I am a HUGE believer in the fact that health involves many different factors. In order to be healthy I believe we must not only take care of our bodies physically by exercising, eating right, and visiting the doctor for preventative medicine; but, that our overall health also encompasses the mental,emotional, and social aspects of our life as well. I feel strongly that in order for each of us to feel like our best, healthiest selves we must find a balance between our physical, mental, emotional, and social health.
Last night, I took a break from my normal healthy eating, remember I am all about balance and not perfection, and met my two best girls for our once a month meal out. We realized a few months ago that we hardly ever got to see each other outside of our workouts and that we never tried new places, so we now have standing once a month foodie dates – amazing for my social health! I get to enjoy quality time with great friends and a night out of the house, plus trying new places is so much fun.
We met up at EVO Pizzeria in an up and coming area of North Charleston (which can be a bit sketchy otherwise) called Park Circle. EVO prides itself on woodfired pizza chock full of local ingredients. Take the picture out of your mind of what “normal” pizza looks like, you won’t find that here. There is no pepperoni, cheese, or supreme/deluxe pizza on their menu.
We got the Calabrese & Arugula and also the Daily Special pizza which was spicy chorizo and roasted corn over a pesto base. Both pizzas were amazing and between the three of us we demolished them!
If you too have fabulous friends (or heck, even a great significant other) that you don’t get to spend quality time with often enough I suggest starting a once a month meal out ASAP. Sometimes we do brunches, sometimes we do dinners, but we always have fun. I keep a running list of places to visit (in a list on my phone) and whenever one of us thinks of a place we need to try, or need the others to try, we add it to the list. Then at the end of the meal we set plans for the next month. It is amazing and really gives you something to look forward to. Let’s be honest: my pizza texts started flying a week in advance and on the day of the girls were getting texts that said, “T minus 3 hours until pizza heaven!” Needless to say I was stoked!
However, most importantly as someone who constantly focuses on my physical healthy – I marathon train, I attempt to eat healthy and count calories, I go to more doctors visits a year than I care to admit – this gives me a chance to focus on my mental, emotional, and social health.
Socially – I get to be out with my girls, try a new place, and actually feel like I have a life outside of work, training, and blogging (for once). Win!
Emotionally – These girls are my rocks and just having time to chill and talk with them makes me such a happy camper.
Mentally – Well let me be real, the social and emotional aspects of our monthly foodie dates keep my mental health way up. Happy Abby = Mentally Healthy Abby
So yes my dinner last night may have been unhealthy, but every once in a while you deserve a splurge, a chance to focus on your social, emotional, and mental health as much as you focus on your physical health. I don’t regret the extra calories one bit, in fact I already made our reservations for next month.
Call, text, run to your friends now,
Start your foodie list,
Schedule your first date,
Send crazy, fun, ridiculous messages to each other,
Get pumped,
Savior your meal,
Enjoy your quality time,
and never look back.
Do you and your friends have any standing dates?
Have often do you go out to eat?
My husband liked Evo, but I’m not sure if I would or not. Basically I like vegetable and sauce covered pizzas with not a ton of cheese, so I really like Mellow Mushroom
. He loves things like a pork pizza so yeah, he loved Evo. That’s so fun that you guys go out on a monthly foodie date though! A bunch of us do a Thank Goodness It’s Saturday (TGIS) once a month or so and go to different places, we’re going to Mex 1 tomorrow night .We’ve been to Mellow Mushroom, Bushido’s, and Early Bird. It’s pretty fun and you’re always welcome to come 
.
I understand about having friends you don’t see outside of workouts. I have so many friends here who’ve never seen me wear anything but Nike shorts. Seriously.
Mellow Mushroom is great too. EVO is so yummy,but very different.
Yum! Pizza is totally my go to carb load fave!…besides rice
I haven’t had pizza in forever and it was so good. I need to eat it more;)
I have been eating out way more than I want to these days! I love just cooking at home and relaxing, but in order to work it, I gotta go out! Oh well… LOL! There will always be another night where I will be able to stay in and cook for myself!
Eating out is super fun, but you are right staying in and cooking is the best.
This post is good for the soul! I’m glad you had a great night. And if all of those ingredients were REAL then I wouldn’t call it unhealthy. Just epic
It was epic and great for my soul.
I prefer to eat at home but my family loves to eat out. Typically it’s no more then 1/week except on race weekends when I crave Chipotle
“I’m all about balance and not perfection” LOVE that!
I too prefer to eat at home most of the time. Once or twice out a month is enough for me.
I call this taking care of your mental health! which is just as important! yum!
I agree so many people focus so much on their physical health that they neglect their mental health. It has to be a balance.
I wholeheartedly agree–balance is the key to living a healthy life. If you never let yourself indulge a little you would just wind up bingeing and making things worse. It sounds like you had a really awesome time out with your friends. I’ve been eating out more often than I probably should, but I just love restaurant salads (somehow they’re always way better than the salads I make at home) and I’ve been craving salads lately.
At least you love the salads, I order everything, but salads.
i love how you guys do your monthly dates! i think its so important for us all to take time to just enjoy! life should be all about enjoyment for sure, and its way too easy to forget that! those pizzas look amazing. i would have totally gone for that pistachio pesto one on the menu! so unique they all are!!
The pistachio pesto sauce was under one of our pizzas and really good.
Being with your girlfriends IS important to your mental health – whether you are in a relationship or not. They have done studies to prove it, although you are smart enough to figure it out for yourself! Where is your next food date?
My momma taught me how important girl time and friends are. She is a smart lady.
Next month we are doing brunch at the Fat Hen, she could come too.
I think PIZZA is my absolute FAVOURITE FOOD! I am probably gonna have some tonight
YUMMERS
I had not had pizza in so long because I don’t make it at home, and don’t order it in, it was such a delicious treat and now I am remembering how fabulous it was and craving it.
I think I spelled my name weird in a different comment I made….ooops! Dinner once a month sounds like a great idea! Sounds like you gals always have a good time
We do. It is so great to hand out with friends.
Wood fired pizza is SO good! That looks like an amazing night out with your friends!
It was fabulous!
Love a great night out with friends! I know you guys enjoyed the pizza. It looks delicious!
I loved that all the pizza flavors were really unique.