Our week in the Golan was full of challenges, but it made me realize that diets are not just for days when you're sitting in your house and making your salad. It's also for challenging days - days of traveling, days of visiting friends, days of simcha (joyous occasions). You can't really even call "working toward a healthy life" dieting, because it's so much more.
As Efrat Women's Health Center's nutritionist Judy Kizer said, "You have to anticipate the challenges and think about how you will handle them."
Actually I discussed our Golan trip with her, and she had some good ideas.
When everyone ate treats and desserts, I had fruit and nuts, and you know what...I felt fine about it. While they ate pasta, I had a can of string beans. It was actually good.
I was standing talking to my children and I announced the next day's itinerary. My eight year old granddaughter Shir Tehilla was so excited by it all, she threw her arms around me to give me a hug.
Suddenly she screamed!! What???
"Oh, Savta," she said. "I am so excited. I just hugged you and my hands closed around you in the back. I have never been able to do that before. I usually hug you and my hands don't go all around. And look, now they do."
She was so thrilled, she made me very happy too, and even my kids applauded at this great news.
That wonderful encouragement enabled me to face the Golan challenge every day.
Giving up the chips in the car and the ice cream at the Magic of the Golan center every day seemed bearable because of an eight-year-old's hug.
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