Enjoying Life

Months ago I attended a conference in Chicago along with several others.

I'll never forget this trip....for many reasons. But to sum it up, it's that it solidified to me that I will not let my lack of healthy living keep me from enjoying or partaking in what life has to offer.

1) The man who greated us, carried our bags, and drove us to our hotel was very nice. He shared with us that just a year ago he wouldn't have been able to do so. He was overweight and outta shape, but he part-took in a nutrition/workout program at church and made a total turn-around.

2) I attended this conference about 2 weeks into physical therapy. There were long days and nights of training and follow-up homework. But each morning and each night, I did my physical therapy assignments. I kept telling myself "Do What You Have To Do, So You Can Do What You Want To Do". I proved to myself that yes there is always time to be healthy. I had plenty of excuses not to...I was in pain/discomfort...I was TIRED.

3) One day we had free time to do some shopping down the magnificent mile and Chinatown. Yet, many of the ladies couldn't keep up or struggled with "all" the walking that was involved. Even though I was "impaired", I fared better than many of these ladies. Here we were on a trip...in a fabulous city (which some had never been to)...and they weren't able to enjoy it or enjoy it to the fullness. And, I purposed right then, to stay in a healthy condition, that would allow me to enjoy vacations, playing with kids or grandkids, or anything else life had to offer.

4) The next day eating at a restaurant so many of the ladies said this and I quote..."I can eat this (cake, fattenin' dish, not healthy item, etc) because of ALL the walking we did yesterday". What a misconception! But of course, we all do this from time to time. Yet, hearing it out loud...seem to make it so crystal clear. Exercise is not a license to eat whatever or over eat. Why would you want to undo the progress you make?

5) One of the ladies mentioned to me that she really needed to do something about her weight twice. We weren't talking about anything weight related...It came up quite randomly and before she could eloborate more she changed the subject. Yet, the next day, during a shopping spree....she stopped and had a cinnabon & a little later a fudge covered ice cream cone. She said to me my trainer said one of the best snacks you can have is a small vanilla soft serve yogurt. I remember thinking yeah, small vanilla soft serve yogurts can be snack under 200 calories and 5 grams of fat but she is a trainer and not a dietitian. And besides, you put chocolate all over it. But what struck me was that I've done the same thing...you know saying I want to lose the weight...I want to be healthier and then I go and eat things that aren't the best for me or don't work out.

6) You can eat well on the go or on a trip if you really want to. Here I was in Chicago....a faboluous town to eat in! But, I made a point to eat healthily. In the shopping mall, friends chosed to eat cinnabon and I ate apples and yogurt from subway as a snack. Yes, I would have rather had the french toast and the bacon at the breakfast buffet...yes, I would have rather have had the fried chicken instead of the roasted...Yes, I did have to make it a point/work a little harder to pack/bring healthy snacks.