Friends and Food

Last night was AMAZING! I thought it was just going to be a farewell dinner (our body balance instructor, who has become a very close friend of mine, is leaving Kuwait for good) - but it turned out to be a party! I'm glad I had my dancing shoes on because we DANCED! It's strange - I'm self-conscious about a lot of things, but I have no problem being the first one on the dance floor. It started in college, and then I got really good - even took part in a few salsa competitions (never won first place, but came second/third a few times in small competitions) and taught my own class ... but that was several years ago. Now, I don't dance as much - there just aren't as many opportunities and I haven't had the time. In any case, whenever I do get a chance, I'm on the dance floor, and last night was just what I needed ... a few hours to dance off the funk of the past two weeks, being ill, stressed, anxious, etc. Definitely worked in another 3 hours of intense cardio there (it sucks to sweat so much while dancing at a party, but what to do?)!

Food wasn't a problem at all. It was Arabic food which primarily

has grilled meats/fish plus different types of salads. I loved the fact that their tabbouleh (which is basically parsley with some

bulgur and tomatoes) had the dressing on the side, so you could add the olive oil and lemon (each in a separate carafe) to your taste -- which meant I could avoid the oil altogether and just have the lemon. I also felt quite relieved that almost all the food was chicken or meat - since I only eat fish and vegetables, so all the other foods weren't even an option for me. They had a lovely grilled white fish which I tasted and that was it. Dessert -- well who needs dessert when you can dance? :)

The thing that I realized is the company you keep can really make a difference to your eating habits and workouts. I'm so glad I've managed to make friends at the gym because it puts eating and socializing on a whole other level. Food isn't our primary focus - and if there is an occasion, like an opening of a restaurant or something, we'll go, but we're not always tempted -- plus we can give each other healthier suggestions. That's not to say nobody in the group has dessert or something fried -- they do. I do. But it rarely happens. I'm never worried when I go to one of their houses because I know that they are also conscious about what they eat -- why negate all the hard work you've put into the gym? Having this type of support system has really, really helped. There are still challenges, but having someone going through a similar process makes it much easier. They really do make me realize that I am not in it alone -- and that if I need help, if I run into an obstacle, they are right there to give me the kick in the ass that I need to get back into gear. Speaking of asses ..

This morning I woke up and I was SORE!

Squats & Lunges (though I only did 60) + dancing in high heels = MEGA PAIN IN THE ASS!!

Still, it was totally worth it! Today is a recovery day - back at the gym tomorrow! J