Anyone who knows me knows that I love treats and sometimes laziness. But, I used to be (and still am in some things) a perfectionist. I wanted to do everything perfectly, or I wouldn't end up doing it at all. This goes back to what I wrote earlier about giving up perfection at the expense of good. When I was younger, there were so many things I didn't even try unless I thought I could be the best or do my best. I didn't start running races until I was almost 40 because I never thought I could train enough to be the best. There were so many things I missed out on, even though being 'good' would have been so great for my health.
Once I realized that doing something is better than doing nothing, my mindset changed. I had tried to be a vegan several times, but always gave up because I couldn't do it perfectly. When I thought that I could never have ice cream or cheese again, I always faltered, and usually went off the deep end when it came to some foods.. But then, I read that our bodies really do want to heal themselves. If we do our best 80% of the time, our bodies can handle fixing the other 20%. That changed everything for me. If I knew I could really eat whatever I wanted when I crave it, all of a sudden, it wasn't critical to have that treat NOW.
And the benefits of eating mostly plants, even if you can't switch over completely, is definitely worthwhile. The science is so exciting and quite staggering! (But, we will dive into some simple changes soon.)
Once I realized that I didn't have to run every single day to be an effective athlete, I felt liberated to do what I could. Heck, even during my pilates classes, sometimes I serve refreshments to make the class less restrictive!
Trying to be great at what you do is always an honorable goal. But, knowing that we can take a break or splurge occasionally can usually get us further than thinking we can never make a mistake. Our bodies are resilient and they want to be healthy. They will cover for us when we need a break from our disciplined lives.
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