Intervention

So yesterday I weighed in at an all time high. I have promised myself that I'd never break the 140 mark (unless, of course, I get thoroughly knocked up or some other perfectly legit reason), but I surpassed it by 3 pounds. Goodness me.
It all started back at the beginning of December. The weather turned rather abruptly sour. I also wasn't traveling, and took advantage by sleeping a lot and being lazy. I didn't cycle. The gym closed for winter break. Then Christmas happened. Then I went to the Florida Keys for a week, and ate like a horse. Not just any horse, a champion racehorse who suddenly found herself retired in a swanky pasture full of treats. It was awesome.
And here I am. 143.

I tried the 8-hour diet, where you limit your consumption to an 8 hour block. I stuck to it, but I still wasn't making healthy food choices. So that flew like a brick.

Unfortunately, making good food choices with my career is hard. I live in airports, hotels, and hospitals. My current client has a shockingly unhealthy cafeteria. A low-carb or paleo diet would be all but impossible. Calorie cutting is downright depressing.

So. These are the things in my way: sweet tooth, lack of access to healthy food, the desire to be comfy, loneliness, and procrastination.
Let's think. Let's get serious. Let's go all Dr. Phil on this mother.

• Sweets are killing me. That daily cookie. That mini Sonic blast. I think I have a sweet every day. I must think of sweets as a rare treat, rather than a daily allowance. 
• Eating right on the job(I eat well at home) is extremely difficult and inconvenient, but not impossible. I have to accept that I must go out of my way to do it. Maybe I'll have to hike across the street and buy a Subway sandwich rather than get that unhealthy (but free) chicken finger basket at the hospital cafeteria. Or maybe it's more of that awful salad bar. Go for that bruised apple instead of the cookie. The options are bleak, but I need to toughen up. Although I may enjoy eating a little less, I will enjoy my health and fitness a lot more.
• Get my butt to the gym. Being lazy is temping, but unrewarding. It's easy to think, "It's so cold outside, it's late, I'll just work out tomorrow", but then I won't. I have to exercise today, so that I can be stronger tomorrow and the day after that.
• Going to the hotel gym alone is a bummer. I get lonely. But it is what it is. I'm definitely not going to meet workout buddies sitting alone in the hotel.
• Consider my long term goals. I just ran a 15k, and want to do a half-marathon. This summer I want to do 100-mile cycling events, Bike Ride Across Georgia, and ride up Brasstown Bald. I'm not going to be able to complete my long term goals if I fail the short term ones. So let's set some short term goals, to keep myself accountable.

This week's goals:
1. Run an 8-minute mile on the treadmill. I just ran 9.3 miles at a 10:19 min/mil pace. I can turn it around and run a short distance at a fast pace.
2. None of those delicious giant chocolate chip cookies at the cafeteria. This is my go-to fix for a raging sweet tooth. But if I put a moratorium on those cookies, then I know I'll reach for yogurt or fruit instead.
3. Work out 5 times in the next 7 days, starting tomorrow. 3 of those workouts must be high-intensity.
4. Don't miss the new episodes of Beauty & The Beast. Oh God, did I say that out loud?