"Best Shape of my Life" Plan

I've decided not to use the words "diet" or "workout regime".  Instead this is my "Best Shape of my Life" plan.  The main goal is to change my life by creating a lifestyle that I can sustain and enjoy.  The result will be the healthiest and fittest me I can be based on good food and great exercise.

For the food part of this plan, I'm going to focus on what makes me feel the best and supports my workouts and other activities.  In thinking about what this food includes, I watched the documentary "Forks Over Knives" and was reminded of how great I felt when I ate a mainly plant-based diet.  This included great sleep, regular bowel movements (at least more regular for me), and I didn't experience the crazy cravings for sugar.  So, that is what I'm going to be doing - transitioning back to a plant-based diet.  I'm definitely not saying I won't eat meat, dairy, or eggs.  I will try my best to make these occasions special, with organic, free-range, and responsibly farmed animals.

My goals for the food part of the plan are:

Reduce constipation

Increase energy

Increase the amount of good sleep

Reduction of skin issues (specifically the rosacea on my face)

The workout part of this plan is going to focus on building a program that I can follow realistically, that is flexible, and fun. 

My goals for the exercise part of the plan are:

Run three 5Ks, setting new PRs at each one

Complete the Warrior Dash

Enjoy a two week canoe trip in Killarney

Increase my strength to the point that I can do 5 unassisted pull-ups

To keep myself on track and accountable on a daily basis I have some specific plans.  I'm going to continue to use My Fitness Pal to track my calorie intake and weekly exercise calories.  At the end of the week, I'll use the information to determine my success at eating a plan based diet, but I'll also use the notes section of the app/website to record how I'm feeling each day (full, hungry, tired, et cetera), and also my bowel movements (more information than  you probably need to know).
I also use My Fitness Plan to track my measurements, and even though I don't like doing it, I have set aside a morning every two weeks to record my body fat percentage, my weight, body mass index, and arm/chest/waist/hips/leg measurements.

My end goals are:

21-33% Body Fat

125-169 Body Weight in pounds

19-25 BMI

My end goal target is May 3rd, which is realistic if I get back on track (as I'm slightly behind the plan already).  I will provide updates over the weeks...