Victorious Wellness

Yesterday I had a conversation with a friend. Let me briefly share what she told me. A friend of hers delivered a cover dish.  As she delivered her gift she mentioned, "I made you this pasta, but I know how health-conscious you are so I skipped the beef and made it with turkey."

The comment made each of us chuckle. But for you to understand I must give you some background. Two years ago, she had a nutritional epiphany. At the time, she had been my fitness training client for about two years when she decided to radically change her eating. We kept our usual routine, but she lost over 30 pounds within months due to her diet changes. She has been eating the same and we have been keeping the same workout schedule ever since.

What was funny about the dish? Well, she is very strict about what she eats as her friend accurately assessed. She stays very diligent about her dietary habits because she has learned what works for her and she is adamant about advancing her successful track record for life. Upon seeing the marvelous dish before her she knew it was not the beef or turkey that would do her in. Instead it would be the mounds of white pasta intertwined with the blend of two rich cheeses from which she would have to run away.

The important thing I want to share with you today is this: It's not whether the pasta was good or bad or healthy or not. The key is in both cases the people used knowledge to make a good decision.

The gift giver was extremely thoughtful in considering my friend's needs and, based upon her knowledge of what works, she made an appropriate substitution - one that she may even make for herself regularly.

My friend was also appropriately aware of what her body needs and is doing the right thing by not allowing a gift to derail her from her nutritional mission. She is freezing it until the appropriate time when she can share it with others who can eat that much pasta instead of slowly munching on it over a week or longer period.

How are you doing with your awareness? And how is your knowledge? Are you where I was nine years ago? Then, I ate what I was given and my only rule was finish my food.  Have you set your own rules and guidelines for what foods are acceptable to you or which ones work for you?

Your comments are always appreciated.