What Didn't I Eat

The key to a healthy new lifestyle is nutrition and exercise.  It’s easy to get off track with you diet because it’s too restrictive or too hard.  Some people can switch their habits, cold turkey.  I was not one of those people.  I had to start with smaller victories.  One of the things I like to celebrate was what didn’t I eat.

Working in an office and living half of my life in a hotel, there are tons of temptations all around every day.  What I like to challenge myself with is not eating things that are in front of me.  It's often an internalized argument with my carb-loving self and my fitness self.  I think I've gotten past chocolate for the most part, but I still crave certain carbs.

Recently, I walked into the break room to get something to drink in the morning. Sitting on the table was a breakfast pastry/dessert tray from a local chain. It had miniature cannolis on it, among other things. If you don't know what a cannoli is, it's a crispy pastry roll (kind of like a fried wonton tube), filled with a sweet ricotta cheese based filling, usually with chocolate chips too. It's an Italian dessert that I grew up with and haven't been able to get much since moving to Texas. I remember last time I saw them there a few months prior.  I walked by once, but came back to grab one. I'm proud to say that even though I walked back and forth past it three times and argued with myself, I skipped it.

Often, it’s that bread they put out at restaurants before meals. In TX, I have no problem.  Chicago bread is somehow different (I’ve heard it has to do with the water) and super appealing.  For the most part now, I can skip it.  If I’m feeling mentally weak, I consider asking the waitress to remove it.  Although, sometimes I like to test my resolve and see if I can look at it while I waiting and not dig in.  

One of my biggest struggles is at the airport when I’m flying home in the evening.  There is usually a Ben & Jerry's, and it usually has an amazing flavor that seems to draw me in irresistibly. As I’ve said, I've gotten past chocolate pretty well, but ice cream is a whole other ball game for me.  To curb that, I try to keep a healthier protein bar in my carry-on at all times to curb my sweet tooth and give me a better option.

Like I’ve said, if you can go from a lifetime of eating whatever you want, whenever you want, to a clean, calorie-appropriate diet a the drop of a hat, good for you.  If not, you have to take baby steps.  Those baby steps, given time, will develop into a full-sprint to the health and nutrition promised land.