Another week gone

I’ve been extremely busy at work this week so my days have been long and a stressful, which is something that usually triggers my over-eating. I’ve been able to remain somewhat good with my food intake this week, not great but not horrible. I did have some sweets this week and a couple of glasses of wine last night but that’s part of life. I am not going to feel guilty about having a few “treats” from time to time.

I’ve only exercised twice this week, but I have been so sore lately that it feels like I’ve done heavy weights every day. I had an excellent chest and back workout last Friday that left me sore as hell and only did some cardio over the weekend. Monday I was still sore so I decided to take a rest day in preparation for my lower body workout the following morning. It kinda work as I felt fine while working out but then I had to deal with my thighs and but being sore the rest of the week. I hadn’t gotten this sore since I began working out back in November. I’ve definitely noticed I can push myself harder at the gym so I’ve been upping my weights and trying out more challenging routines, which is good but at the same time my body now has to get used to it and hence the soreness. Usually it’s not a big deal as I work from home most days but this week I had to be at the office pretty much every day and worked long hours so by the time I got home I had very little motivation to do any exercise. My legs are like noodles which makes walking, even short distances a struggle. Hell, even sitting down and getting up is torture at this moment.

How do people that exercise for a living do this? Have they just adapted and learned to live with the muscle soreness?

Next Monday I am leaving on a business trip and will be out about a week and a half. It’s one of the longest business trips I’ve had to take in a while and the first one since starting this journey. I am a bit worried about falling back into old habits while on the road so this will be a true test of my conviction to stick to living a healthier lifestyle. I tend to snack a lot while on the road, either on the plane or driving and even while waiting at the airport I would usually buy some chips and soda or some candy to eat but I need to keep my head in the game this time.

I’ve come up with a game plan for this trip which I’m hoping helps me stay on track:

1. Look for actual food at the airport and stay away from packaged snacks and/or fast food choices. If I need to snack on something, look for raw or unsalted nuts or any fruits available from the airport vendors to help keep me feeling full and satisfied.
2. Water, water, water and more water – I usually get so thirsty during my trips from not drinking enough water and maybe indulging too much in coffee and sometimes alcoholic beverages. Thirst can sometimes be mistaken for hunger so keeping oneself hydrated helps curb appetite as well.
3. Expect to be jet-lagged and try to keep some sort of schedule. When you’re in several different timezone in just a few days it can throw you off big time. Schedule enough workouts to stay on plan but not so much that you set yourself up to fail and will be too tired during your daily business activities.
4. Lookup restaurants near the hotels and plan where and what you’re going to be eating ahead of time if possible.
5. Never skip breakfast – Skipping a morning meal, especially if I have a long day ahead can leave me starving for junk food later in the day. Having a full healthy breakfast can keep me from making bad decision later on.

I hope to have some time to blog while on the road. Maybe in the evening when I’m back at the hotel so hopefully I can give you all good news on my next post.

Thank you for checking in and for taking the time to read my ramblings.

Until next time.