Argh - blowing it already!!! And its only going to get crazier, time tighter and stress higher as the month progresses. But I'm determined not to let the workouts slide completely. So I came up with a list of 5 things I can do in 5 minutes or less.
1)Jump rope, jog in place, or run up and down the stairs
2)Do 25 each of: Crunches, Leg lifts, Push ups without taking a break in between
3)Cut up a bowl of fruit or veggies for easy snacking later
4) Stretch, doing either easy yoga poses or simple stretches starting at the feet and working up to the neck, taking a few seconds to do deep belly breaths with each stretch
5) Do a little recipe research and find some yummy, low fat recipes to try out next week. Google low calorie, 30 minute or less entrees and see what fabulous choices you find. There's always the bagged salad, low-fat dressing, with some veggies and protein option, too!! A healthy meal on the table in less than 5 minutes!!!
So even if we don't have large stretches of time to exercise or make elaborate, healthy meals we can still stay on track and make it through the craziness of the season without totally abandoning our goals.
6 comments:
The Holidays are tough, Tawny. It sounds like you have some great ideas for making them a success.
One of my big challenges this week is 5 holiday parties. I can't say I'm necessarily succeeding with the challenge because I'm ending up skipping some of them and going to the gym instead to try to keep my calorie intake down. I don't think that's the healthiest solution to the problem though. I do wish I could master going to parties/buffets and not eating too much.
This time of year is so tempting, isn't it? I haven't done fantastic this week, but I think at least part of it was my big focus on trying to get a proposal for new books done and the craptacularly gloomy weather. I've noticed I feel a LOT better and have gotten a LOT more done yesterday and today because the sun is shining.
I love the idea of five-minute workouts. I'm going to do that today. I'm also doing a lot of house cleaning since I finally got that proposal sent off this morning.
Michelle, hang in there. Next Thursday is going to be my challenge. I go over to the office where I used to work full time (still freelance for them) for the annual Christmas breakfast. Lots of yummy food, but guess what. They have a workout room, so I think I'll take my workout clothes and hit the bike, treadmill, rowing machine and weights before I head back home.
You know, I think thats a fabulous idea, Trish. That way while you might indulge in a few foods you wouldn't normally during the party, you're at least balancing the intake with exertion and getting in the exercise.
Michelle, sometimes working out instead of partying is less stressful, I think. In the month of December, I'm suddenly all about stress avoidance (not that I welcome it with open arms the rest of the year LOL, but Dec it seems to be so much more in my face). But if the parties are with people you want to see, things you'd like to do, then maybe eat before you go? Something light but filling like a vegetable soup and salad? That way you're not tempted to nosh like crazy?
Thanks, Tawny and Trish. I've thought about it some more, and more was going on than just seeing all that yummy food there for me to take. I was battling some emotions/thoughts from two areas in my life that were bringing me down. Even being aware of that could not stop me from overeating at that party.
I do think that part of the reason I skipped last night's party was so I could go to work out. I knew that would elevate my mood and make it easier to be positive - get off that negative spiral down I was having because of how I was reacting to these two areas. The end-of-the-year/holidays can trigger some negative thoughts /emotions and that was affecting me. Anyway, I thought going to last night's party may increase the bad thoughts/emotions more which would then cause me to overeat while going to the gym might have helped me keep the overeating limited to one party/stop it and improve my mood. It did do both, so in some ways, I'm happy I skipped that party. I just get a little discouraged that I can be aware of all that is causing me to overeat and still not stop it. But, in some ways, I did stop it by not allowing myself to go to the party. What a circular conversation. :)
Michelle, I think you made a powerful decision in skipping the party. You were aware of an eating and stress trigger and you chose to take a healthy alternative instead of pulling that trigger (exercise instead of attending something that, in your vulnerable state would lead you to overeat).
Isn't that what its all about? I don't know that we ever get totally past the issues that dog us through life. But how we choose to deal with them? That's being healthy.
Thanks, Tawny. I really like your take on it all. I guess I'd love to get past the issues that dog me and my tendency to turn to food then for comfort, but perhaps learning how to deal with it all successfully most of them time is a more realistic goal.
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