I've been doing a lot of thinking about my plan to eat healthy and be more physically active this month. So far, half of that is under way. Over the weekend, my husband and I moved from our second and third story apartment into our new third story apartment. Both of which are elevator-free. If I had to roughly estimate just how many stairs I've climbed over the past week, I'd put it at somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,500. Of course, not just my legs got a workout. My whole body put in a full effort each day until I literally collapsed each night from absolute exhaustion. Although it was physically grueling, I was proud of my strong muscles for carrying my life from one home to another.
It has never been so evident, with my body working so hard, just how much it needs to keep going. With an empty fridge in both places, I felt at a loss without a cold drink or regenerating snack to reach for. Day one we were both terribly dehydrated. Guzzling full bottles of water when we could get our hands on them. Our clothes covered in salty lines from our gallons of sweat. Not only my body, but my mood suffered greatly with this lack of hydration and sustenance. More than once I was ready to call it quits until my thirst and hunger were sated, giving me just enough steam to push ahead. Still, our fridge sits almost completely empty, our thoughts and efforts still more concerned with mountains of boxes than bags of groceries. My goal to eat local produce turning into a smorgasbord of take-out options.
I have decided not to be dismayed by this delay in plans, but instead to use it to fuel my desire for change. Does my tummy love me after a week of french fries and meals served in styrofoam? No, not so much. Would it be really excited to be treated now to a whole array of locally grown fruit and vegetables? Yes, very much so. I can't help but feel like this new home is a fresh start in many ways. It's the perfect opportunity to start some healthy routines that will hopefully stick. Tonight I will be at the Global Market and I'm hoping it might be the first evening with some home-grown vegetables for sale. Taking care of both myself and my community at the same time sounds like a good plan to me.
Today I make a promise to myself to not only be caring to my body, but kind. I'm not looking to incorporate more plant-based fare as a punishment, but as a welcome change. I will be patient while I find the best sources for local produce and be forgiving of the times when I cannot uphold my promise. Even with the best of intentions, I know that I cannot be perfect. Five years of being a vegetarian has strengthened my resolve to eat what I know is best for me. I have a sneaking suspicion that once I start, I won't be able to stop. Reducing my carbon footprint and supporting local growers is just the happy by-product of this ultimately personal decision. You can trust that I will be sharing my ups and downs throughout the month (hopefully mostly ups!) and divulging where the best Manitoba produce can be found. Have tips or ideas? Are you looking to do the same and help protect your body and environment? Please share with me at fruitsharebrandon@gmail.com, find us on Facebook, or follow on Twitter @bdnfruitshare.
No comments:
Post a Comment