I was in Chicago last week for a conference, and the wonderful weather just enhanced the visit.
On the way downtown, my taxi driver told me that there should be quite a bit of snow on the ground by now, chalking it up to global warming. No matter what the cause, I enjoyed the walk each night from my hotel to the lake.
We were fed well at my conference, and on some days, it felt like more like waddling than walking, but at least I tried 🙂
Over the last few months, I’ve come to realize that it’s essential for me to get back on track with my health goals. Lots of stress has led to lots of extra weight and higher blood sugar numbers. I was planning on starting a new routine at the first of the year, but in a phone conversation with one of my close friends, he said, “why wait?” He had a point, and beginning the next morning, I was determined to closely watch what I ate for the rest of the trip. By that evening, I was already feeling lighter.
On Friday, I had an afternoon flight and decided to take it easy before going to the airport. There’s a restaurant down the street from my hotel that’s only open for breakfast and lunch, and I had been wanting to give it a try. It’s upscale and a bit pricey, but I felt like I may not be coming back to the area for some time, so what the heck.
I started off with a cappuccino, another indulgence for me. Sadly, the drink was the only thing that worked. I ordered the Quiche of the day, which after a fifteen minute wait, looked wonderful but was cold in the center. I sent it back, hoping they could just heat it up a bit more.
Well, the waitress told me that the chef wanted to prepare another for me, and gave me a Danish to hold me over. One bite of the super-sweet roll told me that it wasn’t for me. So, I waited. And waited. And waited. Twenty minutes went by, and, because I needed to get ready to get to the airport, I let them know I was leaving (disappointed).
Funny thing was, I wasn’t mad. Instead, I felt like it just wasnt’ meant to be. My friend was right. I needed to start my diet routine sooner, rather than later. I guess Friday would kick it off after all.
It’s really tough to diet during the holidays, since there’s so much eating that’s out of our control (aka parties). That doesn’t mean we can do into the holidays with reckless abandon, but rather take each day as it comes, cautiously indulging in small bites/sips.
The real work for me will come after New Year’s. In the meantime, I’m hitting the gym and eating well at home, making things myself. In the meantime, I’m enjoying all the festivities, and you should too. Remember, Christmas will be here before we know it, and that’s what it’s all about.
