Recovering from Weekends

I don't know about you, but for me weekends are the biggest wild card in my diet and exercise plans.  I can go through a whole week eating right and exercising ever chance I get, then...the weekend hits and everything is suddenly out of my control.  My weekends are almost always filled with social engagements that involve eating and sitting, sitting and eating.  As a result, I've recently developed some strategies for minimizing the damage.

1. Get Involved in the Plans

I try to sway the plans whenever I can to include a few simple elements.  I've found that these elements are much easier to achieve during the summer months.  Basically, I try to move the events outdoors (usually a park or a backyard), I try to work in some barbecuing, and I make sure that kids are involved.  Here's my reasoning for these choices.

Veggie Fajitas

This recipe is so simple that it doesn't even feel like a recipe, but it's great for a hot summer night when you might not really want to stand over the stove for hours.

First, start by slicing lengthwise some red, green and yellow bell peppers.  Then, slice up an onion and chop a handful of cilantro. (Make sure these are all organic!)  Marinate the peppers and onions in a ziplock bag with some organic soy sauce, cumin and a pinch of cayenne pepper for a few minutes up to a few hours.

Second, toss a spoonful of ghee into a pan over medium heat.  Once the ghee has melted, throw in the peppers and onions to sauté for a few minutes until they are soft and cooked through.

Third, heat a spelt tortilla in a dry pan.  (Trader Joe's makes a yummy, chewy spelt tortilla...of course, you could always go totally primal by skipping the tortilla all together and just wrapping your fajitas in a fresh, clean lettuce leaf.)

Fourth, assemble by layering your fajitas on your tortilla, then tossing in a dash of the chopped cilantro.  Another "must have" is fresh, organic pico de gallo and guacamole (my Whole Foods carries a local brand called Casa Sanchez that is amazing).

For a meatier variation, you could throw in some strips of chicken breast or flank steak marinated in a ziplock bag with a little organic soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, crushed garlic and cumin.  Really, the possibilities are endless.  I usually throw in any meat and vegetables that have been sitting in the fridge to long to be ignored.  Be creative and enjoy!

One Key to Success: Adaptation

"Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative." - H.G. Wells

I'm learning that staying fit with a new born in the house is all about flexibility and adaptation.  When I started this program I was going to the gym regularly in the early morning hours before my household was awake.  I was able to tightly control my meals -- both in what I ate and when I ate it.  I had set times for bedtime, waking and naps.

Now,  that's ALL out the window!  My household is a 24-hour operation.  Feedings and diaper changes happen around the clock.  My older daughter wakes up a random nighttime intervals to complain about growing pains in her legs.  Most of my meals are eaten standing up -- often while holding the baby or hassling our older daughter to please, please, please just eat one spear of asparagus in order to earn the reward of dessert.

Week 20 Photos

I'm barely hanging on to my routine at this point.  I'm juggling my increased workload, newborn baby and a few visits from lovely house guests.  Still I'm getting in a few good workouts a week and I'm keeping a pretty good handle on my diet.  I'm thinking, though, that I'll extend Phase 3 for another month or two to make up for the fact that I haven't been able to be as strict as I wanted to be.  We'll see how the month of June goes!

Here are some recent photos to prove that I haven't complete lost my fitness level.  I'm staying lean, but not quite as lean as I think I should be getting during this phase.