It's always tough to jump back on the wagon, which is why the first ten days of any new diet or exercise commitment are so important. Those first few days are painful. My body might not be used to the strains of the new exercises. My mind will need time to adjust its habits to fit my new diet and schedule. But once I've cleared those early hurdles, momentum builds. Pretty soon, I'm in full swing and the new regimen starts to feel natural. Then I start to feel my strength come back and my clothes start to fit a little better. After a month, I'm hooked and I can see the next several months stretching out in front of me like an open field with only a few, minor and unexpected obstacles. By that point, though, these obstacle will be easily overcome and they can't stop me from roaring on towards my goals.
It might seem funny to start thinking about sunny summer days on the beach now in drizzly November. But I've learned over the years that I respond best to a long-term goal with a clearly defined plan. Once I have that in place, I just follow the plan. When I feel low motivation, I turn off my mind and just follow the plan. When I'm too busy or stressed to think about my health, I get creative and figure out a way to simply follow the plan each and every day.
My first week is complete. I made it to the gym on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I rested on Wednesday, played soccer on Thursday night for a healthy dose of fun, and spent quality time with friends on Saturday and Sunday. I focused on eating more whole foods and keeping a solid balance to my meals. I replaced most of my coffee with water and tried to reduce my snacking between meals. These changes weren't drastic, just gently steering myself toward a healthier course. The next few weeks I'll tighten the reigns a little more in an effort to prevent any major holiday binging. By the new year, I'll already be well on my way to my goals! Week 2, here I come.
No comments:
Post a Comment