If you've undergone a weight loss process, are actively trying to lose weight, or are between the ages of 13 and 80, you've probably tried to go on a "diet" at least once. From Atkins, to paleo, and programs such as RP training, there are so many diets out there that it's hard to keep track of what's actually a good, productive, and sustainable diet.
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Being a senior in college is absolutely wild and four years definitely goes by a lot faster than you think it will when you're staring at the beginning of your college career.
School itself has been a very up-and-down experience for me, and maybe it has been for you too. I had a fantastic time in high school besides some extreme AP history tests, and I've always been a fairly average or above-average student in some cases. While early years of schooling had some ups and downs, college has been this crazy nutso whirlwind with extremes all over the place. The bad stuff was really bad and the good stuff was really good. I've learned a lot but now I'm insanely burnt out and tired of being in school. (Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely eating up every fantastic element about college before I launch myself into whatever's next.) Burnout happens with a lot of things in life. From school, to work, and even your workout routines. You're not always going to be motivated or have a reason to be motivated, and sometimes this causes people to get off track. I experienced diet burnout by the time I ended my freshman year of college and went from majorly regulating what I consumed to having chicken tenders and fries three nights a week. However, burning out just means that you get an opportunity to start over and try to pick up where you left off, or completely revamp your routine. My relationship with food:
I started off on my health journey during my sophomore year of high school. (Head to my "About Me" page for the full rundown.) I took dieting so seriously in high school that I would miss out on going out and eating with friends. Some changes I made were great. I changed my breakfast routine from eating vending machine cinnamon rolls three times a week to having a healthy, nutritious breakfast, and would bring lunch to school rather than paying for it. Despite the changes, I wasn't truly eating properly, and it was majorly affecting my body. During the softball season, I almost passed out because I was malnourished, and by the end of my junior year, my thick, full head of hair ended up thinning out. While I was eating better, I wasn't getting the proper nutrients for my very active lifestyle. By senior year, I ended up being able to course correct so that I was eating well, eating enough, and my hair started coming back. By October of my freshman year of college, I got tired of only eating salads and microwaved eggs in order to be healthy. There were very few--and still are very few--legitimately healthy foods on campus, and I gave up my clean eating attempt. Chicken tenders and mac n cheese were readily available throughout the day--even at 11pm--and everyone was eating the same food I was. I didn't feel bad about the food I was eating until I looked in the mirror during the summer before my junior year. My jawline was gone, my stomach extended so I couldn't see my feet, and there were rolls on my back. So, I decided to try and make the change and I've been going on this journey ever since, trying to find what works for me and my body. I enjoy food. I love nothing more than getting a good dish of Lamb Korma or a slice of as-close-to real pizza. I was miserable on the paleo diet when I tried it because I was saying foods were off-limits. With the meal plan I'm doing at the moment, I can eat what I want--as long as I don't go over my carb limit for the day. This forces me to look closely at what I'm consuming, and either making room for a fairly carb-heavy meal or going in an alternate direction depending on what I've eaten for the day (like having chicken and veggies instead of a sandwich). Food is not the enemy. It's an opportunity to fuel your body in a way that's appropriate for the day you're having. That being said, there's a difference between indulging, fueling, and over-indulging. Indulging: having a good meal and a drink on the weekend. Just one. Fueling: Having a sandwich (wheat bread, tuna, veggies, etc. etc.) before a 2 hour intensive gym session. Over-Indulging: Having a slice of pizza, and another, and another because the pizza's almost gone. Then ice cream because you've worked out all week and "you deserve it." Enjoy your favorite foods, but do so in a healthy and manageable way that lets you enjoy what you're eating rather than making excuses for eating it. I hope you have a happy, healthy, and ful(filling) week! I have completely changed my weekday morning routine in the last couple of weeks from one that allowed me to have just enough time to get everything done in the morning to one that allows me to have ample time.
For the sake of comparison, here's what my routine looked like before I made the change: MONDAY/WEDNESDAY/FRIDAY 9:30a: Wake Up 10:00-12:30: Make coffee, go to the bathroom, make the bed, do makeup (if so desired), make breakfast, eat breakfast and watch a YouTube video, take a quick shower, get dressed, brush teeth, pack backpack, grab bike, leave. TUESDAY/THURSDAY 7:30a: Wake Up 7:40-9 : Make coffee, go to the bathroom, make the bed, do makeup (if so desired), make breakfast, take a quick shower, get dressed, brush teeth, pack backpack, grab bike, leave. Although I gave myself a lot of time to get ready and to wake up slowly, some days I would feel rushed to get out the door, and wouldn't have time to enjoy the morning. In order to enjoy my morning (and to get to pilates on time), this is what my new morning routine looks like: Every day: 5:30a Wake up, drink green tea, enjoy the sunrise MONDAY/WEDNESDAY/FRIDAY 6:30-7:15: Pilates 7:30a-12:30p: breakfast, cold shower, tea, podcast, homework, day planning, make bed, go to meetings, etc. (in no particular order) TUESDAY/THURSDAY 5:30a-9:00a: Breakfast, get ready for class by doing all the various morning things described earlier, get bike and leave. While I love my new morning routine, the one downfall is always on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings when I feel like I'm rushing to get to pilates. Yes, despite having a very open morning in the end, I still feel like I'm rushing to get out the door. When I'm out of bed and I know there's something to do, I hate waiting around to do it and have a burst of energy. However, when it comes to the morning, I prefer taking my time and getting to ease into the day. OTHERWISE this has been an awesome change to the routine. I love being able to start my day with the sun, and I absolutely go to sleep with the sun (for now). Of course, I'm definitely a morning person so waking up at 5:30a might not be for everyone. However, if you think it's something you could do and it would be sustainable (yes, sustainable), then I encourage you to go for it! Thank you so much for your patience with this blog post--it was an incredibly busy weekend with my family in town, and I'll be back on schedule this week! I hope you have a happy, healthy, and sunny week ahead! I think I can officially declare it Fall in Tucson, AZ. After having some rain last night this morning was cloudy and cool, and the weather has stayed rainy and chilly well into the afternoon. I absolutely love Fall, but the desert takes a little while to catch up with the rest of the country when it comes to not being in summer anymore. While this morning has been awesome, I'm sure we're going to pop right back up to the 90s soon enough.
Even if the weather isn't cooperating perfectly, it's a brand-new month and the beginning of one of my favorite times of the year. That means I have new and improved goals, and so much to look forward to when it comes to my health and fitness journey. My October Goals: 1) Continue to watch carb intake--keeping it at 50g/day 2) Be active and work out in some way for all 31 days of the month 3) Limit alcohol intake to only special occasions (aka tailgates and Halloween) 4) Watch posture 5) Stick with the new morning routine and enjoy the sunrise I have not only declared these goals, but I'm determined to keep track of them and actually accomplish them all. Hopefully by doing so, by the end of the month I will gain confidence and be a lot more fit than I am at the beginning of this month. In order to help me with this journey, my partner has a similar diet and morning routine, and I've created this handy-dandy workout schedule for myself (below). Happy Halloween Month! |
AuthorElena B. Archives
June 2020
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