Enjoy the Game

Enjoy the Game.

Many people think about health and fitness as drudgery. It’s work, requires discipline, and inflicts a certain amount of pain. We have to stop eating food we REALLY like that brings us immediate gratification and comfort. Then, we have to face the music of what happens later.

I get it. Some days I feel like giving up. Some days when the wind chill is below zero or it is pouring down rain, I don’t want to go to the gym.

Then, there is the food part of the equation. All the workouts in the world will not compensate for a junky diet. What is up with that? Currently, with this extremely cold weather, I want to eat every CARB that isn’t moving—which is all of them. Bread, bagels, cookies, pasta. You get the idea. 

So, what’s a human to do? We would love to be healthy without having to take medication, exercise, and still be able to eat whatever we want.

Enjoy the Game. Have fun trying new things, whether it is new-to-you “healthier” foods, some new fitness program, or finding an accountability buddy to support you. Think of this entire experience as an experiment. Try something and decide if you like the results. If it works, GREAT! If not, try something else.

How can you make healthy FUN? As we move into 2017, my plan is to offer some ways to take the drudgery out of health and fitness. Hint: it’s all about our attitude.

When we enjoy the game, we stay in the game. Why do I STILL go to the gym when it’s freezing or I’m tired? When I go, I am surrounded by FUN friends who may not want to be there either. We purposely tell one another, “See you tomorrow,” and we like to stay honest. We keep each other on track. I NEED them!

About those carbs? Well, I ate macaroni and cheese yesterday (and didn’t do so well with my vegetables). I REALLY enjoyed it and today I am just fine. The key here is that I sometimes consciously cave a little, so I don’t go crazy one day and EAT EVERYTHING. Every so often, I do eat everything anyway, and then I move on. Balance, balance, balance.

And on that note, enjoy the holidays in a way that is special for you. I am excited to spend Christmas with my family and eat our traditional foods that my Grandma Mary used to make. Today I made nutrolls that are AMAZING! We eat them on Christmas morning. Enjoy the Game! 

“We do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing!” ―Benjamin Franklin