Recognizing Whole Foods

Yesterday a new habit was introduced: Eat Whole Foods only

this is what I aspire to. I've always been interested in Clean eating or eating whole foods. I like the idea of not eating packaged foods or foods with long lists of ingredients. This makes sense to me. Love this new habit.

from the plan....

But what about stuff that’s in between? Maybe it comes in a bag or box or bottle, but it’s still pretty close to what it used to be.
For example:

• canned tomatoes

• frozen peas

• cold-pressed virgin oils

• fresh juices — if they’ve been made right in front of you (prebottled ones don’t count — they’re still highly processed, even if they claim “fresh-squeezed taste”)

• dried beans or lentils

• coffee or tea

Again, ask yourself:

1. What are the ingredients?

2. How many steps did this food take to get to me? (If you don’t know, it’s probably worth finding out.)

If the answers are:

1. One or two things.

2. Not very many.

…then you can call it a “whole food”.
If the answers are:

1. Added, non-whole food ingredients.

2. Quite a few.

…then you should go with another option

 

Just try to be a little bit better than yesterday

 

Eat Whole Foods

Got a new habit today:

Eat Whole Foods

what does this mean?

Note: Still try to

• Do a 5-minute action where needed
• Eat slowly
• Stop eating when 80% full
• Eat lean protein with each meal
• Eat at least five servings of vegetables
• Make "smart carb" choices
• Plan PN-friendly meals
• Be conscious of what you eat (although you don’t have to keep logging your intake)
• Have a sleep ritual (and shoot for at least 7 hours of sleep per night)
• Drink only non-caloric beverages
• Use a targeted recovery strategy

 Whole foods include:

• vegetables
• fruits
• meats and poultry
• fish and seafood
• nuts and seeds
• beans and lentils
• whole intact grains
• minimally processed dairy (e.g. fresh plain yogurt)

Now, you can make things out of whole foods, and that still counts. For example:

• If you make stew from fresh vegetables and meat — that’s whole food.

• If you make an omelet from fresh eggs and fresh veggies — that’s whole food.

• If you make a quinoa and mushroom pilaf — that’s whole food.

Consistency is the key to progress

aka "Mowing the Lawn with your house on fire"

What to focus on

Let’s review where you should be putting your energy and attention:

Eat slowly, to 80% full, consistently.

Learn and follow your body cues, consistently.

Eat good quality food, consistently.

Be active regularly.

Do the right things, consistently.

In other words:

• Are you eating slowly and thoughtfully, making the best food choices possible, as often as possible?

• Are you eating to a true 80% full? Or just kinda sorta, sometimes?

• Are you eating real food instead of “diet foods” or other fake foods?

• Are you doing your workouts as scheduled? Are you putting in a good effort?

• Are you checking off your habits every day, and sticking to the previous habits?

• Are you sleeping and recovering enough? Do you have a good sleep routine (and are you using your relaxation techniques)?

• How consistent are you with your nutrition? (Check your food journals, or try another few days of food journaling, if you want to be sure. Don’t just rely on your memory.)

• Are little snacks and “extras” sneaking in? Are you “forgetting” about your daily Frappucino, muffin, or beers? Are you nibbling off others’ plates after dinner?

• Are your expectations appropriate? Are you trying to do too much too soon… or do you have a clear understanding of what realistic, long-term body transformation involves?

• Are you focused on taking ACTION, right now, today? Or are you “wondering and worrying”?

Assignment

What are the actions and behaviors that matter most for YOU?

• I really felt great when I was walking at lunch - I need to commit to doing this again. This got me consistently getting my 10,000+ steps in per day
• Regularly doing my PN scheduled work outs -
• Eating Slowly to 80% full

What can you do today to make sure you do those things?

• Tonight I will go to the gym,
• since i missed my walk at lunch today, I will do cardio tonight at the gym to get my 10,000+ steps in.
• I ate slow(er) at lunch today
• I will make an effort to eat slowly to 80% full for the rest of today
• I think this is what I need to focus on again.
• the first 3 habits and getting my workout in.
• I did it before and it wasnt hard. I need to do this again.
• I will start right now.
• eating slowly to only 80% full

Supplements Are Supplements

Supplements are supplemental

Supplements can't salvage a poor diet or inactivity. 
Work on improving your food choices, basic habits, and consistency before considering any additional supplements.
Again, supplements are supplements: an addition to a good foundation, not a substitute for good nutrition, nor a magic bullet.




For now, let’s keep a laser focus on what really matters:

• Do your workouts. Consistently.

• Read your lessons. Consistently.

• Do your habits. Consistently.

• Ask for help if needed. Immediately.

That’s how our PN Coaching finalists succeeded… and it’s how you’ll succeed too.

Recovery defined

Good stress vs bad stress

Remember there are a couple of key features that differentiate good from bad stress.

• Good stress builds you up; bad stress breaks you down.

• Good stress is short and intense; bad stress is chronic and ongoing.

The hormonal and physiological changes that happen in a single workout are good… if that workout is reasonably short and not too tough, and if you recover properly afterwards.


Recovery is a mind and body game. For example:

• Prioritize proper sleep.

• Eliminate mental stressors such as self-criticism.

• Visualize problem solving and positive outcomes.

• Relax and chill out. Focus on the big picture instead of "wondering and worrying" about small details.

• Anticipate, plan, strategize. Be proactive and prepared for problem solving.

• Build a supportive environment. Ask for help.

• Tune in to your body signals.

• Follow an appropriately planned, intelligently varied, fitness plan — don’t beat the heck out of yourself at every workout, and don’t do the same thing every time. Mix it up, focus on good form, and stay mobile.

Good Stress & Bad Stress

Some stress is good stress. Good stress pushes you out of your comfort zone, but in a good way. Good stress helps you learn, grow, and get stronger.

Exercise can be another form of good stress. You feel a little uncomfortable but then you feel good, and after an hour or so, you’re done.


Each of us has a unique “recovery zone”. Our recovery zone depends on several factors such as:

• our age

• our natural personality type (i.e. are we adventure-seeking adrenaline junkies or homebodies who prefer calm and quiet?)

• our “stress resilience” — how well we cope with and rebound from stress overall

• our allostatic load — what else is going on in our lives

If your existing pile of straw is already heavy, then it’ll take only a few more straws to break you.

Assignment

What are 2 mentally stressful things that you experience regularly?

#1 Commuting to and from work

#2 Money worries

What are 2 emotionally stressful things that you experience regularly?

#1 when I am grumpy I 'lash out' at the ones I love most (my Mom and Dad, My husband, My daughter)

#2 trying to fit it all in - cooking, doing my workouts, taking care of daughter, taking care of cats, going to work, and making time for things i love to do.

What are 2 physically stressful things that you experience regularly

#1 commuting - this shows up again, since it is probably the #1 source of all my stress

#2 trying to fit it all in - cooking, doing my workouts, taking care of daughter, taking care of cats, going to work, and making time for things i love to do.

Recovery strategy

Use a Targeted Recovery Strategy

Today, and for the next 2 weeks, focus on doing this habit. Every day, choose a strategy based on your nutritional age and training schedule:

Option 1: Take BCAAs after your workouts.
Option 2: Eat a PN-friendly postworkout meal.
Option 3: Do another form of purposeful recovery.

What is a BCAA?

BCAA stands for branched-chain amino acid. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, which you need for nearly every body function. Think of amino acids as Legos for your life.

The brands we recommend include:

• Amino Complex by ThorneFX (powder; our recommended choice)
• BioTrust BCAA Matrix (capsule)
• Fast Recovery BCAA + Creatine (powder)

  What we're really looking for here is good post-workout nutrition and recovery.

Option 1: Take BCAAs after your workout.

Use BCAAs after intense exercise, such as weights or hard intervals.
Take 5 grams of BCAAs immediately after your workout. (Either 5 capsules, or 1 tsp of BCAA powder.) 
If you use BCAA powder, mix it into 2-3 cups of water. (This ratio doesn't have to be perfect; just dissolve the powder in some water.)
Because BCAAs dissolve slowly (much slower than other powders), it may take five minutes or more for the powder to evenly mix and “settle”, so we recommend you prepare your drink a few minutes before you head to the gym.

 

Option 2: Eat a "real food" meal with some protein and carbohydrates within 1-3 hours after a heavy workout.

This should be a normal meal. All the same rules apply. You don't need to over-eat or rush to get this.
In fact, you might not even feel hungry after heavy training. That's OK.
Just try to have a little something in the few hours after an intense exercise session, whenever you feel hungry.

Option 3 (non-workout days): Do purposeful recovery.

On non-workout days, get your checkmark by purposely doing something that helps you recover mentally and physically.
That could be:

• making sure you get lean protein at every meal, consistently

• make sure you get enough colorful fruits and veggies, consistently

• working on your sleep ritual, consistently

• doing active recovery (such as a brisk walk outside in the sunshine)

• doing 5 minutes of foam rolling as your 5-minute action

Oh hey, how about that — you already know how to do all this stuff! 

Seriously, that is all

Just be a little bit better every day. And do that consistently.

Today in PN coaching...

Today, we just want to give you two simple reminders.

You can't out-train a poor diet. 

Consistency beats compensation.

 
OK... so THIS is the message I needed to hear.

I have to concentrate on getting my PN coaching eating habits better vs my exercise. I know that exercise is important, and I also know that I LOVE how exercise and moving my body makes me feel. I want to exercise more... but
I need to make sure that I am learning the eating habits, and that I am taking the time to eat slowly and prepare healthy meals. (protein, veggies and smart carbs)
Instead of shoveling 'frankenfood' down my throat so I can do my workout.
If I have to miss my workout, then so be it...

This is what happened last night,

although instead of missing my workout, I should have just gone and done my interval training for 20 minutes. On a side note, I did get my lunchtime 3.5 K walk in... better than pre-PN!!! and that is what matters

I guess this is one to add to the Me Manual.

Rules of Fuel

Today's Lesson is all about 'Fitness Foods' like protein bars, booster juice, Gatorade etc...
What to eat after you workout. But this rule really applies any time.

Think about it, be mindful of what you are putting in your mouth and body.

 When in doubt, ask yourself:

• Am I truly physically hungry?

• Does this meal nourish my Lean Eating athlete body?

• Does this meal help me look, feel, and perform better?

• Does this meal add value to my body?

This is a lesson I need to learn, absorb, deconstruct and practice.
am I hungry? do I need another bite? is this nourishing my body?

email to coach

This is the note I just sent to my coach:

Hi Coach ,

I guess my reset button got stuck :)

I may have taken this past weekend off from all thoughts of PN, even the exercise part (which I love).

Part of me was resenting the huge time and energy commitment I have made to this, and the fact that I am not seeing any results (on the scale). I was feeling “why bother” spending all this time working out and trying to juggle my schedule around to get the workouts in, and getting out at lunch and eating all this extra protein, and buying veggie supplements and protein powder, not eating treats, not going out for Friday lunches with my coworkers etc… I have been feeling like I have given up all my special indulgences like cuddling up on the couch with my daughter watching a movie and eating popcorn, or enjoying going out for lunch with my coworkers on a Friday etc… So I gave myself permission to take the weekend off from PN… although I am still suffering the guilt and after effects from eating a whole bag of popcorn… the salt (UGH!!!).

I shouldn’t say I haven’t seen any results, because I know my blood pressure has gone down, I am no longer dizzy and light headed all the time (even when sitting). My body feels stronger, my side plank ROCKS, squats are EASY!!! I can do burpees J etc… The changes to my physical abilities have seen enormous gains. Prior to PN I was working out 2x per week with a personal trainer, and 1x per week doing cardio. Now I have been going for a 2 – 3Km walk every weekday lunch hour, 3x weight trainings per week, 2x interval trainings and the 1x Active recovery and am always looking for new and fun ways to exercise and incorporate fun activity into my life and my family’s… and now even my coworkers (I have arranged a Thursday lunchtime skate at our indoor arena!!!)

The exercise component of PN has reenergized me to a point where I have not felt so HAPPY in over 8 years. (since before the birth of my child). I am completely addicted to how exercise makes me feel. I think no matter how this PN experiment goes, I will take away the need to exercise more than I was.

So I can say I have been seeing results on this PN journey.

The Habits…

These I am completely failing at. I think I was trying to deal with all the balls in the air at once and I felt overwhelmed and stopped doing any of them. (just after the protein habit) I know I should just do what the PN instructions say: Today’s lesson, Today’s Workout and Today’s Habit. But it is so hard not to get mired down in the other habits that I am not doing. I tend to have “all or nothing” thoughts. It comes from the same place as the perfectionist does.

I don’t really know how to fix it.

PN coaching is helping a bit, but I think I have been this way for so long it is a really really really hard habit to break, its almost part of my genetic code.

This carb habit is impossible. I know what I should be doing, and I even like Quinoa :) but actually doing it is proving to be way more difficult than I expected. I am so used to throwing some chicken in a wrap or having an English muffin with an egg and salsa etc… that breaking this is messing with my ‘go to’ recipes. It is now screaming of more hard work, since I have to research new recipes and find new carb sources that I like, and prepare them ahead of time

I keep wondering if this is worth it. Yes I would like to weigh less, but wowza it is ever difficult to shed even one pound.

This week, I am going to try and focus on the carb thing, and getting back into the exercise groove. (since I missed Friday and Saturday last week, and I haven’t gotten 10,000 steps in in 3 days) . I am going grocery shopping tonight, so I will have food in the house to get this thing done!!!

I really appreciate you checking in, I know I should be more self guiding and responsible, but man is it ever easy to fall of the wagon and stay off :)

NOTE: this coming weekend is Canadian thanksgiving … the good news is that it is pot luck. We are bringing a salad and doing grilled veggies on the BBQ. 

I have to stop looking so far into the future and getting overwhelmed. Planning and strategizing is good… but it can also freak me out and overwhelm me.

Id better stop obsessing over how things are going and just DO IT.

Thanks for checking in.

Fiona :)

rereading old posts.

I just read a few of my past posts, specifically the one about 'false hope syndrome' (from November 2013). I have to say this is something that really stuck with me, the concept of forgiveness and forgiving myself for slip ups and not beating myself up for eating something that might not be 100% healthy. I spent several months thinking about this and practicing this ... and now I dont even think this way anymore. I think that post, and reading a lot about the subject, and really practicing forgiveness and moving forward helped. I no longer beat myself up for my imperfections. This has made me much happier. If nothing else my feelings toward myself have improved. I no longer think constantly that I am a failure and that I am weak.

This is a good thing.

Re Focus on my key habits

I find myself falling backward on the scale,
I feel it is because I am slipping in the slow eating and 80% full habits.
I have always eaten fairly healthy foods, with lots of veggies and protein.
This is not why I am overweight :)

I think I am going to skip trying to do the PN prescribed habits (veggies and protein etc...) and stick to practicing:

- Sticking to my work out schedule as prescribed by PN coaching: I am having great success *almost* always fitting in my Workouts, Intervals and Active Recovery. In addition, I am trying to find new ways to get more exercise and movement into my life (e.g. yoga classes, bike rides with family on weekend, fishing trips, fall hikes, geocaching etc...)

- 5 minute habit (I LOVE THIS habit) I have chosen to walk during my lunch hour, or on weekends this translates to getting outside and doing 'something' outside. During the week I usually go for either a short 2K walk or a longer 3.5K walk, depending on how I feel, my time restrictions and the weather. I really want to continue this practice through the fall and winter, cause it makes me feel FANTASTIC. and I get to hit my daily 10,000 step goal almost every day.

- Eat Slowly: I was seeing so much success with this one. I felt great, satiated and saw amazing progress when I was focusing on this. I was less bloated, my blood pressure dropped, I had less heartburn, less dizziness and lightheadedness etc... I know this is one that I need to MASTER.

- 80% full: This habit came while I was on vacation, and never really felt that I was able to really practice this one properly. I know this combined with the slow eating are my keys to changing my lifestyle and making me more mindful of what and how I eat.

So, I am going to focus on the above habits, and 'check' off on my daily habit if I feel I have practiced these habits that day.

For some reason, I need validation to do this, my inner 'perfectionist' needs permission to not follow the rules :) I am working on trying to DO IT, vs. fail at trying to do all of the habits, cause I feel I have too many balls in the air. As the habits are increasing, I am finding myself slipping on the ones I saw huge success at. I honestly think that if I can master these key habits I will have long term success and weight loss.

I am also really working at living the truth that is: "I am the type of person who makes good food decisions and does not miss my workouts". (this was said in an earlier lesson somewhere, and it 'spoke' to me)

I know that this program is more about what I am DOING vs. the knowledge that is being provided. So I am deciding to DO my workouts, my 5 minute habit, Eat Slowly and to only 80% full. I will continue to read and complete my lessons, and hopefully incorporate these into my routines and repertoire.

I am doing this.

What's it gonna take?

Today's PN lesson was listening to several clips from JB (CEO of PN). I must go back and re listen to these often. download them and put them on my phone, so I can listen anytime I need to.

Think about what it takes to get and stay lean, and to create your new identity.Important 'Truths' that I need to learn and apply.

MOST IMPORTANT TRUTH: It will be hard work, it wont be easy, but it will be worth it.

1. One of the most important parts of getting and staying lean is achieving the right exercise and food balance.

2. Ever been on a road trip? Well, getting lean is a lot like that. You have to be single-minded, undistracted, might be hungry, might not sleep well, might have to work hard to stay focused and get there. But that’s the trade-off for an awesome destination.

3. Getting lean and staying lean are two very different things.

4. What’s holding you back — and how can you overcome it?
How often, you only need to change one or two things — not everything at once
How easy change can be if you just find and eliminate the right limiting factor for you
How most limiting factors come back to identity — who you define yourself as
How can you “be” the “fit exercise person”?

5. Some people believe that all it takes is that initial push — all they have to do is diet once, then they can go back to their old habits. But while anyone can get lean, very few people can actually stay lean.

6. “I don’t have time to exercise or eat well.” Sound familiar?
How making “fit person” your identity magically creates time
Why you should keep a time journal
Common time wasters and inefficiencies
How to streamline your life and make healthy living happen
Why it’s OK if things aren’t always easy

7. Many folks worry about making mistakes or getting behind in PN Coaching. But unless you have an accident where you lose your mouth, you’re in PN Coaching for good.

We’ve designed PN Coaching so that you can make things up
Aside from driving your car into a tree, there are almost no decisions in life that are irreversible
PN Coaching is a slow and steady lifelong journey, not a “weight loss sprint”
It’s never going to be the “right time”… but that’s OK
You can stop and smell the roses, have fun — and still meet your goals

what is progress?

What is "progress"?

If you’re going somewhere, how will you know when you get there? And how will you know that you’re on your way in the first place?
While it’s pretty difficult to get anywhere specific without some semblance of a map, a lot of us never even see the road signs and mile markers that line our journey.


It’s hard to see “progress” in daily life because you see yourself every day.
That said, you can easily measure other types of progress that will let you know you’re getting closer to your goal of being fit and healthy:

• Can you lift 10 pounds more today than you could last month?
• Can you run 5 minutes longer than you could last week?
• Have you been virus-free this year — after getting 6 colds last year?
• Has your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol gone down from your last blood test?

While these are “hard facts”, other types of progress are intangible. And some can really surprise you.

Track what's important to YOU

PN Coaching is YOUR journey. So track what's important and meaningful to YOU.
Ask yourself:

• What will tell me that I am getting better at doing what I want to do?

• How do I know I'm on track to my Destination Postcard?

• If I get what I want, how will I know?

Look for progress everywhere

You never know where progress may lurk. Keep an open mind, and hunt for it.
You'll find that it's easier to let yourself go slowly if you can find small signs of everyday progress.
Today, see if you can notice and name what's different since you started PN Coaching.

Assignment

List three results that will indicate you are getting closer to your goal.

 1. Farting less / Less bloated
2. feeling like being more intimate with my husband / being more intimate with my husband
3. Doing More and analyzing less, in other words, Acting and Doing instead of wishing. If I can see that I am doing things each and every day toward my goal... I will be succeeding
4. Wedding rings fitting


What other forms of progress have you already noticed in the last month
I already feel successful, especially in the making progress toward my goals... I feel like I am acting and doing things that are directly going to make a dent in my weight.
Exercising more, moving more, getting more fresh air. Hitting my daily goals and targets.

So far my favourite habit is definitely the action habit.
I am very consistent now about getting outside everyday for a walk. This i am happy about, and hope to keep up

the slow eating habit, is also really cool... I just need to keep it up and remember to do it consistently

SLOWLY

PNers do it SLOWLY.

(this is awesome)


This week, we've been talking about why it's important to slow down, relax, and pay attention — and how this apparently simple change can eventually have big results.
Today, we're going to give you a slightly wacky suggestion:

If you over-eat, do it slowly.

(Trust us. This sounds crazy, but it works.)



Whatever you eat, whenever you eat, no matter how crazy or epic the eating episode becomes... just do it slowly.

WHAT TO DO TODAY

1	Eat slowly. At every meal, try to take a few extra minutes. Put your utensils down. Take a breath or two between bites. Notice tastes and textures. Enjoy and savor your food.
2	Over-eat slowly. If you need to over-eat or binge to feel better right now, no problem. You have our permission to eat whatever you want, as much as you want. The only catch is that you must do it as slowly as possible.
3	Hang in there. If you're struggling with over-eating, it may seem like there's no end in sight. Be patient and persistent. We've helped thousands of people change their behaviors for good. It just takes time and practice. If you're here, it means that at least part of you wants to change. All you have to do is keep showing up.

Notice and Name exercise

What's going on?

What are you doing... right now?
What are you thinking... right now?
What's around you... right now?

Notice and name

Noticing just means pausing to pay attention.

What's going on right now? What am I doing?

Naming just means you take an extra moment to describe the situation to yourself. Call it out.

Oh, right, I'm feeling rushed, and that means I'm more likely to grab junk.

How does that help me?

When we slow down, pause, and pay attention, we put our conscious, thinky brain in charge instead of our unconscious, automatic brain.
We're able to make more informed choices. Like picking healthy food.

Assignment

Use your "5-Minute Action" to check in during one meal today. Add your observations to your "Owner's Manual".

What did you notice about that meal? (e.g. Were you able to eat slowly? Did you feel good about your food choices? Where did you eat? etc.)

Answer:

I was able to eat my 'snack' slowly.
I ate at my desk, but not in front of my computer. I was reading an article that I had printed out.
I started reading the document, about one page in, I got bored... then decided to eat my snack.

Interesting ... I was bored... so I wanted food

I was restricted in what I could eat, since I brought my lunch with me, but I did eat the 'All Bran' bar first of all my food. This happens to be the 'treat' in my lunchbox.
also interesting, I get the reward food first :)

I feel like taking time to eat lunch at work is a luxury that I cant always afford. I want to use my lunch break to get outside and go for a walk and get some fresh air.
This is why I feel rushed when eating my lunch.

I'd like to do this again at a different type of meal, eg dinner at home alone or dinner out at a restaurant, or a Sunday breakfast with the family where I am 'served' the meal by Ben.
Notice what I am doing, how I am feeling and assign a 'name' to it. for example (as in the above) I was bored... then I wanted to eat.

Outcomes vs. Behaviours

what you do right now — and in the near future — contributes to the outcome you seek.
Ask myself how confident am I that I can do what I am asking myself to do?
Can I see myself doing this next week, next month, next year?
Growth zone - is area just outside of comfort zone... make sure what I am asking myself to do is achievable and that I will actually do it.


Today's exercise was to draw 4 circles, and write what I will DO to get to the outcome 

My outcome = To be successful at PN coaching, to be at or working towards 145 Lbs

This month I will = Practice the PN Habits and WO as prescribed, consistently. I will keep "showing up" and doing the habits and lessons, even if I fall off the wagon for a day or two.
This week I will = Eat slowly, walk outside at lunch, get my WOs in on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Today I will = Eat Slowly, Walk outside at Lunch, Do my PN measurements (from Saturday), Do workout #2 (x2) at 7:30pm. If I have time i will also do the Raisin Experiment?


from the PN site:

"notice that:

• behavior goals are things you do consistently and regularly;

• behavior goals are small, manageable tasks that are within your control; and

• behavior goals are often things that you can do right now, today or in the near future. (5 Minute Action anyone?)

Again: You can’t control the outcome.
But you can control the behaviors that, when done consistently, will move you in the right direction."

Mindful eating

This week was all about being mindful of what and how we eat. This is VERY difficult. I need to continue practicing this.

EAT SLOWLY

slow eating turtle

Wow, last night (and all my meals yesterday) I really slowed it down.

Habit #2 = Eat slowly

I am doing this, it is really hard, when you are used to shoveling it in, as I have done for the past 20 years.  Last night at dinner, my husband had already almost finished his meal, when he realized that I wasn't also gobbling up my food. He then started to slow it down and dinner lasted 20 minutes! I probably could have made it last longer, but It was bed time :) I think he is going to try this habit with me. I also want to have Bridget try it as well... it will be good for all of us.

Stick to the program. Be consistent, patient, and persistent. Keep showing up. Day after day. One step at a time.

today:
1 = do workout
2 = do habit
3 = do lesson

easy

Slow down

This week started a new habit, the habit of "Eat Slowly".

The main idea is to slow down your eating, and be present and aware of your eating and how the food tastes and how your body feels.

This is HARD.
 From the PN Site:


1. Eating slowly is one of the two most important habits in this entire program.
2. No matter what else comes at you in PN Coaching, you can always go back to simply eating slowly.
3. Eating slowly and mindfully is more important than:

• what you eat
• when you eat
• where you eat
• who you eat with
• getting anything else "perfect"

To lose weight, try an Opposite Day: Eat slowly and deliberately without distractions.

OK, lets Git 'er dun!!!
Note: I did it yesterday, and yes it was hard, but I can do this... I just have to remember to do it ;)

I have put post it notes all over my cubicle. Now I have to do the same at home :)

Summary of information that is super relevant to me (so far):

• Progress, not perfection: you don't have to be perfect, just try and do better than yesterday.
• Taking a small action today, and every day, consistently, will add up to big results.
• If you fall into the hole, get out immediately
• ACTION is more important than information
• My "Why": To be Successful
• Make slow eating your "anchor" 

slow eating strategies

What's your strategy for eating slowly today?
My strategy for eating slowly includes:

chewing my food, and ensuring all little bits and pieces are no longer in my mouth before I eat the next bite,
e.g. all bran bar, break into small pieces (x8) chew and get all crumbs out of teeth etc... prior to taking next bite

Put down food, or fork between each bite. Do not pick up food or fork until all the food in your mouth is finished.

Week in review

How can I plan and prepare for my week ahead to give myself the best chance of succeeding with my lessons, habits, and workouts?

In other words, take a few minutes today to think about how you can act proactively this week.

It is a short week this week, since Monday is a holiday.

1. Lessons:
- I can go  back and complete the lessons I missed, due to the weekend.
- I can complete my lessons as they come in,
- Tonight (Tuesday) I can get my photos done and posted.

2. Habits:
- I can continue to complete my habit from last week, get outside for a walk.
MORE SPECIFICALLY - when at work, get away from my desk and get outside and move.

- new habit - Eat slowly.
Create 'reminder' popups on phone, in outlook, post it notes - Eat Slowly
Be mindful of how each bite tastes. actually smell and taste food, be aware of eating and chewing.
put food down, fork down, spoon down between each bite
take sip of water between each bite.

3. Workouts:

I can pre-plan all my workouts and ensure I am getting the correct number and types of workouts.

Week of Aug 4th - Aug 10th

Day	PN Original	Altered
Monday	WO 1	Active Recovery
Tuesday	Active Recovery	WO 1
Wednesday	WO 2	PT with Tracey
Thursday	Active Recovery	PT with Tracey
Friday	WO 1	Active Recovery
Saturday	Intervals x2 (practice)	Intervals x2 (practice)
Sunday	REST	Helping Alex Move

The rest of this week should be pretty normal: wakeup, make lunch, drive to work, work, drive home, pick up B, evening activities, sleep, repeat.

Dealing with life as it happens

Yesterday we learned that you don’t have to be perfect to have an amazing transformation with PN Coaching — you simply have to do a little better than the day before. 

Taking a small action today, and every day, consistently, will add up to big results.

This is pretty powerful stuff, no?

I have to remember if I do slip up, miss a workout, miss my habit etc... I can start again at any time, right now, I dont have to wait till monday. I just start :

PN Mantra:

START WHEREVER YOU ARE.

USE WHATEVER YOU HAVE.

DO WHATEVER YOU CAN.

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So here is today's assignment

You know your own habits, tendencies, and patterns. What might challenge you today or this weekend?

I think my biggest challenge will be trying to move the workouts around to fit my schedule. 

This is challenging for a couple of reasons, It means I am not fully following the PN schedule of workouts, active recovery and rest days... BUT I will still be able to be very active, especially at the cottage. This presents several challenges and several opportunities to do things differently and mix it up. The cottage is where I can run down to the lake to go swimming, and climb the hill to get back to the cottage, I can walk to the beach (5K), I can do the park workout, I can pack my foam roller... all is good.

I dont have my gym with me at the cottage. 

But I can print out one of the 'park' workouts (lunges, squats, pushups) and do that instead
Also I can do intervals up the hill...
so even though I might not be able to do my prescribed workout, I can do something
like swim across the lake, go for a hike, walk to the beach

Also, i will be in the car today for 5 hours and then again on Monday for 5 hours...

Also, I wont be able to submit my before and after shots, or my measurements until next week.
I want to do my photos this evening when I get home, so I will have them done.

What small action could you do today in order to manage that challenge?

I can do my farther walk (3k) at lunch today, to get my activity checked off... in lieu of my strength training workout

then on saturday, when I am supposed to be Active recovery... I can go for a 5 K walk to the beach AND do the 'park workout' where I do walking lunges, squats, pushups etc... to replace the workout that I missed on Friday. 

And then on sunday when i am supposed to have a rest day, instead do the active recovery, then on Monday have my rest day.

next week I am seeing Tracey on Wednesday and Thursday.

Running from the Bear

So this, was the picture on today's Lesson

 

after I finished laughing my head off, I actually listened to the message from the lesson... it was about perfectionism...

You don't need to be "perfect". Shoot for "pretty good" instead.

When you’re running from a bear, you don't have to run the fastest. All you have to do is run a little bit faster than the slowest person.

These are the questions that I had to answer:

 

Think about what's different since you started PN Coaching.

What is one small achievement you've had so far? (Even if it's "I didn't fall down in the gym today"... hey, it counts!)

What is different?
I already feel successful
I have killed my 5 minute habit, getting outside for a short walk, every single day... even if it is only for 5 minutes (most days are longer)

this is helping me meet my 10,000 steps per day goal
I have hit over 10,000 steps per day for the past 8 days out of 10... that is amazing!
I have also consistently done the PN prescribed workout, or switched the active rest day for a weight training session or vice versa
this makes me feel like a rock star

But, a discussion on the forums really got me thinking harder and harder about this lesson... and I posted this piece about what I really 'got' from this lesson... watch out, it is DEEP

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I too really 'heard' this message speak to me. I am a long suffering perfectionist. I already see myself 'needing' green check marks... and I know there will come a day that I don't get my green checkmark... eeek.

I think if I really learn this lesson this year, PN coaching will have been worth it for me :) I need to learn this lesson.

years ago I was considered the 'black sheep' of my family, the child who 'might' not graduate from high school, let alone university... I heard that lesson loud and clear for the first 22 years of my life. In my parent's defense, I really didn't DO anything to help myself during that time :) I was a slacker who barely scrapped by and never applied myself and never made the best choices.

But something happened around 22 years of age that changed my mind... I took a course at university that I actually LIKED, and I did my assignments and went to class... and low and behold I got an A in the class... thus began the next 20 years of me trying to 'Prove' to myself and to my family that I was smart, I was hardworking and I was capable.
I know that my parents are proud of me and most people I meet today would never suspect, or probably even believe that I was less than awesome at everything I do (now)... I think deep inside I will never meet this standard of a person I hold myself to being now (aka super woman with a PHD in every subject).

I think my need to be perfect stems from not wanting to be a failure, and that if I don't do it all PERFECTLY... I will disappoint myself, thus never actually doing it, to avoid failure.

I need to put this on my top 3 list of things to address this year :)
I may have to go back and revise yesterday's lesson and change my goal from a specific weight loss goal (reach 145lbs) to making progress toward my weight loss goal. Maybe I have to force myself not to get 100% green check marks, so I force myself to accept less than perfect ;) (wow)

I have to accept that my journey to 145 lbs might take 2 years or 3 years. The point is... that I am working toward the goal, making daily progress.

pretty profound stuff... and we are only in week 2... I cant wait to see what epiphanies I have over the course of the next few months