Not running yet. But...

I have to tell you - you HAVE to go to Vancouver. It's wonderful out here. I won't get into all the reasons why it's so amazing out here, but because this is a journey back to being healthy journal, I'll tell you the first and foremost reason why I love it here.

It's EASY to be healthy. No wait, scratch that. It's never really easy to be healthy. But it offers so many things to help you make healthy choices. There are tons and tons of healthy eating restaurants/options when eating out. We went to an organic kitchen for breakfast this morning that was actually kid friendly. Not only was it kid friendly, more than half the restaurant is toys, floormats, lots of space for strollers, etc... and tons of kids options on the menu. My food was delicious (roasted chicken, cilantro and chili on a baguette). Anyways, I was really worried about my two week vacation and I was goign to make out food-wise, but honestly? It's been easy. Sure I've had ice cream once, and a small piece of apple pie, but I balanced it out with whatever else I had that day, so I had the room for it. I haven't been counting points, but I've been making probably the healthiest decisions in my life since I've been here. It's crazy. I've walked probably between 2 and 3 hours a day, I've discovered I love avocado and grape tomatoes, we've been not mindlessly munching, and I've just been feeling so incredibly GOOD. I've been eating super fantastically, and it's finally sunk into my thick skull that healthy food TASTES good. I just finished an organic granny smith apple muffin, with low sugar, no nuts and it was delicious. I'm not even being sarcastic when i say I enjoyed it more than an ice cream cone.

I went to visit Anne and Chris last night with Carson and we had a deliciously healthy and organic meal (I'll have to touch on organic later, I think I've discovered a passion I never really knew I had. Did you know the pesticide level in Canada is 400% that of what it is in europe? But that's for another day) and then we had delicious gelato (only one small serving for me). And we talked (anyone who knows Anne knows that's exactly what you do all the time with her) and she was talking about what a healthy relationship she has with food. How eating good food is good for you. Ok ok, so that's obvious. But the reason I felt like ICK when I eat something bad, is because it's simply not good for you. And it makes you feel like that because of what it's doing to your system. Oh god, we talked about so much more last night but it's like a little light went off in my head. I like feeling good. I love the way I feel when I've been eating well and exercising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For so long I've been trying to diet. I know the cliche surrounding WW is "it's a lifestyle, not a diet" but whatever - I said it but didn't understand it. This is the first time it's making sense to me. I have no urge whatsoever to fill my body with crappy foods. Don't get me wrong, I will certainly treat myself once in a while, but I'm going to enjoy food for what it is. When I eat two bowls of icecream, the second bowl tastes the same as the first. And the guilt comes with the second, so next time, I'm not going to eat the second.

Also, being in a gorgeus city such as Vancouver, I could see how it's so much easier to exercise. Sure it may sound like an excuse, but you should SEE what I see on my morning walks! The ocean, the water, the fish, the boats, the people, the markets... everything. I would hardly drive. Plus, I live in the burbs so you have to drive to get anywhere. Which sucks. But I have definitely decided that I'm buying a bike trailer when I get home and Carson and I will bike as much as we can. He LOVES it outside, he could be out there for hours (which we have been while here) and without Ottawa's nasty winter, I could be outside all year round!

I could honestly go on for HOURS right now about this, but I'm in a fantastic head space right now and I'm so excited about living this way going forward. I've heard people talking about finally getting it and I kept wondering when I was going to get it. Well, it's certainly one of the best things that happened to me on this trip. Anyways, I have to go start to get a few things organized, we're going out for dinner tonight and then carson and I are making our way to Edmonton tomorrow.

I've been thinking about so many things other than food while I've been here, about material things and how they aren't important, about who cares what other people are doing or saying, as long as I'm happy (along with Jeff and Carson) that's all that matters. Sometimes I get too caught up in what other people think and I lose sight of what it is that makes me happy. I owe this train of thought to Anne for sure, so even though her and Chris dont' read this, I am saying thank you - for the biggest breakthrough in a while. I needed it, and I'm more grateful then you will ever know.

If you could see the smile on my face right now, it would be contagious and I would have you smiling too. The best thing I could wish for everyone reading this is to be where I am right now if you aren't there already.