A Leafy Challenge

My mother always taught me that playing tricks with your mind can help you eat healthier, study harder and exercise more often. And for the most part it works. Throughout college I would allow myself to indulge in my favorite Starbucks Grande skim latte only if I were studying for my toughest exam. Now I tell myself I can’t leave work unless I’ve had seven glasses of water (leaving 1-2 for at home).

Usually my inner mind games are thought out and routine, however I was recently surprised when one trick accidently fell upon me. I asked my husband to stop at the grocery store after work one day to pick up some organic greens. Now most of you with a husband or significant (usually male) other know that when you give a direction like that, you’re not only going to get the lettuce you asked for but also a few “interesting” items that wouldn’t fly on your weekly list – does four boxes of family size Cheerios, an assortment of frozen pizzas or 2-for-1 chocolate chips sound familiar to anyone? And my husband is Italian, so multiply that all by two. I have to admit though that I love him for it and it makes me laugh.

This particular time he came back with a gigantic box of leafy greens. I shouldn’t complain; it was exactly what I asked for, only we could have fed a entire hockey team or covered our apartment floor with it. I obviously expressed my sarcasm and he became bound and determined to finish that lettuce before it went bad. It quickly turned into our little challenge. Every day we brought salads to work and almost every night we incorporated the greens into our meal – pretty damn good. It took one week to eat it all, and it didn’t go bad.

The trick stuck. We bought another box the following week and again this week. It’s not about the lettuce itself though, and it’s not even just about food. It’s about challenging your mind to be a healthier, better balanced person. Think of positive things to incorporate into your routine that make your tough days not so bad and help you appreciate the gourmet coffees, pedicures and lazy Saturdays even more. Because everyone needs a few tricks up their sleeves.