Living Like No One Else

If you're a Dave Ramsey follower, you've heard this quote of his:

"Live like no one else...so you can live like no one else." 

Now in the above, Mr. Ramsey is referring to financial health more than physical health.  I have had people laugh at me when I said I wanted to have no car payment, or planned to get completely out of debt.  "No one does that?!?"  or "That's not the American way!"

Uh.  Yeah.  That's the point.  Always leads me to that counseling/coaching question I like to ask when someone is adamant that what they are doing is "working" and it clearly is not (i.e. they are upsetting people left and right with behavior they think is justified..) "How's that working for you?"

We use cash only, credit just for gas which we pay off every month, and we live where every dollar has its place. Now, there is always room for improvement and I know for a FACT I could spend less than I do, but overall, we are not further in debt, even after my husband being in school for 5 years, and if all goes as planned it will all be paid off in 2014 (which is all now student loan debt as we paid everything else off).  So while I might be the only one not charging vacations to my Visa or getting a new car because I want a new car, and doesn't everyone have to have a payment anymore anyway?  I don't care.  I don't mind being different as it will help us meet our ultimate goals.

Rant aside, here is the parallel I'm finding to my healthy lifestyle journey.

Eating the way I am right now, and probably will for a long time, is DIFFERENT than EVERYONE around me, including my family for the most part (they eat the dinners I cook but otherwise they also eat bread, chips, popcorn, etc.), friends, co-workers, pretty much everyone.

Sometimes, being different can be challenging. Like in situations like tonight where we attended a fun Valentine's banquet fundraiser.  The menu had chicken, green beans, macaroni and cheese, rolls, congealed salad and red velvet cake for dessert.  Not to mention the tons of candy everywhere on the tables.

I made a request of having just chicken and green beans and caught more flack for it than necessary.  No one was really angry about it, but a few unnecessary comments were made.  I just closed my eyes and reminded myself...

"Live like no one else...so you can live like no one else."

Not one person who likes to pick on how I eat will see their ab muscles in 6 months.  I WILL.  Makes me almost willing to post my before/after pic with the sports bra and shorts.

Almost I said.

Overall the point of this post is this:  when you are working toward improving your life, many times people who don't agree with your method, timing or choices will feel free to say something to you about it.  These same people are SILENT when you are filling your body with poisonous foods like sugar (and ALL of its substitutes) or whatever else.

Why?

Because you are being different. Sometimes, I truly believe, people are in awe of your discipline.  And maybe a small part of them wishes they could do what you are doing but it just seems to hard.

Well, doing HARD things is the only way to meet your GOALs.  If it were EASY, everyone would do it, right?

Well I avoided SO many bad things this weekend.  Friday night date out with my hubby I had a beautiful steak and salad with oil/vinegar.  Saturday we were out shopping and I had a steak and steamed broccoli and asparagus.  Today I ate out twice, having chicken and green beans each time.  I'm kinda sick of green beans but true story, I ordered peas at lunch then remembered they are legumes...

Am I always going to be this extreme?  No probably not.  But I feel better than I ever have just 12 days into the Whole 30.

I'd venture to say I will likely eat more like this, than not once it ends.  I'll reintroduce food groups as instructed but if anything gives me excess gas, bloating or makes me get a zit, it's back out of my diet.  Permanently.

And when I reach my goals and have clear skin, strong abs, and lower body fat % than I've ever had, I will still eat this way.

It's a lifestyle.  Not a fad.  And the science doesn't lie.

And my results won't either! (still haven't weighed but got my FAVORITE jeans on today!!!! haven't worn them in MONTHS!)

Rant complete! Have a great night...and remember...whatever you are doing for YOUR health is your business.  Don't let anyone toss a disapproval grenade into your bowl of whatever.

~Clara