Spawning causes need for Respawn

[Cledbo]

Basic back-story:

I've done 3 challenges on the boards so far, and the last one stopped about week 4 I think.

I'm pregnant, just over 4 months at the moment, and I haven't adjusted to it very well fitness and nutrition wise!

Despite completely dodging the bullet that is morning sickness, when I started getting tired I started getting lazy, and haven't really let up the laziness since.

 

Without wanting to get into analysis-paralysis, I think my "death" can be attributed to the following:

 

• Tiredness/laziness leading to less and less cooking of my own meals - takeout overload, ahoy!
• New food restrictions, linked to attempts to control my eczema and hayfever, have severely limited my list of "okay" foods, further diminishing my motivation to follow healthy eating and recently leading to rebellion (not the good kind).
• Growing size and changing body means I can't do the same workouts I used to. So I end up lying on the couch. A lot.

Steve's email came at an opportune time, as I'm betting a lot of people agree.

I have had a rethink of my predicament, and have come up with the following December 2014 plan:

 

• Start walking to Mordor. I have a pedometer, I have a spreadsheet, I have the ability to walk, I have zero excuses (especially if I want to get rid of all this weight my body is currently accumulating, after the baby gets outta there!)
• Cook at home, even if I don't meet all my restrictions. My food restrictions, if I follow them strictly, are frankly draconian, which is why giving up and eating pizza and donuts has been happening. One of them, for example, is to avoid eating reheated leftovers or slow-cooked food - this makes advance food prep completely impossible! When my options are "reheated stirfry" or "fresh cooked takeout", I know what is better for my overall health, as well as my bank balance. I need to accept the fact that sometimes I won't have the energy to cook, and while I'd love to ask my dear partner to do more in the kitchen, planning ahead and freezing some leftovers is more likely to lead to success for both of us - he already has more weight to lose than I probably will total post-baby!!
• Not try to do ALL THE THINGS. This is something I've been guilty of each and every challenge. I'm a high-bar kind of person. And a depressive person when I fail to meet that bar. Tis a recipe for disaster. So in the spirit of not getting what I've always got by doing what I've always done, I'm going small this time. Walk. Cook at home. Go to bed on time (which I'm good at, but partner isn't so much, so I will grump at him until he does). That's probably about it. From my last challenge, I did manage to drop a few extraneous activities, and I'm going to have to be realistic about what I can achieve as I keep getting bigger and tireder and busier with baby-prep stuff.

Walk. Cook. Sleep. Cut myself some slack. That is the plan.

[erosan]

sounds like you have a plan! you can do this!

 

 

If you can do stir fry, but can't have reheated, there is still hope to prep in advance...

 

Cut and prep your veggies ahead of time (lots of smallish containers will be your friends here). Have at the ready some sliced mushrooms, diced carrots, washed spinach, brocoli florettes, chopped onion, and whatever else strikes your fancy or palatte. Come cooking time, its just a matter of heat the pan, add the oil, throw protein in pan, salt, throw veggies in, salt, seasoning, add broth/soy/sauce/sriracha/squeeze of lime/all of the previous/whatever, cook for a minute or two, plate and eat.

 

You cook just enough for the meal, next meal you repeat again, mixing up the veggies used, proteins and seasonings...

[Ocelot]

Congrats, and I like it. I like the 'big 3' approach to things. Easy to remember what you're doing, and focus on those 3. That's the way things become real habits and actually change your life. Keep on going!

 

Don't underestimate how much effort cooking every day is though... I know people who do it as a full time job, just for one evening meal - OK they cater to large amounts with fancy food, but it's still an effort just for one or two. I would cut yourself some slack on that one, make easy things sometimes or have a few nights off... buy premade salad... that kind of thing. Good luck!

[Cledbo]

Mordor walk is on like donkey kong. 22.5km (13miles) down so far - 710km to go to Rivendell!

 

Meals are still a challenge. I'm working on a feasible weekly meal plan but it'll take some time for me to get back into the swing of things. I had a burger tonight :/

Friday is my last day of work for the year so, rather than slacking off in holiday mode, I'm going to use the time I have to make slow cooker meals to freeze (you chop veg, add sauce, and freeze, then dump the frozen veg in with frozen or fresh chopped up meat and some stock, et voila - magic!).

 

I'm going to bed on time mostly, and again I need to make sure my sleeping pattern doesn't go to hell over the holidays - at least I'm unlikely to not get enough sleep!