post-feast fitness reset

Okay. It’s the Monday after Thanksgiving, the dawn on a new day after nearly a week of relaxed standards. The first full day after several days and nights of eating pretty much anything I wanted, napping a lot, and not running or doing strength exercises at all.

This is not the way my fitness role models suggested we do it exactly, but it happened. And the thing is, I loved every minute. Sometime during the really fun process of planning our big family feast, I made the conscious decision to not only allow myself some indulgences; I would deeply and thoroughly enjoy it. I affirmed in my own heart the intrinsic value of traditional foods, soul-nurturing traditions, and shared meals. Extended cuddling sessions. Empty agendas. What good is “cheating” on yourself? You’re much better off accepting that you’re trading one pleasure (fitness) for another (conviviality*). We can take either pursuit to dangerous extremes, after all.

(*These are just my opinions. My emotional philosophies.)

So I’m not writing this today with any apologies for falling off my miles plan or my calorie restriction ideal. Not at all. Until late Saturday afternoon I had been feeling pretty amazing physically, and that brief sluggishness was easily corrected with a gallon of water, a couple of plain salads with a little meat on them, and some grateful, sweaty time on the elliptical.

Nope, no regrets. I loved feeling free to stay up late with my daughter talking about life and eating an un-rationed amount of Pink Stuff. I loved sitting and relaxing and crocheting hats with my sister- in-law while eating pecan pie with a cloud of whipped cream and perfect coffee. I ate turkey and homemade stuffing until I gobbled instead of giggled. The food was a big, wonderful part of the week for me, and so was the time with my people instead away from them. Handsome was off work for four days in a row, and choosing to not lace up and disappear for an hour or two was smart. It was good for both of us this year.

Buuuuuuuut………….

There’s always a big but, right? Especially after several days like this?

Sorry. Let’s try that again:

All that said, as emotionally refreshing as this break truly has been, I am just as ready for a thorough reset. My body craves activity, raw vegetables, and waaaaaay less sugar (all kinds of sugar). My mind craves the satisfaction of having treated myself well. And whether he will admit this or not, my husband is ready for my to siphon off some nervous energy and show up for our time together exhilarated, rested, slender feeling, and energized. All of that together. That’s what running, mild weights, and healthy eating does for me, so it also does that for us.

So on this first day of December, as we move away from a magical and delicious Thanksgiving, as we tiptoe into wintertime and all of those related temptations and implications, I am making this new temporary pact with myself:

Simple enough, right? Just daily habits that are sustainable, flexible, and completely geared toward living fully and feeling amazing. That’s what I want. To have a full life and feel great day to day. If along this path my jeans size diminished a bit, then so be it. If not, I’m happy with that too.

How are you feeling physically, post feast? Do you deal with guilt after indulging, or are you at peace? What was you favorite amazing food this past week? How do you plan to care for yourself this winter? Tell me everything!

Take care of your body.
It’s the only place you have to live.
~Jim Rohn
XOXOXOXO