Diet and Exercise in a Busy World

This month is the I’m Too Busy to Take Care of Myself Challenge.  There are only 25 days of the challenge, ’cause, let’s face it, we’re all too damn busy to do a blogger challenge for a full month.  Day #1 was easy – Spend Time with Someone You Love.  Day #2 – Get to the Gym…not so much, and I’m the one who created the challenge in the first place!

The day started with purpose.  I took off my pajamas and went directly into gym attire.  Dedication, right?  Then I headed downstairs.  Mistake.  The house was just a tornado of papers and socks and the sink was filled with dirty dishes from the night before.  It was like waking up to defeat.  So after cleaning, making breakfast and helping my mom unpack more boxes, it was suddenly time to make lunch.  How the hell did that happen?  The kids wanted to go with me to the gym but it was 1:30 p.m. and they were still in their pajamas and Kids Club is only open until 2 pm, so I set them up on Starfall.com and jogged around the neighborhood in 97 degree heat for half an hour.

Hi free weights!  Missed you!
Hi free weights! Missed you!

The main point to the challenge was to exercise, so at least that was out of the way.  But I couldn’t help thinking that there was more to it than that.  To me the gym represents freedom.  It is a space where I don’t have to think about anyone’s demands, wants or needs beyond my own demands, wants and needs for strong biceps and a cute butt.

So today, I made it a point to physically get to the gym.  It was fabulous.  I lifted weights and texted my friend about the latest updates on her nemesis, Ass Clown.  (That’s a whole other story.)  So, challenge #2 – Get to the Gym, was a day late but completed.  Yay.

This afternoon, challenge #3 was to prep my food.

Turkey meatloaf, green beans and brown rice for the week.
Turkey meatloaf, green beans and brown rice for the week.

I put that challenge in there for a few reasons.  First, when I come home from wherever, I’m starving.  Having healthy food ready to go eliminates the need/excuse for me to eat granola bars and Diet Coke while I’m cooking.  Second, prepping my food makes me feel like I have more control over my life.  I get to decide how much salt and the portions of my macronutrients.  Third, it’s calming.

My husband has been really supportive of everything: my mother moving in with us, me delaying going back to work, taking some time for myself to get to the gym, just everything.  Today he took the kids to the park to play in the creek while I prepped my food and chatted with my mother.  It was a win all around.

Henry and Rylee with some kids fishing at the park
Henry and Rylee with some kids fishing at the park

How about you?  Did you take the challenge?  Did you get to the gym?  Did you prep your food?

Lisa ;)

ShesLosingIt.com (c) 2014 Lisa Traugott. All rights reserved. No portion of this blog, including any text, photographs, and artwork, may be reproduced or copied without written permission

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