A Little Help From My Friends

When it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle, some days are more difficult than others. These are the times when I have to have those little talks with myself about what is important and what I can do without, what I should do vs. what I feel like doing. A sample of a conversation with myself might sound something like this:

Do you want the immediate gratification that the drive thru offers or can you wait until you get home to whip up an omelet and maybe a quick salad on the side? You know you are going to feel crummy (and guilty!) if you eat that burger and fries.

I'll admit, there are days when the answer to the questions I ask myself are not the ones I should be giving. That's when I have to pull out the big guns and start calling on the voices of some of the friends I've made through blogging. For instance, on days when I don't feel like exercising I might ask myself, what would Chris from A Deliberate Life say to that? When Chris was over 100 lbs overweight it hurt just to walk, she reports on her blog that her feet would feel as though they were burning. But she still went out there and got in her activity for the day. It's that kind of attitude that led to her success.

When my heart isn't into my workout and I'm only giving about 50%, I start to think about Bobbie from Anonymous Fat Girl. If Bobbie had that kind of attitude she'd never realize her goal of doing a pull-up.

Oh, and there are those days when I use age as an excuse. Woe is me, I'm over 40 and I have osteoarthritis, pull out the violins everyone! I know Jody from Truth 2 Being Fit would set me straight. At 52, Jody has a body that the average 21-year-old would kill for and she didn't get it by sitting on the couch watching The Today Show and sipping coffee. She gets her (toned) booty to the gym and works her tail off.

I get a nudge from Gina, aka The Candid RD, on mornings when I hear the blueberry muffins from the neighborhood bakery calling my name. I can almost hear Gina saying that muffins are glorified cupcakes and I might want to rethink that option, maybe some Greek yogurt with blueberries instead.

When I think I can't push out a few more reps during my strength training routine I channel my inner Roy, personal trainer and all-around wise man, to motivate me to give it all I've got. Dr. J, wouldn't let me give in either, he'd explain the virtues of not allowing yourself to be ordinary.

There are those times when I find myself thinking that the words "delicious" and "healthy" can't possibly come together in the same sentence. That's when I call on my friend Tami to dispense some advice. Tami didn't lose dress size after dress size by eating things that taste like cardboard, she created her own healthy versions of her favorite meals.

Finally, mental health is just as important as physical health. In any given year I'm likely to have several occasions when there is more on my plate than I can possibly deal with alone. That's when I hear my friend Genie's voice. Genie would advise me, laugh when it hurts too much to cry. Genie can find the humor in just about any situation.

The Beatles had it right, I get by with a little help from my friends.