Ashley's Story: Week 7 - Emotional Roadblocks

I have to start of by saying that this past week has gone fairly well. I've exercised. I've eaten well (mostly). And, remember those nine pounds I gained on my trip? I've lost five of them! I have a big challenge coming up next week though and I really hope I can continue the momentum that I've got going.

My Challenge
I start back to work on Monday. I could almost cry just typing that. I've had 13 wonderful weeks with my son and daughter and it breaks my heart to think about leaving them. I don't have an option though, so back to the daily grind I go.

Like I've said before, I'm an emotional eater. So, foodwise, next week could be full of pitfalls for me. I'm really going to work hard to not let this change derail me.

My Plan
One of the perks to working outside of the home is that I get some time to myself. I plan to use my lunch break everyday to exercise. Southside Park is just two blocks from my office and a great place to walk and run. With the new Hour of Power on Fridays at McKinley, I can take my bike and get in a ride and an awesome workout with other Mamas.

Another great thing: every other week, I'll be taking light rail to work. That means I'll have an automatic walk to and from my office everyday of those weeks. Exercise built into my commute; it can't get easier than that! Taking light rail also means that I won't have my car at the office, so I won't be tempted to drive through a drive thru on my lunch break.

Finally, having to pay for daycare for two kids puts a real crunch on our budget. It will be more important than ever for me to take my lunch and actually eat it instead of eating out. I just need to remember to plan my lunches so that I'm not grabbing just anything as I run out the door in the mornings.

That leaves me with the last part of all of this, the emotional part. I have to remember that it's really normal and very okay to feel sad about leaving my children. I also have to remind myself that they're going to be just fine. My daughter has been in daycare since she was three months old and she's perfect! (I maybe a little bias...)My son will do fine as well.

Time for you to share now. How do you get past your emotional roadblocks without falling apart? What's your alternative to food?