I seem to be having tremendous difficulty with my lifestyle
The title above is quoted from Douglas Adams, and I thought of it while considering my own lifestyle.
At the start of this year, I decided I needed to make some fundamental changes in how I go through my days. While not prompted by any one event, the combination of busy home life and increasing sluggishness and lack of energy made me think that it was time to reassess my day. And so you know, this was not a new year’s resolution, since they aren’t kept.
With the arrival of number 2 son mid-January, and the ever increasing energy of number 1 son, I’ve decided to create a new way of approaching diet and exercise. That is to say, I started them.
In a moment of synergy, at the time I decided to start this new lifestyle, I attended a professional development session at work about stress and nutrition, which bolstered my decision. Armed with some new info, I began in earnest. So here’s the deal:
First, I am not on a diet. I am changing my habits. A “diet” implies I am limiting what I can or can’t eat. What I’m doing is just assessing what it is I’m eating, and to limit my portions. I am using some shortcuts (such as having diet microwave entrees for lunch rather than going out) but even at home, I keep myself to reasonable portions. I’m still eating stuff I like (such as pasta, which is a “diet” no-no), and it seems to be working well.
Next, I am not on a weight loss program. Yes, I’m overweight – shock, I know. And what I’ve found is tracking weight (looking at it as quantifying loss) is unsatisfying. Every time I step on the scale, even when there is loss, all I see is the distance I have to go. It feels like I don’t lose fast enough, and that’s discouraging. So instead, I am not stepping on a scale, at least not until I can perceive a definite change in my size (a good one is when I run out of notches on my belt – there’s currently one more left).
Lastly, I am not on an exercise program. No measuring, no tracking. I am trying to just make it a habit that I need to fulfill every day. To that end my lunchtime at work is now spent at the Union Building, either on the elliptical trainer, or lifting weights and riding the bike. On weekends I try to get in a bike ride while the family takes their afternoon naps (sadly, nature has conspired to keep me from biking three weekends in a row – I don’t want to do any “workout tapes”, cause it doesn’t feel right doing that stuff in my living room). One goal for the new house is to equip it with some gear to facilitate some additional exercise. What I’d like is a morning and afternoon workout, but the aforementioned boys make that a bit tougher.
So there it is. Call it a program if you like, but with some dedication I hope that the new lifestyle becomes just the way I live.
