So it’s afternoon coffee time and I’m ready to kick back and write for awhile. This morning was my “brick” training session… meaning I run, bike, then run again. Today I increased my miles on foot to a full 5K. I’ve been gradually moving it up as I’ve adjusted to this activity. I really do love it. It’s different and it’s challenging.
Oh. And I want to do a duathlon at the end of the year so I do have some extra motivation 😉 It involves a 5k run, 22 mile ride, and a 5K run… on some crazy hills as well.
The weather was on the hideous side. Foggy, misty rain, poor visibility, cool, but not cool once I warmed up. I gave up on wearing my glasses as I couldn’t keep them cleared off ( any tips or ideas on that faithful readers?) once I was on the bike I was chilled from being wet and now flying down the road, water running off my helmet into my face, my gloves wet and the roads somewhat tricky in some places.
Good times.
I believe if I’m training for something, I need to do it in all weather ’cause I never know what race day will deal up.
Anyway, it’s a rather strong way to start my day. I’m really loving multi sport days. As time moves along I will most likely increase my training to two days a week doing it.
But goodness… it can fire up my metabolism all day long!
Ok enough of that.. on with the show!
I thought since I talked about building new habits yesterday I’d focus on a couple specific to eating.
One should be obvious but often it’s one we ignore or sadly, we never experience it anymore.
Let yourself get hungry and experience those hunger signals.
To often in our world, we are programmed to eat “because it’s time”. As if we experience those growly, hungry feelings we might not survive. It might take some practice, but learn to experience hunger 30-60 minutes before a meal time. It is one thing I began doing years ago, learning to eat when I had true hunger. Not because the clock said I should eat. It’s amazing how good food really tastes when you have true, real hunger.
( and hunger after a hard workout?? eek.. food has never tasted better haha)
Seriously, though. Get back in touch with your body if you can’t remember those feelings or overlook them.
Again you will have to work at it. It might be a new habit for you to work on if you don’t currently practice it.
Once you start getting in touch with your bodies natural signals again, you might want to practice this next step, or new habit.
They kinda tie in together…. which is…
Learn to eat just enough food to satisfy your appetite, but not over eat.
This might be tricky in the beginning for you. We are often conditioned to eat what’s on our plate, or eat because it just tastes good. We can eat well beyond what we need to be comfortable and satisfied. Allowing yourself to eat slowly and really savor your food gives your body and mind time to be in sync. You will be surprised that a lot less food will handle your hunger. Again, it’s a practice, a discipline, you will have to work on to build this as a new habit.
And a final new habit you might consider….
Learn to eat 3-4 healthy balanced meals in your day.
Unfortunately so many of us have been conditioned to skip breakfast or lunch and then go crazy at dinner like it’s our last meal or something. We practice a weird form of starvation all day and gorge in the evening. When you learn to eat real meals, at regular times, and satisfy your natural hunger you don’t spend all day thinking about when you can eat.
Crazy, I know.
Somehow we’ve accepted a thought that eating breakfast is a good way to lose weight or that we don’t have time for it. Or if we skip lunch we can have a bigger dinner.
But what if you had satisfying meals, staged at regular times, and got hungry for each one? You’d be less likely to snack or be thinking about when you could get your hands on food again.
The “4th” meal would be if you workout heavily, you might need extra calories somewhere between your meals. Some days I need more, some days I need less depending on how hard I workout.
As in any other habit, you will have to be intentional about what you do. It wont come easy or over night, but with practice you’ll master these new habits. New habits lead to a lifestyle change and steady sustainable weight loss.
sassyfitnesschick 