Today I had more time than I normally do, at least that's the way it seemed now that I look back over it. I woke up this morning and did my morning exercises, as I normally do. I complained to myself about having to get up early but did it anyway, as I normally do. I congratulated myself on completing the morning routine and felt fabulous afterwards, as I always do. but then my routine changed.
Normally, by the time I have finished my exercises and walked upstairs my wife is sitting up and sipping the tea I made her before I started. She is normally reading and ready to go in the shower once I am ready. Then we will both go downstairs and have breakfast together and the day, and work, will begin in earnest. However, this morning when I arrived back into the bedroom she was still asleep. It didn't surprise me, she had had a migraine at about 1.15am and I had had to go and fetch her a migraine tablet, which took its time to work. So I figured that she probably wouldn't be her normal self in the morning and that we would probably get less done today.
So having made it back up the stairs with sweat pouring off me and my legs wanting to give way on the stairs, I had a shower and sat and read instead of going downstairs whilst my wife had a shower. From there things pretty much returned to normal, just a few hours behind. Therefore I thought that today would be less productive than normal and that I would get less done. As I was tired I also thought there was a possibility that cravings would come and that I would give in to some of them.
And I have. This evening I had a beer from the fridge, I thoroughly enjoyed it and am very content with just the one. However, other than that, I have stuck to plan, I have done more than I normally do and I have managed to rack up 10,000 steps despite only going for a couple of short walks, as my wife couldn't manage more. Even with the beer I am still a couple hundred calories away from the 1680 I am allowed during the day, so I am going to have a banana and a yoghurt later on to fill up those remaining calories and make sure that I am not diminishing my muscle mass. Diminishing your muscle mass after 40 is a problem, especially if you aren't eating the required number of calories per day, that you need.
Even though I thought I had very little time today, it turned out that I had lots of time if I used it wisely and didn't become distracted during the day, which meant no snacking and no real cravings. I moved seamlessly from one job to the next and have thoroughly enjoyed the day. This is something of an eye opener for me as I always thought I had so little time and that it was precious. But now I realise that I must have been becoming distracted a lot during the other times, even when I made a list of things and times.
Again, I know that things will be different and that tomorrow is a new day with its new distractions and new accomplishments and different emotions coming and going, but each day I am growing and understanding a little more about being healthy and sticking to my plan. Maybe I have not been as rigid this week, but I have certainly stuck to the calories and maintained discipline. It is much harder if my wife isn't doing it or if she decides to have a day off...and this is something I will seriously have to watch over the course of the next few weeks. I don't know if you have someone that easily helps or hinders you but mine does. It isn't her fault, she is on her own journey and she is entitled to do it any way she sees fit. However, my willpower isn't great enough yet, nor my healthy lifestyle strong enough yet for me to not be influenced by what she does. Hence why I have to watch myself in those times.
That, then, has been my day. It's been fun and trying at times, but ultimately I have stuck to my plan and hopefully this will continue for the rest of the week. We will see the honest truth of it on Saturday when I weigh myself. The scales will be honest with me, even if I have not been honest with myself.
Until tomorrow, stay safe and stay strong.
Thanks for reading.
Sean.