Mid week reality check

Exercise has been great this week – 5.5 miles Monday and 6.5 yesterday! Now, that is 2 or 3 outings per day, but it’s getting done. Today I am walking 1.5 at lunch and going to the gym after work.

Food’s fine. After finishing Tom Venuto’s book, I realized my estimated requirement of 1500 calories per day was a good place to start. I did tweak my nutrient ratio a bit, and that seems to have helped my cravings a bit. Huh! In an ideal world, my calories would be more heavily weighted toward the beginning of the day, but I have my meals so that calories are an even 300 per meal. So at least I’m not weighting my calories to the end of the day.

Running yesterday afternoon, I re-realized that when I am very active, it is easier for me to stay on track with my food. When I’m out there panting, it’s easy to say “It’s easier to just not eat X than to burn it off out here!” I had planned a bike ride, but hub wasn’t home and the boy didn’t feel like it, so it was easier to just stay closer to home. It was great outside – I love getting outside after work this time of year.

We are having a cookout with friends this afternoon, so dinner isn’t the healthiest, but it meets my guidelines (turkey dogs and vegetarian baked beans and salad). That will keep me busy tonight, then tomorrow I am going to watch that class. Friday I may ride my bike after work. Or I may go and get my fingernails & toes painted!

I am spending a lot of time using Venuto’s suggestions around goals, affirmations, and visualization. I see myself doing athletic stuff, with a trim body. I see the muscles, and see myself in the gym lifting the weights. It sounds hokey, but I swear keeping my short term goals in my pocket is motivational, and these techniques do seem to help!

I also ordered a set of calipers so I can measure my body fat. God help me.