Each year at the beginning of November, I start to feel a little bit sluggish.
Halloween is over and it usually involved some sort of over-indulging in the form of food and drink. This year was no exception! The sun also sets a bit earlier each night and it makes me want to hibernate. While the past month was an awesomely fun and busy month, it also resulted in some poor eating choices along the way:
- Lack of veggies and fruit
- Not taking time for sit down meals
- Not taking time to cook
- Too much night time snacking/mindless eating when not hungry
Last week Caitlin declared she was having a Back On Track month to get back into her healthy groove. It is an awesome idea to make sure that our healthy habits stick over the colder months! I am going to declare this week my Back On Track week and get into a good groove again.
Many of you on Twitter said that you want to get back on track too! The lovely ladies from Eating Bird Food, Happy Go Lucky, Balance Is Beauty, Daily Goods, Running Around Normal, @maurat, and Britney Cardona are all ready.
We are uniting with Caitlin’s Back On Track month to get back into our healthy groove and re-introduce the healthy habits back into our lives!!!
Here is my game plan:
FOOD
1) At least 5 servings of vegetable servings per day
2) Two servings of fruit per day
3) Lots of water in the form of Sencha green tea or lemon water
4) Two green monsters a day (one in the AM and one in the PM to beat night time snacking)
5) Devote time to Meal planning/cooking
6) Have sit down meals. No more eating on the fly simply because I am busy.
7) Vitamins
These are some of the wonderful foods I plan on making…
Eating fresh and natural foods makes me GLOW!
EXERCISE
I am also including an exercise component:
8.) Re-introduce cardio sweat sessions DAILY!
9) Rise early to get cardio in before work- stop leaving it for night time! Minimum 30 minutes
10) Lunch time yoga (either Crunch yoga or p90X) 20-40 minutes over lunch
11) Reintroduce resistance exercises like core work
It has been a while since I have had a really sweaty workout (since the half marathon 2 weeks ago!) and I am ready to get my heart pumping once again. As much as I have been enjoying the yoga videos (I did Crunch yoga twice on the weekend), I am the type of person who requires my endorphins each day. I just haven’t felt myself since the half, but at the same time I realize that rest is necessary.
This weekend will bring a challenge. I am going to my brother’s for a get together. These get togethers always involve lots of food and drink. I am going to do my best to consume these things in a moderate manner and not over-do it. :) I have decided to not completely abstain from alcohol all together on Saturday night because I believe most things in moderation.
This morning the challenge started off great!
I was going to hit the treadmill, but it was so sunny out I decided to bundle up for Project Snow and get out there! I was warm in only a couple minutes. I walked for 30 minutes at a fast pace and I feel so good now. I also came back and did some core work (side planks and front planks)….WOW have I ever lost my groove with these!!!!! I haven’t been doing them on a regular basis since Summer Glow Boot Camp, so it is time to get my tight abs back!
~~~~
Does your eating and exercise routine tend to get a bit wonky during this time of the year?
Would you like to join us?
Absolutely! I also want to hibernate at this time of year :)
I’d love for you to share your veggie recipes with us, since I’m making an effort to me eat vegetables at this time of year as well.
Awesome idea! I’m in. I was hoping to get back into the groove – this is perfect motivation. Good luck!
i am down for this challenge!!! i started the “no eating on the go/endless snacking” rule a few weeks ago and have noticed i am more satisfied with meals and even have shed some excess lbs! i definitely need the core work though – i did a body pump class this weekend and i was surprised how much I struggled during the crunches/core work section. i had to do easier exercises that i modified while the rest of the class kept up with the instructor :(
I just completed a 31-Day Yoga Challenge, but I could still definitely use a jump-start, as well. Count me in!
I want to join! I need a back on track plan!
I am so in!! I am doing fine with exercise, but I committed to getting back on track this month (November) by reducing my sugar consumption. I realized that I have been eating WAY too much sugar recently and it’s just making me crave more sugar and eat too much crap. Thanks Angela!
I definitely am getting back on track this month. I think I’ll need it to keep me sane (and healthy!) with all the work I have to do.
To the gym I go!
thanks for including me in the post! eating whole fresh foods AT HOME rather than out at restaurants is my main goal this week. oh, and in case anyone tries to click on the link, it goes to the wrong site, it’s brittanycardonaphotography.com
Angela, your post could not have come at a better time for me. Now that I am entering my 6th month of pregnancy (wow), I find myself taking the “eating for two” mantra too literal. I know that I need to be eating more than I did pre-pregnancy. But I don’t think it needs to come in the form of half a dozen mini-candy bars (gotta love Halloween). I shoudl be fueling my body with healthy things. And as the holidays approach, I know that well meaning family members are going to try and “encourage” me to eat more….
Knowing that there is a group of women who are focusing on healthy choices will help cement my own resolve to say “No thank you”.
I’m in for sure. I really need to get more fresh produce back in my life again.
I always tend to feel the effects of winter this time of year.
It’s funny you mention it because I just did a post about it.
Go Project Snow!
You can definitely count me in for Back on Track month! I was just thinking on my walk to work that I’ve totall skimped on fruits and veggies lately. And nighttime snacking has most certainly made its way back into my life. Time to rein things in a bit so I’ll feel my best for the holidays!
Good luck on getting back on track! I only started running this spring and I’m about to get a gym membership so I can start swimming again even through the cold weather! This year I’m hoping to see major improvements throughout the winter. When it comes to my eating, I just started eating healthier ever since I started reading blogs and I’m not as healthy as I should be but that’s also something I’m hoping will keep improving :)
you are such an inspiration! I think I’m gonna go running outside before school today! if you can do it, I can do it right? since I’m sure it’s colder in Canada ;)
have a great day!
I had decided to work on this too, I need a good routine going and I need to drink more water and get my meals in.
Great idea — this has always worked for me in the past. Also, I am definitely snagging the suggestion of a green monster in the evening to beat snacking. I used to “sneak” them in during the early morning right before work, but I’ve been heading out so early, that’s just not an option anymore. So now the GM will serve double-duty for veggies and anti-aimless snacking in the evening!
i’d love to join! i’ve been sidelining myself from heart pumping, sweaty cardio, because i was having knee and back pain, and blood sugar issues that caused me to drop to a borderline too skinny weight. so, i’m going to join the challenge by adding physical therapy exercises and stretching to my workouts to aid the recovery of my body in addition to adding high quality protein and complex carbs before my workouts so i have energy! thanks for the motivation!
Looks yummy! I need to join. My goal is to start swimming and biking more (spinning it’s cold here) to try to get in shape to even think about a tri. Plus eat more fruits and veggies fewer sweets. It will help me cope with the busy month I think.
YESSS I am so down for this. Especially after this weekend!! I’m sure it was an indulgent one for everyone. And, gaaah, planks get so much harder when you stop doing them for a while! I am with you on gettingmy plank endurance to where it used to be :)
I would totally like to join you guys in this challenge! I have been feeling just the same lately – too much indulging has left me feeling less than stellar! This is an awesome idea and I am happy to join in :O).
I’m so with you in this challenge! Next week my family, boyfriend and I are going to Jamaica for my brothers wedding for 4 days. I know I will not be working out while down there so have to make sure I keep myself healthy while still indulging in the all inclusive food and drinks and of course wedding cake!!!