Did summer go by as quickly for you as it did for me? Are you happy with what you did and didn’t do?
We started off with a bang in June with a large family reunion in Southern Utah near Zion National Park. It continued through scout camps, weddings, and trips to places on the East Coast like Washington DC and New York City.
With all the travel and knowing I would have limited resources, I decided to forego my keto diet this summer and simply focus on making better food choices.
That being said, I didn’t deny myself the yummy wedding cake my niece and her husband chose, nor did I turn down the chance to eat at Shake Shack or In-N-Out Burger (for the record I prefer the Shake Shack burger and the In-N-Out chocolate shakes when compared side by side within a week). I also opted to eat the Dole Whip served at my son’s college since it’s been three years since I’ve had one.
I did have more salads and do tons more walking. My best day was over 23,000 steps and the equivalent of 50 floors when we hiked in Zion National Park.
For the last month and a half I’ve had a short trip every two weeks. This means it’s been even harder to get in all the veggies and healthy foods I want. The end result is I’m up 4-6 lbs depending on the time of day I step on the scale.
Not the best, but not the worst either.
So how do you handle setbacks? It seems I have a few choices. I could wallow in self-pity and head right back into the self-destructive habits which got me here in the first place. Choice two- I could beat myself up and go super-strict on everything with a grumpy attitude. Third, I could brush it off and not care, or fourth, I can be kind to myself and be happy I made some good memories while I continue to tweak my habits to be more and more positive and productive.
I’m choosing the last path. I’m not going to beat myself up, nor am I going to stop trying. I’m heading to blogging conference soon, and I’ve already started thinking ahead for ways to eat healthier on that trip while still enjoying a few treats here and there. I’ve also talked to a friend who has her personal trainer certification. And now that my wrist checks out, I’ll have some exercises I can start working into my daily routine.
It is so important we are kind to ourselves. I’m talking about not ignoring our mistakes, but holding ourselves accountable in a loving way.
Would you tell a five year old who messed up tying her shoes that she was lazy, dumb or never going to get it right? Unless you’re a sadistic person, the answer is no, you wouldn’t. You would help her practice again and again and encourage her until she got it right.
So use that same kind of positive cheerleading on yourself. Progress, however small, is still progress. Embrace it and go forward knowing you will likely stumble along the way.
And it’s okay.
Be kind to yourselves and have a “bee”-utiful day. Until next time.
