Use the anger as fuel

A few friends of mine recently got laid off, this fact upset me greatly. Today I focused all of my anger and fear and uncertainty into my run. I ran fast, I ran far, I ran hard, and I managed to reach that state where there is no thinking, only moving.

I needed it. I needed that moment where everything else drops away and there is just existence and breath and heartbeat. It's moving meditation. It makes me miss other places that I could attain that state, the Dojo, Yoga, Swimming.

This weekend I was also unpacking a box of work type clothes and put on a skirt that had fit me decently the last time I had worn it. It gaped. I had a good six inches of extra fabric in the waistband. It felt amazing to realize I had lost that much size, and horrifying that I didn't realize just how large I actually was.

Tomorrow we pack it up and head home for Thanksgiving. I'm hoping that I can stick to my guns and get some exercise in at some point, and not over indulge on the tasty foods that will be placed in front of me this weekend.

How do you all get your moments of Zen through exercise?
-Meg

Holidays are in full effect

This week begins the disruption of my schedule represented by the Holidays. This week I will be traveling on Wednesday, and out of town until Monday. This means trying to make myself exercise without the motivation of the gym. Even in the craziness that always proceeds travel plans, my S.O. is making sure we get to the gym on Tuesday, as usual, as it's the only day this week we will be guaranteed of getting a workout in.

We will be staying at my Parents, who own an elliptical machine and weights (that I left there) but while there, we'll be fighting against what we refer to as "The Detox Effect." This happens whenever we head out of NYC and find ourselves somewhere with a slower pace, or anywhere that doesn't require deadlines of us. Almost immediately after arriving we both find ourselves sleeping extra hours and generally loosing any motivation to do anything except relax. I have managed a grand total of one successful workout while staying at my parents. I fully plan on working out while there on this trip, but I'm being realistic in that I may not actually do it.

Right now my weight is bouncing between 152 on the high end and 148 on the low end. I'm hoping somehow to get back to a regular workout schedule to get the numbers to start heading down again, but I realize that may not happen until the new year.

How do you cope with travel disrupting your schedule? Do you work out at the hotel or do you take a "workout vacation"?

-Meg

Some days are better than others

I feel much better today, having gotten a decent workout in this afternoon, and having re-evaluated a few of my goals and priorities. The next week is going to be all about getting myself back on the right track.

What do you do to keep yourself on track, or to get back to it when you go astray?
-Meg

Slacking

Ok I admit it, I've been lazy. Mostly in regards to this blog, although my workouts have stayed firmly at two a week.

One of the big problems I'm running into right now is the depression that comes from a lack of sunshine. Since the days are getting shorter, the time that I actually see daylight has become practically non existent. I'm thinking about buying myself a full spectrum light bulb to try to help combat the overall fatigue and depression that's been creeping in around the edges.

In general I'm stuck, unwittingly, in 'maintenance', since I haven't been able to make it to the gym more than twice a week, weight loss is, for all practicality , out of reach right now. I could cut back on my calories, which I plan on doing, but the effort involved in calorie counting and meal planing is beyond me most days right now.

To be honest, I've thought lately a lot about giving up on a bunch of the projects I have going. I want to devote more time into growing this blog, and to creating more informative, well written posts. I want to devote more of my time to eating healthy and working out, and I fully intend to do these things as soon as I can get my schedule more towards something human and sane.

I'm not giving up or quitting or anything like that. I'm just tired and a tad depressed. I'm going to continue posting and keep this blog as active and helpful as I can. One of the things I'd like to start including is something that a lot of the other blogs I find helpful do. Posting healthy recipes and time saving cooking tips. I think I'll make that a weekly thing. We'll see.

How do you all deal with the seasonal changes?
-Meg

I would just like a schedule I can stick to

No gym yet this week, owing mostly to my S.O. Having caught my sickness. I feel lazy and chubby, but hopefully tomorow I'll be able to go to the gym.

Eating wise I'm doing ok, sticking to the four meals of 200-300 calories, although that's only over the past two days. We'll see how long I can keep it up.

Money isses are affecting my ability to make healthy food choices. Why is it so much cheaper to eat badly?

How is the economy affecting your health/weight loss plans?
-Meg

Every Day is a New start

At least that's how I'm trying to look at it right now. The sickness seems to finally be giving up and vacating the premises, and so today I am going to go back to the gym for my first real workout in...um...well lets not talk about that shall we?

The worst part of it was that it wasn't like I was even doing *anything* useful with my time. No, I did not catch up on art, or knitting, or even *reading*. No I was too out of it for that. You know what I did yesterday? I slept, and I watched bad TV.

So, like the subject says, today is a new start. Back on track, back to the To Do list. First To Do: Get my Butt on a treadmill!

One question, see, I love running on the treadmill (which is new for me) and I love the results i get from H.I.I.T. sessions on the elliptical machine, but the treadmills at my gym have no "interval" setting. Any ideas on safe ways to combine treadmills and H.I.I.T. (preferably without blowing out my fragile knees?)

Danka!
-Meg

Sickness and visitors

Two things that totally derail my fitness efforts, and I've had both of them this past week. First was a house guest that ended up staying longer than expected, and now the sickness of doom.

I did manage to make myself go to the gym yesterday, but the workout i did was so minimal i can't even call it a workout in good conscience. I think I ran on the treadmill for ten, maybe fifteen minutes before slowing to a walk and then hitting the showers.

I'm planning on being healthy by tomorrow and adding in an extra gym day this weekend to make up for the weak workout on Tuesday, but we'll see. Hopefully after this week, with a couple weeks of relatively open schedule, I'll be able to get back to normal workouts and updates again.

How is everyone else?
-Meg