Tuesday, February 6, 2018

February 6th, 2018 If I Can Help It

February 6th, 2018 If I Can Help It

Today: I maintained the integrity of my maintenance calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I met my daily water goal, and I stayed connected with great support.

Whenever I allow my schedule to get loaded and crazy, it requires me to get extra aware of how I'm feeling and what I'm doing. I've shared many times about my parallel streams philosophy and how I mustn't allow the lifestream and the fundamental elements stream to cross. It's a seemingly complex, yet simple philosophy drawn from my experiences over years and years of weight loss attempts, many of which served as a source of education, rather than a source of consistent and sustainable results. 

Maintaining the integrity of my fundamental elements stream (calorie budget-abstinence from refined sugar-the accountability and support connections, etc.) while the lifestream is a little (or a bunch) bigger than usual, means adjusting the embrace of both, in equal measure. For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. Making sure those reactions are in harmony with my personal plan, is key.

If I didn't hold on to the fundamental elements stream a little tighter during a bigger life stream schedule, then I'd quickly fall into chaos. I've been there many times. I'd prefer to not go there again if I can help it. But it would be very easy to go there... doesn't matter how long I've maintained stability or consistently worked my daily plan. Practicing these things I write and speak about doesn't make them "automatic," ever. 

 It's like you never own it, it's simply on loan and as long as you practice the things keeping you well each day, by the grace of God, you get to keep it.

For me, it starts with setting some non-negotiable elements. Even at extreme life-stream levels--we're talking super long days, heavily involved projects and all that might include--I have my minimum non-negotiable elements of the fundamental elements stream. I will maintain the integrity of my maintenance plan calorie budget. I will remain abstinent from refined sugar. And I will consume a minimum 64oz water. I will log everything in MyFitnessPal and I will compose and send the accountability Tweets. That's the bare minimum, for me, come what may.

And once I've accepted and embraced those non-negotiable elements--then it changes my perspective completely. Instead of finding reasons why it can't work under extreme schedules and circumstances, I'm exploring solutions for how it can work, and work well.

It's rarely perfect and it doesn't need to be perfect. This has never been about perfection, clearly. It's about remaining consistent in my continued recovery. In my experience, striving for perfection is the quickest detour to self-loathing based disappointment. Accepting a certain amount of imperfection doesn't mean I sacrifice the integrity of my non-negotiable elements. It means I might go a little longer between meals than is optimal. It means my choices, although still "on-plan," may not be the best or what I would have preferred. It means I might spend way too many calories on half & half in my coffee.

Being open-minded and willing to define and refine the plan in progress allows room for growth and development into something sustainable long-term.

Least, that's what I've experienced.

Goodnight!

Today's Accountability Tweets:


Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Strength,
Sean
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