Drbloodaxe, wherefore art thou?
Okay, Kossacks, we're in the dog days of resolutions. It's late February, post Super Bowl, post Valentine's Day, soon to be post Oscars Party. The economy's in the crapper and people are losing their jobs left and right. You get the drift--there's plenty going on to distract you from fitness, nutrition, and weight loss goals.
Our fearless leader, drbloodaxe, probably has a lot going on. (Check in soon!) But, since we're a big group of folks, someone will fill in, right?
Here's a quote from drbloodaxe's Get Fit Challenge Week 6 diary:
Welcome back to those of you who've been following along each Saturday morning, and welcome to new folks just seeing this. The 2009 fitness challenge is a year long challenge to each and every Kossack to get fit or stay fit. While some folks are suggesting specific diets, for long term health, it's lifestyle alteration that does the job most effectively. Come on in, share your progress (or regress) what you're doing that's working, what you're doing that's not working.
Okay, so everyone "weigh in" in the comments. How are you doing?
For me... not the best week eating-wise and weight-wise... the chocolate cake I made on Valentine's Day lingered, and as I had a stressful week... I ate an embarrassing portion of it. I gained a couple of pounds this week. I am, however, very much back on the exercise bandwagon. I can tell that my body had a couple of weeks off (from all the creaking and complaining of the various parts), but man, I feel so much better when I exercise. I will give myself credit, too, for some creative exercise--making sure I walk/ride my bike to get my kids from school, doing some vigorous leaf raking/compost turning (because of the wind here, yes, I always have to rerake at this point in the winter, because stuff blows into our yard). Getting outside, making sure I move--that's what I need.
So what am I going to do about the eating? Well, two things. The first is that this week, I'm back to recording everything I eat and measuring portions. I really find that it helps me focus on eating the right stuff in the right amounts. It's just enough of a reminder to me, kind of a "Hey, remember this is important. Pay attention to what goes into your mouth!" It helps cut the mindless emotional eating.
The other big thing on my mind is just an awareness of "Oh, this is how I'm coping with stress, and it's not healthy." I feel much better if I go for a walk. I feel much better if I do something fun with my kids. I feel much better (especially physically) if I eat something healthy, and not too much of it. It's the mindlessness of what I've been doing that I'm focusing on; I guess I feel like I'm trying to wake up.
I've been listening to some Pema Chodron lectures while I nordic track (or do push-ups or whatever). I have shenpa stuck in my head (go here for an explanation... much better and more concise than I could ever be ). I'm "getting" it at a deeper and deeper level... I think it's becoming easier for me to recognize my shenpa after the fact. I'm working up toward getting to the point where I can see it for what it is as it happens so maybe I can be kind to myself and just let go of it.
Anyway... I hope you're all treating yourselves with loving kindness (or at least trying to!). Trying to get new habits fully integrated is hard. It's awesome when it's going well and when motivation and action are fully engaged. But it's important to just hang in there, to not give up, when they're not so present.
Last but not least, here are some links from drbloodaxe's last Get Fit Challenge diary--don't forget these other fitness related diaries!
Macca's Meatless Mondays, Saturday Morning Garden Blogging, Fitness Monday, What's for Dinner?, Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies, Two Potatoes, just about anything by AAF and suggest any new ones I've left off the list.