Well what a week I have had. My first full week in my new job working 11 to 12 hours a day with no breaks after lunch, continuously on my feet lifting 25kg+ boxes of meat, standing and cutting meat up to exact weight portions (bloody fussy chefs :P) and getting home with sore back and feet aching to the point sometimes they feel almost completely numb.
This has seriously screwed up my routine and I have found myself little energy for proper exercise and the return of the after din dins hording down of food in sight. Since Sunday night (2/12) I have found myself bingeing on anything I can find. Sunday was just a couple extra choc biscuits which I logged and still came under. Monday I managed a wee walk which helped me again come under post binge.Tuesday onwards it just kept on rolling and rolling I ate almost anything and everything I could find during the next 3 days inc 6 boiled potatoes in one sitting, 3 on another night all unlogged :( On Thursday I logged what I ate and was over and I did think of not posting it then I changed my mind and decided to leave my posting settings the same, so I posted my diary warts and all.
How could I be completely open and honest with myself if I was not prepared to do the same with a group of people I have come to know and trust, who have always been supportive and offered great advice. I not once beat myself up over this eating but It did frustrate me no end. I was not eating enough protein that's why I was hungry was one of the things I looked at and made an effort to fix Friday/Saturday with noticeable differences. But to be honest I thought to myself that If this continues into and through the weekend That would be it! The weekend was to be make or break for me.
Friday rolled around to a better day, no bingeing and Saturday was by far the best day I have had this week! Ate well and was not craving anything. No exercise (resting up the limbs) but really satisfied and happy. And looking at that make or break comment....I would only be fooling myself if I allowed a off week ruin all the great and positive physical and mental gains I have made since late October. My friend said I should allow for at least two weeks to settle into a new full on work/eat/exercise routine and that makes sense. So I have planned out my next weeks exercise with 3 rest days and 3 walk days with Saturday a maybe day. Eating a bigger lunch to fuel my body till 6pm at the least is on the cards, and a sneaky snack mid afternoon to top me up.
One thing that came from this and everyday I binged I did not beat myself up about it, I just accepted it and woke up the next day all ready to roll no guilt for last nights crap, nope new day new start. 3-4 days of bad choices is not going to ruin the other 26 or so in the month now is it! Its what you do to understand and fix the days this happens that matter. Accept them for what they are and plan ahead for a new day tomorrow. Because thats what I'm doing, next weeks going to be a better week for me and it can be for you!
I told only one other person about my struggles this week someone who has and continues to support me in my struggles and also my recent triumphs, she always offers great hints and advice which helps me stay the course. I am also accountable with a weekly exercise plan I share with her usually every Sunday when I make up a new plan and go over the weeks plan. I have found having someone to help me and offer advice and encouragement as well as being able to directly share the ups with extremely helpful and motivating. She has once again helped me stay the course and I believe its almost vital esp in the early stages of the journey to try to find someone like that. I never sort her out but as a MFP friend to begin with we became better acquainted and soon became good friends. Thats why to be fair I think even if you don't believe in logging or tracking each and every meal MFP also provides something (that sadly sometimes real friends that you grew up with or see everyday) and thats supportive understanding people who can relate and understand just what its like to be overweight and struggle to lose it. Get a support system in place and be true to them but more so be true to yourself, because at the end of the day if your not able to be honest with yourself then your only fooling the one person who really can do something about it, and thats YOU!
I will also make a commitment here on this blog, to all My Fitness Pal friends that I shall always be honest in the logging I do weather it be in the foods/exercise or in the comments.
What kind of support network do you have around you?
