Doing The Dishes

I have talked about the health benefits, the extra energy, the comfortableness I have with my body in chairs and car seats, but there are many other ways my life is transforming. A couple of ironic changes I have noticed are how much laundry I do now, and how much we have to clean the kitchen up and wash dishes. I used to wash two laundry loads a week, whites and colors, now it is 6 or 7. First, there are the workout clothes; then because I have tons of energy, there are the extra “working” around the house and extracurricular activities clothes, and of course the regular daily wear stuff. Digging out old clothes, buying new clothes, and reading the 5Xs for selling or giveaways has only compounded the laundry fiasco.

We have gone from a lifestyle that included much eating out to one where every meal is cooked at home, except maybe one every two weeks. Along with cooking every meal comes having to clean up from every meal. Dishes have tripled. One thing I don’t miss – the deciding on where to eat out. You know, the uh, I don’t want to cook, do you want to cook? Where should we eat? You pick, no you pick. What are you in the mood for? What are you in the mood for? Oh whatever, just not there again. Well, that is where I wanted to go, so you pick. I don’t want to….

The end result for us usually became pizza, Chinese food, or a fried fish dinner. Of course, it is probably blasphemy to say this in Wisconsin, but going on 5 months now, we have not indulged in our favorite Friday fish fry. But, honestly, it is so nice to be free from food. Yes, free. I was trapped by food. It was controlling my emotions and my life. With giving so much of my time and life to my career, my health and well being were given a back seat. Food was my comfort, my indulgence.

Now I live more for new experiences, exercising, and eating healthy. I just can’t get over how addicted I am getting to working out. I cannot give enough compliments to the Fitness Together staff, they have made exercise enjoyable, challenging, and rewarding. That says a lot given all my failed attempts at diet and exercise previously.

Now, quality time with my wife doesn’t have to be defined by watching TV and eating carryout. Sitting still, while somewhat necessary on Saturday morning after five tough workouts through the week, is just something I don’t do well anymore. Audrey and I had one of the best weekends of our life. We spent almost four hours walking around a farmer’s market and a museum, and didn’t get tired, didn’t have to sit down, didn’t have sore feet or knees, it was just wonderful. It is as if we are starting a whole new chapter together. Audrey, by participating on Fitness Together’s meal plan with me, has now lost over 30lbs herself.

The transition to healthier eating has been easier than I thought as I have come to crave a lot of the tasty, fresh, vibrant foods we’ve been eating that are not layered in fat, flour or sugar. Flavors have come alive. My body has come alive. My mind has come alive. And this is just the beginning.

We have had some tremendous life challenges the last two years, but this competition has been one of the biggest blessings of my life, enabling my life to have so many more chapters, chapters richer in context and vibrancy. Two and half weeks to go! Time to really work hard, and get the most out of what the competition has left for me.

Warm regards,
Michael