The Chocolate Challenge

Well this month's challenge has been a bit of a disaster.  

I'm trying to tell myself that this is why pencils have rubbers as we all make mistakes. Last month I gave up coffee. This month I was meant to give up on chocolate, which is my achilles heel. With the coffee I just went cold turkey and, to tell the truth, I found it pretty easy. The chocolate was another thing entirely.  The days I had my food all prepared I didn't even think about chocolate.  However, on the days my food wasn't prepared I kept falling off the wagon.  Some days I wasn't eating from 3pm until I finished at 9pm.  As a result I was driving home starving and would pop into Marks and Spencer's to get some food. Next thing I was buying a chocolate bar for the remainder of the journey. I truly felt like I needed the chocolate, and it made me feel pretty shit to be honest. I was just really craving that sugar and the easy calories it provides.  Another thing that didn't help was that, at the same time, I decided to follow a Paleo diet and I didn't get the carbs right at all. I felt tired, hungry and craved energy in the form of chocolate.  I definitely cut down, and according to the scales I lost about 1.5kgs, but that would be the Paleo diet and an increase in training for the Tough Mudder event. What I've learned this time around is don't beat yourself up.  I'm in this for the long haul, so plenty of time to give it up.  Don't go shopping when you are hungry.  Sugar is the fastest calorific boost, and your body knows it. Get the food prepared for the day.  Set a goal, then set little milestones.  If you fall off the wagon, do not give up. Press the reset button, adjust your planning and get back into the fight. 

Take a look at the list below and think about your fitness / weight loss goals. Are they attainable? Do you have a plan?

Be realistic  - 'I want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger' but you don't lift weights.

All or nothing is a set up to fail - I will do this, and if I fail I will just give up because it was too hard.

Make sure what you aim for is easily measurable - 'I want to get my body fat down to 18%'

Make sure your goal is sustainable - 'I want to train 7 days per week'.