The Hits Just Keep Coming

Yesterday was supposed to be an awesome day. I was going to be on track with my eating, and my training schedule. I got to sleep in a little bit because I had to do some field work, and it was easier to just leave from my house then to go to the office first. I had a nice morning, got to see my boyfriend, made myself some oatmeal, got a latte, and headed down to the project site. We didn't have any food in the house (we are practicing saving/starving for when we have a house in a month), and planned on grocery shopping at night, after my track run to get all my healthy eating essentials. I planned on making a kick ass salad for dinner. For lunch, I told myself I would stop at Subway, after all, its good enough for the contestants on the Biggest Loser. I was pretty excited for my day: Morning oatmeal. Half day out of the office. Track run for training after work. Much needed grocery shopping after run. Salad for dinner. Biggest Loser on TV.

Its so interesting to me how little things really can derail all the best laid plans.

In reality, my day yesterday went like this:
Woke up rested, got to spend some quality time with my boyfriend, made delicious oatmeal, got a latte, and headed to Tacoma for work. The 45 minute drive was painless and traffic free. I got to the project site, and was instantly stressed out. There are SO many gigantic semi-trucks driving on the streets of Tacoma (the project is located right between the port and the freeway, go figure). It took me quite awhile to get my bearings and figure out where to set up. The whole time I was there, I was annoyed, and was just trying to get my work done as fast as possible. When I was done, I was hungry, I felt I really deserved whatever I wanted since I had just put up with so much for stupid work. I was surrounded by every fast food joint possible. I had to pee real bad, so I ducked into a Wendy's. I left immediately after peeing. Subway I kept chanting. But Subway was not what I wanted. I knew the only thing to do was to get on the freeway heading north and drive to the Subway by my office.

As I approached the Subway by my office, I thought of just continuing on and stopping at my favorite Thai place. No. I thought of going to Jack in the Box because I could have gone in Tacoma, but I didn't. No. I pulled into Subway. I got a $5 footlong chicken breast sandwich. No mayo, no cheese.

I arrived back at the office to finish out my workday, and proceeded to pump myself up for my evening run/shopping/salad. So far, I was on plan. About 4pm I got an e-mail from a girl that wanted to come by and see my condo that I'm trying to rent. I told her anytime after 5:30pm was good. She said she would see me at 5:30. I left the office at 5pm and proceeded to clean up a bit for the potential renter. I laid out my running clothes to change into so I could be ready immediately after she left (which would be what, 5:45?) I got a call from her saying she would be there more around 6pm. Ok, still not a problem. I was ready, still planning on running after I was done showing the place to her at 6pm.

6pm rolled around, and still no site of the potential renter. I was beginning to get hungry. The kind of hungry there is no turning back from. The kind of hungry that makes me do things I shouldn't. There was no food in the house, no way for me to have a quick snack and quell the beast. I still had to run, and shop, and then PREPARE a meal, so already I was looking at well over an hour before food would be ingested. Things took a turn for the worst.

The potential renter showed up at 6:30pm. She took a quick look around, and was visibly not impressed with the place. As soon as she left, I grabbed my keys and headed out the door...to the grocery store. No run. I went NUTS at the grocery store. I bought tons of veggies (lettuce, yams, green onion, cauliflower, peppers, onions), tons of fruit (pineapple, strawberries, grapefruit), chicken breast, ground turkey, frozen peas, frozen corn, crutons, whole wheat pasta, tomato sauce, milk, flour, butter...hmmm...oh, frozen pizza on sale? That will be a quick dinner. BOOM. In the cart. Oh, what's this? My favorite ice cream is $2.50 for a half-gallon? BOOM. In the cart. Fuck. Train derailed.

So I ate part of the delicious frozen pizza (not that long ago, I would have eaten the whole thing, keep in mind). I followed it up with a bowl of strawberries topped with my favorite ice cream, and finished just in time to watch The Biggest Loser. I was feeling kinda bad for eating like that, and just at that moment, Jillian Michaels was doing one of her "trainer tips" on the show. She said (paraphrased) "Tired of eating the same thing day in and day out? Well, try this: during the weekday, eat really well three days. Eat moderately well for two days. Take a break over the weekend. This way, it will be easier to stick to your plan if you know you can relax a little later on."

It was like she was speaking to me in my living room. I felt so much better. That one dinner, that one meal, is not defining my whole week. It is not defining my progress or what is to come. It was one fricken' meal out of a week. Sometimes I just need a little perspective.

As for today...I had oatmeal for breakfast like usual. I was able to pack my usual lunch today since I went to the store yesterday (and my bf was kind enough to cook off chicken breast for me last night when he got home from work). I am planning to pick up where I left off yesterday with my training. Today after work, I will be running my 5 X 400 meter track workout. I will be having salad for dinner. I am not letting last night's dinner run the show.