Falling Off the Wagon

Just a short post here. I fell off the wagon yesterday at lunch time. I devoured and incredibly meat based lunch. I even figured I should just forget and ate a McD's ice cream cone after as well. But there is some good news in all of that.

Every other time this has happened in my life I would just throw in the towel and forget it. But I didn't this time! I went right back to eating vegetarian and eating right. Sure I was upset with myself but in a sense it the loss was a victory. Let me explain.

I was able to analyze what happened and why. Two major factors. First no no, I didn't eat breakfast. They say to live healthy you have to eat breakfast. I skipped it. The 2nd no no (kind of) is that my morning routine was thrown off. Normally I go to Bangkok University and study in the coffee shop and eat lunch in their cantina. But yesterday I had to run an errand and in this town running one errand can take all morning. So that is a victory as well. Next time my schedule is thrown off I just need to lock it in and focus and remember to do the right things. I also need to remember to eat breakfast.

So don't give up when you stumble. Figure out what happened and make the correction. Don't beat yourself up. There is strength in our weakness. Push on.

Confessions of a Meat Eater

I talked a little in my last post about eating vegetarian. Let me confess something to you. I hate eating vegetables. Especially cooked vegetables. My church where I used to pastor at knows this all too well. Ask them. As a boy I have terrible memories of trying to down the peas on my plate. The cooked pea is the root of all evil.

I remember years later eating Shepherd's Pie. It is meat and cooked veggies covered in mashed potatoes. I picked out all the vegetables (allegedly) and began to eat. Before I continue I believe I have a medical condition that causes my gag reflex to kick in when I eat cooked veggies; especially broccoli, cooked carrots and peas. I have had this medical anomaly as far back as I can remember. So I digress. Anyways, where were we? Right. Shepherd's Pie. So after meticulously picking out all the cooked vegetable I began the inhaling of the pie. Suddenly, deep in my throat, it happened. The day I almost died. I felt a cooked carrot way in the back of my throat and yup, you guessed it, my gag reflex kicked in. I started choking and gagging and beating my chest. I didn't taste it. No, I just felt it. Finally after what felt like eternity (approx 10 sec) I was able to swallow the food. This happened over a decade ago and has scarred me deeply.

The church I worked for on my last Sunday, one of the youth presented me with a pan of cooked veggies. They all got a kick out of that. But boy I wish they could see me now. I have pushed through my medical condition (gag reflex) and am now eating cooked vegetables, including carrots, broccoli and snow peas. And guess what else? I love it! My neighbors who have restaurants make cooked veggies in stir fry and fried rice. It is incredible. I have overcome. Sure, every once in a while I can feel the reflex wants to kick in, but then my body realizes it can make it. Perseverance. Fight. Fight.

All that to say is if I can do it, I am completely convinced anyone can do it. I even eat cabbage for Pete's sake. I am still looking for variety. It's just learning how to ask for it. While I am OK at Thai, it is still hard to communicate some things. But seriously, just keep pushing on. If this meat eater with a gag reflex can do it, so can you.