I mentioned to a friend that I was going on vacation to Spain and Morocco, her response was “I love your life!”
I’ll admit, it’s a pretty good life. I’m pursuing my passion, we do travel every year and I have good family and friends. Yet all I could think about at that moment was the extra 10 pounds of weight I put on recently and how chubby I was going to look in the after-photos.
We all have moments like these, yes, even a Health Coach. Being healthy is a lifelong pursuit, not just a one-time, short-lived session. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
My typical goal is to do better today than I did yesterday. Sometimes it’s to do better in the evening than I did in the morning. And sometimes it breaks down to doing better the next hour (like after eating the gooey chocolate dessert that somehow made its way into my mouth even after I said I didn’t want it.)
The most important advice I can give you at times like these is to be kind to yourself. Take a moment to breathe, really breathe, in and out from the gut. We are always hardest on ourselves when we need understanding the most.
Then admit that you can do better, make a plan and begin to implement it. Your plan doesn’t mean you have to launch into a full detox. Start with something small, like no cheese on your sandwich or adding more vegetables to your plate. Master that first then add in a new goal.
So what happened with my extra ten pounds and vacation? I ultimately went on vacation and had a stunning, amazing good time. I watched the sun set from the hump of a camel in the Sahara Desert and enjoyed dinner at the home of Michelin-star chef in Barcelona. And even through all that I was able to give myself small goals to accomplish, like cutting back on white carbs, upping my good fat intake through extra virgin olive oil and avocados and doing a few squats each night before bed. Looking at the photos I do notice a few extra pounds in my face; but the truth is that most people aren’t going to notice and NOBODY is going to love me any less even if they do.
Post-vacation I’ve been able return to more clean eating, more consistent exercise and in only 5 days I’m feeling and seeing the effects. Little changes eventually add up to huge strides. Do what you can today. And if you need a little extra help, encouragement, knowledge or just someone to keep you honest – contact your health coach (me). That is what we are here for.
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