Resorting to Trickery

No matter how much your eye is on the prize, there are some days that you just don't want to be on your game.   I've been at this three hundred and forty some days straight.  In that time, I've worked out five to six days out of each week except for the two days I had bronchitis and also in that time I've only had one meal each week where I let myself have exactly what I want.  I call this meal treat night and it is what keeps me honest the rest of the week. But, as soon as this wonderful meal is over with, it's back to counting the calories.  I'm not going to quit, but sometimes I wish that life was like Tivo, just push pause, eat some Doritos and some Ben and Jerry's, rewind and away go the calories! 

That's a fantasy that won't be coming true and sometimes the road ahead looks nearly impossible.  My friend expressed the same feeling this week when she said, shaking her head and looking overwhelmed, "If I don't work out every day, I gain weight. I'm going to have to do this the rest of my life!"

So what do you do when you are feeling overwhelmed, when you're tired and don't want to workout, when you feel like all you eat are plants?  Much like parents use the airplane technique to get children to eat their vegetables or how you hide the dog's medicine in a piece of cheese, you have to employ trickery, this time on yourself.

Some examples of trickery I've used on myself:

• Yum! This spinach salad is just as tasty as that pizza they're eating.
• I'm not tired at all today.  I have lots of energy.
• My feet don't hurt.
• My arms aren't going to give out, I can hold this plank.
• Chocolate is gross!
• If I cover the timer with this magazine, these thirty minutes on the elliptical will fly by!
• That spot on the ceiling of the gym is fascinating and I don't even feel like my arms are going to fall off doing the speed bag in kickboxing class.

Some days you feel strong and full of energy and you don't worry about missing out on treats.  Other days you feel tired and sore and deprived.  In those times, if you have to resort to a little trickery, that's okay.