be mindful

Ok, I'll admit it. I just ate a few dill pickle potato chips. And I had pancakes for breakfast. And I skipped yesterday's workout because I wasn't feeling well and had a cheeseburger for dinner.

I am not perfect. I don't eat perfectly. I don't workout perfectly. But something I am learning as I recommit myself to healthier habits (not indicated above...but everything in moderation right?!) is that even small steps are worth it.

What's not worth it? Sacrificing health for the sake of saving a few calories and trying to look like a magazine's description of beauty rather than focusing on healthy living.

Special K and their marketing is really troubling me right now. The idea of replacing two meals a day with processed cereal or cereal bars in the name of quickly losing a few inches frustrates me.

When we focus so much on shape and size rather than the actual health of our bodies we are doing ourselves a disservice. We are endangering our health and well being. We are not teaching our children that health trumps size or shape. That what is on the "inside" matters far more than what is on the outside. Unfortunately so much about our society looks only at the outside to make judgments. Commercials speak to our desire to look great for an upcoming reunion or vacation rather than learning how to develop a lifetime of healthy living.

I wrote about my imperfections above to show that I am vulnerable. I know how to make better choices but I don't always do so. Making those choices is hard, especially when it's the end of a long work week and takeout burgers sounds way better than prepping, cooking and cleaning up after a meal.

No matter your imperfections or how many times you fall off the proverbial wagon, remember this: a cereal bar is not going to get you back on track.

Try an apple. Or a handful of raw nuts. Or a glass of water when you don't know if you're hungry or just bored.

And set your sights higher than that next big event. Be proud of your body each and every day. And work to honor it each and every day with good, moderate choices. Choose whole foods (nuts, fruit, veggies) when you can. Focus on how you feel rather than the number of inches.

Add activity to your day, and eat the foods that will give you the energy for that activity. Whole foods and whole grains are much better for that than anything processed.

Be mindful of your body and how you feel...not how our society tells you you should feel. Slimmer is not necessarily healthier.

Be kind to yourself.