Those Little Choices

This journey is all about choices.  We make so many choices throughout the day that effect our health.  The hardest part about the first few weeks of making changes is making the right choices.  They get easier in time.  They really do!  Eventually they become habit and there is no longer any debate or argument taking place in your head.

This blog and myfitnesspal.com help me immensely when it comes to those choices.  It isn't that I am writing down every meal I eat or every choice I make here in this blog. But, those choices impact my weight loss and the results of that do get posted here.  While I appreciate that some people enjoy reading this blog, I guarantee that the number would drop dramatically if I talked about my struggles while continuing to gain weight and make bad choices.

Three years ago, I wasn't drinking soda any longer.  But, somewhere over the last three years I started drinking a little more, then a lot more, and then all the time.  Which leads me to one of the first of those little choices.  Two weeks ago, I was at work and I was craving a Pepsi.  I went and got a can of Pepsi without thinking.  But, I didn't open it.  At first, I thought of two options, drink it and not post it on MFP so my brother didn't give me shit OR drink it and just take the shit.  Of course, there was a third option and that's the one I went with.  I decided to put the can of soda in the refrigerator and not drink it at all.  That can still sits in the refrigerator.  Yes, a small step when taken individually.  But, those small little choices add up over time.  I went from drinking soda daily to almost quitting cold turkey.  I have had two sips of soda over the last three weeks and I think it is mostly due to that choice I made on that first Wednesday.

Tonight, I had two more.  I got out of work late and didn't feel like going out to a restaurant.  Most of the fast food places near my hotel don't have a lot of healthy options and I wasn't in the mood for those that did.  So, I stopped by a grocery store that had a lot of fresh options.  The salad bar was the first thing I saw and it looked good.  But, I had to see the rest of the store.  So, I wandered... past the sushi (I love sushi by the way), past the fresh dipped caramel apples, past the hot food bar, past the pizza bar, past the pasta bar, past the gelato stand, past the bakery... and then back to the hot food bar.  The fried chicken looked so good and so tempting.  I stood there trying to do the math in my head.  Analyzing my day and the exercise I would be doing later at the hotel.  I finally reached, slowly, for the tongs.  I opened them up and placed a crispy golden brown chicken breast in between them.  I started to move it towards my container.  Then I put the whole process in reverse and returned that piece of chicken.  And, then went back to the salad bar.  I neglected the blue cheese and ranch salad dressings for a healthier option.  

So, that's where the story should end.  I had made a great choice and had my salad in hand.  Then I returned to the hot food bar again.  I ended up grabbing a small portion of a grilled peppers and sausage entree'.  I returned to my room and started eating my salad and it was excellent!  Then I took a bite of the sausage with some peppers.  It was average.  A little oily.  Not super flavorful.  While not great, it certainly was good enough that the me of a month ago would have finished it just because.  But, one thing I learned last time is not to waste any calories on average meals.  If I am going to eat some extra calories, I need to save them for the things I truly love and crave.  And, it's okay to throw food away Anthony.  I did.  The salad was so good I might just have it again tomorrow.

Here's to the little choices...