What I'm giving up

Along my weight loss journey the most frequent question I’ve been asked of late is what “I’ve had to give up”.  I actually feel like I gave up very little.  Yes I traded processed food for home cooked meals and a scheduled eating pattern.  I tell them the only thing that I feel I really gave up is the Variety because I found it easier to eat the same meals day after day with the exception of cheat day.  To that most people respond “I don’t know how you do that” or “I could never do that.”  In reality, look at what you eat day in and day out.  I’m willing to bet that, for about 70% of your meals it involves the same or similar items at least 3-4 times a week.  Maybe I’m wrong maybe I’m right but that’s my honest opinion.  I don’t think that people have nearly as much variety in their food choices as they think, especially upon hearing that I have an egg bake for breakfast and chili for my two lunches.  My “variety” comes from dinner, and if I’m out with my client with work I end up having the Cobb salad without the blue cheese crumbles and Olive Oil and Vinegar for dressing.  The other nights it’s meat and veggies.  I am the type of people that can, and have, ate peanut butter sandwiches for lunch for months on end.   

But I digress; I don’t believe I gave up much of anything.  I gave up a half hour to an hour a day or so to make sure I got some exercise via biking, walking or lifting weights.  I gave up the idea that this is just something I can do to lose weight and hopefully not gain it back, because it’s a lifestyle choice.  Most importantly I gave up a lot of excuses and rather unhealthy lifestyle and accountability. 

I am looking forward to continuing to get healthier, and reach all my goals and set more along the way.  This is creating something inside of me that reaches the part of me that wants to help people.  I know that If I can do this with the excuses I’ve been allowed to tell myself and given myself and resigned myself for many years that this is how it’s going to be and to just deal with it, anyone can do this.  But it takes that moment of realization.  Unfortunately it didn’t set in a few years ago when it really should have, in my opinion. 

Three years ago today my father passed away from multiple health complications.  I remember looking at his pictures when he was my age and younger and hearing everyone comment on how much we were and looked alike.   Of my two older brothers, I am the one the most resembles my dad in all aspects of life.  There are still days that I long to be able to give him a call on the phone and hear him say what I know I’ll hear in the conversations with him but realize I can’t.  Those are the moments that help keep me committed to changing myself.  Because I don’t want my children to have to feel that they may have missed a chance to spend time with me because I couldn’t, or rather didn’t take the time to really change myself for me and for them.  Time is short and precious and it will be gone before we even realize it, so I intend to make every moment that I can count with friends and family that I can while I have it. 

RIP Pop, Love you