Daily struggles and goals

We all have a story. We all have struggles. I think about mine every day. I try to confront them face to face...figure out why I struggle with whatever demon is haunting me and what part of my (his)story is influencing me or what need I have that isn't being filled. More and more, I try to ask myself how I am feeling and what I need. Why? For one reason, like so many people, I sometimes turn to food to "fill a void" or I have cravings for junk food, and I really want to understand WHY!
Yesterday, I was on the step mill next to a good gym buddy talking about cravings and binging. He is in phenomenal shape and to look at him you would think he must have a perfect diet and workout plan. Now that I know him, I also know that he also struggles with the presence of junk food and occasional binging. To make up for it, he just adds on 1 or 2 hours of cardio to his work outs each day. Since I don't have the luxury of that kind of time or joints that would put up with that kind of training, I'm forced to stay away from the junk. And, let me just say, I WANT to stay away from the junk. I feel and look soooo much better when I eat clean, take my supplements, and give everything I've got to my work outs. So, as I told my friend yesterday, I am reaching into my "tool box" to use all the tools I can think of that might work right now to clean up my diet. Don't get me wrong, I'm not that bad, I just don't want to be bad at all. I really want NO JUNK in my diet. I want to ban certain foods from ever touching my lips. Here's the list: sweets in any processed form. Ha!! See what a short list that is?! LOL.
So, here is a list of my tools that I started using yesterday:

• When the coffee maker makes that last "beeeep" that it's done brewing, I am OUT of bed! No more laying there for an hour thinking about everything I want to accomplish that day.
• Get in my office and blog or plan or both.
• Get to the gym by 5 am (weekdays). This will give me more time to swim, stretch, and do more complete work outs without rushing.
• Be home by 7 am on the weekdays to get in my first meal so I can get in all of them throughout the day.
• THROW away left overs - guilt free. No more bites from the kids' food. No B, not even a bite!
• Weigh myself every morning. Take measurements and progress photos every week. Document it all. Hold myself accountable EVERY DAY.
• Clean and organize my office, drawers, and closet.
• Clean my car.

I'll let you know if those last two tools help. Here's my thinking: If we do better when we feel better, and we feel better when we look better, won't we feel better when everything around us looks better? Plus, it will keep me busy for the next few days. LOL.

Time to head to the gym for my Saturday morning work out - chest, abs, and cardio! Whooo hoo! I'm feeling good after a PERFECTLY clean day yesterday and a great workout (feelin' it in my lats this morning - yeah!).