60-minute Kickboxing class
35-minute walking on treadmill (5% incline)
I saw this quote recently and it really registered with me...
"There is going to be pain in your life. It is going to be the pain of discipline....or the pain of regret. What’s your choice?”
Sometimes it is painful to do what you know you should. Maybe it's getting up early to exercise or resisting something very yummy and eating spinach instead?!?!? I have definitely had my share of regrets when it comes to eating and even working out. I have never regretted passing up something fried for something a bit healthier nor have I ever regretted rolling out of bed for an early workout...but I have regretted making the opposite choice too many times to count.
Don't get me wrong, I definitely believe in moderation in all things, but there are many times when I eat (really I should say "overeat") something that is really not good for me and I feel so yucky afterward. I tend to really regret those decisions later. Like take Monday afternoon for example. I made the mistake of not eating lunch before I left to run some errands with the kids and I was STARVING before we were done. I picked up some raspberry lemonade for the kids at "Long John Silver" and before I even really thought about what I was doing, I had ordered myself a meal consisting of two pieces of fried chicken, fries and a Sprite (clean eating at it's finest, don't you think!?!?) While the food was pretty tasty (the fries at least, I ended up throwing most of the chicken away because it was pretty nasty), I walked out of there feeling so gross. Fried foods really don't agree with me much anymore and while I knew I would probably regret this feeling later, it didn't prevent me from indulging in the moment.
Even though I know that when I eat foods that are more natural and healthy, I feel SOOOO much better, I still don't always make the best decisions. I am improving slowly, but it is still a battle most days. I wish I was the type of person that could look at a really yummy desert and be satisfied with one or two bites, but I'm not. I feel like I HAVE to eat the whole thing, even if it will make me feel sick later. I am hoping to get to that place where I can be satisfied with just a nibble, but I am not there yet. (Sad story: Sometimes when I am eating something really good, I am thinking more about my next piece or serving of it rather than enjoying what I am eating right then!!)
(Hmmmmm, chocolate....I only wish I could get away with devouring it like this!!)
I guess that's why life and one's "diet" is a work in progress. I'll celebrate my successes and try to improve upon those weak moments.
Does anybody else struggle with making good choices when it comes to food or exercise?
Agreed. There are certain things that I just can't have around the house like baked goods, especially cookies. I just can't leave them alone if I know they're available so I try not to have them around. There have also been times when I've gone to get a spoonful of ice cream out of a carton and ended up eating half the carton. I'd eat it so fast that I'd get freezer burn on the roof of my mouth! Lately I've been trying to buy things like the Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches for portion control, even though it's more expensive. For some reason I can eat half a carton of ice cream but I wouldn't dream of eating more than one ice cream sandwich at a time.
ReplyDeleteI've also lately been trying the "earn your carbs" challenge. On this challenge, fruits and vegetables are unlimited but all other carbs (rice, bread, pasta, sugar) have to be earned with a workout first and must be consumed within two hours of that workout. I did my workout this morning and tonight I wanted pasta for dinner, so I went out and walked for 30 minutes first to "earn" those carbs. I don't know how long I'll last on this, but I'm feeling better so I hope I can keep it up. Have also been cutting back on diet soda and drinking more water. Baby steps, but I'm making progress!