Between Thanksgiving and New Years, I gained a legitimate 5 pounds.
I would like to say that I gained these 5 pounds for the purpose of this blog, but that would be a lie. Nonetheless, my month of weakness has served some purpose.
Let’s get one thing straight, I LOVE food. I am proud of the fact that I struggle with weight. I am proud of the fact that I have been an athlete, and avid exerciser, since I was a kid. I am proud of the fact that I love to eat. I would not be who I am, without these traits, and I would not be able to relate to people, without these experiences.
Admittedly, enjoying food this much, and needing (both physically and mentally) to exercise has always felt like a curse. Let’s be honest, we all have those skinny friends who never exercise, and who have seemingly no interest in their next meal. They go so far as to forget to eat! Seriously, I will NEVER get that!
I have to admit that over the course of my life, I have come to realize that this “curse” has actually been a blessing in disguise. My athletic ability, and my physical and mental need for exercise has given me a strong body, a strong heart, hard bones, and a healthy mind. My love for food has provided me with a passion for healthy eating, and an interest in food, and cooking. This has resulted in a strong food culture within my family, and a healthy eating path for my children.
However, as I always say, a person’s greatest strength is also their greatest weakness! That being said, I am not perfect in my quest for health. I am not a perfect cook, nor are my children perfect eaters. I indulge, they indulge, but I for one, have my boundaries.
My indulgences must be home made. I never drink soda. I never eat packaged cookies or cakes. If I am going to eat a cookie, it must be made from scratch. My children are the same. It is important to me that they know the difference between Chips Ahoy, and a homemade chocolate chip cookie. I indulge on freshly made biscotti, banana bread, apple crisp, and carrot cake, just to name a few of my favorite sweet treats.
The difference between a homemade cookie, and a packaged cookie is taste and ingredients. I know every ingredient in my homemade chocolate chip cookie, yet I can hardly pronounce, let alone identify many ingredients in the Chips Ahoy. However, homemade sweets still contain plenty of sugar, white flour, and butter, be it, organic, or not. Excessive calories will put on weight, no matter where they come from.
Anyway, here is what happened as I voraciously ate those sugary treats.
I wanted more.
My cravings for sugar became virtually uncontrollable! I stopped wanting my veggies, beans, nuts and whole grains! After about a week I felt a major decrease in energy, I felt bloated, and I had no desire to workout. I found myself only feeling comfortable in sweat pants (you know that feeling?), which is probably why the weight gain was so subtle. Then, 3 days before Christmas, I developed a sinus infection. Then came the doctor visit, and the antibiotics.
Thankfully, I am back on track. We are just finishing up the leftover banana bread, and apple crisp in our house. Our company has left, so I am back to my normal routine. I went for an 8 mile run yesterday, and felt fabulous, despite dragging those extra 5 pounds around!
When I go off track, and stop prioritizing health, even for a short time, I feel very different. I feel awful. I do not feel like myself. It occurred to me that many people feel lousy every single day. So many people complain of frequent headaches, and have a hard time getting out of bed every morning. I wonder, how many people think that being tired, sluggish, unmotivated, and overwhelmed is just normal life?
On a “normal” day in my life, I feel happy, motivated, energized and focused. I feel strong and confident. I crave fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains. I long for hard workouts at the gym, which leave me feeling completely exhausted yet totally invigorated. I make lists, set goals, and accomplish them. I feel in control, and I feel empowered.
When I indulge, I am reminded of why I live a healthy lifestyle. I am reminded that it is not normal for me to lack energy, motivation, and confidence. I am reminded of all the reasons I work so hard to cook, and feed my kids real whole foods. I am reminded that my body is my temple, and it needs to be treated as such.
Most importantly, I am reminded that making health a priority means enhancing all other aspects of myself, and my life, for the better.
