New Focus

A little post-cleanse update...

As I mentioned, I'm continuing to do what I've been doing over the past three weeks for the majority of the time (so far, all the time...it's only been 1 1/2 days). So, now that I've got a handle on what to eat, I'm ready to focus more on exercise. While on the cleanse I started getting stronger and a bit more flexible with yoga, which I will continue (as I believe it is the most complete exercise), but I'm ready to start running again and I'd like to do some more strength training. When more of your body is composed of muscle, as opposed to fat, your BMR (basal metabolic rate) is higher all the time, so you burn more calories just being alive. The best shape I've ever been in was my first couple of years of college when I lifted weights 5-6 days a week. But I really miss running, especially at longer distances where it becomes almost meditative. In 2008 I ran two half-marathons (6 weeks apart!) and felt such a sense of accomplishment from those. I didn't even train properly for them...I just imagine how I would feel if I had. Today, I'm going to devise a workout schedule including a mixture of yoga, running and strength training (in the form of my P90X videos - only the strength ones). I'm ready to see some body parts tighten up a bit. :)

Last night I started reading a book I recently bought about being happy without being perfect and I'm pleased to say that I've (inadvertently) already taken steps to do that via the cleanse. I still have some work to do, but I'm going to put some of the practices to the test in the next few weeks as I increase exercise. I'm going to focus on progress and take pride in each step, even baby steps. Part of getting over perfection requires catching yourself in a negative, most-likely unrealistic thought...such as "if I eat this cookie, I will blow everything and get fat." Obviously that's not true, but too many of us do that all-or-nothing thinking. My other favorite is when I focus on the one mistake rather that all the good - ex. say I've worked out 5 days in a row and miss a day, and start verbally abusing myself for doing so, instead of focusing on all the progress made in the 5 workouts and simply getting back to it the next day. I know I'm not the only one that does this, but I'm the only one I have to live with day in and day out. :)