Climbing Walls...

     As with any journey, there comes a time when you hit a brick wall. This could be literally as in a wall at a dead end street during a road trip, or a figurative brick wall you encounter while making changes in your life. I hit my first brick wall in my health journey just last night.
     The biggest focus for weight loss is what I eat. I have to make better food choices. No matter how many minutes I build up to on the elliptical machine, if I continue to eat fattening foods I will not progress as I'd like to.
    My husband and I met some friends at a local restaurant for dinner. We were there to watch our area's professional hockey team play. They are in the run for the Stanley Cup....GO LIGHTNING! Anyway, I did well at first. I ordered a tossed salad and a Mahi Mahi dish including fresh vegetables prepared in a foil steam pouch. It was a healthy and tasty choice.
     Then my hubby ordered a combo appetizer...because he was still hungry after eating his French dip sandwich. Yes, I want to punch him in the face sometimes. The platter included spinach dip, potato skins, fried mozzarella, and onion rings. I sat across the table and tried to keep up the conversation with our friends to distract myself from the yummy stuff sitting within arm's length.
     Well...I eventually gave in. It started with a couple of tortilla chips. Then it progressed to tortilla chips with spinach dip. Maybe I'll have just a little bite of the fried cheese. What...you're too full now Kevin? OK...I'll eat the other mozzarella plank (it was bigger than a little cheese stick).
     I have found that it is a slippery slope indeed when I take even a nibble of food not on my plan. It seems that it should be so simple, just don't do it. And I really have a palate for healthy food. I was raised eating veggies and still love them. I don't often have a hankering for red meat, mostly preferring chicken and fish.
     So why can't I just say no? If I could answer that question I could make millions selling my secret. I have read literature on how I need to set the stage for success. Don't put myself in places where poor food choices are available. But life happens and I can't always control my surroundings.
     I laugh as I picture my fat behind literally climbing over a brick wall...that would not be pretty.  Grunting, sweating, trying to throw my leg up then hoisting my chunky butt to the top. I can only hope that as I lose weight it will be easier to climb over the brick walls I come up against...literally and figuratively.