Habits, Healthy Eating and Bento

I can be inspired by just a word or two. After a conversation with a friend a word stays in my mind. I read a blog, click on a link and that word opens up a new world.

During my last long distance phone call with Vacation Barb (my previously known as Toronto Barb friend) she said the word "habits". "Habits are the key...". She has developed amazing habits. Right now she is flying to Hawaii with her bike in a travel box. Cycling has become a habit for her. It is like her medicine or daily vitamin. Every time I see her she looks younger, healthier. It gives her the energy to work harder, grow her business and employ more people.

She says she is inspired by my new gym and rehab regime. But she has been inspiring me for years.

Along with exercising I am making healthy food choices. I'm not saying diet. After years of yoyo dieting and the damage done by wheat and food allergies I want to come to some understanding with food. We have to learn to get along and live together. And I'll be doing most of the work in this relationship.

My new word is Bento. Through the world of blogs I have found the Bento box lunch. Bento boxes are a Japanese style lunch often made to be aesthetically appealing. I am now excited to make my lunch everyday. I am excited to see what beauty I can pack into a container. Until I have some blog worthy pictures these are the blogs that are inspiring me: Just Bento, Lunch in a box and Cooking Cute.

I made a birthday Bento for D.L.P. (Happy Birthday! Hope you had a great day off!). She says I should blog about it to share this healthy way of eating. And it is very healthy. It is about colour, freshness, balance. There are even government guidelines for a healthy Bento in Japan: 2 parts rice, 1 part protein and 1 part veg.

I like the definition of inspire : to affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence. Inspire is to be "in spirit". Inspiration makes me excited about my world and the gift of this life. So when a word stays with me, I pay attention. Habits, healthy eating, Bento. These are the words that inspire me today.