I do not watch or participate in sports for the most part. Although one season I was on a curling team (Go Natural Born Curlers!) and had a super fun time. It was my glimpse of being on a team and I do see the appeal. But watching sports takes up so much time. Time that could be spent doing something more interesting. Even the most dreamiest of potential mates become instantly grotesque when I find out their sports watching habits. If you watch basketball AND football, that is a deal breaker. Poor women of NASCAR watching boyfriends and husbands. You must really love watching people drive fast and turn left. That sport never ends, a perpetual hell.
Having said that, I become a completely different person during March Madness. I change from "I can't be bothered by sports" to a raving sports fanatic. It is the most exciting three weeks of the year and for many reasons besides the adrenaline pumping great game of basketball! As a teacher I design a lesson around it so we can watch it in class, I get to bond with some boys that I may not have bonded with otherwise, and it is a milestone of the school year meaning that summer is right around the corner.
I LOVE March Madness but this year my gut has told me that in the future we need to celebrate a bit differently. Yet after every game I feel like the person who is non stop banging their head on the wall and wondering why they have a headache. My intentions are pure but I get to the bar and inevitably order beer and some cheesy or fried thing.
I am not doing this to be in the "in" crowd. I am honestly having a hard time flexing my health muscle. I TRULY want a beer and nachos (or other delectable bar food) and don't come to my senses until I get home and FEEL what poor choices I have made. I am in a quandary. I am having the time of my life watching this great sport but also beating myself up for making yet another bad food choice.
I am having a food hangover this morning after having watched Wichita State and Syracuse lose last night and in my agony have decided to be a bit kinder to myself. Instead of hating myself, maybe I should see this as the growing pains of change. The first step is realizing there is a problem. My stomach can't handle much more of this.
Will I listen to my gut on Monday night while I watch the championship game or will I take the attitude of when in Rome? Either way, I have decided to love myself and am happy knowing it is the final game. Maybe by next year my health muscle will be bigger and I will acknowledge my gut instinct.
Who will win? I don't really care. I just want it to be a good game and am hoping for some overtime.
You are definitely not alone in this challenge! I think you have come up with the perfect solution - love yourself regardless of the choices you make. Can't wait to hear how tonight goes:)
ReplyDeleteIt was everything you could ask for in a game. Loving myself made it even better.
DeleteAndrea, you are not alone in this challenge! NCAA basketball and beer go together like peas and carrots. Of course, this is coming from an SU alum who bellied up to the bar to watch the Elite 8 and ordered 3 beers over the course of the game -- but I also had a kale salad, so does that make it any better? ;)
ReplyDeleteThe lesson here is in loving yourself enough to allow one night of indulgences without letting it derail your bigger mission of health. March Madness is Primary Food for you, and that's a big part of the health equation.
I'm with you on the overtime wishes! xo
Did you watch it? GREAT game. And thanks, forgot about the primary food piece.
DeleteI definitely agree with Wendy. There is always the point where the primary food is much more beneficial than the secondary food. I myself love a dark beer. Maybe a coffee or chocolate porter or stout. Or an organic nut brown ale. And, I have the same conversation with myself when I indulge. Loving myself and enjoying my beer is the best solution I've found to bring myself back in balance. I'm not a big March Madness fan but I can relate to certain sporting events turning me into Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde LOL
ReplyDeletelol! A new day for some green food.
Delete