Yesterday: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I exceeded my daily water goal, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support. I hit 7 stars.
Yesterday could have gone very differently. I started out rushed because I slept too long then spent the first half of my morning playing catch up. Monday didn't need that, I mean, come on--it's already Monday, right? Mondays can be challenging all on its own without me adding challenges.
The midmorning meditation break helped, certainly, but even still--by the time afternoon rolled around, I was already leaning toward skipping the workout. But then I got into a tug-of-war in my head. The question was if I'm feeling off-center why would I skip the very thing that might help me get back into "mental alignment?"
So, off I went, toward the RecPlex (formerly the YMCA). I was still wrestling with my willingness vs. resistance thing. I thought about earning the stars--and having a good, solid 7-star day--and even still, I found myself in the parking lot...just sitting there in my own head. Maybe I'll go visit mom instead, then to the store, home for dinner--then I'll exercise. Uh, yeah, right! If I get home and prepare dinner, the chances of me going back out later, uh--pretty slim. Then I started bargaining-looking at the week and thinking, I could exercise tomorrow, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday--that would still be four sessions this week and that's the goal. It's been a challenging Monday. That seemed like a doable thing. So I let myself off the hook, put the car in drive and pulled away.
I received a text from a support friend about a block down the road. I pulled up to the light, glanced down, and read: "I'm at the gym now." It was from the same support friend who texted last week about how much they didn't want to go exercise. It was the same friend who I encouraged on that day--and now, the tables were turned. I was the one who didn't want to go. But, there's something special about positive support exchanges--and it was powerful in that moment. I found the nearest place to turn around, made my way back into the parking lot and replied, "I'm headed there now!" I also shared with them the tug-of-war thing and how I didn't want to go and how I'd already been in the parking lot and pulled away. I thanked them for the timely support text.
The thirty-minute elliptical workout was just what I needed. I saw a few people I knew in there and those silent smiles and acknowledgments served as a good reminder that I made the right decision.
What happens next is straight-up bio-sciencey type stuff that I don't fully understand beyond the basics of, I feel better when I do it. A good workout acts as a springboard toward more positive. My mood was dramatically improved. I felt great. I left the RecPlex, enjoyed a wonderful visit with mom, made a good bargain-finding grocery trip, and headed back to the apartment to prepare a fantastic "treat" of an on-plan meal.
I finished my Monday catching up with support friends and enjoying some apple slices for dessert. It was great. But it sure didn't look like it was headed that way earlier in the day. I'm grateful.
My morning routine is finished, my food is packed for breakfast and planned for lunch, and I'm ready for a good Tuesday.
 |
| A good Monday in pictures |
Before I go, I wanted to share a post from a few years ago...
---------------
How are your spirits? Attitude? Resolve?
When you visualize where you want to go in physical and mental terms, and travel terms, what does that look like?
My hope is that each day you wake excited about where you're headed, not dreadful of the daily elements contributing to your success.
This is something I've embraced from day 1. It's a practice in perspective. We understand the importance of taking it one day at a time, for sure, but I feel it's also important to visualize and dream a little about the days/weeks/months and years ahead... It's still one day at a time as far as the fundamental elements are concerned, in other words, we're not trying to figure out all of the days ahead--we focus on one day and we narrow our focus to the elements needed to take extraordinary care...and when we visualize ahead, we broaden and get less detailed, allowing the focus to be limitless without the burden of figuring out how to make it all come together.
What we're doing each day contributes to it all coming together...so we have faith in what we're doing and how each day is contributing to our overall vision of tomorrow.
Your trek is incredibly inspiring. Fascinating.
Do we wake to feel excited about what we're doing and where we're going or do we wake dreadful of the elements we're doing each day? That's a really good question.
If we're starting each day dreadful of what we're doing, it's a great idea to change what we're doing. It all goes back to finding what works for us, not just in terms of what brings us results when we do it, but what fits our groove best. You can get awesome results by doing a lot of different things. The things you enjoy, the things that best fit your tastes and speed, those are the things that will help you find your groove.
I could lose weight eating in a totally different way, perhaps mostly salads--fresh veggies, and how about fresh juice? I could eliminate some of my favorites in favor of foods universally understood as awesome 'diet' foods. And I could kill myself for hours on end at the gym. None of that sounds very fun at all. I wouldn't wake each day excited about any of it. I would wake full of dread each day, hoping I could somehow make these new ways habit--then maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
Once we find our groove, it's much easier to get excited about the future. What do we dare dream? Anything and everything, it's your dreams--it's limitless. There's no comparison to anyone else, there aren't any small dreams. Each and everyone is important. Visualizing a future where your success enables you to take less medicine, or none each day might be one. Visualizing a future where you finally try out rock climbing or anything else you've avoided because of physical limitations...Think about it--and get excited!!!
You're capable of anything you decide. If you're discouraged and struggling, it isn't a sign of impending failure, it's a sign you haven't found what works well for you. You haven't found your groove. Don't throw in the towel. Redesign your approach. Change the plan into something you're excited about each morning. We don't find our groove by way of force, we find our groove through a simplistic approach most agreeable with what we enjoy. Then, as we proceed and develop, we can evolve naturally into more detailed plans. It's a natural evolution of good choices. It's a groove thing.
Featured Tweets:
Buying fish with a "reduced for quick sale" sticker. I'm a dare devil. Orange Roughy is not normally in my budget- but almost spoiled with a drastically reduced price, uh- okay. I'll take my chances. #bargainshopper #foodplan #dailypractice pic.twitter.com/GUCMLqDveh— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) February 5, 2019
10.6oz orange roughy (so far, this "reduced for quick sale" fish is pretty good-I over-cooked it a little), 248g pan prepared sweet potato w/106g orange bell pepper, 91g red onion, and approx.6 seconds olive oil cooking spray. 120g green beans. #whatilike #foodplan #dailypractice pic.twitter.com/ajngFfDE9R— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) February 5, 2019
Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean
If you're interested in connecting via social media:
I accept friend requests on MyFitnessPal. My daily food logging diary is set to public.
MFP Username: SeanAAnderson
My Twitter: SeanAAnderson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seananderson505
Instagram: SeanAAnderson
Also--I'd love you to subscribe to my podcast Transformation Planet! You can find it in Apple Podcasts, in the Google Play store for Android, and listed wherever you find your favorite podcasts! If you haven't listened before, you'll find 20 episodes waiting for you!
Have you listened to the unabridged audio version of my book? Get yours today!
With a donation of $20 or more to The Daily Diary of A Winning Loser, You'll receive the entire unabridged audio version of my book, Transformation Road-My Trip To Over 500 Pounds and Back-narrated by me on mp3 disc!! This includes shipping. Increased donation increments of at least $20 will include an additional mp3 disc of the unabridged audio version, perfect to give as a gift!
Please be sure to include an email address so I can properly express my gratitude! Donating to the DDWL is easy and secure with the PayPal donate button below. (You do not need a PayPal account-transactions work with any credit or debit card) Simply click the donate button!
I am Going to keep saying it - an alarm clock or two, somewhere in your apartment where you have to get UP to turn them off, and they serve as a back to your main alarm, can make a huge huge difference. Did it for many years.
ReplyDeleteAnd then you make an internal deal with yourself that you never get back In bed.