Selfish Superpower

I was raised to be the type of woman who selflessly drops anything whenever a friend or family member needs something.  It is something that I happily do whenever the circumstances arise.  I genuinely love taking care of others and doing things to make them happy.  Seeing a huge smile on a friend's face makes any amount of hard work worth it.  This has always been one of my characteristic strengths that I am incredibly proud of.  This past weekend I traveled to watch my favorite tigers play in Houston and spend the weekend with my family. I was incredibly excited to spend this precious time with my entire family (which only happens a few times a year), but I knew I wanted to try and stick to my routine as much as possible.  My brothers were down for Sunday Funday at the gym but nutrition was my biggest concern.  I like being home where I know exactly what is going into my body.  Every time I visit home it seems easy to slip back into old routines.  As a Louisiana native I was raised on excellent but generally fatty cuisine.  I'm not saying that kind of food doesn't have a time and place, but special occasions and in moderation are the best way to consume them.  I used to eat out quite a bit and I always feel guilty whenever my old friends want to go eat somewhere we used to love but I know I won't find the kind of food I tend to crave. 

Ever since I started feeding my body real food to fuel my goals, my perspective on food has changed.   During the football game the smell of french fries and fried chicken almost made me want to vomit.  My family mentioned dessert at a restaurant and all I wanted were my almonds.  My youngest brother has been incredibly influential and supportive throughout my lifestyle change and it's comforting that he believes the same thing.  Throughout the entire trip it felt like I wasn't being selfish alone but we were being selfish together for making healthier decisions.

Part of me felt guilty for not going with the flow the way I usually do.  Looking back I know I shouldn't feel guilty about making those decisions because I know that what I put in my body directly affects my mood.  When I take care of myself with real food and having my time to exercise, I'm better at taking care of others.  Because I am able to be selfish and take time for my health I'm better able to keep having my superpower. Taking care of myself is the best way to take care of others and taking care of others is my favorite superpower.  

Here's to rocking the rest of the week and making good decisions!

Emily