Back to the Grind

I've been back home from my parent's house for a couple of days, now.  I've had a little time to adjust and get back in to the swing of things... and now it's time to get back to doing what I do.

This week is going to be pretty busy.

Today, I have to take Butter for his visit with Therapy Dude.  It's my his follow up visit post parent's house to see how I'm he's adjusting.  Therapy Dude blocked out an hour and a half for our visit today.  Does he know me or what?  He knows I'm going to be all up in there talking about my problems and stress.

Unfortunately, though, Butter has a lot to talk about too.  Some of his old behaviors are starting to rear their ugly heads - and that worries me.  I don't know if it's because of the stress of being at my parent's, being out of school, or knowing that he's going to be starting a brand new school in a couple of months.  Probably a mixture of all of it.  Whatever it is, I need to find a way to knock it on the head - now.  I understand that there's a lot going on right now, but we have to find a way to deal.  This momma has no problem admitting when it's hard to cope.

Starting tomorrow, I'm teaching a nutrition class for the rest of the week.  It's half a day each day, two classes per day.  For 90 minutes, I have to keep kids amused by discussing nutrition.  Luckily, I'm teaching the same lesson to 8 different classes. 

I've decided to teach about the importance of staying hydrated.  Sounds thrilling, doesn't it?  But, like I said a few posts ago - I don't want to be too much of a hypocrite.  I don't want to stand in front of a classroom of kids and tell them how important it is to eat healthy, when I am struggling with that myself.  Staying hydrated I do know a thing or two about.  Plus, I can incorporate playing around outside in the heat and following up with some good old H2O.  Yes, I totally plan on using this time for my own benefit of getting some exercise in as well as drinking some water.

Being at home has been weird.  I feel almost like a stranger in my own home.  I don't like the clutter or the mess.  I have some serious work to take care of.  Being at my parent's house somehow brainwashed me in to enjoying a clean house.  Even though I'll never really care for this house, much, I can at least work on getting it decluttered so I can be comfortable.  For now.

I've also realized that now it's time to put up or shut up in terms of getting back on my weight loss horse.  That poor ol' horse.  I sure do get up and down off of him way too much.  He's ready for a nice, long ride.  Not a gallop that only lasts a day or two before he's forgotten again.  Anyone else think it's weird that my weight loss horse is male?  No?  Okie dokie, then. 

I'm still determined to lose 20lbs before I go back to work.  I spent some time, yesterday, rearranging my closet and moving all of my summer clothes to the front and temporarily retiring my winter clothes to the back.  It was good for me to see the clothes I was able to wear last summer, but will have some trouble wearing this summer unless I do something about it.  I have so many cute summer dresses, capris, shorts, etc. that are dying to be worn again.  I could almost hear them talking to me.  "Oh, Joanna, do you remember how great you felt when you put me on last year?  Don't you want to feel that way again?"  Yes, clothes, I do.  I do.

My plan for eating is to go back to eating clean.  I tried doing it twice, and both times I had HUGE results very quickly.  The first time was the week before spring break.  I lost something crazy like 7lbs in a week.  Then, I did it a couple of weeks before school got out and lost 8lbs that time.  The problem is, I didn't stick with it.  I jumped off that horse way too fast...and so the weight crept back on just as fast as I lost it.

One thing I learned about eating clean is it's a do or die program.  After a few days, my body starts to adjust to the good things I'm pumping in.  That leads to a fast weight lost the first couple of weeks, cause it's unloading all the nasty toxins and water weight that's stored.  The problem is, though, if you don't stick with it - the weight comes back hard and fast.  I lost 7lbs in a week eating clean, gained it back in a week of not eating clean.  Lost 8lbs in two weeks, gained it back in two weeks. It goes to show that changing my eating habits has to be a lifelong commitment, or I'll be right back to square one in no time. 

I also learned that eating clean isn't expensive or really that difficult.  I'm just eating more natural products.  I'm avoiding white sugar and flour.  My taste buds really enjoyed the changes I was throwing down my throat.  AND, it's very easy to compromise with a family that isn't really on board with cutting out the foods they love.  If they are eating white bread, I eat multi-grain bread.  If they are eating white rice, I eat brown rice.  If they are eating something else I shouldn't have, I can throw a bag of steamed veggies in the microwave and have those instead.  There's plenty of room for compromise and adjustments.  One thing I love about my family, though, is that if I'm eating healthy - they are willing to eat healthy with me.  That part I have to be thankful for.

I have about 6 or 7 weeks before it's time to go back to work.  I'm not sure when my first day will actually be.  That's plenty of time to lose 20lbs.  If I eat clean the whole time, anyway.  If I had the results I did the first two times, anyhow.  If I really commit myself to working out a couple times a week, it should be easy sailing. 

I know I can do it, because I've done it before.  So, I need to do it again...and this time?  NO GOING BACK!

Till next time. ;)