On the Road to Wellness

It’s funny how a few right and left turns in life really do affect health and wellness. After dealing with the daily grind and maneuvering a few big life decisions, I’ve found that I’m able to win a few and lose a few battles being healthy. However, the wins are outnumbering the losses and it’s quite a turn for me from just a decade ago.

My usual previous response to stress included handfuls of m&ms and hours of mindless TV. Never did I take a few minutes to take a deep breath or walk around the block to regain my composure. Today I grab a piece of fruit, I go out for a walk or I close my eyes and picture something positive. At least most of the time! There are those moments of weakness where a second helping food or extra time on the couch win out, but mostly my decisions are sound.

I think it has a lot to do with commitment. If you decide you WANT to live a healthy life and make a commitment to prioritize it in your life, it can happen. This was true for me last year when I decided to run 13 half marathons. I had to sacrifice some small things in order to maintain my running schedule, but once I made the commitment to that plan, it made decisions simpler. I had something to focus on and believe in, so it was an easy decision to skip extra dessert or sleeping in so I could achieve it.

This year I put more of an emphasis on healthy eating. I love dessert, I love sweet treats, I love wine and I love enjoying food. I rearranged my priorities so that I focused first on the right foods, which leaves little space for less than healthy foods. It doesn’t mean I don’t eat them (or sometimes miss them!), but I’ve found that even in times of stress or busy schedules, I generally go for the right option. I feel that even if I make a healthy decision only one more time than I would have before, then I’m winning :)

It’s also funny to me how things generally work out in ways you didn’t know you need them to – with lots of new and different things going on for me, I haven’t had as much time for consistent, long endurance training. If I hadn’t made the commitment months ago to healthy eating, I could be berating myself for lack of exercise and less than stellar eating choices. Little did I know it would be even more important to me than when I originally set the goal.

What healthy decisions have you made for yourself lately? If you haven’t, start with something small. I decided that m&ms didn’t have to be my go-to food when I’m feeling overwhelmed. A sweet piece of fruit is satisfying enough and much healthier. With the weather warming up, I’m also trying to walk at least a couple of times after lunch or dinner each week. What commitment will you make for spring?

Miss FitGab