MIMM: What to do differently

I didn't watch the Superbowl. Instead, I worked then got sent home early because it was so slow. I had time to stop by for a Superbowl special of lamb sliders with red pepper spread and arugula at Whole Foods for $1 each! I ate 2 of them open-faced.

We enjoyed a gorgeous weekend. It, at the least, kept me in a good mood while working.

This coming week involves a lot more work. I work both jobs Monday-Wednesday then get some days off after 6 days in a row at my part-time job. I can't wait - it seems like a vacation!

Tonight, as I watched "Hotel Transylvania," I stumbled upon some good reads.

Of course, I read this article on metabolic damage, which reminded me to do things a little differently.

"when we workout while the body is recovering, our bodies will go into a state of shock and STOP producing results. Continuing on this path leads to little to no results; it makes us fatigued, tired, cranky, and blown out, and usually that’s followed by frustration."

I completely have all the signs of metabolic damage, especially the strange cold hands and feet and low pulse (~45 bpm)!

Another read that came up on my feed was tips from "The Biggest Loser" trainers. Anyone watching the show? It's sometimes hard to watch because of all the emotion. I recall one of the tips, from Dolvett: "the numbers on the scale weren't dropping because of 'the weight in her head.'"

So, I did some nostalgic research. I looked at posts from a year ago and my workout log. One year ago today, I was about to start Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer, eating her turkey meatloaf, drinking protein shakes a lot, and was struggling to study for my CTEL exam.

What's different?

• My arms are stronger. They used to be so weak.
• My knees don't hurt anymore. I remember that being such a big problem last year.
• I don't lift as much as I do HIIT.
• No more protein powders, which also means no Shakeology.
• I stopped participating in Foodie Penpals, mostly to save money. Budgeting is good.
• I don't go to farmer's markets anymore, partly because of work and partly because I'm over the novelty.
• I haven't had the urge to bake in awhile. I've also purchased less sweets. Well, I buy more bars of plain chocolate...
• I passed that darn CTEL exam and don't know why it took me a year to do it!

What's the same?

• My weight! I gained some weight in the summer working at the fair then lost it. Although, the best "tell" is how my jeans fit. I have a range of pants from when I was losing weight before.
• Good news! I still have my period. This last month was super painful though.
• My abilities. My body, regardless of what it looks like, has always been amazing. I can do so much and always keep up.

What to do differently:

• Try a workout and stick with it. I often get too bored. Lately, I've done tons of yoga and boot camps are my favorite right now. I'm sticking to those whenever I can and adding others as they fit into my schedule. I went to an amazing TRX boot camp class but it's so expensive!
• Sleep more. Rest more. I was working out 8-9 hours each week! Although that's a step down from the 5-6 hour days I once did.
• Be more active outside of working out. This includes walks and biking.
• Eat more. You heard it. I stopped using MyFitnessPal for good. I also am trying hard to eat what I want and not meal plan; however, sometimes I do have to plan out meals if I'm gone all day. I would practice intuitive eating except that my body rarely gets hungry for enough food - keep in mind, I was starving myself for more than a year.
• Vacation. I lose weight when I vacation and don't work out. Yep, true story.
• Stay in touch with friends. I suck at this, but I reconnected with my former roommate of 5 years, went to visit, and fell in love with friends all over again.

What will you do differently this year, or just this month?
Suggestions for anything I missed?