Screw the Slump

I've mentioned I've been in a slump lately.  I'd say it's been going on for a few weeks now, perhaps more than a month.  I've been following some great advice from a fellow blogger, sticking to my routine as much as possible, getting plenty of exercise, but my eating has been pretty wacky.  I've gained a little weight - about 5 lbs since April 1, according to LoseIt.  As of this morning I'm officially back over 170 again.  It's not so much that I need to Completely Freak Out, but hitting that 5 lb mark was a real wake-up call.  It's time to set up some mini-goals to move toward being back on track.  Baby steps, get your mind right!

Here's the thing:  I know what started this streak of low motivation.  To begin with, I have a little confession to make.  Something I've never mentioned... because I'm a little embarrassed by it.  I'm a runner... and a smoker.  There it is.  I smoked for maybe 18 years, then my husband and I both quit, in 2008, using Chantix.  it worked wonderfully and we had no issues with wanting to smoke for three years.  Then we had some big life changes / challenges, and we both fell off the proverbial wagon.  That's what's so embarrassing - to quit for three years and then start up again!  So STUPID!

So we've decided to quit (again).  I'm looking forward to lots of improvements in performance... once I get used to the fact that everything smells terrible!  I rather miss having my sense of smell deadened by tar.  I'm told you get used to it eventually, and I remember that from the time before, but that's a toughie.  When we started the program, I sort of gave myself permission to ease up on my routine. That's all well and good, but it's time to tighten it up again.

So here's my five-point Baby Steps plan for getting my mind back on track:

1. LOGGING:  For the next week, I'm going to strictly log all of my food - I've been a little loose with my logging lately.  
2. WRITING:  I'm going to write something for the blog every day for the next seven days.  Maybe just a few sentences, but I'm going to try some Enforced Reflection.  I've got plenty of material saved up since I haven't posted in over a week!
3. TRAINING:  I will do some kind of exercise every day this week - even if it's just 5 minutes of sit-ups.  Except Friday; that's normally a rest day, and this week I'll be working out of town and driving home late on Friday, so that's out.
4. EATING:  Be mindful of snacking.  In general, one of the behaviors I've noticed recently that's getting me into trouble is mindless eating / eating for reasons other than hunger.  Example:  I was doing pretty well, eating clean, until I had a Minor Meltdown when I got slapped around by my sweet tooth on Saturday afternoon.  
5. WATER.  I have not been drinking enough water.  In fact, I think the main cause of Saturday's meltdown may well have been thirst.  I didn't notice how thirsty I was until after I'd eaten three servings of Skinny Cow Dreamy Clusters.  I will drink my 64 oz of water every day this week.  it's just three of my 20-oz bottles.

Perhaps with these adjustments, I'll be in the green next week with a loss - or at least not another gain, no matter how small.

This week will be challenging for eating well.  I have two nights out of town, but I think I can eat dinner before I leave on Wednesday (or pack a sandwich to eat in the car), and bring breakfast / lunch stuff.  That still leaves me to worry about dinner, which is a Red Zone for me, especially on the road.  Suggestions are welcome!