Friends Can Be A Wrinkle

I had a good day today. Mr. Treadmill was a little more accommodating and I even pushed myself to go little faster.  As always, I still am using little goals to be able to make it for the full twenty minutes. Hey! Whatever works is my new motto.

I did have my first test on how I handle Body for Life in public.  I agreed to meet friends out for Happy Hour. I bellied up to the bar to buy the first round of trips. “Rum and diet for my friend and a bottle of water for me!”  I was a little concerned that I would feel out of place with everyone with a cocktail in their hands and me with water but I did okay.

Friends saw the water and asked why I wasn’t drinking.  I said because I’m on a mission and right now drinking wasn’t part of it.  “Yeah he’s doing Body For Life.  When he’s on diet everyone is,” which was the remark from a friend.  “That’s not true!” I said.  “First of all it’s not a diet. I just know what works for me.”  Flash forward a few minutes.  I ran into my cousin who said, “Wow it looks like you’ve lost weight!”

Talk about a boost to my ego!  I was feeling like the program wasn’t working so it was nice to have someone give me a compliment.  Later on, a group of us decided to go to dinner.  We opted for Tex-Mex.  I stayed away from the tortilla chips that kept coming in droves.  I ordered baked salmon, rice and a small garden salad. “Dieting?” another one friend asked. I’m really serious about Body for Life was my only response.  “Cool,” he said.

It’s interesting how people try to knock you down or try to persuade you to break your goals.  “Oh you can skip a little.”  “What’s one drink?”  “Is that really all you’re having?”  I don’t think they are trying to be mean spirited about it (although I suspect some are) but it’s just another wrinkle to shooting for your goals.  I just have to remember that everything is not smooth sailing and there’s an end in sight with a huge reward!