You know when you wake up in the morning with a strong commitment to eat healthy and get a workout in?  It feels good to be focused and to have things planned.  Sometimes those days go well.  Then there are the other times when, although the intent was there, it all seems to fall apart.  Those days usually end with eating something really awful late at night as an exclamation point on a mess of a day.

What's going on here?  Why doesn't our intent always translate into action?  Why does the commitment seem to fall apart and lead to eating a whole sleeve of Thin Mints?  I believe that we are in a battle.  On one team we have deprivation.  On the other, we have gratification.

We all have a normal desire to feel satisfied, happy, at peace.  For me, planning out my workouts and having my healthy foods around is all part of that desire.  I want to feel good about myself.  I want to feel good physically.  I want to feel strong, filled up, and confident.  I've learned that to feel that way, I have to plan things out and prepare for my day.

That doesn't mean the day always goes as planned.  Things come up all day long.  We are needed by our kids, our family, our work, boss, coworkers, house, neighbors, parents, friends, and pets.  We say yes and we're there for them.  We meet their needs.  We fulfill their requests.  We try to make as many people as possible happy.  And we give up our time.

We do that over and over until we just can't take any more deprivation. Then we sit down with the bag of chips or the ice cream or the pizza or the [please insert your favorite "I'm taking some time for me dammit" treat here] and we get that moment or two for ourselves.  It's just a few minutes.  It's just a snack.  We can get so much pleasure from it, and we don't have to say no to anyone to get it.  An hour workout takes mega-planning.  A Reeses peanut butter egg takes none.  Going to the gym means feeling guilty for whatever the thing is your are having to neglect for that hour.  Eating 12 cookies after everyone is in bed?  Super easy, delicious, delightful, and no one gets hurt.

Or do they?  Maybe the instant gratification is really not creating the feeling of satisfaction, happiness and peace we want in our lives.  If the rush only lasts a moment, but has long term consequences, is it worth it?  As you all know by now, I smoked for 17 years.  Every cigarette for me was a nice little break outside from whatever was going on, with the added bonus of a drug rush to my brain's pleasure centers.  Who wouldn't want twenty of those a day!  But they lie, because they kill you eventually.

If you are deprived of time for you then getting the only bit of pleasure you can from food, I challenge you this week to look for other things to add to your list of gratification-givers.  I believe food can be on that list but it can't be the only thing.  Maybe what you need at that time is sleep.  Or a shower.  Or a walk.  Or four deep breaths.  Or to lay down and stretch your back.  Or a big glass of water.  Or some tea.  Or a good song.  Or a workout.  Or a text from a friend.  There are other ways to steal a moment for yourself and they can be very healthy.  You choose.

For me, I got into trouble not by depriving myself of time day after day, but by depriving myself of me.  I was so lost, that I really wasn't living what I now call authentically.  I was walking through life doing what I thought I should, without knowing much about what would make me love my life.  I was full of fear, guilt, and regret.  I had a lot of 'shoulds'.  But I felt very deprived so I ate.  It was a temporary fix to a very deep problem that food was never able to solve.

If you have been struggling with your weight most of your life and you are sick of thinking about calories, carbs, fat grams, etc. maybe it's time to go the next step.  The truth is, it's not about the food.  It's about what need is being filled by the extra food and what you can do to feel fulfilled without it.  What do you need?  Is food really giving it to you or is it fooling you into thinking it is, then robbing you of that very thing over the course of your life.

I believe we can choose differently and at any moment set our lives on a different course no matter how lost we feel right now.  That's the truth.  

Now get moving!
 

Fresh Healthy Dip

Rinse and mix together:
2 cans black beans
1 can shoepeg corn
Add:
1/2 chopped green pepper
finely chopped red onion
4 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup medium salsa

Stir then let sit about an hour.  Serve with baked tortilla chips, baked pita wedges, or carrot chips.
 

OK you started with 3 sets of 15 triceps extensions last week.

Now get 8 or 10 pound dumbbells and add 3 sets of 15 biceps curls.  Slow and controlled, all the way down.  Focus on your muscles and make sure you feel it!

Strong, toned arms...yeah!