Vegas bound….

 I love Vegas.

There was a time in my life when I came to this city every year or so. Hotels to see. Shows to watch. Attractions to partake. But more important than all of those things:

Food to eat.

Alcohol to drink.

Money to throw into slot machines.

There was a time in my life when being gluttonous and not caring about my body sounded like the best time in my life. Hopping from buffet to buffet, buying the big plastic glass full of sweet tasting liquor and throwing quarters into a slot machine until my hands were covered in dirty money film was the highlight of my days when I was morbidly obese. You’d think of all the places I would want to visit now that I am more conscious about the food I eat, the lack of liquor I consume and the fact that I would rather run double digits than sit for hours playing video games, Vegas would be last on my list. But here I sit in the the McCarran Airport waiting for Meegan to arrive so that we can spend the next 7 days together and then return to our perspective homes resuming this long distance marriage.

Of all the places we could meet in the middle, this was the cheapest. No wonder. Vegas is like going to the grocery store. You get what you want (a cheap airline ticket) and then they get you with the impulse buys like the ones you find while waiting in line to pay for your groceries. Hard not to throw your money into a machine or lay it down on a roulette table when visions of hitting it big are played over and over again for you and the flashing lights make everything so tempting. Cheap food (unless you go to the fancy buffets), cheap liquor (if your gambling at the same time) and before you know it you’re out hundreds of dollars (or thousands for some people) and so full of carbs all you can do is sleep it off and resume the activities the next day.

Not me.

Not this time.

This time I come prepared.

My suitcase isn’t packed with size 24 pants and XXL t-shirts. It isn’t packed with an extra large towel because I know the hotel towels won’t wrap around me. Instead it’s packed with my New Balance cross trainers and gym clothes because we made a pact to go to the gym everyday before we begin our adventures. Instead of making room for a stupid towel that I had to drag everywhere I made room for a bathing suit that I’m actually going to use (multiple times). Instead of wondering how much farther of a walk it is to the next hotel because I’m uncomfortable carrying around a 270 pound body when it’s sweaty and my thighs are rubbing together, I’ll be wondering if I’m drinking enough water because my ass is walking as much as possible over the next 7 days. Instead of wondering how many desserts I can shove into my mouth at the buffet, I’m going to think consciously about where I’m eating, what I’m eating and most importantly how much I’m eating.

I recognize life is meant to be enjoyed. No point in stressing myself out over every morsel going into my mouth or wearing a heart rate monitor so I know I’ve burned a certain number of calories. The next 7 days is about spending it in the moment with someone I care deeply for, not worrying about things that I can absolutely control…

Because today I am

In control.

(everyday)