Survived the weekend.......

Trying to be "good" on the weekends can be hard for some of us. Why should we have to "try"? Why can't we just "do"?

I have been there, been really good with nutrition all week just to let a few  bad choices on the weekend un-do all that hard work.  The usual excuses pop-up, "I have been good all week", "I have trained hard" "I deserve this fourth glass of red to wash down this cheese" etc.  Since when do we deserve to eat bad **crappy food as a treat for a good week? Irish much?  

I ask myself - Dons, what are you trying to achieve? Do you want to be fit and healthy and live longer, have more energy, sleep well, be sick less, tired and run down less? Of course the answer is YES. 

Simple question really and the answer is even easier, eat good healthy foods 80-90% of the time and move your body a few times a week. Enjoy a glass of red, or two, have some chocolate...  just don't binge eat on weekends or anytime as a reward or punishment. I know I am healthy at least 70-80% of the time and need to up the ante.

On the food front, why do we feel the need to justify why we are being good/bad (I am very guilty of this one). Not labelling foods good or bad will also help you be healthier, without the guilt, you should not feel guilty for eating or drinking something. Ever. Eating is fuel, your body doesn't want chocolate, your mind does. Your sub conscious knows your habits and has already sent those "craving" messages before you even decide if you want chocolate. Why? Because that is what you normally do, you have a habit and because you crave it you think you need it. You don't. You need to control your sugar levels and eat to fuel your body, not your mind.  I know what fuel makes my body functions better on and I steer MYSELF towards ingesting more of that, it makes me happier in the long run.  

Ok, so,  this weekend was Day 3 & 4 on the #Whole30 plan - update for those who aren't sure what that is..... eliminating dairy, grains, processed foods etc out of the diet and eating fresh healthy foods instead went very well.  I made excellent food choices & was prepared mentally for the weekend ahead.  I did food prep.  I made a chicken curry with veggies and brought eggs and bacon/spinach to cook omelette on Sunday.  Had almonds in my bag and some fresh fruit. So easy, too easy really. No excuses not to eat healthy just because you don't have any food available. You are tired and run down because you aren't eating well and when you are tired and rundown you pick the easiest option, which is 99% of the time, NOT the best option. And on continues the pattern.

I know the scales don't give you a clear indication of what is really going on in the body but I have dropped 2.5kgs since Thursday last week. A lot of stored carbs but am feeling amazing & this keeps me motivated to strive harder. Sleeping better already, NO food cravings, lots of energy and I am super keen to get back to a leaner weight like picture below taken in August last year.  WHY you ask? Because I felt strong, lean, fit, healthy and I could slide into my jeans without them being tight or restricted.  Technically it is only another 3.5kgs on the scales but I am wanting to drop more bodyfat and gain more muscle, so that number might not change much but my body will be SMALLER, TIGHTER and LEANER!

I remember how it feels and why would you not want to feel like that? I love being in that healthy place, where you eat well, train well and feel amazing. It is just life, how you feel daily. You have a few treats now and then because you fancy it rather than it just being a habit or poor planning - it isn't HARD it is quite simple. Like any other habit, you just do it, you live and breathe it everyday.  

 My top five tips to be the healthier version of you:

1. Surround yourself with positive supportive people, they might not GET it but they should still support your decisions and not sabotage them, you only have to report to YOURSELF.  

2. Be Organised. Plan your week ahead, know what events/outings are coming up and plan plan plan.  Failing to plan, is planning to fail.  Don't use the easy way out as an option. Fight harder.

3.   Ditch SUGAR.  I guarantee you if you stop eating ALL sugar for two weeks you will feel amazing. GO on try it, what do you have to lose? 

4. Move your body - walk, swim, crawl at least 3 x a week. 30-45mins is all you need. No back to back  classes, this stresses your body. You cannot out train a bad diet. 

5.  What are your goals? Write them down.  Losing 5kgs isn't a goal.  What does that mean to you?  Going to gym 3 times this week is a goal, getting into jeans, cooking healthy foods, being able to play sport with your kids without getting out of breath, is a goal.

** Bad crappy food list

Fast food, deep fried foods, wine/beer/shots (more than 2 standard drinks a day), chocolate/cake/lollies/***BANANA BREAD 

***Banana bread goes straight to your ASS.