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