liveandbreath

so i did some soul searching this week.  I’ve decided to stop calorie counting (at least not as obsessively as i have been).  Many of these calorie plans just do not take into account the individual enough.  I really think i need to listen to my body rather than what a diet plan says.

I had literally so much work for grad school this week that i went a few nights with no sleep at all and went home only to shower and change for my presentation in the morning.  So working out did not happen this week.  But I think that’s OK, i needed some time to really think about my body and how i want to make it healthier in the healthiest way possible.

My friend Becca at school has gradually worked up to running about 4 to 5 miles a day over a period of three months.  She has lost probably between 5 and 10 pounds during that time.  She is similar to my body type and started out three months ago at about the same size i am now.  I’d really like to use her as motivation and as a guide for myself.  I would like to approach loosing weight the way she did - just eat when i’m hungry and stop before i’m full, choose healthy stuff most of the time and work out everyday.  I know that sounds so obvious but for the past few months i have been calorie counting and often not eating enough to keep up with my workouts, which would lead to burn outs and then over eating because i was upset about going off track.

so i am resolving to put away the calculator and listen to my body instead.  I also plan on not weighing myself too much, i like to notice the difference in my weight by the way my clothes fit not what the scale says.  Lastly i need to make time to work out every day.  Over the past few months i went down 6 pounds then back up 6 pounds… i think making a lifestyle change the way Becca has will get me to eventually loose those 6 pounds or more the healthiest way possible, and hopefully once i get there i will be so energized and happy for my success i won’t want to stop running/exercising.

Using this approach rather than obsesively counting calories will get me to my goal probably a month or two later than if i counted calories every day.  But at least i will be happier day to day, my body will be satisfied, i will be improving my overall health rather than running myself down and in the end, once i reach that goal i may not only stay there but i may exceed my expectations.

So as i titled this blog - slow and steady wins, i have to stop assuming that the faster i lose the pounds the better i will feel and the happier i’ll be.  I’m going to put my focus on how fast i can run and how far.  Trying to improve my endurance and physical preformance each day i work out is a much healthier thing for me to focus on than how many calories are in that packet of ketchup i just put on my chicken.

thanks for reading =)  i’ll keep checking back with my buddies and blogging along the way, this is going to be quite a long journey but hopefully mostly a fun one.