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Saturday, September 17, 2011

"Everything changes when you change." - Jim Rohn

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 59:

REST DAY! Who doesn't love a good rest day, here and there... knowing you've *earned* it. Waha.

However, I DO have some news and thoughts for today (geesh. Don't I always?).

Today was a momentous occasion. Whilst driving along the Wild Ammonoosuc River, home from the New Hampshire Highland Games (LOVE the Heavy Athletics!), I felt moved to pull over, as there were TONS of happy little stones that just looked like they wanted to come home with me. My friend Holly (who is not a subscriber herself, but supportive of my ridiculousness), helped me make some difficult choices ("but this one's PRETTY... and hard to hold. Damn.") and arrive at a winner:
My Rock, being rescued from it's recently-flooded
habitat, in the Wild Ammonoosuc River.
I am now the proud caretaker of a handily shaped - seriously, it's got perfect hand/shoulder grooves - 17.5 pound Rock of my very own. I even threw it around the river bank a bit to see how it held up and/or flew. I got a beep from a passing car. NOT sure what that means, but I'm choosing to take it as a sign that my new rock is awesome and they were jealous.  Incidentally, I also took viewing this picture as a sign that, holy crap, I need new jeans that fit. Just because they are comfortable, when they are 2 sizes too big (thank you, Running!), you must let go. Those have got to go (saggy-ass is never a good look.).

So, in conversing with my GT yesterday, I have my new, updated workout plans for these next four weeks (9-12). I'll be continuing on my running plan (distances, at this point still, not speed), and body weight workout days, but will be incorporating a couple days of swings (with my newly-crafted T-handle... which I've already decided needs some edits. Grr.). I'm pretty excited to try something new, and challenge myself in a different way. I don't have a ton of experience with swing-related workouts, soooooo we shall see. Seems easy, right?? (famous last words.)

In addition, the GT issued the ultimate challenge: Write down what I eat, daily. Not count calories or anything, just write down what I'm eating. My knee-jerk reaction was the desire to have a temper tantrum like a 3 year old. However, I would like to note that I held it together and behaved like an adult, merely warning him that this is a historically giant mental mountain for me. But, we seem to be in the mountain-moving business these days...
You see, friends, I have done Weight Watchers several times in my life (the last time with 40+ pounds of success), of which the cornerstone is TRACKING what you eat. Being mindful of what you put in your body. I get this. I do. It makes sense. And hey, I can even truthfully say that whenever I actually tracked what I was eating, I lost weight. But, each time, I gradually fell off the Tracking Bandwagon, because it is an annoying pain in the butt, and I hated doing it.

HOWEVER. I will say, that does seem like the me of a Lifetime ago. There are a lot of things that that person had trouble sticking with - not the least of which was a solid exercise program. I feel like I've turned a new leaf in the last year, though, held onto my ultimate motivation and CAN do this now. I did not say I will enjoy it, but I AM committing to doing it. Starting today. Immediately after finishing this post, I'm off to log my food.

Why bother logging my food? Well, because I know that has value. I know that you can't work out like a crazy person (... or a Spartan...), and fuel yourself with crap. Your body needs things, and you must make sure it gets them. And, if you're trying to lose weight (...I've got a significant amount more to lose.), you HAVE to be aware of what's going in your mouth. While you may think you eat healthy (which I generally do, for the past year or so), it may not be in the right proportions, or quantities for you. Which, clearly, mine are not, as I seem to be plateauing in my weight-loss of late, despite noticing the fact that I'm toning up steadily. AND, I can't ignore the fact that I've been craving protein like mad (Hello there, new muscles?). Clearly, something is out of balance and needs to be addressed.

So, my blog-peeps... I'm tracking. I won't tell you I want to. I don't. I *will* tell you that I'm going to, because I understand the value and need for it. It's no different than doing burpees, right? No one enjoys that... but it's just got to get done.

Until tomorrow, all... where I tell you whether the toe that I just jammed in the doorway is really broken, or just feels like it, and how that effects Run Day.... da da DA... (Oh, the suspense. I Know.)

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