By Dawn
Ok. Here we go. Once again, Im on a health/fitness/live your best life kick. Whats different this time, though, is…Im going to see this one through. After a flurry of emails, meetings with my nutritionist and trainer, and (OMG!) a photo shoot, Im feeling a little overwhelmed. A little nervous. A little “what in the world were you thinking?” about this whole challenge.
And Im feeling a lot exposed, since Im putting it all out there, in words, figures, and images, about my quest to get back to feeling and looking like my old, more slim and trim self. A self I havent seen in a while, but whom Im so eager to greet again with open arms. This reunion is what propels the normally shy and private me forward.
Add to this mix the ginormous music festival that my company puts on in New Orleans each year that Ive not only got to attend, but have to help facilitate, and you get a sense of the craziness that was my last week. Talk about pressure! Surely Ive lost at least a pound just sweating and running to get it all done before I go.
As I pack, I make sure to include fitness clothes, with the genuine intention of somehow squeezing in some sort of cardio work between the late nights, early mornings, and full days of the festival. I also do a clean sweep of my refrigerator, throwing away the remnants of Chinese takeout and my beloved soft drinks to make room for the fresh produce that will take its place upon my return.
Upon arriving in New Orleans, Im assaulted by a multitude of sins: Gumbo. Jambalaya. Frothy (but potent) mixed drinks. Beignets. This, and a schedule that, at best, allows me to snatch and grab food (usually fried or in some sort of sauce) on the run—when I can fit in a meal, that is.
Six days of this? I do eat—but not big portions (so I say), and I keep it to seafood when I can (which, if not foolhardy, is brave, since Im in a city on the fringe of the recent oil spill). Alcohol is kept to a minimum as well. Workouts dont work out, since I can barely fit in four hours of sleep, never mind fitness. I feel bad, but I vow to make up for the lapse once Im back home. At least, that is the plan.