Adjusted Reality

“Reality can be beaten with enough imagination.” – Mark Twain

Something’s Gotta Give

Life is the picture of overwhelming right now.  Even though I’m getting enough sleep, I’m just a lot more DRAINED than normal so getting stuff done on weekdays outside of working hours (which are some days creeping past 8 into 9 or 10 hours) is impossible.  I mean, I’m up at 8:30, to work by 9-ish, get out of work usually around 6:30 or 7 (and that’s working through lunch), head to the gym for an hour or so, come home, make dinner, and it’s about 9:30 or 10pm by the time I’m done eating, and then I have about an hour and some change before it’s time to get into bed.  Rinse and repeat.

Usually weekends are my saving grace.  However, spending EVERY WAKING MOMENT of 4th of July break out of town and then heading straight into work exhausted and sleep deprived, didn’t help.  And since we weren’t home, there was so much to do this weekend.  Plus work spilled over into the weekend.  And the house is a FREAKING DISASTER and getting to me.  Anyone who really knows me would discern that it would have to be pretty bad – as generally I don’t mind living in chaos.  But this is getting ridiculous – there is so much crap on the kitchen counter that I’m trying to avoid making anything for food that takes prep.   And… this weekend I thought it would be a grand idea to go party both Friday and Saturday nights.  So I’ve spent the entire weekend either drunk or just tired.  No bueno at all.

I’m not even sure how I’m going to keep it together this week.  I’m anticipating a most hellacious week at work due to deadlines and stuff.  We have after work obligations tomorrow and Wednesday.   It’s Sunday night and instead of relaxed and happy and rested I feel exhausted and stressed and frazzled.  Not a great way to go into said week.

I either need to just get up and start dealing with stuff or decide to push it out of my mind.  The house being messy is NOT an emergency and can wait.  If the laundry doesn’t get put away, who cares?  The problem is since I *do* care, it’s stressing me out that it’s not done.  So I think that’s my answer – sacrifice my Sunday night to get shite done even if I’ll be a little less rested, because sitting here stressing about it isn’t restful and isn’t doing me any good anyway.  So there.

It’s not all horrible though.  I made good on my sugar reduction last week.  I did not have desert once, minus a few starlight mints and a fortune cookie, neither of which count in my opinion.  I gave myself free reign with fruit, and mowed through a lot of it.  I also found some really yummy 110 calorie protein shakes which are my new favorite after workout snack (only 1 gram of sugar too).  However, since they’re expensive, I’m saving them for particularly intense workouts.  Any suggestions for protein shake type things that are low sugar and about the same amount of calories?  110 calories for 30g protien is a GOOD DEAL calorie-wise, but at 8 bucks for 4 shakes, not a viable every day consumable.

I also started moving back to making lunch my biggest meal of the day and starting to feel better overall about it.  I’m not a huge believer in the “no eating after a certain time” thing, but I feel like I have less of the “hungries” overall.  And…on big workout days, it’s much more satisfying to have a 800-1000 calorie lunch at a restaurant than 500-700 calories of dinner and 300 calories of random snacks.  Plus now that I’m eating so late, it’s nice to not go to bed so full.

However, I kinda screwed up and didn’t track my calories.  I also completely botched my training plan due to just sheer exhaustion.  I think that I did alright with calories in and out and eating good stuff, but I certainly can’t quantify it.  Here is what I did workout-wise last week:

Monday: off (driving)
Tuesday: 40 mins arc trainer (525 calories)
Wednesday: off (exhaustion, felt like I was coming down with something)
Thursday: 12 mile bike ride, 3 mile run (just didn’t have 5 in me) (800 calories)
Friday: 45 mins arc trainer (600 calories)
Saturday: 12 mile bike ride, 40 mins arc trainer (900 calories)
Sunday: off

This week will really depend on how crazy work is, and how tired I am, but here is the plan.

Monday: 4 mile run (500)
Tuesday: DDR or arc trainer and weights (450-ish)
Wednesday: 12 mile ride and 5k run (800)
Thursday: off
Friday: 45 mins running speedwork (600)
Saturday: 25 mile bike ride (800)
Sunday: off

More running, a nice long bike ride, less arc trainer, and while I’d like to fit 2 weights sessions in there, I just don’t think I have time.  So it is what it is.

I’m just realizing that something has to give for now.  I had hoped to blog a little more frequently, and I even have a really burning post in my head as a mid-year wrap up (as it is now WELL past July 1st), but every time I go to write anything but these weekly wrap ups, I just can’t do it.  While I’m still obviously making strides to make sure I’m eating healthy/enough/not too much, and still definitely working out more than the average bear, I just don’t have the mindshare and give-a-crap to track and be neurotic about it.

Tomorrow is one month away from the scale, and I think that I’m going to continue on at least one more week.  I’m all worked up enough with everything else going on to freak out about my weight.  My pants still fit fine, I know I’m not doing too bad, so I’ll find out later this week or next week when I feel like I *could* handle it if I have gained a few.  I have really liked not worrying about the number.  I think I’ll continue monthly weigh ins unless I find I’ve gained.

Alrighty, going to get up and be productive.  It will be a good week.  No deserts, bigger lunches/smaller dinners, and staying sane and trying to figure out how to get my life under control.  Looking forward to hiring minions to delegate some of this stuff to at work, and perhaps its time to consider doing the same at home (maid service – next on the money list once we get caught up right after “nicer gym”).  Question of the week: what one thing would you hire someone to do if you could either professionally or personally?

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2 Comments

  1. Your life is so busy and full. as I was reading along I thought – perhaps she needs to hire someone once a week to help you get on top of your house. Because you sound like me – if my house is straight(ish) then I feel better. Weird connect for me.

    So that’s my answer – I would hire someone to help me keep things clean. To do the big things – floors, bathrooms, dusting and appliance cleaning.

    Take it easy on yourself – you get a lot done in your life!

  2. Divinari

    I concur with Diane. Find a reference for someone to come clean your house and just do it. Someone at your work has got to know someone… you’re not the only overworked one. 😉

    I know you’re gung ho about the workouts, but you’re right, something’s gotta give, especially when you’re as burnt out sounding as you are. Be a little nicer to yourself through this mini/not-quite-crunch.

    Eating more at lunch makes a lot of sense. I try to do it, too, but sometimes it’s hard, being at work and all (and conversely being at home for dinner). I find if I front-load my calories, I feel better. But, I don’t work out like you do, so I can’t say what would work best for you.

    I’d totally come help you if I was local. 🙂

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