The 3 Day Challenge: Observations

July 21, 2012

I’m always up for a challenge, but not a routine.

After a week of binging, I once again attempted to get my act together. I am really inspired by those who complete those month-long fitness challenges, but I know that I am not healthy enough to go through with one myself. Of course, one must always be aware of the binge cycle, which readily accepts a health or fitness challenge on the condition that it be followed with more binging.  The fire to change keeps me trying.

I figured that a three-day mini challenge would be a nice compromise for me. It’s short enough as to not overwhelm a person and just long enough to chip away at old habits. If  I did well, I thought, than I will continue with another challenge and then another longer challenge.

This is the first health challenge that I ever completed!

Here is what I did:

1. I kept a food journal, but this time I used my own format. I simply recorded what I ate and drank (if it had calories) and put a little star next to the meals that I think I over did it on. I kept a tally on the total number of stars I got per day.
2. I did a workout. I am partial to HIIT workouts. I  did the same workout all three days and recorded my reps for each in my food journal.
3. I made an effort. It’s only three days.

Results:

• I exercised three days in row. I was able to do more reps each time. Instead of 40 jumping jacks in a 50 sec interval I did 45.
• I am not bloated. My diet was not clean, but I watched my portions and only had two small binges each day. Stomach is flatter.
• I lost nearly a pound. Thanks to workouts and no mega binges.
• I wasn’t depressed at the end of the day.

In those three days, I got a taste of what it is like to not have this eating disorder. I exercised because I liked it, not out of desperation. Also, there seemed to be more time in the day. I didn’t spend time thinking about how bad I messed up and my boyfriend was thankful for that! Nor did I obsess too much about meal times. I looked at the clock a lot less.  I even began reading and writing again! My mind was just more productive and less anxious.

You really have no idea how much an eating disorder had consumed your life until you see the hole that it has left behind when it’s gone. In my case, the hole was huge. It’s going to take a while to fill it with things I love.