Because I Can.

I can run. But I’m not a runner.

Moving has been a lot more difficult trying than I expected. Don’t say “I told you so” Mom! I’ve really learned a lot without even really noticing; a lot about my relationships with people, a lot about what I want [or have no idea what I want..] out of life, and most importantly, I’ve really learned a lot about myself.

Without a job, I have a lot of time on my hands. That’s not to say I’m not filling that time—blogging, job searching, side work, studying for my personal training certification—I definitely keep myself busy. But that’s a lot of time by myself and it’s a lot of time thinking, whether I like it or not. It’s brought me to think about being comfortable with myself. It’s brought me to realize that I can throw my old routine to the wolves and still make it out alive. I also think about the things that truly make me happy.

I’ve really learned more about myself in these past few months than I thought I would. Last week was kind of rough [read: I was rough on myself.] It seemed like no matter what I was doing, who’s method I was trying, what workouts I was doing, the scale went up [I know. Toss the scale.], my clothes felt tighter, and I just didn’t feel great. I took an extra rest day because my legs legitimately hated me and the thought of moving. So Saturday night, I decided that Sunday would be a run day. I wanted to prove to myself that I can still run.. at least a 5K. Because everyone runs, so why shouldn’t I?

So I ran. I ran a 5K, then I walked a little, and ran a little more. I totaled 5 miles on the treadmill and then met Nathan for a quick run over to get some coffee. And in that time I realized that I can run, but I’m not a runner. I don’t enjoy it. My body doesn’t enjoy it. It doesn’t clear my head. It’s just not fun for me. But you know what? That’s ok. I don’t have to be a runner because other people are. Hell of an idea, right?

I enjoy lifting—I enjoy Best Body Bootcamp [darn this being the last one!]—and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’ll still do 5Ks because I like the feeling of finishing. And I’ll still run when I feel like it every now and then. Because I can. Not because it’s what good for other people. It’s crazy that it took so long to figure out.

Weekly Meal Plan

Sunday – Chipotle Mango BBQ Chicken Salad [this one got pushed from last week]
Monday – One Pot Moroccan Chicken + Chickpeas with Pistachio Couscous and Goat Cheese
Tuesday – Baked Turkey Meatballs, Honeyed Cauliflower, & spiralized veggies
Wednesday – Chicken and Asparagus Lemon Stir Fry [with added mushrooms. Because why not?]
Thursday – Pork Carnitas tacos with roasted red pepper, pineapple salsa, and rice
Friday – Out!
Saturday – Buffalo chicken, baked onion rings, and roasted brussels sprouts

If you’re ever looking for help with meal planning, shoot me an email!

Food for Thought

Do you enjoy running?
What’s on your menu this week?

Breaking Routine

People tell you to find a routine that works for you. One that you know you’ll stick to. That’s how you become successful, right? I found my routine. I was successful. And then I moved across the country and everything was thrown out the window.

Oh hey, Cali 🙂

I noticed that I was taking advantage of the hotel meals and drinks that I wouldn’t normally have and things were slowly creeping up on me. And when I say me, I mean my waistline. Not to mention, being in a new place and wanting to explore the areas and amazing restaurants proved to be irresistible. It stressed me out and I was seriously craving routine.

Holy ramen!

I was afraid of what my scale would show after almost 9 weeks away from it. It’s crazy, I know. I figured I would unpack our boxes, push the scale aside, and wait a couple weeks until I felt more comfortable. I opened up the first box and there it was. Go freaking figure. But I did as I had hoped; I put it away and forgot about it. Honestly, I had too much crap around me to concern myself with a piece of plastic to stand on.

What’s great about routine is that when you break one, you can create a new one. As we were getting settled in our new place, I found my new routine. And after less than a week of getting back to my real oatmeal breakfasts, huge salads for lunch, and home-cooked dinners, I also found myself feeling much more comfortable in my skin again. I felt good and I wanted to get past the scale anxiety.

Helloooooooo big salads!

Now, what’s funny about routine, is that sometimes you just need to break it. Everyone says you should shake it up a bit every now and then. I honestly believe that from spending almost 2 months of eating differently, my body completely readjusted. Less than a week of my old “norm” and my body went right back too. Hell of an idea, right? The number that I saw last Tuesday was the same number that I saw 2 months ago before I packed that baby up!

There’s been a lot of talk about not setting New Year’s resolutions, but having a word to set the tone for the year. I decided my word would be trust. I need to learn to trust myself more. I need to learn to listen to my body more. And if there is one thing that these past couple months have taught me, it’s that my body truly does know what’s best. Want a sandwich? Eat a sandwich. Want a couple fries? Steal them from Nathan’s plate 😉 Craving some ice cream? Get. Some damn. Ice cream.

Worth it.

Knowing that I’m making healthy decisions everyday when I go to the gym, eat my protein oats, have a huge salad, and load up on veggies with my dinner makes it that much easier to enjoy a treat every now and then. I’ve been reading other blogs and people have been coming to this realization every single day. Everyone just need to make that realization in their own time and I’m glad my time found me.

Now excuse us as we enjoy the 70 degree weather 😉

Food for Thought

Are you an intuitive eater or do you set a schedule or meal plan?