Don’t look now, but 2016 is more than half-over. How close are you to achieving your fitness and weight-loss objectives? If it’s time to reset your resolution, MyFitnessPal is here to help with a comprehensive look at how to reassess and adjust your goals.
As part of #ResolutionReset August, we’re following MyFitnessPal user Kim Westerman, a mother of two in Berkeley, California, as she shares her fitness journey with a weekly check-in. Learn more about Kim in her first post and how she redefined her goals, and read about how she put the UA Scale to work on her quest.
It’s inevitable. Just when you commit to a #ResolutionReset, you get invited to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for a week. Well, maybe that invitation isn’t inevitable, but as a travel writer, I often find my plans abruptly changing by way of an irresistible invitation. Otherwise, it’s my own cravings that get me into trouble.
But this time, I’ll blame Cabo — land of margaritas and ceviche. Fortunately, the ceviche doesn’t pose a problem for the health-focused. This exotic nutrient-rich dish is made mostly of fresh seafood, which provides lean protein and valuable omega-3 fats. Instead, I set out to discover how many margaritas I could enjoy, preferably poolside, while not getting too far off track. (And I fully acknowledge there’s a tradeoff here: Alcoholic drinks are a significant source of empty calories, but hey, vacation in moderation, right?)
Let’s cut to the chase: The answer, for me, is two drinks per day, with modest eating. At the end of the week, I had re-gained a pound, but only one, and had a tan to boot.
The week was challenging, seeing as I couldn’t realistically travel with my UA Scale. Still, with my iPhone tracking my steps in my pocket, and the freedom to sneak in little workouts throughout the day, the tradeoff was well worth it.
What I learned about myself is that, left to my own devices, I don’t gravitate toward sugar, or other empty calories, except in the form of alcohol. I’ve been really surprised since I began my #ResolutionReset at just how quickly a glass of wine with dinner or a weekend cocktail add up. When I’m at home, I can easily forgo the evening libation; in fact, when I do, I sleep better and wake more refreshed. But on vacation, when I definitely want to imbibe, I’m left with two choices: Cut down on calories from food or exercise more. I choose the latter.
What I love about this tracking system is that I can enter into my choices fully conscious of how they manifest in terms of my ultimate goals. It’s about the simplest math there is. In order to meet my goal each day or each week, I have to burn more calories than I take in, and this figure is calculated at the outset. But there’s also wiggle room. For example, if I know I’m going on a big hike the following day, but my intake won’t really change, I can afford an indulgence the day before. It’s a kind of self-negotiation, one that I can monitor without surprises.
In other words, just one 30-minute workout of moderate intensity can buy me a guilt-free Cabo Green: a cucumber-and-cilantro margarita. Taking it poolside adds no calories whatsoever.
What’s your resolution for the rest of the year? Join the conversation on Twitter. Share your goals with @MyFitnessPal using the hashtag #ResolutionReset.
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The post Staying Motivated: An MFP User’s #ResolutionReset Journey appeared first on Hello Healthy.
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