Day 13: One Step at a Time

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS to all of you on Day 90!! That is a serious accomplishment. I've been really inspired by all of your blogs and pictures. You're all part of the reason I decided to do the PCP - so, thank you!

Some recent thoughts on food:

• Balsamic vinegar makes everything taste better. Seriously - I'm craving the stuff, and drizzle it on almost every lunch and dinner.
• LOVING breakfast these days: a warm bowl of a cooked grain (so far, quinoa or brown rice), chunks of avocado and/or beets, topped with a fried egg (fried only because I crack it into a pan on the stove - not using any butter or oil) with a soft yolk. All mixed up with a glass of milk on the side - YUM.
• My veggies have been a combination of raw and steamed. Ate kale both ways yesterday and it was almost like eating two different veggies.
  
• Need to vary my proteins. Mostly chicken so far, either grilled or my father-in-law's famous rotisserie chicken. Bought shrimp today.
• Is bread really ok? Any kind of bread? Dense and dark seems better, but I was reading labels at the store today and noticed how much sodium is in bread in general!
  
• I bought WAY too much fruit last week. 140 grams 2x/day = not much volume, as most fruit is heavy!
  
• I've been very hungry after breakfast (maybe because I work out first thing in the morning?), but yesterday and today, I've barely been able to finish my lunch or dinner. Feeling really full and bloated, similar to how I felt before the PCP. Not the lightness I was feeling last week.

Some recent thoughts on the workouts:

• So...after reading Patrick's email re: working to muscle failure and keeping to the short rest time between sets...I had a very different workout this morning. For one thing, I finished everything in 45 mins as opposed to 60! For another, I pushed my muscles harder today than ever before.
  
• Looking closely at the pictures, I think I figured out the secret to a better DaVinci and front shoulder raise - keeping the elbows slightly bent. This really brings the burn into the shoulders instead of the wrists/elbows. Patrick - is this correct?

Other stuff: I'm about to face my first big challenge in time management on the PCP. My final 6 day intensive for my 500 hour yoga teacher training starts on Thurs. I'm feeling a lot of trepidation about fitting everything in. We meet from 9-7, all other waking hours are usually spent taking care of kids. I can get up early enough to do the morning workouts, but I'm worried about food shopping and prep. With all the fresh foods we're eating, I can't really buy a week's worth at a time. So will have to fit that in at least once. Also, these trainings are tiring, so I hope I have enough stamina to make it through.

But...life becomes less overwhelming if I just take it one step at a time. One day, one moment, one meal at a time. :)