Making yourself a priority…

Fitting workouts into real life

By Michelle

As a creature of habit I do better with schedules and structure, but that doesn’t mean I always have it together.  While in grad school I had a schedule, go to work by 7am work in lab until 4pm. I would go to the gym for an hour, then go back to lab and work until at least 9:30pm.  My meals consisted of pasta, sandwiches, chicken and broccoli, salads, nothing fancy, all things I could either toast in the toaster oven or toss in the microwave.  While workouts were cardio intensive with some weight lifting, but mainly machines and small free weights at the gym.  With that format I managed to lose a whopping 55 lbs, (I was the smallest I’ve been in my adult life).  

Then life caught up with me.  I moved away from the comfort of graduate school leaving behind friends and a relationship.  I was left with a small town, no friends, no family, or any support system.  I fell into a habit of coming home from work, eating dinner, and waching tv on the couch.  Within a year and a half most of the weight I had lost was back on, and I knew I had to make a change.  For me working out and eating right is affected by my emotions.  Being alone in a new city led me down a downward spiral.

 After two years I decided enough was enough.  That’s when I discovered Crossfit and Paleo.  Now I lead a pretty strict schedule, which some folks think is crazy, but it works for me.  I am typically in bed by 9:30pm so that I am out the door by 5:15am to get a workout in.  I commute an hour each way for work, so it is important for me to get my workout in first thing in the morning.  I know if I don’t the long list of excuses comes out and I won’t workout at the end of the day.  

I was an avid Crossfitter for 3 years, and about 8 months ago I stopped going.  Why?  Honestly, I don’t really know.  I was feeling burnt out and uncomfortable with the people and surroundins at my gym, I had lost my workout crew due to folks moving to different gyms and just didn’t feel like going anymore.  I decided to take my workouts into my own hands and started a couch-to-5K program and started working out with a trainer in November 2014.

Waking up early is the best way for me to fit in a workout.  Now I look forward to my evening of reading, watching tv, or doing a puzzle and on most days use my extra time at night to go for a long walk.  Life gets busy and it’s easy to let go of working out and eating healthy, but the most important thing is to make time for me.

Michelle’s Journey- The Start

Much like Kerianne or as I call her Queso I am trying to get my act together.  For the most part I complain about being a hot mess, but in reality I cannot function without some sort of schedule/routine/plan.  Lately, I’ve let my work/life balance get out of whack and that has led to me putting other people/things/work above my own well being. So, this is my attempt, should I say resolution at getting my balance back, enjoying life, and living healthy.

So  a little about me.  I’m a born and raised Texan, who has dreams of moving away, but somehow I can never get away. I’ve started looking into a Primal lifestyle in the summer of 2011 and went Paleo in the spring of 2012.  I was doing great, lost about 25 lbs, felt better than ever,and had a good relationship with food.  A group of girls at my Crossfit gym and I did a Paleo food exchange, worked out together at least 4 days a week and had a good support system.

In the spring of 2013 I switched Crossfit gyms, and then in the summer of 2013 our food exchanged stopped due to busy schedules/life/etc.  I kept a 80/20 Paleo lifestyle for awhile, then I started down a slippery slope of just one more cheat, or it’s just one cookie. Fast forward and a year later I am unhappy with where I am at.  I’ve put the weight back on, I have more days of tossing and turning at night, I have a bad relationship with food, it’s an endless cycle of I’ll start tomorrow/next week/after insert any excuse here.

So, this is my way of accountability, I know what it takes, I just need to put on the big girl panties and do it.  I also know I need to do this.  I have a history of heart disease and diabetes in my family, and I want to help myself and my family become healthier.

Like Boston, I have a background in science, we met in Austin while in graduate school and I now work as a chemist for a chemical company in Texas.  We have been the best of friends since 2006 and although we are separated by “the pond” we talk on a daily basis and try to visit each other once a year. So where to start? Well, I am going to start with working out 4 days a week, incorporating body weight movements, cardio, and weightlifting.  I’m also going to slow down and take time for me.  Whether it be turning off my phone for 3 hours on the weekend, a long walk, yoga, whatever it is that feels good for me.  I am also committing to getting my food in check by eating clean for 30 days, I might even extend it to 45/60 depending on how I’m feeling.

Until next time!