This being a new year, a new start, I thought I would try something new to me. I would try…moderation.
Honestly, moderation does NOT run in my blood. My father didn’t get this concept at all. How do people get moderation? How do they learn to live that way? Is this a developmental stage I missed? Was I behind the door when this lecture was going on?
If I am at a meeting and there are dishes of chocolate around, I either have to say NO completely or I end up eating pretty much the entire offering. Last Tuesday I was at P.T.O. and there were those cute little Reese’s popables and I knew, just knew, if I started there was NO going back. I looked around and there were people actually eating just one or two. They weren’t consumed with eating all of them. Just enjoying the one or two they tried.
This morning I was at the gym doing my usual cardio workout, thinking in my head about the calories I was burning. I am going out with girlfriends tonight for dinner and I want to be able to enjoy dinner AND dessert. So, I’m figuring if I burn THIS many calories this morning and I am very disciplined ALL day, then tonight, I am home free!
Well, beside me on the cardio machine was Denise, a competitive body-builder who works out hard. Her muscles have muscles. We began talking about “cleaning up” our eating. She commented that she knew what to do, but wasn’t. I know what to do as well. I’ve even had help figuring out what sort of food plan works for my body type and what foods I can tolerate and still wear my jeans.
She looked at me and asked, “how much leaner do you want to get?” I was floored by the question.
Again, my motivation for working out (which I don’t do in moderation either!) is to be healthy and strong and to be able to indulge in chocolate and desserts.
