This week so far has gone well. I have stuck to the goals I outlined, with the exception of following Cross-fit strictly for the entire week. I have been fairly vigilant though, even making up for a missed WOD today (therefore doing two WOD’s back to back… killer!)

I am in a consistent and uphill battle against boredom eating. I must admit, unless i’m moving 1,000,000 miles an hour, I have the tendency to munch on virtually anything that isn’t tied down. Even when I’m at the point of no longer being even remotely hungry. Tomorrow when I re-assess my goals for the coming week, I’ll be keeping this in mind. Having a plan, and strategies with which to implement this plan are crucial to success.

My goals for the first week of the challenge (which I officially kicked off yesterday) are as follows:

1. No processed sugar, grains, dairy (except butter) or alcohol
2. Keep a food log everyday/write in my journal everyday
3. Cross-fit as Prescribed (i.e. follow the site including rest days)

I think taking the challenge 1 day at a time, preparing ahead with food, and setting weekly goals as opposed to monthly goals will help me to stick with the program. Often I set these ridiculously lofty goals that I end up giving up on due to the fact that I don’t reach them right away (obviously) and that discourages me and sends me reeling into bad habits.

Food Day 1:

• 1/2 cup macerated rhubard and apple, 2 scoops protein, 3 TBSP coconut
• 100g Roast Beef, 1 cup greek salad (undressed), nectarine, banana
• 3/4 cup beef/pork chili, 1/2 cup sauerkraut
• 3 cups coffee

Food Day 2:

• 3 beef/pork meatballs, 1.5 cups zuchinni
• 3 cups lettuce, 1 sm cucumber, homemade dressing, 1/2 can tuna.

I’m going to try to update the blog more often, especially during this 30 day challenge. Putting the information on a public forum makes me feel more exposed, therefore more accountable. The only roadblock I foresee in daily updates is when I’m away from the 9-16th.

WISH ME LUCK!

The mountain was Lone Cone, at 730 metres, it is in the middle of the triad of peaks– Catface, Lone Cone, and Colnett–that run from northwest to southeast through Clayoquot Sound.

This hike kicked my ass. In fact, I was so humbled by it that I almost started crying 3/4 of the way up. My calves were wrecked for a week afterwards, and unfortunately there was cloud at the top so we didn’t get the awesome view we’d been hoping for. It was still worth the effort though, mostly upon seeing how huge the hill was once we were back down!

On another note: Today is the first day of a self-imposed ‘Survival Week’ which is a term used frequently on the MDA forum to describe a week in which one follows certain fairly strict guidelines as far as diet, exercise and lifestyle are concerned. This week my parameters include: IF 1 meal per day, No new groceries, No Alcohol, Carbs below 50g a day, No chocolate, and riding my bike everywhere (no rides from friends, no bus) So far so good. Today I fasted until around 2pm, then had a big salad with Lettuce, Arugula, Cucumber, Tomatoes, Avocado, Red Onion, Brocolli and a dressing of olive oil and cider vinegar. As well as a coffee with Heavy Cream. I’ve also been all over town on my bike today so I feel stoked about that.

Things with the business are going well. I dedicated the majority of today to getting some administrative stuff in order. Including setting up my business bank account and GST number. As well as chatting with a new client about some future projects and organizing some files at home. Speaking of files, I could desperately use a filing cabinet. I’d really like to find some sort of old school locker or pull out cabinet from the 60′s. I’m hoping I can duck into some vintage/antique places this weekend to see if I can find anything along those lines.

Back to work!

My morning these days look something like this:

1. Snooze Button
2. Snooze Button
3. Repeat above x10
4. Shower
5. Africano
6. Surf da Interwebs
7. Contemplate getting off the computer
8. Write a blog post
9. Do some freelance
10. Lunch

Things could be worse I suppose…

These are some of the little characters that occupy my desk space. They’ve come from various friends and family at different points over the last 5 years. I’m not sure why I enjoy them so much, as I tend to hate kitschy things, but these guys have stuck with me.

Have a beautiful Saturday.

I took all of my office plants home with me when I got let go. They now sit on the window sill in front of my home office desk. This morning I noticed a hearty little sprout! New beginnings are often signified in the smallest of places and I feel like this is a positive sign of my new journey! Happy Friday to you!

What a crazy, thought-provoking, life awakening week its been. Last Tuesday I was unceremoniously laid off from my job. It came very unexpectedly and in a way that left  bad taste in my mouth. So I spent the better half of the week drowning my shock in alcohol and attempt to figure out what the hell I was going to do. After a handful of nights spent under the glorious haze of alcohol induced numbness, I realized that taking a break from booze would give me the clarity I need during this time to figure out what’s next. Thus a personal 30-day challenge has begun. One that includes no alcohol, no sugar, no grains. Also no eating out, and no spending money unless it’s absolutely crucial (i.e. grocery essentials). So far so good. It’s funny how having a sudden massive change to your daily routine really makes you re-assess your priorities. I had, for the last few years, just mindlessly spent money, $20 here, $45 there, without a second thought. I had a steady (large) paycheck coming every two weeks and never thought twice about picking up a latte, or buying my favorite $10 bar of chocolate. Now I find myself making my coffee at home, and buying only things that genuinely nourish my body (if it’s a choice between good bacon and a bunch of bananas, I’ll choose the bacon, hands-down!) I’m still not 100% sure what I’m going to do next, but I do know that my options are pretty much limitless, and I have some (roughly 4 weeks) time figure it out.

Changing tack, below are some photo’s of last week’s grocery haul, as well as a tasty meal I cooked up for my friend Gray who came to fix my Adobe issues. Grass fed Steaks, on Broccoli Carrot Mash (made with copious amounts of bacon fat, cream, and butter)