Have a little fun!

Part of this journey towards better health is remembering to find enjoyment in life. It's a lesson I have to remember at least once a week because I am one who can get hyper-focused on one aspect of what I'm doing to the exclusion of good and even more important things.

Yesterday, for example, was an opportunity to put this into practice. My kids are working on world geography for school this year, and the last two weeks they have been learning about Brazil. The curriculum we are using (My Father's World) recommends a country party at the end of each unit, which includes foods from the country just studied. We made all of our food for the units on the United States, Canada, and Mexico, but for Brazil we decided to order from Brazil Terra Grill.

And it was A - MA - ZING.

Now, I could have been militant about counting calories (in which case I wouldn't have eaten anything from the restaurant because I didn't have that information), or I could enjoy the blessing of a unique experience we were having as a family. Did I go crazy with what I ate? No. We only ate about half of what we ordered (so I could have probably saved $15 on the meal), and I'm not planning to eat much of the leftovers, if any, but I was able to tell myself it's okay to have a treat now and then.

Sure, my weight went up a little when I weighed myself this morning, although it was still less than it was even two days ago, so I think it's a win all around. And I don't have to punish myself over it by being extra restrictive with my calories today, either; it's just back to my normal routine.

I hope anyone considering making changes to their lifestyle will keep this in mind. Look at your long-term goals and successes and don't focus on the short-term ups and downs.