November……man this year truly is FLYING on by, isn't it? How the heck is it already November 5th? Half the problem, in Houston anyway, is that it is still WAY too friggin HOT to even realize it is November!!! Sheesh!!! Had a few cooler days, one cold weekend, and yet we keep going back to 85-90 degree days, way too humid and icky. Bring on the FALL to stay please!! This Cali girl can’t take much more!! LOL!!! J
Anyway, so looking back on October…was a quiet month for me here on the blog, sorry about that. Was a crazy month for sure, and a month that did NOT turn out the way I had planned in my mind…which was to kick ass in the gym, follow my eating plan of attack to the letter, etc etc. I ended up with a sinus infection that left me feeling like I got hit by a semi for about 10-12 days, out from work for a week minus a Wednesday in the middle of it all, then a week later just when I thought I was feeling pretty good…I go to the grocery store last Sunday morning with the hubs and the kiddo, and as Im unloading the cart to check out, WHAM…I throw my back out and end up in pain for over a week (still recovering completely from that 8 days later) Turns out it pinched weird and locked up my entire pelvis (according to the chiro 2 days after it happened) and ended up resonating up into my upper back, shoulders, even into my neck. Which he managed to work his magic on per usual….I could not imagine life without my awesome chiro…keeps me mobile at times, let me tell you what!!! J
So, that said…..how did I do last month? Again, not how I had planned…the week I was sick…I lived off chicken soup, saltines and powerade…not the ideal diet. HOWEVER I lost 5 lbs that week, and have kept 3 of that 5 off since. Was the only weight loss I had last month……
No difference in measurements really……like a ¼ inch here or there, but nothing to write home about. However, given that I had way less time in the gym this month on average, I will take what I got.
Speaking of the gym……I still managed to kick ass on the days I did get there….and ended up in second place overall for females with 667,640 lbs lifted over the month. Only person that beat me was my workout partner Elaine!! YAY E!!!!! Ended up in 8th in the entire gym (males and females combined) so considering I missed like 10-12 days of training…..I ain't gonna cry over that. J
Onward to this month's goals…here's what I've decided on….as Ive pondered where I am, how I feel, and where I want to go from here.
This month, the only person I am going to "compete with" so to speak…is ME. I know Elaine and I have had a "friendly rivalry" going the last couple months…but where has it gotten us? She got sick in Sept with bronchitis/waling pneumonia, and I end up with a sinus infection and a messed up back in October. Not ideal. Now anyone that knows me well enough, knows how SUPER SUPER COMPETITIVE I am, you throw down the gauntlet to me…It is ON by god, and I WILL do what it takes to win. Well, that got me real far this month..sick one week and twisted up hunched over like a little old lady a week and a half later. Not conducive to overall long term goals. I talked to a good friend recently for some time on the phone who knows me well, and we were saying how its engrained in our DNA it seems to be overly competitive with stuff in general, and how over the last few years, he's had to work really really hard on not being that way to the extreme degree, and how its mellowed him out, though not an easy thing to "ignore".
I am going to make this a long term goal of mine…..to not be so competitive with others on stuff…and just compete with myself. Worry about me, like I tell my son all the time, not about the other person next to you. For him it's to keep him out of trouble in school etc…for me it's going to keep me healthy I hope, not busted up with a jacked up back or knee or sick with something cause I pushed myself way too hard in the name of WINNING and being FIRST. Going to find a better balance of working out, eating right, and getting enough rest/sleep/down time for recovery. Force myself to actually have true, honest to god rest days from the gym scheduled each week and REST!!! Hard to say out loud when I feel like that's all ive done this month with being sick and laid up with a bad back…but perhaps scheduling those days will avoid the sick and broken days down the road!!! J
So goals:
Compete with me and me alone – strive to be a better me by the end of the month and focus on improving for the sake of improving, not to be on the top of the list
Continute the Kelsey Byers Fitness Challenge thru Dec 24th
Take my vitamins daily
Cut out all but water for daily drinks, other than my almond milk in my daily protein shakes
Minimum of a gallon of water intake per day
Focus again on food prep on Sundays for the week ahead
Stick to ONE "treat meal" on Saturdays every week. Eat clean the rest of the week
Apple cider regimen daily – fell off the wagon on this in October…back to it!!!
Listen to my body more on when to eat (as far as time)…rather than looking at the clock and saying oh look, it's 11:00, time for lunch break.
Weight training minimum 4 days a week
Cardio training minimum 5 days a week
TOTAL REST DAY from the gym on SUNDAY
There you have it. My plan of attack for the coming month. And yes, I will indulge a bit on Thanksgiving day and eat, however I don’t plan on over stuffing myself in just one meal. Will go for a walk after we eat, as well as the other days we are out of town for the holiday, get in some sort of activity.
Better balance ahead this coming month!!!! Everyone make your goals for the month and stay focused thru the holidays. Balance is key, and allows for some little indulgences along the way.
Happy November!!! J
