This morning I chose an in-between exercise. Not the "easy" yoga workout (i.e. Rodney Yee's Yoga for Flexibility), and not the "hard" Jillian cardio weight-lifting or kickboxing, but took a middle road with Jillian's Yoga Meltdown. Which is not a pansy workout by any stretch, but is still not as difficult as some of her workouts.

So that was 35 minutes, followed by a 2 mile walk with the dogs, and I felt like I did what I needed to this morning.

I'm hoping that it will help me sleep tonight too, as I had yet another lousy night's sleep last night. It took me about 45 minutes to fall asleep, and then I woke up around 3am, and was unable to fall back asleep. So rather than the 6.5 or 7 hours of sleep that I should have gotten last night based on when I went to bed and when my alarm went off, it was more like 4 hours. Which is still better than the 2 or so hours I got the night before, but not nearly enough for me to feel fully functional on.

So tonight I am planning to take a sleep aid pill at around 8:30 and hit my pillow by 9. Hopefully that will at least allow me to sleep for 7-8 hours, and tomorrow I will feel more human when my alarm goes off. If I can stay asleep the majority of the night that is. Hence the pill. I don't normally take something to help me sleep, but as this is going on 3 nights in a row and I have GOT to get some sleep, I think a little assistance is in order for one night.

And assuming I get a decent night's sleep, my plan is for a harder workout tomorrow in addition to my walk. I am either going to do one of the cardio weight-lifting workouts, a kickboxing workout, or I'm going to run. Not sure which. I'll decide tomorrow. But I also know how awesome I feel after any of those workouts - much more so than after a medium or low-intensity workout.

So I guess that's the status today. I was at the low end of my calorie range yesterday, and should come in around that today as well with what I have planned for the rest of the day. I figure I'll stick to the lower end of my calorie range the rest of the week, and hopefully end the week with my official weigh in back under 125, rather than sitting right at it or just over it. I'd like to see it back to around 122 or 123, but realize that it may take a few weeks to get back to that. I was hovering right there for the longest time, and I'm comfortable there. So, that's my goal at this point. Granted, my technical goal range is 120 to 125, I'm happier right in the middle of it than up at the top of it.

My accountability goal is to check in and journal at least every other day, if not every day for the next two weeks. Then I have a business trip, and will probably have a harder time doing that while I am gone, but I have already come up with a plan of action for my diet and exercise.

The hotel unfortunately does not have a refrigerator, so I'm taking a collapsible cooler with me in my suitcase, and will keep that stocked with ice to keep organic skim milk, stonyfield yogurts, and whatever else I can get at the store that will keep me fed in a healthy manner. I'll skip the hot breakfast option at the hotel and opt for borrowing the toaster and toasting some whole wheat bread that I'll buy at the store as well. A small jar of jif natural peanut butter will get me through breakfasts that week, a bunch of bananas to go with the toast and peanut butter, and a glass of skim milk. Lunch is going to be harder, as they'll be ordering in at the plant and I won't be able to leave work for lunch, so I'm going to have to wing that as best I can. But I'll be able to control my dinners again with that initial grocery store trip. I haven't yet decided what I'll have. Probably just sandwiches since there is no stove or microwave or anything in the room. But I can live on sandwiches for the week. I may pack some of my homemade granola bars and eat those for snacks during the week.

The hotel does have a fitness center and a pool, so I'll be making use of both of those while I am there. I'm also going to probably stream a few SP workouts in my room - I'm bringing a yoga mat in my suitcase, and a set of 5 pound weights, which will be enough to get me through some decent in-room workouts in addition to the fitness facility.

So... I have a plan. And this makes me feel better about how that week will go too. I'm not a big fan of traveling. It always tends to make me feel out of control since I don't have my familiar surroundings, normal food choices, or options to get my normal workouts in. Taking control of as much of that as possible is what keeps me sane while traveling. Hopefully I won't get thrown too many curve-balls while I'm there and chance derailing my efforts.

Ok, that's enough for now. :) Must get back to business at hand... blah work. I'm ready for another vacation - but a healthier one this time. Hah!