Sitting in the far back corner of the restaurant, I hunched in shame around my hamburger and fries, praying that no one I knew would see me.
I cheated. I had a weak moment and cheated on my healthy student challenge with fast food. I was into my third week of the challenge and I was hungry. And that hamburger was a food-gasm.
My illicit hamburger aside, some changes have been made that are worth the effort.
For exercising, I have had my dog accompany me on trail runs and have had gym dates with my significant other. Spending time together and getting a workout in has been a plus for all of us.
Saving the boozing for the weekend (pre-planned) cheat meal has also made a difference in how I feel. The weekends are also more special if I “celebrate” with my glass of cabernet sauvignon.
Making an effort to eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal has been a realistic goal I have been able to keep up on. Pre-packing baby carrots and having them ready to go in the fridge has been a life-saver.
The hard part has been sticking with the “all-natural” food choices. Lack of time has led to lack of planning, which has lead to friends at work sliding a Snickers toward me and saying, “Please eat this now.”
To combat the hunger that strikes while I am at work, I have food containers that have sections for different kinds of food. Through Pinterest, I have found ideas for Bento-box style lunches that are easy to make and carry around.
And at times, the only thing that really satisfies is a hamburger.
For the rest of the challenge, I am going to focus on pre-planning my food choices. I just forget to eat, so If I plan out my lunch and dinner, I won’t be caught of guard by the angry hunger monster. I plan to cook chicken with my Crockpot twice a week, and pack food for when I am at school and work.
My other goal is to find two easy and tasty recipes to share. I will report back how it went and the bound-to-happen mishaps in the kitchen. Of course, I will always confess any meet-ups on the sly with hamburgers and fries.
Side bar:
What has worked to perpetuate healthy living:
Creating calming rituals before bed, like drinking herbal tea and erythritol and painting my nails.
Pre-baking three to four sweet potatoes for breakfast during the week. I add cinnamon and honey when I reheat the spuds in the morning.
Scheduling gym dates. I dig seeing my man in Spandex; maybe you’ll find you enjoy seeing your significant other in workout gear, too.
Having a few reusable water bottles on hand to always carry water with you. I like to keep flavor enhancers in my purse to add to my water, so I get my ounces in.
Focusing on the successes of the day and not the fallbacks. As cliche as it sounds, having a mantra puts me in a positive mindset to keep trying.
