Seasons of Change

I’m writing this blog from 30,000 feet, high in the skies somewhere above Illinois en route from New York back to my beloved West Coast. I just wrapped up a long girls’ weekend with my  mom, aunt, and sister-in-law in the city, and left 2Chili to his own devices. They didn’t know this picture would make its way to the blogosphere, but the weather gods were on our side this past weekend and I couldn’t help but share that with you. I’m of course the tall one on the right, crouching to not look so tall.

It seems we planned our trip perfectly. The weather was clear, though sometimes cold, and absolutely gorgeous. New York City in the Spring is like no other city, and the seasons are just about ready to turn. Though I am undoubtedly a West-Coaster, I have always had a soft spot for Manhattan. It is a magical place full of hope and promise and culture and wonderful people doing amazing things.

Reflecting on the trip, I realized just how much I’ve changed since the last time I visited the Big Apple, and how much 2Chili has changed as well.

The last time he and I visited New York, just about four years ago, my favorite meal was a meatball sandwich from Tom’s Restaurant (also known as Monk’s on Seinfeld.) This time? A “make your own” salad at the corner deli that was just like I’d make at home.

Truth.

Not surprisingly, it was somewhat of a challenge to find healthy options at the mainstream restaurants we visited, and I wasn’t about to force strictly veggie fare on the group, since I am the outlier. But as I always tell people, a little creativity goes a long way, and you can eat well at just about any place that has food. On the rare occasions you can’t find anything at all, most places will make you a salad or platter of steamed veggies, even if it’s not on the menu.

It’s true that I took all the rejected fruit and veggies off my dining partners’ plates without shame. But, I also found plenty of ways to order at places I would not normally go. I can tell you with confidence that if you make healthy choices when travelling, you will feel better on your trip, be less concerned with basing your day around where to eat, spend less, and generally, just feel better. And, you will go home still fitting into your clothes!

If you don’t believe me, take it from 2Chili directly. He has a reputation for being somewhat finicky, but I really should amend the “about me” section of this blog, because 2Chili has become anything but finicky. He constantly amazes me with what he’ll try (which is pretty much anything, once). I get some great questions these days, like, “What’s polenta?” Or, my favorite, because it’s asked with frequency, “What are capers?”

While I have been out of town, he’s maintained eating how we eat at home, without me helping guide him.

I present you with Exhibit A as proof on the right: A text message I received a few nights ago showed his dinner choice. It’s a nice looking salad that he built himself at Whole Foods. When this text message came in, I thought, “My work here is done.”

Except, it’s not. My personal mission is to help anyone who wants to eat better and feel better.

I wanted to share this blog about the end product of making changes because I think we all need a reminder that little changes over time can make a big difference.

Sometimes it seems daunting to change. It can seem like more work than it’s worth. It can seem pointless. But, the real truth is that any change is possible if done in small steps. This is especially true when it comes to one’s diet. You didn’t learn to eat in a day, and you can’t re-learn how to do it in a day either.

If you need to make changes in your life, think of them as a journey, as a winding road that will take you new and exciting places. Bit-by-bit, step-by-step, and day-by-day is the way to long term success. Sure, the direct route will get you there, but it may not keep you there.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

–Robert Frost

One of my most popular blog posts ever is about how I took control of my thyroid health and reversed the onset of hypothyroidism with diet and lifestyle changes alone. I get a lot of questions on that post on whether or not one “has to” keep eating the way I described in the post once the thyroid is back on track. I tell each person that I don’t want to find out! I feel good, like the way I eat, and see no reason to rock the boat. That’s the power of real change.

As always, thanks for reading, and if you feel compelled, leave your change success story in the comments!

P.S. If you are curious what type of text message is in the photo above, it’s on a Windows Nokia Lumia 1020 phone.