Overzealous much?

I admit it. I was overzealous when I restarted this weightloss journey. I was obsessing over getting to the gym. I was counting calories of everything including gum! And then I hit a brick wall. I stopped going to the gym (pulled muscle in my foot), I started eating everything in sight, and I began napping throughout the day. 

On Monday, I made a conscious decision to get back on track, but not over do it. So, here is my new plan.....

1. Eat healthy - have healthy snacks available in the house for when I get hungry between meals. If I am hungry, my body needs food for energy and nutrition, so I am not going to deprive it just because it is not a prescheduled meal time. Also, pay attention to portion control. I can have the things I like if I eat small amounts and don't let myself overindulge. 

2. Enjoy my exercise - who says exercise has to be painful? The weather is nice? Take a walk. The lawn needs mowing? Do it and skip the official exercise. Stay active, stay busy, enjoy my summer. 

3. Nights are for sleeping - one thing that was really good at the beginning of summer was my sleep schedule. I would go to bed some time between 10 and 11. Then, I would get up around 7 or 8. This gave me a full night's sleep and plenty of day to get everything done and enjoy my time. I also didn't feel tired. So, I am going to try to get back into this habit. Work should not be an excuse. But, if I am truly tired, I will still allow myself a short 20-30 minute nap. Just enough to refresh myself. 

I want this to be a life-style change and obsessing over fitting in the gym or not eating because I am so close to my calorie allowance is not the way I want to live. This is by no means a strict plan. I can go out to dinner, have a drink, stay up late if I want. It just won't be every day. This feels like something I can better maintain and the weight will come off more naturally. It is way too easy to put the weight back on once you break your strict routine, and that's not what I want. I want to feel and look healthier, and I think this is my way of doing it.