Equinox seeks balance (and makes bad puns)

[Equinoxe]

Hello, all! I'm not the best at introductions, but I thought I could spend forever lurking and reading, trying to figure out how to join... or just jump in with both feet.

 

I used to be really fitness/diet-oriented... maybe a little too much, maybe a little too extreme. It consumed my whole life, to where there wasn't much room for anything else. Eventually, I wanted to let loose a little more, I started really focusing on my career, joined in an amazing and supportive relationship... but for the past two years, fitness and healthy eating has slowly been slipping to the point where I trick myself into thinking it's still a part of my life. But in reality, it's been months since I've exercised, I've been eating indulgent food constantly (and my ever-climbing weight reflects that), and I've been feeling stuck and sluggish. It's time to have a hard talk with myself and go for a reboot! There's got to be a good middle ground I can strike here; it shouldn't be all or nothing.

 

I'm not sure what part of my health I should try to tackle first... I tend to try to change too much too fast, get overwhelmed, panic, and roll back past square one. I was thinking maybe dialing down my diet first, and I say "dialing down" because I love to cook. I love to try new recipes; the more complicated and impressive, the better. But healthy? Not a high consideration. I feel like that's a good place to start, but it'll take some deep breathing and gentle reminders to keep it simple. I mean, making roasted veggies can be as fun as making a vegetable galette with herbed vegan 'crème fraîche' and fried squash blossoms, right? ... Right? I think I just need to shift my mindset to be a little more self-care oriented, but it's tough.

 

Or maybe I need to get an exercise routine down first?

 

Anyways, I'm here to make friends and play nice; I know it's much better not to do this alone, and I'd love to meet and support some folks on a similar path! For NF itself, is the best thing to do to join a Challenge? Start a Battle Log? All suggestions are happily welcome, and it's nice to meet you, in advance!

 

 

[Wobbegong]

Welcome to Nerd Fitness, Equinoxe! 

 

If weight loss is your goal, diet will have to play a role. You can't outrun your fork, after all. And yes, as much as we may like to try to just do everything at once, it usually doesn't work! Slow and steady is the way to go. 

 

As far as dialing it down with your diet, why not try something really specific? It sounds like you're already cooking pretty frequently anyway, so why not say something like "one meal a week will be a health-focused meal." You can plan the meal in advance, have ingredients on hand, and even know whether it's going to be a breakfast, lunch, or dinner to help set yourself up for success. Then after a month, say, of doing that, try adding in another healthy meal, and another. Or replace an unhealthy snack. 

 

Just keep doing one thing at a time to make it easy and reasonable to make the change. Then once you grow accustomed to it, you can build on the progress you've made until finally you reach your goal. 

 

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! There are always people around here waiting to step up and help out  And everyone here wants you to succeed. 

[Equinoxe]

Thank you, Wobbegong! 

I believe you're right; it's tough for me to admit, but the food situation would come first, knowing that. Thank you so much for the encouragement, and the suggestions!

 

I really like the idea of replacing meals slowly like that... and I neglected to mention that I also dine out (often times for no other reason than entertainment) 4-5 times per week. It's something that my partner and I both really enjoy (we have major foodie FOMO). But we've already had a talk, and he's on board with cutting down on going out. So if I replaced, say, two of those meals with a homecooked healthy one... sounds like it could be a big win.  And who knows, might even be more fun to cook! (Definitely easier on the wallet, too). 

 

It also really helps to keep in mind that one thing at a time is enough. I have a hard time remembering that, so it really helps to hear. Thank you again for the encouragement, very kind! 

[Plazmotic]

Welcome to the boards! I’d suggest creating a Daily Log to start, as the current challenge is going to end this weekend. Give yourself time to brainstorm what you want your first challenge to involve, Wobbegong’s suggestion of taking it slow (i.e. swap out one meal to be health focused) is a great one.

 

12 hours ago, Equinoxe said:

I really like the idea of replacing meals slowly like that... and I neglected to mention that I also dine out (often times for no other reason than entertainment) 4-5 times per week. It's something that my partner and I both really enjoy (we have major foodie FOMO).

I admit I would do this if I had the money, foodie FOMO is definitely a thing. But as it stands, me and my husband like being frugal, and good food will ding your wallet. Still, I have a list of restaurants I want to go to, with 20+ items!

[zeroh13]

Hi Equinoxe, welcome!

 

When starting out, or just getting back into it, it helps to think of it as "less is more". Change one or two things at a time, build habits, and before you know it you'll be at a much better place than when you started.

 

With the challenge vs battle log, for a lot of people it just comes down to personal preference. And some people use both. I find that the challenges are better for goal setting and getting feedback. More people tend to look at and respond to challenge threads than the battle logs. The battle logs are good for general tracking or if you have a routine already in place and want a little extra help in sticking to it.

 

The current challenge is wrapping up, but people will start posting their new challenges on the 6th. So you really won't have long to wait in you're eager to jump in.