Balance and Health

So I have been struggling lately with how much I work out, what I am eating, and all around balance. This is one of my biggest challenges since I have entered graduate school. Honestly, it has been the biggest source of stress for me. It is difficult to have come for being in amazing shape, to being a little softer around the edges. I used to have a cut body. Six pack, killer legs, and killer arms. I still have part of this but there is much more fat there.

I struggle telling people that I am not in great shape anymore. They don't understand. Outwardly I look the same. No one really knows, and I haven't really gained any weight. Maybe 3 pounds at the most. The truth is I have lost a lot of muscle and gained a lot of fat. It is disgusting. I need to make working out a priority again.

I saw on Bobbi's blog that there is six weeks to the end of the healthy train. I guess I should jump on, and get serious.

I also eat like crap, it is so hard. I know these are all excuses because I have heard all of them before. I just need to make a complete change. No more excuses, and no more making up for the poor eating choices by working out more.

When I was training really hard, if I ate poorly it reflected in my performance. I would sink in the pool, or run slower. It is so important to eat healthy in order to perform at your best. It is common knowledge. My issue is time.

My time is so valuable that I do not want to spend even 20 minutes making something for dinner. I also have to work on projects so late in the evening after school that I usually end up grabbing something out because of time. It is easier to have someone else make me dinner than drive home, cook, eat, then go back to the library.

Overall, I have poor time management skills. I am stuck between doing well in school, and doing well in life. I know how hard I have to work for a B and how hard I have to work for an A. I honestly need to cut myself some slack, and go for Bs, if it means that I can cook, and exercise. This will go a long way, and this is a lesson I MUST learn before I graduate.

Here is the conflict I have with giving B work...it is not me. If it had my name on it, it will be A work. I will put an enormous amount of time and effort into it because I want my work to reflect me, which it does. If I do B work I am kicking myself for not working hard, I get stressed I am slacking and start to think I will fail out of school.

My long term goal for now until the end of the school year (spring semester) is to make time for my health.

How I am going to get there...

1. workout 4 times a week for an hour (lift 2 times a week)

2. make a big dinner Sunday that I will eat for the next week

3. write down everything I put into my mouth for 3 out of the 7 days (1 must be a weekend, not cheating on the weekends)

4. tell myself I will graduate when I start to give time to myself.

My goal for this week...

Exercise tomorrow right after class. Study neuro between 11 and 3. Attend study session Monday at 7pm after making dinner after I work out.

Write down what I eat Monday, Tuesday, and Friday

Floss my teeth (I never do this!)