As I was sipping my coffee this morning I checked my messages as per my usual routine. My trainer had texted me to let me know she was dealing with a flooded bathroom and wasn’t going to make it in to the gym this morning. My mind took off in the following directions at high speed:
Yes, in less than 2 minutes all of those thoughts raced through my almost awake brain. I went through them again and then texted one of the other trainers to see if he was available - no go. Next I thought about either blowing the day off or setting myself up for a walk to the beach later. Hmm, either one is really blowing the day off because even if my calendar permitted, I will never get the calorie burn or the metabolism boost from a walk to the beach that I get from the “run” I can do on the elliptical, even if I only did 30 minutes.
Okay, decision was made. It’s off to the gym I went. I hopped up on the elliptical, plugged my tunes in and started moving. I told myself 30 is all I had to do. Then I thought some more. I made a commitment to myself at the beginning of 2016 that my goal for the year was to do a 5k each time I went to the gym and used the elliptical. I began pacing myself, bobbing my head along with the tunes, singing by mouthing the words with no sound and before I knew it I was approaching my 30 minutes. What next? Yes, I took the high road and continued on for 15 more minutes, completing 3.3 miles and 45 minutes. It wasn’t easy, the hamstring in my left leg was threatening to cramp, but I met my commitment to myself. I felt great when I stepped off and stretched my hamstrings, and wiped the sweat from my face.
I keep learning that life is a series of choices and so is our journey to health after weight loss surgery. I control the choices, even when life doesn’t go according to plan. I hold the power to control my personal choices whether that means choosing to meet my fitness goal for the day or having a yogurt instead of a bagel, or salmon instead of lasagna. It’s all in my power. Here’s some interesting tidbits on choice:
“Life may be likened to a path. We walk along the pathway of our lives, doing what we do. And sometimes we come to a fork in the path, where we must choose which way to go.
Choice, then, is selection from alternatives.
This means we must see the alternatives from which we can choose.
Being alert and able to see the choices we have is a critical ability for living deliberately.
Choosing is the process of selection. Classically, we weigh up each option, considering pros and cons. We then select the most advantageous option. In practice we are limited by time and the linear nature of conscious thought, so we leave a lot to our unconscious minds, which use intuition, rules of thumb, habit and so on. “
When we come to a fork in the path of life, it can be what to eat, what to drink, how or when to exercise, who to go out with, what job you want to apply for, or many other possibilities, some life changing, some not so much. The important piece to remember is to stop, stay mindful of the possible alternatives and try to make the choice in the moment that will move you forward towards your goals.
My goal is living a healthy lifestyle. I work on making my choices ones that support that path.