Destination Travel Routes

Vacation, weekend getaways, a little R&R, visiting family, business, just because, frequent flyer miles, camping, and the girls getaway is just a few of the many reasons we travel.

First you pick your destination and you consider your travel options: airlines, road trip, train, bus or possibly even a boat, it just depends on the traveler. Everyone has there favorite way of traveling, personally, I enjoy road trips. I love riding down the road, with a map (no GPS for me folks) and someone I love beside me. The memories you share, the laughs, the games you play, the little stops along the way just make it so much more enjoyable. I don't now, there's just nothing better than someone I care about in the passenger seat and an open highway... you never know what to expect.

So let's say, you decide to take that road trip. You obviously know where your going, you pick your travel route, pack your bags, load up the car, grab your camera, fill up on gas and hit the road. You've brought along plenty of music and you might have even packed food and drinks for the trip.

You start off excited, you have a plan, your ready for fun and you finally get to the highway. Once you get on and you set your cruise control. The Speed Limit is 65 but your set at 70. As you drive along, visit with your company, sing along to the music, laugh at jokes and enjoy the scenery you might hit a road bump or a detour. Sometimes you have to pull over and stop unexpectedly.

As I think about that, I realize my journey to overcome obesity is exactly that, a road trip. I want to get from "here" 330 Pounds to "there" 135 Pounds. No matter what road I travel, my desitnation is 135 pounds.

So I am cruising down the highway at 70 MPH and then I notice that traffic is at a dead stand still 25 yards ahead... I have to stop. Eventually, the traffic will begin to move and if it doesn't, I would never just sit in the middle of the freeway perpetually, I'd find a new route, take the next exit, stop and get a fresh breath or air.

Just like the road trip, if you hit a detour along your destination to be healthy, you find another route. Your not completely derailed, your just simply stalled for a moment. And think about it, some of life's best memories are discovered on a detour.

So the next time you feel like you have no hope, or you think, wow, it was so easy to fall back into old habits, what is the point, but I have so much more to lose... I just can't, this seems impossible... STOP, erase those thoughts. Pull over, take the next exit and look for a new route. Revamp what your doing, come up with a new plan, one thing we know for sure, you can not just sit in the middle of the road, at some point, you have to make your way back home.

My point is, don't ever give up. Your worth it, you ventured away from home, your comfort zone, your trying new things and things get tough. Sometimes we can't see what is on the horizon beyond the hill or the mountain in front of us, but as we take one step at a time to get to the top we will get there. It may take longer than expected but at some point, you will reach your destination. Along the way, you will discover just how amazing you are.

As many of you know, last week was a low for me. I didn't work out for six days and I even binged. I was afraid of how easy it was to stop exercising and how quickly I ordered that pizza and ate fried fish, but you know what.... it was just as easy to get up and walk 3.5 miles on Saturday. Just putting on my workout gear on made me a little giddy inside, I was excited to get out and move. On Sunday, I enjoyed canoeing for an hour followed by a 2.5 mile hike. On Monday, I went to the gym and rode my bike for 3 miles. Tuesday, I rode 5.25 miles on bike and worked out at the gym. It was great! My body enjoyed it. So just as easy as it was to fall off track, it was just as easy to jump back on track. My trip is not over, I am still on my journey and headed towards my destination.

I exited the highway for a moment but I am on a new route. Cruise control set, back on the open road!