Manic Monday ~ Tit for Tat

Tit for tat is an English saying meaning "equivalent retaliation." And it's the perfect phrase for me to use for accountability reasons. I've worked too hard to let go of my healthy lifestyle, especially during the vulnerable times that seem to appear at some point in every season within the year. And one of those vulnerable moments appeared last week during the 4th of July celebrations. My hubby and I decided on brats for our family cookout. They are easy to cook, they come in different flavors, and they can be complimented with simple sides of chips, potato salad, and baked beans. To add to our brat menu, my husband brought home a large bag full of Hungry HoBo buns that his coworker gave him. This fresh thick bread was the perfect bun for our brats! The problem: these brats were DIVINE! Seriously, they were incredible. After already eating one, I was craving another! I do pretty good on a normal day with my eating. But when we head into a special day of cooking special foods... I can easily be swayed by my taste buds to take on second servings. And this past holiday was one of those days!

My "tit for tat" moment had to come into play as my accountable tool. I had made myself a "deal." The deal was if I were to eat second servings of anything (besides my healthy options) then I would have to run an extra mile for each extra serving. And so I ate, and so I ran. I have to say, my deal kept me from going too overboard with the overeating. Over the holiday weekend I ate a couple extra servings of brats and a couple extra servings of good 'ol Ranch Doritos. My extra mileage was 5 more miles to add into my week. It was doable. I will certainly pull this tool out of my accountable tool belt again.

So what's your "tit for tat" tool? If you don't have one, get one! We all need accountability and this is sure to keep you mindful!!

Have a GREAT week!

~Rachel Zimmerman