Trying to Work it Out!

So, within the last year I have really been slacking on eating healthy and being active. Before that, I hardly ate any white rice, pasta, potatoes, or white bread. I ate much more wheat based pastas and breads, lots of fruits, veggies, and proteins, and I made sure to take a walk around the city or go for a run. I even joined 24 Hour Fitness and got a trainer for a couple of months. Last summer, I was in the best shape of my life. I could run forever, do at least 20 real push-ups, and I just felt really good inside and out. September came and it seemed like I just could not find any time or anymore energy to even put my workout clothes on. My students wore me out! I think I've actually run maybe 5 or 6 times within all these months. I just kept telling myself, "You've gone to work and the gym in the same day many many many times. It's possible! You have no excuses." But I felt so drained by the end of the day that I just couldn't do it. Now my clothes are a little more snug, some I don't even wear anymore, and I look at pictures of myself from this time last year and think, "I want to look like that again!"

Well, school is out and weather is gorgeous, so I've been making an effort to start running and working out again to get back into shape. Man, has it been really hard! Last summer, I was running for at least 45 minutes straight, sometimes twice or 3 times around Greenlake. I know I'm not going to run 45 minutes straight anytime this week, and it'll be a while building up to that, but I have to start somewhere. Right now I'm starting at 20 minutes, with intervals of different speeds to avoid monotony. As far as diet. . . Well, I'm still working on that. My diet could be much better than it is right now, but I find myself eating socially quite often. I yet have to cook a meal at home on my own since school has been out.

It's really just an energy cycle. When I work out and eat right, I have more energy and motivation to do it again the next day. When I don't work out and eat like crap, I have less energy and less or no motivation to get up and do anything. I'm not feeling super great about my condition quite yet because I know I have a ways to go, but I'm excited that I'm a day closer to getting back into shape and being healthier again. I'm definitely motivated to being a better and healthier me.