Three Wagons: Sleep, Exercise, and Diet

By | October 22, 2012

A while ago I wrote about desiring to be a morning person. I made a few lists and I actually got my butt into gear. I GOT UP in the morning.

I was getting pretty full of myself. What with the working out every day, the clean kitchen at night, and the crockpot meal smellin’ up the house all day long. Yah, you could say I was feeling good.

And then?

I fell off the bandwagon. The waking up bandwagon, to be precise. And somehow, I’ve learned that the waking up wagon is closely related to the working out wagon. And the working out wagon is kinda sorta sleeping with the diet wagon. Everything’s messy. It’s so convoluted I don’t even know which wagon I need to be on right now.

If my particular wagon chain were to come barreling down Main Street I’d probably just grab ahold of whichever one was the slowest. You know, cause I’m tired, out of shape, and kinda fat right now. Slow would be best.

My apologies for the lengthy digression on bandwagons. Its always been a fascinating expression for me. Bandwagon.

Since I don’t see any wagons swinging down the road I’ll assume I have to get on the figurative one inside my head. Actually, I need to simultaneously “get on” three of them at once. The waking up wagon, the working out wagon, and the eating right wagon. If I wake up early, I’ll work out. And if I work out I’ll probably want to eat right. And if you give a mouse a cookie he’s going to ask for a glass of milk.

This funny phenomenon is called Reciprocal Causality according to my philosopher husband.

If you tell your spouse that your conflicts are simply an exhibition of reciprocal causality…Well, you can bet what the “causal” outcome might be.

Anyways, I’ve made three rules for myself that should cover the various wagons. My hope is that I’ll be able to get out of my rut and be done with the abhorrent Diet Eves I seem to be having every night. What? You aren’t familiar with Diet Eve? I coined it, so it’s not too surprising that it hasn’t taken the world by storm quite yet. Give it time.

Three Wagons: Sleep, Exercise, and Diet

Ok, so here are the three rules that will supposedly fix all of my problems.

1. Wake up every morning. Early.

2. Work out most days of the week.

3. Only have twenty chocolate chips a day.

Here’s my deal: I am a sugar ADDICT. It’s really bad. I know I need to get off of it. But I’m not quite ready to let go. I mean, the holidays are RIGHT around the corner, and that means New Years resolutions will formulate and blah blah blah. Really, it comes down to the peppermint bark and peanut butter balls.

I am not so much a fool as to attempt the impossible during the most wonderful time of the year. I’ve got my plan of action. It involves twenty chocolate chips a day.

twenty chocolate chips per day

Maybe twenty is a bit generous? I don’t know. Suffice it to say this will be an “adjustment” in itself.

So. Do you have any Monday Resolutions? Or Wagons? Peppermint bark or peanut butter balls?

18 thoughts on “Three Wagons: Sleep, Exercise, and Diet

  1. Kim@Co-Pilot Mom

    I am familiar with these bandwagons you speak of. I usually do OK with the getting up early one – most days – but I admit I am finding it hard to catch up with the other two lately.

    Reply
    1. hillary

      Well at least you can get up early! I wish I was better at that. I did get up today though so I’m already moving forward. And I’ve only had eight of my chocolate chips so far ????

      Reply
  2. Emily Lynne | The Best of this Life

    Love this post!! Reciprocal causality : I get this. I think 20 chocolate chips is a good plan… maybe try 70% dark cocoa (without the sugar…or less sugar) – it’s obviously a darker/richer taste than chocolate chips, but the benefits of pure cocoa make it virtually guilt-free ???? Thanks for sharing your link!

    Reply
    1. hillary

      I will definitely incorporate the darker chocolate. It really is so much more satisfying anyway.

      Reply
      1. deebs

        then add in a glass of red wine to bring out the flavor of the dark chocolate and whoops… not helping…

        Reply
  3. Sunnie

    I need to find those wagons too. I started eating better in Jan and lost 12 lb, reaching pretty much my goal weight. I went on vacation in July and haven’t stopped eating since, and gained back each pound. As I type I’m eating white chocolate. Sigh. I’m going to a fitness dance class tonight tho, so it’s ok, I think.

    Reply
    1. hillary

      I LOVE white chocolate. I almost love it more than dark or milk. Go rock that fitness class! As long as you’re burning some calories it’s not so bad, right?

      Reply
  4. Shell

    I’d probably be trying to find the largest chocolate chips I could!

    Reply
    1. hillary

      Oh Alison! I have been consuming nothing but crap and I really feel it!

      Reply
  5. Kiran@Masala Chica

    I have fallen off the wagon hard. Getting up has been hard. And I spend the rest of the day in a frenzy trying to catch up. It would help if my kids would sleep predictably – but they are a hot mess and by the morning, so am I.

    Reply
    1. hillary

      I hear ya! I hate getting up early. hate it. But it does help with the other wagons.

      Reply
  6. hollow tree ventures

    I could totally do this if they were the giant chocolate chips that are each as big as your fist. Twenty of those? No problem.

    Reply
    1. hillary

      Yah, I’m on the hunt for bigger ones. It was an uphill battle all day.

      Reply

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