Skip to main content

Habits

For those that don't know I'm a creature of habit. I actually love them. It's what keeps me on time and with everything I need when I get there. It's also the reason I leave the house with my teeth brushed every day. Yes, I have been brushing my teeth all my life but I have a lot going on in my head and if I don't stick with my routine, I forget to do things like brush my teeth. And I know this because there have been too many Saturday classes when I go to teach and realize I should grab a mint because I didn't stick with my routine and forgot to brush my teeth. Part of it is all the things going on in my life but the bigger part is a brain injury I had. I was in a pretty severe car accident and hit my head, damaging my short term memory. So habits became my way of dealing with it.
But this week, I realized my habits might be getting the best of me. After training at night, I shower and then head to bed with wet hair, by morning it's dry and I can curl it in about 7 or 8 minutes and I'm out the door. Well this particular night, I went through my usual routine and just like my morning routine, I put perfume on....for bed. I like my routines, even need them, but I'm realizing they may be hindering me. I'm functioning within them instead of letting them help me. About two years ago I did a CrossFit workshop on running and endurance training. This was my first exposure to CrossFit and Paleo. I was mesmerized by the bodies these people had. I overheard a group of trainers talking about what they ate. And one guy mentioned he buys one kind of frozen vegetable and eats it with every meal until it runs out. Someone questioned if that was nutritionally sufficient but I had walked off by then. All I could think was "Who eats the same vegetable with every meal?" Now it's this girl. I think I might have had peas with every meal I have cooked for the past 8 or 9 weeks.
So the first step is recognizing, check. Now to change my habits, getting there. I've moved on to green beans and broccoli this week. Exciting I know. But it's baby steps. I've also changed up my workouts. I am doing high intensity rounds on 20 second sets, 5 seconds rest for 10 rounds. I pick 4 exercises, at least 2 have to be different than the day before and that's the workout. So far it's been good. A nice new challenge. And I don't get bored or dread what's about to happen. Well I do dread it but not because it's the same old thing but because it's tough.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Untitled

So I have thought about this for a while.  Do I actually write this post?  Do I put my dirty laundry out there for everyone? Or the handful that read my blog.  And if I do, what do I say? Do I slam those involved?  Do I take the high road?  When is a “good” time to put it out there?  A few days under my belt and there is probably no better time. So no secret, my ex-boyfriend was my coach.  That worked out mildly well while we were together but add a breakup and somehow it just doesn’t work out as smoothly.  Add a few of the worst things a person could do to another in there and disaster doesn’t even begin to describe.  But I have this eternal belief that I can make any situation work.  That I can fix things.  It’s what makes me good at my job.  I’m an eternal optimist. But it’s what causes me to not be so good at my personal life.  Even when things are clearly not good, I still think I can fix it and make it right...

Defensive eating

I like to think I have complete control over what i eat, how much and when. It's my body, who else would have control? Over the last week, I have realized the level of influence the person you live with can affect it. I have lived for a while with someone who has no self control and thus sees a package of cookies on the counter and eats the entire thing or eats an entire 1 lbs bag of PB M&m's in one sitting. So instead of eating just one of my favorite cookie, I would eat 3 or 4. Yes I know cookies will not be gone forever but in that instant I become territorial and eat more than I normally would. It makes me wonder about the strange behaviors those in large families must have about food. Clearly our parents define a lot about the relationship we have with food but this realization brings to light a whole new level of influence on my eating. There has been a package of cookies on the counter that's been there since Monday and is still half full.

Dad's Salsa

My Dad makes the best salsa.  I grew up in New Mexico.  We are a bit picky about our salsa.  It is hands down my favorite.  And not just because he is my Dad.  Its actually brilliant in in its simplicity.  The ingredients are: Green Chiles Onions Canned diced tomatoes (petite if you ask his opinion) Cumin Salt Olive oil (for cooking the onions The important thing is to start with good roasted chile's.  The roasting is what gives them their flavor and allows the skin to blister and peel off.  I was lazy when I put up my chile the last time and just bagged everything with the skin on.  It actually tends to be a little easier to get the skin off once its been frozen.  For this batch I used 2 quart bags frozen chile's, 6 - 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes, 2 onions and seasonings to taste.   First step is to clean the chile's and chop them.  I could probably normally tolerate the chile's but now I have a little perso...