Options
You’ve written your S.M.A.R.T, goals, as we discussed in the last couple of articles, and you have been doing well for the first few weeks. You’ve been mindful of what you’re eating, and you’ve deliberately made time to exercise at least three times a week.
Then, a co-worker picks up a couple of boxes of doughnuts to surprise everyone, and they’re your favorite. Uh oh! After thanking your co-worker for being so thoughtful, you eat not one, not two, but three of those sweet treats. Now, you’re beating yourself up for having indulged. Does that sound about right?
Perhaps, you’d carved out time in your already-tight schedule to walk in the park with a friend four days that week, not knowing that “Mother Nature” would not cooperate. There were thunderstorms on two of those days, and you missed that time to get your body moving. You felt frustrated because you didn’t have any other available time in your calendar for physical activity. You prefer being outdoors, but your available times to exercise don’t always coincide with nice weather. Do you ask yourself, “What’s the use?” and give up on working out?
Our emotions are powerful and play an important part in our lives, even in our efforts to adapt a healthier lifestyle. Things happen that we don’t always foresee. That’s life. We don’t have to beat ourselves up. We don’t have to give up. We can learn how to make adjustments. We do have options.
To the person who indulged in the doughnuts, that can’t be undone. Own it. However, she can make a better choice at the next meal. She could also choose to eat a good breakfast, and/or maybe drink a bottle of water to feel full, where there’d be less room for temptation. There are options.
The one whose workouts were curtailed by the storms could perhaps invite a friend to join her to powerwalk in the mall, go to a fitness class, or even follow an online video or a DVD to move her body until the weather improves. There are options.
As we’re learning how to make adjustments, it’s a good idea to have at least one loved one on whom we can depend for encouragement and accountability.
When you beat yourself up for making an impulsive food choice, that friend will remind you that your habits are changing for the better and that the one choice does not have to define your journey. In other words, he offers encouragement.
When you get bothered and want to pass on working out, because inclement weather wrecked your plans, that family member will remind you that your health is too important for you to skip it. In other words, she offers accountability.
You can have long-term success on your wellness journey. You can learn to make adjustments. Remember that there are options. Here’s to a healthier you!
Bridget McCray
Contributing Writer
Author, H.E.A.L.T.H.: It’s Not Rocket Science (My Journey to a Healthier Me)
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