Without Exercise ...

Here's the difference between the me that exercises and the me that doesn't:

• Without exercise, I have a hard time concentrating during the day.
• Without exercise, I wake up tired and stay tired during the day. I'm assuming I'm getting more restless sleep, as the circles under my eyes will attest.
• Without exercise, I have to be so much more careful about how I eat. The "relaxed" habits I've acquired don't work now that I'm not burning those extra calories.
• Without exercise, I'm freaking ornery. I'm mad that I'm off my pace to add miles and will have to start over. I'm scared that I'll gain 95 pounds back in a week or so. I'm worried that I'll start to like this not exercising thing and fall off the wagon all together.

So, I went back to basics today. I stopped at the grocery store and loaded up on the right stuff. I made a pot of spaghetti sauce tonight and planned my meals out for the upcoming week. Kale, edamame, spaghetti squash, zucchini ... it's all back in rotation.

And while the run of pizza, Mexican, ice cream and sugar cookies ... all in one week ... was fun, it had to end!

Now I have the confidence to know that I can do this. I have done it before. I will be OK.