JANUARY RECAP

January was a great month in terms of providing a great foundation to transition towards a more healthy lifestyle that is sustainable for the long term.

Here is a recap
Total Workouts: 20
Total Weeks with meals prepped: 4
Total Weight Lost: 8.3 lbs

Learnings:
Daily Workouts 
Nothing short of a daily game changer. The days that I didn't get one in, especially when I was planning on working out and then for whatever reason didn't (ie - wasn't high enough on my priority list) I felt like I was in a mini-funk.

The days that I worked out before work were the best and I was in a great mood those days. Getting a workout in early in the day, right after I drop Mugs off at school is going to be my main goal for Feb.

Meal Prep
This was key and maybe the second most important thing I did this month in terms of creating a healthy lifestyle and I really enjoyed it. It was extremely valuable and freed up a lot of time in the evening, too. This is something I'll continue doing as we move forward.

Also, I was able to work on some things on my List of 37 Things with this, too. Other than making a few roasts, most meals I prepped were ones I had never made before and definitely took me out of my cooking comfort zone. 

Not drinking
This was easier than I thought. I even went to my favorite bar a few times just to get out of the house and catch up with the crew of regulars - and every time I ordered water and a diet coke. Of course, there were times when I really wanted a beer, but most were situational. Meaning, I am used to drinking a beer while doing certain activities (cooking was the most notable for some reason). But as long as I had something else to drink, I was OK and the want faded away. Also, I have to assume that the stock in La Croix sky rocketed over the past month. I burned through this stuff like crazy.

Eating Healthy
If I said there were no cravings I'd be lying to you. But, I was surprised at how easy this was to maintain - as long as I had meals prepped and healthy options at the house. We also had a cheat meal a week - typically Friday evenings after the youngin' went to bed. We'd order take out and then watch a movie. This quickly became the highlight of my week and I'd start looking forward to it early each week. Note: The cheat meal wasn't the reason it was my favorite part of the week, but everything. Sitting in a cozy living room, hanging out with J, and just unwinding. Of course, having some good and forbidden food also added to it.

Overall
I've got more energy, feel more on point, and feel better about myself than I have in a while. I'm going to keep going strong for this next month. I have some stuff I need to work and improve on, but overall I'm really proud of how well I did in January. And, even more exciting, I know exactly what I want to focus on for these next 28 days.

As you were.