It’s Hard Keeping a Promise to Yourself

By Zerline Hughes

So … about that thing where I said I was no longer taking lunch or dinner reservations …

Well, what had happened was a Facebook friend of mine was in town and I just HAD to see her. Her first suggestion for the day was breakfast. Doh! Foiled already – just five days after saying no meetups over food. We had breakfast at a D.C. must-stop: Busboys and Poets, the Brookland, northeast location.

But wait: before you give up on me, I did the right thing. You’ll be proud, I hope.

The morning I met with my friend, I had previously planned to go to SoulCycle – my second visit this week. I made sure to continue with that plan and I burned a few hundred calories. Then, at breakfast, I ordered the oatmeal when I really wanted to try the sweet potato pancakes. Oh yeah, I also ordered a chai latte, but chai and oatmeal works, right? I’d already gone to spin, so I thought that was fair.

But wait: there’s more!

My friend is a history geek and her second suggestion was to visit some of Washington, D.C.’s National Parks. I see many of them all day, every day. They’re lovely in passing from the driver’s seat when I’m stuck in traffic and have an opportunity to look up.

But she wanted to get out the car (what?), explore, read inscriptions and, get this: get her National Parks Passport stamped at each one. So, I accompanied her to three starting with Franklin Delano Roosevelt, one of my favorites which you can actually walk throughout. Then, there was a short walk to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. After that, we took the long way back to my car (I never do that) to visit the Washington Monument. After seeing the amazing view from there to the Reflecting Pool and my favorite monument, Lincoln Memorial, I was ready to make the trip down to those, too, on foot – alas, I had to work. (By the way, did you know places like the White House and Ford’s Theatre were National Parks?)

Who knew walking and exploring (and burning calories at the same time) would be so enjoyable in 40-degree weather – and in my own city?! Thanks Maribel!

With that, my renege on no longer taking reservations was, in fact, beneficial. I didn’t stray far from my original mission. Our sit-down breakfast was short, healthy, and didn’t end up with me returning to my home office to sit down, yet again with no option to burn off the calories I’d just digested. Plus, it’s all about baby steps. We all have to remember that.

AND, as mentioned previously, my scheduled Friday meet up with a colleague this morning was at FlyWheel. What a rush! (SoulCycle, you’ve got some major competition!). And to end the week, I’ll be Zumba-subbing in Deanwood tomorrow, so I think I’ll be OK. I’m gonna’ keep this promise to myself.

Are you buying any of this?

Join me Saturday, December 10 at 10a for free Zumba and let’s shake off the weight together!