Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Choosing

Three years ago my husband had an idea. If you climb 10 mountains in 30 days you'd lose 30 pounds. So in July 2007, we tried.

We picked 10 mountains. Every three days we would leave early in the morning and come back before the kids got up (I didn't work then). While I climbed the mountains, I wrote down everything I ate. Every single calorie.

I got to the point where I knew I had only so many calories I could consume in a day, so I started being really picky about what I ate. Did I want quality (chocolate) or quantity (cucumbers and tomatoes - they're very low in calories)?

This is a lot like writing, we have to choose what we do with our time. Choose if we'll spend it watching TV, surfing the net, exercising, spending time with our family, writing. It's all about balance. Figuring out what's the best use of our time. Sometimes sitting on the TV watching a show I enjoy at the end of a long day is what I need. We just need to choose.

That is what's next week is about. It's not about writing a lot, but choosing to spend our time wisely, even if that means not writing at all.

BTW, we only climbed 5 mountains, because my husband's knee gave out, but I did lose 15 pounds.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Way to go on the 15 pounds! Excellent post about properly prioritizing. I'm working on that myself and having to be real cautious with how I spend my time.

Susan R. Mills said...

Choosing how we spend our time is so important. I'm just not sure that I always make the best decision. :) Great post, Patti.

Wendy Paine Miller said...

Love that about mountain climbing!

I'm getting ready to submit so I'm choosing to stay in the chair almost all day. My eyes were red yesterday.
~ Wendy

Jessica Nelson said...

Great analogy Patti! I'm always having to decide how to best spend my time. Choices, choices!
It's sweet that you and your hubby did that together. ;-)

Jennifer Hoffine said...

I love the idea of climbing ten mountains...you could write a book about that...Maybe about a dad trying to make up for time lost with a daughter.

But you're so right about choices and prioritizing, in dieting and life.

Jessie Oliveros said...

You always blog about mountain climbing, and I'm pretty sure it's so that those of us who live in flat places can feel bad.

Laura Pauling said...

Wow, congrats on losing 15! that's not easy. And everything seems to be about balance in life and in writing!

Melissa Hurst said...

How true! I am so bad about getting online to check a few blogs and before I know it an hour has gone by.

lotusgirl said...

Cool. Maybe I should climb a few mountains. Or maybe I'll just sit here and write.

Robyn Campbell said...

This is a great post, Patti. The writing mountain seems so high right now. But I know I'll finish the climb. I'm with you next week. :)

Elana Johnson said...

Holy cow! 15 pounds is a lot in 30 days!

I agree with this analogy. We need to pick and choose what we're going to do and then STOP beating ourselves up because of that choice. And just do it. Great stuff!

Tamika: said...

Everyday this presents a new challenge. My time is never predictable but I learning how to make it work for me:)

ali cross said...

Wow, I am just so amazed that you even thought you COULD climb 30 mountains! Impressive! And fifteen pounds? That's awesome!

Carolyn V. said...

Choosing to spend time wisely is the best thing to do. Congrats on so many mountains! I don't think I could do one. =)

Misha Gerrick said...

I avoid regret for doing other things for that exact reason.

I don't want to force myself to write when it isn't what I need. The day I need it, I won't want to write.

:-)

Erin MacPherson said...

Wow... mountain climbing?! Early in the morning before the kids got up?! That's dedication. I do the same thing (not the mountain climbing, the picking and choosing thing). I need to spend time writing, but instead I work or blog or clean or...

JKB said...

Well done, missus!!

Anonymous said...

You climbed a mountain almost every day? I am so jealous! Yes balance is important for our spirit. I've frozen myself from worry about not getting it ALL done leading to not doing at all. Now I've surrendered and magically I am finishing projects.

kah said...

5 mountains is very impressive, and so is losing 15lbs!

I don't want to choose. I just want more hours in the day. :)

Tabitha Bird said...

Awesomeness! I too love to climb. 5 mountains is pretty good.

I agree with Karen. More hours is what's needed. And possibly some extra bottles of energy. :)