*Gabe just told me that he wanted to "lip hug" me. He came very close and gave me a little smack on the lips while I was sitting at the computer.*Fun fact about me: the degree to which I am responsible for an outcome personally, is inevitably proportionate to the degree of anxiety I experience leading up to said outcome. So why am I scared tonight?
Because ambition has raised it's ugly head and I am actually making a goal.
I want to drop a few pounds. I want to clean up my diet in order to look and feel better. After all, I am only getting older, chubbier...and so far, I have not seen any study that has proven cookie dough and cheese to make people healthier and happier. (Reality check: I do not eat only these things. If I did, I'm pretty sure my situation would be much, much worse than it is.)
Why now? I have all kinds of great examples to choose from. Brian is one. He has done an amazing job of eating better and exercising consistently, and it shows--not only physically. My dad is another wonderful example. He has endured his fair share of jokes about being a "rabbit," but If I could magically graft his diet into my own life, I would be ecstatic.
The latest example is a little off-the-wall, which is why it is garnering the attention of so many people around the world. A guy named Drew has gained 70 pounds in six months. Drew lives in Utah, has a job and a wife and two kids. He has "always been fit" and works as a personal trainer in addition to his normal gig as a neuromonitoring technician (responsible for monitoring a patient’s nervous system during back surgery). According to Drew, he tried to empathize with and understand his overweight clients, but he really couldn't. It always came down to, "You don't know what it's like to be overweight and trying to change your diet." This was the seed of Fit2Fat2Fit.
He is now ready to begin his journey from fat to fit by eating the right foods at the right times and exercising about an hour a day. If you didn't click on that link, do it now or soon. It's virtual rubbernecking...just can't not look at the damage this guy has done to his awesome physique in the name of compassion and inspiration...but it's rubbernecking with a cause! You may just get inspired!
Anyway, that commitment to change has me a little scared right now. I feel like I'm terrible at following through, so I avoid making commitments. I tell myself that this is to preserve the integrity of the really important stuff in my life, like my family. I have a whole theory about it. If you have a few hours to kill, let me know and I'll give you the full version. It might be a lot of bunk, or it may not. Time will tell, my friends. Time will tell!
So if I see you soon, and you offer me a doughnut, and I decline--just know that I'm working on being an adult: following through on a commitment, working toward a goal. My pantry and fridge are now stocked with all kinds of goodness. If you are really interested in what exactly, check out the shopping list here. Spinach shakes, people! Just FYI, I have blended and consumed my share of spinach shakes, but it has been a few months.
