Fighting the Cravings....

I disembarked the ship Sunday sporting a tan, some knick knacks and apparently a small virus. Monday started out as a great day. I managed to fit in all of my walks at work, drank my two bottles of water and rounded the day out with a great work-out. I had actually expected to  struggle to get back into my routine after a week of heavy eating, reduced work-outs and increased alcohol consumption, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was able to jump right back in where I left off. I left the gym feeling like I had succeeded in getting myself back on track, but then within an hour of leaving, I started to get a scratchy sore throat. By Tuesday morning I was running a fever.

The funny thing about being sick is it seems that your body should want to crave healthy things so it can get better, but for some reason it craves unhealthy things. When my throat is sore, I inevitably find myself drawn to a cold coke. There is something about the fizziness that soothes better than tylenol or any other remedy. I managed to hold myself in check, and didn't run to the store to grab my favorite little bottles as I would have done in my past, but I was not disciplined enought to fit in my two bottles of water for the day. Instead I sipped on warm tea for most of the day and ended the day with a Nyquil nightcap.

My next challenge was the candy bowl. I had zero appetite for soup or anything remotely nourishing, but every time I passed the candy bowl, it seemed to cry out my name, and since I chose to work from home for the day that equated to multiple stops. I went from two Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs in the previous two days, to eight in one day. Chuck came home to a trail of wrappers leading from the front living room to my bedroom.

So when I woke up Wednesday morning, and my fever had abated, even though I still was not feeling my best, I knew that I would fare better at the office than at home. I could fight the sweet cravings a little easier without a candy bowl sitting fifteen feet from me, and if I could perk myself up enough, I still might be able to try and fit in a little fitness throughout the day with a few brisk walks around the building. My full work-out would have to wait for another day as the faucet nose would be way too big a distraction on the elliptical, but at least I could make a small effort not to let my cold completely disrupt my routine. My body might have been craving the unhealthier choices, but I had learned how to fight back. The cold would not win today, I would.











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