Don't Like Inconsistent Results? Take a Look at Your Actions.

As I was stirring my Program's Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal this morning, I was pleased at how the consistency turned out.  I LOVE my oatmeal in the morning, and have had plenty of time to perfect my preparation skills!  But I remember a time when I just couldn't seem to get it right no matter what I did!  Some days it was too thick!  Some days it was too thin!  I felt a little bit like Goldilocks testing out each bear's porridge and not able to make it herself LOL!

Then I RADICALLY changed something.  I'm sure there was a crack in the universe somewhere as I picked up the packet of the portion-controlled meal replacement of Oatmeal and read the INSTRUCTIONS. 

The first day I followed the instructions to the letter is the first day I got AH-MAZING results.  The oatmeal was perfect.  My little sprinkle of cinnamon on top and it was good to GO!

Now every morning I get consistent results.  My oatmeal is perfect.  As I was stirring it and savoring those first few bites of hot comforting goodness I was reflecting on the joy I take from....GOOD oatmeal.  CONSISTENT oatmeal.

And it is 100% dependent on how I follow the instructions, whether the oatmeal will turn out or be a disaster.  If I wing it and guesstimate on the water to add, or the cooking time, it's just all over for the morning I may as well just toss it out in advance because I'm NOT going to like it or eat it.

But, if I get my 1/3 cup measuring cup out and fill it twice, pour it in to the dry oatmeal, mix it for a few second, then pop it in the microwave on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds?  Perfection.

Consistent actions reap consistent results.

Whenever my PLAN isn't giving me the results I want consistently I also do the same thing.  I look at the instructions all over again and FOLLOW them to the LETTER, and I usually find areas where I was nonchalantly substituting my own judgment for that of the plan.  Us overachiever hyper-performance perfectionists NEVER do that, do we?  Ha ha! 

ALL of the TIME!  Even TODAY I was having a conversation in my brain as I woke up at 4:30 am (just returned from Paris, France yesterday afternoon and I'm not time-adjusted for North America yet which is why I'm up, having coffee, eating breakfast and writing a blog before the sun comes up!).  This conversation went something like this:

Overachiever Perfectionist Me:  "Well, I sure would love to go for a run today!"

Steady Rational Me:  "Why don't you look up the recommended recovery times for post-marathon running, though, and find out if it is a good idea or not...."

Overachiever Perfectionist Me:  "But I feel fine!  I know me!  I can tell my muscles can take a little 2 mile jog around the neighborhood!  Come on!"

Steady Rational Me went about looking up the information anyway because it is no use arguing with overachiever perfectionist me, just a simple over-ride of actions is necessary.

And What I found is in this article:

http://running.competitor.com/2013/09/training/the-importance-of-recovery-after-a-marathon_59478

That it isn't JUST about muscle soreness, there are all sorts of things going on at the cellular level which absolutely necessitate a recovery of NO RUNNING for ATLEAST a WEEK after a Marathon.

See?  If I had just gone with what I "felt" I could have risked damage to my muscles and would have inhibited my full recovery at the cellular level.  What did I know?  All I know is that I wanted to do it, and if I wasn't sore, what was the harm in going ahead and doing it?

So I am listening to the experts. 

Same with our program.  Have you ever heard this in your brain?  "Well I'm not really hungry and I feel like I JUST ATE what is the harm in skipping one of the 5  portion-control meal replacement Meals that are on our program??"

Or this:  "I know the program recommends no exercise in the first 3 weeks, but it just doesn't make sense that I can't do that, I mean I feel great and have so much energy, what can it hurt?"

Or this:  "I'm not really sure how much water I'm getting, I don't really have to keep track do I?  I mean how much difference can it really make?"

Or this:  "Well the portion-controlled program meal replacements are 100 calories, and this Snack-Well Oreo Pack is also 100 calories, I'm sure if I just swap them out I can get similar results".

BTW the answer to all of those is DO NOT MODIFY THE PLAN!!!!!

=)

As with the oatmeal, if I want consistent results I need to follow the directions.  If I want my oatmeal to be perfect every day I can just read the instructions and DO them consistently.  Day in and day out.

As with the running, sure I love it and it is my primary method of healthy motion in my days and weeks, but if the manuals and experts tell me to NOT run for a full WEEK after a marathon, then I am going to NOT RUN for a full WEEK. 

And with the plan, if I am on the 5&1 and want consistent results, am I DOING consistently exactly and only what is in the QUICK START GUIDE? 

Have a great week y'all!

Rinse and Repeat!