75 Hard Day 3: Energy, Recovery & Learning My Limits
Tuesday, May 5th — Cinco de Mayo.
Day 3 started before the alarms.
I woke up around 4:50 and just slowly moved through the house—
making warm water, waking up slowly, getting ready for the morning workout.
And honestly… I’m starting to notice how much these slower starts matter.
Morning Workout + Conserving Energy
I led my 5:15 AM Zoom workout.
Upper body and core today.
But this morning, I intentionally didn’t push too hard.
Not because I didn’t want to work hard—
but because I knew I wanted to do a long walk later in the day.
And three workouts in one day is a lot.
That’s something I’m learning through this process:
Alignment isn’t always about going harder.
Sometimes it’s about pacing yourself wisely.
Morning Reading + Breakfast
Right after the workout, I read my pages from The River of Doubt.
And honestly, reading in the morning works so much better for me.
No pressure hanging over me at night trying to squeeze it in before bed.
Breakfast was:
Two eggs
Cottage cheese
Sourdough toast
Strawberries
Simple. Familiar. Filling.
Getting Lost in Work
After breakfast, I started working.
And I got a little too locked in.
I pushed lunch later than I should have—almost until 1 PM.
Which also threw off my water timing a bit.
That’s the thing with these days:
You can have a plan…
but your structure still has to work with real life.
Lunch + Body Feedback
Lunch was leftovers:
Quinoa
Brussels sprouts
Red cabbage
Cilantro
Jalapeños
A little leftover sesame sauce from dinner the night before
Simple, but honestly really good.
And something interesting happened.
I woke up with a mild headache again.
Nothing major—just sitting there in the background all morning.
But after lunch?
It faded.
Which made me realize something:
I don’t think it’s just the water.
I think my body is asking for more balance between hydration, electrolytes, and food timing.
And that’s part of this whole process too—
learning what my body is actually trying to tell me.
I also noticed my joints are still feeling less achy than normal.
And surprisingly… I feel a lot less waterlogged too.
That was one of my biggest concerns going into drinking this much water.
But spacing it out earlier in the day seems to be helping my body process it much better.
Snack + Afternoon Walk
Snack was simple:
A half quesadilla on a little 3-inch tortilla
and five slices of salami
(which, apparently, is the serving size)
Then I headed out for my walk through the neighborhood hills.
The hills are brutal.
But the views?
Worth it every single time.
Quick Store Run + Cinco de Mayo Dinner
After my walk, I made a quick run to the store because we were officially running out of leftovers.
And since it was Cinco de Mayo…
Dinner became shrimp tacos.
Shrimp tacos with:
Cilantro lime sauce
Red cabbage
Cilantro
Serrano peppers
Cotija cheese
And five large strawberries on the side.
Balanced, fresh, filling.
Exactly the kind of meals I want more of in my life.
Evening Workout + Hitting a Wall
After dinner, I led another Zoom workout.
Upper body and core crusher.
And by the time it was over…
It took everything in me to get up off the floor.
My muscles hurt, yes—
but honestly?
It was my energy that felt depleted.
Preparing Instead of Reacting
Wednesday and Thursday are my busiest days this week.
And I could feel it.
The workouts.
The water.
The schedule.
The mental load of staying on top of everything.
It all adds up.
So, instead of crashing straight into bed, I prepped
Lunches.
Breakfasts.
Snacks.
Because Iknow:
Preparation creates peace.
And peace creates consistency.
Ending the Day Softly
Before bed, I made sleepy time tea.
And had my square of dark chocolate.
A tiny ritual at the end of a very long day.
What I’m Learning on Day 3
I’m learning that alignment isn’t just about discipline.
It’s about sustainability.
It’s about noticing:
when I need fuel
when I need pacing
when I need preparation
and when I need rest
Because forcing my body isn’t the goal anymore.
Learning how to support it is.
Day 3 Complete
Not effortless.
Not aesthetic.
But real.
And still aligned.
