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Monday, April 18, 2011

Living Life to the Fullest

Yes, I know my blogging has been sporadic.  I know I should be doing a better job of updating y'all on the goings-on in my life, or of my thoughts and concerns.  Frankly, though, I've been busy.  I've been busy with work, and busy with social activities.  I'll often think of something I want to blog about, but I am too tired when I get home to actually look at the computer.  Blogging has been put on the back burner, and will only return when I can learn to not need sleep.  Finally, I've had to tell myself that I shouldn't feel guilty about not blogging.  I mean, really, this is my blog.  If I don't feel like blogging, I don't have to.  I have more important things to do than worry about getting my blog post in each day.  I do enjoy blogging, so hopefully I'll be able to do it more, but if I'm out of time, then I'm not going to worry about it.  I'm going to do other things that make me happy...like sleep...

...Or go for a bike ride 
Friday was a pretty easy day.  A couple of my lessons had to change their appointments, so I was left with some open time in the day.  Mom's in town, so we had lunch and went over some business stuff together.  Just before my last lesson I realized there were a few grocery items we needed.  So, I called Hans and told him he had a decision.  He could either stop by the store on the way home from work, or we could bike there together after my last appointment.  The store is only 2 miles away, and since I got my new bike back in January I've been wanting to bike to the store.  Still, though, I was expecting Hans to choose to stop after work.  I'm very glad he didn't. 

The entire trip took about an hour.  We weren't in any hurry, so we didn't try to fly down the street.  Admittedly, all that traffic made me nervous, and I realized again how much better Hans is at riding a bike than I am.  Still, though, I had a blast.  I felt great as we returned home just before the sun set.  I was happy to have gotten out in the warm weather and ride around town.  It felt good.  I want to do it again.  I really like my bike.

Which brings me to how I wan to live my life.
So, I've commented before on how I want to live healthier, and that has not changed.  I want to make better activity choices (actually being active would be helpful), and I want to make better food choices too.  One thing I'm not willing to do, though, is completely give up things that make me happy. 

I'm a foodie.  I like food.  I really like food.  I need to learn to truly enjoy my food, though, and not just scarf it down and want more.  I also need to learn how to truly indulge myself...eat truly good foods, and not just a frozen pizza (yum, pizza) or carrots if I'm trying to be healthy (although lately I've really been craving those carrots).

Something I've noticed with other bloggers, though, is how much they limit themselves.  I'm all for eating healthy, but I also think it should be OK to indulge a little.  For instance, a few blogs I've read have blogged about eating out at a restaurant.  The blogger may order an Alice Springs Chicken from Outback (barbecue chicken, bacon, three different cheeses...heaven), but they realized that many of the things on there aren't too healthy.  So, they order it like this:

Blogger: I'd like the Alice Springs chicken, but could I have the barbecue on the side, only one strip of bacon on the side, and shredded cheese on the side? 
Waiter: Would you like any sauce with that?
Blogger: Low fat ranch on the side.

My thought is what's the point in eating out if you're only going to get a plain chicken with a few things on the side?  Maybe they eat out more often than I do and realize that ordering like this is the best plan for them.  Maybe they really liked the sound of eating that Alice Springs Chicken, but the realized that it needed to be healthier.  If that's what looked good to them, then kudos.  For me, however, if I'm craving chicken and bacon and cheese, I'm going to have all three, just the way Outback makes them.  I might have full-fat ranch on the side.  Then, the next day, I'm either going to move more or eat less (or eat a lot healthier).  It will balance out. If I order it any differently I'll get frustrated and be more likely to binge.

I also want to learn to fit an active lifestyle into my daily life.  Lately, I haven't had a choice in this.  I've been so busy, the only time I've had to sit down is when I'm driving between appointments or sleeping.  I don't want this to change, though.  I've really enjoyed getting up early, working my tail off, and coming home wanting to sleep.  My sleep habits have enjoyed it too.  I think that's why I enjoyed the bike ride so much.  After a semi-busy day, my body wanted more movement.  The bike ride gave it to me, and I slept like a baby that night.

I do recognize that some days I'll just want to sleep (like Saturday), and I can take those days and work with them.  For now, though, I thoroughly want to enjoy every moment God gives me.  God gave me this body, and I want to enjoy it.  I don't want to waste this gift of life.  I want to MOVE!  And then I want to eat.  And then I want to sleep. 

How about you?  What do you want to do?

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