Things I Did Wrong

I've been doing some looking back over the past couple of weeks. I'm quickly approaching the one year mark of the new me ... March will be here before I know it. And there are days it seems like it can't possibly have been that long. Then again, some days it seems like life has always been THIS way.

It's strange.

But as I peek at the road behind me, I see some things I'd probably do differently. Here's a few:

1. I'd meet with a nutritionist. You can get a referral from your family physician ... who is usually more than happy to work on the "preventative care" angle with you. It would have been nice to know what eating was right for my particular situation ... my likes/dislikes, my exercise level, my budget, my culinary skills (or lack there of), etc.

2. I'd eat more. I think there were times, especially when I was running, that I wasn't taking in enough calories or the right kinds of calories to make my body work properly. By eating too little, your body can hold tight to the weight it has because it thinks you're starving. And that screws up your metabolism moving forward. Again ... the nutritionist would have been able to help with that, too.

3. I'd get a bike carrier for my car. There's a nice bike trail in my town and it's a whole lot safer than riding near my house. I just can't get there in a convenient way.

4. I'd schedule days off from working out and not obsess so much about doing it religiously.

5. I would not make Caramel Chex Mix. (See previous posts if this doesn't make sense.)

6. I'd have already bought the Hungry Girl 200 recipes book.

7. I should have talked to someone who knew more than me about shoes. I'm wearing a year-old pair of Shopko Nikes and my feet are a mess. Full of blisters and callouses ... not pretty. There's a store in Janesville and a few in Madison where you can have someone evaluate the way you walk/run and what your training needs are to match you up to the right shoes.

8. I'd stop being intimidated by the nutritionist, the shoe store for runners, the skinny people and all those I think are "better" at this than I am.

9. I'd drink more water. Or at least I think I was supposed to. I'm just not a big drinker in the first place, frequently not having anything during my dinner or after I get home from work ... which Jim finds weird. Again, the nutritionist might have had some advice about that. I think I could prevent some unnecessary snacking my drinking a glass of water first to get full.

10. I'd have started 10 years ago. Still mad at myself for wasting a part of my life being scared, uncomfortable and sad.