To Plan or Not to Plan...

Are you a planner or someone who just goes with the flow and lets things happen?

I have always been a planner.  There have been times when I’ve found this to be a thing that gets in the way of living.  However, when taking on a new lifestyle, planning is a key to success.

Sure, it’s easy to follow this weight-loss program without too much planning – but not planning at all is going to result in not-so-great results.

I love that I just have to open and prepare (in a few cases, open and eat) five packets a day to get most of my day’s meals ready.  That leaves my Lean & Green to plan for.  And it requires planning.  Even the five packets a day require planning.

I need to be sure that I’m stocked up on my Medifast meals and order in a timely manner so that I don’t hit that “I’m going to run out!” panic mode.  That surely wouldn’t do me much good while trying to control my food choices and make decisions that will get me to goal. 

I need to plan my Lean & Green meals so that I have plenty of vegetables and leans (beef, chicken, turkey, tuna, cheese, meatless products) on hand to create tasty meals that will keep me satisfied.

I need to think about what my day’s schedule is like so that I know if I need to have a few bars or bags of bites in my purse or if I can prepare a day of shakes to pull out of the fridge in my classroom.

Tonight, I’ve planned for the next two days.  I know that I’m going to the Brewers’ game right after school tomorrow.  I won’t have time to pick up a healthy dinner between school and the game, so I wrote down my Chipotle order and left money with my dad and he’ll have it packed up and ready to go.  I know that I’ll need one Medifast meal for at the game, so I’ll have a bar or bag of Barbecue Bites in my purse for the game.  I know I’ll need lots of water to get through the night, so I’ll have a few large bottles of water ready to go.  And, knowing that I will be the ball game late tomorrow night, I have my meals for Tuesday planned so that I don’t have to worry about them tomorrow night or early Tuesday morning – when I know I will be wanting to squeeze in as many hits of the snooze button as humanly possible.

This is planning to succeed.  This is how I’ve lost nearly 50 pounds and plan to lose a whole bunch more. 

Sure, I could leave it to chance – but then I’d be having a bratwurst with Secret Stadium Sauce and sauerkraut for dinner tomorrow – followed by a soda or a beer.  And I’d be without meals for Tuesday because I’d still hit the snooze button in the morning.

I choose to plan.  Sure, sometimes I take it a little far – but it’s a long way from the starting line to the finish line.

Go get ‘em, tigers!

Let Them Eat Cake!

Oh, I love cake.  I love ice cream.  I love frozen custard.  I love donuts.  Yep, love it all!  It's tasty and delicious and yummy and just some of the best tasting stuff I can think of.


But, it is not going to help me to reach my goal of a healthy weight and the active lifestyle that I enjoy - so it will have to wait.

Someday, not to far from now, I will be able to incorporate these things back into my life as once-in-a-while special treats.  That day is not today.  And it was not yesterday.


Speaking of yesterday...  While sitting at lunch yesterday, my colleague Ben came up to me and said, "You have to go to the office.  There's pistachio cake."  I looked at him - probably as if he's lost his ever-loving mind - and said, "No, I'm not going to have cake."  His response: "It's Temptation Tuesday!"


Apparently, some of my colleagues are playing the game in this Biggest Loser contest.


I did not go to the office and I did not eat cake.


Today, while chatting with some colleagues, I looked away for a second, turned my head back and saw a box of bakery-fresh ho-ho-like delights in front of me.  Directly in front of me.  


I didn't eat the ho-ho-like delights, either.


Tonight when I got home, I was greeted with the newest issue of Milwaukee Magazine in my mailbox.  Haven't seen it, yet?  There is a triple scoop cake cone on the cover...of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry frozen custard...from Kopp's - on the cover!


Oh my!


Well, world...you can throw all the temptations at me you'd like.  I walked past the peanut squares my dad had sitting on the counter last weekend.  I didn't eat the cake yesterday.  I didn't eat the ho-ho-like delights today.  And, I didn't drive to Kopps...or Leon's (it's much closer - and I think, better!) tonight to indulge in some of Milwaukee's best commodity - frozen custard.  That's right.  I'm on a path and I'm not stopping.  Not until I reach my end point.


You kids can all enjoy these tasty and delightful treats.  I'll see you there later.  Save me some ice water and fresh veggies.  


Thanks!
Jenny

Changing Up My Maniacal Cycling Habit

This is a hard one for me.  I have been mulling over how I'm going to approach cycling this summer - now that I have my health back, the bike is ready and I am ready...

I've already started riding and am going out about 3 times a week for the past 2 weeks.  It would be very easy for me to just keep up with the training calendar that I've ALWAYS used to train for the bike tour (it's a training schedule to prepare for a century - 100+ mile - ride). 

However, I REALLY want to stick with 5&1 (not even 4&2) until I get to goal.  And, if that's the plan - the most I can ride is 45 minutes.  This is a MAJOR change in how I do things.  It will also mean that I will not be riding the miles I usually do for the bike tour...100+ one day and 75 or 100+ the second day.  There's just no way I can accomplish that with this caloric intake. 

It would also mean an adjustment in some of my other summer activities - cycling-wise.  I ride at least twice a week with my two best friends - once for a weekly women's ride on Tuesdays - about 90 minutes-2 hours and then our long rides on Saturdays/Sundays (one day/week).  They know I'm back on the program, but probably not what it means in terms of changing up my training. 

This is a major reigning in of my maniac running/cycling natural tendencies...but I really need to stick with this plan.

If I stick with 5&1 and limit my activity to the guidelines, I will be able to do so much more by the end of the year - I need to keep my eyes on the prize...not the mileage!!!