Time to Get Serious

WARNING...wordy post ahead with no pictures!

With my new job, a lot has changed in my life. It was a quick and drastic change. For example, I no longer work in the city of Boston. I actually commute about an hour each way now. I used to take the T to work and had a commute of less than 30 minutes door to door. I used to work directly above the gym I belonged to. I would pass two more branches of the gym on my way home. I knew I could leave my desk at 5pm without consequence, and I knew stepping out for a dentist appointment in the middle of the day was not a problem.

Sounds peachy, right? I hated it. I disliked the work I was doing and the company I worked for. When I moved to Boston I didn't have a job, and I took one in a field and industry unrelated to my interests because I needed to pay the bills. Nearly two and a half years later, I was so happy to be offered an opportunity to leave. I appreciate the position I had and the people I worked with, but I am now in a position that I want.

I knew taking this job would mean giving up those good things in my life. I did it knowing full well how much time I would spend the car, and that it would mean finding a new ww meeting. But it was worth it. Spending 8 hrs a day not enjoying things was seriously hurting my life. I was sad a lot and it was hard for my husband because he wanted to make me happy, but clearly couldn't give me a new job. So now that part of life is in order. I am much happier. However, it means I've lost all the ease of city living. I have not been to the gym once since I started this new position, and I have not found a meeting that I like. I've gotten caught up in the exhaustion of the new position and new life, that I haven't figure out those things that were once the only things I had in order.

THAT BEING SAID. I've made some decisions today. They may seem a little drastic, but I need to get myself back in line so that my life will be happier work-wise AND gym/food-wise.

1. I am joining a second gym. There is a community center right across the street from my new office and they offer us a corporate rate that is really low. Like I spend more on coffee in a month than this gym would cost (and I dont even buy coffee out!). I am not canceling my Boston gym membership either. I will have easy access to multiple gyms for only a slight increase in cost. It's worth it to me so I can go to the gym before I even go home, but I can also have a place to go on the weekends. PLUS this community center has TWO pools! It will make triathlon training that much easier!

2. I am giving up alcohol and cutting back on chocolate until my black tie event. I don't drink that much to start with, so completely cutting out it of my diet should not be hard. I just know that when I drink my chances of eating more than I need to or making unhealthy decisions goes up, so I'm just taking a break. I'm cleansing, if you will. The event if four weeks away, so it's not an insane amount of time, but I think it will put me in a good place (and just to clarify, I am most definitely NOT pregnant, nor am I doing this in hopes of becoming preggo. No need to spread those rumors, kthx).

And the chocolate speaks for itself. I don't want to cut it out completely, because that's a little dramatic, but I definitely know I have more than my fair share on a regular basis. I'm not going overboard to ruin my whole day, but it's calories I could be using in a more affective way. It's not a treat any more because I've allowed it to become a staple.

I'm hoping this commitment I made to myself will help me feel back on track and help me reach some big goals. I guess it's my own personal version of Lent. I don't do the real thing, but this is close, and hopefully it's what pushes me forward and takes me to a place I want to be physically and mentally.