I'm crawling out. I had such a fabulous kick boxing class tonight. AND BOY! Did I need it! I started to see the pounds coming back on during my last week of finals and then that darn root canal. I really didn't want to go to the class but I forced myself and it's ALWAYS amazing how a little exercise makes the world see like a much more conquerable place! Combined with my totally OP eating, I feel like I will be on a losing streak in no time.
I feel so good that I've laid out my bike gear to bike-to-work tomorrow! Woot!
How do you "get back in the saddle" after time away? Or worse, when you're still eating and exercising but you're bored to tears!?
Exercise wise, I try to avoid getting caught in a rut by changing what I do each week. I go to the gym Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and have 4 different workouts - 1 weights, 1 cardio, 1 combined weights and cardio - and try and do them in a different order each week. Every few months I'll make an appointment to see the trainer and work out a new routine.
When I go for a walk, I do walk the same route, and that's simply because I know the distance and how long it will (should) take me to walk it.
Eating wise, I'm always in a rut, especially during the week. I have 2 breakfasts and my lunch is the same every day. My dinners, however, are another matter. I give myself free rein to change those and that seems to keep me from being bored. Every now and then I'll get fed up with lunch especially and then I'll change it and eat the new lunch for the next few months...
For me the trick is spotting when I'm in a rut and responding before I start letting things slip and I start putting on weight and my clothes start getting tighter.
I guess at the end of the day it comes down to finding what works best for you as an individual. I know what works for me is not going to work for a lot of people, but I need to have that kind of routine. I'm a creature of habit and routine, and a major change in my routine can have quite a negative effect on me if I haven't planned it down to the last bit. It's just who I am and there's nothing wrong with that .
I have yet to add in exercise. It's on my list . As for the boredom with food, I just try to take it one day at a time. Last week I felt like that and so I ventured out to try and add a different meal to my menu. I pretty much eat similar foods for breakfast and lunch and our dinners rotate from about 10 different varieties. I remind myself that eating is just a way to fuel my body.
You are amazing! Biking to work, triatholons, etc. I'm sure your losing streak will kick in quickly!
As far as getting back in the saddle after time away....today, I have the wonderful opportunity to climb back on that horse.....my plan is to practice what I've preached and begin with small steps. Today, I will be drinking more water and avoiding the sugar.
I like your phrase, "creature of habit" Nicolen. We are creatures of habit, it really does take a lot of effort to move us outside of our comfort zone. Whether it be exercise, vegetables or even relationship!
When I'm not on plan, I would rather go thru the drive thru than actually make something, but putting good, healthy, exciting food in my body does wonders for the morale. When I get in a rut, I cook/bake. Or when it's really bad, I make Portabello Fajitas (something I save for emergencies). I just can't believe that something that tastes so much like junk food can be good for you!
I got into a downward spiral for nearly 2 months (the end of the school year). I didn't go completely off plan, but my exercise was way down and I was definitely eating foods with a lot less care and precision than I normally do. I was too busy and stressed and let it get to me some.
I was lucky in that I could see an end in sight, which helped a lot, but it still took a lot of willpower to bring myself back on track. I had to do it bit by bit. My exercise is now blazing away and I think the food is finally back on track!
I try to change up my menus. The creative process of planning food for the week that uses the same ingredients (so that the veggies don't go bad, say) or that uses something new--that's how I stay out of the rut.
I also read cookbooks to help me find new ways to cook familiar things.
As for exercise, right now all I do is go to Curves, and the habit and the rut is what I need right now, just to keep myself moving.
For me - lunch is a big rut place. I eat almost the same thing every day. But these past 2 weeks I've been treating myself once a week to lunch out - and having a grilled chicken salad - which always tastes better when someone else makes it!!
WTG GJ! I'm sure you'll be losing again in no time! I'm just starting to climb back out of a rut myself, and it's hard, but I have to force myself to run again, and then to remember how good I feel when I'm OP. I've been allowing myself some sodas, which is terrible, so, back to water juice and milk, and just trying to get mentally focused again.
I am just coming out of an exercise rut with pilates. I just get so bored with the same moves. So for a week or two, i basically quit exercising, and i basically quit losing weight apparently. So i started utilizing a variation of exercises that i hadnt even considered that much before. On cooler nights i walk the dog while my daughter rides her bike. On weekends and some cooler mornings i garden. On hot days i walk accross the street to my fathers house and take full advantage of his inground pool. I had always thought of his pool as a place to layout and tan. All of a sudden, something clicked and i realized, this would be a great place to get in an awesome workout. I have fallen in love with the pool. I even utilize the diving board to do chin ups. And it is a great way to get my daughter exercising as well. It feels great to be exercising again, i forget just how lazy i get when i dont exercise. Hopefully the scale will reward me tomorrow.
In a rut? Crawling Out?
Combined with my totally OP eating, I feel like I will be on a losing streak in no time. 
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