I Ran All the Way Home

I calorie counted for a few days last week. I downloaded an app that lets you track calories and exercise and choose a weight loss goal (1, 1.5, or 2lbs a week). I had baked some (ridiculously delicious) vegan oatmeal raisin cookies recently and made the mistake of doing the math after I ate some. It was a good reminder that vegan treats are still treats, but I found myself panicking. I barely had enough calories left for dinner much less a drink at the closing party for Mr. BB30’s show and I was hungry! Saturdays are typically one of my days off from exercise, but I knew I had to. My current fitness place closes shop around 1pm on Saturdays, I don’t have OnDemand Exercise TV anymore, and the interwebs had highly varying info on how many calories my exercise DVDs would burn. So, I had no other choice but to run. I.HATE. RUNNING. I find it monotonous and miserable. Regardless, I searched out a path, created an Eminem inspired Pandora station, stretched, and I was off. I find rap music to be the very best work out music. It makes me feel tough. I ran five miles in about an hour and five minutes. Not too shabby. Luckily all of my workouts for the past two months have been dance and boxing based so my calves were acclimated to bouncing. My thighs, however, are still aching. I’ve been doing a lot of squats, but alas, youch.

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Two biggest take-aways:

1) Calorie Counting makes me crazy. I suppose it is a good thing to do every now and again to check yourself (before you wreck yourself), but it makes me feel like I am in food prison. I’ve worked too hard on my relationship with food to put it in this negative light. It feels like saying to yourself, "great job on eating right and exercising, but it wasn't good enough. I just can’t do that to myself!

2) While my run provided me with some good fresh air and mind clearing, it mostly just made me bitter and frustrated and angry at myself for being so silly and obsessive. I am completely on track for exercising regularly and targeting a 1lb per week weight loss. Why oh why was I so lame and pushed it to 1.5? How did I wander over into the Land of Numbers so quickly?

This has been my public service announcement urging you to be kind to yourself today and all days. Go forth and do good things for your body, mind and soul.