May 20, 2019
I am on a desk treadmill as I write this post about my Precision Nutrition fitness journey. Its top speed is 2.0 and that’s just fine with me. The time is 8:17 a.m.
So far today, I have:
- Meditated for ten minutes.
- Read my Precision Nutrition (PN) Coaching Lesson. It’s the beginning of week 5 and time to start eating to 80%.
- Completed an easy, 5 question PN assessment.
- Made myself breakfast. I had an omelet consisting of one egg, one egg white, and a little bit of freshly grated cheddar; and, a few small chunks of pineapple.
- Done my favorite strength-training workout, the SpartaChris.
- Spent thirty minutes on the elliptical while reading Still Writing by Dani Shapiro.
- Drank 20 ounces of water.
So far today, I have not:
- Drank coffee.
Yet, I am content, able to think well enough to write, and satisfied. Without deliberation, my morning coffee seems to be shifting to my mid-morning snack. That shift means that by lunchtime, I will have consumed about 200 less calories today than I did two weeks ago. I don’t feel like I’m exerting willpower, or being disciplined.
I know I’ll have my favorite treat at a time of my choosing. Yet, if something prevents me from having coffee, I’ll be okay. The craving no longer holds me hostage. Though, I’d be remiss not to acknowledge that as I wrote the last paragraph, I did think about closing my laptop and showering, so I could go home and have coffee.
5 Weeks into Precision Nutrition, and what are my results?
The numbers. It’s what we enter fitness programs for, right? They’re supposed to help us better battle the scale and reduce the inches in certain areas. Why do I always lose inches from my breasts first?
When I began PN, I was hovering between 149 and 150 and holding back tears while on the scale. A couple of years ago I’d worked so hard to hit 145. Midway through last week, the scale did read 145.3. The past two days it’s been rock solid at 146.2.
The slight rise isn’t unexpected, or without cause. This past weekend was what we call a kids’ weekend. My fiance has his three non-adult children every other weekend. Our house becomes stocked with more snacks and treats when we have the kids. I strive to make dinners that are both healthy and that they’ll enjoy, so there ends up being less vegetables and more carbs at the table.
On Saturday, I decided to bake something that had fruit as its only redemptive quality, Lemon Strawberry Crumb Bars by Sally’s Baking Addiction. It had all of the good stuff: butter, flour, sugar (brown, refined white, and powdered), and eggs. Why did I do that? In part, to encourage everyone to enjoy some delicious berries while they’re on sale. Also, because I know I’m nearing that time of the month and gosh darn it, I wanted to.
Lemon Strawberry Crumb Bars with Blueberries, because I didn’t have enough strawberries on hand. Let’s connect! You can find me on Instagram @40fitnstylish.
When I had a small piece, I ate it slow. I rested my fork between bites. My attention was on my little crumble bar of dessert as I savored each bite. Then, I didn’t waste any time feeling guilty about it. Not one second.
Embracing the Tortoise as My Spirit Animal
What have I done while being coached for the past 4 weeks in PN? First, I learned to adopt a new habit. For me, that’s meditation. I chose to only adopt one new habit and to practice it each day for the first two weeks. Meditation has now become part of my morning ritual. During the past two weeks in PN, it’s been all about eating slow. I’ve embraced it! Even my fiance has noticed my extra slow eating pace, and the leftovers often on my plate when I’m done. Now, for week 5 and 6, I’ll be working on eating to 80% full.
I’m down three pounds after four full weeks. That’s pretty good. Nothing dramatic, or record-breaking. Yet, I’m not worried that those three pounds will suddenly return.
Other signs of progress: my stomach is more calm, my energy level is more stable, and I am sleeping sound.
To paraphrase Dave Ramsey in Entreleadership, Every time I read the Tortoise and the Hare, the Tortoise wins.
In many parts of my life I’m slowing down and staying in the moment. When I eat breakfast, I just eat breakfast. I don’t listen to the news, look at my phone, or open my laptop.
PN and my meditation practice are helping me slow down and enjoy the process. So is yoga.
Let’s connect! You can find me on Instagram @40fitnstylish.
In Vinyasa 3 Yoga at the Rochester Athletic Club on Saturday morning, our instructor encouraged us to find joy in the process and joy in the challenge. I am finding joy in the slowness too.
When it comes to your fitness goals, how are you approaching them? I’d love to know! Let’s connect on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
