Blog Forward Challenge 2014 by Zone Perfect: Subtle changes for the year

I’m a healthy guy.  I exercise a little bit and don’t eat too poorly, but things are changing.  The exercise doesn’t happen as much as it used too, my metabolism is slowing just a bit and I had a 1 month period that I’m still recovering from, more on that in a moment.   The Blog Forward Challenge by Zone Perfect is designed to help people establish and keep goals.

Not being able to fit into your clothing is an odd thing to a 40some odd year old guy who used to work out a lot.  Over the summer I was diagnosed with melanoma and that sucked.  The area was caught quickly and it’s all gone now, however I still go to the dermatologist 4 times a year.  What was interesting is that after the initial diagnosis and before the surgery I ate everything and anything that would take my mind off of it.

Unfortunately the other side of the equation is that after surgery you can’t resume normal activities for four weeks.  During that time my diet was better, but I had gained some weight.  It wasn’t a lot of weight, but it was enough to make most of my clothes too small.  And by most I mean that I could fit into one or two pairs of pants, so if you saw me during that time period that’s what was going with the blue and tan pants I always wore.

My goals for 2014 are simple.  I’m not calling them New Year’s Resolutions because I want to succeed in them.  Not that that phrase throws a pox on your goals, but making it a lifestyle change instead of a wish makes them more likely to happen.

• Snack less

It can be challenging when you have two small kids to snack with them.  Note to those without kids, they snack quite often.  There is a reason why parents carry small containers of cereal around with them everywhere

• Snack better

However, when I snack, it’ll be healthier, more fruits, veggies and smaller portions.  I’ve grown to love thinly sliced celery in many dishes and baby carrots are reproducing like bunnies.  Thankfully we’re eating them, the carrots, not the bunnies, no bunnies in the house.

• Stretch/work out more

This is especially important for me because my back tends to be get stiff and there are a couple discs that have had problems in the past.  A healthy, happy core is key to your body working properly.  Side planks and squats are my sometimes best friend and I will visit them at least 3 times a week.

A quick letter to my future self:

Trey, I know you’re busy.  You wake up at 6:30, get to sleep sometimes around midnight and raise two happy, manic, ball of energy boys during the day.  You don’t have time to really work out like you used to-and that’s OK.  However, get it together.  Everyone is busy.   You can find 20 minutes a day to stretch and/or exercise a bit.  Remember how you used to love riding your bike on the trails on the weekends?  Can’t you find 90 minutes on a Saturday to let your brilliant wife do things and you just go have fun?

And, about your diet.  It takes 30 days for new habits to be formed.  You want to eat with the boys to show them that it’s great food.  However,  they will eat when they’re hungry.  If you eat a meal with them and a meal with your bride your pant size will be unforgiving.  Stop.  Ditto the snacking during the day, a little snack is OK, but make it healthy and smaller.

Don’t forget, new habits take 30 days to be accepted.

So those are my fitness and nutrition goals.  What are yours?

I’m not getting monetary consumption to be a brand ambassador for Zone Perfect for the Blog Forward Challenge.  They are sending me some product to use and some to giveaway though.