Exercise and Food

Working out is hard work. 

Finding time to workout is even harder work. 

The hardest work of all is trying to convince your brain you actually do want to get up and workout instead of lay in your bed and sleep an extra hour.

Stupid bed.

(Just kidding! I love you please don't be mad, Bed. We'll be together forever, I promise!)

But seriously, if it wasn't so comfortable I wouldn't sleep so much. 

I haven't done as much as I would have liked but I've done more than I usually would, so that's a plus, right? Here's the schedule I'm trying (and marginally succeeding) to use: 

• wake up
• get dressed in running clothing
• jog for approximately 1 mile (if I can't jog the whole thing, walk for one light-pole-to-light-pole distance, and start again)
• do planks (increase duration every two days or so) and an exercise (switch between squat sequences and ab sequences, increasing repetition every few days or so)

That's it. That's my master plan for the moment. I'll eventually increase the 1 mile to 1.5, 1.7, 2.4, 2.7, and 3 miles. Anytime after I want to run 3 miles, I will need to run the Centennial Trail.

I'm super excited for being able to run those distances but at the same time, I'm, like, "have you seen my booty run? Not a pretty sight. It's kind of like Jell-o in an earthquake."

I'm not giving myself enough credit, though. I've almost made it the entire mile without walking. It may not be an eight-minute-mile but it's almost completely done by jogging and that's what matters most. 

Even more difficult than working out is working on what I eat. I know nutrition is super important and I'm a firm believer that 6-pack abs are shredded in the kitchen as well as in the gym. 

But that doesn't make it easy.

In fact, I think it makes it harder. Come on! Who is going to give up powdered donuts for tofu curds? Really?

sigh

Of all the "lifestyle" diets around, I'm leaning more toward the Paleo in style. I haven't actually read anything about it. I've just seen trends on Pinterest. But from what I understand, Paleo advocates non- or minimally-processed, GMO-free, heirloom foods. They encourage grass-fed, non-hormone and -antibiotic treated animal proteins. The discourage white sugar.

I'm just not too keen on all that coconut and almond flour nonsense.

If you can find a farmer who grows heirloom, GMO-free, organic wheat, why not use it? The problem with our current AP flour (and other varieties, of course) is that it mostly comes from genetically modified grain. More grain per stalk equals a higher yield come harvest. Better for the farmer, right?

Definitely not better for the consumer. 

As long as I can stick to organic, heirloom wheat, why can't I enjoy pasta and bread? (Speaking of bread, I have an amazing recipe I want to try! It's more nuts than flour and it looks amazing for toast. Check it out here.) I can grind my own wheat into flour using an attachment for my Kitchen Aid and go from there. 

Other than flour, I'm totally on board with the Paleo thing.

Well. I guess I would change a few things. Like vegetables at the base, fruits at level two, animal-protein, grains, and legumes/beans at level three, and desserts and fatty foods on top.

Enough ramblings for the night,

Cheers!
LC