Let's Make a Change
Week three is in the books. Lots of changes have begun to take shape. I am noticing differences physically and emotionally. I feel full much faster than I did before beginning this lifestyle change and I feel lighter, meaning I don't feel weighed down by what I've eaten. I believe a lot of that is due to quantities, but also nutrient content of the foods I consume. I also am getting over the changing pains emotionally and I find myself less crabby (most of the time) and in a better mood overall.
I did give myself two small breaks this week; once early in the week, and the other today. I allowed myself to have a kiss-shaped rice crispy treat which is coated in chocolate (my mother in-law makes them every year around Valentine's Day) and I had a small Turtle this afternoon. I say break and not mistakes because they were intentional and not me simply giving into the craving. Everything I have read goes over the need for small indulgences here and there for sanity (and some sources suggest there are metabolic benefits of the occasional sweet). In both instances I did notice how rich they both tasted and I think one of each was enough because of how sweet they seemed.
So that's enough of the update for this week, I will post my weight below though.
Today I want to address where to start.I realize that simply reading what I am doing/ have done won't help with that. So I will try to post a step or two each week. For the first few weeks this will all be about what to/ not to eat and very little about exercise or working out.
1.Start Small
Not very exciting, but for a lot of people big lifestyle changes will overwhelm and cause them to abandon their efforts early on. Other people with serious addictions to specific foods or drinks may even shock there system with a sudden 180. People consuming large amounts of sugar or caffeine may notice this as there body will go through legitimate withdrawal. So don't go 0-60 in one day. If you drink 3 sodas a day, replace one or two of those with water or something like a sports drink. If you have a doughnut every day replace it with a bagel. Simple steps like this will make big differences over time and will give your willpower the boost to make additional changes. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither were your habits. Give yourself some time to change gradually.
2. Be Honest With Yourself
Take an honest look at your lifestyle and identify things you would like to be different. Assess how you got into those habits. Set SMART(T) goals. Once you have an idea of how you ended up where you are, look for ways to make small adjustments and set goals based around your changes. Do you want to be more active but find yourself sedentary? Try waking up 15 minutes or an hour early and go for a small walk. Park farther away at the grocery store. Take the stairs rather than the elevator. None of this is new information, but by being honest with ourselves we can identify our pitfalls and our bad habits and we can begin to make real transformations.
3. Make Yourself Accountable.
I have tried several times over the years to make changes and may have some short-term success, but eventually fall apart. That is part of why I started this blog: Whether 3 people or 300 read it every week I have a built in accountability partner(s). Willpower can only take us so far, and just like the muscles in out body, our willpower has a stress limit at which point it will give out. At that point it is more important than ever to have someone to have your back, to hold you to what you are trying to do. Changing is not easy. If it were, everyone would look like Chris Pratt now rather than Chris Pratt at the beginning of Parks and Recreation (see below). We all need support, and people to keep us motivated and moving forward. The accountability I feel from what I am going to have to report each week helps me not to break impulsively. It helps me stay focused and a little bit stubborn when I am feeling the cravings hit.
We all have the capacity to make big changes in our lives, and more often than not, those big changes will result from habits forged by small changes and seeing those small successes build. Fatty Cake Make it Shake!
Breakfast Recipe:
I typically eat oatmeal, and often several eggs as well for breakfast. Some days it will look like this:
Weight: 209.1 (-10.9 lb difference) much smaller change this week, but I like to think I am just adding some sweet muscle mass (see Below). Only ~9 lbs to hit my first checkpoint goal!
Measurements: I will re-measure next week at the one month mark of the Blog!
Goal One: Physical Activity - This week I hit the gym 4 out of 6 days (Sundays are always going to be a rest day) and I am feeling pretty good and sore most of the time.
Goal Two: Eating habits - Still going strong and monitoring what I am eating pretty closely. I did have my two indulgences but I only used them as a break, not a full breakdown.
Goal Three: Sleeping Habits - I am still falling asleep much faster, but I am still not in bed before 10 p.m. 100% of the time. Still a work in progress.
If you have any questions or comments feel free to post them below and I will address them next week!
I did give myself two small breaks this week; once early in the week, and the other today. I allowed myself to have a kiss-shaped rice crispy treat which is coated in chocolate (my mother in-law makes them every year around Valentine's Day) and I had a small Turtle this afternoon. I say break and not mistakes because they were intentional and not me simply giving into the craving. Everything I have read goes over the need for small indulgences here and there for sanity (and some sources suggest there are metabolic benefits of the occasional sweet). In both instances I did notice how rich they both tasted and I think one of each was enough because of how sweet they seemed.
So that's enough of the update for this week, I will post my weight below though.
Today I want to address where to start.I realize that simply reading what I am doing/ have done won't help with that. So I will try to post a step or two each week. For the first few weeks this will all be about what to/ not to eat and very little about exercise or working out.
1.Start Small
Not very exciting, but for a lot of people big lifestyle changes will overwhelm and cause them to abandon their efforts early on. Other people with serious addictions to specific foods or drinks may even shock there system with a sudden 180. People consuming large amounts of sugar or caffeine may notice this as there body will go through legitimate withdrawal. So don't go 0-60 in one day. If you drink 3 sodas a day, replace one or two of those with water or something like a sports drink. If you have a doughnut every day replace it with a bagel. Simple steps like this will make big differences over time and will give your willpower the boost to make additional changes. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither were your habits. Give yourself some time to change gradually.
2. Be Honest With Yourself
Take an honest look at your lifestyle and identify things you would like to be different. Assess how you got into those habits. Set SMART(T) goals. Once you have an idea of how you ended up where you are, look for ways to make small adjustments and set goals based around your changes. Do you want to be more active but find yourself sedentary? Try waking up 15 minutes or an hour early and go for a small walk. Park farther away at the grocery store. Take the stairs rather than the elevator. None of this is new information, but by being honest with ourselves we can identify our pitfalls and our bad habits and we can begin to make real transformations.
3. Make Yourself Accountable.
I have tried several times over the years to make changes and may have some short-term success, but eventually fall apart. That is part of why I started this blog: Whether 3 people or 300 read it every week I have a built in accountability partner(s). Willpower can only take us so far, and just like the muscles in out body, our willpower has a stress limit at which point it will give out. At that point it is more important than ever to have someone to have your back, to hold you to what you are trying to do. Changing is not easy. If it were, everyone would look like Chris Pratt now rather than Chris Pratt at the beginning of Parks and Recreation (see below). We all need support, and people to keep us motivated and moving forward. The accountability I feel from what I am going to have to report each week helps me not to break impulsively. It helps me stay focused and a little bit stubborn when I am feeling the cravings hit.
 |
| If making changes were easy we would all make this transformation! |
We all have the capacity to make big changes in our lives, and more often than not, those big changes will result from habits forged by small changes and seeing those small successes build. Fatty Cake Make it Shake!
Breakfast Recipe:
I typically eat oatmeal, and often several eggs as well for breakfast. Some days it will look like this:
 |
| Fairly typical breakfast for me |
This breakfast uses:
1/2 Cup Oats
1 Cup water or Almond Milk
2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
2 Tbsp Milled Flax Seed
1 scoop Protein Powder
1 cup frozen berry medley or one banana
The oatmeal can be made on the stove, or you can put the oats in the liquid overnight and add the other ingredients each morning. I find the overnight oats is easier and faster, but both are delicious.
Eggs:
1-2 Whole Eggs
2-3 Egg whites
1 Roma Tomato
4 Stalks of chopped green onions
1/2 Avocado
Season to your liking. Garnish with Sriracha or other hot sauce or salsa.
Week 3 Results
Weight: 209.1 (-10.9 lb difference) much smaller change this week, but I like to think I am just adding some sweet muscle mass (see Below). Only ~9 lbs to hit my first checkpoint goal!
Measurements: I will re-measure next week at the one month mark of the Blog!
Goal One: Physical Activity - This week I hit the gym 4 out of 6 days (Sundays are always going to be a rest day) and I am feeling pretty good and sore most of the time.
Goal Two: Eating habits - Still going strong and monitoring what I am eating pretty closely. I did have my two indulgences but I only used them as a break, not a full breakdown.
Goal Three: Sleeping Habits - I am still falling asleep much faster, but I am still not in bed before 10 p.m. 100% of the time. Still a work in progress.
 |
| Chasing those gains! |
If you have any questions or comments feel free to post them below and I will address them next week!
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