In a small, red leather-bound journal with the word "Laugh" embossed on the front, I keep track of my progress with Crossfit. The journal was given to me for Christmas of 2008 and sometime around February of 2009 I started recording results on a regular basis. (At the time, it seemed inappropriate to record my fitness progress in a journal instructing me to laugh. Now, it seems entirely perfect).
Just yesterday I finally digitized my records into a google document. Now I can look back and grimace and smile at my progress over the last 10 months. I laugh at what I was deadlifting but also frown because I haven't made more progress. Where has my focus been? After some reflection, I realize it was all over the place.
Dates and workout times are important to record, but so are personal notes. Although it seems extraneous at the time, these make for juicy tid bits of insight later on. Making note of how you felt due to a previous workout, or mention of an injury might help you remember why your progress was either thwarted or exceptional. Since nutrition is a huge part of the equation, notes on dietary changes or improvements are also important.
Overall, such self-reflection is incredibly helpful. Reading my "laugh journal" was a great way to start 2010, but I couldn't help but wonder why I didn't start sooner, reflect more often, and keep better records...it's hard to know how far you've come if you don't even know where you started.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Cheating to Stay on Track
Before Christmas I was trying to eat paleo for a few weeks, and was feeling freakin' awesome. I'm reading the book, "The Paleo Diet" by Loren Cordain. Learning the science behind this diet makes the motivation and pay-off that much greater.
But like I said in my first entry, I don't want to lie and say I eat paleo all the time, as if that's it, the truth, end of story. It's incredibly hard, and I find myself making allowances during this initial adjustment period. Especially with Christmas in the mix. When do I cheat? When do I hold steady? Who will I insult when I turn down their delicious homemade food?
The holidays weren't as painful as I thought, because I made a decision: I would cheat, and I would be ok with it.
My biggest weakness has always been sugar, in any shape or form, but I was surprised at how little interest I had in the Christmas desserts. (I still had some cookies, and wine to follow). Despite my previous struggles, I had established new and healthy habits before I went home for the holidays. It felt good to realize that. (I do need to credit my mom for making such a paleo-friendly Christmas dinner: the turkey, shrimp, salad, and veggies were delicious and made me feel great. Thanks mom!).
Of course, I didn't escape the unplanned indulgences and the leftovers that came after the celebration. I went home loaded up with cookies, chocolates, etc., and I enjoyed several delicious family meals with hardly a vegetable in sight. But overall, not bad. Certainly much better than holiday eating of the past.
Despite getting through the holidays fairly well, I'm still cheating. I find myself craving oatmeal raisin cookies like crazy. Not for the sugar, but for the GRAINS. I'm afraid that if I never ever ever ever let myself enjoy that, that it might backfire and cause an all-night, paint-the-town-red, scandalous oatmeal raisin pillaging, from which I may never return. So what's a girl to do?
The answer: keep cheating. Yes, even after the holidays. In fact, there will always be cheating. It's nearly impossible to eat paleo all the time, and while every effort should be made to follow it, cheating will always be part of the picture. (A very small part of the picture, hopefully).
Out of desperation I've created a sugar-free granola ball of sorts that has several non-paleo ingredients. This is my big cheat. My big offense. And honestly, it could be worse. It feels bad to cheat, but great that a small ball of sugarless oats can do the trick, rather than a few Godiva bars which God knows I could destroy without thinking.
Eventually, I'd like to say I splurged and ate an extra apple. But for now, this is a beginner's cheat. This is all about choices, and I chose to forgive myself.
Mr. Cordain would back me up on that, too. In the book he presents three levels of paleo eating. In Level III you can have three "open" meals per week. "Open" meaning you can eat what you want, without being abusive, of course. Level II means two open meals per week, level I means one open meal per week.
I'm not sure I can even follow a Level III diet, but it's something to aspire to, now and always. I'm loving the concept of the levels because it grants us permission to enjoy ourselves while consistently focusing on a broader vision of health and wellness. What could be better?
But like I said in my first entry, I don't want to lie and say I eat paleo all the time, as if that's it, the truth, end of story. It's incredibly hard, and I find myself making allowances during this initial adjustment period. Especially with Christmas in the mix. When do I cheat? When do I hold steady? Who will I insult when I turn down their delicious homemade food?
The holidays weren't as painful as I thought, because I made a decision: I would cheat, and I would be ok with it.
My biggest weakness has always been sugar, in any shape or form, but I was surprised at how little interest I had in the Christmas desserts. (I still had some cookies, and wine to follow). Despite my previous struggles, I had established new and healthy habits before I went home for the holidays. It felt good to realize that. (I do need to credit my mom for making such a paleo-friendly Christmas dinner: the turkey, shrimp, salad, and veggies were delicious and made me feel great. Thanks mom!).
Of course, I didn't escape the unplanned indulgences and the leftovers that came after the celebration. I went home loaded up with cookies, chocolates, etc., and I enjoyed several delicious family meals with hardly a vegetable in sight. But overall, not bad. Certainly much better than holiday eating of the past.
The Temptation of Saint Anthony, by Salvador Dali. This would be more befitting if those animals were piled high with cookies.
Despite getting through the holidays fairly well, I'm still cheating. I find myself craving oatmeal raisin cookies like crazy. Not for the sugar, but for the GRAINS. I'm afraid that if I never ever ever ever let myself enjoy that, that it might backfire and cause an all-night, paint-the-town-red, scandalous oatmeal raisin pillaging, from which I may never return. So what's a girl to do?
The answer: keep cheating. Yes, even after the holidays. In fact, there will always be cheating. It's nearly impossible to eat paleo all the time, and while every effort should be made to follow it, cheating will always be part of the picture. (A very small part of the picture, hopefully).
Out of desperation I've created a sugar-free granola ball of sorts that has several non-paleo ingredients. This is my big cheat. My big offense. And honestly, it could be worse. It feels bad to cheat, but great that a small ball of sugarless oats can do the trick, rather than a few Godiva bars which God knows I could destroy without thinking.
Eventually, I'd like to say I splurged and ate an extra apple. But for now, this is a beginner's cheat. This is all about choices, and I chose to forgive myself.
Mr. Cordain would back me up on that, too. In the book he presents three levels of paleo eating. In Level III you can have three "open" meals per week. "Open" meaning you can eat what you want, without being abusive, of course. Level II means two open meals per week, level I means one open meal per week.
I'm not sure I can even follow a Level III diet, but it's something to aspire to, now and always. I'm loving the concept of the levels because it grants us permission to enjoy ourselves while consistently focusing on a broader vision of health and wellness. What could be better?
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