I’m attending the National Sports Forum in Baltimore through Wednesday and haven’t had a free moment. The panels and breakout sessions today were great; I learned a lot and met a ton of awesome & interesting people. Tomorrow’s another full day which concludes with a gala at M&T Bank Stadium (where the Ravens play). Can’t wait to tell you more about it.

Workout have been bad.. As in non-existent. I feel sluggish and less energetic than usual, but I’m trying not to be too hard on myself because I know I will kick by butt in the gym when I get home… and sometimes other things need to take priority.

Nutrition has been okay. Overall I’ve stuck with being healthy, but there have also been a few treats here & there (including homemade cake last night and a margarita this evening). Again, I just keep having to remind myself that I eat very healthy 95% of the time, and to not feel guilty for these last few days. This takes a lot of conscious effort on my part because I tend to get down on myself for missing workouts or messing up my diet.. But I know it’s mentally unhealthy to do that.

I’m actually posting from my iPhone, so I hope this goes through okay, and at least makes some sense. I’m so behind on all my favorite blogs :/ I’m thinkin of you and hope you’re weeks are off to a wonderful start!

What helps you to keep a positive attitude after less than stellar health days?

When I got home from school I enjoyed a Yogurt Mess of a PB Muffin, a spoonful of Almond Butter and Pumpkin Yogurt. Oh I forgot to tell you, the Almond Butter of note is Barney Butter. I picked up a jar at Whole Foods last Friday and I tried it asap on Sunday :p I really like it, but I don’t think I like it more than regular raw Almond Butter. The two are just so different, I think it’ll be a mood thing as far as which I’ll go with on a daily basis.

Pumpkin & Muffin Yogurt Messiness

Kabocha Lust

I’ve heard, and seen, all these wonderful things about Kabocha squash, and I finally tried it today! Report card: A+ wow! I didn’t do anything special with it. I just cooked slices at 400F for 40 minutes. I drizzled EVOO and Herb & Garlic Seasoning on one half and left the other plain.

To complete the meal I added a little leftover Mushroom Stuffing and a spoonful of Pumpkin Hummus (ended up going really well with the squash). I just ate the seasoned half, and am looking forward to trying the other half with cinnamon tomorrow!

Honesty

I was warned repetedly of the ‘rebounding’ effect post-competition. So far, so OK. I haven’t been good, but I haven’t been awful. But I want to be great! The last few days of mindless eating have been fun, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that, but the quick diet change has definitely taken its toll, and I feel like crap So with that said, I’m hoping to use this outlet and all your inspiration to help me stay on a great balanced course. Part of that, the hard part, is going to be me being completely honest about what I’m eating. I need to make myself accountable. I know this will be the hard part because I know how embarrassed I’ll feel, at least at first, to admit when I slip up and eat something I know I shouldn’t, or more of a problem, eat too much of something. I’m comfortable at this point with the idea of everything is good in moderation, but at times I struggle with the moderation and sometimes it just seems easier not to eat it at all than to try to eat only a little.

So, in keeping with honesty, I’ll admit that I had to throw-out the rest of the PB Muffins. I had placed the majority in the freezer, hoping that would help me with portion control, but they were just too good and I struggled with just having one or two. I admit this because it’s a baby step. I know that when I’m eating healthy and balanced, I don’t have problems with binging. Switching from such an extreme & restricted diet to having the freedom to try new things was something I should have taken more slowly. Instead I’ve basically been eating nothing but carbs for the last four days. I’m already missing my protein! :p Ok, so I’m excited! I’m loving trying new foods and recipes, learning to take better photos and learning and being inspired by all of you.

Sorry for this being such unorganized and scattered post. I guess it became a bit of a brain dump. Tomorrow’s my last work & school day of the week, and I’m planning on hitting the gym on the way home.. gotta burn off a few of these carbs!

Have a wonderful Thursday!