Fat Tuesday

I am Catholic, which means that Lent starts tomorrow for me, which means that today is "Fat Tuesday." I will not be celebrating it this year, as I feel like I've had a "Fat Past Few Months", and don't need one more day of overeating! I hadn't given Lent much thought...it snuck up on me. This morning I decided that, rather than give something up, I wanted to add a healthy habit or two to my routine. I chose starting a Gratitude Journal, and committing to my running schedule. I started today by doing a 2 mile run at 6 mph (basically my fastest sustainable pace), and then going to Staples and buying a very pretty day planner to use as my journal. It was pretty expensive, but I wanted something nice that I would enjoy using.

I dread running every day that I'm supposed to do it. DREAD it! I don't start my formal training for my June 1/2 marathon until 3/24, but I want to do two 2-mile runs a week until then, just to get some consistency. I've maybe managed 1 run a week, but not even that recently. It snowed this morning, and I was going to use that as an excuse to do my bike instead. However, I didn't have to be at work until 2, so I went to the gym at 11:30, and the roads were fine. When I was done I felt SO good, and so happy that I had done it. I then went and bought myself an iced coffee, and my new journal.

I've heard a lot about Gratitude Journals in the HSM Community. The idea is that we tend to focus on all the things we're not doing, or don't have, or that we're not. However, there is so much positive and good, so many things that we are doing, and do have, and those things should be the focus. I've decided that each day during Lent (starting today, and perhaps continuing even after Easter), I going to write down 5 things I'm grateful for. It could be general things, or things specific to that day. I'm excited to see what I come up with!

Valentine's Day weekend was not the best time to try to get my eating back on track, although I don't think I did terribly. It was a fun, relaxing, memorable weekend, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I don't regret anything, and have not given any thought to what I ate. I woke up this morning ready to go. WW weigh-in tomorrow. I know I will have to pay, and am going to buy a monthly pass, and do so until I'm back at goal. It's time to get serious, and I'm up for the challenge!