My Body is a Temple (Team MBAT)

[desi]

Day 1

Yes. My body is a temple. Lately it is more of a borken down Myan ruin. But it is a temple.

This is my third Rugged Fitness challenge. I love/hate them all. My wife and I decided to name our team 'My Body is a Temple' as a reminder that fitness starts with the food you eat. When I eat like s#$t, I feel like s#$t. Conversely, when I eat better things, I feel markedly better.

In preparation for the challenge, I gave up those Monster drinks that I love so much. I've been trying to reduce my intake of artificial sweetener. And today, like all of you in the challenge, i'm going to be drinking half my body weight of water (in ounces.) I should have known by now that this would be the challenge for week one. Its 8:37 AM on week 1, day 1 and I hate water. But I'm drinking it. i'm drinking it.

I'm going to approach this challenge of rebuilding my temple one brick at a time. Bit by bit. Brick by brick. So, today, I didn't have a Monster drink on the way to work. Brick! I had a healthy breakfast (protein shake) and made a very healthy lunch (tuna, celery, tomato, onoin, garlic salt.) Brick, brick. And water. Lots and lots of water. I hate that brick.

I've no doubt that you, the reader, don't exist. But writing this blog makes me feel better.

Good luck to all.

-desi

[desi]

Day 2. What have I gotten myself into? This is usually the question I ask myself on day 2 of these challenges.

"My body is a temple." Really? Yes.

No matter how crusty and crotchity I am during the first week I have to keep reminding myself that I WILL feel better when I eat better and work out.

So yesterday sucked. But I need to keep builing the temple brick by brick.

So yesterday sucked. But I drank my water. Brick. I avoided sugar and ate healthy. Brick. I did my burpees. BRICK! And I did my stretching.

Today is day two. I know feeling better is right around the corner. I'm going to build on yesterday's small success. I'm drinking water like its a job. I have my meals all planned out. Gonna go my burpees again and head off to boxing tonight at Rugged Fitness in Cheshire.

Gotta keep on bulding brick by brick.

-Stephen

[Brian Ayers, CSCS]

Love it!!! Brick by brick is gonna get you to the brick division at the Down & Dirty. Keep it up!

[dust4brains]

We have gone a bit "astray," in the months since our last challenge. I feel that jumping in with both feet is easier this time, but "brick by brick," you WILL get there, sweetie.

Keep on building! Great post!

[desi]

Day 3. How come I'm not down 10 pounds yet?

It feels like one of the bricks fell on me this morning. Been hectic/stressul at work atll week (and we are still not done.) Lots of early morning and late nights. That stress contributed to me going a bit harder than normal at boxing last night. I'm feeling it today. I really like the boxing foundations class. Its great people,having a good time getting their heart rate up.

I'm faced with my first difficult decision today. Tonight I am meeting a co-worker for happy hour after work. Ugh. I don't want to blow my cheat meal on a drink. I need to get more out of a cheat meal. I may have to sacrafice a point on this one.

I need to keep reminding myself that the point of these challenges (as in life) is that you don't have to be perfect. There will be good days and bad. Perfect days and less than perfect days.

Stay tuned, you the fictional reader, and see which choices I make at happy hour.

Remember: Brick by Brick!

-Stephen

[desi]

Day 4 - Win some. Lose some.

The point is you need to win more than you lose. So yes, dear fictional reader, I did not cheat at happy hour. Just a diet soda for me. I took a lot of teasing for it. Who cares. But I must confess, I did some unplanned snacking yesterday. We'll call it 'stress snacking'. Minus (-1) one point for me! Drives me nuts. And I had WAY too much cafeeine and diet soda yesterday. It has not happened yet but I'm sure the 'no caffiene' challenge is coming down the pipe very soon. I'm trying to prepare myself.

So, all in all, the first week is half over and its been pretty hard. Life tends to get in the way of challenges like this. The things that lifes puts in your way are just obstacles that need to be overcome. So, yesterday was not the best day in terms of eating (and certainly was not the worst.) But....

I did my burpees. I did my cardio. I did my stretching. Those are the three 'bricks' I've been trying to focus on during this first week. I know that if I focus on a few things each week. I'll rebuild the temple.

Brick by brick.

-Stephen

[desi]

Day 5 - TGIF???

So, dear fictional reader, its Friday. The day we look forward to all week. The doorway to the weekend. And, for me, the time that usually undoes (is that a word) all the hard work I did during the week.

I definitely have a pattern.

During the work week, I eat clean(er), I workout and am more careful to stay on my fitness and nutrition journey. Then the weekend hits. I've got lots of free time. I lounge around on the couch (especially during the winter.) I hand out with friends and we eat and drink. Something has to change.

I've decided that during these challenges, I'm going to give myself a weekend goal every Friday. This will give me something to focus on for the weekend and hopefully aid me in not undoing all the good work I've done during the week.

FIRST WEEKEND GOAL: I will workout on Saturday at the gym AND take a Sunday class at Rugged Fitness Cheshire.

So, weekends are awesome and terrifying at the same time. Especially during these challenges. The truth is, these obstacles exist when the challenge is over.

I've got my goals. I've got my nutrition guidance. I'm going to give it my best shot.

I'm gonna get through this one 'brick by brick'

-Stephen

[desi]

Day 6 - I want my hour back!

In a few hours we turn the clocks back. I feel like someone is about to steal something from me. The thought of losing an hour of sleep, on the weekend no less, just sucks. Oh well, can't control it.

I'm halfway through the weekend. It was another win one, lose one day. At least I'm on track for my weekend goal. I went to the gym today. I hate going to cardio express to get in a workout but I did it anyway. Win one. Eating was another challenge today.

It was a less than stellar eating day. Lose one. I snacked too much. (-0.5). I felt gross after eating my cheat meal (Plan B ), but at least I stayed away from a beer.

All in all, I usually eat much more on a weekend. I guess I wasn't perfect. But then again, who is?

Veggie week next week dear fictional reader. Better shop accordingly.

Gonna keep battling. Brick by brick.

-Stephen

[desi]

Day 8 - One week down. Nailed it! Sort of.

I'm sure the fictional reader noticed that there was no blog yesterday. I thought about blogging but was too tired from back to back classes at Rugged Fitness - Cheshire. Instead, I spent some quality time with my couch yesterday.

The first week of the challenge is done. There are things I nailed like the fitness parts. Burpees. Brick. Lifting. Brick. Two classes on the weekend. I did THREE. Brick Brick Brick.

However, when I take an honest look at the nutrition part; there is room for improvement. Its not that I didn't eat healthier than normal. I did. Or that I did not eat less than normal. I did. There were just things I could have done better. Better planning. Better spacing of meals. Healthier snacking.

These will be my focus areas (bricks) for this week.

And don't forget your veggies this week. You have to eat them like its your job.

I'm going to crush this brick by brick.

-Stephen

[desi]

Day 10 - The Girld Scouts are out to get me!

Today is day 10 dear fictional reader. Certain things are becoming easier. Certain things remain difficult. Then life throws you a curveball. I'm not sure about you but around here, it seem as though every desk and conference room has girl scout cookies. When I read stories about people who crave drugs or alcohol, that is exactly how I feel about girl scout cookies! I love those things. And now they are everywhere.

So, its time to throw in an adhoc mid-week goal. NO GIRL SCOUT COOKIES. This week. This is a must for me if I'm going to rebuild my temple.

Stay strong.

-Stephen

[desi]

Day 11 - Its cold again.

Wham! Just when we thought spring was on the horizon and everyone's mental state was beginning to improve, we wake up today and its bitter cold. Ugh.

I'm tired of all the cold. It makes me want to anything but focus on my fitness and nutrition.

Adding to this miserable mindset is the fact that I'm getting of vegitables.

In any event, I'm still battling. Not going to give up.

Stay warm.

-Stephen