Monday, September 2, 2013

Fitness, food, and motivation

Let me start by stating what this blog post will not include:
1. yummy recipes
2. pictures of yummy food


What it will include:
1. lots of lists (I'm in a list mood)
2. Lots of confusing rants
3. links to some other great blog posts

Ok... so those of you who know me know that I went back to work two weeks ago.  Yikes.  Now as a teacher I love back to school time, but back to school also means I am:
1. stressed
2. not working out
3. drinking wine (almost daily)
4. working late everyday
5. working on weekends (even labor day...)

This year back to school time has been no exception to the above list.  In fact I've actually been back to work for 3 weeks because I went back early to move classrooms (thus adding to the stress).  In the last month or so I have gained about 5 lbs.  I know that doesn't sound like much, but when you're 5 ft tall and only weight 115 most of the time an extra 5-7 lbs (I may have lied the first time when I said 5 lbs...) shows.  In fact, last week I only had two pairs of dress pants I could comfortably button.  Ugh. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again... I know a lot of you reading this HATE when people my size complain about their weight.  Stop reading now if that's you.  I started to get really freaked out about my weight gain this weekend and just went to a body weight calculator before typing this post:
http://www.nchmd.org/HealthTools/hbwcalc.html#calc

According to the calculator a healthy weight range for my height is 97 lbs-127 lbs.  What this means is that yes, I am in the range.  What it also means is that I could loose 15 lbs and still be in a healthy weight range (I am NOT saying that I want to loose 15 lbs.... that's crazy talk). 

A few months ago I read the book The New Rules of Lifting for Women
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Rules-Lifting-Women/dp/1583333398

I really, really loved this book.  It made me want to start weight lifting.  There are however a few problems with that:
1. joining a gym costs money
2. hiring a trainer to keep me accountable would cost even more money
3. I like running and there is a whole chapter about how you should not be running as much as I was at the time
4. We have a gym that's not put together, we also don't own weights for it

After reading the book I started nagging Tom about getting our home gym put together (its been in the box for years).  My dad came over and they poured cement in our garage to close a gap that was between the floor and the door (I'm freaked out about rodents getting into the garage).  Then they started putting the gym together.  They got about half way.  4 months later the gym is still half put together (Tom- if you're reading this I am not calling you out.... we've been super busy and I totally could have gotten my butt out there to put it together too). 

Ok getting my thoughts back together because I kind of got off track.  So...
1. I am unhappy about my weight gain
2. I have a gym that is not put together and I want to start lifting
3. I haven't been that great with my eating lately

I'm not that concerned about my eating... I'm planning to do unprocessed October this year and that will help get me back on track.  Unprocessed October comes from the blog Eating Rules:
http://www.eatingrules.com/october-unprocessed-2013/
This blog is what first got me into eating unprocessed.  I really like it.

Anyway... that takes care of my eating (for the most part).  The real problem is the working out.  There are a lot of things standing in my way:

1. I wake up at 5 am already so getting up earlier to work out is out
2. I spend at least 2 hours a day in the car
3. My daily schedule sucks:
5 am- wake up
6 am- drive to work
7-4pm- at work
4-5:30- drive home
5:30-7- make dinner, talk to my husband
7-7:30- dinner and jeopardy
7:30-8 TV
8-9 TV in bed
9 ish- bed

As if this wasn't on my mind enough... I get email updates from this group called Girls Gone Strong.  Today I got an email containing this blog post about motivation:
http://mollygalbraith.com/category/blog/motivation/

In the blog post, Molly talks about the choices she has made to pursue her fitness goals.  She talks about all the social events she has skipped in favor of going to bed early and eating healthy.  This really got me thinking about my motivation.

My motivation:
1. My husband has a great stomach (like 10 times better than mine)
2. My pants are tight and I can't afford new ones
3. I want to look better naked
4. We have been trying to have a baby and some of the blogs my friend reads keep saying how much success people have had by cutting out carbs (I will NEVER cut out carbs, but I would consider cutting down on my carbs)

My Anti-Motivation:
1. Oreos are delicious
2. Wine is delicious
3. I like the amount of sleep that I get (they only way I can see to fit working out into my daily schedule is to go to bed later)
4. I will hopefully be pregnant in the next year and then all my hard work to get toned is out the window
5. I enjoy going out with my friends (seriously... I have great friends.  We have fun)

Somehow I thought typing all of these thoughts out would help me figure stuff out but I might be more unsure now.... ugh. Bottom line:
1. I want to start the workout plan in the book The New Rules of Lifting for Women
2. I can make time if I start to prep my meals on the weekends so that I need less time to make dinner
3. My gym still needs to get put together

Here are some things I will try to commit to:
1. Re read The New Rules of Lifting
2. Start Unprocessed October in October (duh) and get my eating back on track
3.  Try to get the gym put together in the next month
4. Start working out in October (seems like a good goal since that's when the eating will start too)
Workout plan:
Sun- long run
Mon- Rest
Tues- Lift
Wed- Rest (or yoga)
Thurs- Lift
Fri- Rest
Sat- Lift
5. In the meantime my workout plan:
Sun- long run
Mon- rest
Tues- 20 min Jillian Michaels workout
Wed- rest
Thurs- 20 min Jillian Michaels workout
Fri- rest
Sat- 50 min Jillian Michaels workout
(I figure this will get me into the routine so that when I start the other workouts, which are more strenuous, I'll be ready)
6. Drink wine a little less
7. Eat crappy food a little less

Thoughts? Suggestions?  Seriously... help me!