Lessons Learned

Well, I survived the weekend. Barely. But I did learn a couple of valuable lessons.

1. TV is a bad, bad thing when on a diet. - After working out on Saturday morning and getting together with some friends on Saturday night, I deemed Sunday my "lazy day". No schedule, no leaving the house. As I was laying on the couch relaxing all of the muscles that I brutally beat on Friday and Saturday, I settled in to catch up on some of my beloved television shows that I missed during the week. I bet that 80% of the commercials I had to endure were for food. I kid you not. Don't these TV executives know I'm on a diet?!

Forget eating my turkey sandwich on whole wheat.... I want a Big Mac! Make that 2 for $4, actually. And because I know I can't eat these things, I want them even more. By no means am I implying the food I'm receiving from Home Cuisine is unappetizing, but those Dairy Queen chicken tenders with gravy look so good, it's riDQulous (like the pun?)!

2. I eat when I'm bored. - As Sunday came to a close and I had eaten all of the food that was given to me for the day, my mind began to wander. My idle hands and idle mind floated to the pantry (figuratively speaking - I don't need to torture myself by actually looking at the food too!) for no reason other than boredom. Being mentally and physically stimulated during the week helps to keep my mind off of the food that I shouldn't be eating. Keeping a schedule and forcing myself to stay with the task at hand has worked quite well for curbing the appetite.

 I better stock up on some good e-books on my Kindle so this doesn't happen every weekend. Or maybe I'll watch "Food Inc." and "Forks Over Knives" on Netflix to help combat my fast food cravings. Nothing like the cold, hard truth to keep you from doing something you shouldn't.

I'm also very pleased with myself for making it through an entire week of working out! Thank goodness Ashley keeps changing up the exercises and is creative; otherwise, I'd get bored with it (kind of like what happens every other year I vow to work out more). I couldn't sit down all the way without my legs giving out on me and letting me fall the rest of the descent on Saturday, but this pain is different than what I've felt before. It's well-earned and I know my work is paying off. I already feel like I possess strength I didn't before, and my mind and body are benefitting from this new lifestyle. I am more conscious of how much and what I eat, and I feel more rested and full of energy.

I'm going to take care of myself the rest of today by getting a facial (well-deserved, might I add) and relaxing my muscles. The games begin again tomorrow. I'm no longer scared of what Ashley's going to make me do or whether I'll get through the session without puking or passing out. We're making strides here, folks. Bigger strides than I could ever hope for!