The goal is twofold: get healthy, and stay healthy.
Two primary modes will be employed: food control and stable exercise routine.
Food guidelines:
- Primary: restaurant food will be limited to 1/week
- Fat and cholesterol intake will be controlled
- Sugar will be cut down substantially (no more non-diet sodas!)
- Sodium will be monitored (most days should be low-sodium foods only)
- Ice cream will be limited to Saturday, with an “earned” flex Friday ice cream as well (probably the wiggliest guideline since ice cream is also a comfort food)
One of the most key things to consider is that I have a strong tendency to relax my dietary restrictions when highly stressed or when celebrating/relaxing/on vacation. This is minimally tolerable. The best defense would be to stop going into boom/bust work cycles like what has been happening over the last few years, and stabilize the amount of work I take on. Getting a single full-time job would be one big step towards this goal.
Exercise guidelines:
- Aikido (within the next two weeks) multiple times per week
- Update: Aikido delayed due to delay in getting new glasses and difficulty catching up on EVC prep, but will be in before July 15
- Quidditch if possible once a week
- 7 Minute workout in the morning, directly between feeding the cats and showering. Getting to bed on time is key (6:45AM wakeups M-Th this summer).
- Gym membership may be required for additional commitment. High-impact (punching bag) and low-impact (swimming) are both options.
Be sure to establish a cheat day and also respect the soreness (but jump back on as soon as soreness wanes!) so that a regular pattern can be held.