Healthy Obligations

Welcome to the week.  

Summer is in full swing.  Thankfully, all of the excitement and hustle-bustle of graduation is behind us.  But there will be no settling down per se.  The obligation of all things freshman year of college is full steam ahead.  In fact, it reminded me of a previous post I wrote called  ROAD MAP, an article that will surely help you plot a unique approach to all the obligations in your world!

TRUTH.

The older I get the more I abhor OBLIGATIONS.  This must sound strange because it goes against every strategic planning bone in my body.  However,  I really can’t stand having a week or a weekend jammed packed with a ton of social obligations.  Options are okay, but OBLIGATIONS just choke me out!  I blame Mr. Chicken Fry.  His aversion to planning and spontaneous spirit has rubbed off on me over the last 23 years. It’s also quite possible that I have reached middle age a happy level of maturity.  Shoot, maybe I’m just owning my moderately introverted side.

Let me explain.

I call it the cross-over.  I have walked across the bridge from having to, over to CHOOSE to!  In the last four years, I gained some sort of wonder woman confidence which freed me.  I’m now able to claim a stake in who I’m and what I like to do with my time and whom I like to do it with!  So sue me if I’m super sensitive to over obligating.  I don’t mind having options but what I know about me is that if I over obligate, it only sets me up for failure.  I wind up dreading the event in which I committed. Then the misplaced shame of possibly breaking the plans sets in.  I’m faced with the choice of going with a negative attitude or going back on my world!

Can anyone else relate?

The greatest turning point in one’s life is realizing their limits.  It’s totally okay to pursue a vision on your terms.  This is code for finding ways to convert certain obligations into love at first sight delight.  I need downtime.  I just do.  In between my training schedule, mom duties and housework, I enjoy quiet private downtime.  This special time gives me the energy I need to withstand the social obligations that crop up such as darty’s (day drinking summer parties) birthdays, weddings, showers, and social activities.

These days I only commit to one or two social things a weekend and that’s that.   If I have the bandwidth to tackle an additional spontaneous invitation then so be it.  But this way no one is counting on me and I’m not riddled with guilt.

Now, let’s talk FITness.  

TRYING to be FIT always results in failure, guilt, and shame.  But.. choosing...(not trying) a righteous healthy lifestyle will result in great progress. Yes, failures will come BUT there is a noticeable different approach to failure.  Make sense? What I’m saying is… forget about the obligation of FITness.  FITget about it!  Your health isn’t an option it’s an obligation. The other alternative is death you do realize?   FITness as a whole offers up options to living a healthy life.

Don’t ever shame yourself if you don’t eat broccoli and asparagus every night.  Instead, find a vegetable you like, pair it with lean meat and potato, and just like that a healthy meal.  

​Experiment!  Open your mind to different kinds of grilled fish!  Try a taste of quinoa or cooked kale…you just might like it!

Don’t dig yourself into a rat hole of remorse because you didn’t get two full workout sessions in this week.  Be proud of the day you mowed the lawn and the day you played basketball for 45 minutes with your kid. Stand encouraged at the grilled chicken salad option and the guiltless grilled fajitas with corn tortillas you ate.

Think about this.  By cutting back on your alcohol intake a week you could buy yourself a new pair of sneakers.  I bet if you buy them, you will wear them and use them. 🙌🏽  How’s that for changing an obligation into a better choice!

I’ve got my eye on these bad boys….Adidas womens ultra boots DNA’s!  They are fine fine fine!  Sold on Amazon.  

Instead of obsessing about shortcomings, you begin to obsess about your wellness.

Take the focus off of the work and place it on the well-being of your body and health.

I remember when the then 13-year-old teen queen came to me asking to see a dermatologist for a minor forehead zit outbreak.  I looked at her with ♥love and said that I would be happy to take her to a dermatologist as a last resort.  I told her that she should first be sure that she’s the cleaning and caring for her skin properly and on a consistent basis.  Also, that she should factor in the diet which could be causing the outbreak.  If after these things she still has a problem that then I would consider a doctor’s care.

This gave her an opportunity to focus on her overall health.  Diet nutrition and who knows maybe even exercise.  The focus is off of her scrubbing her face raw or looking for a quick fix.  This puts a spin on the well-being of her entire whole body.  Take the obsession off of the forehead zits and shine the light on the cause.

For so many people, weight gain consumes them until they take a different perspective.   How do you do this?  HYPERViligance toward an unattainable goal or delightful fascination with metabolism, nutrition, and exercise.  Open your mind up to the radical idea that your body is a FAT melting machine! How can one maintain this kind of delight?  Through FITmentum.  Building each day with a better bad choice tactic.  By choosing to exercise three times a week.  By setting the alarm earlier.  By planning, preparing and cooking well-balanced meals.  By spending an hour meal prepping for the week. Set the scene but don’t over obligate yourself to the point of frustration.

BALANCE

MODERATION.

SLOW and STEADY!

When I feel rest, hydrated and healthy I’m more inclined to take on more social obligations. Once you get some traction, you too will have increased energy and a taste of a healthy habit. You will have tasted the FIT fruit and will be hungry for more!

This is my current water bottle obsession the HYDROFLASK

It keeps my lemon water ice cold for hours!  The top handle makes it easy to tote around and grab out of my purse.  It’s a sweat-proof stainless steal flask and light weight for travel. I take it out by the pool or lake for endless hydration. 

Any thoughts?  I would be my pleasure to hear your feedback and or comments.

Love, drop the shame, and don’t be lame!

Angi

xo 

Get involved in one of my monthly workout passes.  I’d love to help you work towards a healthier you!