Welcome back to the work week! I hope your weekend was fun and relaxing. We made a point of taking some time off work on Saturday afternoon & evening to spend time together. We even ventured out of the house and wandered the mall then went to a movie! Things got pretty wild 😉  If you’re looking for a movie suggestion, Straight Outta Compton was good (provided rap and excessive swearing doesn’t bother you). I wouldn’t say it’s one you necessarily need to see in the theatre, though.

Over the weekend I did a progress check-in with my coach after a week of being on a slightly different plan. I wasn’t totally thrilled with some of the results, but I also needed to honest and realistic.

After a less than perfect week on a new plan, the changes are pretty minor – basically just less bloating in my lower stomach, thanks to taking out some foods I’m apparently sensitive to. Teaching extra classes always impacts me in a negative way, too. I need a tan!

Truth – I wasn’t super compliant all week. Meal timing was off due to meetings at work, I swapped foods out, and my training was thrown off by teaching extra classes at the gym.

Truth – It was a stressful, hectic week and I didn’t get as much sleep as I usually do (cortisol levels were definitely on the rise thanks to the extra classes, too).

Truth – On more than one occasion I thought, “Forget it, I want an Oreo / extra almond butter / frozen yogurt”.  But then reality hit me –

What good would those things do?  I wanted them because I was frustrated with my “lack” of progress… how in the world were those things going to make that situation any better?  They wouldn’t. Not at all. 

I’ve stopped myself quite a few times by thinking more rationally and realistically. Or at least trying to. Shifting your mindset from the frustrated, “throw in the towel” outlook, to the more positive, “consistency is what works” outlook isn’t easy, nor is it fun.  But honestly, consistency is what works.  I have no doubt that if (when) I do a better job of sticking to my plan for the next couple of weeks, the results will come.

Another part of shifting my mindset, I’m looking at the positives from the week. First, after dealing with a lot of digestive issues, I think the problem has been found and solved! I’ve seen a physical difference, and even more importantly, I’ve felt better from cutting a few things from my diet. Second, I know that even when a week gets crazy, I can still do a decent job of staying on track (thanks to weekly meal prep and Kyle’s help).

So, even though cookies are fun and taste good, right now they’re not going to help me reach my goal.  Oreos, I’ll see you on Saturday refeed meals, and then after Vegas for a wonderful six months! Added bonus, we found these amazing limited edition Oreos, which I’d been looking for for months.

They do exist!… in the states.

Will changing your mindset help you reach your goal? When you get frustrated from what seems like a lack of progress, find the positives from the week and focus on those instead. And remember, consistency is the only way you’ll see results, so stay on track and trust the process. Happy Monday!