Endeavor.

Well, I've decided that I need to make some pretty substantial changes.  I've known for awhile, really.  But I'm reminding myself again that it's time grow up, take my life into my own hands and do something with it.  This applies to all aspects of my life.  My list so far includes:

Diet
Exercise
Finances
Relationships
Work

I'm kind of reminded of the hierarchy of needs here?  Like once I get myself all straightened out, everything else will straighten itself out?  I dunno.  Just a thought.

Anyway, I should say that as I write this I think about when I first separated from the The Other Half and how I said to him then that I needed to figure stuff out.  Figure myself out.  Get my shit together.  I feel I've made quite a bit of progress in that endeavor, but I'm only just now getting to the point where I'm confident enough to set some real goals for myself and test my own strength.  

So let's start with diet.  I purposefully placed diet and exercise in their own individual categories because, let's face it, one step at time.  However I'm planning on attacking each of the items above simultaneously, just placing more focus on one or two at a time.

Diet.  This is a really difficult one.  Well over a year ago, I adhered to a very strict diet for several months.  Dropped 20 pounds, hit the gym three to five times a week, all while maintaining a very low caloric intake and eating very healthy food.  It was not easy, but it was nowhere near as challenging as I find it to be now.  And I know exactly why!  Back when I did it before, I worked in an office.  In a cube.  Where I brought my own lunches and the only temptations I faced were in the vending machines and since I don't carry change, they really weren't an issue!  But now.  Where do I work now?  A friggin' grocery store.  How do you quit eating junk when you are surrounded by it all day, every day?  It's not going to be easy, I assure.  But it must be possible.  

So here's the plan.  I want to transition to the Paleo diet.  Gradually at first, but I'd like to be about 80% Paleo by the end of September.  My 20% will of course consist of cheese and beer.  Haha.  But anyway, yeah.  That's the goal.  Limit my options, eat clean, and feel better.  I'm starting one week at a time.  Five days on, two days eating what I want.  Slowly getting rid of all the grains and cheeses and not so lean meats I have in my house.  And the junk food (read: ice cream, pudding, etc.).

Aaaannndd... Exercise.  I am registering to run a 5K this October.  And I will do it this time.  No ifs, ands, or buts.  After that, sometime around January, I will run a 10K.  THEN!  I want to run the Shamrock 15K!  And finally, a half marathon sometime around summer of next year.  I CAN do it.  Just have to stick to it.  And actually train.  

So, to get started with both of these adventures, I've made myself a delicious and healthy almost-paleo lunch for work tomorrow (there's some string cheese and sugar-free chocolate pudding in there!) and I'm getting up early enough to gather some stuff together so I can go to the gym after work.  But that means I actually need to go to bed at a reasonable hour so I'm not rushing around and forgetting things.

One more thing before I go, though.  Highlights.

1.  Even though the poor thing was ill this morning, it was nice to be able just cuddle and hang out with my daughter.  It's been awhile since she's really wanted to be close to mommy like that for longer than ten seconds.  So laying around watching a movie and taking a nap together was pretty awesome.  

2.  Clean sheets on the bed!  Though I've needed to wash them for, ahem, some time, my daughter's upset tummy kinda forced the issue earlier today!  Soooo, clean sheets, pillowcases, duvet and even a tidied up room.  Love it.  Peaceful place to end the day.  

Good night!