning snack (it really does feel like you never stop eating!) that the thought of more food is depressing. (Which is ironic, and quite funny, come to think of it!)
Resolved: I will apply my stubbornness to completing the formidable to-do list and banish the stubbornness that prevents character growth. And tonight, when MBH comes homes, I'll smile and be glad that we have decided to stubbornly stick together.
~Stick to it!
Three times I hit pause, drank water, and pondered getting on with the rest of my life minus Yoga X. My to-do list has about twenty things on it, it's already past noon, and I don't need this kind of stress in my life. But, innate stubborness took over and I finished. Maybe not with the quality of last time, but it's done.
Not only does the long haul require physical fortitude, it requires mental fortitude as well. Perhaps more so. And I just didn't have it today. It's tough to "Bring it" when half your energy is focused on reaming out someone for their faults. (Mentally, of course, as he's at work. Wise decision on his part!)
My Better Half (MBH) and I may be perfect for each other, but we are not perfect. And the innate stubbornness that helps complete exercise becomes a hindrance in relationships. Most of the time, we agree that there really are two right ways to do things and it doesn't matter which way we do it. But sometimes my way is the BEST way, so why would we even consider doing it any other way? (Ok, so his way would work, too, but my way is still better. So there. Does that sound childish? Don't answer that.)
Actually, better is probably a relative term. Depends on perspective, and goals, and values. And when it comes right down to it, my way is mostly better just because it would be better for me. So now I'm selfish and unhelpfully stubborn. I would eat to calm down (I have realized that I am an emotional eater, which is one of the reasons why I need P90X in the first place!) but I'm so full from breakfast and morning snack and second morning snack (it really does feel like you never stop eating!) that the thought of more food is depressing. (Which is ironic, and quite funny, come to think of it!)
Resolved: I will apply my stubbornness to completing the formidable to-do list and banish the stubbornness that prevents character growth. And tonight, when MBH comes homes, I'll smile and be glad that we have decided to stubbornly stick together.
~Stick to it!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Day Ten
Shoulders & Arms/Ab Ripper X - round two. The DVD's always have four people in them: Tony giving instructions and three others (some guys, some gals) demonstrating various levels of ability or different techniques. Today I caught sight of the number on the weight the gal was using - ten pounds! And I had 7.5's! I felt buff. :) Of course, she had better form and did more reps than I did, but still...
I also had guests for lunch today. I LOVE having people over, even more so if I can feed them. (Which is probably why I need to exercise regularly - I love food in general!) But I was a little nervous about what menu would work for both the "normal" people, and myself. Overhyped! We had hambugers and fruit and veggies. Normal food. I kept track of what I ate so that I would know what not to eat for supper. Other than that, stress free.
So now I have gone out to eat, entertained in, cooked for myself, and packed meals for My Better Half. Maybe this whole eating healthy thing is easier than I think!
~Stick to it!
I also had guests for lunch today. I LOVE having people over, even more so if I can feed them. (Which is probably why I need to exercise regularly - I love food in general!) But I was a little nervous about what menu would work for both the "normal" people, and myself. Overhyped! We had hambugers and fruit and veggies. Normal food. I kept track of what I ate so that I would know what not to eat for supper. Other than that, stress free.
So now I have gone out to eat, entertained in, cooked for myself, and packed meals for My Better Half. Maybe this whole eating healthy thing is easier than I think!
~Stick to it!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Day Nine
Actively avoid temptation or your life may be forfeit. Not even kidding! Bad choice #1: I leave for town without eating lunch, so I'm starving by the time I head back home. Bad choice #2: As I'm driving home from town, I decide to dig around in the dark recesses of the "junk collector" tray in the front of our car. Bad choice #3: I find a caramel/chocolate swirl piece of soft candy (one of my many favorites) and decide to leave it there instead of trashing it immediately. At the earliest, it had to have been there since the previous owner. Melted, cooled, melted again. Bad choice #4: Decide to eat it and not even wait to get home. (Maybe I was afraid my conscience would talk me out of it by then?) Bad choice #5: I struggle with the stuck-on wrapper, taking my eyes off the road. (If my parents are reading this, this was the ONLY time I've ever done stupid things while driving.) (Of course, now I've compounded the evil of eating candy with the sin of lying!) CONSEQUENCE: I look up, popping the illegal candy in my mouth, only to find myself halfway in the left lane (two lane highway) and a semi just coming over the top of the hill.
Obviously, I survived. I swerved back into my own lane and enjoyed chewing the candy for the next 500 feet of roadway. But I had to ask myself, "Really? Risking your life for a stale, smaller-than-a-golf-ball, lasted 15 seconds, piece of sugar that isn't even good for you and has been crammed in a car console for who knows how long? Is that intelligent?" Clearly not.
A wise person would have - Wise choice #1: Eaten lunch. Full stomachs provide greater mental fortitude. Wise choice #2: Kept my hand out of the guts of the junk tray. Seriously, what great treasures was I expecting to find? Don't go places that are gross! Wise choice #3: Tossed the temptation. Familarity breeds affection. After ten minutes, I had forgotten where it came from and how long it had been there. It looked fresh out of the package to my sugar-deprived eyes! Wise choice #4: Exercised self-control and waited til the proper time for candy-eating. In November. I waited 26 years for my husband! Couldn't wait 26 minutes for my candy. "Idiot!" (Napoleon Dynamite. Hated it the first time, but it's growing on me. Again, some quotable lines!) Wise choice #5: Kept my eyes on the road. The goal was to get home safely. One little chocolate-caramel swirl made me forget my purpose. RESULT: I would arrived safely home, with less stress and guilt, eaten my supper, and maintained my integrity. Funny how the downward spiral on something so trivial so closely mirrors the descent on things less trivial.
PS - Cardio was a little bit easier this week, and the scale said two pounds less. (Pretty sure that relates more to time of day and amount of clothes on than to actual body composition, but I'll take what I can get!) Maybe I'll survive this after all. (But stay away from candy in the car!)
~Stick to it!
Obviously, I survived. I swerved back into my own lane and enjoyed chewing the candy for the next 500 feet of roadway. But I had to ask myself, "Really? Risking your life for a stale, smaller-than-a-golf-ball, lasted 15 seconds, piece of sugar that isn't even good for you and has been crammed in a car console for who knows how long? Is that intelligent?" Clearly not.
A wise person would have - Wise choice #1: Eaten lunch. Full stomachs provide greater mental fortitude. Wise choice #2: Kept my hand out of the guts of the junk tray. Seriously, what great treasures was I expecting to find? Don't go places that are gross! Wise choice #3: Tossed the temptation. Familarity breeds affection. After ten minutes, I had forgotten where it came from and how long it had been there. It looked fresh out of the package to my sugar-deprived eyes! Wise choice #4: Exercised self-control and waited til the proper time for candy-eating. In November. I waited 26 years for my husband! Couldn't wait 26 minutes for my candy. "Idiot!" (Napoleon Dynamite. Hated it the first time, but it's growing on me. Again, some quotable lines!) Wise choice #5: Kept my eyes on the road. The goal was to get home safely. One little chocolate-caramel swirl made me forget my purpose. RESULT: I would arrived safely home, with less stress and guilt, eaten my supper, and maintained my integrity. Funny how the downward spiral on something so trivial so closely mirrors the descent on things less trivial.
PS - Cardio was a little bit easier this week, and the scale said two pounds less. (Pretty sure that relates more to time of day and amount of clothes on than to actual body composition, but I'll take what I can get!) Maybe I'll survive this after all. (But stay away from candy in the car!)
~Stick to it!
Day Eight
Chest & Back/Ab Ripper X - round two! I surprised myself. It was easier this time! Important note: "easier" is not equal to "easy." I still can't do a pullup without a leg on a chair to help. And my abs may be stronger, but that just means I can now do a quarter of the workout, instead of...well, not a quarter. Of course, that may be in part due to the fact that I've adapted some of the exercises so as to increase their achievability. (Is that a word?) I figure, I'll work up to the real version. It's the principle that counts, right?
I'm a big fan of understanding basic principles and working from there. For example, I just finished another one of those books about how to be a good wife. (A lifelong obsession, I suspect. See Day Two.) One of the author's main points was "Get up early." Instant guilt! Not even kidding, we eat breakfast at ten. Am I failing my life purpose because I see more sunsets than sunrises? After the hyperventilation calmed, I read that chapter again. Guess what! The main PRINCIPLE was "Use your time wisely." Don't waste time on meaningless, selfish pursuits. (Note: taking time to exercise is healthy. Taking 3 hours every evening to watch soaps by yourself and bemoan that your husband hasn't a romantic script to follow is stupid. To put it bluntly.)
My Better Half (MBH) is a night owl. Once, when I was young and naive, I suggested we retire at 9pm - something I did routinely as a single. He laughed - until he realized I was serious. Then he ever so gently (more or less) vetoed that crazy notion. For me, the principles of loving your husband and wise time use mean staying up late and rising late. I do try to rise before he does, do a few things, then return to bed as he is waking. But 4am is the new midnight. If our family routine is supper at eight, so be it. Our future children will just have to adapt. (One of my favorite quotes, "When I was twenty, I had no children and six theories. Now I am twice that and have six children and no theories.")
Lastly, MBH and I have come to an embarrassing realization. (One of many, beginning with the fact that we had to increase our clothing sizes after marriage.) We are addicted to sugar. If there was an S.A., we should be part of it. We took the step of acknowledging it yesterday, as we checked the freezer multiple times to see if any ice cream had appeared yet. I combed the shelves at the store to see which protein bar most closely resembled a candy bar. (All of them have less sugar than one swallow of pop. Blast!) In the interest of preserving my sanity, I tell myself it will get better. My cravings will subside over time. Besides, it's only 82 more days. (Not sure I wanted to know that!)
~Stick to it!
I'm a big fan of understanding basic principles and working from there. For example, I just finished another one of those books about how to be a good wife. (A lifelong obsession, I suspect. See Day Two.) One of the author's main points was "Get up early." Instant guilt! Not even kidding, we eat breakfast at ten. Am I failing my life purpose because I see more sunsets than sunrises? After the hyperventilation calmed, I read that chapter again. Guess what! The main PRINCIPLE was "Use your time wisely." Don't waste time on meaningless, selfish pursuits. (Note: taking time to exercise is healthy. Taking 3 hours every evening to watch soaps by yourself and bemoan that your husband hasn't a romantic script to follow is stupid. To put it bluntly.)
My Better Half (MBH) is a night owl. Once, when I was young and naive, I suggested we retire at 9pm - something I did routinely as a single. He laughed - until he realized I was serious. Then he ever so gently (more or less) vetoed that crazy notion. For me, the principles of loving your husband and wise time use mean staying up late and rising late. I do try to rise before he does, do a few things, then return to bed as he is waking. But 4am is the new midnight. If our family routine is supper at eight, so be it. Our future children will just have to adapt. (One of my favorite quotes, "When I was twenty, I had no children and six theories. Now I am twice that and have six children and no theories.")
Lastly, MBH and I have come to an embarrassing realization. (One of many, beginning with the fact that we had to increase our clothing sizes after marriage.) We are addicted to sugar. If there was an S.A., we should be part of it. We took the step of acknowledging it yesterday, as we checked the freezer multiple times to see if any ice cream had appeared yet. I combed the shelves at the store to see which protein bar most closely resembled a candy bar. (All of them have less sugar than one swallow of pop. Blast!) In the interest of preserving my sanity, I tell myself it will get better. My cravings will subside over time. Besides, it's only 82 more days. (Not sure I wanted to know that!)
~Stick to it!
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