I failed, cheated, and totally disregarded everything I have learned in my journey to great health….
I willingly ate foods that I knew would make me sick.
WHY?
I was tired. The food was there and it was free. I was hungry. I was tired. I was weak. I was tired. Did you catch that?
It had been a whirlwind weekend and I simply did not want to find something else at that moment to eat.
The culprit? Fried chicken, pork barbecue and (gasp) a white roll. Ugh. It doesn’t even sound remotely good writing it out. Because I know how each one of those foods make me react. Separately, let alone together!
I have had very few problems generally avoiding temptation like this in the past year because I know I will regret it. I ALWAYS regret it. It has not been worth it to me. EVER.
But, like I said, I was weak.
You’ve been there, right?
So, the immediate feelings of fatigue, headache and fogginess were completely self-induced.
I knew better.
Needless to say, I was done for the day after that. DONE. Nap time was all I could muster the energy for. I love a good nap but somehow this just wasn’t the same. After a nap, I still felt off and basically my day was wasted. I HATE a wasted day.
So, what have I learned from this experience?
Because there is always something to be learned….
*To be prepared.
I knew there would be a lunch served after church and I knew pretty much what it would consist of. I could have planned accordingly. I could have had a mini meal prepared for when I got home that was ready to eat.
*To have a backup plan.
I could have brought with me a small snack to tide me over until I got home. I am usually very diligent about keeping trail mix or something small in my purse. Not this day. Nada. Nothing.
*To eat just a small amount of the “healthier” items on the plate.
I know this. I do this. But we are all human. We all make choices we regret at one time or another. Nothing to do but move forward. Pick yourself up and recommit.
The next day, I was very gentle with my body. I started my day with lemon water and a light workout.
I focused on detoxing my body with whole foods the entire day. Fresh fruit with protein in the morning, a nice salad for lunch and a bowl of sautéed veggies for dinner. I drank lemon water and caffeine free green tea all day.
And you know what? I felt loads better by bedtime. I slept well, much better than the night before, and woke feeling more “normal”. Gone was the bloating and puffy feeling. Yay! Don’t you just hate that bloated feeling?? Gone was my headache. My body thanked me. And my day was a whole lot better because of it!
The point is, even when we mess up, deliberately, (like me) or not, there is ALWAYS a way to get back on track. If this ever happens to you, and it will, be gentle with yourself and don’t give up. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move forward!
After all, like Scarlett O’Hara once said: “Tomorrow is another day!”
4/27/14